Chapter Summaries

Qian fought Snow Wind and escaped the Ice Release: Ice Prison Technique with his Wind Style: Rasenshuriken. Snow Wind’s cage crumbled, leaving Qian free outside it.

• Qian lured Snow Wind away from the passenger ship and dodged the Ice Dragon’s attacks over open water.
• Qian used a Great Fireball to strike the Ice Dragon while it was breathing cold air, but Snow Wind hid behind the dragon and filled the area with mist.
• Snow Wind froze the sea and trapped Qian inside an Ice Crystal Cage with Ice Release: Ice Prison Technique.
• Qian’s Fire and other ninjutsu failed to break through the cage as Snow Wind strengthened it and threatened to take his Sharingan.
• Qian expanded his Rasengan into a Wind Style: Rasenshuriken and shattered the Ice Wall, escaping the prison.

Qian escaped Snow Wind’s Ice Release prison and pursued him with his Flash Sword Technique, forcing Snow Wind to retreat and use substitution and cloning techniques. The chase continued across the sea as Snow Wind fled from Qian and his shadow clone.

• Qian broke out of Snow Wind’s Ice Release prison and prepared to attack.
• Qian repeatedly pursued Snow Wind with his Flash Sword Technique, while Snow Wind avoided looking at Qian’s blade and defended until his arm was injured.
• Snow Wind used Ice Substitution Technique to escape Qian’s slash, then split into two figures; Qian created a shadow clone to pursue one while chasing the other himself.
• Qian discovered that the figure he had pursued was an Ice Clone and rushed toward Snow Wind’s real body, which was fighting his shadow clone.
• Snow Wind received the Ice Clone’s memories and fled, beginning another chase across the sea with Qian and his shadow clone in pursuit.

Qian and Snow Wind resumed their duel on the sea, with Qian breaking Snow Wind’s defenses and forcing him to reveal himself. Snow Wind summoned an Ice Crystal Giant Dragon and turned the fight around, leaving Qian dodging its relentless attacks.

• Qian’s subordinates and Snow Wind’s ninja fought Mist Ninja on a nearby battlefield while Qian confirmed the fighting was stable.
• Qian attacked Snow Wind with his Flash Sword Technique, broke through his ice defenses with a Big Ball Rasengan, and waited for him to emerge from beneath the ice.
• Snow Wind surfaced riding an Ice Crystal Giant Dragon, and Qian attacked it with Fire Release: Fire Dragon Technique.
• Snow Wind countered the fire with the dragon’s cold breath and nearly concealed himself with Hidden Mist, but Qian’s Wind Blade forced him to duck.
• Snow Wind directed the Ice Dragon to strike Qian with its claws and tail, driving him to dodge instead of counterattacking.

Qian fought Snow Wind and destroyed his Ice Dragon with Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, then wounded and disarmed him in close combat. Before Qian could continue the attack, a masked Kirigakure Anbu ninja appeared atop a massive wave surging toward the battlefield.

• Qian evaded Snow Wind’s Ice Dragon and waited for Snow Wind to weaken from the chakra required to control it.
• When Snow Wind’s movements faltered, Qian used Wind Style: Rasenshuriken to split apart and destroy the Ice Dragon.
• Qian used Flash Sword Technique to reach Snow Wind and wounded him with a slash enhanced by his Illusion Sword Technique.
• Snow Wind formed Ice Armor to survive Qian’s next strike and pulled away, but a massive wave halted Qian’s pursuit.
• Qian saw a masked Kirigakure Anbu ninja standing atop the wave as it surged toward the battlefield.

Qian failed to stop a Kirigakure Anbu from destroying the ships with a massive wave, leaving the Mist Ninja without an escape route. He recognized the Anbu as Kisame Hoshigaki and wounded him in their ensuing fight.

• Snow Wind escaped through a hole in the ice as Qian raced toward the Kirigakure Anbu.
• The Anbu’s massive, swirling wave sank and tore apart Konoha’s passenger ships and Kirigakure’s warship, trapping the Mist Ninja on the battlefield.
• Qian attacked the Anbu with his sword while the man continued casting his technique, then suspected he was Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Qian and the Anbu clashed swords, and Qian used Genjutsu: Sharingan to make the man retreat and expose his face.
• Qian called the man Kisame Hoshigaki and used his momentary distraction to stab him in the arm before Kisame pulled away.

Qian and Kisame Hoshigaki fought at sea, with Qian gaining the upper hand in swordsmanship before Kisame used powerful Water Release techniques to turn the battle. As a massive wave surged toward him, Qian retreated and looked for a chance to capture Kisame as a source of chakra.

• Qian tested Kisame Hoshigaki's swordsmanship in an extended exchange and wounded him twice.
• Kisame used Water Prison Technique and Water Clone Technique to break Qian's assault and create distance.
• Kisame unleashed Rain of Four Sharks, and Qian dodged the attack before cutting down the resulting small sharks.
• Kisame sent a huge wave surging toward Qian, who retreated while planning to capture him and make him a chakra source.
• Qian steadied himself against the wave's imposing scale by recalling his Mangekyō Sharingan and Proficiency Panel.

Qian fought Kisame Hoshigaki at sea, survived his water-based attacks, and copied the Great Shark Bullet Technique with his Sharingan. The chapter ended with Qian turning Kisame’s own technique against him as the giant shark projectile charged toward Kisame.

• Qian dove beneath Kisame Hoshigaki’s massive wave, suffered internal injuries, and used the Mystical Palm Technique to ease them.
• Qian destroyed Kisame Hoshigaki’s Five Feeding Sharks with Wind Release: Great Breakthrough and escaped back to the sea’s surface.
• Qian blocked Kisame Hoshigaki’s Wild Water Wave with Water Style: Water Formation Wall, then sent a Water Dragon Bullet Technique at him.
• Kisame Hoshigaki countered with the Great Shark Bullet Technique, and Qian copied it with his Sharingan before dodging the attack.
• Qian used his newly copied Great Shark Bullet Technique to devour Kisame Hoshigaki’s Shark Missile and send the enlarged projectile toward him.

Qian battled Kisame Hoshigaki at sea, hoping to capture him alive without exposing his Mangekyō Sharingan. After luring Kisame into a sword fight, Qian struck what he thought was a decisive blow, but Kisame revealed it was a Water Clone and trapped him in a Water Prison Technique.

• Qian and Kisame fought for nearly fifteen minutes before Kisame tried to draw Qian into an underwater battle, and both waited for an opening.
• Qian decided to use the encounter to capture Kisame alive while keeping his Mangekyō Sharingan secret from the distant shinobi.
• After Kisame attacked with a water dragon, Qian blocked his rain needles and made the seawater viscous to stop him from diving away.
• Qian wounded Kisame in a sword fight and pierced his heart, but the apparent victory turned out to be a Water Clone.
• Kisame emerged from beneath the water, pressed a palm against Qian, and trapped him in a Water Prison Technique.

Qian escaped Kisame Hoshigaki’s Water Prison Technique and discovered that Snow Wind had teamed up with Kisame to ambush him. With both opponents now facing him, Qian prepared to fight them head-on.

• Qian recognized that Kisame Hoshigaki had trapped him with his real body, but sensed chakra beneath him before activating Ame no Minaka.
• Qian broke the water prison with Big Ball Rasengan and dodged an ice spear that rose from below.
• Snow Wind emerged from Kisame Hoshigaki’s shark Summoning Beast, revealing that he had joined Kisame’s ambush.
• Qian realized that Kisame had anticipated his scheme, and judged that Snow Wind had recovered much of his strength.
• Qian, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Snow Wind charged at one another, with Qian relying on his swordsmanship to face them both.

Qian fought Kisame Hoshigaki and Snow Wind until a Messenger Hawk ordered the Mist Ninja to retreat. Qian pursued Kisame, but Kisame escaped after using a water clone to evade Qian’s attack.

• Qian fought Kisame Hoshigaki and Snow Wind for fifteen minutes, but neither Mist Ninja could find a way to defeat him.
• A Messenger Hawk delivered the order to retreat, and Snow Wind immediately withdrew toward the battlefield.
• Qian charged Kisame Hoshigaki, who stayed behind to cover the retreating Mist Ninja and battled Qian alone.
• As Leaf shinobi approached, Kisame took a slash to the chest to break away and unleashed Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave.
• Qian used Ame no Minaka to attack Kisame from beneath the water, but his blade pierced only a seawater clone, and a shark carried Kisame away.

Qian and Uchiha Tekka survived Kirigakure’s interception and continued toward the Northern Defense Line, where Qian learned that Kirigakure had captured Konoha’s Forward Base in the Land of Waves. He asked Kurosawa Naruki what they should do next.

• Qian regrouped with Uchiha Tekka after the battle, and they found that fewer than sixty percent of their unit had survived.
• Qian ordered a ten-minute rest before leading the survivors onward toward the Northern Defense Line.
• Qian and his unit reached the coastline and met Kurosawa Naruki after the fighting there had ended.
• Kurosawa Naruki told Qian that Kirigakure had breached the Forward Base two hours earlier and nearly wiped out its defenders.
• Kurosawa Naruki explained that Kirigakure’s attacks on the Northern Defense Line and Qian’s unit had been feints to conceal the base assault.
• Qian asked Kurosawa Naruki what they should do next now that the Forward Base was lost and Kirigakure’s forces had withdrawn.

Qian learned that the Forward Base had fallen and arranged for his subordinates to help defend the Northern Defense Line until new orders arrived. He visited the injured Uchiha Shisui with Uchiha Tekka to verify what had happened, then left Shisui to rest.

• Qian told his subordinates that the Forward Base had fallen and said they would help guard part of the Northern Defense Line while awaiting orders.
• Qian brought Uchiha Tekka to the Temporary Hospital to visit Uchiha Shisui, who had been seriously injured defending the line from Kirigakure.
• Qian questioned Shisui about the attack and compared his account with Kurosawa Naruki's intelligence, finding no major inconsistencies.
• Qian examined Shisui and concluded that he needed quiet rest, then left the hospital with Uchiha Tekka.

Qian advanced his Mind Reflection Technique to level 8 and discovered it accelerated his Mangekyo Sharingan’s evolution, bringing the prospect of the Eternal Mangekyo closer. He resumed training and expected his body to reach a transformation threshold within a week.

• After four quiet days, Qian spent his time training while Konoha and Kirigakure remained in a lull at the border.
• Qian repeatedly practiced the Mind Reflection Technique until it advanced from level 7 to level 8.
• Qian found that two uses of the improved technique raised his Mangekyo Sharingan’s evolution progress by one point, and estimated it could evolve into the Eternal Mangekyo by September of the following year.
• Qian reviewed his Shadow Clones’ training and set aside the Water Style: Great Shark Bullet Technique because he lacked spare chakra.
• Qian resumed using the Mystical Palm Technique to strengthen his body, expecting to reach a transformation threshold within a week.

Qian learned that Iwagakure had captured Twin River Town, a major turning point that threatened Konoha’s position in the war. He received orders to keep his unit on the Northern Defense Line and guard against a Kirigakure attack.

• Qian returned to his quarters after training, then went to meet Kurosawa Naruki at Command Headquarters.
• Kurosawa Naruki told Qian that Twin River Town had fallen to Iwagakure, and Qian considered the danger this posed to Konoha.
• Qian asked when the town fell and whether Nara Akimitsu had made any arrangements.
• Kurosawa Naruki gave Qian new orders from Nara Akimitsu to keep his unit stationed on the defensive line against a possible Kirigakure attack.
• Qian reviewed the mission scroll, discussed the arrangements with Kurosawa Naruki, and left.

After a week of training, Qian used Human Authority to push his body through a physical transformation, raising his Physical Constitution from 16 to 17. He measured the resulting increase in his chakra capacity and recovery, then assigned the extra chakra to train three neglected techniques.

• Qian relayed the official order to garrison the area to his subordinates, then returned to his quarters and continued his evening training.
• A week later, Qian sensed that his body was on the verge of transformation and dispelled his Shadow Clones to absorb their cultivation experience.
• Qian activated his Mangekyo Sharingan and Human Authority, then used the level 8 Mystical Palm Technique to break through the limit on his physical evolution.
• Qian checked his Proficiency Panel and saw his Physical Constitution rise from 16 to 17, with his theoretical chakra limit and daily recovery also increasing.
• Qian allocated his additional daily chakra to practice Great Shark Bullet Technique, Hidden Mist Technique, and Delicate Illness Extraction Technique.

Qian reviewed his growing attributes and skills, then tested how long it would take Mystical Palm Technique to strengthen his body to another critical point. He returned to camp expecting the process to take about a month if circumstances stayed stable.

• Qian saw that his chakra capacity had increased to 75,572 and reasoned that continued growth could eventually surpass Kisame Hoshigaki's reserves.
• Qian checked his Sharingan: Mangekyo's evolution progress at 5903/50000 and noted that Ame no Minaka now lasted about sixteen seconds per use.
• Qian reviewed his skill progress and considered developing a Flight Ninjutsu with Wind Style chakra as Wind Style: Wind Blade and Wind Style: Rasenshuriken advanced.
• Qian spent the remaining daylight casting Mystical Palm Technique nearly a hundred times and estimated that his body needed about a month to reach a new critical point.
• Qian packed his things and returned to his residence in the camp.

Qian defeated Uchiha Tekka in a training match, then discussed the Uchiha clan’s objections to Kakashi receiving Obito’s Sharingan. He predicted the clan head would refuse to reclaim the eye and ended by creating a Shadow Clone.

• Qian used his Flash Sword Technique and Illusion Sword Technique to defeat Uchiha Tekka after five minutes of fighting.
• Uchiha Tekka told Qian that some Uchiha clan members wanted to take back the Sharingan Obito had given Kakashi.
• Qian reasoned that Minato’s support, Kakashi’s status as a war hero, and the risk of damaging the clan’s reputation would prevent the eye from being reclaimed.
• Uchiha Tekka asked whether the clan head would approve the proposal, and Qian said he would not because even Tekka understood why it was unwise.
• Qian formed the Ren Seal and cast the Shadow Clone Technique.

Uchiha Qian used his Mangekyō Sharingan’s Human Authority to overcome a physical growth bottleneck and complete another bodily transformation. His improved attributes and chakra capacity gave him a new training plan focused on developing Flight Ninjutsu.

• Qian assigned eight Shadow Clones to practice different techniques and sent Uchiha Tekka to spar with the remaining clone.
• After nearly two more weeks of training, Qian used Human Authority with the Mystical Palm Technique to break through his physical bottleneck.
• Qian tested his transformed body and found that his strength, speed, reactions, and wound-healing had improved.
• Qian checked his Proficiency Panel and saw his Physical Constitution rise from 17 to 18, increasing his chakra limit and recovery.
• Qian decided to direct his additional chakra toward Wind Style: Wind Blade and Wind Style: Rasenshuriken so he could develop Flight Ninjutsu sooner.

Qian completed his Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique and redirected the saved Chakra toward improving his Great Shark Bullet Technique. Uchiha Tekka reported that Kirigakure squads were probing Konoha’s defenses, and Qian was summoned to Command Headquarters as the threat escalated.

• Qian received new Cultivation Experience that advanced Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique to perfection.
• Qian allocated the Chakra saved from the completed technique to Water Style: Great Shark Bullet Technique to increase its training rate.
• Uchiha Tekka reported that Mist Ninja squads had appeared across the defensive line and withdrawn after probing Konoha’s patrols.
• A messenger Chunin ordered Qian and Uchiha Tekka to attend a meeting at Command Headquarters, and they hurried there together.

Qian attended a meeting where Kurosawa Naruki reassigned his team to defend Eagle Beak Cliff, a vulnerable Northern Defense Line stronghold threatened by Kirigakure reconnaissance. Qian arrived safely, took command, and resumed training while Uchiha Tekka handled the stronghold’s affairs.

• Qian met Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Tekka at Command Headquarters before Kurosawa Naruki began the meeting.
• Kurosawa Naruki announced that Kirigakure scouts had been spotted across the northern, central, and southern defense lines, suggesting a second offensive was being prepared.
• Kurosawa Naruki assigned Qian and three additional squads to reinforce Eagle Beak Cliff, a stronghold Kirigakure had breached twice before.
• Qian gathered his men and the assigned squads, then traveled overnight to Eagle Beak Cliff and found the stronghold intact.
• Qian completed the handover, took command of the stronghold, left its daily affairs to Uchiha Tekka, and continued his training.