Chapter Summaries

Qian perfected Wind Release: Wind Wings and tested it alongside his Chakra Feather Cloak and Earth Release: Super Lightened Boulder Technique, reaching tremendous flight speeds before his reaction time limited him. He reassigned the freed shadow clones to practice the Spirit Transformation Technique and resumed training with Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

• Qian absorbed his shadow clones’ memories and discovered that Wind Release: Wind Wings had reached the Perfected Realm of lv9.
• Qian tested his perfected wings, then combined them with Chakra Feather Cloak and Earth Release: Super Lightened Boulder Technique to fly at speeds exceeding one kilometer per second.
• Qian used his Mangekyō Sharingan to boost his neural reactions but gave up trying to reach his maximum flight speed when his chakra drained too quickly.
• Qian assigned the shadow clones that had practiced Wind Release: Wind Wings to train the Spirit Transformation Technique.
• Qian resumed his training by using Lightning Release Chakra Mode to enhance his body.

Qian completed his day’s training, reviewed his progress toward Wood Release, improved body enhancement, and the Mind Reflection Technique, and began learning the Spirit Transformation Technique. He discovered that Shadow Clones could practice it through traces of his soul, but its heavy Chakra demands left him concerned about sustaining his training as he turned to nurture his Byakugan.

• Qian trained in Lightning Release Chakra Mode and then used Mystical Palm Technique and Human Authority under the pressure of the seabed.
• Qian reviewed his progress, noting that his dormant genes were approaching Wood Release and that the Mind Reflection Technique was nearing the point where it could boost his Sharingan’s Evolution Progress.
• Qian estimated that harsher underwater training and passive body-strengthening methods could eventually help him reach his next transformation within three months.
• Qian assessed his newly recorded Spirit Transformation Technique and discovered that Shadow Clones could practice it using traces of his soul, though their experience yielded less proficiency than his main body’s.
• Qian realized that the Spirit Transformation Technique and deeper seabed training would require more Chakra than his current daily supply could comfortably support, then returned to Central Island to nurture his Byakugan.

Qian completed another day of training and mastered the basics of the Spirit Transformation Technique, testing its scouting and combat abilities along with its risks. He resolved to use the technique sparingly until adulthood and ended the day by nurturing his Byakugan.

• Qian spent the day training and reached lv2 in the Spirit Transformation Technique after investing 286,000 points of chakra.
• Qian used the technique to project his soul and discovered that it greatly expanded his perception but had limited endurance and required chakra to move.
• Qian determined that the technique could attack or possess targets through their Mental Worlds, but soul-sealing abilities, chakra depletion, and an immobile body made its use dangerous.
• Qian noticed that using the technique reduced the compatibility between his soul and body, so he decided not to use it lightly before adulthood.
• Qian spent two and a half hours and 2.5 million points of chakra nurturing the Byakugan, gained twelve proficiency points, and went to sleep.

After receiving no news about Orochimaru’s interception, Qian returned to Konoha and discovered that Namikaze Minato had suppressed news of the defection. He also realized Sarutobi Hiruzen and others were watching him, likely because they suspected he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and linked him to Danzo’s death.

• After four days without news from Namikaze Minato, Qian decided to return to Konoha and flew back at high speed.
• Qian observed that Konoha remained under heightened security and entered the village without being detected.
• At home, Qian dispelled his Shadow Clone and learned that Namikaze Minato had not announced Orochimaru’s defection.
• Qian recalled that his Shadow Clone had sensed someone watching it and suspected Sarutobi Hiruzen was behind the surveillance.
• Qian reasoned that Sarutobi Hiruzen and others suspected he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and connected him to Danzo’s death, but decided to continue with his plans.

Qian spent his day eating and nourishing his Byakugan, then learned why Namikaze Minato had changed the plan concerning Orochimaru. Suspecting Sarutobi Hiruzen had been monitoring him to stop him from intercepting Orochimaru, Qian asked Minato whether he should assist Jiraiya.

• Qian ate at Gourmet Street, then trained his Byakugan until its Evolution Progress increased by twelve points.
• The next day, Qian sensed Sarutobi Hiruzen spying on him with the Telescope Technique and suspected the surveillance was tied to the changed plan.
• After lunch, Qian went to the Hokage Building and asked Namikaze Minato why the plan had changed.
• Minato explained that Jiraiya had returned and accepted a mission to pursue Orochimaru, while Sarutobi Hiruzen and Jiraiya had persuaded him to delay announcing Orochimaru's defection.
• Qian concluded that Sarutobi Hiruzen was watching him in case he tried to intercept Orochimaru, then asked Minato whether he should help Jiraiya.

Namikaze Minato sent Qian to find Jiraiya and Orochimaru, ordering him to monitor them and intervene only if Jiraiya failed to persuade Orochimaru. Qian left Konoha to pursue them, hoping to witness Jiraiya's Sage Mode while keeping one of his abilities secret.

• Namikaze Minato weighed the political risks of sending Qian after Orochimaru and handed him Anbu intelligence locating Orochimaru and Jiraiya near a town in the Land of Fire.
• Namikaze Minato instructed Qian to monitor the pair and intervene only if Jiraiya could not persuade Orochimaru, then gave him a marked kunai so he could teleport to Qian.
• Qian left the Hokage Building after sensing someone watching him and reflected that he wanted to study Jiraiya's Sage Mode and aggravate Sarutobi Hiruzen.
• Qian packed his equipment, left Konoha, and flew toward the town using Wind Release: Wind Wings and Chakra Feather Cloak while keeping Earth Release: Super Lightened Boulder Technique concealed.

Qian arrived near the town where Orochimaru and Jiraiya were reportedly staying, hoping to witness Jiraiya use Sage Mode without disrupting their confrontation. When the battle did not begin by nightfall, he left a Shadow Clone to watch and teleported away, taking care not to expose his knowledge of the Flying Thunder God Technique to Namikaze Minato.

• Qian flew to a town at the foot of a mountain, where Anbu intelligence placed Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
• Qian hid in the mountain forest and waited, avoiding a search that might alert the two or interfere with their fight.
• As night fell without any battle, Qian decided to leave a Shadow Clone to keep watch while he returned to training.
• Qian marked the Shadow Clone and nearby forest with Flying Thunder God Seals so he could return if a fight began.
• Qian realized using Namikaze Minato's specially made Kunai could reveal his Flying Thunder God Technique, gave the Kunai to his Shadow Clone, and teleported away.

Qian continued his Byakugan training and then spent the morning cultivating his body under extreme pressure on the seabed. He left the water after an hour of training, while his attempt to make his internal strengthening process work passively remained at an early stage.

• Qian nurtured his Byakugan for two and a half hours, increasing its evolution progress by twelve points before going to rest.
• Qian checked that his shadow clone near the town had seen nothing unusual, then sent out 150 shadow clones to practice different skills.
• Qian walked into the sea and descended to 110 meters, where the water pressure was about eleven times the surface pressure.
• Qian used the Mystical Palm Technique and Human Authority to strengthen his cells for an hour, while experimenting with making the process passive.
• Qian walked back toward shore, having chosen the gradual change in pressure over using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Qian tested the Mind Reflection Technique and found that it stimulated his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, though it did not yet advance its evolution progress. He continued training the technique and Wood Release through repeated shadow-clone sessions, ending the chapter more confident in his progress as night fell.

• Qian recalled his 150 shadow clones, sorted through their memories, and used the Mind Reflection Technique on himself.
• Qian sensed chakra from his brain and Hashirama Cells stimulating his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, but confirmed that its evolution progress had not changed.
• Qian tried combining Water Release and Earth Style to create Wood Release, but produced only a faint green hint before the chakra separated.
• Qian replenished his stamina, summoned another 150 shadow clones, and trained while strengthening his body with Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
• Qian repeated the training cycles for more than ten hours, finding that both the Mind Reflection Technique and Wood Release were progressing.

Qian continued cultivating, found that his Mind Reflection Technique still advanced the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan too slowly, and nearly mastered Wood Release. After the Flying Thunder God Seal on his shadow clone activated in the night, he joined the pursuit of Orochimaru and Jiraiya, who had finally left the town.

• Qian recalled his shadow clones and absorbed their cultivation memories, then tested the Mind Reflection Technique and judged its progress too slow to accept.
• Qian tried fusing Water Release and Earth Style again, sensed his Hashirama Cell genes becoming more active, and then gained twelve points of Byakugan Evolution Progress.
• Qian went to sleep after confirming that Orochimaru and Jiraiya had not yet moved, but woke when his shadow clone's Flying Thunder God Seal began moving.
• Qian teleported to the shadow clone, reviewed its memories, and learned that Orochimaru and Jiraiya had left the town, with one chasing the other.
• Qian spotted Orochimaru and Jiraiya in the distance and pursued them on foot, avoiding flight and the Byakugan so they would not detect him.

Qian secretly followed Jiraiya and Orochimaru into a forest, where they confronted each other over Orochimaru’s experiments and his pursuit of immortality. Jiraiya and Orochimaru began fighting, and the chapter ended as Jiraiya’s kick met Orochimaru’s block.

• Qian used Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique to spy on Jiraiya and Orochimaru after they entered the forest.
• Jiraiya asked Orochimaru why he had betrayed the village, and Orochimaru explained that he wanted to learn every ninjutsu and find a way to live forever.
• Orochimaru defended using people as test subjects, while Jiraiya decided he had to bring him back and fight him.
• Orochimaru attacked Jiraiya with Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique and Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, but Jiraiya evaded and counterattacked.
• Jiraiya kicked with Leaf Strong Whirlwind, and Orochimaru blocked the blow with his right arm.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru exchanged ninjutsu and taijutsu in a prolonged battle, with neither gaining a decisive advantage. Hidden underground, Qian watched as dawn arrived and hid deeper, anticipating that they would soon use their trump cards.

• Jiraiya opened with Flame Bullet, but Orochimaru countered with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands.
• Jiraiya followed with Great Flame Bullet, forcing Orochimaru to dodge, then Orochimaru attacked with Hidden Shadow Multiple Snake Hands.
• Jiraiya defended with Needle Jizo and counterattacked with Wild Lion's Mane Technique, but Orochimaru cut through his hair with Wind Cutter Jutsu.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru continued fighting for more than an hour, leaving the forest ravaged without a clear victor.
• Qian judged Jiraiya slightly stronger in direct combat but recognized Orochimaru's unorthodox tactics, then swam deeper underground to hide.

With their strength waning, Orochimaru and Jiraiya summoned Manda and Gamabunta to end their battle. After Manda demanded living sacrifices from Orochimaru, the summoned beasts clashed, leaving the battlefield in ruins.

• Orochimaru and Jiraiya withdrew after hours of fighting and summoned Manda and Gamabunta as their trump cards.
• Gamabunta asked Jiraiya why he was fighting Orochimaru, and Jiraiya told him to help stop Orochimaru.
• Manda demanded sacrifices from Orochimaru, who agreed to provide two hundred living people.
• Jiraiya ordered Gamabunta to attack, and Manda coiled to meet his leap while Orochimaru jumped clear.
• Gamabunta swung his giant blade at Manda, but Manda dodged and bit at his arm; their weapons collided, sending both creatures flying and flattening part of the forest.

Qian watched Orochimaru and Jiraiya’s battle from underground as Jiraiya prepared to use Sage Mode. While Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima helped Jiraiya gather Natural Energy, Qian tried to sense it himself.

• Qian hid deeper underground and observed the battle as Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Manda, and Gamabunta fought, learning from the Sannin’s experience.
• After about fifteen minutes, Jiraiya and Orochimaru separated, and Jiraiya asked Gamabunta to hold off both opponents while he prepared a move.
• Jiraiya summoned Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima to help him enter Sage Mode.
• Qian focused his perception on the surrounding air, hoping to sense the Natural Energy gathering around Jiraiya and learn how to develop his own Sage Mode.

Jiraiya entered Sage Mode after Gamabunta shielded him from Orochimaru and Manda, then drove Manda back and sent Gamabunta to recover. He continued fighting Orochimaru and Manda with sage-powered techniques, ending the chapter with a barrage of senbon aimed at them.

• Orochimaru and Manda attacked Gamabunta while he protected Jiraiya as he absorbed Natural Energy.
• Jiraiya entered Sage Mode, destroyed Orochimaru’s Snake Kiss with Fire Style: Flame Bullet, and dodged Manda’s underground ambush.
• Jiraiya told the injured Gamabunta to return to his lair, and Gamabunta asked him to give Manda a proper beating before departing.
• Jiraiya tried to persuade Orochimaru to come back, but Orochimaru answered with Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.
• Jiraiya blocked the shuriken with Needle Jizo and countered with Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon, sending a barrage toward Orochimaru and Manda.

Jiraiya used Sage Art: Goemon to overwhelm Orochimaru and Manda, but Orochimaru escaped by switching himself with a shadow clone. Qian realized the switch likely happened while Manda attacked from underground and wondered how he could find Orochimaru next.

• Manda shed his skin to escape Jiraiya's Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon, then rushed in to bite him.
• Jiraiya dodged Manda and attacked with Sage Art: Super Big Ball Rasengan, but Orochimaru blocked it with Mandala Formation.
• Jiraiya, Sage Fukasaku, and Sage Shima combined to unleash Sage Art: Goemon, and Manda immediately returned to Ryūchi Cave.
• The flames engulfed Orochimaru, but Jiraiya found no remains or sign of escape and concluded that Orochimaru had been a shadow clone.
• Qian reasoned that Orochimaru had likely switched places with his shadow clone while Manda attacked from underground, then wondered how to find him.

Qian resumed his search for Orochimaru after sensing Natural Energy through Jiraiya’s Sage Mode. He found Orochimaru near the Land of Fire’s northern border and confronted him with Minato’s Flying Thunder God kunai.

• Qian left the battlefield after concluding that Jiraiya had no way to track Orochimaru, unaware that Jiraiya had sensed his underground spying.
• Qian emerged several kilometers away, considered abandoning the mission, then decided to keep searching for Orochimaru and learn whether he had completed his Impure World Reincarnation research.
• Orochimaru recalled Jiraiya’s Sage Mode and continued toward the northern border of the Land of Fire.
• Qian used Wind Release: Wind Wings and his Byakugan to locate Orochimaru, then concealed the Byakugan before descending to confront him.
• Orochimaru sent Hidden Shadow Snake Hands toward Qian’s Flying Thunder God kunai, and Qian countered with Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

Qian battled Orochimaru, overcame his attacks, and forced him to use the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique to recover from a fatal wound. Orochimaru fled into the forest, and Qian pursued him with Lightning Release Chakra Mode to find out whether he had mastered Impure World Reincarnation.

• Orochimaru attacked Qian with a sword thrust from his mouth, but Qian blocked his strikes and countered with sword techniques, Flying Thunder God, and Rasengan.
• Qian cut Orochimaru's throat, but Orochimaru used a triggered Exploding Tag to create an opening and escape the damage with the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique.
• Orochimaru transformed his legs into a snake tail and fled into the forest while Qian left a mark on a tree and chased after him.
• Qian activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode to increase his speed, closing the distance as Orochimaru recognized the technique.

Qian-kun confirmed that Orochimaru had mastered Impure World Reincarnation when Orochimaru summoned Danzo, whom Qian-kun had killed months earlier. Orochimaru released Danzo to fight Qian-kun and escaped, leaving them to face each other.

• Orochimaru summoned a coffin, and Qian-kun realized it contained a Reanimated Body created with Impure World Reincarnation.
• Orochimaru opened the coffin and revealed Danzo, whose consciousness returned when he saw Orochimaru.
• Danzo recognized Qian-kun and angrily accused him of killing him and threatening the village.
• Qian-kun considered how Orochimaru might have obtained Danzo's remains and resolved to develop a soul-binding technique to protect his secrets.
• Orochimaru released his control over Danzo and left the battlefield, while Qian-kun stayed to confront Danzo and study his soul.

Qian fought the reanimated Danzo while assessing how much he had improved and how to seal him. He planned to wait for Namikaze Minato to arrive before defeating Danzo, and realized he could use Danzo as a source of chakra afterward.

• Qian and Danzo clashed, and Qian used his Illusion Sword Technique and Shadow Sword Technique to attack from multiple angles.
• Danzo’s reanimated body healed the wound Qian inflicted, and Danzo taunted him while threatening to take his eyes.
• Qian dodged Danzo’s attacks and continued fighting while waiting for Namikaze Minato to arrive.
• Qian considered how to adjust his sealing techniques to restrain Danzo and how to use him after capturing him.
• Qian realized Danzo’s infinite chakra could make him a useful chakra battery.