Recaps

Sasuke fought Gaara until Gaara unleashed Shukaku, then defeated them with his newly devised Lightning Release: Kirin. As Gaara lay defeated and asked to die, Sasuke told him that Naruto carried the Nine-Tailed Fox, stirring his curiosity about Naruto.

• Sasuke bound Gaara and attacked him with bandages and Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Technique, but Gaara broke free and unleashed a sandstorm.
• Gaara transformed into Shukaku by using the Feigning Sleep Technique, while Naruto stayed behind with the captured Kankuro and Temari to watch the fight.
• Sasuke summoned natural lightning and struck Shukaku with Lightning Release: Kirin, injuring Gaara and bringing him down.
• Sasuke caught Gaara as he fell, and Gaara asked him to kill him.
• Sasuke told Gaara that Naruto carried the Nine-Tailed Fox, prompting Gaara to wonder about Naruto.

Sasuke defeated Gaara, who learned that Naruto was also a jinchūriki, while Madara subdued the invasion and arrived as the Third Hokage sealed Orochimaru’s hands and died. After the village’s leaders began arranging the transition, Madara caught up with Orochimaru and killed the Sound Four.

• Sasuke returned to Naruto with Gaara defeated, and Naruto told Gaara that the Nine-Tailed Fox was inside him.
• Madara appeared at the Arena rooftop as the Third Hokage used the Reaper Death Seal, sealing the First Hokage’s soul and most of the Second Hokage’s soul.
• The Third Hokage sealed Orochimaru’s hands with his remaining strength and died, while Orochimaru escaped with his subordinates.
• Madara ordered Raido to help reassure the village, and Uchiha Fugaku asked Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu to take charge.
• Madara caught up with Orochimaru in the forest and killed the Sound Four.

Madara confronted Orochimaru after killing his followers and offered to spare him in exchange for Hashirama Cells and his service. Orochimaru hesitated over Madara’s plans for a new order, but Madara revealed he knew the locations of Orochimaru’s hideouts and declared that Orochimaru would be his subordinate.

• Madara emerged from the forest and asked Orochimaru for the Hashirama Cells he had cultivated in Danzo’s body.
• Madara offered to let Orochimaru go and recruit him to help build a new order after the deaths of the Third Hokage and Danzo.
• Orochimaru questioned why the Fifth Hokage designated by the Third Hokage would work with him, and Madara said he wanted a world where people could live peaceful lives.
• Orochimaru challenged Madara’s confidence and implied he could still escape.
• Madara revealed that he knew about the Akatsuki and Orochimaru’s hideouts, then showed him a map marked with their locations.
• Madara told Orochimaru that they would not be partners and that Orochimaru would be his subordinate.

Madara forced Orochimaru to surrender Hashirama Cells and placed a Cursed Seal on him, then returned to Konoha as the village considered him for Fifth Hokage. Several prominent ninja and clan leaders supported Madara, but the vote remained underway.

• Madara threatened Orochimaru with his intelligence on Orochimaru's bases and overwhelming power, forcing him to agree to provide Hashirama Cells and help rebuild Konoha.
• Madara placed a Cursed Seal on Orochimaru and demanded the Hashirama Cells within three days, while making clear he would not bring Orochimaru back to Konoha.
• Madara returned to Konoha, where Fugaku, Hayato, and Guy welcomed him; Madara reported that Orochimaru had escaped and his barrier-maintaining ninja had been killed.
• Mitokado Homura asked whether the Third Hokage had named Uchiha Itachi as Fifth Hokage, and Raido confirmed it.
• Uchiha Ajin, Hayato Hyuga, Asuma Sarutobi, Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara, and Chōza Akimichi raised their hands in support of Madara becoming Hokage.

As Konoha’s Jōnin and Senior Advisors moved toward making Madara Uchiha the Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya objected and nominated Tsunade instead. Madara rejected the proposal and insisted that the Third Hokage had entrusted the position to him, leaving the meeting divided but with most still at his side.

• Might Guy, Kakashi, and many neutral Jōnin supported Madara becoming Hokage, and the Senior Advisors named him acting village leader pending the Daimyo’s approval.
• Jiraiya arrived and objected, arguing that Madara was too young and recommending Tsunade for the Fifth Hokage position.
• Ajin challenged Jiraiya’s nomination, and Jiraiya named Tsunade as Konoha’s finest medical ninja.
• Jiraiya proposed that Madara serve as acting Hokage until Tsunade returned, but Madara refused to accept anyone else as Fifth Hokage.
• Uchiha Fugaku, Inoichi Yamanaka, Guy, and the Sarutobi Clan stood with Madara, while Shikaku Nara and others remained neutral.

Madara secured the Fifth Hokage position after Jiraiya’s attempt to put Tsunade forward lost the support of Konoha’s clans and leaders. In private, Madara challenged Jiraiya’s claim to authority and demanded that he either recognize Madara as Hokage or face being declared a missing-nin.

• Shikaku Nara, Choza, and several previously neutral Jōnin sided with Madara after he insisted on becoming Hokage.
• The Senior Advisors confirmed that Uchiha Itachi would be the Fifth Hokage, and the others left the conference room.
• Jiraiya privately questioned whether Madara could protect Naruto and Konoha from the Akatsuki without his help.
• Madara argued that Jiraiya and Tsunade had neglected their duties by remaining outside the village while he worked for Konoha.
• Madara offered Jiraiya the choice of recognizing him as Hokage and training Naruto or being declared a missing-nin alongside Tsunade.

Madara Uchiha appointed Jiraiya to bring Tsunade back to Konoha, then presented Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji with evidence that Orochimaru had deceived Sunagakure into attacking. After Raido revealed Konoha’s casualties, Madara asked the three young ninja how Sunagakure’s representatives should be dealt with.

• Jiraiya accepted Madara as Hokage, and Madara ordered him to recruit Tsunade to lead Konoha’s medical department.
• Jiraiya asked to take Naruto along, and Madara agreed after requiring Naruto to remain in Konoha for three days.
• Madara gathered Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Jiraiya, and Sunagakure’s representatives and gave them intelligence about Orochimaru’s attack plans and the Fourth Kazekage’s death.
• Baki and the others learned that Orochimaru had killed the Fourth Kazekage and tricked Sunagakure into joining the attack.
• Raido reported Konoha’s dead, wounded, and destroyed homes, and Madara asked Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji how to deal with Sunagakure’s representatives.

Madara used a genjutsu to teach Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji the cost of war and why Sunagakure had to answer for its attack on Konoha. The three agreed Sunagakure should be punished without its people being slaughtered, and Madara brought out an alliance treaty for the village to sign.

• Baki tried to take responsibility for the attack, but Raido revealed that the Fourth Kazekage had also supported the plan to attack Konoha.
• Madara cast a genjutsu showing Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji Konoha's destruction and the deaths of people they loved; Jiraiya restrained Naruto when the Nine-Tails' power surged.
• Madara explained that forgiving Sunagakure outright would dishonor those killed and encourage further attacks, and Sasuke and Neji agreed that the village had to pay.
• Naruto grieved over the deaths shown in the genjutsu, then told Gaara that friendship did not erase Sunagakure's responsibility; Gaara accepted the punishment.
• Madara had Raido produce the Second Alliance Treaty with Sunagakure for the village to sign.

Madara secured Sunagakure’s renewed alliance with Konoha on generous terms, while Orochimaru sent him Hashirama cells and agreed to his plans. Madara transplanted and assimilated the cells, strengthening his body and healing damage to his eyes, but he did not awaken the Rinnegan.

• Madara and Baki finalized an alliance agreement that kept Sunagakure independent while requiring it to acknowledge Konoha’s leadership, and Shikaku left to inform the Land of Fire’s Daimyo.
• Orochimaru told Kabuto to send the Hashirama cells to the Fifth Hokage and to confirm his agreement with Madara’s subsequent plans.
• Uchiha Ajin delivered the Hashirama cells to Madara, who checked them for tampering and found them pure.
• Madara transplanted the Hashirama cells into Uchiha Itachi’s body and assimilated them within half a day.
• Madara felt his strength and chakra increase as the cells repaired damage to his Mangekyō Sharingan, but his eyes did not evolve into the Rinnegan.

Madara Uchiha took office as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage and immediately moved to abolish the Hyuga Clan’s Caged Bird Seal. When Hyuga elders opposed him, Madara asserted his authority and challenged their claim that the seal could protect the Byakugan.

• Shikaku returned with the Hokage’s appointment letter, and Madara Uchiha was formally inaugurated as the Fifth Hokage.
• Madara turned to Hayato Hyuga and Neji, then asked Hyuga Hiashi to explain their agreement to abolish the Caged Bird Seal.
• Hiashi told the gathered ninja that the seal shackled the branch family and should be destroyed in their generation.
• Hyuga Iwame and other elders objected, arguing that the seal protected the Byakugan from being stolen.
• Madara cited Ao of Kirigakure’s stolen Byakugan and questioned whether the Hyuga Clan could protect its eyes without Konoha.
• Madara overwhelmed Iwame with his chakra and warned him that disrespecting the Fifth Hokage meant making an enemy of Konoha.

Madara Uchiha confronted Hyuga Iwame over the Caged Bird Seal and revealed he could remove it without the Main Family’s cooperation. After demonstrating the seal’s removal on Taro Hyuga, he left Iwame facing the choice of freeing the Branch Family voluntarily or losing control over them.

• Ajin and the Uchiha Hardliners watched Madara command the gathering as Hiashi apologized for Iwame’s behavior and asked to discuss abolishing the Caged Bird Seal.
• Madara promised to protect the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan, but Iwame refused to abandon the seal and insisted that only the Hyuga Council of Elders held the removal method.
• Madara revealed that he had already found a way to remove the seal and would distribute it to every ninja in Konoha, leaving the Hyuga Main Family unable to control the Branch Family.
• Madara offered Iwame one last chance to free the Branch Family voluntarily, warning that the Main Family could leave Konoha if it refused.
• Taro Hyuga asked whether Madara could remove the seal, and Madara used the Body Flicker Technique to erase Taro’s Caged Bird Seal in front of the crowd.
• Taro celebrated his freedom, and Iwame realized that Madara could remove the seals without the Main Family’s consent.

After Madara removed Neji and Hayato’s Cursed Seals and the Hyuga Clan abolished the Caged Bird Seal, Orochimaru sought Tsunade to heal his arms, offering to resurrect her loved ones. Jiraiya and Naruto arrived as Tsunade wavered, leaving the group facing off.

• Hyuga Iwame accepted the end of the Caged Bird Seal, abolishing the distinction between the Hyuga Main and Branch Families.
• Madara removed the Cursed Seals from Hayato and Neji, preferring their genuine loyalty over controlling them.
• Orochimaru learned about Konoha’s changes from intelligence, then found Tsunade and asked her to heal his arms.
• Tsunade refused until Orochimaru offered to resurrect Dan and Nawaki, then wavered after learning he planned to help build Konoha and pursue the Fifth Hokage.
• Jiraiya and Naruto arrived, and Jiraiya warned Tsunade not to help Orochimaru while Naruto declared he would become the Sixth Hokage.

Tsunade’s negotiations with Orochimaru collapsed into a battle in the wilderness, where Kabuto exploited her fear of blood to stop her from fighting. Naruto stood between Kabuto and Tsunade, refusing to abandon his dream or his promise to protect her as Kabuto prepared to attack.

• Tsunade agreed to consider healing Orochimaru, but Kabuto noticed her intent to kill and the Sannin moved their confrontation to the wilderness.
• Kabuto and Orochimaru divided the opponents, while Jiraiya warned Tsunade not to underestimate Kabuto and summoned Gamabunta against Orochimaru’s Manda.
• Kabuto cut his arm and triggered Tsunade’s hemophobia, interrupting her attempt to summon Katsuyu and leaving her unable to fight.
• Shizune attacked Kabuto to protect Tsunade, but he severed her Achilles tendons and arm muscles with his Scalpel Technique and knocked her unconscious.
• Naruto stepped in front of Tsunade and vowed to protect her until she acknowledged him as Hokage, while Kabuto drew a kunai and prepared to strike.

Naruto fought Kabuto and then stood against Orochimaru to protect Tsunade, despite being outmatched. When Orochimaru revealed he wanted to take Sasuke, Naruto unleashed the Nine-Tails’ power and filled the battlefield with hundreds of Shadow Clones.

• Naruto used Shadow Clones and a Rasengan to keep Kabuto occupied, breaking his glasses and forcing him to retreat from a direct hit.
• Orochimaru left his fight with Jiraiya and Manda to attack Naruto, piercing Naruto’s left arm with his Flying Sword.
• Orochimaru demanded that Naruto move aside so Tsunade could heal his arms, then revealed that he wanted to take Sasuke from Konoha.
• Naruto became enraged at Orochimaru’s threat to Sasuke, drew on the Nine-Tails’ chakra, and healed his wound.
• Naruto used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to summon hundreds of clones and shouted that Orochimaru would never claim Konoha or Sasuke.

Naruto lost control as the Nine-Tails’ chakra overwhelmed him, and Tsunade stopped him by giving him her necklace, overcoming her fear of blood in the process. After Jiraiya told her that Uchiha Itachi had invited her back to Konoha, Orochimaru chose to retreat, leaving Tsunade ready to fight for Naruto.

• Orochimaru and Kabuto overwhelmed Naruto’s Shadow Clones, but Naruto’s anger at Orochimaru’s threat to take Sasuke or Itachi drove him to unleash more of the Nine-Tails’ power.
• Naruto entered a three-tailed state, attacked Orochimaru, and then turned on Jiraiya and Gamabunta as the chakra consumed his reason.
• Tsunade overcame her fear of blood, embraced Naruto, and placed her necklace on him, soothing the Nine-Tails’ chakra and knocking him unconscious.
• Tsunade summoned Katsuyu and told Shizune to care for Naruto while she faced Orochimaru, and Jiraiya told her that Uchiha Itachi had invited her back to Konoha as Medical Department Director.
• Orochimaru decided not to interfere with Itachi’s plans and vanished before Jiraiya could stop him.

Madara appointed Tsunade to lead Konoha’s Medical Corps but refused to let Jiraiya take Naruto away, saying he needed Jiraiya to protect the village while he went on a long trip. Meanwhile, Kumogakure and Iwagakure plotted to obtain the Hyuga’s Byakugan, and Ōnoki decided to use the Akatsuki.

• Tsunade accepted Madara’s offer to lead the Medical Corps and take part in village decisions.
• Madara told Jiraiya to stay with Tsunade and protect Konoha until he returned from a long trip, delaying Naruto’s training.
• The Fourth Raikage and Mabui discussed exploiting the abolition of the Caged Bird Seal to take Byakugan from the Hyuga Branch Family.
• Ōnoki ordered Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi to pursue the Byakugan, arguing that Kumogakure would gain an advantage if it obtained one.
• Ōnoki said Iwagakure would use the cash-strapped Akatsuki rather than its own shinobi to carry out the plan.

Madara Uchiha brought Hayato Hyuga and Neji Hyuga to Kumogakure to avenge Hizashi Hyuga and demand that those responsible kill themselves. When the Fourth Raikage attacked Hayato and Neji, a deep-blue barrier blocked his punch, leaving Madara's defense and the confrontation unresolved.

• Mei Terumi received Konoha's message that Kirigakure could keep Ao's Byakugan but must not pursue any other Byakugan from Konoha.
• Madara Uchiha, Hayato Hyuga, and Neji Hyuga arrived at Kumogakure, where Hayato smashed the gates and incapacitated two guards.
• Hayato and Neji told Madara they were ready to die alongside him as he brought them to avenge Hizashi Hyuga.
• Hayato intercepted Raikō Shōta, and the Fourth Raikage appeared and demanded the Hyuga's eyes and the men's hands.
• Madara demanded that those responsible for Hizashi Hyuga's death kill themselves, then faced the Fourth Raikage in combat.
• The Fourth Raikage attacked Hayato and Neji, but a deep-blue barrier stopped his punch before it could hit Hayato.

Madara used Susanoo and Tsukuyomi to defeat the Fourth Raikage after he attacked Kumogakure’s gates. With the Raikage unconscious and restrained, Madara faced a warning that killing him would bring war between Kumogakure and Konoha.

• Madara shielded Hayato and the others with Susanoo, then fought off the Raikage’s attacks while reiterating his demand for Kumogakure to apologize to Hizashi and make amends.
• The Raikage refused to summon Bee and launched repeated attacks, but he could not damage Madara’s Susanoo.
• The Raikage lost his composure and looked directly at Madara, allowing Madara to trap him in Tsukuyomi.
• Madara brought the unconscious Raikage inside Susanoo, and Hayato sealed his acupoints with Gentle Fist.
• Someone warned Lord Fifth Hokage that killing the Fourth Raikage would start a war between Kumogakure and Konoha.

Madara forced Kumogakure to execute the twelve ninjas responsible for Neji’s father’s death, then returned to Konoha with Neji and Hayato. His actions made other villages wary of Konoha, while Obito postponed the Akatsuki’s plans to capture the Nine-Tails.

• Mabui summoned the twelve Kumogakure veterans named by Madara, and they killed themselves before Neji and Hayato.
• Madara spared the Fourth Raikage to avoid war, then explained the cycle of hatred to Neji, who vowed to follow him; Hayato resolved to become stronger.
• Ōnoki withdrew Iwagakure’s commission to the Akatsuki and ordered his ninja not to confront Konoha or covet the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan, while other villages issued similar orders.
• Obito learned that Uchiha Itachi had become Fifth Hokage and decided the Akatsuki should delay capturing the Nine-Tails.
• Madara returned to Konoha, where Naruto praised him, Hyuga Iwame apologized, and Madara assigned Shikaku and Fugaku responsibility for construction projects and mission assignments.

Madara delegated Konoha’s day-to-day governance to Shikaku while focusing on threats beyond the village. After Naruto departed with Jiraiya, Madara sent Sasuke and Neji to investigate Otogakure and gave Sasuke the renowned Futsu-no-Mitama sword.

• Madara appointed Shikaku to oversee Konoha’s development and village affairs, while assigning security to his father and medical reforms to Tsunade.
• Madara, Sasuke, and others saw Naruto and Jiraiya off, and Naruto promised Sasuke they would fight when he returned.
• Neji and Sasuke asked Madara to train them, so he assigned them a mission to investigate Orochimaru’s Otogakure with Shisui Uchiha and Hayato Hyuga.
• Shisui gave Sasuke the Futsu-no-Mitama sword from Madara, and Sasuke demonstrated how well it worked with his lightning release chakra.
• Shisui teased Hayato for giving Sasuke no gift, and Hayato reacted with a grimace.

Madara sent Orochimaru the method for breaking the Reaper Death Seal, while Sasuke, Neji, Shisui, and Hayato investigated the political crisis in the Land of Rice Fields. After the capital was sealed and Sound Ninja appeared in greater numbers, Shisui and Hayato returned from investigating the palace and Otogakure with no good news.

• Madara left Konoha and sent Orochimaru a secret letter and a Demon Mask explaining how to break the Reaper Death Seal.
• Orochimaru ordered Kabuto to prepare a new body and discussed their plans for the Land of Rice Fields with him.
• Shisui and the others discovered that Ishigami Kenya's peace faction and Kimura Shikyuu's pro-war faction were divided over whether to disband Otogakure or seek an alliance with Kumogakure.
• After the capital barred people from entering or leaving and more Sound Ninja appeared, Shisui and Hayato sent Sasuke and Neji to stay hidden and split up to investigate.
• Shisui and Hayato returned to the inn after investigating the palace and Otogakure, but neither had found good news.

After learning that Orochimaru’s forces were stirring up conflict in the Land of Rice Fields, Madara and Konoha’s leaders planned a cautious response. Madara decided to go to the Land of Rice Fields himself while the others prepared the border defenses.

• Hayato and Shisui reported the Daimyo’s death, Kimura Shikyuu’s takeover in the Capital, and Kabuto Yakushi’s efforts to provoke conflict through Otogakure.
• Sasuke and Neji advised informing Konoha and waiting for the Hokage’s decision before acting.
• Shikaku recommended reinforcing the Land of Fire’s border and striking only if Otogakure’s ninja crossed into its territory.
• Madara agreed that Konoha should target Otogakure’s forces in the Land of Rice Fields and build ties with its nobles, rather than appear to seize territory.
• Madara appointed Shikaku, Father, and Tsunade to manage the border defenses and chose to lead the mission to the Land of Rice Fields himself.

Kabuto Yakushi killed Zhijiu and continued impersonating him as Otogakure’s attack on the Land of Fire began. Madara Uchiha led Sasuke and the others into action in the Land of Rice Fields, where an Orochimaru experiment escaped outside Ishigami Kenya’s residence.

• A Sound Ninja told Zhijiu that Kumogakure would help only if the Land of Rice Fields declared war on the Land of Fire, but Zhijiu refused and learned Otogakure’s forces had already attacked.
• The long-haired Sound Ninja revealed himself as Kabuto Yakushi and killed Zhijiu, intending to impersonate him longer.
• Madara arrived to brief Sasuke, Hayato, Neji, and Shisui, assigning Neji to handle Sound Ninja in the capital and taking Sasuke to rescue Ishigami Kenya.
• Two Otogakure ninja left an experimental subject in a cage outside Kenya’s residence, and it woke and began shouting about killing.
• Kenya’s samurai guards went outside to confront the disturbance and found the escaped experiment instead of a Sound Ninja.

Sasuke and Madara arrived at Ishigami Kenya’s home as Orochimaru’s Test Subject attacked, and Sasuke fought the regenerative monster while Madara discussed ending Zhijiu’s rebellion with Kenya. Sasuke began running low on chakra as the fight remained unresolved.

• Orochimaru’s Test Subject broke into Ishigami Kenya’s room and threatened Kenya, his wife, and Miyabi.
• Sasuke arrived with Futsu-no-Mitama and wounded the Test Subject, whose injuries healed rapidly.
• Madara arrived, assigned Sasuke to fight the Test Subject, and identified himself to Kenya as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage.
• Madara asked whether Kenya knew the Land of Rice Fields had declared war on the Land of Fire, and Kenya blamed Zhijiu’s actions.
• Sasuke and the Test Subject clashed again as the monster matched his speed and strength, while Sasuke’s chakra dwindled.

Sasuke and Neji fought Orochimaru’s transformed test subjects in the Land of Rice Fields and defeated them with newly adapted elemental techniques. Madara left Sasuke to protect Lord Kenya’s family while he took Kenya to the Royal Palace to reclaim control of the country.

• Shisui and Hayato cleared out nearby Sound Ninja and identified Orochimaru’s experiments and Cursed Seal as the source of Neji’s opponent’s monstrous form.
• Neji struggled to damage the monster, whose chakra quickly reopened the Tenketsu he struck, and Hayato urged him to add an elemental nature to his attacks.
• Sasuke pierced the Test Subject with Chidori Sharp Spear, then combined lightning and fire to destroy him.
• Kenya and Ya thanked Sasuke, and Madara reassured him about killing the monster before leaving him to protect Kenya’s family.
• Madara took Kenya to the Royal Palace to reclaim control of the Land of Rice Fields.
• Neji used Earth Release to overpower his opponent and crushed the monster’s heart with Repeated Palms.