Chapter Summaries

Qi Shuang explained the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, the Rinnegan, and the Six Paths of Pain to Orochimaru, then revealed Nagato’s connection to Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Orochimaru considered taking the Rinnegan, but Qi Shuang warned that they would need Jiraiya and Tsunade to defeat Pain and prevent his escape.

• Qi Shuang explained that the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was the Ten-Tails’ shell and that the Rinnegan could control it and create a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Qi Shuang described the Six Paths of Pain and the abilities they inherited from the Rinnegan’s owner.
• Qi Shuang told Orochimaru that Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan had been the orphans Jiraiya taught in the Land of Rain, and identified Nagato as the Rinnegan’s owner and Pain’s true body.
• Orochimaru regretted not recognizing the Rinnegan’s potential earlier and suggested that he and Qi Shuang capture Nagato.
• Qi Shuang warned Orochimaru that Pain’s repulsion ability made capturing him difficult and said they would need Jiraiya and Tsunade’s help.

Qi Shuang warned Orochimaru that the Akatsuki commanded nearly a hundred thousand White Zetsu, so they postponed confronting it while Qi Shuang demanded the person Orochimaru had promised him. Orochimaru led him into his lair, where they found a living figure floating in a glass tank.

• Qi Shuang explained that the Akatsuki's White Zetsu army made attacking it too dangerous to attempt without careful preparation.
• Qi Shuang threatened to become Orochimaru's enemy unless Orochimaru handed over the person he wanted, and Orochimaru agreed to take him there.
• Orochimaru led Qi Shuang toward his lair and boasted about the shinobi village he had built in the Land of Fields.
• Qi Shuang mocked Orochimaru's village as a laboratory that could not survive without his support.
• Orochimaru brought Qi Shuang to a dark chamber, where a figure inside a glass tank suddenly moved and scrutinized them.

Qi Shuang freed Hozuki Suigetsu from Orochimaru’s water prison and tried to take him back to Kirigakure. Suigetsu learned that Hozuki Mangetsu had sent for him but was too ill to come, and Orochimaru revealed that Mangetsu was close to death.

• Qi Shuang froze and shattered Suigetsu’s water prison, then gave him clothes and said he had come to take him back to Kirigakure.
• Suigetsu refused to follow Qi Shuang, but Qi Shuang caught and froze him even after he liquefied his body.
• Qi Shuang told Suigetsu that his brother had specifically asked him to come find him.
• Suigetsu asked why Mangetsu had not come himself, and Qi Shuang said Mangetsu could not.
• Orochimaru said Mangetsu’s life force had been exhausted and he was close to death.

Qi Shuang escorted Hozuki Suigetsu toward Kirigakure after telling him that his brother, Hozuki Mangetsu, was dying. On the way, they traveled through the Land of Hot Water, and Qi Shuang overheard a merchant describe an encounter with a dangerous outlaw.

• Hozuki Suigetsu learned that Hozuki Mangetsu had only about two and a half months to live and rushed to return to Kirigakure.
• Qi Shuang led Suigetsu out of Orochimaru’s hideout, and Orochimaru ordered Kimimaro to destroy the abandoned base.
• Qi Shuang and Suigetsu traveled east, stopping in a town to buy Suigetsu clothes and food before crossing into the Land of Hot Water.
• The next morning, Qi Shuang made Suigetsu eat and prepare supplies before they continued their journey.
• At a tavern, Qi Shuang heard a merchant say that a murderous Mad Demon driven out by Hot Water Village had stolen his cartload of goods.

Qi Shuang and Suigetsu heard merchants describe a murderous rogue ninja from Hot Water Village who could not be killed and performed rituals for an Evil God. After learning the man was heading west, Qi Shuang set out to find and kill him.

• A merchant complained that the murderous Mad Demon had killed travelers and blamed Hot Water Village for failing to stop him.
• Qi Shuang asked the merchant about the Mad Demon, and Suigetsu dismissed the rogue ninja as unimportant.
• The merchant said the Mad Demon was a mediocre fighter with an undying body who killed victims during Evil God rituals.
• The merchant’s companion explained that the Mad Demon forced new believers to undergo a baptism, after which they disappeared.
• The merchant pointed out where he last encountered the Mad Demon and said the man appeared to be heading west.
• Qi Shuang told Suigetsu he intended to find and kill the Mad Demon.

Pain ordered the Akatsuki to begin capturing the Tailed Beasts ahead of schedule and recruit more powerful members, while Itachi secured assurances that Konoha’s Nine-Tails would be left until last. Meanwhile, Qi Shuang and Suigetsu tracked down the Mad Demon, and Qi Shuang learned the man was just ahead.

• Pain announced that the Akatsuki would start capturing the Tailed Beasts early because Qi Shuang might know their plan, and he assured Itachi that Konoha’s Nine-Tails would be left for last.
• Konan gave Kakuzu, Itachi, and Obito separate recruitment targets, and Pain advised them to work together to avoid further losses.
• Kakuzu suggested bringing Orochimaru back, but Obito rejected the idea, and the three decided to begin with Itachi’s target.
• Qi Shuang and Suigetsu left a tavern to search for the Mad Demon, and Qi Shuang admitted he had a guess about the man’s identity.
• Qi Shuang stopped a fleeing man and used cold chakra to calm him, then learned that the Mad Demon was just ahead.

Qi Shuang and Suigetsu encountered the murderous Mad Demon, a scythe-wielding follower of the Evil God, and Qi Shuang quickly froze and captured him. After collecting Suigetsu’s blood, Qi Shuang released the Mad Demon and warned Suigetsu that lowering his guard would get him killed.

• Qi Shuang and Suigetsu found the Mad Demon praying among corpses marked with blood-red formations.
• Qi Shuang struck the Mad Demon and froze him after he struggled to escape from the ground.
• Suigetsu questioned how the Mad Demon had troubled Hot Water Village, and Qi Shuang said he was more dangerous than he appeared.
• Qi Shuang asked Suigetsu for a drop of blood, and Suigetsu cut his palm after deactivating Water Transformation Jutsu.
• Qi Shuang collected Suigetsu’s blood in an ice cup, warned him not to deactivate Water Transformation Jutsu, and released the Mad Demon.

Qi Shuang set Hidan against Suigetsu, whose Water Transformation Jutsu thwarted Hidan’s blood-linked curse. Hidan’s curse failed to harm Suigetsu, so he turned to attack Qi Shuang directly.

• Qi Shuang smeared Suigetsu’s blood on Hidan’s scythe and urged Suigetsu to fight him.
• Hidan used the blood to activate his curse and inflicted matching wounds on Suigetsu, but Suigetsu’s water body quickly recovered.
• Suigetsu attacked Hidan, who stabbed himself with a spear and again failed to injure Suigetsu permanently.
• Qi Shuang explained how Hidan’s curse linked his injuries to his opponent and relied on his immortal body.
• Hidan abandoned his curse against Suigetsu and hurled his scythe at Qi Shuang.

Qi Shuang overpowered Hidan, froze him, and decided to take him back rather than leave him to die. He explained to Suigetsu that Hidan could revive as long as his body was not completely destroyed.

• Hidan tried to pull Qi Shuang in with his scythe rope, but Qi Shuang yanked him toward himself.
• Hidan's spear could not pierce Qi Shuang's protective chakra, and Qi Shuang slammed Hidan's head into the ground.
• Hidan begged to surrender, but Qi Shuang froze him with the Ice Sealing Technique.
• Suigetsu questioned Qi Shuang's stated motive for killing Hidan, and Qi Shuang carried the frozen man away.
• Qi Shuang told Suigetsu that Hidan would survive the ice seal and could revive even if his body was chopped into pieces.

Qi Shuang demonstrated his plan to permanently deal with the immortal Hidan by using Water Burial, while Obito, Itachi, and Kakuzu sought to recruit Deidara. The sharks closed in on Hidan’s severed head and body as Qi Shuang prepared to leave him to the sea.

• Suigetsu suggested burning Hidan to ashes, but Qi Shuang chose Water Burial as a method better suited to the Hidden Mist.
• Obito, Itachi, and Kakuzu found Deidara in a town outside Iwagakure and invited him to join their organization.
• Deidara attacked Obito with a clay centipede, but Obito’s Phasing let the ambush pass through him, and Itachi stepped forward to deal with Deidara.
• Qi Shuang and Suigetsu boarded a passenger ship to the Land of Water with Hidan frozen as an ice sculpture, and the grateful sailors gave them free passage.
• Far from the ship, Qi Shuang used a Wind Release blade to cut off Hidan’s head, then released the ice and held his corpse afloat.
• Qi Shuang pointed out approaching sharks as Hidan cursed him from his severed head.

Qi Shuang returned to Kirigakure after Hidan was devoured by sharks, and arranged for Killer B’s release and the delivery of the Cloud’s remaining food supplies. His arrival brought relief to Killer B and the Cloud ninja, who had been living on reduced rations.

• Sharks tore apart Hidan’s body and dragged his remaining head underwater, killing him permanently.
• Qi Shuang and Suigetsu endured a storm before reaching the Land of Water, where Mist ninja told Qi Shuang the Cloud had delivered only half its supplies because Killer B remained trapped in his Ice Prison.
• Qi Shuang ordered the Mist ninja to tell the Cloud he would release Killer B that day and have them bring the remaining supplies to Kirigakure.
• Cloud ninja sent scouts to verify Qi Shuang’s return while Qi Shuang and Suigetsu traveled to Kirigakure.
• Kirigakure’s guards announced Qi Shuang’s return, and Killer B celebrated because he expected to leave and escape the plain meals that had made him and his companions lose weight.

Qi Shuang returned to Kirigakure with Suigetsu and agreed to release Killer B in exchange for Cloud’s remaining provisions. After freeing Killer B from the Cold Chains, Qi Shuang watched him run off, finally free.

• Kisame Hoshigaki and Killer B reacted to the news that Killer B would soon be released.
• Mangetsu’s clone learned that Qi Shuang had returned with a boy and hurried to meet Suigetsu, believing the boy was his younger brother.
• Suigetsu was shocked by Kirigakure’s ruined condition, and Qi Shuang directed him toward the Hozuki Clan compound.
• Qi Shuang agreed to honor his deal with the Cloud ninja and told them to bring the remaining provisions into Kirigakure.
• Qi Shuang dispelled the Cold Chains binding Killer B, and Killer B celebrated his freedom by running off.

Qi Shuang questioned Kisame about why he joined Obito Uchiha, then tried to challenge the beliefs behind his choice. He left Kisame chained among the ruins, telling him that the answer to what the right path was could be found in his surroundings.

• Qi Shuang asked Kisame why he had betrayed Kirigakure, and Kisame explained that his Anbu duties had forced him to kill comrades to prevent intelligence leaks.
• Kisame said his experiences left him disappointed in Kirigakure and the world, and that he joined Obito Uchiha because Obito offered him hope for change.
• Qi Shuang told Kisame that Obito had lied and that Kisame was pursuing the wrong direction, prompting Kisame to ask what the right direction was.
• Qi Shuang pointed to the ruined surroundings and asked Kisame to look more carefully, saying Kisame might regain his freedom or die when he found the answer.
• Qi Shuang walked away, leaving Kisame bewildered beside the bronze cauldron.

Qi Shuang returned to Kirigakure and discussed Hozuki Suigetsu’s prospects as clan head with Mei Terumi. Mei then confronted him about delaying the village’s reconstruction plans, leaving him faced with a stack of residents’ requests.

• Qi Shuang walked through Kirigakure and saw that the ruins had mostly been cleared and temporary shops and sheds had been built.
• Hozuki Suigetsu returned to the damaged Hozuki estate, where Mangetsu’s clone recognized him and welcomed him home.
• Qi Shuang arrived at Mei Terumi’s temporary office and explained that finding Orochimaru and a storm at sea had delayed his return.
• Qi Shuang and Mei Terumi discussed whether Suigetsu could inherit the Hozuki Clan head position and the risk of internal conflict after Mangetsu’s death.
• Mei Terumi showed Qi Shuang the accumulated requests to rebuild Kirigakure and demanded to know why he had delayed the plans.

Qi Shuang postponed plans to rebuild until the next day, while Hozuki Mangetsu faced opposition to naming Suigetsu clan head. In the Land of Rivers, Obito’s group learned their target had been taken out to sea by a Lord from Kirigakure, then left without pursuing him; the Fifth Person raised the question of what to do with their hypnotized hostage.

• Qi Shuang reviewed reconstruction requests, learned the planning blueprints needed another week, and left to rest before starting arrangements the next day.
• Hozuki Mangetsu introduced Suigetsu at a clan meeting, but the elders and other clan members rejected the idea of a child becoming clan head.
• Obito, Itachi, Kakuzu, Konan, Deidara, and the Fifth Person searched the Land of Rivers for their target, then had White Zetsu capture a local for questioning.
• Itachi used Genjutsu on the hostage, who said a Lord from Kirigakure had taken the murderous madman out to sea without anyone seeing him killed.
• Obito decided not to pursue the target in the Land of Water and left through his Mangekyō Sharingan; Kakuzu led the others away.
• The Fifth Person asked what they would do with the still-dazed hostage, and Kakuzu questioned why he was interested in an ordinary person.

Qi Shuang reviewed Kirigakure’s reconstruction plans and summoned representatives from every clan to explain the upcoming infrastructure work. He began addressing the crowd, while Hozuki Mangetsu waited to ask him something.

• In the Akatsuki hideout, the Fifth Person tied up a man and prepared to hold him a funeral while Deidara stayed to watch.
• Qi Shuang inspected Kirigakure’s planning blueprint and learned that the village would assign civilians to residential districts randomly, with residents free to exchange homes.
• Qi Shuang asked the Engineering Department to finish the remaining sections of the blueprint within five days.
• Qi Shuang had Mai summon clan representatives to a meeting about rebuilding Kirigakure’s infrastructure.
• Hozuki Mangetsu arrived in a wheelchair pushed by Hozuki Suigetsu, but Qi Shuang postponed his question until after the meeting began.
• Qi Shuang addressed the assembled crowd about reconstruction, and a shinobi asked how he planned to organize it.

Qi Shuang explained why Kirigakure’s clans had to follow the Engineering Department’s plans and pay for their own home repairs, then announced that the village would lease commercial plots rent-free for ten years to encourage rebuilding. Mei Terumi challenged the decision, and Qi Shuang began explaining how the offer could help revive Kirigakure’s economy.

• Qi Shuang warned the shinobi to wait for the layout plans and gave examples of how careless construction could cause drainage, sunlight, and access problems.
• Qi Shuang said clans had to fund repairs to their own homes because the village needed its money for public facilities and impoverished civilians.
• Qi Shuang announced that commercial plots would be leased at zero rent for ten years, prompting an uproar among the shinobi.
• Mei Terumi confronted Qi Shuang over giving up a major source of village revenue.
• Qi Shuang explained that the village could not afford to rebuild the commercial districts and that rent-free plots could attract merchants, then asked Mei Terumi whether she would accept free land with no rent for ten years.

Qi Shuang explained how free land leases requiring merchants to fund construction could attract investment and speed Kirigakure’s economic recovery. After the meeting, Hozuki Mangetsu privately told Qi Shuang that he had little time left.

• Qi Shuang explained that merchants would build infrastructure on free leased plots, tying their investments to Kirigakure while helping revive its economy.
• Mei Terumi approved Qi Shuang’s plans and returned to the Mizukage’s office.
• Qi Shuang told the gathered ninjas that land transfers were prohibited, construction was mandatory, and building plans had to be followed.
• The gathered ninjas dispersed, with civilian ninjas and clans weighing whether to lease commercial land.
• Hozuki Suigetsu pushed Hozuki Mangetsu’s clone to a secluded area, where Mangetsu told Qi Shuang that he had little time left.

Hozuki Mangetsu arranged for Qi Shuang to protect Suigetsu by taking him as a disciple, and handed over four ninja swords. Meanwhile, Kirigakure’s merchants learned of Qi Shuang’s rent-free land offer and weighed the profitable but binding investment scheme.

• Hozuki Mangetsu asked Qi Shuang to take Suigetsu as a disciple so the clan would not dare target him after Mangetsu’s death.
• Qi Shuang agreed to take Suigetsu as his disciple and asked Mangetsu to hand over the Hozuki Clan’s ninja swords for the village’s new Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
• Mangetsu summoned four ninja swords and had Suigetsu deliver them to Qi Shuang, who also asked for Sasori of the Red Sands’ corpse and puppets.
• News spread through the Hozuki Clan that Qi Shuang had taken Suigetsu as his disciple, causing those plotting against Suigetsu to abandon their plans.
• Kirigakure’s merchants and financial groups learned of the ten-year rent-free land offer and recognized that investing would tie them to the village, but found the potential profits difficult to refuse.

As Kirigakure began rebuilding, Qi Shuang organized a free lease lottery for commercial district land. He announced that merchants’ and consortiums’ financial strength would determine which grade of land they could draw, provoking protests from the crowd.

• Merchants and wealthy groups flocked to Kirigakure after hearing they could lease commercial land for free.
• The Fifth Water Shadow announced the start of Kirigakure’s reconstruction, and Qi Shuang was assigned to oversee land leases at a training ground.
• A large crowd gathered and argued over who deserved the best locations, but Qi Shuang told them to wait for his distribution plan.
• Qi Shuang explained that the commercial land had been divided into five grades and that each group would draw from a box matching its financial qualification.
• The crowd protested when Qi Shuang said access to each land grade depended on assets, with first-grade plots requiring more than ten billion.