Chapter Summaries

The Third Hokage asked Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Hiko how they would respond to discovering an enemy base during a mission. Hiko argued that he would record its coordinates and report back as ordered, earning the Third Hokage’s approval while Jiraiya was embarrassed by the criticism of his recklessness.

• Tsunade said the shinobi should seek help rather than risk attacking a powerful enemy base without knowing its strength.
• Orochimaru agreed with Tsunade that they should avoid a reckless assault and call for help if necessary.
• Hiko said he would record the base’s coordinates, return to the village, and report the intelligence.
• Jiraiya questioned why Hiko would delay action, and Hiko replied that shinobi had to obey orders and protect the mission from failure.
• Jiraiya blushed at Hiko’s rebuke, while the Third Hokage praised Hiko’s answer.

The Third Hokage asked Hiko, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya how they would handle a mission that put a teammate in danger, and they all chose not to answer. He then announced a test in which the four of them had to obtain two bells, leaving them poised to begin.

• The Third Hokage asked what they would do if a teammate fell into danger while they still had to complete a mission.
• Hiko, Tsunade, and Jiraiya struggled with the dilemma, while Orochimaru privately decided he would abandon the teammate and finish the mission.
• All four stayed silent, and the Third Hokage approved of their choice not to commit themselves to either answer.
• The Third Hokage revealed that they had to obtain two bells within a time limit or be tied to posts and go without lunch.
• Hiko, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya prepared to move for the bells, but someone called, "Wait!!"

The Third Hokage made Hiko protect the two bells while Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru tried to take them, turning the exam into a test of Hiko’s strength and leadership. As the three attacked from different directions, Hiko resented being pushed toward leading the squad.

• The Third Hokage tied the two bells to Hiko and said he would fail if the others took them, while they would fail if they could not take them.
• Hiko realized the Third Hokage had chosen him as a possible squad captain and made the others’ test a trial of his strength.
• The Third Hokage watched from a tree stump as Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru prepared to attack Hiko.
• Jiraiya charged Hiko from the front, Tsunade rushed alongside him, and Orochimaru ran toward Hiko’s back.
• Hiko worried that leading the troublesome trio would draw attention and disrupt his plans to quietly make a fortune.

Hiko weighed whether to reveal his Sharingan as Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru attacked him. He activated it and overwhelmed the three, leaving them stunned by his abilities.

• Hiko debated whether to reveal his Sharingan and earn the Third Hokage's favor despite the risks.
• Hiko activated his Sharingan and caught Jiraiya's movements, then slammed him into the ground.
• Tsunade attacked Hiko, but he blocked her punch with his elbow and numbed her arm before kicking toward her.
• Orochimaru stabbed Hiko with a Kunai, but Hiko substituted a piece of wood and redirected his attack, smashing Orochimaru into the ground.
• Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru realized Hiko had awakened the Sharingan.

Hiko overwhelmed Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru in their spar by using his Sharingan and Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique. The Third Hokage recognized Hiko’s exceptional talent and revealed that he had underestimated him, leaving the others shocked that Hiko had awakened the Sharingan so young.

• Hiko struck Jiraiya and gained the upper hand against Tsunade and Orochimaru with his Sharingan.
• Hiko used the Great Fireball Technique against the three, and the Third Hokage moved to safety as the attack exploded.
• The Third Hokage praised Hiko’s skill and inferred that he had awakened the Sharingan earlier than age six.
• Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru were shocked when the Third Hokage said Hiko had awakened the Sharingan so young.

Hiko explained that he had hidden his early Sharingan awakening because he did not want the Uchiha Clan to value him only for it. The Third Hokage urged him to seize opportunities despite the risks, then ended the assessment and told the children to collect their forehead protectors the next day.

• The Third Hokage asked why Hiko had kept his early Sharingan awakening secret, and Hiko said he did not want the Uchiha Clan to value him only for that ability.
• The Third Hokage recognized Hiko’s concerns and urged him to take opportunities boldly, promising his protection.
• Hiko accepted that the assessment was a gamble and decided he would rather earn the Third Hokage’s recognition than become a pawn of the Uchiha Clan.
• The Third Hokage ended the assessment and told Hiko, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya to collect their forehead protectors the next day.

After Hiko’s Sharingan awakening and combat skill impressed the Third Hokage, the Hokage ordered Anbu to watch him and treated him as a future pillar of Konoha. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru accepted Hiko as their squad’s likely captain, then demanded he compensate them with barbecue.

• The Third Hokage ordered Anbu to keep Uchiha Hiko under close surveillance and revised his plans for the young ninja.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya accused Hiko of hiding his strength, but Hiko reminded them they had refused his invitations to train.
• Orochimaru acknowledged Hiko as their captain, and Tsunade and Jiraiya realized their four-person squad needed a leader.
• Tsunade asked Hiko how he had used his elbows and head to counter her, and Hiko explained how hard body parts could be used in Taijutsu.
• Tsunade demanded barbecue as compensation for her injured arm, and Jiraiya and Orochimaru agreed.

After graduating early, Hiko treated Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya to barbecue, where they questioned him about his hidden strength and kept quiet about his Sharingan. The three began training alongside him, and the chapter ended as they collected their forehead protectors at the Hokage Office Building and greeted the Third Hokage in unison.

• Hiko tried to avoid paying for barbecue, but Orochimaru offered to treat the group of four.
• Tsunade asked Hiko why he had hidden his abilities, and Hiko answered that he was from the Uchiha before Orochimaru warned her not to press the matter.
• Tsunade caught Jiraiya eating most of the barbecue and beat him while Hiko and Orochimaru watched.
• The news of Hiko awakening the Sharingan stayed secret, and Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya became his eager training companions.
• Hiko brought the other three to the Hokage Office Building to collect their forehead protectors, where they called the Third Hokage Old Man Third in unison.

The Third gave Hiko the team’s forehead protectors and mission scroll, assigning him to lead Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru while he handled village duties. Their first mission left the team shocked and angry, and Hiko had to figure out how to get them to do it.

• The Third handed Hiko the mission scroll and made him responsible for leading the team on missions.
• Hiko accepted the assignment and led Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru out of the Hokage Office Building.
• The Third privately considered the assignment a test of whether Hiko could shoulder responsibility.
• Hiko opened the scroll and saw a mission that made his expression turn strange.
• Tsunade read the mission and angrily shouted, while Jiraiya and Orochimaru were startled by its contents.
• Hiko prepared to persuade the others to complete the mission, knowing he needed mission pay to support himself.

Hiko led his team on their first mission, which turned out to be scrubbing public toilets. Tsunade joined only after Hiko left without persuading her, and the four teammates worked through the foul task while complaining.

• Hiko asked Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru whether they would accept the unpleasant mission, and Orochimaru agreed while Tsunade refused.
• Jiraiya agreed to go so Hiko would not be scolded, and Tsunade followed the others after Hiko declined to persuade her.
• Hiko led the team to the mission site, where they discovered their first assignment was scrubbing public toilets.
• Hiko, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru covered their faces with bandages and carried buckets as they cleaned the toilets.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya complained about the stench while the team worked to finish the mission without disappointing the employer.

After finishing an unpleasant toilet-cleaning mission, Hiko submitted the report and trained before meeting his teammates for another assignment. The team received a trash-picking mission, while Orochimaru’s knowledge of Hiko’s training left Hiko wondering whether he had been secretly watched.

• Hiko finished the toilet-cleaning mission with Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, then went home to bathe before submitting the report.
• Hiko submitted the mission at the Hokage Office Building and went to the Training Ground to train.
• The next day, the Third Hokage assigned the team a mission to pick up trash instead of cleaning toilets.
• Orochimaru mentioned that Hiko had trained the previous day, making Hiko suspect that Orochimaru had secretly watched him.
• Tsunade considered training more diligently after seeing Hiko work hard despite already being stronger than the others.

After completing an easy garbage-picking mission, Hiko paid Tsunade and Jiraiya their shares before joining them at the Training Ground. Tsunade and Jiraiya continued training, while Hiko refused to spar with Tsunade until she gained better control of her strength.

• Hiko, Tsunade, and Jiraiya finished picking up garbage on the back mountain, and Hiko went to submit the mission.
• After bathing and eating, Hiko collected the mission reward and handed Tsunade and Jiraiya their shares at the Training Ground.
• Jiraiya happily took his money, while Tsunade put away her first mission earnings.
• Tsunade asked Hiko to spar, but he refused and directed her and Jiraiya to train with Orochimaru instead.
• Jiraiya challenged Orochimaru, while Tsunade demanded another spar with Hiko and he refused until she controlled her Monster Strength Technique better.

Tsunade insisted on teaching Hiko the Monster Strength Technique, while Hiko explained that he had no Taijutsu secrets to teach and urged his teammates to focus on their fundamentals under the Third Hokage’s guidance. Tsunade remained determined to teach Hiko, and Jiraiya asked to learn too.

• Tsunade offered to teach Hiko the Monster Strength Technique and demanded that he share the key points of his Taijutsu in return.
• Hiko explained that he had nothing special to teach and said he had refused because their fundamentals mattered most and the Third Hokage could guide their training.
• Tsunade accepted Hiko’s explanation but insisted she would keep her promise to teach him.
• Jiraiya raised his hand and asked to learn the Monster Strength Technique, but Tsunade told him to go train with Orochimaru.

The Sarutobi Squad continued training and taking missions without guidance from the busy Third Hokage, while Hiko’s strength grew so much that even Tsunade avoided sparring with him. After completing a wild boar hunting mission, the four returned to Konoha and met at a barbecue restaurant, where Jiraiya got two bottles of alcohol from the owner.

• The Sarutobi Squad spent months completing missions and training on their own as the Third Hokage remained too busy to teach them.
• Hiko’s strength increased rapidly through his training in the Monster Strength Technique, and Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru avoided sparring with him.
• Hiko told Tsunade that the Third Hokage had begun distributing missions again and might soon have time to teach the squad.
• The four members hunted wild boars, delivered them to their employer, and agreed to celebrate at a barbecue restaurant.
• After washing and changing, Hiko joined the others at the restaurant, where Jiraiya persuaded the owner to give him two bottles of alcohol.

At a barbecue restaurant, Hiko and the Sarutobi Squad mocked two older Genin after one scolded them for being noisy. When the man attacked with kunai, Hiko urged the others to fight back, and the squad beat the two men.

• Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Hiko ate barbecue and joked around over Jiraiya's alcohol.
• One of the two men at a nearby table scolded the squad for being noisy, and Hiko mocked the men for still being Genin.
• The man grew furious, and Hiko and the others taunted him about calling himself their senior.
• Tsunade threw seasonings at the men, and the enraged man attacked the squad with kunai.
• Hiko deflected the kunai and urged Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru to fight, and the squad beat the two men.

Hiko, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru beat two seniors at a barbecue restaurant, then hurried to report them to Hiruzen Sarutobi before the Uchiha patrol could question them. Hiruzen listened to Jiraiya’s account just as someone rushed into the Hokage’s office and recognized the four students.

• Jiraiya copied Hiko and stomped on the two seniors after they started a fight at the barbecue restaurant.
• Hiko led Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru away so they could report the seniors first and avoid being blamed for the damage and medical bills.
• The Uchiha patrol arrived at the restaurant and found only the two beaten Genin, while the students had already left to report the incident.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi finished most of his paperwork and considered rewarding his students before Jiraiya kicked open his office door and claimed they had been beaten by their seniors.
• Jiraiya told Hiruzen that the seniors had struck first, while Hiko, Tsunade, and Orochimaru acted aggrieved.
• A frantic person entered the Hokage’s office and froze upon seeing the four students the Uchiha patrol had been searching for.

Hiko turned the Third Hokage’s attempt to admonish his students into an argument about seniors bullying juniors, and the Hokage dismissed the four while arranging compensation for the damaged restaurant. The chapter ended with the Third Hokage reflecting on the Uchiha Clan’s repeated suppression and worrying about Hiko’s future.

• Hiko challenged the Third Hokage to explain whether seniors were allowed to bully juniors, leaving him unable to answer.
• Hiko sarcastically told Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru to endure bullying now so they could bully juniors later, and the Third Hokage sent the four away.
• The Third Hokage ordered an Anbu ninja to inform the Uchiha Clan and have the Hokage's Office cover the restaurant damages before deducting the cost from the two Genin’s mission rewards.
• The Third Hokage praised Hiko’s cleverness but worried that he might stray down the wrong path and hoped he would one day guide the Uchiha Clan.
• The Third Hokage reflected on the Uchiha Clan’s repeated suppression and on how his own inaction had helped lead to their eventual extermination.

After confronting the Hokage and getting dismissed, Hiko took Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru home for a meal. The next morning, Hiko and Orochimaru waited at the back mountain for their first official training with the Third Hokage, while Jiraiya was still missing.

• Hiko reflected on how the Elder Advisory Council and Mito Uzumaki restricted the Hokage and made it difficult to improve relations between the Uchiha and the village.
• Jiraiya praised Hiko for silencing the Third Hokage, and Hiko said their teacher had sided with his students because the others were at fault.
• Hiko tried to dismiss everyone, but Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru stayed because they were hungry, so he brought them home and fed them.
• Hiko arrived at the back mountain before six the next morning and found Orochimaru already there reading.
• Tsunade arrived before the appointed time, but Jiraiya had not appeared, and Hiko guessed he had been too excited to sleep.

Hiko teased Jiraiya by saying he would sleep with Jiraiya’s future wife if Jiraiya relied on him to wake up, sparking laughter and confusion among their team. The Third Hokage arrived just as Jiraiya loudly accused Hiko of wanting to sleep with his wife.

• Tsunade questioned the strange taste of Hiko’s wild boar jerky, then reluctantly ate it while Orochimaru finished his portion.
• Jiraiya arrived late and asked Hiko to wake him up in the future, prompting Hiko to joke that he might sleep with Jiraiya’s wife for him.
• Tsunade and Orochimaru laughed at Jiraiya’s shocked reaction, while Jiraiya angrily accused Hiko of doing it on purpose.
• The Third Hokage arrived and asked what was so funny, and Jiraiya shouted that Hiko wanted to sleep with his wife.
• Hiko clarified that he was not interested in anyone else’s wife and teased Jiraiya to grow up and find a bride.

The Third Hokage asked Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Hiko what reward they wanted for their hard work. He agreed to provide Hiko with one Ninjutsu Scroll and Orochimaru with a limited number of scrolls and books, but refused to give Tsunade and Jiraiya anything.

• The Third Hokage praised the four children and asked them to take their training seriously.
• Tsunade asked the Third Hokage for compensation, and Jiraiya requested money, Tsunade asked for lots of money, and Orochimaru wanted Ninjutsu Scrolls and books.
• Hiko questioned whether the reward was genuine and said he wanted a Ninjutsu he might not be able to learn.
• The Third Hokage agreed to provide Hiko with one Ninjutsu Scroll, on the condition that Hiko returned it if he could not learn the technique.
• The Third Hokage offered Orochimaru a limited quantity of Ninjutsu Scrolls and books, then told Tsunade and Jiraiya they would get nothing.