Chapter Summaries

Shuichi prepared to use Super Beast Imitation Drawing for aerial escapes as he continued training. In Sunagakure, the Third Kazekage reviewed setbacks against Konoha and decided to seek advice from the village’s young talent Sasori.

• Shuichi turned ten, reassured Ishikawa Tatsuki and Kurenai, and continued investing system points in his reaction and thinking speed.
• Shuichi mastered Super Beast Imitation Drawing and prepared birds, hawks, lions, and rats for use in combat and escape.
• Tosha reported that Konoha had disrupted Sunagakure’s operations in the Land of Rivers and was learning to counter its puppets.
• The Third Kazekage worried that repeated clashes would undermine the Puppeteers’ advantage and that Sunagakure’s internal rivalries threatened its future.
• The Third Kazekage ordered changes to the organization of Puppeteers and the Ninja Academy, then decided to ask Sasori for advice.

The Third Kazekage visited Sasori to discuss Sunagakure’s setbacks against Konoha, then discovered Sasori’s Human Puppet research and threatened to stop him. Sasori poisoned and killed him, and Sunagakure’s elders began searching for their missing leader while concealing his disappearance.

• The Third Kazekage visited Sasori and asked for his advice about Konoha’s tactics against Puppeteers.
• Sasori dismissed the village’s conflict with Konoha and defended his pursuit of eternal puppet beauty.
• The Third Kazekage confronted Sasori over his Human Puppet and declared the technique forbidden, warning that he would restrain him.
• Sasori trapped the Third Kazekage with Fuinjutsu and had a puppet strike him with poisoned Hidden Weapons.
• Two mornings later, Sunagakure’s elders learned that the Third Kazekage was missing and ordered a secret search while Tosha impersonated him.

Namikaze Minato sought Shuichi’s advice on his hand-signless Ninjutsu after learning about Kakashi’s Chakra-compression training. Shuichi explained the final compression method for the Rasengan, and Minato promised to repay the favor, leaving Shuichi to consider seeking the Flying Thunder God Technique later.

• Namikaze Minato praised Obito, Kakashi, and Rin, then arranged individual training and recommended Obito and Rin for next year’s Chunin Exams.
• Namikaze Minato saw Kakashi practicing Lightning Release and learned that Shuichi had taught him Chakra compression while developing an S-rank Ninjutsu.
• Namikaze Minato visited Shuichi and explained that his hand-signless Wind Release Ninjutsu had stalled despite producing a rotating Chakra sphere.
• Shuichi recognized Minato’s technique as the Rasengan and advised him to increase its power by compressing the rotating Chakra.
• Namikaze Minato treated Shuichi to dinner and promised to tell him when the Rasengan was complete, while Shuichi decided to wait before asking about the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Takeda Shuichi to discuss the disappearance of Konoha’s Sunagakure informants and a sudden shift in mission commissions. Shuichi realized Sunagakure’s Third Kazekage might have disappeared, potentially bringing the Third Great Ninja War closer.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen received an urgent report and ordered continued surveillance before summoning Danzo and the advisers.
• Takeda Shuichi continued training and developing his chakra control while avoiding the dangerous Rasenshuriken.
• An Anbu summoned Shuichi to meet Sarutobi Hiruzen alone at the Hokage’s Office.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen explained that Konoha’s informants in Sunagakure had all lost contact and that Sunagakure had stopped accepting commissions from clients in the Land of Wind’s surroundings.
• Takeda Shuichi connected the strange developments to the possible disappearance of the Third Kazekage and anticipated the coming of the Third Great Ninja War.

Shuichi accepted the Third Hokage’s mission to infiltrate Sunagakure and gather intelligence in exchange for a possible Special Jonin position. After reaching Sengoku City, he contacted Konoha’s civilian undercover operative and prepared to enter the village among a supply team.

• The Third Hokage asked Shuichi to investigate Sunagakure, and Shuichi agreed in exchange for a Special Jonin slot if he brought back valuable intelligence.
• Shuichi memorized the mission materials, prepared lightweight equipment, and left Konoha through a secret Anbu passage.
• In Sengoku City, Shuichi’s undercover contact Mitsui received him and agreed to provide details about a supply shipment bound for Sunagakure.
• Mitsui gave Shuichi the shop’s address, the shipment’s crate contents and serial numbers, and the team’s departure time.
• Shuichi surveyed Sengoku City’s night patrols and planned to exploit the civilian supply route as his chance to enter Sunagakure.

Shuichi infiltrated Mitsui’s supply shop by underground passage and hid among crates of sweet melons, using an ink-made camera to monitor the warehouse. After Sunagakure ninjas inspected the cargo, the convoy departed for Sunagakure with Shuichi concealed inside.

• Shuichi sent a rat Shadow Clone ahead to test whether any hidden ninjas could detect him, then followed the route underground into Mitsui’s shop.
• Shuichi chose a crate of sweet melons as his hiding place and sent a Shadow Clone to reassure Mitsui about the cargo.
• Shuichi made an ink camera to watch the warehouse and considered ways to improve his reconnaissance technique.
• Nagano and other Sunagakure ninjas inspected the shop’s cargo, including Shuichi’s crate, but found nothing suspicious.
• Mitsui’s convoy departed Sengoku City for Sunagakure with Shuichi hidden among the melons.

Mitsui delivered Shuichi, disguised as a Golden Melon, into Sunagakure while warning his workers about the precarious lives ordinary people faced amid war. After Takiji nearly exposed Shuichi by slapping the melons, Shuichi escaped and sent Mitsui a warning that war might be coming.

• Mitsui explained that Sunagakure and the Land of Wind’s capital had been built away from Sengoku City because the oasis soil could not support strong city walls, and he urged the workers to save money and learn skills.
• The caravan reached Sunagakure, where Takiji inspected the supplies and began selecting and slapping Golden Melons.
• Mitsui warned Takiji that he could be held responsible if he damaged the melons, but Takiji responded by violently slapping the fruit.
• After Takiji left, Mitsui helped Shuichi slip out of the crate and found a note warning, “War may be coming.”
• Mitsui swallowed the note and decided to leave the Land of Wind before his wages were settled, while Shuichi hid in an empty house and vowed revenge on Takiji.

Shuichi infiltrated Sunagakure and gathered intelligence suggesting that the Third Kazekage and many village ninjas had become unusually absent. After completing his mission, he prepared to return to Konoha concealed inside a snake.

• Shuichi used genjutsu on an ordinary woman to learn the streets leading to Konoha's intelligence agent.
• Shuichi transformed into a black snake, reached the agent Shadai's home, and put him to sleep.
• Shuichi used an advanced Cursed Seal Technique to extract information stored in Shadai's mind.
• Shuichi recorded reports of the Third Kazekage canceling a mission, becoming mysterious, and mobilizing many Jonin.
• Shuichi concluded that a major event had affected the Third Kazekage and prepared to escape Sunagakure inside a snake.

Shuichi warned Orochimaru and the Third Hokage that the Third Kazekage had likely died or disappeared, prompting the Third Hokage to explain the Kazekage’s devastating Magnet Release fighting style. Shuichi left relieved that the Kazekage was probably dead, making a deployment to the Sunagakure front safer for him.

• Shuichi emerged from a summoned snake in Orochimaru’s laboratory and warned him that the Third Kazekage was likely dead or missing.
• Shuichi delivered his mission report and gathered intelligence to the Third Hokage, who recognized the seriousness of the Kazekage’s disappearance.
• Shuichi asked the Third Hokage about the Third Kazekage’s strength, and Hiruzen described him as Sunagakure’s strongest Kazekage and a battlefield killing machine.
• The Third Hokage explained how the Kazekage used Iron Sand for overwhelming speed, defense, and area attacks that could devastate entire forces.
• Shuichi concluded that the Kazekage’s likely death reduced the danger of his possible deployment to the Sunagakure front.

After completing his report, Shuichi began intense training and designed a special combat style to help Ishikawa Tatsuki overcome his lack of resources. He started Tatsuki’s training with explosive-tag tactics and genjutsu, leaving him to face repeated simulated blasts.

• Shuichi declined to attend the Jonin Meeting, and the Third Hokage ordered a meeting while preparing to locate Jiraiya and Tsunade.
• After learning Konoha had increased surveillance of Sunagakure and strengthened border patrols, Shuichi summoned Ishikawa Tatsuki for special training.
• Shuichi urged Tatsuki to train hard and revealed his own ambition to surpass every ninja, prompting Tatsuki to vow he would become stronger than Asuma and Yūhi Kurenai.
• Tatsuki’s Chakra Paper showed Fire and Earth affinities, and Shuichi gave him a booklet of explosive-tag tactics and offered to lend him 1,000,000 ryo for training.
• Shuichi laid out a training plan involving clones, Earth Release, acting, and explosive-tag drills, then cast genjutsu on Tatsuki to begin his practice.

Madara exploited Sunagakure’s crisis over the missing Third Kazekage to push the village toward war with Konoha. As Sunagakure prepared to invade the Land of Rivers, Takeda Shuichi became a Special Jonin and met his two reconnaissance-focused teammates.

• Madara ordered the White Monster to spread the Third Kazekage’s disappearance and falsely blame Konoha, worsening Sunagakure’s turmoil.
• Sunagakure’s leaders chose Rasa as the Fourth Kazekage and planned an invasion of the Land of Rivers to gain resources and redirect internal tensions.
• Orochimaru told Shuichi that the Third Hokage wanted to promote him, and Shuichi agreed to serve on the front line as a reconnaissance ninja.
• Shuichi argued for his promotion before Sarutobi Hiruzen and the advisors, and Sarutobi formally appointed him a Special Jonin.
• Shuichi received his Jonin credentials and was assigned Hyuga Akiha and Aburame Shihei as teammates.
• Shuichi recognized that his team’s Byakugan and insect techniques made it especially suited to reconnaissance missions.

Takeda Shuichi learned how his reconnaissance squad’s abilities would work together as the great villages prepared for war. After Sunagakure invaded the Land of Rivers, Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered Shuichi’s team to report to an outpost near Aoba City.

• Takeda Shuichi introduced his abilities to Hyuga Akiha and Aburame Shihei, and the three planned their reconnaissance and combat tactics.
• In spring of Konoha Year 47, Sunagakure sent thousands of ninja into the Land of Rivers, prompting its Daimyo to request aid from the Land of Fire.
• Ōnoki assessed Sunagakure’s invasion and ordered Iwagakure to begin intelligence missions while preparing for war.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered Takeda Shuichi to lead his squad to the outpost outside Aoba City within two days.
• Takeda Shuichi accepted the order and reviewed the War Manual, reflecting on how the Third Shinobi War would differ from the Fourth.

Shuichi’s squad arrived at the Konoha stronghold near Aoba City, where Orochimaru reviewed their reconnaissance skills and arranged for them to learn about wartime provisions. The chapter left Shuichi considering the limits of Soldier Pills and the importance of regular food for shinobi.

• Shuichi, Hyuga Akiha, and Aburame Shihei traveled to the stronghold outside Aoba City and met Namikaze Minato’s squad on the way in.
• Shuichi’s squad entered the command room and greeted Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Nara Shikaku.
• Orochimaru reviewed Shuichi’s squad report and recognized the value of their reconnaissance abilities.
• Orochimaru sent Shuichi’s squad to a temporary warehouse, where a shinobi explained Konoha’s dried rations.
• Shuichi considered how Soldier Pills replenished stamina but could not replace regular food without harming shinobi’s bodies.

Shuichi learned how Konoha's supply lines and operating ranges shaped the war, then received a deep reconnaissance mission from Orochimaru. His squad set out toward Southern Sichuan Ridge, moving into the Land of Rivers as they began a weeklong search.

• Shuichi studied Konoha's logistics and realized that distance from a forward base determined which forces could safely operate in each area.
• Orochimaru assigned Shuichi's squad to investigate signs of Sunagakure's invasion within a hundred kilometers of Kikyo Castle and gather intelligence farther into the Land of Rivers.
• Orochimaru required all squads to return to Aoba City within a week, while Shuichi considered the risks posed by the wider war and forces moving through the Land of Rain.
• Shuichi explained the mission route to his teammates as they raced toward Southern Sichuan Ridge, about two hundred kilometers beyond the border.
• Shuichi's squad followed a planned, winding search pattern designed by Orochimaru and Nara Shikaku to cover the areas requiring reconnaissance.

Shuichi’s squad completed its initial reconnaissance near Kikyo Castle and pushed into Southern Sichuan Ridge, where Hyuga Akiha detected several Sunagakure squads. Shuichi realized they had entered a broad enemy encirclement, so he led the squad back toward safer territory to recover.

• Shuichi’s squad searched the area around Kikyo Castle, checked rivers and potential enemy hideouts, and completed the first stage of its mission.
• The squad advanced into Southern Sichuan Ridge, where Hyuga Akiha detected a Sunagakure patrol approaching from the right.
• Shuichi had the squad shadow the patrol and discovered a second Sunagakure squad nearby; the two groups passed without meeting.
• Shuichi concluded that the squad had entered a large enemy encirclement and ordered a retreat toward Konoha’s border.
• During the retreat, Akiha detected a stronger Sunagakure squad and later another Chunin squad before Shuichi found a safer area for the team to rest.

Shuichi's squad discovered Sunagakure's trap in Southern Sichuan Ridge and eliminated three enemy squads while completing their reconnaissance. After learning that other Konoha teams were at risk, Shuichi led his squad toward one of them to provide support.

• Shuichi, Hyuga Akiha, and Aburame Shihei rested until night, then entered Southern Sichuan Ridge to scout.
• Hyuga Akiha spotted a resting Sunagakure squad, and Shuichi's team ambushed and captured its members.
• Shuichi learned that Sunagakure squads used signal flares and scented smoke to lure nearby Jonin squads into an encirclement.
• Shuichi's squad used the Byakugan and Aburame Shihei's insects to eliminate two more Sunagakure squads and locate a seven-man Hunting squad.
• After completing their mission, Shuichi decided to help a Konoha squad that might be in danger and led his team toward eleven o'clock.

Shuichi's squad reached a Konoha team under attack and helped turn the battle against Sunagakure. With the enemy retreating, Shuichi split his forces and chased the burly ninja.

• Shuichi's squad spotted the signal flare and hurried toward the battle, using decoys to delay Sunagakure reinforcements.
• Hyuga Akiha located the Sunagakure hunting unit, and Shuichi's squad found the Konoha team fighting while outnumbered and fleeing toward a forest.
• Shuichi's Earth Release trapped the pursuers as a wind attack killed three Sunagakure Ninja, and Shuichi introduced himself to Mitarashi Kiyohi's team.
• Shuichi and the Konoha Ninja counterattacked, forcing the four remaining Sunagakure Ninja to retreat in separate directions.
• Shuichi assigned Akiha and Shihei to pursue other enemies and chased the burly Sunagakure Ninja himself.

Shuichi killed the Sand Jonin Gen with his newly revealed Chidori, then helped his team defeat another Sand Jonin and escape. The Konoha squads crossed into the Land of Rivers and prepared to return to the Aoba City stronghold.

• Shuichi outmaneuvered Gen, who transformed the battlefield into quicksand to hinder his movement.
• Shuichi used a Shadow Clone and Earth Flow Wall to gain footholds, then pierced Gen's defenses with Chidori and killed him.
• Shuichi stored Gen's corpse, cleaned away the blood, and returned to help his squad kill the sword-wielding Sand Jonin.
• Mitarashi Kiyohi helped the injured Chunin as the Konoha Ninja gathered their dead and withdrew from the area.
• Hyuga Akiha's Byakugan helped both squads evade pursuit, and Shuichi sent scent-carrying animals in other directions before they headed toward Aoba City.
• After crossing into the Land of Rivers, Mitarashi Kiyohi thanked Shuichi for saving his squad.

After reporting their mission, Shuichi and Namikaze Minato led a combined elite squad into the Land of Rivers to investigate Southern Sichuan Ridge and counterattack Sunagakure. The squad tracked the enemy’s smoke scent and detected signs of Sunagakure ahead.

• Shuichi and Mitarashi Kiyohi returned to Konoha’s frontline stronghold and reported their encounter with Sunagakure to Orochimaru and Nara Shikaku.
• Orochimaru ordered Shuichi’s squad to merge with Namikaze Minato’s squad and investigate Southern Sichuan Ridge while striking Sunagakure’s vanguard.
• Shuichi and Minato gathered seven Konoha elites and departed for the Land of Rivers to intercept the withdrawing enemy.
• Inuzuka Tsume used the dead sandworm recovered from the Sand Jonin to help Kibamaru track the smoke scent linked to Sunagakure’s searches.
• Aburame Shihei detected the smoke scent ahead, and Shuichi explained that he had discarded the enemy’s Smoke Bomb during the earlier mission.

Namikaze Minato’s squad tracked two Sunagakure units and attacked after discovering their patrol. When the first squad sent up a flare and a messenger bird, Minato split the pursuit, using the Flying Thunder God Technique to confront its Jonin while Shuichi chased the others.

• Aburame Shihei’s insects tracked a Sunagakure squad, and Namikaze Minato ordered the team to search for nearby enemies before attacking.
• Inuzuka Tsume’s dog found a second squad nearby, so Minato decided to strike the first squad quickly and prepare for reinforcements.
• Sunagakure’s sensory ninja Ryo detected the pursuing Konoha squad, and the captain sent up a Signal flare and dispatched a messenger bird.
• Minato and Shuichi accelerated to catch the fleeing squad, while its captain ordered the other three members to scatter and escape.
• Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring Shuichi to the captain, who stayed behind to fight.
• Shuichi created Shadow Clones to pursue two fleeing Sunagakure ninja as Minato blocked the captain’s sword strike.