Chapter Summaries

Sasori explained his Mind-Scorpion Art, which let Human Puppets use much of their former bloodline abilities, and asked Shimizu to secure a bloodline-bearing subject for experiments. Elsewhere, Madara Uchiha planned to control the Three-Tails and use Karatachi Yagura to take over Kirigakure and force Konoha into war.

• Sasori explained that his Mind-Scorpion Art preserved a dead ninja’s instinctive memories so a Human Puppet could draw on its own Chakra and use its former abilities.
• Sasori told Shimizu that a Human Puppet made from a Rogue Ninja could perform most of the man’s former ninjutsu at seventy percent power, and asked him to help obtain a bloodline-bearing test subject.
• Shimizu agreed to speak with the Third Kazekage about ordering the capture of a suitable subject.
• Madara Uchiha learned that the Three-Tails had revived near the island and confirmed that White Zetsu had diverted Kirigakure’s people.
• Madara planned to place a Transcription Seal Genjutsu on the Three-Tails and control Karatachi Yagura from within and without, so he could seize Kirigakure, start a war, and find an Uchiha to inherit his will.

The Third Kazekage considered how Sunagakure should respond to the new Daimyo and his noble allies, while Shimizu brought news of Sasori’s method for making Human Puppets that retained Kekkei Genkai. The meeting ended poised to weigh the technology’s promise against the risk of targeting Kekkei Genkai users.

• The Third Kazekage reviewed reports about the new Daimyo and noted that Sunagakure’s profitable projects had made the village less dependent on military funding.
• The Third Kazekage summoned Chiyo, Ebizo, Shimizu, and Rasa to discuss the political situation and let the two Kazekage candidates observe the negotiations.
• Shimizu arrived with Sasori’s scroll describing Human Puppets that could inherit their former owners’ abilities, including Kekkei Genkai.
• The Third Kazekage told Shimizu to consult Ebizo about Kekkei Genkai users outside the Five Great Shinobi Villages, since Sunagakure should avoid provoking rival villages.
• Rasa regarded Shimizu as his strongest future rival for the Kazekage position, though he believed Shimizu was still too young and inexperienced to qualify.

The Third Kazekage asked Shimizu, Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo how Sunagakure should respond to the new Daimyo’s efforts to restrain the village financially. After rejecting Rasa’s assassination proposal, Shimizu considered a subtler plan to weaken the Daimyo’s authority without exposing Sunagakure.

• Rasa viewed Shimizu’s new Separation Release Kekkei Genkai and strength as a direct challenge, and worked to prove his value to the village by mining.
• The Third Kazekage discussed a capital intelligence report with Shimizu, Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo, stressing that the Daimyo’s funding and attitude toward Sunagakure both mattered.
• Rasa proposed warning the new Daimyo by sending someone to assassinate him under a false identity.
• The Third Kazekage rejected Rasa’s proposal, warning that it would escalate the conflict with the Daimyo.
• Shimizu considered how to weaken the Daimyo’s authority and strike at him indirectly without making Sunagakure appear responsible.

Shimizu proposed that Sunagakure weaken the new daimyo by backing a rival claimant, and the Third Kazekage assigned Ebizo and Rasa to carry out the covert plan. The meeting then turned to Sasori’s bloodline-limit Human Puppet, with the Third Kazekage asking Ebizo to identify bloodline limits beyond the Five Great Shinobi Villages that Sunagakure could acquire.

• Shimizu suggested rescuing a brother of the new daimyo and supporting him in a rebellion to make contenders for the daimyo’s seat seek Sunagakure’s backing.
• Ebizo volunteered to use Sunagakure’s deniable assets, and Rasa offered to coordinate with him through the Anbu.
• The Third Kazekage put Ebizo in charge and told Rasa to learn from him while leaving no traces.
• The Third Kazekage revealed Sasori’s development of the bloodline-limit Human Puppet, delighting Chiyo.
• The Third Kazekage asked Ebizo where Sunagakure could relatively easily acquire bloodline limits outside the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and Ebizo began considering the question.

Shimizu received an S-rank mission from the Third Kazekage to kill Gingyu, investigate Steel Release in the Land of Grass, and recruit or prevent the Chinoike Clan from joining another village. He assembled his team and considered how the mission could help him build a faction in Sunagakure.

• The Third Kazekage assigned Shimizu to lead a mission targeting Gingyu, investigate Steel Release, and deal with the Chinoike Clan, while framing Iwagakure and Konoha for the killing.
• Shimizu chose Baki for his jounin promotion examination and Pakura to develop her newly awakened Scorch Release through combat.
• Shimizu considered recruiting a veteran jounin to complete the team and weighed the chance to build ties with neutral shinobi in Sunagakure.
• Baki told Shimizu that his former instructor, Kurokawa, was away on a mission, and recommended Sada, an Earth and Fire Release specialist with a grudge against Rasa.

Shimizu gathered Pakura, Baki, and Sada for a mission to the Land of Grass, but Hanzo intercepted them while they crossed the Land of Rain. Shimizu identified a hidden Amegakure ninja as someone with unusual abilities, leaving the team’s journey halted before reaching its destination.

• Shimizu reflected on how he would have handled Rasa’s political situation and gathered Baki, Sada, and Pakura at a side gate outside Sunagakure.
• Shimizu and Pakura introduced their abilities to Sada before the team set out toward the Land of Grass.
• As the disguised team crossed the Land of Rain, Hanzo and Amegakure ninjas confronted them after detecting their presence.
• Shimizu removed his disguise and used the Transparent World to examine a shorter Amegakure ninja, whom he recognized as exceptionally unusual.

Hanzo arranged a sparring match with Shimizu and his companions in exchange for access to Amegakure’s intelligence on the Land of Grass. As Hanzo tested the young ninja, Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan watched, and Shimizu intervened when Hanzo’s sickle reached Pakura’s throat.

• Hanzo asked Shimizu and his companions to spar with him, offering access to Amegakure’s intelligence in exchange.
• Shimizu agreed on the condition that Amegakure kept their presence secret, then let Baki, Sada, and Pakura face Hanzo first.
• Hanzo bound Baki and Sada with his sickle chain, then fought Pakura seriously as Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan watched.
• Pakura’s Scorch Release clashed with Hanzo’s Water Release, filling the field with steam.
• When Hanzo’s sickle reached Pakura’s throat, Shimizu appeared and pressed his sword against the blade.

Shimizu fought Hanzo to test the strength he had gained from his Perfect Demon Transformation Body. Their battle left Shimizu judging himself roughly even with Hanzo without his Space Blood Demon Art, and potentially stronger if he used it.

• Hanzo assessed Sada, Baki, and Pakura, then called Shimizu forward to spar.
• Shimizu summoned his puppets and clashed with Hanzo, who used Water Release to evade attacks and counter with his chain and sickle.
• Hanzo summoned Ibuse while Shimizu’s puppets kept the salamander occupied and Daiwan attacked Hanzo.
• Hanzo recognized Shimizu as an equal-level opponent, while Shimizu concluded that he might gain the upper hand by using his Space Blood Demon Art.

Shimizu and Hanzo sparred while the gathered ninja watched, with Shimizu keeping his spatial abilities secret. The match ended without a decisive winner, leaving Shimizu impressed by Hanzo and aware that he was still far from invincible.

• Shimizu concealed his spatial abilities as he fought Hanzo, whose experience and potential trump cards made a true victory uncertain.
• Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato watched the battle, and Nagato noted that Shimizu's Chakra reserves remained high while Hanzo could still have hidden techniques.
• Baki, Pakura, and Sada watched Shimizu battle, with Baki reflecting on the widening gap between himself and his teammates and Sada hoping Shimizu would strengthen his faction.
• Little Boy and the fat man battered Ibuse until Hanzo called off the Summoning Beast and promised it river delicacies.
• Shimizu recalled his puppets, praised Hanzo's strength, and recognized that he was still far from invincible.

Shimizu’s team reviewed Amegakure’s intelligence archives while Hanzo trained his three disciples and encouraged Nagato to become a future bringer of peace. The chapter ended in the Marvel world, where Shimizu dismantled an Arc Reactor and marveled at its stability.

• Hanzo brought Shimizu’s team to Amegakure and assigned Jonin Usugi to give them access to three floors of the intelligence tower.
• Shimizu directed his teammates to investigate forces, deployments, terrain, and routes in neighboring lands and compare the findings with their village’s intelligence.
• Hanzo told Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan that Shimizu had risen rapidly and encouraged Nagato to become a leader who could end the wars between great and small nations.
• Yahiko and Konan promised to support Nagato, and Hanzo said he would show them intelligence about rival young shinobi, including Minato Namikaze, Uchiha Fugaku, and Kitsuchi.
• In the Marvel world, Shimizu removed a palladium rod from an Arc Reactor and observed that the device remained exceptionally stable.

Shimizu studied the Arc Reactor and uncovered how Howard Stark used quantum tunneling amplification to make cold fusion possible, though he still could not reproduce the required palladium-hydrogen lattice. He applied the research to improve the efficiency of his armor and puppets, then learned that Connors's regenerative serum had succeeded and attracted spies.

• Shimizu concluded that Howard Stark's Arc Reactor used palladium lattices to amplify quantum tunneling and enable room-temperature cold fusion.
• Shimizu failed to load enough hydrogen into palladium but identified an efficient miniature energy conversion system he could use in his armor and puppets.
• Shimizu told Watos to archive Palladium-Hydrogen Combination Plan No. 17 and return his research materials.
• Shimizu called Manken back and learned that Connors's regenerative serum had succeeded and that Manken had uncovered more than a dozen spies within the company.
• Shimizu asked Manken whether the people behind the spies were troublesome.

Shimizu discussed the military’s interest in Regeneration Serum and agreed with Manken on limited sales that included protections for disabled soldiers and public patients. As he prepared to visit the company headquarters, Manken reminded him to collect the three ounces of Vibranium Osborn had bought from Ulysses Claw.

• Manken told Shimizu that the Pentagon had called to inquire about Regeneration Serum, and Shimizu discussed General Ross’s continued interest in Super Soldier Serum.
• Shimizu explained that Regeneration Serum could create powerful animal-like subjects but could not reproduce Captain America’s abilities through genetic modification alone.
• Manken proposed selling a limited number of Regeneration Serum slots to the military and the public, and Shimizu set price limits and required free or discounted slots for patients.
• Manken agreed to support Shimizu’s plan and said it could also improve Osborn’s public image.
• Manken reminded Shimizu to collect the three ounces of Vibranium Osborn had purchased from Ulysses Claw.

Shimizu met Natasha Romanoff, who recruited him to help investigate the Tesseract and find Dr. Banner. Shimizu joined her, and they brought Banner aboard a Quinjet to review the Tesseract information.

• Shimizu returned home with raw Vibranium ore and found Natasha Romanoff waiting for him.
• Shimizu uncovered Natasha’s listening devices and refused to cooperate until she explained her visit.
• Natasha told Shimizu that S.H.I.E.L.D. needed his and Dr. Banner’s help with the Tesseract, and Shimizu agreed to join the mission.
• Shimizu and Natasha traveled by Quinjet to meet Bruce Banner in Mumbai.
• Natasha gave Banner information about the Tesseract and asked him to track it through its gamma rays.

Shimizu joined Nick Fury's team aboard the aircraft carrier and helped track the Tesseract, which led them to Loki in Stuttgart. As Captain America, Black Widow, and Shimizu set out to confront Loki, Hill assessed Shimizu as a cautious, ambitious schemer, and Fury acknowledged that he was difficult for anyone to manipulate.

• Captain America arrived aboard the aircraft carrier and met Black Widow, Shimizu, and Banner.
• Nick Fury welcomed Shimizu and Banner, and Shimizu directed the team to use spectrometers and a supercomputer to locate the Tesseract.
• The team detected the Tesseract's gamma signature before losing the signal, then identified its last location as King's Street in Stuttgart, Germany.
• Black Widow and Captain America prepared to pursue Loki, while Nick Fury asked Shimizu to help and Shimizu warned that he distrusted S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Hill described Shimizu as a guarded, ambitious schemer, and Nick Fury said that his secrecy would make him difficult for others to exploit.

Shimizu helped Captain America and Iron Man capture Loki in Stuttgart, then kept the scepter after the Quinjet encountered Thor. He stayed behind to guard Loki while Tony and Thor fought.

• Loki used the scepter to threaten a crowd in Stuttgart, and Captain America confronted him while Shimizu planned how to obtain the Mind Stone.
• Shimizu used Concussion Grenades to scatter the onlookers, then attacked Loki with his armor and Snake Lightning.
• Captain America’s shield struck Loki, and Shimizu subdued him as Iron Man arrived.
• Natasha cuffed Loki and brought him aboard the Quinjet with Shimizu, Captain America, and Tony.
• When Thor appeared and the Quinjet descended into a forest, Shimizu kept the scepter and stayed behind to watch Loki while Tony confronted Thor.

After Loki was captured, Shimizu used Chakra to break the Mind Scepter’s spell and weaken its functions. The team realized Loki’s plan depended on creating chaos aboard the Helicarrier while his allies opened a portal for the Chitauri.

• Agent Hill told the team that Loki-controlled Agent Barton had stolen iridium to help activate the Tesseract and open a portal for the Chitauri.
• Shimizu sensed how the Mind Scepter worked and channeled Chakra into it, disrupting the energy pathways that sustained Loki’s spell.
• Nick Fury challenged Shimizu for handling the scepter, and Shimizu rebuked him before a crack appeared in the scepter and the spell’s influence on everyone eased.
• Loki sensed that his spell had been broken and asked Natasha whether Midgard had sorcerers; Thor credited Shimizu and recognized his claim to the scepter.
• Shimizu demonstrated his ability to control electricity, while Stark showed interest in studying the scepter.
• Captain America redirected the discussion to Loki’s plan, and Shimizu reasoned that Loki intended to cause chaos aboard the Helicarrier so his allies could open the portal.

Shimizu helped the Avengers repel the Helicarrier attack and restore its engines, while Nick Fury worried that Wade was gaining influence over the team. The Helicarrier headed for New York, Barton was subdued, and Thor returned after Loki escaped his trap.

• Shimizu protected Banner from the blast wave as the Helicarrier came under attack and Hill reported that Barton had infiltrated Engine Number Four.
• Thor rushed off after Loki, while Shimizu ordered the team to subdue Barton's forces, repair the engines, and prepare New York's defenses.
• Nick Fury accepted Shimizu's orders but worried that Wade was undermining his plan to make Captain America the team's leader.
• Shimizu cleared the attackers and repaired the wiring as Tony adjusted the fan blade torque, and they restarted the Helicarrier's engines.
• Captain America reported that Barton had been subdued, and Thor returned after Loki escaped his trap.

Shimizu closed the portal over Stark Tower with the Mind Stone scepter, while Loki escaped the Avengers by using illusions and disguises. Shimizu secretly carved a fragment from the Tesseract, then learned that a nuclear missile was headed for New York.

• Shimizu used the Mind Stone scepter to disrupt the Tesseract and close the portal, cutting off the Chitauri invasion.
• Loki escaped Tony by leaving an illusion behind, then tricked Thor and fled disguised as Captain America.
• Black Widow recognized Loki, fired at him, and alerted the others that he was escaping along Brick Street.
• Shimizu knocked out Dr. Selvig and carved a fragment from the Tesseract with the scepter, storing it in his shoulder compartment.
• Nick Fury warned Wade and Stark that a fighter carrying a nuclear warhead was headed for New York, while Shimizu stared at the damaged Tesseract and empty sky.

Shimizu and the Avengers stopped the Chitauri invasion, sent the nuclear bomb through the reopened portal, and captured Loki. Back at Stark Tower, Shimizu and Tony began discussing the bomb, the Tesseract, and the scepter, while Shimizu vowed to kill those who had tried to destroy him.

• Shimizu asked Fury about sending the nuclear bomb to Washington, then ordered Tony and Thor to help dispose of it safely.
• Lial reported the failed invasion to Thanos, but Tony flew through a portal beside the Chitauri Mothership and released the nuclear bomb before returning to Earth.
• Shimizu closed the portal with the scepter, and Tony landed at Stark Tower and showed off his new armor.
• Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Dr. Banner helped corner Loki, and Thor captured and bound him.
• Shimizu and Tony shut off their earpieces and blocked signals on the floor so they could discuss the nuclear bomb, the Tesseract, and Shimizu’s scepter.
• Shimizu said he intended to kill the people who had launched the nuclear bomb at him.

Shimizu introduced Watos, his artificial intelligence, to Tony Stark and proposed a contest against J.A.R.V.I.S. to test their abilities. After the thirty-second firewall duel began, both AIs launched rapid attacks and defenses, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Tony Stark suspected that whoever ordered the nuclear attack held more power than Nick Fury or had compromised his control of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Shimizu gave Tony the Watos access key and asked J.A.R.V.I.S. to visit Watos's domain.
• Shimizu explained that Watos had infiltrated government networks but met a powerful obstruction while searching for information about the nuclear threat.
• Tony questioned Watos's development, and Shimizu defended its capabilities and proposed a firewall contest against J.A.R.V.I.S.
• Tony set the contest at 100 teraflops, and Shimizu started a thirty-second duel in which both AIs attacked and defended at high speed.