Chapter Summaries

Kazuhiko demonstrated a tactical use of the Shuriken Manipulation Technique to Itachi and gained progress in Hidden Weapon Master. After recalling his failed advance on Kurenai, Kazuhiko headed to the Hokage Building to treat Tsunade's Hemophobia and prove his loyalty to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

• Kazuhiko recovered ahead of schedule and criticized Itachi's flashy Shuriken Manipulation Technique.
• Kazuhiko showed Itachi how to use staggered shuriken attacks to keep an opponent defending, then sent a missed shuriken back to hit its target from behind.
• Itachi recognized the tactical purpose of Kazuhiko's technique, while Kazuhiko gained 20% progress in Hidden Weapon Master.
• Kazuhiko recalled that Kurenai had stopped him from going further when she sobered up, then went to the Hokage Building to treat Tsunade's Hemophobia.

Kazuhiko set out with Kakashi to treat Tsunade and was asked by the Third Hokage to counsel Kakashi as well. On the way, Guy challenged Kakashi to rock, paper, scissors, giving Kazuhiko a chance to get closer to them.

• Kazuhiko met Kakashi, the Anbu escort assigned to protect him during the mission.
• The Third Hokage asked Kazuhiko to help Kakashi overcome his grief and isolation, and Kazuhiko agreed.
• Kazuhiko and Kakashi left the village, and Guy appeared to challenge Kakashi to a contest.
• Kakashi proposed rock, paper, scissors, and Guy accepted, promising to run five hundred laps around Konoha whether he won or lost.

Uchiha Kazuhiko praised Might Guy’s taijutsu and used the chance to build affinity with Guy and Kakashi before they set off on a mission. The trio headed to Ichiraku Ramen, where Teuchi recognized Kazuhiko and asked if he wanted his usual spicy ramen.

• Kazuhiko called Guy a taijutsu genius, and Guy became emotional and promised to do extra exercises to celebrate.
• Kazuhiko introduced himself to Guy and Kakashi, raising Kakashi’s affinity while sharing his interests and dream.
• Guy introduced himself and challenged Kakashi to their usual duel, which Kakashi won at rock-paper-scissors.
• Kazuhiko said he had not eaten breakfast, so Kakashi joined Guy and him on a trip to Ichiraku Ramen.
• Teuchi recognized Kazuhiko and asked whether he wanted Deluxe Fire Style Tonkotsu Spicy Ramen again.

Kazuhiko explained Guy’s training rules as a winning philosophy, earning Guy’s trust and prompting Kakashi to value their bond more deeply. As Kazuhiko and Kakashi left for a mission, Guy eagerly accepted Kazuhiko’s suggestion to train together, while Kakashi hoped it would keep Guy from bothering him.

• At the noodle shop, Guy explained that harsh rules turned every outcome into a victory through effort or training, and Kazuhiko praised his philosophy.
• Guy grew to trust Kazuhiko, and Kakashi remembered how Guy had stood by him through painful losses; both men’s affection for Kazuhiko increased.
• After the three finished their noodles, Guy paid and set off to run five hundred laps as Kazuhiko and Kakashi departed on their mission.
• Kazuhiko mentioned being curious about Guy’s family taijutsu training, and Guy tearfully hugged him and promised to train him hard.
• Kakashi realized that Kazuhiko training with Guy might leave Guy with less time to pester him.

Kakashi and Kazuhiko traveled toward Tanzaku Town to find Tsunade, stopping overnight so Kazuhiko could use his ten-pull Jonin draw. His entries granted him Storm Release, leaving him with his first Kekkei Genkai.

• Kakashi took a detour with Kazuhiko toward Tanzaku Town, where Tsunade and Shizune were staying.
• Kakashi and Kazuhiko rested beside a mountain stream after night fell, and Kazuhiko set up camp.
• Kazuhiko's draw converted several ninjutsu entries into chakra nature transformation entries, including perfect Lightning and Water transformations.
• Kazuhiko equipped the perfect Lightning and Water transformations, and Deep Blue fused them into the Storm Release Kekkei Genkai.

Kazuhiko mastered Storm Release, creating controllable black lightning, while Kakashi witnessed the display and realized Kazuhiko possessed an unknown Kekkei Genkai. Kazuhiko caught Kakashi spying and warned him to keep the secret from Konoha’s leadership, especially Danzo.

• Kakashi sensed Kazuhiko’s chakra surge and used his Sharingan to check the tent, astonished by the strength of the chakra and the black lightning.
• Kazuhiko concluded he had grasped Storm Release and learned that permanent mastery required perfect Lightning and Water transformations plus a set of techniques across four ranks.
• Kazuhiko considered using Chidori to master Lightning Release and studying Water Release techniques from the Uchiha clan archives after returning home.
• Kazuhiko noticed Kakashi watching him with his Sharingan and confronted him after leaving the tent.
• Kakashi admitted he had seen Kazuhiko’s black lightning, and Kazuhiko warned him not to reveal the secret to the Third Hokage or Danzo.

Kazuhiko revealed his self-created Storm Release to Kakashi and asked him to keep it out of his report to the Hokage. Kakashi promised to protect the secret and accepted Kazuhiko as a companion.

• Kakashi apologized for leaking information about Kazuhiko’s jutsu, and Kazuhiko asked him to keep the matter confidential.
• Kazuhiko demonstrated Storm Release, combining lightning and water chakra to cut through a tree and boulder.
• Kakashi learned that Kazuhiko had developed the Kekkei Genkai through training and experiments, and Kazuhiko said he preferred to earn recognition through Psychological Medicine.
• Kakashi promised not to report Kazuhiko’s Kekkei Genkai to the Hokage.
• Kazuhiko called Kakashi his companion, reminding him of Obito and Rin, and Kakashi promised to keep his word.

Kazuhiko and Kakashi searched Tanzaku Town for Tsunade and learned she owed at least a billion ryo in gambling debts. As they waited for Konoha intelligence to locate her, a Yugakure ninja recognized Kazuhiko and approached them.

• Kazuhiko questioned a gambler, who said Tsunade had lost at least forty million ryo in recent days and owed over a billion in total.
• The gambler said Tsunade had gone to the underground black market to seek work, but Kakashi explained that bounty jobs could not cover her debts.
• Kakashi and Kazuhiko waited for Konoha's informants to report Tsunade's movements.
• A man wearing a Yugakure Forehead Protector recognized Kazuhiko despite his disguise, and Kakashi suspected the man was a Root ninja who had followed them.

Kakashi and Kazuhiko learned that Tsunade was staying at Jade Spring Inn in Hot Spring Town and set out for the Land of Hot Water. A Root shinobi tried to recruit Kazuhiko on Danzō’s behalf, but Kazuhiko rejected the offer and left with Kakashi.

• A Root shinobi gave Kakashi detailed information and photographs showing that Tsunade and Shizune were staying at Jade Spring Inn in Hot Spring Town.
• Kakashi decided to travel with Kazuhiko to the Land of Hot Water to find Tsunade.
• The Root shinobi told Kazuhiko that Danzō wanted him to join Root and offered him experimental records attributed to Senju Tobirama.
• The Root shinobi promised research resources and test subjects, but Kazuhiko refused to join Root.
• The Root shinobi showed Kazuhiko photographs of him with Kurenai and her clinic assistant application, promising Danzō could remove obstacles between them, but Kazuhiko walked away with Kakashi.

Kazuhiko and Kakashi arrived in Hot Spring Town to help Tsunade overcome her Hemophobia, but Tsunade angrily rejected them and left. Kazuhiko stayed behind with Shizune to catch up, and her favorability toward him increased.

• Kakashi warned Kazuhiko that Danzo might take extreme measures after Kazuhiko refused to join Root, and Kazuhiko explained that Danzo may have learned he helped a Uchiha awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
• Kazuhiko and Kakashi reached Hot Spring Town and presented Tsunade with the Hokage's mission scroll offering help with her Hemophobia.
• Tsunade rejected the mission, insulted Kazuhiko's qualifications, and ordered him and Kakashi to leave.
• Shizune explained that Tsunade was upset because people had been collecting her debts and suggested they try again the next day.
• Kazuhiko stayed behind to catch up with Shizune, and she blushed as his attention increased her favorability toward him.

Kazuhiko and Shizune discussed how to treat Tsunade’s hemophobia, but Shizune doubted Tsunade would accept help. Kazuhiko reassured Shizune and promised to cure Tsunade and bring them both back to Konoha, while Shizune grew to trust him.

• Kazuhiko explained his plan to use genjutsu and psychological counseling to treat Tsunade, but he and Shizune agreed that her resistance made the mission difficult.
• Shizune suggested paying off Tsunade’s gambling debts, then admitted she knew no way to persuade Tsunade except bringing the dead back to life.
• Kazuhiko comforted Shizune, took her hand, and raised her favorability to Friendly, unlocking her exclusive trait card pool and a jonin trait draw chance.
• Kazuhiko implied that he had been waiting for Shizune and Tsunade to return to Konoha, and Shizune blushed but said they should abandon the mission if Tsunade refused treatment again.
• Kazuhiko vowed to cure Tsunade and bring Shizune and Tsunade home, raising Shizune’s favorability to Trust and earning another jonin trait draw chance.

Kazuhiko learned that treating Tsunade required either paying her gambling debts or lending her money, so he persuaded Kakashi to seek funds by earning money themselves. They traveled to Yugakure, where Kazuhiko found a mission to eliminate Jashin Cult followers that could provide a bloodthirsty target for Tsunade’s treatment.

• Kazuhiko told Kakashi that Shizune could get Tsunade to accept treatment if they paid off her gambling debts, and Kakashi explained that Tsunade owed hundreds of millions of ryō.
• Kazuhiko suggested earning money through the underground black market, and Kakashi submitted a report requesting approval to pursue the plan.
• After the Third Hokage approved Kakashi’s report, Kazuhiko and Kakashi traveled to Yugakure to look for high-paying work.
• Kakashi found a posting to exterminate Jashin Cult followers near Sulfur Mist Valley, and Kazuhiko chose the mission despite Kakashi’s concerns about its low reward.

Kazuhiko and Kakashi infiltrated Sulfur Mist Valley to eliminate Jashin Cultists, hoping the mission would help cure Tsunade's hemophobia and strengthen their position in Konoha. After finding a blood-soaked sacrificial altar and assessing the cultists, Kazuhiko claimed he would handle the kill.

• Kazuhiko and Kakashi detected two Genin in the fog, and Kazuhiko silently killed them with Storm Release-enhanced shuriken controlled by Chakra Threads.
• Deep Blue unlocked Akiyama and Taiseki's independent trait pools and granted Kazuhiko two Genin trait draw chances for the kills.
• Kazuhiko ordered Kakashi to disarm the traps and prepare a retreat route before they continued into the valley.
• Kazuhiko and Kakashi entered a cave and found Jashin Cultists sacrificing victims at a blood-covered altar.
• Kazuhiko counted five Chunin and seven Genin among the cultists, identified two weakened leaders near the altar, and said he would kill them himself.

Kazuhiko avenged the Jashin Cult’s victims by killing its followers with Sharingan genjutsu, but his brutal executions pleased Jashin and trapped him inside a crimson barrier. Kakashi could not break through, and the two remaining cult leaders prepared to attack Kazuhiko.

• Kakashi accepted Kazuhiko’s decision to make the Jashin Cultists suffer and promised to ensure nothing went wrong.
• Kazuhiko used genjutsu and precise attacks to kill the cultists around the altar, earning numerous trait draw chances.
• Jashin’s favor toward Kazuhiko increased, unlocking a God-Tier trait chance and granting him Death Controlling Blood.
• A crimson barrier blocked Kakashi from reaching Kazuhiko, while Jashin urged Kazuhiko to kill everyone.
• The two remaining ritual leaders recognized Kazuhiko inside the barrier and resolved to kill him for Jashin.

Kazuhiko discovered that the Jashin followers revived through the Crimson Barrier even after he killed and burned them, while Kakashi searched for a way to help him escape. Kazuhiko suspected Jashin wanted him to inflict greater suffering on the followers, but he remained wary of what Jashin might demand in return.

• Kazuhiko used Sharingan Genjutsu and Storm Release to kill the two Jashin followers, but their wounds healed as the Crimson Barrier revived them.
• Kazuhiko burned the followers and then cut off their heads, while Kakashi warned him to conserve chakra and suggested destroying the blood pool.
• Kazuhiko used Fire Release to scorch the blood pool, but the Crimson Barrier remained intact.
• Kazuhiko reasoned that his Hypnotic Illusion had made the ritual succeed by subjecting the followers to extreme pain before their sacrifice.
• The headless Jashin followers taunted Kazuhiko, claiming Jashin had blessed them and that he would suffer when his chakra ran out.

Kazuhiko defeated the Jashin followers at the altar and gained the gold-ranked negative trait Jashin Immortality, which granted him true immortality at the cost of bloodlust and human sacrifices. With the Crimson Barrier gone, he and Kakashi gathered the bodies and left to report back to Yugakure and claim their bounty.

• Kazuhiko trapped the two Jashin followers in a brutal genjutsu, then slit their throats while the Crimson Barrier allowed them to die.
• Kazuhiko earned four Jonin trait draw chances, and the fading barrier poured its energy into him as the negative gold trait Jashin Immortality.
• Kakashi checked that Kazuhiko was unharmed, then gathered the Jashin followers' bodies as evidence for the bounty.
• Kazuhiko closed the eyes of a young girl killed in the ritual and joined Kakashi in preparing to report the purge to Yugakure.

Kazuhiko argued with Yugakure over the Jashin cultists’ bounty, then discovered new trait-draw options and equipped the gold Jashin Immortality trait. As Jashin began speaking to him, Kazuhiko realized the god had noticed him.

• Kazuhiko tried to prove that five Jashin followers were Chunin-level, but Yugakure refused to pay more without official certification.
• Kazuhiko collected the bounty and returned to the inn with Kakashi, who quickly fell asleep while Kazuhiko relaxed in the hot spring.
• Kazuhiko inspected Deep Blue and found new God-Level and Six Paths trait-draw categories among its options.
• Kazuhiko equipped the gold Jashin Immortality trait and felt strange knowledge and blood-red runes appear throughout his mind and body.
• Kazuhiko sensed Jashin watching him, and Jashin urged him to kill those around him and seek suffering.

Kazuhiko began a Jashin ritual to gain power, but Deep Blue replaced his Jashin Immortality trait and restored his sanity before he could attack Kakashi. He returned to the hot spring, drew traits from Jashin followers, and ended with a Chunin ten-pull that included several sealing and blood-related traits.

• Kazuhiko cut his wrist and started a Jashin sacrifice ritual, deciding Kakashi would make a suitable offering.
• Remembering Deep Blue, Kazuhiko replaced Jashin Immortality and recognized the ritual's doctrines as insanity.
• Kazuhiko washed away the blood, returned to the hot spring, and resolved to focus on completing his mission and drawing Bloodthirsty traits.
• Kazuhiko used his Genin draws and selected Pain Desensitization, Confusion, and Inscription Technique from the results.
• After exhausting his remaining Genin draws, Kazuhiko made a Chunin ten-pull and received traits including Blood Curse Seal, Fanatic Bloodlust, Binding Sealing Technique, and Blood Sacrifice.

Kazuhiko tried to give Tsunade the Fanatic Bloodlust trait to help with her hemophobia, but she became furious when she caught him using his Sharingan to cheat at cards. He assigned her the trait during their struggle, leaving the treatment’s effect unconfirmed.

• Kazuhiko selected several traits, including Fanatic Bloodlust, and decided to save Blood Sacrifice for later.
• Kazuhiko, Kakashi, and Shizune found Tsunade gambling in a casino, where she blamed them for her losses and refused to discuss their mission.
• Kazuhiko sat beside Tsunade and used his Sharingan during a card game to provoke physical contact.
• Tsunade caught Kazuhiko cheating, threatened him, and unlocked an independent trait pool and a Kage Level trait draw opportunity for him.
• Kazuhiko grabbed Tsunade’s hand and assigned her Fanatic Bloodlust.

Kazuhiko won a gambling match against Tsunade and discovered that his Fanatic Bloodlust trait suppressed her hemophobia. Tsunade and Shizune realized she could face blood again, leaving Shizune hopeful that they could return to Konoha.

• Tsunade accused Kazuhiko of cheating, but he kept calling her bets without looking at his hole card.
• Kazuhiko raised the stakes until the other gamblers folded, then beat Tsunade and took her remaining money.
• Outside the casino, Kazuhiko deliberately exposed blood on his wrist, but Tsunade showed no fear and touched it.
• Tsunade realized her hemophobia had vanished, while Shizune remembered Kazuhiko's promise to cure her and take them home.
• Shizune's favorability toward Kazuhiko rose to Best Friend, and he received another Jonin trait draw opportunity.