Recaps

Menma exposed the Uchiha massacre, fought Itachi and the Leaf forces, and recruited Izumi into Red Moon as Tsukuyomi no Mikoto. He then helped Kazahana Koyuki reclaim her rule in the Land of Snow, while the massacre’s news spread and Naruto confronted the fragility of his classmates’ bonds.

• Menma rescued Izumi Uchiha, killed Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Root ninja, and helped Yakushi Nonō and Kurama Unkai escape with the Uchiha children before exposing the operation with signal flares.
• Itachi Uchiha killed Fugaku, Mikoto, and the Uchiha Clan, then used Tsukuyomi to show Sasuke the massacre as Menma fought him and took Sasuke away.
• Menma summoned reanimated Uchiha, including Shisui, who learned the truth from Itachi and fought him while Menma battled Hiruzen Sarutobi, Might Guy, and the Leaf forces.
• Jiraiya heard the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy, while Naruto comforted Sasuke, who blamed Itachi and the village leaders and awakened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
• Izumi awakened her Mangekyō Sharingan and used its time-based abilities against Itachi, then joined Red Moon as Tsukuyomi no Mikoto in exchange for help taking revenge.
• Menma rescued Kazahana Koyuki and Asama Santayū from the Snow Ninja, offered to help Koyuki reclaim her position, and secured her alliance with Red Moon.
• News of the Uchiha massacre spread, Jiraiya moved to deter the great villages from attacking, and Naruto stopped a Taijutsu brawl at school with Water Release.

Naruto thwarted an attempt on his life and drew closer to Sasuke as Hiruzen and Jiraiya clashed over Naruto’s past. Menma helped Kazahana Koyuki take the Snow throne, then investigated the Evil God and brought Hidan into the Akatsuki as the organization prepared to capture the Tailed Beasts.

• Naruto killed the Hidden Cloud spy Buribi, and Hiruzen ordered Danzō confined after accusing him of sending Root ninja against the Uchiha.
• Menma and his allies defeated Kazahana Dōtō’s forces, helped Koyuki reclaim the Land of Snow, and revealed that its spring-generating Ice Wall was the treasure Dōtō had sought.
• Menma learned that the Hexagonal Crystal contained Gelel Ore, while Koyuki began planning new research facilities and Chakra Armor production.
• Naruto recognized Danzō’s ambitions and led him to the Shimura compound, then stopped Sasuke from confronting villagers who mocked the Uchiha.
• Jiraiya challenged Hiruzen over Naruto’s treatment and proposed taking Naruto away, while Menma experimented on Shin Uchiha and awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Menma absorbed the Evil God’s power and gave Hidan the ability to perceive emotions, while Hidan turned against Long Ming and destroyed the Evil God Sect.
• Kakuzu and Sasori recruited Hidan after he defeated Long Ming, and Hidan joined the Akatsuki with Yakushi Kabuto as his partner.
• Pain announced that Orochimaru had fled after failing to assassinate Itachi and ordered the Akatsuki to retrieve his ring before beginning the Tailed Beast Capture Plan.

Menma expanded his influence in the Land of Snow, rescued surviving Uzumaki, and seized the Paradise Box after destroying Hozuki Castle. He then gave Kukomaka a body and brought her to face Shinnō’s Zero-Tails, where she transformed into a seven-tailed Jinchuriki.

• Pain welcomed Sasori, Kakuzu, and Tobi, promoted Tobi and Yakushi Kabuto to full Akatsuki membership, and approved Kabuto after his clash with Kakuzu.
• Yakushi Kabuto helped Nagato stand again, while Naruto learned that Minato was his father and told Hiruzen Sarutobi he still resented his lonely childhood but wanted to become like Minato.
• Menma advanced the Land of Snow’s development, agreed to help Kazahana Koyuki become a movie actor, and considered using Wish Power to awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Menma rescued Karin and Uzumaki Kana from Kusagakure, then infiltrated Hozuki Castle and offered to free the imprisoned Uzumaki clan members.
• Mui awakened the Paradise Box at Hozuki Castle, but Menma devastated the plaza, fought Wu, absorbed it, and escaped with the box as Ōnoki began investigating Red Moon.
• Menma used the Paradise Box to create a body for Kukomaka, who transferred her soul into it and tested her new abilities.
• Menma and Kukomaka attacked the Sky Ninja’s underground base, where Kukomaka struck down Shinnō after he offered Menma the Artificial Tailed Beast technology.
• Shinnō led Menma and Kukomaka to the Zero-Tails, which absorbed some of Kukomaka’s Chakra before she transformed into a seven-tailed Jinchuriki and threatened him.

Naruto gained control of Kurama’s chakra while the Ōtsutsuki on the moon and Akatsuki reacted to new threats. Red Moon, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure converged on the Gelel Stone vein in River Country, where Kukomaka faced the Four-Tails.

• Jiraiya helped Naruto remove the Five Elements Seal, and Naruto absorbed Kurama’s chakra, transformed, and unleashed Heavy Particle, a powerful attack that left him drained.
• Ōtsutsuki Rito and two elders used the unfinished Tenseigan to observe the Shinobi World, while Hiruzen learned that Hinata Hyuga would be passed over for Hanabi Hyuga as heir.
• Menma ordered Shinnō to continue research on the Zero-Tails and suspected that the moon clan had obtained the Tenseigan, while Obito learned that Nagato was resisting him and set out for Leaf Village.
• Menma, Izumi Uchiha, and Shisui joined Kukomaka in pursuing the Gelel Stone, while Sunagakure and Iwagakure sent mining teams into River Country and Hiruzen dispatched Kakashi and Yamato on an urgent mission.
• Sky Ninja attacked Baki’s mining team, and Izumi clashed with Rasa before Shisui fought Kakuzu and Sasori, destroying Hiruko and surviving their attacks with his Susanoo.
• Deidara joined the battle against Shisui, while Kakashi and Yamato reached the canyon, found a devastated battlefield, and discovered the Ironclad Battleship, where Menma offered to help Hyde’s group in exchange for a Gelel Stone.
• Deidara, Sasori, and Rōshi broke through Shisui’s Susanoo, but Kukomaka intercepted Rōshi’s Tailed Beast Ball and challenged Son Gokū after it knocked her down.