Chapter Summaries

Yang Hao studied Orochimaru’s laboratory and received an Eight-Tails horn to help overcome his poor chakra aptitude. After earning money from a novel and gathering materials, he began a modified sealing experiment with Shizune, leaving the horn’s chakra fusing with his own as a sealing space opened.

• Yang Hao impressed Orochimaru with his dissection skills, and Orochimaru showed him his laboratory and its collections.
• Yang Hao asked for the Eight-Tails horn, and Orochimaru gave it to him after warning him about the danger of tailed beast chakra.
• Yang Hao studied Orochimaru’s books, attended the Ninja Academy with Shizune, and sold his novel, The Pure White Tale, to fund his plans.
• Yang Hao brought Shizune and his materials to a sealed basement, where he prepared a modified Demon-Sealing Seal and collected a buffalo’s soul with the Jade Plate of Creation fragment.
• Yang Hao used the seal to contain the Eight-Tails horn, and its chakra began merging with his as it opened a sealing space.

Yang Hao used the Demon-Sealing Formation and a buffalo summon’s soul to create and possess a lightning-attribute Martial Soul derived from the Eight-Tails. After Tsunade mistook his transformation for losing control and attacked him, Shizune obtained the First Hokage’s necklace for him, and Orochimaru examined the sealing formula.

• After Shizune left to fetch Tsunade, Yang Hao used his Golden Finger to fuse the buffalo summon’s soul and horn with chakra, creating a minotaur-shaped Martial Soul.
• Yang Hao activated Martial Soul Possession and transformed into a bull-headed creature, just as Tsunade rushed into the basement and attacked him, mistaking his state for a loss of control.
• Yang Hao grabbed Tsunade’s leg, pressed against her, and took the First Hokage’s necklace in his mouth before Tsunade sent him flying and he returned to normal.
• Tsunade recognized that Yang Hao’s horn came from the Eight-Tails, refused to give him the necklace, and went to fetch Orochimaru; Shizune later returned with the necklace after persuading her.
• Yang Hao used the necklace to suppress the transformation, ate food to replenish his energy, and met Orochimaru, who examined the Demon-Sealing Formation and found his body unharmed.

Yang Hao demonstrated his Eight-Tails-based transformation and new techniques to Orochimaru, who examined him and considered how to help him improve the sealing method. After returning to the Senju clan grounds wearing Tsunade’s necklace, Yang Hao left Tsunade wondering whether its supposed curse had played any part in Nawaki and Dan’s deaths.

• Yang Hao explained that he had fused Eight-Tails chakra with a bison summon and used Tsunade’s necklace to suppress the resulting transformation.
• Orochimaru and Tsunade examined Yang Hao’s transformed body, and Orochimaru suggested that Eight-Tails tentacles could strengthen the form.
• Yang Hao proposed sealing the powers of other tailed beasts, and Orochimaru offered to arrange a meeting with a sealing specialist if Yang Hao documented his method.
• Yang Hao demonstrated his Rasengan and chakra-based repulsion and attraction techniques, impressing Orochimaru with his control.
• Orochimaru told Yang Hao to keep Tsunade’s necklace on, and Tsunade later wondered whether Yang Hao might prove that its curse was not real.

Yang Hao gave Shizune new chakra-control techniques while preparing her for the upcoming assessment. Jiraiya returned to Konoha and reunited with Tsunade and Uzumaki Kushina, only to learn that Tsunade wanted him to write a gambling movie.

• Yang Hao confirmed Shizune had mastered water-walking and taught her the no-seal techniques Blowing Palm and Suction Palm for the end-of-month assessment.
• Jiraiya returned to Konoha, fled the villagers' complaints about his peeping, and went to his disciple's home to find Uzumaki Kushina there while Minato was away on a mission.
• Jiraiya told Uzumaki Kushina that Tsunade had called him back, and Kushina hurried to the Senju grounds after learning Tsunade had returned without visiting her.
• Tsunade told Uzumaki Kushina she had avoided the village elders and explained that she had returned to see Shizune.
• Tsunade asked Jiraiya to write a script for her God of Gamblers movie, and Jiraiya wondered whether she intended to make a pornographic film.

Tsunade recruited Jiraiya to write a script for her gambling-themed film and arranged to fund it through Shizune’s investment, while also planning to pitch Cheng’s dishes to the Akimichi Clan. The chapter ended with Jiraiya discovering that Cheng was a devoted reader of his book, Strong Will Ninja Chronicle.

• Tsunade explained her Ninja God of Gamblers film idea, and Jiraiya agreed to write the script if he paid for production.
• Kushina offered her savings, but Tsunade refused; Shizune then offered money from Cheng and said she wanted to invest in the film.
• Shizune told Tsunade that her school assessment was the next day, and Tsunade agreed to attend.
• Tsunade planned to invite Uncle Torifu to discuss Cheng’s new pork dishes and asked Jiraiya to bring Orochimaru for the evening’s film discussion.
• Shizune brought Cheng to meet Jiraiya and Kushina, and Jiraiya learned that Cheng had repeatedly read and admired Strong Will Ninja Chronicle.

Yang Hao impressed Jiraiya, Kushina, and the others with his cooking and demonstrated how he used the Eight-Tails horn and a seal to transform. Tsunade secured the Akimichi Clan’s cooperation for a food business, while Orochimaru identified flaws in Yang Hao’s seal that still needed correcting.

• Yang Hao won Jiraiya’s favor by asking him to autograph Strong Will Ninja Chronicle and promising to work toward becoming Hokage.
• Yang Hao cooked a feast with help from Jiraiya’s Fire Release, and Kushina was so impressed that she decided to move in with Tsunade.
• Tsunade said Torifu Akimichi had agreed to cooperate, and Yang Hao explained that the profits would be divided among Tsunade, the orphanage, and Shizune.
• Yang Hao activated his Gyuki Martial Soul using the Eight-Tails horn, transforming into a bull-headed form that enhanced his physical strength.
• Orochimaru explained that the seal was imperfect and that Tsunade’s necklace suppressed the form; Yang Hao confirmed he could not use a Tailed Beast Ball.

Orochimaru traded his Rasengan technique to Uzumaki Kushina for the Nine Palace Seal, which she added to Yang Hao’s seal. Afterward, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Kushina left to work on the movie script, while Shizune stayed with Cheng.

• Orochimaru showed Jiraiya and Kushina the Rasengan and explained how its rotation could purify tailed beast chakra, using Yang Hao as proof.
• Kushina agreed to trade the Nine Palace Seal formula for the Rasengan, and she described the technique’s demanding activation requirements.
• Yang Hao led the group to the basement, where Kushina and the others activated the Nine Palace Seal and successfully merged it with the seal on his abdomen.
• Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Kushina left to work on the movie script, while Shizune gave Cheng his clothes.

Yang Hao studied the Nine Palace Seal and used Kushina’s visit to arrange lessons in sealing techniques while teaching her the Rasengan. At the Ninja Academy assessment, he excelled at basic ninjutsu, Shizune impressed her classmates, and the students prepared for the practical combat assessment.

• Yang Hao continued studying the Nine Palace Seal and considered adapting it to fuse the powers of the nine tailed beasts.
• Kushina visited to learn the Rasengan from Yang Hao, who asked her to teach him sealing techniques, and she agreed.
• Yang Hao earned full marks in the ninjutsu assessment, while Shizune scored twenty points and Kakashi scored twenty.
• Umino Kairi announced the practical combat assessment for noon at Training Ground Four, and Yang Hao and Shizune brought lavish lunches to school.
• Yuhi Kurenai, Mitarashi Anko, and Nohara Rin asked Shizune how to improve, and Shizune offered to teach them if they supported Cheng as class president.

Shizune invited Kurenai, Anko, and Rin to live and train with her, while Yang Hao taught Might Guy a safer chakra-based method to recover and strengthen his body. At the practical examination, several students looked for their parents or guardians in the audience but did not see them.

• Shizune promised to help Kurenai, Anko, and Rin improve and invited them to live with her at Lady Tsunade’s residence.
• Yang Hao warned Might Guy that his excessive training was damaging his joints and explained how chakra could activate his cells and aid recovery.
• Yang Hao guided chakra through Might Guy’s meridians so he could sense the method, while Hyuga Xia watched with her Byakugan and copied the cellular activation.
• The students arrived at Training Ground Four for the practical examination, where Umino Kairi served as referee and invited parents watched from the upper corridor.
• Sarutobi Asuma, Hatake Kakashi, and Shizune each looked for someone important to them in the audience but did not see them.

Yang Hao demonstrated his flexible, chakra-threaded sword in the academy's third practical assessment, defeating Shizune, Uchiha Obito, and Might Guy. The assessment continued with Yang Hao revealing that he could channel lightning-nature chakra through his blade without hand seals.

• Yang Hao reminded Shizune to take advantage of the classmates' Transformation Technique and agreed to fight her before she challenged Kakashi.
• Uzumaki Kushina and Mikoto Uchiha discussed Yang Hao's exceptional talent as the students gathered for the practical assessment.
• Shizune challenged Yang Hao, but he used his flexible sword to defeat her after she attacked with kunai and the Substitution Jutsu.
• Uchiha Obito charged Yang Hao with his kunai taijutsu, but Yang Hao's sword pierced his goggles and stopped him cold.
• Might Guy challenged Yang Hao, who evaded his Konoha Whirlwind and used lightning-charged strikes to numb his legs and knock him down.
• Umino Kairi recognized that Yang Hao had used lightning-nature chakra without hand seals.

Ito Makoto defeated Sarutobi Asuma and Hatake Kakashi to take first place again, using steel needles and an unconventional sword style. Afterward, Shizune challenged Kakashi with a technique she had learned from Ito Makoto, and their fight began.

• Might Guy praised Cheng and vowed to catch up, then Sarutobi Asuma challenged Yang Hao.
• Yang Hao used a steel needle to dispel Asuma's shadow clone and disrupt his hand seals, forcing him to concede.
• Tsunade recognized that Yang Hao had adapted her Monster Strength Technique, and she demanded that Orochimaru appear in her film in return.
• Yang Hao defeated Hatake Fifty-Fifty after a prolonged fight with his flexible sword and steel needles, then was named first place again as Ito Makoto.
• Shizune challenged Kakashi, who agreed to fight, and she began gathering chakra before using Suction Palm.

Shizune defeated Kakashi in the practical assessment, and Yang Hao became class monitor, offering to guide his classmates’ training. After directing Shizune to lead tree-climbing practice, Yang Hao began treating Might Guy while Sarutobi Hiruzen watched and discussed the Nine-Tails jinchuriki with Utatane Koharu.

• Shizune used suction and impact techniques with unsharpened Shuriken to defeat Kakashi, and the other students declined to challenge her.
• Tsunade and Orochimaru discussed the techniques Shizune had used and considered trading instruction for Uzumaki Kushina.
• After the practical assessment, Yang Hao volunteered for class monitor and gained the class’s support, so Umino Kairi appointed him.
• Yang Hao listed his skills for his classmates and advised them to practice chakra control through tree climbing and water walking.
• Yang Hao sent Shizune to lead the students’ practice and began helping Might Guy treat his training injuries.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen watched Yang Hao and Might Guy with the Telescope Technique while Utatane Koharu warned him about the Nine-Tails jinchuriki’s connections, and Hiruzen urged her to trust Jiraiya.

Jiraiya informed Sarutobi Hiruzen that Tsunade was pursuing restaurant investments and a gambling movie, while defending Kushina from the elders’ disrespect. After Jiraiya left, Hiruzen decided to cultivate Yang Hao as a “Child of Darkness” to balance Minato, while Yang Hao went to Orochimaru’s laboratory.

• Jiraiya’s Shadow Clone told Sarutobi Hiruzen that Tsunade planned to invest in Akimichi Clan restaurants and make a gambling movie.
• Jiraiya confronted Utatane Koharu for referring to Kushina only as the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, then urged Hiruzen to give Minato more time with her.
• Jiraiya praised Orochimaru’s disciple as a talented child with a strong Will of Fire, and then dispelled his Shadow Clone.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen decided to cultivate Yang Hao as a Child of Darkness to balance Namikaze Minato, the Child of Light.
• Yang Hao helped Might Guy study chakra-based body activation, escorted Shizune to the Senju compound, and went to Orochimaru’s laboratory.

Yang Hao impressed Orochimaru with his assessment of the Wood Release experiments and received Hashirama's cells to use in a future sealing project. He then helped Tsunade and Jiraiya expand their movie script into a story about a gambling contest between ninja villages, leaving Tsunade to make Jiraiya keep revising it.

• Yang Hao studied the Wood Release research and told Orochimaru that Hashirama's strength, not Wood Release itself, had made the technique legendary.
• Yang Hao proposed sealing Hashirama's cells and chakra crystals to restrain tailed beasts, and Orochimaru gave him a sample of Hashirama's cells.
• Orochimaru praised Yang Hao's monthly exam performance and said he would take him to Ryuchi Cave once his chakra improved.
• Tsunade drafted Yang Hao as unpaid help for her movie, and Yang Hao suggested making its plot a gambling contest that could avert war between two ninja villages.
• Tsunade accepted Yang Hao's larger story idea and grabbed Jiraiya when he tried to leave before helping her finish the script.

Yang Hao completed his study of sealing techniques and added the Eight Trigrams Seal to his Nine Palace Seal as preparation for bearing tailed beast power. He visited the despairing Hatake Sakumo and began sparring with him, leaving Sakumo’s plans for his future unresolved.

• After a month of lessons, Yang Hao impressed Uzumaki Kushina with how quickly he learned sealing techniques and derived the Eight Trigrams Seal with her.
• Yang Hao inscribed the Eight Trigrams Seal over his Nine Palace Seal, intending to charge it gradually and prepare it to contain other tailed beast martial souls.
• Yang Hao learned that rumors were driving Hatake Sakumo toward suicide, so he brought gifts to the Hatake home and urged Sakumo to consider Kakashi’s wellbeing.
• Hatake Sakumo asked Yang Hao to demonstrate the Hatake Swordsmanship he had learned from Kakashi, then sparred with him using his sword and scabbard.
• Impressed by Yang Hao’s skill and understanding, Hatake Sakumo ended the spar and told him to come along.

Yang Hao inherited the Hatake Clan’s techniques, promised to guide Kakashi, and helped Hatake Sakumo preserve his soul as a martial soul before Sakumo took his life. Orochimaru then explained the village’s factional struggle, while Yang Hao questioned whether the Third Hokage was grooming Namikaze Minato as the next Hokage.

• Hatake Sakumo entrusted Kakashi and the Hatake Clan’s secret techniques to Yang Hao, who promised to guide the boy.
• Yang Hao proposed sealing Sakumo’s chakra and soul; Sakumo infused his chakra into the seal, gave Yang Hao White Fang, and took his own life.
• Yang Hao sealed Sakumo’s soul, transformed it into a martial soul while preserving his consciousness, and taught him the Spirit Transformation Technique.
• Yang Hao collected Sakumo’s cells and went to Orochimaru, who explained that factional conflict had contributed to Sakumo’s downfall and hinted at the Hokage faction’s role.
• Yang Hao told Orochimaru that he suspected the Third Hokage was preparing Namikaze Minato to become the Fourth Hokage, citing Minato’s missions and his relationship with Kushina.

Yang Hao learned that Orochimaru would support his bid to become Hokage and was told to claim Hatake Sakumo’s political legacy. After Sakumo’s suicide, Yang Hao became Kakashi’s guardian and steered him toward valuing strength, while Konoha braced for the fallout.

• Orochimaru told Yang Hao that he had lost interest in becoming Hokage and would help cultivate Yang Hao as a candidate, advising him to present himself as White Fang’s disciple and successor.
• Orochimaru explained that Sarutobi Hiruzen favored Namikaze Minato, discussed the village’s political divisions and Jiraiya’s reluctance to take sides, then sent Yang Hao to arrange Sakumo’s funeral.
• Yang Hao found Kakashi grieving beside Sakumo’s body, explained how he had received the White Fang Short Blade, and accepted responsibility as Kakashi’s guardian.
• When Kakashi asked whether comrades or the mission mattered more, Yang Hao argued that strength was the answer; Kakashi resolved to surpass his father and avoid weaker teammates.
• Yang Hao arranged Sakumo’s funeral as news of White Fang’s suicide spread through Konoha, and Sarutobi Hiruzen anxiously followed the aftermath.

After Hatake Sakumo’s suicide, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo Shimura planned for the political and military fallout while Kakashi Hatake applied to graduate. Ito Makoto challenged Kakashi to keep him at the academy, but Kakashi declared he would still become a ninja.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen, Danzo Shimura, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura discussed covering up their role in the rumors and preparing for possible conflict with other ninja villages.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen assigned Danzo Shimura to monitor Amegakure and Iwagakure, while they also considered threats from Sunagakure and the other villages.
• Kakashi Hatake applied for graduation, and Sarutobi Hiruzen approved the assessment.
• Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin arrived to watch Kakashi but found Ito Makoto blocking his way, citing the First’s purpose for founding the village and Hatake Sakumo’s request to guide Kakashi.
• Ito Makoto and Kakashi Hatake clashed with Hatake-style sword techniques, and Ito broke Kakashi’s ninja blade.
• Ito told Kakashi to stay at the academy and keep training, but Kakashi insisted that he would graduate and become a ninja.

Yang Hao brutally beat Kakashi after Kakashi tried to enter the academy, then treated his severe injuries in the infirmary. Kakashi survived the operation but felt the world was full of malice toward him.

• Yang Hao knocked Kakashi down, beat him until he passed out, and dragged him to the infirmary.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen approved Umino Kairi’s request to check Kakashi and left, pleased by Yang Hao’s ruthless nature.
• Yang Hao and the medical ninja set Kakashi’s broken bones and reattached his teeth without anesthetic, while Umino Kairi watched.
• Kakashi woke during the procedure and endured the painful treatment as Yang Hao probed his gums to identify where the teeth belonged.
• After the medical ninja confirmed Kakashi had no internal injuries, Umino Kairi helped move him to a ward and told him Yang Hao had acted for his own good.
• Kakashi stared emptily ahead and began wanting to destroy the world.

Yang Hao beat Kakashi and Uchiha Obito while claiming he was helping them, first forcing Kakashi to confront his grief and then trying to awaken Obito’s Sharingan. The chapter ended with Obito realizing Yang Hao’s motive and the classmates gathering to see whether his eyes would awaken.

• Yang Hao helped insert a urinary catheter and prepare a fecal tube for the paralyzed Kakashi, while Obito eagerly watched and Kakashi silently despaired.
• After recovering, Kakashi challenged Yang Hao; Yang Hao blocked his blade with chakra condensed along his palm and offered to teach him blade intent.
• Yang Hao beat Kakashi again, then ordered him to move into the Senju clan grounds; he later told Shizune that provoking Kakashi was meant to suppress his grief with another emotion.
• When Obito mocked him, Yang Hao beat Obito and wondered why the Uchiha boy had not awakened his Sharingan.
• Obito realized Yang Hao had been trying to help him awaken his eyes, and the classmates gathered to watch.