Chapter Summaries

Zou Hyuga watched Hinata encounter children who mocked her Byakugan, then saw Naruto defend her and lend her his scarf. After the two introduced themselves, Zou left Kakashi and Yamato to approach them.

• Zou Hyuga reflected on the Caged Bird Seal, Neji's fate, and the risks tied to his black markings as he walked through falling snow.
• Zou hid when Hinata came outside alone and followed her to a secluded street, where children insulted her as a Byakugan monster.
• Zou prepared to intervene, but Naruto arrived and chased the children away, while Kakashi and Yamato continued secretly observing him.
• Naruto wrapped his warm scarf around Hinata, and the two exchanged their names.
• Zou teased Kakashi about romance and Yamato about his relationship with Oto, then used the Body Flicker Technique to appear before Naruto and Hinata.

Zou Hyuga returned Hinata to the Hyuga compound and warned Hiashi that Kumogakure might target her, agreeing to protect her. Meanwhile, Oto Uchiha trained Shisui and considered whether Itachi should join their group.

• Naruto protected Hinata from other children, and Zou Hyuga escorted her back to the clan compound.
• Zou Hyuga warned Hiashi that Kumogakure might target Hinata and agreed to protect her when he was not on a mission.
• Zou Hyuga recalled the Kumogakure incident that had led to Hizashi's death and resolved to prevent a similar tragedy.
• Oto Uchiha returned to the clan compound and sparred with Shisui, defeating him in conventional combat.
• Shisui asked whether Itachi could join their group, and Oto said they should think it over because he was still young.

The Kumogakure Leader infiltrated the Hyuga Compound to kidnap Hinata, but Neji saw him escape with a captive and then found Hinata safe beside Hiashi. Neji was left confused about the identity of the girl he had seen.

• Zou Hyuga watched the Kumogakure Envoy during the peace talks and noticed suspicious activity before the treaty was signed.
• The Kumogakure Leader slipped away from his ANBU escort and entered the Hyuga Compound to steal a Byakugan.
• The Kumogakure Leader seized Hinata as she trained and fled across the compound.
• Neji spotted the abductor with a captive, attacked him, and was knocked aside.
• Neji hurried to Hiashi and Hizashi for help, then saw Hinata sitting safely beside Hiashi and kept his confusion to himself.

Zou Hyuga let the Cloud Ninja Leader escape the Hyuga Compound while disguised as Hinata, intending to decide how the envoy should die without bringing trouble to the clan. In Konoha, Oto Uchiha and Shisui exposed the Cloud Ninja’s clone, which vanished in lightning, and alerted the ANBU to contact the Third Hokage.

• Zou Hyuga had stopped Hiashi from killing the intruder inside the Hyuga Compound and disguised himself as Hinata so the Cloud Ninja Leader could leave without the clan being implicated.
• The Cloud Ninja Leader carried the disguised Zou toward the outskirts of Konoha, believing he had successfully abducted Hinata and would obtain the Byakugan.
• The Cloud Ninja’s clone watched the Uchiha Military Police and noticed that Oto Uchiha was unusually welcomed by villagers.
• Oto Uchiha sensed something suspicious about the Cloud Ninja and intercepted him, then called Shisui to investigate.
• The Cloud Ninja’s clone dissolved into lightning as the ANBU tried to stop Oto from attacking the envoy.
• Oto told the ANBU to notify the Third Hokage, and Shisui asked whether they should alert the Uchiha Clan Head and Military Police Force.

Oto Uchiha uncovered the Kumogakure Envoy Leader’s deception and feared he would target Naruto, while the leader fled with a captive Hinata and tried to escape Konoha. The leader was mysteriously forced to attack civilians, and Konoha’s ninja surrounded him as the Cloud delegation demanded answers.

• Oto Uchiha told Shisui to report the Lightning Clone discovery, then rushed to Naruto’s home and confirmed Kakashi and Yamato had kept him safe.
• The Cloud Ninja Leader fled through Konoha with the Byakugan and a captive disguised as Hinata, but Zou Hyuga’s harmless gaze unsettled him.
• The Cloud Ninja Leader lost control of his body and attacked civilians with lightning, prompting Konoha ninja to evacuate the crowd and surround him.
• ANBU surrounded the Kumogakure Envoy Corps’ lodgings while the Cloud Ninja demanded to search for their missing leader.
• After hearing that their leader was attacking civilians, the Cloud Ninja accused Konoha of using genjutsu, and the ANBU Squad Leader took them to the scene.
• The Cloud Ninja Leader realized he could not control his actions and suspected an unseen ninja was manipulating him.

Oto Uchiha stopped the Cloud Ninja Leader from attacking villagers and protected the disguised Hinata, but her intervention threatened to complicate Konoha’s peace negotiations. After learning that the Cloud leader had attacked civilians and abducted a member of the Hyuga Main Family, the Third rushed to respond.

• The Cloud Ninja Leader tried to attack helpless villagers, but Oto Uchiha rescued them, threw him into the street, and carried the disguised Hinata to safety.
• Oto subdued the Cloud Ninja Leader again, and the arriving ANBU secured the scene while Fugaku and the Military Police dispersed the crowd.
• Fugaku warned Oto that attacking a Cloud envoy could hurt the Uchiha, but agreed that the clan would shoulder the consequences.
• The ANBU detained the Cloud envoys as suspects, while their leader claimed the Anbu Squad Leader had used genjutsu on their captain.
• The Third ordered an ANBU to check on Naruto and learned that the Cloud Ninja Leader had attacked villagers and abducted a member of the Hyuga Main Family.
• The Third hurried out of his office after hearing that the incident involved the Cloud envoys, the Uchiha, and the Hyuga.

The Third investigated the Cloud Ninja Leader’s attack and abduction attempt, then visited the Hyuga Clan Compound but found few answers. Hiashi and Zou Hyuga concealed the truth about the incident, while the Third later received troubling news at the Anbu Base.

• The Third learned that Oto Uchiha had subdued the Cloud Ninja Leader after he abducted Hinata and attacked civilians, and he ordered ANBU to assess casualties rather than interrogate the envoy.
• The Third visited Hyuga Hiashi, confirmed Hinata was unharmed, and found no useful clues at the abduction site.
• Hiashi told Hizashi to maintain the story that Hinata had been abducted and that he had seen nothing.
• Hiashi thanked Zou Hyuga for preventing him from causing a diplomatic crisis, and Zou explained that he had spread rumors blaming the Cloud Ninja and protecting Oto.
• The Third returned to the Anbu Base and received news that gave him a headache.

After the Cloud Ninja Leader died in ANBU custody, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo argued over how to prevent war with Kumogakure and whether to blame Oto Uchiha. Oto returned to the Uchiha compound, where Zou Hyuga advised her to stand firm when the village leadership confronted her.

• An ANBU operative told Hiruzen Sarutobi that the Cloud Ninja Leader had died by suicide and destroyed his brain with a Cursed Seal, and Hiruzen ordered the body returned to the Kumogakure Envoy Corps.
• Danzo urged Hiruzen to prepare for war or hand over Oto Uchiha as the supposed killer, but Hiruzen refused to frame her and warned Danzo not to interfere.
• Hiruzen considered the political fallout and suspected the Cloud Ninja Leader's attack on civilians could be an important opening against Kumogakure.
• Oto returned to the Uchiha Clan Compound, wondered why the Cloud Ninja Leader had seemed controlled, and dodged a bamboo leaf sent by Zou Hyuga.
• Zou Hyuga warned Oto that the village leadership would come for her and told her to hold her ground; Oto agreed, puzzled by how seriously everyone treated her actions.

Kumogakure demanded that Konoha hand over the person responsible for its captain’s death, while rumors of the village leadership appeasing the envoys inflamed public anger. With the Third unable to decide whether to sacrifice Oto Uchiha, Oto stepped forward and offered to take responsibility by fighting Kumogakure.

• Rumors spread that Konoha planned to punish the Uchiha and yield to Kumogakure, prompting the Third to send ANBU to stop them.
• The Kumogakure delegation denied attacking civilians and demanded that Konoha hand over the person who assaulted its leader.
• The Third summoned the clans, envoys, and shopkeeper involved, where Hiashi demanded answers about Hinata’s attempted abduction and Fugaku demanded compensation.
• The Third revealed that the Kumogakure captain had died by suicide, and the envoys accused Konoha of killing him and demanded the killer.
• After the Third fell silent, Oto Uchiha offered to take responsibility and said she was willing to fight in a war against Kumogakure.

Oto Uchiha defied the Third Hokage and the Cloud Ninja Envoy Corps, insisting she would protect Konoha’s people and that the Uchiha would fight if war came. The envoys left declaring war, while Oto and Fugaku argued over whether her defiance would protect the clan or deepen its conflict with the village.

• The Cloud Ninja Envoy Corps demanded that the Hokage hand over the killer and punish Oto, but the Third said the investigation was ongoing.
• Oto accused the Cloud Ninja of attacking villagers and abducting a Hyuga child, and said she would have attacked the envoy leader again to protect her comrades.
• Oto declared that she had not used enough force to kill the leader and that the Uchiha would go to the battlefield if war broke out.
• The Cloud Ninja envoy stormed out and declared war, while Danzo left with him, pleased that the conflict would weaken the Third Hokage.
• The Third concluded that handing over Oto might cause unrest among the Uchiha and worried that the Uchiha and Hyuga clans could be aligning.
• Fugaku warned Oto that her defiance could implicate the clan, but Oto argued that the village’s people and ninja—not its leadership—represented Konoha.

After Oto Uchiha defied Kumogakure’s demands, Fugaku worried about the consequences while villagers praised her refusal to accept humiliation. Zou Hyuga reflected on how he had shaped Oto’s speech and believed the conflict would eventually return to negotiations.

• Fugaku returned to the Uchiha compound to convene a clan meeting about the risk of war, while Oto walked through the village instead of following him.
• A shopkeeper Oto had saved thanked her with a gift and told her villagers feared Kumogakure’s demands to hand her over and submit.
• Oto noticed goods marked with the Nine-Tails symbol and realized Zou’s organization might already be influencing the village.
• Hiashi questioned Zou about failing to stop Oto, and Zou said he respected her choice and that the Hyuga should stand with the Uchiha.
• Zou told Hiashi that his actions had been for the Hyuga, then reflected that he had helped craft Oto’s speech to protect her reputation and strengthen her standing.
• Zou concluded that Kumogakure and Konoha would likely return to negotiations, though he believed the Third might still fear continuing the war enough to hand over Hizashi.

After Oto’s speech changed the meeting’s outcome, Hiruzen refused to hand over a comrade and discussed the Kumogakure Envoy Corps with his advisors and Danzo. The Cloud deputy captain secretly sent the Raikage an exaggerated letter to prolong the conflict, then left Konoha harboring hatred.

• Hiruzen told Koharu and Homura he would handle the Kumogakure Envoy Corps without surrendering a comrade.
• Danzo warned Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura that rumors about Konoha surrendering had spread before the meeting and suspected the Hyuga and Uchiha, with help from the Tailed Beast Merchant Association, had fueled them.
• Danzo cautioned that the Hyuga and Uchiha might be joining forces, while Hiruzen avoided the subject and returned to the urgent matter of the Kumogakure envoys.
• The Cloud deputy captain admitted to himself that the captain had committed suicide as part of a scheme to inflame Konoha’s internal divisions, but he did not know why the plan had failed.
• The Cloud deputy captain wrote the Raikage an embellished letter to encourage the war, sent it by ninja hawk through a special channel, and left Konoha glaring at Kage Rock.

After the Kumogakure Envoy Corps left and Kumogakure canceled the peace treaty, Oto Uchiha worked to unite her clan and improve relations with the village. The Third approved Oto and Zou Hyuga’s request to go to the front, assigning Kakashi and Yamato to accompany them.

• The Kumogakure Envoy Corps returned home under ANBU escort, and public anger over the envoys’ attack on a villager overshadowed criticism of Oto Uchiha.
• At the Uchiha clan meeting, Oto explained that the clan might fight for the village, while Fugaku watched silently and Itachi asked Shisui whether Oto could ease tensions with the village.
• Shisui told Itachi that Oto had refused to let him join the Radicals until he graduated from the Ninja Academy.
• Oto visited Zou Hyuga, where Hinata thanked her for saving her, and Zou advised preparing for the possibility of war.
• Kumogakure canceled the peace treaty, and Oto and Zou asked the Third for permission to go to the front and monitor the Cloud Ninja.
• The Third approved their request and assigned Kakashi and Yamato to accompany them.

Zou Hyuga, Oto, Kakashi, and Yamato traveled to the border, met Shisui’s Uchiha force, and evaded Root surveillance along the way. A week after setting out, they reached Konoha’s main camp and joined the Uchiha force.

• Zou Hyuga, Oto, Kakashi, and Yamato left for the front lines after discussing Naruto and the fallout from Oto’s confrontation with the Kumogakure envoy.
• During the first night’s camp, Zou Hyuga slipped away to replenish the Tailed Beast Organization’s chakra.
• The squad met Shisui and his Uchiha force, and Shisui and Zou Hyuga exchanged greetings and combat experience.
• Zou Hyuga noticed Root following the squad, and Kakashi agreed to lead the others in shaking off their pursuers.
• The squad reached the border camp a week after departing and joined up with the Uchiha force.

Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha reached Konoha’s border camp, where they uncovered an impending Cloud Ninja attack. With reinforcements from Shisui’s Uchiha force, they persuaded the Nara Jonin to let them strike first, leaving the camp guarded.

• Oto Uchiha asked the Nara Jonin about the border situation and learned that Cloud Ninja had been harassing Konoha’s supply lines.
• Shisui’s Uchiha force arrived, and Oto Uchiha directed her clansmen to build relationships with the other ninja.
• Oto Uchiha questioned Zou Hyuga about the Root operative collecting Sharingan, and Zou explained the eyes’ value and secret techniques.
• The ANBU squad intercepted a small Cloud Ninja group, captured them, and learned that nearly a hundred more Cloud Ninja were approaching.
• Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha proposed attacking the incoming force, and the Nara Jonin agreed while requiring some troops to guard the camp.

Zou Hyuga, Oto Uchiha, and their ANBU squad searched for a missing Kumogakure force and found that nearly a hundred Cloud Ninja had been slaughtered. The squad suspected Orochimaru, but Zou realized that a powerful puppet specialist had likely helped him and urged everyone to leave.

• Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha waited with the Uchiha elites for the Kumogakure force, but the enemy did not arrive by dawn.
• The ANBU squad returned to camp, then searched again with Shisui Uchiha and found the Cloud Ninja's massacre in an abandoned village.
• Shisui reported that only two attackers had left fresh footprints, and the squad found snake scales and a mechanical component among the clues.
• Kakashi and the others suspected Orochimaru had wiped out the Cloud Ninja, while Zou concluded that Orochimaru had been accompanied by a powerful puppet specialist.
• The squad welcomed the Cloud Ninja's destruction, but Zou remained worried and urged them to leave before encountering the two powerful attackers.

Zou Hyuga’s ANBU squad encountered Orochimaru and Sasori at the edge of the village, and split up to fight them. Kakashi, Yamato, and Shisui battled Sasori while Zou and Oto watched Orochimaru, and Sasori summoned more puppets after Yamato’s Wood Release destroyed many of his first ones.

• Orochimaru and Sasori blocked Zou Hyuga’s ANBU squad as it tried to leave the village, and Sasori revealed that he wanted to collect their Byakugan and Sharingan.
• The squad divided into two teams, with Kakashi, Yamato, and Shisui facing Sasori while Zou and Oto watched Orochimaru.
• Kakashi used Chidori and explosive tags to break through Sasori’s puppets, but the puppets reactivated and attacked him with poisoned Senbon and flames.
• Yamato shielded Kakashi with Wood Release and destroyed many of Sasori’s puppets, surprising Sasori with his ability.
• Sasori escaped Yamato’s vines and summoned more puppets, eager to add Wood Release to his collection.

Shisui and Kakashi fought a powerful puppeteer while Zou Hyuga and Oto kept Orochimaru at bay. Orochimaru tried to recruit them and revealed what he knew about Zou's senjutsu, but neither accepted, as the distant battle continued.

• Shisui warned Kakashi about the puppets' poisonous smoke while they searched for the hidden puppeteer.
• Zou Hyuga and Oto watched Orochimaru and laid explosive-tag traps as the two sides maintained a wary standoff.
• Orochimaru recognized Yamato's Wood Release and recalled that the boy had ended his own research into it.
• Orochimaru hinted that he knew Zou could use senjutsu, but Zou denied it and decided that trying to kill Orochimaru was too risky.
• Orochimaru offered Oto support for the Uchiha in exchange for her becoming his subordinate, but Oto rejected him.

Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha confronted Orochimaru while Kakashi, Yamato, and Shisui fought Sasori and his Kazekage Human Puppet. Oto’s Senjutsu-enhanced Fire Release forced Orochimaru to summon Triple Rashomon, but he remained wary of Zou’s Taijutsu.

• Kakashi, Yamato, and Shisui pressured Sasori until he summoned the Kazekage Human Puppet and attacked with Magnet Release.
• Kakashi suspected Sasori had killed the missing Third Kazekage, while Shisui reassured him that Zou and Oto could handle Orochimaru.
• Zou Hyuga challenged Orochimaru to join the fight, and Orochimaru attacked him with venomous snakes carrying Explosive Tags.
• Oto Uchiha followed the explosions with a powerful Great Dragon Fire Technique, and the fire dragons forced Orochimaru to summon Triple Rashomon for protection.
• Orochimaru recognized the force of Oto’s Senjutsu-enhanced Fire Release and kept his distance from Zou, wary of his Taijutsu.

Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha left their standoff with Orochimaru to join the battle between Shisui’s Susanoo and Sasori’s Iron Sand Giant. Zou restored some of Shisui’s chakra as Orochimaru and Sasori discussed the Mangekyō Sharingan, while Sasori threatened to turn Orochimaru into a puppet.

• Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha stopped attacking Orochimaru and headed into the village after seeing Shisui’s Blue Phantom face Sasori’s Iron Sand Giant.
• Zou saw that Shisui, Kakashi, and their companion were exhausted, while Sasori’s Hiruko and Kazekage Human Puppet had suffered heavy damage.
• Shisui let Zou and Oto inside Susanoo, and Zou transferred chakra to Shisui as he recognized Kakashi’s family feud with Sasori as the reason for their battle.
• Orochimaru joined Sasori and explained that Shisui’s Susanoo came from the Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Sasori mocked Susanoo’s reputation and threatened to make Orochimaru’s body into puppet material.