Recaps

Muzan graduated as a Genin, trained under Orochimaru, and proved himself on a mission against Kirigakure scouts while pursuing his own experiments. After Sakumo was blamed for a failed mission and Muzan exposed a suspected conspiracy against him, Konoha faced growing tensions over Tsunade’s departure and the missing Kazekage.

• Muzan defended Kakashi at home, revealed a hidden power to Sakumo, and began training while concealing his need for blood.
• At the Ninja Academy, Muzan impressed his classmates and teachers, helped Might Guy gain admission, and developed his chakra control and medical skills.
• Muzan and Kakashi sparred, then Sakumo began training them in ninjutsu and swordsmanship as Muzan secretly devoured a White Zetsu clone.
• Muzan treated wounded ninja at the hospital, graduated alongside Kakashi, and drew the attention of Tsunade and Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru tested Muzan, Anko, and Ito Mari against a giant snake, then accepted them as disciples after they defeated it through teamwork.
• Muzan led Anko and Mari against Kirigakure scouts, killed their Chunin leader, and returned with the enemy’s heads and a warning that he was on their kill list.
• Muzan attacked villagers who blamed Sakumo for Konoha’s losses, fought Anbu, and then told Sakumo that a traitor had sabotaged his mission to block his path to becoming Hokage.
• After Tsunade failed to obtain justice for Sakumo, Muzan warned him about Konoha’s leadership and turned toward profiting from the crisis surrounding Sunagakure’s missing Kazekage.

Muzan fought on Konoha’s front, where his combat skills and medical innovations changed the course of the campaign. Back in Konoha, he rejected Danzo’s offer to join Root and faced a deadly ambush that left two attackers down and one still fighting.

• The Third Hokage sent Muzan, Anko, and Mari to the Cloud front, where Muzan treated wounded shinobi and earned a battlefield assignment from Sakumo.
• Muzan’s scouting team encountered Yun Zhi'anshang’s squad, and Muzan killed the Cloud Ninja leader before discovering that Anko and Mari were missing.
• Muzan infiltrated the Cloud camp, unleashed demons, and escaped Killer B after finding tortured Konoha prisoners and killing them at their request.
• Muzan joined Aburame Koji’s attack on the Cloud supply convoy and set its provisions ablaze, helping Konoha complete an S-rank mission.
• Muzan developed a blood-type testing machine, and the Third Hokage rewarded him with the Strength of a Hundred Technique and Yin Seal methods while backing its production.
• Muzan detected White Zetsu in Obito’s grandmother’s coffin and devoured him, then fought off Root ninja sent to draw him into Danzo’s plans.
• Muzan refused Danzo’s offer to lead Root, and a Root team attacked him in the Forest of Death with insects, genjutsu, and coordinated ninjutsu.
• Muzan broke Yamanaka Yuntian’s spine and caused his body to explode with Muzan’s blood, while Shanye Song kept fighting and was struck from behind.

Muzan helped Konoha defeat Kumogakure, then traveled to the Land of Water to recruit Pakura after learning of her mission to Kirigakure. The arc left Pakura badly injured as Shanye Song confronted the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and an unseen presence warned him to stop.

• Muzan turned Shanye Song into a demon and made him Lower Rank Six, then returned to Konoha and discovered defective military equipment at the factory.
• Muzan exposed the factory manager's wrongdoing, and after an unknown attacker killed the manager, Muzan helped arrange steady work for ninja families and delivered blood supplies to the front.
• Muzan proposed a feigned retreat and an explosive-trap plan, helping Sakumo Hatake destroy Kumogakure's camp and secure a Konoha victory.
• Muzan returned to Konoha, gave young Shisui Uchiha a sealed container of his blood, and accepted a mission to disrupt Sunagakure's plan involving Kirigakure.
• Muzan traveled with Orochimaru's force to the Land of Wind, learned that Danzo had ordered Shanye Song to protect him, and set out to approach Pakura disguised as a child.
• Pakura found Muzan in a port town and brought him aboard her ship, while Muzan revealed that he intended to recruit her into his new organization, Blood Moon.
• Pakura entered Kirigakure and discovered its betrayal when the Seven Ninja Swordsmen attacked her, while Shanye Song emerged to rescue her and offer her a place in Blood Moon.
• Shanye Song fought Jūzō Biwa and used Earth Release near the injured Pakura, but an unseen voice warned him to stop.

Muzan established Blood Moon, recruited allies, and used his abilities to reshape the war against Sunagakure and Kumogakure. As Iwagakure invaded, he led a squad toward Kannabi Bridge and stayed behind to face the Stone Ninja.

• Muzan turned the wounded Pakura into a Man-Eating Demon, named her Lower Rank Two, and had her fight the Seven Ninja Swordsmen before he battled Yagura Karatachi and Isobu.
• After Blood Moon withdrew, Muzan tasked Pakura with building an arms business and laboratory in the Land of Waves, recruited Kakuzu as a financial adviser, and arranged secret research with Orochimaru.
• Muzan developed an antidote to Chiyo’s poison and fought alongside Konoha forces against Rasa and Chiyo, escaping Rasa’s Gold Dust Burial and helping force the Sand Ninja to retreat.
• When Iwagakure invaded, Muzan pursued research with Orochimaru, advised releasing the One-Tail, and later saved Minato Namikaze from Ebizo’s poison.
• Muzan led medical ninja toward the front, survived Rain Ninja ambushes, and persuaded Konan to have Akatsuki supply Explosive Tags for a share of the profits.
• After learning Kakashi’s team had failed to destroy Kannabi Bridge, Muzan volunteered to lead an elite squad there and knocked Kakashi unconscious to stop him from following.
• Muzan’s squad crossed Iwagakure’s blockade during Shikaku Nara’s feint, and Muzan held off Dong Sǐrén so Hizashi Hyuga and the others could escape toward the bridge.
• Muzan faced the surrounding Stone Ninja alone, striking them with invisible attacks as Dong Sǐrén dodged by leaping onto a tree.