Recaps

Mingren strengthened Amegakure, prepared to challenge Konoha, and brought Kushina back to witness Naruto’s early days as a ninja. During Team 7’s mission in the Land of Waves, Mingren intervened against Gato and his men, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Mingren made Ying his disciple, trained her in Natural Energy and Dark Chakra, and watched her develop Dark Sage Chakra as she grew into a celebrated young ninja.
• Mingren defeated Mei Terumi in a spar and secretly made her his Dark Weapon, while Kirigakure’s plans for an alliance and marriage remained unsettled.
• Hanzo awoke in a youthful body and returned to Amegakure, where Mingren defeated him but kept him as village leader and announced plans to attack Konoha during the Chunin Exam.
• Mingren released Kushina from her Life Support Pod and took her to Konoha, where she watched Naruto fail his graduation exam, learn the Multi Shadow Clone Technique, and become a Genin.
• Kakashi made Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura Team 7, then led them to the Land of Waves, where they defeated the Demon Brothers and Kakashi fought Zabuza.
• Naruto and Sasuke trained together, but Zabuza and Haku attacked them at the bridge, where Sasuke took a blow meant for Naruto and Naruto’s Nine-Tails’ Chakra erupted.
• Mingren stopped Naruto’s rampage, intervened as Kakashi prepared to kill Zabuza, and killed Gato and more than thirty of his men with one punch before confronting the survivors.

Mingren brought Haku and Zabuza into his service, exposed Konoha’s history to Kurenai, and used the Chunin Exam to pursue his plans against the village. After his Dark Shadow killed Kitsuchi and the exam was halted, the story left Konoha preparing for the third round while Mingren and Kushina attended the Fireworks Festival in disguise.

• Mingren killed Gato, recruited Haku and Zabuza, and assigned them intelligence work and control of Gato Corporation’s shipping empire.
• Mingren confronted Kurenai about her father and Konoha’s past, while Kushina witnessed his power and struggled with fear of him.
• Ying, Ajisai, and Haku entered the Chunin Exam, where Ying challenged Ibiki and then blasted a path through the Forest of Death to reach the Tower in record time.
• Mingren defeated Orochimaru’s summoned Kage, captured her, and used Kushina’s Eight Trigrams Seal to imprison her mind before learning of the planned invasion of Konoha.
• At the exam preliminaries, Neji badly injured Hinata, Sasuke defeated Shi, and Naruto beat Kiba before vowing to defeat Neji.
• Ying’s match against Kurotsuchi escalated when her Natural Energy beam threatened Kurotsuchi, and Mingren’s Dark Shadow attacked the intervening Jonin and killed Kitsuchi.
• Hiruzen halted the Chunin Exam and scheduled its third round for a month later, while Ying departed and Mingren prepared retaliation against Konoha.
• Mingren and Kushina attended the Fireworks Festival in disguise as Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Ying, Haku, Ajisai, and Pakura gathered there, and Kurenai demanded that Asuma stop following her.

Amakawa Mingren’s alliance attacked Konoha during the Chunin Exam, where he killed Hiruzen Sarutobi and Rasa before departing with Kushina and threatening to destroy Konoha in four years. As Mingren prepared to build an empire, Tsunade learned of Hiruzen’s death and faced Jiraiya’s request to become Fifth Hokage.

• Mingren’s forces launched the Konoha Crush during the Chunin Exam, while Ying defeated Naruto Uzumaki and the Land of Rain and Sunagakure leaders prepared to strike.
• Mingren killed Rasa and Hiruzen Sarutobi inside the barrier, while Hiruzen used the Reaper Death Seal against Hanzo, Asuka, Pakura, and Orosuke Hime.
• Naruto returned from fighting Gaara and tried to attack Mingren, but Sasuke stopped him as the invasion continued and Kakashi’s forces fought Ying and Mingren.
• Mingren declared he would destroy Konoha in four years, took Kushina, and returned to the Land of Rain to announce his plan to become Emperor and unify the Ninja World.
• Pain and the Akatsuki discussed Mingren and began investigating the Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki, while Mingren learned that Itachi and Kisame had entered Konoha.
• Mingren sealed Kushina in a Life Support Pod for four years, while Orosuke Hime and Kabuto approached Tsunade and offered her an improved Impure World Reincarnation.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Konoha had chosen her to become Fifth Hokage and explained that Mingren had killed Hiruzen and the Kazekage, leaving Tsunade questioning his warning that Konoha might be destroyed.

Tsunade became Fifth Hokage as Sasuke left Konoha and Mingren defeated Naruto at the Valley of the End. Mingren established his rule in Amegakure, stopped a massive tsunami, and declared that he would destroy Konoha in four years while Naruto began training to oppose him.

• Mingren overpowered Tsunade in Orosuke Hime’s Mental World, but Tsunade returned to Konoha, became Fifth Hokage, and gave Naruto the Necklace.
• Sasuke left Konoha for Orochimaru, and Shikamaru’s team pursued him until Mingren’s forces intervened and Sasuke joined Mingren at the Valley of the End.
• Mingren defeated Naruto and departed with Sasuke, while Kakashi brought the unconscious Naruto back to Konoha.
• Mingren recruited the Sound Four, freed Nohara Rin from Orosuke Hime’s control, and prepared to take power in Amegakure as Naruto left with Jiraiya to train.
• Mingren announced his plans to conquer the Ninja World and destroy Konoha in four years, then flew to the Land of Fire’s coast to face a massive tsunami.
• Mingren shattered the tsunami with Dark Chakra attacks as nations across the Ninja World watched, while Naruto and Jiraiya saw the broadcast.
• Small nations joined the Land of Rain Allied Forces, Mingren expanded Amegakure’s reforms, and Jiraiya urged Naruto to master the Nine-Tails’ power.