Recaps

After Madara’s defeat, Tobirama established the Ninja Sect as an independent force that negotiated cooperation with the Five Great Nations and brought shinobi from across the world under its authority. Kisame saw the changed world and left to wander, while the Sect’s interrogators struggled to get information from Sasori.

• Tobirama negotiated with the daimyos, easing opposition to the Ninja Sect by granting them votes, security guarantees, and a role training Guardian Ninja.
• The Ninja Sect established its headquarters in Leaf Village, gathered the Tailed Beasts there, and began assigning missions to shinobi across the world.
• Kisame arrived at Leaf Village, saw its Ninja Sect emblem and Kushina’s Sage Rock beside Hashirama’s, then left, feeling that the new peaceful world was not his place.
• Ibiki and Yamanaka Inoichi discussed their failed attempts to interrogate Sasori, whose puppet body had shut down and whose information was stored in his Regeneration Core.

Chiyo used Sasori’s parents to awaken him from his dormant state and turn him away from Liao Wu. Sasori returned, allowing the Ninja Sect to question him, while Chiyo kept her puppet-life research secret.

• Shikaku brought Chiyo to the Torture Department to persuade Sasori to speak, and the interrogators left them alone.
• Chiyo told the dormant Sasori that the Sand Village had been freed from Liao Wu and that the Ninja World had changed, but he did not respond.
• Chiyo summoned Sasori’s “Father” and “Mother” puppets, whose voices stirred his childhood memories and made his Regeneration Core light up.
• Sasori opened his eyes and returned, and Chiyo told Shikaku that he was ready to be questioned.
• Chiyo concealed the puppet-life technology, while Tobirama and other senior Ninja Sect members hurried to meet Sasori.

Sasori revealed that Liao Wu had taken Hozuki Castle, and the Ninja Sect planned to draw him out while preparing to search for him in the Nara Desert. Chiyo confirmed Sasori’s theory that Liao Wu might be hiding inside Shukaku, and Tobirama sent the Firefighting Team to track the tailed beast.

• Sasori told Inoichi that Liao Wu’s base was Hozuki Castle, confirming the Ninja Sect strategists’ suspicions.
• The Third Raikage proposed an immediate assault, but Tobirama and Sasori objected; Tobirama decided to use the castle to draw Liao Wu out and warned that its sacred tree could transform into Kannon.
• Sasori suggested that Liao Wu might be hiding inside Shukaku, using the tailed beast’s Violet Curse Mark to evade detection.
• Chiyo confirmed that Liao Wu could be hidden inside Shukaku, and said the Third and Fourth Kazekage were tracking the beast with Magnet Release.
• Tobirama ordered the Firefighting Team to join the Kazekage in the Nara Desert and capture Liao Wu if they found him.

The Ninja Sect continued searching for Liao Wu and Black Zetsu while Chiyo stayed with Scorpion in the Torture Department. After Scorpion’s parents became Puppet Life, he embraced mechanical immortality and urged Chiyo to join his plan to transform all humanity.

• Minato led the Firefighting Team in its unsuccessful search for Liao Wu, while Orochimaru led the Black Sweep Squad against Black Zetsu.
• Chiyo moved into the Torture Department after Scorpion was detained, and she reunited him with his parents, Liya and Zhi, who had become Puppet Life.
• Chiyo offered to find Liya and Zhi physical bodies, but they refused and chose to endure their puppet forms for Scorpion’s sake.
• Scorpion declared that his family would live forever as puppets and said they must kill White Fang and Uchiha Ryobu.
• Scorpion called flesh weak, proclaimed mechanical ascension, and urged Chiyo to join his plan to turn humanity into Puppet Life.

Kushina trained in Wood Style at the Senju family's training ground and quickly mastered powerful techniques, while the Nine-Tails studied ninjutsu nearby. Her growing strength left her better suited to the Ninja Sect's role as its strongest fighter than to managing its many political problems.

• Kushina used Tree World Descends to turn part of the Senju training ground into a forest.
• The chapter described the Ninja Sect's disputes and explained that Tobirama handled its administration while Kushina focused on becoming stronger.
• Kushina formed a Wood Golem, shocking Yamato with how quickly she learned the advanced technique.
• Kushina boasted about her strength, and the Nine-Tails' orange clone teased her while studying the Senju Clan's Sealing Scroll.

After Madara’s power humbled it, the Nine-Tails decided to learn human ninjutsu and pursue the Six Paths Sage’s realm. Kushina shared her fears and hopes with Yamato, then reunited with Mikoto, whose kindness brought the group together for a meal.

• The Nine-Tails used Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to create over a thousand clones, then declared it would rely on its own wisdom to reach the Old Man’s realm.
• Kushina told the Nine-Tails and Yamato that she wanted Minato to become Hokage, Naruto to be born safely, and her family to live peacefully, but feared the village was raising her as a weapon.
• Sensing Mikoto approach, the Nine-Tails returned to Kushina’s belly because it hated Madara and suspected Mikoto’s unborn child carried Indra’s chakra.
• Mikoto brought food to Kushina at the training grounds and served Yamato as well, while Kushina tried to keep the meal to herself.
• The Anbu had secretly removed spores from Mikoto and other ninjas, uncovering and clearing the spores Liao Wu had planted throughout Leaf Village.

Kushina and Mikoto discussed their growing powers, families, and unborn children while the Nine-Tails warned Kushina that Sasuke was destined to follow Indra’s path and oppose Naruto. Kushina vowed to become Sasuke’s godmother and make sure he would not bully Naruto.

• Mikoto saw Kushina’s Wood Style and envied her strength, briefly wishing she could take Kushina’s Rinnegan to protect Liao Wu.
• The Nine-Tails told Kushina that Mikoto had felt fleeting greed toward her, and Kushina understood Mikoto’s desperation to protect Liao Wu and Itachi.
• Kushina and Mikoto talked about their pregnancies, and Kushina joked that she had mastered the Rinnegan and Wood Style and could withstand Mikoto’s older brother.
• The Nine-Tails explained that Sasuke was likely Indra’s reincarnation and warned that he might destroy the Ninja Sect and kill Naruto.
• Kushina rejected the idea of giving up on Sasuke and decided to become his godmother so she could make him fear bullying Naruto.

Kushina chafed at being kept in Leaf Village while Mikoto’s request for White Zetsu Cells remained blocked by the Kekkei Genkai Protection Act. Tobirama offered the Uchiha a deal to help capture Liao Wu, then learned that Satoru—not the Uchiha or Liao Wu—had caused the mysterious deaths in the Land of Birds.

• Kushina complained to Mikoto that Tobirama would not let her leave Leaf Village to help Minato, and Mikoto reassured her that headquarters needed her.
• Tobirama’s Anbu reported that Mikoto had not renewed her request for White Zetsu Cells to restore Fugaku’s vision, which the Senju Clan refused to share without an exchange of Sharingan.
• Tobirama offered Fugaku White Zetsu Cells for every Uchiha Ninja with Sharingan if the Uchiha found Liao Wu and recovered the Rinnegan.
• Tobirama reminded an Anbu that he no longer wanted to be called Second Hokage and continued prioritizing the Ninja Sect over Leaf Village.
• An Anbu reported that Satoru had caused the deaths at the Land of Birds Daimyo’s Mansion, although the Uchiha had blamed Liao Wu and Tobirama had spread that accusation to secure funding.

Tobirama learned that Satoru had escaped Hozuki Castle and ordered the Stone Village to seal him, while reassuring Kushina about Liao Wu. He then watched Kushina leave a shadow clone to find Minato and revealed that White Zetsu Cells had allowed him to use Wood Style.

• Tobirama's Anbu confirmed that Satoru had devoured the emotions of people in the Land of Birds and had flown from Hozuki Castle toward the mainland, so Tobirama ordered the Stone Village to seal him.
• Tobirama decided to have Anbu protect and monitor Mikoto as she approached the birth of Sasuke.
• Kushina worried that Liao Wu would soon act, but Tobirama reassured her that Minato could escape with the Flying Thunder God Technique and promised to find a way to deal with Liao Wu.
• Kushina realized she could send a shadow clone to find Minato, then left the Leaf Village in Kurama Mode despite Tobirama's suggestion that she use Puppets as substitutes.
• Tobirama guided Kushina's Wood Style practice and revealed that White Zetsu Cells had given him enough chakra to use advanced Wood Style.

Tobirama ordered Root to resurrect Danzo through Kabuto, who questioned the darkness Root imposed on its recruits. Meanwhile, Kinkaku and Ginkaku searched the Nara Desert for Uchiha Ryobu, believing Shukaku had taken him there.

• Tobirama told Kushina to train until she could use the Senju Great Buddha and warned her to practice far from the Leaf Village.
• Ryoma Aburame ordered Kabuto to use Impure World Reincarnation to bring Danzo back, while Kabuto asked whether Urushi could be freed.
• Kabuto recognized Urushi among Root's guards and silently condemned the brutal system that had turned the orphans into emotionless tools.
• Rumors placed Uchiha Ryobu in the Nara Desert, where Kinkaku and Ginkaku had taken over Thieves' Hollow and recruited its criminals to help search for him.
• Ginkaku questioned whether Ryobu was really in the desert, and Kinkaku said they had tracked Ryobu and Shukaku's auras there before Ryobu's aura disappeared.

Kinkaku and Ginkaku formed the Raider Horn while searching the Nara Desert for Uchiha Ryobu, and they planned to oppose the Ninja Sect and seize the Dragon Vein if Ryobu remained hidden. Meanwhile, Kakashi and Obito searched a desert brothel for Ryobu, believing he might surface to visit one.

• Kinkaku and Ginkaku gathered over a thousand criminals into the Raider Horn after Shukaku disappeared into the Nara Desert.
• Ginkaku proposed attacking Sand Village, but Kinkaku warned that Tobirama and Kushina could threaten them.
• Kinkaku and Ginkaku decided to recruit rogue ninja against the Ninja Sect and to seek Rōran’s Dragon Vein if they could not find Ryobu.
• Kakashi and Obito searched Sunset Flower District in Flying Sand Fort for Ryobu.
• Kakashi reasoned that Ryobu might visit a brothel, while Obito accused him of using the search as an excuse to drink and enjoy himself.

Kakashi and Obito discovered that the hooded Sugar-Heart Top Scholar was likely Liao Wu and alerted Minato. The Firefighting Team prepared for the pursuit while Minato ordered Kakashi and Obito to follow him and flee if discovered.

• Kakashi and Obito watched Sugar-Heart Top Scholar arrive at the Sunset Flower District and learned that he repeatedly paid in gold for courtesans who returned three days later with no memory of where they had been.
• Obito identified Illusion Technique as the likely cause of the courtesans' lost memories, and Kakashi contacted Minato through telepathy.
• At the Firefighting Team's camp, Asuma voiced resentment toward Kushina because he believed she had taken the honor that belonged to his father, the Third Hokage.
• Minato told the team that Kakashi and Obito had found someone they strongly suspected was Liao Wu and had been ordered to follow him.
• Kushina warned that Liao Wu was powerful, and Minato reassured her that Obito could escape with Kamui and that he had ordered both men to flee if discovered.

Minato’s group prepared to confront Obito and Kakashi, while the pair secretly followed Sugar-Heart Top Scholar to Shukaku’s lair. There, they discovered that Liao Wu remained trapped by Hashirama’s powerful seal and had only regained a third of his strength.

• Yugito threatened Asuma after he criticized the Ninja Sect, and Minato stopped their argument before preparing to teleport the group to Obito and Kakashi.
• Obito and Kakashi followed Sugar-Heart Top Scholar, who had hypnotized a courtesan and carried her away in a gourd.
• Kakashi and Obito suspected the gourd was Kumogakure’s Red Gourd and guessed that Sugar-Heart Top Scholar was connected to Liao Wu.
• Candy reached Shukaku’s lair with the courtesan, while Obito and Kakashi watched from Kamui Space.
• The chapter revealed that Liao Wu was trapped by Hashirama’s Six Paths Gate of the Great God Seal and had removed only three of its ten pillars.
• Candy led the courtesan into an ancient temple beneath the sand dune, where a statue of the Sage of Six Paths stood.

Liao Wu hid beneath a temple in the Nara Desert while recovering from the Six Paths Myojin Pillars sealing his Chakra. After learning that Obito and Kakashi had found him, he activated his Rinnegan and went to confront them.

• Liao Wu meditated in the temple while Shukaku refined gold nearby, and Candy accused him of turning the temple into a brothel.
• Candy told Liao Wu that the Ninja Sect was besieging Hozuki Castle, but Liao Wu said he had recovered only a third of his strength and needed more time to remove the seals.
• Liao Wu and Candy discussed Black Zetsu’s unusual ability to control Madara, and Liao Wu suspected that something had strengthened it.
• Liao Wu revealed his plan to use the Dragon Vein beneath Roran to break the remaining seals, while Candy shared rumors about Roran’s puppets and the Land of Wind.
• Liao Wu sensed that Obito and Kakashi had discovered Candy and decided to face them, activating the Rinnegan on his forehead as he headed for the passageway.

Minato and the Firefighting Team entered Shukaku's temple to confront Ryobu, who captured Hong, Shizune, and Rin to use as hostages. Obito emerged to protect Rin, while Shukaku begged the Two-Tails and Six-Tails for help and was shocked by Candy.

• Obito brought Minato, Kushina, Sakumo, Yugito, Mei Terumi, and the others into Shukaku's temple as the Firefighting Team prepared to fight Ryobu.
• Asuma summoned Enma, Baki sent word to the Third Kazekage and Rasa, and Ryobu faced the gathered forces before pretending to renounce violence.
• Ryobu's Sage Art Clone captured Hong, Shizune, and Rin, and Ryobu threatened to kill Rin unless Obito killed Kakashi.
• Obito emerged from the Kamui Space and pleaded with Ryobu not to hurt Rin, leaving the Firefighting Team grim and Baki and Pakura eager to act.
• Shukaku asked the Two-Tails and Six-Tails to rescue him, but Candy shocked him until he begged Ryobu and Candy for mercy.

Ryobu’s group was ambushed by a woman who effortlessly seized his Sage Art Clone, then discovered that she was Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, revived alongside Black Zetsu. The group recognized Kaguya as the legendary Rabbit Goddess and ancestor of Chakra, while Liao Wu immediately submitted to her.

• Ryobu bound Shukaku with a Summoning Contract and Six Paths Black Rods, but a disguised courtesan attacked him and devoured his Sage Art Clone’s Chakra.
• Ryobu retreated with his allies to Shukaku’s head and questioned the woman as White Zetsu emerged from the ground.
• Black Zetsu appeared in Madara’s body and stood behind the woman, leading Ryobu to identify her as Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
• Kaguya returned to her original appearance, and Liao Wu bowed and pledged himself to her.
• Two-Tails identified Kaguya as the Six Paths Sage’s mother, leaving Kushina and the others stunned by the Rabbit Goddess’s return.

Kaguya appeared through a White Zetsu body and tried to claim Liao Wu’s Rinnegan, but he exposed that she was not in her true form and warned the others about her threat. Kushina’s group joined forces with Liao Wu to fight Kaguya and Black Zetsu, while Liao Wu escaped with Candy and Shukaku as the battle began.

• Shukaku and Six-Tails feared Kaguya’s chakra, and Kaguya offered Liao Wu her chakra if he gave her the Rinnegan and became her child.
• Liao Wu mocked Kaguya’s offer and deduced that she had escaped through a chakra-possessed White Zetsu rather than her true body.
• Kaguya and Black Zetsu ordered the White Zetsu to surround Liao Wu, while Liao Wu sent Hong and the others to Kushina’s side and Obito moved them into Kamui Space.
• Kushina agreed to ally with Liao Wu after Minato and Obito confirmed Kaguya controlled the White Zetsu, then led an attack on Kaguya as the others engaged Black Zetsu.
• As the fighting started, Liao Wu used the others as cover and fled with Candy and Shukaku, while Kaguya fought Kushina with Wood Style vines.

Kaguya pursued Liao Wu to take his Rinnegan while Kushina and the others regrouped and searched for him. Kushina then warned the Ninja Sect that Kaguya had escaped her seal, leaving Tobirama and the Five Kage demanding a full account of what happened.

• Kaguya ordered Black Zetsu to abandon the fight and pursue Liao Wu, while Obito used Kamui to save Minato, Kushina, and the others from Black Zetsu's attack.
• Obito released the group beside a sand dune, and they realized Liao Wu had escaped and Shukaku might help them track him.
• The Third Kazekage and Rasa arrived, and Kushina asked them to use Magnet Release to locate Shukaku.
• Kushina's real body synchronized with her Shadow Clone, then rushed to Tobirama's meeting and announced that Kaguya had broken free of her seal.
• Tobirama questioned how Kaguya could have escaped without the moon turning red, and Kushina recounted her clone's experience in Shukaku's lair.

After learning that Kaguya’s chakra had escaped its seal, Tobirama planned a response while warning the Ninja Sect not to underestimate her. Slug revealed that the Hyuga Clan descended from Kaguya’s son Hamura, and Tobirama still ordered the mission to rescue Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the others from Hozuki Castle.

• Slug told Tobirama that damage to the moon during Liao Wu and Madara’s attack may have let some of Kaguya’s chakra escape, and Tobirama warned that she remained a lasting threat.
• Tobirama refused Kushina’s offer to confront Kaguya, saying she was their last trump card and that the Rinnegan was both a weapon against Kaguya and something she might steal.
• Kushina said the Third Kazekage and Rasa could track Shukaku, so Tobirama sent Orochimaru’s Black Sweep Squad to the Nara Desert in the Land of Wind.
• Kushina revealed that Kaguya had Byakugan, prompting Tobirama to question a Hyuga Anbu about the Hyuga Clan’s connection to her.
• Slug explained that the Hyuga Clan descended from Hamura, Kaguya’s son and the Sage of Six Paths’ brother, and the Hyuga Anbu pledged loyalty to the Ninja Sect.
• Gengetsu asked whether they would still attack Hozuki Castle, and Tobirama confirmed they would go to rescue Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the others.

Sasori revealed his plan to transform humanity into self-aware puppet life-forms, with his parents supporting his puppet revolution. Chiyo joined him after the group defeated the Ninja Sect Anbu, and Sasori vowed to found a new world.

• Slug told Tobirama that Liao Wu's Ninja Cats had captured Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the others at Hozuki Castle, prompting the Five Kage to discuss an attack.
• Ibiki reported that Chiyo had taken Sasori's human puppets and fled, while Sasori waited in a forest with his parents and four Kage-level puppets.
• Sasori explained his plan to use Regeneration Cores to turn humans into puppet life-forms, and Liya and Zhi urged Chiyo to join them.
• Chiyo reflected on the suffering caused by war and admitted that humans were fragile, but the Ninja Sect Anbu arrived and accused her of stealing the puppets.
• Sasori revealed himself to the Anbu, killed them with Magnet Release and his puppets, and invited Chiyo to join his family.
• Chiyo agreed to fail alongside Sasori, and Sasori vowed to prove that puppets were humanity's future.

Danzo accepted a new purpose as the Ninja Sect’s darkness after seeing how the Leaf Village had changed, while Kabuto found a reason to help by seeking to rescue Yakushi Nonō. Meanwhile, Kinkaku and Ginkaku headed for Rōran, and Orochimaru’s team prepared to pursue Uchiha Ryobu and Black Zetsu across the Land of Wind.

• Ryoma told the resurrected Danzo about the Third Hokage’s sacrifice and how the Leaf Village had become the Ninja Sect’s headquarters.
• Danzo saw Sage Rock and could no longer find traces of the old Leaf Village, then decided to protect the village by helping the Ninja Sect bring other shinobi fully under its control.
• Ryoma told Kabuto that Yakushi Nonō was in Hozuki Castle and urged him to help revive powerful fighters, giving Kabuto a reason to continue living.
• Kinkaku woke Ginkaku with news that Uchiha Ryobu had appeared in Rōran, and the brothers gathered their group to pursue him and the Dragon Vein.
• Orochimaru’s Black Sweep Squad rested in the Land of Wind before traveling to Rōran, where Minato and others were pursuing Liao Wu and Black Zetsu.
• Hiruko asked whether Orochimaru planned to remain in the Ninja Sect, and Orochimaru showed him the Flying Thunder God mark Tobirama had placed on them both.

Tobirama kept Orochimaru and Hiruko under control with Flying Thunder God marks, while Hiruko brooded over the Kekkei Genkai he could not seize. As Kaguya and Black Zetsu pursued Shukaku, Liao Wu told him to flee, but Candy pointed out that he was still bound to them.

• Hiruko learned that Orochimaru was also under the White Snake Sage’s control and realized that seeking its help could mean entering an even worse cage.
• Orochimaru and Hiruko eyed Hizashi’s Byakugan and other powerful abilities, but Tobirama’s mark and the Ninja Sect’s Kekkei Genkai Protection Act kept them from acting.
• Orochimaru led the group toward Rōran on a giant snake.
• Kaguya and Black Zetsu tracked Shukaku through the desert and attacked him with Susanoo and Magnet Release.
• Liao Wu and Candy left Shukaku’s mouth, and Liao Wu told him to escape and surrender to the Ninja Sect if he met Kushina’s group.
• Shukaku ran off to join Nekomata, while Candy reminded him that Liao Wu’s Yin Yang Release and their Summoning Contract still bound him.

Candy learned Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode and helped Ryobu enter Sage Mode before he battled Black Zetsu and Kaguya. Shukaku joined Ryobu against them, while Kushina and the others raced to reclaim Liao Wu's Rinnegan.

• Candy cultivated senjutsu with Mount Myōboku's Toad Oil and transferred Sage Chakra to Ryobu, helping him enter Sage Mode.
• Ryobu and Black Zetsu fought with their Susanoo, while Kaguya restrained Ryobu with chakra-draining Wood Style vines.
• Shukaku rammed Black Zetsu's Susanoo, then declared he would help Ryobu rather than join the Ninja Sect.
• Ryobu removed the Yin Yang Release Black Rod from Shukaku, and Shukaku formed a giant sand body with Magnet Release and Ryobu's Sage Chakra.
• Kushina, Maki, the Third Kazekage, and Rasa reached the battlefield and hurried toward Liao Wu's Rinnegan before Black Zetsu could claim it.

Kushina and her allies joined the battle against Ryobu and Black Zetsu, but Ryobu fled as they pursued him. Kinkaku and Ginkaku arrived at the desert, sensed Kaguya’s chakra, and then encountered Orochimaru.

• The Third Kazekage and Rasa confronted Shukaku and tried to persuade him to return to Sand Village, but Shukaku refused and fled during the ensuing chaos.
• Kushina rejected Ryobu’s attempt to manipulate her, and the two traded insults as Black Zetsu continued fighting.
• Kushina, Kaguya, Black Zetsu, and their allies charged Ryobu, who threatened them before escaping; Shukaku fled under cover of a sandstorm.
• Kinkaku and Ginkaku sensed Kaguya’s chakra and were frightened, but Kinkaku insisted that they continue toward Rōran with the Raider Horn Rogue Ninja Group.
• A giant snake from Ryūchi Cave emerged from the desert, and Kinkaku and Ginkaku recognized Orochimaru and assumed fighting stances.

Orochimaru’s group pursued Kinkaku and Ginkaku after their Lesser Nine-Tails Mode proved powerful, while Orochimaru avoided confronting Kaguya and Black Zetsu. At Rōran, Naruto’s team found Mukade at the Dragon Vein Altar as he announced his plan to use its power to control the world.

• Orochimaru had Killer B summon the Eight-Tails to help fight Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
• The Eight-Tails attacked the brothers, but their six-tailed cloaks let them dodge its strikes.
• Rōshi and Han summoned the Four-Tails and Five-Tails, prompting Kinkaku and Ginkaku to flee.
• Orochimaru ordered everyone to pursue the brothers and chose not to join the fight against Black Zetsu and Kaguya at Rōran.
• Yamato showed Naruto and the others the altar where Minato had sealed the Dragon Vein.
• Mukade appeared at the altar and declared that he would use the Dragon Vein’s power to control the world.