Chapter Summaries

Kagura led Minato, Hiashi, and Kushina to Sunagakure, making Minato and Hiashi travel there on their hands as punishment for talking too loudly. After resting and exploring the village, they prepared to meet the Third Kazekage the next morning.

• Kagura overheard Minato and Hiashi discussing him and ordered them to travel to Sunagakure on their hands.
• Kagura led the exhausted group through Sunagakure's mountain crevice gate and took them to the inn for foreign ninjas.
• Kagura rested at the inn while Minato, Hiashi, and Kushina explored Sunagakure and sampled its grilled food.
• The group spent the night indoors as strong winds swept through the village.
• Kagura and the others dressed formally and set out to meet the Third Kazekage.

Kagura and his companions visited the Third Kazekage as Konohagakure’s envoys, delivered Hiruzen Sarutobi’s letter, and agreed to stay overnight in Sunagakure. After Chiyo confronted Kagura about Hatake Sakumo, Pakura was assigned to show the visitors around, while an unseen observer watched them leave.

• Kagura presented Hiruzen Sarutobi’s diplomatic letter to the Third Kazekage, who welcomed the delegation and asked them to collect his reply the next day.
• Chiyo asked after Hatake Sakumo and angrily suggested Konohagakure send him to Sunagakure, leaving Kagura speechless.
• The Third Kazekage interrupted Chiyo and ordered Pakura to guide the visitors around Sunagakure.
• Kagura and his companions followed Pakura out of the Kazekage Building as someone watched them from a dark corner.

Pakura guided Kagura and the three genin around Sunagakure, then returned home exhausted. That night, a mysterious white-haired youth broke into her house and claimed that she was his target, but her first attack failed to pierce him.

• Pakura monitored Kagura and the three genin while showing them around Sunagakure for the day.
• After escorting the group back to their Inn, Pakura returned home and fell asleep from exhaustion.
• A faint noise awakened Pakura, and she spotted a shadow by her window.
• The white-haired youth revealed himself and told Pakura that she was his purpose.
• Pakura attacked the youth with a kunai, but it struck him like steel, so she unleashed Scorch Release: Extremely Steam Murder!

A youth used a strange seal to immobilize Pakura, absorbed her, and went searching for one last target. The next morning, Chiyo’s forces detained Kagura and his three disciples over Pakura’s disappearance, and Chiyo accused Kagura of being responsible.

• The youth evaded Pakura’s Scorch Release, pressed a palm to her forehead, and used a glowing rune to paralyze her.
• The youth absorbed Pakura and disappeared, saying that one last person remained.
• Kagura and his three disciples prepared to leave Sunagakure and return to Konoha after collecting the Kazekage’s reply.
• Chiyo and more than a dozen jonin surrounded the inn and escorted Kagura and his disciples to an interrogation room.
• Chiyo and Ebizo explained that Pakura had vanished from her room without signs of a struggle.
• Chiyo accused Kagura of taking Pakura, citing his Sharingan and the fact that he was the last person seen with her.

After Pakura disappeared, Chiyo and Ebizo suspected Kagura of murdering her and agreed to keep him in Sunagakure while investigating. Kagura arranged for his students to return to Konohagakure and seek the Hokage’s help, then calmly remained under guard.

• Chiyo accused Kagura of being Pakura’s murderer, and Kushina defended him before Kagura stopped her.
• Kagura asked Chiyo and Ebizo to release his students because they had nothing to do with the case.
• Ebizo agreed to let the students leave while Kagura stayed in Sunagakure for the investigation.
• Kagura ordered Minato, Kushina, and Hiashi to return to Konohagakure and tell the Hokage to bail him out.
• Minato, Kushina, and Hiashi left Sunagakure, and Kagura went to sleep under the watch of Sunagakure Jonin.

Minato, Kushina, and Hiashi fled Sunagakure to protect Kagura, but a mysterious youth intercepted them and targeted Hiashi for his Byakugan. Half a day earlier, Kagura woke when his System issued a new mission.

• Minato told Kushina that leaving Sunagakure quickly was the best way to keep Kagura safe, while Hiashi said their weakness had forced Kagura to stay behind.
• The three traveled nearly nonstop and reached the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain.
• A white-robed, red-eyed youth caught up with them and said he was not from Sunagakure and had come for Hiashi's Byakugan.
• Minato and Kushina refused to abandon Hiashi, and the youth vanished to attack them.
• Half a day earlier, Kagura opened his eyes when a familiar System Mission notification sounded in his mind.

A long-dormant system gave Kagura a mission to keep Minato, Kushina, and Hiashi alive, warning him that they faced mortal danger. Kagura escaped Sunagakure using Flying Thunder God and raced toward the Land of Rain to reach his students.

• The system assigned Kagura a mission to protect Minato, Kushina, and Hiashi, promising to unlock his left Mangekyō Sharingan ability if all three survived.
• Kagura suspected that the real murderer was targeting his students because one of them possessed a Bloodline Limit.
• Kagura interrupted Chiyo and vanished from the room using Flying Thunder God before she could summon a puppet.
• Chiyo ordered Sunagakure's shinobi to issue a wanted poster and pursue Kagura toward the Land of Rain.
• Kagura used Flying Thunder God to escape Sunagakure, then sprinted toward the Land of Rain with Chidori Stream.

Minato, Kushina, and Hiashi fought a mysterious youth whose speed and defenses overwhelmed them. As the youth reached toward the unconscious Hiashi, Kagura arrived and demanded to know what he planned to do to his disciple.

• Minato tried to stop the mysterious youth with a Kunai strike, and Hiashi followed with Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
• Kushina struck the youth with a powerful punch, but he emerged unharmed and explained that their attacks could not penetrate his defenses.
• The youth knocked Kushina unconscious, sent Minato flying, and defeated Hiashi despite his determined attacks.
• As the youth reached toward Hiashi's forehead, Kagura spoke from behind him and asked what he planned to do to his disciple.

Kagura arrived just in time to rescue Hiashi and the other two, then discovered that the attacker was his former classmate Hiruko. Hiruko revealed that he had completed the Chimera Technique and intended to make Kagura his final Bloodline Limit.

• Kagura rescued Hiashi and the other two, storing them in a dimensional clock before it vanished.
• Hiruko removed his bandages and identified himself as Kagura’s former Konoha classmate.
• Kagura recalled that Hiruko had defected after Hiruzen Sarutobi discovered his human experimentation.
• Hiruko said he had completed the Chimera Technique and wanted Kagura as its final Bloodline Limit.

Hiruko attacked Kagura and explained that his Chimera Technique let him absorb Kekkei Genkai, revealing his Swift Release and Steel Release. Kagura survived Hiruko’s devastating punch with Lightning Release Armor and prepared to match his speed.

• Hiruko attacked Kagura at extreme speed, but Kagura evaded his palm with the help of his Sharingan and Chidori Stream.
• Hiruko explained that his Chimera Technique fused ninjas or Summoned Beasts into his body, and said he needed Kagura’s Kekkei Genkai to balance the four he had already absorbed.
• Hiruko demonstrated Swift Release and Steel Release, then smashed the ground and struck Kagura with a powerful punch.
• Kagura was sent crashing across the ground but stood up with Lightning Release Armor protecting him.
• Kagura used Lightning Style: Nintaijutsu at full power, gaining the speed and strength to fight Hiruko.

Hiruko and Kagura reached a stalemate, so Hiruko summoned a composite beast and challenged Kagura to summon Kirin. Kagura instead brought out the One-Tails and two more Tailed Beasts, leaving Hiruko surrounded as he declared the matchup fair.

• Hiruko and Kagura realized their speed and defenses made it impossible for either to win through direct combat.
• Hiruko summoned a composite beast made from a dog, a bird, and a two-headed snake, then fused with it.
• Hiruko challenged Kagura to summon Kirin, but Kagura remembered Kirin was protecting a mother and son in the Land of Fire.
• Kagura summoned the One-Tails, which had gained the ability to leave his body and fight independently.
• Kagura sent out two more Tailed Beasts, which transformed into a cat and a turtle and surrounded Hiruko’s beast.
• Kagura said the battle was fair now that he had matched Hiruko’s three summoned creatures.

Kagura and his three Tailed Beasts overwhelmed Hiruko’s Chimera, which was brought down by a Triple Tailed Beast Bomb. After One-Tails and Two-Tails started fighting, Kagura put them away, leaving only Three-Tails beside him.

• Two-Tails attacked Hiruko’s Chimera while Three-Tails blocked its venom and One-Tails restrained its snake heads with sand.
• Hiruko blasted the Tailed Beasts with explosive feathers, freeing the Chimera to fly into the air.
• One-Tails, Two-Tails, and Three-Tails launched Tailed Beast Bombs that struck the Chimera and sent it crashing down.
• One-Tails and Two-Tails began fighting, so Kagura put them away, leaving Three-Tails by his side.

Hiruko used Dark Release to absorb Isobu’s Tailed Beast Bomb and fire it back, then attacked with Storm Release. Kagura recalled Isobu just before the lightning struck, but Isobu still suffered severe cracks in his shell.

• Hiruko recalled the badly wounded Chimera while Kagura kept Isobu summoned.
• Hiruko absorbed Isobu’s Tailed Beast Bomb with Dark Release: Inversion Hole, then used Dark Release: Judgment to blast Isobu with it.
• Isobu’s shell withstood the returned attack, and Hiruko began forming hand seals for another technique.
• Hiruko’s Storm Release: Storm Demon Dragon struck toward Isobu, and Kagura recalled him before the lightning hit directly.
• The lightning turned the sand into a lava crater, but Isobu still took part of the attack and his shell developed several enormous cracks.

Kagura defeated Hiruko by exploiting his opponent’s lack of knowledge about Wood Release and the Sharingan. After Hiruko died, Kagura reflected that battles depended not only on strength but also on information about an opponent’s abilities.

• Kagura pointed out that Hiruko had used four Kekkei Genkai and warned that he could not win without another trump card.
• Kagura trapped Hiruko with Wood Release and placed him in a Sharingan genjutsu.
• Kagura broke through Hiruko’s Steel Release with Lightning Release: Lariat and fatally pierced his chest.
• Hiruko asked whether ordinary people could ever surpass the talented, then died without receiving an answer.
• Kagura closed Hiruko’s eyes and reflected that his lack of knowledge about Hiruko’s abilities had made the fight more difficult.

Hyuga Hiashi, Minato, and Kushina woke in the Land of Rain after Kagura saved them from Hiruko, and Team 7 returned safely to Konohagakure. Kagura reported Hiruko’s death to Hiruzen Sarutobi, then went home, where Tsunade welcomed him with dinner and a teasing offer.

• Hiashi woke beside Kagura and learned that Kagura had killed Hiruko and rescued him, Minato, and Kushina.
• Kagura explained that he had fled Sunagakure with Hiruko’s sealed corpse, intending to give it to Orochimaru for research.
• Hiashi woke Minato and Kushina, and Team 7 traveled back to Konohagakure over the following days.
• Kagura handed Hiruzen Sarutobi the Kazekage’s reply, reported Hiruko’s death, and asked not to be sent on diplomatic business to Sunagakure again.
• Kagura returned home, where Tsunade greeted him with dinner and flirtatiously asked whether he wanted to eat, bathe, or eat her first.

After a day off, Kagura visited Orochimaru and learned that his research into Wood Release artificial humans was progressing. Kagura gave him Hiruko’s corpse, and Orochimaru began dissecting it to investigate how Hiruko had fused multiple Kekkei Genkai.

• Kagura enjoyed a day off and went to visit Orochimaru, who said his Wood Release artificial-human research had promising results but would require substantial resources.
• Orochimaru wondered whether another Kekkei Genkai could be combined with Wood Release, so Kagura led him to his laboratory.
• Kagura summoned Hiruko’s corpse and explained how Hiruko had fused four Kekkei Genkai and fought him during the mission.
• Kagura suspected Hiruko had developed a new Kekkei Genkai after the fusions, and Orochimaru agreed the corpse could aid his research.
• Orochimaru began making calculations and dissecting Hiruko’s corpse, while Kagura left the laboratory.

Over several months, Team 7 grew stronger and more capable on B-Rank missions, while Hiashi, Kushina, and Minato each developed under Kagura’s guidance. On New Year’s Eve, the team headed home after a mission to prepare for dinner at Kagura’s house, unaware that figures were following Kushina.

• Team 7 advanced to higher-ranked missions and completed an A-Rank mission, with Kagura relying on the team’s abilities.
• Hiashi stopped hiding his strength and became more confident, while Kushina improved her chakra control under Kagura’s instruction.
• Minato emerged as a calm, dependable leader in the field, though he spent his free time training and reading.
• On New Year’s Eve, Minato, Hiashi, and Kushina returned from a B-Rank mission and planned to gather at Kagura’s home for dinner.
• Hiashi and Kushina revealed they had already prepared gifts, so Minato hurried off to buy one before the shops closed.
• After the teammates parted ways, several figures silently followed Kushina.

Kagura and Tsunade prepared their home and a New Year’s Eve feast, then welcomed Minato and Hiashi, who brought gifts for their teacher. After Kagura reassured them that he valued both presents, they waited for Kushina, whose arrival was delayed for an hour.

• Kagura and Tsunade cleaned their house and prepared a large New Year’s Eve dinner together.
• Tsunade welcomed Minato and Hiashi, who arrived to celebrate the New Year with Kagura.
• Hiashi gave Kagura an ornate Lucky Bamboo pen holder, while Minato offered him rice cakes.
• Kagura accepted both gifts and reassured Minato that he valued the feelings behind them.
• Minato and Hiashi waited with Kagura and Tsunade for Kushina, but she did not arrive for an hour.

Kagura suspected Kushina had been abducted and organized a search, while keeping Hiashi at his home to preserve the chance that Minato would rescue her. Minato found a strand of Kushina’s hair at her house, while Kushina secretly left clues as her Kumogakure captors carried her away.

• After Kushina failed to arrive, Kagura concluded that she had likely been abducted and sent Tsunade to alert the Hokage and organize a search.
• Kagura set out with Minato to look for Kushina and told Hiashi to stay behind, secretly hoping Minato would be the one to rescue her.
• Minato reasoned that Kushina’s home was the likeliest place for the kidnappers to have struck and rushed there to investigate.
• Minato found Kushina’s gate unlocked and a red strand of her hair outside an open window.
• Three Kumogakure Genin carried Kushina away from Konoha as she secretly dropped strands of hair along the roadside, hoping Kagura would find them.

Kushina was kidnapped by three Kumogakure Ninja, who sealed away her Chakra and carried her out of Konoha. Minato tracked them down and rescued her, while a second yellow-haired youth killed the final kidnapper, leaving him wondering where the expected Jonin had gone.

• Three Kumogakure Genin ambushed Kushina at home, sealed her Chakra, and took her out of Konoha.
• Kushina secretly scattered strands of her red hair along the route, hoping Teacher Kagura would find them.
• Minato followed the hair to an open ground where the kidnappers were waiting for their Jonin contact.
• Minato attacked the two Genin on the ground with Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique, killing them.
• The remaining kidnapper set Kushina down and was killed from behind by another yellow-haired youth.