Chapter Summaries

After running out of money while renovating his underground rooms, Shiro went to a Black Market exchange to find quick-paying bounty missions. He received a stack of bounty sheets and began looking through them for suitable work.

• Shiro ran out of money before finishing the isolation room and put the workshop construction on hold so he could earn more.
• Shiro traveled to a nearby town and found a Black Market exchange, using a Noble Phantasm to blur others’ impressions of his identity and appearance.
• Shiro asked the old man at the exchange for bounty lists, then placed a slashed Konoha forehead protector on the table to establish his credibility.
• The old man recognized the forehead protector as genuine and handed Shiro a stack of bounty sheets.
• Shiro reviewed the missions, prioritizing high-paying bounties with quick returns and considering theft or robbery jobs only when they might help him obtain something he wanted.

Shiro chose four Chunin-level bounty targets and bought their location information from the Black Market before setting out to hunt them. He focused on Toshiki Inoshita, a highly pursued rogue ninja in the Land of Rain, but planned to eliminate the three targets in the Land of Rivers first.

• Shiro selected four manageable targets from small villages or among rogue ninjas and paid the old man for their intelligence.
• The old man gave Shiro a booklet with the targets’ rough details and real-time locations, and Shiro left without revealing more about himself.
• Shiro learned that three targets were in the Land of Rivers and together carried ten million in bounties, while the fourth was in the Land of Rain.
• Shiro read that Toshiki Inoshita had all five chakra attributes but lacked strong techniques and chakra, and that a merchant association had put a ten-million bounty on him.
• Shiro set out to deal with the three Land of Rivers targets quickly before pursuing Toshiki Inoshita in the Land of Rain.

Shiro completed his first assassination for the Exchange and headed to a town to hunt a second target, an Earth Release ninja, while using the missions to practice releasing his Noble Phantasms. He found the target eating at an inn, but the chapter ended before Shiro attacked.

• Shiro waited outside a residence while his first target guarded a deal, then decided to abandon his attempt to gather extra information.
• Shiro used William Tell's crossbow to draw the target's guard and killed him with a strike to the throat.
• Shiro cut off the target's head, exchanged it for proof at the Exchange branch, and hurried toward his next mission.
• Shiro reached the next target's town, sent small snakes to gather information, and removed his conspicuous equipment.
• Shiro's second target ate at an inn, unaware that Shiro had arrived and was approaching.

Shiro confronted the bounty hunter who had mistaken his low bounty for a sign of weakness and killed him with the released form of Human-Bone-Cutter. He kept the corpse for himself and planned to complete the mission using proof of the kill.

• Shiro learned that the bounty hunter had chosen Smiling Wind Demon as his target because he underestimated Shiro’s strength.
• Shiro projected Human-Bone-Cutter and challenged the hunter outside the inn.
• The hunter’s powerful defensive technique blocked Shiro’s initial spear thrust, and Shiro fought him while trying to identify the technique.
• Shiro released Human-Bone-Cutter, whose attack nullified the hunter’s defense and nearly cleaved him in two.
• Shiro sealed the corpse into a scroll in front of the Exchange’s hidden sentries, intending to submit proof instead.

Shiro traveled toward the Land of Rain, killing a bounty target and a wanted merchant along the way, while Jingxia entered the region hoping to join Akatsuki. After delays caused by the war and widespread banditry, Shiro watched two wanted ninjas fight and prepared to capture them both.

• Shiro killed the third target on his mission and collected vouchers worth a little over a million ryo.
• Jingxia went to the Land of Rain to seek a place in Akatsuki, but found no information about the organization and faced repeated assassinations.
• Shiro found a merchant whose face matched a ten-million bounty notice, then killed her and her camp, rationalizing that her contraband made her a bad person.
• Shiro lost time avoiding impoverished bandits as he traveled through the chaotic Land of Rain, leaving his purchased intelligence outdated.
• Shiro watched two wanted ninjas fight in a canyon and waited to capture them after their battle ended.

Shiro captured and interrogated two people about Toshiki Inoshita, then abandoned the pursuit after learning Akatsuki might rescue him and risk drawing Madara’s attention. He killed the captives and headed to an Exchange with the bounty money, leaving his workshop plans and caution around Akatsuki unchanged.

• Shiro summoned Black Snake to restrain two people, sealed their Chakra, and used Suggestion Magecraft to question them about Toshiki Inoshita.
• The two captives revealed that Toshiki had fled to the Land of Grass while Amegakure pursued him, and that Akatsuki might recruit him.
• Shiro decided to abandon the mission to avoid attracting Madara’s attention through Nagato and Akatsuki.
• Shiro killed the captives, collected their bodies, and hurried to the nearest Exchange to claim the bounty.
• Shiro calculated that the operation earned around twenty-five million, but judged the money small compared with the costs of building his workshop.

After finishing his workshop, Shiro decided he needed Sage Art Chakra to deal with White Zetsu before attempting an attribute breakthrough. He arranged for Gray Snake to provide some later, leaving the experiment on hold until his remaining experimental zones were complete.

• Shiro finished his isolation room and workshop, but postponed improving his attributes because he still needed a way to detect and eliminate White Zetsu.
• Shiro realized he needed Sage Art Chakra rather than Sage Art itself, and remembered that Jugo's clan naturally possessed it.
• Shiro reconsidered his plan to find Jugo's parents and summoned Gray Snake to ask about obtaining Sage Art Chakra from Ryūchi Cave.
• Gray Snake agreed to bring Shiro Sage Art Chakra when he was ready, and Shiro said he would need to wait until his experimental zones were finished.
• Gray Snake explained that Ryūchi Cave's snakes appreciated Shiro because he treated them well and did not treat them like tools.

Shiro realized the system’s energy storage could not exceed its 46% repair progress, so he sought a large energy source to reach the 50% needed. He chose Hoshigakure’s meteorite as his target and planned to raise money by selling projected Explosive Tags through the Black Market.

• Shiro learned that the system had only 46% energy because its repair progress limited how much energy it could store.
• Shiro considered several major energy sources and chose the meteorite in the Land of Bears, which belonged to Hoshigakure.
• Shiro planned to try buying the meteorite, stealing it discreetly, or taking it by force if necessary.
• Shiro decided to sell a large quantity of projected Explosive Tags to raise the money for a potential purchase.
• Shiro settled on the Black Market as his buyer and began considering how to sell the tags without exposing his identity.

Shiro arranged to sell two hundred thousand Explosive Tags to the Exchange and arrived for the transaction under cover of a stealth-enhancing cloak. The Exchange prepared payment and an ambush, but its supervisor abandoned the attack after seeing Shiro appear undetected.

• Shiro left the Land of Rivers to buy Explosive Tags on the black market, then used a disguise to negotiate a sale with the Exchange.
• Shiro showed the Exchange's old man ten thousand tags as a sample and scheduled the transaction for three days later.
• Shiro used Robin Hood's cloak to conceal himself while traveling back to his workshop, where he prepared for the sale.
• The Exchange supervisor arranged one hundred and fifty million ryō and concealed ninjas in case they could seize Shiro and learn where the tags came from.
• Shiro appeared at the Exchange through a black halo, and the supervisor called off the ambush after realizing Shiro's stealth was beyond what he could detect.

Shiro negotiated a deal with Sasakibe to sell two hundred thousand Explosive Tags for one hundred million ryo, using the name Pain and a summoned spider to transport the goods and money. After Shiro vanished with the payment, Sasakibe realized he had been tricked and roared in anger.

• Shiro met Sasakibe at the Exchange and negotiated the price of his Explosive Tags, settling on five hundred ryo per piece.
• Sasakibe had the old man show Shiro the cash, while Shiro let them inspect genuine Explosive Tags he had modified.
• Shiro summoned a giant spider and retrieved the Explosive Tags hidden inside its abdomen.
• The old man loaded one hundred million ryo into the spider, and Shiro sent it away with the money.
• Shiro ignored Sasakibe's offered handshake and vanished, leaving Sasakibe to roar, “Pain!!!”

Shiro prepared a ninjutsu scroll to trade with Hoshigakure and left for the Land of Bears, unaware that he was missing a chance to see Kakashi, Rin, and Obito growing closer in Konoha. The chapter left Shiro traveling while Obito planned a birthday gift for Rin.

• Shiro selected mostly C-rank and a few B-rank Five Elemental Release techniques for a trade scroll, avoiding Konoha-exclusive, A-rank, Yin Release, and Yang Release techniques.
• Shiro masked himself, secured his workshop, and flew toward the Land of Bears, planning to travel part of the way on foot because Konoha guarded the skies.
• Kakashi, Rin, and Obito walked through Konoha together, with Kakashi and Obito bickering as Rin watched.
• Kakashi defeated Obito in their training-ground duel, after which Kakashi practiced Lightning Release, Obito practiced Fire Release, and Rin studied medical ninjutsu.
• Obito planned to give Rin ninjutsu for her birthday through Taichi as a middleman.

Kakashi and Might Guy competed in a bell duel, and Kakashi lost. Guy used his victory to ask Kakashi to wear his green spandex suit and run a lap with him, leaving Kakashi shocked by Guy’s sudden act of persuasion.

• Kakashi continued developing his own ninjutsu, with Chidori as his main direction.
• Might Guy challenged Kakashi to a bell duel, and Kakashi accepted.
• Obito secretly prepared to witness the result while Rin stayed to watch.
• Kakashi’s bell rang first, so he lost the duel.
• Guy asked Kakashi to wear his green spandex suit and run a lap; Kakashi agreed after Guy pretended to be disappointed.
• Guy revealed that he had been acting, and Kakashi stared at him in shock.

Kakashi reluctantly used the Transformation Technique to wear Might Guy’s green suit, while Obito secretly photographed him. Meanwhile, Shiro reached Hoshigakure and prepared to infiltrate it using a suggestion-based magecraft barrier.

• Kakashi transformed into green-suited Kakashi and ran with Might Guy, while Obito secretly took photos and Rin agreed to keep the incident quiet.
• Obito removed the film from his camera to save a photo of Rin, and Kakashi returned without noticing their exchange.
• Shiro traveled through the Land of Fire and, one month later, reached the Land of Bears and gathered information about Hoshigakure.
• Shiro surveyed the canyon around Hoshigakure from Flying Bird and calculated its leyline nodes.
• Shiro adjusted his suggestion-based magecraft barrier to the local leylines, planning to make anyone approaching its edge turn back toward the center.

Shiro set up a large bounded field around Hoshigakure and entered the village disguised as Tobi to offer five thousand ryo and C-rank ninjutsu in all five elements for a deal. The Hoshikage suspected he wanted the Star and ordered the village to gather its forces, rejecting Eiichi’s attempt to counsel caution.

• Shiro finished setting up the bounded field and, after waiting for his strength to recover, descended into Hoshigakure.
• Shiro wore a black robe with red clouds and Secret of Pedigree, repelled four guards, and was surrounded by Hoshigakure ninja.
• Shiro introduced himself as Tobi and offered five thousand ryo and C-rank ninjutsu of all five elements in exchange for a deal.
• Eiichi recognized that Shiro likely wanted the Star and went to report to the Hoshikage, privately considering whether the village should hand it over.
• The Hoshikage ordered Eiichi to bring Shiro over and gather the village’s ninja so they could confront him.

Shiro entered Hoshikage to negotiate with Hoshikagure for the star, offering money and ninjutsu, but Hoshikage ordered an attack instead. As Hoshikagure’s fighters activated the Mysterious Peacock Method, Shiro prepared to fight.

• Eiichi reported Shiro’s arrival and unusual ninjutsu to an elder, who told him to follow Hoshikage’s orders and send the village’s younger generation away.
• Eiichi escorted Shiro to Hoshikage, where Shiro introduced himself as an Akatsuki representative and offered fifty million ryō and several ninjutsu in exchange for the star.
• Hoshikage denied possessing the star, then signaled his ninja to attack Shiro and claimed he was apprehending a trespasser.
• The Third Elder told Eiichi to help drive Shiro back and said he would try to persuade Hoshikage to reconsider afterward.
• Hoshikage, the other elders, and the Third Elder activated the Mysterious Peacock Method, while Shiro’s aura changed as he readied himself for battle.

Shiro used the Beautiful Princess's Ring to cancel the Hoshigakure ninja's Mysterious Peacock Method and pressed his attack on the Hoshikage. When the Hoshikage and the others adapted by hurling rocks, Shiro abandoned a dangerous Noble Phantasm combination and searched for another tactic.

• Shiro activated the Beautiful Princess's Ring, dispelling the Hoshigakure ninja's tail-shaped Chakra attacks and leaving many of them dazed.
• Shiro charged toward the Hoshikage, dodging the ninja's hurried attacks and canceling the three elders' stronger assault.
• The Hoshikage gave up on Beast Transformation and used his Chakra tail to launch a boulder at Shiro.
• The Hoshigakure ninja copied the Hoshikage's rock-throwing tactic, forcing Shiro to dodge instead of repeatedly canceling their magecraft.
• Shiro rejected using Dragon Girl's Blood Maiden and Astolfo's Magic Flute together because the strain could disable him or destroy his Magic Circuits, then remembered another tactic.

Shiro dispelled Hoshigakure’s Mysterious Peacock Method, raised a massive stone pillar with Projection Magecraft, and unleashed his Blood Maiden-enhanced attack on the village. As the Hoshigakure shinobi tried to regroup under Hoshikage’s orders, Shiro prepared to dispel their defense again.

• Shiro warmed up the energy stored in his Magic Crest while dodging Hoshigakure’s attacks, then repeatedly dispelled their Mysterious Peacock Method with his ring.
• Shiro used Projection Magecraft to raise a crooked stone pillar above the valley before the Hoshigakure shinobi could finish forming their seals.
• Shiro hung upside down from the pillar, summoned the castle of Blood Maiden, and released Wind Release: Thousand-Faced Wind across the village.
• Hoshikage urged the Hoshigakure shinobi to block the falling wind blades with the Mysterious Peacock Method, and Shiro made his ring flash green again.

Shiro absorbed the Hoshigakure Meteorite, bringing the system’s repair progress to 72%, and realized he was becoming more indifferent to human life. He accepted his growing magus-like outlook, then left the children behind with a glittering red bottle that exploded.

• Shiro used Thousand-Faced Wind to defeat most of the Hoshigakure ninja, then found the Meteorite and ordered the system to absorb its energy.
• The system repeatedly used the absorbed energy for repairs before reporting 72% repair progress and a 60% energy charge.
• Shiro found Blue Snake guarding frightened children and realized he had begun judging people by their usefulness rather than sparing them out of compassion.
• Shiro recognized that he was becoming a magus, accepted the change, and lifted his restrictions on Blue Snake except for eating people.
• Shiro summoned Flying Bird and left; a glittering red bottle fell among the children and exploded.

Shiro returned to his workshop and learned that the system’s lottery function could be used only once, but would manifest a Noble Phantasm. After checking which Noble Phantasms were available, he drew Enkidu, leaving him with a useful new tool for his plans.

• Shiro asked the system how to raise an attribute to A-rank, but it said it needed more data from his Magic Energy reaching B-rank.
• After a month of travel, Shiro returned to his workshop and sent a Shadow Clone to prepare steel plates for isolating the White Zetsu.
• Shiro asked the system which functions it had repaired and learned that its lottery function could be used only once before collapsing permanently.
• Shiro checked the system’s available Noble Phantasms and learned that only Enkidu could currently be materialized.
• Shiro confirmed the lottery and spent 10% of the system’s energy to draw and manifest Enkidu.

Shiro obtained Enkidu from the lottery, then met Gray Snake in the isolation room to receive Sage Art Chakra. Gray Snake warned him about changing himself and hinted at a hidden test connected to Orochimaru, leaving Shiro to examine the Chakra container.

• Shiro extracted Enkidu, a Noble Phantasm especially effective against divine beings, and considered how he might use it.
• Gray Snake notified Shiro that the Sage Art Chakra was ready, so Shiro went to the isolation room and summoned him.
• Gray Snake explained that a container inside the scroll held the Sage Art Chakra, and Shiro released it to inspect the stored Chakra.
• Gray Snake asked whether Shiro was all right and warned him not to become the next Orochimaru, but refused to explain further without Orochimaru's consent.
• Shiro decided he would not deliberately change himself to gain power and began examining the Sage Art Chakra container after Gray Snake left.