Chapter Summaries

Hiruko threatened Konoha and demanded Kakashi, prompting Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Naruto to prepare to confront him. Meanwhile, Obito abducted Iwagakure’s young Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Runtu, and moved on to target Rōshi.

• Hiruko appeared outside Konoha, declared war, and pressured the village to hand over Kakashi.
• Tsunade agreed to let Jiraiya accompany Kakashi to meet Hiruko, and Naruto persuaded them to take him along.
• Kitsuchi reported that Runtu had disappeared from Iwagakure, and Ōnoki feared Rōshi was the next target.
• Obito and Zetsu confirmed that abducting Runtu had gone smoothly and set out to capture Rōshi.

Mei Terumī organized Kirigakure’s recovery after Pain captured Utakata, while the Northern Lands sent aid. At Mount Sumeru, Kakashi broke free of Hiruko’s ritual and Jiraiya confronted Hiruko, but Hiruko attacked as Naruto, Sakura, and the others arrived.

• Pain escaped with the unconscious Utakata, leaving Mei Terumī injured and Kirigakure heavily damaged.
• Ao reported Kirigakure’s losses, and Mei Terumī ordered relief efforts before requesting aid from the Northern Lands.
• Pakura sent Guren, Kidomaru, Sakon and Ukon, Karin, and others to assist Kirigakure.
• Hiruko prepared to complete his ritual with Kakashi, but Tsunade’s safeguard activated and Kakashi broke free.
• Jiraiya revealed himself and urged Hiruko to surrender, but Hiruko rejected him as Naruto, Sakura, and the others arrived.
• Hiruko made the first move against the group.

Orochimaru brought Izumi Uchiha to meet the dying Itachi, and the former childhood sweethearts confronted the truth of their past. He secretly drugged them and arranged for Izumi to become pregnant with Uchiha descendants before leaving with her.

• Orochimaru entered the underground chamber with Izumi, who removed her mask and faced Itachi.
• Izumi demanded that Itachi explain the massacre, and he told her that what she had seen was the answer.
• After Orochimaru left them alone, Izumi knocked Itachi down and beat him while crying.
• Orochimaru's drugs incapacitated Itachi and Izumi, and he collected a sample of Itachi's offspring for his plans to revive the Uchiha.
• Orochimaru drew blood from Itachi, left a letter, and carried Izumi out of the chamber.

Nagato learned that Hiruko had defied orders, declared war on Konoha, and been killed, while Itachi had disappeared from Amegakure. He reassessed Konoha as a stronger obstacle to capturing the Nine-Tails and ended the chapter brooding over the losses within his organization.

• After capturing the Jinchuriki in the Land of Water, Nagato and Konan received word that Hiruko had left Amegakure without authorization to target Kakashi and challenge Konoha.
• Nagato ordered an immediate return to Amegakure, but learned upon arriving that Hiruko had been killed.
• Konan reported that Kakashi, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Jiraiya had fought Hiruko, leading her to warn that Konoha would be difficult to attack while Tsunade and Jiraiya were there.
• Nagato agreed that Konoha had grown stronger and said the Nine-Tails should be left until last.
• Konan told Nagato that Itachi's residence was empty and he could not be found in Amegakure; Nagato crushed his cup and brooded as Konan treated his bleeding hand.

After Hiruko died, Jiraiya told Tsunade that he had revealed Akatsuki was based in Amegakure. News of Akatsuki’s attack on Kirigakure led Tsunade to realize that the organization was capturing tailed beasts in order and might already have six.

• Tsunade comforted Jiraiya over Hiruko’s death, and Jiraiya told her Hiruko had said he came from Amegakure.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya discussed the possibility that Hanzō and Amegakure were connected to Akatsuki.
• An Anbu ninja delivered urgent intelligence that Akatsuki had captured Kirigakure’s Seven-Tails Jinchuriki and destroyed more than half the village.
• Tsunade connected the captures of the One-Tail, Six-Tails, and Seven-Tails and warned that Iwagakure might have lost the Four-Tails and Five-Tails as well.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya realized Akatsuki might already hold six tailed beasts, and Tsunade ordered an immediate meeting.

As Akatsuki’s threat grew, Jiraiya told Tsunade he planned to infiltrate Amegakure and investigate the organization, despite her fierce objection. Before they could resolve their disagreement, an Anbu ninja arrived with an urgent secret message from the Northern Lands.

• Jiraiya and Tsunade reminisced about their childhood at Konoha’s training grounds and spoke about their losses and memories.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade he planned to go to Amegakure to investigate Akatsuki for Konoha and Naruto.
• Tsunade firmly opposed Jiraiya’s plan, but he insisted that he had already made his decision.
• An Anbu ninja arrived and delivered an urgent secret message from the Northern Lands to Tsunade and Jiraiya.

Tsunade and Jiraiya reconsidered his planned solo operation after the Northern Lands proposed a Three Kage Summit to coordinate against Akatsuki. Hidden Cloud Village agreed to pursue the meeting and chose the Capital City of the Land of Gold as its location, pending approval from Konoha and the Northern Lands.

• An Anbu ninja delivered the Northern Lands' proposal, and Tsunade told Jiraiya to remain in the village while the summit plan was discussed.
• Jiraiya agreed that cooperation with the Northern Lands and Hidden Cloud Village could be the best approach, though the details depended on Hidden Cloud Village's response.
• The Fourth Raikage gathered Hidden Cloud Village's leaders to assess the intelligence about Akatsuki and discuss whether to hold a Three Kage Summit.
• Dodai argued that the Capital City of the Land of Gold was close enough for support and that the Northern Lands had strong reason to cooperate.
• A approved the Capital City of the Land of Gold as the meeting location and ordered letters sent to the Northern Lands and Konoha.

Tsunade and A traveled to the Capital City to meet Orochimaru and discuss the Akatsuki, while Orochimaru shared intelligence on its members. The meeting left the group comparing what they knew, with Tsunade beginning to reveal information she had learned from Hiruko.

• Tsunade left Konoha with Shizune and Shikaku, accompanied by Kakashi, Might Guy, and Inoichi Yamanaka, while A traveled from Kumogakure with Dodai and Darui.
• Orochimaru arrived first in the Capital City with Haku and Kimimaro and arranged a discreet meeting.
• Tsunade and A arrived and joined Orochimaru in the meeting room, where Tsunade sensed something familiar about him and A recognized Haku from their encounter at Beidai Bridge.
• Orochimaru handed Tsunade and A documents detailing Akatsuki members, including Pain, the Masked Man, Zetsu, Itachi, and Tenkūjo.
• A shared that Akatsuki had attacked Kumogakure three years earlier and that Yugito had been captured by someone calling himself Orochimaru; Orochimaru questioned how the Two-Tails had later revived.
• Tsunade began sharing information about the Akatsuki that Konoha had learned from Hiruko.

Tsunade, Orochimaru, and A agreed to investigate Amegakure together to confirm whether it housed Akatsuki's headquarters. They selected Jiraiya, Darui, and Hozuki Mangetsu for the mission and set the operation for three days later.

• Orochimaru proposed investigating Amegakure first, and Tsunade and A agreed that each village would send an expert to gather intelligence.
• Tsunade chose Jiraiya for the mission, and A selected Darui, his favored candidate to become the next Raikage.
• Orochimaru chose Hozuki Mangetsu, whose Hydrification Technique could help him evade Pain's surveillance through the rain.
• Dodai, Shikaku Nara, and Haku helped the three sides finalize the mission plan and set the operation to begin in three days.

Itachi learned from Orochimaru’s letter about Akatsuki’s plan to revive the Ten-Tails and Sasuke’s role, while Sasuke received word of their meeting at Uchiha Shrine. As Sasuke set out, Jiraiya, Hozuki Mangetsu, and Darui infiltrated Amegakure and split up to search the village.

• Itachi read Orochimaru’s letter, learned about Akatsuki’s goal and Sasuke’s identity as Indra’s reincarnation, and worried about how much strength to show in their coming battle.
• Sasuke received a letter naming Uchiha Shrine as their destination, burned it, and gathered Snake Squad to leave.
• Samui led Hidden Cloud ninja waiting near the Land of Rain border, while Jiraisui led Konoha’s team and Deidara and Hidan waited with the Northern Lands ninja.
• Jiraiya, Hozuki Mangetsu, and Darui secretly entered Amegakure using their infiltration techniques.
• Jiraiya directed the three to search separately and regroup at the village center in two hours.

Hozuki Mangetsu, Jiraiya, and Darui infiltrated Amegakure and gathered intelligence by different means. After Pain confirmed Jiraiya’s identity, he ordered Konan to confront him, and she met her former teacher.

• Hozuki Mangetsu followed the pipes into a resident’s home, while Jiraiya questioned a breakfast-stall owner and drew suspicion by mentioning Hanzō of the Salamander.
• Pain sensed a powerful intruder, and Konan received word that someone had been spotted on East Street.
• Hozuki Mangetsu and Darui interrogated local ninja, learned Pain was in the central tower, and headed there.
• Jiraiya used a summoned toad disguised as a tavern to gather information and lure Pain out, but Konan confirmed his identity.
• Pain ordered Konan to meet Jiraiya and kill him if possible, and Konan confronted her former teacher, who mocked her paper wings.

Jiraiya confronted Konan and the Six Paths of Pain in Amegakure while Darui and Hozuki Mangetsu investigated the village. He trapped the pursuing Pain bodies with Frog Song and Swamp of the Underworld, leaving their fate unresolved.

• Jiraiya subdued Konan with Toad Oil and Wild Lion's Mane Technique, then questioned her about the person behind the Six Paths of Pain.
• The Human Path identified himself as a god and joined the Preta Path and Animal Path in attacking Jiraiya; Konan withdrew.
• Hozuki Mangetsu and Darui compared their findings and realized Akatsuki had made Amegakure its main base after Hanzō's death.
• After an explosion, Darui and Hozuki Mangetsu followed the battle, while Jiraiya entered Sage Mode with Fukasaku and Shima and planned his next move.
• Jiraiya and the two toad sages used Frog Song to disorient the three Pain bodies, then Jiraiya trapped them with Swamp of the Underworld and a transparent barrier.

Jiraiya defeated three of Pain’s bodies, but Orochimaru secretly took their corpses to study the Rinnegan technique. Jiraiya and Darui then faced the remaining Pains in Amegakure, while Hozuki Mangetsu stayed hidden nearby and a Masked Man began removing the tubes from his body.

• Jiraiya used genjutsu to defeat the Human Path, Animal Path, and Preta Path, and a spatial rift took their bodies before Deva Path and Asura Path arrived.
• Orochimaru examined the stolen bodies and considered learning how Pain used the Rinnegan to control puppets.
• Darui stopped Asura Path from ambushing Jiraiya, and the two fought their way outside before confronting Deva Path, Naraka Path, and Asura Path.
• Pain explained that the Six Paths of Pain were a collective, and Jiraiya wondered whether Deva Path was Yahiko.
• Hozuki Mangetsu watched from the river as Black Zetsu and White Zetsu discussed the threat of the invading shinobi, while a Masked Man began pulling tubes from his body.

Obito learned that Jiraiya and Darui had infiltrated Amegakure and went to observe as they fought Pain. When a signal flare triggered the retreat, Hozuki Mangetsu helped the Konoha and Kumogakure ninjas evade Pain and attacked the pursuing Paths in the waterways.

• Obito recovered in his refuge while Zetsu reported that Konan was handling the Jinchuriki and Pain was confronting intruders.
• Zetsu identified the intruders as Jiraiya and Darui, and Obito decided to watch their battle.
• Jiraiya used Sage techniques against Deva Path Pain, while injured Darui fought the Asura and Naraka Paths.
• A signal flare prompted Jiraiya and Darui to flee, but Deva Path and Asura Path pursued them.
• Hozuki Mangetsu used Mirage Summoning Jutsu to confuse the pursuing Paths, then attacked them with Steam Impasse Danger Bomb.

Obito and Zetsu watched Pain’s battle with Hōzuki Mangetsu before moving to intercept the arriving enemies. Deidara and Hidan fought Obito on their clay bird, and Hidan ended the chapter by stabbing himself during his ritual.

• Obito and Zetsu identified Hōzuki Mangetsu and decided not to interfere in Pain’s battle until Pain ordered them to kill the invading enemies.
• Hōzuki Mangetsu’s clone exploded, ending the mirage, and Pain charged forward as Obito and Zetsu moved to intercept the approaching birds.
• Obito appeared behind Deidara and Hidan, but Hidan’s scythe and Deidara’s clay bombs thwarted his surprise attack.
• Deidara used clay scraps to threaten Obito while Hidan completed his ritual and told Deidara to move aside.
• Hidan stabbed himself in the chest, challenging Obito’s ability to phase through his attack.

Deidara and Hidan attacked Obito from the air, forcing him to retreat into the Kamui Dimension and recover with White Zetsu. Jiraiya’s coalition escaped Amegakure with heavy losses, and three days after the survivors returned to their villages, news shook the Ninja World.

• Hidan’s curse injured Obito through Kamui, while Deidara joined Hidan in attacking him from the air.
• Obito escaped into the Kamui Dimension, where White Zetsu repaired his heart as he grew wary of the Northern Lands.
• Deidara bombarded Amegakure’s pursuing ninjas and rescued Hozuki Mangetsu.
• Jiraisui, Sai, and the allied ninjas helped Jiraiya’s group retreat from Pain, losing half their elite ninjas in the escape.
• Deidara and Sai used their birds, beasts, and bombs to help the group escape the Land of Rain, after which Jiraiya, Darui, and Hozuki Mangetsu exchanged intelligence and returned to their villages.
• Three days after the survivors reported back, news shook the Ninja World.

Haku informed Ōnoki that Akatsuki had captured six tailed beasts and pushed for a Six Kage Summit, while the Northern Lands sold Iwagakure intelligence about Akatsuki. The chapter also showed Guren negotiating with Mei Terumī and ended with Itachi waiting at the Uchiha Shrine as someone approached.

• Haku told Ōnoki that the Northern Lands had attacked Akatsuki’s stronghold in Amegakure and that Akatsuki had captured six tailed beasts.
• Haku urged Ōnoki to support a Six Kage Summit and offered to sell him intelligence about Akatsuki.
• Ōnoki negotiated with Haku, and Iwagakure paid resources to obtain the intelligence.
• Orochimaru sent Guren to sell the same intelligence to Mei Terumī in Kirigakure.
• Two days earlier, Itachi finished recovering at the Uchiha Shrine, burned a letter, and heard movement outside.

Sasuke confronted Itachi, revealing that he had fitted their father’s Mangekyō Sharingan into a white snake on his back and warning Itachi not to hold back. Their battle began in Tsukuyomi, where Sasuke’s enhanced power and training forced Itachi to fight at full strength.

• Sasuke showed Itachi the Mangekyō Sharingan implanted in his white snake, explaining that their father had left the eyes behind.
• Itachi accepted Sasuke’s preparations and looked forward to testing the strength he had gained from Orochimaru.
• Zetsu watched from above while Orochimaru and Izumi Uchiha observed through a passage into the Black Cavity Space.
• Izumi chose to witness the brothers’ battle despite her distress, and Orochimaru said Itachi had been waiting for this moment.
• Itachi and Sasuke fought fiercely in Tsukuyomi, as Sasuke’s enhanced spiritual power and Eight Inner Gates Seal helped him resist Itachi’s genjutsu.

Sasuke and Itachi fought through a prolonged genjutsu duel, then tested each other with shuriken and taijutsu. Sasuke broke through the shrine platform and challenged Itachi’s Susanoo, leaving their clash unresolved as their attacks shook the ground.

• Sasuke and Itachi traded genjutsu layers, and Sasuke learned that Uchiha Madara was still alive.
• Sasuke and Itachi ended the genjutsu duel exhausted, with Izumi and Orochimaru judging it a draw.
• Sasuke revealed his knowledge of Susanoo and attacked Itachi with a barrage of shuriken from his sealing-pattern bracer.
• Itachi used a Substitution Technique, then kicked at Sasuke, who grabbed his ankle and smashed him through the ground and ceiling.
• Sasuke confronted Itachi’s skeletal Susanoo on the shrine platform, and their opposing strikes cracked the ground.

Sasuke fought Itachi with taijutsu before revealing his complete Sage Mode and summoning allies to challenge Susanoo. With Garaga and the Eight Branches Technique on the battlefield, Sasuke unveiled another trump card: Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.

• Sasuke traded blows with Itachi’s Susanoo, was knocked back, and watched Itachi withdraw it as the strain worsened his illness.
• Sasuke removed a sealing talisman from his chest, released a surge of Chakra, and activated his complete Sage Mode.
• Itachi manifested a full Susanoo skeleton and drew the Sword of Totsuka while Sasuke remained confident.
• Sasuke summoned Garaga and then brought forth the Eight Branches Technique, surprising Itachi and the Zetsu.
• Sasuke used Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, shocking everyone present.