Recaps

Yahiko told Jiraiya how Akatsuki grew into Ninshu under Sōsuke’s guidance and how the group endured a crisis. After lunch, Jiraiya trained with Yahiko and Konan, then prepared to spar with Nagato.

• Yahiko recounted Akatsuki’s beginnings, his first meeting with Sōsuke, and how he dissolved Akatsuki to join Ninshu.
• Yahiko explained his part in the crisis that nearly destroyed Ninshu, and Jiraiya learned how much he had missed about Sōsuke and the group’s history.
• Jiraiya offered to make dinner and, after lunch, took Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan to the training ground to assess their skills.
• Yahiko sparred with Jiraiya, using the Ninja Breathing Method and ninjutsu before receiving advice about his defenses and counterattacks.
• Konan fought Jiraiya with her Paper Secret Jutsu and taijutsu, then withdrew after receiving his guidance.
• Nagato stepped forward to spar with Jiraiya, who prepared to see how much the Rinnegan wielder had grown.

Jiraiya tested Nagato’s abilities, trained him in taijutsu, and met Sōsuke to discuss peace and the future of the ninja world. After finding himself reassured about Sōsuke, Jiraiya’s story gave way to Obito eagerly awaiting Mu Yue’s lesson on Blue Flare.

• Jiraiya attacked Nagato, but Nagato used his Rinnegan abilities and Shadow Clones to counter Jiraiya until Jiraiya called off their spar.
• Jiraiya watched Nagato train and began teaching him taijutsu after identifying it as a relative weakness.
• Jiraiya asked Yahiko to arrange a meeting with Sōsuke, and Yahiko brought him to Ninshu headquarters, where Gastly startled Jiraiya before he met Mu Yue.
• Jiraiya and Mu Yue discussed whether lasting peace was possible, and Mu Yue argued that nurturing future generations meant continuing to search for an answer.
• Obito waited eagerly at the Southern Forest for Mu Yue to teach him and Shisui Blue Flare, then listened as Mu Yue introduced the technique.

Mu Yue demonstrated and began teaching Azure Flame to Obito and Shisui, while warning them that mastering it would require difficult training in Flame Breathing Chakra Mode. As training ended, Riolu evolved into Lucario, who felt stronger and learned many skills.

• Mu Yue showed how Azure Flame melted rock, resisted Yamato's Water Release, and could be shaped into powerful fire techniques.
• Mu Yue explained that Obito and Shisui needed Flame Breathing Chakra Mode to meet Azure Flame's demanding requirements, then taught them the technique with Enlightenment.
• Obito and Shisui made little progress during their first afternoon of training, while Might Guy encouraged the recovering Riolu.
• Riolu evolved into Lucario, whose Aura grew and who gained many skills.
• Kakashi suggested that Lucario test its new strength in a battle against Lycanroc.

Lucario defeated Kakashi's Lycanroc in a battle, then challenged Obito's Charizard. After a rest, Lucario and Charizard approached the battlefield, leaving their match about to begin.

• Lucario accepted Kakashi's challenge, and Kakashi and Might Guy prepared Lycanroc and Lucario for their battle.
• Kakashi started the match, and Lucario used Vacuum Wave to counter Lycanroc's Sand Attack and send it crashing into a tree.
• Lucario shattered Lycanroc's Rock Throw and Rock Slide attacks, while Lycanroc relied on its speed to keep fighting.
• Lucario's Aura Sphere broke through Lycanroc's Earth-Style Wall, curved back to strike Lycanroc, and knocked it unconscious; Kakashi declared Lucario the winner.
• Lucario challenged Charizard, and Charizard accepted after Zorua urged it on; Kakashi gave Lucario time to rest before the next match.
• Lucario and Charizard walked toward the battlefield as Lycanroc and Zorua encouraged them.

Lucario defeated Charizard after exploiting its lowered flight, then used Life Dew to heal them both. Charizard fainted again after learning that Lucario—not Milotic—had healed it, while Shisui wondered whether Zorua’s cheerful mood meant it wanted to evolve.

• Charizard used Smokescreen and aerial attacks to gain the upper hand against Lucario, but Lucario sensed its Aura and struck it with Bone Rush.
• Lucario followed up with Aura Sphere and knocked Charizard unconscious, winning the battle.
• Lucario used Life Dew to heal itself and Charizard, and Nohara Rin helped treat them.
• Charizard mistook Milotic for the source of its healing until Zorua translated Milotic’s correction, prompting Charizard to collapse again.
• Kakashi noted that Lucario’s healing ability could help Might Guy, while Shisui wondered whether Zorua’s cheerful mood meant it wanted to evolve.

Mu Yue completed his Yang Seal with Tsunade’s help, gaining a reserve Chakra pool tied to Flame Breathing Chakra Mode. He celebrated by cooking a lavish midnight feast for Tsunade and Shizune, while considering teaching the technique to Kakashi once he had tested it.

• Mu Yue and Tsunade finished reviewing the Yang Seal research, and Mu Yue promised Tsunade a lavish midnight meal in return for her help.
• Mu Yue entered the Transparent World, refined the Yang Seal inside his body, and chose to bind its reserve Chakra to Flame Breathing Chakra Mode.
• Mu Yue activated the new seal, and Tsunade examined it and confirmed that it had worked.
• Mu Yue planned to test the seal after storing enough Chakra and considered teaching it to Kakashi, who could meet its precise-control requirement.
• Mu Yue cooked a feast while Shizune read and teased Tsunade, then Tsunade and Shizune ate until they were full.

Mu Yue tested the Yang Seal and taught Kakashi its theory, while Charizard began learning Sunny Day. That night, Zorua evolved into Zoroark and demonstrated illusions powerful enough to fool Shisui despite his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

• Mu Yue tested the Yang Seal in the Southern Forest, confirmed it worked, and gave Kakashi a scroll so he could study it before practicing under supervision.
• Mu Yue taught Charizard Sunny Day while Obito doubted it could master the technique, prompting Charizard to train harder.
• Shisui trained late into the night for the approaching Uchiha clan meeting, and Zorua explained that it had delayed evolution until Shisui needed its strength.
• Zorua stopped suppressing its evolution and became Zoroark, then teased Shisui about his height.
• Zoroark fooled Shisui with an illusion, and even Shisui's Three-Tomoe Sharingan did not prevent him from falling for its vision of a gigantic Zorua.

Iwagakure and Konoha faced a series of mysterious border ambushes that made their commanders fear a larger battle was coming. In Konoha, Zoroark revealed its evolution by defeating Obito after disguising itself as Zorua.

• Sumashi’s patrol was ambushed by disguised Konoha ninja, and he escaped after using Earth Release to cover his retreat.
• Retsuishi ordered the Explosion Corps to stay out of action and considered asking Iwagakure’s higher-ups to change their defensive strategy.
• Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze suspected that Iwagakure had gained an Earth Release assassination unit, so Minato volunteered to join patrols and Jiraiya requested sensory reinforcements.
• Zoroark disguised itself as Zorua and persuaded Charizard to carry it, surprising Charizard with its increased weight.
• Obito challenged Zorua, but Zoroark used an illusion and a fast attack to pin him down before revealing its evolved form.

Shisui proposed reforming the Uchiha Police Force by recruiting non-Uchiha ninja, drawing fierce opposition at the clan meeting. He began explaining that the reform would add positions rather than replace existing Uchiha members, and some listeners started to reconsider their objections.

• Yamato reflected that Mu Yue was better suited than he was to lead Konoha's future, while Obito refused Zoroark's rematch and Shisui urged it to train its Fire Release.
• Kakashi, Yamato, Shisui, Obito, Rin, and Guy spent a week training their respective skills.
• Shisui reviewed his speech, then brought Obito to the Uchiha clan meeting for support as he proposed reforming the Police Force.
• Uchiha Seisei and other clan members condemned Shisui's proposal, arguing that outsiders would threaten Uchiha control and the interests of Police Force members.
• Shisui calmly explained that the reform would create additional positions without changing existing ones, and several Uchiha began to see how it could strengthen the Police Force.

Little Orange asked readers to cast monthly votes and reported on the previous month’s update schedule and subscription figures. The author pledged to update every day in June, guaranteeing 7,000 words daily while aiming for more.

• Little Orange reported updating for twenty-nine days in May, with about 162,000 words of main text and an average of 5,500 words per day.
• Little Orange explained that poor health and writer’s block had kept the update volume below the original goal.
• Little Orange said the book had reached 15,500 average subscriptions, the highest among ongoing Hokage stories, and aimed to reach 20,000.
• Little Orange asked readers to vote monthly and help improve the book’s visibility.
• Little Orange promised perfect attendance in June, at least 7,000 words a day, and an effort to maintain a healthier schedule.

Shisui argued that reforming the Police Force would free the Uchiha from isolation and improve their standing, but Uchiha Seisei rallied opposition by warning that the Hokage could strip away their authority. Unable to settle the dispute through debate, Shisui challenged Seisei’s supporters to a fight, and the Uchiha moved to an open area to begin.

• Shisui explained how the Police Force isolated the Uchiha, and Uchiha Kakyu, Uchiha Inabi, Obito, and many young Uchiha supported his reform proposal.
• Uchiha Seisei warned that outsiders could take important Police Force positions, shifting many adult Uchiha to his side.
• Shisui countered Seisei’s arguments but activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan when the debate stalled and challenged him to settle the issue through strength.
• Uchiha Seisei accepted the challenge, while Uchiha Inabi and other young Uchiha offered to fight beside Shisui, who declined their help.
• Shisui, Obito, and Seisei’s supporters moved to an open area near Naka Shrine as Uchiha Fugaku and the other observers went to watch.

Shisui and Obito fought Uchiha Seisei’s elite team to prove Shisui’s strength and advance his plan to reform the Police Force. After Shisui’s Blue Flare overwhelmed Seisei, the elder acknowledged him as a possible leader for the Uchiha, and the battle ended with Seisei conceding defeat.

• Uchiha Seisei led fourteen elite Uchiha ninja against Shisui and Obito, while Uchiha Yashiro refereed and Uchiha Fugaku watched.
• Shisui and Obito summoned Zoroark and Charizard, whose attacks and Zoroark’s large-scale genjutsu helped them defeat several opponents.
• Uchiha Seisei recognized Zoroark’s genjutsu and warned his fighters, allowing the remaining jonin to dispel it and regroup.
• Shisui and Obito entered Flame Breathing Chakra Mode, and Shisui overpowered Seisei’s Fire Release with his Great Dragon Fire Technique.
• Shisui used Blue Flare to erase the fire dragons attacking him and Seisei, stopping the flame just short of both opponents.
• Uchiha Seisei ended the fight, acknowledged Shisui’s potential to lead the Uchiha, and returned to Naka Shrine.

Shisui secured approval for his Police Force reform from the Uchiha clan and Hiruzen Sarutobi, bringing the plan into effect and advancing Mu Yue’s settlement progress. The chapter ended with Mu Yue seeing a major increase in Shisui’s Life Mission progress.

• Shisui and Obito defeated Uchiha Seisei’s side, and Uchiha Fugaku led the clan back to Naka Shrine.
• The Uchiha clan approved Shisui’s Police Force reform proposal at the resumed clan meeting.
• Shisui explained to Uchiha Fugaku that they needed to show Hiruzen Sarutobi their reform was sincere, then promised Uchiha Itachi a story and resolved to prevent the clan massacre.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned Uchiha Fugaku and Shisui about the proposal before approving the request to add non-Uchiha members to the Police Force.
• Mu Yue saw Shisui’s Life Mission progress increase substantially after the reform began.

Mu Yue received Shisui’s Life Mission rewards, gaining Ice Age and Observation Haki, and planned to teach the latter to his disciples. In Iwagakure, Ōnoki’s council approved reinforcements for the front, and Retsuishi prepared to strike Konoha after they arrived.

• Mu Yue collected two progress rewards for Shisui’s Life Mission, including Chakra and Yin Release and Ninjutsu scrolls.
• Mu Yue drew Ice Age from the ordinary S-rank scroll and found that it improved his Ice Release proficiency.
• Mu Yue drew Observation Haki from the Yin Release scroll, tested its range and combat sensing, and decided to try teaching it to his disciples.
• Ōnoki convened Iwagakure’s higher-ups to consider the western Land of Grass forces’ request for reinforcements and a major battle.
• Kira persuaded the council to send reinforcements and fight normally before later feigning weakness, and the meeting approved the plan.
• Retsuishi ordered his forces to consolidate and hold their fire until reinforcements arrived, planning to attack Konoha afterward.

Minato Namikaze discovered that Iwagakure’s hidden assassination squads were killing Kusagakure ninja and evading detection, while Jiraiya prepared for a larger attack. In the Land of Fire, Mu Yue taught his disciples Observation Haki before an Anbu summons sent him to the Hokage Building.

• Iwagakure assassins wiped out a Kusagakure patrol, and Minato Namikaze arrived too late to find them.
• Minato Namikaze reported the undetectable attackers to Jiraiya, who revealed that Hyuga reinforcements and intelligence personnel had arrived.
• Retsuishi received eight hundred reinforcements and led Iwagakure’s forces to gain the upper hand on the Land of Grass battlefield.
• Mu Yue demonstrated Observation Haki by evading Shisui’s attacks and predicting his next moves, then began teaching the technique to his disciples.
• An Anbu arrived at Mu Yue’s home, and Mu Yue left his disciples to go to the Hokage Building.

Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze fought to protect Konoha’s forces in the Land of Grass from a surprise attack by Iwagakure, but they were forced to retreat after facing its Jinchuriki and reinforcements. Hiruzen Sarutobi then appointed Mu Yue commander of a five-hundred-ninja support force and sent him to reinforce Jiraiya.

• Iwagakure’s forces attacked Jiraiya’s camp, and Sarutobi Hiromi tried to stab Jiraiya before Minato Namikaze kicked him away.
• Jiraiya entered Sage Mode and fought Retsuishi while Minato Namikaze and the summoned toads engaged Iwaku and the Jinchuriki Han and Rōshi.
• Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze covered Konoha’s retreat, then Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport them away from Rōshi’s Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Minato Namikaze told Jiraiya that Sarutobi Hiromi’s disappearance resembled that of Iwagakure’s assassins, and revealed he had placed a Flying Thunder God mark on Hiromi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi appointed Mu Yue commander of five hundred ninja and ordered him to reinforce the Land of Grass.

Mu Yue took command of an emergency support force bound for the Land of Grass after Konoha’s troops there were defeated. While leading the force toward the battlefield, he identified White Zetsu as the likely cause of the defeat and prepared to use his Appraisal Technique to expose any infiltrators.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi appointed Mu Yue commander of the support force and confirmed that Mu Yue’s disciples would join it.
• Mu Yue arrived at Training Ground 11, where Mimura Hamaki reported that more than a hundred shinobi, including all the jonin and Special Jonin, had assembled.
• Mu Yue told the force that Konoha’s troops in the Land of Grass had been defeated and that their mission was to stop Iwagakure from entering the Land of Fire.
• Mu Yue led the assembled shinobi out of Konoha and began reading Hiruzen Sarutobi’s battlefield intelligence on the march.
• Mu Yue read that Sarutobi Hiromi had betrayed Konoha and attacked Jiraiya, and concluded that White Zetsu had likely impersonated him using the Mayfly Technique.
• Mu Yue resolved to use his Appraisal Technique to expose any White Zetsu that infiltrated his force.

Mu Yue met with Jiraiya and revealed that the full reinforcement force had already reached the Land of Grass. He proposed finding the spies, feeding them false intelligence, and using Konoha’s hidden forces to turn the battle against Iwagakure.

• Jiraiya refused to regroup until the spies in his force were identified, so Mu Yue arranged to meet him with a supposed fifty-ninja vanguard.
• Mu Yue led fifty ninja to the rendezvous, kept the reinforcement’s true strength secret, and checked the area before meeting Jiraiya, Minato Namikaze, and his disciples.
• Mu Yue revealed that five hundred reinforcement ninja were nearby and said he could use his ability to find spies and mislead Iwagakure with false intelligence.
• Jiraiya agreed with Mu Yue’s plan to gather all the forces for a comprehensive inspection before using the hidden reinforcement as a surprise force.
• Kakashi warned Obito not to reveal confidential information, and Obito vowed to keep quiet once they reached Jiraiya’s unit.

Mu Yue joined Jiraiya’s scattered force and used the Appraisal Technique to uncover White Zetsu spies, including impostors disguised as members of prominent Konoha clans. Jiraiya’s force assembled hundreds of ninja and began planning to exploit the spies’ presence to ambush Iwagakure, while the cause of the infiltration remained a mystery.

• Jiraiya introduced Mu Yue to his demoralized troops, and Mu Yue discreetly identified one White Zetsu disguised as Sakoda Seiichi.
• Mu Yue told Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze that Sakoda Seiichi was highly likely to be a spy, and Jiraiya ordered them to avoid exposing him before they could use him.
• Jiraiya issued an urgent assembly order, and Mu Yue found two more White Zetsu disguised as Aburame Tatsuya and Hyuga Sa among the gathering forces.
• Jiraiya and Minato were alarmed that spies had infiltrated major Konoha clans, but Mu Yue urged them to prioritize stopping Iwagakure’s advance.
• Jiraiya, Mu Yue, and the others began planning to use the spies to feed Iwagakure false information and spring a surprise attack.

Jiraiya and Mu Yue used a false report of a thousand reinforcements to mislead a spy and lure Iwagakure into battle, while secretly planning an attack with only twelve hundred Konoha ninja. The chapter left the real plan set and Obito and Kakashi keeping watch as the force prepared to move.

• Jiraiya told the gathered jonin that Mu Yue had brought a thousand reinforcements and warned them that a spy might be among their forces.
• White Zetsu, disguised as Hyuga Sa, listened to the false strategy meeting and memorized the fabricated troop numbers.
• After the meeting, Jiraiya, Mu Yue, and Minato Namikaze met in secret and revealed that Konoha had only twelve hundred ninja against at least eighteen hundred Iwagakure ninja.
• Mu Yue proposed eliminating roughly half of Iwagakure's forces and volunteered to confront the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Obito discussed the spy and the unit's poor morale with Kakashi, who stayed awake to watch him and then used the Transparent World to check their surroundings.

Iwaku believed false intelligence about Konoha’s forces and led Iwagakure on a forced march to ambush them. After his troops settled at the supposed rest point, explosions revealed that Konoha had deceived them and laid traps.

• An Iwagakure jonin gave Iwaku intelligence claiming Konoha had sent reinforcements and planned to rendezvous at a forest rest point.
• Iwaku gathered the Iwagakure jonin and planned to attack Konoha’s Land of Grass forces before the reinforcements arrived.
• Iwaku ordered Iwagakure’s forces to march through the night and occupy the forest named in the intelligence.
• Iwaku’s sensory ninja found no chakra at the rest point, and Iwaku arranged patrols and rotating shifts while his forces rested.
• Explosive Tag traps detonated near dawn, and Iwaku realized Konoha had deceived his forces.

Mu Yue and Minato Namikaze exposed and captured three White Zetsu, then joined Konoha’s forces to ambush Iwagakure’s army at its rest point. Iwagakure began retreating under pressure, but Jiraiya’s summoned toads were badly outnumbered, and Rōshi stopped short of a Water Spear as the battle continued.

• Mu Yue sealed White Zetsu after Minato Namikaze struck him back into his original form, and the two identified the captured spies as strange biological creations.
• Mu Yue and Jiraiya led Konoha’s forces to the rest-and-rally point, where sensory ninja detected Iwagakure approaching and a Shadow Clone confirmed the enemy had relaxed its guard.
• Mu Yue and Minato Namikaze detonated Explosive Tag traps and attacked alongside Jiraiya, while Iwaku ordered Iwagakure’s troops to spread out and then retreat.
• Minato Namikaze teleported Jiraiya to Iwagakure’s retreat route, where Jiraiya summoned Gamabunta and Gamaken to hold the enemy forces in place.
• Rōshi and Han moved to attack the toads, but Rōshi halted when a Water Spear pierced the ground before him.

Mu Yue used overwhelming Water Release to defeat Rōshi and disrupt the Iwagakure forces, while Konoha reinforcements arrived on the battlefield. The chapter left Iwaku lamenting that they had missed their chance to break through.

• Rōshi recognized Mu Yue and charged at him, but Mu Yue raised a massive water tornado that blocked Rōshi’s lava and the Iwagakure ninja’s attacks.
• Mu Yue transformed the water tornado into ten enormous water dragons that struck the battlefield as Konoha reinforcements rushed toward the fighting.
• Four water dragons battered Rōshi, extinguishing his Lava Armor and knocking him unconscious, while the other six overwhelmed the surrounding Iwagakure ninja.
• Obito and the other Konoha ninja arrived, and Iwaku realized that the Iwagakure forces had lost their best chance to break through.

Konoha’s arriving force struck the trapped Iwagakure troops while Minato Namikaze cut through their ranks and Jiraiya drew Han away from his allies. Jiraiya entered Sage Mode, but Han transformed into the Five-Tails, leaving the battle facing a powerful new threat.

• Iwaku realized Mu Yue had chosen terrain that trapped Iwagakure and helped suppress Rōshi, while Jiraiya sent the injured Gamaken back to Mount Myōboku as Konoha’s troops arrived.
• Konoha’s ninja attacked the Iwagakure force, and Minato Namikaze used Flying Thunder God and Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique to kill many opponents.
• Jiraiya summoned Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima, then drew Han away from the troops so he could fight without endangering his allies.
• Jiraiya entered Sage Mode and struck Han with Sage Art: Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet, but an Iwagakure Jonin’s Earth-Style Wall failed to stop the attack.
• Han unleashed Perfect Tailed Beast Mode and transformed into the enormous Five-Tails, drawing the attention of the battlefield.

Mu Yue countered Iwagakure’s attempt to kill him by unleashing Ice Release: Ice Age, freezing Rōshi, Iwaku, and many other ninja. With Han and the Five-Tails also being held back, Konoha gained a decisive advantage, while Iwagakure struggled to find a way to retreat.

• Mu Yue used the Flying Thunder God Technique to evade Iwagakure attacks and killed several ninja while Rōshi recovered from his injuries.
• Iwaku persuaded Rōshi to enter Perfect Tailed Beast Mode, and Rōshi transformed into the Four-Tails in the center of the Iwagakure force.
• Mu Yue identified Iwaku and the Explosion Squad as they approached, then avoided Rōshi’s attack and moved toward the nearby lake.
• Iwaku and the Explosion Squad attacked Mu Yue with explosive techniques, but Mu Yue used Ice Release: Ice Age and froze them, Rōshi, and many nearby Iwagakure ninja.
• Jiraiya defeated Han’s guards and injured Han, while Mu Yue’s counterattack lifted Konoha’s morale and left Iwagakure’s forces suppressed.