Chapter Summaries

Nara Kaikei reflected on the new capabilities of his Natural Energy-infused Shadow Stealth Jutsu before visiting Tsunade at the Nara Pharmaceutical Research Institute. He confronted her about Orochimaru’s experiments and revealed that Orochimaru was also researching Wood Release.

• Nara Kaikei reviewed tests showing that Shadow Stealth Jutsu concealed Chakra and movement more effectively while using less Yin Release Chakra.
• After returning from the battlefield, Nara Kaikei brought fried chicken to Tsunade at the Nara Pharmaceutical Research Institute.
• Nara Kaikei used genjutsu to sober Tsunade enough to discuss what she knew about Orochimaru’s secret work.
• Tsunade admitted that Orochimaru was experimenting on severely injured Konoha patients, including conducting human experiments.
• Nara Kaikei revealed that Orochimaru was researching Wood Release and implied that his research reflected more than Orochimaru’s own intentions.

After Nara Kaikei exposed Hiruzen Sarutobi’s likely knowledge of Root’s crimes, Tsunade left to vent her anger by fighting him at the Valley of the End. Their clash revealed that Nara’s strength could rival and even surpass hers, and Tsunade charged back at him after he taunted her.

• Nara Kaikei told Tsunade that Hiruzen Sarutobi could not have been ignorant of Shimura Danzō’s actions, and Tsunade smashed the desk before leaving the office.
• When Nara Kaikei asked what she planned to do, Tsunade challenged him to drink, but he carried her to the Valley of the End so they could fight instead.
• Tsunade repeatedly shattered Nara Kaikei’s shadow shields with Chakra Enhanced Strength and her Heavenly Pain Kick, venting much of her anger.
• Nara Kaikei grabbed Tsunade’s ankle, threw her across the water, and struck the river with Boil Release-enhanced strength, shocking her with his destructive power.
• Tsunade charged at Nara Kaikei again, and their fists collided; she realized she was losing the contest of strength.
• Nara Kaikei taunted Tsunade that her fists and will had grown weak, and she angrily vowed not to be underestimated.

Nara Kaikei defeated Tsunade in seven consecutive rounds at the Valley of the End, then carried her to the statues and tried to reassure her about her troubles. Tsunade admitted her complete defeat, and Nara Kaikei kissed her as the panel revealed an A-Rank healing jutsu.

• Tsunade fought Nara Kaikei, but he repeatedly defeated her with shadow techniques, illusions, and other abilities.
• Tsunade demanded one final taijutsu-only match, and Nara Kaikei used [Black Warrior] to overpower her until she conceded.
• The panel declared Nara Kaikei the winner and awarded him an A-Rank [Ninja Scroll].
• Nara Kaikei caught the exhausted Tsunade, carried her to Uchiha Madara's statue, and spoke to her about her burdens and strength.
• Tsunade admitted she had lost completely, and Nara Kaikei kissed her as the panel revealed [Yin Healing Wound Destruction].

After Tsunade questioned Nara Kaikei about his strength and his plan for dealing with Orochimaru, he revealed that he had encountered White Zetsu and demonstrated its Wood Release. Seeing the technique enraged Tsunade, who asked whether Kaikei could reproduce Hashirama Senju’s Wood Release if she supplied enough research materials.

• Tsunade asked whether Nara Kaikei’s strength rivaled Hashirama Senju’s, and Kaikei said Hashirama was the strongest shinobi beneath the Sage of Six Paths.
• Kaikei demonstrated his instant Spiral Shadow Kill Cannon and discussed ways Tsunade could fight Orochimaru despite her hemophobia.
• Kaikei told Tsunade about his encounters with Uchiha Madara and White Zetsu, then took her to his Research Base.
• Kaikei controlled White Zetsu and made it use Wood Style: Wood Dragon Technique, confirming that the creature could wield Wood Release.
• Tsunade crushed part of the wooden dragon and asked Kaikei whether he could replicate Hashirama Senju’s Wood Release using enough materials.

Nara Kaikei revealed his four researched release-type Kekkei Genkai to Tsunade and offered to teach her Lava Release. Tsunade refused the scroll and chose to learn Wood Release instead.

• Tsunade asked how deeply Nara Kaikei had researched Kekkei Genkai, and he admitted he had developed Scorch Release, Explosion Release, Lava Release, and Boil Release.
• Nara Kaikei demonstrated the four abilities with Shadow Clones and explained how different chakra natures fused to create them.
• He told Tsunade that the Five-Tails had guided him in cultivating Boil Release and revealed that Yakura belonged to the Nara Clan.
• Nara Kaikei offered Tsunade the Lava Release training scroll and urged her not to hand his research materials to Orochimaru or Shimura Danzō.
• Tsunade suggested Nara Kaikei could become the Fourth or Fifth Hokage, but he changed the subject back to whether she wanted to learn Lava Release.
• Tsunade refused Lava Release, returned its scroll, and declared that she wanted to learn Wood Release.

Tsunade committed to learning Wood Release so she could eventually defeat Orochimaru and Shimura Danzō, while Nara Kaikei continued his experiments with White Zetsu. After returning to Kikyo Castle, he removed Pakura’s Chakra seal and gave her a mission.

• Tsunade planned to search her family estate for scrolls and materials, and Nara Kaikei agreed to help research Wood Release while warning that success was uncertain.
• Tsunade vowed to use Wood Release to settle her scores with Orochimaru and Shimura Danzō, then dodged Nara Kaikei’s attempt to embrace her and left the base.
• Nara Kaikei ordered White Zetsu to absorb nutrients and refine Chakra in exchange for being kept alive as an experimental subject.
• Nara Kaikei reviewed the A-Rank Medical Ninjutsu [Yin Healing Wound Destruction] and judged it less useful to him than [Cellular Regeneration Jutsu].
• Nara Kaikei visited Pakura in Kikyo Castle, removed the seal restricting her Chakra, and told her she had a mission to carry out.

Nara Kaikei tested Pakura's recovering combat skills, then sent her to collect a scroll from the Ninja Cats in the Empty Zone. After she returned, he assigned her to guard his secret Research Base and warned that failure would have made her an experimental subject alongside White Zetsu.

• Nara Kaikei sparred with Pakura, and she recovered enough skill to trigger and lose C- and B-Rank ninja battle missions.
• Pakura used Scorch Release against Nara Kaikei, then surrendered and received his instructions to run an errand.
• Pakura disguised herself with a Yin Release Mask and black robe, traveled to the Empty Zone, and collected a large scroll from Taka and the Ninja Cats.
• Pakura carried the scroll to Nara Kaikei's private Research Base, where he changed her mission to guarding it.
• Nara Kaikei pointed out White Zetsu and told Pakura that if she had abandoned the errand, she would have ended up in a tank with it.

Nara Kaikei gave Pakura limited freedom in Kikyo Castle and discussed ways she might strengthen herself, including the theoretical possibility of developing another Kekkei Genkai. After two days at the orphanage and research facility, he received an urgent notice that Hiruzen Sarutobi had called a meeting about the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Nara Kaikei unpacked Divine Tree Branches from the Summoning Great Scroll and assigned Shadow Clones to continue research and prepare materials.
• Nara Kaikei let Pakura move freely within limits while he remained in Kikyo Castle, advising her to keep her mask and robe to avoid recognition.
• Nara Kaikei assessed Pakura's Chakra and explained that her Wind and Fire natures might theoretically allow her to develop another Kekkei Genkai.
• Pakura considered the possibility of a second Wind-and-Fire fusion after Nara Kaikei dismissed the idea of making her a Kage.
• Nara Kaikei spent the next two days visiting Yakushi Nonō at Kikyo Orphanage and Pakura at the underground research facility, then received an urgent notice from the Old Clan Head about Hiruzen Sarutobi's meeting on the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.

Nara Kaikei confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Hokage Advisors over the fate of Han and the Five-Tails, arguing that Konoha needed a quicker way to use the beast than training a new Jinchuriki. He claimed he could solve both the village’s need for the Five-Tails and its desire to obtain Han’s Kekkei Genkai, leaving the meeting with that challenge unanswered.

• Nara Shikano urged Nara Kaikei to act boldly at the Five-Tails Allocation Meeting and promised to handle the aftermath.
• Nara Kaikei challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi’s account of who had subdued the Five-Tails and mocked Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu when they tried to reprimand him.
• Nara Kaikei argued that Konoha should extract the Five-Tails from Han rather than spend time finding and training a new Jinchuriki.
• Nara Kaikei listed Konoha’s advantages over Sunagakure and Iwagakure and credited his battlefield victories with turning the war around.
• Nara Kaikei said he could secure both the Five-Tails’ power and Han’s Kekkei Genkai, then told Utatane Koharu to be quiet if she could not do the same.

Nara Kaikei rejected Konoha’s claim over the Five-Tails and revealed that he planned to make it his Summoning Beast rather than become its Jinchuriki. He unsealed the Five-Tails from Han at Kikyo Mountain, leaving it free before Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki arrived.

• Nara Kaikei used genjutsu to immobilize Utatane Koharu and insisted that he would take the Five-Tails by force if necessary.
• Nara Kaikei told Hiruzen Sarutobi that he intended to free the Five-Tails from Han and form a Summoning Contract with it.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi sent Minato Namikaze to bring Han and Kushina Uzumaki, but Nara Kaikei used Flying Thunder God marks to take Han to Kikyo Mountain.
• Nara Kaikei communicated with Kokuō through Han and used the Tailed Beast Release Seal to break the seals inside Han.
• The Five-Tails emerged from Han’s body in its pure-white form.

Nara Kaikei freed Five-Tails Kokuō and took it to the Valley of the End to test its power. As Kokuō charged at him, Kaikei received an S-Rank mission to defeat or kill it.

• Nara Kaikei used the Four Black Mist Formation on the dying Han and explained to Kokuō that the technique could temporarily seal away death.
• Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Nara Shikano, and Kagami Uchiha arrived at Kikyo Mountain after sensing Kokuō’s Chakra.
• Nara Shikano excitedly asked to pet Kokuō, and Nara Kaikei restrained him before explaining that he would honor his agreement with the Five-Tails.
• Nara Kaikei rode Kokuō to the Valley of the End and asked it to show its power.
• Kokuō charged at Nara Kaikei, triggering an S-Rank mission to defeat or kill the Five-Tails.

Nara Kaikei fought Five-Tails Kokuō in a contest of strength, using Boil Release and his Black Warrior to overpower the Tailed Beast. Kokuō finally acknowledged his power, and Kaikei completed the S-Rank mission.

• Nara Kaikei dodged Five-Tails Kokuō's charge and used a Shadow Clone with Boil Release to halt its advance with a powerful punch.
• Nara Kaikei restrained Kokuō with the Shadow Grip Technique and battered it with a rapid barrage of Boil Release punches until it broke free with its own steam-enhanced power.
• Nara Kaikei met Kokuō's Five Mountains Leap kick head-on, sending the Tailed Beast flying while Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others watched in shock.
• Nara Kaikei summoned the Black Warrior and used it to block Kokuō's Horn Break charge before restraining and repeatedly punching it.
• Five-Tails Kokuō conceded that Nara Kaikei had proven his strength, completing the S-Rank Ninja Combat Mission and earning him an S-Rank Ninja Scroll.

Nara Kaikei defeated and contracted Kokuō, then took the Five-Tails to explore the Valley of the End while Nara Shikano discussed its future home. Kaikei opened Kokuō’s S-Rank Ninja Scroll and found instructions for the Tailed Beast Bomb.

• Nara Kaikei completed a Summoning Contract with Kokuō after stopping the [Black Warrior]'s attack.
• Nara Kaikei returned to Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other Konoha ninjas riding Kokuō, shocking them with his strength and new contract.
• Nara Kaikei took Kokuō to the Valley of the End, where it happily swam while Nara Shikano caught up with them.
• Nara Shikano discussed Kokuō's preferred living environment, and Nara Kaikei asked whether it wanted to learn other ninjutsu.
• Nara Kaikei opened Kokuō's S-Rank [Ninja Scroll] and obtained the S-Rank jutsu Tailed Beast Bomb.

Nara Kaikei studied the Tailed Beast Bomb and considered using it to develop a Chakra weapon, then tested whether Five-Tails Kokuō’s Boil Release Chakra could keep Han alive after extraction. The experiment stabilized Han’s condition, and Nara Shikano brought Kaikei four Sage Art reference scrolls from the Temple of Fire.

• Nara Kaikei studied the Tailed Beast Bomb and realized its Yin Release-to-Yang Release ratio might help him create a Chakra weapon.
• Nara Shikano told Nara Kaikei that the Sage Art materials were ready, and Kaikei sent him to Kikyo Castle to retrieve them.
• Nara Kaikei and Five-Tails Kokuō returned to Han, where Kaikei asked Kokuō to help test a way to save him.
• Nara Kaikei released the Four Black Mist Formation, and Kokuō injected Boil Release Chakra into Han while Kaikei sealed it inside him, stabilizing his condition.
• Nara Shikano arrived with four Temple of Fire scrolls, prompting the panel to identify three jutsu, including Raikō: Senju Satsu, Adamantine Fist, and Immortal Clan Breathing Technique.

Nara Kaikei examined three Sage Techniques from the Temple of Fire, learned that the temple would offer guidance, and received leads on two Chakra Crystals. After submitting three new Shadow Bullet jutsu to Nara Shikano and triggering an S-Rank clan mission, Kaikei opened his reward scroll and obtained the S-Rank jutsu Dark Spiral Ring.

• Nara Kaikei studied Raikō: Senju Satsu, Adamantine Fist, and Immortal Clan Breathing Technique, then began practicing the breathing method.
• Nara Shikano told Kaikei that Master Chūkaku had invited him to seek guidance at the Temple of Fire and shared leads on Chakra Crystals held by the Tsuchigumo Clan and the northern Land of Snow's daimyo.
• Nara Kaikei gave Nara Shikano scrolls for Shadow Piercing Bullet, Shadow Binding Bullet, and Shadow Mimic Bullet, prompting the panel to complete the S-Rank Shadow Bullet mission.
• Nara Shikano flew off to convene a clan meeting, while Nara Kaikei opened his S-Rank reward scroll and obtained Dark Spiral Ring.

Nara Kaikei learned the S-Rank jutsu [Dark Spiral Ring], then tested his new Summoning Contract with Five-Tails King and discussed learning senjutsu. The chapter left Kaikei and Five-Tails King eager for Five-Tails King to learn the Summoning Technique after Kaikei spent nearly half his Chakra summoning it.

• Kaikei learned [Dark Spiral Ring] and saw that the jutsu further enhanced his [Ninjutsu] and [Sage Wisdom] attributes.
• Kaikei asked Five-Tails King about creating Sage Chakra, but Five-Tails King said it did not know how and suggested that Kurama might.
• Kaikei used [Reverse Summoning Technique] to return Han to Kikyo Castle, where he told Pakura that Han was the former Five-Tails Jinchuriki and that he had contracted with Five-Tails King.
• Kaikei returned to Kikyo Mountain and asked Five-Tails King to learn [Summoning Technique] and [Reverse Summoning Technique], then left his [Shadow Clone] to teach it.
• Kaikei tested [Summoning Technique] in Nara Forest and found that summoning Five-Tails King consumed nearly half his Chakra for only a few minutes.

Nara Kaikei introduced the Five-Tails King to Nara Forest, where his clanmates mistook it for a beautiful white deer and alarmed it with their fascination. Nara Kano’s elders made Kaikei the new clan head, then rushed to find him and the Five-Tails.

• Nara Suzaku and the other Nara ninja arrived in Nara Forest, mistook the Five-Tails King for a white deer, and unnerved it with their enthusiasm.
• Nara Kaikei used Chakra Enhanced Strength to snap his clanmates out of their fixation, and the Five-Tails King vanished in a cloud of smoke.
• Nara Kaikei returned to Kikyo Mountain with the Flying Thunder God Technique to comfort the Five-Tails King.
• Nara Kano’s meeting approved Kaikei’s succession as clan head, and Kano announced Kaikei’s three new B-rank Shadow Secret Techniques and his summoning contract with the Five-Tails.
• The Nara elders searched Kikyo Mountain, declared Kaikei their new clan head, and eagerly turned their attention to the Five-Tails.

Nara Kaikei accepted the Nara Clan elders’ offer to become clan head while Shikaku handled the duties, then escorted Five-Tails King to Nara Forest. As the clan welcomed Kokuō, Kaikei discovered his Immortal Clan Breathing Technique was increasing his Precision, but a message from the Research Base announced Tsunade’s arrival.

• Nara Kaikei restrained the elders when their excitement over Five-Tails King threatened to get out of hand, then asked why they had chosen him as clan head.
• Nara Shikano explained that Kaikei would enjoy the clan head’s rights while Shikaku bore the obligations, and Kaikei agreed to the arrangement.
• Nara Kaikei ordered the clan to escort Five-Tails King to Nara Forest, where the ninja welcomed it and offered it food and fruit.
• Nara Kaikei saw a panel message showing that absorbing external energy had raised his Precision by one point, and concluded his Immortal Clan Breathing Technique was absorbing Natural Energy.
• A message from the underground Research Base informed Nara Kaikei that Tsunade had arrived.

At Kikyo Castle’s underground research base, Nara Kaikei reassured Tsunade about Pakura, who had submitted to the Nara Clan, then received a vast collection of Senju ninjutsu scrolls to help research Wood Release. Tsunade gave him the scrolls and their S-rank storage scroll, leaving him with the tools to pursue Wood Release research and her hope of restoring the Senju’s glory.

• Nara Kaikei arrived at the underground base and explained to Tsunade that Pakura had submitted to the Nara Clan.
• Tsunade questioned why Pakura was there and warned Nara Kaikei that leaving her unsealed was dangerous; he said he had placed a Flying Thunder God mark and a Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on her.
• Tsunade brought out an S-rank Sealing Great Scroll containing forty-seven Wood, Water, and Earth Release ninjutsu scrolls.
• Nara Kaikei examined the collection, including powerful Wood Release techniques, and said he would not forgive himself if he could not research Wood Release with those materials.
• Tsunade told Nara Kaikei she wanted to become a ninja like Great Grandfather, and he promised to help restore the Senju’s glory.
• Tsunade gave Nara Kaikei both the ninjutsu scrolls and the Sealing Great Scroll.

Nara Kaikei studied the jutsu scrolls Tsunade brought and saw ways to improve his Wood Release research and Black Warrior defenses. He offered to teach Tsunade senjutsu to help increase her physical prowess and Chakra, ending with an unusual instruction to lie flat.

• Nara Kaikei used Shadow Clones to organize the scrolls and studied the Wood, Water, and Earth Release jutsu Tsunade had collected.
• Nara Kaikei considered combining Wood Style: Rank Tree Technique’s defenses with Shadow Armor Technique and saw Silent Killing Restraint Technique as a possible step toward fusing shadow and sealing techniques.
• Nara Kaikei learned that the scrolls had brought his Ninjutsu and Sage Wisdom attributes closer to S-Rank, and he thanked Tsunade for helping his Wood Release research.
• Nara Kaikei asked Tsunade how she planned to increase her Chakra if he replicated Wood Release, then offered to teach her senjutsu from the Temple of Fire.
• Tsunade agreed to learn senjutsu, and Nara Kaikei began explaining its cultivation by telling her to lie flat.