Chapter Summaries

The Third Hokage ordered Shimura Danzō to stop interfering with the Kurama Clan, and Danzō temporarily changed his plans while keeping the clan under surveillance. The next morning, Ueno Kei met the Third Hokage at Training Ground 2 to decide whether to become his fourth disciple.

• The Third Hokage forbade Shimura Danzō from interfering in the Kurama Clan matter, and Danzō left without arguing.
• Shimura Danzō returned to Root and ordered his officers to withdraw their people, abandon the original plan, continue watching the Kurama Clan, and end surveillance on Ueno Kei.
• Ueno Kei went alone to Training Ground 2 the next morning and knelt before the Third Hokage.
• The Third Hokage asked Ueno Kei whether he had decided to become his fourth disciple, after the offer had left Kei stunned the previous night.

Ueno Kei accepted the Third Hokage’s offer to become his student, though he still wondered why Sarutobi had chosen him. Sarutobi then told Kei he would graduate from the Ninja Academy early and join the Anbu, where he could develop his skills under his teacher’s guidance.

• Ueno Kei accepted the Third Hokage’s offer and agreed to call him Teacher Sarutobi.
• Sarutobi told Kei that he would graduate from the Ninja Academy the next day.
• Sarutobi explained that Kei had learned all he could at the Academy and should join the Anbu to temper himself.
• Sarutobi decided that the Anbu’s dangers were outweighed by its benefits and believed his guidance could help Kei become an outstanding ninja.

After Ueno Kei joined the Anbu on the Third Hokage’s orders, Akamatsu brought him to meet his new squad. Kei was assigned the codename Hawk and would face challenging missions intended to test and develop him.

• Ueno Kei accepted the Third Hokage’s arrangement to graduate early and join the Anbu, though the Hokage had misunderstood Kei’s outlook on life.
• Akamatsu escorted Ueno Kei through an underground Konoha facility to his squad’s room.
• Akamatsu introduced Ueno Kei to the three squad members as their new teammate, giving him the codename Hawk.
• The Anbu commander had assigned Kei to Akamatsu’s strong squad and ordered that he receive missions just beyond his abilities so he could be tested and trained.

Ueno Kei joined Akamatsu's Anbu team, whose members doubted that an ordinary Chunin with little experience could keep up. After meeting his team, Ueno Kei went to the Third Hokage's residence as instructed, where he was allowed through the guarded gate.

• Akamatsu learned from the Anbu chief that Ueno Kei's survival took priority and accepted him onto the team despite his ordinary Chunin strength.
• Akamatsu introduced Ueno Kei to the three team members, who greeted him but showed varying degrees of displeasure.
• Ueno Kei recognized the team's doubts and quietly accepted their greeting without trying to make conversation.
• Ueno Kei arrived at the Third Hokage's residence that night, and the hidden Anbu guards let him pass because Sarutobi Hiruzen had given them prior instructions.

Ueno Kei visited the Third Hokage, who tested his chakra nature with Chakra Nature Paper. The paper crumpled and burned, revealing that Kei had both Lightning and Fire chakra natures.

• Ueno Kei entered the Third Hokage's residence and waited quietly while Sarutobi finished his paperwork.
• The Third Hokage asked Kei about joining the Anbu and encouraged him to learn from Akamatsu.
• The Third Hokage gave Kei Chakra Nature Paper and instructed him to channel chakra into it.
• Kei's paper crumpled and burst into flames, and the Third Hokage identified his chakra natures as Lightning and Fire.

Ueno Kei learned that he possessed Lightning and Fire chakra natures, and the Third Hokage brought him to a guarded, sealed room filled with scrolls. Instead of choosing a technique scroll, the Hokage took out the Scroll of Sealing, leaving Ueno Kei startled.

• Ueno Kei realized that his Lightning and Fire chakra natures gave him an advantage against some opposing chakra styles.
• The Third Hokage led Ueno Kei to a room guarded by Anbu and protected by a barrier.
• Ueno Kei saw shelves of scrolls and reflected on his lack of combat experience and usable techniques.
• The Third Hokage took the Scroll of Sealing from a cabinet instead of selecting one of the scrolls on the shelves.

The Third Hokage reflected on why he had chosen to mentor Ueno Kei and how the boy could help strengthen Konoha’s next generation. He intended to train Ueno Kei as a future pillar of the village, while Naruto’s future had already been arranged with Hatake Kakashi.

• The Third Hokage recalled that he had considered taking Ueno Kei as a student since their first meeting but had delayed while handling Konoha’s affairs.
• For more than three years, the Third Hokage observed Ueno Kei with his Crystal Ball and received reports from Anbu, eventually deciding the boy was diligent, capable, and kind-hearted.
• The Third Hokage used the Kurama Clan incident as an opportunity to take Ueno Kei on as a student, though he had already planned to do so.
• As his health and strength declined, the Third Hokage resolved to cultivate promising young ninjas who could become pillars of Konoha.
• The Third Hokage arranged for Uzumaki Naruto to join Hatake Kakashi’s team after graduation, while Ueno Kei remained the only valued young ninja without an assigned instructor.

The Third Hokage gave Ueno Kei access to Konoha’s Scroll of Sealing as he prepared to take him on as a student. Kei was told to learn what he could before his first Anbu mission in three days.

• Academy staff asked the Third Hokage to decide whether Ueno Kei should be assigned to a jonin-led team after graduation, and he told them to leave it for now.
• The Third Hokage had already decided to take Ueno Kei as his student because the Academy could no longer teach him much.
• The Third Hokage showed Ueno Kei the Scroll of Sealing, and Kei reacted with astonishment at its value.
• The Third Hokage told Ueno Kei to train with the scroll for the next few days and warned him to know his limits before his first Anbu mission.
• Ueno Kei recalled that Akamatsu had said the team’s first Anbu mission would begin in three days.

The Third Hokage personally guided Ueno Kei, taught him the Summoning Technique’s hand seals, and gave him three days to study the Scroll of Sealing. Afterward, Ueno Kei joined Akamatsu’s squad for his first Anbu mission to destroy a bandit stronghold near the Land of Fire–Land of Water border and recover classified documents.

• The Third Hokage told Ueno Kei to attend regular training and advised him to gain field experience and learn practical ninjutsu.
• The Third Hokage demonstrated the Summoning Technique’s hand seals and explained that summoned creatures were partners who had to accept their summoner.
• Ueno Kei spent the next three days studying the unsealed Scroll of Sealing and focused on techniques he could use.
• Ueno Kei met Akamatsu’s Anbu squad in the forest for his first mission.
• Akamatsu ordered the squad to destroy a bandit stronghold near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water, then meet Konoha ninja and retrieve classified documents.

Ueno Kei and Fox completed their mission in the Land of Stone and headed to regroup with Akamatsu. The chapter recounted how Kei’s years in the Anbu had deepened his attachment to Konoha while making him increasingly ruthless toward suspected enemies.

• Ueno Kei caught up with Fox after shaking off their pursuers, and Fox confirmed they had obtained the target item and eliminated Ye Yi.
• Ueno Kei recalled nearly dying on an S-rank mission in the Land of Lightning before Akamatsu helped him escape.
• The Third Hokage guided Ueno Kei’s training and outlook, hoping he would become a principled ninja rather than blindly loyal to Konoha.
• Ueno Kei grew to regard Konoha as home and the Hokage, Naruto, and his teammates as family and friends.
• Ueno Kei’s concern for his comrades led him to eliminate suspected enemies without hesitation, a tendency Akamatsu tolerated.

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.