Chapter Summaries

Deidara and Tobi captured Isobu, while Ming Jing reflected on Akatsuki’s progress and his own plans. He left to meet Hinata for a movie, promising Yuexi he would give her what she wanted most.

• Deidara blasted Isobu unconscious with a clay fish, and Tobi joined him to bind the Three-Tails for transport.
• Tobi celebrated their success, and Deidara scolded him before they hauled Isobu toward shore with two clay birds.
• Ming Jing reviewed the captured Tailed Beasts and decided that protecting Naruto was his only concern in the Land of Fire.
• Ming Jing asked Yuexi about Akatsuki sightings, then told her he planned to see The Tale of Princess Kaguya with Hinata.
• Ming Jing embraced Yuexi and promised he would give her what she wanted most before leaving.

Kyoutou and his companions abducted Sora from the Temple of Fire, then shattered the temple’s terrain to escape. Tsukikyuu Shang Mei and Hidan intercepted them and demanded Sora, and their clash began with Tsukikyuu Shang Mei turning Fuu’s water attack back against her.

• Kyoutou, Fudou, Fuu, and En infiltrated the Temple of Fire and abducted Sora.
• Chiriku confronted the group, but Fudou used Earth Release: Earth Transformation to break the temple into scattered terrain and disorient the monks.
• Tsukikyuu Shang Mei and Hidan followed the retreating kidnappers through the ruined temple.
• Kyoutou ordered an attack when Tsukikyuu Shang Mei and Hidan appeared in their path, and Tsukikyuu Shang Mei demanded that they hand over Sora.
• Fudou and Fuu attacked, but Hidan cut through their techniques and Tsukikyuu Shang Mei reflected Fuu’s Turbulent Steam with Barrier: Counter Current.

Tsukikyuu Shang Mei and Hidan abducted Sora from the Temple of Fire while their group escaped, and Ming Jing arrived afterward to investigate the Akatsuki pair. The chapter ended with Ming Jing unable to trace their improved transportation barrier and ordering continued surveillance.

• Tsukikyuu Shang Mei and Tamamura overwhelmed Kyoutou, En, Fudou, and Fuu, then Shang Mei and Hidan escaped with Sora.
• Chiriku arrived, but Kyoutou and his companions escaped after the glowing barrier rods vanished, leaving Sora missing from the restored Temple of Fire.
• Ming Jing questioned Chiriku about two red-cloud-robed intruders and learned that Kyoutou had encountered mysterious people.
• Ming Jing examined the transportation barrier and suspected Akatsuki's Barrier Master was a survivor of the Land of Whirlpools, but he could not determine where the pair had gone.
• Ming Jing told Qing Yan to have the Police Department continue monitoring the situation.

Ming Jing led a force from Konoha to the Land of Demons after Moryo’s seal weakened and an undead army emerged. He confronted the legion at Kimu Valley and prepared to strike back after repelling its rain of arrows.

• A subordinate alerted Ming Jing that Moryo’s seal had loosened and undead creatures were threatening the Land of Demons, so Ming Jing gathered his allies and ordered preparations.
• Ming Jing decided to intervene personally, assigning Yuexi and Zuo Yang Kurama to handle domestic affairs and taking Qing Yan, Hizashi Hyuga, Hinata, and Patrol Officers with him.
• Ming Jing’s group reached the Land of Demons and learned that Naruto and his companions had already rescued the Miko; Ming Jing sent Hizashi Hyuga and six Patrol Officers after them.
• At Kimu Valley, Hinata discovered that the undead had no Chakra and that their chest energy was their weakness, while Ming Jing identified their numbers as tens of thousands.
• Ming Jing’s Wind Style: Thousand Blades shattered the undead army’s arrow volley, and he unleashed Wind Style: Ten Thousand Blades in retaliation.

Neji and his companions were attacked by Land of Demons ninjas, but Hizashi Hyuga and the patrol officers arrived and encircled the enemy. The chapter ended with Hizashi confronting the last surviving ninja after rescuing Shion from a hidden tentacle.

• Neji realized the dispersed water dragon had turned into arrows, while a Land of Demons ninja attacked him with flying blades.
• Inuzuka Sen and Yura joined Neji's group, and Sen engaged the enemy as Yura blocked his weapons and venomous creatures.
• Neji waited for Hizashi Hyuga's signal, then attacked the enemy with Gentle Fist techniques as the patrol officers closed in.
• Hizashi struck the tentacle hidden behind Shion, startling her, then reunited with Neji.
• Hizashi faced the last Land of Demons ninja and told him not to resist.

Ming Jing and the Patrol Officers fought the Undead Legion in Kimu Valley while his two clones held off groups detouring through the mountains. As the battle continued, Ming Jing noticed Hinata’s weaknesses and promised to train her after the fighting ended.

• Ming Jing’s clones flew into the mountains to intercept two groups of the Undead Legion, while he led Hinata and more than four hundred Patrol Officers against the force in the valley.
• The Undead Legion’s giant shield-bearers blocked Ming Jing’s Wind Cutters, and its archers repeatedly fired mud arrows that Hinata warned could not be blocked indefinitely.
• Ming Jing’s left clone used fire and wind ninjutsu, then lightning, to hold back the seemingly endless clay soldiers; his right clone switched to a lightning-coated Azure Luan Blade to destroy them.
• Ming Jing watched over the Patrol Officers as they fought and noticed Hinata lacked long-range attacks and struggled to break clay soldiers with her strength.
• Ming Jing offered Hinata special training after the battle, and she shyly accepted.

While Akatsuki resumed sealing the Five-Tails, the battle against Moryo’s forces continued in the Land of Demons. In Kimu Valley, Ming Jing wiped out the clay soldier army with his Wind Style: Storm Hammer and then rested with Hinata and the Patrol Officers.

• Deva Path Pain ordered Akatsuki to resume sealing the Five-Tails after White Zetsu reported that Moryo’s seal had weakened and the Land of Fire had sent elite ninja to the Land of Demons.
• Rock Lee defeated an enemy with Drunken Fist, and Naruto blasted another away with Rasengan as Hizashi Hyuga and Inuzuka Sen helped defeat the Land of Demons’ ninja.
• Hinata noticed that the clay soldiers in Kimu Valley had stopped multiplying, and Ming Jing unleashed Wind Style: Storm Hammer, destroying the army and flattening half the valley.
• Ming Jing ordered the Patrol Officers to rest and tend to the wounded, then accepted water from Hinata and told her that he used his power to protect her.

Ming Jing and the reinforcements reached the Sealing Grounds, where Shion failed to seal Moryo and the demon emerged beneath the altar. Ming Jing rescued Shion and drew Moryo’s attack toward himself.

• Ming Jing assembled the patrol officers after a report revealed clay soldiers near Moryo’s sealing site, and Hinata insisted on joining him.
• Ming Jing’s group fought through the clay soldiers and reunited with Hizashi Hyuga, Neji, and Naruto, who said Shion had gone inside to seal Moryo.
• Ming Jing and Naruto entered the Sealing Grounds and found Shion kneeling beside the altar, unable to complete the sealing.
• Moryo’s tentacles rose from beneath the altar as Shion gave up, but Ming Jing used a breeze to pull her from danger and tossed her to Naruto.
• Moryo sent its tentacles after Ming Jing, who stood his ground and challenged the demon.

Naruto and Shion combined their Chakra to destroy Moryo, triggering the volcano’s eruption, and Ming Jing helped them escape. With Moryo gone, Shion chose to continue as a Miko and asked Naruto to lend her his power, leaving him confused by everyone’s teasing support.

• Naruto urged Shion to reject her fate, and they combined their Chakra to form a Super Chakra Rasengan that destroyed Moryo and the sealing array.
• The volcano erupted, and Ming Jing used wind-nature Chakra to lift Naruto and Shion to safety before reuniting with the others.
• Ming Jing met Hinata and revealed that she was his fiancée, surprising Shion as she watched Naruto.
• At dawn, Shion explained that human evil could create another Moryo and declared that she would continue as a Miko.
• Shion asked Naruto to lend her his power, and Ming Jing, Rock Lee, Kakashi, and Neji teased Naruto about his promise.

Ming Jing went to Heavenly Bridge to protect Naruto and find Izumi before she could encounter Orochimaru. He found her hiding nearby and watched as Yamato met Kabuto Yakushi, who revealed Sasuke’s location, just as Orochimaru approached.

• Kakashi told Ming Jing that Izumi had gone to Heavenly Bridge after learning Sasori’s undercover agent would meet him there, and asked him to protect Naruto from Orochimaru.
• Ming Jing accepted the mission, sent Hinata and Qing Yan back to the Royal Capital, and flew to Heavenly Bridge.
• Ming Jing sensed Izumi hiding in a rock crevice, then concealed himself nearby instead of approaching her.
• Ming Jing saw Naruto, Sakura, and Yamato arrive, followed by Kabuto Yakushi, who revealed that Orochimaru’s bases and Sasuke were on an island in Northern Lake.
• Orochimaru emerged from the forest as Yamato and Kabuto’s meeting continued, and Ming Jing watched from above as a battle loomed.

Izumi attacked Orochimaru on the Heavenly Bridge and fought him while demanding to know where Sasuke was. Yamato and the others watched from across the gorge as Shikamaru stopped Naruto from rushing into the battle.

• Orochimaru and Kabuto exposed Yamato’s disguise and attacked him on the Heavenly Bridge.
• A massive wall of fire engulfed the bridge, and Izumi emerged from the gorge to kick Orochimaru away from Kabuto.
• Izumi evaded Orochimaru’s snakes and struck his Rashomon gate with a Great Dragon Fire Technique.
• Izumi demanded to know where Sasuke was, but Orochimaru offered to cure her throat in exchange for her joining him.
• Izumi and Orochimaru exchanged attacks while Yamato led Sakura, Shikamaru, and Naruto across the gorge.
• Naruto tried to rush to Izumi’s aid, but Shikamaru held him back.

Izumi struggled against Orochimaru until Naruto erupted in Tailed Beast Chakra and fought him, escalating to a four-tailed transformation. Ming Jing intervened as Kabuto Yakushi drew closer to Izumi, and Sakura began treating the wounded while Ming Jing faced Kabuto.

• Izumi attacked Orochimaru, but he wounded her with a python and an Earth Clone before she broke free, nearly out of Chakra.
• Kabuto Yakushi blocked Naruto and the others, and Naruto confronted Orochimaru, demanding that he give Sasuke back.
• Orochimaru provoked Naruto by claiming Sasuke was his, driving Naruto into a four-tailed Tailed Beast Cloak that devastated the surrounding forest.
• Naruto vaporized Orochimaru's snakes and forced Orochimaru to shed his skin repeatedly to survive their attacks.
• Ming Jing descended after noticing Kabuto Yakushi drawing the fight toward Izumi, and Sakura treated Izumi and Yamato while Ming Jing confronted Kabuto.

Ming Jing fought Kabuto Yakushi and restrained Four-Tails Naruto while Yamato prepared to subdue him. He then told Izumi to come with him to the Royal Capital to see the thing Shisui had asked him to safeguard.

• Kabuto Yakushi tried to escape using smoke bombs, but Ming Jing trapped him in Genjutsu and attacked him.
• Kabuto Yakushi used three corpses as decoys and cover to evade Ming Jing's techniques and retreat.
• Ming Jing rushed to the battlefield and saw Orochimaru recover after Four-Tails Naruto's Tailed Beast Bomb attack.
• Ming Jing bound Four-Tails Naruto with Shadow Binding Barrier so Yamato could restrain him.
• Izumi said she wanted to learn about Sasuke, and Ming Jing invited her to the Royal Capital to see what Shisui had entrusted to him.

Ming Jing showed Izumi the three Uchiha children Shisui had entrusted to him after the clan tragedy. Izumi chose not to meet them while consumed by hatred and trusted Ming Jing to guide the Uchiha Clan toward a new future.

• Kiki brought food to Uchiha Fū and Uchiha Kō, who teased each other and explained that their baby sister, Uchiha Zoku, was also in their care.
• Ming Jing told Izumi that Shisui had entrusted the three children to him before his death and that Kiki had looked after them for the past three years.
• Izumi decided not to meet the children until everything was over, saying her hatred could negatively affect them, and affirmed her trust in Ming Jing.
• Ming Jing agreed to take Izumi to sample the Royal Capital's food and planned for her to return to Konoha with Hinata the next day.
• Ming Jing and Hinata left together, while Izumi watched them exchange affectionate gestures.

Sasuke confronted Orochimaru and rejected his attempt to take over his body. Their battle left Orochimaru badly wounded, but he continued to demand Sasuke’s body.

• Sasuke used Chidori Sharp Spear to attack Orochimaru in his room and declared that he would no longer give him his body.
• Sasuke accused Orochimaru of coveting the Sharingan and mocked his efforts to gain Uchiha power.
• Orochimaru abandoned his human body and revealed his true form as a giant white-scaled snake, then attacked Sasuke.
• Sasuke released Curse Mark Stage Two, broke free of Orochimaru’s white snakes, and fought back with Chidori Blade and Great Fire Dragon Technique.
• Sasuke used Chidori Senbon to strike Orochimaru’s snakes and severed part of his body with his lightning-coated katana.
• Orochimaru howled in pain and again demanded Sasuke’s body.

Sasuke defeated Orochimaru’s giant snake form, but Orochimaru revealed that its blood had anesthetized him and prepared to take his body. Meanwhile, Ming Jing and Hizashi investigated the massacres and set out toward Konoha, while Tsunade ordered Konoha to investigate cautiously.

• Sasuke used Chidori Stream and a lightning-charged katana to cut Orochimaru’s giant snake body apart, but Orochimaru revealed that the snake’s blood had paralyzed him.
• Ming Jing and Hizashi learned that Deputy Director Matsumoto had died from his own ninjutsu and ruled out Amegakure as the likely culprit behind the massacres.
• Ming Jing suspected the attackers were a group he had encountered before and believed they were heading toward Konoha, so he left with Hizashi.
• Tsunade heard Asuma’s report about the slaughtered village and the Amegakure symbols, then ordered a confidential investigation at the border and placed Asuma’s Team on standby.
• Asuma met Naruto and Sakura outside the Hokage Building and asked whether their mission had gone smoothly.

Ming Jing and Hizashi Hyuga tracked the Akatsuki group responsible for destroying a village and found them leading hundreds of living dead toward Konoha. Hizashi defeated Fudou and caught Fuu in a Genjutsu, but En reshaped the forest into a maze and let the pair escape underground as Ming Jing prepared to respond.

• Ming Jing and Hizashi Hyuga reached the destroyed village and followed the trail left by four attackers toward an old battlefield.
• Hizashi Hyuga tracked the group to a forest, where they found Kyoutou, Fuu, Fudou, and En guiding hundreds of living dead toward Konoha.
• Fuu attacked Hizashi Hyuga with Water Release, but he redirected her torrent into Fudou and then sealed Fudou's chakra points with Gentle Fist: Sixty-Four Palms.
• Hizashi Hyuga caught Fuu in a Genjutsu as Kyoutou ordered En to use Earth Style: Earth Transformation.
• En transformed the forest into a vast cave maze, allowing Fuu and Fudou to merge into the earth and disappear while Ming Jing prepared to bury their opponents.

Ming Jing and Hizashi defeated Kyoutou’s forces, but Kyoutou revealed that another group of resurrected dead was approaching a city. After Kyoutou’s death, En agreed to stop them, and Ming Jing flew ahead to prepare.

• Kyoutou took control of En’s chakra and directed four resurrected companions to attack Ming Jing’s Wind King with lightning.
• Ming Jing strengthened the Storm Hammer and crushed the battlefield, killing Fudou and Fuu while Kyoutou escaped underground with En.
• Ming Jing forced Kyoutou and En out of the earth, and Kyoutou admitted that he had killed people from both villages and Deputy Director Matsumoto.
• Kyoutou threatened that another group of resurrected dead would attack a nearby city, but En said she could undo the technique.
• Hizashi killed Kyoutou after Ming Jing restrained him, and Ming Jing gave En one hour to stop the dead before flying ahead to prepare.

Ming Jing received a top-secret message from the Hokage while Jiraiya infiltrated Amegakure to investigate Pain. After discovering that Pain had killed Hanzō, Jiraiya prepared for a dangerous confrontation and sent GamaTora to Ming Jing for safekeeping.

• Ming Jing ordered En imprisoned for ten years after Hizashi Hyuga escorted her back, then greeted Asuma and his team at the city gate.
• Asuma delivered a top-secret scroll from the Hokage to Ming Jing, who read it and invited the group to dinner without revealing its contents.
• Jiraiya infiltrated Amegakure and learned from two captured rain ninja that Pain had killed Hanzō of the Salamander.
• Pain stopped the rain and sent Konan's paper butterflies throughout Amegakure to search for the intruder.
• Jiraiya summoned GamaTora, placed a Transfer Seal on him, and sent him to stay with Ming Jing in case Jiraiya did not return.

Jiraiya confronted Konan in Amegakure and tried to learn what had happened to his former students and why they had joined Akatsuki. As he questioned her, another voice answered from above, leaving the confrontation poised for Pain’s arrival.

• Konan joined the Animal Path and agreed to kill Jiraiya, while the Animal Path followed her paper airplane toward him.
• Jiraiya rescued the Amegakure genin from Konan’s paper attack and recognized her as his former student.
• Ming Jing entered Amegakure, bought buns from an old seller, and continued into the village.
• Konan attacked Jiraiya with paper Shuriken, but he covered her in oil and restrained her with his hair.
• Jiraiya questioned Konan about Nagato and Yahiko and argued that Akatsuki’s actions were wrong.
• A voice from above told Jiraiya that Akatsuki’s answer was one its members had reached on their own.