Chapter Summaries

Didaze persuaded Shimura Danzō to serve Jashin by granting him power and promising him the Hokage position in exchange for Senju Nawaki’s soul and Wood Release. Shimura Danzō agreed to help summon Nawaki to the Kirigakure battlefield and was told to wait three days.

• Didaze told Shimura Danzō that Jashin could help him become Hokage, and Shimura Danzō questioned his motives.
• Didaze claimed Jashin could see through Shimura Danzō and offered him a mass of black energy, increasing his strength.
• Didaze demanded that Shimura Danzō arrange for Senju Nawaki to be summoned to the Kirigakure battlefield so Jashin could take his soul and give his kekkei genkai to Shimura Danzō.
• Shimura Danzō worried about Tsunade and Dan Katō, but Didaze promised someone else would handle the matter and told him to cooperate.
• Shimura Danzō agreed to the plan, and Didaze told him to wait three days before writing the letter, then vanished.

Didaze used layered Genjutsu and sealing to control the Third Mizukage, then drove Kirigakure into a renewed assault on Konoha. The Kirigakure forces advanced into the Land of Fire, where they began destroying and looting as Didaze waited for Konoha to call for reinforcements.

• The Third Mizukage worried that Konoha’s Wood Release would eventually overwhelm Kirigakure and Kumogakure, then noticed that Yagura was unresponsive.
• Didaze appeared behind the Third Mizukage, sealed his consciousness, and took control of him.
• The controlled Third Mizukage named Yagura as his successor and promised large bounties for Konoha ninja, boosting Kirigakure’s morale.
• The Third Mizukage led Kirigakure into battle, defeated Orochimaru, and helped the Three-Tails drive Danzo back.
• Kirigakure forced Konoha’s forces deep into the Land of Fire and began burning, killing, and pillaging as Didaze continued controlling the Third Mizukage.

The daimyo ordered Hiruzen Sarutobi to send Nawaki to stop Kirigakure’s invasion of the Land of Fire, threatening to cut off Konoha’s military funding. Nawaki left for the Kirigakure front alone, while Tsunade watched him go with a sense of unease.

• The daimyo berated Konoha’s failures and ordered a letter demanding that Hiruzen send Nawaki to the Kirigakure front or lose military funding.
• A Root ninja delivered the daimyo’s letter to Hiruzen at the Kumogakure front.
• Hiruzen learned that Kirigakure was burning, killing, and looting inside the Land of Fire, then asked Nawaki to intervene.
• Nawaki declined Tsunade’s offer to accompany him and left for Kirigakure alone.
• Tsunade watched Nawaki depart and silently worried that something was wrong.

Orochimaru and Shimura Danzō discussed the Third Mizukage’s strange behavior and Kirigakure’s threats, while Danzō waited for Nawaki to arrive and provide Wood Release. After Danzō dismissed the captured nobles’ danger, Orochimaru began experimenting with Impure World Reincarnation using captured Kirigakure ninja.

• Orochimaru asked Shimura Danzō whether he had noticed the Third Mizukage’s reckless change in behavior, and Danzō said Nawaki would soon reinforce them.
• A Root ninja reported that Kirigakure had captured Fire Country nobles and demanded an open battle, while the Third Mizukage threatened to kill the daimyo if Konoha did not respond within three days.
• The Root ninja repeated the Third Mizukage’s insult that Danzō had a romantic relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi, angering Danzō in front of Orochimaru.
• Danzō ordered his forces to let the captured nobles die rather than confront Kirigakure before Nawaki arrived, then gave Orochimaru more captured ninja for experiments.
• Orochimaru attempted Impure World Reincarnation on a captured Kirigakure ninja, but the experiment failed, and he prepared to try again with the remaining captives.

The Third Mizukage continued executing nobles in the Land of Fire while Konoha delayed its response, until Nawaki and Konoha's army attacked Kirigakure. The Third Mizukage unleashed repeated, enormous Water Release techniques against Nawaki, who countered with Wood Release.

• The Third Mizukage ordered more nobles executed as Kirigakure plundered their estates, aided by commoners who guided the ninja to nobles they despised.
• Orochimaru told Nawaki that Kirigakure had killed more than a hundred nobles, and Nawaki joined Konoha's march to stop them.
• Konoha's first assault killed roughly twenty percent of Kirigakure's scattered forces before they organized a defense.
• The Third Mizukage challenged Nawaki with Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave, giving Kirigakure's Water Release attacks a battlefield advantage.
• The Third Mizukage repeatedly used Great Waterfall Technique against Nawaki, prompting Orochimaru to suspect he was burning through his life force.
• Nawaki answered the Third Mizukage's attacks with Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.

Nawaki’s Wood Release overwhelms Kirigakure, forcing the Third Mizukage’s forces to retreat. Later, Shimura Danzō and Didaze ambush Nawaki in his tent, kill him, and take his Wood Release, leaving Danzō to deal with the aftermath.

• Nawaki used Wood Release to absorb the Third Mizukage’s water attack and drive Kirigakure’s forces from the Land of Fire with heavy losses.
• Shimura Danzō agreed to approach Nawaki after a black-robed man urged him to seize the opportunity.
• Danzō pretended to repent and promised to help lift the wanted order on Hatake Sakumo, but then attacked Nawaki with a Wind Blade.
• Nawaki trapped Danzō with Wood Release, but Didaze appeared and used the Jashin Statue’s black aura to incapacitate him.
• Danzō struck Nawaki’s neck with a Wind Blade, and Didaze confirmed Nawaki was dead after obtaining his Wood Release.
• Didaze gave Danzō a Wood Release trial card lasting about a month, then vanished and left him to handle the scene.

Shimura Danzō stole Nawaki’s corpse and began practicing Wood Release, believing it would make him powerful enough to claim the Hokage position. Didaze absorbed Wood Release and learned that Saiken had awakened a unique Senjutsu, but he still needed to find a place rich in senjutsu chakra to train.

• Shimura Danzō sealed Nawaki’s corpse in a scroll and used Deep Forest Emergence, mistaking his weak technique for overwhelming power.
• Didaze extracted Wood Release and gained greatly increased chakra regeneration.
• Saiken awakened and told Didaze she had developed a unique Senjutsu.
• Saiken offered to either grant Didaze Sage Mode directly or help him train, and Didaze chose to try training for a month.
• Didaze asked Saiken to locate senjutsu chakra and, unable to think of a source beyond the Three Great Sage Lands, considered visiting Ryūchi Cave.

Didaze traveled to Ryūchi Cave to learn senjutsu, using the Splitting Technique to send a separate body in ahead while the Six-Tails stayed with him. After he entered the cave and drove off the snakes with fire, the White Snake Sage sent the three snake princesses to confront him together.

• Didaze chose Ryūchi Cave for senjutsu training despite the Six-Tails warning him about its dangers.
• The Six-Tails suggested Didaze use the Splitting Technique to send in a separate body, and Didaze agreed before leaving with her guidance.
• After flying for three days, Didaze reached the island entrance, split himself, and entered Ryūchi Cave through its seal.
• Didaze discovered that the dripping liquid was snake saliva and used Great Fire Annihilation to expose and scatter the snakes.
• The White Snake Sage ordered Ichikishimahime, Tagitsuhime, and Tagorihime to go together and face Didaze.

Didaze confronted the Three Snake Princesses in Ryūchi Cave and drew the White Snake Sage out with a powerful clay bomb. He offered to make a deal, but the White Snake Sage challenged his disrespectful approach.

• Tagorihime, Tagitsuhime, and Ichikishimahime agreed to share Didaze as food.
• Didaze sensed the Three Snake Princesses and went to subdue them before approaching the White Snake Sage.
• The princesses attacked while invisible, but Didaze used Tailed Beast Transformation and a clay bomb to blast them into a crater.
• Didaze hid with Dustless Bewildering Cover, tricked Tagorihime into biting an exploding clone, and dropped C5: Annihilation on the princesses.
• The White Snake Sage appeared as a White Phosphorus Snake and swallowed C5: Annihilation to protect the princesses.
• Didaze revealed himself and proposed a deal, while the White Snake Sage questioned his disrespectful manner.

Didaze threatened to destroy Ryūchi Cave unless the White Snake Sage let him train there in the Six-Tails’ Senjutsu. The Sage agreed and planned to secure a summoning contract with him, while Didaze settled on a place to begin training.

• Didaze threatened the White Snake Sage with another C5: Annihilation and demanded permission to practice a different kind of Senjutsu in Ryūchi Cave.
• The White Snake Sage agreed after realizing Didaze was only around twenty and might grow much stronger, then left him to train alone.
• The White Snake Sage asked the Three Snake Princesses about binding Didaze to Ryūchi Cave with a Summoning Contract, and Tagorihime supported the idea.
• The White Snake Sage gave Tagorihime the Summoning Scroll and told her to wait until Didaze finished training before approaching him.
• Didaze and the Six-Tails chose a training spot outside the deeper parts of Ryūchi Cave to limit the risk of taking on snake characteristics, and Didaze began to prepare for training.

Didaze mastered Sage Mode in Ryūchi Cave by using Wood Release to filter impurities from Senjutsu Chakra. Before leaving, he signed a summoning contract with Ryūchi Cave that included its Three Snake Princesses.

• The Six-Tails showed Didaze how to absorb Senjutsu Chakra, and Didaze entered a weak Sage Mode on his first attempt by using Wood Release to filter impurities.
• After three days of practice, Didaze mastered Sage Mode and prepared to leave Ryūchi Cave.
• Tagorihime asked Didaze to sign a summoning contract, explaining that the White Snake Sage had cut off Orochimaru's ability to summon Ryūchi Cave's giant snakes.
• Didaze asked Tagorihime to reveal her true form, then signed the contract and added the exclusive Snake Princess mark.
• Didaze told the White Snake Sage he would return in a few years to help unify the Three Great Sage Regions, and she transported him outside Ryūchi Cave.

Didaze left with the Three Snake Princesses under contract, intending to prepare for a war against Konoha. The Third Mizukage regained control, decided to withdraw Kirigakure's forces, and named Yagura as his successor, while Orochimaru discovered Nawaki was missing.

• Didaze dismissed his defeat by the White Snake Sage, said she was trying to win him over, and flew away to prepare to destroy Konoha.
• The Third Mizukage recovered his consciousness, heard Yagura's account of the fighting, and decided to pass the Mizukage position to him because of his injuries.
• The Third Mizukage concluded that the mysterious man had controlled him to lure out the Wood Release brat, then ordered Kirigakure to withdraw to the village.
• The Third Mizukage told Yagura he would become the Fourth Mizukage once they returned, and Yagura accepted.
• Orochimaru went to Nawaki's tent after days without hearing from him, found it empty, and realized something might have happened to Nawaki.

After learning that Nawaki had disappeared, Tsunade left the Kumogakure battlefield to confront Shimura Danzō, with Dan Katō following her. Orochimaru confirmed that Nawaki was dead, and Tsunade prepared to go after Danzō with Orochimaru.

• Orochimaru suspected Shimura Danzō was involved in Nawaki's disappearance and sent Tsunade a letter by Ninja Hawk.
• Tsunade left the battlefield without informing Hiruzen Sarutobi or Dan Katō, and Dan pursued her after Hiruzen ordered him to stay.
• Dan caught up with Tsunade, learned she planned to kill Shimura Danzō, and chose to accompany her.
• Tsunade and Dan reached Orochimaru's battlefield camp, where they found bound Kirigakure ninja in his secret laboratory.
• Orochimaru told Tsunade and Dan that he had confirmed Nawaki was dead, and Tsunade asked where Shimura Danzō was.

Orochimaru persuaded Tsunade and Dan Katō to join him in forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi from office, then the three attacked Shimura Danzō. Tsunade killed Danzō after his newly acquired Wood Release proved weaker than he expected, leaving Orochimaru wondering who Danzō had called the Executor.

• Orochimaru proposed forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi out of office, and Tsunade and Dan Katō agreed to cooperate with him.
• Shimura Danzō practiced his new kekkei genkai and believed he would soon be powerful enough to claim the Hokage position.
• Tsunade attacked Danzō, while Dan Katō and Orochimaru helped keep him from gaining the upper hand.
• Danzō summoned Baku and unleashed Deep Forest Emergence, but Katsuyu's acid quickly corroded the trees.
• Danzō accused the Executor of lying to him, and Tsunade killed him with a final punch.
• Orochimaru wondered who Danzō had meant by the Executor.

After Tsunade avenged Nawaki by killing Shimura Danzō, Orochimaru concluded that the hidden Executor feared Didaze, whose power could threaten even a major shinobi village. With war against Iwagakure looming and no clear way to defeat Didaze, Orochimaru asked Tsunade for her cells to prepare a way to save Konoha.

• Tsunade brought Shimura Danzō's corpse to Orochimaru and said they should help Kumogakure end the war, while Orochimaru noted that Kirigakure had withdrawn.
• Orochimaru reasoned that the Executor had controlled the Third Mizukage and used Shimura Danzō to stay hidden because he feared someone powerful.
• Tsunade identified Didaze as the person the Executor feared, and Orochimaru said intelligence from the Land of Wind described Didaze's devastating bombs.
• Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Dan Katō concluded that Didaze was nearly invincible and that Iwagakure would likely declare war soon.
• Orochimaru asked Tsunade for some of her cells, claiming he could use them to save Konoha, and Tsunade gave him a sealed scroll containing them.

Orochimaru revealed to Tsunade that he had implanted her cells into himself and asked about Impure World Reincarnation. Meanwhile, Didaze persuaded Iwagakure's senior leadership to approve a war to wipe out Konoha, while Madara Uchiha prepared Obito Uchiha to inherit his will.

• Orochimaru handed his subordinate a snake for communication, then left with Tsunade and Dan Katō to strike at Iwagakure's forces.
• Orochimaru told Tsunade he had implanted her cells into his body and asked whether she knew about Impure World Reincarnation.
• Didaze told Ōnoki he intended to destroy Konoha and take over as Tsuchikage, prompting Ōnoki to arrange a senior leadership meeting.
• Didaze told Iwagakure's senior officials that Konoha's Wood Release user was dead, and they approved the war with eight votes in favor and one abstention.
• Iwagakure began mobilizing for war, while Madara Uchiha told Black Zetsu to make Obito Uchiha inherit his will and revive Madara with Rinne Rebirth if necessary.

After Iwagakure broke the peace and declared war on Konoha, Tsunade prepared the village’s defenses while Dan Katō promised to marry her. Didaze led Iwagakure’s massive army toward Konoha and attacked the Four Red Yang Formation, unaware that most of the village’s shinobi had already evacuated.

• After returning to Konoha, Uchiha Fugaku saw the Third Hokage step down, Tsunade succeed him, and the Uchiha Clan move away from the village outskirts.
• Iwagakure tore up its treaty with Konoha and declared war, prompting Tsunade and Dan Katō to discuss the opposing forces and the chance that other villages would intervene.
• Tsunade agreed to marry Dan Katō, and he urged them to wed immediately rather than wait until the war ended.
• Didaze rallied Iwagakure’s shinobi with promises of victory and rewards, then led an army of thirty thousand toward Konoha.
• Tsunade sent Konoha’s shinobi out of the village and joined Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Orochimaru in raising the Four Red Yang Formation as a decoy and defense.
• Didaze recognized that Konoha had been evacuated, but used C5: Annihilation against the formation, confident that his rapidly recovering chakra would let him keep attacking.

Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation to summon Hashirama Senju, who faced Didaze after the others retreated. Their battle escalated as Didaze destroyed Hashirama’s forest technique, and Hashirama summoned a Gate of the Great God above him.

• Orochimaru summoned Hashirama Senju with Impure World Reincarnation after Didaze’s attacks strained the Four Red Yang Formation.
• Hashirama Senju recognized Tsunade, assessed Didaze’s strength, and sent the others away before confronting him.
• Didaze attacked with C5: Annihilation, but Hashirama Senju’s Wood Human Technique absorbed the explosion.
• Hashirama Senju used Flowering Deep Forest Emergence, and Didaze destroyed the trees with an enhanced Sun bomb.
• Hashirama Senju entered Sage Mode and summoned a Gate of the Great God above Didaze as the Six-Tails warned him to dodge.

Didaze battled Hashirama Senju, using Six-Tails corrosion and Wood Release while Hashirama struggled against the chakra limits of Impure World Reincarnation. Meanwhile, Ōnoki learned that Hashirama had been resurrected and ordered Iwagakure’s army to continue its invasion of the Land of Fire.

• Didaze used his Six-Tails transformation and Sage Art: Corrosion to overcome Hashirama’s Wood Expulsion Technique.
• Hashirama failed to summon True Several Thousand Hands because Impure World Reincarnation had limited his chakra, and he chose to defend while hoping to buy time for Tsunade and the others.
• Didaze recognized Hashirama’s defensive strategy and used Wood Release to attack him, turning their fight into a stalemate and a chance to practice.
• Ōnoki sent a Jonin to investigate the explosions near Konoha, and the Jonin reported that the resurrected Hashirama was fighting Didaze.
• After hearing that Didaze had Hashirama on the back foot, Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure’s army to keep advancing and annex the Land of Fire.

Tsunade led Konoha’s forty thousand shinobi against Iwagakure, hoping to defeat them while Didaze was occupied. The battle began with the villages’ strongest fighters clashing, and Iwagakure focused its assault on Tsunade.

• Tsunade met with Uchiha Fugaku and learned that all forty thousand Konoha shinobi had assembled.
• Tsunade rallied the army and led it toward Iwagakure, where the two forces soon collided.
• Tsunade challenged Ōnoki over Iwagakure’s invasion, but Ōnoki attacked her and ordered his forces to advance.
• Kushina and Nanako began fighting with their Adamantine Sealing Chains while Minato attacked Ōnoki and Tsunade engaged Han and Kōdo.
• Roshi entered Partial Tailed Beast Transformation and attacked Tsunade with Lava Release as Iwagakure targeted her first.