Chapter Summaries

Lin Ze broke Kumogakure’s barrier, killed an Anbu Captain, and escaped with the Two-Tails ice sculpture after identifying himself as Genbu. On the battlefield, Iwagakure forced Kumogakure to retreat to its stronghold, and Ōnoki postponed an assault until the next day.

• Lin Ze destroyed Kumogakure’s Hexagram Barrier, killed the Anbu Captain who tried to stop him, and told C that his name was Genbu.
• Lin Ze escaped into the mountains carrying the Two-Tails ice sculpture, leaving C and the surviving Kumogakure ninja devastated and fearful.
• Kitsuchi and Roshi trapped and killed Kumogakure ninja, while Ōnoki fought the one-armed Fourth Raikage and urged him to surrender.
• Killer B fought Roshi and Han with the Eight-Tails, but his strength was reduced and he struggled against their teamwork.
• As dusk fell, the Fourth Raikage ordered Kumogakure’s forces to retreat to their stronghold, and Ōnoki chose to rest and regroup rather than pursue them.

After learning that Genbu had attacked Kumogakure and abducted Yugito, the Fourth Raikage rallied his shaken troops. The chapter leaves Kumogakure’s soldiers resolved to fight Iwagakure and rescue Yugito.

• Ōnoki watched Kumogakure’s stronghold and hoped to invade the Land of Lightning after another push.
• A Kumogakure ANBU told the Fourth Raikage that Genbu had abducted Yugito and killed more than twenty jōnin during an attack on the village.
• Killer B identified Genbu as the powerful Ice Release user who had cut off two of his tails, and the Fourth Raikage struggled under the news of Kumogakure’s losses.
• The Fourth Raikage admitted his fear to Killer B but urged him to fight back and rescue Yugito.
• The Fourth Raikage addressed the camp, and Kumogakure’s ninja renewed their resolve to resist Iwagakure and Genbu.

Kumogakure rallied under the Fourth Raikage despite the loss of his arm and the abduction of Yugito, then faced Iwagakure’s renewed assault. As the battle intensified, Iwagakure’s Explosion Corps blasted a wide gap in Kumogakure’s left flank.

• The Fourth Raikage reassured Killer B and the Kumogakure forces, vowing to drive back Iwagakure and rescue Yugito.
• Ōnoki learned that the Fourth Raikage had restored Kumogakure’s resolve and ordered his army to attack cautiously.
• The Fourth Raikage assigned Killer B to defend the left flank and ordered the troops to hold the stronghold without retreating.
• Ōnoki launched Iwagakure’s attack, and Roshi and Han struck Kumogakure’s defenses with lava and steam while Killer B fought back.
• After Kitsuchi reported a breach on the left flank, Ōnoki sent in the Explosion Corps, whose blasts opened a twenty-meter gap in Kumogakure’s defenses.

After Iwagakure drove Kumogakure from its stronghold, the Fourth Raikage requested aid from the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning. The Daimyo agreed to pressure the Land of Earth and seek other nations’ intervention, while warning that Kumogakure must change its conduct after the war.

• The Fourth Raikage ordered Kumogakure to retreat from the fallen stronghold, and Iwagakure pursued the withdrawing forces to Kumogakure’s final defensive line.
• The Fourth Raikage learned that Kumogakure had suffered heavy casualties and sent Mabui to request support from the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning.
• The Fourth Raikage revealed that Kumogakure had three charged Chakra Cannons ready for Iwagakure’s next advance.
• Mabui asked the Daimyo to pressure the Land of Earth and seek intervention from other Ninja Villages, and he agreed to contact the Daimyo of the Land of Earth.
• The Daimyo ordered his foreign minister to approach the Daimyos of the Land of Wind, the Land of Water, and the Land of Fire, and allocated fifty million ryō to Kumogakure.

Ōnoki’s Iwagakure forces attacked Kumogakure’s canyon defenses, but Chakra Cannons inflicted heavy casualties and forced them to retreat. After three days of negotiations, the villages signed a peace treaty that spared Kumogakure while imposing reparations and military limits, and the Fourth Raikage vowed to make Kumogakure stronger.

• Ōnoki halted his forces outside Kumogakure’s canyon defenses, but Chakra Cannons struck the Iwagakure camp and caused at least three hundred casualties.
• Ōnoki ordered his forces to retreat, while the Fourth Raikage prepared Kumogakure for a possible night raid and the two sides settled into a stalemate.
• An envoy from the Land of Iron brought the Fourth Raikage and Ōnoki to peace talks, where the Fourth Raikage refused to surrender Land of Lightning territory.
• After three days of negotiations, the villages signed a treaty requiring Kumogakure to pay 3.5 billion ryō, limit its ninja forces to four thousand for ten years, and hand over Small Chakra Cannon blueprints.
• Ōnoki withdrew his army, and the Fourth Raikage told Killer B and the Kumogakure ninja that they had lost the war but would grow strong enough to seek revenge.

Rasa and Chiyo decided Sunagakure should develop quietly after Kumogakure’s defeat, while Mei Terumi set out a recovery plan for Kirigakure. Utakata proposed adding mainland intelligence and trade offices, and the meeting considered his plan.

• Rasa and Chiyo discussed Kumogakure’s losses and agreed to withdraw Ebizo’s forces after another month, then focus Sunagakure on building strength.
• Mei Terumi asked Genji for guidance, and he made clear that she now had to decide Kirigakure’s future herself.
• Mei Terumi proposed reforming ninja training, strengthening ties with the Land of Water’s daimyo, and investing in ninjutsu and kekkei genkai research.
• Ao and Kirigakure’s other senior officials supported Mei Terumi’s proposals and the end of the blood mist policy.
• Utakata proposed establishing Kirigakure intelligence offices and trading posts in neutral mainland countries such as the Land of Hot Water, the Land of Waves, and the Land of Tea.

Utakata influenced Kirigakure’s policy, while Pain considered hiring Genbu and Konoha’s leaders discussed the aftermath of the war. Acting Hokage Hyuga Hiashi realized he was becoming reluctant to give up power or die.

• Utakata urged Kirigakure to develop Lava Release and Boil Release, and Mei Terumi accepted his recommendations.
• Pain and Konan discussed Iwagakure’s paid missions and decided to raise prices by thirty percent and consider recruiting Genbu.
• Konoha’s High Command discussed Sunagakure’s lingering presence and Iwagakure’s 3.5 billion ryō in reparations.
• Hyuga Hiashi learned that Tsunade was reluctant to return and said she could take more time to decide.
• Alone in the Hokage Office, Hyuga Hiashi realized he did not want Tsunade to return or himself to die, then tried to suppress the thought.

Lin Ze entered Kirigakure intending to take some of the Six-Tails’ chakra from Utakata, but discovered that Obito had planted a Mangekyō genjutsu imprint in the Jinchūriki’s mind. He decided to leave the mission to Itachi and Ryōta, who were already preparing to deal with the Seven-Tails.

• Lin Ze reflected on Kumogakure’s losses to Iwagakure and noted that the captured Two-Tails would delay Obito and Black Zetsu’s plans.
• Lin Ze traveled to Kirigakure to find Utakata and take some of the Six-Tails’ chakra before Utakata defected.
• Lin Ze sensed a concealed Mangekyō genjutsu imprint in Utakata’s mind and identified Obito as the likely caster.
• Lin Ze reasoned that Obito intended to use Utakata as a replacement Mizukage under his control.
• Lin Ze decided to have Itachi and Ryōta handle Utakata and the Six-Tails instead.

Lin Ze attended an Akatsuki meeting where Nagato ordered the members to take more missions and seek recruits. Meanwhile, Hiruko chose Sasuke Uchiha as his next target for the Sharingan and prepared to scout Dragon Release Village.

• Lin Ze left Kirigakure, joined the Akatsuki meeting through his ring, and saw Shinnō among the members.
• Deva Path Pain told the Akatsuki to focus on missions, build strength, and scout powerful unaffiliated ninja for recruitment.
• Lin Ze noticed Hiruko had fused three Kekkei Genkai and considered obtaining research on the Chimera Technique.
• Hiruko realized Kakashi Hatake's Sharingan had been stolen and rejected asking the Akatsuki for help finding another one.
• Hiruko selected six-year-old Sasuke Uchiha as his target and prepared concealment tools to scout Dragon Release Village from outside.

Lin Ze and Kabuto tested whether Lin Ze’s cells could fuse with Hashirama Senju’s, finding that they were unusually compatible. Lin Ze left the laboratory wearing the White Tiger Mask to undertake Akatsuki missions, using them for training and income while keeping Nagato and Obito unsuspecting.

• Kabuto showed Lin Ze that his cells resisted Hashirama cells’ usual aggression and began fusing with them.
• Kabuto estimated a ninety-eight percent chance that Lin Ze’s body could fuse with Hashirama cells, while his Soul Clone Technique still needed at least two months of work.
• Lin Ze authorized Kabuto to draw on Ryūchi Cave and Dragon Release Village resources, and Tagitsuhime offered to help capture test subjects.
• Lin Ze put on the White Tiger Mask and left to complete Akatsuki missions, hoping to train his clone and earn money.

Lin Ze headed into the Gobi to eliminate Sunagakure missing-nin while the White Snake Sage detected and defeated Hiruko near Dragon Release Village. Sasuke missed Naruto and vowed to bring him back, ending the chapter at home with Mikoto and Izumi as they hoped their family could be reunited.

• Lin Ze read a mission to eliminate Sunagakure missing-nin and sped into the Gobi.
• Hiruko approached Dragon Release Village under a Stealth Talisman, but the White Snake Sage sensed him and attacked.
• Sasuke walked home thinking of Naruto, remembering the massacre and promising to bring him back.
• The White Snake Sage overpowered Hiruko after his Dark Release nearly failed to absorb her senjutsu chakra.
• Sasuke joined Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Izumi for dinner and asked when Itachi would return.
• Mikoto reassured Sasuke that Itachi would succeed and softly included Naruto in her hope for the family’s reunion.

Naruto Uzumaki endured a lonely evening in Konoha, haunted by fragments of memories he could not recall. A month later, Acting Hokage Hyuga Hiashi rejected his growing attachment to power and sent Tsunade a blood-written plea to return, then went to visit Hizashi.

• Naruto walked home through villagers’ insults and ate expired instant noodles alone in his dilapidated house.
• Naruto felt a deep loneliness and glimpsed hazy memories of a lively meal and people who had once called him by name.
• Naruto forced himself to stop crying, declared that he would become Hokage, and went to bed alone.
• Hiashi struggled with his desire to retain power as Acting Hokage, then resolved not to become the person he despised.
• Hiashi wrote Tsunade a blood-written letter asking her to return and requesting that she guide Hinata and Neji.
• Hiashi sent an ANBU to deliver the sealed letter to Night Owl for Tsunade, then headed to Hizashi’s residence.

Hiashi dismantled the Hyuga Clan’s Main and Branch Family system, made the Caged Bird Seal common to all clan members, and passed leadership and the Tenseigan records to Hizashi. After asking the clan to unite, he died by poison, leaving Hizashi and the clan to begin a new era.

• Hiashi summoned every Hyuga Clan member to the ancestral hall and revealed that he had placed the Caged Bird Seal on himself.
• Hiashi declared that there would be no more Main or Branch Family and used the Tenseigan to alter Hizashi’s seal.
• Hiashi named Hizashi the new clan head, established leadership based on ability and contribution, and gave him the Tenseigan records.
• Hiashi admitted to purging the Main Family and killing dozens, then asked the clan to unite and live freely.
• Hiashi took poison and died as Hizashi and the gathered clan members mourned him.

Night Owl delivered Hyuga Hiashi’s blood-written final letter to Tsunade, prompting her to return to Konoha. She became the Seventh Hokage after setting conditions for the village’s leadership and ordered Hiashi recognized as the Sixth Hokage.

• Night Owl received a sealed letter from the Hokage to pass to Tsunade and traveled with Mountain Lord to the casino where she was staying.
• Tsunade read Hiashi’s blood-written letter, including his account of Konoha’s upheaval and his request that she look after Hinata and Neji, then decided to return to Konoha.
• Tsunade arrived in Konoha and agreed to become Hokage on the conditions that Hiashi be recognized as the Sixth Hokage, she serve only until the next generation was ready, and major decisions require a Jonin Commander vote.
• Tsunade took office as the Seventh Hokage and ordered Hiashi’s face carved into Hokage Rock.
• Artisans carved Hiashi’s likeness and the Clear Sky Seal into Hokage Rock, honoring him as Konoha’s Sixth Hokage.

Naruto comforted Hinata after her father's death and learned that Jiraiya wanted to become his teacher. Jiraiya took Naruto out for ramen, while Hinata watched them go and resolved to keep being a source of warmth for him.

• Naruto greeted his classmates, then encouraged a grieving Hinata and listened as she recalled him defending her when they were children.
• Hinata mentioned Sasuke, which triggered a headache and fleeting memories in Naruto; Iruka began class as an ANBU observer decided the Yamanaka Clan would need to examine him again.
• Naruto walked Hinata home and told her he wanted to become Hokage; she said he made her home feel less cold and gave him a lunchbox.
• Jiraiya introduced himself as Naruto's future teacher and said he had faith in him because someone had asked him to look after Naruto.
• Naruto agreed to learn from Jiraiya, who took him to Ichiraku Ramen, while Hinata watched them leave and vowed to remain Naruto's light.

Several months after Lin Ze’s missions, Ryōta completed his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and prepared to avenge his brother. During a test, he revealed his Susanoo and its powerful Thousand-Blade Wind Prison, then introduced the ability of his right eye.

• Lin Ze returned to Ascension Island, where Kabuto reported that Ryōta’s Eternal Mangekyō fusion had succeeded and his ocular power had increased.
• Ryōta told Lin Ze he planned to avenge his brother, and Lin Ze warned him about Madara Uchiha, Akatsuki, the Rinnegan wielder, and Black Zetsu.
• Ryōta explained that his brother’s Divine Crossing could let him enter the Kamui Dimension after seeing the Masked Man use Kamui, and Lin Ze advised him to wait until Uchiha Itachi’s Eternal Eye was complete.
• Lin Ze and the others went to the coast, where Ryōta demonstrated his sturdier Four-Eyed Susanoo and used his left eye’s Thousand-Blade Wind Prison to form a cutting wind cage.
• Ryōta revealed that his right eye’s ability, Myriad Mangekyō Return to Origin, could merge the abilities of other Mangekyō Sharingan.

Lin Ze learned that Ryōta could copy and fuse Mangekyō ocular techniques without a known limit, then struggled to suppress a powerful urge to take Ryōta’s eyes. Snow fell in midsummer, and Lin Ze was thrown into the Earth Dragon’s perspective as a dark-gold trident pierced it and an unseen force seized its essence.

• Ryōta explained that his right eye could copy and incorporate other Mangekyō ocular techniques, with no known limit, though copying consumed time and ocular power.
• Lin Ze felt an overwhelming craving to obtain Ryōta’s abilities, but suppressed it and warned Ryōta to keep the power secret because others might target his eyes.
• Ryōta agreed to keep the ability secret and recalled his brother’s belief that the Sharingan’s power had no limit because it came from the heart.
• Snow suddenly fell over the beach in midsummer, startling Ryōta, Kabuto, and Tagitsuhime.
• Lin Ze’s vision shifted to the Earth Dragon’s perspective as a dark-gold trident pierced it and a giant hand seized its draconic essence.
• An emotionless voice said the Earth Dragon would soon become completely one with it as Lin Ze’s vision faded into darkness.

After recovering from a vision of an ancient Earth Dragon’s death, Lin Ze suspected the Shinobi World was a fragment of a once-larger world and that the being who killed the dragon would return. He decided to grow stronger and preserve Ryōta’s developing abilities as a possible trump card against that unknown threat.

• Lin Ze awoke in the laboratory after collapsing, and Ryōta, Tagitsuhime, and Kabuto told him they had found him unconscious.
• Lin Ze recognized the vision as the Earth Dragon’s final memory, including a voice promising that it would merge with him completely next time.
• Lin Ze considered that the Shinobi World might have been divided into parallel fragment worlds, leaving it too small to nurture a True Dragon.
• Lin Ze questioned whether the Ōtsutsuki Clan or another being had killed the Earth Dragon and wondered why he felt compelled to obtain Ryōta’s Time-Reversal Trace.
• Lin Ze concluded that the dragon’s killer would return, so he resolved to grow stronger and urged Ryōta to stay alive and develop his eyes.

A month after Uchiha Itachi fused his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Lin Ze studied the Chimera Technique scroll he had obtained from Hiruko and identified its central flaw: conflicting chakra attributes. He handed the research to Kabuto, setting the stage for further work on his Kekkei Mōra Project.

• In a distant palace, Deva Path sensed a fleeting premonition, dismissed it, and returned to silence beside the strongest Ōtsutsuki.
• On Ascension Island, Lin Ze watched Ryota Uchiha depart for Dragon Release Village with Itachi to seek revenge.
• Lin Ze recalled how the White Snake Sage had defeated Hiruko, after which Lin Ze obtained the Chimera Technique scroll and Hiruko’s research notes in exchange for releasing him.
• Lin Ze read the scroll and concluded that the technique failed because it could not prevent conflicting chakra attributes from destabilizing the user.
• Lin Ze gave the scroll to Kabuto and asked him to research the technique at the laboratory.

Lin Ze and Kabuto activated the Soul Clone Technique, using the souls of captured wandering ninja to strengthen Lin Ze before he split off two soul clones. The clones entered the Youying and Genbu cultivation bodies, establishing a shared connection with Lin Ze as he prepared to adjust them.

• Kabuto told Lin Ze he enjoyed researching unknown ninjutsu and was glad to help, then accompanied him to the underground laboratory.
• Kabuto activated the formation, which extracted soul energy from dozens of captured wandering ninja and poured it into Lin Ze.
• Lin Ze split off two soul clones, but his attempt to create a third failed when the clone dispersed and returned to him.
• Lin Ze sent one soul clone into the Youying clone and the other into the Genbu clone, forming a connection that let all three share memories and perceptions.