Chapter Summaries

Sasori and Deidara crossed the sandstorm toward Sunagakure, intending to capture the One-Tail Jinchuriki, but Sasori discovered that his spy Yura was no longer responding. They left the storm behind and planned to rest before approaching the village that night.

• Sasori told Deidara that Sunagakure was nearby and that his spy there would help them enter the village.
• Deidara became excited at the prospect of getting intelligence on Sasuke Uchiha and taking revenge on Uchiha Itachi through his brother.
• Sasori tried to activate his spy, Yura, but received no response and concluded that Yura had probably died.
• Sasori and Deidara escaped the sandstorm, and Sasori mocked Deidara's intelligence while explaining how Sunagakure shinobi navigated the desert.
• Sasori said Sunagakure was five kilometers away and suggested they rest before heading there that night, while Deidara continued to argue with him.

Pakura sensed a powerful flying intruder approaching Sunagakure and sent her children to safety before rushing to confront the threat. Deidara triggered the village alarm and attacked with his enormous C3 No. 18 clay bomb, leaving its impact on Sunagakure unresolved.

• Pakura greeted two shinobi carrying her sleeping twins and asked how the children had behaved.
• Pakura sensed a powerful chakra signature, activated the space marks on her twins, and sent them to Shin Uchiha's villa.
• Pakura ordered the highest-level alarm and rushed out to confront the intruder as Sunagakure awakened.
• Deidara realized he had triggered the alarm by flying into Sunagakure's barrier, then prepared to attack.
• Deidara hurled his expanding C3 No. 18 clay doll toward the village and detonated it.

Sasuke arrived in Sunagakure after Shin warned him that Akatsuki planned to attack, and he identified Deidara and located his partner Sasori. Gaara joined the fight by shielding the village from Deidara’s clay bombs, while Pakura remained unharmed.

• Sasuke destroyed Deidara’s enormous clay puppet with Chidori Stream and introduced himself to Pakura.
• Sasuke told Pakura that Shin had sent him to defend Sunagakure and identified the airborne enemy as Deidara.
• Sasuke used his Sharingan to find Sasori and explained that the missing-nin was Deidara’s partner.
• Deidara attacked Sasuke with clay bird bombs, but Sasuke cut them apart with lightning.
• Deidara scattered spider-shaped bombs over Sunagakure, and Gaara used sand to contain their explosions.
• Gaara checked on Pakura, who told him she was unharmed.

Gaara and Sasuke fought the two invaders while Pakura led Sunagakure's shinobi to Sasuke's battlefield. There, she discovered Sasori controlling a puppet resembling the missing Third Kazekage and demanded to know whether he was responsible for the Kazekage's disappearance.

• Gaara went after Deidara in the sky while Sasuke summoned an eagle and flew to confront Sasori.
• Pakura divided the Sunagakure shinobi, sending one group to support Gaara and leading the puppet specialists toward Sasuke.
• Gaara attacked Deidara with sand, but Deidara dodged and sent clay birds that Gaara's defensive sand stopped.
• Sasori used the Third Kazekage Puppet's Magnet Release to attack Sasuke, and Sunagakure's shinobi recognized the technique.
• Pakura confronted Sasori, and Sasuke warned her that the puppet retained its former abilities.
• Pakura demanded to know whether Sasori had caused the Third Kazekage's disappearance.

Pakura confronted Sasori after learning he had turned the missing Third Kazekage into a puppet, while Sasuke Uchiha joined her fight and Shin Uchiha captured Deidara. Shin arrived beside Pakura and urged Sasuke to stop holding back as she insisted on dealing with Sasori herself.

• Sasori revealed that the Third Kazekage Puppet was made from the corpse of the vanished Kazekage, and Pakura attacked him in fury.
• Pakura fought the Third Kazekage Puppet with Scorch Release while Sasori summoned a hundred puppets to battle the Sunagakure Jōnin.
• Sasuke Uchiha joined Pakura against the Third Kazekage Puppet, forcing it onto the defensive.
• Shin Uchiha arrived, saw Pakura overwhelming the puppet, and flew to help Gaara deal with Deidara.
• Shin subdued Deidara with genjutsu, and Gaara caught him and took him to the Kazekage building for confinement.
• Pakura refused Shin’s offer to defeat Sasori, so Shin told Sasuke to stop holding back and help her kill him.

Sasuke Uchiha fought Sasori after Shin Uchiha allowed him to take on the puppet master. Sasuke unleashed the third stage of his Lightning Release Armor and summoned Susanoo, crushing Sasori’s iron-sand attack.

• Shin Uchiha told Sasuke Uchiha to fight Sasori, and Sasuke charged at him through the puppets.
• Sasori used Iron Sand World Method to block Pakura and the Sunagakure shinobi, then summoned hundreds of puppets with Performance of a Hundred Puppets.
• Pakura worried that Sasuke could not handle Sasori, but Shin assured her Sasuke would be fine.
• Sasuke activated the third stage of his Lightning Release Armor and tore through Sasori’s puppet army.
• Sasori’s Third Kazekage Puppet dropped an iron-sand cube toward Sasuke, who defended himself with Susanoo and crushed it.

Sasuke Uchiha used Amaterasu against Sasori and his puppets, but Sasori escaped the flames by abandoning his puppet body and then mobilized his forces for a counterattack. As Sasuke prepared to focus on Sasori, Shin Uchiha shook his head, prompting Pakura to ask whether Sasuke was in trouble.

• Sasuke Uchiha burned the Third Kazekage Puppet and nearby puppets with Amaterasu, but Sasori severed the Chakra Threads before the flames could reach him.
• Sasuke Uchiha ignited Sasori with Amaterasu, and Sasori shed his puppet body to escape the flames.
• Sasori's discarded arm fired poisoned senbon at Sasuke Uchiha, but Susanoo blocked them.
• Sasori sent hundreds of puppets charging at Sasuke Uchiha and rushed him with blades emerging from his waist.
• Shin Uchiha shook his head as Sasuke prepared to face Sasori, and Pakura asked if Sasuke had fallen into a disadvantage.

Shin Uchiha stopped Sasori from escaping by piercing the core hidden in his real body, then explained Sasori’s puppet form and let Pakura claim it for Sunagakure’s puppet masters. Meanwhile, Gaara captured Deidara and brought him to Shin and Pakura.

• Shin Uchiha pinned Sasori’s escaping core to the ground with a lightning-charged kunai, causing Sasori’s puppets to collapse.
• Shin Uchiha explained to Sasuke Uchiha and Pakura that Sasori had replaced his body with a puppet and kept his remaining flesh in a core.
• Shin Uchiha stopped Sasuke Uchiha from striking Sasori’s puppet body and told him it would help Sunagakure’s puppet masters.
• Pakura sealed Sasori’s puppet body in a scroll after Shin Uchiha explained its value to the village.
• Gaara pierced Deidara’s giant white bird, captured him in sand, silenced his protests, and flew toward Shin Uchiha and Pakura.

Gaara captured Deidara and brought him before Shin Uchiha, who ordered him imprisoned after sealing his chakra. Shin then asked Gaara to let Shukaku speak, and the One-Tail agreed to lend him chakra so he could create a clone to fight an organization pursuing tailed beast chakra.

• Gaara presented the captured Deidara to Shin Uchiha, who said he could ransom him from Ōnoki.
• Deidara protested that he was a missing-nin and that Ōnoki would not pay for him.
• Shin Uchiha sealed Deidara's chakra and told Pakura to have him locked up.
• Shin Uchiha asked Gaara to let Shukaku come forward, and Gaara agreed.
• Shukaku respectfully agreed to lend Shin Uchiha one-fifth of his chakra.
• Shin Uchiha explained that he would use the chakra to make a clone and protect Shukaku and Gaara from an organization seeking tailed beast chakra.

Shin Uchiha prepared substitutes made from tailed beast chakra to keep Obito Uchiha’s plan moving if he failed to collect all Nine Tailed Beasts. In Amegakure, Shin reunited with Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato and explained how they could use a chakra-filled slug clone to revive the Ten-Tails; Nagato agreed to help conceal it from Obito.

• Shin Uchiha used his preparations to resolve Sunagakure’s problems, then left with Sasuke Uchiha and the bound Deidara while Pakura stayed behind as Fifth Kazekage.
• Konan told Yahiko she would wait to go to Konoha until the hidden mastermind revealed himself, but hurried to meet Shin when Nagato reported his arrival in Amegakure.
• Shin embraced Konan and promised they would have more time together once he had dealt with the matter at hand.
• Shin told Yahiko and Nagato that Sasori had been killed and Deidara imprisoned, with the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, expected to ransom him.
• Shin revealed an unconscious slug clone capable of holding tailed beast chakra and explained that it could serve as a substitute in the Ten-Tails’ husk.
• Nagato agreed to place the clone in the Ten-Tails’ husk without arousing Obito Uchiha and his allies’ suspicions.

Shin Uchiha learned that Uchiha Itachi had developed Kekkei Genkai Disease and had only months to live, while Itachi insisted on facing Sasuke as promised. The chapter ended with Asuma discovering Chiriku’s body at the Fire Temple.

• Yahiko disguised himself as Deva Path Pain so Obito Uchiha and Black Zetsu would not realize he had been revived.
• Uchiha Itachi arrived to report to Shin Uchiha and learned that Sasuke had awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and reached roughly peak Kage level.
• After Itachi coughed blood, he revealed that Kekkei Genkai Disease had afflicted him for about a year and refused to pursue treatment that would only prolong his life briefly.
• Shin Uchiha examined Itachi, estimated that he had at most half a year left, and gave him medicine that could extend his life by three months.
• Itachi asked to keep his promised fight with Sasuke, entrusted Sasuke to Shin Uchiha, and left as a crow; Konan comforted Shin Uchiha.
• At the Fire Temple, Asuma found Chiriku dead among the bodies and grieved over the loss of his close friend.

After the Fire Temple massacre, Asuma pursued the killers alone while Sakura and her teammates learned that he had neglected them because they came from civilian families. Tsunade told Shin Uchiha that the Akatsuki’s Immortal Duo had killed Asuma, and Shin ordered Naruto to lead a mission against them with Kakashi supporting him.

• Asuma left Sakura and her teammates behind and pursued the Fire Temple’s killers alone after learning that Master Chiriku had been murdered.
• Sakura and her teammates discussed Asuma’s disdain for them, and one teammate said Asuma refused to teach them because they came from civilian families.
• In Takamagahara Space, Shin Uchiha left Mabui and Samui to begin training and sensed that a divine throne would appear after he obtained one more thing.
• Tsunade told Shin Uchiha that the Akatsuki’s Immortal Duo had killed Asuma and that the Sarutobi Clan might use his death to reunite.
• Shin Uchiha agreed to target the Immortal Duo and assigned Naruto to lead the mission with Kakashi supporting him.

Orochimaru summoned Madara Uchiha with the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, but Madara resisted his control and demanded an account of the Shinobi World. Madara exposed Kabuto Yakushi’s attempt to send a message to Shin Uchiha, and Orochimaru killed Kabuto after learning the message had been sent.

• Orochimaru told Kabuto Yakushi that he had perfected the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu and summoned Madara Uchiha.
• Madara Uchiha awakened, realized he had been summoned instead of revived, and threw Orochimaru across the laboratory when Orochimaru tried to control him.
• Madara Uchiha resisted Orochimaru’s control and demanded information about the current Shinobi World.
• Madara Uchiha sensed Kabuto Yakushi activating a space mark, restrained him, and identified it as a way to send a message using Uchiha ocular power.
• Kabuto Yakushi admitted that he served Shin Uchiha and had already sent him news of Madara’s summoning.
• Orochimaru sent a python to bite Kabuto Yakushi, who collapsed to the floor.

Madara Uchiha learned that Shin Uchiha controlled Konoha and the Land of Fire, and became eager to face him. After Kabuto Yakushi was rescued and brought to the Hokage Office, Shin learned that Madara had been revived with the Impure World Reincarnation and dismissed the threat as manageable.

• Orochimaru told Madara Uchiha that Shin Uchiha led the Uchiha Clan and controlled Konoha and the Land of Fire.
• Madara Uchiha realized Shin might have disrupted Obito Uchiha's plans, then grew excited when Kabuto Yakushi vanished through Space-Time Ninjutsu.
• Madara Uchiha seized Orochimaru and left for the place where he had died, expecting to find Obito Uchiha and Black Duke there.
• Kabuto Yakushi appeared unconscious in the Hokage Office, and Tsunade examined him and said Orochimaru's venom was treatable.
• Shin Uchiha read Kabuto Yakushi's message that Madara Uchiha had been revived with the Impure World Reincarnation and said it was not a serious concern.

Shin Uchiha learned that Orochimaru had revived Madara and left to prepare the Two-Tails, Three-Tails, and Six-Tails. Meanwhile, Naruto’s team traveled toward the Fire Temple with Karin and Sai, and Kakashi asked Sai to create giant birds so they could catch up with the Immortal Duo.

• Shin Uchiha suggested calling Nonō to help Kabuto, but Tsunade said Nonō would only worry and took Kabuto to a treatment room to treat Orochimaru’s venom herself.
• Shin Uchiha read a note indicating that Orochimaru had revived Madara with Impure World Reincarnation and suspected Black Zetsu and Obito had helped.
• Shin Uchiha left, saying he needed to prepare the Two-Tails, Three-Tails, and Six-Tails as soon as possible.
• Naruto traveled toward the Fire Temple with Kakashi, Karin, Sai, and the others, and asked Kakashi about Asuma and Sakura.
• Kakashi told Ino that Sakura’s team had escaped the Immortal Duo, and Ino startled Naruto by pointing out that he was the only genin on the mission.
• Kakashi asked Sai to draw giant flying birds so the group could catch up with the Immortal Duo before they crossed the Land of Fire’s border.

Obito Uchiha and the Zetsus discussed the stalled tailed beast hunt before Madara Uchiha arrived, revived through Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu. After learning about Shin Uchiha and the plan's setbacks, Madara resolved to focus on gathering the tailed beasts and postpone retrieving his Rinnegan until he was alive again.

• White Zetsu reported that the Akatsuki's tailed beast hunts had made uneven progress, while Nagato no longer trusted Obito Uchiha and Shin Uchiha remained a major obstacle.
• White Zetsu sensed a powerful chakra approaching, so Obito Uchiha vanished into his Kamui Dimension and White Zetsu hid underground.
• Madara Uchiha arrived carrying Orochimaru and summoned Obito Uchiha, who recognized Madara after seeing his Rinnegan and learned he had been revived through the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu.
• Madara Uchiha learned from Black Zetsu that Shin Uchiha had disrupted the plan, and Obito Uchiha warned that Shin might have awakened the Rinnegan.
• Madara Uchiha decided that gathering all the tailed beasts was the priority and refused to retrieve his Rinnegan from Nagato until he returned to life.

Madara Uchiha decided to collect the remaining tailed beasts himself, believing his control over the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path made Nagato unnecessary. Meanwhile, Shin Uchiha secretly placed chakra from five tailed-beast clones into the statue, and Yahiko questioned why Shin was helping Madara.

• Madara Uchiha sensed that five tailed beasts had been sealed in the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and resolved to capture the remaining jinchūriki himself.
• White Zetsu told Madara Uchiha that the Akatsuki was already fighting the Four-Tails jinchūriki, so they set out to find the Five-Tails jinchūriki in Iwagakure.
• Black Zetsu wondered why the statue contained Three-Tails' chakra when White Zetsu had found a Three-Tails jinchūriki in Kirigakure, then dismissed his concern.
• Shin Uchiha revealed that he had placed chakra from five tailed-beast clones into the statue, while Konan criticized Orochimaru for summoning Madara Uchiha without controlling him.
• Yahiko asked Shin Uchiha why he was secretly helping Madara Uchiha instead of stopping his resurrection.

Shin Uchiha agreed to take Nagato’s Rinnegan and replace them with Sharingan to protect him from Madara, while keeping his larger plan in mind. Meanwhile, Naruto’s team struggled against Kakuzu as Shikamaru dealt with Hidan.

• Shin Uchiha explained that Madara needed to recover his Rinnegan, putting Nagato at risk, but promised to revive Nagato if he died.
• Nagato offered to give Shin Uchiha his Rinnegan, and Shin proposed holding them in safekeeping and replacing them with Sharingan.
• Nagato accepted the replacement, and Shin said he would perform it after Uchiha Itachi and the others captured the Four-Tails' jinchūriki.
• Shin Uchiha sensed something, kissed Konan, and vanished.
• Naruto charged Kakuzu with his shadow clones while Shikamaru’s team kept Hidan occupied.
• Naruto’s team remained unable to get close to Kakuzu, whose skilled, wide-ranging combined ninjutsu and combat experience kept them at a stalemate.

Naruto and the others defeated Kakuzu and Hidan, then prepared to return to Konoha. Elsewhere, Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi captured the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, and White Zetsu set out to report the capture to Lord Madara Uchiha.

• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique and a barrage of Big Ball Rasengan to kill Kakuzu.
• Karin reported that Hidan's chakra had disappeared, and Kakashi concluded that Shikamaru and the others had defeated him.
• Shikamaru and the others returned unharmed, and Kakashi instructed the group to clean up the battlefield and return to Konoha.
• Kisame Hoshigaki drained the Four-Tails Jinchūriki's chakra with Samehada and captured him while Uchiha Itachi watched.
• White Zetsu witnessed the capture and returned to the tree to report it to Lord Madara Uchiha.

Madara Uchiha learned the Akatsuki had captured the Four-Tails and that Naruto Uzumaki had killed Kakuzu and Hidan, then sent Obito Uchiha and Black Zetsu to arrange an interception. Madara reached Iwagakure and openly challenged Ōnoki, drawing the Tsuchikage and other figures out to meet him.

• White Zetsu told Madara Uchiha that the Akatsuki had captured the Four-Tails and located Naruto Uzumaki near the Land of Fire's border.
• Madara Uchiha ordered Obito Uchiha to return with Black Zetsu so the Six Paths of Pain could capture Naruto Uzumaki.
• White Zetsu revealed that Naruto Uzumaki and several Konoha shinobi had killed Kakuzu and Hidan, so Black Zetsu told White Zetsu to track them and report their movements to Nagato.
• Madara Uchiha arrived outside Iwagakure and rejected White Zetsu's offer to sneak him into the village.
• Madara Uchiha unleashed his chakra, triggering Iwagakure's alarm, and Ōnoki and other figures flew out from the Tsuchikage Building to confront him.