Recaps

Mukai accidentally performed the Spirit Transformation Technique in his sleep and drifted through Konoha in spirit form, where he encountered the lingering attachments of the dead. Overwhelmed by their memories and grief, he condemned the shinobi villages and the Will of Fire, while three unusual clusters of light began moving toward him.

• Pakura scolded Mukai and Sasori for staying up late, sent them to bed, and Mukai fell asleep exhausted.
• Mukai instinctively performed the Spirit Transformation Technique in his sleep and found himself floating above Konoha, unable to return to his body.
• Mukai learned to move toward things he sensed and approached the lights near Konoha's Memorial Stone, where their memories flooded his consciousness.
• Komushi processed the memories as Mukai's body twitched and his supercapacitors helped limit his Chakra loss.
• Mukai realized the lights were fragments of the dead's lingering attachments, felt their grief, and spoke to them about the tragedies caused by the shinobi villages and the Will of Fire.
• Three unusual clusters of light began drifting toward Mukai from the Hatake Clan, the abandoned Senju Clan Compound, Konoha Hospital, and other places.

Mukai condemned the Shinobi world's exploitation and vowed to build a fairer society, prompting countless soul fragments to enter his consciousness and nearly overwhelm him. Three powerful spirits stabilized his body and organized the fragments into a vast processing network, while Nine-Tails sensed an interesting soul and woke Kushina.

• Mukai denounced Konoha's leaders and the Shinobi world's wars, then promised to create a peaceful world through technology and merit.
• Countless soul fragments and three large orbs of light entered Mukai, overloading his consciousness and draining his body.
• The three orbs used techniques to stabilize Mukai, restore his vitality, and organize the new consciousness nodes around Komushi.
• Mukai's injuries healed as he fell into a deep sleep, while the three orbs also rested in his sea of consciousness.
• Nine-Tails told Kushina that an interesting soul had woken him, leaving her angry and unable to return to sleep.
• Kushina got up and decided to make Minato breakfast.

Mukai spent his days in Konoha buying small goods from bereaved families and sharing recipes, baffling Danzo and the people around him. Aokawa Delia later visited her father's memorial and realized Mukai's help had given her a way to support her family as the Chunin Exam finals approached.

• Danzo demanded information about Mukai, then ordered Root to arrest everyone Mukai had visited until he learned they were more than two hundred widows of fallen Konoha ninja.
• Mukai paid Aokawa Delia a thousand ryo for ten paper frogs, then continued wandering Konoha and spending money on people and their families.
• Mukai's strange generosity confused Root, Anbu, Pakura, Sasori, and the others, while his Chakra continued to grow.
• As the daimyos and nobles arrived, the Chunin Ninja Exams finals approached.
• Aokawa Delia told her father's name at the Memorial Stone that Mukai's payment and braised-meat recipe had helped her earn a living and care for her mother.
• A half-burned paper frog drifted into Delia's hand, and her tears soaked it.

Mukai’s unexplained gains remained secret as the joint Chunin Ninja Exams finals began with Sasori facing Shisō. Sasori unveiled his ability to control seven puppets, and Shisō met their assault with his Eight Gates-enhanced taijutsu.

• Mukai reflected on the star-like points in his mindscape and kept his recent gains from Sasori and the others.
• The joint Chunin Ninja Exams finals began in a stadium before village leaders, nobles, and merchants.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Third Kazekage traded remarks about their villages’ finalists while Danzo received a secret message from a Root ninja.
• Shisō opened the second stage of the Seven Heavens Breathing Method and the first gate of the Eight Gates Released Formation, then attacked Sasori’s Sand Clone and Black Ant.
• Sasori deployed Crow and five dual-blade puppets, bringing the number he controlled to seven and forcing Shisō onto the defensive.
• Shisō used Bajiquan and the Body Flicker Technique to counter the puppets, then advanced into their next coordinated attack.

Shisō lost to Sasori after Sasori revealed he had hidden aboard Crow, but a masked ninja then accused Sasori of entering the Chunin Ninja Exams as a Chunin disguised as a Genin. The Third Kazekage tried to blame Sasori, and Mukai publicly defended him and challenged the village’s decision to sacrifice his reputation.

• Shisō drove away four of Sasori’s dual-sword puppets, but fell into Black Ant after mistaking it for Sasori in disguise.
• Sasori revealed he had hidden on Crow, freed Shisō, and won the match after Shisō conceded.
• A masked ninja presented Minato Namikaze with a scroll claiming Sasori had been a Chunin for a year and had fraudulently entered the exams as a Genin.
• The Third Kazekage announced that Sasori had deceived the daimyo and tarnished Sunagakure’s image, while blaming Pakura for failing to prevent it.
• Mukai took Sasori’s hand and argued that the village had approved his participation, refusing to let the Third Kazekage make him the sole scapegoat.

Hiruzen persuaded the Third Kazekage to invalidate Sasori’s exam results instead of detaining him, and Mukai returned to the arena to defeat Ibiki Morino after Ibiki’s interrogation technique backfired. The next match began between Rin Nohara and Gekko Hayate, who opened with a swift sword attack.

• Hiruzen proposed that Sasori be barred from the remaining matches, and the Third Kazekage agreed to deal with Sasori and Mukai after returning to Sunagakure.
• Sasori accepted his removal from the exams, encouraged Mukai to continue, and left the arena with Pakura and Shisō.
• Mukai drew Ibiki Morino as his next opponent and revealed that he knew about Ibiki’s Interrogation Technique.
• Ibiki’s technique pulled Mukai into a mental interrogation space, but Mukai’s powerful soul caused Ibiki to suffer a backlash and lose the match.
• Danzo questioned Yamanaka Fū about Mukai’s apparent technique, then discussed the Fusa Clan and the search for the Eight Gates Released Formation.
• Rin Nohara entered her match against Gekko Hayate, and Hayate began with his Afterimage Forward Slash.

Gekko Hayate defeated Rin Nohara in their arena match, and Mukai warned Rin about letting obsession steer her life. Uchiha Inabi then defeated Uchiha Yakumi, and the next match was announced as Mukai versus Gold Dust Shield.

• Gekko Hayate used Afterimage Step Slash and Transparent Release to outmaneuver Rin Nohara, then struck her with Swallow Reversal: Crescent Moon Slash while holding back.
• Rin Nohara admitted defeat, and Mukai cautioned her against letting fixation hurt herself or others before Obito escorted her toward Konoha Hospital.
• Mukai asked Kakashi why he had defended Sasori despite offending the Kazekage, and said he would not abandon his closest friend to injustice.
• Uchiha Inabi used Fire Style-Phoenix Flower Jutsu, a Great Fireball, and Genjutsu to defeat Uchiha Yakumi.
• The referee announced the next match between Mukai of Sunagakure and Gold Dust Shield of Sunagakure.

Mukai used the Hierarch Mecha’s new processing core and Komushi’s calculations to defeat Gold Dust Shield with a supersonic charge. The arena was left stunned as Mukai won the match in one strike.

• Uchiha Inabi threatened Mukai, but Mukai mocked him until Inabi was left furious.
• Mukai equipped the Hierarch Mecha, while Gold Dust Shield dismissed it as a flashy puppet and formed his four protective shields.
• Mukai and Komushi calculated a safe attack speed and planned to use thrust and Wind Release Chakra to break through the shields and knock Gold Dust Shield from the arena.
• Mukai accelerated past the sound barrier, shocking Uchiha Inabi, Shisui Uchiha, and the spectators with his speed.
• Mukai punched through Gold Dust Shield’s defenses and sent him flying into the stands, winning the match with one strike.

Mukai defeated Gold Dust Shield and faced Uchiha Inabi in the final after Gekko Hayate withdrew. Mukai countered Inabi’s attacks with his Hierarch Mecha and a precisely controlled Wind Release, then provoked Inabi into revealing his Two-Tomoe Sharingan and using a stronger Genjutsu.

• Mukai knocked Gold Dust Shield into the arena wall, and the referee declared him the winner.
• The referee announced that Gekko Hayate had withdrawn, sending Uchiha Inabi directly to the final against Mukai.
• Uchiha Inabi attacked with Kunai, a Great Fireball, and the Illusion Eye Technique, but Mukai’s Hierarch Mecha deflected the Kunai and his Wind Release extinguished the fireball.
• Mukai resisted Inabi’s Genjutsu, parried and broke his Ninja Blade with an arm blade, then taunted him to reveal his Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
• Uchiha Inabi awakened his Two-Tomoe Sharingan and cast Genjutsu: Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique at Mukai.

Mukai let Uchiha Inabi’s Hell Viewing Technique keep him immersed in memories of his past life while Komushi defended with the Hierarch Mecha. When Inabi escalated to the Shackling Stakes Technique and interrupted Mukai, Mukai took control and charged at him in anger.

• Uchiha Inabi trapped Mukai in the Hell Viewing Technique, showing him memories of his hated student days.
• Mukai told Komushi not to break the Genjutsu and to control the Hierarch Mecha defensively while he copied knowledge from his memories.
• Komushi used the mecha to deflect Inabi’s Kunai and counter his Phoenix Flower Claw Crimson Technique while Mukai remained motionless.
• Inabi mistook Mukai’s defense for instinct and cast the Shackling Stakes Technique to intensify the Genjutsu.
• Mukai broke his vacant stare, rebuked Inabi for disturbing him, and ordered the mecha into a zigzag charge.
• Mukai drove the Hierarch Mecha’s fist toward Inabi’s face.

Mukai defeated Uchiha Inabi in the Chunin Ninja Exams finals despite Genjutsu attacks, then left Konoha with his Sunagakure companions. Afterward, Danzo threatened to demolish the orphanage unless Yakushi Nonō returned to Root and accepted an undercover mission.

• Mukai resisted Uchiha Inabi’s Genjutsu with Komushi’s help and overwhelmed him with his speed and punches.
• Uchiha Tekka launched a surprise Shackling Stakes Technique at Mukai, but Mukai resisted it and drove Inabi into the ground.
• Minato Namikaze stopped Mukai from continuing the fight and declared him the finals champion.
• Mukai left Konoha with Pakura, Sasori, and Shisō, while villagers and ninja came to see them off.
• Danzo confronted Yakushi Nonō at the orphanage and threatened to evict its children unless she returned to Root for an undercover mission.

Yakushi Nonō accepted Danzo’s coercive order to go undercover in the Land of Rain, while Mukai returned to the Oasis Workshop and laid out plans for farming, trade, and a school. The chapter ended with Konan receiving news that Nonō had arrived in the Land of Rain with more than ten children.

• Danzo threatened Yakushi Nonō and ordered her to gather intelligence on Hanzō, Akatsuki, and Sunagakure’s Mukai; she agreed to leave the next day with the orphans.
• Mukai returned to the Land of Wind, where Elder Chiyo welcomed him and agreed to his proposal to establish a school at the oasis.
• Mukai and his companions gathered at the Oasis Workshop, where he outlined plans to reclaim desert land, trade ironware, and educate future ninja.
• Konan received a letter from Yahiko and the others saying that Sister Nonō had arrived in the Land of Rain with more than ten children.

Mukai and Konan welcomed Yakushi Nonō to the Land of Rain and asked her to become principal of a school for orphans. After Nonō learned about Mukai’s plans and Akatsuki’s tunnel project, Mukai offered to take her to see the tunnel.

• Mukai and Konan traveled to the Akatsuki base, where Yahiko greeted them and thanked Mukai for supporting Moon Sake Town.
• Konan reunited with Yakushi Nonō, who explained that Danzo’s pressure had made it possible for her to leave Konoha openly.
• Mukai asked Nonō to become principal of his planned school, which would accept all orphans and teach them ways to earn a living.
• Nonō worried about the number of children and the cost, but Mukai assured her that he was wealthy and outlined his plans.
• Yahiko and Nagato told Nonō about the tunnel they had built from Moon Sake Town to an oasis near the Land of Wind’s border.
• Mukai offered to take Nonō to see the tunnel for herself.

Mukai protected Konan from Asagiri Rin’s challenge and demonstrated his power by reshaping the ground to create a huge crater. He then showed Yakushi Nonō the revived oasis and spoke with her about nurturing people according to their abilities.

• Asagiri Rin challenged Mukai to a duel over Konan, but Mukai stopped his Water Bullet Technique and told him to study until he was strong enough to challenge him.
• Mukai used Opening Earth Rising Excavation at full power, raising a large earthen hill before the ground collapsed into a crater about a hundred meters across.
• Mukai returned to the group and told Asagiri Rin that Konan was his girlfriend and that the boy should focus on his studies.
• Mukai took Yakushi Nonō to see the underground channels and the revived oasis at Oasis Workshop.
• Yakushi Nonō praised Mukai’s achievements, and Mukai said that people should be placed in suitable roles and taught according to their abilities.

Mukai and Yakushi Nonō pledged themselves to building a better future through waterworks, trade, and a school, then began seeking approval for their plan. In Sunagakure, the Third Kazekage let Mukai pursue the project without village resources, while Elder Chiyo pressed him over land, the Fusa Clan, and another promise.

• Mukai and Yakushi Nonō swore loyalty to each other and committed to creating a new future, with Mukai proposing they submit the plan to the village.
• Elder Chiyo presented Mukai’s ambitious development plan at a Jonin meeting, but the Third Kazekage rejected village funding and allowed Mukai to proceed independently.
• Elder Chiyo told the Third Kazekage that Mukai had borrowed money from her to buy wasteland and asked him to inform the daimyo.
• The Third Kazekage praised Sunagakure’s improved reputation and increased mission commissions, then called for the village to prepare for possible war.
• Elder Chiyo demanded punishment for the Fusa Clan, and the Third Kazekage instead ordered Elder Fusa to sell land to Mukai cheaply as an apology.
• Elder Chiyo agreed to put the matters of Pakura and Sasori behind her, then raised another promise, prompting the Third Kazekage to slam the table and warn her not to push him.

Elder Chiyo forced the Third Kazekage to honor Mukai’s promised Shukaku Trial slot, while Mukai and his allies built an industrial smelting line and began constructing a cement kiln. The chapter left Mukai and Pakura using combined fire and wind techniques to reinforce Nagato’s enormous rock kiln with magma.

• Elder Chiyo reminded the Third Kazekage that Mukai had been promised this year’s Shukaku Trial slot, and he confirmed Mukai would be listed when the trial began in three months.
• Elder Chiyo offered two puppet designs and a twenty-percent increase in Chakra Metal supplies for the village after securing the promise.
• Mukai directed Sasori, Shisō, Konan, and Pakura as they operated a large electrolytic smelting line that turned Iron Sand into molten iron and forged farming tools and other goods.
• Mukai used electricity stored in supercapacitors to keep the smelting process running, while Akatsuki members helped with quenching and Nagato began building a cement kiln.
• Nagato used the Earth Release: Super Earth Prison Dome Technique to raise a massive rock structure for the kiln.
• Pakura and Mukai combined Scorch Release and Wind Release to bore into Nagato’s structure and fill its gaps with magma.

Mukai and his allies completed a heat-resistant cement kiln and prepared to start producing cement while planning construction of a border fortress. With the Shukaku Trial three months away, Mukai arranged to borrow funds from Elder Chiyo and invited Konan to visit his home with him.

• Mukai, Pakura, Konan, and Nagato built a heat-resistant kiln using Earth Prison Dome, Wind Release, Scorch Release, and lightning to fuse white clay into its inner walls.
• Mukai loaded the kiln with limestone, clay, and Iron Sand powder, then asked Pakura to fire the mixture at controlled temperatures.
• Sasori delivered intelligence from Elder Chiyo that the Shukaku Trial would take place in three months and that she had begun buying planned wasteland sites.
• Mukai asked Elder Chiyo to cover expenses for now and said they would refine more Chakra Metal once construction on the fortress began.
• Sasori praised Mukai's precision-machining equipment, and Mukai suggested making Elder Chiyo a custom puppet together.
• Konan reminded Mukai that he had not visited home recently, so he invited her to return to the village with him after fortress construction began, prompting Sasori to tell them to tone down their teasing.

Mukai and Konan watched Yahiko lead construction of a fortress and discussed expanding their work with technology and the people of the borderlands. In Amegakure, Hanzō learned of Akatsuki’s growing influence and ordered it watched before Konoha’s Anbu arrived with important intelligence.

• Mukai took Konan up the Iron Sand hill while Yahiko directed villagers and former wandering ninja building a fortress around the Oasis Workshop.
• Konan praised Mukai’s work, and Mukai said he wanted to unite overlooked people and equip them with technology to reshape the Shinobi World.
• An Amegakure Anbu reported to Hanzō that Akatsuki, led by Yahiko, was helping civilians and gaining support near the Land of Wind border.
• Hanzō dismissed Akatsuki’s talk of peace as hypocrisy but ordered an infiltration and surveillance operation, especially to investigate possible ties to Sunagakure.
• Konoha’s Anbu arrived at Hanzō’s office with important intelligence.

Danzo’s Shadow Clone tried to recruit Hanzō into a plan against the Akatsuki and Sunagakure, but Hanzō refused and ordered his own investigation of Mukai. Meanwhile, Mukai introduced Konan to his family, reassured his parents about village politics, and flew with her back to the Oasis Workshop.

• Danzo warned Hanzō that Chiyo’s grandson, Mukai, and a Taijutsu specialist named Shisō were working with the Akatsuki, and proposed joining forces against Sunagakure.
• Hanzō rejected Danzo’s offer, then ordered Amegakure ninja to investigate the Land of Wind and Mukai, and to assassinate him if necessary.
• Mukai brought Konan to his family’s izakaya, where his mother welcomed her and Konan helped with the shop’s work.
• Mukai gave his parents mission earnings and a paper crane, warned them that his ties to Chiyo’s faction could cause trouble, and directed them to seek help from Chiyo, Ebizo, or Konan.
• Mukai’s mother accepted the money and joked that she would save it for his and Konan’s wedding, leaving Konan blushing and dazed.
• Mukai carried Konan in the Hierarch Mecha and flew with her toward the Oasis Workshop.

Mukai and Pakura settled the terms for upgrading her White Phoenix Mecha, then Mukai activated the fortress’s intelligent core. Its scans revealed three half-life-forms, whom Mukai and Sasori exposed as White Zetsu disguised as villagers.

• Pakura confronted Mukai for tricking her into work, then agreed to his mecha upgrade in exchange for an upgraded White Phoenix Mecha.
• Mukai showed Sasori the Fortress Core, powered up its computing node array, and tasked it with identifying people by their bioelectric signals.
• The Fortress Core detected 773 life-forms and three half-life-forms in the camp, so Mukai and Sasori went to investigate.
• Mukai and Sasori entered a temporary dwelling in their mecha, and Mukai used electricity to subdue the people inside and kill the three impostors.
• Nagato and Yahiko arrived, checked that the other villagers were unharmed, and saw that the three corpses had pale, green-tinged skin and dark green fluid instead of blood.

After White Zetsu infiltrators were killed, Mukai reassured the villagers and comforted Nagato, then ordered the Fortress Core to develop Sasori’s Ten Fingers Technique. Its analysis produced a vision of coordinated puppet squads, which Mukai and Sasori resolved to pursue step by step.

• Mukai defeated the three White Zetsu infiltrators, sealed their bodies, and promised the frightened villagers rice as compensation.
• Mukai told Pakura the attackers were unidentified monsters, and later reassured Nagato that he would protect him from them.
• Mukai ordered the Fortress Core to monitor the camp and devote its remaining power to analyzing the Ten Fingers Technique, frustrating Sasori until the analysis finished.
• The Fortress Core proposed Swarm Coordination, a decentralized system of puppet nodes that could coordinate attacks, defenses, and autonomous responses.
• Sasori embraced the plan, and Mukai suggested beginning with modified puppets and building one squad at a time.
• Three voices in Mukai’s mind praised the idea and credited a secret technique with helping Sasori through his crisis.

Mukai met the spirits of Hatake Sakumo, Senju Nawaki, and Dan Katō in his mindscape, and they agreed to help him with their skills and knowledge. He summoned Orochimaru and relayed a message from Nawaki that left Orochimaru shaken.

• Mukai identified the three spirits in his mindscape and thanked them for helping him survive.
• Hatake Sakumo agreed to develop a Nintaijutsu training course, while Dan Katō began working on a long-distance Spirit Transformation communication technique.
• Senju Nawaki taught Mukai the messenger snake Summoning Technique and helped him organize Ninjutsu.
• Mukai summoned Orochimaru in an uninhabited valley and explained how Nawaki had taught him the technique through a dream.
• Mukai delivered Nawaki's message about Orochimaru's pursuit of truth and revealed that Nawaki had hidden the Kunai Orochimaru gave him.

Mukai gave Orochimaru White Zetsu corpses for research and demanded he avoid human experimentation, then received the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags technique and learned Danzo's Root was targeting him. Near Moon Sake Town, Mukai found Rain Ninja infiltrators and pursued a second group disguised as villagers.

• Mukai gave Orochimaru three White Zetsu corpses and urged him to use them as research material instead of conducting human experiments or helping Danzo do so.
• Mukai warned Orochimaru not to cross his line against human experimentation, and Orochimaru agreed to consider Mukai's proposal.
• Orochimaru gave Mukai a scroll containing Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags and warned that Danzo's Root had appeared in the Land of Rain and seemed to be targeting him.
• Mukai detected suspected ninja near Moon Sake Town, shocked two hidden Rain Ninja unconscious, and pursued the others.
• Mukai noticed that the six ninja ahead wore patched villagers' clothes rather than standard Amegakure attire.

Mukai discovered six possible spies in town, then spent weeks developing a new metal that Sasori called a superconductor. When Konan reported that Moon Sake Town was surrounded, Mukai and Sasori went to help Yahiko and the others, who faced Saionji Moriuchi’s demand to surrender the town.

• Mukai detected six shabby, Genin-level newcomers and had Komushi record their bioelectric information before withdrawing to collect two unconscious men.
• Pakura asked Konan about Mukai’s extended seclusion, and Sasori stormed over after Mukai drained 120 supercapacitors.
• Mukai revealed two pieces of superconducting Chakra Metal and explained that the material could transform energy storage and future combat systems.
• Sasori described his plan to build squad-based assault puppets, but said he had completed only one because Mukai used the electricity.
• Konan received word that samurai and Rain Ninja had surrounded Moon Sake Town, so Mukai and Sasori set out to aid Yahiko and the others.
• Saionji Moriuchi demanded that Yahiko surrender the town, and Yahiko refused before Moriuchi ordered his forces to attack.

Mukai and Sasori disguised themselves in Akatsuki cloaks and attacked Saionji Moriuchi’s forces, impressing Yahiko and Nagato with their fighting and powerful techniques. Mukai’s shockwave killed Saionji, and the chapter ended as a Rain Ninja summoned Ibuse.

• Nagato recognized Mukai and Sasori beneath their Akatsuki disguises and quietly alerted Yahiko.
• Sasori used the steel Great Rikishi puppet to knock down six samurai, while Nagato protected them from incoming attacks with an Earth Style Wall.
• Mukai appeared in his Zealot Mecha and unleashed an amplified Wind Release shockwave that sent the samurai and Rain Ninja flying.
• The shockwave killed Saionji Moriuchi, and the surviving Rain Ninja summoned Ibuse.