Recaps

Aizen returned after fifteen years and resumed directing his allies, while old divisions within Akatsuki and Las Noches resurfaced. As Aizen pursued Hollow experiments, Naruto’s childhood and the growing conflict around Konoha came into focus.

• The Emperor sought Aizen’s help ending the war, and Kaguya revealed the Divine Tree’s fruit and her clan’s secret technique for obtaining it.
• Aizen secured a ceasefire in exchange for help finding the dragon beasts, then left the Land of That, and three months later Kaguya ate the Divine Tree’s fruit as nations fought over her.
• Aizen returned to the Ninja World, and Ulquiorra told the gathered Las Noches members that he had sensed him.
• Aizen reunited with Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko, warned Nagato and Yahiko to repair their relationship, and asked to hear what Akatsuki had done in his absence.
• Jiraiya and Minato encouraged one another before Jiraiya offered to train Naruto, while Kushina confronted Minato over neglecting their son.
• Gin fought Tokino after warning him about Aizen, and later recounted Aizen’s conquests before accepting fifteen days in Las Noches’s underground prison.
• Aizen oversaw Orochimaru’s failed Hollow experiment and ordered him and Kazumi to continue until they could keep the subject’s body from collapsing.
• Itachi and Kisame approached Konoha to test its defenses as Obito and Zetsu watched, while Naruto tried to get Sasuke’s attention at the Academy.

Itachi and Kisame’s attack on Konoha brought Naruto and Sasuke into danger, while Tokino led Fugaku to Las Noches and Aizen’s experiment transformed him. Fugaku left the arc with new power and a resolve to protect Itachi and Sasuke.

• Naruto and Sasuke were left alone at the Academy gates, and Itachi attacked Sasuke before Kisame targeted Naruto and Iruka.
• Jiraiya and Minato confronted Itachi and Kisame, but Zetsu helped them escape Konoha.
• Tokino challenged Fugaku to take responsibility for the Uchiha Clan, and Fugaku awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan before agreeing to go to Las Noches.
• Fugaku met Sakuya and Aizen at Las Noches, where Aizen accepted him as a member and revealed that Itachi’s place in Akatsuki was part of his plans.
• Aizen restored Tamako’s body and established the six Espada, while Fugaku remained outside their ranks as a new arrival.
• Kakashi passed Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura as genin after they chose to share their food, and Sasuke continued to reject Mikoto’s pleas to abandon his hatred.
• Aizen, Orochimaru, and Kazumi subjected Fugaku to an experiment using White Zetsu cells, transforming him and leaving a Hollow Hole in his palm.
• Aizen tested Fugaku’s new durability, and Fugaku charged at him with his Sharingan activated, determined to protect Itachi and Sasuke.

Aizen advanced his Hollow experiments while Konoha’s leaders and Akatsuki reshaped their plans. Gin and Ulquiorra fought for command of Las Noches, and Ulquiorra returned after apparently dying with a new power.

• Aizen wounded Fugaku, whose body healed through Hollow transformation, and ordered him to study his new powers as Itachi’s path toward becoming a Hollow was prepared.
• Tsunade learned that Fugaku had disappeared and that Aizen and Uchiha Tokino might still be alive, while Sakumo trained Sasuke and confronted Konoha’s entrenched corruption through his meeting with Kakashi.
• Sarutobi investigated Danzo’s experiments with First Hokage cells, but Danzo concealed the extent of his work and replaced his failing arm with a living one.
• Naruto completed the first stage of Rasengan training as Tsunade returned to the Senju Clan, while Aizen tested Kimimaro’s Hollow powers and transformed Gin and Ulquiorra.
• Nagato reassigned Akatsuki’s partners to separate Tobi from Zetsu, while Sasori and Deidara received new assignments and Aizen gathered Las Noches to watch Gin and Ulquiorra fight.
• Ulquiorra unveiled successive Resurreccion forms and overwhelmed Gin, but Gin revealed Kamishini no Yari’s dissolving toxin and Ulquiorra vanished as the spectators believed he had died.
• Ulquiorra awakened in a void, returned as the First Espada with a new power, and resumed his confrontation with Gin as Aizen recognized that he had broken through his restraint.

Aizen oversaw the Espada’s Hollow transformations, then redirected Akatsuki toward transforming themselves and recruiting Deidara. After Gin tested Deidara, Aizen faced him in a sparring match and remained unharmed by his strongest explosions.

• Ulquiorra overwhelmed Gin with the power of nothingness, but Aizen stopped his final attack and revealed that the battle had tested Ulquiorra’s ability to evolve, and he named Ulquiorra the First Espada and leader of Las Noches in his absence.
• Aizen offered grayish-white serum to Las Noches, and Barragan, Tamako, Minato, and Tokino underwent Hollowfication as the others considered following them.
• Minato insisted that humans should choose whether to become Hollows, but Barragan demonstrated his Senescencia and the subordinate officers agreed to undergo the transformation after Aizen returned.
• Aizen met Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan at Akatsuki’s hideout, gave them serum, and ordered them to prioritize Hollowfication over capturing more Jinchuriki.
• Aizen told Gin and Ulquiorra that he would use half the power of three captured Tailed Beasts to awaken three Espada while watching Uchiha Clan Madara’s plan, and warned them not to use their powers recklessly.
• Aizen and Sasori watched as Gin tested Deidara’s explosive techniques, and Aizen stopped the test after Deidara detonated hidden bombs inside Gin.
• Aizen accepted Deidara into his group, and Sasori explained that he and Nagato’s group had once belonged to Las Noches before Akatsuki formed after Aizen vanished.
• Aizen sparred with Deidara, cutting down his clay figures and surviving C3 No. 18 without injury before appearing behind the shocked Deidara.