Recaps

Yanbai caught Hanzō after he attacked the children in Orochimaru’s home, then refused to hear his explanation and tried to kill him. Hanzō escaped the house in an explosion and attempted to flee underground as Tobirama extinguished the spreading fire and Konoha’s Military Police arrived.

• Yanbai’s Flower of Thorns drained Ibuse, healed the poisoned children with white roses, and bound the masked attacker.
• Uchiha Sumi recognized Yanbai’s Wood Release as the Flower of Thorns while he and Orochimaru carried the unconscious Jiraiya away.
• Yanbai identified the attacker as Hanzō and decided to kill him without hearing his explanation.
• Hanzō broke through a window, used fire release amid the poison gas and explosive tags, and tried to escape underground.
• Tobirama’s water release extinguished the fire, while the Konoha Military Police Force rushed to the scene.

Yanbai used Konoha’s plants to drive Hanzō through the sewers and capture him alive after he tried to flee. At the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters, Yanbai’s identity card stunned the officer taking his statement.

• Yanbai realized Hanzō had likely come to abduct Orochimaru and Tobirama Senju or steal their research, and he sent Konoha’s plants into a frenzy.
• Hanzō fled through the sewers, where Yanbai’s roots chased him through the filth and stripped away his ninja tools.
• Yanbai had the plants drag Hanzō out, wound him, and repeatedly dunk him in the sewers before handing him to the Konoha Military Police Force.
• Yanbai and his family went to the Konoha Military Police Force to give statements, and the officer was stunned after checking Yanbai’s identity card against the records.

Yanbai visited the Konoha Military Police Force, where young Shimura Danzō took his statement and let him request how Hanzō would be treated. After Yanbai asked them to disinfect Hanzō with quicklime, he confronted the prisoner and revealed the secret behind his breathing mask.

• Shimura Danzō questioned Yanbai, then offered to let him see Hanzō and make a request about the prisoner’s treatment.
• Yanbai asked the Konoha Military Police Force not to bathe Hanzō, then suggested they disinfect him with quicklime after learning they had already washed him with Water Release.
• Shimura Danzō ordered his colleagues to apply quicklime to Hanzō, who was left badly burned and covered in white residue.
• Yanbai entered the detention facility without a mask and approached Hanzō while Shimura Danzō and the other officers prepared to record what he said.
• Yanbai revealed that Hanzō had received the Poison Gland of the venomous Black Ibuse, making him resistant to poison but causing poisonous gas to spread whenever he breathed.

Yanbai misled Hanzō and the Konoha Military Police Force with a mix of true details and fabricated claims about Hanzō’s abilities, ambitions, and plans. After returning to Konoha Hospital, Yanbai learned that Tobirama Senju intended to stay there and await death once Orochimaru recovered.

• Yanbai described Hanzō as a poison jinchūriki to Shimura Danzō and the Konoha Military Police Force, who recorded his account.
• Yanbai embarrassed Hanzō by revealing his demigod reputation and accusing him of warmongering and seeking peace through his “Ultimate Freeloading Technique.”
• Yanbai outlined how Hanzō would struggle against Sunagakure, Ōnoki, and the Land of Iron, then mocked his decision to provoke Konoha and Yanbai.
• Yanbai used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Tobirama Senju at Konoha Hospital, where Orochimaru and the other children were recovering.
• Tobirama Senju told Yanbai he would remain in the hospital and await death after Orochimaru was out of danger, and Yanbai accepted his decision.

Yanbai returned to Madara Uchiha and helped him manage their two overweight cats before visiting their dying old friends. A few quiet days later, Orochimaru brought news that Tobirama Senju had died, leaving Yanbai and Madara silent.

• Yanbai found Madara Uchiha watching Kagura and Divine Return exchange lazy paw swats, and helped him devise a noodle-based way to make the cats exercise.
• Yanbai told Madara about the previous night’s events, including Hanzō’s humiliating punishment.
• Yanbai took Madara to visit Uchiha Izuna, who was unconscious and being cared for by the Nine-Tails; Madara chose not to have him healed.
• Yanbai and Madara visited Tobirama Senju, who refused further treatment because he did not want to burden Orochimaru.
• After a few uneventful days, Orochimaru arrived and told Yanbai and Madara that Tobirama had died and had asked them not to hold a funeral or grieve too much.

After Tobirama Senju and Izuna died, Yanbai mourned the people around him as immortality left him watching loved ones pass away. Madara Uchiha also died peacefully and departed for Yanbai’s other world, leaving Zetsu suspicious that Yanbai had secretly plotted with him.

• Orochimaru handled Tobirama Senju and Izuna’s remains in secret, while Yanbai grieved their deaths.
• Madara Uchiha wondered aloud whether he had little time left and said he no longer needed to be revived.
• Yanbai reflected that he had treated Madara well so Madara would help him after death, and Madara died peacefully with Yanbai and the cats beside him.
• Yanbai arranged Madara Uchiha’s remains and kept his soul outside the Land of the Dead.
• Zetsu confronted Yanbai about Madara’s death and, after hearing that Madara’s soul might be in Yanbai’s Dōjutsu World, warned him to keep any schemes hidden from Zetsu and Kaguya.

Yanbai explained why Madara Uchiha had to break his seal in another virtual world before Yanbai could escape the Shinobi World. Madara awakened in a powerful role in a world with the Akademiya, while Yanbai remained isolated and learned of Hanzō’s crimes against the Uzumaki Clan.

• Yanbai waited for Madara Uchiha’s progress, knowing he needed Madara to free Yanbai’s incarnation in another virtual world without triggering an alarm.
• Madara Uchiha entered a new body in another world and learned that the Akademiya’s scholars had insulted and helped imprison the person he sought.
• Madara declared that the scholars had now wronged him and implied he would take action against them.
• Yanbai learned from Zetsu and Orochimaru that Konoha’s investigation had exposed Hanzō’s trafficking and murder of Uzumaki Clan members.
• Orochimaru told Yanbai that the Land of Rain had gained a large population of adolescents with mixed Uzumaki ancestry.

Mito Uzumaki visited Yanbai with Kushina and realized he was a man, though his body appeared female. After explaining why she had kept her distance from him, Yanbai listened as Mito revealed her declining health and her plan to entrust Kushina to him, leaving that decision uncertain.

• Mito Uzumaki brought Kushina to Yanbai's Mountain Gate after the Uzumaki Clan sought Konoha's help.
• Yanbai told Mito that he disliked how easily she saw through him, and Mito concluded that he was a man.
• Mito inferred that Yanbai's circumstances had made intimacy and marriage painful for him, and she asked whether she could help.
• Yanbai told Mito to stop making trouble for him, while Mito explained that her health was failing and she had intended to leave Kushina in his care.

Yanbai explained to Mito how he had obtained powers from Hashirama and Madara, while Mito revealed the rising tensions between the nations and asked him to protect Kushina. The chapter ended with Mito facing the awkward problem of entrusting the young girl to Yanbai, who had become an old man.

• Yanbai told Mito that he had healed Hashirama to copy his abilities, then used warmth and Genjutsu to obtain the power he wanted from Madara.
• Mito chose not to challenge Yanbai about his motives and warned him that tensions were rising as Konoha's older generation died and other countries tested its strength.
• Mito said the Daimyo had not responded as conflict intensified among the nations surrounding the Land of Fire.
• Mito explained that the Uzumaki Clan had sent Kushina to her for protection after catching Kirigakure spies, and she asked Yanbai to look after the girl.
• Mito struggled with the dilemma of entrusting Kushina to Yanbai after he had suddenly become an old man.

As tensions rose between Konoha and the other countries, Mito told Yanbai that Kirigakure was gathering intelligence on the Land of Whirlpools and the Uzumaki Clan feared an invasion. Yanbai refused to protect them for free and demanded payment, leaving Mito to deliver his ultimatum.

• Mito explained that Kima Senju was frightened by the growing threat and that the Uzumaki Clan wanted to join a war if one began.
• Mito reported that Kirigakure had sent spies to the Land of Whirlpools for months, and Yanbai reasoned that an invasion would test Konoha's strength.
• Yanbai had Satsuki Cat take the nervous Kushina to the bathroom while he and Mito discussed the Uzumaki Clan's motives for sending her to him.
• Yanbai rejected the idea of protecting the Uzumaki Clan for free and demanded mission payment or the clan's secret jutsu.
• Yanbai warned that he might conquer the Land of Whirlpools himself if the Uzumaki Clan tried to take advantage of him, and Mito agreed to pass on his words.

Yanbai refused to help the Uzumaki Clan as it prepared to face war alone, while Mito kept trying to persuade him to reconsider. After accepting Mito’s kitchen waste processor and discussing the clan’s future, Yanbai contemplated how a joint assault on Konoha might play out and hinted at using giant hogweed against enemy countries.

• The Uzumaki Clan’s new leader condemned Konoha and decided to muster the Land of Whirlpools to face the coming war alone, while Yanbai dismissed the clan’s plight.
• Mito began visiting Yanbai with Kushina and brought him a kitchen waste processor, which Yanbai gleefully tested as a potential corpse shredder.
• Mito told Yanbai that the Uzumaki Clan had begun preparing for war and apologized for continuing to raise the subject.
• Yanbai explained that Mito hoped to preserve family ties as a way to secure help for her descendants, but he saw no reason to assist the Uzumaki Clan.
• Yanbai considered the possibility that other countries would launch a joint assault on Konoha and wondered what giant hogweed could do to their lands, alarming Mito.

The Land of Whirlpools remained untouched as the other nations feared Konoha and Yanbai, until Kumogakure unexpectedly attacked the Land of Fire. Yanbai welcomed the chance to fight, leaving Kima Senju and Mito alarmed about what he would do next.

• Mito told Yanbai that the Uzumaki Clan's leader had prepared the clan for casualties, and Yanbai praised his reasoning while pointing out its flaws.
• A month passed without any nation attacking the Land of Whirlpools, partly because Konoha spread word of Yanbai's defeat of Hanzō and advertised the incident as a warning to other countries.
• The Uzumaki Clan continued training and spread rumors that Princess Senju would avenge the Land of Whirlpools if it were destroyed, further deterring the Four Countries.
• Kumogakure unexpectedly attacked the Land of Fire, and Kima Senju brought the intelligence to Yanbai and asked for his advice.
• Yanbai smiled at the news and welcomed the chance to fight, making Kima Senju tremble as Mito asked what he planned to do.

Yanbai declined to take part in Konoha’s war preparations, preferring to remain a carefree old man, while Orochimaru concealed his research into immortality from Tobirama Senju. The chapter left Orochimaru continuing his secret investigation into Yanbai.

• Yanbai told Mito and Kima Senju that he was too old to take action and did not want to become Konoha’s muscle.
• Kima Senju left to arrange affairs in Konoha and coordinate war preparations with the Land of Fire Daimyo’s Residence.
• Mito took Kushina back to the Senju Clan Compound, and Yanbai returned to the Underground Palace with Satsuki as cold rain began to fall.
• Orochimaru visited Tobirama Senju in the Konoha Research Institute, where Tobirama confronted him about trying to create a child from Yanbai and Madara’s genes.
• Orochimaru apologized and agreed not to use the stored materials, but privately revealed that his true research concerned immortality and Yanbai.

On a rainy night, Orochimaru visited Yanbai and admitted that he had secretly summoned Tobirama Senju and planned to use Yanbai and his father's cells to create an artificial human. Yanbai mistook the plan for research into asexual reproduction, leaving Orochimaru struggling to hide his true pursuit of immortality.

• Yanbai waited beneath the eaves with Satsuki as messenger birds returned through the rain.
• Orochimaru arrived at the Princess Mausoleum and nervously followed Yanbai into the Underground Palace.
• Over tea, Orochimaru accidentally revealed that he had secretly used Impure World Reincarnation to summon Tobirama Senju.
• Orochimaru claimed he had wanted to combine Yanbai's somatic cells with his father's to create an artificial human, and said Tobirama had objected.
• Yanbai assumed Orochimaru was studying asexual reproduction, while Orochimaru feared that admitting his real immortality research would be a trap.

Orochimaru admitted to Yanbai that he was researching immortality and had used Yanbai and Madara’s cells as cover for his experiments on artificially creating a child. Yanbai realized Tobirama had likely put away Orochimaru’s materials to steer him toward the child research, since Tobirama had no interest in immortality.

• Orochimaru confessed to Yanbai that he was researching immortality and had used the child project as a cover, while avoiding experiments on people from Konoha or the Land of Fire.
• Orochimaru explained that he had not dared ask Tobirama about immortality, though Tobirama shared his pragmatic views on medical experiments and had put away the experimental materials.
• Yanbai surmised that Tobirama knew about Orochimaru’s true research but had used the child project to direct him toward creating an artificial child.
• Yanbai pointed out that Orochimaru could use his own cells and Tsunade’s for the child research, and suggested Tobirama would withhold the materials unless Orochimaru told him the truth.

Orochimaru followed a group of rats into their underground kingdom, believing he might find the path to immortality Yanbai had pointed out. There he discovered that the elderly rat Cherry Ink had become a childlike human, though how he had changed remained unexplained.

• Orochimaru recalled Yanbai’s advice that studying his and Madara’s cells would not reveal immortality, and that his opportunity lay on the road to Konoha.
• Rats approached Orochimaru in the rain and signaled for him to follow them.
• Orochimaru followed the rats through the underground marketplace beneath a towering tree to a large hall.
• Orochimaru met a child who spoke with an old man’s manner and recognized Cherry Ink in his face and eyes.
• Cherry Ink revealed his identity, and Orochimaru asked how he had become human.

Yanbai explained to Tobirama why Madara had arranged his escape from the sealed coffin and why he had not resurrected the Senju brothers. Tobirama accepted Yanbai’s choices, then revealed that he had uncovered the secret behind Cherry Ink’s longevity.

• Tobirama apologized for studying Yanbai’s genes and told him that Madara had once promised to resurrect Hashirama.
• Yanbai explained that a being had trapped him in a coffin until Madara and Hashirama died, and that Madara later arranged to leave the world temporarily so Yanbai could emerge.
• Yanbai said he could resurrect Tobirama and Hashirama but was unsure whether doing so meant he also had to resurrect Kawarama and Itama.
• Tobirama said he supported Yanbai and believed the younger brothers had already received more life than they were owed.
• Tobirama revealed that he had experimented with Yanbai’s cells and discovered that Cherry Ink gained longevity by possessing new bodies and replacing its old ones.

Yanbai explained how Cherry Ink had used Living Corpse Reincarnation to survive by possessing dying children and helping them and their communities. Tobirama Senju admitted he wanted to create a child from Yanbai and Madara Uchiha’s genes, and asked Yanbai to let him proceed with his research.

• Yanbai told Tobirama Senju that he had given Cherry Ink Orochimaru’s perfected Living Corpse Reincarnation technique after making agreements with it.
• Tobirama Senju explained that Cherry Ink had eventually possessed dying children in impoverished border countries, using Konoha’s medical care to extend their lives.
• Yanbai described how Cherry Ink had become the Rat Sage, raised the children it healed, and trained them to treat others.
• Tobirama Senju said he had sent Orochimaru to find Cherry Ink because he wanted to stop him wasting Yanbai’s cells on flawed research.
• Tobirama Senju revealed that he had developed a method to synthesize life from parental genes and asked Yanbai not to stop him from trying to create a child using Yanbai and Madara Uchiha’s genes.

Tobirama Senju told Yanbai he wanted to create an artificial child using his cells, but Yanbai objected and realized Tobirama had probably already started the experiment. Tobirama left Yanbai suspecting he might conceal the child if Yanbai continued to refuse.

• Tobirama Senju told Yanbai he wanted to synthesize an artificial child from his cells and offered samples from other men as possible fathers.
• Tobirama Senju interpreted Yanbai's reluctance as a desire to avoid ties to Madara Uchiha and suggested Madara as the most suitable father.
• Yanbai asked Tobirama Senju to imagine how frightening it would be for children to suddenly appear and call someone Dad.
• Tobirama Senju described his research, including artificial womb technology and successful creation of baby rats from blood and somatic cells.
• Yanbai realized Tobirama Senju had likely already begun synthesizing a child and had come only to prepare him for the news.

Yanbai learned that Tobirama Senju had secretly created two children using Yanbai and Madara Uchiha's cells. After Tobirama showed him their photographs and explained their origins, Yanbai asked about their names and learned they were nicknamed Night and Silver.

• Yanbai confronted Tobirama Senju about the children created from his cellular material, and Tobirama admitted he had made two.
• Tobirama explained that Yanbai's cells were too aggressive for an XX pairing, so only XY and YX combinations succeeded.
• Tobirama presented photographs of the two children, who were already several months old and had been raised in a hidden research facility.
• Tobirama told Yanbai that the black-haired older child resembled Madara Uchiha, while the silver-haired younger child resembled Yanbai.
• Yanbai asked what the children were called, and Tobirama said their nicknames were Night and Silver.

Yanbai accepted Tobirama Senju’s explanation for the two children he had created, named them Muye and Silver Moon, and began caring for them with Tobirama. Meanwhile, Orochimaru learned Cherry Ink’s method for Living Corpse Reincarnation and suspected Cherry Ink was seeking to become fully human.

• Yanbai named the children Muye and Silver Moon after Tobirama Senju explained that his curiosity had led him to create them and that he could not bring himself to end their lives.
• Tobirama Senju brought the sleeping children to Yanbai before dawn, and Yanbai accepted them while Tobirama prepared supplies and food for them.
• Yanbai held Silver Moon and watched over both children as Tobirama Senju cared for them.
• Cherry Ink taught Orochimaru the techniques, materials, and cellular theories behind Living Corpse Reincarnation, and Orochimaru accepted the safe method.
• Cherry Ink told Orochimaru that he was a rat whose soul coexisted with the sick child whose body he shared.
• Orochimaru realized Cherry Ink might be refining Living Corpse Reincarnation to become a true human.

Cherry Ink relayed Yanbai’s anger at Tobirama Senju’s schemes and his request for Orochimaru to test Tobirama’s artificial-human technology in a humiliating way. Back with Yanbai and the babies, Cherry Ink offered to help raise them, but Tobirama insisted on caring for them himself.

• Zhi told Cherry Ink that Yanbai wanted Orochimaru to learn what Tobirama had done and take action.
• Cherry Ink explained that Tobirama had used Orochimaru to test Yanbai’s acceptance of artificial humans and the children.
• Cherry Ink passed on Yanbai’s plan for Orochimaru to pair Tobirama’s cells with those of unmarried, childless male shinobi and later have the children call Tobirama “Mommy.”
• Cherry Ink visited Yanbai and Tobirama while Tobirama was feeding Muye and Silver Moon.
• Cherry Ink offered to help raise the children, but Tobirama rejected the offer and said he would care for them himself.

Yanbai and Cherry Ink arranged a secret plan with Orochimaru to collect a powerful person's cells while Tobirama returned to work. As Kumogakure attacked, Yanbai abandoned his plans to visit the Land of Lightning, and Kima Senju sent Shukaku and Kurama to bombard the borders with support from Chōmei.

• After Tobirama left, Cherry Ink told Yanbai that he and Orochimaru had devised a way to collect cells without Tobirama noticing.
• Cherry Ink explained that Orochimaru would obtain cells from a chosen powerful person and secretly pass them to Cherry Ink for gene-combination research.
• The Land of Fire used compulsory education, weapons, and forced prison labor to strengthen its population and economy while dealing with criminals.
• Yanbai decided not to travel to the Land of Lightning after Kumogakure launched an attack.
• After consulting Yanbai, Kima Senju sent Shukaku and Kurama to the borders, where Chōmei provided aerial support for their attacks on neighboring countries.

Madara Uchiha continued his investigation and work as Sumeru’s General Mahamatra in Teyvat, then met Yanbai in a dream. Yanbai told him that Tobirama had created two artificial sons from Madara and Yanbai’s cells, and Madara agreed to meet them through scheduled dreams.

• Madara sensed something near a Deity Statue and used it to enter the dream boundary where he could meet Yanbai.
• Yanbai told Madara that Tobirama had secretly used their cells to create two artificial humans, making Madara a father after death.
• Madara agreed to prepare for scheduled dream visits with the two sons.
• Madara described his work investigating clues across the desert and rainforest while serving as General Mahamatra and gathering information through card games.
• Madara had a scholar who used counterfeit cards reprimanded and made him post a notice and written self-criticism, adding to his intimidating reputation and growing list of nicknames.

Madara Uchiha survived an attempted murder in the new world and dealt with a fleeing scholar by framing his death as a boar accident. Meanwhile, Orochimaru received Yanbai’s hair and tried to access a deceased powerhouse’s cells, but Tobirama Senju caught him.

• Madara Uchiha woke as a scholar held a dagger to his throat and knocked the man unconscious.
• Madara captured a scholar who had fled into the rainforest and planned to report that the man had died in a boar accident.
• A butterfly led Orochimaru to Xiao Zhi, who gave him a box containing a lock of Yanbai’s hair.
• Orochimaru returned to the Research Institute and encountered Tobirama Senju, who said he was going for a walk.
• Orochimaru went to the storage area for the remains and cells of past figures, but Tobirama asked what he was doing.