Recaps

Hiruzen Sarutobi led the battered Sarutobi Clan survivors through the forest after their failed defection from Konoha. Danzo arrived gravely burned, and the leaders set off deeper into the forest before Konoha’s forces could catch them.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped to recover and learned that only a few dozen Sarutobi Clan ninja remained able to fight and most of their supplies were lost.
• Asuma Sarutobi asked what they would do as rogue ninja, and Hiruzen encouraged him and the surviving clansmen by promising they could rebuild elsewhere.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi learned that Danzo and Root were missing and feared that Gengetsu had killed them.
• Danzo emerged from the forest severely burned and blamed Uchiha Gengetsu for his injuries.
• Danzo cursed Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others as useless after hearing they had lost their supplies and that Homura and Koharu had been captured.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped the argument, warned that Konoha ninja would pursue them, and led the group deeper into the forest with Danzo.

Uchiha Gengetsu ordered the captured Sarutobi, Utatane, and Mitokado clan ninja stripped of their abilities and sent to border mines, then publicly exposed Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura as conspirators through genjutsu. The villagers turned against the disgraced advisors as their controlled confessions implicated them in past tragedies, including Hatake Sakumo’s death.

• Shikaku Nara reported that order had returned to Konoha and that 142 rebels from the Three Clans had been arrested.
• Gengetsu ordered the captured clan ninja to have their chakra pathways sealed and to be sent to work in the border mines, while reserving his own plans for Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
• Gengetsu publicly accused Koharu, Homura, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Shimura Danzō of plotting the Nine-Tails’ rampage and used genjutsu to make the two advisors confess.
• Under Gengetsu’s genjutsu, Homura and Koharu claimed they had also arranged the earlier Nine-Tails attack that killed Minato Namikaze and Kushina.
• Kakashi Hatake questioned the advisors about his father, and Koharu confessed that they had spread rumors to force Hatake Sakumo to take his own life.
• Villagers and ninja confronted Koharu and Homura over other alleged crimes, pelting them with mud, rotten eggs, leaves, and stones.

Uchiha Gengetsu used his control of Konoha to replace the village’s defenses, place Naruto with Uchiha Fugaku, and launch the Konoha Five-Year Plan. After the clan heads approved sweeping reforms, Gengetsu ordered Hiruzen Sarutobi’s likeness removed from Hokage Rock and his history rewritten in village records and textbooks.

• Uchiha Gengetsu ordered Konoha’s sensory barriers, patrol routes, and guard posts replaced after the rebellion exposed weaknesses in the village’s defenses.
• Uchiha Gengetsu entrusted Naruto, the Fourth Hokage’s orphaned son and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, to Uchiha Fugaku for adoption.
• Uchiha Gengetsu presented a five-year plan that expanded the Konoha Military Police Force, rebuilt the Anbu, reformed the Ninja Academy, and increased mission compensation and rewards.
• Shikaku Nara distributed the plan’s documents, and the clan heads approved the reforms after reviewing their details and benefits.
• Shikaku Nara proposed removing Hiruzen Sarutobi’s likeness from Hokage Rock, and Uchiha Gengetsu ordered Earth Release ninja to destroy it publicly and officials to revise records about Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Konoha's civilian ninja eagerly embraced Gengetsu's mission-point system, while he struggled to launch lifestyle ninjutsu research and decided Orochimaru could help. Jiraiya, devastated by the truth about Hiruzen Sarutobi, drank alone until an unexpected visitor arrived.

• Civilian ninja celebrated the chance to exchange mission points for ninjutsu, then rushed to accept missions and quickly cleared the available D- and C-rank work.
• Gengetsu visited Konoha's Ninjutsu Research and Development Department and learned the researchers had made little progress on his proposed lifestyle ninjutsu.
• Gengetsu concluded that he needed a gifted researcher and thought of Orochimaru.
• Jiraiya drank alone and questioned the Will of Fire after learning of Hiruzen Sarutobi's crimes and seeing Konoha thrive under Gengetsu.
• An unidentified figure entered the izakaya and told Jiraiya they had never expected to see him like that.

Gengetsu questioned a drunken Jiraiya about Orochimaru and obtained a lead through the toad Toad Road. He then recruited Yugito Nii to accompany him outside Konoha to find Orochimaru, reassuring her they were not going after Kumogakure.

• Gengetsu confronted Jiraiya at an izakaya and asked where Orochimaru was.
• Jiraiya summoned Toad Road, who knew Orochimaru's location, and Gengetsu took the toad with him.
• Gengetsu considered how to prevent Orochimaru from escaping and spotted Yugito Nii shopping in Konoha.
• Gengetsu asked Yugito Nii to join him on a mission outside Konoha, making her wary.
• Gengetsu told Yugito Nii they were going to find Orochimaru, not attack Kumogakure, and she relaxed.

Gengetsu and Yugito Nii arrived at Otogakure and demanded to see Orochimaru. After the Sound Ninja learned Gengetsu was the Fifth Hokage, they rushed to inform Orochimaru, who became eager to obtain Gengetsu’s body.

• Gengetsu and Yugito Nii reached Otogakure, where Toad Road confirmed Orochimaru was inside before returning home.
• Sound Ninja ambushed Gengetsu and Yugito Nii at the village perimeter and became furious when Gengetsu demanded that Orochimaru come out.
• Gengetsu identified himself as the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Gengetsu, and the Sound Ninja panicked and sent a messenger to Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru’s experiment was interrupted, and a Sound Ninja reported that Gengetsu had come to the village.
• Orochimaru recalled Gengetsu’s Mangekyō Sharingan and Wood Release and decided he wanted Gengetsu’s body.

Gengetsu visited Orochimaru in Otogakure to ask him to help develop ninjutsu, but Orochimaru demanded Gengetsu’s body and attacked him. Gengetsu crushed Orochimaru’s apparent body with Susanoo, only for Orochimaru to escape with a substitution and counterattack, leaving their fight ongoing.

• Orochimaru worried Gengetsu had come to confront him over his past cooperation with Danzo, but decided to meet him despite his apprehension.
• Gengetsu told Orochimaru he wanted his help developing ninjutsu, and Orochimaru demanded Gengetsu’s body as payment.
• Orochimaru sent a giant python at Gengetsu, who blocked it with Susanoo and then seized and crushed Orochimaru with a chakra hand.
• Yugito Nii thought Orochimaru had died, but Gengetsu recognized that he had escaped using the Earth Release: Substitution Technique.
• Orochimaru attacked Gengetsu from behind with Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, but Gengetsu countered with Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique.
• Orochimaru was pushed back by the explosion, became more interested in Gengetsu’s abilities, and charged at him again.

Gengetsu unleashed Perfect Susanoo and destroyed Otogakure while defeating Orochimaru. After Yugito Nii captured the badly wounded Orochimaru, he agreed to return to Konoha with Gengetsu.

• Orochimaru attacked Gengetsu with snakes and ninjutsu, but refused his offer of cooperation and tried to seize his body and Sharingan.
• Gengetsu transformed his Susanoo into its perfect form and razed Otogakure with a single sword strike, while Orochimaru escaped underground in a large white snake.
• Gengetsu ordered Yugito Nii to find Orochimaru, and she tracked down and defeated him while he was badly wounded and nearly out of chakra.
• Yugito Nii brought Orochimaru back to Gengetsu, and Orochimaru agreed to return to Konoha with him.

Gengetsu brought Orochimaru and Yugito Nii back to Konoha, where Orochimaru was struck by the village’s transformation. As Gengetsu led him toward the Hokage Building, Orochimaru spotted his former disciple Mitaraishi Anko.

• Orochimaru returned to Konoha with Gengetsu and Yugito Nii, and Gengetsu said he could clear Orochimaru’s missing-nin status whenever he wished.
• Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki saw Orochimaru enter with Gengetsu and speculated that Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō had framed him.
• Orochimaru admired Konoha’s rebuilt streets and bustling development, while Gengetsu credited his leadership and resources for the changes.
• Yugito Nii left the group to buy dorayaki, and Gengetsu took Orochimaru toward the Hokage Building to help research ninjutsu.
• Orochimaru spotted Mitaraishi Anko buying dumplings and recalled that he had once been her teacher before leaving her behind in Konoha.

Orochimaru’s arrival in Konoha triggered Anko’s Cursed Seal and led her to attack him, but he easily defeated her. Gengetsu revealed that he had invited Orochimaru and escorted him onward, leaving Anko stunned.

• Orochimaru’s presence activated Anko’s Cursed Seal, and she recognized him in the street.
• Anko attacked Orochimaru with a kunai and Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, but he evaded her and neutralized her snakes.
• Konoha’s Military Police confronted Orochimaru, and Anko identified him as an S-rank rogue ninja.
• Gengetsu announced that he had invited Orochimaru, dismissed the Police Force, and led Orochimaru away.
• Orochimaru told the stunned Anko they would have time to catch up before following Gengetsu.

Gengetsu brought Orochimaru to Konoha’s research department and tasked him with developing ninjutsu for everyday life rather than combat. He promised Orochimaru information about chakra’s origin and the immortal Ōtsutsuki Clan, leaving Orochimaru eager to finish the research for more details.

• Gengetsu led Orochimaru to a private laboratory and explained that he wanted ninjutsu for farming, irrigation, electricity, and other everyday uses.
• Orochimaru praised Gengetsu’s vision for Konoha, then asked what he would receive in return for developing the techniques.
• Orochimaru said he wanted Gengetsu’s body and Sharingan, but Gengetsu threatened him and refused.
• Gengetsu offered information about chakra’s origin, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, and an Ōtsutsuki member hiding in the Shinobi World.
• Orochimaru eagerly asked for more information, but Gengetsu withheld it until the everyday ninjutsu were developed.
• Orochimaru promised to finish the techniques within a week and immediately began researching.

Orochimaru completed a scroll of practical, low-cost everyday ninjutsu, and Gengetsu rewarded him by restoring his status as a Konoha ninja while revealing secrets about the Ōtsutsuki Clan. Gengetsu then ordered Shikaku Nara to establish E-rank ninjutsu and missions for everyday services, farming, and construction, leaving Shikaku eager to put the plan into action.

• Orochimaru presented Gengetsu with more than a dozen simplified everyday ninjutsu, and Gengetsu restored his Konoha ninja status while warning him against harming the village.
• Gengetsu told Orochimaru that a severely wounded Ōtsutsuki remained in the shinobi world and that the Uchiha, Senju, and Hyuga clans' kekkei genkai originated with Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
• Gengetsu summoned Shikaku Nara and showed him Orochimaru's scroll of practical ninjutsu.
• Gengetsu classified the techniques as E-rank and ordered Shikaku Nara to add E-rank missions for everyday services, infrastructure, and farming.
• Shikaku Nara recognized that the plan could provide work for eliminated apprentices and low-level genin while supporting Konoha's development, and promised to carry it out promptly.