Chapter Summaries

Naruto learned that Kumogakure had placed a bounty on him and asked Yugito Nii to investigate a merchant who was buying Explosive Tags. Meanwhile, Akatsuki discussed Dragonborn’s growing strength and decided to move sooner to capture its Jinchuriki.

• Naruto overheard merchants discussing the peace declaration and a sale of Explosive Tags in the Land of Hot Water.
• Yugito Nii told Naruto that Kumogakure had placed a bounty on him, and Naruto asked her to investigate the merchant next door.
• Akatsuki learned that the One-Tails, Two-Tails, Three-Tails, and Nine-Tails had joined forces in Dragonborn.
• The Rinnegan phantom ordered Kisame and Itachi to pursue the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, with Hidan and Kakuzu joining them.
• Zetsu reported that Naruto had crippled the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki after fighting the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails alone.

The Akatsuki discussed capturing the Tailed Beasts after learning that Naruto Uzumaki had crippled the A-B Combo and mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique. In Amegakure, Pain and Konan prepared to act early, while the masked man learned that Shinnō might be able to treat Nagato’s injuries.

• The Rinnegan phantom ordered Sasori and Deidara to capture the One-Tail and sent Kakuzu and Hidan to prioritize the Two-Tails.
• Kisame and Itachi withdrew from the meeting because Konoha-backed shinobi were pursuing them, and the Akatsuki learned that Naruto could use the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Pain told Konan that Naruto’s impact required revealing the organization ahead of schedule, but he doubted Jiraiya’s ideals had influenced Naruto.
• The masked man confronted Pain over acting outside their plan, and Pain declared that the one he doubted was a god.
• Black Zetsu warned the masked man that Nagato could not handle Naruto in his injured state and proposed using the Gelel Stone to restore Nagato’s vitality.
• The masked man rejected Tsunade and Orochimaru as options, and Black Zetsu named Shinnō of the Sky Ninja Village as someone who could treat Nagato’s lower-body injuries.

Orochimaru sent Second Pillar to find Shinnō, whose Body Activation Secret Technique could heal Orochimaru’s hands, while Naruto and Yugito Nii investigated the source of Explosive Tags. Second Pillar learned that Shinnō had gone to Konoha seeking a Zero-Tails revival method and realized Naruto’s strength and influence still far exceeded his own.

• Orochimaru promised to teach Second Pillar a new technique if he found Shinnō and obtained the Body Activation Secret Technique.
• Yugito Nii told Naruto that a wealthy Fire Country merchant had bought Explosive Tags to deal with the ninjas who seized his mine, and Naruto decided Dragonborn would not get involved.
• Naruto caught a fish and told Yugito Nii that he had survived Konoha’s neglect by working hard for himself.
• Seven days later, Second Pillar interrogated a Sky Ninja with his Three Tomoe Sharingan and learned that Shinnō had gone to Konoha three months earlier to search for the Zero-Tails Revival Secret Method.
• An Otogakure ninja warned Second Pillar that Konoha had tightened its defenses after Dragonborn’s threats, and Second Pillar considered how Naruto had widened the gap between them.

Naruto met He Yan again while traveling with a merchant caravan, then went to investigate a nearby landslide and found Shikamaru, Sakura, and Neji in the rubble. He reunited with Nairu Kui, the ferret he had been looking for, and offered to take Shikamaru to eat.

• Naruto encountered He Yan on a trade road and learned that a newly built route had brought more merchants to the Land of Wind.
• Naruto told He Yan that he had traveled through all Five Great Nations and had been beaten by the Raikage brothers in the Land of Lightning.
• A loud rumble startled the caravan, and Naruto calmed its members by transmitting his state of mind through Ninshu before sensing familiar chakra nearby.
• Naruto vanished to investigate and found Shikamaru, Sakura, and Neji recovering from a landslide.
• Naruto greeted Shikamaru, offered to take him for food, and saw Nairu Kui leap from the rubble onto him.

Naruto learned that the mysterious attacker, Timusi, drew power from a Gelel Stone containing Life Energy. Timusi offered to take Naruto to meet Lord Haido and help establish the Ideal Nation.

• Shikamaru explained that his team had been attacked after finding a destroyed village while escorting Nairu Kui.
• Neji noticed a green stone on the unconscious man's chest, and Nairu Kui approached the man curiously.
• Naruto sensed Life Energy in the Gelel Stone and called it a treasure.
• Timusi woke and attacked Shikamaru, who restrained him with the Shadow Imitation Technique.
• Naruto questioned Timusi about the stone and showed him Life Energy, prompting Timusi to introduce himself and offer to take Naruto to Lord Haido.

Sand ninja fought an attack by numerous identical enemies, while Gaara’s group discovered a warship and confronted a transformed woman aboard it. Naruto healed Timusi with Life Energy as He Yan suspected Timusi was connected to an ancient royal bloodline, and Naruto prepared to meet Haido.

• Sand ninja’s military exercise was ambushed by waves of identical enemies, and Gaara arrived to help turn the battle around with Sand Coffin.
• Gaara ordered flares launched, revealing a warship on a distant lake, then sent Kankuro and hurried there while Temari took charge of the battlefield.
• A woman aboard the warship released Life Energy from the Gelel Stone and transformed into a batlike creature, and Kankuro sent Crow to attack her.
• Naruto healed Timusi with Life Energy and corrected him that it was not simply the power of the Gelel Stone.
• He Yan told He Mu that Nairu Kui and Timusi’s traits might prove their ancestors belonged to an ancient royal nation.
• Timusi explained to Sakura that he had been trained at Haido’s isolated base, and Naruto said he was looking forward to meeting Haido.

Naruto accompanied Timusi to Haido’s warship and learned more about the children being empowered with Gelel Stones and Haido’s Ideal Nation. Haido tried to recruit Naruto, but an urgent report that a fleet sent to the Land of Wind had lost contact interrupted his pitch.

• Naruto followed Timusi toward Haido’s warship and judged that Timusi’s devotion to the Ideal Nation came from brainwashing rather than understanding.
• Timusi used the Gelel Stone to boost his speed, while Naruto observed that the power raised his Life Energy to Chunin levels at a likely cost to his body.
• Naruto and Timusi reached the warship’s command room, where Haido welcomed them and Naruto noticed his reaction to the mention of old He Yan’s merchant caravan.
• Haido described his vision of a nationless, peaceful world and invited Naruto to join, but Naruto remained unconvinced.
• A subordinate reported that the fleet sent to the Land of Wind had encountered enemies and lost contact.

Sasori and Deidara arrived at Sunagakure’s battlefield and learned that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and teams from Konoha and Iwagakure had also appeared. Gaara killed the Gelel Stone-transformed Camilla and forced Ranke to flee, while the larger conflict continued.

• Sasori, Deidara, and White Zetsu reached the battlefield and found the wreckage of warships and the aftermath of an attack on Sunagakure’s training grounds.
• White Zetsu told Sasori and Deidara that Kisame’s and Kakuzu’s teams were nearby, that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had arrived, and that Iwagakure’s team had come to retrieve Deidara.
• Gaara fought an ape-like woman transformed by the Gelel Stone, struck her with sand bullets, and crushed her with Sand Coffin.
• Gaara rushed to Kankuro’s aid after hearing Sunagakure Ninja scream and found Ranke attacking him under Genjutsu.
• Ranke fled through the hull after Gaara’s sand blocked her attack, realizing he had likely killed her companion Camilla.

Naruto’s forces fought Haido’s warship and its allies near Sunagakure while Gaara killed Ranke and Naruto moved to counter Haido’s attack. Below deck, Shadow Clone Yiming seized the Gelel Stones, and Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi captured Deidara.

• Naruto learned that Haido’s forces were fighting Sunagakure and watched their warship approach with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki aboard.
• Gaara killed Ranke with Shukaku’s Spear, and Haido ordered missiles fired in retaliation.
• Naruto blocked the missiles with a wall of sand and left the warship to confront the enemy.
• Shadow Clone Yiming broke into the storage room, defeated the guards, and collected the Gelel Stones.
• Kurotsuchi restrained Deidara while Sasori and White Zetsu departed, and Kitsuchi carried Deidara away.

Gaara crushed Haido’s battleship with Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral while Naruto confronted Itachi Uchiha and Kisame. The fight began in earnest after Kisame revealed Samehada’s chakra-draining ability and Itachi recognized Naruto’s Flying Thunder God markers.

• Gaara poured chakra into the earth and trapped Haido and his followers inside the collapsing battleship, then crushed it with Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral.
• Hidan asked about Deidara, and White Zetsu said Deidara’s parent had come to pick him up; Kakuzu said Itachi and Kisame had gone to find Naruto.
• Naruto faced Itachi Uchiha and Kisame, recognized Itachi as resembling an acquaintance, and blocked Kisame’s opening strike with Kusabimaru.
• Kisame pulled Samehada across Kusabimaru and drained its Wind Release chakra, revealing the living, barbed greatsword beneath its bandages.
• Itachi attacked Naruto with Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique, and Naruto blocked the flames before throwing Flying Thunder God Kunai.
• Itachi warned Kisame that the kunai were spatial markers for the Flying Thunder God Technique, and Kisame agreed to keep his distance from them.

Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi brought the immobilized Deidara back to Iwagakure as Shukaku erupted on the battlefield. Naruto learned from Kurama that Akatsuki might seek to revive the Ten-Tails and create a second Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, then vanished to attack Itachi and Kisame.

• Kurotsuchi told Deidara that the old man wanted him to return, train Dust Release, and inherit the position of Fourth Tsuchikage.
• A roar from Shukaku interrupted them, and Kitsuchi hurried toward the tailed beast at the center of the battlefield.
• Itachi and Kisame fought Naruto's repeated Shadow Clones while Naruto watched the surrounding battles and questioned Akatsuki's motives.
• Kurama explained that the Sage of Six Paths had been the first Jinchuriki and suggested Akatsuki might intend to make someone the second Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Naruto stopped using Shadow Clones, teleported to Itachi and Kisame, and attacked them with Heart Piercing Style: Bird's Nest.

Asuma investigated the strange battles near Sunagakure while Haido was buried again by Gaara. Naruto pressed Itachi and Kisame with his speed, but Itachi’s Susanoo began to crack under Naruto’s attacks.

• Asuma sent Kurenai and the three children toward Sunagakure’s main force, then headed off alone to investigate a nearby battlefield.
• Haido emerged from the sand where the steel warships had been buried, but Gaara’s wind bullet and sand buried him again.
• Gaara ended his tailed beast transformation because his large form could not hit Haido and risked wasting chakra.
• Naruto recognized Itachi’s Susanoo as a Mangekyō Sharingan power and dodged the black flames with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Naruto’s rapid attacks struck Susanoo until a crack appeared in its red skeleton, while Kisame sheltered beneath it.

Naruto broke through Itachi and Kisame’s Susanoo, forcing them to flee while he learned how to counter Itachi’s black flames. Elsewhere, Sasori poisoned Gaara, and Shukaku took control of Gaara’s body to escape and call for Naruto’s help.

• Asuma secretly watched Naruto fight Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, hoping to learn about their organization and motives.
• Naruto used Wind Release chakra on Kusabimaru to break through Itachi’s Susanoo, but Itachi’s black flames forced the two rogue ninjas to retreat with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Naruto let the black flames burn away his Wind Release chakra, then gathered his scattered Flying Thunder God Kunai and pursued Itachi and Kisame.
• Gaara used Sand Coffin and Sand Waterfall Funeral against Sasori, but Sasori emerged and cut Gaara’s cheek with a poisoned blade.
• Shukaku took control of Gaara’s body, blasted Sasori with sand, and fled while calling for Naruto to save the poisoned Gaara.

Naruto rescued Gaara after Shukaku revealed he had been poisoned by Sasori, while Asuma escaped an attack by Kakuzu and Hidan. Sunagakure’s ninja learned that Gaara was receiving treatment and would not return yet.

• Shukaku alerted Naruto that Gaara had been poisoned, and Naruto left his fight with Kisame and Itachi to treat him.
• Naruto carried Gaara away after identifying Sasori’s poison, while Sasori and the other Akatsuki members discussed their failed mission and departed.
• Kakuzu and Hidan ambushed Asuma, but Asuma obscured their vision with a Wind Release technique and escaped.
• Shadow Clone Yiming told Temari and Kankuro that Gaara was receiving treatment and asked them to return without him.
• A timid Byakugan girl called out to Shadow Clone Yiming as he spoke with the Sunagakure ninja.

Shadow Clone Yiming met Hinata, Kiba, and Shino, gave Hinata a Flying Thunder God Kunai, and assured Temari that Dragonborn would treat Gaara. After warning Kurenai that Asuma was in danger, Yiming left, and Temari helped drive off the Akatsuki members attacking Asuma.

• Shadow Clone Yiming greeted Hinata, Kiba, and Shino, then gave Hinata a Flying Thunder God Kunai in case she encountered danger.
• Yiming reassured Temari that Dragonborn valued Gaara and could treat him, then warned Kurenai that something had happened to Asuma and vanished.
• Naruto used Life Energy to stabilize Gaara and asked Shukaku to wake him so he could handle the rest himself.
• Hidan attacked Asuma, but Temari blasted him away with Wind Release, and Kakuzu led him off as Sunagakure reinforcements approached.
• Kurenai found Asuma safe, and Asuma claimed the Akatsuki had targeted him because he had seen them fighting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Naruto and Gaara gathered the tailed beasts to warn them that Akatsuki was targeting Jinchuriki. The meeting ended with Saiken agreeing to contact his estranged Jinchuriki, while the danger to other wandering hosts remained unresolved.

• Naruto finished purging the poison from Gaara and asked why he had tried to speak with Sasori, but Gaara could not understand why Sasori had abandoned Sunagakure.
• Naruto called a meeting in the mindscape with Kurama, Shukaku, and the other tailed beasts and their Jinchuriki.
• Naruto told the gathered beasts about Akatsuki's attempt to capture Shukaku and shared his and Kurama's suspicions about their plans.
• Gyūki and Kurama urged Saiken to warn his Jinchuriki, who was wandering alone after falling out with his village.
• Saiken agreed to contact his Jinchuriki, and Shukaku suggested Naruto and Gaara could help him.

Naruto warned the allied Jinchuriki and Tailed Beasts about Akatsuki, while Yugito considered returning to Kumogakure. In the Land of Birds, Akatsuki attacked Utakata to capture the Six-Tails, and he fought back using its chakra.

• Saiken told Utakata that Akatsuki was hunting Tailed Beasts, but Utakata dismissed the warning after Saiken cut contact.
• Naruto urged Yugito not to sever her ties with Kumogakure, then warned Isobu, Gaara, and Shukaku to alert him if they encountered Akatsuki.
• Yahiko and the Six Paths confronted Utakata in the Land of Birds and announced that they wanted the Six-Tails.
• Utakata drew on the Six-Tails' chakra, evaded missiles and piercing tails, and used his transformed body to wrap around and corrode the summoned rhinoceros.

Pain captured Utakata and the Six-Tails after overpowering him in battle. Naruto and Gaara learned that the Four-Tails and Six-Tails had been captured, while Second Pillar continued pursuing Shinnō.

• Utakata fought Pain's Human and Animal Paths, but Deva Path Pain repelled him and pinned his tails with Black Receivers.
• Pain's missiles exploded around Utakata, and the Naraka Path restored the Animal and Human Paths as Deva Path Pain claimed the Six-Tails.
• At a hot spring in the Land of Hot Water, Naruto told Gaara that the Four-Tails and Six-Tails had been captured and advised him to focus on getting stronger.
• Shinnō fled from Second Pillar near the border of the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Fire, but his Shadow Clone disappeared when Second Pillar struck it.
• Second Pillar noticed fireworks in the distance, sheathed his Grass Cutter Sword, and hurried into the forest.

Kurotsuchi brought Deidara back to Iwagakure, where Ōnoki learned Akatsuki had targeted Rosshi and ordered Kitsuchi to lead a rescue mission. Naruto reached Ryūchi Cave seeking the White Snake Sage and confronted Tagorihime after she revealed her hostile intentions.

• Kurotsuchi brought Deidara to Ōnoki, who told Kitsuchi that Rosshi was in trouble and that Akatsuki had made its move.
• A messenger reported that Akatsuki's base was in the Land of Grass, and Ōnoki ordered Kitsuchi to assemble forces and retrieve Rosshi.
• Naruto found Ryūchi Cave and entered its grand building after Tagorihime invited him inside.
• Naruto demanded to see the White Snake Sage, but Tagorihime tried to distract him with rotten food and then revealed the cave's illusion and attacked.
• Naruto incapacitated Tagorihime's maids and seized Tagorihime by the throat, slamming her against the cavern wall.

Naruto passed Ichikishimahime’s stone-wall trial by reshaping the stones with his bare hands, then exposed Tagitsuhime’s genjutsu and defeated her in a single attack. He was left waiting to meet the White Snake Sage and learn senjutsu.

• Tagorihime told Naruto where to find the White Snake Sage and revealed that two trials remained; the White Snake Sage ordered the trials to continue.
• Ichikishimahime challenged Naruto to fill gaps in a wall with stones from the ground, but he reshaped the stones and completed the task in under ten minutes.
• Ichikishimahime reluctantly accepted Naruto’s success and opened the way forward.
• Tagitsuhime introduced herself as the final trial and trapped Naruto in genjutsu, but Kurama alerted him and Naruto sensed through her concealment.
• Tagitsuhime charged Naruto, and he crushed her into the ground with a single stomp.