Chapter Summaries

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.

The chapter explained how the Third Mizukage’s Bloody Mist policies restricted clan ninjas and maintained a balance with civilian ninjas, and why Zabuza’s slaughter threatened that balance. Karatachi Yagura brought Kaguya Black Bone into Kisame’s squad ahead of their mission to the Cloud Village, and Araki proposed a three-way spar to test the new team.

• The Third Mizukage limited clan ninja numbers by keeping clan children out of the academy and restricting their access to genin status and missions.
• Zabuza’s actions left only two academy graduates that year, disrupting the balance between civilian and clan ninjas and prompting the Third Mizukage to make concessions.
• Karatachi Yagura introduced Kaguya Black Bone as a new member of Kisame’s squad and ordered the team to prepare for possible combat in the Cloud Village.
• Yagura arranged three days of combat training with himself and Kisame before the squad departed for the Land of Lightning.
• Zabuza challenged Araki and Kaguya Black Bone to spar, and Araki suggested a three-way melee.

Zabuza challenged Kaguya Black Bone in a spar to prove he was no longer the weakest member of the team. Their fight escalated until Araki intervened, and the chapter ended with Black Bone barely harmed and ready to keep fighting.

• Kisame Hoshigaki and Karatachi Yagura agreed to the spar, and Zabuza covered the battlefield in mist with his Hidden Mist Technique.
• Zabuza ambushed Kaguya Black Bone, but Black Bone's awakened Shikotsumyaku bone membrane stopped the blade and his counterattack drove Zabuza back into hiding.
• Kaguya Black Bone fired Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets through the mist, found Zabuza's Water Clone, and was struck from behind by the real Zabuza.
• Araki blew away the mist, prompting Zabuza to use his Great Waterfall Technique to sweep Black Bone away before Black Bone could attack him.
• Araki split the water with Slash Wave: New Moon, but Black Bone's bone membrane protected him from the torrent, so Araki ordered both fighters to stop.

Araki easily defeated Kaguya Black Bone in a one-on-one fight, teaching him that speed and adaptability mattered as much as strength. Impressed by Araki, Black Bone declared him his big brother and promised to follow his lead.

• Zabuza watched as Kaguya Black Bone insisted on fighting Araki alone, while Araki welcomed the challenge.
• Araki dodged Black Bone’s heavy attacks and used Wind Style to cut nearly through his bone blade, astonishing Zabuza.
• Yagura reassured Zabuza about water’s strengths, while Kisame explained that Araki had developed a Wind Style Body Flicker Technique.
• Araki exploited Black Bone’s forward momentum and defeated him, showing that his bone membrane could not stop Araki’s slash.
• Black Bone recovered, bowed to Araki, and declared him his big brother, explaining that he followed anyone strong enough to convince him.

The Third Raikage agreed to Kirigakure’s genin exchange visit and decided to use it as a chance to showcase Kumogakure’s young talent against Zabuza Momochi. Karatachi Yagura and five companions set sail for the Land of Lightning while the Third Mizukage ordered a village-wide search for spies.

• The Third Raikage trained A and Killer B, then received Kirigakure’s request for a genin exchange from Dodai.
• Dodai told the Third Raikage about Zabuza Momochi killing more than a hundred students, and the Raikage welcomed the chance to test the Mist Village’s Demon.
• The Third Mizukage saw off Karatachi Yagura, Hozuki Sengetsu, Kisame Hoshigaki, Zabuza Momochi, Araki, and Kaguya Black Bone as they boarded a ship for the Land of Lightning.
• The Third Mizukage ordered the Anbu and sensory ninjas to patrol Kirigakure and find suspicious contacts and hidden spies.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Konoha’s leaders responded to news that Kirigakure had sent envoys to Cloud Village by ordering intelligence gathering instead of provoking a conflict. Danzo secretly sent the Shrine Maiden to investigate and sabotage the exchange if necessary, while Orochimaru focused on his Cursed Seal research and questioned why Sage Mode failures had different outcomes.

• An Anbu ninja delivered Yoshi Kumade’s report that Kirigakure had sent envoys to Cloud Village, and Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned the advisors and Orochimaru.
• Shimura Danzo urged Konoha to provoke a border conflict, but Sarutobi rejected the plan and chose Orochimaru’s proposal to gather intelligence from the Land of Lightning.
• Danzo ordered a Root subordinate to send the Shrine Maiden a message directing her to investigate the talks and sabotage them if needed.
• Orochimaru considered his research into Tenbin Jugo and the Cursed Seal while comparing the risks of Sage Mode at Ryūchi Cave and Mount Myōboku.
• Orochimaru wondered why failed Sage Mode training at Mount Myōboku turned practitioners into stone frogs while failure at Ryūchi Cave turned them into mindless snakes.

Orochimaru investigated natural energy and began experimenting with Jugo’s cells to develop a Sage Mode of his own, while arranging to establish a new laboratory at the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools. On the voyage north, Araki continued fighting Yasuo in the Consciousness Space and revealed his newly developed Wind Clone Technique.

• Orochimaru reasoned that Senju Hashirama’s Sage Mode might have been developed independently and began studying how natural energy affected the body.
• Orochimaru injected a diluted solution of Jugo’s cells into a test subject, then ordered Amachi to find more subjects and prepare a laboratory at the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools.
• Karatachi Yagura and Zabuza discussed the ship’s arrival and noticed that Araki remained in his cabin.
• Araki fought Yasuo in the Consciousness Space, matching his normal techniques and demanding to face his ultimate move again.
• Araki used his new Wind Style: Clone Technique to create two clones and attack Yasuo from both sides.

Araki discovered that the Wind Sword had a hidden weakness after it broke during his duel with Yasuo, and Hozuki Sengetsu explained that Tobirama Senju had damaged it long ago. The sword could be repaired by reforging it with the core of the Sword of the Thunder God, leaving Araki with a difficult solution to pursue.

• Araki used a feint and a high-speed thrust to attack Yasuo, but Yasuo countered with Wind Slash and wounded him before the Wind Sword snapped.
• Araki returned from the Consciousness Space and inspected the Wind Sword, then decided to ask Hozuki Sengetsu about its weakness.
• Araki found Hozuki Sengetsu relaxing on deck with Karatachi Yagura and the others and asked him about the sword.
• Hozuki Sengetsu revealed that Tobirama Senju had severed the sword's tip during the First Shinobi World War, leaving its repaired section fragile.
• Hozuki Sengetsu said that fusing the core of the Sword of the Thunder God into the Wind Sword could let the clan reforge it as a stronger Wind-Thunder Sword.

Araki discussed obtaining the Sword of the Thunder God and asked Hozuki Sengetsu about having the Hozuki Clan reforge it. The Mist Village delegation arrived in the Land of Lightning, where A welcomed them and mistakenly identified Kaguya Black Bone as Zabuza before meeting the real Zabuza.

• Araki asked Hozuki Sengetsu to have the Hozuki Clan's swordsmiths reforge the Sword of the Thunder God if he obtained it, and Sengetsu agreed.
• Karatachi Yagura led the Mist Village delegation off their transport and met A, whom the Third Raikage had sent to welcome them.
• A examined the delegation and mistook Kaguya Black Bone for Zabuza Momochi, then remarked that the real Zabuza did not look very fierce.
• Karatachi Yagura broke the awkward silence and the delegation followed A toward Kumogakure.
• A instructed two accompanying Kumogakure shinobi to observe Zabuza and assess his strength.

Zabuza and the Kirigakure delegation climbed Mount Unrai to reach Cloud Village, where A’s companions secretly assessed them along the way. The Third Raikage’s group reviewed the conflicting reports and concluded that Zabuza was hiding terrifying strength.

• Zabuza sensed that two Kumogakure chunin were openly recording intelligence about him as A led the delegation up Mount Unrai.
• A deliberately increased the pace through the thin mountain air to tire the Kirigakure ninja and help Cloud Village assess their physical condition.
• Araki admired Cloud Village’s high, mountainous setting and reflected on how the great nations’ terrain shaped their defenses.
• A delayed the meeting with the Raikage until the next day, while the Third Raikage, A, and Dodai gathered to examine the intelligence collected.
• A reported that Karatachi Yagura, Hozuki Sengetsu, and Kisame Hoshigaki led the Kirigakure delegation, with Zabuza Momochi, Araki, and Kaguya Black Bone among the genin.
• The Kumogakure leaders compared the chunin’s reports and decided Zabuza had concealed his true, sinister power from ordinary observation.

The Third Raikage and Dodai planned Kumogakure’s match against Kirigakure, deciding on a king-of-the-hill format so Darui could fight multiple opponents. At the inn, Araki, Zabuza, and Kaguya Black Bone discussed the coming battle, and Zabuza agreed to teach Black Bone his muscle-relaxation technique.

• Dodai identified Toroi, Samui, and Darui as Kumogakure’s strongest genin options and described their abilities.
• Dodai suggested conceding a match, but A and the Third Raikage insisted that Kumogakure never backed down.
• Dodai proposed a king-of-the-hill format that would let a victor stay and face the next opponent, and the Third Raikage approved it.
• At the inn, Kaguya Black Bone complained about his sore legs while Araki and Zabuza remained unbothered.
• Kaguya Black Bone asked Zabuza to massage his legs, and Zabuza instead offered to teach him the technique.