Chapter Summaries

Shiro attacked Sunagakure outposts on Orochimaru’s orders, disguising the raids as Kirigakure attacks while destroying poison-processing sites. He killed Pakura at one outpost and later finished clearing the locations Orochimaru had assigned him.

• Shiro used Gray Snake’s scouting to learn that Pakura was guarding a Sunagakure poison-processing outpost.
• Shiro enveloped the camp in Dark Foggy Metropolis and approached Pakura while she guarded the area in her Scorch Release combat stance.
• Shiro killed Pakura with Maria the Ripper before her fireballs could reach him.
• Shiro posed as a Kirigakure attacker, killed key personnel, and burned the outpost with Fire Release.
• Over the following days, Shiro destroyed more strongholds, and two weeks later he had cleared every assigned location he could reach.

Shiro and Orochimaru began developing a Command Spell system using the Dragon Vein, while Shiro hoped to eventually create a Holy Grail and summon Heroic Spirits. Their plans stalled over how to persuade Rōran’s queen, Sara, to let them control the sealed Dragon Vein, and Shiro turned to coercive methods.

• Shiro used Nightingale’s Noble Phantasm on the battlefield, discovering that it eradicated toxins and neutralized attacks while helping him better understand Zeroing.
• Sunagakure’s offensive slowed after two days, and Shiro and Orochimaru traveled through Replacement Magecraft to the Dragon Vein.
• Orochimaru sensed the Dragon Vein’s vast Chakra mixed with Natural Energy and agreed to work with Shiro.
• Shiro explained that he wanted to use the Dragon Vein to create a Holy Grail and summon Heroic Spirits, but his practical goal was to develop a Command Spell system with Orochimaru.
• Shiro rejected Orochimaru’s proposal to wipe out Rōran because the royal bloodline might be needed to control the Dragon Vein’s seal.
• Unable to find a way to win Sara’s cooperation, Shiro turned to ninja methods and grew cold as he considered forcing her hand.

Shiro and Orochimaru attacked Rōran and demanded Queen Sara’s cooperation in gaining access to the Dragon Vein. Sara refused, so they threatened the villagers’ lives to pressure her into giving in.

• Shiro realized that repeatedly using Suggestion Magecraft on himself could split his personality, and he resolved to change his approach.
• Shiro and Orochimaru summoned snakes into Rōran, frightening the villagers and binding most of them.
• Shiro told Sara that they had come for her help, and she offered herself in exchange for the villagers’ safety.
• Shiro and Orochimaru revealed that they wanted Sara to cooperate with them over the dangerous Dragon Vein.
• Shiro and Orochimaru killed villagers to force Sara’s decision, while Shiro singled out villagers who cared about her and tightened the snakes around them.

Shiro forced Sara to obey by killing villagers, then used the Snake Binding Spirit technique to make the remaining villagers hostages. He and Orochimaru followed Sara to the Dragon Vein control platform, where Orochimaru began preparing a summoning.

• Okada tried to protect Sara from Shiro, but Shiro pierced his heart with a beam of wind and killed him.
• Shiro killed villagers whenever Sara objected, until she agreed to obey his orders.
• Shiro used Snake Binding Spirit to turn the snakes restraining the villagers into tattoos and warned Sara he could wake them at any time.
• Shiro took control of the Summoning Contract and told Sara to lead him and Orochimaru to the Dragon Vein.
• Shiro and Orochimaru inspected the grand Dragon Vein control platform, and Orochimaru began a Summoning Technique to provide equipment.

Shiro and Orochimaru paused their Dragon Vein Modification Project as Sunagakure prepared a massive assault after months of stalemate. The attack began with Chiyo facing Orochimaru, whose snake swarm was countered by Rasa’s gold dust before a black-and-white figure struck it.

• Shiro and Orochimaru summoned a laboratory at Ryūchi Cave, set up a barrier, and returned to camp.
• For three months, Shiro and Orochimaru researched in Rōran while Konoha and Sunagakure fought only minor attrition battles.
• Sunagakure gathered nearly forty percent of its ninja, including Kazekage candidate Rasa, and launched an all-out assault, forcing Orochimaru’s group to suspend the Dragon Vein project.
• Chiyo advanced with the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets, and Orochimaru countered by transforming into a swarm of snakes.
• Rasa’s gold dust wiped out Orochimaru’s snake swarm, but the Eternal Snakes rapidly multiplied again.
• A black-and-white figure struck the gold dust and shattered it.

Shiro fought Rasa, who used Sunagakure’s preparations against him to break his twin blades and prevent him from projecting new weapons. Shiro’s attempt to create an opening with Destructo Disc struck a Sand Clone, leaving him under pressure and searching for a way to survive.

• Rasa attacked Shiro with waves of Gold Dust while Shiro cut through them and advanced toward him.
• Tiny grains of Gold Dust clung to Kanshou and Bakuya, and Rasa shattered the blades when Shiro closed in.
• Rasa repeatedly interrupted Shiro’s attempts to project replacement weapons, exploiting Sunagakure’s intelligence about his techniques.
• Shiro used Wind Release and threw Destructo Disc at Rasa, but it cut through a Sand Clone instead of the real Rasa.
• Shiro continued dodging Rasa’s attacks and worried that he might have to use a move he wanted to avoid.

Shiro and Taichi helped Konoha turn back Sunagakure’s attack, but the battle revealed a weakness in Shiro’s Projection technique. After Shiro repeatedly slipped into a dangerous state, the Snake Sage summoned him and urged him to decide whether he would return from it.

• Taichi arrived in a flash of blue lightning and helped Shiro summon Kanshou and Bakuya before the two charged at Rasa.
• Rasa saw that Konoha had gained the advantage, withdrew Chiyo and Sunagakure’s forces, and Konoha pursued them ten li.
• While cleaning the battlefield, Shiro resolved to learn High-Speed Incantation after recognizing that his short Projection incantation had left him vulnerable.
• Shiro entered his dark state and ordered Gray Snake to carry out a task, then later returned to his usual self and guided the three little ones’ training.
• Gray Snake told Shiro that Granny wanted to see him, and Shiro was reverse-summoned to Ryūchi Cave.
• The Snake Sage told Shiro that Ryūchi Cave would not interfere with his choices and urged him to decide whether to come back from being lost.

Shiro recalled how the Snake Sage had chosen him because his Chakra suited the changing world and had asked him to leave her a way to intervene if he changed. After recognizing how his actions in Rōran had affected him, Shiro decided to continue his plan as a magus and apologize.

• Shiro remembered asking the Snake Sage why Ryūchi Cave had chosen him, and she explained that the world and Natural Energy were changing.
• The Snake Sage said Shiro's Chakra suited those changes and that she hoped to secure a privilege that could affect his development if necessary.
• Shiro asked whether he could trust her, and the Snake Sage said she would not control his choices but wanted a contingency because people could change.
• Shiro admitted that he had been naive to think he would not regret his choices and mocked himself for acting like an ally of justice in Rōran.
• Shiro tore off his collar and declared that he would continue the plan as a human and a magus, while apologizing even though it was too late.

Shiro returned from meeting the Snake Sage and changed the plan he had discussed with Gray Snake, then arranged to leave the battlefield to address his emerging secondary personality and pursue High-Speed Incantation. Orochimaru granted him time to research, but required him to return for the decisive battle.

• Shiro thanked Gray Snake, asked her to screen people with her heart-sensing Sage Art, and told her to handle the results as wartime matters.
• Shiro decided to resolve the secondary personality caused by Suggestion Magecraft and investigate modifying his vocal organs to enable High-Speed Incantation.
• Shiro went to Orochimaru’s tent and requested leave from the battlefield to conduct his research.
• Orochimaru allowed Shiro to return whenever he was ready but required him to join the decisive battle, and Shiro departed using Shadow Clone Technique.

Shiro hurried to the Workshop to separate his growing secondary personality and implant it into Enkidu, while asking Taichi and the others to look after the children. After three days of work, the procedure reached a temporary close, but Shiro was left severely drained and needed to recover.

• Shiro's clone asked Taichi to watch the three children while he dealt with a problem affecting his mental state.
• Shiro's clones informed the children and Tsunade before dispersing and sending their reports to him at the Workshop.
• Shiro instructed Azu to use his Mystic Eyes to gather allies and guard the Workshop.
• Shiro chose to implant his secondary personality into Enkidu to give the Noble Phantasm autonomous abilities.
• Shiro separated and modified the secondary personality, then spent three days completing its injection into Enkidu.
• Shiro brought the procedure to a temporary close, but suffered severe vitality depletion and needed to recuperate.

Shiro began experimenting with Marchen meines Lebens to develop a vocal organ for High-Speed Incantation. The Noble Phantasm successfully altered a test subject, but Shiro's analysis showed the result could not be modified without the Noble Phantasm, so he left the laboratory to study the data and plan his next experiment.

• Shiro entered the sealed Biological Laboratory and met Gray Snake beside the screened test subjects.
• Shiro used Marchen meines Lebens to alter a test subject's vocal organ, but the modification loosened the subject's seals.
• Gray Snake restrained the subject with Ninja Art: Snake Binding Seal while Shiro dissected him and collected data.
• Shiro analyzed the result and concluded that the new vocal organ could not be modified without the Noble Phantasm.
• Shiro left the laboratory to review the data, optimize his next experiment, and debug the newborn AI inside Enkidu.

With Shiro absent, Sunagakure shifted to poison attacks while Konoha focused on preserving its forces and preparing antidotes. Taichi kept Rasa occupied until the battle ended in a stalemate, after which Rasa was sent back to the Land of Wind to investigate reports of a threat there.

• Sunagakure changed its tactics after discovering Shiro was gone, and Chiyo resumed poison attacks while Orochimaru and Tsunade prepared antidotes.
• Taichi fought Rasa, dodging his Gold Dust attacks but failing to reach him as Rasa remained high in the air.
• Taichi provoked Rasa by referring to his previous camps, unsettling him with the possibility that Shiro was active in the Land of Wind.
• Taichi let Rasa recover from gaps in his defenses while quietly watching three young ninja move toward the edge of the battlefield.
• After three rounds of poison attacks, the battle ended without either side gaining a clear advantage, and Sunagakure sent Rasa back to search the Land of Wind.

Shiro tested Enkidu, refined his High-Speed Incantation research, and visited the Dragon Vein to inspect Orochimaru’s Command Spell breakthrough. He apologized to Sara before discovering the system was nearly complete and preparing to work with Orochimaru.

• Shiro tested Enkidu against his Dragon Tooth Soldiers and noted that Enkidu’s autonomous attacks lacked power.
• Shiro created a new organ that was easier to analyze and modify, then spent several days organizing his research.
• Shiro apologized to Sara, promised to change the prisoners’ seal, and offered her the chance to leave with ninjutsu for self-defense.
• Shiro inspected the Dragon Vein’s Incantations and found that Orochimaru had resolved nearly all the difficult parts of the Command Spell System.
• Orochimaru arrived as a Shadow Clone, and he and Shiro prepared to complete the Command Spell System.

Shisui and Soji asked Taichi for permission to join the battlefield, while Ayue chose to stay in camp and support them. Taichi approved the boys’ request with strict safety rules, and Ayue revealed she could provide stored enhancements for their mission.

• Shisui showed Taichi his Two-Tomoe Sharingan and argued that he was ready for the battlefield.
• Ayue said she would remain at camp, and Taichi warned her not to use her Mystic Eyes unless he could not reach the boys in time.
• Soji demonstrated his Shukuchi, impressing Taichi, who allowed him and Shisui to go under his watch.
• On the way to training, Soji explained that he had only learned the basics of Shukuchi, and Shisui encouraged him to keep practicing.
• Ayue asked how she could support the boys and revealed she had learned to make gemstones that stored secret arts.

Shisui and Soji learned about Ayue’s new technique for storing ninjutsu, then joined the battle against Sunagakure’s harassment forces. They overwhelmed their first opponents, but an accident interrupted their advance.

• Shisui asked Ayue about the secret technique, and Ayue explained that she could store some simple secret techniques and ninjutsu but not advanced medical ninjutsu.
• Soji declined Shisui’s offer to carry stored techniques because it could interfere with his Shukuchi training.
• The next day, Shisui and Soji joined Konoha’s defense against Sunagakure, with Shisui using Body Flicker to aid allies and Soji using Shrinking Step in battle.
• Sunagakure assassination teams entered Konoha’s encirclement and charged at Shisui and Soji, who defeated their first opponents with Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique and Shrinking Step: Iai Slash.
• Shisui and Soji continued attacking the encircled Suna Ninja until an accident occurred.

Taichi let the Konoha ninja suffer an ambush to teach them not to underestimate Sunagakure, while both sides settled into a stalemate and prepared for a decisive battle. After Kirigakure attacked Konoha, Fugaku challenged the Uchiha elders’ confidence and their belief that victory would help them compete for Hokage.

• Taichi intervened after poisoned Konoha ninja were ambushed, killed most of the waiting Sunagakure attackers, and allowed the enemy to retreat.
• Sunagakure and Konoha tacitly reduced their fighting to harassment as both sides gathered strength and Taichi trained Shiro’s three young disciples.
• Shiro neared the completion of his experiment, while he and Orochimaru’s Shadow Clones finished the Dragon Vein project’s construction and began final adjustments.
• Kirigakure attacked Konoha, and Konoha assigned the new battlefield to clan ninja led by the Uchiha and Hyuga.
• Uchiha elders argued over mobilizing their clan to win quickly and compete for Hokage, but Fugaku questioned whether they could truly win and condemned their arrogance.

Fugaku secured the Uchiha elders’ support for cooperating in the coming war and pursuing his plan, while the Hyuga focused on killing Otsutsuki Ao. After Rasa became Kazekage, the great powers mobilized for a decisive battle, and Shiro told Orochimaru he was ready to set out.

• Fugaku rebuked the Uchiha elders’ resistance, warned them against seeking Hokage’s position, and ordered them not to obstruct his plan.
• The Fourth Elder defended Shiro’s ability and warned the elders to keep the clan’s plans secret.
• The Hyuga meeting focused on tactics to kill Otsutsuki Ao and claim his Byakugan.
• Three days later, the Hyuga and Uchiha led the clan alliance forces to the Kirigakure battlefield as news spread that Rasa had become Kazekage.
• The Third Hokage ordered Minato and Elder Tiezhu to prepare for the front, Ōnoki considered activating a plan, and the Cloud Village mobilized to attack Konoha.
• Shiro told Orochimaru he was ready to depart and asked him for a favor, which Orochimaru agreed to arrange by the day after tomorrow.

Shiro joined the Konoha war council and warned that Sunagakure's One-Tail Jinchuriki might be a perfect Jinchuriki, undermining a plan to provoke it. When Sunagakure forces attacked under Chiyo and Ebizo, Shiro went out to face them and settle his master's grudge.

• Shiro arrived at the strategy meeting, and Tsunade worried about the changes to his body before accepting his reassurance.
• Shikaku explained Konoha's intelligence on Sunagakure's forces and proposed provoking the suspected One-Tail Jinchuriki into attacking its allies.
• Shiro revealed that Sunagakure's One-Tail Jinchuriki was suspected to be a perfect Jinchuriki, prompting Orochimaru to call off the plan.
• An explosion and fighting outside announced Sunagakure's attack, led by Chiyo and Ebizo.
• Shiro headed to the battlefield with Gray Snake and declared he would settle the grudge his master had left behind.

Shiro confronted Chiyo on the battlefield, using his speed and Noble Phantasm to evade her traps and search for her while she stayed hidden. After Chiyo sent out the strongest of the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets, Shiro accelerated toward it and struck.

• Shiro charged Chiyo as Gray Snake headed toward Ebizo, but Chiyo used an explosive puppet to meet his attack.
• Shiro evaded the exploding iron rods with Khronos Rose and smashed the puppet, while Chiyo prepared a scroll marked “white.”
• Chiyo controlled Konoha ninja to obstruct Shiro, but he accelerated around them and sealed them to keep them from fighting.
• Shiro found only a device transmitting the Chakra threads, then attacked nearby Suna Ninja to force Chiyo to act.
• Chiyo released the strongest of the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets, and Shiro used Double speed, Reinforcement, and Mana Burst to charge it and strike.

Shiro destroyed Chiyo’s puppets, found her hiding place, and fatally stabbed her before she could launch a desperate attack. As her explosive tags detonated, Shiro used Zeruel die to protect himself.

• Shiro escaped the puppet’s attack and sliced it apart with his Destructo Discs.
• Shiro used a projected puppet to estimate Chiyo’s hiding place, then forced her out with Thousand-Faced Wind.
• Chiyo released her remaining puppets and formed a Chakra shield against Shiro’s attack.
• Shiro used Fivefold Speed to stab Chiyo through the heart.
• Chiyo saw Ebizo pinned among bloodstained stone pillars, grabbed Shiro, and ignited her Explosive Tags.
• Shiro withdrew his hand and recited the Incantation for Zeroing as the Explosive Tags detonated.