Recaps

Shira, Guy, Rock Lee, and Naruto practiced handstand walking along the Naka River when Naruto spotted Sasuke sitting alone across the water. Naruto called out to him, but Sasuke was stunned by Naruto and the others’ green outfits before turning away in silence.

• Guy led Shira, Rock Lee, and Naruto through a difficult handstand-walking exercise with sandbags tied to their ankles.
• Shira noticed Sasuke sitting alone on a rock across the river, lost in gloomy thoughts.
• Naruto saw Sasuke, stopped training, and called out to ask why he was sitting by himself.
• Sasuke turned and stared in disbelief at Naruto and the three green-clad companions.
• Naruto challenged Sasuke for staring, but Sasuke regained his cold expression and turned back toward the river without answering.

Naruto dragged Sasuke to meet Might Guy, Rock Lee, and Shira, where Guy’s formidable Taijutsu aura stirred Sasuke’s interest in strength despite his rejection of the group. Sasuke left with Guy’s presence still on his mind, while the others resumed training and planned to invite him again.

• Naruto overpowered Sasuke’s attempt to break free and dragged him across the riverbank to Guy, Lee, and Shira.
• Sasuke was overwhelmed by Guy’s powerful aura and felt a flicker of attraction to his direct, physical strength.
• Guy invited Sasuke to train with them, but Sasuke called it pointless and walked away.
• Naruto and Lee said they would keep inviting Sasuke, while Shira and Guy reflected on the spark of interest they had seen in him.
• After leaving, Sasuke leaned against a tree and examined his aching wrist as he looked back toward the training group.

After a week of training in Konoha, Shira learned that his Sunagakure squad would leave the day after tomorrow and accepted that it was time to return. He planned to say goodbye to his friends and carry Guy-sensei’s lessons and determination back with him.

• Shira spent a week training hard with Guy-sensei, Rock Lee, and Naruto in Konoha.
• Captain Reppu told Shira that the caravan’s business was finished and the squad would leave for Sunagakure the day after tomorrow.
• Shira accepted the departure date and agreed to rest, pack, and check his equipment.
• Shira decided to say goodbye to Guy-senpai, Rock Lee, and Naruto the next day, and to look for Uchiha Sasuke.
• Shira washed away his sweat and melancholy, then resolved to bring his strengthened body and perseverance back to Sunagakure.

Shira skipped morning training to shop for gifts for his family, friends, and mentors in Sunagakure, making his approaching departure from Konoha feel easier to face. He returned to the guesthouse with his purchases and prepared to give his time in Konoha a youthful farewell.

• Shira asked Guy for the morning off to buy gifts, and Guy, Rock Lee, and Naruto encouraged him to choose carefully.
• Shira bought Ameno a pink Kunai and Gaara a small gourd, then chose kitchenware for Rira and Shiya.
• Shira purchased herbal tea and jade health balls for Granny Chiyo and Elder Ebizo, sake for the weapons shop owner, tool-care supplies for I Fūgetsu, border notes for Baki, and pouch fasteners for Fūi and his brother.
• Shira glimpsed Ino Yamanaka tending flowers, then returned to the guesthouse with his bags and an empty wallet, feeling ready to face his departure.

Shira and Rock Lee held one last Taijutsu match before Shira left Konoha, and Lee showed how much he had improved despite losing. After saying goodbye to Guy, Lee, and Naruto, Shira returned to the guesthouse, while Sasuke and the Anbu Owl watched him depart.

• Rock Lee challenged Shira to one final match, and Shira accepted as Guy and Naruto watched.
• Shira and Rock Lee exchanged fierce Strong Fist attacks, with Shira offering Lee real-time advice as Lee adapted and improved.
• Shira caught Rock Lee after a final high kick, and Lee admitted defeat while noting he had landed three more hits than in their previous match.
• Rock Lee, Naruto, and Guy said goodbye to Shira, who promised to meet Lee again in Sunagakure and left for the guesthouse.
• Sasuke watched Shira leave without emerging, and the Anbu Owl confirmed that Shira would leave Konoha the next day.

Shira and the Reppu Squad completed their escort mission and returned to Sunagakure with their rewards. After Reppu revealed why he had chosen to remain a Chunin, Shira headed home to reunite with his family.

• On the journey back to Sunagakure, Reppu told Shira, Asuka, Sada, and Sasori that they would receive mission payments and bounties for the bandits they had defeated.
• Asuka asked why Reppu remained a Chunin despite his strength, and Reppu explained that past mistakes had cost him teammates and trust, so he had sworn to remain a Chunin for life.
• The squad continued traveling and reached Sunagakure, where Reppu declared the mission complete and dismissed them.
• Asuka hurried to the mission hall while Sasori pulled Sada toward the puppet workshop, and Shira set off toward his family's general store.

Shira returned to Sunagakure from his mission in Konoha and reunited with his parents before delivering gifts to friends, mentors, and village elders. After returning home, he considered how to build on what he had learned and planned to try handstand walking in his training.

• Shira returned to his family’s shop, reassured Shiya and Rira that he was safe, and gave them gifts from Konoha.
• Shira visited Ameno while she practiced Water Release and gave her a pink kunai.
• Shira gave Gaara a small gourd through Yashamaru, and Gaara accepted it with a smile.
• Shira delivered gifts to Granny Chiyo and Ebizo, then learned that Baki was teaching at the training ground.
• Shira gave Baki notes on border geography, left gifts for the weapons shop owner and Fūgetsu, and gave Kenmei a blade-maintenance cloth.
• Shira returned home thinking about his training and considered trying the handstand-walking exercise Guy had suggested.

Shira tested the Seven Heavens Breathing Method’s Second Activation in an abandoned quarry, exploring whether his punches could approach the principle behind Morning Peacock. He confirmed that sustained high-speed strikes generated frictional heat, named the technique state Wild Fist, and left himself to recover after reaching his limit.

• Shira activated the Seven Heavens Breathing Method’s Second Activation and tested his maximum punch speed, producing a sonic boom and a small shock wave.
• Shira unleashed a barrage of consecutive punches and sustained the distorted air for about thirty-three seconds before pain and exhaustion forced him to stop.
• Shira noticed that friction had heated his fists, confirming the first practical sign of a path toward Morning Peacock.
• Shira recorded his test results and named the high-speed consecutive-strike state Wild Fist.
• Shira imagined developing his own Peacock of Sand, then went home and fell into a deep sleep.

Shira recovered from the strain of testing his limits and reflected on how far he could develop the Seven Heavens Breathing Method without a dedicated Taijutsu mentor. He ended the chapter reminding himself not to rush.

• Shira woke with severe pain and weakness after his training, while Rira worried over him and Shiya gave him extra meat at breakfast.
• Shira accepted the pain as proof that he had reached his current physical limit and remembered the power and cost of his test.
• Shira thought about Rock Lee and Guy’s mentorship, then lamented that he had no teacher suited to guiding his Taijutsu.
• Shira wondered how far the Seven Heavens Breathing Method could go and what limits or side effects it might have.
• Shira told himself that he could not afford to rush.

Shira decided to strengthen his body and master Second Activation before attempting a higher level, then settled into a disciplined training routine in Sunagakure. He continued refining Wild Fist and preparing for an unknown future, wondering what his own version of the Peacock might become.

• Shira concluded that he should solidify Second Activation, improve his physical foundation, and avoid rushing toward Third Activation.
• Shira planned to refine his breathing control and Wild Fist, while treating Chakra-assisted attacks as a dangerous idea for the future.
• Over the following days, Shira trained in the Gobi, sparred with skilled Chunin, practiced shuriken, and worked on sustaining Second Activation.
• Shira recorded his training observations each evening and gradually improved his control over the burning sensation in his fists.
• Shira thought of Guy, Rock Lee, and Naruto training in Konoha, then wondered what his own peacock might look like.

Shira sparred with Teacher Kenmei on the gravel slope outside Sunagakure, testing the swordsmanship he had honed since returning from Konoha. Kenmei still overwhelmed him, but Shira adapted by studying his movements, and Kenmei acknowledged his improvement.

• Shira arrived for training and faced Teacher Kenmei with his longsword.
• Shira attacked first, but Kenmei deflected his thrust and countered with a strike at his wrist.
• Kenmei kept Shira under pressure, forcing him to defend against a series of precise attacks.
• Shira grew less impatient and began studying Kenmei’s force, footwork, and sword-tip movements to improve his responses.
• After they separated, Kenmei lowered his sword and told Shira that he had improved.

Shira received rare praise from Kenmei for his improved swordsmanship and told his teacher to take care of himself. He then visited Granny Chiyo and Ebizo to ask about his training, including the Seven Heavens Breathing Method and his idea for Wild Fist.

• Kenmei praised Shira's steadier swordsmanship and said he hesitated less and responded with more method.
• Shira told Kenmei to take good care of himself, and Kenmei gave a quiet nod before leaving.
• Shira reflected on his sparring match, put away his sword, and decided to seek advice from Granny Chiyo and Ebizo.
• Shira arrived at Granny Chiyo's courtyard, where Ebizo appeared to be asleep and Chiyo was tending her plants.
• Shira asked Granny Chiyo for help with his training, and she invited him to explain.

Shira discussed his Wild Fist concept with Granny Chiyo, who advised him to focus on coordinating his whole body's power and to build on his breathing method's sustained nature. He left with a new goal: developing a relentless Sandstorm Barrage suited to Sunagakure.

• Shira explained his breathing method and Wild Fist idea to Granny Chiyo while Ebizo listened nearby.
• Granny Chiyo warned Shira that poor control of his body's power could injure him and urged him to channel force smoothly from his core through his limbs.
• Granny Chiyo suggested shaping Wild Fist into a sustained barrage of abrasive, high-speed punches like Sunagakure's wind and sand.
• Shira realized he should develop a Sandstorm Barrage rather than imitate the explosive Morning Peacock technique.
• Shira thanked Granny Chiyo and Ebizo, then headed back to the village determined to pursue the new direction.

Shira changed his training to focus on sustained combinations and, while sensing the wind and ground during practice, discovered a faint feeling of resonance with his surroundings. He recorded the experience and returned to Sunagakure believing he had made a breakthrough.

• Shira adjusted his training after recalling Granny Chiyo’s description of a sandstorm and practiced flowing combinations in the First Activation state.
• Shira slowly punched into the wind and felt his fist cutting through its flow, with the sensation changing as he rotated his wrist.
• Shira moved through the wind, sensing how his body disturbed the air and how the ground returned force beneath his feet.
• Shira felt a faint resonance between his punches, breathing, the wind, and the earth, especially when he activated Second Activation.
• Shira recorded his sensations in his notebook, then walked back toward the village and concluded that he had made a breakthrough.

Shira trained his legs with hundreds of kilograms of iron-sand weights outside Sunagakure, pushing through squats and explosive jumps while noticing how his movements disturbed the air. He considered ways to strengthen his organs and recovery, then resumed training, determined to build his body through the methods available to him.

• Shira strapped iron-sand weights to his legs, torso, and hands and began heavy squats on rocky ground outside Sunagakure.
• Shira removed some leg weights and practiced weighted vertical, forward, and sideways jumps until exhaustion.
• A stumble during a landing stirred Shira’s interest in using airflow from sudden movements to aid attacks or movement.
• Shira considered rumors about organ-strengthening methods, medicinal baths, natural energy, and possible desert herbs, but set aside dangerous or impractical ideas.
• Shira resolved to continue weighted training, explore air currents and desert herbs, and cautiously investigate whether his breathing method could improve his organs and recovery.
• Shira strapped his weights back on and began another set of squats.

Shira went to check on Uzumaki Kei and Karin but found their house empty, then reflected on his progress and the dangers ahead while wandering through Sunagakure. In a small bookstore, he discovered a battered booklet about meridians and key acupoints.

• Shira visited Uzumaki Kei and Karin’s house but found no one home, and decided not to ask Granny Chiyo where they were.
• Shira passed the Ninja Academy and compared his early graduation and missions with the students training there.
• Shira reminded himself that he needed to keep working hard or others and the path ahead would leave him behind.
• Shira entered a small bookstore and found a booklet titled “A Brief Introduction to Meridians and Illustrations of Common Key Acupoints.”

Shira discovered an old book about pressure points and remembered that he had once used precise strikes to block Rock Lee’s Chakra flow. He bought the book and hurried home to study the technique as a possible combat trump card.

• Shira read a battered book describing pressure points and how striking them could block Chakra flow.
• Shira recalled that he had used pressure-point strikes against Rock Lee to interfere with the Chakra needed to open the Eight Gates.
• Shira recognized pressure-point strikes as a new Taijutsu technique that could disrupt opponents’ Chakra-based abilities.
• Shira bought the book from the bookstore owner for thirty ryo.
• Shira hurried home with the book, eager to study pressure-point combat.

Shira learned pressure-point locations and striking techniques from Granny Chiyo, using the sensations in his own body to memorize their effects. Chiyo explained how precise strikes might disrupt the Eight Gates, but warned that the tactic was dangerous and unreliable against an opponent at full power; Shira left with the book and her advice in mind.

• Granny Chiyo pressed practice points on Shira and taught him to recognize their effects on movement, breathing, and limb strength.
• Shira endured Chiyo’s occasional misjudged pressure and memorized each point through his body’s reactions.
• Chiyo explained that pressure-point strikes might interrupt the Eight Gates if timed precisely, but cautioned that they could fail against fully unleashed Chakra.
• Chiyo instructed Shira to stay calm, observe the opponent’s Chakra flow, strike decisively if he chose to, and retreat immediately afterward.
• Shira practiced applying focused force to less critical points, then took Chiyo’s book home and resolved to remember her warning.

During a spar, Shira instinctively used his perception of wind to create a subtle airflow around his sword, which Teacher Kenmei noticed. Kenmei asked Shira to demonstrate the Seven Heavens Breathing Method, leaving the sparring session poised for another test.

• Shira charged Teacher Kenmei with a refined thrust and instinctively incorporated his sense of wind into the strike.
• Shira’s blade produced faint vibrations and disturbed the airflow, making Kenmei’s blocks and counters meet an unusual resistance.
• Kenmei noticed something extra in Shira’s sword and wondered whether Shira’s force stirred the wind or the wind followed his force.
• Shira confirmed that he knew the Seven Heavens Breathing Method, and Kenmei told him to use it.

Shira activated First Activation and tested his enhanced strength and perception in a sword fight with Teacher Kenmei. Their clash left Teacher Kenmei eager to continue as he studied Shira’s new ability to use air currents.

• At Teacher Kenmei’s insistence, Shira activated First Activation, unleashing a surge of physical power and heightened awareness of the wind.
• Shira charged, and Teacher Kenmei met his strike with force, staggering back three steps and tearing his sleeve.
• Shira realized he could use air currents to strengthen his charge and disrupt Teacher Kenmei’s judgment of distance and angle.
• Teacher Kenmei praised the technique and told Shira not to hold back.
• Shira launched another attack, blending his swordsmanship with his enhanced strength and control of air currents while Teacher Kenmei adapted and analyzed his movements.

Shira trained with Teacher Kenmei, learned to steady himself before borrowing the wind, and received advice about using a sword to strike acupoints. After meeting Matsuri, Yukata, and Ameno, he heard that Iwagakure shinobi had been lingering near the border, leaving him expecting another departure from the village.

• Shira fought Teacher Kenmei until Kenmei knocked his sword from his hand and advised him to steady his mind, body, and sword before trying to use the wind.
• Shira told Teacher Kenmei he was studying acupoints, and Kenmei explained that a sword could sever or seal an acupoint if used precisely.
• Shira left training and met Matsuri, Yukata, and Ameno, who had just finished classes at the Ninja Academy.
• Ameno warned Shira that Iwagakure shinobi had been loitering near the border and that villagers should travel outside Sunagakure with an experienced leader.
• Shira encouraged the girls to keep training and quietly remembered the border warning as he headed home, suspecting he would soon leave the village again.

Rasa dealt with worsening border pressure from Iwagakure amid Sunagakure’s poverty and dwindling resources. He ordered reinforcements and expanded intelligence gathering, leaving the village braced for a prolonged standoff.

• Temari and Kankuro whispered about Rasa’s sour mood and the reports of Iwagakure scouts and attacks on supply routes.
• Rasa considered Sunagakure’s financial strain and concluded that Ōnoki was testing the village’s defenses and resolve.
• Rasa ordered three squadrons under elite Jonin Baki to reinforce northern outposts and patrols for two months, with authority to respond to emergencies.
• Rasa directed the intelligence department to increase its efforts in the Land of Earth and report Iwagakure’s developments directly to him.
• An Anbu delivered Rasa’s sealed order, while Temari and Kankuro left the corridor sensing that their father had made an important decision.

Shira experimented with directing the Qi from the Seven Heavens Breathing Method toward his legs and arms, gaining brief bursts of speed and strength at the cost of coordination. Teacher I Fūgetsu ordered him to prepare for an assignment and assemble at the mission hall before dawn, leaving Shira to head home as a storm seemed imminent.

• Shira connected the village’s increased patrols and reports of Iwagakure activity near the border with the danger he had sensed.
• Shira diverted Qi toward his legs and discovered that it briefly increased his speed, though it weakened his balance and control.
• Shira concentrated Qi in his arms and strengthened a punch, but found the technique stiff, mentally demanding, and unsuitable for sustained use.
• Shira tried directing Qi toward his head, felt sharp pain and darkening vision, and quickly stopped.
• Teacher I Fūgetsu told Shira to suspend training, check his equipment and supplies, and report to the mission hall before dawn.
• Shira accepted the order and headed home as dusk fell over Sunagakure.

Shira departed Sunagakure with Baki and the other ninja to reinforce the northern border, after saying goodbye to his family and friends. The force headed for three outposts as the people left behind watched them vanish into the desert.

• Rasa addressed the thirty-one ninja and sent them to defend Sunagakure's northern border.
• Shira said goodbye to Rira, Shiya, Chiyo, Gaara, Yashamaru, Ameno, Matsuri, and Yukata; Gaara gave him a sand dumbbell.
• Uzumaki Kei gave Shira a wrapped parcel of provisions, and Karin nervously said goodbye to him.
• Baki ordered the force to move out toward the third, seventh, and eleventh northern outposts, and Shira returned to his squadron.
• Shira and the other ninja left Sunagakure as their families and friends watched them disappear into the dust.

Shira and Baki’s team reached the Seventh Outpost as Iwagakure scouts intensified their activity along the border. On the first night, Shira detected an intruder, but the scout escaped after testing the team’s response, leaving the group braced for worse fighting ahead.

• Baki received reports of increased Iwagakure scouting near Rubble Slope and Ghost's Despair Canyon, including a recent encounter near the Eleventh Outpost.
• Baki assigned Ryoma and Iwa to reinforce the flanks and ordered Reppu’s company to serve as a mobile reserve and patrol the canyon camp.
• Reppu assigned Shira to the first night patrol with him while the rest of the squad set traps and kept watch.
• Shira noticed unnatural airflow near a rock pile, and he and Reppu pursued a dark figure who fled toward the canyon mouth.
• Reppu concluded that the intruder was a scout testing their reaction, and Baki ordered the camp to remain on high alert.