Chapter Summaries

After Killer B killed Kakuzu with a full-power Tailed Beast Bomb, Naruto healed Yugito and brought the captured Hidan to Tsunade in Konoha. Tsunade began studying Hidan’s immortal body and asked Naruto whether he would see her tomorrow; he said he would.

• Killer B destroyed Kakuzu with a full-power Tailed Beast Bomb, then lectured Naruto about using overwhelming force against dangerous enemies.
• Naruto healed Yugito with Nine-Tails chakra and sent her away with Killer B to the Raikage.
• Naruto met Tsunade by the river and told her he had captured Hidan, whom he had sealed in a scroll for medical research.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take Tsunade to Konoha, where she collected Hidan’s blood and tissue for examination.
• Tsunade told Naruto to return the next day, asked if he would see her, and heard him confirm that he would.

Naruto left home with forget-me-nots to visit someone he missed, while Karin and Hanabi secretly followed him. They discovered that his destination was Konoha's Heroes Monument, leaving them stunned and unsure whether to continue.

• Naruto admitted he was afraid to accept Karin's feelings because he feared the people close to him would meet a bad end, then left with a bouquet.
• Karin revealed she had been awake and followed Naruto with Hanabi, who planned to track him using her White Eye.
• At Ichiraku Ramen, Ayame explained that forget-me-nots symbolized eternal love and longing, and Naruto realized what the flowers meant.
• Ayame told Karin and Hanabi that Naruto did not know the flowers' meaning, but the two continued following him.
• Karin and Hanabi caught up with Naruto at Konoha's Heroes Monument and realized he had gone to the cemetery.

Karin and Hanabi secretly witnessed Naruto grieve for Anko and explain why he had hidden his sorrow behind a cheerful demeanor. Meanwhile, Itachi received an orb, a scroll, and a Spatial Ring from his Konoha clone, then hurried back to the base after reading the scroll.

• Karin used the Void Barrier to conceal herself and Hanabi as they listened to Naruto speak at the Hero Memorial Monument.
• Naruto laid forget-me-nots at the monument, mourned Anko, and explained that he planned to leave for two years to grow stronger.
• Kurenai arrived to honor Anko, and Naruto told her he kept smiling because that was how Anko wanted him to live.
• Karin and Hanabi cried as they heard Naruto reveal the pain he had carried alone.
• In the Land of Rain, Itachi's Konoha clone gave him an orb, a scroll, and a Spatial Ring before departing.
• After examining the items and reading the scroll, Itachi hurried toward the base.

Obito and Rin searched for Minato while Minato fought a Demon Race army near the road to the Dragon Vein. After his attacks forced the army to retreat, the Demon Race commander’s guards trapped him in a formation that sealed space, and Minato began trying to break it by force.

• Obito used his intelligence network to find Minato’s route toward the Dragon Vein, and he and Rin hurried after him.
• Minato used Flying Thunder God Kunai and his newly developed Flying Thunder God Space Dimension Slash to kill large numbers of Demon Race soldiers.
• Nawaki Senju used Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence to hinder the retreating soldiers, while Kakashi and Minato continued the attack.
• The Demon Race commander ordered his adjutant to lead the army’s retreat and chose to stay with his hundred guards to hold Minato back.
• The guards formed the Demon Flame Formation, locking the space around Minato and preventing him from teleporting away.
• Minato summoned nine enormous nine-tails chakra arms and prepared to break through the formation by force.

Minato defeated Baker Charlotte’s forces, killed the general and his hundred guards, and sealed their bodies after promising to visit Baker’s mother. Meanwhile, the surviving Demon Race troops fled toward a base, unaware that Obito and Rin had nearly destroyed it, as Kakashi and Nawaki pursued them.

• Minato broke the Demon Race guards’ formation, then refused Baker Charlotte’s request to spare his hundred guards.
• Baker gave Minato the Teleportation Source Orb and asked him to visit his mother; Minato killed Baker, and the guards took their own lives.
• Minato sealed Baker Charlotte and the guards inside a scroll, promising to bring their bodies to the Demon Realm if he went there.
• The adjutant led the surviving Demon Race soldiers toward a nearby base while Kakashi and Nawaki Senju pursued them.
• The adjutant found the base almost destroyed, where Obito and Rin had defeated its defenders and waited for Kakashi and Nawaki to arrive.

Obito and Rin fought off the Demon Race soldiers at a fallen base, then reunited with Kakashi, who joined the battle. Rin reassured Kakashi that her death had not been his fault, and the three friends reflected on their guilt and past failures.

• Obito attacked the Demon Race force approaching the base, while Rin used the Trident to kill and freeze soldiers.
• The adjutant recognized Obito's spatial power and Rin's divine artifact, but could not stop their slaughter.
• Kakashi and Nawaki Senju arrived, and Kakashi joined Obito by using Kamui against the soldiers.
• Obito and Kakashi fought back-to-back, and Obito insisted he was not helping Kakashi despite his feelings about their shared past.
• Rin greeted Kakashi, who apologized for failing to save her, and she told him that her death had been her own choice.
• Kakashi, Obito, and Rin fell silent together as they considered their past mistakes.

Minato reunited with Rin, Kakashi, and Obito, and forgave Obito while taking responsibility for the tragedies that had shaped his student’s life. As the trapped demons prepared to attack, Minato gave Kakashi the Nine-Tails’ yin power, making him one-tenth of a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and readying him for battle.

• Minato reunited with Rin and apologized for failing to protect her, while Rin reassured him that her death had been her own choice.
• Obito admitted that he no longer hated Minato and instead blamed himself, and Minato told him he did not hold him responsible and welcomed him back.
• The demon deputy commander ordered his remaining forces to launch an all-out attack, believing the four fighters had been weakened by the earlier battle.
• Minato entered Nine-Tails Mode and passed the Nine-Tails’ yin power to Kakashi, combining it with the yang power already within him.
• The Nine-Tails told Kakashi that he now possessed one-tenth of its power and could fight without worrying about his chakra reserves.

Kakashi and Obito used their combined space-time abilities to devastate the Demon Race army, forcing its adjutant to surrender. Minato accepted the surrender on the condition that the demons returned to the Demon Realm and never invaded the Shinobi World again.

• Nawaki's Wood Release trapped fleeing demons while Kakashi and Obito coordinated their Rinnegan and Mangekyō abilities to slaughter the charging soldiers.
• Kakashi and Obito combined their powers to unleash a complete Susanoo's Kamui Shuriken, wiping out nearly five thousand demon soldiers and stunning both armies.
• The adjutant called for the demons to stop fighting and surrender, and Minato confirmed the offer with him.
• Rin urged Minato to spare the demons if they agreed to return home and never invade again.
• Minato offered to let the demons go under those conditions, and the adjutant hastily accepted.

Minato’s group headed for the Land of the Dragon Vein, warning Obito that he would have to face Kushina. Meanwhile, Naruto met Fū, the Seven-Tails’ jinchuriki, while searching for the remaining jinchuriki.

• Minato explained that the fire-aligned Dragon Vein could benefit Obito because of the Giant Dragon’s inheritance, then teased him about facing Kushina.
• Obito sought help from Kakashi, Rin, and Nawaki Senju, but each hurried after Minato and left him to worry alone.
• Naruto followed the Nine-Tails’ directions toward the Seven-Tails while Fū ran ahead of her Takigakure companions.
• Fū collided with Naruto, and they introduced themselves as jinchuriki of the Seven-Tails and Nine-Tails.

Naruto met Fū and helped her and Kurama meet Chōmei in their shared mental space, where Kurama obtained the Seven-Tails’ chakra. After Naruto brought Fū to Konoha, Kurama revealed that Three-Tails’ jinchūriki had already been found, leaving only Six-Tails’ chakra to collect.

• Fū told Naruto about her lonely childhood, and Naruto reassured her that tailed beasts could be their jinchūriki’s friends.
• Naruto and Fū touched fists and entered the tailed beasts’ mental space, where Fū met Kurama and Naruto met Chōmei.
• Chōmei explained that he had willingly become Fū’s tailed beast, then gave Kurama his chakra at Kurama’s request.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take Fū and her two jonin escorts to Konoha, then left them with the Third Hokage.
• Kurama said his other half had found Three-Tails’ jinchūriki, Rin Nohara, with Minato, so Naruto and Kurama would seek Six-Tails Saiken next.
• Naruto realized Minato had forgiven Obito and felt both pleased and jealous about how readily his father had accepted him.

Naruto found the Tsuchigumo Clan’s secluded location in Konoha’s archives and hurried there, where he killed Shiranami while protecting Hotaru. Utakata returned to find Hotaru safe, but mistook Naruto for a Kirigakure operative until Naruto introduced himself as Konoha’s Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Naruto used genjutsu on the archivist to access restricted records and learned where the Tsuchigumo Clan had gone into seclusion.
• Naruto left Konoha for the clan’s hidden home, while Hotaru continued asking Utakata to make her his disciple.
• Utakata killed a group of Kirigakure Anbu who planned to capture him and steal the clan’s secret technique.
• Shiranami broke through the barrier, defeated Tonbee, and threatened Hotaru before Naruto arrived and snapped his neck.
• Utakata shielded Hotaru from Naruto and offered to return with him if the others were spared.
• Naruto told Utakata that he was Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki of Konoha, not a Kirigakure Anbu.

Naruto persuaded Utakata to reconsider his hatred of the Six-Tails by arguing that jinchuriki and tailed beasts could become friends. Utakata agreed to help Naruto and try to understand Saiken, leaving the two jinchuriki reconciled.

• Utakata grew suspicious when Naruto asked to meet the Six-Tails and attacked him after Naruto brought up his former master.
• Naruto blocked Utakata's attack with his Nine-Tails chakra, and Utakata took Naruto, Hotaru, and the injured Tonbee to his home.
• Naruto told Utakata that tailed beasts also suffered from being captured and sealed, and suggested the Sage of Six Paths had intended jinchuriki to unite humans and tailed beasts.
• Naruto's explanation made Utakata, the Six-Tails, and the Nine-Tails reconsider their understanding of jinchuriki and tailed beasts.
• Utakata agreed to help Naruto and try to understand Saiken, then bumped fists with him.

Utakata learned from Saiken that his master had died while trying to repair Utakata’s seal, resolving the misunderstanding that had haunted him. Naruto then left Utakata and Hotaru to travel together, reached the Land of the Dragon Vein, and reunited with Shikamaru as they waited for the next stage of their plan.

• Utakata apologized to Saiken for rejecting and blaming him, and Saiken joined Kurama in sharing chakra with Naruto.
• Naruto urged Utakata not to judge his master too quickly and told him how Gaara had misunderstood Yashamaru’s actions.
• Saiken explained that Utakata’s master had been repairing a failing seal when Utakata woke, and Six-Tails’ rampaging chakra had killed the Old Monk; Utakata realized his master had never betrayed him.
• Naruto warned Utakata about the Akatsuki, offered to seek permission for him to return to Kirigakure, and departed after Utakata and Hotaru chose to travel together.
• Naruto used Flying Thunder God to reach the Land of the Dragon Vein and met Shikamaru at the Konoha gathering place, where he learned the others were resting or training.
• Naruto told Shikamaru that Ōnoki had begun shifting Iwagakure toward cement and construction, and said they would wait for its development before advancing their plan for peace.

Naruto reunited with the gathered shinobi and told them Obito’s history, then asked Mei Terumi about Kirigakure’s pursuit of Utakata. As the group awaited the Dragon Vein’s opening, Naruto and the Fourth Raikage clashed before Minato stopped their fight.

• Naruto told the Konoha group that Obito was Kakashi’s former teammate and the force behind Akatsuki, but had changed after learning Black Zetsu’s role and seeing Rin revived.
• Naruto asked Mei Terumi to welcome Utakata back to Kirigakure, and she explained that she had already rescinded his arrest order and those targeting several clans.
• Naruto prepared to find Hinata before leaving for what might be two years, but Killer B, Yugito, and the Fourth Raikage arrived.
• The Fourth Raikage threatened Naruto, and Naruto attacked him with a Rasengan as the Raikage countered with his Lightning Armor.
• Minato appeared between Naruto and the Fourth Raikage and told them to postpone their fight until after the Dragon Vein opened.

Naruto and Sasuke rushed to help Jiraiya after Hinata spotted him returning with Itachi, gravely wounded. Tsunade saved Jiraiya’s life, though his missing arm could not be restored, and Itachi identified Konan as his attacker.

• Naruto reunited with Hinata, while Sasuke arrived and embraced Sakura and Ino before their departure.
• Naruto sensed two powerful figures approaching, and Hinata identified them as Jiraiya and Itachi, with Jiraiya injured.
• Naruto and Sasuke hurried to meet Itachi and found Jiraiya unconscious, missing an arm, and badly wounded.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring Jiraiya to Tsunade, who treated him and stabilized his condition.
• Minato asked Itachi who had injured Jiraiya, and Itachi said Konan.

After Jiraiya was gravely injured rescuing Nagato and Yahiko, Naruto struggled to accept that his arm could not be restored and that Tsunade had allowed him to go. The story then shifted to Jiraiya’s earlier infiltration of an Akatsuki base, where he trapped two members inside a summoned frog.

• Itachi explained that Konan had ambushed Jiraiya with Explosive Tags and that he had escaped with Jiraiya sealed inside his Susanoo.
• Tsunade told Naruto that Jiraiya’s life was safe but his arm could not be restored, and Naruto panicked over the loss.
• Gamatora delivered Jiraiya’s scroll of Akatsuki intelligence, and Tsunade ordered Shizune to decipher it quickly.
• Naruto confronted Tsunade for sending Jiraiya, then left to calm down as Hinata followed him.
• Tsunade recalled Jiraiya’s decision to investigate Akatsuki and their wager before he left for the Land of Rain.
• Jiraiya followed two Akatsuki members into an inn and transformed the building into a frog, trapping them inside its flesh walls.

Jiraiya infiltrated Akatsuki’s headquarters and confronted Konan, Nagato, and Yahiko over their conflicting ideals about peace. With the three preparing to fight, Jiraiya entered Sage Mode enhanced by star god power, leaving the clash about to begin.

• Jiraiya used two controlled Akatsuki members to approach Konan and uncovered a corpse pierced with black metal rods beneath a stretcher’s cloth.
• Konan recognized Jiraiya after killing the controlled men, but he restrained her with Mount Myōboku toad oil.
• Nagato freed Konan with Shinra Tensei, and Yahiko appeared as Jiraiya challenged their plan to teach the world peace through pain.
• Nagato explained that the great nations’ peace rested on others’ suffering, while Jiraiya rejected their methods and resolved to stop them.
• Jiraiya summoned Shima and Fukasaku, then entered Sage Mode as star god power surged and a white Giant Wolf appeared behind him.

Jiraiya fought Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan at Akatsuki headquarters, using Sage Mode and Star God Power against their combined attacks. Nagato and Yahiko escaped after Jiraiya broke free of Planetary Devastation, and Konan's explosive-tag attack left Jiraiya missing as the three believed they had defeated him.

• Jiraiya's enhanced Sage Art overwhelmed Yahiko and Konan's attacks, injuring Konan and forcing her to withdraw from the fight.
• Yahiko and Nagato refused Jiraiya's demand to disband Akatsuki, then fought him together as Nagato prepared True Planetary Devastation.
• Nagato used Yahiko to keep Jiraiya within range, then unleashed the full force of Planetary Devastation after Yahiko escaped its pull.
• Jiraiya broke out of the massive rock sphere with a Star God technique, but he was badly injured and unable to continue at full strength.
• Nagato trapped Jiraiya in a brief illusion while Yahiko helped him escape, and Konan's explosive tags detonated around Jiraiya for fifteen minutes.
• Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan left the battle believing the explosions had finished Jiraiya.

Itachi rescued Jiraiya and Naruto took him with Tsunade and Shizune back to Konoha, leaving Minato to lead the others. Hanabi and Uchiha Mie traveled to the Land of the Dragon Vein, where Heaven Slayer escorted them and gave them each a Black Orb before disappearing.

• Itachi told Naruto that he had found and rescued Jiraiya, and Tsunade said Jiraiya was out of danger but needed treatment in Konoha.
• Naruto, Tsunade, and Shizune left for Konoha with Jiraiya while Minato stayed behind and vowed to kill Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan.
• Hanabi and Uchiha Mie shared why they wanted to pursue Naruto and Sasuke, and Mie explained how Shizuka Uchiha suffered after Itachi became a criminal.
• Heaven Slayer found Hanabi and Mie on their way to the Land of the Dragon Vein and insisted on accompanying them despite their reluctance.
• Heaven Slayer escorted Hanabi and Mie to the Konoha Camp at the Land of the Dragon Vein, gave them each a Black Orb, and disappeared.

Mie and Hanabi planned to secretly follow Naruto and the others to another world, while the Five Kage and Minato prepared to use the Land of the Dragon Vein for training. As the dragon energy erupted, Naruto’s Black Orb activated and began transporting the group to another world.

• Mie and Hanabi decided to hide near the group and follow them through the Spatial Gate the next day.
• Naruto returned from Konoha with a sealed crystal ball from Tsunade, then joined Minato and the others as they headed toward the Land of the Dragon Vein.
• The Five Kage agreed to work together to convert, gather, and distribute dragon energy for training across their villages.
• At the altar, everyone trained with the dragon energy until it erupted at noon, and Minato ordered them to stop.
• Naruto recognized the light from the Black Orbs, told his companions to take them out, and was pulled into the Spatial Gate.