Chapter Summaries

After becoming Hokage, Ayato reflected on revealing Naruto’s identity and discussed the transition of duties with Tsunade and Jiraiya. He chose Shikaku Nara as his secretary and planned for Shikamaru to eventually take over the role.

• Naruto thanked Ayato for revealing his identity, and Ayato encouraged him to keep working toward his promise.
• Jiraiya thanked Ayato for helping Naruto reclaim his identity, then reported that he had intelligence to share with the Hokage.
• Ayato teased Tsunade about how to address her, and she allowed him to call her Teacher.
• Tsunade offered Shizune as Ayato’s secretary, but Ayato said he had chosen Shikaku Nara instead.
• Ayato said Shikamaru could inherit his father’s work when he grew up.

As the new Sixth Hokage, Ayato requested Tsunade’s permission to study the First Hokage’s Cells and received Jiraiya’s intelligence about Akatsuki. Tsunade began handing over Hokage duties, while news of Ayato’s inauguration and his actions against Root spread among the ninja villages.

• Ayato asked Tsunade to let him use the First Hokage’s Cells to research Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode, and she agreed.
• Jiraiya reported that the Evil God Sect could link lives through blood and shared what he had learned about Hidan and Kakuzu.
• Jiraiya said he had heard that Akatsuki might have captured Kumogakure’s Two-Tails, and Ayato asked Shizune to send the intelligence to villages with tailed beasts.
• Jiraiya left to visit Naruto, while Tsunade explained the Hokage’s duties to Ayato, who resolved to discuss administrative reform with Shikaku Nara.
• News of Ayato becoming Hokage and uprooting Root spread, drawing cheers in Konoha while the other villages showed little reaction amid their own troubles.

Orochimaru became fascinated by Ayato after hearing how he defeated Danzo, while Ayato discussed reducing the Hokage’s authority with Shikaku Nara. The Sky Ninja attacked Konoha seeking revenge, but Ayato wiped them out with a Railgun and shadow-cloned projectiles.

• Orochimaru laughed at Danzo’s downfall, concluded that Ayato had likely overwhelmed him, and decided to keep watching Ayato while seeking strength to throw the shinobi world into chaos.
• Orochimaru transformed into Kabuto and began investigating at a graveyard.
• Ayato and Shikaku Nara agreed to discuss delegating some Hokage powers with the Advisors.
• Ayato spotted flying ninja and learned from Shikaku that they belonged to the supposedly defeated Sky Ninja Village, which had come to take revenge.
• Ayato reassured Konoha’s residents, then used a Railgun and Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique to shoot down the Sky Ninja before they could attack.

Ayato defeated the Sky Ninja’s attack on Konoha and sent Kakashi to destroy their hideout and obtain their flight technology. A boy from a village attacked by the Sky Ninja arrived seeking help, and Ayato went to investigate after learning that Shennong was also in Konoha.

• Ayato destroyed the Sky Ninja’s weapons and explosives above Konoha, while villagers cheered for him.
• Ayato ordered Kakashi to find and destroy the Sky Ninja hideout, and Kakashi chose Shikamaru, Shino, and Ino for the mission.
• Ayato and Shikaku Nara pressed Kakashi about marriage, and Kakashi said he had already chosen someone.
• Ayato asked Kakashi to summon Asuma to handle arrangements for the Hokage inauguration with the daimyo.
• Kotetsu Hagane reported that an exhausted boy from a village attacked by the Sky Ninja had arrived seeking help from Konoha and his teacher, Shennong.
• Ayato learned that Shennong was in Konoha and went with Shikaku Nara to the hospital to see the boy.

Ayato recognized that Shennong was suspicious after the Sky Ninja attack and arranged a mission to escort the injured boy and help his village. He sent Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura to protect the villagers openly while Neji Hyuga and Jugo watched Shennong in secret.

• Ayato and Shikaku Nara visited Konoha Hospital, where Shennong finished treating Ame Ryu and claimed he had come to study medical arts under Tsunade.
• Shennong feared Ayato had seen through him, regretted losing some of his Sky Ninja forces, and remained determined to complete his Zero-Tails plan.
• Shikaku Nara told Ayato that Shennong seemed suspicious, and Ayato confirmed that Shennong had been afraid of him.
• Ayato assigned Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura to escort the injured boy and protect the villagers, then sent Neji Hyuga and Jugo to watch Shennong covertly.
• Ayato reflected on Neji's resentment over the Caged Bird Curse Mark and asked Shikaku Nara to arrange a meeting with the Advisors.

Ayato reviewed the confiscated Root resources and roster, assigned Root members to the Anbu, and discussed Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan with him. After revealing that Itachi was badly injured and might not live long, Ayato sent Sasuke away determined to awaken his Mangekyo before they met; Ayato then headed to the Conference Room for his final meeting of the day.

• Sasuke delivered Root's confiscated resources and roster to Ayato, who ordered the members dispersed through the Anbu under close watch and assigned Sai to Tenzō's team.
• Ayato gave Sasuke authorization to take over as Anbu Captain Commander when the current commander retired and asked about his progress toward awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.
• Ayato described a plan to use Kurama Yakumo's Kekkei Genkai and his own Spirit Transformation Technique to make Sasuke awaken the Mangekyo, but Sasuke rejected the method because it resembled Itachi's path.
• Ayato told Sasuke that he had severely injured Itachi and that Itachi might not have much time left, then assured him that Itachi would come to Konoha to find him.
• Sasuke left determined to awaken the Mangekyo quickly, and Shikaku Nara later told Ayato that everyone was waiting for him in the Conference Room.

Ayato’s conference passed smoothly, and he collected Hashirama Cells while explaining how his Sage Art Spiritualized Shadow Clone let him govern without exhausting himself. Tsunade confronted him over decentralizing Hokage authority, then accepted his reasoning and stayed for dinner.

• Ayato and Shikaku Nara finished the conference, where most proposals passed after Shikaku answered Tsunade’s questions.
• Ayato collected Hashirama Cells from Konoha’s warehouse and sent them to his real body, revealing that the Hokage handling official affairs was a Sage Art Spiritualized Shadow Clone.
• Tsunade confronted Ayato for not proposing decentralization when she was Hokage, and Ayato explained that only a sufficiently strong Hokage could safely share power.
• Tsunade understood Ayato’s reasoning and then asked Shizune to bring out the dishes, revealing that she had come to mooch a meal.

Ayato and Tsunade discussed setting up Shizune and Kakashi, and Shizune secretly considered the match while overhearing them. Elsewhere, Neji saw Shennong fake his death during an attack by Sky Ninja and suspected he had a hidden plan.

• Ayato persuaded Tsunade to consider matching Shizune with Kakashi, while he volunteered to approach Kakashi.
• Shizune overheard the conversation and privately weighed Kakashi as a potential partner.
• Tsunade and Ayato saw Shizune bring out the food and silently agreed that Ayato would handle Kakashi.
• Neji watched Shennong take bullets while protecting Ame Ryu during a Sky Ninja attack and used his Byakugan to confirm that Shennong was only pretending to be dead.

Ame Ryu’s grief awakened Zero-Tails, a dark creature that attacked Naruto and his companions. Neji rescued Naruto and revealed that Shennong had survived, while Naruto fought Zero-Tails and helped Ame Ryu regain consciousness.

• Neji recognized that Shennong was connected to the Sky Ninja and realized he had provoked the power within Ame Ryu.
• Ame Ryu transformed as Zero-Tails emerged, and the Nine-Tails told Naruto that the creature was not a Tailed Beast.
• Naruto attacked Zero-Tails with Shadow Clones and a Rasengan, but it regenerated and bound him.
• Neji broke Zero-Tails’ tentacles with Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm and told Naruto that Shennong was still alive.
• Naruto fought Zero-Tails again while urging Ame Ryu to wake up, and the creature stopped regenerating when she regained consciousness.

After Neji revealed his suspicions that Shennong had betrayed Ame Ryu, Naruto’s group decided to investigate the Sky Ninja ruins and search for the missing villagers. As they entered, the ruins transformed into the flying fortress Ancor Vantian.

• Neji told Ame Ryu that Ayato suspected Shennong was involved with the Sky Ninja, and explained how Shennong had faked his death.
• Ame Ryu rejected the accusations, but Naruto proposed going to the Sky Ninja ruins to learn the truth.
• Hinata said the village was empty, so Neji agreed the group should search the ruins for captured villagers before confronting Shennong.
• Neji assigned the group their roles and led them into the ruins, while Jugo followed them in secret.
• The ground shook, ancient stone pillars rose, and the ruins transformed into the flying fortress Ancor Vantian.

Neji’s team discovered that the Sky Fortress was airborne and headed for its center, where they found Shennong alive and leading the Sky Ninja. Shennong revealed that he had deceived Ame Ryu to awaken Zero-Tails and wield Dark Chakra, then unleashed its power.

• The Sky Fortress began flying, forcing Neji’s group to abandon their search for the villagers and head toward its control center.
• Hinata used her Byakugan to lead the group through the fortress, avoiding guards along the way.
• Hinata spotted someone resembling Shennong in a hall, and Ame Ryu rushed ahead to find him seated on a throne.
• Shennong revealed that he had faked his death, found Konoha’s Zero-Tails Revival Scroll, and gained the power of Dark Chakra.
• Shennong admitted that he had attacked Ame Ryu’s village to make Zero-Tails possess her and had used her trust in him as part of his plan.
• Shennong erupted in black Chakra and said Dark Chakra could do more than revive Zero-Tails.

Shennong transformed using the Body Activation Technique and claimed he could open all Eight Gates, but Neji challenged him while Naruto went after the Zero-Tails and Hinata, Sakura, Jugo, and Ame Ryu went to rescue the villagers. Neji endured Shennong’s attacks and fought back, and the chapter ended with Shennong’s fist stopping just before Neji’s face as his body froze.

• Shennong transformed with the Body Activation Technique and boasted that he could open all Eight Gates, while Neji recognized that his power was far below Rock Lee’s.
• Hinata located the source of Shennong’s power and the passage leading to it, so Neji sent Naruto to confront the Zero-Tails and Hinata, Sakura, Ame Ryu, and Jugo to rescue the villagers.
• Neji stayed behind to face Shennong, but Shennong shattered his Rotation and repeatedly knocked him into the walls with powerful attacks.
• Neji adapted to Shennong’s speed and kept attacking with the Eight Trigrams techniques, then endured a direct punch and charged back through the dust.
• Shennong launched his Super Transformation Divine Fist again, but his body froze and his fist stopped just before Neji’s face.

Neji weakened Shennong and pursued him through the Sky Fortress, while Hinata, Sakura, and Jugo fought their way to the imprisoned villagers. Hinata helped free Ame Ryu’s companions, leaving the rescue team poised to stop the villagers from supplying the Zero-Tails with Dark Chakra.

• Neji disrupted Shennong’s forbidden body-modification technique, reducing him to a frail old man, but Shennong escaped through a hidden passage after using smoke bombs.
• Neji realized Shennong might reach the Zero-Tails and hurried along Naruto’s route instead of following him through the passage.
• Hinata, Sakura, and Jugo fought through the Sky Fortress, with Hinata using Guardian - Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms combined with the Chakra Scalpel to defeat the Sky Ninja.
• The group reached the final room and found Ame Ryu’s companions imprisoned in a cage, appearing dejected and drained.
• Sakura broke open the cage, and Ame Ryu walked toward her companions.

Naruto and Neji escaped the Sky Fortress after Shennong unleashed Zero-Tails, whose regeneration depended on the captive villagers. Ayato destroyed the fortress, the mission ended successfully, and Ame Ryu kissed Naruto goodbye.

• Naruto fought Zero-Tails as it repeatedly regenerated, and Neji explained that the rescued villagers were likely the source of its power.
• Shennong removed Zero-Tails' restrictions, but its tentacles devoured him as it began a final rampage.
• Neji and Naruto escaped with Hinata, Sakura, Jugo, Ame Ryu, and the rescued villagers aboard an airship while Naruto's Shadow Clone launched it.
• Ayato used a Railgun and the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique to pierce the Sky Fortress, which broke apart and crashed into the sea.
• Kakashi reported that Ino had obtained information about the Sky Ninja device, and Ayato told him to hand it to the research department.
• Ame Ryu kissed Naruto on the cheek as a farewell and wished him and Hinata happiness, leaving Naruto blushing.

Ayato questioned Neji about removing the Caged Bird Curse Mark and warned that freeing the Branch Family could expose them to kidnapping and exploitation. He proposed making the Main Family bear the mark too, leaving Neji to consider a startling path toward fairness.

• Ayato heard Neji and Kakashi report on the mission, praised Neji’s performance, and noted Hinata’s new Protective Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms technique.
• Ayato asked Neji to record how Shennong used the Eight Gates so Tsunade could study it, then spoke with Neji alone about the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
• Neji said he wanted the mark removed for himself and, if possible, the entire Branch Family.
• Ayato warned that removing the mark for everyone could leave the Hyuga vulnerable to outsiders and Konoha members seeking their Byakugan, forcing the Branch Family into confinement for protection.
• Ayato offered ways to address the problem and suggested placing the Caged Bird Curse Mark on the Main Family as well to make the arrangement fair.

Ayato explained to Neji that the Caged Bird Curse Mark’s lethal control was unnecessary to Konoha and offered to remove Neji’s mark. Neji resolved to use his freedom to try to change the Hyuga Clan, though Ayato left the choice and challenge to him.

• Neji guessed Ayato wanted the Hyuga Main Family branded with the Caged Bird Curse Mark, and Ayato denied seeking control over the clan.
• Ayato argued that Konoha only needed the mark to protect the Byakugan after a bearer’s death, while its other restrictions did not serve the village.
• Ayato offered to remove Neji’s Caged Bird Curse Mark but said changing the Hyuga Clan’s rules would have to be Neji’s own effort.
• Neji recalled his father’s suffering under the mark and told Ayato he would do his best to bring change.
• Neji thanked Ayato for helping him, and Ayato said he hoped Neji would make his earlier idea come true.

Neji told Ayato he wanted to change the Caged Bird Curse Mark, and Ayato promised to support him. After hearing Neji’s resolve, Hyuga Hiashi agreed to remove his curse mark and saw Neji as a possible turning point for the Hyuga Clan.

• Neji left the Hokage Building resolved to grow stronger and free himself and other Branch Family members from the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
• Ayato revealed that Hyuga Hiashi had heard Neji’s conversation and asked what he thought about changing the curse mark.
• Hiashi explained that the Main Family’s privilege made reform difficult, but he hoped Neji could become a turning point.
• Ayato asked Hiashi why he had placed the curse mark on Hizashi in front of Neji, but Hiashi kept the reason private.
• Ayato urged Hiashi to remove Neji’s curse mark and let the clan elders believe the Hokage supported the decision; Hiashi agreed and left to do so.

Ayato reviewed the Hyuga Clan’s troubled history, judging Hiashi’s actions while criticizing the Third Hokage’s handling of the Kumogakure crisis. He set the incomplete records aside and turned his attention to his true body’s research in Shikkotsu Forest, which had finally made progress.

• Ayato recalled how Hizashi’s resentment and killing intent toward Hinata led Hiashi to activate the Caged Bird Curse Mark in front of Neji.
• Ayato concluded that Hiashi had been justified in punishing Hizashi and considered Hiashi a steadier Hyuga Clan Head than Hizashi would have been.
• Ayato examined the Hyuga Clan’s past conflicts with Konoha, including Hiashi’s absence from an alliance celebration and the Kumogakure plot that ended with Hizashi dying in Hiashi’s place.
• Ayato criticized the Third Hokage for agreeing to surrender Hiashi’s corpse to Kumogakure, though he recognized the pressures Konoha faced at the time.
• Ayato put away the incomplete records, considered Neji and Hanabi important to the Hyuga Clan’s future, and looked toward Shikkotsu Forest as his true body’s research began to yield results.

Ayato experimented with Hashirama Cells and a Katsuyu split body before mastering Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode with his own body. He discovered that the mode greatly strengthened his physical constitution and healing, and considered how his cells might develop further with Yang Release.

• Ayato found that Hashirama Cells could absorb Natural Energy but needed spiritual energy, so he tested them in a Katsuyu split body using the Spirit Transformation Technique.
• Ayato used the Hashirama Cells to absorb Natural Energy without being overwhelmed, but struggled to complete the Sage Mode experiment in the borrowed body.
• Ayato returned to his true body and completed the final experiment, gaining Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode without transplanting Hashirama Cells.
• Ayato compared the mode with Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode and found that it specialized in physical strength, vitality, and rapid healing.
• Ayato tested the healing by cutting his arm and found that even blood outside his body showed no signs of dying.

Ayato remained in Shikkotsu Forest to master its Sage Mode while his clone handled Hokage duties in Konoha. The Third Hokage delivered him a letter from Itachi intended for Sasuke, and Ayato set out to deliver it himself.

• Ayato planned to research combining the Sage Modes of the Three Great Sage Areas and continued training in Shikkotsu Forest.
• Shikaku Nara discussed Ayato's intervention in the Hyuga Clan's affairs and reflected on how Ayato's strength had changed Konoha.
• The Third Hokage visited Ayato and Shikaku in the Hokage Office and handed Ayato a letter.
• Ayato and Shikaku discovered that the letter was from Itachi, who asked the Third Hokage to pass a final message to Sasuke through Ayato.
• Ayato left the Hokage Office to find Sasuke, while Shikaku stayed behind to finish the remaining work.