Chapter Summaries

Watanabe Kenshin struggled to manage Konoha's Defense Department after the failed secret mission left it short-handed, while guilt over the mission and Chiba's silent rebuke consumed him. The chapter ended with Kenshin losing control and pounding his desk in frustration.

• A Defense Department ninja reported that the secret mission had left important posts understaffed and warned that assigning young ninjas there could be dangerous.
• Watanabe Kenshin dismissed the ninja without resolving the staffing problem, then threw aside the report.
• Kenshin recalled Chiba dragging the bodies of Kanno and the others back to Konoha despite his severe injuries, and remembered the contempt in Chiba's gaze.
• Kenshin dwelled on the failed Bait Operation, his responsibility for it, and the Third Hokage's silence, growing increasingly distressed.
• Kenshin shouted about Kumogakure and Iwa before striking the table repeatedly.

Yukina, Hirohiko, and Kushina anxiously waited outside Konoha Hospital’s intensive care unit while Chiba underwent emergency treatment. Watanabe Hiroshi finally emerged and declared Chiba the most miraculous child he had ever seen, leaving them certain that Chiba was safe.

• Yukina waited outside the intensive care unit, blaming herself for not being at Chiba’s side when he was injured rescuing Kanno Satoru, Aso Sasuke, and Kusunoki Masaru.
• Hirohiko brought Yukina food, but she apologized for not supporting him when he had been attacked and still refused to eat.
• Kushina arrived, learned Chiba was still in emergency treatment, and made Yukina and Hirohiko eat so they would be able to care for him.
• Watanabe Hiroshi came out of the intensive care unit, and Yukina, Hirohiko, and Kushina rushed to ask about Chiba’s condition.
• Watanabe Hiroshi called Chiba the most miraculous child he had ever seen, and the three realized Chiba was safe.

Kushina, Yukina, and Hirohiko waited beside Chiba as he lay unconscious in the hospital after suffering critical injuries on a secret mission. Kushina worried about the risks Chiba and his teammates faced and wondered how she could help keep them safe before Yukina noticed Chiba waking.

• Chiba remained unconscious in the hospital with severe injuries after dragging three corpses back from the mission.
• Kushina learned that Chiba had joined the secret operation after discovering a flaw in Watanabe Kenshin's plan, and she confronted the Third Hokage about the danger.
• Kushina reflected on how Chiba repeatedly risked his life to save others and felt guilty that she could not protect him and his teammates.
• Kushina wondered what she could do to make Yukina, Hirohiko, and Chiba safer in the war.
• Yukina cried out that Chiba had woken up.

Chiba woke in the hospital with his injuries healed and his Chakra reserves increased, though he could not remember parts of the battle that brought him back to the village. Kushina distracted him from his grief by demanding that he devise a proposal idea for Minato before Minato returned from his mission, and she left Hirohiko and Yukina to keep him in his room until he did.

• Chiba woke in the hospital beside Kushina, Yukina, and Hirohiko, and found that his wounds had healed and his Chakra reserves had increased.
• Chiba remembered bringing Kanno and the others' bodies back to the village but could not recall much of the battle or his return.
• Kushina asked Chiba about the proposal idea he had promised to devise, and Chiba admitted he had not found a perfect one yet.
• Kushina ordered Chiba to come up with an idea before Minato returned from his mission and told Hirohiko and Yukina to keep him from leaving the room.
• Hirohiko and Yukina realized Kushina had used the proposal request to keep Chiba from thinking about Kanno and the others, while Chiba worried about how to fulfill the task.

After a week in the hospital, Chiba recovered, struggled with grief over Kanno and the others, and drew comfort from Yukina’s care. As Chiba left for home, Kushina secured the Third Hokage’s approval for a plan to protect her student.

• Chiba recovered more quickly than after his battle with Yagura Bi, and his Chakra increased while he healed.
• Yukina stayed by Chiba’s side during his week in the hospital, helping him endure his grief, while Kushina repeatedly asked him about the proposal.
• Chiba reflected on Kanno and the others’ deaths and blamed himself with countless what ifs, but Yukina’s concern helped him regain his composure.
• Chiba was discharged and headed toward his wooden cabin outside the village.
• Kushina asked the Third Hokage to approve her second request, and he agreed after considering the risks and benefits.

Chiba visited the temporarily closed Konohamaru Dango Shop, where he saw Little Red Bean comforting Kanno Haruko and realized Kanno’s death had affected many people. Overcome by guilt, Chiba tried to flee, but Kanno Haruko recognized him and sent Kanno Tadashi after him.

• Chiba stopped outside the closed Konohamaru Dango Shop and overheard regulars mourning Kanno and hoping his parents would recover.
• Kanno Haruko opened the shop, and Little Red Bean affectionately asked to come inside while hiding her sadness about Kanno.
• Chiba recognized that Little Red Bean was comforting Haruko and grew more consumed by regret over failing to protect Kanno.
• Chiba turned to leave, but Haruko recognized him and called after him.
• Haruko summoned Kanno Tadashi, who ran out of the shop to chase Chiba.

Chiba visited Kanno's parents at their dumpling shop, overwhelmed by guilt over Kanno's death. They thanked him for saving Kanno and reassured him, and Chiba told them their son died with no regrets and had been happy to be their son.

• Kanno Tadashi brought Chiba into the dumpling shop, where Kanno Haruko served Little Red Bean while Chiba worried that Kanno's parents would blame him.
• Kanno Haruko and Chiba simultaneously thanked and apologized to each other, surprising them both.
• Kanno Haruko comforted Chiba, saying Kanno's death was not his fault and that Kanno had accepted the risks of being a ninja.
• Kanno Tadashi offered Chiba dumplings and red bean soup and invited him to visit often.
• Kanno Haruko and Kanno Tadashi asked what Kanno had said before he died, and Chiba told them Kanno had no regrets and was happy to be their son.
• Chiba praised Kanno as an incredible ninja and a hero who had protected him and Aso.

After visiting the families of Kanno Satoru, Aso Sasuke, and Kusunoki Masaru, Chiba resolved to grow stronger and prepare for future threats. He returned to find Kushina, Hirohiko, and Yukina waiting to celebrate his discharge, while Kushina teased them with mysterious good news to be announced after dinner.

• Chiba visited the Kanno couple, then sought out Aso Sasuke's and Kusunoki Masaru's families but left without approaching them.
• Chiba blamed his lack of strength for the losses and decided to train harder, learn more techniques, and develop powerful original ninjutsu.
• Chiba returned to his cabin and found Kushina, Hirohiko, and Yukina waiting beneath a Happy Discharge banner with a feast prepared.
• After Chiba said he had moved on, Kushina and the others checked that he was well and brought him inside.
• Kushina told Chiba to bathe and promised to reveal good news after dinner, leaving him, Hirohiko, and Yukina uneasy.

After the failed supplementary plan and the deaths at the Kanno, Aso, and Kusunoki households, Chiba ate ravenously while reflecting on his complacency and renewed determination to grow stronger. He also noticed his body was digesting food unusually fast, and the chapter ended with Kushina preparing to announce good news.

• Kushina, Hirohiko, and Yukina watched Chiba devour the meal and took his appetite as a sign that he was all right.
• Chiba realized he had buried his grief and anger beneath the feast, then blamed his complacency for the flawed supplementary plan and its disastrous failure.
• Chiba recognized that his recent successes had made him lax about pursuing greater strength and recommitted himself to developing his own ninjutsu.
• Chiba noticed his stomach was digesting the enormous meal unusually quickly and suspected his body had changed because of his injury.
• Kushina smiled and announced that she had good news, leaving Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina with an ominous feeling.

Kushina reunited Kushina Squad and announced a team photo before suddenly challenging Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina to defeat her to graduate from trainee treatment. She struck all three while cloaked in the Nine-Tails’ chakra, with five tails visible.

• Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina followed Kushina to their former training ground, expecting combat practice.
• Kushina announced that Kushina Squad had assembled again and that she would oversee everything concerning them.
• Kushina revealed that the second piece of good news was a group photo, disappointing the three disciples.
• Kushina vanished with the Body Flicker Technique and told them they had to defeat her to graduate from trainee treatment.
• Kushina struck Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina with chakra-coated fists, revealing a cloak with five tails.

Kushina tested Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina with her incompletely controlled Five-Tails form, overpowering them before they coordinated a counterattack. Chiba dodged her tails with Hirohiko’s help, and Kushina realized she was flying straight toward Yukina’s Gentle Fist stance.

• Kushina struck Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina with overwhelming Nine-Tails Chakra, injuring and intimidating them.
• Kushina decided to continue fighting in her unstable Five-Tails form because the three had become skilled ninja.
• Chiba planted Exploding Tags beneath Kushina during her first punch, and they detonated as she prepared to charge him.
• Kushina escaped the explosion and aimed her five Chakra tails at Chiba, but Hirohiko’s shuriken helped Chiba evade, leaving his shoulder pierced by one tail.
• Kushina noticed Yukina crouched behind her in a Gentle Fist stance as she flew toward her.

Yukina used an astonishing Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms to pierce Kushina’s Tailed Beast Mode and send her flying. As Chiba and Hirohiko reeled at Yukina’s strength, she warned them of an attack from beneath, and two chakra fists burst through the ground toward them.

• Kushina realized Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina had coordinated their attacks instinctively, and Yukina struck from behind.
• Yukina landed thirty-two palms on Kushina, breaking through her Tailed Beast Mode and sending her into the mist.
• Chiba and Hirohiko were stunned by Yukina’s speed and power, and Chiba recognized that she had pierced Kushina’s formidable defenses.
• Yukina warned Chiba and Hirohiko to watch out as the ground beneath them cracked.
• Two pale red chakra fists erupted from the ground and shot toward Chiba and Hirohiko’s chins.

Chiba, Yukina, and Hirohiko faced Kushina in her Five-Tails form, and Chiba took the brunt of her underground attack while the others evaded it. As Kushina struck at Hirohiko, his Sharingan caught her gaze and began casting a genjutsu.

• Kushina attacked from underground with a Tailed Beast Chakra tail, and Chiba used Rock Skin to endure the blow while Yukina and Hirohiko dodged.
• Chiba confirmed that Yukina and Hirohiko were unharmed, while Kushina assessed their evasions and Chiba's defense.
• Hirohiko threw shuriken and used Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu to send sixteen weapons toward Kushina.
• Kushina vanished from the shuriken barrage and appeared behind Hirohiko to punch him.
• Hirohiko turned his Sharingan toward Kushina, and its three tomoe began spinning as he cast Genjutsu, Sharingan.

Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina coordinated an attack against Kushina, using genjutsu, weapons, smoke, and an Earth Cone to force her into a vulnerable position. Kushina avoided the trap but was struck in the cheek by Chiba’s Monster Strength.

• Hirohiko revealed his Three Tomoe Sharingan and attacked Kushina, who closed her eyes to avoid his genjutsu.
• Kushina sensed Yukina behind her and dodged Hirohiko’s punch, but Chiba’s shuriken and kunai followed her movement.
• Kushina deflected the weapons with her tails, triggering smoke and an explosion that blocked her vision.
• Hirohiko rushed through the smoke with his Sharingan, and Kushina shut her eyes and began to retreat.
• An Earth Cone threatened Kushina’s escape, so she stepped forward and let it pass between her tails.
• Chiba struck Kushina’s cheek with Monster Strength, sending her flying.

Kushina recognized how Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina had coordinated to counter her Five-Tails form and praised their teamwork. She then began escalating the training by transforming into her Six-Tails form.

• Kushina realized Chiba had used shuriken, smoke, and a Shadow Clone to disrupt her attack and coordinate with Hirohiko.
• Kushina landed after striking Chiba's Shadow Clone and admired how much he had improved.
• Kushina reunited with Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina and acknowledged that they could handle her Five-Tails form together.
• Kushina placed her hand over her abdomen and released spreading rings of Chakra as a sixth tail emerged.

Kushina used her six-tail form to overwhelm Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina during their training, then ended the battle after seeing they could withstand her attacks without serious injury. She left them with daily combat training and afternoon independent practice, and Chiba felt fortunate to have her as their teacher.

• Kushina released her six-tail Chakra cloak after defeating Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina, and decided their training session was over.
• Kushina praised the three children's coordination and strength, while Chiba recognized that her six-tail form was far beyond anything they could overcome.
• Chiba analyzed how Kushina's limited combat experience had made her five-tail form easier to predict, but concluded that the six-tail form's power left them no chance to attack or escape.
• Chiba, Yukina, and Hirohiko welcomed the prospect of continuing to train under Kushina after seeing the strength she could help them reach.
• Kushina ordered the three to continue combat training every day at eight and train independently after noon, and Chiba considered her the best teacher he could have found.

After washing up, Chiba reflected on Hirohiko’s Three Tomoe Sharingan and Yukina’s powerful Eight Trigrams Palm, then reconsidered his training schedule because he could not yet defeat Kushina. He was interrupted by an unexpected visitor at his front door and froze when he saw who it was.

• Chiba reasoned that Hirohiko’s grief over Shirakawa Izumi and Mizutani Rin may have evolved his Sharingan to Three Tomoe.
• Chiba recalled Yukina’s Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms piercing through the Five-Tails’ Tailed Beast Mode and worried about its force against a person.
• Chiba recognized that Kushina’s Six-Tails state outmatched the three of them and could also amplify her ninjutsu.
• Chiba reconsidered his training plan, weighing his morning sparring with Kushina against his other practice and study.
• Chiba answered urgent knocks at the front door and froze when he saw the visitor.

The Third Hokage hesitated over transferring Watanabe Kenshin from command of Konoha's defenses and wondered who could replace him, while Hokoma believed Chiba was the obvious choice. Minato returned from a mission with a successful report, prompting the Third Hokage to reconsider an unresolved matter.

• The Third Hokage asked Hokoma for his opinion on the proposed disposition of Watanabe Kenshin after the Bait Operation failed.
• Hokoma thought Chiba was better suited than Watanabe Kenshin to serve in the village's decision-making ranks and manage its defenses.
• Hokoma approved transferring Watanabe Kenshin to the front lines as Shikaku's assistant but could not name anyone to take over the village defenses.
• Minato returned and reported that his mission had been completed perfectly, handing three scrolls to the Third Hokage.
• The Third Hokage felt relieved by Minato's report and resolved to consider the matter more carefully.

Minato Namikaze reported that he had found the temporary bases of Kumogakure, Iwa, and Kirigakure, setting Konoha up to strike back under Chiba’s Salvage Plan. As Minato left to watch Watanabe Kenshin’s mission, Chiba opened his cabin door and found Yukina there.

• The Third Hokage sent Hokoma away and heard Minato Namikaze report that Kumogakure and Kirigakure sought reinforcements while Iwa seemed ready to withdraw.
• The Third Hokage recalled how Chiba had proposed the Salvage Plan after blaming himself for the deaths of Kanno and the other children.
• Minato Namikaze explained that he had located the enemy bases, and the Third Hokage learned Watanabe Kenshin had already set out to lead the assault.
• The Third Hokage asked Minato Namikaze to keep watch over Watanabe Kenshin, and Minato agreed before leaving the office.
• Chiba opened the cabin door and asked Yukina why she was there.

Yukina ran away from home and arrived at Chiba’s house with bags, blushing and fleeing upstairs after he mistook her embarrassment for anger or a fever. As Chiba wondered whether her confinement had caused her to rebel, Hyuga Yukyō appeared at his house.

• Yukina arrived at Chiba’s house with her bags and asked to come in.
• Chiba asked whether Yukina planned to stay, making her realize she would be living alone with a boy.
• Chiba checked Yukina’s forehead, and she blushed before grabbing her bags and running upstairs.
• Chiba suspected Yukina was angry about being confined and blamed himself for advising Hyuga Shinsuke to restrict her.
• Hyuga Yukyō approached Chiba, who asked what he was doing there.