Chapter Summaries

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• Jiraiya woke to news that Kumogakure had withdrawn and ordered Konoha’s forces to retake lost territory.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.

After Shikun Mitarashi’s successful surgery, Konoha defeated Kumogakure in the Land of Hot Water and secured favorable peace terms. Hiruzen Sarutobi then asked Orochimaru to serve as chief examiner for the chunin exams and use his reputation to deter smaller nations from challenging Konoha.

• Orochimaru successfully replaced Shikun Mitarashi’s mechanical eye and limbs, leaving him to adjust to his new body.
• Konoha’s army drove Kumogakure from the Land of Hot Water, and negotiations forced Kumogakure to surrender mission rights in two small nations and pay reparations.
• Yūhi Shinku joined Orochimaru’s side, while Orochimaru monitored Shikun Mitarashi and considered upgrades to his mechanical body and surveillance equipment.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi explained that smaller nations were testing Konoha’s influence and proposed hosting chunin exams to demonstrate the village’s strength.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi appointed Orochimaru chief examiner, expecting his reputation to discourage the surrounding nations from plotting against Konoha.

Orochimaru prepared Kakashi and his teammates for the Chunin Ninja Exams, giving Kakashi a new technique and agreeing to train Rin and Obito as well. The chapter ended with Orochimaru arranging for the three to spar against the Orochimaru Squad.

• Orochimaru discussed Kakashi and the Orochimaru Squad’s strength, while Shikun Mitarashi and Yūhi Shinku wondered about Kakashi’s future and their daughters’ prospects.
• Kakashi told Orochimaru that his team’s Chunin Ninja Exam application had been approved, and Orochimaru explained that the exams would showcase Konohagakure’s new generation.
• Orochimaru gave Kakashi an S-rank Purple Electricity scroll to help him improve his Chidori, and Kakashi rushed off to practice.
• After two days, Kakashi brought Rin Nohara and Obito Uchiha to Orochimaru for help with their training.
• Orochimaru agreed to train Rin and Obito and called for the Orochimaru Squad so the teams could spar.

Kakashi defeated Asuma in a training match, but Asuma blamed his loss on his unfamiliar weapon and resolved to challenge Kakashi again. Obito then challenged Asuma and was beaten by Anko, ending the training with Rin tending to him.

• Asuma attacked Kakashi with Wind Release, but Kakashi countered with Earth Release and then disarmed him with White Fang, winning their match.
• Asuma said he had lost because he was inexperienced with Flying Swallow and had fought Kakashi on Kakashi’s strongest terms, and he vowed to improve before the Chunin Exams.
• Rin checked on Kakashi, while Obito reacted jealously to Kakashi’s remark that he was stronger than Obito.
• Obito challenged Asuma, but Anko stepped in and defeated Obito after he dismissed the girls’ strength.
• Rin gently treated Obito’s bruises, and Obito was pleased to receive her attention despite losing.

Orochimaru shaped the Minato Squad's training before opening the Chunin Ninja Exams in Konoha. After the written test, Kakashi and Rin Nohara led the results, while Obito Uchiha and Might Guy barely passed.

• Orochimaru gave Rin Nohara a detailed poison manual and increased Obito Uchiha's training to prepare him to protect and rescue her.
• Teams from smaller nations arrived, and Orochimaru opened the exams with a three-round format after silencing the assembled genin with his killing intent.
• Obito Uchiha arrived late to the opening ceremony, then joined his team for the written test at the Ninja Academy.
• Kakashi handed Rin Nohara, Obito Uchiha, and Might Guy answers with paper balls before leaving the written test early.
• Might Guy admitted he had missed the back of the test, while Obito Uchiha said he had fallen asleep; Kakashi and Rin placed first and second, and Guy and Obito finished near the bottom.

Kakashi and Might Guy fought in the Chunin Exams team battle while their teammates clashed nearby. Kakashi’s squad won the encounter, and Guy agreed to face him again in the individual battle finals.

• Anko Mitarashi defeated Shirai Kuroko’s team after sensing Kuroko’s attempt to attack from underground.
• Might Guy challenged Kakashi, and the two traded fast taijutsu attacks before Kakashi used Hatake-style hand-blade techniques to gain the advantage.
• Guy continued the fight with his Double Alloy Steel Staff, and Kakashi drew the White Fang Shortsword to meet him.
• Rin Nohara and Obito Uchiha defeated Genma Shiranui and Ebisu, then joined Kakashi against Guy.
• Kakashi withdrew and proposed that he and Guy settle their rivalry in the individual battle finals, where Guy promised to meet him for their forty-seventh duel.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the match and considered how Kakashi and Guy strengthened Orochimaru’s growing faction and claim to become Fourth Hokage.