Chapter Summaries

Orochimaru waited in his laboratory with a frightened girl named Saro while Nagato prepared to revive Yahiko. The chapter ended with Nagato asking Orochimaru to cut a bundle of black rods to size.

• Orochimaru led Saro into his laboratory, where she saw Yahiko's corpse and sat trembling.
• Orochimaru learned the girl's name was Saro.
• Nagato returned carrying black rods and promised Yahiko he would stand again soon.
• Orochimaru wondered if Nagato would use the Rinnegan's power over life and death to revive Yahiko.
• Nagato asked Orochimaru to cut the rods to the right sizes.

Nagato used Chakra-conducting rods to control Yahiko’s body and declared that the figure was Pain, the new leader of Akatsuki and Amegakure. Orochimaru accepted the deception and left what came next to Pain.

• Nagato placed Chakra-conducting rods throughout Yahiko’s body and drove one into his own shoulder.
• Yahiko opened his eyes with the Rinnegan and rose from the operating table.
• Orochimaru asked whether Yahiko had truly come back to life, then realized Nagato was deceiving himself.
• Yahiko declared that he was Pain and would lead Akatsuki and Amegakure.
• Nagato asked whether Orochimaru objected, and Orochimaru accepted Pain’s leadership.

Obito Uchiha appeared in Nagato and Orochimaru’s laboratory and offered to join them. Nagato remained suspicious of Tobi but let his questions about Yahiko’s death go as Tobi proposed making the Shinobi World remember the horrors of war through pain.

• Nagato spotted a masked figure materializing in the laboratory, and Orochimaru recognized the danger when he realized he had sensed nothing beforehand.
• Obito Uchiha introduced himself as Tobi and said he was about to become Orochimaru’s comrade.
• Nagato watched Tobi closely, suspecting him of involvement in Yahiko’s death, but eventually stopped pursuing the question.
• Tobi asked Yahiko whether he had accepted his views, and Pain demanded to know what Tobi wanted.
• Tobi said he wanted to join them and make the Shinobi World remember the horrors of war through pain.

Nagato accepted Tobi into Akatsuki, while Orochimaru chose to stay so he could continue his experiments. After Tobi vanished, Orochimaru reported his suspicions to Uchiha Yin, who was still beside Konan.

• Yahiko welcomed Tobi into Akatsuki, and Nagato made clear that Tobi would stay even if Orochimaru chose to leave.
• Orochimaru agreed to remain because he wanted to continue his experiments.
• Nagato led Saro away, honoring Yahiko's request to care for her despite the pain she caused him.
• Tobi told Orochimaru he would return if needed, then vanished by twisting the air.
• Orochimaru checked that everyone had left and sent Uchiha Yin another message about his suspicions of Tobi.
• Uchiha Yin received Orochimaru's message while reclining beside Konan.

Uchiha Yin received news that something he had anticipated had happened, while Nagato brought Saro home and decided she would stay with him. Saro was confused when Nagato insisted that Yahiko was dead and the person before her was Pain.

• Uchiha Yin read a note, burned it, and realized that an anticipated event had happened.
• Uchiha Yin soothed Konan back to sleep and resolved to be more careful so she would not discover what was happening.
• Nagato asked Saro if she wanted to return home, and she said she would rather stay because she was bullied there.
• Nagato let Saro stay with him and promised to teach her ninjutsu, telling her to call him Pain instead of Nagato.
• Saro asked to speak with Yahiko, but Nagato insisted Yahiko was dead and that the figure before her was Pain.

Saro stayed with Nagato and Yahiko, then followed Pain to Orochimaru's laboratory while Nagato explored how the Rinnegan's shared vision and control might let him use multiple paths at once. Nagato sought suitable corpses for new vessels as Orochimaru sensed the visitors approaching.

• Saro slept in Yahiko's living room and made breakfast for Nagato the next morning.
• Pain told Saro not to enter Nagato's room and took her to Orochimaru's place.
• Nagato confirmed that he could share the Rinnegan's field of vision with Pain without leaving his room.
• Nagato realized he and Pain could use different Rinnegan paths at the same time and considered controlling all six at once.
• Nagato sent Pain and Saro to learn about Amegakure and find corpses suitable for vessels, while Orochimaru sensed them approaching.

Orochimaru met Pain and Saro in Amegakure, where Pain asked about suitable corpses before sensing someone approaching from the direction of Iwagakure. Pain declared that Amegakure would make the approaching party suffer, while Orochimaru concluded that Pain would not need his help.

• Orochimaru watched Pain and Saro approach and greeted Pain with a question about inspecting his work.
• Pain asked Orochimaru whether he had any suitable corpses, alarming Saro.
• Pain sensed someone heading toward Amegakure from the direction of Iwagakure and turned to face the threat.
• Orochimaru asked what Pain intended to do, and Pain vowed that Amegakure would make them suffer.
• Orochimaru said Pain would not need his help.

Pain left Saro with Orochimaru and went to stop Iwagakure shinobi from crossing Amegakure on their way to attack Kumogakure. He confronted their leader over their repeated passage through the village, setting up a possible clash.

• Pain asked Orochimaru to look after Saro and left to handle the situation himself.
• Saro followed Orochimaru into his laboratory because she could not bear being alone in the lifeless surroundings.
• Pain reached the edge of Amegakure and blocked a group of Iwagakure shinobi.
• The Iwagakure leader ordered Pain to move aside, but Pain told them to go around Amegakure and accused them of trampling the village.

Pain used the Deva Path to overpower an Iwagakure squad and punish its leader. After killing the leader with a shuriken, Nagato flinched in Amegakure as he watched through Pain.

• The Iwagakure leader attacked Pain with kunai, but Pain repelled the squad with a burst of dark chakra.
• The leader fled through earthen corridors, but Pain used Banshō Ten'in to pull him back and hurl him into a tree.
• The Iwagakure ninjas rushed Pain, and he used Shinra Tensei to throw them into a pit.
• Pain declared that he would make them suffer as Amegakure’s children had and sent a shuriken into the leader’s neck, severing his windpipe.
• Nagato watched from Amegakure and flinched as the leader died.

Pain slaughtered the Iwagakure shinobi who had attacked him, then returned to Orochimaru with Saro and demanded five corpses. Orochimaru was left to find a way to fulfill the request.

• Pain killed the Iwagakure leader and then slaughtered the remaining shinobi near Amegakure.
• Pain returned to Orochimaru without finding the corpse he had sought, and Saro followed him.
• Orochimaru reflected that Saro might give Nagato something to believe in, then dismissed the thought.
• Pain and Saro waited outside Orochimaru’s room the next morning, and Pain demanded five corpses.

Pain accepted Tobi’s suggestion to find suitable corpses by killing people he deemed unworthy, and assigned Tobi and Orochimaru to bring them to him. In Konoha, Uchiha Yin grew concerned about the threat Nagato’s Six Paths of Pain could pose to the village and its residents.

• Pain rejected the corpses Orochimaru had in his laboratory but could not say what kind he wanted.
• Tobi urged Pain to take the initiative and kill people he considered undeserving so their corpses could be used.
• Pain agreed and told Tobi and Orochimaru to bring him suitable corpses in the future.
• Uchiha Yin received Orochimaru’s message and worried about the Six Paths of Pain threatening everyone in Konoha while he was away.

Uchiha Yin returned to Uchiha Mikoto and Kurotsuchi to check on Kurotsuchi’s training. He reunited with both women and learned that Kurotsuchi had nearly reached Chunin level.

• Uchiha Yin used Space-Time Ninjutsu to appear before Uchiha Mikoto and Kurotsuchi.
• Uchiha Mikoto ran into Uchiha Yin’s arms, and he comforted her and apologized.
• Uchiha Yin noticed Kurotsuchi standing apart, then drew her close beside Mikoto.
• Uchiha Mikoto said Kurotsuchi had learned quickly and was almost at Chunin level.
• Uchiha Yin praised Kurotsuchi’s progress, urged her to keep working, and ruffled her hair.

Uchiha Yin took Kurotsuchi out to dinner after inviting Uchiha Mikoto, who recognized Kurotsuchi's growing affection for him. Kurotsuchi became embarrassed about her sweat-soaked clothes and struggled to explain herself when Uchiha Yin picked her up.

• Uchiha Mikoto noticed Kurotsuchi's affectionate gaze toward Uchiha Yin but kept her observation to herself.
• Uchiha Yin invited Uchiha Mikoto to dinner and sent her home to change before taking Kurotsuchi to a restaurant.
• Kurotsuchi felt self-conscious about her sweaty clothes and hesitated to ask Uchiha Yin to let her go home and change.
• Uchiha Yin picked Kurotsuchi up, and when she recoiled, he asked if she disliked being held.
• Kurotsuchi nearly cried, then wrapped her arms around Uchiha Yin's neck and begged him not to put her down.

Uchiha Yin reassured Kurotsuchi, who hurried off to change before their dinner. While Yin waited alone at the restaurant, Uzuki Yugao joined him for a drink, and he invited her to stay when she realized he was expecting others.

• Uchiha Yin comforted Kurotsuchi and let her return home to change clothes.
• Uchiha Yin went to the restaurant and waited alone for the others to arrive.
• Uzuki Yugao spotted Uchiha Yin through the window and entered to ask if she could share a drink.
• Uchiha Yin welcomed Yugao to sit with him.
• Uzuki Yugao noticed the extra bowls and chopsticks and tried to leave, but Uchiha Yin told her she could stay.

Uchiha Mikoto arrived at the restaurant and found Uzuki Yugao sitting with Uchiha Yin, leaving her visibly cold and suspicious. Uchiha Yin introduced Uzuki Yugao as an ANBU member, but Mikoto's scrutiny continued.

• Uchiha Yugao caught the wine cup Uchiha Yin flicked toward her, then accepted the wine he poured and sipped it shyly.
• Uchiha Yin laughed at Uzuki Yugao for drinking wine as cautiously as tea, making her blush before he turned to the view outside.
• Uchiha Mikoto hurried to the restaurant after bathing and changing clothes.
• Uchiha Mikoto found Uzuki Yugao beside Uchiha Yin and stared at her with a cold, scrutinizing expression.
• Uchiha Yin introduced Uzuki Yugao as an ANBU member, and Uchiha Mikoto greeted her politely without softening.

Yin, Mikoto, Kurotsuchi, and Yugao shared an awkward dinner as Mikoto and Kurotsuchi competed for Yin’s attention. After Yin left with Mikoto and Kurotsuchi, Yugao’s system mocked her for making no progress on her mission.

• Mikoto asked Yin where Kurotsuchi was, and Yin explained that she had gone to wash and change.
• Kurotsuchi joined the meal and realized that Mikoto was jealous of Yugao.
• Mikoto and Kurotsuchi competed for Yin’s attention while Yugao seethed, and Yin failed to notice the tension.
• Yin left with Mikoto while Kurotsuchi followed, leaving Yugao watching them in disbelief.
• Yugao’s system mocked her stalled mission progress, and she told it to shut up before heading home.

Uchiha Yin noticed that Mikoto and Kurotsuchi were hiding the reason for their good mood, then planned to visit Orochimaru. Uzuki Yugao intercepted him and pushed him into his room, leaving her intentions unclear.

• Mikoto and Kurotsuchi shared a secretive smile and denied anything had happened when Yin asked about their mood.
• Yin returned with the two women and went to bed, relieved that they seemed to get along.
• Yin decided to visit Orochimaru the next morning.
• Yugao waited outside Yin's room, apologized, grabbed his shoulder, and pushed him inside before shutting the door.

Uzuki Yugao confessed that she liked Uchiha Yin after kissing him, but Yin said feelings needed time to grow and left without clearly accepting her. Yugao was left uncertain, though she took comfort in the fact that he had kissed her back.

• Uchiha Yin kissed Uzuki Yugao back after she pressed her lips to his.
• Uzuki Yugao told Uchiha Yin that she liked him.
• Uchiha Yin said feelings needed time to grow, patted Yugao on the shoulder, and left.
• Uzuki Yugao wondered whether Yin had accepted her feelings and took comfort in his returning her kiss.

Uzuki Yugao received the Iaido technique and celebrated her kiss with Uchiha Yin, who headed toward Amegakure. In Orochimaru’s laboratory, Pain took a weapon-filled corpse for the Asura Path while Tobi and Orochimaru argued over Tobi staying.

• Uzuki Yugao received an all-attributes increase and the Iaido technique from the system, then absorbed the swordsmanship knowledge.
• Uchiha Yin left for Amegakure, intending to look around rather than destroy the village.
• Pain, Saro, Orochimaru, and Tobi examined a corpse, and Tobi revealed that the man was a modified human filled with weapons.
• Pain took the corpse as a suitable vessel for the Asura Path, and Saro followed him.
• Tobi said he would stay in Orochimaru’s laboratory, and Orochimaru grudgingly allowed it.

Nagato had Pain train Saro, who was determined to become strong enough not to burden him. After assessing her effort, Pain sent her to train on her own and went to patrol the village outskirts.

• Orochimaru stayed in his laboratory to watch Tobi and protect his research.
• Nagato finished modifying the fat man, who moved toward Saro under his control.
• Pain challenged Saro to touch his clothes while he fought with one hand and no special abilities.
• Saro tried to reach Pain but grew exhausted without getting close enough to touch him.
• Pain called Saro's performance about average, and she vowed to train harder.
• Pain remembered Yahiko, then left to patrol the outskirts of the village.