Recaps

Kurenai Yuhi lost her duel with Yuri, giving the Hidden Mist team its second victory. Hozuki Mangetsu then opened the fourth match against Might Guy with an explosive strike, but Guy evaded it and remained unharmed.

• Kurenai Yuhi used genjutsu against Yuri, who countered with Water Release and stopped her sword at Kurenai's throat, winning the third match.
• The Hidden Mist spectators celebrated as Sōji noted that a victory in the fourth match could decide the contest without him fighting.
• Hozuki Mangetsu entered the arena to face Might Guy, who introduced himself with an enthusiastic bow.
• Mangetsu summoned Exploding Blade: Shibuki and struck the arena with an explosive attack.
• Might Guy dodged the blast with a slight turn and praised Mangetsu's attack.

Guy defeated Mangetsu in the arena after opening the Sixth and Seventh Gates and unleashing Daytime Tiger against Mangetsu’s Hiramekarei. Mangetsu conceded and retrieved the sword as Guy praised his strength.

• Mangetsu used Nuibari and Kabutowari, but Guy evaded the wire and knocked the blunt sword away with a punch.
• Guy opened the Sixth Gate and overwhelmed Mangetsu with rapid strikes, repeatedly scattering his water body until Mangetsu escaped and attacked with Kiba.
• Mangetsu struck Guy’s left shoulder with Kabutowari, cracking it, and Guy opened the Seventh Gate to launch a relentless assault.
• Mangetsu summoned Hiramekarei and released its chakra edge, but Guy’s Daytime Tiger shattered it and forced Mangetsu to his knees.
• Guy stopped his fist just short of Mangetsu’s forehead, helped him up, and praised him before Mangetsu retrieved Hiramekarei and accepted his defeat.

Yamada Soji faced Jiraiya in the final match after the Arena was repaired. The fight began with Jiraiya’s long-range attacks, but Soji countered from the air with strange creatures Kakashi could not identify as chakra-based.

• Mangetsu lamented that the Eight Gates Release had defeated the ninja blades again, and Sōji tried to reassure him.
• Konoha’s Sealing Squad and chunin repaired the Arena, and the announcer revealed that Yamada Soji would face Jiraiya in the final match.
• Jiraiya and Soji exchanged taunts before the gong, and Jiraiya opened with the Wild Lion's Mane Technique.
• Soji used the Light-Weight Rock Technique to rise high above the Arena, then blocked Jiraiya’s Flame Bullet with a skeletal arm emerging from a Black Cavity.
• Soji unleashed Rabbit Escape and Divine Dogs, driving Jiraiya into a frantic retreat as spectators struggled to see the creatures.
• Kakashi watched the creatures with his Sharingan and noted that their energy was unlike chakra.

Jiraiya fought Sōji’s many shikigami until he summoned Gamaken and entered Sage Mode. The chapter ended with Sōji dismissing his summons so he could face Jiraiya’s senjutsu-powered attack himself.

• Jiraiya escaped the Rabbit Escape swarm and Divine Dog: Black, but Sōji summoned Desolate Skeleton and Rainbow Dragon to keep him under pressure.
• Jiraiya trapped Desolate Skeleton with Toad's Great Stomach, forcing Sōji to recall it, then summoned Gamaken for protection.
• Jiraiya began gathering natural energy while Gamaken defended him against Sōji’s worms, Rainbow Dragon, and bird shikigami.
• Jiraiya entered Sage Mode with Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima on his shoulders, then attacked with Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon.
• Sōji sent Rainbow Dragon and the bird back after they shielded him, preparing to face Jiraiya himself.

Sōji overwhelmed Jiraiya with his lightning-enhanced speed and attacks, even after Jiraiya entered Sage Mode. Jiraiya conceded, leaving the spectators stunned by the young man's strength.

• Sōji dismissed his summons, activated Lightning Armor, and struck Jiraiya with a blow that sent him flying.
• Jiraiya and the sages tried to counter Sōji with Sage Art: Toad Iron Cannon, but Sōji dodged and cut through the attacks as he advanced.
• Sōji appeared behind Jiraiya, but Sage Fukasaku restrained his wrist while Sage Shima blasted him back, giving Jiraiya time to escape underground.
• Sōji prepared to send the Worm Swarm into the ground, but Jiraiya emerged and conceded the match, saying he did not want to risk a hospital stay.
• The spectators reacted with shock and cheers as the veteran Konoha ninja recognized that Sōji had surpassed the Sannin.

Sōji led the Land of Water delegation to victory in the contest with Konoha, securing the terms for a grain trade agreement before the delegation departed for home. During the voyage, he planned a future visit to the Land of Wind and assigned further training to his team.

• Sōji defeated Jiraiya, and the Land of Water won the best-of-five contest three victories to two.
• The Land of Fire and Land of Water signed a grain trade agreement, and the Third Hokage invited Kirigakure to the joint Chunin Ninja Exams.
• The Land of Water delegation departed by ship, with Kakashi, Guy, and Guy's Team seeing them off at the harbor.
• Sōji briefed his team aboard ship on a planned visit to the Land of Wind and ordered additional training for Wolf Demon, Mangetsu, and Ye Tong.

Sōji introduced a new training plan to strengthen the Hidden Mist ANBU, with safer mission rules and summoning beasts to address members’ weaknesses. After the ANBU leaders chose the kinds of sea beasts they wanted, Sōji ordered the squads to prepare for an expedition the next day.

• Kirigakure’s leaders continued implementing alliance agreements and trade deals as missions and administrative work increased, while routine assignments shifted from the ANBU to regular ninja forces.
• Sōji presented the ANBU’s new training structure, assigning training responsibilities from squad captains down to individual teams and requiring monthly reviews by Ao.
• Sōji replaced the principle of putting missions above all else with rules prioritizing survival, mutual support, and reporting or withdrawing when a mission exceeded the team’s abilities.
• Sōji showed the ANBU leaders a chart of Sea Beast Tribe habitats and proposed that each member acquire a suitable summoning beast.
• Ye Tong, Hozuki Mangetsu, Karin, Wolf Demon, Black Face, Bear Yaksha, and White Hannya described the summoning beasts they wanted, and Sōji ordered every squad to prepare to go out to sea the next day.

The ANBU trained across the Land of Water to find Sea Beast Tribes and prepare summoning contracts while Sōji practiced senjutsu in secret. A month and a half later, the First Squad secured a contract with the Flying Swordfish after agreeing to provide them food.

• The four ANBU squads searched the Land of Water for Sea Beast Tribes while Karin sensed their chakra and Mangetsu marked sea beasts with his Hydrification Technique.
• Sōji practiced sensing and circulating natural energy in the basement, with Little Slug helping him clear blockages in his chakra pathways.
• After a month and a half of intensive training, Sōji reviewed the four squads’ Summoning Contract copies at the Kaguya Clan Grounds.
• Wolf Demon and the First Squad spent a week pursuing Flying Swordfish before agreeing to supply the school with food in exchange for a summoning contract.
• The Flying Swordfish leader sealed the contract by touching its Sealing Tag, and a young fish bit Bear Yaksha’s hardened arm in protest.

The ANBU squads completed contracts with sea-beast summons suited to their specialties, while Karin and Mangetsu continued searching for companions. After steadily mastering Senjutsu Chakra in the Kaguya Clan basement, Sōji traveled to Shikkotsu Forest to train in its stronger Natural Energy.

• Black Face secured Transparent Octopus contracts for the Second Squad, and the Third Squad contracted Dog-Nosed Sea Snakes while Bear Yaksha won over a Hurricane Sea Turtle.
• White Hannya arranged Rock Cannon Hermit Crab contracts for the Fourth Squad and chose a Flying Sailfish for herself.
• Ye Tong and Mangetsu subdued a Lava King Squid, which Ye Tong contracted as a powerful support for her Immovable Wisdom King.
• Karin rejected the sea beasts she had found, while Mangetsu continued waiting for one that felt right.
• Sōji mastered the steady control of Senjutsu Chakra in the basement and decided to train in Shikkotsu Forest, where he used Reverse Summoning to arrive.

Sōji mastered senjutsu chakra in Shikkotsu Forest, awakened his Sage Face, and felt his Wood Release transform. He returned to the Kaguya Clan Grounds to begin planning his Wood Release training.

• Sōji absorbed the forest’s natural energy and manifested his Sage Face as his senjutsu chakra reached a perfect balance.
• Sōji’s Wood Release chakra changed, and he grew a cluster of shrubs around himself.
• Little Slug recognized Sōji’s Wood Release and celebrated his progress, while an enormous Slug Sage fragment observed him.
• Sōji released Sage Mode, told Little Slug he would next train in Wood Release, and returned to the Kaguya Clan Grounds.
• Sōji retrieved the Wood Release Cultivation Manual, looked out toward Hidden Mist Port, and decided to begin Wood Release ninjutsu training.

Mei Terumi reviewed Hidden Mist’s growing trade, infrastructure, and military strength as the ANBU completed three months of special training. With the squads ready for high-risk missions and Sōji continuing to develop his abilities, the chapter left Hidden Mist in a period of rapid expansion.

• Mei Terumi and Ao discussed the new lighthouse, the Land of Crafts’ warships, outpost rotations, and Sōji’s recent training.
• Ao reported that ANBU’s special training had ended, with every squad outfitted with summoning beasts and the force achieving a ninety-six percent mission completion rate with no deaths.
• Ao delivered high-risk mission scrolls to the ANBU building, and the squad leaders quickly claimed most of them.
• Ye Tong, Karin, and Mangetsu took the remaining Zero Squad-level missions after completing specialized training and strengthening their abilities.
• Wolf Demon, Black Face, Transparent Octopus, Bear Yaksha, and White Hannya’s squad also demonstrated major improvements through their training.
• Sōji continued mastering Wood Release techniques enhanced by Senjutsu Chakra and completed training in Lightning Release Chakra.

Sōji redeemed new cursed tools, Maximum Technique, and Simple Domain before summoning Hanami on a deserted islet to strengthen his Wood Release. The chapter ended as Hanami’s cursed energy poured through a spatial rift.

• Sōji redeemed Chain of a Thousand Miles and fed it to Ugly Treasure, then purchased Maximum Technique.
• Sōji chose Hanami from the special grade cursed spirits and traveled to a deserted islet to contain it.
• Karin searched for a suitable summoning beast with Suigetsu, who asked whether his presence was handsome, and she called him a loser.
• Sōji purchased Simple Domain and redeemed Hanami, whose cursed energy began pouring from a spatial rift.

Sōji summoned Hanami to an isolated island and offered to absorb it through Cursed Spirit Manipulation, promising it could retain its will. Hanami refused and attacked, but Sōji defeated and absorbed it, gaining its power as the story left him sensing a deeper understanding of senjutsu chakra.

• Hanami emerged from a spatial rift on an island and questioned Sōji about the unfamiliar world and its lack of cursed energy.
• Sōji introduced himself as Yamada Soji, commander of Kirigakure's ANBU, and offered Hanami a place within him without erasing its will.
• Hanami rejected the offer, saying humans and nature could not coexist, and attacked Sōji with thick vines.
• Sōji fired his Railgun technique, vaporizing half of Hanami's body and leaving it unable to move.
• Sōji absorbed Hanami into a Cursed Spirit Orb and sensed its plant manipulation and natural energy resonating with his Wood Release chakra.

After subduing Hanami, Sōji summoned Dagon and fought him when the curse refused to join his side. Dagon trapped them in his domain, where Sōji studied its structure and countered its guaranteed-hit attacks with Simple Domain.

• After Hanami joined him, Sōji summoned Dagon and offered to bring him into his side.
• Dagon transformed into his giant form and attacked Sōji, who wounded him with Lightning Piercing Hand.
• Dagon summoned an Octopus Shikigami and attacked again, but Sōji dodged and struck him from behind.
• Dagon used Domain Expansion: Horizon of the Captivating Skandha, and Sōji allowed the domain to trap them so he could examine it.
• Dagon unleashed Death Swarm, and Sōji expanded Simple Domain to neutralize the guaranteed-hit effect and disrupt the shikigami’s targeting.

Sōji defeated and absorbed Dagon, then subdued Jogo and absorbed him as well, completing his plan to gather the three Special Grade Cursed Spirits. He repaired the damaged reef and headed back toward the village at dawn.

• Sōji destroyed Dagon’s domain with Railgun, defeated him, and absorbed his Cursed Energy.
• Sōji summoned Hanami’s and Dagon’s phantoms to confront Jogo, who recognized Cursed Spirit Manipulation and demanded to know his connection to Suguru Geto.
• Jogo used Domain Expansion: Coffin of the Iron Yama, but Sōji shattered it with Dagon’s domain and trapped Jogo with Hanami’s vines and a water dragon.
• Sōji drained and defeated Jogo, then absorbed him as Jogo accepted that he would be reunited with Hanami and Dagon.
• Sōji repaired the reef with Earth Release: Earth Shore Return and rode the waves back toward the village at dawn.

Sōji and the Land of Water delegation departed Hidden Mist Port aboard the Soaring Dragon for a diplomatic mission to the Land of Wind. After seeing them off, Sōji read En no Gyōja’s message and prepared to travel to Mount Katsuragi to meet Hotaru.

• Ao and the delegation prepared to sail, with Chōjūrō coordinating deck security and Bear Yaksha joining the escort in place of White Hannya.
• Fujiwara Yoshimasa gave Sōji an old wooden boat carving from his uncle and promised to watch the Quye Family during the mission.
• The delegation boarded the Soaring Dragon and departed Hidden Mist Port, while Karin watched from the dock.
• Sōji read En no Gyōja’s intelligence scroll, which reported contact at Ise Island and said Hotaru was eager for his arrival.
• Sōji traced a route to Mount Katsuragi on his sea chart and told Ugly Treasure they would see Hotaru in a few days.

Sōji and his companions arrived at the Tsuchigumo Clan village on Mount Katsuragi to bring Hotaru away and retrieve Utakata. After learning more about Utakata’s painful past, Sōji went alone to the cabin where he was staying.

• Karin and Hotaru greeted each other warmly, while Suigetsu panicked when a mountain spider jumped onto his shoe.
• En no Gyōja welcomed the group and explained that Utakata had lived in a cabin at the summit since arriving at the village.
• Sōji told En no Gyōja that he intended to take Hotaru away, and the old man acknowledged that the clan’s secret technique had become a curse.
• En no Gyōja recounted how Utakata’s master had tried to seize the Six-Tails’ power and died when its chakra ran wild.
• Sōji said he would wait until Utakata was ready to talk and asked En no Gyōja to tell him that the truth about his past might differ from what he believed.
• Karin and Hotaru went to see the spider nests, Ye Tong practiced Scorch Release, and Sōji headed alone to Utakata’s cabin.

Sōji confronted Utakata at his cabin on Mount Katsuragi and explained that Utakata’s master had tried to take the Six-Tails into himself, not kill him. Utakata rejected the revelation, and Sōji told him to ask the person who had witnessed the ritual for the truth.

• Sōji found Utakata at his cabin and said he had come to help him resolve his problems and return to the Hidden Mist.
• Utakata resisted Sōji’s claims, but Sōji’s commanding presence made him lower his eyes and invite Sōji inside.
• Utakata recalled how his master adopted him, taught him to blow bubbles, and later appeared to attempt to remove the Six-Tails from him.
• Sōji identified the ritual as the Uzushiogakure Soul-Binding Reincarnation Seal, which was meant to transfer Utakata’s suffering to the caster.
• Sōji explained that Utakata’s master had realized extracting the Six-Tails would kill Utakata and died reinforcing the seal instead.
• Utakata accused Sōji of lying, and Sōji told him to ask the person who had witnessed the ritual.

Utakata entered his Sealing Space, learned the truth about his master from Saiken, and reconciled with the Six-Tails, becoming her companion. He joined Sōji’s Shadow Guard, while Sōji sent En no Gyōja a proposal for the Tsuchigumo Clan to take control of Kusagakure.

• Sōji reassured Utakata that he could face the Six-Tails, and Utakata entered his Sealing Space to seek the truth.
• Saiken told Utakata that his master had loved him and showed him what happened the night his master died.
• Utakata thanked Saiken, accepted her name, and merged chakra with her, breaking the sealing chains and gaining access to her power.
• Utakata emerged from the Sealing Space and agreed to join Sōji’s Shadow Guard.
• Sōji’s proposal reached En no Gyōja, offering Kirigakure’s support for the Tsuchigumo Clan to take power in Kusagakure.

Sōji persuaded En no Gyōja and the Tsuchigumo elders to join Grass Flower in taking control of Kusagakure, with the Hidden Mist as an ally. En no Gyōja accepted Sōji’s terms and prepared the clan to descend from Mount Katsuragi, while Hotaru stayed behind.

• Sōji argued that Kusagakure’s Grass Fruit leadership endangered the Land of Grass and explained how the Tsuchigumo Clan and Hidden Mist could benefit from controlling it.
• Sōji revealed that Grass Flower had agreed to cooperate as an ally while preserving Kusagakure’s name and ninja organization.
• An elderly Tsuchigumo woman supported Sōji’s proposal, and En no Gyōja decided the clan should step out of seclusion.
• Sōji demanded a secret alliance with the Land of Water, joint management of the international prison, and for Hotaru to become a Hidden Mist ninja.
• Hotaru said she wanted to go with Sōji, but En no Gyōja ordered her to stay and protect the clan’s women, children, and elderly.
• En no Gyōja ordered the clan’s fighters to assemble, released its weapons, and prepared to lead them down the mountain.

Sōji and the Tsuchigumo Clan prepared to seize Kusagakure from Grass Fruit, with Utakata joining the assault as the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki. The attack began with the clan surrounding the village, and Saiken took control of Utakata as he prepared to fire a Tailed Beast Ball.

• Sōji assigned Suigetsu, Karin, Ye Tong, and Utakata preparations for the coming attack on Kusagakure.
• Sōji and En no Gyōja learned Grass Fruit was gathering forces, and En no Gyōja explained why he had waited forty-seven years to reclaim the fertile land for the Tsuchigumo Clan.
• En no Gyōja led 150 Tsuchigumo fighters down Mount Katsuragi, while Hotaru saw them off.
• Sōji led the assault force to Kusagakure, and En no Gyōja ordered the Tsuchigumo squads to surround the village and block its escape routes.
• Sōji told Utakata to attack the village walls with a Tailed Beast Ball, and Utakata released Saiken's chakra to form a six-tailed cloak.

Sōji and his allies launched an assault on Kusagakure, with Saiken destroying the village gate and the attackers overwhelming its defenses. Sōji advanced into the central square to face the remaining force, while Suigetsu and Karin reached the village database.

• Saiken fired a Tailed Beast Ball that obliterated Kusagakure’s gate and devastated more than half the village.
• Sōji entered through the breach, defeated a Grass Fruit Jonin, and ordered Ye Tong to clear the right-hand street.
• Ye Tong burned the Grass Fruit defenders in her path as Saiken crushed buildings and Utakata directed the Six-Tails’ attack.
• Karin sealed three Grass Fruit Chunin, and Suigetsu incapacitated them before the pair disabled the database door’s traps and entered.
• Sōji confronted roughly forty Grass Fruit ninjas in the central square, evaded their attacks, nullified an Earth-Style Wall, and froze five close-combat attackers.

Sōji and Utakata helped the Tsuchigumo Clan defeat Kusagakure’s ruling faction, and En no Gyōja took control of the village. Sōji then looked toward Hozuki Castle, where the Box of Ultimate Bliss awaited as another target.

• Sōji broke into the Ninja Chief’s Residence and defeated the Kusakage’s guards with Ice Formation: Ice Age.
• Sōji killed the Kusakage with a lightning-wrapped punch, while Utakata guarded the fight outside.
• Under En no Gyōja’s command, the Tsuchigumo Clan surrounded the remaining Grass Fruit members, who surrendered as Grass Flower emerged from hiding.
• En no Gyōja declared that the Tsuchigumo Clan would control Kusagakure, ordered the village restored, and abolished the title of Kusakage.
• Sōji accepted En no Gyōja’s acknowledgment of their agreement and turned his attention to Hozuki Castle and the Box of Ultimate Bliss.

Kirigakure defended its operation in Kusagakure as a rogue-ninja retrieval, while Kumogakure backed its ally and Konoha stayed silent. Ōnoki condemned Kirigakure’s actions as a military provocation, and Sunagakure backed Iwagakure’s demand for an apology.

• Kirigakure issued a statement claiming its ANBU had gone to the Land of Grass to retrieve Utakata and had not interfered in Kusagakure’s change of power.
• The Fourth Raikage backed Kirigakure, warning that diplomatic sanctions against the Land of Water would provoke the Water-Lightning Alliance.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi decided Konoha would make no comment to avoid turning the events in Kusagakure into a war.
• Ōnoki accused Kirigakure of violating the Ninja Village Non-Interference Pact and demanded it hand over the ANBU involved and apologize.
• Sunagakure stepped forward in support of Iwagakure.

Rasa issued a carefully worded statement that appeared to support Iwagakure while preserving Sunagakure’s trade deal with the Land of Water, and Hanzo chose to keep Amegakure silent. As the Wind and Water delegations prepared to sign their agreement, Pain recognized Yamada Soji as a future threat, while Soji saw events unfolding as expected.

• Rasa told Kankuro Sunagakure would express concern over Hidden Mist’s actions and urge diplomacy without openly backing Iwagakure.
• Hanzo refused to comment on the dispute, deciding that Amegakure’s silence was its best response.
• Fujiwara Yoshimasa and Ao discussed the Land of Wind’s reception and planned trade agreement as their ship approached Sickle-Sand Port.
• Konan told Pain that Kusagakure had changed hands and the nations had responded; Pain said Hidden Mist had changed and Yamada Soji might become their opponent.
• Sōji received word that the Land of Wind and Hidden Mist would sign a long-term trade agreement, and judged that events were going as he had expected.