Recaps

The third-stage preliminaries began, and Senju Kenya mocked the competitors from the VIP seats while Sasuke Uchiha defeated Akadō Yoroi. The next match was announced as Neji Hyuga versus Hinata Hyuga.

• Hinata Hyuga demonstrated her powerful punch against an iron pillar, and Kenya urged her to use her knuckle dusters against close-range opponents.
• The preliminaries began in the tower's central training hall, where Kenya lounged beside Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi in the VIP seats.
• Sasuke Uchiha defeated Akadō Yoroi with Lion Combo despite the restrictions of Orochimaru's cursed seal.
• Kenya mocked the competitors and insulted Zaku, prompting him to glare furiously from the arena.
• Gekko Hayate announced the next matchup: Neji Hyuga versus Hinata Hyuga.

Neji challenged Hinata’s belief in herself by claiming fate could not be changed, while Kenya mocked his fatalism and urged him to confront the Hyuga Clan’s rules directly. As Neji prepared to attack, Hinata drew the Black Iron Wood knuckle dusters Kenya had given her and faced him with renewed resolve.

• Neji told Hinata to forfeit, insisting that her weakness and their places in the Main and Branch Families were dictated by fate.
• Kenya mocked Neji over the loudspeaker and argued that he should use his strength to challenge the people enforcing the Hyuga Clan’s rules instead of targeting Hinata.
• Neji rejected Kenya’s advice and redirected his anger toward Hinata, taking the Gentle Fist stance.
• Hinata recalled Kenya’s advice about fighting an opponent who attacked at close range and steadied herself.
• Hinata put on the Black Iron Wood knuckle dusters Kenya had given her and assumed an Eight Trigrams Palm stance.

During Neji and Hinata’s match, Kenya interrupted the fight and revealed that Neji’s father, Hizashi, was alive and living on his island. The revelation shattered Neji’s convictions, while Hiruzen and Hiashi were left stunned.

• Neji attacked Hinata with Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, intending to cripple her.
• Kenya halted the match over the loudspeakers and told Neji that Hizashi was not dead.
• Kenya claimed he had rescued Hizashi from the Kumogakure delegation and that Hizashi now lived comfortably on his island in the Land of Waves.
• Neji’s belief in fate and years of resentment crumbled when he heard his father was alive.
• Hiruzen and Hiashi fell out of their chairs after hearing Kenya’s revelation.

Kenya revealed that Hizashi was alive, shattering Neji’s beliefs and driving him into a furious attack on Hinata. Hinata stood her ground and prepared to defend herself with chakra-charged knuckle dusters.

• Kenya told Hiashi that Hizashi was alive and would return to the village after the Chunin Ninja Exams, and Hiashi broke down in tears.
• Neji saw Hiashi’s reaction and realized Kenya was telling the truth, causing his beliefs about fate and his hatred to collapse.
• Neji rejected the truth and lunged at Hinata, accusing the Main Family of conspiring against him.
• Hinata refused to retreat, charged her knuckle dusters with chakra, and dodged Neji’s disordered attacks.

Hinata defeated Neji in the preliminaries, while Kenya gave Tenten iron wood spikes to use as hidden weapons. After a month of training and preparation, the Chunin Exam finals began in a bustling Konoha.

• Hinata fought back against Neji with iron knuckle dusters and knocked him out of bounds to win their match.
• After the preliminaries, Tenten worried that she could not afford more ninja tools, so Kenya offered her iron wood spikes made with Wood Release.
• Tenten threw a spike through a thick steel plate and excitedly accepted Kenya's offer to use the weapons in the finals.
• During the month before the finals, Kenya lived comfortably, checked on the Iron Fist Chamber of Commerce, and trained Sasuke and Naruto.
• A month later, Konoha filled with decorations and crowds as the finals began.

The Chunin Exams finals began in Konoha as the daimyo and high officials gathered to watch. Senju Kenya’s wealth and influence forced the Land of Fire’s daimyo to change his attitude toward him, while Shimura Danzō watched Kenya with murderous intent.

• Konoha filled with spectators and dignitaries as the Chunin Exams finals officially began.
• The Land of Fire’s daimyo criticized Kenya’s casual appearance and demanded to know why he was allowed into the VIP section.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi explained that Kenya owned the Iron Fist Chamber of Commerce and was the exams’ biggest sponsor.
• The daimyo recognized Kenya’s influence over valuable building materials and tried to ingratiate himself, but Kenya ignored him.
• Genma Shiranui announced the start of the third stage’s official matches.
• Shimura Danzō watched Kenya from the stands and vowed that he would soon meet his end.

Danzo prepared Root to exploit Orochimaru and Sunagakure’s attack, seize power in Konoha, and kill Senju Kenya. Kenya secretly overheard Danzo’s plans with Observation Haki and sent a Haki-infused message through the rock, leaving Danzo’s operation on the verge of discovery.

• A Root intelligence Jonin told Danzo that Orochimaru had disguised himself as the Fourth Kazekage and that enemy forces had infiltrated Konoha.
• Danzo revealed his alliance with Orochimaru and planned to wait for the attack to weaken Konoha before claiming the Hokage’s position.
• Danzo planned to let the rampaging Shukaku exhaust Senju Kenya before killing Kenya and studying his unusual cells.
• Kenya sensed the underground Root base and heard Danzo’s entire scheme through Observation Haki.
• Kenya flicked a toothpick through an iron railing and sent a compressed, Conqueror’s Haki-wrapped sound through the rock toward Root.

Gaara slaughtered an Amegakure squad and lost control as Shukaku’s influence stirred, unleashing a vast wave of quicksand against everyone nearby. Just as the sand threatened to bury the area, someone calmly crunched rice crackers above the rocks.

• Gaara blocked the Amegakure squad’s poisoned senbon with sand and killed their leader with Sand Coffin and Sand Burial.
• Kankuro urged Gaara to stop killing and head for the central tower, but Gaara threatened to kill him if he spoke again.
• Temari and Kankuro watched as Gaara’s seal destabilized and Shukaku’s influence began to overwhelm him.
• Gaara attacked fleeing Konoha examinees and the remaining Amegakure ninja, then swept Temari and Kankuro into his threat.
• Gaara used Sand Waterfall Flow to turn the rocky area into a massive quicksand wave, just as someone crunched rice crackers above the rocks.

Sasuke Uchiha pierced Gaara’s sand defense with Chidori, triggering One-Tail Shukaku’s partial materialization and a sandstorm that threw the Chunin Ninja Exams venue into chaos. As people fled and shinobi called for an evacuation, Senju Kenya stood calmly before the beast and prepared to act.

• Sasuke Uchiha attacked Gaara with Chidori, piercing the sand sphere and drawing blood.
• A surge of Tailed Beast Chakra erupted from the sphere, and a giant sand claw seized Sasuke by the arm.
• The Chakra storm tore up the arena and sent spectators, including the Land of Fire's daimyo, scrambling for safety.
• One-Tail Shukaku emerged partially formed, roared that it would slaughter everyone, and expanded the sandstorm across the venue.
• Shinobi called to evacuate civilians and notify Lord Hokage while Senju Kenya remained seated in the VIP stands.
• Senju Kenya rose from his chair and loosened his wrists as he faced One-Tail Shukaku.

Kenya confronted Shukaku after the tailed beast took over Gaara and began destroying the arena. The chapter ended with Kenya holding Shukaku’s full-force sand claw aloft with one hand, leaving Shukaku stunned.

• Shukaku rampaged through the arena, threw Sasuke aside, and threatened to destroy Konoha.
• Kenya appeared before Shukaku and told him to calm down and stop damaging the venue.
• Shukaku attacked Kenya with a massive sand claw, while Sasuke, the Third Hokage, and the others feared Kenya would be crushed.
• Kenya coated his right hand in Armament Haki and blocked Shukaku’s strike without moving, though the impact cratered the ground beneath him.
• Shukaku recoiled in disbelief as Kenya remarked that the sand was not sturdy enough.

Kenya defeated the rampaging One-Tail Shukaku with Armament Haki and a devastating slam dunk, leaving the beast buried in a crater. Shukaku trembled and cried beneath Kenya’s foot, admitting that even Nine-Tails did not hit as hard.

• Shukaku tried to pull his claw away after Kenya stopped his strike with one hand.
• Kenya used Geppo to rise to Shukaku’s head and coated both fists in Armament Haki.
• Kenya slammed his fists into Shukaku’s head, cracking his sand defenses and driving his body into the arena.
• Kenya landed beside the stunned Shukaku and pressed his shoe against the beast’s nose when he tried to move.
• Shukaku shuddered and cried, telling Kenya that even Nine-Tails did not hit as hard.

Kenya overwhelmed Shukaku with Armament Haki and forced the One-Tail to retreat into Gaara’s seal. Gaara regained consciousness and looked at Kenya with profound awe.

• Shukaku attacked Kenya with three Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullets, but Kenya dodged them using Geppo and Soru.
• Kenya landed on Shukaku’s neck and pummeled his head with Armament Haki, demanding that he submit.
• Kenya’s beating stripped away much of Shukaku’s sandy body and broke his arrogance.
• Shukaku surrendered and willingly returned to the seal inside Gaara.
• The falling sand cleared, and Gaara regained consciousness, clutching his head and staring at Kenya in awe.

Kenya subdued Shukaku, gave Gaara a sleeping pill, and helped him fall peacefully asleep for the first time. As Sunagakure’s siblings thanked him and prepared to take Gaara home, Orochimaru’s Crush Plan began.

• Baki tried to reach Gaara, but Zabuza held him at swordpoint and warned the spectators not to interfere with Kenya.
• Kenya reassured Gaara, gave him a strange pill, and watched over him as he fell into a deep sleep.
• Temari and Kankuro thanked Kenya, while Baki accepted that Sunagakure’s plan had failed and agreed to take Gaara home.
• Kenya told Baki to raise Gaara properly, and the spectators and Third Hokage marveled at Kenya’s strength.
• Hypnotic leaves began falling from the sky as Orochimaru’s Crush Plan officially started.

Orochimaru launched the Konoha Crush Plan, attacking the Chunin Exams and capturing Hiruzen Sarutobi. As Konoha fell into chaos, Senju Kenya stayed out of the fighting and revealed he intended to use the invasion to purge Konoha’s leadership before rebuilding it under his control.

• White feathers cast the Temple of Nirvana Genjutsu over the arena while explosions and attacks by disguised Sound Ninja and Sand Ninja plunged Konoha into battle.
• Orochimaru revealed himself as the disguised Fourth Kazekage, seized Hiruzen, and had Sound Ninja carry him onto the viewing-platform roof.
• Orochimaru declared that he would destroy Konoha as Anbu and Jonin fought below to reach the roof.
• Senju Kenya lounged beside the ruined arena with Haku and Zabuza, dismissing the battle and saying Konoha’s leaders should suffer the consequences of their choices.
• Kenya told Zabuza that Orochimaru’s attack would help clear Konoha’s rotten leadership so they could rebuild the village, while four Sound Ninja formed the Four Violet Flames Formation around the roof.

Senju Kenya arrived as Orochimaru and the Third Hokage were trapped inside the Four Violet Flames Formation. Kenya shattered the barrier with one punch, leaving Orochimaru stunned as the Sound Four were hurled from the rooftop.

• The Sound Four trapped Orochimaru and the Third Hokage inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, and an Anbu ninja was burned to ashes when he touched it.
• Senju Kenya approached the barrier despite the Anbu Captain's warning and coated his fist in Armament Haki.
• Kenya punched the barrier, cracking it and then shattering it into violet fragments.
• The Sound Four suffered chakra backlash and were flung off the rooftop as the Konoha Anbu stared in shock.
• Orochimaru watched the barrier vanish, his sneer frozen.

Kenya shattered Orochimaru’s Four Violet Flames Formation with a punch, shocking Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi. As Kenya mocked him, Orochimaru began summoning a powerful technique that drew on death and the earth.

• Kenya physically shattered the Four Violet Flames Formation with a single punch, freeing Hiruzen Sarutobi and leaving Orochimaru horrified.
• Orochimaru and Hiruzen stared at Kenya in disbelief as he dismissed the barrier as a flimsy defense.
• Kenya mocked Orochimaru’s strength and walked toward him, cracking the rooftop tiles beneath his steps.
• Orochimaru acknowledged Kenya’s immense physical power but insisted that brute force could not overcome every aspect of the ninja world.
• Orochimaru formed hand seals and slammed both hands onto the ground, unleashing an evil, deathly surge of chakra across the rooftop.

Orochimaru summoned Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju with Impure World Reincarnation, hoping their power and Kenya’s ancestral ties would break his resolve. As the Third Hokage prepared to face them alone, Kenya answered the provocation with a strange smile, leaving his response uncertain.

• Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation to raise two coffins marked First and Second from the rooftop.
• Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju emerged from their coffins and unleashed overwhelming waves of Chakra.
• Orochimaru taunted Senju Kenya, intending to use the two ancestors against him and exploit his hesitation.
• The Third Hokage stepped in front of Kenya and said he would settle the fight himself so Kenya would not have to desecrate his ancestors.
• Kenya showed no fear or anger and smiled strangely at Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.

Senju Kenya derailed Orochimaru’s tense confrontation with the reanimated Hashirama and Tobirama by kneeling and greeting them as his grandfather and great-uncle. His absurd hospitality briefly stirred fragments of the Hokage’s consciousness before Orochimaru could fully control them.

• As the rooftop standoff reached its height, Kenya put away his pipe and suddenly dropped to his knees before Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.
• Kenya loudly called Hashirama his grandpa and Tobirama his great-uncle, declaring that their grandson paid his respects.
• Kenya asked the two reanimated Hokage about life underground and offered Hashirama seafood-flavored rice crackers from the Land of Waves.
• Orochimaru angrily ordered Kenya to stop fooling around and reached to control the Hokage with their talismans.
• Hashirama and Tobirama showed signs of briefly recovering their awareness before the control talismans could erase it.

Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju were resurrected under Orochimaru’s control, but Hashirama became fascinated by Kenya before Orochimaru forced him to attack. Kenya crushed Hashirama’s Wood Release with his own pitch-black, iron-hard Wood Release, and Orochimaru intensified his control to make the Hokage kill him.

• Hashirama Senju noticed Kenya and asked whether he was a dark-skinned descendant of the Senju Clan, while Tobirama Senju warned that Orochimaru controlled their resurrected bodies.
• Orochimaru activated the control talismans, forcing Hashirama Senju to use Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence against Kenya.
• Kenya countered with Wood Release: Black Iron Thorns Great Slap, smashing Hashirama’s forest into fragments with a giant black ironwood palm.
• Hashirama Senju marveled at Kenya’s unusual Wood Release as Tobirama Senju recognized its hardening force and Orochimaru grew furious.
• Orochimaru formed the death seal and drove the control talismans deeper into the Hokage’s heads to force them into slaughter mode.

Kenya countered Tobirama’s Water Severing Wave with Armament Haki and knocked him into the ruins with a powerful punch. Orochimaru erased Hashirama and Tobirama’s remaining awareness, turning them into mindless attackers and escalating the fight.

• Tobirama used Water Severing Wave against Kenya, but Kenya blocked it with his hardened forehead.
• Kenya charged Tobirama and punched a hole through his chest, sending him crashing into the Hokage Building’s ruins.
• As Tobirama’s Impure World Reincarnation body repaired itself, he complained that Kenya fought like a bandit, while Hashirama laughed and praised him.
• Orochimaru poured his chakra into the talismans and activated the kill command, erasing Hashirama and Tobirama’s personalities.
• Hashirama and Tobirama lost their reason and prepared to fight with pure killing intent.

Kenya fought the reincarnated Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju in a brutal Taijutsu battle that demolished the Hokage Building. He rose above the ruins and brought his palms together, preparing his next move.

• Hashirama Senju charged Kenya while Tobirama Senju attacked from behind, and Kenya met their assault with fists, elbows, and Armament Haki.
• The three exchanged blows across the Hokage Building, smashing its floors and sending rubble and dust across Konoha.
• Kenya used Observation Haki and his combat instincts to predict attacks, countering both ancestors while taunting them.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and an Anbu Ninja watched as the Hokage Building collapsed completely, while Orochimaru looked on in alarm.
• Kenya blasted out of the ruins and hovered above Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, then raised his arms and clapped his palms together.

Kenya unleashed an Armament Haki-coated version of True Several Thousand Hands, turning it into a thousand-fist barrage against Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju. As the attack devastated the Hokage building and surrounding ground, Konoha watched in terror.

• Kenya summoned a hundred-meter black-iron Buddha with a thousand Armament Haki-coated fists, horrifying Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Orochimaru recognized the technique as a brutal transformation of Hashirama Senju's True Several Thousand Hands.
• Kenya declared he would honor his ancestors by using overwhelming force and commanded the Buddha to attack.
• The thousand fists struck Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju's location in a relentless barrage, destroying the Hokage building and carving apart the ground.
• Orochimaru was driven back by the shock waves, while Hiruzen Sarutobi braced himself with the Adamantine Staff as Konoha shook.

Senju Kenya destroyed the control talismans binding Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju by pounding their reanimated bodies with overwhelming force. When the brothers regenerated, their awareness returned, and they saw the crater Kenya had made in Konoha.

• Senju Kenya battered Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju until their reanimated bodies broke apart into scraps of paper.
• Kenya’s punch-driven shock waves shattered the control talismans in the brothers’ brains, and Orochimaru realized he had lost control of them.
• Kenya stopped his attack and landed beside the enormous crater where the Hokage Building had stood.
• Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju regenerated with their awareness restored.
• Tobirama Senju questioned how his Impure World Reincarnation had been broken, while Hashirama Senju looked at Kenya with satisfaction.

Hashirama and Tobirama ended their Impure World Reincarnation and entrusted the Senju Clan and Konoha’s future to Kenya. After they departed, Kenya turned his attention to the defeated Orochimaru.

• Hashirama praised Kenya’s strength and declared that the living should decide the world’s future without interference from the dead.
• Tobirama approved of Kenya’s ruthless approach and publicly urged him to purge Konoha’s corruption, leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi ashamed.
• The talismans sustaining Hashirama and Tobirama’s Impure World Reincarnation bodies were destroyed, releasing their souls from the jutsu.
• Hashirama and Tobirama entrusted the Senju Clan and Konoha’s future to Kenya before departing for the heavens.
• Orochimaru watched his trump cards vanish and Kenya receive the Hokages’ public endorsement.
• Kenya tossed aside his empty rice cracker bag and stared at the trembling Orochimaru.

Orochimaru summoned his Eight-Headed Serpent and threatened to destroy Konoha, but Kenya trapped the beast, uprooted it, and smashed it into a cliff. The serpent lay buried in the rubble with one head knocked off.

• Orochimaru summoned the Eight-Headed Serpent as his ultimate combat form and threatened to attack Konoha’s shelters and civilian districts.
• Kenya dismissed Orochimaru’s threat and used Wood Release: Black Iron Octopus to bind the serpent’s heads and body.
• Kenya uprooted the Eight-Headed Serpent from underground with the black iron wood.
• Kenya swung the serpent into a cliff, shattering the rock and knocking one of its heads off.