Chapter Summaries

Black Zetsu planned to investigate and capture the Three-Tails and Six-Tails in the Land of Water, while Xihuo’s Shadow Organization continued to grow into the strongest nation. The leaders of the Lands of Wind and Earth blamed their decline on the Shadow Organization and Konoha and decided to start another war.

• Black Zetsu identified the Three-Tails and Six-Tails in the Land of Water as his first targets and considered gathering intelligence through Kirigakure.
• Black Zetsu weighed the risks of bringing Yin along and tested the child’s frail body as he planned for the future.
• Xihuo heard reports that the Shadow Organization had completed roads, expanded communications, created jobs, and improved life across its territory.
• The Shadow Organization surpassed Konoha in national strength and gained influence among surrounding small nations.
• The leaders of the Lands of Wind and Earth held secret meetings, blamed Konoha and the Shadow Organization for their economic troubles, and resolved to start another war.

The Shadow Organization manipulated unrest in the Lands of Wind and Earth while the Jashin Cult expanded under Leaf Dragon’s gentler reforms. Years later, Black Zetsu approved Leaf Dragon’s sealing formula, and Yin’s progress made their plan to capture tailed beasts in the Land of Water possible.

• Leaf Dragon and Yin misdirected Jiraiya as he searched the Lands of Wind and Earth for the Jashin Cult’s branches.
• Former Shadow Organization operatives deepened the split between the Dove and Hawk Factions, and Xihuo prepared to annex both lands under the guise of meeting an enemy.
• Black Zetsu ordered Leaf Dragon to stop improving a sealing formula he feared could eventually seal him.
• Yin announced that he had learned the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, and Black Zetsu praised him.
• With Leaf Dragon’s sealing formula confirmed and Yin able to defend himself, Black Zetsu put their plan to capture tailed beasts in the Land of Water on the agenda.

Black Zetsu’s mission to investigate Kirigakure took an unexpected turn when Leaf Dragon captured Hozuki Gengetsu, allowing Black Zetsu to recruit the Second Mizukage and use the Land of Water’s intelligence network to search for tailed beasts. Hozuki Gengetsu grew fond of Yin and curious about Leaf Dragon’s strength, while still wanting a chance to fight him.

• Black Zetsu stayed with seasick Yin and sent Leaf Dragon to investigate Kirigakure.
• Leaf Dragon returned with the captured Hozuki Gengetsu, whom he had seized while scouting.
• Black Zetsu persuaded Hozuki Gengetsu to cooperate, and Gengetsu stopped the Land of Water’s ninja from pursuing Leaf Dragon.
• Black Zetsu began using the Land of Water’s intelligence network to investigate tailed beast sightings.
• Hozuki Gengetsu taught Yin several Water Release Ninjutsu and regretted that the boy was not from the Land of Water.
• Hozuki Gengetsu grew wary of Leaf Dragon’s strength and frustrated that Leaf Dragon kept refusing to fight him.

Black Zetsu's group captured the Three-Tails from a lake in the Land of Water, while Hozuki Gengetsu grew interested in recruiting Leaf Dragon. Black Zetsu planned to exploit Gengetsu's fixation on Leaf Dragon to search for the Six-Tails' whereabouts.

• Hozuki Gengetsu revealed the Three-Tails' location to Black Zetsu, hoping to learn from the capture and strengthen the Land of Water.
• Leaf Dragon entered the lake and returned with the Three-Tails sealed inside a black box.
• Leaf Dragon explained that the sealing formula used on Hozuki Gengetsu had been a simplified version meant for humans.
• Hozuki Gengetsu asked Black Zetsu to lend him Leaf Dragon, hoping to recruit the obedient subordinate for his own purposes.
• Black Zetsu activated Leaf Dragon's cursed seal to demonstrate his control, which made Gengetsu feel sympathy and increased his interest.
• Black Zetsu planned to use Gengetsu's attention on Leaf Dragon to search the intelligence room for the Six-Tails' whereabouts.

Hozuki Gengetsu tried to recruit Leaf Dragon after the latter eliminated his domestic enemies, but Leaf Dragon refused and asked for intelligence on the Six-Tails. Black Zetsu then revealed he had been inside the soundproof chamber all along, and Leaf Dragon seized Gengetsu by the throat.

• Black Zetsu took the Three-Tails while Hozuki Gengetsu swallowed his objections because he feared Leaf Dragon and Black Zetsu.
• Leaf Dragon killed every person on Hozuki Gengetsu's list of disobedient domestic factions.
• Hozuki Gengetsu brought Leaf Dragon into a soundproof chamber and offered to help him escape Black Zetsu's control.
• Leaf Dragon refused the offer and asked Hozuki Gengetsu for intelligence on the Six-Tails.
• Black Zetsu appeared inside the chamber, and Leaf Dragon grabbed Hozuki Gengetsu by the throat.

Black Zetsu took control of Hozuki Gengetsu and remade the Land of Water into a militarized state devoted to preparing for war. The country gathered strength in secret, with Hozuki Gengetsu set to present its coming attack as a campaign for better lives and fertile land.

• Leaf Dragon restrained Hozuki Gengetsu while Black Zetsu used mind-controlling Genjutsu to make him obey.
• Black Zetsu placed a Cursed Seal on Hozuki Gengetsu's heart and took control of the Land of Water.
• Hozuki Gengetsu killed those who opposed him and imposed policies that made residents and their property belong to the state.
• Black Zetsu and Leaf Dragon reorganized civilians and ninja into a militarized system, using force and mind control to suppress resistance.
• The people of the Land of Water adapted to the new regime as the country concentrated its resources on preparing for war.
• Black Zetsu planned to use Hozuki Gengetsu as the public face of an attack on the Shinobi World.

Aboard a ship returning to the main continent, Black Zetsu explained to Yin that he planned to use war to capture the tailed beasts and obtain the Rinnegan. Yin was delighted to learn that Black Zetsu needed his help, and the chapter ended with Black Zetsu indulging Yin's jealousy of Leaf Dragon.

• After the Land of Water's search for Six-Tails Saiken yielded nothing, Black Zetsu left Hozuki Gengetsu in place and sailed toward the Lands of Wind and Earth with Yin.
• Yin asked Black Zetsu what war was, and Black Zetsu explained that he planned to stir up the Shinobi World to seize the tailed beasts and Rinnegan.
• Black Zetsu told Yin that he would need him to help obtain the Rinnegan when he grew up, and Yin was happy to learn he was irreplaceable.
• Yin claimed Leaf Dragon had called him useless, but Leaf Dragon denied it, and Black Zetsu called Yin out for lying.
• Yin argued that slandering Leaf Dragon was legitimate competition for Black Zetsu's affection, and Black Zetsu praised and bounced him in his arms.

Black Zetsu expanded the Salvation Cult in the Lands of Wind and Earth and secretly pursued ties with the Second Kazekage and Second Tsuchikage, unaware that a Shadow Organization agent was reporting his plans to Xihuo. In Konoha, Obito challenged Longjian to a sparring match but was defeated in one move, and the boys ended class sitting awkwardly together beneath a tree.

• Black Zetsu returned to the Jashin Cult, then took Yin and Leaf Dragon to the Lands of Wind and Earth to build on the cult's expanding Salvation Cult branches.
• Black Zetsu used the branches to approach the Second Kazekage and Second Tsuchikage, while a Shadow Organization agent relayed his plans to Xihuo.
• Obito Uchiha challenged Longjian Senju in Ninja Academy combat class, confident after training with Might Duy, but Longjian knocked him down with one punch.
• Longjian helped Obito out of the sun and sat with him under a tree after Dan Katō declared the class over.
• Rin Nohara and Shisui Uchiha watched the awkward pair, while Kakashi Hatake left with Guy.

Longjian Senju and Rin coaxed Obito into revealing the injuries he had hidden from his intense training, and Rin reassured him that he only needed to improve at his own pace. The group shared ice pops in the summer heat, while Obito reflected on how foolish his worries had been.

• Dan Katō chose to let Longjian Senju and Obito argue while he listened from a nearby tree.
• Rin tried to treat Obito's bruise, but Obito refused because he was hiding injuries from training with Might Duy.
• Longjian confronted Obito about his injuries and asked why he had not dodged during their sparring match.
• Rin made Obito fear that he had hurt her feelings, so he revealed his injuries and admitted he had been training hard despite losing to Longjian.
• Longjian apologized for hitting Obito too hard, and Rin encouraged Obito to focus on improving rather than comparing himself to Longjian.
• Kakashi and a companion brought ice pops, and the group ate together as Obito reconsidered his anxieties.

Obito Uchiha passed his Genin exam with help from Longjian Senju’s advance knowledge of the test, and the class gathered to hear their team assignments. As Dan Katō paused the roster announcement to let the students’ playful scuffle continue, Longjian kept the actual team placements to himself.

• Obito Uchiha nervously entered his graduation exam after encouragement from Rin Nohara and Shisui Uchiha.
• Obito passed the exam, and Longjian Senju explained that his connections had helped them learn what to practice.
• Dan Katō announced that the graduates would be assigned to teams of three under Jonin leaders.
• Longjian Senju teased Obito that he might be teamed with Rin, and Obito blushed as Shisui and Longjian mocked him.
• Obito, Shisui, Longjian, Guy, and Kakashi joined a chaotic classroom scuffle, so Dan Katō paused the team announcements.

Dan Katō assigned Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, and Kakashi Hatake to Minato Namikaze’s team, where Minato quickly impressed his new students by saving Obito and Kakashi from a fall. As the team left the classroom, Rin agreed to Dan’s suggestion that they spend time with Minato around mealtimes, while Minato remained oblivious to everyone’s interest in his wallet.

• Obito Uchiha prayed to be teamed with Rin Nohara, and Dan Katō assigned him, Rin, and Kakashi Hatake to Minato Namikaze.
• Minato arrived and joked that he was popular, distracting the class from Obito’s excited outburst.
• Obito and Kakashi bickered and nearly fell, but Minato swiftly caught them and comforted them.
• Rin marveled at Minato’s speed, and Dan told her Minato had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Dan quietly encouraged Rin to spend time with Minato around mealtimes, and she agreed while Minato wondered why everyone seemed interested in his wallet.

Kushina Uzumaki became the Jonin leader of Might Guy, Genma Shiranui, and Ebisu, giving her and Minato Namikaze a chance to reconnect. Minato left with his team while Kushina enthusiastically began winning over her students.

• Kushina arrived and recognized Minato Namikaze, remembering how little they had spoken at the Ninja Academy.
• Kushina greeted Minato, who blushed and struggled to respond.
• Dan Katō assigned Might Guy, Genma Shiranui, and Ebisu to Kushina and revealed that he had arranged for her to lead a team.
• Minato thanked Dan Katō for arranging Kushina's assignment and led the children outside.
• Kushina introduced herself warmly to her new students and resolved to become the best at winning children over.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina caught up on the Ninja Academy rooftop, where a snail reminded Minato of their childhood. As he remembered first noticing Kushina at school, he silently cherished the memory and the girl he had admired.

• Minato Namikaze told Kushina that his time in ANBU had gone well and praised Captain Hatake Sakumo for helping him.
• Kushina avoided discussing Sealing Jutsu, explaining that the Elders' constant demands had made her resent her studies.
• Kushina found a snail attached to the rooftop railing and reminded Minato Namikaze that he had liked snails as a child.
• Minato Namikaze began to explain what he had really liked about that rainy-day memory, but Kushina's gaze stopped him and he smiled instead.
• As a child, Minato Namikaze had admired Kushina from afar, noticing her discomfort with admirers and thinking of her as the most beautiful adjective in the world.

After class on a rainy day, Kushina watched Minato rescue snails from the road and joined him by gathering them with a Water Release technique. The elders sent people to fetch Kushina, and she hurried away before they could talk further.

• Kushina stayed behind at the Ninja Academy rooftop while her classmates left in the drizzle.
• Kushina spotted Minato picking up snails from the road and placing them in a planted strip.
• Minato explained to Kushina that saving even a few snails mattered, and Kushina decided to help him.
• Kushina used Water Release: Water Flow Technique to gather the snails without harming them and move them to the planted strip.
• Minato praised Kushina's ninjutsu, but Kushina saw the elders' people arrive and hurried away.

Minato remembered how Kushina inspired him to experiment with ninjutsu as a boy, then wondered how to earn her love and considered asking Captain Sakumo for advice. Meanwhile, Black Zetsu persuaded the Kazekage and Tsuchikage to arrange a Chunin Ninja Exams gathering as a pretext to enter the Shadow Organization’s territory and kill Xihuo.

• Young Minato copied Kushina’s Water Flow Technique, experimented with spinning the water to increase its power, and resolved to become strong enough to pursue her.
• Minato told Kushina he still liked snails but stood by what he had said before, while keeping his meaning—that he liked Kushina—to himself.
• Minato decided that a confession should wait until the right moment and considered seeking romantic advice from Captain Sakumo.
• Black Zetsu, disguised as the Salvation Cult’s leader, urged the Kazekage and Tsuchikage to target the Shadow Organization.
• Black Zetsu proposed hosting a Five Kage Summit under the pretext of Chunin Ninja Exams, giving the Kage a chance to enter and kill Xihuo.

Black Zetsu and the Wind and Earth shadows agreed to carry out a plan, while Yin studied and teased his adoptive father. In Konoha, Minato asked Hatake Sakumo for advice on courting Kushina, and Kakashi offered to arrange a chance for them to meet.

• Black Zetsu persuaded the second-generation shadows of the Lands of Wind and Earth to agree to a plan and set a time to act.
• After the visitors left, Yin collapsed into Black Zetsu's arms, then returned to studying a Sealing Jutsu textbook.
• Black Zetsu became emotional with pride over Yin's growth and received points from the feeling.
• Yin teased Black Zetsu about his new human appearance, and Black Zetsu considered exploiting their bond for points through betrayal or death.
• Minato Namikaze asked Hatake Sakumo for advice about courting Kushina, while Kakashi listened nearby.
• Kakashi offered to train with Guy so Minato and Kushina could have a chance to meet.

Minato Namikaze sought advice from Kakashi about romance, while Hatake Sakumo was summoned to the Hokage’s Office over intelligence about a coalition planning to attack the Shadow Organization and then the Land of Fire. Shimura Danzō argued that Konoha should use the attack as a just cause to wage war and unite the Five Nations.

• Hatake Sakumo left urgently after Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned him, leaving Minato Namikaze and Kakashi to discuss advice about Minato’s personal affairs.
• Kakashi warned Minato not to rely on his father and recommended Dan Katō, then suggested that Minato’s sincerity might be more useful than further advice.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Hatake Sakumo a confidential letter from Kagami Uchiha reporting that the Lands of Wind and Earth planned to ally with the Land of Rain, the Land of Water, and others to attack the Shadow Organization before targeting the Land of Fire.
• Hatake Sakumo recommended cooperating with the Shadow Organization to protect the Land of Fire, but Shimura Danzō called this an opportunity for Konoha to wage a legitimate war and unite the Five Nations.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō debated how to respond to the looming possibility of war, while Hatake Sakumo accepted orders to prepare Konoha’s Anbu. Hiruzen remained reluctant to launch a campaign and asked Danzō for help deciding what to do.

• Hatake Sakumo considered the dangers of war and told Hiruzen Sarutobi that he would follow his command.
• Shimura Danzō showed displeasure at Sakumo’s lack of support, but expected it and did not press the issue.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ended the meeting, said he had contacted Xihuo, and assigned Sakumo to train and deploy the Anbu ninja.
• Hiruzen explained to Shimura Danzō that he was not ready to start a war and worried that the Lands of Wind and Earth might be setting a trap.
• Shimura Danzō challenged Hiruzen’s wording and reminded him that he had left international affairs to Danzō.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Shimura Danzō for help.

Shimura Danzō showed Hiruzen Sarutobi Tobirama Senju’s unification plan and a sealing formula that could let ordinary people wield tailed beast power, leaving Hiruzen confident Konoha would win. Meanwhile, Xihuo approved a request for the Shadow Organization to organize Chunin Ninja Exams and considered whether to meet with Konoha, while privately thinking about unifying the Five Nations.

• Shimura Danzō showed Hiruzen Sarutobi Tobirama Senju’s Shinobi World Unification Plan and a battle plan adapted to current conditions.
• Shimura Danzō gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a refined sealing formula that could let ordinary people use tailed beast power, and Hiruzen declared that Konoha would win.
• Kakuzu complained to Xihuo that the Shadow Organization had run out of construction work, so Xihuo assigned him to pedal a generator.
• Xihuo received a warning and meeting invitation from Konoha, as well as a request from the Lands of Wind, Earth, and Water for the Shadow Organization to organize Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Xihuo approved the exam request and debated accepting Konoha’s invitation while considering whether to unify the Five Nations.

Xihuo accepted the joint Chunin Ninja Exams and announced that the Shadow Organization would host them in a year, leaving Konoha to prepare amid uncertainty about his plans. Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō then clashed over Longjian Senju’s inclusion on Konoha’s participant list and the danger of exposing his Rinnegan.

• Xihuo replied to Konoha with “No problem” and sent every nation an invitation to the Shadow Organization’s Chunin Ninja Exams, postponed until the following year.
• The Shadow Organization began preparing for the exams, while Konoha mobilized its forces and put young Genin, including Longjian Senju, through intensive training.
• Senju Toka told Konoha’s leaders that Xihuo would make a private visit at the end of the year, passing on a message from the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails.
• Shimura Danzō discovered that Hiruzen Sarutobi had already submitted Longjian Senju’s name for the exams and warned that revealing the Rinnegan could invite a scramble for it.
• Shimura Danzō crossed Longjian Senju off the participant list and privately considered whether Konoha should transfer the Rinnegan to someone more obedient.