Chapter Summaries

As Minato Namikaze approved Kakashi, Obito, and Rin carrying out missions independently, Taiichi left a shadow clone guarding the Hokage and traveled to Mount Asama to train. He immersed himself in the volcano’s fire-rich Natural Energy, deepening his understanding of Fire Nature Transformation before returning to the crater’s rim.

• Minato Namikaze reluctantly agreed to let Kakashi, Obito, and Rin take missions on their own after they promised to submit reports and Kakashi mentioned Taiichi’s rescue kunai.
• Taiichi grew tired of guarding the Hokage, left a shadow clone in his place, and traveled to Mount Asama to improve his Fire Nature Transformation.
• Taiichi sensed unusually active, fire-dominant Natural Energy around the volcano and jumped into its crater.
• Taiichi transformed into flame within the magma and absorbed insights about fire while the surrounding Natural Energy gathered into him.
• Taiichi changed back into human form, flew out of the crater, and landed safely on its rim.

Taiichi advanced his Fire Nature Transformation training by combining it with Sage Mode, then accepted twenty-two Mist Village Medical Ninja as subordinates after they arrived in Konoha. Their arrival gave him a first step toward building influence in the village.

• Taiichi entered Sage Mode while transformed into flame and doubled his Fire Nature Transformation gains, bringing his remaining training gap within reach.
• Nara Shikaku returned from the Southern Front and brought twenty-two Mist Village prisoner Medical Ninja to Taiichi's home after Tsunade placed them under Taiichi's management.
• Mizuki told Taiichi that the women wanted to follow him, and he agreed to take them in as subordinates.
• Taiichi warned the women to remain loyal, promised rewards for their work, gave Mizuki money for supplies, and lent her his identification papers.
• Taiichi received the Shadow Clone's memories at Mount Asama and decided to use the twenty-two Medical Ninja to build his influence in Konoha.

Taiichi arranged for the twenty-two Mist Village medical ninja in his care to settle into Konoha and work at Konoha Hospital, then secured Hokage approval for their residency. The chapter left them with identification documents and Taiichi continuing his guard duty, while he trained at Mount Asama to advance his Fire Nature Transformation.

• Taiichi sent a Shadow Clone to Konoha while continuing his Fire Nature Transformation training at Mount Asama, where his gains had slowed to four experience points per session.
• Mizuki led the twenty-two women around Konoha to buy supplies, and the Military Police Force stopped them until she showed Taiichi’s identification.
• Taiichi assigned the women to study, train, and help maintain his home while he arranged for them to work at Konoha Hospital.
• Taiichi explained the women’s circumstances and his plans to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who approved their residency and placed them under Taiichi’s supervision.
• Taiichi sent a Shadow Clone to process the women’s identification, and the Civil Affairs Department issued all twenty-two documents within about an hour.

On New Year’s Day, Taiichi welcomed Fugaku Uchiha and his family, accepted Itachi as his disciple, and gave him a training scroll. Later, Taiichi celebrated with Grandma Keiko and the orphanage children at his home.

• Taiichi sent Shadow Clones to visit his friends and prepared his home for New Year guests.
• Fugaku visited with Mikoto and Itachi to renew his request for Taiichi to teach his son and pledged the Uchiha clan’s trust.
• Taiichi accepted Itachi as his disciple, gave him a scroll of cultivation insights, and arranged for formal lessons to begin in three days.
• Taiichi reminded Mizuki that everyone in the household needed to keep training as he discussed the importance of strength.
• Grandma Keiko brought the orphanage children to Taiichi’s home, where they gave him New Year gifts and played with his Shadow Clones.

Madara Uchiha decided to intervene personally in the war and headed for Mist Village to force it back into his plan. In Konoha, Taiichi welcomed Itachi as his student and helped him relax and play with Jiangtai and Yami.

• Madara Uchiha learned that the war had stalled, Obito’s Sharingan had barely developed, and Nagato had taken control of Amegakure.
• Madara Uchiha drained his life force to regain his youth, then set out for Mist Village with Black Zetsu.
• Taiichi comforted Grandma Keiko, agreed to train Jiangtai and Yami, and saw that her natural lifespan was nearing its end.
• Fugaku brought Itachi to Taiichi to begin training, and Taiichi chatted with the tense boy while they waited for the other children.
• Jiangtai and Yami took Itachi around the house to play, and their games brought out his laughter.
• Taiichi sent the three muddy, sweaty children to bathe before lunch.

Taiichi completed his volcanic training and reached Level 14 Fire Nature Transformation before heading toward the Land of Water. In Kirigakure, Madara Uchiha appeared before the Third Mizukage and controlled him with Genjutsu.

• Taiichi taught Itachi, Jiangtai, and Yami a foundation-building Taijutsu routine, and Itachi mastered it faster than the others.
• Fugaku watched Itachi train and recognized the Taijutsu’s broad physical conditioning, while Mikoto welcomed how happy her son had become.
• Taiichi’s training at Mount Asama pushed his Fire Nature Transformation to Level 14, and he demonstrated a Fireball powerful enough to vaporize seawater and create a massive shockwave.
• Taiichi set out for the Land of Water as Kirigakure celebrated its gains from plundering the Land of Wind’s coastline during Sunagakure’s war with Konoha.
• Madara appeared in the Third Mizukage’s office, subdued him with Genjutsu, and dismissed him while reading a frontline report about Sunagakure’s counterattack.

Madara ordered Kirigakure to abandon its fight against Sunagakure and prepare to raid Konoha, while Yagura questioned the order and secretly sought Elder Genji’s advice. Meanwhile, Taiichi booked passage to the Land of Water after getting lost at sea, and his voyage took a dangerous turn when he spotted a fast-approaching ship.

• Madara received news of Sunagakure’s resistance and ordered Kirigakure to shift its target to Konoha.
• Karatachi Yagura relayed the Mizukage’s order to withdraw from the front and prepare to attack the Land of Fire, despite the ninja’s misgivings.
• Yagura doubted the order’s reasoning and sent a sealed letter to Elder Genji through a trusted subordinate.
• After losing his way at sea, Taiichi reached a coastal city, paid for passage aboard Swim’s merchant ship, and learned that pirates threatened sea trade routes.
• Taiichi spent his days studying the ocean from the ship’s bow, then noticed a vessel rapidly approaching from behind.

Taiichi helped Swim’s merchant ship survive a pirate attack, defeating the boarding party and destroying their vessel with a powerful Fire Style technique. Meanwhile, Tsunade reported that Mist Village forces had returned to the Land of Fire, leaving Konoha’s weakened East Front at a standstill as the Hokage and Advisors considered their options.

• Swim’s crew spotted pirates approaching at unnatural speed, and the pirates raised their flag before closing in.
• Yudo and his three ninja subordinates fought the pirate leader and his men, but they were quickly overwhelmed as the pirates boarded.
• Taiichi stepped in, knocked the pirate leader down, and killed four attacking ninja with swift strikes, sending the remaining pirates fleeing.
• Taiichi killed the pirate leader and burned the pirate ship and its crew to ashes with Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame.
• Swim resumed the voyage, while reports from Tsunade reached Konoha that the East Front was locked in a stalemate with Mist Village forces.
• Utatane Koharu suggested sending Taiichi to the front, and the Hokage began to explain that Taiichi had joined the Anbu.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Jiraiya to join Tsunade on the Eastern Front and discussed Taiichi Matsushita’s role in bringing the Uchiha closer to the village. Jiraiya reached Tsunade’s command tent, where she angrily confronted him for neglecting her for nearly three years.

• Mitokado Homura proposed sending Jiraiya to support Tsunade, and Hiruzen Sarutobi approved the transfer from the Land of Rivers.
• Mitokado Homura warned Hiruzen Sarutobi that Uchiha Itachi had become Taiichi Matsushita’s disciple and accused Taiichi of aiding the Uchiha.
• Taiichi argued that he could serve as a bridge between the Uchiha and the village, and Hiruzen Sarutobi asked him to pursue that effort.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked whether Taiichi wanted to become Hokage, but Taiichi rejected the position and reaffirmed his interest in training and travel.
• Jiraiya hurried to the Eastern Front after receiving his orders and burst into Tsunade’s command tent.
• Tsunade sent the others away and berated Jiraiya for failing to contact her during the nearly three years they had been apart.

Jiraiya joined the Eastern Front, where his arrival led the commanders to shift toward an offensive plan. In the Land of Water, Taiichi encountered Madara Uchiha in an izakaya, and their conversation about war ended with Madara challenging Taiichi's view of the world.

• Jiraiya arrived at the Eastern Front, but Tsunade warned him off with a punch before ordering him to report to Nara Kaoru.
• Jiraiya joined the war council, and the commanders changed their plans to build an offensive spearhead around him.
• After seven days at sea, Taiichi reached the Land of Water and explored Ira City before stopping to eat at a local izakaya.
• Madara Uchiha and Zetsu spotted Taiichi at the izakaya, and Zetsu identified him to Madara.
• Madara sat with Taiichi and raised the meaning of war, while Taiichi argued that society had progressed and that the world held more than conflict.
• Madara told Taiichi that he would understand the world's malice after losing his family, friends, and dreams.

Taiichi told Madara that sufficient strength and intelligence could end war, while Sunagakure and Konoha both took steps to honor their peace treaty as Konoha focused on Mist Village. At the East Front, Tsunade prepared for new reinforcements and reassured Jiraiya that Taiichi’s Uchiha disciple did not mean Taiichi intended to compete with Minato for Hokage.

• Taiichi argued with Madara that a sufficiently strong and capable person could reshape the world, and Madara left hoping Taiichi would eventually back up his words.
• Madara asked Zetsu whether Taiichi had recognized him, then criticized Konoha’s leadership and lamented that Taiichi was not an Uchiha.
• Rasa rejected Elder Songhe’s proposal to attack Konoha, and Sunagakure withdrew troops while Konoha pulled its Land of Rivers camp back in response.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya concluded Sunagakure was no longer a threat and planned to focus on Mist Village, while Nara Kaoru learned that Asuma was among the new reinforcements.
• Jiraiya worried that Taiichi’s Uchiha disciple might signal a bid for Hokage, but Tsunade assured him that Taiichi wanted village stability and would not oppose Minato.

After a month of training, Itachi, Yami, and Jiangtai went into Konoha to enjoy Three-color Dango together. Taiichi noticed Itachi briefly manifest a warm, crimson Sharingan response brought on by happiness, but the outing ended with three older boys confronting the children and Jiangtai charging their leader.

• Itachi persuaded Taiichi to let the children explore the village, and Taiichi secretly followed them with Chakra Perception.
• Itachi bought eight skewers of Three-color Dango, sharing them with Yami and Jiangtai and saving two for Taiichi.
• While Itachi enjoyed the moment with his friends, Taiichi sensed a chakra fluctuation and saw a brief red flash in Itachi's eyes, suspecting positive emotion had stirred his Sharingan.
• The children wandered near a public training ground, where three older boys spotted Itachi's Uchiha crest and confronted him with hostility.
• Jiangtai and Yami defended Itachi, and when the older boys' leader reached to shove them aside, Jiangtai ducked and rammed his head into the boy's stomach.

Itachi, Jiangtai, and Yami fought off three older boys who had bullied Itachi, then received Taiichi’s praise and a lesson about surviving dangerous fights. That evening, Taiichi visited the Uchiha Compound to speak with the clan head, and Uchiha Kenro offered to guide him.

• Jiangtai, Yami, and Itachi fought three older boys at the Training Ground, using agility and precise attacks to drive them away.
• Itachi shared his crushed Three-color Dango with Jiangtai and Yami, and the three celebrated their victory together.
• Taiichi praised the children for defending one another, warned them to prioritize survival against stronger opponents, and treated their injuries.
• Taiichi added sparring practice to the afternoon lesson, leaving the three children exhausted by the end of the day.
• Taiichi went to the Uchiha Compound and met Uchiha Kenro, who recognized him as the ninja who had saved his life and offered to lead him to the clan head.

Taiichi discussed Itachi’s unusual Sharingan awakening with Fugaku and reassured him that positive emotions would not hinder its evolution or change Itachi’s temperament. As the war wore down Konoha, Minato prepared Team Minato for a dangerous mission while remembering that Hiruzen had named him a possible successor to the Hokage seat.

• Taiichi told Fugaku that Itachi’s Sharingan seemed to awaken through positive emotion, and Fugaku found no precedent in Uchiha records.
• Taiichi advised Fugaku to prioritize Itachi’s physical strength and avoid deliberately pursuing Sharingan evolution; Fugaku asked him to watch over Itachi.
• Itachi feared Taiichi had come to report his misbehavior, but Fugaku reassured him and later reflected that hostility toward the Uchiha reached even village children.
• Minato warned Kakashi, Obito, and Rin that their mission was extremely dangerous, but Kakashi convinced him that Team Minato could provide support and call for help.
• Minato recalled Hiruzen asking about the next Hokage and revealing that Jiraiya would refuse the position, Orochimaru was unsuitable, and Tsunade would not have returned without Taiichi.

Minato led a mission to destroy Kannabi Bridge, sending Choza’s team to draw away Stone Village forces while Kakashi, Obito, and Rin attacked a support point. After the trio escaped, three Stone Village Jonin and three Chunin pursued them, and Obito resisted Kakashi’s plan to call for help.

• Minato briefed his teams on the dangerous mission to destroy Kannabi Bridge and assigned Choza’s team to launch a feint while Kakashi, Obito, and Rin attacked from the north.
• Choza’s team smashed a watchtower and drew Stone Village forces away as Kakashi’s team planted Explosive Tags and attacked the bridge support point.
• Mahiru ambushed Kakashi’s team beneath the bridge, but Kakashi struck him with lightning before the trio detonated their tags and fled.
• Black Zetsu watched from hiding as Mahiru, Taiseki, and Kakkou joined the pursuit, accompanied by three Chunin.
• Kakashi sensed the six pursuers, laid traps to slow them, and prepared to summon Taiichi with the special Kunai, but Obito objected to calling for help before fighting.

Minato rigged Kannabi Bridge while Kakashi held off Iwagakure pursuers and Obito and Rin fled. Black Zetsu stole and destroyed their Flying Thunder God Kunai, Rin was captured, and Kakashi found Obito after Taiseki escaped, leaving them without their means to call for help.

• Minato used Kakashi's marked Kunai to reach Kannabi Bridge and began placing Explosive Tags on its reinforced piers.
• Kakashi stayed behind to delay six Iwagakure Ninja while Obito and Rin escaped; Black Zetsu emerged from hiding and stole their Flying Thunder God Kunai.
• Taiseki caught up with Obito and Rin, injured Rin, and took her away with three Chunin after Obito discovered the Kunai was missing.
• Obito awakened his Two-Tomoe Sharingan and fought Taiseki until Kakashi arrived and pierced the Jonin's arm with Chidori.
• Kakashi asked why Obito had not used the Kunai, and Obito revealed that someone had cut open his pouch and stolen everything inside.

Obito and Kakashi tracked Rin to an Iwagakure cave, where Kakkou and Taiseki implanted a deadly sealing technique in her. Kakashi and Obito rescued her and fled, while Black Zetsu restored the Rock Ninja and they sent up a flare to summon reinforcements; Rin realized the seal threatened Minato and Konoha but could not warn her friends.

• Obito and Kakashi searched for Taiichi's missing Flying Thunder God Kunai, then followed the Rock Ninja's tracks when they could not find it.
• Rin awoke in an Iwagakure cave, where Kakkou and Taiseki restrained her and implanted Iwagakure's Six-Harmony Death Zone seal in her body.
• Kakashi killed the three Chunin guarding the cave while Obito distracted them, then Kakashi cut Rin free and carried her out as the cave collapsed.
• Obito told Kakashi that Rin's limbs were broken, so Kakashi carried her while they fled; Rin could not speak or move enough to warn them about the seal.
• Black Zetsu appeared to Kakkou and Taiseki, restored them to normal, and watched as they sent up a flare to summon reinforcements.

Kakashi and Obito tried to protect Rin as Kakkou, Taiseki, and other Stone Village ninja closed in. Rin died saving Obito, awakening his Mangekyo Sharingan, and Obito used Kamui to kill Kakkou and Taiseki.

• Kakashi carried Rin while he and Obito fled their pursuers, but Rin pleaded with them to leave her behind because the enemy had sealed a bomb inside her intended to target Minato-sensei.
• Kakkou and Taiseki caught up with them, and Mahiru arrived with another Chunin squad as Kakashi and Obito fought to protect Rin.
• Taiseki attacked the tree where Rin rested, and Kakashi raised an Earth Wall to shield her; when Kakkou struck at Kakashi, Obito shoved him aside, and Rin took the kunai meant for Obito.
• Rin died in Obito's arms, awakening his Mangekyo Sharingan; he became intangible to the Rock Ninja's attacks and slaughtered the squad that had been fighting him.
• Obito used Kamui to tear holes through Kakkou and Taiseki's chests, killing both Jonin instantly.

Minato destroyed Kannabi Bridge after defeating its Rock Ninja defenders, but when he returned to the rendezvous point, Kakashi and the others were missing. Meanwhile, Obito awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan in grief over Rin, then Black Zetsu carried him away.

• Obito killed Mahiru and the other Rock Ninja, then collapsed while holding Rin as Kakashi lost consciousness nearby.
• Black Zetsu arrived, separated Obito from Rin, and sank into the earth with him.
• Minato triggered the alarm Barrier at Kannabi Bridge and defeated the Rock Ninja squads with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• A Rock Ninja launched a Signal Flare, but Minato finished placing Explosive Tags and destroyed the bridge before the reinforcements arrived.
• Minato returned to the rendezvous point and learned Kakashi and the others had not arrived.
• Minato asked Choza to wait and vanished to search for Kakashi using his Flying Thunder God Kunai.

Minato found Kakashi critically wounded and Rin barely alive after the mission at Kannabi Bridge, while Obito was missing. Taiichi operated on Rin in Konoha and removed the seal in her heart, leaving both Kakashi and Rin alive and recovering.

• Minato arrived at the battlefield, found Kakashi and Rin gravely injured, and discovered Obito was missing.
• Minato sent a Shadow Clone to investigate and carried Kakashi and Rin to Konoha for treatment.
• Taiichi and Hiruzen arranged emergency care at Konoha Hospital, where the Medical Team stabilized Kakashi.
• Taiichi repaired Rin's heart, removed the seal embedded in it with Adamantine Sealing Chains, and treated her other injuries.
• Taiichi told Minato and Hiruzen that Kakashi would recover without lasting damage and that Rin was alive.