Chapter Summaries

After Senya recovered from his injuries, he and Hikari prepared to leave and tested Konan’s progress from two and a half months of training. They reminded her to protect herself, hold to her convictions, and keep their time together secret before Senya challenged her to fight.

• Senya’s Chakra surged as his injuries healed, waking Hikari and Konan, and he told them he would inspect Konan’s training.
• Konan cooked fish porridge and answered Senya’s questions about Chakra, elemental natures, history, and herbs.
• Senya told Konan to protect herself, while Hikari urged her to keep her true heart and verify claims made in their names.
• Senya advised Konan to hold to her own ideals even when she met companions, and Konan later kept her time with Senya and Hikari secret from Nagato and Yahiko.
• Senya and Hikari led Konan outside, where Senya released a small amount of killing intent and challenged her to try to defeat him.

Senya tested Konan’s combat skills and declared that she was strong enough to defeat ordinary genin. He and Hikari left her in the cave, but Konan woke and called after them, prompting Senya and Hikari to reveal their faces before continuing on.

• Konan used Paper Release techniques against Senya during a practical test, and he taught her how to handle close combat and the weaknesses of Paper Clones.
• Senya told the exhausted Konan that she had passed and was strong enough to defeat ordinary genin from the Five Great Villages.
• Senya carried Konan back to the cave, cleaned her with Chakra, and tucked her beneath the blankets while Hikari reminded him it was time to leave.
• Senya and Hikari departed, but Konan woke, ran to the cave entrance, and begged them to come back for her.
• Senya removed his mask and used lightning to form the character "good" in the sky, while Hikari also revealed her face.
• Konan called Senya handsome and Hikari pretty, then said she wanted to marry Senya with Hikari, making both of them stumble.

Senya and Hikari returned to Senya’s timeline, where they learned that three years had passed and a war sparked by the Rōran ruins had been settled through an upcoming Chunin Exam. Senya discovered that Rōran’s shinobi revered him as a symbol of Shamate culture, and learned the exam would take place in a month.

• Senya and Hikari used the Dragon Vein to return to the abandoned tower in Senya’s original timeline, where Senya sensed that his Rinnegan was slowly awakening.
• Senya created Shadow Clones to scout the area, then led Hikari to an oasis where Rōran shinobi challenged them.
• Senya revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, and Reiner recognized him as Konoha’s Hokage’s Assistant and a symbol of Shamate culture.
• Senya gave Reiner an autograph and asked about the Shinobi World, learning that it was summer of Konoha Year 64 and that more than three years had passed since his departure.
• Reiner told Senya that a war sparked by the ancient Rōran Ruins had been resolved at a Five Kage Summit, with a Chunin Exam scheduled for one month later to decide its outcome.

Senya met Rōran’s Queen Tina and discussed Konoha’s Chunin Exams, trade, and support for her independent village. He learned Rōran possessed valuable Chakra ore and other underground resources, while Tina grew increasingly impressed with him.

• Reiner told Senya that Queen Tina wanted Rōran to contact Konoha and enter its Chunin Exams, despite Sunagakure’s efforts to obstruct the village.
• Senya and Hikari met Tina, who explained that Rōran had established its own ninja forces for protection and hoped the exams would raise its profile and support trade.
• Tina described how Mukade’s actions had depleted the Dragon Vein and revealed that Rōran had discovered Chakra ore, black combustible liquid, and other minerals.
• Senya offered Konoha’s support and discussed future trade and the Chunin Exams with Tina, using Word Spirit to increase her favorable impression of Konoha.
• Tina reflected on her family’s deaths and the burdens of ruling Rōran, and she became attracted to Senya despite his position in Konoha.

Senya returned to Konoha with Hikari after three years away, and Tsunade attacked him in anger over his absence and her heavy Hokage workload. The three reached an Uchiha training ground, where Tsunade prepared to fight Senya while Hikari guarded him.

• Senya and Hikari arrived in Konoha and went to the Senju Clan Compound.
• Tsunade, frustrated by Senya's long absence and her workload, opened the door and found him with Hikari.
• Tsunade punched at Senya, but Hikari blocked the blow with Susanoo and challenged Tsunade.
• Senya used Qianyue's black restraints to bind Tsunade and Hikari, but Tsunade unleashed Wood Release—Iron Pear Blossom.
• Senya released them and ran to the Uchiha Clan Compound training grounds, with Tsunade and Hikari chasing after him.

Uchiha Hikari and Tsunade Senju fought in the Uchiha Clan Compound, unveiling Tsunade’s unusual Wood Release techniques and Hikari’s Susanoo abilities. The clash ended with their attacks colliding in a huge explosion that dispelled Hikari’s Amaterasu flames.

• Tsunade summoned a Wood Golem shaped like a gambler, and Senya sensed that her assimilated Wood Release cells likely came from Hashirama Cells repaired with Izanagi.
• Hikari recognized the Chakra in Tsunade’s Wood Golem and manifested her fourth-stage Susanoo to protect Senya.
• Tsunade bound Susanoo’s arms with a string of dice and tried to trigger an explosion with her Gambler’s Luck technique, but the dice failed to roll the desired result.
• Hikari used Amaterasu on the dice, transformed the flames into black magatama, and hurled them at Tsunade with Amaterasu—Yasakani no Magatama.
• Tsunade countered with three Chakra-filled wooden chips, and the collision with Hikari’s magatama caused a massive explosion that extinguished the Amaterasu flames.

A sudden blast in Konoha brought Senya and Tsunade together, while Itachi revealed that Hiruko had defected and joined the Akatsuki Organization after stealing the Scroll of Seals. Senya followed Orochimaru to a secret chamber, where he recognized a strange fragment as part of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and demanded to know its connection to Hiruko.

• Tsunade's Wood Release caused an explosion that sent Konoha's villagers fleeing and drew the night guards to the scene.
• Tsunade reunited with Senya, and Hikari called her Madam before asking her for help with Senya.
• Itachi told Senya that Hiruko had defected, killed two Uchiha jonin, joined the Akatsuki Organization, and stolen the Scroll of Seals a year earlier.
• Orochimaru took Senya to a secret chamber beneath Hokage Rock and showed him a strange fragment in a glass container.
• Senya recognized the fragment as part of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and asked Orochimaru how it was connected to Hiruko.

Orochimaru told Senya how a fragment found by Hiruko at Kannabi Bridge eroded Hiruko and drove him to defect, and Senya explained the fragment’s connection to Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Orochimaru pieced together a theory about Kaguya bringing the fragment to the Shinobi World to consume its Natural Chakra, and the chapter left him newly consumed by curiosity about the cosmos.

• Orochimaru explained that Hiruko found a strange, Natural Chakra-devouring fragment at Kannabi Bridge, which merged into him and contributed to his defection.
• Senya realized the fragment was likely debris from Madara’s experiments with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and decided to share what he knew with Orochimaru.
• Senya told Orochimaru that Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and her sons came from another planet, and that the Shinobi World was a sphere in a wider cosmos.
• Orochimaru connected Kaguya, the moon, and the fragment, theorizing that Kaguya had brought it to plunder the Shinobi World’s Natural Chakra.
• Senya explained that the fragment came from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, which became the Ten-Tails, and described how Kaguya gained power from its Chakra Fruit.
• Orochimaru concluded that the fragment had not affected him because his Natural Chakra had become his own Chakra, while Hiruko may have been vulnerable through the Chimera Technique.

Senya learned from Orochimaru about the war in the Land of Wind and the political shifts across the Shinobi World. Meanwhile, Obito and Black Zetsu prepared an Akatsuki attack on Konoha during the Chunin Exams, and Nagato approved the mission despite his concern for Konan.

• Orochimaru told Senya that Ōnoki and A had attacked the Land of Wind, Konoha had secured a ceasefire, and Ōnoki had proposed holding the Chunin Exams at the Five Kage Summit.
• Obito told Black Zetsu that he believed Senya would lose his eyesight and asked how well Black Zetsu had mastered Impure World Reincarnation.
• Black Zetsu said he had mastered the technique and claimed his newly acquired body had part of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's power.
• Obito urged Nagato to let Akatsuki attack Konoha during the Chunin Exams, and Nagato ordered Sasori and Deidara to join them.
• Konan insisted on joining the mission, then left as paper cranes while Nagato worried for her safety.

Konan recorded her continuing search for Senya and Hikari, while Senya returned to Tsunade’s home and interrupted their private conversation. After Hikari used a binding technique to restrain Tsunade, Senya reflected on his plans to develop a cultivation method before the Chunin Exams.

• Konan added the day’s events to her diary and wondered where Senya and Hikari had gone.
• Senya returned to Tsunade’s bedroom and overheard Tsunade teasing Hikari.
• Senya entered the room, and Tsunade ordered him to leave while defending Hikari.
• Hikari used Self-Karma Binding to restrain Tsunade, then joined Senya in teasing her.
• After midnight, Senya treated Tsunade with Medical Ninjutsu and resolved to perfect a cultivation method despite the approaching Chunin Exams.

Senya proposed that Hikari join Konoha’s genin in the Chunin Exams, then visited Kakashi’s training group and tested Naruto and Sasuke. He left them bruised but impressed by how much they had improved over the past three years.

• Shizune found Senya in Tsunade’s bedroom and hurried off to prepare two more breakfasts.
• At breakfast, Senya suggested that Hikari get a genin forehead protector and take part in the Chunin Exams.
• Senya went to Training Ground 14, where Kakashi was training Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
• Naruto and Sasuke attacked Senya with shadow clones and shuriken, but he knocked them both into the air with a spanking technique.
• Senya held Naruto at arm’s length as he complained, and he noted that Naruto and Sasuke had grown stronger and livelier.

Senya and Kakashi discussed the Scroll of Seals theft and the upcoming Chunin Exams, then joined Team 7 for lunch. Kakashi gave Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura application forms and asked them to decide whether to enter.

• Kakashi told Senya that Mizuki had stolen the Scroll of Seals after undergoing an experiment, but Hiruko had intercepted it.
• Senya concluded that Black Zetsu was likely behind the scheme and told Kakashi he would handle what came next.
• Senya assured Kakashi that safeguards would protect Team 7 during the Chunin Exams, and Kakashi agreed to let them participate.
• Senya returned to the private room, where Naruto and Sasuke were fighting over barbecue, and joined in the cheerful meal with Kakashi and Sakura.
• Kakashi gave Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura Chunin Exam application forms and told them to meet him at the training ground the next morning after considering whether to enter.

Senya visited Hinata's team in the Forest of Death and appointed Gekko Hayate as examiner for the Chunin Exams' third-stage combat test. He also gave Hayate the Swallow Return sword technique for the Gekko Clan, leaving Hayate deeply grateful.

• Senya found Hinata, Shino, Kiba Inuzuka, and Gekko Hayate training in the Forest of Death.
• Hinata hugged Senya, while Kiba asked him for an autograph.
• Senya checked Hayate's improving Bloodline Disease and appointed him examiner for the Chunin Exams' third-stage combat test.
• Senya gave Hayate a scroll containing Swallow Return and Uchiha Fire Release sword-training records, entrusting the technique to the Gekko Clan.
• Hayate bowed deeply to Senya and thanked him for the gift.

Senya returned to Shizune’s home and prepared a meal of sweets for her, and she discovered him there after work. After they reunited and shared dinner, Shizune hinted that she wanted something else from him.

• Senya chose Shizune to proctor the second exam and went to her home to cook.
• Shizune finished her experiments at Orochimaru’s laboratory and went home craving something sweet.
• Shizune found Senya waiting with milk tea and desserts, then rushed to embrace and kiss him.
• Senya introduced the five sweet dishes he had prepared, and Shizune tasted them.
• After dinner, Shizune put her foot on Senya’s leg and said she wanted something else to eat.

Senya appointed Mitarashi Anko as the second-stage Chunin Exam examiner, and she proposed adding a Human Scroll containing restorative medicine to make the Forest of Death test more selective. After Senya approved the plan, he and Anko spent the night together, and he left to arrange the first-stage examiner.

• Senya showed Anko her appointment letter and asked her to serve as the second-stage Chunin Exam examiner.
• Anko proposed adding Human Scrolls containing medicine and requiring teams to collect specific combinations of Heaven, Earth, and Human Scrolls to advance.
• Senya approved Anko’s plan to reduce the number of teams advancing from the Forest of Death.
• Senya and Anko spent the night together at her home.
• Senya left in the morning to arrange the first-stage examiner, and Anko urged him to visit Kurenai.

Senya visited Kurenai at her expanding business headquarters and saw how powerful and commanding she had become. After he dealt with an arrogant merchant who claimed to be the Raikage’s son, Kurenai welcomed Senya with longing and confronted him for visiting Shizune first.

• Senya decided to visit Kurenai and consider whether she could oversee the Chūnin Exam’s first round.
• Senya saw how Konoha’s western district and Kurenai’s lavish business headquarters had expanded.
• A wealthy merchant deliberately bumped into Senya and demanded to meet Kurenai, so the Police Force restrained him.
• Senya slapped the merchant unconscious and ordered the Police Force to imprison him until the Raikage retrieved him.
• Kurenai embraced Senya, then became angry when she learned he had visited Shizune before her and demanded to know how many times he had been with Shizune.

Senya visited Kurenai to arrange the remaining examiner position for the Chunin Exams, and she agreed while promising to make the first written exam much harder. After their private meeting continued into the afternoon, Kurenai surrendered and pointed Senya to her proposed plans.

• Kurenai finished a lengthy transaction with Senya and invited him to settle their score after the Chunin Exams.
• Senya asked Kurenai to serve as the examiner for the first written exam, and she accepted.
• Kurenai said she would raise the exam's difficulty to eliminate more participants, and Senya agreed that the exams should showcase the Five Great Nations' strength.
• Kurenai refused to reveal her exam proposal to Senya, saying she would submit it to Tsunade for review.
• Senya and Kurenai continued their private meeting until the afternoon, when Kurenai apologized and directed him to a cabinet containing a new kimono and her plans.

Kurenai planned a punishing written exam for the Chunin Exams, and Senya warned that Shizune’s second-round test might also eliminate many contestants. The chapter ended with Kurenai asking Senya to come to her house and take responsibility because she could no longer walk.

• Kurenai explained her written exam plan: contestants would need to identify clues in two partly correct answer sheets while avoiding disqualification for cheating.
• Kurenai added squad-wide penalties and a high-stakes bonus question, arguing that the exam tested the judgment needed to lead missions.
• Senya agreed that Kurenai’s plan was exceptionally harsh, and she insisted she was still being accommodating because failed candidates could try again next year.
• Senya told Kurenai that Shizune’s Forest of Death exam used exchangeable scrolls and healing medicine, and Kurenai estimated that enough contestants would still reach the third round.
• Senya left while privately worrying that Hikari would cause trouble, but Kurenai stopped him and asked him to come to her house and take responsibility because she could not walk.

Senya brought Kurenai home, where they discussed Konoha’s trade expansion in Kirigakure and spent a peaceful night together. The next day, Senya realized Hikari still needed teammates for the Chunin Exams and decided to assign her Kisame Hoshigaki and Maruboshi Kosuke.

• Senya carried the unwell Kurenai home, and they paid respects at her father’s memorial altar.
• Kurenai told Senya that the Land of Water’s Daimyo had sealed shops after discovering Konoha’s trade expansion, but Itachi, Kisame, and Mei Terumi forced the nobles to back down.
• Kurenai teased Senya about his relationship with Mei Terumi before falling asleep in his arms.
• The next morning, Hikari asked Senya who would be on her Chunin Exam team, and he told her to go to Training Ground 12.
• Senya realized he had not found Hikari teammates and chose Kisame Hoshigaki and Maruboshi Kosuke.

Konan arrived in Konoha disguised as Chiori to lead Amegakure’s team into the Chunin Exams, while the arriving Kage nearly sparked a fight at the gates. Senya Uchiha intervened and persuaded them to save their rivalries for the exams, leaving the gathered teams on edge but no longer fighting.

• Konan disguised herself as Chiori and led Ajisai and the Amegakure ninja into Konoha.
• Ōnoki taunted Rasa about his veil and Sunagakure’s finances, prompting Rasa to attack with Gold Dust needles.
• Kurotsuchi raised an Earth Wall to block Rasa’s attack, and the Fourth Raikage A arrived with Killer B to stop the confrontation.
• Senya Uchiha appeared above Konoha’s gates and urged the Kage to let the young ninja compete in the Chunin Exams before holding any Kage-level contest.
• A welcomed Senya, and Killer B greeted him while asking for good booze.