Recaps

Naruto tried to understand the Nine-Tails and make friends with him, but the Nine-Tails rejected his words and threatened to kill him. Sakura Haruno left the sealing space with Naruto and Sasuke, and Team 7 resumed training before Tsunade received an urgent letter from the Mist Ninja.

• Naruto told the Nine-Tails that he understood his hatred because he had also been shunned and had once considered taking revenge on Konoha.
• Naruto acknowledged that the Nine-Tails had been controlled during his attacks on Konoha and said he wanted to be the first person to understand him.
• The Nine-Tails briefly wavered at Naruto's sincerity, then grew furious, wounded himself against the seal, and threatened to devour Naruto.
• Sakura Haruno offered to use Kotoamatsukami to remove the Nine-Tails' killing intent, but Naruto refused and insisted that he and the Nine-Tails should build trust without it.
• As Naruto's body began to wake, Sakura Haruno, Naruto, and Sasuke left the sealing space and returned to the real world.
• Team 7 continued training normally, and a few days later Tsunade received an urgent letter from the Mist Ninja.

Team Kakashi arrived in Kirigakure to help investigate Akatsuki’s hunt for the Three-Tails and treat the wounded. Sakura Haruno discovered Chojuro’s injuries had been poorly treated and promised Mei Terumi she could help him regain the ability to be a ninja.

• Mei Terumi welcomed Sakura Haruno, Sasuke, and Naruto, then reported that a Mist sensory team had vanished and Kirigakure had lost contact with its watchers at sea.
• Mei Terumi said Akatsuki had sent at least Sasori and Kisame, and Sakura Haruno explained that Kisame was dead and his corpse had become one of Sasori’s Human Puppets.
• Mei Terumi asked Sakura Haruno to analyze fragmented messages from a team attacked at sea, but Sakura Haruno first insisted on visiting the wounded.
• Sakura Haruno examined the unconscious Chojuro and found that his internal injuries had not been properly treated.
• Mei Terumi showed Sakura Haruno that Chojuro had lost a leg, and Sakura Haruno said she could help him become a ninja again.

Chojuro awoke after Sakura Haruno operated on him, and Mei Terumi assured him Kirigakure would not abandon him despite his injuries. After reviewing unreliable reports about the Akatsuki, Sakura returned to her team and warned Sasuke and Naruto to rest before a dangerous mission.

• Sakura Haruno told Chojuro she had removed dead tissue from his spleen and treated his other injuries.
• Mei Terumi promised Chojuro that she would not abandon him, while Sakura suggested his leg injury might still have hope.
• Chōjūrō burst into Chojuro's room but was dragged out by a medical-nin, and Sakura and Mei left after questioning Chojuro about Sasori.
• Sakura reviewed Kirigakure's reports, found them unreliable, and wondered whether Kakuzu was among the Akatsuki attackers.
• Sakura returned to her lodgings, found Sasuke and Naruto fresh from a bath, and told them to rest before their dangerous mission.

Sakura Haruno, Naruto, and Sasuke shared a seafood dinner in Kirigakure and debated why wars began and how peace could be achieved. Sakura suggested that two people as powerful as Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha could deter the ninja villages, then the trio prepared to leave for their mission.

• Sakura Haruno warned Naruto to stay cautious on their dangerous mission, and the three enjoyed a seafood feast hosted by Kirigakure.
• Naruto asked why Kirigakure and other villages fought wars, prompting Sakura and Sasuke to discuss human desire and the struggle for resources.
• Sakura explained that resources might be the purpose of war rather than its root cause, and urged Naruto to think about such questions if he wanted to become Hokage.
• Naruto asked for a simple way to achieve peace, and Sakura suggested that two people as powerful as Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha could prevent wars by joining forces.
• The next morning, Sakura found Naruto and Sasuke packing their equipment, and she told them to set out.

Sakura Haruno, Sasuke, and Naruto prepared for a mission to stop the Akatsuki from capturing the Three-Tails. After reaching the storm zone where Isobu was expected to revive, the team set out toward the enemy’s last known location.

• Sasuke packed ninja tools and discarded his hard bracers after Sakura Haruno advised that armor would hinder him against powerful opponents.
• Sakura Haruno and Naruto finished preparing, with Sakura relying on her own techniques and a few supplies rather than standard weapons.
• Sakura Haruno led Sasuke and Naruto out to meet two Mist Ninja guides, and Chōjūrō recognized her from their previous meeting.
• The five traveled by river and reached a violent storm over the open sea, where the Mist Ninja identified the area as the likely site of the Three-Tails’ revival.
• Chōjūrō described the rocky island where he had encountered the Akatsuki, and the Mist Ninja turned back as Sakura Haruno, Sasuke, and Naruto continued toward the enemy.

Sakura Haruno, Sasuke, and Naruto searched the stormy sea for the Akatsuki but struggled to locate them. They split into two groups, and Sakura Haruno encountered the enemy a few hours later.

• Sakura Haruno and the boys searched the stormy sea for a day without finding the Akatsuki, while the weather hindered their reconnaissance.
• Naruto grew impatient, but Sasuke urged him to be patient; the three discussed the orcas nearby and the lost marine summoning contracts.
• Naruto suggested that they split into three groups, but Sasuke rejected the idea because either boy would be in danger alone against an Akatsuki pair.
• Sakura Haruno proposed splitting into two groups, with Sasuke and Naruto together and herself alone, and the boys accepted.
• After resting and replenishing their supplies, the team split up, and Sakura Haruno encountered the enemy a few hours later.

Sakura Haruno was ambushed at sea by Konan, whose Paper Release let her survive Sakura’s water blade. After identifying Konan and exchanging threats, Sakura released her Yin Seal and activated Cherry Blossom Impact: Stage Three as their fight began.

• Sakura Haruno dodged darts fired by an unknown ambusher and turned to attack.
• Sakura sliced Konan in two with a water blade, but Konan reformed her paper body and survived.
• Sakura identified the ambusher as Konan and revealed that she knew about Nagato, Pain, and their connection to Jiraiya.
• Konan declared that Sakura would be defeated, and Sakura countered that Konan would lose.
• Sakura released her Yin Seal and activated Secret Technique: Cherry Blossom Impact: Stage Three, while Konan watched from the air.

Sakura Haruno confronted Konan at sea and asked why she had chosen Akatsuki’s path; Konan said she would kill Jiraiya if he tried to stop them, and their fight began. Meanwhile, Nagato and a woman hid on an uninhabited island, where Konan’s message revealed that she had found Sakura.

• Sakura Haruno questioned Konan about founding Akatsuki and whether she would fight Jiraiya, and Konan replied that she would kill him.
• Konan attacked Sakura with thousands of paper darts, but Sakura deflected them with an ice sword.
• Konan reformed behind Sakura and struck with a blade, but Sakura countered with a powerful roundhouse kick that appeared to shatter Konan’s body.
• Konan reformed from the scattered fragments and swung a sword down at Sakura.
• On an uninhabited island, Konan’s paper butterfly reported to Nagato that her original body had found Sakura Haruno.

Nagato learned that Sakura Haruno had returned to the Land of Water and prepared to confront her, while Konan insisted on fighting first. As the storm eased and the Three-Tails neared revival, Konan launched a surprise attack on Sakura but missed and was engulfed by her counterattack.

• Nagato ordered Sasori and the others to hunt the two remaining Konoha ninjas and decided to use the Paths against Sakura Haruno.
• Konan offered to fight Sakura, but Nagato warned that she could not defeat her despite her preparations.
• Pain explained that Obito's plan to use the Tailed Beasts against Sakura had failed and said he would give everything in the coming fight.
• Pain noticed that the rain had eased and concluded that the Three-Tails was about to be successfully revived, so he moved to act.
• Konan appeared above Sakura Haruno and slashed at her with a paper sword, but Sakura dodged and unleashed a counterattack that engulfed Konan.

Tsunade told Jiraiya that Sakura had surpassed both of them and discussed who might succeed her as Hokage. Jiraiya realized Tsunade was considering Sakura for the role, though Tsunade had no intention of stepping down yet.

• Tsunade said Sakura had mastered Senjutsu and developed secret techniques that put her abilities beyond Tsunade's and Jiraiya's.
• Jiraiya trusted Tsunade's judgment about Sakura, then awkwardly tried to comfort her as she reflected on growing old.
• Tsunade praised Sakura's strength and said she felt confident sending Team 7 on a dangerous mission.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya discussed potential Hokage successors and agreed that Kakashi and Asuma were poor choices.
• Jiraiya suggested Naruto and Sakura, and Tsunade explained that she was considering a successor but was not ready to leave office.
• Jiraiya asked whether Tsunade wanted to choose Sakura as the next Hokage, and Tsunade grew serious.

Tsunade and Jiraiya discussed whether Naruto or Sakura was suited to become the next Hokage, and Jiraiya urged Tsunade to consider Sakura’s wishes and Naruto’s lifelong dream. Tsunade remained unconvinced about Naruto’s political temperament, but she and Jiraiya set the argument aside and spent the evening reminiscing and drinking together.

• Tsunade explained that the next Hokage would be chosen through consensus, though she held considerable influence over the decision.
• Jiraiya reminded Tsunade that Naruto wanted to become Hokage while Sakura had never shown interest in the position, prompting Tsunade to resolve to speak with Sakura.
• Tsunade argued that politics required compromise and that Jiraiya’s and Naruto’s unyielding personalities made them poor fits for Hokage.
• Jiraiya insisted that Naruto’s dream set him apart from Jiraiya and that he would continue to fight for his student.
• Tsunade ended their debate, and she and Jiraiya drank, reminisced about their students, and traded drunken jabs as night fell.

Sakura Haruno and Konan fought a fierce close-quarters battle over the sea, but neither could gain the upper hand. After Sakura forced Konan to scatter with a powerful kick, Konan withdrew, leaving the fight unresolved.

• Sakura Haruno and Konan clashed over the sea, their attacks sending enormous waves across the water.
• Sakura used her precise Nintaijutsu and heightened reactions to counter Konan’s paper-form sword attacks, keeping the battle at a stalemate.
• Konan attacked from beneath Sakura’s feet, but Sakura narrowly dodged the sword strike.
• Sakura struck the sea with her Heavenly Guard Leg, forcing Konan to scatter into paper and creating a vast crater.
• Konan reformed at a distance and withdrew from the battle.

Sakura Haruno confronted Konan after their fight stalled, but Konan revealed that she had secretly prepared the Paper Person of God technique. Konan wrapped Sakura in a million Explosive Tags and detonated them, leaving Sakura’s fate unknown.

• Sakura Haruno taunted Konan and deduced that the paper transformation technique was draining her Chakra and stamina.
• Konan insisted she still had immense power and activated the Paper Person of God technique.
• Konan transformed the seawater beneath Sakura into a million Explosive Tags and wrapped Sakura in them.
• Konan detonated the tags, engulfing Sakura in a massive explosion.

Konan detonated a million Explosive Tags against Sakura Haruno, but Sakura survived by using an Ice Clone and exposed Konan’s trap. Sakura counterattacked with powerful Water Release techniques, leaving Konan trapped beneath a colossal wave.

• Konan detonated one million Explosive Tags, believing the blast had killed Sakura Haruno.
• Sakura’s apparent corpse dissolved into an Ice Clone, and Sakura revealed she had detected Konan’s disguised Explosive Tags in the seawater.
• Sakura launched Water Release: Water Dragon Biting Blast, forcing Konan to dodge and losing part of a wing to the attack.
• Sakura summoned a towering wall of water and brought it crashing down on Konan with Water Release: Water Wall Surging Wave.
• Konan realized she could not dodge the enormous wave.

Sakura Haruno and Konan resumed their battle over the sea after Sakura's enormous Water Release failed to injure Konan. Sakura challenged Konan's ability to outlast her, and their attacks began another prolonged war of attrition.

• Sakura Haruno's massive Water Release swept Konan into the sea, but Konan's Chakra remained steady and she survived unharmed.
• Konan reassembled herself from sheets of paper, though she emerged soaked and weakened by the attack.
• Sakura Haruno taunted Konan and argued that her Yin Seal and vast Chakra reserves gave her the advantage in a war of attrition.
• Konan insisted Sakura would exhaust herself first, but Sakura claimed she did not need to activate the Yin Seal to defeat her.
• Sakura Haruno formed a Water Release dragon while Konan gathered explosive tags into a spear, and the two launched another round of attacks.

Rondo and Chōjūrō sensed Sakura Haruno’s battle against Akatsuki and reported the fighting to Kirigakure, where Mei Terumi decided to support Konoha’s forces. On her way to the battlefield, Mei was confronted by Uchiha Itachi, who blocked her path.

• Rondo and Chōjūrō sensed Sakura Haruno’s powerful Chakra and realized she had begun fighting at a distance.
• Rondo urged Chōjūrō to study Sakura’s Water Release, while reflecting on Kirigakure’s decline and the strength of its younger generation.
• Mei Terumi learned that Sakura was likely fighting Konan and that Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki were approaching two other Akatsuki members as Pain neared Sakura.
• Mei Terumi chose to leave Kirigakure and support Konoha’s fighters, leaving Ao in charge of the village.
• Mei Terumi and her guards set out, but Uchiha Itachi confronted her on the way and refused to let her pass.

Rondo and Chōjūrō watched Sakura Haruno and Konan’s battle from a safe distance as Sakura’s powerful techniques pushed the fight in her favor. Sakura began probing Konan with Ice Release and other Secret Techniques, while Konan showed signs of defeat.

• Rondo sensed a tremendous burst of Chakra from the distant battle and stopped Chōjūrō from approaching any closer.
• Rondo recognized Sakura Haruno’s enormous Water Release technique and realized she was a formidable fighter with a powerful will.
• Konan evaded Sakura’s Water Release by dispersing herself into paper fragments and re-forming, then clashed with Sakura in a series of powerful attacks.
• Rondo observed that Sakura and Konan were initially evenly matched, but Konan’s Chakra began declining while Sakura showed no sign of tiring.
• Sakura tried Ice Release and other Secret Techniques, learned the patterns of Konan’s Paper Release, and began gaining the advantage.

Sakura Haruno gained the upper hand against Konan, while Rondo sensed a powerful enemy approaching the battlefield. The chapter left Konan trapped in ice as Rondo and Chōjūrō wondered whether Sakura had deliberately drawn the newcomer out.

• Rondo told Chōjūrō that stamina and Chakra would decide the prolonged fight between Sakura Haruno and Konan.
• Konan realized Sakura was stronger and that she could not win, but she continued fighting instead of retreating.
• Sakura attacked Konan with ice weapons, while Rondo sensed a massive Chakra signature approaching from less than a hundred li away.
• Rondo and Chōjūrō concluded that Sakura might be deliberately drawing the approaching enemy out.
• Sakura caught Konan's ankle with rapidly growing ice and trapped her lower body, leaving her unable to fly.

Sakura Haruno defeated Konan in their battle over the frozen sea, while Konan defended Akatsuki’s ideals and trusted that Nagato would rescue her. Sakura realized Konan had been stalling for Pain, but revealed she had been using the fight to draw him out too, and prepared to end the trap.

• Sakura Haruno trapped Konan in a pillar of ice after overwhelming her with Water Release and Ice Release, leaving Konan nearly out of chakra.
• Konan explained that the Five Great Nations’ wars had destroyed her home and killed her parents, and said Yahiko and Nagato had founded Akatsuki to bring peace.
• Sakura mocked Konan’s claim that Akatsuki acted for peace and revealed that she knew Nagato possessed the Rinnegan and controlled the Six Paths of Pain.
• Konan regained confidence after learning that Pain had set out to rescue her, but then realized Sakura had deliberately prolonged the battle to lure him out.
• Sakura told Konan that Pain must be close and raised her hand, declaring that Konan was no longer useful as bait.

Sakura Haruno fought the Animal Path and destroyed his chameleon, eagle, and multiplying hellhound summons. The Animal Path recognized that her chakra-infused water let her detect hidden attackers and prepared to summon the other Pains.

• The Animal Path arrived in time to catch Konan as Sakura Haruno smashed the chameleon's attack apart.
• Sakura Haruno cut down the giant eagle that dove at her from behind.
• Sakura Haruno used a sea dragon to blast the multiplying hellhound into pieces.
• The Animal Path realized Sakura Haruno sensed his summons by infusing chakra into the sea and mist.
• The Animal Path said he would summon the other Pains and began to ask Sakura Haruno one last question.

Sakura Haruno confronted the gathered Six Paths of Pain after exposing Konan’s Paper Clone, and Nagato recognized her as a dangerous opponent. Sakura prepared to fight Pain, who intended to defeat her and extract how she learned about him.

• Sakura Haruno attacked the Animal Path with Water Release: Water Dragon Biting Blast, but Konan escaped by switching places with a Paper Clone.
• The Deva Path arrived with the other five bodies of Pain, and Sakura sensed that he posed a lethal threat.
• Nagato watched Sakura through the Deva Path and heard Konan warn that Sakura was troublesome.
• Sakura said she had wanted to ensure no one unrelated interrupted the fight, while Pain questioned why she had targeted the incapacitated Konan.
• Pain declared Sakura a major threat to Akatsuki and asked how she had learned about him, but Sakura refused to answer and challenged him to kill her.

Sakura Haruno and Pain faced off as Rondo realized both were far stronger than expected. Sakura opened the battle with Wind Blade Torrent, killing three of Pain’s Paths before the Deva Path countered with Almighty Push.

• Rondo sensed the immense auras and told Chōjūrō that Pain had arrived and the battle was about to begin.
• Rondo realized Sakura Haruno had been waiting for Pain and that both combatants were far stronger than they had anticipated.
• Sakura Haruno launched Wind Blade Torrent without warning and sliced the Human Path in two.
• The water blade killed the Asura Path and pierced through the Preta Path after he absorbed its Chakra but failed to stop the physical water.
• With three Paths dead, the Deva Path used Almighty Push to stop Sakura’s attack.

Sakura Haruno’s Wind Blade Torrent failed to break through Pain’s Almighty Push, but she revealed that she knew the technique’s five-second interval and Nagato’s identity. Nagato concluded that Madara Uchiha had betrayed Akatsuki, while Sakura remained unaware that her hint had triggered that suspicion.

• Pain blocked Sakura Haruno’s Wind Blade Torrent with the Almighty Push and recognized her improved Water Severing Wave.
• Sakura Haruno explained that Pain could not repeatedly use the Almighty Push without a five-second interval.
• Sakura Haruno identified Nagato as the one controlling the Six Paths of Pain, shocking Nagato and disrupting his breathing.
• After Konan helped him recover, Nagato suspected Madara Uchiha had leaked Akatsuki’s intelligence and declared there was a traitor among them.
• Nagato told Konan that Madara Uchiha had betrayed them, while Sakura Haruno remained unaware that her hint had prompted his conclusion.

Sakura Haruno and Pain fought across a fog-covered sea, each using large-scale attacks to force the other to reveal their position. After both countered the other's attack, they simultaneously detected each other beneath the mist and prepared to strike.

• Pain used the Hidden Mist Technique to conceal himself, while Sakura Haruno infused the fog with Chakra to prevent him from sensing her.
• Pain taunted Sakura Haruno and declared that she would fall to a god, while Sakura activated her Yin Seal and Sage Mode.
• Sakura Haruno froze the sea and detonated the ice by stomping, while Pain fired a barrage of Chakra-powered missiles from Asura Path.
• Sakura Haruno blocked the missiles with a Water Formation Wall, while Preta Path absorbed the Chakra in her ice attack.
• Sakura Haruno and Pain sensed the Chakra disturbances left by their defenses and shouted, "Found you!" at the same time.

Sakura Haruno cut down the Human Path, Animal Path, and Asura Path while defending against the Asura Path’s missile barrage. Pain then caught her with Banshō Ten'in and pulled her in for a killing blow, but Sakura’s eyes showed she still intended to fight.

• Sakura Haruno’s Wind Blade Torrent sliced apart two summoned beasts and severed the Human Path and Animal Path.
• The Asura Path attacked Sakura with a barrage of chakra rockets, but she cut through him before raising a Water Formation Wall to block the explosions.
• The Deva Path used Banshō Ten'in to pull Sakura toward Pain, disrupting her water blade and leaving her unable to resist the force.
• Pain approached Sakura with a black rod, but he was startled to see cold killing intent in her eyes as she neared him.