Chapter Summaries

After developing an Ōtsutsuki cell fusion serum, Orochimaru spent several days with Miroku and Shion before returning to the laboratory to modify his body. He replaced his eyes with Urashiki’s Rinnegan and Hyuga Hiashi’s Byakugan, tested their abilities, and began upgrading his bloodline.

• Orochimaru completed an Ōtsutsuki cell fusion serum and rested before beginning his body modification.
• Orochimaru visited Miroku and Shion, gave Shion a koala plushie, and spent several days with Miroku.
• Orochimaru returned to the laboratory and had his clone transplant Urashiki’s Rinnegan and Hyuga Hiashi’s Byakugan.
• Orochimaru tested his new eyes, found that the Rinnegan’s powers were sealed and draining, and noticed a blind spot in the Byakugan.
• Orochimaru began modifying and upgrading his bloodline.

Orochimaru endured a dangerous transformation after injecting the system’s reagent, then recovered in a nutrient chamber and emerged as Ōtsutsuki Orochimaru. He discovered his new strength and learned that his eyes could shift between a golden Rinnegan and Byakugan, with another surprise awaiting him.

• Orochimaru's clones injected the reagent while recording his worsening condition and restraining him as he suffered severe pain and damage.
• After the infusion ended, Orochimaru remained near death until his heartbeat strengthened the next morning and his clones transferred him to a nutrient chamber.
• Orochimaru's body regenerated as the nutrient fluid was repeatedly replaced, and he awakened on the evening of the sixth day.
• Orochimaru stepped out of the chamber with greatly increased power and declared that he was now Ōtsutsuki Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru tested his eyes and found that his golden Rinnegan could switch to ordinary Byakugan, then noticed an unexpected change in the Byakugan.

After evolving into an Ōtsutsuki, Orochimaru tested his new Rinnegan abilities in Outer Space and decided to travel to the moon. He sent a Shadow Clone ahead to establish an anchor point, hoping to find the young Otsutsuki Toneri there.

• Orochimaru discovered that his evolved Byakugan had lost its blind spot and no longer bore its original owner's mark.
• Orochimaru left his laboratory, while his Mirror Clone returned to the Absolute Ice Mountain Range to check on Sasuke's training under Zabuza.
• Orochimaru flew into Outer Space and transformed his left Byakugan into a golden Rinnegan.
• Orochimaru tested his enhanced strength by smashing meteors and found that he could create Truth-Seeking Orbs and wield Yin-Yang Release.
• Orochimaru found that Wind Release suited him best and used a red blade to slice a meteor into pieces.
• Orochimaru sent a Shadow Clone toward the moon to establish a Black Cavity anchor and seek out Otsutsuki Toneri.

Sasuke fought Guren in a grueling training match and finally gained the upper hand, but his cold behavior toward his teachers prompted Orochimaru to beat and reprimand him. Orochimaru left Sasuke injured and warned him to obey the camp’s rules or return to Konoha.

• Sasuke and Guren fought across a snowy mountain, and their battle triggered an avalanche.
• Sasuke cut Guren’s cheek twice, forcing her to stop the fight and call it a draw.
• Orochimaru welcomed Guren back to camp and told her to rest, while neither of them discussed her injuries.
• When Sasuke ignored Orochimaru as he passed, Orochimaru struck him, pinned him against the cave wall, and ordered him to show respect to his teachers and elders.
• Orochimaru beat Sasuke again and warned him that he would be sent back to Konoha if he continued acting disrespectfully.

Orochimaru disciplined Sasuke through training with Kimimaro, gave him the Kusanagi Sword, and then took him to Ryūchi Cave to test whether he could learn Sage Jutsu and obtain a Summoning Beast.

• Sasuke became more polite after Orochimaru scolded him, and Guren left after Orochimaru prepared her a meal.
• Orochimaru summoned Kimimaro to train Sasuke, leaving Sasuke overwhelmed by Kimimaro's strength.
• Orochimaru gave Sasuke the Kusanagi Sword and urged him to conceal his sharpness rather than rely on it blindly.
• After Sasuke trained for more than two and a half years, Orochimaru took him to Ryūchi Cave to face the trials for Sage Jutsu and a Summoning Beast.

Konan and Zetsu reported that the Two-Tails and Three-Tails were unaccounted for, and Akatsuki learned that Orochimaru was suspected of killing the Two-Tails Jinchuriki and attacking the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. Pain ordered Shinno and Daibutsu to capture the One-Tail next and tasked Konan and Zetsu with finding the missing tailed beasts.

• Konan reported that Akatsuki had intelligence on most tailed beasts, though the Two-Tails and Three-Tails remained unlocated.
• Zetsu said the Two-Tails Jinchuriki had been killed three years earlier and that a mysterious attacker had also targeted the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Zetsu revealed that witnesses described the attacker as wearing Akatsuki's red-cloud robe, prompting Pain and Obito to question each other before Obito denied involvement.
• Zetsu said rumors blamed Orochimaru, and Pain ordered Konan to have Sasori continue monitoring him.
• Pain assigned Shinno and Daibutsu to capture the One-Tail and ordered Konan and Zetsu to search for the Two-Tails and Three-Tails.

Orochimaru convened the Northern Lands’ leaders and warned that a major ninja war involving the Five Great Nations would begin within a year, with Akatsuki targeting the Tailed Beasts. He ordered preparations for war and protective measures for Fū, leaving the village to strengthen its forces ahead of the coming conflict.

• Orochimaru declared that the Northern Lands would enter a state of war readiness for the next year.
• Orochimaru told the assembled leaders that a major war involving the Five Great Nations would begin by the end of the year or sometime the next year, and identified Akatsuki as a threat seeking the Tailed Beasts.
• Orochimaru ordered Fū to remain in the village and assigned Ajisai to protect her, while authorizing Fū to undergo Complete Tailed Beast Transformation if her life was threatened.
• Orochimaru assigned Kisame to establish an emergency response unit using personnel from the Shadow Guard or Military Police Force.
• Orochimaru outlined plans to prepare the military, strengthen training, and raise the strength of the Northern Lands’ ninjas.

After learning of the Akatsuki’s attack on Sunagakure, Orochimaru refused a system mission to fight Naruto and strengthened Sasuke with a Hashirama Cells potion. Konoha also set out for Tenchi Bridge, hoping to confront Orochimaru and bring Sasuke back.

• Orochimaru learned that Gaara had been captured, Sasori had died, and Chiyo had sacrificed herself to revive Gaara.
• Orochimaru refused the system’s Battle of Tenchi Bridge mission and gained doubled resistance to genjutsu.
• Orochimaru summoned Sasuke from Ryūchi Cave and gave him a potion containing a thirty-percent dose of Hashirama Cells.
• Sasuke set traps around his room, injected the potion, and fell unconscious.
• Konoha formed a new Team 7 with Naruto, Sakura Haruno, Sai, and Yamato, and sent them to Tenchi Bridge.

At Tenchi Bridge, Kabuto exposed Jiraisui’s disguise as Sasori, and Orochimaru appeared to confront the team. Orochimaru provoked Naruto into a fierce fight and judged that his power could make him a worthy opponent for Sasuke.

• Kabuto cut open Hiruko and revealed Jiraisui, who joined Naruto, Sakura, and Ino as Orochimaru arrived.
• Naruto demanded to know where Sasuke was, and Orochimaru claimed he would take over Sasuke’s body and refused to let him leave.
• Orochimaru’s taunts drove Naruto into a three-tailed transformation, and Naruto struck him with enough force to send him into rubble.
• Orochimaru fought Naruto across the bridge and shore, knocking him into the mountainside as the bridge shattered.
• Naruto lost control further and grew a fourth tail, while Orochimaru assessed his strength as suitable for testing Sasuke.
• Orochimaru decided it was time to switch people.

Pain assigned members to pursue the Two-Tails and Three-Tails, while warning Konan to watch Itachi. Meanwhile, Orochimaru set Sasuke against Four-Tails Naruto, and Sasuke briefly restrained Naruto as their battle continued.

• Pain sent Hiruko and Tenkūjo to seek the Two-Tails and paired Itachi with Konan for the Three-Tails mission.
• Pain warned Konan that Itachi had been restless and noted that Itachi's younger brother Sasuke was training under Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru brought Sasuke out to face the enraged Four-Tails Naruto, who shrugged off Sasuke's attacks and battered him with his tails.
• Sasuke used Four-Layer Rashōmon to deflect Naruto's Tailed Beast Bomb, while Jiraisui, Sakura, and Sai watched with Orochimaru and Kabuto nearby.
• Sasuke wrapped threads around Naruto's limbs and followed up with Lightning Release: Lightning Cage of a Thousand Bolts.

Sasuke battled Four-Tails Naruto, using increasingly powerful Lightning Release techniques to push him back, but the Nine-Tails restored Naruto and took control again. Sasuke answered Naruto’s massive Tailed Beast Bomb with Kirin, and Orochimaru’s group escaped with Sasuke before the others subdued Naruto and calmed him with the Crystal Pendant.

• Sasuke struck Naruto with an Explosive Spear, but Naruto recovered and forced Sasuke onto the defensive with relentless attacks.
• Sasuke used two Shadow Clones to create an explosive lightning dragon that drove Naruto back and detonated in a massive blast.
• The Nine-Tails took over Naruto again, healed his wounds, and strengthened his Tailed Beast Chakra.
• Sasuke summoned Kirin from the storm clouds to meet Naruto’s larger Tailed Beast Bomb, while Jiraisui and Orochimaru protected the onlookers.
• Orochimaru left with Kabuto and Sasuke, and Jiraisui restrained Naruto after Naruto knocked Sakura unconscious.
• Sai activated the Crystal Pendant, soothing Naruto until he returned to normal.

After Asuma’s tragedy was avoided, Orochimaru finished training Sasuke and ended their master-disciple bond, leaving Sasuke to prepare for his future confrontation with Itachi. Orochimaru then sent Kabuto to Konoha with a letter for Tsunade and departed to pursue a new assignment involving Six-Tails Utakata.

• Orochimaru told Sasuke that his strength was comparable to Itachi’s, but Itachi had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo.
• Orochimaru urged Sasuke to try fusing Lightning and Fire Release, explained Kekkei Genkai, and gave him a scroll containing techniques including Izanagi, Izanami, and the Eight Branches Technique.
• Orochimaru ended his bond with Sasuke as master and disciple, and Sasuke asked where he could find Orochimaru again.
• Orochimaru gave Kabuto a letter for Tsunade in Konoha and praised him while advising him to think more for himself.
• Orochimaru left for his latest assignment after learning that Six-Tails Utakata had appeared.

Orochimaru found Utakata and Hotaru being pursued by Kirigakure and Tsuchigumo Clan ninjas, then tried to persuade Utakata to reconcile with Kirigakure. Utakata distrusted him, so Orochimaru prepared to prove his sincerity.

• Orochimaru learned that Hotaru had met Utakata and ordered his agents to negotiate with the Tsuchigumo Clan.
• Hotaru begged Utakata to train her, and he reluctantly let her follow him.
• Kirigakure pursuers and Shirou attacked Utakata and Hotaru, but Orochimaru defeated them and captured Shirou.
• Orochimaru identified Utakata as the Six-Tails Jinchuriki and offered to resolve his conflict with Kirigakure.
• Utakata questioned Orochimaru's motives, prompting Orochimaru to offer to demonstrate his sincerity.

Orochimaru defeated Utakata and brought him, Hotaru, and Shirou back to the Tsuchigumo Clan’s village. Kimimaro reported that negotiations over relocating the clan had gone smoothly, though the clan chief still wanted to meet Orochimaru.

• Orochimaru fought Utakata, who filled the forest with explosive bubbles, and defeated him after a two-hour battle.
• Orochimaru told Hotaru that the Northern Lands were negotiating with the Tsuchigumo Clan and promised she could learn ninjutsu after returning to Mount Katsuragi.
• Orochimaru picked up the unconscious Shirou and brought him along with Utakata and Hotaru.
• Orochimaru and Hotaru returned to the Tsuchigumo village a day later, where Kimimaro and two Northern Lands ninja took Utakata and Shirou from him.
• Kimimaro told Orochimaru that the relocation talks had gone fairly smoothly, but the Tsuchigumo Clan’s chief still wanted to meet him.

Orochimaru secured the Tsuchigumo Clan’s cooperation, arranged for Kirigakure to reclaim Utakata, and received a serum formula for advancing Ōtsutsuki bloodlines. Tsunade learned that Sasuke was free and might investigate the Uchiha Clan, while Sasuke encountered a fortress descending from the sky.

• Orochimaru offered the Tsuchigumo Clan better medical care and education in exchange for their cooperation, then left Kimimaro to handle the follow-up.
• Kirigakure sent ninjas to reclaim Utakata, while Orochimaru received the formula for an Ōtsutsuki pure-bloodline advancement serum and returned to the Northern Lands to work with his main body.
• Tsunade read Orochimaru’s letter informing her that Sasuke was free and might investigate the Uchiha Clan, with the word “Akatsuki” as a warning.
• Tsunade told Asuma she would consider the letter and ordered him not to tell Naruto yet.
• Sasuke emerged from his hideout, sensed powerful Chakra in the forest, and found a massive fortress descending from the sky.

Sasuke encountered Shinno at the Sky Fortress and fought him, discovering that Zero-Tails could heal and empower its master. Shinno transformed with Zero-Tails's Chakra as the fortress began to rise, and Sasuke prepared to continue the battle.

• Shinno emerged from the Sky Fortress and provoked Sasuke, who drew his katana and attacked.
• Sasuke drove Shinno into the fortress, then used a genjutsu and struck his chest, leaving him badly injured.
• Shinno activated a mechanism and summoned Zero-Tails: Void, which healed him and replenished his strength.
• Zero-Tails poured Chakra into Shinno, rejuvenating him as he used his Physical Activation and Body Regeneration Technique.
• Sasuke welcomed the stronger opponent, and the two fought again as the Sky Fortress began to rise.

Kabuto searched for Orochimaru after finding their old hideout abandoned, then discovered what appeared to be Orochimaru’s corpse in a forgotten basement. He resolved to inherit Orochimaru’s legacy, unaware that the apparent death and the preparations waiting there had been deliberately arranged for him.

• Kabuto found Orochimaru and Sasuke missing and searched several abandoned hideouts without finding them.
• Kabuto remembered Orochimaru’s words about a hidden place and traveled to the region where the Land of Hot Water had once stood.
• Kabuto followed dried blood into a basement and found Orochimaru’s apparently lifeless body with a cut across its neck.
• Kabuto realized Orochimaru had prepared the corpse, a vast collection of bodies, laboratory supplies, stored cells, and Three Tomoe Sharingan for him.
• Kabuto stitched Orochimaru’s wound and vowed to inherit his legacy and fulfill his unfinished dream.

Sasuke defeated Shinno and escaped the collapsing fortress, then tested the Chunin Orochimaru had sent to assist him. After proving his strength, Sasuke accepted them as subordinates and named their team the Snake Squad.

• Sasuke entered Sage Mode and attacked Shinno with Blaze Release: Flame Lightning Spear, destroying the fortress.
• Sasuke escaped the falling fortress and met Dosu, Kin Tsuchi, Jirobo, and Zaku, whom Orochimaru had sent to help him.
• Dosu challenged Sasuke, and Kin Tsuchi called Jirobo and Zaku to join the fight.
• Sasuke defeated the four Chunin, earning their acknowledgment and assessing their abilities.
• Sasuke named their new team the Snake Squad.

Pain assigned Obito and Zetsu to capture the Four-Tails and Five-Tails while preparing to take on the Six-Tails in Kirigakure. As the leaders left Amegakure, Itachi set out to meet Sasuke and Hiruko prepared to use his curse on Kakashi to obtain the Sharingan.

• Konan agreed to investigate Shinno’s disappearance, and Pain ordered Obito and Zetsu to capture the Four-Tails and Five-Tails while he pursued the Six-Tails.
• Konan told Pain that Tenkūjo’s injuries had stabilized and warned that Utakata had returned to Kirigakure; Pain decided they would leave for Kirigakure the next day.
• Itachi learned that Sasuke had left Orochimaru, sent a note by crow, and secretly departed Amegakure to find him.
• Hiruko decided the approaching Annular Solar Eclipse was the time to activate the Puppet Curse he had planted in Kakashi and take Kakashi’s Sharingan.

Hiruko’s curse mark awakened on Kakashi, prompting Tsunade and Jiraiya to protect him while they investigated the threat. In Kirigakure, Utakata joined the defense against a sudden attack by Pain, who confronted him and Mei Terumī.

• A mark on Kakashi’s forehead activated, and Hiruko’s voice summoned him to a mission.
• Kakashi told Tsunade and Jiraiya about Hiruko, and they ordered him to stay in the village under Anbu protection.
• Utakata went to buy bubble solution as Kirigakure came under attack from Summoning Beasts.
• Mei Terumī and Utakata joined the defense, and Mei ordered Kirigakure’s ninja to help repel the attackers.
• Asura Path Pain and Deva Path Pain confronted Mei Terumī and Utakata, declared themselves gods, and targeted Utakata.
• Mei Terumī attacked Pain with her Scorch Release techniques, but Deva Path Pain answered with Shinra Tensei.