Chapter Summaries

Moriyue battled Deva Path Pain while trying to draw out a strange energy, as Ajisai fought the Animal Path outside Amegakure. The Animal Path retreated, Nagato struggled to understand Moriyue’s actions and Konan’s condition, and a small snake secretly appeared on Yugito Nii’s shoulder before vanishing.

• Akimoto Osamu decided to resist Pain’s rule once more and ran into the rain.
• Moriyue used Blood Death Art against Deva Path Pain, while Nagato refused to abandon Yahiko’s corpse and noticed that Konan remained unconscious with her Chakra sealed.
• An explosion disrupted Amegakure, and the Animal Path withdrew after Ajisai held it off with her summoned beasts and Moriyue’s tentacles.
• Ajisai ordered her summoned beasts to carry her somewhere safe and passed out from her injuries and exhaustion.
• Moriyue fought Deva Path Pain at full strength to draw closer a strange energy, but Pain’s Super Shinra Tensei scattered it from his perception.
• Yugito Nii headed away from the explosion as a small emerald-green snake appeared on her shoulder and then vanished.

Moriyue escaped Amegakure with Yugito Nii after Pain’s attack and treated the unconscious Kazeki and Ajisai in a cave. He found the Snake Talisman in Yugito Nii, while Nagato learned someone else had reached it first.

• Yugito Nii arrived at the battle and spotted Moriyue carrying the unconscious Kazeki as the Six Paths of Pain gathered.
• Moriyue and Yugito Nii left Amegakure together, and Moriyue sent tendrils to find and parasitize Akimoto Osamu’s group.
• Moriyue and Yugito Nii found Ajisai unconscious in a tree, then took her and Kazeki to a cave and treated them.
• Moriyue pierced Yugito Nii’s shoulder with his chains and discovered that he had found the Snake Talisman.
• Nagato discussed the talismans with a shadowy Akatsuki Organization member, who said someone had reached the Snake Talisman first.

Moriyue recovered from the battle, parted ways with Yugito Nii, and used the Snake Talisman to become completely invisible as he headed for Orochimaru’s Underground Palace. There, Sasuke had already attacked Orochimaru, and Moriyue arrived while their fight was underway.

• Orochimaru endured severe pain from his reincarnation and waited for Kabuto to bring medicine before Sasuke attacked him with lightning.
• Sasuke pinned Orochimaru’s hands to the wall, declared himself stronger, and prepared to kill him with an electrified blade.
• Moriyue healed his injuries, told Yugito Nii he had important business, and parted from her as she took Ajisai and the others back to the village.
• Moriyue tested the Snake Talisman and discovered it concealed his entire form and aura, making it useful for stealth and assassination.
• Moriyue reached the Underground Palace and heard the sounds of Sasuke fighting Orochimaru.

Moriyue tried to help Orochimaru keep Sasuke restrained, but Orochimaru’s reincarnation attempt spiraled out of control. Sasuke devoured Orochimaru’s consciousness, and after regaining consciousness he set out to kill Itachi while Moriyue slipped away.

• Moriyue blocked Sasuke’s attack and tried to free Orochimaru, while the Black-faced Sheep fought Sasuke.
• Orochimaru broke free, transformed into the White Phosphorus Serpent, and attacked Sasuke as Moriyue fought off the snakes.
• Sasuke entered his Curse Mark form and cut down Orochimaru’s serpents, but Orochimaru paralyzed him with a toxin and swallowed him.
• Inside Orochimaru’s ritual space, Sasuke unleashed black sludge that devoured Orochimaru and his consciousness.
• Sasuke awoke beside Orochimaru’s remains, remembered Itachi, and declared that Itachi’s time to die had come.
• Moriyue escaped through the upper level of the Underground Palace after seeing Sasuke regain consciousness.

After ensuring Sasuke had devoured Orochimaru, Moriyue left the forest with Sasuke’s Kusanagi Sword and reflected on how to strengthen himself and his allies. He discovered that his stored Tailed Beast Chakra had created three miniature Tailed Beasts, then escaped a Root Organization ambush on his way back to the village.

• Moriyue left the Underground Palace after helping Sasuke devour Orochimaru and took Sasuke’s Kusanagi Sword.
• Moriyue considered the weaknesses of Kazeki and Ajisai’s group and examined the Sharingan fusion and creatures in his sealing space.
• Moriyue found three miniature Tailed Beasts nurtured by stored Tailed Beast Chakra and warned them to get along and watch out for the egg.
• Root Organization members ambushed Moriyue with Explosive Tags, but he identified Danzo as the likely culprit and ran away at full speed.

After returning to Kumogakure, Moriyue reconsidered his training and decided to pursue better healing and Sage Mode. Ando brought him a Konoha wanted notice, and Moriyue sent him to report that Orochimaru had been dealt with.

• Moriyue returned to Kumogakure, learned Kazeki and his companion were recovering, and went home to sleep.
• Moriyue dreamed that a black hand controlled and replaced him, then woke and resolved to grow stronger.
• Moriyue assessed his lack of recovery ability and considered Tsunade's medical skills and the Sage Modes, especially Shikkotsu Forest's.
• Ando visited Moriyue with Konoha's wanted notice accusing him of stealing confidential information.
• Moriyue dismissed the accusation, told Ando that Orochimaru had been dealt with and the other allies had not appeared, and asked him to report it to the Raikage.

Moriyue tested his newly fused Sharingan and decided to measure his strength by sparring with the Raikage. Their match drew a crowd, including Moriyue’s former teammates, as the two prepared to fight on a rock platform.

• Moriyue discovered that his Sharingan fusion had succeeded, and the Black-faced Sheep offered to catalyze the pupils’ evolution in exchange for feeding on dreams.
• Moriyue worried that Sasuke might be killed if he went after Itachi Uchiha before he was ready.
• Moriyue asked the Raikage to spar with him, and the Raikage agreed after acknowledging Moriyue’s strength.
• Moriyue and the Raikage went to a distant rock platform as curious Cloud Shinobi gathered to watch.
• Kazeki, Ando, and Ajisai came to watch, with Ando worrying about Moriyue and Ajisai cheering him on.

Moriyue sparred with the Raikage before a growing crowd, revealing black lightning and fighting off the Raikage’s opening attack. The first exchange ended with both fighters still standing, and the spectators were stunned by Moriyue’s strength.

• The Raikage decided to spar with Moriyue in front of the gathered Kumogakure ninjas and powered up with blue lightning.
• Moriyue formed black lightning into a draconic serpent and a Lightning Armor, surprising Darui and the spectators with its resemblance to Darui’s Black Panther.
• The Raikage rushed Moriyue with a powerful punch, while Moriyue drew the Blunt Saber and used black lightning to hinder the attack.
• The Raikage’s Lightning Armor blocked Moriyue’s counterstrike, and the two fighters separated without either suffering serious injuries.
• Ando gaped at Moriyue’s ability to withstand the Raikage, while Ajisai proudly insisted that Moriyue would not lose.

Moriyue faced the Raikage’s lightning blade attack and used his tentacles and Nintaijutsu: Reversal to turn the Raikage’s own power against him. The Raikage acknowledged Moriyue’s strength and ended the fight, believing Moriyue still could not withstand his full power.

• The Raikage praised Moriyue and launched Lightning Release: Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop.
• Moriyue stood his ground as the spectators, Ando, and Ajisai reacted to the Raikage’s attack.
• Kazeki sensed through the dust and realized that the Raikage appeared injured while Moriyue remained standing.
• Moriyue revealed that his tentacles had slowed the attack while he used Nintaijutsu: Reversal to strike the Raikage with his own strength.
• The Raikage acknowledged Moriyue’s strength and stopped fighting, still believing Moriyue could not endure a full-powered strike.

Moriyue defeated the Raikage’s attack in their sparring match, revealing how much stronger he had become, while Ajisai celebrated and continued assisting him with her unusual research. As Moriyue pondered how to obtain Sage Mode, Orochimaru’s snake arrived with a suggestion.

• The Raikage ended the sparring match, acknowledged Moriyue, and told him to rest as the spectators dispersed.
• Ajisai ran to congratulate Moriyue, and he apologized to Kazeki and the others for his flawed plan before telling them to rest.
• Yugito Nii watched Moriyue from a tower, recognized his growth, and left to continue her mission.
• Moriyue and Ajisai discussed experiments involving summoning techniques, obedience, and training summoned beasts.
• Moriyue wondered how to learn Sage Mode, then received a suggestion from Orochimaru’s snake.

Moriyue considered following Orochimaru’s message to Ryūchi Cave to learn Sage Mode and possibly discover a route to Shikkotsu Forest. He decided to go alone, leaving Ajisai behind, and granted her an intimate reward before his departure.

• A black snake delivered Orochimaru’s message about Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode and summoning coordinates to Moriyue.
• Moriyue weighed a trip to Ryūchi Cave against his interest in Shikkotsu Forest and decided the cave might provide useful information.
• Moriyue warned Ajisai about dangerous people at the Research Institute and told her he would travel to Ryūchi Cave without her.
• Ajisai reluctantly agreed to stay and asked Moriyue for a reward, and he responded with an intimate encounter.

Moriyue traveled to Ryūchi Cave to try to learn its Sage Mode, despite preferring Shikkotsu Forest’s. After arriving in the cavern, he met the Three Divine Princesses and asked whether they could send him somewhere else, provoking their displeasure.

• Moriyue signed a Summoning Contract with the black snake and used the Reverse Summoning Technique to travel to Ryūchi Cave.
• Moriyue arrived in a dark cavern filled with snakes and the petrified remains of failed Sage Mode trainees.
• Moriyue reached a massive stone gate marked Ryūchi Cave and heard three female voices discussing his arrival.
• Moriyue asked the Three Divine Princesses whether he could cultivate Sage Mode or be sent to Shikkotsu Forest.
• Moriyue’s request to learn a different Sage Mode angered the Three Divine Princesses, who prepared to teach him a lesson.

Moriyue entered a cheerful underground city that appeared to be a trial illusion and found that the exit door sent him back to the beginning. After testing the repeating world and its rules, he began to suspect the ramen uncle’s repeated invitation held a clue.

• Moriyue passed through the stone door into a brightly lit underground city filled with cheerful people and tempting food.
• Moriyue avoided eating the ramen and headed for a distant stone door, using a clone to test it before entering.
• Moriyue discovered that the door returned him to the city’s starting point and that the scene reset whenever he passed through it.
• Moriyue tested the illusion, finding that he could touch the people and that items carried between cycles remained unique.
• Moriyue noticed a trace of pain in the ramen uncle’s repeated invitation and stared into the man’s eyes, searching for a way to break the trial.

Moriyue deciphered the ramen shop owner’s garbled words as a clue to the celebration’s source, then learned that the villagers were honoring Lady Tagorihime. He resolved to find her and confront her directly, though she had not appeared.

• The ramen shop owner briefly broke from his repeated sales pitch and uttered a string of food-related words before reverting to his usual behavior.
• Moriyue questioned the food vendors, then realized the owner’s words could encode a message through their sounds.
• Moriyue rearranged the words into a clue pointing to the source of the celebration and joined the dancers to trigger a response.
• An elderly man told Moriyue that the people were celebrating Lady Tagorihime, who had given them food, water, and a peaceful life.
• Moriyue asked where Tagorihime was and decided to seek her out and confront her directly.

Moriyue challenged the old man’s claims that worshipping Tagorihime granted eternal life and realized the villagers were trapped in an illusion. He revealed that they were likely ninja who had come to Ryūchi Cave to train in Sage Mode, leaving the crowd shaken and beginning to question their supposed past.

• The old man told Moriyue that sincere faith in Tagorihime could grant eternal life, improved health, and freedom from illness.
• Moriyue recognized a flaw in the villagers’ story and asked who they were and where they had come from.
• The old man claimed their ancestors had settled in the village long ago and cut themselves off from the outside world.
• Moriyue pointed out that the villagers wore modern clothing and ninja village forehead protectors, exposing contradictions in their story.
• Moriyue told the crowd they were ninja trapped in a dream shaped by their wishes, and urged them to remember why they had come to Ryūchi Cave.

Moriyue escaped the dream city and discovered the petrified victims and snakes hidden beneath its illusion. He met Tagorihime in the cave and learned he had passed her trial, but he still wanted to fight her and obtain her Genjutsu techniques.

• Moriyue left the awakened dream residents behind and pushed through the stone door, hoping to end the cycle.
• He emerged in a cave filled with petrified people, giant snakes, and the remains of the ramen seller and the dream city's food and buildings.
• Tagorihime appeared and asked why he rejected the peaceful world of Genjutsu.
• Moriyue argued that falsehood could not replace reality and sensed the immense Chakra within Tagorihime.
• Tagorihime told Moriyue he had passed her trial, but he said he still wanted to beat her up.
• Tagorihime transformed into a frightening, scaled form with golden eyes and sharp fangs.

Naruto asked Jiraiya to help him grow strong enough to defeat Sasuke and bring him back, and Jiraiya proposed Sage Mode while warning that strength required a firm resolve. Sakura and Hinata also decided they needed to become stronger, and Hinata left determined to confess her feelings to Naruto someday.

• Naruto trained by striking a tree stump while Sakura treated his injured hands, and he asked Jiraiya for help becoming stronger.
• Jiraiya challenged Naruto to consider why Sasuke had left and explained that war and endless conflict caused such tragedies.
• Jiraiya offered to train Naruto in Sage Mode, warning that the path could kill him, and Naruto accepted.
• Sakura asked to become stronger too, so Jiraiya invited her to come along and said Tsunade might have a better plan for her.
• Hinata watched Naruto, Sakura, and Jiraiya leave, then resolved to grow stronger so she could someday tell Naruto how she felt.

Sasuke tracked down Itachi and lost their first encounter after escaping Tsukuyomi with help from a snake’s bite. Meanwhile, Konan recovered with some memory loss, and Ajisai prepared to experiment on three men who had caused trouble for Moriyue.

• Sasuke found Itachi and attacked him with Chidori, but Itachi evaded the strike with a crow illusion.
• Itachi trapped Sasuke in Tsukuyomi, but a little black snake bit Sasuke and helped him break free.
• Sasuke saw the snake retreat, then fled into the forest after conceding the encounter to Itachi.
• Nagato had rebuilt the Human Path and helped Konan awaken, though she had lost some memories.
• Ajisai captured three men who had caused trouble for Moriyue and prepared to experiment on them with Curse Marks.

Moriyue attempted to learn Sage Mode in Ryūchi Cave, but the Little Green Snake transformed him into a dragon-like creature as he absorbed Nature Energy. He tested his newfound Sage Chakra with an overpowered electromagnetic cannon aimed at the cave ceiling.

• Tagorihime explained how to absorb and balance Nature Energy with Chakra, expecting Moriyue to turn to stone.
• Moriyue developed white scales and snake-like features, but his body kept changing instead of petrifying.
• The other two goddesses arrived and found Moriyue transformed into a horned, whiskered, dragon-like creature.
• Moriyue realized the Little Green Snake had actively absorbed Chakra during his transformation and tested his Sage Chakra with an electromagnetic cannon.
• Moriyue fired Sage Art: Electromagnetic Cannon: Super: Tail Launch Style at the ceiling of Ryūchi Cave.

Moriyue blasted his way out of Ryūchi Cave after learning Sage Mode and was sent flying toward Mount Myōboku. He landed there by kicking Sage Fukasaku, then greeted Naruto, who was thrilled to see him.

• Moriyue unleashed a technique that destroyed part of Ryūchi Cave and left him drained of Chakra after learning Sage Mode.
• The White Snake Sage accepted that Moriyue had learned Sage Mode but closed Ryūchi Cave for repairs and watched him fly toward Mount Myōboku.
• Moriyue fell asleep while flying through the air and eventually crashed into Sage Fukasaku at Mount Myōboku.
• Fukasaku questioned Moriyue about his connection to Ryūchi Cave while rescuing Naruto from falling off a training peak.
• Moriyue recognized Naruto and greeted him after landing at Mount Myōboku.