Chapter Summaries

Danzo recruited Uchiha Suigiku into Root and sent him to monitor the Uchiha Clan, while Yagami visited Yellow Dog to report Orochimaru’s dangerous experiments. Yellow Dog then ordered Yagami to weaken the Uchiha Clan during the upcoming mission.

• Danzo warned Uchiha Suigiku that Uchiha Madara was alive and assigned him to prevent Uchiha Clan members from defecting.
• Danzo gave Uchiha Suigiku the codename Root Oto and brought him into Root.
• Yagami practiced Wood Release while preparing to leave for the Land of Rain and considered using Orochimaru’s experiments to gain benefits from Yellow Dog.
• Yagami told Yellow Dog that Orochimaru’s experiments had advanced, that he had been poisoned, and that Orochimaru’s reports might be fake.
• Yellow Dog ordered Yagami to kill or arrange the deaths of several Uchiha Clan Jonin or Three Tomoe ninja during the mission.

Yellow Dog asked Yagami to weaken the Uchiha Clan during a mission to investigate Uchiha Madara, and Yagami secured two new Wood Release techniques by requesting intelligence. The investigation team assembled at Konoha’s gate, where Yagami noticed several familiar Uchiha among the mission’s ranks.

• Yellow Dog told Yagami that the Uchiha Clan had committed half its elite forces to the mission and urged him to weaken them while blaming Uchiha Madara.
• Yagami asked for intelligence on Uchiha Madara and Wood Release, so Yellow Dog brought him two scrolls containing three Wood Release techniques.
• Yagami learned Flower Tree World Descent and Violent Gun Tree from the scrolls, then prepared to master the techniques he had acquired.
• The investigation team gathered at Konoha’s main gate, and Yagami told Uchiha Zhong to lead while Uchiha Zhong suggested they discuss command as they went.
• Yagami recognized Uchiha Suigiku, Uchiha Toka, Uchiha Michi, and the brothers Uchiha Goka and Uchiha Kiribi among the Uchiha forces.

Yagami lured Lynx into a fight during an investigation in the Land of Grass, died to Lynx’s Wind Release, then revived and killed him with five Kage-level ninjutsu. He left the Sarutobi survivors with a warning before sinking underground.

• After months of searching the Land of Rain, Yagami split the team up and secretly traveled to the Land of Grass to find Lynx.
• Lynx sent Sarutobi Shizudo and others into the abandoned laboratory, where Sarutobi Kinosuke killed Shizudo and escaped underground.
• Yagami attacked Lynx outside the cave, gathered intelligence on his Wind Release, and let Lynx kill him to trigger the system’s revival.
• Yagami revived on the previous full-moon night and obliterated Lynx and two Anbu squads with five combined Kage-level ninjutsu.
• Sarutobi Hiko led the others out of the collapsed laboratory, and Sarutobi Kinosuke warned Sarutobi Hiyu not to appear before him again.

Yagami told Yuka that ANBU Deputy Director Lynx had died and continued searching for Uchiha Madara, while Konoha’s leaders debated how to respond to Sarutobi Kinosuke’s growing threat. The Hokage’s office ended with Sarutobi Hiruzen asking who should replace Lynx as ANBU Deputy Director.

• Yagami told Yuka that Lynx was dead, sent her to hide in the Uzumaki Clan’s refuge, and returned to the Land of Rain to look for Uchiha Madara.
• Sarutobi Hiko found Lynx’s melted forehead protector in the Land of Grass, reported the deaths to Konoha, and ordered his team to keep pursuing Sarutobi Kinosuke.
• Three days later, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Konoha’s leaders discussed Sarutobi Kinosuke’s Kage-level strength and decided to wait for the Land of Rain mission before sending Hatake Sakumo to the Land of Grass.
• Danzo pressed Yellow Dog for intelligence on Sarutobi Kinosuke, but Yellow Dog admitted that he had no reliable information.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen said the ANBU Deputy Director position could not remain vacant and asked the leaders who should replace Lynx.

After Lynx's death, Konoha's leaders debated who should become Anbu Deputy Director while Danzo struggled to spare another elite ninja. In the Land of Rain, Yagami led an investigation toward Uchiha Madara and Nagato Uzumaki, then noticed Uchiha Goka watching him.

• Sarutobi Hiruzen asked Danzo whether the Shimura Clan had another Elite Jonin for the Anbu Deputy Director post, but Danzo had only Shimura Kano left.
• Mitokado Homura proposed waiting until the Land of Rain mission ended before choosing a replacement, and Danzo left without objecting.
• Orochimaru considered offering Danzo forbidden techniques in exchange for Hashirama Cells transplantation technology.
• Yagami met the investigating group in the Land of Rain and reported that Sarutobi Kinosuke had killed Lynx, the Wildcat Squad Leader, and two Anbu Squads.
• Yagami redirected the search toward Nagato Uzumaki and his two companions, warning that they had to find Uchiha Madara before Kinosuke returned.
• Yagami noticed Uchiha Goka watching him and wondered whether the Uchiha brothers might cause trouble.

Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan struggled to find work, then accepted a delivery job that led them into an ambush by Uchiha ninja seeking Nagato. As the attack began, ten White Zetsu emerged around the three children, leaving Yagami and Uchiha Zhong watching the unexpected confrontation.

• Yahiko accidentally wrecked a merchant’s roof while demonstrating his ninjutsu, and he, Nagato, and Konan repaired it after the merchant refused to hire them.
• An elderly man hired the three orphans to carry four crates of homemade wine to a neighboring town for three thousand ryo.
• Nagato briefly looked back at the old man, raising Yagami’s suspicion, but continued on with Yahiko and Konan.
• Uchiha Suigiku reported that he had lured the children out of town, and Uchiha Zhong ordered an ambush to capture them and interrogate them about Uchiha Madara.
• Uchiha Goka and three other Uchiha attacked Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan with a Great Fireball Technique, while Uchiha Zhong and Yagami watched from farther away.
• Ten White Zetsu rose from the ground around Nagato, and Uchiha Zhong realized they might be Uchiha Madara’s subordinates.

Uchiha Zhong confronted Uchiha Madara after White Zetsu rescued Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan from the Konoha team. Madara attacked the Uchiha Clan’s loyalty to Konoha, and Zhong urged him to stop targeting Konoha before the clan’s situation worsened.

• Uchiha Goka and Uchiha Kiribi attacked Yahiko and Konan as they tried to protect Nagato, but Nagato repelled the Uchiha with Shinra Tensei.
• Nagato exhausted his chakra after using Shinra Tensei three times, and White Zetsu carried him, Yahiko, and Konan away.
• Yagami told Uchiha Zhong that the White Zetsu were taking Nagato to Uchiha Madara, and the Konoha team followed them into a forest.
• Uchiha Madara emerged from a tree and accused Uchiha Zhong’s father, Kagami Uchiha, of betraying him and making the Uchiha Clan Konoha’s watchdogs.
• Uchiha Zhong defended his father’s choices and told Uchiha Madara to stop targeting Konoha and endangering the Uchiha Clan.

Yagami’s ANBU forces attacked Uchiha Madara’s group while Madara’s Wood Release overwhelmed Uchiha Zhong’s clan. Yagami reached Nagato but was blocked by Tobi, as Uchiha Suigiku concluded the pursuit squad was likely doomed.

• Uchiha Madara denounced Konoha and attacked Uchiha Zhong’s clan with Deep Forest Emergence.
• Yagami ordered the ANBU squads to seize Nagato, and White Zetsu summoned hundreds of reinforcements.
• Yagami used Water Severing Wave and the squads’ combined ninjutsu to cut through the White Zetsu and reach Nagato.
• Uchiha Madara sent Tobi to protect Nagato, and Tobi fought Yagami after his wooden spear failed to pierce Bronze Radiance.
• Uchiha Suigiku observed the battle and judged that Uchiha Zhong could not defeat Uchiha Madara and the pursuit squad was likely to die.

Yagami and the ANBU struggled against Uchiha Madara’s Wood Release while the Uchiha were trapped in a battle against him. After Uchiha Madara used pollen and genjutsu to torment Uchiha Goka and try to awaken his Mangekyo, Yagami saw an opening and charged at him.

• Yagami attacked the Wood Dragon with Water Severing Wave while the White Ram Squad and Flower Deer Squad held back the advancing Wood Release with Combined Ninjutsu.
• Uchiha Madara used the trees to block the Uchiha’s attacks, while pollen-laced rain paralyzed Uchiha Goka, Uchiha Kiribi, and their teacher, Uchiha Michi.
• Uchiha Michi threw the brothers out of danger, but the tree trunks crushed him to death as Uchiha Goka watched helplessly.
• Uchiha Madara used genjutsu to make Uchiha Goka relive Uchiha Michi’s death, hoping to force him to awaken the Mangekyo, but Uchiha Goka did not awaken it.
• Yagami noticed that Uchiha Madara was breathing heavily, abandoned the Wood Dragon and Spiral White Zetsu, and charged at him while casting Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.

Yagami used his Crimson Maple Wood Release to rescue the Uchiha from Uchiha Madara’s Deep Forest Emergence and withstand Susanoo’s attack, establishing himself as the Crimson Maple Fox. He withdrew with injured Uchiha survivors, while Madara focused on Uchiha Goka and Uchiha Kiribi, and Yagami learned White Ram was gravely injured.

• Uchiha Zhong and Uchiha Toka escaped the crushing trunks when Yagami’s Crimson Maple Wood Release broke apart Uchiha Madara’s forest.
• Yagami attacked Madara with the Impaling Technique and restrained the Wood Dragon, but Madara’s Susanoo blocked the spikes and struck Yagami’s Wood Golem Wall.
• Madara praised Yagami’s Wood Release as one-tenth as strong as Hashirama Senju’s and called him Crimson Maple Fox.
• Yagami withdrew with eight severely injured Uchiha, while Madara watched Uchiha Goka and Uchiha Kiribi.
• The antelope told Yagami that the Wood Dragon had crushed White Ram’s chest.

After Uchiha Madara badly wounded the team, Yagami sheltered the survivors and helped White Ram undergo a dangerous transformation into a living insect cocoon. While the group waited to recover, Uchiha Goka revealed that Uchiha Michi’s death had awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and its ability, Heavenly Pillar.

• Yagami created tree hollows for the wounded and used Water Reconstitution Healing to support White Ram as his body transformed through flesh and insects.
• Three days later, White Ram had become a living insect cocoon, while Hyuga Yue told Yagami that the Inuzuka sensory ninja had died.
• Uchiha Zhong reported that four Uchiha had died and agreed that a much larger force would be needed to hunt Uchiha Madara.
• Uchiha Goka and Uchiha Kiribi privately approached Uchiha Zhong, and Goka insisted that the Uchiha must stop yielding to powerful villagers.
• Yagami secretly overheard Uchiha Goka reveal his Mangekyō Sharingan and name its confidential ability, Heavenly Pillar.

Uchiha Goka urged Uchiha Zhong to seek more power for the clan after their dangerous mission, but Zhong argued that Goka should master his new Mangekyō Sharingan and build support rather than challenge Konoha’s powerful figures. Hidden beneath the leaves, Yagami disagreed with Zhong’s approach and favored eliminating political enemies.

• Uchiha Goka argued that Konoha had sent the Uchiha Clan to die by assigning them to investigate Uchiha Madara, and called for the clan to gain power to protect itself.
• Uchiha Zhong warned Goka that the village distrusted the Uchiha and that strength alone would not let him challenge Hatake Sakumo, Copper Fox, Yellow Dog, or the Third Hokage.
• Uchiha Zhong cited the mission’s casualties and Copper Fox’s actions to argue that the mission was not necessarily a deliberate attempt to kill the Uchiha.
• Uchiha Zhong urged Goka to master his Mangekyō Sharingan and build support through the clan’s relationships with Hatake Sakumo and the Senju Clan.
• Yagami disagreed with Zhong’s advice, thinking that physically eliminating political enemies was the shortcut to gaining power.

Yagami began planning to cultivate powerful shinobi as future targets for his system, while White Ram emerged from his cocoon with a new insect technique. Uchiha Madara also ordered surveillance of Uchiha Goka and Uchiha Kiribi, and Yagami's group returned to Konoha to meet the Third Hokage.

• Uchiha Zhong persuaded Uchiha Goka to conceal his strength and wait for another chance to strike at Konoha, while Yagami killed Uchiha Suigiku's Ninja Crow.
• Yagami decided to cultivate promising shinobi as targets in a Shinobi World Fish-Farming Plan, beginning with Uchiha Kiribi.
• White Ram emerged from his cocoon able to use the Insect Clone Technique, and Yagami prepared to return to Konoha after the Uchiha recovered.
• White Zetsu reported to Uchiha Madara, who ordered surveillance of Uchiha Goka and Uchiha Kiribi and discussed making Kiribi awaken the Mangekyo by destroying his brother.
• Yagami's group returned to Konoha, where Anbu summoned Yagami, Uchiha Zhong, and Hyuga Yue to the Third Hokage's office.

Yagami returned from the Land of Rain after gaining Wood Release and reporting his clash with Uchiha Madara, while Konoha’s leaders weighed the threat Madara posed. Yellow Dog and several officials recommended Fox for the vacant ANBU Deputy Director position, and the discussion paused as Danzo looked to Orochimaru.

• Hyuga Yue reported that Fox had used Wood Release to confront Uchiha Madara and earned the title Crimson Maple Fox, while the mission had lost Uchiha Michi and three Special Jonin.
• Fox described Madara’s immense chakra, Wood Release, genjutsu, and Susanoo, then reported that Madara briefly weakened and recommended sending at least five hundred ninja to fight him.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen dismissed Uchiha Zhong, Hyuga Yue, and Sarutobi Hiko, then discussed the danger of pursuing Madara in the Land of Rain.
• Yellow Dog recommended Fox as ANBU Deputy Director, and Mitokado Homura and Nara Shikatsuno supported the appointment.
• Danzo remained silent and looked toward Orochimaru, leaving the officials puzzled about why he was waiting for Orochimaru’s position.

Yagami described his Wood Release abilities to Konoha’s leaders and was appointed ANBU Deputy Director, with responsibility for hunting rogue ninja. After arranging squad promotions and replacements, he joined Yellow Dog and the Third Hokage at an ANBU gathering prepared to announce his appointment.

• Yagami explained how his Wood Release had countered Uchiha Madara’s Wood Release and said he could hold out against Madara for at least three minutes.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen appointed Yagami ANBU Deputy Director and assigned ANBU to pursue Uchiha Madara, with Yagami mainly handling rogue ninja.
• Tsunade saw Yagami create a maple tree with Wood Release and urged him to honor the technique, while privately suspecting his connection to the Senju Clan.
• Yagami told Purple Cat she could become his assistant after her maternity leave, then recommended ANBU squad leaders and promotions to Yellow Dog.
• Yellow Dog brought Yagami to the ANBU training hall, where the gathered ninja saw the Third Hokage, Yellow Dog, and an empty chair prepared for Yagami.

Yagami became ANBU Deputy Director and took charge of its daily affairs, while strengthening his ties with ANBU squad leaders and planning to expand his influence. After finishing work, he sought out Tsunade, who asked what he wanted to tell her.

• The Third Hokage appointed Fox as ANBU Deputy Director and promoted Hippopotamus and White Ram to squad leaders.
• Yagami moved into the Deputy Director's office, assigned White Crane as his assistant, and reviewed the authority and records transferred from Lynx.
• Yagami met with Kuroari, Golden Eagle, Hippopotamus, and White Ram, agreeing to assist with Hokage Building security and directing White Ram to recommend three ninja for Jonin promotion.
• Yagami reviewed ANBU's surveillance records, discovered Gibbon had taken charge of the four great nations' Spy Systems, and considered which squad leaders to bring under his control.
• After completing his new administrative duties, Yagami used the Mayfly Technique to reach Konoha Hospital and meet Tsunade, who asked what he wanted to tell her.

Yagami deceived Tsunade into giving him Hashirama's Wood Style scroll, then studied its techniques while staying with Kyouko through the birth of their son. When Yefeng unexpectedly showed signs of Uchiha blood, Yagami resolved to protect him and secure greater power in Konoha.

• Yagami claimed to be Senju Rinmoku's hidden son and an informant, and Tsunade gave him Hashirama's Wood Style scroll.
• Yagami learned the Wood Dragon Technique, experimented with combining it with Katsuyu Tendrils, and discovered Tobirama's note about techniques hidden at the Temple of Fire.
• Yagami stayed with Kyouko as she awaited their child, while Orochimaru began Hashirama Cell injections on Danzo in exchange for access to the Scroll of Seals.
• Kyouko gave birth to a boy named Yefeng, and Yagami discovered that the child possessed the Uchiha bloodline.
• Yagami took Kyouko and Yefeng home, saw Kakashi enroll at the Ninja Academy with Hatake Sakumo and Minato Namikaze, and promised Kyouko their child would attend too.

After an ANBU spy was killed outside the Uchiha Compound, Uchiha Goka admitted to the murder and argued that the clan should use its Mangekyō advantage to prepare to seize power. That night, White Zetsu tried to recruit Goka by claiming Uchiha Madara could further strengthen his Mangekyō, leaving Goka tempted but uncertain whether to trust him.

• Fox and Golden Eagle found an ANBU corpse outside the Uchiha Compound, and Yagami challenged Uchiha Zhong to identify which village's spies could use steel wire so skillfully.
• Uchiha Zhong summoned Uchiha Goka, who confessed to killing the ANBU monitor and said he wanted to test the village's response before seizing power.
• Uchiha Goka urged the clan to build its advantage and destroy its enemies before the Uchiha weakened, while Yagami listened unseen from the hall's beam.
• Uchiha Goka told Kiribi that he would become Clan Head if Zhong would not heed him.
• White Zetsu appeared in Uchiha Goka's room, blamed the village leadership for sending Uchiha ninjas to their deaths, and claimed Madara had helped Goka awaken the Mangekyō and could make it stronger.
• Uchiha Goka considered White Zetsu's offer but hesitated to trust Madara's subordinate.

White Zetsu urged Uchiha Goka to help kill Copper Fox, while ANBU and Root separately began watching Goka and planning to exploit his Mangekyō Sharingan. After the Third Hokage rejected Goka’s promotion to Jonin, Goka declared that he would rise above Konoha’s current leadership and might even become Hokage.

• White Zetsu told Uchiha Goka that Copper Fox had led the Uchiha group to Madara and proposed they kill him, and Goka burned White Zetsu’s bodies after refusing to trust it.
• Yagami ordered Golden Eagle and White Ram to monitor Uchiha Goka around the clock, warning them to keep their distance.
• Uchiha Suigiku told Danzo that Goka had likely awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and joined the Uchiha Martial Faction, so Danzo planned to lure Goka somewhere secluded and take his eyes.
• Danzo ordered Bing to withdraw Root’s support from Orochimaru and assign the codename Kano to the infant Tenzo.
• The Third Hokage rejected Uchiha Zhong’s recommendation to promote Goka to Jonin because of his past record and the failed Land of Rain mission.
• Uchiha Goka told Uchiha Zhong he would make Konoha’s leaders acknowledge him and become a higher-up of the next era, or even Hokage.

Uchiha Goka rallied the Uchiha Militant Faction and moved to expand the Security Force’s authority after learning of Iwagakure spies in Konoha. As he pursued the spies without reporting to the village, ANBU intervened and detained him and his brother Kiribi for questioning about an ANBU murder.

• Uchiha Goka asserted his strength before Uchiha Zhong and gathered the Militant Faction around himself.
• Uchiha Shun told Uchiha Goka that Iwagakure spies had stolen intelligence about Konoha’s Guardian Ninja in the Land of Grass, and Goka ordered an arrest without notifying the village.
• Golden Eagle and Yagami pursued the Uchiha, while Danzo sent Root members after Goka and Tobi and White Zetsu watched from hiding.
• Uchiha Goka identified a spy’s clone, and Uchiha Shun went to arrest the accomplice hiding in the abandoned house.
• Golden Eagle struck down Uchiha Kiribi, and Yagami immobilized Uchiha Goka and ordered both brothers to come to ANBU for questioning about an ANBU ninja’s death.