Recaps

Kaze revived Minato Namikaze, recruited him to secretly guide Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin, and showed him how Konoha had changed. After the three students passed Minato’s teamwork test, Kaze asked him to hand over the Nine-Tails.

• Kaze used the Shinigami Mask with Orochimaru to release the souls trapped by the Reaper Death Seal, then Orochimaru revived Minato Namikaze with Impure World Reincarnation.
• Kaze told Minato that he planned to take the Yin Nine-Tails from him and become Konoha’s Jinchuriki, while Minato revealed that Madara Uchiha had attacked Kushina and warned that the Nine-Tails remained an Akatsuki target.
• Minato agreed to help Kaze and secretly became Zero, an Elite Jonin who would guide Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin while Kaze sought a way to truly revive him.
• Kaze showed Minato Konoha’s reforms and introduced him to Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin, who graduated after demonstrating their extraordinary techniques.
• Minato began Team 7’s bell test, defeating Sasuke and countering Naruto before Karin used Observation Haki to help the three students take both bells.
• Minato initially failed Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin to teach them teamwork, then gave them another chance, and all three cooperated to pass.
• Minato thanked Kaze for Naruto’s growth and raised concerns about the students’ training and Sasuke’s fixation on Itachi, while Kaze asked Minato to hand over the Nine-Tails.

Kaze sealed the Yin Nine-Tails inside himself and welcomed Nico Robin into his home while preparing for the mission to the Land of Waves. Team 7 began escorting Tazuna, as Akatsuki plotted to capture tailed beasts and Zabuza launched his first attack.

• Kaze sealed the Yin Nine-Tails inside himself with Minato Namikaze’s help, then decided to travel to Turtle Island to master its Chakra.
• White Zetsu informed Obito that Kaze had become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Black Zetsu connected the news to Kaze’s plans for Turtle Island.
• Kaze discovered Nico Robin in his home, offered her a place to stay, and later hired her as his assistant.
• Kaze advised Sasuke to remain a Genin and prepare to become Hokage, while Sasuke set aside his request to join the Anbu.
• Kaze raised Tazuna’s escort mission to S-rank and secured half the bridge’s usage rights in exchange for Konoha’s protection.
• Minato Namikaze led Team 7 toward the Land of Waves, where Sasuke defeated the Demon Brothers and the team learned that Zabuza planned to kill Tazuna.
• Pain assigned Akatsuki members to capture several tailed beasts while their jinchuriki were away from their villages.
• Zabuza attacked Team 7 in the fog by throwing his Nodachi at Tazuna, but Sasuke knocked it aside as Minato Namikaze pulled Tazuna down.

Kaze defeated his dark self at the True Waterfall, then entered the ruins and took the Nine-Tails’ Chakra. While Kaze fought inside, Kiyoshi held off the Cloud Ninja trying to stop him.

• Minato Namikaze defeated Zabuza, exposed Haku’s loyalty to him, and invited Zabuza to meet Kaze in Konoha, leaving Zabuza’s decision about joining open.
• Kaze arrived on Turtle Island and discovered through his Mind Net that Dodai and the Cloud Ninja were plotting against him as he sought to become a perfect Jinchuriki.
• Kaze faced Dark Kaze in his inner world, rejected his ruthless plans, and defeated him with the Nine-Tails’ Chakra.
• Kaze passed the True Waterfall trial and entered the ruins with Kiyoshi and Yamato, while Dodai signaled the Cloud Ninja to attack.
• Kaze opened the Eight Trigrams Seal and fought the Nine-Tails for its Chakra as Yamato suppressed the spreading Chakra and Kiyoshi guarded the chamber entrance.
• Kaze used Famous Sword Enma and Moon Fang: Heavenly Cleave to overpower the Nine-Tails, absorbed its Chakra, entered Golden Body Mode, and resealed it.
• Kiyoshi fought the Cloud Ninja outside the ruins, endured their combined water and lightning attack, then used Wood Release to pursue and crush them before Darui cut apart the vines.

Kaze defeated Killer B and the Kumogakure force on Turtle Island, then captured or destroyed the White Zetsu monitoring the island. With Kumogakure devastated, Kaze began planning to annex the Land of Lightning and offered Kiyoshi its rule.

• Kiyoshi exhausted his Chakra defending against the Cloud Ninja until Kaze emerged from the True Waterfall and saved him, then countered their attacks with overwhelming Fire and Water Release.
• Kaze devastated the Cloud force, and Killer B took command as Fifth Raikage before fighting Kaze to protect Kumogakure and the remaining Tailed Beasts.
• Kaze killed Killer B by using Elementalization to evade his One-Finger Nukite, then ordered Kiyoshi and Yamato to kill the surviving Cloud Ninja despite Darui’s surrender.
• Kiyoshi and Yamato killed the remaining Cloud Ninja, while Kaze discovered White Zetsu spies and learned that Obito had manipulated Kumogakure’s Elders to seize the Nine-Tails.
• Obito and Black Zetsu learned that Kaze had crushed Kumogakure’s forces and considered using Impure World Reincarnation to revive famous ninja as allies.
• Yuruda and his squad found the dead Cloud Ninja on Turtle Island and reported the massacre to Kumogakure’s Elders, who feared their weakened village and discussed placing a bounty on Kaze.
• Kaze planned to move against Kumogakure and annex the Land of Lightning, then offered Kiyoshi the position of its Daimyo.