Chapter Summaries

Ziyun agreed not to interfere with Madara Uchiha’s plan in exchange for his Six Paths knowledge, while secretly pursuing the mission to revive Otsutsuki Kaguya. After a year of developments in the Shinobi World, Obito Uchiha came to Kumogakure and met Ziyun.

• Ziyun accepted Madara Uchiha’s demand not to interfere with his plan, gave him some Four-Tails Chakra, and received the Six Paths Senjutsu and Yin-Yang Release in return.
• Ziyun released Nagato and warned Madara Uchiha that Nagato and Obito Uchiha must not provoke him.
• Ziyun told Mei Terumi that Nagato’s Rinnegan drained his life force, then began studying Madara Uchiha’s techniques and planned to teach Perfect Sage Mode to Kushina and Tsunade.
• Konan’s Explosive Tags sold out and earned Kumogakure billions, while Hanzo of the Salamander and Madara Uchiha died, and Minato Namikaze married a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan.
• Obito Uchiha came to Kumogakure wearing a spiral mask, and Ziyun confronted him.

Obito Uchiha came to Kumogakure to enlist Ziyun’s help in a plan against Konoha, but Ziyun exposed his identity, forced him to surrender Hashirama Cells, and offered him the Nine-Tails for his scheme. Ziyun then worked with Kushina and Kurama to split the Nine-Tails, sending the Yin half toward Konoha and leaving Kushina safe with the Yang half.

• Obito offered Ziyun a plan to bring down Konoha and Minato Namikaze, but Ziyun revealed that he knew Obito’s identity and demanded Hashirama Cells.
• When Obito threatened Ziyun and tried to escape with Kamui, Ziyun countered the technique, wounded him, and made him choose between death and handing over the cells in exchange for the Nine-Tails.
• Obito chose to cooperate, while Ziyun told Kushina about Obito’s plan and discussed using it to bring Minato over to Kumogakure.
• Kushina asked Kurama about his hatred of Konoha, and Kurama agreed to help Ziyun split the Nine-Tails so Kushina would survive its removal.
• Ziyun split the Nine-Tails into Yin and Yang halves, sealed the Yin half in the Amber Purifying Pot, and promised to help Kushina perfect her Sage Mode.

Ziyun arranged for Minato Namikaze and Obito Uchiha to stage the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha, intending to expose how Konoha treated Naruto Uzumaki. On the night Naruto was born, Obito began the plan by taking Minato's wife hostage.

• Ziyun left Mei Terumi and Pakura in charge of Kumogakure, then met Minato Namikaze and told him about Obito Uchiha's plan to attack Konoha.
• Ziyun instructed Minato to pretend to die during the attack and seal half of the Nine-Tails inside Naruto Uzumaki before leaving him in Konoha; Minato agreed not to reveal Obito's plot.
• Ziyun told Obito that the Nine-Tails was sealed in the Amber Purifying Pot and arranged for the attack to happen on the day Minato's wife gave birth; Obito accepted and left Kumogakure with the pot and Hashirama Cells.
• As Konoha prepared for Naruto's birth, explosions drew Minato away, and Obito used Kamui to enter the delivery room and take Minato's wife hostage.

Obito attacked Konoha and unleashed the Yin Nine-Tails, prompting Minato and Hiruzen to defend the village. Minato defeated Obito, rescued Naruto, and appeared to sacrifice himself with the Reaper Death Seal after moving the Nine-Tails outside the village; Hiruzen rushed to investigate.

• Obito confronted Hiruzen and Minato in the delivery room, blamed Minato for Rin's death, and signaled the White Zetsu Clone to release the Yin Nine-Tails.
• The Nine-Tails rampaged through Konoha as Hiruzen led the village's forces against it and drove it outside the village, where it began firing Tailed Beast Bombs.
• Minato defeated Obito, rescued Naruto, and used Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder to transfer a Tailed Beast Bomb away.
• Minato moved the Nine-Tails outside Konoha and summoned the Shinigami with the Reaper Death Seal, making the villagers believe he would die to seal it.
• Hiruzen led the Konoha ninjas toward the place where Minato, the Shinigami, and the Nine-Tails had disappeared.

After Minato Namikaze died, Hiruzen Sarutobi hid Naruto Uzumaki’s identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and faced Kumogakure’s demand for an explanation. Orochimaru demanded the newborn Hinata Hyuga in exchange for peace, and Konoha High Command agreed despite Hyuga Hiashi’s objections.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi found the newborn Naruto Uzumaki with the Nine-Tails sealed inside him and ordered his Anbu to keep Naruto’s identity secret.
• Hiruzen presided over Minato Namikaze’s burial and resumed control of Konoha, while Shimura Danzō secretly plotted against him.
• Orochimaru arrived as Kumogakure’s envoy and demanded that Konoha hand over the Hyuga Clan’s eldest daughter, Hinata Hyuga.
• Hiruzen asked Orochimaru for two days to consult Konoha High Command and Hyuga Hiashi, and Orochimaru agreed.
• Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Homura Mitokado pressured Hyuga Hiashi to accept Kumogakure’s demand, and Hiashi reluctantly agreed to hand over Hinata before leaving in anger.

After Orochimaru brought infant Hinata Hyuga to Kumogakure, Ziyun took her into his household, where Mei Terumi and the other women welcomed her. Three years later, the ninja world remained outwardly peaceful, but Hiruzen Sarutobi gained a powerful new weapon when Jiraiya completed Impure World Reincarnation.

• Danzo proposed killing Hyuga Hiashi and obtaining Byakugan for Root, but Hiruzen Sarutobi warned him not to harm the Hyuga clan head.
• Orochimaru returned to Kumogakure with Hinata, while Minato Namikaze secretly went back to Konoha to watch over Naruto.
• Ziyun welcomed Hinata and ordered that she be raised at his home; Mei Terumi, Kushina, Mikoto, and Tsunade took to caring for her.
• Three years passed without open war, as the great villages feared Kumogakure might attack their homes if they went to war.
• Jiraiya completed and tested Impure World Reincarnation with Danzo's help, strengthening Hiruzen Sarutobi's position and giving him confidence he could summon Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.

Minato Namikaze revealed himself to Uchiha Fugaku and warned him that Konoha’s leadership was about to move against the Uchiha Clan. He asked what Fugaku planned to do, leaving the clan’s response unresolved.

• Minato Namikaze revealed his face to Uchiha Fugaku and the gathered clansmen, who initially suspected he was an impostor.
• Minato Namikaze proved his identity by using the Flying Thunder God Technique, and Uchiha Fugaku asked how he had survived.
• Minato Namikaze told Uchiha Fugaku that he had come to save the clan from Konoha’s impending attack.
• Uchiha Fugaku described the mistreatment of the Uchiha Clan and apologized for being unable to protect Naruto.
• Minato Namikaze asked Uchiha Fugaku what he planned to do about the Konoha High Command’s coming move against the Uchiha Clan.

Minato Namikaze persuaded Uchiha Fugaku to take the Uchiha Clan to Kumogakure, where the Fourth Raikage had agreed to accept them. As Fugaku prepared to evacuate the clan, Danzo ordered Uchiha Itachi to attack them that night, while Minato warned Fugaku that his son might turn against them.

• Minato Namikaze convinced Uchiha Fugaku that Kumogakure would shelter the Uchiha Clan, and Fugaku agreed to trust him and leave Konoha.
• Uchiha Fugaku decided to evacuate the clan in small groups and summoned Uchiha Itachi to learn what Konoha High Command was planning.
• Danzo ordered Uchiha Itachi to launch a surprise attack on the Uchiha Clan that night, and Itachi warned Danzo to honor their agreement.
• Uchiha Itachi met Madara Uchiha, who was actually Obito Uchiha, and Obito agreed to help with the attack.
• Minato Namikaze warned Uchiha Fugaku that Konoha High Command had turned Uchiha Itachi, so Fugaku planned to lead the clan out through the village's northeast side that night.

Uchiha Itachi and Obito slaughtered the Uchiha Clan as Uchiha Fugaku stayed behind to cover the clan’s escape. Hozuki Mangetsu met the fleeing Uchiha and decided to return to Konoha to rescue Fugaku, whose Mangekyō Sharingan made him important to Kumogakure.

• Uchiha Itachi began killing his clansmen, and Obito joined the slaughter to help wipe out the clan and collect Sharingan.
• Uchiha Fugaku learned that Itachi had betrayed the clan, revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, and stayed behind with followers while the Grand Elder led the others toward the northeast.
• Uchiha Fugaku confronted Itachi and argued that Konoha High Command had forced the clan into its desperate situation.
• Hozuki Mangetsu met the escaping Uchiha and learned that Fugaku had stayed in Konoha to cover their retreat.
• Hozuki Mangetsu decided to enter Konoha and bring Fugaku to safety, despite having brought few people.

Hozuki Mangetsu and the Uchiha Grand Elder led their forces into Konoha as Uchiha Fugaku fought Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, and Itachi. Mangetsu saved Fugaku from a killing blow and warned Konoha that Fugaku had agreed to join Kumogakure, leaving the two sides confronting each other.

• The Uchiha Grand Elder agreed to accompany Hozuki Mangetsu into Konoha while sending the clan’s noncombatants toward Kumogakure.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō ordered Anbu and Root to attack Uchiha Fugaku, who used his Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo to fight back.
• Uchiha Itachi shielded Danzō from Fugaku’s attack, and the combined assault of Konoha’s forces shattered Fugaku’s Susanoo.
• Hozuki Mangetsu arrived with Kumogakure ninja and Uchiha clansmen, blocking Root’s attack and rescuing Fugaku.
• Mangetsu told Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō that Fugaku had agreed to join Kumogakure and warned them that the Raikage could hold Konoha responsible if Fugaku died.
• Danzō challenged Mangetsu, but Hiruzen rebuked him and urged restraint because Konoha was not ready to risk angering Kumogakure.

Hozuki Mangetsu brought the Uchiha Clan from Konoha to Kumogakure, where Ziyun welcomed them and Mikoto reassured them that they could live there safely. As other villages prepared for a possible war, Hiruzen Sarutobi sought to use Impure World Reincarnation against Ziyun, but an unexpected visitor offered a suitable vessel.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi let Hozuki Mangetsu leave Konoha with Uchiha Fugaku and the Uchiha Clan, while Danzo criticized his decision.
• Hozuki Mangetsu brought the Uchiha Clan to Kumogakure, where Ziyun gave them land beside the Senju Clan's compound and Fugaku pledged their loyalty.
• Mikoto reassured the Uchiha Clan that her grudge was only with its former leaders, and the clan began settling into its new home.
• Ōnoki and Rasa judged Konoha weak and prepared their villages for a possible war against it.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Danzo to serve as the vessel for Impure World Reincarnation, but Danzo refused.
• An Anbu told Hiruzen Sarutobi that someone had arrived claiming to have the perfect vessel for Impure World Reincarnation.

Hiruzen Sarutobi met Obito Uchiha, who claimed to be Madara Uchiha and offered Konoha help against Kumogakure in exchange for a portion of the Nine-Tails Chakra and the method for undoing Impure World Reincarnation. Jiraiya used White Zetsu as vessels to summon Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, who recognized Hiruzen and questioned why they had been summoned.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed to meet the masked man, and Obito Uchiha introduced himself as Madara Uchiha and proposed joining forces against Kumogakure.
• Hiruzen refused to hand over the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and ordered the Anbu to seize Obito, but Obito used Kamui to evade their attacks.
• Obito settled for a portion of the Nine-Tails Chakra and asked for the method to undo Impure World Reincarnation, which Hiruzen agreed to provide after the deal was complete.
• Jiraiya used White Zetsu as vessels and successfully summoned Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju before Konoha's leaders.
• Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju recognized Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Tobirama asked why Hiruzen had used his jutsu to summon them.

After resurrecting Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, Konoha’s leaders convinced them that Kumogakure threatened the village and declared war. Iwagakure and Sunagakure prepared to attack Konoha, while Kumogakure received Minato Namikaze’s warning that the two Hokage had been revived near their peak strength.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi blamed Konoha’s decline on Kumogakure, and Danzo falsely claimed that the Uchiha Clan had plotted a coup with Kumogakure.
• Hashirama Senju agreed that Kumogakure had to be dealt with, and Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo prepared to declare war.
• Konoha assembled around eight thousand ninja and declared war on Kumogakure, shocking the other villages.
• Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure to prepare to move against Konoha, hoping to support Kumogakure and gain territory.
• Rasa followed Chiyo’s advice and organized Sunagakure’s ninja to attack Konoha.
• Minato Namikaze’s intelligence informed Kumogakure that Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju had been resurrected near their peak strength.

Ziyun prepared Kumogakure to fight Konoha after Hiruzen Sarutobi revived Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, while Sunagakure and Iwagakure’s attempts to curry favor with Kumogakure collapsed. Hiruzen forced the two villages into an alliance against Kumogakure, and Kushina’s forces inflicted heavy losses on them as Konoha delayed sending support.

• Ziyun dismissed Orochimaru’s warnings about Impure World Reincarnation and prepared several thousand Kumogakure shinobi to march against Konoha.
• Sunagakure and Iwagakure attacked Konoha, but surrendered after Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju overwhelmed them.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi demanded a Tailed Beast and ten billion ryō from each village, then offered to spare their Tailed Beasts if they allied with Konoha against Kumogakure.
• Ōnoki and Rasa agreed to lead their forces against Kumogakure, and Kushina led Kumogakure’s main force against them.
• Kushina inflicted heavy casualties on Sunagakure and Iwagakure while Hiruzen delayed sending Konoha’s promised support, prompting Rasa to curse him.

Ziyun and Hashirama fought after Hiruzen brought the reincarnated Hokage to battle Kumogakure, and Ziyun countered Hashirama’s powerful Wood Release techniques. Their clash continued with both entering Perfect Sage Mode, and Hashirama began unleashing True Several Thousand Hands.

• Hiruzen told Hashirama and Tobirama that Kumogakure was responsible for Konoha’s suffering, and Hashirama agreed to confront Ziyun.
• Hashirama attacked Kumogakure’s forces with Deep Forest Emergence, but Ziyun destroyed the trees with lightning.
• Hashirama used Flower Deep Forest Emergence, and Ziyun’s 1 Billion Volts: Thunderous Might shattered the trees and struck Konoha Ninja.
• Hashirama and Ziyun entered Perfect Sage Mode and fought fiercely, leaving the watching ninja astonished.
• Hashirama began using Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands.

Ziyun matched Hashirama Senju’s Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands with his own giant form, then revealed his Ten-Tails power and overwhelmed Hashirama. Hashirama’s Impure World Reincarnation body stopped regenerating after a Truth-Seeking Orb struck him, leaving him facing defeat.

• Ziyun combined nearby inorganic matter with his body, grew to over a thousand meters tall, and met Hashirama Senju’s strongest attack head-on.
• Ziyun and Hashirama Senju’s attacks clashed evenly, and both sides retreated from the devastation.
• Hashirama Senju used Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands again, hoping to wear Ziyun down with his unlimited Chakra.
• Ziyun released his Ten-Tails Chakra, gained a Sage of Six Paths-like appearance, and attacked Hashirama Senju with a Truth-Seeking Orb.
• Ziyun pinned Tobirama Senju to the ground with black rods, while the Truth-Seeking Orb destroyed half of Hashirama Senju’s body and prevented it from regenerating.

Ziyun defeated Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, then tried to expose the Konoha High Command’s treatment of the Senju and Uzumaki Clans. When the Konoha F4 denied the accusations, Minato Namikaze appeared and offered to reveal the truth, leaving Hashirama and Tobirama stunned by his return.

• Hashirama Senju accused Ziyun of luring the Senju and Uzumaki Clans to Kumogakure and taking Tsunade by force, but Ziyun said they had joined willingly to escape the Konoha High Command’s attempts to destroy them.
• Ziyun captured Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Homura Mitokado and brought them before Hashirama and Tobirama.
• Shimura Danzō denied Ziyun’s accusations, while Hashirama rejected Ziyun’s account and insisted that Kumogakure had wronged Konoha.
• As Ziyun prepared to kill them, Minato Namikaze emerged from hiding and said he knew the whole truth.
• Minato told Hashirama and Tobirama that he was the Fourth Hokage and had faked his death after the Nine-Tails' Attack.

Minato Namikaze exposed the Konoha leadership’s abuses to Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, and Tobirama turned against Hiruzen Sarutobi. As Hashirama prepared to question Jiraiya, Hiruzen ordered him to release the Impure World Reincarnation, and the two Hokage began to disappear.

• Minato Namikaze told the Konoha F4 he had joined Kumogakure and accused them of ruining Konoha and mistreating Naruto.
• Minato Namikaze recounted the Konoha leadership’s actions to Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, including the persecution of the Uzumaki, Senju, and Uchiha clans.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi denied Minato’s accusations, but Tobirama Senju broke free and slapped him, condemning his rule of Konoha.
• Jiraiya arrived with Konoha shinobi to rescue Hiruzen, but Hashirama Senju stopped them and asked Jiraiya to answer questions.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Jiraiya to release the Impure World Reincarnation, and Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju began to disappear.

Jiraiya undid the Impure World Reincarnation, but Hashirama and Tobirama returned and exposed Hiruzen Sarutobi’s scheme to silence them. Hashirama ordered a reckoning with the Konoha High Command, while Ziyun secured permission for Kumogakure to observe.

• Jiraiya canceled the Impure World Reincarnation and attacked Minato Namikaze after Hiruzen Sarutobi called him an impostor.
• Hashirama Senju reassembled, shielded Minato from Konoha’s attacks, and revealed that the Third Hokage’s scheme had not controlled him.
• Hashirama accused Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha High Command of persecuting Konoha’s loyal people and driving major clans to Kumogakure.
• Hashirama ordered Jiraiya to summon the major clan heads so they could discuss Sarutobi’s crimes, and Jiraiya persuaded them to gather evidence.
• Ziyun asked to witness the decision on the Konoha High Command, and Hashirama agreed to let Kumogakure attend.

Hashirama Senju held a public hearing in Konoha and sentenced Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other members of the Konoha F4 to life imprisonment after the clans exposed their crimes. With Hiruzen removed as Hokage, Hashirama proposed Jiraiya as his successor.

• Hashirama Senju convened Konoha's clan heads and put Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other Konoha F4 members on trial.
• Hyuga Hiashi and other clan heads accused the Konoha High Command of years of abuses, including handing Hinata Hyuga over to Kumogakure.
• The Hatake clan head revealed that Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō had manipulated public opinion against Hatake Sakumo, and Kakashi Hatake tried to attack them before Jiraiya stopped him.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi blamed Shimura Danzō, but Danzō produced evidence tying Hiruzen to the crimes, including the destruction of the Senju clan and Senju Nawaki's death.
• Hashirama Senju stripped the Konoha F4 of their positions and sentenced all four to life imprisonment as S-rank prisoners.
• Tobirama Senju asked who would become Hokage, and Hashirama Senju named Jiraiya as his choice.