Chapter Summaries

Orochimaru overwhelmed Kokuō after Son Gokū fled the battlefield, eventually sealing the Four-Tails inside a massive sphere of compressed earth and stone. Kokuō’s resistance faded, leaving its fate uncertain as Orochimaru completed his capture.

• Son Gokū fired a Tailed Beast Bomb to free Kokuō, then fled while Kokuō stayed behind to attack Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru dodged Kokuō’s repeated Tailed Beast Bombs as Han lost consciousness and Kokuō went berserk.
• Orochimaru used Chibaku Tensei to wrap Kokuō in rock and lift it into a growing stone sphere.
• Son Gokū sensed that Kokuō’s Chakra had vanished and fled deeper into the forest.
• Orochimaru compressed the sphere until Kokuō stopped struggling.

Orochimaru crushed Kokuō inside Han, then searched Han’s body and discovered a powerful Kusanagi Sword. He left with the sword and his other spoils after cremating Han’s corpse.

• Orochimaru crushed the stone sphere until Kokuō vanished and Han was left as a battered corpse.
• Orochimaru searched Han’s pockets and found cash and two scrolls, including a secret ninja-tool summoning scroll.
• Orochimaru used Han’s blood to summon a tachi and identified it as the legendary Kusanagi Sword.
• Orochimaru tested the sword with Lightning Release, then sheathed it beside his other Kusanagi Sword.
• Orochimaru cremated Han’s body and prepared to leave with his unexpected windfall.

Hizashi Hyuga led a Konoha reconnaissance squad into the Land of Waterfalls, where they encountered Iwagakure ninja and prepared to fight. Elsewhere, Rōshi fled toward the Land of Waterfalls while Orochimaru rested and cooked a feast with Manda.

• Hizashi warned his Hyuga squad to stay alert as they searched for Iwagakure scouts near the Land of Earth border.
• Hizashi's four Konoha ninja met three Iwagakure Elite Jonin, and the two squads charged into battle.
• Rōshi fled toward the Land of Waterfalls rather than return to Iwagakure, fearing another encounter with Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru recovered from internal injuries beside a river while Energy Clones grilled food for Manda.
• Orochimaru joined Manda in the river to soak in the heat.

Orochimaru enjoyed a meal after returning from battle, while Jiraiya’s team brought urgent intelligence about the Jinchuriki back to Konoha and prompted the village to prepare for war. The chapter ended with Shizune and Kurenai passing the accelerated Chunin Exam and joining Asuma to celebrate.

• Orochimaru told Manda to take grilled fish back to the White Snake Sage and elders, then summoned it again to share the rest of his meal.
• Minato used the Flying Thunder God to bring Jiraiya’s team back to Konoha in half a day, where they reported that Rōshi and Han had appeared on the battlefield.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi gathered Konoha’s upper ranks, dispatched more scouts, and put the village on war readiness while accelerating the Chunin Exams.
• Shizune and Kurenai Yuhi passed the Chunin Exam, and Asuma offered to treat them to celebrate.
• Asuma, Kurenai, and Shizune left together while failed examinees watched enviously.

Hizashi Hyuga led his injured team toward the Land of Earth, determined to push deeper after surviving several enemy encounters. Meanwhile, Iwagakure discovered that teams on two routes had gone missing and strengthened its defenses as Orochimaru headed toward the Land of Waterfalls.

• Hizashi Hyuga ordered his team to rest, checked on Xiao Ming’s injuries, and promised to protect him.
• Hizashi led the team onward toward the Land of Earth after they packed up and erased their traces.
• Higashi Shiribito reported to Kitsuchi that ten Iwagakure teams had failed to return and showed the routes where contact had been lost.
• Sumashi reported that one enemy team was led by Fugaku Uchiha, while the identity of the other remained unknown.
• Kitsuchi ordered more scouts to watch the two routes and reinforced Iwagakure’s other defensive lines.
• Orochimaru headed toward the Land of Waterfalls to inspect the smaller nations.

Hizashi’s injured Konoha team tried to escape after a battle, but Rōshi intercepted them and began attacking. As the fight erupted, someone five kilometers away noticed the flames and commotion.

• Hizashi and his wounded teammates treated their injuries and withdrew toward Konoha by a different route.
• Rōshi found the recent battlefield and followed the fleeing Konoha ninja after sensing their Chakra.
• Rōshi intercepted Hizashi’s team at the forest, and Xiao Ming identified him as Iwagakure’s Jinchuriki.
• Hizashi ordered his team to split up and flee, but Rōshi created three Earth Clones to block their escape.
• Rōshi and his clones fought the team, burning Xiao Ming’s arm while Hizashi held Rōshi off.
• Someone five kilometers away sensed the flames and commotion.

Rōshi nearly defeated Hizashi’s squad, but Orochimaru arrived after Rōshi fled and secretly removed one of Hizashi’s Byakugan. Orochimaru left Hizashi alive, and the surviving ninja found their captain and realized he was still breathing.

• Rōshi blasted Hizashi and his squad with a Tailed Beast Bomb, leaving Hizashi and the other ninja badly injured.
• Son Gokū warned Rōshi that Orochimaru was approaching, so Rōshi fled toward the Land of Earth.
• Orochimaru reached the battlefield, found the unconscious Hizashi, and decided to take his Byakugan.
• Orochimaru anesthetized Hizashi, removed one eye, stopped the bleeding, and left when another ninja approached.
• The surviving ninja found Hizashi alive and were shocked by what had happened to him.

After Hizashi returned to Konoha badly injured, he told Hiruzen and Hiashi that his team had encountered Iwagakure’s Four-Tails Jinchuriki and lost his Byakugan. Meanwhile, Orochimaru traveled toward Takigakure and learned that the Byakugan could be transplanted and might evolve if he had the right bloodline.

• Hizashi’s team returned to Konoha, and his teammates took him to the hospital for treatment while Anbu allowed him to report the mission there.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hiashi visited Hizashi, who told them that his team had encountered the Four-Tails Jinchuriki and recounted the mission.
• Hiashi learned that Hizashi’s Byakugan had been taken and privately lamented his foolish younger brother, while Hiruzen wondered why the attacker had left Hizashi’s other eye.
• Orochimaru traveled toward Takigakure to assess the small nations’ terrain, economy, and military strength.
• Orochimaru asked his system about transplanting the Byakugan and learned it could evolve if he possessed a superior bloodline, though his body was not yet strong enough.

Orochimaru left the Land of Waterfalls and continued surveying the small countries east of Konoha, intending to unite them into a new great nation. In Konoha, the Hyuga elders debated retrieving the Byakugan and Hiashi accepted responsibility, while Konoha’s leaders prepared to send ninja teams to the front lines.

• Orochimaru searched the Land of Waterfalls for three days but could not find Takigakure, and decided not to pursue the Seven-Tails before Fū was born.
• Orochimaru set out to investigate the small countries east of Konoha, hoping to unite them and strengthen them with technology.
• The Hyuga elders returned from visiting Hizashi Hyuga and convened a meeting to demand the Byakugan’s recovery and an explanation from the Hokage.
• Hiashi told the elders that Konoha would take the matter seriously and accepted responsibility for his younger brother’s involvement.
• Konoha’s upper ranks met to discuss the Jinchuriki and the Hyuga Clan as the newly assembled ninja teams prepared to leave for the front lines.

Orochimaru explored the Land of Iron, judged its strength and economy, then traveled to the Land of Rice Fields. There, he came upon Guren fighting three bandits, and the last surviving attacker tried to stab her as she hesitated.

• Orochimaru entered the Land of Iron, registered under a fake name, and explored its capital.
• Orochimaru assessed the Land of Iron’s samurai and ninja strength before leaving for the Land of Rice Fields.
• Orochimaru spotted a burning hut and found three men surrounding a young girl named Guren.
• Guren used Crystal Release to kill the youngest bandit and defeat the other two.
• The surviving Second Brother begged for mercy, then suddenly lunged at Guren with a kunai.

Orochimaru rescued Guren from bandits and learned that her mother had died and she had been left alone. He invited her to follow him and help build a powerful nation, and she agreed before he carried her away to find food.

• Orochimaru shielded Guren from the last bandit's attack and killed him.
• Orochimaru gave Guren camellias, extinguished the burning cottage, and heard how the bandits had attacked her.
• Guren told Orochimaru that her mother had died and said life was always painful.
• Orochimaru invited Guren to follow him and help build a powerful nation, and she accepted.
• Orochimaru lifted Guren into the air and carried her away to find something to eat.

Orochimaru recruited Guren and gained the Mirror Clone ability, which created a fully capable, loyal duplicate with no harm to Orochimaru if it died. He tested a Shadow Clone while traveling with Guren and stopped by a stream to prepare lunch.

• Orochimaru chose to recruit Guren and received the Mirror Clone ability from the system.
• Orochimaru learned that the clone shared his strength and thoughts, could refine Chakra independently, and would disappear without harming him if killed.
• Orochimaru flew with Guren toward a stream, while a Shadow Clone scouted for food using Hawk Eye.
• Orochimaru and Guren reached the stream, where he sent her to gather firewood and the Shadow Clone returned with a mountain goat and a wild pheasant.

Orochimaru assessed Guren’s ninjutsu, began training her in taijutsu, and fed her after she had gone hungry. He then asked Guren to become his disciple, and she joyfully knelt and kowtowed to him.

• Orochimaru tested Guren’s ninjutsu and found her combat skills and physical condition weak despite her Crystal Release.
• Orochimaru taught Guren taijutsu and corrected her movements as she trained with determination.
• Orochimaru praised Guren, prepared a meal for her, and told her she would help him with missions once she regained her strength.
• After Guren washed the dishes, Orochimaru asked whether she would become his disciple.
• Guren accepted with joy, dropped to her knees, and kowtowed to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru began scouting small-country ninja villages with Guren and considered how to build up his forces. He decided Kisame might be a suitable recruit and planned a trip to the Land of Water, though he first needed to handle another problem.

• Orochimaru encouraged Guren to develop her Crystal Release, then took her to inspect the Rice Field Ninja Village.
• Guren pointed out the village, and Orochimaru surveyed its location and strength without entering before flying off to inspect other places.
• Orochimaru reflected on the shortage of capable subordinates and the difficulty of recruiting and raising talent.
• Orochimaru considered potential Akatsuki recruits, rejected several as too difficult to control, and settled on Kisame as a promising candidate.
• Orochimaru put a trip to the Land of Water on his agenda but noted that he had to deal with a small problem first, while Guren quietly gathered Chakra.

After learning that Orochimaru had fought Iwagakure’s Jinchuriki, Ōnoki ordered a renewed strike while Konoha’s leaders debated their response and rumors of Orochimaru’s victory spread. Orochimaru returned to Konoha to report, unaware that the villagers had begun treating him as a hero.

• Rōshi told Iwagakure ninja that Orochimaru had fought him and Han, then refused to return to the village for fear Ōnoki would send him back to battle.
• Ōnoki learned that Rōshi had fled and Han’s fate was unknown, then ordered Iwagakure to strike back.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi chose to prioritize the Land of Lightning front and defend against Iwagakure, while Danzo secured permission to oversee the Land of Earth front.
• Rumors spread through Konoha that Orochimaru had defeated Iwagakure’s two Jinchuriki and even wounded the Tsuchikage.
• Orochimaru returned to Konoha, drew reverent attention from civilians, and went to the Hokage Residence to report.

Orochimaru reported the Five-Tails Jinchuriki’s disappearance to Konoha’s leaders, who questioned what he had concealed but accepted that his actions benefited the village. After returning to the Tsunade family compound, he learned Shizune had been promoted to Chunin and was due to leave for the battlefield as a Medical Ninja.

• Orochimaru told the Hokage and Konoha’s other leaders that the Five-Tails Jinchuriki vanished after the fighters were injured.
• Danzo suspected Orochimaru was hiding something, while Hiruzen defended him and the leaders turned to planning their frontline deployment.
• Orochimaru left the Hokage Residence pleased, revealing that the injured body was his real body and that his returning self was a Mirror Clone.
• Orochimaru returned to the Tsunade family compound, where Shizune greeted him and said she was worried about his battlefield mission.
• Orochimaru learned Shizune had become a Chunin and would soon go to the battlefield to gain experience as a Medical Ninja.

Orochimaru returned to Konoha and accepted Anko as his disciple after she graduated from the Ninja Academy. Choosing to take her on triggered the Loyalty Mark reward, and the group celebrated her apprenticeship over dinner.

• Orochimaru reunited with Anko and cooked dinner with her and Shizune.
• Tsunade joined the meal, and Shizune explained that Anko had graduated but was waiting for Orochimaru to take her as his disciple.
• Anko formally asked Orochimaru to accept her, triggering a choice that awarded him the Loyalty Mark when he accepted.
• Orochimaru warned Anko that her training would be difficult, but she eagerly promised to work hard.
• Shizune raised a toast, and Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Anko celebrated Anko's apprenticeship.

Orochimaru and Guren entered the Land of Snow’s ninja village to investigate its advanced technology and learn who held power. After hearing that Princess Koyuki had been captured again, Orochimaru followed the drunken Houxue into an alley and confronted him at kunai point.

• Orochimaru and Guren passed the village guards’ inspection and entered the snowy village.
• Orochimaru took Guren to a tavern, where they ordered ramen and listened for useful information.
• Orochimaru overheard Shiyu and Houxue say that Princess Koyuki had escaped and been recaptured for the third time that year.
• Orochimaru left the tavern after the three men, then waited until Houxue entered a secluded alley to relieve himself.
• Orochimaru pressed a kunai to Houxue’s neck and told him that public urination was uncivilized.

Orochimaru questioned a local about the Land of Snow, then took Guren to confront Kazahana Dōtō at the royal palace. After accusing Dōtō of murdering his brother and seizing the throne, Orochimaru faced Nadare Rōga, who charged at him.

• Orochimaru threatened Houxue into revealing that Kazahana Dōtō ruled the Land of Snow and sharing what he knew about the palace and Snow Ninja Village.
• Orochimaru used a ninjutsu on Houxue that left him with no memory of their encounter, then finished his noodles with Guren.
• Orochimaru took Guren toward the palace, sensed four strong Chakra signatures, and sent two Shadow Clones after two of them.
• Kazahana Dōtō ordered a Snow Ninja to keep Princess Koyuki under guard and complained that she kept trying to escape.
• Orochimaru entered the palace and accused Kazahana Dōtō of murdering Kazahana Sōsetsu and taking the throne.
• Kazahana Dōtō ordered Nadare Rōga to kill Orochimaru, and Nadare charged at him.

Orochimaru defeated Kazahana Dōtō, forced him to submit, and bound him with a serpent-shaped mark. After Orochimaru’s clone brought in Fubuki Emishi and Mizore Fuyukuma, Kazahana Dōtō ordered the captured Snow Ninja to show respect to his new lord.

• Orochimaru crushed Nadare Rōga with Gravity Suppression and knocked him unconscious.
• Kazahana Dōtō attacked Orochimaru with Black Dragon Blizzard, but Orochimaru wounded and overwhelmed him with his sword and gravity.
• Kazahana Dōtō begged for his life and agreed to submit, and Orochimaru placed a serpent-shaped mark on his forehead.
• Orochimaru’s clone returned with Fubuki Emishi and Mizore Fuyukuma, completing Nadare Rōga’s captured team.
• Guren woke the three Snow Ninja, and Kazahana Dōtō ordered them not to disrespect his lord.