Chapter Summaries

Bai Yue captured Sasori and turned him into a charger for the True Illusionary Realm, while praising Might Guy and giving Neji and Tenten encouragement and training materials. He left the chapter preparing a village barbecue as Sasori was cocooned by Zero-Tails.

• Bai Yue praised Might Guy and his teammates for defeating Sasori, then stored Sasori in the True Illusionary Realm.
• Neji told Bai Yue about the mysterious ninja who had evaded his Byakugan, and Bai Yue promised to handle the threat.
• Bai Yue gave Tenten a Puppet Technique secret scroll and invited Might Guy to organize a barbecue party.
• Bai Yue brought Sasori before Hidan, who recognized him as Sasori of the Red Sands and mocked his appearance.
• Bai Yue implanted a dark Zero-Tails into Sasori, magnifying his negative emotions and turning him into a True Illusionary Realm charger.

Bai Yue used Hidan’s sacrifice to trace the Evil God’s foul power to a hidden site in the Land of Soup, then returned to find his barbecue banquet had drawn a huge crowd. He began preparing to feed the guests and worried about holding matching banquets for the other branches.

• Bai Yue persuaded Hidan to perform a sacrifice by providing him with a captive, then watched the ritual and detected fear and blood traveling away as foul power.
• After the sacrifice, Hidan despaired over the Evil God’s silence and attacked Bai Yue, who knocked him out and extracted the foul power.
• Bai Yue followed the power’s trace to a site in the Land of Soup, saw triangular symbols and a giant bull-headed skull, and left to monitor it later.
• Bai Yue returned to find Might Guy and a huge crowd filling the square for the barbecue banquet, and he summoned Shadow Clones to help prepare.
• When Bai Yue realized the crowd would overwhelm his budget, he decided to buy alcohol himself and considered how to hold banquets for the other branches as well.

Bai Yue organized a village-wide barbecue, and Shikamaru and Asuma scrambled to cover the shortage caused by the mistaken supply purchase. When Shikamaru recognized the deer as belonging to the Nara clan, Bai Yue promised to pay for them and encouraged everyone to eat the venison.

• Shikamaru realized the Chunin had spent Hokage-sama’s 12.8 million ryo on the wrong supplies, so Asuma gave them five million ryo to cover the shortfall.
• Shikamaru, Asuma, Choji, and Ino discussed Asuma’s reluctance to spend money and then began inspecting the banquet preparations.
• Bai Yue’s Shadow Clones returned with abundant game and seafood, and Bai Yue invited everyone who knew how to prepare ingredients to help.
• Shikamaru recognized the deer as Nara clan property from the marks on their antlers and told Bai Yue they were raised for valuable medicinal materials.
• Bai Yue said the Nara clan could put the cost on Konoha’s tab, and Shikamaru planned to have Choji and the Akimichi ninja focus on eating the venison.

Bai Yue settled the Nara Clan’s losses for the deer he had butchered and offered Shikamaru a powerful inherited technique as compensation. He then launched a large banquet attended by Mei Terumi, where she and Genji discussed how Konoha had eased tensions between the villages.

• Shikamaru priced the Nara Clan’s deer at two million ryo each, and Bai Yue agreed to pay for forty deer.
• Bai Yue promised to teach Shikamaru the Dark Realm technique as an inherited technique for his clan.
• Might Guy urged Bai Yue to begin the banquet, and Genji asked him to give a speech.
• Bai Yue brought Mei Terumi to the gathering and told everyone to eat, drink, and celebrate.
• Mei Terumi told Genji that Konoha treated people equally and that the village’s factions had not fought there.
• Genji said relations in Konoha had improved and began to address Mei about something else.

Genji urged Mei Terumi to remove unstable elements from the Land of Water Branch and explained that he supported the Fifth Hokage’s vision of peace. Bai Yue considered making Might Guy the branch director, but Guy and Mei Terumi argued over who was better suited, and the discussion ended with Bai Yue suggesting Neji and Shikamaru could help Guy.

• Genji gave Mei Terumi a list of people to remove from the Land of Water Branch and said he believed the Fifth Hokage could bring peace to the Ninja World.
• Mei Terumi listened to Genji’s reasoning but remained cautious about trusting his list without checking it.
• Bai Yue privately dismissed Genji’s praise, explaining that he had spared Kirigakure because its people could serve as laborers.
• Bai Yue asked Might Guy to stay and become the Land of Water Branch director, but Guy said he could not handle government affairs.
• Mei Terumi declined the role and said Might Guy was suitable, so Bai Yue suggested Neji and Shikamaru could assist him.

Bai Yue assigned Might Guy and Shikamaru to help manage a permanent post in the Land of Water, then prepared to take Mei Terumi home. Genji urged Mei Terumi to marry Bai Yue, leaving her flustered and conflicted as she joined him.

• Bai Yue ordered Might Guy to help the traumatized people of the Land of Water and assigned Shikamaru to assist him with managing the post and its expenses.
• Mei Terumi praised the grilled venison, while Shikamaru revealed Asuma had paid five million Ryo toward the barbecue.
• At the banquet, Genji and Mei Terumi reflected on the lively gathering before Bai Yue called Mei Terumi to return with him.
• Genji told Mei Terumi to marry Bai Yue, and she angrily grabbed Genji before punching him when he laughed.
• Mei Terumi walked toward Bai Yue in a huff, and Bai Yue asked whether she had finished talking after noticing her complicated gaze.

Bai Yue slept with Mei Terumi, who claimed she wanted a child to preserve their relationship, and left her resting the next morning. At the Hokage Building, he ordered preparations for events in the Land of Wind and Konoha, while the others discussed how his union with Mei could strengthen Konoha’s ties to the Land of Water Branch.

• Mei Terumi denied lusting after Bai Yue, but challenged him when he tried to leave, and the two slept together.
• Mei Terumi told Bai Yue she wanted to have a child with him to preserve their relationship, and they began again.
• The next morning, Bai Yue left breakfast for Mei Terumi and went to the Hokage Building, where he told Shikaku to prepare events in the Land of Wind and Konoha.
• Bai Yue gave Shikaku a kunai to contact him about a troublesome matter and said Mei Terumi needed a few days of rest.
• Mitokado Homura and Chiyo remarked that Mei Terumi’s marriage to Bai Yue could strengthen Konoha’s support in the Land of Water Branch, and Chiyo rejected the idea of using Temari for a marriage alliance.

Bai Yue investigated the Jashin Cult’s headquarters and learned when its Evil God might appear. He then brought Zabuza and Haku to Mei Terumi, assigning Zabuza to investigate suspected disloyal elements in the Land of Water Branch.

• Bai Yue found records describing the Jashin Cult’s monthly and yearly sacrifices and learned the next monthly ritual was approaching.
• Mei Terumi showed Bai Yue a list of suspected destabilizing elements but said she lacked trusted people to investigate them.
• Bai Yue summoned Zabuza and Haku from the True Illusionary Realm and told Zabuza that Sunagakure and Kirigakure had joined Konoha.
• Bai Yue assigned Zabuza to work with Mei Terumi, and Zabuza agreed to investigate the list and kill anyone disloyal.
• Bai Yue told Zabuza to register his ninja information at the Hokage Building.

Bai Yue found Naruto, Sasuke, and Toneri tangled together, then sealed Toneri to stop him using the Byakugan to spy. He assigned Sasuke a secret mission to kill Danzo during an upcoming village celebration and left Naruto to pass along a message to Jiraiya.

• Bai Yue appeared beside Naruto, Sasuke, and Toneri as they struggled to untangle themselves, and he took pictures of their embarrassing pose.
• Bai Yue sealed Toneri so that spying with the Byakugan would trigger an embarrassing sight, then sent Naruto and Toneri away to speak privately with Sasuke.
• Bai Yue ordered Sasuke to kill Danzo during the celebration planned for the coming days, and Sasuke eagerly accepted the mission.
• After Bai Yue left, Naruto asked why Sasuke looked excited, and Sasuke told him to relay Bai Yue's message that Jiraiya should return to the village early.

Bai Yue discovered he could control and observe the expanded True Illusionary Realm from afar, then modified Tingting’s wings to absorb Natural Energy. He let Tingting return to her clan and encouraged her to bring the Fuma Clan into Konoha, while assigning Tayuya to register her as a ninja.

• Bai Yue found that he could project his consciousness into the True Illusionary Realm and observe its contents, including Sasori’s changed state.
• Bai Yue brought Tingting out of the realm and modified her four wings so they could absorb Natural Energy, warning her not to use Chakra Shock if two wings began to vanish.
• Tingting asked to return to the Fuma Clan, and Bai Yue suggested that the clan join Konoha.
• Bai Yue told Tayuya to take Tingting to the Hokage Building and register her as a ninja.
• Hyuga Hanako decided Tingting would eventually report to her and began thinking about redesigning her maid outfit to accommodate her wings.

Bai Yue created a vast forest around the Land of Wind Branch by finding an underground river and sustaining the trees with his Chakra and Yang Release life force. Meanwhile, Ōnoki learned that Rōshi and Han had vanished, while Akatsuki extracted the Tailed Beasts from two Jinchuriki and considered how to capture Konoha’s Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Bai Yue used Super—Deep Forest Emergence to create a forest around the Land of Wind Branch, locating an underground river and leaving Ebizo to care for it.
• Ōnoki learned that Rōshi had disappeared after a large-scale Water Release attack and ordered Akatsuchi to bring Han to him.
• Akatsuchi reported that Han had also gone missing, and Ōnoki decided to ask Kumogakure to pressure Konoha to release both Jinchuriki.
• In the Land of Rain, Akatsuki extracted the Tailed Beasts from two Jinchuriki, leaving Black Zetsu focused on capturing Konoha’s Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Deidara said he would not go to Konoha because he feared Bai Yue’s power, and Black Zetsu fell silent.

Deidara questioned whether the newcomer could hold off Kakuzu, and Black Zetsu warned him about Might Guy’s strength. Meanwhile, Tingting reached the relocated Fuma Clan grounds and attacked Kakuzu and Brother Tsuchi after finding the clan members dead or wounded.

• Deidara dismissed Might Guy as a threat, but Black Zetsu warned that Guy’s Eight Inner Gates made him dangerous even to the Akatsuki Leader.
• Tingting found Sasami in the Land of Waterfalls and tried to explain that she was Shadow Ant, formerly known as Tingting.
• Sasami refused to believe her, so Tingting carried her through the air while searching for the Fuma Clan grounds.
• Tingting found the clan grounds filled with dead and wounded Fuma Clan members, with Kakuzu and Brother Tsuchi holding two Jonin corpses.
• Tingting attacked Kakuzu, who summoned two Earth Grudge Fear creatures and combined Fire and Wind Release against her.
• Tingting answered Kakuzu’s inferno with repeated Chakra Shocks, fighting like a mobile artillery platform.

Tingting overwhelmed Kakuzu and Brother Tsuchi with continuous Chakra blasts, but Kakuzu escaped while Brother Tsuchi tried to flee using Kamui. Bai Yue intercepted and captured him, revealed that he knew his identity as Uchiha Obito, and took his Mangekyo before preparing to search his memories.

• Tingting's Chakra blasts destroyed several of Kakuzu's hearts and forced him and Brother Tsuchi to scramble for cover.
• Kakuzu refused to abandon the five-million-Ryo reward, then took the Fuma Jonin's corpse and fled as he and Brother Tsuchi split up.
• Tingting pursued Brother Tsuchi, who began to activate Kamui, but Bai Yue disrupted the space and dragged him back.
• Bai Yue identified Brother Tsuchi as Uchiha Obito and took him into the True Illusionary Realm.
• Bai Yue gouged out Obito's Mangekyo and said he would search Obito's memories for answers about how he survived the Fourth Hokage's Rasengan.

Bai Yue captured Obito Uchiha, used his anguish to power a dark Zero-Tails, and took the White Zetsu that had been coexisting with him. After disguising himself as a masked Akatsuki member, Bai Yue set off with Fuu to find Kakuzu and prepared to bring him a gift.

• Bai Yue realized White Zetsu Tobi had sacrificed itself to repair Obito Uchiha after the Rasengan, leaving another White Zetsu to coexist with him.
• Bai Yue showed Obito the Rin being resurrected, then implanted the dark Zero-Tails in him and extracted his White Zetsu.
• Bai Yue studied the White Zetsu’s contingencies, transformed into a masked figure, and left the True Illusionary Realm.
• Bai Yue revealed himself to Tingting, assigned a Shadow Clone to handle matters, and set out carrying Fuu.
• Bai Yue located the fleeing Kakuzu and found a bounty exchange where he began searching wanted-person information.

Bai Yue infiltrated Kakuzu’s partnership by bringing him Mikami Yu’s corpse and helping him collect a bounty. After Kakuzu stayed behind to count the money, Bai Yue left the bounty exchange and headed into a nearby forest, excited to enter the Akatsuki Organization.

• Bai Yue killed Mikami Yu, a Rogue Ninja from Kirigakure, and brought his corpse to Kakuzu as a greeting gift.
• Kakuzu praised Bai Yue and took Mikami Yu’s corpse to a nearby bounty exchange to claim the reward.
• Kakuzu counted his money while Bai Yue spotted his own three-billion-Ryo bounty notice and joked about its value.
• Bai Yue left the bounty exchange because of its stench and went to a nearby forest, eager to infiltrate the Akatsuki Organization.

Fourth Raikage A learned that several Jinchuriki had vanished and ordered Kumogakure to mobilize against Konoha, while Akatsuki prepared to seal its captured Jinchuriki. Bai Yue offered to handle the Nine-Tails, and Pain reconsidered how to begin the sealing process.

• After reading Ōnoki's letter, Fourth Raikage A ordered Darui to mobilize Kumogakure's shinobi and move toward the Land of Hot Water border.
• Fourth Raikage A warned Akatsuchi to tell Ōnoki that Iwagakure had only one chance to join the fight, then ordered the guards to bring B to him.
• Bai Yue delivered Fuu to Deva Path Pain, who prepared to activate the Nine Phantom Dragons Sealing.
• Bai Yue surveyed the captured Jinchuriki, including Yugito, Rōshi, Han, Utakata, Fuu, and an unfamiliar captive, and agreed to handle the Nine-Tails.
• Pain decided not to summon the other Akatsuki members because the captured One-Tail could serve as a Chakra catalyst for sealing.

After the Jinchuriki were devoured, Deidara invited Bai Yue to try out his new art, but Deva Path Pain interrupted with news that Kumogakure was preparing for war with Konoha. Bai Yue and Deidara then flew toward Konoha, planning to cause chaos and capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Bai Yue reflected on Fuu's death, and Deidara invited him to see his new art aimed at the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.
• Deva Path Pain told Bai Yue that Kumogakure was preparing to wage war on Konoha and assigned him to capture the Nine-Tails after Pain captured the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Deidara warned Bai Yue that the Fifth Hokage could teleport to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki using Flying Thunder God, and Bai Yue revealed that he knew Space-Time Ninjutsu.
• Deidara recruited Bai Yue to teleport his clay art into Konoha, and the two flew toward the village to cause trouble and pursue the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Bai Yue brought Deidara into Konoha during festival preparations and discovered that Deidara intended to use the crowds as a stage for his ultimate art. Bai Yue exposed himself as the Hokage, sealed Deidara, and left Kakashi to secure the village.

• Bai Yue used Space-Time Ninjutsu to take Deidara into Konoha, where the festival crowds impressed them both.
• Deidara announced that he planned to complete his ultimate art in Konoha and urged Bai Yue to escape later.
• Kakashi and the Konoha ninja confronted them, and Bai Yue restrained Deidara with Adamantine Sealing Chains.
• Bai Yue revealed that he was not Tobi, sealed Deidara's chakra and mouth, and confirmed his identity to Kakashi.
• Bai Yue placed Deidara in the True Illusionary Realm and teleported away, while Kakashi ordered increased patrols and investigations.

Bai Yue captured Deidara and returned to the Hokage's office as Kumogakure and Iwagakure escalated tensions with Konoha. He ordered Shikaku to prepare a response and attack the Land of Grass, then dismissed Danzo, who accidentally called him Hiruzen.

• Bai Yue brought Deidara out of the True Illusionary Realm, sealed his mouth, and offered him a chance to join Konoha before sending him back into the realm.
• Bai Yue told Shikaku that Konoha would deny capturing Kumogakure's Jinchuriki and would answer war if Kumogakure wanted one.
• Mei Terumi reported that Iwagakure was moving ninja toward the Land of Grass border, and Bai Yue ordered Shikaku to respond to Ōnoki and flatten the Land of Grass after the celebration.
• Bai Yue said he would join the advance after the main force moved, while Shikaku looked forward to fighting alongside him.
• Danzo barged into the Hokage's office to demand action against Kumogakure, but Bai Yue ordered him out; Danzo mistakenly called him Hiruzen before leaving, making Bai Yue and the others laugh.

Bai Yue spoke with Shikaku about the celebration and the coming of peace, then waited for Team 7 to return and head to the hotpot gathering. At the crowded restaurant, Toneri introduced himself as Bai Yue’s distant cousin, and Kiba Inuzuka challenged him to a spar.

• Shikaku apologized for laughing, and Bai Yue teased him before discussing how the celebration showed that times had changed and peace was near.
• Bai Yue dismissed Shikaku and Mei Terumi, then watched Team 7 return to Konoha and waited for the celebration and the exit of their Great Hotpot.
• Naruto invited Jiraiya and the others to eat, and Jiraiya suggested they bring Kushina and go to the Youth Hot Pot Restaurant instead.
• Jiraiya persuaded Toneri to join them, and they headed to the lively restaurant, where the Konoha 12 and three guests from the Land of Wind had gathered.
• Kiba asked about Toneri’s connection to Bai Yue, and Toneri said he was Bai Yue’s distant cousin before Kiba challenged him to spar.