Chapter Summaries

Leaf Dragon used old memories to make Hatake Sakumo lower his guard, then killed him under Black Zetsu's [Counterattack] order. Hiruzen Sarutobi tried to command Leaf Dragon to surrender, but the Cursed Seal let Black Zetsu take control and keep Shisui Uchiha captive.

• Leaf Dragon teased Hatake Sakumo with familiar greetings, and Sakumo hesitated despite sensing danger.
• Leaf Dragon seized White Fang and stabbed Hatake Sakumo in the chest, then Sakumo fell from the tree.
• Minato Namikaze caught Hatake Sakumo, while Tsunade hurried to treat him and Hiruzen Sarutobi watched in shock.
• Shimura Danzō urged Hiruzen Sarutobi to order Leaf Dragon to surrender, and Hiruzen commanded him to put down his weapons and Shisui Uchiha.
• The Cursed Seal activated when Leaf Dragon tried to obey, allowing Black Zetsu to possess him, retake Shisui Uchiha, and mock Hiruzen's order.

Hashirama Senju arrived to fight Black Zetsu while Tsunade and Hiruzen Sarutobi escaped with the wounded. Black Zetsu returned to the cave and found Yin injured but alive, with Longjian Senju and the Rinnegan.

• Hashirama Senju appeared on a Wood Dragon, ordered Hiruzen Sarutobi to evacuate the others, and challenged Black Zetsu.
• Hashirama Senju healed Hatake Sakumo’s chest wound and comforted Tsunade before the battle began.
• Black Zetsu fled with Shisui Uchiha and headed for the cave where he had left Yin.
• Black Zetsu found Yin injured in the cave, and Yin said he had brought back the Rinnegan.
• Black Zetsu examined the fallen Longjian Senju and saw the Rinnegan in his eyes.

Black Zetsu treated Yin and questioned him about the secrets he was hiding, learning that another person who looked like Black Zetsu had told Yin about Kaguya. With Konoha's forces approaching, Black Zetsu knocked Yin unconscious and prepared to leave, unsure how to carry the four people lying nearby.

• Black Zetsu decided to take Yin with him rather than risk removing the Rinnegan, then treated Yin as Konoha's forces drew closer.
• Black Zetsu asked Yin what he was hiding, and Yin admitted that someone who looked like Black Zetsu had told him about Kaguya.
• Yin refused to reveal the details of their conversation and begged Black Zetsu to kill him rather than lose his trust.
• Black Zetsu pretended to accept Yin's request, tightened his grip on Yin's neck, then loosened it as Yin struggled and asked to die in his arms.
• Black Zetsu knocked Yin unconscious and, hearing the commotion outside, wondered how he could take all four people with him.

Black Zetsu carried Yin, Longjian Senju, and Shisui Uchiha to a cave and treated them alongside Leaf Dragon. As Yin grilled fish, Black Zetsu reflected on his plans to resurrect Kaguya and found himself cherishing their quiet life together.

• Black Zetsu fled the Land of Fire with the unconscious Yin, Longjian Senju, and Shisui Uchiha, then brought them to a cave.
• Black Zetsu checked the injured and found Shisui feverish, Longjian in critical condition, and Leaf Dragon suffering organ failure and a high fever.
• Black Zetsu woke Yin, who asked for grilled fish, and then added the ailing Leaf Dragon to the group he was treating.
• Yin tried to kill a fish, got slapped by its flopping tail, and then grilled it with Black Zetsu's help.
• Black Zetsu considered how he would gather the remaining tailed beasts and resurrect Kaguya, then watched Yin by the fire and felt content with their life together.

Black Zetsu reflected on being Kaguya’s tool while tending to his wounded companions, then shared a quiet meal with Yin. When Yin asked whether Black Zetsu could trust him again, Black Zetsu offered to place a control-type Cursed Seal on his heart, and Yin eagerly asked for several.

• Black Zetsu treated the wounded, knocked Shisui Uchiha and Longjian Senju unconscious, and placed Cursed Seals in their hearts.
• Black Zetsu gave Leaf Dragon a chakra crystal and told him to rest, then helped Yin roast fish.
• Yin asked Black Zetsu whether he felt safe trusting him, and Black Zetsu admitted that he could no longer trust Yin completely.
• After Yin began crying, Black Zetsu offered him a choice: accept a control-type Cursed Seal or remain untrusted.
• Yin reacted with joy to the offer and asked Black Zetsu to give him several Cursed Seals.

Yin asked Black Zetsu to place two Cursed Seals on him to prove his loyalty, and Black Zetsu agreed. After the painful branding, Black Zetsu considered his plans before a voice outside the cave called to him.

• Yin asked Black Zetsu for more Cursed Seals than Leaf Dragon had, and Black Zetsu agreed to place two on him.
• Black Zetsu branded Yin’s heart with the first Cursed Seal while Yin struggled from the pain.
• Black Zetsu placed a decoy seal on Yin’s tongue after deciding against branding his neck.
• Yin asked Black Zetsu if he trusted him, and Black Zetsu reassured him before Yin fell asleep.
• Black Zetsu planned to gather the Two-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Nine-Tails and recruit the Rinnegan wielder for the Eye of the Moon Plan.
• Black Zetsu sensed someone outside the cave, where a voice identical to his own mockingly called to him.

Black Zetsu met another being like himself, whom he called Right Zetsu, and learned about his past attempts to revive Mother Kaguya. Right Zetsu’s casual explanation for killing Hashirama Senju and releasing the Tailed Beasts left Black Zetsu stunned.

• Right Zetsu arrived at Black Zetsu’s cave with Dan Katō, then released his possession and collapsed beside the fire.
• Black Zetsu decided Right Zetsu was likely his brother and persuaded him to stay and talk.
• Black Zetsu and Right Zetsu agreed to call each other Left Zetsu and Right Zetsu, and Right Zetsu refused to explain what he had said to Yin.
• Right Zetsu recalled forming an organization with humans who sought revenge, including Watanabe Ichiro, before his followers died and the group disappeared.
• Right Zetsu explained that he killed Hashirama Senju and released the Tailed Beasts on a whim, leaving Black Zetsu stunned.

Black Zetsu recruited Right Zetsu as an ally while planning how to capture the tailed beasts and control the Rinnegan’s wielder. In Konoha, Hashirama Senju returned from the dead after Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation, and he faced the grief and joy of villagers whose lives had moved on without him.

• Black Zetsu asked Right Zetsu to retrieve the Nine-Tails, but Right Zetsu said he lacked the power to storm Konoha and agreed to accompany him as a fighter.
• Black Zetsu decided Right Zetsu was more trustworthy than Leaf Dragon and welcomed him into the effort to rescue their mother.
• Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation to summon Hashirama Senju, who joined the fight against Black Zetsu outside Konoha and helped force him to retreat with a hostage.
• Konoha’s leaders concealed the use of Impure World Reincarnation and told the villagers that Hashirama’s power had returned to protect the village.
• Villagers welcomed Hashirama with stories and gifts, then broke down in tears as they confronted the passage of time and their losses.
• Hashirama accepted that the living world had changed, remembered the battle with Black Zetsu, and reflected on how the past continued through future generations.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru discussed Konoha’s losses and the search for the missing, while Hiruzen delayed judgment on Shimura Danzō until they could learn more. When Danzō woke, Hiruzen took responsibility for the aftermath and told him to rest.

• Orochimaru explained that Impure World Reincarnation gradually consumed Hashirama Senju’s soul, so Hashirama could not remain among the living for long.
• Orochimaru reported that Sakumo was unconscious, Shizune was being treated, Longjian was missing, and Minato was searching for him; Dan Katō, Shisui Uchiha, and the Rinnegan had also been lost.
• Orochimaru described Konoha’s mobilized search efforts, and Hiruzen lamented that he had failed to protect everyone.
• Orochimaru asked how Hiruzen would deal with Shimura Danzō, but Hiruzen postponed the discussion until they could compare accounts and understand what Danzō had intended.
• That night, Hiruzen visited the wounded Danzō, who asked about Longjian and the village and considered how to answer for the battle’s disastrous outcome.
• Hiruzen told Danzō that the incident had started with him, that he would handle the aftermath, and that Danzō should rest.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō argued over who should take responsibility for the failed plan, and Hiruzen later resigned as Hokage. Tsunade succeeded him as the Fourth Hokage, while Danzō accepted blame and withdrew to Root.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi offered to take responsibility for the incident and resign in favor of Tsunade, but Shimura Danzō insisted that the blame was his alone.
• Shimura Danzō accused Hiruzen Sarutobi of manipulating him into confessing, then ordered him to leave and handle the follow-up paperwork.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi left the hospital room, intending to step down and keep a closer watch on Shimura Danzō as a Hokage Assistant.
• The incident was classified as Black Zetsu's attack on Konoha, and Tsunade succeeded Hiruzen Sarutobi as the Fourth Hokage.
• Hashirama Senju scolded and beat Shimura Danzō, then erased his involvement from the incident; Danzō moved his office to Root as the others lost trust in him.

Dan Katō woke in a Jashin Cult prison and tried to assess his captors and plan his next move while pretending to be weak. When Leaf Dragon appeared at his cell, Dan Katō was overwhelmed by the unexpected reunion and suffered an acute stress response.

• Dan Katō woke in a damp, sealed cell and concealed his awareness while testing the barrier and assessing his condition.
• Dan Katō reasoned that his captors might want to use his identity against Konoha and resolved to stay alive, gather information, and look for a chance to escape or kill Black Zetsu.
• Dan Katō decided to face whoever came to his cell before he was weakened by torture.
• Leaf Dragon entered the cell, and Dan Katō froze in shock, reopening his wound as blood seeped through the bandages.
• Leaf Dragon checked on Dan Katō, then ordered him to breathe when he saw his dazed state.

Dan Katō recognized that the person in Leaf Dragon’s body was not truly his brother, despite the convincing reunion, while Black Zetsu manipulated events from prison. Shisui Uchiha gave Black Zetsu information about Longjian Senju to protect his friend, fearing Black Zetsu would let him die and transfer his Rinnegan to another vessel.

• Dan Katō collapsed into Leaf Dragon’s arms, hiding his fury and questioning what Black Zetsu had done to the body.
• Black Zetsu watched Dan and Leaf Dragon through a crystal ball and planned to deceive Longjian Senju into supporting the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
• Black Zetsu questioned Shisui Uchiha about Longjian and threatened that Dan and Longjian would continue suffering without medicine.
• Shisui Uchiha shared a trivial memory about Longjian, recognizing that Black Zetsu was trying to manipulate him into deeper complicity.
• Shisui recalled Black Zetsu’s willingness to replace Longjian with another Rinnegan vessel and chose to cooperate to keep Longjian alive.

Dan Katō questioned the feverish Leaf Dragon in the Jashin Cult’s underground prison and concluded that the cult had discarded and exploited him. Remembering Teacher Yilong’s advice, Dan Katō surrendered, while Black Zetsu watched through a crystal ball and chuckled.

• Leaf Dragon treated Dan Katō’s abdominal wound and said he had come to persuade him to surrender.
• Dan Katō learned that they were in the Jashin Cult’s underground prison, that he had been unconscious for three days, and that Longjian and Shisui were alive.
• Leaf Dragon told Dan Katō that a controlling cursed seal caused his fever and that Dan Katō had one on his heart too.
• Believing Black Zetsu had used Leaf Dragon’s condition to pressure him, Dan Katō remembered Teacher Yilong’s advice about surrendering to retreat and advance.
• Dan Katō surrendered, and Black Zetsu watched through a crystal ball and chuckled.

Black Zetsu focused on completing his plan involving Longjian and the Rinnegan while considering how to gather intelligence on the Shadow Organization. He rejected Yin’s attempts to spend time with him and threw him to the floor.

• Black Zetsu reviewed his plans, judged that Shisui Uchiha and Dan Katō had pledged allegiance, and decided Right Zetsu would handle reconnaissance in the Shadow Organization’s territory.
• Black Zetsu resented his sleeping brother and put him in a doghouse.
• Yin asked Black Zetsu for attention and offered to help, but Black Zetsu told him to stay away from Dan Katō, Shisui Uchiha, and Longjian Senju.
• Yin asked Black Zetsu to braid his hair, but Black Zetsu ignored him and continued working on the Scroll.
• After Yin said he was sad and asked for attention, Black Zetsu called him a nuisance and threw him to the floor.

Black Zetsu punished Yin with the Cursed Seal after Yin tried to reach him, then struggled to justify his actions and returned to his plans. When Yin woke with no memory of the punishment, Black Zetsu kept his distance and asked him to study Sealing Jutsu as a way to keep him occupied.

• Black Zetsu rejected Yin's attempt at closeness and reminded him to call him Lord.
• When Yin tried to touch him, Black Zetsu activated Yin's Cursed Seal, causing severe pain that made Yin lose consciousness.
• Black Zetsu carried the unconscious Yin to bed, questioned his own actions, and then returned to his plan while watching over him through the night.
• Yin woke the next morning with no memory of being punished and asked Black Zetsu for water.
• Black Zetsu avoided Yin and told him that Leaf Dragon's body had a problem, asking him to continue studying Sealing Jutsu as a backup method for sealing a Tailed Beast.

Black Zetsu realized the [Order] was forcing his will into alignment with Mother Kaguya’s and feared it would make him forget Yin. He asked Right Zetsu to remember Yin’s story and remind him of it if he forgot.

• Black Zetsu reflected on how the [Order] had changed his actions toward Yin and recognized that Yin was an exception he cared about.
• Black Zetsu woke Right Zetsu and falsely claimed the little wooden box he slept in was an honored shrine.
• Black Zetsu activated a soundproof Barrier and asked Right Zetsu to memorize important intelligence in case he forgot it.
• Black Zetsu told Right Zetsu that Yin was the Rinnegan’s backup plan, then shared details about Yin’s history and daily habits.
• Black Zetsu asked Right Zetsu to remind him of Yin’s story if he forgot, explaining that the [Order] might make him forget because he cared about Yin.

Watanabe Ichiro and his consciousness clones learned that Kaguya’s [Command] could override Black Zetsu’s will, and Yin accepted responsibility for helping Black Zetsu meet Kaguya. At the Jashin Cult’s central base, Dan Katō brought lunch to the unguarded Leaf Dragon and realized that the cult was relying on him as a hostage.

• The system explained that Kaguya created the [Command] to keep Black Zetsu loyal, and that it had overridden his will during the previous incident.
• Watanabe Ichiro and the clones discussed killing Kaguya, but Yin insisted Black Zetsu should meet her first and took charge of the matter.
• Dan Katō mapped the Jashin Cult’s corridors as he carried a meal tray, despite the cursed seal on his heart and his slim chance of escape.
• Dan Katō entered Leaf Dragon’s room and found him napping on the sofa with a scroll.
• Dan Katō realized the cult had not posted guards because it was using him as a hostage.

Yin worked harder at Sealing Jutsu while Black Zetsu focused on Longjian Senju, whom he had imprisoned and psychologically weakened. Shisui visited Longjian in the silent cell, and Longjian learned that Black Zetsu had captured them and demanded that he reveal his intentions.

• Yin devoted himself to studying Sealing Jutsu, and Black Zetsu left him to handle other matters.
• Longjian Senju woke in a soundproof cell after Black Zetsu sealed his chakra and placed a Cursed Seal on his heart.
• Black Zetsu watched Longjian suffer in the silence before sending Shisui Uchiha into the cell.
• Shisui comforted Longjian, who explained that the silence had unsettled him, and told him that the Jashin Cult had captured them.
• Longjian learned that Dan-sensei and Shisui were hostages and challenged Black Zetsu to stop hiding and explain what he wanted.

After Longjian Senju provoked Black Zetsu, Black Zetsu used the Cursed Seal to torture him, but spared him when Shisui Uchiha pleaded. Shisui cared for Longjian and resolved to remain undercover beside Black Zetsu while searching for a way to save everyone.

• Black Zetsu heard Longjian Senju's defiant words and punished him through the Cursed Seal.
• Shisui Uchiha restrained the injured Longjian and begged Black Zetsu to spare him.
• Black Zetsu stopped the punishment and recorded his assessments of Longjian and Shisui.
• Shisui carried Longjian to bed, warned him against provoking Black Zetsu, and soothed him with stories until he fell asleep.
• Shisui decided to stay undercover beside Black Zetsu and find a way to save everyone.

Black Zetsu watched the captives settle into their confinement, while Dan Katō and Leaf Dragon cooked a proper meal and the red-haired captive struggled with a Sealing Jutsu scroll. When Black Zetsu sent Shisui Uchiha to check on Longjian Senju, Shisui found him in worse condition and realized Black Zetsu was using silence to break him.

• Dan Katō prepared tempura and stew after discarding the Jashin Cult's bizarre food, and Leaf Dragon joined him for dinner.
• Black Zetsu watched Dan Katō and Leaf Dragon eat, then observed the red-haired captive struggling to memorize a Sealing Jutsu scroll.
• Black Zetsu woke Shisui Uchiha and ordered him to check on Longjian Senju.
• Shisui Uchiha found Longjian Senju curled in a corner with his wrist wound reopened, and realized Black Zetsu was punishing him with silence.