Recaps

Madara Uchiha captured Uchiha Shanhuo and eight other Uchiha Root ninja, then persuaded them to inherit his plan for Infinite Tsukuyomi by revealing the history of the Sharingan and Rinnegan. He offered to help awaken their Mangekyō Sharingan and said he would train them to reclaim his Rinnegan.

• Uchiha Shanhuo woke in a cave with eight companions and recognized their captor as the elderly Madara Uchiha.
• Madara explained that the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan came from a biological brother’s eyes and that the Rinnegan was the Sage of Six Paths’ eye.
• Madara revealed that the Uchiha descended from Indra and the Senju from Asura, and said he sought to create peace through Infinite Tsukuyomi.
• Madara told the Uchiha that he had hidden his Rinnegan in someone with enormous chakra reserves and was looking for an heir to help complete his plan.
• Uchiha Shanhuo and the other eight volunteered to inherit Madara’s will, and Madara offered to evolve their Three-Tomoe Sharingan into Mangekyō Sharingan and train them.

The hostages returned at Kannabi Bridge, where the Four Kage revealed they intended to let Konoha tear itself apart. As Konoha’s assault on the Uchiha began, Fugaku ordered his clan to fight back against the village.

• The Third Hokage and the Four Kage exchanged two hundred and fifty hostages, then fired signal flares to alert their forces that the truce had ended.
• The Four Kage told the Third Hokage they would not attack, intending to let Konoha’s internal divisions erupt, and he left the bridge in anger.
• Fugaku discovered Sarutobi Heshen had delivered spoiled food, rusted tools, and expired medical supplies, then killed him and ordered the Uchiha to eliminate the transport personnel.
• Danzo ordered an immediate attack on the Uchiha camp, and Konoha forces bombarded it with ballistae, shuriken launchers, and explosive kunai.
• Fugaku announced that Konoha had attacked them and ordered the Uchiha to strike back, beginning a fierce battle between the Uchiha and Konoha shinobi.

Konoha’s forces defeated the Uchiha at terrible cost, while the four invading villages withdrew and the border crisis ended. Hanzo of the Salamander learned the Infection Technique, encountered Uchiha Chuan in his spiritual space, and ordered all copies of the technique confiscated.

• The four Kage forces withdrew after realizing Konoha had moved against the Uchiha Clan.
• The Uchiha fought to the death with explosive traps and self-detonations, inflicting heavy losses before Danzo ordered a retreat.
• The forces of Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure withdrew from Konoha’s other fronts, ending the encirclement.
• The Third Hokage headed toward Jiraiya’s forces to persuade him to return and become the Fourth Hokage.
• Hanzo of the Salamander learned the Infection Technique and was drawn into his spiritual space, where Uchiha Chuan revealed himself and offered to help awaken his eyes.
• Hanzo destroyed the scroll and ordered every Infection Technique copy confiscated, threatening execution for anyone who practiced it.

Hiruzen found Jiraiya drunk and disillusioned near Sunagakure, while Danzo rejected Hanzo’s offer and hurried back to Konoha to undermine Jiraiya and Orochimaru’s chances at becoming Fourth Hokage. In Amegakure, Akatsuki’s leaders decided to seek Uchiha Chuan’s help in taking over the Land of Rain.

• Hiruzen arrived at the Sunagakure front and learned that Jiraiya had gone drinking.
• Hiruzen found Jiraiya grieving over the shattered Will of Fire and ordered his men to take him back after he sobered up.
• Hanzo sent an envoy to ask Danzo to join forces against Akatsuki, but Danzo refused and continued toward Konoha.
• Danzo planned to damage Jiraiya’s and Orochimaru’s reputations before Hiruzen returned to the village.
• Namikaze Minato reported that Akatsuki had trained three thousand qualified Genin from its new recruits.
• Yahiko, Konan, Nagato, Namikaze Minato, and Kushina decided to seek Uchiha Chuan’s help and absorb Amegakure.

Hiruzen told Jiraiya that the Uchiha had perished after he blocked the village’s rescue, and that Minato and Kushina had defected. He persuaded Jiraiya to return to Konoha and compete for the Fourth Hokage position, though Jiraiya could not promise he would win.

• Jiraiya woke with a hangover and found Hiruzen waiting to ask him to become the Fourth Hokage.
• Hiruzen explained that he had stopped Konoha from answering the Uchiha’s distress broadcast, and Jiraiya realized the village had heard their plea as they died.
• Hiruzen warned that the four villages might invade if Konoha fractured over the Hokage succession, and said Orochimaru was unfit to lead.
• Hiruzen told Jiraiya that Minato and Kushina had defected after the Uchiha’s broadcast, and Jiraiya angrily challenged Hiruzen’s decision to let the Uchiha perish.
• Hiruzen urged Jiraiya to shoulder his responsibility while the Child of Prophecy remained absent, and Jiraiya agreed to return and compete for the position.
• Hiruzen left Jiraiya to sober up, saying they would return to the village that afternoon.

Sasori began to see war as a product of leaders and vowed to create puppets capable of killing them, while the Third Mizukage and Third Raikage dealt with crises in their villages. Back in Konoha, Danzo launched a campaign of rumors to undermine Jiraiya and Orochimaru and promote himself as the next Hokage.

• Sasori watched Sunagakure celebrate the Third Kazekage, concluded that leaders began wars, and resolved to make puppets that could kill them.
• The Third Mizukage returned to Kirigakure, revealed that he could endure only a few more years, and told Karatachi Yagura to prepare to succeed him.
• The Eight-Tails broke free in Kumogakure, and the Third Raikage rushed to suppress it while sending A to prepare B.
• Danzo summoned Root and assigned six groups to spread claims attacking the Third Hokage, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru while portraying Danzo as the best candidate for Fourth Hokage.
• Root spread the rumors through Konoha, where villagers debated the allegations and increasingly heard support for Danzo's candidacy.

Danzo sought support from Konoha’s major clans for his bid to become Fourth Hokage, but each refused and remained neutral. He left recognizing that restoring the clans’ trust would be difficult.

• Danzo asked Hyuga Hiashi to support his Hokage bid, but Hiashi insisted the Hyuga would remain neutral.
• Danzo threatened the Inuzuka Clan with the Uchiha’s fate, and Inuzuka Tsume rejected his pressure and sent him away.
• Aburame Shibi refused to back Danzo, and his Kikaichū swarmed as Danzo realized threats about the Uchiha only alienated the clans further.
• Danzo asked the Ino–Shika–Cho leaders for support, but Shikaku Nara refused on behalf of all three clans.
• After Danzo left, Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chōza discussed the Uchiha’s destruction and Konoha’s difficult future.

The Third Hokage learned Danzo was courting the ninja clans and dismissed his chances of becoming Hokage, while Orochimaru returned to the village after hearing about the succession. In the Land of Rain, Uchiha Chuan agreed to support Yahiko’s move against Hanzo with Flesh Clones and planned a trip with Minato to change Amegakure’s feng shui.

• Utatane Koharu and Mitakado Homura reported Danzo’s visits to the clan heads, and the Third Hokage learned of them on his way back to the village.
• The Third Hokage told Jiraiya that Danzo’s ties to him and his hardline reputation would make the ninja clans distrust him as Hokage.
• Orochimaru learned from Jiraiya about the Fourth Hokage election, left a clone in charge of the army, and headed back to the village.
• Yahiko asked Uchiha Chuan for help against Hanzo, and Chuan offered to create Uchiha Flesh Clones using pigs, cattle, and sheep of equivalent weight.
• Chuan asked Minato to accompany him to change Amegakure’s feng shui, and Yahiko agreed to send Akatsuki ninja to find Tsunade and obtain Hanzo’s poison antidote formula.

Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to Konoha and called a meeting of the Jonin as villagers debated who should become the Fourth Hokage. Underground, Madara Uchiha transferred the curse roots on nine Uchiha to White Zetsu and sent them back to Konoha with orders to obtain the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered a meeting for all Jonin currently in the village.
• Villagers debated potential Hokage candidates, while Moonlight Cyclone secretly tried to build support for the White Fang of the Leaf; the White Fang instead focused on training Kakashi and had no desire to become Hokage.
• Madara Uchiha explained that he could transfer the Tongue Root Calamity-Severing Curse Seal roots onto White Zetsu, freeing Uchiha Shanhuo and the other eight from their restraints without alerting Shimura Danzō.
• Madara Uchiha revealed that Uchiha Chuan and the Uchiha Clan had survived by using substitutes, and that Uchiha Chuan had used the Infection Technique to create one hundred thousand ninja in the Land of Rain alongside Uzumaki Nagato.
• The nine Uchiha agreed to Madara Uchiha's plan and received orders to obtain the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, learning it so they could summon him back from the Pure Land if their mission failed.
• Madara Uchiha began transferring the nine Uchiha's curse roots onto White Zetsu.

The Third Hokage presided over a meeting to address the Uchiha Clan's destruction and choose his successor, while Orochimaru and the White Fang disrupted the expected contest. Jiraiya was selected as Fourth Hokage, and Orochimaru then proposed replacing the Hokage advisors with himself as one of them.

• The Third blamed the Uchiha incident on a mistaken decision after denying collusion with the other villages, then resigned as Hokage.
• The Third nominated Jiraiya, while Danzo nominated himself and criticized Jiraiya over Minato's defection.
• Orochimaru returned from the front lines, nominated the White Fang, and then withdrew after the White Fang nominated Orochimaru.
• The Jonin vote gave Danzo forty percent approval and Jiraiya ninety percent, so the Third declared Jiraiya the Fourth Hokage.
• Orochimaru proposed becoming a Hokage advisor, Jiraiya agreed, and Utatane Koharu objected.

Tsunade learned that Kushina and Minato had joined the Akatsuki and traveled to the Land of Rain, where she studied the Infection Technique. After taking the name Uchiha, she awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and found that her fear of blood had vanished.

• The Third suppressed Orochimaru’s proposal, and Jiraiya became the Fourth Hokage.
• An Akatsuki ninja told Tsunade that Kushina had invited her to the Land of Rain, and Tsunade agreed to go after learning that Minato had also defected.
• More than a thousand Akatsuki ninjas gathered to escort Tsunade, who was astonished to hear that a hundred thousand had been sent to find her and learned about the Infection Technique.
• Tsunade studied the sealed Infection Technique, took the name Uchiha, and awakened a Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
• Tsunade realized she could see chakra in blood and was no longer afraid of it.
• Uchiha Chuan asked Minato to join him at the border of the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind to address the Land of Rain’s heavy rainfall, then remarked that Tsunade’s arrival meant Hanzo of the Salamander should make his exit.

Jiraiya became the Fourth Hokage and announced that Madara Uchiha was still alive, calling for a Five Kage Summit to address the threat. In the Land of Rain, Tsunade agreed to help Kushina make antidotes as Uchiha Chuan and his allies prepared to unify the country.

• Orochimaru told Jiraiya that Konoha had rotted and doubted Jiraiya could change it as Hokage.
• Kushina welcomed Tsunade to the Land of Rain and asked her to produce antidotes for Hanzo's poison gas.
• Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan explained Uchiha Chuan's plans for the Land of Rain and the Uchiha Flesh Clones supporting them.
• Jiraiya took office as Fourth Hokage and told Konoha that Madara Uchiha was still alive.
• Jiraiya ordered a Five Kage Dispatch and called for a summit, while Orochimaru reacted with excitement to the news.

After Konoha announced that Madara Uchiha was alive, the other villages agreed to attend the Five Kage Summit and demanded that the Third Hokage explain the news. Madara prepared to die attacking the summit after awakening Mangekyō Sharingan for nine Uchiha, while setting his backup plan in motion.

• The Third Kazekage, Ōnoki, the Third Raikage, and the Third Mizukage ordered their villages to attend the summit and demand answers from the Third Hokage.
• White Zetsu told Madara Uchiha that the summit would take place in three days, and Madara said he would attack it and die there.
• Uchiha Shanhuo and the other eight Uchiha dug out their eyes, and Madara used his ocular power to awaken Mangekyō Sharingan in all nine pairs.
• Madara named Black Zetsu the executor of his will, then ordered the nine Uchiha to replace their hands with White Zetsu arms so their Mangekyō would not go blind.
• The nine Uchiha left to prepare for their own version of Infinite Tsukuyomi, while Madara relied on his backup plan and worried that Uchiha Chuan might interfere.

Tsunade learned that Nagato had the Rinnegan and left with Kushina to find Uchiha Chuan, while Nagato prepared to face Hanzo. Three days later, the Konoha delegation departed for the Five Kage Summit as Danzo remained determined to become Hokage, and Madara Uchiha began his final journey.

• Tsunade finished the antidote and asked Kushina to take her to Uchiha Chuan, while Yahiko and Nagato urged Kushina to leave the Land of Rain's war to them.
• Nagato revealed his Rinnegan, and Kushina told Tsunade that Madara Uchiha had likely implanted the eyes in him as part of a scheme.
• Kushina and Tsunade departed to find Uchiha Chuan after Nagato assured them he could face Hanzo with the Rinnegan and Uchiha's Flesh Clones.
• Three days later, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and the former Third Hokage left Konoha for the Five Kage Summit, while Danzo vowed to keep pursuing the Hokage position.
• Madara Uchiha gave Uchiha Shanhuo a piece of his body tissue as a contingency for Impure World Reincarnation, then left the cavern with White Zetsu as Shanhuo and the others returned to Konoha.

Akatsuki surrounded Amegakure, and Hanzo surrendered after Nagato revealed his Rinnegan and inspired Akatsuki’s troops. Hanzo joined Akatsuki as a Jonin and pledged greater loyalty if Uchiha Chuan could solve the Land of Rain’s year-round rainfall.

• Akatsuki attacked Amegakure, and its Loudspeaker Technique urged the Land of Rain’s ninja to surrender.
• Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko arrived at Amegakure’s gates, where Hanzo challenged Nagato to defeat him before he would surrender.
• Nagato revealed his Rinnegan, and Akatsuki’s one hundred thousand ninja hailed him as a god.
• Hanzo ordered Amegakure’s ninja to surrender and joined Akatsuki as a Jonin under Yahiko’s leadership.
• Hanzo vowed to serve Akatsuki wholeheartedly if Uchiha Chuan solved the Land of Rain’s rainfall problem, and Akatsuki took control of Amegakure.

At the Five Kage Talks, Jiraiya revealed that Nagato possessed the Rinnegan and explained Uchiha Chuan’s theory that it was the Sharingan’s ultimate evolution. The Kage concluded that Madara Uchiha might still be alive and had transplanted his eyes into Nagato, leaving them alarmed by the possible threat to the Shinobi World.

• The Third Kazekage, Third Mizukage, Ōnoki, and Third Raikage challenged Konoha’s claim that Madara Uchiha was alive and demanded convincing evidence.
• Jiraiya said Uchiha Chuan’s analysis had led him to suspect that Madara Uchiha still lived, then revealed that he had asked Chuan to analyze the Rinnegan.
• Jiraiya identified Nagato, one of his former Rain disciples and a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, as the Rinnegan’s wielder.
• The Third Hokage confronted Jiraiya for concealing Nagato’s identity and eyes, and Jiraiya explained that he had wanted to protect Nagato from Konoha’s control.
• Jiraiya described the Sharingan’s evolutions and said Chuan believed Madara Uchiha alone had reached its ultimate stage.
• Orochimaru deduced that Madara Uchiha had transplanted his Rinnegan into Nagato, and the Kage feared the secret behind the transfer threatened the Shinobi World.

Madara Uchiha revealed himself to the Five Kage and told them Uchiha Chuan and Nagato had taken control of the Land of Rain. He attacked the leaders and the town, then unleashed Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence as they fought back.

• Jiraiya told the Five Kage that Madara Uchiha's coffin had been empty, and the Third Raikage A questioned whether Uchiha Chuan had truly died.
• Madara appeared in the conference hall and confirmed Uchiha Chuan had disrupted his plans to revive himself through Nagato.
• Madara revealed that Uchiha Chuan and Nagato had defeated Ibuse Hanzo and taken control of the Land of Rain.
• Madara attacked the Five Kage with Susanoo, destroying the conference building and much of the surrounding town.
• The Third Raikage A and Ōnoki damaged Susanoo while the Third Kazekage used Magnet Release to corrode it, forcing Madara to dispel it.
• Jiraiya summoned Gamabunta to attack Madara, who countered with Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.

Madara overwhelmed the Five Kage with Wood Release and poisonous pollen, but Jiraiya entered Sage Mode and helped turn the battle around. Madara collapsed when his time ran out, then revived with white matter and escaped after draining Jiraiya’s Senjutsu Chakra.

• Madara trapped the Five Kage in a poisonous forest and attacked them with flames, while Jiraiya finished entering Sage Mode.
• Jiraiya, the toad sages, and the Five Kage attacked Madara, but Madara countered their techniques and nearly killed Jiraiya.
• Madara’s Susanoo collapsed and he fell, but white matter enveloped him and revived him before he vanished.
• The Five Kage pursued Madara, while he reappeared, knocked Orochimaru aside, and drained Jiraiya’s Senjutsu Chakra.
• Orochimaru struck Madara with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands and rescued Jiraiya, but white matter carried Madara away again.

At the Five Kage Summit, Jiraiya refused to join a war against the Land of Rain, and the other Kage left in anger. Meanwhile, Uchiha Chuan went fishing with Minato as Kushina brought Tsunade to meet him, where Tsunade's attempt to knock him into the water failed.

• Jiraiya explained that Madara Uchiha may have planned to resurrect himself using Nagato and the Rinnegan, prompting the Kage to discuss the threat.
• Jiraiya declared that Konoha would withdraw rather than wage war against the Land of Rain, and the other Kage departed.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi argued that the Uchiha's growing power threatened Konoha, but Jiraiya refused to start a war based on suspicion.
• Hiruzen accepted Jiraiya's decision and considered letting Danzo pursue the Rinnegan as bait.
• Kushina brought Tsunade to Uchiha Chuan and Minato while Chuan was fishing near the Land of Rain's borders.
• Tsunade split the ground to make Chuan fall into the water, but he calmly remained seated in midair.

Uchiha Chuan told Tsunade and Kushina he had found a way for Akatsuki to change the Land of Rain, while condemning Konoha for raising people with a sense of entitlement. In Konoha, Black Zetsu directed Uchiha Shanhuo to manipulate Danzo into pushing for war, and rumors about the Rinnegan and Uchiha spread through the village.

• Uchiha Chuan explained his Chakra Thread webbing to Kushina and Tsunade, then said Akatsuki could use his plan to change the Land of Rain.
• Tsunade asked Uchiha Chuan whether he had found a way to improve the Land of Rain, and he criticized Konoha as a giant baby.
• Black Zetsu appeared before Uchiha Shanhuo and eight other Uchiha, claimed to embody Madara Uchiha's will, and ordered them to provoke a war against Amegakure.
• Uchiha Shanhuo told Danzo that the Rinnegan and Uchiha remnants were in the Land of Rain, then urged him to spread the news and turn the villagers against Jiraiya.
• Danzo agreed to use the rumors to stir up support for war, and angry talk about the Rinnegan and Uchiha spread throughout Konoha.

Konoha learned that the Uchiha, including Uchiha Chuan, had survived, while a new milk tea shop became popular. As the great nations prepared to attack Amegakure for the Rinnegan, Uchiha Chuan returned and Hanzo asked him to help awaken his Sharingan.

• Kakashi told Rin Nohara that Uchiha Chuan was alive and that the Uchiha who supposedly died in the massacre had been stand-ins.
• Mitaraishi Anko discovered the new milk tea shop, recommended it to Kurenai Yuhi, and they brought Rin Nohara and Kakashi; the shop soon became wildly popular.
• The Third Kazekage, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure prepared to invade Amegakure, while the Third Hokage recalled Konoha's border forces and Kirigakure planned to send the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
• The Third Hokage told Danzo about the Rinnegan, and Danzo secretly decided to pursue it for himself.
• Uchiha Chuan returned to Amegakure, where Hanzo asked him to enter his mind and help awaken the Sharingan; Uchiha Chuan agreed.

Uchiha Chuan proposed building a Cloud-Gathering Formation to confine the Land of Rain’s rainfall to a northern mountain basin and provided techniques to construct it. When several major villages mobilized to attack Amegakure and seize the Uchiha and Rinnegan, Chuan declared he would command the defense and crush them.

• Uchiha Chuan explained that the Land of Rain’s weather could be redirected to a northern mountain basin using the Rain-Mist Grand Formation and an Earth Release construction technique.
• Yahiko, Nagato, Hanzo, and the others agreed to build the formation, and Yahiko thanked Uchiha Chuan for his contribution.
• An Amegakure intelligence officer reported that Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure were gathering troops to attack Amegakure and seize the Uchiha and Rinnegan.
• Tsunade warned that Konoha factions and Kirigakure might also launch covert attacks despite Jiraiya becoming the Fourth Hokage.
• Uchiha Chuan said he would command the battle, defeat the invading forces, and establish Amegakure as the Shinobi World’s sixth great shinobi village.

Uchiha Chuan took command of the Rain forces and planned to use a weather-controlling formation against the approaching Sunagakure army. Meanwhile, Jiraiya rejected Konoha’s calls for war and approved Kakashi’s request for early graduation.

• Uchiha Chuan explained how the enemy villages would arrive at different times and ordered Yahiko to gather three thousand Lightning-nature ninja for a formation against Sunagakure.
• The Third Kazekage, Third Tsuchikage, and Third Raikage set out for the Land of Rain, while Kirigakure’s Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Danzo’s Root forces departed secretly.
• Konoha villagers protested Jiraiya’s decision to recall the main army and demanded war against the Land of Rain and the Uchiha.
• Jiraiya refused to declare war, and the Third Hokage calmed the villagers as they called for him to return to office.
• Jiraiya approved Kakashi’s request for early graduation, despite the Third Hokage’s suggestion that they question him first.

The Third Hokage and Sasuke Sarutobi prepared 300 trusted people for the Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki plan while Uchiha Chuan ambushed Sunagakure’s forces with a vast lightning storm. After the attack crippled most of the force, Hanzo appeared to face the Third Kazekage as the Akatsuki withdrew to prepare for Iwagakure.

• Sasuke Sarutobi told the Third Hokage he had gathered 300 trustworthy people for the Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki plan, and the Third Hokage said he would arrange the operation discreetly.
• The Third Kazekage led Sunagakure’s forces into a foggy forest at the Land of Rain border, where Uchiha Chuan trapped them beneath dark clouds.
• Uchiha Chuan unleashed a massive lightning barrage that killed about one-tenth of Sunagakure’s elite force and seriously injured nearly all the rest, while the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand protected some of his ninja.
• Nagato offered to end the battle, but Hanzo volunteered to confront the Third Kazekage, and Uchiha Chuan ordered the Akatsuki to withdraw and prepare for Iwagakure.
• Hanzo appeared before the enraged Third Kazekage and said he would send him back to the Land of Wind.

Hanzo fought the Third Kazekage while Danzo’s Root force entered the Land of Rain and was driven back by villagers supporting the Uchiha. Near Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi began the Sarutobi Clan’s Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki Plan with Asuma and Sasuke Sarutobi.

• Hanzo countered the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand Rain with Water Senbon, and their forces clashed as Sunagakure’s remaining troops retreated with their wounded.
• Danzo ordered Root to kill villagers who spotted them in the Land of Rain, but one villager revealed a Sharingan and fired a signal flare.
• Da Yong and the villagers rallied against Danzo’s force, surrounding Root with support from thousands of Uchiha in the Land of Rain.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi brought Asuma and 299 Sarutobi Clan ninja to a hidden valley and explained his plan to seal revived ancestors into them as Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki.
• Sasuke Sarutobi appeared and confirmed he was willing to help Asuma, and Hiruzen began the ceremony with Asuma.