Recaps

Xue Ge explained chakra threads to Tsunade and Shizune before reuniting with Kakashi, Shisui, and Minato in the capital. The two groups left the next morning, and Minato wondered what Jiraiya had done to upset Tsunade.

• Xue Ge showed Shizune how chakra threads worked through his prosthetic arm, and Tsunade explained why a wooden limb could not imitate a real arm’s chakra pathways.
• Tsunade praised Xue Ge’s qualities as a shinobi while Kakashi and Shisui asked him about his visit to the Daimyo’s Residence and the wandering shinobi he had killed.
• Shizune joined Xue Ge, Kakashi, and Shisui, and the group decided to stay in the capital for another night while Tsunade planned to visit the bounty exchange.
• Tsunade asked Xue Ge to bring Shizune back that night, and the next morning the two groups said goodbye and set off in different directions.
• Minato asked Xue Ge what he thought of Tsunade, then reflected that Jiraiya must have angered her after she refused his letter.

After returning to Konoha, Xue Ge learned that Kumogakure envoys had arrived to discuss agreements, while Danzo warned him to avoid them. Xue Ge then developed a framework for a new seal-free ninjutsu using his prosthetic limbs and chakra techniques.

• Minato split from Xue Ge, Kakashi, and Shisui to report their mission, and arranged to meet them at Ichiraku Ramen that night.
• Xue Ge found Danzo at home and learned that Kumogakure envoys were visiting Konoha to discuss technical exchange and alliance agreements.
• Danzo criticized Hiruzen’s negotiations and warned Xue Ge to keep his distance from the Kumogakure envoys.
• Xue Ge returned to his room and drafted a plan for a new technique based on Water Release: Righteous Piercing, chakra concentration, compressed wind release chakra, and a Chakra Scalpel.
• Xue Ge spent the day refining a seal-free ninjutsu framework that could use his prosthetic limbs to compress and release chakra.

Xue Ge reunited with Iris Moon, received a fox mask for his birthday, and learned why she gave masks as presents. He then went to Muzi’s home to ask about Medical Ninjutsu materials, leaving with her while Ryosuke worried about their relationship.

• Xue Ge ran into Xia, who showed him the blue-patterned fox mask Iris Moon had given her on Iris Moon’s birthday.
• Xue Ge woke Iris Moon by the lake, wished her a happy birthday, and received a yellow-patterned fox mask from her.
• Iris Moon explained that she carved birthday masks because her father had given her one when she was young, then asked Xue Ge when his birthday was.
• Xue Ge stopped Iris Moon from drinking more and decided to visit Muzi to ask for materials related to Medical Ninjutsu.
• Ryosuke answered the door and grew suspicious when Xue Ge asked for Muzi, but Muzi came downstairs and led Xue Ge away by the hand.
• After they left, Ryosuke wondered whether Muzi and Xue Ge were dating and realized he had begun worrying about his daughter’s love life.

Xue Ge took Muzi into the forest to gather a medicinal herb, but she found a blue fox mask and fresh footprints that suggested several people had fled in a hurry. Recognizing a possible threat, Xue Ge sent Muzi to alert trusted allies while he followed the trail.

• Xue Ge told Muzi he wanted to learn about limb anatomy and chakra stimulation, and Muzi offered to teach him during the holidays.
• Muzi suffered a pain episode, and Xue Ge offered to take her to the forest where the herb she needed grew.
• Muzi found a blue fox mask in the grass that matched Xue Ge's mask.
• Muzi examined the nearby footprints and concluded that at least four people had recently run through the area without covering their tracks.
• Xue Ge told Muzi to find Minato-sensei or Elder Danzo, with the Hyuga clan head as a backup, while he followed the footprints and marked the way.

Afui, Kaze, Huru, and Honai waited near Konoha’s sensory barrier with a sealed bag, intending to kidnap a Hyuga Clan member with an unsealed Byakugan. While Honai cleaned up their tracks, Xue Ge ambushed him, knocked him unconscious, and left him stripped and hanging from a tree.

• Kaze told Honai that Kumogakure wanted the Byakugan and that the mission had the village’s approval.
• Afui explained that Huru was checking whether they could bypass Konoha’s sensory barrier, while Honai went back to cover their tracks.
• Honai retraced the group’s route, concealing signs of their passage as he wrestled with his guilt about betraying Konoha.
• Xue Ge and his Shadow Clone caught Honai in the forest, pierced him with chakra threads, and knocked him unconscious.
• Xue Ge took Honai’s equipment and forehead protector, hung him naked from a tree, and left a cross-shaped mark before disappearing.

Muzi encountered Orochimaru while rushing through the Forest of Death, and Iris Moon joined her after Muzi warned that Xue Ge needed help. Meanwhile, Afui’s team prepared to leave Konoha with their captive, but Afui sensed trouble ahead.

• Muzi was attacked by a camouflaged snake, and Orochimaru caught it before it could bite her.
• Orochimaru restrained Muzi and reached toward her red eyes until Iris Moon intervened with a kunai.
• Muzi identified Iris Moon and told her that Xue Ge needed help, then showed her the fox mask.
• Iris Moon carried Muzi toward Xue Ge, and Orochimaru joined them despite Iris Moon’s suspicions about him.
• Huru told Afui that he could conceal their passage through Konoha’s sensory barrier only briefly, and Afui sent Kaze and Huru to retrieve Honai.
• Afui stayed behind to guard the captive and felt uneasy about their attempt to leave that night.

Kaze and Huru encountered Xue Ge in the woods and fought him, while Afui prepared to flee Konoha with a captive. Xue Ge realized the signal flare and pursuit were leading him toward the Kumogakure group, then used Overload to vanish from Kaze’s sight.

• Huru sensed Xue Ge hiding nearby, and Kaze attacked him with Cloud Style: Wind Fang.
• Kaze tried to deceive Xue Ge before striking, but he blocked her short sword with his cane sword and countered with a Rasengan.
• Kaze and Xue Ge exchanged attacks while Huru dispelled Xue Ge’s shadow clone with Wind Release: Air Cannon.
• Kaze told Huru to signal Afui and leave, while Afui subdued the struggling captive in a sealed sack and headed out of Konoha.
• Xue Ge recognized that Kaze and Huru’s route led toward Afui, then activated Overload and disappeared from Kaze’s sight.

Xue Ge used misdirection, clones, and Chakra Threads to evade Kaze and Huru’s attention, then ambushed Huru from above with Imitation Water Release: Righteous Piercing. Huru was cut in half, leaving Kaze facing Xue Ge’s remaining deception alone.

• Xue Ge filled the forest with Chakra Threads and used Wind and Lightning Release to confuse Kaze and interfere with Huru’s sensory abilities.
• Kaze fought two apparent Xue Ge clones while Huru tried to locate the real one.
• Xue Ge swung over Kaze using tightened Chakra Threads and positioned himself above Huru.
• Xue Ge attacked Huru from above with Imitation Water Release: Righteous Piercing, severing him at the waist.

Xue Ge killed Huru and pursued Afui while discovering that his body could sustain Overload Mode far longer than before. Afui turned back to help his teammates, but Black Pine rescued Natsu from the falling bag and carried her into the sky, where she spotted Xue Ge.

• Xue Ge killed Huru and left a clone to keep Kaze occupied while he pursued Afui.
• Xue Ge noticed his body showed little strain from prolonged Overload Mode and wondered whether his healing and chakra reserves had changed.
• Afui sent the mission target ahead on a Ninja Hawk, then turned back to help his teammates.
• Xue Ge's attack struck the Ninja Hawk, causing the mission target to fall from the sky.
• Black Pine caught the bag, freed Natsu, and carried her away; Natsu woke and recognized Teacher Xue Ge.

Xue Ge fought Afui to keep him from pursuing Natsu Hyuga, while Black Pine carried Natsu toward the Hyuga Clan Compound. The chapter left Xue Ge facing Afui’s Lightning Release attack as Natsu sought help from her clan.

• Xue Ge confirmed that Natsu Hyuga had been taken by Kumogakure ninja and used Imitation Water Release: Righteous Piercing to stop Afui from chasing her.
• Xue Ge told Afui that one of his companions was dead and the other’s fate was unknown, then continued stalling him with attacks.
• Xue Ge slashed at Afui, struck his fingertips with a Rasengan, and followed him with Strangling Line after Afui used the Body Flicker Technique to retreat.
• Afui scattered Xue Ge’s Chakra Threads with Lightning Release: Lightning Sparrow and charged at him.
• Natsu realized Xue Ge was buying time for her, then directed Black Pine to take her to the Hyuga Clan Compound for help.

Kaze pursued Xue Ge, only to discover she had been fighting his shadow clone before Orochimaru ambushed and captured her. Meanwhile, Afui unveiled his self-made Lightning Release Armaments and threatened to kill Xue Ge, who still stood between him and the other Kumogakure ninja.

• Kaze stabbed Xue Ge, but he vanished as a shadow clone, leaving her to realize the real Xue Ge had gone after Afui.
• Kaze retreated into a clearing, where Orochimaru and a swarm of snakes surrounded her.
• Kaze charged Orochimaru, who defeated her and had a large snake swallow her.
• Afui activated Lightning Release Armaments, increasing his speed and power, and wounded Xue Ge with a knife-hand strike.
• Afui demonstrated that his lightning-coated hand could cut through a tree, then attacked Xue Ge and threatened to kill him.

Xue Ge fought Afui to keep him from pursuing Natsu Hyuga and Black Pine, suffering severe injuries but refusing to give up. As Afui prepared to finish the fight, Xue Ge drew on his sense of responsibility and entered Overload Mode again.

• Xue Ge refused to surrender, but Afui overwhelmed him with Lightning Release and destroyed his Cane Sword and Prosthetic Limbs.
• Afui's Lightning Clone paralyzed Xue Ge, allowing Afui to smash him through trees and leave him buried beneath the wreckage.
• Afui set off after Natsu Hyuga and Black Pine, but Xue Ge used Chakra Threads to trip him and stop his pursuit.
• Xue Ge explained that he had risked his life because Natsu was his student, while Afui insisted that Xue Ge would die there.
• Xue Ge activated Overload Mode again and challenged Afui to continue fighting.

Xue Ge lost control and unleashed a rampage of purple chakra, badly injuring Afui before collapsing. As Afui moved to kill him, a white-haired woman arrived and knocked him away with a water dragon.

• Xue Ge's consciousness disappeared, but his beastlike eyes reopened as purple chakra formed a cloak that stopped Afui's Nukite.
• Xue Ge roared and formed chakra arms that fired Imitation Water Release: Righteous Piercing, severing Afui's left arm and badly injuring his leg.
• Xue Ge struck Afui from behind and slammed him into the ground, leaving him with serious internal injuries.
• The purple chakra vanished, and Xue Ge collapsed; Afui charged to kill him as Xue Ge formed a Rasengan.
• A water dragon struck Afui and hurled him through the trees, while a white-haired woman arrived and told Xue Ge that his great-aunt was there.

Xue Ge survived his battle with Afui after losing the Dragon Vein’s power, and Iris Moon arrived in time to defeat the Kumogakure ninja. With Muzi treating Xue Ge, the group needed to get him medical care, while Iris Moon reflected on the cost of killing.

• Xue Ge pulled the white dragon off himself, causing the Dragon Vein energy to vanish and leaving him overwhelmed by his battle injuries.
• Afui attacked the weakened Xue Ge, but Iris Moon arrived and blasted Afui away with a water dragon.
• Muzi used the Mystical Palm Technique to stop Xue Ge’s bleeding as Iris Moon confronted Afui.
• Iris Moon outmaneuvered Afui, snapped his arm, and killed him by breaking his neck.
• Xue Ge collapsed from exhaustion, and Muzi said he needed medical treatment while Iris Moon looked back at Afui’s corpse.

Xue Ge woke in the hospital as Konoha faced Kumogakure’s accusations and threats of war over the failed abduction of Natsu Hyuga. Troubled by something he would not explain, Xue Ge walked into the rain, where Kakashi and Shisui stood beside him.

• Xue Ge learned that Kumogakure accused Konoha of staging the abduction and demanded that the killer be handed over or face war.
• Shisui said the Hyuga Clan would oppose the abduction, while Kakashi worried about the Council of Elders’ response.
• Muzi left after telling Xue Ge she would arrange for nurses to check on him and help him get discharged.
• Xue Ge called Muzi his partner, then walked out of the hospital and into the heavy rain without explaining what was troubling him.
• Kakashi and Shisui sheltered Xue Ge with their clothes, while Muzi watched them from the hospital entrance and left with a smile.

Hiruzen faced Kumogakure’s demand that Konoha hand over a shinobi or risk war, while Danzo argued that Konoha should not yield to threats. Hatake Sakumo, Jiraiya, Hyuga Hiashi, and Uchiha Fugaku backed Konoha’s willingness to fight, leaving the frightened envoy to answer Hiruzen.

• A Kumogakure envoy demanded that Konoha find two missing shinobi or hand over someone involved in the incident, threatening to end their alliance.
• Hiruzen hesitated to risk another war, while Mitokado Homura warned that Konoha had not recovered from the previous one.
• Danzo burst into the meeting and condemned Hiruzen for considering compromise, insisting that Konoha did not fear war.
• Hatake Sakumo, Jiraiya, Hyuga Hiashi, and Uchiha Fugaku declared their willingness to support a war against Kumogakure.
• Hiruzen asked the sweating Kumogakure envoy what he thought after the four leaders voiced their support.

Hiruzen and Danzo discussed their staged show of resistance to Kumogakure and ordered a search for the two missing ninja. At Orochimaru’s laboratory, Lin Yi discovered unusual cellular changes in a giant snake and resolved to investigate their cause.

• After the Kumogakure envoy left, Hiruzen and Danzo revealed that their confrontation had been an act, and Danzo explained why several clan leaders had joined in.
• Hiruzen ordered Sakumo to use the ANBU to search for the missing Honai and Kaze.
• Orochimaru found Kaze dead after a Hashirama-cell experiment failed and left Honai suspended in a growth chamber.
• Lin Yi showed Orochimaru evidence that a giant snake had unusually high vitality and externally induced cellular mutations.
• Orochimaru assigned the snake to Lin Yi for further study, and Lin Yi decided to investigate what had changed its cells.

Xue Ge rejected the purple Dragon Vein’s claim on his body and woke in the hospital, where Xia apologized for getting him hurt. Hiashi reassured him that the Hyuga would protect him from Kumogakure’s demands and promised to see the negotiations through.

• In a dream, the purple dragon told Xue Ge that his body was a suitable vessel and demanded that he surrender it, but Xue Ge insisted he was himself and drove the dragon away.
• Xue Ge woke in the hospital as Xia rushed in and tearfully apologized, while Hiashi comforted her.
• Xue Ge and Hiashi convinced Xia to leave the ward to get a prescription, then discussed keeping her from leaving the village on missions until she became a Chunin.
• Hiashi told Xue Ge that Kumogakure demanded the killer, reparations, and a share of Konoha’s missions, while Danzo’s faction opposed concessions.
• Hiashi promised that the Hyuga would not let Konoha hand Xue Ge over and that he would see the negotiations through on Xue Ge’s behalf.

After recovering his regenerative ability, Xue Ge left the hospital and encountered Jiraiya peeping into a women's bath. At Ichiraku Ramen, he helped Kushina confront Jiraiya and learned more about Kumogakure's past kidnappings before bluntly calling Jiraiya a pervert.

• Xue Ge's regenerative ability returned, and he left the hospital to visit Root, but spotted Jiraiya peeping near a bathhouse.
• Kushina caught Jiraiya peeping, and Xue Ge confirmed that Jiraiya had been there for quite a while.
• Minato treated Xue Ge, Kushina, and Jiraiya to ramen and advised Xue Ge to avoid fighting stronger groups alone.
• Kushina told Xue Ge that Kumogakure had kidnapped her in the past to steal her Uzumaki bloodline, and praised him for risking himself to save Xia.
• Jiraiya asked Xue Ge about his encounters with the other Sannin, and Xue Ge identified him as Jiraiya the pervert.

Xue Ge embarrassed Jiraiya with blunt criticism of his manuscript, while Kushina confiscated his work after discovering what he had been doing to gather material. Minato reassured Xue Ge that the adults would handle the dangers facing him and urged him to enjoy being a child.

• Xue Ge read Jiraiya's manuscript and critiqued its descriptions, prompting Jiraiya to praise him as a fellow writer.
• Kushina read the manuscript, confronted Jiraiya about his bathhouse spying, and confiscated his manuscripts before leaving.
• Jiraiya mistook Xue Ge for a girl and mourned the misunderstanding after Xue Ge clarified that he was male.
• Minato told Xue Ge to trust him, Jiraiya, and Elder Danzo to handle the trouble, and encouraged him to train without carrying so much responsibility.

As Konoha and Kumogakure continued to dispute compensation and other demands, Xue Ge celebrated New Year by preparing a lavish meal at Danzo’s home. Danzo told Xue Ge that Hiruzen wanted him to join the Hokage Guard Platoon, but Xue Ge chose to stay in Root.

• Konoha and Kumogakure continued arguing over compensation, mission assignments, and handing over Xue Ge while their cooperation agreement remained in place.
• Asuma, Guy, and Muzi graduated early and were assigned to Kushina Uzumaki’s squad.
• Xue Ge decorated Danzo’s home and cooked a New Year’s feast with his mission pay.
• Danzo told Xue Ge that Hiruzen wanted him to leave Root and join the Hokage Guard Platoon as a reserve member.
• Xue Ge asked whether Danzo wanted him to leave, then bluntly refused to go when Danzo said he did not.

Xue Ge refused Danzo’s offer to leave Root and spent New Year’s Eve delivering homemade desserts and gifts to people across Konoha. He reached Iris Moon at the lake with the final scroll and tried to wake her after hearing her murmur in her sleep.

• Xue Ge told Danzo he would stay in Root because he cared about its children and felt grateful to Danzo for saving and training him.
• Xue Ge delivered homemade desserts to Kakashi, Ryosuke, Minato, Kushina, and other people he knew around Konoha.
• Xue Ge gave Obito a second gift to pass along to Rin because he did not know where she lived.
• Xue Ge ran to the Forest of Death and placed his last gift beside the sleeping Iris Moon.
• Xue Ge heard Iris Moon murmur in her sleep and shook her, telling her to wake up.

A girl relived the abandonment and loss that shaped her life before confronting a reflection of herself that exposed her loneliness and fear. As she sank into darkness and cold water, a soft voice told her to wake up.

• The girl remembered being imprisoned and treated as a weapon by her clan, then leaving after rejecting their demands and the man who claimed to be her father.
• She visited her mother's grave and later agreed to flee the clan with a man who promised to stay with her.
• The girl became trapped beneath rubble as the man burned to ash, while a long-haired man in red armor passed by and she saw his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
• In a dark world, the girl confronted a version of herself that accused her of hiding her grief, loneliness, and fear behind strength and drinking.
• The girl admitted she hated being alone and was afraid of many things before the phantoms vanished and a voice urged her to wake up.

Iris Moon confronted Xue Ge after he revealed that he had heard her call for help in her sleep, and he told her about the losses that shaped his desire to protect their bonds. She demanded that he promise not to die before her, and Xue Ge agreed.

• Xue Ge delivered Iris Moon a New Year's gift and stayed with her by the lake.
• Xue Ge told Iris Moon that his Ninja Way was to protect the people he knew, including her, but she rejected his concern.
• Xue Ge revealed that he had heard Iris Moon calling for help in her sleep and insisted that she was lonely and afraid.
• Xue Ge described the deaths of the people he had loved and told Iris Moon that their bond as master and student mattered to him.
• Iris Moon challenged Xue Ge to promise he would not die before her, and he agreed.

As the joint Konoha–Sunagakure Chunin Ninja Exams approached, Xue Ge studied Danzo’s intelligence on the visiting villages and their strongest genin. He focused on the dangerous candidates he might face and prepared to take the exams seriously.

• Team Minato completed another S-rank mission without serious danger as Xue Ge continued his routine of missions and training.
• Sunagakure’s delegation mediated the Konoha–Kumogakure dispute, and the villages agreed to resume talks after the exams.
• Delegations from the Five Great Shinobi Villages and smaller villages arrived in Konoha for the jointly hosted Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Xue Ge read Danzo’s profiles of the delegation leaders and learned that some villages had entered experienced chunin as genin.
• Xue Ge reviewed the notable candidates Ameyuri Ringo, Gari, Killer B, and Baki, then resolved not to underestimate the exams scheduled in ten days.