Recaps

Ōnoki brought Iwagakure's ten-thousand-strong army out of hiding to ambush Nara Dan and the Konoha forces. As Ōnoki confronted Dan, Dan suspected that hidden forces were manipulating the war, and the chapter ended with Ōnoki demanding to know whether Iwagakure's leaders could be trampled so easily.

• Ōnoki overcame his fear of Nara Dan and chose to face him, urging Kitsuchi to do the same.
• Iwagakure used Earth Style: Ten Thousand Mile Stealth to emerge from underground with an army of ten thousand ninja.
• Nara Dan assessed Iwagakure's disciplined forces and wondered whether the string of events targeting him was more than coincidence.
• Nara Dan sensed that unseen hands were manipulating the world and looked toward the empty distance.
• Ōnoki rose above his army and asked Nara Dan how he had discovered them, then challenged him over Iwagakure's leaders.

Nara Dan confronted Ōnoki and attacked after the Tsuchikage chose to retreat rather than risk fighting him. Dan badly wounded Han and pursued Ōnoki, but dodged a Dust Release explosion, leaving the Iwagakure forces anxiously searching the smoke.

• Nara Dan taunted Ōnoki, who began drifting backward after judging that attacking Dan would put himself and the Iwagakure army at risk.
• Dan charged Ōnoki, broke through his barrier, and dodged the Tsuchikage’s Dust Release at close range.
• Han intercepted Dan’s punch and attacked with boiling steam, but Dan struck his neck with Gang Qi and left him gravely injured.
• Dan pursued Ōnoki, while Kitsuchi used Mountain Earth Technique to block his path.
• Dan’s Pineal Gland warned him of danger, and he dodged as Ōnoki used Dust Release to destroy the earth formation.
• Ōnoki, Kitsuchi, and the Iwagakure Ninja watched the smoke tensely, uncertain whether Dan had been harmed.

Dan developed the Yin-Yang Sage Gang Sphere by combining Gang Qi, Yin-Yang Release, and Natural Energy while fighting Ōnoki. He bypassed Ōnoki and reached the Iwagakure army, leaving the sphere poised to strike as Ōnoki's Dust Release swallowed his afterimage.

• Dan formed a Tailed Beast Bomb-inspired sphere and considered how limited its power was without the Tailed Beasts' enormous Chakra reserves.
• Ōnoki and Kitsuchi ordered the Iwagakure Ninja to raise an earthen defense as Dan drew on Natural Energy and pursued Ōnoki.
• Ōnoki split into three figures and attacked Dan with Split Atomic Dismantling Jutsu, but Dan vanished from the explosion.
• Dan broke through the earthen cover and entered the Iwagakure army, then fused Natural Energy with Gang Qi to complete the Yin-Yang Sage Gang Sphere.
• Ōnoki launched Limit Dismantling Jutsu while Kitsuchi used Earth Style: Core of the Earth, but Dan vanished and left the sphere suspended above the army.

Nara Dan’s Senjutsu sphere collided with Ōnoki’s Dust Release and devastated the Iwagakure army, leaving Ōnoki to order a retreat. Dan let the surviving Iwagakure Ninja withdraw, but the threats gathering around the world made him feel he still needed greater strength.

• Ōnoki sent Dust Release into Nara Dan’s Senjutsu sphere, triggering a blinding eruption that carved a vast crater and wiped out more than five thousand Iwagakure Ninja.
• Nara Dan realized the Five-Tails had blocked part of the sphere’s power and examined the crater while injured Iwagakure Ninja discovered their limbs had been vaporized.
• Ōnoki fired Dust Release at the blinded Konoha army, but Nara Dan intercepted it with Natural Energy and made the beam explode.
• Ōnoki ordered a retreat, and Kitsuchi led the remaining Iwagakure Ninja underground with Earth Style: Ten Thousand Mile Stealth.
• Nara Dan let the Iwagakure forces escape because he was exhausted and did not want Konoha surrounded by enemies, then resolved to grow strong enough to sweep across the world.

The Third Raikage learned that Nara Dan had routed Ōnoki and the Iwagakure army, then ordered the Cloud forces to exploit Iwagakure’s weakened state while preparing for Konoha’s growing threat. He left determined to intercept Ōnoki and ordered Killer B, A, and Cloud units near Konoha’s border to return or withdraw.

• The Third Raikage learned that Ōnoki had taken Iwagakure’s main army to the Land of Fire rather than meeting the Cloud forces at the border.
• The Third Raikage initially decided to wait for news, suspecting Ōnoki had prepared a backup plan and planning to act after the battle.
• A Cloud Ninja agent delivered a report that Nara Dan had defeated Chiyo’s forces, routed Ōnoki and Han, and killed five thousand Iwagakure Ninja.
• The Third Raikage recognized Nara Dan as a threat comparable to Hashirama Senju and resolved to test him in battle.
• The Third Raikage ordered the Cloud forces to intercept Ōnoki and told Killer B, A, and units facing Konoha to return or withdraw.

In the wake of Nara Dan’s victory over the Sand and Iwagakure forces, he weighed Konoha’s orders against Uchiha Fugaku’s plea for help and agreed to aid the Uchiha. He then assessed the limits of his power and considered seeking resources from another world to advance further.

• The Third Mizukage ordered the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and his other forces to intensify their attacks and push toward Konoha before Nara Dan could intervene.
• Konoha’s shinobi celebrated Nara Dan’s victory, while he dismissed Konoha High Command’s order for him to return and examined Fugaku’s secret request for aid.
• Uchiha Mikoto asked Nara Dan to save the Uchiha and said the clan was already ruled by him; he agreed not to leave them in danger.
• Nara Dan considered how helping the Uchiha could bring him closer to Indra’s reincarnation and the power of Yin-Yang Release.
• Nara Dan judged himself still short of Hashirama Senju’s peak, rejected using Otsutsuki genes to advance, and decided to draw resources from another world.

Kurenai Yuhi fled a Cloud Ninja Jonin after her squad was ambushed, then fought him using the battle awareness and Taijutsu Nara Dan had taught her. The Jonin survived her strongest attack and realized she was closely connected to Dan, leaving him intent on capturing her for leverage.

• A Cloud Ninja squad ambushed Kurenai Yuhi's patrol, scattering the Konoha ninja and forcing her to flee while a Jonin pursued her.
• Kurenai decided she could not outrun the Cloud Ninja Jonin and prepared to fight with her Chakra Blade.
• She used the battle awareness Nara Dan had taught her to dodge the Jonin's attacks and counter him in Taijutsu.
• Kurenai caught the Jonin with Hell Viewing Technique and launched a powerful Chakra Blade attack, but he escaped by activating Lightning Release.
• The Jonin recognized Dan's influence in Kurenai's skills and suspected capturing her could give the Cloud Ninja leverage over the Evil Ghost of Konoha.

Kakashi arrived in time to save Kurenai from a middle-aged Cloud Ninja, defeating him with a burst of speed before Obito and Rin reached them. After Rin healed Kurenai, Kakashi called her his teacher’s wife, prompting Obito to misunderstand who he meant.

• The middle-aged Cloud Ninja overwhelmed the weakened Kurenai, leaving her nearly paralyzed by Lightning Release.
• Kakashi appeared and fought the Cloud Ninja, then used Release: Jian to cut his neck and defeat him.
• Obito arrived and burned the falling Cloud Ninja’s body with a Great Fireball Technique, claiming he had saved the day.
• Rin used Medical Ninjutsu to help Kurenai recover, and Kakashi asked whether his teacher’s wife was all right.
• Obito mistook Kakashi’s words for a reference to Minato, and Rin explained that Kakashi meant his other teacher.

Kakashi and Kurenai Yuhi survived an ambush by three Mist Jonin after Kurenai unleashed the aura Nara Dan had sealed in her blade, but Obito and Rin vanished during the fight. Kakashi took Kurenai to safety and planned to report the suspicious attack.

• Kakashi, Obito, and Rin prepared to take the exhausted Kurenai Yuhi to a Konoha outpost when three Mist Jonin ambushed them and captured Obito and Rin.
• Kakashi used Earth Release and Human Body Release to kill one Mist Jonin, but the two remaining attackers began a combined Great Waterfall Technique.
• Kurenai activated the contingency Nara Dan had sealed in her Chakra Blade, freezing everyone on the battlefield except herself and interrupting the Mist Jonin's attack.
• Kakashi recovered from the aura's effects and beheaded the two remaining Mist Jonin before they could move.
• Kakashi found no sign of Obito or Rin among the bodies, and Kurenai reported seeing a white shadow carry them away.
• Kakashi helped Kurenai up and said he would report the incident before they headed to safety.

White Zetsu brought the unconscious Obito and Rin to Uchiha Madara, who ordered Rin taken away for the Three-Tails plan. Nara Dan sensed that his backup plan had been triggered and chose a route toward the Land of Water, while Madara began considering him as the person who might kill Rin and strengthen Obito's resolve.

• White Zetsu escaped with Obito and Rin after being frightened by the lingering aura of Nara Dan's sword.
• Nara Dan sensed a presence connected to him flicker out near the Land of Lightning and chose the road toward the Land of Water.
• White Zetsu reported the mission to Uchiha Madara, who dismissed his odd claims about breathing and farting.
• Uchiha Madara recognized Rin's pure heart and ordered White Zetsu to take her away for the plan to seal the Three-Tails inside her.
• Uchiha Madara considered who should kill Rin to manipulate Obito and settled on Nara Dan as a possible choice.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen slaughtered Konoha forces at the border and prepared to advance into the heartland. Might Duy stood to face them so the younger shinobi could escape, while Might Guy realized his father intended to use the Eight Inner Gates.

• The Seven Ninja Swordsmen argued over their orders, then followed the yellow-haired swordsman’s call to defeat the Konoha shinobi quickly.
• The swordsmen overwhelmed the five hundred Konoha shinobi, causing most of them to flee.
• Might Guy, Shiranui Genma, and Ebisu tried to escape, but Might Duy stopped and urged them to face their fear.
• Might Guy recognized that Might Duy might use the Eight Inner Gates, and father and son affirmed their resolve to protect their comrades.
• Might Duy formed Hand Seals and told Ebisu to take Might Guy away while he held off the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
• Kurosuki Raiga and Suikazan Fuguki dismissed Might Duy as an insignificant Konoha Genin and prepared to kill him.

As the Mist battlefield overwhelmed the Uchiha with numbers, fog, and elemental advantage, Uchiha Fugaku revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan and summoned Susanoo. He withdrew it when Nara Dan arrived as reinforcements, leaving the battle poised for his intervention.

• Kurosuki Raiga charged Might Duy, who opened the Fourth Gate.
• A Mist Ninja used the Hidden Mist Technique and a Water Clone to deceive and kill an Uchiha ninja, as the Uchiha suffered heavy losses across the battlefield.
• Uchiha Fugaku struggled against several Mist Ninja Jonin and weighed revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan to reverse the Uchiha's retreat.
• Fugaku awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and summoned a ten-meter-tall Susanoo, shocking the Mist Ninja.
• Nara Dan arrived at extraordinary speed, and Fugaku withdrew Susanoo after recognizing the reinforcements.

Nara Dan used overwhelming speed to slaughter Mist Ninja forces after arriving to aid Uchiha Fugaku, forcing the Mist Ninja to retreat by sea. He watched from the shore as their warships sailed away.

• Nara Dan reassured Uchiha Fugaku that he had arrived in time and said ending the war was their priority.
• Nara Dan killed the Mist Ninja Jonin confronting Uchiha Fugaku and told him to gather his clan and stay out of the fighting.
• Nara Dan sped between battlefields, killing Mist Ninja squads before the Uchiha shinobi could react.
• Mist Ninja commanders ordered their forces to retreat after recognizing Nara Dan as Konoha's Demon.
• Nara Dan waited at the coast and let the Mist Ninja board their warships and sail away, killing only Jonin who attacked him.

Nara Dan used his Gang Qi Sword to cut down the retreating Mist Ninja fleet and several thousand shinobi, unsettling Uchiha Fugaku with his detached attitude toward killing. As Dan reflected on his growing distance from ordinary humanity, a huge crash and surge of Chakra erupted from the nearby forest.

• Nara Dan formed a Gang Qi Sword and sent it streaking across the coast, slicing the Mist Ninja commanders and their ships in half.
• Uchiha Fugaku arrived after gathering the Uchiha Clan, learned that Nara Dan had killed every Mist Ninja, and became wary of Dan’s lack of remorse.
• Nara Dan told Fugaku that shinobi were weapons and that wars were started by leaders, while reassuring him that he treated friends differently from enemies.
• Nara Dan reflected on his growing power, his distance from ordinary humans, and his struggle to retain his sense of humanity.
• A tremendous crash sounded from the nearby forest, followed by a vast surge of Chakra.

Might Duy fought the Seven Ninja Swordsmen with the Sixth Gate, then opened the Gate of Death when he could not overcome their teamwork. He unleashed Morning Peacock and sent the swordsmen fleeing, then pursued them as the hunter.

• Nara Dan and Uchiha Fugaku saw a surge of blue chakra where five hundred Konoha ninja had been sent to delay the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and Nara Dan went to investigate.
• The Seven Ninja Swordsmen coordinated their attacks against Might Duy, disrupting his movements and forcing him to recognize that the Sixth Gate was not enough to stop them.
• Might Duy resolved to open the Gate of Death, thinking of his son Might Guy and Nara Dan before releasing the Eight Inner Gates' crimson aura.
• Might Duy used Morning Peacock to overwhelm the Seven Swordsmen's combined techniques and set the nearby trees ablaze.
• Suikazan Fuguki and the other swordsmen fled, and Might Duy pursued them as the hunter.

Nara Dan arrived on the Mist Ninja battlefield, stopped Might Duy’s Eight Inner Gates from killing him, and sent him back with Might Guy and the others. Meanwhile, Suikazan Fuguki reached the coast and discovered Samehada was terrified of someone approaching.

• Nara Dan restrained Might Duy, silently closed his Eight Inner Gates, and treated his old injuries before ordering him to retreat with Might Guy, Ebisu, and Shiranui Genma.
• Might Duy praised Nara Dan’s Taijutsu and urged Might Guy to follow his example, inspiring Guy to make Dan his goal.
• Nara Dan vanished to pursue the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, while Might Duy concluded that Dan had surpassed the Eight Inner Gates.
• Suikazan Fuguki reached the Land of Fire’s coastline, found no Mist Ninja ships, and considered fleeing rather than returning to Kirigakure.
• Samehada struggled against Fuguki, who realized the sword was afraid, as Nara Dan appeared and addressed him as Samehada’s wielder.

Nara Dan caught Suikazan Fuguki, whose Samehada abandoned him, and killed him to finish off the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. After examining and merging with Samehada, Nara Dan discovered it enhanced his Natural Energy sensing and control, leaving him eager to explore its potential.

• Nara Dan arrived with the other six Ninja Swords floating behind him, and Samehada broke free of Suikazan Fuguki to join him.
• Suikazan Fuguki recognized the danger and fled, but Nara Dan cut him into pieces with Gang Qi, ending the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
• Nara Dan examined Samehada's living, metal-like structure and found that it held a consciousness and a vast store of Chakra.
• Samehada merged with Nara Dan's right arm, giving it a blue, scaled, gill-marked appearance and increasing his Chakra reserves.
• Nara Dan realized Samehada improved his ability to sense and control Natural Energy, and Sage Mode runes spread across his transformed arm.

Nara Dan sealed the six Ninja Swords against summoning and sensed a Tailed Beast’s chakra, suspecting Madara Uchiha was making a move. He chose not to confront Madara and headed after the Uchiha Clan, while the Third Mizukage learned that the swords could not all be summoned.

• Nara Dan restrained the six Ninja Swords with Gang Qi and sealed their summoning formulas, while Samehada remained at his side.
• Nara Dan sensed a Tailed Beast’s chakra over the sea and considered how his actions had changed events involving Madara Uchiha and the Three-Tails.
• Nara Dan decided not to pursue Madara, reasoning that he could claim the Rinnegan and deal with Obito later, then headed toward the Uchiha Clan’s retreat.
• A subordinate told the Third Mizukage that someone had interrupted the summoning of six swords and that Samehada had refused to be summoned.

The Third Mizukage accepted that Kirigakure had been defeated and ordered surrender documents prepared, but a hidden Genjutsu made him withdraw the guards watching Isobu. At the Land of Fire's border, Uchiha Fugaku pledged the Uchiha Clan's loyalty to Nara Dan after Dan's reinforcement saved them from even greater losses.

• The Third Mizukage learned that Nara Dan had wiped out the Mist Ninja Army and ordered surrender documents prepared with a clause demanding negotiations with Dan.
• A subordinate reported that someone was trying to take Isobu, and a Genjutsu briefly affected the Third Mizukage.
• The Third Mizukage ordered the guards watching Isobu to withdraw and treated the matter as a confidential S-Rank mission.
• Uchiha Fugaku reviewed the battle's casualties and lamented that more than half of his clan had been injured or killed.
• Nara Dan arrived, and Fugaku pledged that the Uchiha Clan would follow him.

Nara Dan entrusted Uchiha Fugaku with six sealed Mist swords and met Might Duy and Might Guy after returning victorious. After examining Duy, Dan warned that continued intense training could kill him before he turned forty, leaving Guy desperate to save his father.

• Nara Dan told Fugaku he did not need to commit seppuku and gave him the six sealed Ninja Swords to store or distribute.
• Fugaku recognized the swords as belonging to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and realized Dan had defeated their owners.
• Might Duy and Might Guy arrived, and Duy praised Dan for defeating the enemies and celebrated the power of youth with his son.
• Dan examined Duy and warned him that further intense training could leave him dead before forty and cause him to age rapidly.
• Might Duy accepted the cost of youth, but Might Guy dropped to his knees and pleaded with Dan after hearing the warning.

Nara Dan explained the Way of the Flesh to Might Duy, helping him recognize that his exhausting training had been damaging his body rather than advancing his Taijutsu. He accepted Might Duy and Might Guy as students, while Uchiha Fugaku began wondering whether his own children could learn from Nara Dan.

• Nara Dan told Might Duy that conventional Taijutsu training squandered the body's potential and urged him to follow the Way of the Flesh.
• Might Duy realized he had pursued hard work in the wrong direction and abandoned his fixation on mindless exertion.
• Nara Dan privately considered how Chakra had constrained humanity's physical development and resolved to confront the Otsutsuki when he learned more about them.
• Might Duy and Might Guy knelt and asked Nara Dan to take Guy as his disciple, but Nara Dan lifted them with Gang Qi and accepted them both as students.
• Uchiha Fugaku watched Nara Dan accept the Might family and wondered whether his son or daughter could receive Nara Dan's teachings.

Nara Dan confronted Rin Nohara, who had been turned into a Three-Tails Jinchuriki and sent under Uchiha Madara’s control. After suspecting the Sage of Six Paths was using Madara’s plan to target him, Dan destroyed Rin’s Tailed Beast Bomb and prepared to face her.

• Nara Dan sensed an approaching threat and told Uchiha Fugaku that he was the target, ordering the Uchiha to retreat.
• Rin Nohara charged toward Dan in a Three-Tails transformation, controlled by Uchiha Madara.
• Dan concluded that the Sage of Six Paths had manipulated Madara’s plan to target him and declared that he would confront them both.
• Rin formed a small Tailed Beast Bomb, and Dan punched it, causing it to explode and leaving Rin badly injured.
• Rin roared as Tailed Beast Chakra began healing her, while Dan stood unharmed nearby.

Nara Dan tried to suppress Rin Nohara’s Tailed Beast transformation, but Madara Uchiha’s hidden control turned the confrontation into a battle inside her mental world. Nara Dan destroyed Madara’s mental presence and found Rin asleep beside a subdued Three-Tails.

• Nara Dan’s seals failed to contain Rin Nohara’s Tailed Beast Chakra, and her transformation began to overwhelm her.
• Rin’s Three Tomoe Sharingan interrupted the transformation and attacked Nara Dan’s mind with powerful Yin Release Chakra.
• Nara Dan entered Rin’s mental world, identified Madara Uchiha’s presence, and resisted his Amaterasu and the Three-Tails’ attack.
• Nara Dan enlarged his Dharma Manifestation and used Heaven Opening to split and devour the mental world, destroying Madara Uchiha’s presence.
• Nara Dan found Rin asleep beside a chained Three-Tails, which reacted angrily before falling silent.

Nara Dan freed Rin Nohara from Madara Uchiha’s genjutsu and tracked Madara to his underground hideout. Madara tried to recruit Nara, but Nara refused, and the two prepared to fight.

• Nara Dan made the Three-Tails promise not to trouble Rin Nohara, then sensed Madara Uchiha’s location through the remnant of Madara’s will inside Rin.
• Madara Uchiha urged Obito Uchiha to go see Rin, but abruptly changed his mind and knocked Obito unconscious when he sensed Nara approaching.
• Madara told White Zetsu that Nara had removed his genjutsu on Rin and destroyed his remaining mental will, then admitted Nara was already there.
• Nara Dan broke into Madara’s underground hideout, confronted him, and declared that only one of them would leave alive.
• Madara recognized Nara as a worthy opponent and invited him to join his plan, but Nara rejected the offer and said he was not interested in hearing it.

Madara Uchiha restored his youth with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and unleashed Wood Release against Nara Dan. Nara Dan tore through Madara’s attacks, but Madara followed with a devastating Uchiha Flame Formation.

• Madara Uchiha drew life force from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and regained his youthful body and nearly all his power.
• Madara Uchiha used Deep Forest Emergence to fill the underground and surrounding area with trees, but Nara Dan cut them down with Void-Born Gang—Breath-to-Sword.
• Madara Uchiha sent a Wood Dragon at Nara Dan, who smashed its head and charged toward him.
• Madara Uchiha summoned nine Wood Dragons to block Nara Dan, but Nara Dan destroyed them with compressed-air punches.
• Madara Uchiha unleashed Uchiha Flame Formation, sending four enormous pillars of fire toward Nara Dan.