Chapter Summaries

Tejima Shinichi met with Sarutobi Hiruzen, who confirmed that Orochimaru had targeted him for his Wood Release and promised to protect him. Shinichi reflected on how Hiruzen’s devotion had upended his original plans, while the Chunin Exam’s final day approached.

• A Chunin examiner summoned Tejima Shinichi from his team’s room on Sarutobi Hiruzen’s orders, and Shinichi left Kobayashi Ken, Sato Yu, and Uzumaki Karin behind.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen welcomed Tejima Shinichi to a private meeting and asked whether the battle with Shukaku had left him injured.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen explained that Orochimaru had targeted both Second Pillar and Tejima Shinichi during the Forest of Death incident.
• Tejima Shinichi deduced that Orochimaru wanted his body to study or seize his Wood Release Kekkei Genkai.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen reassured Tejima Shinichi that he would protect him in Konoha, revealing how much effort he had spent guarding him.
• Tejima Shinichi considered how Sarutobi Hiruzen’s support had surpassed his expectations and overturned his original plan to force the Hokage to choose between him and Danzo.

Tejima Shinichi told Sarutobi Hiruzen he planned to leave his squad after the Chunin Exam and pursue leads on Jinchuriki to test his Wood Dragon’s reaction to Tailed Beast Chakra. Sarutobi agreed to support his plans and considered Tejima’s suggestion that Tsunade take over as Hokage, while Tejima resolved to protect his teacher’s chance to retire in peace.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen asked Tejima Shinichi how he wanted to arrange for the Uzumaki girl from Kusagakure and revealed he planned to involve him in village affairs after the Chunin Exam.
• Tejima Shinichi said he wanted Karin to join Teacher Yamato’s squad and take his place because he planned to leave whenever there was news of a Jinchuriki.
• Tejima Shinichi explained that he wanted to learn whether his Wood Dragon’s unusual response to Shukaku’s Chakra applied to other Tailed Beasts, and Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed to support his decision.
• Tejima Shinichi suggested that Lady Tsunade could temporarily take up the burden of being Hokage, and Sarutobi Hiruzen considered the proposal seriously.
• After leaving the meeting room, Tejima Shinichi resolved to sweep away the troubles that could prevent Sarutobi Hiruzen from enjoying his retirement.

Twenty-four candidates who passed the Second Exam gathered in the Central Tower, where Gekko Hayate announced an immediate preliminary round for the Third Exam. Sasuke endured pain from Orochimaru’s Cursed Seal and refused to withdraw, revealing that he intended to serve as Tejima Shinichi’s guard.

• The candidates watched Tejima Shinichi and Gaara warily, while Naruto greeted Shinichi cheerfully and Shinichi noticed Gaara seemed calmer after Shukaku’s Chakra had been drained.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen congratulated the twenty-four candidates and explained the purpose of the Chunin Exam and its public final matches.
• Gekko Hayate announced that the candidates would fight one-on-one immediately, with winners earning a place in the official Third Exam one month later.
• Haruno Sakura worried that Sasuke was too injured to compete, and Tejima Shinichi asked Sasuke whether he could endure the Cursed Seal.
• Sasuke convulsed in pain as the Cursed Seal flared, alarming Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mitarai Anko, and the watching Konoha Jonin.
• Sasuke refused to withdraw and said he would not be worthy of serving as Shinichi’s guard if he gave in to the pain.

Yakushi Kabuto withdrew, leaving Sasuke to face Akado Yoroi first in the preliminaries despite his weakened condition. As Yoroi drained Sasuke’s Chakra and pushed him toward defeat, Sasuke remembered a technique taught by the man he hated and prepared to use it.

• Yakushi Kabuto withdrew from the preliminaries, leaving twenty-three participants and a bye for one contestant.
• The draw selected Sasuke for the first match against Akado Yoroi instead of giving him a bye.
• Tejima Shinichi warned Sasuke to surpass himself, then inspected the Otogakure Jonin and concluded he was not Orochimaru in disguise.
• Akado Yoroi drained Sasuke’s Chakra, leaving him weakened and unable to gain an advantage with his usual fighting methods.
• Sasuke spotted scattered kunai and remembered a technique taught by the man he hated, deciding to use it despite his reluctance.

Sasuke defeated Akado Yoroi with Uchiha Shurikenjutsu, then left with Kakashi for treatment of his Cursed Seal. The next preliminary match was set between Tejima Shinichi and Dosu Kinata.

• Sasuke redirected six kunai with two precise throws, striking Akado Yoroi from multiple angles.
• Sasuke rushed in to deliver a lethal kunai strike, but Gekko Hayate intervened and stopped him.
• Gekko Hayate declared Sasuke the winner, and Kakashi took the exhausted Sasuke away to treat and seal his Cursed Seal.
• Gekko Hayate sent the injured Akado Yoroi for treatment and started the next match draw.
• The screen paired Tejima Shinichi with Dosu Kinata, prompting the other examinees to murmur in relief or worry for Dosu.

After Dosu conceded to Tejima Shinichi, Shinichi left the exam hall while the other contestants reacted to his overwhelming strength. In a hidden chamber, Kakashi suppressed Sasuke’s Cursed Seal, but Orochimaru appeared and declared that he had come for Sasuke.

• Dosu conceded to Tejima Shinichi, and Gekko Hayate announced Shinichi as the winner.
• Naruto questioned Dosu’s surrender, prompting Inuzuka Kiba and Ino to scold him for underestimating Shinichi’s strength.
• Tejima Shinichi told Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu he had important business, then left the hall as Gekko Hayate prepared the next match.
• Kakashi Hatake used Sealing Technique: Tiger Seal to suppress Sasuke’s Cursed Seal, and Sasuke collapsed unconscious.
• Orochimaru emerged from a snake in the hidden chamber and told Kakashi that obtaining Sasuke was worth risking the Third Hokage’s pursuit.

Tejima Shinichi stopped Orochimaru’s Snake Clone from attacking Kakashi and checked on the unconscious Sasuke before returning as the Preliminary Matches ended. After the finalists drew their matchups, Shinichi was paired with Rock Lee, while he quietly slipped away from his teammates.

• Tejima Shinichi punched Orochimaru’s Snake Clone apart, then learned from Kakashi that Sasuke’s Cursed Seal had been temporarily sealed.
• Tejima Shinichi returned to the hall and learned that Kobayashi Ken had lost to Akimichi Choji and Sato Yu had lost to Rock Lee.
• Tejima Shinichi encouraged Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu not to lose heart as the qualifiers concluded.
• Gekko Hayate announced the Final Match pairings, including Tejima Shinichi versus Rock Lee and Hyuga Neji versus Uzumaki Naruto.
• Rock Lee and Might Guy celebrated their matchup with Tejima Shinichi as a test of youth, while Tejima Shinichi slipped away unnoticed.

Orochimaru became more determined to hasten the Konoha Collapse Plan after learning of Tejima Shinichi’s power. Meanwhile, Baki confirmed Sunagakure’s cooperation to Yakushi Kabuto but demanded a higher payment, unaware Orochimaru never intended to pay the final balance.

• Orochimaru recalled Tejima Shinichi’s unusual Wood Release and decided to speed up the Konoha Collapse Plan, sending a snake toward Konoha to alert Kabuto.
• Yakushi Kabuto pressed Baki to continue Sunagakure’s cooperation, arguing that Tejima Shinichi would become a greater obstacle if they waited.
• Baki told Kabuto that Kazekage-sama had agreed to continue the plan but demanded more money because Tejima Shinichi had increased Sunagakure’s risks.
• Kabuto accepted the higher price and promised to relay the terms to Orochimaru, privately knowing Orochimaru planned to assassinate the Fourth Kazekage and would never pay.

Tejima Shinichi deduced that Orochimaru had arranged for Rasa to be killed to avoid paying him, then crossed paths with Gekko Hayate, whose fate had changed because Shinichi had overheard the secret discussion instead. At home, Tejima Kazuto and Mori Chie worried over their missing son and began wondering if he could really be theirs, just as the door unlocked.

• Tejima Shinichi reasoned that Orochimaru had used Rasa for the Konoha Collapse Plan and killed him to avoid paying the Sand Village leader.
• Tejima Shinichi met Gekko Hayate, concealed what he had overheard, and reflected that Hayate had escaped the fate he remembered.
• Tejima Shinichi decided to explain the matter to his teacher the next day and went home after realizing he had not eaten properly for five days.
• Tejima Kazuto and Mori Chie worried that Tejima Shinichi had not returned, then wondered aloud whether they had brought home the wrong baby.
• The sound of a key turning in the lock interrupted Tejima Kazuto and Mori Chie's speculation.

After returning from the Chunin Exam, Tejima Shinichi learned that his parents had suspected he was switched at birth because of his strength, though they admitted it was a teasing welcome-home prank. During dinner, Mori Chie became nauseated, and Teshima Kazuto’s examination revealed that Shinichi might soon become a big brother.

• Tejima Shinichi came home to find Teshima Kazuto and Mori Chie solemnly telling him they thought he might not be their biological son.
• Mori Chie and Teshima Kazuto explained that his victory over One-Tails Shukaku seemed impossible for their child, then admitted they had made up the switched-at-birth suspicion as a welcome-home prank.
• Tejima Shinichi accepted their congratulations, and the family ate together while his parents asked about the Chunin Exam.
• Mori Chie suddenly became nauseated and rushed to the bathroom, where Teshima Kazuto examined her.
• Teshima Kazuto told Tejima Shinichi that he seemed to be becoming a big brother, and Mori Chie placed a hand on her lower abdomen.

Tejima Shinichi told Sarutobi Hiruzen that Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, and Baki planned to attack Konoha during the Chunin Exam finals. Konoha’s leaders accepted the intelligence as genuine, leaving them facing an imminent crisis one month away.

• Tejima Shinichi shared the happy news that he would soon become a big brother before reporting an urgent matter to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Konoha’s advisors and major clan heads to an emergency meeting.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen revealed that Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, and Baki were plotting the Konoha Collapse Plan for the Chunin Exam finals.
• Nara Shikaku questioned the reliability of Tejima Shinichi’s intelligence, and Shinichi explained how he had learned of the plan and its motives.
• Nara Shikaku compared the report with existing intelligence about Sunagakure and concluded that it was genuine.

Konoha's leaders debated the threat of war after Sand Village broke its alliance and joined Orochimaru, then discussed recalling the Legendary Sannin. Tejima Shinichi revealed Jiraiya was already in the village and declared that he would replace Tsunade.

• Akimichi Choza and Mitokado Homura condemned Sand Village's betrayal, while Utatane Koharu and Nara Shikaku warned that the conflict could ignite a wider war.
• Nara Shikaku urged Sarutobi Hiruzen to prepare defenses and recall Jiraiya and Tsunade to strengthen Konoha.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed to search for Jiraiya but hesitated to discuss recalling Tsunade.
• Tejima Shinichi revealed that Jiraiya was already in the village gathering writing material.
• Tejima Shinichi told the gathered leaders there was no need to recall Tsunade because he would replace her.

Tejima Shinichi demonstrated overwhelming Chakra in the Konoha war meeting and won approval to replace Tsunade temporarily, overseeing medical support and elite combat deployments. Sarutobi Hiruzen then ordered Nara Shikaku to devise a trap against Orochimaru and the Sand Village.

• Tejima Shinichi declared that he would replace Tsunade and unleashed Chakra that stunned and immobilized the clan heads and advisors.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura compared Shinichi's Chakra to the pressure they had felt from Senju Tobirama, while noting Shinichi was only twelve.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped Shinichi's display and explained that Tsunade could not return in time.
• The clan heads endorsed Shinichi taking charge of medical support and high-level combat deployment, and Sarutobi Hiruzen passed the resolution.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen tasked Nara Shikaku with planning a trap to strike Orochimaru and the Sand Village.

After learning that Tsunade's hemophobia was one reason she left Konoha, Tejima Shinichi asked Sarutobi Hiruzen for permission to find her and learn Sage Art within a month. Hiruzen gave him intelligence scrolls and a message for Tsunade, and Shinichi left to begin his search.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen told Tejima Shinichi that Tsunade had developed hemophobia and could no longer face bloody battlefields.
• Tejima Shinichi announced he would find Tsunade to learn the Shikkotsu Forest Summoning Technique and Sage Art within a month.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen warned Shinichi that Sage Art training was dangerous, but Shinichi said he had the required composure and Chakra and would stop if necessary.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed to let Shinichi go and gave him Anbu intelligence about Tsunade's possible whereabouts, a scroll for her, and money.
• Tejima Shinichi left the Hokage's Office, while Sarutobi Hiruzen worried that Konoha's future depended on him.

Sasuke visited Teshima Shinichi seeking training for the Chunin Exam finals, but learned Shinichi had to leave the village. Shinichi urged him to train with Kakashi and promised information about Uchiha Itachi if Sasuke defeated Gaara, and Sasuke left determined to pursue the challenge.

• Sasuke visited the Teshima residence, where Mori Chie welcomed him warmly and encouraged him before Shinichi returned.
• Sasuke said Mori Chie reminded him of his mother, then admitted he wanted to become stronger so he could kill Uchiha Itachi.
• Shinichi explained that he could not train Sasuke because he had to leave the village, and directed him to train with Kakashi instead.
• Shinichi warned Sasuke not to neglect basic jutsu and Chakra control, then reminded him that Kakashi could teach him Lightning Cutter.
• Shinichi promised to share information about Uchiha Itachi if Sasuke defeated Gaara in the Chunin Exam finals.
• Sasuke ate one of Mori Chie's glutinous rice balls, thanked her, and left to find Kakashi.

Tejima Shinichi learned that Tsunade and Shizune were staying in town and went to find them. After Tsunade lost her money at the casino, Shinichi offered to buy them a meal, but Tsunade responded suspiciously.

• Tejima Shinichi met with a covert Anbu agent, who reported that Tsunade and Shizune were staying at the Tanghua Inn and likely gambling at Golden Full House.
• Tsunade lost her remaining chips betting on small, while the dice came up big, and Shizune worried about their dwindling money for food and lodging.
• Tsunade and Shizune left the casino, and Shinichi approached them with a food box and offered to treat them to a meal.
• Tsunade rebuked Shinichi for calling her his sister and remained wary of him.

Tejima Shinichi reunited with Tsunade, revealed that he had awakened Wood Release and that Shimura Danzō had repeatedly targeted him. Tsunade's fury turned to resolve, and she agreed to return to Konoha with Shinichi immediately.

• Tejima Shinichi revealed that he was Mori Chie's son, and Tsunade welcomed him as her little brother.
• Tsunade shared a meal and liquor with Shinichi and learned he had awakened Wood Release and fought One-Tails Shukaku.
• Shinichi told Tsunade that Shimura Danzō had tried to control him and make him a weapon and had sent Root ninja to capture him.
• Tsunade smashed the wooden table in fury, then calmed when Shinichi said he had not told his parents about Danzō's actions.
• Tsunade told Shinichi she would return to Konoha with him immediately.

Tsunade agreed to return to Konoha and become Fifth Hokage to protect Shinichi and give him time to grow into the role of Sixth Hokage. Shinichi also asked her to help him sign a summoning contract with Shikkotsu Forest and learn Sage Art, while secretly planning to kill Danzō during the transfer of power.

• Tsunade resolved to return to Konoha and kill Danzō for harming people she cared about, but Shinichi said he wanted to avenge himself.
• Shinichi revealed that he held a wartime command position overseeing medical coordination and elite combat forces, equivalent to the role Tsunade had held during the Third Shinobi World War.
• Shinichi asked Tsunade to help him sign a summoning contract with Shikkotsu Forest and master Sage Art.
• Shinichi asked Tsunade to become Fifth Hokage so she could stabilize Konoha and protect him until he was ready to become Sixth Hokage.
• Tsunade agreed to take the position of Fifth Hokage, while Shinichi privately planned to kill Danzō during the transfer of power.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Jiraiya prepared for the confirmed Konoha Collapse Plan while discussing Shinichi’s role in Konoha’s defenses. In the Land of Wind, Orochimaru killed Rasa and prepared to enter Konoha disguised as the Fourth Kazekage.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen briefed Jiraiya on Sand Village and Otogakure movements and showed him Nara Shikaku’s defensive plan.
• Jiraiya vowed to deal with Orochimaru, and Sarutobi Hiruzen told him that Shinichi had made the same promise.
• One week before the third round of the Chunin Exam, Orochimaru stabbed and killed Rasa in the desert.
• Orochimaru credited Kimimaro and Kabuto with helping defeat Rasa and explained how Rasa’s actions had diverted Konoha’s attention.
• Orochimaru ordered Kabuto to use a technique so he could enter Konoha disguised as the Fourth Kazekage and pursue the two vessels he wanted.

Nobles and villagers gathered for the Chunin Exam finals as Sarutobi Hiruzen prepared Konoha’s forces for a planned attack. Naruto arrived in a panic, and Tejima Shinichi appeared just before the matches began, learning from Gekko Hayate that everything was ready.

• Land of Fire nobles arrived at the arena, praising the finalists and discussing Tejima Shinichi’s Wood Release and strength.
• The Anbu Captain reported that the target posing as the Kazekage and his entourage had entered the designated area, and Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered the plan to proceed.
• Sasuke reflected on his Chidori training and the Lightning Release methods Tejima Shinichi had taught him, while Neji wondered why Shinichi was late.
• Naruto flew into the arena, warned everyone about a bull, and drew laughter from the crowd.
• Tejima Shinichi appeared in the arena at great speed, apologized for being late, and Gekko Hayate told him everything was ready.