Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Nen and Orochimaru ended their battle with Jiraiya and Tsunade, revealing their ties to Uchiha Shin'yu. The group was left to recover while Kushina found Nawaki after the fighting stopped.

• Nen saved Tsunade and Jiraiya, explaining that he still considered them friends despite his hatred of Hidden Leaf Village.
• Orochimaru warned Tsunade and Jiraiya not to ask him to return to the village, and the summoned beasts ended their fighting.
• Tsunade realized that Nen and Orochimaru were connected, and Nen revealed that Orochimaru was Uchiha Shin'yu's direct disciple, alongside Hiruko.
• Katsuyu left healing clones with Jiraiya and Tsunade, while Gamabunta and Garaga returned to their homes.
• Kushina found Nawaki hiding behind shattered reefs and explained that she had stayed safe by hiding during the battle.

After making peace with Tsunade, Nen told her how he and Shin'yu helped the Uzumaki Clan, revealing the Hidden Leaf Village officials’ corruption. Tsunade vowed to become Hokage and reform the village, while Shin'yu and Light watched from beneath the sea and decided Nen needed a girlfriend.

• Tsunade apologized to Nen for the Hidden Leaf Village’s past injustice, and Nen assured her that she had always been his friend.
• Tsunade asked about Shin'yu, and Nen described how he and his grand uncle had helped the Uzumaki Clan survive an attack by the Three Great Shinobi Villages.
• After learning what the village officials had concealed, Tsunade smashed a reef in anger and vowed to become Hokage, clear Uchiha Kagami’s name, and reform the Hidden Leaf Village.
• Tsunade asked Nen to visit the village after she became Hokage, then left as Nen watched the waves.
• Shin'yu and Light revealed that they had watched Nen and Tsunade’s conversation from beneath the sea, and Shin'yu suggested finding Nen a girlfriend.

Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Nawaki escorted Kushina from Whirlpool Tide Village toward the Hidden Leaf Village, where she discovered that Nawaki was secretly Shin'yu. Back in the village, Nagato asked Orochimaru to teach him, and Orochimaru left open the possibility of accepting him after finishing his own apprenticeship.

• Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Nawaki left Whirlpool Tide Village with Kushina, who was sad to leave her home behind.
• Kushina crossed the sea using Chakra, and Nawaki joined her in a race toward the opposite shore.
• Nawaki secretly revealed himself as Shin'yu by pinching Kushina's little finger, and he promised to stay by her side.
• Nagato asked Orochimaru to teach him Ninjutsu and demonstrated his Wind Style affinity with Chakra Paper.
• Orochimaru declined to take Nagato as his disciple for now because he had not finished his own apprenticeship, but said he might do so in the future.

Uzumaki Kushina began at the Ninja Academy, stood up to classmates mocking her red hair, and declared her ambition to become Hokage. After Minato Namikaze defended her from Inaho and the other boys, Kushina objected when Minato criticized the Uchiha.

• Kushina introduced herself to her new class, whose students mocked her red hair until she proudly compared it to Uzumaki Mito’s and called it a source of pride.
• Kushina declared that she might become Hokage, and Minato Namikaze stood to say he shared that dream; the two were seated together.
• Kushina ignored the teacher’s lesson about the Will of Fire and told Minato not to talk to her during class.
• Inaho and two other boys surrounded Kushina, taunted her as “Little Tomato,” and Inaho grabbed her hair.
• Minato seized Inaho’s wrist and drove the boys away by warning him about their upcoming tactical training.
• When Minato told Kushina to ignore the Uchiha, Kushina quietly replied that they were not like that.

Kushina pretended to apologize to Uchiha Inaho, lured him and his lackeys away from school, then beat them and ordered them to shave Inaho’s head. As the terrified boys faced her, memories of asking Uncle Shin'yu and Orochimaru about being bullied at school came back to her.

• Minato offered to walk Kushina home, but she told him she lived in the North District and was unsure where.
• Kushina returned to Inaho and apologized, then offered to treat him and his lackeys to Three-Colored Dango.
• Kushina led the boys into a secluded forest path, where she revealed that she had baited them and attacked them.
• Kushina knocked out Inaho and his lackeys, then threw them a Kunai and ordered them to shave Inaho’s head.
• Kushina remembered asking Uncle Shin'yu and Orochimaru what to do if schoolchildren bullied her.

Uchiha Nen told Madara about his complicated history with Tsunade, and Madara showed him the face embedded in his chest. A squad ambushed them in the forest, and after Nen and Madara defeated the attackers, Madara began interrogating the last survivor.

• Nen told Madara that Tsunade felt responsible for what happened to his father, though he had never blamed her.
• Madara revealed the face embedded in his chest and said his own conflict with Hashirama had ended in a way that would not suit Nen.
• Attackers launched a surprise shuriken assault, and Nen protected himself and Madara with Susanoo.
• Nen used Wood Style to bind and kill most of the attackers, while Susanoo's lightning cannon destroyed two others.
• Madara seized the final attacker, placed him under his Sharingan, and demanded to know who he was.

Shin'yu observed Hikari's Sage Art training, then explained his plan to develop a human Sage Art by using magnetic fields to draw in Natural Energy. After Madara and Nian returned, they reported that Stone Ninja had discovered the Leaf's deception and begun attacking its forces, raising the prospect of war.

• Hikari's Sage Transformation briefly produced Spirit Marks and catlike traits before ending, and Shin'yu reassured her as she worried about her progress.
• Shin'yu described how Magnet Release could let him resonate with nature's magnetic force and cultivate a powerful Sage Art suited to humans.
• Madara returned with Nian, and Shin'yu expertly carved up the wild boar before the group shared tea.
• Nian reported that Stone Ninja had traced a Rain Country attack disguised as Sand Ninja to Hidden Leaf Village ninja and retaliated against the Leaf.
• Madara warned Shin'yu that the conflict could escalate into war and questioned whether he had caused it, but Shin'yu denied involvement.

Kushina was targeted by Uchiha members of the Hidden Leaf Police Force after she beat up Uchiha Inaho, but she escaped their attempt to punish her and Nawaki intervened. Nawaki warned the Police Force to leave Kushina alone before departing on a mission to the Rain Country.

• Minato warned Kushina that the Uchiha could use the Hidden Leaf Police Force to retaliate against her, but she said she was not afraid.
• After school, Kushina let the Police Force pursue her into the forest, where a member used Substitution Jutsu and another struck her unconscious.
• The Police Force accused Kushina of bullying classmates and threatened her, while Uchiha Inaho tried to stop them from going too far.
• Uchiha Eito grabbed Kushina and cut her cheek, but she turned out to be a Water Clone Technique and appeared safely beside Nawaki and a Chunin squad.
• Nawaki intimidated the Police Force and promised to protect Kushina, then said he was leaving with Jiraiya to support their damaged base in the Rain Country.

As Hidden Leaf Village, Hidden Sand Village, and Hidden Stone Village competed for control of Rain Country, Jiraiya and Nawaki traveled through the rain toward the battlefield. Hidden Stone shinobi ambushed them, and Jiraiya counterattacked as the fight began.

• The three great villages escalated their struggle in Rain Country, leaving its people caught in the fighting.
• Jiraiya told Nawaki that their mission was not to directly support the main battlefield and that an Elite Squad had already gone ahead.
• Jiraiya shielded Nawaki from an explosive kunai with Needle Jizo, then pierced four attackers with Lion's Mane Technique.
• Hidden Stone shinobi surrounded Jiraiya and Nawaki and used Earth Release to collapse the ground beneath them.
• Jiraiya threw Nawaki clear of the collapsing ground and unleashed Great Flame Bullet against their attackers.

Jiraiya and Nawaki were ambushed by a Stone Ninja elite squad while Jiraiya traveled through Rain Country to negotiate an alliance with Hanzo. After Hatake Sakumo killed the last surviving attacker, Jiraiya learned that Sakumo had arrived under secret orders to support him.

• Jiraiya summoned Gamaken, who shielded Jiraiya and Nawaki from the Stone Ninja's barrage of rock spears.
• Gamaken used Sage Art: Water Release: Water Severing Wave to cut through the earth walls and kill nearly all of the Stone Ninja squad, but one escaped.
• Jiraiya explained that he was traveling to meet Hanzo and seek an alliance, and suspected that someone had leaked his mission after the ambush.
• Jiraiya left Nawaki with Gamaken and pursued the fleeing Stone Ninja, but Hatake Sakumo intercepted and killed the survivor.
• Hatake Sakumo told Jiraiya that the base had been recovered and that he had come to support him under orders from the Lord Hokage.

Sarutobi Hiruzen confronted Danzo over leaking the Rain Ninja Alliance Plan, but Danzo argued that his actions would force Hidden Rain Village to ally with Hidden Leaf Village against Hidden Sand and Hidden Stone. Danzo revealed he intended to destroy Hidden Rain after defeating the other villages, then left Hiruzen shaken by his call to exploit the chaos of war.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen accused Danzo of leaking Jiraiya’s mission to Hidden Rain Village, leading to an ambush, and declared that Root would be disbanded and Danzo stripped of his role in high-level deliberations.
• Danzo criticized Hiruzen’s cautious strategy and argued that Hanzo would reject an alliance because Hidden Rain Village could not trust the great nations invading its territory.
• Danzo explained that his leak would push Hidden Sand and Hidden Stone to target Hidden Leaf and Hidden Rain, forcing Hanzo to cooperate with Hidden Leaf against them.
• Danzo tore up the alliance agreement and revealed that Hidden Leaf would destroy Hidden Rain after defeating Hidden Sand and Hidden Stone.
• Danzo urged Hiruzen to use chaos to gain power, then walked away and left Hiruzen standing dazed in his office.

Amid the Second Shinobi World War, Hiruko tested his Kimaera Technique by fusing two modified Shinobi Beasts. The fusion succeeded, but the resulting beast broke Nen’s seal and attacked Hiruko, leaving Orochimaru and Nen restraining it at the testing ground.

• The Second Shinobi World War began as Hidden Rain Village allied with Hidden Leaf Village against the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth.
• Hiruko gathered Orochimaru and Uchiha Nen at a snowy testing ground to demonstrate his completed Kimaera Technique.
• Hiruko used the technique to swallow a Strange Bird and a chimera, fusing them into a new Shinobi Beast.
• The transformed beast unleashed all five elemental auras and broke through Nen’s Illusion Technique seal.
• The beast charged Hiruko, but Orochimaru and Nen bound its Wings and stopped it just before it struck him.

Hiruko tested his newly created Fusion Beast against Nian and Orochimaru, who restrained it and then challenged its abilities. After Nian subdued the Strange Bird, Hiruko made it his Summoning Beast and mount.

• Orochimaru and Nian restrained the Strange Bird, and Orochimaru injured its legs before Hiruko stopped them from harming it further.
• Hiruko asked them to test the Strange Bird, which healed its injuries and attacked by raining down explosive feathers.
• Nian and Orochimaru destroyed the explosive feathers with Kunai and Wind Style: Gale Palm, then Nian caught the Strange Bird's charge with Susanoo.
• Nian subdued the Strange Bird with his Mangekyo Sharingan after Hiruko called off the test.
• Hiruko rejected the idea of fusing with the Strange Bird and used a summoning scroll to make it his Summoning Beast.

Hiruko explained his plan to use an annular solar eclipse, a specific location, and a sequence of Kekkei Genkai to perfect his Kimaera Technique and become immortal. Nian and Orochimaru agreed to help him capture an Explosion Release user, while Orochimaru challenged Hiruko’s ambitions with his own pursuit of eternal life.

• Hiruko asked Nian and Orochimaru to help capture an Elite Jonin from the Hidden Stone Village who possessed Explosion Release, and they agreed after he said the plan had the master's approval.
• Hiruko explained that Devouring a Kekkei Genkai required an annular solar eclipse, the right location, and a suitable target, and that his own sole innate attribute was Yang.
• Hiruko showed Nian and Orochimaru his planned Devouring order: Explosion Release, Magnet Release, Scorch Release, Boil Release, and finally the Sharingan.
• Hiruko demonstrated the living Kimaera fusion fluid in his body and claimed he could Devour all the targets at once if they were gathered.
• Orochimaru compared Hiruko's path to immortality with his own pursuit of an eternal soul and said the road was still long.

Hanzo and Chiyo fought amid the Second Shinobi World War as Rain Country faced an alliance of Sand and Stone. Chiyo survived Hanzo’s attacks with her puppetry and defenses, but Hanzo summoned a gigantic salamander to continue the battle.

• Hanzo and Chiyo confronted each other while Sand Ninja forces fought Rain Ninja in the forest.
• Hanzo dismissed Chiyo’s attempt to sow distrust between him and Hidden Leaf Village, then attacked her with his scythe.
• Hanzo’s quick-draw slash cut through Chiyo’s three puppets, but she evaded it and trapped his scythe with chakra threads.
• Chiyo used her threads to slice Hanzo’s neck, but he escaped with Water Body Flicker and struck back with Explosive Flame Formation.
• Chiyo protected herself from the explosion with her Mechanized Light Shield Seal, and Hanzo summoned a gigantic salamander.

Jiraiya and Tsunade fought Rōshi in the western Rain Country, where the Four-Tails Jinchuriki revealed that his Lava Release was his own Kekkei Genkai and that he had not yet used Son’s power. As Rōshi launched a barrage of magma spheres, Jiraiya summoned Sage Fukasaku instead of a giant toad.

• Jiraiya extinguished the flames on his hair while Tsunade struck Rōshi and began healing her burned hands with slugs.
• Rōshi emerged from the mountain wreckage and revealed that he had his own Lava Release Kekkei Genkai, then formed two tails and attacked with Scorching Stream Rock Technique.
• Rōshi reflected that he had secretly sent most of the Stone Ninja on an assault led by Explosion Release Hunter while using the apparent retreat to lure in the Leaf vanguard.
• Jiraiya summoned Sage Fukasaku beneath the falling magma spheres instead of calling one of his usual giant toads.

Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Sage Fukasaku battled Rōshi after discovering the Stone Ninja had lured them into a trap. The fight escalated when Rōshi completed his Full Tailed Beast Transformation, leaving them facing the Four-Tails in its full form.

• Sage Fukasaku countered Rōshi’s Lava Release with a massive Water Release, then used a Water Dragon to force him back.
• Rōshi broke through an earth barrier in Partial Tailed Beast Transformation, and Tsunade explained that he had abandoned control to the Four-Tails.
• Sage Fukasaku, Jiraiya, and Tsunade coordinated attacks, but Rōshi endured their assault and retaliated with increasingly powerful lava techniques.
• After Sage Fukasaku blasted Rōshi with a Water Gun, Rōshi grew a fourth tail and transformed into a gigantic crimson ape.

Stone Ninja attacked Hidden Rain Village, and Shū ordered his forces to find and kill the hidden Spirit Body ninja. Hatake Sakumo cut through the enemy ranks with help from the Spirit Body, while both fought to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

• Stone Ninja launched a surprise attack on Hidden Rain Village, routing the outnumbered Hidden Leaf defenders.
• Shū killed several Hidden Leaf ninjas with Explosion Release: Landmine Fist and ordered a search for the ghost ninja using the Spirit Body assassination technique.
• Hatake Sakumo fought through the Stone Ninja with his Chakra Metal short sword, killing enemies with swift, lethal slashes.
• Sakumo cut through an Earth Flow Wall and killed the Stone Ninja who had raised it.
• With about thirty Stone Ninja still surrounding him, Sakumo relied on the hidden Spirit Body to disrupt dangerous opponents as they waited for reinforcements.

Hatake Sakumo fought through the Stone Ninja ranks and faced their commander, Shū, whose Explosion Release attacks pushed him to his limits. Sakumo awakened a burst of Lightning Release speed to evade Shū’s Landmine Fist, leaving their battle unresolved.

• The Stone Ninja used Earth Release to trap Sakumo, but he cut through their stone spears and killed a disguised attacker.
• Sakumo broke through the enemy ranks, and Shū blasted him away with Explosion Release: Thunderclap Blast.
• Shū introduced himself as the Stone Ninja commander and revealed his Explosion Release Kekkei Genkai while his subordinates surrounded Sakumo.
• Sakumo attacked Shū with shuriken and a sword strike, but Shū deflected the weapons and repelled him with a shockwave.
• Shū used Explosive Step and Landmine Fist to attack at extreme speed, and Sakumo evaded by channeling Lightning Release Chakra through his body.

Sakumo fought Shū but was badly wounded by his Explosion Release. A mysterious bird-borne attack saved him, and Hiruko arrived, only to discover that Sakumo did not recognize him until he explained who he was.

• Sakumo used his White Fang: Throat-Severing Slash and cut off two of Shū's fingers, but Shū detonated Sakumo's blood and injured his sword arm.
• Shū briefly lost control and urged Sakumo to run, then regained control and charged toward the place where he sensed a ghost.
• Emerald feathers marked with Explosion Release fell from the sky and detonated, striking the Stone Ninja as a strange bird swooped down.
• Hiruko descended from the bird and greeted Sakumo, who failed to recognize his former classmate.
• Hiruko said he had left the Hidden Leaf Village ten years earlier with Uchiha Nen and Orochimaru, and Sakumo finally recognized him.