Chapter Summaries

Hoshi and Hiruzen fought with Mikazuki Munechika and Enma’s Adamantine Staff, trading attacks until Hiruzen’s clones outlasted Hoshi’s Moon Shadows. Hoshi then faced Hiruzen with his sword sheathed and announced his final technique, Heavenly Dragon Flash.

• Hiruzen coated two kunai with Wind Release Chakra and fought Hoshi in close combat, but Hoshi’s speed and swordsmanship forced him to retreat.
• Hoshi kicked Hiruzen away, and Hiruzen used Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique before summoning Enma, who transformed into the Adamantine Staff.
• Hiruzen tricked Hoshi into charging, then extended the Adamantine Staff to send him crashing through a tree.
• Hoshi used Oborizuki Eleven Forms to create eleven overlapping Moon Shadows, which attacked Enma and forced Hiruzen to summon four Shadow Clones.
• Hiruzen’s clones kept the Moon Shadows occupied until their duration ended, leaving Hoshi facing Hiruzen with Mikazuki Munechika sheathed.
• Hoshi announced Heavenly Dragon Flash as his final move.

Hoshi defeated Hiruzen in their sparring match by using a slash that distorted space, then broke through to Master-level Swordsmanship. The chapter ended with Hoshi discovering his new level and an available skill draw.

• Hoshi blocked Hiruzen and Enma's attack with Heavenly Dragon Flash, and the two were locked in a contest of strength.
• Hiruzen knocked Mikazuki Munechika aside, but Hoshi's slash distorted space and stopped Hiruzen's counterattack.
• Hoshi struck Hiruzen with the flat of his blade and sent him flying, leaving Hiruzen and Enma injured.
• Tsunade treated Hoshi, Hiruzen, and Enma as Hoshi explained that Hiruzen's unfamiliarity with his sword techniques had helped him win.
• Hiruzen sensed a change in Hoshi's Chakra, and Hoshi saw that he had reached Master-level Swordsmanship with one available skill draw.

After Hoshi broke through to Kage level, he discussed Tsunade’s future as Hokage with Orochimaru and learned Orochimaru no longer wanted the position. Orochimaru supported Tsunade’s rise and asked for access to Tobirama’s notes and the Scroll of Seals, while Hoshi promised him a premier laboratory.

• Hoshi confirmed his breakthrough to Hiruzen, who praised his strength and said he planned to retire after the war.
• Tsunade and Orochimaru arranged a celebration for Hoshi and split up to invite their friends.
• Hoshi went with Orochimaru to invite Shinku and asked whether Orochimaru would resent his support for Tsunade becoming Fourth Hokage.
• Orochimaru said he had given up on becoming Hokage and understood that Tsunade’s leadership was important to restoring the Senju.
• Orochimaru asked to study Tobirama’s notes and the Scroll of Seals, and Hoshi promised to provide them and build him a first-rate laboratory.

At a gathering, Hoshi learned that Minato had rescued Kushina from Cloud Village kidnappers and watched their affection grow. Back home, he drew the Growth Swordsmanship Skill Dance of the Startled Swan, a dash ability that could improve as his swordsmanship advanced.

• Hoshi attended a barbecue gathering with his friends and noticed that Minato and Kushina had grown fond of each other after Minato rescued her from Cloud Village ninja.
• Hoshi observed Nawaki’s repeated losses to Minato and decided to keep Nawaki off the battlefield during the Second Great Ninja War.
• Hoshi and Tsunade brought Minato and Nawaki home, then Hoshi returned to the Hayate Clan and spoke with Rie.
• Hoshi drew Dance of the Startled Swan, a Growth Skill that let him dash through obstacles, leave Sword Shadows, and return to them.
• Hoshi realized the skill’s charges and duration would improve as he gained Swordsmanship Experience.

Hoshi tested Dance of the Startled Swan and discovered that it let him move instantly through obstacles while leaving behind a Sword Shadow that provided vision. He used it to startle Minato, who became fascinated by the Space Ninjutsu.

• Hoshi considered how Dance of the Startled Swan would grow stronger as his Swordsmanship experience increased.
• Hoshi activated Dance of the Startled Swan and instantly appeared outside the courtyard wall, stumbling as he landed.
• Hoshi sensed that his Sword Shadow remained behind and used its vision to see Minato watching from a window.
• Hoshi walked away, then used the Sword Shadow to return and surprise Minato a second time.
• Minato touched Hoshi to confirm he was real, and Hoshi told him he had comprehended a Space Ninjutsu.
• Minato admired Hoshi's ability and wished he could experience the same joy.

Teacher Starry Night tested Minato’s strength and agreed that he was ready to graduate and train on the battlefield. Minato also described a strange incident involving Uchiha Kugetsu, leaving Teacher Starry Night curious to investigate her.

• Teacher Starry Night refused to teach Minato Space Ninjutsu, saying he was too young to understand the technique.
• Teacher Starry Night sparred with Minato and easily countered his attacks while correcting his fighting techniques.
• Minato asked to apply for graduation so he could gain combat experience on the battlefield, and Teacher Starry Night agreed.
• Teacher Starry Night mentioned that Hiruzen wanted him to take two talented juniors to the battlefield and considered bringing Minato, Kugetsu, and Kushina.
• Minato told Teacher Starry Night that Kugetsu had once whispered, “Please, don’t attack them,” even though no one had attacked the boys bullying her.
• Teacher Starry Night decided to observe Kugetsu after school.

Hoshi secretly watched Uchiha Kugetsu at the Ninja Academy to judge whether she was as timid and ordinary as she seemed. Her vigilance and restrained but polished swordsmanship convinced him that she was hiding considerable skill.

• Hoshi used Transparency Release to observe Kugetsu in class, and she subtly sensed that someone was watching her.
• Kugetsu remained withdrawn with Mikoto and Kushina during the break, while repeatedly looking out the window.
• A boy shoved Kugetsu, but she stopped Kushina from retaliating and said she was unharmed.
• During the Combat Assessment, Kugetsu narrowly defeated her opponent with clean strikes and little wasted movement.
• Hoshi noticed Kugetsu repeatedly redirecting attacks away from vital points and concluded that her swordsmanship was far above what her timid appearance suggested.

Hoshi followed Kagetsu home and into the forest to uncover her hidden strength, then attacked while remaining invisible. After Kagetsu displayed strong combat instincts and endured a wound, she activated her Sharingan and prepared to face him.

• Hoshi disguised himself and followed Mikoto and Kagetsu to the Uchiha Clan Compound, then continued after Kagetsu when the girls separated.
• Several children mocked Kagetsu on her way home, but she kept walking without responding.
• Kagetsu retrieved a Ninja Blade from her room and went into the forest, where Hoshi followed her.
• Kagetsu sensed Hoshi tailing her and attacked with a Kunai and a Great Fireball, but he avoided both while staying invisible.
• Hoshi wounded Kagetsu’s shoulder, and she responded with a sword sweep before judging his size and fighting style from a faint afterimage.
• Kagetsu activated her Sharingan and challenged the invisible Hoshi to attack her.

Hayate Hoshi tested Kagetsu’s abilities and, after discovering her Double Tomoe Sharingan and exceptional swordsmanship, revealed his identity and asked her to become his disciple. Kagetsu recognized him but said the decision belonged to her other personality.

• Kagetsu activated her Sharingan, tracked Hoshi’s movements, and attacked him.
• Hoshi stopped Kagetsu’s sword and dismantled her Uchiha-style Swordsmanship before disarming her and taking her Ninja Tool Pouch.
• Hoshi revealed that he had been sent to take Kagetsu as a disciple, then disclosed his identity as Hayate Hoshi.
• Kagetsu recognized Hoshi and said her earlier, friendlier self was a different person.
• Hoshi asked Kagetsu to become his disciple, and she replied that it was her other personality’s decision.

Starry Night persuaded Kugetsu to become his disciple and gave her a haircut that revealed her eyes. After inviting Minato and Kushina to celebrate, he declared Starry Night's Team officially formed.

• Kugetsu's Inner Personality had asked Starry Night to take her as a disciple, and the timid Kugetsu reluctantly accepted after he promised she could visit her father on the battlefield.
• Starry Night insisted on trimming Kugetsu's bangs, reassuring her that no one would dare harm his disciple.
• Starry Night took Kugetsu over the Uchiha Clan Compound wall, then sent a Shadow Clone to invite Minato and Kushina to celebrate.
• At the hair salon, Starry Night had Kugetsu's bangs thinned and parted to reveal her right eye.
• Kushina praised Kugetsu's new appearance, and Starry Night announced that Starry Night's Team was officially established.

Hoshi tested Kugetsu’s combat ability and chose her, Minato, and Kushina for the Third Hokage’s Genius Class Project. Kugetsu began to overcome her insecurity when Mikoto and Kushina encouraged her in front of her class, while Hoshi prepared to return to the battlefield.

• Rie warmly welcomed Kugetsu and helped her feel at ease, and Hoshi sparred with Kugetsu to assess her fighting ability.
• Satisfied that Kugetsu could fight at Chunin level, Hoshi proposed the Genius Class Project, and Kugetsu agreed alongside Minato and Kushina.
• Hoshi entered Kugetsu’s classroom, announced his identity, and selected Minato, Kushina, and Kugetsu as his disciples.
• A girl challenged Hoshi’s choice, leaving Kugetsu too frightened to step forward, but Mikoto encouraged her and Kushina took her hand.
• Kugetsu walked toward Hoshi of her own accord, and he told the girl who questioned his choice that she would find out why he had selected Kugetsu.

Kagetsu passed her graduation exam and trained under Hayate Hoshi, while Danzo’s alliance with Hanzō secured Konoha’s territorial advance. After the Hidden Stone ambushed the grain shipment meant for Hanzō, Danzo faced a renewed threat on two fronts and was urged to request Hoshi’s return.

• Kagetsu defeated her assigned Genin opponent with her own swordsmanship, and Hiruzen Sarutobi announced the Genius Class Project and its first nine members at the Ninja Academy.
• Hayate Hoshi trained Kagetsu’s main personality in chakra control, ninjutsu, and taijutsu, while her inner personality learned combat; after half a month, she could fight Minato to a draw without his Body Flicker.
• Danzo negotiated an alliance with Hanzō, who led a small force toward Sunagakure after receiving a large shipment of grain.
• Konoha’s forces crossed the former Four-Village Combat Zone and occupied the former Amegakure Controlled Area before Hidden Stone and Sunagakure could complete their troop movements.
• Danzo secretly recruited several Offensive Frontline Squad Leaders and used them to obtain information about Hoshi’s arrangements.
• A subordinate reported that Hidden Stone’s Earth-Tunneling Unit had ambushed and burned much of the grain shipment, leaving Hanzō furious and the frontlines’ deployments unclear; Danzo was urged to request aid from Konoha and bring Hoshi back.

Hiruzen convened Konoha’s Jonin for an emergency war council to address the frontlines and organize reinforcements. The village settled on a plan to resupply Amegakure and send two forces to the front in two days, commanded by Hoshi and Hatake Sakumo.

• Danzo sent Hiruzen a report, prompting Hiruzen to summon every Konoha Jonin and department head to an emergency meeting.
• Hoshi and Tsunade left the Senju Clan Compound and joined the war council, where Hoshi met Dan Katō and saw Tsunade remain focused on him.
• Hiruzen told the council that Iwagakure’s Earth-Tunneling Unit had destroyed Konoha’s food shipment to Amegakure and that reinforcements were urgently needed.
• The council agreed to deliver another shipment to the defensive frontline for Hanzō’s people to transport, with up to two Uzumaki or Hyuga members assisting with sensing.
• Konoha kept its two-front strategy, assigning Hoshi to lead the offensive against Iwagakure and Hatake Sakumo to defend against Sunagakure.
• Orochimaru and Tsunade were assigned as Hatake Sakumo’s deputies, while Jiraiya and Shinku were assigned as Hoshi’s deputies; each force would take 30 Jonin, 500 Chunin, and 200 Genin to the frontlines in two days.

Tsunade proposed expanding medical-ninja training, and Hoshi helped shape the idea into a practical plan that Lord Third approved. After the meeting, Dan revealed that he was raising his orphaned niece, Shizune, and Tsunade offered to assess her medical aptitude.

• Tsunade argued that assigning medical ninjas to battlefield squads and training more of them would save lives.
• Hoshi proposed testing Ninja Academy students and Genin for medical aptitude and training suitable candidates in basic Medical Ninjutsu.
• Dan, Orochimaru, Shinku, and other ninjas supported the proposal, and Lord Third approved funding for basic medical-ninja training.
• Tsunade kissed Hoshi after the meeting, and Dan told them his sister had died after giving birth and that he was raising her daughter, Shizune.
• Tsunade offered to assess Shizune's talent and possibly take her as a disciple, while Hoshi agreed Dan might become his subordinate.

Starry Night led reinforcements to the Land of Rain and returned to the Iwagakure frontline, where he reunited Kugetsu with her father. The chapter left Kugetsu welcomed by the troops as Starry Night’s disciple.

• Starry Night and Tsunade set out from Konoha with nearly 1,500 ninjas and reached the Land of Rain four days later.
• Tsunade tested the volunteer Genin and kept about fifty with her for a week of medical training.
• Starry Night left the Jonin reinforcements with Tsunade, then went to the Iwagakure frontline with Shinku, 500 Chunin, Minato, and Kugetsu.
• The troops greeted Starry Night enthusiastically when he returned to the frontline.
• Uchiha Hokushin recognized Kugetsu, embraced her, and learned that Starry Night had taken her as his disciple.
• Hokushin introduced Kugetsu to his comrades, who welcomed her and promised to protect her.

Hoshi reviewed Senju Kōhei’s intelligence on Danzo and learned that Iwagakure’s Earth-Tunneling Unit was disrupting Konoha’s supply lines. He had rebuilt a small network of Senju loyalists on the frontline, while the larger revival of the Senju Clan still lay ahead.

• Beichen accepted Hoshi’s explanation and took Kagetsu and Minato to arrange their living tents.
• Senju Kōhei brought Hoshi detailed records of Danzo’s recruits and secret personnel arrangements.
• Hoshi considered how few Senju descendants remained loyal and capable after the De-Senju Project, and how his network secretly monitored the Iwagakure frontline.
• Hoshi told Kōhei he was prepared for Danzo’s schemes, then asked about the war with Iwagakure.
• Kōhei reported that Iwagakure’s Earth-Tunneling Unit had disrupted supplies to Hanzō and caused heavy losses to rear-bound resources.

Hoshi learned that Iwagakure’s Earth-Tunneling Unit had devastated supply routes and set out to confront it after it attacked a Konoha convoy. He found the convoy’s survivors dead and used earth-nature Chakra through Mikazuki Munechika to try to locate the unit underground.

• Kohei told Hoshi that the Earth-Tunneling Unit comprised twenty Earth Release Ninjas, including a Sensor Ninja, and had inflicted heavy losses on Konoha and Amegakure.
• A messenger reported a signal flare indicating the unit had attacked nearby, and Hoshi rushed out of the tent.
• The Earth-Tunneling Unit slaughtered a Konoha supply convoy, looted valuable goods, and burned the remaining supplies before its captain ordered the squad underground.
• Hoshi arrived at the convoy site and found the Konoha Ninjas dead, then summoned Robb to track the attackers.
• Robb could not track the unit because it was too deep underground, so Hoshi converted his Chakra to earth and channeled it through Mikazuki Munechika into the ground.

Hoshi used his Earth Release Chakra to track the Earth-Tunneling Unit through its underground tunnels and pursued them with Robb. After surviving the unit captain’s Earth Mountain Technique, Hoshi attacked the exposed squad and left it with roughly ten casualties.

• Hoshi extended Earth Release Chakra through the tunnels, located the Earth-Tunneling Unit, and rode Robb after them for over forty kilometers.
• The unit’s Sensor Ninja detected Hoshi and Robb approaching, so the captain led the team upward to confront them.
• The captain used Earth Release: Earth Mountain Technique to trap Hoshi between two rising stone mountains, and the unit members believed he had been crushed.
• Hoshi escaped the attack with Shunpo and Transparency Release, then killed a cheering member with a surprise strike.
• Hoshi used Sky-Rending Iai Slash twice, killing or injuring roughly ten members and dismissing the unit’s strength.

Hoshi annihilated the Earth-Tunneling Unit with his new teleportation skill and a devastating earth-shaking sword technique. Shinku and the others arrived to find the battlefield shattered, and Hoshi sent them to check for survivors.

• Hoshi used Dance of the Startled Swan to appear behind and decapitate the Earth-Tunneling Unit captain as the captain tried to escape underground.
• Hoshi returned to the battlefield and used Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū: Earth Dragon Tremor to crush the scattered unit members beneath the ground.
• Hoshi stopped the technique after shattering the earth within a five-hundred-meter radius and noted how much Chakra it had consumed.
• Shinku and the team arrived at Hoshi's markers, saw the destruction, and were told to search for any stragglers.

Hoshi’s reinforcements confirmed that he had killed all twenty members of Iwagakure’s Earth-Tunneling Unit. After learning Hoshi had wiped out the unit, Ōnoki declared war on Konoha and ordered Lava and the Explosion Release Unit to kill him.

• Kōhei sent Earth Release Ninja to excavate the shattered ground, where they uncovered the corpses of the Earth-Tunneling Unit.
• Shinku and Kōhei counted twenty bodies, confirming Hoshi had killed the entire unit alone.
• A subordinate reported to Ōnoki that Hoshi had annihilated the Earth-Tunneling Unit, prompting Ōnoki to suspect Hoshi had reached Kage-level.
• Ōnoki summoned Lava and ordered him to take the Explosion Release Unit to the battlefield and kill Hoshi.
• Ōnoki announced that Iwagakure and Konoha were officially at war.