Recaps

Shirou Emiya consolidated control over Akatsuki, recruited Kabuto, Hidan, and Kisame, and returned Anko to Konoha. There, he reunited with old allies and began guiding Naruto, while Jiraiya learned that the boy might fulfill the prophecy in a dangerous way.

• Kakashi Hatake learned from Itachi Uchiha that the masked man was Obito Uchiha, then confirmed Obito’s identity after breaking his mask, and Obito accused Kakashi of killing Rin Nohara and escaped with Itachi.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen told Kakashi Hatake that Itachi Uchiha had destroyed the Uchiha Clan to stop a coup and had acted as a spy, while Shirou Emiya received the Ten-Tails and hid it in his Kamui Dimension.
• Shirou Emiya brought Yakushi Kabuto into his plans, then destroyed Shimura Danzo’s Kotoamatsukami eye and sent Kabuto to work with Orochimaru as Obito and Orochimaru plotted against him.
• Obito Uchiha sent Kisame Hoshigaki to assassinate Fourth Mizukage Yagura, and Kisame killed Yagura, and Shirou later recruited him into Akatsuki while assigning Itachi Uchiha to monitor him.
• Shirou Emiya recruited Hidan after discovering the Evil God Sect had made him an immortal test subject, and Kakuzu took him to the Akatsuki Base for Shirou to study.
• Shirou Emiya returned Anko Mitarashi to Konoha and told Sarutobi Hiruzen that Orochimaru had deceived him, and he then met Naruto Uzumaki and comforted Tsunade as they reunited after decades apart.
• Jiraiya consulted the Great Toad Sage about Shirou Emiya’s return and the Child of Prophecy, then observed Naruto Uzumaki with Shirou, and Shirou warned that Naruto’s desire to protect everything could become a drive for control, frightening Jiraiya.

Shirou Emiya guided Naruto through the Nine-Tails Riot and exposed Orochimaru’s schemes, while Naruto and Sasuke entered the Chunin Exams. The arc ended with Orochimaru and Obito plotting an attack on Shirou as Danzo maneuvered to seize power and the Rinnegan.

• Shirou Emiya defeated Jiraiya in a demonstration for Naruto, then helped Naruto and Sasuke train together as Orochimaru prepared to revive the Hokage and challenge Shirou.
• Mizuki lured Naruto to the Uzumaki Clan’s Mask Hall, where Yakushi Kabuto’s plan drove Naruto into an eight-tailed rampage until Shirou made the Nine-Tails’ Chakra recede.
• Iruka Umino comforted Naruto and revealed that he was the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, while Sarutobi Hiruzen and Jiraiya prepared for Orochimaru’s attack.
• Jiraiya returned to Konoha to examine the Chunin Exams, where Nagato’s group entered under assumed names and Shirou ordered them to protect Naruto.
• Orochimaru and Obito attacked Team 7 in the Forest of Death, Obito revealed himself to Sasuke and Naruto, and Orochimaru left Sasuke with a Curse Mark before Nagato’s group guarded the injured team.
• After Team 7 completed the Forest of Death stage, Nagato and Konan withdrew while Pain continued, and Gaara injured Rock Lee before Tsunade operated on him.
• Shirou contained Sasuke’s Cursed Seal as Naruto and Sasuke began special training for the third exam, while Nagato’s group delayed its plan against Danzo under Jiraiya’s scrutiny.
• Obito and Orochimaru planned to use the Hidden Sand Village and three reanimated Hokage against Shirou, while Danzo sought support to eliminate Konoha’s leaders and claim the Rinnegan and the title of Fifth Hokage.

The Chunin Exams erupted into a battle between Konoha, Hidden Sand, and Akatsuki, ending with Shirou Emiya revealing himself as Akatsuki’s master and restoring his original power. As Naruto set out to train and Gaara began his path toward becoming Kazekage, Shirou and his rivals maneuvered to claim Sasuke and the Rinnegan.

• Shirou stopped Gaara from killing Rock Lee, told Naruto the truth about Gaara’s childhood, and Naruto vowed to defeat him.
• Naruto defeated Neji, but Sasuke’s fight with Gaara unleashed Shukaku and triggered the invasion crisis, as Rasa warned Hiruzen that Akatsuki’s leader had infiltrated Konoha.
• Hiruzen, Rasa, Jiraiya, and Tsunade confronted Pain and discovered he was Yahiko, but Orochimaru intervened, revived the Hokage, and exposed his betrayal of Akatsuki.
• Shirou revealed himself as Akatsuki’s true master, explained his break with Hashirama and Tobirama, and fought the Hokage after disclosing Akatsuki’s plan to force peace with a country-destroying weapon.
• While Shirou was temporarily pinned by Hashirama’s Myriad Divine Gates, Danzo stole one of Nagato’s Rinnegan, and Shirou used a Curse Mark to return to his original body and overpower the Hokage.
• Shirou killed Hiruzen and defeated the revived Hokage, then healed Nagato and left Konoha as Naruto vowed to stop him, and Naruto also reconciled with Gaara, who became a candidate for Fifth Kazekage.
• Tsunade became Fifth Hokage, and Naruto left with Jiraiya to train while Shirou ordered Itachi and Kisame to bring Sasuke to Akatsuki.
• Obito and Orochimaru schemed to exploit Sasuke’s uncertainty, while Black Zetsu told Shirou that Kabuto had obtained the stolen Rinnegan, mastered Impure World Reincarnation, and found Madara’s corpse.

Shirou Emiya and Akatsuki captured the tailed beasts while Obito Uchiha maneuvered to seize them and revive the Ten-Tails. Sasuke Uchiha learned the truth about Itachi, and the Five Great Nations agreed to form a Shinobi Alliance as Obito prepared to act.

• Yakushi Kabuto joined Shirou Emiya, brought Madara Uchiha back through Impure World Reincarnation, and helped him capture Sasuke Uchiha after Sasuke defected from Konoha.
• Madara Uchiha trained Sasuke Uchiha and assigned Akatsuki teams to capture the tailed beasts, while Shirou Emiya and Kabuto attacked Hidden Stone and took Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Akatsuki captured tailed beasts across the great nations, and Orochimaru proposed that Konoha draw Akatsuki out so Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha could infiltrate its base.
• Kakashi Hatake infiltrated Akatsuki Base as Sasuke Uchiha fought Itachi Uchiha, and Itachi died protecting Sasuke from the released tailed beasts.
• Obito Uchiha used the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to extract Shukaku from Gaara and seize the other tailed beasts, then told Kakashi Hatake that he wanted to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi and restore Rin.
• Obito Uchiha told Sasuke Uchiha that Itachi had massacred the Uchiha Clan to protect him, and Sarutobi Hiruzen confirmed Itachi's role, leaving Sasuke devastated.
• Obito Uchiha decided to become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, while Orochimaru prepared the Ten-Tails' revival and Tsunade helped the Kage provisionally establish a Shinobi Alliance against Akatsuki.