Chapter Summaries

Senju Chen sent Rin Nohara with Mei Terumi’s diplomatic delegation to the Land of Rain, hoping Obito Uchiha would discover that Rin was alive. Meanwhile, Obito investigated Kirisame Ryo’s spotless past and noticed Kirigakure’s delegation had arrived, though he had not identified Rin.

• Senju Chen told Rin Nohara she would accompany Mei Terumi to the Land of Rain as his external adviser, secretly hoping Obito would see that she was alive and well.
• Obito Uchiha arrived in the Land of Water and questioned Black Zetsu about Kirisame Ryo, the Twins Organization, and the White Zetsu-like bodies from Kirigakure’s coup.
• A week later, Mei Terumi and the disguised Rin Nohara arrived in the Land of Rain, where Kakuzu received the delegation.
• Obito investigated Kirisame Ryo’s old records but found only evidence of an unremarkable past, which made him suspect the records concealed something.
• Black Zetsu told Obito that Kirigakure’s delegation was led by two women, one of whom was disguised, leaving Rin’s identity unknown to him.

Senju Chen persuaded Jiraiya to accompany him and Anko and Yamato on a diplomatic mission to the Land of Rain, where the Akatsuki now held power. Jiraiya realized Chen might be hinting at threats beyond diplomacy, but resolved to protect Tsunade’s brother.

• Senju Chen convinced Jiraiya to join the delegation by appealing to his interest in gathering material in the Land of Rain.
• Senju Chen, Jiraiya, Anko, and Yamato set out from Konoha, and Senju Chen explained that they would negotiate with the Akatsuki.
• Jiraiya recognized the Akatsuki leader as Yahiko, one of the Rain children he had once taught.
• Senju Chen asked Jiraiya whether peaceful ideals could survive interference from other countries, making Jiraiya suspect the mission had hidden dangers.
• At an inn, Jiraiya worried about Senju Chen’s true purpose and resolved to keep him safe.

Senju Chen questioned Jiraiya about Senjutsu and learned that Jiraiya could take him to Mount Myōboku after their mission. The Konoha delegation reached the Land of Rain and received permission from Akatsuki’s leader to enter, bringing Senju Chen closer to meeting the people involved in his plans.

• Senju Chen distracted Jiraiya from describing his novel by asking about Senjutsu and learned about sage lands, natural energy, and the risks of Sage Mode training.
• Jiraiya offered to take Senju Chen to meet the Great Toad Sage after the mission, and Senju Chen claimed he was only at elite jonin level.
• Jiraiya led the delegation to the Land of Rain border, where an Amegakure guard contacted his superiors for permission to admit them.
• The guard received approval from Akatsuki’s leader and escorted the Konoha delegation into the Land of Rain.

Senju Chen, Jiraiya, Anko, and Yamato arrived in the Land of Rain to find Akatsuki had arranged an extravagant welcome for the Konoha delegation. As Kakuzu led them along the red carpet, members of other countries’ delegations watched, and Chen noticed Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara among them.

• Senju Chen and the others traveled through the rain toward Hanzo of the Salamander’s former residence, where Nagato and the others had prepared a reception.
• More than three hundred Akatsuki members lined a red carpet and shouted a synchronized welcome, startling Jiraiya, Anko, and Yamato.
• Kakuzu formally greeted Jiraiya and Senju Chen and led the Konoha delegation toward a welcoming banquet.
• As the group walked the carpet, Senju Chen spotted Iwagakure and Sunagakure delegates watching from an alley, along with Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara at a tea stall.
• Yamato noted that the other countries had received far smaller welcomes, while the Konoha delegation had been given a red carpet and hundreds of greeters.

The Konoha delegation met Akatsuki leader "Yahiko," whose face was familiar to Jiraiya but whose eyes were Nagato’s Rinnegan. As Jiraiya struggled to understand the reunion, Iwagakure’s representative grew angry over his delegation’s poor lodging and went to confront Akatsuki.

• Kakuzu welcomed Jiraiya and Senju Chen to the residence and quietly asked Senju Chen to reimburse him for the show.
• Jiraiya saw Akatsuki leader "Yahiko" and recognized Nagato’s Rinnegan in Yahiko’s face.
• "Yahiko" welcomed Jiraiya and Senju Chen, then arranged comfortable guest quarters for the Konoha delegation.
• Jiraiya privately concluded that Nagato might have given his eyes to Yahiko before dying, but he remained unable to ask him about it.
• Tsuchiishi learned that Konoha had received Hanzō’s luxurious private residence while Iwagakure had cramped, shabby rooms.
• Tsuchiishi left the Iwagakure quarters to demand an explanation from Akatsuki.

Kakuzu explained Akatsuki’s lodging fees to an angry Iwagakure representative while other delegations interpreted Konoha’s special welcome as evidence of its influence in the Land of Rain. The chapter ended with Senju Chen, Anko, and Yamato heading to the banquet with a visibly troubled Jiraiya.

• Tsuchiishi confronted Kakuzu over Iwagakure’s cramped room, but Kakuzu said better accommodations cost extra and that Konoha’s free east-courtyard lodging was ordered by Akatsuki’s leader.
• A Sunagakure captain learned that Jiraiya led Konoha’s delegation and told Lord Kazekage that Konoha’s influence in the Land of Rain was greater than expected.
• A Kumogakure captain sent Lord Raikage an exaggerated report claiming Akatsuki had a close relationship with Konoha and recommending a reassessment of strategy.
• Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara discussed how Senju Chen’s welcome had made the other villages think the Land of Rain was aligned with Konoha.
• Senju Chen, Anko, and Yamato invited Jiraiya to the banquet, noticing that his usual smile was gone.

At the banquet, “Yahiko” publicly credited Jiraiya and declared Konoha the Akatsuki’s most important ally, prompting other nations to suspect Konoha secretly controlled the Land of Rain. Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara recognized Senju Chen’s deception, while the other delegations planned to report their conclusions to their villages.

• “Yahiko” welcomed the delegations and described the Land of Rain’s suffering through the wars.
• “Yahiko” thanked Jiraiya in public and claimed Konoha’s teachings had shaped the Akatsuki.
• “Yahiko” declared Konoha the Akatsuki’s most important ally, alarming Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure.
• Tsuchiishi sent a messenger to report the apparent Konoha-Akatsuki connection to Iwagakure.
• The Sunagakure and Kumogakure representatives concluded Konoha had secretly built influence over the Land of Rain.
• Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara realized Senju Chen had engineered the misunderstanding and believed Konoha would accept the resulting political advantage.

Yahiko presented the Land of Rain’s neutrality and tax-free trade plan, while the other nations mistook Senju Chen’s improvised scheme for Konoha’s decades-long strategy. The chapter ended with Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara laughing at the delegations’ awe, knowing the truth about Chen’s role.

• Yahiko thanked Konoha and Jiraiya for their past support, leaving Jiraiya bewildered as Senju Chen decided to let the misunderstanding continue.
• Yahiko declared that the Land of Rain would remain neutral and open trade routes to every nation.
• Yahiko promised ten years of tax-free trade and armed escorts for merchant caravans, prompting strong interest from the Kumogakure and Sunagakure captains.
• The Sunagakure captain interpreted the trade policy as part of Konoha’s twenty-year plan, and Tsuchiishi sent that assessment to Iwagakure’s leadership.
• The Kumogakure captain urged Lord Raikage to reassess the Land of Rain, while Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara laughed over the delegations’ mistaken belief in Konoha’s master strategy.

After learning that Jiraiya’s disciples controlled the Land of Rain, the other great villages reconsidered their plans and recognized Konoha’s growing influence. Senju Chen returned to his quarters with Anko, suspecting Jiraiya had gone to question Nagato about the Rinnegan.

• Ōnoki suspected Konoha had engineered Hanzō’s death and ordered Iwagakure to investigate Konoha’s influence while canceling an operation against a Rain Country caravan.
• Rasa decided Sunagakure should preserve its alliance with Konoha, strengthen trade, and withdraw planned support for rebels in the Land of Rain.
• Raikage A ordered an investigation into Konoha’s movements in the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost and moved Kumogakure’s planned secret base elsewhere.
• Senju Chen returned from the banquet with Anko and Yamato, and Anko happily hurried ahead after he promised to take her shopping the next day.
• Senju Chen guessed that Jiraiya had gone to find Nagato and the others to learn why Yahiko had suddenly appeared with the Rinnegan.

Jiraiya met with the Akatsuki’s supposed leader, “Yahiko,” and heard how the group had overthrown Hanzo of the Salamander and taken power in the Land of Rain. He learned that “Yahiko” was actually Nagato controlling a puppet, while the real Yahiko recovered from his injuries, and left reassured that all three students were alive; Senju Chen then reflected on how the nations would respond.

• Jiraiya apologized for leaving his students in the Land of Rain, and “Yahiko” and Konan recounted how the Akatsuki had grown and defeated Hanzo of the Salamander.
• Yahiko explained that the Land of Rain needed an ally and that the Akatsuki had chosen Konoha, while Konan reaffirmed their commitment to peace.
• Jiraiya asked about Nagato, and Nagato revealed himself by changing the puppet’s face from “Yahiko” to his own.
• Konan explained that the real Yahiko had been badly injured and was recovering, and Jiraiya rejoiced that all three students were alive.
• Jiraiya left after asking to see Yahiko when he recovered, then told Senju Chen that the conversation had gone well.
• Senju Chen watched the rain and considered how the nations of the Shinobi World would react to the situation in the Land of Rain.

Senju Chen, Anko, Yamato, and Jiraiya explored the Land of Rain, where Jiraiya learned that Senju Chen owned hundreds of Food Is Heaven restaurants. After visiting a busy branch and continuing through the market, the group stopped at a hot spring establishment, catching Jiraiya’s attention.

• Jiraiya joined Senju Chen, Anko, and Yamato on their shopping trip through the rainy streets.
• Anko bought snacks from several stalls while Senju Chen carried the bags and Jiraiya searched the crowd for women caught in the rain.
• Anko led the group to a packed Food Is Heaven branch and ordered its signature dishes, while Jiraiya asked about the restaurant business.
• Senju Chen revealed that Food Is Heaven had a few hundred branches across the Shinobi World, and Anko praised his own cooking over the branch’s version.
• After leaving the restaurant, the group continued along the dining street until Jiraiya spotted the Moon-Viewing Bath and his eyes changed.

Senju Chen, Jiraiya, and Yamato visited a hot spring bathhouse, where Jiraiya tried to spy on the women’s bath and was caught. Mei Terumi and Anko attacked him, leaving him bruised and snake-bitten as Senju Chen offered him sake.

• Senju Chen agreed to relax at a hot spring bathhouse with Jiraiya, Anko, and Yamato.
• Jiraiya refused to enter the men’s bath and used ninja tools to eavesdrop on the women next door.
• Anko recognized Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara in the women’s bath, and Mei teased Anko with suggestive advice about men.
• Jiraiya climbed the bamboo wall to peek, but Mei Terumi struck him with a Water Dragon Bullet while Anko attacked him with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands.
• Jiraiya fell into the men’s bath injured, and Senju Chen gave him a towel and poured him sake.

Senju Chen explained how his economic plan could protect the Land of Rain and rejected Jiraiya’s suggestion that he become Hokage. Jiraiya remembered Minato and praised Chen’s ruthless political instincts before asking how Naruto was doing.

• Senju Chen described using tax exemptions, exchange vouchers, and a bank to bind other countries’ interests to the Land of Rain.
• Jiraiya asked whether Senju Chen would succeed Tsunade as Hokage, but Senju Chen said he wanted a comfortable life instead.
• Jiraiya admitted he was unsuited to politics and remembered Minato as the person best suited to lead Konoha.
• Jiraiya recalled Minato’s work developing the Rasengan and his devotion to protecting the village.
• Jiraiya called Senju Chen more ruthless than Minato and said Konoha needed someone like him.
• Senju Chen told Jiraiya that Naruto was doing well, though he often skipped class with Sasuke.

Senju Chen entrusted Naruto’s care to Jiraiya before Jiraiya left the village, then turned down Mei Terumi’s request for a private meeting that night. Later, while Senju Chen slipped out during heavy rain, Anko discovered his clone and tried to find out where he had gone.

• Senju Chen asked Jiraiya to approve teaching Naruto the Rasengan if Naruto graduated from the Ninja Academy with excellent grades, and promised to care for Naruto while Jiraiya was away.
• Mei Terumi teased Jiraiya about his fall and embarrassed Anko with a suggestive story before asking Senju Chen to discuss Kirigakure’s situation in private; he declined for that night.
• On the third night after the banquet, Senju Chen left a clone in his room with instructions to pretend he was asleep and read Jiraiya’s book if Anko arrived.
• Anko came to bring Senju Chen sesame dumplings, realized the supposed Senju Chen was a clone, and dragged it toward the door to demand the original’s whereabouts.
• The clone played dumb and finally babbled, “Goo goo ga ga...”

Senju Chen met Mei Terumi to negotiate Kirigakure’s role in a new sea trade route through the Land of Rain, then spoke with Nagato about the political story they had presented to Iwagakure. The chapter ended with Nagato reflecting on his teacher’s visit and Chen pointing out how much of Nagato’s account had been true.

• Senju Chen visited Mei Terumi and Rin Nohara, and Mei teased him about Anko before asking him to take her shopping someday.
• Senju Chen promised to go shopping with Mei once the Mizukage position was freed up.
• Senju Chen proposed that Kirigakure handle the sea transfer and escort services for a Land of Rain trade route, with fees routed through a joint chamber of commerce and a new bank.
• Senju Chen told Nagato that Iwagakure had accepted the claim that Konoha’s plans for the Land of Rain had spanned twenty years and cultivated the Akatsuki leader.
• Nagato told Senju Chen that his teacher had visited and that he had lied to him, and Senju Chen explained that Nagato had withheld only who had supplied the Akatsuki.

The delegations from Iwagakure, Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure left the Land of Rain after signing agreements that tied their trade and ninja work to Rain’s growing network. As the Konoha delegation traveled home, Senju Chen learned that suspected Iwagakure operatives were scouting Food Is Heaven branches and recognized that his commercial and institutional network could give him an intelligence advantage.

• Kakuzu charged merchants service fees at the Land of Rain’s gates while the foreign delegations departed after signing trade and escort agreements.
• Tsuchiishi regretted Iwagakure’s ore transit deal because it could make the Land of Earth dependent on Rain’s roads, while the Sunagakure captain weighed the mission work gained against the loss of independence.
• Mei Terumi signed Kirigakure’s maritime agreement with payments linked to the Rainwater Chamber of Commerce, and Senju Chen acknowledged her before she left.
• The Konoha delegation traveled home by carriage as Senju Chen advised Jiraiya to give his novel’s protagonist believable training, setbacks, and costs before granting him greater power.
• Senju Chen read Maruboshi Kosuke’s report that suspected Iwagakure operatives were scouting Food Is Heaven branches, then considered how his expanding network could gather intelligence across the Shinobi World.

Konan quietly showed Senju Chen the paper umbrella she had folded for him, and he offered her a wooden tag that could be exchanged for a day together. Senju Chen then advised Nagato and Yahiko on using diplomacy and trade to secure the Land of Rain’s position among the great villages.

• Konan asked Senju Chen about visiting the hot springs with Mitaraishi Anko, and Nagato revealed she had spent three days folding a paper umbrella for him.
• Senju Chen offered Konan a wooden locker tag as an IOU for a day of shopping, and she gave him the Chakra Paper umbrella and said his Flying Thunder God Kunai was enough.
• After Nagato left to find Yahiko, Senju Chen rejoined them and said they should let the four great villages believe Konoha supported the Land of Rain.
• Senju Chen advised Nagato to offer Iwagakure discounted freight for ore, hire Sunagakure ninja for caravan work, and negotiate combined land and sea transport with Kumogakure.
• Senju Chen told Nagato to handle Kirigakure normally but route every account through a bank and record all transactions clearly.

Senju Chen reviewed reports on Konoha’s growing production of Scientific Ninja Tools, the rehabilitation of injured shinobi, and the progress of its academy and experimental base. He planned to give Kurama Yakumo several possible paths for her future, leaving her eventual choice to her.

• Senju Chen and his group saw recruitment notices and Scientific Ninja Tool posters as they traveled toward Konoha.
• Senju Chen read that the Medical Department had restored mobility to 367 people, including 127 shinobi once considered unfit for missions.
• Senju Chen reviewed the Experimental Class results, where Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha studied together and Sasuke excelled in converting chakra into electricity.
• Senju Chen received an update that the White Zetsu Puppet project had entered field testing, while Nagato stayed at the base and cooperated in studying his Rinnegan.
• Senju Chen considered combining Sasori’s and Orochimaru’s training for Kurama Yakumo with the Perfect Clone Ritual, but decided she would choose her own future.

After returning to Konoha, Senju Chen sought to study Sage Mode so he could prepare for future threats and protect more people. He met Naruto and Sasuke after school, where Sasuke tattled about Naruto’s unfinished lab report.

• Senju Chen learned that Amado would remain in Konoha for at least half a month and considered pursuing research into Sage Mode and natural energy.
• Senju Chen asked Jiraiya to help him research natural energy, but Jiraiya warned him about its dangers and refused to let him experiment on Mount Myōboku’s toads.
• Senju Chen said he wanted to learn Sage Mode so fewer people would die in the future, easing Jiraiya’s anger.
• Senju Chen encountered Naruto and Sasuke after school and learned that Sasuke ranked first, Sakura Haruno second, and Naruto third in their exam.
• Naruto told Senju Chen he wanted to learn about Scientific Ninja Tools, but Sasuke tattled that Naruto had not finished his lab report.

Senju Chen disciplined Naruto and Sasuke equally before walking through a Konoha transformed by his industrial and political plans. He reflected on his growing influence across several countries and his accumulated powers, while Jiraiya noticed he was scheming again.

• Senju Chen ordered Naruto and Sasuke to redo their homework after Sasuke had rewritten Naruto's report, then promised to show them something new once they finished.
• Anko left to deliver local specialties to Kurenai and Shizune, while Jiraiya joined Senju Chen on the way to the Hokage Building and Yamato followed with a storage scroll.
• Senju Chen passed the Konoha Joint Factory recruitment notice and noted that the village's factory, the Hive, and the Ninja Academy's Experimental Class formed a growing production and training network.
• Senju Chen reviewed his influence over the Land of Fire, the Land of Water, and the Land of Rain, as well as his seven filled skill slots and three sealed Tailed Beasts.
• Jiraiya asked Senju Chen what he was thinking about and accused him of plotting to screw someone over.