Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Asuka and Fei Fei reached the Land of Lightning without incident, while civilians revealed that Kumogakure was hunting Konoha spies. Asuka realized his three companions were likely still running in circles because they believed the mission required them to infiltrate the Land of Honey, and he decided to complete it on their behalf.

• The three Konoha Ninja fled Cloud Ninja pursuing them, and their leader decided they should keep running to exhaust their pursuers.
• The Cloud Ninja captain guessed the three were drawing attention so another Konoha Ninja could enter the Land of Lightning, and his squad prepared to ambush that supposed infiltrator.
• Three days later, Uchiha Asuka and Fei Fei reached the Land of Lightning without encountering an attack.
• Land of Lightning civilians told Asuka and Fei Fei that Kumogakure was hunting Konoha spies who had been running around the area for several days.
• Asuka checked the mission scroll and concluded that his companions were still trying to infiltrate the Land of Honey, so he decided to complete the mission and share the reward with them.

In Ryūchi Cave, Rukin Hime and Ichikishimahime bickered while a nobleman from the Land of Honey worked to earn the chance to learn sage techniques. The White Snake Sage reflected on Uchiha Asuka, her prophecy, and her desire to have Ryūchi Cave’s shabby temple repaired.

• A nobleman from the Land of Honey diligently painted the temple walls while Rukin Hime praised his effort and explained that painting was only one trial for sage techniques.
• Rukin Hime teased Ichikishimahime about eating instant noodles, and Ichikishimahime attacked her with a huge sphere of natural energy.
• The White Snake Sage stopped Rukin Hime’s tail and absorbed Ichikishimahime’s sphere into her pipe before scolding them for nearly damaging the temple.
• Rukin Hime and Ichikishimahime realized the White Snake Sage wanted the temple repaired, then wondered when the nobleman would leave and when Uchiha Asuka would arrive.
• The White Snake Sage recalled her vision of a dangerous Child of Destiny and her hope that someone from the Uchiha Clan would save him, but admitted she valued having her thousand-year-old home restored.

Kumogakure's leaders debated how to respond to three Konoha ninja circling the border on an escort mission, while their missing target and Uchiha Asuka's appearance deepened suspicions. With war against Konoha too risky, one elder proposed secretly funding Danzo to destabilize Konoha from within.

• Kumogakure villagers wondered why Konoha ninja were repeatedly appearing at the border and why the Raikage had not responded.
• Kumogakure's elders argued over whether to capture the Konoha ninja, but acknowledged the risks of provoking Konoha and the other great villages.
• An elder rejected the idea of forming an alliance against Konoha, citing Kumogakure's past betrayals of Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure.
• The Raikage reviewed the escort report, which noted that the mission's target was missing and Uchiha Asuka had appeared at the border.
• An elder urged retaliation and proposed secretly supporting Danzo's bid to become Hokage and stir up trouble inside Konoha.

Kumogakure's leaders planned to secretly sponsor Uchiha Fugaku to stir up conflict between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, potentially using their planned Byakugan theft. Mabui, meanwhile, worried about the enormous profits from Uchiha Asuka's rooster as she saw intelligence showing that he had arrived in the Land of Lightning.

• Kumogakure's leaders compared ways to secretly sponsor Danzo, then an elder proposed backing Uchiha Fugaku to create trouble for Konoha.
• The elders discussed exploiting Uchiha ambitions and suggested Fugaku marry a Hyuga woman to provoke conflict over the Hyuga Clan's Caged Bird seal.
• The men connected the marriage scheme to Kumogakure's planned operation to steal a Byakugan and discussed using the resulting opportunity to make the marriage happen.
• Mabui watched the elders' plans and worried about the Hyuga woman who might suffer from them.
• Mabui saw intelligence that Uchiha Asuka had arrived in the Land of Lightning and fretted over the profits from the rooster she had raised from a flower taken from his Residence.

Uchiha Asuka traveled west through the Land of Lightning disguised with the Transformation Technique, while worrying that Fei Fei’s fame and size could expose them. In Konoha, Tsunade tried to discourage Shizune from becoming Hokage by making her handle the Hokage’s tedious paperwork, then reflected on her own past dreams.

• Asuka used the Transformation Technique to disguise himself and Fei Fei before heading toward the western Land of Lightning.
• Asuka worried Fei Fei’s distinctive size and reputation could reveal their identities, while Fei Fei promised it would not hold him back.
• Tsunade mistook her piglet for a roast suckling pig, and Shizune warned her that it was their companion.
• Tsunade challenged Shizune to endure the Hokage’s tedious paperwork, and Shizune took the Hokage’s chair to begin reading it.
• Tsunade drank beside the piglet and remembered that becoming Hokage had been Nawaki’s and Dan’s dream, while she had wanted to become the Hokage’s woman.

Tsunade and Shizune dealt with the Raikage's accusation that Konoha ninjas were lurking near the Land of Lightning, only to learn that Uchiha Asuka had entered the country. Tsunade planned to deny responsibility unless Asuka caused trouble, then use a video call and a disguised stand-in to fool the Raikage.

• Shizune read the Raikage's warning that Konoha ninjas had been circling the Land of Lightning's border and needed to withdraw.
• Tsunade and Shizune suspected Uchiha Asuka's escort mission had caused the diplomatic trouble, while Tsunade argued Konoha should avoid war but had no reason to apologize yet.
• An eagle delivered a secret message from Uchiha Asuka stating that he had successfully entered the Land of Lightning.
• Tsunade crushed the message and said Konoha would deny responsibility unless Asuka caused trouble, in which case she would arrange a video-call apology using someone disguised as Asuka.

Tsunade drank while brooding over village affairs and Kushina’s possible recovery, then encountered Mikoto, whose kindness prompted Tsunade and Shizune to discuss Mikoto’s strained marriage. Tsunade blamed Asuka without evidence and jokingly suggested Shizune marry into the Uchiha before deciding she did not want an Uchiha near her.

• Tsunade got drunk while weighing the village’s problems and remembered that Asuka might know how to bring Kushina back to life.
• Mikoto gave Shizune warm hangover soup for Tsunade, who praised Mikoto’s kindness and criticized the Uchiha clan.
• Shizune asked whether Mikoto and Fugaku would divorce, and Tsunade said their separation and clan tensions might make it possible.
• Tsunade cursed Asuka despite admitting he had nothing to do with Mikoto moving out, then told Shizune to marry an Uchiha leader if she wanted to help Mikoto.
• Tsunade imagined Shizune marrying Asuka, then reconsidered because she did not want an Uchiha getting close to her.

Uchiha Asuka and the Orange Cat traveled through the Land of Lightning, where they encountered vendors selling Lightning Fire Chicken chicks. Asuka learned that Lady Mabui had supposedly improved the chickens, and the revelation left him stunned.

• Asuka and the Orange Cat discussed how peaceful their journey through the Land of Lightning had been and noticed that their disguises might make them conspicuous.
• They saw vendors selling Lightning Fire Chicken chicks, and Asuka recalled how difficult and costly they had been to raise when he was young.
• Asuka challenged a vendor's claim that the chicks had a one hundred percent survival rate, explaining that the chickens he had raised were extremely delicate.
• The vendor said the chickens had improved under Lady Mabui, who was described as a silver-haired, bronze-skinned girl not yet thirteen years old.
• Asuka dropped the chick he was examining and asked the vendor to repeat Lady Mabui's name.

Uchiha Asuka bought a chick after recalling how Mabui had stolen the flowerpot holding his magical egg, then spotted Mabui while traveling through the Land of Honey. He continued on his mission instead of approaching her, leaving the chapter with him and Fei Fei arguing about ways to cook the chick as locals reacted to the talking cat.

• Uchiha Asuka remembered that the magical egg he had planted in a flowerpot had hatched after Kumogakure took the pot, and that the egg no longer recognized him.
• Uchiha Asuka bought a chick and told Fei Fei he planned to make chicken stew with mushrooms to ease his regret.
• Fei Fei recalled Mabui’s appearance after Uchiha Asuka identified her as the person who moved his flowerpot.
• Uchiha Asuka spotted Mabui in the distance but turned away because he had come to carry out a mission, not ask her for the rooster.
• Uchiha Asuka and Fei Fei argued about whether they could prepare eight proper chicken dishes, drawing startled looks from nearby civilians who heard the cat speak.

Mabui accompanied Samui through a city in the Land of Lightning, where Samui was searching for Uchiha Asuka, the man who killed her brother, He Siyi. Mabui worried that her strange swings of fortune might mean they would run into him, while Samui resolved to keep her hatred from making her reckless.

• Mabui complained about the city's pothole-ridden streets as she walked with Samui, who was distracted and drew curious stares from locals.
• Mabui reflected on Samui's grief over He Siyi's death and stayed by her side as they traveled in search of Uchiha Asuka.
• Mabui recalled how her family's chicken farm went bankrupt, then prospered after she brought home a rooster from Uchiha Asuka's Residence.
• Mabui worried that her fortune-teller's prediction meant another bout of bad luck was coming, but convinced herself Uchiha Asuka would not harm her.
• Mabui suggested that she and Samui look around and get something to eat, while Samui resolved to stay calm and avoid dragging her friend into danger.

Samui and Mabui searched the Land of Lightning for Uchiha Asuka, but struggled with the vast territory and Samui's grief over her brother, He Siyi. When they heard villagers discussing a Cat Demon, they approached to learn more.

• Mabui worried that she and Samui would be unable to defeat Uchiha Asuka if they found him, while Samui admitted that even a sensory ninja would struggle to track him across the Land of Lightning.
• Samui punched a house wall in frustration, and Mabui paid the homeowner for the damage before asking whether Samui could ever avenge He Siyi.
• Mabui told Samui that another war might bring her face-to-face with Uchiha Asuka, but Samui wondered how many years she would have to wait.
• Samui recalled that He Siyi had killed nobles in the Land of Bears, so the Raikage had refused to pursue his murderer and told her to seek revenge herself.
• Villagers began discussing a Cat Demon, and Mabui and Samui approached them to hear what they knew.

Samui and Mabui investigated reports of a supposed Cat Demon while searching for Uchiha Asuka. Asuka and Fei Fei continued through the forest, where Asuka noticed two genin approaching from behind.

• Citizens told Samui and Mabui that a skinny talking cat had appeared with a man in town.
• Mabui suspected the cat might be connected to the Uchiha but reasoned that its owner was probably a rogue ninja.
• Samui reassured the citizens and decided to look for the man and warn him while continuing their search for Uchiha Asuka.
• Asuka told Fei Fei that he had cheated in a lottery because the merchants had left the best prize out of the box.
• Asuka sensed two genin approaching from the rear left, and Fei Fei looked toward the empty forest.

Uchiha Asuka and the Orange Cat discussed Morino Ibiki’s interrogation methods and discovered they resembled an idea Asuka had once given Hyuga Meng Meng. Mabui and Samui overheard them in the forest, and Samui rushed toward Asuka despite Mabui’s warning that he looked familiar.

• The Orange Cat explained that Morino Ibiki used beatings and staged executions to break prisoners’ defenses before the Yamanaka Clan examined their memories.
• Asuka realized Ibiki’s method resembled an idea he had given Hyuga Meng Meng for a romance story involving a staged kidnapping.
• Asuka suspected Hyuga Meng Meng had shared his little books with Ibiki, and the Orange Cat admitted it had forgotten to tell him about Meng Meng’s story.
• Mabui and Samui recognized Asuka as the ninja who had frightened townspeople by talking to a Summoning Beast.
• Mabui urged Samui to wait because the Orange Cat looked familiar, but Samui charged toward Asuka anyway.

Asuka encountered Samui in the Land of Lightning, where she demanded his travel documents after suspecting he had entered without registering. When he claimed his fist was a pass, he suddenly appeared in front of her and struck, leaving Samui facing what she feared was her death.

• Asuka joked with Fei Fei about Meng Meng's past and explained that Meng Meng had taken art lessons with him after other teachers refused him.
• Samui arrived in a cloud of dust and questioned Asuka about speaking with a Ninja Cat in town.
• Asuka argued that his conversation with the cat could benefit Kumogakure, but Samui warned him not to cause panic or trouble for civilians.
• Samui asked Asuka for his identification, travel details, and registration certificate, and he admitted he had not registered.
• Asuka claimed he had a pass that let him travel anywhere, then vanished and reappeared in front of Samui with his chakra-covered fist raised.

Asuka incapacitated Samui and confronted Mabui, who recognized his transformed appearance from Konoha but could not recall his name. The encounter ended with Mabui asking whether he was the father of one of Uchiha Asuka’s students.

• Samui was knocked unconscious by Asuka and briefly wondered whether her brother had thought of her before he died.
• Mabui rushed to Samui’s side and faced Asuka, realizing he had at least jōnin-level strength.
• Asuka asked Mabui’s name, then clapped his hands and let a crow’s caw startle her instead of using a technique.
• Mabui recognized Asuka’s transformed face from Konoha and asked whether he was the father of one of Uchiha Asuka’s students.

Mabui recognized Asuka as Umino Iruka’s teacher and tried to leave a signal while stalling, but Asuka caught her. Asuka demanded a rooster leg, and Mabui suspected he was Uchiha Asuka before calling the Orange Cat by name and startling it.

• Mabui recognized Asuka as a man from Konoha and secretly tried to leave lightning traces in the ground.
• Asuka noticed Mabui’s signal and asked where the chicken she had taken from Konoha was.
• Mabui said she had left the chicken in the village, while Asuka debated what to do with her and the unconscious Samui.
• Mabui tried to kill herself, but Asuka knocked the kunai from her hand and warned her that Samui was still alive.
• Asuka asked Mabui to send him a leg from the rooster, and Mabui suspected he was Uchiha Asuka.
• Mabui called the Orange Cat “Fei Fei,” and the cat realized it might have been exposed.

Asuka and Fei Fei’s disguises were exposed to Mabui, but Asuka agreed to let her and Samui go in exchange for Mabui sending his chicken back to Konoha. Mabui left with Asuka’s promise, though she suspected he had always been more worried about losing the chicken than about anything else.

• Fei Fei transformed back into a plump Orange Cat after Asuka said their identities had been exposed, and Mabui recognized them as Konoha Ninja.
• Fei Fei blamed Mabui for calling its name and demanded that Asuka kill her, while Asuka kept asking for his chicken back.
• Mabui warned that killing her and Samui could provoke conflict between Kumogakure and Konoha, then promised to keep their encounter secret.
• Asuka agreed to let Mabui and Samui leave if she arranged to send his chicken back to Konoha.
• Asuka explained that he had let Mabui take the chicken before because it had formed a contract with her and because keeping it in Konoha could cause trouble.

Uchiha Asuka recounted the Uchiha Clan’s history of losing its allies while sharing fried chicken with Mabui, then tried to recruit her clan. The chapter left Asuka blaming the Sage of Six Paths when Mabui asked why the Uchiha had no allies.

• Asuka offered Mabui fried chicken and threw a kunai near Samui to check whether she was awake, prompting Mabui to rush to her side.
• Mabui asked Asuka how many allies the Uchiha Clan had during the Warring States Period.
• Asuka described how the Uchiha repeatedly lost allies among the Senju, Uzumaki, Hyuga, Blood Pond, and Hagoromo Clans.
• Asuka said the Uchiha’s current allies were the Senju and Hagoromo Clans, then invited Mabui’s clan to form an alliance.
• Mabui asked why the Uchiha had no allies despite the advantages Asuka listed, and Asuka silently blamed the Sage of Six Paths.

Uchiha Asuka explained to Mabui why he wanted an alliance and why he had started selling cheap fried chicken. He revealed that a boy named Kabuto had inspired him to make fried chicken affordable, leaving Mabui moved by the story.

• Asuka proposed an alliance between the Uchiha and Mabui's clan, but Mabui refused and doubted his prediction that the Ninja World would become peaceful.
• Mabui questioned Asuka about his cheap fried chicken and its Honey Mustard sauce, while Asuka explained that he did not need the money and had struggled to find worthy uses for it.
• Asuka recalled how Uchiha children gathered near clan meetings for fried chicken and how one boy repeatedly came with crumpled bills to buy a bucket for his younger brothers and sisters.
• Asuka told Mabui that the boy's family shared the chicken with their exhausted director, inspiring him to open his shop and set aside a weekly discount day.
• Mabui asked the boy's name, and Asuka remembered that it was Kabuto.

Uchiha Asuka questioned the system about the source of his fried chicken while Mabui explained that a punctual thief had repeatedly stolen her clan’s chickens. The system revealed only the date, leaving Asuka without answers about either the chicken supplier or the thief.

• Mabui admired her red toenails while Asuka’s stories made her suspect Konoha was full of miserable children who told tales.
• Asuka asked the system where his fried chicken came from, but it answered only with the date: ten days after the Night of the Clan Massacre.
• Mabui explained that a thief had stolen chickens from her clan’s farm, including dozens at seven in the morning on the last day of each month, even once in front of the Raikage.
• Asuka realized the thefts coincided with the Uchiha Clan Meeting, which was held at the same time every month.
• Mabui asked Asuka to identify the chicken supplier so she could track down the thief, and he assured her the chickens were not from her farm.
• Asuka asked the system again whether it could reveal more, but it repeated the date, and he praised it for keeping its lips sealed.