Recaps

Mingren expanded his influence and intervened in Akatsuki’s extraction of the Tailed Beasts, while Ying defeated five-tailed Naruto at Tenchi Bridge. The arc left Pain heading for Kirigakure, Orosuke Hime pursuing the Six-Tails, and Mingren preparing his forces for the coming conflict.

• Mingren expanded his negative-emotion barriers and forces, then traveled with Ying and Nohara Rin as Naruto returned to Konoha and Akatsuki began targeting Gaara and the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Mingren sent Dark Shadow into Akatsuki’s hideout, destroyed Scorpion’s puppets and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and saved Kaede while Deidara escaped with Gaara’s body.
• Mingren obtained Scorpion’s Puppet Core and studied its technique, while Ying’s dark chakra grew amid her confusion about Mingren and her mother’s efforts to encourage their relationship.
• Ying defeated Pakura and became Amegakure’s strongest female ninja as Mingren and Ying confronted Team 7 at Tenchi Bridge.
• Naruto unleashed five tails against Mingren, but Ying absorbed Natural Energy and defeated him with a powerful black beam.
• Mingren declared he would destroy Konoha within a year, while Kakashi stayed behind to pursue Orochimaru and Yamato began Naruto’s chakra-nature training.
• Mingren warned Kumogakure and Kirigakure about Akatsuki, while Pain planned to capture the Six-Tails and Orosuke Hime set out to pursue it.
• Mingren helped Pakura regain her pride, and she returned ready to adapt to a new Zero-Tails formed through her Dark Chakra Jutsu.

Mingren used Pakura and Kurenai to influence events surrounding the Akatsuki while Hiruko, Sasuke, and the Jinchuriki became embroiled in their own battles. The arc ended with Jiraiya confronting Mingren in Amegakure and realizing he could not defeat him, even in Sage Mode.

• Mingren took Pakura to confront Yugito, marked the Two-Tails Jinchuriki with Dark Chakra, and let Akatsuki capture her before Hiruko extracted Matatabi.
• Kurenai joined Mingren’s operation in exchange for his help with Asuma, but Asuma died fighting Hidan and Kakuzu, while Kurenai later found him alive in a Life Support Pod in Amegakure.
• Hiruko completed his Chimera Technique and fought Mingren, who defeated him with Asuka’s help before inviting him to join Amegakure.
• Naruto injured Kakuzu with Rasenshuriken, but Mingren intervened before Kakashi could finish him, and Yugito appeared in Dark Chakra Mode before Mingren left with her and Asuka.
• Itachi defeated Orosuke Hime’s Third Kazekage with Susanoo and sealed him, while Sasuke survived Deidara’s self-destruction and continued searching for Itachi.
• Jiraiya infiltrated Amegakure and confronted Mingren, who declared that he would destroy Konoha’s regime and annex the Land of Fire while sparing its people.
• Jiraiya entered Sage Mode with Fukasaku and Shima, but Mingren countered his attacks and Jiraiya acknowledged that Mingren’s strength was overwhelming.

Mingren publicly executed Jiraiya, battled the Five Kage at their summit, and pursued Danzo while Sasuke uncovered more of Konoha’s role in the Uchiha massacre. The arc left Sasuke set to receive Itachi’s eyes, Naruto determined to stop him, and Mingren preparing to destroy Konoha and release Kushina.

• Mingren captured Jiraiya, severed his connection to Mount Myōboku, and publicly executed him after a broadcast trial, announcing that Amegakure would attack Konoha in one month.
• Pain attacked Naruto and Konoha, but Naruto reached Nagato, persuaded him to believe in the Child of Destiny, and returned as a hero while Danzō became acting Hokage.
• Sasuke killed Itachi in their battle, then Obito told him that Konoha had orchestrated the Uchiha massacre and that Mingren had killed Fugaku Uchiha, driving Sasuke to seek revenge.
• Naruto completed Sage Mode training and pleaded with the Raikage to spare Sasuke, while Sasuke’s Hawk Team infiltrated the Five Kage Summit and pursued Danzō.
• Mingren confronted the Kage, refused to join their alliance against Akatsuki, and defeated the Raikage in a clash that cost A his left hand.
• Danzō used Kotoamatsukami to turn Sasuke against Mingren, but Mingren overpowered Sasuke until Obito rescued him and declared the Fourth Great Ninja War.
• Mingren pursued Danzō and rejected his defense of Konoha’s leadership, while Sasuke later pierced Danzō and learned that Konoha’s leaders had been involved in the Uchiha massacre.
• Sasuke rejected Kakashi and Naruto’s pleas to abandon revenge, and Obito took him away to receive Itachi’s eyes as Mingren left to destroy Konoha and release Uzumaki Kushina.

Mingren consolidated the Land of Rain Allied Forces, defeated the Box of Ultimate Bliss crisis, and announced Konoha’s destruction. As the countdown began, Konoha’s civilians fled while its leaders tried to preserve their forces and buy Naruto time to train.

• Itachi revealed to Orosuke Hime that he had survived with Izanagi and arranged for Sasuke to receive cloned Mangekyō eyes, then joined Nagato in preparing to help Konoha as Tsunade formed the Shinobi Alliance.
• Mingren freed Kushina from her prison, later woke Mikoto, and subjected both women to his control while declaring that Konoha would be destroyed.
• Amegakure sent Neji to infiltrate Hozuki Castle, where he discovered Kusagakure was using prisoners and Yugito’s chakra to open the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
• Mingren stopped the transformed Muku from killing Mui, absorbed the darkness that had corrupted him, and helped expose Kusagakure’s Four Guards before Kusagakure joined the Land of Rain Allied Forces.
• Mingren announced that Amegakure would destroy Konoha in seven days, while Asuka urged Konoha’s residents and rank-and-file ninja to evacuate and Shibuki helped them leave.
• Mingren absorbed the Box of Ultimate Bliss’s Negative Emotions, prepared his forces, and arrived near Konoha as the destruction countdown began.
• Mingren killed Hayate Gekko and Kunugi Mokume when they challenged him, then declared he would destroy Konoha after a 35-hour countdown.
• Shikaku Nara failed to negotiate with Mingren, Tsunade and Shikaku discussed the Preserve the Flame Plan, and Sage Fukasaku arrived with summoned beasts before setting out with Sage Shima to meet Mingren.