Recaps

Kabuto left the orphanage to become a spy, enduring years of infiltration while searching for a sense of identity and hoping to reunite with Nonō. When he encountered her in Iwagakure, she failed to recognize him, and Kabuto’s healing stopped, leaving Nonō dead by his hand.

• Kabuto left the orphanage to protect Nonō from Danzo’s threats and told the children he wanted to train as a ninja.
• Kabuto spent years infiltrating the major ninja villages under false identities and wondered who he really was.
• Shimura Danzō arranged a mission that sent Nonō to eliminate a target in exchange for Kabuto’s freedom.
• After his infiltration failed in Iwagakure, Kabuto fought his pursuers and discovered that the injured ninja before him was Nonō.
• Nonō repeatedly asked who Kabuto was, and he froze until his healing technique faded and she died.
• Kabuto tried to wash Nonō’s blood from his hands and questioned the meaning of his life.

After Nonō died trying to kill him, Kabuto learned from Orochimaru that Root had manipulated their identities and memories to make them kill each other. Orochimaru invited Kabuto to join him, offering a new identity and a chance to pursue answers beyond Root.

• Kabuto washed his hands in the river, and Orochimaru appeared and offered to explain why Nonō had tried to kill him.
• Orochimaru brought Kabuto to his Iwagakure hideout, where Kabuto asked for the truth about Nonō and Root.
• Orochimaru explained that Danzo had arranged for Nonō to assassinate Kabuto and that Root had replaced Kabuto’s photographs to keep them from recognizing each other.
• Kabuto attacked Orochimaru with a Chakra Blade, grieving the loss of his identity and Nonō.
• Orochimaru reformed after Kabuto struck him and offered Kabuto a new identity as Kabuto Yakushi, Nonō’s son, and a place as his assistant.

Kabuto used his work for Orochimaru to gather experimental data, transform himself, and prepare an enormous Impure World Reincarnation by robbing graves. His attempts to summon powerful figures mostly produced unexpected or unimpressive ninja, and he continued searching for better pulls.

• Kabuto gained Sasori's trust while secretly using him to contact the Akatsuki and continued assisting Orochimaru with experiments.
• Kabuto collected data on Suigetsu, Jūgo, Kimimaro, and Karin, then injected snake blood into himself and began taking on a half-human, half-snake appearance.
• Kabuto captured people as sacrifices and dug up graves to gather corpses for Impure World Reincarnation.
• Kabuto tried to summon Sasori but instead brought forth Chiyo, then found Zabuza's grave in the Land of Waves.
• Kabuto searched Konoha's Memorial Stone for more corpses and summoned Hattori Heiji instead of Hanzō.
• Kabuto raided the ruined Fire Temple and summoned Chūkaku instead of Chiriku, leaving him frustrated by his poor results.

Kabuto Yakushi used Impure World Reincarnation to pressure Obito into joining forces, demanding Sasuke in return. Obito recognized the reanimated Akatsuki members and flew into a rage when Kabuto revealed another corpse, leaving the identity of that person and Obito’s response unresolved.

• Kabuto Yakushi used White Zetsu’s intelligence network and Orochimaru’s power to advance his Impure World Reincarnation research.
• Kabuto tracked down Obito, introduced himself as a former Akatsuki member, and offered to join forces with him.
• Kabuto summoned coffins containing Itachi, Sasori, Deidara, Kakuzu, and an unidentified person to demonstrate his strength.
• Kabuto demanded Sasuke in exchange for providing Obito with fighting power, but Obito refused to agree.
• Kabuto summoned another coffin, and Obito became furious when he saw the corpse inside.

Obito Uchiha agreed to join forces with Orochimaru Kabuto, who launched an attack on Turtle Island to capture the Nine-Tails and secure Yamato. Kabuto escaped with Yamato, leaving Kurotsuchi, Aoba, and the others behind as the Allied Forces faced the loss of their Wood Release user.

• Obito Uchiha agreed to ally with Orochimaru Kabuto while planning to retrieve the Rinnegan and gather intelligence on Naruto.
• Orochimaru Kabuto and Obito Uchiha prepared for war, and Kisame’s intelligence revealed the Allied Forces’ location on Turtle Island.
• Orochimaru Kabuto sent Deidara to attack Turtle Island, while Manda II bit its tail and Deidara’s explosives overturned it.
• Kurotsuchi combined quicklime and water to trap Kabuto, but Aoba and Yamato then approached to extract information from him.
• A snake emerging from Kabuto’s mouth swallowed Yamato, and Kabuto escaped from Turtle Island.

Kabuto Yakushi and Obito prepared an army of White Zetsu and reanimated shinobi to fight the Five Great Shinobi Villages, officially starting the Fourth Shinobi World War. As battles erupted, Itachi broke free of Kabuto’s control and headed toward him, while Sasuke remained unaware of the war’s progress.

• Obito and Kabuto implanted Yamato’s Wood Release into the White Zetsu, strengthening their army.
• Kabuto used Impure World Reincarnation to summon former Akatsuki members, Jinchūriki, Kage, and other powerful dead shinobi.
• Obito and Kabuto left their underground base with their forces and declared that the Fourth Shinobi World War had begun.
• Obito set out to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki while Kabuto planned to hold back the Allied Shinobi Forces.
• Itachi broke free of Kabuto’s control and began approaching him as Sasuke recovered from his Mangekyō transplant.

Itachi and Sasuke reached Kabuto’s cave and fought him while trying to stop Impure World Reincarnation. Kabuto evaded their coordinated attacks, and the fight remained unresolved as he challenged Sasuke from hiding.

• Itachi broke through Kabuto’s barrier and entered the cave, where Kabuto revealed that killing him would not stop Impure World Reincarnation.
• Sasuke caught up with Itachi, recognized Kabuto, and joined the fight against him.
• Kabuto summoned giant snakes, but Itachi and Sasuke countered them with their Susanoo and tried to capture him without killing him.
• Kabuto shed his skin and escaped their attacks, leaving Sasuke to taunt him into revealing his location.
• The observers discussed Anko’s unconscious condition and Itachi’s interest in three-color dango.

Kabuto used his Sage Mode and stolen abilities to battle Sasuke and Itachi, then tried to persuade Itachi that they shared the same history of serving Konoha and being disgraced. The chapter left the brothers fighting Kabuto as Hiruzen blamed Danzo for Konoha’s scandals in the outside discussion.

• Kabuto transformed with abilities taken from Suigetsu and Karin, dodged Sasuke’s Susanoo arrow, and revealed his serpentine form.
• Kabuto declared that he had shed his snakeskin and ascended to a dragon, then used the White Rage Technique to blind and disorient Sasuke and Itachi.
• Itachi protected Sasuke from Kabuto’s attack, and the brothers coordinated their Susanoo assault, with Sasuke striking Kabuto’s tail with an arrow.
• Kabuto cut Sasuke in two, but Itachi’s apparent corpse became crows, allowing Itachi to slice off one of Kabuto’s snake horns.
• Kabuto told Itachi that they were alike as Konoha spies who had served the village but received slander and disgrace.
• Hiruzen denied Konoha’s mistreatment of its people and blamed Danzo for Sakumo’s treatment and for peeping into the women’s bathhouse.

Itachi and Sasuke fought Kabuto, who claimed that his power and identity came from the abilities he had gathered. Itachi used Izanami to trap Kabuto in a repeating battle, though Kabuto had not yet realized he was caught in the technique.

• Itachi explained that the Uchiha could use techniques without sight and prepared to cast Izanami against Kabuto.
• Kabuto used Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation to attack Itachi, while Sasuke shattered the earthen spikes with Chidori Stream and Amaterasu kept Kabuto at bay.
• Kabuto defended his search for identity and revealed Orochimaru emerging from his body.
• Kabuto overwhelmed Sasuke with Water Release and Hidden Mist, while Itachi cast Izanami at the cost of one eye.
• Kabuto unknowingly repeated the same exchange hundreds of times as Itachi's Izanami took effect, and Sasuke watched in disbelief.

Kabuto’s inventory ended with the revelation that he was trapped in Izanami, while the shinobi reacted to the Uchiha Clan’s power and the possibility of changing the future. Kakashi then prepared Team 7 for an outskirts patrol, as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure approached Konoha on an infiltration mission.

• Kabuto was revealed to have been trapped in Izanami from the beginning, and the shinobi discussed Itachi’s strength and the dangers facing the Uchiha Clan.
• Minato Namikaze said the future could still be changed, prompting Jiraiya to suggest that Minato becoming Hokage might prevent past events.
• Kakashi told Obito and Rin that Team 7 would join Might Guy’s team on an outskirts patrol, and he said Minato Namikaze had approved the mission.
• Fuguki Suikazan worried about a bad feeling as Juzo Biwa and the other Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure prepared to infiltrate Konoha.
• Team 7 assembled the next morning, and Obito asked where Might Guy was as they set out toward the meeting point.

Kakashi’s Team 7 joined Might Guy’s team on a routine patrol, but Kirigakure’s Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist ambushed Guy’s group. Kakashi and Obito arrived in time to intervene, leaving the battle underway.

• Kakashi, Obito, and Rin met Might Guy’s team, and Guy tried to challenge Kakashi to a youthful showdown.
• Genma divided the patrol area between the two teams, sending Guy’s team east and Kakashi’s team west.
• The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist infiltrated the eastern forest, where Genma sensed danger too late.
• Juzo Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan confronted Guy’s team, leaving them surrounded and outmatched.
• Kakashi arrived and threw an explosive-tag kunai among the attackers, then Obito countered Juzo’s Water Dragon Bullet with a Great Fireball Technique.

Obito fought Juzo Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan, while Kakashi and Might Guy struggled against the other Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Rin returned with Might Duy, who opened the Seventh Gate and turned the tide, leaving Kakashi and Duy pursuing the fleeing swordsmen.

• Obito used Kamui and the Uchiha Gunbai to withstand Juzo Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan's attacks, then reflected Juzo's Water Dragon Bullet and sent Fuguki flying.
• Rin left to seek reinforcements and encountered Might Duy, whom she brought to the battlefield.
• Kakashi and Might Guy were overwhelmed as Kakashi's stamina ran low, and Jinin Akebino moved to attack the people behind Kakashi.
• Might Duy opened the Seventh Gate and struck Jinin Akebino with a devastating kick, prompting the remaining swordsmen to flee.
• Kakashi used Lightning Blade to pursue the fleeing swordsmen while Might Duy caught up with and killed several of them.
• Kushimaru Kuriarare drew Nuibari and tried to hold Kakashi off.

The ranking named Minato Namikaze as a top Kage-level fighter, interrupting Obito’s battle with the Kirigakure swordsmen and allowing Juzo Biwa to escape. The ranking thrilled Minato’s friends and drew reactions from shinobi across the world.

• Fuguki Suikazan called for Juzo Biwa’s help, then fled while Juzo stayed behind to fight Obito.
• The ranking identified Minato Namikaze as a top-eight Kage-level combatant, and Obito’s distraction let Juzo escape without his sword.
• Obito reassured Rin that he was unharmed as the group celebrated Minato’s ranking.
• Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Yahiko reacted to Minato’s achievement, while Kushina excitedly congratulated him and threw herself into his arms.
• The Fourth Raikage recalled fighting Minato, and Obito argued with Kakashi about being late before Kakashi stopped him from revealing a future secret to Kushina.

Kushina gave birth to Naruto in a hidden cave, but a masked intruder broke through the guards, killed Biwako, and used the newborn to threaten Minato. Minato rescued Naruto from the attacker’s explosive trap, but the blast struck him as he shielded his son.

• Kushina met Mikoto and baby Sasuke during a walk, and the two mothers discussed their children’s names.
• Biwako helped Kushina deliver Naruto in a hidden cave while Minato reinforced Kushina’s weakening seal.
• A masked man killed the guards outside, entered the cave, seized Naruto, and killed Biwako.
• The masked man threatened Naruto’s life and tossed him into the air, but Minato rescued him.
• Minato removed the Explosive Tags attached to Naruto’s clothes and threw them away, then shielded Naruto from the blast with his body.

The Masked Man controlled the Nine-Tails and unleashed it on Konoha while Minato rescued Kushina and prepared to fight. Minato arrived before the rampaging beast as Konoha evacuated its civilians and organized a defense.

• The Masked Man summoned the Nine-Tails, controlled it with his Mangekyō Sharingan, and ordered it toward Konoha.
• Minato rescued Kushina from the Nine-Tails, returned to Naruto, and put on his Hokage robe before heading back to the village.
• The Masked Man summoned the Nine-Tails into Konoha, where its appearance caused widespread destruction.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered the Anbu to protect noncombatants, while Konoha ninja organized an evacuation and fought to hold the Nine-Tails back.
• Minato arrived at the front lines and declared that protecting Konoha's families was his duty.

Minato fought the Masked Man during the Nine-Tails’ attack, using Flying Thunder God to evade his space-time technique and deducing its weakness. As Minato awaited promised reinforcements, he believed the village could soon subdue the attacker and seal the Nine-Tails again.

• The Nine-Tails fired a Tailed Beast Bomb at Hokage Rock, but Minato used the Flying Thunder God Formation to redirect it away from the village.
• The Masked Man caught Minato by surprise, but Minato escaped with Flying Thunder God before the attacker could crush him.
• Minato suspected the Masked Man was Madara Uchiha, while Ōnoki doubted that Madara would act so covertly.
• The Masked Man bound Minato with chains, but Minato escaped and realized physical attacks could only hit when the man was attacking.
• Tsunade questioned why reinforcements had not arrived, and Hiruzen, Danzo, and Fugaku promised that their forces would help Minato.

Minato Namikaze fought the Masked Man and used a Contract Seal to free the Nine-Tails from his control, while Hiruzen Sarutobi drove the beast out of Konoha. As the Nine-Tails threatened the village again and Minato was occupied, a giant toad appeared in front of it.

• Minato Namikaze marked the Masked Man with the Flying Thunder God Technique, struck him with a Rasengan, and used the Contract Seal to separate him from the Nine-Tails.
• The Nine-Tails continued attacking Konoha, and Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Enma to drive it out of the village.
• The Masked Man admitted his plan had failed and retreated using intangibility.
• Yūhi Shinku ordered Kurenai Yuhi, Kakashi, Might Guy, and the other young ninja to stay at a shelter before he went to the front line.
• Uchiha Fugaku refused his officers' request to fight the Nine-Tails, following orders to protect noncombatants.
• As the Nine-Tails prepared another Tailed Beast Bomb, a giant toad appeared and landed on its forehead.

Minato and Kushina fought to seal the Nine-Tails after Minato moved its Tailed Beast Bomb away from the crowd. As Minato began the Reaper Death Seal and split the Nine-Tails' Chakra between himself and Naruto, the Nine-Tails impaled Minato and Kushina, who shielded their son.

• Minato transported the Nine-Tails and its Tailed Beast Bomb away from the crowd, then brought Kushina to him so they could seal the beast again.
• Kushina used her Adamantine Sealing Chains to restrain the Nine-Tails, while the Tailed Beasts discussed their relationships with their Jinchūriki.
• Minato chose to seal half of the Nine-Tails' Chakra inside himself and the other half inside Naruto, despite Kushina's objections to the Reaper Death Seal.
• Minato performed the Reaper Death Seal and the Shinigami sealed half of the Nine-Tails' Chakra inside him.
• The Nine-Tails attacked Minato and Kushina as they held Naruto close, but they shielded their son from harm.

Minato and Kushina prepared to seal the Nine-Tails, and Kushina gave Naruto a tearful list of advice before she and Minato faced their final moments. The reactions turned to the threat against the Tailed Beasts and Minato’s ranking, which Orochimaru questioned.

• Obito and Kakashi watched Minato and Kushina impaled by the Nine-Tails’ claw, while Kakashi wondered why Naruto had grown up poor despite Minato’s earnings.
• Minato summoned a toad to carry the key to the Sealing Jutsu and prepared to perform the Eight Trigrams Seal.
• Kushina said goodbye to Naruto, advising him about food, sleep, friendship, study, money, alcohol, women, and holding on to his dreams.
• Minato and Kushina sealed the Nine-Tails’ other half, moving the onlookers and prompting shinobi to discuss the Masked Man’s hunt for Tailed Beasts.
• Hanzō proposed redistributing the Tailed Beasts, while Kushina explained that she had warned Naruto against learning from Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru questioned why Minato’s ranking was so high when Kabuto had defeated the Nine-Tails with ease.

Orochimaru and Sasuke’s group searched the ruined Land of Whirlpools for a mask in the Uzumaki Clan’s Mask Storage Hall, then traveled to Konoha’s Naka Shrine. The chapter left Sasuke looking over his changed hometown as Orochimaru explained that it remained his home.

• Orochimaru and Sasuke’s group entered the ruined Land of Whirlpools and searched the Uzumaki Clan’s Mask Storage Hall.
• Orochimaru found the mask he had come to retrieve, and the group prepared to leave.
• Orochimaru led Sasuke, Jūgo, and Suigetsu to the Uchiha Clan’s Naka Shrine in Konoha.
• Sasuke climbed onto a roof, looked over Konoha’s familiar landmarks and lit streets, and showed a trace of nostalgia.
• Orochimaru told Suigetsu that Konoha was still Sasuke’s hometown.

Orochimaru freed the souls of the past Hokage and used Impure World Reincarnation to summon them for Sasuke. The four Hokage learned they had been revived, and Hashirama reacted with doubt when he heard Tsunade was the Fifth Hokage.

• Sasuke led Orochimaru and the others into the Uchiha Clan's underground passage and a secret chamber.
• Orochimaru used an Uzumaki Clan mask to release the souls sealed by the Reaper Death Seal.
• Jūgo transferred Natural Energy into Sasuke, revealing White Zetsu hidden inside him for use as Impure World Reincarnation sacrifices.
• Orochimaru summoned Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze, then transferred himself into a White Zetsu body.
• Hashirama asked about Konoha's Hokage and doubted the village would be all right after learning that his granddaughter Tsunade had become the Fifth.

Hashirama and Tobirama Senju were summoned by Orochimaru, who explained that he had brought them back for Sasuke rather than to attack Konoha. After Tobirama nearly attacked Sasuke over his threat of revenge, Hashirama stopped him and began telling Sasuke about his history with Madara Uchiha; the Third Hokage also accepted responsibility for the Uchiha massacre, while Orochimaru admitted lingering resentment over being passed over for Hokage.

• Hashirama joked about Tsunade and his own gambling habits while Tobirama criticized Orochimaru for using Impure World Reincarnation.
• Orochimaru explained that he had summoned the Hokage to address Sasuke's questions, and the Third Hokage recounted the Uchiha Clan Massacre Night.
• Tobirama denounced Sasuke and released killing intent, but Hashirama intervened and restrained him.
• Orochimaru revealed that Madara Uchiha had been revived, and Minato sensed Naruto and the Nine-Tails' Chakra working together.
• Hashirama told Sasuke about his history and final battle with Madara, while the Third Hokage and Minato discussed responsibility for the tragedy.
• Suigetsu noticed Orochimaru's resentment, and Orochimaru admitted that he had been bitter about Minato being chosen as Hokage instead of him.

Sasuke chose to fight Madara, and Orochimaru and the others headed for the battlefield after Suigetsu’s attempt to flee was stopped. There, the Allied Shinobi Forces faced the Ten-Tails’ enormous Tailed Beast Bomb as Shikamaru sought a way to help Naruto, while the observers argued over Sakura as a potential daughter-in-law.

• Sasuke decided to fight Madara, and Orochimaru agreed to follow his lead despite Suigetsu’s objections.
• Suigetsu tried to slip away but was kicked in the face; Sasuke reunited with Karin, who redirected her anger onto Suigetsu after he apologized.
• Tobirama identified Karin as likely belonging to the Uzumaki Clan, and the four Hokage set out for the battlefield.
• The Ten-Tails prepared a huge Tailed Beast Bomb against the exhausted Naruto, while Sakura stood ready to protect him and Shikamaru asked Ino to connect him with someone.
• Rasa and Kushina argued over whether Sakura would make a suitable daughter-in-law, and Obito revealed that Sakura liked Sasuke.

Shikamaru coordinated the Allied Shinobi Forces to raise Earth Walls against the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb, but the attack overwhelmed them until Minato Namikaze arrived and teleported it away. Minato reunited with Naruto and met Sakura, while the allied forces survived the blast's shock wave.

• Shikamaru used Ino's Mind Body Switch Technique to connect with the Allied Shinobi Forces and coordinate their Earth Walls.
• Tens of thousands of ninja raised Earth Walls, but the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb shattered them, and Killer B blocked it with the Eight-Tails.
• Minato Namikaze appeared at a Flying Thunder God Kunai and teleported the Tailed Beast Bomb to the sea.
• Minato greeted Naruto, and Sakura wondered if Minato was Naruto's father before Minato asked whether she was Naruto's girlfriend.
• Naruto called Sakura his girlfriend, and Sakura knocked him down for talking instead of resting; Minato asked her to take good care of his son.

The four Hokage arrived to help the Allied Shinobi Forces face the Ten-Tails, while Madara Uchiha came down to confront Hashirama Senju. The chapter left the Hokage surrounding the Ten-Tails behind the Four Red Yang Formation.

• Minato Namikaze and the other Hokage arrived, encouraging the Allied Shinobi Forces.
• Madara Uchiha descended from a nearby mountain to greet Hashirama Senju, who insisted they focus on stopping the Ten-Tails.
• Minato comforted Naruto and transformed using Nine-Tails Chakra before preparing to fight.
• Minato used Flying Thunder God to position the Hokage around the Ten-Tails.
• Hashirama Senju and the other three Hokage raised the Four Red Yang Formation to trap the Ten-Tails.