Chapter Summaries

Hanma publicly declared his affection for Tsunade at the Uchiha training ground, then began a practical lesson with Nawaki and Fugaku. Fugaku outmatched Nawaki with shuriken, ninjutsu, and genjutsu, leaving the lesson’s fight unresolved.

• Hanma and Tsunade exchanged a loud declaration of affection, drawing cheers from the Uchiha clansmen and signaling their marriage alliance.
• Hanma paired Nawaki with the newly promoted Chunin Fugaku for practical combat training.
• Fugaku used his Two Tomoe Sharingan to send twelve shuriken at Nawaki, who dodged them clumsily before Fugaku stopped his blade at Nawaki’s neck.
• Hanma explained the value of shuriken and let the fight continue with Fugaku barred from using thrown tools.
• Fugaku countered Nawaki’s Water Formation Wall with Earth Flow River, then caught Nawaki with Hell Viewing Technique as Nawaki charged at him.

Hanma taught Nawaki and the other students about bloodline abilities, strength, and the dangers of trusting enemies, then explained why Kushina, Minato, and Fugaku had become stronger. When Fugaku and Nawaki asked for instruction, Hanma began sparring with Fugaku.

• Hanma caught Nawaki after Fugaku's Sharingan Genjutsu made him fall, then dispelled the Genjutsu with Predatory Blood Qi.
• Hanma explained the importance of bloodline abilities and warned the students about enemy deception, demonstrating an Explosive Tag's power by crushing it unharmed.
• Hanma reassured Nawaki that his happy childhood was nothing to be ashamed of and described the training and hardships that had strengthened Kushina, Minato, and Fugaku.
• Fugaku asked to spar with Hanma, and Nawaki also requested a lesson while Minato and Kushina ran to hide behind Tsunade.
• Fugaku attacked Hanma with Uchiha Style Swordsmanship: Sun Halo Dance, and Hanma sent Chakra projectiles toward Fugaku's blind spots.

Hanma trained Fugaku by attacking his swordsmanship and then testing his Sharingan genjutsu, while Nawaki watched from the sidelines. After showing Fugaku how far outmatched he was, Hanma left to counsel Nawaki.

• Hanma bombarded Fugaku with Chakra shockwaves, forcing him to defend and helping him improve his kenjutsu.
• Fugaku unleashed Uchiha Style Kenjutsu, Mirror Flame Leap, but Hanma knocked him into a wall with a sweeping kick.
• Fugaku bowed to Hanma, then used Genjutsu: Sharingan: Binding Technique in a surprise attack, but Hanma's power shattered the genjutsu.
• Hanma overwhelmed Fugaku with Blood Qi, appeared behind him, and flicked his forehead instead of striking him.
• Hanma warned Fugaku not to provoke the strong and walked over to Nawaki to counsel him.

Hanma took Nawaki and the others to Ichiraku Ramen after training and challenged Nawaki to consider what a ninja was. He left Nawaki with a vision of a ninja’s purpose centered on living well and helping others, then pressed him to confront the gap between himself and Fugaku.

• Hanma checked on Minato’s Flying Thunder God research, and Minato said he was close to understanding the basic formula.
• Hanma, Tsunade, Nawaki, Minato, and Kushina left the training grounds together and went to Ichiraku Ramen at Nawaki’s insistence.
• While they ate, Hanma asked Nawaki what a ninja was, then explained that Konoha had been formed to protect people and let them live in peace.
• Minato agreed that everyone living well would make Konoha better, while Tsunade and Nawaki considered Hanma’s words.
• Hanma asked Nawaki why he had been born into the Senju yet was so far behind Fugaku.

Hanma explained the Senju Clan’s dissolution and the burdens of becoming Hokage to Nawaki, who chose to keep training as a ninja without deciding whether to pursue that dream. Hanma then met the young Kakashi and reflected on how his own view of Konoha differed from Hatake Sakumo’s.

• After Nawaki lamented losing to Fugaku, Hanma explained how the Senju Clan dissolved into Konoha while the Uchiha retained their clan structure, leaving Nawaki without systematic clan training.
• Hanma told Nawaki that a Hokage had to endure betrayal, loss, and hardship, and said he could choose a life outside the ninja path.
• Nawaki thanked Hanma and asked him to continue teaching him, though he had not decided whether to keep pursuing his Hokage dream.
• Tsunade accepted that Nawaki did not have to become a ninja, while Hanma said he wanted to correct the boy’s understanding of his circumstances.
• Hanma noticed the young Kakashi, picked him up, and asked him to greet Sakumo for him; Kakashi agreed.
• Hanma reflected that Sakumo’s loyalty to Konoha differed from his own attachment to individuals rather than the village.

Hanma and Orochimaru rejected Danzo’s plan to assassinate Hanzo and seize Amegakure without the Hokage’s orders. Later, the Third Hokage spoke with Hanma about teaching and asked how strong he had become.

• A Root Yamanaka clansman reported that the tortured Amegakure spy’s intelligence matched the Anbu’s findings.
• Danzo proposed infiltrating Amegakure, killing Hanzo, and annexing the village, but Hanma said he would act only under the Hokage’s orders.
• Orochimaru warned that assassinating an enemy village leader during peacetime could provoke a wider war.
• Hanma reminded Danzo that the Second Hokage and Hanma’s father had sacrificed themselves while Danzo had stayed behind, prompting Danzo to leave.
• Hanma warned Orochimaru that working with Danzo was dangerous, and Orochimaru nodded.
• The Third Hokage asked Hanma how strong he had become.

Hanma accepted the Third Hokage’s mission to scout Amegakure and retaliate against its key personnel. He then received additional intelligence from Danzo about Hanzo’s son and a stolen fortune in the Land of Bears, where Hanma became interested in Hoshigakure.

• The Third Hokage asked Hanma to shoulder more responsibility and assigned him to scout Amegakure and kill any important figures he encountered.
• Hanma told the Third Hokage that the Uchiha Clan supported his service to Konoha and mentioned his relationship with Tsunade.
• The Third Hokage ordered Hanma to map Amegakure’s strategic points and kill important personnel rather than capture them.
• Hanma visited Danzo, who identified Hanzo’s son, Iga, as a target for Konoha’s retaliation.
• Danzo asked Hanma to investigate the Bounty Brokerage in the Land of Bears and recover Root’s stolen eighty million ryo or destroy it.
• Hanma suspected the rogue ninja had wiped out Root’s squad and became interested in Hoshigakure as a possible path to a breakthrough.

Hanma ambushed Iga and slaughtered his Amegakure escort, but Iga detonated a secret technique that released poisonous purple smoke. As Hanzo approached, Hanma ordered the Anbu to withdraw and stayed behind to cover them despite the poison numbing his arm.

• Hanma received intelligence that Iga was approaching with fifteen Amegakure Ninja and organized the Anbu for an ambush.
• Hanma attacked Iga’s group at close range, killing most of the escort before Iga defended himself with Water Release techniques.
• Hanma broke through Iga’s water defenses, struck him down, and prepared to preserve his body for a bounty.
• Iga activated a secret technique that caused his body to explode and release suspected poison, so Hanma ordered the Anbu to disperse the smoke and retreat.
• An Anbu operative reported that Hanzo was approaching, and Hanma ordered everyone to withdraw while he covered the rear despite feeling poison numb his arm.

Hanma stayed behind to face Hanzo, enduring his poisonous rain and fighting him with Blood Qi and a blood blade. Their battle continued as Hanzo’s sickle threatened Hanma’s neck and Hanma struck back without defending.

• Hanzo pursued Hanma with Amegakure Ninja and used a technique to gather storm clouds over the battlefield.
• Hanzo summoned Fushii, who filled the clouds with poison, and the Amegakure Ninja unleashed poisonous rain across the area.
• Hanma resisted the poison and let Savage Growth gradually build his resistance while Hanzo charged at him with a Kusarigama.
• Hanma formed Blood Armor and a blood blade, draining Chakra from nearby Amegakure Ninja as he clashed with Hanzo.
• Hanzo hooked Hanma’s arm and swung his sickle at Hanma’s neck, while Hanma ignored the strike and chopped back at him.

Hanma and Hanzo fought to a standstill until Hanzo used his poison-based Water Release Chakra Mode and gained the upper hand with speed and toxic mist. Hanma unleashed a blood-red Lightning Armor technique and struck with overwhelming force, leaving Hanzo injured and hiding nearby.

• Hanma pressed Hanzo with powerful slashes, but Hanzo repeatedly evaded them with his Body Flicker Technique.
• Hanzo mounted Ibuse, absorbed its poisonous mist, and transformed with Water Release Chakra Mode: Mixed Poison Form.
• Hanzo traded blows with Hanma and used concentrated poison mist to slow and weaken him.
• Hanma erupted with Lightning-nature Chakra and formed blood-red Lightning Armor around his body.
• Hanma struck the ground with a devastating punch, while Hanzo hid in the shadows, injured and shaken by Hanma's strength.

Hanma and Hanzo fought to a stalemate as Hanma tried to wear down Hanzo while building resistance to Ibuse’s poison. Both withdrew from the prospect of a decisive finish, leaving Hanzo to reconsider his plans against Konoha and consider seeking help from Sunagakure.

• Hanma recognized Hanzo’s Water Transformation Technique and taunted him with suggestions that he take over Kirigakure.
• Hanzo grew enraged and attacked again with Ibuse, while Hanma charged through the poison mist under the protection of his Blood Lightning Armor.
• Hanzo repeatedly evaded Hanma’s heavy blows with Body Flicker and Water Transformation, while his poison mist continued to worsen Hanma’s symptoms.
• Both men assessed the danger of continuing the fight and chose not to risk a fatal close-range confrontation.
• Hanzo abandoned the idea of invading Konoha’s territory for now and considered calling on Sunagakure for support.

Hanma ended his confrontation with Hanzo by blaming Danzo for the mission and warning Hanzo not to reveal that Ibuse's poison could be neutralized. After Hanzo fled, Hanma sent Dahei to reassure Konoha and stayed behind to recover, while Tsunade confronted Danzo back in the village.

• Hanma withdrew his Blood Lightning Armor and told Hanzo that Danzo had ordered the mission, while Hanzo remained wary and considered the accusation plausible.
• Hanzo prepared to give Hanma a nickname, but Hanma stopped him and suggested he praise Danzo instead, then warned him that Ibuse's poison could be neutralized.
• Hanzo acknowledged Hanma's abilities, declared they would meet again on the battlefield, and fled despite his injuries.
• Hanma summoned Dahei and sent him to tell Tsunade and the Third that he was safe and would return to Konoha in five days.
• Hanma rested in a bath at the Daimyo's Mansion in the Land of Bears, while Tsunade angrily confronted Danzo in Konoha for sending him to face Hanzo alone.

Tsunade confronted Danzo over sending Hanma to Amegakure, while Third clarified that Hanma had not been ordered to fight Hanzo. After Hanzo’s defeat by Hanma undermined Amegakure’s plans, Hanzo secured Sunagakure’s agreement to ally against Konoha and prepare for war.

• Tsunade accused Danzo of sending Hanma to provoke Hanzo, and Third said his order had only been to scout Amegakure.
• Danzo said he had assigned Hanma to watch Hanzo’s son and sent two Root teams with him; Third decided they would ask Hanma what happened when he returned.
• At Amegakure’s headquarters, injured Hanzo abandoned his plan to annex the Land of Rivers alone and proposed an alliance with Sunagakure.
• Ebizo argued that Sunagakure needed to attack Konoha to escape poverty, while Chiyo weighed the risks and the village’s ability to withstand defeat.
• The Third Kazekage cited Rasa’s Gold Dust and Chiyo’s poisons as advantages, then approved an alliance with Hanzo and ordered Sunagakure to prepare for war against Konoha.

After recovering from Ibuse’s poison, Hanma raided the Land of Bears daimyo’s mansion and headed for Hoshigakure to claim the power of its Star. There, village chief Ensei resolved to ban the Mysterious Peacock Method after recognizing that using the Star was killing his people.

• Hanma overpowered the guards at the daimyo’s mansion, took the daimyo’s money, and paid the chef to keep quiet.
• Hanma’s recovery from Ibuse’s poison granted him Toxin Immunity, and he considered the hidden powers scattered across the Shinobi World.
• Hanma set his sights on Hoshigakure’s Star, which could mutate chakra and grant flight, believing he was strong enough to take it.
• Ensei recalled how the Star had led Hoshigakure to develop the Mysterious Peacock Method and how its use had caused sudden deaths.
• Ensei decided to ban the Mysterious Peacock Method to save Hoshigakure from the Star’s deadly cost.

Ensei tried to persuade Hoshigakure to abandon the Mysterious Peacock Method, revealing that the Star had caused deaths and illness, but the villagers turned against him. Hanma seized the Star, discovered it might be a remnant of the Ten-Tails, defeated the Hoshigakure shinobi, and left with it.

• Ensei told Hoshigakure that the Star and the Mysterious Peacock Method had caused illness and unexpected deaths, but many villagers refused to give up their power.
• A shinobi accused Ensei of wanting the Star for himself and rallied the villagers against him.
• Hanma snatched the Star from Ensei and sensed that it carried the violent Chakra of a Tailed Beast, possibly making it a remnant of the Ten-Tails.
• Hanma dodged the Hoshigakure shinobi's attacks and tested the Mysterious Peacock Method while absorbing their released Chakra.
• Ensei ordered the shinobi to combine their Chakra into a Purple Dragon, but Hanma absorbed it and knocked the villagers unconscious.
• Hanma put the Star away and left Hoshigakure with it.

Hanma reunited with Tsunade and described Hanzo’s strength, then reported the battle to Konoha’s leaders. After the advisors criticized his decision to fight, Third defended him and awarded him a reward, leaving Hanma wary of Konoha’s political dangers.

• Tsunade stayed with Hanma and asked about the danger of his trip to the Land of Rain, so Hanma showed her an Explosive Tag laced with Ibuse’s venom and explained Hanzo’s abilities.
• Hanma told Tsunade that Hanzo’s speed, swordsmanship, poison, and Water Release made him a severe threat to most Konoha ninja.
• Hanma reported his battle with Hanzo to Third, Danzo, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Nara Shikaku at the Hokage Building.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura criticized Hanma for fighting Hanzo, but Hanma offered to give up his command and withdraw from active duty.
• Third defended Hanma’s choice to cover the Anbu and proposed five million ryo and a merit citation, while Hanma left the meeting.
• Utatane Koharu urged Third to test Hanma’s loyalty, but Third told the advisors to focus on the coming war as Hanma questioned how long Konoha could endure its decay.

Hanma reflected on Konoha’s corrupt leadership and his plans to leave the village rather than repair it. At the Uchiha Training Ground, he arranged for Orochimaru to become Nawaki’s teacher, then turned to check Minato and Kushina’s training as he prepared for war.

• Hanma considered Konoha’s prejudice against the Uchiha and planned to gather like-minded allies when the village’s leaders acted.
• Hanma invited Orochimaru to the Uchiha Training Ground, where Minato, Nawaki, and Kushina were sparring.
• Hanma told Orochimaru that Nawaki wanted him as a teacher and explained that Orochimaru was better suited to bring out Nawaki’s potential.
• Nawaki happily accepted Orochimaru as his direct disciple, and the two walked off together to talk.
• Hanma left to check Minato and Kushina’s progress and prepare for war.

Hanma tested Minato's newly mastered Flying Thunder God Technique and gave him advice on how to improve it. When Kushina asked to join Minato in the coming war, Hanma told her to seek Uzumaki Mito's approval, and she ran off encouraged.

• Minato showed Hanma that he could use the Flying Thunder God Technique, and Hanma noticed the kunai were marked "Sword of Steadiness."
• Hanma sparred with Minato until Minato exhausted his Chakra, then advised him to improve his technique's speed, stealth, range, and sensory ability.
• Minato collected his costly Flying Thunder God Kunai while Hanma examined one and remarked on its Chakra Metal.
• Kushina asked Hanma if she could go to war alongside Minato, and Hanma suggested she speak with the Third or Uzumaki Mito.
• Kushina decided to ask Uzumaki Mito for permission and helped Minato gather his kunai.

Hanma rejected Uchiha Setsuna’s plan to claim the Hokage position and explained why the Uchiha lacked the strength, allies, and political groundwork to compete. After Setsuna insisted the clan deserved the role as a founder of Konoha, Hanma challenged his assumptions and left him to reconsider.

• Uchiha Setsuna told Hanma that the Uchiha would support his bid for Hokage in the coming war.
• Hanma questioned whether Setsuna’s devotion to Uchiha Madara’s will amounted only to pursuing the Hokage position.
• Hanma explained that the Uchiha had too few strong ninja and no allied clans, while Hiruzen’s faction had broad support and many talented ninja.
• Hanma criticized Setsuna for relying on the clan’s founding contributions instead of building support and preparing to win the Jonin vote.
• Hanma told Setsuna to understand the clan’s problems and the Hokage’s ideals, kicked away the Kaishaku-to, and left.

Hanma discussed Wood Release research and the Star with Orochimaru, then received one of Nawaki’s last Mutual Multiplication Explosive Tags. The two left their meeting laughing over Nawaki’s gift and Tsunade’s response.

• Hanma examined Orochimaru’s Wood Release data and argued that Konoha’s experiments were wasting lives by following the wrong research direction.
• Orochimaru showed Hanma his findings on the Star, theorizing that it was plant-like and might reveal the origins of the Tailed Beasts.
• Orochimaru proposed using Aburame Clan insects for mutation research, but Hanma told him to recruit Aburame Shikuroo instead.
• Orochimaru gave Hanma an Explosive Tag made by Nawaki and explained that only three uses of the technique remained, with enough power to destroy half of Konoha.
• Hanma learned that Nawaki had given one tag each to him and Orochimaru but not Tsunade, who had beaten Nawaki for it, and the two laughed together.