Li Yu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Li Yu (李羽)
Alias(es)	Senju Nawaki; Zi Yu (ANBU codename) 3 16
Species/Race	A reincarnated human soul inhabiting Senju Nawaki's body; later recorded in Ōtsutsuki files as a son of Ōtsutsuki Rishiki 1 492
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure ANBU; Senju Clan; War God Team 3 472
Occupation/Role	ANBU commander/director; Senju Clan head; Ninja Academy instructor; War God Team captain and reserve member 19 87 164 472
Status	Active; third-tier captain-level combatant and War God Team reserve member 470 511
First Appearance	Chapter 1: A Crippled Body

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Hashirama-cell augmentation; early Sharingan	2	Survives Orochimaru's cell transplant and discovers a Sage Body, Wood Release potential, rapidly recovering chakra, and controllable Sharingan.
Three-Tomoe Sharingan and Sage Mode	14	Yan Xing's death increases his ocular power to Three Tomoe but does not awaken the Mangekyō; he enters Sage Mode before confronting a combined enemy army.
Mangekyō Sharingan	18	Obtains a Mangekyō Sharingan, later using techniques including Void Traverse and Position Swap.
Rinnegan and Yin–Yang Release	88	His Rinnegan and advanced Yin–Yang Release allow him to perceive Rock Lee's injuries beyond ordinary medical diagnosis.
Red–Blue Six-Tomoe Rinnegan	123	Acquires a blue Rinnegan for time-based techniques and a red Rinnegan for space-based techniques, including Time Reversal and Yomotsu Hirasaka.
Six Paths power and Isshiki inheritance	277	Extracts and absorbs Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's power from Code, transforming his body and empowering a specially marked Wood Clone with Rinnegan and Six Paths abilities.
Purple Six-Tomoe Rinnegan, Black Lightning Armor, and second tattoo state	296	Develops Black Lightning Armor and a horned second tattoo state that raises his base physical power by one hundredfold.
Rudimentary law manipulation	303	Begins using the laws of the Naruto world directly; he has not yet integrated them into a Truth-Seeking Orb to become a first-stage Starfarer.
First Tier to Second Tier	431	States that he progressed from the first tier to the second in under twenty years, far faster than the centuries normally required.
Third Tier	470	Reaches the third tier, qualifying for captain-level assessment and vastly surpassing second-tier fighters in physical speed and power.
SSS-ranked War God Team captain	472	Passes Ōtsutsuki Xuan Yi's final assessment with an SSS evaluation, becoming a captain and receiving War God Team benefits.

Background / History

Li Yu was a twenty-five-year-old man whose soul entered the critically injured body of Senju Nawaki. He chose to inherit Nawaki's bonds and protect the people important to him, beginning with Tsunade, whom he addressed as his sister. 1

After realizing that Nawaki's Senju body made him a valuable research subject, Li Yu deliberately appealed to Orochimaru's fear of mortality and joined his research. He accelerated the study of Hashirama's cells, volunteered for transplantation, and survived with greatly expanded potential. 2

Sarutobi Hiruzen placed him in ANBU under the codename Zi Yu, assigning him to Yan Xing's squad alongside Yue Ying and Shui Qi. His official file described him as a Wood Release and medical-ninjutsu specialist. 3

Li Yu gained battlefield fame after Yan Xing sacrificed himself to secure his escape during the Land of Birds mission. Rather than flee the encirclement, Li Yu returned, fought the allied Stone, Sand, and Rain forces, restrained three Tailed Beasts, and sealed half of their chakra. 14 15

He eventually revealed himself to Uzuki Yuying as Senju Nawaki, formed a relationship with her, and became the father of Senju Yuqing and Senju Yuhong. He also trained Sarutobi Asuma, Yuhi Kurenai, and Uzuki Yugao as a Ninja Academy instructor. 16 19 70

Appearance

Li Yu inhabits Senju Nawaki's body, which was initially severely crippled but restored through Orochimaru's transplant research. In his later years, he is muscular and commonly wears white robes associated with his position as ANBU Commander. 1 2 284

• Uses an oval green-and-white ANBU mask as Zi Yu; its design features green eye-whites, black pupils, and curved green markings. 3
• Wore a forehead protector over his left eye and a green tactical vest after acquiring the Mangekyō Sharingan. 19
• Displays red and blue Rinnegan eyes when using his time-space powers. 220
• In a boosted state, has blue-white hair and blue flames around his body. 455
• His Demon God Transformation gives him black skin, black wings, horns, claws, sharp teeth, and glowing red eyes. 456

Personality

Li Yu is calculating, pragmatic, and highly adaptive. He uses foreknowledge of the Naruto world's original timeline as an advantage, frequently treating political events, battles, and interpersonal conflicts as problems to be analyzed and redirected. 22 197

His scientific curiosity is one of his defining traits. Having worked with Orochimaru, he treats bloodlines, organs, and dōjutsu as systems that can be cultivated, copied, or improved through genetic research rather than untouchable inheritances. 2 103 160

He is protective of people he considers his own, including Tsunade, Yuying, his children, Naruto, Alice, and Jessie. However, he can also be manipulative, merciless toward enemies, and willing to use prisoners or defeated opponents as research material or resources. 64 72 361 366 395

Li Yu increasingly seeks danger after surpassing the shinobi world's major threats. He considers difficult battles necessary for growth and resists becoming a passive cultivator protected by resources and status. 296 396 408

Abilities & Skills

Wood Release

Li Yu's Wood Release originates from his transplanted Hashirama cells and is his most recognizable combat style.

• Creates Wood Clones for scouting, combat, deception, and remote memory transfer. 5 277
• Uses Wood Pillar Prison, Deep Forest Emergence, Deep Forest Bloom, Tree Sea Emergence, and Four-Pillar House. 5 15 124 171
• Summons Wood Humans and Wood Dragons capable of fighting other giant constructs and Tailed Beasts. 15 97
• Employs Sage Art: True Several Thousand Hands, producing a colossal Buddha construct used to annihilate large enemy formations. 50
• Combines Wood Human Technique with Majestic Attire: Susanoo to create an armored wooden giant. 102 103

Sage Mode and Chakra Control

Li Yu possesses immense chakra reserves, rapid chakra recovery, and advanced control.

• Enters Sage Mode to enhance his speed, strength, perception, and Wood Release. 14 15
• Uses Sage Art: Big Ball Rasengan Shuriken and Sage Art: Super Big Ball Rasenshuriken. 50 97
• Has used the Strength of a Hundred technique in sparring with Namikaze Minato. 6
• Can sustain large-scale techniques, giant avatars, and long-range battlefield control. 15 50

Sharingan and Mangekyō Sharingan

Li Yu can activate and deactivate his Sharingan at will, despite lacking Uchiha blood.

• Copies and reproduces Fire Release and Wind Release techniques after observing them. 5
• Developed Three-Tomoe Sharingan through emotional strain following Yan Xing's death. 14
• Uses Mangekyō techniques such as Void Traverse, a spatial vortex that bypasses attacks. 102
• Uses Position Swap to escape lethal attacks and leave an attacking afterimage. 188
• Can manifest Susanoo and combine it with Wood Release constructs. 55 102

Rinnegan and Space-Time Techniques

Li Yu possesses several Rinnegan variants cultivated through genetic research and acquired Ōtsutsuki power.

• Red Rinnegan — controls space and opens portals through Yomotsu Hirasaka. 123 220
• Blue Rinnegan — controls time and enables Time Reversal, an evasion technique that avoids attacks after they have been launched. 123
• Purple Rinnegan — grants exceptional perception and analysis, allowing him to navigate dense, rule-infused attacks. 510
• Uses the Human Path for Memory Reading and Soul Search. 160 366
• Uses Universal Pull to draw targets toward himself. 361
• Can employ Chibaku Tensei and other Six Paths techniques. 97 98

Flying Thunder God Technique

Li Yu learned and expanded upon Flying Thunder God techniques through his association with Namikaze Minato.

• Marks locations and specialized kunai for instantaneous teleportation. 11 12
• Coordinates with Minato during combat and teleports across battlefields to exploit openings. 12 53
• Deflects attacks as large as a Tailed Beast Bomb through enhanced Flying Thunder God usage. 53
• Can transport multiple allies by having them maintain physical contact with him. 167

Medical Ninjutsu, Sealing, and Yin–Yang Release

Li Yu combines medical knowledge with sealing techniques and advanced life-force manipulation.

• Heals battlefield injuries, including Yue Ying's shuriken wounds. 6
• Uses Adamantine Sealing Chains to bind and suppress chakra users. 108
• Learns Uzumaki sealing techniques from Kushina and seals portions of Tailed Beast chakra. 12 46
• Uses Yin–Yang Release for diagnosis, healing, body modification, and resisting ocular genjutsu. 88 103 208
• Pursues organ cultivation and genetic engineering as a means of replicating bloodline abilities and extending life. 96 103 160

Transformations and Physical Combat

Li Yu is a highly skilled close-range fighter whose physical strength continues to evolve through Ōtsutsuki-derived power.

• Uses Black Lightning Armor to stimulate his body and increase speed and physical force. 295 296
• His second tattoo state produces a horn and increases his physical attributes by one hundredfold. 296
• Uses God Path Orbs for armor, shields, and high-level combat enhancements. 471 472
• Learns the complete Eighty Gods Vacuum Combo during combat with Ōtsutsuki Shinyi. 508
• Demon God Transformation grants black wings, darkness-based camouflage, heightened strength and speed, and blood-and-energy absorption. 456
• Demon God Transformation causes severe pain and leaves him weakened for several minutes after use. 456

Law Manipulation and Personal Spaces

After leaving Earth, Li Yu begins studying universal laws and building independent spaces.

• Discovers and seals the planet's dragon-vein network, then obtains the purple sphere he names Little Purple. 304
• Uses God Path Orbs and law-based power strongly enough to tear space and accidentally destroy a planet. 308
• Maintains the Beginning Ball Space, Desert Dimension, Ice Dimension, and other attribute spaces. 313 494
• Builds Divine Feather City and relocates one million humans into his Beginning Ball Space. 494 495
• Plans to establish a human world based on magic and battle-aura cultivation. 495

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Specialized Flying Thunder God kunai — marked kunai used for teleportation, ambushes, and large-scale movement. 11 12
• Green-and-white ANBU mask — worn under the codename Zi Yu. 3
• Sealing scrolls — used to store money, intelligence, and sealed Tailed Beast chakra. 29 46 126
• Beginning Ball Space — Li Yu's personal living and cultivation space, later expanded into Divine Feather City. 339 494
• Little Purple — a sentient purple sphere obtained from the dragon vein; converts planetary energy into usable energy and assists with large-scale operations. 304 308 481
• God Path Orbs — versatile orbs used as armor, shields, and law-based combat tools. 308 472

Relationships

• Tsunade — Nawaki's elder sister; Li Yu comforts her after awakening in Nawaki's body, later protects her interests and recruits her to train Senju children. 1 64
• Orochimaru — former research mentor whose Hashirama-cell work restores Li Yu's body; later becomes one of Li Yu's most persistent enemies. 2 85 98
• Uzuki Yuying — former ANBU teammate, Li Yu's girlfriend and later mother of Yuqing and Yuhong. 6 16 19 70
• Senju Yuqing and Senju Yuhong — Li Yu's children; he trains them in Wood Release and pushes them to improve. 70 124 164
• Namikaze Minato — friend, sparring partner, and Flying Thunder God collaborator; they repeatedly coordinate against major threats. 6 12 53
• Yan Xing — Li Yu's first ANBU squad captain; Yan Xing dies buying Li Yu time to escape, prompting Li Yu to return and face the enemy army. 3 14
• Alice and Jessie — magical human women living in Li Yu's Beginning Ball Space; they are emotionally dependent on him, while he supports their recovery and cultivation. 339 361
• Ōtsutsuki Ryota — recurring teammate and admirer of Li Yu's combat ability; Li Yu alternates between mentoring and teasing him. 362 366 475
• Ōtsutsuki Xuan Yi — Li Yu's assessor and War God Team superior; recognizes his talent but secretly places a restriction mark on him. 472 493
• Danzo Shimura — political and military rival; Li Yu repeatedly undermines Danzo before defeating his Susanoo-enhanced form. 58 102 103

Story Role / Major Arcs

Reincarnation and Orochimaru's Research

Li Yu begins as a reincarnated soul in Nawaki's crippled body. He joins Orochimaru's research, survives Hashirama-cell transplantation, and obtains the foundation for his Wood Release, Sharingan, and extraordinary vitality. 1 2

ANBU Service and Battlefield Fame

As Zi Yu, Li Yu serves in ANBU, completes numerous S-rank missions, and earns fame through decisive victories against enemy villages. Yan Xing's death becomes a turning point, leading Li Yu to defeat an overwhelming multinational force and restrain three Tailed Beasts. 3 13 14 15

Konoha Leadership, Family, and Internal Conflict

Li Yu establishes himself within Konoha as a teacher, Senju leader, and ANBU authority. He raises a family with Yuying, trains the next generation, manipulates Konoha's great clans, and confronts Danzo and Orochimaru. 19 58 70 85 103

Ōtsutsuki Threats and Shinobi World Supremacy

Li Yu gains increasingly powerful Rinnegan abilities, battles Urashiki, Momoshiki, Kaguya, and Isshiki, and ultimately reaches a level where no ordinary shinobi can challenge him. He saves Naruto and Sasuke during Madara's assault and later defeats Isshiki through strategy and sealing. 123 277 287 299

Interstellar Exploration

Seeking further growth, Li Yu studies planetary dragon veins, universal laws, God Path Orbs, and the Ōtsutsuki civilization beyond Earth. He enters the True God Hall's mission system as a newcomer and steadily develops a reputation through patrols, gambling, and combat. 304 354 386 408

War God Team and Demon Race Invasion

After reaching the third tier and earning an SSS assessment, Li Yu joins the War God Team as a captain. He leads missions against the demon race, destroys a Demonic Energy Device through diversionary tactics, and earns recognition for completing the operation without losing a team member. 472 475 481 492

Millennium Grand Tournament

Li Yu advances through the Ōtsutsuki tournament by defeating stronger opponents, learning the Eighty Gods Vacuum Combo, and displaying his purple Rinnegan. His final confrontation with Ōtsutsuki Jiaorong earns the attention of the clan's elders, who recognize the precision and beauty of his close-combat technique. 507 508 510 511

Trivia

• Li Yu's ANBU codename, Zi Yu, was chosen because the green elements of his mask matched his Wood Release. 3
• He considers scientific cultivation capable of reproducing any Kekkei Genkai in principle, including dōjutsu. 103
• Li Yu helped modernize Konoha through scientific ninja tools, trade, electrification, and entertainment ventures such as ninja idols. 164 197
• He named the dragon-vein sphere Little Purple. 304