Chapter Summaries

White Zetsu told Moryo that the Black-Clad Organization had used him to start the Fourth Ninja World War and warned that Bai Hao would seal him. Moryo struggled to contain his anger as White Zetsu urged him to hide and explained the danger.

• White Zetsu told Moryo to hide and avoid attacking, claiming the advice would help keep him alive.
• White Zetsu explained that the Black-Clad Organization had captured Miko to manipulate Moryo into starting a war.
• White Zetsu taunted Moryo for being defeated by the Ninja Alliance and forced to flee.
• White Zetsu warned that the Ninja Alliance had sent Bai Hao to seal Moryo and said Bai Hao was stronger than the girl who had beaten him.

White Zetsu warned Mōryō that Bai Hao could use Flying Thunder God to reach him and seal him, persuading him to abandon attacks on the Five Great Shinobi Villages and consider joining the Akatsuki Organization. Mōryō followed White Zetsu to a secret base, where he met Madara Uchiha and wondered why so many powerful figures had emerged.

• White Zetsu explained that Bai Hao could use the Flying Thunder God formulas on kunai given to the Five Kage to reach and seal Mōryō.
• Mōryō admitted he had given up attacking the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and White Zetsu proposed joining forces against the Black-Clad Organization.
• White Zetsu warned that the Black-Clad Organization expected their moves and would ambush them near the Jinchuriki, then offered to take Mōryō to someone who knew the plan.
• Mōryō followed White Zetsu to a secret Akatsuki Organization base and met Madara Uchiha, whose presence overwhelmed him.
• Mōryō wondered why the powerful figures had not appeared during his previous attempt to rule the world.

Madara Uchiha asked Moryo to help launch the Fourth Ninja World War, but Moryo refused and decided to stay out of the fight until the others were weakened. After sensing a threat stronger than the Miko’s, Moryo panicked and realized he needed to escape.

• Madara Uchiha told Moryo to hold Bai Hao back, join forces with the Akatsuki Organization if necessary, and deploy the Terracotta Army alongside the White Zetsu army in exchange for the Miko.
• Moryo refused Madara Uchiha’s plan, and Madara left without trying to persuade him.
• Moryo concluded that the Akatsuki Organization expected Bai Hao to defeat him and decided to avoid confronting Bai Hao or following the plan.
• Moryo planned to wait until the others were exhausted before attacking, but then sensed an unknown threat stronger than the Miko’s.
• Moryo panicked, suspected the threat came from Bai Hao, and decided he had to escape immediately.

Bai Hao wondered how to help Sasuke grow stronger while Moryo hid underground. In the Akatsuki Organization, Itachi Uchiha realized its leaders had changed their attitude toward him and feared they planned to use him, while his illness had been cured by the Black-Clad Organization.

• Moryo sensed Bai Hao's strength, burrowed underground, and concealed himself.
• Bai Hao noticed Moryo had hidden but stopped investigating and continued training Naruto and Sasuke.
• Bai Hao worried that Sasuke's two-tomoe Sharingan left him far from awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan and considered how to help him obtain the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
• After the Akatsuki Organization's secret war meeting, Itachi Uchiha noticed Nagato, Obito, and Madara regarded him with indifference and suspected they planned to use him.
• Itachi Uchiha recalled that he had intended to die at Sasuke's hands to help Sasuke awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, but the Black-Clad Organization had cured his terminal illness.

Itachi struggled to find a way to die without Sasuke being stained by his blood and considered asking Bai Hao for help as the Fourth Ninja World War approached. The Akatsuki Organization attacked the Ninja Alliance headquarters with White Zetsu infiltrators, leaving the alliance in chaos as the Five Kage wondered what the attack was meant to achieve.

• Itachi failed to devise a way to die before Sasuke without staining him and decided he might contact Bai Hao for advice.
• The Akatsuki Organization prepared for war by mass-producing White Zetsu clones and assembling an Impure World Reincarnation unit.
• Madara Uchiha led the Akatsuki Organization's core members toward the Ninja Alliance base.
• White Zetsu infiltrators attacked their supposed comrades, destroying trust and coordination within the Ninja Alliance.
• The Raikage and Ōnoki realized White Zetsu had learned the alliance's secret codes, and the Five Kage questioned why the Akatsuki Organization had disrupted their forces.

The Akatsuki Organization opened its attack on the Ninja Alliance with a gigantic meteor, leaving the ordinary ninja paralyzed with fear. The Five Kage moved to stop the meteor and protect the Jinchuriki while Madara Uchiha and Orochimaru watched from nearby.

• A gigantic meteor descended toward the battlefield, and the ordinary ninja of the Ninja Alliance lost their will to fight.
• Ōnoki rallied the ordinary ninja and flew toward the meteor to confront it.
• Tsunade ordered the Raikage and Gaara to help her reach the meteor, while Mei Terumi stayed back to guard the Jinchuriki.
• Madara Uchiha watched with Orochimaru and waited for the right moment to capture the two Jinchuriki.

Madara dropped successive meteors on the battlefield, and the Five Kage struggled to repel them as the attacks grew more numerous. When three meteors descended together, the ordinary ninjas gave up hope and awaited death.

• Orochimaru recognized Ōnoki as the Tsuchikage, while Madara said he had never expected even two meteors to wipe out the Five Kage.
• Ōnoki lightened the first meteor, and Tsunade and the Raikage struck it into a distant valley.
• Ōnoki, Tsunade, and the Raikage used the same strategy to send a second meteor flying.
• Ōnoki held off one of two descending meteors while Tsunade and the Raikage smashed the other, with Gaara's sand helping Ōnoki endure the impact.
• Three meteors appeared and descended together, causing the ordinary ninjas to abandon resistance and await death.

Hinata used her Tenseigan to destroy Madara’s meteorites and protect the Ninja Alliance, astonishing both the Kage and the Akatsuki. Black Zetsu concluded that Bai Hao was the leader of the Black-Clad Organization, while Madara continued his assault.

• As Madara’s meteorites threatened the Five Kage and the Ninja Alliance, Hinata activated Tenseigan Chakra Mode and summoned Hamura’s Statue.
• Hinata formed a giant Chakra Light Sword, shattered the meteorites, and had the statue knock their fragments away from the ninjas below.
• Madara was shocked that he could not see through Hinata’s eyes, but he continued launching meteorites.
• Black Zetsu recognized Hinata’s Tenseigan and concluded that the Black-Clad Organization had supplied her with Otsutsuki Chakra, leading him to identify Bai Hao as its leader.
• Tsunade praised Hinata’s strength, and the other Kage were astonished by what she had done.

Madara Uchiha used repeated meteor attacks to exhaust the Kage-level fighters and lure out the Black-Clad Organization, leaving the Ninja Alliance on the defensive. Hinata and the Five Kage fought to protect the Jinchuriki, while Orochimaru joined the battle to study the evolved Byakugan.

• Madara Uchiha used his endless Chakra to bombard the Ninja Alliance with meteors, aiming to wear down its Kage-level fighters and draw out the Black-Clad Organization.
• Hinata located Madara and sent Hamura's Statue to attack him while she used the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion to cut apart the meteors.
• The Five Kage helped Hinata destroy the larger meteor fragments and focused on protecting the Jinchuriki instead of attacking Madara.
• Madara dismissed Hamura's Statue as insignificant and allowed Orochimaru to fight it so he could gather data on the Byakugan's evolution.
• The battle continued as the Ninja Alliance adjusted its tactics against the meteor attacks.

Madara Uchiha defeated the Raikage in close combat while continuing to direct meteorites at the other Kage. The Spirit Pavilion stayed hidden, waiting for Black Zetsu, whose whereabouts they still could not find.

• The Raikage charged Madara to stop him from launching meteorites, but Madara repelled him with the Rinnegan and fought him with taijutsu.
• The Raikage grew faster and drew Madara's attention, so Madara used genjutsu to trap him and attacked with Susanoo.
• The Raikage survived Madara's sword strike, though it broke several ribs and sent him flying.
• Madara wondered why the Black-Clad Organization had not appeared, while the Spirit Pavilion waited in hiding for Black Zetsu.
• Black Zetsu remained concealed and listened to White Zetsu's account, leaving the Spirit Pavilion unable to locate him.

The Ninja Alliance’s Kage fought Madara Uchiha while the Spirit Pavilion waited in hiding for Black Zetsu to appear. Madara overwhelmed Ōnoki and Mei Terumi, leaving the battle unresolved as he prepared another attack.

• Karin asked Pakura when the Spirit Pavilion would act, and Pakura told the group to wait for Black Zetsu a little longer.
• The Raikage, Mei Terumi, and Ōnoki confronted Madara while Tsunade, Gaara, Hinata, and others stayed behind to handle the meteors and protect the Jinchuriki.
• Madara knocked the Raikage away with one slash, and Ōnoki found that he had only broken a few ribs before sending him to Tsunade for treatment.
• Madara activated his Complete-Body Susanoo and used the Rinnegan to pull Ōnoki close, then dodged his Dust Release and attacked.
• Mei Terumi pushed Ōnoki out of Madara’s first sword strike, but Madara used genjutsu to immobilize Ōnoki and swung again.

Might Guy arrived in time to save Ōnoki from Madara, and the Five Kage gathered to confront him. Madara ordered the Akatsuki Organization to attack by force, while Hidan announced that he had been waiting for this moment.

• Might Guy and his team returned from a long tracking mission and found Madara about to kill Ōnoki.
• Might Guy opened the Six Gates and kicked Madara away, giving Ōnoki a chance to recover.
• Tsunade, Hinata, and the Raikage arrived, and Tsunade sent Might Guy to protect the Jinchuriki.
• Madara realized Hinata’s Tenseigan had disrupted the Akatsuki Organization’s plan and ordered its members to attack by force.
• Hidan said he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Hidan attacked Gaara and the Ninja Alliance, but Gaara and Akatsuchi kept him contained despite his new abilities. The chapter ended with Hidan still trapped and the Black-Clad Organization nowhere in sight.

• Hidan eagerly accepted Madara Uchiha's orders and charged at Gaara, hoping to kill and offer sacrifices to Lord Jashin.
• Gaara buried Hidan in sand and crushed him with Desert Funeral, intending to restrain him for sealing rather than defeat his immortal body.
• Hidan escaped using Dead Bone Pulse: Early Dance of the Ferns and attacked Gaara, but Akatsuchi blocked him with an earth wall.
• Hidan used Wood Release to grow trees from the wall and lash at the surrounding fighters.
• Gaara and Akatsuchi evaded Hidan's attacks and kept him pinned down while the rest of the Ninja Alliance watched and the Black-Clad Organization remained absent.

Hidan used a newly developed Wood Style jutsu that created a vast forest and left his body emaciated. Gaara realized the forest’s blood-sucking insects could enable Hidan to curse his opponents, while Chiyo began cutting down the trees to counter them.

• Hidan cast Wood Style: Demonic Forest, filling the battlefield with enormous trees as his body withered away.
• Gaara noticed mosquitoes, insects, and leeches gathering around him and suspected they were meant to draw blood for Hidan’s curse.
• Gaara worried that even his defenses might not stop the tiny creatures from reaching him and the others.
• Chiyo brought out the Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu and used them to cut down the trees and the insects’ hiding places.

Hidan used a group-wide blood curse to threaten the gathered ninjas, but Akatsuchi’s Earth Release failed to stop him because Hidan had prepared a second cursed array on his cloak. Both the ninjas and the Akatsuki waited for the Black-Clad Organization to intervene.

• The ninjas attacked the forest, triggering Hidan’s hidden blood-drawing needles and insects.
• Hidan revealed that he could use the blood he obtained to curse an entire group at once.
• Akatsuchi blasted Hidan away from the array on the ground with Earth Release.
• Hidan revealed a cursed array on his cloak and set it on a plank floating in a lake, making it difficult to dislodge him.
• The ninjas hoped the Black-Clad Organization would turn the battle around, while Hidan and the Akatsuki waited for its arrival.

Shikamaru and Ino-Shika-Cho restrained Hidan with the Shadow Imitation Technique before he could attack himself, leaving Akatsuki facing the choice of rescuing him as others prepared to seal him. Madara Uchiha grew angry at Hidan’s failure and worried that a rescue would worsen Akatsuki’s disadvantage.

• Hidan tried to stab himself with a bone spear, expecting the Black-Clad Organization to intervene, but Ino-Shika-Cho caught him with the Shadow Imitation Technique.
• Shikamaru explained that he had focused on stopping Hidan himself from casting his blood curse and had used his companions’ cover to restrain him.
• Madara Uchiha learned from Nagato, who relayed White Zetsu’s report, that Hidan was restrained and others were moving to seal him.
• Madara Uchiha berated Hidan and worried that Akatsuki would have to send someone to rescue him, deepening their disadvantage.

The Akatsuki launched a coordinated operation focused on seizing the Jinchuriki, assigning its members roles to injure the target and hold back the Black-Clad Organization. The members moved into position as the operation began.

• Kakuzu complained about Hidan and charged toward the battlefield to delay the Black-Clad Organization.
• Deidara flew toward the battlefield to bombard the area around the Jinchuriki.
• Sasori deployed his true body to entangle the Black-Clad Organization and hinder its efforts to protect the Jinchuriki.
• Kisame Hoshigaki broke free of White Zetsu and tunneled toward the Jinchuriki to cripple the target.
• Konan stayed hidden underground, waiting for Ringo Ameyuri to appear so she could restrain her.
• Nagato brought the Six Paths of Pain onto the battlefield to hold back the Black-Clad Organization while White Zetsu prepared to help him move.

Itachi concluded that Bai Hao was likely the leader of the Black-Clad Organization and considered asking him to help Sasuke and possibly resurrect the Uchiha clan. He continued searching for a way to stop the war, while Black Zetsu analyzed the battlefield and prepared to act on his discovery.

• Obito Uchiha waited near the battlefield, ready to use his spatial abilities to retrieve a defeated Jinchuriki, while Black Zetsu stayed hidden and analyzed the fighting.
• Black Zetsu concluded that Bai Hao was almost certainly the leader of the Black-Clad Organization and considered how this intelligence could advance his plan with Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.
• Itachi Uchiha recognized from Hinata's performance that Bai Hao was likely the organization's leader and felt relieved that Bai Hao might protect Konoha and Sasuke.
• Itachi considered asking Bai Hao to help Sasuke awaken his eyes and resurrect the Uchiha clan, but worried about what would happen to them afterward.
• Itachi focused on protecting the village and Sasuke and finding a way to stop the war.

Itachi weighed his loyalty to the Black-Clad Organization against the cursed seal Madara had placed on his heart as the Akatsuki attacked the Ninja Alliance. Madara stopped Tsunade from contacting Bai Hao, stole her special kunai, and became more certain that Bai Hao led the Black-Clad Organization.

• Itachi recalled that Obito had placed a cursed seal over his heart to ensure he obeyed Madara, and decided to wait for the Black-Clad Organization before making plans.
• The Akatsuki Organization members entered the battlefield, but the Black-Clad Organization did not appear, leaving the Ninja Alliance to withstand the attacks alone.
• Tsunade tried to use Bai Hao’s special kunai to call him, but Madara trapped her in a genjutsu until Mei Terumi rescued her.
• Madara took Tsunade’s kunai and recognized its material as resembling the Akatsuki rings, strengthening his suspicion that Bai Hao led the Black-Clad Organization.

As the Akatsuki Organization overwhelmed the Ninja Alliance and captured the two Jinchuriki, the Black-Clad Organization continued waiting for Black Zetsu. When he failed to appear, Pakura ordered Rin to travel back to the moment Hidan was controlled and the invasion began.

• Madara concealed his suspicion about Bai Hao’s secrets and continued fighting Tsunade and the others.
• The Black-Clad Organization stayed hidden, relying on Rin’s Time Travel ability to reverse events if Black Zetsu did not appear.
• Madara suspected the Black-Clad Organization was either pursuing a larger plan or preparing to travel back in time, and ordered the Akatsuki Organization to capture the Jinchuriki.
• The Akatsuki Organization seriously injured and captured the two Jinchuriki, then retreated.
• After confirming Black Zetsu had not appeared, Pakura told Rin to return to the instant Hidan was controlled and the invasion began.
• Rin began traveling through time, and the battlefield started to rewind.