Recaps

Neji, Naruto, and Sakura reached the Land of Demons as white-robed attackers slaughtered the palace guards, but the priestess had already fled. After driving the attackers off, the Konoha ninja set out to meet the priestess, whom Shikamaru and Lee were searching for.

• The white-robed attackers killed most of the guards defending the priestess's palace, while the survivors fought on to protect her.
• The attackers prepared to pursue the priestess, but Neji, Naruto, and Sakura arrived and struck them with an Eight Trigrams: Air Palm.
• Neji told the remaining guards to withdraw, and they left the fight to the Konoha ninja.
• The white-robed leader noted that the priestess was gone and their chakra was running low, so the four attackers retreated.
• Neji stopped Naruto from chasing them and led the team to find the priestess, expecting Shikamaru to have located her.

Shion met the Konoha team and prophesied that Naruto would die, insisting that fate could not be changed. When she tried to foresee Ueno Kei’s fate, she saw a future that kept changing and left without explaining what she had seen.

• Shikamaru found Shion along her evacuation route and brought her back to the palace after Neji fired a signal flare.
• Shion told Naruto that she had foreseen his death, and Taruho confirmed that her prophecies had never failed.
• Ueno Kei arrived, challenged Shion’s belief in fate, and introduced himself to her and the Konoha team.
• Shion looked into Ueno Kei’s future, saw it changing endlessly, and left the palace to rest.

Shion’s group set out for the Land of Swamps, while Shion tried to make Taruho return to protect him from the danger ahead. Ueno Kei noticed a snake spying on them and anticipated that Shion’s plan to leave Taruho behind would soon be tested.

• Shion’s prophecy filled with confusing visions, leaving her uncertain about Naruto’s fate and a purple figure confronting golden radiance.
• Shion ordered Taruho to return to the Land of Demons, but Taruho refused to abandon his duty and follow her.
• Sakura carried Shion as Ueno Kei’s group headed toward the Land of Swamps, and Ueno Kei spotted a purple-black snake watching them.
• The snake vanished in black smoke, while Kusuna and the other three followers of Yomi confirmed the group’s route and set off after them.
• Ueno Kei realized Shion had spoken harshly to protect Taruho and expected her to be surprised later that night.

Naruto learned why the people of the Land of Demons feared Shion and why Taruho was determined to protect her. Ueno Kei challenged Taruho’s willingness to die, but Taruho insisted his sacrifice would have meaning.

• Ueno Kei left his post after noticing Taruho’s arrival at Naruto’s watch post around midnight.
• Taruho explained to Naruto that Shion’s death predictions caused people to respect and fear her, and described her lonely childhood.
• Naruto recognized similarities between Shion’s experience and his own childhood, as well as Gaara’s.
• Taruho declared that he would risk his life to protect Shion because she and Miroku had protected the Land of Demons and the world.
• Ueno Kei told Taruho that throwing away his life would be meaningless, but Taruho firmly disagreed.

Ueno Kei tried to dissuade Taruho from risking his life in the battle, promising to protect Shion, while arguing that prophecy described a likely future rather than fixed fate. Taruho remained determined to fulfill his mission, and Naruto accepted that the choice was his.

• Ueno Kei told Taruho that he would be of little help in the battle and promised to keep Shion safe.
• Taruho entrusted Shion's safety to Ueno Kei but insisted that protecting her was his sworn mission.
• Naruto tried to persuade Taruho that an ordinary person had no place in a shinobi battle.
• Taruho explained that he believed his death was the likely outcome of Shion's prophecy and that he had to face it with conviction.
• Naruto vowed to help Shion complete the sealing and return safely, but Taruho reaffirmed his choice.

Ueno Kei sent Shion’s party ahead after sensing Yomi’s subordinates approaching, then stayed behind to confront them. His recent recovery had greatly improved his ability to sense natural energy, though he still struggled to control Sage Mode.

• Shion woke to find Taruho guarding her and warned him that he would die protecting her, but Taruho reaffirmed his devotion.
• Neji and Nara Shikamaru reported the approaching threat, and Ueno Kei ordered them to escort Shion away while he stayed behind.
• Naruto slowed down to keep near Taruho as Sakura carried Shion away with the group.
• Ueno Kei reflected on how the previous battle had strengthened his natural-energy perception and left him cautiously developing control over Sage Mode.
• Kusuna, Gitai, Shizuku, and Setsuna arrived, and Shizuku and the others mocked Ueno Kei as he faced them calmly.

Ueno Kei fought the four Moryo-powered shinobi while Naruto and the others continued on ahead. He killed Shizuku, Gitai, and Setsuna, then struck down their leader Kusuna.

• Ueno Kei warned that the four shinobi were dangerous because they wielded Moryo's power and chose to fight them himself.
• Kusuna sensed Ueno Kei's attack and told the others to scatter, narrowly avoiding a strike that cratered the ground.
• Shizuku, Gitai, and Setsuna launched a coordinated combination ninjutsu, but Ueno Kei blocked it with an Earth Wall and countered with Lightning Release.
• Ueno Kei wounded Kusuna with the Lingyu Blade and killed Gitai and Setsuna with his Shadow Kill technique.
• Ueno Kei appeared before Shizuku and killed her.

Ueno Kei destroyed the Four Sound Ninja and hurried to help Naruto’s group, who were fighting through an endless army of stone statues near the sealing altar. Before he could reach them, Uchiha Itachi trapped him in Tsukuyomi to discuss Sasuke and ask for a promise, but Kei pressed him to reveal whether he still put Konoha first.

• A mysterious figure in a volcano watched the Four Sound Ninja’s defeat and declared that everything was still proceeding according to plan.
• Ueno Kei destroyed the purple snake-scorpions emerging from the Four Sound Ninja’s corpses, burned the bodies, and set off after Naruto’s group.
• Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, Sakura, Shion, Taruho, and Lee struggled to advance through a vast army of stone statues on the way to the sealing altar.
• Neji and Shikamaru realized that Ueno Kei’s backup measure could no longer connect them to him.
• Uchiha Itachi drew Ueno Kei into Tsukuyomi, explained that he wanted Sasuke to return to Konoha after achieving his goal, and asked Kei for a promise.
• Ueno Kei rejected Itachi’s focus on Sasuke’s future and demanded to know whether Itachi still prioritized Konoha’s interests.

Darui led a Kumogakure squad into the Land of Swamps to find and assist Konoha’s team protecting Shion. Shikamaru ordered a faster advance, and Naruto and Neji cleared a path through the stone statues before a black-purple streak struck someone protecting Shion.

• Karui complained about supporting Konoha, but Darui reminded the Cloud Ninja that the Raikage had personally assigned their mission.
• Darui’s squad entered the Land of Swamps, identified the area where Konoha’s team might be, and scattered to search for them.
• Shikamaru decided the team could no longer afford to advance cautiously and told Neji they had to take a risk.
• Neji called on Naruto, who used Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu and powerful techniques to clear the stone statues as Shikamaru and Sakura escorted Shion through.
• A black-purple streak flashed toward Shion, and another figure stepped in front of her as blood sprayed across her face.

Itachi and Kisame left after discussing their understanding with Ueno Kei, while Naruto’s team struggled against the creatures guarding Shion. Taruho was gravely wounded, but his spreading corruption receded before an unknown attacker destroyed the stone statues and appeared before Sakura and Shion.

• Ueno Kei reflected on his conversation with Itachi, who told Kisame that the Akatsuki leader would not learn of their meeting and said Kei could see farther than he could.
• Naruto and Neji fought on as Shion headed toward the sealing altar, and Naruto rushed toward Taruho’s cry after borrowing the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Taruho was wounded while protecting Shion from giant scorpions, and Sakura’s medical ninjutsu could not stop the black corruption spreading through him.
• A purple light from Taruho’s left chest caused the black markings to recede, allowing Sakura to stabilize his injuries.
• An attacker used Storm Release—Laser Beam to destroy the stone statues, then appeared before Sakura and Shion and asked whether they were all right.

Darui and the Kumogakure ninja rescued Sakura and cleared a path so Naruto could take Shion to the sealing altar. After Naruto mistook the reinforcements for enemies and attacked Darui, the misunderstanding was resolved, and Darui recognized Naruto as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki.

• Darui and the Kumogakure ninja arrived to rescue Sakura, then fought off the stone statues while Sakura objected to being called a girl.
• Naruto rushed at Darui, mistaking the Kumogakure ninja for enemies, but Darui dodged after hearing Sakura explain they were allies.
• Sakura apologized for Naruto's attack, and Darui accepted it before Shikamaru ordered Naruto to escort Shion to the altar.
• Naruto used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to clear a path and carried Shion toward the altar, while Shikamaru and the others stayed behind.
• Darui told Karui that Naruto was a jinchuriki like Killer B, shocking the Kumogakure ninja before they returned their attention to the stone statues.

Naruto carried Shion through the dark passages to the altar while Darui and Shikamaru held off the stone statues. Shion began sealing Moryo’s soul, but despite Naruto’s reassurance, her unease continued to grow.

• Naruto protected Shion from a sudden attack and carried her through the passage toward the altar.
• Shikamaru told Darui that the statues would stop moving once Shion sealed Moryo, so the shinobi focused on holding them back.
• Naruto and Shion reached the altar above the bubbling lava, and Shion asked Naruto to wait while she performed the sealing.
• Shion formed hand seals to use Moryo’s buried body to locate his soul and send it to the forbidden area where it could not escape.
• Two stone statues attacked, but Naruto destroyed them and urged Shion to concentrate on the sealing.
• Shion continued the sealing, yet felt increasingly uneasy as the formation began to glow.

Moryo confronted Shion as she prepared to seal him, while Naruto protected her from his attack and helped her establish a barrier. As Shion began the lengthy sealing ritual, Tobi and Zetsu watched from hiding and plotted to use the chaos to capture the Nine-Tails.

• Moryo appeared before Shion and declared that her fate was to merge with him.
• Naruto resisted Moryo's influence, dodged his attack, and destroyed two stone statues with Nine-Tails chakra.
• Shion completed her mark and raised a barrier that isolated her and Naruto with Moryo.
• Shion began the sealing ritual while Naruto vowed to protect her.
• Tobi told Zetsu that he intended to use Moryo's power and the situation to retrieve the Nine-Tails.

Pain’s group recovered the Six-Tails and prepared to seal it and the Seven-Tails, while Naruto failed to stop Moryo from taking Shion. Tobi revealed that Moryo’s attack was part of his plan to capture the Nine-Tails and use Moryo and Shion as bargaining chips, and that he intended to remove Pain as an obstacle.

• Pain’s group returned with the Six-Tails and discussed sealing it and the Seven-Tails before pursuing the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails.
• Shion found that her sealing mark no longer worked, and Moryo mocked her as he passed through the barrier.
• Moryo’s black mist took Shion through a newly opened passage, then his tentacles attacked Naruto and overwhelmed him.
• Zetsu questioned Tobi’s plan to use Moryo against Naruto, and Tobi said Moryo could not devour a tailed beast and was only a pawn.
• Tobi said Moryo and Shion could become bargaining chips, the Rinnegan was nearly ready to be reclaimed, and Pain had become an obstacle to the plan.
• Zetsu identified Tobi as Uchiha Obito, and Obito said they would wait for the final fruit.

Naruto plunged into Moryo’s body after spotting Shion inside, while the others struggled to hold off the suddenly empowered stone statues. Kei arrived and destroyed hundreds of them with a single sword technique, leaving Darui to recognize him as the Blood Asura, Ueno Kei.

• Naruto heard a bell ring and spotted Shion’s faint figure inside Moryo, so he leaped into the creature to reach her.
• The stone statues attacking the altar gained glowing purple eyes, moved violently, and began self-destructing, badly injuring Lee and several Kumogakure shinobi.
• Sakura saved Karui from an attack and treated the wounded while Darui and Shikamaru struggled to find a way to stop the statues.
• Kei appeared and used Wind Wing Sword Technique—Fourth Form: Moon Fall, destroying hundreds of stone statues and carving a deep ravine through the battlefield.
• Shikamaru, Neji, and Sakura welcomed Kei, while Darui recognized him as the Blood Asura, Ueno Kei.

Ueno Kei arrived and sealed the undead army behind a lightning barrier, then confronted Kumogakure ninja who objected to his attitude. When a golden chakra presence appeared in the sky, he sensed Naruto was involved and rushed away.

• Ueno Kei trapped the undead army inside his Ten Thousand Seal Lightning Prison, which withstood their attacks.
• Ueno Kei asked Shikamaru where Naruto and Shion were and learned they had entered the altar.
• Karui challenged Ueno Kei for dismissing Kumogakure's support, and he overwhelmed her with his presence before warning her not to provoke Konoha.
• A golden streak and powerful chakra appeared in the sky, and Ueno Kei called Naruto's name before vanishing in a flash of violet light.

Ueno Kei reached the cavern and found Naruto and Shion alive inside Moryo, while Shion prepared to sacrifice herself to defeat the demon. Naruto intervened and attacked Moryo with a Wind Style—Rasenshuriken, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Ueno Kei entered Sage Mode and sensed Naruto and Shion alive within Moryo, as Tobi and Zetsu hid from him.
• Ueno Kei burned away one of Moryo's tentacles with Thunderlight and moved to rescue Naruto.
• Shion resolved to fulfill her duty as priestess and sacrifice herself to purify Moryo.
• Naruto appeared before Shion, stopped her, and vowed to protect her.
• Naruto carried Shion away and struck Moryo with a Wind Style—Rasenshuriken.

Ueno Kei, Naruto, and Shion defeated Moryo, but Tobi appeared to seize Moryo’s core and reach for Shion. Ueno Kei recognized Tobi’s Mangekyō Sharingan and demanded to know who he was.

• Outside the volcano, Darui and Samui warned Karui to be cautious around Ueno Kei, while Sakura and the others worried about him and Naruto.
• Ueno Kei and Naruto weakened Moryo from outside and within, and Shion used her priestess power to break through Moryo’s toughest barrier.
• Ueno Kei caught Naruto and Shion after the battle, and Shion began a chant to finish off the dying Moryo.
• Moryo’s body turned to ashes, leaving a dark purple core that Shion identified as his soul and prepared to destroy.
• Tobi emerged through twisted space, grabbed Moryo’s core, and reached for Shion, but Ueno Kei and Naruto moved to protect her.
• Ueno Kei recognized the Mangekyō Sharingan in Tobi’s eyes and demanded to know his identity.

Ueno Kei and Naruto confronted Tobi, whose Mangekyō Sharingan and possible role in the Nine-Tails incident made him a dangerous suspect. The Great Elder trapped Tobi with a spatial lockdown barrier, and Ueno Kei prepared to attack and unmask him.

• Ueno Kei recognized Tobi's Mangekyō Sharingan and wondered whether he was an Uchiha survivor connected to the Nine-Tails incident.
• Tobi's space-time ninjutsu let Ueno Kei's strike pass through him, and Tobi promised to come for them later.
• Ueno Kei accused Tobi of involvement in the Nine-Tails incident, while Naruto realized Tobi might be responsible for his parents' deaths and childhood.
• Tobi tried to use his Mangekyō to teleport away, but the Great Elder's spatial lockdown barrier kept him in place.
• Ueno Kei vowed to break Tobi's mask and raised the purple-gold glowing Lingyu Blade.

Ueno Kei overwhelmed Tobi in their first clash, but tremors broke the Great Elder’s spatial barrier and let Tobi escape. The cave began collapsing as Ueno Kei reunited with Naruto and Shion at the exit.

• Naruto stayed beside Shion while Ueno Kei fought Tobi under the Great Elder’s spatial lockdown.
• Ueno Kei pressed his attack, kicked Tobi into a rock wall, and forced him to rely cautiously on his space-time ninjutsu.
• Tobi escaped Ueno Kei’s strike with a wooden substitution as the space began trembling.
• Tobi declared their next encounter would be a battle to the death, then vanished after the barrier shattered; Zetsu slipped away too.
• Ueno Kei thanked the Great Elder, who returned to the Originless Realm, as the cave began collapsing and Naruto called to Ueno Kei from the exit.

After defeating Moryo, Ueno Kei realized the masked man had taken Moryo’s remaining soul and resolved that the threat of Akatsuki required the villages to cooperate. He met the Fourth Raikage, clashed with him over their villages’ rivalry, and watched the Cloud Ninja leave without a fight.

• Ueno Kei surveyed the ruined volcano and worried that the masked man might revive Moryo with the stolen remnant soul.
• Ueno Kei, Naruto, and Shion met the Cloud Ninja and found the Fourth Raikage waiting with them.
• Ueno Kei told the Raikage that Moryo’s body had been destroyed, while he and Shion and Naruto kept Moryo’s stolen soul secret.
• Ueno Kei mocked the Raikage and recalled his past encounter with the Raikage and the Eight-Tails, provoking the Raikage into charging himself with lightning.
• Darui and Samui calmed the Raikage, who then led the Cloud Ninja away with their wounded.

Ueno Kei returned to Konoha with Shion, who tried to move in with Naruto before being placed in guest accommodations. After reporting that Akatsuki had taken Moryo and that a Mangekyō Sharingan user was involved, Ueno Kei urged Konoha to convene a Five Kage Summit; Kakashi and the others agreed to discuss the plan.

• Ueno Kei left the Land of Demons with Neji, Naruto, and the others after the Raikage departed without fighting.
• Ueno Kei and his group returned to Konoha seven days later with Shion, who clung to Naruto and said she wanted to stay at his house.
• Kakashi and the others arranged for Shion to stay in Konoha's guest lodging after Naruto protested her moving in with him.
• Ueno Kei told Jiraiya, Kakashi, Tsunade, and the others that Akatsuki had taken Moryo and that the mysterious masked man likely had the Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Ueno Kei proposed a Five Kage Summit to address Akatsuki's growing threat, and Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade agreed to discuss convening it.

Jiraiya decided to infiltrate Amegakure to investigate Akatsuki, whose leader he suspected was his former student Nagato. Despite Ueno Kei, Tsunade, and Kakashi warning him of the danger, Jiraiya insisted on going, and Ueno Kei secured permission to accompany him.

• Jiraiya proposed infiltrating Amegakure before the Five Kage Summit to gather intelligence on Akatsuki.
• Jiraiya said Akatsuki's leader likely possessed the Rinnegan and might be one of his former students, Yahiko, Nagato, or Konan.
• Ueno Kei warned that Akatsuki's leader and the Mangekyō Sharingan wielder made the mission too dangerous, and Tsunade and Kakashi joined his opposition.
• Jiraiya remained determined to go, assuring Tsunade that he would return safely.
• Ueno Kei insisted on accompanying Jiraiya as his final condition, and Jiraiya agreed.

After learning that Chiriku had been killed by two Akatsuki members, Asuma joined a Konoha search party while Kakashi mobilized Anbu to hunt them down. The chapter left Kakashi preparing to pursue the attackers as Jiraiya and Ueno Kei continued examining an unconscious boy in Konoha's research facility.

• A chunin told Kakashi that two men in cloud-patterned cloaks had attacked the Fire Temple, killed Chiriku, and taken his body.
• Asuma lost control at the news, then steadied himself and asked Kakashi to let him join the search for Chiriku's killers.
• Kakashi assigned Izumo, Kotetsu, and Yamato to Asuma's team and sent Anbu squads to search nearby black markets.
• Kakashi chose not to notify Jiraiya or Ueno Kei and prepared to act personally against the two Akatsuki members.
• Jiraiya and Ueno Kei watched researchers examine an unconscious boy at a secured underground facility in Konoha.

Ueno Kei and Jiraiya learned that the Nine-Tails chakra inside Sora was active and could regenerate, unlike the chakra drawn from Naruto. The discovery suggested the chakra carried a trace of the Nine-Tails' will, leaving Ueno Kei to abandon hopes of creating artificial jinchuriki for now.

• Ueno Kei asked the researcher about the results of the tests on Sora's Nine-Tails chakra.
• The researcher explained that Sora's chakra regenerated as long as its source remained intact, unlike the consumable chakra extracted from Naruto.
• The researcher theorized that Sora's chakra contained a weak trace of the Nine-Tails' will, which Jiraiya feared might threaten Naruto's seal.
• Ueno Kei reassured Jiraiya that the Fourth Hokage's Eight Trigrams Seal and its key would warn them if anything went wrong.
• Ueno Kei concluded that mass-producing jinchuriki was too dangerous and learned that Sora's unusual physique might be necessary to endure tailed beast chakra.