Chapter Summaries

Itachi’s team headed for a mission scroll, but Kimimaro’s Sound Ninja group ambushed them on the way. Itachi captured Jirobo and demanded the scroll as Kabuto and Hana appeared behind Kimimaro and Tayuya.

• Itachi chose to collect a scroll at the nearest outpost before meeting Izumi and the others.
• Hirahara Azumahiko’s Sunagakure team took a scroll, but Kimimaro, Tayuya, and Jirobo intercepted them and forced them to hand it over.
• Kimimaro’s group moved ahead to ambush Itachi’s team, avoiding the outpost’s surveillance devices.
• Jirobo trapped Itachi, Kabuto, and Hana in a rock prison, but he could barely absorb their Chakra and released the prison.
• Itachi held a blade to Jirobo’s throat and demanded the scroll while Kabuto and Hana appeared behind Kimimaro and Tayuya.

Itachi and Kabuto fought the Sound Village team, killing Jirobo and Tayuya while Kimimaro battled Kabuto. As Itachi prepared to help, a Grass Ninja with a shadow-level presence appeared nearby.

• Tayuya attacked Itachi and Jirobo with Shuriken, but Itachi escaped by transforming into crows while Jirobo was wounded and began healing with his Cursed Seal.
• Itachi sent Hana Inuzuka away, then faced Kimimaro, Tayuya, and Jirobo as Kimimaro chose to fight Kabuto himself.
• Itachi struck Jirobo with the Great Fireball Technique and killed him with his Flying Daggers before he could complete his transformation.
• Tayuya entered the Cursed Seal's second state and trapped Itachi in her flute illusion, but Itachi turned the illusion against her, killed her, and sealed the Three Demons.
• Itachi saw Kabuto and Kimimaro fighting evenly, then sensed a shadow-level presence and spotted a Grass Ninja on a nearby tree branch.

Aozora recognized that Kimimaro and Kabuto were fighting while Orochimaru targeted Itachi, but he chose to let the battle continue and used Kamui to leave the spectator hall. Kabuto poisoned Kimimaro with a corrosive mist, leaving their fight unresolved.

• The spectators watched Kimimaro and Kabuto's high-speed battle, and Aozora identified Kimimaro and inferred that Orochimaru was targeting Itachi.
• Rasa sent an ANBU member to investigate, while Aozora pretended to have stomach trouble and slipped away from the hall using Kamui.
• Kimimaro drew Kabuto away from Orochimaru and Itachi, and their battle devastated the forest and disrupted other Genin teams.
• Kimimaro's bones repeatedly blocked Kabuto's attacks, while Kabuto's powerful healing let him recover from his wounds.
• Kabuto used his Chakra Scalpel to impair Kimimaro's body, then shattered a medicine bottle and engulfed him in poison that corroded his skin and blackened his bones.

Kabuto fought Kimimaro while Itachi faced Orochimaru in the forest during Sunagakure's exams. Itachi used clones, genjutsu, and a series of attacks to keep Orochimaru guessing, but Orochimaru's Poison Mist spread through the forest as he began to notice something was wrong.

• Kabuto discovered that Kimimaro had survived the Poison Mist in State Two and attacked him with Sage Jutsu, but Kimimaro's bone shield held firm.
• Orochimaru confronted Itachi and revealed his desire to take Itachi's body, so Itachi trapped him in the Demonic Illusion: Hanging Technique.
• Orochimaru escaped the illusion's threat by using a python to attack Itachi's Shadow Clone, while Itachi dispersed into crow feathers and concealed his position.
• Itachi told Orochimaru that the sages of the Three Great Sage Regions had lived for at least a thousand years, then attacked him with a storm of Kunai and Explosive Tags.
• Orochimaru summoned Rashōmon to block the attack, then sent a tide of snakes at Itachi, who burned them with Great Fire Annihilation as Poison Mist filled the forest.
• Orochimaru expected the Poison Mist to defeat Itachi, but noticed the crows had not retreated and then felt his vision begin to blur.

Itachi trapped Orochimaru in the sound-triggered genjutsu Moonfall Crow Cries, then attacked him as he recovered. Orochimaru unleashed the Eight Branches Technique, and Itachi prepared to flee until a Ninja Crow delivered a message.

• Itachi explained that the crow's cry had triggered his genjutsu, while Orochimaru endured the illusion's torment and failed to break free.
• Orochimaru escaped the genjutsu, but Itachi's Flying Daggers wounded him as he tried to flee through the forest.
• Orochimaru unleashed the Eight Branches Technique and transformed into a mountain-sized, eight-headed white serpent.
• Itachi recalled his Flying Daggers and decided to retreat because his unfinished ninjutsu could not defeat Orochimaru in that form.
• A Ninja Crow landed on Itachi's shoulder and delivered a message, which he acknowledged with a serious nod.

As the Eight-Headed Serpent disrupted the Chunin Exams, Rasa and Fugaku learned that Orochimaru had infiltrated and rushed to the canyon. Aozora took advantage of the emergency to enter Sunagakure’s secret base and attack the guards at its Secret Archives.

• Sunagakure Jonin saw the Eight-Headed Serpent appear and followed Baki toward it to protect the exam participants.
• Rasa learned from Fugaku that Orochimaru’s serpent came from the Eight Branches Technique, suspended the exams, and asked Fugaku to accompany him to the canyon.
• Aozora captured a Sunagakure ANBU and learned that the village’s Forbidden Jutsu was not stored in the Kazekage Building.
• Aozora used his Flying Thunder God Marks and Kamui to infiltrate Sunagakure’s guarded secret base and reach the Secret Archives.
• Aozora killed the four ANBU guarding the archives after luring them close with a scroll.

Aozora raided Sunagakure’s Secret Archives to steal valuable ninjutsu, while Orochimaru’s Eight-Headed Serpent unleashed poisonous smoke during the Chunin Exams. Itachi emerged from the smoke protected by a massive crimson Susanoo.

• Aozora bypassed the vault’s seals with Kamui and began sealing B-Rank and higher ninjutsu scrolls into his storage scroll.
• The Eight-Headed Serpent devastated the valley as Izumi spotted it and led her teammates toward the tower rather than risk joining the fight.
• Orochimaru made the serpent spew poisonous smoke across the valley, threatening Sunagakure’s water supply and trapping Itachi within its spread.
• Baki ordered the Sunagakure Jonin to disperse the smoke with Wind Release while Uno Yumi went to request support from the Kazekage and Medical Team.
• Izumi worried for Itachi as a crimson phantom burst through the poisonous smoke, revealing a giant translucent skeleton facing the Eight-Headed Serpent.

Aozora searched Sunagakure’s Secret Archives for One’s Own Life Reincarnation, triggered the defenses, and escaped with a black scroll using Kamui. Meanwhile, Kabuto defeated Kimimaro with poison, and Itachi forced Orochimaru to retreat with Susanoo as reinforcements approached.

• Aozora searched the puppet racks after failing to find One’s Own Life Reincarnation, but a puppet’s trap exposed him and alerted the Sunagakure ANBU.
• Aozora destroyed the remaining puppets, took a black scroll, and vanished through Kamui, leaving the ANBU unable to track him.
• Kabuto explained that poisoned bones had spread toxins through Kimimaro’s body, then avoided Kimimaro’s final attack as a bone forest erupted.
• Orochimaru recognized that Itachi’s Susanoo and the approaching reinforcements made continuing the fight too dangerous, so he withdrew into the poisonous smoke.
• Itachi dismissed Susanoo and headed toward the edge of the poisonous smoke.

Itachi fought Orochimaru’s attack with Susanoo and was badly injured and poisoned before Aozora rescued him. At the chapter’s end, Sunagakure offered to treat Itachi, but Aozora declined and pointed out that Konoha’s medical ninja had arrived.

• Baki and the Sunagakure Jonin hesitated over whether to attack Itachi’s Susanoo until Rasa, Fugaku, and the other village leaders arrived.
• Fugaku explained to Rasa that Itachi was taking the exams despite his strength because he had not been promoted to Chunin, while Baki reported seeing Orochimaru’s giant eight-headed snake disappear.
• Aozora entered the poisonous smoke, dispelled it, and caught Itachi after he dismissed Susanoo; Itachi told his teacher he had completed the task of keeping Orochimaru occupied.
• Aozora carried the poisoned Itachi to Fugaku and the others, and Sunagakure’s medical ninja Hibino Eruo failed to identify the venom.
• Rasa offered to have Sunagakure’s Elder Chiyo treat Itachi, but Aozora refused and pointed out that Konoha’s medical ninja was approaching.

Kabuto treated Itachi after Orochimaru poisoned him, while Rasa investigated the theft of Sunagakure's Secret Archives and suspected the incident was linked to the Akatsuki Organization. Kabuto saved Itachi from the poison, impressing Sunagakure's leaders as they discussed seeking Konoha's help against the Akatsuki.

• Aozora and Fugaku asked Kabuto to treat Itachi, who had been poisoned by Orochimaru, and Kabuto began examining him.
• Rasa learned the Secret Archives had been stolen and left the Chunin Exam site to investigate, assigning Baki to manage the injured and Hibino Eruo to assist Kabuto.
• Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo discussed the theft, the suspected use of Space-Time Ninjutsu, and whether Orochimaru's attack had been meant to distract Sunagakure.
• Hibino Eruo reported that Kabuto had neutralized most of Itachi's poison and stabilized him, admitting Kabuto's Medical Ninjutsu surpassed his own.
• Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo recognized Kabuto's talent and agreed that Konoha's strength could help Sunagakure confront the Akatsuki Organization.

Fugaku and Aozora negotiated an agreement with Rasa to share intelligence and assist each other against the Akatsuki Organization, but the villages avoided forming a full alliance. After the Chunin Exams ended, Itachi recovered from poisoning while Aozora explored the Land of Wind and gathered information.

• Rasa presented Sunagakure’s intelligence on the Akatsuki Organization, and Fugaku agreed to cooperate against it.
• Sunagakure and Konoha rejected forming a joint task force and instead agreed to share intelligence and provide assistance when needed.
• Rasa skipped the second round of the Chunin Exams, and Fugaku withdrew Itachi’s squad; Gaara defeated Izumi when her attacks could not penetrate his automatic sand defense.
• Sunagakure won the most top-eight places, and Rasa promoted Itachi’s withdrawn squad to Chunin before the visitors departed.
• Aozora stayed behind with Itachi, who needed several days to recover from poison, while Aozora explored nearby landmarks and historical sites.

Pain confronted Orochimaru over his unauthorized attack on Sunagakure, then assigned him to help hunt Aozora. Meanwhile, Aozora and Itachi explored the Ruins of Loulan in search of the Dragon Vein, which Aozora hoped to use as a Sage Jutsu training ground.

• Pain questioned Orochimaru about acting against the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and Orochimaru claimed he had gone after Aozora and poisoned Itachi to isolate him.
• Zetsu confirmed that Aozora and Itachi were the only Konoha shinobi still in the Land of Wind, and Pain ordered Sasori and Deidara to hunt Kisame while he took Orochimaru to hunt Aozora.
• Aozora and Itachi traveled through the desert after Itachi confirmed that Kabuto's medicine had cleared the toxins from his body.
• Aozora found the ruins of Rōran and explained that he was searching for the Dragon Vein, a source of powerful Nature Energy that could aid Sage Jutsu cultivation.
• Aozora warned Itachi to remain wary of the Three Great Sage Regions, and they reached the central tower of the Ruins of Loulan.

Aozora and Itachi disturbed the Dragon Vein’s mysterious energy while investigating the Fourth Hokage’s seal, and it transported them to another time-space. Realizing they had only about half a month before the energy faded and they returned, Aozora set off with Itachi to see what had happened in this alternate Konoha.

• Aozora and Itachi found the Fourth Hokage’s seals over the Dragon Vein and sensed unusual energy beneath them.
• Aozora used Adamantine Sealing Chains to draw the energy out, but it escaped and enveloped both of them in white light.
• Aozora and Itachi reappeared in the tower in daylight, and Aozora concluded they might have traveled to the past or a parallel time-space.
• Aozora sensed the mysterious energy inside them and estimated that it would last around half a month.
• Aozora and Itachi headed toward Konoha to investigate the alternate time-space.

Aozora and Itachi entered a past or parallel Konoha and discovered ANBU surrounding the Uchiha Compound. They met Fugaku and explained their origins, leaving him stunned by Itachi’s news that the Uchiha ruled Konoha in their time-space.

• Aozora and Itachi disguised themselves as ANBU and entered Konoha after noticing Mount Kaen had only four Hokage faces.
• Itachi spotted ANBU and Root personnel surrounding the Uchiha Compound, and Aozora planned to sneak them inside with Earth Release.
• Fugaku sensed the pair in his courtyard and met them in his study after dismissing the guards.
• Itachi and Aozora explained that the Dragon Vein had brought them from another time-space, and Fugaku accepted their account.
• Itachi told Fugaku that Danzo had defected in their time-space and that Fugaku had become the Fifth Hokage while the Uchiha governed Konoha.

On the night of the Uchiha Clan’s extermination, Uchiha Itachi prepared to slaughter his clan alongside Obito while Aozora, Fugaku, and another Itachi watched from a different timeline. The chapter ended as Itachi’s Mangekyo Sharingan awakened when he confronted the ANBU version of himself amid the massacre.

• Obito arrived at the Uchiha Clan Compound and ordered Uchiha Itachi to kill every clan member, including women, children, and infants.
• Obito and Uchiha Itachi divided the compound between them, with Itachi assigned the northern section near the Clan Head’s residence.
• Aozora explained the Uchiha’s worsening situation to Fugaku and Itachi, who learned that Shisui had died and that the other Itachi had joined ANBU.
• Aozora, Fugaku, and Itachi rushed outside after hearing commotion and found the alley filled with the bodies of Uchiha women and children.
• Itachi’s Sharingan transformed into Mangekyo as he faced the ANBU ninja who looked exactly like him, and Aozora asked whether this was his choice.

Aozora confronted Fugaku and Uchiha Itachi during the attack on the Uchiha Clan Compound, while Itachi challenged his counterpart over choosing to betray the clan. Itachi gained the upper hand in their duel as the clan rallied to fight back.

• Itachi confronted Uchiha Itachi and questioned his decision to betray the Uchiha, but Uchiha Itachi defended it as the best way to prevent a war.
• Aozora watched Uchiha Itachi condemn the clan, and Itachi attacked him after mocking his self-righteousness.
• Itachi told Aozora to save the clan members while he fought Uchiha Itachi, and Aozora ordered the clan's Signal Flare activated and the intruders eliminated.
• Aozora showed Fugaku a vision of Konoha in ruins and warned him not to interfere with the duel; Fugaku agreed to rally the clan.
• Fugaku left to gather the Uchiha as Signal Flares summoned them, while Itachi overpowered Uchiha Itachi in their sword fight.
• Itachi accused Uchiha Itachi of looking down on the clan and challenged his assumption that the Uchiha could not take control of Konoha.

Itachi countered Uchiha Itachi’s Great Fireball Technique and was caught in his Tsukuyomi, but revealed that he possessed the same Dōjutsu and turned the illusion into a colorful vision of a peaceful Konoha. Uchiha Itachi saw his family and Naruto living together before Fugaku addressed him as though he had returned from time off.

• Uchiha Itachi interrupted his Great Fireball Technique to evade Itachi’s hand-seal-free version, but the flames left him badly burned.
• Uchiha Itachi trapped Itachi in his black-and-white Tsukuyomi and tried to stab him on a cross.
• Itachi revealed that his Dōjutsu was also Tsukuyomi and transformed Uchiha Itachi’s illusion into a colorful vision of Konoha.
• Uchiha Itachi saw Sasuke and Naruto playing together, heard his mother call to them, and watched Fugaku arrive in a Kage Robe.
• Fugaku looked up at Uchiha Itachi and asked whether Aozora had given him time off.

Obito attacked the Konoha Military Police Force and tried to take Izumi’s Sharingan, but Aozora intervened with the Flying Thunder God Technique. Aozora used his own Kamui Sharingan to tear Obito’s right Mangekyō from its socket, leaving Obito stunned and stripped of his strongest ability.

• Obito disabled the Konoha Military Police Force, then caught Izumi with a chain and reached for her Sharingan.
• Aozora appeared using the Flying Thunder God Technique and launched a swift attack that forced Obito to activate Kamui.
• Obito recognized the technique but underestimated Aozora and continued relying on his Hollowfication.
• Aozora’s Mangekyō Sharingan resonated with Obito’s, causing Obito’s right eye to burst from its socket.
• Obito fell out of the spatial rift and stood in shock, covering his missing eye.

Aozora defeated Obito, took his Mangekyō Sharingan, and rescued Izumi before returning to Itachi. In the Tsukuyomi world, Itachi confronted Uchiha Itachi over his choices and condemned him for never understanding the Uchiha clan.

• Aozora took Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan, foiled his attempt to use Kamui and Izanagi, and sealed him inside the Kamui Dimension prison.
• Aozora freed Izumi and sent her to find the Clan Head before using the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Itachi.
• Uchiha Itachi recognized that the family dinner was an illusion and confronted Itachi, who explained that the world was real but belonged to another reality.
• Itachi challenged Uchiha Itachi's belief that massacring the clan had been necessary, questioning whether he had listened to clan members or spoken honestly with Fugaku.
• Itachi accused Uchiha Itachi of becoming a weapon for Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo and of destroying the Uchiha clan's future.

Itachi defeated Uchiha Itachi in a genjutsu battle by exposing the contradictions in his choice to serve Konoha’s leaders and massacre the Uchiha. As Uchiha Itachi’s convictions collapsed amid the destruction of the Clan Compound, Itachi credited Aozora for shaping him into someone capable of changing this tragic world.

• Itachi overwhelmed Uchiha Itachi with Tsukuyomi but used the illusion to challenge his decision to slaughter the clan rather than kill him.
• Itachi argued that Konoha’s aging leaders were destroying the village’s future and that its three Mangekyō Sharingan wielders were more valuable than the high command.
• Itachi pressed Uchiha Itachi over failing to avenge Shisui, clear his name, and protect his clan, leaving him unable to defend his choices.
• Itachi released Tsukuyomi, and Uchiha Itachi collapsed to one knee as his convictions broke and he heard his clan members suffering outside.
• Aozora appeared and praised Itachi, who replied that his teacher—not he—had defeated Uchiha Itachi.