Chapter Summaries

Nara Kaikei finished assessing his new team’s abilities, practiced coordination with Uchiha Shisui, Hyuga Kiyoshi, and Shizune, and treated them to a meal. He discovered that Hyuga Kiyoshi’s scroll contained Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Empty Palm, then planned to take the team to the Hokage Building for a mission.

• Nara Kaikei ended the team’s coordination practice after nearly half a day and invited Uchiha Shisui, Hyuga Kiyoshi, and Shizune to eat.
• Nara Kaikei opened Shizune’s C-Rank scroll and found the Tongue Needle technique, which he dismissed as fodder.
• Nara Kaikei opened Uchiha Shisui’s B-Rank scroll and found Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation, which he also considered fodder.
• Nara Kaikei opened Hyuga Kiyoshi’s C-Rank scroll and discovered the Gentle Fist secret technique Eight Trigrams Empty Palm.
• Hyuga Kiyoshi ate twenty-nine bowls of ramen, and Nara Kaikei told the team to rest before going together to the Hokage Building for a mission.

Nara Kaikei’s newly formed team accepted a D-Rank mission to find two missing Ibunri children and flew to the clan’s cave using his Shadow Eagle. They met the clan leader, Iburi Utata, who mistook them for a team sent by Orochimaru.

• Nara Kaikei’s team paid for their ramen, then went to the Hokage Building to accept a mission.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned the team a D-Rank mission to find two missing children from the Ibunri Clan.
• Uchiha Shisui explained that the Ibunri Clan had an unstable Kekkei Genkai and that its members were prone to accidental deaths.
• Nara Kaikei summoned a Shadow Eagle and carried his teammates through the air to the Ibunri Clan’s cave.
• Iburi Utata emerged from the cave, checked their mission scroll, and welcomed the team after learning they served Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Nara Kaikei’s squad searched for the missing Ibunri siblings and found Yukimi and Tenzo alive in a tree hollow. The children refused to return to their clan and insisted on going to Konoha to see Orochimaru.

• Iburi Utata explained that Yukimi and Tenzo had gone missing and that the Ibunri clan’s smoke transformation made children especially vulnerable outside the cave.
• Nara Kaikei questioned Iburi Utata about the siblings, their former home, and the clan’s connection to Orochimaru, then led his squad away to investigate.
• Hyuga Kiyoshi used her Byakugan to confirm that two people were missing from the cave, and Nara Kaikei’s squad split up to search the surrounding area.
• Hyuga Kiyoshi spotted Yukimi and Tenzo sleeping in a hollow tree, and Nara Kaikei woke them and offered to escort them back to the clan.
• Yukimi refused to return and said she and Tenzo wanted to go to Konoha to see Orochimaru, while Tenzo briefly turned into smoke when she hugged him tightly.

Nara Kaikei's squad found Ibunri Yukimi and Ibunri Tenzo and returned them to the Ibunri Clan, learning that the clan planned to send talented children to serve Orochimaru. After reporting the information and completing their mission, Nara Kaikei received a scroll containing the Smoke Clone Technique.

• Nara Kaikei watched Ibunri Yukimi and Ibunri Tenzo emerge from a tree using Smoke Release, then learned that the siblings hoped to find Orochimaru in Konoha.
• Nara Kaikei explained that Orochimaru was away fighting in the war, and Shizune gave the hungry siblings a rice ball.
• Ibunri Yukimi told the squad that the Ibunri Clan planned to send talented children to repay Orochimaru, and Nara Kaikei's squad returned the siblings to Iburi Utata.
• Nara Kaikei's squad returned to Konoha, where he reported the clan's plans to Hiruzen Sarutobi and received the mission reward.
• Nara Kaikei opened his D-rank Ninja Scroll and obtained the Smoke Clone Technique.

Nara Kaikei examined a newly acquired Smoke Clone Technique and worried that Orochimaru’s research into the Ibunri Clan’s Smoke Release concealed a larger purpose. After several days of D-rank missions, Kaikei met Oyashiro En and commissioned him to build an underground research base in Kikyo Castle, insisting he had no interest in the Ketsuryūgan.

• Nara Kaikei examined the D-rank Smoke Clone Technique and wondered how the Ibunri Clan’s Smoke Release worked and what Orochimaru intended to learn from it.
• Yakushi Nonō told Nara Kaikei that Oyashiro En would meet him in person, while Kaikei kept the clay doll Yakushi Kabuto had made in his likeness.
• Nara Kaikei completed several D-rank missions with his team, acquired various scrolls, and learned the Binding Technique.
• Oyashiro En met Nara Kaikei in a secluded teahouse and said he was no longer Chiyo’s father, prompting Kaikei to avoid the subject.
• Nara Kaikei commissioned Oyashiro En to build an underground research base in Kikyo Castle, and Oyashiro En accepted.

Nara Kaikei commissioned Oyashiro En to build a Research Base and discussed Chiyo’s future with him. Back at Kikyo Castle, Nara Kaikei used his masks to combine wind and fire Chakra, successfully creating a Nature Mask: Scorching.

• Nara Kaikei chose Oyashiro En to construct a Research Base because the Nara Clan was occupied by the war and he trusted Oyashiro En more than Lady Cat.
• Nara Kaikei told Oyashiro En that Chiyo was thriving under Yakushi-san’s care and that he and Sister Nonou would not reveal her origins unless she asked.
• Oyashiro En said Chiyo could not live with him because of his past actions, and he acknowledged knowing Orochimaru.
• Nara Kaikei returned to Kikyo Castle, where Pakura remained imprisoned and unable to use Chakra, and summoned many Shadow Clones and Nature Masks to begin a new experiment.
• Nara Kaikei’s Shadow Clones repeatedly fused wind-nature and fire-nature Chakra into blank masks until they created a B-Rank Nature Mask: Scorching that could produce Scorch Release: Over-Vapor Killing.

Nara Kaikei created a Scorching Style Mask and independently developed Scorch Release, then used Pakura’s own technique to break her spirit and threaten Sunagakure. The chapter left Pakura helpless and distraught as Kaikei took her forehead protector and warned that Scorch Release could be turned against her village.

• Nara Kaikei fused Wind and Fire Chakra to create a new Scorching Style Mask.
• Nara Kaikei used the mask to unleash Scorch Release: Over-Vapor Killing, stunning Pakura.
• Nara Kaikei independently refined Scorch Release Chakra with his Shadow Clone and received a boost to his Ninjutsu and Sage Wisdom attributes.
• Pakura lunged at Nara Kaikei, who restrained her with Shadow Imitation Technique and forced her to mimic his hand seals.
• Nara Kaikei demonstrated Scorch Release: Over-Vapor Killing to Pakura, stopping the fireball before it reached her.
• Nara Kaikei took Pakura’s Sand Village Forehead Protector and threatened that Scorch Release could be used against Sunagakure.

Nara Kaikei finished a scroll describing how to manufacture Scorch Release Chakra and considered researching new Chakra combinations. After discussing a secret base with Yakushi Nonō and learning that Kabuto was training to become a ninja, Kaikei received a message that the Hokage had summoned him and Shisui.

• Nara Kaikei completed the Scorching Release Chakra Manufacturing Method scroll and sealed it against unauthorized readers.
• Nara Kaikei asked Yakushi Nonō about her Chakra natures and told her she would help oversee construction of his secret base in Kikyo Castle.
• Yakushi Nonō told Nara Kaikei that Kabuto had learned Chakra refinement and was beginning to study Chakra control.
• Nara Kaikei noticed Kabuto training with the orphanage children and resolved to make Urushi prepare one hundred chickens.
• A crow carrying a scroll from Uchiha Shisui arrived at the orphanage, and Nara Kaikei learned that the Hokage had summoned them.

Nara Kaikei led his squad on an A-Rank mission to transport supplies to the Land of Grass and escort wounded comrades back to Kikyo Castle. After reaching the front-line camp by flying, the squad delivered the supplies to Orochimaru, who hinted that their orders would soon change.

• Nara Kaikei met Uchiha Shisui, Hyuga Kiyoshi, and Shizune in Konoha, then accepted an A-Rank supply-transport and wounded-escort mission from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• The squad collected a Space Scroll and a Password Scroll, then Nara Kaikei flew them from Konoha to the Land of Grass aboard a Shadow Creature.
• Nara Kaikei and his teammates entered Konoha's front-line camp and presented the supplies to Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru examined the mission scroll and told Nara Kaikei to rest overnight, saying the mission's contents would likely change before the squad returned to the village.

Nara Kaikei’s team arrived at Konoha’s front, saw Orochimaru fight an Iwagakure Jinchuriki, and then received orders to escort wounded ninjas back toward the Land of Fire. When Hyuga Kiyoshi detected traps in a mountain pass, her attack triggered a chain of explosions, and unknown Iwagakure ninjas emerged from the dust.

• Orochimaru used Wind Release: Great Breakthrough against a fog attack, then rushed out to fight an armored, tailed enemy whom Nara Kaikei identified as likely the Five-Tails' Jinchuriki.
• Nara Kaikei’s team rested at the camp and learned that most of the wounded they would escort had lost limbs.
• Nara Kaikei assigned Hyuga Kiyoshi to scout ahead, Shizune to care for the wounded, and Uchiha Shisui to guard the convoy as they traveled toward Kikyo Castle.
• Hyuga Kiyoshi detected concentrated Chakra points on a mountain and identified them as traps that could cause a collapse.
• Nara Kaikei gave Hyuga Kiyoshi Chakra Metal kunai, and she used her Byakugan to destroy one trap node, triggering a chain of explosions that brought down the mountain.
• Unknown figures emerged from the dust and asked whether Hyuga Kiyoshi’s Byakugan was Konoha’s Kekkei Genkai.

Nara Kaikei protected the wounded Konoha troops from an Iwagakure ambush, countering the attackers’ earth techniques and trapping them in darkness for a coordinated assault. Four enemy ninjas escaped the genjutsu, and Nara Kaikei confronted them with his Spiral Shadow Piercing Bullet.

• Nara Kaikei used Lacquer Eye and Shadow Stealth Jutsu while stalling the Iwagakure ninjas as they prepared an underground attack.
• Nara Kaikei used a Lightning Release scroll to stop Earth Rising Spears from striking the wounded Konoha soldiers.
• Nara Kaikei shattered the boulders from Earth Mausoleum Balls with Chakra Enhanced Strength.
• Nara Kaikei’s shadow clone cast Bringer-of-Darkness Technique, allowing Uchiha Shisui, Hyuga Kiyoshi, Shizune, and other Konoha ninjas to attack the blinded enemies.
• An Iwagakure Explosion Release jonin used Landmine Fist as the attackers charged, and the Konoha forces killed two more enemies before four escaped the darkness.
• Nara Kaikei launched Spiral Shadow Piercing Bullet at the four escaping attackers.

Nara Kaikei and Uchiha Shisui fought Iwagakure's Demolition Force, killing its subordinates and pressuring Gari and Hikarō with powerful attacks. Gari sacrificed himself to cover Hikarō's escape by unleashing Explosion Release: Self-Destruct Landmine.

• Nara Kaikei killed two Iwagakure ninja with Spiral Shadow Piercing Bullets, then bound Gari and Hikarō by striking their shadows.
• Gari used Explosion Release: Landmine while Hikarō broke free and defended the pair from Uchiha Shisui's Great Dragon Fire Technique.
• Gari and Hikarō tried to retreat, but Nara Kaikei attacked them with a barrage of Shadow Piercing Bullets as Hyuga Kiyoshi tracked their movements.
• Gari created a wall of soil to buy time, then told Hikarō to escape while he held off Nara Kaikei.
• Gari charged Nara Kaikei and activated Explosion Release: Self-Destruct Landmine.

Nara Kaikei’s team captured the Explosion Release ninja Shū, while Hikarō escaped underground. Kaikei’s Shadow Clone caught Hikarō with a binding technique, and Kaikei killed him after he attacked with an Explosive Tag.

• Shū launched explosive earthen staffs at the wounded Konoha ninja, but Nara Kaikei and Hyuga Kiyoshi countered them with Water Style and Gentle Fist Chakra.
• Uchiha Shisui used Sharingan genjutsu to immobilize and capture the weakened Shū, while Hikarō escaped underground.
• Nara Kaikei received a B-Rank Ninja Scroll for defeating Shū and told Shisui to give him Chakra-suppressing medicine.
• Hikarō fled at full speed, but Kaikei’s Shadow Clone caught him with Spiral Shadow Binding Bullet.
• Hikarō broke free and struck Kaikei’s neck with a Sleeve Sword, but Earth Spear protected Kaikei from injury.
• Kaikei restrained Hikarō with Shadow techniques, and Hikarō detonated an Explosive Tag as Kaikei killed him and earned another B-Rank Ninja Scroll.

Nara Kaikei’s squad defeated Iwagakure’s Demolition Force, capturing Shū alive while Hikarō killed himself. Kaikei opened the two B-Rank Ninja Scrolls and gained Rock Clone and Explosion Release: Killer Bomb, then learned from Shisui that Explosion Release combined fire and earth Chakra natures.

• Hikarō blew himself up after Kaikei evaded his attack, leaving Kaikei unable to capture him or recover his intelligence.
• Kaikei’s squad captured the unconscious Shū and killed seven Demolition Force ninja; Shisui sent reports to Konoha and the frontline base.
• Kaikei ordered Shisui to question Shū with genjutsu about how he refined Explosion Release Chakra, while the medical ninja preserved the bodies for research.
• Kaikei opened Hikarō’s B-Rank Ninja Scroll and obtained the Earth Style: Rock Clone jutsu.
• Kaikei opened Shū’s B-Rank Ninja Scroll and obtained Explosion Release: Killer Bomb, a technique that planted explosive Chakra in a target substance.
• Shisui reported that Explosion Release came from combining fire and earth Chakra natures.

Nara Kaikei questioned how different Kekkei Genkai could emerge from the same chakra nature combinations while Uchiha Shisui examined the captive Shū. When Orochimaru arrived to take Shū for research with Hiruzen Sarutobi’s approval, Kaikei secured a promise to hear about the research results.

• Nara Kaikei ordered Uchiha Shisui to continue probing Shū’s memories and pondered how Kekkei Genkai could produce different effects from similar chakra combinations.
• Hyuga Kiyoshi asked about the escaped Iwagakure ninja, and Nara Kaikei said he had already dealt with him.
• Hyuga Kiyoshi challenged Nara Kaikei, who persuaded her to spar with Uchiha Shisui first.
• Orochimaru arrived by crow and snake, showed Hiruzen Sarutobi’s approval to take Shū, and asked where the captive was.
• Nara Kaikei handed Shū over to Orochimaru after requesting that he share any findings about the captive’s Explosion Release.

Nara Kaikei’s squad returned safely to Konoha after defeating Iwagakure’s demolition unit, and Hiruzen Sarutobi rewarded them while preparing them for the Iwagakure front. Studying a map of the Land of Grass, Kaikei noticed that Kannabi Bridge was there and realized what he had overlooked.

• Orochimaru collected the Explosion Release unit’s corpses, followed Hyuga Kiyoshi’s directions toward the fleeing Iwagakure ninja, and shouted Nara Kaikei’s name when he found traces of Kaikei’s Shadow Clone battle.
• Nara Kaikei’s squad reached Konoha, delivered the wounded to Kikyo Castle, and submitted their completed A-Rank Resource Transport mission to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Uchiha Shisui described the battle against Iwagakure’s demolition unit, explaining that Kaikei’s Bringer-of-Darkness Technique had helped the Konoha force defeat the attackers.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Kaikei a Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique scroll as an additional mission reward and advised him to let Kano examine it.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Kaikei a map of the Land of Grass, and Kaikei spotted Kannabi Bridge on it and realized it was within the Land of Grass.

After collecting payment for an A-Rank mission, Nara Kaikei opened a reward scroll and gained the A-Rank Explosive Clone technique. Back at Kikyo Orphanage, he praised Yakushi Kabuto’s medical talent and prepared to teach him a ninjutsu suited to his goal of becoming a ninja like Kaikei.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi paid Nara Kaikei’s squad for its A-Rank mission, and the squad divided the money before celebrating with barbecue.
• Nara Kaikei flew to Kikyo Castle, received the Hokage’s Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique scroll, and opened a panel reward containing Explosive Clone.
• Nara Kaikei returned to Kikyo Orphanage and greeted Yakushi Nonō and the children.
• Yakushi Kabuto demonstrated his medical ninjutsu by healing a rooster’s wound, and Nara Kaikei praised his talent.
• Nara Kaikei offered Yakushi Kabuto a ninjutsu matching one of his chakra natures, and Kabuto said he wanted to become a ninja like Kaikei.

Nara Kaikei trained Yakushi Kabuto in the Sage Clan Guiding Technique, then returned to Kikyo Castle to confront Pakura about her value as a captive. Pakura offered to prove she still had something to interest him, but Kaikei put her off until another day.

• Nara Kaikei taught Yakushi Kabuto the Sage Clan Guiding Technique and told him to keep the training secret while practicing its breathing rhythm throughout the day.
• Nara Kaikei spent the night with Yakushi Nonō at Kikyo Orphanage, then left the next morning to visit Pakura.
• Nara Kaikei told Pakura he had destroyed Iwagakure's Demolition Force, and she feared he had used her Scorch Release against Sunagakure.
• Nara Kaikei warned Pakura that her value to him had dwindled and urged her to think of something that would make her useful again.
• Pakura asked what would happen if she had something to offer, but Nara Kaikei declined her advances and said another day.

Nara Kaikei began experimenting with combining Yin Release and Earth Style to create a new Kekkei Genkai, while his clones handled the research. After completing his first A-Rank mission, he told Tsunade that nearly every wounded ninja evacuated from the Land of Grass front had lost a limb and hinted that he suspected a problem involving Orochimaru.

• Nara Kaikei created an Earth Style Rock Clone and a Shadow Clone, then assigned them Earth and Yin Release masks to test a Yin-and-earth Kekkei Genkai.
• Nara Kaikei left Pakura at the villa and went to his Pharmaceutical Research Institute, where he found Tsunade drinking despite her promise to quit.
• Nara Kaikei told Tsunade that his first A-Rank mission had involved transporting supplies and evacuating wounded soldiers from the Land of Grass front.
• Nara Kaikei explained that all but one of the wounded ninja had limb injuries, and that the exception had been rescued from the battlefield that day.
• Tsunade considered whether the Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han could explain the injuries, then pressed Nara Kaikei about his suspicions.
• Nara Kaikei said he had no reliable evidence yet but pointed out that Orochimaru commanded the Iwagakure front.

Nara Kaikei challenged Tsunade to investigate the wounded soldiers’ camp on the Iwagakure front and then showed Nara Shikano three new shadow techniques he had developed. Shikano commissioned an S-Rank clan mission for the techniques, adding to Kaikei’s growing obligations.

• Nara Kaikei told Tsunade that Orochimaru might be connected to the suspicious situation at the Iwagakure frontline wounded soldiers’ camp, and Tsunade went to question the severely wounded ninjas.
• Nara Kaikei met Nara Shikano and explained that he had taken over his father’s research into combining shadow techniques with the nervous system.
• Nara Kaikei demonstrated the C-Rank Shadow Imitation Technique, the A-Rank Shadow Body Technique, and the B-Rank Flat Shadow Manipulation Technique to Nara Shikano.
• Nara Shikano declared an S-Rank mission for developing the Shadow Imitation Technique and its supporting jutsu, while worrying that the clan could not keep up with Kaikei’s achievements.