Recaps

Soji dismantled Aoi Rokushō’s threat, protected his allies, and defeated Obito in a battle at sea, while Kirigakure broke free of the Blood Mist’s legacy. Back in Konoha, Soji strengthened his students and clan as Kirigakure’s leaders considered Mei Terumi for Fifth Mizukage.

• Soji killed Aoi Rokushō, gave the Lightning God's Sword to Ringo Ameyuri, and sent her to gather intelligence in Kirigakure.
• Kimimaro, Haku, and Yota competed at the Mist Ninja Academy as Hozuki Mangetsu defected, fought Obito, and was invited to join the Akatsuki Organization.
• Obito attacked Soji’s ship, but Soji forced the battle out to sea and overwhelmed him with the Flowing Rock Shattering Fist and powerful Water Release techniques.
• Soji trapped Obito in a vast sea vortex and returned to Konoha, while Obito survived with Izanagi and ordered Zetsu to investigate Soji.
• Ao discovered that Karatachi Yagura had been controlled by genjutsu, and Yagura escaped Kirigakure before returning to end the Blood Mist policy and purge its perpetrators.
• Soji brought Kabuto to Konoha, where Kabuto became a Jonin and Ninja Academy director, and Yota, Haku, and Kimimaro graduated as Chunin.
• Soji captured three White Zetsu Clones and spent the following two years developing the Hyuga Clan while planning to improve the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
• Karatachi Yagura resigned as Fourth Mizukage, and Kirigakure’s leaders backed Genji’s recommendation of Mei Terumi as his successor.

Soji returned to Kirigakure and was forced to become its Fifth Mizukage, then issued a decree welcoming back ninjas who had left during Madara Uchiha’s control. The order brought former Kirigakure shinobi back from across the world while Akatsuki prepared to target Soji and other captives sought escape.

• Karatachi Yagura revealed that Mizuki Ember had fought Madara Uchiha and a Rinnegan wielder, and Mei Terumi withdrew from the Mizukage contest to support his return.
• Soji treated Kimimaro’s Bloodline Disease with Byakugan, gave Yota Nine-Tails Chakra, and helped Haku awaken Ice Release Sage Mode in the Land of Snow.
• Soji told Pakura that he was Hyuga Soji and had used the Mizuki Ember identity, then reassured her that she was irreplaceable to him.
• Mei Terumi brought Soji back to Kirigakure, where the leaders secretly made him Fifth Mizukage and forced him to accept the position at the inauguration.
• Soji studied the Mizukage materials and proposed pardoning Kirigakure ninjas who had left during Madara Uchiha’s control, then announced the recall decree despite objections from other villages.
• Nagato killed Akatsuki members who wanted to leave and told Obito he would deal with Mizuki Ember, while Soji welcomed returning Kirigakure rogues and assigned many to the Anbu.
• Zabuza killed Gato and his men before returning to Kirigakure, while Raiga Kurosuki and Ranmaru also decided to return.
• Chiyo and Jinin Akebino planned to create a disturbance at Oyakiro Homura’s arena to free the Kirigakure children held there, revealing that they possessed the Ketsuryūgan and Daijutsu.

Soji strengthened Kirigakure, helped Neji awaken an evolved Byakugan, and prepared Minato’s return while secretly acting as the Night Duke in Konoha. The Night Duke’s battle with Kakashi and Itachi left his identity uncertain and ended with Itachi’s Susanoo taking Kakashi’s redirected slash.

• Chiyo and Jinin Akebino led their fellow arena fighters toward Kirigakure, where Soji tested them with an Anbu ambush before recruiting them under Jinin’s command.
• Soji established Kirigakure’s Anbu leadership, brought Pakura and clan members to the village, then left Otsutsuki Genji to govern while he returned to Konoha.
• Neji chose to remain a genin alongside Tenten and Rock Lee, and Soji helped him absorb the Blood Crystal and awaken an evolved Byakugan.
• Soji continued overseeing Kirigakure and kept Harusame under surveillance to prevent Utakata from defecting, while Orochimaru proposed meeting in Uzushio Village to undo the Reaper Death Seal.
• Soji secretly prepared to revive Minato and used Minato’s body as the Night Duke, whose interventions against lawbreakers made Konoha search for him.
• Kiba led Naruto, Sasuke, and their classmates in tracking the Night Duke, while Soji deliberately challenged Kakashi and pushed him to a breakthrough in swordsmanship.
• Kakashi and Itachi fought the Night Duke as the students watched, and Kakashi’s slash was redirected toward Itachi, who formed his Susanoo to meet it.

Kakashi uncovered that the Night Duke was Minato, while Naruto learned that Minato was trapped in the Death God’s stomach and resolved to seek Soji’s help. At Uzushio’s ruins, Soji and Orochimaru fought Nagato and Konan, and Orochimaru reached for Nagato’s Rinnegan while Nagato was occupied.

• The Night Duke fought Kakashi, Itachi, Naruto, Sasuke, and the academy students before releasing Kakashi’s sealed memories and vanishing from Konoha.
• Kakashi found Minato and Kushina’s graves empty, identified the Night Duke as Minato, and convinced the Third Hokage that Minato had survived and secretly protected Konoha.
• Naruto learned from the Third Hokage and Kakashi that Minato was alive, but misunderstood their hints and left still unaware that the Night Duke was his father.
• Naruto encountered the Nine-Tails, removed its talisman, and learned that Minato and the Nine-Tails’ Yin half were trapped in the Death God’s stomach.
• The Nine-Tails suggested Soji might free Minato, and Soji later set out for Uzushio as Orochimaru traveled there in search of the Reaper Death Seal’s key.
• Nagato and Konan confronted Orochimaru at Uzushio, and Soji joined Orochimaru before fighting Konan and her Summoning Beasts.
• Soji overcame Konan’s attacks and summoned beasts while Orochimaru fought Nagato and tried to seize his Rinnegan.
• Orochimaru used reanimated fighters and Shadow Clones to occupy Nagato, then emerged from a Little Grey Snake and reached toward Nagato’s Rinnegan.