Chapter Summaries

Muzan planned to use Blood Moon’s earnings from arms dealing in the Land of Waves to establish a gene research laboratory and overcome the demons’ weakness to sunlight. As the major powers investigated Blood Moon, Muzan and Shanye Song clashed with Kakuzu and proposed working with him.

• Muzan assigned Pakura to pursue arms dealing in the Land of Waves and use the profits to build a laboratory for gene research.
• Muzan explained that Blood Moon needed to overcome its weakness to sunlight so its members could move freely throughout the Shinobi World.
• Sunagakure’s officials worried that Pakura had joined Blood Moon, while Killer B, Akatsuki, and Madara Uchiha also investigated the organization.
• Muzan and Shanye Song reviewed Blood Moon’s bounty sketches after returning to a town in the Land of Wind.
• Kakuzu confronted Shanye Song over his bounty, and Muzan and Shanye Song attacked him when he refused to step aside.
• Muzan praised Kakuzu’s strength and suggested that they cooperate.

Muzan recruited Kakuzu as a financial adviser for the Blood Moon Organization, then returned to camp and found Orochimaru had uncovered his identity as Crimson Moon. Orochimaru agreed to keep their arrangement secret and offered to research a cure for Muzan’s weakness to sunlight.

• Muzan offered Kakuzu a lucrative financial adviser position, and Kakuzu accepted after receiving a deposit.
• Muzan returned to Orochimaru’s camp and found Orochimaru studying a portrait of Crimson Moon.
• Muzan confirmed his identity and explained the weaknesses of Man-Eating Demons.
• Orochimaru asked Muzan to provide cells for research, and Muzan agreed as long as the village remained unaware.
• Orochimaru promised to conceal Muzan’s identity and help him overcome his weakness to sunlight.

As war between Konoha, the Hidden Sand Village, and the Hidden Cloud Village loomed, Muzan struggled to treat victims of Chiyo’s deadly poison. He decided to investigate the battlefield for a poison sample, but Anbu blocked his way under the Hokage’s orders.

• Orochimaru told Muzan that the Third Raikage was assembling a Cloud Ninja army to join forces with Rasa’s Hidden Sand Village, and ordered Minato Namikaze to stay in camp.
• Minato Namikaze told Rin, Kakashi, and Obito that the war in the Land of Wind was about to escalate, then led them back to camp.
• Muzan treated poisoned Konoha ninjas, but one patient died despite the medical team’s efforts.
• Muzan suspected Chiyo had developed the poison and ordered others to find where the victims had been injured so he could locate a clean sample.
• Anbu stopped Muzan from going to the battlefield, citing the Hokage’s orders, but Muzan argued that ordinary ninjas could not properly identify Chiyo’s poison.

Muzan and his escorts reached the battlefield, where they rescued injured Konoha ninja and fought a Sand Ninja squad setting traps. Muzan spared the young Maki as a captive, leaving her alive after she vowed revenge.

• Orochimaru ordered the medical ninja to let Muzan go, and his escorts followed him toward the battlefield's edge.
• Muzan and his escorts found Sand Ninja setting traps and rescued wounded Konoha ninja poisoned with Chiyo's toxin.
• Muzan ordered Shanye Song to kill the Sand Ninja, and Shanye Song defeated their leader and slaughtered the fleeing squad.
• Shanye Song moved to kill Maki, but Muzan stopped him and ordered that she be kept alive as a captive.
• Muzan took Maki's weapon, threw her into a sand dune, and inspected the crude poisoned traps after the battle.

Muzan recovered poison from Sunagakure ninja and developed an antidote that saved wounded Konoha ninja at the camp. As Konoha prepared for a possible attack led by Chiyo, Muzan reassured Kakashi that he was protected and ready to face her.

• Muzan examined the poison carried by the Sunagakure ninja, collected it for study, and ordered the Konoha dead removed while sparing the unconscious Maki.
• Muzan returned to camp with injured ninja and ignored Obito’s greeting as he focused on treating them.
• Muzan developed an antidote and tested it on a critically wounded ninja, then shared the formula so more medicine could be prepared.
• Muzan improved the camp’s medical facilities and learned from Kakashi that Chiyo was leading Sunagakure forces and might target him and Kakashi.
• Muzan teased Obito and reassured Kakashi that the Jōnin guarding him would keep him safe, until a Jōnin called everyone to assemble.

As war approached, Muzan organized Konoha’s medical ninja and joined Minato’s force against the Cloud Ninja. After seeing evidence of a fierce clash that seemed inconsistent with the Cloud’s weakened forces, Muzan suspected an unknown part of the enemy’s plan and struggled to identify what he had missed.

• Muzan assigned one-third of the medical ninja to form battlefield squads and used a lottery to determine who would serve in combat roles.
• Orochimaru stopped Minato from interfering with Muzan’s punishment of the medical ninja and ordered Minato to face the Third Raikage with Muzan providing medical support from a distance.
• Orochimaru divided Konoha’s forces as the Cloud Ninja and Sand Ninja attacked from two directions, and Muzan accompanied Minato’s team toward the Cloud front.
• Minato assigned Ino-Shika-Cho to the vanguard while he prepared to confront the Raikage, but Muzan noticed that the battlefield’s heavy losses did not fit the Cloud Ninja’s weakened state.
• Muzan held back from challenging Minato’s orders and tried to work out what hidden information he had missed.

Muzan and Minato realized the Sand Ninja had deceived Konoha with puppet decoys and were coordinating with the Cloud Ninja to encircle their forces. After Minato left to face the Raikage, Muzan prepared to delay Chiyo and Rasa’s attack, and the chapter left him leading Konoha’s defense against Rasa’s Gold Dust Great Wave.

• Muzan warned Minato that the Cloud Ninja’s unusually fierce attack might conceal a trap, and Minato agreed not to commit all his troops recklessly.
• Orochimaru discovered that the Sand Ninja force in front of him was mostly puppets and rushed to reinforce Minato’s front.
• Minato learned that Chiyo had brought the Sand Ninja around from the east, while Muzan recognized that Konoha’s squads had been slaughtered and offered to hold Chiyo back.
• Minato went to fight the Third Raikage with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and Muzan took his troops to high ground to prepare for the Sand Ninja attack.
• Rasa unleashed Magnet Release: Gold Dust Great Wave, and Muzan ordered his Earth Release ninja to form a triangular Earth-Style Wall against the oncoming sand.

Muzan and Shanye Song defended their position against Rasa and Chiyo’s Sand Ninja by using Earth and Fire Release to counter their wind, but Rasa targeted Muzan with Magnet Release. Muzan smashed Rasa’s Gold Dust Cube with Monster Strength Fist, and Rasa responded with Gold Dust Burial.

• Chiyo ordered the Sand Ninja to use Wind Release to undermine the wall protecting Muzan’s position.
• Muzan told Shanye Song to cover the sand with Earth Release, then solidified the mud with Fire Release.
• Chiyo identified Muzan as Konoha’s commander and urged Rasa to deal with him.
• Rasa attacked Muzan with Magnet Release: Gold Dust Cube, but Muzan shattered it with Monster Strength Fist.
• Rasa used Magnet Release: Gold Dust Burial against Muzan, who remained confident despite the sand gathering around him.

Rasa buried Muzan beneath compressed sand, prompting Konoha’s forces to charge and Orochimaru to confront Rasa and Chiyo. Muzan slowly freed himself and emerged with Shanye Song’s help, then spotted Orochimaru riding Manda at the front of the battle.

• Rasa used Gold Dust Burial to trap Muzan underground, and Konoha’s fighters charged to avenge him.
• Rasa unleashed Gold Dust Great Wave, but Orochimaru blocked it with Threefold Rashomon and faced Rasa alongside Chiyo.
• Muzan used Black Blood Brambles and brute-force chakra to make space underground, injuring his palm as he blasted through the packed sand.
• Shanye Song and nearby Konoha Ninja excavated the burial site, and Muzan eventually emerged and retrieved replacement clothes from a sealing scroll.
• Muzan saw Orochimaru riding Manda at the front of the battle, where Manda swallowed approaching ninja.

Muzan and Shanye Song faced Chiyo’s Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets while Orochimaru overwhelmed Rasa elsewhere on the battlefield. Chiyo’s puppets lost their advantage after Muzan disrupted her chakra, and Manda helped Orochimaru break free as the Hidden Sand Village began retreating.

• Chiyo joined Rasa’s fight against Orochimaru, then turned toward Muzan and Shanye Song, determined to kill Muzan.
• Chiyo surrounded Muzan with the Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets, while Shanye Song used his Blood Demon Art to evade attacks from two of them.
• Muzan repelled one puppet with Monster Strength Fist and used smoke to conceal his movements before striking Chiyo with a Chakra Scalpel.
• Chiyo’s poisoned kunai pierced Muzan’s palm, but he disrupted her chakra and made it difficult for her to control the puppets.
• Chiyo saw that Rasa was being suppressed and that Hidden Sand ninja were retreating, so she sent her ten puppets toward Orochimaru.
• Manda reared up and helped Orochimaru break free from the puppets.

After the Sand and Cloud Ninja retreated, Orochimaru warned that Iwagakure might attack Konoha and sent Minato Namikaze to investigate. At Konoha, the Third Hokage learned that Iwagakure had launched a massive assault and the frontline had collapsed.

• Chiyo ordered the Sand Ninja to retreat, and the Cloud Ninja withdrew after Minato Namikaze and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio held them back.
• Orochimaru warned that Kumogakure and Sunagakure's unusual actions could be followed by an Iwagakure invasion, then ordered Minato Namikaze to return to Konoha and find out what had happened.
• Orochimaru asked Muzan to join him in human experiments after the war, and Muzan agreed.
• A wounded ninja told the Third Hokage that Iwagakure had sent a massive army and Konoha's frontline had collapsed.
• The Third Hokage called for Danzo and the others to meet and discuss Konoha's response.

Orochimaru and Minato Namikaze sent Kakashi and his teammates to reinforce the Hidden Stone Village front while Muzan treated wounded Konoha ninja. Afterward, Muzan began remodeling his body by growing extra nerves, and Shanye Song entered to find him looking strange.

• Minato Namikaze delivered the Hokage’s order to Orochimaru to send reinforcements against Hidden Stone Village.
• Orochimaru assigned Kakashi and his two teammates to intercept the Mu Jin ninja, with Minato agreeing that they should go together.
• Muzan spent the day treating wounded Konoha ninja and did not realize that the younger ninja had already left for the battlefield.
• Muzan ordered Shanye Song to obtain blood and guard the camp while he began breaking down his liver to grow extra nerves.
• Muzan extended new nerves into his arms, increasing the speed of his hand seals, then let Shanye Song enter after the painful procedure ended.
• Shanye Song saw Muzan and froze at his strange appearance.

Muzan discussed the changing war with Orochimaru and proposed releasing the One-Tail to weaken the Hidden Sand Village, prompting Orochimaru to send Minato on the mission. Muzan then requested Orochimaru’s cell-stimulating techniques, while privately anticipating Orochimaru’s eventual defection and fearing Konoha’s leaders would target him.

• Muzan reviewed intelligence showing the Cloud Ninja were withdrawing and considered how their return could affect the war.
• Muzan told Orochimaru that releasing the One-Tail could exploit the aging jinchuriki and cause serious trouble for the Hidden Sand Village.
• Orochimaru assigned Minato to infiltrate the Hidden Sand Village and release the One-Tail.
• After the war meeting, Muzan asked Orochimaru for techniques to stimulate cellular activity, and Orochimaru demanded access to Muzan’s cells and a chance to observe his transformation.
• Muzan suspected Orochimaru would eventually betray Konoha and worried Danzo would punish him for their experiments.

Muzan studied Orochimaru’s cell-stimulation research while arranging for Shanye Song to protect Kakashi and establish a base in the Land of Waves. As Hidden Stone Village threatened Konoha, Danzo volunteered to negotiate with Onoki.

• Orochimaru gave Muzan notes on stimulating cells, and Muzan considered finding Kabuto before Orochimaru reached him.
• Muzan learned that Hidden Stone Village had invaded Konoha and ordered Shanye Song to protect Kakashi, then head to the Land of Waves and join Pakura.
• Orochimaru classified Muzan’s unusual abilities as a Bloodline Limit while studying his blood at the camp.
• Sarutobi learned that Onoki’s forces had gathered in the Land of Fire, and Danzo offered to travel to the Land of Earth and negotiate with Onoki.

Muzan saved Minato Namikaze after Ebizo poisoned him during his mission to attack the One-Tail Jinchuriki. Sunagakure’s forces began withdrawing, confirming the mission’s success as Minato recovered.

• Muzan left his experiments to treat Minato Namikaze, using surgery and a blood transfusion to remove the poison and save his life.
• After waking, Minato Namikaze told Muzan that Ebizo had poisoned him while he was trying to destroy the One-Tail Jinchuriki’s seal.
• Minato Namikaze explained that he escaped by striking a pillar with a Rasengan and returning to Konoha.
• Orochimaru heard Minato Namikaze’s report and said they would judge the mission by Sunagakure’s response.
• A ninja reported that Sunagakure’s forces had begun withdrawing, indicating Minato Namikaze’s mission had succeeded.

Muzan led Konoha’s medical ninja toward the Land of Fire border and stopped a Rain Village ambush before confronting Konan. He tried to prevent a fight by explaining that they meant no harm and that defeating the Hidden Stone Village could bring a period of peace.

• Orochimaru assigned Muzan to lead the medical ninja to support the front while Minato rested.
• Muzan rejected the route through the Rain Village and led the group along a safer path through the Land of Rivers.
• Muzan detected Rain Ninja hiding in puddles and destroyed their ambush with explosive kunai.
• Konoha’s Anbu and a taijutsu ninja killed the Rain Ninja, but Muzan raised an Earth-Style Wall when he sensed another threat.
• Konan attacked Konoha’s group with explosive paper, and Muzan tried to talk her down by explaining their mission and the prospect of peace after the Hidden Stone Village’s defeat.

Muzan secured Konan’s agreement to partner in selling Explosive Tags, then arrived at the Land of Fire’s battlefield, where Konoha struggled to destroy Kannabi Bridge. He volunteered to attack the bridge after learning that Kakashi’s team had suffered heavy losses.

• Muzan persuaded Konan to cooperate in selling Explosive Tags, and she agreed to let Akatsuki supply them for a share of the profits.
• Muzan reached the Land of Fire’s border as Iwagakure’s invasion and Konoha’s costly attempts to destroy Kannabi Bridge continued.
• Shikaku Nara told Muzan that Konoha’s teams had failed to destroy the bridge and that Kakashi’s team had been reduced to Kakashi alone.
• Muzan learned Kakashi had been sent to the rear to recover and said he would visit him later.
• Muzan volunteered to destroy Kannabi Bridge, saying he needed many Explosive Tags and was stronger than Kakashi.

Muzan accepted an S-rank mission to break through Iwagakure’s blockade at Kannabi Bridge, then visited the injured Kakashi and treated him while refusing to let him join the mission. Muzan left for the mission with an elite squad, assigning Hizashi Hyuga to scout with his Byakugan.

• Shikaku Nara agreed to send Muzan with an elite squad to Kannabi Bridge while the main force engaged the Stone Ninja as cover.
• Muzan visited Kakashi in the medical camp, and Kakashi warned him not to go to Kannabi Bridge.
• Muzan teased Kakashi about his dead teammates returning, then treated his hidden injuries and knocked him unconscious to keep him from following.
• Muzan met the four squad members at noon and ordered Hizashi Hyuga to keep his Byakugan active while they passed through Iwagakure’s blockade.

Muzan led a Konoha team through Iwagakure’s defenses toward Kannabi Bridge, using Shikaku Nara’s feint attack as cover. The team encountered Dong Sǐrén, the powerful Iwagakure Jōnin, and Muzan began fighting him as the chapter ended.

• Muzan briefed Hizashi Hyuga and the others on their route and ordered them to pass through the most dangerous defensive line during Shikaku Nara’s feint.
• Hizashi used his Byakugan to spot Stone Ninja guarding the forest while Muzan’s team waited for the battle to begin.
• When the feint attack started, Muzan’s team charged through the chaos, and Muzan killed a Stone Ninja with his Chakra Blade.
• Hizashi blocked a powerful attack from Dong Sǐrén, whom he recognized as the Iwagakure Jōnin responsible for breaking Konoha’s front line.
• Muzan reminded the team to focus on reaching Kannabi Bridge, then attacked Dong Sǐrén with Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu.

Muzan fought Dong Sǐrén while his squad searched for a way to break through, and Hizashi discovered Muzan's inhuman body with his Byakugan. As the others escaped, Muzan remained behind and unleashed invisible attacks on the Stone Ninja after night fell.

• Muzan used his Fireball Jutsu, Monster Strength Fist, and Hatake Sword Technique against Dong Sǐrén, managing to cut him.
• Hizashi saw through Muzan's body with his Byakugan and realized his organs had vanished, but kept the discovery secret.
• Hizashi found a weakly guarded route, and Muzan held Dong Sǐrén back so the other four ninja could break through.
• After the squad escaped, Muzan faced the surrounding Stone Ninja alone and declared that few of them would leave alive.
• Muzan's invisible attacks struck the Stone Ninja, while Dong Sǐrén evaded them by leaping onto a tree.