Recaps

Itachi Uchiha took over Root to investigate Akatsuki, while Naruto tried to use the chakra of Shukaku and Kurama to save Kimimaro and received Shisui's second eye. Obito and Kisame Hoshigaki then secretly entered Konoha with Roshi, the Four-Tails' jinchuriki.

• Itachi Uchiha became Root's leader and refused Kakashi's request to join, promising to confirm Akatsuki's base and report to the Hokage.
• Naruto visited Gaara, revealed that Shukaku was inside him, and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take Gaara back to Sand Village.
• Naruto fused Shukaku and Kurama's chakra and transferred it to Kimimaro, but failed to wake him because his Yin-Yang Release was not mature enough.
• Naruto asked Orochimaru to transplant Shisui's second eye, then admired his two Sharingan in a mirror.
• Obito and Kisame Hoshigaki secretly entered Konoha carrying Roshi, intending to give Naruto the Three-Tails and Four-Tails.

Obito and Kisame Hoshigaki visited Naruto in Konoha, where ANBU tried to ambush them, and Obito approved Naruto’s request to join Akatsuki. Obito then brought the Four-Tails’ jinchuriki and challenged Naruto to absorb the tailed beast, leaving Naruto’s response unresolved.

• Obito and Kisame Hoshigaki asked for Naruto’s address, alerting ANBU, who searched his home and set an ambush.
• Obito entered Naruto’s shabby house and reflected that Minato Namikaze had been wrong to protect the ninja system and seal the Nine-Tails inside Naruto.
• Naruto arrived with Hinata, then used Flying Thunder God to escape the ANBU while Obito and Kisame Hoshigaki vanished using Kamui.
• In the back mountains, Naruto declared that he wanted to join Akatsuki, and Obito gave him an Akatsuki robe.
• Naruto asked about Akatsuki’s rings, and Obito explained that they were no longer necessary.
• Kisame Hoshigaki pulled the Four-Tails’ jinchuriki from Samehada, and Obito challenged Naruto to absorb the Four-Tails or be expelled from Akatsuki.

Naruto staged a prison scenario to gain Roshi’s trust and persuade him to give up the Four-Tails. The performance began with Naruto, Roshi, and Gaara imprisoned together, while Madara appeared to be their captor.

• Naruto told Obito he needed a month to absorb the Four-Tails, and Obito left with Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Naruto asked Hinata to prepare a performance, and she recruited Orochimaru, Zabuza Momochi, Haku, Itachi, and Sasuke to help.
• Naruto and Roshi woke up chained in a cave, where Naruto introduced himself as the Nine-Tails jinchuriki and Roshi revealed he was the Four-Tails jinchuriki.
• Madara Uchiha arrived, threw the unconscious Gaara into the cell, and left.
• Naruto identified Gaara as the Kazekage and One-Tail jinchuriki while Gaara and Itachi privately criticized Naruto’s acting.

Naruto and Gaara pretended to be captives while trying to mislead Roshi, but Madara Uchiha arrived and frightened Roshi into believing he was extracting tailed beasts from their jinchuriki. Naruto realized Roshi feared Madara and used the apparent death of Gaara to deepen that fear, leaving Roshi convinced they could not escape.

• Naruto and Gaara acted like prisoners and revealed their tailed beast chakra to convince Roshi they had been captured.
• Naruto exaggerated how he had fought the Akatsuki, then claimed Madara Uchiha had captured him when Roshi questioned his story.
• Madara dragged Gaara away and later returned with a small Shukaku, leading Roshi to believe Gaara had died after his tailed beast was extracted.
• Naruto shouted threats at Madara while Roshi silently begged him to stay quiet, and Madara left the cell.
• Naruto noticed Roshi's fear of Madara and pretended to mourn Gaara, leaving Roshi convinced they would all die.

Naruto and Roshi escaped their prison cell, but Roshi tried to use Naruto as bait when Akatsuki members appeared. Naruto arranged for his companions to impersonate Akatsuki members and himself transformed into Madara Uchiha to frighten Roshi; the disguised group cornered Roshi in the desert.

• Naruto used Gaara's Explosive Tag to break open the cell and free himself and Roshi, and they fled into the desert.
• After they encountered Akatsuki members, Roshi suggested they split up and sent Naruto along an exposed route while taking a concealed path himself.
• Naruto gathered his companions and assigned them disguises as Akatsuki members so they could scare Roshi.
• Zabuza, disguised as Kisame Hoshigaki, confronted Roshi with a massive Water Release, while Sasuke and Hinata attacked in disguise.
• Naruto transformed into Madara Uchiha and watched the group surround Roshi.

Naruto repeatedly rescued Roshi from prison, only for Roshi to be captured again by the Akatsuki impostors. At their third escape attempt, Naruto revealed the Nine-Tails chakra to Roshi before Obito restored the seal.

• Haku, disguised as Sasori, Orochimaru, disguised as Obito, and Itachi defeated Roshi and took him back to prison.
• Naruto secretly returned, freed Roshi, and led him toward the escape routes again.
• Roshi chose the outer route, but Kisame Hoshigaki and the Akatsuki surrounded him and beat him unconscious.
• Naruto rescued Roshi again, and Roshi chose to follow Naruto down the hidden path.
• The Akatsuki surrounded Naruto and Roshi, and Itachi demanded that Naruto hand over the tailed beast.
• Naruto released the seal on his abdomen, unleashing Nine-Tails chakra, and Obito restored the seal.

Naruto and Akatsuki captured the Four-Tails, but Naruto freed it and persuaded it to consider becoming his friend. As the Four-Tails played among the mountains, Naruto reunited with Hinata and watched over it with her.

• Orochimaru restored Naruto's Nine-Tails seal, and Madara Uchiha let Naruto leave before Akatsuki turned its attention to Roshi.
• Roshi released the Four-Tails, and Akatsuki members subdued it while Itachi briefly controlled it and Haku cut off one tail to keep Roshi alive.
• Naruto returned and addressed the Four-Tails by its true name, then used Shukaku and a story about the Sage of Six Paths to persuade it to hear him out.
• Naruto ordered Karin to withdraw her Adamantine Sealing Chains, freeing the Four-Tails, which bounded joyfully across the mountains.
• Naruto and Hinata sat together and watched the Four-Tails play after Hinata ended her Transformation Technique.

Naruto returned to Konoha with Hinata, received Itachi’s intelligence, and met Obito to claim the Three-Tails while pressing him to help Akatsuki capture the Five-Tails. Naruto then began persuading the wild Three-Tails to join him, confident that Shukaku and Son Goku could talk it around.

• Naruto gave Son Goku one more night of freedom, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring Hinata back to Konoha and took her to Ichiraku Ramen.
• Itachi reported that Roshi was recovering and had been returned to Rock Shadow Village, that the Five-Tails and Six-Tails had been located, and that Kakashi and Jiraiya wanted more intelligence.
• At Heaven-Earth Bridge, Naruto revealed the chakra of the One-Tail, Four-Tails, and Nine-Tails to impress Obito, who handed him the Three-Tails from the Kamui Dimension.
• Naruto gave Obito the Five-Tails’ location and argued that capturing it would benefit Akatsuki; Obito reluctantly agreed to help.
• Naruto reassured Hinata that becoming Hokage would make their actions acceptable and promised to marry her when he took office.
• Naruto released Shukaku and Son Goku to persuade the wild Three-Tails, while he and Hinata watched from a distance.

Naruto persuaded Three-Tails Isobu to join his team and absorbed its chakra alongside One-Tail Shukaku and Four-Tails Son Goku. Elsewhere, Sasuke intercepted Two-Tails jinchuriki Yugito Nii while she traveled to the Sand Village, and she transformed into a blue demon cat to pursue him.

• While Shukaku, Son Goku, and Isobu debated, Naruto demonstrated miniature ninjutsu on Hinata.
• Shukaku told Naruto that Isobu had agreed to join his team, and Naruto welcomed the three Tailed Beasts into his body.
• The Raikage sent Yugito Nii to notify the Sand Village about a planned summit concerning Akatsuki and Konoha Village.
• Naruto sensed Yugito Nii through the Flying Thunder God Formula he had marked her with, while Sasuke approached her with a letter and claimed he was delivering intelligence.
• Yugito demanded Sasuke's intelligence and chased him, then activated Tailed Beast Transformation and became a blue demon cat.

Sasuke fought Yugito Nii, gave her a fake Konoha intelligence file, and continued trying to win her over. As Yugito gained the advantage, Naruto summoned three Tailed Beasts to help Sasuke, and their tails descended on the Two-Tails.

• Sasuke used his Sharingan and Susanoo to fight Yugito Nii, then offered her Konoha's intelligence files in exchange for stopping.
• Yugito ended her Tailed Beast Transformation and accepted the files, but threw them away after discovering they praised Sasuke as Konoha's most handsome man.
• Naruto watched the battle with Hinata and Karin, judged that Sasuke would run out of chakra, and said they were there to help Sasuke win Yugito over.
• Naruto called One-Tail Shukaku, Three-Tails Isobu, and Four-Tails Son Goku to help Sasuke.
• As Yugito's Two-Tails pounced on the exhausted Sasuke, the eight tails of Shukaku, Isobu, and Son Goku descended, forcing the demon cat to leap back.

Sasuke confronted Yugito Nii with the Three-Tails, Four-Tails, and One-Tail, prompting her to flee and warn the Sand Village that Konoha planned to use controlled Tailed Beasts against it. Gaara summoned Naruto to explain the accusation, leaving Sasuke and Yugito Nii awaiting his response.

• Naruto sent the Three-Tails, Four-Tails, and One-Tail to back Sasuke as he confronted Yugito Nii, who escaped after seeing them cooperate.
• Naruto explained to Karin that he wanted jinchuriki to willingly release their Tailed Beasts so he could resolve their resentment and subdue them.
• Sasuke and the three Tailed Beasts pursued Yugito Nii until she transformed to escape into the Land of Wind.
• Yugito Nii entered the Sand Village and told Gaara that Konoha controlled multiple Tailed Beasts and planned to use them to destroy the village.
• Gaara questioned Sasuke about Yugito Nii's claim and summoned Naruto, who arrived to explain.

After Yugito Nii fled Sand Village, Naruto let Gaara speak with Shukaku, helping Gaara understand their past conflict. Naruto then traveled with Sasuke and Hinata to the Hidden Mist Village, where he and Zabuza began leading the group through the mist.

• Yugito Nii escaped Sand Village after concluding that Gaara and Konoha were working together.
• Naruto summoned Shukaku so Gaara could ask why they had clashed when Shukaku was sealed inside him.
• Shukaku explained that he had resented being forcibly sealed inside Gaara, and Naruto encouraged Gaara to learn to coexist with tailed beasts.
• Naruto left with Sasuke and Shukaku, while Gaara thanked him and wished him well.
• Zabuza prepared a hidden teleportation mark near the Hidden Mist Village, and Naruto arrived with Hinata to join him and Haku.
• Zabuza led the group through the village's trap zone, and Naruto held Hinata and Haku close as the thick mist surrounded them.

Naruto discovered that the Hidden Mist Village's surrounding fog detected intruders and used a teleportation marker to bypass it. He brought Kakashi and their companions to prepare to search for Obito, who was controlling Mizukage Yagura.

• Naruto and Zabuza Momochi crossed the sensing fog, alerting Mizukage Yagura to their presence near the Hidden Mist Village.
• Yagura searched for the intruders with the Hidden Mist ANBU, but Naruto's group teleported back to Konoha before they could be found.
• Naruto explained that he had left a teleportation marker inside the fog zone, allowing them to bypass its detection on a return trip.
• Naruto told Kakashi that Obito was in the Hidden Mist Village and had used the Sharingan to control Yagura, claiming Itachi had uncovered the information.
• Kakashi agreed to go after Obito, and Naruto teleported him to Hinata, Zabuza Momochi, and Haku so they could prepare to enter the village.

Naruto and his group entered the Hidden Mist Village and spent the evening in a pleasure house after discovering the village had no inns. Naruto learned that Terumi Mei had been Zabuza Momochi’s classmate and decided to find her, thinking she would suit Kakashi.

• Kakashi left the group to search for information about Obito, while Zabuza Momochi explained that the Hidden Mist Village had no inns.
• Naruto booked an entire pleasure house so Hinata and Haku could enter, but they kept the women away while the group ate and drank.
• Naruto asked Zabuza Momochi about Terumi Mei, and Zabuza revealed she had been his classmate and survived their graduation exam because she was ill.
• Zabuza admitted he regretted not killing Terumi Mei during the exam, and Naruto concluded that his actions had left her with few men her age in the village.
• Naruto said Terumi Mei was alive and that he would find her, while suggesting she would be a good match for Kakashi.

Naruto learned that the Hidden Mist Village’s Fog Ban was tied to a deadly chakra-filled mist, then rescued Kakashi from the Fourth Mizukage’s residence. Naruto decided to find Terumi Mei for help, while Zabuza was startled that Naruto knew her appearance.

• Naruto questioned the madam about the Fog Ban and learned that people who went outside in the fog never returned.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach Kakashi, who had infiltrated the Fourth Mizukage’s residence.
• Naruto and Kakashi encountered chakra-laden fog in the dark passage, and Naruto teleported them back to the pleasure district.
• Naruto argued that they needed a safer plan and proposed finding Terumi Mei before pursuing Obito.
• Zabuza was shocked that Naruto could transform into Terumi Mei despite her never having left the Hidden Mist Village.

Naruto and Zabuza Momochi secretly approached Terumi Mei and told her that Akatsuki was controlling the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura. Terumi Mei set out to verify the claim through Ao, while Naruto promised to make Zabuza a hero of the Hidden Mist Village.

• Terumi Mei encountered Zabuza Momochi in an alley, but he fled and led her into a pursuit before disappearing.
• Naruto and the Three-Tails revealed themselves to Terumi Mei, and Naruto claimed that Akatsuki was controlling Yagura.
• Naruto explained that Ao could use his Byakugan to check whether Yagura was under Genjutsu, and Terumi Mei left to investigate.
• Naruto and Zabuza Momochi returned to their hideout, where Naruto explained that the Three-Tails had learned about Akatsuki's actions in the Hidden Mist Village.
• Zabuza Momochi thanked Naruto for showing him that his attempt to oppose Yagura had been right, and Naruto promised to make him a hero of the Hidden Mist Village.

Terumi Mei persuaded Ao to investigate whether Yagura the Mizukage was under Genjutsu while Naruto evaded the village search with the Sharingan and Danzo’s barrier talismans. Ao confirmed that Yagura was being controlled, and Terumi Mei confronted the hidden Obito.

• Terumi Mei told Ao that she suspected Yagura the Mizukage was controlled and recounted seeing the Three-Tails, Zabuza Momochi, and a Sharingan user.
• Ao initially refused to use his Byakugan, while Naruto used the Sharingan to make search parties leave without finding him.
• Hinata detected Ao’s Byakugan, and Naruto had Haku cover their house with Danzo’s barrier talismans to block it.
• After Ao and Terumi Mei failed to find the intruders, Yagura threatened them with death, prompting Ao to secretly examine him with the Byakugan.
• Ao collapsed after confirming Yagura was under Genjutsu, and Terumi Mei rose in anger to confront whoever had controlled the Mizukage.

Terumi Mei fought Uchiha Obito, who had driven the Hidden Mist Village into bloody purges and hunted Kekkei Genkai users. As Obito attacked, Ao’s past was revealed: he had secretly protected and trained Terumi after discovering she possessed two Kekkei Genkai, and she now unleashed both against Obito.

• Uchiha Obito defeated Ao and attacked Terumi Mei, who realized how dangerous the masked man was.
• Obito recalled that the Hidden Mist Village had caused Rin Nohara’s death and explained how he had controlled Yagura to intensify the Blood Mist Village policy and purge Kekkei Genkai users.
• Terumi Mei attacked Obito with Lava Release, but he used his intangibility to avoid the magma and charged at her.
• Ao had discovered Terumi Mei’s two Kekkei Genkai when she was eight and secretly defied Yagura’s orders by protecting and training her.
• Terumi Mei used Boil Release against Obito, who was shocked to discover that she possessed two Kekkei Genkai.

Terumi Mei, Zabuza Momochi, Naruto, and Kakashi fought Obito, exposed his phasing weakness, and unmasked him. Kakashi confronted his old friend while Naruto and Terumi Mei argued over who would take custody of Obito.

• Terumi Mei attacked Obito with corrosive Boil Release mist, but he escaped through Kamui and tried to kill the injured Ao.
• Ao used his Byakugan to identify Obito's Sharingan and deduced that his ability had a time limit.
• Zabuza Momochi drew Obito into phasing with a slash, letting Naruto teleport behind him with Flying Thunder God and attack with a Rasengan.
• Naruto's attack missed when Obito phased again, but Kakashi appeared and shattered Obito's already-damaged mask with a punch.
• Obito blamed Kakashi for Rin's death and called him naive, while Naruto revealed that the Three-Tails had told him how Obito controlled Yagura.
• Naruto asked Terumi Mei to help capture Obito and offered to let Hidden Mist Village deal with him, but she insisted Obito must pay for the village's losses.

Naruto manipulated the battle between Kakashi, Terumi Mei, and Obito with claims that disrupted Obito and exposed his lingering concern for Kakashi. Obito escaped into the Kamui Dimension, and Naruto revealed that Kakashi’s Sharingan shared the same ability.

• Terumi Mei attacked Obito, while Naruto told her that Konoha had come to capture him as a rogue ninja, angering Obito with the lie.
• Naruto claimed Kakashi was sick from missing Rin and had only a month to live, causing Obito to weaken his punch and giving Terumi Mei a chance to kick him away.
• Naruto told Kakashi that Obito could survive having his heart destroyed, prompting Obito to suspect Naruto knew about Madara Uchiha’s seal on his heart.
• Naruto accused Obito of still caring about Kakashi and betraying the Akatsuki, while Pain and Zetsu watched and questioned Obito’s loyalty before leaving.
• Kakashi asked Obito to return to Konoha, but Obito vanished into the Kamui Dimension, and Naruto explained that Kakashi’s Sharingan could use the same ability.

Naruto used Kakashi's Sharingan to send Obito a message through the Kamui Dimension, then left Kakashi and others in Hidden Mist Village to help with its aftermath. He reunited with Torune Aburame and revealed that Orochimaru had modified Torune's poisonous insects into a pink swarm with aphrodisiac effects, which Naruto used to help Sasuke catch Yugito Nii.

• Naruto had Kakashi send Obito a letter through Kamui, and Obito recognized that Kakashi's Sharingan had delivered it.
• Naruto told Terumi Mei that Yagura was dying and proposed that Zabuza become Fifth Mizukage, then left Kakashi, Zabuza, and Haku in Hidden Mist Village to help restore order.
• Naruto teleported away with Hinata and met Torune Aburame, who showed him the modified pink insect swarm.
• Naruto explained that Orochimaru had altered Torune's poisonous insects to have aphrodisiac and seductive effects, and that he had sent Torune to help Sasuke catch Yugito Nii.
• Naruto invited Hinata into the cave where Sasuke and Yugito Nii were, leaving Hinata embarrassed and unsure how to respond.

Naruto used Torune Aburame’s altered insect swarm in a scheme involving Yugito Nii, Sasuke, and Hinata, while Jiraiya secretly watched. The chapter left Torune resigned to being lent to Jiraiya to use his new ability.

• Naruto had brought Torune Aburame to Orochimaru, who replaced his venom insects with a pink swarm that could alter people’s passions.
• Torune Aburame released the Pink Insect Swarm near the cave, and Yugito Nii emerged before being caught in its effects and led back inside by Sasuke.
• Jiraiya watched Naruto leave the cave with Hinata and realized Naruto and Sasuke had been hiding their scheme from him.
• Jiraiya confronted Naruto and asked to borrow Torune Aburame, and Naruto immediately agreed.
• Torune Aburame silently mourned his fate as the one who administered the drug while others enjoyed themselves.

Naruto, Jiraiya, Hinata, and Torune Aburame traveled to Hidden Rock Village to find Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, hoping that his whereabouts would lead them to Nagato. Naruto smuggled the group into the village with a Flying Thunder God mark on a merchant, and Jiraiya prepared to gather intelligence on Han.

• Jiraiya asked Naruto about Nagato, and Naruto suggested looking for Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Jiraiya shared what he knew about Han and Roshi, and Naruto ordered Torune Aburame to join their journey to Hidden Rock Village.
• After traveling for more than ten days, Naruto's group reached the Land of Earth's outskirts and continued to Hidden Rock Village.
• Naruto controlled a merchant with his Sharingan and marked the merchant with a Flying Thunder God Formula.
• After the merchant entered Hidden Rock Village, Naruto teleported the group into his room and knocked him unconscious.
• Jiraiya agreed to use his intelligence-gathering skills to find information about Han.

Naruto used a forged Hokage document to reach Han, the Five-Tails jinchuriki, and arrange a meeting with Onoki. Onoki learned that Akatsuki had taken the Four-Tails from Roshi, but dismissed Roshi’s fate as unimportant.

• Jiraiya told Naruto that Han had never left Hidden Rock Village and that conflicting reports about him might stem from village personnel arrangements.
• Naruto went to a cliff outside Hidden Rock Village and told Han he had come under Tsunade’s orders to protect him, showing him a forged Hokage document.
• Jiraiya secretly delivered an identical forged document to Onoki, who sent ANBU to bring Naruto and Han to meet him.
• Naruto told Onoki that Roshi was recovering in Konoha after being gravely injured and that Akatsuki had taken the Four-Tails.
• Onoki said he did not care if Roshi died and claimed Roshi deserved what happened for taking the Four-Tails away without permission.

Naruto warned Onoki about the Akatsuki and exposed how the Hidden Rock Village had sidelined Han and Roshi to protect the Onoki Clan’s influence. After Han left, Naruto provoked Onoki into attacking him with Dust Release, escaped with the Flying Thunder God Technique, and sought comfort from Hinata.

• Naruto told Onoki that Roshi had been rescued after an Akatsuki attack and urged the Hidden Rock Village to protect Han, but Onoki dismissed the danger and rejected Konoha’s advice.
• Onoki called jinchuriki unimportant, revealing why Roshi and Han had been denied missions and recognition while the Onoki Clan monopolized opportunities.
• Han heard Onoki’s words, clenched his fists, and left as Naruto challenged Onoki over his treatment of Han.
• Naruto insulted Onoki and the Hidden Rock Village, prompting Onoki to attack him with Dust Release and damage the council hall roof.
• Naruto escaped with the Flying Thunder God Technique, appeared beside Hinata, and let her comfort him.