Recaps

Neji Hyuga trained Tenten in Chakra control and Rock Lee in Chakra-enhanced physical conditioning, promising that their diligent practice could greatly improve their abilities. After dismissing them for the evening, Neji noticed someone waiting in his courtyard and asked what they needed.

• Neji Hyuga taught Tenten tree-climbing practice and said that precise Chakra control might eventually let her walk through the air.
• Neji Hyuga instructed Rock Lee to put his will into every punch and explained that his modified Chakra training would strengthen his body.
• Tenten worried that Rock Lee was pushing himself too hard, but Neji Hyuga said they had trained enough for the day and would begin new training tomorrow.
• Tenten planned to make Strawberry Mapo Tofu, then she and Rock Lee said goodbye and returned to the village.
• Neji Hyuga finished carving windmill blades, went into his courtyard living room, and asked an unseen visitor what they needed.

Takashi Hyuga visited Neji Hyuga to invite him back to the Hyuga Clan estate, but Neji refused and confirmed that he could remove the Caged Bird Seal. Moved by Neji’s promise to free the Branch Family, Takashi pledged his allegiance, and Neji accepted him as a subordinate and agreed to train him.

• Takashi Hyuga delivered Hiashi Hyuga’s invitation for Neji to return to the Hyuga Clan estate, explaining that Bunta Yamano had reported concerns about Neji to the Hokage.
• Neji refused to return and told Hiashi that he could activate the Caged Bird Seal if he was dissatisfied.
• Takashi asked whether Neji could remove the Caged Bird Seal, and Neji confirmed that he could.
• Neji told Takashi he intended to free everyone in the Hyuga Branch Family without requiring their allegiance.
• Takashi submitted to Neji and offered to gather information and clear obstacles for him.
• Neji accepted Takashi as a subordinate and told him to come for training the following night.

In the Land of Rice Fields, Might Guy arrived too late to prevent an intelligence ninja from killing two Chunin and critically wounding Fushimi Kentaro. After giving Fushimi a repair pill, Guy opened the Eight Gates and launched a relentless attack on the transformed spy.

• Fushimi Kentaro and two Chunin pursued a defected intelligence ninja toward the Land of Rice Fields as he laid explosive traps.
• The spy transformed, blasted through the squad’s attacks, critically wounded Fushimi, and killed both Chunin.
• Might Guy arrived after defeating another spy, healed Fushimi with a Basic Qi-Blood Repair Pill, and confronted the surviving intelligence ninja.
• Might Guy opened the Eight Gates and battered the intelligence ninja with a continuous series of attacks.

Might Guy defeated the intelligence ninja but failed to capture him or obtain information. He used Neji Hyuga’s Basic Flesh-Repair Pill to keep Fushimi Kentaro alive and brought him to Konoha Hospital, then went to report to the Hokage.

• Might Guy opened six of the Eight Gates and defeated the intelligence ninja with a Morning Peacock strike, causing him to explode.
• Might Guy found Fushimi Kentaro alive after the Basic Flesh-Repair Pill had temporarily sustained him and carried him to the border garrison.
• A medical ninja stabilized Fushimi Kentaro and said he needed immediate treatment at Konoha Hospital.
• The border garrison's second-in-command arranged a carriage, and Might Guy escorted Fushimi Kentaro safely back to Konoha.
• Might Guy delivered Fushimi Kentaro to Konoha Hospital and then hurried to the Hokage Building to report the mission.

Hiruzen Sarutobi rejected Danzo Shimura’s proposal to draw elite members of other clans into Root to weaken the clans and target the Uchiha Clan. He remained concerned about keeping Konoha’s clans in check without making them lose faith in the village.

• Danzo Shimura came to Hiruzen Sarutobi seeking support for expanding Root, but Hiruzen refused before he could make his case.
• Danzo argued that Konoha’s clans, including the Uchiha Clan and Hyuga Clan, would keep seeking more power and resources unless they were restrained.
• Danzo proposed using elite members from other clans in Root to weaken those clans and prepare to deal with the Uchiha Clan.
• Hiruzen considered the risks of the Hyuga Clan’s power and the need to maintain balance between clan and civilian ninja.
• Hiruzen told Danzo that every clan was part of Konoha and that they could not be made to lose heart.

Hiruzen Sarutobi reprimanded Danzo Shimura over Root’s failure to detect enemy spies, rejecting Danzo’s attempt to use the lapse to recruit more clan ninja. Danzo backed down as Hiruzen threatened to reduce Root’s authority and audit its funding, and Might Guy arrived with a foul-smelling report.

• Danzo Shimura interpreted Hiruzen Sarutobi’s comments about keeping the clans from losing heart as permission to pressure them into supplying Root with elite members.
• Danzo Shimura recalled how his brief hesitation had cost him the chance to become Hokage, while Hiruzen Sarutobi rose to the position.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Danzo Shimura with a report about enemy spies who had obtained information about Root, and Danzo feared his connection to Orochimaru had been discovered.
• Danzo Shimura admitted Root’s oversight but used it to argue that the organization needed more ninja from other clans.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi threatened to reduce Root’s authority and audit its funding, prompting Danzo Shimura to lower his head and promise to pay attention.
• Might Guy entered the Hokage’s office to report on his mission, bringing a foul stench with him.

Might Guy reported the failed attempt to identify enemy spies after rescuing the gravely injured Fushimi Kentaro and bringing him back to Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi praised Guy, while Danzo Shimura questioned how Kentaro had survived long enough to reach the hospital.

• Might Guy arrived at the Hokage's office without washing after days of pursuit, and his stench drove Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura to hold their breath.
• Might Guy reported that he had killed the intelligence operatives before learning their identities and had used a Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill to keep Fushimi Kentaro alive.
• Might Guy recounted the mission in detail, including the contact's suicide, the fight at the border, and Kentaro's severe injuries.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi praised Guy for stopping the operatives and saving Kentaro, while Danzo Shimura suggested the enemies were from Rock Village or Kumogakure.
• Danzo Shimura asked Might Guy how he had kept Kentaro alive despite the lack of medical ninjas at the border.

Might Guy told Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura that Neji Hyuga’s Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill had kept Fushimi Kentaro alive despite his severe injuries. Convinced the pill might be a strategic life-saving medicine, Hiruzen and Danzo decided to verify its effects and began considering how to bring it under Konoha’s control.

• Danzo Shimura questioned Might Guy about how he had kept Fushimi Kentaro alive long enough to reach Konoha Hospital.
• Might Guy explained that Neji Hyuga’s Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill had stabilized Fushimi Kentaro and described its effects and price.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura recognized the pill’s potential importance and agreed that Neji should be closely monitored.
• Might Guy left the Hokage’s Office after recommending that Hiruzen buy the pills from Neji.
• Danzo argued that a child from the Hyuga Clan could not safeguard the medicine, and Hiruzen ordered an Anbu to summon Koharu Utatane with Fushimi Kentaro’s injury report.

Koharu Utatane reported that Fushimi Kentaro had survived severe injuries after Might Guy gave him a pill made by Neji Hyuga. Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others recognized the pill’s military value and decided to conceal its effects and seek control of its supply through the Hyuga Main Family.

• Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado arrived at the Hokage's Office, where Koharu presented Fushimi Kentaro's medical file.
• Koharu explained that Might Guy had given Fushimi Kentaro a life-preserving pill, allowing him to survive until medical ninja could stabilize him and return him to Konoha Hospital.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, and Danzo Shimura examined the medical file and were astonished by Fushimi Kentaro's rapid recovery.
• Danzo Shimura urged Konoha to obtain the pill-making method from the Hyuga Clan, while Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado agreed that the pill must be controlled.
• Hiruzen ordered Koharu to seal and destroy the medical file, and Danzo said he would keep Neji Hyuga under surveillance.
• Hiruzen proposed negotiating with the Hyuga Main Family so it would provide the pills to Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and his advisors debated how to obtain the Hyuga Clan’s Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill formula without provoking the clan. Hiruzen stopped Danzo Shimura from targeting Neji Hyuga, and Danzo left the Hokage’s Office furious.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado how Konoha could obtain the Hyuga Clan’s pills and formula.
• Homura Mitokado suggested granting the Hyuga Clan a department, but Danzo Shimura rejected the idea and Hiruzen Sarutobi opposed it too.
• Koharu Utatane proposed first finding out how difficult the pills were to produce, while Danzo Shimura considered isolating the Hyuga Clan to force them to surrender the formula.
• Danzo Shimura said he would learn the pills’ origin from Neji Hyuga, prompting Hiruzen Sarutobi to forbid him from interfering.
• Danzo Shimura warned Hiruzen Sarutobi that he would regret it, then stormed out of the Hokage’s Office.

Neji Hyuga celebrated the completion of the windmill with Tenten and Rock Lee, then discussed Rock Lee’s progress and bought two Lesser Flesh-Repair Pills from Might Guy. After studying Guy’s Summoning Technique, Neji began researching Flying Thunder God as a future technique for Tenten.

• Tenten installed the windmill blade with Neji Hyuga’s help, and the windmill began generating electricity for the courtyard.
• Might Guy praised Neji’s Lesser Flesh-Repair Pills, explaining that one had saved a Jonin and that he had told the Hokage about them.
• Neji Hyuga told Might Guy about Rock Lee’s training progress, and Guy bought two pills for one million ryo before thanking Neji with Rock Lee.
• Neji explained that he wanted to develop combat techniques suited to Tenten, including researching Flying Thunder God.
• Might Guy demonstrated the Summoning Technique for Neji, who watched with his Byakugan and then sent Tenten and Guy back to the village while he began his research.

Neji Hyuga trained Takashi Hyuga and seventeen Branch Family members in the Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style, but berated them for practicing it too cautiously. After sensing two more arrivals, he ordered the group to bring them to him.

• Neji Hyuga watched Might Guy, Tenten, and Rock Lee leave, then waited in his courtyard while two concealed figures stayed hidden two kilometers away.
• Takashi Hyuga arrived with seventeen Branch Family members to train under Neji, and the group began practicing the Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style.
• Neji criticized the group’s rigid movements and instructed them to rotate their Chakra and body magnetic fields with overwhelming speed and force.
• Neji sensed two more arrivals and told the Branch Family members to bring them before him.

Neji Hyuga sent eighteen Hyuga Branch Family members to capture the Anbu and Root ninja who had discovered their secret gathering. Takashi's group captured the Anbu, while the Root members were defeated, leaving the captives to be brought before Neji.

• Takashi split the Hyuga Branch Family members into two groups to pursue the Anbu and the Root ninja.
• The Anbu realized Neji's gathering was unusual and fled to report to the Hokage, while the Root members sent a coded message toward Konoha by eagle.
• Second Great-Granduncle launched Kejiu into the air, and Kejiu's Tornado Blade destroyed the eagle and caught the message scroll.
• Nine Hyuga Branch Family members overwhelmed the two Root ninja before Kejiu landed.
• Takashi and seven Hyuga Branch Family members caught the fleeing Anbu, and one recognized Takashi as Hayate Gekko.

Takashi Hyuga’s group captured Anbu and Root ninjas sent to watch Neji Hyuga, exposing Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura’s interest in him. Neji ordered the Anbu released and told Hayate Gekko to bring Hiruzen to discuss matters with him.

• Hayate Gekko and another Anbu member tried to break through the Hyuga Branch Family but were immobilized and defeated with Magnetic Field Fist Style.
• Takashi Hyuga’s group joined his second great-uncle’s team and brought the captured Anbu and Root members to Neji Hyuga.
• Takashi’s second great-uncle explained the roles of Anbu and Root, then killed a Root ninja who challenged Neji.
• Neji asked Hayate Gekko what Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted, and Hayate said Hiruzen had ordered them to protect Neji.
• Neji told Hayate to ask Hiruzen to meet with him, ordered the Anbu sent back, and directed the Hyuga to deal with Root.

Hiruzen Sarutobi feared that Neji Hyuga’s influence over the Hyuga Branch Family could spark a clan crisis, especially alongside the Uchiha Clan’s growing tensions with Konoha. Danzo Shimura learned that Neji had killed two Root members and demanded that Hiruzen come negotiate with him.

• Hayate Gekko and another Anbu member reported to Hiruzen Sarutobi that Neji Hyuga had gathered eighteen Hyuga Branch Family members and wanted the Hokage to negotiate.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected that Neji might have solved the Caged Bird Seal and worried that the Hyuga Clan could split into conflict.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi dismissed Hayate Gekko and the other Anbu member, who returned to the Anbu base.
• Danzo Shimura’s informant slipped into the Root base and reported that Neji had killed two Root members while training the Hyuga Branch Family in a new taijutsu.
• Danzo Shimura learned that Neji had told Hiruzen Sarutobi to come negotiate with him.

Danzo Shimura led Root ninjas to Neji Hyuga’s courtyard to seize the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill formula, but Neji’s Black Little Buffalo ambushed them. The buffalo killed a Chunin and a Jonin before Neji came out to greet it.

• Danzo Shimura selected ten Root members and led them through a secret passage toward Neji Hyuga’s courtyard.
• Kyuya Hyuga spotted Danzo’s group and hurried to warn the others.
• Two Root ninjas entered the courtyard, where the Black Little Buffalo impaled the Chunin and chased down the Jonin.
• The buffalo killed the Jonin with its horns and bounced back toward Neji with both bodies hanging from them.
• Neji Hyuga walked out and remarked that the Hyuga Clan members trained worse than the buffalo.

Neji Hyuga confronted Danzo Shimura after Little Buffalo killed two Root ninjas, and Danzo ordered his men to seize him. Neji demonstrated his Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style against the attackers, then emerged from their flames gathering fire at his fingertip.

• Little Buffalo discarded the two Root ninjas it had killed and returned proudly to Neji Hyuga.
• Danzo Shimura accused Neji Hyuga of killing Anbu and ordered him to come to Root, while Neji recognized that Danzo was seeking to take him by force.
• Neji Hyuga told the eighteen Hyuga Branch Family ninjas to watch his technique and tore a Jonin in half with a high-speed strike.
• Neji Hyuga unleashed a mental attack that caused three Chunin and one Jonin to suffer exploding eyes.
• Root ninjas trapped Neji Hyuga with fire and an Earth Release: Iron Prison, but he walked through the flames and drew them to his fingertip.

Neji Hyuga effortlessly wiped out Danzo Shimura’s Root squad and stopped the Hyuga Branch Family ninjas from attacking Danzo. As Danzo revealed Shisui Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan to control Neji, Neji exposed his knowledge of Danzo’s Hashirama cells and Sharingan-filled arm, leaving Danzo furious and shocked.

• Neji Hyuga killed the remaining Root ninjas with the Primordial Body Magnetic Field Fist Style, leaving Danzo Shimura’s squad destroyed.
• Danzo Shimura threatened to report Neji to Hiashi, while eighteen Hyuga Branch Family ninjas surrounded Danzo.
• Neji ordered the Hyuga ninjas to stand down because he wanted to keep Danzo as a subordinate.
• Danzo removed the bandages over his right eye and prepared to use Shisui Uchiha’s Kotoamatsukami on Neji.
• Neji warned Danzo not to use the Hashirama Senju cells and Sharingan in his arm, revealing that he knew Danzo’s secrets.
• Danzo roared at Neji and tried to submit him beneath the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Neji Hyuga exposed Danzo Shimura’s secrets and defeated him after resisting Kotoamatsukami. He left Danzo alive and restored his damaged body, while Danzo sat shaken and unable to face him.

• Danzo Shimura used Shisui Uchiha’s Kotoamatsukami on Neji Hyuga, but Neji redirected its influence and recovered his normal thoughts.
• Neji Hyuga crossed the distance too quickly for Danzo Shimura to react and struck him across the face, then stomped on his chest.
• Neji Hyuga removed Shisui Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan from Danzo Shimura’s eye socket and examined it with his Byakugan.
• Danzo Shimura tore away his arm’s bandages to use Hashirama Senju’s cells, but Neji Hyuga returned the eye, stabilized him, and gave him a Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill.
• Neji Hyuga charged Danzo Shimura five hundred thousand ryo for the pill and walked back to his courtyard, leaving Danzo shaken and unwilling to fight.

Neji Hyuga trained Tenten in water walking while researching Chakra and teaching her a progressive Flying Thunder God method. They decided to make her Little Buffalo a summoning beast, while Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Hiashi Hyuga.

• Takashi's great-uncle reminded Danzo Shimura that he owed Neji Hyuga five hundred thousand ryo as Danzo left the Hyuga courtyard.
• Neji Hyuga took Tenten to practice water walking and continued studying Chakra and space-time techniques.
• Neji Hyuga told Tenten he would teach her a progressive Flying Thunder God training method and take her to buy summoning contracts.
• Neji Hyuga suggested that Tenten make her Little Buffalo her summoning beast, and she eagerly agreed.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Hiashi Hyuga in the Hyuga Clan's territory.

Hyuga Branch Family members feared Hiruzen Sarutobi had come to help Hiashi Hyuga punish Neji Hyuga, but their leaders urged caution and secrecy. At Hiashi’s residence, Hiruzen arrived as Hiashi received him, and the chapter recounted the clans’ grievances against Hiruzen before the Hokage began to speak.

• Hyuga Branch Family members alerted Takashi Hyuga and Second Elder after seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi enter Hiashi Hyuga’s residence.
• Takashi Hyuga and Second Elder told the branch family to stay discreet, protect themselves, and avoid becoming a burden to Neji Hyuga.
• Hiashi Hyuga received Hiruzen Sarutobi with formal tea ceremony etiquette and asked why he had come.
• The chapter recounted the clans’ grievances against Hiruzen Sarutobi, including his treatment of Sakumo Hatake, his return as Hokage, and the Hyuga Clan’s sacrifice of Hizashi Hyuga.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi addressed Hiashi Hyuga, beginning with, “Hiashi...”

Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned Hiashi Hyuga about Neji’s welfare and learned that Neji had moved out of the Hyuga compound, though he did not reveal what he knew about Neji’s influence among the Branch Family. After Hiruzen left, Hiashi ordered Takashi Hyuga to summon Neji.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi reminded Hiashi Hyuga of his long service as Hokage before asking why Neji looked so thin.
• Hiashi told Hiruzen that Neji refused his help, rejected food and money, and had moved out of the Hyuga compound.
• Hiruzen realized Hiashi did not know that Neji had gathered at least eighteen Branch Family ninja, but kept that information to himself.
• Hiashi grew resentful of Neji and felt his guilt over Hizashi’s death fading as he defended the Main Family’s authority.
• After Hiruzen left without learning anything about the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill, Hiashi ordered Takashi Hyuga to tell Neji to come see him.

Kabuto Yakushi investigated Root's deserted base and learned that Danzo Shimura had been badly injured and was undergoing surgery. He disguised himself as a medical ninja to sabotage Danzo's treatment, but Danzo's Mangekyō Sharingan exposed him, forcing Kabuto to destroy the treatment room and flee.

• Kabuto Yakushi infiltrated Root's largely unguarded base after noticing that its members had disappeared.
• Kabuto overheard Root chunin say that Danzo Shimura was injured and that they were operating on him because the Jonin were gone.
• Kabuto recalled how Danzo had engineered Yakushi Nonō's death and resolved to make Danzo's situation worse.
• Kabuto disguised himself as a medical ninja and entered Danzo's treatment room to interfere with his care.
• Danzo's Mangekyō Sharingan saw through Kabuto, who used Earth Release to destroy the room and damage Root's base before escaping.

Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Neji Hyuga to investigate the Hyuga Clan conflict and obtain the Flesh-Repair Pill formula. Neji rejected his indirect approaches and called for Takashi to explain why Branch Family members followed him.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Neji Hyuga and asked about his life outside the Hyuga compound, but Neji told him to state his purpose directly.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked where Neji got the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill, and Neji said he had developed several types himself and listed their prices and effects.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi proposed testing the pills and having Neji supply them to Konoha in exchange for a pill department under Konoha Hospital.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi offered to protect the Branch Family members following Neji from the Main Family's Caged Bird Seal if Neji revealed the pill formula.
• Neji said Hiruzen did not understand why the Branch Family members followed him and called Takashi out.

Neji Hyuga challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi to test Takashi Hyuga’s new martial art, offering the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill formula in exchange for the match. After Hiruzen agreed and sent a Shadow Clone to fight Takashi, the battle ended and left Hiruzen visibly shocked.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi warned Neji Hyuga against forming a faction and implied that he should surrender the Flesh-Repair Pill formula for the Hokage’s protection.
• Neji Hyuga proposed a match between Hiruzen’s Shadow Clone and Takashi Hyuga, offering the Lesser Flesh-Repair Pill formula if Hiruzen judged his new martial art inferior to the Main Family’s techniques.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted the wager and demanded that Neji promise not to wager or reveal the formula again.
• Neji Hyuga sent Takashi outside to fight Hiruzen’s Shadow Clone while he and Hiruzen drank tea in the courtyard.
• The battle ended after two and a half minutes, and Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Neji in shock.