Chapter Summaries

Kisame’s massive Water Release overwhelmed the battle at sea until Bai Yue arrived and dispersed the water. As the fight resumed, Hidan tried to attack Sasuke, but Itachi stopped him with a Genjutsu.

• Kakashi, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba fought the Akatsuki, but the cold hampered Shino’s Kikaichū and Sasori unleashed hundreds of puppets against Kiba.
• Kisame forced Naruto back and flooded the battlefield with a massive Water Release, engulfing the fighters and the ship.
• Sakura-ge charged Kisame as he fused with Samehada, while Naruto tried to warn her underwater.
• Bai Yue arrived, dispersed half the water, and evaporated the rest, reassuring Hinata and Kakashi.
• Hidan rushed Sasuke with his Bloodthirsty Scythe, but Itachi intercepted him and trapped him in a Genjutsu.

Bai Yue arrived during the Akatsuki’s attack and effortlessly shattered Itachi Uchiha’s Susanoo, saving Sasuke and the others. As Sasuke prepared to confront his weakened brother, Itachi tapped his forehead, bringing back memories of their past.

• Kisame Hoshigaki, Deidara, and Kakuzu reacted warily to Bai Yue’s arrival while Itachi Uchiha continued provoking Sasuke.
• Sasuke awakened Susanoo and attacked Itachi, who countered with a more advanced Susanoo and overwhelmed him.
• Bai Yue struck Itachi’s Susanoo with a Sky God Strike and shattered it, leaving Itachi weakened and the Akatsuki ready to flee.
• Sasuke praised Bai Yue and prepared to face Itachi, who reached toward him and tapped his forehead.
• Itachi’s familiar gesture unlocked Sasuke’s memories of his brother’s former gentleness.

Bai Yue stopped Sasuke from accepting Itachi’s massacre as a simple quest for power and promised to explain the doubts surrounding it later. He drove off the Akatsuki attackers with a massive Wood Release technique, then chose not to pursue them because their actions could benefit Konoha.

• Sasuke angrily demanded to know why Itachi had killed their parents, and Bai Yue suggested Itachi had acted to protect him.
• Bai Yue pointed out that Itachi could not plausibly have killed the powerful Uchiha Clan in secret within a few hours, and Sasuke begged him to explain.
• Kakuzu ordered the Akatsuki members to retreat as Deidara flew them away and Sasori sent puppets to attack Konoha’s group.
• Bai Yue summoned True Several Thousand Hands and crushed Sasori’s puppets while the Akatsuki escaped.
• Kakashi asked why Bai Yue had let the Akatsuki go, and Bai Yue said their existence benefited Konoha as long as Naruto remained safe.

Bai Yue captured Hidan and explained to Sasuke how the Nine-Tails’ attack led to the Uchiha Clan’s coup and extermination. He left Sasuke considering what he would have done in the clan’s place.

• Bai Yue sealed the Genjutsu-trapped Hidan and assigned Kiba and Shino to guard him.
• Bai Yue sent Kakashi and the others to finish the mission, then kept Sasuke with him.
• Bai Yue told Sasuke that the Uchiha Clan’s conflict with the village intensified after an Uchiha controlled the Nine-Tails during Naruto’s birth.
• Bai Yue explained that the village’s suspicion and rejection of the Uchiha Clan helped drive them toward a coup.
• Itachi said the Nine-Tails’ controller had called himself Madara Uchiha, and Bai Yue asked Sasuke what he would do if the coup threatened both the clan and the village.

Bai Yue helped Sasuke understand that Itachi had protected him during the Uchiha Clan Massacre, and Sasuke resolved to kill the man calling himself Madara Uchiha. After the Land of Snow mission, Hinata received a Hamura Statue summoning contract, while Deva Path Pain moved to capture Gaara.

• Bai Yue explained that Itachi had chosen to bear the infamy of the Uchiha Clan Massacre to spare Sasuke, and Sasuke decided to target the man calling himself Madara Uchiha.
• Bai Yue led Sasuke and Itachi toward the carriages to wrap up the Land of Snow mission and asked Hinata how it had gone.
• Hinata told Bai Yue she wanted to become stronger, so he gave her a specially made Hamura Statue Summoning Contract to sign.
• Naruto asked to learn Bai Yue's powerful technique, and Bai Yue offered him scrolls explaining the special Wood Release and Sage Mode.
• Deva Path Pain confirmed that Gaara was the One-Tail Jinchuriki and floated toward him and his companions.

Jiraiya arrived as the Six Paths of Pain attacked Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and Baki, rescuing the group after they were overwhelmed. Recognizing Yahiko among the Pains and seeing Nagato’s Rinnegan in his eyes, Jiraiya confronted his former student and summoned a creature to stop the attack.

• Deva Path Pain blasted Temari and Kankuro away, while Gaara and Baki fought the Pains and the others were repeatedly overwhelmed.
• Asura Path Pain captured Gaara and pierced him with Black Receivers, but Jiraiya arrived and killed Asura Path with an Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan.
• Jiraiya told Baki to flee with the incapacitated Gaara while he stayed behind to face the Pains.
• Jiraiya recognized Yahiko as Deva Path and demanded to know what had happened to Nagato and his Rinnegan.
• The Six Paths of Pain attacked Jiraiya, who struggled against them and tried to stop them from pursuing Baki and the others.
• Jiraiya declared that he would stop Pain and used Summoning Jutsu.

Jiraiya and Gama Bunta fought Pain but failed to stop the capture of the One-Tail Jinchuriki, so they pursued the attackers with Kankuro. In the Land of Snow, Bai Yue and the others enjoyed a snowball fight until Sasuke staggered out of the house.

• Jiraiya summoned Gama Bunta to hold off Pain while he prepared to enter Sage Mode, but Pain repeatedly repelled Bunta and absorbed their combined attack.
• The Pains disappeared after capturing the One-Tail Jinchuriki, and Jiraiya realized Yahiko had changed before pursuing them.
• Jiraiya found Baki, Temari, and Kankuro pinned down, then agreed to take Kankuro along to help rescue his younger brother.
• Baki asked Temari to remove the Black Receivers while he sought reinforcements from Konoha and the Sand.
• In the Land of Snow, Bai Yue turned Kiba's snowball attack into a lively fight that drew in Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Shino, and Kakashi.
• The snowball fight ended when Sasuke staggered out of the house.

After Sasuke returned from killing Itachi, Bai Yue comforted him and brought Itachi’s body back to Konoha. There, Shikaku told Bai Yue that Gaara had been captured by six enemies calling themselves Pain, and Bai Yue set out to find them.

• Sasuke came back covered in blood and told Bai Yue that he had killed Itachi, then broke down crying while Naruto held him.
• Bai Yue examined Itachi’s corpse, confirmed that Itachi’s Mangekyō Sharingan had been removed, and stored the body in the True Illusionary Realm.
• Sasuke fell asleep in Naruto’s arms, and Bai Yue secretly photographed them before telling Kakashi to keep an eye on Sasuke.
• Bai Yue returned to Konoha with Itachi’s body and met Shikaku, who reported that Gaara had been captured and Jiraiya had requested help.
• Bai Yue activated his Byakugan and searched for Gaara and the six enemies calling themselves Pain.

Bai Yue tracked Gaara after learning the Akatsuki were extracting the One-Tail, then set out with Temari to rescue him while searching for Jiraiya. He reached the Sand Ninja reinforcements and continued ahead, leaving Chiyo to lead the others after him.

• Bai Yue found Gaara being used for the One-Tail extraction and learned the distress signal had been sent a day earlier.
• Bai Yue told Shikaku that Naruto had also been attacked, healed Temari, and flew with her toward Gaara’s last known location.
• Bai Yue and Temari followed the trail left by Gama Bunta and found Jiraiya’s tracking marks and the Sand Ninja group.
• Bai Yue warned the Sand Ninja that their enemy was too strong, then continued toward Gaara with Temari.
• Chiyo ordered the Sand Ninja to follow Bai Yue and help bring Gaara back.

Bai Yue joined Jiraiya and the Sand siblings in searching for the Akatsuki, then found Gaara near death after the One-Tail had been extracted. He restored Gaara with Yang Release and ended by boasting about his Medical Ninjutsu.

• Bai Yue caught up with Jiraiya and Gama Bunta, then joined the search for the missing enemy.
• Bai Yue used his Byakugan while Jiraiya and he chatted, and eventually located the Akatsuki's cave.
• Bai Yue and Jiraiya arrived to find Gaara motionless, while Temari and Kankuro rushed toward him.
• Bai Yue examined Gaara and explained that the One-Tail's extraction had taken his life force.
• Bai Yue poured Yang Release into Gaara and restored his vitality, then told Jiraiya to praise the great Hokage-sama.

Bai Yue revived Gaara by making Kankuro kiss him, then stopped Jiraiya from investigating the Akatsuki Organization alone. He took Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, and Jiraiya back toward Konoha, reassuring Gaara that Naruto would be safe.

• Bai Yue told Kankuro to kiss Gaara, and the kiss woke Gaara, who reacted with humiliation and anger.
• Bai Yue told Jiraiya he was protecting Naruto from Gaara’s supposed designs, then prepared to leave with the group.
• Jiraiya announced that he would investigate the Akatsuki Organization, but Bai Yue sealed him and told him to focus on teaching Naruto.
• Kankuro and Temari chose to return to Konoha with Bai Yue, and Bai Yue explained that the Akatsuki had already taken the One-Tail from Gaara.
• Gaara worried that Naruto would become the Akatsuki’s next target, and Bai Yue promised to protect him before flying toward Chiyo and the others.

Bai Yue returned Gaara to Konoha and told Shikaku that the Akatsuki had taken the One-Tail, while assuring him that Naruto would be protected. He left Jiraiya immobilized and ordered Shikaku to find older women to watch over him, threatening to use a Flying Thunder God Mark to stop Jiraiya from sneaking away to investigate the Akatsuki.

• Chiyo thanked Bai Yue for rescuing Gaara and ordered Baki to deal with rumors that Konoha viewed the Sand Ninja as cannon fodder.
• Bai Yue teleported to the Hokage Building and sent Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari to Konoha Hospital.
• Bai Yue explained that he had sealed Jiraiya after Jiraiya tried to investigate the Akatsuki Organization.
• Bai Yue told Shikaku that Itachi Uchiha had passed along intelligence about the Akatsuki, and said the group would target other villages after taking the One-Tail.
• Bai Yue ordered Shikaku to find older women to care for Jiraiya and warned that he had placed a Flying Thunder God Mark on him to prevent him from leaving the village.

Bai Yue intimidated Shikaku into working hard and left Jiraiya in Shikaku’s hands, then chatted with the recovering Kushina about Naruto and showed her photos of Naruko. Kushina encouraged Bai Yue to turn Naruto into Naruko, leaving Naruto’s fate in question.

• Bai Yue teased Shikaku with a promise to send beautiful women to the baths, and Shikaku vowed to work hard.
• Shikaku arranged for grannies to care for Jiraiya, who noticed Shikaku was secretly amused.
• Bai Yue watched Jiraiya being led away, then spoke with Kushina about her recovery.
• Bai Yue told Kushina he had visited the Land of Snow to see Naruto and the Crown Princess marry, and showed her photos of the male Crown Princess.
• Bai Yue showed Kushina a photo of Naruko and offered to transform Naruto into a girl.
• Kushina agreed that Bai Yue should turn Naruto into Naruko because she had always wanted a daughter.

Bai Yue joked with Kushina about turning Naruto and Sasuke into girls, then learned that villagers had given him the title “Perfect Person.” The chapter ended with Aunt Hanako asking where he had been and saying she had worried about him.

• Bai Yue and Kushina discussed whether Naruto might become Naruko and teased the possibility of Sasuke becoming Sasuko.
• Tsunade and Shizune returned, and Bai Yue told Tsunade they had been discussing candidates for Kushina’s daughter-in-law.
• Bai Yue noticed Shizune and thought of other attractive women, leaving Shizune dejected when he said he had seen someone interesting through her.
• Tsunade told Bai Yue that villagers had begun calling him the “Perfect Person,” and he proudly accepted the title.
• Aunt Hanako brought tea and snacks, and asked Bai Yue where he had been because she had worried about him.

Kushina prepared to welcome Naruto and the others back to Konoha, while the Akatsuki discussed their losses in the Land of Snow and their next priorities. The chapter ended with Kushina drawing attention as she stepped outside the Hyuga Clan.

• Kushina asked whether she should go to the village gate to welcome Naruto and the others.
• Kisame returned to the Akatsuki after traveling back alone and complained silently about Deidara leaving him behind.
• Pain told the Akatsuki that Vermilion Bird and Three-Legged Demon had been captured, and Black Zetsu reported Itachi's death and Hidan's sealing.
• Pain prioritized tracking the Jinchuriki over rescuing Hidan or Three-Legged Demon and ordered the Akatsuki to lie low.
• Sasori withdrew to work on his damaged puppets, Deidara refused to go out with Kakuzu, and Kakuzu left to pursue bounty money alone.
• Kushina stepped outside the Hyuga Clan and drew countless gazes.

Kushina returned to Konoha after secretly recovering for years with the Hyuga Clan, and Bai Yue explained her survival to the startled villagers. At the gates, Kushina finally met Naruto, but he called her “Auntie,” leaving her sobbing as Naruto began to cry too.

• Bai Yue told Konoha that Kushina had spent years recovering from her injuries within the Hyuga Clan, and rumors about her return spread through the village.
• Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki confirmed Kushina was really alive when she arrived at the gates with Bai Yue and Tsunade.
• Kushina admitted she was nervous about meeting Naruto, and Bai Yue teased her about meeting her future son-in-law.
• Naruto raced Kiba Inuzuka toward the gates, where Kushina intercepted him and hugged him while sobbing.
• Naruto called Kushina “Auntie,” and the word made her cry harder as Naruto became tearful too.

Naruto learned that Kushina was his mother and reunited with her at Konoha’s main gate. Kakashi and the others reacted in shock, while Bai Yue concealed Kushina’s return and kept everyone from interrupting them.

• Bai Yue introduced Kushina to Naruto, and mother and son embraced and wept as they recognized each other.
• Kakashi mistook Kushina’s appearance for a genjutsu or Transformation Jutsu and attacked Bai Yue, who struck him and explained that Kushina had been recovering with the Hyuga Clan.
• Bai Yue silenced Sakura, Kakashi, Tsunade, and the surrounding onlookers so Kushina and Naruto could continue their reunion.
• Naruto told Kushina that Bai Yue, the Third Hokage, Jiraiya, Iruka, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura treated him well.
• Kushina felt resentment toward the Third Hokage over Naruto’s poor treatment and was grateful to Bai Yue for visiting him.

Kushina reunited with Naruto and promised to stay by his side, while Bai Yue and Kakashi helped him learn about his parents. Naruto questioned the story of Minato’s confidential mission but accepted Kushina’s affection and introduced her to his friends.

• Kushina comforted Naruto and said she would care for him from then on, while telling him Minato was on a confidential mission.
• Naruto introduced Bai Yue, and Bai Yue revealed that Kushina had taught him Sealing Jutsu.
• Kushina thanked Kakashi for looking after Naruto and encouraged him to move on from past tragedies.
• Bai Yue confirmed that Naruto’s parents were Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, but refused to explain Minato’s mission.
• Naruto apologized to Kushina, then introduced her to Sakura, Sasuke, and his other friends.

Kushina welcomed Sasuke into her home and reunited with Naruto, then violently punished Hidan for threatening her son. After Bai Yue treated her injured wrist and arranged for Hidan’s detention, Shizune warned that Tsunade did not look well.

• Kushina recognized Sasuke as Mikoto’s son, told him she had been close friends with Mikoto, and insisted that he come live with her and Naruto.
• Kushina attacked Hidan after Naruto explained that he had tried to capture him, while Bai Yue described Kushina’s fearsome reputation to the children.
• Kushina injured her wrist because her consciousness had not fully adjusted to her resurrected body, and Bai Yue treated it before she stopped attacking Hidan when he said Naruto was scared.
• Bai Yue ordered the Flying Thunder God Squad to detain Hidan and bring him to see him the next day, then invited everyone to a feast.
• Shizune pointed out the Ansai Drum Dance around Bai Yue’s waist and warned him that Tsunade did not look well.

Bai Yue reunited Kushina with Naruto and invited Jiraiya to the Hot Pot Restaurant so he could see her. Jiraiya arrived sealed in a wheelchair, and Kushina greeted him as Bai Yue faced his demand to remove the seal.

• Bai Yue released Tsunade from her seals, warned her not to attack him, and sent Hyuga Bun to ask Shikaku to bring Jiraiya to the Hot Pot Restaurant.
• Bai Yue teased Hinata and assigned the children extra training before joining Kushina, Naruto, and Sasuke at the restaurant.
• Kushina affectionately piled food into Naruto's and Sasuke's bowls, and Sasuke reluctantly ate the uncooked meat to avoid disappointing her.
• Two elderly women brought Jiraiya to the restaurant in a wheelchair after Bai Yue sealed him to stop him from going to die.
• Jiraiya demanded that Bai Yue remove the seal, and Kushina greeted him after a long absence.