Chapter Summaries

With Iwagakure’s approval and support, Yichen launched missions against enemy scouts and sent his three young disciples to kill a Mist Chunin as their first real combat trial. The team tracked Kozaburo toward a river, where his change of hiding place disrupted their planned ambush.

• Hon returned with supplies and B-rank Ninjutsu, and Yichen took the village’s approval as support for his actions.
• Yichen distributed the Ninjutsu and assigned missions to clear out nearby watchers, ordering his forces to kill scouts from Konoha, the Land of the Falls, and the Land of Grass, but drive Cloud ninja away.
• Yichen sent Kawakita, Tomoko, and Kajiyamari to kill a Chunin while he followed unseen to protect them.
• The three disciples scouted for their target, and Kajiyamari decided they should approach him from another direction after Tomoko sensed him moving west.
• Kozaburo, a Mist Chunin investigating Iwagakure’s patrols, changed hiding places near a river, leaving the disciples without the advantage of a prepared ambush.

Yichen observed his disciples fight Kozaburo, an experienced Mist Chunin, and saw them overcome a desperate counterattack through teamwork and unexpected breakthroughs. Kajiyamari killed Kozaburo with Water Pressure Line, leaving Yichen satisfied with the three disciples’ progress.

• Kajiyamari realized Kozaburo had detected the group and ordered Tomoko and Kawakita into a coordinated frontal assault.
• Tomoko’s Wind Release and Kajiyamari’s Water Pressure Line forced Kozaburo to dodge, while their hidden weapons left him off balance and broke his sword.
• Kozaburo fought back, wounded Kawakita, and charged toward Kajiyamari and Tomoko with burning Exploding Tags.
• Tomoko shielded Kajiyamari as he simplified his hand seals, while Kawakita threw his sword and its sword aura slashed Kozaburo’s waist.
• Kajiyamari struck Kozaburo with Water Pressure Line before he could reach Tomoko, and Yichen decided not to intervene.

Yichen’s three disciples returned from their mission having survived a fight with a Mist ninja Chunin, and Kawakita struggled to reproduce the Sword Qi he had released during the battle. Yichen developed a genjutsu to help him recover the feeling, but Kawakita’s breakthrough also taught Yichen Sword Qi, and Yichen promised to help him advance his sword training.

• Yichen’s disciples reported defeating a Mist ninja Chunin, and he sent Kawakita and Kajiyamari to practice the breakthroughs they had made in battle.
• Kawakita failed to recreate his sword slash, so Yichen studied a genjutsu scroll and completed a technique after about ten days.
• Yichen cast the genjutsu on Kawakita, showing him a sword-wielding ninja’s battles and briefly recreating the moment Kawakita had thrown his sword at the Mist ninja Chunin.
• Kawakita broke free of the illusion and released Sword Qi with Quick Draw Slash, then practiced until he was exhausted.
• Yichen copied Kawakita’s movements and learned to release Sword Qi himself, then promised to apply for a B-rank sword technique for Kawakita after he mastered a C-rank technique.
• Tomoko asked Yichen how sword techniques could launch ranged attacks like ninjutsu.

Yichen evaluated his disciples’ talents and helped Kawakita, Kajiyamari, and Tomoko choose paths for their growth. After the Sunagakure army entered the Land of Rivers, Yichen announced that the Third Shinobi World War had begun and prepared the camp for the conflict.

• Yichen encouraged Kawakita to develop a Water Release technique, urged Kajiyamari to pursue his own Ninjutsu, and let Tomoko choose to develop Wind Release.
• Yichen sent an Anbu team to report on the camp’s operations and requested permission to teach Kawakita a B-rank Sword Technique.
• The village replied that the Sunagakure army had entered the Land of Rivers, marking the beginning of the Third Shinobi World War.
• Yichen announced the war to the camp’s more than one thousand ninja, strengthened defenses, increased patrols, and began intensive training.
• Yichen received permission to teach Kawakita the B-rank technique and arranged for a Natural Energy seal to be set up on the eastern front.

With Konoha’s force under Minato Namikaze threatening the eastern front, Yichen welcomed Kitsuchi and Purple Lightning, who helped him prepare for the danger and train. After installing a Natural Energy Seal, Yichen discovered that his combat instincts and swordsmanship were weaker than he had believed, leaving him to prepare more seriously for a possible clash with Minato.

• Yichen learned that Minato Namikaze commanded Konoha’s six hundred ninja near the Land of the Falls and strengthened patrols while shifting Anbu operations.
• Kitsuchi and Purple Lightning arrived at the eastern front, and Kitsuchi brought the materials for a Natural Energy Seal so Dango could continue absorbing Natural Energy.
• Yichen and several Barrier Team members completed the seal in less than half a day, using five chakra sources to maintain it.
• Yichen sparred with Kitsuchi and Purple Lightning and brought his three disciples to watch, but Kitsuchi repeatedly suppressed him to expose his poor adaptability and battle instincts.
• Purple Lightning defeated Yichen in close combat and told him that his swordsmanship had form without intent, prompting him to train with her more before facing Minato Namikaze.

After a month of sparring with Kitsuchi and Purple Lightning, Yichen greatly improved his combat instincts and held his own against Kitsuchi. Satisfied with his progress, he prepared to challenge Minato Namikaze and entrusted his three disciples to Kitsuchi’s care.

• Yichen trained daily with Kitsuchi and Purple Lightning for a month, turning many battle responses into instinct.
• Yichen used earth techniques, clones, camouflage, and sword attacks to evade Kitsuchi’s jutsu and pressure him during their spar.
• Yichen ended the match without risking an uncontrolled Water Cutting Technique and felt satisfied that he had traded blows with Kitsuchi.
• Yichen told Kitsuchi and Purple Lightning that he planned to fight Minato Namikaze, and they allowed him to go.
• Yichen entrusted his three disciples to Kitsuchi for further guidance before pursuing the challenge.

Yichen challenged Minato Namikaze to a duel near Konoha’s camp before the Land of Fire and Land of Earth formally went to war. Their first exchange ended in a standoff, with Yichen recognizing that Minato had spent less chakra while learning the limits of Yichen’s attacks.

• Yichen entered the Land of Fire and ambushed a Konoha patrol, then sent its Chunin captain to deliver his challenge to Minato Namikaze.
• Minato discussed Yichen’s reputation with Shibi Aburame and Choza Akimichi, then accepted the challenge and led more than a dozen Jonin to meet him.
• Yichen opened the fight with Rain Style: Light Rain Jutsu, using waves of Water Lines to keep Minato from closing in with the Body Flicker Technique.
• Minato used trees for cover to approach, but Yichen switched to Rain Style: Heavy Rain Jutsu, forcing Minato to dodge and retreat.
• Yichen and Minato paused at roughly their original distance, and Yichen judged that he was at a disadvantage because his attacks cost more chakra while Minato had used only the Body Flicker Technique.

Yichen used a defensive sword-and-Body Flicker strategy to withstand Minato Namikaze, but Minato quickly adapted and pushed him toward defeat. Yichen revealed his one-handed hand seals to create distance and recover, while the watching Konoha ninja were left astonished by his abilities.

• Yichen and Minato Namikaze charged into close combat, where Yichen used defensive swordsmanship and Sword Qi to hold his ground despite Minato's superior speed.
• The Konoha Jonin discussed ways to counter Yichen, while Shibi Aburame realized that Yichen had concealed his strength behind his reputation as a strategist.
• Minato adapted to Yichen's Body Flicker Technique, leaving Yichen less time to recover and forcing him into a worsening position.
• Yichen formed hand seals with his left hand while defending with his sword, then used Water Style: Water Line Jutsu and two Body Flickers to retreat a hundred meters.
• Yichen recognized that his one-handed hand seals had only bought him a brief reprieve, while the Konoha spectators became awed by the technique.

Yichen used a series of clones and concealment techniques to outmaneuver Minato Namikaze, who revealed his seal-less Rasengan while destroying a water clone. The fight remained unresolved as Minato searched for Yichen, who watched from the sky and recognized that close combat could cost him his life.

• Yichen hid behind a tree and used an earth clone to draw Minato Namikaze into a series of attacks.
• Minato Namikaze used Sensory Ninjutsu to find Yichen, then struck what he believed was the real Yichen with a Rasengan.
• Yichen’s water clone was destroyed, and Minato Namikaze realized he had been fooled by another clone.
• Shibi Aburame deduced that Yichen was hiding in midair using the Light-Weight Rock Technique and Camouflage Jutsu.
• Yichen watched Minato search for him and concluded that he needed to avoid close combat with Minato in the future.

Yichen challenged Minato Namikaze but could not overcome his speed and summoned Gamabunta, whose attacks Yichen evaded from high in the air. After they called the match a draw, Yichen explained that he had come to judge whether Minato deserved the title Child of Prophecy, then vanished while promising to challenge him again.

• Yichen unleashed Water Release: Great Raging Waves from the air, but Minato Namikaze summoned Gamabunta in response.
• Yichen flew higher to escape Gamabunta, dodging his Water Release: Cannonball attacks as Gamabunta leaped toward him.
• Gamabunta's landing sent a powerful gale through the watching Konoha Jonin, who used defensive Ninjutsu to protect themselves.
• Minato Namikaze dismissed Gamabunta, and he and Yichen agreed to call the battle a draw.
• Yichen told Minato Namikaze he had come to see whether the Child of Prophecy was special, praised his strength and character, and promised to challenge him again.
• Yichen used the Camouflage Jutsu and flew away before Minato Namikaze could question him further.

Yichen returned to Iwagakure with news that Minato Namikaze had reached Kage level and could use a powerful Seal-less Ninjutsu. After Yichen offered to imitate the Rasengan, Ōnoki and the advisors agreed to reward him with an S-rank Ninjutsu if he developed it and others could learn it.

• Yichen returned to camp, reported his battle with Minato Namikaze to Kitsuchi, and was sent to inform Ōnoki that Minato had reached Kage level.
• Yichen traveled to the Tsuchikage's Office and explained that Minato had overwhelmed him with his speed, varied skills, and powerful summoning beast.
• Ōnoki ordered the Anbu to warn Saka not to provoke a war on the southern front while Iwagakure assessed Konoha's growing strength.
• Yichen told Ōnoki and the advisors that Minato had used an A-rank Seal-less Ninjutsu and that he believed he could imitate it.
• Ōnoki proposed rewarding Yichen with an S-rank Ninjutsu if he developed the Rasengan and others could learn it, and the three advisors agreed.

Yichen completed the Rasengan quickly and demonstrated it to Ōnoki, who rewarded him with a chance to learn an S-rank Ninjutsu. Yichen chose a nameless Gravity Ninjutsu and suspected it came from an Otsutsuki with the Tenseigan.

• Yichen mastered the Rasengan after only a few attempts and wrote down its training method and principles for Ōnoki.
• Ōnoki learned the Rasengan, demonstrated its power by shattering a giant rock, and had the advisors arrange for ninja to learn it.
• Ōnoki took Yichen to the Secret Vault, where Yichen chose a nameless Gravity Ninjutsu instead of the Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique.
• Yichen memorized the Gravity Ninjutsu after explaining that Nagato might help him learn it, and Ōnoki resealed the scroll and placed a Sealing Jutsu on Yichen.
• Yichen examined the Ninjutsu listed around the Gravity technique and suspected that the techniques came from the Tenseigan of an Otsutsuki.

Yichen developed a dangerous training method to deepen his understanding of Earth Release and gravity, with Ōnoki’s help reaching the threshold for Chakra Fusion training. After ten days, he ended the training and set out for the front lines.

• Yichen flew high into the sky and repeatedly fell before using the Light-Weight Rock Technique to study gravity, nearly crashing into the ground during his first attempt.
• Yichen’s repeated experiments improved his Earth Release understanding, but his body adapted to the weightless sensation and the gains diminished.
• Yichen asked Ōnoki to help, and Ōnoki used the Earth Style: Heavy Rock Technique to intensify Yichen’s fall before slowing him safely.
• Yichen tested his Earth Release with an Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall and found that his chakra consumption met the minimum standard for Chakra Fusion training.
• Yichen trained with Ōnoki for about ten more days, then ended the sessions and left for the front lines as Ōnoki returned to his duties.

Yichen arranged a Chunin promotion assessment for his three disciples after they proved themselves on dangerous missions, then returned with them to Iwagakure. While training in Chakra Fusion, he developed a water-and-earth Combination Ninjutsu as the basis for his planned Porcelain Release and discovered a powerful three-element technique.

• Kitsuchi told Yichen that Kawakita, Tomoko, and Kajiyamari had reached Chunin-level strength and proposed promoting them before the war.
• Yichen spent a day advising his disciples, then warned them they would need to complete difficult missions before taking the Chunin Assessment.
• Over the next month, the three disciples completed nine B-rank and eleven C-rank missions, and Yichen took them back to Iwagakure for the assessment.
• Yichen began practicing Chakra Fusion and chose Porcelain Release, based on shaping forms with Water Release and stabilizing them with Earth Release.
• Yichen combined Water Wave with Rock-Scattering Jutsu, then added Lightning Conduction to create a three-element technique he urged Kitsuchi to have the camp’s ninja learn.

Yichen struggled to fuse Earth and Water Chakra, then left the village to seek out the Akatsuki Organization and advance his Earth Release training. Meanwhile, news that Tomoko would take the Chunin Assessment surprised her former classmates, and Narita Rei agreed to take his squad to watch.

• Yichen mastered controlling Earth and Water Chakra after a month, but found that his limited understanding of Earth Release prevented him from converting his Chakra into two attributes at once.
• Yichen learned from Ōnoki that the Akatsuki Organization had established branches in small countries and was promoting peace there, then asked Ikura to look after his disciples before flying out to find Yahiko and the others.
• During a patrol, Narita Rei noticed that Meiko was distracted and asked what was wrong.
• Meiko explained that her neighbor Tomoko, a former classmate with ordinary talent who had become Yichen's disciple, was taking the Chunin Assessment.
• Kimura Yosuke and Murai Tetsuya recognized Tomoko, and Murai asked to watch the assessment; Narita Rei agreed, and Meiko and Kimura Yosuke joined them.

Tomoko arrived at the Chunin Assessment to find thousands gathered to watch her, after news spread that she had advanced from a struggling Genin in a year. As the assessment began, the crowd cheered her on, leaving her surprised by the support from Iwagakure’s civilians and ninjas.

• Kajiyamari explained to Tomoko and Chikotake why thousands had gathered to watch her assessment.
• Two examiners escorted Tomoko, Chikotake, Kajiyamari, and Kawakita to the resting area prepared by Chief Examiner Ikura.
• Kanno Tsuko recognized Kajiyamari, claimed Tomoko as someone under her protection, and led her away with Misa and Yuka.
• Kagami Mirai told Kajiyamari that he and several former classmates were taking the assessment, while Ikeda Gatsu felt conflicted about being too weak to enter.
• The assessment began, and spectators identified Tomoko as she drew lots and began cheering her name.

Tomoko found her ninja way and broke through a major barrier after realizing she wanted to guide overlooked geniuses, then proved her growing strength by defeating Ohmori Shiho in the Chunin assessment. Her breakthrough impressed Ikura and Ōnoki, and Tomoko was set to receive direct promotion without further matches.

• Tomoko resolved to seek out overlooked geniuses and guide them, while Ikura slowed the drawing line to protect her breakthrough.
• Tomoko completed her breakthrough on the path to becoming a Jonin, and Ikura sent Ōnoki a secret report about her progress.
• Ōnoki, surprised that Tomoko had shown such potential, told the examiner to bring her to him after the assessment ended.
• Kajiyamari defeated Nagano Risa with a series of C-rank Water Release techniques, earning approval from the examiners.
• Tomoko defeated Ohmori Shiho with powerful Wind Release techniques, and the crowd celebrated her victory.
• Ikura judged Tomoko strong enough to be promoted directly to Chunin, so she would not need to take the remaining assessments.

Tomoko impressed Kanno Tsuko, who suspected she was nearing Jonin level, while Kawakita defeated Maruyama Sumire in a fierce assessment match. After the matches, Ikura announced that Tomoko and Kawakita had earned direct promotion to Chunin, ranking them first and second.

• Tomoko returned to the rest area, where Chikotake praised her, and Kanno Tsuko challenged her to a match after the assessment.
• Kanno Tsuko recognized that Tomoko had undergone a major transformation, while Tomoko accepted the challenge without hesitation.
• Kawakita fought Maruyama Sumire, countering her Explosion Release with Sword Qi and exploiting its close-range limits.
• Kawakita used an Exploding Tag to disrupt Maruyama Sumire's control, then stopped her with Sword Qi and won the match.
• Ikura recognized Kawakita's ability to identify weaknesses, and the spectators praised Yichen's disciples.
• Ikura announced the direct promotions, placing Tomoko first and Kawakita second on the list.

Tomoko met Ōnoki after her strong performance and received permission to claim a free B-rank Ninjutsu. On the third day, Kajiyamari defeated Mikami Aya and his pangolin, finally demonstrating enough strength to advance.

• Tomoko was summoned to meet Ōnoki, who praised her and explained that he planned to publicize her strength during the war.
• Ōnoki offered Tomoko a free B-rank Ninjutsu, giving her hope that she could overcome her Ninjutsu-development bottleneck.
• Kajiyamari faced Mikami Aya and his fast, hard-hitting pangolin after two days of being paired with weaker opponents.
• Kajiyamari used Water Style: Water Wave and a self-repairing Water Release Wall to hinder the pangolin and defend against their attacks.
• Mikami Aya and the pangolin broke through the wall with a spinning combination attack, but Kajiyamari trapped them with a stream of water.
• The examiner declared Kajiyamari the winner, and Kajiyamari expected that his performance would earn him promotion.

After Kajiyamari and Mikami Aya earned their Chunin promotions, Yichen reunited with Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan and began training to understand gravity through Nagato’s Rinnegan abilities. He also helped the Akatsuki Organization develop its young recruits before reaching the limits of his gravity training and preparing to continue his research.

• Kajiyamari used a carefully prepared water-thread technique to defeat Mikami Aya, and Ikura promoted both of them after Kajiyamari advanced and Mikami Aya accepted her loss calmly.
• Yichen reunited with Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan, explained how he trained his three disciples, and advised Konan on identifying the children’s individual talents.
• Yahiko gave Yichen three B-rank techniques for his disciples, which the Akatsuki Organization had obtained by trading territory with Hanzo.
• Yichen asked Nagato to help him study gravity, and Nagato repeatedly used Shinra Tensei and Banshō Ten'in on him as training.
• After more than ten days, Yichen could resist Banshō Ten'in but still could not counter Shinra Tensei or fully master Gravity Ninjutsu.
• Yichen helped Konan sort the Akatsuki Organization’s recruits by specialized talents and urged Yahiko to cultivate their ideals and willpower.