Recaps

Nara Dan met Yakushi Nonō in Sunagakure and immediately took her out, planning to force the pursuing Sand Ninja to abandon their chase. Sunagakure discovered that Meinai had vanished, and Rasa confronted Karuya about knowing the nurse.

• Nara Dan revealed that he knew Yakushi Nonō was a spy and dismissed her concerns about escaping Sunagakure with him.
• Nara Dan explained that Sunagakure would pursue them until the cost became too high, then warned Yakushi Nonō that she might refuse to reveal her intelligence about the Third Kazekage.
• Nara Dan grabbed Yakushi Nonō and carried her out of Sunagakure at great speed.
• Sunagakure noticed Meinai's disappearance within ten minutes, and Rasa confronted Karuya about whether she knew the nurse.

Rasa planned to kill Meinai to protect his political position, while Chiyo and Ebizo sent him after the spy and worried over Sunagakure’s leadership and Sasori’s disappearance. Nara Dan escorted Yakushi Nonō through the desert as bait for a counter-ambush, then charged into the Sand Ninja’s Wind Release attack without being harmed.

• Karuya told Rasa about her conversations with Meinai, and Rasa ordered her to stay home while he left on a mission to kill the spy.
• Chiyo and Ebizo discussed the threat of outsiders learning the truth about the Third Kazekage and the growing political strain in Sunagakure.
• Chiyo worried that Sasori’s disappearance might be connected to the Third Kazekage’s situation, while Ebizo said he had sent Rasa after the spy.
• Nara Dan set Yakushi Nonō down outside Sunagakure and told her to travel onward while he handled the coming ambush.
• Yakushi Nonō sensed killing intent in the desert, and a Sand Ninja attacked Nara Dan and her with Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.
• Nara Dan charged into the wind blades, which struck him like metal and failed to harm him.

Nara Dan effortlessly slaughtered the Sand Ninja pursuing him and Yakushi Nonō, prompting Chiyo to recall the weaker teams and send Pakura instead. As the pursuit finally stopped, Nara Dan sensed a hidden observer and destroyed its sand-made eye with his Gaze Technique.

• Nara Dan shattered a Sand Ninja’s Great Breakthrough, then killed him and three ambushers with his pressure technique.
• Yakushi Nonō watched Nara Dan dispatch the attackers and suspected he was strong enough to fight his way through an entire ninja village.
• Chiyo learned that every Sand Ninja team sent after the fugitives had been wiped out, recalled the remaining teams, and ordered Pakura to join the pursuit.
• Nara Dan killed more pursuers as Yakushi Nonō grew numb to the one-sided slaughter.
• Nara Dan sensed a hidden observer, fixed his gaze on the dune, and burst its sand-made eye with his Gaze Technique.

Nara Dan fought Rasa, breaking through his Gold Sand defenses and refusing to be bound by Magnet Release. As Rasa attempted to crush him with Gold Sand Funeral, Nara Dan unleashed the Jin Force gathered inside his body.

• Rasa formed a Gold Sand Shield to survive Nara Dan’s attack, but Nara Dan pierced it with a kunai that stopped just short of Rasa’s heart.
• Rasa used Thousand Needles Rain, then escaped the damaged shield with Sand Substitution and trapped Nara Dan in Gold Sand Imprisonment.
• Rasa declared victory and began Gold Sand Funeral, but Nara Dan clenched his hands and gathered Jin Force and Chakra inside his body.
• Nara Dan said he hated Rasa’s familiar line and released the gathered Jin Force in a tremendous burst.

Nara Dan defeated Rasa with a crushing blow and prepared to kill him, but Pakura appeared and took Yakushi Nonō hostage to bargain for Rasa’s life. Nara Dan dismissed her offers and warned that she would pay for not listening to his lesson.

• Nara Dan broke free of Rasa’s Gold Dust bindings and struck him with Crushing Fist—Hard-Soft, leaving him unconscious with shattered bones and organs.
• Nara Dan explained that attacks landing in under three milliseconds could not be reacted to, then approached Rasa and prepared to finish him with a Kunai.
• Pakura appeared and held Yakushi Nonō hostage, asking Nara Dan to let her take Rasa away.
• Nara Dan rejected Pakura’s offers and said he did not care about the spy, prompting Pakura to invoke the Will of Fire and Nonō’s value.
• Nara Dan told Pakura that children who failed to pay attention in class had to pay for it, leaving her alarmed.

Nara Dan killed Pakura and left Rasa mortally wounded before taking Yakushi Nonō away, while a hidden Sand Ninja squad survived. In Sunagakure, Chiyo and Ebizo mourned the loss of their strongest young fighters, and Chiyo ordered Azusa to hand over all the votes.

• Nara Dan used Life Magnetic Field—Pressure to stun Pakura, then smashed her head into the sand.
• Nara Dan led Yakushi Nonō away, and a nearby Sand Ninja squad emerged after he had left.
• The surviving Sand Ninja treated Rasa and carried him and Pakura's corpse back to Sunagakure, but Rasa died on the journey.
• Chiyo and Ebizo learned of Rasa and Pakura's deaths and despaired over Sunagakure's future.
• Chiyo ordered Azusa to hand over all the votes and said Tiger was outside.

Chiyo ordered Sunagakure to warn its shinobi about Nara Dan and allow them to abandon missions if they encountered him. As Dan traveled with Yakushi Nonō, she shared her theory about Sasori and the Third Kazekage’s disappearance, and Dan pressed her to explain her conclusion.

• Chiyo declared that Sunagakure needed a young leader, but Ebizo stopped her from sacrificing herself and used the Reanimation forbidden technique on Rasa’s body, dying in the process.
• Chiyo blamed Nara Dan for Ebizo’s death and swore to kill him.
• Nara Dan traveled along the Land of Wind border with Yakushi Nonō and asked what she had learned while undercover in Sunagakure.
• Yakushi Nonō reported that the Third Kazekage had vanished and suggested that Sasori had killed him, noting that Chiyo concealed Sasori’s disappearance.
• Nara Dan asked Yakushi Nonō what motive Sasori might have had and challenged her to explain how she reached her conclusion.

Yakushi Nonō inferred that Sasori was likely hiding in the Land of Rivers, and Nara Dan took her there. In Konoha, the Third reviewed reports of Dan’s exploits in the Land of Wind and questioned whether releasing him had been a mistake.

• Yakushi Nonō reasoned that Sasori had likely killed the Third Kazekage without Chiyo’s knowledge and had fled Sunagakure.
• Yakushi Nonō concluded that Sasori was probably in the Land of Rivers because its mineral wealth could supply materials for his puppets.
• Nara Dan picked up Yakushi Nonō and announced that they were going to the Land of Rivers.
• The Third read reports about Nara Dan’s actions in the Land of Wind and suspected Sunagakure had exaggerated his victories to damage its own reputation.
• The Third doubted that Nara Dan could have easily defeated both Rasa and Pakura, and wondered whether releasing Dan had been for the best.

The Third, Ōnoki, and Madara Uchiha learned of Nara Dan’s growing reputation and considered what it meant for their plans. Ōnoki chose surveillance over an attack, while Madara dismissed Dan and continued preparing Obito Uchiha for his scheme.

• The Third worried that Nara Dan was growing too powerful to control and decided he needed to take measures.
• Ōnoki learned that Nara Dan was near the Land of Rivers with a female ninja and considered sending Roshi to kill him.
• Ōnoki abandoned the assassination plan and ordered his agents to monitor Nara Dan’s movements.
• Madara Uchiha dismissed Nara Dan as an ordinary Taijutsu ninja and asked White Zetsu about the Uchiha Clan’s selection.
• White Zetsu reported finding Obito Uchiha, and Madara explained that the Uchiha’s power came from both love and hatred before ordering White Zetsu to continue the plan.

Nara Dan took Yakushi Nonō to the Land of Rivers to find Sasori without alerting Konoha's leadership. They tracked him to a small mine, where Sasori greeted them from inside.

• Nara Dan carried Yakushi Nonō at extreme speed to the Land of Rivers, then admitted he was looking for Sasori as a secret political bargaining chip.
• Yakushi Nonō warned that finding Sasori depended on whether he had killed the Third Kazekage, then advised Nara Dan to search the region's mineral deposits.
• Nara Dan and Yakushi Nonō followed reports of a boy dressed like Sasori to a small mine and sensed two powerful Chakra signatures nearby.
• Yakushi Nonō noticed poisonous air at the mine entrance and neutralized the toxins with an antidote pill.
• Nara Dan and Yakushi Nonō reached the underground mine entrance, where Sasori laughed and called them fools for coming to his lair.

Nara Dan confronted Scorpion in a mine and challenged him to use his human puppet, the Third Kazekage. After Nara Dan effortlessly destroyed Scorpion’s spider puppet, Scorpion summoned the Third Kazekage puppet to continue the fight.

• Scorpion emerged from the mine in a giant spider puppet and threatened to turn the Konoha ninja into materials.
• Nara Dan told Scorpion to use the Third Kazekage human puppet, revealing that he knew Scorpion’s secrets.
• Scorpion attacked with a barrage of weapons, flames, wind, and poison gas from his puppet.
• Nara Dan scattered the attacks with Gentle Fist: God Vacuum Attack and destroyed the spider puppet with a Chakra strike.
• Scorpion panicked at Nara Dan’s strength, then summoned the Third Kazekage human puppet.

Nara Dan defeated Sasori’s Third Kazekage Human Puppet by cutting through its Iron Sand and severing its Chakra Threads. He examined the puppet afterward, puzzled by how it retained Magnet Release despite having no apparent life.

• Sasori summoned the Third Kazekage Human Puppet and unleashed its Iron Sand across the battlefield.
• Nara Dan endured Sasori’s Iron Sand attacks, while Yakushi Nonō watched in shock at his immense Chakra.
• Sasori trapped Nara Dan inside an Iron Sand barrier and attacked him with a storm of spikes.
• Nara Dan used Mountain Severing to slice through the barrier and sever every Chakra Thread controlling the puppet.
• Nara Dan examined the defeated puppet and questioned how its preserved organs could enable its Kekkei Genkai.

Nara Dan discovered that Sasori’s Human Puppet Chakra Cores used Gelel Ore to store souls and power their abilities. After realizing the ore supply limited the technique, he collected Sasori’s research notes and the remaining ore from the laboratory.

• Nara Dan removed the Third Kazekage puppet’s Chakra Core and examined how it contained a soul and a large amount of Chakra.
• Sasori claimed his poison had finally taken effect, but Yakushi Nonō explained that Nara Dan’s constitution resisted most poisons.
• Nara Dan entered Sasori’s mine laboratory and read his notes on creating Human Puppets and storing souls.
• Nara Dan found Gelel Ore and deduced that it powered the Chakra Cores while limiting how many Human Puppets Sasori could sustain.
• Nara Dan used a Sealing Scroll to collect Sasori’s notes, Gelel Ore, and other useful laboratory materials.

Nara Dan encountered Roshi, the Four-Tails’ Jinchuriki, outside the mine and prepared to fight him despite being worn down. Roshi launched a Lava Release attack, while Nara Dan’s blue Chakra aura pushed the magma away.

• Nara Dan used the Body Flicker Technique to reach the mine entrance, where Yakushi Nonō faced Roshi and Sasori lay nearby.
• Roshi recognized Nara Dan from their fight half a year earlier and decided to attack, believing Nara Dan was weakened.
• Son Goku warned Roshi that Nara Dan had become much stronger and advised him not to fight.
• Nara Dan taunted Roshi and waited until Yakushi Nonō had moved Sasori to safety.
• Roshi activated the Four-Tails’ Chakra and used Lava Release: Mount Huaguo, but Nara Dan raised a sapphire-blue Chakra aura that swept the magma away.

Nara Dan overwhelmed Roshi with his enhanced strength and speed, then forced him to fully transform into the Four-Tails. As Nara Dan prepared to study the Tailed Beast, the Four-Tails did something he had not expected.

• Nara Dan used the Human Body Secret Technique to rush Roshi and batter him with powerful punches and kicks.
• Roshi covered himself in Tailed Beast Chakra and attacked with a Chakra hand, but Nara Dan grabbed it and repeatedly swung him into the ground.
• Sasori watched the fight and realized his puppets would not withstand Nara Dan's strength.
• Roshi unleashed a surge of Tailed Beast Chakra, broke free, and completed his transformation into the Four-Tails.
• Nara Dan studied the Four-Tails with curiosity and prepared to fight, but the Four-Tails did something unexpected.

Nara Dan drove Roshi and the Four-Tails off, then escaped the Land of Rivers with Yakushi Nonō and Sasori before other villages could investigate. He ordered Nonō to take Sasori to the Konoha Orphanage and seal his Chakra, making her prove her loyalty.

• The Four-Tails fled from Nara Dan, who decided not to pursue it and left the area with Yakushi Nonō and Sasori.
• Nara Dan collapsed Sasori’s mine, and spies found traces of Lava Release, Tailed Beast Chakra, and the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand, leading them to suspect the Third Kazekage had tried to capture the Four-Tails.
• Roshi regained control and angrily drove off an Iwagakure spy who asked whether he had fought the missing Third Kazekage.
• Nara Dan took Yakushi Nonō and Sasori to the Land of Fire at high speed, leaving both of them vomiting.
• Nara Dan told Yakushi Nonō to take Sasori to the Konoha Orphanage and seal all his Chakra.

Yakushi Nonō accepted that she and Sasori would be under Nara Dan’s control, while the Third Raikage raised the bounty on Konoha’s Black Demon. Nara Dan returned to Konoha and went straight to the Nara clan grounds, where he met the Nara Clan Head and Nara Shikaku.

• Yakushi Nonō decided she could protect Sasori by hiding him among the orphans, and Sasori remained stunned by his loss of freedom.
• The Third Raikage read Sunagakure’s report on Nara Dan, added fifty million ryō to the bounty on Konoha’s Black Demon, and told Cloud Ninja that abandoning a mission against him would not count as failure.
• Nara Shikaku told the Nara Clan Head that Nara Dan had returned and that people were calling him the new Demigod of the Ninja World.
• The Nara Clan Head told Nara Shikaku that the Nara clan could no longer control Nara Dan and would have to choose a side carefully.
• Nara Dan arrived at the clan head’s office without first visiting the Third Hokage and greeted the Nara Clan Head and Nara Shikaku.

Dan returned to the Nara Clan grounds, denied the Sand Ninja’s rumors about his strength, and relied on the clan head to keep the rumors from making Konoha’s leadership wary. He discussed the Immortal-Eating Technique’s progress and learned that many Nara had improved their physical abilities.

• The clan head welcomed Dan and asked if the Sand Ninja’s rumors about him were true.
• Dan claimed his encounter with Rasa and Pakura had nearly killed him, and the clan head agreed to help contain the rumors.
• The clan head reasoned that Dan wanted Konoha’s leadership to lower its guard and resolved to keep the Nara Clan’s profile low.
• Dan told Shikaku about traveling through the Land of Wind and the dangers of surviving in its desert.
• The clan head reported that nearly every Nara member with sufficient aptitude had learned the Immortal-Eating Technique, and several had reached Elite Chunin level in Taijutsu.

Nara Dan gave the Nara Clan guidance on the Immortal-Eating Technique and Gelel Ore, while the Third Hokage weighed the political risks of Dan’s growing influence. After Dan returned from his mission in the Land of Wind, the Third greeted him warmly and dismissed the Sand Ninja’s rumors as a conspiracy.

• Nara Dan explained the Immortal-Eating Technique’s training methods to Nara Dan and Nara Shikaku, then gave them Gelel Ore for the clan’s young members.
• The Nara Clan Head considered arranging a marriage for Nara Dan while wondering about a possible alliance with the Uchiha Clan.
• The Third Hokage worried that Nara Dan’s loyalty to his clan and ties to the Hyuga Clan were strengthening his political influence, but decided to leave matters alone for now.
• After receiving unexpected news, the Third Hokage welcomed Nara Dan, who reported that his plan to infiltrate Sunagakure had failed and that he had caused a scene instead.
• The Third Hokage advised Nara Dan not to underestimate the Sand Ninja and assured him that Konoha would treat the rumors as a Sand Ninja conspiracy.

Nara Dan reassured the Third Hokage that he supported his leadership, while privately planning to grow strong enough to challenge the existing order after the Third Shinobi World War. The Third assigned Kakashi to Minato, but Nara Dan believed Kakashi’s loyalty and outlook had already been shaped by him.

• The Nara Clan spread conflicting rumors about Nara Dan to drown out the Sand Ninja’s claims, signaling that the clan stood with the Third.
• Nara Dan assured the Third of his loyalty and accepted the decision to have Minato train Kakashi, while privately believing Kakashi had already been shaped by him.
• The Third told Nara Dan that Minato had returned and that Kakashi would join Minato’s squad.
• Ino Rinya and Hyuga Nana discussed Kakashi’s transfer, and Nana explained that the Third had arranged it to balance political factions.

Kakashi took comfort in knowing Nara Dan still considered him a student, while Jiraiya grew increasingly wary of Dan’s strength and decided to speak with his teacher. Nara Dan then met Danzō at the Shimura compound, where Danzō defended his Root duties as a division of work.

• Hyuga Nana reassured Kakashi that Nara Dan still acknowledged him, and Ino Rinya joked that he would surpass Kakashi under Dan’s teaching.
• Jiraiya questioned Tsunade about reports of Nara Dan’s exploits, then privately assessed Dan as a threat few in Konoha could stop.
• Jiraiya worried about Orochimaru’s experiments and resolved to warn his teacher not to underestimate Nara Dan.
• A Root ninja summoned Nara Dan to meet Danzō at the Shimura compound.
• Nara Dan teased Danzō about enjoying leisure while others handled missions, and Danzō laughed as he described his responsibilities managing Root.

Nara Dan received the promised Scroll of Seals from Danzo and discovered that Konoha had deliberately removed several powerful techniques. Danzo tried to recruit him into Root, but Nara Dan invoked the Third Hokage’s authority and left Danzo uncertain about his intentions.

• Danzo praised Nara Dan for completing his mission and protecting the Wandering Miko, then handed him the Scroll of Seals.
• Nara Dan read the scroll and noticed that techniques including Flying Thunder God Technique, Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, Creation Rebirth, and Dead Demon Consuming Seal were missing.
• Danzo explained that Nara Dan could keep the scroll for only one day and offered to obtain any technique for him if he joined Root.
• Nara Dan declined to commit and pointed out that the Third had to approve his joining Root, leading Danzo to suspect that the Third had turned him against Root.

Nara Dan left Danzo after securing Yakushi Nonō as his subordinate, while Danzo quietly resolved to use her to gain control over him and the Hokage seat. Back at his residence, Nara Dan studied the Spirit Transformation Technique and reflected on how mastery of the soul underlay true cultivation.

• Danzo asked Nara Dan what he thought of Yakushi Nonō, then assigned her to follow him.
• Danzo encouraged Nara Dan to take advantage of Nonō and privately vowed to make Nara Dan and the Hokage seat his.
• Nara Dan returned to his residence and settled into meditation after his meetings with Konoha's leaders.
• Nara Dan examined the Scroll of Seals and chose to study the Spirit Transformation Technique.
• Nara Dan considered the soul the source of bodily mastery and judged that the shinobi system focused too heavily on techniques.

Nara Dan studied the Spirit Transformation Technique and found that his powerful body made separating his spirit unbearably painful, forcing him to consider how to cultivate body and soul together. After a fruitless night of study, he decided to seek another way to explore the soul, just as Kurenai arrived and rushed into his arms.

• Nara Dan studied the Spirit Transformation Technique and used Yin Release to separate spiritual energy from chakra.
• Nara Dan tried to bring forth a Spirit Body, but the attempt caused agonizing pain because his powerful body and soul had become closely joined.
• Nara Dan realized that practicing the technique might require sacrificing some of his God-Seeing Indestructibility, and considered pursuing the Flesh Martial Dao or a soul-focused path.
• Nara Dan resolved that he could cultivate his body and soul together, aided by his Cheat System.
• After studying through the night without making progress, Nara Dan considered exploring the soul through the Impure World Reincarnation or the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
• A servant announced that Miss Kurenai had arrived, and Kurenai rushed into Nara Dan's arms.

Kurenai Yuhi worried over Nara Dan after hearing false rumors that he had been crippled, and he reassured her before meeting Minato Namikaze and Kakashi. Minato raised his concerns about Kakashi’s transfer, while Dan recognized Minato’s extraordinary talents and heard him argue that the assignment would harm the boy’s development.

• Kurenai Yuhi checked Nara Dan for injuries and scolded him for undertaking a dangerous mission alone after hearing rumors that he had lost limbs.
• Nara Dan comforted Kurenai Yuhi, reflected on the value of human affection, and learned that Minato Namikaze had come to see him.
• Nara Dan met Minato Namikaze and Kakashi in the front courtyard, where Minato praised Dan’s taijutsu reputation.
• Nara Dan inspected Minato Namikaze’s Talent Entries and found that he possessed Space-Time Talent, Ninja Talent, Super Neural Reflex, and Child of Destiny.
• Minato Namikaze said he had come to discuss Kakashi and opposed transferring him, arguing that the assignment would be bad for a child’s development.