Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Asuka fought Quan Junshan while Kushina and Natsuhi pieced together Quan Junshan’s plan to sacrifice himself to protect Natsuhi. The battle continued as Quan Junshan’s borrowed strength began to fade, and Natsuhi’s headless body showed signs of life.

• A shockwave from the fighters’ battle threw the Land of Bears citizens into the air, and Natsuhi told Kushina that Quan Junshan had planned to sacrifice himself to extend her life and clear her of suspicion.
• Asuka said he was holding back because his strongest methods consumed his eyesight, then traded fireballs with Quan Junshan and attacked him in midair.
• Quan Junshan said the barrier could not be opened from inside, but Asuka teleported behind him and stomped him toward the crowded ground before he stopped his fall.
• Quan Junshan saw Natsuhi’s headless body move and learned from Asuka that losing her head did not mean she was dead.
• Quan Junshan lamented that he would die before seeing Asuka marry, have children, and grow old, while Asuka blasted him away.
• As Quan Junshan’s borrowed strength ran out, he saw Natsuhi sit up and said he had expected to die by her hand; Asuka appeared beside him and challenged his explanation.

Quan Junshan revealed that he had used a forbidden technique to borrow three days of life from the citizens of the Land of Bears in hopes of extending Natsuhi’s life, and asked Asuka to keep the truth from her. As Quan Junshan’s life ran out, Asuka helped him fulfill his final wish by fighting him with Susanoo, while Natsuhi watched and cheered.

• Pakura arrived after the purple mist dispersed and explained to Kushina what Natsuhi had told her about Quan Junshan.
• Asuka learned that Quan Junshan had acted for Natsuhi and struck him after discovering he had sacrificed civilians, but Quan Junshan revealed that the mist had only borrowed three days of their lifespans.
• Asuka told Quan Junshan that the Second Hokage had found a way to break Hoshigakure’s curse, and Quan Junshan lamented that the money he had saved for Natsuhi’s dowry was spent on the citizens’ relocation compensation.
• Natsuhi ran toward Quan Junshan, who asked Asuka to conceal his sacrifice and help him fight Susanoo so he could make one of his boasts come true.
• Asuka summoned Susanoo, and Quan Junshan flew up to challenge it as Natsuhi watched and praised him.

Ma Dou and the crowd heard Fei Fei recount a wildly embellished battle between Uchiha Asuka and Quan Junshan, while Spiral Zetsu ran a meatball stall nearby. Fei Fei then teased Kushina about her time with Pakura, prompting Kushina to kick the cat away.

• Ma Dou bought meatballs from Tobi’s stall and questioned the crowd’s outlandish story about Uchiha Asuka’s battle in the Land of Bears.
• Spiral Zetsu complained to Zetsu No. 12434 about copying magazines and explained its plan to keep the meatball stall from losing money.
• Fei Fei told the crowd that Uchiha Asuka and Quan Junshan had traded powerful attacks before Quan Junshan and Natsuhi apparently spent the night together.
• Spiral Zetsu asked whether Quan Junshan had survived, and Fei Fei said it believed he was alive after hearing Natsuhi’s heavy breathing next door.
• Kushina said the mission was over and rejected Fei Fei’s suggestion that they should have stayed longer in the Land of Bears.
• Fei Fei guessed that Pakura had made Kushina handle all the cooking, and Kushina kicked the cat away.

Asuka summoned Shukaku to help restore the chakra of the unconscious Hoshigakure ninja, but Shukaku claimed it could do so using a red tail it had taken from Kurama. The chapter ended with Shukaku boasting that it had defeated Kurama and forced it to flee.

• Asuka used Water and Wind Release to settle the dust in the Land of Bears, where nearly ten thousand citizens lay sleeping in the streets.
• Asuka joked with Ichikishimahime about trading three days of life for money, then left for the temporary hospital where the Hoshigakure ninja were unconscious.
• Asuka summoned Shukaku and asked whether it could share chakra with the drained ninja.
• Shukaku denied that it could share chakra, but Asuka's comparison with Kurama provoked it into insisting that it could do so.
• Shukaku produced a red tail carrying Kurama's chakra and claimed it had cut it off after defeating Kurama in a ten-day battle.

Uchiha Asuka treated the injured Hoshigakure ninja while Shukaku revived them with a flurry of slaps, and the survivors blamed Quan Junshan for their injuries. On the road to Bear Three Town, Konan and Pakura discussed Quan Junshan’s deception, and Pakura hinted at her connection to Kushina.

• Shukaku chanted while slapping the unconscious Hoshigakure ninja, and nearby citizens mistook his beating for Uchiha Asuka’s Pain Therapy.
• A Hoshigakure ninja woke up, and Asuka told him Quan Junshan had injured them while Asuka had saved them.
• The awakened ninja thanked Asuka, then grew angry and demanded to find Quan Junshan as the townspeople praised Asuka’s supposed Medical Ninjutsu.
• Konan explained to Pakura that Quan Junshan had deceived the Star Kage and drawn the citizens’ hatred onto himself, while only one Hoshigakure ninja had died.
• Pakura noted that the dead ninja had been a suspected culprit in Hoshigakure’s troubles, and Konan asked whether Pakura had fought Kushina.
• Pakura denied fighting Kushina and said the Fourth Hokage’s Yellow Flash reputation had been earned by defeating people like her, leaving Konan to suspect Pakura wanted revenge.

Uchiha Asuka used Shadow Clones to treat the unconscious citizens of the Land of Bears while Shukaku rested in his arms. After the civilians awoke, Pakura asked Asuka to help her pursue revenge against Minato Namikaze, and Konan revealed Pakura’s actual plan.

• Asuka created several Shadow Clones to treat the citizens, and the old man admired Konoha’s kindness.
• Asuka noticed Konan and Pakura approaching and asked where they had sent Natsuhi; Konan said she had probably gone traveling.
• Pakura questioned Asuka about Kushina and Minato, then asked whether he would help her get revenge on Minato.
• Asuka offered to resurrect Minato with Impure World Reincarnation, but Pakura had Konan explain that she wanted to sleep with Kushina and needed Asuka’s help.

After rescuing civilians in the Land of Bears, Uchiha Asuka reunited with Pakura and Konan, who learned Shukaku was disguised as Konoha’s Calico Tanuki. Asuka showed them a strange conception remedy taken from Quan Junshan, then Pakura teased him about his closeness with Konan and Shukaku.

• The rescued civilians thanked Uchiha Asuka for saving them, and one asked him to train his son in ninjutsu.
• Pakura caught Shukaku and suspected he was Sunagakure’s missing Tailed Beast, but Asuka claimed he was a secret weapon left by his grandfather.
• Konan explained that Hashirama Senju had stamped the Senju crest onto Shukaku, making him Konoha’s Calico Tanuki, a Summoning Beast recognized by both the Senju and Uchiha clans.
• Pakura asked whether Asuka had completed his mission, and he showed her the radioactive folk remedy called Remote Conception that Quan Junshan had carried.
• Pakura invited Asuka and Konan to explore the Land of Bears, but Konan declined after Asuka signaled her.
• Pakura teased Asuka about hugging Shukaku and implied it made him a third wheel with Konan, so Asuka offered to cover Konan’s expenses to stop her.

Fei Fei discovered that a gossip magazine had photographed Uchiha Itachi reading Asuka’s adult doujinshi, and the revelation led to Mikoto confronting Itachi. Meanwhile, Asuka explained to Konan why he was unlikely to face consequences from his clan, as Mikoto compared Itachi’s scandal to Asuka’s own childhood mischief.

• Fei Fei saw a magazine accusing the Uchiha Clan of having no future and recognized the book in its photograph of Itachi as Asuka’s doujinshi, “The Most Primitive Will of Fire.”
• Mikoto confronted Itachi over the set of books he had collected, and Itachi eventually admitted he bought them from a traveling merchant.
• Mikoto smashed a table and scolded Itachi, comparing his scandal to Asuka’s childhood incidents and criticizing him for never doing chores.
• Konan asked Asuka whether his clansmen might ostracize him, and Asuka said the clan’s jonin were strategic resources and his ideas were mild by comparison.
• Mikoto continued reprimanding Itachi by recalling Asuka’s past, then paused her scolding to pick up the crying Sasuke.

While Pakura and Konan shopped, Fugaku confronted Itachi about the magazine scandal and blamed Mikoto’s parenting, prompting an argument between them. That night, Asuka used his Okuninushi ability to teleport out of his room toward Pakura and Konan’s inn room.

• Pakura pointed out clothes she wanted, and after the shopkeeper gave her a free package, she told him to wrap up everything else.
• Fugaku apologized to Itachi for neglecting him, then questioned whether Itachi had found and read the magazine himself.
• Asuka praised Pakura and Konan in their new shirts while Konan asked the shopkeeper for a smaller size.
• Fugaku decided to personally teach Itachi and told Mikoto not to interfere, prompting Mikoto to accuse him of blaming her for their son’s behavior.
• Pakura said she would sleep with Konan, and Asuka returned to his room, disappointed that he barely got to see her.
• Asuka activated Okuninushi and vanished from his room, leaving a black sock drifting above his bed.

Ichikishimahime joined Asuka, Pakura, and another companion for a meal, then threatened to expose Asuka’s secret in Ninja World’s Best. Meanwhile, three Cloud Ninja arrived in Xiong Da Town to investigate He Siyi’s defeat and learned how his unauthorized mission had led him to gather rogue ninja there.

• Ichikishimahime woke up, complained about the smell of Luosifen, and found Asuka and Pakura eating it in the living room.
• Asuka served Ichikishimahime more bowls of Luosifen until she challenged him to a human-snake duel and ate until she was stuffed.
• Ichikishimahime warned Asuka that she could submit the story of him stuffing cream puffs into someone to Ninja World’s Best.
• Three Cloud Ninja arrived in Xiong Da Town and asked whether He Siyi had been defeated there.
• A Cloud Ninja explained that He Siyi had concealed the mission’s true rank, gathered rogue ninja to divert Hoshigakure and pursue the mines, and was killed before the plan advanced.

Uchiha Asuka toured Xiong Da Town with Pakura and Konan while Land of Bears citizens greeted him and discussed the chance for ordinary people to become ninja. When Kumogakure investigators questioned him about He Siyi’s death, Asuka cast doubt on Konoha’s involvement, and the captain blamed Iwagakure instead as his team wondered whether Hashirama Senju was truly so frightening.

• Uchiha Asuka was mobbed by Land of Bears citizens, answered their questions about food and training, and explained why people in small countries greeted one another by asking whether they had eaten.
• Ichikishimahime asked whether citizens would invite her for a meal, and Konan recalled how she and Yahiko had once welcomed Nagato when he was hungry.
• Asuka and his companions transformed to avoid recognition, then met three Kumogakure ninja investigating He Siyi’s death and asking whether Uchiha Asuka was in town.
• Asuka, disguised as a rogue ninja, confirmed He Siyi was dead and suggested that someone might have impersonated him to frame Konoha.
• The Kumogakure captain decided Iwagakure had staged the incident to provoke war with Konoha, and his two subordinates questioned why Hashirama Senju inspired such fear.

Sarutobi Nanaka received folk remedies and a purple stone from Uchiha Asuka, who had completed his search for ways to help her conceive. Asuka left to rest, while Nanaka studied the remedy claiming widows could bear children by their late husbands.

• Sarutobi Nanaka woke from another nightmare about Shinnosuke and read intelligence reports complaining that Uchiha Asuka had not paid for roasted sweet potatoes.
• Nanaka worried that she and Shinnosuke could not conceive despite their examinations showing no problems.
• Uchiha Asuka returned from the Land of Bears and gave Nanaka scrolls containing folk remedies and advice about artificial intervention.
• Asuka handed Nanaka the pale purple stone associated with the remedy, and she decided that even an uncertain chance was better than none.
• Nanaka told Asuka to rest, then warned him that He Siyi had been from Kumogakure and gave him intelligence about Cloud Ninja.
• After Asuka left, Nanaka reread the remedy and wondered how it could let a widow conceive a child by her late husband.

Asuka returned to Konoha and sought warmth and village gossip at a tavern, where he learned more about Fugaku's family troubles and several surprising rumors. He left wondering about Iruka's new relationship with Orochimaru's disciple.

• Asuka checked with the system and learned that he could still complete his mission that year before noticing Uchiha Fugaku drinking alone.
• The tavern owner told Asuka that Fugaku had been drinking alone since the Nine-Tailed Riot and described his arguments with Mikoto over Itachi.
• The owner showed Asuka a magazine featuring Itachi with a copy of Ninja World's Best, reminding Asuka that he had given Itachi the magazine to complete a system mission.
• The owner told Asuka a rumor that Mikoto might be expecting a third child, though they were reportedly sleeping in separate rooms.
• The owner revealed that Asuka's student Iruka was dating Orochimaru's disciple, and Asuka reacted with surprise.

Uchiha Fugaku walked home with Asuka and warned him against rushing into marriage, while Mikoto waited at the gate and scolded Fugaku for coming home drunk. Back at his own house, Asuka learned that Fugaku and Mikoto had been giving opposing marriage advice to clan members and arguing over how to raise Itachi.

• Fugaku asked Asuka whether he planned to marry and described how marriage and raising children had brought unexpected hardships.
• Asuka agreed that marriage seemed like the beginning of a man's misfortune, and Fugaku appeared relieved that his warnings had reached him.
• Mikoto waited at Fugaku's gate, thanked Asuka for bringing him home, then lectured Fugaku and told him to avoid drinking with Jiraiya.
• Asuka returned home and learned from the Orange Cat that Fugaku and Mikoto had each been advising clan members about marriage.
• The Orange Cat told Asuka that Fugaku and Mikoto had argued over Itachi's education, using Asuka as an example to support their opposing views.

The Uchiha elders turned waiting for the New Year meeting into a shirtless contest to see who could eat the most Luosifen in the freezing wind. Uchiha Fugaku arrived with Uchiha Itachi and learned that the clan members were eating outside because the clan grounds were locked.

• Ma Dou and the Great Elder challenged each other to eat Luosifen shirtless at the windward spot, and Ryoichi and Uchiha Ili joined in.
• Uchiha Itachi arrived at Naka Shrine with Uchiha Fugaku and found villagers watching the clan elders eat in the cold.
• Uchiha Fugaku saw the chain across Naka Shrine's gates and asked the shirtless clansmen what they were doing.
• The Great Elder claimed they were tempering the clansmen's willpower, while Uchiha Asuka explained that they had nowhere else to eat and were trying to carry the Luosifen smell away.

At a Uchiha Clan Assembly, the clan discussed its worsening relationship with the village and celebrated Iri’s revival of the First Hokage. Itachi watched in horror as the clan embraced plans to revive famous dead shinobi repeatedly, leaving him convinced that the assembly was full of madmen.

• An elderly Uchiha explained that the Nine-Tails incident had pushed the clan’s relationship with the village to its lowest point and praised Iri for reviving the First Hokage.
• Iri proposed reviving the First Hokage about once a month for birthdays and other occasions, and many clan members supported him.
• Fugaku warned Iri that repeatedly reviving the First Hokage could make him lose his temper, but Ryoichi interpreted the warning as advice to revive other Hokage instead.
• Iri and Ryoichi suggested reviving Madara and using the threat to deter other villages, while the Uchiha jonin agreed that another shinobi war was inevitable.
• Itachi saw clan members backing the resurrection plan and felt disappointed that his father and the others did not recognize how extreme it was.

Uchiha Itachi grew disillusioned with his clan after hearing its members propose reviving the Fourth Hokage to clear Uchiha of suspicion over the Nine-Tails. He confided his worries to Shisui in the forest, leaving Shisui aware of Itachi’s disappointment in the clan.

• At a clan meeting, Uchiha members debated reviving the Fourth Hokage to identify whoever controlled the Nine-Tails and prove Uchiha’s innocence.
• Uchiha Itachi questioned whether the clan could repair its relationship with the village without reviving dead Kage, but Uchiha Fugaku said they might still need to revive the Fourth Hokage if they could not find the culprit.
• Itachi left the meeting early and wandered into the forest, where he met Shisui after Shisui returned from a mission.
• Itachi recounted the meeting and told Shisui that the clan’s leaders held extreme ideas and that repeated resurrections could bring terrible consequences.
• Shisui recognized that Itachi had become disappointed in the clan and sat beside him.

Itachi and Shisui discussed the Uchiha Clan’s future, while the clan’s leaders continued to argue over Asuka’s proposal. After the village’s repeated inspections of the Uchiha ended for the moment, Asuka went to speak with Ryoichi.

• Itachi told Shisui he feared the clan’s development would not ease its conflict with the village, and Shisui urged him to train before trying to change the clan.
• Shisui recalled how Uchiha Ili had secretly revived Hashirama Senju, leaving the village grateful for its rescue but wary of the Uchiha.
• Uchiha Asuka questioned the Great Elder about supporting his proposal, and Uchiha Saburo delayed backing it while promising to find a way to prevent Mikoto from hating the clan.
• The Great Elder privately planned to keep making Asuka empty promises until he died, avoiding taking sides.
• Asuka found Anbu conducting another inspection of Ryoichi and learned the village was still checking whether the Uchiha had left a means to control Hashirama Senju.

After heavy snowfall blanketed Konoha, Asuka, Fei Fei, Hashirama Senju, and the villagers cleared snow with ninjutsu, causing Tsunade to worry about the Medical Department’s workload. Danzo found purpose in organizing the cleanup until Asuka’s reckless fire techniques reignited his anger at the Uchiha.

• Asuka and Fei Fei argued over using Fire Release to clear snow, and Fei Fei melted the snow on Asuka’s roof with a Great Fireball.
• Ryoichi asked Asuka to clear his roof, and Asuka used the Dragon Fire Technique to evaporate its snow while Fei Fei wondered who would clear Xiang Nai’s roof.
• Hashirama Senju joined the snow clearing with Konoha Great Whirlwind, while Tsunade complained that the explosions would burden the Medical Department and pondered whether Nawaki and Dan were still themselves.
• Danzo swept the Shimura clan grounds and directed others to clear snow until Itachi arrived, giving him a new task to oversee.
• Danzo saw Asuka’s fire techniques exploding in the distance and vowed to get back at the Uchiha.

Danzo warned Itachi that Uchiha Asuka used staged house demolitions to gain villagers’ gratitude, then gave Itachi advice about judging people and easing the village-clan conflict. That evening, Mikoto blamed Asuka for a book about divorce that Itachi had picked up, and threw a brick at him.

• Danzo told Itachi that Asuka had been using Great Fireball Techniques to destroy villagers’ homes and pay for repairs, earning their gratitude and raising his prestige.
• Danzo urged Itachi to judge people by whether they benefited the village, then told him to observe how his parents handled arguments when Itachi asked how to ease the conflict between the village and the Uchiha.
• Itachi picked up Danzo’s fallen book, Conflict Resolution, after Danzo vanished with a Shimura clansman, while Danzo watched from a wall and muttered that eliminating those who caused conflicts was the permanent solution.
• Asuka returned to the clan land and learned that Mikoto had found the book with Itachi and was confronting him over it.
• Mikoto saw Asuka among the onlookers, blamed him for the book, and threw a brick at him, but Asuka dodged it and wondered whether he had somehow written the book.