Chapter Summaries

Karin overwhelmed Sunagakure’s forces, destroying Chiyo’s puppets and battling the One-Tail after Shukaku was released. She killed Shukaku, leaving Sunagakure’s army without its greatest weapon.

• Karin killed Chiyo’s son and daughter-in-law when they attacked her, and Chiyo grieved over their deaths.
• Chiyo rejected Bunpuku’s advice to retreat and ordered Sunagakure’s forces to charge Konoha’s camp.
• Karin shattered the battlefield with a punch and destroyed Chiyo’s Ten Puppets with Adamantine Sealing Chains.
• Shukaku appeared and asked Karin to spare Bunpuku, but Karin angered him by calling tailed beasts animals to be chained.
• Karin broke Shukaku’s claw and then killed him with a punch, scattering his body and returning his Chakra to the world.

After Konoha’s swift victory over Sunagakure, Karin and Tsunade traveled the shinobi world while Orochimaru rose to become the Fourth Hokage. They returned to find Orochimaru worried about Nawaki’s judgment and Tsunade discovered her brother was making Itachi do his homework.

• Konoha routed Sunagakure, and Orochimaru became famous as the campaign’s commander.
• Before leaving with Tsunade, Karin collected annual travel funds from Orochimaru and warned him not to threaten her or trust too much in Ryūchi Cave.
• During Karin and Tsunade’s travels, Orochimaru became Hokage, Jiraiya stayed in Amegakure, and Fugaku became captain of Konoha’s Police Force.
• After returning to Konoha, Tsunade heard Orochimaru argue that Nawaki should not become Hokage unless the office’s power was restricted.
• Tsunade found Nawaki asking Itachi to do the homework assigned by Orochimaru-sensei.

Karin’s trip to another shinobi world ended when she and Second Pillar confirmed their time-technique experiment had failed to find Lord Kitahara. Back in her own Konoha, she learned that Kakashi had entered a dangerous experiment to change Obito’s fate, and Second Pillar volunteered to help him.

• Tsunade caught Nawaki getting Uchiha Itachi to help with his homework and dragged him away, while Karin met the young Itachi.
• Second Pillar arrived through a space-time gate and told Karin that the experiment had failed because Lord Kitahara’s crow had not appeared.
• Karin returned to her Konoha, where Uchiha Itachi explained that the experiment had opened access to another world and its developments.
• Uchiha Itachi said Naruto had not returned and revealed that Kakashi had entered an experiment to send his soul back to the Third Shinobi World War.
• Second Pillar offered to go help Kakashi and kill Uchiha Obito, but Uchiha Itachi reminded him that Kakashi wanted to change Obito’s fate.

Orochimaru escaped to another world and revived Jiraiya with Impure World Reincarnation, hoping to learn how powerful Uchiha Itachi was there. Jiraiya instead asked Orochimaru to let him see Tsunade, but Orochimaru refused to risk going to Konoha.

• Orochimaru arrived on a beach in another world after escaping Sasuke's pursuit through a space-time gate.
• Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation to revive Jiraiya and discovered black Chakra-receiving rods on his corpse.
• Orochimaru questioned Jiraiya about Pain and the Child of Prophecy, but Jiraiya said he had found the true Child of Prophecy.
• Orochimaru mistakenly praised Uchiha Itachi as the Child of Prophecy, and Jiraiya's strange reaction revealed that their worlds differed.
• Jiraiya asked Orochimaru to take him to Tsunade, but Orochimaru refused because he did not want to go to Konoha.

Orochimaru brought Jiraiya to the northern base in the Land of Hot Water, where they encountered Sasuke and Team Hebi. After Orochimaru and Jiraiya defeated them, Orochimaru offered the team a chance to earn rewards by cooperating with him.

• Orochimaru opened the hidden entrance to his northern base and found Sasuke, Karin, Jugo, and Hozuki Suigetsu meeting inside.
• Sasuke challenged Orochimaru, and Jiraiya fought Team Hebi while Orochimaru observed.
• Orochimaru used his puppet armor and ninjutsu to help Jiraiya overwhelm Team Hebi, then blocked their escape with a mechanical giant snake.
• Orochimaru told Team Hebi he wanted their help gathering intelligence and might reward them, and Jugo asked to see Kimimaro again.

Orochimaru learned more about this world's differences and agreed to help Sasuke prepare for his meeting with Itachi, while planning to use their confrontation to assess Itachi's strength. He enlisted Jiraiya to accompany Sasuke and hold Kisame back, offering him a chance to meet Konoha's shinobi in return.

• Orochimaru reviewed the memories he had absorbed from Sasuke and considered how this world's Itachi and Akatsuki differed from what he knew.
• Sasuke gave Orochimaru the intelligence he had gathered and said he intended to meet Itachi, whom he believed was preparing for a decisive fight.
• Orochimaru warned Sasuke that he was still weaker than Itachi and agreed to help stop Akatsuki interference for ten million ryo.
• Orochimaru explained that Kisame might have ties to Kirigakure, making the mission more dangerous.
• Orochimaru summoned Jiraiya and asked him to accompany Sasuke and hold Kisame back, promising to consider letting him meet Konoha's shinobi.

Sasuke and the Impure World Reincarnation Jiraiya found Uchiha Itachi’s hideout, where Itachi’s crow clone challenged Sasuke to meet him at the Uchiha clan’s former hideout. Sasuke chose to seek the truth about Itachi, while Naruto’s shadow clone appeared and was immediately dispelled by Sasuke.

• Jiraiya repeatedly asked Sasuke about his feelings for Naruto, and Sasuke warned him not to mention Naruto before he killed Itachi.
• Sasuke and Jiraiya entered an Akatsuki hideout, where Itachi recognized Jiraiya’s Impure World Reincarnation body and suspected Orochimaru was alive.
• Sasuke struck Itachi with lightning, but Itachi turned into crows and told Sasuke to meet him alone at the Uchiha clan’s former hideout.
• Orochimaru warned Sasuke that Itachi had power beyond the Sage of Six Paths and might be controlling his life, but Sasuke decided to face him and learn the truth.
• Tsunade sent ninja, including Naruto, to gather intelligence on Itachi, and Sasuke dispelled a Naruto shadow clone that approached him and Jiraiya.

Second Pillar and Jiraiya reached the Uchiha stronghold, where Jiraiya fought Kisame while Second Pillar faced Uchiha Itachi. Itachi tried to explain his plan and the Mangekyō Sharingan, but Second Pillar’s rumors about Itachi’s power left him rattled.

• Kisame Hoshigaki blocked Second Pillar and Jiraiya from entering the stronghold, and Jiraiya began fighting him with Fire Style: Flame Bullet.
• Second Pillar confronted Uchiha Itachi and accused him of manipulating his life, then vowed to kill him.
• Uchiha Itachi explained the Mangekyō Sharingan’s history and admitted he wanted Second Pillar’s eyes to restore his failing vision.
• Second Pillar claimed someone had told him Itachi possessed power beyond the Sage of Six Paths, prompting Itachi to ask who had spread the rumor.

Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke fought their long-awaited duel while the masked man blocked Konoha’s allies from interfering. Orochimaru watched through Sasuke’s curse mark and, shocked when Itachi collapsed, sent Jiraiya to check on him.

• The masked man and a White Zetsu clone learned that Jiraiya had been brought back with the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, but the masked man continued protecting the brothers’ duel.
• Sasuke broke through Itachi’s Tsukuyomi and called out his attempts to hold back, forcing Itachi to attack with Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu.
• Sasuke struck Itachi with Chidori and followed with Great Dragon Fire Jutsu, while Itachi countered with Amaterasu and Sasuke activated his new curse mark form.
• Orochimaru sensed Sasuke’s curse mark and observed the fight, questioning why Itachi used Mangekyō abilities instead of the powers Orochimaru expected him to have.
• Itachi’s Susanoo dissipated and he collapsed beside Sasuke, leaving Orochimaru stunned by his apparent death.
• Orochimaru messaged the reincarnated Jiraiya to stop fighting Kisame Hoshigaki and check on Itachi.

After Uchiha Itachi died, Sasuke and Orochimaru learned the truth behind the Uchiha massacre from the masked man. Orochimaru remained suspicious that Itachi might not truly be dead and planned to test the corpse with Impure World Reincarnation.

• Kisame Hoshigaki learned that Uchiha Itachi had died, then left alone to grieve in the rain.
• Orochimaru, controlling Jiraiya, arrived at the Uchiha hideout and found Sasuke standing beside Itachi's corpse.
• The mysterious masked man revealed that Konoha's leaders had coerced Itachi into killing his clan to spare Sasuke.
• Orochimaru asked to take a White Zetsu and Itachi's corpse so he could use Impure World Reincarnation to confirm Itachi's death.
• Orochimaru offered to help Sasuke obtain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan or Rinnegan, then challenged the masked man's ignorance of those powers.

Orochimaru revived Uchiha Itachi to investigate his secrets, then let him leave with Jiraiya for Konoha. There, Naruto learned that Jiraiya had died fighting Pain and refused to believe the news.

• Orochimaru removed Itachi's Sharingan and revived him with Impure World Reincarnation, then asked about the crow carrying Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Itachi agreed to travel with Jiraiya to Konoha, hoping to exchange information and leave Sasuke a warning; Orochimaru returned to his laboratory to study Itachi's remains.
• Sage Fukasaku told Tsunade and the others that Pain had killed Jiraiya and showed them the message Jiraiya had left behind.
• Naruto insisted Jiraiya was alive because his shadow clone had seen him with Sasuke, but Tsunade and Kakashi reminded him that Fukasaku had witnessed Jiraiya's death.
• Naruto questioned Tsunade for allowing Jiraiya to undertake the dangerous mission and said Jiraiya would not have let her risk her life if he had been Hokage.

Uzumaki Naruto reunited with Jiraiya, who explained that he had been resurrected as Orochimaru’s puppet and urged Naruto to be ready to seal him. Jiraiya and Uchiha Itachi then shared intelligence about Pain, Nagato, and the Akatsuki, before Itachi revealed his safeguard for Sasuke may have been discovered.

• Uzumaki Naruto found Jiraiya peeping into the women’s bath and broke down in tears as he embraced him.
• Jiraiya told Naruto that he was dead and had been brought back through Orochimaru’s Impure World Reincarnation.
• Jiraiya warned Naruto that he might become an enemy and made him promise to defeat and seal him.
• Jiraiya revealed that Nagato secretly controlled Pain’s six bodies and urged Naruto to learn Sage Mode at Mount Myoboku.
• Uchiha Itachi told Naruto that Uchiha Madara might be the Akatsuki’s mastermind and that Orochimaru may have discovered his safeguard for Sasuke.
• Uzumaki Naruto coughed a crow out of his throat as Itachi’s eyes transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Uchiha Itachi escaped Orochimaru’s control but learned that Orochimaru planned to dominate the shinobi world. As Itachi set out to recover the Mangekyō Sharingan, Naruto urged Jiraiya to visit Tsunade, then found her grieving and told her to go to the women’s bathhouse before it was too late.

• Uchiha Itachi’s Kotoamatsukami crow freed him from Orochimaru’s control, and Itachi burned the crow with Amaterasu so Orochimaru could not take its Sharingan.
• Orochimaru spoke through Jiraiya, declared that the shinobi world would crawl beneath him, and warned Jiraiya to see Tsunade soon.
• Uchiha Itachi decided to reclaim the Mangekyō Sharingan Orochimaru held and hurried into Konoha, while Jiraiya refused to visit Tsunade.
• Uzumaki Naruto urged Jiraiya to see Tsunade, but Jiraiya told Naruto to go to Mount Myoboku to learn Sage Mode.
• Uzumaki Naruto found Tsunade crying outside the Hokage’s office and told her to visit the women’s bathhouse that night.

Orochimaru reunited with Yakushi Kabuto after Kabuto revived Uchiha Madara, then ordered him to gather the tailed beasts' Chakra so Orochimaru could pursue Six Paths-level power. Orochimaru declared war on the Akatsuki and the entire ninja world, leaving Kabuto to command the campaign.

• Tsunade dreamed of meeting Jiraiya again and punched him before grieving that he was dead.
• Orochimaru searched for Yakushi Kabuto and learned that Kabuto had robbed an important grave.
• Yakushi Kabuto used Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu on White Zetsu and revealed Uchiha Madara.
• Orochimaru arrived, warned Kabuto that Madara was dangerous, and wondered whether he could summon the Shinigami.
• Orochimaru told Yakushi Kabuto to gather all the tailed beasts' Chakra and declared war on the Akatsuki and the entire ninja world.

At the Northern Base, Orochimaru showed Yakushi Kabuto his powerful human puppets and ordered him to lead them in capturing the tailed beasts. Kabuto prepared to carry out the mission while Orochimaru turned to researching a clone of Uchiha Itachi.

• Yakushi Kabuto learned that Uchiha Itachi had left the Northern Base with Karin, Hozuki Suigetsu, and his Mangekyō Sharingan, then proposed using a war to strengthen their forces with Impure World Reincarnation.
• Orochimaru gave Yakushi Kabuto scrolls containing human puppets and explained that curse marks would make them obey him.
• Orochimaru revealed puppets modeled on the First Hokage, Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Obito, Asura, and Indra, describing their abilities and flaws.
• Orochimaru activated the puppets with a curse mark and ordered Yakushi Kabuto to lead them in bringing the world's tailed beasts to him.
• Orochimaru said he would research cloning Uchiha Itachi before launching a counterattack.

Yakushi Kabuto captured Killer B and the Eight-Tails using a Senju Hashirama human puppet, then declared war on the Akatsuki in Orochimaru’s name. He gave the Akatsuki seven days to hand over the tailed beasts they had captured before Orochimaru and Kabuto arrived in Amegakure.

• Uchiha Itachi arrived at Cloud and Lightning Gorge and used Susanoo to stop Gyūki from attacking Sasuke and Killer B.
• Itachi urged Gyūki to leave, but Killer B woke up and stayed to watch the Uchiha brothers.
• A mysterious man resembling Senju Hashirama restrained Killer B with Wood Release, and Itachi and Sasuke debated whether Orochimaru had revived the First Hokage.
• Yakushi Kabuto arrived on a giant snake and sent the Senju Hashirama human puppet away with Killer B.
• Kabuto told Itachi that Orochimaru had abandoned Sasuke and announced that Orochimaru would declare war on the Akatsuki in seven days.

Kabuto Yakushi revealed that Orochimaru had created an Indra puppet with the Rinnegan and declared the start of the Fourth Shinobi World War. Itachi showed Sasuke the truth behind his past and urged him to live freely, but Sasuke vowed to inherit his will.

• Kabuto Yakushi introduced the Rinnegan-bearing Indra puppet and sent Itachi and Sasuke to tell the world that the Fourth Shinobi World War had begun.
• Sasuke demanded that Itachi reveal the truth about the Uchiha massacre and his suffering, so Itachi projected his memories into Sasuke's mind.
• Itachi explained his choices and told Sasuke to live by his own wishes, whether he forgave or hated him.
• Sasuke embraced Itachi, wept, and promised to live on and inherit his will.
• Orochimaru, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Itachi, and Sasuke reacted to the emotional reunion by threatening Orochimaru with attacks, while Kabuto asked whether he should use Impure World Reincarnation.

Kabuto Yakushi and Orochimaru prepared to launch the Fourth Shinobi World War, while Kumogakure dismissed their threats until the Third Raikage and an Asura human puppet attacked. The Fourth Raikage charged his resurrected father as the invasion began.

• The masked man and Zetsu discussed Orochimaru's threat, the missing Eight-Tails jinchūriki, and Nagato's mission to capture the Nine-Tails.
• The Fourth Raikage ordered Kumogakure's Anbu to search for Killer B, but an attack suddenly struck the village.
• Kabuto Yakushi, speaking through the Third Raikage, demanded that Kumogakure submit to Orochimaru and provide resources.
• Seven days later, Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi began the Fourth Shinobi World War and sent reanimated shinobi and human puppets against the Five Great Nations.
• The Fourth Raikage attacked the Third Raikage with Lightning Release: Lariat as Kabuto Yakushi withdrew, leaving the fight to his forces.

Orochimaru’s forces overwhelmed Kumogakure and forced Kirigakure to surrender while attacking Amegakure. As Kabuto uncovered the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Minato confronted the masked man identified as Obito, leaving Orochimaru’s next move unresolved.

• Ashura defeated Kumogakure’s ninja with Wood Release, while the Third Raikage fought the Fourth Raikage.
• Uchiha Madara’s Susanoo devastated Kirigakure, and Genji surrendered to spare the village further destruction.
• Orochimaru and Kabuto attacked Amegakure, where Nagato and Konan were absent, and learned that Jiraiya was fighting Pain in Konoha.
• Orochimaru recalled releasing the previous Hokage from the Reaper Death Seal and reincarnating Tobirama, Hiruzen, and Minato for the war.
• Kabuto used Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation to reveal the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path beneath Amegakure, where the masked man and White Zetsu waited.
• Minato appeared behind the masked man and struck at him with a Rasengan after asking whether he was Obito.

Namikaze Minato battled the masked man while Orochimaru learned that Konoha’s dead had been revived and prepared to join the attack there. Inside the giant snake, Black Zetsu found Uchiha Madara trapped beside Kitahara’s crow, which revealed its power by sending Second Pillar through a space-time gate.

• Namikaze Minato fought the masked man, who claimed to be Uchiha Madara, while Minato suspected he was Uchiha Obito.
• Kabuto Yakushi told Orochimaru that Uzumaki Naruto and Jiraiya had defeated Pain and that Nagato had revived the Konoha ninja he killed.
• Orochimaru learned that Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure had fallen, then left to personally oversee the attack on Konoha.
• Black Zetsu and White Zetsu searched the giant snake for the Eight-Tails and Madara, then found Uchiha Madara immobilized by black rods inside a shattered coffin.
• Kitahara’s crow pecked at a Chakra Fruit and sent Second Pillar away through a space-time gate; Uchiha Madara warned the Zetsu that the crow was the dangerous one.