Chapter Summaries

As the Third Shinobi World War spread, the Sand Ninja’s missing Kazekage prompted Granny Chiyo to accuse Konoha and secretly seek a four-nation alliance against it. While Konoha debated how to respond and Madara began stirring up trouble, Shunren focused on training and accepted the chance to take higher-ranked missions.

• The Cloud Ninja invaded the Land of Fire, but Orochimaru ambushed and destroyed their advance force after Konoha’s deployment letter proved to be a decoy.
• The Stone Ninja and Mist Ninja paused their plans after Konoha’s swift victory, leaving the war in a temporary lull.
• The Third Kazekage disappeared, and Granny Chiyo publicly blamed Konoha while secretly contacting the other Great Villages to form an alliance against it.
• Konoha’s leadership split between the Third Hokage’s push for negotiations and Danzo’s call to fight the four nations, while Madara began carrying out his plan.
• Shunren mastered the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique and improved his Konoha-Style Kenjutsu as Konoha sent Genin on higher-ranked missions.
• Shunren ignored Asuma’s provocation and went to the Hokage’s hall to choose a mission.

Shunren accepted a mission to eliminate illegal foreign ninja, then left Konoha after tricking Asuma with a genjutsu during their attempted rematch. Kakashi, Obito, and Rin pursued him, but Shunren’s equipment-boosted speed left Kakashi falling behind.

• Shunren accepted the B-rank mission to eliminate ninja who had entered the Land of Fire illegally.
• Asuma confronted Shunren and demanded a rematch over their Academy duel, and Shunren agreed.
• Asuma attacked with his Flying Swallow blades and Wind Release: Jade Wind Gale, but Kakashi dispelled the genjutsu that had made Asuma believe Shunren was still there.
• Kakashi told Asuma that Shunren had already left the village, then vanished because he had been a Shadow Clone.
• Kakashi, Obito, and Rin chased after Shunren, but Kakashi noticed that Shunren’s speed was steadily widening the gap.

Shunren tracked down five Takigakure ninja who had looted and destroyed a town, then engaged them alone. He killed one and left the remaining Waterfall Ninja shocked by his strength.

• Shunren used Mind's Eye to locate five Takigakure ninja near a northern Land of Fire town.
• Shunren found the town buried beneath rubble and killed a surviving villager who was still moving.
• The five Waterfall Ninja confronted Shunren, and he judged that three were Chunin-level while two were high-level Genin by Konoha standards.
• Shunren wounded one Waterfall Ninja by cutting off his arm and used the clash to draw the others into a counterattack.
• Shunren threw a sword around an Earth-Style Wall and pierced a fleeing Waterfall Ninja's neck, killing him.

Shunren fought five Waterfall Ninja in real combat to hone his strength, using lightning, Katarina’s dagger, Genjutsu, and Konoha-style sword techniques to defeat them. After killing all five, he continued pursuing his goal of improving through combat against the other infiltrators in Konoha.

• Shunren killed a Waterfall Ninja with Railgun, then used his sword and Katarina’s dagger to kill two more as the others attacked.
• A Waterfall Ninja bound Shunren with a chain, but Shunren’s Bubble Technique trapped him in a Genjutsu and let Shunren charge at the pair.
• A Waterfall Ninja used a clone Genjutsu to attack Shunren, who reflected the illusion with Mirror Heaven and Earth Change and exposed its caster.
• Shunren used Dance of the Crescent Moon to kill the final Waterfall Ninja, completing a five-kill.
• Shunren’s mission against infiltrators was only an excuse to hone his strength through real combat.

Shunren searched for Grass Ninja spies near Konoha’s northwestern army and used his aerial advantage to locate their hidden valley camp. He ambushed them from above with a devastating sword strike.

• A Grass Ninja intelligence unit set traps and kept its sensors active while fearing Konoha’s ten-year-old Demon Child Hunter, Shunren.
• Shunren flew over the area and used the Mind's Eye sensing technique, narrowing his search after failing to detect the concealed Grass Ninja.
• A Grass Ninja accidentally triggered one of his own Explosive Tags, releasing Chakra and prompting the leader to order the sensing team to stay alert.
• Shunren descended from the sky and struck the valley with his Heavy Black Iron Ruler, splitting the ground with the Early Summer Rain Slash.

Shunren used the Heavy Black Iron Ruler and the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique to attack a Grass Ninja squad. After the darkness was broken, only four Grass Ninja remained standing.

• Shunren’s Heavy Black Iron Ruler suppressed his Chakra and let him smash the ground with his opening strike, scattering the Grass Ninja.
• Shunren trapped the Grass Ninja in the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique and attacked them while they could not see.
• Shunren killed eight Grass Ninja with the Heavy Black Iron Ruler before a sensory-type ninja tracked him and dodged an attack.
• The sensory-type ninja threw explosive Kunai, but the Heavy Black Iron Ruler blocked the blasts without damage.
• The remaining Grass Ninja escaped the barrier’s range and broke the technique’s formula, restoring their sight; only four were left standing.

Shunren fought the Grass Ninja Jonin while carrying the Heavy Black Iron Ruler, then revealed his speed and strength had been suppressed by its weight. After activating Yin Release: Projection, he launched a three-pronged sword attack on the Jonin.

• The Grass Ninja Jonin used a fire-infused Chakra Blade, but failed to damage Shunren's Heavy Black Iron Ruler.
• The Jonin's Fire Style blast knocked the ruler from Shunren's hands, and the Grass Ninja attacked with shuriken and fireballs.
• The Jonin struck the ruler away again and attacked Shunren, but Shunren vanished and appeared behind him with Kanshou and Bakuya.
• Shunren explained that the ruler had suppressed his speed and Chakra, then used Yin Release: Projection to raise his attributes.
• Shunren split into three figures and attacked the Grass Ninja Jonin with Konoha-Style Kenjutsu: Crescent Moon Slash.

Shunren returned to Konoha after completing his mission and declined another assignment so he could focus on training. The Third planned to send him to the battlefield, while Danzo suspected the plan would get Shunren killed.

• Shunren returned to Konoha carrying his Heavy Black Iron Ruler, and the gate guards thanked him for his missions.
• Shunren reported to the Third, declined another assignment, and returned to the Uchiha compound.
• After Shunren left, Danzo admitted to the Third that he was interested in the boy and listed the Jonin Shunren had defeated.
• The Third said he intended to give Shunren an important role on the battlefield, and Danzo accused him of sending the boy to his death.

Shunren returned home to Izumi and Hezi, who discovered and healed his wound with her rare Yang Release medical ninjutsu. After bathing in his private bath, Shunren relaxed at home.

• Shunren returned to his home in the Uchiha Clan district and greeted Izumi and Hezi.
• Hezi noticed blood on Shunren and insisted on examining his lower-abdominal wound.
• Hezi treated Shunren’s wound with Yang Release: Mystical Palm Technique, healing it completely.
• Shunren went to his private bath and relaxed in the warm water.

Shunren bathed with Izumi while Hezi mistook him for a child and offered him maternal affection. After Izumi’s playful teasing about Shunren’s “treasure,” Hezi realized he was not really a child.

• Izumi splashed into the bath and joked that everything belonging to Daddy belonged to her.
• Hezi joined Shunren in the bath and scrubbed his back, then embraced him and offered to let him think of her as his mother.
• Izumi joked that Shunren would become her big brother and swam toward him, but stopped after feeling something underwater.
• Izumi asked to play with Shunren’s “treasure,” and Shunren refused while trying to stop her from reaching for it.
• Hezi watched Shunren and Izumi bicker, then blushed as she realized Shunren was not a child after all.

Shunren stabilized his Yin Release projection of Sode no Shirayuki and tested how long he could wield it. After sensing an unexplained disturbance near his home, he projected a ruby-eyed pedestal onto the roof as a control ward.

• Shunren projected Sode no Shirayuki and held onto the freezing sword as its form stabilized.
• He practiced basic sword swings and techniques, then maintained the projection for nearly half an hour before cracks appeared in the blade.
• Shunren dispersed the sword and found that its use had consumed little Chakra.
• He sensed a faint, unusual fluctuation near his property, but his Mind's Eye scan revealed nothing.
• Shunren decided to plant a control ward at home and projected a small pedestal topped with an eye-like ruby.

Shunren used the Vision Ward to expose a hidden Anbu and fought him with a succession of weapons and techniques. The Anbu countered Shunren’s sensory abilities and briefly took control of his sword arm, leading Shunren to identify him as a member of the Yamanaka Clan.

• Shunren spotted a masked Anbu hiding in the courtyard with the Vision Ward and attacked him with the Heavy Black Iron Ruler.
• The Anbu dodged Shunren’s opening strike, deflected his thrown ruler, and escaped a dagger attack with the Substitution Technique.
• Shunren used Arcane Shift and Ashe’s True Ice Bow to fire arrows at the Anbu, who blocked them with an Earth-Style Wall.
• Shunren fired a Railgun through the wall and followed with Kanshou and Bakuya, but the Anbu used the Mind Body Disturbance Technique to seize control of Shunren’s right hand.
• Shunren broke the technique and recognized the Anbu’s stance, concluding that he belonged to the Yamanaka Clan.

Shunren fought and unmasked a Yamanaka Anbu from Root, then learned Danzo wanted to meet him. He forced the Anbu to agree to withdraw the surveillance for now, but knew Danzo would continue pursuing him and resolved to gain more power.

• Shunren recognized the Anbu’s Yamanaka techniques, broke his mask, and saw that his face and voice had been deliberately disfigured.
• Shunren evaded the Anbu’s Mind Body Disturbance Technique and severed the tendon in his left leg with a three-directional sword attack.
• The Yamanaka Anbu used the Mind Transmission Technique to tell Shunren that Danzo had requested his presence.
• Shunren refused Danzo’s invitation and threatened the Anbu until he agreed to relay Shunren’s demand that Root end its surveillance.
• After the Root Anbu withdrew, Shunren accepted that the reprieve was temporary and vowed to become stronger.

Shunren endured Danzo’s surveillance and trained while Konoha fought on four fronts during the first year of the Third Shinobi World War. Expecting to be sent to the battlefield, he asked Fugaku to take him along, then demanded two powerful techniques in return.

• Danzo sent Root operatives to watch Shunren’s home, and Shunren repeatedly drove them away while resisting the urge to attack them.
• Cloud Ninja, Stone Ninja, Sand Ninja, and Mist Ninja fought Konoha in four major campaigns; Konoha won once, lost once, and drew twice.
• Shunren spent the year driving out infiltrators and training, and he anticipated that Konoha would soon send him to the front lines.
• Shunren went to the Konoha Military Police Force and asked Fugaku to let him follow him into battle.
• Fugaku welcomed Shunren’s offer, and Shunren requested the Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique and the Kagami-Style Body Flicker Technique.

Pakura’s Sand Ninja force was ambushed at sea by the Mist Ninja, and she fought back with Scorch Release before Yuki Kan trapped her survivors with Ice Release. A hidden Spore Technique drained Yuki Kan’s Chakra at the decisive moment, allowing Pakura to kill him, though the battle’s outcome remained uncertain.

• Pakura led the battered Sand Ninja force against the Mist Ninja’s encirclement, using Scorch Release to vaporize their Water Release attack and kill a minor leader.
• The Mist Ninja feigned retreat, then Yuki Kan revealed himself and trapped the Sand Ninja with Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.
• Pakura shielded the survivors with Scorch Release, but Yuki Kan’s freezing attack killed more than half her subordinates.
• Pakura charged Yuki Kan with a life-or-death assault, and a hidden Spore Technique drained his Chakra.
• Pakura broke through Yuki Kan’s ice walls and killed him with a flame sphere, leaving her stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Madara Uchiha manipulated events to strengthen the Sand Ninja, leaving the Uchiha-led Konoha Western Army under greater pressure. Shunren joined Fugaku’s small elite reinforcement force and reached the Western Army’s main camp at Kikyo Mountain.

• Madara Uchiha and Zetsu discussed how the Sand Ninja’s victory over the Mist Ninja could prolong the war against Konoha.
• The Sand Ninja’s victory raised their morale and intensified their campaign against the Uchiha-led Konoha Western Army commanded by Uchiha Kyosho.
• Konoha High Command refused the Uchiha’s request for reinforcements, so Fugaku led fewer than a hundred elite Uchiha to the front while Tekka took over his duties in Konoha.
• Shunren joined Fugaku’s force and was assigned to its intelligence team because of his sensory skills.
• After crossing the harsh desert, Fugaku’s reinforcement force arrived at the Konoha Western Army’s main camp at Kikyo Mountain.

Konoha and Sand Ninja commanders prepared for a decisive battle at Kikyo Mountain, each anticipating the other's tactics. Shunren noticed the Sand Ninja's improbable victory over the Mist Ninja and grew suspicious, while Pakura sensed that Rasa's secret mission for her could be dangerous.

• Kyosho briefed Konoha's war council on the Sand Ninja's leaders and planned defenses at Kikyo Mountain, while Shunren wondered how the Sand Ninja had defeated the Mist Ninja.
• Rasa rallied the Sand Ninja commanders and introduced Chiyo and Pakura as key figures in the coming battle.
• Kyosho revealed that the Sand Ninja had five thousand troops against Konoha's three thousand, then outlined plans to defend the mountain and counter Konoha's siege weapons.
• Kyosho ordered Fugaku to lead a Fire Style ambush and assigned Yashiro to guard the intelligence division and rear.
• Rasa entrusted Pakura with a secret strategy, and Pakura accepted despite sensing that the mission would be dangerous.

Konoha prepared its defenses at Kikyo Mountain as more than 5,000 Sand Ninja approached, and Shunren was assigned to protect the intelligence unit. After Uchiha Yashiro carelessly dismissed his subordinates to patrol, Shunren used Yin Release: Projection to monitor the area with Stealth Wards.

• Konoha fortified Kikyo Mountain with traps, bunkers, barriers, and weapons to defend against the approaching Sand Ninja.
• Uchiha Kyosho, Uchiha Fugaku, and Uchiha Yashiro watched the Sand Ninja army advance, and Kyosho ordered the operation to begin.
• Shunren went to the rear intelligence unit, where his assignment was to protect the personnel because he lacked training in its specialized techniques.
• Yashiro complained about being assigned to rear guard and sent his subordinates on an inattentive patrol.
• Shunren grew concerned about the lax security and activated Yin Release: Projection to deploy Stealth Wards.

Uchiha Kyosō entered the Battle of Kikyo Pass alone and swiftly defeated a hundred Sand Ninja, drawing Granny Chiyo into the fight. As Kyosō and Chiyo prepared to clash, Shunren spotted another Sand Ninja force and reported it to Yashiro.

• Konoha and the Sand Ninja exchanged attacks, with barriers protecting Konoha’s fortifications and Uchiha ninja destroying some of the Sand Ninja’s ballistae.
• Rasa learned that Uchiha Kyosō was leading an attack on the Sand Ninja left wing.
• Kyosō fought a hundred Sand Ninja alone, killing many with his taijutsu, a Fire Style technique, and a kunai.
• Granny Chiyo emerged to confront Kyosō, who activated his Sharingan.
• Shunren spotted about a hundred Sand Ninja in area thirteen of the east sector and reported them to Yashiro.

Shunren learned that Yashiro’s Space-Time Blocking Formation was meant to keep enemy Chunin and Jonin out, but warned that the Sand Ninja could bypass it by lowering their chakra first. After an explosion struck the intelligence and communications department, Yashiro charged out to confront the infiltrators, leaving him facing terrified Sand Ninja children concealing a Jonin attack squad.

• Yashiro explained that the Uchiha’s Space-Time Blocking Formation detected chakra above Genin level and blocked stronger enemies from entering.
• Shunren noticed that some infiltrators looked like adults and asked whether Sand Ninja Jonin could reduce their chakra and restore it with Military Ration Pills.
• An explosion hit the intelligence and communications department, and Shunren sensed that it was the Sand Ninja’s target.
• Shunren realized the Sand Ninja had sent over a hundred young Genin as cover for a Jonin squad that had depleted its chakra to slip past the barrier, then replenished it with medicine.
• Yashiro rushed out and used his Sharingan, but every infiltrator appeared to have Genin-level chakra, so he unleashed his own power and threatened to kill them all.