Chapter Summaries

Shinichi Hyuga escaped Tobirama Senju’s Bringer-of-Darkness Genjutsu, defeated Yakushi Kabuto, and fought Tobirama and Hashirama Senju together. As Jiraiya and Orochimaru’s battle raged nearby, Orochimaru realized Shinichi’s strength had made his expected victory uncertain.

• Shinichi Hyuga tried to seal Hashirama Senju with the Four Symbols Seal, but Tobirama Senju trapped him in the Bringer-of-Darkness Genjutsu.
• Shinichi recognized the technique as a Genjutsu, disrupted its effects with his Chakra, and dodged Yakushi Kabuto’s attack before striking Kabuto with Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
• The darkness lifted after Shinichi sent Kabuto flying, and Tobirama Senju knocked Kakashi and Shisui aside before Shinichi caught Kakashi and confronted Tobirama.
• Shinichi exchanged blows with Tobirama, but Hashirama Senju regenerated and joined the fight, allowing the two Hokage to pressure Shinichi together.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru summoned Gama Bunta and Manda, while Orochimaru watched Shinichi hold off the two Hokage and reconsidered the certainty of his victory.

Orochimaru tried to seize Shinichi Hyuga’s Byakugan, but Shinichi severed his neck and then exposed Orochimaru’s regenerative escape. As Hashirama and Tobirama attacked Jiraiya, Shinichi used a Flying Thunder God mark placed on Kabuto to appear behind Orochimaru and hold him at kunai point.

• Orochimaru attacked Shinichi, who dodged with the Flying Thunder God Technique and cut off Orochimaru’s head, but Orochimaru shed his skin and emerged unharmed.
• Orochimaru gave Kabuto a weakened Cursed Seal to help him overcome Shinichi’s Gentle Fist, but its power failed to fully unblock Kabuto’s acupoints.
• Hashirama used Wood Release to bind Gama Bunta, forcing Jiraiya to release the summon and charge at Orochimaru.
• Hashirama and Tobirama moved to surround Jiraiya, but Shinichi appeared behind Orochimaru and held a kunai against him.
• Orochimaru realized Shinichi had placed a Flying Thunder God mark on Kabuto during their earlier encounter.

Shinichi Hyuga cornered Orochimaru and revealed that Konoha was investigating Akatsuki rather than trying to capture him. Orochimaru shared intelligence about Akatsuki and offered to help Konoha destroy it, while Jiraiya began to suspect its leader was one of the children they had met in Amegakure.

• Shinichi Hyuga used the Flying Thunder God mark on Kabuto to ambush Orochimaru and demanded information about the ring marked Empty.
• Shinichi revealed Konoha was targeting Akatsuki, and Orochimaru agreed to trade information for his life and his subordinates' lives.
• Orochimaru released Impure World Reincarnation, dismissed Manda, stopped Kimimaro's fight with Might Guy, and led the group to his Underground Palace.
• Orochimaru identified Akatsuki's leader as a bearer of the Rinnegan, prompting Jiraiya to wonder whether the leader was one of the children they had met in Amegakure.
• Orochimaru named Akatsuki's current members and said the organization intended to seize all the Tailed Beasts and rule the world.
• Orochimaru offered to assist Konoha in destroying Akatsuki while it was still gathering strength.

Orochimaru shared his intelligence on Akatsuki and agreed to help Shinichi Hyuga investigate the Rinnegan in Rain Country alongside Jiraiya. Minato arranged for possible reinforcements, and the group entered Rain Country, where Shinichi suspected they had already been detected.

• Orochimaru gave Shinichi Hyuga a Scroll of Akatsuki intelligence and offered to cooperate with Konoha against the organization.
• Jiraiya revealed that he had once met a Rinnegan-wielding child from Rain Country and believed Akatsuki's leader might be that former student.
• Shinichi persuaded Orochimaru to join the investigation, and Jiraiya insisted they leave for Rain Country immediately.
• Kushina delivered Shinichi's intelligence and letter to Minato, who went to Mount Myōboku to arrange possible reinforcements.
• Shinichi, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and the others reached Rain Country and headed toward a city to find someone who could explain the situation.

Shinichi Hyuga and his group entered the Rain Country, discovered that Nagato’s chakra-infused rain could detect intruders, and sent Tobirama Senju ahead to investigate. Nagato sensed the team and dispatched Pain, while Obito went to observe; Tobirama survived the Animal Path’s attack and suspected he had encountered Akatsuki’s leader.

• Shinichi sensed chakra mixed into the rain and warned Jiraiya’s group that their presence might be known, so Jiraiya kept everyone together.
• Shinichi distributed Flying Thunder God Kunai, and Orochimaru summoned Tobirama Senju with Impure World Reincarnation to test the city’s defenses.
• Nagato detected the intruders with his White Tiger Self-Rain Technique and said their chakra was unusually powerful; Pain went to intercept them while Obito disappeared to investigate.
• The Animal Path attacked Tobirama with explosive bird eggs as he approached Amegakure, but Tobirama’s Impure World body regenerated afterward.
• Tobirama recognized the attacker as likely connected to Akatsuki and spoke in Orochimaru’s voice.

Animal Path and the Six Paths of Pain attacked Shinichi Hyuga’s group at sea, but Jiraiya and Shinichi survived and countered. The chapter left Shinichi charging the Deva Path as he unleashed Shinra Tensei.

• Orochimaru secretly escaped the boat as Shinichi Hyuga warned him that his covert actions were noticed.
• Animal Path dropped more than twenty explosive bird eggs on the boat, and Shinichi used Flying Thunder God to evacuate Shisui, Might Guy, and Kakashi while Jiraiya sheltered inside a summoned toad.
• Jiraiya trapped Animal Path inside Mount Myōboku’s Rock Toad and defeated him with a Rasengan.
• Jiraiya and Shinichi confronted the remaining five Paths of Pain, and Jiraiya recognized that each had the Rinnegan.
• The Deva Path used Universal Pull to draw Shinichi close and tried to stab him with a Black Rod, but Shinichi vanished and reappeared beside Jiraiya.
• Shinichi charged at the Deva Path, who raised his hand and used Shinra Tensei.

Shinichi Hyuga used a Shadow Clone and Flying Thunder God to exploit the Deva Path’s Shinra Tensei cooldown, but Obito Uchiha intervened and stopped his assassination attempt. Jiraiya and Shinichi escaped beneath the sea in a toad, where Jiraiya prepared to enter Sage Mode and Shinichi examined the Animal Path’s Black Rod.

• Shinichi’s Shadow Clone baited the Deva Path into using Shinra Tensei, then vanished as Shinichi used Flying Thunder God to attack during its cooldown.
• Obito Uchiha appeared and blocked Shinichi’s strike with his War Fan, forcing Shinichi to retreat to Jiraiya.
• Jiraiya recognized Obito as the masked man Minato had mentioned, and Obito attacked with Fire Release: Storm Dance.
• Jiraiya raised a Water Formation Wall, and the collision of fire and water filled the battlefield with thick mist.
• Obito warned Pain that Shinichi used Flying Thunder God, then vanished into his other dimension while the Pains searched the fog.
• Jiraiya and Shinichi hid inside a toad beneath the sea; Jiraiya gathered Sage Chakra as Shinichi studied the Black Rod pulled from the Animal Path.

Jiraiya returned to the battle in Sage Mode and used the two elder Toads’ support to destroy three of Pain’s bodies. Shinichi Hyuga arrived near the burning battlefield and considered whether Jiraiya could defeat the remaining Paths with Toad Chant Genjutsu.

• Deva Path searched the sea for Jiraiya, then prepared to return to Amegakure with the other Paths and Madara Uchiha.
• Jiraiya appeared in Sage Mode and attacked Deva Path from underwater with Fukasaku’s water blades.
• Shima bound Hell Path with her tongue and cut it apart while the other Paths dodged the water blades.
• Asura Path attacked Jiraiya with missiles and a Gatling gun, but Jiraiya countered with Sage Art: Fire Style - Fire Dragon Bullet, destroying Asura Path and forcing Deva Path to repel the flames with Shinra Tensei.
• Shinichi Hyuga appeared beside a Contact Toad, assessed Jiraiya’s advantage, and considered whether he would use Toad Chant Genjutsu against the remaining Paths.

Jiraiya fought the Deva Path, Preta Path, and Human Path while Shinichi Hyuga watched from the sea, ready to intervene. After the three Paths nearly pulled out Jiraiya’s soul, Shinichi rescued him and killed the Human Path and Preta Path, leaving Jiraiya weakened and the Deva Path still active.

• Jiraiya analyzed the remaining Paths’ abilities and attacked to provoke them, but the Deva Path used Universal Pull to draw him in.
• The Preta Path absorbed Jiraiya’s Rasengan while the Human Path struck him, and the three Paths later coordinated to restrain him and pull out his soul.
• Jiraiya weakened as the Preta Path absorbed his Chakra, and he briefly saw memories of his youth and Tsunade while nearing death.
• Shinichi Hyuga used the Flying Thunder God and the Fifth Gate to kill the Human Path and Preta Path, then found Jiraiya and helped him recover.

Shinichi Hyuga stopped the Deva Path from escaping and began sealing Yahiko’s body, but Obito Uchiha intervened and took the Deva Path into Kamui Space. Obito then prepared to fight Shinichi, calling him too troublesome to leave alive.

• The Deva Path attacked the weakened Jiraiya, but Shinichi Hyuga protected Sage Fukasaku and kicked the Deva Path into the sea.
• The Deva Path fled toward Amegakure, and Shinichi pursued him after realizing he might be heading to unleash Planetary Devastation.
• Shinichi caught the Deva Path with the Flying Thunder God Technique, struck his spine, and began sealing Yahiko’s body with the Four Symbols Seal.
• Obito Uchiha emerged from a spatial vortex and tried to ambush Shinichi, but Shinichi detected him with his Byakugan.
• Obito used Kamui to take Yahiko’s body into Kamui Space, then drew his weapons and declared that he would deal with Shinichi.

Obito Uchiha recovered Yahiko’s corpse and fought Shinichi Hyuga, who used their clash to expose that he knew Obito’s identity and the secret of Kamui. Obito abandoned his plan to retreat and charged at Shinichi to silence him.

• Obito Uchiha stored Yahiko’s corpse in the Kamui Space before turning to fight Shinichi Hyuga.
• Shinichi and Obito exchanged attacks, but neither gained an advantage as Shinichi countered Obito’s phased attacks with a hidden Black Rod.
• Obito realized Shinichi had likely seen through Kamui and hesitated when Jiraiya called out to Shinichi.
• Shinichi taunted Obito by mentioning Kamui, Kakashi, and Obito’s identity, provoking him to ask who else knew.
• Obito charged at Shinichi, determined to kill him and bury the secrets.

Shinichi Hyuga badly wounded Obito Uchiha, but Obito escaped, likely using Izanagi. Shinichi then identified the Six Paths of Pain as corpses controlled by Nagato and set out with Jiraiya to confront Akatsuki's leader in Amegakure.

• Obito Uchiha attacked Shinichi Hyuga, but Shinichi countered with Twin Lion Fist and blasted apart the White Zetsu half of Obito's body.
• Shinichi pursued Obito into the sea with an Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, but Obito vanished after revealing another Sharingan, and Shinichi suspected he had escaped using Izanagi.
• Jiraiya believed Obito had died, but Shinichi searched the sea with his Byakugan and concluded that Obito was still alive.
• Shinichi asked Jiraiya to summon Animal Path's corpse and explained that Black Rods controlled the Paths as puppets.
• Shinichi sensed Nagato in Amegakure and told Jiraiya they would go meet the Leader of Akatsuki.

Shinichi Hyuga and Jiraiya tracked Nagato to his tower in Amegakure and attacked it, but Konan intercepted them with her paper techniques. Jiraiya recognized his former student and learned the Akatsuki had been founded by Nagato and Yahiko, while the confrontation continued with Konan firing Paper Arrows at the group.

• Shinichi concluded that Obito Uchiha might still be alive and decided that destroying Nagato's Rinnegan was the best way to stop Madara Uchiha's Moon Eye Plan.
• Shinichi tracked Nagato with the Black Rod and led Jiraiya to the tower where Nagato was hiding.
• Shinichi proposed destroying the tower, and Jiraiya used Sage Art: Fire Style - Fire Dragon Bullet to engulf it in flames.
• Konan attacked with Paper Shuriken, but Jiraiya burned them away and kept the tower surrounded by blazing Toad Oil.
• Konan appeared before Jiraiya, who recognized his former student and questioned her about Nagato and Yahiko.
• Konan confirmed that the Akatsuki had been founded by Yahiko and Nagato, then attacked Jiraiya, Shinichi, and the others with Paper Arrows.

Jiraiya tried to persuade Konan and Nagato to explain Akatsuki’s plans, but Nagato appeared as Pain and defended gathering the Tailed Beasts as a path to peace. He revealed that he intended to make the world understand pain, leaving Jiraiya and Shinichi Hyuga facing the prospect of conflict.

• Konan attacked Jiraiya and Shinichi Hyuga with a rain of paper arrows, which Jiraiya blocked with his hardened white hair while Shinichi avoided the attack.
• Jiraiya asked Konan to bring Nagato out so they could talk, but Konan refused and warned him that Nagato had nothing to discuss with him.
• Nagato’s phantom appeared beside Konan and declared that Nagato was dead and he was Pain; Shinichi prepared a Flying Thunder God Kunai as Jiraiya questioned him.
• Pain claimed Akatsuki sought everlasting peace and justified its attacks and plans to collect the Tailed Beasts as necessary sacrifices.
• Pain explained that he would end war by making everyone experience and understand pain, while Jiraiya realized how far Nagato had immersed himself in that belief.

Jiraiya challenged Nagato’s belief that inflicting pain could create peace, but Shinichi Hyuga reminded him that protecting Konoha was his real choice. Jiraiya moved to confront the figure in the Iron Tower while Shinichi fought Konan, who secretly prepared a counterattack.

• Jiraiya questioned Nagato about why wars returned after the Ninja Villages were founded, and Nagato blamed the Five Great Nations for exploiting the Rain Country.
• Jiraiya argued that conflict persisted because people competed for resources, though he struggled to explain how peace could be achieved.
• Shinichi told Jiraiya to decide whether Nagato and Akatsuki threatened Konoha, and Jiraiya resolved to protect the village.
• Shinichi stayed behind to face Konan as Jiraiya leapt toward a window in the Iron Tower.
• Konan sent an Arrow Rain to intercept Jiraiya, but Shinichi used the Flying Thunder God Technique to send the arrows through an Other Dimension and back at her.
• Konan avoided the returning arrows and secretly let them pass into the flames as she prepared to use her trump card against Shinichi.

Shinichi Hyuga defeated Konan with his Eight Inner Gates-enhanced Chakra Armor and left her unconscious as he headed toward Nagato. In the tower, Nagato revealed Yahiko’s death and seized control of Jiraiya’s body, leaving Jiraiya struggling to save Sage Fukasaku.

• Shinichi Hyuga’s Chakra Armor withstood Konan’s attacks, and he chose not to kill her before carrying her toward Nagato’s tower.
• Jiraiya entered the tower and discovered Nagato’s emaciated body connected to a special container by black rods.
• Nagato told Jiraiya that Hanzo and Danzo had trapped Akatsuki, leading Yahiko to sacrifice himself and Nagato to awaken the Rinnegan.
• Jiraiya apologized for failing Nagato and urged him to abandon hatred, but Nagato rejected his plea and declared he would make half the world suffer.
• Nagato sent Chakra through the black rods and took control of Jiraiya, who seized Sage Fukasaku while Shima jumped away.

Orochimaru saved Jiraiya from Nagato, but Nagato summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and turned the fight into a desperate battle. Shinichi arrived with Konan and urged the others to retreat while Nagato’s remaining life ran out.

• Nagato tried to take control of Jiraiya and attacked him with Black Rods, while Sage Shima blocked the attack before Nagato used Universal Pull against her.
• Sage Shima and Sage Fukasaku escaped through the Summoning Technique, and Orochimaru emerged from a White Serpent to shield Jiraiya from Nagato’s Black Rods.
• Orochimaru attacked Nagato with Shadow Snake Hand, but Nagato repelled the snakes with Shinra Tensei and summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
• Nagato connected himself to the statue, which rose amid Amegakure’s flooding waterways, while Jiraiya and Orochimaru struggled to decide how to fight it.
• Shinichi Hyuga arrived beside Jiraiya with Konan, handed her over, and proposed retreating because Nagato was exhausting his life force.

Shinichi Hyuga and Jiraiya escaped Nagato’s attack with Konan and regrouped with their team at a hidden camp. As Shinichi urged negotiations instead of another confrontation, Jiraiya struggled to decide whether to pursue his former disciple or seek peace.

• Nagato connected to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and attacked Jiraiya to recover Konan, but Shinichi Hyuga used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take Jiraiya and Konan away.
• Shinichi Hyuga, Jiraiya, and Konan arrived at the evacuation camp, where Kakashi, Shisui, and Might Guy welcomed them.
• Shinichi Hyuga explained that Akatsuki’s leader used the Rinnegan to control six corpses and had summoned a giant statue, while Jiraiya revealed that the leader was his former disciple Nagato and that Konan had also been his student.
• Shinichi Hyuga proposed taking Konan to Konoha and negotiating with Amegakure, while Jiraiya considered returning to Nagato and recalled the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy of a difficult choice.

Jiraiya chose not to return to Amegakure and sent Minato a detailed report about Nagato, Akatsuki, and the captured Konan. After reading it, Minato decided to go to Amegakure himself and negotiate with Nagato.

• Shinichi Hyuga explained that using the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was draining Nagato's life force, and Jiraiya decided to leave Nagato time to reconsider rather than attack again.
• Konan woke in the camp, learned Shinichi Hyuga had sealed her Chakra, and remembered her childhood with Jiraiya, Nagato, and Yahiko as Jiraiya apologized to her.
• Jiraiya wrote a detailed report for Minato and sent it to Konoha through Mount Myōboku.
• Minato read Jiraiya's report, learned about Nagato and Konan, and decided to travel to Amegakure to negotiate with Nagato.

Minato Namikaze arrived at the camp and proposed meeting Nagato, bringing Konan back to Amegakure with Shinichi Hyuga. When Nagato sensed their arrival, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path awakened.

• Minato used Reverse Summoning and Flying Thunder God to reach the camp after receiving Jiraiya's report.
• Minato asked Shinichi to accompany him to Amegakure and tried to persuade Konan that Nagato might negotiate.
• Konan warned Minato that Nagato would not negotiate, but Minato decided to return her to Amegakure to show his sincerity.
• Shinichi took Minato and Konan to Amegakure with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Shinichi spotted Nagato resting inside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and the statue began to tremble when Nagato opened his eyes.