Chapter Summaries

Li Yao studied the Dragon Vein and discovered its energy was a complex form of Chakra containing time, space, and fire transformations. As he continued researching it, the Third Great Ninja War erupted in the other world, sparked in part by his attack on Sunagakure.

• Li Yao found Mukade in an underground chamber, left him alive to develop human-body puppetry, and went to examine the Dragon Vein.
• Li Yao tested the Dragon Vein Chakra with a Shadow Clone, then touched it himself and began studying its nature transformations.
• Li Yao stayed beside the Dragon Vein for a year while Little Yezi continued guarding the desert in his original world.
• Li Yao's attack on Sunagakure had devastated the Ten Great Clans, and the weakened village was attacked by Iwagakure and Kirigakure after his Wind Style Clone became Fourth Kazekage.
• Konoha attacked Iwagakure under Danzo's planning, and Kumogakure joined the war by attacking the Land of Earth.

Fire Style Clone—Fugaku reassured the Uchiha Great Elders that Konoha would soon need the clan to join the war, though he did not explain why. After spending time with Mikoto and infant Uchiha Itachi, he resumed refining his Gray Flame toward the Kekkei Tōta-level Fire Release he wanted.

• The Radical Faction's Great Elder confronted Fire Style Clone—Fugaku for failing to press the Hokage to send Uchiha ninja to the front, while the Conservative Faction's Great Elder urged patience.
• Fire Style Clone—Fugaku told both Great Elders that the Third Hokage would soon ask the Uchiha Clan to fight, then sent them away without explaining his confidence.
• Fire Style—Fugaku returned to Mikoto and held infant Uchiha Itachi, whom Li Yao had named regardless of who his biological father was.
• Fire Style Clone—Fugaku later trained with a dim, intensely hot Gray Flame that had reached Kekkei Genkai-level transformation but still needed further refinement to become the Kekkei Tōta-level Fire Release Li Yao sought.

Li Yao’s clones made breakthroughs in developing powerful ninjutsu by fusing or intensifying their elemental Chakra, while the Third Shinobi World War continued to threaten Iwagakure. The Wind Style Clone prepared to act as the other clones neared completion, while Li Yao’s main body remained focused on obtaining Dragon Vein Chakra.

• In the Hatake Household, the Lightning Style Clone refined the fusion of Black Lightning and White Lightning, while Kakashi woke from the mental chill caused by his father’s experiments.
• In Iwagakure, Shigan’s Earth Release training shook the ground as Kaitō awaited his new ninjutsu, believing it could help the village break its siege.
• Kaitō recalled that Iwagakure needed a powerful fighter comparable to her father and believed her Junior Brother could become one.
• On an island in the Land of Water, Ghost Lantern Wuyue broke down a kunai into iron-sand particles by permeating it with Water Release.
• Li Yao’s Water, Fire, Earth, and Lightning Style Clones all made breakthroughs, leaving Yang Style Chakra as the remaining elemental bottleneck for Kekkei Mōra.
• Li Yao planned for his main body to copy Dragon Vein Chakra while the Five Style Clones steered the war, and the Wind Style Clone began preparing ahead of the others.

Pakura led Sunagakure reinforcements through the desert to rescue pursued comrades, unaware that Kirigakure had sent the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to kill her. The chapter ended as Pakura’s forces unleashed a wind-amplified sea of fire against their pursuers.

• Daxiong stayed behind to let five Sunagakure ninja escape, but Kushimaru Kuriarare killed him with Nuibari.
• Suikazan Fuguki and the other Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist revealed their mission to surround and kill Pakura, while arguing over who would defeat her.
• Pakura led ten Sunagakure ninja to support the pursued squads after receiving word that they were in danger.
• Three surviving Sunagakure ninja joined Pakura’s group, confident she could defeat the Kirigakure pursuers.
• Six Sunagakure ninja combined Fire Release and Wind Release to send a vast sea of flames toward the approaching Kirigakure forces.

Pakura confronted the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and used a devastating Scorch Release technique to kill or incapacitate most of the Kirigakure force. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen retreated warily, and Pakura charged them as one Sunagakure squad stayed to support her while the others escorted the rescued people away.

• Suikazan Fuguki unleashed a massive Water Release wave, but Pakura vaporized the steam and evaded Kushimaru Kuriarare's Nuibari attack.
• The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist surrounded Pakura and her group, and Suikazan Fuguki ordered an attack.
• Pakura fired Scorch Release: Piercing Flash, piercing Suikazan Fuguki and bisecting fifteen Kirigakure ninja before the remaining swordsmen dodged.
• Samehada restored Suikazan Fuguki, who warned the others that it could not absorb Pakura's compressed, high-temperature attack.
• Pakura mocked the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, formed a High-Temperature Compressed Heat Source Blade, and charged them.
• Mano and Haihara led Mube and the other rescued people away with two squads, while the remaining squad followed Pakura into battle.

Pakura used her newly refined Scorch Release to melt Nuibari, but the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist adapted by attacking from range and draining her Chakra. Exhausted and nearly out of allies, she waited for Li Yao's Wind Style Clone, trusting he would arrive in time.

• Pakura melted Nuibari with her High-Temperature Compressed Heat Source Blade, revealing the power of her refined Scorch Release.
• The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist avoided close combat and coordinated ranged attacks to keep Pakura surrounded.
• Pakura's limited Chakra prevented her from repeating Piercing Flash, so she defended herself with heat walls as the enemy intensified its assault.
• Two of the three Sand ninja left with Pakura died, and the last survivor remained while Pakura grew exhausted.
• Pakura prayed for Li Yao's Wind Style Clone to arrive, trusting his Wind Style Slash could defeat the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

Pakura fought the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist until her Chakra ran out, but Li Yao's Wind Style Clone saved and healed her. He then instantly killed all seven swordsmen as they tried to flee.

• Pakura exhausted herself holding off the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and they launched their final attacks when they realized her feint had fooled them.
• An unseen barrier vaporized the swordsmen's attacks, and Li Yao's Wind Style Clone caught Pakura and healed her wounds.
• Pakura recognized Li Yao's Wind Style Clone and argued with him after he mocked her for failing to defeat the swordsmen.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone identified himself as the Fourth Kazekage and offered to show Pakura how to kill the swordsmen instantly.
• Suikazan Fuguki and the other six swordsmen tried to flee, but Li Yao's Wind Style Clone sliced them into pieces.

Li Yao's Wind Style Clone defeated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and took Pakura with him to destroy Kirigakure's strongholds in the Land of Wind. A week later, he had wiped out every remaining Kirigakure stronghold there, and Kirigakure learned of his campaign too late.

• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone killed the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, while their swords were summoned away before he could take them.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone carried Pakura to a Kirigakure mine stronghold and killed everyone there with Wind Release: Slash.
• Pakura chose to accompany Li Yao's Wind Style Clone as he hunted down Kirigakure's strongholds across the Land of Wind.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone killed the ninja at each stronghold, most of which were mines occupied by Kirigakure.
• One week later, Li Yao's Wind Style Clone had wiped out all Kirigakure strongholds in the Land of Wind before Kirigakure received word of his attacks.

Kirigakure's Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, set out to confront Li Yao's Wind Style Clone after hearing that he had devastated the Land of Wind front. Meanwhile, Madara learned that Li Yao had been missing for a year and ordered White Zetsu to provoke war so Obito would reach the battlefield sooner.

• A surviving Kirigakure ninja reported that the Fourth Kazekage had destroyed their bases in the Land of Wind, and Uroshi advised Yagura to gather intelligence.
• Yagura left Kirigakure with a squad to confront the Fourth Kazekage, while Li Yao's Wind Style Clone and Pakura waited at a coastal oasis outpost.
• White Zetsu told Madara that Li Yao had not returned from the Dragon Vein dimension and that the Uzumaki Clan woman remained at the site where it vanished.
• Madara learned that Obito had graduated and was on Minato Namikaze's team with Rin Nohara and Kakashi.
• Madara ordered White Zetsu to provoke the Five Great Nations into war against the Land of Fire and push Obito onto the battlefield.

Yagura reached Kirigakure’s hidden command center and learned that Li Yao’s Wind Style Clone had reduced the force of eight thousand ninja to fifty in fourteen days. Li Yao’s clone split open the island, rescued the survivors from the flooding base, and effortlessly cut apart Yagura’s Tailed Beast Bombs, leaving the Fourth Mizukage and his forces stunned.

• Yagura arrived at the underground command center and asked where the Fourth Kazekage was.
• Akasui reported that the Fourth Kazekage could fly and that only fifty Kirigakure ninja remained from the force of eight thousand.
• Li Yao’s Wind Style Clone split the island open with Wind Style Slash, exposing the command center and prompting Yagura to protect the group with Partial Tailed Beast Transformation.
• Yagura brought the Kirigakure survivors to the surface as seawater flooded the exposed base.
• Yagura fired Tailed Beast Bombs at Li Yao’s Wind Style Clone, who sliced each one apart with Wind Style: Slash Wave and left the Kirigakure ninja stunned.

Li Yao's Wind Style Clone fought Yagura and endured a barrage of Tailed Beast Bombs produced through the Multiple Water Mirror Technique. The island was destroyed, but Li Yao's Wind Style Clone survived inside a barrier, leaving Yagura and the Kirigakure ninja shocked and retreating.

• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone severed Yagura's arm and disabled the arms of the Kirigakure ninja with Wind Style: Slash Wave.
• Yagura used the Multiple Water Mirror Technique to surround the island, while his Tailed Beast claws carried his injured companions beyond its perimeter.
• Yagura and his water mirrors launched twenty-nine Tailed Beast Bombs, and water mirror clones delayed Li Yao's Wind Style Clone in their blast range.
• The Tailed Beast Bombs annihilated the island, and Pakura panicked before realizing Li Yao's Wind Style Clone's wind restraints still held her.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone emerged unharmed inside a transparent spherical barrier, and Yagura ordered the Kirigakure ninja to retreat.

Li Yao's Wind Style Clone challenged Yagura to unleash a full-powered Tailed Beast Bomb, then survived the blast behind his Slash Barrier. Yagura realized the clone was still alive and lost his desire to continue fighting, while Li Yao recognized that his Devouring Seal Array needed to store more Chakra.

• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone blocked Yagura's Storm Blade with the Slash Barrier and taunted him to use a larger Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Yagura transformed completely into the Three-Tails, Isobu, and formed a massive Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone retreated to give Yagura room to fire, then endured the blast inside the Slash Barrier as the explosion shook the sea.
• Yagura sensed powerful Chakra at the explosion's center and realized Li Yao's Wind Style Clone had survived, leaving him unwilling to continue the fight.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone found that the Devouring Seal Array's stored Chakra had nearly run out and concluded that he needed to increase its capacity.

Li Yao's Wind Style Clone forced Yagura to withdraw Kirigakure from its war with Sunagakure, but Konoha's attacks on neighboring villages triggered a coordinated assault on the Land of Fire. The chapter ended with Hiruzen Sarutobi facing a return to a four-front war against Konoha.

• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone spared Yagura after persuading him that Kirigakure was in the way of Sunagakure's campaign, and Yagura agreed to withdraw.
• Yagura ordered Kirigakure to retreat and prepare to invade Konoha, while Li Yao's Wind Style Clone sent Sunagakure forces toward the Land of Rivers.
• After Konoha attacked Sunagakure outposts, Li Yao's Wind Style Clone redirected forces from the Iwagakure front to defend and attack Konoha.
• Yagura learned that Konoha had struck a Kirigakure garrison and ordered Kirigakure to attack the Land of Fire.
• The Third Raikage sent his son and Killer B toward the Land of Fire after Konoha attacked Kumogakure strongholds.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi learned that Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Kumogakure had launched attacks on the Land of Fire, restoring Konoha's four-front war.

Li Yao's Wind Style Clone visited the Puppet Research Institute after Sasori sent a puppet pigeon to summon him. There, Sasori revealed a powerful, pulsing spherical puppet whose purpose remained unclear.

• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone learned that Kumogakure and Kirigakure had attacked the Land of Fire and suspected Madara was escalating the war to push young Konoha ninja onto the battlefield.
• Yōi told Li Yao's Wind Style Clone that there was no news from Sasori, but a metal-and-wood puppet pigeon soon arrived and spoke in Sasori's voice.
• Sasori's puppet pigeon invited Li Yao's Wind Style Clone and Yōi to the Puppet Research Institute to see his new puppet and learn how it operated.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone arrived at the Institute, where its researchers greeted him and Sasori showed him his personal research hall.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone and Yōi saw a huge spherical puppet pulsing with powerful Chakra, and Yōi feared it could destroy half the village if it exploded.

Sasori revealed a Puppet Heart that absorbed Nature Energy to create chakra and let puppets operate without chakra threads, then gave Li Yao his research notes. Li Yao studied the new sealing method, hoping its principles would help him overcome his inability to sense Nature Energy.

• Li Yao admired Sasori’s mechanical Puppet Heart and asked how he had developed it.
• Sasori explained that studying Shukaku’s soul had led him to create a Puppet Heart that used Tailed Beast Chakra to absorb Nature Energy, then a new version powered by his own chakra.
• Sasori said Puppet Hearts could sustain puppets with Nature Energy and control them remotely through spiritual power without chakra threads.
• Yōi recognized the military potential of Sasori’s invention and worried that his growing strength threatened Li Yao’s position.
• Li Yao memorized the sealing method inside the Puppet Heart, and Sasori handed him a scroll containing his research notes.
• Li Yao examined Sasori’s notes, focusing on their energy-conversion principles as a possible path to sensing Nature Energy and mastering Sage Art Chakra.

Li Yao's Wind Style Clone learned that Sasori's Puppet Sealing Method required the user to sense Nature Energy, then accompanied Sasori to watch him abandon his flesh and become a puppet. Sasori revealed the body and methods he had prepared for Mechanical Ascension, leaving his transformation about to begin.

• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone learned that creating a Puppet Heart required a person to sense and absorb Nature Energy, and Sasori explained that he had gained the ability while researching Shukaku's soul.
• Sasori invited Li Yao's Wind Style Clone to watch him completely puppetize himself, hoping the experience might help Li Yao sense Nature Energy.
• Yōi feared Li Yao's Wind Style Clone would abandon his flesh, but he reassured her that he would keep his body and welcomed the idea of meeting her beautiful younger aunt.
• Sasori led Li Yao's Wind Style Clone and Yōi to a secret chamber and revealed a lifelike puppet body modeled after himself, with internal Chakra channels and a place for his heart.
• Sasori explained that he had solved the problems of Chakra replenishment and preserving the soul, then prepared to demonstrate his transformation.

Li Yao's Wind Style Clone watched Sasori attempt to use a Puppet Array to replicate his mind, body, and soul in a humanoid puppet, then reconsidered his fear of Sasori's future power. He resolved to keep studying Sasori's techniques through a hidden agent while Sasori's transformation continued.

• Sasori removed his heart and placed it inside a humanoid puppet, where Puppet Sealing Methods began converting and circulating his energy.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone discovered that three linked Puppet Sealing Methods formed an array that could reorganize and fuse mind, body, and soul.
• As Sasori's heart slowed and the puppet's Spiritual Energy developed a trace of soul aura, Li Yao's Wind Style Clone feared Sasori's potential and considered killing him.
• Yōi reassured Li Yao's Wind Style Clone, who remembered that Sasori had entrusted him with his life and decided he need not fear Sasori's growth.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone resolved to have his Water Style Clone secretly possess a Sunagakure puppeteer, study under Sasori, and learn every Puppet Technique Sasori developed.

Sasori successfully transformed into a puppet-bodied Chakra lifeform, with a Puppet Heart supplying his soul with Chakra converted from Nature Energy. Li Yao's Wind Style Clone failed to sense Nature Energy but learned Sasori's Soul Replication research and eventually crafted a working Puppet Heart.

• Sasori's heart turned to ash as his soul became Spiritual Energy, and the Puppet Array formed his soul into a Chakra flame.
• The Puppet Heart Seal drew in Nature Energy and supplied Sasori with Chakra, completing his transformation into a living puppet.
• Sasori tested his new body, then gave Li Yao's Wind Style Clone the Soul Replication Formation research records after learning that he could not sense Nature Energy.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone began crafting a Puppet Heart while Yōi worried he planned to turn himself into a puppet.
• After fifty-two failures, Li Yao's Wind Style Clone assembled a Puppet Heart, and Sasori activated it with Chakra so it absorbed energy and stored Chakra.

Li Yao's Wind Style Clone studied the Soul Replication Formation while Sasori set out for the Land of Rivers and attacked its capital using an Iron Sand Shukaku. The Daimyo's forces failed to stop him, and the chapter left the capital under attack as Konoha's reinforcements had yet to arrive.

• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone decided to investigate whether Jiraiya had learned Sage Mode and whether Jugo had been born, while Sasori asked to go to the battlefield.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone sent Sasori to the Land of Rivers, where he could test his strength against Konoha's forces.
• Li Yao's Wind Style Clone began studying the Soul Replication Formation's Spell Scripts and considered developing their transformative power into an offensive ninjutsu.
• After installing Puppet Hearts in several puppets, Sasori set out for the Land of Rivers.
• Sasori used Iron Sand Manipulation to form a black, fifty-meter Shukaku that destroyed the Feudal Lord's Mansion and advanced on the Daimyo's group.
• Sunagakure shinobi watching outside the capital identified the monster as Sasori's Iron Sand creation and discussed the Puppet Heart's ability to absorb Nature Energy.

Orochimaru and Manda confronted Sasori’s Iron Sand Shukaku, which absorbed Nature Energy as it fought. The battle escalated when Sasori unleashed lightning-charged Iron Sand Needles against Orochimaru’s Rashomon.

• Orochimaru led Konoha reinforcements to the battlefield after sensing a massive disturbance and Nature Energy flowing toward a black Shukaku-like monster.
• Orochimaru summoned Manda, and Sasori controlled Iron Sand Shukaku to attack them with Refined Air Bullets.
• Orochimaru trapped Iron Sand Shukaku in a swamp while Manda coiled around it, but Sasori extended sharp Iron Sand spikes and forced Manda to escape with the Shedding Technique.
• Orochimaru recognized the monster as a construct using the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand Manipulation and suspected its controller was hidden inside.
• Sasori charged Iron Sand Shukaku with lightning and fired a dense barrage of Iron Sand Needles, prompting Orochimaru to summon Rashomon, which began cracking under the attack.