Chapter Summaries

Chiba went to a Konoha pharmacy to buy herbs for researching medicine for Nao, but the apprentice struggled to record his long order. The apprentice turned out to be Yuriko’s younger brother, Fujino Ren, who recognized Chiba and warmly defended him, and the chapter ended with them preparing to handle the purchase.

• Chiba returned to Konoha Pharmacy after seeing Yukina and Hirohiko off and listed nearly thirty herbs needed for Nao’s treatment and his research.
• Fujino Ren asked Chiba to repeat the order, and the two spent ten minutes apologizing and taking responsibility for the mistake.
• Fujino Ren introduced himself, and Chiba gave his name as Taki Chiba.
• Fujino Ren recognized Chiba as the person his sister Yuriko often discussed and said the villagers had misunderstood him.
• Fujino Ren remembered the herbs they were buying and turned back to the order.

Chiba bought herbs to research ways to improve Nao’s medicine without worsening its side effects. He returned to the cabin, where Hirohiko was cooking and Yukina greeted him from the kitchen.

• Fujino Ren enthusiastically bid Chiba farewell, then realized he had forgotten to pack the medicine packets and regretted letting down his sister.
• Chiba concluded that his best hope for improving Nao’s medicine was to find a difficult but promising way to increase its medicinal effect while keeping it mild.
• Chiba hurried home with the herbs, wondering whether Hirohiko or Yukina had made lunch.
• Yukina greeted Chiba from the kitchen, and Hirohiko reassured him that he was cooking.
• Chiba told Hirohiko the herbs were for research, placed them on his bedding, and headed toward the kitchen for lunch.

Chiba went to the riverside to invite Kakashi, Obito, and Rin to dinner, but sensed a hostile gaze and found no one there. He returned his attention to the others, still unsure whether the watcher had been real.

• Chiba learned that Hirohiko and Yukina had prepared a large meal and went to call the guests from the riverside.
• Chiba heard Kakashi, Obito, and Rin talking while fishing and recognized their voices.
• Chiba sensed someone watching him from behind and above, entered Gate of Pain Mode, and detected no one nearby.
• Kakashi, Obito, and Rin turned to greet Chiba, and he invited them back to eat.
• Obito teased Kakashi about losing their supposed fishing contest, and Chiba wondered whether the hostile gaze had been an illusion.

A Root operative nearly exposed the mission by following Taki Chiba, but his partner stopped him and warned him not to provoke the Little Monster. At a hidden facility, an unidentified Sharingan user confronted Danzo about collecting Uchiha eyes and left Danzo wary of his plans and abilities.

• A Root operative followed Taki Chiba out of curiosity, and his partner held a blade to his neck for risking their mission.
• The partner spared the newcomer but warned him that Taki Chiba had killed powerful enemies and must not be provoked.
• A Sharingan user trapped Danzo in a genjutsu and urged him to be more restrained while collecting Uchiha Clan Sharingan during the war.
• Danzo agreed to leave the situation in Konoha to the Sharingan user, then wondered why he cared about the Uchiha and how he had been caught in the genjutsu.

Chiba left the meal to resume his intense training, leaving Kakashi wondering what secret drove him. Kakashi invited Obito to go fishing so he would not disturb Chiba, while the others made plans of their own.

• Chiba stopped eating and went outside to train, while Yukina explained that his behavior was normal.
• Obito called Chiba a training idiot, and Kakashi reflected on Chiba’s relentless training and the secret he seemed to carry.
• Kakashi invited Obito to go fishing that afternoon, shocking everyone at the table.
• Rin, Yukina, and Nao said they were going shopping, while Hirohiko said he needed to renovate the bathhouse.
• Kakashi decided to keep Obito away from Chiba so Chiba could train undisturbed, and Obito gave up on asking Chiba about his training.

Chiba trained while his friends left for fishing, shopping, and gathering wood, then realized his current routine left too little time for medicine research and perfecting his ninjutsu. He decided to raise his training target to five thousand repetitions, but a strange emerald light appeared in his eyes as he committed to the new plan.

• Chiba continued punching a wooden post as Obito and Kakashi went fishing, bickering all the way into the woods.
• Rin, Nao, and Yukina left to go shopping, and Hirohiko told Chiba he would gather wood to finish the bathhouse.
• Chiba stopped Hirohiko and asked him to bring back wood for more training posts.
• Hirohiko noticed that Chiba's stance resembled a familiar footwork pattern but could not identify it.
• Chiba decided to replace his training plan with a five-thousand-repetition base that he could complete within ten hours.
• As Chiba committed to the new plan, his hand froze and emerald light burst from his eyes.

A Root operative nearly exposed himself while spying on Taki Chiba, but his tall, thin fox-masked captain spared him and sent him to report Chiba’s alarming growth to Danzo. Chiba sensed a watcher but dismissed the feeling as an illusion and returned to training.

• The fox-masked operative narrowly escaped detection when Taki Chiba noticed a subtle movement during his surveillance.
• The tall, thin fox-masked captain judged the operative’s reactions and concealment skills worthy, then released his killing intent.
• The captain gave the operative a scroll of information and ordered him to report to Danzo immediately.
• The captain watched Chiba and resolved to kill him if he interfered with Danzo’s plans.
• Chiba sensed a gaze near a black cat but concluded he was imagining it and resumed his taijutsu training.

Chiba completed 15,000 repetitions of intense taijutsu training and concluded he could finish his daily routine sooner than expected, giving him time to improve Nao’s medicine. After the others returned with fish and Hirohiko finished remodeling the bathhouse, the boys ended up competing to take over cooking from Rin and Yukina.

• Chiba completed 5,000 punches, 5,000 squats, and 5,000 side kicks, exhausting himself but confirming his stamina and training progress.
• Chiba planned to focus on taijutsu and his self-created ninjutsu before the Kannabi Bridge Battle, keeping Sealing Jutsu as a lower priority.
• Rin and Yukina returned with Kakashi and Obito, while Hirohiko finished remodeling the bathhouse.
• Chiba noticed Obito’s bruised nose and facial mark, and Kakashi laughed as Obito complained.
• Kakashi brought back a bucket of fish, but all four boys tried to avoid cooking until Rin and Yukina offered to do it.
• The boys immediately pleaded to take over cooking from Rin and Yukina.

After a warm evening of cooking, training, and reading, Chiba finished drafting a rough plan for his next experiments. The next morning, Obito arrived again with a fishing rod, announcing that they were coming over.

• Hirohiko and Obito cooked while Kakashi read and Chiba took notes, and the group shared a long, peaceful meal.
• After dinner, Chiba completed five thousand push-ups while the others talked and laughed nearby, then Kakashi, Rin, and Obito said goodbye.
• Yukina went upstairs, and Hirohiko told Chiba that Kakashi had recommended rereading an exciting part of his book.
• Chiba asked Hirohiko to prepare snacks for next time, then continued his sword training before the night ended.
• The next morning, Chiba woke at seven thirty and saw that his rough plan was complete.
• Obito opened the front door carrying a fishing rod and said they were coming over again.

Chiba’s cabin became a lively gathering place while his friends’ missions and his own medical research progressed. Hirohiko left on a front-line mission with Chiba’s unfinished pills, and Chiba noticed an unknown person nearby.

• Chiba’s peers regularly gathered at his cabin, while he continued training and improving his medicine and Nao’s treatment plan.
• Kakashi, Rin, and Obito began taking missions, and Hirohiko earned money through public missions.
• Hirohiko told Chiba he had accepted a mission that could keep him away for three to five days, and Chiba worried it might involve combat.
• Chiba gave Hirohiko an unfinished medicine pouch and warned him to use it only in danger because its side effects could cause unconsciousness or shock.
• After Hirohiko left, Chiba noticed someone and asked who they were.

Kazuki, an Anbu subordinate of the Third Hokage, summoned Chiba to the Hokage’s Office for an important mission. Chiba worried that another assignment would disrupt his training and plans, and entered the office without learning what the mission was.

• Kazuki addressed Chiba as “Lord” and asked him to meet the Third Hokage, startling Chiba.
• Chiba feared the Third Hokage was about to assign him another mission and worried it would obstruct his efforts to change the future.
• Kazuki politely explained that the Third Hokage had an important mission for Chiba, and Chiba agreed to go with him.
• Kazuki led Chiba to the Hokage Building, where the guards did not tease him as usual.
• Kazuki stopped outside the Hokage’s Office and asked Chiba to enter alone, so Chiba opened the door.

Chiba read a frontline report showing that Iwa and Kumogakure had joined forces to ambush Konoha, leaving the three nations’ forces evenly matched and Konoha in danger of defeat. When the Third Hokage asked for a solution, Chiba calmly said they needed only one person.

• Chiba considered why Yukina was unlikely to be assigned to a dangerous mission after the Hyuga Clan began treating her like a member of the main family.
• Chiba entered the Hokage's Office, where the Third Hokage handed him a scroll containing a month of frontline reports.
• Chiba read that Iwa and Kumogakure had ambushed Konoha, causing heavy casualties and leaving scattered Konoha ninja surrounded.
• The Third Hokage asked Chiba what he thought, and Chiba replied that the solution was very simple and required only one person.

Chiba advised the Third Hokage to send a single ninja to rescue Konoha’s scattered units and inspire the demoralized main force. The Third Hokage accepted the plan and then turned to tell Chiba about his own mission.

• Chiba explained that most of Konoha’s main force remained intact, but scattered units needed rescuing to prevent morale from worsening.
• Chiba proposed sending one exceptionally capable ninja alone to rescue the scattered units and strike Iwa and Kumogakure with a morale-boosting display.
• Chiba withheld the identity of the person he had in mind and asked the Third Hokage to choose the rescuer.
• The Third Hokage understood the strategy, considered a candidate, and said he would handle the rest.
• The Third Hokage began discussing a mission for Chiba, startling him.

Chiba feared the Third Hokage would send him on another mission, but instead the Hokage asked him to advise on defending Konoha from enemy forces that had broken through the front. Chiba proposed a plan to lure the enemy into a coordinated ambush, then discovered that Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Danzo had been brought in to approve it.

• The Third Hokage handed Chiba a battle report about enemy forces that had entered the Land of Fire and asked for his opinion.
• Chiba suggested sending four ten-man teams to search around Konoha and deliberately opening gaps in its defenses to lure the enemy into an ambush.
• The Third Hokage asked the other attendees for their approval of Chiba's plan.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura agreed with the plan, and Danzo also said he had no objections.
• Chiba recognized the three visitors and stared in disbelief at their presence.

The Third Hokage consulted Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura about Chiba’s Defense Force plan, which Chiba estimated had at least a seventy percent chance of success. After they approved it, the Third Hokage appointed Chiba commander of Konoha’s Defense Force.

• The Third Hokage asked Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura whether they objected to deploying the Defense Force, and all three agreed.
• Chiba told the Third Hokage that experienced troops and suitable captains could carry out the plan with at least a seventy percent success rate.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura quietly approved of Chiba’s assessment, and the Third Hokage concluded that the plan was feasible.
• The Third Hokage appointed Taki Chiba commander of Konoha’s Defense Force.

The Third Hokage and the elders offered Chiba a unit commander appointment, and Chiba considered how extraordinary and unprecedented it was for a ten-year-old with little command experience. After the elders reflected on his talent and why they had supported the proposal, Chiba refused the appointment.

• The Third Hokage, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura presented Chiba with the unit commander appointment while Danzo remained unreadable.
• Chiba reasoned that unit commanders needed extensive command experience, battlefield achievements, and the ability to lead large forces, none of which he had demonstrated.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura recalled Chiba’s past accomplishments and agreed they had supported his promotion because of his exceptional potential.
• The Third Hokage wondered why Danzo had stayed silent as Chiba recovered from his shock.
• Chiba looked at the Third Hokage and firmly refused the appointment.

Chiba refused the appointment as troop commander, arguing that his lack of command experience and the effect on frontline morale made it unfair and unwise. The Third Hokage and the advisers accepted his reasoning, but Danzo’s unexpected support left Chiba suspecting a hidden scheme.

• Utatane Koharu questioned Chiba after he refused the troop commander appointment, while the Third Hokage trusted that he had his reasons.
• Chiba argued that appointing an inexperienced ten-year-old commander violated selection rules and could further damage frontline morale.
• Danzo told Chiba that completing the Defense Map mission meant no one would object to his appointment.
• The Third Hokage and the advisers approved of Chiba’s concern for the village, but Chiba grew wary of Danzo’s motives.

Chiba refused the Defense Force captaincy because it would keep him from training and joining the Kannabi Bridge Battle, where he hoped to change Obito’s fate. To block the appointment and protect the village’s chain of command, he named Watanabe Kenshin as a more suitable candidate, leaving the Third Hokage, the advisors, and Danzo stunned.

• Chiba reasoned that becoming Defense Force captain would consume his time and keep him from the front lines during the Kannabi Bridge Battle.
• Chiba suspected Danzo wanted him appointed so the Annihilation Plan could eliminate him and help Danzo gain control of the Defense Force.
• Chiba began explaining that the position could not be entrusted to him, while the Third Hokage and the advisors admired his apparent humility and became more determined to appoint him.
• Chiba said someone in the village was more suitable and named Watanabe Kenshin, surprising the Third Hokage, the advisors, and Danzo.

Chiba refused to command the Defense Force and recommended Watanabe Kenshin instead, arguing that Kenshin’s command experience made him the safer choice. The Third Hokage and his advisors reconsidered appointing Chiba, while Utatane Koharu questioned whether Kenshin could be trusted after his previous failure.

• Chiba weighed his guilt over Kanno’s death against Watanabe Kenshin’s command experience and decided Kenshin was the strongest candidate to recommend.
• The Third Hokage reacted with surprise when Chiba recommended Kenshin, then considered Kenshin’s qualifications and loyalty.
• Chiba warned the Third Hokage, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura that appointing an inexperienced ten-year-old during a crisis would be risky.
• Danzo noticed the officials reconsidering Chiba’s appointment and chose to remain silent.
• Utatane Koharu asked whether Kenshin could be trusted after his earlier failure, and Chiba insisted Kenshin would not fail again because he had failed before.

Chiba persuaded the Third Hokage and the advisors that Watanabe Kenshin was better suited to command the unit, and the Third Hokage appointed Kenshin. Just as the decision seemed settled, Chiba said he had another idea.

• Chiba argued that Watanabe Kenshin’s past failure and front-line experience made him a more resilient and suitable commander.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura stayed silent, leaving the choice to the Third Hokage.
• The Third Hokage considered Kenshin’s growth and Chiba’s concerns, then changed the appointment document to name Watanabe Kenshin as unit commander.
• Chiba glanced at Danzo with a faint smile, then announced that he had another idea about the matter.