Recaps

Lin Qing survived Mu’s Dust Release, tracked Orochimaru to his underground base, and moved to kill him. Just as Itachi Uchiha declared the battle over, Lin Qing appeared trapped in his genjutsu, leaving Orochimaru’s fate unresolved.

• Lin Qing used Natural Energy to overcome Mu’s Dust Release and struck Mu with the Blade of Ruin.
• Whitesnake removed the discs sustaining Mu and traced the Impure World Reincarnation connection to Orochimaru’s underground base.
• Lin Qing exposed the base, knocked Orochimaru unconscious, and used Whitesnake to extract his memory and jutsu discs.
• Lin Qing prepared to kill Orochimaru, but Itachi Uchiha, Deidara, and Konan arrived, and Itachi placed Lin Qing in a genjutsu.
• Itachi Uchiha approached Lin Qing, confident that the genjutsu could not be broken.

Lin Qing defeated Itachi Uchiha’s ambush, rejected Konan’s offer to join the Akatsuki, and killed Orochimaru. With Orochimaru dead and the Akatsuki members preparing to attack, Lin Qing faced a new fight.

• Lin Qing used Whitesnake’s illusion to make Itachi Uchiha waste his Substitution Technique, then struck him with the Blade of Ruin and broke his arm.
• Konan explained that the Akatsuki wanted Lin Qing to join them and spare Orochimaru, but Lin Qing rejected the offer.
• Lin Qing killed Orochimaru with Star Platinum, and Orochimaru died pleading for his life.
• Lin Qing received 600 Soul Shards and took Orochimaru’s two discs.
• Konan ordered Deidara and Itachi Uchiha to attack Lin Qing.

Lin Qing fought Deidara, Konan, and Itachi Uchiha after they attacked him, and Itachi used Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi to try to kill him. Lin Qing regenerated his severed arm and underwent a genetic ascension, ending with Star Platinum restraining Konan while Whitesnake moved to take her DISC.

• Deidara and Konan attacked Lin Qing while Itachi Uchiha watched and decided Sasuke would have a better chance of surviving if Lin Qing died.
• Itachi Uchiha struck Lin Qing with Amaterasu, and Lin Qing severed his burning arm to stop the flames from spreading.
• Itachi Uchiha used Tsukuyomi to distract Lin Qing while Konan and Deidara launched a coordinated attack.
• Lin Qing regenerated his arm and drew on Ripple, Natural Energy, the Dragon Snake Treasure Orb, and Orochimaru's knowledge to begin his genetic ascension.
• Konan transformed into paper butterflies, but Star Platinum gathered them and forced her back into human form as Whitesnake resisted Itachi Uchiha's genjutsu.
• Lin Qing summoned Star Platinum and Whitesnake at the same time; Star Platinum seized Konan while Whitesnake prepared to take her DISC.

Deidara suspected Itachi was a spy after Konan was captured, then fled as Lin Qing drove Itachi away. Lin Qing left with Konan, who woke in a forest and discovered she felt compelled to obey him.

• Deidara concluded Itachi had betrayed them, rejected his order to drop his clay bombs, and escaped on his clay bird.
• Itachi failed to summon Susanoo, retreated from Lin Qing by dispersing into crows, and left the battlefield silent.
• Lin Qing kept Konan captive, asked Kabuto Yakushi for tea, and declared that anyone seeking revenge for Orochimaru could challenge him; no one stepped forward.
• Lin Qing carried Konan away from the battlefield, and she later woke beside his campfire in an unfamiliar forest.
• Konan began forming Hand Seals to escape but stopped when an urge compelled her to stay with Lin Qing and obey him.

Lin Qing kept Konan with him, hoping that what she experienced would make her reconsider her path and help him reach Nagato. After upgrading his Stands, he told Konan that their first stop was Konoha, where he planned to rescue someone.

• Lin Qing told Konan that he wanted her to become a bridge between him and Nagato, and explained that he opposed the suffering caused by the world's rules.
• Konan questioned Lin Qing's goals, then ate the rabbit and asked where he planned to take her.
• Lin Qing used 2,000 Soul Shards to upgrade Star Platinum to level four and 400 to upgrade Whitesnake to level two.
• Lin Qing told Konan that he was going to Konoha to rescue someone, and said Konoha's people were the ones who should be afraid.

Lin Qing returned to Konoha by flying through the storm on the Blade of Ruin, bringing the captured Konan with him. As Kakashi escorted them to Jiraiya and Sasuke, Danzo prepared to target Lin Qing after he rescued the boy.

• Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Might Guy waited at Konoha’s gates under orders to receive and monitor Lin Qing.
• Lin Qing arrived atop the Blade of Ruin, splitting the clouds, while Konan dangled beneath him bound by Purple Vines.
• Lin Qing landed at the gate, gave Konan warm tea, and told Kakashi he had returned to find Jiraiya.
• Kakashi said Jiraiya had stayed beside Sasuke for twelve days and led Lin Qing and Konan through Konoha under guard.
• At the Root base, Danzo told a masked Root shinobi to wait until Lin Qing rescued Sasuke before making a move against him.

Lin Qing removed Sasuke’s Heaven Cursed Seal, and Sasuke briefly displayed an ability that seemed to nullify ninjutsu. After celebrating Sasuke’s recovery with Jiraiya and the others, Lin Qing decided to visit the Uchiha Clan ruins before leaving Konoha.

• Lin Qing extracted Sasuke’s Heaven Cursed Seal and discovered a strange three-Tomoe mark on his forehead.
• Sasuke’s gaze disrupted Jiraiya’s Clone Technique, suggesting he could nullify ninjutsu, but Lin Qing and Konan agreed to keep the ability secret.
• Sasuke woke in Konoha, and Lin Qing joked that the village planned to make him father the next generation of Uchiha before handing him clothes.
• Jiraiya hosted Lin Qing, Sasuke, Kakashi, Asuma, Might Guy, and Kurenai Yuhi at an izakaya to celebrate Sasuke’s recovery and Lin Qing’s return.
• Lin Qing thanked Kakashi for taking responsibility during the night of the massacre, then said he wanted to visit the Uchiha Clan ruins as rain began to fall.

Lin Qing explained that killing individual enemies could not change the world’s underlying rules, then confronted Danzo in the Uchiha Ruins. Danzo offered to help Lin Qing become Hokage, leaving Lin Qing facing an irresistible-sounding bargain.

• Sasuke said he wanted to kill Danzo and Itachi with his own hands, and told Lin Qing that killing Danzo would not accomplish much.
• Lin Qing concluded that killing people and changing events could not alter the worldline while the world’s rules remained unchanged.
• Lin Qing struck open the doors of a pavilion with raindrops, revealing Danzo waiting inside.
• Danzo invited Lin Qing to return to Konoha and serve the village, despite being accused of masterminding the Uchiha massacre.
• Danzo revealed his Sharingan and promised to help Lin Qing climb to the top and become Hokage.

Danzo tried to recruit Lin Qing to help him take control of Konoha and unify the Ninja World, using Kotoamatsukami to influence his decision. Lin Qing resisted the genjutsu and attacked Danzo, who escaped and summoned nearly a hundred Root members to kill him.

• Danzo offered to make Lin Qing the next Hokage and proposed that they work together to unify the Ninja World.
• Danzo used Shisui's Kotoamatsukami to push Lin Qing toward accepting, while Konan considered the appeal of his plan.
• Lin Qing pretended to accept, then used a Ripple-charged toothpick to pierce the eye casting the genjutsu.
• Whitesnake pinned Danzo and pulled two discs from him, but Danzo and the discs vanished as Danzo reappeared nearby.
• Lin Qing explained how he had recognized Kotoamatsukami and why he rejected Danzo's vision of unifying the world.
• Danzo unwrapped his right arm as nearly a hundred Root members emerged and attacked Lin Qing with kunai and shuriken.

Danzo trapped Lin Qing and his companions inside a barrier and unleashed a massive combination ninjutsu designed to kill him. As the Fire Dragon Storm closed in and escape failed, Lin Qing raised a hand and stopped the storm along with the rain.

• Lin Qing used Star Platinum to repel Danzo's Root shinobi and send several of them crashing to the ground.
• Danzo sealed the Uchiha Ruins behind a barrier, while Root shinobi prevented Kakashi, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, and Asuma from leaving for help.
• Danzo's shinobi combined wind, fire, earth, and water techniques into a huge Super Fire Dragon Storm aimed at Lin Qing, Konan, and Sasuke.
• Konan tried to escape with Sasuke, and Kakashi charged toward Lin Qing, but the storm's heat and wind stopped them.
• Sasuke reassured Konan that Lin Qing was invincible, and Lin Qing raised his hand as the rain and Fire Dragon Storm stopped.

Lin Qing used Catch the Rainbow to defeat Danzo and questioned him about the Uchiha Clan massacre. Danzo admitted he ordered it, then Lin Qing killed him and left with Sasuke and Konan as Sarutobi Hiruzen challenged him.

• Lin Qing used the rain to stop the Fire Dragon Storm and then attacked the Root shinobi, sparing them while pursuing Danzo.
• Danzo repeatedly used Izanagi to escape Lin Qing's attacks, but his Root subordinates could not keep the rain from reaching him.
• After Danzo's final Sharingan closed, Lin Qing confronted him, and Jiraiya and Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived as others urged Lin Qing not to kill him.
• Lin Qing asked whether Danzo had ordered Itachi Uchiha to kill the Uchiha Clan, and Danzo admitted that he had, claiming he acted for peace.
• Lin Qing left with Sasuke and Konan after Danzo died, while Sarutobi Hiruzen warned him that he could not simply walk away after killing a member of the Konoha High Command.

Lin Qing killed Danzo, then confronted Sarutobi Hiruzen, who felt obliged to stop him as Hokage. Lin Qing spared the people present and left after demonstrating his power, while Konan reflected on Hiruzen’s hesitation and reconsidered Lin Qing.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen acknowledged Danzo’s crimes but prepared to fight Lin Qing because Danzo had been a Konoha leader.
• Lin Qing immobilized Jiraiya and the others with rain as Sarutobi Hiruzen and Might Guy prepared to battle him.
• Lin Qing asked whether Sarutobi Hiruzen had chosen a successor, returned the Hokage robe to him, and said Konoha had both darkness and people worth protecting.
• Lin Qing summoned a destructive storm that pulverized the Uchiha Ruins while carefully avoiding everyone, then left after calling it his explanation to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
• Asuma told Kurenai Yuhi that he wanted to drink with Lin Qing again, while Kurenai questioned whether Lin Qing was truly their enemy.
• After the rain cleared, Konan told Sasuke that Sarutobi Hiruzen was too slow to act and wondered whether Lin Qing was different.

Lin Qing returned to his followers and asked them to join him on a dangerous path to build Hope Village, then led them back to the Land of Water to support Mei Terumi’s plan against Yagura. The chapter ended with Pain confronting Itachi Uchiha at the Akatsuki base about the meaning of “spy.”

• Lin Qing, Sasuke, and Konan arrived at the border town, where Xiaotao reunited with Sasuke and Mayuri and Amber welcomed Lin Qing.
• Lin Qing told the gathered followers that his plan to build a village could cost them their lives, but offered them the chance to stay behind as ordinary civilians.
• Amber and the others chose to follow Lin Qing, who announced that they would return to the Land of Water.
• Lin Qing explained that Mei Terumi had asked him to help overthrow Yagura, which could give her faction the power to grant him land for Hope Village.
• Hayato Kamihara agreed to help Lin Qing after hearing that his cause would continue even if Lin Qing died, and the group set out for the Land of Water.
• At the Akatsuki base, Pain asked Itachi Uchiha to explain what “spy” meant.

Pain suspected Itachi Uchiha of betraying the Akatsuki, but Obito intervened and offered to retrieve Konan from Lin Qing. Meanwhile, Lin Qing reached the Land of Water with Konan and his team, then traveled to Snowfall Village to collect swords for Sasuke and Xiaotao.

• Deidara accused Itachi Uchiha of helping Lin Qing capture Konan, and Pain threatened to kill Itachi as a spy.
• Obito appeared, vouched for Itachi Uchiha, and offered to kill Lin Qing and rescue Konan; Pain insisted on going with him.
• Lin Qing landed in the Land of Water with Sasuke, Xiaotao, Mayuri, and captive Konan, while Hayato Kamihara and Amber stayed at sea.
• Lin Qing decided to detour to Snowfall Village to collect the swords he had commissioned for Sasuke and Xiaotao.
• The Blade Master welcomed Lin Qing and brought out two wooden cases containing the finished swords.

Sasuke and Xiaotao received custom weapons from Blade Master before Lin Qing’s group reached Kirigakure and discovered its graduation ceremony forced children to kill each other for public entertainment. Lin Qing met Mei Terumi, who led him away as they prepared to act against the village.

• Blade Master gave Xiaotao a weapon that shifted between a staff, whip, and serrated sword, and gave Sasuke an unsharpened katana meant to leave him room to reconsider his choices.
• Lin Qing and his companions traveled to Kirigakure and noticed the contrast between visiting tourists and the village’s resentful, numb locals.
• An Information Boy explained that Kirigakure’s graduation ceremony paired Ninja Academy students in fights where only one child survived, while tourists gambled on the matches.
• Konan was shaken by Kirigakure’s bloody customs, and Lin Qing told her they needed to wake the village up.
• Mei Terumi greeted Lin Qing and led him away after he asked when they would make their move.

Lin Qing and Mei Terumi discussed how Yagura’s policies and the profits they generated had bound Kirigakure’s Loyalist Faction to him. Mei planned to act at the graduation ceremony, and after Lin Qing warned her that the Daimyo and the Akatsuki might intervene, she committed to fighting anyone who stood in the way; Lin Qing then asked for land, people, and a promise in return for his help.

• Mei Terumi explained that Yagura’s policies included intelligence booklets, human trafficking, and Kabukicho, whose profits helped keep his subordinates loyal.
• Mei Terumi said Yagura was under a genjutsu, but Sasuke pointed out that exposing it could provoke the Loyalist Faction before the genjutsu could be broken.
• Mei Terumi revealed her plan to act during the graduation ceremony, when the Daimyo would be present to deter the Loyalist Faction.
• Lin Qing warned that the Daimyo might support the Loyalist Faction and that the Akatsuki’s Masked Man could intervene to protect the genjutsu.
• Mei Terumi declared that she would kill anyone who obstructed Kirigakure’s liberation, and Lin Qing agreed to help after she reaffirmed her resolve.
• Lin Qing asked Mei Terumi for land, people, and a promise as payment.

Lin Qing secured Mei Terumi’s support for land and urged her to become Mizukage, then weighed how to fight Yagura and his forces. After Zabuza tested him at the hot spring, Lin Qing realized he needed 190 more Soul Shards to raise Star Platinum to its maximum and eyed Zabuza as a possible source.

• Lin Qing asked Mei Terumi to become Mizukage after Yagura fell, and she agreed to grant him land but hesitated over the position.
• Konan questioned Lin Qing’s motives for helping Mei Terumi, and he asked whether she wanted the Masked Man to stop the changes in Kirigakure.
• Zabuza confronted Lin Qing in the hot spring, but Lin Qing used Star Platinum to throw Zabuza and Sasuke into the pool.
• Zabuza warned Lin Qing to stay out of Kirigakure’s internal conflict, while Lin Qing considered how to fight Yagura as a Perfect Jinchuriki.
• Lin Qing calculated that he needed 190 more Soul Shards to level Star Platinum and smiled at Zabuza as a potential target.

After Star Platinum reached its maximum level, Lin Qing discovered that it could briefly approach Time Stop but still lacked a catalyst to unlock the ability. As Kirigakure prepared for the graduation ceremony and Water Shadow contest, Lin Qing wondered whether changing the course of the world would unlock a new system draw option, then investigated a possible fight in the mist.

• Konan asked Lin Qing what troubled him, and he demonstrated Star Platinum's brief ability to make the world seem frozen.
• Lin Qing reasoned that changing the course of the world might unlock a catalyst for Star Platinum's Time Stop and a Special Draw option.
• Over the next two days, Kirigakure filled with visitors, gamblers, and people seeking to sabotage favored contestants.
• The Feudal Lord of the Land of Water arrived in Kirigakure, while Aero Smith surveyed the village and mapped the battlefield.
• Aero Smith detected two figures apparently fighting to the death, and Lin Qing followed the signal.

Lin Qing interrupted Chojuro and Ryuna’s farewell duel, saved Ryuna, and set out to confront Gato in Kirigakure. Obito and Pain watched him, then prepared to block Kirigakure’s escape route before carrying out their plan.

• Chojuro overpowered Ryuna in their graduation duel but could not bring himself to kill her, and a Gato subordinate arrived to force the outcome.
• Lin Qing swiftly incapacitated the subordinate, learned from his memories that Gato was in Kirigakure, and killed him.
• Lin Qing healed Ryuna and urged her and Chojuro to go home and keep living, so they left together.
• Lin Qing headed toward Kabukicho to find Gato while sensing that someone was watching him.
• Obito drew the curtains to hide from Lin Qing, and he and Pain decided to cut off Kirigakure’s escape route before acting.

Obito and Pain confronted Hozuki Mangetsu at Elder Genji’s residence, while Lin Qing killed Gato and discovered his plan to distribute drugs throughout the Land of Water. After paying the courtesan Iwao Genyako, Lin Qing learned that people were converging in Kirigakure’s heart and rushed toward them.

• Obito told Pain that Genji had supported people relying on him as a fallback plan, then entered the elder’s courtyard with Pain.
• Hozuki Mangetsu confronted Obito and Pain and raised the alarm.
• Lin Qing killed Gato and took his Memory Disc, learning that Gato and the Feudal Lord of the Land of Water planned to mix addictive drugs into the country’s salt.
• Lin Qing left money for the courtesan, who introduced herself as Iwao Genyako and invited him to visit again.
• Aerosmith detected people converging in Kirigakure’s heart, so Lin Qing caught the falling Blade of Ruin and raced toward them.

Yagura and the Loyalist Faction turned on Mei Terumi’s Reformist Faction, with the Daimyo of the Land of Water openly backing Yagura. Just as Mei’s side faced defeat, Lin Qing and his allies arrived to fight.

• Yagura killed Elder Genji and the Loyalist Faction attacked Mei Terumi, Zabuza, and Ao.
• The Daimyo of the Land of Water ordered his samurai to kill Mei’s group, revealing he had sided with Yagura.
• Yagura launched a Water Release attack as the Loyalists and samurai surrounded the Reformists.
• Lin Qing’s Blade of Ruin cut through Yagura’s attack and knocked the Daimyo from his palanquin.
• Lin Qing, Sasuke, Xiaotao, Mayuri, and Zabuza prepared to fight, and Lin Qing told Mei to remember her promise.

Lin Qing and the Reformist Faction fought Yagura’s Loyalist Faction as Yagura entered Tailed Beast Transformation and attacked Lin Qing. Lin Qing overwhelmed him and forced his Tailed Beast Bomb back into his mouth, but the Masked Man and Pain appeared behind him and launched a surprise attack.

• Lin Qing led the Reformist Faction into battle while Mayuri, Sasuke, and Xiaotao fought the Loyalist Faction shinobi.
• Yagura transformed into Isobu’s crimson Tailed Beast Shroud and charged Lin Qing with claws, a tail strike, and a Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Lin Qing used Star Platinum to batter Yagura’s attack aside and caught the point-blank Tailed Beast Bomb with one hand.
• Lin Qing punched Yagura and shoved the Tailed Beast Bomb back into his mouth, prompting the Reformist Faction to celebrate.
• The Masked Man and Pain appeared behind Lin Qing and attacked him.

Lin Qing fought Obito and Pain as they tried to kill him with a coordinated attack, but Sasuke erased their ninjutsu at the crucial moment. Lin Qing then split Isobu and Yagura in two and turned to face Obito and Pain.

• Lin Qing hurled Yagura at Obito, tested Obito’s intangibility with Aero Smith, and attacked Pain, but Pain’s Shinra Tensei and Asura Path’s missiles drove him back.
• Yagura transformed fully into the Three-Tails, Isobu, while Obito and Pain concluded they had seen all of Lin Qing’s abilities.
• Pain trapped Lin Qing with Banshō Ten’in as Isobu, Asura Path, and Obito prepared a Tailed Beast Bomb, missiles, and Majestic Destroyer Flame.
• Mei Terumi, Zabuza, and Mayuri tried to protect Lin Qing, but Sasuke erased the three incoming ninjutsu for an instant.
• Lin Qing used the opening to slash through Isobu’s shell and kill Yagura, then faced Obito and Pain.

Lin Qing fought Obito and Pain after killing Yagura, condemning Obito’s justification for Kirigakure’s atrocities and pressing his attack. Pain activated Planetary Devastation, leaving Lin Qing caught by its sphere.

• Lin Qing sensed the spirits of Kirigakure’s wrongfully dead and vowed to kill Obito and Pain.
• Obito blamed Kirigakure for Rin’s death, but Lin Qing called him a petty nobody and attacked him.
• Lin Qing used Star Platinum and Aero Smith to counter Pain’s Shinra Tensei and strike at the Paths of Pain.
• Whitesnake tried to steal Pain’s discs, but Asura Path’s flames drove it away before Aero Smith blasted Asura Path and Deva Path.
• Star Platinum kept Obito under relentless attack, forcing him to maintain his intangibility as its time limit ran down.
• Pain emerged from underground, attached a black sphere to Lin Qing’s chest, and activated Planetary Devastation.

Lin Qing escaped Obito’s Planetary Devastation and, with Sasuke’s Ninjutsu Nullification and Star Platinum’s time stop, nearly killed Obito, who fled using Izanagi. After Lin Qing challenged Pain’s reasoning, Pain began to leave with Konan, but Konan chose to stay.

• Obito trapped Lin Qing inside Planetary Devastation while Sasuke fought the Asura Path, and Kirigakure’s defenders lost hope.
• Sasuke revealed he had saved his Ninjutsu Nullification for Obito as Lin Qing punched his way out of the stone sphere.
• Sasuke’s nullification and Star Platinum’s time stop overlapped, letting Lin Qing strike Obito, but Obito escaped with Izanagi and Space-Time Ninjutsu.
• Pain restored the Asura Path and explained that he believed suffering could bring happiness to a small handful of people.
• Lin Qing questioned Pain’s belief and lifted his command over Konan, who then refused to leave with Pain.