Chapter Summaries

Shunren used projected weapons and Inoichi’s mental guidance to fight Gari, a Stone Jonin with Explosion Release. After slowing Gari with an ice arrow, Shunren unleashed Zangetsu’s Getsuga Tenshō, while Gari’s strange words hinted at a connection to Shunren’s Yin Release.

• Shunren learned Gari’s abilities from Inoichi and told Kurenai and Shizune to escort Inoichi to safety.
• Shunren projected Ezreal’s wrist bow and attacked Gari with Mystic Shots, then escaped a counterattack with Arcane Shift as the amulet broke.
• Shunren projected Ashe’s ice bow and, guided by Inoichi’s warnings, struck Gari’s thigh with a frost arrow during a barrage.
• Shunren projected Zangetsu as Gari’s limbs slowed from the frost arrow’s effect.
• Gari murmured that Shunren had inherited his power of Yin Release, and Shunren struck with Getsuga Tenshō.

Shunren defeated the Stone ninja Gari with Getsuga Tenshō and left him alive for Inoichi to interrogate. Shunren and Kurenai rushed to aid Team 8, where Kakashi was near collapse after turning the battle against a Stone ninja.

• Shunren struck Gari with Getsuga Tenshō, leaving him gravely injured and unconscious.
• Shunren severed Gari’s remaining hand and foot, and Inoichi ordered Shizune to keep him alive for questioning.
• Inoichi sent Shunren and Kurenai to support Kakashi, Obito, and Rin against another Stone ninja.
• The Stone ninja’s worry over Gari distracted him, allowing Kakashi to wound him and turn the fight into an even match.
• Obito and Rin collapsed from exhaustion, and Kakashi reached his limit before an unfamiliar voice echoed in his mind.

Inoichi began extracting information from the dying Gari and found a sealed barrier protecting his mind. Meanwhile, Kakashi and Shunren carried out a coordinated trap that ended with Shunren beheading the Stone Ninja.

• Shizune warned Inoichi that Gari was near death, so Inoichi used the Mind Reading Technique despite his injuries.
• Inoichi discovered a sealing barrier in Gari's mental world and forced his spiritual energy against it.
• Kakashi exhausted himself fighting the Stone Ninja, while Obito and Rin were unable to help.
• Shunren and Kakashi used a planned feint and Genjutsu to trick the Stone Ninja into exposing himself.
• Kurenai immobilized the Stone Ninja with the Tree Binding Technique, allowing Shunren to decapitate him with Kakashi's White Fang blade.

After Konoha defeated the Stone shinobi who attacked a civilian village, Inoichi tried to uncover the reason for their suspicious behavior by invading Gari’s mind. A hidden mental trap crushed Inoichi’s consciousness, and Shunren recognized the attack as a terrifying genjutsu.

• In the Senra cavern, Madara learned that the plan to provoke conflict between Konoha and the Stone shinobi was succeeding, and asked about a battle record and a potential proxy.
• Shunren and the Konoha shinobi returned to the village after defeating the Stone attackers, while Inoichi began interrogating the captured Gari.
• Inoichi broke through thirteen mental barriers and found Gari’s brain pierced by mysterious black rods, which suggested a powerful Yin Release technique.
• As Gari neared death, Inoichi reached into his manifested brain to seize the hidden intelligence, but a giant blue hand grabbed and crushed his consciousness.
• Inoichi collapsed, bleeding from all seven orifices, and Shunren suspected that a vicious genjutsu trap had attacked him.

Minato divided his team after learning that Inoichi had been trapped by Genjutsu, sending some back to Konoha while keeping others at the border. In Iwagakure, the Tsuchikage suspected someone was provoking a conflict with Konoha, then learned that Kurogane had led five armored units into the Land of Fire using false orders.

• Minato recalled how Stone Ninja captives repeatedly detonated Explosive Tags to avoid interrogation and learned that the Explosion Corps had infiltrated the area.
• After hearing that Inoichi had fallen into a Genjutsu trap, Minato ordered Obito, Rin, and Kurenai to escort him to Konoha and report to Lord Hokage.
• Minato kept Kakashi, Shunren, and Shizune at the border, and Shunren realized that Minato had made a pragmatic decision about which team members to send and retain.
• The Tsuchikage learned that Gari's squad had attacked a civilian village without authorization and suspected someone was trying to provoke a war with Konoha.
• The Tsuchikage ordered the border forces not to act rashly, but a messenger reported that Kurogane had led five armored units into the Land of Fire under false orders.

Minato deployed a sensory barrier and sent Kakashi, Shunren, and Shizune to defend a river against the approaching Stone Ninja. The Stone Ninja penetrated the barrier, but Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to appear above them and catch them by surprise.

• Minato explained that his barrier could detect Chakra signatures within ten kilometers and assigned Kakashi, Shunren, and Shizune to guard the eastern approach.
• Kakashi divided the team's duties, sending Shunren to watch from a hill, Shizune to set traps along the riverbank, and himself to confront enemies at the river.
• Captain Kurogane led a twenty-five-person Stone Ninja force across the border on a secret mission, and three sensory ninja detected Konoha's barrier ahead.
• The Stone Ninja sensory team shielded their Chakra signatures long enough to penetrate six kilometers into the barrier before Minato detected them.
• The Stone Ninja repeatedly misjudged Minato's location as he used space-time movement, then looked up and found him directly above them.

Minato attacked a Stone ninja force with the Flying Thunder God Technique, killing many before discovering that several enemies had Steel Release and had trapped him with space-time-sealing pillars. Surrounded by the Steel Torrent, he formed a Rasengan and hoped Kakashi and the others could manage without him.

• Minato ambushed the Stone ninja with a Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique, killing seven Chunin, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique to kill another ninja.
• Minato fought off the Stone ninja's Taijutsu and Earth Release attacks, countering them with Water Release, Explosive Tags, and the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Minato realized three Stone ninja had escaped while walls blocked his view, and the remaining enemies trapped him inside an Earth Flow Labyrinth.
• Minato sent five Shadow Clones after the marked Stone ninja, but they revealed Steel Release armor and survived point-blank Explosive Tags.
• Four Stone ninja summoned iron pillars that sealed off space-time, while four others used Steel Release to form weapons; Minato gathered Chakra and prepared a Rasengan.

Shunren detected three Stone Ninja Jonin approaching and tried to withdraw with Shizune, but Kakashi insisted on fighting them. Kakashi’s plan forced Shunren to launch a surprise attack, and his Getsuga Tenshō threatened a Stone Ninja who defended himself with Steel Release.

• Kurogane ordered two Stone Ninja Jonin to split off, while one of them questioned the suspicious mission and Kurogane secretly gripped a kunai.
• Shunren sensed three Stone Ninja Jonin across the river and alerted Kakashi and Shizune through Mind Transmission Technique.
• Kakashi ordered battle plan C and prepared to face the three Jonin alone, but Shunren cut off their connection and urged Shizune to flee.
• Kakashi blocked Shizune and confronted Shunren as the Stone Ninja arrived, leaving them no chance to escape.
• Kakashi told Shunren to use his strongest attack, and Shunren used Arcane Shift to appear beside a Stone Ninja and strike with Getsuga Tenshō.
• The Stone Ninja raised his arms and used Steel Release: Iron Man Technique to defend against Shunren’s attack.

Shunren’s Getsuga Tenshō badly wounded a Stone Ninja Jonin but failed to kill him, forcing Shunren, Shizune, and Kakashi to retreat. Kurogane pursued them, cleared the forest with Earth Release, and attacked; Shunren saved Shizune from a steel-enhanced Kunai at the last moment.

• Shunren’s Getsuga Tenshō shattered the Stone Ninja Jonin’s Steel Release armor and left him gravely wounded, but Shunren realized he lacked the Chakra to finish the fight.
• Shunren sent a warning to Shizune and Kakashi, and the three fled; Kakashi defended trading their lives for an enemy Jonin, while Shunren criticized his plan.
• A Stone Ninja medical-nin treated the wounded Jonin as Kurogane pursued the fleeing team, and Shunren detected the pursuers closing in.
• Shunren ordered Shizune to throw smoke bombs, but Kurogane used Earth Release: Mobile Core to flatten the surrounding forest.
• Kakashi raised an Earth-Style Wall, but Kurogane’s Steel Release-enhanced Kunai pierced it and overwhelmed Shizune’s defense.
• Shunren used Yin Release: Projection to appear before Shizune and knock away the Kunai aimed at her face.

Shunren recognized that Kurogane knew about his powers and suspected the man was controlling a Jonin through a Dōjutsu, but Kurogane rejected his offer to stop fighting. Shizune retreated to prepare traps while Shunren and Kakashi faced Kurogane, who knocked away both of Shunren’s swords and sent Kakashi flying with a powerful kick.

• Shunren deduced that Kurogane was using a Dōjutsu to control a Jonin and offered to keep his identity secret if they stopped fighting, but Kurogane refused.
• Kurogane revealed that Shunren was already part of his plan and hinted at a gift involving Shunren’s eyes and a curse seal near his heart.
• Shunren used the Mind Transmission Technique to tell Shizune to retreat and prepare traps along their route, and she agreed.
• Kurogane appeared before Kakashi and attacked him with a transformed steel spike while Shunren slashed at him.
• Kurogane knocked both swords from Shunren’s hands, and Kakashi counterattacked with the White Fang Blade.
• Shunren warned Kakashi of Kurogane’s spinning kick, but Kurogane struck Kakashi’s blade and sent him flying.

Shunren and Kakashi fought Kurogane with coordinated attacks, but Shunren’s Railgun failed to stop the Steel Release user. Kurogane’s spear pierced Shunren’s chest, and Kakashi pulled him free, leaving Shunren bleeding and demanding a bandage.

• Shunren used Mind Link to tell Kakashi to stay back and cover him with Ninjutsu while he faced Kurogane.
• Kakashi combined Water and Lightning Release to paralyze Kurogane, but Kurogane escaped with Earth Release and dodged most of Shunren’s frost arrows.
• Shunren fired a Railgun coin that blew off Kurogane’s frozen arm, but the injury also freed Kurogane from the arrow’s slowing effect.
• Kurogane hurled a Steel Release spear at Shunren, and Kakashi’s Water Formation Wall failed to stop it from piercing Shunren’s chest.
• Kakashi cut the spear and pulled it through Shunren’s chest, while Shunren told him to bandage the wound and Kakashi admitted he did not know how.

Shunren and Kakashi were left nearly powerless after fighting Kurogane and the Stone Ninja, so Shunren projected the Bloodthirsty Bead as a last resort. The bead began draining the blood of everyone nearby, and after Shunren's blood landed on it, it erupted in scarlet light.

• Kurogane's two Stone Ninja companions arrived as Shunren and Kakashi ran out of strength, leaving the pair facing three Jonin.
• Kurogane ordered his companions to stand back and approached Shunren, while Shunren used his last Chakra to activate Yin Release: Projection.
• A pale purple Bloodthirsty Bead appeared above Shunren's palm and began pulling at his blood, while Kakashi collapsed unconscious and Kurogane continued toward him despite bleeding from his face.
• Shunren spat blood onto the Bloodthirsty Bead, which absorbed it and erupted in scarlet light.

Shunren used the Bloodthirsty Bead to survive Kurogane’s attack and turn the tide against the Stone Ninja. As two Jonin attacked him, the bead’s power began to fade, leaving Shunren fighting both at once.

• The Bloodthirsty Bead shielded Shunren from Kurogane’s Steel Release attack and pierced Kurogane’s chest, absorbing his blood essence to restore Shunren’s strength and Chakra.
• Two Stone Ninja Jonin attacked Shunren with steel daggers and a crushing pincer strike, but the bead’s barrier blocked them and rapidly healed his injuries.
• Shunren projected Kanshou and Bakuya using the bead’s power, then realized the bead was cracking and his time was limited.
• Shunren saw through the Jonin’s attempt to dispel his Genjutsu and clashed with one of them using his twin swords.
• The second Jonin appeared behind Shunren and attacked, so Shunren sent the Bloodthirsty Bead flying at him.

Shunren fought two Stone Ninja Jonin with the Bloodthirsty Bead and projected equipment, killing one of them before his power ran out. He collapsed while the remaining Jonin approached him with a steel blade.

• Shunren used the Bloodthirsty Bead to fight the two Stone Ninja Jonin, but their coordinated attacks and his draining strength put him under pressure.
• Shunren projected Ezreal's equipment, evaded an ambush with Arcane Shift, and wounded one Stone Ninja with Essence Flux.
• Shunren froze one Stone Ninja with Ashe's Enchanted Crystal Arrow and shattered him with Getsuga Tensho.
• The Bloodthirsty Bead and Zangetsu broke apart, leaving Shunren drained and without his weapons.
• The surviving Stone Ninja Jonin walked toward the collapsed Shunren with a steel blade.

Shunren collapsed after fighting the Stone Ninja, but White Zetsu revived him and took his eyes for Madara. He woke with bandaged eyes beside Shizune and denied Minato’s suggestion that he had defeated three Jonin.

• After Shunren collapsed, the last Stone Ninja prepared to kill him, but the supposedly dead Kurogane stabbed the man from behind and killed him.
• White Zetsu revealed himself, took Shunren’s eyes as a gift for Madara, and merged into his body to restore him with Yang Release power.
• Shunren regained consciousness with bandages over his injured eyes as Shizune stayed beside him.
• Shunren realized Madara had taken his eyes and branded a curse seal on his heart in exchange.
• When Minato praised him for defeating three Stone Ninja Jonin, Shunren denied doing so, and Kakashi said he and Shunren had only injured one Jonin.

Minato reported his mission to the Third, and Danzo argued that Konoha should confront the Stone Ninja while maneuvering to claim Shunren for Root. The Third revealed that the Uchiha clan head had already visited Shunren at the hospital, where the chapter ended with the Uchiha crest appearing before him.

• Minato reported that he had defeated the Stone Ninja armored unit, and Danzo pushed for a hardline response to the border incursion.
• Danzo praised Minato for mastering the Second Hokage's forbidden technique, while the Third continued to favor Minato as a future leader over Danzo's candidate, Orochimaru.
• Danzo told the Third that Shunren had awakened the Sharingan and claimed he had intended to recruit him into Root.
• The Third explained that Shunren had Uchiha ancestry and revealed that the Uchiha Clan head had visited him at the hospital.
• The Uchiha Clan crest appeared before Shunren at Konoha Hospital.

Uchiha Shunren accepted the Uchiha Clan’s offer to become a core disciple in exchange for access to its training resources. After blocking outside surveillance, he summoned the Bloodthirsty Bead and called out to Zetsu.

• Uchiha Kyosho, Tekka, Fugaku, and Yashiro visited Shunren in the hospital, where Tekka confirmed that Shunren had awakened the Sharingan.
• Kyosho offered Shunren a place as a core disciple, and Shunren agreed after Fugaku explained the clan’s training resources.
• Tekka gave Shunren three scrolls as a welcoming gift.
• Shunren used a counter-sensing technique to block surveillance by the Third and Danzo.
• Shunren used Yin Release: Projection to summon the Bloodthirsty Bead, endured its effects, and called for Zetsu.

Shunren forced White Zetsu out of his body with the Bloodthirsty Bead and destroyed him. In the hospital, Kurenai told Shunren that Inoichi had survived a vicious Genjutsu but remained unconscious, and she helped Shunren go for a walk.

• Shunren used the Bloodthirsty Bead to force White Zetsu out of his body and drain his life force.
• The Bloodthirsty Bead restored Shunren's lost blood and strengthened him slightly, and he crushed it after killing White Zetsu.
• Kurenai visited Shunren with food and told him that Inoichi had survived emergency treatment but might not wake up.
• Shunren reassured Kurenai that Inoichi would recover and asked her to walk with him.
• Kurenai stopped Shunren from using Mind's Eye and helped him up.

Shunren and Kurenai rested outside Konoha Hospital before Uchiha Mangshan and his lackeys provoked Kurenai into a genjutsu battle. As Kurenai and Mangshan fought, the lackeys turned their attention to Shunren.

• Shunren recalled how Uchiha Fushan had taken Hezi's eyes to protect her Sharingan and wondered whether the Uchiha Clan had cared for her.
• Uchiha Mangshan and his two lackeys mocked Shunren, but Kurenai confronted them and challenged Mangshan.
• Kurenai and Mangshan revealed that they were both Genin and exchanged insults before forming the Seal of Confrontation.
• Kurenai used Genjutsu: Mirage Technique, and Mangshan countered with Genjutsu Crow, beginning a genjutsu battle.
• Mangshan's lackeys noticed Shunren and asked the blind boy if he wanted to play with them.

Shunren and Kurenai defeated Mangshan and his two lackeys, but Mangshan retaliated with a Fire Style attack after they turned to leave. Shunren used Genjutsu to terrify Mangshan into submission, and the chapter ended with Mangshan crying after they had gone.

• Shunren beat Mangshan's two lackeys while Kurenai won a Genjutsu contest against Mangshan.
• Shunren and Kurenai mocked Mangshan and began to leave, prompting him to attack them from behind with Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.
• Kurenai tried to push Shunren out of the way, but the fireball struck an illusion and vanished as Shunren appeared behind Mangshan with a sword at his neck.
• Mangshan admitted he was wrong, then Shunren used another Genjutsu to make him believe he had been cut in half.
• Shunren and Kurenai left, and Mangshan found blood at his neck before collapsing and crying.