Recaps

Orochimaru’s squad captured the missing cat and asked Hiruzen Sarutobi for a higher-ranked mission after completing many D-rank assignments. Hiruzen assigned them to exterminate bandits in the southern Land of Fire, setting the squad on its first mission intended to expose them to bloodshed.

• Asuma, Kurenai Yūhi, and Anko caught and identified Coal Ball, the missing house cat, while Orochimaru supervised.
• Anko complained about the squad’s many D-rank Missions, and Orochimaru directed her to ask Asuma’s father, the Hokage.
• At the Hokage’s Office, Asuma demanded a higher-ranked mission, and Hiruzen Sarutobi struck him with his pipe for calling him “old man.”
• Hiruzen Sarutobi offered several C-rank Missions, and Orochimaru chose to exterminate bandits in the southern Land of Fire.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi approved the mission and handed Orochimaru the scroll.

Orochimaru’s team investigated a bandit threat in Nanta Village and learned that their client, Yuji Kawasaki, was a samurai from a fallen family whose enemies included samurai with Chakra. After explaining that the mission was a low-tier B-rank assignment, Orochimaru let his students decide whether to proceed, and Asuma volunteered to lead the mission.

• Orochimaru and his students reached Nanta Village and met its chief, Ma Bangdeque, who said bandits were approaching from the southern mountain.
• Orochimaru and Kurenai questioned the village chief’s account and recognized that the supposed hunter, Yuji, was a trained samurai with Chakra.
• Yuji revealed that he was Yuji Kawasaki, a member of a fallen samurai clan whose enemies had recently tracked him down.
• Yuji told the team that at least three of his enemies were samurai with Chakra, making the mission a low-tier B-rank assignment.
• Orochimaru explained the risks to his students and left the decision to them, and Asuma volunteered to take on the mission.

Orochimaru’s squad fought and defeated three experienced samurai in their first real battle, while Orochimaru controlled the bandits’ remaining underlings. Afterward, he assigned the youngsters lengthy battle reviews, and they each spent the night training or writing.

• Asuma, Anko, and Kurenai Yūhi infiltrated the bandit camp and killed many of the bandits before the Black-Clad Samurai noticed their absence and raised the alarm.
• Asuma and Anko engaged three samurai while Kurenai Yūhi supported them with genjutsu, and Orochimaru used genjutsu to keep the other bandits from interfering.
• Kurenai Yūhi controlled the remaining underlings as Asuma and Anko worked together to paralyze and kill the samurai.
• Orochimaru frightened the fleeing underlings to death, then agreed to buy the youngsters food and ordered each of them to write a three-thousand-word battle review.
• Anko stayed up writing, Kurenai Yūhi practiced the fight with Yūhi Shinku, and the Third Hokage supervised Asuma’s training with Enma’s Adamantine Staff.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Orochimaru to reinforce the struggling Kumogakure front, while Asuma and the other Genin were assigned to logistics work. Orochimaru departed with a supply convoy at dawn, intending to prepare his young disciples to survive the war.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi reviewed Kurenai Yūhi’s report and recorded the Orochimaru Squad’s completed C-rank mission.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Orochimaru that the Kumogakure and Iwagakure fronts were in trouble and ordered him to halt the decline at the Kumogakure battlefield.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Asuma and the other Genin to logistics and transport work rather than direct combat.
• Orochimaru agreed to leave the next day and planned to teach his disciples more ways to escape danger.
• At dawn, Orochimaru confirmed the convoy was ready, including Jōnin from the Sarutobi clan, and ordered the group to move out.

Orochimaru examined Jiraiya’s injuries after his fight with the Third Raikage, then took command of a meeting about the failing battlefield situation. He stripped three corrupt commanders of their posts and ordered a strategic withdrawal to defend Hot Spring City, prompting Jiraiya to challenge him.

• Orochimaru examined Jiraiya, warned him to avoid fighting for two weeks, and sent him to summon the staff officers.
• An intelligence officer reported that enemy forces had captured cities to the west and north, threatening to break through the defensive line.
• Orochimaru confronted three commanders for neglecting intelligence and exploiting the war, then stripped them of their posts.
• Orochimaru ordered the troops north of Hot Spring City to abandon their fortifications and concentrate on defending the city.
• Jiraiya pointed at Orochimaru and protested that he planned to abandon the territory north of Hot Spring City.

Orochimaru persuaded Jiraiya to trust his strategy of giving up the northern defenses, then taught Asuma, Anko, and Kurenai new techniques to improve their battlefield survival. The chapter left Asuma nursing another bump on his head after Orochimaru declared the result symmetrical.

• Orochimaru convinced Jiraiya to let Kumogakure advance, arguing that retreat could help them win, and gave him a book about protracted warfare.
• Asuma, Anko, and Kurenai questioned Orochimaru about abandoning the front line, and he explained that confusing the enemy was part of his strategy.
• Orochimaru gave Kurenai scrolls containing Observation Haki and the Body Flicker Technique: Shave, instructing the students to memorize and burn them.
• Orochimaru summoned Asuma and punched him on the head, saying the matching bumps made things look more symmetrical.

Orochimaru prepared his team and secretly split Konohagakure’s forces, leaving Jiraiya to defend Hot Spring City while he led raids deep into Kumogakure territory. The chapter ended as Orochimaru’s teams departed under cover of darkness, with Orochimaru heading for the enemy command headquarters.

• Orochimaru gave Asuma the Sonar Technique, Anko the Ryūchi Cave scroll, and Kurenai Yūhi his Water Release training notes.
• Orochimaru ordered Konohagakure’s shinobi to withdraw to Hot Spring City and strengthen its defenses.
• Orochimaru told the jōnin that he would secretly split the forces without revealing his plan, then left Jiraiya in charge of defending the city.
• Orochimaru selected perception- and speed-specialist shinobi for a mission to raid Kumogakure’s rear and disrupt its supplies.
• Orochimaru led around thirty disguised shinobi out at night in three teams, with himself, Shikun Mitarashi, and Yūhi Shinku as captains.
• Orochimaru set out to find Kumogakure’s command headquarters and destroy its leadership.

Yūhi Shinku’s team uncovered and raided a Kumogakure supply outpost, while Orochimaru targeted the enemy’s logistics route after failing to find its headquarters. Orochimaru blocked a canal by raising an enormous earth mountain, leaving Kumogakure’s shipping route unusable until the obstruction was cleared.

• Yūhi Shinku hypnotically interrogated a captured Kumogakure operative, discovered a hidden outpost and its defenses, then killed the operative after gathering the intelligence.
• Yūhi Shinku’s team raided the outpost, killed its Jōnin, and captured a Special Jōnin, but found no information about Kumogakure’s command echelon.
• Orochimaru chose to head north and attack the canal that Kumogakure relied on to transport supplies.
• Orochimaru ambushed the canal guards with Water Release while his squad attacked the survivors from both banks.
• Orochimaru used Earth Release: Earth Mountain Technique to build an over-eighty-meter mountain across the canal, cutting off the waterway.

Jiraiya held off the Third Raikage’s assault on Hot Spring City, while the Third Raikage learned that Konoha had destroyed Kumogakure’s rear outposts and cut its supply waterways. Shikun Mitarashi intercepted a secret message meant for the Fourth Raikage and asked Inoichi Yamanaka to uncover the enemy commander’s location.

• Jiraiya used his full strength to repel the Third Raikage’s attacks, reopening his wounds, and Kumogakure withdrew until dusk.
• The Third Raikage suspected Tsunade had reached the battlefield and ordered the Fourth Raikage to come forward.
• The Third Raikage received a report that Konoha had destroyed rear outposts and severed a river channel, then ordered an immediate renewed offensive and sent a message to the Fourth Raikage.
• Shikun Mitarashi ambushed the Kumogakure Anbu carrying the message, killed him, and recovered the letter.
• Inoichi Yamanaka began searching the dead ninja’s mind for the location of the Kumogakure commander.

Shikun Mitarashi led a Konoha strike against Dodai, but the Cloud advisor’s Lava Release and preparations for the Flying Thunder God Technique thwarted his assassination attempt. Shikun returned with Snake Shadow, revealed as Hatake Sakumo, and their renewed attack left Dodai badly wounded.

• Dodai received reports at Kumogakure Headquarters and ordered his forces to respond when the power failed and the sentries were killed.
• Shikun Mitarashi and the Konoha team launched a coordinated attack, but Dodai blocked their shuriken with a rubber wall and fought off Shikun’s Flying Thunder God attacks.
• Dodai covered Shikun’s marked kunai with rubber, forcing Shikun to retreat and summon reinforcements.
• Shikun returned with Snake Shadow, who was revealed as Hatake Sakumo, and the two surrounded Dodai.
• Shikun’s clones distracted Dodai while Snake Shadow struck with the Kusanagi Sword, cutting open one of Dodai’s eyes.

Kumogakure’s forces withdrew from Hot Spring City after Orochimaru’s supply-line attacks and the assault that left Dodai unconscious. Jiraiya ordered Konoha to reclaim lost territory, while the Third Raikage pursued Orochimaru and his team.

• Shikun Mitarashi and Snake Shadow ordered their Konoha team to retreat when reinforcements approached, leaving Dodai behind.
• The Third Raikage learned that Dodai was unconscious and ordered A to lead Kumogakure’s main force back to the village while he went after Orochimaru.
• Jiraiya woke to news that Kumogakure had withdrawn and ordered Konoha’s forces to retake lost territory.
• Kumogakure retreated to Orochimaru’s earthen dam, where A admired the scale of the technique and the Third Raikage fumed over Konoha’s escape.
• Orochimaru’s team regrouped with Yūhi Shinku and Shikun Mitarashi’s teams after the failed attempt on Dodai.

The Third Raikage struggled to catch Orochimaru, who used his knowledge of Kumogakure’s plans to evade the encirclement. Orochimaru decided to retreat and provoke the Hot Water ninja into fighting Kumogakure, leaving the Hot Water outpost facing a disguised Raikage and his Konoha force.

• The Third Raikage grew furious as Orochimaru’s cross-dressing clone and knowledge of Kumogakure’s deployments frustrated the pursuit, so he called in nearby garrisons and Hot Water ninja to help search.
• Shikun Mitarashi and Hizashi Hyuga reported that Kumogakure’s forces had grown and that Hot Water ninja had joined them.
• Orochimaru rejected advancing into the Land of Lightning and chose to break through the thinner forces behind them, while planning to use the Hot Water ninja against Kumogakure.
• Orochimaru’s disguised Konoha ninja split into two teams and circled south.
• Orochimaru, disguised as the Third Raikage, kicked in the Hot Water outpost’s door and threatened to make everyone wear women’s clothes until the ninja who had insulted him stood alone.

Orochimaru escaped the encirclement by misleading the pursuing forces, but the Third Raikage intercepted him and launched a powerful attack. Orochimaru used summons, traps, and teleportation to fight back, but the Raikage overwhelmed his giant snakes and sent Garaga flying toward him.

• Shikun Mitarashi disguised himself as a wounded Yugakure ninja and tricked the Kumogakure camp into believing Konoha had attacked them in disguise.
• The Yugakure and Kumogakure forces clashed after mistaking each other for enemies, while Orochimaru slipped away east toward the Land of Grass.
• The Third Raikage appeared before Orochimaru and attacked with Lightning Release: Liger Bomb, but Orochimaru used a giant snake to shield himself and Flying Thunder God to evade the Raikage's next strike.
• Orochimaru trapped the Third Raikage with summoned pythons carrying explosive tags, but the Raikage emerged unharmed in his strongest Lightning Release Armor.
• The Third Raikage shattered Manda's iron horn and drove Manda's head into the ground before kicking Garaga toward Orochimaru.

Orochimaru joined Jiraiya and Shikun Mitarashi after the Fourth Raikage broke through their encirclement, and promised to restore Shikun's severed arm with cloning technology. An attempt to obtain Ayaka Kimura's eggs for the experiment ended with Jiraiya's reputation taking another hit.

• Orochimaru dismissed Garaga and Manda, then used a Genjutsu Clone dressed in a bikini to distract the Third Raikage while he escaped.
• Orochimaru reached Jiraiya and Shikun Mitarashi, who had been wounded when the Fourth Raikage led the Kumogakure ninja through their encirclement.
• Orochimaru reassured Shikun and Ayaka Kimura that he could clone a replacement arm, though Shikun would need to train it to regain his strength.
• Orochimaru asked Shikun to obtain Ayaka's eggs for the cloning experiment, and Shikun asked Jiraiya to handle it instead.
• Jiraiya mistook Ayaka's menstrual blood for the eggs and secretly rummaged through what she had used, prompting Ayaka to chase him in anger.

Orochimaru began a cloning experiment using cells from Shikun Mitarashi, while Ayaka Kimura sought to learn the costly technology to help disabled ninja. The chapter ended with Might Duy promoted to Chunin and assigned to the Land of Hot Water Battlefield, as Minato Squad was sent to the Land of Grass Battlefield.

• Ayaka Kimura asked Orochimaru to teach her cloning technology, and he explained that its immense cost would make it unaffordable for most disabled ninja.
• Ayaka insisted she would learn to reduce the cost, and she gave Orochimaru a test tube before he collected somatic cells from Shikun Mitarashi's severed shoulder.
• Orochimaru began growing an embryo in a glass container and told Ayaka to monitor the nutrient solution and record the cells' development.
• An Anbu informed Might Duy that Orochimaru's recommendation and the Third Hokage's approval had promoted him to Chunin and assigned him to the Land of Hot Water Battlefield.
• Minato Squad received transfer orders to the Land of Grass Battlefield, where Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara would join Kakashi against Iwagakure.

Dodai urged the Third Raikage to delay major battles with Konohagakure, but Orochimaru finally unleashed the flood he had prepared by blocking the Canal. Kumogakure evacuated its forces, though some supplies were lost, and the flood halted major fighting until the waters receded.

• Dodai advised the Third Raikage to hold Kumogakure's ground, harass Konohagakure, and wait for Killer B to master the Eight-Tails.
• Orochimaru prepared to release the Canal's floodwaters and reviewed Might Duy's powerful Eight Gates techniques.
• Dodai realized that Orochimaru had planned to exploit the heavy rain and warned the Raikages to evacuate their shinobi and supplies.
• Orochimaru split and moved the earth mountain, then escaped the oncoming flood with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• The Third Raikage and the Fourth Raikage found that some Kumogakure supplies had been swept away, leaving both sides unable to fight until the flood receded.

Asuma’s supply convoy detected a large Kumogakure force approaching, and the young shinobi chose to fight rather than abandon the supplies. Seiji Aoki agreed to the battle, and the convoy’s hidden reinforcements prepared to meet the enemy.

• Asuma used his Infrasound Technique to detect at least fifty enemies south of the convoy.
• Seiji Aoki considered evading the enemy, but Asuma and the other Genin urged him to stand and fight.
• Kurenai Yūhi sensed that a Kumogakure company of one Jōnin, two Special Jōnin, nine Chunin, and thirty-six Genin was approaching.
• Seiji Aoki prompted Okū Sarutobi to reveal himself, and Okū claimed he had been sent to help wipe out the Kumogakure unit.
• Okū Sarutobi and the other concealed Jōnin prepared to support the convoy as the enemy drew near.

Okū Sarutobi commanded a Konoha ambush as Asuma, Anko, and Kurenai fought Kumogakure ninja and showed their strength. After they cornered a fleeing special jōnin, Okū arrived holding the head of the enemy jōnin he had defeated, leaving the Cloud ninja surrounded.

• Seiji Aoki handed command to Okū Sarutobi, and Konoha's forces prepared an ambush using the supply wagons and children as bait.
• Okū Sarutobi opened the battle with a Great Fireball while Anko, Asuma, and Kurenai attacked a Kumogakure chunin, whom Asuma killed with a genjutsu-assisted strike.
• Asuma, Anko, and Kurenai joined Seiji Aoki against a Kumogakure special jōnin and coordinated their ninjutsu, swordplay, and genjutsu to keep him at bay.
• The special jōnin spread lightning across the ground and tried to flee, but Okū Sarutobi returned holding the head of the Kumogakure jōnin he had defeated.
• Asuma, Anko, Kurenai, and Seiji Aoki surrounded the fleeing Cloud ninja, who begged them not to come closer.

Orochimaru assigned Anko, Asuma, and Kurenai battle reports and training, then teased the Third Raikage with women's clothes until their exchange erupted into a fight. As Orochimaru and the Raikage battled, the Fourth Raikage and Konoha Ninja joined in, and a Sarutobi Clan Jōnin revealed himself to protect Asuma.

• Orochimaru questioned Anko, Asuma, and Kurenai about their post-battle review and ordered them to write detailed reports about the battle in Okū Sarutobi's place.
• Orochimaru told the team to tally his supply list, serve him tea, and gave them a Kami-e training scroll improved with Might Duy.
• Orochimaru taunted the Third Raikage with a lolita outfit and a JK Uniform, prompting the Raikage to charge at him and tear the clothing.
• Orochimaru and the Third Raikage fought with ninjutsu, earth walls, and Manda as the Fourth Raikage and Konoha Ninja joined the clash.
• A Sarutobi Clan Jōnin who had secretly guarded Asuma revealed himself and told Asuma to stay close.

Might Duy and Fourth Raikage A fought in a fierce taijutsu duel while Orochimaru battled Third Raikage, and neither fight reached a conclusion. Meanwhile, Anko, Asuma, and Kurenai Yūhi defended themselves against Kumogakure Shinobi away from the logistics convoy.

• Might Duy opened the Seventh Gate and clashed with Fourth Raikage A, trading powerful kicks and attacks.
• Fourth Raikage A praised Might Duy as a worthy opponent, and they continued fighting with a Liger Bomb and Konoha Rock-Crushing Rise.
• Third Raikage threw Manda into Garaga, then caught Orochimaru’s Sky Sword and endured his combined Lightning Water Dragon Bullet.
• Orochimaru concluded that Third Raikage’s defense and stamina left him with few ways to win, while their battle remained at a stalemate.
• Anko, Asuma, and Kurenai Yūhi worked together to fend off attackers, with Anko killing a hidden Shinobi and Kurenai using Genjutsu against another.

Orochimaru exploited the Fourth Raikage’s absence to push Konohagakure’s forces into the Land of Lightning, but the returning Fourth Raikage and Killer B confronted him with their newly strengthened AB Combination. Orochimaru used Flying Thunder God and summoned three giant serpents to stall them, leaving the battle underway as explosive-tagged snakes attacked the Fourth Raikage.

• Orochimaru learned that the Fourth Raikage had left Kumogakure and ordered a major offensive into the Land of Lightning.
• Konohagakure captured Cloud Lightning Castle despite the Third Raikage’s efforts to stop its advance.
• The Fourth Raikage learned that Orochimaru had broken into the Land of Lightning, and Killer B returned with him after mastering the Eight-Tails through rap.
• Orochimaru delayed the AB Combination while marked snakes spread beneath the battlefield, then summoned Garaga, Manda, and Aoda.
• Killer B entered Complete Tailed Beast Transformation and used Tailed Beast Eight Twists to repel the three serpents while the Fourth Raikage charged Orochimaru.
• The Fourth Raikage struck a smoke clone, and explosive-tagged pythons emerged from the ground to attack him.

Orochimaru fought the Fourth Raikage while his summons battled the Eight-Tails, then used the pressure to push his Observation Haki to a new level and study the Raikage’s Lightning Chakra. When the Third Raikage arrived, Orochimaru withdrew, leaving the Raikage to wonder why he had not fought at full strength.

• Orochimaru severed one of the Eight-Tails’ tentacles with a water jet, but evaded its Tailed Beast Ball as the Fourth Raikage pursued him.
• Orochimaru closed his eyes and sharpened his Observation Haki to keep up with the Fourth Raikage’s speed, then opened the first six Eight Gates and counterattacked.
• Orochimaru’s heightened perception let him sense the world in new detail and observe the Fourth Raikage’s Lightning Chakra circulating through his body.
• Orochimaru let the Fourth Raikage attack so he could study the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, but sensed the Third Raikage approaching and decided to retreat.
• The Third Raikage arrived and concluded that Orochimaru had held back because he feared the reinforcements, planning to ask Dodai whether Orochimaru had another scheme.

Orochimaru analyzed how to exploit the Third Raikage’s chest wound and prepared for Kumogakure’s counterattack. During the battle, he struck the wound and opened the Seventh Gate, ending the chapter with a powerful assault on the Third Raikage.

• Orochimaru concluded that a powerful Lightning Release attack could disrupt the Third Raikage’s Lightning Release Chakra Mode and expose his chest wound.
• Kumogakure counterattacked, and Shikun Mitarashi fought the Fourth Raikage while Might Duy clashed with Killer B.
• Orochimaru evaded the Third Raikage with Flying Thunder God and used Purple Electricity to pierce the scar on his chest.
• Orochimaru opened the first seven gates and launched Night Phoenix: Six Powers: Phoenix Drizzle at the Third Raikage.
• Orochimaru drove a heavy thrusting kick toward the Third Raikage’s chest.

Orochimaru weakened the Third Raikage by provoking him into a furious battle and using Genjutsu, while Shikun Mitarashi and Might Duy held back the Fourth Raikage and Killer B. As the Third Raikage prepared to die, he ordered A to retreat and take his place as Raikage, and Killer B stayed behind to help the others escape.

• Orochimaru revealed that he had released the Eight-Tails and killed Blue B, driving the wounded Third Raikage into a relentless attack.
• The Third Raikage smashed through Orochimaru's defenses while Orochimaru used substitutes and taunts to wear him down; the Fourth Raikage and Killer B tried to reach them but were held back by Shikun Mitarashi and Might Duy.
• Orochimaru's Genjutsu made the exhausted Third Raikage see Blue B, and the Third Raikage collapsed as A struggled to break through Shikun Mitarashi's blockade.
• The Third Raikage ordered A to retreat and become the Fourth Raikage, while Shikun Mitarashi continued holding A back despite his grievous injuries.
• Killer B arrived to cover the retreat, and Dodai sealed the Fourth Raikage with ink clones before carrying him away as Killer B stayed behind.

Orochimaru recognized that the Killer B before him was a clone, secured an Eight-Tails tentacle, and rushed to save the gravely injured Shikun Mitarashi. After finding biomechanical research from Dr. Genos, Orochimaru devised a costly plan to replace Shikun's missing body parts and preserve his ability to use ninjutsu.

• Orochimaru saw through Killer B's clone, then ordered Ayaka Kimura to take Zixiao for treatment while he dealt with Killer B.
• Orochimaru and Ayaka Kimura kept Shikun Mitarashi alive, and Orochimaru told the grieving Mitaraishi Anko that her father was still alive.
• Orochimaru studied Dr. Genos's biomechanical research for three days and developed a treatment plan for Shikun Mitarashi.
• Ayaka Kimura gathered the surgical materials, including expensive chakra metal, so Shikun Mitarashi's mechanical body could still carry chakra.