Chapter Summaries

Neji and Sasuke fought an intense Taijutsu-only spar, with Lee predicting Neji would prevail as Sasuke tired. Sakura was called away for an urgent mission concerning Orochimaru, whose disappearance was tied to a mysterious battle and abandoned underground bases.

• Neji and Sasuke clashed using their contrasting Taijutsu styles, with Neji’s Hokuto Shinken and Gentle Fist keeping Sasuke at bay.
• Lee told Sakura that Neji would likely win if Sasuke continued to rely only on Taijutsu, while Sakura judged the match evenly balanced.
• Shino interrupted Sakura’s viewing to summon her for an urgent mission, and she left using the Body Flicker Technique.
• Tsunade briefed Team Fourteen and two Anbu teams that Orochimaru had been intercepted near the border on the day of the Sasuke rescue operation.
• Tsunade explained that evidence suggested six people fought Orochimaru, including one Taijutsu specialist and five elemental-release specialists, and that reconnaissance had found abandoned underground bases nearby.

Sakura joined Shino and Yugao’s squad to investigate and destroy Orochimaru’s abandoned bases. After finding two empty, ruined sites, the squad continued toward the next location.

• Tsunade assigned Sakura, Shino, and the other Anbu teams to search Orochimaru’s bases for useful materials, capture any Sound Ninja they found, and destroy the sites.
• Sakura and her squad traveled overnight, reached the area with help from a reconnaissance ninja and his Ninja Dog, and entered the first underground base.
• Shino, Sakura, and Yugao found the first base long abandoned and empty, then Shino destroyed it.
• The squad explored a second flooded base, where Sakura used Legion Water Clones to search and found only worthless, waterlogged junk.
• Shino’s squad destroyed the flooded base and proceeded to the next location.

Fourteenth Squad searched a recently abandoned Orochimaru base and found a trapped records archive. Sakura uncovered a booklet on cloning technology, leaving her wondering if she had found something valuable.

• Shino led Yugao and Sakura into a deep Orochimaru base, where they triggered a kunai trap and found the rooms empty.
• Yugao identified snake venom on the trapped kunai, and the squad concluded the Sound Ninja had left in a hurry.
• Sakura examined an incomplete scroll about Jugen Uzumaki’s human body modification experiment and reported that it held no useful information.
• Shino ordered the squad to collect all the scattered books and scrolls for the Hokage.
• Sakura found an old gold-edged booklet titled “Basic principles and methods of cloning technology” and wondered if it was an SSR.

Sakura Haruno returned from searching Orochimaru’s outlying bases with the Fourteenth Squad, but most of the recovered research had been destroyed or was unusable. After the mission report, she claimed her old nerve injury had flared up and followed Tsunade to a private treatment room.

• Sakura found that most of the remaining pages in a book had been torn out and asked Shino about the Sound Ninja’s research.
• Shino explained that reconnaissance units were still searching for Orochimaru’s main base, and he reassured Sakura that the elite Fourteenth Squad would receive more important missions.
• The three elite squads finished their searches, camped overnight, and returned to Konoha before sunset the next day.
• Tsunade, the advisors, and the Intelligence Division reviewed the recovered materials, while Hiruzen argued that the village should not use cruel human experiments and Danzō defended making sacrifices for the village.
• Tsunade ended the report and gave the squads a few days off, then Sakura told her that an old nerve injury had flared up and followed her to a private treatment room.

Sakura asked Tsunade for permission to use Orochimaru's cloning technology for experiments, but Tsunade refused to allow human experimentation in Konoha or the Land of Fire. Tsunade left Sakura free to pursue the work elsewhere, while demanding that she bring back all information she obtained from Orochimaru's base.

• Tsunade treated Sakura's hidden injuries while asking why she had come to see her.
• Sakura told Tsunade she wanted Orochimaru's cloning technology to make clones for experiments.
• Tsunade said she could not support human experimentation and firmly forbade Sakura from conducting it in Konoha for the next two or three years.
• Sakura suggested setting up a laboratory outside the Land of Fire, and Tsunade said the Land of Fire was also off limits.
• Tsunade said Sakura could interpret the ban as she wished but would receive no cloning information from Konoha or Tsunade, and must return all information from Orochimaru's base.

Tsunade hinted that Sakura could use Ninjutsu she already knew to obtain information for her planned cloning research, while warning that she could wait if she failed. Sakura figured out the method, then went shopping with Hinata for Haku’s birthday present, where Hinata criticized her lack of interest in makeup.

• Tsunade finished treating Sakura and left her to work out the hint about the Ninjutsu she had already taught her.
• Tsunade reflected that Sakura’s plan to establish a cloning-experiment base in the Land of Snow had become possible through her connection to Kazahana Koyuki, and decided she would protect Sakura if she avoided using Konoha’s people as subjects.
• Sakura combined the Ninjutsu she knew and worked out how to get the information she needed, though she still had details to resolve.
• Sakura noticed Haku’s birthday was approaching and went shopping with Hinata for a present.
• At a cosmetics shop, Hinata urged Sakura to buy something more fitting for a girl than the Senbon she had given Haku before and criticized Sakura for going out without makeup.

Sakura and Hinata shopped for Haku’s birthday gift before Sakura’s leave was canceled for a dangerous mission to investigate Orochimaru’s possible bases. Meanwhile, Jiraiya trained Naruto in the Land of Wind and sent Konoha intelligence about the Akatsuki, leaving Naruto frustrated with his Rasenshuriken training.

• Sakura rejected Hinata’s makeup advice, accepted her suggestions for Haku’s gift, and left with two bottles of nail polish after Hinata helped her choose colors.
• Tsunade briefed the Fourteenth Squad on the mission to investigate and destroy Orochimaru’s suspected bases, issued them large sealing scrolls, and ordered them to retreat if Orochimaru appeared.
• In a remote valley, Naruto repeatedly failed to add Wind Release to the Rasengan and destroyed stone pillars while practicing.
• Jiraiya sent a letter containing Akatsuki intelligence to Konoha and told Naruto to keep practicing Wind Release Nature Transformation with Shadow Clones.

The Fourteenth Squad searched Orochimaru's abandoned base, where Sakura used miniature sealing runes on her nails to copy and store cloning research. In Konoha, Tsunade received letters and an intelligence report from Jiraiya, and the Third Hokage's smile faded as he read the report.

• The Fourteenth Squad entered Orochimaru's deserted base and divided up to collect its remaining materials.
• Sakura created Ice Clones to find cloning research and copied useful records into miniature scrolls stored on her nails.
• Sakura covered the runes with nail polish, put away the original documents, and returned to the meeting point.
• Tsunade summoned Hiruzen Sarutobi to read letters and a confidential report sent by Jiraiya.
• Hiruzen read Jiraiya's brief personal letter, then opened the intelligence report and lost his warm smile.

Tsunade and Hiruzen learned that the Akatsuki had been hunting Orochimaru and decided to pursue a lead rather than recall the Fourteenth Squad. The squad encountered Kakuzu and Hidan after finding two of their comrades dead, and Sakura launched the first attack.

• Tsunade and Hiruzen read intelligence revealing Orochimaru had once joined the Akatsuki and that its members had been pursuing him.
• Tsunade suspected Danzo had made a deal with the Akatsuki and chose to keep the Fourteenth Squad in place while sending support.
• Shino discovered Makoto Inuzuka and Kotaro dead when the Fourteenth Squad emerged from the underground base.
• Sakura recognized Kakuzu and Hidan as Akatsuki members and prepared to fight Kakuzu, whom she sensed was a Kage Level ninja.
• Sakura attacked Kakuzu and Hidan with Ice Release: Swallow Snow Storm, and Kakuzu raised an Earth Style Wall to block the ice darts.

Sakura Haruno and her teammates faced Kakuzu and Hidan, and Sakura killed Hidan with a single punch after using Ice Release to close the distance. Kakuzu recognized that the available information about Sakura was inaccurate and began preparing another Earth Release technique.

• Kakuzu identified the masked ninja as Sakura Haruno and warned Hidan to watch out for her Ice Release and Wind Release.
• Shino fired a distress signal, and Sakura told Shino and Yugao to focus on taking Hidan out first.
• Sakura used Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals to appear behind Hidan, then struck him with Monstrous Strength Technique: Star Cannon Hammer.
• Sakura's punch shattered Hidan's body and sent him flying, leaving him silent as Kakuzu assessed her abilities.
• Kakuzu studied Sakura's position and the nearby ice darts, then formed hand seals and began an Earth Release technique.

Sakura Haruno’s kick revealed that Kakuzu’s body was made of resilient black threads, while Hidan returned from his apparent death and turned the Fourteenth Squad’s advantage into a dangerous standoff. Shino protected an exhausted Yugao as the squad realized Hidan was immortal and formidable in close combat.

• Sakura Haruno interrupted Kakuzu’s Earth Release attack with a kick, but her strike scattered the black threads in his arm without stopping him.
• Shino’s Genjutsu failed to affect Kakuzu, and Hidan unexpectedly returned to the fight and intercepted Yugao’s Iai Slash.
• Yugao cut deeply into Hidan’s neck, but he healed within seconds, leaving her drained and unable to continue fighting.
• Shino blocked Hidan’s attack and moved to protect Yugao, who told him that Hidan was an immortal monster.
• Shino recognized Hidan’s combination of immortality and strong Taijutsu as a serious threat.

Sakura Haruno separated Kakuzu from the other fight so she could use her Ninjutsu without endangering her allies, then cut him in half with Water Release: Wind Blade Torrent. Kakuzu began stirring despite the fatal blow, leaving Sakura unsure how he had survived.

• Hidan taunted Shino and Yugao, then charged them with his scythe to begin another round of their fight.
• Sakura Haruno smashed Kakuzu’s Earth Spear with her strength and faced him after opening her Yin Seal.
• Kakuzu assumed Sakura relied on close-range attacks and Wind Release, and claimed he would avoid hitting Shino and Yugao with his Ninjutsu.
• Sakura revealed she had separated the battlefields to keep her own Ninjutsu from striking her allies.
• Kakuzu countered Sakura’s prepared Ninjutsu with Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique, but Sakura’s Water Release: Wind Blade Torrent cut through the attack and severed him in two.
• Sakura watched Kakuzu’s body begin to stir and wondered how he could still be alive.

Sakura fought Kakuzu after he restored his body with black threads and unleashed a devastating Fire and Wind Combination Ninjutsu. She avoided the flames by summoning an enormous Ice Release Leviathan and sending a swarm of ice creatures toward Kakuzu, leaving his response unresolved.

• Kakuzu restored his severed body with black threads and transformed, revealing three intact masked masses after Sakura's attack destroyed a fourth.
• Kakuzu attacked Sakura with Fire Style: Searing Migraine and Wind Release: Pressure Damage, which combined into a vast sea of flames.
• Sakura used Ice Release: Leviathan's Wrath to create a gigantic armored ice beast and escaped the flames with Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.
• Countless insect-like ice creatures poured from the Leviathan and surged toward Kakuzu as the beast dived at him.
• Sakura considered how Kakuzu might counter the simultaneous attack from above and across the ground.

Sakura Haruno used an Ice Release swarm and leviathan to pressure Kakuzu, but his four masked monsters overwhelmed her techniques. She used the clash as a feint, hurling the leviathan’s horn to create an opening and teleporting beneath it to confront Kakuzu with Monstrous Strength.

• Sakura Haruno judged that Kakuzu’s multiple hearts, powerful elemental techniques, and combat experience made him dangerous despite her Ice Release attacks.
• Kakuzu unleashed Earth Grudge Fear, and he and three masked monsters fired four powerful Release Techniques that destroyed Sakura’s ice insects and leviathan.
• Sakura pulled the leviathan’s horn free and hurled it at Kakuzu while the ice beast drew his attacks.
• Kakuzu dodged the horn with his tentacles, and Sakura used Body Flicker to appear beneath it and close in on him.
• Sakura prepared to strike Kakuzu with the Monstrous Strength Technique.

Sakura used a giant ice sword to devastate Kakuzu, destroying one of his mask monsters and leaving his main body badly weakened. After she broke free from his tentacle ambush, Kakuzu vanished, leaving Sakura unsure where he had gone.

• Sakura turned an enormous ice horn into a giant blade and used Sword Drawing Slash against Kakuzu.
• Kakuzu's tentacles and remaining masks tried to stop the strike with attacks, but the ice sword cut through them and destroyed his Lightning Release mask.
• Sakura prepared to finish the weakened Kakuzu with ice blades, conserving her chakra for the possibility of facing Hidan afterward.
• Kakuzu's underground tentacles caught Sakura by surprise and wrapped around her body.
• Sakura used Frost Battle Armor to freeze and shatter the tentacles, then discovered that Kakuzu had vanished.

Sakura Haruno and Kakuzu struggled to find an opening against each other as they traded underground feints and rapid attacks. Sakura survived Kakuzu’s chained ambushes and stood atop his Earth Spears, facing his next Wind Release Ninjutsu.

• Sakura sensed Kakuzu hiding underground and realized his earlier attack had concealed his escape beneath the battlefield.
• Kakuzu assessed Sakura’s defenses and stamina, then dodged her punches as she tried to track and strike him through the earth.
• Sakura cut through Kakuzu’s tendrils with Ice Release: Swallow Snow Storm, but recognized they were a feint when Kakuzu attacked her from behind with Fire Style: Flame Bullet.
• Sakura evaded the Flame Bullet with Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, while Kakuzu anticipated her movement and struck at her landing point with Earth Release: Earth Spear.
• Sakura protected her feet with new ice shoes, stood atop the stone pillars, and looked up as Kakuzu’s third Wind Release Ninjutsu came toward her.

Sakura Haruno and Kakuzu weighed their dwindling options after Sakura survived his combined attacks and her Water Gun struck only an Earth Clone. Sakura recognized she could not defeat Kakuzu alone, but Konoha’s approaching reinforcements made retreat more urgent for him, and she ended the chapter by summoning ice clones.

• Kakuzu combined Earth Spear and Wind Release, but Sakura used the rock pillar to shield herself from the wind blast.
• Sakura fired a Super Water Gun Technique through the dust and split Kakuzu’s Earth Clone instead of Kakuzu.
• Kakuzu realized Sakura was conserving Chakra and stalling for Konoha’s reinforcements, so he began considering retreat.
• Sakura acknowledged that Kakuzu had the advantage in a prolonged fight, while the incoming reinforcements put him at risk.
• Sakura formed hand seals and used Ice Release: Legion Ice Clone Technique.

Sakura used Legion Ice Clones to pressure Kakuzu and attack him with a surprise Body Flicker strike, but he evaded her blows with quick substitutions and defensive techniques. Her Ice Clone Explosion Technique failed to seriously injure him, and Kakuzu declared that their battle would end there.

• Sakura summoned more than a hundred Legion Ice Clones, and Kakuzu tried to burn them away with Great Flame Bullet.
• Kakuzu used Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere and Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spears to destroy many clones, while several others reached him and discovered that Earth Spear hardened his body.
• Sakura used Body Flicker and Eight Slashing Blades to strike Kakuzu, but she cut through an Earth Substitute instead of his real body.
• Sakura dodged Kakuzu's pursuit by flashing to a surviving Ice Clone as their close-range exchange continued.
• Kakuzu trapped several Ice Clones with black tendrils, but Sakura detonated five of them and blasted the bindings apart.
• Kakuzu emerged with only minor wounds, dismissed Sakura's attacks as inadequate, and said their battle would end.

Sakura abandoned her fight with Kakuzu when she sensed Yugao had been gravely wounded, only to discover that Hidan had torn out Yugao’s heart. Unable to save Yugao with her Medical Ninjutsu, Sakura faced the apparently immortal Hidan as he taunted her.

• Kakuzu told Sakura their fight was ending and pointed out that Yugao and Shino’s battle with Hidan was about to be decided.
• After hearing Yugao scream and sensing her Chakra fade, Sakura drove Kakuzu back and used her ice mirror Body Flicker Technique to reach Shino and Yugao.
• Sakura found Yugao with a gaping hole in her chest and used Medical Ninjutsu to stop the bleeding, but realized Yugao’s heart was missing and she was still dying.
• Hidan laughed at Sakura’s efforts and declared Yugao beyond saving.
• Sakura recognized Hidan and was shocked that he was alive and vigorous despite having previously been badly injured and having a blade through his heart.

Hidan and Kakuzu withdrew after Shino explained that Hidan’s Secret Technique transferred his injuries to Yugao, leaving Sakura unable to attack him while treating her. With Yugao’s condition worsening, Sakura proposed using Ice and Water Release to create a temporary heart for her.

• Sakura began forming a Ninjutsu attack against Hidan, but Shino stopped her and explained that Hidan’s injuries were transferred to Yugao.
• Kakuzu emerged from underground and urged Hidan to leave before reinforcements arrived; Hidan argued with him and threatened Sakura and Shino before departing with Kakuzu.
• Sakura considered attacking Hidan after his Secret Technique ended but stayed focused on using Medical Ninjutsu to treat Yugao.
• Shino said Yugao’s chakra response was extremely weak, and Sakura proposed creating a temporary heart with Ice Release and Water Release.