Chapter Summaries

Aoba was transferred from Konoha Hospital to the frontline under the new medical-ninja reform, despite Teacher Ueno’s efforts to keep him there. While awaiting assignment, he took a short break and then attended the Ninja Academy graduation ceremony with Aunt Nadeshiko.

• Aoba realized the new policy would send promising medical ninjas, including him, to frontline combat teams.
• Teacher Ueno told Aoba she could not stop his transfer, and he accepted the order while promising to stay alive.
• Aoba teased Yumiko as he left Konoha Hospital, promising to visit and check on her medical progress.
• Aoba spent three days on vacation because no new teams could be formed until the Ninja Academy students graduated.
• Aoba accompanied Aunt Nadeshiko to the Ninja Academy graduation ceremony, where parents watched their children receive forehead protectors.

Aoba congratulated Yuhi Kurenai on graduating, then secretly gave Shizune a communication crow and an emergency-funds scroll before she left with Tsunade. The next day, Aoba joined the class assignment ceremony and was placed on a team with two unfamiliar shinobi.

• Aoba teased Yuhi Kurenai at her graduation celebration, and Aunt Nadeshiko stopped Kurenai from chasing after him.
• Aoba found Shizune alone, gave her a Ninja Crow and a scroll of emergency funds, and told her to keep the scroll secret from Lady Tsunade.
• Aoba returned to the Ninja Academy the next morning to join the class assignment ceremony.
• A chunin instructor assigned Aoba to Team 1 with Okamoto Ryuichi and Nishimura Yuta.

Yamashiro Aoba joined a squad with Okamoto Ryuichi and Nishimura Yuta under Sarutobi Shuichiro, who tested them in combat. Aoba revealed his powerful sand control when Shuichiro attacked him, leaving the captain stunned by his strength.

• Okamoto Ryuichi and Nishimura Yuta introduced themselves to Aoba and learned that Sarutobi Shuichiro would lead their squad.
• Shuichiro took the three genin to a training ground and ordered them to attack him with intent to kill as a strength test.
• Okamoto and Nishimura coordinated a shuriken attack and Earth Release: Earth Dragon Spear, but Shuichiro evaded them with the Substitution Technique.
• Shuichiro threw a Kunai at Aoba, and Aoba's sand intercepted it and formed Sand Pythons that drove Shuichiro from hiding.
• Shuichiro recognized Aoba's exceptional strength, and Aoba calmly asked whether the test was over.

After impressing his teammates in their test, Aoba began his first D-rank missions with Okamoto Ryuichi and Nishimura Yuta, using them to teach the two basic chakra control. Aoba soon left a Shadow Clone to handle the work and returned to his courtyard, where he questioned whether the technique suited him.

• Sarutobi Shuichiro dismissed Aoba, Okamoto Ryuichi, and Nishimura Yuta after their team test and told them to meet at the Hokage Building for a mission.
• Sarutobi Shuichiro assigned the team a D-rank river-cleaning mission, where Aoba demonstrated walking on water and taught Okamoto Ryuichi and Nishimura Yuta chakra control.
• The next day, Sarutobi Shuichiro gave the team a roof-repair mission, and Aoba encouraged his teammates to learn how to walk up walls.
• Aoba created a Shadow Clone to handle the mission and used the Body Flicker Technique to leave, with Sarutobi Shuichiro allowing him to go.
• Aoba returned to his courtyard and wondered whether the Shadow Clone Technique suited him.

Aoba considered ways to improve Shadow Clone Technique and agreed to take the Chunin Exams. He recruited Might Guy and Hatake Kakashi for a temporary team, and Guy proposed they train together before the exams.

• Aoba concluded that ordinary Shadow Clones were too fragile for battle and began considering Sand Clones and Puppet Clones, but shelved the ideas because his Chips were busy with other research.
• Sarutobi Shuichiro recommended that Aoba apply for the Chunin Exams, and Aoba agreed, knowing chunin rank could give him more autonomy during the coming war.
• Aoba asked Might Guy to join his temporary exam team, and Guy eagerly accepted after Aoba promised to help him pass the written test.
• Aoba found Hatake Kakashi fishing and got him to join by handing him an application form.
• Guy urged Aoba and Kakashi to undergo short-term teamwork training before the dangerous exams, and Aoba considered the suggestion.

Aoba, Kakashi, and Might Guy took the Chunin Ninja Exams, passing the written test and quickly securing the scroll they needed in the Forest of Death. They reached the Central Tower in record time and waited there for the remaining exam period.

• Aoba told Kakashi and Guy that the assessment would begin the next morning, and Kakashi vowed to defeat him.
• Aoba, Kakashi, and Guy passed the written exam, with Aoba secretly helping Guy by having sand write answers on his back.
• Aoba sensed a team carrying the Heaven Scroll, and Kakashi swiftly defeated them and took it.
• Aoba guided the team through the Forest of Death while avoiding other dangers, and they reached the Central Tower in record time.
• The examination staff confirmed the team had broken the speed record and, after reporting to Sarutobi Hiruzen, allowed the exam to continue as normal.
• Aoba rested, Kakashi closed his eyes, and Guy exercised while they waited for three days in the tower.

Aoba, Guy, and Kakashi reached the tower after drawing resentment by barbecuing during the Chunin Exams, then dominated their early individual matches. Aoba faced Kakashi in the third round, and their battle began with Aoba blocking Kakashi’s sudden attack with sand.

• Aoba and his companions held a barbecue in the tower, angering the exhausted examinees and puzzling the examiners.
• The final team arrived, the tower doors closed, and the Third Hokage attended as the individual battles began.
• Kakashi quickly defeated Yamanaka Eiki, and Guy knocked out his Earth Release opponent with taijutsu.
• Aoba trapped Akimichi Masaki in sand until he surrendered, then Aoba, Kakashi, and Guy advanced through their first two rounds.
• Aoba was paired against Kakashi, who launched a swift opening attack that Aoba blocked with a wall of sand.

Aoba defeated Kakashi by exploiting his chakra limits and then faced Might Guy in the finals. After Aoba urged Guy to show his full strength and honor his father's path, Guy prepared to unleash his true abilities.

• Kakashi used Chidori to pierce Aoba's sand defenses, but struck a Sand Clone while Aoba appeared elsewhere in the arena.
• Aoba's sand attacks and clones exhausted Kakashi, and the referee declared Yamashiro Aoba the winner.
• Aoba released Kakashi and remarked that his new technique was powerful but had obvious flaws.
• Aoba faced Might Guy in the finals, blocking Guy's opening Konoha Hurricane with sand.
• Aoba revealed he was a medical ninja who had treated Uncle Dai and urged Guy to prove taijutsu ninja and his father's persistence were not inferior.
• Guy thanked Aoba with tears in his eyes.

Yamashiro Aoba faced Might Guy, who opened the Fourth Gate and attacked with overwhelming speed and power. Aoba won by using his Puppet Clone to take Guy’s final strike, then treated Guy’s injuries.

• Guy opened the first three Inner Gates and overwhelmed Aoba’s sand defenses with his speed and taijutsu.
• Aoba used the Chip to predict Guy’s movements, then unleashed Sand Rain, but Guy dodged the barrage.
• Guy opened the Fourth Gate, launched Aoba into the air, and battered him with a Hidden Lotus.
• Aoba used Sand Binding Coffin, then raised layered sand shields as Guy delivered his final blow.
• The dust cleared to reveal Aoba standing and Guy defeated beside Aoba’s damaged Puppet Clone; the referee declared Yamashiro Aoba the winner.
• Aoba healed Guy with the Mystical Palm Technique, and the medical ninja stood aside.

After Aoba healed an opponent with the Mystical Palm Technique, his and Guy’s fame spread through Konoha. Hiruzen rejected Danzō’s demand to take Aoba for Root, then recognized Duy’s hidden strength and promoted him to Special Jonin.

• Medical ninjas recognized Aoba using the Mystical Palm Technique, and word of Aoba and Guy’s achievements spread through Konoha.
• Danzō demanded that Hiruzen hand Aoba over to Root, accusing him of possessing a secret Sand technique and insisting Root should control his power.
• Hiruzen refused, defended Aoba’s loyalty and background, and said his sand control came from Earth Release chakra control rather than Magnet Release.
• After Danzō left, Hiruzen reviewed Aoba’s and Duy’s files and reflected on Duy’s ability to open the Seventh and potentially the Eighth Gate.
• Hiruzen felt responsible for overlooking Duy’s talent and signed an order promoting him to Special Jonin.

Sarutobi Hiruzen promoted Might Duy to Special Jonin and sent him to the border to support Jiraiya, while arranging for Yuhi Shinku to take charge of Yamashiro Aoba. After celebrating Guy’s promotion, Aoba learned his new team included Yuhi Kurenai and Sarutobi Asuma.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen transferred Might Duy to the border under Jiraiya and decided Yuhi Shinku was the right person to keep Yamashiro Aoba in line.
• Guy celebrated becoming a Chunin with Might Duy, who had also received a Special Jonin promotion.
• Might Duy left for the border, and Aoba celebrated Guy’s promotion with Guy and Kakashi at Yunguxuan Hot Pot Restaurant.
• Yuhi Shinku surprised Aoba at home and ordered him to report to Training Ground No. 3 the next morning.
• Aoba arrived at the training ground and found Yuhi Kurenai and Sarutobi Asuma waiting with Yuhi Shinku; Kurenai ran into Aoba’s arms, drawing dark looks from Shinku and Asuma.

Aoba reunited with Kurenai and Asuma as Yuhi Shinku formally began instructing their team. Shinku ordered Kurenai and Asuma to fight Aoba together, and Aoba quickly blocked their attacks and bound Asuma with sand.

• Kurenai excitedly greeted Aoba and asked about his sand abilities, and he made a sand rose for her.
• Asuma challenged Aoba's reputation, and Yuhi Shinku began the team's formal introductions as their Jōnin instructor.
• Aoba introduced himself by saying he specialized in Medical Ninjutsu and cooking and dreamed of world peace and timely days off.
• Shinku ordered Kurenai and Asuma to fight Aoba together, and Aoba agreed to see how much they had improved.
• Asuma attacked with shuriken, a Fire Release technique, and a kunai while Kurenai used Genjutsu, but Aoba's sand blocked their attacks and bound Asuma.

Aoba overwhelmed Kurenai and Asuma in a spar before their new squad received a C-rank mission to eliminate bandits near Numata Village. On the journey out of Konoha, Shinku stopped to correct the exhausted recruits for losing their vigilance.

• Aoba defeated Kurenai and Asuma with his sand, then crushed a tree trunk to demonstrate the danger of his technique.
• Shinku invited the squad to dinner, and they chose barbecue to celebrate their formation.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen assigned Shinku's squad a C-rank mission to eliminate bandits near Numata Village, warning that rogue ninja or spies might be present.
• Shinku gave the squad an hour to prepare, and they gathered at Konoha's gates before setting out.
• After hours of travel, Asuma and Kurenai grew exhausted, and Shinku rebuked them for neglecting their surroundings and risking an ambush.

Shinku trained Asuma and Kurenai in reconnaissance and mission planning as the team traveled toward the bandit village, while Aoba demonstrated his expertise and learned of Sunagakure’s suspicious border activity. When they reached the village, Aoba stopped Asuma from entering openly and warned that their headbands could expose the mission.

• Shinku challenged Asuma and Kurenai to consider the bandits’ numbers, strength, location, and possible allies before attempting to eliminate them.
• Shinku taught the team wilderness survival and reconnaissance, and Aoba identified an old Iwagakure scout signal carved into a rock.
• Around the campfire, Shinku explained the tense borders and Sunagakure’s frequent puppet-master activity, prompting Aoba to suspect the Third Shinobi World War was approaching.
• On the fourth evening, the team reached the village, and Shinku vanished into the trees, leaving them to decide what to do next.
• Aoba stopped Asuma from entering the village in their Konohagakure headbands and warned that a bandit informant might reveal their arrival.

Aoba, Kurenai, and Asuma disguised themselves as traveling merchants to enter a village terrorized by bandits, then learned the bandits had been extorting and attacking the villagers for months. Aoba chose to wait until night to investigate further, and Asuma was startled when the door opened and two Aobas appeared.

• Aoba had the team transform into adult merchants and led them to the village, where Asuma’s arrogant merchant act persuaded the guards to welcome them inside.
• Aoba revealed the team’s identities as Konohagakure ninjas to the village chief, who explained that bandits had been demanding tribute, killing villagers, and abducting women.
• Kurenai used genjutsu to verify the village chief’s account, and Asuma vowed to fight the bandits.
• Aoba questioned whether another force was behind the bandits and decided the team should wait until nightfall before acting.
• After night fell, Asuma heard something and saw the door open as two Aobas entered.

Aoba uncovered a villager boy’s betrayal and used the captives’ memories to locate the bandits’ stronghold. He led Asuma and Kurenai in a night raid, where they killed the guards and Aoba captured the bandit leader.

• Aoba’s Shadow Clones brought in two villagers who had tipped off the bandits, and Asuma angrily confronted the boy.
• The boy blamed the betrayal on fear of the bandits’ revenge, but Aoba knocked him unconscious and read both captives’ memories.
• Aoba learned the bandits’ location, numbers, weapons, and rogue-ninja support, then led Asuma and Kurenai to their stronghold.
• Kurenai used genjutsu to incapacitate the outer guards while she and Asuma killed bandits on the flanks.
• Aoba used sand-held kunai to cut through the stronghold and bound the bandit leader with a Sand Hand.
• The surviving bandits froze after seeing their leader captured, and Aoba killed half of them with his sand tentacles.

Aoba killed the bandits and learned that rogue ninja from the Land of Hot Water backed them. After sending Yuhi Shinku away with Kurenai and Asuma, he attacked the rogue ninja in Iwate Village and killed their leader, then called out to someone still hiding.

• Aoba slaughtered the bandits, forced his way into their leader's memories, and learned that about ten rogue ninja backed the group.
• Aoba found Kurenai and Asuma shaken after their first kills, and asked Yuhi Shinku to take them somewhere to rest.
• Aoba followed the leader's map to Iwate Village, where he sensed blood and rotting corpses and was ambushed by rogue ninja.
• Aoba used his sand to kill the rogue ninja, including their leader, who begged for his life.
• Aoba stayed in the silent village and asked the unseen observer to come out.

Yamashiro Aoba refused Shimura Danzō’s offer to join Root and fought off the squad sent to capture him, burying the village beneath a sea of sand. The Root captain survived long enough to try to send word of Aoba’s ability to fly, but Aoba stopped him at the village boundary and killed him.

• Root surrounded Yamashiro Aoba and demanded that he join Shimura Danzō’s organization, but Aoba refused to become Danzō’s dog.
• Root attacked Aoba with a Mind Transfer Technique and Insect Jade, but the attacks struck a Sand Clone as Aoba emerged above them on a Sand Cushion.
• Aoba blocked Root’s ninjutsu and explosive kunai with sand shields, then unleashed Quicksand Waterfall Flow and Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral, burying the village and its defenders.
• The Root captain escaped the sand using a secret technique and summoned a Ninja Hawk to carry intelligence about Aoba’s flight.
• Aoba killed the Ninja Hawk with a sand spike, then used Spirit Transformation to make the Root captain stab himself as he fled the village.

Aoba returned to Konohagakure with Shinku Squad after their mission, having secretly wiped out the Root team sent after them. Reviewing the mission, he recognized that war and Danzo’s hostility made a rapid increase in strength essential.

• Aoba burned the Root ninjas’ corpses and rejoined Shinku, Kurenai, and Asuma at their temporary camp.
• Shinku Squad returned to Numata Village, reported that the bandits and rogue ninjas were eliminated, and received the villagers’ thanks.
• Shinku led the team on a slow journey home, giving Kurenai and Asuma time to recover before they reached Konohagakure fifteen days later.
• Shinku disbanded the squad and arranged a celebration at Yakiniku Q, while Aoba went home to rest and review the mission.
• Aoba concluded that Danzo would suspect him, anticipated the coming Third Shinobi World War, and decided he needed a major new source of strength.

Yamashiro Aoba arranged a high-paying escort mission for his restaurant by exploiting the mission rules, forcing Shinku Squad to take the job. After Shinku chased Aoba at the training ground, the squad gathered at Konohagakure's gates to depart.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen approved Aoba's 150,000-ryō restaurant escort request despite recognizing it as Aoba's attempt to give himself a mission.
• Shinku accepted the commission and struggled to hide his embarrassment while Aoba feigned innocence.
• Shinku announced the mission to Kurenai and Asuma, who realized Aoba had commissioned the escort for his own restaurant.
• Aoba ran from Shinku, who chased after him in anger.
• Shinku Squad assembled at Konohagakure's gates to begin the escort mission, with a large bump on Aoba's head.