Recaps

Sasuke confronted Naruto and his team while insisting that revenge mattered more to him than his own life, though he secretly planned to deceive Orochimaru. As Sasuke prepared to attack, Orochimaru appeared and stopped him from using his jutsu.

• Naruto rejected the Nine-Tails' offer of power, but Sasuke entered Naruto's inner world, recognized the Nine-Tails, and dispersed its chakra form.
• The Nine-Tails warned Sasuke not to kill Naruto before vanishing from Naruto's inner world.
• Yamato tried to trap Sasuke with a Wood Style Seal, but Sasuke cut through it and escaped the trap.
• Naruto urged Sasuke to return, but Sasuke claimed he was willing to give his body and life to Orochimaru to gain power for revenge against Itachi.
• Yamato announced that he would fight Sasuke seriously, and Sasuke began forming hand seals to attack the group.
• Orochimaru appeared, grabbed Sasuke, and told him not to use the jutsu.

After Sasuke left, Naruto and Sakura resolved to grow stronger with Sai and Yamato. Neji then intercepted Black Zetsu, revealed how much he knew about Kaguya’s revival plan, and began negotiating with him.

• Orochimaru and Kabuto persuaded Sasuke to leave Naruto and wait for a better chance to take revenge.
• Naruto blamed himself for failing to stop Sasuke, while Sakura vowed to grow stronger and Sai offered to join them.
• Yamato led the group back as Neji prepared to travel to Rōran but decided not to interfere with the past.
• Neji caught Zetsu as he prepared to report Akatsuki’s intelligence and used chakra from Two-Tails Matatabi and Isobu to expose Black Zetsu.
• Neji activated Tenseigan Chakra Mode and told Black Zetsu he knew about his plans to resurrect the Ten-Tails and free Kaguya.
• Black Zetsu asked what Neji wanted, and Neji began to answer.

Neji formed a cooperation with Black Zetsu, offering to help gather the tailed beasts in exchange for Chakra traces and promising to provide the Nine-Tails. Obito and Pain adjusted Akatsuki’s plans to counter the D Organization, while Kakuzu and Hidan headed for the Temple of Fire.

• Neji and Black Zetsu agreed to cooperate, and Neji planned to obtain Rōran’s Dragon Vein before the coming conflict.
• Black Zetsu told Obito that Neji possessed the Two-Tails and Three-Tails, wanted Chakra traces from the Four-Tails and Six-Tails, and intended to destroy Akatsuki; Obito accepted cooperation and received a phone.
• Obito warned Pain and Konan that the D Organization had taken the Two-Tails and Three-Tails, prompting Pain to accelerate Akatsuki’s capture plans.
• Pain assigned Kakuzu and Hidan to their next target, Deidara and Tobi to the Six-Tails, and Kisame and Itachi to the Four-Tails.
• Kakuzu and Hidan learned that someone else had taken the Two-Tails and traveled toward the Temple of Fire in the Land of Fire.

Neji returned to the Land of Waves base, where Izumi showed him Akatsuki’s movements and reassured him of her devotion. After Neji spoke about the possibility of traveling to another world, Ai-chan’s unexpected wardrobe display left him at Izumi’s mercy.

• Izumi showed Neji surveillance feeds of Kakuzu and Hidan heading toward the Temple of Fire, Deidara bickering with Tobi in the Land of Water, and Itachi and Kisame searching for the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Itachi sensed that something was amiss, but he and Kisame found no one watching them and continued into the forest.
• Izumi reassured Neji that she had chosen to stay by his side, and Neji and Izumi grew intimate.
• Neji asked whether Izumi would follow him to another world, and she agreed before he explained that he meant a world beyond their own.
• Neji asked Ai-chan to bring them clothes, but Ai-chan revealed a collection of costumes, and Izumi teased him about choosing one.

Neji made Yugito his subordinate by linking her to Matatabi’s chakra, then sent her to Kumogakure to watch for an opportunity to approach Killer B. He prepared to strengthen Zabuza with the Three-Tails and called Haku and Karin in to observe and give their opinions.

• Neji used a chakra channel seal to let Yugito draw on Matatabi’s power while retaining her consciousness, then awakened her and made her his subordinate.
• Neji gave Yugito the codename Cat and ordered her to return to Kumogakure and alert him when Killer B was alone.
• Izumi confirmed that the laboratory’s data had been recorded, and Neji summoned Zabuza to discuss strengthening him with the Three-Tails.
• Karin stumbled into Neji’s arms, and Izumi pulled her away by the ear while Haku entered the laboratory.
• Neji asked Zabuza, Haku, and Karin to watch and give their opinions.

Neji offered Zabuza and Haku a chance to become men again and gave Zabuza access to Three-Tails Isobu's chakra through a seal. Zabuza accepted both, while Haku and Kimimaro declined the hormone treatment, and Karin asked Neji how she could grow stronger.

• Neji revealed that Zabuza and Haku had been men and offered them Male Hormone syringes; Haku declined, while Zabuza said he had been waiting for Neji's permission.
• Haku explained that Zabuza had refused to change back without Neji's approval, and Neji offered Zabuza a seal that let him borrow Isobu's chakra, with Neji able to control or sever the connection.
• Zabuza accepted the seal, and Neji implanted it and injected him with Male Hormone, restoring his male form and granting him Isobu's chakra.
• Zabuza thanked Neji, then left with Haku to adapt to his new power; Kimimaro declined a Male Hormone syringe, saying she had accepted her current form.
• Karin asked Neji how she could become stronger, and Izumi covered her mouth after she began comparing herself to Neji and Izumi's recent activities.

Neji returned to Konoha, discussed Akatsuki’s hunt for the tailed beasts with Tsunade, and defeated her in a long Taijutsu spar. Tsunade then told him she would step down as Hokage once a suitable successor appeared, leaving Neji to consider what she meant.

• Izumi took Karin to Training Ground Three to discipline her after Karin used the Mind's Eye of the Kagura to eavesdrop.
• Neji returned to Konoha and met Tsunade, who reported Akatsuki’s attacks on the tailed beasts and said she had sent Naruto away on a mission.
• Tsunade and Neji fought a prolonged Taijutsu match, and Neji narrowly defeated her.
• Tsunade told Neji she had become Hokage because Konoha lacked a suitable candidate and would step down once one appeared.

Neji reassured Tsunade that he would protect Naruto from the Akatsuki, then returned to his laboratory and reunited with a worried Hinata. The chapter left them sharing a quiet moment as Hinata helped dry his hair.

• Tsunade said she could not retire until the Akatsuki threat was dealt with and asked Neji to protect Naruto.
• Neji agreed to protect Naruto and considered using Impure World Reincarnation to gain experience and grow stronger.
• Tsunade and Neji returned to the Hokage Building, where Shizune sent them to bathe.
• Neji found Hinata waiting at his laboratory, and she explained she had worried because he had not returned after their last mission.
• Neji apologized and promised to let Hinata know next time, and she helped dry his hair.

Neji spent time with Hinata after realizing he had neglected her, cooking an elaborate dinner for them. After they ate, he told her to stay the night, saying Hanabi had already informed her father.

• Hinata worried that Neji had been too busy to look after himself, and Neji promised to spend the next few days with her.
• Neji took Hinata to the kitchen and had her help prepare a large dinner using unusual meat and fish from his inventory.
• Neji fed Hinata pieces of meat, and the two enjoyed the meal together, with Neji eating more than half of the food.
• After dinner, Neji told Hinata to stay at his place for the night because Hanabi had already told her father.

Neji went to Rōran and absorbed the Dragon Vein’s temporal and spatial power to awaken the Gate of Time and Space. He unlocked the subpage but collapsed after its power left him violently ill.

• Neji left a Shadow Clone at his base and traveled to the ruins of Rōran.
• A pillar of light rose from Rōran, and the first chain sealing the Lion Head’s Sands of Time broke as the sand turned gold.
• After Kakashi’s team reappeared, Naruto and the others spoke with Sara, then left Rōran without remembering what had happened.
• Neji entered the Dragon Vein seal, opened a tiny crack in it, and devoured its Chakra to fill the Lion Head’s Sands of Time.
• The chains broke and the Gate of Time and Space awakened, but Neji vomited and collapsed from the spatial-temporal power.

Neji examined the Gate of Time and Space after the Dragon Vein charged it, learning how its Sands of Time and points worked. He discovered that the tailed beasts were worth millions of points, then escaped as the drained Dragon Vein’s hollow caused the ruins of Roran to collapse into the desert.

• Neji learned that each Sand of Time could grant a resurrection or help open the Gate of Time and Space, and that the gate could reach other worlds with the right coordinates.
• Neji tested the Lion Head’s value system, finding that Sharingan and Byakugan were worth points while ordinary kunai were worthless.
• Neji checked the value of Two-Tails Matatabi and Three-Tails Isobu, discovering they were worth 60 million and 70 million points.
• Neji realized that draining the Dragon Vein had destabilized the ruins and escaped into the sky as the ancient kingdom of Roran sank into the desert.

Tsunade ordered Neji to watch Naruto during his training while Konoha's squads searched for the attackers who killed Chiriku. At the training site, Neji discovered that he had all five Chakra affinities, but Kakashi and Yamato dismissed the revelation once they learned he was from the Hyuga Clan.

• Neji finished training Hinata and Hanabi, then went to meet Tsunade.
• Tsunade told twenty squads that Chiriku had been killed and ordered them to find or eliminate the Temple of Fire attackers.
• Tsunade asked Neji to watch Naruto during his training because Yamato was struggling to restrain the Nine-Tails' Chakra.
• Neji joined Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato at the waterfall training site, where Kakashi used Neji's arrival to motivate Naruto.
• Neji's Chakra paper displayed all five affinities, but Kakashi and Yamato lost interest when they remembered Neji was from the Hyuga Clan.

Neji demonstrated his Lightning Release Gentle Fist and began training in Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation alongside Naruto. He split a leaf instantly, prompting Kakashi to ask him to share his training experience with Naruto later.

• Neji showed Yamato and Kakashi his self-developed Lightning Release Gentle Fist Style, explaining that it required precise Chakra control.
• Kakashi gave Neji a leaf to practice Wind Release, and Neji split it in half immediately.
• Naruto reacted with frustration when Neji succeeded at the exercise that had once challenged him.
• Kakashi encouraged Naruto to keep training and asked Neji to share his experience with him later.
• Neji joined Naruto at the waterfall to practice, and Naruto insisted that he had moved aside because he let Neji.

Neji demonstrated how to use Wind Release to split a waterfall, helping Naruto complete the second stage of his training before Kakashi began teaching him to add Chakra Nature Transformation to the Rasengan. Meanwhile, Asuma’s team traveled toward the underground bounty black market, where Shikamaru’s teasing about Asuma quitting smoking left Asuma surrounded by ominous death flags.

• Neji expanded the waterfall and showed Naruto how to sense its flow and cut through it with wind, splitting the waterfall in two.
• Naruto used Shadow Clones to train at the waterfall and completed the second stage the next day, while Neji practiced Fire, Earth, and Water Nature Transformations.
• Naruto, Neji, Yamato, and Kakashi ate at Ichiraku Ramen before returning to train, where Kakashi taught Naruto to add Chakra Nature Transformation to the Rasengan.
• Asuma’s team and the two gatekeepers traveled through the forest toward the underground bounty black market, and Shikamaru teased Asuma about quitting smoking.

Naruto struggled to combine Nature Transformation with the Rasengan until Neji reminded him to use Shadow Clones to divide the work. Neji sensed Shikamaru’s protective talisman activate and learned that Asuma was gravely wounded, so he rushed to support them while Kakashi took Naruto to report to the Hokage.

• Neji subdued Naruto during another rampage, and Naruto lamented his difficulty learning the new Rasengan technique.
• Neji explained that Naruto could use Shadow Clones to perform the Rasengan and Nature Transformation separately, and Naruto resumed training with his clones.
• Neji sensed Shikamaru’s protective talisman activate and saw that Shikamaru had used it to shield the nearly dying Asuma.
• Shikamaru gathered Choji’s and Ino’s talismans and hurried toward Konoha with Asuma while Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane went to notify other teams.
• Neji told Kakashi that Shikamaru might be in danger, then stopped Naruto from rushing to help by striking his acupuncture point.
• Neji left to support Shikamaru, while Kakashi had Yamato take Naruto to report to the Hokage.

Neji reached Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino and treated Asuma’s badly injured heart, saving his life but leaving him unable to fight as a ninja. The group returned to Konoha, where Sakura and the Medical Team took Asuma to the hospital for further examination.

• Neji met Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino as Asuma’s protective talisman was nearly spent, and Choji sheltered the group while Ino prepared a Poneglyph for Asuma.
• Neji examined Asuma and began carefully treating his damaged heart while Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino guarded the area.
• After more than an hour, Neji completed the treatment and told them Asuma had survived but could no longer engage in high-intensity combat.
• Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino thanked Neji and prepared to carry Asuma back, with Choji carrying him carefully on his back.
• The group met Team Guy and returned to Konoha, where Naruto greeted them and Sakura’s Medical Team took Asuma to the hospital.

After Asuma was left unable to continue ninja duties, Shikamaru led Ino and Choji to pursue the Immortal Duo, with Neji joining them. The four caught up with Hidan and Kakuzu, and Shikamaru immobilized Hidan with a feint and his Shadow Imitation Shuriken Jutsu.

• Tsunade assessed Asuma's condition and appointed Shikamaru commander of the pursuit mission.
• Shikamaru gathered Ino and Choji, and Neji joined the team as they set out to avenge Asuma.
• After a day of pursuit, the team found Hidan and Kakuzu in a forest of withered trees.
• Shikamaru tricked the duo with fake Explosion Tags and used the Chakra Blades to bind Hidan with his shadow.

Shikamaru used his knowledge of Kakuzu’s abilities to trap him and set up Choji’s attack, but Kakuzu’s hardened body resisted it. Neji then intervened, destroying three of Kakuzu’s hearts and leaving him with only two.

• Neji spotted Earth Grudge Fear emerging beneath Kakuzu, and Kakuzu used it to free himself from Shikamaru’s trap.
• Shikamaru controlled Hidan into attacking Kakuzu and revealed that he already knew Kakuzu’s abilities.
• Choji struck Kakuzu with Human Bullet Tank, but Kakuzu stood up unharmed and prepared to counterattack.
• Neji pierced Kakuzu’s chest with Lightning Beast Slicing Jutsu and destroyed several of his hearts as Kakuzu broke free.
• Kakuzu escaped at the cost of his Lightning Release heart, leaving only his Earth and Wind Release hearts.

Neji and the Konoha team confronted Hidan and Kakuzu, with Neji overpowering the immortal Hidan and taking his heart. Kakuzu was left alone and began considering retreat.

• Kakuzu warned Hidan that Neji was too dangerous to fight directly, so Hidan charged Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji instead.
• Neji kicked Hidan away before Kakuzu unleashed Wind Style: Pressure Damage, which Neji blocked with an orange Nen Barrier.
• Neji rushed Kakuzu with lightning, but Kakuzu used Hidan as a shield and dodged the attack, leaving Neji holding Hidan's heart.
• Neji stored Hidan's heart and used Gentle Fist Style: Sunflower Acupoint Strike to seal Hidan's Chakra points and immobilize him.
• Kakuzu realized Hidan could no longer help him and wondered whether he should retreat.

Neji and the Konoha ninja defeated Kakuzu and buried the still-living Hidan, then returned to Konoha to report and visit Asuma. Neji began planning experiments on Hidan, but new information soon interrupted his research.

• Shikamaru restrained Kakuzu's Wind Release heart, and Choji destroyed it before Neji finished Kakuzu with the Gentle Fist.
• Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato arrived after the fight, and the group discussed Hidan's immortality and decided to bury him alive.
• Kakashi buried Hidan in a deep pit, and the team returned to Konoha to report and visit Asuma, whom Kurenai was caring for.
• Neji returned to his laboratory, eager to use Hidan as an experimental subject, but news arrived asking whether someone was alone.

Neji confronted Killer B in the Land of Lightning, drained his Chakra, and took half of Gyuki while leaving the rest inside Killer B. The Fourth Raikage arrived afterward, found Killer B unconscious, and learned that Yugito had disappeared.

• Neji and Yugito watched Killer B rapping outside Kumogakure, and Neji decided to take the Eight-Tails fragment he needed.
• Neji ambushed Killer B in the forest and used an invisible force to drain his Chakra as Gyuki warned him of the danger.
• Neji extracted Gyuki, divided it with the Tenseigan, and took half while leaving the other half inside the unconscious Killer B.
• The Fourth Raikage arrived, found Killer B unconscious, and ordered his men to return to Kumogakure so he could investigate.
• A jonin reported that Yugito had disappeared, confirming the Fourth Raikage's suspicions that something had happened to her.

Neji arranged a secret deal with Obito to exchange Yugito, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, for the captured Four-Tails. After extracting what he wanted from the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Neji sent Kisame to help with Yugito’s staged fight against Itachi.

• Neji and Yugito watched Kumogakure retreat with Killer B, and Neji messaged Obito about the remaining Jinchuriki.
• Obito learned Kisame had captured the Four-Tails and that Deidara and Tobi were tracking the Six-Tails, then arranged a staged exchange involving Yugito and the Four-Tails.
• Neji told Yugito to fight Itachi and fake her death, then teleported with her to the Land of Earth before they split up.
• Yugito began fighting Itachi while Neji found Kisame beside the unconscious Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Neji absorbed a fragment from the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, then told Kisame to help Yugito and bring her back unharmed.

Neji watched Itachi capture Yugito, then prepared Zabuza to serve as bait for Akatsuki by becoming the Three-Tails Jinchuriki. The chapter ended with Neji sealing half of Isobu’s power and consciousness inside Zabuza.

• Kisame carried the Four-Tails Jinchuriki to Itachi, who awakened Susanoo and subdued Yugito in her Two-Tails form.
• Itachi and Kisame set off for a secret hideout to have Pain seal the captured Tailed Beasts.
• Neji concluded that the sealing would leave about half a month before Akatsuki pursued the Six-Tails, giving him time to prepare his next phase.
• Neji told Zabuza and Haku that he planned to make Zabuza the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and use rumors to lure Akatsuki to the Land of Waves.
• Zabuza agreed to act as bait, and Neji sealed half of Isobu’s power and consciousness inside him.

Neji completed Zabuza's seal, allowing him to wield Isobu's power, while Neji and Izumi discussed the need to move faster. At Orochimaru's hideout, Sasuke attacked his weakened former mentor and rejected the plan to take his body.

• Zabuza felt Isobu's power flow through him, formed a Tailed Beast Chakra cloak, and agreed to train with Haku before beginning his mission.
• Neji told Izumi that he wanted to move faster but could not avoid certain things, and she promised to stay by his side.
• Kabuto left to fetch medicine as Orochimaru's failing body neared its limit and Orochimaru yearned to take Sasuke's body.
• Sasuke burst into Orochimaru's room with a Chidori Sharp Spear and Kusanagi Sword, declaring that Orochimaru had nothing left to teach him.
• Sasuke accused Orochimaru of coveting the Uchiha's power and treating people like toys, then lunged at him.
• Orochimaru sent a white figure from his mouth, but Sasuke intercepted it with the Kusanagi Sword.

Sasuke fought Orochimaru in his White Phosphorus Snake form, unleashed Curse Mark Level Two, and cut Orochimaru’s body into pieces. Orochimaru survived and began the Reincarnation Ritual, drawing Sasuke into his inner space, while Kabuto returned with medicine and worried that Sasuke would resist.

• Sasuke confronted Orochimaru’s transformed body and mocked him for sacrificing his humanity in pursuit of immortality.
• Orochimaru attacked, but Sasuke dodged, struck his summoned snakes, and transformed into Curse Mark Level Two.
• Sasuke broke free of Orochimaru’s snakes and severed the giant snake body with the Kusanagi Sword.
• Orochimaru revealed that his body fluids had paralyzed Sasuke, then pulled him into the inner space where the Reincarnation Ritual began.
• Kabuto prepared medicine, decided the ritual might happen that day, and returned to Orochimaru while doubting Sasuke could resist.