Chapter Summaries

Satori emerged from the Box of Paradise and devastated Kusagakure, prompting the Third to mobilize Konoha and summon the other Kage. Nagato and Obito both decided to head to the Grass Country, setting up a confrontation involving the Akatsuki Organization and the mysterious demons.

• Satori slaughtered Kusagakure's defenders, pierced Hirayama Ichiro with its claws, and forced Ryūran to lead the survivors in a breakout.
• The Third learned of the coup in Kusagakure and ordered Konoha's forces to march while summoning the other Four Kage to the Grass Country.
• Konan told Nagato that demons resembling the Lower Moons were active in Kusagakure, and Nagato decided to lead the Akatsuki Organization there himself.
• Obito learned that Nagato was going to Kusagakure and ordered Zetsu to gather their people, including Shinnō and Moryo, to accompany him.
• Zetsu warned Obito that Sasuke Uchiha might join the operation, and Obito resolved to watch for an opportunity to use Sasuke against Itachi.

Shinji and Yakumo rescued Ryūsetsuna’s refugee group by killing a demon, while Deidara, Scorpion, Hidan, and Kakuzu fought demons elsewhere. The demons continued regenerating as the ninja groups tested their abilities against them.

• A demon ambushed a group of Kusagakure refugees, and their Grass ninja leader fled after ordering everyone to scatter.
• A powerful demon cornered Ryūsetsuna’s group, but Shinji arrived and restrained it with vines while Yakumo drained its blood and Chakra until it was torn apart.
• Ryūsetsuna ran to Shinji and cried in his arms, prompting Yakumo to pout at them.
• Deidara blew a demon to pieces, then watched it regenerate and prepared another Clay Bomb while Scorpion told him to stop playing around.
• Hidan fought a muscular demon, survived its attack through his immortality, and split it apart while Kakuzu criticized him.
• The demon began regenerating as Hidan and Kakuzu argued, and it wondered whether they were ninjas too.

Juzo Biwa and Itachi confirmed that sunlight destroyed a demon, then reported their findings as Nagato’s teams gathered to discuss the monsters in Grass Country. Shinji held a separate meeting in Naobi Space, where Haku reported a gigantic flying monster near Kusagakure.

• Juzo Biwa and Itachi trapped a demon, saw it melt in the sunlight, and headed into the woods to report.
• Nagato’s teams met through the Phantasmal Body Technique and shared what they had learned about demons in Grass Country.
• Nagato ordered the teams to continue toward Kusagakure, then told Konan he would go there despite the risk of encountering the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
• Shinji gathered his allies in Naobi Space, where Sasuke and Ido entered for the first time and learned that the space concealed their identities.
• Haku told Shinji that he had found a flying monster as large as a Tailed Beast in Kusagakure.

Shinji pieced together how Grass Country’s ambition to reclaim its past glory had enabled the demons to take over Kusagakure, while multiple forces converged on the country. He concluded that the mysterious Lantern Bearer was the true target he had to confront and began planning his next move.

• Shinji reviewed how Grass Country had once used the Box of Paradise to build an empire, then lost control of it and later hoped to regain power through the weapon.
• Shinji reasoned that the Grass Fruit faction had allied with demons, leading to Kusagakure and Grass Country becoming hunting grounds where demons were created from shinobi.
• Ido reported seeing Dark Dawn members, and Shinji identified them as Kakuzu and Hidan; Sasuke had asked whether Itachi Uchiha was among them.
• Haku warned that demons, the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Dark Dawn, and Breaking Dawn were gathering in Grass Country, threatening to plunge it into chaos.
• Shinji concluded that the mysterious Lantern Bearer was orchestrating the invasion to draw him out and eliminate him, so he decided to seize the initiative and considered his next move.

Shinji realized the demons had mistaken him for the Akatsuki leader and planned around Nagato taking the blame, while the Five Great Shinobi Villages entered Grass Country and collided with a demon horde. Beneath Kusagakure, the Lantern Bearer ordered the demons and swordsmen to spread chaos and draw Shinji out.

• Shinji concluded that the demons and the Akatsuki Organization were enemies, and decided not to expose himself while Nagato remained the demons’ apparent target.
• The Third received permission for Konoha to enter Grass Country, learned that the other villages were advancing toward Kusagakure, and ordered his forces forward despite the missing reconnaissance team.
• The five villages’ shinobi forces encountered far more demons than expected, as the demons had gathered in Grass Country and stockpiled Chakra by hunting Kusagakure’s ninjas.
• Beneath Kusagakure, Gyomei Himejima said the swordsmen were prepared to die alongside the demons to save their world, and Kokushibo challenged him.
• The Lantern Bearer ordered the demons and swordsmen to spread corruption and slaughter to draw Shinji out, promising to deal with him personally.

Kirigakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure forces encountered powerful samurai while hunting demons in Grass Country. Kokushibo began slaughtering Kirigakure troops, the Fourth Kazekage called for reinforcements after spotting Upper Moon One, and Ōnoki set out to rescue Kumogakure despite its envoy only requesting an alliance.

• A Kirigakure squad killed two demons, but Kokushibo suddenly beheaded its Jonin leader and attacked as distress flares revealed that other units were also under assault.
• The Fourth Kazekage's Sunagakure army encountered a young samurai marked Upper Moon One, so he ordered Elder Chiyo and Pakura to join them.
• Ōnoki received reports that Iwagakure's vanguard and rearguard were under attack and its reconnaissance unit had vanished.
• A wounded Kumogakure messenger reported that the Raikage wanted to join forces with Iwagakure against the attacking samurai.
• Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure's army to move out and rescue Kumogakure, despite the messenger clarifying that the Raikage had only requested an alliance.

Shinji and Yakumo protected the Kusagakure refugees from Kaigaku, the replacement Upper Rank Six, and discovered that the enemy could track them through shared information among demons. After they defeated Kaigaku, Tsunade and Shizune reported that Satori had stopped the Konoha army near the border.

• Yakumo gathered the Kusagakure refugees to move on while Shinji intercepted the approaching Kaigaku.
• Kaigaku revealed that he knew about Yakumo’s blood-controlling ability and attacked Shinji with Thunder Breathing.
• Shinji evaded Kaigaku’s strike, then trapped him with wire and Explosive Tags beneath a Fire Release attack.
• Yakumo restrained Kaigaku with Wood Release, drained his blood, and killed him after wearing down his Chakra and demonic strength.
• Tsunade and Shizune arrived and told Shinji and Yakumo that Satori had attacked the Konoha army led by the Third and held it up near the border.

Tsunade decided to withdraw her reconnaissance squad and escort the Kusagakure refugees, but Shinji stayed behind to gather intelligence on the Akatsuki Organization and the mysterious demons. Alone in the forest, he ordered his allies to avoid demons and began contacting Deidara to learn more about the Akatsuki’s presence.

• Shizune told Tsunade, Yakumo, and Shinji that the Five Kage’s forces had suffered heavy losses in the Land of Grass from powerful mysterious enemies.
• Tsunade decided to abandon the reconnaissance mission and retreat with the Kusagakure refugees, but Shinji disagreed and offered to remain behind alone.
• Tsunade allowed Shinji to stay and told him to withdraw if the situation became too dangerous.
• Shinji raced into the forest and reasoned that he needed to avoid demons so the Lantern Bearer could not learn his plans through them.
• Shinji used Naobi to order Karin, Ido, Sasuke, Haku, Neji, and Kimimaro to stay hidden, avoid fighting demons, and locate Akatsuki members.
• Shinji activated Naobi again and contacted Deidara to investigate how many Akatsuki teams had entered the Land of Grass.

Shinji's allies struggled to stay hidden while Akatsuki members encountered powerful demons across several battlefields. As Akatsuki forces moved to confront them, Ido left Karin to find a way to extend her range.

• Haku stopped Sasuke from leaving their hiding place and reminded him that Shinji had ordered them to avoid contact with demons.
• Ido discovered that Yakumo's retreat with Tsunade had taken her beyond her Spirit Body's range, so she left to find a way to extend it.
• Neji and Kimimaro watched a large group of Kusagakure refugees flee in terror after mistaking their Red Cloud outfits for the Akatsuki Organization.
• Kokushibo defeated most of a Kirigakure squad, then two Akatsuki members arrived on a flying white bird and claimed the fight.
• Itachi Uchiha and Juzo Biwa confronted Demonized Tanjiro, Upper Moon One, after he crushed a puppet and slaughtered Sand ninja.
• Raiga Kurosuki leaped from Hiruko's flying Chimera to attack a Demonized swordsman battling Kumogakure ninja.

The Akatsuki Organization and the demons fought across the Grass Country as both sides prepared lethal moves. Konan reported from the battlefield to Nagato, while the conflict left the Sunagakure forces watching from the sidelines.

• Deidara and Scorpion fought Kokushibo, Upper Moon Two, and Scorpion saved Deidara from a surprise sword strike.
• Kokushibo introduced himself and declared he would kill Deidara and Scorpion, who resumed their clash with him.
• Konan used Paper Clones to observe the battles and coordinate communications, then returned to Nagato's cave.
• Demonized Tanjiro, Upper Moon One, overwhelmed Juzo Biwa and faced Itachi, who activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• The Fourth Kazekage arrived with Chiyo, Pakura, and Sunagakure troops, and they chose to let the Upper Ranks and Akatsuki fight each other.

As battles spread across the Grass Country, Nagato and Obito investigated the Upper Moon demons and the mystery surrounding Kusagakure. Shinji learned that Moryo and Shinnō had been restrained by a powerful demon hidden in the village.

• Konan reported that Itachi and Juzo Biwa had found Upper Moon One and Scorpion and Deidara had cornered Upper Moon Two, so Nagato sent the Six Paths of Pain to support them.
• Obito learned from Zetsu that his clones had not returned from Kusagakure and sent Moryo and Shinnō to investigate the village.
• Shinji marked the locations of Upper Moon One and Upper Moon Two and learned from Neji that Moryo and Shinnō had entered Kusagakure.
• Neji reported that Moryo and Shinnō had transformed and begun fighting a powerful foe inside Kusagakure.
• Kimimaro and Neji told Shinji that an unknown power had restrained Moryo and Shinnō, revealing that an incredibly powerful demon was hidden in Kusagakure.

Shinji deduced that the mysterious Lantern Bearer from the Demon Slayer World was hiding in Kusagakure, but held back while Moryo and Shinnō’s capture revealed the enemy’s methods. The Lantern Bearer drained the pair’s Chakra and headed toward the suspected Akatsuki leader after sensing an attack on Upper Moon One.

• Shinji concluded that the Lantern Bearer who had taken Muzan Kibutsuji’s power was the demon hiding in Kusagakure and decided not to rush into a fight.
• Neji reported that Moryo and Shinnō were trapped in pillars of light that were draining their Chakra.
• Shinnō noticed that the pillars were powered by unfamiliar instruments and suspected the turmoil in Grass Country was a trap for the Akatsuki Organization.
• The mysterious Lantern Bearer absorbed Moryo and Shinnō’s Chakra and realized their Lantern’s dwindling Embers limited how long they could suppress Shinji’s Lantern.
• The Lantern Bearer sensed that Demonized Tanjiro and Upper Moon One had been attacked by a powerful ninja, then drained Moryo and Shinnō completely and left with Narume to pursue their prey.

Shinji identified Upper Moon One’s battlefield as the likely site of a decisive clash and rushed there as the Fourth Kazekage’s forces fought the demon. As dawn seemed about to destroy Upper Moon One, he stabbed the Fourth Kazekage, but Tendo arrived and repelled them both.

• Neji reported that the mysterious Lantern Bearer had flown from Kusagakure, and Shinji deduced that it was heading toward Upper Moon One’s battlefield.
• The Fourth Kazekage trapped Upper Moon One in golden sand and repeatedly crushed and restrained him, while Itachi and Juzo Biwa fought Chiyo and Pakura nearby.
• Chiyo urged the Fourth Kazekage to hold Upper Moon One until sunrise, and he used golden sand to keep the demon contained.
• Sunlight began burning Upper Moon One, but he lunged at the Fourth Kazekage and pierced his chest with his sword.
• Tendo descended and used a repulsive force to send Upper Moon One and the Fourth Kazekage flying back.

Deva Path Pain arrived and effortlessly repelled Demonized Tanjiro, while Sunagakure’s forces recognized his Rinnegan as the Sage’s Eyes. Chiyo ordered distress signals sent to nearby shinobi units, turning the battle into a call for reinforcements against the Akatsuki Organization.

• Deva Path Pain used Banshō Ten'in to pull Demonized Tanjiro toward him and then knocked him back when Tanjiro attacked.
• Juzo Biwa welcomed Deva Path Pain’s arrival, while Itachi watched him with concern about the danger he posed to Konoha.
• Chiyo recalled that Deva Path Pain’s swirling eyes were the legendary Sage’s Eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.
• Chiyo ordered Sunagakure shinobi to request reinforcements from nearby units of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
• Pakura arranged the response as messenger shinobi and hawks carried distress signals across the area.

Tsunade concluded that the Upper Ranks might be a long-lived species, then learned that the Akatsuki Organization was fighting Upper Moon One and that its leader possessed the Sage’s Eyes. Konoha and Tsunade’s forces headed to support Sunagakure, while the Deva Path pinned Upper Moon One and waited to interrogate him.

• Tsunade warned her squad not to lower their guard and theorized that the Upper Ranks lived far longer than humans because of their regenerative abilities.
• Tsunade’s group received a distress signal and learned that the Akatsuki Organization was fighting Upper Moon One, with a suspected leader bearing the Sage’s Eyes present.
• Tsunade arranged for the Kusagakure refugees and led Shizune and Yakumo toward the battlefield to support Sunagakure.
• Jiraiya told the Third that Gō had escaped because it could sense killing intent, and the Third ordered him to gather ANBU and support Sunagakure after receiving news of the battle.
• The Deva Path pinned Upper Moon One to the ground with Black Rods and prepared to learn his secrets through the Human Path.

A mysterious Lantern Bearer arrived on the battlefield and pinned the Deva Path with an Ω-class restraint device, but the Animal Path soon summoned the other four Paths of Pain. Shinji recognized the growing threat and sent Shadow Clones to summon nearby shinobi forces, leaving the battle poised to expand.

• A streak of light struck the battlefield, and a silver spear shot from the dust and pinned the Deva Path inside a cage of lightning.
• The Lantern Bearer emerged and declared that his Ω-class restraint device would keep the Deva Path from breaking free.
• Shinji reached the battlefield and realized that the Lantern Bearer’s devices could have trapped him if he had not disguised himself and misled the man.
• The Animal Path arrived, then summoned the Asura Path, Hell Path, Human Path, and Preta Path to join the Deva Path.
• Shinji assessed the threat posed by the Six Paths and the Lantern Bearer, then created ten Shadow Clones to call nearby shinobi forces for help.

The mysterious man sent the battlefield into Narume’s vast Infinite Castle, scattering the forces gathered in Grass Country. As the Five Great Shinobi Villages raced to join the fight, the Paths of Pain searched the castle for their enemy and tried to free the Deva Path.

• The mysterious man refused to talk with the Six Paths of Pain, and Narume’s biwa music transported the battlefield into the Infinite Castle.
• Itachi and Juzo Biwa realized they had been trapped by Space-Time Ninjutsu, while Shinji concluded that Chakra had expanded Narume’s Blood Demon Art.
• Shinji’s Shadow Clones reported the latest intelligence to Tsunade, the Third Hokage, the Fourth Mizukage, the Fourth Raikage, and the Third Tsuchikage, who led elite squads toward the battlefield.
• The Preta Path failed to absorb the unusual lightning holding the Deva Path, and the other Paths could not free him.
• The Animal Path summoned giant beasts to search the Infinite Castle for the mysterious man.

As the Infinite Castle shook from the battle, the mysterious man summoned the surviving Upper Moon demons and demonized swordsmen to prepare for a decisive assault. He restored their chakra and sent them to fight while he concealed himself, racing to finish the battle before his Embers and Narume’s chakra ran out.

• Narume reported that the enemy was destroying the Infinite Castle’s districts, and the mysterious man sent her away.
• The mysterious man used Summoning Jutsu to gather the surviving demons and demonized swordsmen, including Demonized Tanjiro, Kokushibo, and Gyomei Himejima.
• Gyomei warned that the shinobi had studied their abilities, while Kokushibo urged the mysterious man to kill every possible Lantern Bearer body.
• The mysterious man replenished the summoned fighters’ chakra with energy taken from Moryo and Shinnō, then told them to feed on shinobi inside the castle.
• The Upper Moon demons, demonized swordsmen, and other demons rushed into the Infinite Castle to fight as the mysterious man hid and waited.

The shinobi trapped in the Infinite Castle used their knowledge of demons to fight back, while Kokushibo and Demonized Tanjiro killed and fed on Sunagakure shinobi. The demonized Hashira clashed with Pain’s Five Paths, and the battle intensified when more Paths and summoned beasts arrived.

• Chiyo’s Sunagakure shinobi trapped demons in mud, while Pakura weakened a demon with Steam Kill.
• Itachi used genjutsu to immobilize demons and told Juzo Biwa that every jutsu had a weakness.
• Kokushibo and Demonized Tanjiro killed and devoured Sunagakure shinobi to restore their strength.
• Asura Path and Human Path fought the demonized Hashira, capturing Sound Pillar and pinning Stone Pillar down.
• Animal Path, Preta Path, and Hell Path joined the fight with summoned beasts, and the Hashira attacked again.

The Pillars struck the five Paths of Pain with a coordinated assault, but the Hell Path restored the damaged bodies and the enemy overwhelmed them. Elsewhere, a mysterious figure realized the Akatsuki leader was hidden in the Infinite Castle and collided with Shinji while searching for him.

• Tokito Muichiro cloaked the district in mist as Kanroji Mitsuri, the Wind Pillar, and the Serpent Pillar attacked the Paths of Pain and their summon.
• Kanroji Mitsuri wounded Yatagarasu, while the Mist Pillar, Serpent Pillar, and Wind Pillar severed or wounded the Preta Path, Human Path, Asura Path, and Animal Path.
• The Hell Path summoned King of Hell, which restored the damaged Paths of Pain to their original condition.
• A giant chameleon captured Kanroji Mitsuri, and the Paths of Pain and their summons overwhelmed the remaining Pillars.
• A mysterious figure concluded that the Akatsuki leader was hidden somewhere in the Infinite Castle and left to search for him.
• The mysterious figure collided head-on with Shinji as they raced toward each other.