Chapter Summaries

Chisen lured Allied Forces squads into the woods and trapped them in a massive Fire Style attack, then led his group in finishing off survivors and taking supplies. As the main force reached Osmanthus Village, Chisen ordered a retreat, but Helian appeared alone and blocked their way.

• Chisen planted false trails and waited until several Allied Forces squads entered the woods before ordering over a hundred hidden ninja to set the forest ablaze with Fire Style.
• The Allied Forces suffered heavy losses in the spreading fire, and reinforcements eventually used Water Style to suppress the flames.
• Chisen's group hunted survivors in the smoke, killed several ninja, and seized Soldier Pills, Exploding Tags, poisoned senbon, and other supplies.
• Neji reported that the main force had reached Osmanthus Village, so Chisen ordered everyone to gather the spoils and retreat.
• Helian cut down a row of charred trees and confronted Chisen as the group tried to escape.

After escaping Osmanthus Village, Chisen’s squad brought captured supplies back to camp and learned Tsunade’s plan had used the village as bait. Suspecting Helian was preparing a larger move, Chisen chose Shino Aburame to accompany him on a covert mission into the village, and they set out through the morning fog.

• Kakashi used Lightning Release: Earth Flow while Shikamaru’s Shadow Stitching Technique covered Chisen’s escape from Helian’s attack.
• Chisen’s squad returned with captured weapons, medicine, and explosive tags, and Tsunade’s message revealed that the first phase of her plan to lure the Allied Forces into Osmanthus Village was complete.
• Chisen suspected Helian was preparing a major operation and told Tsunade he needed to enter the village to learn the enemy’s next target.
• Tsunade offered Chisen a choice of Shino Aburame, Sai, or Genma Shiranui as a reconnaissance partner, and Chisen selected Shino for his insects’ intelligence-gathering abilities.
• After taking two Soldier Pills, Chisen met Shino outside the camp and led him into the fog toward Osmanthus Village.

Chisen and Shino surveilled the Allied Forces’ occupation of Osmanthus Village, mapping its defenses and discovering that the troops were reinforcing the settlement and preparing a network of talisman boards. They remained hidden while Shino’s insects infiltrated the village, leaving them with evidence of a possible large-scale linked jutsu but no word yet on Helian.

• Chisen and Shino approached Osmanthus Village from the southwest and used Shino’s kikaichū to scout its sentries, patrols, and defenses.
• They watched Allied Forces ninja interrogate a captured herb trader, and Shino identified an influential middle-aged man using a forced-recall technique.
• Chisen and Shino learned the Allied Forces were searching cellars and herb stores, suggesting they planned to hold the village for more than a few days.
• Shino attached insects to a young Allied Forces ninja carrying planks into the village and used them to discover a guarded herb shop filled with talisman boards.
• Shino reported that the boards appeared designed to connect chakra routes across the village, and Chisen suspected the Allied Forces were preparing a large-scale linked jutsu.

Chisen and Shino infiltrated Osmanthus Village to spy on Helian’s defensive preparations and learned that he was reinforcing the village instead of moving on Stone Beam Pass. They left knowing the Allied Forces were searching cellars that could reveal Konoha’s positions and retreat routes.

• Shino sent insects into Main Lane during breakfast and learned the Allied Forces were securing key parts of Osmanthus Village, including Well Courtyard.
• Chisen and Shino watched Helian review reports and heard him order extra surveillance, while Shino learned that Helian had mentioned waterways and Stone Beam Pass.
• The two moved closer to Helian’s command base, where Chisen spotted a carefully handled Land of Lightning sealing crate.
• Shino’s insects carried Helian’s conversation to them: he ordered parts taken from the north storehouse to repair the damaged well courtyard and postponed the move on Stone Beam Pass.
• Chisen heard that the Allied Forces had found two old cellars and were digging into the South Alley cellar Konoha had used.

Chisen and Shino spied on the Allied Forces in Osmanthus Village and learned that Helian planned to target resettlement supplies traveling along the western post road. Just as they prepared to carry the intelligence back, an Allied Forces ninja spotted a suspicious shadow near their hiding place.

• Shino predicted Helian would tighten security around damaged sites while leaving other areas less guarded, and he and Chisen watched the elevated courtyard.
• After a collapse at Well Courtyard exposed old storage levels and tag-board fragments, Helian sealed the area and began investigating the village’s past.
• Shino gathered information about new defenses and supplies, then overheard Helian order searches for village registers and question a medicine delivery man.
• A scout reported that the Allied Forces could not reach the southern rendezvous point but knew compensation documents would travel along the western post road the day after tomorrow, and Helian ordered an interception of a later resettlement-supply shipment.
• As Chisen and Shino decided to carry the intelligence back, an Allied Forces ninja noticed a shadow behind the collapsed wall near their hiding place.

Chisen and Shino escaped Osmanthus Village after learning that Helian was strengthening its defenses and targeting records and clerks. They returned to Tsunade’s command tent and began reporting the Allied Forces’ plans, including a sensor network Helian wanted completed before nightfall.

• Chisen killed a roaming Allied Forces guard, and he and Shino staged a distraction to delay the guard’s relief before escaping the village.
• Shino told Chisen that Helian planned to spare women and children at the rendezvous point while capturing people who could keep records.
• As they withdrew, Chisen and Shino discussed Helian’s cautious nature and agreed they would return to Osmanthus Village.
• Chisen and Shino reached the outpost, where Shizune directed them to Tsunade, Shikamaru, and Kakashi in the command tent.
• Chisen reported that the Allied Forces were building an interconnected sensor system at three sites and that Helian had inspected an old storage level beneath the well courtyard.

Tsunade learned that Helian was investigating Osmanthus Village and preparing a covert strike toward Konoha, so she reorganized the border’s routes and ordered an interception at Bluebird Ridge. Chisen and Shikamaru prepared to lead a small team into the mountains while Kakashi and Shino remained near Osmanthus Village.

• Chisen, Shino, and Shikamaru reported signs that Helian’s scouts were mapping routes and tracing records, prompting Tsunade to change the document and supply routes and set up decoys.
• Tsunade revealed that elite detachments might cross Bluebird Ridge, Desolate Valley, and the Old Hunting Trail to threaten Konoha, and Chisen predicted they would move within two or three days.
• Tsunade assigned Chisen, Shikamaru, Tenzo, and Kiba to intercept the enemy, with two mobile Anbu and distant Hyuga observers supporting them; Kakashi and Shino stayed on the border.
• Shizune treated Chisen’s old wounds and made him take medicine before he prepared mountain equipment with Shikamaru, Kiba, Akamaru, and Tenzo.

Chisen and his squad followed signs of an enemy Jonin team through the mountain routes near Bluebird Ridge and discovered that several enemies had already crossed the broken ravine. They reorganized to search possible hiding places and block the routes onward, leaving Chisen and Shikamaru to scout the upper ridge together.

• Kakashi gave Chisen an old map showing a disused trail along the broken ravine and warned him not to advance too far ahead.
• Chisen led Shikamaru, Kiba, Akamaru, and Tenzo to a narrow gorge, where they found signs that a few enemies had tested the route but not used it as their main path.
• The squad reached the broken ravine and found trimmed vines and a hemp strand, evidence that three to five enemies had crossed within the last two days.
• Chisen identified the enemy’s likely presence as the Wind Priest and reasoned that the team might be hiding beyond the ravine before advancing after nightfall.
• The squad mapped the possible routes and divided up to search the dead woodland hollow, rock fissures, and upper ridge, with Shikamaru accompanying Chisen.

Chisen and his allies ambushed a seven-person Allied Forces team in a narrow mountain passage, aiming to stop its advance toward Konoha. The fight escalated into a close-range battle with the Wind Priest, and the chapter ended as he ordered his team to push forward and break free of the ambush.

• Kiba and Tenzo found traces showing that a large Allied Forces team had recently passed through the area, and Chisen chose the narrow passage as the place to intercept them.
• Chisen, Shikamaru, Tenzo, Kiba, and Akamaru took concealed positions and waited until seven enemy ninja entered the passage.
• Chisen struck the Wind Priest while Shikamaru, Tenzo, Kiba, and Akamaru attacked the other members of the team and disrupted their formation.
• The Wind Priest recognized Chisen from Helian's description, and the two fought at close range as the Konoha team pressured the enemy rear ranks.
• A Byakugan lookout's whistle revealed that Konoha had observers on the ridge, prompting the Wind Priest to cut at the stone beneath Chisen and order his team to advance through the passage.

Chisen and Shikamaru split from the fight at the choke point to intercept Cloud Falcon’s squad on the upper ridge. They disrupted the squad’s attempt to reach Konoha’s outskirts, and Cloud Falcon was wounded and forced to his knees as Konoha’s sentries signaled their approach.

• Tenzo raised earthen ridges while Chisen and Shikamaru trapped the Wind Priest, but the enemy revealed that Cloud Falcon had already slipped past with a separate squad.
• A burst of lightning exposed the diversion, so Chisen and Shikamaru left Kiba and Tenzo to hold the Wind Priest’s squad and pursued Cloud Falcon up the ridge.
• Chisen and Shikamaru found Cloud Falcon leading five fighters and blocked their advance, forcing the squad to fight rather than continue toward Konoha.
• Shikamaru disrupted an Earth ninja’s attempt to collapse the ridge, causing a landslide that alerted Konoha’s outer defenses and forced Cloud Falcon to order a retreat.
• Chisen and Shikamaru pinned Cloud Falcon with coordinated attacks, and Chisen stabbed him in the abdomen as Konoha’s sentries sent signals from behind the ridge.

Chisen, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Tenzo stopped the Allied Forces Jonin’s surprise attack on Bluebird Ridge and discovered that the enemy had targeted three key locations. At the Allied Forces camp, Helian learned the attack had failed but revealed that Cloud Falcon’s team had been sent to find Chisen.

• A Sunagakure Jonin detonated Exploding Tags, and Chisen shoved Shikamaru away from the blast before surviving the explosion himself.
• Chisen and Shikamaru pursued the surviving attackers, while Kiba and Tenzo arrived and reported that Wind Priest had retreated badly wounded.
• The group searched Cloud Falcon’s belongings and found a hide marking the West Warehouse, the East Auxiliary Document Station, and the Old Medical Supply Depot as targets.
• A Messenger Hawk delivered news of the failed Bluebird Ridge attack to Helian, who identified Chisen as the one who intercepted Cloud Falcon’s team.
• Helian said Cloud Falcon’s team had been meant to find someone, and the middle-aged man asked whether Helian had known Chisen would intercept them.

Helian used a Yanshui House branch member’s sacrifice to mark Chisen and activate a tracking catalyst. He planned to wait for Chisen to leave Konoha’s defenses and trap him, while revealing that surviving members of Hamura’s House had pushed for the war to kill him.

• Helian ordered the Yanshui clan records brought to him and opened a black jade box containing a tracking catalyst.
• Helian explained that a Yanshui branch member in Cloud Falcon’s squad had marked Chisen by dying in contact with him.
• Helian activated the catalyst and found that Chisen was alive and moving between Konoha’s outer lines and the border.
• Helian planned to track Chisen until he left Konoha’s defenses, then close a trap around him.
• Helian told the middle-aged man that survivors of Hamura’s House wanted Chisen dead because they blamed his lineage for their clan’s destruction.

Helian used the black jade box to track Chisen’s movements and waited until Chisen ventured farther from Konoha with only a small team. He sent Hamura Jaku and seven others to capture and kill Chisen away from Konoha, while remaining in Osmanthus Village.

• Helian explained that the Hamura clan members were waiting to ambush Chisen when he left Konoha.
• The black jade box showed Chisen making a cautious patrol near Bluebird Ridge, and Helian chose to watch rather than attack.
• Helian explained that the tracking mark came at a high price and that he was waiting for Chisen to grow less wary after repeated uneventful patrols.
• On the fifth day, the mark showed Chisen moving south-southwest toward the supply route with only a few companions.
• Helian ordered the middle-aged man to gather Hamura Jaku, Water Ruler, and Folded Wind, and instructed them to hold Chisen alive before killing him far from Konoha.

Hamura Jaku and Helian arranged an ambush to kill Chisen, who was inspecting the southern outposts with Shikamaru, Kiba, and a Hyuga ninja. Chisen avoided entering the trap, but the attackers surrounded his group, and a strange chill at the back of his neck hinted that he had been marked or targeted.

• Helian gave Hamura Jaku the ambush plan and warned him to wait until Chisen returned through the narrow ravine before attacking.
• Hamura Jaku gathered Water Ruler, Folded Wind, and five others, then led them toward Chisen's route.
• Chisen, Shikamaru, Kiba, and a Hyuga ninja found the outposts suspiciously empty and detected traces of a concealed ambush.
• Chisen decided not to enter the ravine, but a hidden attacker struck from behind as the group began to retreat.
• Hamura Jaku revealed himself and confronted Chisen over an old grievance, while Chisen felt a sudden, unexplained chill at the back of his neck.

Chisen and his allies fought Hamura Jaku and his prepared team, while Chisen learned that a hidden brand had led them to him and that Hamura Jaku blamed his bloodline for his family’s deaths. Chisen was badly wounded but exploited Hamura Jaku’s anger to uncover that the survivor who told him about the alleged massacre was still alive.

• Chisen attacked Hamura Jaku as Shikamaru, Kiba, Akamaru, and the Byakugan ninja fought Water Ruler, Folded Wind, and the other attackers.
• Hamura Jaku revealed that Chisen carried a hidden brand that let Helian track him, and Chisen drew out concealed enemies with thrown blades.
• Hamura Jaku stabbed Chisen in the abdomen, while Shikamaru and the others coordinated to defeat Water Ruler and confront Folded Wind.
• Folded Wind sent metal slivers flying, and Chisen took several wounds while protecting his allies and continuing to fight Hamura Jaku.
• Chisen questioned Hamura Jaku about the source of his family’s accusation, provoking him into losing control and revealing that the survivor who made the claim was still alive.

Chisen and his allies fought Hamura Jaku and the remaining attackers, but a hidden brand repeatedly froze Chisen and helped Hamura Jaku escape. Shikamaru led the poisoned, gravely wounded Chisen back toward Konoha, where medical ninjas began treating him.

• Kiba, Akamaru, and Shikamaru defeated Folded Wind while Chisen drew Hamura Jaku into a trap.
• Hamura Jaku's wire array and Chisen's brand left Chisen immobilized, allowing Hamura Jaku to stab him before Chisen wounded him in return.
• Shikamaru and Kiba helped Chisen strike Hamura Jaku, but the brand disrupted Chisen's killing blow, and Hamura Jaku escaped with reinforcements.
• The Byakugan ninja found a deeply embedded mark near Chisen's chakra pathways, and the group retreated toward Konoha to seek treatment.
• Shikamaru gave the patrol orders to alert the Hokage and Shizune, and medical ninjas began treating Chisen as he clutched his blade.

Chisen returned to Konoha gravely injured after Hamura Jaku’s ambush, and Tsunade confirmed that the tracking Brand could not yet be removed. Chisen woke to strict orders to recover in bed, while Shikamaru and the Sealing Squad worked to keep Helian from locating him precisely.

• Shikamaru and Kiba brought Chisen back to Konoha, where Shizune rushed him into surgery and Tsunade ordered the ambush details kept quiet.
• Tsunade told Shikamaru that Hamura Jaku’s attack was connected to the Hamura House Case, which involved the Old Nobles of the Land of Fire, Border Private Soldiers, and hired ninja groups.
• Shizune reported that Chisen had survived surgery, but Tsunade could not remove the Brand without risking severe damage to his chakra pathways.
• Shikamaru proposed disguising the Brand’s movement to confuse Helian, and Tsunade summoned the Sealing Squad to help suppress and misdirect its signal.
• Chisen woke that evening and learned that he could not leave the village, use much chakra, or fight for a month, but he insisted that Helian would act while he lay in bed.

Chisen recovered in the hospital while Shikamaru coordinated with the Sealing Squad to counter Helian’s tracking Brand. Kagura identified a possible way to mislead Helian using Chisen’s blood, but the squad still needed to test the idea and obtain help identifying the Brand.

• Shikamaru told Chisen that Tsunade had ordered him to stay in bed while the Sealing Squad prepared false signals to keep Helian guessing.
• Kiba visited Chisen with Akamaru, thanked him for blocking the Wind Blades, and learned that the Brand sometimes felt like a moving thread of ice.
• Chisen told Shikamaru to investigate old cases beyond Konoha’s records, including Fire Country nobility, border mercenaries, and the Hamura remnants.
• Kagura examined Chisen’s Brand and said it belonged to the Flowing Water Bloodline; she identified Hisai, a researcher at a northeastern border institute, as someone who might identify its branch.
• Kagura explained that Tsunade’s seal could dull the Brand but could not prevent Helian from locating Chisen over time, and Shikamaru proposed creating false moving signals.
• Shikamaru suggested using blood recovered from Chisen’s old bandages as a moving carrier, and Kagura agreed the approach might work if they could safely obtain enough blood.

Shikamaru and Kagura planned an artificial blood vessel to protect Chisen from Helian’s tracking brand, while Shizune warned that Chisen might try to cut it out himself. Shikamaru suspected an informant inside Konoha and woke to find Chisen sitting by an open window, looking more stable but still wounded.

• Shikamaru proposed building a warm, beating artificial body carrying Chisen’s blood, and Kagura agreed to reinforce the seal and investigate the Flowing Water bloodline.
• Shizune told Shikamaru that Chisen had a history of risking himself and might cut out the brand to protect Konoha.
• Shikamaru and Kiba discussed Helian’s motives and suspected someone had told Hamura Jaku about Chisen’s brand.
• Shikamaru wrote an order to investigate everyone with access to information about Chisen’s injuries, including the Medical Unit.
• Shikamaru woke to find Chisen sitting barefoot on the windowsill with his sword, his breathing steadier than it had been during the night.

Chisen revealed to Shikamaru that he had learned to control the Brand three months earlier and had used it to deceive Hamura Jaku at the Bend. He planned to trace the Brand’s resonance to find Helian, and Shikamaru agreed to seek help from Hisai while demanding that Chisen share future discoveries.

• Shikamaru questioned Chisen about his rapid recovery and asked to see the Brand, but Chisen refused.
• Chisen explained that the Brand required both his blood and Helian’s, and that he had learned to control its effects three months earlier.
• Chisen admitted he had faked the Brand’s flare-up to lure Hamura Jaku close, accepted a real but deliberately survivable wound, and coated his blade with his own blood.
• Shikamaru confronted Chisen for keeping his discoveries secret, then helped him put on his slipper.
• Chisen proposed tracing the Brand’s resonance to locate Helian and identified Hisai as someone who might be able to follow its water line.
• Shikamaru agreed to ask Tsunade to bring Hisai sooner and secured Chisen’s promise to report future discoveries immediately.