Recaps

Deva Path Pain attacked Mikoto and collected her blood to pursue his plan to awaken the Rinnegan through Sasuke, while Itachi tried to protect his family. Itachi awakened his Sharingan after witnessing Mikoto's injury, and Nagato withdrew from Konoha with the blood sample.

• Mikoto confronted Deva Path Pain and offered herself and her unborn child as hostages if he would let Itachi go.
• Itachi realized Pain wanted something from his blood and threatened to kill himself if Pain harmed Sasuke.
• Pain rejected Itachi's threat, pulled Mikoto toward him, and pierced her with a Black Rod.
• Pain collected Mikoto's blood, explaining that it could provide Sasuke's sample, while Itachi awakened his One-Tomoe Sharingan in grief.
• Pain told Itachi to stop Mikoto's bleeding, and Itachi treated her wounds as she regained consciousness.
• Nagato noted that Konoha's shinobi had defeated his other Paths and withdrew after obtaining the sample.

After the attackers’ corpses revealed the Third Kazekage and unusual eyes, Danzo sought to seize them while Deva Path Pain attacked the Uchiha investigators. The chapter ended with Danzo proposing that Root take custody of all the bodies.

• Danzo ordered Root to warn Hanzo about the attackers and decided to investigate the corpses and keep the Rinnegan secret.
• Hiruzen and Minato discovered that the Asura Path was a puppet made from the missing Third Kazekage, and Danzo warned that Hidden Sand Village might blame Konoha regardless.
• Uchiha Inabi identified the Naraka Path’s eyes as unusual and proposed removing them before handing over the corpse.
• Deva Path Pain appeared, stopped Inabi, and used Almighty Push to scatter the Uchiha members before knocking Inabi unconscious.
• Danzo arrived at the battlefield and proposed that Root take custody of the Third Kazekage and the other attackers’ corpses.

Minato rejected Danzo’s attempt to take custody of the invaders’ bodies, insisting Konoha investigate the attack and return the Third Kazekage’s body with an honest explanation. Nagato revived the surviving Paths and left Konoha with Konan, while Minato faced the coming challenges as Hokage.

• Minato refused Hiruzen and Danzo’s proposal to hand the invaders’ bodies to Root, ordering ANBU to return the Third Kazekage’s body to the Hidden Sand Village and the others to the Konoha Medical Corps.
• Danzo claimed the Preta Path, codenamed Dingmao, belonged to Root and accused the Uchiha clan of possibly being connected to the attack.
• Minato allowed Danzo to take Dingmao’s body, but the Preta Path and Asura Path vanished in clouds of smoke before Danzo could claim them.
• Nagato used the Naraka Path to revive the three fallen Paths and repair Pain Rin’s wounds, though he could not revive Mizuki of the Human Path.
• Nagato told Konan they were leaving, and the Akatsuki group departed after completing its operation against Konoha.

Nagato and Konan rested in the wilderness, where they studied forbidden techniques from the Scroll of Seals and grew closer. The chapter ended at Kikyo Mountain, where Uchiha Shisui asked Uchiha Fugaku why he had volunteered for the dangerous cleanup mission.

• Nagato and Konan stopped to camp while traveling to find Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Fugaku, who were at Kikyo Mountain clearing wartime traps.
• Nagato discovered an incomplete Flying Thunder God Technique in the Scroll of Seals and showed Konan the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags and Night Netherworld Spider Lily techniques.
• Nagato and Konan discussed the risks and requirements of Night Netherworld Spider Lily, then ate and settled in for the night.
• Nagato studied a technique to use against the two Uchiha while Konan slept in the tent, reassured by his presence.
• At Kikyo Mountain, Uchiha Shisui asked Uchiha Fugaku why he had volunteered for the dangerous mission to clear the battlefield traps.

Fugaku told Shisui that he intended to support Minato Namikaze as Hokage and asked him to help guide Itachi. The chapter ended with Nagato and Konan arriving at their destination, where Nagato prepared to confront Fugaku and Shisui.

• Fugaku told Shisui that he suspected Konoha’s leadership had been involved in Kagami Uchiha’s death and warned that the clan would face a crisis if Hiruzen Sarutobi remained Hokage.
• Fugaku explained that Minato’s decisiveness during the war convinced him that the young Hokage could prevent the clan from being driven toward rebellion.
• Fugaku said he would lead the Uchiha clan in supporting Minato and asked Shisui to help persuade the clan’s younger generation.
• Fugaku asked Shisui to guide Itachi, and Shisui agreed.
• Nagato and Konan reached their destination, and Nagato said his five Paths would be enough against Fugaku and Shisui.

After clearing the traps left from the Battle of Kikyo Mountain, Fugaku and Shisui discovered an enemy ambush in the rain. Nagato sent Konan into the fight to collect blood, and the six Paths of Pain attacked the two Uchiha as the chapter ended with Deva Path Pain casting the Bringer of Darkness Technique.

• Shisui and Fugaku cleared the remaining poisoned explosive traps around Kikyo Mountain and decided to return to the village at daybreak.
• Fugaku and Shisui sensed chakra mixed into the rain and realized they could not rest.
• Nagato used the Telescope Technique to observe Fugaku and Shisui, then sent Konan to join the battle and collect their blood.
• Nagato warned Konan not to look directly into Shisui or Fugaku's eyes because they might have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
• The six Paths of Pain ambushed Fugaku and Shisui, who destroyed the Yata Crow with a combined Fire Release: Great Fireball.
• Deva Path Pain began casting the Bringer of Darkness Technique.

Shisui and Fugaku battled Pain’s Paths after the Bringer of Darkness Technique blinded them, and Fugaku awakened Susanoo to rescue Shisui. The fight continued as the Paths attacked Susanoo, ending with an Asura Path projectile emerging beneath it.

• Konan attacked Shisui in the darkness, but he used the Blind Sword Style to deflect her paper shuriken and countered the Iron Sand with Fire Release: Crow Hunt Crimson Lotus.
• The Deva Path pulled Shisui in with Banshō Ten'in, but Shisui launched a Great Dragon Flame Technique that the Preta Path absorbed.
• Fugaku awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo, broke the darkness genjutsu, and crushed the Preta Path to save Shisui.
• The Asura Path used Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method to attack Susanoo with Iron Sand spikes while Shisui recovered.
• Nagato watched through Pain’s eyes and identified a weakness beneath Susanoo as the Deva Path told Konan to prepare a blood sample.
• The Asura Path fired a Drilling Projectile from beneath Susanoo, and Fugaku reacted with alarm.

Fugaku survived Pain’s attacks with his right-eye technique, but Shisui rescued him and revealed his own Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo. After they inferred that Konan differed from the other enemies, Shisui charged her, intending to use Kotoamatsukami.

• Fugaku used his right-eye technique to survive an explosion inside Susanoo and destroy the Asura Path, but the Animal Path’s Chameleon captured him while Konan cut him for his blood.
• Shisui severed the Chameleon’s tongue with his Body Flicker Technique and carried Fugaku to safety, but Deva Path Pain’s Shinra Tensei blasted Shisui and his phantoms away.
• Shisui awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and used Susanoo to kill the summoned Rhinoceros, then told Fugaku that the enemies’ vision appeared interconnected.
• Fugaku and Shisui identified Konan as the enemy who differed from the others, and Shisui attacked her while planning to use Kotoamatsukami.

Nagato intervened to save Konan, defeated Shisui, and warned him to keep the encounter secret. After Shisui and Fugaku left Kikyo Mountain, Konan resolved to grow stronger and began training for the Night Netherworld Spider Lily.

• Shisui paralyzed Konan with Lightning Hang Palm, but Pain Rin summoned Nagato to protect her.
• Nagato absorbed Shisui's attacks, tore off his right arm, and sent him crashing to the ground as Fugaku's Susanoo collapsed.
• Nagato warned Shisui that the Uchiha clan would be destroyed if he revealed the encounter, then left with Konan.
• Shisui asked Fugaku to conceal what happened, saying Nagato seemed to know truths vital to the Uchiha clan, and then lost consciousness.
• Konan asked Nagato to teach her the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags and the Night Netherworld Spider Lily, then formed the training seal for the latter.
• Nagato agreed to stay with Konan as she began preparing to train through the night.

Orochimaru promised Nagato results within three days, prompting Nagato and Konan to travel north to the Land of Lightning. There, they arrived at Third Raikage A’s funeral, where Nagato recognized him as a candidate for Pain’s Asura Path.

• Orochimaru told Nagato he would have results in three days, and Nagato said they would then head north to pursue his remaining target.
• Fugaku returned to the village with Shisui, learned that the Uchiha compound had also been attacked, and realized the intruders matched those they had encountered at Kikyo Mountain.
• Itachi showed Fugaku through his Sharingan what he and Mikoto had experienced, and Fugaku told him to deny knowing anything about the incident.
• A messenger told Fugaku that the Fourth Hokage had visited Shisui and invited him to an emergency meeting about the intruders.
• Nagato and Konan reached Cloud Gate Valley and saw the Fourth Raikage, A, mourn at the funeral of the Third Raikage.
• Nagato identified the Third Raikage as his preferred candidate for Pain’s Asura Path.

Nagato and Konan waited for the Third Raikage’s funeral to end before moving to retrieve his corpse, but a Hidden Cloud sensor discovered them. Nagato launched an attack at Cloud Gate Valley, where the Human Path seized the sensor as the battle began.

• Nagato and Konan watched the funeral procession and waited until the latter half of the night to make their move.
• Dodai ordered Yun Zhiyi to sense the area, and Yun Zhiyi detected someone watching from the mountain.
• Nagato decided not to retreat and sent the Asura Path, Human Path, and Preta Path into the attack.
• The Asura Path fired missiles into Cloud Gate Valley, and Dodai warned the Hidden Cloud shinobi to scatter.
• The Human Path grabbed Yun Zhiyi and prepared to kill him.

Pain's Paths attacked the Hidden Cloud Village shinobi, and the Fourth Raikage, A, charged into battle against the Asura Path. A smashed the Asura Path into the mountainside, but the Path retaliated with a point-blank mouth laser.

• Pain's Human Path tore Yun Zhiyi's soul from his body, while the Preta Path absorbed the shinobi's ninjutsu and concealed itself with a technique associated with Hidden Stone.
• The Asura Path fired a barrage from the mountainside, killing five Amegakure shinobi, and Dodai reinforced the defenders' Earth-Style Wall with a Rubber Wall.
• Nagato explained to Konan why he had chosen the Third Raikage's body for the Asura Path, while the Fourth Raikage, A, charged through the wall and attacked.
• The Asura Path transformed its body, but A struck it with a Lariat and slammed it into the mountainside; its saw-toothed tail then wrapped around his neck.
• C sensed the concealed Preta Path approaching A from behind, and A forced it to retreat before spotting the Asura Path charging a mouth laser at close range.

A defeated Pain's Asura Path and battered the Preta Path while Dodai and C searched for the hidden enemy. Pain's Human Path reached the Third Raikage's grave and used Earth Release to raise his coffin, prompting Dodai to warn A that the grave had been dug up.

• A's Lightning Release Armor protected him from Pain's Asura Path's attack, and he destroyed the Asura Path with a series of blows.
• A's Liger Bomb failed to reach its full power when the Preta Path absorbed his Lightning Release Armor, but A still shattered the enemy's bones.
• A demanded to know Ōnoki's purpose, then furiously punched the Preta Path after it tapped his forehead with a Black Rod.
• C sensed the hidden enemy approaching the Third Raikage's grave, and Pain's Human Path emerged there.
• Pain's Human Path used Earth Release: Moving Earth Core to raise the Third Raikage's coffin, and Dodai alerted A.

A and the Hidden Cloud shinobi tried to stop Pain from taking the Third Raikage’s coffin, but Pain’s paths overwhelmed them and captured Darui, Samui, and C. A broke free and launched himself toward Pain Rin and the airborne coffin.

• A charged the Human Path, but the Deva Path repelled him with Shinra Tensei and blasted him into a mountainside.
• The Deva Path lifted the Third Raikage’s coffin, and Pain Rin’s Yata Crow caught it as Hidden Cloud shinobi attacked.
• Darui paralyzed the Deva Path with Black Panther, but the Naraka Path revived the Preta Path, who drained Darui’s chakra; the Preta Path then incapacitated Samui and helped capture C.
• Nagato and Konan discussed keeping the captured young shinobi alive to build new forces for Amegakure.
• A blasted away the rocks pinning him down, leaped after the coffin, and raised his foot to strike Pain Rin with Righteous Lightning Fury Axe.

Nagato and the Five Paths fought the Fourth Raikage A as they escaped with Darui, Samui, and C, and Nagato unleashed a devastating Asura Attack. A deflected the beam at the cost of his right arm, saving the Hidden Cloud Village shinobi, and Nagato acknowledged him before departing.

• Konan cushioned A's kick with paper, but he wounded her cheek before Pain Rin pinned him with a Stone Panda.
• Pain Rin gathered the Five Paths, Nagato, Darui, Samui, and C on the Yata Crow as A ordered Dodai to make a launching platform and pressed the pursuit.
• Nagato transformed the Asura Path's arm into a hand cannon and charged an attack powerful enough to pierce the core of Planetary Devastation.
• A ordered Dodai to shield the Hidden Cloud Village shinobi with Membrane Orbs, then deflected Nagato's beam with his lightning-coated right arm.
• The beam destroyed a forest and leveled a mountain, while A lost his right arm and vowed to strengthen Hidden Cloud Village and repay the attackers.
• Nagato looked down at the ruined valley, acknowledged A, and challenged him to meet at the summit.

Nagato and Konan turned the Third Raikage, A, into a new Pain body despite his extraordinary toughness. After naming him Pain A, they prepared to leave for a hot spring and secured three captives with the Animal Path’s summoning contract.

• Nagato and Konan opened A’s coffin and found his body well preserved, with a lightning-shaped scar on his chest.
• Nagato’s Black Rod snapped against A’s tough body, so he used the Asura Path’s Adamantine Drill to make holes and collect blood.
• Nagato implanted Black Rods in A and used the Naraka Path to create Pain A, the Third Raikage’s body as an Asura Path.
• Nagato and Konan discussed candidates for the remaining Pain bodies and decided to leave the three captives behind without a guard.
• Pain Rin pressed the captives’ handprints onto the Animal Path’s summoning contract so he could retrieve them wherever they went.
• Nagato and Konan set out for a nearby town to soak in a hot spring.

Minato led a meeting to assess Konoha’s invasion, revealing that six and a half forbidden techniques had been stolen and gathering reports on the attackers. Danzo challenged the Uchiha’s silence about two invaders, but Fugaku began sharing what his clan had learned; meanwhile, Nagato and Konan stopped at a mixed-bath hot spring inn, where Konan chose to stay.

• Minato told the clan heads and jonin that the invaders had stolen six and a half techniques from the Scroll of Seals and apologized for failing to protect it.
• Might Guy and Minato described the attackers, while Inoichi suggested Kakashi’s prolonged unconsciousness came from severe mental trauma.
• Danzo accused the Uchiha of withholding information about two invaders and questioned how Shisui had lost an arm, but Minato redirected the meeting to the invasion.
• Fugaku began explaining what his clan members had learned about the invaders, though he had not witnessed the events himself.
• Nagato and Konan arrived at a mixed-bath hot spring inn in the Land of Rice, and Konan insisted they stay.

At the hot spring, Nagato and Konan discussed how he had changed and reaffirmed their trust and shared goal of bringing peace to the world. Konan left to wait for him at their usual place.

• Nagato nervously bathed behind a hot spring rock while Konan reflected on their month away from Amegakure.
• Konan told Nagato she had come to appreciate his wisdom and responsibility beyond the Rinnegan and the expectations placed on him.
• Nagato asked whether his strange expressions meant he had become a different person, and Konan assured him he was still Nagato.
• Nagato told Konan that saving the world and bringing it peace were his heartfelt wishes, and she said she was honored to accompany him.
• Konan reassured Nagato that he could rely on her, then dressed and said she would wait for him at their usual place.

Konoha's leaders analyzed the attack and Shikaku deduced that one person had remotely controlled six corpses, while Hiruzen suspected the enemy came from Amegakure. Nagato returned to the Jizo Temple and chose to stay awake beside Konan as she continued her dangerous Night Netherworld Spider Lily training.

• Shikaku told the meeting that the intruders were likely corpses carrying one person's consciousness and that their controller had probably acted remotely.
• Shikaku reasoned that the attacker who fought the Uchiha clan may have had a separate goal from stealing the Scroll of Seals.
• Minato ended the meeting by urging Konoha to strengthen its defenses and sensory detection, while Hiruzen suggested the enemy might have ties to Amegakure.
• Nagato returned to the Jizo Temple and learned from Konan that Darui, Samui, and C had left while they were away.
• Nagato sat beside Konan and kept her company as she entered her third sleepless night of Night Netherworld Spider Lily training.

Nagato and Orochimaru met in the Land of Rice to reveal the results of their work on a White Zetsu. Orochimaru demonstrated a way to secretly turn White Zetsu into Nagato’s spies, leaving Nagato eager to use them against Obito.

• Nagato summoned Orochimaru and Kabuto to the Jizo Temple, where Pain A showed Orochimaru the completed masterpiece.
• Nagato and Orochimaru found a hidden White Zetsu near Orochimaru’s base, and Orochimaru captured it before it could report their alliance.
• Orochimaru used a modified Impure World Reincarnation talisman to rewrite the White Zetsu’s loyalty to Nagato.
• Orochimaru explained that his White Zetsu could send false soul thought waves to stay hidden in the shared network while secretly transmitting information through a private network.
• Orochimaru revealed that the White Zetsu Mother could assimilate others of its kind into Nagato’s camp, and Nagato eagerly considered using it against Obito.

Nagato and Orochimaru discussed the remaining requirements for the Second Body Plan, choosing Uchiha Obito’s Mangekyō Sharingan as its final eye and sending two White Zetsu after Hashirama Artificial Body cells. The chapter ended with Nagato asking how they could obtain Obito’s blood.

• Orochimaru explained that White Zetsu Assimilation could not be used on the enemy White Zetsu’s main body, while Nagato wondered whether it could separate Tobi from Obito.
• Konan left the room for a walk, and Nagato and Orochimaru resumed discussing the Second Body Plan.
• Nagato chose Uchiha Obito’s Kamui Mangekyō Sharingan as the plan’s fifth eye, while privately deciding he would rather free Uchiha Hikari than take her Yachihoko eyes.
• Nagato assigned White Zetsu Number 0 and Number 1 to sneak into Obito’s lair and seek Hashirama Artificial Body cells.
• Nagato asked how they could obtain Uchiha Obito’s blood.

Nagato and Orochimaru planned to obtain genetic material from the blood Obito left at Kannabi Bridge, while No. 0 and No. 1 were sent to retrieve a small amount of Hashirama cells from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Kabuto volunteered to investigate the bridge, and Nagato began arranging an insurance policy for him.

• Nagato asked Orochimaru whether genetic material could be extracted from old, clotted blood, and they discussed Obito’s blood possibly remaining beneath rubble at Kannabi Bridge.
• No. 0 and No. 1 warned that approaching the bridge could expose them to enemy White Zetsu, so Nagato ordered them to retrieve a small amount of Hashirama cells from the Demonic Statue instead.
• Orochimaru explained that a small amount of high-purity cells would be enough, and No. 0 and No. 1 promised to complete the mission and departed.
• Nagato refused to go to Kannabi Bridge himself or send Konan, and Kabuto volunteered to face the risk of Obito discovering him.
• Nagato reminded Kabuto that he had entrusted him with making the Rinnegan truly belong to Nagato’s body, then asked Orochimaru to provide Kabuto with an insurance policy.

Obito ordered the White Zetsus to watch Orochimaru’s bases because he feared Orochimaru might become connected to Nagato and threaten his control of the Rinnegan. When a White Zetsu was caught tampering with the Hashirama Artificial Body, news that Yakushi Kabuto had appeared near Kannabi Bridge drew Obito’s attention, and he set out to kill him.

• Obito explained to White Zetsu that he suspected Nagato’s connection to Sasori could lead to contact with Orochimaru, so he ordered surveillance of every known Orochimaru base and a search for the rest.
• A White Zetsu playing tag climbed onto the Demonic Statue and secretly took a piece of the Hashirama Artificial Body, but Obito called it down to inspect it.
• A White Zetsu reported that Yakushi Kabuto had been found near Kannabi Bridge, searching the place where Obito had once been crushed by a rock.
• Obito declared that he would go kill Yakushi Kabuto.

Kabuto excavated the ruins of Kannabi Bridge to retrieve Obito’s blood, but Obito caught him and used the Sharingan to interrogate him. At the Land of Rice headquarters, Orochimaru and Nagato watched the interrogation as Kabuto revealed that Orochimaru had dealt with the White Zetsus monitoring the area.

• Kabuto used Earth Release to excavate the ruins and sent small snakes to find Obito’s blood on the boulders.
• Kabuto sealed the blood from the correct boulder into a scroll, while White Zetsus spotted him and alerted Obito.
• Obito appeared, phased through Kabuto’s attack, tore off his hand, and took the Blood-Sealing Scroll.
• Obito put Kabuto under Sharingan genjutsu and learned that Orochimaru was at his headquarters in the Land of Rice.
• Orochimaru urged Nagato to summon Kabuto back, but Nagato told him to wait.
• Obito asked why the White Zetsus had not reported Orochimaru’s location, and Kabuto revealed that Orochimaru had dealt with them.

Obito discovered Orochimaru’s plan to test his survival with Impure World Reincarnation and rushed to eliminate him, while Kabuto escaped with the real blood scroll and Hashirama cells. Kabuto reached a White Zetsu blind spot to be summoned away as Obito raced toward Orochimaru’s base.

• Obito interrogated Kabuto, learned Orochimaru wanted his blood to test Impure World Reincarnation, and killed him before destroying a fake blood scroll.
• Kabuto revived using Izanagi, a safeguard Orochimaru and Nagato had arranged, then escaped as White Zetsu clones attacked.
• Kabuto learned that Number One had obtained Hashirama Artificial Body Cells and confirmed that he had kept Obito’s blood scroll safe.
• Number One asked Kabuto to kill it rather than risk exposing Nagato’s involvement, and Kabuto cut its throat before fleeing to a White Zetsu blind spot.
• Nagato summoned Kabuto away while Obito raced toward Orochimaru’s base in the Land of Rice.