Chapter Summaries

After Uchiha Minato’s victory, Madara Uchiha and Kabuto Yakushi relocated to a new base and reconsidered their strategy. Kabuto planned to study Hashirama Cells and White Zetsu while preparing to undo his control over Hashirama Senju, but he still hoped to make Hashirama a hidden trump card.

• Madara Uchiha took Kabuto Yakushi to a new Underground Base after Obito Uchiha’s defection, leaving their old base rigged with traps.
• Kabuto Yakushi considered the White Zetsu valuable experimental material and aimed to use their Hashirama Cells to strengthen himself and his Sage Mode.
• Madara Uchiha and Kabuto Yakushi agreed they could no longer attack head-on, and Kabuto warned that Hashirama Senju was resisting Impure World Reincarnation.
• Kabuto Yakushi decided to undo Impure World Reincarnation for now, though he intended to improve his control and keep Hashirama as a hidden trump card.
• Kabuto Yakushi asked Madara Uchiha for about two hundred more White Zetsu to advance his research.

Madara Uchiha and Kabuto Yakushi discussed strengthening their forces as Madara worried that releasing Hashirama Senju would cost him access to senjutsu chakra. Madara ordered Kabuto to accelerate his White Zetsu research while secretly planning to dispose of him once he was no longer useful.

• Madara Uchiha hesitated over Kabuto Yakushi's plan to release Hashirama Senju, since it would deprive him of a source of senjutsu chakra and fighting strength.
• Kabuto Yakushi suggested reincarnating other powerful fighters, but Madara Uchiha dismissed them as too weak to affect his battle with Ning Feng.
• Madara Uchiha ordered Kabuto Yakushi to speed up his White Zetsu research because their base might soon be exposed.
• Black Zetsu reported that the Rain Shadow was searching the Land of Rain for hideouts and that Kabuto Yakushi had been growing restless.
• Madara Uchiha chose to keep Kabuto Yakushi as a useful pawn for now, but resolved to dispose of him after he had served his purpose.

At Amegakure Tower, Ning Feng revealed that he could revive Nagato with Chiyo’s Life Transfer Reincarnation, but the technique demanded the user’s life. Yahiko insisted on learning it and sacrificing himself, so Ning Feng agreed to teach him while warning that mastering the forbidden technique would be difficult.

• Ning Feng and Yahiko mourned Nagato’s corpse, and Konan asked Ning Feng if he could save him.
• Ning Feng revealed that Life Transfer Reincarnation might revive Nagato, but whoever used it would die.
• Ning Feng considered who could learn the S-rank technique and concluded that Yahiko was the only suitable candidate he could spare.
• Yahiko struck his head against the ground and vowed to bear any cost to save Nagato.
• Ning Feng agreed to teach Yahiko the technique but warned him that mastering it would be extremely difficult.

Yahiko studied the Life Transfer Reincarnation scroll to try to revive Nagato, but found the S-Rank Forbidden Technique almost incomprehensible. Konan insisted on learning it alongside him, and Orochimaru appeared with a suggestion for another solution.

• Yahiko resolved to master Life Transfer Reincarnation and use it to bring Nagato back, despite Ning Feng warning him how difficult and dangerous it was.
• Yahiko examined the scroll Ning Feng had annotated but could not understand its contents.
• Konan arrived and asked Ning Feng to let her learn the technique so she could help revive Nagato.
• Yahiko and Konan agreed to learn the technique together, with whoever mastered it first reviving Nagato.
• Orochimaru appeared at the doorway and announced that he had a better solution.

Ning Feng and Orochimaru agreed to control Madara Uchiha to use the Rinne Rebirth Technique and revive Nagato. Orochimaru then revealed that Kabuto Yakushi had mastered Ryūchi Cave’s Sage Mode, prompting Ning Feng to worry about the hidden enemy’s growing power and call for a more thorough search.

• Orochimaru proposed controlling Madara Uchiha to use the Rinne Rebirth Technique to revive Nagato, and Ning Feng, Yahiko, and Konan agreed to the plan.
• Ning Feng asked Orochimaru why he had come, and Orochimaru reported that Kabuto Yakushi had mastered Sage Mode at Ryūchi Cave.
• Orochimaru explained that Kabuto had improved Sage Mode by combining it with his research on the Cursed Seal.
• Ning Feng considered how Kabuto’s Sage Mode could strengthen both himself and the thousands of ninja revived through Impure World Reincarnation.
• Ning Feng decided to intensify the search for Kabuto Yakushi and the other hidden enemies.

Ning Feng learned from Obito Uchiha that Madara Uchiha and White Zetsu had infiltrated the Land of Rain with spies and hidden preparations. Though Ning Feng and Orochimaru distrusted Obito, they left him to help purge the agents while Ning Feng considered how to deal with him.

• Orochimaru and Ning Feng discussed pursuing Madara Uchiha and Kabuto Yakushi and purging spies in the Land of Rain.
• Obito Uchiha arrived through a spatial distortion and reported numerous informants and White Zetsu Spore Technique preparations across the country.
• Ning Feng introduced Obito to Orochimaru and assigned them to coordinate future work before Obito departed.
• Orochimaru warned Ning Feng that Obito seemed untrustworthy, and Ning Feng admitted he was useful but could not be trusted with important responsibilities.
• Orochimaru returned to researching the Cursed Seal, while Ning Feng privately considered how to deal with Obito.

Ning Feng learned that a treasure linked to the Sage of Six Paths had appeared near the Land of Grass and went undercover at Hozuki Castle to investigate. The chapter ended with him arriving at the prison and being released from his restraints alongside the other new inmates.

• An Anbu ninja told Ning Feng that intelligence had located a treasure of the Sage of Six Paths in the Land of Grass.
• Ning Feng suspected the treasure was the Box of Ultimate Bliss and hoped to learn from Satori how to control the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
• Ning Feng traveled to Hozuki Castle under the identity of a prisoner from the Land of Rain.
• Ning Feng arrived at the island prison with the other offenders and listened as Mui introduced himself as the warden.
• Mui told the prisoners that their villages no longer trusted them, then had the guards release their restraints and arrange their placements.

Ning Feng arrived at Hozuki Castle and watched Mui place Heavenly Prison seals on the escorted Ninja. He concealed his strength from Mui and waited in his separate cell for nightfall, intending to investigate the Box of Ultimate Bliss.

• Mui used Heavenly Prison to seal the Chakra of the Ninja escorted to Hozuki Castle.
• Mui questioned Ning Feng about why he had been sent to the castle, then struck him with Heavenly Prison.
• Ning Feng suppressed his Hashirama Cells and used a Genjutsu to make Mui believe the seal had taken effect normally.
• Mui left Ning Feng, who waited for night to fall so he could investigate the Box of Ultimate Bliss.

Ning Feng infiltrated Hozuki Castle to locate the Box of Ultimate Bliss and found its underground research chamber. He chose to leave and return the next day, but Mui sensed something unusual where he had been.

• Ning Feng left a Shadow Clone in his cell and searched Hozuki Castle while avoiding patrols.
• Ning Feng sensed Chakra fluctuations beneath the castle and used Earth Release to reach the underground chamber.
• Ning Feng found masked Ninja studying the Box of Ultimate Bliss and considered filling it with his own Chakra to make Satori emerge.
• Ning Feng decided to return the next day and silently left, erasing his traces.
• Mui sensed something unusual, stopped the discussion, and moved toward the spot where Ning Feng had been.

Mui concealed the fate awaiting his son Muku as Hozuki Castle prepared to send him into the Box of Ultimate Bliss. In the prison, Ning Feng provoked an inmate to draw out Mui’s Fire Release: Heavenly Prison and copied the difficult sealing jutsu with his Sharingan.

• Mui told the masked elders that Muku would give himself to the Box of Ultimate Bliss, while the elders concealed that no one who entered had ever returned.
• A newly imprisoned ninja complained about the prison food and struck the ninja serving it.
• Mui arrived and seemed to excuse the troublemaker, who demanded a fresh meal before Heavenly Prison’s flames consumed him.
• Ning Feng revealed that he had secretly prompted the troublemaker to provoke Mui so he could study the sealing jutsu.
• Ning Feng copied Fire Release: Heavenly Prison with his Sharingan and realized that mastering it would take time despite his peak Kage Level chakra control.

Muku prepared to enter the Box of Ultimate Bliss, despite Ryuzetsu's fears that it would kill him. The next day, as Ning Feng watched the box, Ryuzetsu was caught by an unseen ninja with a tachi at her throat.

• Muku told Ryuzetsu that he trusted his father and would enter the Box of Ultimate Bliss to help Kusagakure, while she agreed to watch over him from the shadows.
• Muku admitted he wanted to live peacefully with his father and Ryuzetsu, but still chose to trust his father and himself; he promised Ryuzetsu he would return safely.
• The next day, Ning Feng saw Muku approaching the Box of Ultimate Bliss and wondered whether Kusagakure intended to sacrifice him to open it.
• Ning Feng sensed a suppressed chakra signature heading toward his hiding place and suspected someone had spotted him.
• Ryuzetsu entered the underground tunnel to reach Muku, but a ninja placed a tachi against her neck; she identified herself as a Kusagakure ninja.

Ning Feng and Ryuzetsu watched Muku enter the Box of Ultimate Bliss, where he vanished and left only his clothes behind. Ryuzetsu refused to believe he was dead, while Ning Feng restrained her and told her to stay quiet.

• Ning Feng recognized Ryuzetsu as an intruder and led her underground to watch Muku approach the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
• Ryuzetsu realized Ning Feng was also an intruder and questioned him, but he insisted they watch in silence.
• Muku entered the Box of Ultimate Bliss and disappeared as his clothes drifted back out.
• The masked ninja concluded that the box had not awakened, while Mui watched in silence.
• Ning Feng said Muku was dead, and Ryuzetsu grabbed him and insisted Muku was still alive.
• Ning Feng restrained Ryuzetsu and told her to stay quiet.

Ning Feng took the Box of Ultimate Bliss after attacking Mui and the Kusagakure ninja guarding it. He checked the box’s chakra requirement and prepared to move it from the cramped underground chamber.

• Ning Feng used his Sharingan genjutsu to immobilize Ryuzetsu and left her behind.
• Ning Feng ambushed Mui and the ox-masked ninja, killing them with his Chidori Blade and Chidori Sharp Spear.
• Ning Feng ordered the remaining Kusagakure ninja to leave, then killed them as they turned away.
• Ning Feng approached the Box of Ultimate Bliss and decided to take it upstairs because the underground chamber was too cramped for a fight.
• Ning Feng touched the box and received a system notification showing that it required 390500 of 9999999 chakra.

Ning Feng used his immense chakra to open the Box of Ultimate Bliss and bring Muku out, while Ryuzetsu watched in confusion. Muku transformed into a writhing black creature, and Ning Feng drew his sword to face it.

• Ning Feng struggled to lift the Box of Ultimate Bliss and found Ryuzetsu still trapped in a Genjutsu, so he carried her away with a Shadow Clone.
• Ryuzetsu woke on a coastal canyon and saw Ning Feng pouring chakra into the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
• The Box of Ultimate Bliss opened, and Muku emerged as Ryuzetsu rushed toward him.
• Ning Feng warned Ryuzetsu that the figure might not be Muku and called for Gozu to reveal himself.
• Muku writhed in agony, vomited black matter that engulfed him, and transformed as Ning Feng drew his sword.

Ning Feng fought Gozu, the enormous monster Ryuzetsu suspected was Muku, while his chakra remained sealed by Fire Release: Heavenly Prison. He entered Sage Mode and used enhanced Wood Release to trap Gozu, leaving the monster struggling against the restraints.

• Ryuzetsu questioned whether the monster was Muku, but Ning Feng charged at Gozu and told her to stay back.
• Gozu attacked Ning Feng first, and Ning Feng blocked his sharp fingertip with the Kusanagi Sword.
• Ning Feng used Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, but Gozu sensed and dodged the branches.
• Ning Feng entered Sage Mode by drawing on senjutsu chakra from a Shadow Clone on Mount Myōboku.
• Ning Feng used Wood Release: Cutting Technique to bind Gozu, whose wings fired black feathers as he tried to break free.

Ning Feng subdued Gozu with Wood Release and forced him to sign a Lower-Rank Summoning Contract. Gozu submitted after Ning Feng revealed his Rinnegan and threatened to kill him, while Ryuzetsu watched from hiding.

• Ning Feng bound Gozu with Wood Release branches and used the Cutting Technique to make him feel pain and fear.
• Gozu attacked Ning Feng with thousands of black feathers, but Ning Feng blocked them with a Senjutsu-reinforced wooden wall.
• Ning Feng revealed his Rinnegan, and Gozu recognized the eyes and asked who Ning Feng was.
• Ning Feng rejected Gozu's offer to answer questions and demanded that he submit or die.
• Gozu yielded, signed Ning Feng's Lower-Rank Summoning Contract, and became subject to its severe restrictions.

Ning Feng secured Gozu’s contract, then used senjutsu chakra to restore Muku temporarily and learned that freeing him from the Box of Ultimate Bliss’s curse would require becoming the Sage of Six Paths. After revealing that he had killed Mui, Ning Feng urged Muku and Ryuzetsu to leave Kusagakure, and Muku had yet to answer.

• Ning Feng asked Gozu how to obtain the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and Gozu identified it as the Ten-Tails’ husk.
• Ning Feng infused Gozu with senjutsu chakra, helping him regain control and shrink back into Muku’s form.
• Muku thanked Ning Feng, who warned that his chakra could only help temporarily and said becoming the Sage of Six Paths was necessary to break the curse.
• Ryuzetsu rushed to embrace Muku, and Muku said he wanted Mui to experience the terror of the box.
• Ning Feng told them he had already killed Mui, then urged Ryuzetsu and Muku to leave Kusagakure.
• Ryuzetsu questioned whether Ning Feng wanted them to defect, and Ning Feng asked Muku what he would do.

Muku and Ryuzetsu chose to defect from Kusagakure after the deaths of Muku’s father and the people behind the Box of Ultimate Bliss. Ning Feng persuaded them to travel to Amegakure with him, and the three set out together.

• Muku declared that he would leave with Ning Feng, and Ryuzetsu agreed to defect with him.
• Ning Feng confirmed that the Fourth Shinobi World War had eased and agreed to escort them to safety.
• Muku drew the Box of Ultimate Bliss into his body using the Senjutsu Chakra Ning Feng had given him.
• The next day, Muku and Ryuzetsu packed their clans’ scrolls and secret techniques before leaving Kusagakure.
• Ning Feng suggested Amegakure as a place to hide, and Muku and Ryuzetsu agreed to go there with him.
• Ryuzetsu checked their route and estimated that they would reach Amegakure in about three days, then the group set out.

Ryuzetsu and Muku reached Amegakure with Ning Feng after an uneventful journey, and Ryuzetsu was astonished by the village’s growth. At the gate, a guard recognized Ning Feng as the Rain Shadow, leaving Ryuzetsu shocked to learn who had been traveling with her.

• Ryuzetsu and Muku remarked that their journey to Amegakure had gone smoothly, and Ryuzetsu asked Ning Feng to treat them to a feast.
• Ryuzetsu and Ning Feng decided to enter Amegakure to get clothes for Muku, while Muku waited outside and then followed them in.
• Ryuzetsu marveled at Amegakure’s grand buildings and busy streets as Ning Feng led her toward the entrance.
• A gate guard recognized Ning Feng as the Rain Shadow, and Ryuzetsu hurried him forward, fearing the village would discover she was a missing-nin from Kusagakure.
• Ning Feng told Ryuzetsu that he was the Rain Shadow and offered to arrange a place for her to stay.

After Ryuzetsu learned that Ning Feng was the Rain Shadow, she joined Muku in staying in Amegakure. Orochimaru’s research revealed that Muku had gained abilities from Gozu, and he uncovered a secret about the Box of Ultimate Bliss that shocked Ning Feng.

• Ning Feng told Ryuzetsu that Muku had already decided to stay in Amegakure, and Ryuzetsu said she would stay if Muku confirmed it himself.
• Ning Feng welcomed Muku and Ryuzetsu as new companions in Amegakure’s tower.
• Orochimaru reported that Gozu was dormant inside Muku, whose toughness and ability to sense malice had improved.
• Ning Feng decided to keep Muku as a secret weapon and not deploy him on the battlefield for now.
• Orochimaru explained that Muku had suggested sending Impure World Reincarnation Ninja into the Box of Ultimate Bliss to investigate it.
• Orochimaru whispered the box’s newly discovered secret to Ning Feng, whose expression changed drastically.