Recaps

Lin Chen was taken in by Tsunade as Senju Chen, and his Wood Release drew the attention of Danzo and Konoha’s leaders. He gained Kushina’s Uzumaki Bloodline and used his Senju vitality to calm the Nine-Tails, leaving Konoha debating how to protect and supervise him.

• Tsunade found Lin Chen on a battlefield, and his newly stolen Wood Release chakra soothed her grief as she treated him.
• Tsunade brought Lin Chen to Konoha as her adopted Senju brother, where Hiruzen registered him as Senju Chen and Danzo began watching him.
• Senju Chen demonstrated Wood Release during a chakra test, and Hiruzen granted him protection while Danzo resolved to control him.
• When a Root operative abducted him, Senju Chen killed the attacker with Wood Release and pretended the power had emerged by accident, prompting Tsunade to confront Danzo.
• Hiruzen ordered Danzo to end the investigation and keep Root away from Senju Chen, while Tsunade and the Hokage’s Anbu took responsibility for his protection.
• Senju Chen cultivated Minato Namikaze’s friendship to meet Kushina Uzumaki, then trained with her in Sealing Jutsu until his system offered her bloodline or the Nine-Tails’ power.
• Senju Chen chose Kushina’s Uzumaki Bloodline, and when the Nine-Tails erupted from her seal, he used his Senju life energy to make it retreat.
• Hiruzen classified the incident as an S-rank secret, Minato defended Senju Chen’s actions, and the leaders debated how to protect and supervise him.

Senju Chen made friends at the Academy and worked with Orochimaru to fake Hatake Sakumo’s death, saving him from Konoha’s condemnation. As Sakumo went undercover in the Land of Rain, Chen began learning the Rasengan and resolved to grow strong enough to protect what mattered to him.

• Senju Chen started at the Ninja Academy, where he outmaneuvered Uchiha Inabi, befriended Shisui Uchiha, and gradually earned Kakashi Hatake’s trust and instruction.
• Senju Chen trained with Kakashi and Might Guy, met Hatake Sakumo, and decided to protect Sakumo when rumors condemned him for saving his subordinates.
• Senju Chen and Orochimaru arranged Sakumo’s apparent suicide, and Sakumo left Konoha under the identity of the bounty hunter Fang.
• After Sakumo’s funeral, Senju Chen gained Hatake Style Kenjutsu: Mastery and used Sakumo’s sword techniques, prompting Kakashi to question how he had learned them.
• Senju Chen arranged for Fang to observe Hanzo in the Land of Rain, while Orochimaru agreed to share research data in exchange for Chen’s blood.
• Senju Chen asked Minato Namikaze about choosing between missions and comrades, then began practicing the Rasengan on his own.
• Senju Chen pierced a water balloon with chakra, completing the Rasengan’s first training stage, and resolved to become strong enough to have everything he wanted.

Senju Chen mastered the Rasengan, revealed his Wood Release during a special graduation test, and became a Genin under Orochimaru. As the clans and Danzo maneuvered to influence him, Chen gained Shisui as a teammate and began working through D-rank missions.

• Senju Chen learned the Shadow Clone Technique and used a convincing childlike clone to attend school while he trained.
• Chen defeated Shisui Uchiha in a spar, then challenged Shisui’s beliefs about the Will of Fire and Hatake Sakumo’s sacrifice.
• After trading an idea with Orochimaru for his research notes, Chen mastered the Rasengan, but his shadow clone was exposed at the Academy.
• Chen passed Hiruzen Sarutobi’s special assessment by restraining Sarutobi Ryōnosuke with Wood Release and earned his Genin rank.
• The Uchiha elders, Shimura Danzō, and Jiraiya reacted to Chen’s rise, while Chen chose Orochimaru as his mentor.
• Chen completed his first D-rank mission by capturing Tora, and Tsunade gave him the Thunder God Sword as a graduation gift.
• Danzo tried to recruit Chen into Root, but Chen feigned interest and privately resolved to stop Danzo from becoming Hokage.
• Fugaku arranged for Shisui to graduate early and join Chen’s team under Orochimaru, who assigned them a week of nighttime police patrols.

Senju Chen formed a team with Shisui and Maruboshi Kosuke, then survived a Kusagakure ambush that exposed his Wood Release. Orochimaru brought Chen to the Land of Rain, where he helped Konoha approach Hanzō after his son’s death and promised Hatake Sakumo he would guide Kakashi.

• Senju Chen and Shisui patrolled together, caught thieves, and impressed Uchiha Tekka, while Chen later met Maruboshi Kosuke and persuaded Tsunade to seek Kosuke as their teammate.
• Senju Chen secretly acquired a one-tomoe Sharingan and resolved to hide it, while Tsunade secured Kosuke’s transfer to the team despite opposition from Hiruzen and Danzō.
• Orochimaru sent Chen, Shisui, and Kosuke to escort Tokugawa’s caravan, where Kosuke trained the boys and Chen grew suspicious of the merchant.
• Kusagakure ninja ambushed the caravan after Tokugawa exposed Chen’s Wood Release, and Chen, Shisui, and Kosuke defeated the attackers and concealed their bodies.
• Orochimaru revealed that the caravan mission had been bait in a village-wide operation, then took Chen to the Land of Rain to meet Hatake Sakumo.
• Sakumo shared intelligence about Hanzo’s son and Iwagakure, and Chen advised Orochimaru to offer Hanzo condolences to distinguish Konoha from its rivals.
• Chen reassured Sakumo about Kakashi and promised to guide him, while Sakumo agreed to look out for Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan.
• Chen defended Orochimaru before Hanzō, who accepted Konoha’s condolences after his aide accused Orochimaru of involvement in his son’s death.