Ch. 522Hidden Nether Village
Naruto and Jiraiya traveled to the Land of Rice to search for Orochimaru and Sasuke, but discovered that Orochimaru had fled and the Sound Four had established Hidden Nether Village. After the village survived attacks from Takigakure and Kusagakure, Zhang Miao made Kimimaro its leader and ordered an alliance with Hidden God Village.
- Zhang Miao let Naruto leave for the Land of Rice with Kimimaro, while he stayed behind to eat ramen and sleep.
- The Sound Four established Hidden Nether Village with Orochimaru's former forces and the Fuma clan after purging his loyalists.
- Jiraiya learned that Hidden Nether Village had replaced Otogakure and concluded Orochimaru was gone, then returned to Konoha with Naruto and reported to Tsunade.
- Zhang Miao ordered Kimimaro to watch Hidden Nether Village for two months before deciding whether it should become a vassal of Hidden God Village.
- After Kimimaro reported that Hidden Nether Village had withstood attacks from Takigakure and Kusagakure, Zhang Miao appointed him its leader and ordered him to form the Nether God Alliance with Hidden God Village.