Chapter Summaries

Chiba and his team realized that the old Kumogakure shinobi was using their urgency and fear to control their choices, so they refused to split up and chase the two fleeing shinobi. The crater’s apparent corpse began turning into earth, revealing that Raijin Maki was still alive.

• Chiba asked Yukina whether she could still use the Byakugan while Hirohiko noticed the three Kumogakure shinobi had escaped.
• Chiba told Hirohiko and Yukina not to pursue the fleeing shinobi, reasoning that the old Kumogakure shinobi had deliberately passed up a chance to attack them.
• Yukina and Hirohiko recognized that the old shinobi was using psychological tactics to keep them off balance and stall their mission.
• Chiba explained that splitting up to chase the two shinobi would leave them vulnerable to the old shinobi’s attacks and harassment.
• Chiba considered the danger of delaying their journey, then saw the charred figure in the crater turning into earth and realized Raijin Maki was alive.

Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina realized the hidden Kumogakure ninja was using fear and uncertainty to control their choices. Chiba began forming a counterplan by asking Hirohiko how many Shadow Clones or Doton Clones he could create.

• Yukina noticed Chiba growing impatient and warned him that the hidden ninja’s Earth Style Clone was meant to make them believe he was watching from the shadows.
• Chiba explained that the enemy controlled their options, while Hirohiko described how pursuing the fleeing Kumogakure ninja, staying, or retreating all left them vulnerable.
• Yukina activated her Byakugan but could not locate the enemy, and Chiba cautioned that the ninja might sense them from beyond her range.
• Chiba explained that the enemy’s speed and hidden presence were driving them toward irrational choices.
• Chiba asked Yukina whether her Byakugan could distinguish physical clones, then asked Hirohiko how many Shadow Clone Jutsu or Doton Clones he could create.

Raijin Maki believed his psychological warfare had made Chiba anxious and prepared to exploit the Konoha team’s weakness. Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina entered the crater and released red smoke that swallowed the hidden Kumogakure-marked hamster, blinding Raijin Maki’s vision.

• Raijin Maki watched Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina from a kilometer away while his wounds healed, intending to delay them until Dodai and Kuroi escaped.
• Raijin Maki studied the trio’s defensive formation and believed their calm showed no sign of his psychological tactics working.
• Raijin Maki noticed Chiba’s fingers tapping faster and mistook the movement for anxiety, deciding the team was vulnerable to an attack.
• Chiba glanced at Hirohiko and said it was time to begin, and Hirohiko and Yukina agreed.
• The three entered the crater, releasing red smoke that engulfed a hidden Kumogakure-marked hamster and turned Raijin Maki’s vision gray.

Raijin Maki watched the Smoke Bomb and tried to understand what Hatake Kakashi or Taki Chiba and his teammates intended, while reassuring himself that his surveillance and the mission’s advantage made victory certain. When the three emerged from the smoke without any obvious change, his confidence collapsed as he noticed his own expression freeze in shock.

• Raijin Maki saw the Smoke Bomb and wondered why the three shinobi had used it instead of splitting up or searching for him.
• He trusted his summoned hamster to track the enemy and believed Dodai and Kuroi would soon escape with the intelligence.
• Raijin Maki’s instincts warned him that the three were about to do something, despite his belief that the situation favored him.
• Hatake Kakashi or Taki Chiba, the Hyuga Clan girl, and the Uchiha Clan brat emerged from the smoke in succession.
• Raijin Maki guessed they were trying to unsettle him, smiled at the thought that he had seen through their tactic, and then abruptly froze in shock.

The Konoha teams used Shadow Clones and misdirection to confuse Raijin Maki while splitting up to pursue the two fleeing Kumogakure ninja. After Chiba discovered and trapped Maki’s hamster spy, Maki realized the teams had reversed their earlier predicament and charged toward them.

• Raijin Maki saw six apparent Konoha shinobi and suspected they were using Shadow Clones to turn his tactics against him.
• The two Chibas confirmed the fleeing ninja’s locations, and the two Yukinas led their Hirohikos toward separate targets.
• The first Chiba sensed a watcher, trapped a hamster summon in a miniature earthen cage, and drove it back to its summoner.
• Raijin Maki felt the hamster’s apology as it returned, then realized the Konoha group had used a Shadow Clone team to deceive him.
• Raijin Maki covered himself in lightning and raced toward Chiba and the others.

Raijin Maki realized the Konoha team had used Shadow Clones to create a psychological trap, leaving him unsure which pursuit to aid. He reached the smoke-ringed clearing but still could not decide whether to save Dodai or Kuroi.

• Raijin Maki raced through the forest at full speed, no longer concealing his strength.
• Raijin Maki figured out that the three Konoha shinobi had used Smoke Bombs and Shadow Clones to create two indistinguishable teams pursuing Dodai and Kuroi.
• Raijin Maki considered three possible arrangements of originals and Shadow Clones, each forcing him to choose which man to sacrifice.
• Raijin Maki returned to the clearing and looked toward the two directions the teams had taken, still unable to choose whom to support.

Raijin Maki recognized that the Secret Medicine’s approaching end was causing his agitation, steadied himself, and reasoned through the likely enemy deployments. He chose to reinforce Kuroi’s side, believing the Sharingan user would be the easiest target, as the red mist began to clear and revealed a faint silhouette.

• Raijin Maki realized the Secret Medicine’s side effect was driving his anger and urge to act rashly.
• Raijin Maki regained his composure as the cracked stone cage shattered around him.
• Raijin Maki considered the strengths of Kuroi and Dodai’s sides and inferred how the enemy team was likely divided.
• Raijin Maki decided to reinforce Kuroi’s side, judging that the Sharingan user would be easier to stop.
• The red mist thinned enough for Raijin Maki to glimpse a faint silhouette in the pit.

Raijin Maki fought several apparent copies of a cold-faced youth and believed he had trapped the Uchiha and Hyuga children. Just as he declared victory, a cold voice spoke behind them and something pierced his flesh.

• Raijin Maki stopped his rush to support Kuroi and struck through an attacking cold youth, which vanished as a Shadow Clone.
• Raijin Maki blocked another youth’s attack with a lightning blade, but a Rock Skin-covered Ninja Sword stopped his strike.
• A poker-faced youth revealed his Three Tomoe Sharingan and trapped Raijin Maki in a genjutsu, but Raijin Maki broke free and seized the sword to paralyze him with lightning.
• Raijin Maki paralyzed the crouched youth and concluded that the two children were the Uchiha and Hyuga originals, then announced that he had won.
• A calm, cold voice spoke from behind the children as something pierced Raijin Maki’s flesh.

Chiba and his teammates defeated Raijin Maki with a coordinated attack, and Chiba treated Hirohiko’s severe burns. Raijin Maki recognized Chiba as Konoha’s Little Monster and died with guilt and regret.

• Yukina survived Raijin Maki’s lightning strike as Chiba pulled her away and healed her temple.
• Chiba treated Hirohiko’s burned arm while Yukina prepared medicine and turned her attention back to Raijin Maki.
• Raijin Maki realized Chiba’s rock spear had pierced him after the team used coordinated feints and attacks to make him turn away.
• Raijin Maki recognized Chiba as Konoha’s Little Monster and reflected on his abilities and the team’s cooperation.
• Raijin Maki’s life faded as he regretted his defeat and worried about his village, then died.

Chiba treated Hirohiko’s burned arm after they defeated Raijin Maki, but the old Kumogakure ninja suddenly withered into a corpse before the Rock Spear shattered. With two Kumogakure ninja still at large, Chiba ordered the team to resume their pursuit, while Hirohiko resolved not to let Chiba take risks alone again.

• Chiba treated Hirohiko’s arm and said Raijin Maki was as good as dead, while Yukina kept watch over the fallen ninja.
• Yukina cried out as Raijin Maki rapidly shriveled, the Rock Spear cracked apart, and his mummified corpse fell to the ground.
• Yukina jumped beside Chiba in fright, and Hirohiko confirmed that Raijin Maki was dead.
• Hirohiko told Chiba to finish treating his arm with bandages so they could pursue the two escaped Kumogakure ninja.
• Chiba sped up the treatment and ordered Yukina to bandage Hirohiko before they split up as planned.

Chiba and Hirohiko pursued Dodai toward Iwa’s rear battlefield while Yukina tracked another Kumogakure ninja alone. As they entered a vast forest, Chiba worried about Yukina and the risk of an ambush.

• Chiba and Hirohiko confirmed they were following the route Dodai had taken and approached a forest near the battlefield.
• The narration recalled that Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina had split up, with Yukina pursuing the other Kumogakure ninja and Chiba and Hirohiko tracking Dodai.
• Chiba worried that Yukina’s prolonged Byakugan use had drained her Chakra and feared she might encounter danger alone.
• Hirohiko reassured Chiba that they could only trust Yukina to complete her mission.
• Chiba warned Hirohiko to stay alert as they entered the forest, and the two rushed beneath its canopy.

Chiba and Hirohiko pursued the fleeing Kumogakure ninja through a silent forest, finding no change in his tracks. Hirohiko wondered how the old ninja had escaped his Sharingan genjutsu, and Chiba said pain had broken it.

• Chiba stopped Hirohiko at the forest entrance because the woods were unnaturally quiet.
• Hirohiko examined the tracks and confirmed that one Kumogakure ninja had fled through the forest at high speed without meeting anyone.
• Chiba checked for traps with Gate of Pain Mode, found nothing unusual, and told Hirohiko to keep watching for changes in the tracks.
• As they raced through the forest, Hirohiko became absorbed in wondering how the old Kumogakure ninja had escaped his strongest Sharingan genjutsu.
• Chiba told Hirohiko that pain, rather than genjutsu talent or a weakness in the technique, had broken the genjutsu.

Chiba explained that the old Kumogakure ninja broke Hirohiko’s genjutsu when pain triggered a secret medicine to release a surge of Chakra. As Chiba and Hirohiko continued along the trail, Hirohiko suddenly stopped and crouched with a grave expression.

• Hirohiko questioned how pain could have broken his Sharingan genjutsu, and Chiba explained that pain alone could not do so.
• Chiba reasoned that the old Kumogakure ninja had taken a secret medicine that restored his Chakra and healed his injuries at the cost of his life.
• Chiba explained that the pain of the ninja’s Lightning Release activation had triggered the medicine to release Chakra, disrupting Hirohiko’s genjutsu.
• Hirohiko understood why the genjutsu had failed, and Chiba recognized that he had figured it out.
• Hirohiko abruptly stopped and crouched with a grave expression, prompting Chiba to turn back and ask what had happened.

Hirohiko discovered that Dodai had used a tangible clone to split the trail, leaving two plausible routes. Chiba chose to continue along their original route despite not knowing which path Dodai’s real body had taken.

• Chiba asked Hirohiko what he had found, and Hirohiko examined a branch for a faint footprint.
• Hirohiko identified two left-footprints as evidence that Dodai and a tangible clone had left the branch in different directions.
• Chiba realized Dodai had created a decoy trail, while Hirohiko said he could not tell which footprints belonged to the real body.
• Chiba stopped Hirohiko from continuing his explanation and decided they would follow the original route.

Chiba and Hirohiko sent Shadow Clones after the concealed footprints while they tracked the Kumogakure ninja’s original route. Chiba explained why the ninja had likely used the concealed tracks as a decoy, and Hirohiko understood the difference in risk between the two possible strategies.

• Chiba and Hirohiko discovered their earlier Shadow Clones had dispersed, then each created a new clone to follow the concealed footprints.
• The original Chiba and Hirohiko continued along the likely route while Shadow Clone Hirohiko led Shadow Clone Chiba in the other direction.
• Hirohiko asked why Chiba was certain the concealed footprints marked the decoy route rather than the Kumogakure ninja’s escape path.
• Chiba explained that following the concealed route would force the ninja to slow down and risk being caught if his misdirection failed, while using it as bait would not hinder his escape if it failed.
• Hirohiko understood why the Kumogakure ninja would choose the strategy with less risk in case it did not work.

Chiba and Hirohiko pursued the fleeing Kumogakure ninja, with Chiba’s rapid tactical growth impressing Hirohiko and prompting Chiba to wonder whether his leadership had been limiting his friends’ development. Near the forest’s exit, Chiba stopped Hirohiko to search for a trap, and Hirohiko spotted steel wire ahead.

• Hirohiko followed Chiba’s reasoning about the tracks and marveled at how quickly Chiba had assessed their opponent’s intentions.
• Chiba wondered whether Hirohiko and Yukina had tactical talent that his protective presence might be holding back.
• Chiba and Hirohiko reached a moonlit clearing at the forest’s edge, where they heard running water.
• Chiba seized Hirohiko and pulled him back onto a branch, warning that there might be a trap near the exit.
• Hirohiko searched with his Sharingan and spotted steel wire glinting on a branch ahead.

Chiba and Hirohiko pursued Dodai, stopping to inspect a weak Exploding Tag trap that Chiba believed was meant to tell Dodai whether they had followed him. They rigged it to detonate after they left and continued toward the forest, where Dodai might prepare further traps if he learned their route.

• Hirohiko found a simple Steel Wire trap with a weak Exploding Tag and confirmed there were no linked traps.
• Chiba asked Hirohiko to arrange a delayed detonation, and Hirohiko set an Exploding Tag Kunai to explode three minutes after they left.
• As they ran, Chiba explained that Dodai could use the trap’s activation timing and a Shadow Clone’s returned memories to learn whether the pursuers had followed his route.
• Hirohiko understood that the trap could give Dodai information sooner than the Shadow Clone, allowing him to choose timely escape measures.
• Chiba looked toward the distant forest and reasoned that Dodai would behave differently depending on whether he knew they were pursuing him.

Chiba explained how Dodai could estimate when the pursuers left by knowing the old Kumogakure shinobi’s Secret Medicine would kill him after a set time. Chiba and Hirohiko used a delayed explosion to mislead Dodai about their position, but if they could not find his trail quickly, they might have to abandon the pursuit and head for their destination.

• Hirohiko questioned how Dodai could know when the pursuers set out, and Chiba explained that Dodai could calculate the old Kumogakure shinobi’s death from the Secret Medicine’s limited duration.
• Hirohiko understood Chiba’s reasoning and admired how quickly he had pieced the clues together.
• A delayed Exploding Tag detonated behind Chiba and Hirohiko, producing a large cloud of smoke.
• Chiba explained that the three-minute delay would make Dodai misjudge their distance and spend extra time preparing countermeasures.
• Chiba warned that if they failed to find Dodai’s trail within those three minutes, they might have to abandon the pursuit and go directly to their destination.

Chiba and Hirohiko debated whether they could catch the fleeing Kumogakure ninja, Dodai, before his traps delayed them and exposed their position. Despite Hirohiko’s estimate that the pursuit was unlikely to succeed, Chiba chose to enter the forest and continue unless they found traps.

• Hirohiko judged that the three-minute time difference would not let them catch up to Dodai and urged Chiba to abandon the pursuit.
• Chiba considered the danger of entering the primeval forest and the risk of being caught between Kumogakure and Iwa forces.
• Hirohiko said he was eighty percent certain they could not catch Dodai before he set more delaying traps.
• Chiba decided that they would enter the forest, retreat if they encountered traps, and continue pursuing Dodai if the way was clear.

Yukina killed a Kumogakure ninja, resisted opening Chiba’s contingency scroll, and suffered a sudden blackout as her vision failed. Meanwhile, Chiba and Hirohiko crossed the primeval forest without finding traps, but Chiba was horrified by someone he spotted as they emerged onto the grassland.

• Yukina killed the pursuing Kumogakure ninja and checked the map for her route and rendezvous point.
• Yukina chose not to open Chiba’s contingency scroll, then collapsed after touching the ninja sword as her vision went dark.
• Chiba and Hirohiko entered the primeval forest together, with Hirohiko scouting for traps using his Sharingan.
• The pair crossed the forest without encountering traps or Dodai’s men, and Chiba warned Hirohiko to stay alert at the exit.
• Hirohiko spotted something to their lower left as they emerged onto the grassland, and Chiba recognized someone with horror.