Recaps

Araki simplified Wind Release: Gale Palm and experimented with combining it with his swordsmanship. After more than half a month of training with Kisame, Araki and Zabuza had made major progress in their techniques.

• Araki used a Dragon hand seal to cast Gale Palm and concluded that he could skip gathering chakra but still needed to understand nature transformation and shaping.
• Araki struck the water with his sword, then used Gale Palm to accelerate the spray as makeshift projectiles.
• Araki and Zabuza trained under Kisame for more than half a month while also carrying out hunting and patrol tasks.
• Zabuza mastered creating nine convincing Water Clones, expanded his Hidden Mist Technique, and developed an assassination tactic combining both techniques.
• Araki became proficient in two D-rank ninjutsu and learned to use Gale Palm to propel himself rapidly for about twenty seconds.

Araki, Zabuza, and Kisame accepted a C-rank mission to escort Bando to Hell Valley in search of Universal Mud, despite Bando knowing little about the place. During the sea journey, Araki entered the Book of Sword Masters to challenge its next opponent.

• Kisame brought Bando to the team and explained that they would escort him to Seven Grass Island to gather Universal Mud from Hell Valley.
• Bando told Araki he hoped the dangerous herb-gathering trip would prove he could lead his family's trading group, but he could not verify the rumors about Universal Mud.
• Araki warned Kisame and Zabuza that Bando's information seemed unreliable, and Kisame explained that failing to obtain the medicine could still count as a failed mission.
• Araki rested aboard the ship, entered the Consciousness Space, and checked his status in the Book of Sword Masters.
• Araki turned past Himura Kenshin's page and saw a tall, cold-eyed swordsman awaiting his challenge.

Araki fought Yasuo in the Consciousness Space, hoping to learn the wind swordsman’s techniques, but Yasuo’s speed and power overwhelmed him. Yasuo’s aerial sword assault forced Araki out of the Consciousness Space.

• Yasuo formed before Araki and opened the duel with a rapid crescent-shaped slash, then knocked Araki back in their first sword clash.
• Araki used Wind Release: Gale Palm to gain the [Grace of the Wind] buff and attacked Yasuo with Flash Thrust.
• Yasuo’s shield blocked Araki’s thrust, and Yasuo countered with a horizontal slash that forced Araki to retreat.
• Yasuo tracked Araki’s Body Flicker Technique and caught him in a Tornado Storm.
• Yasuo leaped into the tornado and struck Araki with a Blade Storm, forcing him out of the Consciousness Space.

Araki struggled to reproduce Yasuo’s wind techniques, but developed a way to cloak his sword in gale and make its blade invisible. Kisame noticed the sharp aura around Araki and asked whether he was training in wind nature transformation, leaving Araki to conceal how much he understood.

• Araki failed to control wind directly with chakra, then wrapped his sword in a spinning gale using Gale Palm and made its blade vanish with the Wind King Barrier.
• Araki continued fighting Yasuo during the voyage and lost all eleven matches, while his perception and control of wind steadily improved.
• After Kisame destroyed a reef with Water Dragon Bullet, he noticed Araki’s sharp aura and asked whether Araki was studying wind-attribute nature transformation.
• Araki denied knowing about nature transformation and said he only wanted to make his sword sharper.
• Kisame observed Araki holding his ordinary longsword and wondered whether he planned to become a taijutsu ninja who fought primarily with blades.

Araki told Kisame and Zabuza that he wanted to become a sword master and forge his own path rather than inherit one of Kirigakure’s famous ninja blades. The group arrived at Seven Grass Island and headed for Hell Valley, while Merchant Ninjas secretly planned to follow them and claim the Universal Mud.

• Araki rejected the idea of being known merely as a taijutsu ninja who used blades and declared that he wanted to become a great sword master.
• Kisame explained the origins and names of Kirigakure’s Seven Ninja Swords, and Zabuza decided he would someday claim Kubikiribōchō.
• Araki told Kisame that he would create his own legendary sword rather than inherit a ninja blade.
• Three days later, Bando led Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza ashore on Seven Grass Island, where they went straight toward Hell Valley.
• After the group left, the Merchant Ninjas discussed using them to test Hell Valley’s dangers and planned to follow behind in pursuit of the Universal Mud.

Araki, Zabuza, and Kisame investigated the poisonous gas eruptions in Hell Valley while seeking a way to collect Universal Mud. After Zabuza’s Water Clone failed to cross, Araki dodged an eruption himself and asked to stay and practice Hoho.

• Bando showed Araki, Zabuza, and Kisame the Universal Mud springs and explained that Hell Valley’s unpredictable toxic gas had driven off previous mining attempts.
• Kisame asked Araki and Zabuza to find a way through without his help.
• Zabuza sent a Water Clone across the hills, but widespread gas eruptions overwhelmed it and caused it to dissolve.
• Araki proposed using Kisame’s Water Release to neutralize the gas, then decided to test his own abilities instead.
• Araki used Grace of the Wind and Gale Palm to dodge the gas columns, returned safely, and asked Kisame to let them stay so he could practice Hoho.

Araki and Zabuza trained to dodge Hell Valley’s gas columns while collecting Universal Mud for Bando’s mission. After four days, they completed the task, but Merchant Ninja appeared and asked to buy the two buckets of mud.

• Araki persuaded Kisame to let him and Zabuza practice Hoho among Hell Valley’s dangerous gas columns, hoping to develop wind-sensing abilities.
• Araki dodged the gas while Zabuza repeatedly sent Water Clones into the hazards, and Bando waited as their training continued for several days.
• After four days, Araki could anticipate the gas columns through the wind and Zabuza could cross the gas forest by sprinting and stopping to dodge.
• Araki and Zabuza filled a wooden bucket each with Universal Mud, returned to Bando, and Kisame asked whether he needed an escort onward.
• Three Merchant Ninja approached, and their middle-aged leader asked Bando to sell them the two buckets of Universal Mud.

Kamizumi Bando refused to surrender the [Universal Mud], so Merchant Ninja Kenjiro plotted to steal it by luring the Red Beard Pirates after Bando’s ship. When the pirates attacked with Explosive Tag shells, Kisame defended the ship while Araki and Zabuza charged across the sea to fight them.

• Kamizumi Bando refused to hand over the [Universal Mud], and Zabuza and Araki recognized the Merchant Ninja’s warning as a threat.
• Kenjiro ordered Yuta to inform the Red Beard Pirates about Bando’s cargo while concealing that Mist Village ninja were aboard, then followed the ship to steal the mud during the fight.
• Araki resumed his training duels with Yasuo and was defeated again by Yasuo’s superior command of wind.
• Pirates attacked Bando’s ship with Explosive Tag shells, and Kisame blocked their first volley with Water Release while Araki scattered the spray with Wind Style.
• Kisame ordered Araki and Zabuza to attack the pirate ship as he stayed behind to defend the merchant vessel.
• Kisame shot down another volley of shells with Water Release, while the pirate captain ordered his first mate to bring up an Explosive Tag cannon against Araki and Zabuza.

Araki and Zabuza defeated the Red Beard Pirates, and Araki killed Captain Roger with his Wave-Severing Ring Cut. After Zabuza brought back a survivor, Araki persuaded Kisame to raid the pirates’ hideout after they delivered their client.

• Araki and Zabuza boarded the pirate ship after evading its Explosive Tag shells, and Araki challenged Captain Roger while Zabuza fought the crew in the mist.
• Captain Roger called in his pirates and threw Explosive Tag shells at Araki, but Araki cut down the attackers and disabled the shells with his Wave-Severing Ring Cut.
• Araki killed Captain Roger and told Zabuza to leave one pirate alive so they could learn where the hideout was.
• Zabuza returned with an unconscious survivor, and Araki proposed raiding the pirates’ hideout to claim their supplies and wealth.
• Kisame agreed to the raid but said they first needed to deliver their client.

Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza reached the pirates’ island and defeated its defenders. They found almost no cash, but discovered a thousand Explosive Tags worth roughly ten million ryo, leaving the group imagining how to spend their unexpected fortune.

• On the return journey, Araki and the others passed an unmanned Merchant Ninja ship without investigating, unaware its crew had sunk while trying to steal the Universal Mud.
• Zabuza kept a surviving pirate prisoner until Araki and Kisame returned, then forced him to sail toward the pirates’ hideout on Warship Island.
• Kisame used Water Release to propel the ship, and after reaching the island, Zabuza killed the prisoner once he confirmed their destination.
• Pirates attacked Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza with cannon fire, but Araki rushed the docks and killed the guards while reveling in his speed.
• The three searched the island’s largest building and found a thousand Explosive Tags, ordinary weapons, and very little cash.
• Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza realized the Explosive Tags were worth about ten million ryo and considered what they could buy with the haul.

Araki searched Mist Village for a chakra-conducting sword and bought one from the Hozuki Ninja Tool Shop. The shopkeeper revealed that the weapon had been intended as an eighth Mist Ninja Sword, and Araki learned it was called Wind Blade: Piercer.

• Araki visited a local ninja tool shop, but its owner had no swords made from Chakra Metal and directed him to the Hozuki Ninja Tool Shop.
• Araki asked Hozuki Muyue for a chakra-conducting longsword and assured him that he could afford one.
• Araki tested a grey-white longsword and found that it could channel his Wind-nature chakra into a powerful cutting edge.
• Araki sliced through the shop floor with the sword and judged its destructive power to be comparable to a B-rank ninjutsu.
• Hozuki Muyue said the sword had been intended as the village's eighth ninja sword, Wind Blade: Piercer, and hinted that it would cost extra.

Araki bought the Wind Blade: Piercer, renamed it the Wind Sword, and tested it against Yasuo in the Consciousness Space. Yasuo revealed a powerful wind-enhanced form and defeated Araki, who wondered how to learn more Wind-Slaying Sword Techniques.

• Araki paid Hozuki Muyue 5 million ryō for the Wind Blade: Piercer, using money Zabuza had lent him in exchange for swordsmanship guidance.
• Araki renamed the weapon the Wind Sword and challenged Yasuo in the Consciousness Space.
• Araki used the Wind Sword to block Yasuo’s attacks and countered his tornado with Whirlwind Slash, briefly catching up to him.
• Yasuo transformed under overwhelming wind pressure, dispelled Araki’s Grace of the Wind, and drove him back with powerful attacks.
• Yasuo predicted Araki’s Body Flicker Technique and struck him down with an emerald Wind Slash.
• Araki reviewed his sword skills, questioned how Wave-Severing Ring Cut had been categorized, and considered imitating Yasuo to learn more Wind-Slaying Sword Techniques.

During the squad’s week off, Araki advised Zabuza on developing his hearing or using his Ghostly Aura in swordsmanship, then sparred with Kisame using his new Wind Sword. Araki appeared to defeat Kisame, but Kisame revealed the apparent victory had been a trap involving a Water Prison and Water Clones.

• Kisame spent his mission earnings on B-rank Water Release techniques, while Zabuza asked Araki for swordsmanship advice.
• Araki suggested Zabuza develop his exceptional hearing toward sensory ninjutsu or incorporate his Ghostly Aura into his swordsmanship.
• Araki challenged Kisame to a sparring match and used Flying Water Shuriken to attack him through a Water Formation Wall.
• Kisame attacked Araki with Water Fang Bullets, escalating to ten streams, but Araki cut them apart with Nine-Headed Dragon Flash and reached Kisame.
• Araki rested his blade on Kisame’s shoulder, but Kisame revealed that he had turned into water and trapped Araki, while Water Clones emerged at a distance.

Araki sparred with Kisame at sea and was overwhelmed by Kisame’s Water Clones and repeated Water Release attacks. Afterward, Araki assessed his strengths and weaknesses, realizing he needed stronger long-range techniques.

• Kisame created ten Water Clones and bombarded Araki with Iron Gun and Water Bullet Barrage techniques.
• Araki escaped the clones’ encirclement by using his Wind Sword and swift footwork, but could not identify Kisame’s real body.
• Kisame used Heaven Weeping to reveal Araki’s movement, then struck him with nine Great Waterfall Techniques.
• Araki accepted the loss and judged that his speed and swordsmanship approached jonin level, while his ninjutsu, genjutsu, and long-range attacks remained weak.
• Araki realized his wind blades lost power at a distance and wished he could use techniques like Flying Slash.

Araki developed a compressed wind blade technique by adapting Wind Cutter, while Zabuza sought sensory ninjutsu to support his plan to hear the world around him. The chapter ended with Yagura urging Zabuza to create a sensory technique of his own after a specialist judged him to lack sensory talent.

• Kisame agreed to help Araki obtain Wind Cutter, and Araki analyzed its hand seals to identify how it shaped and compressed wind.
• Araki combined the technique with his Wind Sword to launch a crescent-shaped slash and named it Slash Wave: New Moon.
• Zabuza asked Karatachi Yagura for help learning sensory ninjutsu so he could pursue the Voice of All Things.
• Yagura took Zabuza to sensory ninja Chukichi, who found no conventional signs of sensory talent despite Zabuza's ability to hear heartbeats, breathing, and blood flow within about a hundred meters.
• Yagura encouraged Zabuza to develop a sensory ninjutsu of his own, and Zabuza vowed not to disappoint him.

Araki taught Ringo Ameyuri a lightning-fast draw-cut technique before joining Kisame and Zabuza on a mission to investigate sea monsters near the Land of the Sea. The team found evidence that Mysterious Island was the source of the attacks, while a researcher named Amachi fled to alert Orochimaru as enemies closed in on the squad.

• Ringo Ameyuri attacked Araki with Lightning Release swordsmanship, and Araki demonstrated Dragon Soaring Flash before agreeing to teach her the draw-cut technique.
• Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza traveled to the Land of the Sea to investigate sea monsters that attacked cargo and fishing boats.
• A fisherman told the team that the sea monsters appeared near Mysterious Island, where fish had vanished and explorers had gone missing.
• The Kisame Squad crossed the water to Mysterious Island and entered a cave they suspected was the enemy's base.
• Amachi ordered his subordinates to release failed experiments to delay the Kirigakure ninja, then left to notify Orochimaru.
• Zabuza sensed many approaching footsteps as Kisame prepared hand seals and Araki drew his sword for battle.

Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza invaded Orochimaru’s research base in the Land of the Sea and confronted Amachi, who became obsessed with Kisame’s body. Araki entered the laboratory to search for Amachi’s research, including the Umi-bozu, while Orochimaru remained the power behind the base.

• Zabuza questioned the grotesque human-fish monsters, and Kisame swept them away with a Great Waterfall Technique so the group could continue through the cave.
• Amachi contacted Orochimaru to report the intruders, then Kisame pinned him to a wall with his blade.
• Amachi called Kisame a perfect experimental subject and said he wanted to study him to create better Fishman soldiers.
• Zabuza mocked Amachi’s hidden master, and Amachi threatened the group while remaining pinned in place.
• Araki entered Amachi’s laboratory, recalling that Orochimaru’s base was developing the Heaven Curse Mark and that Amachi had created the water-bodied Umi-bozu.

After discovering that Orochimaru was behind Amachi’s base, Kisame’s squad tried to flee the Mysterious Island but was forced into battle. Kisame and Araki faced Orochimaru while Zabuza escaped to seek reinforcements, and Orochimaru launched another attack.

• Orochimaru learned that three Kirigakure ninjas had raided Amachi’s laboratory and traveled to the Mysterious Island.
• A giant python swallowed Amachi and attacked Kisame, Zabuza, and Araki, who escaped the cave with Araki’s help.
• Amachi told Orochimaru that Kisame might be valuable for experiments, and Kisame chose to retreat with his squad.
• Orochimaru blocked the squad’s escape with shuriken, so Kisame sent Zabuza away to summon reinforcements while he and Araki stayed behind.
• Araki struck at Orochimaru with a wind blade, and Kisame used multiple water walls to stop Orochimaru’s Lightning Water Dragon Bullet.
• Orochimaru summoned a python beneath Araki and Kisame, and both leaped clear as Araki swung another wind blade at it.

Araki and Kisame fought Orochimaru at sea, with Araki resisting Orochimaru’s killing-intent illusion and discovering a stronger connection to wind. They improvised a wind-and-water attack, but Orochimaru’s ninjutsu pierced through it, and giant snakes attacked them again.

• Orochimaru used snakes and a killing-intent illusion against Araki, who blocked Orochimaru’s blade and escaped with the Body Flicker Technique.
• Araki shrugged off Orochimaru’s illusion and taunted him, while Orochimaru grew more interested in him.
• Kisame and his Water Clones attacked Orochimaru with Water Release, but Orochimaru countered with a lightning-charged water technique.
• Araki urged Kisame to combine their wind and water attacks, and they launched the Gale Water Assault Technique at Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru’s attack pierced through their improvised combination, Kisame countered with a Water Gun Technique, and giant snakes lunged at both of them.

Araki and Kisame fought Orochimaru at sea until he withdrew, then regrouped with Zabuza and examined research scrolls taken from his laboratory. The scrolls revealed Konoha's plans for amphibious soldiers, leaving the three Kirigakure ninja expecting their discovery to raise tensions and possibly spark a new war.

• Araki and Kisame held off Orochimaru at sea, and Orochimaru retreated rather than risk a prolonged fight in Kirigakure's sphere of influence.
• Araki and Kisame decided to find Zabuza and report their encounter with Orochimaru and the secret experiments as an S-rank mission.
• Araki told Zabuza the mission rating might rise, then shared scrolls taken from the laboratory and explained what had happened.
• Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza read the scrolls and learned Konoha was researching biological modifications to create amphibious soldiers.
• Kisame and Araki reflected that Kirigakure would respond to Konoha's plans, and that conflict could escalate into a new Shinobi World War.

Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza returned to Mist Village with evidence that Konoha was creating amphibious soldiers, prompting the Third Mizukage to see the experiments as a threat to Mist. He upgraded their mission to S-rank and rewarded them with ninjutsu exchange privileges.

• Araki considered how to overcome enemy ninjutsu and discussed advanced nature transformations with Kisame and Zabuza.
• Kisame explained how unique properties of water and earth powered techniques such as Karatachi Yagura’s Water Mirror Technique and the Tsuchikage’s Light-Weight Rock Technique.
• Araki wondered whether Wind Style’s flowing nature could produce a regenerating wind dragon, but found no other useful information in the scroll.
• Kisame brought Araki and Zabuza to the Third Mizukage’s office and handed over evidence from Konoha’s secret base.
• The Third Mizukage concluded that Konoha’s amphibious soldiers could target Mist Village and ordered the Anbu to summon Karatachi Yagura.
• The Third Mizukage upgraded the mission to S-rank and granted Kisame an A-rank ninjutsu exchange privilege and Araki and Zabuza a B-rank privilege each.

The Third Mizukage decided Kirigakure must answer Konoha’s suspected threat by seeking an alliance with Kumogakure. Karatachi Yagura departed on the mission with Kisame Squad, leaving them free to meet Kumogakure’s challenges.

• Karatachi Yagura read the Third Mizukage’s report and discussed how Kirigakure should respond to Konoha.
• The Third Mizukage rejected both ignoring the threat and retaliating in secret, and chose to seek an ally against Konoha.
• Yagura argued that Kumogakure was the best choice and accepted an S-rank mission to establish contact there.
• After leaving the Mizukage’s office, Araki, Kisame, and Zabuza went to select ninjutsu, where Yagura praised Zabuza for uncovering the matter.
• Yagura invited Kisame Squad to accompany him to Kumogakure, and all three accepted.

Kisame, Araki, and Zabuza chose advanced techniques to prepare for their mission to Kumogakure, while Karatachi Yagura sought advice and support for the difficult diplomatic task. Yagura asked Hozuki Sengetsu to serve as his deputy, and Sengetsu asked what the mission was for.

• Kisame chose Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave and Water Dragon Biting Explosion, while Araki selected Rain Cutter and added its Dissolution training to his plan.
• Zabuza exchanged for Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique and Silent Killing Technique to improve his long-range attacks and stealth.
• Karatachi Yagura weighed the difficulty of convincing Kumogakure to oppose Konoha and decided to seek Hozuki Sengetsu's advice.
• Hozuki Mangetsu demonstrated Hiramekarei's power by blasting a huge crater into the ground, impressing Yagura.
• Karatachi Yagura asked Hozuki Sengetsu to be his deputy on the upcoming Kumogakure mission, and Sengetsu asked its purpose.

Karatachi Yagura and Hozuki Sengetsu devised a plan to invite Kumogakure to joint Chunin Exams and make other villages believe they had formed an alliance. Yagura recruited Kaguya Steel Bone for the exchange visit, then asked him to recommend a young genin skilled at persuasion.

• Hozuki Sengetsu rejected Yagura's idea of provoking the Third Raikage directly, warning that the Raikage could defeat them with his strength.
• Hozuki Sengetsu proposed inviting Kumogakure to joint Chunin Exams and taunting the Raikage into accepting if he refused.
• Yagura agreed that the joint exams could make Konoha wary, but Sengetsu warned him to choose genin who could win a possible match.
• Yagura decided to visit the Kaguya Clan compound and recruit one of its members for the trip to Kumogakure.
• Kaguya Steel Bone mistook the exchange visit for a chance to start a fight and claimed the Kaguya Clan excelled at persuasion.
• Yagura asked Steel Bone to recommend a genin around ten years old who was skilled at persuading people.

Karatachi Yagura asked Kaguya Steel Bone to recommend a strong young genin, and Steel Bone held a chaotic free-for-all to pick one. Yagura chose Kaguya Black Bone for the trip to the Cloud Village and planned to introduce him to his other teammates.

• Kaguya Steel Bone gathered five newly promoted genin and announced a no-rules tournament to determine the strongest.
• The five boys fought with weapons formed from their Shikotsumyaku while Yagura watched and asked which one was Steel Bone's grandson.
• Steel Bone identified the greatsword-wielding Kaguya Black Bone and explained that his precise chakra control strengthened his bone bullets.
• Yagura praised Black Bone and selected him for a spot on the trip to the Cloud Village.
• Steel Bone agreed to let Yagura take Black Bone, and Yagura planned to introduce him to his two teammates over the next few days.