Chapter Summaries

Hiroki realized Nawaki’s death was approaching with the Second Shinobi World War, then joined his team in searching for Tora. As Nawaki and Kushina struggled to climb a wall with chakra, Hiroki adapted code from a copied ninjutsu to manage chakra control but realized he did not know how much chakra to output.

• Hiroki recognized that Nawaki was twelve and feared his death would soon herald the Second Shinobi World War.
• Orochimaru led Hiroki, Nawaki, and Kushina on a mission to find Tora, and Nawaki spotted the cat on a high wall.
• Orochimaru demonstrated how to climb a wall by concentrating chakra in the soles of the feet.
• Nawaki failed to climb the wall, while Kushina climbed briefly before her excessive chakra damaged the bricks and knocked her down.
• Hiroki used Windows in his mindscape to adapt chakra-control code from Vacuum Sphere for climbing.
• Hiroki wondered how much chakra he needed to output and looked to Orochimaru for guidance.

Hiroki created a chakra measurement system called Kaka by calibrating the cost of a Transformation Technique, then used it to calculate the chakra needed for wall climbing. His first measured attempt worked, though his footing was initially unsteady.

• Hiroki asked Orochimaru how much chakra was needed to stick to a wall, and Orochimaru estimated it at about one-sixth of the chakra used for a basic Transformation Technique.
• Hiroki rejected the Transformation Technique as a fixed unit and used it to establish Kaka, defining one standard Transformation Technique as 100 Kaka.
• Hiroki calculated his chakra pool as 3,125 Kaka and estimated that climbing would take 11.67 Kaka per second.
• Hiroki channeled the calculated amount into his feet, stepped onto the wall, and steadied himself after briefly wobbling.

Sawada Hiroki succeeded at climbing a wall on his first try by precisely measuring his chakra, leading Orochimaru and the hidden shinobi to recognize the potential of quantified chakra training. Orochimaru then gave Hiroki a chakra amount for walking on water, and Hiroki adjusted his output until he ran across the stream.

• Sawada Hiroki climbed the wall on his first attempt after applying a measured amount of chakra.
• Orochimaru realized Hiroki’s method could make chakra control and ninjutsu training measurable and more efficient.
• Nawaki, Uzumaki Kushina, and the hidden Root and Anbu Ninja watched Hiroki’s success in stunned silence.
• Orochimaru ran across the stream and told Hiroki to use twice the chakra he had used for climbing the wall.
• Sawada Hiroki increased his chakra output until he steadied himself and ran across the water.

Hiroki demonstrated precise chakra control and introduced a measurable unit that Orochimaru expanded into a system for evaluating chakra. Orochimaru planned to present the Hiroki Theory to the Third, but an Anbu summoned him and Team 7 to the Hokage’s office.

• Hiroki crossed the water effortlessly, then taught Kushina and Nawaki to measure chakra output in units called Kaka.
• Orochimaru measured the children’s chakra output and proposed using standard deviation to assess control precision.
• Orochimaru explained total chakra reserves, maximum extraction rate, and control precision, then assigned training priorities based on each child’s measurements.
• Nawaki and Kushina vowed to improve their chakra control, while Orochimaru said he would submit the Hiroki Theory to the Third.
• Hiroki retrieved Tora, but an Anbu appeared and ordered Orochimaru to bring Team 7 to the Hokage’s office immediately.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sent Orochimaru and Team 7—Nawaki, Kushina, and Hiroki—on an urgent mission to scout Amegakure’s activity along Konoha’s border as war threatened. After they departed to prepare, Hiruzen and Danzō discussed the risks to the children, while Hiruzen hoped all three would survive.

• An Anbu reported Hiroki’s precise chakra control and proposed measurement unit to Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō, who discussed the potential value and difficulty of standardizing chakra measurements.
• Orochimaru arrived with Team 7, and Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered him to scout Amegakure, gather intelligence near the border, and attack enemy ninja found inside Konoha territory.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen warned Nawaki, Kushina, and Hiroki that the mission was real warfare and told them to prepare to depart at once.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered Orochimaru to avoid conflict with Sunagakure ninja in Amegakure but kill any found inside Konoha territory, and Orochimaru led Team 7 away.
• After the team left, Danzō said at least two of the children would likely survive and accepted the possibility of losing them, while Sarutobi Hiruzen privately hoped all three would return.

Senju Ryosuke hired four rogue ninja to attack Nawaki’s squad and keep Orochimaru occupied, then arranged to hire Kakuzu as backup in case the mercenaries failed. He accepted that finding Kakuzu could take a month and insisted Nawaki had to die.

• Senju Ryosuke ordered four rogue ninja to distract Orochimaru and kill Nawaki’s squad, but they demanded more money because Sawada Hiroki was among the targets.
• Scar agreed to the mission after receiving an additional deposit, clarifying that the mercenaries would prioritize Nawaki and would not target the other children.
• Senju Ryosuke asked the Black Market Exchange manager to arrange a reliable backup who could finish the job and kill the four mercenaries if necessary.
• The manager recommended Kakuzu, whose fee would be at least three times the mercenaries’ total payment and who might take a month to contact.
• Senju Ryosuke accepted the delay and ordered the manager to find Kakuzu, offering whatever payment was necessary to ensure Nawaki’s death.

Orochimaru brought Team 7 to Outpost 99, where patrol teams had been vanishing and Amegakure forces were increasingly active. He ordered Hiroki, Kushina, and Nawaki to stay safe at the outpost, while enemy teams prepared an attack involving an insider and a target already inside.

• Orochimaru and Team 7 arrived at Outpost 99 and reported to Captain Kitagawa.
• Kitagawa explained that patrol teams had vanished without a trace and that Amegakure teams had grown more numerous along the border.
• Orochimaru told Hiroki, Kushina, and Nawaki to remain at the outpost while he handled the mission.
• Scar and three other Jonin teams planned to attack the outpost, draw Orochimaru away, and assassinate a target inside.
• Scar began sensing for Ninjas as Hiroki detected a new WiFi signal labeled "Scar_Soma Benigaki."

Hiroki discovered a plot to assassinate Nawaki and warned Orochimaru through a disguised chakra-control lesson. As enemies attacked the outpost from within and without, a mysterious assailant burst into the command post and targeted Nawaki.

• Hiroki connected to Scar Soma Benigaki's signal and learned of an inside agent, a plan to lure Orochimaru away, and an assassination order against Nawaki.
• Hiroki warned Orochimaru in coded language, conveying that there was an inside agent and at least four enemies preparing to act.
• Kitagawa sensed something was wrong, then volunteered to investigate a report of a large Amegakure force at the western defensive line.
• Kitagawa transformed into Orochimaru as he left, and Orochimaru transformed into Kitagawa.
• An attacker smashed through the command post wall and lunged at Nawaki as explosions and screams signaled an assault on the outpost.

Hiroki and Orochimaru fought off an assassination team that had infiltrated the command post, capturing Rattlesnake and learning that the attack plan involved Scar. Hiroki then noticed the attackers had targeted patrols only three times despite seven frontline outposts being attacked, leaving Orochimaru to reconsider the enemy’s wider operation.

• Black Bear and Rattlesnake attacked the command post while Skinny Monkey tried to assassinate Nawaki, but Hiroki kicked Nawaki out of danger and detected the underground attacker.
• Orochimaru fought Black Bear as Hiroki disabled Skinny Monkey and injured Black Bear, then warned Orochimaru that only two enemies remained.
• Hiroki and Orochimaru stopped Rattlesnake as she tried to retreat, and Orochimaru ordered Hiroki to keep the surviving enemies alive for interrogation.
• Hiroki read Rattlesnake’s memories and copied her ninjutsu and mission files, discovering that Scar had ordered the team to draw Orochimaru away.
• Hiroki reminded Orochimaru that seven frontline outposts had been attacked, but the enemy had targeted patrols only three times.

Senju Ryosuke learned that the four elite Jōnin he hired had all been killed, and the Underground Exchange identified Sawada Hiroki as the likely culprit. Ryosuke agreed to renegotiate Kakuzu’s contract while Hiroki examined newly copied ninjutsu from a tree.

• The Underground Exchange manager told Senju Ryosuke that the mission had failed and all four bounty hunters were dead from an unknown poison.
• The manager explained that Orochimaru had fought two Jōnin directly, while the evidence suggested the three Genin had killed the others.
• The manager identified Sawada Hiroki as the likely poison user, citing his earlier destruction of Jiraiya’s Shadow Clone.
• The manager said Kakuzu would come to meet Ryosuke and that the contract now carried a Super S-Rank Risk surcharge, and Ryosuke agreed to proceed.
• The manager reported that the targets were seeking a place to rest because they suspected Ryosuke had an accomplice at the Konoha Outpost.
• Hiroki opened the files on the newly copied ninjutsu while sitting in a tree.

Hiroki studied the copied Lightning Style: Noise Wave and combined its sound-disruption mechanism with Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere to create a new technique. His successful test left Orochimaru convinced that Hiroki had developed a Wind Release technique with astonishing speed and talent.

• Hiroki and the others relocated from the destroyed outpost to a hidden cave, where Orochimaru taught Kushina and Nawaki while Hiroki studied his copied techniques.
• Hiroki realized he could replace Noise Wave's Lightning Release chakra with Wind Release chakra and combine its oscillations with Vacuum Sphere's compression and launch mechanisms.
• Hiroki created Wind Style: Unnamed Sonic Wave and tested it with a Shadow Clone, which fired an invisible attack that pierced and toppled a distant tree.
• Orochimaru recognized that Hiroki had modified Noise Wave into a Wind Release technique and wondered whether Hiroki's talent surpassed the Second Hokage's.

After discovering that Rain Ninja forces were stronger and more widespread than expected, Orochimaru aborted the scouting mission and led the team back toward Konoha. Their retreat was soon blocked by eight Rain Ninja, including two powerful jonin.

• Hiroki judged that his new Wind Release jutsu used too much chakra to become his main attack.
• Orochimaru decided the team could not safely continue scouting because patrol squads had vanished and the enemy was stronger than expected.
• Nawaki protested the retreat, but Orochimaru ordered him to obey, and Kushina urged him to listen.
• Hiroki accepted Orochimaru's decision, and the team rested before setting out toward Konoha.
• Eight Rain Ninja, including two jonin, emerged through the rain and confronted the retreating team.

Orochimaru confronted two Rain Ninja who had entered the Land of Fire and reported Amegakure’s growing activity to Konoha, prompting Sarutobi and Danzo to prepare for war. Meanwhile, Kakuzu accepted bounties on Orochimaru, Kushina, and Hiroki, and set out to hunt them.

• Orochimaru challenged Sanshouo Seiju and Seisei, who claimed they had permission to investigate the border, then let them leave after they completed their mission.
• Sarutobi and Danzo discussed Amegakure’s movements and ordered Jiraiya and Tsunade recalled, Danzo sent to retrieve Orochimaru’s group, and Orochimaru returned to the front.
• Sarutobi told Danzo to assess Hiroki’s abilities before deciding whether to send him back to the front.
• Kakuzu learned that Orochimaru, Uzumaki Kushina, and Sawada Hiroki had bounties and decided to pursue all three.

Orochimaru received the Third's reply and told the children their mission was canceled, then explained to Hiroki how exercise could increase his chakra reserves. Just as Orochimaru announced that Hiroki's muscle-growth experiment had succeeded, a white beam of lightning shot toward them.

• Orochimaru read the Third's letter and said Danzo would escort them back to Konoha because the mission was canceled.
• Nawaki felt frustrated about returning, while Kushina worried about falling behind Hiroki and Hiroki looked forward to continuing to grow stronger in Konoha.
• Hiroki asked Orochimaru how to increase his total chakra, and Orochimaru explained that chakra came from physical and spiritual energy and that exercise built reserves.
• Nawaki and Kushina doubted that exercise would help Hiroki, pointing out his small frame and their own training.
• Orochimaru told Hiroki that the lab's muscle-growth experiment had succeeded, but a beam from Lightning Style: False Darkness suddenly shot toward them.

Orochimaru and his students faced Kakuzu, whose multiple nature transformations and detached limbs overwhelmed their defenses. Hiroki’s Brain Overload stopped one of Kakuzu’s arms but failed to affect Kakuzu himself, and Kakuzu noticed the effect as the battle continued.

• Kakuzu attacked Orochimaru and the three children with Lightning, Fire, and combined ninjutsu, forcing them to retreat.
• Hiroki recognized Kakuzu, while Orochimaru identified him as a powerful rogue shinobi and prepared to fight.
• Kakuzu sent detached tendrils after Nawaki, but Hiroki and Kushina intervened as Orochimaru counterattacked with terrain and sealing jutsu.
• Hiroki activated Brain Overload, which stopped one of Kakuzu’s detached arms but did not affect Kakuzu himself.
• Orochimaru tried to seal Kakuzu’s Fire Release mask, but Kakuzu’s Water Release mask interrupted him.
• Kakuzu noticed Hiroki’s ability had affected him and asked what nature transformations Hiroki could use.

Hiroki discovered that the Brain Overload Attack had affected Kakuzu’s tentacle and reasoned that Kakuzu’s body parts operated through a distributed system. He found Kakuzu’s Earth Grudge Fear protocol and realized it could reveal how to disrupt Kakuzu’s control over his tentacles.

• Hiroki picked up Kakuzu’s disabled tentacle and fled with Kushina and Nawaki, telling them not to involve Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru tried two genjutsu techniques against Kakuzu, but Kakuzu resisted them and attacked with Lightning Release.
• Hiroki found that Kakuzu’s tentacle lacked the usual system folders and memories, then suspected Kakuzu used a distributed architecture with a central controller.
• Hiroki opened [Earth Grudge Fear Protocol.dll], studied its communication and control framework, and concluded he had found a way to deal with Kakuzu.

Hiroki discovered that Kakuzu’s severed Earth Grudge Fear tentacle contained a key he could use to control it. He used it to make the tentacles shield him from Kakuzu’s flames, leaving Kakuzu and the others stunned.

• Hiroki realized he could exploit the key in Kakuzu’s severed tentacle to issue it commands.
• Kakuzu questioned Hiroki about the poison and ordered his Fire Release mask to attack.
• Hiroki sent a command through the tentacle as Kakuzu’s flames shot toward him.
• Hiroki commanded “Earth Grudge Fear: Umbrella,” and the tentacles formed a shield that blocked the flames.
• Kakuzu, Orochimaru, Kushina, and Nawaki stared in disbelief as Kakuzu’s own tentacles defended Hiroki.

Hiroki used Kakuzu’s severed hand to control his masks and turn them against one another, while Orochimaru helped destroy and seal Kakuzu’s hearts. After Kakuzu was sealed, Hiroki discovered that he could still connect to Kakuzu through the Chakra Communication Protocol.

• Hiroki took control of Kakuzu’s severed hand and used it to redirect Kakuzu’s attacks.
• Hiroki made Kakuzu’s Fire, Water, and Lightning Release masks destroy one another, while Orochimaru sealed the remaining Lightning Release mask.
• Orochimaru sealed Kakuzu, leaving only a piece of his skin behind.
• Hiroki touched Kakuzu’s remaining skin and received a prompt to open Kakuzu’s files.

Hiroki sealed Kakuzu and began copying his Earth Grudge Fear files while Orochimaru led the team toward a Root safe house. They met Shimura Danzō there, who demanded to know what had happened.

• Hiroki accessed Kakuzu’s files and started copying Earth Grudge Fear after Kakuzu was sealed.
• Orochimaru ordered Hiroki, Kushina, and Nawaki to erase traces of the battle and head to the meeting point Danzo had arranged.
• Nawaki felt shaken by his weakness, while Kushina resolved to work harder so Hiroki would not leave her behind.
• The group reached a Root safe house, and Shimura Danzō arrived with several figures.
• Danzō noticed Hiroki carrying Kakuzu’s remains and asked Orochimaru to explain what had happened.

After Hiroki and Orochimaru sealed Kakuzu, they returned to Konoha with evidence of his defeat, shocking Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo. Hiruzen then offered Hiroki a place in a mission to confront Hanzo of the Salamander in the Land of Rain.

• On the journey back to Konoha, Hiroki reviewed the Earth Grudge Fear techniques and Black Market Exchange information he had copied from Kakuzu, and installed the Muscle Automation Script in himself.
• Danzo brought Hiroki and Orochimaru to Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was stunned by Kakuzu’s sealed body and masks.
• Danzo told Sarutobi Hiruzen that only they knew about Kakuzu’s capture and that Root’s Cursed Seal of Rōshō would keep the other Root shinobi silent.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen considered the implications of capturing Kakuzu and wondered how to assign Hiroki, whose abilities seemed sufficient for Special Jōnin despite his young age.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen asked Hiroki whether he wanted to join his three students on a mission to the Land of Rain to fight Hanzo of the Salamander and halt his border expansion.