Chapter Summaries

Yagami prepared the hydroelectric power station ceremony as cover to assassinate two nobles and eliminate some Stone Ninja spies. After the ceremony, he escaped from Koizumi Chisa, leaving her with the real plans for the power station.

• Yagami ordered White Ram to locate the Stone Ninja spies and arranged to leave some alive so they could create chaos without ruining his plan.
• Yagami and the Aries Squad killed four Stone Ninja spies at the abandoned thermal power plant before the ceremony.
• At the groundbreaking ceremony, Stone Ninja attacked Yagami, but Koizumi Chisa shielded him while he disguised himself as Amegakure ANBU and killed the Left Imperial Guard General and the Middle Palace Chamberlain.
• Yagami sent White Ram and the squad toward the Land of Rain, then stopped to face Koizumi Chisa as she pursued him.
• Yagami told Koizumi Chisa that the hydroelectric plans were real and asked her to protect the project before vanishing with the Body Flicker Technique.

Koizumi Chisa resumed the hydroelectric power station ceremony after Miqu disappeared, while Yagami returned to camp and received a mission to rescue a captured Shimura Clan chunin. Yagami learned that rumors of a new Promotion Examination System had driven the chunin to take reckless risks, as Konoha faced a worsening war and possible conflict on three fronts.

• Koizumi Chisa ordered the hydroelectric power station groundbreaking ceremony to resume and insisted that construction continue despite the war.
• Yagami returned to the frontline camp and reported that he had assassinated the Left Imperial Guard General and the Middle Palace Chamberlain without causing major damage or casualties.
• Yellow Dog Squad Leader assigned Yagami to rescue a captured Shimura Clan chunin during a prisoner exchange, with the other Konoha prisoners to be rescued if possible.
• Yellow Dog Squad Leader explained that the chunin had rushed into danger after hearing rumors that Hatake Sakumo wanted to introduce mission-based promotion requirements.
• Yagami learned that Sunagakure outnumbered Konoha in the Land of Rivers and that Kirigakure might start a war to divert its internal conflicts.

Yagami’s Fox Squadron staged a prisoner exchange as cover for a Rain Ninja ambush, rescuing a Shimura Clan prisoner while concealing Konoha’s role in the prisoners’ torture. The squad returned toward the frontline medical station with three rescued prisoners, though Leaf Monkey was badly injured.

• Yagami learned that ANBU had taken the four Sand ninja prisoners and ordered Flower Deer to disguise four squad members as tortured captives, Purple Cat to lead the exchange, and White Ram to join his Rain Ninja ambush team.
• Flower Deer and Leaf Monkey injured themselves to make their disguises convincing, while Purple Cat’s squad carried the disguised prisoners to the meeting place by a river in the Land of Rivers.
• Purple Cat accused the Sand ninja of poisoning their prisoners and injected Leaf Monkey with poison to distract them and buy Yagami time.
• Yagami’s team emerged from the river in Rain Ninja disguises and released poison gas; Yagami killed the Sand squad leader and rescued the Shimura Clan prisoner.
• Two Sand ninja killed their Konoha captives before dying, but Yagami’s team rescued three prisoners and headed for the frontline medical station with Leaf Monkey, whose broken leg bone protruded outward.

Yagami’s squad escaped a Sand ninja ambush while escorting the wounded prisoners back to camp, where Tsunade revealed the Shimura Clan chunin would remain an idiot even if cured. At camp, Nara Shikatsuno challenged Hatake Sakumo’s proposed assessment system, and Yagami privately voiced his support before being summoned to report on the prisoner exchange.

• Yagami ordered the squad to treat Flower Deer and gave Leaf Monkey a reason to hope for a few more months of life before White Ram spotted Sand ninja nearby.
• Three Human Puppets ambushed the squad, but Yagami destroyed the puppets and killed the Puppet Masters using Water Release techniques and a concealed Water Body Flicker.
• Tsunade told Yagami that the toxins had damaged the Shimura Clan chunin’s nervous system so badly that he would be an idiot even if cured.
• Nara Shikatsuno argued that Hatake Sakumo’s assessment system would encourage reckless behavior and cause heavy front-line casualties, leaving Sakumo unable to respond.
• Yagami quietly told Hatake Sakumo that he supported the assessment system, then Yellow Dog Squad Leader sent him to report the prisoner exchange mission to Sakumo.

Yagami advised Hatake Sakumo to pursue a Jutsu Examination System instead of the heavily resisted Shinobi Position Examination System. Sakumo decided to draft a proposal and push it through, while suspecting that ANBU had become a tool of the Hokage and that some of its members might be dissatisfied.

• Yagami asked Yellow Dog for jutsu rewards for his injured unit, and Yellow Dog approved four B-Rank jutsu.
• Hatake Sakumo summoned Yagami under the pretext of discussing a prisoner exchange and asked for his thoughts on the Examination System.
• Yagami explained that the Shinobi Position Examination System faced strong opposition and urged Sakumo to start by making jutsu easier for civilian shinobi to obtain.
• Yagami gave Sakumo a scroll about the prisoner exchange and asked him to keep their conversation secret, and Sakumo agreed.
• After Yagami left, Sakumo considered the clan affiliations of the rescued prisoners and questioned how ANBU had changed since the Second Hokage's tenure.
• Sakumo prepared to propose a Jutsu Review System and resolved to push it through even if Nara Shikatsuno opposed it.

Yagami received a mission to protect the Land of Rivers’ hydroelectric dam from an Iwagakure attack, and his squad arrived as the defenders were being overwhelmed. He rescued Koizumi Chisa and took command of the battle, leaving her wondering whether the Fox-masked ANBU was the Rain Ninja she had met before.

• Yagami rewarded his squads with ninjutsu scrolls and ordered their leaders to prepare coordinated assault tactics for a future test mission.
• Yellow Dog assigned Yagami’s squadron to eliminate Stone Ninja infiltrators sent to destroy the Land of Rivers’ hydroelectric power station.
• Yagami hurried to the dam, where Koizumi Chisa and the local samurai and Missing-nin struggled to hold back dozens of Stone Ninja.
• A Stone Ninja captain launched a barrage of giant boulders at the cofferdam, threatening to destroy the dam’s foundation.
• Yagami blocked the attack with Water Release: Water Wall Jutsu, adjusted Chisa’s glasses, and announced that Konoha ANBU would take over.
• Purple Cat urged Chisa to leave the dangerous area, and Chisa felt jealous as she watched her stand beside Fox.

Yagami and the Konoha ANBU defeated the Stone Ninja attacking the Hydroelectric Power Station and captured President Kinseki. The group returned to the Capital, where the Land of Rivers’ Daimyo asked Ida Hata to relay the Land of Fire’s instructions.

• Yagami ordered the Fox Squadron to attack, and its combined Fire Release technique killed several Stone Ninja.
• Purple Cat used the Mind Body Switch Technique on the Stone Ninja captain, and Yagami’s Water Severing Wave cut down more of the attackers, including the captain.
• Yagami found the spy’s code, identified President Kinseki as a retainer of the Land of Earth’s Minister of the Treasury, and persuaded him to end the mission and surrender.
• Yagami’s forces escorted Kinseki and the surviving Stone Ninja back to the Capital with Koizumi Chisa and the Land of Rivers officials; Chisa continued to suspect she knew the Fox Anbu.
• At Tenshu Castle, Ida Hata recognized Kinseki, while Chisa watched the Fox Anbu and the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers asked Ida to explain the Land of Fire’s instructions.

Ida Hata forced Kinseki to accept the Land of Fire’s warning against attacks on hydroelectric power stations, then negotiated the Land of Rivers’ cooperation in building more stations. Koizumi Chisa secured Fox Squadron’s protection for the station, leaving Yagami to contend with her while his squad stood guard.

• Ida Hata presented Kinseki with the Land of Fire’s State Letter and threatened to expand the war if the Land of Earth continued attacking hydroelectric power stations.
• Kinseki read the Daimyo’s signed warning and agreed to return to the Land of Earth with the letter.
• Ida Hata arranged for Land of Fire craftsmen to study the Land of Rivers’ blueprints and negotiated a profit split for future stations in the Land of Rivers.
• Koizumi Chisa asked Ida Hata to keep Konoha Anbu in the Land of Rivers to protect the hydroelectric power station.
• Yellow Dog assigned Fox Squadron an A-rank mission to guard the station until the Land of Earth promised to stop attacking it.

Koizumi Chisa reunited with Yagami, who secretly visited her as Fox Anbu, and their relationship continued without her ever turning around to see him. After Fox Squadron returned to the front, Yagami received orders to poison the oases supplying the Sand ninja as Konoha tried to end the war on the Land of Rivers front.

• Koizumi Chisa signaled Fox Anbu to meet her at two in the morning, and Yagami brought her a revised dam blueprint.
• Chisa recognized Yagami as the person she had been searching for and spent the night with him without turning around.
• Fox Anbu told Chisa that the protection mission had ended, then left the Capital with Fox Squadron.
• Yagami returned to the frontline camp near the Land of Rivers border and learned that Konoha's forces had advanced at a cost.
• Yellow Dog assigned Yagami to lead a team in poisoning oasis water used by the Sand ninja, citing Konoha's need to end the war quickly.

Yagami and the Flower Deer Squad found an oasis occupied by Sand ninja and devised gliders to escape after poisoning it. The squad flew away under cover of Yagami’s Water Wall Jutsu, leaving the Sand ninja unable to catch them.

• Yagami’s squad found the bodies of Wind Country civilians who had died while migrating through the desert and discovered a map to Crescent Lake.
• Yagami collected the corpses’ wind-resistant leather, made gliders, and trained Flower Deer Squad to use them.
• Yagami watched Crescent Lake and learned that about fifty Sand ninja had occupied it and driven away the villagers.
• Yagami and Leaf Monkey disguised themselves as thirsty travelers, killed a Sand ninja guard, and used Water Wall Jutsu and Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to send poison into the lake.
• Yagami and Leaf Monkey escaped by glider while Yagami blocked the pursuing Sand ninja’s attacks with Water Wall Jutsu.
• The Sand ninja chased the gliders for hours before giving up as they disappeared into the darkness.

Yagami used his glider and a Shadow Clone to poison a heavily guarded Sand ninja oasis, then returned to the ruined Crescent Moon Lake with Leaf Monkey. There, he found a girl and three children approaching the poisoned water and rushed to warn them.

• Yagami poisoned the second oasis, then spent several days observing the Sand ninja forces guarding the third oasis.
• Yagami sent Leaf Monkey aloft with the glider and dropped a Shadow Clone carrying poison into the third oasis, where it poisoned the lake before being destroyed.
• Yagami and Leaf Monkey evaded the Sand ninja by flying through cloud cover and decided to hide at Crescent Moon Lake while waiting for Flower Deer and Tada.
• Yagami found a girl and three children carrying containers toward the poisoned lake, disguised himself as a desert traveler, and warned them not to drink the water.

Yagami helped Pakura and three children produce safe drinking water at Crescent Moon Lake, then brought water to Leaf Monkey, who was guarding the area. A natural sandstorm struck during the night, and Yagami rescued the exposed Pakura and secured the children's tent.

• Yagami warned Pakura and the children that Crescent Moon Lake was poisonous, then watched Pakura use her ability to evaporate and distill its water.
• Yagami tasted the collected water, confirmed it was safe, and improved their water-gathering setup with inverted waterproof sheets and jars.
• Pakura let the children drink, and Yagami filled two flasks, taking one to Leaf Monkey, who was keeping watch outside the oasis.
• A natural sandstorm swept through the oasis and blew away the tent where Pakura was bathing.
• Yagami covered Pakura with cloth, carried her away from the lake, and used Earth Style: Earth Spear to secure the children's tent and reinforce his own.

Yagami sheltered Pakura and the three children from sandstorms while teaching Pakura to refine and control Chakra. After several days of training, Pakura formed a fireball above her palm and asked whether it was the unique ability Yagami had meant.

• Yagami covered Pakura after her bath and reassured her that his Earth Style would protect the children from the storm.
• Pakura asked Yagami to teach her the life-saving ninjutsu he had used in the sandstorm, and he agreed in exchange for a bath.
• Pakura explained that she had fled the route to Sunagakure and brought three thirsty children with her; Yagami began teaching her Chakra refinement, circulation, and physical training.
• Pakura trained with Yagami for five days and learned to mobilize Chakra skillfully.
• Pakura formed a blazing fireball above her palm and asked Yagami if it was the special ability he had mentioned.

Yagami helped Pakura develop her Scorch Release before Rasa’s forces arrived and took her back to Sunagakure, forcing Yagami to escape. Back at Konoha’s camp, Yagami received praise for destroying the Sand ninja’s water supply and revealed his glider invention, arranging for Hatake Sakumo to test it that night.

• Pakura declined Yagami’s offer to settle in the Land of Rain and said she wanted to use her abilities to improve life in the Land of Wind.
• Rasa attacked Yagami with Gold Dust while a Sand ninja Jonin stopped Pakura and knocked her unconscious; Flower Deer and Tada rescued Yagami and Leaf Monkey by glider.
• Yagami returned to Konoha’s camp and learned that destroying the Sand ninja’s water sources had enabled a successful ambush that killed more than four hundred enemies.
• Nara Shikatsuno ordered an S-rank Mission reward for Yagami and asked him to recount the mission.
• Yagami demonstrated his gliders to Nara Shikatsuno and Hatake Sakumo, and Hatake agreed to fly one that night.

Yagami tested a glider with Hatake Sakumo, then attacked him in midair and was killed by Sakumo’s white blade light. Revived on the previous full moon, Yagami chose Hatake Sakumo’s Chakra Crystallization Technique and began studying how to apply it to his Earth Release Chakra.

• Yagami and Tada followed Hatake Sakumo and Flower Deer in gliders, while Flower Deer demonstrated aerial maneuvers and climbed above a thousand meters.
• Yagami cut Flower Deer’s glider ropes and plunged toward Hatake Sakumo with his ninja blade.
• Flower Deer grabbed Hatake Sakumo to protect him, but Sakumo’s white Chakra blade cut Flower Deer and Yagami’s weapon before killing Yagami.
• The Arc of the Crescent Moon System revived Yagami on the previous full moon and offered him a lottery choice between Chakra, White Fang Swordsmanship, and the Chakra Crystallization Technique.
• Yagami chose the Chakra Crystallization Technique, left Koizumi Chisa’s bedroom, and began testing how the secret technique might strengthen his Earth Release Chakra.

Yagami developed Absolute Defense: Bronze Radiance, tested its defensive and offensive power, and taught Koizumi Chisa Cloud Style Swordsmanship. After returning to the main camp, he began the poisoning mission at Crescent Moon Lake and faced Sand ninja attacks head-on while preparing Water Severing Wave.

• Yagami refined Earth Release Chakra into a reddish-bronze coating that blocked weapons and an Exploding Tag, then named the technique Absolute Defense: Bronze Radiance.
• Yagami tested Bronze Radiance's ability to strengthen his strikes and considered what title enemies might give him.
• Yagami and Koizumi Chisa continued their work at the construction site, and he offered to teach her Cloud Style Swordsmanship.
• After documents from the Land of Earth arrived, Yagami said goodbye to Koizumi Chisa and returned to the main camp for the poisoning mission.
• At Crescent Moon Lake, Yagami sent Leaf Monkey back and jumped among the Sand ninja, enduring their attacks while forming the Hand Seals for Water Severing Wave.
• Leaf Monkey saw Yagami disappear into the smoke and rushed forward to rescue him.

Yagami poisoned three Sand ninja oasis lakes, reunited with Pakura while hiding his familiarity with her, and helped Konoha gain an advantage on the front line. The chapter ended with Yellow Dog questioning Yagami about his connection to Hatake Sakumo.

• Yagami survived the Sand ninja’s attack with his new defensive ability and helped Leaf Monkey poison the third oasis lake using a Shadow Clone.
• Yagami met Pakura at Crescent Moon Lake, helped her collect and distill water, taught her to refine Chakra, and warned her to beware of ninja named Rasa.
• Yagami rescued Pakura from a sandstorm, then left when Leaf Monkey’s signal flare appeared; Pakura recognized Rasa among the Sand ninja who came to take her to Sunagakure.
• Rasa agreed to take Pakura’s three rescued children to Sunagakure, while Yagami found Flower Deer and Tada and returned to Konoha’s frontline camp.
• Yagami demonstrated his glider to Hatake Sakumo, who later sent an assistant to ask him more about it.
• Yellow Dog questioned Yagami about whether he had dealt with Hatake Sakumo before joining ANBU, and Yagami denied it.

Yagami met Hatake Sakumo, who thanked him for supporting the Jutsu Examination System and donating the glider, then asked him to investigate Xin Ming’s suspicious death. Yagami agreed to pass along any clues and formed a contract with the Eight Ninja Hounds so they could communicate without meeting in person.

• Yellow Dog warned Yagami not to let his meetings with Hatake Sakumo affect his ANBU duties or loyalties.
• Hatake Sakumo praised Yagami’s contributions and said he would seek an S-rank reward for his glider invention and earlier mission.
• Hatake Sakumo raised the suspicious death of Xin Ming and asked Yagami to look into it, while Yagami claimed he knew nothing but agreed to ask around.
• Hatake Sakumo gave Yagami the Summoning Scroll of the Eight Ninja Hounds, and Yagami formed a contract with them to carry messages.
• Yagami returned to his tent with an investigative scroll and resolved to examine Xin Ming’s death carefully while guarding the secret of his new contract.

Yagami investigated Xin Ming’s death and encountered Nara Mimasu while helping the Equipment Division manufacture gliders. He was then assigned to observe a major raid on Sabou Port, where ANBU would monitor civilian ninjas’ performance.

• Yagami reviewed Xin Ming’s mission report and considered whether Nara Mimasu might have caused Xin Ming’s death.
• Nara Shikatsuno ordered Fox to assist Nara Meika in secretly manufacturing two hundred gliders.
• Yagami explained glider design to Nara Meika and discovered Nara Mimasu working in the Equipment Division.
• The Equipment Division produced two hundred gliders in one week.
• Yellow Dog ordered Fox and Hippopotamus to join the raid on Sabou Port as ANBU observers and record civilian ninjas’ performance.

Yagami, disguised as Fujikita, joined Nara Mimasu’s squad for the glider raid on Sabou Port and helped Chinri reach the target. Beneath the pier, he discovered that Mimasu had used a Shadow Secret Technique to control their teammate into colliding with a Fish Puppet, leaving Yagami to question whether Mimasu had turned him into a human puppet.

• Yagami chose Nara Mimasu’s squad and watched Mimasu assign Chinri to learn how to operate a glider.
• After five days of training, Nara Mimasu led a force of Konoha ninja on gliders toward Sabou Port while Hatake Sakumo’s troops engaged the Sand ninja.
• Chinri piloted a glider carrying Yagami into the raid, and they landed near the pier amid the Sand ninja’s counterattack.
• Yagami killed a Sand ninja who attacked him and joined Nara Mimasu’s squad in placing Exploding Tags beneath the pier.
• Yagami sensed a Fish Puppet underwater and saw their squadmate move stiffly into its blade before grabbing it.
• Yagami realized Nara Mimasu had concealed a Shadow Imitation Technique in the seawater and wondered whether Mimasu was using their squadmate as a human puppet.