Recaps

Ueno Kei learned that Sunagakure’s Fifth Kazekage had been kidnapped from inside the village and received Tsunade’s order to go there personally. He left Nara Shikamaru and Hyuga Neji to manage affairs in Kyoto while he headed to Sunagakure.

• Hyuga Neji pledged to follow Ueno Kei, who then asked Nara Shikamaru to assess Danzo’s visit to Kyoto.
• Nara Shikamaru suggested Danzo might seek the Daimyo’s backing or be connected to the Left Chancellor’s visit to the Land of Rice Fields and Orochimaru.
• A messenger delivered an urgent dispatch reporting that Sunagakure’s Fifth Kazekage had been kidnapped inside his own village by two members of an organization.
• Ueno Kei suspected the Akatsuki was behind the kidnapping and believed it was hunting jinchuriki and Tailed Beasts.
• Ueno Kei told Nara Shikamaru and Hyuga Neji to take care of Kyoto, then left for Sunagakure on Tsunade’s orders.

Ueno Kei arrived in Sunagakure after the Fifth Kazekage was abducted and assessed the damage at the village’s First Line. He joined the Konoha team and met Sunagakure elders Chiyo and Ebizo as the village dealt with the crisis.

• Ueno Kei reached Sunagakure’s First Line and was challenged by Sand Ninja guards.
• The Sand Ninja recognized Ueno Kei and escorted him into the First Line, where he smelled blood and inferred that the guards had been slaughtered.
• A Sand Ninja jonin explained that Baki, Chiyo, Ebizo, and Kakashi’s team were at the medical center, so Ueno Kei went there.
• Ueno Kei arrived and saw Naruto, Baki, Chiyo, and Ebizo, recognizing the two elders from his research.

Ueno Kei arrived in Sunagakure to help rescue Gaara and reunited with Naruto, who trusted him deeply. He met Chiyo and Ebizo, and Chiyo recognized his importance while reflecting on Sunagakure’s decline; the chapter ended with her making a pointed remark about Konoha’s support.

• Ueno Kei arrived, and Naruto greeted him with delight, saying his presence reassured him that they would save Gaara.
• Baki introduced Ueno Kei to Chiyo as Konoha’s Anbu Commander and the Third Hokage’s final disciple.
• Chiyo recognized Ueno Kei’s status and felt renewed sorrow over Sunagakure’s decline and its need for Konoha’s help.
• Ueno Kei greeted Chiyo and Ebizo respectfully, and Chiyo asked about his connection to Sarutobi.
• Ueno Kei confirmed that the Third Hokage had accepted him as a disciple, and Chiyo remarked pointedly that Tsunade must value Sunagakure to send someone so important.

Ueno Kei learned that Deidara and Sasori had abducted Gaara, while Sakura treated the poisoned Kankuro and confirmed he was out of danger. After Kakashi’s summoned beasts located Gaara, the rescue team left for the Land of Rivers.

• Ueno Kei arrived in Sunagakure and learned from Baki and Kakashi about Gaara’s abduction and the likely identities of the attackers.
• Sakura emerged from the emergency room and told Naruto that Kankuro would wake soon.
• Sakura examined the awakened Kankuro and confirmed that he was out of danger, earning the admiration of Sunagakure’s medical ninja.
• Kankuro told everyone that Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sands had taken Gaara.
• Kakashi’s summoned beasts returned with Gaara’s location, and Naruto, the other three Konoha ninja, and Chiyo set out for the Land of Rivers.

Akatsuki began extracting the One-Tail from Gaara while Ueno Kei’s team hurried toward the Land of Rivers to rescue him. The team encountered Itachi Uchiha, who appeared to block their path.

• Deidara summoned Pain, who gathered Akatsuki’s members to begin sealing the One-Tail.
• Pain and the other Akatsuki members began extracting Gaara’s chakra with the Phantom Dragon Nine Seals.
• Kakashi warned Naruto not to waste his strength, and Naruto calmed himself and continued toward the Land of Rivers.
• Ueno Kei sensed someone approaching and stopped the group.
• Itachi Uchiha appeared before Ueno Kei, Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Chiyo, and greeted them.

Ueno Kei stayed behind to fight Itachi Uchiha while Naruto and the others continued to rescue Gaara. After Akatsuki completed the One-Tail sealing and withdrew, Deidara and Sasori remained in the cave, where a purple-haired figure and four companions arrived to confront them.

• Ueno Kei stopped Naruto from attacking Itachi Uchiha and sent him onward to help rescue Gaara with the others.
• Itachi Uchiha attacked Ueno Kei, who blocked his kunai with the Lingyu Blade and was forced back.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki continued sealing the One-Tail in the Land of Rivers cave, and Gaara fell when the sealing ended.
• Pain ordered Deidara and Sasori to retreat and warned them that Ueno Kei, Hatake Kakashi, and Chiyo were approaching.
• Deidara and Sasori stayed behind to face the newcomers, and a purple-haired figure arrived with four companions.

Ueno Kei and the others reached the cavern where Gaara was being held, after discovering that the Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki they fought were impostors created by a forbidden technique. Ueno Kei bypassed the Five-Seal Barrier with a single slash, exposing the cavern as the group prepared to continue their rescue.

• Ueno Kei burned the disguised Itachi Uchiha's body, then joined Kakashi's group after Kakashi cut down the Kisame Hoshigaki lookalike.
• Ueno Kei identified the impostors as people controlled by a forbidden technique that gave them the original's appearance and about half their strength.
• Naruto's anger drew out the Nine-Tails' chakra, but Ueno Kei slapped him and helped him calm down.
• Kakashi, Chiyo, and Ueno Kei recognized the Five-Seal Barrier, which normally required removing five seals simultaneously.
• Ueno Kei used Secret Art—Lightning Slash to split the barrier's boulder and reveal the cavern.

Ueno Kei and the others entered the cave, where Naruto saw Deidara sitting on Gaara and learned that the Kazekage was dead. Deidara flew away with Gaara’s body as Naruto pursued him, while Ueno Kei followed and Kakashi stayed behind to face Sasori alongside Chiyo and Sakura.

• Chiyo watched Ueno Kei break the Five-Seal Barrier with one strike, then followed him into the cave with the others.
• Naruto saw Deidara sitting on Gaara and erupted in anger; Deidara confirmed that Gaara was dead.
• Deidara summoned a white bird, seized Gaara’s body, and flew out of the cave.
• Naruto pursued Deidara in a frenzy of Nine-Tails chakra, and Ueno Kei followed after asking Kakashi to handle the cave.
• Sasori faced Chiyo, Kakashi, and Sakura as the battle in the cave was about to begin.

Ueno Kei and Naruto pursued Deidara to recover Gaara, but Deidara attacked them with explosive clay. Ueno Kei struck Deidara out of the sky and approached him, seeking to capture him alive.

• Deidara welcomed Naruto and Ueno Kei's pursuit and prepared twin-winged clay birds to test their strength.
• Ueno Kei caught up with Naruto, calmed him, and shielded him from Deidara's explosive clay attack with his Lightning Armor.
• Ueno Kei warned Naruto to stay calm, and Naruto acknowledged him before continuing after Gaara.
• Ueno Kei sliced through Deidara's clay bird with a purple attack, sending Deidara and Gaara falling.
• Naruto rushed to catch Gaara while Ueno Kei went after Deidara, who crashed to the ground and heard Ueno Kei ask him to surrender.

Ueno Kei discovered that his Lightning Release neutralized Deidara’s clay bombs and wounded him with a shadow attack, then detonated a seal on Deidara’s severed arm. Deidara survived the blast with help from a masked Akatsuki member, leaving Ueno Kei facing another opponent.

• Deidara tricked Ueno Kei with hidden clay spiders and tried to escape into the air, but Ueno Kei used Lightning Release to keep him grounded.
• Ueno Kei confirmed that Lightning Release made Deidara’s clay bombs inert, while Deidara searched for a way to stall or escape.
• Ueno Kei struck Deidara with Instant Prison Shadow Kill Formation and severed his right arm, leaving a swastika seal on the wound.
• Ueno Kei detonated the seal, creating a powerful explosion that flattened the surrounding area.
• A masked Akatsuki member appeared beside the injured Deidara, who had survived the blast, and Ueno Kei recognized that the fight had become more troublesome.

Ueno Kei confronted Tobi and Deidara, discovering that his lightning blade passed through Tobi as if he were intangible. He unleashed his powerful Lightning Release—Apocalypse Judgment at the fleeing Akatsuki members, leaving the attack’s outcome unresolved.

• Tobi introduced himself as an Akatsuki trainee and invited Ueno Kei to join the organization.
• Ueno Kei attacked Tobi, but Thunderlight passed through him without resistance.
• Ueno Kei formed seals and summoned seven chakra-filled lightning spheres around himself.
• Deidara urged Tobi to flee as Ueno Kei launched Lightning Release—Apocalypse Judgment, sending seven lightning dragons crashing toward the ground.

Ueno Kei unleashed his powerful Lightning Release against Deidara and Tobi, but Tobi escaped with the badly injured Deidara. Ueno Kei returned to find Chiyo sacrificing her life to revive Gaara, leaving the mission nearly complete.

• Ueno Kei searched the charred battlefield but could not find Deidara or Tobi, then left to check on Naruto.
• After Ueno Kei departed, Tobi emerged from a space-time vortex carrying the unconscious Deidara, revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, and escaped.
• Ueno Kei reached Naruto and found Kakashi, Sakura, and Chiyo beside Gaara's corpse.
• Kakashi explained that Chiyo was using Sunagakure's Reincarnation Technique to restore Gaara's life.
• Chiyo gave up the remainder of her life, and Gaara's life force began to return.

After returning from Sunagakure, Ueno Kei and Kakashi reported that Yakushi Kabuto was Sasori of the Red Sands' informant and shared Orochimaru and Second Pillar's whereabouts with Tsunade. Their discussion of the next meeting at Tenchi Bridge was interrupted when Naruto revealed he had been listening, leaving the group to face his reaction to the news about Sasuke.

• Gaara and Naruto said goodbye as Naruto, Ueno Kei, and the others departed Sunagakure for Konoha.
• Kakashi told Tsunade that Sasori had identified Yakushi Kabuto as his informant beside Orochimaru, and the group also reported Orochimaru and Second Pillar's whereabouts.
• Ueno Kei argued that Naruto's movements should be restricted because Akatsuki was targeting jinchuriki and its members posed a serious threat.
• Sakura told Tsunade that the next meeting would take place at Tenchi Bridge, where they might find Sasuke.
• Ueno Kei called out Naruto, who sprang out of hiding with a grin.

Naruto insisted on joining the mission to find Sasuke, and Ueno Kei agreed to accompany him with Kakashi after Tsunade set strict conditions. After the others left, Shimura Danzō appeared and challenged Tsunade’s decision to let Naruto leave the village.

• Naruto told Ueno Kei he was determined to go after Sasuke, and Ueno Kei agreed to accompany him with Kakashi.
• Tsunade approved the plan on the condition that Naruto obey Kakashi and Ueno Kei, and Naruto hurried off with Sakura to prepare.
• Kakashi left the Hokage's office, while Ueno Kei stayed behind when he sensed Shimura Danzō had appeared.
• Shimura Danzō warned Tsunade that sending the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki on a mission risked Akatsuki capturing the village's most valuable asset.

Danzo arranged for a Root member to join Naruto’s team, leaving Kei suspicious of his motives. Kei also learned Jiraiya was investigating Akatsuki and planned to visit the Land of Rain, while Tsunade reminded Kei that he had forgotten someone.

• Danzo asked Tsunade to assign a Root member to Naruto’s team, and Tsunade agreed after Kei accepted.
• Kei and Tsunade discussed Danzo’s visit to Kyoto and his motives, and Tsunade planned to question the Daimyo at their upcoming meeting.
• Tsunade told Kei that Jiraiya was investigating intelligence about Itachi Uchiha and Orochimaru and intended to travel to the Land of Rain.
• Kei urged Tsunade to stop Jiraiya from going to the Land of Rain until Kei returned, and Tsunade agreed.
• Tsunade teased Kei about forgetting someone before leaving Kyoto for the Sand Ninja, and Kei realized he had.

Ueno Kei warned Tsunade that Danzo and the daimyo might be pursuing conflicting plans, prompting them to watch Root and Danzo closely. As Kei hurried home after hearing someone was waiting for him, Danzo secretly ordered Sai to join Kakashi’s team and target Kei during their mission.

• Tsunade told Ueno Kei that she had ordered Zang back to the village after Kei had accidentally left him in Kyoto.
• Ueno Kei reviewed Zang’s intelligence and told Tsunade that Danzo and the daimyo might not have reached the agreement Danzo believed they had.
• Ueno Kei asked Tsunade to monitor Danzo and Root, and to have Jiraiya focus on the village and the Land of Fire if he returned.
• Tsunade reassured Ueno Kei and told him someone was waiting at home, so he hurriedly left her office.
• Danzo summoned Sai, assigned him to Kakashi’s team, and gave him secret orders concerning Ueno Kei.

Ueno Kei welcomed his fiancée, Kazahana Yuki, to his home in Konoha, where she had prepared dinner. Naruto and Sakura joined them, and Naruto was stunned to learn that Yuki was his sister-in-law.

• Shimura Danzō watched Sai leave and privately anticipated the outcome of his plans involving Ueno Kei.
• Ueno Kei arrived home and found Kazahana Yuki cooking, then greeted her warmly and teased her about coming without warning.
• Yuki said she had come because Kei rarely visited the Land of Snow, and she invited him to wash up for dinner.
• Naruto and Sakura arrived to invite Kei to Ichiraku Ramen, but Kei invited them inside to eat with Yuki instead.
• Kei introduced Yuki to Naruto as his sister-in-law, leaving Naruto shocked and dazed through dinner.

Ueno Kei left Konoha on a mission after saying goodbye to Kazahana Yuki, unaware that a conspiracy was taking shape in the village. In Kyoto, Kazuma persuaded the Land of Fire's daimyo to support a plan to strike Konoha, while the daimyo secretly prepared to protect himself if it failed.

• After two days with Kazahana Yuki, Ueno Kei said goodbye and promised to visit her in the Land of Snow after his mission.
• Ueno Kei departed Konoha with Hatake Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto, and Sai, while an unseen watcher observed them leave.
• In Kyoto, Kazuma urged the daimyo to back his plan to kill Tsunade and seize control of Konoha.
• The daimyo agreed to provide city defense forces and his ninja, but ordered Kazuma to leave Konoha's Kyoto liaison point and two Guardian Ninja untouched.
• After Kazuma left, the daimyo considered using him as a scapegoat, while Kazuma privately showed that he understood the daimyo's motives.

Ueno Kei’s team reached Earth Bridge early and prepared to meet Yakushi Kabuto, while Ueno Kei and Kakashi remained suspicious of Sai’s true purpose. The team rested under watch, leaving the confrontation with Kabuto and Sai’s possible plans unresolved.

• Haruno Sakura reviewed the intelligence that Kabuto would meet Sasori alone at Earth Bridge at noon the next day, and Kakashi outlined a plan to capture him and search for Orochimaru and Sasuke.
• Ueno Kei questioned Sai about the mission, but Sai said he would follow Ueno Kei and Kakashi’s orders as Danzo had instructed.
• Ueno Kei and Kakashi failed to uncover Sai’s intentions and decided to watch him while proceeding with the plan to deal with Kabuto.
• Kakashi and Ueno Kei assigned the others to rest and planned to take turns keeping watch, with one of them using the Transformation Technique to approach Kabuto.
• While keeping watch, Kakashi admitted he could not read Sai, and Ueno Kei said Sai would eventually reveal a flaw.

Kakashi posed as Sasori while Ueno Kei and the others waited to meet Yakushi Kabuto and obtain intelligence about Sasuke. Kabuto appeared on the bridge and greeted Kakashi, leaving the exchange about to begin.

• Kakashi transformed into Sasori and went to the bridge while Ueno Kei ordered Naruto, Sakura, and Sai to wait for his signal.
• Ueno Kei hid near the bridge to monitor the meeting, while Sakura kept watch on Naruto and Sai.
• Naruto grew impatient as Kabuto failed to arrive at the appointed time, but Sakura urged him to stay calm.
• Yakushi Kabuto appeared and apologized to Kakashi, whom he believed to be Sasori, for keeping him waiting.
• Kakashi maintained Sasori's manner and asked whether Kabuto had brought the intelligence.

Ueno Kei, Kakashi, and their team confronted Yakushi Kabuto and Orochimaru while trying to obtain the intelligence scroll. Naruto lost control after Orochimaru provoked him about Sasuke, and Ueno Kei rushed to stop him.

• Yakushi Kabuto offered Kakashi, disguised as Sasori, an intelligence scroll but asked for an item related to an unfinished matter, making Kakashi uneasy.
• Ueno Kei appeared beside Kakashi, who dropped his disguise, and Orochimaru revealed himself alongside Yakushi Kabuto.
• Naruto, Sakura, and Sai joined them, and Yakushi Kabuto taunted Naruto by claiming Sasuke had grown beyond him.
• Orochimaru said Sasuke had chosen to come to him, provoking Naruto into unleashing a violent surge of Nine-Tails chakra.
• Naruto's chakra shattered the bridge and tore open the far bank, leaving him wrapped in red chakra with four tails.
• Kakashi agreed to handle Yakushi Kabuto while Ueno Kei used the Body Flicker Technique to rush toward Naruto.

Naruto lost control while drawing on the Nine-Tails’ chakra and became a six-tailed miniature Nine-Tails, forcing Ueno Kei to join his fight against Orochimaru. The battle continued as Kei attacked Orochimaru, while Naruto remained a danger to himself and everyone nearby.

• Kei saw Naruto’s fifth tail begin to emerge and prepared a sealing scroll to weaken the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Naruto roared and transformed into a six-tailed miniature Nine-Tails, and Orochimaru praised him for gaining enough power to catch up to Sasuke.
• Naruto fired a Tailed Beast Bomb that destroyed Orochimaru’s Triple Rashomon gates.
• Kei used the Blood Mark technique on his Lingyu Blade and entered the battle, striking at Orochimaru with Lightning Release—Thunder Roar.
• Orochimaru dodged Kei’s attack, while Kei intervened to prevent Naruto from transforming further or being harmed by Orochimaru.

Ueno Kei struggled to restrain the transformed Naruto without hurting him while Orochimaru interfered. After Orochimaru withdrew, Ueno Kei used a sealing technique to draw away the Nine-Tails’ chakra and caught Naruto as he collapsed, then checked that he had no fatal injuries.

• Ueno Kei fought to contain seven-tailed Naruto while avoiding Orochimaru’s harassment, and a crimson chakra palm burned him.
• Ueno Kei trapped Naruto in a blood-colored barrier, but the Nine-Tails’ chakra began rising again.
• Orochimaru praised Ueno Kei’s talent, then vanished while Ueno Kei prepared a sealing scroll.
• Ueno Kei used the scroll to weaken Naruto’s chakra, but a chakra tail struck him and left him badly wounded.
• Ueno Kei pressed the scroll against Naruto and completed the Five Spirit Seal, removing the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Naruto collapsed into Ueno Kei’s arms, and Ueno Kei checked him as Kakashi and Sakura hurried over.

Sai delivered Danzo’s letter to Orochimaru and left with him, while Kakashi and Sakura regrouped with Ueno Kei and treated the unconscious Naruto. The group suspected Sai was following a scheme connecting Danzo and Orochimaru and planned to use a hidden tracker on Sai to find Orochimaru’s base.

• Sai presented Danzo’s letter to Orochimaru, who accepted it and led Sai and Yakushi Kabuto away.
• Kakashi abandoned his pursuit of Yakushi Kabuto and returned with Sakura to Ueno Kei and the unconscious Naruto.
• Sakura treated Naruto while Ueno Kei took a pill to suppress his injuries.
• Ueno Kei learned Sai had escaped and discussed with Kakashi the likely connection between Danzo and Orochimaru.
• Ueno Kei revealed that a tiny summoned lizard was tracking Sai, though Orochimaru might detect it.
• After treating Naruto, Sakura offered to examine Ueno Kei’s injuries.

After Naruto lost control under the Nine-Tails’ influence, Ueno Kei reprimanded him for risking his teammates and warned that another incident would end his mission. The next day, the group confirmed Sasuke was inside Orochimaru’s hideout and entered it to infiltrate.

• Ueno Kei confronted Naruto at their night camp and criticized him for losing control during the battle.
• Kakashi tried to defend Naruto, but Ueno Kei warned that he would have Naruto sent back to Konoha if he acted recklessly again.
• Naruto accepted the reprimand and promised to remember it, then the group spent the night in silence.
• The next day, Ueno Kei confirmed Sasuke was inside Orochimaru’s hideout, and Sakura reacted nervously to the news.
• Ueno Kei led Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi into the hideout.