Recaps

Genji Ryōma struggled to develop an antidote to Sunagakure's poison until Rin Takakura brought Kōki to the laboratory with one he had made. After Genji tested it and confirmed it worked, he eagerly took Kōki to report the news to Orochimaru.

• Genji Ryōma grew frustrated after his thirteenth failed attempt to develop an antidote for Sunagakure's poison.
• Rin Takakura and Kōki visited Genji, and Rin told him that Kōki had developed an antidote.
• Kōki confirmed that Rin had tested the antidote and that it worked.
• Genji tested Kōki's antidote against the poison and confirmed that it countered it.
• Genji praised Kōki's contribution and hurried to tell Orochimaru the good news.

Kōki revealed that he had developed an antidote to Sunagakure’s poison, and Orochimaru verified that it worked. After the poisoned shinobi recovered, Kōki’s reputation spread across Konoha’s front lines.

• Genji Ryōma brought Rin Takakura and Kōki to Orochimaru and explained that Kōki had developed the antidote.
• Orochimaru praised Kōki and grew more curious about his abilities and his time training under Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Genji Ryōma injected the antidote into a severely poisoned shinobi, and Orochimaru witnessed the patient recover enough to fight.
• Orochimaru ordered his subordinates to produce the antidote under Kōki’s guidance.
• The antidote was administered to all the poisoned shinobi, and Kōki’s name spread across Konoha’s front lines.

Orochimaru and Konoha’s senior officers planned to exploit Sunagakure’s belief that Konoha’s ninja were still poisoned and ambush their next attack. Later, Kōki asked Orochimaru for the Second Hokage’s Yin Release research notes, claiming he wanted them to improve his Wood Release.

• Shikaku Nara suggested that Konoha’s ninja pretend to remain poisoned and ambush Sunagakure when they attacked.
• Orochimaru approved Shikaku’s plan and ordered Inoichi Yamanaka to keep sensory ninja watching Sunagakure’s movements.
• After the officers left, Orochimaru waited for Kōki, whom he had offered a personal reward for developing the antidote.
• Kōki asked Orochimaru for the Second Hokage’s Yin Release research notes instead of a powerful Ninjutsu.
• Orochimaru questioned why Kōki wanted the notes and how he knew Orochimaru had them.
• Kōki said he wanted to improve his Wood Release and claimed Hiruzen Sarutobi had told him Orochimaru possessed the notes.

Kōki obtained Tobirama Senju’s complete Yin Release research records from Orochimaru and discovered that the Sharingan was central to fully mastering Yin Release. He planned to use the records to develop non-core Yin Release and enlist Aizen and the others to target a Uchiha clan member.

• Orochimaru gave Kōki Tobirama Senju’s Yin Release records after accepting his explanation for wanting them.
• Orochimaru doubted Kōki had revealed his full purpose but became intrigued by Kōki’s hunger for jutsu and sense of familiarity.
• Kōki returned to his quarters and read the newly acquired middle and later sections of the records.
• Kōki learned that Tobirama’s research linked the Sharingan to the missing core of complete Yin Release, though non-core Yin Release could still oppose it.
• Kōki concluded that he could gather the remaining non-core principles and planned to work with Aizen and the others to stir up trouble for a carefully chosen Uchiha target.

Rasa and Chiyo discussed Sunagakure’s plans to resume its offensive against Konoha after supplies arrived. Chiyo warned Rasa that Konoha would fight fiercely, and both sides clashed overnight as they monitored and disrupted each other before the next day’s battle.

• Rasa asked Chiyo when Sunagakure’s supplies would arrive, and she said they were expected tomorrow or the day after.
• Rasa planned to resume the offensive against Konoha using Chiyo’s poison strategy, but Chiyo warned him that Konoha had spent several days regrouping and would resist fiercely.
• Chiyo reminded Rasa that Sunagakure’s true objective was to push Konoha into desperation and draw out the Wood Release brat.
• An intelligence officer reported that Konoha’s position showed no changes and that cries of agony could still be heard, so Rasa ordered continued surveillance.
• Sunagakure and Konoha sent combat squads to attack each other’s sensory ninja, and their forces clashed during the night before the battle.

Rasa led Sunagakure in an attack on Konoha and initially drove Orochimaru and his forces into retreat. As the Sunagakure troops pursued, Konoha turned to fight and about a thousand reinforcements appeared, reversing the battle and leaving Rasa shocked.

• Rasa attacked Orochimaru with Gold Dust Claw, but Orochimaru cut through the technique with a sword and then defended against Rasa's barrage.
• Sunagakure's numerical advantage forced Konoha's fighters to retreat, and Orochimaru ordered his troops to fall back toward their position.
• Sunagakure's troops pursued the fleeing Konoha ninja despite Rasa's caution, eager to earn military merit.
• The Konoha ninja suddenly turned and fought back, while Orochimaru reappeared before Rasa and resumed their battle.
• About a thousand Konoha reinforcements arrived and inflicted heavy casualties on Sunagakure's startled forces.

Konoha routed Sunagakure with a surprise thousand-strong reinforcement, forcing Rasa to organize a fighting retreat while Orochimaru wounded him. Orochimaru then mounted Manda and pursued the fleeing Sunagakure ninja, while Rasa remained to cover their escape.

• Konoha's hidden reinforcements overwhelmed Sunagakure, and Rasa recovered from his shock to order an organized fighting retreat.
• Rasa raised Gold Dust Protection to shield the fleeing Sunagakure ninja and restore their courage.
• Orochimaru struck Rasa in the abdomen, disrupting his technique, while the Sunagakure ninja held off Konoha to give Rasa time to cover their retreat.
• Rasa used Gold Dust Waterfall Flow to attack Konoha's pursuers, but Orochimaru summoned Manda to scatter the wave.
• Orochimaru climbed onto Manda and led Konoha in pursuit of the fleeing Sunagakure ninja, agreeing that Manda could take them as sacrifices.

Rasa used his remaining strength to stop Orochimaru’s pursuit of the retreating Sunagakure forces, then collapsed as Chiyo arrived to protect them. Orochimaru and Chiyo faced off, but neither side chose to begin another battle.

• Rasa trapped Manda with Gold Dust Burial, forcing the summon to disappear, then raised a Gold Dust Barrier to block Orochimaru and the Konoha forces.
• Despite his severe injuries, Rasa flew toward Sunagakure, but Orochimaru sent the Kusanagi Sword after him until an unseen gale deflected it with Three Treasures Suction Crush.
• Rasa lost consciousness and fell from the sky as Chiyo appeared with her three puppets and a mass of Sunagakure ninjas.
• Chiyo challenged Orochimaru to fight, and Orochimaru answered that Konoha was ready, leaving both forces facing off without attacking.
• Chiyo backed down after the standoff, having intended to preserve Sunagakure’s dignity rather than start a battle while Rasa needed treatment.

Orochimaru and Chiyo agreed to end the battle after Konoha’s victory, and both villages returned to their camps to recover. Chiyo questioned the wounded Rasa about the unexpected Konoha reinforcements, but he could not explain where they came from.

• Chiyo acknowledged Sunagakure’s defeat and asked to withdraw, and Orochimaru agreed to stop pursuing her forces.
• Konoha and Sunagakure returned to their camps, where Konoha celebrated its victory and Sunagakure mourned its losses.
• Chiyo asked the bandaged Rasa how Konoha had routed his forces, and he described the surprise attack by a thousand reinforcements.
• Chiyo questioned how Konoha could have sent reinforcements without Sunagakure detecting them, and Rasa admitted he had noticed nothing unusual.

Chiyo rebuked the demoralized Sunagakure ninja until they regained their resolve, then questioned them about Konoha's sudden reinforcements. Their reports that previously poisoned Konoha ninja had returned to battle left her suspecting that Konoha had developed an antidote.

• Chiyo visited the defeated Sunagakure ninja and scolded them for losing their fighting spirit after one battle.
• The Sunagakure ninja regained their resolve and vowed to show Konoha their true mettle next time.
• Chiyo asked whether anyone had noticed anything unusual about Konoha's reinforcements, but a captain said they had panicked and observed little.
• A Sunagakure ninja reported seeing familiar Konoha faces who had suffered serious injuries in earlier battles, and others confirmed seeing previously poisoned ninja return.
• Chiyo recognized that Konoha's medical-nin could not have cured so many poisoned ninja so quickly and suspected that Konoha had developed an antidote.

Chiyo confirmed that Konoha had developed an antidote after learning its camp had only three thousand-odd ninja despite a thousand-strong force joining the battle. With Sunagakure’s poison tactics neutralized, Chiyo and Rasa decided to limit fighting to small clashes while awaiting Bunpuku.

• Chiyo suspected Konoha had cured its poisoned ninja and summoned the senior officers to Rasa’s hospital room.
• Chiyo presented her theory that the thousand Konoha reinforcements were recovered casualties, but the officers doubted her.
• A Sand ninja delivered camp numbers showing Konoha had only three thousand-odd ninja, confirming it had received no new reinforcements and that its poisoned troops had returned to battle.
• Chiyo concluded Tsunade probably had not returned, since Orochimaru would have fought more aggressively if she had been present.
• Chiyo told Rasa that Sunagakure would avoid large battles until Bunpuku arrived and would keep testing Konoha with different poisons in small-scale fights.

Kōki Itō improved his special clones by studying the Second Hokage’s Yin Release research notes, while Aizen searched for recruits for their new organization. After finding intelligence about something valuable in the Land of Water, Aizen and Jörmungandr traveled toward Kirigakure and began verifying the information.

• Konoha’s camp celebrated its victory over Sunagakure and praised Kōki Itō for developing an antidote to its poisons.
• Kōki studied the Second Hokage’s Yin Release notes and strengthened his special clones against Genjutsu and the Yamanaka Clan’s Mind Secret Techniques.
• Kōki discovered that he could now create three additional clones besides Aizen and Jörmungandr, but he needed more powerful corpses.
• Aizen and Jörmungandr struggled to recruit suitable members for their newly established organization after finding the black market’s ninja too weak.
• Aizen took Jörmungandr to the Land of Water after finding intelligence about something they wanted, and they settled in an inn near the coast to confirm the information before acting.

While Aizen went to gather intelligence, Jörmungandr overheard Kirigakure ninja discussing the village’s rising talents and a sickly child born from the Hozuki and Yuki clans’ attempt to combine their powers. The conversation led Jörmungandr to realize who Aizen’s target was.

• Aizen warned Jörmungandr to stay quiet and avoid trouble at the inn, then left to gather intelligence.
• Jörmungandr heard two Kirigakure ninja discuss Zabuza Momochi’s violent reputation and possible recruitment into the Anbu.
• The ninja praised Ringo Ameyuri and Hozuki Mangetsu as promising talents in Kirigakure.
• The ninja discussed rumors that the Hozuki Clan had tried to combine its Hydrification Technique with the Yuki Clan’s Ice Release, producing a sickly child with no awakened abilities.
• Jörmungandr recognized the child as the target Aizen had mentioned.

Aizen and Jörmungandr found Hozuki Setsugetsu, a dying boy with rare moisture-sensing and water-control potential, and agreed to take him away in exchange for his body after death. Setsugetsu asked to visit his parents and see the natural world during his remaining time, and the group left Kirigakure to fulfill his final wish.

• Jörmungandr told Aizen that Kirigakure residents had openly shared information about Hozuki Setsugetsu, and Aizen explained why Setsugetsu’s combined Hozuki and Yuki abilities made him valuable.
• Aizen and Jörmungandr went to Setsugetsu’s isolated hut, where Aizen asked whether he would change his condition; Setsugetsu refused and offered his body after death in return for having his final wish fulfilled.
• Aizen carried Setsugetsu out of the hut, and Setsugetsu explained that he wanted to see the sea, sunrise, sunset, grass, and flowers before he died.
• Jörmungandr sensed that Setsugetsu had at most forty-eight hours left, while Setsugetsu said he felt fortunate and asked to visit his parents first.
• Aizen recalled that Setsugetsu had detected him during an earlier visit, revealed he could sense moisture and might control it, and asked Aizen to take him away and show him the world.
• Aizen agreed to Setsugetsu’s request after seeing his clear eyes, and Setsugetsu introduced himself before Aizen gave his name as Aizen, probably Kurama Aizen.

Aizen and Jörmungandr accompanied Setsugetsu to his childhood home, where he paid his respects to his parents before sharing the story of his life and enjoying the experiences he had always missed. After learning Setsugetsu had spent his remaining strength to make one happy day, Jörmungandr stayed with him until he saw the sunrise he had wished for.

• Setsugetsu visited his parents’ graves behind his childhood cottage and bowed before the chrysanthemums he associated with his mother.
• Setsugetsu told Jörmungandr how his parents had died seeking a cure for his failing health and how the Hozuki Clan had later abandoned him.
• Setsugetsu explored the world with Aizen and Jörmungandr, enjoying the ocean, new foods, animals, flowers, and sunset.
• Setsugetsu asked Aizen whether the dead became stars, then fell asleep after saying he wanted to see the sunrise.
• Jörmungandr asked Aizen to save Setsugetsu, but Aizen explained that Setsugetsu had used up his remaining time to enjoy the previous day.
• Aizen and Jörmungandr woke Setsugetsu to watch the sunrise, and he smiled and said he was glad to have lived as he watched it.

After Setsugetsu died smiling, Aizen and Jörmungandr left Kirigakure with her body, and Aizen explained why he had tried to help her. He revealed that Setsugetsu’s body held a developing fusion of Ice Release and the Hydrification Technique, but she had died before it could give her a new life.

• Aizen and Jörmungandr mourned Setsugetsu, then left with her body for the Land of Fire.
• The Hozuki Clan searched briefly for Setsugetsu, found no trace of her, and gave up.
• Aizen told Jörmungandr that Setsugetsu’s frailty came from Ice Release resisting the Hydrification Technique as it transformed into a Kekkei Genkai.
• Aizen explained that the two powers had begun to show signs of fusion, and he had used a life-consuming method to strengthen Setsugetsu and give her a chance to survive.
• Aizen said Setsugetsu’s survival could have helped them understand chakra fusion, but she had died before completing the fusion.

Aizen planned to try resolving the conflict between Setsugetsu’s kekkei genkai while letting Jörmungandr act independently. Meanwhile, Kōki asked Orochimaru to send him into battle against Sunagakure, and Orochimaru assigned him to operate alone on the battlefield.

• Aizen regretted that fulfilling Setsugetsu’s wish might have weakened her will to survive, and he decided to attempt to resolve the conflict in her body himself.
• Jörmungandr asked what they would do next, and Aizen told him to act freely, report in regularly, and recruit anyone he liked.
• Kōki finished treating patients in the medical camp and asked Orochimaru to let him join the fighting against Sunagakure.
• Orochimaru agreed, explaining that Konoha needed to defeat Sunagakure quickly because Kumogakure and Iwagakure were making moves.
• Kōki asked which combat unit he would join, and Orochimaru assigned him to operate independently so he could use his strength flexibly and avoid exposing his identity.

Kōki prepared to use Wood Release freely against Sunagakure, while worrying briefly that Madara Uchiha might target him before deciding to press ahead. As Konoha’s forces advanced, Rasa rallied Sunagakure’s ninja and won their support as their future Kazekage.

• Kōki planned to use Wood Release in the coming battle and dismissed his fear that Madara Uchiha might come after him.
• Orochimaru sent two thousand Konoha ninja toward Sunagakure under Shikaku Nara’s command while he stayed behind to guard the camp.
• Rasa saw that Sunagakure’s officers feared Konoha’s attack and decided to address the assembled frontline ninja himself.
• Rasa promised to hold Konoha back and bowed to the Sunagakure ninja, prompting them to call for him to lead them.
• Rasa urged the ninja to show Konoha Sunagakure’s mettle, and Chiyo smiled in approval of his leadership.

Rasa consulted Chiyo on how Sunagakure would withstand Konoha’s offensive, and she placed the Chikamatsu Three under his command to hold Orochimaru off. The chapter ended with Rasa leading Sunagakure’s ninja into battle to defend their position until Bunpuku arrived.

• Rasa thanked Chiyo and asked how Sunagakure should face Konoha’s offensive; Chiyo first asked whether he was ready to bear the burden of Kazekage.
• Chiyo explained that Sunagakure needed to hold its position until Bunpuku reached the battlefield and assigned Rasa her puppet squad to hold Orochimaru off.
• Chiyo revealed that Nagi, Raizo, and Saki had the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets and warned Rasa not to fall for Konoha’s traps or advance recklessly.
• Rasa agreed to defend Sunagakure’s position and use his gold dust in the large-scale battle.
• After the senior leaders raised no objections, Rasa ordered the Sunagakure ninja to move out.

Rasa held back from joining the battle, wary that Orochimaru’s absence concealed a trap, while Kōki’s first battlefield encounter turned into a display of unexpected combat skill. The chapter left Kōki surrounded by Sunagakure ninja who were beginning to realize they could not overwhelm him.

• Rasa saw Shikaku Nara leading Konoha’s forces in Orochimaru’s absence and chose to wait rather than risk a trap.
• The Konoha and Sunagakure ninja clashed, and Kōki briefly froze at the sight of the battlefield before a Sunagakure ninja attacked him.
• Kōki used a substitution to evade the attacker’s sword and struck Takada down, astonishing ninja from both sides.
• Kōki’s first kill raised Konoha’s morale, prompting several Sunagakure ninja to target him as a threat to their village.
• Kōki calmly deflected the attackers’ blows and disrupted their formation, leaving the Sunagakure ninja wary and preparing to regroup.

Kōki defeated the Sunagakure ninja who surrounded and attacked him, surviving an explosive-tag ambush before crushing the battlefield with a devastating kick. He then left for another battlefield, satisfied with the power of his strike.

• Kōki prevented the Sunagakure ninja from retreating, then used Water Whip to escape their Earth Flow River and injure two of them.
• Kōki dodged the Sunagakure ninja’s ninjutsu and used taijutsu to take down more than half of the squad.
• Sunagakure ninja threw four explosive-tagged kunai at Kōki, and he raised a thick rock wall to shield himself from the blasts.
• Believing Kōki had died, the Sunagakure ninja began to leave, but Kōki dropped from above and struck them with a powerful kick.
• Kōki’s kick devastated the battlefield and killed the remaining Sunagakure ninja, after which he hurried toward another battlefield.

Kōki fought through waves of Sunagakure Jonin until the Chikamatsu Three confronted him with the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets. He left the trio eager to learn what he knew about Sasori of the Red Sands.

• Kōki used the Advanced Superhuman Strength Technique to defeat successive groups of Sunagakure ninja while conserving chakra and avoiding area attacks.
• The Chikamatsu Three arrived to challenge Kōki after noticing his battlefield successes.
• Kōki recognized the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets, surprising the three Sunagakure puppeteers.
• When the trio questioned how he knew about the puppets, Kōki offered to reveal what he knew about Sasori of the Red Sands if they defeated him.
• The three became intent on hearing news of Sasori, whom they admired and whose disappearance had grieved their teacher, Chiyo.

Kōki told three Sunagakure puppeteers that he knew Sasori’s and the Third Kazekage’s whereabouts, but they thought he was bluffing and attacked him. He evaded their coordinated puppet strikes and nearly hit Raizo, but Saki intervened, and the fight continued.

• Kōki claimed he knew where Sasori and the missing Third Kazekage were, and the Sunagakure trio accused him of trying to fool them.
• Raizo sent three puppets to attack Kōki, who escaped their chained assault with a clone and charged at him.
• Nagi restrained Kōki with steel cables, but Kōki used the Substitution Technique and appeared behind Raizo.
• Saki sent an ox-headed puppet to protect Raizo, and Kōki blocked its blow but was sent flying.
• Saki scolded Raizo and threatened to report his carelessness to Lady Chiyo, while Raizo pleaded with her to forgive him.

Kōki fought the Sunagakure puppeteer trio and used his Superhuman Strength Technique to smash one of their puppets. Nagi and Raizo recognized the technique as the puppet-destroying secret art Chiyo had warned them about, leaving them facing an opponent who was their natural nemesis.

• Nagi warned Raizo and Saki that Kōki's speed and reactions made him dangerous, while Kōki assessed the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets and prepared to use his Superhuman Strength Technique.
• Raizo and Nagi sent their puppets to attack Kōki, but he dodged the steel cables, grabbed them, and hurled the blue-faced puppet into the red-faced one.
• Kōki evaded the twin-sword puppet's slashes, found an opening, and kicked it so hard that it crashed into the ground and shattered.
• Nagi stopped Raizo from rushing at Kōki and pointed out that the puppet's destruction resembled the damage Chiyo had warned them about.
• Raizo and Nagi concluded that Kōki had mastered Tsunade's Superhuman Strength Technique, which could easily destroy their puppets.

Kōki fought the puppeteer trio and countered their poisoned mechanisms with a Super Big Ball Rasengan. The trio diverted part of the attack and raised a barrier, leaving its ability to withstand the blast uncertain.

• Nagi convinced Raizo and Saki that Kōki was strong and ordered them to attack from a distance with their puppet mechanisms and poison.
• Kōki charged the trio, dodged the horse-faced puppet’s bombs, and was caught in midair by Raizo’s senbon barrage.
• Kōki formed a Super Big Ball Rasengan, destroying the senbon and sending the enormous chakra sphere toward the trio.
• Saki used Three Treasures Suction Crush to pull the Rasengan off course while Nagi and Raizo prepared a Machine Light Shield Seal.
• Nagi and Raizo raised the barrier as the diverted attack reached them, though Nagi doubted it could hold.