Chapter Summaries

After the Second Shinobi World War, Sarutobi Hiruzen discharged most ANBU ninja and reorganized the remaining force into Root, four squads, and support divisions. Yagami became a squad leader and received a mission to investigate Kumogakure’s Two-Tails Jinchuriki and capture Earth Style ninja, with two squad members’ promotions depending on their performance.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen distributed discharge scrolls and rewards to 280 ANBU ninja, who removed their masks and left the organization.
• Orochimaru joined Danzo on the dais as Sarutobi Hiruzen announced ANBU’s new departments and squads.
• Yagami became a squad leader after the reforms, then asked Yellow Dog for a mission and proposed White Ram and Flower Deer for promotion to Special Jonin.
• Yellow Dog sent Yagami to the northeastern Land of Earth to investigate the battlefield after Iwagakure’s defeat and capture Earth Style ninja for Root’s laboratory.
• Yellow Dog made White Ram and Flower Deer’s promotion assessment depend on completing the mission successfully.

After the ANBU restructuring, Yagami led his division toward the northeastern border of the Land of Earth for its first mission and promised promotions to several subordinates. He left his team preparing to capture Earth Style experts and investigate the Stone–Cloud battlefield, while considering whether the mission might reveal ways to increase Chakra Quantity.

• Yagami summoned White Ram, Flower Deer, Hippopotamus, and Yak Bull and announced their division's first mission would take them to the Land of Earth's northeastern border.
• Yagami told White Ram that the mission would be his Special Jonin assessment, urging him to capture eight Earth Style prisoners and obtain a detailed account of the Stone–Cloud battlefield.
• White Ram explained the Aburame Clan's Insect Clone technique, and Yagami recalled that Yi's altered body and blood had revealed how thoroughly the technique changed its user.
• Yagami named Flower Deer as another candidate for Special Jonin and considered whether Root's experiments might offer a way to increase Chakra Quantity.
• Yagami promised to recommend Hippopotamus and Yak Bull for Jonin after successful S-rank missions, and told Purple Cat she could pursue Special Jonin after completing one or two such missions.

Yagami led the Fox Squad to investigate a Tailed Beast Bomb crater, then planned a feint against Iwagakure outposts so he could capture a Stone Ninja commander. His infiltration of Outpost Fortress Yi triggered its barrier, and he appeared before the stunned commander after launching a direct attack.

• Yagami inspected the crater with the Fox Squad and had Purple Cat record its measurements and evidence that a fully transformed Tailed Beast had caused it.
• Yagami ordered the teams to disguise themselves as Sand ninja and planned a feint at Outpost Fortress Kano while he infiltrated Outpost Fortress Yi.
• The four teams rehearsed escaping through gullies and using gliders before Yagami separated from them and approached Outpost Fortress Yi.
• Yagami watched the fortress as reinforcements departed in response to the feint, then began infiltrating it.
• The barrier detected Yagami and sounded the alarm, so he attacked with Water Severing Wave and used Water Body Flicker to appear before the Stone Ninja Captain Commander.

Yagami died infiltrating a Stone Ninja fortress, then revived five days earlier and chose Mastery-level Earth Spear. He enlisted Uzumaki Yuka to create a seal that could counter the fortress’s Earth Tremor Barrier, preparing for another infiltration.

• Yagami infiltrated the fortress, defeated the Stone Ninja Captain Commander with a sealing technique, and found the deployment map and barrier scroll.
• Yagami learned that the Earth Tremor Barrier detected vibrations, but the Captain Commander broke free and killed him with an Earth Spear.
• Yagami revived five days earlier and selected Earth Style: Earth Spear (Mastery), gaining the ability to cast it with one hand seal.
• Yagami traveled with White Glaze to meet Uzumaki Yuka and explained how the Earth Tremor Barrier worked.
• Yuka studied the barrier and developed the Earth Tremor Dampening Seal, which could help Yagami pass through it undetected.

Yagami infiltrated Fortress Yi after a feint drew away two Stone Ninja companies, killed the Barrier Squad and Captain Commander, and escaped using the commander’s corpse as a disguise. The fortress guards discovered the commander and barrier leader were missing and found four people dead.

• Yagami briefed the squad leaders on Iwagakure’s fortress defenses and taught Earth Style ninjas the Earth Tremor Dampening Seal.
• After the feint attacks pulled two Stone Ninja companies away, Yagami and Purple Cat approached Fortress Yi, and Yagami told her to wait for corpses to examine.
• Yagami used the seals to enter the fortress, killed two guards and three barrier ninjas, and disguised himself in a dead barrier ninja’s clothes.
• Yagami caught the Stone Ninja Captain Commander beneath his desk, overcame his resistance, and snapped his neck.
• Yagami used the Shadow Imitation Technique to make the commander’s corpse lead him through the gate, and the guards let them leave.
• The fortress guards realized the commander and barrier leader had not returned, and the assistant reported that four people had been killed inside.

Yagami’s division completed its mission and uncovered intelligence that Kumogakure’s Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Ryuujin, could control a Partial Tailed Beast Transformation. Back in Konoha, Yellow Dog prepared to report the threat to the Hokage and recommend Purple Cat, White Ram, and Flower Deer for Special Jonin, while Yagami teased him about becoming Hokage.

• Yagami and Purple Cat reached the meeting point, where the four squad leaders reported that their feint against the Stone Ninja outpost had succeeded with two casualties and several prisoners captured.
• Purple Cat extracted intelligence from a Stone Ninja Jonin’s corpse, revealing that Ryuujin had stayed conscious and fought effectively during a Partial Tailed Beast Transformation.
• Yagami declared the mission complete, and the division returned to Konoha after more than ten days of travel.
• Yagami gave Yellow Dog the intelligence report and praised Purple Cat, White Ram, and Flower Deer; Yellow Dog agreed to recommend them for Special Jonin.
• Yellow Dog prepared to report Kumogakure’s Jinchuriki to the Hokage, while Yagami joked that Yellow Dog should become the Fourth Hokage.

Yellow Dog and Yagami reported intelligence about Kumogakure’s Two-Tails Jinchuriki to the Third Hokage, prompting him to press Senju Hanaki for a Nine-Tails development plan. The Hokage approved Yagami’s recommendations to promote Purple Cat, White Ram, and Flower Deer to Special Jonin, while ordering ANBU to monitor the Senju Clan’s training of Kushina.

• Yellow Dog and Yagami told the Third Hokage that Ryuujin could control the Two-Tails’ power and seal its chakra after battle.
• The Third Hokage summoned Senju Hanaki and demanded a plan to develop the Nine-Tails, but Hanaki said the Senju Clan would wait until Kushina was older.
• Senju Hanaki asked about pending Jonin and Special Jonin recommendations, and the Third Hokage told her to wait for the review process.
• Yellow Dog asked the Third Hokage to approve Yagami’s recommendations for Purple Cat, White Ram, and Flower Deer, and the Hokage agreed to review them that day.
• Yagami completed the recommendations, and Kuroari and Golden Eagle reviewed the three candidates before they received promotions from the Hokage.
• The Third Hokage ordered Yellow Dog to have the Golden Eagle Squad monitor Kushina for Nine-Tails chakra training, while Yagami warned the newly promoted Special Jonin to strengthen themselves for harder missions.

Yagami strengthened the Fox Squad and escorted prisoners to Orochimaru, who attacked him and invited him to join his experiments. After Yagami refused, Yellow Dog persuaded Sarutobi Hiruzen to protect him, then received a secret assignment to investigate Jonin candidates.

• Yagami told the Fox Squad to train harder and promised to support their advancement to Special Jonin or Jonin.
• Yagami escorted six Stone Ninja prisoners to Root, where Orochimaru killed five and demanded prisoners with both Earth and Water affinities.
• Orochimaru attacked Yagami to examine his defenses and invited him to participate in experiments, but Yagami refused.
• Danzo complained to Sarutobi Hiruzen about Yagami's refusal, but Yellow Dog objected and Sarutobi ordered Danzo to leave Yagami alone.
• Sarutobi tasked Yellow Dog with secretly investigating Jonin candidates recommended by Hatake Sakumo, Tsunade, and Uchiha Zhong.

Yagami investigated Uchiha Goka as part of a covert effort to block postwar Jonin promotions and planned ways to discredit him. Hippopotamus proposed framing Goka and another Special Jonin by secretly causing spies to die, and Yagami approved the scheme.

• Yagami overheard villagers discussing the delay in convening the first postwar Jonin Council meeting and went out to investigate Uchiha Goka.
• Yagami considered using the system to gain mastery-level ninjutsu in all five chakra natures instead of training hard.
• Hippopotamus reported that Uchiha Goka had a strong war record, making his interrogation cases the best potential source of a scandal.
• Hippopotamus proposed arranging for a spy to die in the Security Force’s custody, then blaming Goka for torturing a Konoha villager.
• Hippopotamus suggested using Akimichi methods to cause spies to die during a Senju medical ninja’s treatment, and Yagami approved both plans and promised him an S-rank mission.

Uchiha Goka was framed after killing a suspect during an interrogation, and ANBU used the incident to undermine his jonin promotion. Yagami died during the scheme, revived with Fire Release Chakra, and then turned to learning a Fire Style ninjutsu.

• Uchiha Goka killed a suspect he believed had stolen fallen ninjas’ compensation, but ANBU revealed the man was an orphan who had only moved the money as a prank.
• Yagami took Uchiha Goka to ANBU for questioning, prompting Uchiha Zhong, Uchiha Toka, and Fugaku to discuss the clan’s isolation and the danger of joining ANBU.
• Yagami questioned Uchiha Goka about his Fire Style skills, and Hippopotamus rushed in after hearing fighting and found Fox Squad Leader dead.
• Yagami revived on the night of the previous full moon and drew Fire Release Chakra; events then followed his prior life as Hippopotamus used a spy to frame Uchiha Goka and take him to Root.
• Uchiha Zhong withdrew Goka’s jonin recommendation, Yellow Dog praised Yagami, and Yagami had Purple Cat bring him the squad’s ninjutsu scrolls.

Yagami and Hippopotamus framed Senju Mie through a staged medical disturbance, leaving her promotion prospects damaged. Yellow Dog then ordered Yagami to arrange Shinma’s death on a mission, so Yagami secretly warned Lord White Fang through Pakkun.

• Yagami learned the Great Fire Dragon Bullet and kept his Fire Style ability hidden.
• Hippopotamus arranged an attack at Konoha Hospital to implicate Senju Mie, and Advisor Utatane Koharu ordered an investigation into her medical malpractice.
• Yagami reported that Uchiha Goka and Senju Mie had fallen into trouble, then explained that Shinma was difficult to frame.
• Yellow Dog ordered an out-of-village mission where Shinma would die in an apparent accident, and Yagami questioned the order but accepted it.
• Yagami summoned Pakkun and asked him to warn Lord White Fang that Yagami had been ordered to kill Shinma.

Shinma investigated Sand ninja activity near Kikyo Mountain Fortress, unaware that ANBU and Root had arranged for him to be killed by enemy hands. A hidden Transparent Release Jonin protected him, forcing Yagami's squad to abandon the mission and return.

• Shinma visited Xin Ming's grave, then led his squad to Kikyo Mountain Fortress to investigate reported Sand ninja activity.
• Yagami joined Hippopotamus Squad and learned that Hippopotamus had arranged for spies to leak Shinma's information to the Sand ninja.
• A Sand ninja company ambushed Shinma's squad, and Shinma stayed behind so his three Genin could retreat to the fortress.
• Shinma fought the Sand ninja with a flaming blade, but unseen attacks opened a gap in the encirclement and let him escape.
• Yagami recognized the attacks as the work of a Transparent Release Jonin, identified as Gekko Sō, and ordered Hippopotamus Squad to withdraw.

Yagami reported that Fox Squad had abandoned its assassination attempt on Shinma after Gekko Sō intervened, while Yellow Dog moved the Jonin Council meeting up to the next day. After Shinma survived his poisoning, Hatake Sakumo and Tsunade agreed to form an alliance and went to the Uchiha Compound to seek support.

• Yagami told Yellow Dog that Gekko Sō's appearance had forced him to abandon the attempt on Shinma, and Yellow Dog ordered his squad to provide security for the next day's Jonin Council meeting.
• Yamashiro Tera told Hatake Sakumo that Shinma had been poisoned, and Sakumo hurried to Konoha Hospital after learning Gekko Sō had brought him back safely.
• Tsunade examined Shinma and confirmed he would recover, then told Hatake Sakumo that several Special Jonin she had recommended had suffered accidents or investigations.
• Hatake Sakumo told Tsunade that someone was secretly targeting their allies and proposed an alliance between his supporters and the Senju Clan.
• Tsunade agreed that they needed allies, and she and Hatake Sakumo went to the Uchiha Compound to approach the Uchiha Clan.
• Uchiha Zhong rushed out to greet Tsunade and Hatake Sakumo, while Uchiha Fugaku helped put his fallen wooden clog back on.

Yagami prepared security for Konoha’s first postwar Jonin Council meeting and assessed how Sarutobi Hiruzen controlled the village’s Jonin. As the meeting began with a proposal to rotate Jonin as Academy instructors, Yagami resolved to push for Minato Namikaze to become Hatake Sakumo’s student.

• Yagami deployed his four teams around the meeting room and ordered them to prevent any disruption.
• Yagami reviewed Konoha’s Jonin factions and concluded that Sarutobi Hiruzen held power through ninjutsu, promotions, and mission assignments.
• A total of 152 Jonin attended the meeting, including Tsunade, Hatake Sakumo, Orochimaru, and Yellow Dog.
• Nara Shikatsuno opened the meeting and proposed requiring every non-ANBU Jonin to serve as an Academy instructor at least once within three years.
• Yagami decided to have Pakkun urge Hatake Sakumo to take Minato Namikaze as his student.

At the Jonin Council, Yagami recognized how the village’s powerful clans monopolized desirable Guardian Ninja posts and new Jonin promotions. Tsunade challenged Senju Mie’s exclusion from the promotion review, and after Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Zhong supported her, Orochimaru stood to speak.

• Nara Shikatsuno announced that Jonin could be assigned to outside posts by rotation and could not refuse village summons.
• Yagami observed that the Upper Five Clans dominated lucrative Guardian Ninja positions and that their control helped them secure more S-rank missions and Jonin promotions.
• Nara Shikatsuno announced twenty candidates for Jonin promotion review; Yagami noted that Senju Mie and Hatake Sakumo’s candidates Shinma and Shirakumo Hayama were missing.
• Tsunade demanded an explanation for Senju Mie’s exclusion, and Nara Shikatsuno cited a medical accident as the reason her recommendation had been suspended.
• Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Zhong defended Senju Mie’s wartime medical service and called for the hospital investigation to be completed before judging her.
• As the Third Hokage prepared to respond, Orochimaru stood up.

Orochimaru halted Tsunade’s attempt to challenge Konoha’s leadership and warned her about the ruthlessness of the village’s powerful clans and elders. Yagami then directed Hatake Sakumo to recruit Minato Namikaze as a disciple, and after Sakumo met Minato at the Academy, Yagami took over surveillance of him.

• Orochimaru intervened in the Jonin Council meeting, delaying promotions until his recommendations and Konoha Hospital’s investigation report were ready.
• Orochimaru told Tsunade that her proposed alliance with Hatake Sakumo and the Uchiha Clan was too weak to withstand Danzo and the other village leaders.
• Yagami summoned Pakkun and ordered him to tell Hatake Sakumo to take Minato Namikaze as a disciple.
• Hatake Sakumo brought Kakashi to the Ninja Academy, watched Minato spar with an Uchiha student, and recognized Minato’s exceptional reaction speed.
• Purple Cat reported that Minato had met Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi at a training ground, so Yagami took over Minato’s surveillance.

Yagami reported Hatake Sakumo’s close guidance of Minato Namikaze, while Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō discussed checking Uzumaki Kushina’s seal after learning Kumogakure was pursuing a Perfect Jinchuriki. Root’s operation at the academy turned into a crude ambush on Kushina, who fought back against her bullies before Root agents attacked her.

• Yagami watched Hatake Sakumo train Kakashi and guide Minato, then reported their sessions and Minato’s wind Chakra nature to Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō.
• Danzo revealed that Kumogakure was developing a Perfect Jinchuriki, and Hiruzen approved a Root mission to verify Kushina’s seal with Fox Squad monitoring her.
• Root agents shadowed Kushina in shifts as bullying against her spread at the Ninja Academy.
• Four boys mocked Kushina’s dream of becoming Hokage, but she beat them down while Yagami watched from a window.
• Two Root agents grabbed Kushina, and one yanked her red hair from behind.

Kushina’s seal was disrupted during a Root operation, causing Nine-Tails Chakra to emerge and make her attack Minato Namikaze. Yagami stopped her with the Five Elements Seal, and the chapter ended with Tsunade questioning how Fox could seal Nine-Tails Chakra.

• A Root ninja struck Kushina’s stomach with a sealing technique, causing Nine-Tails Chakra to surge as Minato Namikaze rushed to intervene.
• Minato broke the Root ninja’s wrist and attacked him, then tried to calm Kushina as her chakra began to form a tail.
• Kushina attacked Minato and wounded him, while Root watched without stepping in.
• Yagami caught Kushina’s wrist and used the Five Elements Seal to suppress her Nine-Tails Chakra, taking a painful blow from her chakra tail.
• Bing reported the incident to Senju Hanaki, Tsunade, and Danzo, and Tsunade asked whether Fox could seal Nine-Tails Chakra.

Tsunade suspected Fox might have Uzumaki blood but chose not to approach him, while Konoha’s leaders argued over how to prepare Kushina for becoming the Nine-Tails’ jinchuriki. Yagami learned Hatake Sakumo’s Chakra Crystal Refinement Secret Technique, developed a Water-style defensive technique, and later awaited the next Jonin Council meeting.

• Tsunade connected Fox’s skill with the Five Elements Seal to the mysterious Uzumaki-blooded person who had helped Kushina, but decided not to investigate him recklessly.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen pressed for Kushina’s strength to grow quickly, while Senju Hanaki proposed a Sealing Team and urged the village to protect Kushina’s happiness.
• Hatake Sakumo taught Minato Namikaze Chakra Condensation and accepted him as his disciple, promising to become his assigned Jonin after graduation.
• Yagami failed to condense Water-style Chakra until Kyouko’s secret medicine drifting through water gave him the idea to use water resistance, leading him to create Semi-Absolute Defense: Ringed Serpent.
• After a month of surveillance missions, Yagami awaited the full moon, and the Jonin Council meeting convened five days later.

At a Jonin Council meeting, Yagami learned the examinations for Special Jonin promotions would begin in batches, giving him a month to prepare for revenge against the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans. He targeted Golden Eagle to obtain the Byakugan’s reconnaissance ability, then questioned the Hyuga ANBU leader about his clan’s treatment and secret executions.

• Nara Shikatsuno announced the council’s recommendations and said the jonin examinations would be conducted in batches, beginning with eight commoner ninja.
• Yagami visited Yuka at the Uzumaki Hideout and proposed a cautious campaign of revenge against ninja from the Sarutobi Clan and Shimura Clan.
• Yagami decided to target Golden Eagle for the Byakugan’s reconnaissance ability before attacking members of the Upper Five Clans.
• Yagami met Golden Eagle in his ANBU office and asked about the Hyuga Clan’s single candidate for the jonin examination and the secret execution of Hyuga ninja.