Chapter Summaries

Wes fought off Loki and Female Loki while Mr. Paradox’s Deadpools remained helpless under gravity. Loki’s attack ended in an explosion that left him badly wounded, while the gray mist continued threatening Female Loki.

• Mr. Paradox watched as the Deadpools failed to reach Wes, then sent Loki to attack him from behind.
• Wes blocked Loki’s dagger and recognized him, but Loki used an illusion to launch a second attack with short swords.
• Wes unleashed lightning, then spread Death Siphon mist that killed and repeatedly revived the Deadpools while forcing Loki to dodge.
• Loki glanced toward Female Loki, causing Wes to redirect the gray mist toward her and expose her hiding place.
• Loki sent several duplicates to attack Wes, but the duplicates stabbed an explosive copy and the blast left Loki badly wounded.

Loki struggled to survive the rock giant’s assault while the Time Variance Authority searched for Wes. Wes had used a stolen time machine to trace the Authority’s route and countertrack his way into the facility.

• A hundred-meter-tall rock giant attacked Loki, who dodged its blows as it smashed the ground around him.
• Mr. Paradox ordered the Authority to locate Wes, but the search found no trace of him.
• The Time Variance Authority sounded an intruder alert and went to maximum alert.
• Mr. Paradox realized Wes had used a stolen time machine to countertrack his way into the facility.
• Mr. Paradox ordered the technicians to shut down the spacetime passage, but they were already too late.

Wes invaded the Time Variance Authority and discovered that its ordinary staff wielded weapons capable of erasing things through time. As its cannons and soldiers overwhelmed him, Wes protected himself with a Golem but had not yet found a way to counter their attacks.

• Wes entered the Time Variance Authority and found that its guards showed no unusual energy.
• Wes unleashed a tornado that devastated the Authority and injured the staff surrounding him.
• Mr. Paradox ordered the staff to expel Wes, and a cannon fired a temporal energy round that erased a chair Wes used to block it.
• The Authority assembled more cannons and soldiers, who launched a barrage of time-infused rounds at Wes.
• Wes summoned a Golem to shield him, then discovered that the rounds erased his elemental attacks as well.

Wes attacked the Time Variance Authority, read Mr. Paradox’s memories, and stole the Time-Space Controller in pursuit of the Time Law. He left the TVA in chaos, where green dust drove its agents into a deadly riot.

• Wes unleashed Mental Storm on the TVA agents, then entered the command room and seized Mr. Paradox.
• Wes read Mr. Paradox’s memories and learned where the Time-Space Controller was hidden.
• After Wes threw him away, Mr. Paradox exploded, plunging the TVA into chaos.
• Wes found the Time-Space Controller, stored it in the Mage Tower, and left the TVA.
• The agents who arrived later inhaled green dust, grew agitated, and began fighting until one accidentally erased another with an Electric Baton.

Wes dismantled the Time Controller with the Reality Stone and discovered that its core was a Time Stone made from multiple stones collected by the Time Variance Authority. He sealed it away and returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where he found Steve waiting for him on the African savanna.

• Wes failed to open the Time Controller with spells and other magical techniques.
• Wes used the Reality Stone to dismantle the Time Controller and found a Time Stone at its core.
• Wes tested the Time Stone on an apple and saw it wither into nothingness.
• Wes sealed the Time Stone with the Reality Stone and returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• Wes arrived on the African savanna and found Steve waiting beside a tent.

Wes challenged Steve’s belief that great power required responsibility, leaving Steve questioning what he had fought for. After traveling to the Himalayas instead of Washington, Wes met Ancient One, who said he was disrupting the timeline and asked for his help; he refused.

• Steve tried to persuade Wes to join him, but Wes stopped him from leaving and challenged his belief that power meant responsibility.
• Wes argued that capitalists and politicians, not individuals like him, bore responsibility for the war and the suffering of ordinary people.
• Steve could not answer Wes and sat in confusion as Wes walked away.
• Wes opened a Space Channel to travel toward Washington but appeared in the Himalayas, where Ancient One greeted him.
• Ancient One said she was about to die, named Stephen as her successor, and asked Wes for help because his appearance had disrupted the timeline; Wes refused.

Ancient One gave Wes a crystal containing her understanding of the Time Law in exchange for his promise to help Strange once, but Wes sensed a powerful presence watching him and fled to the Pirate World. He stayed there to study the crystal while Dressrosa and Wano Country struggled to shelter a flood of refugees amid a world divided by war.

• Ancient One offered Wes a Time Law crystal and asked him to help Strange once, and Wes agreed.
• Wes sensed an alarming presence, activated his panel, and escaped to the Pirate World as Death watched him disappear.
• Wes decided not to return to the Marvel World for now and planned to study the crystal in the Pirate World.
• Four factions waged massive wars across the Pirate World, driving refugees toward Dressrosa and Wano Country.
• Ra and Violet struggled to resettle the refugees and manage resources and security, while Wes's reputation deterred attacks on both regions.

Wes arrived in Amegakure, where Nagato detected his presence and Konan went to confront him. Konan trapped Wes in her Paper Prison Technique, but his fate remained unclear.

• Wes crossed the Land of Rain, found a village, and learned the way to Amegakure.
• Wes entered Amegakure, where Nagato detected him through the rain and the hidden ninjas reported him to Konan.
• Konan and Deva Path Pain reviewed the report, and Konan decided to investigate Wes herself.
• Wes walked through Amegakure's streets as its residents avoided him, then recognized Konan when she approached.
• Konan questioned Wes about his identity and used the Paper Prison Technique to encase him.

Wes defeated Konan and extracted her Chakra, then faced Deva Path Pain and the Six Paths of Pain after refusing to answer who he was. The chapter ended with Human Path failing to affect Wes and Nagato suffering a sudden mental assault.

• Konan attacked Wes with Paper Release, but he blocked her attacks and drained all the Chakra from her body.
• Konan asked who Wes was, and Deva Path Pain emerged from hiding to confront him.
• Wes demanded that Pain submit or die, and the Six Paths of Pain surrounded him.
• Asura Path fired a laser cannon at Wes, and Human Path used the resulting cover to touch him and attempt to read his memories and extract his Chakra.
• Human Path's abilities failed against Wes, who criticized his understanding of souls, while Nagato felt a sudden invasive pain in his head.

Wes overwhelmed Pain with a vortex that devoured Amegakure and all of Nagato’s defenses. He found Nagato in the tower and rendered him unconscious, leaving his fate in Wes’s hands.

• Wes stood firm against Pain’s Universal Pull and created a vortex with overwhelming suction.
• Pain’s summoned beasts, the Human Path, the Asura Path, buildings, and people were swept into the vortex.
• Pain used Planetary Devastation and exhausted Nagato’s remaining chakra, but neither could stop Wes.
• Wes appeared in Amegakure’s tower and found Nagato weak and coughing.
• Wes placed his hand on Nagato’s head and used a strange power to make him lose consciousness.

Obito returned to Amegakure and found it reduced to a wasteland, while Nagato and Konan concealed that Wes had turned them into flawless puppets. As Obito and Black Zetsu investigated, Deva Path Pain summoned the Akatsuki members to the Gedo Statue, leaving Black Zetsu wary of the order.

• Obito questioned Nagato about Amegakure’s destruction, sensed something was wrong, and left after the Six Paths of Pain surrounded him.
• Obito inspected the ruined battlefield, suspected Planetary Devastation, and learned from White Zetsu and Black Zetsu that their clones had disappeared and they knew nothing.
• Obito and Black Zetsu agreed they needed to uncover what had happened because Nagato and the Rinnegan were central to their plan.
• Black Zetsu tried to infiltrate the tower at night, but Deva Path Pain caught it and ordered it to gather everyone.
• Black Zetsu summoned the Akatsuki members to the cave, where Deva Path Pain appeared before the Gedo Statue and addressed them.

Akatsuki began the second phase of its plan by targeting the One-Tail Jinchuriki, and Sasori and Deidara captured Gaara. Deva Path personally oversaw the first Tailed Beast recovery and gave Sasori a scroll of Vegapunk’s Pacifista technology.

• Hidan and Sasori argued until Deva Path stopped them and announced that the first phase of the plan was complete.
• Deva Path ordered Akatsuki to begin the second phase by capturing the One-Tail Jinchuriki.
• A few days later, Sasori and Deidara brought the unconscious Gaara into the cave, where they were surprised to find Deva Path present in person.
• Deva Path explained that Tailed Beast recovery was key to the plan and that he would personally oversee the first recovery.
• Deva Path gave Sasori a scroll containing mechanical knowledge about Vegapunk’s Pacifistas, which astonished Sasori while Deidara failed to understand it.

The Akatsuki extracted the One-Tail from Gaara while Deva Path restored Deidara’s severed arm and showed Sasori valuable puppet blueprints. After Itachi and Kisame’s clones failed to stop the pursuers, Zetsu identified Kakashi outside the cave.

• Deva Path promised Sasori more information if he completed the mission, then regenerated Deidara’s left arm and restored his Chakra.
• The Akatsuki members gathered through the Illusion Demon Skill and began extracting the One-Tail’s Chakra from Gaara.
• Zetsu warned that Hidden Leaf Village pursuers were approaching, so Itachi Uchiha and Kisame sent clones to delay them.
• The Akatsuki completed the extraction, and Gaara’s life force drained as the Gedo Statue’s forehead eye opened.
• The cave shook under a new attack, and Zetsu identified the pursuer as Copy Ninja Kakashi.

Naruto and the others entered the cave to rescue Gaara, only to learn he was dead, while Deidara flew off with his body and Naruto pursued him. Chiyo and Sakura fought Sasori as Wes watched through Deva Path’s eyes and suspected that the information he had shared had changed Sasori’s desire to die.

• Sakura blasted open the cave entrance, and Naruto charged in, where Deidara taunted him while sitting on Gaara’s corpse.
• Naruto’s rage unleashed the Nine-Tails’ Chakra, but Kakashi used Jiraiya’s charm to suppress it and help him regain control.
• Chiyo confronted Sasori, while Deidara seized Gaara’s body and flew away; Naruto chased after him, and Deva Path held Kakashi back.
• Sakura and Chiyo fought Sasori together, but he brought out the Third Kazekage puppet and escalated the battle with Iron Sand and other techniques.
• Wes watched the fight from Amegakure and concluded that Sasori was holding back and that the information he had provided might have changed Sasori’s mind about seeking death.

Sasori nearly killed Chiyo and Sakura, but Rock Lee and the others arrived and forced him to withdraw with the Deva Path. Wes took control of the Deva Path and faced Might Guy alone, leaving Guy’s team to escape as he prepared to fight.

• Sasori trapped Chiyo and Sakura in Iron Sand and poisoned them, then moved to kill Chiyo before Rock Lee kicked his blade away and struck him.
• Neji, Tenten, and Might Guy arrived, and Sakura explained the battle while Neji sensed something unnatural about the Deva Path.
• Sasori reported that his puppets and Chakra were nearly depleted, so he and the Deva Path withdrew from the fight.
• Chiyo warned that the Deva Path was likely Akatsuki’s leader, and Guy opened the Sixth Gate after sensing overwhelming danger.
• Guy kicked apart the Iron Sand and ordered Rock Lee and Neji to lead the others out; they carried Chiyo, Sakura, and Tenten away.
• Wes took control of the Deva Path, revealed that his real body was in Amegakure, and beckoned Guy to fight.

Might Guy attacked the Deva Path with powerful techniques, but its repulsive barrier and Almighty Push overcame him. After the Deva Path revealed he knew about the secret Death Gate, Guy prepared to risk his life to protect his allies and Konoha.

• Guy used Morning Peacock as a feint, then struck the Deva Path with Daytime Tiger, blasting it through a rock wall.
• The Deva Path emerged unharmed, and Guy renewed his resolve and charged into close combat.
• The Deva Path's repulsive barrier blocked Guy's attacks and rebounded their force against him.
• The Deva Path blasted Guy a thousand meters away with Almighty Push and challenged him to open the Death Gate.
• Guy wondered how the Deva Path knew his secret and decided to stake his life to protect Rock Lee, his companions, and Konoha.

Might Guy opened the Eighth Gate and unleashed a series of devastating attacks against Wes’s Deva Path, but its repulsive barrier remained intact. As Guy gathered his last strength for Night Guy, Wes watched him charge forward.

• Guy opened the Eighth Gate, turning red with burning life force and unleashing immense power.
• Guy’s Evening Elephant punches battered the surrounding ground, but Wes’s repulsive barrier protected the Deva Path.
• Rock Lee, Neji Hyuga, Tenten, Naruto, Kakashi, Chiyo, Sasori, and Deidara watched in shock as Guy’s body deteriorated.
• The Deva Path mocked the exhausted Guy, who gathered his remaining power into a dragon-shaped aura and prepared Night Guy.
• Guy charged at the Deva Path with Night Guy, while Wes judged the attack easy to avoid.

Might Guy used his ultimate kick to destroy the Deva Path’s body, but the puppet reassembled, and Guy died as his body turned to ash. Kakashi and Naruto retreated with the intelligence, and Konoha and Sunagakure prepared for the Akatsuki threat while the other villages responded with little concern.

• Might Guy broke through the Deva Path’s repulsive-force barrier and tore its body apart, but the Deva Path reassembled and revealed it was only a puppet.
• Might Guy recalled his life and his father before his body crumbled into ashes.
• Deidara arrived and marveled at the devastation, while Kakashi ordered Naruto and the Konoha group to retreat from the Deva Path.
• The Deva Path stopped Deidara from pursuing them and ordered him to leave the survivors alone until later.
• Kakashi and Chiyo returned with the intelligence, prompting Konoha and Sunagakure to enter high alert as Tsunade warned the other villages about the Akatsuki Organization.
• Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure gave Tsunade’s warning little weight, leaving her worried about the coming threat.

Obito assigned Sasuke to capture the Eight-Tails and planned to pursue Naruto himself, while questioning the Deva Path’s overwhelming strength. After Kakashi brought back intelligence that identified Amegakure as the Akatsuki’s headquarters, Konoha prepared for an attack and sent Naruto with Jiraiya to Mount Myōboku for training.

• Obito proposed sending Sasuke after the Eight-Tails, and Wes agreed while saying he would handle Naruto himself.
• Obito and Black Zetsu discussed the Deva Path’s strength and the possibility that Nagato had somehow mastered the Rinnegan.
• Kakashi returned to Konoha with information about the Akatsuki, and Jiraiya identified the Deva Path as his former student Yahiko.
• Konoha’s investigation located the Akatsuki’s headquarters in Amegakure, but Tsunade stopped Jiraiya from infiltrating it alone.
• Jiraiya took Naruto to Mount Myōboku to begin Sage Mode training as Tsunade placed Konoha on high alert and evacuated its civilians.
• Konoha completed its preparations for the anticipated attack while rumors spread that Madara Uchiha had been resurrected.

Konoha came under attack from the Six Paths of Pain and their summoned beasts, who searched for the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki. Tsunade summoned Katsuyu, which dissolved the Multiplication Dog, while the assault on Konoha continued.

• A giant summoned bird bombed Konoha, and Choza Akimichi intercepted it before the Six Paths of Pain emerged from the smoke.
• Wes ordered the Six Paths of Pain and four summoned beasts to destroy Konoha and force out the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.
• The Six Paths of Pain and the beasts killed hundreds of Konoha ninja, prompting Shikaku Nara to order the genin and chunin to retreat.
• Tsunade summoned Katsuyu, which sprayed acid over the Multiplication Dog and dissolved it.