Well things are coming to a head across all three manga at the moment, each seem to be competing for our attention. In the Naruto manga we fairly recently saw the conclusion of a massive battle between Naruto and Pain and after a few chapters of plot building we see Sasuke accompanied by the newly re-formed and re-named band of rogues, Taka (鷹 Hawk) which was formally known as Hebi,  heading toward the summit of the Five Kages.

Hawk/Taka formally known as Hebi

What is their purpose there? Well their new mission is plain and simple, the complete destruction of Konoha as vengeance for the Uchicha genocide, as Sasuke believes they were the ones who gave the order.

Upon arriving at the summit, they waste little time getting noticed. Although everyone in the summit was tipped off by the Akatsuki member, Zetsu who appears right in the middle of the summit between all five Kages. After hearing that Sasuke was nearby, the Raikage is the leader of Kumogakure immediately heads out to stop him at all costs.

Raikage Fan Art

Chapter 461 opens with this fight and we see that this won’t be an easy fight for Hawk, as the Raikage and his team are skillful enough to hold their own. Not to mention the Raikage, being the younger brother of Killer Bee, the jinchūriki of the Eight-Tailed beast, is quite strong – strong enough to battle without a weapon and utilises his brute strength to even snap Suigetsu’s sword in half.

Meanwhile back at the summit, amongst all the commotion going on outside, the conspiracy continues as Danzo is revealed to be controlling another Kage with his Sharingan which was an eye transplanted from the body of Shisui Uchiha. As the other Kages seemingly continue the infighting between each other in deciding whether or not to have a single overall leader for all the hidden villages and then who exactly that should be, as they attempt to band together to destroy Akatsuki.

Here, Gaara, steps forward with wisdom that belies his years and challenges the other Kages by asking them how and when they lost themselves. It seems like he remains the only honourable person amongst all these leaders with their own hidden agendas. Will he join them and lead them forward?

The conclusion of this chapter is when we see Jugo enter his ultimate transformation that essentially turns him into a crazed killing machine. We are then left to wait to discover whether or not the Raikage and his team have the ability to stop Jugo in his blood thirsty mode and what exactly will happen if Hawk, lead by Sasuke break this first line of defence.

Let me know what you thought of this chapter below. Things are really picking up. Who will be facing Hawk next and who will lead the hidden villages against Sasuke and Akatsuki?