Recaps

Moriyue provoked Sasuke with outrageous demands, then demonstrated his superior skill by defeating Sasuke’s Lightning Release and sword techniques. He offered to help Sasuke grow stronger so he could defeat Itachi and asked what Sasuke was willing to pay.

• Moriyue asked Kazeki what she wanted and suggested that Sasuke provide her with ninjutsu and Sharingan, prompting Sasuke to attack him.
• Sasuke and Moriyue clashed with their swords, and Moriyue urged Sasuke to put more strength into his attacks.
• Sasuke used Lightning Release and Chidori through the Kusanagi Sword, but Moriyue shattered his attack and sent him flying.
• Moriyue asked Sasuke whether he had had enough and offered to help him grow stronger so he could defeat Itachi.
• Moriyue told Sasuke their goals aligned and asked what he was willing to pay for his help.

Moriyue secretly completed a deal with Orochimaru and received a Sharingan, then warned Kazeki about the risks of using it. He proposed modifying summoning beasts with Ajisai and revealed he could also turn people into summoning beasts.

• Orochimaru arrived while Sasuke seethed after Moriyue's taunts, and he asked Moriyue about training.
• Orochimaru secretly handed Moriyue an item, which Kazeki noticed but did not mention.
• Moriyue showed Kazeki a Sharingan and cautioned that its power could cause severe mental distortion.
• Moriyue promised Ajisai a reward and proposed mechanically modifying disobedient summoning beasts as test subjects.
• Moriyue revealed he had a forbidden technique to seize summoning beasts and transform people into them.

Sai led Yamato, Naruto, and Sakura to the Underground Palace base, where they hoped to find Sasuke. Moriyue escaped through the entrance after blasting Sakura aside, while a flood of Black Snakes swallowed the others.

• Sai used the clue he had left on the stolen documents to locate the Underground Palace base.
• Yamato warned Naruto that Sasuke was a rogue ninja, but Naruto insisted he still believed in him.
• Sai pinpointed the base, and Sakura rushed inside ahead of the others, hoping to reunite with Sasuke.
• Sakura mistook the approaching Moriyue for Sasuke, but Ajisai used a Sealing Card to blast her aside as Moriyue fled.
• Moriyue escaped with his group on an Archaeopteryx, and a tide of Black Snakes surged from the Underground Palace and swallowed the others.

Naruto and Sakura fought the Black Snakes until Sasuke arrived and attacked them, Sai, and Yamato. Sasuke left Sai incapacitated and wounded Yamato, while Sakura still refused to give up on him and Moriyue’s group watched from above.

• Sakura and Naruto slaughtered the Black Snakes in Orochimaru’s Underground Palace.
• Sai tried to pursue Moriyue’s group, but Kazeki shielded them from the rain as the storm disrupted Sai’s ink-based ninjutsu.
• Sasuke appeared and used Chidori, but Yamato raised a wooden giant to protect Naruto and Sakura.
• Sai provoked Sasuke, met his gaze, and collapsed after seeing a horrifying vision of his victims.
• Sasuke pierced Yamato’s palm with a lightning spear, while Sakura stared at him and remained unwilling to give up on him.
• Moriyue and Ajisai ate food above the battlefield and commented on Sakura’s devotion.

Naruto tried to bring Sasuke back, but Sasuke attacked him and Sakura stopped the Kusanagi Sword with her injured hands. As Naruto struggled to accept that Sasuke had changed, Moriyue left with Ajisai and Kazeki for Amegakure.

• Naruto insisted that he would defeat Sasuke and bring him back to Konoha, despite Yamato warning that Sasuke intended to kill him.
• Sasuke tried to stab Naruto from behind, but Sakura caught the Kusanagi Sword and forced him to withdraw with her Monster Strength Fist.
• Moriyue watched as Orochimaru stopped Sasuke from forming the hand sign for Kirin, and Sasuke then departed.
• Yamato warned Naruto not to give in to the Nine-Tails, and Sakura punched him to bring him back to his senses.
• Sakura told Naruto that Sasuke had become their enemy and that they could not return to how things were.
• Moriyue told Ajisai and Kazeki that they were going to Amegakure.

Moriyue entered Amegakure with Kazeki and began seeking people willing to oppose Pain’s rule. After a tavern patron challenged his drinking ability, Moriyue offered to drink with the locals in exchange for their attention.

• Moriyue reminded Ajisai of his instructions, and Ajisai vanished into Amegakure while Moriyue and Kazeki concealed themselves from the chakra-sensing rain.
• Moriyue and Kazeki bought rain gear, then split up so Kazeki could investigate Konan’s informants while Moriyue searched for Jiraiya.
• Moriyue left the rainwear shop after hearing its owner praise Pain for bringing peace to Amegakure.
• Moriyue entered a tavern and recognized the anger and fear among the residents living under Pain’s surveillance.
• When a drunken patron mocked him for being an outsider, Moriyue offered to drink the strongest liquor and asked the locals to hear him out afterward.

Moriyue tried to recruit Amegakure’s disgruntled residents by getting them drunk, but they all passed out before he could start a rebellion. Meanwhile, Kazeki encountered Pain and fought off Human Path Pain as she tried to escape.

• Akimoto Osamu reflected on Amegakure’s brutal rule and earned the tavern nickname Alcohol Demon through his heavy drinking.
• Moriyue drank the tavern’s patrons and owner into unconsciousness, leaving only Akimoto Osamu awake with him before Akimoto also passed out.
• Moriyue waited for the drunks to wake and wondered how Kazeki was faring in Amegakure.
• Kazeki encountered Deva Path Pain in the rain, tried to walk away, and was attacked by another Pain.
• Kazeki used Wind Release: Gale Palm to knock away Human Path Pain’s iron rod, seize his wrist, and crush it with wind.

Moriyue gathered Akimoto Osamu and a group of drunks to rally opposition against Amegakure’s ruler, denouncing the village’s oppressive rule and calling for the people to unite. His speech left the group stirred and hopeful, but also fearful of the consequences of rebellion.

• Moriyue decided to stir up conflict in Amegakure to help search for its Talisman.
• Moriyue woke Akimoto Osamu and the other drunks and persuaded them to listen to him.
• Moriyue condemned the ruler’s persecution and declared that the people would not be satisfied until Amegakure had peace and justice.
• Akimoto Osamu agreed that Amegakure needed to change and hoped Moriyue could lead them.
• Moriyue urged the group to unite and overthrow the false god’s tyranny.

Moriyue rallied Amegakure’s discontented drinkers to resist Pain while Kazeki fled after destroying one of Pain’s bodies. Konan intercepted Kazeki, who activated her modified Curse Mark and faced Konan’s lethal paper attacks.

• Moriyue won over a group of drunks, stirred their resentment toward the gods, and urged them to recruit others for the resistance.
• Nagato sent Konan after Kazeki because the Deva Path could not act, and Konan tracked Kazeki through the rain.
• Kazeki spotted Konan’s paper cranes, fled across rooftops and pipes, and mistakenly thought she had shaken the pursuit by throwing away a metal fragment.
• Konan’s paper had already marked Kazeki’s raincoat, and an explosion forced Kazeki to stop running and prepare to fight.
• Kazeki activated Moriyue’s improved Curse Mark as Konan formed deadly paper blades, spears, and feathers and attacked her.

Kazeki endured Konan’s paper storm until a mysterious vision left Konan incapacitated, giving Kazeki a chance to attack. Deva Path Pain arrived in time to protect Konan, and Kazeki fled as the confrontation escalated.

• Konan’s paper storm shredded Kazeki’s raincoat and wounded her faster than her altered Hundred Healings could repair her.
• As Kazeki struggled to find a way through the assault, a chilling gust brought her a vision of a child witnessing a fiery hellscape and hearing a voice say, “Found you...”.
• Kazeki regained awareness and saw that Konan had stopped moving and appeared trapped in a Genjutsu.
• Kazeki threw two Wind Blade-coated Kunai at Konan, aiming for her head and heart.
• Deva Path Pain appeared and used Shinra Tensei to repel the Kunai and protect Konan.
• Kazeki immediately ran when she saw Pain arrive.

Ajisai intercepted a dozen Konoha Root ninja who might interfere with Moriyue’s plans and hunted them down using traps and Sealing Cards. She defeated their captain and asked whether he would become her summoned beast.

• Ajisai sensed a group of unfamiliar ninja near Amegakure and decided to stop them from threatening Moriyue.
• Ajisai used a decoy squirrel and a Sealing Card to ambush the Konoha Root ninja, unleashing Blue Beetles on several of them.
• Ajisai kept attacking from a distance with traps and summoned creatures as the Root team searched unsuccessfully for her.
• Ajisai appeared behind the captain, kicked him down, and asked if he would become her summoned beast.

Yugito Nii entered Amegakure to investigate the village’s suspicious calm and its possible connection to the Akatsuki Organization. After her attempt to search a tavern owner’s memories failed, she heard fighting nearby and headed toward it.

• Yugito Nii observed that Amegakure’s rain and nearly empty streets seemed inconsistent with the rumored power struggle.
• Yugito Nii suspected that Amegakure was hiding a secret and might be connected to the Akatsuki Organization.
• Yugito Nii disguised her voice and tried to gather information at a tavern by using Genjutsu on its owner.
• Yugito Nii found the owner’s memories obscured and left the tavern without being noticed.
• Yugito Nii heard sounds of battle nearby, pulled up her hood, and headed toward them through the rain.

Moriyue rushed to rescue Kazeki after the Black-faced Sheep sensed that she was in danger. He arrived just as Deva Path Pain was about to kill her, holding the unconscious Konan and confronting Pain.

• The Black-faced Sheep alerted Moriyue that Kazeki and the notebook had encountered an enemy, and Moriyue followed it toward her.
• Kazeki fled from Deva Path Pain, but Banshō Ten'in dragged her toward a metal rod; she used Wind Release: Spiraling Thread to knock the rod aside.
• Deva Path Pain struck Kazeki with Shinra Tensei, injured her, and lifted her by the throat while declaring that he would make her the new Human Path.
• Kazeki resisted and began to lose control of her Chakra, but Deva Path Pain suppressed it with a metal rod and prepared to pierce her heart.
• Moriyue arrived holding the unconscious Konan and warned Deva Path Pain not to attack Kazeki, and the two faced each other in a standoff.

Moriyue rescued Kazeki from Pain and fought Deva Path Pain, using attacks infused with Tailed Beast powers. The clash escalated when Moriyue activated Blood Death Art and Nagato sensed a strange connection forming between him and Deva Path.

• Deva Path Pain threw Kazeki aside, and Moriyue released Konan to catch Kazeki before she hit the ground.
• Moriyue settled Kazeki and began fighting Deva Path Pain, unleashing Storm Release and a series of attacks that Pain repelled with his powers.
• Moriyue obscured Deva Path Pain's vision with scale powder and pierced his hand with a finger wrapped in black lightning.
• Moriyue activated Blood Death Art, and Nagato sensed that Deva Path had formed a strange connection with him.

Animal Path Pain attacked Ajisai outside Amegakure after she disrupted Danzo and Nagato’s meeting, and the two fought through their summoned beasts. Ajisai turned the tide by using a Sealing Card to make the rhino attack Animal Path, leaving the battle swinging in her favor.

• Animal Path Pain found Ajisai at the meeting site, where she had altered one of Danzo’s tortured ninjas, and summoned the Three-Headed Hellhound to attack her.
• Ajisai ordered the bandaged man to fight the Hellhound, and Animal Path and Ajisai summoned more creatures to begin a battle of beasts.
• Ajisai used a water-based summoned beast to stop the Hellhounds from splitting, but Animal Path’s stronger creatures gradually overwhelmed her summons.
• Ajisai threw a Sealing Card at the charging rhino and summoned a mass of tentacles that pierced its skull and severed Animal Path’s control.
• The rhino turned on Animal Path, and Ajisai’s summoned beasts joined it in a massive charge.

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.