Chapter Summaries

Sasuke lost his battle with Itachi and nearly died when Juzo Biwa struck him with the back of his sword. Sakura and Shion found him afterward, and Shion persuaded him to stop acting alone and help recover Iwagakure's Jinchuriki.

• Sasuke tried to stop Itachi and Juzo Biwa from leaving, but his eye pain left him unable to use Izanagi.
• Juzo Biwa struck Sasuke with the back of the Kubikiribōchō, sparing his life, and left with Itachi.
• Sakura and Shion emerged from the bushes and checked on Sasuke after the two men disappeared.
• Sasuke admitted that he had failed against Itachi, while Shion criticized him for challenging Itachi alone instead of making a plan with Shinji.
• Shion reminded Sasuke that Itachi and his companions had taken Iwagakure's Jinchuriki, and Sasuke got to his feet with his spirits somewhat restored.

The Allied Shinobi Forces split up to pursue Itachi and Juzo Biwa, while Shinji secretly planned to help the Akatsuki obtain the Four-Tails Jinchuriki. The Kazekage’s force cornered Itachi and Juzo, but a sudden attack amid their apparent surrender left the Fourth Kazekage wounded and facing a figure he recognized as the Third.

• Kakashi questioned Iwagakure intelligence shinobi at the battlefield and learned Sasuke had likely lost to Itachi but that no serious casualties were evident.
• The Raikage, Kazekage, and Kakashi agreed to split the Allied Shinobi Forces across three routes to trap Itachi and Juzo in western Bird Country.
• Yakumo questioned how Itachi and Juzo had been found, and Shinji realized Itachi had likely drawn the villages’ forces in to create a chance to free the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
• The Fourth Kazekage’s Sunagakure force caught up with Itachi and Juzo, who appeared to surrender the unconscious Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Deidara’s explosive-clay bird attacked the Sunagakure force, and a figure emerged from the smoke to slash the Fourth Kazekage, who recognized the attacker as the Third.

Sasori and Deidara joined Itachi and Juzo Biwa, turning the Sunagakure Ninja Army’s confrontation with the Akatsuki Organization into a dangerous battle. After Sasuke warned Kakashi that Sunagakure was facing four Akatsuki members, Kakashi redirected the Konoha Ninja Army to help.

• Sasori appeared with the Third Kazekage as a human puppet, and Deidara arrived on a white bird to join him and the other Akatsuki members.
• Sasori revealed that the Fourth Kazekage had been poisoned, while the Third Kazekage puppet’s Iron Sand rose to face the Fourth Kazekage’s gold dust.
• Sakura, Sasuke, and Shion watched from a nearby forest, and Sasuke concluded that Sunagakure needed reinforcements.
• After receiving Sunagakure’s distress call, Kakashi turned the Konoha Ninja Army toward the fight and met Sasuke, Shion, and Sakura.
• Sasuke told Kakashi that four Akatsuki members had gathered against Sunagakure, and the Konoha forces grew solemn at the danger.

The Konoha-Iwagakure Alliance reached the battlefield and found the Sunagakure forces defeated, with the Akatsuki preparing to leave with the Four-Tails Jinchuriki and the wounded Fourth Kazekage. As Kakashi prepared to fight, Shinji suddenly lunged at Scorpion to stop him.

• Kakashi led the Konoha-Iwagakure Alliance across the woods and onto the silent battlefield, where they found the Sunagakure ninjas down and the Fourth Kazekage gravely wounded.
• The alliance realized Scorpion appeared to have defeated the Sunagakure force alone, while Itachi, Juzo Biwa, and Deidara stood unharmed nearby.
• Scorpion retrieved the Four-Tails Jinchuriki and picked up the Fourth Kazekage, refusing Kakashi's demand to release him.
• Kakashi raised his headband and prepared to fight, while Shinji ordered Shion to stay put and watched the standoff.
• Shinji leaped past the others and lunged at Scorpion as he held the Fourth Kazekage.

Shinji broke through Scorpion’s hidden puppet traps and rescued the Fourth Kazekage. As Haku and Karin reached him, Shinji handed the Kazekage to Haku and ordered them to take him back.

• Scorpion triggered a battlefield ambush of puppets against Shinji as Shinji charged him.
• Haku and Karin rushed from the allied forces to help Shinji, while Sasuke tried to follow but collapsed.
• Shinji evaded the puppet attacks, destroyed several puppets, and countered their ninjutsu with Fire Release and Wind Release.
• Shinji broke through the trap, kicked Scorpion away, and seized the Fourth Kazekage.
• Haku and Karin joined Shinji, and Shinji tossed the Fourth Kazekage to Haku and told them to take him back.

Shinji rescued the injured Fourth Kazekage and stayed behind to cover Haku and Karin’s retreat. As Sasori summoned the Third Kazekage Human Puppet, Shinji prepared Kirin using the thunderclouds he had created.

• Shinji reclaimed the injured Fourth Kazekage from Sasori, astonishing both sides and boosting the allied forces’ morale.
• Shinji ordered Haku and Karin to carry the Kazekage back while he remained to face the Akatsuki Organization.
• Sasori summoned the Third Kazekage Human Puppet and formed a cloud of black iron sand.
• Shinji formed hand seals and gathered lightning in his right hand, confusing Kakashi and Sasuke, who recognized the Chidori.
• Shinji used the lightning from his Chidori to draw natural lightning into the thunderclouds and prepare Kirin against the Third Kazekage Human Puppet.

Shinji used the threat of Kirin to help secure the Fourth Kazekage’s rescue and deter Scorpion, then joined the allied forces in treating the wounded. After the battle, Sasuke asked about Shinji’s lightning technique, and Shinji offered to teach him Kirin.

• Shinji held Kirin ready as Haku and Karin rescued the wounded Fourth Kazekage, keeping Scorpion from attacking.
• Juzo Biwa and Deidara urged Scorpion to withdraw, and the four Akatsuki members retreated in formation with the unconscious Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Shinji advised Kakashi not to pursue, so Kakashi arranged treatment for the wounded and sent ANBU to track the retreating Akatsuki members.
• The allied forces learned that Scorpion had defeated the Sunagakure Ninja Army alone using a hundred puppets and poison.
• Shinji helped treat the wounded and taught Karin how to bandage them before Sasuke asked about Kirin.
• Shinji told Sasuke the technique was called Kirin and offered to teach it to him.

Shinji taught Sasuke how to use Kirin while the allied shinobi prepared to pursue the Akatsuki, who had captured the Four-Tails Jinchuriki. The Fourth Raikage ordered the force to set out before the Third Tsuchikage arrived, and Sasuke was left feeling that he lived in Shinji’s shadow.

• Shinji explained Kirin’s workings and risks to Sasuke, who learned its basics.
• Yakumo, Sakura, Neji, and Shion praised Shinji’s abilities and generosity as Kurotsuchi awaited word of the Third Tsuchikage’s arrival.
• The Fourth Raikage arrived, and Kakashi reported that the Akatsuki had defeated Sunagakure’s army, injured the Fourth Kazekage, and captured the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
• After learning that Juzo Biwa, Itachi Uchiha, Sasori of the Red Sands, and Deidara were responsible, the Fourth Raikage ordered the alliance to pursue them in five minutes.
• Shinji warned Sasuke not to use Kirin in combat until he had mastered it, and Sasuke packed his gear feeling overshadowed by Shinji.

After the allied forces lost track of the Akatsuki, Shinji met Deidara in secret and questioned him about Hiruko’s evolved Sharingan. Shinji left Deidara with instructions to gather information about Hiruko’s Chimera Technique.

• The Fourth Raikage and Kakashi learned that Deidara had flown west with the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, and the Sensory Unit could no longer track the Jinchuriki.
• The Fourth Raikage and Kakashi sent dozens of four-person reconnaissance squads west, and Shinji led one with Haku, Karin, and Yakumo.
• Shinji’s Shadow Clone met Deidara in southern Bird Country while Deidara carried the unconscious Four-Tails Jinchuriki on his Clay Bird.
• Shinji told Deidara that the Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and Deidara shared an interest in resurrecting the Ten-Tails, which could reveal the ultimate art.
• Deidara explained that Hiruko’s Sharingan had evolved from Three-Tomoe Sharingan during his ritual, and Shinji asked him to learn everything about the ritual and Chimera Technique.

After the Akatsuki Organization escaped with the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki, the Five Great Shinobi Villages agreed to wage an all-out war and reorganize their forces. As the allied troops prepared to return home, Nagato and Konan began moving the Akatsuki base from Amegakure.

• The Third Tsuchikage, Fourth Raikage, Fourth Kazekage, Mei Terumi, and Kakashi agreed to an all-out campaign against the Akatsuki Organization.
• The village leaders agreed to share intelligence and summon smaller shinobi villages, including Amegakure, to contribute forces.
• Kakashi returned to the Konoha camp, summarized the meeting, and ordered the shinobi to pack up and return to Konoha.
• Konan told Deva Path that the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki had been brought back safely.
• Nagato looked over Amegakure one last time and left with Konan to relocate the Akatsuki base.

After Konoha’s failed rescue mission, its leaders examined reports on the Akatsuki Organization’s dangerous members and learned that Shinji had defeated or driven off three of them. The village began planning specialized squads to counter the Akatsuki, while Shinji suspected his record was leading the leaders astray.

• Konoha’s reinforcements returned and reported that Iwagakure’s Four-Tails Jinchuriki and Five-Tails Jinchuriki had been captured.
• Kakashi warned the village leaders that Hiruko, Shinnō, and Sasori of the Red Sands were far more dangerous than expected, and the leaders reviewed their abilities.
• The leaders learned that Shinji had defeated Shinnō, driven off Hiruko, and forced Sasori of the Red Sands to retreat, while Yakumo and Sasuke discussed the reports from the outer row.
• Kakashi confirmed that the reports had been verified, and the Third redirected the meeting toward preparing a force to fight the Akatsuki Organization.
• The attendees proposed specialized squads to counter particular Akatsuki members, and Shinji wondered whether his record had misled them into forming a genjutsu squad against Hiruko.

Konoha’s leaders discussed how to counter the Akatsuki Organization and learned the history connecting its leader to Jiraiya and Danzo. They decided to share that Amegakure might be the Akatsuki’s base while keeping Konoha’s role in the organization’s origins secret.

• The Third ordered Kurenai to recruit a genjutsu squad to target Hiruko, and Kurenai accepted.
• Utatane Koharu urged the Third to summon Naruto Uzumaki back from training with Jiraiya, and the Third said he had already contacted Jiraiya.
• Kakashi asked what Konoha knew about Amegakure, prompting the Third and Tsunade to explain how Jiraiya had taught Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan and how Danzo and Hanzo had attacked their early Akatsuki Organization.
• Tsunade identified Nagato as the Akatsuki Organization’s current leader, and the Third said Hanzo was likely dead and Amegakure might be the organization’s base.
• Shikaku advised Konoha to share the suspected Amegakure base but conceal the history involving Jiraiya, Danzo, and Hanzo, and the Third agreed.
• After the meeting, Yakumo and Sasuke wondered whether their Breaking Dawn was connected to Dark Dawn, while Shinji turned to other matters.

After the fighting against the Akatsuki, Shinji took a brief break from the front lines and secretly visited Chiyo and Ryūsetsuna to continue their training. He saw that they had progressed with the Twelve Palaces and began teaching them Medical Ninjutsu, while considering how Chiyo's future Ketsuryūgan might affect her combat ability.

• The village repositioned troops and shared intelligence as Shizune became the Medical Team's Squad Leader, while Sasuke received house arrest and Sakura received two weeks of community service for leaving the village without permission.
• Neji and Kimimaro returned to intense training, and Shinji left a Shadow Clone behind before sneaking out of Konoha.
• Shinji watched Chiyo and Ryūsetsuna spar and saw that both had begun mastering the Twelve Palaces.
• Shinji resumed teaching Chiyo and Ryūsetsuna Medical Ninjutsu, gave them books to study, and planned to train them with animal dissections and treatment.
• Shinji noted that Ryūsetsuna's Kekkei Genkai made her stronger and faster for now, but thought Chiyo's Ketsuryūgan could change the balance once she awakened it.

Shinji reviewed the risks of the Twelve Palaces and Blue Spider Lily No. 1, then confirmed that his Rinnegan-enhanced Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan had reached its limits. He decided to undergo a First Hokage cell transplant alone, planning to wield both the Rinnegan and Yakumo's Red Dragon Eye during the operation.

• Shinji recorded his observations of Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo's training and noted that neither had shown abnormalities after receiving Blue Spider Lily No. 1.
• Shinji checked his laboratory readings and realized his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan was nearing the limits of its Dojutsu, restricting his use of the Rinnegan's power.
• Shinji decided that his next step would be a First Hokage cell transplant, despite its greater risks compared with using White Zetsu Cells.
• Shinji dismissed asking Haku or Karin for help because only his Naobi and Magatsu could precisely control the excess Yang Release Chakra.
• Shinji planned to use the Susanoo Lamp to wield Karin's Rinnegan and Yakumo's Red Dragon Eye during the operation.

Shinji told Yakumo that the Overlord was devouring the Demon Slayer World and had made the Shinobi World its next target, so he planned to let Dark Dawn gather the Tailed Beasts for a future fight against it. He left Yakumo understanding the threat and the difference between their goal of survival and Dark Dawn’s goal of domination and peace.

• Yakumo reported that she had fought alongside Konoha’s forces in Iwagakure but could not rescue the Four-Tails and Five-Tails, and Shinji told her not to blame herself.
• Shinji refused to take the Tailed Beasts from Dark Dawn, explaining that he wanted to avoid a fight with the Five Great Shinobi Villages and let Dark Dawn act.
• Yakumo pledged loyalty to Shinji, and he made her his attendant so his Lantern would protect her from contamination.
• Shinji explained that the Overlord was devouring the Demon Slayer World and had detected the Shinobi World through contamination between the worlds.
• Yakumo realized Shinji intended to use the Ten-Tails against the Overlord, and Shinji clarified that Dark Dawn did not know about the threat and was not their ally.

Shinji arranged for Yakumo to temporarily replace her Red Dragon Eye with Ketsuryūgan so he could use the powerful eye while preparing for a First Hokage cells transplant. The swap weakened Ido, and Shinji left for his secret laboratory planning to study the Red Dragon Eye further.

• Yakumo worried that reviving the Ten-Tails would mean Naruto's death, and Shinji promised to find a way to save him.
• Shinji told Yakumo to keep the Overlord secret and act normally while Dark Dawn collected the Tailed Beasts.
• Shinji replaced Yakumo's Red Dragon Eye with Ketsuryūgan so Tsunade would not notice its absence.
• Ido's power faded after the eye replacement, and Shinji explained that the Red Dragon Eye strengthened the soul while Ketsuryūgan did not.
• Shinji left the Kurama Clan's Main Family estate to perform a First Hokage cells transplant in his secret laboratory.

Shinji discovered that Yakumo’s cultivation had greatly strengthened the Red Dragon Eye, boosting his Chakra and Naobi sensing range. With greater confidence in surviving the transplant, he prepared to implant First Hokage cells using an optimized Fusion Agent.

• Shinji replaced the Ketsuryūgan in Susanoo with the Red Dragon Eye and found its abilities had grown stronger after Yakumo nurtured it.
• Shinji discovered that controlling the Red Dragon Eye had doubled his Chakra and expanded his Naobi sensing range from one hundred to one hundred and fifty kilometers.
• Shinji reclassified the Red Dragon Eye as a stable advanced Dojutsu Kekkei Genkai, alongside the Rinnegan, Tenseigan, and Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
• Shinji prepared for the First Hokage cell transplant with activated cells and an optimized Fusion Agent, choosing not to use a suppressant.
• Shinji picked up the syringe containing the First Hokage cells and prepared to begin the procedure.

Shinji injected First Hokage cells and a Fusion Agent, then used his Dojutsu to fuse the surging Yin and Yang Release Chakra. In Konoha, Tsunade discovered Yakumo had weakened after losing the Red Dragon Eye and resolved to resume her training, while Shizune compared Shinji’s recent performance to Shisui Uchiha.

• Shinji injected First Hokage cells and a Fusion Agent, then unleashed his Dojutsu to fuse the opposing Yin and Yang Release Chakra currents.
• Tsunade took Yakumo to a training ground and quickly defeated her in their Taijutsu match.
• Yakumo realized that losing the Red Dragon Eye had diminished her perception, Chakra reserves, combat abilities, and access to Ido.
• Tsunade told Yakumo to return to training, naming Shinji Uchiha as her rival.
• Shizune told Tsunade that Shinji had surpassed her expectations and reminded her of Shisui Uchiha.

Shinji recovered from a successful First Hokage cell transplant and tested the Wood Release and clone techniques he had gained. His Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan began advancing toward the Rinnegan, with Sasuke’s Chakra as a possible final catalyst if needed.

• Shinji woke after the operation and realized that the First Hokage cell transplant had succeeded, allowing him to sense Ōtsutsuki Ashura’s Yang Release Chakra.
• Shinji tested his new Wood Release by using the Thorn Killing Technique and creating a Wood Release Clone, which he pitted against his Blood Clone.
• The Blood Clone defeated the Wood Release Clone, and Shinji judged that his Wood Release was slightly stronger than Yakumo’s Red Dragon Eye state but weaker than the First Hokage’s normal state.
• Shinji concluded that his Chakra reserves and recovery had improved, and that the Yin-Yang fusion had restarted his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan’s growth toward the Rinnegan.
• Shinji expected his eyes to meet the basic conditions for awakening the Rinnegan after several months of absorbing Ashura’s Chakra, and considered using Magatsu to extract Sasuke’s Chakra if necessary.

The Five Great Shinobi Villages launched a surprise attack on Amegakure to destroy the Akatsuki Organization, but found its headquarters abandoned and learned its members had already left with the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki. When the Kage questioned the Akatsuki leader’s identity, Jiraiya confessed that Nagato had been his disciple.

• The Fourth Raikage, Jiraiya, Tsunade, the Third Tsuchikage, and the Fourth Mizukage and Fourth Kazekage gathered with their villages’ elite forces outside Amegakure and agreed on their targets.
• The allied shinobi invaded Amegakure, quickly suppressed the fighting, and captured its shinobi for interrogation.
• Interrogation revealed that the Akatsuki Organization had used Amegakure as its headquarters and left after abducting the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
• The Fourth Mizukage and Third Tsuchikage connected the Akatsuki’s departure to the battle in Grass Country, where its leader had been recognized.
• Jiraiya told the assembled leaders that Nagato, the Akatsuki Organization’s leader, had been his disciple.