Arc 6Sasuke’s Flight and the Akatsuki

Sasuke left Konoha to pursue Itachi, drawing Shinji and forces from several villages into a clash with the Akatsuki Organization. The Five Great Shinobi Villages began coordinating against the Akatsuki as Shinji pursued new experiments and Neji sought the Tenseigan.

  • Shinji expanded his plans for his Dojutsu and experimented with Karin’s chakra, while Neji awakened Rotation and learned that the Tenseigan’s secret lay on the moon.
  • The Five Kage gathered in Konoha to discuss the Akatsuki Organization but failed to agree on a plan, as the Akatsuki continued recruiting members including Hiruko.
  • Shinnō lured Sasuke out of Konoha by promising to lead him to Itachi, and Shinji assembled a team to pursue them.
  • Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure forces converged on Sasuke, while Shinji’s team encountered Shinnō and several Akatsuki members on the battlefield.
  • Juzo Biwa took Sasuke to Itachi, who defeated him with genjutsu, while Shinji and the other Akatsuki members ended their confrontation and withdrew.
  • The Five Great Shinobi Villages agreed to share intelligence on the Akatsuki, while Sasuke remained comatose and Shinji’s injured companions recovered.
  • Karin reported Kusagakure’s demands to Shinji and agreed to help restore a ruined pair of Mangekyō Sharingan that he transplanted into her.
  • Neji searched the Hyuga estate for a way to reach the moon as Obito supported Shinnō’s plan to create the Zero-Tails and considered testing the mysterious Akatsuki members.
Chapters 128–155 Vol. 2 Read

Ch. 128Apprehension!

Shinji overwhelmed the Yellow Springs Cult leader and Mōryō with Amaterasu, but Obito arrived and rescued them before Shinji could finish the fight. In Kamui’s space, Obito recruited Mōryō to his faction amid the Akatsuki Organization’s internal conflict, while Konoha’s ninja wondered who the masked Uchiha was.

  • Shinji burned the Yellow Springs Cult leader and Mōryō with Amaterasu, leaving them badly injured as the Konoha group watched.
  • Neji sensed that the Yellow Springs Cult leader was still alive, and Shinji approached him after extinguishing the flames.
  • Obito appeared, took the Yellow Springs Cult leader into Kamui’s space, and avoided fighting Shinji before disappearing.
  • Shinji left the battlefield, and Kakashi and the other Konoha ninja discussed the masked Uchiha’s identity and the Akatsuki Organization’s other Mangekyō users.
  • In Kamui’s space, Obito revealed that an internal disagreement in the Akatsuki Organization had disrupted Mōryō’s plans and asked for his strength.
  • Mōryō agreed to join Obito’s side after Obito promised to help him obtain the Miko’s power.

Ch. 129Dōjutsu Slot

After the convoy reached the Land of Demons, Shinji explained that Shion’s death prophecy had been unreliable because her shrine maiden power was suppressed, then sealed her memories again. Back in his room, he assessed his newly acquired Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and considered how to gain more Dojutsu slots and eventually evolve his eyes further.

  • The convoy reached the Land of Demons safely, and Sasuke showed off his newly awakened Three-Tomoe Sharingan while claiming Shinji should focus on awakening his own eyes.
  • Shinji returned Shion’s bell artifact and explained that her suppressed power had made her prophecy inaccurate; he then sealed her memories with genjutsu.
  • Shinji returned to his room and found that his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan no longer caused pain, bleeding, or vision loss when he used its Dojutsu.
  • Shinji determined that Susanoo Lamp could hold five Dojutsu slots, with Susanoo itself using none, and that Amaterasu and Izanagi filled his two temporary slots.
  • Shinji considered pursuing more powerful eyes and combining Dojutsu bloodlines, while recognizing that awakening the Rinnegan was premature.

Ch. 130A Sense of Security

After recovering from Moryo’s attack, the Konoha ninja investigated the Yellow Springs Cult and prepared to escort Shion to Konoha, while Shinji considered using Neji to learn how the Hyuga contacted the moon. Elsewhere, Obito recruited Shinnō and paired him with Moryo to help complete the Zero-Tails.

  • Kakashi and the Konoha ninja found the Sealed Land’s coffin damaged, but their search for the vanished Yellow Springs Cult produced no clues, so they planned to report to the Hokage.
  • The Land of Demons decided to send Shion to Konoha for safety, bringing scrolls and manuals of the Miko’s sealing techniques; Shinji noticed Neji’s interest and considered exploiting it to investigate the Hyuga’s link to the moon.
  • Shion insisted that Shinji accompany her because his presence made her feel safe, leaving him uneasy about the reason.
  • In the Land of Hot Water, Kakuzu and Hidan failed to find Shinnō and decided to search for bounties while continuing to seek him.
  • Obito and Moryo found Shinnō’s hideout and the infant Zero-Tails, then offered to help complete it in exchange for Shinnō joining the Akatsuki.
  • Shinnō accepted, and Obito assigned him and Moryo to work together under Zetsu’s contact while warning them not to trust other Akatsuki members.

Ch. 131Negotiations

Obito and Zetsu investigated the Uchiha survivors and Akatsuki’s growing influence, while Kakashi reported the demon incident and Root’s attack to the Third Hokage. Konoha invited every shinobi village to discuss Akatsuki, and the chapter ended with the great villages reacting to the news as Deidara and Scorpion searched for Hiruko’s hideout.

  • Obito ordered Zetsu to watch Shinnō and investigate the two Mangekyō Sharingan users Nagato had recruited, then learned Sasuke had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and told Zetsu to monitor him.
  • Kakashi reported Moryo’s escape and Akatsuki’s involvement to the Third Hokage, who reviewed a list of known members and learned that five more had appeared during the battle.
  • Kakashi urged the Third Hokage to unite the villages against Akatsuki, and the Hokage sent invitations to every village.
  • Kakashi reported that Sasuke had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and that Shinji and Sasuke had defeated Root attackers targeting them; the Third Hokage told Kakashi to watch Sasuke and said he would handle Root.
  • The Fourth Mizukage, Fourth Raikage, Fourth Kazekage, and Third Tsuchikage reacted to Konoha’s invitation and reports about Akatsuki, while Deidara and Scorpion searched for Hiruko’s hideout.

Ch. 132A Series of Invitations

Deidara and Scorpion pursued Hiruko across several countries and forced him to join the Akatsuki Organization, while their battle accidentally killed the Kusagakure Elder. The Kusagakure survivors blamed the Akatsuki, and Konoha’s leaders prepared for a meeting with the villages to discuss how to deal with the organization.

  • Deidara and Scorpion chased Hiruko’s flying Giant Fusion Beast from Bird Country into Grass Country, where Deidara attacked it with explosive Clay Birds.
  • Falling explosive feathers killed members of the Kusagakure delegation, and the damaged Giant Fusion Beast crashed near them.
  • Scorpion told Hiruko the Akatsuki Organization wanted to recruit him, and Hiruko agreed to join while reserving a condition for the leader.
  • After Scorpion and Deidara departed, Hiruko repaired his Giant Fusion Beast and followed them, while the Kusagakure survivors decided to claim the Akatsuki had deliberately ambushed them.
  • Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura reported that several villages would attend Konoha’s discussions, and Danzo urged the leaders to destroy the Akatsuki Organization.

Ch. 133Experiment

After returning from the Land of Demons, Shinji tested how Magatsu interacted with Karin’s chakra and discovered that absorbing her Yang Release Chakra strengthened his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. He left the experiment considering how he could use this discovery to safely improve his body.

  • At a barbecue gathering, Shion and Sasuke recounted their encounter with the monster and the mysterious Uchiha, while the students discussed the Akatsuki Organization.
  • Shion’s friends urged her to stay in Konoha, and Sasuke promised to defeat the monster once he awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, leaving Neji discouraged by the gap in their power.
  • After the gathering, Shinji used Naobi to summon Karin and asked her to cooperate in an experiment without resisting whatever happened.
  • In a secluded grove, Shinji used Magatsu to draw Karin’s Yang Release Chakra and discovered that the chakra strengthened his Yin Release Chakra and Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan despite substantial transmission loss.
  • Shinji concluded that absorbing Karin’s chakra could help him gain the benefits of White Zetsu Cells while reducing the risks of transplanting them or First Hokage cells.

Ch. 134Ambition for the Power of “Myriad Things”

Shinji discovered that Magatsu could transmit chakra to Karin, allowing their Yin and Yang Release Chakra to briefly enter a state of unification and further stimulate her fusion with White Zetsu Cells. He then considered restoring another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan to create a second Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and pursuing stronger chakra for both himself and Karin.

  • Karin sensed Shinji extracting her chakra, while Shinji realized her high-quality Yang Release Chakra could help improve his Dojutsu.
  • Shinji sent his Yin Release Chakra to Karin, stimulating her Uzumaki bloodline and White Zetsu Cells and smoothing the wrinkled skin around the transplant.
  • Shinji explained yin-yang unification and the Power of All Things to Karin, then concluded that they lacked the chakra quality and fusion skill needed to obtain that power.
  • Shinji decided to restore a ruined pair of Mangekyō Sharingan and use Susanoo Lamp to fuse two pairs into a second Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
  • Shinji considered using the second Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan to strengthen his own Yin Release Chakra or help Karin prepare for a First Hokage cells transplant.

Ch. 135The Secret of the Tenseigan

Shinji reflected on his plans to restore the ruined Mangekyō Sharingan and investigate the Akatsuki Organization before rescuing Neji from a deadly training accident. He told Neji that the Tenseigan was an evolved form of the Byakugan and hinted that the Hyuga Clan held a way to reach the moon.

  • Shinji resolved to exchange Chakra with Karin regularly and restore the ruined Mangekyō Sharingan, while keeping Fugaku Uchiha's pair as a backup for Sasuke.
  • Shinji wondered about the Akatsuki Organization's activities, unaware that his impersonation had fueled suspicion between Nagato and Obito and sparked secret recruitment.
  • Neji trained against volleys of Kunai with Tenten and Rock Lee, pushed himself past exhaustion, and awakened Rotation when he was nearly struck.
  • Shinji appeared in a golden Susanoo, shielded Neji from the Kunai, and used an illusion and precise Kunai strikes to stop Tenten and Rock Lee's equipment.
  • Shinji praised Neji's potential and revealed that the Tenseigan was an evolved Byakugan whose secret lay on the moon; Neji concluded that the Hyuga Clan might hold a way to reach it.

Ch. 137The Five Kage Summit!

Neji accepted the mysterious man's offer to pursue the Tenseigan, while Shinji considered how to obtain one. The Five Kage gathered in Konoha to discuss the Akatsuki Organization, and the summit began with the Fourth Raikage demanding action.

  • Neji overcame his doubts about being from the Branch Family and agreed to seek a way to contact the moon and learn about the Tenseigan.
  • Shinji revealed that he had saved Neji and considered testing whether an Otsutsuki's Byakugan could give Neji the Tenseigan.
  • The Four other Kage arrived in Konoha, turning the planned meeting into a Five Kage Summit focused on the Akatsuki Organization.
  • The Fourth Mizukage ordered his subordinates to approach Sasuke Uchiha, while Orochimaru told Kimimaro to keep watching Sasuke and reconsidered the Akatsuki's strength.
  • The summit began, and the Fourth Raikage interrupted the Third to demand a plan against the Akatsuki Organization.

Ch. 139A Quarrel

The Five Kage Summit descended into mutual accusations and ended without a plan to confront the Akatsuki Organization. Shinji learned of the failure from Shion, while Pain recruited Hiruko and discussed the growing threats with Konan.

  • The Kage reviewed evidence of the Akatsuki Organization’s crimes, then questioned Konoha about its Uchiha members and Shisui’s death.
  • Ōnoki accused Konoha of creating the Akatsuki Organization, while the Raikage blamed the villages whose defectors had joined it; the summit ended in bickering without agreement.
  • Shinji treated his companions to barbecue and asked Shion about the summit, and she told them the Kage had argued without accomplishing anything.
  • Scorpion brought Hiruko to meet Pain, who agreed to help Hiruko find Bloodline Ninja and accepted him into the Akatsuki Organization.
  • Konan told Pain that Kakuzu and the others had failed and suspected Obito had interfered, while Pain dismissed the chances that the Five Great Shinobi Villages would unite.

Ch. 140Pure Byakugan

Shinji used Naobi to speak with Neji about his search for clues to the Tenseigan and the moon, then devised a way to lure the moon-dwelling Otsutsuki to the Shinobi World with exceptionally pure Byakugan. He began an experiment combining Kimimaro's and Neji's cells, using Neji's Byakugan Chakra to control Kimimaro's tissue.

  • Konan told Pain that the Tailed Beast collection plan might need to begin early, and Pain agreed to prepare the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and test Obito's strength.
  • Shinji exchanged Chakra with Karin and found that her reserves had risen to about twenty-five times his own as her White Zetsu Cells integration progressed.
  • Shinji brought Neji's Spirit Body into the Naobi space, identified himself as the Akatsuki Organization's leader, and learned Neji had found no clues about the Tenseigan or the moon.
  • Shinji reasoned that pure Byakugan might lure the moon's Otsutsuki down and considered combining Hyuga and Kaguya Clan cells to create exceptionally pure eyes.
  • Shinji placed Kimimaro's and Neji's cellular tissue in a petri dish and poured Neji's Byakugan Chakra into the experiment to control Kimimaro's tissue.

Ch. 141Seduction!

Shinji found that Byakugan Chakra could help fuse Kimimaro and Neji’s cells, while Obito ordered Shinnō to use Sasuke as leverage over Itachi. Shinnō then manipulated Sasuke into believing Itachi was badly injured near the Land of Hot Water, and Sasuke demanded to be taken there.

  • Shinji’s experiment showed that Byakugan Chakra reduced Kimimaro’s cellular rejection and produced faint signs of fusion before the cells calcified and turned to ash.
  • Obito learned that the Five Kage had gathered in Konoha and decided to target Sasuke so he could control Itachi.
  • Sasuke told Shinji he intended to kill Itachi, but Kakashi refused to let him join the village’s efforts against the Akatsuki Organization.
  • Sasuke trained through the night, twisted his ankle, and accepted treatment from Shinnō, who had entered Konoha under the guise of a physician.
  • Shinnō claimed he had recently seen an injured Itachi near the Land of Hot Water, and Sasuke grabbed him and demanded that he lead the way.

Ch. 142A Letter!

Sasuke forced Shinnō to help him leave Konoha and search for the injured Itachi, unaware that Shinnō was a powerful spy manipulating him. After Sasuke left a farewell letter for Shinji with Naruto, Naruto found it the next morning at Ichiraku Ramen Shop.

  • Sasuke pressured Shinnō into agreeing to guide him to Itachi in the Land of Hot Water, then followed him when he tried to report Sasuke to the Konoha Military Police Force.
  • Sasuke packed for the trip, wrote Shinji a farewell letter, and asked Naruto to deliver it the next day without opening it.
  • Sasuke met Shinnō, used his Sharingan to incapacitate a guard, and slipped out of Konoha through the side gate with him.
  • Shinnō revealed in his thoughts that he was a spy who had mastered the Eight Gates and was deliberately exploiting Sasuke's arrogance under Obito's orders.
  • The next morning, Naruto searched for a ramen coupon at Ichiraku Ramen Shop, and Sasuke's letter fell from his clothes.

Ch. 143Team Up!

After discovering Sasuke had left Konoha to seek revenge, Shinji organized a team to track him down and rushed out of the village. The Third Hokage learned that Shinji and several other children had gone after Sasuke.

  • Sakura and Ino brought Sasuke’s letter to Shinji, who learned Sasuke had left to pursue revenge against his older brother.
  • Shinji ordered the others to search for Sasuke, and their investigation confirmed he had left Konoha with help from a stranger.
  • Shinji selected Shino, Kiba, Neji, Kimimaro, Haku, and Karin to join him in pursuing Sasuke, while he ordered Shion to remain in the village.
  • Shinji’s seven-person team ran out through Konoha’s main gate, and the gate guards sent word to the Third Hokage.
  • Kakashi told the Third Hokage that Shinji’s group had left to search for Sasuke, who had slipped out the previous night.

Ch. 144Leave No One Alive!

The Third Hokage sent Kakashi after Sasuke, while the gathered villages each ordered their own forces to exploit Sasuke’s disappearance. Shinji’s team tracked Sasuke to the Land of Hot Water, where Kirigakure Ninja attacked; Shinji and the others pursued Sasuke and Shinnō into the woods, only for Iwagakure Ninja to intercept them.

  • The Third Hokage assigned Kakashi to bring Sasuke back after learning that Shinnō had lured him out of Konoha.
  • The Fourth Mizukage ordered Zabuza to capture Sasuke, while the Fourth Raikage, Third Tsuchikage, and Fourth Kazekage also sent forces to seize or kill him.
  • Haku and Karin agreed to protect Sasuke and Shinji, and secretly used Shadow Clones to conceal their real bodies from the team.
  • Shinji’s team found Sasuke’s campsite, identified the trail toward the Land of Hot Water, and caught up with Sasuke and Shinnō.
  • Sasuke refused to return to Konoha, and masked Kirigakure Ninja surrounded the group and ordered everyone except Sasuke killed.
  • Shinnō fled into the woods with Sasuke, Shinji and his team followed, and an Akatsuki-cloaked figure blocked the Kirigakure Ninja as Iwagakure Ninja intercepted Sasuke and Shinnō.

Ch. 145The Fighting Turns Chaotic!

Sasuke and Shinnō fled through the woods as Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure forces tried to seize Sasuke, while Akatsuki members repeatedly intervened. The chase continued after Moryo slaughtered the Kumogakure squad, and an Akatsuki swordsman led Sasuke onward while leaving Shinnō to face Shinji's team.

  • The Iwagakure Execution Squad confronted Sasuke, but an Akatsuki member blocked their pursuit as Shinji led his squad after Sasuke and Shinnō.
  • Sasuke and Shinnō encountered Kumogakure Ninja, and Moryo arrived and killed most of them with his tentacles.
  • Shinji's squad bypassed Moryo's battle and continued pursuing Sasuke, while Shinji realized Sasuke's escape had drawn several Great Shinobi Villages into the conflict.
  • An Akatsuki swordsman carrying Kubikiribōchō offered to take Sasuke to the person he sought, and Sasuke accepted.
  • The swordsman stopped Shinnō and ordered him to deal with Shinji's approaching squad.

Ch. 146A Swift Finish!

Shinji's team and Kakashi's Konoha squad pursued Sasuke as the Mist and Iwa forces clashed with Akatsuki members. Haku was left exhausted and surrounded by the Iwagakure Execution Squad, but the leader sent him a powerful surge of Chakra.

  • Shinnō stopped Shinji's team while Juzo Biwa led Sasuke away, and Shinji recognized Juzo as Itachi Uchiha's partner.
  • Kakashi's team arrived at the battlefield and realized the Kirigakure assassination unit was targeting the Akatsuki member with the red Susanoo; Kakashi led his team toward the grove after the Mist tried to delay them.
  • Kakashi's team found Haku battling the Iwagakure Execution Squad, whose attacks had left several members dead or wounded while Haku's Chakra was nearly exhausted.
  • As the Iwagakure Execution Squad closed in on Haku, the leader contacted him through Naobi and sent a powerful surge of Chakra into his body.

Ch. 147Gate of Wonder!

Haku used a sudden surge of Chakra to defeat the Iwagakure Execution Squad with a powerful combination of Water and Ice Release, while Kakashi’s team discovered that a monster had slaughtered the Kumogakure Ninja. Shinnō opened the Seventh Gate and overwhelmed Shinji’s team, until another masked Akatsuki Organization member appeared and ordered him to leave.

  • Haku unleashed Water Dragon Bullet Technique, Great Waterfall Technique, and Ice Rain, freezing and killing the Iwagakure Execution Squad.
  • Kakashi’s team retreated from the battlefield and found the corpses of many Kumogakure Ninja, which Kakashi identified as the work of the monster from the Land of Demons.
  • Kakashi ordered a message sent to Konoha requesting reinforcements as his team recognized the Akatsuki Organization as a major threat.
  • Shinnō revealed his strength and opened the Eight Gates through the Seventh Gate, Gate of Wonder.
  • Shinnō struck Kiba, Shino, Neji, and Kimimaro down with overwhelming speed and power.
  • A masked Akatsuki Organization member arrived on the battlefield and told Shinnō to get lost.

Ch. 148You're Dead, So You Don't Count!

Shinji used his Susanoo to overpower Shinnō as the battlefield filled with rival Akatsuki Organization members and arriving Konoha, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure forces. Juzo Biwa led Sasuke through a blood-soaked canyon, where Sasuke found Itachi standing among the corpses of Sunagakure ninjas.

  • Shinji blocked Shinnō’s attack with his Susanoo, then wounded him with the golden giant’s sword as Shinnō’s Seventh Gate power faded.
  • Moryo arrived and ignored Shinnō’s plea for help, while Kakashi’s group entered the battlefield and carried the injured Neji, Kimimaro, Kiba, and Shino away.
  • Shinji’s Shadow Clone told Kakashi that Juzo Biwa had taken Sasuke; Kakashi recognized Juzo as Itachi’s partner and believed Sasuke was likely safe.
  • An Ice Release specialist and another Susanoo-wielding Akatsuki Organization member joined Shinji, bringing the number of Akatsuki Organization members on the battlefield to five as Iwagakure and Kirigakure forces halted nearby.
  • Juzo Biwa led Sasuke into a canyon, where Sasuke found Itachi standing among the dead Sunagakure ninjas.

Ch. 150The Shinobi World Was Getting More and More Chaotic!

Sasuke challenged Itachi and was overwhelmed by his genjutsu, leaving him mentally broken, while Itachi kept him alive to serve an undisclosed purpose. Obito then halted the battle between Moryo and Karin, and sized up Shinji as the leader of a powerful group of unfamiliar Akatsuki members.

  • Sasuke attacked Itachi with kunai and a Great Fireball Technique, but Itachi injured him and overpowered his attacks.
  • Itachi trapped Sasuke in a genjutsu that replayed the Uchiha clan massacre until Sasuke collapsed.
  • Juzo warned Itachi that Sasuke might not survive the night, and Obito arrived and offered to kill him.
  • Itachi told Obito that he still had a use for Sasuke, then Juzo warned that Obito had likely arranged Sasuke's departure from Konoha.
  • Juzo told Itachi that unfamiliar fighters had appeared elsewhere, including Mangekyō Uchiha, as Itachi questioned who they were.
  • Obito stopped Moryo's battle with Karin's Susanoo, and Karin retreated to Shinji as Obito assessed Shinji and his followers.

Ch. 151If It Was That Person, It Might Be Possible!

Shinji and his allies faced Obito’s group, but both sides withdrew before a battle could erupt. Kakashi’s team found Sasuke unconscious among the dead Sunagakure shinobi, and the Five Great Shinobi Villages began preparing to respond to the Akatsuki Organization.

  • Obito and Itachi joined Juzo Biwa, Moryo, and Shinnō, but Itachi and Obito agreed to end the confrontation and both groups departed.
  • Shinji led Haku and Karin away, while Kakashi’s team continued searching for Sasuke and found Sunagakure shinobi dead after apparently killing one another under genjutsu.
  • Kakashi’s team found Sasuke unconscious; Shinji’s Shadow Clone said Sasuke was not in immediate danger but had suffered a severe mental shock.
  • Kakashi persuaded the Kirigakure and Iwagakure forces to work together against the Akatsuki Organization and return to report to their villages.
  • News of the battle reached the Five Great Shinobi Villages, whose leaders condemned the Akatsuki Organization and began considering retaliation.

Ch. 152The Five Kage Summit Reopens!

The Five Kage agreed that whichever village first obtained key intelligence on Akatsuki would lead the operation against it. After the summit, Shinji learned Sasuke remained comatose, while Neji and Kimimaro reflected on the power they wanted to attain.

  • The Third Hokage and the other Kage discussed Akatsuki's threat, agreed to share information about its members, and made intelligence on its leader, hideout, or members the basis for choosing an operation commander.
  • Orochimaru, disguised as an Otogakure representative, kept Akatsuki's secrets to himself as he hoped the organization and the Five Great Shinobi Villages would weaken each other.
  • Kaoru Kusa told Shinji that Sasuke's mental shock had left him in a coma and that only Tsunade could wake him.
  • Shinji reassured his classmates that Sasuke was out of danger, then checked on Neji, Kimimaro, Kiba, and Shino after their injuries.
  • Neji resolved to stop living like a caged bird and seek the Tenseigan, while Kimimaro wondered about Shinnō's Eight Gates technique.

Ch. 153The Struggle for Command

Konoha’s leaders investigated Shinnō’s mastery of the Eight Gates while competing villages made plans to seize command of the campaign against the Akatsuki Organization. Haku and Karin received orders to investigate Sasuke, while Orochimaru offered Kimimaro a chance to experiment with Natural Energy and Kimimaro asked to learn the Eight Gates.

  • Kakashi reported that Shinnō had opened the Seventh Gate, prompting Konoha’s leaders to investigate how he obtained the Eight Gates and to summon Jiraiya to bring Tsunade back.
  • The Third Hokage ordered Kakashi to contact Itachi for Akatsuki intelligence so Konoha could secure command of the operation.
  • The Fourth Raikage, Fourth Mizukage, Third Tsuchikage, and Fourth Kazekage each began preparing to capture Akatsuki members and gain the operation’s command.
  • Haku met a hidden Kirigakure contact, learned the Mizukage wanted her to investigate Sasuke, and agreed to report if he woke from his coma.
  • Orochimaru praised Kimimaro for surviving Shinnō’s attack, offered him Natural Energy, and heard him ask to learn the Eight Gates.
  • A Kusagakure agent threatened Karin through her mother, ordered her to investigate Sasuke and Naruto, and told her the village had restarted its Tailed Beast Plan.

Ch. 154Mangekyō Sharingan with All Abilities Lost

Karin rejected Kusagakure’s order to target Naruto and told Shinji about its plans. Shinji transplanted a pair of completely ruined Mangekyō Sharingan into Karin so she could attempt to restore them, leaving her blind but determined to succeed.

  • Karin decided she would not hurt Naruto, then told Shinji that Kusagakure had ordered her to investigate the Akatsuki Organization and gather information on Naruto.
  • Shinji explained that Karin’s growing control made her notice the stiffness in her transplanted Mangekyō Sharingan and said her unusual Sage Body might restore another ruined pair.
  • Karin agreed to help restore the completely ruined Mangekyō Sharingan, and Shinji transplanted them into her eye sockets.
  • Karin could not sense a connection to the new eyes, so Shinji told her to stimulate them gently with Yang Release Chakra and promised to reveal a secret if she restored them.
  • Shinji left Karin at home to recover and arranged for Haku to bring her food.

Ch. 155Artificial Tailed Beast

Shinji planned to lie low and strengthen his allies as tensions between the Akatsuki Organization and the Five Great Shinobi Villages rose. Meanwhile, Neji considered cooperating with the Akatsuki Organization, and Obito approved Shinnō’s plan to create the Zero-Tails before preparing to speak with Nagato.

  • Shinji assessed his own limits, considered ways to develop Karin and Haku, and decided to recruit Neji while avoiding high-profile appearances.
  • Neji secretly searched the Hyuga Main Family Estate for a clue to reaching the moon and weighed working with the Akatsuki Organization against his hatred of its methods.
  • Shinnō revealed his artificial Tailed Beast, the Zero-Tails, and promised to create it within two months with the organization’s support.
  • Obito agreed to provide Shinnō with supplies and considered using Shinnō and Moryo to test the Mangekyo Dojutsu of the mysterious Akatsuki members.
  • Zetsu told Obito the Five Great Shinobi Villages would give command to whichever village first obtained crucial intelligence about the Akatsuki Organization, and Obito decided to discuss a trap with Nagato.
Arc 6 of 62