Volume Fifty-Two Manga Summary

[Hiro Onoyuga]

Chapter 483: "Master and Student Meet Again!!" - Kakashi finds Sakura's team knocked out and awakens Kiba enough to get her location. He moves them to safety and then goes in pursuit. At the bridge, Sasuke asks why Sakura would join him. She moves closer and states she regretted not leaving with him. Sasuke asks if she knows his plans. She says she doesn't care but he reveals his goal is to crush Konoha. Sakura is shocked and Sasuke asks if she'd really betray them? To prove herself, he directs her to kill Karin. The barely conscious Karin watches on as Sakura withdraws a kunai. Sakura asks who the woman is. Sasuke says she's a useless member of Team Hawk, and a medical ninja which Sakura could replace. Sakura ponders that Sasuke is a different person and completely heartless. She walks closer to Karin and tries to steady her nerves, knowing that she could end it all by stabbing Sasuke. With her back turned, Sasuke moves to kill Sakura with Chidori. She quickly turns in time to see Kakashi knock Sasuke's hand away. He chides his former student for falling so far and then kicks him backwards. Kakashi asks Sakura if she was trying to kill Sasuke by herself. She remains silent and he offers that she doesn't have to take on the burden by herself. As the leader of Team 7 it's his own fault things went this far and he should never have told her years ago that things would go back to normal. He wonders if he was just trying to convince himself, as he's been a terrible sensei to them all. Kakashi says he hates having to repeat himself, but he pleas for Sasuke to give up his obsession with revenge. Sasuke releases a loud laugh and says to bring back his family; then he'll stop. Kakashi states that he doesn't want to kill him. Sasuke retorts that his former master thinks he's capable of such a feat? He's longed to kill him so badly. Kakashi ponders that Madara has corrupted Sasuke, he then directs Sakura to take Karin to safety and heal her. Sakura asks what he'll do, and he says he'll see this through with the same determination she showed. He directs her to leave and offers that no matter how far Orochimaru fell, Sandaime Hokage always looked at his former student with affection. Revealing his Sharingan, Kakashi offers that he understands how Sandaime felt. Sasuke smiles and offers that Kakashi and Sandaime will have plenty to talk about then when he joins him...





Chapter 484: "Here's Team 7!!" - Sakura heals an unmoving Karin, who voices a silent plea cursing Sakura for crying, as it's making her cry as well. A distance away, Sasuke chides Kakashi as being unworthy of the Sharingan. Elsewhere Naruto rushes onwards through the forest, considering the advice about how to handle Sasuke given to him by Itachi, Gaara and the Raikage. With their words in mind, he affirms he won't make a decision until he sees Sasuke again. Below the bridge, Sasuke unleashes a Susanoo arrow. The water explodes and Kakashi concludes the attack was so fast he could only warp it away with Kamui. Kakashi asks if that's Susanoo and Sasuke offers disbelief Kakashi could awaken the Mangekyou. Kakashi pleas again for Sasuke to look in his heart, as it can't be totally dark. Sasuke drops his guard and gets a flash of the Konoha Genin. Sasuke yells out that he only sees them laughing, ignorant of the sacrifice Itachi made. He yells that all he hears in their laughter is ridicule, but he'll change it to screams of anguish. As Kakashi watches on, Susanoo grows, gaining armor to resemble Itachi's version. On the bridge, Karin offers that Sasuke has grown so dark that she doesn't recognize him anymore. Sasuke suddenly grabs his eyes in pain and the Susanoo shudders, returning to its skeletal form and then nothing. Sasuke looks on with dim vision, attempting to focus. On the bridge, a healed Karin sits and asks the absent Sakura what she plans to do. Sasuke wipes at his eyes and Kakashi looks on wondering why Sakura came back. Behind Sasuke, on the underneath side of the bridge, Sakura maneuvers with kunai in hand. Thinking that she can't let Kakashi carry the burden she launches herself to stab Sasuke in the back. While she moves, she attempts to affirm herself and thinks back over her promise with the others and her own history with her former teammate. She suddenly stops with the kunai inches away from Sasuke's back, as her drive to kill him fails her. Sasuke quickly turns and grabs her by the throat. Kakashi rushes on, cursing himself that this had to happen during his Mangekyou recovery time. Sasuke grabs the kunai from Sakura's hand and moves to kill her. Before he can do so, Sakura is safely removed from his grip into the protective arms of a kunai grazed Naruto, who turns to make eye contact with Sasuke...



Sasuke & Naruto

Chapter 485: "Close... Yet So Far..." - As the two men lock eyes, Kakashi charges and forces Sasuke to retreat. Kakashi offers that Naruto was an unexpected but welcome arrival. Naruto reminds Sasuke that Sakura was part of Team 7, but the other says he's not part of that team any longer. Naruto explains that he heard about what happened with the Uchiha from Tobi, and he understands why he's doing it. Sasuke tells him to shut it, as he told him once before he would never know his loss. An angered Sakura yells that Naruto still considers him a friend and has faith in him. Sasuke proclaims that he just killed Danzou, and it was like a weight was lifted by helping cleanse the Uchiha name. And he'll realize Konoha's dreams of wiping the Uchiha from everyone's memories by killing every last one of them. Kakashi ponders that Naruto and Sakura don't yet understand how the hatred of the previous era has shaped the Uchiha and Sasuke, but they will in time. Naruto forms a clone but Kakashi tells them to retreat. He offers that the poison kunai Sakura was using wouldn't have been enough anyway, he should handle things. On the bridge, Karin affirms that she's done with Sasuke for good. Down below, Sasuke charges Chidori and approaches his former comrades. Naruto asks Kakashi if he plans to kill Sasuke. His former sensei does not answer, causing Naruto's clone to grab and hold him. Naruto himself charges Sasuke with Rasengan and the two men move to connect their strikes. In an alternate plane, Naruto and Sasuke stand staring at each other. Naruto explains that he grew up hated because of the Kyuubi and wanted revenge. One wrong move and he could have ended up like Sasuke is now, but he found people who cared for him. Naruto explains how he saw they were similar, he was jealous, but he also wanted to be just like Sasuke. In the end, he's glad they met. Sasuke warns him again that he'll kill him and everyone in the village. So, Sasuke explains, he has a choice, Naruto can kill him or be killed. Naruto says he'll be neither, as the attacks explode he offers that he'll...



Sasuke & Naruto

Chapter 486: "Fist" - The attacks explode, sending both men flying backwards. Kakashi catches Naruto, while Zetsu arrives to protect Sasuke. He reveals he was sent by Madara to monitor Sasuke. Naruto announces that he now knows for sure what to do. Elsewhere Madara ponders that he'll need to collect the Rinnegan before the war breaks out and Zetsu's clone emerges to fill him in on the current predicament. Kakashi asks Naruto what he means and the young man stares intently at his former teammate. Madara swirls into view and chides Sasuke for not resting. He notices Naruto and says they can fight properly later. Zetsu creates clones and offers that they should take the Kyuubi, but Madara offers that Zetsu is not a good match up for Naruto, Sasuke can handle it later. He then directs Zetsu to rejoin his black half and find Kisame. Naruto walks forward and announces he has something to say. Madara motions for them to go but Sasuke asks for him to wait. Naruto asks if Sasuke remembers what he said at the Valley of the End, how first class ninja could see what is in their opponent's heart by just exchanging blows once? Naruto offers that he saw what was in Sasuke's heart, but did Sasuke see what was in his? If they fight, they'll both die. Naruto explains to Sasuke that if he attacks Konoha, Naruto will shoulder his hatred and die with him. Sasuke demands to know why he would do that? Naruto says it's because they're friends, and they can see what is in the other's heart with fists alone. He offers that he's not giving up on Sasuke, but he's not going to bother trying to change his mind with words. And if they both die, they'll be free of the burden of “Uchiha” and “Kyuubi”. Sasuke retorts that he doesn't plan to die and doesn't want to understand. Kakashi tells Naruto not to throw his life away, but Naruto offers that he can't become Hokage if he can't even save one friend. He'll fight Sasuke...



Zetsu

Chapter 487: "The Battle Begins...!!" - Sasuke chuckles, offering that he'll kill Naruto first. Sakura chastises herself for being too weak to carry out her plans, and concludes she must believe in both Naruto and Sasuke. Kakashi tells Sakura to take care of his body, as he'll take out Madara with his Mangekyou. Madara says that would be useless and that it's time to go. Looking towards Naruto with dim vision, Sasuke tells Madara he wants to speak with him. The Akatsuki swirl away and Naruto offers that he'll be ready. At the Akatsuki base, Sasuke declares that he wants Itachi's eyes. Madara says that's to be expected with Sasuke's extensive Susanoo usage. He then asks what changed Sasuke's mind? Sasuke affirms that he wants to destroy Naruto at full power, as it’s the only way to reject everything Naruto stands for. Back at the bridge, Sakura internally thanks Naruto... who suddenly fall unconscious with a foamy mouth. Sakura and Kakashi realize it’s from the poison kunai which grazed Naruto's cheek. With an antidote administered, Sakura apologizes to Naruto. Kakashi hoists Karin onto his back and warns her not to try anything. She asks why she would even bother and then mulls over finally meeting Naruto. At Kumo, Raikage and Killer Bee are happily greeted by a gathering of Cloud ninja, including a crying Omoi. Omoi asks what the thing on Bee's back is, and the Jinchuuriki explains that it's a Mist Seven Sword that's taken a liking to him. Back at the battlefield where Kisame died, White and Black Zetsu bury Kisame’s body. Black Zetsu affirms that he recorded the battle and White asks where Samehada is. Black explains that the Hachibi took it and White asks if that means... In Kumo, inside Samehada's mouth lurks a hidden Kisame. Kisame calculates that he'll have to be very careful from here, remembering how Madara ordered him to hunt the Hachibi carefully. Madara directs him to use White Zetsu's perfect clone making abilities to act as a diversion. This will give him the chance to sneak into the Lighting Country. Kisame contemplates that he never would have guess Samehada would betray him, but it made it easier for him to sneak in anyway. The Zetsus offer that the Cloud sensor ninja can't detect Kisame, probably because Samehada always used Kisame's chakra. White Zetsu offers that it wasn't easy switching places with Kisame, and the Black directs them to remerge and feed. Elsewhere, ninja from Waterfall rush an industrial hallway. They desperately look back to locate their pursuer. Snakes quickly dart out to encircle them and the cloaked figure offers that he's still getting use to his new powers. With Orochimaru-style eyes and scaled skin, Kabuto smiles and offers that it's probably time to move...





Chapter 488: "The Villages" - On TV monitors, the five feudal lords of the great shinobi nations debate signing off on the ninja village alliance. The Water lord is hesitant, but finally relents when the other nations authorize the joint force. Tenga, who administrated the taping of the meeting, declares the force approved. Elsewhere Kakashi shows where he stashed their sleeping comrades, and directs Sakura to apologize profusely when they waken. Naruto walks over to Lee and promptly collapses to sleep beside him. Sakura yells at him, but Karin offers that she's the one who poisoned the kunai which affected him. Sakura is shamed into silence but smiles. In Suna, Kiri and Tsuchi the Kages return and are greeted with news of the feudal lords approval. Back in the forest, Kiba yells about everyone being selfish. Naruto tells him to quit whining but Kiba retorts that Naruto has been whining since Sasuke left the first time. Sai chimes in with his own view point and soon the young men are trading verbal barbs. Looking at Naruto, Karin considers how Naruto is the exact opposite of Sasuke, so warm and bright. She's suddenly shaken by a sense of evil deep inside Naruto. Three cloaked figures arrive, and ask Sai what happened. Sai identifies them as Root and states that with their tongue seals gone, it can only mean Danzou is dead. For that reason Root should talk with their new Hokage. Back in Konoha, Shizune calls out Tsunade's name from her side. Some time later, the Leaf rookies discuss Naruto's decision to fight Sasuke alone. Shikamaru asks Naruto if he's trying to protect Sasuke, but Naruto says no. The others chime in demanding to know why he couldn't have taken out Sasuke but Naruto says it's not that easy, he couldn't defeat Sasuke at his current level. He states he's the only one who can face Sasuke, and he can only explain it when the time is right. Sakura wonders what he is hiding and Naruto excuses himself to get some ramen. Elsewhere in the village, Koharu and Homura acknowledge to Kakashi that they need a leader going into the alliance, so they'll accept his appointment as Kage. Kakashi accepts and a short time later he stands before the Fire Daimyou. The lord begins his official declaration but is suddenly interrupted by a runner bringing urgent news. Back in Konoha, Shizune and fellow medical ninja cry. Shizune moves to embrace Tsunade and the newly awakened and rejuvenated Hokage chides Shizune for squeezing too hard. At Akatsuki's base, Madara warns that Sasuke will need time to recuperate and asks if he's in pain? With bandages over his eyes, Sasuke smiles and states he can feel Itachi's power flowing into his own, making him stronger...

[Ace Akau]

The Chapter is supah OWNAGE!!