Recaps

Sakura Haruno served as the examiner for White Fox’s Anbu induction assessment and faced him in a spar. After easily countering his opening attacks, she left the match underway with White Fox’s Fire Style technique narrowly missing her.

• Sakura noticed the slash on White Fox’s uniform and realized Katsura U had used his surprise-attack trick on him.
• Kenichi appointed Sakura, codename Kite, as White Fox’s examiner, and the others watched from a nearby balcony.
• White Fox began the assessment with a volley of shuriken, which Sakura blocked using her Ice Release: Legion Ice Clone Technique.
• White Fox attacked with the Great Fireball Technique, and Sakura escaped its blast with the Substitution Technique.

Sakura Haruno tested the newcomer White Fox in an Anbu examination, holding back until she demonstrated the overwhelming gap between their abilities. White Fox conceded defeat and passed, while Yuichi Taketori approved Sakura’s Special Jonin examination; the story paused as someone opened the door downstairs.

• Sakura Haruno and White Fox fought with Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and ninja tools, though Yuichi Taketori recognized that Sakura was suppressing her strength.
• White Fox realized he could not touch Sakura and asked to see what she could really do.
• Sakura used the Body Flicker Technique and Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals to appear behind White Fox with an ice blade at his neck, and he admitted defeat.
• Kenichi approved White Fox for Anbu, while Shino said he was not suited to join the Fourteenth Squad.
• Yuichi Taketori marked Sakura’s examination as passed and prepared to take her away, but Shino hinted that she might fight more opponents before someone opened the door downstairs.

Sakura Haruno examined Sasuke Uchiha for entry into the Anbu, and their fight began with both former Team 7 teammates demonstrating powerful techniques. The chapter left them clashing weapons at close range, with the outcome undecided.

• Katsura U brought Sasuke Uchiha to the Anbu examination, and Sasuke chose Sakura Haruno as his chief examiner.
• Sakura and Sasuke exchanged the Seal of Confrontation and began their fight while the others watched from the stands.
• Sakura used Ice Release armor to withstand Sasuke's Great Fireball Technique, then shattered it with a punch.
• Sasuke revealed his Chidori Short Sword, and Sakura formed two ice butterfly knives.
• Sakura and Sasuke charged and crossed blades for the first time.

Sasuke and Sakura Haruno fought a close-quarters swordsmanship match during his examination, with Sasuke using White Fang Swordsmanship and Sakura answering with her modified Eight Slashing Blades. They traded hundreds of moves without a clear winner and paused to catch their breath, leaving the spectators impressed and wondering who was stronger in close combat.

• Sasuke and Sakura Haruno exchanged opening strikes, and Sakura urged him to attack with his full strength while keeping her own Monstrous Strength Technique restrained.
• Sasuke unleashed his Lightning Release, Sharingan, and newly learned White Fang Swordsmanship to attack Sakura at greater speed and force.
• Sakura met Sasuke with her twin butterfly swords and used her modified Eight Slashing Blades alongside Cherry Blossom Impact.
• Sasuke and Sakura fought at close range, their blades clashing dozens of times as their speed and techniques kept them evenly matched.
• After exchanging hundreds of moves without a result, Sasuke and Sakura retreated to catch their breath, while Katsura U wondered which fighter was stronger in close combat.

Sakura Haruno defeated Sasuke in an Anbu assessment, and Kenichi passed him after he demonstrated the Lightning Blade Torrent. Sakura then received the solo mission required for her Special Jonin assessment: capture the key figures at an underground bounty station that might be linked to Kakuzu.

• Sasuke admitted Sakura had surpassed him, ended their spar, and asked whether his performance was enough to pass.
• Kenichi asked Sasuke to demonstrate another powerful technique against Sakura's clone, and the Lightning Blade Torrent pierced its ice wall and chest.
• Kenichi passed Sasuke, then Sakura declined to fight another match because she was low on Chakra.
• Sakura met the newly arrived Anbu member Yuzuki, whom Katsura U reminded to follow Anbu rules, before leaving with Yuichi Taketori.
• Yuichi gave Sakura the independent mission to capture the key figures at a Land of Fire bounty station with possible ties to Kakuzu.
• Sakura requested an interrogation team to accompany her without joining the fighting, and Yuichi agreed to arrange it.

Sakura Haruno led an interrogation and personnel team through days of rain to a disguised underground bounty exchange, where she planned to capture its key figures and gather information about Akatsuki. She left her exhausted teammates behind and entered the building alone as the sounds of fighting began.

• Sakura Haruno led Ibiki Morino, Yuichi Taketori, and three interrogation ninja toward an underground bounty exchange linked to Kakuzu and Hidan.
• The team struggled through the rain, and Sakura used Water Release and Ice Release to make a dry, sheltered campsite before Yuichi caught a cold.
• After nearly two days, Sakura’s team reached the disguised trading company, and Yuichi explained the arrest priorities and warned them not to reveal the Akatsuki connection.
• Sakura left an Ice Clone with the team and used the Body Flicker Technique to approach the building alone.
• Ibiki and Yuichi noticed that Sakura’s clothes had stayed dry throughout the journey, then heard faint fighting from the building.

A pink-haired Konoha ninja raided the Oudi Chamber of Commerce, an underground bounty office, to arrest its leader, Uran. She swiftly defeated his subordinates, leaving Uran to face her.

• The townspeople kept quiet about the Oudi Chamber of Commerce, which controlled the only road out of their remote town and employed armed criminals.
• Uran, a defected Jonin who had become an enforcer for the underground bounty office, failed to notice an intruder approaching in the rain.
• A conical-hatted woman entered the room after knocking down the guards and identified herself as a Konoha Ninja ordered to arrest Uran.
• Uran ordered his subordinates to attack, but the pink-haired ninja quickly defeated the charging thugs with punches, kicks, and her hat.
• Uran acknowledged that the girl's Taijutsu was better than he had expected.

Sakura Haruno’s Ice Clone defeated Uran’s subordinates and fought him, but Uran struck the clone down while it was distracted by a loyal youth. Uran fled to the entrance and discovered dozens of identical Ice Clones had already overwhelmed the bounty station.

• Sakura Haruno’s Ice Clone revealed her Chunin-level strength and Jonin-level Taijutsu as she broke Uran’s sword and knocked him down.
• Uran called for his subordinates, and Sakura Haruno’s Ice Clone defeated them while trying not to kill them.
• A young subordinate impaled himself on Sakura Haruno’s Ice Clone’s blade to hold her in place, and Uran stabbed them both, apparently killing her.
• Uran fled with the clone’s dropped butterfly knife, unaware that her body had shattered into ice.
• Uran reached the main entrance and found dozens of Sakura Haruno’s Ice Clones surrounding the defeated bounty station members.
• Sakura Haruno’s clone told Uran that he had managed to take down one of them.

Sakura captured Uran and the underground bounty club’s key figures, then searched the base and collected its records, money, and hidden intelligence. She led Yuichi to the concealed morgue entrance inside the men’s restroom.

• Sakura revealed her many clones, defeated Uran, and forced him to surrender.
• Sakura tied up the club’s key figures and called Ibiki, Yuichi, and the others to the base.
• Ibiki began interrogating the captured underlings while Sakura asked him to leave them with the local authorities.
• Sakura sealed away the club’s records and uncovered hidden account details, valuables, and top-secret intelligence.
• Sakura led Yuichi through the men’s restroom and pointed out the hidden door to the morgue.

Sakura Haruno and Yuichi collected more than a hundred ninja corpses from the bounty office and waited for reinforcements while Ibiki continued interrogating its staff. Kakashi and an Anbu squad arrived the next morning, ending Sakura’s assessment mission and allowing her to rest.

• Sakura Haruno smashed through doors and a wall to reach the morgue, where she and Yuichi sealed more than a hundred bodies into scrolls.
• Sakura told Yuichi that she valued strength and the freedom to live with dignity more than money, then returned with him to the bounty office.
• Ibiki reported that the hired thugs and samurai had confessed but knew no valuable intelligence, so Sakura ordered interrogations to continue and requested reinforcements.
• Sakura spent the night guarding the prisoners and sent a mission brief to Konoha using the Reverse Summoning Technique.
• Kakashi and an Anbu squad arrived at dawn, and Sakura teased Sasuke about his codename before handing the operation over to Kakashi.
• Sakura took a bath, found a clean room, and fell asleep.

After Sakura returned from her assessment mission with personnel, documents, and intelligence, Tsunade admitted she had suspected the mission’s intelligence was wrong and had used Sakura’s strength to investigate. A report confirmed Akatsuki was lying low, and Tsunade and Sakura confronted the difficulty of opposing it while the Five Great Shinobi Villages remained divided; Tsunade then redirected their discussion to the Land of Snow mission.

• Tsunade inspected the mission haul and teased Sakura about passing her assessment, while Sakura challenged her about the mission’s suspicious intelligence.
• Tsunade admitted she had suspected a major base might be in the poorly surveyed area and had sent Sakura because she could handle the danger alone.
• Ibiki delivered interrogation intelligence about Kakuzu and Akatsuki, and Tsunade explained that Akatsuki planned to lie low for about two years.
• Sakura questioned why Konoha would not attack Akatsuki, and Tsunade cited Konoha’s weakness and the Five Great Shinobi Villages’ distrust of one another.
• Sakura criticized the villages’ reluctance to cooperate, and Tsunade considered seeking an agreement to share intelligence before changing the subject to the Land of Snow mission.

Sakura Haruno received a mission to travel to the Land of Snow with Sasuke and learned the Summoning Technique from Tsunade. After signing Katsuyu’s contract and summoning her, Sakura prepared to travel to Shikkotsu Forest.

• Tsunade gave Sakura Haruno a Land of Snow mission request and approved her plan to take Sasuke along.
• Tsunade gave Sakura preserved tissue from Yugao’s wound and urged her to finish a new heart before the end of the year.
• Tsunade taught Sakura the Summoning Technique, and Sakura signed Katsuyu’s contract and summoned a large part of Katsuyu on her first attempt.
• Katsuyu greeted Sakura as her new contract holder, and Tsunade explained the three great sage regions and Shikkotsu Forest.
• Tsunade prepared to use the Reverse Summoning Technique to take Sakura to Shikkotsu Forest.

Tsunade and Sakura traveled to Shikkotsu Forest, where Katsuyu warned them about its corrosive air and waters. They met Katsuyu’s enormous main body, leaving Sakura stunned by its size.

• Tsunade warned Sakura that Shikkotsu Forest was dangerous and prepared an Ice Release armor for her.
• Katsuyu explained that acidic mist had made the forest’s air corrosive, and Tsunade and Sakura used the Summoning Technique to travel there.
• Sakura saw the vast forest of pale, gnawed trees rising from a lake and learned that its water was extraordinarily acidic.
• Katsuyu revealed that Sakura and Tsunade had arrived on her back, then rose from the water to greet them.
• Sakura estimated that Katsuyu’s main body was three or four thousand meters long and was left speechless.

Sakura Haruno confronted the vast power of Sage Katsuyu and reconsidered her own strength. Katsuyu explained that Sakura could not yet control natural energy, but her Ice Release would eventually increase her Chakra enough to make Senjutsu training possible.

• Sakura Haruno realized that none of her techniques could seriously threaten Sage Katsuyu and reminded herself that Katsuyu was not an enemy.
• Sage Katsuyu reassured Sakura, then spoke through a smaller clone so Sakura and Tsunade would not have to keep looking up.
• Katsuyu said Sakura’s current Chakra reserves were too small for Senjutsu, while Tsunade declined to train because she lacked time and could not endure the environment without Sakura’s Ice Release armor.
• Tsunade explained that Sakura had developed Ice Release less than a year earlier, and Katsuyu revealed that Sakura’s mind had two or possibly three harmoniously connected cores.
• Katsuyu predicted that Sakura’s developing body and Ice Release would eventually raise her Chakra reserves more than tenfold, making her nearly qualified for Senjutsu training.

Sakura Haruno learned that her Ice Release was reshaping her body and that she might be ready to train in Senjutsu in two years. She rejected becoming a second Hashirama Senju and declared she would surpass him under her own name.

• Tsunade and Katsuyu discussed Sakura's delayed puberty and how her Ice Release was improving her physical development and Chakra growth.
• Sage Katsuyu said Sakura had awakened her Ice Release fully and could grow even stronger by combining it with Yang Release, though she still had far to go to match Hashirama Senju.
• Sakura told Tsunade and Sage Katsuyu that she would not become a second Hashirama Senju and would make her own name famous by surpassing him.
• Sage Katsuyu advised Sakura to train in Senjutsu and told her to return in the year after next, when she should be ready to learn it.
• Sage Katsuyu sent Tsunade and Sakura back to Konoha, then wondered privately about Sakura's unusual soul before turning to eat bark.

Sakura Haruno returned from Shikkotsu Forest, was promoted to Special Jōnin, and sent Naruto Uzumaki training advice through Jiraiya. Naruto struggled with Sakura’s materials, so Jiraiya let him use Shadow Clones to develop the Rasenshuriken, leaving the two blond kids practicing together in the Land of Wind.

• Sakura Haruno’s clothes and shoe were corroded by Sage Katsuyu’s acid, and Tsunade treated a small burn on her foot before sending her home.
• The next day, Sakura received her Special Jōnin credentials and admired her new rank and updated registration photo.
• Jiraiya read Sakura’s extensive notes with interest while Naruto Uzumaki fell asleep over the materials.
• Sakura’s letter advised Jiraiya to use Shadow Clones to help Naruto learn, including having a clone perform one part of the Rasengan’s transformation.
• In the Land of Wind, Jiraiya let Naruto use Sakura’s shortcut, and Naruto practiced the Rasenshuriken with another blond kid as an explosion sounded nearby.

Naruto completed the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, and Jiraiya decided they would continue their journey after resting in the Land of Wind. Meanwhile, Sakura and Sasuke reached the Land of Snow and set out to find Koyuki.

• Naruto successfully unleashed the Rasenshuriken, and Jiraiya praised his perseverance while carrying him home after he collapsed from exhaustion.
• Naruto learned that he could see his teammates at the Chunin Ninja Exams in July, and Jiraiya planned to have Tsunade examine his wounded hand.
• Jiraiya and Naruto left the Land of Wind to resume their travels.
• Sakura propelled an ice boat across the sea with Water Release, bringing Sasuke to the Land of Snow, where he suffered from seasickness.
• Sakura and Sasuke saw how the Land of Snow had changed and used the Body Flicker Technique to go find Koyuki.

Sakura Haruno and Sasuke visited Kazahana Koyuki in the Land of Snow and discussed the country’s recovery, its shortage of funds, and the geothermal power plant. Sakura donated part of her mission spoils to support the people, while planning to use the plant as an energy source for her experiments.

• Sakura Haruno and Sasuke entered Kazahana Koyuki’s residence, where Koyuki lounged through her teatime and showed them her father’s geothermal generator.
• Koyuki reported that the Land of Snow had stabilized under her rule, but its heating system was being built slowly because the country lacked money and industrial capacity.
• Koyuki said she planned to make movies again to earn money for the country.
• Sakura decided that the Land of Snow’s geothermal power plant could supply energy for her instruments and the next stage of her Yin Seal experiments.
• Sakura gave Koyuki a bankbook containing part of her bounty-office mission spoils to help the impoverished people of the Land of Snow.

Sakura established a base in the Land of Snow, turning the abandoned Snow Ninja castle into an ice stronghold and setting up a laboratory. She told Sasuke that the trip was only to make Yugao a new heart, so the cloning experiment would not begin until next year at the earliest.

• Kazahana Koyuki accepted Sakura's money and agreed to let her use the abandoned Snow Ninja castle as a cover base, with a more secret laboratory planned elsewhere.
• Sakura used Ice Release to repair and transform the castle into a Gothic ice structure.
• Sasuke placed Genjutsu on the castle walls, gate, and interior to discourage outsiders and direct intruders back to the exit.
• Sakura's Ice Clones cleaned the castle, and she converted Kazahana Dōtō's bedroom into a laboratory using equipment taken from Orochimaru's base.
• Sasuke asked when Sakura would begin the cloning experiment, and Sakura explained that she had come only to make Yugao a new heart and would not start cloning until next year at the earliest.

Yugao learned that her damaged heart would limit her recovery, but Haku discovered that she was pregnant. The chapter then shifted to Sakura Haruno and Sasuke taking shelter from a blizzard in the Land of Snow.

• Haku examined Yugao and explained that her replacement heart could leave her with only twenty to thirty percent of her former strength.
• Haku used Medical Ninjutsu to ease Yugao's heart pain, then discovered that she was pregnant.
• Yugao remembered Sakura and Shino teasing her and Hayate about having a surprise, and wondered what surprise Sakura had meant to bring.
• Sakura Haruno and Sasuke struggled through a fierce blizzard in the Land of Snow and reached a sheltered gap beneath a cliff.
• Sasuke made a fire inside the shelter and asked Sakura whether they were in the wilderness outside the civilized world.

Sakura Haruno and Sasuke explored the frozen interior of the Land of Snow, discussing the wilderness before ending their journey when their Chakra ran low. Their clone memories returned as Sasuke resumed developing the Super Electromagnetic Cannon and Sakura continued an experiment that appeared to be producing results.

• Sakura Haruno explained to Sasuke that the wilderness beyond the Five Great Nations might be vast and dangerous because of its harsh environments and powerful beasts.
• Sasuke questioned why they had traveled so far, and Sakura said she wanted to explore the unknown and see what lay beyond familiar lands.
• After the blizzard stopped, Sakura considered the possibility that they had entered the polar circle, while Sasuke decided they should end the exploration because their Chakra was nearly depleted.
• Sakura and Sasuke released their Ice Clone and Shadow Clone, leaving their coats behind in the snow.
• Sasuke used the Shadow Clone's memories and returned to shaping electric current into rails for the Super Electromagnetic Cannon.
• Sakura received her Ice Clone's memories in her laboratory and returned her attention to an experiment involving a heart in nutrient solution, noting that it seemed to have produced results.

Sakura Haruno used Orochimaru’s records and her own knowledge to improve Konoha’s stem cell technology and create hearts from her cells. Testing revealed the hearts naturally produced Ice Release Chakra, and she left the laboratory with several promising specimens and many questions about how her Kekkei Genkai changed her body.

• Sakura Haruno followed Orochimaru’s records to create heart tissue from stem cells derived from her hair-root cells.
• Sasuke brought Sakura dinner and urged her to stop working long enough to eat.
• Sakura activated a newly formed heart, which produced Chakra and froze its nutrient solution with Ice Release.
• Sakura realized her Ice Release Kekkei Genkai had altered her body so thoroughly that hearts made from her cells inherited the ability.
• Sakura tested the remaining hearts, recorded failed specimens, and kept four or five that produced Chakra and adapted well to Ice Release.

Sakura Haruno improved her experiments cultivating hearts and began growing one for Yugao, while Sasuke perfected his Super Electromagnetic Cannon. The chapter ended with Sakura laughing at Sasuke’s oversized, girly toad-shaped sunglasses.

• Sakura realized her Ice Release cells were gradually replacing her original cells and would eventually make Ice Release an instinct.
• After two weeks, Sakura inspected the second batch of cultivated hearts and found that most had developed successfully with more Chakra than Genin.
• Sakura began cultivating a heart for Yugao, using the stem-cell techniques she had learned from her earlier experiments.
• Sakura spent her remaining time in the Land of Snow studying in the laboratory and training in the snowy wilderness.
• Sasuke fired his Super Electromagnetic Cannon and shattered one of Sakura’s massive ice targets.
• Sakura noticed Sasuke wearing girly toad-shaped sunglasses and laughed at his attempt to look cool.

After returning from the Land of Snow, Sakura helped Tsunade perform a secret heart transplant for Yugao, whose heart condition threatened her and her unborn baby. The operation succeeded, though Sakura grew uneasy after Yugao chose the heart that produced the most Chakra.

• Sasuke sealed Koyuki's memories of Sakura's visit, and Sakura returned to Shikkotsu Forest using the Reverse Summoning Technique.
• Sage Katsuyu chatted with Sakura about breasts until Tsunade summoned her back to Konoha.
• Tsunade examined Yugao and revealed that a new treatment could cure her heart problem.
• Tsunade used Sakura's collected hearts in a sealing procedure, and Yugao chose the heart that produced the most Chakra over the one most compatible with her.
• Tsunade told Yugao to keep the operation secret, and Yugao promised not to tell even Gekko Hayate.

Sakura and Sasuke finished training the Super Electromagnetic Cannon in the Land of Snow and discussed Sasuke’s search for a powerful summoning beast. Sasuke returned to Konoha ahead of Sakura, who stayed behind to finish adjusting Yugao’s heart and discovered that the nutrient solution around the final heart was unusually cold.

• Sakura laughed at Sasuke’s sunglasses, and he explained that he wore them to protect his eyes while practicing the Super Electromagnetic Cannon.
• Sakura told Sasuke she would finish adjusting Yugao’s heart before returning to Konoha through Shikkotsu Forest, while Sasuke planned to travel back first.
• Sasuke considered acquiring Orochimaru’s summoning beast, but rejected Sakura’s suggestion to kill Orochimaru and decided to sign a contract with the Ninja Cat Clan instead.
• Sasuke and Sakura joked about cats, dogs, and Katsuyu as they left the training ground.
• The next day, Sasuke departed for Konoha, and Sakura inspected the hearts, sealed them away, and noticed that the final heart’s nutrient solution was unusually cold.