Chapter Summaries

Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza confronted a mysterious enemy who absorbed their techniques and escaped, prompting suspicion that he was a puppet. After the enemy stole the Scroll of Seals, Minato arrived to stop him as Nagato watched from outside Konoha.

• Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza attacked the mysterious man, but Inoichi's Mind Body Switch Technique failed and the man absorbed Shikaku's Shadow Binding Technique.
• The man drained Choza's stored calories, kicked him away, and escaped into a dark alley; Shikaku told Choza not to pursue him.
• Shikaku and Inoichi suspected the enemy was a puppet and sent a report about his abilities to Hiruzen and Minato.
• Hiruzen ordered Minato to capture the invaders alive, and Minato hurried to the warehouse after a Chunin reported that the Scroll of Seals had been stolen.
• Minato confronted the man leaving the warehouse with the Scroll of Seals while Nagato watched from a mountain outside Konoha.

Minato confronted the Human Path, whom he believed to be Mizuki, and stopped Pain from taking the Scroll of Seals, though the Yata Crow escaped with several pages. The Human Path self-destructed to conceal Pain’s secrets, leaving Minato grieving for his companion and preparing to pursue the retreating enemy.

• Minato recognized the Human Path as Mizuki and suspected he was Sasori, then attacked him with a Rasengan.
• The Human Path tried to pull Minato’s soul through touch, but Minato escaped using Flying Thunder God and discovered the enemy’s ability required contact.
• The Yata Crow carried the Scroll of Seals into the air, but Minato retrieved the scroll after the crow tore away several pages from its final volume.
• Minato chose to confront the Human Path rather than pursue Pain Rin, and the Human Path detonated the Explosive Tags on his body.
• Minato escaped the explosion, mourned the destruction of Mizuki’s body, and began a Summoning Technique as the Yata Crow fled.

Minato and Bunta pursued Pain Rin as she fled Konoha with a fragment of the Scroll of Seals, battling her summons and explosive attacks. Pain Rin crashed near the village wall, where Minato confronted her and struck toward her mask with a Rasengan, but the result shocked him.

• Minato summoned Bunta to help catch Pain Rin and recover the stolen final section of the Scroll of Seals.
• Pain Rin used a Hellhound and a Hell Crab to attack Bunta, but he defeated both summons with his strength and Water Gun.
• Pain Rin's Yata Crow fired explosive eggs at Bunta, and Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to move them clear of the blast.
• Bunta dodged the bombs, then hurled his blade through the Yata Crow, forcing Pain Rin to fall beside Konoha's wall while clutching the Scroll fragment.
• Minato confronted the wounded Pain Rin and charged with a Rasengan to reveal the face beneath her mask, but something startled him.

Minato failed to stop the masked girl from taking the Scroll of Seals fragment, while Nagato and Konan escaped with it and continued their attack on Konoha. The Deva Path located Uchiha Itachi, and the chapter ended with him greeting the boy in the rain.

• Minato realized the masked opponent had vanished through a summoning-like technique and rushed toward the fighting elsewhere in Konoha.
• Nagato explained that he had used Breakpoint Resumption to rescue Pain Rin and recover the Scroll of Seals fragment, then planned for the Naraka Path and Deva Path to close in.
• The Naraka Path infiltrated the Uchiha compound, used genjutsu to learn that Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Fugaku were absent, and escaped toward the shrine as Uchiha Yashiro's group confronted him.
• The Deva Path found Uchiha Itachi and greeted him beneath the rain-soaked eaves.

At the Uchiha compound, four-year-old Itachi offered himself as a hostage to protect his family, but Deva Path Pain secretly collected his blood and revealed that he knew about the unborn Sasuke. He left Itachi fearing what he would do to the child.

• Itachi deduced that Deva Path had come for Fugaku and offered to become his hostage if Deva Path spared his family.
• Deva Path entered the dark living room and reflected on Itachi's later choices to massacre his clan and manipulate Sasuke.
• Deva Path cut Itachi's forearm, collected his blood, and told him to bandage the wound himself.
• Deva Path said Itachi was not Fugaku's only son and asked whether he wanted him to take care of unborn Sasuke.
• Itachi widened his eyes in alarm as lightning illuminated Deva Path's chilling smile.

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.