Chapter Summaries

Iwagakure’s campaign against the Land of Grass left Hanzo questioning Amegakure’s future, while Obito and Might Guy’s rivalry over Kakashi turned into a duel between the two friends. The chapter ended with Guy holding Obito back as Kakashi slipped away.

• Hanzo ordered Amegakure’s forces to exercise restraint against Iwagakure and wondered where his village’s future lay.
• Obito and Rin kept visiting Mo Xingchen’s tavern, where Rin helped out and Obito challenged Kakashi while spending time with her.
• Obito and Might Guy confronted Kakashi at Konoha’s gate and demanded a duel, but Kakashi refused.
• Kakashi suggested that Obito and Might Guy fight first, with the winner earning the chance to challenge him.
• Kakashi took advantage of their argument to sneak away, but Might Guy grabbed Obito and challenged him instead.

Hatake Sakumo learned that Iwagakure was escalating tensions at the Land of Grass border, but rejected Hiruzen Sarutobi’s appeal for help by reminding him that Konoha had reduced him to an ordinary Genin. He left Hiruzen in silence after declaring that Konoha’s White Fang had died five years earlier.

• Kakashi visited Mo Xingchen’s tavern and accepted a bento from Rin Nohara.
• Obito arrived, received a bento from Rin, and celebrated her kindness.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Hatake Sakumo intelligence about Iwagakure’s growing military presence near the Land of Grass.
• Sakumo joked that he was looking at the situation standing up, then reminded Hiruzen that he was only an ordinary Genin.
• Sakumo confronted Hiruzen over the five years he had spent sidelined and said Konoha’s White Fang had died because of Hiruzen’s choice.
• Hiruzen fell silent, unable to answer Sakumo’s accusation.

Hatake Sakumo proposed rotating Konoha forces through the Land of Grass, but refused to lead them himself and sarcastically nominated Shimura Danzō. Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to appoint Danzō commander with Orochimaru as his deputy and sent Shinnosuke to find Orochimaru.

• Hatake Sakumo proposed dividing Konoha’s shinobi into three rotating groups, led by veteran jōnin, and having the Land of Grass help pay for supplies and missions.
• Hatake Sakumo nominated Shimura Danzō to command the deployment, then left after telling Hiruzen Sarutobi not to involve him further.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi considered who could oversee the mission and chose Orochimaru as Danzō’s deputy, with Shinnosuke Sarutobi also set to assist.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Shinnosuke to find Orochimaru, and Shinnosuke searched the Dragon Gate Inn before heading toward Konoha’s gates.

Shinnosuke Sarutobi summoned Orochimaru to the Hokage's Office, but Orochimaru tricked him into taking over the farm work. There, Orochimaru rejected Hiruzen Sarutobi's plan to send him as Danzo's deputy to the Land of Grass, saying he needed to grow vegetables.

• Shinnosuke Sarutobi found Orochimaru working at Mo Xingchen's Qiūqiū Farm and relayed Hiruzen Sarutobi's summons.
• Orochimaru made Shinnosuke wash his hands with Water Release, then left him to clear weeds under Katsuyu's guidance.
• Orochimaru reached the Hokage's Office and learned that Hatake Sakumo's proposal concerned the situation in the Land of Grass.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi proposed sending Danzo to command in the Land of Grass with Orochimaru as his deputy.
• Orochimaru rejected the assignment, saying he had no time because he needed to grow vegetables.

Hiruzen Sarutobi tried to appoint Orochimaru as Danzo’s assistant for the Land of Grass border, but Orochimaru persuaded him to choose Jiraiya instead. Hiruzen agreed to summon Jiraiya, while Orochimaru left without taking the assignment.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi scolded Orochimaru for joking about the border crisis and asked him to serve as Danzo’s assistant.
• Orochimaru refused to work under Danzo, and Hiruzen explained that the arrangement would keep Danzo’s political ambitions in check.
• Orochimaru proposed Jiraiya as the deputy, arguing that he should return to the village and help Hiruzen instead of wandering off to write novels.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed that Jiraiya should be summoned to serve in the Land of Grass, and Orochimaru quietly left.

Hatake Sakumo told Mo Xingchen that Konoha was mobilizing against Iwagakure, while Danzo set out for the Land of Grass ahead of the main force. At Dragon Gate Inn, Kushina excitedly discussed the coming mission with the children, and Obito resolved to graduate early if Kakashi went; then Jiraiya returned and called for Orochimaru.

• Sakumo told Mo Xingchen about Iwagakure’s new move and the Hokage’s plan, and Mo Xingchen advised him to follow his conscience.
• The Third Hokage mobilized Konoha’s forces, and Danzo left early with Root to assess the situation in the Land of Grass.
• Kushina told the children that Konoha was going to war, while Kakashi questioned her account and she insisted her Chunin rank gave her inside knowledge.
• Kushina encouraged Rin, Obito, and Kai to face danger bravely, while Obito decided to graduate early if Kakashi went on the mission.
• Jiraiya arrived at Dragon Gate Inn and angrily called for Orochimaru.

Jiraiya confronted Orochimaru over sending him on a mission to the Land of Grass, and they agreed to fight. The next morning, with Mo Xingchen and the others watching, Jiraiya struck Orochimaru with a Great Fireball, leaving the spectators stunned by how quickly the fight seemed to end.

• Jiraiya accused Orochimaru of recommending him for the Land of Grass and challenged him to a duel.
• Orochimaru accepted Jiraiya's challenge and set the fight for the next morning in the Forest of Death.
• Mo Xingchen gave the Dragon Gate Inn staff half a day off, and the group went to watch the duel with Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
• Jiraiya threw shuriken at Orochimaru's clone, then sensed Orochimaru emerging from the ground and countered with a Great Fireball.
• The fireball blasted Orochimaru backward and charred his clothes, while Kakashi and the other children wondered aloud whether Orochimaru had been defeated.

Orochimaru dominated Jiraiya in a spectacular training-ground battle, impressing the watching children with his speed and power. After Orochimaru’s relentless attacks began to wear him down, Jiraiya protected himself with Needle Jizo, but Orochimaru’s next punch still drove him into the ground.

• Orochimaru and Jiraiya exchanged feints and substitutions as the children cheered their battle.
• Orochimaru discovered Jiraiya hiding inside a toad and struck him with a powerful sweeping kick.
• Orochimaru pursued Jiraiya with a rapid barrage of taijutsu, stunning Obito, Rin Nohara, and Might Guy.
• Orochimaru’s stamina began to falter, allowing Jiraiya to form seals while airborne.
• Jiraiya used Needle Jizo to wrap himself in hardened hair, but Orochimaru’s qi-coated punch blasted him into the ground.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru’s spar escalated into a summoning battle, drawing the Ninja Academy students’ attention. When Manda threatened Mo Xingchen, Mo Xingchen’s immense Mental Pressure forced the giant snake to submit.

• Jiraiya and Orochimaru recovered from their fight, praised each other, and summoned Gamabunta and Manda.
• Obito, Kakashi, and the other children watched the giant summoned beasts, while Tsunade claimed Katsuyu was stronger than either one.
• Manda demanded one hundred living human sacrifices from Orochimaru, and Mo Xingchen mocked him for failing to discipline his pet.
• Gamabunta recognized Mo Xingchen and respectfully greeted him, while Manda arrogantly roared at the group.
• Mo Xingchen darkened the sky and directed his Mental Pressure at Manda, making the giant snake collapse and tremble.

Mo Xingchen subdued Manda after it provoked him, then spared it at Orochimaru’s request and warned Manda and Gamabunta about cultivation. Orochimaru and Jiraiya ended their standoff, while Orochimaru reflected on his new potential as a cultivator.

• Mo Xingchen asked whether Manda had a problem with him, and Manda buried its head in the ground and begged forgiveness.
• Mo Xingchen asked if anyone knew how to make snake stew, and Manda frantically kowtowed while Orochimaru pleaded for its life.
• Orochimaru promised to fry Manda if it misbehaved again, and Mo Xingchen spared it while telling it to control its temper.
• Mo Xingchen warned Manda and Gamabunta that excessive killing could make their Form Transformation tribulations harder.
• Orochimaru and Jiraiya called off their battle, and Orochimaru considered how cultivation had expanded his future prospects.

After the battle, Jiraiya and Orochimaru reconciled, and Mo Xingchen taught Orochimaru to examine his own heart as he learned the Dao. Jiraiya then showed Mo Xingchen his unfinished manuscript, leaving him impressed by Jiraiya’s shameless account of its creation.

• Gamabunta invited Mo Xingchen to Mount Myōboku on behalf of the Great Toad Sage, and Mo Xingchen agreed to visit when he had time.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru formed the reconciliation seal, after which Orochimaru pulled away and disgustedly shook his hand.
• Jiraiya asked Tsunade to treat his injuries, so she left Katsuyu to handle the task.
• Orochimaru told Mo Xingchen that combat had made him instinctively rely on ninjutsu, and Mo Xingchen explained that cultivation meant correcting one’s flaws and advised him to ask his heart what was right.
• Jiraiya presented Mo Xingchen with his unfinished manuscript and described his years of research in bathhouses and the Red Light District, prompting Mo Xingchen to praise his talent.

Jiraiya’s manuscript drew the adults’ attention and sparked a scuffle among the curious children, while Kushina scolded Minato for reading it. Watching them reminded Tsunade of Nawaki, and she quietly mourned her brother.

• Tsunade and Kushina stopped Obito, Might Guy, and Minato from reading Jiraiya’s vulgar manuscript, while Mo Xingchen tossed Kakashi out of the crowd.
• Kakashi refused to explain what he had read, so Obito and Might Guy challenged him to a fight.
• Mo Xingchen, Jiraiya, Hatake Sakumo, and Might Dai discussed the story while Tsunade and Kushina criticized them.
• Kushina scolded Minato for looking toward the men’s group and told him to learn from Orochimaru instead.
• Tsunade remembered teasing Nawaki, drank to dull her grief, and silently promised not to bully him again.

Mo Xingchen and the others helped Jiraiya finish the second half of his book and persuaded him to try their Ten-Great-Supplement Wine. When Kushina wanted to join a mission to the Land of Grass, Tsunade objected out of fear for her safety, but Mo Xingchen helped the sisters reconcile; then Kakashi announced he wanted to go too.

• Mo Xingchen and the others shared ideas with Jiraiya, who praised them for inspiring the second half of his work.
• Mo Xingchen urged Jiraiya to stop seeking risky material and have more consideration for others, then Hatake Sakumo introduced him to Ten-Great-Supplement Wine.
• Tsunade angrily opposed Kushina's plan to join a mission to the Land of Grass, and Minato explained that Kushina had just announced her intention to go.
• Mo Xingchen reminded Tsunade that Kushina needed to grow as a ninja, and Tsunade finally agreed to let her go.
• Mo Xingchen explained Tsunade's worries to Kushina, and the sisters reconciled with a hug.
• Kakashi told Hatake Sakumo that he wanted to go to the Land of Grass too.

Kakashi wanted to go to the Land of Grass, but Mo Xingchen and Hatake Sakumo convinced him he was too young. Three years later, Kushina had become a notorious brawler on the Konoha-Iwagakure border, and Jiraiya ordered her and Minato to return to Konoha for promotion.

• Kakashi asked Hatake Sakumo to let him go to the Land of Grass, but Mo Xingchen called him a chick and helped Hatake Sakumo persuade him to wait until he was older.
• Obito decided not to graduate early so he could stay at school and keep Kakashi from getting close to Rin.
• Over three years, Kushina repeatedly fought Iwagakure shinobi, earning the nickname Konoha's Little Red Queen Ant, while Minato was mocked as the Queen Ant's Yellow Soldier Ant.
• Jiraiya told Kushina and Minato to return to Konoha with the rotating shinobi so they could be promoted.
• Kushina protested that she wanted to stay at the front, but agreed to return after Jiraiya warned that Tsunade would come drag her back.

Kushina and Minato returned to Konoha with the main force, where their friends welcomed them and teased them about their relationship. Kushina went to visit her grandmother, leaving Minato to report to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who excused her absence.

• Kushina rushed through Konoha's gates and celebrated her return while the young soldiers shouted excitedly behind her.
• Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara, and Choza Akimichi teased Minato about Kushina, and Minato taunted them about being single before using the Body Flicker Technique to escape.
• Minato joined Kushina when an auntie offered to find her a boyfriend, and he firmly told the woman that Kushina was spoken for.
• Kushina pinched Minato, called him an idiot, and went home to visit her grandmother while Minato stayed to handle their report.
• Minato met with Hiruzen Sarutobi, who accepted Kushina's absence and said Tsunade had been upset that they had not returned sooner.

Hiruzen Sarutobi appointed Minato as a Jonin instructor and assigned him Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, and Rin Nohara. Kakashi arrived at the Ninja Academy to be placed in a class, leaving the newly graduated Genin surprised by his presence.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi tested Minato's understanding of tensions between the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire, then praised his assessment.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi promoted Minato to Jonin and asked him to become an instructor for the year's new graduates.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Minato profiles for Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, and Rin Nohara, explaining that Kakashi needed more time with children his age.
• Kakashi entered the Ninja Academy classroom, where the new Genin mistook him for their Jonin instructor before he explained he had come to be assigned to a class.
• Asuma Sarutobi questioned Kakashi about joining the class, and Kakashi irritably told him to ask his father before sitting beside Rin.

Obito, Rin, and Kakashi were assigned to Minato Namikaze’s team, where Minato tested their skills with a bell-grabbing exercise. Afterward, Minato tried to comfort Obito over Rin’s feelings for Kakashi, while Tsunade furiously confronted the Red Queen Ant at Konoha’s border with the Land of Grass.

• Minato Namikaze called Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, and Kakashi Hatake to join his team, disappointing Obito that Kakashi was included and delighting Rin.
• The three introduced themselves: Obito declared his love for Rin, Rin said she liked Kakashi, and Kakashi gave an unusual dream involving a real world with cool Anbu.
• Minato began a bell-grabbing test, but the children’s strength surprised him: Obito had awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan, Kakashi approached ordinary jonin strength, and Rin had become an elite chunin.
• Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to defeat the three children one by one after their lack of experience and teamwork kept them from taking the bells.
• Minato praised Obito’s Sharingan, but Obito remained heartbroken because Rin liked Kakashi, so Minato awkwardly offered to treat the team to barbecue.
• At the border of the Land of Grass, Tsunade furiously shouted at Konoha’s Red Queen Ant, who silently lowered her head.

Mito Uzumaki teased Kushina and Tsunade about marriage and great-grandchildren. Meanwhile, an assassin infiltrated the Land of Earth Daimyo’s Mansion, killed a woman, and attacked the Daimyo before an Iwagakure guard intercepted him.

• Mito Uzumaki welcomed Kushina onto her lap and praised how much she had grown.
• Mito Uzumaki urged Kushina to marry and have a child, embarrassing her and frustrating Tsunade.
• A masked assassin entered the Land of Earth Daimyo’s Mansion and killed a woman sleeping beside the Daimyo.
• The assassin attacked the Daimyo, but an Iwagakure guard blocked him with a kunai.
• The guard recognized the assassin’s Three Tomoe Sharingan and fought him with his eyes shut while waiting for backup.

Black Zetsu disguised himself as an Uchiha ninja to attack the Land of Earth’s daimyo and provoke a war between Iwagakure and Konoha. After Iwagakure blamed Konoha for the attack, Ōnoki threatened to use force unless Konoha handed over the culprit and Hiruzen apologized.

• Black Zetsu used Shuriken and Explosive Tags to escape after attacking the daimyo’s residence, then removed and crushed the Sharingan he had used for the deception.
• Black Zetsu revealed that he had staged the attack to stir up chaos and help save his mother.
• Iwagakure’s Anbu reported to Ōnoki that a Konoha Uchiha had attacked the daimyo, killing two guards and two concubines while leaving the daimyo with minor injuries.
• Tanaka told Ōnoki that he had seen the assassin’s Sharingan, and Ōnoki promised to make Konoha pay.
• Ōnoki ordered a proclamation demanding that Konoha hand over the culprit and that Hiruzen kneel in apology, threatening war if they refused.

Ōnoki used Iwagakure’s denunciation of Konoha to win support from the daimyō and prepare for a possible war, while secretly seeking Sunagakure’s backing. As the scandal spread, Shimura Danzō feared Hiruzen Sarutobi might pin the blame on him.

• Ōnoki explained to Akatsuchi that he never expected Konoha to make the demanded apology and intended to use the denunciation to gain the Land of Earth daimyō’s favor.
• Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure to prepare to attack the Land of Fire and sent Akatsuchi to ask Sunagakure’s leaders whether they would join them.
• Iwagakure’s denunciation sparked widespread condemnation of Konoha, and the Land of Fire daimyō sent an envoy to demand an explanation from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Shimura Danzō read the denunciation at the Konoha camp and first saw an opportunity to become Fourth Hokage, then worried Hiruzen would blame him for the scandal.