Recaps

Sosuke led the infiltration of Sunagakure, was presumed dead after fighting the Third Kazekage, then returned to Konoha alive. As Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Sakumo began to suspect Sosuke had engineered the mission, he was appointed acting Fourth Hokage while the Third Tsuchikage’s forces advanced on Konoha.

• Sakumo led his squad into Sunagakure, where Sand Ninja killed Jueliang and the Third Kazekage’s forces confronted the attackers, and Kojika lost his arm protecting Sakumo.
• Sosuke arrived and fought the Third Kazekage, while Shizuka melted much of the Iron Sand and Konoha’s forces began attacking throughout the village.
• Sosuke drew the Sand Ninja away so Tsunade, Orochimaru, Shizuka, and Sakumo could escape, then the survivors reported him dead and rumors blamed Sakumo for the squad’s losses.
• Jiraiya refused to believe Sosuke was dead, and Sosuke later made it back to Konoha, where Qimuliang and the guards brought him in for treatment.
• Sosuke told the Third Hokage that Space-Time Ninjutsu had helped him escape, received the Scroll of Sealing, and privately studied techniques including Impure World Reincarnation.
• Sakumo told Jiraiya and Tsunade that Sosuke had claimed the Sunagakure mission was ordered by Konoha, leading them to suspect Sosuke had deceived him and caused the squad’s deaths.
• Sosuke made Little Bear his summoned beast and named him Kumamoto, while the Hokage and clan leaders appointed Sosuke acting Fourth Hokage.
• Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Sakumo returned to Konoha as the Third Tsuchikage led Rock Ninja toward the village, and Sosuke learned of his appointment.

Sosuke defected from Konoha during the Rock Ninja invasion, defeated the Earth Core Detachment, and secured the Dust Release scroll in exchange for helping the Rock Ninja escape. After the village mourned his departure, Sosuke reunited with Shijimi Tamako and offered Ghost a perilous trial.

• Sosuke rejected Hiruzen Sarutobi’s order to surrender, discarded his Konoha headband, and declared his intention to reshape the Ninja World as a Rock Ninja attack began.
• Sosuke defeated Sakumo and Dai when they tried to stop him, then watched as the Rock Ninja devastated Konoha’s northwestern district and Ōnoki faced Sarutobi.
• Sosuke intervened when the Earth Core Detachment’s secret technique threatened Konoha, killed the Rock Ninja with his own techniques, and collected their souls for Hogyoku.
• Sosuke used Kyoka Suigetsu and his space-time ability against Ōnoki, then demanded the Dust Release scroll in exchange for helping the Rock Ninja leave Konoha.
• Sosuke wounded Kazumi, bypassed the Anbu at Konoha’s gate, and led the Rock Ninja out of the village while telling Kitsuchi that he did not hate Konoha.
• After Ōnoki handed over the Dust Release scroll, Konoha mourned its dead and learned that Sosuke had defected after being chosen as Fourth Hokage, while Danzo pledged to strengthen Root.
• Teuchi clung to his belief in Sosuke as he cleared the rubble from Sosuke’s home, and the recovering Kazumi realized Sosuke had spared her heart.
• Sosuke reunited with Shijimi Tamako, asked her to give him her answer after crossing the chasm of time, and offered Ghost a dangerous trial that could make him far stronger.

Sosuke explored Turtle Island and the Waterfall of Truth, where he reunited with Aizen and reclaimed his identity. Back in the Ninja World, Aizen returned to Amegakure, reunited with Tamako and his followers, and began recruiting Kakuzu for his plan to overturn the shinobi system.

• Sosuke left Tamako in the Royal Capital and traveled across the sea with Suigetsu to seek the truth about the Ninja World.
• Sosuke found Turtle Island, explored its ancient ruin, and entered the Waterfall of Truth, where he met Aizen in the inner world.
• Aizen explained their shared soul and the Hogyoku’s role, then vanished, after Kyoka Suigetsu returned, Sosuke declared himself Sosuke Aizen.
• Aizen left the island and returned to Amegakure, where Kinnara reported that Minato and the children were staying at Tamako’s residence.
• Aizen reunited with Tamako and tested Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato in a spar against Oni, pushing them to grow stronger.
• Minato and Nawaki sought Kakuzu in the underground black market and confronted him, but Kakuzu revealed his Earth Grudge Fear and attacked Nawaki.
• Aizen arrived, protected Nawaki, and offered Kakuzu a place among his allies, and Kakuzu rejected him, so Aizen explained his plan to overturn the shinobi system and establish a lasting new civilization.

Aizen gathered allies, investigated Madara’s plans, and prepared his followers for a war intended to end the age of shinobi. The arc ended with Aizen naming the Land of Wind as the war’s starting point and ordering his people to grow stronger and await his commands.

• Aizen welcomed Kakuzu into his group, then traveled with Minato and Nawaki through a spatial tunnel.
• Tokino confirmed that Madara Uchiha was alive, controlled Kirigakure through the Third Mizukage, and had taken Isobu, while Aizen ordered Tokino to keep reporting on him.
• Kimura Ono told Minato and Kushina about Sosuke’s humble nature and relentless training, inspiring Minato to become a ninja who could change people’s lives.
• Ōnoki declared that Iwagakure would ignite the Third Ninja World War with Las Noches as its partner, while Aizen concluded that Ōnoki’s ambition had returned.
• Nagato challenged Ulquiorra after he insulted Konan, awakened Shinra Tensei, and saved her from Ulquiorra’s chakra attack, but Ulquiorra endured the repulsion and departed after recognizing Nagato’s strength.
• Aizen reunited with Sakuya, told her that Tokino had survived, and left with Kumamoto after she promised to become stronger, and Sakuya awakened her Three-Tomoe Sharingan and collapsed.
• Yagura met Kisame in a secluded forest, tested his strength, and encouraged him to stay on his path toward becoming an outstanding shinobi.
• Aizen introduced Ulquiorra to his followers and announced that he would start the Third Ninja World War to end the age of shinobi, beginning in the Land of Wind when the Kazekage fell.