Chapter Summaries

Orochimaru faced Tagitsuhime’s final trial, resisting her venom and an illusion that tried to shake his loyalty to Shin'yu. After he saw through the test, he awoke at the temple to find Shin'yu holding Tagitsuhime by the throat.

• Tagitsuhime poisoned Orochimaru and drew him into a trial that was not a battle, while Orochimaru injected an antidote.
• Tagitsuhime’s illusion showed Orochimaru Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Tsunade urging him to return to the Hidden Leaf Village, but he rejected them.
• The illusion presented Shin'yu criticizing Orochimaru and favoring Hiruko, but Orochimaru recognized that his master would never say those things.
• Orochimaru told Tagitsuhime he had seen through the illusion, and the mist cleared to reveal the temple.
• Orochimaru found Shin'yu holding the real Tagitsuhime by the throat after she had tried to pull him into an illusion, and Shin'yu agreed to release her because Orochimaru had passed the trial.

Shin'yu and Orochimaru met the White Snake Sage after Orochimaru passed Ryuchi Cave's trials. The White Snake Sage revealed she knew Shin'yu and his summon Bochi, and the chapter left them discussing how sage arts extended the lives of Shinobi Beasts.

• Shin'yu told Orochimaru he had passed the trials, while the White Snake Sage said that showed he was suited to inherit Ryuchi Cave's legacy.
• Tagitsuhime recovered from Shin'yu's warning and admitted she had attacked him and Orochimaru out of curiosity; Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime remarked on how close she had come to dying.
• Shin'yu entered the Inner Hall with Orochimaru and sensed that the White Snake Sage's power rivaled the Nine-Tails.
• The White Snake Sage recognized Shin'yu and spoke of his connections to Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju.
• The White Snake Sage identified Bakeneko Bochi as a sage-art practitioner who had lived for more than six hundred years and explained that sage arts could prolong a Shinobi Beast's life.

Shin'yu brought Orochimaru to Ryuchi Cave to observe the Sage Jutsu trial, while searching for a way to cultivate Natural Energy without risking transformation or death. Orochimaru chose to face the White Snake Sage's trial without leaving himself an escape, and she enveloped him to begin.

• The White Snake Sage warned Orochimaru that failing her trial would mean death and that Ryuchi Cave's Sage Jutsu carried a price.
• Shin'yu reflected on the risks of shinobi Sage Jutsu and resolved to seek a method suited to humans that avoided Demonization.
• Orochimaru asked Shin'yu not to rewind time if Natural Energy consumed him, and accepted that he might die or become a monster.
• Orochimaru said he had to accept Natural Energy wholeheartedly and committed himself to the trial.
• The White Snake Sage lowered her massive head and enveloped Orochimaru.

Orochimaru underwent the White Snake Sage’s dangerous test to see whether he could merge with Natural Energy, nearly transforming into a snake-like monster before returning to normal. After the White Snake Sage confirmed his potential, Shin'yu left him to learn Sage Jutsu while choosing to watch first.

• The White Snake Sage transformed into a short old woman and bit Orochimaru to inject Natural Energy into his body.
• Orochimaru lost control of his senses and began transforming into a snake-like monster as Natural Energy overwhelmed him.
• Shin'yu considered intervening, but Orochimaru’s breathing steadied and his body returned to normal.
• The White Snake Sage explained that Orochimaru had demonstrated the potential to balance his body, spirit, and Natural Energy.
• Shin'yu told Orochimaru to stay with the White Snake Sage and learn Sage Jutsu, but said he would watch him practice first.

After two years of training in Ryuchi Cave, Orochimaru achieved Perfect Sage Mode. Shin'yu began testing his disciple's strength, and their fight continued after Orochimaru was struck into the darkness.

• Orochimaru opened his eyes in Perfect Sage Mode, with white hair, scale-covered skin, and a horn on his forehead.
• The White Snake Sage explained the three levels of Sage Mode and described the limits she hoped to surpass.
• Shin'yu praised Ryuchi Cave's Sage Art, then appeared beside Orochimaru and asked him to attack at full strength.
• Orochimaru struck at Shin'yu's eyes with a supersonic thrust, but Shin'yu caught his wrist.
• Orochimaru escaped with the Great Serpent Style Substitution Jutsu, and Shin'yu punched him flying into the darkness.

Shin'yu tested Orochimaru's strength after two years of training, easily countering his Sage Art and snake techniques. The spar continued with hand-to-hand combat, where Shin'yu saw through Orochimaru's Great Serpent Style Substitution Jutsu.

• Shin'yu used his Sharingan to catch Orochimaru's surprise attack and slammed him into the stone floor.
• Orochimaru attacked with a White Scaled Viper and Sage Art: Autumn Dew on Leaves, but Frost Descent One Heart blocked his strike.
• Shin'yu used Magnet Release: Sword Control to slice apart Orochimaru's snake and cut his body without causing serious injury.
• Shin'yu set aside the sword and invited Orochimaru to fight with fists and feet.
• Shin'yu caught Orochimaru's white snake, struck its belly with a Rising Dragon Fist, and exposed Orochimaru's Great Serpent Style Substitution Jutsu.

Orochimaru used Sage Art: White Rage Technique to blind and restrain Shin'yu, but Shin'yu opened the Second Gate of Rest and overwhelmed him. The fight ended with Orochimaru injured in a crater, stunned that Shin'yu’s second Gate surpassed his Sage Mode.

• Orochimaru changed to a defensive approach and exchanged more than a dozen moves with Shin'yu before a strike dislocated his jaw.
• Orochimaru used Sage Art: White Rage Technique to flood the temple with blinding light and sound, then attacked Shin'yu with Exploding Tag kunai.
• Shin'yu opened the Second Gate of Rest, seized Orochimaru, and threw him into the Exploding Tags.
• Orochimaru survived the blast with burns and asked why Shin'yu had used the Eight Gates Release Formation in a Taijutsu match.
• Orochimaru recalled Kakuzu’s explanation of the Eight Gates and realized Shin'yu’s Second Gate had crushed the Sage Mode he had trained for two and a half years.

Shin'yu demonstrated his ninjutsu by overwhelming Orochimaru in a series of Sage Mode clashes at Ryuchi Cave. The battle ended with Shin'yu's compressed Sword Qi destroying half the temple and shaving off Orochimaru's horn, while the White Snake Sage survived behind a barrier.

• Shin'yu used Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Technique, and Orochimaru countered with Sage Art: Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique.
• Shin'yu controlled the water around him and sent six water spears after Orochimaru, who stopped them with Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation.
• Shin'yu formed a Rasengan infused with Autumn Dew on Leaves Sword Qi, and Orochimaru answered with Sage Art: Super Autumn Dew on Leaves.
• Shin'yu unleashed Ninja Art: Autumn Water Whirlwind Burst Orb, destroying half the temple and forcing the White Snake Sage to raise a barrier.
• Orochimaru's Light Blade was torn apart, and he realized Shin'yu had shaved his horn flat without injuring him.

Shin'yu ended his spar with Orochimaru after testing the young man's Sage Mode and warned him that stronger enemies still lay ahead. He sent Orochimaru back to the Land of Iron to assist Hiruko, then went to the Cat House and left after Bochi demanded two billion ryo for a Sage Art scroll.

• Shin'yu stopped the spar after Orochimaru was defeated by his Autumn Water Whirlwind Blast Orb and restored Orochimaru's condition.
• Shin'yu assessed Orochimaru's Sage Mode as Kage-level but warned that it could only harm the Otsutsuki Clan, not defeat them.
• Shin'yu told Orochimaru that Hiruko needed his expertise on the Kimaera Plant research and ordered him to return to the Land of Iron.
• Orochimaru said goodbye to the White Snake Sage as Shin'yu used the Summoning Technique to go to the Cat House.
• Bochi demanded two billion ryo for his Sage Art scroll, and Shin'yu stormed out after arguing over the price.

After witnessing Orochimaru’s Perfect Sage Transformation, Shin'yu questioned whether Ryuchi Cave’s Sage Mode was truly suited for humans and resolved to develop a better Sage Art himself. He gave Hikari Bochi’s Sage Art to study while he pursued insights from different traditions.

• Shin'yu told Hikari that Orochimaru’s Sage Mode had made him question the value of learning it himself.
• Hikari recalled Madara’s account of Hashirama Senju’s powerful Sage Art, prompting Shin'yu to consider its connection to the God Tree rather than human cultivation.
• Shin'yu decided to develop Sage Art suited for shinobi by drawing on the strengths of every school.
• Shin'yu gave Hikari a scroll containing Bochi’s Sage Art and asked her to cultivate it while he worked on his own approach.
• Hikari accepted the scroll and invited Shin'yu back to bed.

Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Nawaki arrived in the Land of Whirlpools to seek help from the Uzumaki Clan as Uzumaki Mito neared the end of her life. Hiruzen worried that the village might be walking into danger, since the Uzumaki Clan had recently survived an attack by other great villages and his own squad sent there had disappeared.

• Three days earlier, Uzumaki Mito announced that her lifespan was nearly exhausted and feared the Tailed Beasts sealed inside her would go berserk.
• Hiruzen recalled how Mito had sealed both the Seven-Tails and Hidden Cloud's Two-Tails within herself, stabilizing them with five Whirlpool Barriers.
• Hidden Leaf Village's officials decided to ask the Uzumaki Clan for help, despite Hiruzen's concerns about a secret operation by Hidden Sand, Hidden Stone, and Hidden Mist.
• Hiruzen secretly sent a small squad to rescue Uzumaki Clan members, but the clan suffered few losses and his squad vanished.
• Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Nawaki landed in the Land of Whirlpools to carry out their mission.

As Uzumaki Mito weakened, the Hidden Leaf Village sought Uzumaki children to become Jinchuriki and sent Tsunade and Nawaki to Whirlpool Tide Village as envoys. Shin'yu allowed them into the village, intending to make the Hidden Leaf understand the consequences of reaching for what it wanted.

• Hiruzen and the Hidden Leaf elders argued over their estrangement from the Uzumaki Clan and the need to find Jinchuriki vessels for the Tailed Beasts.
• Danzo proposed Tsunade and Nawaki as candidates, but the elders decided they must approach the Uzumaki Clan for pure-blood descendants.
• Hiruzen sent Tsunade and Nawaki to Whirlpool Tide Village, where they arrived with another companion and were admitted through the barrier.
• Shin'yu learned of the envoys' arrival and used the Reverse Summoning Technique to reach the village with Uchiha Hikari and Orochimaru.
• Uzumaki Kongming objected to dealing with the Hidden Leaf, but Shin'yu took charge and told Kushina that the village would make the Leaf pay for reaching out to seize a blade.

Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Nawaki secured permission to take Kushina to Hidden Leaf Village, with Nawaki promising she would be treated like an ordinary child. As they left Hidden Whirlpool Village, they encountered a young man Nawaki recognized as Orochimaru.

• Uzumaki Kongming agreed to send a child to Hidden Leaf Village after Nawaki argued that the move would benefit the Uzumaki Clan.
• Kongming introduced eight-year-old Uzumaki Kushina, and Kyona Ka agreed to let her go on the condition that she could live freely and return home.
• Nawaki promised Kushina would attend school, take examinations, and join a squad like any other child, and Tsunade and Jiraiya accepted the condition.
• Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Nawaki left Hidden Whirlpool Village with Kushina, who remembered agreeing to complete three missions for her uncle.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade stopped when a group of returning Uzumaki hunters approached, and Nawaki recognized their leader as Orochimaru.

Orochimaru reunited with Jiraiya and Tsunade at Whirlpool Tide Village, where Tsunade attacked him over his defection. He defended his choice to leave Hidden Leaf Village and invited his former comrades to join him, leaving Tsunade launching another attack.

• Jiraiya recognized Orochimaru at the entrance to Whirlpool Tide Village, and Tsunade charged at him in fury.
• Orochimaru used vipers to pull the Uzumaki Clan members out of harm’s way as Tsunade’s punch shattered the ground.
• Tsunade accused Orochimaru of betraying his comrades, while Jiraiya reminded him that he had defected with Hiruko and taken experimental materials and documents.
• Orochimaru said he had betrayed Hidden Leaf Village but not his former comrades, and claimed leaving the village was the right choice.
• Orochimaru asked Jiraiya and Tsunade why they did not come over too, and Tsunade attacked him with Painful Sky Foot.

Tsunade and Jiraiya fought Orochimaru, who revealed that he could outmatch them even when they worked together. The battle shifted from taijutsu to ninjutsu as Jiraiya launched a powerful fire attack and Orochimaru countered with wind.

• Tsunade's kick shattered Orochimaru's hands, but the apparent Orochimaru turned into snakes while the real Orochimaru cut her cheek with a Light Blade.
• Jiraiya confirmed that Orochimaru had held back and warned Tsunade that they would need to fight together to survive.
• Orochimaru attacked Jiraiya with a Whip Kick, and Tsunade struck him in the abdomen before a snake emerging from his mouth restrained her.
• Jiraiya seized Orochimaru as he emerged from the snake's mouth, hurled him away, and helped Tsunade break free.
• Jiraiya used Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet, and Orochimaru countered with Wind Style: Great Breakthrough.

Orochimaru overwhelmed Jiraiya’s fire with a wind technique empowered by Natural Energy, but Jiraiya summoned Gamabunta to put out the flames. As Orochimaru summoned Garaga and Tsunade called forth a giant slug, the three great summons faced off on the coast.

• Orochimaru’s Great Breakthrough overpowered Jiraiya’s Great Flame Bullet and drove the flames back toward him.
• Jiraiya summoned Gamabunta, who used Sage Art: Water Release: Starch Syrup Gun to extinguish the fire and counter Orochimaru’s Natural Energy.
• Jiraiya challenged Orochimaru with Gamabunta’s support, but Orochimaru mocked the claim that Mount Myoboku’s Sage Art was strongest.
• Orochimaru summoned Garaga, which recognized Gamabunta as a favorite toad snack.
• Tsunade summoned a gigantic slug, completing a three-way standoff between Gamabunta, Garaga, and the slug.

Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Nawaki faced Orochimaru and Garaga with the summoned aid of Katsuyu and Gamabunta. Garaga was pinned in Jiraiya’s swamp, but Orochimaru ambushed Jiraiya with a Rasengan, then Garaga hurled Gamabunta into the mountains.

• Tsunade summoned Katsuyu, who identified Garaga and warned that his venom could petrify living creatures.
• Garaga attacked Katsuyu and Gamabunta, but Katsuyu split into multiple bodies to survive his physical strikes.
• Jiraiya and Gamabunta struck Garaga with the Food Cart Destroyer Technique and trapped him in the Swamp of the Underworld.
• Orochimaru slipped behind Jiraiya and hit him in the back with a Rasengan while Nawaki watched.
• Orochimaru addressed Nawaki and vanished, then Garaga wrapped his tail around Gamabunta and hurled him into the mountains.

Orochimaru and Garaga fought off Tsunade, Jiraiya, Katsuyu, and Gamabunta, then Orochimaru revealed his Sage Mode and overpowered Jiraiya’s fire technique. He declared that their fight was no longer a game, leaving Tsunade and Jiraiya facing his transformed power.

• Orochimaru protected himself and Garaga from Katsuyu’s acid with his Four Black Snake Formation.
• Jiraiya recovered with Katsuyu’s help, and Gamabunta joined him and Tsunade against Orochimaru and Garaga.
• Garaga attacked Katsuyu while Orochimaru restrained Tsunade, but the giant summons clashed and Gamabunta’s sword broke.
• Tsunade hurled Orochimaru into the air, and Jiraiya struck at him with Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet.
• Orochimaru activated Sage Mode and destroyed Jiraiya’s fire dragon with Sage Art: Super Big Ball Rasengan.
• Orochimaru landed on a reef and told Tsunade and Jiraiya that playing house was over.

Orochimaru used Sage Art Chakra to overwhelm Jiraiya and Tsunade, then formed a new Wind Style technique after rejecting Tsunade’s appeal to their bonds. The chapter ended with him throwing the Tail-Chasing Eight-Division Light Wheel at Tsunade.

• Jiraiya recognized the Natural Energy radiating from Orochimaru and recalled how Sage Fukasaku’s training had nearly turned him into a Stone Toad.
• Orochimaru seized Jiraiya and Tsunade, interrupted Tsunade’s Yin Seal, and hurled them toward a reef.
• Jiraiya slowed his fall with the Lion’s Mane Technique, while Katsuyu caught Tsunade and cushioned her landing.
• Tsunade accused Orochimaru of abandoning the village for power, but he explained that he sought immortality and research.
• Tsunade argued that Orochimaru still cared about the village, prompting him to create a Wind Style halo and throw his Sage Art: Tail-Chasing Eight-Division Light Wheel at her.

Orochimaru unleashed a wind-infused light wheel that threatened to kill Tsunade and Jiraiya, but a young man arrived and stopped it with Wood Style and a golden giant. The attacker relented, and Jiraiya recognized the newcomer as Uchiha Nen.

• Orochimaru sent his Tail-Chasing Eight-Division Light Wheel toward Tsunade and Jiraiya, cutting through the sea and Jiraiya’s hair defense.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya realized they could not escape Orochimaru’s attack, and Tsunade closed her eyes in despair.
• A young man used Wood Style to trap the light wheel between giant wooden palms and shielded Tsunade and Jiraiya with a golden half-bodied giant.
• Orochimaru stopped attacking after the young man asked him to spare their lives, saying he did not care as long as they abandoned their self-righteous ideas.
• The young man greeted Jiraiya and Tsunade, and Jiraiya uncertainly identified him as Uchiha Nen.