Recaps

After a devastating fire left Kusagakure in ruins, its old leader ordered Kisame Hoshigaki to kill the Village Chief of Hidden Jun Village for triple the promised reward. Bibiye sent Kisame a letter that altered the order, and Kisame questioned whether he should still honor his agreement as his Kusagakure companions tensed.

• Bibiye reported the fire’s destruction and heavy casualties, and the old man of Kusagakure vomited black blood in shock.
• The old man blamed Hidden Jun Village and ordered Bibiye to offer Kisame triple the reward for bringing back its Village Chief’s head.
• Bibiye, furious at the old man’s threats and their broken relationship, sent Kisame a letter whose contents differed from the order.
• Kisame Hoshigaki continued delaying the journey by fighting wild monsters and brutally killed a black bear.
• White Ape read the letter aloud, learning that Kusagakure had been devastated and that his own death might have been averted.
• Kisame read the letter, questioned whether he should honor his promise to Kusagakure, and left the accompanying experts tense.

Kisame Hoshigaki led Grass Ninja experts toward Hidden Jun Village and attacked everyone at its entrance, while Ye Chen assessed new players and planned to develop the village’s lifestyle and reconnaissance capabilities. The chapter ended with players repeatedly resurrecting and gathering to confront Kisame.

• Kisame Hoshigaki urged the Grass Ninja experts to hurry toward Hidden Jun Village, concealing that their actions had been agreed upon.
• Ye Chen found four promising new players: Liu Tong, Zhou Xiaoqian, Wu Qian, and Zheng Xing, whose real-world skills included engineering, veterinary work, cooking, and military reconnaissance.
• Ye Chen decided to recruit the three lifestyle specialists into their fields and use Zheng Xing’s reconnaissance skills to establish a reconnaissance team.
• Kisame Hoshigaki and the Grass Ninja experts blocked Hidden Jun Village’s entrance, where Kisame killed the guards and attacked players.
• Players kept resurrecting, gathered at the entrance, and called for a group attack against Kisame Hoshigaki.

Kisame Hoshigaki slaughtered players at Hidden Jun Village’s entrance and demanded to speak with Village Chief Ye Chen. Ye Chen refused to appear, leaving the remaining veterans to discuss how to deal with Kisame as Master of Open Stratagems prepared to share a plan.

• Kisame Hoshigaki fought off the players at Hidden Jun Village’s entrance, while many newcomers withdrew from the battle.
• Master of Open Stratagems called for the players to retreat and questioned Kisame, who demanded that the Village Chief come out.
• Ye Chen realized Kisame had slaughtered players to draw him out, but chose to stay away and watch the battle from his residence.
• Master of Open Stratagems gathered the fewer than thirty veterans who remained, and they debated whether to keep fighting or let Kisame meet Ye Chen.
• Master of Open Stratagems urged the players to outwit Kisame, and his fans asked him to reveal his plan.

Master of Open Stratagems struggled to find a way to counter the overpowering Taijutsu NPC, so he recruited Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master to stall the enemy for contribution points. The pair accepted and stepped forward with steel bars to fight.

• Master of Open Stratagems said schemes alone could not overcome the NPC and argued that they needed to discover his weaknesses.
• Master of Open Stratagems spotted Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master and invited the Taijutsu users to challenge the NPC.
• Corpse Bearer asked what they would receive, and Master of Open Stratagems offered each of them 500 contribution points plus 100 points for every five minutes they fought.
• Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master agreed to the deal and drew rust-covered steel bars.

Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master challenged Kisame Hoshigaki to single combat and discovered the strength of his chakra-infused fighting style. They were driven back but bought precious time for Hidden Jun Village as Master of Open Stratagems watched in amazement.

• Master of Open Stratagems called for single combat, and Kisame Hoshigaki accepted Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master's challenge despite White Ape's warning.
• Kisame Hoshigaki fought the pair with powerful strikes and repelled their Tetanus Blades without being cut.
• Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master recognized that Kisame Hoshigaki's close-range attacks combined Taijutsu with Ninjutsu and resolved to learn from the fight.
• Corpse Bearer used Eight Trigrams Palm: Vacuum Palm while Bullfighting Master used Eight Trigrams Palm: Sixty-Four Palms to bind Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Kisame Hoshigaki coated his arms with water-nature chakra and forced the pair backward, while they bought time for the players of Hidden Jun Village.
• Master of Open Stratagems watched the pair hold off Kisame Hoshigaki and marveled at their strength.

Kisame Hoshigaki overwhelmed Corpse Bearer and his partner until players from Hidden Jun Village intervened with a barrage of Rasengan. He revealed Samehada’s ability to absorb their chakra and began a Water Release attack.

• Kisame Hoshigaki’s chakra pressure weakened Corpse Bearer and his partner until he knocked them down and charged to kill them.
• Players rushed out of Hidden Jun Village and hurled Rasengan at Kisame Hoshigaki.
• White Ape urged the Grass Ninja experts to help Kisame Hoshigaki, but Kisame ordered them to stay out of his way.
• Kisame Hoshigaki drew Samehada and used it to absorb the Rasengan and channel their chakra back into his body.
• Kisame Hoshigaki formed hand seals and unleashed Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique.

Kisame Hoshigaki attacked the players outside Hidden Jun Village, but Ye Chen intervened and struck him down. After the players unlocked the Battlefield Contribution System, Ye Chen warned Kisame that hidden enemies surrounded them, leaving Kisame to reconsider his next move.

• Kisame Hoshigaki pursued fleeing players with a controllable water attack and struck down a group of them.
• Ye Chen sent Kisame flying with a single slap after Kisame entered Hidden Jun Village's territory.
• Ye Chen promised to record the players' contributions, and the system unlocked the Battlefield Contribution System.
• Kisame recovered from his injuries and prepared to fight Ye Chen.
• Master of Open Stratagems told Ye Chen that Kisame could absorb chakra but seemed unable to absorb taijutsu chakra.
• Ye Chen pointed out the hidden presences around them, and Kisame recognized several familiar ones.

Kisame Hoshigaki abandoned his attempt to kill Ye Chen and withdrew from Hidden Jun Village, where Ye Chen warned the villagers that war with Kusagakure would begin in two days. The players began organizing to train beginners and prepare for battle, while Master of Open Stratagems formulated a plan and Ye Chen anticipated an upcoming expansion.

• Kisame Hoshigaki judged that fighting Ye Chen while surrounded by hidden ninja was too dangerous, then retreated with several Grass Ninja.
• Ye Chen called to the remaining figures outside the village, then told Master of Open Stratagems that they were ninja from other nations gathering intelligence.
• Ye Chen warned the villagers to travel together and prepare for the coming war with Kusagakure.
• The players enthusiastically discussed earning merit, training beginners, and using Rasengan in coordinated combat to form a ninja legion.
• Master of Open Stratagems came up with a plan, while Ye Chen returned home and observed that the players were helping one another without compensation.

With the battle less than eight hours away, Ye Chen unlocked Wind Release: Rasenshuriken for the players, and Master of Open Stratagems tested it while planning how the ninja corps could use it. An expansion update began counting down before Dai Xiaomei could finish demonstrating the new ninjutsu.

• The players mastered Rasengan under veteran players’ guidance, and Master of Open Stratagems was elected commander of the Hidden Jun Battle Group.
• Ye Chen fully mastered Rasengan and unlocked Wind Release: Rasenshuriken in the shop for players to purchase with contribution points.
• Master of Open Stratagems bought Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, tested it on public property, and received a demerit, a contribution-point deduction, and an order to repair the damage.
• Master of Open Stratagems considered using the ninjutsu as the corps’ trump card and went to check the players’ progress.
• Dai Xiaomei began demonstrating Wind Release: Rasenshuriken on her livestream, but an expansion update countdown interrupted her.

Dai Xiaomei read the Hidden Jun Ninja version 1.0 update notice, complained about the five-hour maintenance window, and then reviewed the many new features. The chapter left players wondering whether the rushed update would remain stable and bug-free.

• Dai Xiaomei opened the official website and repeatedly clicked the update pop-up until it let her view the details.
• Dai Xiaomei complained that five hours of maintenance would leave players little time to prepare for the coming war with Kusagakure.
• Dai Xiaomei apologized after her complaints sparked controversy in her livestream chat and promised to watch her words.
• Dai Xiaomei read update plans including life skills, legions, summoning beasts, a village model update, and a battlefield quartermaster.
• Players and industry workers questioned whether the extensive update could be completed quickly without causing bugs or instability.

Ye Chen completed a major overhaul of Hidden Jun Village, expanding it and adding new residents while limiting further recruitment ahead of war. Players logged in to discover the transformed village and reacted with amazement.

• Ye Chen expanded Hidden Jun Village to five times its former size, reorganized its facilities, and brought nearly a hundred drifters to live there.
• The villagers’ happiness rose sharply, but Ye Chen held back another upgrade because recruiting more players before the coming war would disrupt the player army.
• Ye Chen watched from his lounge chair as players entered the updated game and admired his work.
• Dai Xiaomei showed viewers the remodeled village, while viewers praised its realism and debated how the developers had produced the changes so quickly.

Iron Arm A-Tong, Princess Meow Meow, and Master Pork Knuckle visited Hidden Jun Village’s Life Profession Hall to register their real-world skills as life professions. Iron Arm A-Tong began the metal-smelting test and was astonished when he pulled an anvil, tools, and a huge furnace from a seemingly tiny cabinet.

• Iron Arm A-Tong, Princess Meow Meow, and Master Pork Knuckle independently sought out the Life Profession Hall after reading about life professions in the update.
• Iron Arm A-Tong told the staff member he wanted to register for a profession related to metal smelting, while the other two watched.
• The staff member led Iron Arm A-Tong to an alloy cabinet and explained that he could take out tools for his test.
• Iron Arm A-Tong opened the cabinet and discovered that its interior was vastly larger than it appeared from outside.
• Iron Arm A-Tong pulled out an anvil, smelting tools, and an enormous furnace, then stared at his arms in disbelief.

Iron Arm A-Tong took the life-profession test and earned a perfect assessment as a master smelter. His profession badge granted him a monthly subsidy and a title that reduced the difficulty of metal smelting, while the other players realized the badge could provide a livelihood.

• The staff member explained the profession test rules, including the three-attempt limit and the rewards for passing.
• Iron Arm A-Tong chose to trust his instincts and began the test, forging an alloy sword with his real-world skills.
• The staff member professionally tested the sword and awarded Iron Arm A-Tong a profession badge after he passed.
• Iron Arm A-Tong's profile showed a perfect assessment, an S-rank skill rating, a monthly subsidy of 5,000 contribution points, and the title Metal master.
• The other two players envied Iron Arm A-Tong's rewards as they realized profession badges could support players through subsidies, paid work, and trades.

Ye Chen arranged favorable profession assessments for selected players to secure their future logistical support, then watched as players flocked to the newly opened Summoning Hut. Raijin completed its aptitude test, but the old woman had not yet explained what his results meant.

• Ye Chen revealed that he had orchestrated Iron Arm A-Tong’s high profession assessment to retain three life-profession players and benefit from their future earnings.
• Players rushed to the cramped Summoning Hut after the update introduced summoning beasts, where an elderly woman called for them to line up for aptitude tests.
• Raijin stepped forward first, eager to explore the summoning feature after mastering Rasengan and Wind Release: Rasenshuriken and practicing Big Ball Rasengan.
• The old woman cut Raijin’s palm, drew on it with his blood, and instructed him to focus, chant, and copy her hand signs.
• After Raijin completed the test, the old woman said he had some aptitude, leaving him standing awkwardly in the hut.

Raijin summoned an S-Rank beast, Azure Bird: Thunderclap, and formed a contract with it after the old woman intervened. He learned that Thunderclap descended from an ancient immortal beast, but remained puzzled about why it had accepted him.

• Raijin left the summoning hut and tried the summoning ritual again outside.
• A gigantic purple-and-red bird descended amid lightning and introduced itself to the old woman as an old acquaintance.
• The old woman ordered the bird to form a contract with Raijin, and it agreed despite its misgivings.
• Raijin asked whether the bird truly wanted the contract, then accepted its answer and completed the contract.
• Raijin learned that his partner was Azure Bird: Thunderclap, an adult S-Rank combat summoning beast descended from an ancient immortal beast of Thousand-Year Mountain.

Ye Chen arranged for Raijin to contract with a powerful summoning beast while Granny Qianyin teased him about their past agreement. At Legion Headquarters, the Master of Open Stratagems tried to register his legion but discovered he needed fifteen members and a monthly fee of fifty thousand contribution points.

• Granny Qianyin questioned Ye Chen about arranging Raijin’s summoning contract, and Ye Chen insisted he would force anyone interfering with reincarnation aside.
• Granny Qianyin reminded Ye Chen of their agreement and offered to fight for him, leaving him embarrassed.
• Ye Chen recalled summoning Granny Qianyin during the game update and letting her settle in Hidden Jun Village because of her strength.
• The Master of Open Stratagems rushed to Legion Headquarters to register his legion after the update unlocked registration.
• Guards told the Master of Open Stratagems that registration required at least fifteen people, and he gathered his supporters.
• The Master of Open Stratagems learned registration cost fifty thousand contribution points per month and cursed the fee.

Master of Open Stratagems persuaded his devoted fans to pool Contribution Points and register the Glory Legion. After the legion received an empty village plot as its base, he sent members to recruit players and promote it.

• Master of Open Stratagems argued that founding a legion would bring rewards and rallied his devoted fans to establish one.
• Master of Open Stratagems persuaded the fans to contribute Contribution Points until they had raised enough to pay the registration fee.
• A guard led Master of Open Stratagems and the fans to the registration hall, where they founded the Glory Legion and listed the donors as key members.
• Master of Open Stratagems promoted the Glory Legion in public chat after a system notification announced its establishment.
• The game operators gifted the Glory Legion an empty plot of land as a base, and Master of Open Stratagems ordered members to publicize the legion and recruit strong players.

Master of Open Stratagems organized the newly recruited Glory Legion into five squads, then led its members to inspect the War Supply Office. The quartermaster revealed a vast range of supplies purchasable with war merits, including rare items, and the players learned they could exchange war merits for contribution points.

• Master of Open Stratagems recruited most veteran players into the Glory Legion, which had grown to 135 players after four closed beta tests.
• Master of Open Stratagems divided the legion into five squads, assigning Falcon's Eye to reconnaissance, Dai Xiaomei to logistics, Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master to the vanguard, himself to central command, and Emperor of Sinking to cavalry.
• Master of Open Stratagems and the other players visited the newly opened War Supply Office to see what military supplies they could redeem.
• The quartermaster showed them a list of more than 120 supply categories, including rare-grade items that cost enormous amounts of war merits.
• Master of Open Stratagems noticed that the supply list allowed war merits and contribution points to be exchanged for one another.

As the battle against Kusagakure began, Ye Chen prepared to lead Hidden Jun Village’s players into combat. He gave them the Cowhide War Drum, promised to intervene if needed, and headed toward Kusagakure.

• The system announced that the battle against Kusagakure would begin in ten minutes, and Master of Open Stratagems ordered the combat players to gather at the village entrance.
• Ye Chen refused Granny Qianyin’s request to join the battle and finished preparing to confront Kusagakure’s high-ranking ninja himself.
• Ye Chen met the assembled players and gave them the Cowhide War Drum, which could grant three random buffs.
• Ye Chen told the players he would protect them and intervene only when necessary, then vanished and set out for Kusagakure.
• Ye Chen left the foreign visitors hiding outside Hidden Jun Village alone because they had not caused trouble.

The Glory Legion moved out toward Kusagakure, and Falcon's Eye led the reconnaissance squad ahead with a newly awakened summoning beast. The squad was ambushed by Kusagakure scouts and routed, leaving Falcon's Eye regretting his carelessness as the first clash ended in defeat.

• Master of Open Stratagems ordered the Glory Legion to advance, sending the reconnaissance squad, vanguard, and cavalry ahead while the central squad followed slowly.
• Falcon's Eye led the reconnaissance squad into Kusagakure territory and used his transparent owl-like summoning beast to scout from above.
• Falcon's Eye warned the squad to stay quiet, but a woody vine caught them off guard and forced them to scatter.
• Kusagakure's scout squad attacked with woody vines, overwhelmed the reconnaissance squad, and dragged one player away.
• Falcon's Eye focused on protecting the remaining players as the Hidden Jun Village's first clash with Kusagakure ended in defeat.

Falcon's Eye directed the Hidden Jun Village reconnaissance squad through a Grass Ninja's ambush while waiting for support, but Kisame Hoshigaki arrived with reinforcements. Falcon's Eye sent his squad onward and chose to act alone as Kisame sensed another strong presence approaching.

• Falcon's Eye used his summoned beast to spot the ambushing Grass Ninja's woody vine and guided his teammates' evasions while the Grass Ninja harassed them from hiding.
• Kisame Hoshigaki arrived with Grass Ninja reinforcements, recognized the Hidden Jun Village squad, and charged toward them.
• Falcon's Eye spotted Kisame and told his teammates to keep moving while he headed alone toward Kusagakure.
• The Hidden Jun Village reconnaissance squad split up, and Kisame sensed another fairly strong presence approaching.

Kisame Hoshigaki overwhelmed the Hidden Jun Village players as they rushed to defend their scouting squad, while a new official panoramic livestream revealed the battle to players and viewers. The fight continued with Kisame Hoshigaki facing Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master as the livestream drew massive audiences.

• Kisame Hoshigaki killed a Hidden Jun Village scout player and knocked Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master aside with a single blow.
• Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master, undeterred by their injuries and the players’ death protections, attacked Kisame Hoshigaki again.
• The official team used Ye Chen’s system to combine streamers’ feeds into a panoramic livestream, allowing players to view the battlefield.
• A player watching the livestream alerted the vanguard squad, and Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master led the rush to the scouting squad.
• The official livestream attracted countless viewers and sent substantial traffic to the major platforms rebroadcasting it.

The official Hidden Jun Ninja livestream drew huge audiences as viewers followed the players' clash with Kusagakure forces. Ye Chen watched from concealment as Kisame Hoshigaki struggled to finish off Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master, leaving Ye Chen poised to handle the powerful enemy.

• Viewers flooded the official livestream with comments, debated the game, and wagered on the players' chances in the scenario battle.
• Viewers spotted the Village Chief of Hidden Jun Village on the front-line feed and expected the players to win.
• Ye Chen deliberately came to the front line to take on Kusagakure's toughest opponents, including Kisame Hoshigaki, whom the players could not defeat.
• Ye Chen concealed his presence and watched as Kisame Hoshigaki fought Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master, whose taijutsu kept him from easily killing them.

Raijin and Azure Bird: Thunderclap joined the fight against Kisame Hoshigaki, but Kisame used Samehada to absorb their lightning and struck back with a water-and-poison attack. Azure Bird: Thunderclap landed safely near Ye Chen, whose appearance enraged Kisame and prompted Samehada to attack him.

• Raijin arrived with the Vanguard Squad on Azure Bird: Thunderclap as Corpse Bearer and Bullfighting Master struggled against Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Raijin and Azure Bird: Thunderclap attacked Kisame with lightning, but Samehada absorbed the chakra and Kisame answered with a water surge laced with lightning and poison.
• The water dragged Azure Bird: Thunderclap and Raijin from the sky, but the bird regained control near the ground and landed safely with Ye Chen's help.
• Azure Bird: Thunderclap spotted Ye Chen among the branches, and Kisame Hoshigaki turned red-eyed and thrust Samehada toward him.

Lin Chen easily repelled Kisame Hoshigaki’s monstrous form and lured him away from the players to draw out Kusagakure’s higher-ups. As the livestream audience watched, Lin Chen’s apparent strength fueled speculation that he was a Kage Level expert and the game’s central protagonist.

• Kisame Hoshigaki merged with Samehada, transformed into a huge fishlike form, and charged at Lin Chen.
• Lin Chen struck Kisame Hoshigaki with an enormous phantom palm, sending him crashing into a crater, then glided away and challenged him to follow.
• Kisame Hoshigaki regenerated from his injuries and chased Lin Chen, while White Ape and the other Grass Ninja experts stayed behind without his protection.
• The livestream audience watched Lin Chen send Kisame Hoshigaki flying and speculated that the Village Chief was a Kage Level expert and the game’s protagonist.
• Viewers discussed the game’s popularity, the possibility of more closed beta rounds, and whether they could buy limited-edition accounts during the open beta.