Recaps

Lin Zhen woke in a morgue in the Naruto world as Shinji Uchiha, a boy killed during the Uchiha Clan massacre, and discovered he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. The mysterious return mission appeared again with a countdown, leaving his next move unclear.

• Lin Zhen woke beneath a white cloth in a morgue, unable to move, and heard a message announcing a return mission.
• Kakashi found Lin Zhen alive and sent him to the hospital after medical personnel examined him.
• Lin Zhen recovered fragments of Shinji Uchiha's memories and realized he had taken over the body of an eight-year-old killed by Itachi Uchiha on the night of the massacre.
• After reliving Shinji Uchiha's final memory, Lin Zhen's eyes briefly awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
• A voice announced that the plane had been invaded and began a countdown at nine.

After recovering from his injuries, Shinji confirmed that he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and moved into a new apartment in Konoha. He resolved to stay cautious and remain in the village as the mysterious invasion countdown continued.

• Shinji endured repeated falls as he practiced walking, then secretly activated his Mangekyō Sharingan in the hospital bathroom.
• Shinji saw Sasuke, who remained unconscious after being caught in Tsukuyomi, and continued training to regain his strength.
• After a week, Mizuki discharged Shinji and led him to a new apartment, giving him a key and a passbook containing more than seven million in compensation.
• Shinji considered the threats posed by Danzo, Orochimaru, Itachi, Obito, and others, and decided that staying in Konoha was safer than leaving.
• The mysterious voice announced that the plane had been invaded and the countdown had reached two.

Shinji spent his first day at the Ninja Academy trying to understand why Karin and Haku were his classmates while assessing how weak his fighting skills were. At home, he received a warning that an invasion would begin after midnight, with less than four hours left to prepare.

• Shinji noticed Karin, Haku, and Neji among his classmates and wondered why Karin and Haku were at Konoha's Ninja Academy.
• Haku offered to share lunch with Shinji and introduced himself, confirming Shinji's suspicion about his identity.
• Shinji watched Neji practice and realized his own Taijutsu was far below his classmates' level, then refused Haku's request to spar.
• Shinji discovered that Haku lived next door and returned to his apartment, still puzzled about Karin and Haku's presence in Konoha.
• At 8:05 p.m., Shinji received a message warning that an invasion would begin after midnight.

Shinji prepared for a possible invasion, but was suddenly transported to a palace where a Hand Demon was slaughtering guards and growing stronger by eating them. The demon captured Shinji, recognized him as the world's “light,” and lifted him toward its mouth as Shinji activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Shinji reviewed Konoha's layout, tested his Mangekyō Sharingan, and stocked up on ninja tools in preparation for an invasion.
• At midnight, Shinji vanished from his room and appeared in a palace where a Hand Demon was attacking more than a hundred guards.
• Shinji realized the Hand Demon grew stronger as it ate people and considered its weaknesses, though he had neither a Nichirin Blade nor Wisteria.
• The Hand Demon killed the guards and moved toward the main hall before sensing Shinji, breaking through the wall and grabbing him.
• The Hand Demon called Shinji the world's “light” and declared that eating him would let it stay in this paradise forever, while Shinji activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Shinji defeated the Hand Demon with Susanoo, closed the invasion rift, and gained Water Breathing and a small amount of Chakra. After discovering a survivor in the ruins, he recognized her as Shion and worried that she had seen his Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Shinji repeatedly crushed the Hand Demon with Susanoo until it lost its strength and dissolved into ash.
• The invasion ended, and Shinji received Water Breathing memories and a small amount of Chakra as rewards.
• Shinji shouted that he quit, then considered how the invasion and his role as the “Light” might work.
• A child emerged from the ruined hall, and Shinji recognized her as Shion from her violet eyes.

After defeating the Hand Demon in the Land of Demons, Shinji used his Mangekyō Sharingan to make Shion forget seeing him and returned to Konoha. He recognized the limits of his Dojutsu and began planning to obtain Fugaku Uchiha’s Mangekyō while preparing for future demon attacks.

• Shinji considered silencing Shion after she witnessed his battle, but her bell warned him that her sealed Miko powers made that dangerous.
• Shinji used his Mangekyō Sharingan genjutsu to implant the suggestion that Shion had never seen him.
• As Land of Demons guards approached, Shinji was transported back to his room in Konoha, where he suffered severe eye pain from using Susanoo.
• Shinji concluded that demons might require repeated devastating attacks to exhaust their regeneration and wondered whether Amaterasu could burn them.
• Shinji considered obtaining another Mangekyō Sharingan, identified Fugaku Uchiha’s eyes as the likeliest target, and decided to investigate where the village stored them.

Shinji unexpectedly mastered the Great Fireball Technique on his first attempt, setting a grove ablaze and astonishing the Ninja Academy. By the end of the day, his reputation had changed, and he worried about the attention he was getting.

• Haku gave Shinji a lunch box after he arrived at the Ninja Academy without lunch.
• Shinji went to a secluded grove and successfully used the Great Fireball Technique, accidentally spreading the fire through the trees.
• Iruka reprimanded Shinji, while the teachers worked together to extinguish the flames.
• The students who saw the damage reacted with astonishment, and Neji regarded Shinji warily.
• Haku praised Shinji's Fire Release, and news of his feat spread through the academy, earning him admiration from students and respect from teachers.

Shinji rejected Danzō’s attempt to recruit him into Root, then focused on strengthening himself through Water Breathing and Taijutsu practice with Haku. As Sasuke awoke to the destruction of his clan, Shinji watched from a distance and avoided attracting the village’s attention.

• Shinji met Danzō in a secluded grove, rejected his offer of revenge through Root, and vowed to kill Itachi himself.
• Shinji practiced Water Breathing and sensed its rhythm on his first attempt, but stopped when his lungs and heart could not sustain it.
• Over the next two weeks, Shinji trained Taijutsu with Haku and raised his fundamentals to the average level of his classmates.
• Sasuke woke after more than twenty days unconscious, visited the empty Uchiha Compound, and became withdrawn after accepting that Itachi had killed their clan.
• Shinji learned that Sasuke was housed near the ANBU Building under surveillance, so he kept his distance and acted as though he disliked him.

Shinji trained with Haku using the Breathing Technique while the Chunin Exams brought delegations from several villages and the Land of Demons’ Miko to Konoha. The chapter ended when Shion unexpectedly appeared at Shinji’s training ground and seemed to recognize him.

• Shinji used the Breathing Technique in a spar with Haku, briefly pressuring her before she countered and knocked him back.
• Shinji and Haku discussed his intense training and Itachi Uchiha’s slaughter of the Uchiha Clan.
• Iruka announced the upcoming Chunin Exams, and Shinji saw a procession carrying the Land of Demons’ Miko through Konoha.
• Delegations from Sunagakure, Kusagakure, Amegakure, Takigakure, and Kirigakure arrived, leading Shinji to suspect they wanted to investigate the Uchiha Clan’s destruction.
• Shion emerged from the bushes at Shinji and Haku’s training ground, tried to sneak away, then hurried over to Shinji and began, “You—”

Shinji watched Shion evade her guards and learned that a new invasion would begin in three days, while growing suspicious of Haku’s secretive behavior. At the fireworks festival, he followed Haku to a secluded training field and saw him pursued by an ANBU ninja, who accused him of being a spy.

• Shion briefly recognized Shinji but fled when the Land of Demons guards caught up, and Shinji concluded that the Mangekyō Sharingan’s psychological suggestion still affected her.
• Shinji heard that an invasion would begin in three days and worried about how to confront it.
• Haku told Shinji about the fireworks festival, but Shinji stayed home while Haku later left their apartment secretly.
• Shinji followed Haku through the village, lost sight of him, and bought a fox mask to conceal his identity during future invasions.
• At their secluded practice field, Shinji saw Haku flee from an ANBU ninja, who ordered him to surrender and called him a big fish.

Shinji intervened when a Root ninja chased Haku, accidentally revealed Susanoo while saving Shion, and used genjutsu to erase her memory of meeting him. After helping Haku escape, Shinji realized the village was short-handed and considered taking a risk at ANBU headquarters.

• Shinji learned that the Root ninja pursuing Haku had been assigned to monitor him, and he confronted the ninja as Haku fled into the woods.
• When the Root ninja threw a kunai at Shion, Shinji instinctively used Susanoo to shield her and knocked the weapon away.
• Shinji trapped the Root ninja in genjutsu, but Shion recognized him and asked him not to make her forget him again.
• Shinji removed his mask, used Mangekyō Sharingan genjutsu to make Shion forget their meeting, and knocked her unconscious.
• Shinji concluded that Haku was likely a spy and decided to protect him to avoid giving Danzo an excuse to target him.
• Shinji realized the village was short-handed that night and wondered whether to take a risk at ANBU headquarters.

Shinji infiltrated the ANBU Building to search for the sealed Sharingan but was discovered and escaped after a fight. Sasuke found Shinji’s damaged fox mask by the lake and was arrested by ANBU.

• Shinji planted Explosive Tags on a Root ninja and used his Mangekyō Sharingan to send him toward Sunagakure’s residence.
• Shinji disguised himself as an ANBU ninja and entered the mostly empty ANBU Building while its guards responded to an explosion.
• A Dog Mask ANBU confronted Shinji, and Shinji escaped the Water Prison Jutsu and fled through a window using Explosive Tags as cover.
• Shinji escaped into the shadows, removed his disguise, and threw his cracked fox mask into a lake.
• Sasuke found the damaged fox mask by the lake, and several ANBU ninja arrived and arrested him.

After escaping the ANBU, Shinji healed his back wound with Karin’s help and arranged to use Shion as an alibi for the night of the break-in. Their barbecue dinner brought him close to his classmates, but Tenten’s arrival threatened to disrupt his plan.

• Shinji escaped the ANBU, ran into Karin, and healed his back by biting her arm.
• Shinji returned to his apartment, burned his clothes, and decided he needed a witness to vouch for his whereabouts.
• Shinji woke Shion at the training field and invited her to a barbecue dinner so she could serve as his alibi.
• Shinji and Shion ate at a private room beside his classmates during the fireworks, while he planned to be seen by them.
• Shion offered to treat everyone in the restaurant, and Tenten opened the neighboring room’s door and objected.

Shinji joined his classmates for a barbecue with Shion and Tenten, where he considered Haku and Karin’s possible ties to other villages and concluded that Danzo might have taken the Sharingan from the ANBU Building. The gathering ended with Tenten paying for dinner, while Shinji wondered whether the coming Chunin Ninja Exams could help him obtain Fugaku’s Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Tenten opened the private room door, and Shinji spotted Haku and Karin among the classmates in the neighboring room, both disguised after their mysterious activities.
• Shinji joined the reunion and suspected Haku was connected to Kirigakure and Karin to Kusagakure, but decided not to expose either of them.
• Shinji recalled his break-in at the ANBU Building and inferred that Danzo might have already taken the Sharingan elsewhere.
• Shion and Tenten argued over who would pay, while Shinji and the classmates focused on eating the grilled meat.
• Shion lost the argument when she realized she had no money with her, and Tenten paid for the meal.
• As the classmates left, Rock Lee asked Tenten when she would treat them again, and Shinji considered using the Chunin Ninja Exams’ turmoil to obtain Fugaku’s Mangekyō Sharingan.

After Sasuke was released from ANBU, Shinji left Konoha for the Land of Cats to contract a ninja cat and test whether Danzo would act against him. He reached the Land of Cats in half a day, where the ninja cats recognized him as the first Uchiha to visit since the clan’s destruction.

• ANBU released Sasuke after concluding that the evidence against him was inconclusive, while its members suspected someone was targeting the Uchiha survivors.
• Shinji asked Iruka for permission to leave Konoha and visit the Land of Cats, and Iruka issued him a temporary pass after Shinji insisted on traveling alone.
• Shinji left Konoha to prepare for obtaining Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan and to test whether Danzo would use the Root ninja's death against him.
• Shinji used his Breathing Technique to reach the Land of Cats in half a day.
• The ninja cats stared at Shinji because he was the first Uchiha to visit the Land of Cats since the clan was destroyed.

Shinji searched the Land of Cats for a stealthy ninja cat with Medical Ninjutsu and found Yugimaru, a kitten with the rare Shadow Release Kekkei Genkai. After learning about the kitten’s family debts, Shinji decided it was the right partner and showed it his passbook.

• Shinji paid the Tricolor Cat for information about ninja cats skilled in stealth and Medical Ninjutsu.
• The Tricolor Cat named One-Eyed Dragon, Mitsuha, and Yugimaru as candidates, and Shinji chose to meet the least-known Yugimaru first.
• Yugimaru demonstrated its ability to slip into shadows, and Shinji offered to sign a Summoning Contract with it.
• An orange cat exposed Yugimaru’s family’s unpaid liquor and perm bills, and Shinji learned that Yugimaru knew basic Medical Ninjutsu and Shadow Release.
• Shinji decided Yugimaru suited his needs and took out his passbook to show what he could offer.

Shinji contracted Meiqiu and Princess Feng Ji as Ninja Cats, then returned to Konoha before nightfall. There, he learned that Kirigakure had demanded Haku, but the Hokage had ordered ANBU to take him to a safe house instead.

• Shinji paid Meiqiu to contract with him under strict secrecy and exclusivity conditions.
• Shinji rejected the Ninja Cats he had been introduced to, then sought out Princess Feng Ji and signed a contract with her.
• Shinji replenished his ninja tools and Explosive Tags before racing back to Konoha, where he wondered why Danzo had not acted against him.
• Shinji returned to his apartment and saw Iruka and two ANBU escorting Haku away.
• Iruka told Shinji that Kirigakure had demanded Haku, the sole surviving member of the Snow Clan, but the ANBU were taking him to a safe house on the Hokage's orders.

Shinji concluded that Kirigakure’s pressure was meant to protect Haku and searched a map for Danzo’s hidden Root base while waiting for a chance to act. By nightfall, Sasuke and Naruto briefly connected across a river, but an explosion in the nearby woods drew their hidden Anbu guards away.

• Shinji reasoned that Kirigakure had planted Haku as a spy and worried Konoha might hand him over if Kirigakure threatened war.
• After receiving a warning that an invasion was imminent, Shinji mapped Konoha and marked several possible locations for Danzo’s Root base.
• Shinji decided to wait for another disturbance during the Chunin Ninja Exams before acting.
• Sasuke wandered to a river and met Naruto, who skipped a stone across the water; Sasuke caught it and felt his mood brighten at Naruto’s smile.
• An explosion sounded in the nearby woods, and the Anbu Ninja secretly guarding Sasuke and Naruto rushed toward it.

As explosions erupted across Konoha, Shinji used the chaos to locate Danzo's Root Base and began preparing to infiltrate it with Meiqiu. The chapter ended with Meiqiu hiding in Shinji's shadow as they set off toward the base.

• Karin told two ANBU that an attacker had wounded Teacher Mizuki and fled, so one ANBU pursued the culprit while the other returned to Naruto and Sasuke.
• Sasuke threw a pebble across the river toward Naruto, but a gale swept countless Explosive Tags toward Naruto as the returning ANBU witnessed the attack.
• Shinji heard explosions, armed himself, and stealthily searched the area he suspected contained Danzo's Root Base.
• Shinji saw Danzo and four subordinates leave an old building for the explosion site, identifying it as the base entrance.
• Shinji summoned Meiqiu and explained his plan to infiltrate the Root Base and steal something, then Meiqiu used Shadow Release to hide in Shinji's shadow.

Shinji infiltrated the Root Base to reach Danzo's vault, but a hidden electrical trap triggered an alarm and forced him to flee while setting off Explosive Tags. As he waited to learn whether Meiqiu could complete the mission, the Nine-Tails roared over the village.

• Shinji used genjutsu to control a Root guard and entered the underground base disguised as ANBU.
• Shinji planted Explosive Tags along the route to Danzo's vault and learned the guard did not know whether the vault was trapped.
• The vault's electrical trap struck the guard, triggered the alarm, and sent Root ninja after Shinji.
• Shinji detonated Explosive Tags to threaten the base's stability, then escaped and demolished the entrance building.
• Shinji waited for Meiqiu, who had slipped away to hide outside the vault, and heard the Nine-Tails roar over the village.

The Nine-Tails rampaged through Konoha after Naruto lost consciousness, and Shinji reluctantly rushed toward the beast despite the danger. Sasuke’s Sharingan awakened as he faced the Nine-Tails, which stopped its attack when its eyes changed to the Sharingan pattern.

• Shinji realized the Nine-Tails’ rampage might have begun with an attack on Naruto and worried that the village was in danger.
• Shinji tried to return to his apartment but became too restless to stay away and headed toward the Nine-Tails.
• Sasuke fled through the ruined streets, then stood to face the Nine-Tails as his Sharingan awakened.
• The Nine-Tails recognized Sasuke’s Sharingan, confronted him about the Uchiha, and swung its paw at him.
• The Nine-Tails’ paw stopped just before striking Sasuke, and its pupils changed into the Sharingan pattern.

Shinji subdued the Nine-Tails inside Naruto’s mental world and restored Naruto’s consciousness, then left before anyone noticed his involvement. The Konoha Ninja arrived to find the Nine-Tails dissolving and Sasuke credited with defeating it, while Naruto was taken for medical care.

• Shinji used his Mangekyō Sharingan to weaken the Nine-Tails and enter Naruto’s mental world.
• Shinji discovered the corroded but intact seal, drove the Nine-Tails’ chakra back behind its gate, and found the injured Naruto.
• Naruto’s consciousness recovered, the Nine-Tails began dissolving, and Shinji left without being noticed by Sasuke.
• Kakashi and the Konoha Ninja arrived and were stunned to see Sasuke’s Two-Tomoe Sharingan and the defeated Nine-Tails.
• The Medical Team Ninja confirmed Naruto could be saved, and Kakashi ordered someone to get Sasuke a change of clothes.

After stopping the Nine-Tails, Shinji hid among the evacuees and suffered severe eye pain from overusing his Mangekyō Sharingan. As Konoha’s leaders investigated the attack, the Third Hokage and Utatane Koharu began to suspect Sasuke was the masked Sharingan user who infiltrated Danzo’s base.

• Shinji entered the shelter, ignored Shion, and reunited with Haku, Rock Lee, and his classmates.
• Shinji’s vision blurred and his eyes hurt sharply, so he hid his condition and blamed the strain of repeatedly using his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Mitokado Homura announced that the Nine-Tails crisis was under control, and the evacuees began leaving the shelter.
• At the Hokage Office, an ANBU reported that Naruto’s attacker had escaped, while Danzo accused Sasuke of using a Dojutsu to control the Nine-Tails.
• A Root shinobi told the Third Hokage and Utatane Koharu that a masked Uchiha had controlled him with genjutsu, leading them to identify Sasuke as the likely suspect.

Danzo ordered Sasuke Uchiha placed under constant surveillance after the Third refused to hand him over. Meanwhile, Shinji obtained Fugaku Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan from Danzo’s vault and kept his own Mangekyō secret from Meiqiu.

• Danzo demanded that the Third hand Sasuke over, but the Third refused, so Danzo ordered Root to surveil Sasuke around the clock.
• Danzo told his subordinates to stop watching Shinji and considered Sasuke a threat he might need to eliminate.
• Shinji wondered who had attacked Naruto and suspected that a hidden village might be trying to provoke conflict between Konoha and Kirigakure.
• Shinji summoned Meiqiu, who delivered Fugaku Uchiha’s eyes after sneaking into Danzo’s vault.
• Shinji paid Meiqiu for the job and said the eyes would be useful, without revealing that he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Shinji secretly tested Fugaku Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan in the Forest of Death and used Susanoo Lamp to place the eyes into his Susanoo. His eye pain and impaired vision vanished, and he discovered a new ability involving the eyes.

• Shinji heard villagers credit Sasuke with stopping the Nine-Tails and realized Sasuke had taken the blame for him.
• Shinji entered the deserted Forest of Death to test Fugaku Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan in private.
• Shinji activated his armored Susanoo and then used Susanoo Lamp despite the severe strain on his eyes.
• Susanoo Lamp pulled Fugaku’s eyes from Shinji’s hands into its empty sockets, making Susanoo grow larger and more solid.
• Shinji’s eye pain, dizziness, and poor vision disappeared, and he learned that Susanoo Lamp had an ability called New eyes.