Chapter Summaries

Ye Zi and Orochimaru investigated a cave in Matsutake Mountain and found the same faint energy they had sensed at the Five Bamboo Forest, but no useful clues. Meanwhile, Danzo planned to use Tsunade and Jiraiya to locate Ye Zi, who remained unaware of the threat.

• Root members failed to recover their buried comrades from the collapsed base and returned to Konoha after their mission against Ye Zi failed.
• Danzo ordered Root to search for Ye Zi and considered using Tsunade and Jiraiya to help eliminate him.
• Ye Zi and Orochimaru reached Matsutake Mountain and entered its largest rock through a cave marked with a faintly legible character for “water.”
• Ye Zi used Wood Release to make a torch as he and Orochimaru explored the dark cave.
• Ye Zi and Orochimaru sensed energy deep underground like the energy at the Five Bamboo Forest but found no ruins or useful information before leaving.

Ye Zi and Orochimaru traveled through the Land of Takigakure after defeating a pursuing Stone ninja squad, then entered Aoki Forest to search for ruins. Orochimaru warned Ye Zi about the forest’s venomous insects, but Ye Zi was bitten as they made their way through.

• Ye Zi and Orochimaru killed the Stone ninja who had pursued them from the Land of Earth and burned their corpses.
• Ye Zi reflected on his hatred of Iwagakure and said he would welcome a fight with Ōnoki, while considering the weakening of the great villages useful to his plans.
• Ye Zi and Orochimaru entered Aoki Forest, where venomous insects were abundant and few creatures could survive.
• Orochimaru warned Ye Zi to watch out for the insects, but Ye Zi was bitten as they walked through the forest.

Ye Zi discovered that highly venomous insects in Aoki Forest had no effect on him, while Orochimaru was poisoned by the same insects and needed a snake gallbladder to suppress the venom. The two left the cause unexplained, and Orochimaru proposed testing Ye Zi with snake venom.

• A green insect bit Ye Zi, but his wound healed without any signs of poisoning.
• Orochimaru explained that the insect's venom was deadly and suggested that Ye Zi's strong constitution and Hashirama Cells might delay its effects.
• Ye Zi and Orochimaru searched Aoki Forest for venomous insects, and Ye Zi let several bite him without suffering any effects.
• Orochimaru let black and green insects bite him, then swallowed a snake gallbladder when the venom made his wounds swell and his arm go numb.
• Ye Zi concluded that the insects' poison had no effect on him, and Orochimaru suggested testing him with snake venom.

Ye Zi discovered that he was immune to insect and snake venom, while Orochimaru warned him that a poison tailored to his Hashirama Cells might still work. The pair encountered Aburame Shibi and two other Aburame Clan Jonin searching Aoki Forest for the Poisonous Insect King, and the Kikaichū sensed Ye Zi and Orochimaru approaching.

• Ye Zi realized that Aoki Forest’s poisonous insects and Orochimaru’s snake venom had no effect on him, though he remained cautious about other poisons.
• Orochimaru suggested Ye Zi’s resistance might come from the Hashirama Cells and warned that a specially formulated toxin could still harm him.
• Ye Zi detected what seemed to be about ten people in the forest, so he and Orochimaru went to investigate.
• Aburame Shibi and two Aburame Clan Jonin spread their Kikaichū through the forest to locate the Poisonous Insect King.
• The Kikaichū sensed Ye Zi and Orochimaru before Aburame Shibi’s group found the Poisonous Insect King.

Ye Zi and Orochimaru encountered Aburame Shibi and two other Aburame Clan ninjas in Aoki Forest, and the groups clashed. Ye Zi’s Lightning Dragon Armor devastated the Kikaichū while Orochimaru used wind and fire techniques against the swarm.

• Ye Zi recognized the approaching Kikaichū and slashed through them with his lightning-wreathed blade before Aburame Shibi and the others arrived.
• Aburame Shibi identified Ye Zi and Orochimaru, then attacked with the Kikaichū alongside Aburame Shihui and the third Aburame ninja.
• Ye Zi activated Lightning Style: Lightning Dragon Armor and charged through the swarm, electrocuting the insects as he advanced on the Aburame ninjas.
• Orochimaru used Wind Style: Vacuum Serial Waves to cut down the insects surrounding him, then leaped away when the swarm pressed in.
• Orochimaru followed with a combined Wind and Fire Style technique, engulfing the scattered Kikaichū in flames.

Ye Zi and Orochimaru fought the Aburame, while a deadly Bone-Sucking Insect ambushed and killed Aburame Shibi. Ye Zi killed the giant insect, then struck down a miniature insect that escaped from its body.

• Orochimaru escaped his insect-infested shell as Ye Zi forced the Aburame to retreat.
• The Bone-Sucking Insect impaled Aburame Shibi and killed him with its venom.
• The surviving Aburame fled, leaving Ye Zi to face the Bone-Sucking Insect as it fed on Aburame Shibi's corpse.
• Orochimaru arrived and asked Ye Zi to preserve the insect for research, but Ye Zi cut it in two.
• A miniature Bone-Sucking Insect escaped from the corpse, and Ye Zi struck it down with lightning.

Ye Zi and Orochimaru investigated strange energy in Aoki Forest, while Minato learned of their activities and continued developing Rasengan techniques. The chapter ended with Minato spotting Obito strolling with Rin instead of training, despite Obito boasting that he had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique.

• Ye Zi and Orochimaru captured a surviving Bone-Sucking Insect and found the remains marked “Chōmei” in Aoki Forest.
• Ye Zi's Wood Clone turned back into a wooden statue after digging into the unknown energy, and the clone provided no memory feedback.
• Ye Zi and Orochimaru stopped investigating the energy and left Aoki Forest.
• Aburame Shibi and Aburame Shibi returned to Konoha and told Minato that Ye Zi was traveling with Orochimaru in Aoki Forest.
• Minato sent Jiraiya a letter and reflected on his Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasengan and ideas for other Rasengan variations.
• Minato went to look for Obito and saw him walking with Rin as Obito bragged that he could use the Flying Thunder God Technique proficiently.

Obito challenged Shisui to a race to show off his progress with the Flying Thunder God Technique, while Minato, Rin, Itachi, and the others watched. The contest began at the training ground, but its outcome was not revealed.

• Rin praised Obito and agreed that he was a genius.
• Obito met Shisui, Itachi, Sasuke, and Izumi, and learned that Itachi had become a Chunin.
• Obito challenged Shisui to race, and Minato and Itachi encouraged Shisui to accept.
• The group went to a training ground, where Obito and Shisui agreed to race eight hundred meters to a tree.
• Minato counted down, and Obito and Shisui started the contest.

Obito used the Flying Thunder God Technique to beat Shisui in a speed contest, despite crashing headfirst into the finish-line tree. After celebrating his win, Obito stayed with Minato for more training while Shisui and the others went to get dango.

• Obito tracked his marked Kunai with his Sharingan and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach the finish line before Shisui.
• Obito struck his head against the tree after teleporting, but Shisui acknowledged that Obito had won.
• Minato praised Obito's performance and thought that Obito's spatial sense and Sharingan could help him master the technique.
• Obito bragged about his victory, received treatment from Rin, and got Itachi to call him Obito-senpai.
• Rin left to find Kushina-sensei, while Shisui departed with Itachi and the others for the Three-Color Dango shop.
• Minato began training Obito and urged him to keep working hard as Kakashi and Might Guy advanced.

Jiraiya and Tsunade learned that Ye Zi was traveling with Orochimaru and began searching for them, unaware the pair had already left the Land of Waterfalls. Ye Zi and Orochimaru investigated ancient sites in the Land of Fire and the Land of Water, then escaped a Kirigakure ambush at a karst cave.

• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Aburame Shibi had seen Ye Zi and Orochimaru together in Aoki Forest, and Tsunade insisted on finding Ye Zi to avenge Dan.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade decided to search the area around the Land of Waterfalls, though Ye Zi and Orochimaru had already traveled to the Land of Fire.
• Orochimaru and Ye Zi found murals depicting the Five-Tails and a figure they believed was the Sage of Six Paths in an underground ruin in Crimson Maple Forest.
• Orochimaru and Ye Zi explored two sites in the Land of Water where they sensed energy and concluded that they had once been the Three-Tails' and Six-Tails' abodes.
• Ye Zi detected more than fifty Kirigakure ninja waiting outside a karst cave, so he and Orochimaru retreated deeper inside.
• The Kirigakure ninja attacked the mountainside with ninjutsu, while Ye Zi and Orochimaru escaped through the cave using Wood Release and Earth Release.

After escaping the limestone cave, Ye Zi and Orochimaru searched the Land of Hot Water and recruited Kisame into Akatsuki. Their search ended at a forest cave where they sensed energy resembling what they had encountered at the ruins.

• Ye Zi and Orochimaru sailed from the Land of Water to the Land of Hot Water and encountered Kisame Hoshigaki, now a rogue Mist ninja.
• Ye Zi invited Kisame to join Akatsuki, and Kisame accepted after reflecting that missions gave purpose to his life of killing.
• Ye Zi contacted Nagato and sent Kisame to Amegakure, while he and Orochimaru continued searching the Land of Hot Water.
• Ye Zi and Orochimaru reached a cave and sensed Chakra inside that felt like the unknown energy from the ruins.

Ye Zi and Orochimaru found a boy in a cave whose body and mind had been transformed by an unknown energy, then brought him toward their base. After waking, the boy introduced himself as Jugo and seemed aware of what had happened while he was violent.

• Ye Zi and Orochimaru entered the cave and found a violent boy, whom Ye Zi restrained with wooden pillars.
• Outside the cave, Orochimaru examined the boy's monstrous arm and black markings, which disappeared when the boy passed out and returned to normal.
• Ye Zi and Orochimaru realized the energy sensation had vanished with the boy's transformation, and Ye Zi found no energy fluctuations inside the cave.
• Orochimaru carried the unconscious boy toward the base in the Land of Stone, and the boy woke about an hour later.
• The boy said he was relieved Ye Zi had restrained him, gave his name as Jugo, and Ye Zi asked what had happened to him.

Jugo asked Ye Zi to take him along so he would not hurt anyone when he lost control, and Ye Zi brought him and Orochimaru back to the base in the Land of Stone. After arriving, Ye Zi reunited with the children at the training plaza and watched Kimimaro demonstrate his Kekkei Genkai, while Jugo looked on in shock.

• Jugo asked to follow Ye Zi because Ye Zi could control him when he went berserk, and Ye Zi agreed.
• Ye Zi, Orochimaru, and Jugo traveled for half a month to the base in the Land of Stone, with Ye Zi stopping Jugo's two transformations along the way.
• Orochimaru went to set up a laboratory so he could study Jugo, while Ye Zi brought Jugo to the training plaza.
• The children rushed to greet Ye Zi, who told them to resume training and called Kimimaro over.
• Kimimaro displayed his Kekkei Genkai by growing blood-stained bone spikes across his body, astonishing Jugo.

Ye Zi watched Kimimaro demonstrate his bone abilities, then assigned him to look after Jugo and help him adjust to the base. After Kimimaro led Jugo away, Ye Zi reunited with Kotoha, while Kimimaro told Jugo how much he wanted to serve Lord Ye Zi.

• Kimimaro extracted his spine and showed the bone blade to Ye Zi, who praised it but pointed out that the ability was too slow and painful.
• Ye Zi asked Kimimaro to look after Jugo and explained Jugo's condition, instructing Kimimaro to restrain him without causing harm if he lost control.
• Kimimaro took Jugo to see his room, and Jugo worried that he might hurt Kimimaro.
• After Shin left them alone, Kotoha told Ye Zi that she had missed him, and Ye Zi asked her to prepare him something to eat.
• As Kimimaro led Jugo through the base, Jugo asked whether Ye Zi was important to him, and Kimimaro said he hoped to use his abilities to help Lord Ye Zi.

Ye Zi helped Orochimaru set up a laboratory, then learned from Nanako that her Byakugan transplant experiment had succeeded in a clone, though using the eye consumed too much Chakra. He considered using the Byakugan clones for reconnaissance and began thinking about obtaining Sharingan for combat instead.

• Kotoha prepared a meal for Ye Zi, who praised her cooking after eating heartily.
• Ye Zi used Wood Release to build Orochimaru's workbench, table, chairs, and cabinets, then helped move equipment from Nanako's laboratory.
• Nanako gave Orochimaru her recent research data and later finished recording her experimental findings while Ye Zi waited.
• Nanako told Ye Zi that a clone with one transplanted Byakugan could use its abilities, but the eye consumed considerable Chakra.
• Ye Zi considered assigning Byakugan clones to reconnaissance and thought about ambushing Uchiha Clan shinobi outside Konoha to obtain Sharingan for combat.

Ye Zi watched Nanako test three Byakugan-transplanted clones and decided to pursue more Sharingan and Byakugan to strengthen his forces. Nanako wanted Ye Zi to accompany her outside, but he left to plan his next steps, unaware of her disappointment.

• Ye Zi asked Nanako about Hashirama Cell implantation, and she said its success rate remained below fifty percent.
• Ye Zi agreed to see the Byakugan clones, and Nanako explained how they tested their ability to detect Chakra behind obstacles.
• Byakugan Clone One and the other two clones accurately identified every activated Chakra source during the tests.
• Ye Zi decided to obtain more Sharingan and Byakugan to strengthen the clones and support his plans.
• Nanako considered asking Ye Zi to walk outside with her, but Ye Zi said he was leaving to train and plan how to seize Uchiha Sharingan.
• Nanako hid her disappointment as Ye Zi departed, then sighed after he disappeared around the corner.

Orochimaru and Nanako uncovered how Jugo’s enzyme drew in a dangerous energy that greatly enhanced his abilities, while Ye Zi searched for ways to strengthen his Lightning Release. The chapter left Ye Zi considering whether combining lightning with Yin Release could improve it.

• Orochimaru used Jugo’s enzyme in clone experiments and sensed the unknown energy as the clones died.
• Orochimaru concluded the energy could multiply strength, speed, and ninjutsu, and he told Ye Zi about his findings.
• Ye Zi weighed the limits of his existing techniques and focused on finding a way to enhance Lightning Release.
• Ye Zi recalled learning about Yin Yang Release from Madara Uchiha and considered combining Lightning Release with Yin Release.

Orochimaru investigated Jugo’s origins and traced his connection to Ryūchi Cave, where Manda brought him to meet the White Snake Sage. The Sage could explain the Natural Energy Orochimaru wanted to study, but learning Senjutsu carried the risk of transforming into a snake and being eaten.

• Orochimaru left the base to investigate Jugo’s origins while Nanako continued the research and Ye Zi trained with Lightning Release and Yin Release.
• Orochimaru discovered Jugo was connected to Ryūchi Cave and found its hidden entrance inside a mountain.
• Orochimaru passed through the cave’s barrier, explored inside, and summoned Manda.
• Orochimaru explained his findings to Manda, who identified the unknown energy as Natural Energy and offered to take him to the White Snake Sage.
• Manda led Orochimaru toward the White Snake Sage, whose Senjutsu training could turn an unfit student into a snake that the Sage would swallow.

Orochimaru met the White Snake Sage and learned how Senjutsu Chakra and Sage Mode worked, along with the danger of absorbing too much Natural Energy. He chose to leave and research Jugo’s enzymes instead, intending to return once he could reduce the risks.

• Manda led Orochimaru through the tunnels to the White Snake Sage’s cave.
• The White Snake Sage explained that Senjutsu Chakra came from balancing physical energy, spiritual energy, and Natural Energy, and that it empowered Sage Mode.
• The White Snake Sage offered to inject Orochimaru with Natural Energy, warning that failure would turn him into a snake for her to devour.
• Orochimaru deduced that the Sage used a fixed amount of Natural Energy regardless of a person’s chakra, making failure inevitable for those with too little.
• Orochimaru decided to use Jugo’s enzymes to research a safer way to absorb Natural Energy, then left the cave.
• The White Snake Sage predicted that Orochimaru would return, while Manda watched him go without intervening.

Orochimaru began researching how to combine Senjutsu Chakra with the cursed seal and took Ye Zi to the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools to seek Sealing Jutsu knowledge. Kotoha joined their journey, while Shin discovered that all three had left the base and was left to train the children.

• Orochimaru started researching the combination of Senjutsu Chakra and the cursed seal, and assigned Nanako the data-collection work.
• Orochimaru asked Ye Zi to accompany him to the Land of Whirlpools, and Ye Zi agreed, eager to learn Senjutsu Chakra himself.
• Kotoha encountered Ye Zi and Orochimaru as they were leaving, asked to join them, and Ye Zi agreed.
• Ye Zi, Orochimaru, and Kotoha left the base and planned to travel along the Land of Fire's border to avoid Konoha's shinobi.
• Shin noticed that Kotoha, Ye Zi, and Orochimaru were missing, learned from Nanako that they had left, and went to train the children alone.