Chapter Summaries

Simu accepted Jugo as a follower so he could study Jugo’s ability to absorb Natural Energy, then prepared a ritual at the church. A desperate mother asked him to save her sick son, and Simu demanded one of her arms as payment, leaving her to decide whether to accept.

• Simu confirmed that the Natural Energy potion was snake saliva and became interested in studying Jugo’s ability to absorb Natural Energy.
• Jugo asked to stay with Simu so he could be stopped when he lost control, and Simu agreed to study his body.
• Simu brought Jugo to the church and told Hidan that an interesting ritual was about to happen.
• A sick child’s mother entered the church and begged Simu to save her son.
• Simu told the woman that she needed to become a loyal believer and offer something to Lord Jashin.
• The woman offered her life, but Simu said one of her arms would be enough and asked if she was willing.

Keiko’s son recovered after Simu’s blessing, and her account drew the townspeople to the church. Simu granted wishes in exchange for their bodies, turning the church into the town’s most popular destination.

• Keiko told the residents that the Lord had cured her son, and her story spread through town.
• When people questioned Keiko about payment, she said the Lord had only asked for one arm, though he had not taken it.
• A gambler asked Simu for money, promised his body to the Lord, and left with a stack of banknotes.
• Jugo protested that Simu had given money to a gambler, but Hidan explained that Simu knew the man’s identity and Simu confirmed the transaction was real.
• As word spread, people with varied wishes flocked to the church.

Simu’s church granted the townspeople’s wishes in exchange for their hearts and souls, leaving the town dependent on gifts while he knowingly encouraged their greed. Elsewhere, Pain and Konan learned about Simu from White Zetsu and decided to recruit new members.

• Keiko offered her heart, organs, and soul for food, while a little boy offered his soul for a lollipop; Simu gave them what they asked for and warned that their souls no longer belonged to them.
• Jugo told Simu that the townspeople had abandoned their work, and Simu explained that his costless gifts had fed their greed while hiding a price.
• Hidan condemned Simu for toying with people, while Jugo struggled to understand what the town’s decline revealed about human nature.
• A masked man summoned Pain and Konan, and White Zetsu described Simu as a powerful Jashin Cult member who had built a church and granted wishes.
• Pain decided the group needed new members and told Konan to accompany him.

Konan and Pain entered a town that appeared peaceful, only to find its residents and surroundings caught in bizarre illusions and monstrous transformations. Pain destroyed the town center with Shinra Tensei, and Simu and Hidan emerged from the smoke to confront him.

• Konan and Pain approached the glowing White Church while the town’s residents watched them from their homes.
• Town residents surrounded them and warned that only devoted believers could approach the church.
• Pain dispelled a genjutsu that had made the town look prosperous, revealing decay and grotesque transformations.
• A bell rang, the residents blamed Konan and Pain, and the town twisted around them as another illusion took hold.
• Pain recognized the monsters as real people and flattened the town center with Shinra Tensei.
• Simu and Hidan appeared amid the ruins, and Pain questioned Simu about treating so many lives as an experiment.

Pain and Konan invited Simu and Hidan to join Akatsuki, explaining their plan to capture the Tailed Beasts and use a greater power to force peace. After Hidan attacked Pain repeatedly while Simu tested Pain’s abilities, Pain pinned Hidan to the ground with a black rod.

• Simu corrected Pain’s understanding of the Jashin Cult, and Pain introduced himself and Konan before offering Simu and Hidan membership in Akatsuki.
• Pain explained that Akatsuki intended to capture all nine Tailed Beasts and use the power they unlocked to deter the major nations and achieve peace.
• Simu questioned whether the plan could work, and Pain said refusal to join would mean death.
• Hidan charged at Pain, who used Banshō Ten'in and Shinra Tensei to pull him in and repel him repeatedly.
• Simu watched the attacks to assess Pain’s abilities, while Hidan continued fighting despite his injuries.
• Pain used Banshō Ten'in to pull Hidan close and pierced him with a black rod, pinning him to the ground.

Simu, Hidan, and Konan fought Pain after he attacked them with a Black Rod, and Pain unleashed a devastating Shinra Tensei that reduced the town to ruins. Simu survived the blast with the help of his Kagune and Blood-Pouch Worm, but he was badly injured as Pain remained poised above the ruins.

• Pain repelled the Demon Snake and Hidan with Shinra Tensei, while Konan avoided the attack with paper wings.
• Simu used Banshō Ten'in as a feint, then sent a Centipede Weihe up from beneath Pain and followed with his Feather-Killing Dance.
• Pain blocked Simu’s feathers and obliterated the two Evil-Faced Ghost Snakes and their Rinkaku net with a massive Shinra Tensei.
• White Zetsu and Black Zetsu surveyed the ruined town and regretted that they had failed to recruit Simu and Hidan.
• Simu emerged from the ruins, badly injured, after his Kagune defended him and his Blood-Pouch Worm restored some of his life force.

Simu used his insect technique to expose Pain’s Shinra Tensei cooldown, then tore out and crushed his own heart to summon the Jashin Cult’s Contract. As villagers’ severed limbs and bodies rushed to him, Hidan returned to defend Simu from Pain and Konan.

• Simu unleashed a swarm of Black Beetles, and Pain escaped by shedding his robe, which exploded when the insects attached to it ignited.
• Pain told Konan that Simu had identified the Deva Path’s cooldown, while Konan used a Water Release attack and paper shuriken against the insect swarm.
• Simu taunted Pain about the cooldown and said that a Jashin Cult believer’s body was useless, then tore out and crushed his beating heart.
• Sacred chants raised the villagers’ broken bodies and limbs, which rushed toward Simu as the Contract technique began.
• Konan attacked Simu’s corpse, but Hidan appeared and blocked the paper with his Three-Moon Blood Scythe.

Simu’s followers merged into the Apostle of Desire, a monstrous construct whose sound-based Genjutsu and tentacles threatened Pain and Konan. Pain summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to confront it, and the two monsters began to clash.

• Konan’s attacks failed to stop Hidan or prevent Simu’s followers from gathering into a grotesque mountain of flesh.
• The flesh mountain became the Apostle of Desire and unleashed a sound-based Genjutsu, which Pain dispelled for Konan with his Chakra.
• The Apostle of Desire compressed into a flesh ball and attacked with countless tentacles, forcing Konan to retreat while Pain stayed behind.
• Pain summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and it fired silver-white chains at the Apostle of Desire as the Apostle struck back with its tentacles.

Pain fought Kamizuki Simu’s Apostle of Desire and appeared to defeat it by attacking its souls, but Simu detonated the monster and destroyed Pain and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Simu then found Konan and Uzumaki Nagato, whose Rinnegan and Black Rods linked him to Pain.

• Pain restrained the Apostle of Desire with sealing chains and used the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path’s purple dragon to devour its souls.
• Kamizuki Simu ended the experiment, causing the Apostle of Desire to explode and devastate the battlefield; Pain survived the blast only as a badly damaged corpse, and the Demonic Statue vanished.
• Black and White Zetsu recovered Pain’s body, while Hidan crawled out of the bloody water and complained that Simu had not warned him about the explosion.
• Kamizuki Simu followed insects to a cave where Konan guarded a red-haired man with Rinnegan and Black Rods.
• The red-haired man introduced himself to Simu as Uzumaki Nagato.

Simu and Nagato tested each other’s strength, then began negotiating a partnership between Simu and Akatsuki. The chapter ended with Simu offering to help instigate the Fourth Shinobi World War in exchange for Nagato’s cooperation and valuable research materials.

• Simu deduced that the Pain he had fought was a clone, then tested the real Nagato’s power and was blasted from the cave by Shinra Tensei.
• Nagato judged that fighting Simu could be dangerous, and both men agreed to discuss cooperation instead of continuing their battle.
• Nagato asked Simu to help capture the Tailed Beasts and divert attacks from the Great Nations, offering intelligence and rare ninjutsu in return.
• Simu demanded part of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and a portion of every captured Tailed Beast’s essence for his research.
• Simu proposed helping Nagato instigate the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Simu persuaded Nagato to support his plan to arm nobles and Daimyo, believing it could spark a war and help Akatsuki capture the Tailed Beasts. Simu brought Hidan to Akatsuki's headquarters, where they met its members and were introduced to Tobi, Akatsuki's intern.

• Simu proposed giving nobles and Daimyo weapons to provoke conflict, and Nagato agreed to cooperate if Simu could prove the plan would work.
• Simu found Hidan at the explosion crater and told him they would not kill Nagato because they had reached an agreement.
• Simu took Hidan to Akatsuki's underground headquarters, where they encountered Pain and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
• Tobi, Konan, and Black and White Zetsu appeared, and Pain introduced the Akatsuki members and their codenames.
• The masked man introduced himself as Tobi, an Akatsuki intern without a codename.

Simu and Hidan joined Akatsuki, receiving their rings, uniforms, and promised research materials from Pain. Simu took over an underground base for his work and proposed turning Akatsuki into the Jashin Cult by converting all its members.

• Hidan attacked Tobi after Tobi disparaged Lord Jashin, but Tobi evaded the scythe and survived an explosion before Pain stopped their fight.
• Simu prevented Hidan from attacking the group and agreed that he and Hidan would join Akatsuki.
• Pain gave Simu the [Northern Dipper] ring and Hidan the [Three Platforms] ring, then explained their purpose and handed over uniforms and scrolls containing Yin Release ninjutsu and part of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's body.
• Simu took the scrolls and established himself in an Akatsuki underground base, where he summoned Black Beetles to prepare defenses and requested research equipment from Konan.
• Simu told Hidan that they could spread Lord Jashin's faith by converting everyone in Akatsuki, and Hidan eagerly accepted the idea.

Kamizuki Simu reviewed his expanding research and creations after joining Akatsuki, while Nagato and Konan weighed whether to trust his plans. Nagato sent Simu to clear out trouble in the Land of Rain and recruit newcomers as Akatsuki prepared to capture the Tailed Beasts and seek revenge.

• Simu checked his system panel and found that the Jashin Cult's growing reputation had brought him close to Level Four.
• Simu studied the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and discovered an unfamiliar, vitality-draining fungus and unusual plant-like genes.
• Simu advanced research into clone techniques and Yin and Yang Release, and developed Blood-Pouch Worms and Harpies.
• Konan warned Nagato that Simu's plans and growing resources might make him a threat, but Nagato said he could control Simu once he learned to capture the Tailed Beasts.
• Nagato told Konan to have Simu clear out trouble in the Land of Rain, recruit newcomers, and receive the research materials he requested.

Jugo, Xianai, and Uzumaki Rii began a mission to test their strength and teamwork by attacking a Yugakure stronghold. After Xianai scouted the six defenders, she launched a surprise attack, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Uzumaki Rii and Xianai argued over their loyalty to Simu until Jugo reminded them to focus on the mission.
• Jugo ordered Xianai to scout the stronghold, and she detected two Chunin and four Genin inside.
• The Yugakure ninja discussed the Ghouls advancing toward their village and doubted they could defeat them.
• Xianai revealed green wings and golden eyes, then unleashed a piercing birdcall as the stronghold's defenders cried out, "Enemy attack!"

Xianai, Uzumaki Rii, and Jugo attacked a Hidden Hot Water Village outpost and slaughtered its defenders. After they subdued the last Chunin, Jugo urged his bickering teammates to finish their mission.

• Xianai used a birdcall and Genjutsu to distract the outpost guards while Uzumaki Rii restrained four Genin with her tentacles.
• Uzumaki Rii crushed the four Genin, and Xianai and Jugo attacked the two Chunin.
• Jugo smashed through an Earth Wall and killed one Chunin with a blow that drove him into the ground.
• The remaining Chunin escaped through the mist, but Xianai found him in the forest and paralyzed him with senbon.
• Jugo's Sage Mode faded as the chapter explained how Simu's imprint, Xianai's Genjutsu, and Uzumaki Rii's Sealing Technique helped control his rampage.
• Xianai and Uzumaki Rii argued after the fight, and Jugo told them to focus on completing the mission.

After a wounded Yugakure Chunin named Linben became obsessed with hiding from the Jashin Lord and died by suicide, fear of the Jashin Cult spread through the village and the capital. Shangyuan tried to suppress the worship, but the chapter ended with a cleaner secretly restoring a broken Jashin Statue, whose cracked face seemed to smile.

• Shangyuan visited Linben in the hospital, where the Chunin begged people to hide from the Jashin Lord and refused to explain what he had seen.
• After Shangyuan left, Linben declared that offering everything to the Jashin Lord was the only way to escape hell, then jumped from the hospital window and died.
• Shangyuan ordered Linben's body concealed and news of the incident suppressed, but rumors and fear continued to spread.
• Shangyuan smashed a Jashin Statue and ordered that anyone found worshipping it be driven from the village.
• A cleaner secretly glued the broken Jashin Statue back together and bowed to it as a crack across its face made it appear to smile.

Hiruzen Sarutobi decided that Konoha would aid Hidden Hot Water Village against the Chosen People, both to prevent the Land of Wind from gaining influence in the Land of Rivers and to investigate the threat. He assigned Kakashi to lead the mission and left him to uncover how the monsters were created and investigate the Jashin Cult.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi shared Hidden Hot Water Village’s plea for help with Utatane Koharu, Shimura Danzō, and the other advisor, who discussed the village’s weakness and the region’s strategic importance.
• Shimura Danzō proposed using the mission to gain influence in Hidden Hot Water Village and benefit from the Land of Rivers’ silver mine, but Hiruzen refused to let Root handle it.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi chose Kakashi of the ANBU to lead Konoha’s assistance, and Danzo recognized the choice as a warning tied to Kakashi’s past in Root.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Kakashi to eliminate the monsters, find out how they came to be, and investigate the Jashin Cult.
• Kakashi accepted the mission scroll and vanished to begin his journey to Hidden Hot Water Village.

As Yugakure braced for an attack, Shiraishi Mori prepared to complete his revenge and told Mr. Crow that he wanted to make the powerful suffer and change the world. The village’s people and nobles turned to Jashin with terrified prayers and mass sacrifices as war began.

• Shiraishi Mori stood above Yugakure with Mr. Crow and reflected on his parents’ deaths and his coming revenge.
• Mr. Crow asked what future Shiraishi Mori wanted if his revenge succeeded, and Shiraishi Mori declared that he wanted to make the powerful feel the anger of the oppressed and teach the world true pain.
• Yugakure’s residents prayed to Jashin for protection as fear spread through the village.
• Nobles ordered slaves sacrificed in Jashin’s name and prayed for the god’s favor.
• War ignited amid the village’s prayers, wails, and fear.

Shiraishi Mori and the Ghouls launched a nighttime assault on Yugakure, overwhelming its defenders as he slaughtered the village’s ninjas. After Yugakure’s fighters trapped and immobilized him with coordinated techniques, a heavyset ninja severed his flesh wings, leaving Shiraishi Mori grounded and in danger.

• Shiraishi Mori rode the Evil-Faced Ghost Snake into Yugakure and began the attack as the Ghouls stormed the village’s outer strongholds.
• Shangyuan organized Yugakure’s defenders, but their Kibaku Fuda failed to seriously injure the Evil-Faced Ghost Snake, which smashed buildings and caused civilian casualties.
• Shiraishi Mori killed the ninjas who confronted him, blocking their Water Release with his Koukaku and piercing them with his Rinkaku.
• A Yunin used an Earth Release swamp and a mud clone to restrain Shiraishi Mori, then lightning-charged senbon paralyzed him.
• A heavyset ninja cut off Shiraishi Mori’s flesh wings while a tall, thin ninja appeared beside him.

Shiraishi Mori fought two Yugakure Jonin, using his Kagune and Koukaku to defeat one and overwhelm Uemura. He impaled Uemura as the Jonin tried to escape underground, while the Demon Snake was still holding off the opposing forces.

• Shiraishi Mori decided to eliminate the two Jonin before the other fighters could join the battle, and Mr. Crow reported that the Demon Snake might only hold out for about ten minutes.
• Shiraishi Mori revealed his transformed Kagune and shattered the Jonin’s Earth Wall before pursuing the tall, thin Jonin.
• Shiraishi Mori avoided the Jonin’s lightning attack by severing his paralyzed Rinkaku, then smashed the Jonin through a house and killed him.
• Uemura crushed the ruins with his Earth Style technique, but Shiraishi Mori emerged in a larger form with six Rinkaku tails after replenishing his energy.
• Uemura tried to flee underground, but Shiraishi Mori caught and impaled him with a Rinkaku.