Chapter Summaries

Might Guy received a Class Change that rejuvenated his body and gave him the potential to break through his limits and time. After he eagerly swallowed the elixir, Shen Mo advised him to buy more Limited Chests to speed up his growth.

• Might Guy reflected on his training in the Eight Inner Gates and his determination to surpass his limits despite the cost.
• Shen Mo explained that the elixir combined the Extreme Martial Emperor’s ability to break limits with the Nen Emperor’s power over time.
• Shen Mo told Might Guy that the elixir would give him martial arts energy and a renewed body, while his progress would depend on training.
• Might Guy swallowed the elixir despite Tsunade’s warning, and the Class Change rejuvenated him and released his physical shackles.
• Might Guy excitedly planned to run hundreds of laps, but Shen Mo urged him to spend his remaining money on nine Limited Chests to improve faster.

Might Guy bought ten Limited Chests and received training items, including Gravity Talismans that let him train under increased gravity. He opened a Blue Rare item from the ninth chest, leaving its contents unrevealed.

• Shen Mo explained that Might Guy’s Fate-type Item would let him change professions, but his power would depend on his effort and ability to endure its training methods.
• Tsunade encouraged Might Guy to use his allocated funds, and he bought ten Limited Chests.
• Might Guy used Gravity Talismans, increasing the gravity on his body and deciding to endure it for twenty-four hours.
• Might Guy opened chests containing training and combat items, including fist techniques, more Gravity Talismans, a weighted suit, an Amplification Orb, and an injury-treatment potion.
• Might Guy opened the ninth chest, and blue mist revealed that it contained a Blue Rare item.

Might Guy opened a Blue Rare chest and gained the powerful Cyclone Heartbreak Kick, while Tsunade and the others continued opening chests and receiving new powers. Shen Mo assigned professions to the Ino-Shika-Cho clans and reassured Kurenai Yuhi about pursuing Genjutsu.

• Might Guy opened a Blue Rare chest and absorbed the Extreme Martial Emperor skill Cyclone Heartbreak Kick, an attack designed to deliver an overwhelming second kick.
• Might Guy opened his final chest and found a striking-power gauntlet, while the others grew excited about their own chest openings.
• Tsunade bought ten more Level 3 Chests and received a Female Paladin Bracer and the Holy Light Infusion skill, but no Grand Prize.
• Shen Mo assigned Shikaku Nara a Vine Martial Soul, the Yamanaka Clan a Spirit Mage profession, and the Akimichi Clan Gourmet Cells.
• Kurenai Yuhi worried that Genjutsu’s deceptions might make her lose herself, and Shen Mo told her that her strong sense of self and principles made her suited to the path.

Shen Mo helped Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma Sarutobi obtain new powers through chests, then stayed in Konoha with Ikaros. As Shen Mo entered the village, Jiraiya arrived at its gates.

• Shen Mo explained the need for a strong heart and firm principles, then questioned Kurenai Yuhi about her goals and judged that they might not drive her to grow stronger.
• Asuma Sarutobi bought ten Level 3 Chests, and Kurenai Yuhi continued opening chests as Shen Mo gave them job-change items for new professions.
• Shen Mo told the ninjas they could contact the Merchant Guild through their Badges and announced that he and Ikaros would stay in Konoha for a while.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi welcomed Shen Mo and asked Tsunade to arrange his stay, while Shen Mo had Ikaros retract her wings.
• Shen Mo walked into Konoha with Tsunade as guards recognized the long-haired man approaching the village as Jiraiya.

Jiraiya returned to Konoha and learned that Tsunade had brought back a mysterious man, Shen Mo. While Shen Mo, Tsunade, and Ikaros strolled through the village, they spotted Jiraiya spying at the women’s bathhouse, where Tsunade confronted him.

• Jiraiya greeted Izumo and Kotetsu at Konoha’s gate and reflected on Orochimaru’s betrayal.
• Kotetsu told Jiraiya that Tsunade had returned with an unknown man, leaving Jiraiya visibly dejected.
• Jiraiya hurried to the bathhouse, where he crouched by the door and peered inside while muttering about research material.
• Shen Mo noticed Jiraiya from a distance and led Tsunade and Ikaros toward the bathhouse.
• Tsunade saw Jiraiya spying through the door and roared at him.

Tsunade caught Jiraiya spying on women at the bathhouse and beat him before confronting him in a nearby grove. Naruto then found Shen Mo and revealed that he would face Gaara in the Chunin Exams, while Neji would face Sasuke, leaving Shen Mo concerned that the matchups had been altered.

• Tsunade burst through the bathhouse door, caught Jiraiya spying, and beat him after he claimed he was gathering material for his novel.
• Tsunade dragged Jiraiya to a grove, scolded him for embarrassing Konoha, and argued with him when he commented on her affection for Shen Mo.
• Naruto arrived looking for someone to train him and asked Shen Mo to help him prepare for the third round of the Chunin Exams.
• Shen Mo learned that Naruto would face Gaara and Neji would face Sasuke, and he suspected the exam matchups had been deliberately changed.
• Naruto told Shen Mo that Gaara had become jealous after learning about the Nine-Tails and had threatened Sasuke and Sakura, so Naruto vowed to defeat him.

After Shen Mo explained that Gaara was a Jinchuriki who had suffered even more than Naruto, Naruto asked for help training so he could defeat him. Shen Mo refused, and Jiraiya offered to test Shen Mo instead, leaving the gathered ninja wary of the stranger’s power.

• Shen Mo told Naruto that Gaara had been feared and rejected as a child, and that even his father had tried to kill him.
• Naruto imagined Gaara’s loneliness, resolved to defeat him, and asked Shen Mo to help him cultivate.
• Shen Mo refused because he considered his time valuable, so Jiraiya offered to guide Naruto instead.
• Naruto rejected Jiraiya and praised Shen Mo’s strength, prompting Jiraiya to challenge Shen Mo to a match.
• Tsunade warned Jiraiya that he did not understand who Shen Mo was or how powerful he was, making Jiraiya question the stranger’s identity.

Shen Mo recommended Jiraiya as Naruto’s teacher, then exposed and sealed Black Zetsu after catching him spying. He left Naruto prepared to train with Jiraiya and Black Zetsu imprisoned for several hundred years.

• Shen Mo told Naruto that Jiraiya could help him develop his ninja abilities without wasting his potential.
• Jiraiya revealed that he had taught the Fourth Hokage, convincing Naruto that he was an impressive teacher.
• Shen Mo sensed a spy, used his Golden Eyes to destroy a tree, and pulled Black Zetsu out of hiding.
• Shen Mo examined Black Zetsu’s devotion to reviving his mother and decided that neither releasing nor killing him was suitable.
• Shen Mo compressed Black Zetsu into a sealing sphere and said he would keep him imprisoned for several hundred years.
• Naruto accepted that he should train with Jiraiya and resolved not to bother Shen Mo.

Shen Mo warned Jiraiya to respect Ikaros, while Tsunade reflected on Jiraiya’s feelings for her. Shen Mo then learned that Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki had infiltrated Konoha, and the chapter ended as someone approached their hiding place in the Uchiha Clan Ruins.

• Shen Mo threatened to permanently transform Jiraiya if he looked at Ikaros lecherously, and Jiraiya left to train Naruto.
• Shen Mo told Tsunade that Jiraiya loved her, and Tsunade admitted she knew he had feelings for her.
• Shen Mo learned that Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki had entered Konoha to investigate him.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki hid in the Uchiha Clan Ruins and discussed Itachi’s surviving younger brother.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki sensed someone approaching after night fell.

Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki hid in the Uchiha Ruins to investigate a mysterious person, where they discovered Sasuke searching the abandoned homes for money. Itachi secretly left him gold, but Sasuke spotted the pair and confronted his brother, ending with Itachi asking whether Sasuke feared him because he had killed everyone there.

• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki saw Sasuke enter the Uchiha Ruins and search abandoned houses for money.
• Kisame Hoshigaki gave Itachi gold, and Itachi secretly placed it where Sasuke would find it.
• Sasuke found the gold, activated his Sharingan, and detected two people hiding in a tree.
• Itachi Uchiha appeared before Sasuke, who recognized him and drew his sword while Kisame stood behind them.
• Sasuke restrained himself from attacking, and Itachi asked why he would not dare return after killing everyone there.

Sasuke mistook Itachi Uchiha's guilt and confusion for evidence that he was pursuing the Ruthless Sword path by killing his beloved. Believing himself to be Itachi's final step, Sasuke decided to torment him before killing him and attacked Kisame Hoshigaki to break through.

• Sasuke interpreted Itachi Uchiha's emotionless demeanor as proof that he was trying to sever his feelings and prove the Ruthless Dao.
• Sasuke taunted Itachi, claiming that killing his parents had caused him pain and that Sasuke was the person he loved most.
• Sasuke resolved to thwart Itachi's supposed path by growing stronger, making him suffer regret, and eventually killing him.
• Sasuke dashed at Kisame Hoshigaki, who blocked his path with Samehada.
• Sasuke used his Sharingan and Chakra to unleash his Self-Created Sword Art, First Form—Super Heavy Stab, startling Kisame Hoshigaki.

Sasuke confronted Itachi and Kisame, revealing that he knew Itachi had spared him to complete his path to perfection. After challenging Itachi to face his strongest move, Sasuke began gathering power into an unfamiliar technique.

• Sasuke wounded Kisame with a powerful sword strike and dodged Kisame’s Water Shark Bomb Technique.
• Sasuke accused Itachi of killing their family for his own path and vowed to remain alive and grow stronger so Itachi would never succeed.
• Itachi admitted that he had kept Sasuke alive as the final step on his path to perfection, then provoked him to hate and resent him.
• Sasuke challenged Itachi to face his strongest move, and Itachi told Kisame not to interfere.
• Sasuke raised his sword and gathered an unfamiliar, immaculate aura that left both Kisame and Itachi astonished.

Sasuke used his clash with Itachi Uchiha to escape, leaving Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki to abandon their immediate pursuit and continue hiding while investigating Konoha. Shen Mo and Ikaros watched from a rooftop, where Tsunade interrupted their affectionate moment.

• Sasuke unleashed a powerful sword technique, then turned it into a rapid escape when he saw Itachi Uchiha activate his Mangekyo.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki realized Sasuke had fled, and Itachi decided they should find another place to hide and continue their investigation.
• Kisame Hoshigaki asked about Itachi Uchiha's claim that sibling blood strengthened the Uchiha Clan's eyes, and Itachi confirmed it was true.
• Shen Mo and Ikaros watched Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki from a rooftop while Ikaros held the watermelon she had bought.
• Tsunade interrupted Shen Mo as he patted Ikaros's head and felt overwhelmed by their affectionate closeness.

Shen Mo watched Konoha respond to the Akatsuki’s infiltration, then secretly accelerated time in Orochimaru’s coffin to hasten his transformation into a Lich. Orochimaru awakened early enough to send a message to a customer.

• Tsunade asked Shen Mo about the Akatsuki’s return, then joined Konoha’s search for the intruders.
• Shen Mo watched Sasuke being questioned and reflected on Sasuke’s mistaken belief about Itachi Uchiha’s motives.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi welcomed Rasa to Konoha, and both recognized that the other was a Chest Opener while avoiding talk of jars.
• Shen Mo inspected Orochimaru’s buried coffin and accelerated time inside it by two days.
• Shen Mo returned to his room, where Ikaros received a message from Orochimaru.

Orochimaru woke after becoming a Lich and contacted Shen Mo to buy Level 3 Chests from the Lich Limited Series. He revealed his plan to transform his homeland into a peaceful civilization of undead, while Shen Mo recognized how far the idea could go.

• Orochimaru contacted Ikaros to request Level 3 Chests, and Shen Mo brought Ikaros and Hikari to meet him in person.
• Shen Mo observed that Orochimaru had regained his appearance and that his disposition had shifted from Chaotic Neutral toward Lawful.
• Orochimaru explained that he wanted to become Shen Mo's assistant, explore other worlds, and make his homeland peaceful and strong.
• Orochimaru argued that making everyone undead would end death, hatred, and war, allowing people to pursue knowledge together.
• Shen Mo realized Orochimaru intended to turn the Naruto world into an undead civilization ruled by a wise Lich King.

Orochimaru explained his plan to make the world undead, and Shen Mo warned him not to let ordinary people suffer drastic losses. After discussing the requirements for Level 4 Chests, Orochimaru bought three hundred Lich series chests and began opening them.

• Shen Mo told Orochimaru that someone had tried to impose a vision of peace before and failed because of popular resistance.
• Orochimaru decided to pursue his plan while remaining willing to change course if someone stopped him or showed him the answer.
• Shen Mo warned Orochimaru that he could not allow his actions to drastically reduce the number of ordinary people, and Orochimaru promised to deal with his opponents before transforming the world.
• Orochimaru asked what strength was needed to open Level 4 Chests, and Shen Mo said he had to become somewhat stronger than the First Hokage.
• Orochimaru purchased three hundred Lich series chests and immediately began opening them, rapidly gaining necromantic knowledge, equipment, and power.

Orochimaru opened Level 3 Chests in search of a Grand Prize, eventually obtaining the rare Hellfire skill used by Ainz Ooal Gown. Shen Mo explained the skill’s lethal power and warned Orochimaru about the undead ruler’s dominance.

• Orochimaru absorbed knowledge and abilities from more than eighty chests, including research in lightning, flames, and space.
• After opening one hundred and fifty chests without a Grand Prize, Orochimaru bought another two hundred after Shen Mo mentioned other customers’ luck and Kabuto Yakushi’s prizes.
• Orochimaru opened his one hundred and seventieth chest and received a Blue Rare Skill Orb containing Hellfire.
• Orochimaru absorbed Hellfire, a seventh-level spell that annihilated its target on contact, and became excited by its power.
• Shen Mo told Orochimaru that Ainz Ooal Gown ruled over undead beings below his level and advised him to keep working hard.

Orochimaru opened five hundred Level 3 Chests and won a Two-Headed Bone Dragon and a sealed necromancy Mage Tower, though the prizes left him eager to pursue greater power. Shen Mo returned home with Ikaros and Hikari, where Ikaros voiced concern that Orochimaru’s happiness might bring unhappiness to others.

• Orochimaru accepted Shen Mo’s claim of absolute dominance and said he wanted to see what a world belonging to the undead would look like.
• After opening more than two hundred and fifty chests, Orochimaru obtained a crystal containing a mature Two-Headed Bone Dragon.
• Orochimaru opened hundreds more chests without a prize, then found a sealed necromancy Mage Tower among the final dozen.
• Orochimaru said he would change his fate and fulfill his wish, and Shen Mo told him he would be watching.
• Shen Mo returned home with Ikaros and Hikari, and Ikaros worried that Orochimaru might make other people unhappy.

Shen Mo reassured Ikaros about her feelings toward violence and prepared to watch the guests’ conflicts unfold. The third round of the Chunin Exams began, and Shikamaru faced Temari as Shen Mo and Ikaros watched from the stands.

• Shen Mo asked Ikaros whether she hated people like Orochimaru, and she said she did not want to hate anyone but would act if her master were hurt.
• Shen Mo promised Ikaros that her watermelon would no longer spoil, and she set it down on a cushion before watching Hikari.
• Shen Mo and Ikaros attended the third round of the Chunin Exams from the VIP stands, where they spotted Tsunade, Jiraiya, Itachi Uchiha, and Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Shen Mo explained to Ikaros that people restrained their desire for violence with reason and emotion as the crowd cheered for the first match.
• Shikamaru faced Temari, and Shen Mo and Ikaros watched the fight together.

Naruto and Gaara began their match, and Naruto confronted Gaara with the difference between their lives: Naruto had won people’s support while Gaara remained consumed by jealousy and hatred. Naruto dodged Gaara’s sand attacks and used Shadow Clones to reach him, ending the chapter poised to strike.

• Naruto entered the arena to face Gaara, whom he recognized as another Jinchuriki and a reflection of what he might have become.
• Gaara confessed his jealousy of Naruto’s friends and support, while Naruto explained how he had worked to make friends despite being shunned.
• Konoha’s spectators rallied behind Naruto, and he declared that he would win for the people who believed in him.
• Gaara attacked Naruto with Sand Binding Burial, but Naruto dodged the pursuing sand.
• Naruto created dozens of Shadow Clones, and they charged Gaara while his Sand Shuriken dispersed many of them.
• Naruto used the clones’ cover to close in on Gaara and prepared to fight him at close range.