Recaps

Zhou Cheng dismantled the Kurama Clan, trained Konoha’s younger shinobi, learned Sage Mode, and confronted Danzo as conflict spread to Konoha. The arc left Zhou Cheng fighting Kumogakure’s invasion with Darui, Samui, and their forces facing his Rasenshuriken.

• Zhou Cheng destroyed the Kurama Clan compound after exposing its abuse of Kurama Yakumo and Root’s role in attacking Konoha, then Danzo announced Root’s dissolution while secretly plotting against him.
• Zhou Cheng helped Sasuke escape Konoha, rescued and healed Kimimaro, and returned to the village after Naruto was defeated at the Valley of the End.
• Zhou Cheng put the Konoha 15 through a ten-day survival camp, then traveled to Mount Myōboku, learned to gather natural energy, and achieved Perfect Sage Mode.
• Zhou Cheng returned to Konoha and urged Tsunade to remove Danzo’s loyalists, then fought off Itachi and Kisame when they came to investigate and target him.
• Zhou Cheng confronted Danzo at Root and attacked him, but Danzo survived repeated explosions using Izanagi as invasions by Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure struck Konoha.
• Zhou Cheng divided Konoha’s forces among the three fronts and went to face Kumogakure, where he drove back its vanguard with Earth Spear.
• Zhou Cheng countered Darui’s attacks with Wind Release and water techniques, flooding the battlefield and forcing the Kumogakure shinobi to defend themselves.
• Zhou Cheng launched successive pairs of Wind Release: Rasenshuriken at Darui and the Kumogakure unit, leaving Darui stunned.

Zhou Cheng forced Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure to withdraw, then traveled to Sunagakure for Gaara’s inauguration. Danzo’s plot triggered a battle involving the Akatsuki and Orochimaru, ending with Danzo using Kotoamatsukami on Zhou Cheng.

• Zhou Cheng defeated the forces of Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure, secured their ninja tools and techniques, and returned to Konoha as the war ended.
• Zhou Cheng learned the Hydrification Technique and trained with Kakashi while the other villages sought peace and Akatsuki members planned to capture the Four-Tails and Five-Tails.
• Kakashi led Zhou Cheng and the Konoha group to Sunagakure for Gaara’s inauguration, where Zhou Cheng stopped Uzuki Yugao from attacking Baki and discovered Danzo was conspiring with him.
• At Gaara’s inauguration, Zhou Cheng exposed Danzo’s attempted attack, sealed the Black Sphere from Danzo’s scroll, and helped Gaara repel Baku.
• Zhou Cheng pursued Danzo and revealed his Sharingan implants and use of Izanagi, then fought Sasori while Gaara defended Sunagakure from Deidara’s C3 bomb.
• Kabuto and Orochimaru invaded Sunagakure as Sasori and Deidara retreated, and Zhou Cheng confronted Danzo with Wind Release Chakra Mode and the Seventh Gate.
• Nagato sent Kakuzu and Hidan to join the attack on Zhou Cheng, while Zhou Cheng repeatedly destroyed Danzo until Danzo used Wood Release and Kotoamatsukami to command him to become his servant.

Zhou Cheng defeated the Kumogakure delegation, trained Konoha’s young shinobi, and arranged eye transplants for Konohamaru and Uzuki Yugao while pursuing new forms of power. As rival villages investigated his loved ones, he prepared to leave Konoha and gained the Perfect Byakugan by replicating Hinata’s talent.

• Zhou Cheng exposed Danzo’s control of him as a clone, defeated Danzo, and helped Gaara capture Baki, whose confession led Uzuki Yugao to avenge Gekko Hayate by killing him.
• After returning to Konoha, Zhou Cheng confronted Kumogakure’s delegation, defeated its fighters, and killed most of its shinobi, while Tsunade handled the ensuing peace talks and the other villages paid compensation.
• Zhou Cheng trained Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, and the Konoha 15 in ninjutsu, Rasengan, and Chakra Mode, then arranged for Tsunade to transplant a Byakugan into Konohamaru and Shisui’s Sharingan into Uzuki Yugao.
• Zhou Cheng learned Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode, returned to Konoha, and helped Konohamaru and Uzuki Yugao recover from their transplants.
• Zhou Cheng led a special training camp that produced more than eighty trained shinobi, then discovered that the Azure Gourd could fuse elemental affinities into kekkei genkai, though he lacked enough talent original liquid to create Wood Release.
• After learning that Kumogakure and Iwagakure were investigating his family and childhood, Zhou Cheng warned his friends to stay in Konoha, asked Tsunade to bring Jiraiya back, and prepared to leave for three days.
• At a dinner before his departure, Hinata, Karin, and Ino clung to Zhou Cheng, and he replicated Hinata’s talent to obtain the Perfect Byakugan.

Zhou Cheng mastered Azure Dragon Mode, fought the Akatsuki and Kumogakure to recover Hinata, and forced Kumogakure to make concessions. Back in Konoha, he encountered a remnant of Kaguya in his Alternate Dimension as Sasuke set out to confront Itachi.

• Zhou Cheng entered Ryūchi Cave, learned its Sage Mode, and fused it with his other Sage Modes and Shukaku’s chakra to create Azure Dragon Mode.
• Zhou Cheng fought Sasori, Deidara, Kakuzu, and Hidan at Orochimaru’s base, then returned to Konoha after Obito extracted the Akatsuki and learned Hinata had vanished.
• Zhou Cheng discovered that Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu had arranged Hinata’s abduction with Kumogakure, then crossed into the Land of Lightning to pursue her.
• Zhou Cheng fought Raikage A, Killer B, and Yugito, survived their Tailed Beast Bombs, and stopped after Obito withdrew the Akatsuki and Zhou Cheng rescued Hinata.
• Tsunade negotiated compensation and Lightning Release techniques from Kumogakure, and Zhou Cheng returned Hinata safely to Konoha.
• Zhou Cheng received Sasuke’s request to return and train, then entered his Alternate Dimension and found Kaguya imprisoned in a crystal, but refused her offer of power.
• Obito told Sasuke where to find Itachi, and Sasuke left alone after sending Orochimaru’s research materials to Zhou Cheng and destroying the base.
• Zhou Cheng received Sasuke’s research materials and realized Sasuke was going to face Itachi, while confirming that his Flying Thunder God Kunai remained with him.