Chapter Summaries

After Nonō’s Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal was broken, Lin Ze urged her to leave Konoha with him and the people they cared about, citing Danzo, Orochimaru, and Hiruzen Sarutobi as threats. They agreed to wait until the director’s final days had passed, then escape to the Land of Whirlpools.

• Nonō worried that Danzo would discover the broken seal, and Lin Ze proposed leaving Konoha.
• Lin Ze explained that Danzo, Orochimaru, and possibly Hiruzen Sarutobi made staying in Konoha dangerous for them.
• Lin Ze planned ways to help Nonō, Yumi, Ayumi, Rei, Ichirō, and Kabuto escape Konoha without drawing suspicion.
• Lin Ze and Nonō agreed to remain with the director until he died, since traveling would be too hard on him.
• Lin Ze proposed settling in the Land of Whirlpools, and Nonō agreed to tell everyone about the plan over breakfast.

Lin Ze planned to leave Konoha with Nonō and the children, while Rei Uesugi chose to stay because of Asuma. Hiruzen Sarutobi then assigned Lin Ze to investigate the Ryūmyaku's disappearance in the Land of Wind, unaware that Lin Ze had taken it himself.

• Nonō told the group Lin Ze planned to leave Konoha, and Yumi, Ayumi, Miyamoto Ichirō, and Kabuto agreed to go with him.
• Rei Uesugi said she wanted to stay in Konoha because she could not leave someone behind, and the others accepted her choice.
• The group agreed to keep their departure plans confidential and wait for the right moment.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Lin Ze a mission to investigate the missing Ryūmyaku in the Land of Wind and examine the possible roles of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure.
• Lin Ze accepted the mission, knowing he had taken the Ryūmyaku himself, and planned to use the time to prepare for the group's departure and deal with Orochimaru.

Lin Ze traveled to Cat Country to recruit ninja cats as messengers for his companions in Konoha. He met Cat Granny and found two promising candidates, though both immediately demanded payment in their preferred forms.

• Lin Ze placed a seal on Nonō's tongue and planned how his companions would leave Konoha over the coming months.
• Lin Ze traveled to Cat Country seeking ninja cats to relay information between him and Miyamoto Ichirō's group.
• Lin Ze entered Cat Country and met its overseer, Cat Granny, who explained that the ninja cats expected a price for their help.
• Lin Ze asked the assembled ninja cats to consider working as messengers, and an orange cat asked about money, food, and lodging.
• A little black cat said it wanted premium dried fish, leaving Lin Ze to consider the two cats' demands.

Lin Ze contracted with Chinchilla and Ink Maru in Cat Country to serve as messengers and learned how to summon them. He arranged for Miyamoto Ichirō to use the cats as a secret communication channel and planned to extend the contracts to Nonō, Yumi, Ayumi, and Kabuto.

• Lin Ze agreed to pay Chinchilla for deliveries and provide Ink Maru with dried fish, then signed the Summoning Contract with both cats.
• Cat Granny gave Lin Ze a scroll explaining the Reverse Summoning Technique and its hand seals.
• Lin Ze traveled to a border town and studied the reverse summoning scroll at an inn.
• Lin Ze summoned Chinchilla and Ink Maru for Miyamoto Ichirō, paid Chinchilla, and gave Ink Maru dried fish.
• Miyamoto Ichirō signed a Summoning Contract with the cats, and Lin Ze asked him to secretly arrange contracts for Nonō, Yumi, Ayumi, and Kabuto.
• Miyamoto Ichirō returned to Konoha, while Lin Ze planned to wait for Nonō and the others to leave on a mission.

Lin Ze located five of Orochimaru’s hidden outposts in the Land of Rice Fields and launched a coordinated attack on all of them. At noon, he entered the northeastern base, killed its jōnin guard, and began cutting down the people inside.

• Lin Ze used thirty shadow clones to search the Land of Rice Fields for Orochimaru’s experimental bases.
• A clone discovered a hidden crevice and found traces of Orochimaru’s chakra and an experimental facility studying Wood Release cells.
• Lin Ze gathered reports from the clones and identified five suspicious outposts, including two major bases.
• After resting, Lin Ze sent thirty newly strengthened clones to attack the outposts simultaneously at noon, ordering them to destroy facilities, collect documents, and kill anyone who resisted.
• Lin Ze activated his partial beastification and Lightning Release Chakra Mode, then infiltrated the northeastern base and killed its jōnin guard.
• Lin Ze raced through the base, killing guards and researchers as he pressed his attack.

Lin Ze raided and destroyed all five of Orochimaru’s bases, taking Wood Release Cells, research records, and other valuable materials. After reuniting with his shadow clones and collecting their spoils, he headed toward Ascension Island in the Land of Whirlpools.

• Lin Ze broke into the northeastern base’s sealed chamber, found Wood Release Cells, and stored them in a scroll.
• Lin Ze collected the base’s research materials and a Jōnin’s corpse, then destroyed the base with Bolo Breath.
• Lin Ze received memories from his shadow clones as they destroyed and looted the other four bases, including the one beneath the Land of Rice Fields.
• Four shadow clones returned with scrolls of spoils, then dispelled and transferred their memories to Lin Ze.
• Lin Ze glanced toward Konoha and the front lines against Iwagakure before speeding toward Ascension Island.

Lin Ze examined the spoils from Orochimaru’s destroyed bases, secured valuable research materials, and taught Qingtian the Reverse Summoning Technique. Orochimaru suspected Lin Ze was involved in the attacks and ordered an investigation while postponing retaliation.

• Lin Ze recovered Wood Release Cells, Yamato cell research, and detailed cloning records from Orochimaru’s base, but found no information on Living Corpse Reincarnation.
• Lin Ze summoned Qingtian and taught him the Reverse Summoning Technique.
• Orochimaru learned that all five of his Land of Rice Fields bases had been destroyed and their core materials stolen.
• Orochimaru suspected Lin Ze was involved but held back from retaliating because of the front-line situation and Hiruzen Sarutobi’s scrutiny.
• Orochimaru sent instructions to investigate the destroyed bases for traces that could confirm whether Lin Ze had attacked them.

Lin Ze successfully tested the Reverse Summoning Technique, then returned to Konoha and blamed Sasori of the Red Sands for the Ryūmyaku’s disappearance. Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted the theory and planned to investigate Sasori, who remained unaware that suspicion had fallen on him.

• Lin Ze used Qingtian to verify that the Reverse Summoning Technique could take him from his laboratory to Peach Paradise and back.
• Lin Ze traveled through the sea and the Land of Wind, leaving false signs that he had investigated the Ryūmyaku’s disappearance.
• Lin Ze told Hiruzen Sarutobi that the Ryūmyaku had been forcibly extracted and blamed Sasori of the Red Sands, presenting a damaged puppet as evidence.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted Lin Ze’s report, said he would track Sasori, and granted Lin Ze two days off from the ANBU.
• Sasori worried about his dwindling puppet materials and decided to go out to replenish his stock, unaware that Lin Ze had implicated him.

Lin Ze spread rumors about Orochimaru’s forbidden experiments through underground networks and arranged for ninja cats to carry the claims farther. After returning to Konoha, he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi begin to consider a secret investigation, then gave Kabuto introductory cell-cloning materials.

• Lin Ze visited underground Bounty Stations and planted convincing rumors that Orochimaru was conducting human experiments and stealing the First Hokage’s cells.
• Lin Ze summoned Chinchilla and Ink Maru and paid them to deliver scrolls spreading the rumors through designated locations.
• Lin Ze submitted a partly fabricated supply-investigation report to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who later considered secretly investigating the rumors and warning Orochimaru.
• Lin Ze returned to the Orphanage, found Kabuto reading about biology, and gave him introductory materials on cell cloning.

After the old director’s death, Lin Ze prepared to leave Konoha and helped Nonō begin her escape from Root. Nonō departed on a mission to the Land of Earth, while Lin Ze planned to follow after receiving a mission of his own and arrange for the others to leave.

• Lin Ze reflected on the old director’s peaceful death and on Miyamoto Ichirō and Kabuto having already left Konoha.
• Lin Ze sensed Nonō leaving the Orphanage and later learned Danzo had ordered her to infiltrate the Land of Earth with a three-person squad.
• Lin Ze told Nonō to follow the mission as normal, send him her squad’s route through Chinchilla and Ink Maru, and wait for him to stage an accident that would free her from Root.
• Lin Ze gave Nonō a scroll with supplies, antidotes, and a rough map of the Land of Earth.
• Nonō left Konoha for her mission, and Lin Ze waited for Hiruzen Sarutobi to assign him a mission so he could leave with the two girls.

Lin Ze rescued Nonō by killing the two Root ninja assigned to watch her and flew her to a hidden base on Ascension Island. He left Shadow Clones to protect the others and departed to visit the Land of Water and complete his cover mission.

• Lin Ze received Nonō's route from Chinchilla and flew to the abandoned mine in the Land of Earth.
• Lin Ze ambushed and killed the two Root Chunin watching Nonō, freeing her from Danzo's surveillance and Cursed Seal.
• Lin Ze sealed the bodies, erased the evidence, and flew with Nonō to Ascension Island.
• Lin Ze reunited Nonō with Kabuto and Miyamoto Ichirō at the underground laboratory, where they confirmed the island was secure.
• Lin Ze left two Shadow Clones to guard the group and set off to complete his cover mission in the Land of Water.

Hiruzen Sarutobi learned from Enma about Qingtian, a gifted six-eared member of the Enma Clan who had already signed a summoning contract with someone. He sent Asuma to Peach Paradise to try to earn Qingtian’s approval, while resolving to investigate the unknown summoner if Asuma failed.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi sparred with Enma, who told him that Qingtian had six ears, exceptional potential, and an unknown summoner.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to send Asuma to Peach Paradise to seek Qingtian’s approval and potentially strengthen both his son and the village.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Asuma and explained that he should try to form a bond with Qingtian without forcing a contract.
• Asuma agreed to visit Peach Paradise the next morning, intrigued by the prospect of a powerful summoning beast.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi watched Asuma leave and decided he would investigate Qingtian’s summoner if Asuma did not succeed.

After returning to Ascension Island, Lin Ze found Nonō and the others settling into life there and continued teaching Kabuto. Qingtian summoned him to Peach Paradise, where he learned Asuma had come seeking a summoning contract, leaving Lin Ze more determined to separate from Konoha.

• Lin Ze returned to Ascension Island and found Nonō, Miyamoto Ichirō, and Kabuto adapting well and preparing supplies and experiments.
• Lin Ze began teaching Kabuto about cell cloning and genetics at the underground laboratory.
• Qingtian used their contract link to summon Lin Ze to Peach Paradise, where he found Asuma waiting to sign a Summoning Contract.
• Qingtian explained that he had already told Asuma he was Lin Ze's partner, and Lin Ze confirmed it to Asuma.
• Asuma accepted the misunderstanding, said he would report back to Hiruzen Sarutobi, and left Peach Paradise.
• Lin Ze praised Qingtian and resolved to break away from Konoha so he could develop without interference.

Lin Ze reported his unsuccessful search for the remaining Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and confirmed his contract with Qingtian to Hiruzen Sarutobi. Hiruzen then ordered him to leave that night and reinforce Torifu Akimichi against the Third Raikage’s forces.

• Asuma told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Qingtian was Lin Ze’s intelligent Summoning Beast and that they had a longstanding contract.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi considered Lin Ze’s strength and connection to the Enma Clan, then assigned Asuma’s squad a B-Rank escort mission.
• Lin Ze returned to Ascension Island, reassured Nonō and the others, and taught Kabuto the basics of centrifugation for cloning experiments.
• Lin Ze reported that he found no definite traces of the remaining three Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and he explained to Hiruzen Sarutobi how he had signed a contract with Qingtian.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Lin Ze to leave that night for the northeastern border camp and support Torifu Akimichi against Kumogakure’s forces.

Lin Ze reached Konoha’s northeastern front and received orders from Torifu Akimichi to provide mobile support against Kumogakure. He met Minato Namikaze in the command tent, while the Third Raikage’s continued presence left him wary of the war ahead.

• Lin Ze left the orphanage for the northeastern front, worried that the Third Raikage was still alive and that Kumogakure might have prepared countermeasures against him.
• Lin Ze arrived at Konoha’s main camp and reported to commander Torifu Akimichi.
• Torifu Akimichi told Lin Ze to reinforce whichever part of the defensive line faced the greatest pressure and use his Taijutsu and speed against Kumogakure’s forces.
• Minato Namikaze arrived using the Flying Thunder God Technique and sensed that the masked Lin Ze was more dangerous than his chakra level suggested.
• Lin Ze recognized Minato as the future Fourth Hokage and resolved to focus on surviving the war and pursuing his Kekkei Mōra plan.

Minato Namikaze and Lin Ze rushed to the First Main Defense Line after the Third Raikage led Kumogakure’s attack, and Minato confronted him on the battlefield. The chapter ended as Minato launched a Rasengan at the Raikage’s back.

• A messenger reported that the Third Raikage was leading Kumogakure’s main force toward Konoha’s First Main Defense Line.
• Torifu Akimichi ordered the defensive echelons to delay Kumogakure and sent a messenger to seek Orochimaru’s help.
• Torifu assigned Minato Namikaze and Lin Ze to hold back the Third Raikage, and they raced to the front.
• The Third Raikage smashed through Konoha’s defenses, killing defenders with his Hell Stab.
• Minato Namikaze intercepted the Third Raikage, displaced his kunai with a sweep of his arm, and appeared behind him with a Rasengan aimed at his back.

Lin Ze joined the battlefield, opened the Fifth Gate of Limit, and swiftly killed two Kumogakure jōnin while Minato Namikaze fought the Third Raikage. The Third Raikage recognized Lin Ze as the Konoha Azure Dragon and charged at him with a deadly Three-Finger Nukite, leaving Lin Ze facing an imminent threat.

• Minato Namikaze and the Third Raikage traded blows, reaching a temporary stalemate.
• Lin Ze opened the Fifth Gate of Limit and killed two Kumogakure jōnin, easing pressure on Konoha's defensive line.
• Minato Namikaze noticed Lin Ze's speed and taijutsu, and his assessment of him rose.
• The Third Raikage recognized Lin Ze as the Konoha Azure Dragon and charged at him with Three-Finger Nukite, despite Minato Namikaze's attack from behind.
• Lin Ze sensed the killing strike and realized he could not evade it with his current speed.

Lin Ze helped Minato Namikaze hold off the Third Raikage until news arrived that Killer B and Fourth Raikage A were attacking the Western No. 3 Highland. Minato left to reinforce it, and Lin Ze faced the Third Raikage alone, activating his Azure Dragon Form and Sixth Gate to buy time.

• Lin Ze used his Azure Dragon scales and speed to evade the Third Raikage’s lethal strike, then joined Minato Namikaze in fighting him.
• Minato Namikaze and Lin Ze held off the Third Raikage while their allies drove back the surrounding Kumogakure jōnin.
• A Konoha communications ninja reported that Killer B and Fourth Raikage A were attacking the Western No. 3 Highland, whose defenses were close to collapsing.
• Minato Namikaze asked Lin Ze to hold out until reinforcements arrived, then left to reinforce the western stronghold.
• Alone against the Third Raikage, Lin Ze let the Fifth Gate’s green steam fade before activating partial Azure Dragon beastification and the Sixth Gate.

Lin Ze combined Partial Beastification, the Sixth Gate, and Lightning Release Chakra Mode to fight the Third Raikage, who was enraged that a Konoha ANBU knew Kumogakure’s secret technique. After half an hour of fierce battle, Torifu Akimichi intervened, giving Lin Ze time to retreat and recover.

• Lin Ze met the Third Raikage’s punch with Chakra Enhanced Strength and forced him back half a step.
• Lin Ze traded blows with the Third Raikage but struggled to match his speed and feared the Strongest Spear.
• Lin Ze activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode, shocking the Kumogakure ninja and enraging the Third Raikage.
• Lin Ze combined his enhancements and resumed fighting the Third Raikage for half an hour, leaving both increasingly strained.
• Torifu Akimichi arrived and struck the Third Raikage, allowing Lin Ze to retreat and regulate his chakra and blood circulation.

Lin Ze and Torifu Akimichi held off the Third Raikage until Kumogakure withdrew after learning Orochimaru was approaching. At Konoha’s command tent, Orochimaru arrived, and Torifu warned him to put aside his rumored forbidden experiments during the war.

• Torifu Akimichi joined Lin Ze against the Third Raikage, and the two fought defensively as Konoha reinforcements gathered.
• A Kumogakure intelligence ninja reported that Orochimaru was approaching, so the Third Raikage ordered his forces to retreat.
• Torifu declined to pursue Kumogakure, then questioned Lin Ze about the Third Raikage calling him the “Azure Dragon”; Lin Ze denied knowing why.
• Torifu learned that Minato Namikaze had repelled the attack led by Killer B and Fourth Raikage A and stabilized the western defensive line.
• Orochimaru arrived at the command tent, where Torifu welcomed his help but warned him to set aside his rumored forbidden experiments.