Chapter Summaries

Hidezawa trapped Sasori with Earth Release and fired a signal flare to draw Sunagakure forces to the battlefield. As Shisui and Hidezawa escalated their attack, arriving reinforcements discovered the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand and sent urgent reports to the village.

• Hidezawa activated the Cursed Seal, used Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction to trap Sasori, and launched Pakura’s signal flare.
• Hidezawa told Shisui to keep Sasori from escaping and explained that he wanted Sasori to face the arriving Sunagakure ninja.
• Hidezawa began using Yin Release while Shisui’s Sharingan started to turn as they intensified their assault.
• Sunagakure squads followed the flare and found a battle involving a sky full of puppets, the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand, and a massive stone dragon.
• The arriving sand ninja sent distress signals and hawks to report that they might have found the missing Third Kazekage.

Hidezawa and Sasori fought in the central desert as Sunagakure forces closed in, and Hidezawa revealed that he served Danzo before escaping. Meanwhile, a bespectacled youth approached the seemingly deserted Kazekage Building while Rasa led ninjas out of the village.

• Rasa ordered Sunagakure to continue searching for Pakura while shifting some forces north, then learned that Sasori was using powerful puppets and the Third Kazekage's Black Iron Sand in the desert.
• Sasori sent a swarm of puppets at Hidezawa, who used his stone dragon and Earth Release to destroy them while conserving his Chakra.
• Hidezawa charged his stone dragon into the approaching Sunagakure forces, causing a devastating impact, then detected powerful Chakra signatures nearing the battle.
• Sasori attacked with the Third Kazekage and more puppets, but Hidezawa used Sage Art: Yin Release: Earth Rise Spear to destroy many of them.
• Hidezawa told Sasori that Ebizo was arriving and that he served Lord Danzo, then fled as Sunagakure's Anbu closed in.
• A bespectacled youth watched Rasa lead ninjas out of the village, then approached the seemingly deserted Kazekage Building.

Hidezawa and his team reviewed the intelligence they had gathered and prepared to return Pakura, while Hidezawa arranged a meeting with Ebizo. He revealed that Danzo was behind the negotiation, leaving Ebizo stunned.

• Pakura stared at documents that shocked her while Hidezawa, Yugao, and Shisui discussed their mission and the trouble Sasori had caused.
• Hidezawa said they had gathered the intelligence they needed and planned to return Pakura, then asked Yugao and Shisui to carry out an unstated task.
• Ebizo waited at an oasis after receiving a meeting request from Hideyoshi, who had given him a Konohagakure-marked kunai.
• Hidezawa arrived with Pakura and warned Ebizo that information would be sent out if he attacked.
• Hidezawa told Ebizo that Danzo sent his regards, and Ebizo realized Danzo was involved.

Hidezawa pressured Ebizo to cooperate with Danzo by exposing Sunagakure’s dealings involving Pakura and Sasori, then offered intelligence and financial concessions in exchange for a more compliant alliance. Ebizo refused to agree immediately and asked why Danzo was making the offer, while Hidezawa said Danzo still aimed to become Hokage.

• Ebizo dismissed the surrounding Sunagakure Anbu and demanded to hear what Danzo wanted.
• Hidezawa revealed that Sunagakure planned to exchange Pakura for Kirigakure’s withdrawal and said Konohagakure knew about the plan.
• Hidezawa disclosed that Sasori had appeared with a powerful Third Kazekage puppet and warned that this intelligence would reach Konohagakure.
• Hidezawa proposed cooperation with Danzo, offering Sasori’s intelligence, a share of River Country’s mission allocation, and financial compensation.
• Ebizo said the offer was insufficient and needed consideration, then asked why Danzo was pursuing the cooperation.
• Hidezawa replied that Danzo still aimed to become Hokage, leaving Ebizo privately furious.

Hidezawa and his teammates returned to Konohagakure after completing their mission in the Wind Country, and Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned him about the operation before praising the team as heroes. Danzo received troubling intelligence about Kabuto and the mission, while Hidezawa earned an S-rank reward and a special title.

• Danzo planned to tighten his control over Kano and wondered about Hidezawa's mission and Shisui Uchiha.
• Aburame Ryūma delivered a report from Kabuto, and Danzo froze after reading its final contents.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Hidezawa how he had uncovered Sunagakure's motives and why he had sent Pakura back alone.
• Hidezawa explained how he used Pakura, Sasori, and the threat of spreading intelligence to secure the team's safe return.
• Hiruzen praised Hidezawa, Shisui, and Yugao as heroes and promised them better rewards.
• Hidezawa received eight free points and the special reward Shinobi World Professor for completing the S-rank side quest.

Sasori reported encountering Danzo’s subordinates, while Hidezawa received a major boost to his abilities after spending his Free Points. Hidezawa unlocked Yang Release and wondered if he was becoming like Asura, just before spotting Aburame Ryūma nearby.

• Sasori told Pain that Danzo’s subordinates had ambushed him and that one had used a strange Chakra giant, and Pain vowed to deal with Danzo in the future.
• Obito read a report about the Chakra giant in Kirigakure and considered what it might be.
• Hidezawa received eight Free Points and a one-time Shinobi World Professor reward that could raise a learned ninjutsu to LV6.
• Hidezawa celebrated the team’s successful mission with Shisui and Yugao, who offered to pay for the gathering.
• Hidezawa spent his Free Points to raise Body Comprehensive Quality to LV7, gained Yang Release LV1, and spotted Aburame Ryūma in a shadowy corner.

Hidezawa returned to Root and reported how he had disrupted Sunagakure’s plans, earning Danzo’s approval and a high-rated mission reward. After investing his Free Points in Yang Release and Chakra, Hidezawa resolved to pursue becoming the next Asura as Kabuto arrived.

• Hidezawa told Danzo what had happened in Sunagakure, and Danzo praised his strategy and counted the mission to resolve Pakura as completed.
• Hidezawa received an S evaluation, 5 Free Points, and Danzo’s Wind Release as a special reward.
• Danzo said he would not pursue Kabuto’s involvement and assigned Hidezawa the follow-up liaison work with Sunagakure.
• Hidezawa spent his Free Points to raise Yang Release to LV2 and strengthen his Chakra reserves.
• Hidezawa decided to keep improving his abilities and become the next Asura as Kabuto approached in Konohagakure attire.

Hidezawa warned Kabuto that Danzo might manipulate him and Nonō into killing each other, then urged him to help seize power so they could protect themselves and the Orphanage. Their discussion ended when an Anbu summoned Hidezawa to assemble at the Root on the Hokage’s orders.

• Hidezawa met Kabuto at a grilled fish restaurant and secretly asked him about Sunagakure and Nonō.
• Hidezawa speculated that Danzo might send Kabuto and Nonō on the same mission and arrange for them to kill each other without realizing who they were.
• Hidezawa admitted his ambition to rise above the Root’s control and argued that doing so could help the Orphanage and Nonō.
• Kabuto, tempted by the prospect of protecting the Orphanage, asked Hidezawa what he should do.
• An Anbu arrived and ordered Hidezawa to bring his equipment and assemble at the Root on the Hokage’s orders.

Hidezawa and Yugao rushed to Root to reinforce Kakashi, who had rescued Kano and was surrounded by Danzo’s ninjas. Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived with Anbu and confronted Danzo, leaving Root surrounded.

• Yugao told Hidezawa that Kakashi had reported a Root ninja with Wood Release and had gone to Root ahead of them to retrieve Kano.
• Danzo confronted Kakashi at Root after Kakashi arrived with Hiruzen Sarutobi’s written order, and he ordered the Root ninjas to attack Kakashi and Kano.
• Hidezawa and Yugao stormed into the Root base, knocked down several Root ninjas, and fought their way to Kakashi and Kano.
• Danzo ordered his ninjas to kill them and threatened to keep everyone at Root, but Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared with Anbu surrounding the base.

Hiruzen Sarutobi forced Danzo to hand Kano over to the Anbu, while Hidezawa convinced Danzo that his actions had been a loyalty test. A Masked Man watched Hidezawa and wondered whether he was Shisui Uchiha’s teammate.

• Hiruzen confronted Danzo over Root’s attack on Kakashi and the concealment of Kano’s Wood Release.
• Hiruzen ordered Kano assigned to the Anbu, and Danzo reluctantly agreed while asking to speak privately with Hidezawa.
• Danzo accused Hidezawa of betraying him, but Hidezawa claimed he had been testing Root’s strength and supporting Danzo’s ambition to become Hokage.
• Danzo accepted Hidezawa’s explanation and told him to rejoin the Anbu, while Hidezawa reaffirmed his loyalty to Root.
• A Masked Man watched from a dimensional space and wondered whether Hidezawa was Shisui Uchiha’s teammate.

Obito discussed using Hidezawa to influence Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha, but decided to learn more about Hidezawa before making a plan. At a barbecue gathering, Hidezawa learned Shisui was training with his younger brother and began thinking about another Uchiha buried underground, just as someone knocked on the room's door.

• Obito told the Pitcher Plant Monster he might use Hidezawa to investigate or influence Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha, but agreed to gather more information first.
• Hidezawa shared grilled meat with Yugao at a barbecue gathering, where Kakashi and Tenzō thanked him for helping Tenzō escape.
• Yugao explained that Shisui was late because he was spending his time off training with his younger brother, Itachi.
• Kakashi reflected that leaving the Academy early could mean missing the chance to make friends, while Hidezawa remarked that Itachi was an Uchiha.
• Hidezawa recalled another powerful Uchiha who seemed to be buried underground, but someone knocked on the private room's partition door before he could pursue the thought.

Shisui joined Hidezawa, Yugao, Tenzō, and Kakashi for a rest after a busy day, while Shisui reflected on the Uchiha Clan’s divisions and the need to earn the Hokage’s trust. Hidezawa considered how to develop Wood Release and ended the gathering by asking Yugao to keep looking after him.

• Shisui arrived late and reflected on how the Uchiha Clan’s factions had shifted toward the radicals after the Nine-Tailed Fox Incident.
• Hidezawa raised the subject of drinking, and Yugao stopped him and Tenzō from dwelling on their work killing targets.
• Shisui and Kakashi began discussing their Sharingan, while Hidezawa pondered how Yang Release might be the key to true Wood Release.
• Hidezawa told Yugao he was not upset and asked her to keep looking after him, and Yugao agreed before wondering how long that meant.

Hidezawa escorted Yugao home, and they encountered a hungry Naruto, whom Yugao went to get food for. Hiruzen Sarutobi then rewarded Hidezawa for his missions with a scroll containing the Flying Thunder God Technique.

• Hidezawa told Yugao he dreamed of becoming a powerful ninja and, if possible, Hokage.
• Yugao spotted Naruto outside the closed Ichiraku Ramen, and Hidezawa went with her to check on him.
• Naruto explained that he had overslept and avoided going out when many people were around because he felt people disliked him.
• Yugao left to buy Naruto food, while Hidezawa tried to distract him with a story about eating insects and rats on missions.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived, asked Hidezawa about the gathering, and gave him a scroll as a reward for his missions.
• Hidezawa recognized the scroll's technique as the Flying Thunder God.

Hidezawa studied the Flying Thunder God Technique and found that he met nearly all its requirements, while Danzo considered how to deal with Hidezawa and noticed that Itachi Uchiha would enter the Chunin Exams. Danzo and Obito both began forming plans involving the young Uchiha.

• Hidezawa opened the scroll from Hiruzen Sarutobi and studied the Flying Thunder God Technique before the scroll burned up.
• Hidezawa realized his fitness, Chakra control, Chakra reserves, and Sealing Technique suited him for the technique, and a new ability offered to activate.
• Danzo punished Root with harsh training after the Anbu surrounded them and Hidezawa defeated one of his shinobi.
• Danzo read that Itachi Uchiha would take part in the Chunin Exams and considered using Hidezawa to put him in his place.
• Obito nodded in the dimensional space as he formed a plan of his own.

Danzo confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi over Itachi Uchiha being allowed to take the Chunin Exams alone and argued that the Uchiha were dangerous. Hiruzen approved Danzo’s proposal to assign Shihara Hidezawa as Itachi’s examiner, while Danzo planned to make the exam difficult for him.

• Danzo barged into the Hokage Office and challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi about Itachi Uchiha taking the Chunin Exams despite his team being incomplete.
• Hiruzen defended Itachi’s eligibility and argued that the Uchiha could change, while Danzo called for them to be eradicated.
• Hiruzen ended their argument by invoking his authority as Hokage, and Danzo accepted that Itachi could participate.
• Danzo proposed assigning Shihara Hidezawa as Itachi’s dedicated examiner because Itachi had defeated a Root ninja at age eight.
• Hiruzen approved the assignment, and Danzo privately resolved to make Itachi struggle even if he passed.

Hidezawa defeated Kabuto with the Flying Thunder God Technique, then discussed Root, the Orphanage director, and his plan to make Danzo notorious. They agreed to keep investigating until Kabuto’s next infiltration mission revealed the director’s location, while the approaching Chunin Exams gave Hidezawa a chance to tease Kabuto about his authority as an examiner.

• Hidezawa used the Flying Thunder God Technique to defeat Kabuto and revealed that he had learned it after his Sunagakure mission.
• Kabuto reported that Root’s training had intensified and that the Orphanage director had left several years earlier.
• Hidezawa explained that they would exploit Danzo’s ambition by making his name famous and increasing the political burden on him.
• Hidezawa told Kabuto to keep asking to see the director and to act as though he would leave Root after his final mission.
• Kabuto pointed out that Hidezawa would examine the upcoming Chunin Exams, and Hidezawa joked that Kabuto should respect his authority.

The final assessment of the Chunin Exams began, with Hidezawa appointed as Itachi Uchiha’s chief examiner. Hiruzen urged Hidezawa to put his Root past behind him, while conflicting missions from Hiruzen and Danzo left Hidezawa preparing to face Itachi.

• Sasuke Uchiha and his family cheered for Itachi Uchiha, while Shisui warned Fugaku Uchiha that Hidezawa was exceptionally powerful and said he had asked Hidezawa to keep Itachi from being hurt.
• Shisui wondered why Hidezawa had been made an examiner as Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with Hidezawa backstage.
• Hiruzen told Hidezawa that he hoped he would treat Itachi fairly and become an outstanding Konohagakure ninja free from Root’s influence.
• Hidezawa received conflicting missions: one ordering him to defeat Itachi and make him understand Root’s humiliation, and another ordering him to ensure Itachi was not injured.
• Hidezawa agreed to Hiruzen’s request, and the final assessment began.

The Chunin Exam’s final assessment began, and Itachi Uchiha faced Hidezawa as his opponent. Hidezawa’s opening attack overwhelmed Itachi, then he whispered a question that left the fight hanging.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at the examination venue and announced the rules for the final assessment.
• The match order was drawn, placing Itachi Uchiha first, with Hidezawa serving as his examiner.
• Yugao and Tenzō defended Hidezawa’s ability while Kakashi stopped Tenzō from revealing details about their missions.
• Itachi greeted Hidezawa respectfully and explained that he was determined to win for his family and friends.
• Hiruzen started the match, and Hidezawa rushed Itachi with a punch that Itachi barely dodged.
• Hidezawa whispered, “Do you remember that Root ninja you once defeated?”

Hidezawa overwhelmed Itachi in their match, using Flying Thunder God to appear behind him and force his surrender. The spectators recognized the technique associated with the legendary golden figure.

• Itachi struggled against Hidezawa's speed and strength, then deliberately took a kick to create distance.
• Itachi used his Uchiha kunai technique and Great Fireball Technique to attack Hidezawa from multiple directions.
• Hidezawa threw a kunai past Itachi, then used it to teleport behind him and kick him away.
• Hidezawa struck Itachi into the ground and held a kunai to his throat, leaving the crowd stunned by his technique.

Hidezawa defeated Itachi Uchiha and revealed that he had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, earning praise from Hiruzen Sarutobi and the cheering crowd. Obito Uchiha watched from hiding and planned to exploit Hidezawa’s Root background and technique to frame him for an attack on the Uchiha.

• Hidezawa ended the match by defeating Itachi Uchiha, then joined the crowd as they cheered his use of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi praised Hidezawa and promised him notes on the technique from the Second Hokage and Minato after the exam.
• Hidezawa sensed a Flying Thunder God Mark on a distant tree and realized Obito Uchiha was nearby.
• Obito Uchiha and Black Zetsu discussed Hidezawa’s Root background and his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Obito Uchiha decided to use Hidezawa’s identity and technique to make the Uchiha suspect him after an attack on Itachi Uchiha or Shisui Uchiha.