Chapter Summaries

Liu Yun refused to abandon the wounded Maruboshi Kosuke, and the two fought back against their pursuers. As new Konoha and Yugakure teams emerged from the forest, Liu Yun realized the Land of Fire’s border had become a gathering point for multiple factions.

• Liu Yun rejected Maruboshi Kosuke’s order to flee and lent him the Chakra Metal Sword so they could fight together.
• Liu Yun used Wind Release and Lightning Release to kill the four Konoha-protected pursuers and support Maruboshi Kosuke against the Iwagakure-protected ninjas.
• Liu Yun recovered chakra through the Bloodthirst trait and moved to help Maruboshi Kosuke, who had killed two opponents.
• Two more teams, one wearing Konoha forehead protectors and one wearing Yugakure forehead protectors, emerged from the forest as the opposing sides paused warily.

Liu Yun returned to the valley with Maruboshi Kosuke after marking a fleeing “Iwagakure” ninja and confirming that one Konoha ninja was genuine. Yoshikage woke in the cave and revealed how he had become caught up in the pursuit, while Liu Yun turned his attention to studying the Reaper Death Seal.

• The “Iwagakure” ninja destroyed their comrades’ bodies and fled as Liu Yun defended Maruboshi Kosuke, marked one of the enemies with chakra, and tracked the marked target’s location.
• Liu Yun and Maruboshi Kosuke met a Konoha ninja on the way back, and Maruboshi Kosuke verified his identity before Liu Yun sealed away the bodies for the Yamanaka Clan to examine.
• Liu Yun and Maruboshi Kosuke returned to the valley, where Nonō and Shibi Aburame greeted them and Katsuyu departed.
• Yoshikage woke in the cave, and Liu Yun questioned him until he explained that he had encountered spies while visiting hot springs and had been hunted afterward.
• Liu Yun dismissed Yoshikage’s troubles and began sensing another plane as he studied the Reaper Death Seal.

Liu Yun returned to Konoha with the surviving members of the mission, reported the attack to Hiruzen Sarutobi, and kept his suspicions about Danzo to himself. At home, he refined the Shinigami Mask into his first purple-quality equipment.

• Liu Yun sent Maruboshi Kosuke and the Kumogakure envoys to the hospital while he took Yoshikage to report to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi received Liu Yun's evidence about the disguised attackers and ordered an Anbu ninja to take it to the Yamanaka clan head.
• Liu Yun concealed his suspicion that Danzo's men had led the second attack and left the Hokage Building to return to Tsunade's home.
• Liu Yun found that the Shinigami Mask's special condition was met and began refining it.
• Liu Yun successfully refined the Shinigami Mask into purple-quality equipment with Contractor's Privilege, Spirit Perception, and Soul Master traits.

Liu Yun equipped a trait that let him sense souls across a one-kilometer radius and gained a reusable Reaper Death Seal, then returned to Konoha and was examined by Tsunade. Hiruzen Sarutobi later asked Danzo whether they could have saved Tobirama Senju if they had gone back together.

• Liu Yun equipped [Contractor's Privilege] and gained the ability to sense soul signatures within one kilometer.
• Liu Yun spotted Tsunade's bright soul signature, memorized it, and met her outside the Senju Clan Compound.
• Liu Yun told Tsunade about the mission, and she insisted on examining his injuries.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Danzo that Liu Yun had saved Kosuke after Kosuke stayed behind to cover his students' retreat.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Danzo whether Teacher Tobirama could have survived if they had gone back to help him together.

Liu Yun cooked dinner with Tsunade for Kushina and the others, then asked Tsunade to guard him while he learned the Spirit Transformation Technique. He prepared to practice the soul-based jutsu in his room, with Tsunade agreeing to keep him safe.

• Liu Yun invited Tsunade to help prepare dinner, and the two cooked several dishes together.
• Kushina, Nawaki, and the Uzumaki Clan members returned from school and enjoyed Liu Yun's meal.
• After dinner, Liu Yun told Tsunade he wanted to learn the Spirit Transformation Technique and explained that using it left his body defenseless.
• Tsunade agreed to watch over Liu Yun, sent Nawaki and Kushina outside, and led him to his room.

Liu Yun practiced the Spirit Transformation Technique and considered using it to infiltrate Danzo’s Root Base for Hashirama cells, but decided to master the jutsu first. In Iwagakure, Ōnoki learned that another squad had vanished and ordered spies to investigate Konoha and Kumogakure.

• Liu Yun used his Spirit Sensing trait to perceive his soul and successfully separate it from his body while Tsunade watched over his training.
• Liu Yun considered using the Spirit Transformation Technique to scout Root Base and obtain Hashirama cells or Sharingan, but chose to wait until he had mastered the jutsu.
• Liu Yun estimated that forming his soul into a tangible shape would take a little over half a month and planned to train while Maruboshi Kosuke recovered.
• An Anbu ninja told Ōnoki that Shitai’s squad had gone missing and that signs of battle had been found near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water.
• Ōnoki recalled that his previous squad sent to Uzushio Village had also disappeared without reporting back, then ordered spies in Kumogakure and Konoha to gather information at any cost.

Liu Yun learned that Konoha had found a chakra metal mine in the Land of Waterfalls and offered to join any related missions. At the hospital, Maruboshi Kosuke arranged for Hatake Sakumo to teach Liu Yun kenjutsu, and Liu Yun discovered Sakumo possessed a new equipment material.

• Liu Yun asked Ayaka Uzumaki about Minato's early graduation and learned that Jiraiya had assigned Minato a mission he needed to complete first.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Liu Yun that Hatake Sakumo had confirmed the chakra metal mine was real and that Takigakure had probably not found it.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi chose to wait before acting, while Liu Yun volunteered for any missions involving the mine or Takigakure.
• Liu Yun visited Maruboshi Kosuke at the hospital and met Hatake Sakumo, who had returned from his mission.
• Maruboshi Kosuke asked Sakumo to give Liu Yun kenjutsu pointers, and Sakumo invited Liu Yun to visit his home.
• Liu Yun shook Sakumo's hand and detected new equipment material.

Liu Yun received Hatake Sakumo’s offer to teach him kenjutsu, then bought ninja tools and began training to learn the Rasengan. By the end, he had burst the water balloon and was still working on the rubber ball.

• Hatake Sakumo left the hospital, and Maruboshi Kosuke urged Liu Yun to take advantage of Sakumo’s offer to teach him kenjutsu.
• Liu Yun bought ninja tool sets for Hatake Sakumo, Kushina, and Nonō.
• Back at the Senju Clan Compound, Liu Yun chose to develop the Rasengan instead of Chidori.
• Liu Yun used chakra control to burst the water balloon, then started practicing with a rubber ball.
• Liu Yun continued training as bulges appeared intermittently on the rubber ball.