Recaps

Akatsuki and Blood Moon launched a coordinated attack on Konoha, with Akatsuki targeting the Hokage and Nine-Tails while Blood Moon attacked Muzan’s volcano prison. The assault shook the prison and gave its inmates a chance to attempt a breakout.

• Muzan remained confined in Konoha’s volcano prison, waiting for the hidden thread he had planted to take root.
• Akatsuki and Blood Moon entered the Land of Fire together, and Pakura ordered Hizashi Hyuga to scout while warning him not to betray Blood Moon.
• Hizashi detected Anbu nearby with his Blood Demon Art, and Pakura sent Kamizuru Poison Butterfly to eliminate them.
• Akatsuki headed for the Hokage’s office, while Blood Moon advanced on the prison; Orochimaru summoned a giant two-headed snake, beginning the attack on Konoha.
• Pakura unleashed Scorching Flame Slaughter at the prison as Blood Moon battled its guards and searched for Muzan.
• The fighting shook the volcano prison, and its prisoners seized the moment to unite and prepare to escape.

Muzan’s allies broke him out of Konoha’s prison while Akatsuki and rogue ninja attacked the village. Muzan joined the battle to take revenge, leaving Minato to target Haku before the freezing snowstorm overwhelmed Konoha.

• Pakura and the Twelve Kizuki stormed the prison, and Muzan broke free after Zabuza cut through the seals.
• The Fourth Hokage learned of the prison breach while Konoha struggled against Akatsuki, the Six Paths of Pain, Orochimaru, and summoned beasts.
• Muzan led the Twelve Kizuki into the battle and confronted Konoha’s wounded defenders.
• Muzan transformed into his Demon King Form, empowering the Man-Eating Demons as Haku’s snowstorm drained heat from everyone nearby.
• Jiraiya warned Minato that Haku’s ice could doom Konoha, and Minato set out to attack him while Jiraiya held off the others.

Minato Namikaze sent Haku away from the battlefield with Flying Raijin, then faced Muzan as Itachi Uchiha arrived and fought him with Mangekyo Sharingan techniques. Itachi awakened Susanoo but was overwhelmed by Muzan, who was interrupted by a figure appearing behind him.

• Minato Namikaze teleported Haku to a distant forest, ending the snowfall that had hindered Konoha's fighters.
• Muzan warned the Man-Eating Demons to cut away any flesh marked by Minato Namikaze's Flying Raijin.
• Itachi Uchiha attacked Muzan with genjutsu, an Explosive Tag, ninjutsu, and Amaterasu, but Muzan countered each attack.
• Muzan sealed the remaining Amaterasu with the Fire Sealing Method, and Itachi Uchiha revealed Susanoo.
• Muzan pierced Susanoo's ribcage with bone spikes and drove Itachi Uchiha back before dodging a figure who appeared behind him.

Shisui and Itachi confronted Muzan as he fought to destroy Konoha, and Shisui awakened his Susanoo to protect his injured comrade. Muzan transformed into a giant and began overpowering the Susanoo, leaving Shisui struggling to hold him back.

• Shisui arrived to stop Muzan from destroying Konoha, and Zabuza covered the battlefield with the Hidden Mist Technique.
• Shisui used Shadow Clones and Lightning Release while Itachi joined the assault, but Muzan wounded Itachi with the Thunder God Sword.
• Shisui manifested his second-form Susanoo, rescued Itachi, and caught Muzan's bone-whip spikes.
• Muzan enlarged his body to match the Susanoo's size and struck it repeatedly, spreading cracks through its arms as Shisui coughed.

Muzan shattered Shisui Uchiha’s Susanoo with his Monster Strength Fist and ended the battle as Konoha’s forces struggled to stop him. After confirming the Twelve Kizuki’s mission was complete, Muzan met Danzo and ordered him to keep monitoring Konoha while their plans diverged.

• Muzan’s Monster Strength Fist destroyed Shisui Uchiha’s Susanoo and devastated the surrounding battlefield, terrifying the Konoha Ninja.
• Root organized the evacuation of civilians while Danzo watched from underground and considered Muzan’s strength an advantage for their partnership.
• Muzan noticed Konoha’s forces protecting little Naruto and judged that the Akatsuki would still pursue the Nine-Tails.
• Muzan told the Twelve Kizuki to wait outside, then went to the Forest of Death to confront Danzo about Root and the Anbu.
• Muzan instructed Danzo to continue monitoring Konoha and said he would help expand the civil unrest in the Land of Fire, while pursuing his goal of taking over the world.

Muzan reunited with Kabuto at Root and invited him to join Blood Moon, while Konoha struggled with the aftermath of its destruction. Minato decided to alert the other villages to Akatsuki’s pursuit of the Tailed Beasts and seek an alliance.

• Danzo brought Muzan to Root, where Kabuto greeted his former teacher and showed him research he had conducted since Muzan left Konoha.
• Kabuto asked to help Muzan and chose to leave Konoha for Blood Moon; Muzan agreed to take him and arranged to copy some of the experimental data for Danzo.
• Muzan told Kabuto that Blood Moon and Akatsuki had attacked Konoha, and they left Root as shinobi rushed through the devastated village.
• Minato reviewed Konoha’s devastating casualty count and ordered a message sent to the other villages proposing an alliance against Akatsuki’s hunt for the Tailed Beasts.
• Minato worried that the crisis would worsen and concluded that he had to carry out a plan.

After Haku disappeared, Muzan promoted Pakura to Upper Rank Four and ordered his followers to monitor Konoha and find Haku. As Muzan expanded his economic campaign in the Land of Fire, the nobles began resisting, and a gang confronted him and Shanye Song.

• Muzan appointed Pakura as Upper Rank Four and gave her a large amount of blood, causing her to transform and grow more powerful.
• Pakura told Hizashi to find Haku and ordered the others to observe Konoha while Muzan handled unrest in the Land of Fire.
• Merchants from the Land of Waves drove local businesses out, then raised prices and resisted the nobles’ attempts to stop them.
• Muzan arrived in the Land of Fire with Shanye Song and explained that their goal was to seize control, not merely make money.
• A group outside began smashing things and demanded protection money from Muzan and Shanye Song.

Shanye Song killed a thug who threatened Muzan, prompting Muzan to retaliate against the local troublemakers through secret economic measures. As the Land of Waves expanded into the Land of Fire, the Hidden Cloud Village prepared to join Konoha against the Akatsuki while also considering action against Muzan.

• Shanye Song killed Shanyi after he threatened Muzan, and Muzan ordered his men to deal with the other thugs.
• Muzan ordered his agents to secretly raise local purchase prices and buy up goods the troublemakers offered for sale.
• Muzan noted that the Land of Waves had taken over one-fifth of the Land of Fire and suspected the other villages were waiting for a chance to act.
• The Raikage discussed Konoha's proposed alliance meeting in the Land of Iron with Dodai, Yugito Nii, and others, and they supported joining forces while demanding accountability from Muzan.
• The Raikage ordered Killer B and the other Jinchuriki to stay in the Hidden Cloud Village as he considered intervening in the Land of Fire.

Muzan established a school in the Land of Waves and tasked Kabuto with educating children, including Karin Uzumaki. After Mukawa Hui reported that Cloud Ninja had destroyed equipment and killed hired shinobi, Muzan identified a shortage of mid-level fighters and confronted the attackers.

• Muzan returned to the Land of Waves and assigned Kabuto to teach its children, with plans for their education to eventually include human biology.
• Muzan sent Karin Uzumaki to Kabuto so she could study and develop her talent for sealing techniques.
• Mukawa Hui reported that attackers had destroyed production equipment and killed several hired shinobi in his territory.
• Muzan examined the attack site and concluded that three taijutsu experts, likely Cloud Ninja, were responsible.
• Muzan decided to recruit from declining shinobi villages and clans, then appeared before the attackers and pierced one of them through the body.

Muzan killed the Cloud Ninja who had attacked Mukawa Hui’s territory, then responded to the growing blockade of the Land of Waves’ trade by ordering Mukawa Hui to establish a Merchant Alliance. The plan began without setbacks, leaving Mukawa Hui convinced it could split the Land of Fire and bring its nobles under the Land of Waves’ influence.

• Muzan discovered and killed the Cloud Ninja who had been monitoring Mukawa Hui, then realized that several villages were interfering with the Land of Waves’ trade.
• Muzan studied a map of recent attacks and told Mukawa Hui to establish a Merchant Alliance to counter the nobles of the Land of Fire.
• Muzan exposed Mukawa Hui’s smuggling and explained that sharply different prices would pressure nobles to join the alliance and undermine local producers.
• Mukawa Hui accepted the plan, reasoning that it offered greater rewards than secret smuggling and that any losses would not come from his own pocket.
• The Merchant Alliance plan proceeded without setbacks as Mukawa Hui presented it to the lords, while Muzan prepared to use it to divide the Land of Fire.

Mukawa Hui secured major merchants’ support for the Land of Waves’ Merchant Alliance while Haku reported finding the declining Fūma Clan, which Muzan considered recruiting. The alliance disrupted prices across the Land of Fire, prompting the daimyo to demand its dissolution as Muzan watched his plan take hold.

• Mukawa Hui urged hesitant nobles and merchants to join the Merchant Alliance early to receive greater benefits.
• Haku arrived in the Mukawa Territory and told Muzan that the Fūma Clan had offered to serve the Land of Waves.
• Muzan decided the Fūma Clan could strengthen his forces and provide promising young shinobi.
• Major merchants joined the Land of Waves-led alliance, and its price-cutting trade threw markets across the Land of Fire into turmoil.
• The daimyo of the Land of Fire ordered his advisers to break up the Merchant Alliance, while Muzan welcomed its success.

Muzan visited the declining Fūma Clan to assess whether it could serve his plans. The clan head welcomed him while Fūma Kojirō secretly considered an alliance with Orochimaru instead.

• Muzan and Haku arrived in the Fūma Clan’s impoverished town, where Fūma Kai greeted them.
• Muzan criticized the clan’s decline and ordered Kai to take him to the village chief.
• Fūma Kojirō urged the clan head to consider negotiating with Orochimaru rather than pledging themselves to Muzan.
• Kai announced Muzan’s arrival, prompting the clan elders to hurry out and greet him.
• Muzan examined the clan head and elders as the Fūma leaders compared him with Orochimaru.

Muzan tried to recruit the Fūma Clan into the Land of Waves, but killed Kojirō when he resisted and the clan faced pressure to accept. Orochimaru arrived to claim the clan for his own plans, setting up a confrontation with his injured disciple.

• Muzan offered to take in the Fūma Clan on the condition that they undergo training by the former Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
• Kojirō asked for time to consider the offer, and Muzan strangled him with thorny vines after learning Orochimaru had also invited the clan.
• The clan head blamed Kojirō’s death on his disrespect and agreed to join Muzan.
• A giant python brought Orochimaru to the gathering, where he objected that Muzan had disrupted his plans for the Fūma Clan.
• Muzan refused to yield the clan to Orochimaru, who acknowledged the confrontation would not be easy while injured and facing Haku.

Muzan bargained with Orochimaru for access to Dragon Cave and the chance to learn the Snake Sage Technique. After resisting Tagorihime’s illusion and overpowering her, he entered the cave for the second trial, while Orochimaru remained confident he would survive.

• Orochimaru offered the Fūma Clan to Muzan in exchange for young people whose bodies he could take over, and Muzan demanded to be brought to Dragon Cave.
• Orochimaru led Muzan into Dragon Cave and warned him about its giant snakes and dangers.
• Tagorihime tried to lure Muzan with an illusion, but Muzan saw through it, grabbed her, and hurled her to the ground.
• Orochimaru stopped Tagorihime from attacking again and led Muzan onward through the mist toward the trials.
• Muzan entered the cave for the second trial as Orochimaru said he believed Muzan would pass.

Muzan entered Dragon Cave to pursue the Snake Sage Technique and passed the chakra trial with ease, overwhelming Ichikishimahime along the way. As a passage opened, Orochimaru and Tagorihime watched, anticipating the next trials and Muzan’s possible mastery of a second kind of Senjutsu.

• Muzan ignored Ichikishimahime’s taunts, seized her, and forced her to explain Dragon Cave’s trial.
• Muzan touched the stone wall and filled every hollow with chakra, passing the trial and opening a passage.
• Orochimaru and Tagorihime entered the cave and found Ichikishimahime lying on the ground.
• Ichikishimahime attacked Tagorihime, who dodged and warned her that the next events would be more entertaining.
• Orochimaru looked forward to observing Muzan’s Snake-Man Sage Art training and reflected on Muzan’s strength and preparations.

Muzan completed the Three Divine Sisters’ trial and demanded that the White Snake Sage teach him the Snake Sage cultivation method. When she refused and mocked him, he attacked her, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Tagitsuhime tried to trap Muzan in a mist illusion, but he shattered it with the lightning from his Thunder God Sword.
• Tagorihime and the others arrived, confirmed that Muzan had passed the trial, and led him to the White Snake Sage’s cave.
• Muzan demanded the Snake Sage cultivation method, while Orochimaru warned him that Dragon Cave might not let them leave alive.
• Muzan restrained the Three Divine Sisters with vines, and the White Snake Sage watched him with interest.
• The White Snake Sage refused to teach Muzan, so he summoned bone whips and attacked her.

Muzan faced the White Snake Sage at Dragon Cave and proved his strength and ambition, earning the chance to learn its Snake Sage Technique. After enduring the venom and transforming, he gained Dragon Cave’s support for his future conflict with the other sacred lands.

• The Three Divine Princesses accused Muzan of being a Mount Myoboku spy after he entered Sage Mode, while Orochimaru refused to give them an explanation.
• The White Snake Sage recognized Muzan’s scarlet eyes and strength, then offered to teach him Dragon Cave’s Snake Sage Technique.
• Muzan applied the White Snake Sage’s venom to his arm and endured its effects for fifteen minutes as his regenerative ability resisted it.
• Muzan emerged with fine white scales and a venomous snake manifestation, astonishing the White Snake Sage with his talent.
• The White Snake Sage promised Dragon Cave’s support and access to its giant snakes, and Muzan accepted as Orochimaru congratulated him.

Muzan learned that the Five Kage Summit faced opposition from several villages and agreed to help Orochimaru establish a shinobi village in Fūma Territory in exchange for the Cursed Seal materials. The new Hidden Sound Village began to take shape, while Muzan remained intent on finding powerful recruits.

• Orochimaru gave Muzan news that Hidden Sand Village and Hidden Stone Village had refused to join the planned Five Kage Summit, while Hidden Mist Village remained hostile to Konoha.
• Orochimaru proposed cooperating with Muzan to establish a village and advance biological research and technology, with Muzan providing funding.
• Orochimaru chose the outskirts of Fūma Territory for the village, and Muzan agreed on the condition that Orochimaru hand over his Cursed Seal research materials.
• Orochimaru asked Muzan to protect him from Konoha and Akatsuki, and the two established Hidden Sound Village in Fūma Territory.
• Muzan considered recruiting powerful people from the Fūma Clan but found only a few young prodigies worth his attention.

Jiraiya told Minato Namikaze that he had uncovered the Akatsuki’s identity and learned that Jiraiya’s former disciples had founded it. Meanwhile, Muzan tested an enhanced Cursed Seal on Haku, whose power and body transformed dramatically, leaving him eager to fight.

• Jiraiya reported to Minato Namikaze and Kakashi that he had discovered the Akatsuki’s identity and scope of activity.
• Jiraiya explained that his own disciples had founded the Akatsuki, troubling Minato Namikaze with the risk that Konoha would be blamed.
• Muzan returned to the Fūma Territory with young recruits after dividing the Fūma Clan with Orochimaru.
• Muzan branded a natural-energy Cursed Seal onto Haku’s forehead and recorded how Haku’s body responded.
• Haku’s seal advanced into a Sage Face Mask and gave him ice-blue wings, while his power froze the surrounding forest.
• Haku asked Muzan to initiate a Position-Swapping Blood Battle.

Muzan and Haku confronted Raiga Kurosuki at his mining operation, where Haku fought Raiga while Muzan watched. Raiga tried to protect Ranmaru, but Haku froze his swords and left him unable to feel his hands.

• Muzan and Haku reached Raiga Kurosuki’s mine and found exhausted workers being forced to dig for ore.
• Muzan ordered Haku to kill the overseers, and Haku froze one of them to death.
• Raiga heard the commotion and charged toward Muzan and Haku, while Ranmaru warned him of their strength.
• Raiga recognized Muzan as Blood Moon and decided to protect Ranmaru and escape.
• Haku froze the mist, attacked with Ice Release, and countered Raiga’s lightning techniques.
• Haku appeared in front of Raiga and froze his swords, numbing Raiga’s hands.

Muzan transformed Raiga Kurosuki and Ranmaru into Man-Eating Demons, and their bodies fused into a single being with Raiga as the body and Ranmaru as the eyes. He made them members of the Twelve Kizuki, leaving their rank to be decided by a Position-Swapping Blood Battle after they returned to the Land of Waves.

• Haku froze Raiga Kurosuki and Ranmaru with his Blood Demon Art, leaving Ranmaru near death in the cold.
• Muzan offered Raiga a place in the Twelve Kizuki, and Raiga agreed on the condition that Ranmaru be saved.
• Muzan bit both Raiga and Ranmaru to transform them, and their bodies began to fuse as Ranmaru awakened.
• Raiga and Ranmaru became a twin Man-Eating Demon, with Ranmaru's Red-Eye Bloodline Limit distorting Muzan's perception.
• Muzan named them members of the Twelve Kizuki and said their rank would be determined by a Position-Swapping Blood Battle.

Muzan strengthened and reorganized the Twelve Kizuki, then ordered Mukawa Hui to plunge the Land of Fire into chaos and prepare for war with Konoha. As the invasion began, the Land of Fire’s nobles sensed the danger.

• Mukawa Hui told Muzan that the merchants of the Land of Fire had united and that some nobles wanted to ally with him, but Muzan declared that he sought to abolish the feudal system rather than rule alongside nobles.
• Muzan gathered the Twelve Kizuki, gave them Cursed Seals, and saw Shanye Song’s Blood Demon Art transform to produce Natural Energy-infused explosive eyeballs.
• Muzan tested the Twelve Kizuki in battle and reassigned their ranks, placing Pakura at Upper Rank Four and Haku at Lower Rank One.
• Muzan ordered Mukawa Hui to spread unrest and incite an uprising in the Land of Fire, then told the Twelve Kizuki to prepare for battle with Konoha.
• The Land of Waves began a large-scale invasion of the Land of Fire, and its nobles sensed the danger.

As the Land of Fire descended into famine and rebellion, the Land of Waves declared war, prompting the daimyo to seek help from ninja villages. Back in the Land of Waves, Muzan and Kabuto investigated the Man-Eating Demons’ weakness to sunlight and identified a missing gene they needed to replace.

• Muzan’s schemes drove food prices in the Land of Fire higher and spread unrest as people heard of the Land of Waves’ prosperity.
• The daimyo learned that the Land of Waves had declared war and ordered his advisers to hire ninja from Konoha and other villages.
• Muzan sent the Twelve Kizuki to the front lines while he returned to the Land of Waves to conduct Man-Eating Demon experiments with Kabuto.
• Muzan showed Kabuto that natural energy only temporarily delayed the damage sunlight caused to a Man-Eating Demon.
• Kabuto identified a missing gene segment called the X Gene and concluded that they would need special materials to replace it.

Muzan and Kabuto discussed the Jashin Cult before a Tailed Beast Ball struck the Land of Waves. Muzan confronted Hidden Cloud Village's Killer B and Yugito Nii as their attack devastated his territory, while Dodai's plan unfolded successfully.

• Muzan decided to postpone dealing with the Jashin Cult, and Kabuto offered to investigate it.
• A Tailed Beast Ball destroyed a factory in the Land of Waves, and Muzan sent Kabuto to protect civilians before rushing to face the attackers.
• Muzan recognized Killer B and confronted the Hidden Cloud ninja, but Yugito Nii attacked him from behind and wounded him.
• Killer B and Yugito Nii fought Muzan as the Eight-Tails' attacks reduced the surrounding area to ruins.
• Dodai's plan to strike the Land of Waves' home base succeeded while its strongest fighters were away at the front lines.

Muzan fought Killer B and Yugito Nii as they attacked the Land of Waves, using his Blood Demon Art and swordsmanship to wound the Eight-Tails. After Yugito Nii blasted him with a Tailed Beast attack, Muzan regenerated, summoned three giant snakes to hold her back, and rushed at Killer B in Demon King Form.

• Muzan used his thorn-covered greatsword to strike Killer B and wound the Eight-Tails, then sent brambles to restrain them.
• Yugito Nii transformed into her full Tailed Beast form and blasted Muzan with a massive fireball, leaving him badly damaged.
• Muzan regenerated and summoned three giant pythons to block Yugito Nii.
• Muzan entered Demon King Form, devoured natural energy, and charged at Killer B.