Chapter Summaries

Aizen announced that he, Minato, and Ulquiorra would travel to Sunagakure to begin their plan, leaving the others in Las Noches to prepare for war. After they vanished, the remaining members made plans to prepare in Amegakure or stay behind.

• Aizen told the gathered members that he, Minato, and Ulquiorra would go to Sunagakure while everyone else waited in Las Noches and strengthened themselves.
• Aizen opened a black void, and he, Minato, and Ulquiorra entered it as Konan watched anxiously and Nagato silently accepted Ulquiorra's challenge to grow stronger.
• After Aizen and the others disappeared, Nagato reassured Konan that Aizen would succeed, while Yahiko complained that he had followed Aizen's instructions but seen nothing.
• Kinnara said he would return to Amegakure to prepare for the coming war, and Nawaki decided to go there to learn about Konoha.
• Nawaki asked Kakuzu about his plans, but Kakuzu walked away without answering, and the hall eventually emptied.

Aizen and Ulquiorra arrived in the human world and headed toward Sunagakure, where Chidong prepared to help Aizen launch his plan. As Chidong walked to a village meeting, Aizen's familiar voice sounded in his ear again.

• Aizen, Ulquiorra, and another companion emerged from a portal in the Nara Desert, and Aizen told Ulquiorra to experience human emotions before leading them toward Sunagakure.
• Chidong reassured Yuno and Karura before leaving home, promising his daughter chewy candy when he returned.
• Chidong walked toward Sunagakure's tallest building while reflecting on his plan with Aizen to end the era of shinobi war and secure a peaceful future for his family.
• Chidong heard Aizen's familiar voice in his ear again, and his pupils contracted.

Aizen arrived outside Sunagakure with Minato and Ulquiorra to see what Chidong had prepared for him. Minato went to inspect Chidong’s hut, where Scorpion had been dissecting a missing villager, and asked whether Chidong had completed his preparations.

• Chidong told Aizen that everything was ready and went to wait outside Sunagakure.
• Aizen, Minato, and Ulquiorra approached the secluded hut where Chidong was waiting with Scorpion.
• Chidong warned Scorpion to show respect to Aizen, while Scorpion continued dissecting a fresh corpse.
• Minato went to the hut in Aizen’s place after objecting to the blood stench, and Aizen asked Ulquiorra what he thought of Minato’s loyalty.
• Minato met Chidong and Scorpion at the door and asked whether Chidong had finished preparing what he promised Aizen.

Chidong revealed that Scorpion had transformed his body into a puppet and achieved what he called eternal existence. Minato tested Scorpion's abilities for Lord Aizen, and Scorpion began a demonstration that left Minato facing a torrent of flames.

• Minato used the Byakugan to see Chakra Threads controlling Scorpion's body and learned that Scorpion had made himself a puppet by choice.
• Scorpion said he had pursued eternal existence based on his teacher's teachings, and Chidong praised his achievement as a perfect art.
• Minato warned that Scorpion would need Lord Aizen's power to eliminate the Kazekage without exposing the plan, then asked him to prove his abilities.
• Scorpion transferred his heart into a scarred ninja vessel, summoned it from a scroll, and attacked Minato with poison-coated arms.
• Scorpion unleashed the Flame Prison Dance Formation from a fire scroll, and Minato stood his ground as the flames approached.

Minato’s Heavenly Spin repelled Sasori’s attacks, but Sasori’s puppets resisted Minato’s chakra techniques thanks to Black Meteorite Iron. Minato called off the fight, recognizing that Sasori’s puppets could defeat most shinobi who did not know their secret.

• Minato charged through Sasori’s flames and used Heavenly Spin to extinguish them.
• Sasori sent ten puppets to attack Minato and explained that his puppets were nearly living masterpieces.
• Minato repelled the puppets’ strikes and poison, but his chakra attacks failed to damage them.
• Sasori revealed that each puppet contained Black Meteorite Iron, which blocked almost all chakra.
• Minato lowered his hands and ended the fight, saying Sasori’s puppets could kill most unsuspecting shinobi.

Minato accepted Sasori after testing his combat ability, and Sasori explained how his paired techniques could break through Minato’s defense. Minato then took Sasori and Chidong to meet Lord Aizen, while revealing that the plan was to give the Third Kazekage a space-time marker so he could be killed during a journey.

• Sasori explained that combining Flame Prison Dance Formation and Corrosive Sulfur Pillar could overwhelm Minato’s Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin.
• Sasori transferred his heart into his red-haired puppet body and declared that creating perfect puppets mattered more to him than war or meeting Lord Aizen.
• Chidong scolded Sasori for dismissing Lord Aizen and his own pursuit of eternity.
• Minato accepted Sasori’s abilities and said he would take him and Chidong to meet Lord Aizen.
• Chidong explained his plan to use Sasori’s connection to Lady Chiyo to help eliminate the Third Kazekage, but Minato said they only needed to give the Kazekage a space-time marker and kill him while he traveled.
• Minato, Chidong, and Sasori left the bloodstained house and disappeared into the yellow sands.

Aizen met Sasori at the edge of Sunagakure and challenged Sasori’s belief that immortality was preferable to pursuing Aizen’s plan. After recalling his parents and choosing to create puppets with souls, Sasori pledged himself to Aizen, who accepted him and promised a greater power.

• Minato brought Aizen and Ulquiorra to meet Chidong and Sasori at the edge of Sunagakure.
• Aizen recognized that Sasori had transformed himself into a puppet and praised him for surpassing Chidong in the Puppet Technique.
• Sasori questioned whether Aizen’s plan to build an ideal nation was worth the risk and said he would help only for Chidong’s sake before pursuing immortality.
• Aizen argued that eternity would cost Sasori his emotions and cherished memories, prompting Sasori to remember his parents and childhood.
• Sasori asked Aizen to accept him so he could create puppets with souls, and Aizen welcomed him and promised power beyond immortality.

Chidong helped Aizen’s plan take shape as the Third Kazekage prepared to meet with Iwagakure, unaware that his journey had been anticipated. Sasori ambushed the Kazekage’s party, and Aizen appeared to confront him after Renju was killed.

• Chidong attended Sunagakure’s leaders’ meeting, memorized intelligence, and learned the Third Kazekage planned to visit Iwagakure with four guards.
• The Third Kazekage told Chidong he would lead Sunagakure’s forces against Konoha if Iwagakure agreed to war, then departed with Renju, Kyohaku, Ryosuke, and Shurumaru.
• During the journey, the Third Kazekage discussed suspicions that Sosuke had manipulated the Second Shinobi World War and warned that Sunagakure should watch Las Noches.
• Shurumaru, revealed to be a Human Puppet controlled by Sasori, stabbed Renju through the heart and opened a space for Aizen and his companions to emerge.
• Aizen identified himself to the Third Kazekage and asked Kyohaku and Ryosuke to leave, while his presence frightened them.

Aizen and his allies confronted the Third Kazekage, and Sasori revealed his identity and his role in Aizen’s plan. Aizen used Kyoka Suigetsu to land a fatal-looking slash, but the Third Kazekage narrowly dodged it and was left badly wounded.

• Kyohaku attacked Aizen verbally, and Ulquiorra struck him so hard that the Third Kazekage had to shield him with iron sand while Ryosuke began healing him.
• The Third Kazekage ordered Ryosuke to escape with Kyohaku, but Minato pursued them as the Kazekage stayed behind to face Aizen.
• Sasori revealed that he had impersonated Shurumaru and admitted he wanted to turn the Third Kazekage into a puppet for Aizen’s plans.
• Aizen explained that the Kazekage’s death would distract the Sand Ninja and could lead to war, then promised to revive him with Impure World Reincarnation.
• The Third Kazekage launched an Iron Sand Scattering Strike, and Aizen used Tōzanshō to shield his allies while approaching under Kyoka Suigetsu’s illusion.
• Aizen slashed the Third Kazekage, who narrowly escaped death by turning into iron sand but reappeared with a severe chest wound.

Aizen revealed to the wounded Third Kazekage that he had hidden his strength, engineered the Second Shinobi World War, and caused Shukaku to rampage as part of his plan to claim the Tailed Beasts’ power. The Third Kazekage rejected Aizen’s offer to join him and prepared to fight behind a defense of black sand.

• The Third Kazekage realized Aizen had concealed his strength since their first meeting, and Aizen confirmed he had waited for the right time to kill him.
• Aizen admitted he had started the Second Shinobi World War by exploiting distrust between villages and killing Feudal Lords.
• Aizen revealed he had caused Shukaku to rampage and planned to claim the Tailed Beasts’ power to become a god.
• Aizen offered to spare the Third Kazekage if he infiltrated enemy territory for him, but the Kazekage refused and vowed to fight to the death.
• Aizen mentioned killing Hanzo of Amegakure and challenged the Third Kazekage to attack first.
• The Third Kazekage gathered the scattered black sand into a defense and claimed it would render Aizen’s genjutsu useless.

Aizen overwhelmed the Third Kazekage with illusions and powerful attacks, then used a spatial opening to make him look away. The Third Kazekage was left fatally stabbed through the chest by Aizen’s blade.

• The Third Kazekage attacked Aizen with Iron Sand: Shower, but Aizen appeared unharmed and evaded the Kazekage’s attacks.
• Aizen struck with Hado #88: Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon, and the Third Kazekage stopped it with Shield of Rakshasa.
• Aizen fired Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu, forcing the Third Kazekage to escape into the sky with Iron Sand: Heavenly Wings.
• The Third Kazekage prepared Iron Sand Scattering Strike beside a black void, expecting Aizen to emerge from it.
• Aizen appeared behind the Third Kazekage and stabbed him through the chest, saying, “Kazekage, you let your guard down.”

Aizen defeated the Third Kazekage and escaped his final attack, leaving Sasori to claim the Kazekage’s body for a puppet. With Minato returning carrying two corpses, Aizen prepared to watch the turmoil that would follow in the Ninja World.

• The wounded Third Kazekage used Iron Sand: Corrosive Burial, but Aizen escaped through space-time after pulling Kyoka Suigetsu from his chest, and the Third Kazekage died.
• Aizen told Sasori to take the falling Third Kazekage as a gift, and Sasori rushed to retrieve the body.
• Ulquiorra asked about Sasori, and Aizen praised the boy’s talent and his pursuit of eternal existence.
• Sasori returned with the intact corpse, and Aizen secretly ordered the Hogyoku to leave the Third Kazekage’s soul intact.
• Minato returned carrying two bloodied corpses, and Aizen said they would watch the turmoil unfold in the Ninja World.

Sunagakure discovered that the Third Kazekage had gone missing on his way to Iwagakure and publicly announced the disappearance, prompting a major search. A week after the news spread, Aizen and the others appeared in the Land of Earth.

• Ebizo learned from Iwagakure that the Third Kazekage had never arrived and informed Sunagakure's leaders that he was missing.
• Sunagakure's leaders struggled to decide where to search, while Chidong argued that they should make the disappearance public so they could search freely.
• Ebizo and the other leaders accepted Chidong's reasoning, and Iwagakure sent ninja to Sunagakure, apologized, and promised to help investigate.
• Sunagakure announced the Third Kazekage's disappearance, shocking the major ninja villages.
• A week after the announcement, Aizen and the others appeared in the Land of Earth.

Aizen and his companions traveled through the Land of Earth to meet with Ōnoki, intending to use the Tsuchikage to set a battle in motion. Aizen revealed that he was also hunting ancient beings who had prolonged their lives, and the group continued toward Chidong’s preparations.

• Minato questioned whether Aizen should work with Ōnoki, given their past fight and the risk of exposing Las Noches, and Aizen said exposure would not matter yet.
• Aizen told Minato that other ancient beings besides Madara had survived by borrowing the power of souls, and vowed to end their existence in the age he created.
• Sasori reflected on Aizen’s vast knowledge, careful planning, and confidence, which had strengthened his admiration for him.
• Aizen led Ulquiorra, Sasori, and Minato onward to meet Ōnoki, expecting the meeting to be amicable and Chidong’s preparations to be nearly complete.

Ōnoki met with Aizen to negotiate Las Noches’ support for the Rock Ninja’s coming war against Konoha, agreeing to pay with the Five-Tails after the group joined the war. Aizen left without confirming whether he had caused the Third Kazekage’s disappearance, and Ōnoki prepared to proceed with the campaign.

• Ōnoki told Kitsuchi that he was willing to risk his life to help the Rock Ninja escape their stalemate and ordered his son to be ready to carry on his responsibilities.
• Aizen arrived with Ulquiorra, Minato, and Sasori to meet Ōnoki and proposed that the Five-Tails be payment for Las Noches’ aid.
• Ōnoki agreed to hand over the Five-Tails after Las Noches took part in the war, and he and Aizen discussed the timing and role of the alliance.
• Ōnoki asked whether Aizen had caused the Third Kazekage’s disappearance, but Aizen dismissed the question and warned him to consider Konoha’s strength.
• Ōnoki told Kitsuchi that the coming Rock Ninja campaign against Konoha mattered most, and Kitsuchi agreed.

Sunagakure and Iwagakure pressured Konoha over the Third Kazekage’s disappearance, prompting Hiruzen to prepare for war while worrying that Sosuke might exploit the conflict. In Sunagakure, Chiyo and Ebizo announced their retirements, and Chidong accepted Ebizo’s nomination as the Fourth Kazekage, secretly affirming that he was following Lord Aizen’s plan.

• Sunagakure declared war on Konoha over the Third Kazekage’s disappearance, and Iwagakure backed its demands while the other great villages stayed silent.
• Hiruzen rejected Sunagakure and Iwagakure’s demands, prepared Konoha for war, and warned that the conflict could help Sosuke rise to power.
• Chidong told the Sand Ninja leaders that Chiyo had lost hope after her grandson Sasori went missing and intended to withdraw from the Ninja World’s struggles.
• Chiyo announced her retirement, and Ebizo said he would retire with her after serving one final term as an advisor during the war.
• Ebizo nominated Chidong as the Fourth Kazekage, and Chidong reluctantly accepted with the leaders’ support.
• Chidong privately thought that everything was going according to Lord Aizen’s plan.

Tokino confronted White Zetsu over his questions about Sakuya and warned him not to interfere, while the Third Mizukage showed signs of resisting mind control. Three days later, Sunagakure and Iwagakure declared war on Konoha, and Kinnara and Yahiko’s group awaited the next stage of Lord Aizen’s plan.

• Fuguki discussed Kirigakure’s response to the coming conflict with the Third Mizukage, who told him to wait and watch Yagura.
• Tokino told Zetsu that the Third Mizukage’s mind control was meeting resistance and attacked White Zetsu after he questioned Tokino about Sakuya and his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Tokino burned White Zetsu’s clone and claimed that Lord Aizen had already accounted for Madara in his plans.
• Three days later, Sunagakure and Iwagakure declared war on Konoha over the Third Kazekage’s disappearance.
• Kinnara watched Amegakure take shape and said the war was about to begin.
• Yahiko and the others read their letters and exclaimed that Lord Aizen’s plan had succeeded.

Minato showed Jiraiya that he had learned the basics of the Flying Thunder God Technique from incomplete records, leaving Jiraiya wondering if his disciple was the Child of Prophecy. Jiraiya celebrated by teasing Minato and challenged him to spar again.

• Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to surprise Jiraiya during their sparring match.
• Minato explained that he had learned the technique by practicing from the incomplete scroll and showed Jiraiya the marked Kunai.
• Jiraiya wondered whether Minato was the Child of Prophecy foretold by the Great Toad Sage.
• Jiraiya hugged Minato, then playfully pressured him into admitting that Jiraiya had used only one-tenth of his strength.
• Jiraiya challenged Minato to spar again and test his use of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Sarutobi agreed to Kumogakure’s terms for an allied force against Sunagakure and Iwagakure, while ordering Hyuga shinobi to watch the Cloud Ninja. The Third Raikage then celebrated Konoha’s acceptance and turned his attention to the Nine-Tails in Konoha.

• Utatane Koharu gave Sarutobi Kumogakure’s proposal, and he discussed its ambitions with Mitokado Homura.
• Sarutobi agreed to form an allied force with Kumogakure and ordered more Hyuga Clan shinobi to monitor the Cloud Ninja.
• Ai brought the Third Raikage Konoha’s reply, and the Raikage confirmed that Konoha had accepted Kumogakure’s terms.
• The Third Raikage warned Ai that Konoha would try to contain Kumogakure’s influence, but vowed to expand onto the mainland.
• The Third Raikage asked about Bee’s progress with the Eight-Tails and declared that Kumogakure should set its sights on Konoha’s Nine-Tails.

At a hidden Rock Ninja outpost near the Land of Fire border, Nanli Hu warned young shinobi about Sosuke, whose past feats had repeatedly thwarted Iwagakure’s plans. The recruits were left stunned by the story of a man who held off nearly a thousand Rock Ninja and later defected while serving as Konoha’s Fourth Hokage.

• Young Rock Ninja asked Nanli Hu to tell them about the earlier battle while they kept watch at the outpost.
• Nanli Hu explained that their coming battles might be less brutal because Konoha had lost Sosuke, not merely the White Fang of the Leaf.
• Nanli Hu warned the recruits that Sosuke had been so terrifying that the Tsuchikage would not have started the war if he were still in Konoha.
• Nanli Hu revealed that Sosuke had held off an attack by nearly a thousand Rock Ninja and bought Konoha time to retreat.
• Nanli Hu said Kumogakure’s attack had forced Iwagakure to abandon its invasion plan, and that Sosuke later defected while serving as the Fourth Hokage and had foiled another invasion plan.