Recaps

Orochimaru evaluated Uchiha Chen, Mikoto, and Nawaki after defeating them, then put them through days of ambush training as they traveled toward their mission. Near Rogue Town, he told them to change clothes to hide their identities before heading to Windmill Village, and Nawaki realized he had brought no casual clothes.

• Orochimaru praised the trio’s teamwork but criticized their overreliance on aggressive tactics and their poor reactions after his counterattack.
• Orochimaru launched more than fifty surprise attacks during several days of travel, while Uchiha Chen and the others practiced counter-ambushes.
• The four reached the area near Rogue Town, close to the Land of Rivers, and Orochimaru planned for them to rest and replenish supplies before continuing to Windmill Village.
• Orochimaru told the three students to change out of their conspicuous clan and shinobi clothes before entering town.
• Nawaki admitted he had brought only his Senju Clan uniform, and Uchiha Chen offered him Mikoto’s spare set of women’s clothes.

Uchiha Chen, Mikoto, and Nawaki entered Rogue Town with Orochimaru while posing as merchants and learned that the townspeople denied any bandits were nearby. Orochimaru assigned the three of them to kill everyone in Windmill Village and named Chen their squad captain, leaving them to carry out the mission themselves.

• Orochimaru and the others entered Rogue Town disguised as merchants, and Nawaki sought out clothes to replace his leaf-made disguise.
• The innkeeper's wife claimed Rogue Town was peaceful and said no bandits were nearby, which made Chen and Orochimaru suspicious.
• Orochimaru ordered Chen, Mikoto, and Nawaki to go out in town so they would not attract attention by staying inside.
• After nightfall, Orochimaru told the three that their target was everyone in Windmill Village, including Rogue Ninja.
• Orochimaru made Chen squad captain, gave him a Scroll with a map to the village, and left the team to carry out the mission.

Uchiha Chen, Nawaki, and Mikoto prepared to attack a bandit village after learning it held around a hundred people and might be led by a Jonin. They began their nighttime assault by silently killing two sentries.

• Uchiha Chen summoned Arbok, whose snakes infiltrated the village and reported its defenses.
• Uchiha Chen, Nawaki, and Mikoto discussed the uncertain threat of the bandit leader and planned to strike after the bandits had been drinking.
• Uchiha Chen warned Nawaki and Mikoto to protect themselves and avoid taking on too many enemies.
• Around three in the morning, Uchiha Chen, Nawaki, and Mikoto began moving toward the village.
• Uchiha Chen used Genjutsu on two sentries, then killed them with a kunai.

Uchiha Chen and Nawaki fought their way through Windmill Village, drawing its defenders away so Mikoto could escape. After they detonated Explosive Tags and believed their mission was complete, a scarred man appeared with Mikoto held hostage.

• Uchiha Chen killed the Rogue Ninja and struggled to steady himself before fighting off more attackers.
• Uchiha Chen drew the village's attention while Nawaki waited at the target location with a wounded arm.
• Uchiha Chen and Nawaki combined Fire Release and Wind Release, then used the smoke to escape into the forest.
• Uchiha Chen and Nawaki detonated dozens of Explosive Tags in Windmill Village, causing a massive blast.
• Uchiha Chen realized Mikoto was missing, and a scarred man appeared holding her at Kunai-point.

Uchiha Chen tried to rescue Mikoto from Scarred Man, who held her hostage after the attack on Windmill Village. Chen broke Scarred Man’s concentration with a Genjutsu about a murdered couple, but Scarred Man struck back and left Chen badly wounded.

• Scarred Man threatened to kill Mikoto unless Uchiha Chen and Nawaki obeyed him.
• Uchiha Chen offered to replace Mikoto as a hostage and drove a Kunai through his own hand when Scarred Man demanded it.
• Uchiha Chen asked Scarred Man about a married couple in Rogue Town and used an inducement-type Genjutsu to make him relive their deaths.
• Mikoto escaped Scarred Man’s grasp as Chen’s Chakra and mental energy ran low.
• Scarred Man hurled a Kunai into Chen’s left chest, and Mikoto’s eyes turned blood-red.

Uchiha Chen killed the Scarred Man after risking his life to save Mikoto, who blamed herself and feared Chen would die. As Nawaki returned, Chen rested on Mikoto’s lap and called out to the still-hidden Orochimaru.

• Mikoto dodged the Scarred Man and cut his hand with a Kunai, revealing her Sharingan, while Nawaki tried to intervene with Shuriken and a Water Dragon Bullet Technique.
• The Scarred Man evaded Nawaki’s attack, kicked him aside, and moved to seize Mikoto as she tried to stop Chen’s bleeding.
• Uchiha Chen rose despite his chest wound and blasted a Kunai through the Scarred Man’s chest, killing him after the man begged Chen to spare a couple.
• Mikoto tearfully tried to treat Chen and blamed herself, but Chen told her he had chosen to risk himself to save her.
• Mikoto decided she wanted to become stronger, while Chen prepared to pass out from blood loss and reassured her he would be all right.
• Chen rested his head on Mikoto’s thigh and cursed at Teacher Orochimaru for continuing to spy on them.

After returning to the ruined Windmill Village, Uchiha Chen, Mikoto, and Nawaki learned that Orochimaru’s mission was not finished: he wanted to test whether they could kill helpless captives without compassion. The chapter ended with Orochimaru leaving them Kunai and ordering them to kill the surviving bandits and their families inside a house.

• Nawaki teased Uchiha Chen as the group slowly made its way back to Windmill Village.
• The group arrived to find the village reduced to burning ruins, and Nawaki extinguished the surrounding fires with Water Style: Water Trumpet.
• Orochimaru said the mission was still underway and asked the children what a ninja needed least.
• Nawaki answered that it was standing out, Mikoto suggested emotions, and Uchiha Chen identified compassion as the answer Orochimaru wanted.
• Orochimaru explained that compassion could endanger a ninja and ordered the three children to kill the surviving bandits and their family members, whom he had tied up inside a house.

Uchiha Chen and his teammates finished killing the helpless captives after defeating the bandits, while Orochimaru explained how Rogue Town supported the bandits and how Konoha planned to use the area. The chapter left Uchiha Chen declaring that he wanted to change the ninja world, by force if necessary.

• Uchiha Chen killed the wounded middle-aged man and a pleading woman, then left Nawaki and Mikoto to deal with the remaining captives.
• Orochimaru told Uchiha Chen that he would apply to raise their mission to A-rank because a Jonin had appeared and been killed.
• Uchiha Chen learned that Orochimaru’s original body had gone after the bandits’ leader and that Rogue Town supplied the bandits with information about merchants.
• Orochimaru explained that Konoha intended to turn Rogue Town into a base because of its strategic location, and warned Uchiha Chen not to reveal the plan.
• Uchiha Chen proposed sparing the innkeeper couple by sealing their memories and sending them away, then declared that he would remake the ninja world if he could not reach an agreement with it.

Orochimaru fought a scarred ninja who escaped after destroying an earth dragon with pre-positioned Explosive Tags. Back in Rogue Town, Uchiha Chen persuaded Orochimaru to let them take some of the recovered loot, but Orochimaru found a Scroll that revealed something had happened.

• Orochimaru battled the scarred ninja, who escaped after detonating Explosive Tags planted around the area.
• Orochimaru returned to Rogue Town and told Uchiha Chen that the ninja had gotten away.
• Orochimaru led Uchiha Chen, Nawaki, and Mikoto into the cellar containing the stolen loot.
• Uchiha Chen persuaded Orochimaru to let them collect valuable items and gave him a Scroll containing a Forbidden Jutsu.
• Orochimaru searched the Scrolls, found one that made his expression grave, and said that something had happened.

Orochimaru’s team headed back from Rogue Town, but a message from Konoha redirected them to investigate a small gold mine near the Land of Rain border. The chapter ended with Uchiha Chen protesting that his wound hurt after Orochimaru reminded him he had claimed to be fine, and revealing Tsunade’s team would join them.

• Uchiha Chen, Mikoto, Nawaki, and Orochimaru traveled by carriage toward Konoha after completing their mission in Rogue Town.
• Orochimaru received a message from Konoha concerning a letter signed by Hanzō that ordered Rogue Town’s leader to reinforce the border near a small gold mine.
• Uchiha Chen doubted the letter’s authenticity and suspected the gold mine report might be a trap.
• Orochimaru turned the carriage away from Konoha and told the team they had received a new mission to investigate the mine.
• Uchiha Chen complained that his chest wound hurt, and Orochimaru said Tsunade’s nearby team would join them and treat him.

Deep underground, Madara discussed the conflict he had stirred over a Gold Mine and reflected on his loneliness and history with Hashirama. He learned that an interesting Uchiha child was Uchiha Kagami’s son and asked whose hands Kagami’s Mangekyo Sharingan had fallen into.

• Madara learned that Shin had been delivered to Konoha and that Tsunade and Orochimaru had been sent to investigate the Gold Mine.
• Madara explained that he had exposed the mine to stir up conflict among the Five Great Nations for his own amusement.
• Madara recalled Hashirama and said the village system had planted the seeds of future wars.
• Madara checked on Nagato’s progress and heard that the child’s parents’ memories of Uzumaki Village had been sealed.
• Madara learned that Uchiha Kagami’s son was an interesting child and asked whose hands Kagami’s Mangekyo Sharingan had fallen into.

During the journey to a town in the Land of Fire, Uchiha Chen checked the Ninja Points he earned from completing his first mission and spent nearly all of them improving his Yin and Yang Release. The carriage continued toward its destination as Mikoto slept beside him.

• Mikoto fell asleep against Uchiha Chen's shoulder while the carriage traveled through a forest.
• Uchiha Chen checked his system and saw that his first mission had left him with 26,000 Ninja Points.
• Uchiha Chen reviewed his attributes and considered how he had focused on Chakra, Taijutsu, and Ninjutsu while saving points elsewhere.
• Uchiha Chen spent 24,000 Ninja Points to raise Yang Release and Yin Release to Level 6, improving his potential recovery, vitality, Chakra, Genjutsu, and spiritual power.
• Uchiha Chen noted that the group still had three days to travel before reaching a town to rest and resupply.

Uchiha Chen, Mikoto, and Nawaki reached a tense border town with Orochimaru and settled into an inn where Orochimaru seemed to know the woman running it. After Orochimaru left to replenish their supplies, Uchiha Chen persuaded Mikoto to go explore the town, and Nawaki followed.

• After traveling for more than three days, Uchiha Chen, Mikoto, Nawaki, and Orochimaru arrived in a border town filled with ninjas and war refugees.
• Orochimaru brought the group to a shabby but clean inn and said they would stay there for the night.
• Uchiha Chen woke Nawaki, who checked that his belongings were still in place before joining the others inside.
• An innkeeper came out to greet them, and Uchiha Chen teased Orochimaru after learning they had stayed there on past missions.
• Orochimaru left to replenish supplies, and Uchiha Chen and Mikoto went out to explore while Nawaki followed them.

Uchiha Chen and his companions explored a struggling town, then caught a hungry child stealing from their room. The innkeeper revealed that the thief was a war orphan girl, leaving Uchiha Chen stunned by the news.

• Uchiha Chen, Mikoto, and Nawaki walked through the town and found its shrine abandoned.
• Mikoto cooked dinner for the group at the inn, and they ate together.
• A child broke into their room and tried to steal Nawaki's backpack, but Big White restrained her and Nawaki recovered the bag.
• Uchiha Chen shook his wallet and other stolen items from the child, while Orochimaru arrived after the commotion.
• The innkeeper asked them to forgive the child and explained that she was a war orphan girl she sometimes fed.
• Uchiha Chen examined the grime-covered child in ragged boys' clothes and questioned whether she could really be a girl.

Uchiha Chen and his companions left the rescued girl with clothes and money, then continued their mission while Orochimaru taught Chen Wind Release chakra nature transformation. After two days of travel, they reached a fortified town that served as Konoha’s supply staging point for the coming war.

• Orochimaru and the woman discussed sending the starving girl to a place where she might survive, and Mikoto gave her clothes and money before she left.
• Orochimaru showed Uchiha Chen how to practice Wind Release nature transformation using paper, and Chen practiced on pages from Nawaki’s manga.
• Uchiha Chen spent the next two days traveling, training his chakra, and chatting with Mikoto.
• Orochimaru and the group arrived at a large, walled town guarded by ninjas, which Uchiha Chen recognized as Konoha’s wartime supply outpost.

Uchiha Chen and his companions reached the town but left for Tsunade’s forest camp, where Tsunade treated Chen’s wound. Tsunade suspected that the Gold Mine they had been ordered to find did not exist.

• Uchiha Chen and Nawaki were disappointed when Orochimaru led them away from the town to camp with Tsunade’s squad.
• Orochimaru, Uchiha Chen, Mikoto, and Nawaki arrived at Tsunade’s battered tent and found Tsunade asleep at the table.
• Tsunade greeted Chen, Mikoto, and Nawaki, then argued with Orochimaru about Chen’s injury and who had trained him.
• Tsunade used Medical Ninjutsu to treat Chen’s chest wound while Orochimaru asked whether her squad had found the Gold Mine.
• Tsunade told Orochimaru that she suspected there was no Gold Mine there at all.

Tsunade’s team found no evidence of the supposed Gold Mine, so Orochimaru took command of the joint mission and ordered a thorough search. The chapter ended as the teams began guarding roads to the Land of Rain and searching for the mine and its ninja squad.

• Tsunade told Orochimaru that her team had found no sign of the Gold Mine and concluded that the letter was likely fake.
• Orochimaru said the captured ninja had escaped, prompting Tsunade to scold him and Uchiha Chen.
• Tsunade considered that the escaped ninja might have warned the others to hide, and Orochimaru proposed searching the entire area with more manpower.
• Kushina, Mikoto, and a Hyuga girl returned from town with food, revealing that they had gone shopping during the mission.
• After Tsunade admitted her mistake and sat aside, Orochimaru took command and ordered the teams to guard roads to the Land of Rain and search for the Gold Mine and its ninja squad.

Orochimaru split the eight shinobi into three teams to search for a hidden Gold Mine and monitor routes near the Land of Rain. Uchiha Chen led Mikoto, Kushina, and Nawaki to their assigned border outpost, where he and Mikoto left to scout while the others prepared camp.

• Orochimaru assigned Tsunade’s team to search the area, stationed his own team between them, and placed Uchiha Chen’s team on the outermost routes.
• Orochimaru gave Uchiha Chen a map and instructions to monitor six transport routes, report unusual activity, and request support through a Signal Flare.
• Uchiha Chen explained the mission and communication plan to Mikoto, Kushina, and Nawaki as they traveled to the border.
• Uchiha Chen assigned Mikoto and himself to scout, Nawaki to set up the tents, and Kushina to gather firewood and help with camp.
• Uchiha Chen and Mikoto left to scout, but Mikoto noticed that he was moving through the forest without visibly searching for tracks or water.

Uchiha Chen used summoned snakes to search for hidden forest routes that the Land of Rain’s transport corps might use to move the gold mine, then took Kushina to scout the most likely route. The chapter left them heading out to set traps while Mikoto guarded their camp.

• Uchiha Chen explained to Mikoto that the team needed to find abandoned paths through the forest and summoned a swarm of snakes to search for them.
• Uchiha Chen followed animal signs to a stream, and Mikoto collected water in a Sealing Scroll.
• Nawaki reported that he and Kushina had prepared the camp, while the snakes confirmed a likely route through the forest.
• Uchiha Chen asked Kushina to join him in scouting the route and told Mikoto to guard the tents and prepare food if Nawaki returned.
• Kushina asked whether their position was important, and Uchiha Chen called their team the final trump card before she quoted Tsunade’s advice to use a trump card at the start.

Uchiha Chen and his team monitored newly discovered forest routes while waiting for their mission to end, and he warned Nawaki that the Land of Rain might still attack despite the lack of evidence. The chapter ended with the four students unaware that danger was approaching.

• Uchiha Chen and Kushina found an abandoned side path, bringing the known routes to eight, and Uchiha Chen set traps along it.
• Uchiha Chen assigned the team to monitor the routes and told Kushina she should pair with Mikoto for safety.
• Nawaki caught a Poliwrath, and the group shared a meal before settling into several uneventful days of patrols.
• Orochimaru told Uchiha Chen that he and Tsunade had found no traces and would declare the mission a failure if the final three days turned up nothing.
• On the mission’s final day, Nawaki guessed that the Land of Rain would not attack, but Uchiha Chen argued that they could not know who struck first if everyone died.

Sakamoto led a Sunagakure squad into the Land of Fire to find Land of Rain ninjas and secure a gold mine, while Uchiha Chen's group watched a nearby route for the same target. The chapter ended when Chen detected chakra approaching from the Land of Rivers, revealing that the newcomers were likely from the Land of Sand.

• Sakamoto led Kimura, Watanabe, and Manase through the Land of Fire on a mission to find Land of Rain ninjas and claim a gold mine.
• Kimura and Watanabe praised Sakamoto's confidence as the squad traveled toward its target.
• Manase sensed ninjas ahead, and Sakamoto ordered his squad to prepare for battle.
• Uchiha Chen returned to camp after checking the surveillance routes and found that no traps had been disturbed.
• Big White alerted Chen to chakra nearby, and Chen identified it as coming from the Land of Rivers.
• Chen's group realized the approaching ninjas were likely from the Land of Sand.

Uchiha Chen and his team prepared to defend the Gold Mine from an approaching Sunagakure squad while waiting for Tsunade. As Sakamoto moved to attack, a sudden assault killed Kimura and sent Sakamoto flying.

• Uchiha Chen told Nawaki, Mikoto, and Kushina that Sakamoto's squad was approaching and that they should use their traps to hold the enemy until Tsunade arrived.
• Manase detected the four Konoha ninja, and Sakamoto halted his squad before confronting them.
• Uchiha Chen drew Sakamoto into conversation about Sunagakure and the Gold Mine while Nawaki prepared to fight.
• Sakamoto stepped forward, but a burst of killing intent startled him and a black Kunai pierced Kimura's head.
• A black-haired youth appeared beside Sakamoto, blocked his Kunai strike, and flung him into the air.

Uchiha Chen fought the Jonin Sakamoto while Kushina, Mikoto, and Nawaki engaged the other three Genin. After Sakamoto recognized Chen as Uchiha Kagami’s son and revealed his grudge, Chen lured him into a trap and triggered an Explosive Tag.

• Uchiha Chen assigned Sakamoto to himself and sent Kushina, Mikoto, and Nawaki to fight the other three Genin.
• Chen and Sakamoto raced into the forest and exchanged attacks, with Sakamoto’s blade breaking Chen’s Kunai.
• Sakamoto mistook Chen for a Sensor Ninja after Chen tracked him following a Substitution Jutsu.
• Sakamoto recognized Chen as Uchiha Kagami’s son and revealed that Kagami had killed his teacher.
• Chen used Genjutsu to halt Sakamoto, struck him with Monstrous Strength, and sent him flying into a hidden trap.
• Chen formed Hand Seals as Sakamoto hit the ground, setting off an Explosive Tag in a massive blast.

Uchiha Chen fought the injured Sunagakure Jonin Sakamoto while poison from Sakamoto’s Kunai spread through his arm. Sakamoto struck Chen, only to discover that the boy he had been facing was a Shadow Clone.

• Sakamoto survived Uchiha Chen’s Explosive Tags by using Earth Release: Multiple Earth Wall, but the blast left him badly injured.
• Uchiha Chen threw a Kunai at Sakamoto, but missed when the poison on Sakamoto’s Kunai began affecting his arm.
• Sakamoto revealed that he had deliberately let Chen hit him so he could cut him, and said the poison had no antidote.
• Sakamoto rushed Chen with a short blade while both opponents stalled to recover and wait for the poison or Tsunade to decide the fight.
• Sakamoto broke free of Chen’s Genjutsu and struck him, but Chen disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing that he had been a Shadow Clone.

Poisoned and hallucinating, Uchiha Chen saw Sakamoto holding what appeared to be Mikoto’s corpse and lost control in grief and rage. His Sharingan awakened further as he attacked Sakamoto with Chidori, leaving their fight unresolved.

• Uchiha Chen rested in a tree after learning from his Shadow Clone that he had been poisoned and that Orochimaru and Tsunade were still rushing to help him.
• As the poison worsened, Uchiha Chen began hallucinating and Big White warned him that Sakamoto had found him.
• Sakamoto appeared holding Mikoto’s corpse, and he taunted Uchiha Chen about his father killing Sakamoto’s teacher.
• Uchiha Chen’s Two Tomoe Sharingan spun wildly as he erupted into rage and unleashed Chidori at Sakamoto.
• Uchiha Chen broke through Sakamoto’s Multiple Earth Wall and charged down toward him, vowing to kill him.