Chapter Summaries

Tao Yu reviewed reports aboard a converted aircraft carrier, learning about Saint Ou’s arrival and the dangerous worlds around Konoha as he prepared to avoid Tokyo and travel to the Land of Fire. A scarred woman invited him to join her team on the journey.

• Tao Yu read that Saint Ou had arrived in Dilong City after the Tianchengzi incident and decided not to return to Tokyo.
• Tao Yu studied reports about nearby worlds, including the virus-ravaged Nurarihyon no Mago world and the Cockroach People bordering Konoha.
• Tao Yu assessed the dangers posed by the surrounding worlds and continued planning his trip to the Land of Fire.
• A scarred woman approached Tao Yu and asked whether he wanted to travel there with her team.

Tao Yu joined Ye Rong’s team, which was preparing to sail to the Land of Fire, after demonstrating his strength in a spar. He also posted a mission seeking information about Takigakure, and the chapter left him ready to travel with his new companions.

• Ye Rong explained that her team had lost a member and invited Tao Yu to join their voyage to the Land of Fire.
• Tao Yu agreed to meet the team, then posted a mission seeking information about Takigakure.
• Tao Yu sparred with Ye Rong and narrowly gained the advantage while both held back.
• Ye Rong welcomed Tao Yu onto the team, and he met Ye Feng, Thomas, Ouyang Qian, and the other members.

Tao Yu joined Ye Rong and Ye Feng’s trade expedition to the Land of Fire, where they hoped to exchange goods for sealing scrolls. During the voyage, Tao Yu’s cultivation and abilities advanced as he unknowingly caused most of the storms that battered the yacht, and he wondered how his strength compared to a Saint.

• Tao Yu used his Space Equipment to help load supplies onto the yacht as Ye Rong and Ye Feng invited him to work more closely with their trade team.
• Ye Rong and Ye Feng explained their plan to trade military ration pills and sealing scrolls in the Land of Fire and establish a safe route.
• Tao Yu fished and refined his foundational art while the yacht sailed away from the carrier.
• After more than twenty days of storms at sea, Thomas struggled to steer the yacht as Ye Feng worried they would run out of fuel.
• Tao Yu revealed that his experiments with the New Longevity Art had caused most of the storms, and he assessed his growing power as near the upper limit of disaster level.

With the storm behind them, Tao Yu’s team sailed toward the Land of Fire, but low fuel threatened their return journey. After receiving a distress call from the cruise ship Yago, the team decided to investigate cautiously.

• The crew celebrated the clear skies as Thomas used the stars and a rough map to estimate their position near the Cockroach People World.
• Thomas warned that their fuel was running low, while Ye Rong explained that their goal was to reach the Land of Fire and learn about trading with Konoha.
• Ye Feng cautioned the team to stay alert, noting that a team led by a Senior Partner had disappeared on the route.
• The Explorer received a recorded English distress call from the Yago, and Thomas said the cruise ship might have spare fuel but could also be a trap.
• Tao Yu performed a divination and recommended approaching the Yago and scouting it with a drone, and Ye Rong agreed.

The Yago was stranded in unknown waters after a storm, then struck by a huge underwater object as panic spread among its passengers. Tao Yu and his companions approached the ship and sensed corruption, blood, and resentment aboard, while something hidden fixed its gaze on their sailboat.

• After the storm left the Yago without GPS or communications, its sonar detected a fast-moving underwater object that slammed into the ship.
• The impact shook the Yago, and frightened passengers rushed from their cabins as a stampede began.
• Thomas spotted the brightly lit but eerily quiet Yago with his drone as he steered the sailboat toward it.
• Tao Yu sensed a sinister, corrupt aura around the Yago and suspected a crude blood sacrifice had taken place.
• Ye Rong ordered Thomas to fly his drone inside, but he pulled it back when chaotic electromagnetic interference disrupted it.
• Tao Yu warned the others that the Yago reeked of fresh blood and resentment, and that something had fixed its gaze on their boat.

A giant sea monster attacked Ye Rong's yacht, and Tao Yu discovered it was conducting blood sacrifices aboard the cruise ship. Tao Yu subdued the monster with an unexpectedly powerful display and planted a Seed of Spirit in it, while the others fled unaware that it was following them.

• Ye Feng sensed an attack from below and shielded the yacht, but a massive tentacle tore a hole through its hull.
• Ye Rong wounded the tentacle with five arrows as Thomas steered the damaged yacht and the others tried to contain the flooding.
• Tao Yu sent a Shadow Soldier into the cruise ship and found the monster had gathered thousands of corpses into a blood-sacrifice altar.
• Tao Yu's display of distorted power made the monster submit, and he planted a Seed of Spirit inside it.
• As the yacht sped away, Tao Yu kept the monster's pursuit secret from Ye Rong and Ye Feng.

After surviving a sea monster and reaching the Land of Fire’s outskirts, Tao Yu and the Ye siblings traveled across a barren world toward its barrier. A warning led them to discover a Cockroach People ambush, while Tao Yu sensed a vast force waiting underground.

• Tao Yu sensed Little Claw following the yacht and considered investigating the underwater rift later.
• Ten days after the sea monster incident, Ye Rong and Ye Feng secured the damaged yacht in a cove near the Land of Fire.
• The group equipped themselves and ran across the barren landscape toward the Land of Fire’s barrier.
• A panicked public-channel warning about the Cockroach People reached the group, but Ye Rong chose not to investigate its source.
• Thomas detected about ten Cockroach People waiting in a canyon, while Tao Yu sensed more than a hundred thousand hiding underground.

Tao Yu sensed that the Cockroach People around a valley were far more numerous than they appeared and warned Ye Rong’s group. Six Senior Partners arrived to investigate and attack them, while Tao Yu secretly sent his shadow ahead to help him enter the Land of Fire with the team.

• Tao Yu sensed tens of thousands of spiritual-energy sources beneath and around the valley and warned Ye Rong that the Cockroach People were numerous.
• Six Senior Partners led by Little Blondie arrived, recognized Ye Rong’s group, and explained that they had come to investigate the black box signal and gather information.
• Little Blondie’s team flew toward the valley, and Tao Yu let them proceed while secretly sending his shadow ahead.
• The six Awakeners used electromagnetic machine guns with armor-piercing rounds to kill the Cockroach People visible outside the caves.
• Thomas and the others discussed the Cockroach People’s strength and possible numbers as the ground began to tremble.

Tao Yu and the others were overwhelmed by a vast swarm of Cockroach People, but a stranger destroyed the swarm with two falling meteorites. The group survived the blast and came face-to-face with Uchiha Madara, who had arrived to slaughter Cockroach brutes.

• Ye Rong’s group and the six pioneers discovered that a huge swarm of Cockroach People had emerged from the canyon and fled.
• The six pioneers tried to escape through the air, but four were overwhelmed and devoured by the Cockroach brutes.
• As the swarm pursued Tao Yu and the others, an arrogant stranger hurled two enormous meteorites into the canyon.
• Ye Feng dug a pit for the group to shelter in, while the shock wave blasted the two airborne survivors away.
• Tao Yu and the others emerged from the sand after the canyon collapsed and found the Cockroach brutes gone.
• Uchiha Madara appeared before the survivors, revealed as an Impure World Reincarnation who had been slaughtering Cockroach brutes.

Tao Yu and the pioneers met Uchiha Madara after he devastated a Cockroach People swarm, then learned that Facehuggers and viruses were spreading into the Land of Fire. Madara gave the group a pass to enter, while Tao Yu offered to bring vaccine research for the Land of Fire to examine.

• Tao Yu reflected that Madara had been hunting Cockroach People and considered how Wood Release could help clear their underground tunnels.
• Tao Yu praised Uchiha Madara, who rebuked Ye Feng and asked whether the pioneers had come to trade or represent their group.
• Madara said the Land of Fire needed a way to kill Cockroach People and showed the pioneers a Facehugger corpse.
• Tao Yu identified the Facehugger and explained Xenomorphs, then asked whether the viruses he had warned Madara about had spread.
• Madara reported that viruses had reached a few border villages and that Cockroach People seemed to be carrying them through cracks in the World Barrier.
• Tao Yu offered to bring vaccines for the Land of Fire to examine, and Madara gave the group a pass to enter.

After surviving a Cockroach People ambush and meeting Uchiha Madara, Tao Yu’s group reached the Land of Fire and learned that its World Barrier had been developing unpredictable cracks. The chapter left Tao Yu weighing the shinobi world’s alliances and wondering what the Sage of Six Paths was doing behind the scenes.

• Ye Rong and the others recognized that their information about the Cockroach People was dangerously flawed and hurried toward the Land of Fire.
• At the World Barrier, Tao Yu showed Uchiha Madara’s token to a Konoha squad, which let the group enter after the passage recovered.
• A Konoha ninja told Tao Yu that unpredictable cracks had been appearing in the barrier, though the situation was currently under control.
• The Konoha squad escorted Tao Yu and the others toward the village and revealed that the Otsutsuki clan on the moon had allied with Konoha.
• Tao Yu considered how the Sage of Six Paths might have brought about the Great Reconciliation and concluded that the Sage existed and might be growing stronger in secret.

Tao Yu and his group arrived in Konoha, where Konan explained the village's leadership and offered to help them. Ye Rong proposed trading vaccines and specialized antibodies to Konoha, opening the way for a supply deal.

• Tao Yu's group entered Konoha and learned that its gates, patrols, and established pioneer procedures made the village easy to navigate.
• Ye Rong and Ye Feng were startled when Konan approached without being detected and explained that Konoha's strength had kept war from reaching the village.
• Konan introduced herself, offered a paper crane for contacting her, and named Senju Hashirama as the village's spiritual leader and Namikaze Minato as its day-to-day leader.
• Konan told the pioneers they could barter for sealing scrolls through Konoha's logistics office.
• Ye Rong offered Konoha a vaccine and specialized antibodies for the virus, considering how her family could transport supplies and profit from the trade.

Tao Yu explored Konoha, recognized Might Duy and Might Guy’s potential with the Eight Gates Formation, and offered to treat their old injuries in exchange for ramen. He began a trial healing session that could lead to a closer connection with the father and son.

• Tao Yu declined to compete with Ye Rong and Ye Feng over vaccine trading and agreed to contact them when he headed back.
• Tao Yu visited Ichiraku Ramen and found Might Duy and Might Guy training themselves through their intense taijutsu regimen.
• Tao Yu realized the Eight Gates Formation could suit him and considered seeking the technique.
• Tao Yu identified Might Duy’s old injuries and offered to ease them with his unusual healing abilities.
• Teuchi asked Tao Yu to examine his aching wrists, and Tao Yu agreed to treat all three in exchange for ramen.

After treating Teuchi and Might Duy, Tao Yu earned the trust of Might Duy and Might Guy and arranged to train with them in taijutsu. In Konoha’s Forest of Death, he pushed Might Duy to stop holding back as Anbu watched their sessions.

• Tao Yu treated Teuchi and Might Duy, and Teuchi offered him free meals in gratitude.
• Might Guy and Might Duy thanked Tao Yu, and Tao Yu cautioned them against making unlimited promises before discussing his business and zombie-virus antidote connections.
• Tao Yu asked to train with the pair, then presented Uchiha Madara’s token and Senju Hashirama’s alliance document to address their concerns about sharing techniques.
• Might Guy verified the document using Konoha’s codes and confirmed that it was authentic, after which the three kept their arrangement secret.
• After several days of training in the Forest of Death, Tao Yu easily countered Might Duy and Might Guy’s attacks and urged Might Duy to stop hesitating as Anbu watched nearby.

Tao Yu learned how to use the Eight Gates Formation and Deified it, discovering that it could amplify his strength and might be combined with the Zhu Xian Sword Array. When Anbu—or Root—shinobi surrounded him, Might Duy, and Might Guy, Tao Yu effortlessly defeated their opening attack and stripped away their gear and clothing while sparing their lives.

• Might Duy agreed to let Tao Yu examine him and explain how his power worked, helping Tao Yu understand the Eight Gates Formation.
• Tao Yu opened the Fourth Gate, then used Deification to transform the Eight Gates Formation into a bodily array that boosted his power.
• As Tao Yu treated Might Duy, a dozen masked shinobi surrounded the forest and ordered Tao Yu, Might Duy, and Might Guy to surrender.
• The squad attacked with shuriken, kunai, wires, and Explosive Tags, but Tao Yu's Sword of Will turned the projectiles to dust and wounded the captain.
• Tao Yu declared that he would spare the Root shinobi for Hashirama's sake, then destroyed their clothing, armor, weapons, masks, hair, and nails.

Tao Yu confronted Konoha’s Root and Anbu, then showed Senju Tobirama the alliance charter. When Senju Hashirama touched it, he regained memories and grew stronger, and the chapter ended as Uchiha Madara arrived to challenge him.

• Tao Yu destroyed the Root and Anbu members’ clothing and weapons with a sweep of his gaze, leaving them frozen in fear.
• Senju Tobirama appeared and questioned Tao Yu, who showed him the alliance charter and explained that Hashirama had authorized it.
• Tobirama verified the charter, approved the alliance, and agreed not to trouble Might Duy and Might Guy.
• Senju Hashirama touched the charter, recovered memories of Tao Yu, and underwent a surge of chakra and spiritual resonance that strengthened him.
• Uchiha Madara arrived, sensed Hashirama’s renewed battle intent, and challenged him to fight.

Tao Yu reunited with Senju Hashirama in Konoha and met Uchiha Madara, Senju Tobirama, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Namikaze Minato. He offered to exchange Abyss knowledge and cultivation methods for instruction, leaving the group interested in his abilities and proposed lessons.

• Uchiha Madara entered and questioned Tao Yu's connection to Senju Hashirama, who confirmed they were old friends.
• Uchiha Madara asked about the disturbance, and Senju Hashirama said he had grown stronger and struggled to control his chakra.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen and Namikaze Minato arrived, and Tao Yu explained that he had met another version of Senju Hashirama on a different fragment.
• Namikaze Minato affirmed that Konoha's alliance with Tao Yu still stood because he was Senju Hashirama's friend.
• Tao Yu demonstrated a basic earth technique and offered to trade Abyss information and cultivation methods for lessons, especially Senju Tobirama's movement technique.
• Senju Tobirama asked about Tao Yu's attack on Root, and Uchiha Madara expressed surprise that Tao Yu had fought them.

Tao Yu exchanged techniques with Konoha and practiced the Flying Thunder God with Namikaze Minato, while discussing their cultivation methods. Their conversation was interrupted when Kushina arrived, and Tao Yu sensed the Nine-Tails’ chakra within her.

• Tao Yu and Uchiha Madara discussed sparring, and Senju Tobirama suggested keeping their meeting confidential; Tao Yu agreed.
• Tao Yu met Namikaze Minato in the Forest of Death, where Minato admired Tao Yu’s speed and declined to eat the poisonous mushroom soup.
• Tao Yu explained how he had learned and adapted the Flying Thunder God Technique, including using its marks to travel.
• Tao Yu discussed the Longevity Art and Minato’s difficulty learning it, then sensed the Nine-Tails’ chakra approaching.
• Kushina arrived to call Minato home, noticed Tao Yu and the mushrooms, and Tao Yu held back from acting against the Nine-Tails.

Tao Yu visited Minato’s home, met Kakashi, Obito, Rin, and young Naruto, and learned more about how this altered world differed from the history he knew. When Jiraiya arrived, Tao Yu asked to see his Sage Mode so he could study another way of drawing on nature energy.

• Minato carried a drunken Kushina home after she ate poisonous mushrooms, while Tao Yu followed them.
• Tao Yu met Kakashi, Obito, Rin, and young Naruto at Minato’s home and observed how their lives differed from the history he remembered.
• Obito asked Tao Yu about other worlds, and Tao Yu explained that the Abyss contained countless worlds beyond the Cockroach People World.
• Jiraiya arrived at the house and said he had come to ask about the old man’s Senjutsu studies.
• Tao Yu asked Jiraiya to demonstrate Sage Mode so he could study how an ordinary ninja used it.

Tao Yu discussed Sage Mode and the dangers of the Cockroach People World with Jiraiya and the Konoha shinobi. After dinner, Minato offered Tao Yu a room for the night, and Tao Yu agreed.

• Jiraiya agreed to show Tao Yu his Sage Mode after Minato confirmed Tao Yu had permission to examine it.
• Tao Yu offered to teach Jiraiya Senjutsu and told him he had treated Tsunade's unusual patient.
• Jiraiya explained that crossing the world barrier was difficult and dangerous, and Tao Yu warned that the Cockroach People could become a serious threat to the Land of Fire.
• Jiraiya left after dinner and said he would visit Tao Yu the next day.
• Minato offered Tao Yu a room for the night, and Tao Yu accepted.