Chapter Summaries

Yecheng began learning medical ninjutsu from Tsunade, who treated his illness and tested his quick mastery of medical knowledge. At the Ninja Academy, Naruto surprised Sasuke and Iruka by using the Body Flicker Technique, though Sasuke won their spar after Naruto lost control and fell.

• Shizune brought Yecheng to Tsunade, who gave him medicine to replenish his life force and ease his kekkei genkai illness.
• Tsunade had Yecheng study basic medical knowledge, then tested him and gave him five more books after he answered every question correctly.
• At the Ninja Academy, Naruto Uzumaki sparred with Sasuke Uchiha and struggled against Sasuke's attacks.
• Naruto used the Body Flicker Technique, startling Sasuke, but failed to control his momentum and fell headfirst into the ground.
• Iruka declared Sasuke the winner, then recognized Naruto's effort and began to empathize with him.

Iruka acknowledged Naruto, while Yecheng defeated Ino and urged her to take ninja training seriously. Hinata then decisively beat Kiba, and Ino found a new plan to win Yecheng’s attention as he reflected on Hinata’s growing strength.

• Iruka praised Naruto and accepted him, and Naruto responded with a smile.
• Yecheng defeated Ino and warned her that he did not want her to die because she fought carelessly.
• Shikamaru explained Yecheng’s warning to Ino, who decided to train so she could beat Hinata; Shikamaru and Choji then suggested she use her family’s flower shop to impress Yecheng.
• Hinata followed Yecheng’s encouragement and defeated Kiba with a fierce Gentle Fist assault.
• Kiba complained that he still had not found a dog, and Yecheng reassured him that he would eventually find one.

Yecheng planned to eliminate the Root Anbu before he could be released, then ambushed him after he was escorted away from the Konoha Military Police Force. The escort turned out to be Kabuto Yakushi, whom Yecheng stopped from resisting by threatening Yakushi Nonō.

• Yecheng declined Hinata’s invitation for that evening and promised to go out with her the next day.
• Yecheng left Tsunade under false pretenses, transformed himself, and went to wait near the Konoha Military Police Force for the Root Anbu.
• After the Root Anbu was released, Kabuto Yakushi escorted him through the woods toward the Root base.
• Yecheng summoned the Great Serpent from the Root Anbu’s shadow and attacked Kabuto Yakushi.
• Yecheng warned Kabuto Yakushi that Yakushi Nonō would die if he resisted, shocking Kabuto by revealing he knew their connection.

Yecheng, disguised as Megumi Fushiguro, killed a Root Anbu and told Kabuto Yakushi that Danzo was manipulating Yakushi Nonō and plotting to make them kill each other. Kabuto decided to verify the claim at the orphanage and live to protect Nonō, while turning his hatred toward Danzo.

• Yecheng used his shikigami and Chakra Scalpel to kill the Root Anbu, then concealed the body and blood in his shadow space.
• Kabuto Yakushi demanded to know what Yecheng meant, and Yecheng claimed Danzo had threatened Yakushi Nonō and planned to pit her against Kabuto.
• Yecheng showed Kabuto a photograph of a boy he said Danzo had used to make Nonō forget Kabuto's appearance.
• Yecheng left after telling Kabuto to check whether Nonō recognized him at the orphanage and claiming he was the only one who could help.
• Kabuto decided to visit the orphanage, protect Nonō, and kill Danzo if Yecheng's claims were true, then used a Chakra Scalpel to make himself appear unconscious.

After killing a Root ninja, Yecheng used the Fate Cards he plundered to gain chakra, shuriken skills, and Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique. He visited the Hyuga estate to take Hinata out, where her flustered thoughts turned to marrying him.

• Yecheng returned home and told Shizune he wanted the day off from medical ninjutsu lessons to spend time with Hinata.
• Yecheng examined three Fate Cards from the Root ninja he had killed, then gained a chakra boost, shurikenjutsu skill, and Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique.
• Yecheng arrived at the Hyuga estate and was escorted to the reception room because guests could not pass beyond the gate reserved for the main household.
• Hinata greeted Yecheng in a cherry-blossom jinbei and asked how she looked; he praised her and said she would make a wonderful bride.
• Hinata imagined herself marrying Yecheng, blushed, and returned to her senses when he called her to come out with him.

Yecheng took Hinata on a market outing, buying her snacks and winning five goldfish for her. Meanwhile, Kabuto Yakushi visited the orphanage, reunited with Yakushi Nonō, and resolved to take revenge on Danzo while hiding his intentions.

• Yecheng bought Hinata snacks as they walked through the weekend market.
• Yecheng won five goldfish at a stall and gave them to Hinata.
• Kabuto Yakushi left a shadow clone at his apartment and went to the Konoha Orphanage.
• Yakushi Nonō failed to recognize Kabuto Yakushi, though she noted that he resembled one of her children.
• Kabuto Yakushi believed Megumi Fushiguro's account of Danzo's actions and decided to bide his time before seeking revenge.

Kabuto Yakushi resolved to kill Danzo and accepted Yecheng's offer to gather evidence against him for the shadow organization. Yecheng's recruitment earned him enough Fate Points for another ten-pull, and he turned his attention to the Hyuga Clan.

• After visiting Yakushi Nonō, Kabuto left the orphanage and angrily struck a tree while despairing over his inability to defeat Danzo.
• Yecheng appeared from Kabuto's shadow and pushed him to decide what he wanted, leading Kabuto to declare that he wanted to kill Danzo himself.
• Yecheng advised Kabuto to remain in Root, secretly collect evidence against Danzo, and use it when Danzo's political rivals could act against him.
• Kabuto agreed to join Yecheng's organization, Shadow, and returned with renewed resolve.
• Yecheng received 16 Fate Points for recruiting Kabuto, bringing his total to 110 and making another ten-pull available.
• Yecheng considered how Kabuto's future strength could help protect Yakushi Nonō, then decided to accelerate his plans involving the Hyuga Clan.

Yecheng sent Hinata home with a note for Hyuga Hiashi that led him to discover how much food she could eat. Afterward, Tsunade questioned Yecheng about their outing and announced that she would begin teaching him Medical Ninjutsu after dinner.

• Yecheng took Hinata home, gave her a card for Hyuga Hiashi, and ran off before she could feel sad about parting.
• Hinata gave Hyuga Hiashi Yecheng's note, which claimed her huge appetite was a sign of talent.
• Hyuga Hiashi tested Hinata's appetite and watched her eat five people's worth of food, then ordered more while deciding to stall the clan elders.
• Tsunade questioned Yecheng about his outing with Hinata, then said she would formally teach him Medical Ninjutsu after dinner.

Tsunade taught Yecheng the fundamentals of Medical Ninjutsu and had him practice healing an injured fish. Yecheng mastered the healing-focused Yang Release transformation on his first try, leaving Tsunade and Shizune stunned by his talent.

• Tsunade explained how different tissues required different Yang Release chakra transformations and prepared an injured fish for Yecheng to treat.
• Yecheng used the Secret Technique Scroll to transform his chakra and sense the fish’s injuries in detail.
• Yecheng precisely adjusted his chakra and healed the fish on his first attempt.
• Shizune and Tsunade stared in disbelief at the fish flopping energetically on the table.
• Tsunade praised Yecheng’s extraordinary talent by pulling him into her arms and tousling his hair.

After impressing Tsunade with his training, Yecheng drew new cards that gave him several useful abilities and a powerful cursed tool. He planned to seek help mastering them and to use his new crafting knowledge to make a long-range weapon for Hinata.

• Tsunade told Shizune to keep practicing with Yecheng while she went inside, and Yecheng continued his diligent training.
• Yecheng spent a hundred Fate Points on a ten-pull and obtained Cursed Energy and Physique cards, Barrier Technique: Curtain, and Black Bird Manipulation.
• Yecheng drew the special grade cursed tool Playful Cloud and imagined combining its powerful strikes with Tsunade's Monster Strength.
• Yecheng obtained Juzo Kumiya's Craftsmanship and realized he could use it to develop a long-range ninja tool for Hinata.
• While practicing chakra transformations, Yecheng planned to ask Aoba Yamashiro for help with crows and Tsunade for lessons in Monster Strength.

Kabuto Yakushi learned that Danzo planned to send him to Iwagakure and arranged to share evidence of Danzo’s crimes with Yecheng’s shadow organization. Yecheng used his new ninja crows to establish contact with Kabuto, who prepared to leave while vowing to protect Yakushi Nonō.

• Danzo ordered Kabuto Yakushi to go to Iwagakure for intelligence and promised funding for Yakushi Nonō’s Orphanage, while secretly intending to have Kabuto and its director killed.
• Yecheng visited Aoba Yamashiro, learned Black Bird Manipulation and the Scatter Thousand Crows Technique, and took control of ten ninja crows.
• Kabuto Yakushi said goodbye to Yakushi Nonō, then met Yecheng’s shadow clone and handed over evidence of Danzo’s human experiments.
• Yecheng’s ninja crow introduced itself to Kabuto as [Crow], an emissary of [Shadow], and became his means of staying in contact with the organization.
• Kabuto decided to follow Danzo’s orders while prioritizing Yakushi Nonō’s safety, and Danzo entered the Orphanage with Aburame Ryoma.

Yakushi Nonō accepted Danzo’s mission to kill an Iwagakure double agent, only to recognize the target as a recent visitor to the orphanage. Yecheng learned Monster Strength from Tsunade and began developing a Yang Release Chakra Mode, while his plans to protect Nonō and recruit Shisui took shape.

• Danzo threatened the orphanage’s funding and existence unless Yakushi Nonō killed an Iwagakure double agent, so she accepted the mission.
• Yakushi Nonō recognized the man in Danzo’s photograph as a visitor who had donated to the orphanage and struggled with her orders.
• Yecheng learned through a shadow clone that Danzo had moved against Nonō, sent a clone and Ninja Crow to prepare a contingency, and considered rescuing Shisui Uchiha later.
• Yecheng asked Tsunade to teach him Monster Strength, learned it after her demonstration, and sparred with her until Shizune intervened.
• Shizune healed Yecheng’s injuries and noticed his rapid recovery, while Yecheng continued practicing and planned to develop Yang Release Chakra Mode.

Sasuke trained in Itachi’s Manipulated Shurikenjutsu to prepare for another fight with Yecheng, while Yecheng grew stronger by subjugating Max Elephant and Rabbit Escape. At the Ninja Academy, Yecheng effortlessly countered Sasuke’s combination attack, leaving Sasuke stunned by his defeat.

• Itachi agreed to teach Sasuke Manipulated Shurikenjutsu, but left for an urgent mission before their training session was over.
• Yecheng defeated Max Elephant alone and subjugated it, then used it to subjugate Rabbit Escape.
• Sasuke challenged Yecheng during taijutsu class, and Yecheng knocked away Sasuke’s shuriken and popped his clone.
• Sasuke attacked with Manipulated Shurikenjutsu and the Great Fireball Technique, but Yecheng’s Dragon Fire Technique burned the shuriken and swallowed the fireball.
• Yecheng’s classmates cheered his victory, while Sasuke wondered whether he was truly an Uchiha after losing so decisively.

Yecheng recovered Sasuke’s confidence after defeating him, then signed a summoning contract with Katsuyu and began adapting to her chakra. As he considered learning Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode, news arrived that the Raikage had come to see Tsunade.

• Yecheng reassured Sasuke that his Sharingan could still awaken and promised to spar with him again.
• Yecheng went to Tsunade’s office, drank his medicinal decoction, and received his study plan.
• Shizune summoned Katsuyu, who presented Yecheng with a contract; Yecheng signed it and summoned a portion of Katsuyu’s body to his shoulder.
• Tsunade explained how contract holders adjusted to Katsuyu’s chakra, while Yecheng considered the possible origins and risks of Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode.
• A messenger told Tsunade that the Raikage had arrived and requested to see her.

Yecheng accompanied Tsunade to meet the Raikage, who demanded that she treat his subordinate Karai. After recognizing the explosive insect inside the Raikage, Yecheng demanded a huge payment and the Lightning Release Chakra Mode training method, warning that the Raikage could die when his body exploded.

• Tsunade told the Third Hokage that Yecheng was her personal disciple and had signed a contract with the Katsuyu Sage, so Kakashi let him enter the Hokage Office.
• The Raikage demanded that Tsunade treat Karai, while the Third Hokage stalled and tried to use Kumogakure's need for help as leverage.
• Yecheng recognized the incident involving the Land of Cedar's secret technique and realized that explosive insects had infected Karai and the Raikage.
• Mabui arrived and asked the Third Hokage to name his price for treatment.
• Yecheng demanded a hundred million ryo and the Lightning Release Chakra Mode training method, warning the Raikage that he might explode and die within months.

Yecheng used the Raikage’s infection with Explosive Insects to negotiate payment, Kumogakure techniques, the Heavenly Transfer Technique, and Hizashi Hyuga’s body in exchange for treatment. At Konoha Hospital, Shizune removed Karai’s insect, and Yecheng effortlessly extracted the Raikage’s larva.

• Yecheng demanded a hundred million ryo and Lightning Release Chakra Mode, then warned that the Raikage and his party carried chakra-triggered Explosive Insects.
• Kiru confirmed an Explosive Insect was in the Raikage’s chest, and Mabui agreed to provide fifty million ryo, ten Lightning Release techniques, the Heavenly Transfer Technique, and Hizashi Hyuga’s body.
• The group went to Konoha Hospital, where Yecheng had Shizune operate on Karai while he assisted.
• Shizune removed the Explosive Insect from Karai, and Yecheng explained that its nerves had been severed so it could not explode.
• Yecheng used a Chakra Scalpel and his Six Eyes to pluck the larval Explosive Insect from the Raikage’s chest without causing him pain.

Yecheng’s surgical skill impressed the Raikage, who tried to recruit him before secretly explaining that the gesture was meant to exploit Konoha’s internal divisions. After the Xuanyuan Group was eliminated, Kakashi delivered Yecheng’s Explosive Insects to the Aburame Clan, helping Yecheng build support for Tsunade’s bid to become Hokage.

• Yecheng nearly healed the Raikage’s wound with the Mystical Palm Technique, and the Raikage apologized before unsuccessfully asking him to come to Kumogakure.
• Konoha and Kumogakure finalized their deal, including a joint operation against the Xuanyuan Group, and Yecheng gave Kakashi pouches for collecting Explosive Insects.
• The Raikage told Mabui and Kiru that his offer to Yecheng was meant to stir jealousy and weaken Konoha’s unity.
• Konoha and Kumogakure’s force destroyed the Xuanyuan Group without casualties, and Kakashi gave the captured insect larvae to Shibi Aburame on Yecheng’s behalf.
• Shibi Aburame accepted the gift and decided the Aburame Clan would support Tsunade; Kakashi gained favor with Yecheng, who recognized the clan as part of his growing Tsunade Team.
• Yecheng concluded that the Raikage had used an open stratagem to exploit tensions between Konoha’s old guard and the faction left by the Fourth Hokage.

Yecheng paired Naruto with Might Guy for Taijutsu training, then continued developing his own abilities while inviting Hinata to a barbecue. At a joint Academy class, Mizuki secretly watched Iruka and planned to use Neji to humiliate him.

• Naruto sparred with Yecheng, asked him for help becoming Hokage, and Yecheng brought him to Might Guy to train in Taijutsu.
• Might Guy ran Naruto around the village, and Hiruzen Sarutobi observed them with his crystal ball before deciding to let them spend time together.
• Yecheng restricted Nue with shuriken and wire, burned him away with Fire Release: Fire Dragon Technique, and continued developing Yang Release Chakra Mode.
• Naruto arrived at the Academy wearing a green leotard, while Yecheng invited Hinata to a weekend barbecue and she eagerly agreed to go.
• Iruka covered a joint Taijutsu lesson for the first- and second-year classes as Mizuki watched from the shadows and planned to have Neji show off against Iruka's students.

Ino fought Sakura in the Joint Class and earned Yecheng’s approval before he healed her injuries. Hinata then challenged Neji, determined to become stronger, but Neji’s anger over the Hyuga clan system made him strike her with dangerous force.

• Ino used the Taijutsu training she had done with Inoichi to overwhelm Sakura, but Sakura caught her distracted and knocked her down.
• Ino forced herself back up and charged Sakura; Yecheng stopped her headbutt, praised her effort, and healed her injuries with the Mystical Palm Technique.
• Mizuki watched Yecheng heal Ino and convinced himself that Neji would still defeat him in a fight.
• Hinata faced Neji, resolved to improve through her own effort, and exchanged a fast series of Gentle Fist strikes with him.
• Neji grew angry while thinking about his branch-family status and Caged Bird Seal, then launched a forceful strike toward Hinata’s ribs when she could not react in time.

Yecheng stopped Neji Hyuga from seriously hurting Hinata, then defeated him in a fight and promised Shikamaru that he had a gift prepared for Neji. The next day, Neji learned the truth about his father's sacrifice and discovered that Yecheng had arranged for his father's body to be returned from Kumogakure.

• Yecheng caught Neji Hyuga's punch before it could hit Hinata, but Neji attacked him again and Yecheng defeated him with one punch.
• Iruka took the unconscious Neji to Konoha Hospital, while Shikamaru warned Yecheng that Neji was connected to the Hyuga Clan's head.
• Yecheng invited Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and Shino to a barbecue and said he would give Neji a big gift the next day.
• The Third Hokage ordered Kakashi to return Hizashi Hyuga's remains after Kumogakure's trade goods arrived.
• Neji woke in the Hyuga Clan compound and found his father's body in a coffin at the Training Hall.
• Hyuga Hiashi told Neji that Hizashi had sacrificed himself three years earlier to protect Neji and his older brother, and revealed that Yecheng had negotiated for the body in exchange for treating the Raikage.