Chapter Summaries

Qian exploited gaps in Kirigakure’s Ballista defenses, destroying several weapons and killing the Mist Ninja operating them. He continued attacking another Ballista as a surviving Mist Ninja launched a Great Fireball at him.

• Qian doubled back and used Fire Release: Fire Dragon Technique and an explosive Kunai to destroy a Ballista and kill its two operators.
• Qian dodged volleys of explosive bolts, spotted more Ballistae with too few operators, and charged toward them.
• Qian’s explosive Kunai and Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique disrupted the Mist Ninja, allowing him to destroy three Ballistae and damage another.
• Qian blocked a Mist Ninja’s flame attack with Water Style: Water Formation Wall, then used Wind Style: Wind Blade to cut through a Ballista and two Mist Ninja.
• A surviving Mist Ninja attacked Qian with Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, and Qian watched the incoming fireball with interest.

Qingming was caught in a Kirigakure trap and enclosed in a Sealing Barrier, but he escaped with Ame no Minaka and fled after killing a jōnin who saw his Mangekyō Sharingan. He left the Mist Ninja unable to recover information from the severed head.

• Qingming overpowered a Kirigakure ninja’s Great Fireball Technique, then discovered a Sealing Barrier trapping him as Terumi Mei, Ao, Snow Wind, and other Mist Ninja surrounded him.
• Qingming realized the ballista carts had been positioned to lure him into the trap, and saw that paper charms let the Mist Ninja enter the barrier.
• Qingming tried to form seals but dodged volleys of weapons and Exploding Tags, then used the Hidden Mist Technique to obscure the battlefield.
• Ao warned the Mist Ninja that Qingming was escaping upward, and their weapons struck his shoulder before he used Ame no Minaka to appear outside the barrier.
• A Kirigakure jōnin saw Qingming’s Mangekyō Sharingan, so Qingming controlled him with Genjutsu: Sharingan, beheaded him, and burned the head with a Great Fireball Technique.
• Qingming deactivated his Mangekyō Sharingan and flew away with Wind Release: Wind Wings.

After escaping Kirigakure’s trap, Qian suspected that Qian had seen his Mangekyō Sharingan awaken and decided to investigate the Byakugan. He continued his intensive training through the night, then flew to Black Stone Outpost to report his mission.

• Qian noticed unusual energy in Qian during the battle but withheld his suspicions from Terumi Mei.
• Qian reasoned that Qian’s Byakugan had likely detected his Mangekyō Sharingan and considered making arrangements to obtain a Byakugan.
• Qian observed that his shoulder wound had healed rapidly and practiced Body Enhancement and the Shadow Clone Technique.
• Qian repeatedly recalled and recreated ten Shadow Clones to absorb their cultivation experience while training his skills through the night.
• At dawn, Qian flew to Black Stone Outpost to submit his mission report, leaving his final Shadow Clones to complete their training.

Qian developed Earth Release Chakra and began training Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Spear, Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall, and Earth Release: Hardening Technique. Near dawn, he spotted Kirigakure warships approaching Black Stone Outpost by sea and realized their attack was timed to exploit the outpost’s shifted defenses.

• Qian continued routine reconnaissance and training while Sano Nobuhisa stopped hinting that he should risk himself against Kirigakure.
• Qian developed Earth Release Chakra and used shadow clones to train three Earth Release Ninjutsu.
• Qian imprinted Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Spear onto his Proficiency Panel, while Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall and Earth Release: Hardening Technique had not yet appeared.
• Qian spotted Kirigakure warships on the horizon and recognized the ships as Mist Ninja from Flying Fish Town.
• Qian concluded Kirigakure was preparing a sea-route assault on Black Stone Outpost and flew back to warn the outpost.

Ao spotted Uchiha Qian near the Kirigakure fleet and warned that their operation might be exposed, but the fleet continued toward its target. Qian reached Black Stone Outpost and alerted Sano Nobuhisa to the impending sea attack, then set out to monitor the Mist Ninja.

• Ao saw Uchiha Qian in the sky and told a Kirigakure jonin that their movements might have been exposed.
• Ao studied old books about the Uchiha clan while the Kirigakure fleet accelerated toward its target.
• Qian returned to Black Stone Outpost and warned the Leaf Village jonin that Mist Ninja from Flying Fish Town were preparing a waterborne attack.
• Sano Nobuhisa heard Qian's report and ordered him to monitor the Mist Ninja and relay their movements through Yamanaka Aoi.
• Qian used the Body Flicker Technique and Wind Release: Wind Wings to take to the sky.

The Leaf forces defended Black Stone Outpost against a planned Kirigakure landing, but the Mist Ninja broke through the initial attacks and reached the beach. The two sides ended the chapter locked in close combat.

• Leaf ninjas prepared their positions east of Black Stone Outpost while Qian watched from the sky.
• Hyuga clan ninjas spotted a dozen Kirigakure warships approaching and reported the enemy’s numbers and strength.
• Leaf Jonin launched a giant water wave at the ships, but three Yuki Clan ninja froze it and created an ice path for the Mist Ninja.
• Leaf and Mist Ninja exchanged kunai and ninjutsu as the Mist forces advanced across the ice toward the shore.
• Exploding tags and attacks shattered parts of the ice, but the Mist Ninja continued forward and reached the beach.
• Leaf Jonin led their troops out of cover, and both sides began a brutal close-range battle.

As Kirigakure escalated its attacks across Konoha’s eastern border, Nara Akimitsu relied on holding out until reinforcements arrived. On the battlefield, Qian faced five Mist Ninja and used his Great Shark Bullet Technique to break their coordinated assault.

• Kirigakure attacked Konoha’s four occupied outposts and other border positions, stretching Konoha’s forces while they fought Sunagakure and Iwagakure.
• Nara Akimitsu kept troops at the outposts and planned to stall Kirigakure until elite reinforcements arrived and the battle with Sunagakure ended.
• Qian fought two Kirigakure jonin and three Special Jonin, parrying their attacks with his blade and dodging a barrage of shuriken and kunai.
• The two Kirigakure jonin coordinated a Water Dragon Bullet Technique and Water Fang Bullet Technique against Qian.
• Qian countered with his Great Shark Bullet Technique, which swallowed and absorbed the water spears, forcing one jonin to end his technique and evade while Qian dodged the water dragon.

Qian survived the Mist Ninja’s Water Dragon attack and revealed more of his strength, killing Morishita Nanase with a Fire Release technique. The remaining Mist Ninja struck back with a combined Water and Lightning attack, leaving Qian stunned and wounded as he prepared to escape.

• Qian emerged from the smoke with only minor injuries and attacked the five Mist Ninja with his Flash Sword Technique.
• Morishita Nanase blocked Qian’s first strike and dodged his next attack, but Qian wounded him and forced him to use Water Replacement Technique.
• Qian spotted Morishita Nanase’s escape and hit him with Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, setting him ablaze.
• The other Mist Ninja attacked Qian with an Exploding Tag kunai and a combined Water and Lightning technique, which spread across the ground and stunned him.
• Qian dodged the shuriken aimed at his vital points but was wounded in the arm and abdomen, then began casting Wind Release: Wind Wings to escape.

Qian escaped the Mist Ninja’s attempt to trap him, treated his wounds, and spotted a large Mist Ninja force approaching Black Stone Outpost from the south. He flew toward the approaching force to confirm its identity and prepare to warn the outpost.

• Qian used his Chakra Wings to evade the Mist jonin’s attacks and cut down their Shuriken with his sword.
• Kimpou Hime hit Qian with a sound-based genjutsu, but he dispelled it with his Spiritual Power and flew beyond the Mist Ninja’s range.
• Masui Junichi learned that Kimpou Hime’s genjutsu could not affect Qian and realized their mission to hold him would likely fail.
• Qian treated his abdominal wound with Mystical Palm Technique and noticed a force of two to three hundred people approaching from the south.
• Qian identified the approaching force as Mist Ninja and flew toward them to confirm the threat and relay the news to Black Stone Outpost.

Qian used the Telepathy Technique to warn Sano Nobuhisa that a large Mist Ninja force was approaching Black Stone Outpost, then tried to delay it with aerial feints. When the Mist Ninja split into two groups to counter his harassment, Qian chose the eastern group as his next target.

• Qian contacted Sano Nobuhisa and reported that about 260 Mist Ninja, including roughly ten Jonin, were four kilometers from the stronghold.
• Sano Nobuhisa ordered Qian to slow the Mist Ninja advance while support was sent.
• Qian repeatedly feinted dives at the Mist Ninja, forcing them to stop and form defensive positions before resuming their march.
• The Mist Village Jonin divided the force into eastern and western groups so one could keep advancing while the other dealt with Qian.
• Qian dove toward the eastern group.

Qian repeatedly feinted against the Mist Village team before exploiting their hesitation to attack with explosive kunai and ninjutsu. He scattered their formation with a gale and left Ueda Kyoichi shaken after a near-fatal slash.

• Qian dodged successive volleys of kunai and explosive tags while drawing the eastern Mist Village team’s fire.
• Qian used repeated feints to keep the eastern team occupied as the western Mist Village team advanced several hundred meters.
• Qian threw explosive-tag kunai at the Genin, and the resulting blasts scattered the Mist Ninja formation.
• Qian cast Great Fireball Technique, and three Mist Ninja countered with Water Dragon Bullet Technique, filling the area with steam.
• Qian unleashed a gale that dispersed the steam and scattered the Mist Ninja, then narrowly missed Ueda Kyoichi with a slicing attack.

Qian attacked the Mist Ninja from the air, then intercepted another squad near Black Stone Outpost and unleashed his full strength to break up their formation. He closed in on scattered enemies with lethal Wind Blades.

• Qian used Wind Blades from the air to kill one Mist Chunin and cripple a Mist Genin, then evaded the squad’s counterattacks and killed several more Mist Ninja.
• Qian flew away, and the Mist Village Jonin recognized that he was heading toward the other team and reorganized their forces to pursue him.
• Qian intercepted the other Mist Ninja squad near Black Stone Outpost and used Great Breakthrough to scatter them.
• Qian dodged and blocked the squad’s weapons and Exploding Tags, then used Phoenix Sage Fire Technique to force the Mist Ninja to scatter again.
• Qian activated Wind Wings, closed in on the disorganized Mist Ninja, and prepared a Wind Blade attack aimed to kill.

Qian fought to disrupt the Mist Ninja assault outside Black Stone Outpost, but the enemy regrouped and more reinforcements approached. After learning Konoha could spare only 150 support troops, he agreed to help keep the Mist Ninja away from the outpost.

• Qian used Wind and Fire Release attacks to injure and scatter the Mist Ninja, then avoided a counterattack from five Mist Village Jonin.
• The Mist Ninja regrouped while the Jonin held Qian off, and Qian spotted another enemy force approaching from the south.
• Qian saw that Konoha had sent about 150 reinforcements, fewer than the roughly 250 Mist Ninja still able to fight.
• Yamanaka Aoi contacted Qian through the Telepathy Technique and relayed Sano Nobuhisa's order to keep the Mist Ninja outside the outpost.
• Qian agreed to assist the support unit, then gained more Telepathy Technique proficiency by analyzing Yamanaka Aoi's communication.

Qian harassed the Mist Ninja squads from the air, killing and wounding many before they joined forces with the Konoha reinforcements. When the combined battle left a Leaf Village Jonin besieged by three Mist Village jonin, Qian intervened and faced them himself.

• Qian flew to the rear Mist Ninja squad, cut down their exploding-tag kunai, and attacked them with a barrage of ninjutsu.
• Qian killed seven or eight Mist Ninja and wounded nearly a dozen, forcing the squad to retreat toward the Black Stone Outpost.
• Qian harried the retreating squad until it joined the other Mist Ninja, while Konoha reinforcements intercepted them.
• Qian stopped attacking freely because the Konoha ninja were mixed among the Mist Ninja, and he saw that the reinforcements were outmatched by the ten Mist Village jonin.
• Qian dove in to protect a Leaf Village Jonin besieged by three Mist Village jonin, then told him to assist the others while he handled the three opponents.

Qian fought three Mist Village Jonin and quickly incapacitated Kurosaki Takeo before killing Mihara Takuya. He turned his attention to the last surviving Jonin, Yamada Shinichi.

• Qian exploited a brief opening to strike Kurosaki Takeo with a Rasengan, leaving him unable to fight.
• Qian pressed Mihara Takuya with his Flash Sword Technique, forcing him to abandon his hand seals and retreat.
• Yamada Shinichi sent a Lightning Release beast after Qian, who dodged its explosion and dispersed the lightning chakra with his own chakra.
• Qian suddenly closed in on Mihara Takuya and cut his throat, killing him.

Qian countered Yamada Shinichi’s Lightning Style attacks and pressed him into a close-range sword fight. After studying Yamada Shinichi’s habits, Qian attacked with full force, leaving him in grave danger.

• Yamada Shinichi attacked Qian with Lightning Rope, but Qian cut through it with his Wind Style-enhanced blade.
• Yamada Shinichi summoned two lightning wolves, and Qian destroyed them with Wind Blade and Great Shark Bullet Technique before one wolf’s explosion consumed the Shark Missile.
• Qian used the Flash Sword Technique to close in and wound Yamada Shinichi as he dodged repeated sword strikes.
• After several minutes of fighting, Qian recognized Yamada Shinichi’s habits and began attacking at full force, putting him in peril.

Qian fought off Yamada Shinichi and turned his attention to a skilled Mist Village swordsman, only to discover the opponent belonged to the Hozuki Clan and used the Hydrification Technique. He considered whether he could learn the secret art, then dismissed the idea and continued the fight.

• Qian disarmed Yamada Shinichi and slashed his chest, but an ally's Kunai forced Qian to break off his follow-up attack.
• Qian saw two Mist Village Jonin approach and noticed a Leaf Village Jonin they had killed.
• Qian attacked the Mist Village Jonin with Flash Sword Technique, but the man shut his eyes to avoid Genjutsu: Sharingan and blocked Qian's sword with his own.
• Qian and the Mist Village Jonin fought at close range, and Qian found an opening to strike the man's neck.
• The swordsman's neck and half his body turned into water, revealing his Hozuki Clan Hydrification Technique.
• Qian decided he could not simply copy or obtain the technique's secrets and chose not to investigate the man's body.

Qian fought Hozuki Zangetsu and two Mist Village jōnin, using his blade and techniques to wound Takeshima Ichiro and evade Yamada Shinichi’s lightning rope. As the three opponents closed in, Qian created two Shadow Clones to face them, and the battle resumed.

• Hozuki Zangetsu used Water Release: Great Water Arm Technique, but Qian broke through its enhancement and began forcing him back with powerful sword strikes.
• A Mist Village jōnin attacked Qian with shuriken, giving Hozuki Zangetsu an opening to fire Water Gun Technique; Qian countered with Fire Release Chakra and evaporated the projectile.
• Qian used Flash Sword Technique and Illusion Sword Technique to wound Takeshima Ichiro, but Yamada Shinichi attacked with a lightning rope before Qian could finish him.
• Qian dodged Yamada Shinichi’s lightning rope and saw that the man injured by his Rasengan remained incapacitated.
• Hozuki Zangetsu, Yamada Shinichi, and Takeshima Ichiro surrounded Qian, who used Shadow Clone Technique to create two clones and engage all three.

Qian and his two Shadow Clones fought the three Mist Village jonin, with the clones pinning down Hozuki Zangetsu and Takeshima Ichiro while Qian pressured Yamada Shinichi. After Yamada escaped a fatal strike with a forbidden technique, Qian used the Flash Sword Technique to close in and attack again.

• Qian targeted Yamada Shinichi while his two Shadow Clones launched fierce ninjutsu attacks against Hozuki Zangetsu and Takeshima Ichiro.
• The Shadow Clones' relentless attacks kept Hozuki Zangetsu and Takeshima Ichiro from aiding Yamada Shinichi.
• Qian used his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and full strength to drive Yamada Shinichi backward, reopening the wound on his chest.
• With his retreat blocked by a boulder, Yamada Shinichi used a lightning-covered forbidden technique to evade Qian's finishing strike, leaving himself charred and exhausted.
• Qian used the Flash Sword Technique to appear before Yamada Shinichi and swung his blade.

Qian killed Yamada Shinichi and then focused on Takeshima Ichiro, using relentless sword attacks and fire techniques to defeat him. Takeshima attempted to kill Qian with an Exploding Tag as he died, but Qian survived the blast.

• Qian killed Yamada Shinichi with a second sword strike after using Body Flicker and Illusion Sword Technique.
• Qian rushed Takeshima Ichiro while his Shadow Clones turned their attention to Hozuki Zangetsu.
• Takeshima resisted Qian's genjutsu and defended against repeated attacks, but Qian used Shuriken and fire techniques to trap him.
• Qian's Phoenix Sage Fire Technique and a hidden Shuriken badly wounded Takeshima and engulfed him in flames.
• Qian threw a Kunai into Takeshima's heart, and Takeshima's Exploding Tag detonated as he died.