Recaps

Araki used a sedative and Wood Release to restrain Orochimaru, then poisoned and wounded him with Purple Blood. As Orochimaru began to reveal his true power, he declared that he would not kill Araki.

• Orochimaru inhaled sedative released from Araki’s hollow vines and was knocked into a tree by a rapidly growing vine.
• Araki’s Wood Release bound Orochimaru and made him drop the Kusanagi Sword.
• Araki sent his second Wood Clone to poison Orochimaru with Purple Blood and pierce him with thorn-covered vines.
• Orochimaru was wounded repeatedly, including through his mouth and tongue, and realized he needed to act before his chakra was depleted.
• Orochimaru announced that Araki had forced him to use his trump card and began preparing to show his true power.

Araki used Wood Release to restrain the poisoned Orochimaru, but Orochimaru transformed into the Eight-Headed Serpent and destroyed the forest. In Konoha, the earthquake and eight-colored clouds alarmed the villagers, and Hiruzen sent Anbu to investigate.

• Araki sent chakra through the trees and used Wood Clones to observe Orochimaru, who was bound and bleeding from Purple Blood poison.
• Orochimaru's body split open, and White Phosphorus Snakes burst out, smashing the trees and destroying Araki's Wood Clones.
• Orochimaru revealed the enormous Eight-Headed Serpent and spoke to Araki from its eight heads.
• Konoha residents felt prolonged tremors and saw eight-colored clouds above a distant forest.
• Hiruzen ordered three Anbu to investigate the strange phenomenon, while Kushina and Mikoto wondered whether Araki had seen the clouds.
• Araki recognized Orochimaru's transformation as the Eight Branches Technique and faced the serpent beneath the clouds.

Araki was trapped beneath Orochimaru’s Eight-Headed Serpent until a surge of chakra awakened his Wood Release and formed a powerful wooden shield. He remained protected inside the Wood Locking Wall Jutsu as Orochimaru stared at the technique in shock.

• Orochimaru transformed into the Eight-Headed Serpent and relentlessly attacked Araki, who struggled to evade its eight heads.
• Araki realized he had no way to withstand the converging attacks, then felt his heart pound and saw the descending heads slow around him.
• Araki instinctively used Wood Release: Hōbi Technique, forming a wooden shield with a fanged demon face just before the serpent struck.
• The shield repelled all eight heads and remained almost unscathed, leaving Orochimaru amazed and asking what technique Araki had used.
• Araki experienced a vision from Hashirama Senju’s perspective and recognized the shield as the Wood Locking Wall Jutsu.
• Araki stayed safely inside the shield as his green chakra continued sustaining it.

Araki realized Orochimaru’s Eight Branches Technique consumed his own chakra and could not last indefinitely, so he stayed inside the Demon Face and Fangs shield rather than risk a counterattack. As Orochimaru continued striking the shield, Araki rested, watched him through its eyes, and began exploring images hidden within the Hashirama Cells.

• Araki considered a dangerous plan to break the deadlock but decided to wait while he reassessed the battle.
• Orochimaru grew impatient and launched another barrage of attacks against the Demon Face and Fangs shield.
• Araki realized Orochimaru was still human and that the Eight Branches Technique’s enormous form would rapidly consume his chakra.
• Araki decided to remain protected until Orochimaru could no longer sustain the technique, then sat down to recover while his green chakra maintained the shield.
• Araki connected to the shield and watched Orochimaru through its glowing eyes before closing his own and examining images emerging from the Hashirama Cells.

Araki endured Orochimaru’s attacks behind the Demon Face and Fangs shield while Orochimaru struggled to break through and keep Araki’s Wood Release secret from Konoha. When three Anbu arrived, Orochimaru turned to stop them from reporting what they had seen.

• Araki reviewed the Hashirama cell fragments and relied on the Demon Face and Fangs shield to withstand Orochimaru’s assault.
• Orochimaru attacked relentlessly, hoping to capture Araki before Konoha learned he had become a Wood Release ninja.
• Three Konoha Anbu arrived and decided to report the scene to the Third Hokage.
• Orochimaru recognized the Anbu and redirected his attention toward killing them before they could reveal his secret.
• The white-robed Anbu recognized Orochimaru’s voice and called out to him, shocking the other two.

Araki watched Orochimaru use the Eight Branches Technique to kill the three Anbu ninja, then experienced a new surge of insight from Hashirama’s memories. The chapter left Araki immersed in visions of Hashirama pinning down the Nine-Tails, with a new understanding beginning to take shape.

• Orochimaru attacked the three Anbu ninja with the White Phosphorus Snake’s eight heads after they recognized his voice.
• The Anbu ninja raised an Earth Style Wall, but Orochimaru smashed through it and struck them with his snake tails.
• Orochimaru’s enormous serpent overwhelmed the frightened Anbu ninja, and its heads swallowed all three as blood splashed out.
• Araki watched from inside the Wood Locking Wall Jutsu and decided the Anbu could not be allowed to survive after seeing his Wood Release.
• Green chakra surged from Araki’s heart to his brain, and Hashirama’s memories showed him enormous hands pinning down the Nine-Tails.

After gaining confidence from memories linked to Hashirama Senju, Araki emerged from the Demon Face and Fangs shield and used Wood Release: Hotei Technique against Orochimaru’s Eight-Headed Serpent. The giant wooden hands surrounded Orochimaru, leaving him facing the same overwhelming pressure he had inflicted on others.

• Araki felt sensations within the memory fragments and believed his newly awakened power could counter Orochimaru’s Eight-Headed Serpent.
• Orochimaru prepared to attack the Demon Face and Fangs shield, believing Araki was nearly out of chakra, while Araki’s own reserves remained mostly intact.
• Araki opened the shield and calmly faced Orochimaru, who mistook his composure for exhaustion.
• Araki clapped his hands and cast Wood Release: Hotei Technique, summoning enormous wooden arms around the White Phosphorus Snake.
• Orochimaru stared at the surrounding wooden palms and felt an ominous threat as the pressure shifted onto him.

Araki defeated and restrained Orochimaru with enormous wooden hands, then demanded to know where Konoha kept the remaining Hashirama Cells. Orochimaru offered to take him there and praised his former disciple, leaving Araki’s response unresolved.

• Orochimaru charged Araki, but a wooden palm seized his tail and flung him to the ground.
• Araki’s wooden hands pinned Orochimaru’s eight heads, eight tails, and body, leaving him unable to escape.
• Araki left the collapsing Demon Face and Fangs shield and told Orochimaru he resented being taken to the laboratory, then asked where Konoha kept the Hashirama Cells.
• Orochimaru stayed silent while weighing his options, knowing the Eight Branches Technique had nearly exhausted his chakra.
• Araki demanded the location again, and Orochimaru offered to take him there while praising his former disciple’s strength.

Araki fought Orochimaru with Wood Release, but Orochimaru escaped his bindings and wounded him with the Kusanagi Sword. As Orochimaru restrained Araki and prepared to study him, he explained that his self-created substitution technique let him switch freely between his real body and a shed snakeskin.

• Araki bound Orochimaru with Wood Release and pierced him with thorny branches, but Orochimaru spat out another version of himself and attacked.
• Araki used extended, hardened wood to keep Orochimaru’s snake form at a distance, but Orochimaru launched a Kusanagi Sword into his chest.
• Orochimaru emerged unharmed from a snake’s mouth, leaving a snakeskin in the bindings, then restrained the wounded Araki with a python formed from his hand.
• Orochimaru said he planned to study Araki’s Wood Release and explained that snakes could shed their skin, allowing him to switch between substitute and real body.

Araki used the Spirit Transformation Technique to confront Orochimaru after realizing Orochimaru's substitution technique made him nearly impossible to defeat physically. The two entered a modern cityscape created by Araki, where Orochimaru reacted with terror to the green light surrounding him.

• Orochimaru explained that his substitution technique let him shed his skin and escape attacks while leaving the discarded skin behind.
• Araki used green chakra to heal his wounds and push the Kusanagi Sword out of his body as Orochimaru became fascinated by his healing ability.
• Araki left his body with the Spirit Transformation Technique and charged into Orochimaru, determined to settle their fight through their souls.
• Orochimaru sensed Araki's spirit and recognized the Spirit Transformation Technique before they entered the battlefield Araki had chosen.
• Araki formed a modern cityscape with the technique and surrounded himself with green light, while Orochimaru stared at something behind him in terror.

Araki confronted Orochimaru in a spirit world and saw a mysterious green phantom emerge from his soul. Orochimaru’s spiritual body was drawn toward Araki, who mistook it for an attack and tore off pieces of Orochimaru’s soul, leaving him stronger.

• Araki questioned Orochimaru about the remaining Hashirama cells while gathering green chakra, but Orochimaru stayed silent and stared behind him.
• Orochimaru saw a green, half-formed phantom resembling Araki appear behind him and recognized patterns like those associated with the Sage of Six Paths.
• The phantom opened its eyes, and Orochimaru’s spiritual body flew toward Araki against his will.
• Araki thought Orochimaru was attacking and struck him, tearing off a piece of his soul.
• Araki ate the piece to replenish and strengthen his own soul, then tore away another large piece when Orochimaru rushed at him again.

Araki devoured pieces of Orochimaru’s soul until the soul-world struggle ended, leaving Orochimaru’s body and the python limp. As Araki approached Orochimaru, he felt something burrowing into his soul.

• Araki stayed wary of Orochimaru while swallowing the soul fragments he tore away.
• Araki tore off five more pieces of Orochimaru’s soul, weakening Orochimaru and strengthening himself.
• Orochimaru realized the green phantom behind Araki was acting independently and despaired as he failed to control or preserve his soul.
• Araki rapidly tore at Orochimaru’s weakened soul until the soul world twisted and pulled them back into Araki’s body.
• Araki found the python dead and Orochimaru’s eyes vacant, then felt something burrowing into his soul.

After defeating Orochimaru, Araki gained a wood-based version of Orochimaru’s substitution technique and concealed the battle’s traces. He left Orochimaru’s underground laboratory intact as a secret base, hidden beneath a newly grown forest.

• Araki realized he had gained the Wood Release-Style Substitution Technique, which let him shed a wooden outer layer and use wood in place of snakes.
• Araki crushed Orochimaru’s heart with a kunai to ensure he was dead, then dragged Orochimaru and the three Anbu Ninja into the underground laboratory.
• Araki reshaped the ground with Earth Release and used Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence to cover the battle site with a forest while preserving the laboratory below.
• Araki sealed the laboratory’s original entrance with vines and concealed a hidden entrance inside a hollow tree that only he could access.

After escaping the forest and hiding his involvement in Orochimaru’s death, Araki returned home and waited as Konoha began investigating the disturbance. Kushina and Uchiha Mikoto visited him, and he learned that the new graduates would be assigned to teams the next morning, leaving him wondering whether Jiraiya would become his instructor.

• Araki returned to Konoha by a secluded route, changed clothes, and made himself look like an ordinary new graduate.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi sent three masked Anbu to investigate the woods after the missing team failed to report back.
• Araki sat at home digesting energy from Hashirama cells and exploring the memories within it.
• Uchiha Mikoto and Kushina arrived, and Araki presented himself as having simply returned to rest after the graduation exam.
• Kushina told Araki that the graduates had to report to school at nine the next morning for team assignments.
• Araki considered who his Jonin instructor might be and wondered whether Jiraiya would teach him.

Araki and Kushina anticipated their team assignments, while Mikoto privately wished they would not end up together. At the Ninja Academy, Ibuki-sensei welcomed the graduates and began assigning teams, leaving the students waiting to hear their placements.

• Kushina told Araki she wanted them to be on the same team, and Araki agreed casually while Mikoto watched enviously.
• Araki suspected Minato Namikaze might be assigned to his team but kept his guess to himself to avoid raising Kushina's hopes.
• The next morning, Araki and Kushina arrived at the Ninja Academy and found that many classmates, including Maemoto Takashi, were absent.
• Ibuki-sensei explained that the absent students had failed the graduation exam and urged the new Genin to focus on their own paths.
• Ibuki-sensei announced that he would assign teams, prompting the graduates to discuss what came next.

Ibuki-sensei announced the graduating students’ ninja teams, revealing that Minato Namikaze, Araki, and Kushina Uzumaki would serve together. After all the teams were assigned, he told the students to meet their teammates and await their Jonin instructors.

• Ibuki-sensei explained that the new Genin would form three-person teams under Jonin instructors and announced that the team list had already been prepared.
• Ibuki-sensei named Minato Namikaze and Araki as members of the same team, prompting the students to wonder who would join them.
• Minato Namikaze hoped to be teamed with Kushina Uzumaki but felt conflicted about sharing a team with Araki.
• Ibuki-sensei named Kushina Uzumaki as the third member, and Kushina eagerly celebrated being teamed with Araki.
• Ibuki-sensei finished announcing the teams and told the students to gather with their teammates and wait for their Jonin instructors.

Araki, Minato, and Kushina waited for their Jonin instructor, and Araki expected Jiraiya to lead their team. Jiraiya arrived, took them to a bridge, and began their introductions.

• Araki, Minato, and Kushina agreed to wait in the classroom for their Jonin instructor, while Kushina praised Araki's dedication to training.
• Araki reasoned that Jiraiya would be their instructor because Minato was on the team and Araki expected to become Jiraiya's disciple.
• Jiraiya arrived at the Ninja Academy and led the three students to a bridge beside a river.
• Jiraiya introduced himself as their Jonin instructor and asked the students to introduce themselves.
• Kushina introduced herself and said she hoped to earn people's acknowledgment and keep improving.

Jiraiya began his team’s wilderness survival test, telling Araki, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina to take two bells from him or return to the Ninja Academy. The three recognized the test’s pressure to divide them and began discussing how to work together, with Minato and Kushina each offering to give up their place.

• Araki gave a brief introduction, while Minato Namikaze declared his dream of becoming a Hokage acknowledged by everyone in the village.
• Jiraiya announced a survival test in which the three had to take bells from him or face elimination and return to the Ninja Academy.
• Jiraiya led the team into the woods and explained that anyone who obtained one of his two bells would pass.
• Minato warned Araki and Kushina that the unequal number of bells might be a trap designed to make them compete.
• Araki urged them to cooperate against Jiraiya, and Minato offered to let the others take the bells instead of him.
• Kushina said Minato and Araki were the best in their class and suggested that she should be the one to drop out.

Araki persuaded Minato and Kushina to let him pursue his dream of becoming a medical-nin while they worked together to earn the bells. Their coordinated attack created an opening for Minato to reach for Jiraiya’s bells, but Jiraiya countered at the last moment.

• Araki explained that his apprenticeship under Tsunade gave him the option of becoming a medical-nin, so he wanted Minato and Kushina to pass the test instead.
• Jiraiya approved of the trio’s willingness to cooperate and accept one another’s sacrifices.
• Araki borrowed Minato’s kunai, and Minato and Kushina followed a plan to create an opening against Jiraiya.
• Araki attacked Jiraiya at high speed while Kushina launched a barrage of kunai and Minato watched for his chance.
• Araki threw a Flying Thunder God Kunai near Jiraiya, allowing Minato to teleport beside him and reach for the bells.
• Jiraiya kicked toward Minato’s face and shifted the bells out of reach.

Araki, Kushina, and Minato coordinated their attacks to try to take the bells from Jiraiya, whose arms were weakened after Araki touched him with chakra-glowing palms. Jiraiya dodged Araki’s follow-up and kicked Minato away, leaving the test unresolved.

• Araki threw a Flying Thunder God Kunai above Jiraiya, and Minato used it to attack while Kushina’s kunai closed off Jiraiya’s escape routes.
• Jiraiya blocked Kushina’s kunai with Needle Jizo, then prepared to meet Minato’s descending attack.
• Jiraiya’s arms suddenly lost their strength, and he dodged Minato by driving himself sideways with his feet.
• Araki appeared before Jiraiya and aimed Minato’s Flying Thunder God Kunai toward the bells while striking with his chakra-glowing palms.
• Jiraiya turned to protect the bells and kicked Minato away before Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Araki used the Mystical Palm Technique to temporarily disable Jiraiya while giving Minato the chance to take the bells, and the three graduates passed the test. Jiraiya explained that the test measured teamwork and sacrifice, though his original plan had been to make them fail and face another dilemma.

• Araki struck Jiraiya with chakra-infused palms, disrupting his circulation, nerves, and chakra pathways.
• Araki threw another Flying Thunder God Kunai and kept Jiraiya from escaping, allowing Minato to teleport in and take the bells.
• Jiraiya asked Araki how he had disabled him, and Araki explained that he had targeted the body's systems and controlled how long the effects lasted.
• Jiraiya announced that Minato, Kushina, and Araki had all passed because they had cooperated and shown willingness to sacrifice for one another.
• Jiraiya revealed that the test had originally been designed so they could not obtain the bells, with another team dilemma planned if they failed.

Jiraiya revealed that the bell test had judged whether the three teammates would stand by one another, and he passed Araki, Minato, and Kushina. Later, Araki returned to Orochimaru’s abandoned base at night and found the entrance undisturbed before entering through his hidden opening.

• Jiraiya explained that the test had only ever offered the whole team passing or the whole team failing, then praised the three for trusting and supporting one another.
• Kushina celebrated Araki’s decision to postpone becoming a medical-nin, and Jiraiya took the team to eat before announcing that missions would begin in three days.
• After walking home with Kushina and Minato, Araki went to train while Kushina headed inside to rest.
• Araki went into the forest at midnight and found no Anbu at Orochimaru’s base, wondering whether the Third had covered up the disappearances.
• Araki checked that vines still sealed the base’s normal entrance, entered through his concealed opening, and found Orochimaru’s corpse.

Araki explored Orochimaru’s underground base, examined the preserved Hashirama Cells and the theories behind cellular death and revival, then cleared and dissolved the corpses. After using Wood Release to purify the base’s air, he returned to his training spot and resumed exercising with his newly increased strength.

• Araki confirmed that Orochimaru’s body had been dead for more than a day, then inspected the base’s other rooms.
• Araki found that Hashirama Cells had been absorbed from the corpses of failed transplantation subjects and considered whether Orochimaru might eventually revive himself or Hashirama Senju.
• Araki carried the corpses into the room where Orochimaru’s body lay and confirmed there were no survivors in the laboratories.
• Araki used Corpse-Dissolving Water to destroy the corpses and Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence to grow plants that would purify the underground base’s air.
• Araki returned to his usual training spot and resumed exercising, making use of the strength he had gained from Hashirama Cells.

Araki, Minato, and Kushina completed their first three D-rank missions under Jiraiya, then Minato invited Araki to lunch while Kushina went to meet Mikoto. Kushina reached the Uchiha district and learned that Mikoto was accused of killing members of her clan.

• Jiraiya assigned Araki, Minato, and Kushina three D-rank errands: finding a cat, retrieving a bag, and carrying groceries.
• Araki, Minato, and Kushina completed all three missions before lunch, and Jiraiya left to visit a hot spring establishment.
• Minato invited Araki to lunch to review their first day of missions, while Kushina declined because she had promised to meet Mikoto.
• Minato and Araki headed to Konoha's bustling district, while Kushina went to the Uchiha Clan's district.
• A man stopped Kushina from going farther and told her that Mikoto was accused of killing members of the Uchiha Clan.

Araki, Kushina, and Minato learned that Mikoto had been accused of killing someone from the Uchiha Clan, and Kushina feared the investigation would unfairly condemn her. They split up to reach the Uchiha compound and find help, but the chapter ended with Araki and Kushina arriving to find the clan gathered in a cold, tense atmosphere.

• Kushina heard that Mikoto had allegedly killed an Uchiha Clan member and was stopped from entering the compound.
• Kushina reached Araki and Minato, explained the accusation, and begged Araki to help Mikoto.
• Araki agreed to investigate, and he suggested Minato find Jiraiya at the Mountain Lodge and bring him to the Uchiha Clan.
• Minato left to find Jiraiya while Araki and Kushina headed for the Uchiha compound.
• Araki and Kushina arrived to find many Uchiha Clan members gathered in a lifeless, tense atmosphere.