Recaps

After returning from a mission, Ueno Kei met Naruto on the street and reflected on how little they had seen each other over the past three years. He recalled learning that Naruto was both the Nine-Tails jinchuriki and the Fourth Hokage’s orphan, and felt greater pity for him.

• Ueno Kei and Fox met Akamatsu and the other teammates at the Land of Stone border, then returned to Konoha with the secret letter.
• Ueno Kei avoided Naruto’s ambush and playfully refused to make him lunch until Naruto pleaded for his cooking.
• Ueno Kei recalled how his Anbu training had strengthened him and how he had learned the Wind Wing Sword Technique and summoning ninjutsu.
• Ueno Kei remembered receiving guidance from Hatake Kakashi in lightning-style techniques, including learning the hand seals for Lightning Cutter.
• Ueno Kei recalled that the Third Hokage had revealed Naruto was the Nine-Tails jinchuriki and the Fourth Hokage’s orphan, and he felt pity for Naruto’s harsh childhood.

Ueno Kei caught Naruto skipping class and let Iruka take him back to the Ninja Academy before feeding him dinner. The next day, Kei’s attempt to master Lightning Cutter exploded, but he was soon summoned to an Anbu mission.

• Ueno Kei scolded Naruto for skipping class, and Iruka arrived to take Naruto back to the Ninja Academy.
• Ueno Kei invited Naruto to dinner, and Naruto ate nearly all the food Kei had prepared.
• The next day, Ueno Kei practiced Lightning Cutter at his training ground, but the unstable technique exploded and injured his hand.
• Ueno Kei received an Anbu mission summons, put on his uniform and mask, and went to his squad’s gathering room.

Ueno Kei received a solo mission to kill Aoi Rokushō and recover the Sword of the Thunder God, then traveled to the Land of Tea to investigate the Wagarashi Clan. After learning Morino Idate served the rival Wasabi Clan, Ueno Kei set a plan in motion and began spying on the Wagarashi residence.

• Akamatsu assigned Ueno Kei the A-rank mission alone while the rest of their team pursued a separate target.
• Ueno Kei read and destroyed the mission scroll, then left Konoha for the Land of Tea.
• An intelligence operative told Ueno Kei that Aoi Rokushō had been hired by the Wagarashi Clan and that Morino Idate served the Wasabi Clan.
• Ueno Kei ordered the operative to keep Morino Idate under observation and discreetly inform the Wasabi Clan that the Wagarashi Clan had hired ninja.
• Ueno Kei secretly approached the Wagarashi residence to assess its forces and determine whether Aoi Rokushō had other elite ninja with him.

Ueno Kei infiltrated the Wagarashi Clan compound to investigate the Mist Ninja believed to be staying there. He learned that the clan’s honored guests were ninja and prepared to continue searching for them.

• Ueno Kei assessed the Wagarashi Clan’s defenses, planted explosive tags as an escape precaution, and slipped over the wall during a patrol shift.
• Ueno Kei infiltrated the sparsely guarded rear courtyard and followed a servant into a dark corner.
• Ueno Kei subdued the servant at kunai-point and questioned him about the empty rear courtyard and the clan head’s location.
• The servant explained that the clan’s family and most guards had moved to the front courtyard after honored guests arrived.
• Ueno Kei pressured the servant into revealing that the guests were ninja, confirming his suspicion that Aoi Rokushō’s group was inside.

Ueno Kei interrogated and killed a household guard, then sneaked toward the west wing to investigate the Mist Ninja. After detecting traps and three people in a room, he was confronted from behind by an unseen speaker.

• Ueno Kei forced the middle-aged man to reveal that the Mist Ninja were staying in the west wing near the valley.
• Ueno Kei killed the middle-aged man after learning no one knew he had left his post, then hid the corpse.
• Ueno Kei crept toward the west wing and carefully avoided traps and explosive tags.
• Ueno Kei detected three people inside a room and suspected the other rooms belonged to Aoi Rokushō and another chunin.
• An unseen speaker addressed Ueno Kei from behind, saying a subordinate's interesting item had exposed him.

Ueno Kei was discovered while spying on Aoi Rokushō and the Kirigakure ninjas, then tried to escape after realizing he was outnumbered. Aoi Rokushō and a sensory-capable chunin pursued him through the smoke, and the chapter left Ueno Kei blocking an attack from behind.

• Ueno Kei recognized Aoi Rokushō and suspected that the sword at his waist was the Sword of the Thunder God.
• Aoi Rokushō and a Kirigakure chunin, whose owl had detected Ueno Kei, confronted him as three experienced genin surrounded him.
• Aoi Rokushō learned that no other Konoha Anbu were nearby and decided to kill Ueno Kei rather than retreat.
• Ueno Kei threw a smoke bomb and escaped the genin’s encirclement toward the courtyard gate.
• Aoi Rokushō drew his sword and caught up with Ueno Kei, while the chunin tracked him through the smoke.
• Ueno Kei blocked Aoi Rokushō’s strike from behind with a kunai and sensed the chunin closing in.

Ueno Kei escaped the Wagarashi Clan residence after detonating explosive tags and fighting through its guards, while Aoi Rokushō abandoned the pursuit. Ueno Kei left the forest after confirming Aoi Rokushō would not follow, and Aoi dismissed the attack to the Wagarashi Clan Head as a minor intrusion.

• Ueno Kei triggered an explosion that injured three genin and used the smoke to flee toward the compound's main gate.
• Ueno Kei detonated seven explosive tags across the Wagarashi Clan grounds, killing guards and bringing down the watchtowers.
• Ueno Kei fought through the guards, blasted open a gap in the wall, and escaped into the forest as Aoi Rokushō arrived.
• Aoi Rokushō decided not to pursue Ueno Kei and returned to the residence with the Mist Ninja chunin.
• Ueno Kei hid in the forest in case Aoi Rokushō followed, then quietly left when Aoi Rokushō withdrew.
• Aoi Rokushō told the Wagarashi Clan Head that a rat had slipped into the compound.

Aoi Rokushō decided to abandon the mission and secretly arrange for the Mist Ninja to distract the Konoha Anbu so he could escape. Ueno Kei withdrew and turned to the Wasabi Clan for help, while Wasabi Jirocho faced a tense meeting about how to protect his family.

• Aoi Rokushō dismissed the finely dressed man and resolved to abandon the extra-pay mission without alerting the Mist Ninja.
• Aoi Rokushō summoned Fei and gave him secret instructions to help cover his escape, treating him as a final safeguard.
• Ueno Kei withdrew after Aoi Rokushō failed to pursue him and planned to seek cooperation from the Wasabi Clan.
• Wasabi Jirocho asked the clan's senior members to help the Wasabi Clan survive the crisis, while Morino Idate stood behind him.
• The senior members finally responded after Wasabi Jirocho warned them that the clan's fate affected them all.

Jirocho tried to convince the Wasabi Clan's leaders that the Wagarashi Clan was plotting against them, but most dismissed the warning and refused to act. As Jirocho prepared to continue, someone urgently called to him from outside the meeting room.

• The Wasabi Clan's leaders doubted the warning that the Wagarashi Clan had hired ninja to destroy them and urged Jirocho to be cautious.
• Morino Idate tried to support Jirocho's suspicion, but a square-faced clan member rebuked him and ordered him to stay silent.
• Jirocho reflected on taking Morino Idate in to teach the clan ninja skills, though no one in the clan had learned to refine chakra.
• Jirocho agreed that the Wagarashi Clan was conspiring against the Wasabi Clan and began addressing the meeting.
• Someone knocked violently and called for Jirocho from outside.

Wasabi Jirocho received word that Mist Ninja had infiltrated the Wagarashi Clan and forced his clan leaders to accept his plan. Meanwhile, Ueno Kei reached a Konoha Anbu contact point to gather information and plan his next move.

• A subordinate told Wasabi Jirocho that Mist Ninja had been seen near the Wagarashi Clan after explosions and a fire.
• Wasabi Jirocho used the report to make the Wasabi Clan’s high-ranking members accept his plan.
• Wasabi Jirocho ordered Morino Idate and Shen to monitor the people named on a slip of paper.
• Ueno Kei traveled through the Satomioka Mountains and reached a Konoha Anbu contact point.
• Two men disguised as woodcutters greeted Ueno Kei as Lord Hawk.

Ueno Kei received updates on the Wasabi Clan’s preparations and ordered his men to focus on Aoi Rokushō and the Sword of the Thunder God while leaving Morino Idate under observation. After his arson attack devastated the Wagarashi Clan’s encampment, its leaders feared the Wasabi Clan had discovered their plan to hire Mist Ninja and destroy its rival.

• Ueno Kei learned that the Wasabi Clan had received the information and was expected to act the next day.
• Ueno Kei told his men to monitor Morino Idate and wait for orders from the village, rather than capture him.
• Ueno Kei reaffirmed that Aoi Rokushō and the Sword of the Thunder God were the primary targets, then returned to the Wagarashi Clan’s encampment.
• The Wagarashi Clan’s fire left around forty percent of its buildings destroyed and more than a hundred casualties, while the discovery of assassinated servants spread panic.
• The Wagarashi Clan’s leaders worried that the Wasabi Clan had uncovered their plan to hire Mist Ninja and attack its rival the next day.

As the Wasabi Family attacked the Wagarashi Clan, the clan head discovered that the Mist Ninja had abandoned them, leaving the clan on the verge of defeat. Ueno Kei pursued two fleeing Mist Ninja, killed one, and was shocked that Aoi Rokushō was not among them.

• The Wasabi Family broke through the Wagarashi Clan's damaged front courtyard, and the clan head ordered his guards to resist while he sought help from Aoi Rokushō.
• The clan head found Aoi Rokushō's room empty and discovered two dead Mist Ninja genin in another room, confirming that the Mist Ninja had abandoned the Wagarashi Clan.
• A guard summoned the clan head back to the battle, but the clan head broke down and the guard fled, believing the clan was finished.
• Ueno Kei watched the Wasabi Family's attack from the Satomioka Mountains, then pursued two fleeing figures after his bell signaled their movement.
• Ueno Kei ambushed the two figures, cut one in half, and recognized the survivor as a Mist Ninja chunin, but wondered where Aoi Rokushō was.

Ueno Kei killed the Kirigakure chunin who had served as Aoi Rokushō’s decoy, then used his summoned lizard Shin to track Aoi. He caught up with Aoi and recognized the Sword of the Thunder God, and the two began a fight.

• Ueno Kei learned the Kirigakure chunin did not know Aoi Rokushō’s location and killed him.
• Ueno Kei summoned Shin, who said Hui and Ling had already found Aoi’s trail, and followed it.
• Aoi Rokushō left his hiding place at the Wagarashi Clan estate, hoping his decoys would delay Ueno Kei as he fled toward the Land of Tea’s border.
• Ueno Kei attacked Aoi from behind, but Aoi blocked the blow with the Sword of the Thunder God and fell to the ground.
• Aoi called for Ueno Kei’s presumed squad to reveal themselves, while Ueno recognized the sword and charged again.
• Aoi poured chakra into the Sword of the Thunder God and struck forward to block Ueno Kei’s attack.

Ueno Kei fought Aoi Rokushō, steadily overwhelming him despite the Sword of the Thunder God. After Aoi Rokushō tried to escape with a series of attacks, Ueno Kei killed him with Chidori, and Aoi Rokushō died believing he had fallen to Kakashi.

• Ueno Kei pressed his advantage, wounding Aoi Rokushō as Aoi struggled to defend himself with the Sword of the Thunder God.
• Aoi Rokushō feigned a suicidal attack to make Ueno Kei retreat, then threw kunai carrying Explosive Tags at him.
• Ueno Kei blocked the explosions with an Earth Wall and launched a Phoenix Sage Fire Technique, which Aoi Rokushō countered with a Water Wall.
• Ueno Kei appeared behind Aoi Rokushō and pierced his chest with Chidori.
• Aoi Rokushō died after mistakenly identifying Ueno Kei as Kakashi.

Ueno Kei killed Aoi Rokushō, sealed away his head and the Sword of the Thunder God, and left the burning Wagarashi compound. As Morino Idate returned to the Wasabi Family, Ueno Kei received orders not to contact him and withdrew instead.

• Ueno Kei took the Sword of the Thunder God, sealed it with Aoi Rokushō's head, and burned the corpse.
• Wasabi Jirocho surveyed the ruined Wagarashi compound and ordered the remaining Wagarashi family members killed.
• Morino Idate was disturbed by Wasabi Jirocho's decision, but returned to the Wasabi Family to stop the evacuation and bring back its people and supplies.
• Ueno Kei followed Morino Idate and prepared to capture him, but a Ninja Hawk delivered Konoha's Anbu order forbidding contact.
• Ueno Kei left Morino Idate alone and disappeared into the woods.

Team 7 traveled through the impoverished Land of Waves on a mission while Naruto and Sasuke argued. Kakashi reflected on Naruto’s unexpectedly strong combat skills and suspected Ueno Kei had trained him.

• The narration described how Gato’s control of the Land of Waves’ wealth had left its people in hardship under a timid daimyo.
• Naruto asked Kakashi to let the team attack more bandit hideouts, and Sasuke and Sakura rebuffed him.
• Kakashi urged the three Genin to behave like teammates in front of their client.
• Kakashi recalled that Naruto’s performance in their survival test and against two Chunin had exceeded his expectations.
• Kakashi attributed Naruto’s basic ninja training to Ueno Kei, while Sasuke began paying closer attention to Naruto.

Kakashi’s team encountered Zabuza, fought him, and reached Tazuna’s home after Kakashi was incapacitated. When Kakashi recovered, he warned the team that Zabuza might return and began their special training, while Ueno Kei arrived in the Land of Waves by ship.

• Kakashi warned Naruto and the others to duck as Zabuza’s blade flew toward them, then confronted Zabuza to protect Tazuna.
• Ueno Kei secretly left a merchant ship in the Land of Waves and headed inland toward Konoha.
• After Kakashi’s battle with Zabuza, Sasuke and Naruto carried the unconscious Kakashi to Tazuna’s home.
• Kakashi woke the next morning and told Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura that Zabuza might not be dead because an Anbu had taken his body away.
• Kakashi reassured Sakura that he expected to recover before Zabuza attacked again, then started special training for the team.

As Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura trained under Kakashi, Ueno Kei sensed a strange chakra-filled mist and went to investigate. He found Naruto’s team fighting rogue Mist Ninja, with Kakashi struggling against Momochi Zabuza and Raiga while Naruto and Sasuke were trapped and Sakura guarded Tazuna.

• Naruto and Sasuke trained hard, while Sakura advanced to water-walking practice.
• Kakashi discovered Naruto had wind-natured chakra and taught him two Wind Release ninjutsu.
• Ueno Kei sensed a suspicious Hidden Mist Technique and followed the sounds of battle nearby.
• Ueno Kei found Konoha ninja fighting rogue Mist Ninja and headed toward the clash with his Lingyu Blade drawn.
• Sakura protected Tazuna as Naruto and Sasuke struggled against a Mist Ninja, while Kakashi fought Zabuza and Raiga.
• Kakashi struggled to withstand the two swordsmen and considered using a dangerous jutsu.

Kakashi fought Zabuza and Raiga while Haku trapped Naruto and Sasuke inside Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals. As Raiga moved to attack Sakura, an unknown figure kicked him away and greeted Kakashi.

• Haku trapped Naruto and Sasuke in Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals as Kakashi faced Zabuza and Raiga.
• Zabuza and Raiga combined their Water and Lightning Releases, but Kakashi countered and charged them with Chidori.
• Kakashi pierced Raiga's right arm with Chidori, then retreated to avoid Zabuza's Executioner's Blade.
• Zabuza sent Raiga after Sakura while he held Kakashi back with Water Clones.
• Raiga nearly struck Sakura, but a figure appeared, kicked him away, and greeted Kakashi as his senpai.

Ueno Kei arrived during the battle and saved Haruno Sakura from Raiga, then prepared to fight him while Kakashi continued battling Zabuza. Naruto and Sasuke remained trapped in combat with Haku, leaving Kakashi’s hopes of a quick victory uncertain.

• Ueno Kei rushed in and kicked Raiga away before he could strike Haruno Sakura.
• Kakashi recognized Ueno Kei and understood from his hint that he had just returned from a mission.
• Ueno Kei told Haruno Sakura to stay put, then drew the Lingyu Blade and charged it with lightning.
• Raiga guarded against Ueno Kei’s attack after Zabuza warned him about the blade’s power.
• Kakashi and Zabuza continued their fierce fight as Kakashi worried about Naruto and Sasuke facing Haku.
• Ueno Kei dashed toward Raiga, and a childish voice warned Raiga to watch his left.

Ueno Kei outmaneuvered Raiga, using a shuriken swarm and lightning attack to seize Ranmaru. Raiga charged to rescue him and was struck by Ueno Kei’s Lightning Fist.

• Ueno Kei blocked Raiga’s surprise slash, realizing Raiga had been warned of the attack.
• Ueno Kei sent hundreds of shuriken at Raiga, who took wounds while protecting Ranmaru.
• Raiga formed a lightning barrier against Ueno Kei’s lightning strike, but Ueno Kei kicked him down and captured Ranmaru.
• Raiga charged Ueno Kei with a kunai after Ranmaru urged him to run.
• Ueno Kei punched Raiga and channeled chakra into his fist with Lightning Release—Lightning Fist.

Ueno Kei defeated Raiga and was about to kill him, but Haruno Sakura pleaded for his life. When ice shards struck Raiga and Ueno Kei sensed the Nine-Tails' chakra in the fog, he left Sakura with Ranmaru and rushed toward the fighting.

• Ueno Kei knocked Raiga down, and Ranmaru begged him to spare Raiga while Raiga refused to plead for his life.
• Ranmaru bit Ueno Kei's hand as Ueno Kei raised the Lingyu Blade, and Haruno Sakura intervened to argue that Raiga should be spared.
• Ueno Kei rebuked Sakura, but then shoved her aside and retreated as ice shards flew out of the fog and struck Raiga.
• Ueno Kei sensed the Nine-Tails' chakra in the fog and realized Naruto might be there.
• Ueno Kei tossed Ranmaru to Sakura and vanished into the fog, telling her to keep an eye on the boy.

Naruto and Sasuke struggled to survive Haku’s Ice Mirror technique and devised a plan to expose his real body, with Sasuke acting as bait. Haku launched another barrage as they combined their wind and fire techniques, and the chapter ended with their attack exploding against his assault.

• Naruto and Sasuke refused Haku’s offer to surrender and continued fighting inside the Ice Mirrors.
• Sasuke deduced that they had to identify Haku’s real body as he switched mirrors, since their attacks could not break the mirrors.
• Sasuke volunteered to draw Haku’s attention while Naruto prepared to strike at an opening.
• Haku reaffirmed his resolve to serve Zabuza and unleashed Thousand Soaring Strangulation.
• Naruto and Sasuke combined Wind Wave Technique and Great Fireball Technique, triggering a massive blast.

Naruto and Sasuke worked together to crack Haku’s Ice Mirror defense, and Sasuke awakened his Sharingan in the fight. After Haku knocked them both down and repaired the mirrors, their hidden plan detonated against him, leaving his condition unclear.

• Haku used Exploding Ice Crystals to destroy Naruto’s Shadow Clones, while Sasuke and Naruto filled the Ice Mirror enclosure with smoke using fire and wind attacks.
• Naruto’s Great Breakthrough cracked several Ice Mirrors, but Haku emerged from them and swiftly knocked Naruto and his clones down.
• Sasuke awakened his Sharingan, tracked Haku’s movements, and helped Naruto strike him by identifying the seventh mirror.
• Haku dodged Sasuke’s kunai and threw both Sasuke and Naruto aside, then returned to the Ice Mirrors and repaired them.
• Naruto and Sasuke’s hidden plan triggered a powerful explosion inside the mirrors, followed by a scream.

Sasuke took Naruto’s place in Haku’s ice-needle attack and appeared to die, causing Naruto to awaken a violent power. Naruto shattered Haku’s Ice Mirrors and mask, then recognized the person beneath it as an unknown big sister.

• Haku’s ice needles struck Sasuke as he shielded Naruto, and Sasuke collapsed with severe wounds.
• Naruto grieved over Sasuke as Haku prepared to attack him again.
• Naruto’s aura erupted with evil chakra, and he vowed to kill Haku.
• Naruto’s roar shattered Haku’s forming ice jutsu, and he smashed through the Ice Mirrors and Haku’s mask.
• Naruto froze when the revealed face belonged to an unknown big sister.