Recaps

Two Akatsuki members, Deidara and Sasori, attacked Tsunade’s convoy and killed dozens of Sand Village prisoners with Deidara’s clay explosives. Tsunade confronted them, learned they belonged to Akatsuki, and prepared for battle as their assault continued.

• A Yamanaka sensory ninja reported that both patrol squads’ chakra signatures had vanished, so Shikaku ordered the convoy into a defensive formation and sent word to Tsunade.
• Tsunade dispatched Iwa, Shunichi, and Tokuma to stop the two approaching enemies from reaching the Jinchuriki.
• Deidara attacked the prisoners with clay spiders, and their explosions shattered Iwa’s Earth Flow Wall and killed dozens of Sand Village prisoners.
• Deidara bragged about his art while Sasori, concealed inside Hiruko, urged him to capture the Jinchuriki and complete their mission.
• Tsunade confronted the attackers, and Sasori identified them as Akatsuki.

Tsunade confronted Sasori and Deidara after they demanded Konoha hand over the One-Tails Jinchuriki. As Tokuma, Uchiha Shunichi, and Iwa pinned down Deidara, Tsunade destroyed Sasori’s Hiruko puppet with her strength.

• Sasori identified himself as Sasori of the Red Sands, and Deidara announced that he was an Akatsuki member.
• Sasori and Deidara demanded the One-Tails Jinchuriki, but Tsunade refused and charged at Sasori.
• Tsunade dodged Hiruko’s poison needles and broke its steel scorpion tail with her fist.
• Tokuma, Uchiha Shunichi, and Iwa coordinated their attacks to drive Deidara away from the main battlefield.
• Tsunade struck Hiruko again, shattering the puppet under her Monster Strength Fist.

Tsunade destroyed Sasori’s Hiruko with one punch, forcing Sasori to reveal his puppet-like body. Meanwhile, Deidara used his aerial advantage to bomb Hyuga Tokuma, Uchiha Shunichi, and Yan, leaving them injured and unable to reach him.

• Tsunade’s punch reduced Hiruko to wreckage, shocking Hyuga Tokuma, Uchiha Shunichi, and Yan as they pursued Deidara.
• Deidara evaded the team’s attacks by flying higher, then rained explosive Clay Flying Birds down on them.
• Yan raised three Earth Flow Walls, but Deidara’s explosions destroyed them and blasted all three shinobi across the sand.
• Tsunade saw Sasori rise from Hiruko’s wreckage in a boyish, modified puppet body.
• Sasori told Tsunade that she had angered him by destroying Hiruko.

Sasori revealed the Third Kazekage Puppet and attacked Tsunade with poisoned iron sand while threatening to turn Uchiha Yao into his next collectible. Tsunade unleashed Creation Rebirth and shattered the iron-sand battlefield, then launched herself toward Sasori and the puppet.

• Sasori summoned the Third Kazekage Puppet and told Tsunade he had made the Kazekage immortal as his prized collectible.
• Sasori threatened to kill Uchiha Yao and turn him into his greatest puppet, enraging Tsunade.
• Tsunade charged Sasori and fought through the puppet’s poisoned iron-sand attacks, but an iron-sand spear wounded her.
• Deidara bombarded Hyuga Tokuma, Uchiha Shunichi, and Iwa from the sky while they struggled to maintain their earth-wall defenses.
• Tsunade activated Creation Rebirth and the Hundred Healings Technique, then smashed the ground and broke Sasori’s iron-sand trap.
• Tsunade shot into the sky and appeared before Sasori and the Third Kazekage Puppet.

Tsunade destroyed Sasori’s Third Kazekage Puppet, while Shikaku Nara summoned Uchiha Yao to aid the Konoha ninja struggling against Deidara. Yao flew toward the battlefield as Deidara unleashed a massive clay-dragon attack, leaving Tokuma, Shunichi, and Iwa behind layers of earth walls amid a barrage of explosions.

• Tsunade shattered the Third Kazekage Puppet with a single punch, sending Sasori flying.
• Shikaku Nara used Uchiha Yao’s Heavenly Might Kunai to summon the Fifth Hokage and reported the battle against Sasori and Deidara.
• Uchiha Yao ordered the main force to keep retreating and flew toward Deidara’s battlefield.
• Deidara created a C2 Dragon and launched five clay wyverns at Tokuma, Shunichi, and Iwa.
• Iwa raised five earth walls, but Deidara detonated the wyverns in a massive barrage.

Uchiha Yao arrived to rescue his battered squad and used Kamui: Time Reversal to undo Deidara’s clay wyverns. Meanwhile, Sasori unleashed his Hundred Puppet Technique against Tsunade, surrounding her with over a hundred puppets.

• Deidara prepared to finish off the unconscious Yan, Uchiha Shunichi, and Hyuga Tokuma, but Uchiha Yao arrived and ordered Shunichi and Tokuma to withdraw with Yan.
• Deidara attacked Uchiha Yao with five clay wyverns, but Yao used Kamui: Time Reversal to revert them into ordinary clay.
• Tsunade smashed the Third Kazekage Puppet, sending Sasori tumbling across the sand.
• Sasori summoned more than a hundred red-cloaked puppets and encircled Tsunade, declaring that they would make her part of his collection.

Tsunade fought through Sasori’s Hundred Puppet Technique while Uchiha Yao defeated Deidara and joined the battlefield. Sasori replenished his puppet army and began looking for a way to retreat.

• Tsunade charged into Sasori’s puppet army and smashed more than thirty puppets while Sasori used his Chakra threads to try to wear her down.
• Uchiha Yao used Banshō Ten'in to pull Deidara and his C2 Dragon to the ground, then trapped Deidara in an absolute illusion.
• Uchiha Yao crossed several kilometers and appeared beside the battle between Tsunade and Sasori.
• Sasori realized Deidara might have been defeated and concluded he could not face Uchiha Yao and Tsunade alone.
• Sasori summoned a fresh hundred puppets with Secret Technique: Crimson Killing Formation and ordered them to stop Uchiha Yao and Tsunade.

Uchiha Yao protected Tsunade with Susanoo and drove Sasori to flee, but Sasori’s escape was not yet secure as Yao transformed into Perfect Susanoo and pursued him.

• Tsunade broke through Sasori’s puppet army and reached Uchiha Yao, warning him that the puppets and weapons were poisoned.
• Uchiha Yao summoned Third Stage Susanoo, shielding himself and Tsunade from Sasori’s attacks.
• Sasori used self-destruct puppets and poisonous smoke as cover to flee, but Uchiha Yao destroyed the puppets and blasted Sasori into a sand pit.
• Sasori activated his human-puppet escape system and flew away using Wind Release: Jet Stream.
• Uchiha Yao transformed his Susanoo into Perfect Susanoo and took off after Sasori, who heard a sonic boom behind him and turned around.

Uchiha Yao destroyed Sasori with Susanoo, then helped Tsunade recover from Sasori’s poison. After sharing a kiss and comforting her, Yao flew off with Tsunade toward the remaining artist he still needed to deal with.

• Sasori tried to flee, but Uchiha Yao struck him with a Susanoo Collapsing Sphere and vaporized him.
• Tsunade revealed that Sasori’s poison had entered her body, though she had contained its spread with the Hundred Healings Technique.
• Tsunade prepared an antidote from the supplies in her scroll and injected it, clearing the poison.
• Uchiha Yao held and kissed Tsunade, then comforted her as she rested against him.
• Uchiha Yao carried Tsunade into the air and used Heavenly Might to head toward the artist still awaiting him.

Uchiha Yao used Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami to make Deidara regard him as a beloved older brother and obey him. Tsunade watched in shock as Deidara abandoned his hostility and eagerly asked what they would do next.

• Uchiha Yao teleported Tsunade to where Deidara lay defeated and explained that he wanted to recruit Deidara instead of killing him.
• Uchiha Yao told Tsunade about Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan and its ability to alter a person’s will.
• Uchiha Yao released Deidara from his genjutsu and immobilized him when he awoke and attacked.
• Uchiha Yao used Kotoamatsukami on Deidara, making him believe Uchiha Yao was his admired older brother.
• Deidara accepted Sasori’s death without concern, praised explosive art, and asked Uchiha Yao what they would do next.
• Tsunade watched Deidara’s sudden change and marveled at the Uchiha Clan’s ocular techniques.

Uchiha Yao returned to Konoha’s main force with Tsunade and Deidara, whom he declared a new companion of Konoha. Deidara apologized to the three jonin he had defeated, then turned smug when Iwa praised his explosive ninjutsu.

• Deidara created a Clay Flying Bird and carried Uchiha Yao and Tsunade through the air toward Konoha’s main force.
• Konoha’s ninjas prepared to fight the approaching bird, but a Hyuga ninja recognized Uchiha Yao and Tsunade.
• Uchiha Yao returned to the formation and declared that Deidara would be Konoha’s companion from then on.
• Deidara apologized to Uchiha Shunichi, Hyuga Tokuma, and Iwa for injuring them in battle.
• Shunichi, Tokuma, and Iwa accepted Deidara’s apology, and Iwa acknowledged the power of his explosive ninjutsu.
• Deidara became smug and declared that explosions were art.

After Sunagakure fell to Konoha, Raikage A reconsidered Kumogakure’s planned invasion of the Land of Fire. He ordered an envoy to approach Ōnoki and seek an alliance against Konoha.

• Uchiha Yao left Tsunade in charge of the advancing army and returned to Konoha to handle postwar matters.
• At the Land of Lightning–Land of Fire border, Raikage A prepared more than ten thousand Kumogakure shinobi, including Killer B and Yugito, to invade Konoha and avenge their fallen comrades.
• A received news that Konoha had crushed Sunagakure, killing Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo and capturing nearly a thousand sand ninja and civilians.
• A learned that Ōnoki had kept Iwagakure’s forces still and realized Kumogakure could suffer a costly defeat if it attacked Konoha alone.
• Mabui advised A to seek an alliance with Iwagakure, and A ordered an envoy to tell Ōnoki to join forces against Konoha or risk being conquered next.

Ōnoki considered the danger Konoha posed after Sunagakure’s defeat, then received Darui’s proposal for an alliance with Kumogakure. Darui pressured Iwagakure to join the fight against Konoha, leaving Ōnoki facing an ultimatum.

• Ōnoki discussed Sunagakure’s defeat with Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi and concluded that Kumogakure would be the next to react.
• An ANBU reported that a Kumogakure envoy had arrived, and Ōnoki ordered them admitted.
• Darui told Ōnoki that Kumogakure wanted a military alliance with Iwagakure against Konoha.
• Kurotsuchi challenged Darui over Kumogakure’s recent threat to invade the Land of Fire, but Ōnoki stopped her from escalating the exchange.
• Darui said Kumogakure could join Konoha in attacking Iwagakure if Ōnoki refused, then delivered A’s ultimatum to stand with Kumogakure or be swallowed by Konoha.

Ōnoki persuaded Darui to form an alliance against Konoha and laid out plans to recruit the Land of Iron and smaller shinobi villages. Darui agreed to all three proposals and left to report them to the Raikage, while Ōnoki prepared to challenge Konoha's growing dominance.

• Ōnoki reluctantly accepted that Iwagakure needed an alliance with Kumogakure to withstand Konoha.
• Ōnoki proposed signing the alliance in the Land of Iron with Mifune as witness, and Darui agreed.
• Ōnoki suggested bringing the Land of Iron's samurai into the alliance, leaving Darui to seek the Raikage's instructions.
• Ōnoki proposed inviting smaller shinobi villages to join a Shinobi Alliance against Konoha and use their forces on the front lines.
• Darui agreed to all three proposals on the Raikage's behalf and left to report Ōnoki's plan.

Konoha welcomed Tsunade and Uchiha Yao back with Sand Village prisoners, whom Yao ordered to be monitored or put to work with a chance to join Konoha. After assigning Deidara to ANBU, Yao discussed the likely alliance against Konoha with Tsunade, leaving the next conflict looming.

• Naruto and the other young ninja went to Konoha’s gate to watch Tsunade’s returning force and the captured Sand Village prisoners arrive.
• Naruto noticed Gaara’s resemblance to himself, while Sand Village chunin Doyu considered abandoning her hatred to survive.
• Uchiha Yao ordered Gaara housed in the Uchiha Clan Compound under Temari’s watch and directed the other prisoners to work on Konoha’s new district, with the possibility of becoming villagers.
• Uchiha Yao assigned Deidara to ANBU and told him to report directly to him.
• In the Hokage’s office, Uchiha Yao told Tsunade that Hidden Cloud Village and Stone Village would likely ally against Konoha and recruit smaller villages as well.

Uchiha Yao explained why the Hidden Cloud and Stone Villages would hesitate to attack, then decided to go to Kirigakure while Tsunade stayed behind to manage Konoha. At a high-level meeting, he ordered the construction of a vast new city and reinforced the border with the Land of Lightning.

• Uchiha Yao told Tsunade that the Hidden Cloud and Stone Villages feared becoming his next target and would not risk attacking first.
• Uchiha Yao announced that he would go to Kirigakure to end the Bloody Mist rule and place the Land of Water under Konoha's control, while Tsunade remained in Konoha to manage the rear.
• Uchiha Yao ordered Shikaku Nara to oversee the construction of a new city capable of housing hundreds of thousands of people.
• Uchiha Yao ordered Uchiha Tekka to tell Fugaku to reinforce the Land of Fire's border with the Land of Lightning and raise his force to six thousand.
• After Uchiha Yao adjourned the meeting, Shikaku Nara studied the city plans and lamented the workload.

Uchiha Shunichi’s forces subdued Yugakure, annexed the Land of Rivers into the Land of Fire, and advanced to the Land of Wind. Uchiha Kenji’s nighttime operation captured the Land of Wind’s capital and eliminated its remaining resistance, leaving the city ready to be controlled.

• Uchiha Shunichi redirected his army to Yugakure, where Harada Masao surrendered and accepted Konoha’s jurisdiction.
• Shunichi left a squad and fifty samurai to take over Yugakure, then led the rest of the army to the Land of Rivers’ daimyo’s mansion.
• Shunichi killed the Land of Rivers’ daimyo and ordered a Land of Fire official to assume control of the region’s government.
• A week later, Shunichi ordered the operation in the Land of Wind’s capital to begin while warning his forces to preserve the city.
• Uchiha Kenji used Sharingan genjutsu to open the city gates, allowing the samurai to capture key locations and kill the listed loyalists.
• By dawn, Shunichi’s forces had uprooted all resistance in the Land of Wind’s capital.

After the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers fell under Konoha's control, Uchiha Yao's ocular technique advanced into Divine Authority: Heavenly Might, granting him attacks that could not be evaded and a domain that suppressed enemies. He tested its effects against Tsunade, whose strength and Chakra efficiency were weakened as his fireball pursued her through her evasions.

• Uchiha Shunichi surveyed the conquered Land of Wind capital, while Konoha used Sand prisoners of war to build a new city.
• Uchiha Yao received an S-rank system reward after annexing the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers and conquering Sunagakure, advancing his left-eye technique to Divine Authority: Heavenly Might.
• Uchiha Yao invited Tsunade to Training Ground Seven to test his new power, and his domain weakened her combat ability and doubled her Chakra costs.
• Uchiha Yao's fireball continued chasing Tsunade after she used the Substitution Technique, demonstrating Heavenly Might's certain-hit effect.
• Tsunade gathered Chakra for a powerful punch against the pursuing fireball, despite the increased Chakra cost.

Uchiha Yao demonstrated his strengthened ocular technique to Tsunade, then prepared to leave Konoha and target Kirigakure. Before departing, he entrusted Tsunade with overseeing the village and asked her to wait for him.

• Uchiha Yao explained that Divine Authority: Heavenly Might guaranteed his attacks would hit and suppressed opponents while doubling their Chakra consumption.
• Uchiha Yao invited Tsunade to dinner, but she left his home flustered; he later visited Kurenai Yuhi, and she took leave the next day because of physical discomfort.
• Uchiha Yao reviewed Konoha's preparations, including the new city's construction, the placement of Hidden Sand Village prisoners, and defenses against Stone Village and Hidden Cloud Village.
• Uchiha Yao summoned Tsunade and announced that he was leaving for Kirigakure immediately, leaving her in charge of Konoha's affairs.
• Uchiha Yao kissed Tsunade and told her to wait for his return.

Uchiha Yao arrived in the Land of Water while Mei Terumi’s rebel group struggled to oppose Yagura’s rule in Kirigakure. Genji pledged support to Mei and gave her a scroll of allies, leaving her with new strength to begin changing the village.

• Uchiha Yao sent the Konoha ANBU back to report to Tsunade and headed toward Kirigakure.
• Ao urged Mei Terumi to act against Yagura, while Mei warned that their small rebel force lacked the strength to challenge him.
• An ANBU summoned Mei Terumi to meet Genji, and she chose to go despite Ao’s fears that it might be a trap.
• Genji told Mei Terumi that Kirigakure was rotting under the Bloody Mist policies and asked whether she would end that era.
• Mei Terumi pledged herself to Kirigakure’s future, and Genji gave her a scroll listing elders and ANBU willing to follow her command.

Mei Terumi told her rebels that Genji would support their uprising against Yagura, while Ao revealed his suspicion that Yagura was controlled by genjutsu. As Mei planned to rescue Yagura and confront the hidden mastermind, Uchiha Yao stepped out of the shadows to intervene.

• Mei Terumi announced that Genji had agreed to support the rebels and gave Ao the list of allies he had provided.
• Ao told Mei Terumi, Chojuro, and the rebels that he suspected genjutsu was controlling Yagura, based on a hidden chakra flow he had seen with his Byakugan.
• Mei Terumi concluded that the hidden controller was their true enemy and ordered Ao to contact the listed allies while they planned to rescue Yagura.
• Uchiha Yao decided to intervene and reveal himself, then stepped out of the shadows after Ao heard his footstep.

Uchiha Yao declared that he would take control of Kirigakure and swiftly defeated Chojuro and Ao when they resisted. He then seized Mei Terumi and transported her away, leaving her allies behind in the cave.

• Mei Terumi was briefly captivated by Uchiha Yao, but Ao's warning snapped her back to her senses as the rebels confronted the intruder.
• Uchiha Yao told Mei Terumi that he intended to take control of Kirigakure.
• Chojuro attacked Uchiha Yao with Hiramekarei, but Uchiha Yao vanished and knocked him unconscious with one punch.
• Ao tried to catch Chojuro but was carried into a rock wall by the force of Uchiha Yao's blow.
• Uchiha Yao caught Mei Terumi's wrist and transported her away through a distortion in space, while Ao watched helplessly.

Uchiha Yao transported Mei Terumi from Kirigakure to a distant coast and revealed himself as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage, demanding control of the Hidden Mist Village. After he described Kirigakure’s weakness and claimed Konoha had conquered Sunagakure, Mei Terumi refused to submit and prepared to fight him.

• Uchiha Yao used space ninjutsu to take Mei Terumi from an underground cavern in Kirigakure to an unknown coastline.
• Uchiha Yao identified himself as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage, and Mei Terumi questioned his intentions.
• Mei Terumi threatened war, but Uchiha Yao argued that Kirigakure was too weak to resist and described his victories over Sunagakure, the Land of Wind, Hidden Cloud Village, and Stone Village.
• Mei Terumi insisted Kirigakure’s shinobi would never submit, and Uchiha Yao challenged her to fight.
• Mei Terumi released her chakra and accepted Uchiha Yao’s challenge.

Uchiha Yao overwhelmed Mei Terumi with his Mangekyō Sharingan abilities and Perfect Susanoo, nullifying her strongest attacks. After dismissing Susanoo and appearing before her, he taunted her, and Mei Terumi seized the chance to attack again.

• Uchiha Yao suppressed Mei Terumi's strength and doubled her Chakra consumption with Divine Authority: Heavenly Might.
• Mei Terumi attacked with Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, but Uchiha Yao effortlessly dispersed the water dragon.
• Mei Terumi combined Lava Release and Boil Release against Uchiha Yao's Perfect Susanoo, briefly melting its armor.
• Uchiha Yao used Divine Authority: Heavenly Might to halt the corrosion and repair Susanoo's armor.
• Mei Terumi demanded that Uchiha Yao leave Susanoo, and he dismissed it and appeared before her.
• Mei Terumi formed hand seals to attack Uchiha Yao while he was outside Susanoo.

Uchiha Yao overwhelmed Mei Terumi and demanded Kirigakure submit or be destroyed. Mei Terumi offered to help overthrow Fourth Mizukage Yagura and become Fifth Mizukage, but Yao rejected both employment and alliance, insisting on absolute control.

• Uchiha Yao used Kamui: Time Reversal to reverse Mei Terumi's Lava Release and Acid Mist, then pulled her into his arms with Banshō Ten'in.
• Uchiha Yao used Universal Pull to force the sea aside and create a vast basin beneath a towering tsunami, terrifying Mei Terumi with the threat of destroying Kirigakure.
• Uchiha Yao told Mei Terumi that he had suppressed Sunagakure's One-Tails Shukaku and demanded Kirigakure submit or perish.
• Mei Terumi proposed that Uchiha Yao help her overthrow Fourth Mizukage Yagura and make her Fifth Mizukage in exchange for Kirigakure's service.
• Uchiha Yao rejected Mei Terumi's offer of an alliance and declared that he believed only in absolute control.