Chapter Summaries

Liu Yun faced six prodigies at once after Shikaku Nara organized their tactics, but he quickly demonstrated overwhelming strength by stopping and throwing Choza Akimichi. As Nawaki and Yakushi Nonō attacked in coordination, Liu Yun dodged Nawaki’s water technique and was met with shuriken aimed at his landing spot.

• Shikaku Nara took charge of the six opponents’ strategy, and they introduced their abilities before the match.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi started the fight as Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Konoha’s clan leaders watched.
• Choza Akimichi used the Multi-Size Technique and charged Liu Yun, but Liu Yun stopped his punch and threw him away.
• Nawaki attacked Liu Yun with the Wild Water Wave Technique, forcing him to leap clear.
• Yakushi Nonō threw eight shuriken toward the spot where Liu Yun appeared, sealing off his escape routes.

Liu Yun countered Shikaku Nara’s coordinated plan and defeated the group’s attempted follow-up attacks, then waited for them to recover. He challenged them to continue, leaving the fight poised for another round.

• Liu Yun blocked Yakushi Nonō’s shuriken and Minato’s attack as Choza Akimichi and Shikaku Nara launched a coordinated assault.
• Liu Yun used Earth Release: Earth Shore Return to stop Choza Akimichi’s Human Bullet Tank, then let Shikaku Nara’s Shadow Possession Jutsu catch him.
• Liu Yun summoned lightning without hand seals, incapacitating Shikaku Nara and disrupting Inoichi Yamanaka’s Mind Body Switch Technique.
• Liu Yun dodged Inoichi Yamanaka’s technique and struck Minato with Konoha-Style: Eight Forms, knocking him backward before Nawaki’s water attack halted the exchange.
• Yamanaka Makoto and the Nara Clan Leader recognized that Liu Yun’s unknown hand-seal-free ninjutsu had undone the team’s nearly successful tactics.
• Liu Yun waited for the others to recover and told them to keep going.

Liu Yun countered the coordinated tactics of Minato and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, then matched Minato's summoning by calling forth Katsuyu to face Gamabunta. As the giant summons began fighting, Liu Yun launched Lightning Release: Heaven-Splitting Thunder Serpent.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others reacted to Liu Yun's seal-less lightning jutsu, which had defeated the team's initial strategy.
• Shikaku Nara recovered and explained how Liu Yun's jutsu had undermined their plan, while Minato proposed another attempt.
• Minato and the others attacked together as Minato prepared a summoning, but Liu Yun summoned Katsuyu at the same time.
• Gamabunta and Katsuyu began fighting as the Ninja Academy students watched in astonishment.
• Liu Yun assessed his remaining chakra and used Lightning Release: Heaven-Splitting Thunder Serpent.

Liu Yun defeated Gamabunta and the assembled opponents with his lightning-serpent jutsu, winning the academy crowd’s admiration. As the clan leaders reacted to his strength, Uchiha Enichi challenged him despite Setsuna’s decision to call him back.

• Liu Yun summoned lightning serpents that restrained Minato, Shikaku Nara, and the others, while three serpents slowed Gamabunta and let Katsuyu overpower him.
• Gamabunta vanished, and Liu Yun freed the others as Kushina and the Ninja Academy students celebrated his victory.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi praised Liu Yun’s performance, while the clan leaders recognized the Hokage Faction’s growing strength.
• Soki Hyuga urged Hiashi and Hizashi to train, and Fugaku persuaded Uchiha Setsuna to call Enichi back rather than challenge Liu Yun.
• A voice from the Training Ground announced a challenge to Moonlight Ruyun.

Uchiha Enichi challenged Moonlight Ruyun in the arena, claiming he wanted revenge for his friend Hayato, and Liu Yun accepted despite having little chakra left. Liu Yun defeated Enichi with a sword strike and a kick, while Enichi’s Sharingan began to develop a second tomoe.

• Uchiha Enichi challenged Moonlight Ruyun, and Fugaku tried to take him away after realizing he had acted on Uchiha Setsuna’s instructions.
• Liu Yun accepted Enichi’s challenge, and Enichi said he wanted to avenge his friend Hayato.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi approved the fight, and Liu Yun declined Katsuyu’s offer to help.
• Enichi attacked with a Great Fireball Technique and shuriken, but Liu Yun dodged the fireball and cut the shuriken’s control threads.
• Liu Yun overwhelmed Enichi with a sword strike and a kick, and Enichi’s Sharingan began developing a second tomoe as he lay defeated.

Liu Yun defeated Uchiha Enichi, graduated from the Ninja Academy, and became an official ninja. Tsunade put his forehead protector on afterward, and they went together to ask Hiruzen Sarutobi who would be assigned to his new team.

• Liu Yun defeated Uchiha Enichi and learned that the boy's two-tomoe Sharingan could be refined only if removed intact and undamaged.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi declared Liu Yun the winner and officially graduated him, then personally tied on his forehead protector.
• The clan heads congratulated Liu Yun and invited him to visit their compounds.
• At Tsunade's home, Liu Yun asked Tsunade to put his forehead protector on him, and she warned him to be careful on missions.
• Tsunade agreed to ask Hiruzen Sarutobi about Liu Yun's teammates, and Liu Yun went with her to find out who would join his new team.

Hiruzen Sarutobi appointed Maruboshi Kosuke to lead Liu Yun’s team, and Liu Yun chose Yakushi Nonō and Shibi Aburame as his teammates. The newly formed team was assigned to escort Kumogakure envoys and Land of Lightning nobles through the Land of Fire.

• Tsunade objected to Hiruzen Sarutobi choosing a different team leader, but accepted Maruboshi Kosuke after hearing his qualifications.
• Tsunade rejected Shibi Aburame and Tsume Inuzuka as a pair because their abilities overlapped.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi learned that Yakushi Nonō had applied for early graduation and ordered her to take the usual assessment.
• Liu Yun chose Yakushi Nonō and Shibi Aburame as his teammates, and Hiruzen Sarutobi approved the team.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Liu Yun’s new team to escort Kumogakure envoys and Land of Lightning nobles after they entered the Land of Fire.

Liu Yun met his new teammates, Yakushi Nonō and Shibi Aburame, and learned that the orphanage had recently stopped receiving enough money for food. He promised to ask Hiruzen Sarutobi about the missing funding, while the team’s introductions continued under Maruboshi Kosuke.

• Tsunade warned Liu Yun to watch the Land of Lightning nobles and remain careful around the Kumogakure ninja on their mission.
• Liu Yun learned that Nonō had passed her graduation assessment and met her and Shibi Aburame at the training ground.
• Liu Yun discovered that Shibi Aburame's insect storage jar could become equipment material if Shibi personally gifted it to him.
• During the team's introductions, Nonō explained that the orphanage had lacked food since its village funding stopped over a month earlier.
• Liu Yun suspected the orphanage’s funding had been deliberately cut and promised Nonō he would ask Hiruzen Sarutobi about it.

Liu Yun's new team formed under Maruboshi Kosuke, who revealed the Hokage had assigned them an A-Rank mission. Kosuke began assessing his Genin before they set out.

• Liu Yun saw that Kosuke's pot and blade could only be crafted if Kosuke personally gifted them.
• Kosuke encouraged Nonō to trust Liu Yun, and Shibi Aburame introduced himself and described his goals.
• Kosuke introduced himself and officially formed the team with Liu Yun, Nonō, and Shibi Aburame.
• Nonō asked when they would start missions, and Kosuke announced that the Hokage had prepared an A-Rank mission for them.
• Liu Yun explained mission rankings to Nonō, while Shibi realized how unusual it was for Genin to receive an A-Rank mission.
• Kosuke said he needed to learn the team's strengths and specialties, then brought out a bell and proposed a game.

Liu Yun, Yakushi Nonō, and Shibi Aburame worked together to try to take a bell from Maruboshi Kosuke, who used the exercise to assess their abilities and teamwork. Kosuke evaded their final attack with a Shadow Clone and pointed out a weakness in Shibi's conspicuous insect jar.

• Maruboshi Kosuke told Liu Yun, Yakushi Nonō, and Shibi Aburame to work together to take his bell, while restricting Liu Yun to swordsmanship and Taijutsu.
• Shibi spread his insects across the ground as Nonō attacked from the side and Liu Yun charged Kosuke with Konoha-Style sword techniques.
• Kosuke blocked Liu Yun's strikes with his iron pot, countered Nonō, and used Hazy Moon and Water Release: Water Formation Wall Technique to hide from the team and repel the insects.
• After Shibi released the reserve swarm from his jar, Liu Yun, Nonō, and Shibi closed in together, but Kosuke vanished in a Shadow Clone.
• Kosuke reappeared and told Shibi that his insect jar was too conspicuous and would alert opponents to his reserve swarm.

Liu Yun’s team passed Maruboshi Kosuke’s bell test, and Kosuke demonstrated his S-rank Konoha Style: Willow before agreeing to teach it to Liu Yun. He then assessed the team and offered Nonō and Shibi Aburame training to address their weaknesses, while Liu Yun worried about his vulnerability to genjutsu and how to approach an Uchiha with three tomoe.

• Liu Yun revealed that he had taken Maruboshi Kosuke’s bell while Shibi Aburame’s secret technique served as a distraction, and Kosuke praised the team’s coordination.
• Liu Yun asked Kosuke to demonstrate his strongest sword technique, and Kosuke used Konoha Style: Willow to ensnare him in a genjutsu.
• Liu Yun asked to learn Konoha Style: Willow, and Kosuke agreed to teach him.
• Kosuke praised Nonō’s teamwork but identified her limited combat options, then offered to teach her Water Release Ninjutsu and swordsmanship.
• Kosuke praised Shibi Aburame’s fundamentals but noted his vulnerabilities to water and fire, then offered to teach him Water Release Ninjutsu.
• Kosuke identified Liu Yun’s weakness against genjutsu, leaving Liu Yun to ponder how he could approach an Uchiha with three tomoe.

After Enichi’s defeat by Liu Yun, Rekka and other Uchiha clansmen berated him until they discovered he had awakened two tomoe, but Enichi insisted Liu Yun was too strong for them to beat. Setsuna explained to Fugaku that he had arranged the challenge to restore Uchiha prestige and build support, then urged him to calm the clan and avoid rash action.

• Rekka and several Military Police Force members entered Enichi’s home and insulted him for losing to Liu Yun.
• Yakumi defended Enichi, and Enichi’s two-tomoe Sharingan appeared when a clansman shoved his brother.
• Rekka told Enichi to defeat Liu Yun, but Enichi revealed that he had already awakened two tomoe when he lost and warned that the others would lose too.
• Setsuna told Fugaku to visit Enichi and build his support, then explained that he had intended a public victory over Liu Yun to strengthen the Uchiha’s standing.
• Setsuna told Fugaku to calm the clan and not act rashly, and Fugaku agreed.

Maruboshi Kosuke's team received an A-Rank mission to meet a Kumogakure envoy and a provisional B-Rank patrol mission involving suspected human experimentation. After Liu Yun raised Yakushi Nonō's orphanage funding problem with Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hiruzen promised to investigate, and Liu Yun began preparing for the journey.

• Liu Yun and his teammates encountered Danzo outside the Hokage's Office, where Danzo reacted with concern to seeing Yakushi Nonō with them.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Maruboshi Kosuke's team an A-Rank mission to meet the Kumogakure Envoy Group at a border canyon and promised support from border patrols.
• Hiruzen gave the team a provisional B-Rank mission to investigate signs of an unidentified force and human experimentation along their route if time allowed.
• Liu Yun told Hiruzen that Konoha's orphanage had stopped receiving funds, leaving its children hungry and forcing Nonō to work and take missions; Hiruzen promised to address it.
• Liu Yun returned to Tsunade's house to pack and remembered that his uncle had promised him a chakra metal blade when he graduated.

Liu Yun visited his injured uncle Naoto, received his forehead protector from him and his aunt, and inherited the Hayate Clan’s Chakra Metal Sword. Before departing on a mission, he learned that Hiruzen Sarutobi had promised support for the orphanage, then set out with his teammates.

• Liu Yun reassured Naoto at the hospital, and Naoto praised his rapid growth and the honor he brought the Hayate Clan.
• Liu Yun asked Naoto and his aunt to tie his forehead protector on him, and Naoto decided it was time to pass down the clan sword.
• Liu Yun found the Chakra Metal Sword in a hidden chamber, tested its chakra-enhancing effects, and considered getting Maruboshi Kosuke a less costly sword as a gift.
• Nonō thanked Liu Yun and told him Hiruzen Sarutobi had promised the orphanage children would not go hungry, then invited him to visit after the mission.
• Maruboshi Kosuke led Liu Yun, Nonō, and Shibi Aburame out of Konoha for their mission.

Liu Yun’s team discovered a village where members of the Jashin Cult from the Land of Hot Water had conducted horrific human experiments. Liu Yun killed the two cultists, and the team prepared to search for more.

• Liu Yun led Maruboshi Kosuke, Shibi Aburame, and Nonō toward the Land of Fire’s border, and they rested overnight after traveling for a day and night.
• Liu Yun noticed blood near a small village and entered to investigate, where he overheard two men discussing experiments on captured villagers.
• Liu Yun recognized the men as members of the Jashin Cult and found a room filled with mutilated bodies arranged around a blood-drawn symbol.
• The cult leader ordered his companion to capture Liu Yun, but Liu Yun struck both men with lightning and killed them with his blade.
• Maruboshi Kosuke, Shibi Aburame, and Nonō arrived, saw the experiments, and agreed to take the cultists’ heads and search for others.

After handing over the captured men, Maruboshi Kosuke began training Liu Yun, Shibi Aburame, and Nonō while Liu Yun refined a fake Jashin pendant and sensed something calling from the Land of Hot Water. Meanwhile, Raito warned that Kumogakure’s envoy’s hot-spring stop could expose their secret route, but Yoshikage insisted on going.

• Maruboshi Kosuke said the border patrol would send the two captured men’s heads back to Konoha, then offered to teach the group while they waited for Kumogakure’s envoy mission.
• Liu Yun refined the fake Jashin pendant, gaining reduced pain perception and the ability to sense entities from other planes.
• After equipping the pendant, Liu Yun felt a vague call coming from the direction of the Land of Hot Water.
• Raito objected when Yoshikage’s servant demanded a hot-spring visit, warning that crowded bathhouses could reveal the envoy’s secret route.
• Yoshikage backed his servant, and Raito told his ninja to find a secluded bathhouse and keep their identities hidden.

Liu Yun sensed a presence tied to the Reaper Death Seal and began studying the technique, hoping [Otherworld Resonance] would help him master it. Meanwhile, Yoshikage was confronted at a bathhouse by a masked ninja who had been searching for him.

• Liu Yun considered investigating the Jashin Cult in the Land of Hot Water after [Otherworld Resonance] sensed a summons from there.
• Liu Yun sensed a distant, cold presence and suspected it was the Shinigami summoned by the Reaper Death Seal.
• Liu Yun reasoned that [Otherworld Resonance] might help him bypass some sealing knowledge and began studying the Reaper Death Seal.
• Yoshikage enjoyed the hot springs in the Land of Hot Water and asked his servant to arrange entertainment.
• A woman brought to Yoshikage’s bathhouse vanished and revealed herself as a masked ninja, who declared that she had finally found him.

Raito’s Kumogakure envoy was ambushed by disguised attackers, and he fled with Yoshikage before encountering Konoha ninjas who turned on him. Meanwhile, Liu Yun studied the Reaper Death Seal until an explosion prompted him and Maruboshi Kosuke to investigate.

• A servant was killed at the bathhouse, and Raito found Yoshikage unconscious and carried him outside as disguised attackers struck the Kumogakure envoy.
• Raito and the Kumogakure ninjas fought the attackers, then split up and fled toward their rendezvous with Konoha.
• Wounded and burdened by Yoshikage, Raito reached a group of Konoha ninjas who identified the envoy and ordered him killed.
• Liu Yun concluded that Otherworld Resonance could help him master the Reaper Death Seal, then heard an explosion nearby.
• Maruboshi Kosuke agreed with Liu Yun that something was wrong, and they set off to investigate.

Liu Yun's squad found the surviving Kumogakure envoy, who said both Iwagakure and Konoha ninja were hunting them. When Maruboshi Kosuke stayed behind to face the pursuers, Liu Yun secured the others in a cave and set out to save his teacher.

• Liu Yun's squad encountered Raito carrying an unconscious, unclothed envoy, and Raito confirmed he was from Kumogakure.
• Raito said Iwagakure and Konoha ninja had attacked the envoy group, while Shibi Aburame sensed twelve powerful pursuers closing in.
• Maruboshi Kosuke chose to stay behind and hold off the pursuers so Liu Yun, Shibi Aburame, and Nonō could escape with the envoys.
• Liu Yun brought the envoys and his companions to a cave, summoned Katsuyu to protect them, and sealed the entrance with Earth Release.
• Liu Yun headed back to rescue Maruboshi Kosuke and broke his prepared ninja blade, activating its enhanced strength and Bloodlust effects.

Liu Yun returned to help Maruboshi Kosuke hold off two masked groups attacking the Kumogakure Envoy Mission. After they fought their way through a desperate exchange, Liu Yun reassured Kosuke that Shibi and Nonō were safe, though the ten remaining enemies still surrounded them.

• Maruboshi Kosuke persuaded the masked groups to cooperate, but one group tried to pass him and pursue Liu Yun and the others.
• Kosuke attacked the eleven enemies with Konoha Style: Willow and Water Release techniques, keeping them from chasing the mission as his strength waned.
• Liu Yun returned and struck two enemies with lightning, then used Earth Release: Earth Shore Return to protect Kosuke.
• Liu Yun killed one enemy and helped Kosuke fend off the others, but ten masked ninja closed in on them.
• Kosuke asked about Shibi and Nonō and learned Liu Yun had left them somewhere safe under a slug's protection.
• Kosuke realized Liu Yun had summoned Katsuyu and asked how much chakra he had left; Liu Yun said he still had some.