Recaps

Dan Katō briefed the Kannabi Bridge outpost on Konoha’s coming war against Kusagakure and its plan to make the outpost headquarters of a force tasked with conquering the Land of Grass. The chapter left the ninja weighing the risk of Iwagakure’s intervention as reinforcements arrived and Konoha’s reserves dwindled.

• Dan Katō announced that Konoha and the Land of Fire would declare war on Kusagakure and the Land of Grass on May 1.
• Dan Katō explained that the force would seek Kusagakure’s surrender, restore the Grass Flower Faction, and eliminate Iwagakure’s agents, with the Kannabi Bridge outpost serving as its headquarters.
• Dan Katō said around sixty chunin would arrive as reinforcements, including forty transferred directly from the rear.
• Akaseki recognized that the reinforcements showed Konoha was committing more of its reserves to the battlefield, while Konoha’s attack on Kusagakure was meant to limit a wider war with Iwagakure.
• Dan Katō said the force would withdraw in an orderly manner if Iwagakure launched an all-out war, and Yangyong argued that a swift victory over Kusagakure could deter Iwagakure.

Konoha’s war against Kusagakure neared its end while Root’s experiments on Nawaki and Lily ended in tragedy. Danzō later found Laboratory 001 destroyed by Wood Release, with its researchers and guards dead and the test subjects missing.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi called a meeting as the Land of Grass surrendered, while Danzō impatiently waited for news of his Hashirama Cell experiments.
• Lily turned into a tree during the experiment, and Nawaki saw her face on its trunk before a Root ninja chopped the tree down.
• Hiruzen announced the Land of Grass’s surrender and Kusagakure’s request for help, then ended the meeting without Danzō responding.
• Danzō returned to Root headquarters and learned that Laboratory 001 had lost contact, so he went to inspect it himself.
• Danzō found the laboratory reduced to ruins, with its personnel killed by wooden spears and no sign of the missing test subjects.

Akaseki and the Konoha ninja entered Kusagakure to help Grass Flower defeat Grass Fruit, but found the factions already fighting over the village treasury. As Konoha crushed the rebellion, the Grass Ninja leader warned Akaseki that Grass Fruit had taken an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan into the treasury.

• Akaseki discussed Kusagakure's Grass Flower and Grass Fruit factions with Ranwu and Nonō as Minato explained their ties to Iwagakure.
• The fat Grass Ninja met Akaseki and led the Konoha team through a secret passage into Kusagakure.
• Akaseki discovered that Kusagakure was already in chaos, and the fat Grass Ninja led the team toward fighting near the treasury.
• Grass Flower and Grass Fruit fought over the village's treasure, and Akaseki's twenty Chunin joined the battle to overwhelm Grass Fruit.
• The Grass Ninja leader warned Akaseki that Grass Fruit had taken an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan into the treasury.

Akaseki and Ranwu entered Kusagakure’s underground treasury to rescue an Uzumaki Clan orphan from Mui and the Box of Bliss. The Hell Yama King identified the box as the seal Ashura used to imprison Jashin, and Akaseki realized it could be more valuable than an ordinary Six Paths Tool.

• The Grass Ninja leader feared Grass Fruit would use the Uzumaki orphan to activate the Box of Bliss, while Akaseki rushed toward the treasury with Ranwu following.
• Akaseki and Ranwu descended into the underground chamber and found Mui draining chakra from an unconscious red-haired girl into the Box of Bliss.
• Ranwu’s Water Flow Whip was absorbed by the box, but Akaseki summoned the Hell Yama King to pull the girl out with his tongue.
• Mui raved that the Box of Bliss would give Kusagakure power to unify the Shinobi World, and Akaseki asked the Hell Yama King to identify it.
• The Hell Yama King confirmed the box was used by Ashura to seal Jashin, prompting Akaseki to recognize its potential value.

Akaseki and Ranwu watched Mui get swallowed by the Box of Bliss, which opened and released Wu, an avatar of the Fear Demon God. They fought the powerful creature underground, but its feather blades pierced Akaseki’s Susanoo.

• Mui sacrificed himself to the Box of Bliss, declaring that he wanted to make Kusagakure great again.
• The Box of Bliss opened and released a headless monster made of black chakra, which the Hell Yama King identified as Wu, the Fear Demon God’s servant.
• Wu attacked the Hell Yama King, but his strike passed through the spirit and slammed into Akaseki’s Susanoo.
• Akaseki and Ranwu fought Wu together, blocking his blows and attacking with Water Style and Fire Style techniques.
• Wu dodged Akaseki’s nine fire dragons and sent feather blades at Akaseki and Ranwu, piercing Akaseki’s Susanoo.

Akaseki discovered that Wu could predict attacks by sensing lingering fear, and he opened the first two gates to overcome that ability. After Ranwu was knocked unconscious, Akaseki faced Wu alone and prepared a Thunderflame Greatsword attack.

• Akaseki activated Forked Deity but found no future in which he could hit Wu, while Ranwu's attacks also failed.
• Hell Yama King explained that Wu sensed fear and used it to predict its opponents' movements.
• Akaseki opened the Gate of Opening, but Wu continued dodging because his idle fearful thoughts remained.
• Ranwu was struck by Wu and lost consciousness, leaving Akaseki to protect her alone.
• Akaseki opened the Gate of Healing, cleared his idle thoughts, and summoned Susanoo's Thunderflame Greatsword to attack Wu.

Akaseki defeated Wu, absorbed most of the Fear Demon God's released chakra, and repaired the Box of Bliss seal with Tanuki Treasure and the Hell Yama King. The Sage of Six Paths appeared, and Akaseki greeted him with conspicuous formality.

• Akaseki used his second gate and Susanoo-wielded Thunderflame Greatsword to wound Wu while dodging its attacks.
• Akaseki used Air Release: Suction Collapse Technique to absorb most of Wu's chakra as its body collapsed, then checked Ranwu and summoned Tanuki Treasure.
• Tanuki Treasure showed Akaseki that the Box of Bliss seal could be repaired by charging its four masks with joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.
• Akaseki and the Hell Yama King supplied the emotions and restored the seal, while Akaseki suspected someone had recently contacted the Fear Demon God and tampered with the seals.
• The Sage of Six Paths appeared, recognized Ranwu as his descendant, and puzzled over Akaseki's unusually formal greeting.

Akaseki gave the bloodline enhancement to Ranwu, then used pointed remarks about Indra and Ashura to make the Sage of Six Paths explain his past treatment of his sons. The Sage revealed that he had prepared an unfinished Ultimate Art for Indra, which he and Ashura completed after the decisive battle but never got to give him.

• The Sage of Six Paths offered to raise either both bloodlines by half a rank or one bloodline by a full rank, and Akaseki chose to give the enhancement to Ranwu.
• Akaseki hinted that the Sage favored Ashura and that Indra had been overlooked, leaving the Sage of Six Paths flustered and prompting him to ask what Akaseki had heard.
• Akaseki questioned whether Indra had received a fair chance and emphasized that Ashura learned the Sage Mode, making the Sage explain why he had helped Ashura more.
• The Sage of Six Paths admitted he had prepared True Sage Mode for Ashura and an Ultimate Art for Indra, but Indra never came to him.
• The Sage of Six Paths explained that he and Ashura completed the Ultimate Art after the decisive battle and had hoped to give it to Indra, but never saw him again.

Akaseki learned that the Sage of Six Paths would grant him the Sharingan’s Ultimate Art and was tasked with protecting the shinobi world from whoever was spreading dangerous rumors. The Sage began transferring the art into Akaseki’s consciousness, where Akaseki immediately recognized something familiar.

• Akaseki questioned whether the Sharingan’s Ultimate Art could match Perfect Sage Mode, and the Sage of Six Paths explained that it could help Uchiha descendants realize their full potential.
• The Sage of Six Paths confirmed that Hashirama Senju was Ashura’s reincarnation, and Akaseki concluded that Madara Uchiha was Indra’s reincarnation and had been subjected to fairness.
• Akaseki told the Sage of Six Paths that Black Zetsu claimed Indra had created him and had spread rumors about Indra and Ashura, prompting the Sage to suspect a dangerous hidden plot.
• The Sage of Six Paths ordered Akaseki to investigate the threat and protect the shinobi world, and Akaseki pledged to do so in the Uchiha Clan’s name.
• The Sage of Six Paths touched Akaseki’s forehead and began transferring the Sharingan’s Ultimate Art into his consciousness, where Akaseki recognized something familiar.

Akaseki learned Ashura’s Yin Style Eight Gates and allowed the Sage of Six Paths to enhance Ranwu’s bloodline. After the Box of Bliss was secured and Grass Fruit’s rebellion was suppressed, Akaseki negotiated for Kusagakure to carry out Grass-country missions on Konoha’s behalf.

• Akaseki sensed the Yin Style Eight Gates and recognized how its emotional enhancements differed from the Yang Style Eight Gates.
• The Sage of Six Paths enhanced Ranwu’s bloodline, reinforced the seal on the Uchiha Gunbai, and vanished.
• Minato and the others reached Akaseki and Ranwu after escaping the Sage’s Genjutsu, and Akaseki confirmed that the Box of Bliss had been dealt with.
• Akaseki told Kusagakure’s leader that Konoha would take Grass-country commissions and subcontract their completion to Kusagakure, with payment depending on performance.
• Torifu Akimichi discovered Kusagakure’s movement had been a feint, while Akaseki helped suppress Grass Fruit’s rebellion and received credit for taking the village.

Akaseki negotiated a Subcontracted Missions agreement with Kusagakure after Konoha helped Grass Flower defeat Grass Fruit, securing a share of official and civilian missions for Konoha and subcontracting work back to Kusagakure. Hiruzen Sarutobi and his advisors debated the draft agreement, with Danzo objecting to the Uchiha role but urging Konoha to take an even larger share.

• Akaseki persuaded Cao Bao to accept Konoha's oversight and commission deductions by offering to subcontract civilian commissions and hinting at favorable evaluations.
• On August 11, Kusagakure formally surrendered to Konoha and agreed to serve as the trial site for the Subcontracted Missions agreement.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi presented the draft agreement to Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzō, explaining its projected mission income and oversight costs.
• Danzo objected that the Uchiha had negotiated the agreement, but Hiruzen said Orochimaru had authorized Akaseki to act.
• Mitokado and Koharu questioned whether Konoha was withholding too much, while Danzo argued that Konoha should take more.

Akaseki oversaw Konoha’s subcontracted missions in the Land of Grass, turning the arrangement into a success over six months. As the system spread and the Uchiha Clan’s reputation improved, Akaseki strengthened his abilities and Grandma Chizuru regained both eyes.

• Dan Katō and Cao Bao reached a peace agreement that established Konoha’s subcontracting arrangement with Kusagakure.
• Akaseki received orders to coordinate subcontracted missions in the Land of Grass with Ranwu, Minato, Nonō, and Guan Ze.
• Akaseki applied Konoha’s standards, steered Kusagakure’s best ninja toward Konoha’s commissions, and had Konoha handle high-profile missions.
• Over six months, Konoha’s work improved public opinion of it, while Akaseki developed a system combining Konoha’s main teams with Kusagakure’s support work.
• Uchiha Ninja worked alongside other ninja on inspections, and their reputation began to recover as they proved dependable in danger.
• Akaseki returned both of Grandma Chizuru’s eyes, absorbed his battle experience, and learned to open the third gate of the Yin Style Eight Gates.

Akaseki’s latest Deep Immersion pushed him through a breakthrough in his Yin Style Eight Gates training, opening the third gate and sharpening his hearing, instincts, and Sorrow-linked chakra transformations. He closed the gates and concluded that his mental training method was sound, giving him an alternative to Might Duy’s physically focused Eight Gates training.

• Akaseki relived Hong Yan sacrificing himself to save his rival and enemy, and the intense emotional shock helped him break through the third Yin Style Eight Gates gate.
• Akaseki opened the Gate of Life, which heightened his hearing, combat instincts, and awareness of the brain’s Temporal Lobe.
• Akaseki found that Sorrow dominated his emotional state and raised his Sorrow-related chakra transformations by two levels, bringing Earth Style: Subterranean Infusion close to the 70% threshold.
• Akaseki closed all three gates, adjusted to the muffled sounds and lingering sorrow, and decided his mental training could let him follow his own path as a hardworking genius.

Akaseki reflected on his progress toward Uchiha Sage Mode before receiving an urgent letter from Orochimaru. The letter reported that Iwagakure and Amegakure had broken Konoha’s front at Lingering Rain Mountain, leaving Akaseki’s forces at Kannabi Bridge and in the Land of Grass exposed to attack from both sides.

• Hong Yan rejected Hong Feng’s attempt to replace his promised share of the restaurant profits with twenty thousand and walked away.
• Akaseki’s memory of Hong Yan’s betrayal provided enough Sorrow for Subterranean Infusion to raise his Submerge Clay to 50%.
• Akaseki considered Wood Release a path to Uchiha Sage Mode and a possible third key to surpassing his current limits.
• Guan Ze delivered an urgent letter from Orochimaru, and Akaseki learned that Iwagakure had joined Amegakure in an attack on Konoha’s headquarters at Lingering Rain Mountain.
• Hanzō forced Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade to hold him back while Konoha’s main force retreated to its previous defensive line.
• Akaseki learned that the broken front had left Kannabi Bridge and the Land of Grass exposed to attacks from Iwagakure and Amegakure.

Akaseki gathered the Konoha Ninja in Kusagakure and told them that Iwagakure might attack Kannabi Bridge after the Rain front collapsed. He chose to reinforce the outpost and try to hold it, while Yamanaka Sansan stayed behind to secure Kusagakure and prepare a retreat if the defense failed.

• Akaseki secretly assembled the Konoha Ninja in Kusagakure and shared Orochimaru's letter about the collapsing blockade in the Land of Rain.
• Akaseki explained that Konoha reinforcements would take about three days to arrive and said he had warned the Kannabi Bridge outpost to hold until night.
• Yamanaka Sansan urged Akaseki to withdraw from Kannabi Bridge and defend the Land of Fire's border, but Akaseki and Yuchi Jiong argued for holding the bridge.
• Akaseki ordered Yamanaka Sansan to remain in Kusagakure, guard against the Grass Ninja colluding with Iwagakure, and lead a retreat if Akaseki signaled that Kannabi Bridge had fallen.
• Yamanaka Sansan agreed to keep Cao Bao close and promised to withdraw with the others if necessary.

Akaseki reinforced the Kannabi Bridge outpost as Iwagakure prepared to attack, while his clone kept Kusagakure's leader from abandoning Konoha. At the outpost, Akaseki sensed a concealed Stone Ninja squad approaching, just as the defenders braced for a jinchuriki-led assault.

• Akaseki left Yamanaka Sansan in Kusagakure with his Mirror Clone and traveled with twelve Konoha ninja toward Kannabi Bridge.
• Akaseki's clone summoned Cao Bao and his aides, then detained them at a birthday banquet with Yamanaka Sansan so the Grass Ninja could not betray Konoha.
• Akaseki and his men reached the Kannabi Bridge outpost, where Gongzhi Jiu reported that a jinchuriki and over a hundred Stone Ninja were advancing and might attack the next day.
• Akaseki told Gongzhi Jiu he could use the first stage of Susanoo, giving the outpost a better chance of holding off the jinchuriki.
• Akaseki opened his Sharingan and the Gate of Life, sensed Stone Ninja approaching with the Earth Style: Hidden Fish Technique, and recognized their concealed squad.

Akaseki discovered Gajarin’s Stone Ninja squad tunneling toward the Kannabi Bridge outpost and struck them with Underworld Gate, trapping most of them in corrosive earth. Roshi transformed to save several comrades, but Akaseki’s explosive trap badly injured Four-Tails and left Gajarin’s fate unclear.

• Gajarin led six elite Stone Ninja, including Kitsuchi and Roshi, underground toward the Kannabi Bridge outpost to attack its sealing formation.
• Akaseki and Gongzhi Jiu detected the squad from above, and Akaseki realized Gajarin was leading a surprise attack.
• Akaseki sent a Mirror Clone to cast Underworld Gate, turning the surrounding earth into a toxic swamp that killed Gray Rock and severely injured several Stone Ninja.
• Roshi’s passive Tailed Beast Transformation triggered, and he escaped the swamp holding Kitsuchi and three other Jonin while Gajarin stood on his shoulder.
• Akaseki’s Mirror Clones lured Roshi into an explosive trap, blasting Four-Tails’ legs and part of his right arm down to the bone.
• Gajarin, who had been helping Roshi, was caught in the blast and appeared to be in grave danger.

Akaseki’s explosive ambush badly wounded Roshi’s group but failed to stop the Four-Tails’ rapid regeneration, so Gongzhi Jiu interfered with Roshi’s bond to the beast while Akaseki faced him with Susanoo. Akaseki drew Roshi away from the Kannabi Bridge Outpost and eyed the wounded Kitsuchi as a target for revenge.

• Akaseki’s Underworld Gate explosion killed Gajarin despite Roshi’s effort to shield him, and Gajarin warned the survivors against underground earth-burrowing ambushes before dying.
• Roshi’s Four-Tails body rapidly regenerated, and Gongzhi Jiu explained that the Jinchuriki could only be defeated by overwhelming force and sealing.
• Gongzhi Jiu began interfering with Roshi and the Four-Tails’ mental connection, but their close bond let Roshi stand again.
• Akaseki formed a larger Susanoo and blocked Roshi’s punch, then began evading the Four-Tails’ attacks rather than meeting them head-on.
• Akaseki taunted Roshi over Gajarin’s death, drawing his anger and leading him away from the outpost while Roshi carried four wounded men, including Kitsuchi.
• Akaseki watched for a chance to kill Kitsuchi, hoping to avenge Nawaki.

Akaseki used Susanoo and his newly developed Wings of the Void to keep Roshi from reaching the Kannabi Bridge Outpost while Gongzhi Jiu helped hold off the Stone Ninja. After the fighting lasted until dawn and both defenders neared their limits, the Stone Ninja retreated and Akaseki and Gongzhi Jiu withdrew safely.

• Roshi erupted magma across the battlefield, but Akaseki used Susanoo to withstand the spray and evade the molten ground.
• When Roshi turned toward the Kannabi Bridge Outpost, Akaseki took flight with Wings of the Void and harassed the hand holding the injured jonin, preventing Roshi from advancing.
• Akaseki and Gongzhi Jiu kept Roshi and the other Stone Ninja occupied while the Konoha defenders held the outpost, leaving the Stone Ninja with only two jonin able to fight.
• The battle continued from early morning until dawn, draining Akaseki and putting Gongzhi Jiu in danger while Roshi remained capable of fighting.
• The Stone Ninja retreated from the outpost, and Akaseki and Gongzhi Jiu withdrew without Roshi pursuing them.

After the Stone Ninja’s failed dawn raid, Akaseki learned that enemy Jonin could recover quickly and decided to infiltrate their river-valley camp before they were ready. He left alone with two Mirror Clones, opened the Gate of Life, and used his Earth Style to locate vibrations inside the valley.

• Gongzhi Jiu reported that Konoha had lost four Chunin while the Stone Ninja had lost twelve Chunin and two Jonin, and noted that an Uchiha survivor had awakened a Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
• Akaseki worried that the Stone Ninja Jonin could recover from their injuries and attack again by nightfall or the next morning.
• Akaseki told Gongzhi Jiu that his dojutsu power had fully recovered and his chakra was at ninety percent, then rejected the suggestions to send a clone or support squad in his place.
• Akaseki created two Mirror Clones and traveled with them toward the Stone Ninja’s river-valley camp, switching to Hidden Fish Technique near the valley.
• Akaseki opened the Gate of Life, continued infiltrating alone, and used Earth Pulse to pinpoint vibrations in the valley.

Akaseki infiltrated the Stone Ninja camp and killed their medical ninja, then escaped Roshi’s pursuit. He returned to Konoha’s position, leaving the Stone Ninja without effective medical support before their next battle.

• Akaseki used a Mirror Clone to draw out the Stone Ninja and confirm that their most important wounded target was Kitsuchi.
• Akaseki changed his target when he discovered the Stone Ninja medical ninja treating Kitsuchi, then burst through the ground and killed the medic with Susanoo.
• Roshi transformed and pursued Akaseki, but Akaseki escaped with help from his Mirror Clones, which disrupted the Stone Ninja guarding the valley entrance.
• Akaseki returned to Gongzhi Jiu and reported that he had killed the Stone Ninja medical ninja and likely several Chunin.

Akaseki and Konoha held the Kannabi Bridge Outpost until the Stone Ninja withdrew, and Torifu Akimichi arrived with reinforcements. After six months of stalemate in the Land of Grass, Akaseki received orders to oversee operations in the ravaged Land of Rain, where he and the Sannin encountered several strange children.

• Roshi's assault on the Kannabi Bridge Outpost failed, and the Stone Ninja retreated under Akaseki's harassment.
• The Stone Ninja launched one final attack on February 16, then withdrew completely as Konoha reinforcements approached.
• Torifu Akimichi arrived with an elite force, and Akaseki remained in command of the outpost and the Land of Grass operations.
• Konoha established the Grass Support Force, and Akaseki spent six more months in the Land of Grass before receiving transfer orders to the Land of Rain.
• Akaseki and the Sannin began their new assignment in the Land of Rain, where they encountered several strange children who approached the Konoha ninja.

Akaseki traveled to the western Land of Rain to meet Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade, while reflecting on his newly awakened Swamp Release and completing another deep-immersion storyline. He found the Sannin confronting three war orphans and learned that the children, Yahiko, Nagato, and Xiao Nan, wanted to become ninja to change their country.

• Akaseki reported to Mitokado Homura and learned that Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade were on an S-rank mission in the western Land of Rain.
• Akaseki told Nonō that he had awakened Swamp Release and went to find Orochimaru, allowing Guan Ze to inspect other missions while Nonō accompanied him.
• While traveling, Akaseki completed a deep-immersion story about lacquer-fan maker Hong Yan and processed the experience.
• Akaseki found Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade facing three children, and he warned Nonō not to harm them.
• The orange-haired boy introduced himself as Yahiko and named the other children Nagato and Xiao Nan after saying they wanted to become ninja and change their country.

Akaseki revealed that Nagato’s parents had been killed by Konoha ninja and urged Jiraiya to take the children to Konoha for protection. Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato refused, so Jiraiya decided to stay with them in the Land of Rain.

• Akaseki recognized Nagato as the child of parents whose bodies he had found, and Jiraiya recalled that Konoha shinobi under his command had killed them by mistake.
• Orochimaru exposed the incident, and Akaseki told Nagato that the shinobi world, rather than Konoha, had killed his parents.
• Akaseki suggested bringing Nagato to Konoha as an Uzumaki orphan, while Jiraiya offered to take all three children there and raise them as children of Konoha.
• Yahiko refused to leave the Land of Rain because he wanted to make it peaceful, and Konan and Nagato chose to stay with him.
• Jiraiya accepted their decision and resolved to look after the three children in the Land of Rain.

Akaseki questioned Nagato about his parents’ deaths and warned the children about a mysterious ninja with ringed eyes, while Jiraiya arranged to stay in the Land of Rain and care for them. Back at the Konoha outpost, Akaseki and Orochimaru discussed Akaseki’s newly awakened Swamp Release and why it was not Wood Release.

• Akaseki asked Nagato what happened after he saw the two Konoha Chunin, and Nagato said he had passed out and awakened outside the village.
• Akaseki apologized for Nagato’s parents’ deaths and warned Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko to report anyone with ringed eyes to him or Jiraiya.
• Jiraiya agreed to stay and look after the children, with Nonō helping, while Akaseki, Orochimaru, and Tsunade returned to the Konoha outpost.
• Akaseki wondered how Nagato had ended up outside the village and suspected Madara Uchiha had a hidden scheme, while Konan’s reaction made him suspect she had seen Madara.
• Akaseki told Orochimaru he had awakened Swamp Release, and Orochimaru explained that Akaseki had focused on conversion and overlooked Wood Release’s essential vitality.