Recaps

Nagato and Konan used Jiraiya’s books to draw Tsunade into a gamble, then Nagato faced Hiruzen and secured his Yin Release chakra meridian while sparing him. As Nagato explored Madara’s Sharingan and arranged a future for Karin, Sasori arrived in Amegakure and challenged Konan.

• Pain Rin and Konan found Minato’s hidden copies of Icha Icha Paradise, and Pain Rin proposed using the book to earn money for Amegakure.
• Konan gambled against Tsunade, won her money and green pendant, and later helped Pain Rin confront Tsunade’s trauma and cure her hemophobia.
• Konan sent Hiruzen a letter bearing Tsunade’s pendant, and Nagato confronted him at Hayato Gorge while Konan posed as Tsunade.
• Nagato defeated Hiruzen, revealed Tsunade was safe, and extracted Hiruzen’s Yin Release chakra meridian after Hiruzen secured a promise that Nagato would not attack Konoha unless attacked first.
• Nagato rescued Shexiang from Kusagakure, offered to support her and train her daughter Karin, and Shexiang accepted temporary aid from Amegakure.
• Nagato awakened Madara’s Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and tested its powers against Orochimaru, discovering several ocular techniques and forcing Susanoo into its Complete Body Critical Form.
• Kabuto told Nagato that Feng would be born three months early, and Nagato realized the date coincided with a major event in the former timeline.
• Sasori arrived in Amegakure, concealed his chakra inside a large Human Puppet, and drew Konan into a duel while Nagato watched.

Nagato and Obito coordinated an attack on Konoha during Kushina’s childbirth, while Nagato pursued Life Transference Reincarnation from Chiyo. The Nine-Tails ravaged the village as Minato confronted Obito, whose identity he began to uncover.

• Konan and Pain A defeated Sasori’s puppet, and Sasori joined Nagato in Amegakure after demonstrating his Human Puppets and Parasite Threads.
• Minato reformed Root as Kakashi awoke, and Nagato arranged for Kabuto to make Feng an Outer Path Pain before Tsunade agreed to help Kushina give birth.
• Nagato traveled with Sasori to Hidden Sand Village and persuaded Chiyo to teach him Life Transference Reincarnation after Sasori revealed his puppet body and the Third Kazekage’s fate.
• Obito enlisted Nagato to help attack Konoha during Kushina’s childbirth, and Nagato agreed while secretly pursuing his own plan.
• Obito attacked Kushina’s delivery, then extracted the Nine-Tails and unleashed it in Konoha as Minato and the village’s defenders fought to protect civilians.
• Hiruzen, Jiraiya, Minato, Fugaku, and Shisui battled Obito and the Nine-Tails, while the Uchiha and Sarutobi clans joined forces against the beast.
• Minato confronted Obito in the mountain forest, entered Sage Mode, and shattered half his mask with a Sage Art attack before Obito called him Sensei.

Nagato saved Kushina and arranged for Feng to become the Nine-Tails’ Jinchuriki, then defeated Obito and forced him to rebuild Akatsuki. After Konan completed her Cocoon Break and confessed her love for Nagato, the story jumped twelve years to Team 7’s return from the Land of Waves mission and the announcement of a joint Chunin Ninja Exam.

• Obito revealed his identity to Minato, escaped with Tobi, and left Minato to return to Kushina and Naruto as Nagato intervened to save Kushina.
• Nagato revived Kushina and helped Minato seal the Nine-Tails inside Feng, whom Minato and Kushina agreed to raise as Naruto’s twin sister.
• Nagato restored his strength with Kinkaku and Ginkaku’s Nine-Tails chakra, summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and learned that Obito had transplanted Hashirama’s body.
• Obito survived the transplant, trained to master his new body, and confronted Nagato, who defeated him and made him agree to rebuild Akatsuki.
• Nagato and Obito agreed to recruit ten ninja stronger than elite Jonin, while Obito adopted the name Senju Kashyapa and Nagato turned his attention to Konan’s Cocoon Break.
• Konan completed the Cocoon Break, awakened her Black Butterfly form, and later confessed that she loved Nagato, who accepted her feelings.
• Twelve years later, Minato welcomed Team 7 back from the Land of Waves mission, where they had fought Zabuza Momochi and the Ice Princess.
• Minato told Team 7 to rest before the Chunin Ninja Exams and announced that Konoha, Iwa, Suna, and Amegakure would hold them jointly.