Chapter Summaries

Shuichi discovered Kirigakure’s defenses around the Seven Star Tree Forest, killed a Sunagakure scout, and sent his findings to Akiha, Shisui, and Itachi. The team began a plan to provoke a clash between Kirigakure and Sunagakure, with Shisui approaching a Sunagakure squad in disguise.

• Shuichi found the Seven Star Tree Forest and mapped Kirigakure’s patrols and defensive positions.
• Shuichi killed Wendou, took his signal flare, sent an ink bird carrying intelligence to his teammates, and disguised himself as the scout.
• Akiha, Shisui, and Itachi received Shuichi’s report and agreed to try to provoke conflict between Kirigakure and Sunagakure.
• Itachi sent Shuichi a note by summoning a small green snake while Akiha and Itachi dug hiding pits.
• Shisui disguised himself as a Mist Ninja and approached a Sunagakure squad as Akiha guided him by radio.

Shisui, guided by Akiha’s Byakugan, lured Sunagakure’s forces into position while Itachi sent a Shadow Clone toward Kirigakure. Shisui escaped using an illusion-like technique, and Kirigakure forces—including Momochi Zabuza and Black Ant Daichi—attacked the gathered Sunagakure squads.

• Akiha tracked Sunagakure’s squads as Shisui drew them closer, while Itachi sent a Shadow Clone toward Kirigakure to draw its forces out.
• Shisui fled from the Sunagakure pursuers, seeming to improve his Body Flicker Technique as he narrowly dodged their attacks.
• Shisui split into five Chakra-bearing copies, leaving the Sunagakure squad unable to identify or pursue his real body.
• Sunagakure received a warning that enemies were attacking nearby, but Kirigakure fighters soon emerged and charged them.
• Momochi Zabuza attacked with the Kubikiribōchō, while Black Ant Daichi wielded the Exploding Blade: Shibuki against the Sunagakure ninjas.

Kirigakure and Sunagakure clashed in the Land of Tea, where Zabuza killed a fleeing Sunagakure ninja before Pakura led a counterattack. Elsewhere, Oro sent Ringo Yuyuri after a slippery Sunagakure swordsman, who escaped her approach with a gust of wind.

• Daichi's explosive slash missed the retreating Sunagakure forces, and Zabuza pursued them through the steam and killed a young ninja skilled at foul breath.
• A red-haired Kirigakure leader arrived with reinforcements, praised Zabuza, and ordered the pursuit to continue while signaling Yamaguchi's side.
• Pakura ambushed the pursuing Kirigakure squads with tracking Scorch Release fireballs, and both sides prepared to fight after finding their forces roughly equal.
• A confident Sunagakure swordsman evaded the attacks of Oro's pursuing squads, and Oro let Ringo Yuyuri take him on.
• The swordsman turned and used Wind Release: Breakthrough to hinder Ringo Yuyuri and the Kirigakure pursuers before running off again.

Shuichi disguised himself as a Sunagakure ninja to lure Kirigakure's squads away from their post, then blocked their route through the valley with a massive boulder. Oro recognized Shuichi and realized Kirigakure's young talents, including those still fighting elsewhere, were in grave danger.

• Shuichi dodged Ringo Yuyuri's Nuibari attack, feigned a serious wound, and led Oro's Kirigakure squads into an ambush involving explosive clay and two Sunagakure squads.
• The Sunagakure squads scattered, and Ringo used lightning-guided Nuibari to kill four pursuers while the rest of Kirigakure's group chased the survivors.
• Oro and his forces saw a red signal near the Seven Star Tree and rushed to support the battle, believing Sunagakure had lured them away from its main force.
• Shuichi dropped an enormous boulder into the One-Line Sky Passage, crushing roughly a third of the Kirigakure ninja and blocking the route.
• Shuichi revealed himself atop the boulder, and Oro recognized him as the disguised swordsman who had drawn the squads away.

Shuichi defeated Oro and the Mist Ninja surrounding Ringo Yuyuri, then killed Ringo in a clash of Lightning Release. After securing Nuibari and clearing the battlefield, he expected to return to Konoha soon.

• Oro sent red and green signal flares to warn the frontline forces, but Shuichi’s clones had the Mist Ninja surrounded.
• Shuichi’s Shadow Clones wounded and killed several Mist Ninja with Vacuum Orb before Shuichi joined the fight himself.
• Ringo attacked Shuichi with Nuibari while Oro and the remaining Mist Ninja charged, but Shuichi deflected the blade and killed Oro’s group.
• Ringo admitted she had killed two Konoha ninja and asked Shuichi to kill her with Lightning Release.
• Shuichi defeated Ringo with Lightning Stab, took Nuibari, and cleared the battlefield before looking toward his return to Konoha.

Kirigakure's forces withdrew from their battle with Sunagakure after signs of trouble emerged elsewhere, then discovered Konoha had intercepted them. Konoha reinforcements arrived and confronted Terumi Hiro's group, leaving him facing a potential war.

• Terumi Hiro ordered the Kirigakure forces to retreat after spotting smoke signals and suspecting trouble with Oro's unit.
• The Sunagakure captain stopped Pakura from pursuing and ordered his forces to track Kirigakure and investigate their purpose.
• Terumi Hiro led his group north, suspecting Konoha had discovered their invasion, while Zabuza and Daichi charged at Hyuga Akiha, Shisui, and Itachi.
• Kakashi intercepted Zabuza and injured him with a chakra-charged punch, while another Konoha fighter struck Daichi and sent him flying.
• Two Anbu squads and three squads of clan elites appeared to reinforce Akiha's group, and Hizashi Hyuga challenged Kirigakure over sending so many ninjas into the Land of Fire.

Terumi Hiro withdrew his Kirigakure forces after clashing with Konoha, then planned to enlist Sunagakure against Konoha’s claim to the Seven Star Tree resources. Shuichi remained to guard the area as Konoha’s forces arrived and began securing it.

• Terumi Hiro claimed Kirigakure had pursued pirates into the Land of Fire, but Hizashi challenged his story and let the wounded Mist Ninja withdraw rather than risk a costly fight.
• Terumi Hiro ordered his forces to recover at hidden base C and sent a messenger to contact Sunagakure about joining forces against Konoha.
• Kakashi and an Anbu squad reached Shuichi, who agreed to keep guarding the Seven Star Tree area until reinforcements arrived.
• Monkey offered Shuichi the nickname “Red-Topped Mountain Shaker,” but Shuichi refused it and kept “Purple Aurora.”
• That night, Konoha’s forces gathered at the Seven Star Tree and began measuring and sealing off the resource area.

Shuichi guarded the Seven Star Tree area with Hizashi and drove off approaching scouts using a powerful searchlight. After Konoha’s reinforcements arrived, Shuichi learned how the trees’ Chakra affected Chakra Paper and Explosive Tags, then began the journey back to Konoha with his teammates.

• Shuichi raised a towering Earth Release wall and took turns with Hizashi using the Byakugan to watch over the forest.
• Hizashi detected three approaching scouts, and Shuichi used a high-pressure searchlight to expose them and scare them away.
• Shuichi spread Konoha ninja around the forest with Flying Thunder God Kunai and ink cameras, deterring further approaches from Kirigakure and Sunagakure.
• Twenty teams and professional tree cultivators arrived from Konoha, allowing Shuichi’s team to hand over their defense duties.
• A researcher explained that the Seven Star Tree’s Chakra determined the quality of the Chakra Paper made from its mature branches and trunk.
• Shuichi injected Chakra into the tree, then left for Konoha with his three teammates.

Shuichi returned from his mission, reported its results to the Third Hokage, and secured promotions and gifts for Shisui and Itachi. At home, Kurenai surprised him with a birthday cake, and the two grew closer as Shuichi marked her with Flying Thunder God before they spent the night together.

• Shuichi reported the mission to the Third Hokage and handed over the recovered bodies of fallen Konoha ninjas.
• The Third Hokage approved Jonin and Chunin promotions for Shisui and Itachi, and Shuichi gave them the Third Lord's Fire Release cultivation notes.
• Kurenai surprised Shuichi at home with a chocolate cake for his eighteenth birthday, and he reflected on how she had become like family to him.
• Shuichi and Kurenai shared cake and went to the hot spring together, where Shuichi told her he wanted to protect her with a permanent Flying Thunder God mark.
• Kurenai revealed she had secretly received the mark the previous year, and she and Shuichi became intimate.

After returning from his mission, Shuichi spent time with Kurenai and considered how to protect her from future enemies. He then began a carefully prepared First Hokage Cells transplant, using Sage Chakra to help control and accelerate the fusion.

• Shuichi and Kurenai moved to his bedroom and spent the night together, while Haku and Kotaro heard sounds from nearby.
• Shuichi dismissed Kotaro's teasing and thought about protecting Kurenai and their future children from Pain and Obito.
• Shuichi planned to improve the Cursed Seal and Yin Seal, and told Kotaro to learn hand-sign ninjutsu and the Summoning Jutsu.
• Shuichi prepared an underground operating room and had a Shadow Clone implant a strip of First Hokage Cells into his arm.
• Shuichi sensed the cells' devouring nature, found he could suppress them with Chakra, and began sensing Natural Energy to aid their fusion.

Shuichi safely transplanted a small strip of First Hokage Cells into his arm and used Sage Mode to control their activity. Later, during a patrol in Konoha, he watched four-year-old Naruto brawl with other children and decided against approaching him.

• Shuichi entered Sage Mode and used Sage Chakra to suppress the First Hokage Cells in his arm.
• Shuichi let Kotaro absorb the remaining energy, then bandaged his arm and planned to continue transplanting flesh strips gradually.
• Shuichi resumed his daily Ice Release training while planning preparations for the Yin Seal and further research into Cursed Seals and the soul.
• In September, Naruto quarreled and wrestled with three children after insulting them with ridiculous nicknames.
• Shuichi watched Naruto from nearby and abandoned his idea of contacting him, deciding Naruto was too annoying to approach.

Shuichi caught Jiraiya peeping at the women's hot spring, then watched him meet Kakashi and see Naruto’s rowdy behavior. After learning that Jiraiya’s latest book was a bestseller, Shuichi asked him to recommend Shuichi’s own planned book.

• While patrolling, Shuichi spotted Jiraiya secretly watching women at the hot spring and confronted him with his Security Force badge.
• Jiraiya refused to go to the Hokage’s Office and looked through his telescope at Naruto, who was playing with other children and pulled down his pants to shock them.
• Jiraiya met Kakashi and gave him a copy of Icha Icha Paradise as a birthday present.
• Shuichi teased Jiraiya about his writing before praising his bestselling book and asking him to recommend Shuichi’s future work.

Shuichi studied Jiraiya’s bestselling novel, wrote his own book, and arranged for its publication. He then traveled with Kurenai to the Land of Grass on a mission that would also let him seek Karin and pursue a personal goal involving Tsunade.

• Jiraiya gave Shuichi a recommendation letter for his book and left the village after praising the village’s future leadership.
• Shuichi read Icha Icha Paradise, analyzed its style, and persuaded Kurenai to help inspire his writing by trying on outfits.
• Shuichi wrote Thoughts Across Time with Earth Clones and submitted it to Shueisha under a pen name; the manager became engrossed in the manuscript.
• Months later, Shuichi transplanted another batch of First Hokage Cells into his right arm after his body adapted to the first batch.
• Shuichi and Kurenai traveled to the Land of Grass, where Shuichi planned to find Karin and later seek Tsunade’s Yin Seal.

Shuichi and Kurenai entered Kusagakure to find an Uzumaki descendant and discovered Karin being exploited for her healing ability. After rescuing and healing her, Shuichi offered her the choice to leave with them, then departed with Kurenai and left Karin time to decide.

• Shuichi and Kurenai reached Kusagakure, and Shuichi sent ink rats into the village to search for an Uzumaki descendant.
• A Kusanagi Ninja leader forced Karin to let injured ninjas bite her so they could heal, and she fainted from the ordeal.
• One of Shuichi's ink rats marked Karin with the Flying Thunder God formula, allowing Shuichi and Kurenai to appear in her home.
• Shuichi healed Karin and told her that he and Kurenai were Konoha ninja who had come to find scattered Uzumaki clansmen.
• Shuichi offered Karin the choice to stay in Kusagakure or leave with them, then departed with Kurenai after she comforted the girl.

Shuichi and Kurenai arrived in Kusagakure to support its war against Takigakure, while Pain and Konan attacked a group of ninja to keep the conflict balanced. Konan received a report identifying Kurenai and reacted with alarm.

• Shinjo questioned why only two Konoha ninja had arrived, and Shuichi demonstrated his speed by putting a kunai to his neck.
• Shinjo accepted Shuichi and Kurenai as support and assigned Tomoyoshi to guide them.
• Tomoyoshi escorted the pair to their room, then secretly sketched them and sent a chakra-powered paper crane with the report.
• At the Grass-Rain Border, Pain used Banshō Ten'in and Shinra Tensei to kill the gathered ninja, while Konan finished off the survivors.
• Konan received Tomoyoshi's report and sharply reacted to Yūhi Kurenai's portrait.

Nagato and Konan planned to use the battle against Takigakure to capture Yūhi Kurenai and test Takeda Shuichi, while avoiding a direct fight with him. When Shuichi and Kurenai joined Tomoyoshi’s squad at the front, Waterfall Ninja ambushed them, and Shuichi swiftly slaughtered the attackers.

• Konan identified Yūhi Kurenai and likely Takeda Shuichi among the Konoha ninja hired by Kusagakure, and she and Nagato discussed the danger Shuichi posed.
• Nagato ordered four Paths to hide within the Takigakure team and planned to separate and capture Kurenai, with a fallback plan to fight Shuichi and retreat if necessary.
• Tomoyoshi brought Shuichi and Kurenai to the front after Takigakure launched a new offensive, and Shuichi warned that the squad had already been surrounded.
• Waterfall Ninja attacked Tomoyoshi’s squad with a barrage of weapons, but Shuichi blocked it with the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.
• Kurenai trapped several Waterfall Ninja with genjutsu, and Shuichi followed with kunai, Wind Release, and sword attacks that cut down the attackers.

Shuichi and Kurenai joined a Kusagakure reinforcement team, but Shuichi suspected the urgent orders were part of a trap aimed at them. The team reached an ambush, where Waterfall Ninja attacked with a combined fire-and-wind technique.

• Shuichi killed the attacking Waterfall Ninja, and Tomoyoshi’s team examined the bodies for intelligence.
• Tomoyoshi asked Shuichi to save his strength for the main battlefields, and Shuichi reminded him that their hired team had only two chances to act.
• At a crossroads, two Kusanagi Ninja reported that one battlefield was under heavy pressure, while a wounded Kusagakure ninja reported that another defensive line had fallen.
• Tomoyoshi’s group chose to reinforce the breached line, and Shuichi suspected the future Naraka Path was behind the crisis targeting him and Kurenai.
• Oniji and a Waterfall Jonin ambushed the six-person team with a combined Fire Style and Wind Release attack.

Shuichi and Kurenai faced the Waterfall Ninja and the Rinnegan-controlled fighters, and Shuichi overwhelmed them with powerful ninjutsu and clones. Nagato watched from afar and recognized Shuichi as an extraordinary threat, while Shuichi left the remaining opponents under attack.

• Oniji learned that three targets had survived, and the Waterfall Ninja emerged to face Shuichi and Kurenai.
• Shuichi killed the summoned rhinoceros, then used genjutsu and lightning against the Waterfall Ninja and the Rinnegan users.
• The Asura Path and Animal Path attacked Kurenai, but Shuichi intercepted their strikes and revealed that his clone had trapped the Waterfall Ninja in a swamp before destroying them with explosives.
• Shuichi's Shadow Clone pierced the Human Path, while Nagato observed the battle and assessed Shuichi's strength as far beyond the Sannin.
• Shuichi drew his Roaring Sword and cut the Animal Path in two with its extended lightning blade.

Shuichi defeated the attacking Pain bodies and drove Nagato and Konan away, then disposed of the evidence and resumed his work near Kusagakure. He found Karin and, at her request, took her and Kurenai with him toward the Land of Fire.

• Shuichi used Lightning and Wind Release attacks to defeat several Pain bodies and wound the Eight Shaku Bird, while Nagato summoned the survivors away with Konan.
• Shuichi and Kurenai examined the dead Pain bodies, found no real Rinnegan, and collected their Black Rods before questioning Tomoyoshi and disposing of the bodies.
• Shuichi and Kurenai returned to the Northwest Frontline, helped Konoha win another battle, and left Kusagakure while secretly scouting nearby.
• Shuichi confirmed that no one was at Karin's home, used Flying Thunder God to reach her, and found her eager to leave with them.
• Karin gathered her bundle, and Shuichi used the Mystical Palm Technique to treat her bite marks before transporting her and Kurenai toward the Land of Fire.

Jiraiya discovered that Shuichi’s novel Thoughts Across Time had caused his royalties to plummet, then bought a copy and became absorbed in its story. After leaving the bookstore, he spotted Shuichi and called out to him.

• Jiraiya collected his royalties at a Shueisha branch and learned they had fallen by more than seventy percent because Thoughts Across Time had become a bestseller.
• Jiraiya recognized that Shuichi had written the hit novel and read its story about a young man and several half-demon women.
• Jiraiya bought Thoughts Across Time, deciding to study its later chapters and seek compensation from Shuichi for recommending it.
• Jiraiya spotted Shuichi leaving a tavern with a woman and shouted for him to stop.