Chapter Summaries

Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Danzo over Root’s conscription list and barred Root from recruiting more members of the major ninja clans. Danzo kept the people Root had already taken and sent Root Ninja to infiltrate the Tenshukaku, while a secret Sunagakure delegation began negotiations in the Land of Rivers.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi demanded the real conscription list and denounced Danzo for targeting the ninja clans, especially the Aburame Clan.
• Hiruzen ordered Root to stop drawing manpower from the major ninja clans, and Danzo left angrily, more determined to become Hokage.
• Nara Shikaku asked Hiruzen to recover clan members already taken by Root, but Hiruzen offered no firm promise or timeline.
• Danzo retained the clan members Root had already taken and sent Root Ninja to infiltrate the growing Tenshukaku.
• A secret delegation from Sunagakure arrived in the Land of Rivers and began negotiations.

Tang Ping negotiated a trade partnership between the Tenshukaku and Sunagakure, pressing for most of the profits while Ebizo argued that the Sand Ninja’s role deserved half. Their bargaining over the terms remained unresolved.

• Tang Ping surveyed the Land of Rivers’ growing farms and population before Hinata Cang Yue told him the Sand Ninja delegation had arrived.
• Tang Ping met Ebizo, Pakura, and Baki at the border fortress and said Sunagakure had finally recognized the value of cooperation.
• Tang Ping challenged Ebizo over the Land of Wind nobles’ suppression of Sunagakure, but Ebizo denied that the village lacked support.
• Ebizo proposed exchanging Sunagakure puppets, minerals, and venom for Tenshukaku goods such as salt, food, cloth, and weapons.
• Tang Ping demanded ninety percent of the profits, and Ebizo countered that Sunagakure should receive half.

Tang Ping negotiated a trade and training agreement with Ebizo, advancing his plan to gain control over Sunagakure through supply monopolies. As he returned with Hinata Cang Yue and Uchiha Mei, he saw the Land of Birds’ valuable fertilizer drawing Iwagakure and Sunagakure toward conflict, an opportunity he planned to use to recruit Pakura.

• Tang Ping and Ebizo agreed that the Tenshukaku would receive seventy percent of the profits, while the Sand Ninja would protect caravans and provide puppet apprentices and Puppet Masters for training and work in the Land of Rivers.
• Konan left after confirming that Chiyo had begun researching the Reanimation Jutsu, and she wrote that she would stand by Tang Ping.
• Tang Ping instructed Yashiro, Kiyofu, and Taka to handle the agreement’s implementation, then met Uchiha Mei after leaving the negotiation site with Hinata Cang Yue.
• Tang Ping learned that bird droppings from the Land of Birds had become valuable fertilizer, prompting Iwagakure and Sunagakure to mobilize over the territory.
• Tang Ping planned to exploit Sunagakure’s coming conflict with Kirigakure to turn Pakura into one of his allies.

Tang Ping accepted the Aburame Clan’s offer to cooperate with Tenshukaku and arranged for Yakushi Kabuto to travel to Konoha and be trained by Orochimaru. After reviewing Tenshukaku’s growth, Tang Ping announced that he was entering seclusion, but secretly set out for Kirigakure.

• Yakushi Nonō told Tang Ping that Danzo’s actions had prompted several Konoha clans to seek closer ties with Tenshukaku, including the Aburame Clan’s offer to pledge loyalty.
• Tang Ping agreed to compensate the Aburame Clan for its Konoha assets and asked it to remain in the village and gather ordinary intelligence without betraying Konoha.
• Tang Ping asked Nonō to have Kabuto consider a mission to Konoha, where Orochimaru could discover and train him; Nonō agreed to ask her son.
• Tang Ping reviewed Tenshukaku’s profits and investments, crediting Mou Ryō’s Construction Legion for its infrastructure and development.
• Tang Ping put Uchiha Mei in charge of Tenshukaku and announced that he was entering seclusion, then secretly departed for Kirigakure; Hinata Cang Yue accompanied him.

Tang Ping traveled to Kirigakure to recruit Kisame and arrange for Sunagakure to betray Pakura. He met with the Terumi Clan to ask them to help secure a peace agreement between Kirigakure and Sunagakure that would leave Pakura vulnerable.

• Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue traveled safely along the Tenshukaku’s profitable trade route to Kirigakure.
• Terumi Mei greeted Tang Ping near the Terumi Clan’s island, and he noted her strength had grown to nearly Kage level.
• Tang Ping saw the Terumi Clan’s poverty and met warmly with the Terumi Clan Head at the clan residence.
• Tang Ping asked the Terumi Clan to help Kirigakure and Sunagakure sign a Peace Agreement that required Sunagakure to offer Pakura as the price.
• Tang Ping planned to save Pakura after Sunagakure betrayed her, but first intended to recruit Kisame.

Tang Ping confronted Kisame after Kisame killed Suikazan Fuguki and persuaded him that the ninja world was false and controlled by the Otsutsuki Clan. Kisame agreed to serve Tang Ping and infiltrate Akatsuki, while Tang Ping offered to resurrect someone Kisame had loved.

• Kisame treated his wounds beside Suikazan Fuguki’s corpse and prepared to flee when Tang Ping appeared with Hinata Cang Yue hidden in the mist.
• Tang Ping used Kisame’s disillusionment and revealed that the Otsutsuki Clan manipulated the ninja world and that the Fourth Mizukage was the Byakugan Wolf’s puppet.
• Kisame accepted Tang Ping’s account and agreed to serve him, including acting as a spy in Akatsuki.
• Tang Ping offered Kisame a chance to resurrect the Kirigakure girl he had killed, then vanished into the mist.
• Kisame resolved to verify Tang Ping’s claims, returned Samehada to its place, and waited for the person who was coming.

Kisame resisted Karatachi Yagura’s attempt to recruit him while pretending to be persuaded, as Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue watched from afar. With Kisame’s path toward becoming an S-rank rogue ninja underway and the Tenshukaku planning to expand into the Land of Tea, Pakura’s mission to negotiate peace with Kirigakure set the stage for Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue to follow her.

• Karatachi Yagura told Kisame that killing Fuguki had served the village and tried to persuade him, but Kisame secretly rejected him while acting convinced.
• Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue watched Kisame from a streamside distance, and Tang Ping explained that the Tenshukaku had secured him before anyone else could recruit him.
• Tang Ping planned to develop the Land of Tea with the Tenshukaku’s Construction Legion and use its production to expand trade in the Land of Water and the Land of Wind.
• Kirigakure offered peace to Sunagakure on the condition that Pakura serve as negotiator, and Rasa agreed to send her to stabilize his authority and avert internal conflict.
• Pakura departed for Kirigakure with a small squad, and Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue received news of her mission while in the Land of Tea.

Tang Ping planned the development of the Land of Tea, while Pakura traveled alone to the Land of Water to sign the Peace Agreement and was ambushed by Kirigakure ninja. After Chiyo’s poison left her helpless and kunai closed in, a stranger’s Fire Release protected her, leaving the identity of her rescuer unknown.

• Tang Ping planned to preserve the northern mountains as a barrier and develop the Land of Tea with coastal factories and inland farms, using Mou Ryō’s Construction Legion for the work.
• Hinata Cang Yue took Tang Ping toward the Land of Water after Genji arranged for Pakura to represent Sunagakure in signing the Peace Agreement.
• Pakura traveled alone with her Kirigakure escort and was surrounded by nearly a hundred Kirigakure ninja in a mountain valley.
• A sweet fragrance triggered poison Chiyo had secretly planted in Pakura, and Pakura realized Rasa had likely arranged for her to be sacrificed to resolve Sunagakure’s factional conflict.
• The Kirigakure jonin ordered his ninja to kill the immobilized Pakura, but a Fire Release: Fire Pillar Formation blasted away the incoming kunai and shielded her.

Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue rescued Pakura from Kirigakure ninja, and Tang Ping implanted his Heavenly Cursed Seal in her. They brought her back to the Tenshukaku, where her presence drew attention as Sunagakure and Kirigakure signed a peace agreement without solving the attack.

• Tang Ping confronted the Kirigakure ninja, and Hinata Cang Yue wiped out nearly the entire force with her attacks and fox tails.
• Tang Ping explained that keeping Pakura alive would let them use her to draw Sunagakure clans and resources into their control.
• Tang Ping implanted his Heavenly Cursed Seal in the poisoned Pakura, giving it powers that included enhancements and subconscious influence.
• Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue took Pakura away before Kirigakure's main force arrived, and Kirigakure Anbu later found no clues or survivors.
• Sunagakure and Kirigakure accused each other of bad faith but signed a peace agreement, while Pakura was brought to the Tenshukaku.

Tang Ping briefed Tenshukaku’s leaders on Pakura’s defection, the escalating Bird Droppings War, and the faction’s plans to develop the Land of Tea. He ended the meeting by promising to unveil a solution to the massive transportation challenges involved.

• Tang Ping introduced Pakura as a new member of Tenshukaku and proposed halving goods prices while presenting her to Sunagakure as an envoy stationed there.
• Yakushi Nonō reported that Iwagakure and Sunagakure had entered the Land of Birds, while Kumogakure gathered forces and raided the Land of Fire.
• Tang Ping said Tenshukaku would focus on developing the Land of Tea while other major powers were occupied.
• Asari Kiyoo warned that the plan required millions of people, supplies, and Wooden Oxen that would be difficult to transport inland.
• Tang Ping announced that he had gathered the leaders to introduce them to something new.

Tang Ping demonstrated the Blazing Sun, a chakra-powered ironclad ship that used a Weight Reduction Barrier and ground effect to fly above the sea. The successful trial revealed a new transport technology for the Tenshukaku and left the Blazing Sun speeding across the water.

• Tenshukaku officials arrived at the dockyard to witness the completed Blazing Sun's sea trial.
• Tang Ping ordered the trial to begin, and the crew launched the metal warship from the flooded dockyard.
• The Blazing Sun's jet nozzles accelerated it until the hull rose several meters above the sea and flew at increasing speed.
• Tang Ping explained that the ship used a Weight Reduction Barrier derived from Sky Fortress technology and a Lesser Zero-Tails to power its flight.

Tang Ping completed the Blazing Sun’s successful maiden voyage and planned to use its transport capacity to develop the Land of Tea and consolidate Tenshukaku’s control. He then asked Pakura whether she would become Kazekage with his support, leaving her startled and insisting it was impossible.

• Tang Ping explained that Zero-Tails had produced only one dangerous Black Rod so far, while Uchiha Mei, Uchiha Shizuka, Asari Kiyoo, and the others marveled at the Blazing Sun’s flight.
• Tang Ping described how the Blazing Sun could transport supplies inland and planned for Yakushi Nonō to remove the Land of Tea’s nobles so Tenshukaku could take control of the population and property.
• The Blazing Sun raced over two thousand kilometers and returned to the dockyard, completing its maiden voyage with fewer than a hundred people operating it.
• Tang Ping kept Pakura close because he wanted to ensure the Heavenly Cursed Seal took effect and to prevent her from passing information to Sunagakure.
• Tang Ping asked Pakura whether she would accept returning openly to Sunagakure and becoming Kazekage with his support, and she immediately called the idea impossible.

Pakura refused to betray Sunagakure, but Tang Ping proposed making her the village’s envoy at the Tenshukaku and promised she would eventually become Kazekage. Rasa and Ebizo accepted the arrangement in exchange for compensation, prioritizing Sunagakure’s profitable cooperation with the Tenshukaku.

• Pakura rejected Tang Ping’s proposal to betray Sunagakure, but he argued that serving under her as an envoy would not count as betraying the village.
• Tang Ping promised Pakura she would one day become Kazekage and sent Sunagakure a letter proposing her appointment as envoy to the Tenshukaku.
• Chiyo forwarded Tang Ping’s letter to Rasa on the front lines, leaving the decision to the Kazekage.
• Rasa reacted with shock to the letter, and Ebizo advised him to accept the proposal while demanding compensation.
• Rasa agreed to the arrangement because Sunagakure could not risk losing its profitable cooperation with the Tenshukaku.

Tang Ping appointed Pakura Sunagakure's envoy at the Tenshukaku and tasked her with recruiting and training Sunagakure villagers with shinobi talent. With Chiyo choosing not to interfere, Pakura began building a new force, and the first recruits reached the Land of Rivers.

• Tang Ping gave Pakura an appointment scroll making her Sunagakure's envoy stationed at the Tenshukaku.
• Tang Ping told Pakura to recruit villagers from the Land of Wind and train them as shinobi, giving her a path toward pursuing the Kazekage position again.
• Pakura arranged for the United Fruit Trading Company to recruit Sunagakure villagers with shinobi bloodlines under the pretense of offering them work.
• Chiyo noticed Pakura's recruitment but chose not to stop it, since doing so would anger villagers and benefit Konoha less than allowing the Tenshukaku to grow.
• The first group of Sunagakure villagers arrived in the Land of Rivers one week later.

Pakura welcomed nearly a hundred young recruits brought across the Land of Rivers border by the United Fruit Trading Company, while Sunagakure’s Juan and Baki watched from the other side. She led the recruits toward Tenshukaku’s branch facility, where they would be trained apart from its other people and taught the Blazing Sun Will.

• Juan and Baki watched Pakura receive the convoy but did not approach her, as Sunagakure had forbidden contact with her.
• The recruits, mostly seven to ten years old and overlooked by Sunagakure’s academy system, arrived exhausted after their journey.
• Pakura received their assessment records and noticed that Zi Luo had an exceptional perseverance rating.
• Pakura led the recruits to a branch of the Starting Point Orphanage, where Tenshukaku had prepared separate facilities, teachers, and teaching materials for them.

Tang Ping’s Blazing Sun Will gave the Tenshukaku a shared ideal as Pakura tested nearly a hundred youths for chakra talents and perseverance. Zi Luo impressed her by running beyond his physical limits, but Pakura soon received orders to head to the Land of Birds.

• Tang Ping established the Blazing Sun Will as an ideal for uniting the Tenshukaku and cleansing the rotten ninja world.
• Pakura used the Tenshukaku’s advanced Chakra Test Paper to identify the youths’ elemental and other talents before training them.
• Pakura tested the youths’ perseverance with laps, and many collapsed after running to exhaustion.
• Zi Luo continued running after exceeding his body’s limits, impressing Pakura with his perseverance and earning her special attention.
• Pakura received an order to head to the Land of Birds.

Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue returned to Konoha amid tensions over missing villagers and the approaching Orochimaru incident. They entered under orders to explain Tenshukaku’s situation, while Konoha’s entrances were under heightened surveillance.

• Pakura was sent to the Land of Birds to draw Iwagakure’s attention and bolster her public reputation without directly implicating Tenshukaku.
• Tang Ping learned that the Uchiha faced growing resentment after the Nine-Tails attack, while Uchiha Fugaku suppressed the rising Hawkish Faction.
• Hinata Cang Yue neared Sage Mode by using Natural Energy with help from her transplanted Tail Hezi, and she returned with Tang Ping to avoid revealing herself to the Hyuga Clan.
• Tang Ping recognized his genetically modified Tenshukaku Number One rice growing across the fields and realized Konoha had planted Root’s seeds.
• Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue entered Konoha, where concealed watchers and strict checks reflected the village’s concern over recent disappearances.

Tang Ping returned to Konoha, met with Kakashi, and restored the memories sealed in his mind. He planned to use Kakashi to expose Root’s experiments with Hashirama Senju’s cells and divert attention from the Tenshukaku.

• Small ninja-clan members greeted Tang Ping and complained that Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi prevented them from moving to the Tenshukaku.
• Tang Ping sent Hinata Cang Yue back to her clan, then returned to the Yamaa Clan grounds and used a Shadow Clone to visit Kakashi.
• Tang Ping released Kakashi’s sealed memories and explained that he needed him to help stir up trouble for Root through Kinoe, formerly known as Yamato.
• Tang Ping gave Kakashi a letter from Nohara Rin while Kakashi read it and Tang Ping took out a Sealing Scroll.

Tang Ping prepared Kakashi to expose Root’s Wood Release shinobi and the experiments tied to Orochimaru, setting events in motion for Orochimaru’s defection. The next morning, Tang Ping and Hinata Cang Yue went to the Hokage Building after an Anbu summons, expecting the coming confrontation.

• Tang Ping gave Kakashi a female clone body made from Kakashi’s genes and described his plan to damage Konoha’s leadership by exposing Root’s experiments.
• Kakashi learned that Root had a Wood Release shinobi named Kinoe, and Tang Ping told him to report the information to the Third Hokage.
• Tang Ping promised Kakashi a chance to see Rin if he followed the plan, while Rin’s letter gave Kakashi a reason to recover from his despair.
• Tang Ping expected Orochimaru to defect after discovering that Hinata Cang Yue had planted fabricated experimental records in his laboratory for Kakashi to find.
• Hinata Cang Yue told Tang Ping that the Hyuga Clan’s Caged Bird seal barely affected her anymore, and the two headed to the Hokage Building for a meeting summoned by Anbu.

Tang Ping confronted Konoha’s leaders over accusations against the Tenshukaku, denying Root’s evidence of foreign trade and dismissing claims about its actions in the Land of Tea. The dispute was interrupted by an Anbu’s sudden arrival, leaving the meeting’s next development unknown.

• Danzo accused the Tenshukaku of betraying Konoha and presented Root’s evidence of trade with other villages, but Tang Ping blamed the transactions on independent trading companies.
• Tang Ping taunted Danzo by offering to manage Root, and Hiruzen Sarutobi ended the exchange before it escalated further.
• Utatane Koharu questioned the Tenshukaku’s activities in the Land of Tea, and Danzo accused it of controlling the Daimyo and arranging assassinations.
• Tang Ping demanded evidence for the accusations, and an Anbu suddenly entered the office to interrupt the meeting.