Chapter Summaries

Sosuke Aizen raged at Kisuke Urahara after losing his power and being captured. Central 46 sentenced him to Muken, where he vowed to return.

• Sosuke Aizen accused Kisuke Urahara of betraying him and declared that the Hogyoku had fused with him.
• Central 46 found Sosuke Aizen guilty of treason and sentenced him to eighteen thousand years in Muken.
• Sosuke Aizen mocked Central 46, prompting them to order his mouth and eyes bound and extend his sentence to twenty thousand years.
• Sosuke Aizen admitted that Urahara had outmaneuvered him and vowed to return to Seireitei.

Sosuke settled into life in Konoha, where he trained hard to become strong enough to protect the people he cared about. That night, the Hogyoku spoke to him from inside his body, claimed it had brought him to this world, and warned that another presence would soon awaken.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi saw Orochimaru, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Sosuke leaving the Ninja Academy and considered taking them as his students.
• Jiraiya bragged about his ninja tool throwing score, but Tsunade dismissed him and walked away with Sosuke.
• Tsunade asked Sosuke how he liked Konoha, and she declared that she wanted to become a female Hokage and protect the village.
• Sosuke remembered his parents' deaths, his rescue by Hiruzen Sarutobi, and his determination to train so he could protect others.
• The Hogyoku told Sosuke it had brought him to this world and needed souls to regain its strength, while insisting that he was Lord Aizen.
• The Hogyoku warned Sosuke that another presence would soon awaken, then fell silent, and Sosuke woke to see a blue light dimming inside his chest.

Sosuke arrived late to class and saw a mysterious kimono-clad girl whom no one else could see, leaving him unsettled about the strange changes connected to Hogyoku. That night, Hogyoku answered his call, and Sosuke demanded to know why it was inside him and who the girl was.

• Sosuke woke late, rushed to the Ninja Academy, and apologized to Onoki Kimura for arriving after the lesson began.
• Tsunade worried about Sosuke, while Jiraiya teased him about visiting the Nogi Family bathhouse and was scolded by Onoki Kimura.
• During class, Sosuke saw a girl in a floral kimono beside Onoki Kimura, but the teacher could not see her, and she faded away after looking at Sosuke.
• Tsunade and Orochimaru noticed that Sosuke seemed troubled, but he hid his concerns and kept Hogyoku's secrets to himself.
• After returning home, Sosuke called for Hogyoku, which appeared as a blue light on his chest, and he asked why it was inside him and who the girl was.

Sosuke heard the Hogyoku claim that it wanted to destroy the world with Lord Aizen, then met Kyoka Suigetsu in a dream inside an ancient palace. He woke with a living katana beside him, its presence strangely connected to his own.

• The Hogyoku told Sosuke that it wanted to destroy the world with Lord Aizen and warned him about Kyoka Suigetsu before falling silent.
• Sosuke fell asleep and found himself in an immense, ruined palace, where Kyoka Suigetsu greeted him as Aizen.
• Kyoka Suigetsu told Sosuke she was the power within his heart, kissed him, and promised to protect him and remain by his side.
• After Sosuke disappeared into darkness, Kyoka Suigetsu vowed to clear the way for him to claim the throne beneath the heavens.
• Sosuke woke to find a jade-hilted katana beside his hand and sensed that the sword was alive and connected to him.

Sosuke went to the Ninja Academy for the Taijutsu test and drew Uchiha Tokino, who insulted him before their match. As Tokino charged, Sosuke prepared to challenge the Uchiha's arrogance.

• Sosuke met Tsunade on the way to the Ninja Academy and learned that the day's Taijutsu test was scheduled.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru joined Sosuke and Tsunade, then the students headed to the Konoha Training Ground for the test.
• After the students drew lots, Sosuke was paired with Uchiha Tokino, and Tsunade worried that Tokino might hurt him.
• Sosuke refused Tsunade's request to speak to the teacher and assured her he would not be defeated.
• Tokino insulted Sosuke for associating with the Senju Clan, then charged at him as Sosuke prepared to fight.

Sosuke fought Uchiha Tokino at Konoha's training grounds but was overwhelmed when Tokino awakened his Sharingan. As Sosuke lay battered, Kyoka Suigetsu appeared and reminded him of her release command, which he spoke as he grasped his sword.

• Uchiha Tokino attacked Sosuke with kunai and powerful blows, mocking him as an ordinary civilian while Tsunade watched anxiously.
• Sosuke used Substitution Jutsu and drew his sword, but Tokino anticipated his moves and injured him in their clash.
• Tokino awakened his Sharingan and used his speed to strike Sosuke, knocking off his glasses and leaving him badly hurt.
• Kyoka Suigetsu appeared beside Sosuke and told him to remember her release command and take hold of her.
• Sosuke gripped his sword and said, "Shatter... Kyoka Suigetsu!"

Sosuke used Kyoka Suigetsu’s Complete Hypnosis to defeat Uchiha Tokino in the arena. After the victory, he joined Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, while Orochimaru and Tsunade took a new interest in him.

• Sosuke released Kyoka Suigetsu, shattering its blade and hypnotizing everyone who saw it.
• Uchiha Tokino charged at Sosuke, but his attack missed because Sosuke’s position appeared different under the hypnosis.
• Sosuke punched Uchiha Tokino unconscious, and Suzuki-sensei declared Sosuke the winner.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya congratulated Sosuke, who said he was ready to fight alongside them and offered to treat them to ramen.
• Orochimaru told Sosuke that he found him interesting, while Tsunade glanced at Sosuke with a quickening heartbeat.

After defeating Uchiha Tokino with Kyoka Suigetsu’s power, Sosuke learned that the blade was an expression of his inner power and that Kyoka Suigetsu could read his thoughts. He resolved to stand at the top of the world so he could protect others and change what he could not accept.

• Sosuke reflected on his fight with Uchiha Tokino and recognized that Kyoka Suigetsu’s power had let him overcome a stronger opponent.
• Kyoka Suigetsu appeared in Sosuke’s house and encouraged him to use her power.
• Kyoka Suigetsu told Sosuke that she was the power within him, embodied by the blade, and that she knew his thoughts.
• Kyoka Suigetsu asked Sosuke whether he wanted to stand at the top of the world.
• Sosuke decided he wanted to reach the top so he could protect those he cared about and change the world.

Sosuke went to Konoha Forest, where Kyoka Suigetsu began preparing to teach him Kido. Meanwhile, Hiruzen chose Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya as his disciples, while Danzō decided to take Sosuke as his own.

• Sosuke arrived at his training ground and cut down the scarred tree before asking Kyoka Suigetsu to begin teaching him Kido.
• Suzuki-sensei reported the Ninja Academy Taijutsu test to Hiruzen, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzō.
• Mitokado Homura suggested Sosuke as a disciple, but Hiruzen insisted on choosing Jiraiya alongside Tsunade and Orochimaru.
• Hiruzen recalled finding Sosuke alive beside slaughtered Sand shinobi and admitted he still had reservations about the boy.
• Shimura Danzō announced that he would take Sosuke as his disciple, and Hiruzen told him to treat the child well.
• Danzō walked through Root and privately vowed to see whose disciple would become stronger, Sosuke's or Hiruzen's.

Sosuke practiced Kido in the Konoha Forest and began to understand how dangerous Kyoka Suigetsu’s powers could be. After questioning whether she served him or someone else, he accepted her power.

• Sosuke shattered a boulder with Hadō #1: Strike and destroyed its fragments with Hadō #11: Tsuzuri Raiden.
• Kyoka Suigetsu praised Sosuke’s Kido skill, but he insisted she distinguish him from the Lord Aizen she remembered.
• Sosuke asked Kyoka Suigetsu to teach him Zan-Ken-So-Kido and questioned the value of physical techniques compared with Kido.
• Kyoka Suigetsu explained that her Complete Hypnosis made killing effortless, prompting Sosuke to question whose power she truly was.
• Kyoka Suigetsu knelt and vowed never to betray Sosuke, and he accepted her power.

Sosuke advanced in his swordsmanship and met Might Duy, a classmate who trained relentlessly in Taijutsu. After Sosuke praised him as an outstanding ninja, Might Duy broke down in tears, and Sosuke left impressed by his dedication.

• Sosuke practiced Zan-Ken-So-Kido and sliced a boulder apart with six strikes as a leaf drifted past.
• Sosuke reflected that his chakra limited his Kido, he lacked a sparring partner for Hakuda, and Flash Step strained his young body too much.
• Sosuke followed sounds in the forest and found Might Duy carrying a heavy log while doing frog jumps.
• Might Duy introduced himself and nervously explained that Taijutsu was all he could train in.
• Sosuke called Might Duy an outstanding ninja, and Might Duy wept with gratitude at being recognized.
• Sosuke walked home at sunset, thinking about Might Duy’s calloused hands and bandaged arms.

Sosuke passed the Ninja Academy’s ninjutsu test and graduated as a Genin, while Teacher Kimura warned him to prepare for the dangers of the battlefield. As he was leaving with Tsunade and the others, Sosuke noticed a green figure in another training area and asked them to stop.

• Sosuke told Kyoka Suigetsu that he wanted to become Hokage so he could protect what mattered to him and keep his fate from being controlled by others.
• At the Ninja Academy, Tsunade greeted Sosuke, then punched Jiraiya after he mocked her.
• Sosuke impressed Teacher Kimura with his use of the Three Body Technique and received Konoha’s Forehead Protector after passing the test.
• Teacher Kimura urged Sosuke to keep training so he could survive when war came, and Sosuke promised to work hard.
• After Tsunade also passed, Sosuke noticed a green figure in another training area and asked his companions to stop.

Sosuke encouraged Might Duy after Morino-sensei rejected him for failing the ninjutsu test, and Jiraiya stood up for Duy when other students mocked him. Sosuke challenged Morino-sensei to prove that a ninja could succeed without relying on ninjutsu, and Morino-sensei accepted.

• Morino-sensei dismissed Might Duy from the ninjutsu test, and the other students mocked him as he knelt in despair.
• Sosuke reminded Might Duy to believe in his Taijutsu, rekindling Duy's resolve, and called him a friend.
• Jiraiya confronted the students who mocked Duy and declared that Duy was his friend too.
• Sosuke rebuked Morino-sensei for dismissing Duy and challenged him to a fight to prove that ninjutsu was not essential.
• Tsunade and Might Duy warned Sosuke against fighting a Chunin, but Sosuke said he knew what he was doing, and Morino-sensei agreed to teach him a lesson.

Sosuke faced Teacher Morino in a duel and revealed his formidable swordsmanship and Hakuda, stunning the crowd. After Morino trapped him and launched a fire technique, Sosuke appeared behind him and ran Kyoka Suigetsu through his back, while the Third Hokage watched through a crystal ball.

• Kimura Ono tried to dissuade Morino from fighting Sosuke, but Morino insisted on the duel, and Might Duy apologized to Sosuke and vowed to master Taijutsu.
• Sosuke demonstrated Slash Path, sensing nearby movement with his eyes closed, then deflected Morino's kunai and defeated his three Shadow Clones with Hakuda and Kyoka Suigetsu.
• Morino used Earth Release to trap Sosuke underground and attacked him with Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.
• Sosuke appeared behind Morino and pierced him through the shoulder blade with Kyoka Suigetsu.
• The Third Hokage watched Sosuke through a crystal ball in the Hokage Office and remained silent.

After graduating from the Ninja Academy, Sosuke continued training while the Third Hokage chose Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya as his students instead of him. Sosuke encouraged Jiraiya to accept the opportunity with confidence, and the group eventually went their separate ways.

• Sosuke trained in the forest four days after becoming a Genin and reflected on his battle with Morino and the Third Hokage's choice of students.
• The Third Hokage named Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya as his students, while also recognizing Might Duy's strength and allowing him to graduate as a Genin.
• Might Duy followed Sosuke and the others after graduation, grateful to Sosuke for helping him become a ninja.
• Jiraiya apologized to Sosuke for being chosen in his place, but Sosuke told him to trust himself and take the opportunity to grow stronger.
• Jiraiya regained his confidence, and the group parted ways; at a crossroads, Jiraiya watched Sosuke leave and silently thanked him.

Sosuke confronted four Root operatives sent by Danzo to assess him and bring him to Root. He refused their demand, and the masked operatives prepared to take him by force as he readied himself to fight.

• Sosuke released Kyoka Suigetsu and called the hidden Root operatives out of the trees.
• The four Root operatives revealed themselves and said Danzo had ordered them to take Sosuke to Root.
• Sosuke refused, explaining that he did not know Danzo or Root and would not go with them.
• The Root operatives warned that they would use force, and Sosuke accepted the coming fight without fear.

Sosuke fought off a Root squad sent by Danzo, first matching its leader in Taijutsu and then using Kidō to overcome the squad’s techniques. He defeated all four elite Chunin, but exhaustion left him with little chakra.

• Sosuke fought the monkey-masked Root leader, Ape, to a standstill in Taijutsu.
• Ape trapped Sosuke in an Earth Prison and prepared to take him to Danzo.
• Sosuke escaped by blasting through the cage with Hadō #4: White Lightning, piercing Ape’s shoulder.
• Three Root members attacked Sosuke together with a genjutsu and Earth Release, but he blocked a kick with Bakudō #8: Repulse.
• Sosuke used Crawling Rope, White Lightning, and Strike to bind or incapacitate the remaining Root members, defeating all four.
• Nearly out of chakra, Sosuke surveyed the defeated Root squad and felt satisfied with Kidō’s power.

After hearing reports that Sosuke might possess a Kekkei Genkai, Danzō decided to meet him himself. That night, Danzō entered Sosuke’s home, overcame his defenses with a genjutsu, and declared that he would be Sosuke’s teacher.

• Root operatives reported their failed mission to retrieve Sosuke and said his unusual ninjutsu might be a Kekkei Genkai.
• Danzō dismissed the operatives and decided to meet Sosuke in person.
• Sosuke reflected on his Kido abilities while refining chakra, and Kyoka Suigetsu warned him that stronger spells would consume too much chakra.
• Kyoka Suigetsu questioned why Sosuke avoided using her power, then held his hand against her chest as she recalled being alone.
• Kyoka Suigetsu sensed an intruder and warned Sosuke, who readied himself to fight.
• Danzō entered Sosuke’s home, trapped him in a genjutsu that Kyoka Suigetsu helped him break, and announced that he would be Sosuke’s teacher.

Danzo confronted Sosuke and offered him protection from the Uchiha Clan in exchange for joining Root and surviving its missions. Sosuke accepted, and Danzo left him to begin his new path the next day.

• Danzo revealed that he knew Sosuke's background and believed he might possess a Kekkei Genkai.
• Danzo warned that the Konoha Military Police Force had taken an interest in Sosuke and urged him to join Root for protection.
• Sosuke accepted Danzo's offer to join Root, and Danzo said he would face difficult missions starting the next day.
• Sosuke asked why Danzo had chosen him, and Danzo said he wanted Sosuke to carry on his path and surpass Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• After Danzo vanished, Sosuke and Kyoka Suigetsu discussed his strength as the night passed in silence.

Sosuke joined Danzo's Root under the code name Aizen and was assigned to Shimura Kazumi's squad. After declining to study the Scroll Room's ninjutsu, he accompanied Kazumi on a B-rank mission to eliminate a bandit group that secretly operated as a foreign intelligence network.

• Hannya brought Sosuke to Root on Danzo's orders, and Sosuke chose the blue Ghost Mask and the code name Aizen.
• Hannya registered Aizen's strength as Chunin and took him to the Scroll Room, but he said its ninjutsu and Forbidden Techniques did not suit him.
• Shimura Kazumi, resentful of her uncle's regard for Sosuke, ordered him to join her on a mission.
• Shimura Kazumi accepted a B-rank mission to eliminate bandits near the Land of Fire and Land of Earth border who were secretly gathering intelligence for foreign ninja.
• Shimura Kazumi and Aizen left Konoha through a hidden passage to carry out the mission.