Shiraishi

Biodata

Feature	Detail
Name	Shiraishi 68 72 105
Aliases	Shinigami; God of Death; Lord Shiraishi; Teacher 175 229 261
Species	Spiritual being; originally a human shinobi, later a disembodied soul capable of possessing bodies; subsequently the consciousness and authority-holder of the Underworld 89 105 175 229
Gender	Male 72 84 165
Affiliation	Root (formerly, as an operative of Danzō); Independent; master of Ryūchi Cave; ruler of the Underworld 72 86 105 166 175
Status	Active 278 283
First Appearance	Chapter 68 (returns to the Konoha frontline base) 68

Background

Shiraishi and his younger brother were war orphans taken in by Danzō Shimura and inducted into Root 75 76. Both possessed extraordinarily powerful souls that manifested as potent spiritual energy, but the brother’s fragile body could not withstand the strain, leaving him chronically weak and sickly 76. Danzō exploited this bond, using the brother’s life as leverage to control Shiraishi and forge him into a ruthless weapon 76. To maintain the brother’s survival, Danzō had him placed in a cultivation tank when he was only six months old, sustaining his life in a coma-like state, while Orochimaru secretly oversaw his care 76. Danzō also placed a sealing jutsu on the brother linked to his own life, ensuring that if Danzō died, the brother would perish as well 76. Meanwhile, Shiraishi was trained as a Root operative and became one of Danzō’s most trusted agents, carrying out missions and spying on Minato Namikaze, his childhood friend 75 72 68.

Following his apparent death at Minato’s hands, Shiraishi continued to act as a remnant spiritual entity. He secretly manipulated events from the shadows, investigated the reincarnated chakra of Indra and Asura, and eventually obtained a compatible soulless vessel through Orochimaru 84 89 105. After recovering his cultivation, he established control over Ryūchi Cave, refined the consciousness of the Shinigami, and became the authority governing the Underworld 166 175.

After the Fourth Shinobi World War, Shiraishi broke through to the Nascent Soul stage by refining innumerable souls in the Underworld 261. He subsequently prepared artifacts to secure the Naruto World, supervised the cultivation of Sage Katsuyu and several Tailed Beasts, and departed through a spatial rift with Orochimaru and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki for another world 261 277 278.

• Trained by Danzō in Root 75 76
• Younger brother placed in a cultivation tank and kept in a coma-like state 76
• Acted as a double agent for Danzō, feigning friendship with Minato while reporting to Root 68 72
• Forced by Danzō to attack Minato under threat of his brother’s life 76 72
• Implanted with a self-destruct seal meant to kill his enemy upon activation 76
• Dies by his own hand, allowing Minato to stab him rather than trigger the seal 72
• Secretly continues operating as a spiritual entity after his death 84 89
• Acquires a new, compatible physical body in Orochimaru’s laboratory 105
• Refines the Underworld and assumes the identity of its Shinigami 175 229
• Leaves the Naruto World with Orochimaru and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki to explore a new world 278

Abilities

Soul Manipulation

Shiraishi’s foundational power derives from the legacy of the ancient Nine Nether Sect, which specialized in soul-based arts. He refined the sect’s artifact, the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, and can perform the Soul Seizing Secret Method to possess bodies, absorb souls, and consume souls to extract information or strengthen his own soul 1 2 166. His soul is exceptionally powerful, granting him precise control over internal chakra and enabling feats like multitasking 125. He can also sense souls across distances, as shown when he detected Minato’s soul was missing and sensed his own soul fragment despite interference from the Sage of Six Paths’ chakra 161.

• Soul Seizing Secret Method: Allows possession of a living body after a year of preparation; kills other souls to absorb their energy and hasten recovery 2.
• Soul Consumption: Can devour a soul directly to gain knowledge and power, as he did with the White Snake Sage to learn about a past war 166.
• Soul Sensing: Can locate and track souls even when they are hidden or sealed; used to monitor Hizashi’s activation of the Jade Bead from a distance 169.
• Soul Control Restriction: A technique he created that can be enhanced by integrating the principles of the Hyūga Caged Bird seal, allowing greater control over captured souls and Ghost Spirits within the Ten Thousand Soul Banner 125.
• Dead Demon Consuming Seal: Used to extract and seal Madara’s soul, demonstrating his ability to manipulate even extremely powerful souls 161.
• Nether Fiendfire: A Nine Nether Sect divine ability formed from yin-evil energy. It burns souls and corrupts primordial spirits, and cannot be extinguished through ordinary water or earth 113.
• Ghost King Manifestation: His Yin Spirit can leave his body and manifest in a Ghost King form, wielding the Ten Thousand Soul Banner and reopening the connection between the living world and the Underworld 166 255.
• Ghost Spirits: Commands massive numbers of Ghost Spirits housed in the Ten Thousand Soul Banner. These spirits can devour mature souls, regenerate, invade spiritual spaces, and overwhelm opponents through numbers 230 233.
• Limitations: His soul decays over time without a suitable vessel, requiring periodic possession of new bodies; soul-based attacks are primarily esoteric and less effective for raw destructive power compared to physical or elemental techniques 2 125.

Cultivation

Shiraishi follows the cultivation path of the Nine Nether Sect, progressing through stages analogous to those of a Chinese immortal-cultivation system. After possessing a new body, he must restore his cultivation level through seclusion and the absorption of blood essence. He achieved the Foundation Establishment stage, then formed a nascent golden core, later reached the late stage of the Golden Core, and ultimately advanced to the Nascent Soul stage 105 112 175 261. Cultivation grants him enhanced vitality, chakra control, divine sense, and the ability to use advanced techniques that combine mana with shinobi chakra.

• Golden Core Stage: Grants a solid core of energy; at the late stage he gains authority over the Underworld and significantly amplifies his overall power 112 175.
• Nascent Soul Stage: Reached after three months of refining souls in the Underworld. At this stage, his divine sense can cover the entire Shinobi World and detect small realms concealed behind barriers 261.
• Blood Essence Absorption: Absorbing the blood essence of powerful creatures like Garaga directly accelerates his cultivation 166.
• Seclusion Recovery: After possessing a new body or suffering injuries, he enters seclusion in an incubation tank or the Underworld to restore his foundation and heal 105 112 261.
• Nascent Golden Core: An intermediate milestone that forms during recovery, indicating a major breakthrough in cultivation 112.
• Natural Energy Refinement: Uses formations in Ryūchi Cave to gather and condense natural energy, which can nourish artifacts and support Sage Art cultivation 197 261.
• Limitations: Cultivation requires time and specific resources; his frontal destructive power even at Golden Core is still far less than planet-busting attacks like the Tenseigan’s Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion 125.

Tenseigan

Shiraishi’s knowledge of the Tenseigan comes from his memories of the Naruto world’s future events. He planned to create a Tenseigan by fusing a large number of Byakugan into an independent orb-like weapon, modeled after the method used by the Ōtsutsuki descendants on the moon 125. He later obtained the Tenseigan and used it to enter Tenseigan Chakra Mode, though his own chakra control enables him to create Truth-Seeking Orbs without relying on it 217 245.

• Weapon-like Entity: The Tenseigan can exist independently of a human body, acting as a separate weapon or magical artifact 125 217.
• Power Level: Known to be capable of splitting a small moon and grants the user Six Paths Sage Mode—a massive increase in combat ability 125.
• Fusion of Byakugan: Requires gathering many Byakugan and fusing them into a single orb; Shiraishi enlisted Hizashi Hyūga to collect deceased elders’ Byakugan via the Caged Bird seal without harming living clan members 125 169.
• Tenseigan Chakra Mode: Can envelop himself in the Tenseigan’s chakra and employ its power in direct combat 217.
• Limitations: Although the Tenseigan provides immense power, Shiraishi considers bloodline-derived strength inferior to his own precise mastery of chakra 217.

Truth-Seeking Orbs

After acquiring the Tenseigan, Shiraishi learned the principle of Truth-Seeking Orbs and developed the ability to create them independently through his chakra control 217. He can produce twelve orbs while using Tenseigan Chakra Mode and manipulate their shapes, fusion, and separation at will 217.

• Seven-Attribute Chakra Construction: Forms the orbs through Yin-Yang Release and high-density chakra incorporating Yin, Yang, and all five elemental natures 217.
• Independent Creation: Can create a Truth-Seeking Orb without activating the Tenseigan by simultaneously compressing and fusing all seven chakra attributes 217.
• Variable Form: Can reshape, fuse, split, and reduce the orbs into microscopic particles 217 222.
• Soul and Ghost Spirit Enhancement: Uses Truth-Seeking Orbs to enhance Ghost Spirit attacks and the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul-Devouring Array 245.
• Limitations: The orbs can erase matter on contact; even Shiraishi’s own body is damaged if it touches an orb without mana protection, though he can regenerate through the Blood Refining Technique 222.

Kekkei Genkai and Ninjutsu Mastery

Thanks to his powerful soul and exceptional spiritual sense, Shiraishi can precisely control chakra flows and master multiple Kekkei Genkai composed of two chakra nature transformations in a very short time 125. He has demonstrated Scorch Release and Wood Release, while attempting to learn the three-nature Particle Style 125. His mana infusion into ordinary Kekkei Genkai creates an effect similar to a “Sage Art Kekkei Genkai,” increasing their destructive power beyond basic five-element spells 125.

• Dual-Attribute Kekkei Genkai: Quickly masters any two-nature combination; examples include Scorch Release and Wood Release 125.
• Wood Release: Used to restore a damaged training ground by causing grass and shrubs to grow from the earth 125.
• Scorch Release: Combines Wind and Fire Release to form orange flames distinct from ordinary fire 125.
• Particle Style (incomplete): Actively tried to combine wind, earth, and fire chakra but failed due to not knowing the correct ratio; he plans to obtain that knowledge from Ōnoki 125.
• Mana Infusion: His mana boosts the power of native Kekkei Genkai, making them surpass normal versions 125.
• Limitations: Without the correct ratio, he cannot use Particle Style; his mastery of Kekkei Genkai is limited to what he has access to—he must acquire bloodlines or learn from others 125.

Mechanical Puppet Technique (Soul Puppetry)

Shiraishi developed or acquired the Mechanical Puppet Technique and later granted it to Danzō as a tool for political and military manipulation 134. The technique allows the user to seal ninja and ninja beast souls into puppet bodies, creating intelligent, independent “Soul Puppets” that retain some original abilities 134 137. Shiraishi guided Danzō toward standardized mass production of these puppets rather than focusing on individually powerful ones, emphasizing modularity and strategic value 137.

• Soul Puppet Creation: Seals a soul into a specially prepared puppet, granting it autonomy and combat capability 134.
• Mass Production: Can be manufactured in large numbers using standardized designs; useful for armies and disposables 137.
• Modular Upgrades: Puppets can be improved or replaced without losing the soul inside, enabling continuous refinement of the army 137.
• Limitations: The soul inside may deteriorate over time if the puppet is destroyed; requires a steady supply of souls from dead ninja or beasts 134 137.

Underworld Authority

After descending into the Underworld of the Shinobi World, Shiraishi discovered it was a sealed realm created from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki’s actions, containing the consciousness of the Shinigami 172. He refined the Shinigami’s consciousness and gained authority over the entire Underworld, becoming identified as the Shinigami itself 175 229. He can open passages between life and death through the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, direct the movement of souls, and use the Underworld as both a domain and a cultivation resource 232 255.

• Refinement of Shinigami: Subdued and absorbed the consciousness of the Death God, integrating its power into his own 175.
• Domain Control: Opens and seals passages to the Underworld, leads others to the Shinigami’s Throne, and governs the fate of souls within the realm 232 255.
• Soul Harvesting: Reopened the link between the Underworld and the living world to collect souls gathered by his altar formations 255.
• Ghost Spirit Deployment: Can send Ghost Spirits through reopened passages to hunt souls or attack spiritual domains 232 233.
• Limitations: His authority was initially newly gained and required further refinement, though it later became the basis for his Nascent Soul breakthrough 172 175 261.

Sage Art Cultivation Methods

Having fully restored his cultivation, Shiraishi imparted Sage Art cultivation methods to the Three Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave after removing their Snake Seals and taking them as named disciples 169 175. He later taught cultivation methods to Sage Katsuyu and several Tailed Beasts, using Ryūchi Cave’s natural-energy formations as a training ground 262 277. While he himself does not rely on natural energy in the same way as traditional Sage Mode users, he understands its principles well enough to develop hybrid cultivation practices.

• Named Disciple Teaching: Gives the Three Snake Princesses methods to cultivate Sage Arts, integrating their innate snake attributes 175.
• Tailed Beast Cultivation: Guides Shukaku, the Nine-Tails, the Eight-Tails, and Matatabi in Sage Art cultivation; after three years, all complete the foundation-building stage 277.
• Sage Katsuyu Contract: Offers to teach Sage Katsuyu Sage Arts in exchange for companionship and cooperation 262.
• Spirit-Gathering Formation: Uses an array in Ryūchi Cave to concentrate natural energy for Shukaku’s cultivation and artifact nourishment 197 261.
• Limitations: Only a few individuals with sufficient strength and loyalty receive such training; the methods require prolonged practice and access to dense natural energy 175 277.

Formation and Artifact Crafting

Shiraishi possesses the Nine Nether Sect’s formation techniques and uses them to establish large-scale arrays, refine artifacts, and manipulate spiritual energy 226 261. He created continent-spanning altar formations that gather the souls of the dead and later prepared artifacts for trusted subordinates to defend those altars in his absence 226 255 261.

• Ten Thousand Ghost Soul-Devouring Array: A formation that empowers Ghost Spirits and allows Shiraishi to confront the Sage of Six Paths with enhanced soul-devouring attacks 245.
• Soul-Harvesting Altars: Established formations and Soul Banners across the continent to guide the souls of the war dead into his possession 226 255.
• Artifact Refinement: Refines magical artifacts using condensed natural energy, including artifacts intended to guard the Naruto World after his departure 261.
• Dharma Artifacts: Can forge soul-targeting implements, such as the bone whip given to Matatabi to control and discipline spiritual entities 277.
• Trial Grounds: In the new world, creates formation-based Trial Grounds intended to lure powerful individuals, collect their souls, and produce Blood Apples 281 282.

Power Progression

Period	Cultivation Stage	Key Events
Reincarnation and recovery (Chapters 105–169)	Foundation Establishment → Nascent Golden Core (early–mid), then full restoration	- Possesses a new body in Orochimaru's underground laboratory and begins seclusion to restore cultivation 105. - Completes cultivation, emerges with a nascent golden core and a young, handsome appearance 112. - Experiments with combining chakra natures and decides to create a Tenseigan by fusing multiple Byakugan 125. - Subdues Ryūchi Cave: defeats Garaga and absorbs his blood essence; consumes the White Snake Sage’s soul to extract information 166. - Refines the soul of the White Snake Sage and Garaga’s essence 167. - Fully restores his cultivation, removes the Snake Seals from the three Snake Princesses, and takes them as his named disciples 169.
Post-Underworld refinement (Chapters 172–175)	Late Stage Golden Core	- Descends into the Underworld of the Shinobi World, discovers the truth about its seal and the Shinigami’s consciousness 172. - Refines the consciousness of the Shinigami and gains authority over the Underworld 175. - Completes seclusion, reaches the late stage of the Golden Core, and imparts Sage Art cultivation methods to the Three Snake Princesses 175.
Fourth Shinobi World War (Chapters 184–255)	Late Stage Golden Core	- Makes a transaction with Obito to assist in Rin’s immediate resurrection 184. - Directs Orochimaru to defect to Madara and build an Impure World Reincarnation army, seeking a more destructive and “fair” war 192. - Releases Shukaku’s soul and places it in a Spirit Gathering Array to cultivate natural energy 197. - Obtains and activates the Tenseigan, enters Tenseigan Chakra Mode, and creates twelve Truth-Seeking Orbs 217. - Creates Truth-Seeking Orbs independently through seven-attribute chakra control 217. - Establishes continent-wide altar formations to harvest souls and clashes with the Sage of Six Paths through Ghost Spirits and the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul-Devouring Array 226 233 245. - Harvests the souls of the war dead, including the souls of the Sage of Six Paths and Indra, then reopens the Underworld’s passage 253 255.
Underworld seclusion (Chapter 261)	Nascent Soul Stage	- Refines countless souls in the Underworld for three months and breaks through to the Nascent Soul stage 261. - Gains divine sense sufficient to cover the entire Shinobi World and concealed small realms 261. - Gives the Three Snake Princesses soul-strengthening pills, assigns one to confront Mount Myōboku, and nourishes newly refined artifacts with condensed natural energy 261.
Preparation to depart the Naruto World (Chapters 262–278)	Nascent Soul Stage	- Proposes a Sage Art contract with Sage Katsuyu 262. - Oversees three years of cultivation by Sage Katsuyu and four Tailed Beasts; all four Tailed Beasts complete the foundation-building stage 277. - Appoints Matatabi to lead the Tailed Beasts and grants her a soul-damaging Dharma artifact 277. - Takes Kaguya Ōtsutsuki’s soul and travels with Orochimaru through a spatial rift into a new world 278.
New World operations (Chapters 281–283)	Nascent Soul Stage	- Establishes Trial Grounds on an isolated New World island to attract strong individuals and harvest their souls 281 282. - Plans Blood Apples and soul-linked artifacts as inducements and strategic weapons 281. - Delegates formation construction to Orochimaru while various pirate, Marine, and World Government factions converge on the Trial Grounds 282 283.

Relationships

Minato Namikaze
Shiraishi and Minato were childhood friends, but Shiraishi’s Root allegiance forced him to deceive Minato and eventually attack him 68 72. Despite their opposing positions, Shiraishi’s actions reveal that he valued Minato enough to arrange for the treatment and future care of his younger brother after his apparent death 84 113.

• Shiraishi tells Minato that he is a Root ninja and refuses to hear intelligence Minato is not permitted to share 68.
• Under Danzō’s coercion, Shiraishi attacks Minato but deliberately dies by Minato’s blade rather than trigger his self-destruct seal 72.
• Leaves Minato a letter thanking him for helping his younger brother and asking that the boy not be told about Shiraishi’s existence 113.
• His final letter influences Minato’s proposal to establish a scientific research class and develop grassroots governance personnel 84.

Danzō Shimura
Danzō was Shiraishi’s Root superior, adoptive guardian, and primary abuser. He exploited Shiraishi’s younger brother to guarantee Shiraishi’s obedience, yet Shiraishi later became an independent power capable of directing Danzō’s military and political efforts 76 175.

• Danzō takes Shiraishi and his brother into Root and exploits their unusual souls 76.
• Uses the brother’s survival and a life-linked seal as leverage to control Shiraishi 76.
• Places a self-destruct restriction on Shiraishi, contributing to his death during the battle with Minato 72 76.
• Receives the Mechanical Puppet Technique from Shiraishi and uses Soul Puppets to build military forces 134 137.
• Prepares Sunagakure for war after Shiraishi signals the beginning of war preparations 175.
• Is instructed by Shiraishi to cooperate with Madara in the political establishment of a new nation after the war 254.

Orochimaru
Orochimaru is Shiraishi’s long-term collaborator, researcher, and disciple-like subordinate. Shiraishi provides Orochimaru with cultivation knowledge and soul-based techniques, while Orochimaru supplies research, vessels, experiments, and technical support 84 105 226.

• Secretly oversees the cultivation-tank treatment of Shiraishi’s younger brother 76.
• Receives a cultivation technique from Shiraishi after fulfilling his assigned tasks 84.
• Assists Shiraishi’s possession of a compatible soulless body and observes his recovery 105.
• Accompanies Shiraishi to Ryūchi Cave and is permitted to establish a laboratory or base there 165 166.
• Is directed to defect to Madara and create an Impure World Reincarnation army for the war 192.
• Receives foundational Nine Nether Sect array knowledge as a reward for establishing Shiraishi’s large-scale formation 226.
• Travels with Shiraishi and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki through a spatial rift into a new world 278.
• Constructs Trial Grounds formations under Shiraishi’s direction in the New World 282.

Obito Uchiha
Shiraishi manipulates Obito by exploiting his grief over Rin and his hostility toward Madara. Their cooperation is transactional: Shiraishi removes Madara’s heart seal and offers assistance for the Eye of the Moon Plan, while Obito’s actions serve Shiraishi’s wider schemes 104 105.

• Leaves a purple Soul Banner for Obito that reveals the truth behind Rin’s death 104.
• Removes Madara’s seal from Obito’s heart as a gesture of goodwill 105.
• Offers to assist Obito in exchange for his continued pursuit of the Eye of the Moon Plan 105.
• Makes a further agreement inside the Soul Banner to assist Obito in resurrecting Rin immediately 184.

Madara Uchiha
Madara and Shiraishi are strategic allies with conflicting ambitions. Shiraishi uses Madara’s strength and political authority to shape the living world, while Madara remains wary of Shiraishi’s status as the Shinigami and his treatment of souls 192 253.

• Shiraishi arranges Orochimaru’s assistance for Madara and proposes an Impure World Reincarnation army to intensify the war 192.
• Demonstrates the Tenseigan and Truth-Seeking Orbs to Madara, emphasizing his superior chakra control 217.
• Invades the Sage of Six Paths’ spiritual domain with Ghost Spirits while Madara and Orochimaru observe 233.
• Battles alongside the wider conflict against the Sage of Six Paths, employing the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul-Devouring Array 245.
• Seeks Madara’s cooperation in resurrecting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and promises Madara authority over the living world’s new nation 253.
• Entrusts Madara with governing the new nation while Shiraishi focuses on souls, the Underworld, and Kaguya 254.

Hizashi Hyūga
Shiraishi approaches Hizashi through the latter’s resentment toward the Caged Bird seal. He examines the seal’s soul-level structure, offers to remove it despite the danger, and later uses Hizashi’s cooperation in his plan to create the Tenseigan 125 169.

• Identifies that the Caged Bird seal has fused with Hizashi’s brain meridians and soul 125.
• Learns from the seal’s construction and considers integrating its principles into his Soul Control Restriction 125.
• Offers to remove Hizashi’s Caged Bird seal, warning of the severe pain and risks involved 125.
• Provides Hizashi with information about the lunar Hyūga branch, the Tenseigan, and the Jade Bead 169.
• Guides Hizashi toward collecting deceased elders’ Byakugan without harming living clan members 169.

The Three Snake Princesses
Ichikishimahime, Tagorihime, and Tagitsuhime became Shiraishi’s subordinates after he conquered Ryūchi Cave and killed the White Snake Sage 166. After two years of loyal service, Shiraishi removed their Snake Seals, accepted them as named disciples, and taught them Sage Art cultivation methods 169 175.

• Marks all three with Cursed Seals after eliminating the White Snake Sage and seizing Ryūchi Cave 166.
• Appoints them to manage Ryūchi Cave and promises rewards, including advanced Sage Arts, for satisfactory service 166.
• Removes their Snake Seals after they prove loyal during his seclusion 169.
• Accepts them as named disciples and sends them to reveal information regarding the Sage of Six Paths and Ten-Tails to other villages 175.
• Gives them soul-strengthening pills after reaching the Nascent Soul stage and assigns one to demand an explanation from Mount Myōboku 261.

Kaguya Ōtsutsuki
Shiraishi seeks to resurrect Kaguya in order to study the Ōtsutsuki clan’s God Tree-based cultivation system and prepare for threats beyond the Naruto World 253 261. After her resurrection, he takes her soul with him on his journey to another world 278.

• Asks Madara to cooperate in resurrecting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki 253.
• Studies the implications of the God Tree, Chakra Fruits, Karma, and the Ōtsutsuki cultivation system 261.
• Travels with Kaguya and Orochimaru through a spatial rift to a new world 278.
• Has Kaguya construct Trial Grounds on an uninhabited island in the New World 281.

Sage of Six Paths
Shiraishi regards the Sage of Six Paths as an ideological and strategic adversary. The Sage identifies Shiraishi as the Shinigami and believes that he seeks revenge against Ninshū, while Shiraishi openly challenges the Sage’s authority over souls and the cycle of death 229 230.

• Provokes the Sage by raising the possibility of restoring Asura and Indra’s souls 229.
• Sends Ghost Spirits through the Underworld passage to probe the Sage’s spiritual domain 233.
• Establishes the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul-Devouring Array and directly confronts the Sage 245.
• Acquires the Sage’s soul following the war 255.

Shukaku and the Tailed Beasts
Shiraishi treats the Tailed Beasts as potential cultivators, resources, and guardians. He releases Shukaku’s soul for an experiment in natural-energy cultivation, later expands this training to other Tailed Beasts, and assigns Matatabi leadership over the group 197 277.

• Releases Shukaku’s soul and convinces it to cultivate in a Spirit Gathering Array 197.
• Has Shukaku supervise the Sage Art cultivation of the Nine-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Matatabi 277.
• Evaluates the four Tailed Beasts after three years, finding all have completed the foundation-building stage 277.
• Appoints Matatabi as their leader and grants her a soul-damaging bone-whip Dharma artifact 277.
• Assigns them to protect an altar formation in exchange for future rewards 277.

Sage Katsuyu
Shiraishi is intrigued by Sage Katsuyu’s unusual life form and proposes a cooperative contract built around Sage Art instruction and companionship 262.

• Explains his perspective on life and death in front of Tsunade and Sage Katsuyu 262.
• Offers to teach Sage Katsuyu Sage Arts and show it new landscapes in exchange for companionship 262.
• Guides Sage Katsuyu’s cultivation for three years with satisfactory results 277.

Plot Involvement

• Resurrection of Asuma 67
  Shiraishi retrieves Soul-Calling Banners from the battlefield, absorbing the souls of the fallen to restore his cultivation. He then returns Asuma Sarutobi’s soul to his original body, reviving him and setting in motion a chain of events that later affect Konoha’s internal politics.

• Death and Sacrifice 72
  After Minato discovers Shiraishi’s true identity and allegiance to Danzō, Shiraishi attacks Minato. In the ensuing battle, Shiraishi intentionally allows Minato to stab him, dying in his friend’s arms. A forbidden sealing technique on his chest hints at Danzō’s manipulation, and Shiraishi’s death devastates Minato.

• Revelation of His Past and Brother 76
  Minato learns from Orochimaru that Shiraishi has a younger brother in a coma-like state, sustained by a cultivation tank. Orochimaru offers to treat the brother on the condition that Minato becomes Hokage and provides substantial research funding, revealing the personal cost of Shiraishi’s earlier actions.

• Warning and Gift to Orochimaru 84
  Shiraishi appears before Orochimaru and warns him not to overstep his bounds. In exchange for successful blood sacrifices, Shiraishi grants Orochimaru a new cultivation technique, further deepening their uneasy alliance.

• Order to Kakashi 86
  It is revealed that Shiraishi, not Danzō, ordered Kakashi to infiltrate the Akatsuki. This revelation comes during a report to Hiruzen and Minato, confirming Shiraishi’s long-term manipulative reach even after his apparent death.

• Indra’s Chakra Investigation 89
  As a spiritual being, Shiraishi infiltrates the Uchiha household and examines Mikoto Uchiha’s unborn child. He discovers Indra’s chakra, an obsessive lingering consciousness, and fragments of powerful souls, leading him to consider manipulating the influence of Indra and Asura’s chakra to draw out the Sage of Six Paths 89.

• New Reincarnation 105
  Obito meets the mysterious voice of Shiraishi, who offers to help him continue the Eye of the Moon Plan. As a sign of goodwill, Shiraishi removes the seal Madara left in Obito’s heart. He then possesses a new body in Orochimaru’s underground laboratory and begins a seclusion to restore his cultivation.

• Recovery of His Younger Brother 113
  After Orochimaru cures Shiraishi’s younger brother, Minato retrieves the child and honors Shiraishi’s request that the boy not learn of his elder brother’s past. The child is given the name Shiraishi and taken in by Minato and Kushina 113.

• Assistance to Danzō: Sasori’s Parents 108
  Danzō contacts Shiraishi for help in locating and controlling the souls of Sasori’s parents. Shiraishi aids Danzō, providing the means to manipulate these souls to further Danzō’s political schemes in the Land of Wind.

• Cloning Minato and the Mechanical Puppet Technique 134
  Shiraishi visits Orochimaru’s lab and offers help in exchange for assistance in cloning Minato. He also grants Danzō the Mechanical Puppet Technique, which allows the creation of Soul Puppets from the souls of fallen ninja, empowering Danzō’s war preparations.

• Tenseigan Project and Hizashi’s Caged Bird Seal 125
  Shiraishi researches advanced chakra transformations and decides to create an independent Tenseigan by fusing Byakugan. He approaches Hizashi Hyūga, identifies the Caged Bird seal’s connection to Hizashi’s soul, and offers to remove it despite its substantial danger 125.

• Journey to Ryūchi Cave 165
  Shiraishi and Orochimaru leave Konoha for the Land of Stone, where they discover Ryūchi Cave, one of the Three Great Sage Regions. Meeting the White Snake Sage, Shiraishi agrees to deal with the troublesome snake Garaga in exchange for information about the Sage of Six Paths’ battle with the Rabbit Goddess.

• Subduing Ryūchi Cave 166
  Entering deep into Ryūchi Cave, Shiraishi defeats Garaga and absorbs its blood essence to aid his cultivation. He then confronts the White Snake Sage, who had withheld crucial information, and consumes her soul to extract the desired knowledge. Afterward, he marks the three Snake Princesses—Ichikishimahime, Tagorihime, and Tagitsuhime—with Cursed Seals and appoints them to manage the cave.

• Refining the White Snake Sage and Garaga’s Souls 167
  Following the conquest of Ryūchi Cave, Shiraishi refines the soul of the White Snake Sage and the essence of Garaga, strengthening himself and furthering his cultivation.

• Summoning Sunagakure’s Deceased Ninja 170
  A year later, Danzō seeks Shiraishi’s help to summon powerful deceased ninja of Sunagakure for the upcoming war. Shiraishi successfully summons the souls of the Second and Third Kazekage, puppeteer Monzaemon, and Pakura. Danzō awakens Monzaemon and Pakura while temporarily sealing the Kazekage souls, building a formidable force.

• Descent into the Underworld 172
  Shiraishi descends into the Underworld of the Shinobi World, discovering the truth about its seal and the consciousness of the Shinigami. Realizing the Underworld’s potential, he decides to refine it for his own purposes, laying the groundwork for his later authority.

• Completion of Seclusion and War Preparations 175
  Shiraishi completes his seclusion, reaching the late stage of the Golden Core. He gains authority over the Underworld and refines the Shinigami’s consciousness. Contacting Danzō, he signals the start of war preparations. He imparts Sage Art cultivation methods to the Three Snake Princesses, makes them his named disciples, and sends them to spread information about the Sage of Six Paths and the Ten-Tails to the other Kage villages.

• Transaction with Obito 184
  Obito makes a further agreement with Shiraishi inside the Soul Banner, accepting assistance that enables Rin’s immediate resurrection. Shiraishi continues to exploit Obito’s feelings and ambitions to advance his broader plans.

• Alliance with Madara and Orochimaru’s Defection 192
  Shiraishi meets Madara after the destruction of Yugakure and confirms their partnership. He directs Orochimaru to defect to Madara, perfect the Impure World Reincarnation, and create an army from White Zetsu sacrifices, intending to make the coming war more balanced and destructive 192.

• Shukaku’s Cultivation Experiment 197
  Shiraishi releases Shukaku’s soul and persuades it to enter a Spirit Gathering Array in Ryūchi Cave. His objective is to explore the possibility of cultivating Tailed Beasts into Spirit Beasts through Sage Art and natural energy 197.

• Tenseigan and Truth-Seeking Orbs 217
  Shiraishi obtains the Tenseigan and demonstrates Tenseigan Chakra Mode before Madara. He produces twelve Truth-Seeking Orbs, explains their seven-attribute chakra composition, and proves that he can create one independently through his own chakra mastery 217.

• Formation of the Soul-Harvesting Altars 226
  Shiraishi establishes a formation covering the continent and surrounding islands, concealing its altars behind illusions. He rewards Orochimaru with foundational Nine Nether Sect array knowledge for his contribution to the formation’s completion 226.

• Conflict with the Sage of Six Paths 229 245
  Shiraishi reveals himself as the Shinigami and openly clashes with the Sage of Six Paths over their incompatible ideals 229. He reopens the Underworld passage, releases Ghost Spirits to attack the Sage’s spiritual domain, and later deploys the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul-Devouring Array alongside Truth-Seeking Orb-enhanced Ghost Spirits 230 233 245.

• Harvesting War Souls and Resurrecting Kaguya 253 255
  After the Allied Shinobi Forces surrender, Shiraishi harvests the souls generated by the war, including Asura’s soul and eventually the souls of the Sage of Six Paths and Indra 253 255. He asks Madara to cooperate in resurrecting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, seeking knowledge of the God Tree and the Ōtsutsuki cultivation system 253.

• Nascent Soul Breakthrough 261
  Shiraishi spends three months in Underworld seclusion refining countless souls and advances to the Nascent Soul stage. He then rewards the Three Snake Princesses with soul-strengthening pills, tasks one with confronting Mount Myōboku, and begins preparing artifacts for the Naruto World’s long-term protection 261.

• Cultivation of Sage Katsuyu and the Tailed Beasts 262 277
  Shiraishi proposes a Sage Art contract with Sage Katsuyu and subsequently guides Sage Katsuyu and four Tailed Beasts in cultivation for three years 262 277. Upon assessing their progress, he appoints Matatabi as leader and gives her a soul-targeting Dharma artifact to enforce discipline 277.

• Departure to a New World 278
  Shiraishi takes Kaguya Ōtsutsuki’s soul and joins Orochimaru at Ryūchi Cave. The three pass through a spatial rift and arrive in a new world with abundant spiritual energy 278.

• Creation of the Trial Grounds 281 283
  In the New World, Shiraishi establishes Trial Grounds on an isolated island to lure powerful participants with Blood Apples, youth restoration, and other rewards 281 282. He intends to collect the souls of the strong, while Orochimaru assists in constructing the necessary formations as pirates, Marines, and World Government forces converge on the site 282 283.