Chapter Summaries

Qian tested his increased Spiritual Power, settled on training with eight hundred shadow clones, and resumed intense training. He suspected Kumogakure’s border pressure was a temporary attempt by its Radical Faction to disrupt the path toward peace, while he estimated his next Body Transformation would come in late April.

• Qian tested the limit of his shadow clones and concluded that eight hundred could train simultaneously without putting too much pressure on him.
• Qian assigned the additional clones to gather Natural Energy, develop two Dust Release techniques, and practice the Tri-Element Sealing Technique, leaving only one hundred thousand Chakra points per day after costs.
• Qian returned to Moon Island and spent the following week training, with one day back in the village to rest.
• Qian observed that Konoha and Kumogakure’s border situation was heating up and suspected Kumogakure’s Radical Faction was making a last attempt to resist a peace treaty.
• Qian estimated that his next Body Transformation would occur in late April, about three months later, and expected greater body enhancement than before.

After the Tri-Element Sealing Technique reached its perfected ninth level, Qian used a wood clone to temporarily store his Natural Energy and rebuilt the seal with its new ability to anchor externally and absorb energy. The upgraded sealing space held more than thirty million points of Natural Energy, giving him room to store it safely.

• Qian advanced the Tri-Element Sealing Technique to its perfected lv9 state and gained new insights into the technique.
• Qian transferred his Natural Energy into a wood clone because he could not safely erase his existing seal while holding so much energy.
• Qian constructed the upgraded seal, whose third Sealing Chain anchored outside his body and drew in surrounding Natural Energy.
• Qian tested the seal’s absorption rate and found it had gathered more than a thousand points of Natural Energy in about ten minutes.
• Qian drained the Natural Energy from the wood clone and confirmed that his sealing space could now hold more than thirty million points.

Qian reassigned shadow clones to accelerate his Dust Release research and sent a wood clone to the Primeval Forest using its improved Byakugan-assisted flight. After recalling all his clones at the end of February, he processed their accumulated memories and opened his eyes with joy.

• Qian assigned five hundred shadow clones to study two Dust Release jutsu and sent a wood clone toward the Primeval Forest with supplies.
• The wood clone used Wind Release: Wind Wings, Chakra Feather Cloak, Earth Release: Super Lightened Boulder Technique, and its advanced Byakugan to fly faster toward the Land of Fire.
• More than half a month later, Qian saw that his clones had nearly succeeded in developing the two Dust Release jutsu.
• Qian released his shadow clones and spent half an hour sorting through their returned memories before opening his eyes, filled with joy.

Qian successfully inscribed two Dust Release techniques onto his Status Panel and tested their destructive power, but found that mastering them would require enormous amounts of Chakra. He began calculating the cost of raising their Proficiency and faced the prospect of continued expensive training.

• Qian used Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu, creating a square pit where everything had vanished, and noted its severe Chakra cost.
• Qian performed Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu and erased a broad swath of the field.
• Qian tried both techniques again but failed, then reminded himself that he could master their basics by investing Chakra.
• Qian estimated that reaching beginner Proficiency in both techniques would cost over ten million points of Chakra and worried about the further expense of training them afterward.

Qian practiced Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu until it reached beginner level, then used that experience to master Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu as well. With both techniques started and Dust Release’s Evolution Progress at 850/1000, he returned to Moon Island to plan how to continue improving them without exhausting himself.

• Qian practiced Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu for more than eight hours but stopped for the night before it reached beginner level.
• Qian resumed practicing the technique the next morning and advanced it to lv1 after gaining a sudden insight.
• Qian practiced Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu and raised it to lv1 by mid-afternoon.
• Qian gained five points of Dust Release Evolution Progress, bringing it to 850/1000, and returned to Moon Island to plan his next steps.

Qian organized shadow clones to practice two Dust Release techniques, calculating how much chakra he could invest and how quickly the techniques could advance. After one training cycle, he gained proficiency in both and launched another round of practice.

• Qian created three hundred shadow clones, sending thirty to absorb Natural Energy on Moon Island and the others to the Primeval Forest.
• Qian used five shadow clones to practice the two Dust Release techniques and decided to invest 10.48 million chakra points per day in their training.
• Qian completed an hour of Pinnacle of Body training, recalled his shadow clones, and absorbed their memories and training experience.
• Qian checked his Proficiency Panel and found that Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu had gained 120 proficiency points and Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu had gained 150.
• Qian took Enhanced Soldier Pills, created three hundred and five shadow clones in two rounds, and began another training cycle.

Qian advanced his Dust Release aptitude, accelerating his expected Body Transformation and reducing the Chakra needed to gain Proficiency with his Dust Release techniques. He adjusted his daily Chakra investment and began another training session.

• Qian raised both newly learned Dust Release techniques to lv2 through practice with shadow clones, then continued his training inside the volcano.
• After half a month, Dust Release advanced from (999/1000) to (1/5000), making Qian’s body training easier and bringing his estimated Body Transformation forward to mid-April.
• Qian dispelled his shadow clones, absorbed and sorted their memories, then tested the Chakra costs of his Dust Release techniques by the sea.
• Qian found that Atomic Dismantling Jutsu could earn Proficiency for 1,500 Chakra and Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu for an average of 6,000 Chakra.
• Qian reduced his daily extra Chakra extraction from 10.48 million points to 5.48 million points, replenished his energy with Enhanced Soldier Pills, and sent out more shadow clones to train.

Qian unconsciously awakened the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, increasing his Spirit attribute and testing the effects while worrying that the growing gap between his spirit and body could become dangerous. Later, he broke through his physical bottleneck beneath Moon Island and completed another bodily transformation.

• Qian awakened the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, raising his Spirit attribute from 32 to 33 and widening its lead over his Physical Constitution to three points.
• Qian tested his increased chakra potential and spiritual strength, finding that he could maintain about one thousand Shadow Clones while his body’s imbalance suppressed some gains.
• In mid-April, Qian reached a physical training bottleneck beneath Moon Island and recognized it as a sign that his body was ready to metamorphose.
• Qian gathered his Shadow Clone training experience, replenished his energy, and used Yang Release Chakra with Human Authority to push his cells past the bottleneck.
• By evening, Qian completed his physical metamorphosis, and his bodily strength rose another level.

After completing his Body Transformation, Qian confirmed that his Physical Constitution had risen to 31 and resolved the imbalance with his Spirit. He measured his improved chakra recovery and decided to postpone cultivating Sage Mode until he perfected his Dust Release techniques.

• Qian checked his Proficiency Panel and confirmed that his Physical Constitution had increased from 30 to 31, easing the imbalance between his body and mind.
• Qian tested his potential and found that the increase had added roughly 3.5 million to his Theoretical Chakra Limit.
• Qian measured his natural recovery at 138,194 chakra in ten minutes, about 2.2 million more per day than before.
• Qian noted that his Dust Release techniques had reached level 8, with Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu close to level 9 and Atomic Dismantling Jutsu expected to follow in about three weeks.
• Qian confirmed that Natural Energy Perception and Natural Energy Control had reached level 10, but chose to perfect his Dust Release techniques before focusing on Sage Mode.

Qian tested the endurance of his transformed body and found that cultivating "Pinnacle of Body" now consumed far more chakra while improving his body more efficiently. He decided to redirect chakra from his Dust Release techniques to support the increased training cost.

• Qian reviewed his improved chakra reserves and bloodline progress before returning to Moon Island to rest.
• The next morning, Qian created three hundred shadow clones to absorb natural energy and five more to gather chakra from the sea.
• Qian teleported into the volcano beneath Moon Island and used Sage Art Chakra to cultivate "Pinnacle of Body" for over ten hours.
• Qian calculated that the day's cultivation consumed eighteen million chakra, five million more than before, while preliminary results suggested body enhancement efficiency had risen by thirty to fifty percent.
• Qian chose to shift three million chakra from his two Dust Release techniques to "Pinnacle of Body" rather than spend his remaining reserves.

Qian calculated how to balance his Sharingan evolution with his physical training, but Kumogakure’s renewed attacks forced him into frequent solo missions. While ambushing an elite Cloud squad near a Leaf supply warehouse, he was identified as one of the Konoha Twin Stars.

• Qian concluded that he needed to pause his Sharingan’s evolution before it widened the gap between his Spirit and Physical Constitution, then use the saved Chakra to accelerate his body’s transformation.
• A month later, Kumogakure intensified its border offensive and sent small units into the Land of Fire, prompting Qian to return to the village and support the fighting.
• Namikaze Minato sent Qian on repeated solo missions, during which he killed scores of enemy ninja.
• Qian tracked an elite Kumogakure squad sent to destroy a Leaf supply transfer warehouse and prepared to eliminate them alone.
• The Cloud Jonin warned his squad against Qian’s Shuriken barrages and taunted him as one of the Konoha Twin Stars, alarming the Cloud ninja.

Qian fought Shimazu Kosuke and the Cloud Village squad, crippling their ninja while deliberately keeping them alive to drain their Chakra. He left Shimazu Kosuke as the only Cloud ninja still able to fight.

• Qian blocked Shimazu Kosuke’s Kunai and cut down a Cloud Village Jonin, who escaped death with the Substitution Technique.
• Qian severed a Chunin’s right arm, then struck Shimazu Kosuke with a Rasengan that left him vomiting blood.
• Qian crippled several Cloud Village Chunin and wounded or disabled the Jonin and Special Jonin who tried to stop him.
• After using the Byakugan to check for observers, Qian activated the Mangekyō Sharingan and used Ame no Minaka to appear behind the remaining Jonin.
• Qian cut off one Jonin’s arm, then used an invisible force of attraction to pull another into his blade and sever his arm, leaving Shimazu Kosuke as the only Cloud ninja still combat-capable.

Qian defeated Shimazu Kosuke’s Cloud ninja squad, learned that Kumogakure’s attack came from its Radical Faction, and gathered that the border conflict was ending with peace talks planned. After returning to Konoha, he considered the possible consequences of Kumogakure’s envoy visit, then spent the evening eating on Gourmet Street and resting at Leaf Hot Spring.

• Qian repelled the Cloud ninjas’ pincer attack, wounded and controlled Shimazu Kosuke, and knocked the rest of the squad unconscious.
• Qian absorbed 255,000 points of chakra from the seventeen captured Cloud ninjas and read memories revealing that Kumogakure’s Radical Faction had driven the invasion.
• Qian completed several more missions over about half a month before the conflict subsided into low-intensity border tension and Kumogakure announced plans to send an envoy to Konoha.
• Qian returned to Konoha after ten days of training and inferred that A had tested Namikaze Minato’s resolve before deciding to pursue peace talks.
• Qian ate his fill on Gourmet Street, relaxed at Leaf Hot Spring, and fell asleep in the bath before waking and heading home.

Qian returned to Konoha after Namikaze Minato summoned him from his training and received a mission to escort Kumogakure's delegation to the village for ceasefire talks. He agreed to lead the escort with Kakashi and an Anbu squad, while Namikaze Minato planned to use the mission to test Kumogakure and demonstrate Konoha's strength.

• Qian resumed training on Moon Island, devoting more time to Pinnacle of Body and restoring Chakra investments in his Dust Release techniques.
• A week later, Qian returned to Konoha after his shadow clone reported that Namikaze Minato wanted to see him.
• Namikaze Minato assigned Qian to escort Kumogakure's delegation from the northern border to Konoha for ceasefire talks scheduled in seven days.
• Qian realized Namikaze Minato intended his presence to warn Kumogakure, test its willingness to negotiate, and display Konoha's strength.
• Namikaze Minato revealed that Kakashi would lead an Anbu squad assisting Qian, and Qian accepted the mission.

Namikaze Minato suspected that Qian had been the mysterious man during the Nine-Tails Incident and ordered Kakashi to watch him during the mission. Qian escorted Kumogakure’s envoy party from the northern border toward Konoha, where the hostile Cloud shinobi nearly attacked him before their leader restrained them.

• After Qian left the Hokage Office, Namikaze Minato told Kakashi to watch him and submit a detailed mission report, suspecting Qian was the mysterious man from the Nine-Tails Incident.
• Qian left the village for the northern border, while Kakashi’s Anbu squad followed in the shadows.
• Qian reached the remote stronghold where the Kumogakure envoy party was due to arrive and waited for them.
• When the thirty-odd Cloud shinobi arrived, they surrounded Qian with hostility, but their leader ordered them to put away their weapons.
• Qian asked whether the envoy party was ready to leave, and after its leader said they needed no rest, Qian led them toward Konoha.

Qian escorted the Cloud ninja team back to Konoha after stopping a nighttime assassination attempt, then resumed training on Moon Island. After three days of training, his Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu reached its perfected realm, giving him a powerful new trump card.

• A young Cloud ninja approached Qian under cover of mist, but Qian’s Sharingan and aura stopped him until the team captain intervened and apologized.
• Qian warned the Cloud team not to cause trouble again, and they continued their journey without further incidents.
• On the third morning, Qian handed the Cloud envoys over to Uchiha Sho, then reported the mission to Namikaze Minato.
• Qian created a shadow clone to write his mission report and traveled to Moon Island to resume training.
• After three days of training, Qian perfected Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Jutsu and realized he could use it to rival or surpass Ōnoki’s performance.

Qian redirected his training resources to rapidly perfect Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu, then learned that Kumogakure’s attempted abduction of Hyuga Hinata had stalled peace talks. Namikaze Minato sent Qian and other jōnin to the northern border, though Qian planned to leave a Wood Clone there and continue training on Moon Island.

• Qian invested all twelve and a half million saved chakra points into Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu and began training with thirty shadow clones.
• Qian received memories from his village shadow clone: Kumogakure had tried to abduct Hyuga Hinata, and Hyuga Hiashi had killed several members of its envoy group.
• Namikaze Minato refused to promise Kumogakure anything before investigating the incident and ordered available jōnin to lead teams to the northern border.
• Qian returned to Konoha, packed his gear, and joined the team heading north.
• Qian decided that once he reached the border, he would leave a Wood Clone on guard and return to Moon Island to train.

After returning to Moon Island, Qian resumed training while Konoha and Kumogakure’s dispute gradually cooled. He perfected Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu and prepared to begin developing the Kekkei Mōra.

• Qian reached the northern border Camp, clarified his mission, and left a Wood Clone in his place before returning to Moon Island.
• Qian trained in the Volcano beneath Moon Island and discovered a harsher cavern below that could serve as his next training ground.
• Namikaze Minato rejected Kumogakure’s demands and proposals to make concessions, forcing Kumogakure to soften its stance and plan to replace its negotiators.
• Qian advanced Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu to perfection and tested its expanded attack over the sea.
• Qian concluded that both of his Dust Release techniques had reached perfection and planned to invest his Chakra in developing the Kekkei Mōra.

Qian began testing the fusion of the Seven Chakra Nature Transformations to develop Kekkei Mōra, carefully limiting his chakra investment. After a day of training, he recognized that his Shadow Clone experiments needed a better balance between exploring different approaches and pursuing one path in depth.

• Qian calculated that he could invest three million chakra points daily without draining his reserves and chose that amount for his early Kekkei Mōra research.
• Qian created eight hundred Shadow Clones, assigning three hundred to gather Natural Energy and five hundred to attempt the Seven Chakra Nature Transformations fusion.
• Qian trained the Pinnacle of Body for an hour, then released his Shadow Clones and sorted through their memories.
• Qian found that the five hundred clones had made little progress, but continued training through more than a dozen rounds until night.
• Qian realized he needed to balance trying multiple approaches with following one path in depth, and decided to explore that balance the next day before going to rest.

Qian adjusted his shadow-clone training to improve his Kekkei Mōra development while monitoring Konoha and Kumogakure’s peace talks. By the end of July, his body reached the critical point for transformation, and he decided to begin the breakthrough the following day.

• Qian found that assigning two hundred to two hundred fifty shadow clones to Kekkei Mōra training gave the best efficiency, then settled on two hundred clones and saved more Chakra each day.
• Qian learned that Konoha and Kumogakure had agreed on the general framework of peace talks and expected them to sign a treaty soon.
• Qian continued cultivating for another week as he sensed his body nearing the transformation limit.
• Qian reached the critical point of transformation after training in the Volcano, but chose to wait until morning to guide the breakthrough.
• Qian recalled his shadow clones, absorbed their cultivation experience, and went to rest.