Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Suigetsu uses Obito’s phasing ability against him: explosive tags force Obito to become tangible, bringing him face-to-face with Nagato inside Obito’s space-time dimension.
• Nagato escapes and helps secure Fugaku’s eyes for Sasuke. Obito then attacks Nagato with Kamui, but Nagato sacrifices himself to protect Suigetsu and complete the mission.
• Sasuke arrives as Suigetsu is in danger. He takes over the confrontation, while Orochimaru removes Nagato’s remains and withdraws with Suigetsu and Jugo.
• Kisame leaves with the captured Killer B. Obito refuses Orochimaru’s offer to help and prepares to fight Sasuke.
• The chapter ends as Sasuke and Obito begin their “Seventh Battle,” opening with matching Great Fireball techniques.

Character developments and interactions

• Nagato fulfills his mission and chooses to die protecting Suigetsu, entrusting him with the eyes and a final message for Sasuke. Sasuke regrets being unable to keep Nagato alive.
• Suigetsu risks himself to save Nagato and delivers the recovered eyes, but is shaken by Nagato’s death. He condemns Obito and questions whether a change of heart can absolve atrocities.
• Sasuke takes responsibility for the fight and promises Suigetsu he will provide an answer. He resolves not to endanger his companions again.
• Orochimaru acknowledges Suigetsu’s efforts and promises to revive Nagato through Impure World Reincarnation, then withdraws rather than interfere in the Uchiha conflict.
• Obito is enraged by the rescue and Nagato’s betrayal. His repeated Kamui use causes strain, and he declares he will no longer leave anyone alive in his dimension.
• Kisame recognizes the situation and resumes guarding Obito, taking Killer B away as ordered.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and loyalty: Nagato gives his life to protect Suigetsu and complete the mission.
• Responsibility and redemption: Suigetsu challenges the idea that remorse alone can erase a person’s crimes; Sasuke promises to answer him.
• Trust and consequence: Sasuke reflects on the risks his allies have borne and vows to protect them.
• Confrontation and legacy: The final clash frames Sasuke and Obito as Uchiha opponents continuing an ancestral tradition.

Plot points

• Sasuke and Obito begin their seventh battle with a clash of Great Fireballs. Obito uses Kamui to attack Sasuke’s head, but hits a Wood Release Clone.
• Sasuke surrounds Obito with eighteen Wood Release Clones, each wielding a Susanoo and aiming an arrow at him. The formation threatens to punish Obito whenever he becomes tangible to use Kamui.
• Obito charges Sasuke, but avoids the arrows by phasing through them. Sasuke taunts him for fearing death, then decides that negotiation is futile and resolves to kill him—partly to let Kabuto inherit Obito’s eyes.
• Sasuke spreads black flames across the battlefield with a burning Wood Dragon. Obito counters with his Crow Tengu Susanoo and reveals the combined power of his two Mangekyo Sharingan: Kamui Shuriken.
• The shuriken pass through barriers and can home in on Sasuke by tracking his position in space. Sasuke uses a body-splitting substitution to escape one attack, but is eventually caught in a Kamui vortex.
• Obito believes he has won, only to discover Sasuke is still present: Sasuke had concealed his real body among the Wood Release Clones. Obito, wary that any clone might be the real Sasuke, drops Susanoo and draws his sword, imbuing it with Kamui. The chapter ends as he prepares to continue the fight.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke demonstrates careful planning, tactical flexibility, and a willingness to exploit Obito’s abilities. He no longer believes he can persuade Obito to change course and commits to killing him.
• Obito recognizes Sasuke as a serious threat and becomes increasingly intent on eliminating him. After his Kamui-based attack fails to settle the fight, he shifts to a more patient, sword-focused strategy.
• Their exchange is a contest of confidence and counterplay: Sasuke provokes Obito, while Obito attempts to overwhelm him with the reunited eyes’ power. Both remain cautious about the other’s hidden capabilities.

Significant themes

• Strategy versus raw power: Sasuke’s clones, misdirection, and battlefield control repeatedly challenge Obito’s overwhelming techniques.
• The limits of persuasion: Sasuke concludes that Obito knows the truth yet persists, making negotiation futile.
• Knowledge and uncertainty: Both fighters try to infer the rules and weaknesses of Kamui, while the hidden real body leaves Obito unable to trust what he sees.
• Escalation and resolve: Each reveals stronger techniques, and Sasuke’s decision to kill Obito marks a decisive break from hope of reconciliation.

Key plot points and events

• Obito uses his Kamui-enhanced Kusanagi Sword to cut down Sasuke’s Wood Release Clones. By letting Kamui activate from a cut, he makes the sword’s phasing far more effective than fighting barehanded.
• Sasuke recognizes that each use is draining Obito’s eyes and causing blurred vision. Obito accepts the cost, believing that killing Sasuke and securing the Rinnegan matters more.
• Obito identifies the real Sasuke after testing his reactions, then uses his left eye’s Kamui to seemingly sever Sasuke’s head. The remaining Wood Release Clones collapse.
• Sasuke survives: the apparent target was a Blaze Release Clone, whose transformation into black flames had been delayed. While Obito’s ocular power falters, the real Sasuke attacks him from behind with Chidori.
• Obito reveals that the apparent exhaustion of his Mangekyō was a feint linked to his Kamui Substitution Technique. A vortex erupts from his chest, but Sasuke escapes by shedding his outer body with an Orochimaru-style substitution and rising into the air.
• Obito’s real body returns from the Kamui dimension, temporarily unable to phase again. He summons Susanoo, forms another Kamui Shuriken, and launches a final attack with a shadow-clone technique.

Character developments

• Obito demonstrates how quickly he can adapt Kamui to swordsmanship, but his confidence leads him to underestimate Sasuke’s layered deception. Even after being outmaneuvered, he remains determined to win at any cost.
• Sasuke shows patience and tactical ingenuity, using different kinds of clones, delayed Mangekyō effects, and a timed counterattack. He anticipates danger well enough to survive Obito’s substitution trap.

Significant themes

• Strategy and deception: Both fighters use feints, substitutions, and misleading appearances; apparent victories repeatedly conceal another layer of the plan.
• Power at a cost: Obito’s increasingly forceful use of Kamui strains his eyes, while his willingness to sacrifice them reflects his fixation on his goal.
• Control and uncertainty: Each combatant believes he has the advantage, only for the other to reveal a countermeasure.

Character interactions

• Obito and Sasuke engage in a battle of mutual analysis, with each interpreting the other’s abilities and attempting to exploit a weakness.
• Obito taunts Sasuke’s apparent defeat and later acknowledges his skill, comparing his combat experience to Madara’s.
• Karin and the other spectators watch through a Crystal Ball, reacting with alarm when Obito’s Kamui Substitution appears to catch Sasuke.

Plot and events

• Sasuke escapes Obito’s Kamui Shuriken by flying beyond their range, but Obito pursues him by using the shuriken as portals and repeatedly extending his attacks.
• High above the island, Sasuke deploys Susanoo and uses wind-enhanced black flames to obscure his position. Obito tears through the flames with linked Kamui distortions and targets Sasuke with his remaining usable eye.
• Sasuke counters by igniting Amaterasu at the point Obito is trying to warp, forcing Kamui to absorb the flames. He releases the Yang Seal, making the fire surge and pushing Obito’s left eye past its limit. Obito’s vision—and his left-eye Kamui—are nearly destroyed.
• The battle’s flames create enormous storm clouds. Sasuke shapes the resulting Kirin into countless Chidori Senbon, designed to strike Obito while he phases. Obito attempts to escape, then switches to phasing, but the lightning barrage leaves him facing imminent danger.
• At the chapter’s end, Obito activates Izanagi, setting up his next attempt to survive.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke shows tactical patience and precise control, exploiting the limits of Obito’s abilities rather than relying on brute force. He also reveals a personal motive: he remembers Obito’s past attack on the Allied Shinobi Forces and Neji.
• Obito remains defiant and relentless, even as his left eye deteriorates. His confidence in his phasing ability is challenged by Sasuke’s specialized counterattack.
• Their exchange is a contest of adaptation: Obito escalates Kamui, while Sasuke repeatedly changes tactics to expose its weaknesses.

Significant themes

• Strategy over raw power: Each fighter tries to understand and counter the other’s abilities.
• The cost of power: Obito’s overuse of his eye causes severe damage, while Sasuke’s own eye bleeds as he sustains his techniques.
• Past and consequence: Sasuke’s memory of Obito’s wartime actions gives the confrontation a personal dimension.
• Endurance and escalation: Neither fighter yields, and each new counter raises the stakes.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• After unleashing the Cloud-Cutting Sword, Sasuke assumes Obito has been killed and retrieves his Kusanagi Sword.
• Obito reappears, revealed to have survived the attack by sacrificing his nearly blind left eye to use Izanagi. Sasuke anticipated this possibility and had been watching for him.
• Both fighters are low on chakra, so they agree to settle the fight directly. Obito tries to trap Sasuke with his phasing ability and chains, while Sasuke uses a combination of transformation and substitution techniques to evade him.
• Sasuke lands a sword thrust through Obito’s heart. Obito’s Sharingan fades as his chakra runs out, leaving him unable to activate Izanagi on his own. Sasuke appears to have won the first half of the Seventh Battle.
• Tobi intervenes before Sasuke can finish Obito. By merging with Tobi, Obito regains enough power to use Kamui and escape. Sasuke hesitates briefly, recalling Obito’s earlier sacrifice to protect them.
• After the rain begins, Orochimaru explains that killing Obito would likely have been difficult even then, given Izanagi and Tobi’s assistance. Sasuke refuses to rest and heads toward the Five Kage, determined to awaken White Cursed Seal: State Four in the second half of the battle.

Character developments

• Sasuke proves tactical and composed, anticipating Obito’s Izanagi and outmaneuvering him in close combat. The danger of the fight strengthens Sasuke’s resolve to advance his power immediately, though his hesitation at the end shows lingering feelings about Obito.
• Obito fights with caution and desperation, spending his left eye to survive and continuing to resist even after Sasuke mortally wounds him. He accepts defeat in this encounter but refuses to give up on his future.
• Tobi demonstrates loyalty to Obito, intervening to keep him alive and enabling his escape.
• Orochimaru supports Sasuke and offers a practical assessment of why Obito could still have escaped.

Significant themes

• Strategy and adaptability: Victory depends not just on powerful techniques but on understanding an opponent and using deception effectively.
• Survival and sacrifice: Obito gives up an eye, while Tobi risks himself to save him.
• Resolve forged by danger: Sasuke’s near-fatal struggle motivates him to pursue the next level of power without delay.
• Lingering bonds and hesitation: Sasuke’s memory of Obito’s past sacrifice briefly complicates his decision to strike.

Character interactions

• Sasuke and Obito exchange confident challenges before their final close-range clash, each betting on a different way to defeat the other.
• Tobi shields Obito and reminds him that he still owes Tobi a promised future.
• Orochimaru reassures Sasuke that Obito’s escape was difficult to prevent, then questions Sasuke’s decision to face the Five Kage while exhausted; Sasuke insists on going anyway.

Plot points and events

• The Five Kage Summit begins in the Land of Iron, called at the Raikage’s invitation. Its purpose is to discuss Akatsuki and the tailed beasts it has been capturing.
• Sasuke’s altered history has accelerated events: Akatsuki began hunting jinchūriki earlier, and Gaara lost Shukaku well before he otherwise would have. After Sasuke rescued him, Gaara returned to Sunagakure, earned the village’s support, and was named Kazekage on the eve of the summit.
• Tsunade attends as Hokage because Pain never invaded Konoha. Her guards, Shikaku and Inoichi, discuss how difficult it will be to unite the Five Great Nations, given their longstanding mistrust.
• Shikaku reveals that Obito recently stole Kakashi’s left eye and may be the Masked Man who attacked Konoha years ago. He also shares that Sasuke protected Gaara from Akatsuki and may oppose the organization, though Sasuke’s loyalties remain unclear.
• Kabuto, disguised as a samurai guard, secretly scouts the summit while waiting for Orochimaru and Sasuke to arrive.
• Gaara argues that Akatsuki must be stopped and calls for cooperation. Ōnoki dismisses the need to seek outside help, while Mei and Ōnoki debate how easily Akatsuki can control the captured beasts.
• As the Kage argue, the Raikage slams his fist down and angrily orders them to stop wasting time.

Character developments and interactions

• Gaara has grown from an isolated former jinchūriki into a composed, determined leader. He bears no grudge against Sunagakure and wants to prevent others from suffering as he did.
• Shikaku is cautious about the likelihood of an alliance but recognizes that Sasuke’s actions complicate the village’s view of him. Inoichi presses Shikaku for information and questions Sasuke’s ambiguous allegiance.
• Kankuro and Temari support Gaara from behind the curtains. Temari urges Kankuro to remain disciplined; Kankuro bristles when Ōnoki patronizes Gaara.
• Ōnoki treats Gaara as an inexperienced child and favors secrecy over inter-village cooperation. Gaara openly challenges his old-fashioned attitude.
• Tsunade is surprised to hear Gaara credit Konoha with saving him, while she and the other Kage discuss the difficulty of controlling tailed beasts.
• Kabuto observes the proceedings in disguise, signaling that the summit may be interrupted by outside forces.

Significant themes

• Cooperation versus mistrust: The nations face a shared threat, but old rivalries and concerns about pride obstruct unity.
• Leadership and maturity: Gaara’s calm resolve contrasts with his youth and earns him a place among the Kage.
• Ambiguous allegiance: Sasuke’s actions suggest opposition to Akatsuki, yet his absence from Konoha leaves his motives uncertain.
• The cost of secrecy: The villages’ desire to hide the loss of their jinchūriki conflicts with the need to act together.

• The summit nearly erupts into violence. After the Raikage slams the table, the Kage’s guards confront one another: Kankuro clashes with Chōjūrō, Temari with Darui, and Shikaku with Kurotsuchi. Mifune and the Kage order their people to stand down.
• The Raikage accuses the great villages of enabling the Akatsuki. He argues that Akatsuki members came from several of their villages and that past Kage even hired the group. Ōnoki admits that the villages used the Akatsuki as a cheap mercenary force, explaining that military cutbacks made maintaining large shinobi forces costly. The Raikage counters that Sunagakure once used Akatsuki in an attempt to destroy Konoha, with Danzo suspected of pulling the strings.
• Tsunade reveals that Danzo is dead. He vanished from Konoha about three months earlier; the disappearance of the Cursed Tongue Seals he had placed on Root members confirms his death, though Konoha does not know who killed him or how. The Raikage welcomes the news, while the other Kage react with surprise. Kabuto, secretly disguised as a samurai guard, recognizes the disclosure as a turning point.
• The accusations intensify. The Raikage singles out Kirigakure, whose history as the Bloody Mist and possible connection to Akatsuki make it especially suspect. Mei admits that she believes someone controlled the former Mizukage, Yagura. She suspects the Sharingan was used, sometime after the Third Shinobi World War. The Raikage insists Kumogakure is the true victim, while Ōnoki accuses it of an arms race that drove other villages to hire Akatsuki.
• Tsunade shifts the summit toward a solution. She stops the argument and presses Mei for details about Yagura’s control. After hearing when it began, she concludes that the culprit was Obito Uchiha—the person behind Konoha’s Nine-Tails Incident and Kakashi’s former comrade from the Kannabi Bridge battle. Her revelation shocks the summit; Kabuto recognizes it as another turning point.
  Character developments and interactions: Tsunade emerges as candid and decisive, openly acknowledging Konoha’s past and steering the Kage from mutual blame toward identifying a common threat. Mei accepts responsibility for what Kirigakure cannot explain and shares a damaging village secret. Ōnoki defends the practical logic behind hiring Akatsuki but also accuses Kumogakure of fueling tensions. The Raikage remains confrontational, while the guards’ brief clashes echo the distrust among their leaders.
  Significant themes: The chapter explores the hypocrisy and political compromises behind the villages’ “honor,” the way military rivalries sustain conflict, and the difficulty of building trust when each nation conceals its own culpability. It also marks a shift from accusations about Akatsuki’s past to uncovering the identity of the force manipulating events behind the scenes.

Plot points and events

• The Five Kage question Tsunade’s claim that Obito controlled the Fourth Mizukage and caused Konoha’s Nine-Tails attack. Tsunade confirms she personally saw Obito return and take Kakashi’s Sharingan.
• Shikaku argues that the key issue is not Obito’s name but his apparent use of abilities associated with Madara Uchiha. He suspects Madara orchestrated Obito’s fall after Rin’s death, though he admits this is speculation.
• Shikaku redirects the summit toward the concrete danger: the Akatsuki have captured nearly all the tailed beasts and may use them in war. He urges the villages to share intelligence and cooperate.
• The Raikage agrees to set aside old disputes with Ōnoki until the Akatsuki are defeated, while leaving past grievances to be settled afterward.
• Meanwhile, Sasuke and Orochimaru arrive in the Land of Iron. Sasuke wants the Five Kage to attack him as part of the “Ten Battles,” but does not want to make his past-life revelations harder to explain.
• Orochimaru suggests Sasuke provoke the Kage by acting like his former self. Sasuke rejects the idea of deliberately performing for Orochimaru, chooses his own approach, puts on a mask, and charges into the summit.

Character developments and interactions

• Shikaku demonstrates strategic insight and diplomacy, turning limited evidence into a persuasive case for cooperation.
• Tsunade tries to convey the danger while concealing Sasuke’s recent appearance in Konoha.
• Ōnoki and the Raikage remain rivals, but the threat of the Akatsuki temporarily brings them toward agreement.
• Sasuke reflects on his previous summit defeat and his changed outlook, but still wants to control how he confronts the Kage.
• Orochimaru teases Sasuke and encourages him to indulge in a more provocative persona; Sasuke refuses to play along on Orochimaru’s terms.
• Kabuto privately recognizes Shikaku’s skill and believes the summit may form an alliance, while assuming Sasuke will prevent a war.

Significant themes

• Cooperation over old rivalries: The Akatsuki’s threat may force the villages to share information and set aside grudges.
• Speculation versus actionable danger: Shikaku acknowledges uncertainty about Madara and Obito, but emphasizes the undeniable threat posed by the captured tailed beasts.
• Past and present identity: Sasuke revisits a place associated with humiliation, but his outlook has changed; he must decide how much of his former self to reclaim.
• Information and concealment: Tsunade withholds Sasuke’s involvement, while Shikaku’s careful framing shapes the summit’s response.

Key plot points and events

• Sasuke masks himself and storms the Five Kage Summit, intending to fight the assembled Kage on his own terms.
• He overwhelms the Samurai guarding the venue, prompting the Kage to investigate. Ao’s Byakugan spots a masked Sharingan user, and the Raikage assumes he is Obito Uchiha.
• The Raikage attacks, blaming “Obito” for his brother’s death. Sasuke lets the misunderstanding stand and uses the chance to engage him.
• Sasuke dodges the Raikage’s initial punch and wounds him with a white, cursed-seal-enhanced Chidori that pierces his Lightning Release armor.
• The Raikage intensifies his lightning armor and attacks at extreme speed. Sasuke blocks one strike with a technique called Wood Release Taijutsu: Immovable Adamantine, evades another with extraordinary flexibility, then counters with a blast of fire.
• The other Kage and their guards arrive. Tsunade recognizes Sasuke but, after Shikaku’s advice, chooses not to reveal his identity, hoping to learn his motives.
• Kabuto, disguised among the Samurai, also recognizes Sasuke and understands why he is wearing a mask. Sasuke sees that everyone has assembled and announces that the “second half” of the Seventh Battle is beginning.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke is focused, controlled, and intent on testing himself against the Kage. He uses the mask to avoid explanations and exploit the Raikage’s mistaken identity.
• The Raikage responds with anger and grief over his brother, charging into battle before confirming who the intruder is. Sasuke’s attack briefly overcomes his defenses, though his instincts let him escape.
• Tsunade recognizes Sasuke but restrains herself from exposing him, shifting from confrontation to cautious observation.
• Shikaku advises Tsunade to use the situation to assess Sasuke’s intentions.
• Kabuto privately identifies Sasuke and reads his behavior as characteristically impulsive rather than evidence that he has joined Obito.
• Darui and Shi watch the fight and react with alarm to Sasuke’s strength and unusual, snake-like movements.

Significant themes

• Misidentification and deception: Sasuke’s mask leads the Raikage to mistake him for Obito, shaping the confrontation.
• Power and adaptability: Sasuke counters the Raikage’s speed and strength with precise timing, unusual techniques, and flexible movement.
• Observation before action: Tsunade and Shikaku decide that understanding Sasuke’s motives is more valuable than immediately exposing him.
• Grief and anger: The Raikage’s attack is driven by his belief that Obito is responsible for his brother’s death.

Key plot points and events

• Mei Terumi challenges the masked attacker to reveal his face. He responds with a massive Fire Release, but Mei counters with a torrent of water that becomes a Water Dragon and knocks Susanoo into the ceiling.
• Ao spots Sasuke preparing a surprise arrow from Susanoo. Mei blocks it with a Water Formation Wall and dodges, then attacks with acidic Lava Release. The acid damages Susanoo’s body but cannot reach Sasuke.
• The Raikage joins the fight, striking Susanoo hard enough to crack its bones. Sasuke adapts by softening the damaged structure, trapping the Raikage’s arm with tendrils, and using Susanoo to slam him into the floor. The Raikage is badly injured and coughs up blood.
• Darui attacks to protect his leader, but Sasuke cuts through his Black Panther lightning. Gaara pulls the Raikage to safety and asks Tsunade to treat him.
• Gaara then confronts the masked boy. Kankuro and Temari recognize something familiar in his build and voice, but Gaara stops them from saying what they suspect. He attacks anyway, apparently honoring the masked boy’s request to fight seriously.
• While Sasuke meets Gaara’s sand barrage with Susanoo, Ōnoki confronts Tsunade over her apparent protection of a Konoha rogue ninja. He decides to kill Sasuke with Dust Release, targeting Susanoo as the chapter ends.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke displays tactical ingenuity, using Susanoo not just as armor but as a flexible weapon to trap and overpower the Raikage. He seems confident and deliberately allows Gaara to engage.
• Mei proves resourceful and formidable, combining water defenses and acidic attacks, but acknowledges that she cannot defeat Sasuke alone.
• The Raikage’s aggression and immense strength are clear, though his attack leaves him vulnerable to Sasuke’s counter. Darui’s loyalty is shown in his desperate intervention.
• Gaara appears to recognize—or strongly suspect—the masked boy’s identity. He suppresses his companions’ comments and treats the confrontation as a personal, complicated encounter.
• Ōnoki suspects Sasuke is the last Uchiha of his age and accuses Tsunade of concealing his identity. Tsunade does not confirm or deny the accusation, but challenges Ōnoki’s judgmental rhetoric.

Significant themes

• Identity and concealment: The mask hides the attacker’s face, while Gaara’s response suggests that the truth may be recognizable even without it.
• Personal bonds amid conflict: Gaara’s gratitude and restraint complicate the Kage’s battle, turning a political confrontation into a personal one.
• Power and adaptability: The fight emphasizes how tactical creativity can overcome even exceptional strength.
• Judgment and hypocrisy: Tsunade rejects Ōnoki’s moralizing language, highlighting the chapter’s tension between condemning rogue actions and confronting one’s own history.

Plot points and events

• Ōnoki appears to destroy Sasuke with Dust Release, but Sasuke survives: the target was a Wood Release clone.
• Sasuke reveals himself and uses Susanoo’s explosive attack to demolish the summit castle. Gaara protects the Kage, guards, and Samurai with sand.
• Mifune initially orders the Samurai to attack, but Tsunade insists the conflict belongs to the ninja world. The Samurai withdraw, as do the Kage’s guards.
• Tsunade activates the Strength of a Hundred Technique and attacks Sasuke. Her punch breaks Susanoo’s bones, but Sasuke catches her next strike with Adamantine Strength.
• Sasuke then pierces Tsunade through the chest with a White Rasengan empowered by Wood Release. As she falls, he begins unleashing the Wood Release technique Advent of a World of Flowering Trees.

Character developments

• Sasuke is shown to have anticipated Ōnoki’s Dust Release and to possess a broad, enhanced arsenal, including Susanoo, Explosion Release, Wood Release, and Adamantine Strength. He deliberately escalates the fight to force the Five Kage to unite and reveal their full abilities.
• Tsunade sets aside the usual restriction against Medical Ninja fighting on the front line, demonstrating her resolve and formidable strength. Her bold charge ends with her severely wounded.
• Gaara acts quickly to protect everyone from the collapsing castle.
• Ōnoki recognizes Sasuke’s clone and warns the others of the danger; his backache disappears when he realizes the scale of the threat.
• Mifune asserts the Samurai’s duty to defend their neutral homeland, but ultimately respects Tsunade’s decision to keep the battle between the Kage and Sasuke.

Significant themes

• Deception and misjudgment: Sasuke’s apparent death is a decoy, and the Kage repeatedly discover that his abilities exceed their expectations.
• Escalation and unity: Sasuke provokes the Kage because their caution and lack of coordination make the fight less serious than he wants.
• Duty and sacrifice: Tsunade risks herself to lead the defense, while the Samurai and guards must weigh courage against the need to withdraw.
• The cost of power: The battle’s destruction spreads beyond its combatants, threatening the summit site and its occupants.

Character interactions

• Ōnoki and the Raikage quarrel over who deserves credit for defeating Sasuke, only to be confronted by Sasuke himself.
• Mifune clashes with the Kage over whether the Samurai should intervene; Tsunade persuades him to stand down.
• The Kage each order their own guards to retreat, while Shikaku warns Tsunade that the Kage may not be enough and promises the guards would intervene if needed.
• Mei questions Tsunade’s decision to lead the attack, but Tsunade asks the other Kage to cover her as she charges.

Plot and events

• Madara’s Flower-Tree World releases poisonous pollen, incapacitating the Five Kage. Temari tries to intervene, but Shikaku stops her, insisting that the Kage must handle the fight themselves.
• Ōnoki nearly gives in to despair, but pain from rubble in his hand revives his resolve. He realizes that Sasuke could become another Madara and uses Dust Release to destroy the flower forest, freeing the other Kage.
• Ōnoki urges the Kage to put aside their old rivalries and fight together. They agree and charge Sasuke to rescue Tsunade.
• The Raikage reaches Tsunade but is caught beneath Sasuke’s Susanoo sword. Ōnoki lifts the Susanoo with Earth Release; Gaara disarms and shields against it; Mei’s Lava and Water Releases damage its armor; and Ōnoki’s crushing rock techniques nearly destroy it.
• Sasuke escapes the closing mountains using white cursed wings. Meanwhile, Tsunade recovers from her severe wounds through her Monster Strength and Strength of a Hundred.
• The reunited Kage plan a coordinated aerial assault. Gaara provides sand platforms, while Ōnoki rides on the Raikage and uses Earth Release to alter his weight and boost his attack. Sasuke anticipates the tactic and counters with Wind Release.

Character developments and interactions

• Ōnoki shifts from regret and near-defeat to resolve, then takes the lead in persuading the Kage to cooperate. He and the Raikage combine their abilities, despite their comic bickering.
• The Raikage demonstrates extraordinary toughness by resisting Susanoo’s sword and leads the renewed attack.
• Gaara and Mei coordinate effectively with Ōnoki and the Raikage, protecting one another and helping break down Susanoo.
• Tsunade survives catastrophic injuries and rejoins the group, reinforcing the Kage’s confidence.
• Sasuke admires the Kage’s teamwork but remains calculating, recognizing both the strengths and vulnerabilities of their strategy.
• Temari and Shikaku show the tension between wanting to help and trusting the leaders on the battlefield.

Significant themes

• Unity over old rivalries: The Kage recognize that their past conflicts weakened them while their enemies grew stronger.
• Resolve in the face of failure: Ōnoki refuses to die believing he has accomplished nothing.
• Cooperation and adaptation: The Kage combine distinct abilities into effective tactics, though Sasuke quickly identifies a counter.
• Endurance and responsibility: Tsunade’s recovery and the Kage’s decision to continue fighting highlight their determination to protect others.

Plot points and events

• Ōnoki recognizes Sasuke’s wind defense as a way to discourage the Kage from using their planned tactics. He advises the Raikage to endure the gale with his Lightning Release Armor and attack as soon as it ends.
• Ōnoki boosts the Raikage’s punch with his weight-altering Earth Release techniques. The blow breaks through Susanoo and crushes Sasuke’s right shoulder.
• Sasuke reveals the injury was deliberate: a wooden substitute transforms into summoning-tagged explosive tags, triggering Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags. Sasuke escapes, while the Raikage and Ōnoki survive by sacrificing the Raikage’s right arm.
• Tsunade heals the Raikage. Ōnoki and Gaara then coordinate a trap: Gaara’s lightened Sand restrains Susanoo, falling clay coats it, and Ōnoki makes the coating unbearably heavy. Sasuke crashes to the ground.
• Mei attacks with a Water Dragon Bullet. Gaara pulls Sasuke from Susanoo into the water, where the Raikage’s Lightning Release paralyzes him.
• As Ōnoki prepares a decisive Dust Release attack, Tsunade offers Sasuke a chance to explain himself. Sasuke refuses, insisting that only death or transcendence remains. Just before the blast hits, his dormant White Cursed Seal erupts into State Four.

Character developments and interactions

• Ōnoki demonstrates seasoned battlefield judgment, quickly reading Sasuke’s strategy and directing the Kage’s coordinated counterattack.
• The Raikage remains relentless despite losing an arm, and immediately asks Tsunade to heal him so he can keep fighting.
• Gaara hesitates to treat Sasuke as a genuine enemy, but accepts his responsibility as Kazekage and joins the attack. He still wonders what Sasuke is trying to accomplish.
• Tsunade fights alongside the others and heals the Raikage, yet remains conflicted about killing Sasuke. She asks him to surrender and explain himself.
• Sasuke uses deception and accepts serious injury to force the Kage to stop holding back. He expects Gaara and Tsunade’s reluctance and wants the confrontation to reach its decisive “Seventh Battle.”
• Mei contributes a coordinated attack designed to exploit Sasuke’s vulnerability to lightning conducted through water. Orochimaru watches with anticipation as Sasuke’s seal awakens; Kabuto reacts anxiously.

Significant themes

• Tactics and teamwork: The Kage combine their abilities—weight manipulation, Sand, clay, water, healing, and lightning—to overcome Susanoo.
• Sacrifice and resolve: The Raikage gives up an arm to survive, while Sasuke deliberately risks his body to achieve his aims.
• Duty versus personal attachment: Gaara and Tsunade struggle to act against Sasuke despite their history and doubts.
• Escalation and transformation: With the Kage’s finishing attack imminent, Sasuke’s transformation into White Cursed Seal State Four sets up a new and potentially more dangerous phase of the battle.

Plot points and events

• Sasuke releases the White Cursed Seal, breaks free of the Raikage’s water dragon, and transforms into State Four: “Curse Arhat.” White bone protrusions and horns emerge, and his eyes become the Byakugan.
• Orochimaru reveals that the transformation has unlocked the power of Hashirama Senju, granting Sasuke both the Byakugan and Shikotsumyaku. The Byakugan takes precedence over the Sharingan for now, and Sasuke can see throughout a one-kilometer radius.
• Ao warns the assembled shinobi that Sasuke’s chakra has grown vastly stronger and that even the Five Kage will need everyone’s help to stop him.
• The Kage acknowledge the danger and prepare to fight together. Sasuke considers leaving now that he has achieved his goal, but decides to deepen the villages’ sense of crisis and reinforce their newfound unity.
• In the mist, Sasuke uses his Byakugan to counter the Raikage’s attack. Shikotsumyaku protects him from the Lariat, and a Wood Dragon drains the Raikage’s lightning chakra. Sasuke throws him down, breaking bones but not killing him.
• Gaara restrains Sasuke with sand and attacks, but Sasuke breaks free, strikes Gaara’s chakra points, and incapacitates him. He then rushes into the mist rather than finishing off the Raikage.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke displays both overwhelming new power and deliberate restraint. Though he fights the Kage, he sees their alliance as important and wants the threat of his strength to make their cooperation last.
• Orochimaru takes pride in Sasuke’s transformation and explains its abilities.
• The Five Kage accept the possibility of death and commit to the battle. Tsunade vows to protect them; Gaara struggles with fighting the man who once saved his life, but ultimately chooses to act.
• Ao recognizes the Byakugan and warns the others; Shikaku quietly reflects on the situation.
• Sasuke’s exchanges with the Raikage and Gaara show the gap in power, while his choice not to deliver lethal blows leaves Gaara wondering what Sasuke truly intends.

Significant themes

• Power and transformation: Sasuke’s new form combines extraordinary abilities and changes the balance of the battle.
• Unity through crisis: Sasuke believes a common threat may preserve cooperation between villages that have long been enemies.
• Conflicted loyalties and restraint: Gaara faces a former ally, while Sasuke fights his opponents without immediately killing them.
• The cost of leadership: The Kage accept that defending their people may require their lives.

Key plot points and events

• Sasuke sees through Kankuro’s puppet feint, disables Father and Mother with Magnet Release, severs Black Ant’s control threads, and swallows the puppet with a White Snake.
• Temari intervenes, condemning Sasuke for his actions. The other Kage and their allies arrive, while Kankuro rescues Gaara and the Raikage, both of whom are alive.
• Sasuke unleashes an enormous Fire Release attack. Mei Terumi and several water-style users struggle to contain it; Ōnoki and his Earth Release users then raise a vast wall to stop the remaining flames.
• Sasuke charges through the steam. Mei’s water blade fails to stop him, but Ōnoki’s Dust Release forces him to retreat. Sasuke recognizes Dust Release as a serious threat.
• Ōnoki rallies the coalition by reasoning that Sasuke’s new form grants him Byakugan abilities but temporarily prevents him from using the Sharingan and Susanoo. He urges the Kage to exploit that window and create an opening for his lethal Dust Release.
• Sasuke confirms that his Sharingan is temporarily unavailable, but reveals that the White Cursed Seal’s core power is Hashirama Senju’s strength. He begins using Wood Release, summoning the Wood Golem Technique.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke demonstrates exceptional tactical awareness, improvisation, and confidence, adapting quickly to the puppet attack and the coalition’s defenses. Though impressed by Ōnoki’s experience, he remains sure of his advantage and prepares to reveal another power.
• Kankuro uses his puppets to fight Sasuke, then shifts to rescuing Gaara and the Raikage.
• Temari confronts Sasuke angrily, revealing her shock and disillusionment with him.
• Ōnoki becomes the coalition’s strategist and morale-builder, identifying a possible limitation in Sasuke’s new form and persuading the others to keep fighting.
• Mei, Ōnoki, and several elite ninja coordinate their Water, Earth, and Dust Release techniques, illustrating the alliance’s willingness to combine their strengths against Sasuke.

Significant themes

• Adaptation and strategy: Both Sasuke and Ōnoki read their opponent’s abilities and adjust their tactics.
• Power and its costs: Sasuke’s new strength comes with the temporary loss of his Sharingan powers, creating a narrow opportunity for his enemies.
• Unity against overwhelming danger: The allied ninja combine techniques and recover their resolve when Ōnoki gives them a plan.
• Escalating power: Each defense against Sasuke’s attacks is tested or overcome, and his final Wood Release reveal signals that the confrontation is far from over.

Plot points and events

• Sasuke unveils the colossal Wood Release Wooden Human, a technique Ōnoki recognizes as Hashirama Senju’s ultimate weapon. Orochimaru explains that Sasuke’s released White Cursed Seal grants him power comparable to Hashirama.
• Sasuke demonstrates the golem’s overwhelming strength, shattering the battlefield and scattering the Allied Shinobi Forces. Mifune’s sword breaks against it, and Tsunade’s powerful punch fails to slow it; Sasuke’s attacks appear devastating but are restrained.
• Mei Terumi, Ao, and Chōjūrō try to reach Sasuke, but the golem binds Ao and Chōjūrō and threatens Mei with attacks from Wood Release Clones using multiple kekkei genkai.
• Ōnoki uses Dust Release to sever the golem’s foot, giving Mei’s group a chance to escape. Believing the other Kage defeated, he offers to hold Sasuke off alone and urges the younger generation to unite and avoid past conflicts.
• The others refuse to abandon him. Darui, Temari, Gaara, the Raikage, Mei, Tsunade, Mifune, and the samurai rally behind Ōnoki, declaring they will face the danger together.
• Sasuke smiles at their unity and ends the battle. Kabuto reveals himself from among the samurai and joins Sasuke. Sasuke tells the Five Kage they are too weak to be worth killing, then announces that he will wage another war in three years and seek control of the Five Great Nations. He and Kabuto disappear.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke displays immense power but deliberately spares his opponents, suggesting the battle was partly a test rather than an attempt to kill them. He is pleased when the Kage and their allies unite, yet threatens them with a future war.
• Ōnoki confronts his old regret at having once yielded to power. He accepts a potential last stand so the younger leaders can survive, but the others reject his sacrifice and stand with him.
• The allied leaders and shinobi shift from panic and desperation to solidarity. Darui, Mei, Gaara, Temari, the Raikage, Tsunade, Mifune, and their forces choose to face the threat together.
• Tsunade pushes herself to protect the others, but her Hundred Healings reaches its limit after Sasuke knocks her aside.
• Kabuto abandons his disguise and reunites with Sasuke, confirming their ongoing partnership and plans.

Significant themes

• Unity over division: The allies’ refusal to abandon one another answers Ōnoki’s warning against repeating the nations’ history of infighting.
• Power and responsibility: Sasuke’s overwhelming strength contrasts with the leaders’ need to grow stronger and act together.
• Legacy and generational change: Ōnoki hopes the younger generation can lead without repeating his compromises.
• A battle as a test: Sasuke’s restraint and satisfaction at the alliance’s solidarity suggest that the confrontation’s outcome matters less to him than what the survivors learn from it.

Plot points and events

• After Sasuke defeats the Five Kage and the shinobi at the summit, Ōnoki decides the meeting will continue until the Hokage, Kazekage, and Raikage awaken. The leaders will then discuss how to prepare for the war Sasuke has threatened to bring in three years.
• Sasuke returns with Orochimaru and Kabuto after his seventh battle. He says he still feels unsatisfied and expects his eighth opponent to be someone revived with Impure World Reincarnation. The group discusses the danger posed by Obito and the possibility of Itachi becoming powerful enough to surpass the Five Kage.
• Sasuke confirms that Nagato died protecting Suigetsu from Obito. Orochimaru explains that Nagato’s old leg injuries left him vulnerable despite recovering his body.
• Karin, Suigetsu, and Jugo reunite with Sasuke. He thanks Suigetsu and Jugo for risking their lives to recover Fugaku’s eyes; Suigetsu insists that Nagato deserves the credit.
• Orochimaru uses Nagato’s blood and a White Zetsu clone to revive him with Impure World Reincarnation. Nagato learns that Obito has his head and Rinnegan, and Sasuke vows to stop Obito if he returns.
• Nagato asks about Itachi and learns that Shisui’s eyes are being transplanted into him. He also discovers Orochimaru’s role in making Itachi and Shisui brothers in the relevant sense.
• Orochimaru offers to restore Nagato’s ability to walk by treating his reincarnated soul. Nagato accepts, calling his return a “blessing in disguise.”

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke shows gratitude and concern for his allies, while remaining focused on future battles and stopping Obito. His new power is unfamiliar even to him.
• Nagato returns with renewed purpose: he wants to help oppose Obito and is hopeful about regaining mobility.
• Orochimaru continues to act as a resourceful medical and scientific ally, demonstrating a new soul-healing technique.
• Suigetsu and Jugo are recognized for their courage, while Suigetsu redirects Sasuke’s thanks toward Nagato.
• Ōnoki earns the other shinobi’s respect by taking responsibility for planning against the coming war.
• The exchanges between Nagato, Orochimaru, and Sasuke reveal mutual respect, especially over Orochimaru’s unconventional work and Nagato’s continued loyalty.

Significant themes

• Preparation for an uncertain future: the summit shifts from reacting to Sasuke’s attack to planning for the threatened war.
• Sacrifice and gratitude: Nagato dies protecting Suigetsu, and Sasuke honors the risks his allies took.
• Second chances: Nagato’s revival gives him a chance to act on unfinished hopes and recover his mobility.
• Power and vulnerability: even exceptional abilities cannot erase the consequences of past injuries or guarantee safety.

Key plot points and events

• Orochimaru uses Soul Medical Ninjutsu to restore Nagato’s legs. Nagato tests his newfound mobility and reflects that his immortal, inexhaustible body has finally let him reach his true prime.
• Orochimaru judges that Nagato now outclasses Sasuke and could serve as the opponent for the tenth battle. Kabuto wonders whether only Madara or Hashirama could meet that standard.
• At the Akatsuki hideout, Obito uses Hashirama cells to heal his shattered heart. He plans to transplant the Rinnegan, capture the Eight-Tails, and complete the Ten-Tails by obtaining the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Obito deduces that Naruto is hidden at Mount Myōboku and intends to attack it once he is ready.
• White Zetsu reports that Samehada has betrayed Kisame and given its chakra to Killer B. Though Obito wants to intervene, Tobi persuades him to keep healing, and Obito resigns himself to Kisame’s likely loss.
• Killer B and the Eight-Tails overpower Kisame. As a Tailed Beast Bomb is about to kill him, a mysterious luminous figure appears and Kisame vanishes in the ensuing explosion.
• On Blue Moon Island, Itachi removes his eye covering and awakens the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. He says his eyes reached Kisame across great distance, and leaves Kisame to follow his own path.

Character developments and interactions

• Nagato regains physical freedom and recognizes both the strength and limitations of the body he once relied on through Pain.
• Obito remains committed to his long-term plan, but his vulnerability forces him to choose recovery over rescuing Kisame. He sees Kisame as an unusually loyal and dependable ally.
• Tobi acts as Obito’s practical restraint, emphasizing that an incomplete recovery could have lasting consequences.
• Kisame faces death with regret, questioning whether his life and loyalty amounted to anything. His connection with Itachi becomes central to his apparent escape.
• Itachi demonstrates a new, remarkable power and offers Kisame help while insisting that Kisame must choose his own future.
• Killer B and Samehada fight in harmony, in sharp contrast to Kisame’s sense of betrayal.

Significant themes

• Power and limitation: Nagato’s restored mobility reveals how much his former dependence on Pain constrained him; Obito’s plans are likewise limited by his injured body.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Kisame’s devotion to Obito contrasts with Samehada’s sudden allegiance to B.
• Purpose and emptiness: Kisame’s final thoughts question the value of a life spent serving a cause.
• Connection beyond distance: Itachi describes the Sharingan as reflecting the heart and allowing deeply resonant people to reach one another.
• Agency and choice: Itachi saves Kisame, but leaves him to decide how to continue.

Key plot points and events

• Itachi returns with newly awakened eyes and instantly recounts events he never witnessed: the fight against Killer B, Nagato’s death and revival, and Sasuke’s transformation at the Five Kage Summit.
• He explains that his left-eye dōjutsu, Ame-no-Uzume, lets him read the thoughts of people weaker than himself. Its deeper ability, Manifestation, appeared when Kisame called to him in mortal danger: Itachi’s will took tangible form as a “Shikigami.” He admits the power is still mysterious.
• Itachi reveals that Killer B is still alive, surprising the group.
• After Orochimaru declares the island’s eight residents a faction under Sasuke, Sasuke names it Radiance—a group moving through darkness toward a brighter future.
• Elsewhere, a long-dormant figure awakens and demands an explanation from Black Zetsu.

Character developments and interactions

• Itachi’s new power establishes him as an unusually perceptive and formidable presence, while his calm, modest response contrasts with Nagato’s joking suggestion that he be treated as a god.
• Nagato shows renewed warmth and humor after letting go of his bitterness, while remaining impressed by Itachi.
• Sasuke has moved beyond his former self-image as an eagle seeking to soar above others; he now thinks in terms of guiding a collective toward a better future.
• Orochimaru remains fascinated by Itachi’s abilities and speculates about the dōjutsu’s origins and what might awaken Itachi’s right-eye power.
• Karin and Suigetsu’s familiar bickering provides comic relief: Suigetsu teases Karin about her feelings for Sasuke, and she beats him up.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and power: Itachi’s ability to read minds makes him seem almost divine, but it has limits and remains partly unexplained.
• Faith, connection, and protection: Kisame’s desperate call acts as the catalyst for Manifestation, suggesting that bonds can awaken extraordinary power.
• Moving from darkness toward hope: Sasuke’s name for the faction expresses its shared aim of bringing light to the shinobi world.
• Unresolved threats: The awakened figure’s confrontation with Black Zetsu signals that the larger conflict is far from over.

Key plot points and events

• Naruto awakens after a month-long sleep, but Madara’s consciousness has taken control of his body through Black Zetsu’s cursed Seal. The Seal alters Naruto’s appearance, turning half his hair black and one eye black.
• Madara demands an explanation from Black Zetsu. Zetsu says Nagato’s Rinne Rebirth is no longer possible and claims Impure World Reincarnation would have been an undignified substitute. He also cites the rise of Sasuke Uchiha as a reason to revive Madara.
• Zetsu recounts Sasuke’s history: his Mangekyō Sharingan, Hashirama’s power, and his defeat of most Akatsuki members. Madara is especially interested in the possibility that Sasuke could awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Madara learns that Naruto is the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki. Inside Naruto’s mindscape, Madara subdues the beast with his Sharingan. He is surprised that it has only half its former power, and Zetsu explains that Minato sealed away the other half.
• Madara asks to meet Sasuke, but Zetsu conceals that Sasuke is nearby and actively searching for him. Instead, Zetsu directs Madara toward Kirigakure, the closest major village.
• Determined to strengthen Naruto’s body and release more of the Seal’s power, Madara declares that he will attack Kirigakure and make it a “Village of the Bloody Mist.”

Character developments and interactions

• Madara establishes immediate dominance over Zetsu, ordering him to kneel and questioning his choices. He is ruthless, battle-hungry, and contemptuous of Obito’s failures, but intrigued by Sasuke and eager for a fight.
• Black Zetsu carefully manages Madara, offering a prepared account while privately calculating how to keep Madara from encountering Sasuke. Though he submits outwardly, he believes he still controls the Seal.
• Naruto remains suppressed beneath Madara’s consciousness; his weak physical state is attributed to the chakra he uses to contain the Nine-Tails.
• The Nine-Tails reacts furiously to Madara, then is instantly subdued by his Sharingan.
• Madara’s interactions with Zetsu reveal their uneasy power dynamic: Zetsu flatters and obeys him, while secretly steering his actions.

Significant themes

• Control and possession: Madara takes over Naruto’s body, while Zetsu claims control over the Seal itself.
• Manipulation and concealed motives: Zetsu shapes Madara’s understanding of events and hides Sasuke’s whereabouts.
• Power and legacy: Madara’s interest in Sasuke connects the Uchiha clan’s history to its surviving descendants.
• The cycle of conflict: Madara’s plan to attack Kirigakure suggests that the pursuit of power will bring further violence.