Chapter Summaries

Kaze killed Mei Terumi despite her Hidden Mist Technique and last-ditch Boil Release, then her falling corpse revealed her death to the armies below. Konoha's morale surged as Kaze immediately charged at Rasa.

• Kaze bypassed Mei Terumi's Shadow Clones and pierced her chest with Hell Stab Three-Finger Pierce.
• Mei Terumi unleashed Boil Release and grabbed at Kaze, but his lightning body electrocuted her as she died.
• Mei Terumi's corpse fell from the mist, and Rasa, Ōnoki, and Akatsuchi recognized that the Fifth Mizukage had been killed.
• Kirigakure's ninjas reacted in disbelief, while Konoha's forces gained morale and Sunagakure and Iwagakure grew uneasy.
• Kaze continued his attack and charged straight at Rasa.

Kaze killed Mei Terumi and then faced Rasa, Ōnoki, and Akatsuchi as the allied forces' morale faltered. He evaded Ōnoki's Dust Release and killed Akatsuchi, leaving the Stone Ninja shaken and despairing.

• Kirigakure ninjas caught Mei Terumi's falling body, but medical treatment failed to save her after Kaze's attack had destroyed her heart and organs.
• Mei Terumi's death shocked the Sand Ninja and Stone Ninja, while Kaze rapidly pursued Rasa as Ōnoki struggled with his back injury.
• Akatsuchi attacked Kaze to buy Rasa time, but Kaze caught his fist and prevented him from escaping.
• Akatsuchi cut off his own wrist to break free and warned Ōnoki to attack, prompting Ōnoki to unleash Dust Release: True Several World Stripping Technique.
• Kaze used Geppo to evade Ōnoki's attack and struck Akatsuchi through the chest with Hell Stab: Two-Finger Thrust, leaving the Stone Ninja in despair.

After Akatsuchi's death, Ōnoki retreated to the ground and prepared to use his most powerful Dust Release technique against Kaze. Kaze sensed Obito Uchiha and other Akatsuki members arriving, while an unknown figure suddenly appeared beside Ōnoki.

• Kaze killed Akatsuchi, leaving the Stone Ninja fearful and lamenting the loss of Ōnoki's protector.
• Ōnoki concluded that Dust Release: Limit Stripping Technique was his only chance to defeat Kaze, but he feared he would not get another opportunity.
• Kaze watched Rasa create a Gold Dust giant and sensed Obito Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, Black Zetsu, and White Zetsu entering Sunagakure.
• Ōnoki returned to the ground, where Stone Ninja gathered around him as he watched Kaze warily.
• A strange voice addressed Ōnoki from nearby, and he stumbled back in pain before seeing who had spoken.

Black Zetsu approached Ōnoki and proposed joining forces with Akatsuki and Rasa to defeat Kaze, claiming Uchiha Itachi could trap Kaze in a Genjutsu long enough for Dust Release to strike. Ōnoki agreed to cooperate, while Rasa formed a towering Gold Dust giant and a new battle began.

• Black Zetsu revealed himself to Ōnoki and urged him to cooperate against Kaze, warning that Iwagakure and the Land of Earth would fall if Kaze prevailed.
• Ōnoki silenced his arguing Stone Ninja and asked Black Zetsu whether Akatsuki had a plan.
• Black Zetsu claimed Kaze was vulnerable to Genjutsu and said Uchiha Itachi had found a way to trap him temporarily.
• Black Zetsu proposed that Ōnoki use Dust Release to destroy Kaze while Itachi held him in the Genjutsu World, and Ōnoki agreed to cooperate with Akatsuki.
• Rasa gathered enough Gold Dust to form a giant forty or fifty meters tall as another battle began.

Kaze faced Rasa’s Gold Dust giant and killed the Fourth Kazekage with a single slash from Enma, splitting the giant and carving a chasm through Sunagakure. He then turned his attention toward Ōnoki and the intruder hiding in the village.

• Rasa formed a giant body from Gold Dust and ordered his allies to clear a path, while Hizashi joined Kaze before Kaze sent him to protect Konoha’s ninjas.
• Rasa attacked Kaze with the Gold Dust giant’s fist, relying on insulating sand and redirected electricity to counter Kaze’s Lightning Release.
• Kaze drew Enma, used Observation Haki to locate Rasa, and drove back the Sand Ninja who tried to disrupt his attack.
• Kaze struck with a massive black-purple sword wave that split the Gold Dust giant and killed Rasa, then cut a deep chasm through Sunagakure.
• Kaze turned toward Ōnoki and the hidden intruder as Sunagakure’s ninjas stared at Rasa’s death.

Kaze killed Rasa with one slash, leaving Sunagakure’s forces stunned and despairing. Gaara attacked Kaze with Sand Waterfall Funeral, but Kaze answered with a far greater Gold Dust version of the same technique.

• Rasa’s death shattered the Sand Ninja’s morale, and Temari collapsed in despair while Kankuro stopped a Konoha Genin from killing her and urged her to keep fighting.
• Temari recovered enough to attack the Konoha Genin, while Gaara unleashed Sand Waterfall Funeral at Kaze without regard for allies caught in its path.
• Black Zetsu summoned thirty thousand White Zetsu to support Ōnoki, who was stunned by the size of Akatsuki’s forces and Gaara’s remaining power.
• Kaze used the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to create a magnetic field and control Rasa’s Gold Dust, then launched his own Sand Waterfall Funeral at Gaara.
• Gaara froze in midair when he saw Kaze command Gold Dust on a scale far greater than his own sand.

Kaze overwhelmed Gaara with Gold Dust and knocked him unconscious with a single punch, then swept the battlefield with a carefully controlled Gold Dust Funeral. As Sunagakure and Kirigakure shinobi surrendered and Iwagakure suffered heavy losses, Ōnoki anxiously asked Black Zetsu whether their reinforcements had arrived.

• Gaara and the Sunagakure shinobi watched in shock as Kaze's Gold Dust Funeral overpowered Gaara's Sand Waterfall Funeral.
• Kaze appeared behind Gaara and struck him through his sand defense with an Armament Haki-coated punch, leaving him unconscious.
• Temari and Kankuro rushed toward Gaara as Kaze's Gold Dust Funeral swallowed his collapsed sand technique and buried enemy shinobi and White Zetsu.
• Kaze's Gold Dust Funeral spared the Konoha shinobi, while many Sunagakure and Kirigakure shinobi surrendered and Iwagakure lost a fifth of its forces.
• Ōnoki asked Black Zetsu whether the others had arrived as he faced the prospect of fighting without his allies.

Kaze faced Akatsuki’s full force at Sunagakure, then tracked Nagato and Konan’s hiding place and flew away from the battlefield. Sasuke led Itachi aside to confront him, while Ōnoki and Pain reacted to Kaze’s unexpected departure.

• The Sand Ninja surrendered after Rasa died and Gaara was badly wounded, while Black Zetsu brought White Zetsu to reinforce the wavering Stone Ninja.
• Ōnoki asked Black Zetsu when Akatsuki would arrive, and Black Zetsu warned him to prepare a single decisive use of Dust Release: Limit Stripping Technique.
• Pain, Konan, Obito, Kisame, and Itachi arrived, and Kaze recognized Akatsuki’s full deployment as the group spread across the battlefield.
• Sasuke took Itachi away from Kisame, while Kaze watched them and Kisame searched for the Konoha ninja who had beaten his clone.
• Kaze used Mind Net to locate Nagato and Konan on a sand dune five kilometers from Sunagakure, then told Minato to protect Naruto and Karin before flying toward them.
• Konan and Pain realized Kaze was heading for Nagato, and Sasuke stopped in an empty street corner and asked Itachi whether he was facing his real body.

Sasuke confronted Itachi over Kaze’s invasion of Sunagakure, while Itachi accused Kaze of killing Shisui and sought to turn Sasuke against him. Sasuke rejected the accusation, powered up to fight, and closed his eyes to evade Tsukuyomi, relying on Observation Haki to track Itachi.

• Sasuke and Itachi argued over Kaze’s plan to unify the Shinobi World, with Sasuke defending him and Itachi calling him an ambitious politician.
• Itachi told Sasuke that Kaze had killed Shisui to take his Mangekyō Sharingan and warned that Kaze might eventually fear Sasuke’s growing power.
• Itachi urged Sasuke to join him against Kaze and become the next Hokage, but Sasuke rejected his claims and vowed never to betray Kaze.
• Sasuke activated Lightning Release Chakra Full-Release Mode, and Itachi used his Mangekyō Sharingan to search for Sasuke as he moved at immense speed.
• Sasuke closed his eyes to prevent Itachi from using Tsukuyomi, while secretly tracking him with Observation Haki.

Sasuke battled Itachi, forcing him to reveal his Susanoo and showing that his Hell Stab could challenge its defenses. White Zetsu warned Itachi that Kaze was heading for Pain’s main body, but Sasuke continued his attack, leaving Itachi struggling to hold back his Two-Finger Thrust.

• Itachi used Amaterasu against Sasuke, but Sasuke dodged it with his speed and struck Itachi, who escaped the blow with a Crow Shadow Clone Technique.
• Sasuke attacked with Hell Stab Four-Finger Stab, and Itachi revealed his Susanoo to stop the strike.
• Sasuke’s Three-Finger Pierce clashed with Susanoo’s shield, creating a blast that devastated the surrounding battlefield.
• White Zetsu told Itachi that Kaze had discovered Pain’s main body and was heading there, prompting Itachi to reconsider his plans.
• Sasuke launched Hell Stab: Two-Finger Thrust, driving Itachi’s Susanoo backward as Itachi struggled to block it.

Sasuke overwhelmed Itachi’s Susanoo with Hell Stab and prepared to finish the fight with One-Finger Nukite, while Itachi realized Sasuke still wanted to bring him home alive. Their final clash began in midair, with the outcome unresolved.

• Sasuke’s Two-Finger Thrust shattered Itachi’s Susanoo shield and its shockwave knocked out White Zetsu.
• Sasuke activated One-Finger Nukite, and watching ninja and Uchiha Clan members were stunned by his strength and kept clear of the battle.
• Itachi detected Sasuke attacking from behind but realized Sasuke had avoided his vital organs and still wanted to take him back to Konoha.
• Itachi reinforced Susanoo’s defenses as Sasuke charged, and their attack and defense collided in midair, shattering the ground beneath them.

Sasuke attacked Itachi with Hell Stab while enduring Amaterasu, but his plea that Itachi was his brother moved Itachi to extinguish the flames before the strike sent him flying. Itachi trapped Sasuke in Tsukuyomi and escaped with White Zetsu’s help as Uchiha Kiyoshi led a pursuit.

• Sasuke drove his One-Finger Thrust through Itachi’s Susanoo as Itachi unleashed Amaterasu and retreated.
• Sasuke kept attacking through the flames, telling Itachi he persisted because Itachi was his brother and he wanted him to return home.
• Itachi withdrew Amaterasu, but Sasuke’s thrust struck his side and destroyed his Susanoo; Itachi then placed Sasuke under Tsukuyomi and flew toward Kaze’s direction.
• Sasuke collapsed, and Uchiha Kiyoshi divided the Uchiha Clan members between guarding Sasuke and pursuing Itachi.
• White Zetsu intercepted Uchiha Kiyoshi’s pursuit while another White Zetsu healed Itachi and restored his Chakra.
• Black Zetsu arrived beside Itachi using White Zetsu’s Mayfly Technique and began explaining the situation elsewhere.

With White Zetsu healing him, Itachi Uchiha recovered enough to face Uchiha Kiyoshi and eight Uchiha clansmen. After Itachi endured their combined attacks with Amaterasu and Susanoo, both techniques faded—and Itachi vanished without a trace.

• White Zetsu healed Itachi Uchiha and told him that Kaze was heading for Nagato.
• Uchiha Kiyoshi and eight Uchiha clansmen broke through the White Zetsu barrier and attacked Itachi with a combined wind-and-fire technique.
• Itachi blocked Kiyoshi's attack with Susanoo, revealing that White Zetsu had healed his wound.
• Kiyoshi and the other Uchiha clansmen fused nine Great Fire Dragons into one enormous dragon and sent it diving at Itachi.
• Itachi used Amaterasu and Susanoo to stop the Fire Dragon, but both techniques shrank and Itachi disappeared.

Qingfeng failed to find Itachi, while Obito brought the badly wounded Uchiha to join Pain and Ōnoki. As Kaze pulled farther ahead, Nagato refused to retreat and prepared to confront him, leaving Itachi time to recover before the coming battle.

• Qingfeng searched the battlefield with his Sharingan but could not find Itachi among the White Zetsu.
• Ōnoki traveled beside the Six Paths of Pain and grew alarmed when Obito appeared with Itachi, realizing Akatsuki's lineup included six Rinnegan users, two Uchiha, and the power to threaten the shinobi villages.
• Obito brought Itachi, exhausted and wounded after fighting Sasuke, Qingfeng, and others, and criticized him for acting on his own.
• Obito saw Kaze pulling farther ahead and asked Pain where Nagato was hiding so he could reach him first.
• Deva Path Pain refused to reveal Nagato's location, saying the Six Paths would catch up to Kaze and that Nagato was ready to fight.
• Obito accepted Nagato's decision and told Itachi to recover before the difficult battle ahead, and Itachi agreed.

As Kaze pursued Nagato and Konan, he overheard Obito and Itachi planning to trap him with Izanami and use Izanagi to create an opening for Ōnoki’s Dust Release. Kaze realized he had to avoid attacking Itachi, but Obito’s ability to rewrite reality made that difficult.

• Kaze assessed the pursuing group’s threats and recognized that Obito’s Izanagi, Itachi’s Izanami, and the Totsuka Blade could be combined against him.
• Kaze sensed that Itachi and Sasuke had both been weakened by their battle, while Uchiha Clan members guarded the unconscious Sasuke.
• Obito told Itachi about Izanagi and proposed that Itachi use Izanami to immobilize Kaze so Ōnoki could finish him with Dust Release.
• Obito promised Itachi that Sasuke’s Sharingan could replace the eye sacrificed to Izanami, while secretly intending to prevent Itachi from gaining an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Kaze overheard their plan through Mind Net and concluded that he could not attack Itachi, though Obito’s Izanagi could still complicate his efforts to avoid doing so.

Kaze found Nagato and Konan hiding near Sunagakure and moved to strike before Obito and the others arrived. Nagato summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to defend himself, and Kaze saw purple poisonous mist inside its mouth.

• Kaze used the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to lift the sand and reveal Nagato and Konan's hiding place.
• Nagato asked Kaze to spare Konan and asked her to retrieve Yahiko's body if he died; Kaze agreed to let her leave.
• Kaze charged at Nagato with a four-finger strike, overwhelming both Nagato and Konan with his presence.
• Nagato summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and let its iron rods pierce his back.
• The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path opened its mouth, revealing a mass of purple poisonous mist.

Nagato summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and used its Chakra dragon to keep Kaze at bay while Konan looked for a chance to strike. Nagato refused to rely on Madara’s Kamui to bring the Six Paths of Pain, and Kaze began preparing to evade the dragons by using his lightning abilities.

• Nagato summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, easing the pressure on Konan but risking his already weakened body.
• Konan realized Kaze had left her unguarded and decided to use his contempt as an opening to attack him.
• Nagato considered ways to bring the Six Paths of Pain to him faster, but rejected relying on Madara’s Kamui because he feared Madara would take advantage of the situation.
• Nagato resolved to hold Kaze off until Pain arrived and split the Chakra dragon into nine faster dragons to restrict Kaze’s movements.
• Kaze dodged the first dragon and assessed Nagato’s plan, then prepared to use Elementalization and lightning to make himself lighter and accelerate.

Kaze escaped Nagato’s Chakra Dragons and advanced through Konan’s paper-spear barrage, revealing that his elementalized body could evade physical attacks. As Kaze moved to kill Nagato, Nagato suddenly restored his strength and counterattacked, then used Shinra Tensei to defend himself.

• Kaze elementalized into lightning and escaped the nine Chakra Dragons, whose collision collapsed the sand beneath Nagato and Konan.
• Konan transformed into wings and fired paper spears around Nagato, but Kaze let them pass through his body after predicting their paths with Observation Haki.
• Nagato concluded Kaze’s ability resembled Madara Uchiha’s intangibility, while Kaze continued toward him with a punch aimed at his chest.
• Nagato’s body regained its vitality, and he used the Asura Path’s arm cannon to fire at Kaze while dodging his punch.
• Kaze’s attack continued despite Nagato’s counterattack, so Nagato abandoned the attempt to risk his life and used Shinra Tensei to defend himself.

Nagato absorbed some of the Tailed Beast Chakra from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, restored his strength, and broke free of the machine supporting him. He believed he had exposed Kaze’s weakness and gained the upper hand, but Kaze remained confident as Nagato’s invisible Chameleon attacked.

• Nagato used Shinra Tensei to repel Kaze, then shattered the Black Rods connecting him to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and stood under his own strength.
• Konan realized Nagato had absorbed Chakra from the six Tailed Beasts and believed their plan to counter Kaze’s intangibility had succeeded.
• Kaze recognized Nagato’s transformation and considered the limits of Shinra Tensei, remaining confident despite the change in the battle.
• Nagato declared that he knew Kaze’s weakness, summoned the Hellhound and Chameleon, and used their shared vision to track Kaze.
• The invisible Chameleon reached Kaze and lashed at him with its tongue as Nagato prepared to use the Human Path to pull out his soul.

Kaze defeated Nagato’s chameleon and restrained the Hellhound, but Nagato escalated the fight by launching Chibaku Tensei. Konan prepared to support the attack with Exploding Tags hidden in the sand dune, leaving Kaze facing a coordinated attempt to trap and kill him.

• Kaze dodged the invisible chameleon and used Magnet Release to restrain the Hellhound without triggering its ability to split apart.
• Kaze grabbed the chameleon’s tongue and destroyed the beast with lightning, while the Hellhound remained immobilized.
• Nagato concluded that Kaze had used the Hellhound as bait and prepared to face him directly.
• Konan summoned more than a hundred Paper Shuriken to guard Nagato as he began Chibaku Tensei.
• Konan revealed that the sand dune was made of Exploding Tags and expected Chibaku Tensei to draw the trapped explosives toward Kaze.