Recaps

Kirigakure defeated Konoha in the Land of Water and secured a ransom agreement, while Araki pursued Kana in the Land of Grass and brought her into his service. After confronting Kushina over Kana, Araki defeated her and returned her to Konoha with the Nine-Tails still sealed inside her.

• Araki and Karatachi Yagura led the assault on Bluefish Island, where Might Duy killed several Mist swordsmen with the Eighth Gate before collapsing and Konoha’s forces were defeated.
• Araki persuaded Yagura to capture Konoha’s survivors, and Sarutobi Hiruzen later negotiated their release in exchange for missions in the Land of Waves and the Land of Tea.
• Yagura appointed Araki commander of the Blade of the Bloody Mist and began reforms, while Araki trained and fought Tanjiro in the Consciousness Space.
• As Cloud Village attacked Konoha’s northern front, Kana’s healing ability drew the attention of Iwagakure, Konoha, and Kusagakure.
• Araki infiltrated Maeda’s stronghold, helped Kana kill Maeda and other Kusagakure ninja, then claimed her as his subordinate and took her from the Land of Grass.
• Kushina pursued Araki and demanded that he surrender Kana, but Araki challenged her beliefs about Uzushio Village and fought her after her Nine-Tails cloak emerged.
• Araki overcame Kushina’s attacks and called on the Nine-Tails, which took control of her and killed Shiroyama when he attacked.
• Araki brought Kushina to Sasori at the Konoha camp, then handed her to Torifu Akimichi and told him to sign for the Nine-Tails.

Araki watched the Box of Ultimate Bliss unleash the Sha of Anger, then trained Kirigakure’s ninja and gained new powers while deciding against an alliance with Konoha. The arc ended with Kisame’s mission to the Land of Demons and Alucard’s search for Yugakure and Jashin.

• Namikaze Minato rescued Uzumaki Kushina and diverted the Nine-Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb, while Kusagakure began seeking Tailed Beast chakra to open the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
• Mui opened the Box and became the Sha of Anger, who drove Konoha and Iwagakure’s forces into a rage before returning to Kusagakure and drawing its people into the box.
• Black Zetsu recognized the Evil Spirit and moved to help unseal other demons, while Jiraiya received a prophecy about coming threats and sought to unite the Five Great Nations.
• Araki trained Kirigakure’s ninja, helped implant Byakugan in Kaguya Black Bone, and awakened a Demon Slayer Mark before teaching Total Concentration: Constant Breathing.
• Araki learned Sage Mode’s chakra ratio from Jiraiya, created Breathing of the Sage, and helped Kirigakure refuse Konoha’s alliance request while Sasori returned to Sunagakure.
• Araki defeated Tanjiro after he became the Ghost King, gained a transformative influx of life energy, and developed Demon Eyes and new Blood Demon Arts.
• Karatachi Yagura sent Kisame to the Land of Demons with Kaguya Mangotsu and Kaguya Yingotsu, while Araki gave Kisame an eyeball to watch the mission.
• Araki created Alucard to investigate Jashin, and Alucard traveled to Yugakure after Hidan was led to an underground cave by a mysterious robed figure.

Araki and Alucard built the Dream Organization while Araki sought power through swordsmanship and ocular energy. As the war escalated, Alucard stole Fugaku’s Mangekyō and helped Obito attack the Third Raikage, leaving Obito intent on destroying Kumogakure.

• Alucard confronted Jashin at Jashin Cave, learned how chakra and human faith had changed the old gods’ survival, and helped Black Zetsu establish the Dream Organization.
• Araki faced the sword masters Mibu Kyoshiro, Demon Eyes Kyo, and Unohana Retsu, gaining new strength while refining his swordsmanship.
• Miroku revealed that Moryo’s escaped soul had changed course, and Moryo later took a new vessel and planned to reclaim his sealed body when Miroku’s power weakened.
• Araki arranged for Alucard to investigate ocular power, while the Third Raikage and Kumogakure forces launched a major attack on Konoha’s fortress.
• Fugaku awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan after Inabi and Yashiro died, but Alucard drained his ocular power and gave the resulting Soul Crystal to Araki.
• Black Zetsu engineered Rin’s death at Kakashi’s hands, prompting Obito to awaken his Mangekyō and massacre Cloud ninja, while Alucard took Kakashi’s eye and short blade.
• Alucard agreed to help Black Zetsu attack the Third Raikage in exchange for three pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan, and Obito joined them.
• Obito pulled the Third Raikage into the Kamui Dimension with Alucard, then claimed the Raikage was contained and planned to control him before destroying Kumogakure.

Araki helped Kumogakure trap Minato, leading to Jiraiya’s death and Konoha’s defeat at the Northern Fortress, while Nagato and Konan lost Yahiko and met Obito. Back in Kirigakure, Araki expanded the village’s reach and recruited Mangetsu to mine a rich seabed deposit as the wider war continued.

• A and Killer B lured Minato into Araki’s sealed ambush, where their forces trapped him and killed Jiraiya and several Konoha shinobi.
• Alucard took Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan, and Kumogakure captured Konoha’s Northern Fortress as Danzo retreated with his battered troops.
• Yahiko sacrificed himself to save Nagato and Konan, and Nagato summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path before later meeting Obito with Konan.
• Araki returned to Kirigakure and helped Yagura plan to settle refugees, gather resources in the Land of Rivers, and expand the village’s influence and sea exploration.
• Araki led the Blood Blade Unit on a distant-sea exercise, then joined Mangetsu to investigate a deep seabed mineral vein that resisted Shibuki.
• Araki persuaded Mangetsu to become Kirigakure’s chief mining captain, and Mangetsu began researching a Water Release blade for mining.
• Over the next half year, the Land of Water raided islands for resources while Black Zetsu brought Alucard an unconscious Uchiha and warned him about the Shrine Maiden’s pregnancy.
• Araki absorbed another Soul Crystal fragment, judged his power insufficient to challenge the Shinigami, and considered the moon’s Great Tenseigan as a future target.