Recaps

Tsunade and Jiraiya faced accusations from the other Kage over Konoha’s ties to the Akatsuki Organization, and Tsunade agreed to cover half the Allied Shinobi Forces’ expenses and share Konoha’s intelligence. With the allied forces drawn to Amegakure, the Akatsuki began new operations to capture the Six-Tails and Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.

• The Fourth Raikage, Fourth Mizukage, and Third Tsuchikage challenged Konoha over its connections to Akatsuki, while Jiraiya explained that Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan had been his students.
• Tsunade argued that Konoha’s losses in the Third Shinobi World War disproved claims that it had secretly backed the Uchiha in Akatsuki.
• Tsunade agreed that Konoha would pay fifty percent of the Allied Shinobi Forces’ expenses and share all its intelligence on Akatsuki.
• White Zetsu and Black Zetsu watched Amegakure and confirmed that their new operation had begun as the Five Great Shinobi Villages’ main forces gathered there.
• Kakuzu received a message ordering him and Hidan to capture Kirigakure’s Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata.
• Itachi Uchiha and Juzo Biwa arrived at Takigakure to capture its Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.

Akatsuki launched a multi-pronged assault on Konoha while its forces were committed to attacking Amegakure. Kakashi brought Naruto to Sasuke’s cell and asked him to choose what he would do as the village came under attack.

• Explosive feathers from Hiruko’s Chimera struck Konoha, and ANBU identified Hiruko as the likely attacker.
• Moryo appeared after a section of Konoha’s outer wall collapsed, while Shinnō, Sasori of the Red Sands, and other Akatsuki members were reported in the area.
• The Third ordered Hiashi to confront Shinnō, Ino-Shika-Cho to capture Hiruko, and Shibi and ANBU to deal with Sasori of the Red Sands.
• Utatane Koharu suggested involving Danzo, but the Third decided to wait and remained wary of Nagato and the Akatsuki’s Uchiha member.
• As explosive feathers continued to devastate Konoha, Kakashi brought Naruto to Sasuke’s holding cell and asked Sasuke what his choice was.

Kakashi released Sasuke from confinement and assigned him to protect Naruto as the Akatsuki Organization attacked Konoha. As Hiruko faced reinforcements led by Shikaku, he declared that the Third Hokage had underestimated him.

• Kakashi freed Sasuke, who agreed to help protect Naruto rather than pursue the attackers.
• Sakura treated injured villagers while Yakumo took Shion toward a shelter to keep her away from Moryo.
• Haku and Karin met in the woods and wrestled with the decision to let the Dark Dawn collect the Tailed Beasts.
• Hiashi led Hyuga Branch Family elites and Neji out to fight the attackers.
• Hiruko killed an ANBU member and demanded that Konoha hand over Naruto, while Shikaku ordered Genin to evacuate villagers.
• Shikaku, Inoichi, Choza, and ANBU arrived to confront Hiruko, who mocked the size of their force.

Konoha’s defenders fought Shinnō, Moryo, Scorpion, and Hiruko as the invasion spread across the village. After Hiruko broke through Shikaku’s interception, he began forming hand seals to find the Nine-Tails, while Kakashi suddenly fell into a daze inside the shelter.

• Hiashi confronted Shinnō, who opened the Seventh Gate and sent him flying before the two fought with taijutsu.
• Shinnō kept Hiashi occupied as Hyuga ninja, Jonin, and ANBU attacked Moryo.
• Shibi Aburame arrived with Aburame clan members and ANBU to face Scorpion and unleashed a vast swarm of Kikaichū.
• The Third Hokage learned that reinforcements would take at least a day to arrive and that Hiruko had broken through Shikaku’s interception.
• Hiruko defeated most of the Konoha forces on the battlefield and began forming hand seals to find the Nine-Tails.
• Kakashi froze in a daze inside the shelter, and Sasuke noticed something was wrong.

Sasuke and Naruto tried to restrain Kakashi after Hiruko activated a genjutsu he had secretly planted in him more than a decade earlier. As Shinnō attacked Hiashi, Neji released the biological exoskeleton H and prepared to fight him.

• Sasuke recognized that Kakashi had been trapped in a Sharingan genjutsu and told the others to evacuate the villagers.
• Naruto created Shadow Clones to restrain Kakashi while Sasuke tried to work out how to break the genjutsu.
• Hiruko revealed that he had planted the genjutsu in Kakashi years ago and headed toward the shelter after locating him.
• Shinnō sent Hiashi flying and defeated a Hyuga Branch Family member before declaring that he would take Hiashi’s Byakugan.
• Neji stepped between Shinnō and Hiashi, declared that he was protecting his uncle, and released H to cover his blind spots.

Neji fought Shinnō after releasing the Biological Exoskeleton, while Kimimaro reconsidered his rules and rushed to help him. At the shelter entrance, Hiruko swiftly defeated Gekko Hayate’s team as Yakumo tried to join them.

• Neji released the Biological Exoskeleton and fought Shinnō, whose Seventh Gate gave him a powerful advantage.
• Hiashi saw a second pair of Byakugan on Neji’s back as Neji kept pace with Shinnō.
• Kimimaro sensed that Neji was in danger, then left his post despite the rule against entering his released state without an order.
• Yakumo returned from escorting Shion and Sakura to the shelter and saw Hiruko approaching, defeating Konoha Ninja in his path.
• Gekko Hayate and his team attacked Hiruko, but he broke Hayate’s sword and defeated the entire squad before Yakumo could join them.

Hiruko overwhelmed Yakumo and the Jonin guarding the shelter, forcing Yakumo to flee while Gekko Hayate and the squad tried to hold him back. After Hiruko seized Hayate, Yakumo returned and stood in his way.

• Hiruko defeated the Jonin squad and attacked Yakumo, whose missing Red Dragon Eye left her unable to keep up with his speed.
• Yakumo used Wood Release against Hiruko, but his Swift Release let him evade her vines and strike at her.
• Gekko Hayate appeared with Shadow Release and blocked Hiruko’s attack, while the Jonin restrained Hiruko with chains so Yakumo could run to the shelter.
• Hiruko used Lightning Release to incapacitate the Jonin and his Mangekyō Sharingan to reveal Hayate’s hiding place, then grabbed Hayate by the neck.
• Yakumo pulled Hayate free with a vine and returned to face Hiruko.

Yakumo returned to the battlefield and used her Kurama Clan genjutsu to injure Hiruko, though she could not defeat him before Raiga Kurosuki intervened. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke arrived to help, and Raiga dispelled the genjutsu holding Hiruko.

• Ido urged Yakumo to use the Kurama Clan’s genjutsu, and Yakumo returned to face Hiruko.
• Yakumo used her Ketsuryūgan and clan Kekkei Genkai to deprive Hiruko of his senses, blast his leg, and break one of his arms, but the effort made her bleed.
• Ranmaru sensed that Hiruko had fallen into genjutsu, and Raiga Kurosuki descended to support him while Deidara stayed in the air.
• Raiga’s Lightning Release attack targeted Yakumo, but Kakashi cut the lightning apart with his Lightning Blade.
• Naruto and Sasuke arrived beside Yakumo after helping Kakashi escape the genjutsu, and Raiga dispelled Hiruko’s illusion.

Yakumo restored her senses after catching Hiruko in a genjutsu, but she knew the trick was unlikely to work again. Sasuke challenged Hiruko to a genjutsu duel and was quickly struck and seized by him.

• Yakumo used a genjutsu with Ido's help to deprive Hiruko of his five senses and injure him, but Hiruko recovered and repaired his broken arm.
• Ranmaru identified Naruto Uzumaki as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Raiga Kurosuki urged Hiruko to finish the fight quickly.
• Hiruko told Raiga Kurosuki to stay back and faced Yakumo, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto alone.
• Kakashi warned the group that Hiruko had mastered five Kekkei Genkai, while Sasuke declared that they could exploit his weakness to genjutsu.
• Sasuke charged Hiruko and locked eyes with him despite Kakashi and Yakumo's warnings.
• Hiruko broke the apparent stalemate, punched Sasuke into the air, and grabbed him by the face.

Hiruko overwhelmed Kakashi, Yakumo, Naruto, and Sasuke before revealing his Susanoo, leaving the Konoha team in danger. Shinji learned of the attack through his Blood Clone and used Red Dragon to switch places with it, arriving in the village to confront the crisis.

• Sasuke lost to Hiruko's genjutsu, and Kakashi, Yakumo, and Naruto attacked to pull him free and stop Hiruko.
• Hiruko defeated Naruto's Shadow Clones by absorbing their Rasengans, while Yakumo protected Naruto with Wood Release.
• Hiruko manifested Susanoo, shocking Kakashi, Yakumo, Naruto, and Raiga Kurosuki.
• Shinji's Blood Clone saw Hiruko's Susanoo, cut off its arm to send Chakra and information back to Shinji, and returned to the secret laboratory through Red Dragon.
• Shinji used Red Dragon to switch places with his Blood Clone and stepped out of his apartment into the village attack.

Shinji surveyed the village battlefields and decided to intervene at the shelter, where Hiruko’s Susanoo threatened Naruto and Sasuke. He arrived as Konoha’s earth-based attack failed to stop Hiruko.

• Shinji used his Red Dragon Eye and Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to assess the battles across the village and weighed how much to hinder the Akatsuki Organization.
• Shinji chose not to interfere with Moryo, reasoning that Shion had to face and absorb her dark side herself.
• Shinji saw Neji and Kimimaro struggling against Shinnō and confirmed the battles at the gates were temporarily under control.
• Shinji identified the shelter battlefield as his priority because Naruto and Sasuke were there, then told Deidara to hang back and look for a chance to retreat.
• Hiruko’s Susanoo devastated the shelter entrance, and Konoha’s earth walls and falling lid failed to contain it.

Hiruko overwhelmed the Konoha Ninja with his powerful Susanoo, while Sasuke, Yakumo, Naruto, and Kakashi struggled to stop him. Kakashi’s ambush failed when Raiga Kurosuki intervened, and the chapter ended with an unidentified figure landing on the battlefield.

• Hiruko’s Susanoo shattered the Konoha Ninja’s earthen defenses, and he boasted that he was more talented than Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and the Third Hokage.
• Yakumo struggled to restrain Hiruko’s Susanoo as Naruto was knocked back, and Sasuke rose and summoned his own Susanoo to fire an arrow at Hiruko.
• Kakashi used the distraction to move in and prepare Kamui, but Ranmaru spotted him and Raiga Kurosuki attacked, striking Kakashi in both shoulders.
• Raiga joined Hiruko as the exhausted Konoha Ninja faced an increasingly dire situation, and an unidentified figure dropped into the middle of the battlefield.

Shinji arrived at the battle and faced Hiruko and Raiga Kurosuki alone. He struck Hiruko’s Susanoo with a Rasenshuriken, then disarmed and defeated Raiga Kurosuki in an instant, leaving the battlefield stunned.

• Shinji arrived to support Yakumo, Sasuke, Naruto, and the injured Kakashi as Hiruko and Raiga Kurosuki turned their attention to capturing Naruto.
• While Konoha’s forces formed a defensive line around Naruto, Shinji walked alone toward the two Akatsuki members and declared that he was the strongest.
• Shinji used Shrinking Step to rush Hiruko and slam a Rasenshuriken into his Susanoo, sending it flying backward.
• Raiga Kurosuki covered himself in Lightning Armor and swung his twin Kiba swords at Shinji, but Shinji’s attack slowed him and neutralized his armor.
• Shinji snatched Raiga Kurosuki’s swords and kicked him into the air, defeating him in an instant and silencing the battlefield.

Shinji tested the strength he gained from the First Hokage cells by defeating Raiga Kurosuki and confronting Hiruko’s Susanoo. He punched through the Susanoo and knocked Hiruko out of it.

• Shinji took Raiga Kurosuki’s Kiba blades, using Red Dragon Eye to slow Raiga’s slash and win the clash.
• Hiruko charged Shinji with Susanoo, and Shinji evaded its attacks while striking it with two Rasenshuriken.
• Shinji walked along Susanoo’s blade and punched it, cracking its face with his bare hands.
• Shinji repeatedly punched the crack until he broke through Susanoo’s face and knocked Hiruko out of it.

Shinji shattered Hiruko’s Susanoo with his Twelve Palaces technique, then fought Hiruko and Raiga Kurosuki at once. He trapped Raiga into missing the Kiba sword and landed a decisive punch to his chest.

• Shinji punched through Hiruko’s Susanoo, stunning Naruto, Yakumo, Sasuke, Kakashi, the Third, and the ANBU.
• Hiruko and Raiga Kurosuki charged Shinji together, using Swift Release and Steel Release, and Lightning Armor.
• Shinji struggled against both attackers until Raiga broke away and raced him toward the Kiba sword planted in the ground.
• Raiga reached for Kiba, but Shinji’s stomp made it sink into a hollow he had prepared, causing Raiga to miss the hilt.
• Shinji used Chidori to neutralize Raiga’s Lightning Armor, activated Red Dragon Eye to slow him, and punched through his guard into his chest.

Shinji killed Raiga after absorbing most of his suicidal Lightning Burial attack, proving to the Konoha shinobi that he had defeated an Akatsuki member. Hiruko fled with Ranmaru, and Shinji let him escape.

• Raiga sent Ranmaru to Hiruko and charged Shinji with Lightning Burial, intending to take him down with him.
• Shinji absorbed most of Raiga's lightning with the Rinnegan and sliced Raiga in half as he lunged.
• Ranmaru screamed at Raiga's death, while Hiruko's fear of Shinji and Konoha extinguished his will to fight.
• Hiruko ignored Ranmaru's plea to attack Shinji and escaped with him by leaping onto the flying Chimera.
• Shinji chose not to pursue Hiruko, and the Konoha shinobi let him escape.

After Shinji drove Hiruko away and killed Raiga Kurosuki, the Konoha Ninja treated the wounded and secured the ruined battlefield. Shinji reflected on his abilities and injuries before Kakashi sent him to support the others, leaving Yakumo and Sasuke to protect Naruto.

• Sasuke and Yakumo collapsed from exhaustion after the battle, while Naruto and the other Konoha Ninja caught their breath.
• Kakashi ordered the ANBU to secure the area and the remaining Konoha Ninja to treat the wounded.
• The arriving shinobi showed Shinji respect for driving back Hiruko and killing Raiga Kurosuki, while Shinji assessed his strength and the limits of his techniques.
• Yakumo, Sasuke, and Naruto approached Shinji, and Naruto examined the fist that had shattered Susanoo's armor.
• Kakashi told Shinji to support the others because Akatsuki members had attacked the village, but Shinji left Yakumo and Sasuke behind to protect Naruto.

After Akatsuki withdrew from its attack on Konoha, the village’s survivors dealt with the devastation while Hiashi chose not to question Neji about his hidden power. Orochimaru learned that Shinji had killed Raiga Kurosuki and turned his attention to him.

• Shinji surveyed the village and wondered why Nagato and Obito had not joined the attack.
• The Third arrived at the outer-wall breach, ordered ANBU to pursue Moryo and Shinnō, and sent the wounded for treatment.
• Hiashi told Neji he would not ask about his secret, and Neji thanked Kimimaro for helping him.
• Neji realized that the biological exoskeleton, H, had fallen into a slumber and could not be woken.
• Orochimaru urged Danzo to take advantage of the village’s losses, then met Kabuto, who reported that Shinji had killed Raiga Kurosuki.
• Orochimaru reacted sharply when Kabuto named Shinji Uchiha as Raiga’s killer.

Kakuzu and Hidan recovered after capturing Utakata, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, and escaped the Land of Water with help from their Kirigakure insider. They discussed the Akatsuki Organization’s plans and left the Two-Tails Jinchuriki as their next target.

• Kakuzu gathered Hidan’s scattered body parts and stitched him back together after their battle with Utakata.
• Kakuzu confirmed Utakata was alive, carried him, and prepared to leave while Hidan complained about his injuries.
• A burly Kirigakure insider warned Kakuzu and Hidan that the village ANBU were coming and urged them to hurry.
• Kakuzu and Hidan boarded the insider’s fishing boat and escaped the Land of Water with Utakata.
• Kakuzu and Hidan discussed the Akatsuki Organization’s captured Tailed Beasts and planned to pursue the Two-Tails Jinchuriki again.

Itachi and Juzo Biwa failed to capture Takigakure’s Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, Kaede, after she escaped by flying, while Obito suspected Itachi might have let her go. In Konoha, Shinji comforted Shion after the attack and gave her a mission to hunt down Moryo.

• Itachi and Juzo Biwa invaded Takigakure but stopped pursuing Kaede when she escaped using the Seven-Tails’ flying ability.
• Zetsu and Obito revealed they had been monitoring Itachi to test his loyalty, and Obito remained unsure whether Itachi had deliberately failed.
• Obito dismissed the setback because his forces had captured the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki, then returned with Zetsu.
• Shion ran to Shinji in Konoha and blamed herself for hiding while Moryo attacked the village.
• Shinji reassured Shion that hiding had been the right choice and assigned her, as Akatsuki’s “X,” to hunt down Moryo.

Konoha held a funeral for those killed in the Akatsuki Organization’s attack while Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Kakashi each confronted doubts about the attack and its aftermath. Sasuke rejected Kakashi’s warning about the Akatsuki Organization and left him questioning what Sasuke meant by saying they were not the same.

• Konoha held a funeral three days after the attack, with the other four Kage and grieving Ninja Academy students in attendance as many injured villagers remained in the hospital.
• Tsunade tried to comfort Yakumo, who blamed herself for being unable to help defeat Hiruko, until Ido reminded her how much stronger she had become.
• Orochimaru questioned Kimimaro about joining the fight against the Akatsuki Organization, then suspected that A’s group might not be working with the real Akatsuki Organization.
• Kakashi told Sasuke that Tsunade would examine his damaged Dojutsu and warned him not to use his Mangekyō Sharingan or get involved with the Akatsuki Organization.
• Sasuke insisted that his group was not the same as the Akatsuki Organization and walked away, leaving Kakashi pondering his words.

The Five Kage and Konoha’s High Command reviewed Akatsuki’s attacks and Shinji Uchiha’s defeat of Raiga Kurosuki. Kakashi, troubled by what he witnessed, asked Sasuke whether Shinji had joined Sasuke’s organization.

• The Five Kage blamed Akatsuki for infiltrating their plans and learned that the Six-Tails Jinchuriki was missing, while the Nine-Tails and Seven-Tails Jinchuriki were safe.
• The Third Hokage displayed Raiga Kurosuki’s recovered blade, Fang, and returned it to the Fourth Mizukage, but said Raiga’s damaged body yielded no intelligence.
• Konoha’s High Command questioned how Shinji had defeated Raiga, and Kakashi confirmed that Shinji had killed him.
• Kakashi recalled that Shinji had actually faced both Raiga Kurosuki and Hiruko, though Hiruko retreated after Raiga died.
• Kakashi found Sasuke and asked whether Shinji had joined Sasuke’s organization, leaving Sasuke baffled.

Kakashi questioned Sasuke about whether Shinji belonged to the Akatsuki Organization, but Sasuke insisted he did not. Shinji earned greater access to Konoha’s archives, while Akatsuki members argued over who would target him next.

• Kakashi asked Sasuke if Shinji had joined the Akatsuki Organization, and Sasuke dismissed the possibility after considering the members’ identities.
• Utatane Koharu praised Shinji for defeating Raiga Kurosuki and driving Hiruko away, then offered him an ANBU promotion and expanded access to Konoha’s archives.
• Shinji declined ANBU service and accepted advisor-level access to the archives as Utatane Koharu warned him that Akatsuki would watch him closely.
• At an Akatsuki base, the members criticized Hiruko and discussed how their mission had failed, with Raiga Kurosuki dead and Hiruko forced to retreat.
• Scorpion, Shinnō, and Hiruko each claimed they would deal with Shinji, and Scorpion challenged Hiruko as their argument turned hostile.

After Raiga Kurosuki’s death, Ranmaru asked to join the Akatsuki Organization and Hiruko took him to his hidden base. There, Ranmaru learned that he would have to survive Hiruko’s experiments before he could undergo the ritual.

• Deva Path suspended Jinchuriki-capture missions after the Akatsuki Organization captured three Jinchuriki and warned Hidan and Kakuzu not to repeat the incident with Raiga Kurosuki.
• Ranmaru begged to join the Akatsuki Organization, but Deva Path refused until Hiruko offered to take responsibility for him.
• Hiruko brought Ranmaru to his hidden underground chamber and showed him imprisoned ninja with Kekkei Genkai that he had collected as specimens.
• Hiruko told Ranmaru he could choose four specimens for the ritual, depending on his Chakra nature and the weather phenomenon he selected.
• Hiruko brought Ranmaru to the laboratory and said he must master the Chimera Technique and survive implantation of a Demon Seed before qualifying for the ritual.
• Hiruko explained that failed Demon Seed experiments had left the deformed ninja in the cages, and that Ranmaru could die if the procedure failed.

Hiruko began implanting the Demon Seed in Ranmaru, hoping to make him a powerful asset and test the Chimera Technique. As Ranmaru suffered and was driven into a frenzy, Hiruko secretly used Aya to absorb his hatred and strengthen his own Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Ranmaru worried he would become like the failed test subjects, but accepted the risk of Hiruko's ritual so he could seek revenge on Shinji Uchiha.
• Hiruko told Ranmaru that his hatred made him a promising candidate, while secretly seeing him as a rare test subject for the Chimera Technique.
• Hiruko injected the Demon Seed into Ranmaru without safety measures, and Ranmaru screamed as it moved through his body.
• Hiruko urged Ranmaru to hate as the Demon Seed overwhelmed him, causing the Red Eye in his sockets to turn vivid red.
• Hiruko used Aya to absorb Ranmaru's intense hatred and nourish his Mangekyō Sharingan, then concealed the ability again.