Chapter Summaries

Ye Liang convinced Hiruzen Sarutobi that he was Minato Namikaze’s younger brother and gained access to Naruto. When he met Naruto, however, an awkward question about Kushina nearly exposed his cover.

• Ye Liang claimed to have founded Otogakure near the Land of Snow, and Hiruzen Sarutobi politely pretended to know of it.
• Ye Liang said Minato was his cousin and staged an emotional reaction to his death, persuading Hiruzen to trust him.
• Ye Liang told Hiruzen that Minato had asked him to care for Naruto, and Hiruzen agreed to bring him to see the boy.
• The next day, Kakashi introduced Ye Liang to Naruto as his distant uncle, though both Kakashi and Naruto doubted the claim.
• Ye Liang asked Naruto whether Kushina had a birthmark on her belly button, then awkwardly claimed Minato had told him about it in letters.

Kakashi took Team 7 to the Land of Rivers for training after their defeat by Zabuza, then challenged Ye Liang to a shuriken contest. Ye Liang claimed his throw had struck a tiny target eight thousand meters away, and Kakashi led the team to check.

• Kakashi set up camp in the Land of Rivers and trained Naruto in shuriken throwing while Ye Liang criticized his teaching.
• Kakashi challenged Ye Liang to a contest with basic ninja tools, and Ye Liang agreed in front of Team 7.
• Ye Liang’s system triggered the main quest to train Team 7, offering a Sharingan whose quality could rise with quest completion.
• Kakashi demonstrated his shuriken accuracy, and Ye Liang claimed he could hit a Buddha statue’s toe eight thousand meters away.
• Kakashi accused Ye Liang of bluffing, then led Team 7 to verify the throw and expose him.

Ye Liang forced Kakashi to acknowledge him as a teacher by winning a shuriken challenge with the Flying Thunder God, then began teaching Team 7 powerful techniques. He recognized Sasuke’s hatred as the remaining obstacle and prepared to tell him the truth about Itachi.

• Ye Liang revealed that he had used the Flying Thunder God to plant his shuriken in the ruined temple, and Kakashi reluctantly called him Teacher after losing their challenge.
• Ye Liang’s main mission progress rose to twenty percent when Kakashi accepted him as a teacher, and Ye Liang offered to teach him the Flying Thunder God.
• Kakashi accepted the offer and listened as Ye Liang taught him the technique’s theory.
• Naruto asked Ye Liang to teach him an S-rank technique, and Ye Liang taught him the Tailed Beast Bomb; he also taught Sakura Haruno advanced Medical Ninjutsu, the general method of the Yin Seal, and Creation Rebirth.
• Ye Liang decided to teach Sasuke despite his pride and prepared to tell him the truth about Itachi’s massacre of the Uchiha clan.

Ye Liang told Sasuke that Itachi had chosen Konoha over his family and spared Sasuke because he loved him, then admitted Itachi was still alive. After teaching Sasuke the strongest Lightning Style technique, Ye Liang considered his stalled abilities and planned to remain in Konoha while searching for a way to return to his own time.

• Ye Liang pulled Sasuke aside and revealed that Itachi was with Akatsuki, prompting Sasuke to threaten him for information.
• Ye Liang falsely told Sasuke that Itachi was dead, then explained that Itachi had killed his family to protect Konoha and spared Sasuke because he loved him.
• Sasuke was shaken by Ye Liang's account, and Ye Liang admitted Itachi was still alive; Sasuke's hatred eased into anticipation.
• Ye Liang prepared to teach Sasuke the strongest Lightning Style technique and later checked his system panel, finding his Ninjutsu level had not increased despite gaining the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
• Ye Liang considered how to collect the Tailed Beasts' Chakra without alerting Uchiha Madara or disturbing the story, and decided to spend time in Konoha.

Ye Liang and Team 7 reached a bandit stronghold after Naruto and the others spent the night practicing S-rank Ninjutsu. Their mission was interrupted when two River Shadow Retainers arrived and dragged a bloodied young girl out of the camp, leaving Kakashi’s team unsure what to do.

• Ye Liang praised Naruto’s progress with the Tailed Beast Bomb, then reminded Kakashi that Team 7 still had a C-rank bandit-clearing mission to complete.
• Team 7 reached the bandit camp, where Naruto impulsively attacked two genin-level guards and struggled to fight them off.
• Ye Liang and Kakashi noticed that the bandits’ strength suggested a more powerful leader inside the camp.
• Two River Shadow Retainers identified themselves as Hidden River Village ninja hunting traitors, killed the guards with Water Dragon Bullets, and entered the camp.
• The retainers emerged dragging a bloodied young girl, and Naruto asked Kakashi what was happening.

Team 7 failed to stop two Hidden River Village ninjas from taking a wounded girl, but Ye Liang discovered she was Princess Fujiwara of the Land of Rivers and followed them. After the River Shadow escaped into a stream with the princess, Ye Liang knocked out the two jonin left to block him.

• Naruto challenged the Hidden River Village men for mistreating the girl, and Kakashi persuaded them to carry her more gently.
• The girl pleaded with Team 7 to save her and said she was not from Hidden River Village, but the men knocked her unconscious and fled with her.
• Ye Liang followed the men and overheard them call the girl Princess Fujiwara and discuss pleasing the River Shadow.
• At a stream, the River Shadow emerged from the water, threw a Shuriken that exposed Ye Liang, and escaped with Princess Fujiwara.
• The two Hidden River jonin charged Ye Liang, who knocked them unconscious with a casual Hand Blade.

Ye Liang pursued River Shadow to rescue Princess Fujiwara, but the old man mistook him for an enemy and fought him with powerful Water Release techniques. Ye Liang destroyed River Shadow’s ice dragon, and the chapter ended with Princess Fujiwara waking and calling for Grandpa Chino.

• Ye Liang cornered River Shadow at a mountain cave and explained that he wanted to save the girl, but River Shadow assumed he was a Fujiwara Clan reinforcement.
• River Shadow attacked Ye Liang with an Ice Sword, then used Cold Qi and a series of Water Release techniques to keep him on the defensive.
• River Shadow summoned an ice dragon and repeatedly sent it after Ye Liang while Princess Fujiwara trembled from the cold.
• Ye Liang stopped the ice dragon and shattered it by injecting fire-nature Chakra into its water-nature body.
• River Shadow believed he was doomed, while Ye Liang remained frustrated that the old man would not listen.
• Princess Fujiwara woke inside the cave and called for Grandpa Chino.

Ye Liang rescued Princess Fujiwara Nanako and learned that the General of the Land of Rivers and Nanako’s siblings had been controlled by a mysterious person. After hearing that the country’s National Treasure could support dozens of generations, he agreed to help investigate and recover it.

• Nanako and Chikado mistook Ye Liang for an assassin sent by Old Thief Fujiwara, and Ye Liang nearly attacked Chikado before Nanako offered to reveal the National Treasure’s location.
• Ye Liang learned that the National Treasure belonged to the Land of Rivers and was said to sustain dozens of generations, then agreed to help Nanako.
• Ye Liang brought Nanako and Chikado to meet Kakashi before setting out on the treasure hunt.
• Chikado explained that the General of the Land of Rivers, Nanako’s elder brother, and her elder sisters had been controlled by an unknown person.
• Chikado said he had pretended to surrender to Old Thief Fujiwara because Hidden River Village had a traitor among its ranks.

Ye Liang and Chikado returned to Hidden River Village with princess Nanako, where they found Kurama An wielding power over the village despite Chikado's title as River Shadow. Kurama An demanded the location of the River Country Secret Treasure and threatened Chikado with Kirigakure, leaving Ye Liang to realize that Kurama An's authority came from a larger power.

• Ye Liang and Chikado reached Hidden River Village and confronted Chikado Ryu, who challenged Chikado's authority and said Kurama An would choose the next River Shadow.
• Chikado Ryu let the group enter after seeing princess Nanako, whom Chikado had brought back to regain his standing.
• Ye Liang questioned Chikado about Kurama An and learned he was one of the spies Chikado had mentioned.
• At the council hall, Kurama An inspected Nanako and demanded that she reveal the location of the River Country Secret Treasure.
• Kurama An slapped Nanako when she refused, then warned Chikado that Kirigakure could destroy Hidden River Village if he interfered.
• Ye Liang concluded that Kurama An's power over the village likely came from his father or another source of influence.

Ye Liang confronted Kurama An at the Hokage Hall after learning Kirigakure was holding Chikado hostage to obtain the Land of Rivers' secret treasure. Kurama An fled after Ye Liang defeated his allies, but Ye Liang quickly caught up with him.

• Kurama An attacked Ye Liang to silence him, and Ye Liang repelled him with Shinra Tensei, sending him crashing into a wall.
• Chikado Ryu and four Hidden River Village ninja dropped into the hall and offered to help Kurama An escape in exchange for power.
• Kurama An promised to make Chikado Ryu River Shadow and fled through the shattered roof.
• Ye Liang defeated Chikado Ryu and the others in seconds, then leaped out of the Hokage Hall after Kurama An.
• Ye Liang caught up with the terrified Kurama An and activated the Flying Thunder God Technique through his kunai.

Ye Liang killed Kurama An despite Chikado’s warning, making conflict with Kirigakure unavoidable. Princess Nanako then revealed that Kirigakure sought control of the Land of Rivers, and Ye Liang demanded proof that the secret treasure existed before deciding whether to help.

• Ye Liang sealed Kurama An’s chakra points, ignored Chikado’s warning about Yagura’s retaliation, and killed him.
• Chikado told Ye Liang that killing Kurama An had left Hidden River Village with no way back from conflict with Kirigakure.
• Nanako revealed that Kirigakure had taken the forms of her dead father and brothers to rule the Land of Rivers and sought control of the country.
• Ye Liang interrupted Nanako’s explanation to ask whether the secret treasure truly existed.
• Nanako hurriedly assured Ye Liang that the treasure did exist.

Ye Liang agreed to help Fujiwara Nanako reclaim the Land of Rivers and went with her to assassinate the impostor general. The mission turned into a trap: Obito seized Nanako, and an unseen attacker stabbed Ye Liang.

• Ye Liang accepted Fujiwara Nanako's offer after learning about the hidden treasure in the Land of Rivers' treasury.
• Ye Liang and Chikado's unit traveled to the capital, where Chikado arranged to draw away the troops while Ye Liang and Nanako entered the general's residence.
• Ye Liang overheard Obito Uchiha speaking with Karatachi Yagura and discovered that Yagura was controlled by Genjutsu and had taken the general's appearance.
• Yagura noticed Ye Liang and Nanako outside and attacked them with Shuriken, forcing them to retreat into the courtyard.
• Obito grabbed Nanako, and an unidentified attacker pierced Ye Liang's chest with a Shuriken.

Ye Liang survived Yagura’s ambush and followed Yagura and Obito to the Land of Rivers’ treasure cellar. As Obito and Yagura searched for the secret chamber, Obito attacked Yagura to take the key, leaving Yagura engulfed in flames.

• Yagura believed he had killed Ye Liang, while Obito used his Mangekyo Sharingan to control Nanako and make her lead them to the treasure.
• Ye Liang revived with the Yin Seal, realized Obito had exposed their whereabouts, and followed the others with his Mangekyo Sharingan activated.
• Nanako led Obito and Yagura to the cellar, where they found crates filled with gold and searched for the secret chamber’s mechanism.
• Yagura secretly pocketed a green gold coin, and Obito discovered a circular slot in the floor that did not respond to an ordinary coin.
• Obito realized Yagura had the key, struck him through the heart with a Shuriken, and blasted him with a Great Fireball.

Obito and Yagura fought through fire, water, and Hidden Mist techniques until Obito unleashed his Mangekyo Sharingan and destroyed the Land of Rivers general's residence. Obito trapped Yagura in a pit and prepared to kill him, but Chikado suddenly attacked with a powerful ice dragon.

• Yagura used a Water Clone to evade Obito's Great Fireball, then countered Obito's flames and hid in mist to attack him with silent shuriken and a water dragon.
• Obito unleashed Blast Wind Dance, scattering the mist and sweeping away the water dragon in a fiery space-time storm; the disguised Fujiwara Nanako revealed herself as an impostor, while the real Chikado escaped.
• Yagura fled as Obito pursued him, but Yagura hid underground and Obito used Kamui to remove the surrounding earth, leaving Yagura trapped in a deep pit.
• Obito knocked Yagura into the crater and prepared to kill him, but Chikado appeared and attacked Obito with an unusually powerful ice dragon.

Chikado attacked the weakened Obito, but Yagura recovered his consciousness and killed Chikado before battling Obito to a stalemate. Ye Liang then emerged from hiding, killed Yagura, and revealed that he knew Obito’s real identity.

• Chikado attacked Obito with ice and water dragons, but Obito used Kamui to avoid the strikes and retaliated with a storm of shuriken.
• Yagura regained consciousness, awakened Isobu’s power, killed Chikado, and fought the weakened Obito to a stalemate.
• Ye Liang approached while carrying Nanako, waited until Yagura’s Chakra Cloak faded, and stabbed him in the heart.
• Ye Liang planted an Explosive Tag on Yagura’s body, killing him and destroying his corpse.
• Ye Liang confronted Obito and called him by his real name, leaving Obito stunned and demanding to know who he was.

Ye Liang cornered Obito with a Fire Dragon that could outlast Kamui and demonstrated control over several elemental releases. Nagato rescued Obito through Kamui, leaving Ye Liang behind to deal with the Three-Tails, Isobu.

• Obito hurled a massive amount of land at Ye Liang, but Ye Liang used space ninjutsu to appear beside him and attack with a Fire Dragon.
• Ye Liang sustained the Fire Dragon by continually pouring chakra into it, counting on Obito's Kamui invulnerability ending after five minutes.
• Obito tried escaping underground, but Ye Liang countered him with Earth, Water, Wood, Lightning, and Wind Dragons.
• As Ye Liang counted down Kamui's remaining time, Nagato appeared and took Obito into the Kamui Dimension.
• Ye Liang realized Obito had escaped and descended to deal with the Three-Tails, Isobu.

Ye Liang defeated Isobu and absorbed the Three-Tails' chakra into the Time-Space Turtle, charging it for three traversals. After claiming the Land of Rivers' mysterious alloy treasure box, he returned to Konoha and received an invitation to a banquet from Hyuga Hiashi.

• Ye Liang fought Isobu as it emerged from the ground and wounded it with repeated attacks.
• The Time-Space Turtle absorbed Isobu's chakra until Isobu collapsed, charging enough energy for three traversals.
• Ye Liang took the Land of Rivers' treasure box, but could not open its fingerprint-locked alloy casing.
• Fujiwara Nanako told Ye Liang he might find a way to open the box in the ruins of the Land of Craftsmen.
• Back in Konoha, Ye Liang received an invitation from Hyuga Hiashi and decided to attend the banquet.

Ye Liang attended the Hyuga family genealogy meeting after Hyuga Hiashi mistakenly believed they were long-lost relatives. The meeting revealed that Ye Liang had contributed a drawing explaining a core Gentle Fist technique, though he had no memory of doing so.

• Two attendants announced Ye Liang’s arrival, and he awkwardly claimed to know a Hyuga clansman from the Ninja Academy.
• Hyuga Hiashi warmly welcomed Ye Liang and said the clan would recognize him as a long-lost relative.
• Ye Liang learned from Hyūga Kamon that the meeting was intended to welcome a missing Main Family relative, and realized the clan believed that person was him.
• Hyuga Hiashi presented a newly drawn sheet beside the genealogy record, and the gathered clansmen recognized it as an explanation of a core Gentle Fist technique.

Ye Liang’s Gentle Fist insights impressed the Hyuga Clan, but a Clan Elder’s attempt to put him under observation angered him and prompted him to leave. The elders pleaded with him to stay, and Ye Liang agreed to forgive them if they made him Hyuga Hinata’s teacher.

• Hyuga Hiashi revealed that Ye Liang had gifted the clan a painting containing advanced Gentle Fist insights and said Ye Liang possessed the complete Hyuga inheritance.
• A white-templed Clan Elder argued that Ye Liang should be observed by the Main Family because he lacked the Byakugan, while Hyuga Hiashi defended him.
• Ye Liang announced that he was leaving rather than be caught up in the clan’s disputes.
• The white-templed Clan Elder and Hyuga Hiashi pleaded with Ye Liang to stay and offered him compensation and an important post.
• Ye Liang said he would forgive the clan if they agreed to let him become Hyuga Hinata’s teacher.

Ye Liang began training Hinata and Team 7, then transported them through the Summoning Space toward the Summoning World. As they descended, he explained that the world was home to Summoned Beasts and began teaching them what mattered most for learning ninjutsu.

• Hyūga Kamon brought Hinata to Ye Liang so he could train her for the Chunin Exams.
• Ye Liang taught Hinata improved foundational Gentle Fist techniques while planning to strengthen the shinobi around him.
• Naruto arrived with Sasuke and Sakura, and Ye Liang invited them to train alongside Hinata.
• Ye Liang used a technique to transport the group into the Summoning Space, where they fell through shifting landscapes toward the Summoning World.
• Ye Liang explained that the Summoning World belonged to Summoned Beasts and confirmed Sasuke's answer that Chakra was essential for ninjutsu.