Recaps

After dying of cancer, Lin Ze transmigrated into the Naruto world and was taken to Konoha’s orphanage. Six years before the Third Shinobi World War, he found his chakra control was poor and committed himself to training in taijutsu to survive.

• Lin Ze awoke in the arms of a fox-masked ANBU after dying in his previous life and realized he had been reborn in the Naruto world.
• The ANBU brought Lin Ze to Konoha and sent him to the orphanage.
• After six months, Lin Ze estimated that it was Konoha Year 37 and recognized Yakushi Nonō as his caretaker.
• Nonō taught Lin Ze basic ninja knowledge, but his weak chakra made his Clone Technique fail.
• Lin Ze decided to focus on taijutsu and trained by repeatedly kicking a straw dummy despite his pain and fatigue.

Lin Ze found Kaido’s Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, in a river and ate it, gaining draconic powers. He returned to the orphanage after hiding the evidence, wary that powerful figures in the Naruto world might discover his unusual ability.

• Lin Ze finished his training and felt an unexplained pull toward the woods behind the training ground.
• Lin Ze found a bluish-purple fruit floating in a small river and recognized it as the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon.
• Lin Ze ate the entire fruit despite its revolting taste and endured a violent transformation.
• Lin Ze discovered dragon-like scales and claws, improved vision, greater strength, and faster healing.
• Lin Ze worried that Orochimaru, Danzo, or others might learn about his power, so he erased the traces and returned to the orphanage.

Lin Ze trained to control his Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon while hiding its supernatural nature, and discovered ordinary water did not weaken him. After two months of training, he heard someone crying beneath a tree at the edge of the training ground.

• Lin Ze examined his new power, struggled to maintain a partial transformation, and decided to conceal the fruit by presenting his strength as taijutsu training.
• Lin Ze tested his Devil Fruit weakness by immersing himself in ordinary water and found it had no effect.
• Over the next two months, Lin Ze trained hard and learned to keep his partially transformed arm active for about ten minutes.
• After finishing his training by the stream, Lin Ze heard sobbing and spotted a black-haired, burgundy-eyed figure crouched beneath a tree.

Lin Ze found the lost Kurenai Yuhi, comforted her about her absent father, and escorted her home, where they promised to meet again. He returned to the orphanage to find Yakushi Nonō waiting with dinner and a reminder that new children would arrive tomorrow.

• Lin Ze found Kurenai Yuhi crying alone in the snow and offered her candy and help.
• Kurenai told Lin Ze that she had gotten lost while waiting for her father to return from a mission, and Lin Ze reassured her and invited her to play at the orphanage.
• Lin Ze walked Kurenai home, and the two promised to meet again the next day.
• Lin Ze returned to the orphanage, where Yakushi Nonō had saved him dinner and asked him to help settle in new children tomorrow.

Lin Ze helped Nonō welcome three war orphans while continuing his intense training and developing a plan for the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon. Kurenai Yuhi grew closer to him, and Lin Ze outlined four stages for mastering his Devil Fruit powers.

• Lin Ze offered to help Nonō care for three new war orphans after learning their parents had died in a border conflict.
• Lin Ze told Nonō he had found Kurenai Yuhi lost and learned that her father, Yuhi Shinku, was a skilled Genjutsu ninja.
• Nonō warned Lin Ze about overtraining, but he boasted that he would become the Blue Beast of the Hidden Leaf of Konoha.
• Lin Ze helped Nonō settle Kenta, Xiaowu, and Reiko, then doubled his training workload.
• Kurenai began visiting the orphanage and watching Lin Ze train, sharing snacks with him during breaks.
• Lin Ze planned four stages for developing his Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, from human-form training to awakening.

Lin Ze attended the Ninja Academy entrance tests with the children from Nonō’s orphanage and passed despite his low chakra reserves. He left with his physical talent recognized but his chakra weakness exposed.

• Nonō brought Lin Ze and three other children to register at the Ninja Academy, where Lin Ze greeted Kurenai and her mother.
• Lin Ze completed the fitness tests with an A grade, finishing first in the run while holding back.
• Lin Ze’s Sensing Stone glowed faintly, earning him a C for low chakra reserves despite excellent control.
• Lin Ze barely met the combined enrollment requirements and passed the entrance tests.

Lin Ze passed the Ninja Academy entrance exam and attended Hiruzen Sarutobi’s speech on the Will of Fire, where the Third Hokage singled him out for praise. Afterward, Hiruzen asked Lin Ze why he worked so hard, and Lin Ze gave a prepared answer about protecting people important to him.

• Lin Ze found his name at the bottom of the admissions list and noticed Kakashi and Might Guy, who was upset that he had not been accepted.
• Kurenai Yuhi congratulated Lin Ze, and teacher Yamada assigned them to Class 1-B before showing the new students around the academy.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi gave the students a speech about the Will of Fire and called Lin Ze to the podium to praise his perseverance.
• Yamada brought Lin Ze to meet Hiruzen, who asked what motivated him to work hard.
• Lin Ze claimed he wanted to protect the people important to him, and Hiruzen approved of his answer.

Lin Ze officially began classes in Class 1-B, where he met future Konoha shinobi and shared his dream of protecting those important to him. After learning that students could graduate early through strong practical assessments, he saw a chance to qualify as a shinobi sooner.

• Lin Ze reassured Kurenai that the Third Hokage had only encouraged him, then returned to the Orphanage with Nonō and learned that Rei Uesugi was the only other child there to pass the entrance test.
• Lin Ze arrived at Class 1-B and took the seat Kurenai Yuhi had saved beside her.
• Kenichi Yamada introduced himself as the homeroom teacher and asked the students to share their names and dreams.
• Izumo Kamizuki, Kotetsu Hagane, Kurenai Yuhi, and Asuma Sarutobi introduced themselves and described their ambitions.
• Lin Ze said he wanted to become stronger and protect those who mattered to him.
• Kenichi Yamada explained the class schedule and monthly practical assessments, and Lin Ze resolved to pursue early graduation.

Lin Ze’s teasing feud with Ryota Uchiha continued into their monthly combat assessment, where Lin Ze faced the Uchiha boy after Kurenai Yuhi defeated Asuma. The match began with Ryota throwing eight shuriken at Lin Ze, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Lin Ze reassured Kurenai that she was important to him, then provoked Asuma and Ryota Uchiha when they mocked his chakra aptitude.
• Three months later, Lin Ze reflected on his growing physical strength from the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, while trying not to stand out or graduate before Kakashi.
• Kurenai Yuhi defeated Asuma in the monthly combat assessment, and the teacher paired Lin Ze with Ryota Uchiha next.
• Lin Ze declined Ryota’s offer to surrender, and the teacher started their match.
• Ryota Uchiha hurled eight shuriken at Lin Ze, aiming four at his vital points and using the rest to block his escape routes.

Lin Ze defeated Ryota Uchiha in a taijutsu match, then secretly used his dragon-form defenses to survive Ryota’s illegal Great Fireball Technique. That evening, Kurenai treated Lin Ze’s burns by the river, where he concealed the true source of his protection.

• Lin Ze dodged Ryota Uchiha’s shuriken and caught one bare-handed before overpowering him in taijutsu.
• Ryota Uchiha used the Great Fireball Technique after Lin Ze offered to continue, and Lin Ze blocked it with his concealed dragon-transformed arm.
• The referee disqualified Ryota Uchiha for using high-risk ninjutsu and declared Lin Ze the winner.
• Lin Ze inspected his ruined jacket by the river and considered how to hide his partial beastification more safely.
• Kurenai brought Lin Ze burn ointment, and he told her that Big Sister Nonō had taught him to coat his body in chakra.

Lin Ze met Might Duy and Might Guy by the river and fought a taijutsu match with Guy. After winning, he remained interested in learning the Eight Gates Released Formation.

• Lin Ze told Kurenai that he wanted to grow stronger, and she promised they would train together.
• Lin Ze spotted Might Duy training Guy across the river and considered the power and dangers of the Eight Gates Released Formation.
• Lin Ze crossed the river to introduce himself to Duy and Guy, and Guy challenged him to a taijutsu match.
• Lin Ze and Guy exchanged attacks until Guy tired, and Lin Ze tapped his shoulder to win.
• Guy praised Lin Ze and vowed to beat him someday, while Duy celebrated their match.

Lin Ze sought Might Duy’s advice on Taijutsu training and learned a breathing method from him and Guy. He wondered whether the method might help him learn the Eight Gates Released Formation.

• Lin Ze declined to train with Might Duy and Guy, then decided to increase his workouts and spend more time with them in hopes of learning the Eight Gates Released Formation.
• The next evening, Lin Ze waited at the stream and worried that Ryota Uchiha had received special treatment after the practical assessment incident.
• Lin Ze asked Might Duy for professional Taijutsu training advice and explained that his poor Ninjutsu talent and small chakra reserves made him rely on Taijutsu.
• Might Duy showed Lin Ze an extreme daily training plan, then he and Guy taught him more systematic training advice and a breathing method.
• Lin Ze felt warmth surge through his body as he tried the breathing technique, which Might Duy named the Youth Breathing Method.

Lin Ze trained with Might Duy and Might Guy to learn the Youth Breathing Method, hoping to master the Eight Gates Released Formation and protect Nonō from Danzo’s schemes. After two weeks of practice, Uchiha Onibi confronted Lin Ze over his younger brother Ryōta.

• Lin Ze suspected Might Duy’s Youth Breathing Method was preparation for the Eight Gates Released Formation and resolved to earn the family’s trust through training.
• Lin Ze learned that Nonō had returned late after dealing with trouble, worried that Danzo and Root might be involved, and decided he needed to master the Eight Gates Released Formation soon.
• Two weeks later, Lin Ze had learned the basics of the breathing method while training with Might Duy and Might Guy, despite the cost of the protective bandages he had bought.
• Uchiha Onibi introduced himself as Ryōta’s older brother and accused Lin Ze of bullying Ryōta during a practical combat assessment.

Lin Ze accepted Uchiha Onibi’s challenge and negotiated a wager over learning the Uchiha’s Great Fireball Technique, with Might Duy acting as referee. Lin Ze dodged Onibi’s first attack and escaped the second, a Great Fireball, leaving the fight unfinished as Onibi’s third move remained.

• Uchiha Onibi confronted Lin Ze over his treatment of Ryota and challenged him to withstand three moves or apologize publicly.
• Lin Ze changed the wager: if he won, Onibi would stop pursuing him and teach him the Uchiha’s Great Fireball Technique; if Onibi won, Lin Ze would apologize to Ryota.
• Might Duy opened the third gate of the Eight Gates Released Formation and agreed to referee the fight.
• Uchiha Onibi launched eight shuriken at Lin Ze, who used his taijutsu training to evade them and catch one between his fingers.
• Uchiha Onibi followed with a Great Fireball, and Lin Ze kicked away to avoid being hit, though the flames scorched part of his clothes.

Lin Ze endured Uchiha Onibi’s three attacks and broke his Sharingan Genjutsu with Dragon Might, forcing Onibi to honor their agreement and teach him the Uchiha’s Great Fireball Technique. After Onibi led him away, Lin Ze went to meet the nearby ANBU, while Might Duy considered teaching him the Eight Gates Released Formation.

• Lin Ze dodged Uchiha Onibi’s first two moves, but the Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique trapped him in a Genjutsu.
• Lin Ze’s Dragon Might shattered the Genjutsu, causing backlash that injured Uchiha Onibi’s Sharingan.
• Lin Ze declared the three moves complete, and Uchiha Onibi reluctantly agreed to teach him for one hour.
• Lin Ze noticed signs that ANBU had been watching and told Might Duy and Might Guy he would meet them before returning to train.
• Might Duy watched Lin Ze leave and decided to look for an opportunity to teach him the Eight Gates Released Formation.

Lin Ze learned the Uchiha-style Great Fireball Technique from Uchiha Onibi and planned to disguise his Bolo Breath as Fire Release. Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi reviewed a report on Lin Ze’s strength and asked Nara Luhong to assess the boy’s unusual ability to break genjutsu.

• Might Duy urged Might Guy to train harder after Lin Ze’s victory, and Guy vowed to catch up to Lin Ze.
• Uchiha Onibi taught Lin Ze the Great Fireball Technique, then thanked him for sparing Ryota Uchiha during their assessment.
• Lin Ze realized he could pass off his Bolo Breath as the Uchiha’s Fire Release technique and considered how to explain his other elemental abilities.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi read an ANBU report about Lin Ze’s fight with an Uchiha chunin and summoned Nara Luhong for his opinion.
• Nara Luhong noted that Lin Ze’s ability to break Sharingan Genjutsu could not be explained by ordinary taijutsu.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Nara Luhong concluded that Lin Ze had diluted Uzumaki blood and decided to watch him closely, while Lin Ze tested how to disguise his Bolo Breath as Fire Release. The chapter left him planning to use the Uchiha as cover for the ability and avoid the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi read Lin Ze’s file and, with Nara Luhong, attributed his unusual constitution to Uzumaki blood.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to promote Lin Ze to Chunin and assign him to ANBU after graduation, while also ordering a Jōnin to observe him secretly.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed to promote Might Duy to Chunin because of his powerful Taijutsu and Eight Gates Released Formation.
• Lin Ze tested Bolo Breath by imitating a weak Great Fireball Technique after forming the hand seals Uchiha Onibi had taught him.
• Lin Ze decided he could pass off future uses of Bolo Breath as Fire Release learned from the Uchiha and planned to avoid Hyuga observers.

Lin Ze began learning the Eight Gates Released Formation from Might Duy and opened the first gate on his first attempt. He returned to the Orphanage, realizing the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon could heal the technique’s physical side effects.

• Might Duy decided to teach Lin Ze the Eight Gates Released Formation, judging that Lin Ze's fitness and willpower met the requirements.
• Might Duy explained the eight gates, their risks, and how to strike each chakra node under supervision.
• Lin Ze focused his chakra on the Gate of Opening and endured the pain until he opened it successfully.
• Might Duy told Lin Ze to practice opening and closing the first gate for a week before attempting the second.
• Lin Ze noticed his Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon recovery ability had already healed the physical side effects of opening the gate.

Lin Ze suspected Root was targeting Nonō and learned that she had not left the organization. Nonō told him she would leave on a dangerous two-week mission, while Lin Ze accepted that he was still too weak to stop her.

• Lin Ze spotted a masked figure near the orphanage and suspected the person belonged to Root.
• Lin Ze questioned Nonō about trouble, but she denied anything was wrong despite a brief pause while chopping vegetables.
• Nonō visited Lin Ze after dinner and admitted that a former mission teammate had asked her to leave on a two-week mission the next day.
• Nonō asked Lin Ze to care for the orphanage's children and bedridden director while she was away.
• After Nonō left, Lin Ze lamented that he lacked the strength to protect her from the dangerous mission.

Lin Ze watched Kakashi Hatake pass his early graduation assessment and become a Konoha Genin, while coping with Nonō’s departure on a mission. On his way home, he spotted Obito Uchiha helping an old woman cross the street.

• Lin Ze found that Nonō had left for a two-week mission and promised Yumi he would look after the children.
• Miyamoto Ichirō stayed at the Orphanage to care for the children while Lin Ze and Rei Uesugi went to the Ninja Academy.
• Kurenai Yuhi told Lin Ze that Kakashi Hatake would take an early graduation assessment, and the students gathered to watch.
• Kakashi Hatake fought Special Jōnin Gekko Yufeng and passed the assessment, officially graduating as a Konoha Genin.
• On his way back to the Orphanage, Lin Ze recognized Obito Uchiha helping an old woman cross the street.

Lin Ze was summoned by Hiruzen Sarutobi, who identified him as having a suspected Uzumaki bloodline and praised his training and potential. Hiruzen placed him on the ANBU's observation list and offered him a path to Chunin rank and ANBU training after graduation.

• Lin Ze met Obito Uchiha, introduced himself as a Class 1-B student, and walked with Obito back to the Orphanage.
• Two weeks later, Gray Bear summoned Lin Ze to meet Hiruzen Sarutobi at the Hokage Building.
• Hiruzen reviewed Lin Ze's training record and praised his determination to protect the people important to him.
• Hiruzen showed Lin Ze a file identifying his suspected Uzumaki bloodline and said his vitality and potential made him worth cultivating.
• Hiruzen told Lin Ze he would be observed by the ANBU and could become a Chunin and join ANBU training after graduating from the Ninja Academy.

Lin Ze accepted Hiruzen Sarutobi’s plan to promote him to Chunin and recruit him into ANBU, then considered how the position and his Uzumaki bloodline could help conceal the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon. He returned to the Orphanage and was relieved to see Nonō come back safely, though he noticed her fingers trembling.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi told Lin Ze that he had an Uzumaki constitution, could become a Chunin upon graduation, and would then join ANBU, and Lin Ze agreed to serve the village.
• Lin Ze weighed ANBU’s resources, dangerous missions, and access to information, and concluded his Uzumaki bloodline helped explain his physical strength while keeping his fruit’s power hidden.
• Lin Ze returned to the Orphanage for lunch and reflected that opening the Gate of Healing after two weeks of training was unusually fast.
• Lin Ze trained in the courtyard that evening until Yumi told him Nonō had returned.
• Nonō reunited with Yumi and Ayumi, thanked Lin Ze for looking after the children, and said she had brought presents.
• Lin Ze noticed Nonō’s fingers trembling slightly and suspected her mission had not gone smoothly.

Lin Ze worried that Nonō’s Root mission had left her exhausted and resolved to grow strong enough to protect her and the people he had come to care about. After two months of training with Might Duy and Might Guy, Lin Ze opened the Third Gate, the Gate of Life.

• Nonō gave Lin Ze an engraved kunai and claimed her mission had gone well, while Lin Ze suspected she was hiding how difficult it had been.
• Lin Ze planned to develop his Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon and train the Eight Gates Released Formation so he could help Nonō against Root.
• Lin Ze reflected on his growing bonds with Nonō, Kurenai, Might Duy, and Might Guy, realizing he could no longer see them as strangers from a story.
• For two months, Might Duy trained Lin Ze to break through the Third Gate while Might Guy encouraged him.
• Lin Ze endured repeated bursts of pain, forced his chakra through the Gate of Life, and opened the Third Gate.

Lin Ze mastered the Third Gate of the Eight Gates Released Formation and learned that the Ninja Academy would hold a Combat Ranking Assessment the following week. He planned to place in the top ten and continue studying for another year before graduating.

• Lin Ze opened the Gate of Life, and Might Duy advised him to practice keeping it open for an hour each day before attempting the Gate of Pain.
• At the academy, Lin Ze asked Kurenai about the upcoming Combat Ranking Assessment and learned that the top three would receive Ninjutsu scrolls from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Kenichi Yamada announced that the assessment would use one-on-one elimination matches, with fatal techniques forbidden and the referee deciding each match.
• Asuma doubted Lin Ze would last three rounds, while Kurenai predicted he would take first place; Lin Ze said he only aimed for the top ten.
• Lin Ze decided not to graduate early, and Might Duy planned to teach Might Guy the Eight Gates Released Formation once Guy met the physical requirements.

Lin Ze trained with the Gate of Life open while Danzo ordered Nonō to undertake a dangerous intelligence mission, using Lin Ze’s file to pressure her. Nonō left before dawn, and Lin Ze vowed to care for the orphans and hoped she would return safely.

• Lin Ze opened the first three gates of the Eight Gates Released Formation and completed 1,000 push-ups during training.
• Danzo showed Nonō a file on Lin Ze and ordered her to gather intelligence in the Land of Lightning, threatening to send Lin Ze instead; Nonō reluctantly accepted the mission.
• Lin Ze sensed a Root pursuer near the orphanage and later asked Nonō about her departure, but she said only that she might be gone for years.
• Nonō told Lin Ze to look after the children, and he suspected Danzo had sent her because of him.
• Before dawn, Nonō slipped away from the orphanage, and Lin Ze watched her leave, promising to care for everyone and wishing her safety.