Recaps

Tsunade questioned Toyotomi Yinglang about his sons’ political skill and how Konoha’s leaders maintained power. Yinglang explained that rulers could manufacture popular consent through control of force and public opinion, leaving Tsunade to absorb his explanation.

• Tsunade asked why Toyotomi Yinglang’s four sons had recognized and seized the chance to save Uzumaki Clan members during the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools.
• Toyotomi Yinglang said ninja education trained people to be tools, not wise rulers, and that secret police suppressed dissent to make rulers appear successful.
• Toyotomi Yinglang described maintaining rule through making money, buying off enforcers, and using them to suppress resistance.
• Tsunade asked what it meant that only someone recognized by everyone could become Hokage, and Toyotomi Yinglang said those who did not recognize him could be stripped of personhood.
• Toyotomi Yinglang explained that rulers could manufacture majority consensus by controlling public opinion and power and isolating minorities, citing Konoha’s suppression of the Uchiha.
• Tsunade fell silent as she processed his explanation.

Toyotomi Shining Sand spent a year in the Soul-Searching Illusionary Realm, awakening a Mangekyō with powerful abilities and severe costs. He emerged claiming to be invincible, and Toyotomi Yinglang warned him to bear the weight of the crown.

• Toyotomi Shining Sand entered the Soul-Searching Illusionary Realm after telling Toyotomi Yinglang he would awaken the Mangekyō.
• Toyotomi Shining Sand spent a year tempering his Eye Power and fixing its structure while only one day passed outside.
• Toyotomi Shining Sand emerged with scarlet eyes bearing a golden crown pattern and described his Undying Army Summoning and Ascendant Ritual, including their costs.
• Toyotomi Shining Sand claimed his body, Chakra, mind, and resistances met Six Paths standards, and Toyotomi Yinglang summarized his abilities and cautioned him to use them carefully.
• Toyotomi Yinglang told Toyotomi Shining Sand that to wear the crown he must bear its weight, and Toyotomi Shining Sand left with Pakura after noting that he was seven.

Yōsa explained the five tiers of the Ascendant Ritual to Pakura and Karura, then gave them the tier-one blessing while sharing its pain. Both women became tier-one Ascendants, and Yōsa confirmed that he had endured the ritual’s cost and could continue.

• Yōsa asked Pakura and Karura whether they were willing to become Ascendants, and both agreed.
• Yōsa explained the five blessing tiers, their trials and powers, and the risk of becoming a mindless Sand Puppet.
• Yōsa chose the tier-one basic royal blessing for Pakura and Karura so he could test the ritual and its limits.
• Yōsa channeled gold dust into both women and endured the trial’s pain as they completed the blessing.
• Yōsa declared Pakura and Karura tier-one Ascendants, confirmed that his condition had recovered, and followed them from the side hall.

At the Resettlement Zone medical station, Toyotomi clan members queued to receive injections of Jin Zhiyin’s cells as Shining Sand and Jin Zhiyin explained the procedure’s safety and availability. The orderly process continued, with recipients leaving after confirming their bodies remained intact.

• Shining Sand told the waiting Toyotomi clan members that Jin Zhiyin’s living cells were available for everyone and that the risks of injection had been minimized.
• A Toyotomi clan member asked whether the injection was dangerous, and Shining Sand explained that Jin Zhiyin’s cells could be collected continuously and were more stable than cells from the dead.
• Jin Zhiyin assured the line that his cells would not cause strong rejection because the recipients belonged to the same clan.
• Toyotomi Dingzhen and other clan members proceeded through registration and received injections as the line moved forward.
• A recipient checked his palm and fingertips after leaving the consultation room, then walked away without hesitation.

After the first round of injections, Toyotomi Dingzhen and other subjects demonstrated controlled Wood Release, growing branches, roots, and new shoots that stopped at set lengths. Reports reached the Royal Palace of Rōran, and Dingzhen ended the day with a stable leaf growing on his shoulder.

• Toyotomi Dingzhen pressed his palm to the ground and made a transplanted sapling grow a new branch, then confirmed that he had Wood Release.
• Subjects in a western clearing tested their abilities, with several growing roots, weeds, shrubs, or branches while others failed.
• New growth appeared on saplings and old trees throughout the Resettlement Zone, and the branches and vines stopped at their intended lengths.
• Jin Zhiyin filed the report, Pakura glanced toward Dingzhen’s palm, and Karura confirmed that the saplings were properly distributed.
• Dingzhen used Wood Release again outside his home, and a small leaf appeared on his shoulder and stayed in place.

After learning that the Toyotomi Clan was developing Wood Release through Hashirama cells, Orochimaru asked Hiruzen Sarutobi to authorize human experiments. Hiruzen approved the experiments with Anbu candidates as test subjects, and Orochimaru left to begin.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi reviewed intelligence that members of the Toyotomi Clan were gaining Wood Release, while Orochimaru said their Hashirama Senju was still alive.
• Orochimaru urged Hiruzen Sarutobi to begin Wood Release experiments, arguing that Konoha needed its own users.
• Jiraiya warned that human experiments would kill people, but Hiruzen Sarutobi cut him off and approved Orochimaru's plan.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Orochimaru to select test subjects from the Anbu candidate list and leave villagers alone.
• Jiraiya left the office, and Orochimaru departed to carry out the experiments.

Uchiha Fushan and Uchiha Tuitai discussed reports that the Toyotomi Clan had successfully implanted Wood Release in twelve children using fragments of the First Hokage’s Scroll of Seals. Fushan remained in the Meeting Hall with an unopened report as night fell, while Tuitai sat silently beside him.

• Uchiha Fushan read reports confirming that the Toyotomi Clan had given Wood Release to twelve children with a success rate above ninety percent.
• Uchiha Tuitai confirmed the intelligence and explained that the Toyotomi had both Wood Release and the Sharingan, making them more troublesome than the Senju.
• Uchiha Fushan said that Heaven would not help the Uchiha, then walked to the window and watched leaves fall.
• Uchiha Fushan returned to the table and left the third report unopened as darkness settled over the Meeting Hall.
• Uchiha Tuitai stayed with Uchiha Fushan, who did not light a second lamp.

In the Country of Roran, Yōsa spent a quiet night and morning with Pakura and Karura, who cared for and fed him. The chapter ended with the three in the Side Hall as morning light and desert wind filled the room.

• Pakura and Karura bathed Yōsa and helped him settle into bed between them.
• Yōsa fell asleep while Pakura and Karura lay awake beside him, then both eventually slept.
• Karura held Yōsa on her lap the next morning while Pakura and Karura fed him porridge, vegetables, and flatbread.
• Yōsa joked that Pakura and Karura were harder than pillows and said being fed by mouth felt different.
• Pakura dried Yōsa's damp hair as Karura held him, while sunlight advanced through the open Side Hall door.

Toyotomi Jilan emerged from a year of training inside the Heavenly Court’s illusory realm with his Mangekyō awakened and adapted to its double vision. He revealed the dangerous powers and costs of his two Dōjutsu to Toyotomi Yinglang, then followed his father back toward the passage.

• Toyotomi Jilan entered the Heavenly Court’s dark gray door while Toyotomi Yinglang waited outside.
• Inside the illusory realm, Jilan repeatedly used his newly awakened eyes under restricted conditions, endured severe pain, and spent a month adjusting to his double vision.
• Jilan emerged on the second day outside with scarlet eyes bearing a golden dagger-axe in his left eye and an iron horse in his right.
• Jilan explained that Extreme Strike concentrated his chakra and physical strength into a powerful attack that injured him, while Extreme Sealing could suppress an enemy or seal away his own burdens at the cost of permanent damage to his soul.
• Toyotomi Yinglang called both abilities frightening trump cards and briefly patted Jilan’s shoulder.
• Jilan waited for Yinglang to head back, then followed him toward the passage with their footsteps and pace in unison.