Chapter Summaries

Umino Sasuke connected his Drawing Slash breakthrough to Yin-Yang Release and reconsidered chakra’s spiritual and physical nature. When a large Sand ninja corps attacked the frontline, he ordered an evacuation while staying behind to scout their advance with Big White and his Shadow Clones.

• Umino Sasuke reflected on how the Drawing Slash had revealed a link between mental state and physical reality, leading him to rethink Yin-Yang Release and chakra.
• Umino Sasuke concluded that Yin Release might explain his strength and success developing the Sonic Radar Technique, and felt more confident about creating ninjutsu.
• Umino Sasuke detected a Sand ninja corps of two to three hundred people approaching the frontline, far larger than expected, and launched a signal flare ordering a full retreat.
• Umino Sasuke’s ten sentry patrol squads withdrew along their prepared route and ignited the forest fire line to slow the Sand ninja and alert the Leaf forces.
• Umino Sasuke sent a Shadow Clone to lead the troops toward a rear mountain pass while he and Big White stayed behind to scout the Sand ninja with the Sonic Radar Technique.

Umino Sasuke discovered that Ebizo could sense his ultra-low-frequency radar and repeatedly harassed the advancing Sand Ninja force from the air. Ebizo’s army broke through all three defensive lines in Shinano River Forest and neared the mountain pass, leaving its strategic objective within reach.

• Umino Sasuke tested his Infrasonic Radar Technique, and Ebizo detected it, sweeping the area with Wind Release and ordering nine sand chunin to unleash a combined tornado attack.
• Umino Sasuke retreated with Big White, then watched the Sand Ninja force clear a path through the forest fire and pass Konoha’s outer defense into the second line.
• Umino Sasuke intercepted the force from the air and attacked with Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique, but Ebizo’s defenses limited the casualties and Sasuke fled with little chakra remaining.
• Umino Sasuke recovered his chakra and launched another aerial attack, but the Sand Ninja force blocked it and continued advancing through the third defensive line.
• Ebizo ordered his force to advance at full speed toward the mountain pass, confident that the remaining route beyond Shinano River Forest would let them achieve their strategic objective.

Umino Sasuke and Shirakumo Hayama defied Tsunade Maki’s deployment and concentrated their forces to defend Gourd Mountain Pass against Ebizo’s Sand Ninja Corps. Umino scattered flour, iron powder, and hidden Explosive Tags across the pass, then detonated them as the Sand Ninja advanced.

• Tsunade Maki claimed command and assigned Shirakumo Hayama’s unit to the front, Umino Sasuke’s unit to the middle, and his own unit to the rear.
• Umino Sasuke and Shirakumo Hayama chose to abandon the first defense line and establish their combined defense in the middle of the pass.
• Ebizo’s Sand Ninja Corps checked for traps, entered Gourd Mountain Pass, and formed an attack line.
• Umino Sasuke attacked from Big White, using a combined Wind Release to scatter sacks of flour, iron powder, and concealed Explosive Tags throughout the valley.
• Umino Sasuke escaped on Big White and detonated the Explosive Tags, shaking Gourd Mountain Pass and the surrounding mountains.

After a dust explosion devastated Gourd Mountain Pass, Umino Sasuke led Konoha forces in pursuit of the surviving Sand Ninja. The retreating force entered a fog-covered river crossing with the Konoha pursuers closing in behind them.

• Umino Sasuke discovered that Ebizo and more than ten Sand Ninja had survived beneath the Mirror Puppet Matrices, though they were badly injured.
• Ebizo ordered Tessai to retreat with the survivors, then passed out; Tessai concealed him in a Puppet and led the Sand Ninja toward the pass exit.
• Umino Sasuke’s Shadow Clone guided the Shirakumo and Umino units safely past the bodies and poisoned Puppet debris, then led them in pursuit.
• Tessai blocked Umino Sasuke’s Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique, allowing the Sand Ninja to continue retreating while Umino Sasuke attacked with Explosive Tag Kunai.
• After retreating dozens of miles, Tessai led the Sand Ninja into fog near a river crossing despite suspecting danger.

Umino Sasuke’s traps and Shadow Clones weakened the fleeing Sand Ninja and forced them to split into three squads, though Tessai escaped with Ebizo. Sasuke’s pursuit team caught up with Tessai’s squad and launched another ambush, which killed one Jonin but Tessai survived.

• Umino Sasuke used Water Candy Origin, genjutsu, and Shadow Clone ambushes to kill several Sand Ninja as Tessai led the survivors out of the mist.
• Tessai used scrolls stored in a spare Puppet to clear the mist, then summoned a giant lizard to escape with the Black Ant Puppet containing Ebizo.
• Tessai divided the twelve remaining Sand Ninja into three squads, and Umino Sasuke sent a Shadow Clone to guide the Konoha Pursuit Squad after Tessai’s group.
• Umino Sasuke and his allies caught up with Tessai’s squad, where two disguised Shadow Clones launched a crossfire of Poisoned Senbon.
• The ambush killed the Sand Hidden Jonin on the left, while Tessai blocked the attack with the Mechanical Shield: Thousand Faces Convergence.

Umino Sasuke and his allies cornered Sand Ninja Tetsu and dismantled his puppet defenses in a fierce battle. Sasuke’s Spiral Drill Wave killed Tetsu, leaving the Mechanical Shield Puppet intact and scattered on the ground.

• Umino Sasuke surrounded Sand Ninja Tetsu with Wind God, Thunder God, Shirakumo Hayama, Heizo Raido, and the Mecha Puppet.
• Sand Ninja Tetsu attacked the Mecha Puppet with his Scroll Puppet and Salamander Puppet, but the Mecha Puppet endured the assault and destroyed the Salamander Puppet’s spinning blades.
• Shirakumo Hayama severed the Scroll Puppet’s Chakra Threads, while Heizo Raido cut most of the threads controlling the Salamander Puppet; the Mecha Puppet wound the remaining threads around its sword, and Umino Sasuke immobilized both puppets with Water Candy Syrup.
• Umino Sasuke and the others pressed their attack, and Sand Ninja Tetsu injured Heizo Raido before the siege began to overwhelm him.
• Wind God and Thunder God struck at Sand Ninja Tetsu as Shirakumo Hayama used Vacuum Sword; Umino Sasuke exploited a gap in Tetsu’s shifting shields and pierced his skull with Spiral Drill Wave.
• Umino Sasuke stopped the others from damaging the Mechanical Shield Puppet, and Sand Ninja Tetsu’s body fell as the puppet armor lost control and scattered.

Umino Sasuke’s squad defeated Sand Ninja Tetsu and the remaining Hidden Sand squads, then returned to Gourd Mountain Pass with all sixty-nine members alive. There, Sasuke learned that Tsunade Maki’s force had suffered heavy casualties after triggering Hidden Sand traps while searching for spoils.

• Umino Sasuke salvaged Sand Ninja Tetsu’s puppets and reflected on the battle’s risks and the need to develop faster healing.
• Sasuke shared Sugar Energy Blocks with his teammates and explained that the escaped Hidden Sand squads had been eliminated by his Shadow Clone and Ebisu’s pursuit force.
• Ebisu questioned Sasuke about his Transformation Jutsu and Puppet Technique, but Sasuke distracted him by talking about the Sexy Jutsu and Harem Technique.
• Sasuke led the pursuit squad back to Gourd Mountain Pass, and all sixty-nine members returned alive after rescuing the injured Genin.
• Sasuke used the Sound Wave Sensory Technique and learned that Tsunade Maki’s men had triggered Hidden Sand traps while clearing the battlefield, suffering many casualties.

Umino Sasuke returned to Gourd River Mouth after defeating the Sand Ninja Puppet Army and won the Konoha forces' allegiance, leaving Tsunade Maki under arrest for fleeing before battle.

• Tsunade Maki forced Genin, including Shiraha Ryo, to search dangerous Sand Ninja puppets for valuables while Ise Kuromaru warned him that his orders could provoke a mutiny.
• Umino Sasuke returned with his squad, and Tejudo revealed nearly twenty Sand Ninja corpses as proof that the invading Puppet Army had been annihilated except for Ebizo, who escaped.
• Tejudo, Ebisu, Heizo Raido, Dieyi Yanzang, Shirakumo Hayama, and other Konoha Ninja knelt and accepted Umino Sasuke as their commander.
• Umino Sasuke ordered Tsunade Maki arrested for fleeing before battle, and Shirakumo Hayama subdued him when he tried to resist.
• Tsunade Maki stopped threatening Umino Sasuke and surrendered when he realized he could be killed under the charge.

Umino Sasuke claimed the Sand Ninja puppets and spoils after destroying the Puppet Army, earning his troops’ loyalty and securing command of the Shinano Forest left-wing defense zone. When Root Ninja arrived to investigate his forbidden jutsu, he handed over a scroll claiming to contain the technique.

• Umino Sasuke secretly kept valuable puppets and parts, then distributed the remaining spoils among his subordinates after clearing the battlefield.
• Nara Shikasuke arrived with a five-hundred-man Konoha Legion and joined Umino Sasuke’s victory feast, where he distributed more spoils to the reinforcements.
• Nara Shikasuke appointed Umino Sasuke garrison commander of the Shinano Forest left-wing defense zone and arranged for Heizo Raido to fill Tsunade Maki’s vacancy.
• Nara Shikasuke began probing Umino Sasuke about the forbidden jutsu, but Root Ninja arrived on Shimura Danzō’s orders and interrupted him.
• Umino Sasuke handed the Root Ninja a scroll containing what he called his S-Rank Forbidden Jutsu, Dust Release: Zero-Type Multiple Infinite Explosive Array Annihilation Arrow.

Shimura Danzō reviewed Umino Sasuke’s S-Rank forbidden Tool Manipulation jutsu and chose to reward him with the Second Hokage’s full Water Release inheritance rather than Mission Merit Points. He rejected free combined jutsu but approved most of Sasuke’s backup plan, while praise for Sasuke spread across the front lines and reached Konoha.

• Aburame Ryoma reported that Umino Sasuke’s Dust Release: Multiple Infinite Explosive Array Annihilation Arrow Zero-Style had destroyed three hundred Sand Ninja Puppet Army troops and qualified as an S-Rank Forbidden Jutsu.
• Shimura Danzō refused to award Umino Sasuke Mission Merit Points and instead ordered that he receive all of Teacher Tobirama’s Water Release inheritance.
• Aburame Ryoma presented Umino Sasuke’s proposal to provide combined jutsu to army ninjas for free, and Shimura Danzō rejected it.
• Shimura Danzō approved Sasuke’s backup plan except for the half-price combined jutsu option, allowing interest-free loans and clearing debts when borrowers died in battle.
• Aburame Ryoma heard that returning Leaf troops were praising Umino Sasuke as the Konoha Iron Wall, and news of Sasuke’s battlefield achievements spread to Konoha.

Umino Sasuke memorized Senju Tobirama’s Water Release inheritance and recognized Water Severing Wave as Scientific Ninjutsu, while continuing to develop his Mecha Puppets and support his subordinates. He left the chapter planning to seek Uzumaki sealing knowledge and reviewing combined-element techniques his troops could learn.

• Umino Sasuke pledged loyalty to Shimura Danzō after Aburame Ryoma gave him Senju Tobirama’s Water Release inheritance scroll, then promised to defend the Shinano Forest.
• Umino Sasuke used the Sonic Radar Technique to find infiltrating Sand Ninja squads with his subordinates, earning mission merits through Nara Shikasuke’s arrangements.
• Umino Sasuke studied Senju Tobirama’s Water Release techniques and identified Water Severing Wave as a chakra-powered, high-pressure cutting technique he considered Scientific Ninjutsu.
• Umino Sasuke upgraded ten Mecha Puppets using Ebizo’s Mirror Matrix Puppet but could not decipher its Five-Colored Scrolls, so he considered seeking the Uzumaki Clan’s sealing inheritance.
• Umino Sasuke reviewed five combined elemental techniques and recognized that his subordinates’ mission records and Shimura Danzō’s loan policy had strengthened their support for him.

Umino Sasuke strengthened his troops during a lull in the fighting, while Konoha’s leaders appointed him acting commander of the Shinano Forest left-wing defense line. The calm ended when Uchiha Setsuna arrived with orders from Shimura Danzō to lead a dangerous deep strike, and Umino Sasuke suspected a scheme.

• Umino Sasuke’s subordinates trained in combined Ninjutsu and Chakra control while the Sand Ninjas withdrew after losing their Puppet Army.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha Elder Council sent Uchiha reinforcements to the Land of Rivers front and appointed Umino Sasuke acting commander of the Shinano Forest left-wing defense line.
• Uchiha Setsuna’s force clashed with Shimura Danzō over command, and Root devised a plan to kill two birds with one stone.
• After another half month of calm, Uchiha Setsuna arrived at Umino Sasuke’s defense zone with nearly two hundred Uchiha ninjas and allies.
• Uchiha Setsuna presented an order from Shimura Danzō directing Umino Sasuke to join a deep strike on the Sand Ninja supply routes, and Umino Sasuke suspected Danzō planned to sacrifice Setsuna.

Umino Sasuke’s force followed Uchiha Setsuna’s army to attack Sunagakure’s mountain-pass defenses, despite Sasuke’s belief that the campaign would provoke a dangerous escalation. After the Uchiha annihilated the defenders with a combined Fire Release, Sasuke stopped Setsuna from clearing the pass with Water Release, warning that the mountains could collapse.

• Umino Sasuke reflected on how Uchiha Setsuna and Shimura Danzō had ruined the quiet days on the Shinano Forest defense line by targeting Sunagakure.
• Umino Sasuke led his main force behind Uchiha Setsuna toward the Sunagakure defense line after receiving Shimura Danzō’s deployment order.
• Uchiha ninja used their Sharingan and sensor allies to silently eliminate Sunagakure squads before reaching the mountain-pass defense line.
• Nearly a hundred Uchiha ninja unleashed a combined Fire Release that destroyed the defense line and killed most of its defenders.
• Uchiha Setsuna led his Jonin in killing the surviving Sunagakure ninja, then ordered Uchiha Yashiro to clear the pass with Combined Water Release.
• Umino Sasuke stopped Uchiha Setsuna, warning that sudden cooling of the scorched mountains could trigger a deadly collapse.

Umino Sasuke prevented Uchiha Setsuna from collapsing a mountain pass, then led the troops onward as Setsuna raced toward Benliu Fortress. Sasuke detected an ambush that the Uchiha sensor could not find and took Setsuna aloft to prove it with the Telescope Technique.

• Umino Sasuke demonstrated that water could crack the heated rock wall, exposing the danger in Uchiha Setsuna's plan to blast through the pass.
• Umino Sasuke and his Shadow Clones cooled the gorge with mist and wind, then led the troops through it safely.
• Uchiha Setsuna overtook Umino Sasuke's unit and hurried toward Benliu Fortress, while Sasuke monitored the area with the Infrasonic Radar Technique.
• Umino Sasuke detected Sand ninja preparing to cut off their retreat and warned Uchiha Setsuna, but the green-haired Sensor Ninja found no sign of an ambush.
• Umino Sasuke took Uchiha Setsuna high above the battlefield on Big White and cast the Water Release: Telescope Technique.

Umino Sasuke and Uchiha Setsuna discovered that the Sand Ninja had surrounded their force and chose to break south. The Uchiha Army escaped first, leaving Sasuke’s unit to fight its way through the encirclement.

• Uchiha Setsuna spotted Sand Ninja approaching from three directions and realized their retreat had been cut off.
• Umino Sasuke deduced that Shimura Danzō had leaked their position and urged the troops to break south before the encirclement closed.
• Uchiha Setsuna ordered the army south, while Umino Sasuke sent Shadow Clones ahead to scout.
• The Uchiha Army used a Combined Fire Release to set the forest ablaze and open a path through the Sand Ninja cordon.
• Uchiha Setsuna continued onward without helping Umino Sasuke’s unit, but Sasuke led most of his troops out and ordered them to use Explosive Tags freely.

Umino Sasuke’s unit used Explosive Tag Kunai and Infrasonic Shock to overwhelm the Sand Ninja right-wing pursuit force. The unit continued its escape while pushing the pursuers back and threatening to break through their defenses.

• Umino Sasuke ordered his nearly 120 subordinates to bombard the Sand Ninja right wing with Explosive Tag Kunai.
• Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Yashiro criticized Umino Sasuke, then wondered why the Sand Ninja could not cast Wind Release defenses.
• Nearly a thousand Explosive Tags detonated across the Sand Ninja position, scattering the pursuers and driving them into disarray.
• Umino Sasuke ordered his subordinates to keep throwing Explosive Tag Kunai and conserve their chakra.
• Umino Sasuke’s Shadow Clones used Infrasonic Shock to interrupt Sand Ninja attempting to cast techniques while Puppet Masters defended against the bombardment.

Umino Sasuke used a Giant Fuma Shuriken barrage to devastate the Sand ninja trapped in a forest-fire passage, allowing the Umino Unit to escape the encirclement. The Sand ninja recognized him as the White Blood Demon and were too afraid to pursue as his unit began a fighting retreat.

• Umino Sasuke rode Big White to the gap in the forest-fire barrier and unleashed the Fuma Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique on the advancing Sand ninja.
• Umino Sasuke's hidden Shadow Clone used Infrasonic Shock to interrupt the Sand ninja's Combined Earth Release Defense, leaving them unable to stop the barrage.
• Umino Sasuke's Fuma Shuriken swept through the passage, killing and injuring many Sand ninja while the commander and a few others escaped.
• Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Yashiro watched the attack and realized that Umino Sasuke had used the eerie genjutsu again to disrupt the enemy technique.
• The Umino Unit passed through the encirclement, and the Sand ninja recognized Umino Sasuke as the White Blood Demon and hesitated to pursue as he covered the retreat.

Umino Sasuke’s unit split from the Uchiha Army to escape the Sand Ninja pursuit, while Uchiha Shun and two companions stayed behind with Sasuke’s Shadow Clone. The Sand Ninja concentrated on chasing the Uchiha Army but kept their aerial forces on the southern route to block Sasuke’s unit.

• Two Desert Giant Falcons and a flock of flying Summoning Beasts caught up with Umino Sasuke’s retreating unit, forcing Sasuke to avoid them and catch up with the troops ahead.
• Umino Sasuke’s Shadow Clone demanded that Uchiha Tekka send people back to receive the rear troops, but Tekka ordered the Uchiha Army to keep moving.
• Uchiha Shun and his two teammates, Yamashiro Ryūba and Shiranui Mada, agreed to stay behind, while the other Uchiha refused.
• Umino Sasuke’s Shadow Clone led Shun and his teammates south to prepare an interception ambush, suspecting Shimura Danzō might be targeting the Uchiha’s Sharingan.
• Umino Sasuke’s unit split from the Uchiha Army and moved south, prompting the Sand Ninja to divide their pursuit and leave their aerial forces to block the unit’s escape.

Umino Sasuke led his unit in a retreat from the much stronger Sand Ninja Corps commanded by Sandstorm Gale and Lapis Lazuli, while two Desert Giant Falcons repeatedly threatened them from above. He used the forest, mist, and traps to slow the pursuit, but the Sand Ninja air force continued to hold the unit back.

• Shirakumo Hayama identified Sandstorm Gale and Lapis Lazuli as powerful leaders and offered to stay behind, but Umino Sasuke refused to abandon his subordinates.
• The Desert Giant Falcons attacked the Umino Unit with hurricanes, killing two Genin, and Umino Sasuke led the survivors into a forest.
• Umino Sasuke's Shadow Clones covered the forest in mist, and an Explosive Tag trap inflicted heavy casualties on a Sand Ninja scouting unit.
• The Desert Giant Falcons dispersed the mist and nearly struck Umino Sasuke, but he escaped using Mist Body Flicker while his Shadow Clones distracted them.
• The Umino Unit widened its lead as the Sand Ninja Corps cleared the forest, but the pursuing force sent all its aerial units to keep the retreating unit from escaping.

Umino Sasuke used Water Release: Water Severing Wave to cripple Sandstorm Gale’s aerial force and wound the Quasi-Kage-level commander. As Sandstorm Gale and Lapis Lazuli fled, Sasuke’s unit pursued them into an ambush set by his Shadow Clone.

• Sandstorm Gale and his wife led a Jonin squad on Desert Giant Falcons to pursue Umino Sasuke’s unit, and the falcons attacked the unit with tornadoes.
• Umino Sasuke’s Shadow Clone and four Wind-Style Chunin combined their techniques to disperse the tornadoes, while Sasuke prepared a concealed counterattack.
• Umino Sasuke struck the left falcon and swept the High-Pressure Water Line through the air, killing one falcon, damaging the other, cutting off Sandstorm Gale’s arm, and scattering the Jonin squad.
• Lapis Lazuli helped Sandstorm Gale land, and he ordered a retreat as Umino Sasuke led his unit in pursuit and Big White attacked the remaining aerial forces.
• Sasuke’s Shadow Clone blocked Sandstorm Gale’s group along their escape route and unleashed Water Release: Cement Field from the trees.