Recaps

Rin, Kurenai Yuhi, and Anko attended Shin and Hyuga Ayari’s wedding, where guests gathered to celebrate the prominent couple. As the newlyweds appeared, Rin watched them with troubled feelings and silently compared herself to Ayari.

• Rin hesitated outside the Hyuga Clan Compound until Kurenai Yuhi and Anko arrived and went inside with her.
• The three girls joined Asuma, Genma, Ebisu, and others, while Kakashi and Obito discussed their wedding gifts.
• Asuma revealed that Hyuga Ayari was already pregnant, surprising the guests and making Rin lose herself in thought.
• Might Guy praised the unlimited wedding food and joked that Shin should get married a few more times.
• Shin and Hyuga Ayari appeared in their wedding clothes, and Rin watched them as Kurenai Yuhi admired Ayari’s beauty.

Hyuga Shin and Ayari celebrated their wedding, while Rin confronted Kakashi about his evasive rejection and returned without an answer. After the guests left, Ayari and Shin discussed their relationship and her sister Ayano, and Shin ended the night by heading toward Ayano on their wedding night.

• Orochimaru attended Hyuga Shin and Ayari's wedding and offered his blessings, then told Ayari to give Shin a good child.
• Rin left the wedding and later met Samui and Mabui in the village, before Kakashi found her near the village gate.
• Rin demanded that Kakashi clearly reject her, but he only said that Obito liked her, leaving Rin angry and Kakashi confused.
• Shin and Ayari spent the evening together beneath the stars, where Ayari recalled when she had fallen for him and teased him about being a husband and father.
• Ayari asked Shin whether he loved her and whether he wanted to visit her sister; Shin admitted he did, and Ayari called him a scumbag.
• Shin left the bedroom to take a shower and saw Ayano in the living room as he thought about their wedding night.

Obito became captivated by Zhen’s secretary, Samui, while visiting the Hokage’s office, and learned that she worked closely with Zhen. Zhen continued his studies and considered plans for the children in Nonō’s care before noticing Guy’s guard duty was interfering with his training.

• Obito saw Samui in the Hokage’s office, asked Zhen who she was, and learned she was his secretary.
• Obito encountered Samui again and left feeling envious of how much time she spent with Zhen.
• Zhen enjoyed Samui’s massage and reflected on his Ninjutsu Engraving research, his Sage Engraving studies, and plans for Kabuto and Itachi.
• Zhen noticed Guy had fallen asleep while on guard and told him to rest for two days before coming to see him.

Shin successfully entered Sage Mode and tested his newfound control over Natural Energy across the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain. Back in Konoha, he warned Guy about his training injuries and offered him a new path: Sage Taijutsu.

• Shin used his practice with Jugo to successfully condense Sage Chakra and enter Sage Mode.
• Shin tested his expanded senses and direct control over Natural Energy by flying at high speed and manipulating flames, clouds, and a waterfall.
• Shin briefly visited Amegakure, where Jiraiya sensed his presence but saw no one in the courtyard.
• Shin returned to Konoha and told Kamado to send Jugo back, then met with Guy in the Hokage's Office.
• Shin warned Guy that overtraining had caused hidden injuries and severe strain, then offered to teach him Sage Taijutsu.

Shin trained Guy to control and fight with Chakra released from his body, promising to teach him Sage Taijutsu once he could match Kamado. Afterward, Shin planned Sage Engravings tailored to Guy’s changing Chakra reserves and began considering how to adapt the Hyuga Clan’s Caged Bird Seal to control those he empowered.

• Shin tested Guy’s Chakra control by asking him to knock over a book from a distance, but Guy scattered the documents on the desk instead.
• Shin brought Guy and Kamado to the Hokage’s Office rooftop, learned that Guy could open six Gates, and ordered them to spar using only Chakra released from their bodies.
• Kamado knocked Guy down with Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, while Shin told Guy to keep training until he could match Kamado and earn instruction in Sage Taijutsu.
• Shin returned to his office and planned seven Sage Engravings for Guy to match the different Chakra levels caused by the Eight Gates.
• Shin considered giving Sage Engravings to Kamado, Guy, Kakashi, and Nonō’s children, and thought about modifying the Caged Bird Seal to keep them under control.

Shin removed Kamado’s Caged Bird Seal and gave him the first Sage Engraving, which boosted his strength and Byakugan enough to cross into the Kage class. After Kamado tested the power, Shin discovered that the engraving could cause breathing trouble when its user’s Chakra ran low, leaving him with a dangerous flaw to address.

• Shin completed Kamado’s Sage Engraving and removed his Caged Bird Seal.
• Kamado activated the seal, felt a dramatic increase in power and perception, and said he could defeat ten Kakashis.
• Shin warned Kamado to use the power sparingly and keep it secret, even from the Hokage.
• Kamado used Natural Energy to turn his Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm into a powerful strike, which Shin named Forty Divine Sky Strike.
• Kamado struggled to breathe as his Chakra ran low, so Shin told him to deactivate the seal and leave Sage Mode.
• Shin realized the Sage Engraving needed a safeguard to shut down when the user lacked sufficient Chakra.

As Ayari’s pregnancy advanced, Shin realized he would soon become a father, while Kushina and Minato both struggled with their wish to marry. After Orochimaru refused Minato’s request because Kushina was a Jinchuriki, Minato decided to ask Shin for help.

• Ayari’s growing pregnancy kept her mostly at home, and Shin supported her with gifts, care, and help walking.
• Shin wondered whether Ayari’s unborn child might be the Neji from the original story, then teased Kushina about marrying Minato.
• Kushina privately wished Minato would propose, while Minato felt guilty because he knew her Jinchuriki status made marriage difficult.
• Minato asked Orochimaru for permission to marry Kushina, but Orochimaru refused, citing the risks of pregnancy and childbirth for a Jinchuriki.
• Shikaku advised Minato to seek Shin’s help in securing Orochimaru’s approval, and Minato resolved to approach him.

Minato asked Shin to persuade the Hokage to approve his marriage to Kushina, but Shin made no promises. After reconsidering the dangers and possibilities surrounding Kushina’s Jinchuriki status, Shin agreed to speak on their behalf, and Kushina came to his office to ask for help.

• Minato asked Shin to help convince Orochimaru to approve his marriage to Kushina, and Shin agreed only to try.
• Shin told Ayari about Minato’s request, and Ayari urged him to help Kushina and Minato.
• Shin considered Kushina’s future as a Jinchuriki and wondered what gift he should give his unborn child.
• Kushina visited Shin’s office after learning her marriage to Minato had been refused, and she asked Shin to intervene.
• Kushina offered to make Shin’s child her godchild in return, and Shin told her he would keep his promise to help.

Kushina tried to persuade Shinichi to help her and Minato with the Hokage, inviting him home under the pretense of showing him Uzumaki Sealing Jutsu. Shinichi accepted the book but pressed Kushina about what else she wanted, leaving her trembling as they both held it.

• Kushina asked Rin whether Shinichi was serious and lecherous, and Rin admitted she thought he might be.
• Kushina met Shinichi at the Hokage's Office and invited him to her home to look at Sealing Jutsu texts.
• At Kushina's home, she showed Shinichi rare Uzumaki Sealing Jutsu, but he focused on her and then asked to take the book with him.
• Shinichi started to leave, prompting Kushina to ask him to make more effort to persuade the Hokage on behalf of her and Minato.
• Shinichi returned the book, saying he could not keep it if he failed to help, while Kushina anxiously tried to push it back to him.

Kushina let Shin pressure her by promising further help for her and Minato, while Minato and his allies discussed how he might marry her. Shikaku urged Minato to seek the Hokage position rather than wait for it, leaving Minato to consider a political struggle against the Fourth Hokage.

• Kushina panicked after bringing Shin home, but Shin followed her to the restroom and used her need for help as leverage to ask to inspect her Four Symbols Seal again.
• Kushina asked whether Shin could truly help her and Minato, and Shin said it depended on how much she could give him.
• At the Nara Clan, Minato told Shikaku and Inoichi that Shin probably could not help them, and the three discussed Orochimaru's reasons for opposing Minato's marriage to Kushina.
• Shikaku argued that Minato should pursue the Hokage position instead of waiting decades, warning that Hyuga Shin could become a rival.
• Minato was left wondering whether he would lose both the village he loved and Kushina.

Kushina kept Minato from entering after his drunken visit, leaving their relationship strained and unresolved. At Orochimaru’s laboratory, Shin proposed replacing Kushina as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Orochimaru agreed to Minato and Kushina’s marriage on the condition that Shin’s unborn child become the new Jinchuriki.

• Minato visited Kushina while drunk, but she resisted letting him into her home and closed the door on him.
• Kushina slid down against the closed door, overwhelmed by what had happened between them.
• Orochimaru showed Shin a group of White Zetsu disguised as civilians and planned to place them throughout the village.
• Shin suggested replacing Kushina as Jinchuriki to reduce the risks of her marriage and pregnancy, and Orochimaru asked who could take her place.
• Orochimaru asked when Shin’s child would be born and declared that he wanted to take the child as his disciple.
• Orochimaru told Shin to inform Minato that he approved the marriage once Shin’s child was born and made the new Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Shin visited Shikaku after receiving an invitation from the Nara Clan and discussed Minato and Kushina with him. Shin revealed that Orochimaru planned to extract the Nine-Tails from Kushina and choose a new jinchuriki, leaving Shikaku alarmed about her survival.

• Ayari teased Shin about their unborn child as they sat together, then a servant delivered an invitation from the Nara Clan.
• Shin went to Shikaku's home, where Shikaku warmly praised Shin's abilities and suggested he might become the next Hokage.
• Shin asked Shikaku about Minato and Kushina, then revealed that Minato had asked him to plead with Orochimaru on their behalf.
• Shin told Shikaku that Orochimaru intended to remove the Nine-Tails from Kushina and choose another jinchuriki, while promising only to do his utmost to keep her safe.
• Shikaku realized that extracting the tailed beast could kill Kushina and grew deeply concerned.

Rin found Kushina haggard and helped her eat and get out of the house, while Kushina struggled with guilt and worry about Minato. After learning that the Hokage had relented, Kushina’s mood lifted, though she still wondered when Minato would come see her.

• Rin visited Kushina and found her exhausted, hungry, and unwilling to explain what was troubling her.
• Rin made Kushina instant noodles, helped clean the house, and took her to buy groceries for dinner.
• Kushina and Rin ran into Zhen and Ayari, and Ayari told Kushina that the Hokage had relented.
• Kushina realized Minato had already heard the news from Zhen and wondered why he had not come to see her.
• Zhen teased Rin with a flirtatious look, leaving her angry and frustrated as she followed Kushina home.

Kakashi, Guy, and Kamado trained in a demanding chakra-based fighting style as they prepared for Shin’s promised instruction. On the way home, Shikaku hinted that Shin effectively ruled Konoha, leaving Kakashi wary about the purpose of his invitation.

• Kamado made Guy stop training before he overstrained himself, while Kakashi praised Guy’s effort but criticized his technique.
• Kakashi reflected on his former teammates’ training as he, Guy, and Kamado headed back from the training ground.
• Shikaku invited Kakashi to his house and remarked that Shin valued him highly.
• Shikaku suggested that Shin could effectively be called the Hokage, and Kakashi grew suspicious of why Shikaku had sought him out.

Shikaku urged Kakashi to question Orochimaru’s fitness as Hokage, citing his obstruction of Minato and Kushina’s marriage and his neglect of village duties. After Kakashi began to consider what action he might take, Orochimaru summoned him to the laboratory and asked whether Kakashi thought he had been a qualified Hokage.

• Shikaku told Kakashi that Orochimaru had blocked Minato and Kushina from marrying unless Kushina’s tailed beast was removed, which would kill her.
• Shikaku criticized Orochimaru’s leadership and suggested that Kakashi and others could act for Minato; Kakashi asked what they should do.
• The next day, Kakashi arrived for Anbu duty exhausted after a sleepless night and reflected on how Hyuga Shin effectively handled much of Konoha’s leadership.
• Anko summoned Kakashi into Orochimaru’s laboratory, where he saw a corpse on an operating table as Orochimaru mixed a reagent.
• Orochimaru asked Kakashi whether he thought the Anbu suited him, then asked whether he had been a qualified Hokage.

Shikaku and Inoichi argued over a plot to undermine Orochimaru, while Kakashi faced Orochimaru after being exposed as an informant. Kushina learned that Orochimaru had agreed to her marriage with Minato and eagerly awaited Minato’s proposal.

• Shikaku told Inoichi that he had sent Kakashi to spy and planned to destroy Orochimaru, while Inoichi warned that Minato would never approve.
• Shikaku said there was one more person who could help challenge Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru confronted Kakashi, asked why he should spare him, and offered him a chance to redeem himself through merit.
• Kushina told Mikoto that Orochimaru had agreed to her marriage with Minato and admitted that Shin had helped her.
• Kushina blushed as Mikoto teased her about wedding plans, and she continued waiting for Minato to propose.

Minato struggled with Orochimaru’s refusal to approve his marriage to Kushina and realized he would have to handle the matter himself. Kakashi, torn between loyalty to Minato and gratitude to Orochimaru, told Minato that their plans had been exposed.

• Minato told Sarutobi that he wanted to marry Kushina, but declined Sarutobi’s offer to help and decided to rely on himself.
• Kakashi reflected on Orochimaru’s orders to feed Shikaku misleading intelligence and wondered whether Minato’s faction still had a chance.
• Obito visited Kakashi and praised Orochimaru, while Kakashi questioned whether Minato or Orochimaru was more suited to be Hokage.
• Kakashi visited Minato and admitted that Shikaku had asked him to act as a spy between the Hokage and Mana.
• Kakashi told Minato that he believed Minato was more suited to be Hokage, then warned him that their plans had already been exposed.

Kakashi was caught searching Konoha’s archives and was brought to Hyuga Shin, who offered information about the Hokage in exchange for Kakashi’s cooperation. Shin revealed a seal called Sage Engraving Number Two, or Kite, leaving Kakashi facing a coercive bargain.

• Kamado found Kakashi searching the archive vault and gave him a single-use white magatama that concealed him from detection.
• Kamado brought Kakashi to the Hyuga Clan Compound, where Hyuga Shin told him that the Hokage’s surveillance made opposing him nearly suicidal.
• Shin offered Kakashi information about the Hokage’s leverage and secret research in exchange for something Kakashi could provide.
• Shin showed Kakashi a seal called Sage Engraving Number Two, also known as Kite.

Jiraiya received Shikaku’s letter reporting Orochimaru’s treason and set out to bring Tsunade back, while Minato prepared to confront Orochimaru and promised Kushina a wedding after the crisis. Orochimaru imprisoned Kushina in a sealed cage and had White Zetsu tell her that Minato planned to kill him and seize the Hokage’s position.

• Jiraiya received a letter from Shikaku stating that Orochimaru had committed treason, and he decided to bring Tsunade back with him.
• Minato reflected on Shikaku’s coup plans, then promised Kushina that he would give her a grand wedding once he had settled the crisis.
• An Anbu summoned Kushina to Orochimaru’s laboratory, where Orochimaru ordered her into a cage and she was knocked unconscious.
• Kushina woke inside the cage and met White Zetsu, who claimed Orochimaru had imprisoned her because Minato and Shikaku planned to kill him.
• Kushina tried to break free with her Chakra but discovered that her own and the Nine-Tails’ Chakra had been sealed.

Tsunade confronted Orochimaru after hearing he had defected, then read evidence of his crimes from Hiruzen Sarutobi. Furious at Konoha’s corruption, she destroyed the First and Second Hokage’s faces on Hokage Rock before Shin ordered the police ninja to leave.

• Tsunade returned to Konoha and questioned Orochimaru about his conflict with Minato and whether he had harmed the village.
• Tsunade went to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who showed her documents from Shikaku accusing Orochimaru of attacking the daimyo, killing Danzo, and conducting experiments on children.
• Tsunade asked what Jiraiya and Hiruzen intended to do, then condemned the power struggle and left.
• Tsunade destroyed the First and Second Hokage’s faces on Hokage Rock, leaving the Third and Fourth faces standing.
• Shin arrived, told the police ninja to go back, and returned to the Hokage’s Office as Tsunade watched him with contempt.

Samui learned that Shin would allow her and her companions to visit the Raikage, leaving her unsure why he had changed his mind. She returned home and teased Yugito with the news, which Yugito eagerly sought to hear.

• Samui brought documents to Shin and massaged him while he rested in Naruto's office.
• Shin asked Samui whether she missed Kumogakure and wanted to see the Raikage, then gave her permission to visit him with her companions.
• Samui returned home to find Mabui preparing dinner and Yugito resting on the sofa.
• Yugito asked Samui about her progress with Shin, and Samui hinted that she had good news concerning the Raikage.
• Yugito massaged Samui's sore feet in exchange for hearing the news, while Samui corrected her as she tried to remove the wrong layer.

Shinichi questioned Orochimaru about his experiments creating a new body and about his plans for Minato and Kushina. Orochimaru waited to see whether the Third Hokage and Jiraiya would side with Minato, then spent time with Anko, still convinced Shinichi would eventually become his enemy.

• Orochimaru explained that adding Uzumaki cells had changed the boy in the vessel and described his experiments with Living Corpse Reincarnation and White Zetsu bodies.
• Shinichi asked when Orochimaru would use the body and how he planned to deal with Kushina, Minato, and Minato’s accomplices.
• Orochimaru revealed that he was waiting to learn whether the Third Hokage and Jiraiya would support Minato before severing his last attachment to the past.
• Shinichi left the laboratory, and Anko arrived with food and told Orochimaru she had seen Shinichi teasing his female secretary.
• Orochimaru stroked Anko’s head and promised to show her something after they ate, while reflecting that Shinichi would likely become his enemy.

Samui, Mabui, and Yugito visited the imprisoned Fourth Raikage, whose demand that Yugito sacrifice herself for Kumogakure shattered her faith in him. After Samui comforted Yugito, she returned to Shin, who gave her a dungeon key and a scroll that could release the Raikage's seal, instructing her to give them to Yugito.

• Samui, Mabui, and Yugito visited the Fourth Raikage in Konoha Prison and found him shackled and weakened.
• The Fourth Raikage urged Yugito to kill herself to keep the Two-Tails from Konoha, then accused her of betraying Kumogakure when she refused.
• Samui defended Yugito, condemned the Raikage, and led the shaken women out of the prison.
• Yugito apologized to Samui for her past actions and broke down in tears as Samui comforted her and urged the three of them to live for themselves.
• Samui returned to Shin, who gave her a dungeon key and a scroll to release the Raikage's seal and told her to give them to Yugito.

Samui realized Shin regarded her as a tool and was told to handle the key and scroll related to the Raikage. Shikaku confronted Sarutobi over Orochimaru’s rule, but their discussion was interrupted when Minato reported that Kushina had disappeared or been impersonated and her Flying Thunder God mark had been sealed.

• Samui asked whether Shin planned to release the Raikage, and Shin told her to do her own task regardless of Yugito’s choice.
• Shikaku pressed Sarutobi to oppose Orochimaru, arguing that tolerating his oppression offered no way to protect Konoha.
• Sarutobi privately struggled with whether Orochimaru had truly betrayed Konoha and hesitated to act against him.
• Minato arrived using Flying Thunder God and announced that something had happened to Kushina.
• Minato explained that Rin had found Kushina acting strangely and that his connection to Kushina’s Flying Thunder God mark had been sealed.

A prison riot and level-one alert forced Minato to choose between protecting Konoha and rescuing Kushina, while Shikaku urged him to embrace harsher methods. Minato left to save Kushina, trusting Shikaku to protect the villagers.

• Shikaku learned that prisoners had escaped from Konoha Prison, and Minato realized the Raikage might be involved.
• Shikaku stopped Minato from leaving and argued that Naruto would stop the Raikage, while Minato struggled over whether to rescue Kushina or protect the village.
• Shikaku confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi, who left to protect the village without stopping Shikaku.
• Minato questioned Shikaku's motives, and Shikaku said Minato's ideals had driven him to become ruthless so he could fight their enemies.
• Minato asked whether the Third Hokage could handle the village and decided to go save Kushina while Shikaku protected and evacuated the villagers.