Chapter Summaries

Xia Mu and Kakashi escorted Fuu after her identity as a Jinchuriki was exposed, but Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki ambushed her on the road. Kakashi and Xia Mu intervened, and Sasuke prepared to face Itachi Uchiha.

• Xia Mu and Kakashi watched over the Chunin Exams, where Sunagakure's opposition faction attacked Gaara and Fuu before Kakashi rescued them.
• After the exams, Xia Mu and Kakashi secretly followed Fuu and her Takigakure companions to protect her on the journey home.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki intercepted Fuu and demanded that she come with them, then defeated her two companions.
• Fuu fought back with her Tailed Beast cloak, but Samehada absorbed it and left her vulnerable.
• Kakashi caught Kisame Hoshigaki's wrist before he could seize Fuu, while Xia Mu protected her and treated her companions.
• Sasuke drew his sword and prepared to fight Itachi Uchiha as Kakashi faced Kisame Hoshigaki.

Sasuke confronted Itachi Uchiha and managed to wound him, but Itachi revealed Susanoo. Xia Mu took over and overwhelmed Susanoo with a Stone Giant, then restrained it with a water Kraken.

• Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha fought while Kisame Hoshigaki battled Kakashi Hatake, and Sasuke used Shisui's Body Flicker Technique to wound Itachi.
• Sasuke used Xia Mu's Solar Flare to blind Itachi and disrupt the fights, but Itachi protected himself with Susanoo.
• Xia Mu trapped Susanoo with an earth dragon, but Itachi expanded Susanoo and broke free.
• Xia Mu created a Stone Giant that towered over Susanoo and repeatedly smashed its armor and limbs.
• Xia Mu summoned a water Kraken, which wrapped around Susanoo and held Itachi Uchiha in place.

Xia Mu defeated Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, then joined Sasuke to help Naruto's group when Akatsuki attacked them. As Deidara dropped Clay Bombs over the Konoha ninja, Tenten prepared to counter them.

• Xia Mu's Stone Giant and Kraken overwhelmed Itachi Uchiha's Susanoo, and Xia Mu sealed Itachi's Amaterasu before Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki retreated.
• Fuu befriended Xia Mu, Kakashi Hatake, and Sasuke Uchiha, then agreed to return to Takigakure with Kakashi and the injured guards.
• Xia Mu received a message that Akatsuki had attacked Naruto's group, summoned a giant eagle for Kakashi and Fuu, and took Sasuke to help.
• Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sands confronted Naruto's group, and Deidara flew overhead and dropped Clay Spiders that Shino's insects detonated in the air.
• Deidara dropped another batch of Clay Spiders toward the Konoha ninja, and Tenten summoned the Peacock Swords to respond.

Tenten and the Konoha ninja struggled against Sasori of the Red Sands and Deidara, whose attacks proved too dangerous for them to handle alone. Tenten used a scroll containing Xia Mu’s technique to cut off Hiruko’s scorpion tail, but Sasori responded with a poisoned-needle attack.

• Tenten countered Deidara’s Clay Spiders and explosives with fire and Lightning Release, while Neji deflected a clay dragon with Rotating Heavenly Spin.
• Deidara escaped Tenten’s lightning strike using a Clay Clone, and Sasori of the Red Sands attacked the group through his puppet Hiruko.
• The Konoha ninja formed defensive groups as Hiruko’s scorpion tail and flamethrower forced them onto the defensive.
• Shikamaru urged Tenten to contact Xia Mu, but Tenten chose to try again without calling him directly.
• Tenten opened a scroll and used Xia Mu’s Water Disc to slice off Hiruko’s scorpion tail.
• Hiruko fired its false arm toward the group, where it split apart and released a storm of poison needles.

Tenten used Xia Mu’s miniature Vortex Boiling Water to destroy Hiruko and drive Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sands into retreat, though several companions were poisoned. After Xia Mu took the injured to Tsunade, Tenten recovered from blaming herself, and the group learned that Asuma and Might Guy had been delayed by a mysterious masked man with a Sharingan.

• Neji, Shino, and the others protected the group from Hiruko’s poison senbon, while Megumi and Sakura treated those who were hit.
• Tenten summoned Xia Mu’s miniature Vortex Boiling Water, which destroyed Hiruko and nearly caught Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sands in its blast.
• Tenten sent a note for help, and Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sands retreated before Xia Mu arrived with Sasuke.
• Xia Mu took the poisoned companions to Tsunade, while Tenten admitted she regretted trying to handle the danger alone.
• Naruto, Shino, Neji, Shikamaru, and Sasuke encouraged Tenten, and she resolved to keep working to become stronger.
• Asuma and Might Guy returned and reported that a spiral-masked man with a Sharingan had used intangibility to hold them back.

Xia Mu and Kakashi reported the Akatsuki threat and returned to Konoha after Takigakure chose to protect Fuu on its own. Tsunade promoted the Konoha 11, and the chapter ended with the village preparing for a major mission that Xia Mu and Kakashi suspected would target Orochimaru.

• Xia Mu brought the rescued people back to Konoha, where Tsunade confirmed they had recovered and ordered him to check on Kakashi in Takigakure.
• Kakashi told Xia Mu that Chief Shibuki would not send Fuu away, so Xia Mu gave Fuu a Flying Thunder God-marked Kunai before he and Kakashi left.
• Xia Mu brought specialties to Tenten's father-in-law, then helped Tenten work on a Senbon Machine and agreed to teach her Sealing Jutsu.
• Tsunade promoted the Konoha 11 to Chunin, named Hyuga Neji and Sasuke Uchiha Jonin, and made Shino Aburame and Shikamaru Nara Special Jonin.
• Tsunade disbanded the temporary teams and announced a possible major mission, which Xia Mu and Kakashi suspected would involve dealing with Orochimaru.

Jiraiya took Naruto away to train him to control the Nine-Tails, while Tsunade prepared an elite operation to eliminate Orochimaru. As the teams made their final arrangements, Xia Mu suggested Yakumo Kurama as a replacement for his team, and Tsunade began looking for someone to fill Naruto’s place on Team 7.

• Jiraiya returned to Konoha, shared his limited Akatsuki findings with Tsunade, and agreed not to investigate the Land of Rain without permission.
• Tsunade approved Jiraiya taking Naruto away for two years of training, and Naruto left without saying goodbye to his friends.
• Xia Mu explained Naruto’s departure to Tenten and planned to use the period of relative peace to prepare for the Akatsuki’s future attacks.
• Tsunade ordered five teams of Konoha shinobi to attack Orochimaru’s headquarters and destroy his surrounding experimental bases.
• Tsunade assigned Xia Mu to investigate Orochimaru’s base and agreed to have Kurenai Yuhi ask Yakumo Kurama to join Aoba’s Team.
• Sakura asked to keep Team 7 as a three-person team, but Tsunade refused and said she would find a replacement for Naruto.

Danzo pressured Tsunade to place Sai on Team 7, and Tsunade agreed after securing hospital and adviser appointments for Shizune and Shikamaru. The campaign force reached the Land of Sound border and prepared to split up, while Xia Mu and Tenten exchanged information about the Six Paths Tools.

• Danzo enlisted Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu to push Tsunade to assign Sai to Team 7, and Tsunade secured Shizune's appointment as hospital director and Shikamaru's as an adviser in return.
• Sai met Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, and Ino, insulting Sakura and Kakashi while winning Ino's interest with a compliment.
• Xia Mu learned from Tenten that Danzo had sent Sai to pursue something connected to Orochimaru, but chose not to interfere unless Sai targeted something harmful.
• The twenty-member campaign force departed secretly and reached the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Sound that evening.
• Kakashi ordered the five teams to infiltrate the Land of Sound separately and rendezvous with Xia Mu the next day.
• The teams settled in for the night, with Yakumo promising to protect Megumi and tensions growing among Sai, Sakura, Sasuke, and Ino.

Konoha’s teams launched a coordinated assault on Orochimaru’s bases while Xia Mu searched for Orochimaru. Tenten found a lead on the Gold and Silver Brothers and the Six Paths Tools, while Sasuke discovered a scroll about the Three-Tails.

• Xia Mu told Kakashi that Orochimaru was likely ill and hiding in the main base, and Kakashi assigned the teams to attack the base and its outposts at dawn.
• Might Guy’s Team found Kabuto Yakushi’s abandoned eastern laboratory, where Tenten discovered records about the Gold and Silver Brothers and confirmed Kabuto had not yet investigated their remains.
• Kabuto Yakushi watched the laboratory burn and feared that Orochimaru would fall to the Konoha assault.
• Xia Mu searched Orochimaru’s main base and received Tenten’s message that she had found the information on the Gold and Silver Brothers.
• Aoba’s Team freed Orochimaru’s experimental subjects from a guarded prison, while Kakashi’s Team searched the archives for Orochimaru.
• Sai searched the archive for Danzo’s objective, and Sasuke found a scroll marked Three-Tails and began reading it.

Sasuke found a map that might lead to the Three-Tails and planned to seek Xia Mu’s help in capturing it. The team encountered Orochimaru, who was killed by Xia Mu after Yakumo Kurama saved Sasuke from his serpent form.

• Sasuke found records pointing to a mist-covered lake where the Three-Tails might live and decided to keep the information from Kakashi.
• Kakashi, Sakura, Sai, and Sasuke encountered Orochimaru, and Sasuke fought him with his sword and Body Flicker Illusion.
• Orochimaru tricked Sasuke, transformed into a White Scale Great Serpent, and used the Curse Mark to immobilize him.
• Yakumo Kurama used her power to drive a huge nail into the serpent, while Aoba Yamashiro and Tatsuya pulled Sasuke and Sakura to safety.
• Orochimaru shed his skin and fled, but Xia Mu killed him with a single slash and returned with his body.

Sai delivered Orochimaru’s research data to Danzo, who ordered him to remain with Team 7 and watch Sasuke Uchiha. Sai left Root’s base to resume his assignment.

• Sai summoned Orochimaru’s research documents and presented them to Danzo.
• Danzo reviewed the documents and confirmed they were the research materials he had sought for his study of Hidan’s immortality.
• Danzo ordered Sai to stay with Team 7, keep watch over Sasuke Uchiha, and wait for further orders.
• Sai accepted Danzo’s orders and departed.
• Danzo returned the documents to the scroll and hurried to check on his experiments.

After receiving permission to leave Konoha, Xia Mu and Tenten traveled to the Land of Lightning and found the Gold and Silver Brothers’ remains and four Six Paths Tools, which Tenten could use. They disposed of the skeletons and decided to continue traveling before their month away ended.

• Tsunade approved Xia Mu and Tenten’s month-long trip to search for powerful ninja tools, while Sasuke and Neji went to study the Senju Clan Library.
• Xia Mu and Tenten traveled to an island chain off the Land of Lightning and searched for the Gold and Silver Brothers.
• Tenten and Xia Mu found two skeletons beside Kōkinjō, Benihotaru, Shichiseiken, and Bashosen in a cave.
• Tenten tested Bashosen and learned that she could wield all four Six Paths Tools.
• Xia Mu and Tenten sank the Gold and Silver Brothers’ skeletons in the sea to prevent Kabuto Yakushi from using them for Impure World Reincarnation.
• Xia Mu and Tenten decided to keep traveling through the Land of Lightning and buy local specialties before returning to Konoha.

After returning from the Land of Lightning, Xia Mu and Tenten told Tsunade that Tenten had obtained the Six Paths Tools and visited Tenten’s father with gifts. Sasuke then asked Xia Mu to help him capture the Three-Tails and become its Jinchuriki, while planning to keep his decision from Tsunade and Kakashi for now.

• Xia Mu and Tenten returned to Konoha, and Tenten told Tsunade about the Six Paths Tools in exchange for Tsunade’s promise to keep the secret and support her promotion.
• Xia Mu and Tenten brought liquor and other Land of Lightning specialties to Tenten’s father, then shared a meal with him.
• Sasuke visited Xia Mu and showed him a scroll about the Three-Tails that he had found at Orochimaru’s base.
• Sasuke asked Xia Mu to help him subdue the Three-Tails so he could become its Jinchuriki, and Xia Mu agreed.
• Sasuke told Xia Mu he planned to act without informing Tsunade or Kakashi because he expected them to oppose his decision.

Xia Mu helped Sasuke capture the Three-Tails and seal it inside himself, giving Sasuke access to its chakra. Sasuke began training to control his new power while Xia Mu prepared to investigate the Spiral Mask Man.

• Sasuke asked Xia Mu to help him become a Jinchuriki, and Xia Mu agreed to take him on a mission to capture the Three-Tails.
• Xia Mu discovered Sai monitoring Sasuke and informed Tsunade, who ordered Shizune to have Kakashi take Sai on troublesome missions.
• Xia Mu and Sasuke traveled to the lake, where Xia Mu warned Sasuke about Orochimaru's possible survival and the Three-Tails' negative emotions.
• Xia Mu restrained the Three-Tails with Water Release: Kraken while Sasuke sealed it inside himself with the Four Symbols Seal and Eight Trigrams Seal.
• Sasuke drew on the Three-Tails' chakra to test his ninjutsu, and Xia Mu told him to train outside the village before they investigated the Spiral Mask Man.

After failing to find the Spiral Mask Man, Xia Mu and Sasuke returned to Konoha, where Sakura became Tsunade’s student and Sasuke treated Xia Mu and Tenten to a meal. During dinner, Tenten revealed that Neji had taken a solo mission, and Xia Mu suspected he was secretly investigating Hyuga history.

• Xia Mu and Sasuke searched for the Spiral Mask Man for over a month, heard that Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sands were taking bounty missions, and then returned to Konoha after Tsunade ended their investigation.
• Tsunade told Xia Mu that Sakura had become her student, and Sasuke bluntly urged Sakura to train hard and stop holding the others back.
• Sasuke invited Xia Mu and Tenten to Q Meat BBQ to thank them, where they met Shino, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji.
• Tenten told the group that Neji had applied for a solo mission, and Xia Mu suspected he was privately investigating Hyuga history.

Neji discovered the Hyuga Clan’s secret ancestral teachings, removed his Caged Bird Seal, and found a pair of Tenseigan that he believed could help him evolve his Byakugan. In Konoha, Shino sought Xia Mu’s advice on growing stronger, and two years later Naruto returned to the village and reunited with his friends.

• Neji found the underground shrine by using the Hyuga Clan’s Gentle Fist techniques to open its hidden entrance.
• Neji read the Stone Tablet, learned the origins of the Caged Bird Seal and how to remove it, then freed himself from the seal.
• Neji broke the Stone Tablet and found a pair of pale blue Tenseigan, believing their power could let him become a Tenin.
• Shino asked Xia Mu for advice on becoming stronger, and Xia Mu suggested breeding insects for greater resistance and strength.
• About two years later, Naruto returned to Konoha, met the Konohamaru trio, and was knocked down by Sakura after using Sexy Jutsu.
• The Konoha 11 gathered to welcome Naruto back.

Naruto returned to Konoha and rejoined Team 7, while Tsunade assigned Kakashi a separate mission and made Sasuke the team captain. After Akatsuki attacked Takigakure and Fuu left with the masked man to protect her village, Xia Mu rushed to rescue her, and Tenten was summoned to the Hokage's Office as events began unfolding in Sunagakure and Takigakure.

• Naruto reunited with his friends and challenged Sasuke, but Sasuke defeated his Shadow Clones and outmatched him before Kakashi stopped the fight.
• Tsunade restored Naruto to Team 7, kept Sakura, Sasuke, and Sai on the team, made Sasuke captain, and assigned Kakashi another mission.
• Tsunade received an urgent report that the Spiral Mask Man had attacked Takigakure and that Fuu had gone with him to protect her village.
• Xia Mu learned of the attack, promised to rescue Fuu, and left after warning Tenten to stay alert.
• Tenten was summoned to the Hokage's Office shortly after Xia Mu departed.

Tenten and Konoha’s elite teams set out to rescue Gaara after Akatsuki captured him, while Xia Mu rescued Fuu from Obito and forced the masked man to retreat into the Kamui Dimension. The chapter leaves Kakashi’s teams arriving in Sunagakure to begin the pursuit.

• Tsunade assigned Kakashi to lead two teams, including Tenten, Naruto, and Sasuke, to rescue Gaara and confront Deidara and Sasori.
• Obito attacked Takigakure to capture Fuu, and Fuu agreed to go with him to protect the village.
• Xia Mu arrived using Flying Thunder God, rescued Fuu, and trapped Obito behind a Laser Sword until Obito fled into the Kamui Dimension.
• Xia Mu took Fuu back to Takigakure and urged her to discuss leaving the village with Shibuki.
• Tenten summoned two Giant Mountain Eagles to carry Kakashi’s teams to Sunagakure, where the Sand Ninja welcomed the reinforcements.

Xia Mu rescued Fuu from Akatsuki and brought her and Shibuki to Konoha, where Tsunade agreed to protect Fuu as part of the effort to thwart Akatsuki. The chapter ended with Xia Mu learning that Gaara had also been captured and sensing that Kakashi and Tenten had already left the village to pursue him.

• Shibuki welcomed Fuu home, but she realized the villagers blamed her for the attack and decided to leave with Xia Mu.
• Shibuki asked Tsunade to protect Fuu, and Tsunade explained that Konoha would shelter her to stop Akatsuki from obtaining the Seven-Tails.
• Shikamaru told Xia Mu that Deidara and Sasori had attacked Sunagakure, severely injured Gaara, and taken him away.
• Xia Mu sensed that Kakashi and Tenten had left the village to pursue Gaara.

The Konoha group rescued Gaara and defeated Sasori's Hiruko puppet, forcing Sasori to reveal that he had turned himself into a puppet. As Sasori fought Chiyo, Might Guy, and Neji with the Third Kazekage puppet, Sasuke and Kakashi cornered Deidara; the battle continued with Sasori's Iron Sand raining down.

• Sasuke, Kakashi, and Tenten rescued Gaara from Deidara's Clay Bird, and Chiyo treated him.
• Tenten used Flying Thunder God formulas on sticky shuriken to teleport Explosive Tags onto Hiruko and destroy it, forcing Sasori to emerge.
• Chiyo recognized that Sasori had made himself a puppet, then joined Might Guy and Neji in fighting him while Rock Lee guarded Gaara with Naruto.
• Sasuke and Kakashi used Lightning Release to counter Deidara's clay bombs, and Kakashi pierced Deidara's shoulder before Sasuke blocked his escape.
• Sasori summoned a Human Puppet made from the Third Kazekage, and Chiyo brought out puppets of Sasori's parents.
• Sasori attacked with the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release and Iron Sand, while Neji protected Might Guy and Chiyo defended herself with her puppets.