Chapter Summaries

Orochimaru explained that his customized Impure World Reincarnation bodies were designed for perfect control, then began securing Hashirama Senju with multiple talismans and backup summoning markings. A tried to negotiate for the freedom to fight independently, but Orochimaru refused until they had established trust.

• Tobirama Senju, Hashirama Senju, and A resisted Orochimaru's attempt to command them, but his customized restraints kept them under control.
• Orochimaru inserted six talismans into Hashirama Senju and activated backup summoning curse markings to replace them if they were destroyed.
• Tobirama Senju watched Orochimaru's precautions and despaired at being controlled by the forbidden technique he had created.
• A offered to fight Orochimaru's enemies in exchange for not being controlled as a puppet.
• Orochimaru refused to let A fight independently but agreed not to erase his perception of the outside world, leaving independent action for a later discussion after trust was built.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi agreed to fight alongside Kakuzu, then assigned opponents as Orochimaru launched an attack with Hashirama Senju’s chakra-draining forest. The battle settled into a four-against-four fight, with Itachi facing Orochimaru and Hiruzen engaging Tobirama.

• Kakuzu proposed that he, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Itachi cooperate, but Hiruzen assigned Hashirama Senju to Kakuzu before Kakuzu could refuse.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi sent Itachi to fight Orochimaru and charged Tobirama Senju himself.
• Hashirama Senju used Deep Forest Emergence, filling the battlefield with trees that drained the chakra of those caught among them.
• Hidan chose Orochimaru as his target and attacked, forcing Itachi and Orochimaru to dodge.
• A, controlled by Orochimaru, struck Itachi with a sweeping kick as the battle divided into four matchups.

Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and A fought at reduced strength under Orochimaru’s control, leaving the battle at a stalemate while their opponents searched for a way to gain the advantage. Hiruzen Sarutobi sent Shadow Clones to aid Itachi Uchiha and Kakuzu, and Itachi used Amaterasu against A.

• Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju fought Kakuzu and Hiruzen Sarutobi while their Impure World Reincarnation bodies limited their strength.
• A repeatedly charged Itachi Uchiha but failed to hit him because Orochimaru struggled to control A’s movements.
• Orochimaru evaded Hidan’s attacks by changing his body’s shape, preventing Hidan from drawing blood.
• The prolonged battle drained the fighters’ stamina and chakra, and Hiruzen Sarutobi created two Shadow Clones to assist Itachi Uchiha and Kakuzu.
• Itachi Uchiha activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and used Amaterasu after A finished a charge.

Itachi Uchiha used Amaterasu to destroy A and then caught Tobirama Senju as he used the Flying Thunder God Technique. Hiruzen Sarutobi joined Itachi, hopeful they could end the battle without resorting to the Reaper Death Seal, but an interruption struck as they prepared to attack together.

• Itachi Uchiha used Amaterasu to burn A to ashes, while Hiruzen Sarutobi's Shadow Clone warned that the revived ninja could resurrect unless sealed.
• Kakuzu retreated from Hashirama Senju, leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi's Shadow Clone to hold him back alone.
• Itachi Uchiha recognized Tobirama Senju's Flying Thunder God markings and set Amaterasu on one of them.
• Itachi Uchiha engulfed Tobirama Senju in Amaterasu and reduced him to ashes.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived beside Itachi Uchiha, but a cry of pain interrupted them as they prepared to combine forces.

After Itachi Uchiha used his Mangekyō Sharingan to free Tobirama Senju from Orochimaru’s control, Tobirama sealed the Amaterasu flames and released his Impure World Reincarnation. He joined Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi, then directed them to focus on sealing his brother.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi realized Itachi Uchiha was badly injured and had lost his ability to fight.
• A tried to flee and deliver intelligence to Kumogakure, but Orochimaru regained control of him with a summoning seal.
• Tobirama Senju revived, removed Orochimaru’s control seal, and used the Fire Sealing Method to contain the Amaterasu flames.
• Tobirama Senju released his Impure World Reincarnation before Orochimaru could release it himself.
• Tobirama Senju praised Itachi Uchiha and Hiruzen Sarutobi, then told them that sealing his brother was the priority.

Orochimaru used Hashirama Senju’s power to summon a Wood Human and Wood Dragon, leaving the group facing a major threat. As Itachi Uchiha reconsidered his trust in Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tobirama Senju suspected Orochimaru was holding back and prepared to attack.

• Tobirama Senju judged that Hashirama Senju could use only part of his strength through the Impure World Reincarnation body and wondered if he and Hiruzen could stop him.
• Orochimaru summoned Hashirama Senju’s Wood Human and Wood Dragon, forcing everyone to evade their attacks.
• Itachi Uchiha compared the Wood Human’s power to Susanoo and realized he had been misled about Hiruzen Sarutobi and Uchiha Yushu’s relationship with him.
• Tobirama Senju doubted that the Wood Human had shown its full strength and told Hiruzen Sarutobi to cover him as he moved in to probe Orochimaru.

Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Itachi Uchiha fought Orochimaru's Wood Golem, but its branches overwhelmed Hidan. Tobirama rescued Hiruzen and Itachi, and the three prepared a counterattack against the advancing golem.

• Tobirama Senju attacked the Wood Golem while Hiruzen Sarutobi's clones created a mist screen with opposing fire and water techniques.
• Tobirama Senju's Water Severing Wave only trimmed the Wood Golem's branches, as Orochimaru sent the Wood Dragon and the golem's descending palm against the fighters.
• The Wood Golem's branches disarmed Hidan and pierced him with the Cutting Sprigs Jutsu, while Hiruzen Sarutobi moved to protect Itachi Uchiha.
• Tobirama Senju teleported himself, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Itachi Uchiha more than two hundred meters away from the Wood Golem.
• Tobirama Senju unleashed a Water Shockwave and Hiruzen Sarutobi sent Enma charging at the golem, while Itachi Uchiha stopped preparing his Fire Release.

Hashirama Senju overwhelmed Tobirama Senju and Hiruzen Sarutobi’s attacks, but Hiruzen chose to help seal him and Orochimaru rather than retreat. As Tobirama and Hiruzen launched their plan, a mysterious figure descended from the sky.

• Itachi Uchiha recalled Ren’s fighting style and concluded that avoiding hand seals was a key to becoming strong.
• Hashirama Senju brushed aside Tobirama Senju and Hiruzen Sarutobi’s attacks with the Wood Golem.
• Tobirama Senju urged Hiruzen Sarutobi to escape with Itachi Uchiha, but Hiruzen chose to use the Reaper Death Seal against Hashirama, Orochimaru, and Tobirama.
• Tobirama Senju agreed to create an opening, and Hiruzen Sarutobi told Itachi to watch as Tobirama explained the Will of Fire.
• Tobirama Senju and Hiruzen Sarutobi moved onto the Wood Golem’s shoulder and prepared to attack, but a backlit figure descended as the sky split open.

Deva Path Pain broke the sealing barrier and confronted Orochimaru, mistaking Hidan’s body beneath him for a source of confidence. Orochimaru tried to negotiate, but Pain cut him off and prepared to pass judgment.

• Deva Path Pain found that his Shinra Tensei could not move the sealing barrier, so Animal Path and Preta Path helped him reach its highest point.
• Preta Path drained the barrier’s chakra, and Deva Path Pain shattered it with another Shinra Tensei.
• Pain descended and saw Orochimaru standing atop the Wood Golem, while Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tobirama Senju, and Itachi Uchiha watched cautiously.
• Pain accused Orochimaru of betraying the organization and killing a member, then questioned whether the Wood Golem gave him confidence.
• Orochimaru offered to make a deal, but Pain interrupted him and declared, “Accept God's judgment!”

Nagato’s Deva Path Pain fought Orochimaru and his Wood Golem, but his attacks failed to stop Orochimaru’s counterattacks. The chapter ended with Orochimaru’s rapidly extending sword about to strike Pain.

• Nagato charged Shinra Tensei, but the Wood Golem blocked it and blasted Deva Path Pain beyond the horizon.
• Tobirama Senju and the other two were battered by the battle’s aftershocks as Pain regrouped with Animal Path and Preta Path.
• Pain used Banshō Ten'in to pull Orochimaru from the Wood Golem, then crushed the Wood Dragon’s head with Shinra Tensei.
• Orochimaru plunged toward Pain with a sword in his mouth, and the blade rapidly lengthened as Pain ran out of time to attack.

Pain unleashed a devastating Super Shinra Tensei, destroying Animal Path Pain and leveling Hashirama Senju’s forest while Orochimaru’s fate remained uncertain. Hashirama Senju urged Tobirama Senju to trust the living and return with him to the Pure Land.

• Animal Path Pain tried to protect Deva Path Pain, but Enma’s flying baton knocked the Kusanagi Sword aside before Super Shinra Tensei crushed Animal Path Pain and apparently killed Orochimaru.
• Tobirama Senju rescued Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha, and the three saw that Pain’s attack had replaced Hashirama Senju’s forest with a vast crater.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha compared their grave concerns about facing Pain and recalled Ren’s power, while a tiny white snake slipped away unnoticed.
• Tobirama Senju told Hashirama Senju to release the Impure World Reincarnation, but their attempts failed.
• Hashirama Senju explained that the living should handle the world’s crises and began returning to the Pure Land, urging Tobirama Senju to come with him.

After witnessing Pain’s strength, Tobirama Senju condemned Hiruzen Sarutobi’s decision to send spies into Akatsuki but chose not to intervene. Pain recruited Hiruzen and Itachi Uchiha, while Tobirama left to investigate Konoha.

• Tobirama Senju questioned Hiruzen Sarutobi about Akatsuki and rebuked him for sending two top fighters into danger without knowing the organization’s strength.
• Tobirama Senju suspected Hiruzen Sarutobi was being coerced but stayed hidden nearby rather than forcibly taking him and Itachi Uchiha away.
• Pain ordered Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha to join Akatsuki or die, and both agreed under the pressure of his chakra.
• Pain declared Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha members of Akatsuki, then flew away without explaining the organization or its procedures.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha wondered at Pain’s abrupt recruitment and felt more confident about their espionage mission.
• Tobirama Senju left to take a look at Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha met Konan and Zetsu, who questioned them and issued their Akatsuki equipment. Hiruzen received his ring and learned that his code name was Vermilion Bird.

• White Zetsu found Hidan’s remains mixed with soil and carried the chakra-reactive patch away.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha encountered Konan and Zetsu as they continued on.
• Zetsu introduced Konan and himself, then explained Akatsuki’s goals without revealing much useful information.
• Zetsu questioned Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha, subtly guiding Hiruzen toward his prepared answers.
• Konan issued Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha Akatsuki clothes, rings, and nail polish, and Zetsu explained the equipment.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi saw that his ring bore the code name Vermilion Bird.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi joined Akatsuki and were summoned to a meeting, where Deva Path Pain gave them codenames and assigned them new teammates. Biwa Jūzō objected to being separated from Kisame Hoshigaki.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted Ren's former ring and took the Akatsuki codename Vermilion Bird, while Itachi received Orochimaru's recovered ring and the codename Kūchin.
• Konan reported Hiruzen Sarutobi's intelligence to Nagato, who dismissed Impure World Reincarnation and resolved to revive Yahiko with the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique after achieving peace.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi sensed Akatsuki's summons and connected through their rings from a town in the Land of Grass.
• Biwa Jūzō and Kisame Hoshigaki appeared at the meeting before Deva Path Pain arrived and announced the new members' codenames.
• Deva Path Pain assigned Biwa Jūzō to team with Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kisame Hoshigaki to team with Itachi, prompting Biwa Jūzō to object.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Itachi Uchiha, Biwa Jūzō, and Kisame exchanged locations and discussed their new teams after Pain assigned them. After reviewing reports on the altered battlefield, Ren concluded that Orochimaru had to be stopped.

• Pain ordered the four to get acquainted, exchange locations, and assemble into new teams within three days.
• Kisame greeted Itachi Uchiha, and Biwa Jūzō objected before Hiruzen Sarutobi joined their conversation and shared his location in the Land of Grass.
• After the meeting ended, Hiruzen Sarutobi sealed away his and Itachi Uchiha’s rings and warned Itachi to watch Zetsu, explaining Ren’s discoveries about White Zetsu.
• Intelligence agents from the Land of Wind, Earth, and Lightning investigated the battlefield, while their villages concluded that an unknown powerful figure had fought there.
• Ren compared Konoha’s battlefield reports with intelligence from Black Zetsu, reconstructed what had happened, and decided to stop Orochimaru from causing further trouble.

Orochimaru recovered from his injuries and explored an underground complex he discovered by chance. Testing a fragment found in a sealed chamber, he identified it as White Zetsu's body tissue.

• Orochimaru hid in an abandoned snake den and slowly recovered after the battle.
• While digging underground, Orochimaru broke into a ventilation shaft leading to an unknown complex.
• Orochimaru summoned equipment from Haku and used scientific instruments to map and investigate the cavern.
• Orochimaru searched a sealed chamber, finding a tiny fragment and several strands of decayed hair.
• Orochimaru tested the fragment and discovered it was White Zetsu's body tissue.

Orochimaru searched Akatsuki’s hidden chambers and used the Impure World Reincarnation on two people with collected hair fragments. The attempt revealed Madara Uchiha, but Orochimaru chose not to awaken him because he could not be certain he could control him.

• Orochimaru inspected Akatsuki’s chambers and collected White Zetsu tissue, Hashirama Cells, hair fragments, and other samples.
• Orochimaru summoned a giant snake to produce two unconscious people and performed the Impure World Reincarnation using hair fragments.
• One reincarnation attempt failed, killing its ordinary human vessel, while the other revealed Madara Uchiha.
• Orochimaru considered using Madara alongside Hashirama Senju but doubted he could control their full power or defeat Uchiha Yushu.
• Orochimaru decided not to awaken Madara because he was unwilling to risk losing control of him.

Orochimaru inferred that Madara Uchiha had arranged to be reincarnated in his prime, while Tobirama Senju arrived in Konoha and assessed Uchiha Yushu’s rule. Tobirama appeared at the Senju Clan residence, and Shisui sensed his arrival and vanished toward the Hokage Building.

• Orochimaru connected Madara Uchiha’s prime-aged Impure World Reincarnation body to the dead’s self-perception and reconsidered his theories about the Akatsuki and Mount Myōboku.
• Orochimaru erased his traces and left through a ventilation shaft after investigating for two days.
• Tobirama Senju gathered intelligence on the modern ninja world and concluded that Uchiha Yushu was an arrogant, powerful Hokage who had helped make Konoha prosperous.
• Tobirama Senju entered Konoha in disguise, toured the village, and judged that Yushu’s conflict with Hiruzen Sarutobi had ended with the victor becoming king and the loser becoming a criminal.
• Tobirama Senju used Flying Thunder God to appear in the Senju Clan residence, and Shisui sensed him before appearing outside the Hokage Building.

Shisui told Yushu that Tobirama Senju's Flying Thunder God mark had activated, and Yushu used surveillance to confirm Tobirama had returned to Konoha. Tobirama visited the abandoned Senju compound and prepared to leave to find Tsunade, but sensed that he was being watched.

• Shisui reported to Yushu that a Flying Thunder God mark left by Tobirama Senju had activated.
• Yushu asked Tongren Hyuga to use the Heavenly Eye to check the Senju Clan compound and bring back photographs.
• Tobirama Senju visited the abandoned Senju compound and reflected on the clan's decline and the changes in Konoha.
• Tobirama decided to leave Konoha and visit Tsunade, but sensed surveillance surrounding him.

Tobirama Senju waited all night for Ren to meet him, but Ren ignored him and began planning a grand joint Chunin Exam. Impatient, Tobirama used a Flying Thunder God marker to appear uninvited in Ren’s office.

• Tobirama Senju sensed Ren's surveillance and waited in the Senju Clan grounds, hoping Ren would come to meet him.
• Ren went home without visiting Tobirama, then learned the next morning that Tobirama had sat there all night.
• Ren decided Konoha should host a grand joint Chunin Exam to restore its standing after Hiruzen Sarutobi's departure.
• Tobirama Senju grew impatient and used a Flying Thunder God marker to teleport into Ren's office.