Arc 3The Kage Alliance and Sasuke’s Departure
The Five Kage battled Madara, then began forging an alliance as Sasuke escaped to join Orochimaru. The arc left the nations investigating the Masked Man while Danzo marked Sasuke for assassination and turned to Orochimaru.
- The Five Kage fought Madara, but he defeated them, freed himself from Impure World Reincarnation, and escaped the caster’s control.
- Tsunade and Chiyo negotiated Konoha and Sunagakure’s alliance, while Gaara returned home to a changed welcome and ordered joint training against Susanoo.
- Mei Terumi negotiated Kirigakure’s cooperation with Tsunade, and the Five Kage arranged a summit as Pain and Obito chose to let it proceed.
- During the Land of Snow trip, Kimimaro and the Sound Four tried to take Sasuke to Orochimaru, but Sasuke escaped the Konoha group and followed Kimimaro away.
- Naruto’s team failed to recover Sasuke, who reached Orochimaru’s base and accepted the power Orochimaru promised, while Naruto agreed to train with Jiraiya.
- At the summit, Tsunade proposed joint forces and intelligence sharing, and Mei told the Kage that a masked Sharingan user had controlled Yagura.
- Pain delayed Akatsuki’s missions while Obito pursued the Eye of the Moon Plan, and Danzo designated Sasuke an S-rank missing-nin before ordering Hinoe to offer Orochimaru research data for Sasuke’s head.