Chapter Summaries

The Third Hokage and Ebizo negotiated Sunagakure’s support and the return of its Jinchuriki, while Lin Ke bargained over captured puppets and a meeting with Baki. The talks ended with the Sasori puppet deal unresolved and Lin Ke demanding high-rank techniques in exchange for letting Ebizo see Baki.

• Ebizo demanded the Jinchuriki, Sasori’s puppets, and a meeting with Baki, but the Third Hokage rejected his initial terms.
• The Third Hokage and Ebizo agreed that Sunagakure would provide Quicksand Gold, intelligence, and part of its surrender funds for the Jinchuriki’s return and would support Konoha at the conference.
• Lin Ke offered his captured puppets for sale, and Ebizo negotiated the damaged Third Kazekage puppet in exchange for fifteen C- or D-rank Wind Release techniques.
• Ebizo declined to buy the Sasori puppet after he and Lin Ke failed to agree on a price.
• When Ebizo asked to see Baki, Lin Ke demanded B-rank-or-higher high-rank ninjutsu, secret techniques, or Forbidden Techniques, prompting Ebizo to question the Third Hokage.

Lin Ke negotiated with Ebizo for four Ninjutsu in exchange for letting him meet Baki. Afterward, the Third Hokage offered compensation and agreed to teach Lin Ke Impure World Reincarnation when they returned to the village.

• Lin Ke rejected most of Sunagakure’s listed techniques and demanded Wind Release: Net and Great Net, Wind Release: Air Current Dance, Sealing Jutsu: Lion's Roar Seal, and another Ninjutsu.
• Ebizo agreed to Lin Ke’s terms and met Baki’s summoned soul for half an hour.
• The Third Hokage asked Lin Ke what compensation he wanted for the transaction.
• Lin Ke asked to learn the technique Orochimaru had used to summon the First Hokage and the Second Hokage.
• The Third Hokage identified the technique as Impure World Reincarnation and invited Lin Ke to learn it at his home after they returned to the village.

Baki reported Sasori’s offer to repair the Third Kazekage Puppet and shared his intelligence with Sunagakure’s leaders before disappearing. The next day, Hanzo refused to stop Amegakure’s missions in the Land of Rivers, and the talks collapsed when the Fourth Kazekage sided with Konoha and threatened to block them.

• Baki told the Fourth Kazekage and Ebizo that Sasori could restore the Third Kazekage Puppet’s ability to refine Iron Sand, and revealed that Yura was Sasori’s contact.
• The Fourth Kazekage had Yinfeng escort Yura away while Baki shared his intelligence about Lin Ke, Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and Konoha before vanishing.
• The Fourth Kazekage decided Sunagakure should contact Sasori, and the talks resumed the next day with him openly supporting Konoha.
• Hanzo refused to stop accepting missions in the Land of Rivers unless Amegakure received full compensation, despite efforts by the Third Hokage to persuade him.
• The Fourth Kazekage threatened to send shinobi to prevent Amegakure’s missions, then left the conference hall with Yinfeng, leaving the talks broken off.

Lin Ke guarded the Third Hokage’s party and spoke with Rasa, who came as Gaara’s father and expressed guarded hopes for his son. Rasa departed after Lin Ke urged him to trust Gaara, and Lin Ke and Kakashi ended the conversation joking about their ambitions.

• Lin Ke sent his shadows to patrol the venue and found nothing suspicious before escorting the Third Hokage back to the Hot Spring Inn.
• Rasa approached Lin Ke and thanked him for taking care of Gaara, then spoke about the distrust between villages and Gaara’s uncertain future.
• Kakashi interrupted to caution Rasa against teaching such principles to the younger generation.
• Lin Ke urged Rasa to trust Gaara, and Rasa left after acknowledging his words.
• Lin Ke and Kakashi joked about becoming Kage and Naruto’s chances of challenging Lin Ke.

Pain destroyed Amegakure’s village center after completing his revenge, then discussed the Akatsuki’s plans with Konan and the masked man. Back in Konoha, Lin Ke studied Orochimaru’s decoded experiment files and decided to seek Tsunade’s help.

• Pain told Konan that Zetsu had impersonated Hanzo and completed the three-country talks, and he ordered continued surveillance of the Jinchuriki while planning to hinder Konoha.
• The masked man warned Pain against letting personal grudges distract him and said Itachi had chosen Lin Ke as his prey, while Sasuke was nearing the level needed to awaken the Mangekyo.
• Lin Ke returned safely to Konoha, trained with Sasuke, and learned from Nara Shikaku that Sunagakure visitors were expected and that the Medical Team wanted his help with Kimimaro.
• Lin Ke visited the Cipher Department and read decoded files describing Orochimaru’s experiments on subjects implanted with tissue from the Original Body.
• Lin Ke decided to find Tsunade and involve her in understanding Orochimaru’s experiments, planning to build a connection through Nawaki and use Hermit Purple to locate her.

Sasori negotiated with Sunagakure to repair the Third Kazekage’s Human Puppet in exchange for a chance to clear his name, while Lin Ke summoned Nawaki’s soul in Konoha. The chapter ended with the Third Hokage warning Lin Ke not to overuse the jutsu after Nawaki’s appearance sparked concern about Naruto.

• Sasori demanded the Kazekage position as his price for cooperation, then offered to repair the Third Kazekage’s Human Puppet within a month under Sunagakure’s surveillance.
• Lin Ke summoned Nawaki, who explored Konoha as a ghost and returned to meet Lin Ke and Sasuke before the jutsu’s time limit ended.
• Sasuke mistook Nawaki for Naruto and realized how much he cared about his companions.
• Kakashi and an Anbu summoned Lin Ke to the Hokage Office, where the Third Hokage and advisors questioned him about Naruto.
• Lin Ke explained that he had summoned Nawaki, and the Third Hokage warned him not to abuse the jutsu.

Lin Ke said goodbye to Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, then discovered a lead pointing to Tsunade in Tanzaku Street and set out to find her. He arrived as Tsunade and Shizune were being kicked out of a casino after Tsunade repeatedly won.

• Lin Ke told Gaara to seek him out if Shukaku became uncontrollable, and the three Sand siblings left Konoha after saying goodbye.
• Lin Ke recognized the name Hundred Medicines in a photograph as a Tanzaku Street establishment and decided to travel there.
• Lin Ke accepted a D-rank mission to find a missing cat on Tanzaku Street and hurried out of Konoha, carried by his shadows.
• Lin Ke reached Tanzaku Street, asked the innkeeper about the missing cat Shu, and summoned Nawaki to help search.
• Tsunade and Shizune celebrated Tsunade’s winning streak at a casino until an employee told them they were no longer welcome.

Lin Ke reunited Tsunade with her younger brother Nawaki by summoning him from the Pure Land, then asked to study Medical Ninjutsu. Tsunade agreed to return to Konoha and have Shizune teach him, leaving Shizune hopeful that her uncle Dan Katō might also be summoned.

• Tsunade and Shizune saw Lin Ke approach with Nawaki, whom Tsunade embraced before he returned to the Pure Land.
• Lin Ke explained that he had summoned Nawaki and invited Tsunade and Shizune to share tea.
• After completing his mission to find a cat, Lin Ke told Tsunade he wanted to study Medical Ninjutsu.
• Tsunade said her hemophobia prevented her from teaching him but offered Shizune as his instructor.
• Tsunade decided to return to Konoha, and Shizune wondered whether Lin Ke could summon Dan Katō too.

Lin Ke returned Tsunade to Konoha, where she reunited with Nawaki and was persuaded to take charge of the Medical Department. Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Naruto arrived in Tanzaku Street to look for Tsunade.

• A ninja cat named Hina visited Lin Ke at night, explained that it had come to investigate a captured cat, and offered to guide him to Granny Cat's Ninja Tool Shop.
• Lin Ke summoned Nawaki in soul form so he could spend time with Tsunade before the group left Tanzaku Street for Konoha.
• Tsunade greeted the Third Hokage and refused his suggestion that she become Hokage, but agreed to inspect and take charge of the Medical Department.
• Lin Ke left the Hokage Office to study medicine and plan further Summoning Jutsu training while considering how to deal with Orochimaru.
• Jiraiya and Naruto arrived in Tanzaku Street after learning Tsunade was there, and Jiraiya tried to leave Naruto behind while reclaiming his wallet.

Lin Ke showed Shizune and Tsunade that his mutated Delicate Illness Extraction Technique could heal severe injuries and restore damaged cells. Tsunade agreed to help with his training in exchange for his help with a matter of her own.

• Lin Ke reviewed the Medical Ninjutsu he still needed to master and decided to resume training in Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique.
• Shizune tested Lin Ke's medical skills by having him heal a fish, and he used his mutated Delicate Illness Extraction Technique to restore it despite its severe wound.
• Lin Ke explained that his Chakra Scalpel and healing techniques worked differently from their standard forms, surprising Shizune.
• Tsunade examined the healed fish, recognized the value of Lin Ke's technique, and warned him not to spread it carelessly.
• Lin Ke swallowed a Soldier Pill, prompting Tsunade to realize his technique could support training with powerful drugs, and she agreed to help him if he helped her in return.

Lin Ke received Tsunade’s warning that repeatedly using the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique had disrupted his body’s development, while Tsunade continued investigating ways to heal herself and restore her youth. In Sunagakure, Sasori revealed that he had restored the Third Kazekage’s Human Puppet and proposed a deal to the Fourth Kazekage.

• Shizune gave Lin Ke eleven potent medicines and brought him for a full-body examination after he agreed to take the prescribed doses and undergo testing.
• Tsunade found that Lin Ke’s frequent use of the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique had left his body unevenly restored and slowed his physical growth, so she told him to restore his whole body and reduce repeated use.
• Lin Ke used the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique on Tsunade, and she said developing his proposed self-healing Medical Ninjutsu would take time.
• Tsunade told Lin Ke she was studying Orochimaru’s experimental records, while Lin Ke left to restore his body and begin taking the medicines.
• Sasori showed the Fourth Kazekage that he had restored the Third Kazekage’s Human Puppet and demonstrated its Iron Sand ability.
• Sasori refused to hand over the puppet outright and proposed a deal with the Fourth Kazekage.

After three and a half months of intensive training, Lin Ke’s growth slowed as he developed resistance to the medicines, so he chose Six Tails Jinchuriki Utakata as his next target. Meanwhile, Tsunade’s experiments with Kimimaro’s Original Body cells revealed their dangerous interaction with Natural Energy, leaving her considering human test subjects.

• Lin Ke used Tsunade’s medicines and the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique to strengthen himself, but his progress slowed as he built up resistance.
• Lin Ke decided to resume learning Ninjutsu and Wind Release, then targeted Utakata to obtain Tailed Beast chakra before confronting Orochimaru over the Original Body.
• Tsunade and Shizune continued experimenting with Original Body cells, while Kimimaro gradually recovered his ability to refine chakra as the cells in his body diminished.
• Tsunade concluded that Original Body cells could enable people to absorb Natural Energy, but their violent effects killed the white mice receiving transplants.
• Tsunade considered using a powerful human with large chakra reserves as an experimental subject, despite her painful memories of Orochimaru’s earlier human experiments.

Lin Ke left Konoha on an open-ended medicinal-herb mission and searched Nikko Shukuba for Utakata, the Six Tails Jinchuriki. After accidentally startling a Sunagakure team and being recognized, he fled and continued searching nearby.

• Tsunade told Lin Ke that his medicine’s effects were weakening and that she needed time to develop a stronger formula.
• Lin Ke continued training in Konoha as Kakashi’s Team carried out missions in the Land of Rivers, then drew Hermit Purple and learned that Utakata was near Nikko Shukuba.
• Lin Ke obtained permission from the Third Hokage to leave the village and traveled to Nikko Shukuba with his shadows to search for Utakata.
• Lin Ke and Uchiha Fugaku searched the town at night, but a noise exposed them to Centipede and three Sunagakure genin near a women’s bath.
• Centipede recognized Lin Ke, who apologized for the disturbance and used Body Flicker to leave before continuing his search.

Lin Ke searched for a Jinchuriki around Nikko Shukuba but found no trace of one, so he turned to uncovering hidden caches and selling the valuables. After a ninja followed him into a forest, Lin Ke captured him and began questioning him about who had sent him.

• Lin Ke failed to find the sensory ninja he had encountered and searched Nikko Shukuba and the surrounding area without locating a Jinchuriki.
• Lin Ke considered finding a reconnaissance assistant and decided to pursue hidden valuables as a backup plan.
• Lin Ke bargained with a pawnshop owner, used a kunai to intimidate the samurai guarding him, and sold jewels for two million ryo.
• After Lin Ke sensed a ninja following him, he lured the pursuer into a forest and had his shadow subdue him.
• Lin Ke cast Genjutsu on the captive and asked who had sent him.

After a suspicious man died during questioning, Lin Ke left with money divided among several wallets and returned to Nikko Shukuba. Sasori warned him that Akatsuki was coming, but Kakuzu and Hidan arrived before they could discuss cooperation.

• Lin Ke used Genjutsu to question Zhou Li, who convulsed and died, so Lin Ke sealed his corpse for Konoha's Interrogation Department.
• Lin Ke decided to abandon his plans to exchange the gold locally, prepared money in three wallets, and left while Black Zetsu and White Zetsu watched him.
• Lin Ke returned to Nikko Shukuba and stopped at a Ramen Shop, where Sasori approached and offered money, ninjutsu, and intelligence in exchange for cooperation.
• Sasori warned Lin Ke that Akatsuki's people were on their way, and Lin Ke questioned whether capturing Sasori for Sunagakure would be more useful.
• Kakuzu and Hidan entered the shop, and Kakuzu attacked with a violent gale that also swept up Hidan.

Lin Ke and his shadows overwhelmed Hidan, while Sasori and Kakuzu fought back with puppets and a devastating combined fire-and-wind attack. Centipede arrived as the blast threatened Nikko Shukuba, but a bubble technique intercepted it.

• Sasori and Kakuzu fought Hidan, whose body was repeatedly torn apart and restored by Kakuzu's threads.
• Lin Ke sent an Earth Dragon and a swarm of shadows against Kakuzu and Hidan, capturing Hidan and carrying away his head and ring hand.
• Kakuzu unleashed a combined Fire and Wind technique that covered much of Nikko Shukuba in flame and high-pressure wind.
• Centipede rushed toward the battlefield and tried to escape the blast as bubbles rose from the ground and intercepted it.

Lin Ke fought Kakuzu in Nikko Shukuba while discovering that Utakata, the Six Tails Jinchuriki, was nearby. After identifying Utakata, Lin Ke prepared to finish the fight and speak with him about the Six Tails’ power.

• Lin Ke’s Earth Dragon was badly wounded by Kakuzu’s Lightning Release, so Lin Ke jumped to a rooftop and used Ranshinshō to disrupt Kakuzu and his masked creatures.
• Lin Ke destroyed Kakuzu’s lightning mask, sealed severed black threads in a scroll, and watched the damaged mask collapse.
• Kakuzu attacked the surrounding shadows indiscriminately while Hidan mocked him and Sasori silently observed the battle.
• Lin Ke spotted Utakata atop some ruins, and Utakata admitted he had noticed Lin Ke searching for him.
• Utakata offered to deal with Kakuzu, but Lin Ke ordered the shadows to punish Hidan and vanished, saying he would finish the fight before speaking with Utakata.

Lin Ke and his allies overwhelmed Kakuzu with coordinated attacks and killed him, leaving Sasori and Utakata as their next opponents. Utakata watched the group closely as Lin Ke declared that their fight was next.

• Utakata recognized Lin Ke and wondered how the group had found him, while Lin Ke attacked Kakuzu with his disabling touch.
• Kakuzu unleashed a Water Cannon and a combined Fire and Wind attack, but Lin Ke blocked the assault with Rashomon.
• Lin Ke’s allies surrounded Kakuzu, and Uchiha Fugaku trapped him in Sharingan Genjutsu before the group broke through his defenses.
• Momochi Zabuza beheaded Kakuzu while Uchiha Fugaku stabbed his heart, killing the Takigakure rogue ninja.
• Lin Ke’s shadows began clearing Kakuzu’s corpse, and Lin Ke turned toward Sasori and Utakata to face them next.

Lin Ke defeated Kakuzu and Hidan, while Black Zetsu worried that Akatsuki’s plans were unraveling. After Sasori left with Centipede, Lin Ke confronted Utakata and maneuvered him into releasing his tailed beast chakra.

• Black Zetsu lamented Kakuzu and Hidan’s defeat and began considering reviving Madara ahead of schedule.
• Sasori gave Lin Ke a scroll containing Orochimaru’s Base location and Sunagakure’s Message Hawk summoning method, then left with Centipede.
• Lin Ke refused to fight Utakata directly and taunted him after Hidan reacted angrily to being belittled.
• Utakata released Saiken’s chakra and transformed under its cloak, while Lin Ke secretly considered how to use the Jinchuriki he had obtained.

Lin Ke defeated Utakata by cutting through his Tailed Beast chakra and demanded that he join him, though Utakata refused to serve. After the battle, Lin Ke collected the enemy corpses and planned to preserve Hidan for interrogation and experiments.

• Utakata entered a half-transformed state and attacked Lin Ke, but Lin Ke's Chakra Scalpel sliced through his Tailed Beast cloak and severed his chakra.
• Lin Ke restrained Utakata with shadows, and Utakata admitted defeat but refused to serve him.
• Lin Ke released Baki, Zabuza, and Haku to spend their remaining time as they pleased, while Uchiha Fugaku warned him against taking such risks.
• Lin Ke sealed Kakuzu's corpse and the mask monsters into scrolls, then had Hidan's head brought to him.
• Lin Ke said Hidan would be taken to the village for interrogation and human experiments, renaming him Mr. D.