Recaps

Taiichi and his teammates defeated a Sunagakure squad, then Taiichi treated the injured Konoha ninja Sanae Shinkawa and reattached his severed arm. After returning to Konoha, Taiichi reviewed the gains from his battles and training.

• Taiichi and his teammates killed the remaining Sunagakure ninja and helped Captain Yamaguchi defeat Jonin Tengshan.
• Taiichi examined Sanae Shinkawa, treated him with the Mystical Palm Technique, and reattached his severed arm.
• Captain Yamaguchi carried Sanae toward Konoha while Taiichi, Yohei, and Saori followed with the recovered intelligence.
• Two Sunagakure squads arrived at the battlefield, discovered Tengshan's squad had been wiped out, and returned to report.
• Masasuke Yamaguchi took Sanae to turn in the mission and ordered Taiichi, Yohei, and Saori to rest for a week.
• Taiichi checked his status panel at home and noted his gains in levels, skills, and Nature Transformations.

Masasuke Yamaguchi reported Team 8’s mission to the Hokage, who praised Taiichi and upgraded the mission records while ordering the rescue intelligence kept secret. As Konoha’s leaders prepared for possible conflict, Taiichi returned to the village resolved to grow stronger and protect its people.

• Masasuke Yamaguchi reported Team 8’s battles, their rescue of Sanae Shinkawa, and his evaluations of Taiichi Matsushita, Yohei Uchiha, and Saori Furukawa to the Hokage.
• The Hokage upgraded the original mission and the intelligence rescue to A-rank records, then ordered Masasuke and the three children to keep the rescue confidential.
• The Hokage, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura discussed Sanae Shinkawa’s intelligence about Sunagakure and assigned Root to monitor its supply movements.
• The Hokage ordered Konoha to begin discreetly purchasing daily necessities as other villages grew increasingly active.
• Taiichi walked through Konoha after returning from the Land of Rivers and resolved to become stronger to protect the village.
• Taiichi gained a protective intent that strengthened his Blade Momentum and increased his Advanced Swordsmanship proficiency.

Taiichi reunited with his former classmates at a picnic near Death Forest, where the group caught up and shared food. The chapter ended with Obito still practicing walking on water as everyone called him over to eat.

• Taiichi found Guy training in the grove, and Guy invited him to a class reunion the next day near Death Forest.
• Taiichi practiced swordsmanship in the grove and gained one experience point in Advanced Swordsmanship.
• Taiichi and Kakashi met the classmates at the reunion, and everyone worked together to prepare a picnic.
• Obito's attempt to grill food failed, so Taiichi took over and cooked for the group.
• Obito fell into the river while trying to walk on water and catch fish, while Kakashi, Asuma, and Guy caught fish for him.
• The group grilled their catch and called Obito to come eat, but he continued practicing in the water.

At a barbecue, Taiichi encouraged Rin and Shizune to study Medical Ninjutsu and offered to share his notes with them. He then agreed to let Kakashi and him supervise their classmates on an expedition into the Death Forest, where a wild boar charged at the group.

• Obito abandoned his water-walking practice to join the others for Taiichi's barbecue, and the group discussed Genin missions.
• Rin asked Taiichi whether she could have a good future as a ninja, and Shizune listened as he recommended Medical Ninjutsu to both of them.
• Taiichi offered to write down his medical knowledge and give copies to Rin and Shizune.
• Obito and Asuma urged everyone to explore the Death Forest, and Kakashi agreed after Obito provoked him; Taiichi agreed to supervise.
• The classmates entered the Death Forest, practiced identifying herbs and tracks, and took positions when a large wild boar charged at them.

Taiichi and his former classmates killed a wild boar, shared a meal, and parted ways. After Captain Yamaguchi delivered payment for two A-rank missions and ordered Taiichi to keep the rescued intelligence ninja’s return secret, Taiichi decided to change Rin’s fate and began writing medical ninjutsu notes for her and Shizune.

• Obito, Guy, Asuma, Todō, Rin, Shizune, Kakashi, and Taiichi worked together to kill the charging wild boar, and Taiichi treated Guy’s bruised leg.
• Taiichi and his former classmates grilled the boar and other food by the stream before saying goodbye for the night.
• Taiichi found Captain Yamaguchi waiting outside his home, and Yamaguchi paid him for two A-rank missions and issued a gag order about the rescued intelligence ninja.
• Taiichi resolved to prevent future tragedies by starting with Rin’s fate.
• Taiichi wrote medical ninjutsu notes detailing his learning process and training methods for Rin and Shizune.

Yohei trained with his father, then met Fugaku Uchiha, who gave him access to the clan library and probed his friendship with Taiichi. Saori reflected on her role in the team and committed to developing her Sealing Jutsu skills.

• Xiangyou Uchiha defeated Yohei in a sparring match and warned him about the gap between his abilities and a Jonin's.
• Yohei defended his account of Taiichi's abilities, and Xiangyou urged him to value his friendship with Taiichi.
• Lin Uchiha summoned Yohei to meet Fugaku Uchiha, who gave him an authorization token for the clan library and asked about his teammates.
• Fugaku recognized Yohei's connection to Taiichi as important amid the Uchiha clan's strained relationship with the village.
• Saori told her father she felt less capable than Taiichi and Yohei, then resolved to strengthen her Sealing Jutsu knowledge.

Tsunade reviewed Taiichi’s medical scrolls, formally acknowledged him as her disciple, and announced that she was leaving Konoha with Shizune. She entrusted Taiichi with two scrolls, including the Shikkotsu Forest Summoning Scroll.

• Tsunade carefully reviewed Taiichi’s Medical Ninjutsu scroll and praised it, declaring that he could graduate.
• Tsunade gave scrolls to Shizune and Rin, then asked Taiichi to walk with her.
• At the Memorial Stone, Tsunade told Taiichi about the war, Nawaki’s death, Dan’s death, and her Hemophobia.
• Tsunade said she was leaving Konoha and planned to take Shizune with her.
• Tsunade gave Taiichi one scroll of medical knowledge and the Shikkotsu Forest Summoning Scroll.

Taiichi completed his contract with Shikkotsu Forest and summoned Katsuyu for the first time. He shared a farewell dinner with Tsunade before she left Konoha with Shizune, and he watched them disappear into the morning light.

• Taiichi signed Shikkotsu Forest's Summoning Scroll and summoned Katsuyu, who greeted him as a new contractor.
• Tsunade explained that the summoned Katsuyu were clones of the Katsuyu Sage and told Taiichi to read the remaining instructions on the scroll.
• Taiichi invited Tsunade to his home for a farewell dinner and prepared a lavish meal for her.
• Tsunade and Taiichi ate and drank together until she fell asleep at the table, and Taiichi covered her with a blanket before cleaning up.
• Tsunade quietly left Taiichi's home before dawn, and Taiichi hurried to Konoha's gates but arrived after she and Shizune had departed.
• Taiichi watched Tsunade and Shizune wave to him from afar, then jumped down from the wall and prepared to resume training.

Taiichi studied Tsunade’s medical scroll while teaching Rin, who exhausted herself during training. After treating her and warning her about the dangers of overtraining, he continued studying and training through the day.

• Rin visited Taiichi with a fruit basket and asked about Shizune, so he told her that Shizune had left to travel with her family.
• Taiichi answered Rin’s medical questions, assigned her training, and read the scroll Tsunade had left, which contained medical techniques and her ideas about other jutsu.
• Rin collapsed from exhaustion while practicing, and Taiichi treated her overstrained cells with his Yang Release and Mystical Palm Technique.
• Taiichi warned Rin that overtraining chakra refinement could damage her potential and shorten her lifespan, and she agreed to study with him each morning.
• After Rin left, Taiichi ate lunch and spent the rest of the day studying and training.

Rin studied medical ninjutsu with Taiichi during his school break, while Obito tried to join her and was sent back to class for skipping without permission. As the break ended, Taiichi prepared to resume missions and considered how his growing chakra reserves might eventually let him perform the demanding Healing Resuscitation technique alone.

• Obito anxiously asked Rin why she had missed school, then objected to her visiting Taiichi's house; Kurenai became interested in learning medical ninjutsu from Taiichi, but Asuma talked her out of it.
• Rin arrived at Taiichi's house with Obito, who had come to watch and learn without asking the school for leave, so Taiichi pointed out he could get in trouble and Obito rushed back to class.
• Rin studied at Taiichi's house through the final day of his break, while Obito's teacher reprimanded him for wanting to study medicine despite his poor theory exam results.
• Taiichi told Rin he would soon resume missions and reassured her that she could ask him questions later, calling her his first disciple.
• Taiichi reviewed his progress in medical ninjutsu and his 16,400 chakra reserves, then considered that he might eventually perform Healing Resuscitation by himself.

Taiichi, Yohei, and Saori investigated a series of brutal bandit attacks along the Land of Fire–Land of Grass trade route. After finding matching traces at several battle sites, they concluded the bandits were ordinary fighters and headed to search a nearby hill.

• Captain Yamaguchi assigned Team 8 a C-rank mission to eliminate the bandits targeting merchant caravans and told the team he would not intervene unless they faced enemies they could not handle.
• Taiichi, Yohei, and Saori reached the trade route and agreed to search nearby battle sites, splitting up to scout within a five-kilometer radius.
• Taiichi found two attack sites, including bloodstains, chaotic blade marks, and a row of evenly spaced round holes in the ground.
• Yohei and Saori reported similar traces, and Saori recalled finding round holes like the ones Taiichi had noticed.
• Taiichi concluded the bandits were ordinary fighters and led the team toward a nearby hill as a likely hiding place.

Taiichi, Yohei, and Saori searched an abandoned mountain stronghold, then questioned villagers about the bandits. The village chief told them the bandits had fled to the Land of Grass over ten days earlier, but Taiichi remained suspicious of the village’s strength and behavior.

• Taiichi, Yohei, and Saori searched the mountain stronghold and found it mostly abandoned, with signs the bandits had left in an orderly fashion.
• Taiichi decided the nearby village might know more about the bandits, so the three headed there at dusk.
• The villagers avoided the three, but Taiichi learned from one man that the village had not suffered losses and that its people could defend themselves.
• Taiichi showed the village chief their mission commission and asked about the bandits.
• The village chief said the bandits had fled to the Land of Grass over ten days earlier and had once raided the village.
• Taiichi questioned why the village had been able to hold off the bandits and watched the chief closely.

Taiichi suspected that the village was sheltering the bandits and left a Shadow Clone to watch the village chief’s house. The clone overheard the chief and three villagers admit they had been bandits for over half a year, then vanished to report back to Taiichi.

• Taiichi questioned the village chief about the bandits and the abandoned stronghold before leaving with Yohei and Saori.
• Taiichi and his teammates discussed the villagers’ suspicious behavior, and Taiichi connected battle-site holes to pitchforks and found porcelain in a villager’s house.
• Taiichi revealed that he had left a Shadow Clone to watch the village chief’s house while the group rested outside the village.
• Wada, Xiuren, and Reiko met with the village chief and let slip that their families had recently become bandits.
• The village chief warned the three to behave like ordinary villagers until the ninja reported their mission, but Taiichi’s Shadow Clone overheard them and disappeared.
• Taiichi opened his eyes several kilometers away when he sensed the Shadow Clone’s return.

Taiichi, Yohei, and Saori discovered that the village was a bandit den and carried out their mission to kill its inhabitants. After Taiichi’s mindset changed during the slaughter, the villagers raised an alarm, and Yohei’s powerful fire jutsu scattered the crowd before Taiichi and Saori pursued the survivors.

• Taiichi used genjutsu to interrogate the village chief and learned that the villagers had murdered merchants, carried out robberies, and killed anyone who refused to join them.
• Taiichi killed the chief, then split up with Yohei and Saori to kill the villagers in their homes.
• Taiichi struggled before killing a young child, then accepted his limits and gained one Spirit point as his mindset transformed.
• A villager spotted Saori and fired a signal flare, alerting the village and drawing the armed villagers toward the team.
• Yohei unleashed Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation, killing the crowd, but exhausted his chakra and collapsed.
• Taiichi left a Shadow Clone to watch Yohei while he and Saori chased the fleeing villagers.

Taiichi, Saori, and Yohei completed a mission to wipe out a bandit group and handed it over to the City Lord of Scarlet Flow City, where Yamaguchi used the success to build ties with local authorities. As Team 8 returned to Konoha, Taiichi reflected that the real world was more complicated than the story he knew.

• Taiichi, Saori, and Yohei hunted down the scattered villagers who had become bandits, while Yamaguchi reprimanded Yohei for exhausting himself with Great Fire Annihilation and making the chase harder.
• Yohei apologized to Taiichi and Saori, and Yamaguchi praised Team 8's performance before leading them to camp by a river for the night.
• Team 8 traveled to Scarlet Flow City the next morning and handed the mission over to the City Lord, who invited them to a luncheon in gratitude.
• Yamaguchi and the City Lord exchanged praise and discussed future commissions, then Yamaguchi explained to his team how good relationships with officials helped Konoha secure missions.
• As Team 8 approached Konoha, Taiichi reminded himself that the world held complexities beyond what he knew from the original work.

After returning from the extermination mission, Taiichi wandered Konoha, shaken by what he had done, until the children and Nonō at the Orphanage helped him regain his sense of purpose. He left with renewed resolve, and his realization strengthened his swordsmanship and Blade Momentum.

• After Masasuke Yamaguchi dismissed Team 8, Taiichi watched Yohei and Saori go home and wandered Konoha alone, overwhelmed by loneliness and dark thoughts.
• Taiichi reached the Orphanage, where Yami and the other children welcomed him and drew him into their games and stories.
• After the children went to bed, Taiichi told Nonō about the mission and killing a five-year-old child.
• Nonō comforted Taiichi and reminded him that beauty and kindness remained alongside the world's cruelty, helping him reaffirm his bonds and convictions.
• Taiichi's realization increased his Blade Momentum power and advanced his swordsmanship to Advanced Swordsmanship Lv1.

Taiichi's training led him to develop two powerful Water Style techniques, though testing them nearly killed him. After returning to the village, he spotted Jiraiya peeping into a women's bathhouse and called him out.

• Taiichi used the river to refine his Great Water Prison Technique, but it collapsed and unleashed Water Arrows that tore through the surrounding area.
• Taiichi realized the technique could be used inwardly to trap enemies or outwardly as a group attack, which he named Water Style: Wild Water Dance.
• Taiichi's panel confirmed he had developed modified S-rank versions of Great Water Prison Technique and Wild Water Dance, but he ran out of chakra and headed back to the village.
• Taiichi spotted Jiraiya peeping into a new women's bathhouse from a rooftop and shouted, "Jiraiya, what are you doing?!"

Taiichi’s prank sent Jiraiya crashing into the women’s bathhouse, but the two reconciled over lunch. When Taiichi revealed that Tsunade had made him her disciple before leaving Konoha, Jiraiya was delighted, and Taiichi resolved to find a way to bring her back.

• Taiichi startled Jiraiya by transforming into Tsunade, causing Jiraiya to fall through a window into the women’s bathhouse and flee from its furious occupants.
• Taiichi found Jiraiya near Training Ground No. 3 and apologized for the prank by treating him to lunch.
• Taiichi told Jiraiya that Tsunade had left Konoha with Shizune about half a month earlier, and Jiraiya said her return might depend on Taiichi.
• Taiichi resolved to find a way to bring Tsunade back to the village.
• Jiraiya learned that Tsunade had accepted Taiichi as her disciple and passed him the Summoning Scroll, and he celebrated the news.

Taiichi met Minato and learned that Tsunade had left Konoha, then Jiraiya took him to Training Ground No. 3 to assess his progress. Their spar ended with Taiichi surprising Jiraiya with a spinning kick.

• Jiraiya introduced Taiichi to Minato as his junior disciple, and Minato congratulated Taiichi on becoming Tsunade's official student.
• Jiraiya told Minato that Tsunade had left Konoha, and Taiichi resolved to help bring her back.
• Minato declined to eat with them because Kushina was waiting at home, so Jiraiya dragged Taiichi away to avoid her cooking and promised to guide his training.
• At Training Ground No. 3, Taiichi attacked Jiraiya with his wind-coated Short Sword, and Jiraiya tested his strength with a chakra-coated Kunai.
• Taiichi relied on sword technique to press Jiraiya, then followed a missed slash with an unexpected spinning kick that forced Jiraiya to block.

Taiichi sparred with Jiraiya, demonstrated his ability to cut through fire techniques with wind-infused swordsmanship, and received advice on improving how he combined his skills. After Jiraiya left, Taiichi practiced the new sword technique and prepared to test its power.

• Taiichi used fire techniques and Shadow Clones against Jiraiya, then instinctively cut apart Jiraiya’s Great Flame Bomb with his Short Sword.
• Jiraiya launched a Fire Dragon Flame Bullet, and Taiichi refined his wind-infused sword swings to split the flames and deflect them.
• Jiraiya pressured Taiichi in close combat until Taiichi was overwhelmed, then stopped his fist just before striking Taiichi’s forehead.
• Jiraiya explained that Taiichi needed to combine his swordsmanship, taijutsu, and ninjutsu more effectively, learn One-Handed Seals, and exchange village merits for ninjutsu.
• After Jiraiya left, Taiichi practiced the sword technique, gained skill and comprehension, and poured his chakra into the blade to test it as it began to crack.

Taiichi went to a weapon shop after his sword broke and met Obito and Rin, who were buying kunai. He found a black sword that suited him, then arranged to commission a similar one with Chakra Metal added.

• Taiichi saw Obito buy two boxes of kunai and explained that the shop’s pricing meant Obito had bought an extra box rather than saved money.
• Taiichi tested swords at the shop but found none of the standard options suitable.
• Taiichi invited Rin to Training Ground 3 the next morning to help with her questions about Medical Ninjutsu, and Obito insisted on joining them.
• Taiichi tested the shop’s three best swords and found that the black sword fit his hand and preferences, but it had no Chakra Metal.
• Taiichi asked the owner, Togo Akira, to commission a similar sword with Chakra Metal, and Togo took him to be measured.

Taiichi tried to reconnect with Tsunade by sending her a letter through Katsuyu, but Tsunade rejected the reverse summon while gambling. He developed his modified Water Prison Technique further and tested Rin and Obito in combat, ending the chapter ready to teach them.

• Taiichi wrote Tsunade a letter and asked Katsuyu to deliver it, but Tsunade rejected Katsuyu's reverse summon while gambling in the Land of Hot Water.
• Taiichi practiced the Great Water Prison Technique and discovered that One-Time Proof, Permanent Skill let him reliably reproduce his progress as he developed it.
• Taiichi watched Rin and Obito spar and criticized Obito for holding back and preventing Rin from learning her true abilities.
• Taiichi fought Rin and Obito, easily defeating them and breaking apart Obito's Great Fireball Technique with Phoenix Sage Fire.
• Taiichi warned Obito to become strong enough to protect Rin, then invited him to choose between listening to the lesson and training on his own.

Taiichi joined Jiraiya and Minato for dinner at Minato's home, where he helped Kushina cook and won everyone over with the meal. After dinner, Minato offered to study One-Handed Seals with Taiichi.

• Taiichi saw Jiraiya trying to persuade Minato to invite him to Kushina's dinner and agreed to join them after Jiraiya pressed him.
• Jiraiya asked Taiichi to help Kushina cook, and Minato welcomed him to the house.
• Kushina welcomed Taiichi, who called her sister-in-law and followed her into the kitchen to help prepare dinner.
• Taiichi and Kushina served a feast, and Jiraiya and Minato praised the food while Kushina credited Taiichi for the best dishes.
• After dinner, Minato offered to study One-Handed Seals with Taiichi.

Taiichi learned the basics of One-Handed Seal from Minato and joined him, Jiraiya, and the others in a lively discussion. Meanwhile, Hiruzen approved a retaliatory mission against Cloud Village, and Taiichi went to Konoha’s Ninjutsu Exchange to trade for a technique.

• Minato explained his understanding of One-Handed Seal, and Taiichi developed a one-handed gesture while gaining progress in the skill.
• Taiichi shared his discovery with Minato, Jiraiya, and the others, and they discussed their research until evening.
• Danzo presented Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu with a report detailing Cloud Village’s abductions of children with Kekkei Genkai.
• Hiruzen ordered Sakumo to kill those responsible for the abductions, rejecting Danzo’s demand that Root handle the mission.
• Taiichi visited Konoha’s Ninjutsu Exchange, showed the dismissive Chunin his Ninja ID, and was asked whether he wanted to exchange for a B-rank or C-rank technique.

Taiichi exchanged mission records for ninjutsu scrolls covering all five nature transformations and spent several days training with them. He then joined Yohei and Saori at Konoha’s gates for a rushed escort mission to the Border Outpost.

• Taiichi traded his three A-rank mission records for six C-rank ninjutsu scrolls, including techniques for Earth and Lightning Style.
• Taiichi trained intensively, improved his Water and Wind Style skills, and formed new Earth and Lightning Style skills.
• Jiji, Masasuke Yamaguchi’s Summoning Animal, told Taiichi to prepare for a temporary mission and gather at the village entrance in two hours.
• Taiichi met Yohei Uchiha and Saori Furukawa at Konoha’s gates, where none of them knew the mission details.
• Captain Yamaguchi arrived and ordered the team to escort overdue resupply goods to the Border Outpost immediately.