Chapter Summaries

Shihōin Naraku visited Flame Mountain in the Land of Lightning to inspect the enduring inferno he had created during the war. After discovering how deeply the flames had transformed the mountain, he left to explore other places before returning to Konoha while Sasuke and his companions searched the Land of Birds for clues to Obito’s base.

• Shihōin Naraku decided to visit Flame Mountain instead of returning to Konoha immediately.
• Naraku reached Flame Mountain and saw that its fierce heat had forced nearby civilians and Ninja to relocate.
• Naraku shaped the mountain’s unusually powerful flames into a small bird and considered how Kumogakure might use them.
• Naraku spread his Observation Haki across Flame Mountain and discovered that the mountain was burning from the inside as well as the surface.
• Naraku left to explore other places while Sasuke and his companions searched the Land of Birds without knowing where Obito’s base was.

Kumogakure's elders argued over choosing the Seventh Raikage, with Burūi gaining the strongest support among the candidates. Their meeting was interrupted by news that an explosion had destroyed a mountain base linked to Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi, leaving the elders to order an urgent investigation.

• Kumogakure's elders debated whether C, Tarui, or Burūi should become the next Raikage, and Burūi gained an advantage because of his Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
• A subordinate reported to Dianbingwei that an explosion had destroyed a mountain base near the border, where two groups of ninja may have fought, but no survivors had been found.
• The elders learned that scattered evidence connected the destroyed base to Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi, prompting alarm over possible forbidden experiments and hidden materials.
• Dianbingwei and the elders considered whether Kabuto Yakushi had been hiding at the base or had attacked an unknown enemy there.
• A white-haired elder ordered Kumogakure to seal off and search the site, then identify and track the ninja involved.

Kumogakure debated how to respond to a suspected appearance by Kabuto Yakushi and asked Konoha for help. Naraku explained that Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura had actually fought Orochimaru’s clones while searching for Sharingan, and Konoha decided to send assistance without revealing the truth.

• Dianbingwei ordered Kumogakure to search for Kabuto Yakushi, contact Konoha, and raise the village’s alert, while Hikashirō persuaded the elders to postpone choosing a new Raikage.
• Hikashirō told Mǎwéiyī that Kabuto’s Impure World Reincarnation made confronting him too dangerous, though Kumogakure could search Orochimaru’s ruined base before Konoha arrived.
• Naraku received Kumogakure’s request and summoned Konoha’s senior officials to discuss the suspected Kabuto sighting.
• Naraku revealed that Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura had fought Shin clones at Orochimaru’s base while searching for stored Sharingan, and that Kabuto had only supplied them with information.
• Shikaku and the other officials warned that explaining the mission could expose Sasuke and Naruto’s covert entry into the Land of Lightning, so Naraku decided Konoha would send assistance without getting involved in the rest.

Shihōin Naraku announced that he intended to step down as Hokage in six months so he could personally hunt down Ōtsutsuki Isshiki. Konoha’s leaders opposed the timing and urged him to keep searching through the existing team, leaving Naraku considering whether to postpone the decision until after the Chunin Ninja Exams.

• Shihōin Naraku asked Shikaku Nara to send a Jonin and several Chunin to support the Land of Lightning.
• Shihōin Naraku announced that he planned to nominate the Seventh Hokage and step down after the first postwar Chunin Ninja Exams, in about six months.
• Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi Hatake, Shikaku Nara, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura questioned Naraku’s decision and warned that his departure could disrupt Konoha’s recovery and unsettle the Shinobi World.
• Shihōin Naraku explained that he wanted to personally find and kill Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, whom the Search Team had failed to locate.
• The others urged Naraku to let the Search Team continue or use his authority as Hokage to expand the search, and Naraku considered raising his resignation again after the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Shihōin Naraku agreed to remain Hokage for one year before stepping down to confront Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, and he began planning the large-scale Chunin Ninja Exams with Shikaku and Kakashi. The chapter ended as Shikaku presented preliminary plans for adapting the exam stages to the hundreds of expected participants.

• Shihōin Naraku agreed not to raise stepping down before the Chunin Ninja Exams and accepted Jiraiya's proposal to leave the Hokage position within one year.
• Naraku and Jiraiya settled on the one-year deadline, while Naraku postponed choosing a successor and glanced toward Kakashi Hatake.
• After Tsunade and the others left, Naraku asked Shikaku and Kakashi to discuss preparations for the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Naraku explained that the exams would include genin and representatives from the Five Great Shinobi Villages, smaller villages, and other factions, requiring extensive facilities and security.
• Shikaku framed the exams as a declaration of Konoha's place in the postwar order and presented preliminary plans to revise the usual three-stage format.

Shihōin Naraku assigned Kakashi to organize the large Chunin Ninja Exams, giving him broad authority and asking Shikaku to assist. Shikaku realized Naraku intended Kakashi to succeed him as Hokage, and Naraku confirmed that he planned to step down after the exams.

• Shihōin Naraku tasked Kakashi with arranging the Chunin Ninja Exams and told him to coordinate with Shikaku.
• Naraku set rules for examiners, observers, the survival exercise site, casualties, and funding.
• Kakashi and Shikaku discussed expanding the arena, security, and scheduling for the public elimination matches.
• Naraku ordered Kakashi to submit a detailed execution plan one month before the exams began.
• Shikaku asked whether Naraku wanted Kakashi to become the next Hokage, and Naraku confirmed Kakashi was his intended successor.
• Shikaku agreed to support Kakashi, while Naraku resolved to step down as Hokage after the exams ended.

Jiraiya and Tsunade discussed Naraku’s decision to step down as Hokage and considered who could succeed him. Tsunade refused to return to the role, and they ended the conversation suspecting that Naraku had never intended to remain Hokage for long.

• Jiraiya found Tsunade drinking in an izakaya and told her that Naraku had put Kakashi in charge of the Chunin Ninja Exams, which he believed was preparation for Kakashi to become Hokage.
• Tsunade agreed Kakashi was a suitable successor, but Jiraiya suggested she herself would be an even more legitimate candidate; Tsunade rejected the idea and warned him not to promote it.
• Jiraiya explained that Naraku had only agreed to delay his resignation for a year, and that the extra time would let Konoha prepare for the transition.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya wondered whether Naraku had never intended to remain Hokage, and Tsunade suspected the position had only been a means to achieve his real goal.

After deciding to step down as Hokage in a year, Shihōin Naraku explained to Shihōin Harumoto that his strength, not his title, would protect their clan. Harumoto accepted Naraku’s decision and learned that Kakashi Hatake would succeed him.

• Tsunade and Jiraiya agreed that Naraku’s actions had benefited Konoha and decided to wait and see what he did next.
• Shihōin Harumoto visited Naraku to ask why he planned to step down as Hokage, explaining how long the Shihōin Clan had waited for one of their own to hold the position.
• Naraku told Harumoto that the Shihōin Clan would remain safe because of his strength, and reminded him of the benefits the clan had gained during his time in Konoha’s leadership.
• Naraku explained that he had set his resignation for a year later to give Konoha and the Shinobi World time to recover from the war.
• Harumoto accepted Naraku’s decision and promised the Shihōin Clan would support him.
• Harumoto asked who would become Hokage after Naraku, and Naraku named Kakashi Hatake.

Shihōin Naraku planned to leave the Hokage position within a year and chose Kakashi Hatake as his successor. Kakashi realized Naraku intended to make him Hokage, but Naraku ordered him to prepare the Chunin Ninja Exams and refused to entertain his objections.

• Shihōin Naraku reflected that announcing his planned departure as Hokage had already stirred trouble and decided a year would give Konoha time to adjust.
• Kakashi Hatake came to Naraku the next morning and asked whether Naraku planned to make him Hokage.
• Kakashi said he was unsuited to becoming Hokage, but Naraku pointed out that Kakashi could not refuse the Hokage’s orders.
• Naraku told Kakashi to finish reading Shikaku’s materials and prepare the Chunin Ninja Exams procedures.
• Kakashi left dejectedly, and Naraku laughed, resolved to make Kakashi his successor.

Shihōin Naraku went to lunch with Kakashi and Might Guy, where Kakashi again tried to persuade him to accept the Seventh Hokage position. The meal left Might Guy stunned by the possibility that Kakashi would become Hokage after Naraku stepped down in a year.

• Shihōin Naraku left his office for lunch after telling Shikaku Nara to handle the documents himself.
• Naraku spotted Kakashi and Might Guy outside a ramen shop and agreed to join them for lunch.
• Kakashi admitted he had brought Might Guy along to help persuade Naraku to reconsider his decision.
• At the barbecue restaurant, Kakashi told Naraku he was not suited to become Hokage, and Naraku said he might accept the role when Naraku stepped down in a year.
• Might Guy was shocked to learn Kakashi was the only candidate to become the Seventh Hokage, and Naraku warned him not to shout about it.

Naraku reaffirmed that Kakashi would succeed him as Hokage in a year, despite Kakashi’s attempts to refuse the position. After leaving Kakashi and Guy, Naraku returned to his office and considered the transition, the Chunin Ninja Exams, and his system draws.

• Naraku rejected Kakashi’s objections and told him to focus on planning the Chunin Ninja Exams before taking over as Hokage.
• Kakashi explained that he feared losing his freedom to Hokage duties, while Guy decided to challenge him to a hundred duels before he took office.
• Naraku left the meal, and Kakashi went back to read documents as Guy laughed and resolved to fight him a hundred times.
• Naraku returned to the Hokage’s Office, reflected on his approaching retirement, and prioritized the Chunin Ninja Exams and Kakashi’s transition.
• Naraku checked his system draws and estimated that he could earn enough for one ten-pull each year.

Naraku considered how to grow stronger beyond his current Beyond Six Paths level, weighing the system against harvesting Chakra Fruits with God Trees and worrying about Ōtsutsuki Yae. He turned to his paperwork and reflected that Sasuke’s mission to find Obito’s hidden Sharingan would delay the Search Team’s efforts against Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.

• Naraku judged that ordinary Lottery rewards could no longer strengthen him much, though he expected future Ten-Pulls to eventually yield useful prizes.
• Naraku considered using Kaguya Ōtsutsuki to help produce Chakra Fruits but concluded he would first need to find a suitable planet for a God Tree.
• Naraku decided the system was safer and more reliable than searching the universe for a planet, while remaining wary that Ōtsutsuki Yae might already have become a god.
• Naraku identified Ōtsutsuki Isshiki as the Shinobi World's greatest current threat, with Kinshiki Otsutsuki and Momoshiki Otsutsuki as future dangers.
• Naraku noted that Sasuke and his companions had finished searching Orochimaru's bases but still had to locate Obito's hidden Sharingan, delaying Sasuke's return and the Search Team's missions.

Naraku considered how difficult it would be for Sasuke Uchiha and his team to find Obito’s hidden Sharingan. Sasuke, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno found a base in the Land of Stone, destroyed six mostly ruined Sharingan, and debated whether to continue searching.

• Naraku recalled that Obito had carefully hidden many Sharingan as emergency trump cards and expected Sasuke’s search to be difficult.
• Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno found a concealed underground hideout in the Land of Stone.
• The three discovered six Sharingan in Cultivation Tanks, but four were lifeless and the other two had almost no viability.
• Sasuke burned the Sharingan to ash, and the team left the base.
• Naruto suggested ending the search if the other bases held similarly ruined eyes, but Sasuke argued that Obito might have preserved Sharingan elsewhere and chose not to give up yet.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura split up to search four possible locations for Obito’s hidden bases and any remaining Sharingan. Sakura found no base in the Land of Rivers, while Naruto searched a cave in the Land of Waterfalls and found it was not Obito’s.

• Sasuke agreed to split up, sending Sakura to the Land of Rivers, Naruto to the Land of Waterfalls, and taking the Land of Hot Water himself; they planned to meet in the Land of Waves before going to the Land of Water.
• Sakura searched the Land of Rivers for most of the day, then smashed a boulder that resembled the entrance to a base, but found only ordinary rock and cracks.
• Sakura continued searching without finding a base, while Naruto arrived in the Land of Waterfalls and chose to search alone rather than ask Takigakure for help.
• Naruto and three shadow clones searched behind waterfalls and found a large cave, but their thorough inspection showed it was not Obito’s base.

Naruto searched the area around Takigakure for one of Obito's secret bases, prompting the village's guards to identify him and report his presence to Shibuki. After reuniting with Shibuki, Naruto explained that Konoha suspected Obito had bases in the Land of Waterfalls and asked for help finding them.

• Naruto used shadow clones to search the waterfalls and nearby terrain for Obito's base.
• Takigakure guards Yunshan and Yantie spotted the searchers, but their captain recognized Naruto and ordered them not to attack.
• Shibuki learned Naruto was near the village and went to meet him without bringing a combat unit.
• Naruto greeted Shibuki, then explained Konoha's lead that Obito had established secret bases in the Land of Waterfalls.
• Shibuki reacted with surprise to the news that Obito's bases might be in his territory.

Naruto told Shibuki that Obito Uchiha might have a hidden base in the Land of Waterfalls and asked Takigakure to help search for it. Shibuki sent ten teams to investigate the suspected area while Naruto assigned a shadow clone to accompany each team.

• Shibuki dismissed nearby guards and watchers after Naruto revealed the suspected Obito Uchiha base, then asked whether the information was confirmed.
• Naruto explained that Obito's bases had been found elsewhere, but the Land of Waterfalls site was still only suspected.
• Naruto asked Shibuki to provide help searching, and Shibuki agreed to send thirty ninjas to investigate an area east of Takigakure.
• Shibuki ordered the teams not to enter any base they found and told Naruto he could intervene if they disobeyed.
• Ten Takigakure teams assembled, and Naruto assigned one shadow clone to each team before they headed into the woods to search.

Naruto's search teams discovered Obito Uchiha's hidden base behind a waterfall in the Land of Waterfalls. Naruto entered alone to investigate while Shibuki and the others guarded the entrance.

• Naruto's teams searched the marked area, but most found no sign of a base.
• The seventh team's Shadow Clone dispersed after finding a constructed passage hidden behind a waterfall, and Naruto rushed there with Shibuki.
• Naruto confirmed the concealed entrance, and Shibuki agreed to keep the Takigakure ninja outside and guard the site.
• Naruto entered the dark passage alone and pushed open a long-sealed door as the route led deeper underground.

Naruto searched Obito Uchiha’s abandoned base and discovered a vast underground hall where White Zetsu had been grown or stored. He found a layout showing that the hall was only one part of a much larger underground complex.

• Naruto entered the base and sent shadow clones to search its chambers for secret rooms and Sharingan.
• Naruto found a massive sealed stone door and blasted it open with a Rasengan.
• Naruto discovered a huge underground hall filled with White Zetsu bodies and fragments.
• Naruto examined a massive, partly petrified tree root embedded in the hall’s walls and wondered if it was a root of the God Tree.
• A shadow clone brought Naruto experimental records, and he found a layout revealing the base’s extensive underground structure.

Naruto discovered that the underground complex beneath the waterfall was Obito’s base and suspected it had been used to cultivate White Zetsu. He sent a report to Konoha and continued searching while Shibuki arranged to guard the site and guide Konoha’s ninja there.

• Naruto found a notebook in the base and put it away for Big Brother Naraku and the others to examine.
• Naruto emerged from the base and told Shibuki it was Obito’s base, then wrote a report about its location and possible connection to White Zetsu.
• Shibuki sent the report to Konoha by ninja hawk and arranged for Takigakure ninja to guard the waterfall and meet Konoha’s reinforcements.
• Naruto decided to keep searching the base with his shadow clones and help speed up the investigation.
• Shibuki asked whether the discovery would bring trouble to the Land of Waterfalls, and Naruto reassured him that Takigakure and Konoha were allies.

Naruto assured Shibuki that Konoha would take over Obito Uchiha’s hidden base and keep Takigakure out of the danger, while Shibuki ordered the waterfall passage guarded. After receiving Naruto’s report, Shihōin Naraku became intrigued by the base’s connection to White Zetsu.

• Naruto told Shibuki that Konoha would openly take over the discovered base and handle its secrets.
• Shibuki ordered Takigakure ninja to guard the waterfall passage around the clock and bar entry without his or Konoha’s presence.
• Shibuki reflected on Takigakure’s weakness after losing Fū and Chōmei the Seven-Tails, who remained free and sometimes visited the village.
• A ninja hawk from Takigakure delivered Naruto’s report to Konoha.
• Shihōin Naraku read that Obito Uchiha had built a base connected to White Zetsu and became interested in investigating it.