Chapter Summaries

Duodelunchang, Mirai, and Dongfang Chuan ambushed thieves returning with kidnapped civilians and fought to stop them from escaping. Duodelunchang reassured the rescued captives, while Dongfang Chuan was still confronting two opponents.

• Duodelunchang sent Mirai and Dongfang Chuan to scout for thieves returning with kidnapped people.
• Mirai and Dongfang Chuan found a group of thieves escorting more than a dozen young captives and reported back to Duodelunchang.
• Duodelunchang decided to kill the thieves, then attacked while Mirai and Dongfang Chuan blocked their escape routes.
• Mirai defeated two thieves who charged him, while Duodelunchang noticed that two others had slipped past them and Dongfang Chuan faced two enemies.
• Duodelunchang told the frightened captives that they were Konoha ninja and would not harm them, and a young man thanked him for rescuing them.

Dodelun Chang and his companions investigated the people who had kidnapped villagers and learned that Koichi Domoto’s fighters were capturing people for a secret method of extending his life. They prepared to investigate the nearby cave after nightfall, worried about the mysterious person said to accompany Koichi Domoto.

• Dodelun Chang questioned a freed young man, who said he came from Fragrant Village and knew nothing about why they had been arrested.
• Dodelun Chang ordered Mirai and Dongfang Chuan to hide the signs of the attack, and they buried the bandits and removed the survivors.
• Mirai read the memories of two captured fighters and learned they served Koichi Domoto, whose group numbered about one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty and sought a way to extend his lifespan.
• Dodelun Chang warned Mirai, Dongfang Chuan, and Nara to stay alert and not underestimate unknown enemies, then decided they would act after nightfall.
• While the group watched the enemy, they saw captives repeatedly taken to a nearby cave and never return.

Duodelunchang and Mirai infiltrated the cave while Dongfang Chuan and Yiren went to rescue the captives. Deep inside, they discovered that Koichi Domoto was working with the mysterious Lu Wu on a ritual involving a blood pool.

• Duodelunchang assigned Dongfang Chuan and Yiren to rescue the captives while he and Mirai investigated the cave.
• Mirai sensed the cave's sentries, allowing Duodelunchang to quietly eliminate them as the pair advanced.
• Lu Wu sensed intruders and reassured the alarmed Koichi Domoto that he would handle them.
• Koichi Domoto asked Lu Wu how much longer the ritual at the blood pool would take.

Lu Wu confronted Duodelunchang and Mirai as they entered the cave, using black mist to block their attacks and summoning Steel Demon to fight them. The battle began with Mirai preparing to use Lightning Style against the shikigami’s weak point.

• Lu Wu protected the blood pool and waited for the intruders to arrive.
• Duodelunchang and Mirai entered the cave, and Lu Wu recognized them as enemies from Konoha Village.
• Duodelunchang attacked Lu Wu, but black mist blocked his strike and prevented Mirai from landing an attack.
• Mirai used Lightning Style: Ground Walk against Lu Wu, but Steel Demon stepped in and took the hit.
• Lu Wu ordered Steel Demon to kill Duodelunchang and Mirai, and Duodelunchang warned Mirai that the shikigami’s weak point might be vulnerable to Lightning Style.

Lu Wu summoned Bone Spirit and Blackbeard after Steel Demon failed to defeat Mirai and Duodelunchang. Duodelunchang revealed his strength by crippling Steel Demon, leaving Blackbeard wary as he charged into battle.

• Mirai dodged Steel Demon's attacks and struck him with lightning and shuriken, but Steel Demon's tough body resisted the blows.
• Duodelunchang wounded Steel Demon with his sword, and Steel Demon healed while growing weaker.
• Lu Wu summoned Bone Spirit and Blackbeard, assigning Blackbeard to fight Duodelunchang and Bone Spirit to fight Mirai.
• Duodelunchang severed Steel Demon's arm and cut deeply into his body, forcing the weakened Steel Demon to vanish.
• Blackbeard recognized Duodelunchang as a threat and pulled back, approaching their fight more cautiously.

Mirai struggled to survive Bone Spirit’s relentless attacks while Duodelunchang fought Black Beard to a stalemate. Mirai discovered Bone Spirit could control bones, but realized he was holding back and pretended to remain in danger.

• Bone Spirit overwhelmed Mirai with speed and strength, while Mirai’s attacks and genjutsu proved ineffective.
• Duodelunchang and Black Beard exchanged fierce blows without either gaining the upper hand.
• Mirai provoked Bone Spirit, who stopped and began using an unfamiliar technique.
• Mirai raised an earth platform to interrupt Bone Spirit, but bone spikes burst from the ground and forced him to evade.
• Mirai sensed that Bone Spirit was holding back and concealed his discovery by continuing to act as though he were in danger.

Duodelunchang defeated Blackbeard and attacked Lu Wu, but Lu Wu summoned his strongest god, transforming himself and his gang into a towering demon. The demon turned its attention to Mirai and grabbed at him with a claw of black mist.

• Duodelunchang cut through Blackbeard’s defenses with the Ten Absolute Slash, and Blackbeard turned into smoke and pulled Lu Wu and the gang into it.
• Duodelunchang struck Lu Wu and the gang repeatedly, but the black mist protected them from his swordsmanship.
• Lu Wu summoned Black Magic as Ashiya drew talismans, and Mirai warned Duodelunchang after spotting the mark on Lu Wu’s forehead.
• Lu Wu and the gang merged with the black mist to form a huge demon, with Lu Wu inside its head.
• Mirai saw that Lu Wu was within the demon, and the demon grabbed at him with a giant claw of black mist.

Mirai and Duodelunchang battled Lu Wu’s dark demon in the cramped cave as it rapidly weakened from the strain of being summoned. Lu Wu then completed a strange chant and unleashed nine black chains at them, leaving the chapter as the chains surged forward.

• Mirai raised an Earth Wall to block the dark demon’s claws, then retreated when they tore through it.
• Duodelunchang drew the dark demon’s attacks away from Mirai while the Bone Spirit stayed back and watched.
• Mirai sensed that the dark energy and Lu Wu’s body were weakening, so Miyamoto Musashi avoided direct clashes and waited for the demon to tire.
• Lu Wu and the dark demon formed hand seals and chanted, resisting Duodelunchang’s tenfold decapitation technique.
• The dark demon fired nine symbol-covered black chains toward Duodelunchang and Mirai as Lu Wu’s feet turned black and withered.

Mirai and Duodelunchang fled a cave as enchanted chains pursued them, but their escape methods differed. Mirai got away on the White Emperor, while Duodelunchang slipped past the chains and escaped on his own.

• Duodelunchang warned Mirai and fled the cave as his sword failed to cut through the chains.
• Mirai escaped through the cave entrance and raised an Earth-Piercing Wall, but the chains tracked him through it.
• Mirai used the Whirlpool Instant Body Technique twice to evade the chains, then escaped on the White Emperor.
• The chains pursued Mirai for about a hundred meters before turning back, and he worried that Duodelunchang was surrounded.
• Duodelunchang calmly evaded the nine chains and escaped the cave.

After escaping the cave, Mirai and Duodelunchang recovered and discussed the onmyoji and the danger still ahead. They planned to help Dongfang Chuan and the others, then face the onmyoji while Mirai stood ready to flee if the situation worsened.

• Mirai escaped the cave with Duodelunchang and used soldier ration pills to restore their strength.
• Duodelunchang explained that the black figure was probably an onmyoji, an ancient kind of adviser who had once fought ninja for supremacy.
• Mirai said the onmyoji had badly injured himself with the chains, while Duodelunchang noted that Qu Ling seemed stronger than he had shown.
• Mirai warned that they knew too little about the onmyoji and that the next fight could be dangerous.
• Duodelunchang told Mirai to assist him and escape immediately if things went badly.

Mirai accepted Duodelunchang’s decision to face Lu Wu without him, and the setback made Mirai recognize how much stronger he still needed to become. After helping Dongfang Chuan and Qiu Yidao deal with the soldiers, Duodelunchang and Mirai left to confront Lu Wuyougang, while the others protected the villagers.

• Mirai insisted that he wanted to fight beside Duodelunchang, but Duodelunchang told him to wait because he would only be a distraction against Lu Wu.
• Mirai reflected on the gap between his strength and that of powerful opponents, then resolved to keep improving.
• Mirai and Duodelunchang helped Dongfang Chuan and Qiu Yidao defeat the soldiers outside the cave.
• Dongfang Chuan offered to help fight the mysterious enemy, but Duodelunchang told him and Qiu Yidao to protect the villagers in the cave.
• Duodelunchang and Mirai headed toward Lu Wuyougang's cave to face the enemy.

After Duodelunchang and Mirai escaped, Lu Wu was left badly weakened and abandoned Koichi Domoto to his fate. When Koichi attacked him, Lu Wu killed him and absorbed his essence, then demanded to know why Bone Spirit had not helped.

• Lu Wu told Koichi Domoto that the plan had failed and he could no longer protect him.
• Koichi begged Lu Wu for help, but Lu Wu closed his eyes and ignored him.
• Koichi attacked Lu Wu and tried to strangle him, but Lu Wu remained unmoved.
• Lu Wu killed Koichi with black energy and absorbed his essence, regaining some vitality.
• Lu Wu asked Bone Spirit why it had not helped him.

Lu Wu accepted that the Lu Wu family’s inheritance would end with his generation and prepared to face death, but mysterious runes protected him from Duodelunchang and Mirai’s attack. He then summoned three blade demons to attack them.

• Lu Wu recalled how he had tried to avoid inheriting his family’s legacy, only to end up with the inheritance anyway.
• Bone Spirit told Lu Wu he would see him off, while Mirai and Duodelunchang entered the cave.
• Mirai sensed that Lu Wu’s legs were crippled and his dark magic summoning had ended, but Bone Spirit remained nearby.
• Duodelunchang attacked Lu Wu with his sword as Mirai used Lightning Release, but mysterious runes blocked both attacks.
• Lu Wu used Three Commands Summon Demons, slay the sick to summon three blade demons that charged at Musashi, Miyamoto, and Mirai.

Mirai entered Lu Wu’s sea of knowledge to attack him, but the Black Demon King seized Mirai’s spiritual body and followed him back into his own body. Mirai fled deeper into his sea of knowledge as the Black Demon King pursued him with chains.

• Mirai summoned the White Emperor to protect his body and used Art of Changing Mood to enter Lu Wu’s body.
• Mirai found Lu Wu’s vast, dark sea of knowledge, where Lu Wu and the black demon defeated his spiritual body.
• The Black Demon King grabbed Mirai’s spiritual body and forced his way back with him into Mirai’s body.
• Mirai fought the Black Demon King inside himself, then fled deeper into his sea of knowledge to escape the demon’s chains.

Mirai’s Mind’s Eye subdued the black magic and transformed it into a guardian spirit. The creature asked Mirai to give it a new name, then revealed that the Lu Wu family had treated it as a god of assistance, though it did not know its own origins.

• The black magic chased Mirai through his sea of knowledge and tried to seize the little queen and take over his body.
• The Mind’s Eye emitted white light that overwhelmed the black magic and made it cry out in pain.
• The black magic’s appearance changed from black and savage to dark green and gentler as the Mind’s Eye’s light faded.
• The black demon called itself a purified guardian spirit and asked Mirai to give it a new name.
• Mirai questioned the creature about its origins, and it said its memories began with the Lu Wu family treating it as a god of assistance.

Mirai learned about Bone Spirit, master shikigami, and the dark entity’s connection to Lu Wu Yin Xi before the entity offered him the Lu Wu clan’s onmyoji inheritance. Mirai named the entity Deep Fire, then returned to his body and found Lu Wu defeated and waiting tensely.

• The dark entity explained that Bone Spirit had recovered under the Lu Wu clan’s inherited contract, which weakened as Bone Spirit regained strength.
• The dark entity described master shikigami as symbiotic beings who resided inside an onmyoji and said Lu Wu Yin Xi would likely die without his power.
• The dark entity offered Mirai the Lu Wu clan’s inheritance, but Mirai postponed discussing whether he would become an onmyoji.
• Mirai named the dark entity Deep Fire, and Deep Fire thanked him.
• Mirai returned to his body, found Duodelunchang as the last demon standing, and taunted Lu Wu, whose barrier and protective symbol had disappeared.

Mirai and Duodelunchang killed Lu Wu, freeing Qu Ling from the contract that had restrained him. Qu Ling gave them matching bone blades as thanks, then prepared to leave, while Mirai discovered his blade could channel chakra.

• Mirai destroyed Lu Wu's brain with three strikes, ending the threat of the black magic.
• Qu Ling's soul fire revealed runes that turned to ash, and he said the contract's restraints had been lifted.
• Qu Ling pulled two jade-like bone blades from his arms and gave one each to Duodelunchang and Mirai.
• Duodelunchang tested his blade and excitedly praised its quality, while Mirai discovered that his blade could channel chakra.
• Qu Ling said he would leave and entrusted the cleanup to Mirai and Duodelunchang.

After Qu Ling departed, Mirai and Duodelunchang investigated the blood pool left behind after Lu Wu's death. Mirai covered the demon god statue's eyes and removed it, stopping the corpses from praying.

• Qu Ling thanked Duodelunchang and Mirai, explained what had happened, and vanished.
• Duodelunchang and Mirai saw the corpses praying in the blood pool after Lu Wu's restriction disappeared.
• Mirai asked Shentu how to end the phenomenon, and Shentu told him to cover the demon god statue's eyes with black cloth and remove it.
• Mirai covered the statue's head with torn cloth and took it out of the blood pool.
• The corpses stopped moving their lips, and Duodelunchang concluded that the solution had worked.

Mirai and Duodelunchang escorted the rescued youths home after their mission, where the deaths of five villagers brought grief to Valley Peak Village. Over the next three months, Mirai studied earth’s nature with Sarutobi Hiruzen, improving his defenses and turning his Earth Wall Penetration Technique into a genuine B-rank ninjutsu.

• Mirai finished dealing with Lu Wu's corpse and destroyed the cave with Earth Release after dawn broke.
• Duodelunchang led the rescued youths down the mountain and escorted them home, where Valley Peak Village mourned five young men who had died.
• Duodelunchang handed over the mission and left with Mirai and the others, then gave them five days off.
• Mirai trained harder over the following months and discussed earth’s nature with Sarutobi Hiruzen.
• Mirai raised his B-rank Earth Shield proficiency to 94.1%, strengthened his Earth Flow Wall, and developed his Earth Wall Penetration Technique into a genuine B-rank ninjutsu.

Mirai and his teammates learned that Duodelunchang had registered them for the Chunin Exam after reviewing their mission record. The exam would begin on July 1, and the chapter left them preparing for a dangerous test against ninjas from six villages.

• Mirai’s proficiency in several C-rank ninjutsu, including Lightning Style, genjutsu, and Wind Style, continued to improve.
• Nara Dongfang Chuan asked Duodelunchang what mission the team would undertake, and Duodelunchang told them he had registered them for the Chunin Exam instead.
• Duodelunchang explained that their record of twenty-five D-rank and four C-rank missions qualified them to participate.
• Duodelunchang warned Mirai and the others that 150 ninjas from six villages would compete and that participants could die during the exam.
• Mirai promised to do his best, and Duodelunchang told the team the exam would begin on July 1.