Chapter Summaries

Naruto confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi about hiding his identity as Minato Namikaze’s son and used the threat of leaving Konoha to pressure the Hokage into promising compensation. He secured a village proposal within two days and planned to visit Kumogakure and Amegakure during his time away.

• Naruto went to the Hokage’s Office, where he accused Hiruzen Sarutobi of concealing his parentage and letting him suffer as a child.
• Naruto questioned whether Konoha was still worth staying in and mentioned invitations and generous offers from Iwagakure and Kumogakure.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi, fearing Naruto would leave, promised land, funding, special authority, and training resources in a proposal prepared within a few days.
• Naruto accepted the promise but said he would leave the village for about two days, and Hiruzen agreed to provide an answer within that time.
• Naruto left the office and planned to visit Kumogakure and Amegakure himself.

Naruto and Uchiha Liutong arrived in the Land of Lightning to target Kumogakure, and Naruto teleported them to the building housing the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. He confronted Yugito and, after seeing her, began considering a bold idea.

• Naruto complained that they had arrived in the evening, then ordered Uchiha Liutong to report for standby with the Mizukage Contest team.
• Naruto sensed the Two-Tails Jinchuriki and used a space-time technique to take himself and Liutong to a building near Kumogakure.
• Naruto and Liutong discussed the Land of Lightning’s dark-skinned residents, and Naruto joked that they should grow cotton after the ninja world was unified.
• Naruto burst into the room and confronted Yugito, who recognized him as Uchiha Obito.
• Naruto confirmed that Yugito was the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, admired her appearance, and came up with a bold idea.

Naruto extracted Matatabi from Yugito, sealed Yugito away, and used his Sharingan to make Matatabi attack Kumogakure. The Raikage Building and nearby mountain structures were devastated as A and the other leaders realized Uchiha Obito was behind the attack.

• Naruto used his power to tear Matatabi out of Yugito, sealed Yugito's soul in her body, and sent her into the Kamui Dimension.
• Naruto summoned Sharingan-controlled Matatabi at Kumogakure and directed it to attack the Raikage Building with a Tailed Beast Ball and its claws.
• Kumogakure's command center detected a tailed-beast-level disturbance, and Samui ordered evacuations as Cee sensed hostile, unfamiliar Chakra.
• Matatabi's attack destroyed half the Raikage Building and damaged nearby mountain structures, while monitoring footage revealed its Sharingan eyes.
• The monitoring squad identified Uchiha Obito as the likely culprit, and A charged toward Matatabi in a lightning cloak.

Naruto, disguised as Uchiha Obito, fought Raikage Ay while pretending his destruction of Kumogakure was a helpful renovation project. Ay could not land a blow through Obito’s intangibility, and the confrontation ended with Naruto mocking him as the village’s supposed benefactor.

• Fourth Raikage Ay interrupted Matatabi’s Tailed Beast Ball with a lightning-fast elbow strike, then was blasted through ruined buildings by its explosion.
• Naruto recognized Ay as a threat and appeared above the ruins as Uchiha Obito, using his intangibility to evade Ay’s Lightning Release: Lariat and repeated charges.
• Ay demanded to know why Obito was attacking Kumogakure, while Naruto recalled the village’s past attempts to kidnap his mother and Hinata.
• Naruto claimed he had come to help by demolishing Kumogakure’s dangerous mountain settlements and called himself the Cloud Village Demolition Office Director.
• Ay roared in fury as Naruto insisted that he should be celebrated as Kumogakure’s great benefactor.

Naruto, disguised as Uchiha Obito, devastated Kumogakure’s forces and recovered the sealed Two-Tails along with the Amber Jar of the Six Paths. After Raikage Ay vowed to hunt him down, Naruto decided he had to kill Ay.

• Raikage Ay led Kumogakure’s forces in a coordinated assault, but Naruto phased through their attacks and used Wood Style to kill and injure many ninja.
• Naruto broke the genjutsu squad’s attack and used fire and steam as cover to continue picking off Kumogakure’s fighters.
• Ay ordered the surviving ninja to regroup defensively as he realized the battle was costing his forces heavily while Naruto remained largely unharmed.
• Naruto appeared atop the Amber Jar of the Six Paths after Darui’s team sealed Matatabi, then recovered both the jar and the Two-Tails, making them vanish.
• Ay attacked Naruto in fury and vowed Kumogakure would pursue him, so Naruto abandoned his plan to spare Ay and declared he had to kill him.

Naruto, disguised as Uchiha Obito, drove the Cloud Ninja from Kumogakure’s ruins and used genjutsu and Kamui against Raikage Ay. The chapter ended with Ay dead and Darui left holding the Raikage’s severed lower body.

• The Masked Man unleashed Wood Style: Dance of the Thorns, and Raikage Ay shielded the Cloud Ninja with a lightning assault as some were impaled.
• Ay ordered the Cloud Ninja to retreat, and Darui led them away while recognizing the Masked Man as Uchiha Obito.
• The Masked Man used Binding Technique to immobilize Ay despite his Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
• The Masked Man swallowed Ay with Kamui, and Darui reached him too late, catching only his severed lower body.

Naruto captured Raikage Ay after Darui’s strike left him mortally wounded, gathered intelligence from his memories, and prepared modified Cloud Ninja for Root. After equipping a Two-Tails Badge that boosted Chakra recovery, Naruto set his sights on the Eight-Tails.

• Darui’s attack left Raikage Ay with only half his body, and Naruto escaped the battlefield into the Kamui Dimension as Cloud Ninja cried out and attacked.
• Ay pursued Naruto into the dimension, but Naruto caught his lightning fist, knocked him down, used genjutsu to incapacitate him, and read his memories.
• Naruto sealed Ay’s body and soul in a scroll, then healed and modified thirteen captured Cloud Ninja as personnel for Shimura Danzō’s Root Organization.
• Naruto told News Tycoon Minazuki Sanjo that the Root personnel were ready, and they discussed launching the plan in about half a year.
• Naruto equipped the Two-Tails Badge, saw that it greatly increased his Chakra recovery, and headed toward the Eight-Tails as a test subject.

Naruto confronted Killer B in Cloud-Thunder Gorge and used his Sharingan to subdue Gyuki before beginning to extract the Eight-Tails. As Gyuki was pulled from Killer B, it severed one of its tentacles to leave behind and help Killer B survive.

• Killer B left his training ground and attacked Naruto, who was disguised as Obito, after Naruto offered him a watermelon and fried chicken.
• Naruto trapped Killer B with genjutsu, but Killer B broke free using Gyuki’s chakra and transformed into the Eight-Tails.
• Naruto used his Sharingan to control Gyuki and force it back into Killer B before entering Killer B’s consciousness.
• Naruto began extracting Gyuki from Killer B with the Reaper technique, and Gyuki severed a tentacle as it was pulled out.

Naruto tested whether a reclaimed Tailed Beast retained its memories by summoning Gyuki, then reclaimed the Eight-Tails and discovered its badge offered a repeatable Chakra Recovery boost. After sending Killer B to work alongside Ay in the Land of Grass, Naruto decided to leave the Land of Earth alone for now and took the day off.

• Naruto purchased and summoned Gyuki, confirmed it remembered its encounter with him, and subdued it with a punch before reclaiming it.
• Naruto received 600,000 ryo and an Eight-Tails Badge that increased Chakra Recovery by 8%, and considered exploiting the reward for rapid regeneration.
• Naruto woke Killer B, altered his appearance and memories of the extraction, and sent him through a spatial vortex to join Ay in the Land of Grass.
• Naruto reviewed the damage and his actions in Kumogakure, then chose not to target the Land of Earth so Uchiha Obito's identity would not draw too many enemies.
• Naruto declared a day of paid leave and disappeared to visit the pleasure district and listen to music.

Newspapers reported that Uchiha Obito had attacked Kumogakure, killed Raikage Ay, and unleashed the Two-Tails, alarming the shinobi world. As village leaders reacted and Sasuke learned of Shimura Danzō’s stolen Sharingan, Kakuzu spotted Obito’s enormous bounty and hurried back to sell the arm he possessed.

• Newspapers across the shinobi world reported Obito’s attack on Kumogakure and Ay’s death, spreading fear throughout the Land of Lightning.
• Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure to tighten security around its tailed-beast jinchūriki, then discovered a report that Danzō had defected.
• Chiyo ordered Sunagakure to continue negotiating with Konoha for Gaara and its captured shinobi, while Konoha’s leaders insisted on a ransom.
• Sasuke saw a photograph of Danzō’s Sharingan-covered arm, blamed him for the Uchiha Clan Downfall, and left to train.
• Kakuzu saw Obito’s 3.2-billion-ryō bounty and returned to the Gold Exchange to sell Obito’s arm.

Zetsu learned that the impostor, not the real Uchiha Obito, had apparently captured the Two-Tails and killed Raikage Ay. Obito briefly resolved to make a comeback, but after seeing the newspaper, he returned to eating and gaming; meanwhile, Uchiha Hongzhong arrived in the Land of Rain.

• Zetsu confirmed that Obito had stayed in the cave while the impostor acted, and learned Obito had spent the day gaming.
• Black Zetsu asked whether Obito had a biological brother, provoking an angry denial.
• Tobi returned with food and supplies, and Obito announced he would leave to confront the impostor.
• White Zetsu showed Obito the headline about the impostor defeating Raikage Ay and taking the Two-Tails, and Obito abandoned his comeback plan to eat and play games.
• Uchiha Hongzhong stepped onto the soil of the Land of Rain.

Uchiha Hongzhong infiltrated Amegakure to investigate why his clones had disappeared and learned that Pain had killed Hanzo and ruled as the village’s “God.” After confronting Konan, Hongzhong faced a newcomer with the Rinnegan, leaving him stunned by the sight of those eyes.

• Uchiha Hongzhong planted Flying Thunder God markers across the Land of Rain and teleported into Amegakure, where he realized the village’s rain carried chakra for sensing intruders.
• Pain sensed that Hongzhong had obstructed his rain and told Konan the intruder was stronger than the three previous attackers.
• Hongzhong gathered rumors in a tavern, followed a Rain ninja, and used genjutsu and his Rinnegan to extract the man’s memories about Pain, Hanzo’s death, and Konan’s role as an angel.
• Hongzhong located Konan and attacked her with Fire and Water Release, overwhelming her paper techniques before an unknown figure appeared and absorbed the flood with his palms.
• Hongzhong recognized the newcomer’s Rinnegan and wondered where those eyes had come from.

Uchiha Hongzhong encountered three Rinnegan-wielding Pain bodies in Amegakure and suspected their hidden controller was Nagato. He played along with Pain’s attempt to recruit him, then tested the bodies’ abilities and discovered they shared vision.

• Hongzhong recognized the three Rinnegan-wielding figures as puppets controlled by chakra threads and decided to investigate Amegakure more thoroughly.
• Animal Path Pain identified himself and tried to recruit Hongzhong, but then summoned a chameleon and prepared to test his strength.
• Hongzhong used the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique and Fire Release against Naraka Path, who absorbed the fire attack.
• Hongzhong attacked Naraka Path physically and sent him crashing into the wall, where broken pipes began spraying water.
• Hongzhong realized the three Pain bodies shared their vision.

Uchiha Hongzhong battled the Six Paths of Pain, using his abilities to defeat the summoned hounds, Naraka Path, Asura Path, and a giant bird. He cornered the hidden Animal Path, but its Shinra Tensei interrupted his attack.

• Hongzhong blocked the three-headed hound with a Great Fireball, then cut it apart with his Lightning Release: Light Sword, only for it to split into four hounds.
• Hongzhong escaped the hounds, lured them into an underground corridor, and destroyed them with Majestic Destroyer Flame.
• Hongzhong confronted Naraka Path and Asura Path, used a fireball to hide his approach, and cut both Pains apart with his sword.
• Hongzhong sealed the defeated Pains, then pinned the giant bird to a wall with his lightning-infused Kusanagi Sword.
• Hongzhong used Majestic Destroyer Flame to target the invisible chameleon, but Animal Path shouted Shinra Tensei.

Uchiha Hongzhong faced the assembled Six Paths of Pain, rejected Deva Path Pain’s invitation to join the Akatsuki, and fought back against the Rinnegan’s powers. He destroyed the Animal Path’s summoned beasts, but the battle remained unresolved.

• Deva Path Pain gathered the remaining Pains and invited Hongzhong to join the Akatsuki Organization, presenting world peace as its goal.
• Hongzhong questioned Pain’s invitation and challenged him, prompting Deva Path Pain to declare that he would show Hongzhong the power of a god.
• Deva Path Pain used Banshō Ten'in to drag Hongzhong toward him, but Hongzhong countered with Majestic Fire Destruction and escaped Pain’s Shinra Tensei using a replacement log.
• Hongzhong unleashed Majestic Destroyer Flame against the four Pains, forcing Deva Path Pain to shield them with Shinra Tensei.
• Animal Path summoned a giant rhinoceros, a bull, and a crab, and Hongzhong destroyed all three with a high-pressure water cannon and lightning-infused sword strikes.

Hongzhong overwhelmed Pain’s forces with relentless water and lightning attacks, killing the Hell Path and Human Path. As he mocked the survivors, the Animal Path summoned four more Rinnegan-bearing figures, restoring the Six Paths of Pain and leaving Hongzhong facing unexpected reinforcements.

• Hongzhong bombarded the four Paths of Pain with Water Meteor Cannons and killed the Hell Path after the Deva Path’s Shinra Tensei could not keep up.
• Hongzhong flooded the battlefield with a Great Waterfall and attacked the remaining Paths with a hundred Water Dragon Bullets.
• Hongzhong hurled a lightning spear at the Human Path while the Deva Path tried to evade, killing the Human Path.
• Hongzhong confronted the Deva Path and Animal Path, mocking their strength and their claims of bringing peace.
• The Animal Path summoned four additional figures with Rinnegan, restoring the Six Paths of Pain and surprising Hongzhong.

Hongzhong revealed his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and overwhelmed the Six Paths of Pain with genjutsu, repulsion, and gravity before annihilating them with a black-hole technique. He suspected Uchiha Madara was controlling Pain and headed west to confront the Rinnegan’s master.

• Hongzhong told Deva Path that he knew the Six Paths of Pain were puppets and demanded to meet the person controlling them.
• Hongzhong revealed his Sharingan and claimed he had awakened it after masked people killed his mother, presenting himself as an Uchiha with no ties to Konoha.
• Hongzhong’s genjutsu immobilized the Six Paths, but Deva Path broke free and countered with Shinra Tensei.
• Hongzhong repelled Pain’s attacks, crushed the Paths with immense gravity, and destroyed the remaining bodies with his Annihilation Black Hole technique.
• Hongzhong collected the resulting neutron microcore and turned west, calling out to Uchiha Madara.

Hongzhong entered the Akatsuki Organization’s hideout and learned from Nagato that the group planned to combine the nine tailed beasts into a weapon and force peace through mass destruction. After Nagato invited him to join, Hongzhong accepted, seeing an opportunity to oppose the plan and confront the Akatsuki.

• Hongzhong reached the Akatsuki hideout, passed the six Pains, and discovered Nagato and Konan inside instead of Uchiha Madara.
• Nagato told Hongzhong that he had been born with the Rinnegan and explained his belief that war made genuine peace impossible.
• Nagato revealed that the Akatsuki planned to gather the nine tailed beasts and create a weapon capable of destroying a great nation.
• Nagato said he would give the weapon to warring nations so mass deaths would make survivors fear war and seek peace.
• Nagato invited Hongzhong to join the Akatsuki, and Hongzhong accepted.

Kakuzu met his newly assigned teammate, Hongzhong, while waiting in the Land of Frost and immediately assessed him as a possible source of bounty money and a Lightning Release heart. They set off to complete a mission in the Land of Lightning, each hiding his suspicions about the other.

• Kakuzu learned that Obito's arm would fetch only 20 million ryo, then received Pain's message that a new teammate was on the way.
• Hongzhong completed his induction into the Akatsuki Organization and traveled to the Land of Frost to meet his teammate.
• Hongzhong greeted Kakuzu and asked whether he wanted to claim Obito's 3.2 billion ryo bounty.
• Kakuzu asked whether Hongzhong had a bounty, then grew disappointed when Hongzhong said he did not.
• After Hongzhong mentioned his Lightning Release, Kakuzu decided his heart could be useful and led him toward their mission in the Land of Lightning.

Hongzhong and Kakuzu infiltrated Kumogakure to investigate the Two-Tails’ disappearance, but Kakuzu tried to kill Hongzhong for his bounty. Hongzhong revealed his Sharingan, subdued Kakuzu, and left him alive with a four-hundred-million-ryo price on his life.

• Kakuzu spotted Hongzhong’s 5.2-million-ryo bounty and decided to kill him, then received a mission with Hongzhong to investigate the missing Two-Tails.
• Hongzhong and Kakuzu infiltrated Kumogakure, interrogated two patrol ninjas, and learned that Uchiha Obito likely had the Two-Tails.
• Kumogakure forces ambushed them, and Kakuzu killed the shinobi before trying to burn Hongzhong with a compound ninjutsu and claim his bounty.
• Hongzhong survived the attack, stabbed Kakuzu, revealed his Sharingan, and destroyed three of Kakuzu’s hearts while leaving the last one intact.
• Hongzhong read and sealed some of Kakuzu’s memories, then demanded four hundred million ryo to spare his life and made him carry the bearded Jonin’s corpse.