Recaps

Akatsuki captured the Five-Tails during its attack on Iwagakure, but Orochimaru and Shinnō defected with the jinchuriki after ambushing Obito. Nagato ordered Obito to retrieve the Five-Tails, then confronted him about his forbidden technique and warned him to remember his place.

• Orochimaru and Shinnō escaped with the Five-Tails, while Zou Hyuga watched and considered their failed ambush on Obito.
• Ōnoki learned that Akatsuki had abducted Han and that Kitsuchi had died, then ordered the Rock Ninja to rescue nearby villagers and considered calling a Five Kage Summit.
• Nagato confronted the Akatsuki members about Orochimaru and Shinnō’s betrayal, and Obito claimed they had contacted the organization the previous night.
• Nagato tasked Obito with retrieving the Five-Tails and ordered the others to search for the Seven-Tails.
• The Deva Path questioned Obito about the technique he used against the ambush, then warned him that he was no longer Madara Uchiha.

Konan assigned Zou Hyuga the Eight-Tails hunt while questioning his opposition to Pain’s plan, and Obito struggled to maintain control of Akatsuki after Nagato rebuked him. At Orochimaru’s base, Orochimaru and Shinnō learned that Obito was pursuing them and discussed their next move with Five-Tails captive.

• Konan told Zou Hyuga that he and Pain had assigned him the Eight-Tails Hunt Mission, then asked whether he truly opposed Pain’s plan.
• Obito restrained his anger toward Nagato, asked Zetsu how to deal with him, and rejected the suggestion to revive Madara Uchiha.
• Obito asked Zetsu to locate Orochimaru and Shinnō, but Zetsu reported that White Zetsu scouts had been discovered and only knew their approximate location.
• Orochimaru brought the unconscious Han, the Five-Tails jinchūriki, to a secret base after disposing of a pursuing White Zetsu.
• Orochimaru declined Oyashiro En’s request for the cursed seal controlling Han, then told Shinnō he planned to study the White Zetsu corpses and use a tailed beast for Spirit Zero-Tails.
• A summoning beast delivered a warning that the masked man was after them and that Hiruko was comatose, prompting Shinnō to wonder why the Tailed Beast Association president had not defected with them.

After news spread that the Akatsuki had attacked Iwagakure, the Third Hokage held a meeting to discuss the Tsuchikage’s proposal for a Five Kage Summit. The Third backed Oto Uchiha’s plan to attend, demand concessions from Iwagakure, and use its strength against the Akatsuki.

• The Third Hokage told the gathered leaders that Ōnoki had proposed a Five Kage Summit and claimed that infighting had begun within the Akatsuki.
• Jiraiya urged the village to attend the summit and invite the Akatsuki, hoping negotiation could prevent war, but Uchiha Fugaku and Hiashi rejected his idea.
• Oto Uchiha proposed attending the summit, making the Tsuchikage admit his mistakes, and joining forces with Iwagakure against the Akatsuki.
• The Third Hokage endorsed Oto Uchiha’s proposal, and the meeting shifted to planning the summit and securing the village’s safety.

Oto Uchiha learned that the Akatsuki planned to hunt the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails while Orochimaru continued experimenting on the Five-Tails Jinchuriki in the Land of Rice Fields. After Shinnō left to develop the Zero-Tails, Zou Hyuga arrived in Otogakure seeking an audience with Orochimaru.

• Oto Uchiha learned from Zou Hyuga's intelligence that Iwagakure's losses were severe and the Akatsuki had added the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails to its targets.
• The Five-Tails Jinchuriki awoke and attacked Orochimaru and Shinnō, but they defeated him, and Shinnō witnessed Jugo and Kimimaro's strength.
• Orochimaru suspected Danzo was acting strangely to gain an advantage after Orochimaru's defection from the Akatsuki.
• Shinnō requested tailed beast chakra and natural-energy research data, then left Orochimaru's base to pursue creating the Zero-Tails.
• Zou Hyuga arrived in Otogakure wearing an Akatsuki robe and asked the Sound Ninja to inform Orochimaru that he had business with him.

Zou Hyuga visited Orochimaru in Otogakure, obtained some of the Five-Tails' chakra, and set out to locate the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki. Meanwhile, Shinnō used the chakra to help activate the Sky Warship, and the mountain hiding it began to split open.

• Zou Hyuga met Orochimaru in Otogakure, learned Shinnō had left, and visited the imprisoned Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han.
• Zou Hyuga traded a promise to pass along intelligence for a portion of the Five-Tails' chakra and absorbed it into his Karma.
• Zou Hyuga sensed the mark he had placed on the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, hoping to find them and obtain more Sky Ninja Technology.
• Shinnō brought the Five-Tails' chakra to the Sky Ninja Base and placed it in the Sky Warship's Power Room.
• Shinnō led the Sky Ninja in activating the Sky Warship, and the mountain concealing it slowly split apart.

Shinnō’s Sky Warship encountered Toneri, who had descended from the Moon to investigate the Rinnegan’s wielder. After extracting memories from a Sky Ninja, Toneri attacked Shinnō despite his offer to share what he knew.

• Fū struggled to supply enough chakra to lift the Sky Warship while Shinnō prepared to create the Zero-Tails.
• Shinnō saw a figure approaching from the Moon and learned that Toneri had descended to seek information about the Rinnegan’s wielder.
• Toneri demanded information from Shinnō and used a force like Banshō Ten'in to seize a Sky Ninja and extract memories.
• Toneri learned Shinnō’s name and that he belonged to Akatsuki, but found no memories about the Rinnegan.
• Shinnō offered to tell Toneri what he knew, but Toneri continued pulling at the deck and attacking the Sky Ninja.

Shinnō fought Toneri aboard the Sky Warship, but even after becoming Zero-Tails’ jinchūriki, he was defeated and fled into the sea. Zou Hyuga reached the sinking ship and confronted Toneri, who held Fū in midair, leaving the two facing off on the partially submerged deck.

• Shinnō opened the Sixth Gate and attacked Toneri, but Toneri repelled him and sent him crashing into the warship’s wall.
• Shinnō swallowed Zero-Tails and merged with the tailed beast while the Sky Ninja tried to delay Toneri.
• Toneri unleashed Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, and Zou Hyuga spotted the Sky Warship from the shore.
• Zou Hyuga climbed to the warship using seabirds and found Shinnō defeated, then fleeing into the sea.
• Zou Hyuga entered Sage Mode and saw Toneri holding Fū as the Sky Warship crashed into the ocean.
• Zou Hyuga and Toneri faced each other on the partially submerged deck.

Zou Hyuga and Toneri fought a devastating battle at sea, while Shinnō and the surviving Sky Ninja watched their warship and hopes sink. Toneri was severely wounded but escaped with Fū, who told him about the Shinobi World’s major powers.

• Zou Hyuga and Toneri exchanged Gentle Fist attacks, ninjutsu, and devastating techniques as their battle churned the sea into tsunamis.
• Shinnō recognized Zou Hyuga as the Tailed Beast Association president and accepted that the destroyed Sky Warship marked the end of the Sky Ninja Bandit Gang.
• Zou Hyuga used Karma and a compressed chakra attack to break through Toneri’s Truth-Seeking Orb defense and leave him badly injured.
• Fū carried Toneri away as he hesitated over whether to keep fighting Zou Hyuga.
• Toneri introduced himself to Fū, asked about the Akatsuki, and listened as she explained that the Five Great Nations’ shinobi villages were the strongest.

Kisame led Kirigakure ANBU against Shinnō and captured the injured Akatsuki defector, earning attention as a potential Mizukage candidate. After hearing what had happened to Shinnō, Kisame decided to report the battle to the village and Zou Hyuga.

• Zou Hyuga spotted Fū and Toneri in the clouds before plunging into the sea, and the battle site was later investigated by ninja.
• Kisame and his ANBU patrol spotted Shinnō and the Sky Ninja approaching the Land of Water and attacked them at sea.
• Shinnō activated the Eight Gates Released Formation and used the Zero-Tails’ chakra, but Kisame overwhelmed him with Thousand Feeding Sharks.
• Kisame captured Shinnō in a water prison and learned that Shinnō had already been badly injured in a battle near the Land of Water.
• Kisame heard the Sky Ninja’s account of the battle and agreed to report the information to Kirigakure and Zou Hyuga.

Zou Hyuga recovered after fighting Toneri, recognized that his Karma had grown stronger, and decided to seek Otsutsuki power before the tailed beasts were collected. After retrieving Sky Ninja technology from the wrecked warship, he learned Kisame had captured Shinnō and resolved to encourage Kisame’s chances of becoming Mizukage.

• Zou Hyuga woke in an underground cave, found an Otsutsuki horn on his forehead, and recalled fleeing after sensing a powerful gaze during his battle with Toneri.
• Zou Hyuga realized his Karma had deepened and decided he needed to obtain Otsutsuki power before the tailed beasts were collected.
• Zou Hyuga returned to the seabed, salvaged documents and blueprints from the Sky Warship, and buried the wreck beneath the silt.
• Kisame’s shark summoning beast delivered a scroll reporting Kirigakure’s situation and Kisame’s capture of Shinnō.
• Zou Hyuga concluded that capturing Shinnō made Kisame a Mizukage candidate, wrote him a reply, and sent it back with Little Shark.

Kisame returned to Kirigakure with Shinnō captured and used the news to rally the village, while Mei Terumi and the elders assessed what his actions meant for the Mizukage contest. He revealed that Yagura and Utakata were likely dead and that Shinnō and Orochimaru had betrayed Akatsuki, leaving the village facing a grave loss but gaining news of Akatsuki’s infighting.

• Kisame considered his subordinates’ encouragement to seek the Mizukage position and kept Shinnō weakened with Samehada as the squad traveled back to Kirigakure.
• Shinnō threatened to expose Akatsuki’s spy, but Kisame dismissed him, noting that no one would believe an Akatsuki member.
• Kisame brought Shinnō and his accomplices into Kirigakure, and rumors that he had captured an Akatsuki member quickly boosted the village’s morale.
• Mei Terumi and Ao discussed Kisame’s ambitions and agreed that the village had to acknowledge the capture to avoid weakening morale.
• At the Mizukage Building meeting, Kisame reported that Yagura and Utakata were likely dead and that Shinnō and Orochimaru had betrayed Akatsuki.

Genji assigned Mei Terumi to investigate Akatsuki bases in the Land of Water, while Kisame visited Shinnō in prison to demand his technology and medical ninjutsu. Shinnō recognized that Kisame was an impostor, and Zou Hyuga revealed himself as the person behind the disguise.

• Kisame told the elders that Shinnō had revealed Akatsuki bases in the Land of Water, and Genji assigned Mei Terumi to root them out.
• Genji worried about whom to send to the upcoming Five Kage Summit, since Mei Terumi lacked the strength to lead and Kisame was unsuitable for the position.
• Mei Terumi left Ao in Chōjūrō's care and set out alone to investigate the bases.
• Kisame visited Shinnō in the ANBU prison and demanded the Sky Ninja Technology and Shinnō's medical ninjutsu.
• Shinnō challenged Kisame to kill him, then revealed he knew someone else was behind the disguise because the visitor talked too much and did not smell fishy enough.
• Zou Hyuga appeared in his guise as the Tailed Beast Association president and offered to trade Shinnō's life for his technology and ninjutsu.

Zou Hyuga persuaded Shinnō to hand over his Medical Ninjutsu and Sky Ninja technology by promising to help rebuild the warship and protect him. After sparing Shinnō, Zou resolved to gather researchers to prepare for the Ōtsutsuki Clan’s eventual arrival.

• Shinnō guessed that Zou Hyuga wanted the Sky Ninja technology to fight Toneri, and Zou accepted his claim that they were clanmates and enemies.
• Zou told Shinnō that the warship’s main body remained intact and proposed rebuilding it with help from Kirigakure and the Tailed Beast Association.
• Shinnō questioned whether Zou could protect him from Kirigakure and Akatsuki, but accepted that Akatsuki was weakened and might not pursue him.
• Shinnō asked whether the enemy had taken the Seven-Tails, and Zou confirmed it.
• Zou left the interrogation room without killing Shinnō and decided to recruit researchers like him and Sasori to develop another way to face the Ōtsutsuki Clan.

Kisame tortured Shinnō as part of a plan to fake his death and revealed that the President wanted him to become the Fifth Mizukage. Meanwhile, Zou Hyuga trained Suigetsu in Kirigakure and discussed how Kisame could gain influence while Mei Terumi attended the Five Kage Summit.

• Kisame tortured Shinnō and told him to fake his death, then said the President wanted him to become the Fifth Mizukage.
• Zou Hyuga trained Kirigakure genin and used a storage battery to paralyze Suigetsu, who asked about Hozuki Mangetsu and the stolen ninja blades.
• Zou Hyuga encouraged Suigetsu to train seriously and become a chunin so he could grow strong enough to find Mangetsu.
• Kisame told Zou Hyuga that Mei Terumi had found the intelligence he had left behind and planned to inform the Five Great Nations.
• Kisame said Genji would likely send Mei Terumi to the Five Kage Summit, and Zou Hyuga pointed out that her departure would leave Kisame effectively in charge of Kirigakure.

After leaving Kirigakure, Zou Hyuga traveled by cruise ship toward the Land of Lightning and stopped at Lonely Island, a lawless hub where ninja were traded and forced to fight. There he met Oyashiro En, the island’s administrator, and began discussing the reason for his visit.

• Zou Hyuga left Kirigakure after recruiting Hozuki Suigetsu, tested Shinnō, and told Kisame to keep monitoring him.
• On a cruise ship, Zou Hyuga saw rogue ninja board, but the merchants’ bodyguards and a ninja songstress defeated them.
• Zou Hyuga visited Lonely Island and watched ninja gladiators fight, where victors gained the right to use defeated ninja.
• Oyashiro En approached Zou Hyuga and asked whether he wanted to enter a match, but Zou Hyuga refused to treat his subordinates as merchandise.
• Zou Hyuga said he might destroy Lonely Island someday, then told Oyashiro En he had come for another reason and suggested they talk elsewhere.

Zou Hyuga visited Oyashiro En to procure war supplies and sell Chakra Armor blueprints, then helped him destroy a secret base and free imprisoned kekkei genkai ninja. Oyashiro En revealed that the escape was meant to protect his daughter, a Ketsuryūgan user, from the burden of their clan’s conflict with the Uchiha Clan.

• Oyashiro En received Zou Hyuga, who asked him to gather large quantities of war supplies and offered Chakra Armor blueprints in return.
• Oyashiro En asked Zou Hyuga to deal with problems caused by Orochimaru’s failed experiments, and Zou instead showed him the blueprints.
• Oyashiro En reluctantly agreed to buy the blueprints after negotiating conditions with Zou Hyuga.
• The next morning, Zou Hyuga helped Oyashiro En destroy his secret base and release the imprisoned kekkei genkai ninja.
• Zou Hyuga recognized Oyashiro En’s young daughter among the escapees and identified her eyes as Ketsuryūgan.
• Oyashiro En said he had freed his daughter so she could live happily rather than inherit the clan’s conflict with the Uchiha Clan.

Zou Hyuga traveled to the Valley of Clouds and Lightning and fought Killer B, using an array of powerful ninjutsu to pressure the Eight-Tails jinchuriki. He eventually realized he had been tricked by a tentacle substitute, while the real Killer B escaped to an unknown location.

• Zou Hyuga reached the Valley of Clouds and Lightning and used his Byakugan to find Killer B's dwelling.
• Zou Hyuga attacked Killer B, who recognized him from their earlier fight and countered with multiple swords.
• Zou Hyuga used a Wind Release: Rasenshuriken and several other techniques, but Killer B's Tailed Beast Cloak withstood them.
• Killer B created ink clones and a distant Tailed Beast Bomb before disappearing into the sea of clouds.
• Zou Hyuga returned and caught what appeared to be Killer B, but the figure became an Eight-Tails tentacle, revealing that the real Killer B had escaped.

Zou Hyuga deduced that the Killer B he fought in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning was a clone, escaped the Cloud Ninja, and sent intelligence about the captured Eight-Tails tentacle to Nagato and Konan. Meanwhile, Obito and Black Zetsu found Otogakure, where Obito slipped inside to confront Orochimaru and the other unexpected factors.

• Zou Hyuga realized that Killer B in the valley had been a tentacle clone and left before Kumogakure's main force arrived.
• Fourth Raikage A and Killer B found Zou Hyuga, and Killer B identified him as a clone before the Cloud Ninja forced it to disperse with Lariat.
• Zou Hyuga learned the Cloud Ninja were heading toward the Land of Lightning's border, sealed away the Eight-Tails tentacle, and sent intelligence to Nagato and Konan.
• Obito and Black Zetsu located Otogakure and discussed the danger Orochimaru posed.
• Obito entered Otogakure using Intangibility without alerting the guards.

Obito attacked Otogakure to capture Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, and take revenge on Orochimaru. After Kimimaro delayed him and the Sound Ninja rallied to defend the village, Orochimaru faced the choice of asking his subordinates to sacrifice themselves.

• Obito found Han guarded by Kimimaro and tried to capture the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, but Kimimaro raised the alarm and had Han carried away.
• Kimimaro attacked Obito with Shikotsumyaku and his Cursed Seal, but Obito used Susanoo to break through his bone defenses and injure him.
• Sound Ninja rushed to fight Obito and defend Otogakure, while Obito searched for Han from atop Susanoo.
• Orochimaru watched the attack from hiding, wary of Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan and reluctant to risk confronting him.
• After Sound Ninja brought Han to him, Orochimaru asked two subordinates whether they were willing to sacrifice themselves for Otogakure.

Orochimaru’s forces fought Obito as he devastated Otogakure, until Orochimaru summoned the reanimated Second Hokage to confront him. When Tobirama proved unable to stop Obito, Orochimaru brought out another reanimated Hokage, the First, and the battlefield became a sea of trees.

• Two Sound Ninja chose to help Orochimaru, who solemnly promised to remember them.
• Obito destroyed much of Otogakure, while Kimimaro’s bone chain briefly pierced his Susanoo before Obito knocked Kimimaro aside.
• A dark figure attacked Obito and revealed himself as Tobirama Senju, who used Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags against the Susanoo.
• Obito dispelled his Susanoo and restrained Tobirama with Wood Release while beginning a Sealing Jutsu.
• Orochimaru told Kimimaro that he had also revived someone else and summoned the First Hokage, whose Wood Release covered the battlefield in trees.

Hashirama Senju overwhelmed Obito with Wood Release, while Orochimaru and the Hokage questioned Obito's claim to be Madara Uchiha. Hashirama confirmed that Obito was not Madara, leaving Obito cornered and silent as the others demanded to know his identity.

• Orochimaru successfully summoned Hashirama Senju, whose Wood Release defeated Obito's Susanoo and trapped him in a Wood Dragon.
• Hashirama and the Second Hokage discussed Konoha, Tsunade, and the village's younger generation before Orochimaru and Kimimaro approached them.
• Orochimaru revealed that he had been the Third Hokage's student and Tsunade's teammate, then restrained the Second Hokage.
• Orochimaru asked Hashirama whether Obito was truly Madara Uchiha, and Hashirama confirmed that he was not.
• Orochimaru and the Second Hokage demanded to know who Obito was, but Obito stayed silent, feeling helpless before Hashirama.

Orochimaru and the reanimated First and Second Hokage reacted to the Akatsuki leader’s attack and prepared for the coming battle. The First rushed to confront the leader, while Orochimaru retreated with his subordinates and questioned the Second about the village and forbidden techniques.

• The Second Hokage suggested unmasking Obito, but an explosion near the Five-Tails Jinchuriki drew Orochimaru’s attention away.
• Orochimaru recognized the Akatsuki leader’s powerful Shinra Tensei and explained that the leader’s group had captured seven tailed beasts.
• The First Hokage decided to meet the strongest ninja of the era and rushed toward the Akatsuki leader despite Orochimaru’s weak control over him.
• The Second Hokage warned Orochimaru about abusing forbidden techniques and refused to interfere in his brother’s battle.
• Orochimaru ordered Kimimaro and the others to retreat, then began asking the Second Hokage about the village and his research while keeping watch on Obito.

Hashirama Senju confronted Pain outside Otogakure while Black Zetsu tried to rescue Obito and his Kamui Sharingan. Orochimaru and the Second Hokage repelled a White Zetsu attack, then noticed a mysterious black speck approaching.

• Pain recognized Hashirama Senju as the First Hokage, and Hashirama identified Pain as the Akatsuki leader pursuing the tailed beasts.
• Pain unleashed Super Shinra Tensei, but Hashirama blocked the attack with Fivefold Rashomon and countered with Wood Release.
• Black Zetsu watched Obito trapped in Susanoo and cautiously sent White Zetsu to attack Orochimaru and the Second Hokage.
• Orochimaru and the Second defeated the White Zetsu, and Orochimaru collected their bodies for experiments.
• The Second questioned Orochimaru about the White Zetsu and tried to return to Konoha, but Orochimaru kept him there to investigate.
• A tiny black speck appeared near Otogakure, drawing Orochimaru's and the Second's attention.

Nagato defeated and sealed the First Hokage with Planetary Devastation, while Orochimaru fled Otogakure and the Second Hokage escaped. The Akatsuki captured the Five-Tails, but a message brought news of a failed attempt to capture the Eight-Tails and an upcoming Five Kage Summit.

• The First Hokage tried to resist Nagato's Planetary Devastation with Wood Release, but ran out of chakra and could not enter Sage Mode.
• Orochimaru sensed that the reanimated First Hokage was nearing defeat, ordered the Second Hokage to keep watch, and fled to preserve his experimental data.
• Nagato sealed the First Hokage inside Planetary Devastation, then went to confront the Second Hokage and Obito.
• The Second Hokage escaped by Flying Thunder God, and Nagato mocked Obito's strength and suspected he was not the real Madara Uchiha.
• The Akatsuki captured the Five-Tails, but a letter informed Nagato that the attempt to capture the Eight-Tails had failed and that the Five Kage Summit would be held in the Land of Iron.

Obito learned that Nagato had discovered he was not the real Madara and ordered Black Zetsu to gather powerful shinobi bodies as protection against Orochimaru’s reanimations. At the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron, tensions rose between Konoha and Iwagakure while Zou Hyuga warned Oto that the Akatsuki was not their ultimate enemy.

• Obito told Black Zetsu that Nagato had confirmed he was not the Madara who fought Hashirama Senju, and ordered him to collect powerful shinobi bodies.
• A White Zetsu reported that the Five Kage Summit would take place in the Land of Iron, prompting Obito and Black Zetsu to consider the Akatsuki’s response.
• Zou Hyuga and the Fire Squad arrived at the summit venue, where the Third Hokage and Third Tsuchikage exchanged barbs over their dead sons and grandchildren.
• Mifune intervened before the Konoha and Iwagakure delegations could come to blows, while Hiruzen Sarutobi and Ōnoki blamed each other for their villages’ ties to dangerous shinobi.
• Oto asked Zou Hyuga about his plans, and he told her that the Akatsuki’s leader was not their ultimate enemy and that a stranger threat would appear.
• Zou Hyuga and Oto received the Third Hokage’s order to assemble and left in silence.