Chapter Summaries

Yamato announced that his team would carry out a C-rank mission to help Hozumi Village deal with bandits. The team prepared to leave that afternoon, with Yamato responsible for assessing the risks and keeping them safe.

• Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu looked forward to Yamato treating them to yakiniku, but Yamato said they would be unable to go because they had a mission.
• Yamato brought Tejima Shinichi, Kobayashi Ken, and Sato Yu to the Hokage's Office, where Sarutobi Hiruzen assigned them a C-rank mission in Hozumi Village.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen explained that the team would deliver supplies and help the villagers eliminate or drive off bandits.
• Yamato accepted responsibility for the mission and warned the three genin that they could face combat and injury.
• Yamato told the team to gather at the village entrance in one hour and depart on schedule.

Tejima Shinichi left Konoha for the first time in twelve years on a C-rank mission escorting a merchant caravan with Yamato, Kobayashi Ken, and Sato Yu. After learning Shinichi had left the village, Shimura Danzō ordered Yamanaka Fu to lead Root operatives in capturing him alive.

• Mori Chie packed Shinichi’s supplies and wished him well as he prepared to leave on his mission.
• Tejima Shinichi arrived at Konoha’s gate before Yamato, Kobayashi Ken, and Sato Yu, and they met the merchant caravan led by Heiji.
• Yamato led the group out of Konoha, and Shinichi crossed the village gates for the first time in twelve years.
• A Root ninja reported Shinichi’s departure to Shimura Danzō, who dismissed concerns about the risks of acting against him.
• Shimura Danzō ordered Yamanaka Fu to take elite Root operatives out of the village and capture Shinichi alive.

Yamato led Team 1 on an escort mission to Hozumi Village, where they learned that bandits had been terrorizing the villagers. After arriving, Yamato declined the offered rest and ordered immediate reconnaissance before the bandits could react.

• Yamato instructed Kobayashi Ken, Sato Yu, and Tejima Shinichi to conserve their strength and gather intelligence before confronting the bandits.
• Heiji told the team that a scarred former wandering samurai and more than a dozen men had raided Hozumi Village, killed villagers, and defeated the local guards.
• Yamato warned Tejima Shinichi against using Shadow Clones to practice Hard Vortex Water Blade during the journey because it could drain his Chakra and mental energy.
• After two days of travel, Yamato and Team 1 arrived at Hozumi Village and were greeted by the villagers and the village head.
• Yamato said the team would begin reconnaissance immediately, and the village head entrusted the village's safety to them.

Yamato led Kobayashi Ken, Sato Yu, and Tejima Shinichi on a reconnaissance mission to a bandit hideout, assigning the three young subordinates to investigate while he assessed them. When they found only five bandits in the camp, Shinichi ordered an immediate capture, and Team 1 subdued all five.

• Yamato assigned Ken to track, Yu to watch for traps and sentries, and Shinichi to provide support during the reconnaissance.
• Ken found the bandits’ paths, while Yu discovered and avoided two alarm traps.
• Ken, Yu, and Shinichi saw that the camp held only five bandits and its huts were empty.
• Shinichi decided the team should follow the plan and capture the bandits quickly.
• Ken, Yu, and Shinichi attacked and incapacitated all five bandits.

Yamato’s team learned that the bandits had split into two groups to raid Ishikawa Village and Kasahara Village, and chose to pursue them rather than wait at the hideout. After assigning the pursuit teams and having the prisoners executed, Yamato ordered everyone to clean up and leave.

• Yamato ordered the team to interrogate the captured bandits, and Tejima Shinichi killed one prisoner to force another to reveal the bandits’ plans.
• The surviving prisoner said the chief led eleven bandits toward Ishikawa Village while the second-in-command led nine toward Kasahara Village, with no ninja among them.
• Yamato’s team chose to pursue both groups, assigning Tejima Shinichi to the chief’s group and Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu to the second-in-command’s group while Yamato stayed between them to provide support.
• Tejima Shinichi and then Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu killed the remaining prisoners, overcoming their hesitation.
• Yamato ordered the team to clean up the traces and leave in five minutes.

Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu rescued villagers from bandits in Kasahara Village, but masked ninja ambushed and overwhelmed them. Their signal flare sent Yamato racing to their aid, while Tejima Shinichi approached Ishikawa Village.

• Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu found bandits terrorizing Kasahara Village and rushed to protect its villagers.
• Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu defeated the bandits, but three masked ninja emerged and attacked them.
• The masked ninja suppressed Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu, forcing Sato Yu to launch a signal flare.
• The masked leader recognized the flare as a way to draw Kō in and ordered his subordinates to keep the two Genin trapped.
• Yamato saw the distress signal and raced toward Kasahara Village, while Tejima Shinichi neared Ishikawa Village.

Tejima Shinichi found the bandits dead near Ishikawa Village and was confronted by Root ninjas sent to capture him for Shimura Danzō. He fought back with Shadow Clones and powerful Earth and Water Release techniques, leaving the Root Jonin facing his overwhelming Chakra.

• Tejima Shinichi discovered the slain bandits and summoned four Shadow Clones when five masked ninjas surrounded him.
• The Tanuki Mask Ninja identified Tejima Shinichi and demanded that he join Root, but Tejima rejected the offer and insulted Shimura Danzō.
• The Tanuki Mask Jonin ordered the Root Chunin to capture Tejima, and they attacked while his Shadow Clones engaged them.
• Tejima used Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet Technique, which shattered the Jonin's Earth Style Wall but left the four Chunin unharmed.
• The Root Jonin drew his sword and challenged Tejima, who unleashed an immense Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique that covered the battlefield.

Tejima Shinichi overwhelmed the Root squad with successive Earth and Water Release attacks, killing two Chunins and forcing the Tanuki Mask Jonin to recognize his strength. Shinichi ended by challenging the Jonin to explain the difference between a Jonin and a Genin.

• The Tanuki Mask Jonin ordered the Root Ninjas to combine Earth Flow Walls to block Tejima Shinichi’s massive Water Release.
• Shinichi followed with Earth Spears across a wide area, killing one Chunin who failed to dodge.
• Shinichi created three Shadow Clones and launched Water Dragon Bullet, Earth Dragon Bullet, and Explosive Water Wave at the scattered Root squad.
• A second Chunin was crushed by the Earth Dragon and swept away by the Explosive Water Wave, leaving only the Tanuki Mask Jonin and two Chunins alive.
• The Tanuki Mask Jonin survived the attacks but was left battered and marveled at Shinichi’s chakra and jutsu power.
• Shinichi asked the Jonin to explain where the gap between a Jonin and a Genin lay.

Yamato arrived outside Kasahara Village and drove off the Masked Ninjas attacking Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu. Realizing the ambush was meant to lure him away from Shinichi, he rushed toward Ishikawa Village while a Wood Clone treated the injured Genin.

• Yamato used Wood Release to interrupt the Masked Ninjas' attack on Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu.
• The Masked Ninjas threw Smoke Bombs and retreated after forcing the Genin to fire a Signal Flare.
• Sato Yu and Kobayashi Ken told Yamato that the attackers had appeared after they finished dealing with the bandits and seemed to be luring him out.
• Yamato realized Shinichi was the real target, created a Wood Clone to escort and treat the injured Genin, and hurried toward Ishikawa Village.

Yamanaka Fu and two Root ninja discovered the devastation left by Tejima Shinichi’s failed capture and followed the ongoing pursuit. Shinichi kept the Tanuki Jonin at a distance with repeated ninjutsu, then turned to unleash a Hard Vortex Water Blade as the chase continued.

• Yamanaka Fu and two Root ninja reached the rendezvous site and found the forest and battlefield wrecked, along with a torn piece of Root uniform.
• Yamanaka Fu heard explosions and ninjutsu clashes nearby and ordered his team to follow the traces toward the fighting.
• Tejima Shinichi used repeated Water and Earth Release techniques to keep the Tanuki Jonin and his remaining pursuer from catching him.
• The Tanuki Jonin worried that the prolonged chase would let Yamato return and recognized that Shinichi’s long-range attacks countered his close-combat skills.
• Tejima Shinichi turned toward the pursuers, taunted them, and launched Water Release: Hard Vortex Water Blade.

Tejima Shinichi badly wounded the Tanuki Jonin with a Hard Vortex Water Blade, then seized the advantage and killed one of the remaining Chunin with a Rasengan. He charged the last Chunin, but the enemy used Mind Transfer Jutsu just before the attack landed.

• The Tanuki Jonin tried to counter Tejima Shinichi's Hard Vortex Water Blade with Dragon Fire Slash, but the attack pierced his chest and knocked him down.
• Tejima Shinichi saw the Jonin fall and renewed his assault with a Rasengan.
• A Chunin countered Tejima Shinichi's Rasengan with Vacuum Sphere, but Tejima Shinichi forced his way through the explosion and killed him with a second Rasengan.
• Tejima Shinichi charged the final Chunin with another Rasengan, but the Chunin cast Mind Transfer Jutsu as the attack neared.

Tejima Shinichi fought off Yamanaka Fu’s Mind Transfer Jutsu after nearly defeating the Root squad. Yamato helped drive the attackers away, leaving Shinichi furious and eager to pursue them.

• Yamanaka Fu took control of Tejima Shinichi just as Shinichi was about to strike the Root Chunin with a Rasengan.
• The Root Ninja saw the wounded Tanuki Jonin and fallen corpse and realized Shinichi had nearly defeated their entire squad.
• Tejima Shinichi struggled against Fu’s control, while Fu warned the Chunin to use a sealing jutsu before he lost control.
• Yamato used Wood Release to block the Chunin and force him away from the sealing scroll.
• Tejima Shinichi expelled Fu’s consciousness, and Fu ordered the Root Ninja to retreat after recognizing the mission had failed.
• Yamato refused to pursue the retreating attackers, while Shinichi insisted that he wanted to kill them.

Tejima Shinichi killed the wounded Tanuki Jonin despite Yamato's pleas to preserve him as evidence, rejecting the promise that the Third Hokage would deliver justice. As he and Yamato headed back to report, Shinichi hinted that he knew Danzo was behind the attack and vowed not to let it go.

• Tejima Shinichi stopped Yamato from comforting him and said he understood what the Mind Transfer Jutsu meant.
• Tejima Shinichi formed a Rasengan and told Yamato he was eliminating foreign ninja who had attacked Konoha shinobi.
• Yamato urged Tejima Shinichi to hand the Tanuki Jonin over to the village, but Tejima Shinichi dismissed the idea of receiving justice.
• Tejima Shinichi killed the Tanuki Jonin with his Rasengan, destroying the man's mask and skull.
• Tejima Shinichi and Yamato headed toward Hozumi Village to report, and Tejima Shinichi muttered that Danzo had courted death.

After Team 1 returned to Konoha, Yamato reported that Shimura Danzō's Root squad had ambushed Tejima Shinichi and been nearly destroyed. Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Danzō and the two Advisor Elders and resolved to stop Danzō from acting unchecked.

• Tejima Shinichi treated Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu before Yamato led the team to Hozumi Village, where they confirmed the mission was complete.
• Yamato told Tejima Shinichi he would report the night's events, but Shinichi insisted they had only completed their mission and eliminated bandits.
• Team 1 returned to Konoha, and Yamato went to the Hokage's Office while Tejima Shinichi and the others took a day off.
• Aburame Torune informed Shimura Danzō that Tejima Shinichi had returned, and Danzō suspended further actions against him before seeking support from Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
• Yamato reported the Root ambush to Sarutobi Hiruzen, who ordered an emergency meeting and resolved to stop Danzō from acting without restraint.

Sarutobi Hiruzen confronted Shimura Danzō over a Root team’s ambush of Tejima Shinichi, presenting evidence linking the attackers to Root. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu urged caution and an internal investigation, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzō to an emergency meeting.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen accused Shimura Danzō of sending five shinobi to ambush Tejima Shinichi during a C-rank mission.
• Shimura Danzō denied involvement and suggested that spies from another village or someone framing Root were responsible.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen presented uniform fragments, Root logistics records, Yamato’s account, and evidence of the Yamanaka secret technique linking the attackers to Root.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu urged Sarutobi Hiruzen not to blame Shimura Danzō before an internal investigation was complete.

Sarutobi Hiruzen confronted Shimura Danzō over his attempt to control Tejima Shinichi and use him as a backup Jinchuriki vessel, exposing the regret behind Danzō’s obsession. Hiruzen disbanded Root and stripped Danzō of his authority, then left the meeting room as Danzō’s humiliation turned to fury.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen reminded Shimura Danzō of his past hesitation during the Kinkaku and Ginkaku Force pursuit, prompting Danzō to confess that he had carried out the actions under dispute.
• Shimura Danzō defended his plans for Tejima Shinichi, arguing that Shinichi’s power and Senju bloodline made him a suitable vessel to protect Konoha.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen condemned Danzō for treating children as weapons and vessels, and the two exchanged accusations over their opposing visions for the village.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered Root disbanded, its assets transferred to the Anbu, and Shimura Danzō stripped of his elder advisor authority and barred from village affairs.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu objected, but Sarutobi Hiruzen declared his decision final, put on his Hokage hat, and left the meeting room.
• After the door slammed, Shimura Danzō snapped out of his daze, his eye filling with humiliation and fury.

Sarutobi Hiruzen visited Tejima Shinichi and told him he had punished Shimura Danzō for the attack on Shinichi. Shinichi was left stunned when Hiruzen revealed that Danzō had lost his authority and Root was being disbanded and absorbed into Anbu.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived at the Teshima home and asked Tejima Shinichi to walk and talk with him.
• Mori Chie watched Shinichi leave with the Hokage, worried about the changes she had sensed in her son.
• Hiruzen told Shinichi that Yamato had reported the previous day's events and said he had dealt with those responsible for the attack.
• Hiruzen announced that Shimura Danzō had been stripped of his elder advisor authority and that Root would be disbanded and incorporated into Anbu.
• Tejima Shinichi reacted in disbelief, and Hiruzen confirmed that the orders had already been issued and were being carried out.

Sarutobi Hiruzen explained to Tejima Shinichi why he had chosen to break with Shimura Danzō, admitting his past mistakes and vowing to protect Konoha’s younger generation. Shinichi believed Hiruzen’s resolve was sincere but questioned how Hiruzen’s past policies had left Konoha so vulnerable to Orochimaru’s invasion.

• Tejima Shinichi asked Sarutobi Hiruzen whether breaking with Shimura Danzō over a single Genin was worth the cost to Konoha.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen admitted the price was heavy and condemned Danzō for turning Root away from its purpose and treating young people as disposable containers.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen acknowledged that his own tolerance of Danzō and pursuit of internal balance had allowed darkness and tragedy to spread.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen vowed to protect Konoha’s children and sacrifice himself if necessary, declaring that this was the Will of Fire he would defend.
• Tejima Shinichi accepted Hiruzen’s sincerity but questioned how Konoha’s defenses had failed so badly during Orochimaru’s invasion.

Tejima Shinichi learned that Shimura Danzō wanted to make him a backup Nine-Tails container because of his Senju bloodline, while Sarutobi Hiruzen promised to protect young people from being sacrificed. The chapter ended with Hiruzen demanding to know how Shinichi knew Uzumaki Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Tejima Shinichi reflected on Konoha’s failures during the Nine-Tails rampage and the Third Hokage’s death.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen promised Shinichi that he would not let the village force darkness and sacrifice on the next generation.
• Shinichi asked why Shimura Danzō had targeted him, and Hiruzen explained that Danzō wanted his Senju bloodline as a backup vessel for the Nine-Tails.
• Hiruzen rejected Danzō’s plan and said he believed the current Jinchuriki, Naruto, could master the Nine-Tails with proper guidance.
• Shinichi casually identified Naruto as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, shocking Hiruzen, who asked how Shinichi knew.

Tejima Shinichi confronted Sarutobi Hiruzen with the fact that Naruto’s identity as the Nine-Tails’ container was an obvious secret, prompting Hiruzen to reconsider his failures and retirement. Hiruzen then surprised Shinichi by asking whether he wanted to become Hokage and promising to help him reach the position.

• Tejima Shinichi explained that villagers’ treatment of Naruto had made his identity as the Nine-Tails’ container obvious.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen realized he had failed to protect Naruto and said he might need to retire.
• Tejima Shinichi urged Hiruzen to step aside so the next generation could grow, invoking the Will of Fire.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed that the time might have come and asked Tejima Shinichi if he wanted to become Hokage.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen praised Shinichi’s strength, judgment, and courage, and promised to pave the way for him if he accepted.