Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Yoru encouraged his comrades to accept recommendations for promotion, then told Hatake Kakashi that the village leadership planned to replace him as Front Line Commander in the Land of Whirlpools. He revealed his covert dealings with Suikazan Fuguki and warned Kakashi to return to the Third Hokage if anything happened to him, before naming Uchiha Fugaku as a likely Mangekyo wielder who could have controlled the Nine-Tails.

• Mitaraishi Anko challenged Uchiha Yoru over his missing contribution, and he praised his comrades’ abilities while urging them to sign for promotion recommendations.
• Might Guy and the others signed their names and handprints, while Yūhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao privately wrestled with their doubts about the village.
• Hatake Kakashi questioned Uchiha Yoru’s hurried actions, and Yoru revealed that the village leadership intended to replace him as Front Line Commander in the Land of Whirlpools.
• Uchiha Yoru told Kakashi he had secretly contacted Suikazan Fuguki and gained control of Samehada, then warned Kakashi to preserve himself and seek the Third Hokage’s trust if Yoru died.
• Uchiha Yoru explained that the Nine-Tails’ Sharingan indicated Mangekyo-level power and said Uchiha Fugaku was highly suspected of having awakened the Mangekyo.

Uchiha Yoru warned Hatake Kakashi of a vast conspiracy involving the Mangekyō Sharingan, Konoha’s leadership, and the Fire Daimyo’s Mansion. He urged Kakashi to keep the information secret while they prepared to work with the Mist Ninja and gather funds.

• Uchiha Yoru told Kakashi that Kagami Uchiha’s Mangekyō had controlled the Nine-Tails and that the Fourth Mizukage had also been controlled by a Mangekyō.
• Uchiha Yoru revealed that Shimura Danzō had a Sharingan, prompting Kakashi to suspect that Konoha’s leadership had conspired to kill the Fourth Hokage and reclaim power.
• Uchiha Yoru warned Kakashi to abandon him if necessary and keep the conspiracy secret, while Kakashi feared that Orochimaru had been harmed for knowing too much.
• Uchiha Yoru said Sarutobi Asuma had been sent to the Fire Daimyo’s Mansion and suspected that the village’s leadership was plotting against the Daimyo’s rule.
• Uchiha Yoru said he would gather allies and strength to resist the village’s ambitions, then shifted the conversation to working with the Mist Ninja for profit.

Uchiha Yoru comforted Anko at the Konoha base while Mei Terumi received orders to infiltrate a bustling town in the Land of Whirlpools. Tsunade arrived at the town with Shizune, then sent her away so she could gamble freely.

• Uchiha Yoru let Anko stay with him overnight and reassured her the next morning that she should be herself.
• Mei Terumi received a mission from Suikazan Fuguki to infiltrate the Land of Whirlpools town and gather intelligence, and she vowed to make Uchiha Yoru pay if they met again.
• Tsunade complained about being sent to the Land of Whirlpools and took the village's funding suitcase from Shizune.
• Tsunade summoned a Slug and had it take Shizune to Shikkotsu Forest to train.
• Tsunade entered the town alone, delighted that she could gamble without Shizune watching over her.

Uchiha Yoru won the loyalty of Iruka and Mizuki by recognizing their potential, recommending them for Chūnin, and assigning Might Guy to lead their squad. When Konoha ordered his front-line forces to rotate out, Yoru concealed his anger and let Shiranui Genma reveal that he had given up his own merit to secure promotions and rewards for his subordinates, deepening their loyalty as he pursued the Hokage position.

• Uchiha Yoru summoned Iruka and Mizuki, praised their battlefield potential, and recommended them for Chūnin after an evaluation period.
• Yoru assigned Might Guy to take over Iruka and Mizuki's squad while their injured captain returned to the village.
• Konoha's order to replace the front-line forces angered Yoru's subordinates, but Yoru persuaded them that rotation would let them rest and receive their earned rewards.
• Hatake Kakashi signaled Shiranui Genma, who revealed that Yoru had divided his own merit among his subordinates to help secure their promotions and rewards.
• Yoru stopped his subordinates from confronting him about his sacrifice and said the merit did not matter to him, while privately valuing their loyalty and aiming to become Hokage.

Shin'nosuke Sarutobi arrived at the Land of Whirlpools front to take command from Uchiha Yoru, who used the handover to secure rewards for his soldiers. As the troops began rotating home, Uchiha Yoru accepted a long-term intelligence mission that could scatter his allies through Konoha, while Uzuki Yugao grew more convinced that the village needed reform.

• Shin'nosuke Sarutobi met Uchiha Yoru, and the two agreed to transfer authority as reinforcements began replacing the front-line troops.
• Uchiha Yoru gave Shin'nosuke a merit scroll, and Shin'nosuke signed it to endorse rewards for the soldiers.
• Ume Sarutobi asked Uzuki Yugao to pass along information sent to the Third and continue investigating Uchiha Yoru; Yugao agreed outwardly while rejecting Ume's abuses in her heart.
• Shin'nosuke chose Shisui and Kakashi to remain at the front, then offered Uchiha Yoru a mission to gather intelligence on the Land of Whirlpools' illicit trades.
• Uchiha Yoru accepted the mission while again asking Shin'nosuke to remember the front-line soldiers' achievements.

As Konoha’s forces rotated home from the Land of Whirlpools, Uchiha Yoru sent his companions off while remaining behind for a mission. The departing ninja pledged to grow stronger and support his efforts to reform the village, while Yūhi Kurenai resolved to tell him about the corruption she had uncovered.

• Shinnosuke Sarutobi reviewed Yūhi Kurenai’s intelligence and told her to build influence in the Konoha Military Police Force’s Seventh Division after returning, but she insisted she would report to the Third.
• Uchiha Shisui complained that Shinnosuke had taken credit for their work, and Uchiha Yoru told him that reform required strength to suppress its enemies.
• Kakashi and the others gathered as Uchiha Yoru confirmed that Yūhi Kurenai, Uzuki Yugao, Mitaraishi Anko, and others would return to Konoha while he, Shisui, and Might Guy stayed behind.
• Uchiha Yoru asked Shisui to prioritize Uchiha Itachi’s safety if the battlefield changed, and Shisui promised to teach him.
• Mitaraishi Anko vowed to become a Jōnin before Uchiha Yoru returned, and he promised her a gift before seeing the ships sail toward the Land of Fire.

Uchiha Yoru received a rogue-ninja identity to infiltrate the Land of Whirlpools and find the First Hokage’s missing Great Sword. He transformed himself into the cold samurai noble Sesshomaru, secured weapons and mission funds, and prepared to land on the west coast the next day.

• Shin'nosuke Sarutobi gave Uchiha Yoru a fabricated identity as a Konoha rogue linked to Orochimaru's Human Experimentation and revealed that his true target was the First Hokage's Great Sword in the Land of Whirlpools.
• Uchiha Yoru reasoned that the identity would draw major villages' spies and let him pursue the sword openly, then demanded noble clothing, armor, weapons, and funds from Shin'nosuke Sarutobi.
• Uchiha Yoru used Medical Ninjutsu to change his hair and appearance, adopting the name Sesshomaru and a cold, aristocratic samurai persona.
• Shin'nosuke Sarutobi summoned eleven valuable Katanas, and Sesshomaru selected two before demanding ten million ryo in mission funds.
• Sesshomaru took Shin'nosuke Sarutobi's money and said he would secretly land from the West Coast the next day, urging Konoha to watch its spies.

Sesshomaru established himself in the Land of Whirlpools by demonstrating advanced Medical Ninjutsu and a devastating Sword Drawing Technique while investigating the First Hokage’s Great Sword. After learning from the Uchiha clan that the weapon’s appearance was likely a Kumogakure scheme, he faced a plan by Ume Sarutobi to expose his identity and lure Cloud Ninja with rumors of Human Experimentation.

• Sesshomaru transplanted Kamezaburo’s eye for a one-eyed Rogue Ninja, then killed the Rogue Ninja with an unseen Sword Drawing Technique when he tried to withhold the remaining payment.
• The innkeeper paid Sesshomaru five hundred thousand ryō for the Rogue Ninja’s intact body, and rumors spread through town about Sesshomaru’s skill and noble Samurai background.
• Sesshomaru received a scroll from a Ninja Cat and learned that the Uchiha clan suspected Kumogakure had orchestrated the Great Sword’s sudden appearance in the Land of Whirlpools.
• Shin'nosuke Sarutobi learned that Sesshomaru had made no major moves in town, while Ume Sarutobi urged him to expose Sesshomaru’s identity and use Human Experimentation research as bait for Kumogakure.

Mei Terumi learned that Tsunade and Orochimaru had entered the Land of Whirlpools, while Kirigakure assigned her to capture Sesshomaru for information about Konoha’s human experiments. Sesshomaru treated mercenaries for profit, recognized a disguised Tsunade when she sought refuge from Rogue Ninja, and left the gang paying his restaurant bill.

• Suikazan Fuguki told Mei Terumi that Tsunade and Orochimaru were in the Land of Whirlpools and ordered her to capture Sesshomaru and extract his knowledge of Konoha’s human experiments.
• Mei Terumi resolved to keep working toward changing Kirigakure’s policies so the village could keep its geniuses.
• Sesshomaru treated a mercenary Ninja legion for payment, earning the goodwill of ninja seeking a skilled Medical Ninja.
• A disguised Tsunade ran into Sesshomaru’s hotel room while fleeing Rogue Ninja who blamed her for her sister’s debt.
• Sesshomaru recognized Tsunade by the scent of her blood and used his Sword Drawing Technique to cut the Rogue Ninja’s collars without killing them.
• Sesshomaru made the Rogue Ninja pay for the meal and arranged a month of meals at the same lavish standard, while Tsunade followed him.

Sesshomaru, also known as Uchiha Yoru, arranged to escort Tsunade while both concealed their motives and pursued their own plans. He hired Kakuzu to protect him for three months and investigate rumors about the First Hokage’s weapon.

• Tsunade disguised herself as a young girl and accepted Sesshomaru’s offer to escort her home for a fee, while secretly planning to use him to locate the First Hokage’s weapon.
• Sesshomaru took Tsunade to a carousel to keep her occupied while he met Kakuzu at a tea pavilion.
• Sesshomaru offered Kakuzu ten million for three months of protection, with an extra two million if ninja from the Five Great Nations became involved, and Kakuzu accepted.
• Sesshomaru paid Kakuzu a one-million advance and offered another million for accurate information about rumors concerning the First Hokage’s weapon.

Sesshomaru kept Tsunade on the carousel until she relaxed, then continued building his reputation and alliances in the Land of Whirlpools while seeking the First Hokage’s weapons. In Konoha, Setsuna began transferring resources and authority to Yoru, Hiruzen lowered his guard toward him, and Danzo concluded that Fugaku might possess the Mangekyo.

• Sesshomaru paid to keep the carousel running until Tsunade lost herself in childhood memories, then quietly left her with the change and finished tea.
• Over the next several days, Sesshomaru used Medical Ninjutsu to befriend Rogue Ninja, gather funds, and openly search for the First Hokage’s weapons as Tsunade followed him.
• Setsuna agreed to provide Yoru with funds and two Treasure swords, then told Fugaku he intended to hand his authority to Yoru.
• Hiruzen reviewed reports from the Land of Whirlpools, judged that Yoru had feelings for the village, and reflected on Konoha’s improving prospects and his own declining strength.
• Danzo questioned a Root Ninja about Itachi’s investigation of the Nine-Tails’ incident and his mention of Mangekyo, then suspected that Fugaku had awakened it.

Sesshomaru rejected a masked ninja’s offer to help restore the Land of Whirlpools, while Kakuzu killed the intruder and shared intelligence about the First Hokage’s weapon and Tsunade. That night, Tsunade’s poison left Sesshomaru weakened as two masked ninja attacked his room, and he struggled to defend himself.

• A masked ninja offered Sesshomaru information about the First Hokage’s weapon and urged him to help restore the Land of Whirlpools, but Sesshomaru refused.
• Kakuzu appeared, killed the masked ninja, cleaned up the blood, and reported rumors about Tsunade and the weapon to Sesshomaru.
• Sesshomaru paid Kakuzu to investigate the weapon and arrange for a trustworthy team to send the disguised Tsunade home.
• Tsunade realized Sesshomaru might suspect her and resolved to make her own arrangements.
• That night, Sesshomaru discovered that Tsunade’s colorless, odorless poison had weakened his Chakra as two black-clad ninja entered and attacked.
• Sesshomaru fought back despite the poison, but his ninjutsu produced misshapen clones while Tsunade watched from the sofa.

Uchiha Yoru, posing as Sesshomaru, and Tsunade continued pretending to trust each other while hiding their suspicions and schemes. After recovering from Tsunade’s poison, he asked Kakuzu to publicize a ten-million payment for a contest involving Sesshomaru’s ancestral blade and the weapon of the First Hokage, hoping to draw out the person in the shadows.

• Tsunade acted like a frightened, injured girl while Sesshomaru tested her, then he bandaged her shoulder without revealing that he had identified her as Princess Tsunade.
• Sesshomaru secretly confirmed Tsunade’s identity by tasting blood from her wound, while she continued caring for him as the poison left his body numb.
• Sesshomaru stayed inside the inn for several days, and Kakuzu returned on the fifth day and noticed that his employer had been injured.
• Sesshomaru gave Kakuzu samples of the toxin and antidote, explained the poison’s effects, and told him Tsunade had been with him during his weakest moments.
• Sesshomaru ordered Kakuzu to offer ten million for a contest involving his ancestral blade and the weapon of the legendary God of the Shinobi World, while Kakuzu warned that Konoha was pursuing the weapon.
• Sesshomaru planned to draw out the person in the shadows and considered involving Shin'nosuke Sarutobi in seizing the First Hokage’s weapon.

Uchiha Yoru helped frame Mei Terumi as a traitor in Kirigakure, then found her injured and poisoned after she escaped the pursuit squad. Disguised as a blacksmith, he took her toward town while she pretended not to recognize him, and he planned to try to subdue the future Fifth Mizukage.

• Suikazan Fuguki’s pursuit squad attacked Mei Terumi after she was accused of leaking false intelligence, and Mei fought back through a Hidden Mist Technique.
• Uchiha Yoru and Suikazan Fuguki discussed their scheme, exchanged intelligence, and arranged for Yoru to return Great Sword: Samehada when Fuguki handed over Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Mei escaped the battle but collapsed, and Uchiha Yoru found her at dawn and introduced himself as the blacksmith Kōbe Yoru.
• Mei recognized Uchiha Yoru beneath his disguise but pretended to be a wounded local named Mei, hoping to hide in town while she recovered.
• Uchiha Yoru carried the poisoned Mei toward his carriage and planned to test whether he could subdue her and gain Luck Coins.

Uchiha Yoru and Mei Terumi each maintained a false identity while believing they had the other fooled, and Yoru staged a tender outing while secretly arranging a meeting. The chapter ended with Yoru revealing that he had used the Forbidden Jutsu: Oni-Me-Raku no Jutsu to absorb Wood Style Cells and awaken Wood Release.

• Mei Terumi and Uchiha Yoru spent half a month together buying ore while each secretly suspected the other of being a ninja.
• Uchiha Yoru told Mei Terumi he would send her to the Land of Fire, and Mei agreed to wait for him.
• Uchiha Yoru took Mei to town, bought supplies, and brought her to ride a carousel before leaving her there briefly.
• Mei Terumi relaxed as she watched the children enjoying themselves and reflected on her difficult life in Kirigakure.
• Uchiha Yoru vanished into a dark alley and met Sesshomaru in disguise, who released a Wood Clone.
• Uchiha Yoru revealed that he had exchanged five Luck Coins for the improved Forbidden Jutsu: Oni-Me-Raku no Jutsu and had absorbed Wood Style Cells to awaken Wood Release.

Uchiha Yoru studied the forbidden Oni-Me-Raku no Jutsu and planned to fuse several bloodlines to evolve toward an Otsutsuki bloodline, while using a staged identity to draw out enemies. As Shin'nosuke Sarutobi and Ume Sarutobi considered sacrificing him, Shimura Danzō ordered surveillance to determine whether Uchiha Yoru had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.

• Uchiha Yoru used a Wood Clone disguised as Sesshomaru to conceal his movements, then destroyed the wooden trace and reflected on his evolving bloodline and the forbidden jutsu.
• Sesshomaru led young Tsunade away from the carousel, while Mei Terumi enjoyed the ride before Uchiha Yoru gave her a sachet and they left town together.
• Ume Sarutobi urged Shin'nosuke Sarutobi to trade Uchiha Yoru for Kumogakure's withdrawal and the First Hokage's weapon, and Shin'nosuke agreed to pretend he knew nothing.
• Ume Sarutobi revealed that Kōbe Yoru had another identity, while Uchiha Yoru watched from the shadows, having exposed himself to bait hidden enemies.
• Shimura Danzō ordered Ryoma Aburame to secretly monitor Uchiha Yoru and investigate the development of his Sharingan, suspecting he might possess the Mangekyo.

Root kidnapped Mei Terumi and demanded that Uchiha Yoru come alone to a meeting, while Yoru used the crisis to draw several people into his scheme. The chapter ended with Tsunade and Mei discovering that Yoru had used a second identity and realizing they had both been deceived.

• Root operatives accused Uchiha Yoru of colluding with Suikazan Fuguki, took Mei Terumi hostage, and ordered Yoru to meet them thirty li west of town at noon the next day.
• Mei Terumi secretly created a Water Clone, escaped into the forest, and headed elsewhere while a watcher emerged from a tree after her departure.
• Yoru's Wood Clone returned its memories to him, and he met Sesshomaru and Kakuzu to prepare for the hostage meeting and reveal that two women had been taken.
• Uchiha Yoru gave Kakuzu money and instructed him to hide nearby, help if possible, and protect the two women if the plan failed.
• Ume Sarutobi visited the captives, revealed that Kōbe Yoru and Sesshomaru were both Uchiha Yoru, and taunted Tsunade and Mei Terumi about which woman he would save.
• Tsunade and Mei Terumi realized Yoru had deceived them both and grew furious.

Uchiha Shisui and Hatake Kakashi planned to save Uchiha Yoru by abducting Shin'nosuke Sarutobi and making the commander’s disappearance look like a Mist Ninja attack. Meanwhile, Uchiha Yoru met Ume Sarutobi in the wilderness, where she revealed his identity to Mei Terumi and Tsunade and used them to provoke him.

• Uchiha Shisui told Hatake Kakashi that Uchiha Yoru had sent a message that sounded like a final testament, and the two feared the village was moving against him.
• Uchiha Shisui revealed that his Mangekyo ability was Kotoamatsukami, while Hatake Kakashi explained his Kamui and proposed secretly influencing Shin'nosuke Sarutobi before abducting him.
• Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Shisui agreed to disguise themselves, capture Shin'nosuke Sarutobi, and kill Ume Sarutobi to protect Uchiha Yoru and pursue reform.
• Uchiha Yoru arrived at the arranged meeting with Ume Sarutobi, who brought Mei Terumi and Tsunade forward and revealed that Kōbe Yoru, Sesshomaru, and Uchiha Yoru were the same person.
• Ume Sarutobi taunted Mei Terumi and Tsunade by claiming Uchiha Yoru had deceived them, then accused him of using a Shadow Clone to pursue both women.
• Uchiha Yoru dispelled his Shadow Clone, revealed his true appearance, summoned Samehada, and demanded that Ume Sarutobi release Mei Terumi and Tsunade.

Jinli announced that they had been selected for Yuewen Qidian’s week-long training program in Shanghai and explained why they had decided to attend despite the expense. They warned readers that training and homework would prevent them from writing a promised May 1 burst update, and left for Shanghai hoping to improve.

• Jinli received notice that they had been selected as one of twenty-five writers for Qidian’s training program.
• Jinli decided to pay for the trip to Shanghai as an investment in their writing career.
• Jinli reflected on their past lack of study and urged readers still in school to study hard.
• Jinli explained that the packed training schedule and homework would leave no time to write during the week.
• Jinli apologized for postponing the May 1 burst update and promised to try to make it up by the end of May or early June.

Uchiha Yoru awakened his Mangekyo while saving Mei Terumi and Tsunade from Ume Sarutobi’s attack, then escaped with them on his summoned Eagle. He was badly injured but ordered the Eagle to keep flying east.

• Ume Sarutobi revealed Uchiha Yoru’s identity as a Konoha spy and demanded his hands while threatening Mei Terumi and Tsunade.
• Uchiha Yoru pierced both palms with Kunai, but Ume Sarutobi ordered Root to kill him and threw two Ninja Swords at the women.
• Uchiha Yoru awakened his Mangekyo, used Dojutsu: Takamagahara to appear before Mei Terumi and Tsunade, and took the swords through his chest while shielding them.
• Kakuzu attacked with combined Fire Style and Wind Style, and Uchiha Yoru protected the group with Susanoo before summoning an Eagle.
• Uchiha Yoru, Tsunade, and Mei Terumi escaped on the Eagle as Ume Sarutobi ordered Root to pursue them.
• Uchiha Yoru, bleeding and exhausted, told the Eagle to keep flying east.