Chapter Summaries

Kakashi warned Ruri to stay in control during the coming battle, while Uchiha Itachi expressed excitement about experiencing a large-scale war. Hizashi Hyuga questioned whether the lives sacrificed to resolve the enemies’ dispute were worth it, leaving the group silent.

• Ruri said he was eager to fight, and Kakashi warned him not to go berserk again.
• Ruri promised Kakashi he would keep himself under control.
• Uchiha Itachi told Kakashi he was excited to encounter a large-scale war on his first mission.
• Kakashi and Ruri condemned war and the enemies’ reliance on force.
• Hizashi Hyuga asked whether the lives lost to resolve the conflict were worth the cost, and the five fell silent.

Hizashi Hyuga warned Ruri and the others that war caused widespread death and urged them to solve problems without fighting. Ruri promised that their era would be peaceful.

• Ruri questioned why their enemies kept choosing war despite its heavy toll.
• Yamato, Uzuki Yugao, and Kakashi said the enemies accepted deaths on both sides as long as they won.
• Hizashi Hyuga explained that even victory could leave a country weakened and vulnerable to future invasion.
• Hizashi Hyuga urged Ruri and the others to use their heads rather than war when they grew up.
• Ruri reassured Hizashi Hyuga that they would live in a peaceful era.

Hizashi Hyuga gathered the remaining fighters for a final attack against an enemy force of more than two hundred. Ruri and Kakashi joined the main force, which numbered only seventy-five, and prepared to keep casualties low.

• Hizashi Hyuga told Kakashi and the others to prepare for the final attack and led them out of the tent.
• Ruri and Uchiha Itachi squinted in the sunlight after spending a long time inside the dim tent.
• Kakashi led Ruri and the others to join Hizashi Hyuga and the main force.
• Hizashi Hyuga announced that the force numbered seventy-five against more than two hundred enemies and urged everyone to minimize casualties.
• Ruri remarked that the group had fewer than eighty people and vowed to make the enemies pay.

Kakashi, Ruri, and their companions prepared to attack an enemy force of more than two hundred, then set out with Hizashi Hyuga's main force. They advanced toward the enemy's remote hiding place.

• Ruri, Uchiha Itachi, and Uzuki Yugao joked about competing to defeat the enemies, while Ruri reminded everyone to stay safe.
• Kakashi told the group to make sure everyone returned alive.
• Hizashi Hyuga finished instructing his main force and ordered them to move out carefully.
• Kakashi and his companions led the way because they knew where the enemy's full force was hiding, with Hizashi Hyuga's main force following behind.
• The group advanced toward the enemy's remote hiding place.

Ruri, Uchiha Itachi, Kakashi, and Hizashi Hyuga reached the vicinity of the enemy's main force and prepared to attack. After a brief rest, Hizashi Hyuga ordered the final assault to begin.

• Ruri and Uchiha Itachi discussed the enemies ahead as they ran with their teammates toward the enemy's main force.
• Kakashi halted the group about a hundred meters from the enemy, and Hizashi Hyuga ordered everyone to conceal themselves and rest.
• Hizashi Hyuga divided the main force into two groups according to their earlier plan.
• After about five minutes, Kakashi told Hizashi Hyuga that the group had finished resting.
• Hizashi Hyuga signaled for the main force to advance and launch the final assault.

Ruri and Kakashi waited for Hizashi Hyuga to lure the enemy forces away from their camp. The enemy captain sent a hundred soldiers after Hizashi’s smaller unit, walking into the trap as the ambush began to take shape.

• Ruri told Kakashi to wait until Hizashi Hyuga’s group drew away more than half the enemies before attacking those left behind.
• Hizashi Hyuga led a relatively weak unit toward the enemy camp and sent Kakashi a message to hold position.
• Hizashi called on the enemy forces to surrender, prompting their captain to ask a scout how many attackers had arrived.
• The scout estimated that Hizashi had brought thirty or forty people, and the enemy captain ordered a hundred soldiers to attack them.
• Hizashi Hyuga realized the enemy had sent a hundred soldiers and thought they had walked into the trap.

Hizashi Hyuga drew more than 100 enemies west with a retreat while Kakashi and Ruri led their remaining troops in an attack on the enemy headquarters. The enemy forces believed they had the advantage, unaware that Hizashi and Ruri were carrying out a coordinated plan.

• Hizashi Hyuga led his team of more than 30 in retreat, drawing over 100 enemies westward without engaging them.
• Ruri saw the enemies pursuing Hizashi and asked Kakashi whether they should attack the rest.
• Kakashi ordered Ruri and the others to wipe out the remaining enemies at the headquarters, then help Hizashi.
• Ruri and the group of more than 30 attacked the enemy headquarters together.
• The enemy captain and his more than 100 troops believed Hizashi had split his forces and planned to seize his camp, unaware of Ruri's group and their plan.

Ruri and Kakashi planned to provoke the enemy's main force by having Ruri infiltrate and kill some of its ninja. Ruri vanished to carry out the mission while Kakashi explained the plan to Uchiha Itachi.

• Ruri and his teammates reached the vicinity of the enemy's main force and stopped.
• Ruri asked Kakashi whether they should attack openly or launch a sneak attack.
• Kakashi told Ruri to infiltrate the enemy force and kill as many ninja as possible without being noticed, so the group could provoke the angry enemies into attacking.
• Ruri agreed and vanished to begin the mission.
• Uchiha Itachi asked Kakashi where Ruri had gone, and Kakashi explained the plan.

Kakashi’s team prepared to wait while Ruri disrupted the enemy forces, and Ruri began a silent attack on an area with fewer enemies. The chapter ended with Ruri quietly killing his first target.

• Kakashi told Itachi to brief their thirty-odd teammates and said the group would wait for Ruri before attacking.
• Itachi informed the teammates of their situation, then returned to Kakashi.
• Yugao worried about Ruri, and Itachi reassured her that he trusted Ruri’s strength.
• Ruri surveyed an area with fewer enemies, then silently killed one enemy from behind.

Ruri silently hunted the enemies patrolling their headquarters while listening to them boast about killing his group and invading their camp. He killed the tall ninja, leaving the fat ninja stunned and unaware of the danger.

• Ruri decided to kill a dozen enemies while causing a small disturbance in their headquarters.
• Two patrolling enemies bragged that they would kill the attackers and invade their camp.
• Ruri approached the tall ninja from behind and slashed his neck with a short blade.
• The tall ninja tried to warn his teammate to run, then collapsed dead.
• The fat ninja stared in shock, unable to understand how his teammate had been killed.

Ruri killed the fat ninja’s teammate and then the fat ninja, who had failed to notice Ruri standing behind him. After the second ninja died, Ruri was left alone at the scene.

• Ruri stood behind the fat ninja as he panicked over his teammate’s sudden death.
• Ruri revealed himself and admitted that he had killed the fat ninja’s teammate.
• The fat ninja charged Ruri to avenge his teammate.
• Ruri dodged the fat ninja’s kunai and stabbed him in the chest with his short blade.
• The fat ninja whispered that he had come to join his brother, then died.

Ruri killed more than twenty enemies at their headquarters and set fire to a tent to alert the remaining enemies. Kakashi, Uchiha Itachi, and Uzuki Yugao waited anxiously for him to return.

• Ruri killed the enemy ninja and reflected on his past loneliness and his hopes for friends and a lover.
• Kakashi reassured Uchiha Itachi that Ruri was strong enough to handle the enemies.
• Uchiha Itachi told Uzuki Yugao that Ruri would be fine, though she continued to worry about him.
• Ruri killed more than twenty enemies at the headquarters and decided to return.
• Ruri tossed a fireball onto the edge of a tent to alert the remaining enemies.

Ruri set fire to an enemy headquarters tent to draw the enemy out, then headed back toward Kakashi and the others. The enemy discovered a pile of their teammates' bodies beside the fire, and their furious captain went to investigate.

• Ruri set fire to the edge of the enemy tent, shouted for someone to put it out, and fled toward Kakashi and the others.
• The enemy squad captain sent his team members to fetch water and put out the fire.
• Uchiha Itachi spotted the smoke, and Kakashi said Ruri had succeeded and would soon return.
• The enemies found a large pile of corpses beside the burning tent and sent a messenger to their captain.
• The enemy captain heard the report, smashed a cup, and went to the scene.

After discovering his team members dead and their tent burning, the enemy captain ordered his men to put out the fire before discussing what to do next. He remained uncertain who had attacked them and walked back toward his tent, troubled by the losses.

• The enemy captain asked the ninja who reported the fire whether he had seen anyone suspicious, and the ninja said he had not.
• The enemy captain reached the fire, saw the burning tent and the pile of bodies, and angrily demanded to know who had killed his team members.
• The enemy second-in-command asked what to do, and the enemy captain told him to send men to put out the tent first.
• An enemy suggested that someone from their opponents' side might have attacked, but the enemy captain said the attacker’s strength made that uncertain.
• The enemy captain told his team to extinguish the fire and discuss their next steps after returning, then walked back toward his tent.

Ruri returned safely to Kakashi and the others after attacking the enemy headquarters, where he explained that the sparse, clustered enemies had slowed him down. His return left the group ready to proceed with their final attack.

• Uchiha Itachi asked Kakashi when Ruri would return, and Kakashi said he should arrive soon.
• Uzuki Yugao waited anxiously for Ruri and hoped they could go out to eat together after the mission.
• Ruri reached Kakashi and told him that attacking isolated enemies at the headquarters had taken extra time.
• Kakashi welcomed Ruri back, then brought him to Uchiha Itachi and the others.
• Uchiha Itachi told Uzuki Yugao that Ruri had returned safely and without injury.

Ruri reunited with Kakashi, Uchiha Itachi, Uzuki Yugao, and Yamato after attacking the enemy headquarters and killing more than twenty enemies. Kakashi said the remaining enemies numbered fewer than eighty and outlined that their next task would be simpler.

• Uzuki Yugao saw Ruri and Kakashi approaching and welcomed Ruri back.
• Uchiha Itachi greeted Ruri and heard that Ruri had targeted patrols and small groups to avoid detection.
• Ruri confirmed to Uzuki Yugao that he had started the fire at the enemy headquarters and killed more than twenty enemies.
• Kakashi said Ruri’s attack had dealt the enemy a major blow.
• Ruri asked Kakashi what they should do next, and Kakashi said fewer than eighty enemies remained.

Ruri, Kakashi, and the others discussed the enemy’s reduced numbers and decided to launch an attack. Kakashi sent Yamato to gather their teammates before giving the order to advance.

• Ruri asked Kakashi why the enemy had made no major moves, and Kakashi said the enemy still had about seventy people and was hesitant to attack.
• Kakashi proposed taking the initiative, and Ruri and Uzuki Yugao agreed that their stronger team should attack together.
• Kakashi ordered Yamato to gather their teammates on the front line so he could brief them.
• Kakashi reminded Ruri and the others to protect themselves and eliminate the enemy as quickly as possible.

Kakashi led more than thirty teammates toward the enemy headquarters, planning to attack before they could assist Senior Hizashi. Near the headquarters, Ruri suggested sneaking inside to catch the enemy off guard, and Kakashi changed the battle plan accordingly.

• Yamato brought the frontline teammates to Kakashi, who ordered everyone to protect one another and prepare to attack.
• Kakashi led the group toward the enemy headquarters, while teammates expressed their eagerness to fight.
• Ruri suggested entering the headquarters and attacking from within to surprise the enemy.
• Kakashi approved Ruri's idea and told the teammates they would sneak inside before launching their attack.

Kakashi led the team into the enemy headquarters, then split everyone up to search for enemies. Ruri paired with Uzuki Yugao to protect her and planned to look for patrols before approaching the enemy command center.

• Kakashi led Ruri and more than thirty teammates to the spot where Ruri had infiltrated the enemy headquarters.
• The team entered the headquarters, hid in the shadows, and split up to search for enemies.
• Kakashi told Ruri to stay with Uzuki Yugao and keep her safe.
• Ruri and Uzuki Yugao searched the area but found no enemies.
• Ruri suspected the enemy forces were gathered at their central command headquarters and suggested searching for patrols first.

Ruri and Uzuki Yugao searched the enemy base for patrols, and Ruri killed two guards before rejoining her. They continued looking for more enemies.

• Ruri and Uzuki Yugao agreed to take out the patrols before the guards discovered they had entered.
• Ruri spotted two guards on patrol and told Uzuki Yugao to wait while he approached them.
• Ruri killed the first guard with a kunai and the second with a lightning attack.
• Ruri returned to Uzuki Yugao, and they set off to search for more enemies.