Chapter Summaries

Qian fought three Hidden Stone Jonin, using his Sharingan and fire techniques to counter their coordinated attacks before creating two shadow clones to change the fight into three-on-three. He waited for the Jonin to expose which opponent was a clone, hoping to seize the opening and kill Sugiki Taro.

• A Hidden Stone Jonin attacked Qian with kunai bearing Exploding Tags, but Qian deflected them and evaded a swamp technique.
• Qian used his Sharingan to interrupt a Jonin’s hand seals, then attacked all three with Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique.
• Qian created two shadow clones, and he and the clones engaged one Hidden Stone Jonin apiece.
• Qian faced Sugiki Taro while keeping his attacks measured, waiting for the Rock Ninja to mistake a clone for his real body.

Qian used his Shadow Clones to mislead the three Hidden Stone jonin, then killed them one by one. The battle ended with the Leaf side victorious after two Leaf chunin helped hold off the last jonin.

• Qian's Shadow Clones exposed deceptive openings, prompting the Hidden Stone jonin to press their attacks while Qian seized the chance to wound Sugiki Taro.
• Qian pierced Sugiki Taro's shoulder, used the Hypnosis Technique and Chakra Absorption Technique to weaken him, then broke his neck.
• Qian joined the fight against a second Hidden Stone jonin and killed him after the man defeated a Shadow Clone.
• Two Leaf chunin stopped the last Hidden Stone jonin from reaching Qian, and Qian killed him after finishing the second jonin.

Qian surveyed the battle and targeted the Hidden Rock chunin, whose strength was causing Leaf casualties. After killing more than twenty of them, he received orders to execute Plan C and headed toward the approaching Iwagakure reinforcements.

• Qian assessed the battlefield and decided to reduce Leaf losses by attacking the Hidden Rock chunin.
• Qian killed Yamaguchi Ishibashi with a series of unseen sword strikes.
• Qian killed more than twenty Hidden Rock chunin while Leaf jonin kept their Rock counterparts from stopping him.
• The Leaf ninja received Nara Sishui's order to execute Plan C and pin down Iwagakure's support forces.
• Qian left the battlefield and advanced toward the direction the Leaf force had come from.

Leaf forces withdrew from the battle with Iwagakure, but Qian’s squad ran into a Rock Ninja ambush. Qian recognized Hideji Kohara, the man who had killed Mizutani Shizuko, and avoided his opening attack, setting up their confrontation.

• Leaf Jonin organized the retreat into small squads, while some Combat Unit members, including Qian, moved ahead to clear a path.
• A Rock Hidden Chunin asked whether to pursue, and his captain ordered the surviving Rock Ninja to chase the Leaf force.
• Qian spotted a Rock Ninja vanguard blocking the route, sent a warning signal with his whistle, and prepared to retreat as more enemies approached.
• Hideji Kohara attacked Qian by surprise, and Qian recognized him as the killer of Mizutani Shizuko.
• Qian activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and used the Hypnosis Technique to evade Hideji Kohara’s strike.

Qian fought off the Hidden Rock ninja trying to stop him and escaped after using Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to clear their barrage. Hideji Kohara also vanished, leaving the two surviving Special Jonin to report the incident to their superiors.

• Qian used the Body Flicker Technique to flee, deflecting Kunai thrown by two Hidden Rock Jonin while Hideji Kohara attacked him with Shuriken.
• Qian dodged the Shuriken and unleashed Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, sweeping away the Rock Ninja’s weapons and detonating their Exploding Tags in the storm.
• Hideji Kohara tried to stab Qian from the side, but Qian kicked him away and struck his Substitution Technique with three Shuriken.
• Qian spotted Hideji Kohara hiding behind a tree, then used the Body Flicker Technique to escape as the Rock Ninja recovered.
• The two Special Jonin discovered Hideji Kohara was missing and reported the situation to their superiors.

Qian reunited with Nara Sishui’s force and learned that Rock Ninja had surrounded them, so the Konoha ninja chose to break out toward the southeast. When the route was blocked, they charged through, and Qian used his Sharingan genjutsu to help kill the Rock Ninja jonin defending the way.

• Qian told Nara Sishui that twenty Rock Ninja were ahead, with more behind them, and learned the force was surrounded by roughly five hundred enemies.
• Nara Sishui and the other jonin decided to break out toward the southeast, where the Rock Ninja presence was smallest.
• After the Hyuga scouts found every route blocked, Nara Sishui ordered the group to charge through the enemy ahead.
• Qian and the Konoha ninja attacked the Rock Ninja, but Jonin Nogawa raised an Earth Flow Wall to stop their water assault.
• Qian trapped Nogawa Nozomi with his Sharingan genjutsu, leaving him unable to evade the Water Dragon Bullet that killed him.

After killing Nogawa Nozomi, Qian and the Leaf shinobi broke through three Iwagakure blockade lines while Nara Sishui carefully managed their pace to keep the Rock Ninja pursuing them. They reached a captured camp to rest before a planned rendezvous, though Qian’s uneasy feeling left him wary of the next day.

• Qian and the Leaf shinobi killed most of the fleeing Rock Ninja after Nogawa Nozomi died and the earthen wall collapsed.
• Nara Sishui ordered the exhausted team to rest, then led them toward Iwagakure’s second defensive line while keeping the Rock Ninja close enough to continue pursuing them.
• Over the next day, Nara Sishui guided the team around search parties and through checkpoints, and they broke through three blockade lines.
• The team reached a captured camp and learned that they would rendezvous with allied forces the next morning after other strongholds made progress against Iwagakure.
• Qian felt that the rendezvous might go wrong, resolved to stay alert, and practiced Genjutsu: Sharingan and the Healing Technique.

Hideji Kohara secretly tracked Qian and sent Iwagakure intelligence after learning that Han’s elite squad had arrived. The next morning, Qian’s group left town, wary of danger, while a seven-man Iwagakure squad received orders about their route.

• Hideji Kohara emerged from underground with his Summoning Beast Chika and recalled how he had secretly followed Qian without informing Iwagakure.
• After learning that Han and an elite squad had arrived, Hideji Kohara passed them his intelligence and returned underground with Chika.
• Qian’s group left the small town at dawn, and Qian warned Hyuga Linghuo to stay alert before using the Body Flicker Technique to leave.
• Hyuga Linghuo activated his Byakugan, found no hidden enemies nearby, and resumed scouting seriously.
• A seven-man Iwagakure squad received Hideji Kohara’s report that Qian’s group was heading to rendezvous with the Konoha unit that had escaped Hushan Camp.

Han’s Iwagakure squad decided to intercept the Konoha force on the road and summoned nearby search teams to join them. After Qian warned Nara Sishui that an unseen enemy might be monitoring them, the Konoha Jonin prepared for an imminent attack while continuing toward Hushan Camp.

• Han’s squad rejected going to Hushan Camp and chose to intercept the Konoha force along its route.
• A Rock Ninja sent a message by Messenger Hawk, calling nearby search teams to converge on the squad.
• Qian told Nara Sishui about his premonition and the probing gazes he had sensed over the past two days.
• Nara Sishui deduced that Iwagakure might be preparing a sudden attack and briefed the Konoha Jonin.
• The Konoha Jonin decided to speed up toward Hushan Camp, increase scouting, and have their allies move closer, while Hyuga Aoyama searched for the hidden enemy.

Qian and Hyuga Linghuo discovered that a Rock Ninja squad included Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, and fled toward the Leaf main force. Qian decided against trying to capture Han, but Han detected them and charged toward them.

• After their rest, Hyuga Linghuo spotted seven Rock Ninja about six hundred meters away and estimated their chakra levels.
• Hyuga Linghuo strained to observe the last member, then shut off his Byakugan in fright and urged Qian to run.
• As they headed for the main force, Hyuga Linghuo identified the last enemy as Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Qian considered capturing Han to use as a Chakra Battery but decided the risks and exposure of his Mangekyō plan were too great.
• Hyuga Linghuo warned that Han had detected him and was coming, and Qian saw Han charge through the trees toward them.

Han sensed Qian spying on him and charged ahead in his Boil Release state, while Qian sent Hyuga Linghuo away and stayed to confront him. Their fight ended with Qian injured by Han’s scalding steam, while Han’s six Rock Ninja teammates continued closing in.

• Han sensed the Five-Tails’ Chakra react to Qian’s spying gaze, entered his Boil Release state, and rushed toward him as his six teammates followed.
• Qian decided to hold Han off and sent Hyuga Linghuo to report to the main force.
• Qian’s wire-guided kunai trapped Han, but Han escaped with the Substitution Technique before Qian’s Fire Dragon Technique struck.
• Han charged Qian, who dodged and thrust his Short Sword toward a gap in Han’s armor.
• Han released boiling steam from his armor, forcing Qian to retreat and leaving blisters on his face and arms.

Qian fled from Han while using his Sharingan and carefully timed attacks to keep the Five-Tails Jinchuriki from closing in. He led Han and six pursuing Rock Ninja toward Konoha’s main force, unaware that other Iwagakure pursuers could disrupt his plan.

• Han waited for his six teammates to arrive, but Qian spotted them approaching and fled, with Han giving chase.
• Qian used the pressure of his Sharingan to make Han avert his gaze, then abruptly switched from preparing a genjutsu to launching a Great Fireball.
• Han dodged the fireball with steam-assisted movement and survived its explosion behind his armor.
• Qian repeatedly used genjutsu feints, ninjutsu, kunai, and traps to prevent Han from catching him as they raced through the forest.
• Qian realized Han’s six teammates were trailing them to locate Konoha’s main force and allowed them to follow, not accounting for other Iwagakure pursuers behind them.

Hyuga Linghuo returned to the main force with news that Qian was holding off Han and six other Rock Ninja, while Rock Ninja forces had nearly surrounded them. Nara Sishui ordered the Combat Unit to support Qian as the rest of the force advanced toward Hushan Camp to break out before the encirclement closed.

• Hyuga Linghuo reported that Qian was holding off a seven-person Rock Ninja squad led by the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han.
• Hyuga Aoyama told Hyuga Linghuo that Rock Ninja had appeared in several directions and that the main force was nearly surrounded, while the enemy who had secretly tracked them had escaped after being spotted.
• Hyuga Aoyama reported that the encircling Rock Ninja were four to five kilometers away.
• Nara Sishui ordered Yamanaka Tingfeng to use the Telepathy Technique to send the Combat Unit to support Qian.
• Nara Sishui ordered the rest of the force to advance at full speed toward Hushan Camp and break through the encirclement before the Rock Ninja could catch up.

Qian and the Leaf Village Jonin ambushed the Rock Ninja while Han fought the Combat Unit Jonin with the Five-Tails’ power. Qian killed a Rock Special Jonin, while the rest of the battle continued.

• After hearing Yamanaka Tingfeng’s message, Qian led Han and the six Rock Ninja into the forest, where the Combat Unit Jonin ambushed them.
• Han released part of the Five-Tails’ seal and used the Tailed Beast Cloak to withstand the attacks before charging at the Combat Unit Jonin.
• Han’s rampaging attacks drove the Combat Unit Jonin into retreat as Qian’s allies engaged the six Rock Ninja.
• Qian had his teammates tie down five Rock Ninja and fought the youngest Special Jonin, suppressing him with his Sharingan and swordsmanship.
• Qian used Genjutsu: Sharingan to briefly control the Special Jonin and stabbed him through the heart.

Qian fought the Rock Ninja and uncovered Hideji Kohara's warning that the Leaf forces were escaping. Han and the remaining Rock Ninja pursued the Leaf main force, leaving Qian and Hideji Kohara behind to face each other.

• Qian killed two Hidden Rock Special Jonin with help from a Leaf Village Jonin, then continued targeting the weaker Rock Ninja.
• Chika emerged from underground and attacked Qian, who injured it with an Exploding Tag before it brought Hideji Kohara onto the battlefield.
• Hideji Kohara told the Rock Ninja that the Leaf were breaking out of their encirclement, and Han charged toward the direction of the Leaf main force.
• Han smashed through a Leaf Village Jonin's Earth Flow Wall, then the remaining Rock Ninja and Leaf ninja pursued him and left the battlefield.
• Qian stayed behind because Hideji Kohara fixed his attention on him, and Qian wanted revenge.

Qian fought Hideji Kohara and demonstrated how much his swordsmanship had improved since their earlier encounter. After Chika’s insect beast ambushed him and helped defend Hideji, Qian used a feint to launch a Fire Release attack at both enemies.

• Hideji Kohara attacked Qian with kunai, but Qian turned the exchange around and pressed him with his short sword.
• Hideji Kohara resolved to kill Qian because of his hatred for the Uchiha clan, while Qian watched for the hidden Chika and tried to end the fight quickly.
• Qian gradually read Hideji Kohara’s movements and wounded him, but jumped clear when Chika’s scaled insect beast burst from the ground.
• Hideji Kohara followed with vacuum bullets, and the insect beast knocked away Qian’s three shuriken aimed at Hideji’s vital points.
• Qian feinted a Genjutsu, then changed his technique to Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique and sent fireballs toward both Hideji Kohara and the insect beast.

Qian fought Hideji Kohara and his insect beast, wounding Hideji and narrowly avoiding their attacks. He left Hideji behind to kill the injured insect beast, driving a Short Sword through its right eye and into its brain.

• Hideji Kohara dodged Qian’s fireball attack, but Qian used the Body Flicker Technique to wound him with a Short Sword.
• Qian attacked Hideji Kohara with a Rasengan, but Hideji escaped with the Substitution Technique as the insect beast reappeared and attacked Qian.
• Qian dodged the insect beast’s tail and struck it with Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, while Hideji cut Qian’s left arm with a Wind Blade.
• Qian pursued the badly burned insect beast and used Exploding Tags to blast it into the air.
• Qian stabbed the insect beast through its right eye and into its brain, leaving it mortally wounded.

Qian copied Hideji Kohara’s Wind Style technique during their fight, then defeated him in a close battle. Hideji’s explosive attempt to kill them both failed, and Qian was left relieved after completing his revenge.

• Hideji Kohara saw Qian stab Chika and attacked him with a Wind Blade, but Qian dodged and copied the technique with his Sharingan.
• Qian named the copied technique Wind Style: Wind Blade and charged Hideji while Hideji was distracted by Chika.
• Qian gained the advantage in their sword fight and stabbed Hideji through the lower back.
• Hideji tried to grab Qian and kill them both with Exploding Tags, but Qian struck him with a Rasengan and sent him into the blasts.
• Hideji died in the explosion, and Qian felt relief after settling his revenge.

After treating his own wounds, Qian found and stabilized the badly injured Leaf Village Jonin Kei Kamihara. When four Rock Ninja arrived to kill Kei, Qian ambushed them and killed all four in less than a minute.

• Qian partially healed his injured left arm, bandaged it to conceal its condition, and replenished his Kunai and Shuriken.
• Qian found the badly injured Kei Kamihara and treated his external wounds while stabilizing his internal injuries.
• Kei woke and thanked Qian, but the two fell silent when they heard someone approaching.
• Four Rock Ninja tried to kill Kei, and Qian intercepted their Kunai before using his Sharingan to kill their captain and another ninja.
• Qian defeated the remaining two Rock Ninja with Fire Release and his short sword, killing all four in less than a minute.

Qian and the injured Kei Kamihara left after killing four Rock Ninja, then reached the battlefield where Han had pinned down the Leaf force until Iwagakure reinforcements arrived. Qian cleared enemies near the entrance while Kei followed behind him into the fighting.

• Qian told Kei Kamihara that the four intruders were Rock Ninja, and they decided to leave the unsafe area for the battlefield.
• Han charged into the main Leaf force, caused heavy casualties, and was briefly restrained by Nara Sishui and Nara clan ninja using the Shadow Possession Technique.
• Iwagakure's encircling force caught up, and Nara Sishui ordered the Leaf ninja to defend their position while waiting for allied forces from Hushan Camp.
• Qian and Kei heard the battle and hurried toward it, where Qian dodged kunai and killed a Rock Hidden Village Chunin with hypnosis and a shuriken.
• Qian killed an Iwagakure genin hiding underground, then entered the battlefield as Kei waited before following his path.