Recaps

Naruto argued that lasting peace required overwhelming power to suppress the world and proposed making Hashirama its eternal guardian. Hashirama considered the burden of outliving everyone, while Naruto hoped to secure his help before the coming war.

• Naruto criticized the feudal lords’ influence over the villages and argued that their economic and political control had helped fuel war.
• Naruto challenged Hashirama and Tobirama’s ideas about peace, claiming that only overwhelming force could permanently suppress conflict.
• Tobirama mistook Naruto’s plan for turning the world into a realm of the reanimated dead, and Naruto clarified that he wanted Hashirama to suppress threats to peace.
• Orochimaru learned from Tobirama that the Reanimation Jutsu would persist after its caster died and could be ended only by sealing the summoned or having the caster release it.
• Naruto weighed Hashirama’s immense power against the approaching war, and Hashirama finally began to speak.

Naruto unleashed Wood Release to devastate Konoha, sealed Rasa, and forced Orochimaru to hand over the reanimation talismans. He revealed his plan to control the reanimated Hokage, then attacked Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju with Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, leaving the battle underway.

• Naruto rejected Hashirama Senju's warning and used Sage Art: Wood Release: Flowering Tree World Emergence to overrun Konoha and kill the giant snakes.
• Naruto used Flying Thunder God to strike Rasa with a Rasengan and seal him, cutting Orochimaru's connection to the Kazekage.
• Naruto beat Orochimaru and demanded the reanimation talismans, which Orochimaru produced from his mouth.
• Naruto told Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and Hiruzen Sarutobi that he planned to erase the reanimated personalities and use their bodies to establish peace under his rule.
• Naruto revealed his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode and attacked Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju with Rasenshuriken and Wood Release.

Naruto fought Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju while Konoha's defenders watched from outside the battle zone. After Hashirama countered Naruto's large-scale attacks, Naruto gradually gained the advantage over Tobirama and struck him with a fist.

• Naruto's Hell's Chaos and Wind Release: Rasenshuriken forced Hiruzen Sarutobi to escape into the air, where Naruto struck him with a tailed blow and sent him crashing into the thorns.
• Hashirama Senju countered Naruto's attacks with Deep Forest Emergence and a Wood Dragon that extinguished the Rasenshuriken.
• Tobirama Senju and Naruto exchanged rapid Flying Thunder God attacks across the battlefield as Konoha's jonin and ANBU watched from a distance.
• Kakashi Hatake worried over Konoha's destruction while Might Guy cheered Naruto on, and Naruto's Flying Thunder God skill improved during the fight.
• Naruto reached the next teleportation point before Tobirama Senju and punched him as he arrived.

Naruto defeated Tobirama and then battled Hashirama, whose immense strength forced him to redirect a Tailed Beast Bomb away from Konoha. Naruto refused to stop fighting and created a Nine-Tails-cloaked Wood Human to face Hashirama on equal terms.

• Naruto teleported behind Tobirama and drove a cursed kunai into him with a Rasengan, leaving him defeated.
• Hashirama attacked Naruto with Wood Dragons, but Naruto endured the assault and fired a Tailed Beast Bomb at him.
• Hashirama caught the Tailed Beast Bomb with a wooden hand and threw it far beyond Konoha, where it detonated in a massive explosion.
• Naruto argued with the Nine-Tails, then told Hashirama to continue their fight away from the village rather than surrender.
• Naruto summoned his own Wood Human and covered it with the Nine-Tails' golden-red chakra cloak, startling Hashirama.

Naruto overwhelmed Hashirama Senju with an armored Susanoo Wood Human and a devastating Tailed Beast Bomb attack, then sealed Hashirama’s Impure World Reincarnation body. Orochimaru realized he might be able to control both monsters and turned his attention to the exhausted Naruto.

• Naruto combined the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, Susanoo, and Wood Release to create an armored Wood Human, stunning Hashirama Senju and the watching Jonin.
• Hashirama attacked with multiple Wood Release techniques and tried to suppress Naruto’s Nine-Tails chakra, but Naruto countered with a Sage-enhanced Tailed Beast Bomb Shuriken.
• Hashirama used Fivefold Rashomon to divert the attack, but it carved a straight road north from Konoha and created a colossal mushroom cloud.
• Naruto trapped Hashirama and sealed him with a talisman, leaving his Impure World Reincarnation body to regenerate.
• Orochimaru sensed that Hashirama was under his control and looked fanatically toward the panting Naruto.

Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation to restore Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, then revealed he planned to take Naruto’s body. As the reanimated Hokage charged Naruto and his allies, Naruto smiled coldly, leaving Orochimaru uneasy about what would happen next.

• Orochimaru took control of the reanimated Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju and emerged to confront an exhausted Naruto.
• Orochimaru revealed that he wanted Naruto’s body as his reincarnation vessel and claimed he had no interest in peace.
• Tsunade, Hyuga Hiashi, Kakashi, Might Guy, and other Konoha ninja gathered to protect Naruto.
• Orochimaru revealed his female appearance and ordered the reanimated Hokage to attack Naruto and the others.
• Naruto smiled at the charging Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, making Orochimaru sense that something was wrong.

Naruto used Kotoamatsukami to take control of Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, then turned them against Orochimaru. After Orochimaru failed to send the brothers back to the Pure Land, Naruto sent them after him again and noticed a prison wall in the forest.

• Naruto activated Kotoamatsukami and seized control of Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju after Orochimaru completed their Impure World Reincarnation ritual.
• Naruto ordered the Senju brothers to kill Orochimaru, and Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju killed the Sound Ninja Four and cut Orochimaru in half.
• Orochimaru reassembled his body and tried to release the Senju brothers, but they used the forbidden technique's hand seals to sever their summoning contract.
• Naruto explained that the brothers had escaped Orochimaru's control and sent them to attack him again.
• Naruto turned his attention to a square prison wall formed from Golden Cudgels above the forest ruins.

Naruto explained that he had destroyed Konoha to provoke a great war and collect the Tailed Beasts, then stopped Hiruzen Sarutobi from using the Reaper Death Seal. Black Zetsu took control of Hiruzen and performed the ritual, sending his soul to the Pure Land as Naruto watched.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Naruto over Konoha’s destruction, but Naruto dismissed him as ignorant of the wider world.
• Naruto revealed that the coup had been a ploy to draw out Orochimaru, involve Sunagakure, capture Gaara, and create a pretext for a great war.
• Hiruzen summoned Enma and began the Reaper Death Seal, but Black Zetsu emerged from the ground and seized control of his body.
• A crimson chakra tail pierced Enma, killing the summon, while Black Zetsu caught the Death God Mask Naruto tossed him.
• Black Zetsu put on the mask and performed the Reaper Death Seal ritual, cutting Hiruzen’s abdomen and sending his soul toward the Pure Land.

Naruto and Tsunade surveyed Konoha’s ruins as Naruto explained his plans to remake the village as Akatsuki and deal with Sunagakure. After learning Danzo had escaped, Naruto built a house and carried Tsunade inside, postponing their conversation.

• Tsunade embraced Naruto as they looked over Konoha’s destruction, and Naruto reflected on the village’s history and the Uchiha’s break with it.
• Naruto told Tsunade that Orochimaru’s escape did not concern him and rejected holding the Chunin Ninja Exams, saying they should negotiate a ransom with Sunagakure instead.
• Naruto declared that Konoha’s new name was Akatsuki and planned to send Hashirama Senju to pressure Sunagakure into paying.
• An ANBU ninja reported that Shimura Danzō had escaped with some Root ninjas, and Naruto ordered the remaining refugee evacuation to be completed quickly.
• Naruto used Wood Release to raise a villa, carried Tsunade inside, and said they would talk later.

Naruto stayed beside Tsunade as she cried in her sleep and mastered the Yin Seal, restoring her youthful appearance. After Tsunade issued postwar decrees as Fifth Hokage and foreign villages reacted to Konoha’s weakened state, Naruto woke in the Hokage’s office thinking of Gaara.

• Naruto resisted taking advantage of the sleeping Tsunade and promised to protect her as she mistook him for Nawaki and cried.
• Tsunade’s Yin Seal activated, restoring her appearance, and Naruto covered her before exhaustion put him to sleep.
• Tsunade issued postwar decrees, including counseling for villagers, support for injured ninja, mission restrictions, and a memorial stele for the fallen.
• Jiraiya learned that Tsunade had become Fifth Hokage and rushed toward Konoha.
• Mei Terumi, Ōnoki, and the Fourth Raikage sent envoys to Konoha to congratulate Tsunade or assess the village’s strength.
• Naruto woke beneath the Hokage robe in the Hokage’s office and thought of Gaara.

Nagato agreed to give up his position as Akatsuki’s leader and move toward Konoha, trusting Naruto’s power and shared goal of bringing peace. Meanwhile, Kumogakure learned that Konoha had been devastated and replaced by the newly independent Akatsuki Village, raising fears that another great war was near.

• Nagato told Konan that Naruto’s power and ideals made him willing to trust Naruto and relinquish Akatsuki’s leadership.
• Nagato told Konan they would move toward Konoha despite her concerns.
• Mabui reported to the Fourth Raikage that Sunagakure and Konoha’s own clans had helped destroy Konoha, while Orochimaru had used Impure World Reincarnation to summon Hashirama Senju.
• Mabui explained that Hyuga Hiashi and the other clans had formed Akatsuki Village, declared independence from the Land of Fire, and threatened force while demanding compensation from Sunagakure.
• The Fourth Raikage ordered Samui, Omoi, and Karui to investigate Akatsuki Village and decided to speak with the daimyo as Mabui warned that war was approaching.

Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi arrived at Konoha to retrieve her brother and discovered that the ruined village had become a lucrative treasure-hunting attraction. After seeing wealthy visitors pay huge sums to search the ruins, Kurotsuchi joked that they should rent out the Third old man too.

• Kitsuchi warned Kurotsuchi not to provoke Akatsuki as they traveled through the Land of Fire to bring her brother back to Iwagakure.
• Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi reached Konoha and found crowds of visitors paying for access to the ruins.
• A blond young man charged a merchant five hundred thousand ryo for entry to the B-rank treasure-hunting area and a C-rank Earth Release Genin.
• A merchant explained that Konoha sold access to different zones, where visitors might find valuables, ninja techniques, or training scrolls.
• Kurotsuchi watched visitors pay large sums to rent treasure-hunting dogs and suggested that they rent out the Third old man.

Naruto turned the Konoha ruins into a lucrative ninja-themed adventure attraction for wealthy visitors, bringing Akatsuki Village a flood of income in just six days. The chapter ended with Naruto spotting Kurotsuchi eyeing the rich merchants hungrily.

• Tenten's father struggled to comprehend the enormous sums wealthy merchants spent on treasure hunts and ninja protection.
• Naruto opened the Konoha ruins as an immersive adventure attraction with scavenging maps, combat encounters, and higher-level stages.
• Hyuga Hiashi saw the first day's earnings and urged his clan to move into temporary residences and seek more roles in the attraction.
• Naruto's business expanded to include raids on prestigious clan estates, while ninjas and Ninja Hounds took paid jobs entertaining and guiding visitors.
• After six days of booming revenue, Naruto reached the ruins entrance and found Kurotsuchi staring hungrily at the wealthy merchants.

Naruto welcomed Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi to Akatsuki Village’s founding ceremony, where Kurotsuchi’s insults and anger led to a confrontation with a daimyo. The village’s rules and combat services were revealed as Tobirama Senju stopped her attack.

• Naruto greeted Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi and defended Akatsuki Village after Kurotsuchi questioned its legitimacy.
• Genma Shiranui warned Kurotsuchi not to insult Naruto, but a Land of Iron noble praised Akatsuki Village and asked to hire Might Guy.
• Kitsuchi apologized for Kurotsuchi’s behavior, and Naruto had Tenten's father charge the pair for attending the ceremony.
• A daimyo bought three VIP tickets and mocked Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi, prompting Kurotsuchi to throw a punch at him.
• Tobirama Senju appeared and stopped Kurotsuchi, while Tenten's father explained that fighting was forbidden and the village offered challenge trials and ride-hailing combat service.

Samui and the other Kumogakure ninjas discovered that Akatsuki Village’s merchants were protected by Impure World Tobirama Senju, while Kitsuchi warned Kurotsuchi that Naruto was more dangerous than Tobirama. Naruto discussed Akatsuki Village’s finances and Sunagakure’s denial of responsibility, then hinted that he had a larger plan for the prisoners.

• Omoi and Karui complained after Kumogakure’s attempt to challenge the nobles ended in a beating, while Samui realized Tobirama Senju protected Akatsuki Village’s wealthy visitors.
• Tenten’s father led Genma Shiranui and Aoba Yamashiro away after teaching Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi a lesson.
• Kitsuchi warned Kurotsuchi to flee if she encountered Naruto as an enemy, explaining that Naruto’s pressure surpassed that of Impure World Tobirama.
• Naruto told Nara Shikaku that the village’s current revenue was temporary and that he planned to attract investment and collect rent and taxes later.
• Shikaku reported that Sunagakure’s advisory council denied responsibility for the attack and asked what to do with the prisoners.
• Naruto rejected executing the prisoners, saying he had a grand show planned for them.

At Akatsuki Village’s founding ceremony, Naruto announced that the village would accept missions from anyone and declared war on Sunagakure over its attack and refusal to negotiate prisoner releases. He introduced Pain as an S-rank mercenary who would demonstrate the village’s strength, leaving the Sand ninja’s fate to a coming fight.

• Merchants and envoys from Hidden Cloud and Iwagakure gathered on the raised city wall to watch Akatsuki Village’s founding ceremony.
• Naruto announced that Akatsuki Village was neutral and would accept missions from any nation or individual, unsettling the visiting ninja envoys.
• Naruto condemned Sunagakure for breaking its alliance and launching a surprise attack, then declared war after it refused to discuss the prisoners of war.
• Naruto introduced Pain and said the Sand ninja could earn a pardon by defeating any one of Akatsuki Village’s S-rank mercenary ninja.
• Pain rose from the ground and floated upward as the cameras focused on him for the demonstration.

Deva Path Pain used Shinra Tensei to devastate Konoha in front of the assembled ninja and VIPs. After the shocked crowd saw the massive crater, Naruto promoted Akatsuki Village’s VIP faction cards and announced that member factions could no longer hire it for wars.

• Naruto considered how to obtain Sasuke’s Mangekyo Sharingan and eventually evolve it into the Rinnegan, while his own eyes weakened from repeated Kotoamatsukami use.
• Nagato watched the gathered ninja through Pain and believed Naruto’s speech about suffering and pain spoke directly to him.
• Pain rose above the venue and declared that those who did not understand pain could not understand peace.
• Pain unleashed Shinra Tensei, flattening Konoha and leaving a huge hemispherical crater as debris and dust engulfed the audience.
• The nobles, daimyo, merchants, and ninja stared in terror at the ruined city after the dust settled.
• Naruto announced Akatsuki Village VIP faction cards, offering a mission-posting discount and refusing war-related missions connected to cardholding factions.

Naruto used Konoha’s destruction to frighten nobles and merchants into buying Akatsuki Village membership cards, while Konan and the Akatsuki prepared an arena spectacle featuring Sunagakure prisoners. As Itachi’s buried Will of Fire began to conflict with Naruto’s control, the chapter ended with Deidara dropping a bomb toward the prisoners.

• Terrified by Pain’s Shinra Tensei, merchants and nobles rushed to buy Akatsuki Village membership cards rather than risk being targeted.
• Konan reflected that Nagato’s life-consuming technique could not provide lasting peace, while Naruto announced entertainment for the crowd.
• Konan, Itachi, and the other Akatsuki members headed for the arena, where hundreds of dazed Sunagakure ninjas awaited them.
• Itachi felt growing unease as his revived Will of Fire clashed with Naruto’s influence, though Naruto’s genjutsu still controlled him.
• Naruto introduced Akatsuki as a team of Kage Level war terminators, and Deidara dropped a C3 bomb toward the Sunagakure ninjas.

Naruto forced the Sunagakure prisoners to fight Akatsuki, and the group annihilated them with overwhelming force. Baki managed to stab Hidan, but Hidan’s immortality and ritual killed Baki instead, leaving the Sunagakure force wiped out.

• Naruto told the Sunagakure ninja their village had abandoned them and promised they could leave if they killed one Akatsuki member.
• Baki ordered his ninja to focus their attacks on Hidan, but Akatsuki scattered and launched a coordinated assault.
• Hidan, Kakuzu, Deidara, Kisame, Konan, Sasori, and Itachi slaughtered the Sunagakure Chunin and Jonin with their abilities.
• Baki charged Pain, used the repulsion to redirect himself, and stabbed Hidan through the chest.
• Hidan impaled Baki with a black spear, killing him through his ritual and completing the destruction of the Sunagakure force.

At Akatsuki Village’s founding ceremony, Orochimaru manipulated Sasuke with claims about Naruto’s role in the Uchiha massacre and offered him power and revenge. The ceremony ended with the great nations preparing for war and Kitsuchi and Samui racing to warn their villages.

• Sasuke watched Itachi and Naruto below with hatred until Orochimaru appeared behind him in a new body.
• Orochimaru told Sasuke that Naruto had known about the Uchiha massacre, arranged the exchange for Sasuke’s life, and had let the clan die to strengthen his own position.
• Orochimaru offered to train Sasuke and increase his power, then vanished into the wall while Sasuke remained consumed by resentment.
• Naruto’s village-founding ceremony concluded after the visiting nobles and merchants bought VIP memberships and issued war missions against Hidden Sand territories.
• Kitsuchi and Samui realized Akatsuki Village had upended the balance of power and hurried home to warn their Kage that a major war was imminent.

Naruto ordered Akatsuki Village to prepare to erase Sunagakure within three months, while warning that the village first needed to build up its supplies and forces. He left to meet new arrivals, and Sasori volunteered to coordinate the campaign with Nara Shikaku.

• Naruto announced that Akatsuki Village would target Sunagakure and gave the group three months to erase it from the map.
• Kakuzu warned Hidan that Akatsuki's members could not defeat Sunagakure's full forces alone, and Naruto said the village would build up before planning the campaign.
• Naruto told Pain to suspend the Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals and bring the other Jinchuriki and Tailed Beasts back to the village for later sealing.
• Genma Shiranui reported that the people Naruto had been watching had arrived, and Naruto left to see them while Tsunade received them.
• Sasori offered to coordinate with Nara Shikaku on the Sunagakure campaign.

Naruto told Kakashi that Obito had released the Nine-Tails and caused Minato and Kushina’s deaths, while condemning Konoha’s leaders for sacrificing people in the name of peace. Kakashi was left reeling as Naruto departed with Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji.

• Hiruko, with Sasori inside, offered to take the relay while villagers cleaned up Konoha’s wreckage and praised Naruto as they condemned Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Kakashi watched villagers desecrate the memorial stone and mourned the way Konoha had treated his father, Obito, and Rin.
• Naruto told Kakashi that Minato’s sacrifice had bought the village stability at Naruto’s expense and said he had no interest in saving the world.
• Naruto revealed that Uchiha Obito had worn the black mask and released the Nine-Tails, leaving Kakashi shocked and refusing to believe him.
• Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji called Naruto to leave, and Naruto urged Kakashi to take care before departing.

Naruto took Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji to the Land of Hot Water to protect actress Kazahana Koyuki, while secretly planning to acquire the Land of Snow’s Chakra Armor technology for Akatsuki Village. After Kazahana Koyuki noticed their forehead protectors and hurried backstage, Naruto left the group to pursue her.

• Naruto brought Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji to Kazahana Koyuki’s movie premiere, where Ino enjoyed the film and Shikamaru criticized its effects.
• Shikamaru learned that Naruto’s group had come to protect Kazahana Koyuki and questioned why a powerful shinobi was handling a bodyguard mission.
• Naruto considered using the mission to obtain the Land of Snow’s Chakra Armor and chakra-sealing devices for Akatsuki Village.
• Kazahana Koyuki spotted Naruto’s group, ended her fan meeting, and slipped backstage.
• Naruto used a Body Flicker to leave the others and follow Kazahana Koyuki, leaving Ino frustrated and Shikamaru dismissive of women.

Naruto met Kazahana Koyuki in a bar, revealed that he knew about the mission to overthrow the Land of Snow’s government, and killed a Snow Ninja with Wood Release. He knocked Koyuki unconscious and took her aboard a ship bound for the Land of Snow, where she woke to find filming already underway.

• Naruto found Kazahana Koyuki drinking in a bar and ordered sake after the bartender refused his requests for cocktails.
• When a Snow Ninja tried to grab Koyuki’s necklace, Naruto killed him with branches bursting from his arm and introduced himself as her protector.
• Naruto revealed the war mission to eliminate Kazahana Dōtō, while Sandaifu explained that he had hired Naruto from Akatsuki Village.
• Koyuki protested the mission, so Naruto knocked her unconscious and carried her onto the ship with Shikamaru and the others.
• Koyuki woke aboard the ship and learned from Sandaifu that they were at sea, then saw Naruto and the crew preparing to film.

The filming crew reached the Land of Snow, where Snow Ninja ambushed Kazahana Koyuki to seize the Hexagonal Crystal. Naruto countered their Ice Release and crushed Mizore, while Fubuki was trapped inside an iceberg.

• Kazahana Koyuki filmed a grieving scene, then had Sandaifu apply eye drops so she could cry on cue.
• The director stopped the ship at an iceberg, and Naruto told Shikamaru to focus on protecting Kazahana Koyuki.
• Snow Ninja Fubuki, Mizore, and Nadare ambushed the crew and demanded Kazahana Koyuki's Hexagonal Crystal.
• Naruto matched Fubuki's Swallow Snowstorm with Ice Release, escaped her Ice Prison Technique, and trapped her in an iceberg.
• Mizore charged Naruto with his Chakra Armor, but Naruto shattered the armor and Mizore's bones with Monster Strength: Shattering Fist.