Chapter Summaries

Shihōin Naraku overwhelmed Kakashi Hatake, evaded his attacks, and met his Chidori with a Fire Release: Rasengan that devastated Training Ground 19. As the explosion spread, Might Guy opened the Eight Gates and charged into it.

• Shihōin Naraku battered Kakashi Hatake, who used a shadow clone and launched a Chidori attack backed by a volley of concealed weapons.
• Shihōin Naraku used Observation Haki to evade every weapon, then countered Kakashi Hatake's charge with a Fire Release: Rasengan.
• Shihōin Naraku's Rasengan collided with Kakashi Hatake's Chidori, creating a massive blast that flattened Training Ground 19 and scattered the onlookers.
• Might Guy opened the first five gates of the Eight Gates Formation and charged into the explosion.

Explosions from a fierce spar between Shihōin Naraku, Kakashi Hatake, and Might Guy sent Konohagakure into a panic and devastated Training Ground 19. As onlookers gathered and discovered the three were still fighting, their battle continued with Might Guy and Shihōin Naraku exchanging powerful blows.

• Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi rushed toward Training Ground 19 while Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered the village reassured and its ninja to maintain order.
• ANBU members stopped most ninja from entering, but Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, and other observers saw that the training ground had been nearly destroyed.
• Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, Choza Akimichi, and Hyuga Hiashi arrived and surveyed the wreckage, while Neji Hyuga kept his distance from Hyuga Hiashi.
• When more explosions sounded, Hyuga Hiashi used his Byakugan and confirmed that Shihōin Naraku, Kakashi Hatake, and Might Guy were still fighting.
• Kakashi Hatake was sent flying by Shihōin Naraku, then Might Guy pierced Naraku with a kick before Naraku's burning body struck Guy with an elbow and drove him into a crater.

Shihōin Naraku fought Might Guy and Kakashi Hatake in a three-way melee, using Sun Breathing, the first Eight Gates, and Kurikara to keep pace with their attacks. Kakashi and Might Guy then teamed up against Naraku, charging at him together as Kakashi launched Lightning Blade.

• Shihōin Naraku assessed the damage from his clash with Kakashi Hatake and recalled how Might Guy had rescued Kakashi from the explosion.
• Shihōin Naraku, Might Guy, and Kakashi Hatake continued their battle, though Kakashi was nearly out of stamina.
• Might Guy’s speed overwhelmed Naraku, so Kakashi and Naraku each opened the first gate of the Eight Gates Formation.
• Naraku combined Sun Breathing and Kurikara with the gate’s boost, then attacked Kakashi and Might Guy with Hinokami Kagura: Dance.
• Kakashi and Might Guy repeatedly interrupted Naraku’s attacks, and Might Guy knocked him into the air with Konoha Rock-Breaking Rise.
• Kakashi charged at Naraku with Lightning Blade as Might Guy rushed in alongside him.

Shihōin Naraku battled Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy, overpowering the two jonin with his Fire Release and swordsmanship. The spar ended when Kakashi passed out, and Asuma Sarutobi caught him as Naraku sent him out of the field.

• Shihōin Naraku unleashed a massive Fire Release attack, and Might Guy used Morning Peacock to open a path through the flames for Kakashi Hatake.
• Shihōin Naraku pressed his attack with Kurikara while Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy coordinated their strikes against him.
• Shihōin Naraku deflected Might Guy's nunchaku, dodged Kakashi Hatake's Lightning Blade, and pinned Kakashi beneath his foot.
• Kakashi Hatake passed out during the struggle, and Shihōin Naraku sent him flying out of the field.
• Asuma Sarutobi caught Kakashi Hatake, whose clothes were torn and body was burned and bleeding.

Shihōin Naraku defeated Might Guy in a fierce sparring match, then summoned the Katsuyu Sage to treat Guy and the unconscious Kakashi Hatake. The onlookers remained shaken by Naraku’s power as the injured ninja received help.

• Might Guy’s Eight Gates-enhanced attacks failed to hit Shihōin Naraku, who blocked and countered each move while Kurikara restored his stamina and chakra.
• Naraku fired a Getsuga Tenshō that carved through the ground and split a distant mountaintop, then brought Guy down and ended the battle.
• Naraku helped the exhausted Guy leave the training ground, while the others stared at the destruction and warned that the village leaders would reprimand them.
• Naraku told Naruto Uzumaki and the other youngsters to fetch stretchers, then summoned the Katsuyu Sage.
• The Katsuyu Sage divided into two smaller bodies and began treating Might Guy and the unconscious Kakashi Hatake.

Shihōin Naraku helped treat Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy after their fierce fight, then took them to the hospital. He learned that Tsunade had not summoned the Katsuyu Sage recently and concluded he would have to wait until after the Konoha Crush Plan to see his teacher.

• The Katsuyu Sage treated Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy, while Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi scolded Shihōin Naraku for going too far in their fight.
• Shihōin Naraku explained that his Mera Mera no Mi powers combined with his Fire Release had made the training-ground flames unusually intense.
• Shihōin Naraku ordered the youngsters to carry Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy to the hospital, where the Katsuyu Sage finished treating them.
• Shihōin Naraku asked the Katsuyu Sage whether Tsunade had summoned her, and learned that Tsunade had not done so in a long time.
• At the hospital, Shihōin Naraku ordered Might Guy to stay for three days and confirmed that Kakashi Hatake would need at least a month to recover.

Hiruzen Sarutobi reprimanded Shihōin Naraku for the destruction caused by his sparring match but gave him a light punishment, while Shimura Danzō grew more determined to remove Hiruzen. Half a month later, Kakashi Hatake was recovering well, but he had been dismissed from ANBU as Naraku prepared to leave on a mission.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Shihōin Naraku to pay for restoring the ruined training ground and to take missions once Kakashi Hatake stabilized.
• Shimura Danzō complained that Hiruzen had gone easy on Naraku, then secretly resolved that Hiruzen should die and kept his plans hidden.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu defended Hiruzen’s handling of the sparring incident and dismissed Danzō’s ambitions to become Hokage.
• Half a month later, Shihōin Naraku examined Kakashi Hatake and said he would likely leave the hospital in a little over two weeks.
• Kakashi Hatake told Naraku that Hiruzen had removed him from ANBU, while Naraku revealed he was leaving immediately on a mission for at least half a month.

Shihōin Naraku received intelligence that Deidara had defected and that Iwagakure might blame Konoha, then finished his missions and stopped at a hot spring in the Land of Hot Water. There, White Zetsu attacked him, and an unseen assailant struck from behind with a space-warping technique.

• Shihōin Naraku learned from an Iwagakure operative that Deidara had defected and that Iwagakure might use Uchiha Itachi's visit to blame Konoha, so he sent the intelligence to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Shihōin Naraku completed nearly all his assigned missions, then relaxed at a hot spring in the Land of Hot Water.
• A black-haired woman lured Shihōin Naraku away from town, and he killed her, revealing her to be White Zetsu.
• White Zetsu surrounded Shihōin Naraku and his two ANBU subordinates, who began fighting them.
• An assailant reached for Shihōin Naraku through twisting space, but he evaded with the Body Flicker Technique and slashed at the attacker's arm with Kurikara; the blade passed through without harming it.

Obito Uchiha confronted Shihōin Naraku, but Naraku outmaneuvered him and severed his arm. Obito then caught Naraku in a Sharingan genjutsu, leaving the fight’s outcome uncertain.

• Obito Uchiha appeared before Shihōin Naraku, and they charged at each other.
• Shihōin Naraku shattered Obito Uchiha’s wooden spike, pierced him, and cut apart his chain.
• Obito Uchiha combined Fire Release with a Kamui attack, but Shihōin Naraku absorbed the flames and struck back with Fire Fist.
• Obito Uchiha used Kamui and Wood Release to attack, but Shihōin Naraku sliced off his left arm and burned it to ash.
• Shihōin Naraku pressed his attack while Obito Uchiha’s wounds failed to heal and his Kamui time ran short.
• Obito Uchiha caught Shihōin Naraku in a Sharingan genjutsu.

Shihōin Naraku broke free of Obito Uchiha’s genjutsu and nearly killed him, but Zetsu rescued Obito and escaped. Naraku checked on his two captured subordinates and realized Black Zetsu had left them alive to prevent him from giving chase.

• Obito Uchiha trapped Shihōin Naraku in a genjutsu, but Naraku used Kurikara to cut through the illusion and return to reality.
• As Obito Uchiha tried to draw Naraku into the Kamui Dimension, Naraku pierced him with a flame spear and slashed him in two.
• Zetsu covered Obito Uchiha with spores to suppress the flames while White Zetsu and Black Zetsu attacked Naraku with reinforcements and Wood Release.
• Naraku burned through Zetsu’s trees, but White Zetsu carried the unconscious Obito underground and Black Zetsu followed.
• Naraku found that his two subordinates were alive but drained of chakra, and concluded Black Zetsu had spared them to keep him from pursuing.

Black Zetsu rushed to save Obito Uchiha after Shihōin Naraku nearly cut him in half, but White Zetsu’s repairs and Hashirama Cells could not stop his life from fading. He brought Obito to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, intending to use it to keep him alive.

• Black Zetsu ordered White Zetsu to repair Obito Uchiha’s internal organs and extinguish the flames inside him.
• Black Zetsu took Obito to Madara Uchiha’s old base, where he injected him with Hashirama Cells.
• The Hashirama Cells caused branches to sprout from Obito’s body, and Black Zetsu feared he would die.
• Black Zetsu decided that only the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path could sustain Obito and ordered White Zetsu to monitor Nagato and Konan.
• Black Zetsu and White Zetsu brought Obito to the Akatsuki base containing the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, the Ten-Tails’ drained husk.

Black Zetsu arranged for White Zetsu Ayan to impersonate the incapacitated Obito Uchiha while he recovered, then sent out orders to investigate Shihōin Naraku. After Naraku returned to Konohagakure and reported the battle, Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected Shimura Danzō and led ANBU to surround Root, where Danzō denied involvement.

• Black Zetsu had White Zetsu Ayan take Obito Uchiha’s appearance and Mangekyō Sharingan, then instructed Ayan to master genjutsu and control Karatachi Yagura.
• Black Zetsu ordered White Zetsu to investigate and closely monitor Shihōin Naraku and the Shihōin Clan.
• Shihōin Naraku returned to Konohagakure with his two subordinates and told Hiruzen Sarutobi that the enemy had used unusually powerful Wood Release and that another enemy had a Sharingan.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected Shimura Danzō had sent the attackers and ordered the ANBU to surround Root.
• Shimura Danzō denied having anything to do with the attack.

Hiruzen Sarutobi searched Root for evidence that Shimura Danzō had continued the Wood Release experiments, but found only unimportant documents. The next morning, Shihōin Naraku discharged Kakashi Hatake from the hospital and urged him to prepare for his new role as an instructor, while Kakashi remained determined to uphold his strict standards for Naruto.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Shimura Danzō over the Wood Release experiments and ordered ANBU to search Root, but they found no crucial evidence.
• Shimura Danzō denied wrongdoing, blamed Hiruzen Sarutobi for abandoning their experiment, and suspected Orochimaru had kept the results of a new Wood Release subject for himself.
• Shihōin Naraku watched the confrontation from outside Root and returned home after Shimura Danzō chose not to fight Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Shihōin Naraku examined Kakashi Hatake at Konoha Hospital and confirmed that his injuries had healed, then encouraged him to think about becoming an instructor again.
• Kakashi Hatake insisted he would not lower his standards for students and questioned whether Naruto could even pass the Ninja Academy's graduation exam.

Shihōin Naraku became Anbu Commander and received orders from Hiruzen Sarutobi to orchestrate a plan that would lead Naruto Uzumaki to learn the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. After Naraku set the plan in motion, Mizuki grew resentful at the Ninja Academy and drank alone at a tavern.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi promoted Shihōin Naraku to Anbu Commander and Tenzo to Anbu Deputy Captain, then gave Naraku his first mission.
• Hiruzen explained that Naruto struggled with the Clone Technique because of the Nine-Tails Chakra and instructed Naraku to arrange for Naruto to learn the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
• Naraku recognized that the scroll Hiruzen gave him was a specially prepared copy and proposed using Mizuki to set the plan in motion.
• Hiruzen approved Naraku's plan and ordered him to ensure Naruto's safety while carrying it out.
• After class, Umino Iruka praised Naruto's improved mood and friendship with Sasuke Uchiha, while Mizuki hid his jealousy and refused Iruka's invitation to eat.
• Mizuki went to a tavern to drink and brooded over his resentment toward Iruka.

Mizuki learned that the Scroll of Seals was in the Hokage Building and fell for Shihōin Naraku’s staged opportunity. After Naruto Uzumaki failed the graduation exam, Mizuki lured him into taking the scroll, setting off a chase watched by Naraku and Hiruzen Sarutobi; the chapter ended with Naruto using the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

• Mizuki overheard two ninja discussing the Scroll of Seals, then confirmed its location by questioning an ANBU friend who was secretly monitoring him.
• Shihōin Naraku revealed that he had arranged the tavern conversation and was tracking Mizuki’s movements.
• Naruto Uzumaki failed the graduation exam, and Iruka-sensei and Sasuke Uchiha tried to comfort him.
• Mizuki told Naruto that learning a technique from the Scroll of Seals would help him graduate, and Naruto took the scroll while guards watched.
• Iruka encouraged Naruto during the staged pursuit, and Naruto filled the clearing with shadow clones using the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Naruto Uzumaki graduated after defeating Mizuki, and Shihōin Naraku took him and the Scroll of Seals to see the Third Hokage. After weeks of training, Naraku’s physique and other abilities grew, and he discovered his soul had strengthened through Kurikara; the system then offered to infuse him with his remaining chakra despite warning that the surge could injure him.

• Umino Iruka congratulated Naruto Uzumaki on graduating and fastened a forehead protector around his head.
• Shihōin Naraku arrived with ANBU, warned Naruto that the Third Hokage could revoke his ninja status over the Scroll of Seals, and arranged for Iruka to go to the hospital.
• Shihōin Naraku took Naruto and the Scroll of Seals to the Hokage's Office, reported the mission, and left the matter to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Shihōin Naraku trained for more than half a month, shattered a boulder, and found that his physique had advanced to S.
• Shihōin Naraku asked the system about his status panel, and it explained that Kurikara had strengthened his soul, spirit, and chakra reserves.
• The system offered Shihōin Naraku an infusion of his remaining chakra and warned that the sudden surge could damage his body and organs.

Shihōin Naraku accepted a dangerous chakra infusion that greatly increased his strength, then spent two days adapting to it. Kakashi Hatake later asked him to help manage Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, whose impatience for powerful ninjutsu had grown after seeing Naraku fight.

• Shihōin Naraku learned that his body could safely withstand only fifty percent of his chakra and chose to absorb thirty-two percent at once despite the risks.
• Shihōin Naraku's chakra infusion strained his body and unleashed an aura that tore open the training ground, leaving a massive crater.
• Shihōin Naraku trained with Kurikara for two days until he adapted to his increased strength.
• Kakashi Hatake told Shihōin Naraku that Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha wanted powerful ninjutsu instead of foundational training, while Sakura remained naive about being a ninja.
• Kakashi Hatake explained that Naruto Uzumaki had been showing off his Multiple Shadow Clone Technique and stirring up the other graduates, and that Lord Hokage had sent him to Naraku for help.

Shihōin Naraku decided to address the Genin’s impatience with low-level missions after Kakashi Hatake explained that they were losing chances to build their skills. Having awakened Conqueror’s Haki, Naraku planned a test for all of this year’s Genin the next day, while their instructors wondered who could pass.

• Kakashi Hatake told Shihōin Naraku that this year’s Genin had become restless and impatient with low-level missions.
• Shihōin Naraku recalled awakening Conqueror’s Haki and decided to use it to scare the Genin into taking their training seriously.
• Shihōin Naraku asked Kakashi Hatake to gather the Genin, including Guy’s team, for a test at noon the next day and promised to teach powerful ninjutsu to those who passed.
• Kakashi Hatake agreed to notify the other instructors, then left while considering how to improve his own strength.
• The instructors discussed Naraku’s test, and Guy confidently predicted that Rock Lee and the others would pass.

Kakashi Hatake gathered the Konoha 12 at a training ground for a test from Konoha High Command, promising powerful rewards to those who passed. After the instructors disappeared, Shikamaru Nara and Neji Hyuga sensed trouble while the others remained unaware.

• Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha privately planned to visit Shihōin Naraku's training ground, while Sakura Haruno wondered why she felt left out.
• Kakashi Hatake arrived at noon and took Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno to a training ground instead of giving them a mission.
• Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kurenai Yuhi assembled their teams, bringing the Konoha 12 together.
• Kakashi Hatake announced a Konoha High Command test with rewards including powerful ninjutsu and promotion, then vanished with the other jonin.
• Shikamaru Nara realized the test meant trouble, and Neji Hyuga also noticed something was wrong.

Shihōin Naraku arrived to test the Konoha 12 and unleashed his Conqueror’s Haki, overwhelming the genin and shaking the nearby jonin. After the trainees collapsed, Naraku withdrew the pressure and revealed that the jonin had been his real targets.

• Shikamaru Nara realized the genin were in for trouble, while Naruto Uzumaki, Kiba Inuzuka, and Rock Lee eagerly anticipated the test.
• Neji Hyuga spotted Shihōin Naraku approaching the training ground, and the assembled genin turned their attention to him.
• Shihōin Naraku unleashed his Conqueror’s Haki, darkening the sky and confronting the genin about what they thought being a ninja meant.
• Neji Hyuga and most of the Konoha 12 collapsed, while Sasuke Uchiha awakened a one-tomoe Sharingan and Naruto Uzumaki and Rock Lee resisted before falling unconscious.
• Shihōin Naraku withdrew his Haki, and the jonin recovered from its pressure as he revealed they had been its primary targets.