Recaps

Dan possessed the Third Hokage and brought the Ninja Alliance intelligence from Tobirama about Satoru’s mind-reading weakness. The alliance prepared to adjust its deployment while Ryobu’s main body remained in Ryūchi Cave.

• Dan arrived at the battlefield and possessed the Third Hokage after seeing Minato dominate the fight against Sasori.
• Dan summoned Hiruko and the Reanimation Bodies, then told the alliance that Orochimaru had taken Kagami and Tobirama to Ryūchi Cave to sabotage Ryobu’s Sage Mode trials.
• Kakuzu explained that Ryobu’s clone and powerful allies were holding back the Ninja Alliance, worsening its morale.
• Dan revealed that Tobirama had learned Satoru could not read the minds of Reanimation Bodies, giving the alliance a way to counter the demon.
• Mifune confirmed that headquarters had received Dan’s intelligence and began issuing deployment adjustments.

The Ninja Alliance assigned Duy to hold off Satoru and organized its next moves against the enemy. Minato defeated Sasori but spared him, then returned to the alliance as Sasori accepted his loss.

• Shikaku chose Duy to face Satoru, and Duy cheerfully accepted the mission despite his doubts about his abilities.
• Shikaku assigned the Uchiha Clan to counter Ryobu's Clone, placed Mifune in command of the First Unit, and rejected Danzo's proposal to use Itachi as a hostage.
• Dan revealed that Orochimaru wanted Liao Wu's Longevity Technique and that Hashirama was training in Shikkotsu Forest to counter Madara.
• Minato used a Flying Thunder God Formula carved on a stone to bypass the Kazekages' Magnet Release and reach Sasori.
• Minato dispelled his Rasengan instead of killing Sasori, and Sasori accepted defeat while ignoring Fish Ball's demand to attack from behind.

Minato spared Sasori after their duel, prompting Danzo to accuse him while the alliance’s leaders supported his restraint. On the Hakimi side, Liao Wu learned what happened, blamed Sasori for failing to kill Minato, and hung him up as a warning to the cats.

• Minato ended his duel with Sasori, saying the match was over and neither side needed to turn it into a fight to the death.
• Danzo criticized Minato for sparing Sasori, but Minato teleported him away when Sage Fukasaku attacked; the Third Hokage and other leaders defended Minato’s decision.
• Fish Ball activated spores inside Sasori and made him collapse, then Cai Lai used spores to make Satoru convulse after he mocked Sasori.
• Liao Wu ignored the battle while reading Jiraiya’s discarded magazines, then learned from Nekomata that Minato had spared Sasori.
• Liao Wu summoned Sasori, berated him for not killing Minato, and hung him up with Wood Style as a warning to the cats.

Liao Wu’s cat army and the Ninja Alliance paused to eat while the Third Hokage led an elite group into the Land of Rain. As Mifune praised Might Duy and offered Might Guy a future in the Land of Iron, Duy was moved to tears by their recognition.

• Liao Wu called a temporary truce so his cats could eat, and the Third Hokage ordered the Ninja Alliance to cook as well.
• The Third Hokage secretly entered the Land of Rain with the elite ninja, leaving Mifune and Might Duy in charge of the alliance forces.
• Mifune praised Might Duy’s Taijutsu and offered to recruit him into the Land of Iron as a general.
• Mifune offered to take Might Guy as his disciple and help him become a general, while Might Duy said the decision belonged to his son.
• Might Duy knelt before Mifune, overwhelmed by his recognition of both father and son.

Liao Wu’s camp lost track of the enemy’s elite ninjas, and his attempt to punish Fish Ball was interrupted by the Uchiha Clan. Meanwhile, Ryobu brought Candy to Ichikishimahime’s trial grounds and gave her a small fan split from his bonded Flame Uchiha Gunbai.

• Liao Wu ordered the army to break camp and retreat half a millimeter while Cai Lai reported that supplies were ready.
• Fish Ball admitted he had lost track of the enemy elites, and Cai Lai revealed that Fish Ball had neglected scouting to summon cats; Liao Wu prepared to castrate him.
• Itachi asked Liao Wu not to hurt Fish Ball, while Fugaku warned the Uchiha Police Force to be ready to confront Liao Wu’s clone.
• Ryobu found the injured Orochi using the Mayfly Technique and forced him to lead the way to Ichikishimahime’s trial grounds.
• Ryobu explained that the Flame Uchiha Gunbai had become his bonded Spirit Tool, split off a small fan for Candy, and gave it to her.

Liao Wu signed an individual summoning contract with Orochi, then entered Ichikishimahime's cave to face the second trial. Ichikishimahime announced that the next test would judge his wisdom.

• Candy gave Liao Wu a Summoning Scroll, and Orochi reluctantly signed an individual contract with him after Candy threatened him with Lightning Style.
• Liao Wu considered using a Contract Seal to prevent Orochimaru from summoning Orochi, but Candy said she lacked the technique and suggested capturing Kushina for sealing knowledge.
• Liao Wu abandoned the idea and brought Candy into Ichikishimahime's cave, leaving Orochi on guard outside.
• A stone door sealed the cave, and Liao Wu noticed that the cave slowly drained his Chakra and that colored crystals matched hollows in the door.
• Ichikishimahime said Liao Wu had passed the first trial and announced that she would test his wisdom in the second trial.

Ryobu entered Ichikishimahime’s trial expecting a crystal puzzle, but she instead gave him an impossible advanced-mathematics exam with an hourglass deadline. Convinced the trials could be passed by defeating the snake sages, he tore up the test and unleashed his Chakra against Ichikishimahime.

• Ryobu recognized the scattered crystals as part of the puzzle trial he remembered from the Original Animation.
• Ichikishimahime gave Ryobu a timed mathematics test and threatened to eat him if he failed.
• Ryobu and Candy were baffled by the advanced questions, and Shukaku and the Seven-Tails retreated after becoming dizzy from reading them.
• Ryobu asked Ichikishimahime for an easier test, but she refused and declared him failed.
• Ryobu tore up the test, argued that defeating the three snake sages would let him pass, and unleashed his Chakra, making Ichikishimahime’s cave tremble.

Liao Wu forced Ichikishimahime to surrender, then discovered that the snake sage knew advanced mathematics. Ichikishimahime explained that she had pursued human knowledge after a middle school teacher defeated her in a puzzle challenge.

• Ichikishimahime hid using Sage Mode, but Candy sensed her and pointed her out to Liao Wu.
• Liao Wu blasted open Ichikishimahime's cave entrance, and she knelt to beg him to spare her.
• Liao Wu fed Ichikishimahime a Spore and used it to control her, then ordered her to recreate and solve the earlier test paper.
• Ichikishimahime explained an advanced calculus problem, leaving Liao Wu and Candy stunned by her knowledge.
• Ichikishimahime told Liao Wu that she had once challenged human scholars, lost to a middle school teacher, and then sought knowledge by stealing, robbing, and devouring brains.

Ryobu exposed Ichikishimahime’s attempt to trick him into a trial so she could devour his power, then took her captive as Orochimaru’s group approached. The group found the cave empty, and Orochi collapsed in agony when Ryobu’s Spore began devouring his organs.

• Ryobu forced Ichikishimahime to admit she had changed the trial because she wanted to consume his Chakra and flesh.
• Orochi led Orochimaru, Tagorihime, Tobirama, Kagami, and Dan toward Ichikishimahime’s cave to help take revenge on Ryobu.
• Candy warned Ryobu that the group was coming, then used the Mayfly Technique to take Ryobu underground with Ichikishimahime and the Snake Sage Cup.
• Orochimaru’s group reached the cave and learned that Ryobu had escaped with Ichikishimahime.
• Orochi writhed in pain as Ryobu’s Spore devoured his internal organs, and Orochimaru cursed Ryobu for attacking both his ancestor and his snake.

Tagorihime extracted Ryobu's Spore from Orochi and swallowed it, while Candy and Liao Wu continued through Ryūchi Cave. The group headed toward Tagitsuhime's trial ground as Ichikishimahime gained more cultivation by devouring Liao Wu's Spore.

• Orochimaru refused to dissect Orochi, so Tagorihime used Sage Chakra to pursue Ryobu's Spore inside it.
• Tagorihime controlled the Spore with an Illusion Technique, tore open Orochi, and pulled out the enlarged Spore.
• Orochimaru tried to seize the Spore, and Orochi tried to swallow Tagorihime, but Tagorihime drove Stone Snakes into Orochi and swallowed the Spore herself.
• Candy fled with the Mayfly Technique, then asked Ichikishimahime where Tagitsuhime's trial ground was and headed there with Liao Wu.
• Ichikishimahime sought more attention from Liao Wu, but he refused, so she devoured his Spore with Sage Chakra and improved her cultivation.

Ryobu and his companions reached Tagitsuhime’s trial grounds, but she was missing, and they found Anko and Yamato unconscious under her senjutsu genjutsu. Ichikishimahime began clearing the toxin that sustained the illusion, leaving Anko and Yamato to be awakened.

• Ryobu learned that Tagitsuhime was absent from her trial grounds, and Ichikishimahime could not sense her nearby.
• Candy found Anko and Yamato unconscious, and Ryobu recognized them while Candy warned him not to touch Anko.
• Candy failed to dispel the genjutsu with chakra, so she urged Ryobu to release Ichikishimahime from his control.
• Ichikishimahime explained that Tagitsuhime’s genjutsu was triggered by toxins and began using Sage Chakra to clear them from Anko and Yamato.

Liao Wu discovered that Anko and Yamato were being prepared for Ryūchi Cave’s Sage Art trial and found that Orochimaru had implanted them with cursed seals, while White Zetsu Cells had made Anko’s seal unusually powerful. After Anko recovered, she argued with Uchiha Ryobu about her nightmare of Orochimaru abandoning her and Ryobu’s defection, ending with Ryobu claiming he had saved her from a snake demon.

• Liao Wu learned that Orochimaru had sent Anko and Yamato into Ryūchi Cave’s Sage Art training trial so he could potentially reincarnate into their bodies.
• Liao Wu found White Zetsu Cells in Anko, which had let her withstand a perfect Cursed Seal of Heaven, and recognized the danger that Orochimaru could still use her as a vessel.
• Liao Wu examined Yamato’s Cursed Seal of Earth while Ichikishimahime and Candy treated Anko’s sage snake venom and weakness.
• Anko woke from a nightmare in which Orochimaru abandoned her and said she was willing to defect with him.
• Anko and Uchiha Ryobu argued over whether his departure from Leaf Village was defection or embracing civilization, and Ryobu claimed Anko would have been eaten by a snake demon without him.

Candy revealed to Anko that Orochimaru had marked her as a vessel for his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique. Liao Wu expelled Orochimaru’s Curse Mark, exposing a clone of Orochimaru and leaving Anko stunned by the betrayal.

• Anko reunited with Candy and confided her fear that Orochimaru had abandoned her, but Candy explained that Ryūchi Cave’s trials were dangerous and that Orochimaru had misled her about them.
• Candy told Anko that Orochimaru’s Curse Mark was meant to prepare her body for his soul to possess if she attained Sage Mode.
• Liao Wu used Yang Release to purge the Curse Mark from Anko despite her protests.
• The Curse Mark spread across Anko’s neck, and a fragment of Orochimaru’s soul emerged in the form of a clone.
• Liao Wu held the clone up as proof, and Anko froze in disbelief as she realized Orochimaru had intended to use her as a reincarnation vessel.

Ryobu captured Orochimaru’s soul clone and used a Spore to stabilize it in a female body, naming her Snake Aunt. As Ryobu lost control and moved toward Snake Aunt, Anko and Candy stopped him, while Yamato emerged from an illusion in distress.

• Ryobu electrocuted Orochimaru’s soul clone and implanted a Spore in it after Anko defended her mentor.
• Ryobu used the Spore to simulate Orochimaru’s cells, stabilize the clone, and transform the clone into a woman he called Snake Aunt.
• Snake Aunt discovered that Liao Wu’s Spore Clone had cut off her connection to Orochimaru’s main body.
• Ryobu rushed toward Snake Aunt, but Anko stood in his way and Candy shocked him with Lightning Style.
• Ichikishimahime released Yamato from an illusion, and Yamato cried out that Lord Orochimaru had been hurting him.

Yamato woke from a nightmare about Orochimaru’s experiments, then panicked when he recognized Ryobu and attacked him. After Ryobu restrained him, Ichikishimahime said she would take Liao Wu to meet the Grandmaster because Tagitsuhime had refused to give him a trial.

• Snake Aunt explained that Yamato’s nightmare recalled his time as the lone survivor of Orochimaru’s Hashirama Cell experiments.
• Yamato woke in terror at the sight of Snake Aunt, and Ryobu comforted him until he realized the experiments had only been a dream.
• Yamato recognized Ryobu, formed Hand Seals, and tried to attack him with Wood Style.
• Ryobu bound Yamato with chakra-absorbing vines and asked why Yamato feared him when he was trying to be kind.
• Ichikishimahime told Liao Wu that Orochimaru and Tagorihime had arrived, then said she would take him to meet the Grandmaster because Tagitsuhime had refused to give him a trial.

Ryobu implanted spores in Anko, Snake Lady, and Yamato, removing their cursed seals and gaining Jugo’s Sage Enzyme while strengthening Snake Lady and Yamato. Ryobu and his companions left the trial grounds before Orochimaru arrived, and Orochimaru hid his grief over Anko’s disappearance behind a cold smile.

• Snake Lady hesitated to take Anko back to Orochimaru, but Ryobu activated the spores inside them and made them tremble in pain.
• Ryobu implanted a spore in Yamato’s Cursed Seal of Earth, removed its white snake clone, and had Snake Lady absorb it to strengthen her soul.
• Ryobu took Jugo’s Sage Enzyme from Yamato’s and Anko’s cursed seals, while his spores greatly enhanced Yamato’s abilities and left his life under Ryobu’s control.
• Yamato broke Ryobu’s vines and charged at him, but Ryobu used the spores to electrocute him and stop the attack.
• Ryobu left the trial grounds with his companions, and Orochimaru arrived several minutes later, feared Anko and Yamato were dead, then concealed his sorrow with a cold smile.

Orochimaru decided to pursue Ryobu to the White Snake Sage’s temple and demand a share, while the Sage prepared Ryobu’s trial of the heart. In a separate storyline, a joint Sand and Mist force advanced through the Land of Rain toward Amegakure.

• Tagorihime told Orochimaru that Ryobu had passed Tagitsuhime’s trial and that Tagitsuhime had spared his two disciples.
• Orochimaru ordered Tobirama, Dan, and the others to pursue Ryobu and challenge the White Snake Sage for a share of the spoils.
• The White Snake Sage ordered Tagitsuhime to maintain order and said it would test Ryobu’s heart while he endured Natural Energy.
• Chiyo and the Sand and Mist elites advanced toward Amegakure without obstruction because Liao Wu’s army could only hold back the First Unit.
• Chiyo noticed that Mist Village had committed far more powerful ninja to the mission than Sand Village.

Mei Terumi challenged the Sand Village’s contribution to the alliance, while Yagura apologized to Chiyo and Pakura to preserve unity. On the battlefield, Ryobu rejected Mifune’s proposed terms for the final contest and demanded women from the Ninja Alliance instead.

• Mei Terumi argued with Chiyo and Pakura, and Yagura apologized for Mei’s accusation against the Sand Village.
• Mei explained that Kirigakure had committed nearly all its Ninja to the war, including Utakata and the three-year-old Kimimaro, while the Sand Village’s army seemed padded with ordinary people.
• Chiyo privately judged Yagura more suited to being Mizukage than the silent Third Mizukage, unaware that Ryobu’s Spores had made her and Pakura his spies.
• Ryobu’s Hakimi Army intimidated the Ninja Alliance with hissing cats, and Ryobu called for the absent Third Hokage, who Mifune said had gone home because Biwako was giving birth.
• Mifune proposed that the final contest would decide whether the alliance joined Ryobu or withdrew from the Land of Rain, but Ryobu said he wanted women instead.
• Ryobu pointed out several female Ninja in the alliance and recognized Samui and Mabui among the Cloud Village’s logistics Ninja.

Ryobu demanded that the Ninja Alliance surrender several beautiful female ninja as slave girls, provoking outrage across the alliance and shame among the Uchiha. The chapter left Akahoshi considering whether to offer Natsuhi Hoshi to Ryobu for power, while Kumogakure weighed the potential value of the Sharingan.

• Ryobu named Natsuhi Star, Kurenai, Shizune, Yugao, Samui, and Mabui as women he wanted and demanded that the alliance hand them over if it lost.
• Asuma condemned Ryobu, but Ryobu mocked Kurenai's progress in illusion techniques until she cried, and Shizune comforted her.
• Jifeng wanted to defend Yugao, but she stopped him, while Cloud ninja and Fire Fly were held back from confronting Ryobu.
• Akahoshi considered giving Natsuhi Hoshi to Ryobu to gain influence, but decided to wait until the situation stabilized.
• Samui told Mabui that Kumogakure's Conservative Faction might accept Ryobu's demands to gain access to the Uchiha bloodline.

Mifune refused Ryobu’s demand to trade women for the Ninja Alliance’s advance, so Ryobu sent Satoru to challenge them. The Alliance’s masked fighter turned out to be Might Duy, who fell into the river because he could not walk on water with Chakra.

• Mabui and Samui discussed sacrificing Samui for peace before Mifune rejected Ryobu’s demand to hand over Hong, Shizune, and the others.
• Ryobu summoned Satoru, whose terrifying appearance and mental suppression frightened the Ninja Alliance and left many unable to fight.
• Shisui told Itachi to use his Sharingan to resist Satoru’s influence, while the Uchiha Police Force also activated their Sharingan.
• A masked Leaf Village Anbu leaped forward to face Satoru but fell into the river because he could not stand on water.
• Might Guy tried to rescue the masked fighter, and Choza and Genma identified him as Might Duy, who only knew Taijutsu and could not use Chakra control techniques.

After Might Duy failed to demonstrate chakra control, Satoru attacked the Ninja Alliance and abducted Natsuhiboshi and other women for Liao Wu. He then swept into the Leaf Village camp, where Choza, the Aburame Clan, and the giant toads tried to stop him.

• Might Duy failed to stand on water, embarrassing the Ninja Alliance and prompting Mifune and the Leaf command center to recognize his poor basic skills.
• Satoru demanded that the alliance hand over its people, then snatched Natsuhiboshi and flew off with her.
• Satoru abducted Hong, Shizune, and other female ninja before Fire Fly could catch him with the Mysterious Peacock Method.
• Hyuga Tokuma warned Choza of Satoru's approach, and Choza used Super Expansion Jutsu to attack him with an enlarged staff.
• Satoru read Choza's thoughts and dodged his strike, then evaded the Aburame Clan's insect swarm.
• Gama Bunta, Gama Hiro, and Gama Ken swung their giant weapons at Satoru.

Liao Wu charged toward the Ninja Alliance but was blocked by the Uchiha Police Force, who confronted him over his defection and his clan ties. After revealing that he was a clone training in Senjutsu, he unleashed his Chakra and summoned Sasori to fight in his place.

• Liao Wu ordered the Hakimi Army to charge, but the cats refused to follow him, leaving only Cat at his side.
• Black and White Zetsu watched the fighting and hoped Liao Wu would be forced to join Madara's side.
• Fugaku Uchiha and the Police Force elite blocked Liao Wu, and Yakumi demanded repayment of the 600,000 ryo he owed her.
• Liao Wu revealed that he was a clone and that his real body was training in Senjutsu at Ryūchi Cave, surprising the Uchiha.
• Liao Wu rejected Yashiro's offer to return to the clan, unleashed his Chakra, and pulled Sasori over to face the Police Force.

Satoru overwhelmed Konoha’s forces with his mind-reading and evasion abilities, then seized Kurenai, Shizune, and Yugao. As Might Guy opened the Fourth Gate to confront him, Sasori and the Uchiha clan remained locked in their own standoff.

• Sasori summoned the Third Kazekage and Fourth Kazekage while Liao Wu controlled him, and the Uchiha clan faced him without Minato’s Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Satoru dodged Konoha’s attacks, and the narration compared his mind-reading to a divine power alongside abilities attributed to the White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage.
• Satoru reflected Kurenai’s Hell Viewing Technique, forcing her to see her fear of Liao Wu, then grabbed Kurenai, Shizune, and Yugao as he swept through Konoha’s position.
• Asuma tried to protect Kurenai with Flying Swallow and the Wind Dust Technique, but Satoru brushed aside his attacks and knocked Jifeng away.
• Might Guy opened the first three gates and then opened the Fourth Gate of Pain to face Satoru.

Might Guy opened the Fifth Gate and used his explosive speed to attack Satoru, while Leaf Village’s onlookers recognized his determination. Satoru evaded him, and Guy prepared to open the Sixth Gate and use Morning Peacock.

• Might Guy opened the Fourth Gate and charged at Satoru, who read his hostile intent and dodged his attacks.
• Might Guy opened the Fifth Gate, broke the sound barrier, and caught up to Satoru with an airburst-powered kick.
• Ebisu and Genma recalled how Might Guy had endured mockery and trained relentlessly, and Ebisu cheered him on.
• Satoru sharply turned to evade Might Guy, whose momentum flung him far away.
• Might Guy continued seeking greater speed and prepared to open the Sixth Gate and unleash Morning Peacock.

Guy opened the sixth gate, the Gate of View, and used Morning Peacock to strike Satoru and rescue the captured kunoichi. Liao Wu named him Konoha's Proud Azure Beast, while Mifune and the Senju Clan considered the significance of Guy's strength and the Eight Gates Technique.

• Guy opened the Gate of View, moved faster than Itachi could follow, and caught up with Satoru.
• Guy unleashed Morning Peacock, battered Satoru with flaming punches, and made him release Natsuhiboshi, Kurenai, and Yugao; the Leaf jonin caught them safely.
• Liao Wu recognized Guy's feat and bestowed the name Konoha's Proud Azure Beast upon him.
• Fugaku explained that Guy's flames came from the friction of his punches, while Sasori regretted that he could not preserve Guy's living body and Eight Gates Technique as a human puppet.
• Mifune admired Guy and considered recruiting him as his successor, while Mengmao remarked that the Senju Clan had neglected a technique well suited to them.