Recaps

Orochimaru treated Jiraiya’s burns, and they debated whether to tell Naruto about the future before watching Sasuke demonstrate his dangerous training. Meanwhile, Black Zetsu attacked Kabuto in the Archive Room, seeking the truth behind Sasuke’s sudden increase in strength.

• Orochimaru argued that Naruto needed the truth about the future, but Jiraiya decided to keep it from him for now and guide his training more carefully.
• Orochimaru revealed that he had transplanted Hashirama cells into Jiraiya’s left arm without asking him.
• Orochimaru took Jiraiya to watch Sasuke train with eight Wood Release clones, whose Susanoo-fired arrows Sasuke caught while blindfolded using the Hotei Technique.
• Kabuto finished organizing documents in the Land of Whirlpools Archive Room, but Black Zetsu punched through his chest and used Mind Link to investigate Sasuke’s strength.

Black Zetsu learned the secrets of Orochimaru and Sasuke’s plans, then attacked Kabuto, killed Yamato, and abducted Naruto. Kabuto returned to Orochimaru badly injured and reported what had happened, while Orochimaru comforted him.

• Black Zetsu extracted Kabuto’s memories, learned about the future and the plans involving Orochimaru and Sasuke, then burned Kabuto with Amaterasu and destroyed the documents.
• Kabuto used Izanagi to escape the flames, but Black Zetsu attacked Naruto and Yamato at Falling Cloud Gorge.
• Yamato bound Naruto to protect him, but Black Zetsu killed Yamato and abducted Naruto after subduing Naruto’s four-tailed transformation with black flames.
• Kabuto arrived to find Yamato’s remains, cut off his burning left hand, and vowed never to be ambushed again.
• Orochimaru summoned Kabuto back to Blue Moon Island, where Kabuto reported that Black Zetsu had learned their secrets and taken Naruto.
• Orochimaru helped Kabuto to his feet and reassured him that surviving was what mattered most.

Orochimaru organized a rescue mission after Black Zetsu abducted Naruto, while suspecting the plot was connected to Madara and Infinite Tsukuyomi. He sent Jiraiya, Itachi, Kabuto, and Karin to investigate, revived Yamato, and took Sasuke toward his Sixth Battle, where Sasuke suspected Orochimaru was hiding what had happened to Naruto.

• Orochimaru told the group that Naruto was probably safe for now and theorized Black Zetsu had abducted him to prepare for Infinite Tsukuyomi and revive Kaguya.
• Orochimaru sent Jiraiya, Itachi, Kabuto, and Karin to search for Naruto, while keeping Sasuke out of the investigation.
• Orochimaru used a White Zetsu clone and Impure World Reincarnation to restore Kabuto's left hand and revive Yamato.
• Jiraiya realized Sasuke's next opponent was likely Nagato, and Orochimaru set out with Sasuke for the Sixth Battle.
• Sasuke asked Orochimaru to explain what had happened to Naruto after the battle, believing Orochimaru was withholding the truth.

The Akatsuki sealed the Seven-Tails after Deidara and Kisame defeated Fū, then learned that Sasuke was staying nearby. Deidara pursued Sasuke into the mountains, where their long-awaited fight was about to begin.

• The Akatsuki sealed the Seven-Tails, and Fū died after Deidara and Kisame defeated her.
• Deidara learned that Sasuke was staying at an inn in the Land of Waterfalls and set out to confront him.
• Kisame declined to join Deidara and headed toward the Land of Lightning to hunt Killer B.
• Sasuke decided to trust his companions over his worries about Naruto until after the Sixth Battle.
• Deidara spotted Sasuke above the inn, and Sasuke ran toward the wooded mountains as Deidara pursued him.

Sasuke and Deidara fought in the forest and sky as Deidara unveiled ceramic-coated explosives designed to counter Sasuke’s Lightning Release. Sasuke survived Deidara’s C4 Garuda by using a clone and disguising himself as Susanoo’s arrow, but Deidara began his ultimate self-destruct attack.

• Deidara attacked Sasuke with ceramic-coated clay spiders, and Sasuke used a clone to discover that the coating protected the bombs from Lightning Release and scattered shrapnel when they exploded.
• Sasuke spotted Deidara’s land mines with his Sharingan, then flew after him with cursed wings and pierced the ceramic White Bird with Chidori Sharp Spear.
• Deidara detonated a hidden C3 bomb, but Sasuke survived inside Susanoo and fired an arrow at Deidara’s armored C2 Dragon.
• Deidara unleashed his ceramic-coated C4 Garuda, apparently destroying Sasuke and Susanoo, but Sasuke emerged from the dragon and revealed that the destroyed figure had been a clone.
• Sasuke impaled Deidara with Susanoo’s sword, and Deidara tore off his robe and activated C0: Self-Destruct.

Sasuke killed Deidara after trapping him in a genjutsu, then Akatsuki discussed the hunt for the Eight-Tails and Naruto and whether Sasuke should be eliminated. Three days later, Sasuke and his companion arrived at Amegakure in the rain.

• Deidara realized Sasuke had trapped him in a genjutsu and died after Sasuke pulled his hand from his chest.
• Sasuke burned Deidara's body with Amaterasu and told Orochimaru he would see his path through to the end.
• Obito told Pain and Konan that Deidara was dead and Kisame was hunting Killer B, then ordered Pain to hunt Naruto.
• Pain proposed killing Sasuke, but Obito warned that Sasuke might be too much for Pain to handle, and Konan insisted Pei was invincible.
• Three days later, Sasuke and another figure arrived by boat at Amegakure and looked across the rain-soaked village.

Sasuke infiltrated Amegakure to confront Pain, and Konan attacked him before three Paths joined the fight. The Sixth Battle began with Sasuke facing the Animal, Preta, and Human Paths as Konan escaped to Pain’s real body.

• Sasuke entered Amegakure and chose a deserted area for his confrontation with Pain.
• Pei stopped the Rain Tiger at Will Technique, and Konan searched the village before identifying Sasuke.
• Konan attacked Sasuke with paper spears, but his Blaze Release Clone ignited her paper body until the Preta Path absorbed the flames.
• Konan withdrew while the Animal Path’s Demon Hound blocked Sasuke’s Susanoo arrow, and the Animal Path summoned a giant bird that Sasuke destroyed.
• The Animal Path vanished with its Lizard summon as the Preta Path readied itself and the Human Path leaped into battle against Sasuke.

Sasuke defeated Pain’s Animal, Preta, and Human Paths, but the remaining Paths revived them and assembled as all six confronted him. The Six Paths of Pain advanced together, with Sasuke recognizing Deva Path as the most troublesome opponent.

• Sasuke used a Lightning Release shuriken barrage to kill Preta Path, causing Multi-Headed Dog to vanish.
• Human Path tried to extract Sasuke’s soul, but Sasuke escaped with a substitution technique and identified Human Path’s ability.
• Sasuke trapped Animal Path’s Chameleon with Wood Release, then used a Fūma Shuriken feint and Chidori to kill Animal Path.
• Sasuke killed Human Path with a Susanoo arrow, and the remaining summoned beasts disappeared.
• Asura Path bombarded Sasuke with missiles, but Naraka Path revived the three fallen Paths.
• The Six Paths of Pain assembled before Sasuke, who recognized Deva Path as the most troublesome.

Sasuke fought Pain's Six Paths, using Wood Release and a feint to try to destroy the Naraka Path, but Pain's abilities and the Asura Path's surprise attack stopped him. With Pain now guarding the Naraka Path in a formation with no openings, Sasuke activated White Cursed Seal: State Three and summoned twelve Susanoo-clad Wood Release Clones to break through by force.

• Pain's Deva Path used Banshō Ten'in to pull Sasuke in, but Sasuke countered by smashing the Asura Path with Susanoo before the Deva Path repelled him with Shinra Tensei.
• Sasuke released Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence and Poison Flower Pollen, then used a Wood Release Clone as a decoy while he attacked the Naraka Path from above.
• The revived Asura Path fired its Laser Cannon and forced Sasuke to dodge, giving the Deva Path time to recover and repel Sasuke's failed attack on the Naraka Path.
• Pain's Deva Path concluded that Madara had told Sasuke about the Rinnegan and rearranged the Paths to protect the Naraka Path from every direction.
• Sasuke activated White Cursed Seal: State Three, created twelve Wood Release Clones, and summoned Susanoo around each one.

Sasuke overwhelmed the Six Paths of Pain with a layered assault, destroying all but Deva Path as the battle moved away from Amegakure. Nagato began preparing Chibaku Tensei to face Sasuke.

• Pain used Shinra Tensei, summons, and Asura Path’s weapons to repel the Wood Release Clone Susanoo assault, but Sasuke exploited the chaos to attack from underground and above.
• Sasuke’s Blaze Release traps killed Human Path and crippled Asura Path, while he finished Naraka Path; Deva Path escaped as the building collapsed.
• Sasuke’s expanding Amaterasu flames formed an arrow that stirred a thunderstorm, and his Kirin attack obliterated Animal Path and its summoned beasts.
• Deva Path deflected the scattered Susanoo fragments and fled toward Amegakure’s outskirts, with Sasuke pursuing him.
• Nagato told Konan that Sasuke’s strength rivaled the Nine-Tails and began forming Chibaku Tensei.

Sasuke fought Pain’s Deva Path, escaped Chibaku Tensei with the Yasaka Flame Dragon, and launched his strongest attack against Pain’s Super God Shinra Tensei. The blast swallowed Sasuke as the sky and earth were devastated, leaving his fate uncertain.

• Pain’s Deva Path used Chibaku Tensei to trap Sasuke inside a growing celestial sphere, and Sasuke’s first Kagutsuchi Great Arrow failed to destroy its Black Core.
• Sasuke broke free by combining eight Fire Dragon Torches into the Yasaka Flame Dragon, while the Deva Path tried to enlarge the sphere.
• Sasuke formed the Yasaka Divine Arrow from the dragon’s black flames and fired it at Pain’s Deva Path.
• Pain’s Deva Path unleashed Super God Shinra Tensei, which annihilated the arrow and engulfed Sasuke as the sky and earth collapsed.

Sasuke survived Pain’s Super Shinra Tensei by using Manda as a delayed summon, then tried to turn Pain against the masked man by revealing his identity as Obito Uchiha. Pain decided Sasuke was too dangerous to spare, but Sasuke absorbed the White Cursed Seal’s state three and prepared to face him again while Deva Path’s powers remained unavailable.

• Pain searched the devastated basin and discovered Sasuke’s delayed summoning formula on a fragment of the Wood Dragon.
• The formula summoned the dying Manda, and Sasuke emerged from his mouth after surviving the blast with Susanoo.
• Pain pinned the badly injured Sasuke with black rods, and Sasuke told him the masked man was Obito Uchiha, not Madara.
• Pain chose to kill Sasuke, but Sasuke revealed he had absorbed the White Cursed Seal’s state three and pulled out the black rods.
• Sasuke told Pain he had missed his chance to kill him and agreed to wait until Deva Path’s abilities recovered.

Sasuke defeated Pain's Deva Path after destroying Nagato's second Chibaku Tensei and outmaneuvering his final attacks. With the Sixth Battle over, Sasuke headed to Amegakure to meet Nagato while Orochimaru waited behind.

• Nagato told Konan what Sasuke had revealed about Obito impersonating Madara and vowed to use Chibaku Tensei again to decide how he would speak with Sasuke.
• Sasuke matched Pain's Water Release with Great Flame Technique, then used Wood Release Clones and Susanoo arrows to pressure the Deva Path.
• Sasuke destroyed Chibaku Tensei's Black Core with three Kagutsuchi arrows, causing Nagato to spit blood and leaving him shocked.
• Sasuke resisted Shinra Tensei, counterattacked Pain with Wood Release, and used a transformed Susanoo arrow to surprise and pin the Deva Path with White Rasengan.
• Nagato realized the last Pain had been defeated, and Orochimaru met Sasuke on the mountain.
• Sasuke declined to return with Orochimaru and sprinted toward Amegakure to meet Nagato.

Sasuke met the frail Nagato in Amegakure and heard how loss shaped Nagato's plan to end war through fear and pain. Sasuke challenged Nagato's sense of destiny by revealing that Madara had transplanted the Rinnegan into him and intended to use him as a pawn.

• Sasuke flew to the tallest tower in Amegakure, where Konan let him pass to meet Nagato.
• Nagato agreed to answer Sasuke's questions and recounted the deaths of his parents and Yahiko, which led him to believe pain could guide the world toward peace.
• Sasuke recognized that Nagato's conviction was rooted too deeply for a reasoned argument and decided to shake it with a startling truth.
• Sasuke told Nagato that Madara had awakened and transplanted the Rinnegan into him, intending to use Nagato to perform Rinne Rebirth and carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan.

Sasuke convinced Nagato that Obito had manipulated him and persuaded him to abandon his past, but Obito arrived and captured Nagato before he could act on his decision. Konan and Sasuke confronted Obito as he declared his plan to reclaim the Rinnegan and vanished.

• Nagato stabbed Sasuke with a Black Rod, but Sasuke used the Yang Seal to resist Nagato's chakra and pulled the rod from his abdomen.
• Sasuke argued that Nagato had been used and urged him to make amends, then proposed transcending the conflict between love and power.
• Remembering Yahiko's purpose for founding the Akatsuki, Nagato chose to believe Sasuke and break with his past.
• Obito appeared and sucked Nagato into his space-time vortex as Sasuke's Lightning passed through him.
• Obito attacked Konan, but Sasuke stopped her from retaliating and Obito revealed that he planned to imprison Nagato and take back the Rinnegan.
• Obito expelled Nagato and Konan from the Akatsuki, threatened to capture the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails, and vanished into his vortex.

Sasuke warned Konan that Obito could survive her planned attack and gave her a way to contact him, then decided to go to Konoha to obtain Kakashi's paired Sharingan and rescue Nagato. Meanwhile, after Kisame failed to capture Killer B, Obito chose to head to Konoha himself as his plans began to unravel.

• Orochimaru returned Yahiko's body to Konan, and Sasuke offered her Orochimaru's Flying Thunder God kunai as a way to summon their help.
• Sasuke warned Konan that Obito could escape her explosive-tag trap using Izanagi, and she decided to leave Amegakure.
• Sasuke learned that Orochimaru could not retrieve Nagato from Obito's dimension and concluded they needed Kakashi's left eye to reach him.
• Obito arrived at Killer B's ruined training ground, where Kisame admitted that the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki had escaped.
• Obito absorbed the octopus tentacle Kisame had brought back and decided to go to Konoha while Kisame awaited further orders.

Kakashi mourned Obito and recounted the troubles facing his students and Konoha before an orange-masked Akatsuki member ambushed him at the cemetery. The attacker stole Kakashi’s left eye, and Sasuke Uchiha arrived with Orochimaru, trapping the cemetery inside a flame barrier as Konoha’s Ninjas closed in.

• Kakashi visited Obito’s gravestone and reflected on Naruto’s training, Sasuke’s defection, Sakura’s guilt, and the aftermath of Danzo’s mysterious death.
• Inoichi Yamanaka warned Kakashi that two powerful intruders were heading for the cemetery and told him to escape to the Hokage.
• An orange-masked Akatsuki member appeared behind Kakashi, phased through his Piercing Thrust, and ripped out his left eye.
• The attacker placed Kakashi’s eye in a bottle, taunted him, and began to leave through a black vortex before a Great Arrow struck through him and pierced Obito’s gravestone.
• Sasuke Uchiha arrived with Orochimaru, confronted the masked man, and raised an Uchiha Flame Formation around the cemetery as Konoha’s Ninjas arrived.

Sasuke fought Obito inside the barrier while Konoha's forces failed to break in. Obito escaped with Izanagi, and Sasuke lowered the barrier as he prepared to face Konoha and deal with Naruto's abduction.

• Tsunade and Might Guy attacked Sasuke's barrier, but neither could break it, so Tsunade ordered the shinobi to surround it.
• Sasuke used Amaterasu and Susanoo's arrows to thwart Obito's escape attempts, then impaled Obito with a lightning spear.
• Obito removed his mask, revealed himself to Kakashi, and confessed to causing the Nine-Tails Incident, sending Kakashi into unconsciousness.
• Sasuke summoned the Yasaka Flame Dragon, but Obito used Izanagi to escape through a space-time vortex.
• Orochimaru proposed a way to retrieve Nagato and both of Fugaku's eyes, while Sasuke resolved to address Naruto's abduction by Black Zetsu.
• Sasuke lowered the Uchiha Flame Formation as Konoha's forces waited outside and Sakura watched.

Suigetsu and Jugo awoke after five months under Sasuke’s immersive genjutsu, while Suigetsu encountered a mysterious, resentful man seeking his Sharingan. In Konoha, Sasuke revealed that Black Zetsu had abducted Naruto, but a clash with the shinobi ended with Sasuke and Orochimaru escaping after Sasuke used genjutsu on Sakura.

• Suigetsu and Jugo woke on Blue Moon Island and recalled dreamlike memories of Sasuke and their past.
• Suigetsu followed drifting white flames and saw a scarred man lamenting his lost Sharingan and Hokage position before the man appeared behind him.
• Sasuke told Tsunade that Black Zetsu had abducted Naruto from the Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, but Konoha shinobi demanded his capture.
• Sakura charged through Sasuke’s Amaterasu, declared she wanted to die with him, and collapsed with severe wounds.
• Sasuke broke free of Shikaku’s Shadow Possession Jutsu, used Sharingan genjutsu on Sakura, and defended himself from Tsunade’s attack with a Wood Dragon.
• Orochimaru used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape with Sasuke after Sasuke entrusted Sakura to Tsunade.

Orochimaru and Sasuke encountered Danzo as a powerful earthbound spirit on Blue Moon Island, and Orochimaru used the Reaper Death Seal to uncover his memories. The memories revealed that Kashyapa Senju had taken Kagami Uchiha’s eyes, though their current whereabouts remained unknown.

• Orochimaru and Sasuke pursued Suigetsu, who was fleeing from Danzo’s spirit.
• Sasuke’s attacks failed to stop Danzo, who used Baku-like suction and the Reverse Four Symbols Seal to form a massive basin.
• Orochimaru explained that Danzo was an earthbound spirit bound to Blue Moon Island, empowered by his resentment and Baku’s spirit.
• Orochimaru subdued Danzo with the Shinigami’s power and extracted his memories before Danzo’s soul was sealed away.
• Orochimaru learned that Danzo had ordered Kagami Uchiha’s death, but a Root traitor had taken Kagami’s eyes.
• Orochimaru identified the traitor as Kashyapa Senju, the son of Hashirama Senju and Tsunade’s father.

Orochimaru and Sasuke discussed Kashyapa Senju’s betrayal and then considered using Suigetsu and Jugo to infiltrate the Akatsuki again. The chapter ended with Orochimaru revealing that their real mission would be to rescue Nagato and retrieve Uchiha Fugaku’s eyes for Sasuke.

• Orochimaru told Sasuke that Kashyapa Senju had betrayed Danzo and escaped with Kagami’s eyes, and said he would search for him.
• Suigetsu explained his return to Orochimaru while Jugo asked Sasuke about the dream they had shared.
• Sasuke questioned Suigetsu about the dream, but Orochimaru drew him aside before he could explain what would happen next.
• Orochimaru argued that Suigetsu and Jugo should return to the Akatsuki while Obito prepared to hunt the Eight-Tails.
• Orochimaru revealed that Suigetsu and Jugo’s true mission was to rescue Nagato and retrieve Uchiha Fugaku’s eyes for Sasuke.

Obito tested Suigetsu and Jugo with genjutsu after they returned to Akatsuki, intending to use them in the hunt for the Eight-Tails and dispose of them afterward. Meanwhile, Naruto woke in a gloomy cavern beside someone whose identity was not revealed.

• Obito learned that the Raikage planned to summon the Five Kage after believing Killer B had been killed, and decided Akatsuki should capture the Eight-Tails first.
• White Zetsu reported that Suigetsu and Jugo had reappeared near the Land of Fire, and Obito went to confront them.
• Suigetsu claimed that Sasuke had held them prisoner for six months, and Obito tested him twice with genjutsu.
• Sasuke's genjutsu safeguards made Suigetsu repeat the prepared answers, and the second test left him unconscious.
• Obito ordered Jugo to follow him so they could join Kisame in hunting the Eight-Tails, while Jugo secretly touched the Flying Thunder God Kunai in his pouch.
• Naruto woke in a gloomy cavern as an unidentified person addressed him.

Black Zetsu deceived Naruto into trusting him while keeping him captive, then prepared to flee as Jiraiya and the others fought their way toward the cavern. The rescuers were trapped by mirror-image opponents, and Black Zetsu escaped underground with Naruto.

• Black Zetsu had abducted Naruto after killing Yamato, then spent a month posing as Jiraiya’s friend and helping Naruto train until he mastered adding a chakra nature to the Rasengan.
• Black Zetsu invented a tragic story about his mother and brothers, prompting Naruto to promise to make the brothers repent at her grave.
• Jiraiya, Itachi, Karin, and Kabuto Yakushi found the cavern, where talismans created copies of the rescuers to block their advance.
• Itachi realized the technique could not copy reincarnated Yamato and asked him to help Jiraiya, but Itachi’s copy attacked Yamato and forced Itachi to intervene.
• Black Zetsu enveloped Naruto and sank underground with him, leaving the rescuers behind.

After Black Zetsu escaped with Naruto, Itachi and the others regrouped and planned separate missions to rescue Naruto, treat Itachi’s illness, and pursue their other objectives. Black Zetsu brought Naruto to a sealed temple and opened it to reveal an ancient coffin.

• Itachi reassured Kabuto and promised to punch him after he brought Naruto back, but then coughed blood and learned he needed Sage Medicine from Ryūchi Cave.
• Jiraiya told Itachi not to delay treatment for his sake, while Karin found evidence that Black Zetsu had kept Naruto in the cave for some time.
• Kabuto summoned Orochimaru and Sasuke with the Flying Thunder God Kunai, and Sasuke reported that Obito had captured Nagato after the Sixth Battle.
• Orochimaru set plans to obtain Sage Medicine for Itachi, help Kabuto learn Ryūchi Cave’s Transformation Sage Art, and search for Kāye, while Jiraiya prepared to improve his Sage Mode.
• Black Zetsu took Naruto to a desolate temple in an unnamed small country and opened its sealed doors, revealing an ancient coffin.

Black Zetsu used Madara Uchiha’s remains to create a Black Cursed Seal on Naruto, intending to control Madara through him. Madara briefly manifested through Naruto and threatened Black Zetsu before Naruto collapsed unconscious.

• Black Zetsu opened the coffin containing Madara Uchiha’s remains and told Naruto to sit on it.
• Black Zetsu infused Madara’s remains with his power and used the resulting ink-like fluid to immobilize Naruto.
• Black Zetsu explained that he had developed the Ōtsutsuki Black Kāma to pass Madara’s will and power into Naruto while keeping control as its caster.
• The markings overwhelmed the Nine-Tails’ chakra and formed the Black Cursed Seal on Naruto’s neck.
• Madara briefly took over half of Naruto’s face, threatened Black Zetsu, then withdrew as Naruto fell unconscious.