Chapter Summaries

Ruri took Momokusa Harukawa to Back Mountain after their meal, where she asked him to recount his battlefield experiences. Frightened by his account, Momokusa Harukawa asked whether he would protect her, and Ruri promised he would while urging her to keep training.

• Momokusa Harukawa finished a large meal with Ruri, and they headed to Back Mountain so she could exercise.
• At Back Mountain, Momokusa Harukawa asked Ruri to tell her what had happened to him on the battlefield.
• Ruri described the cruelty of war and warned Momokusa Harukawa that she needed to become stronger to survive.
• Momokusa Harukawa asked Ruri whether he would rescue and protect her if she faced danger on a battlefield.
• Ruri promised to protect Momokusa Harukawa wherever she was, then reminded her to keep improving her strength.

Momokusa Harukawa showed Ruri how powerful her Rasengan had become, then asked to see his Fire Release. When sudden rain left her feeling cold, Ruri lit a fire with his flames, and she began to warm up and recover.

• Momokusa Harukawa used her Rasengan to tear a large hole through a tree trunk.
• Ruri praised Momokusa Harukawa’s progress, and she asked to see his Fire Release.
• Rain began falling, so Ruri and Momokusa Harukawa took shelter beneath a tree.
• Momokusa Harukawa sneezed and said she felt cold, so Ruri checked her temperature and prepared a fire.
• Ruri used his flames to ignite dry branches, and Momokusa Harukawa warmed up and began to recover.

Ruri and Momokusa Harukawa watched a sunshower and talked about her plans after graduation. They arranged an outing for the next day so Harukawa could meet Ruri’s Anbu teammate.

• Ruri and Momokusa Harukawa watched the sunshower and discussed how rain could fall while the sun was shining.
• Momokusa Harukawa thanked Ruri for making a fire to keep her warm and said she planned to find him after graduating next year.
• Momokusa Harukawa told Ruri that Linghua and Akagimaru were preparing to graduate and hoped to join the Anbu.
• Ruri invited Momokusa Harukawa to meet his Anbu teammate, and Harukawa suggested inviting Linghua and the others on an outing the next day.
• Ruri and Momokusa Harukawa agreed to the outing.

After a sunshower, Ruri admired a rainbow with Momokusa Harukawa and confirmed their outing for the next day. He returned to Mei Ling Hyuga’s home with gifts, where she welcomed him and prepared his favorite lunch; Ruri planned to tell Yugao about the outing.

• The sunshower ended, and Ruri and Momokusa Harukawa admired a rainbow before agreeing to meet for an outing the next day.
• Ruri walked Momokusa Harukawa home, then bought food, toys, and snacks for Mei Ling Hyuga and Neji Hyuga.
• Mei Ling Hyuga accepted Ruri’s gifts and reminded him to ask her for money if he ever needed it.
• Mei Ling Hyuga said she had made Ruri’s favorite food for lunch, and Ruri played with Neji Hyuga while he waited.
• Ruri thought about telling Yugao about the outing and keeping his friends safe from the dangers of joining the Anbu.

After lunch with Mei Ling Hyuga, Ruri went to Uzuki Yugao’s home to speak with her before heading to the Back Mountain to train. He used the Body Flicker Technique to enter and found Yugao practicing shuriken alone.

• Mei Ling Hyuga served lunch to Ruri and Neji Hyuga, and Ruri praised her cooking.
• After they finished eating, Ruri left Mei Ling Hyuga’s house, saying he had something to do.
• Ruri headed to Uzuki Yugao’s home, planning to talk to her and then train at the Back Mountain.
• Ruri chose to use the Body Flicker Technique to enter Yugao’s home.
• Ruri found Uzuki Yugao alone, practicing throwing shuriken.

Ruri visited Uzuki Yugao and invited her to join an outing with his friend Harukawa the next day. Yugao agreed and planned to meet Ruri in the morning, while Ruri headed to the Back Mountain.

• Ruri startled Uzuki Yugao while she practiced shuriken throwing, and she drew a kunai before recognizing him.
• Ruri apologized and went inside with Uzuki Yugao to talk.
• Ruri told Uzuki Yugao that he and Harukawa had agreed to go on an outing the next day and invited her along.
• Uzuki Yugao agreed to join and said she would come to Ruri's house in the morning.
• Ruri left using the Body Flicker Technique, then headed for the Back Mountain.

After rain interrupted his training at the Back Mountain, Ruri decided to begin learning Sage Mode while planning to remove his Cursed Seal later. He reviewed the different Sage Modes and their methods, leaving his next training goal established.

• Ruri started training at the Back Mountain but took shelter beneath a tree when sudden rain began.
• Ruri decided to use the interruption to rest and thought about his weakness, learning Sage Mode, and removing his Cursed Seal.
• Ruri considered how toad Sage Mode absorbed natural energy while still and required balancing three kinds of power.
• Ruri considered how snake Sage Mode could absorb natural energy while moving, though slowly, and demanded a strong body.
• Ruri reviewed Naruto Uzumaki's Sage Mode, its use of Shadow Clones, and the greater powers of Six Paths Sage Mode.

Ruri reflected on the importance of learning Sage Mode and senjutsu to survive the Shinobi World’s future threats. After rain spoiled his training for a second time, he headed to Mei Ling Hyuga’s home and planned to go on a picnic the next day.

• Ruri considered how Sage Mode and senjutsu would help him face powerful future enemies such as Kaguya and Six Paths Madara.
• Ruri recalled the Sage of Six Paths’s history and how he granted Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha Six Paths Power to seal Kaguya.
• Ruri wondered whether the Ninja Technique Encyclopedia in his Ring contained a way to train in Sage Mode.
• After two bouts of rain ruined his training, Ruri decided to go home and head out for a picnic the next day.
• Ruri went down the mountain toward Mei Ling Hyuga’s home.

After a disappointing day, Ruri prepared for an outing with Momokusa Harukawa and his friends. Uzuki Yugao joined him, and they headed to meet the others, with Yugao nervous about meeting Ruri’s friends.

• Ruri returned home and told Mei Ling Hyuga that the rain had ruined his day.
• Ruri ate dinner with Mei Ling Hyuga and Neji Hyuga, then went to sleep.
• The next morning, Ruri told Mei Ling Hyuga he was going on an outing and would miss lunch.
• Uzuki Yugao arrived to meet Ruri, excited about the special day and the fresh morning air.
• Ruri reassured the nervous Yugao as they set off for Momokusa Harukawa’s home to meet his friends.

Ruri brought his friends to meet Uzuki Yugao, who felt too shy to enter Momokusa Harukawa's house with him. After leaving the house, the group met Yugao, who apologized for being reserved.

• Uzuki Yugao declined Ruri's invitation to enter Momokusa Harukawa's house and waited outside.
• Ruri found Reika Hyuga, Akagimaru, and Uchiha Itachi gathered at Harukawa's house.
• Reika asked Ruri where his friend was, and Ruri explained that Yugao was waiting outside because she felt shy.
• Reika and Akagimaru bickered until Momokusa Harukawa urged everyone to leave.
• Ruri introduced his friends to Uzuki Yugao, who admitted she felt shy meeting them for the first time.

Ruri and his friends set out for a picnic in a forest clearing, where Uzuki Yugao met Momokusa Harukawa, Reika Hyuga, and Akagimaru. They split up to prepare the outing, with the boys gathering firewood and the girls preparing food.

• Uzuki Yugao introduced herself to Momokusa Harukawa, Reika Hyuga, and Akagimaru, who warmly welcomed her.
• Ruri led the group to a sunny clearing in the grove where he trained.
• Momokusa Harukawa assigned Ruri and the other two boys to gather firewood while the girls prepared the food.
• Ruri and the boys went to find branches after Momokusa Harukawa promised to make them plenty of delicious food.

Momokusa Harukawa asked Uzuki Yugao about life and missions in the Anbu, then tried to impress Ruri after he returned from gathering firewood. She massaged his shoulders, pleased that he praised her skill.

• Momokusa Harukawa and Reika Hyuga asked Uzuki Yugao about Anbu work and the kinds of missions its members carried out.
• Uzuki Yugao praised Uchiha Itachi's talent and said Ruri was also an acknowledged genius.
• Momokusa Harukawa suspected Uzuki Yugao liked Ruri and decided to get stronger so she could join the Anbu and stay close to him.
• Ruri, Akagimaru, and Uchiha Itachi returned with firewood, and Momokusa Harukawa told them the food was ready.
• Momokusa Harukawa massaged Ruri's shoulders, and he praised how soothing it felt.

Uzuki Yugao questioned her feelings for Ruri while watching Momokusa Harukawa massage his shoulders. Uchiha Itachi told Yugao he planned to join the Anbu to make Ruri his goal and eventually surpass him, then everyone gathered to grill and eat.

• Uzuki Yugao wondered whether she saw Ruri as a friend, comrade, teammate, or someone she secretly liked.
• Uchiha Itachi told Uzuki Yugao he would join the Anbu because he wanted to surpass Ruri, the strongest opponent he had met.
• Momokusa Harukawa called everyone over to begin grilling food, and they gathered around the grill.
• Ruri teased Reika Hyuga about the meat, and she blushed as she said she was trying to lose weight.
• Momokusa Harukawa went to the Small River to rinse more meat and vegetables while Ruri turned the slices on the grill.

Ruri enjoyed a barbecue with his friends and reflected on the peace they hoped to protect amid the threat of war. The friends put aside their worries and continued eating together.

• Ruri relaxed by the barbecue and spoke about how peaceful and refreshing the gathering felt.
• Uzuki Yugao and Uchiha Itachi lamented that trouble from other villages kept Konoha’s Anbu from enjoying peace.
• Akagimaru asked why people pursued war, and Ruri said they believed it could prove their strength and get them what they wanted.
• Ruri urged his friends to work together to resist invaders and protect Konoha and its villagers.
• Momokusa Harukawa returned with vegetables, and Ruri encouraged everyone to stop worrying and eat.
• Ruri’s friends chatted cheerfully over the barbecue as he thought about what it meant to be a true friend.

Ruri enjoyed a barbecue with her friends and reflected on how much her life had changed. Uzuki Yugao, who felt lonely among her ANBU teammates, was reassured that Ruri and the others considered her a friend.

• Momokusa Harukawa grilled meat for the group and explained that she usually cooked at home.
• Ruri savored the barbecue and felt grateful for the friends gathered around her.
• Uzuki Yugao said she envied their closeness because she had few friends in the ANBU.
• Ruri, Harukawa, Reika Hyuga, Uchiha Itachi, and Akagimaru assured Yugao that they were her friends and hoped to become her ANBU teammates.
• Yugao felt warmed by their words and smiled.

Ruri and his friends finished their meal and decided to go fishing at the Small River. He looked forward to spending time fishing with them, despite having little experience.

• Ruri asked Uchiha Itachi when he would report to the Anbu, and the two joked about surpassing each other.
• After lunch, Akagimaru invited Ruri to go fishing and claimed he was an expert.
• Momokusa Harukawa and Uzuki Yugao stayed behind to clean up while Ruri and the others headed to the Small River with homemade fishing gear.
• On the way, Uchiha Itachi boasted that he would catch a big fish, and Ruri doubted his fishing skills.
• Ruri recalled that he had gone fishing with his father as a child but had never learned how to fish.

Ruri, Akagimaru, and Uchiha Itachi reached a small river to go fishing while Reika Hyuga recoiled from the earthworms Akagimaru brought as bait. They started fishing nearby, leaving her to rest by herself.

• Reika Hyuga asked Ruri whether Itachi knew how to fish, and Ruri said he did not know.
• Akagimaru went to dig up earthworms for bait after the group reached the river.
• Reika Hyuga recoiled at the earthworms and said she would watch from the side.
• Ruri told Akagimaru to stop teasing Reika Hyuga and suggested she rest while they fished.
• Akagimaru, Ruri, and Uchiha Itachi went to the river's edge and began fishing.

Ruri, Akagimaru, and Uchiha Itachi went fishing at a clear river, where Akagimaru caught a tiny fish despite expecting a big one. Uchiha Itachi then lifted his rod with an enormous fish on the hook.

• Ruri praised the river's clear water and told Akagimaru and Uchiha Itachi that he had caught fish there by hand before.
• Akagimaru showed Ruri how to bait a hook and watch the float, while Reika Hyuga complained about touching earthworms.
• Akagimaru's float shook, and he pulled up a finger-length fish instead of the large one he had expected.
• Akagimaru insisted he would catch a big fish next, but Uchiha Itachi lifted his rod and revealed an enormous fish on his hook.

Ruri, Uchiha Itachi, and Akagimaru went fishing, and Ruri grew impatient when he failed to catch anything. He finally landed a big fish on his first fishing trip, while Reika Hyuga watched and praised Itachi.

• Uchiha Itachi caught a large fish, and Ruri praised his skill over Akagimaru's.
• Reika Hyuga watched the group and said Itachi was amazing.
• Ruri tried fishing but became impatient when he caught nothing while Akagimaru and Itachi caught several fish.
• Uchiha Itachi pointed out that Ruri's float was shaking, and Ruri pulled a large fish from the river.
• Chimuwang congratulated Ruri, who celebrated catching such a big fish on his first fishing trip.

Ruri left his fishing spot after a cry for help and found Momokusa Harukawa and Uzuki Yugao facing five masked ninja. He stepped forward to protect Harukawa as four enemies charged at him, and he formed two Rasengan to fight them.

• Ruri, Akamemaru, Uchiha Itachi, and Reika Hyuga rushed toward the cry for help.
• Ruri found Momokusa Harukawa and Uzuki Yugao sitting on the ground while five masked ninja confronted them.
• Uchiha Itachi demanded to know who the ninja were, but their leader threatened the group.
• Ruri stood up for Harukawa and challenged the ninja, reassuring her.
• Four ninja charged at Ruri, who formed a Rasengan in each hand.