Recaps

Muzan gave the orphanage money and left Kabuto in Nonō Yakushi’s care before Konoha announced Minato Namikaze as the Fourth Hokage. At the inauguration, Muzan encountered Orochimaru, who had come to judge whether Minato could protect the village.

• Muzan reassured Nonō Yakushi that Kabuto would be safe with him, then sent Kabuto back to the orphanage and delivered the promised funds.
• Konoha announced Minato Namikaze as the Fourth Hokage, surprising those who expected Orochimaru to win.
• Muzan noticed Orochimaru returning to Konoha with the scent of blood after conducting human experiments.
• Muzan and Orochimaru went to the inauguration ceremony, where Orochimaru said he wanted to see whether Minato could protect Konoha.

Muzan clashed with Uchiha Lei and two other Uchiha after they knocked Anko aside at a crowded barbecue restaurant. He countered their attacks and their fight continued as the Uchiha spotted him moving through the mist.

• Anko nearly fell onto the grill after the Uchiha bumped into her, and Muzan pulled her to safety.
• Anko kicked the grill away, and Muzan broke Uchiha Lei's leg when Lei attacked him.
• The two Uchiha drew Kunai and began forming hand seals, so Muzan hurled Lei into Uchiha Yun and attacked with his flaming blade.
• Muzan used Water Dragon Bullet Technique, forcing the Uchiha to retreat to a roof with Lei.
• The Uchiha launched Fire Release techniques, and Muzan shielded himself with Water Wall while keeping Anko and Mari back.
• As mist spread around the restaurant, the Uchiha spotted Muzan moving through it.

Hatake Muzan fought three Uchiha after a confrontation in Konoha, badly injuring them and setting nearby homes on fire. Fugaku Uchiha stopped the resulting standoff, but the Uchiha demanded that Muzan treat the injured men.

• Uchiha Yun and two companions attacked Muzan, who crippled all three in a fierce fight that nearly leveled the area.
• Anko and Mari organized people to extinguish the fire as Konoha's police force and masked Anbu arrived.
• The Uchiha police demanded that Muzan answer for the injuries, while the Anbu insisted he report to the Hokage.
• Anko defended Muzan, and Muzan threatened to kill the surrounding Uchiha, pushing both sides to the brink of a fight.
• Fugaku Uchiha ordered his clansmen to stand down and agreed to restrain them, then demanded that Muzan treat their injuries.

After Minato confined Muzan for a month following his clash with the Uchiha, Muzan warned Shisui that the village and clan were enemies whose conflict would only be settled by strength. Shisui left with the Uchiha’s future weighing on him, while Muzan continued planning to weaken Konoha and pursue his own goals.

• Minato Namikaze confined Muzan to his home for a month, while the Third Hokage warned that the Uchiha Clan could spark a village crisis.
• Danzo praised Muzan for confronting the Uchiha and planned to replace the ninja monitoring him with Root ninja.
• Shisui Uchiha visited Muzan to apologize for the Uchiha’s actions, troubled by the worsening conflict between his clan and the village.
• Muzan told Shisui that the Uchiha’s powerful emotions fueled their conflict and advised him to grow stronger rather than trust the Hokage.
• Muzan intended to use the Uchiha to weaken Konoha and create room for his own plans.

Shisui Uchiha sought power to solve the Uchiha’s problems, but Muzan urged him to grow stronger patiently. Muzan then visited Orochimaru’s hidden laboratory and warned his teacher against relying on a human’s dormant state to manage the conflict between Man-Eating Demon cells and human cells.

• Shisui Uchiha’s desire for power stirred a painful force in his mind, and Muzan realized he might be awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.
• Muzan drenched Shisui with Water Release and advised him to become stronger gradually, reminding him of the blood he had given him.
• Minato Namikaze learned that Shisui had visited the Hatake Household and left soaked but apparently unangered.
• Muzan went to Orochimaru’s secret laboratory beneath a stream in the Forest of Death and saw the suffering of Orochimaru’s test subjects.
• Orochimaru showed Muzan a man whose Man-Eating Demon cells had put him into a cold-induced dormant state, hoping the method could extend life.
• Muzan recognized that the dormancy only temporarily eased the conflict between the cells and stopped Orochimaru from sealing the man away again.

After Muzan’s blood destroyed an experimental subject, he steered Orochimaru toward developing Living Corpse Reincarnation instead of studying demon cells. Their partnership survived a brief clash, and Muzan advised Orochimaru on a soul-based resurrection method while warning that repeated reincarnations would contaminate his soul.

• Muzan and Orochimaru watched an experimental subject mutate and dissolve after exposure to Man-Eating Demon blood.
• Muzan urged Orochimaru to focus on Living Corpse Reincarnation and suggested the Uchiha as potential vessels.
• Orochimaru briefly considered attacking Muzan, but Muzan stopped his snake-like strike and the two withdrew without fighting further.
• Orochimaru shifted his experiments away from Muzan’s blood and asked how to prepare a backup plan for resurrection.
• Muzan suggested sealing part of Orochimaru’s soul inside another person and warned that repeated reincarnations would cause growing incompatibility and soul contamination.

Muzan returned to Konoha for Kushina’s delivery, joining the preparations to protect her and the Nine-Tails’ seal. As Kakashi arranged security, he challenged Muzan to a spar, and their fight began with Kakashi’s shadow clones surrounding him.

• Muzan speculated that a pure, memoryless body could reduce the impurities of reincarnation, while he and Orochimaru continued their separate experiments.
• Muzan saw many Konoha ninja returning and learned from Kakashi that they were guarding Kushina’s upcoming delivery, when the Nine-Tails’ seal would be weakest.
• Muzan joined Kakashi’s Anbu team as a medical ninja, while Biwako and Minato prepared to assist Kushina during the birth.
• Kakashi challenged Muzan to test his strength, and Muzan accepted their spar.
• Kakashi used the Shadow Clone Technique to surround Muzan with three clones and began their fight.

Muzan sparred with Kakashi and overwhelmed him with the Hatake Sword Technique and a large-scale Great Waterfall Technique. He left Kakashi unconscious after the fight, while Minato Namikaze and the Anbu dealt with the flooding.

• Muzan evaluated Kakashi's skills and cut through his Fireball Jutsu with the Hatake Sword Technique before knocking out one of his shadow clones.
• Kakashi coordinated his real body and shadow clones to trap Muzan, combining Wind Release and Fire Release in an attack from behind.
• Muzan identified Kakashi's real body and used the Great Waterfall Technique to extinguish the attack and disperse the shadow clones.
• Muzan crossed the flooded area, disrupted Kakashi's chakra, and knocked him unconscious as the Anbu worked to clear the damage.
• Minato Namikaze arrived, questioned Muzan's rough treatment of Kakashi, and watched Muzan silence Kakashi when he woke and complained.

Muzan guarded Konoha as Kushina’s due date approached, preparing for attacks and watching the Nine-Tails’ weakening seal. When Kushina went into severe pain, Muzan was called in to calm the dangerous chakra emerging from her.

• Muzan beat Kakashi unconscious, then woke him with Water Release after Minato asked him not to bully his children.
• Muzan noticed that bounty ninjas and Obito were among those planning attacks around Kushina’s delivery, while the bounty ninjas were caught and caged.
• Kakashi told Muzan that Kushina’s due date was that day or the next and organized the guard deployment.
• A doctor summoned Muzan because Kushina was in severe pain and Tsunade was away.
• Muzan entered the room and saw ominous red chakra emerging from the half-conscious Kushina.

Obito Uchiha attacked during Kushina’s childbirth, took her, and summoned the Nine-Tails into Konoha. As the village’s ninjas fought to contain the beast, Muzan treated the wounded and tried to keep Kakashi away from the front, but Kakashi rushed into battle.

• Obito Uchiha appeared beside Muzan and the others, struck Biwako, and escaped Muzan’s attack with his space-time ninjutsu.
• Obito seized Kushina and used the Summoning Technique to bring the Nine-Tails into Konoha.
• Muzan stayed behind to treat the wounded and stopped Kakashi from joining the fight, ordering him to help carry injured people to safety.
• The Third Hokage and other ninjas struggled to hold back the Nine-Tails as its attacks battered the battlefield.
• Minato Namikaze drew Obito and the Nine-Tails toward the Forest of Death, while Muzan realized Kakashi had gone to the front despite his warning.

Muzan joined the Third Hokage on the front line against the Nine-Tails, determined to keep the beast from reaching Konoha’s residential district. The two charged toward it together, and Muzan opened with his Great Fire Dragon Technique.

• Muzan ordered the medical ninja to evacuate the wounded and told the Chunin and Genin to clear the area.
• The Third Hokage held the front line against the Nine-Tails as the battle took a heavy toll on Konoha’s ninja.
• Muzan arrived beside the Third Hokage, who urged him to support the fight from the rear.
• Muzan insisted he could fight and formed hand seals at remarkable speed.
• The Third Hokage and Muzan charged the Nine-Tails together as Muzan used the Great Fire Dragon Technique.

Muzan, the Third Hokage, and Minato suppressed the Nine-Tails while Minato drove off Obito. With Kushina near death, Muzan urged Minato to seal the beast inside the newborn Naruto.

• The Third Hokage repeatedly buried the Nine-Tails with Earth Release to prevent it from forming a Tailed Beast Ball.
• Muzan attacked the Nine-Tails with falling trees and chakra-covered strikes, while the Third Hokage joined the fight.
• Minato stripped Obito of his Nine-Tails contract and marked him with Flying Raijin, forcing him to withdraw.
• Kushina approached the Nine-Tails and used the Eight Trigrams Seal as Muzan and the Third Hokage restrained it.
• Muzan urged Minato to choose Naruto as the Nine-Tails' new vessel while the beast was weakened.

After the Nine-Tails Rebellion, Minato grieved Kushina and vowed to make the attacker pay, while Muzan treated the wounded and reprimanded Kakashi for rushing into the fighting. By dawn, Konoha’s survivors were demanding answers from the Uchiha Clan over the attacker’s identity.

• Minato suspected the Uchiha might have been involved in the attack and resolved to demand an explanation while protecting Naruto.
• Muzan organized medical care among the wounded and found Kakashi searching near the front lines.
• Muzan knocked Kakashi down and scolded him for ignoring orders to treat the wounded.
• At dawn, Konoha mourned its dead, and villagers accused the Uchiha Clan of betrayal and demanded an investigation.

After treating the many wounded from the Nine-Tails battle, Muzan advised Shisui on how to prevent the Uchiha from being destroyed. Shisui left with a painful but actionable plan to unite the clan and cooperate with the village.

• Muzan worked for days in the overcrowded hospital, treating wounded ninja until the latest group had been cared for.
• Shisui waited for Muzan and revealed that he had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan but still did not know how to resolve the Uchiha conflict.
• Muzan warned Shisui that the clan remained divided and could be destroyed if the conflict with the village continued unchecked.
• Muzan told Shisui to eliminate the Hawk Faction, demonstrate enough strength to deter the village, and work with the clan head against the man calling himself Madara Uchiha.
• Shisui thanked Muzan and accepted that uniting the Uchiha and cooperating with the village was the only way forward.

Shisui and Fugaku Uchiha agreed to purge the Uchiha Clan’s Hawk Faction, while Muzan learned that he had been assigned to help collect Sharingan during the operation. As night fell, ninja teams assembled around the Uchiha Clan and waited for the purge to begin.

• Shisui met with Fugaku Uchiha after leaving the hospital, and they discovered they shared a plan to protect the Uchiha Clan.
• Fugaku told Shisui that he had contacted Minato Namikaze and that they would need his agreement before purging the Hawk Faction.
• Muzan noticed Anbu leaving the hospital and learned that his mission was to help collect the Uchiha Clan’s eyes.
• Muzan realized that Shisui and the others, rather than the Anbu, would carry out the purge that night.
• Ninja teams moved across the village and waited outside the Uchiha Clan’s territory under the Hokage’s orders.

Muzan watched as Itachi Uchiha killed his own clansmen during the Uchiha civil war, then left with Anbu who had collected eyes from the dead. By dawn, the fighting had ended with more than seventy percent of the Uchiha clan dead.

• Itachi Uchiha killed Uchiha clansmen himself and warned Muzan to stay out of his way.
• A hidden Uchiha attacked Muzan, who seized him and slammed him into the ground before leaving.
• Muzan healed an Anbu ninja and confirmed that his group had not joined the Uchiha battle.
• Muzan and the Anbu left the compound with the eyes they had collected.
• The Uchiha civil war continued until dawn, leaving most of the clan dead and mainly children alive.

Muzan trained Kabuto in medical ninjutsu while experimenting with whether Sage Mode could help his body adapt to sunlight. Danzo brought news that Itachi Uchiha would enter the Anbu, leaving Muzan and Danzo discussing the young Uchiha’s strength.

• Muzan praised Kabuto’s talent and offered to introduce him to Tsunade, then began training him in medical ninjutsu.
• Muzan tested whether maintaining Sage Mode could help his body adapt to sunlight, but found that its natural energy consumption was too high.
• Kabuto studied Muzan’s detailed notes while Muzan continued his experiments in the laboratory.
• Danzo told Muzan that the Uchiha had begun assigning personnel and handed him the list of those entering the Anbu.
• Muzan saw that Itachi Uchiha was joining the Anbu and noted his young age and Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
• Danzo said Itachi appeared to be the strongest of his generation, and Muzan questioned whether he was truly that strong.

Muzan prepared an Anbu selection designed to test candidates’ combat skills and judgment, while Danzo sought to get Root’s rising talents into the ranks. At the Forest of Death, Muzan and two Elite Jōnin confronted the masked candidates, and Nara Chongdao moved to teach them a lesson.

• Danzo assigned two Elite Jōnin to help Muzan conduct the selection and instructed him to favor Root’s candidates.
• The Anbu candidates gathered at the Forest of Death wearing masks and sensed a dangerous killing intent.
• A kunai flew toward the candidates, and Itachi Uchiha reacted quickly enough to block it.
• Muzan insulted the candidates for failing to withstand the examiners’ killing intent and recognized Itachi’s reflexes.
• Muzan asked Nara Chongdao to teach the candidates a lesson, and the Elite Jōnin prepared to confront them.

Itachi Uchiha tried to evade Muzan during the trial, but Muzan tracked him through the Forest of Death. Itachi set a trap with Explosive Tags, and Muzan charged through the explosions.

• Itachi Uchiha hid in the forest and wondered whether Muzan might be Orochimaru, then sensed Muzan approaching his position.
• Itachi used a Shadow Clone Jutsu to leave false tracks and led Muzan away while his real body took another route.
• Muzan recognized the deception by following Itachi’s scent and swiftly pursued him.
• Itachi strung Explosive Tags across the trees to obstruct Muzan, but Muzan charged straight into them.
• The tags exploded in a burst of flames and smoke, and Muzan declared that the gap between them could not be bridged by Explosive Tags.

Muzan overwhelmed Itachi Uchiha’s defenses and resisted his Sharingan genjutsu during their trial. After Muzan reached Itachi’s side and declared the test over, Itachi recognized that Muzan had awakened Three Tomoe.

• Muzan used two layers of Water Formation Wall to suppress Itachi Uchiha’s Water Fang Bullets and force him back.
• Itachi hid in the mist and used a crow to cast genjutsu, but Muzan noticed the disruption and resisted it.
• Itachi made the crow explode, sending concealed shuriken toward Muzan with the Shuriken Manipulation Technique.
• Muzan used natural energy to appear beside Itachi and ended the trial.
• Itachi cut the threads attached to his hands and saw that Muzan had awakened Three Tomoe.

Muzan continued experimenting on Man-Eating Demons while Danzo reported that Sakumo Hatake's team had vanished on the way back from negotiations with the Hidden Cloud Village. Muzan reacted with killing intent, and Danzo denied Root's involvement as Sakumo's fate remained unknown.

• Muzan concluded that a Man-Eating Demon's evolution could be influenced by its environment and circumstances, though its results remained unpredictable.
• Danzo told Muzan that the Hidden Cloud Village had been provoking Konoha and was demanding compensation during negotiations.
• Muzan suspected the Hidden Cloud Village's real target was the Hyuga clan and trusted Hizashi Hyuga to monitor events in Konoha.
• Danzo revealed that Sakumo Hatake's team had disappeared on their way back to Konoha.
• Muzan released a wave of killing intent at Danzo, who denied Root had harmed Sakumo and suspected the Hidden Cloud Village had attacked him.

Muzan reunited with Sakumo Hatake after he fought off a puppeteer, then helped save the poisoned Ishitaro. Sakumo revealed that the Hidden Cloud Village demanded financial compensation and a public apology, and that its ninjas would come to Konoha with the Raikage’s orders.

• Sakumo Hatake nearly struck Muzan when Muzan approached, but they recognized each other before anyone was hurt.
• Muzan examined the poisoned Ishitaro and used a Chakra Scalpel and medicine to stabilize him.
• Muzan, Sakumo, and their injured companion hurried back to Konoha for treatment.
• Muzan treated Ishitaro by removing poisoned tissue and bone, changing his blood, and forcing out the toxins.
• Sakumo told Muzan that the Hidden Cloud Village sought financial compensation and a public apology, and would send ninjas to Konoha to discuss the demands.

Muzan trained Kabuto in medicine at Konoha Hospital, setting him demanding tasks so he could become a skilled medical ninja and eventually inherit Muzan’s path. After their rounds, Muzan heard wounded ninjas discussing the Cloud Village’s peace talks and compensation demands, details he thought were classified.

• Muzan continued teaching Kabuto medicine and explained that becoming his successor would mean inheriting his name and position.
• Kabuto followed Muzan through the hospital and saw the many patients, including wounded ninjas returning from clashes with the Hidden Cloud Village.
• Muzan assigned Kabuto intensive surgical practice, study of Tsunade’s books, and daily patient and medical-record duties.
• Kabuto pledged to complete Muzan’s tasks and become capable of sharing his burden, and Muzan told him to carry his torch forward.
• After rounds, Muzan overheard wounded ninjas condemning the Cloud Ninja’s compensation demands and wondered how news of the classified negotiations had spread.

Danzo ordered Root to assassinate Hidden Cloud Village’s envoy to provoke a new conflict, while Muzan refused to follow Root’s orders and challenged Danzo’s plan. The chapter left Dodai leading the Cloud delegation toward Konoha, unaware that Danzo had arranged to kill them.

• Danzo decided to have Root assassinate Hidden Cloud Village’s envoy to disrupt peace negotiations.
• Muzan returned to Root and told Danzo he had refused the mission because he was a partner, not a subordinate.
• Danzo warned Muzan that the village might be thrown into turmoil and said he expected him to go to the front lines if war resumed.
• Danzo admitted he had ensured the Cloud delegation would never reach Konoha alive, and Muzan dismissed the plan as foolish.
• Dodai led a small Hidden Cloud squad through the forest toward the Land of Fire border to negotiate peace and secure benefits for his village.

Muzan confronted the injured Cloud Ninja envoys at Konoha Hospital and used their attack on him to test Kabuto’s resolve. After Kabuto intervened, Muzan threatened Dashihe, but someone burst into the room to defend the Cloud Ninja.

• Muzan went to Konoha Hospital and was sent to treat the injured Cloud Ninja envoys.
• Dashihe attacked Muzan, who crushed his wrist and threw him into the other injured ninja before healing the damage.
• Kabuto intervened when Dashihe tried to stab Muzan again, injuring the Cloud Ninja’s arm and earning Muzan’s praise.
• Muzan shielded Kabuto and threatened Dashihe, then stepped on his face after Dashihe threatened to sabotage the peace talks.
• Someone smashed through the hospital room door and ordered Muzan to stop humiliating the Cloud Ninja.