Recaps

Sōji took command of the ANBU, recruited Ye Tong after defeating the pirates, and established the Zero Squad Shadow Guard under Mei Terumi. With Karin and Ye Tong as its first members, the new squad began its first mission to turn away a pod of Unicorn Giant Whales from Kirigakure.

• Sōji asserted his authority over the ANBU and defeated Wolf Demon, Bear Yaksha, and their squads in a battle on an uninhabited island.
• Sōji explored the Kaguya clan monument, learned about the link between the Hyuga and Kaguya inherited powers, and accepted a mission to suppress pirates along the Land of Wind’s coast.
• Sōji and his team joined Baki’s Sunagakure forces, but the pirates ambushed their warship before they could reach the island.
• Sōji revealed Karin as the Three-Tails’ Jinchūriki, and Karin and Isobu destroyed Outpost Island with a Tailed Beast Ball.
• Sōji persuaded Ye Tong to surrender by offering help with revenge against Sunagakure’s leaders, and he brought her back to Kirigakure.
• Sōji and Mei Terumi established the Zero Squad Shadow Guard, with Karin and Ye Tong named as its first two members.
• Sōji oversaw the rebuilding of the Kaguya Clan grounds and assigned Karin and Ye Tong an S-Rank mission to drive six Unicorn Giant Whales away from Kirigakure’s southeastern waters.
• Karin led the mission by locating the whales’ chakra cores, and Ye Tong killed the male leader with a Scorch Release attack.

Sōji expanded his strength by capturing cursed spirits, brought the Hōzuki brothers back to Kirigakure, and led Zero Squad to crush a rebellion in the Land of Crafts. After reaching Special Grade and gaining new techniques, he ended the stretch preparing to secure treaties with neighboring nations.

• Karin drove the surviving whales toward open sea, completing the mission, while Sōji studied the Kaguya tablet and began considering cursed spirits as a source of Cursed Energy.
• Sōji captured and absorbed Rainbow Dragon, Desolate Skeleton, and Black Shadow, then tracked down the Hōzuki brothers and rescued them from Sound Ninja pursuing them.
• Sōji brought Mangetsu and Suigetsu back to Kirigakure, where Mei Terumi restored their clan grounds and Mangetsu joined the Shadow Guard while Suigetsu entered the Academy.
• Sōji captured Kuchisake-Onna and Worm Swarm, then led Hidden Mist squads to the Land of Crafts, where Mangetsu defeated Kushimaru, Karin and Ye Tong fought Raiga, and Sōji captured Iron Ingot alive.
• Kirigakure’s success drew alarm from other villages, while Sōji absorbed Earthquake, surpassed the hundred-thousand Cursed Energy threshold, and became a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer.
• Sōji drew the Ten Shadows Technique and Ratio Technique, then celebrated the New Year with the Shadow Guard and received gifts from Karin, Suigetsu, Mangetsu, and Ye Tong.
• Mei Terumi, Genji, Ao, and Sōji planned affiliated-state treaties with three nations, and Sōji prepared to visit the Land of Claws with Wolf Demon.

Sōji secured the Land of Claws for Hidden Mist, defeated the Fourth Raikage, and gained Kashimo’s lightning techniques before leading a delegation to the Land of Fire. There, he reunited with Tsunade, obtained Hashirama’s Wood Release manual, and began the trade contest, where Ye Tong won her match and Kakashi defeated Wolf Demon.

• Sōji pressured the Land of Claws into signing a vassal-state treaty after defeating Yugito, then defeated the Fourth Raikage and secured a mutual assistance treaty with Hidden Cloud.
• Sōji entered the exchange battle domain and defeated Hajime Kashimo, acquiring his electrical Cursed Energy and techniques before mastering new lightning techniques in seclusion.
• Sōji led the Land of Water delegation to the Land of Fire, where Quye Kyosuke died after provoking him and the fleet reached Long Beach Port.
• Sōji met Tsunade in Tanzaku Town, shared what he knew about the Konoha Crush Plan, and persuaded her to return to Konoha and give him Hashirama’s Wood Release manual.
• The Land of Fire and Land of Water delegations agreed to settle their grain and trade dispute through five matches, and Sōji selected Ye Tong, Wolf Demon, White Hannya, Mangetsu, and himself to compete.
• Ye Tong defeated Asuma Sarutobi in the first match by wearing him down with Scorch Release flames and trapping him with fire spheres.
• Kakashi defeated Wolf Demon with Lightning Blade, and Sōji recognized that Kakashi had used the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Sōji led Kirigakure’s ANBU through new training, gained several powerful cursed spirits, and recruited Utakata before helping the Tsuchigumo Clan seize Kusagakure. The takeover sparked a diplomatic dispute, while Sōji’s delegation continued toward a trade agreement with the Land of Wind.

• Guy defeated Mangetsu in the fourth match, but Sōji won the final match after Jiraiya conceded, giving the Land of Water the contest and securing a grain trade agreement with the Land of Fire.
• Sōji restructured ANBU training around survival and teamwork, sent the squads to find sea-beast summoning contracts, and mastered Sage Mode and began developing his Wood Release.
• Sōji absorbed Hanami, Dagon, and Jogo, defeating them with his techniques and cursed spirits.
• Sōji’s delegation visited Mount Katsuragi, where he revealed the truth about Utakata’s master, and Utakata reconciled with Saiken and joined the Shadow Guard.
• Sōji persuaded En no Gyōja and the Tsuchigumo Clan to ally with Kirigakure and reclaim Kusagakure, while Hotaru stayed behind to protect her clan.
• Sōji’s assault force devastated Kusagakure, killed the Kusakage, and secured the surrender of the Grass Fruit forces as En no Gyōja took control of the village.
• The Land of Earth condemned Kirigakure’s role in Kusagakure, while the Land of Lightning backed it, the Land of Wind urged diplomacy, and Amegakure remained silent.
• As Konan and Pain considered Sōji a possible opponent, Sōji received word of a planned long-term trade agreement between the Land of Wind and Hidden Mist.