Chapter Summaries

Gekkō Raito and Tsunade clashed over how Sunagakure should be dealt with, while Gaara bristled at their plans to divide his village’s spoils and debts. Gaara challenged Kirigakure and Konoha to a shinobi duel, and a silent, black-robed figure stepped forward to represent Sunagakure against Gekkō Raito.

• Shikaku demanded that Sunagakure compensate Konoha, and Kyuji threatened him before Tsunade defended her adviser.
• Tsunade refused to let Kirigakure claim Sunagakure without accounting for its attack on Konoha, and Gekkō Raito agreed to settle the dispute on the battlefield.
• Gaara denounced the villages for treating Sunagakure like spoils and challenged Kirigakure and Konoha to a shinobi duel.
• Gekkō Raito accepted the challenge, and Gaara clarified that Sunagakure would choose its own fighter.
• A silent, black-robed figure stepped forward and declared that they would challenge the Mizukage.

Gekkō Raito and Sasori of the Red Sands began a high-stakes duel after Gaara wagered Sunagakure’s future gold-dust payments against Kirigakure and Konoha’s compensation. Raito created an ice arena over the sea, pulled Sasori onto it, and opened the fight with a blazing Fire Release that left the ice untouched.

• Gaara revealed that Sasori of the Red Sands would fight for Sunagakure and agreed to raise the stakes of the duels against Kirigakure and Konoha.
• Raito accepted Gaara’s terms and promised not to use Water Release during his duel with Sasori.
• Raito froze the sea into a vast ice arena and sent Sasori flying onto it with a water whip.
• Sasori suspected Raito had deliberately soaked the iron sand in his robe, but Raito denied using Water Release as a trick.
• Raito unleashed Fire Release: Searing Migraine, engulfing the arena in flames without melting the ice.
• Shikaku and Gaara recognized Raito’s extraordinary control over his techniques as the ice remained intact.

Raito overwhelmed Sasori with powerful ninjutsu until Gaara surrendered, then Tsunade challenged him to fight for Hinata’s return to Konoha. The chapter ended with Raito and Tsunade preparing to face each other on the ice arena.

• Raito struck Sasori with lightning, a fire-and-wind combination technique, and crushing Earth-Style Walls, leaving him battered and trapped.
• Gaara surrendered after Raito threatened to crush Sasori further, and Raito released the walls and sent Sasori and his puppet parts to the stands.
• Tsunade rushed onto the arena and told Raito she would fight him, naming Hinata’s return as her stake if she won.
• Raito accepted Tsunade’s challenge, and the two prepared to fight on the ice arena.

Gekkō Raito overwhelmed Tsunade with a barrage of Water and Lightning Release attacks, forcing her to activate the Strength of a Hundred Seal and Creation Rebirth. He drew Zangetsu and expanded ROOM around the arena as their fight escalated.

• Gekkō Raito attacked Tsunade with water dragons and high-pressure water drills, but she dodged through the barrage and closed in with a Monster Strength Fist.
• Gekkō Raito blocked Tsunade with an ice wall, then kicked her into the air and struck her with Lightning Release before smashing her back with a spinning punch.
• Gekkō Raito pierced Tsunade with Water Severing Wave, leaving her covered in wounds as Shikaku and Hiashi watched in alarm.
• Tsunade released the Strength of a Hundred Seal and used Creation Rebirth to heal her injuries.
• Gekkō Raito formed the Black Blade, Zangetsu, and expanded ROOM across the arena, leaving Tsunade wary of his next move.

Gekkō Raito overwhelmed Tsunade in their sparring match, apparently beheading her with Zangetsu and terrifying the gathered leaders with the prospect of war. Tsunade remained alive despite being separated from her body, and Raito claimed she had lost the fight.

• Tsunade tore a massive iceberg from the ground and hurled it at Gekkō Raito, who stopped it in midair and sent it crashing back toward her.
• Gekkō Raito teleported through the mist and struck Tsunade, sending her head flying before catching it by the hair.
• Shikaku, Kyuji, Ameyuri, Gaara, Kankuro, and Sasori reacted in shock, while Shikaku sent Hiashi toward the arena.
• Gekkō Raito used ROOM to teleport Hiashi back to the island as he tried to enter the arena.
• Tsunade spoke from Gekkō Raito's hand, revealing that she was alive despite being decapitated, and demanded to know what he had done.
• Gekkō Raito released Tsunade's head to float before him and said she had lost and could no longer fight.

Gekkō Raito restored Tsunade after defeating her with spatial manipulation, then revealed he could potentially give Sasori a flesh-and-blood body. Gaara offered Sunagakure ten additional years of gold dust in exchange for Raito’s help, and Raito weighed the request while recalling Temari’s plea.

• Tsunade forfeited after Gekkō Raito separated her head from her body, and he reconnected them without injury.
• Gekkō Raito explained that he had separated Tsunade’s head and body into different spatial locations, shocking the spectators with his ability.
• Sasori asked Gekkō Raito whether he could restore a body even if only one heart remained, and Raito confirmed he could.
• Gaara asked Gekkō Raito to help Sasori and offered Sunagakure ten additional years of gold dust.
• Gekkō Raito considered Gaara’s offer and remembered Temari’s request that he help Sunagakure.

Gekkō Raito brokered a treaty between Kirigakure, Konoha, and Sunagakure that settled compensation and mission-sharing terms. As Tsunade and Gaara departed, a devastating attack engulfed Kumogakure, while Gaara began a secret search for a vessel for Sasori.

• Gekkō Raito proposed that Kirigakure provide Konoha one tenth of Sunagakure’s gold dust and arrange for Konoha to share higher-rank missions with Sunagakure.
• Shikaku urged Tsunade to accept, and Tsunade and Gaara agreed to Gekkō Raito’s proposal.
• Kyuji wrote the treaty, and Gekkō Raito, Tsunade, and Gaara signed it.
• An attacker set Kumogakure ablaze, and the bloodied Fourth Raikage vowed to hunt down the figure fleeing through the sky.
• Several days later, Gekkō Raito watched Tsunade sail away from Kirigakure, while Gaara sent word home to secretly search for a suitable vessel for Sasori.

Gekkō Raito selected candidates to become jinchūriki as Kirigakure prepared to expand its power, then used his abilities to give Sasori a living body. The Three Kage Summit ended peacefully, but news of Tsunade’s defeat and Kirigakure’s gains left the other villages questioning whether the balance of power had shifted.

• Gekkō Raito chose Haku as the Three-Tails' jinchūriki and planned to distribute the other tailed beasts to create new kekkei genkai clans and Kage Level fighters in Kirigakure.
• Sunagakure arrived with a living Sand Ninja whose body had exceptional chakra compatibility, and Gekkō Raito began Sasori's transplant operation.
• Gekkō Raito removed Sasori's Regenerative Core and transplanted it into the Sand Ninja's body, which Sasori successfully awakened in.
• Sasori thanked Gekkō Raito for restoring his body, and the Sunagakure delegation departed with him after he briefly met Gaara.
• News spread that the Three Kage Summit had ended peacefully and that Tsunade had conceded defeat to Gekkō Raito, prompting other villages to question Kirigakure's growing dominance.

Darui came to Kirigakure seeking intelligence after the Akatsuki abducted Killer B and left the Fourth Raikage gravely injured. Gekkō Raito explained what he knew but said Kirigakure had not yet found the Akatsuki’s hideout, leaving Darui anxious to return and organize a rescue.

• Darui asked Gekkō Raito whether he knew of the Akatsuki and revealed that it had invaded Kumogakure, captured Killer B, and severely wounded the Fourth Raikage.
• Gekkō Raito told Darui that two Akatsuki members had previously attacked Kirigakure and that he had defeated them.
• Darui asked whether Gekkō Raito knew the Akatsuki’s hideout, and Gekkō Raito first asked about the Fourth Raikage’s condition.
• Gekkō Raito reasoned that Killer B was likely still alive while the Akatsuki extracted the Eight-Tails, and Darui grew desperate to relay the warning to Kumogakure.
• Gekkō Raito said Kirigakure’s ANBU had clues but had not yet located the Akatsuki’s exact hideout.

Gekkō Raito launched a plan to create and reinforce Kekkei Genkai clans by modifying 300 selected Kirigakure ninja. After strengthening four existing clans, he began establishing a new Lava Release clan named Red Mountain.

• Gekkō Raito told Darui that he would share Akatsuki's location once it was confirmed and asked Kumogakure to wait for his signal.
• Haku reported that the 300 ninja Gekkō Raito had selected were assembled, and Gekkō Raito ordered the modification plan to begin.
• Gekkō Raito used Skill-Glutton to take the 300 ninja into the Food Chain space and modify their bodies and powers in just over ten minutes.
• Gekkō Raito sent 150 modified ninja to reinforce the Kozuki, Waves, Kaguya, and Yu Wucheng clans through staged recoveries and survivor scenarios.
• Gekkō Raito gave the Lava Release ninja the new surname Red Mountain as he began forming three new Kekkei Genkai clans.

Gekkō Raito gave four subordinates the Tailed Beasts he had removed from his body, creating new Jinchūriki for Kirigakure. Meanwhile, Naruto returned to Konoha with Jiraiya and remained determined to bring Gekkō Raito and Sasuke back.

• Gekkō Raito named the Scorch Release ninjas the Red Valley clan and the Storm Release ninjas the Chidori clan.
• Gekkō Raito told Haku, Hiroshi Akayama, Yumiko Waves, and Kageichi Kozuki that he would make them Jinchūriki, explaining that the Tailed Beasts could strengthen Kirigakure more in their hands.
• Gekkō Raito assigned Isobu to Haku, Four-Tails Son Goku to Hiroshi Akayama, Six-Tails Saiken to Yumiko Waves, and Seven-Tails Chōmei to Kageichi Kozuki.
• Gekkō Raito transferred the four Tailed Beasts and considered hunting the Two-Tails or Five-Tails next.
• Jiraiya returned to Konoha with Naruto, who insisted that he would bring Gekkō Raito and Sasuke back despite their new allegiances.

Tsunade warned Naruto and Jiraiya that Raito had become monstrously powerful and could devour tailed beast chakra. In the Land of Earth, Raito consumed the Five-Tails, forced Han to join Kirigakure, and Sasuke prepared to seek Raito’s help in finding Itachi.

• Tsunade told Naruto that Raito could easily defeat her without using tailed beast power and suspected he had developed a technique to devour tailed beasts.
• Raito overpowered Han in the Land of Earth and used Glutton to devour the Five-Tails, restoring Glutton to 70%.
• Raito returned Han from the Food Chain and showed him that his Boil Release had grown several times stronger.
• Raito threatened to strip Han of the Five-Tails and his abilities unless he joined Kirigakure, and Han agreed.
• Sasuke told Orochimaru he was going to Kirigakure to ask Raito for help finding Itachi.

Sasuke’s squad and Naruto headed toward Kirigakure, where Gekkō Raito was consolidating clans and collecting Tailed Beast chakra. With both rivals on their way, Gekkō Raito planned to study Naruto’s chakra and continue developing a powerful new ability.

• Sasuke led Jūgo, Suigetsu, and Karin toward Kirigakure, and persuaded Suigetsu to go by telling him the Hozuki Clan was rebuilding there.
• Gekkō Raito used Cloud Pigeons and ANBU to find and persuade scattered clans to return to Kirigakure.
• Gekkō Raito introduced Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, to the Boil Release Clan and ordered them to protect him.
• Gekkō Raito considered infiltrating Kumogakure to reach Yugito Nii, but learned that Sasuke’s squad was heading to Kirigakure.
• Naruto insisted on going to Kirigakure to see Gekkō Raito, and Tsunade sent Kakashi with him while warning Naruto not to attack the Mizukage.
• Gekkō Raito learned that Naruto and Sasuke were both approaching Kirigakure and planned to use the time before their arrival to develop his Op-Op Fruit ability.

Gekkō Raito unlocked Degenerate and used it to turn Six Paths Power into an Armament Haki-like coating. Meanwhile, Sasuke arrived at Kirigakure’s transformed outskirts and saw the village expanding through ambitious construction.

• Great Sage revealed that Degenerate could distort reality to mutate Gekkō Raito’s abilities toward his desired effects.
• Gekkō Raito activated Degenerate in his underground training ground and coated his arms in black Six Paths Power.
• Gekkō Raito tested the coating’s strength and imagined developing a complete Six Paths Three Colors Haki.
• Sasuke reached Kirigakure’s outlying islands with Suigetsu and found bustling ports, new bridges, and extensive construction.
• Suigetsu questioned whether the lively settlement was really the legendary Kirigakure.

Sasuke and his companions arrived in a transformed Kirigakure, where Gekkō Raito welcomed them and promised to help locate Itachi. Their reunion was interrupted by Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai arriving to see Gekkō Raito as well.

• Suigetsu, Karin, and Jūgo admired Kirigakure’s prosperity as Sasuke acknowledged Gekkō Raito’s work.
• Jūgo sensed that they were being watched after the group landed, and Haku escorted them to Gekkō Raito.
• Gekkō Raito welcomed Sasuke and his companions to dinner, greeted Jūgo, and praised Suigetsu’s potential.
• Sasuke asked about Itachi, and Gekkō Raito said they were searching for his exact location.
• Naruto entered and was startled to find Sasuke with Gekkō Raito, while Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai followed him into the room.

Gekkō Raito rejected Naruto’s plea to return to Konoha, and Sasuke refused as well, blaming the village for the Uchiha Clan massacre. Naruto challenged Sasuke to fight, prompting Suigetsu and Jūgo to prepare for battle.

• Gekkō Raito hosted Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Sai, Sakura, and Taka Squad for a meal, while Naruto assessed him and Kakashi reflected on how their former students had been driven from Konoha.
• Naruto asked Gekkō Raito whether he would return to Konoha, but Gekkō Raito said he was happier as Kirigakure’s Sixth Mizukage and had no reason to go back.
• Naruto turned to Sasuke, who said he would never return to Konoha and accused the village leadership of allowing the Uchiha Clan massacre.
• Naruto rejected Sasuke’s accusation, stood up, and challenged him to take the argument outside.
• Suigetsu drew the Kubikiribōchō, and Jūgo transformed his arm as they prepared to fight.

Gekkō Raito transported Naruto, Sasuke, and their companions to an ice arena so Naruto and Sasuke could fight without damaging the hotel. Naruto and Sasuke traded increasingly powerful attacks, with Sasuke gaining the upper hand through his swordsmanship, before their Rasengan and Chidori collided.

• Gekkō Raito used ROOM: Shambles to move everyone from the hotel to the frozen lake outside the Mizukage Building, where he raised ice walls around the arena.
• Sasuke challenged Naruto, and the two began fighting with their lightning- and wind-infused blades.
• Naruto initially pressed Sasuke with his Wind Release, but Sasuke's refined swordsmanship turned the tide and cut Naruto several times.
• Sasuke used Chidori Sharp Spear to clear Naruto's shadow clones, while Naruto countered with Wind Release techniques and a Rasengan.
• Sasuke met Naruto's Rasengan with Chidori, and their collision shattered the ice beneath them as Kakashi and Sai watched.

Naruto and Sasuke escalated their duel with powerful techniques, but Gekkō Raito intervened and crushed their attacks with his bare hands. He left the former Team 7 facing one another as he urged them to stop fighting.

• Naruto and Sasuke clashed with the Rasenshuriken and Chidori Blade: Extreme, while Gekkō Raito shielded the Mizukage Building from the blast.
• Sasuke activated the Cursed Seal of Heaven, and Naruto entered Sage Mode before they prepared to attack again.
• Naruto and Sasuke charged with the Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan and black Chidori, but Gekkō Raito stepped between them.
• Gekkō Raito used Armament Hardening to extinguish both ultimate moves with his bare hands.
• Gekkō Raito told Naruto and Sasuke to stop fighting as they stared at his overwhelming strength.

Raito tested Naruto and Sasuke in battle, overwhelming both with his Haki and then revealing his own Sage Mode. Naruto lay injured as the Nine-Tails urged him to use its chakra, insisting it could contend with Raito.

• Naruto and Sasuke asked Raito to fight them again, and he caught Naruto's punch and Sasuke's Chidori with ease.
• Raito struck Naruto flying, swatted Sasuke away, and caught Sasuke's lightning-enhanced Kusanagi Sword barehanded.
• Raito revealed his own Sage Mode, surprising Naruto with a mastery of natural energy unlike Mount Myōboku's senjutsu.
• Raito used ROOM: Shambles to move Naruto in front of him and punched him into the ice, leaving him badly injured.
• The Nine-Tails offered Naruto its chakra and claimed it could challenge Raito, while Naruto worried that Raito also possessed tailed beast chakra.

Naruto unleashed eight-tailed Nine-Tails chakra against Gekkō Raito but was defeated, and Gekkō Raito sent him and his companions away while secretly absorbing a fragment of Nine-Tails chakra. As Gekkō Raito began analyzing it, the Akatsuki learned the Four-Tails had vanished from its host and suspected the Mizukage.

• Naruto transformed into his eight-tailed state and attacked Gekkō Raito, who blocked his blows and drained some of his chakra before knocking him down.
• Gekkō Raito advised Naruto to combine the Nine-Tails' power with Sage Mode, then helped him stand; Naruto and Sasuke admitted defeat and left with Sakura and Sai.
• Gekkō Raito returned to the Mizukage Building with Sasuke and promised to locate Uchiha Itachi, though he already knew where Itachi was.
• Gekkō Raito placed the captured Nine-Tails chakra in his Passive Skill Slots and began a sixteen-hour analysis with help from Great Sage and the other Tailed Beasts' chakra.
• Pain learned that the Eight-Tails had been sealed and that the Four-Tails was missing from its host, prompting Obito to suspect Gekkō Raito.