Naruto: To Escape the Massacre, I Joined the Akatsuki - Chapter Summaries - Page 20

Ch. 381Healthy Itachi and an Informed Jiraiya vs. Dual Kamui!

At the Land of Rice border, Obito faces Kakashi, Might Guy, Hatake Sakumo, Tobirama, Hiruzen, and others. Kakashi chooses to stay and confront Obito rather than go protect the Jinchūriki; Sakumo backs his decision, while Guy worries about him.
Tobirama asks Obito where his true loyalties lie. Obito evades the question and attacks, manifesting Complete Body Susanoo. The immense technique leaves him drained and bleeding from the eyes, but he acts confident.
Tobirama orders Jiraiya to hold Obito off while he takes the others to reinforce the Jinchūriki, reasoning that Susanoo cannot be sustained for long. Jiraiya is alarmed by the assignment.
Impure World Reincarnation brings Uchiha Itachi to the battlefield. He offers to fight beside Jiraiya, saying that Jiraiya’s Sage Mode and his own unlimited reincarnated chakra will let them summon a second Complete Body Susanoo and stand a chance against Obito.
Itachi confirms that Kou and the others have found the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
On another battlefield, Madara destroys the Giant Bell with his halberd, but it quickly repairs itself. He wonders why Kou has not appeared, then is forced to focus as Hashirama sends golden Wood Dragons against him. Their renewed clash sends waves of gold and black energy across the battlefield.

Kakashi silently commits to facing Obito, and Sakumo shows trust in his son’s judgment. Guy’s concern highlights the personal stakes of Kakashi’s choice.
Obito remains taunting and evasive about his allegiance, using his newly combined Mangekyō abilities to project overwhelming power.
Tobirama stays strategic: he divides the forces, gives Jiraiya the difficult assignment, and relies on Obito’s Susanoo’s high cost.
Jiraiya shifts from fear to cautious confidence after Itachi arrives and clarifies the plan.
Itachi is calm and supportive, reassuring Jiraiya and demonstrating the value of his reincarnated body.
Madara’s attention to Kou’s absence reveals his suspicion, while Hashirama keeps him engaged in their familiar, intense rivalry.

Loyalty and uncertainty: Tobirama’s question about Obito’s allegiance contrasts with Obito’s refusal to give a clear answer.
Trust and resolve: Kakashi’s choice, supported by Sakumo, and Jiraiya’s willingness to fight reflect faith in allies despite overwhelming odds.
Strategy and sacrifice: The defenders divide their forces and exploit the limits of Obito’s power, while Itachi’s arrival changes the balance.
Endurance and rivalry: The Giant Bell’s regeneration and the recurring Hashirama–Madara clash emphasize resilience and the persistence of old conflicts.

In Night City’s underground laboratory, Kou, Naruto, and Sasuke find Orochimaru beside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Kou carries the remains of its White Zetsu guard and the dead Shennong.
Orochimaru reveals that he secretly passed information to Kou, despite being under a seal Madara placed on his soul. He says he still cannot explain why Obito helped him, though Obito appears committed to the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Kou intends to take the Demonic Statue, but Orochimaru asks him to remove Madara’s soul seal. He presents research documents describing how the Rinnegan can do it.
Kou refuses to trust him, pointing out that removing the seal could alert Madara before Kou is ready to become the Ten-Tails’ jinchūriki. Kou considers controlling Orochimaru instead.
Orochimaru explains that the seal lets him send information to Madara. If Madara learns Kou is at the statue, he can summon it away—making Orochimaru’s removal a strategic necessity.

Kou remains focused and suspicious, prioritizing control of the statue and the larger plan over personal loyalty or Orochimaru’s appeal.
Orochimaru appears composed and strategically minded. He uses his research and knowledge of the seal to bargain for his freedom, while concealing his fear of Kou’s power.
Sasuke is immediately wary, keeping his hand on his sword and his Sharingan trained on Orochimaru.
Naruto is comparatively curious and observant, looking around the laboratory.

Kou dismisses Orochimaru’s friendly talk and challenges his motives.
Orochimaru invokes their five years as research partners to persuade Kou, then frames removing the seal as necessary to prevent Madara from taking the statue.
The exchange is tense: Orochimaru negotiates under threat, while Kou weighs whether freeing him is worth the risk.

Trust and manipulation: Both men treat cooperation as a calculated exchange rather than genuine reconciliation.
Power and leverage: The Rinnegan, Madara’s seal, and control of the statue determine who can act—and who can threaten whom.
Urgency and strategic sacrifice: Kou must choose between keeping Orochimaru controlled and removing a seal that could expose his position.