Chapter Summaries

Oto Uchiha and Zou Hyuga returned from the Moon Palace through the Earth-Moon Passage, carrying the Great Tenseigan’s core as a precaution. Outside the cave, they discovered Obito confronting Nagato and Konan, and Obito withdrew after learning the President was approaching.

• Oto explained herself to Fū, assessed Toneri and the Great Tenseigan, and left the Moon Palace with Zou Hyuga after obtaining tissue samples from Toneri.
• Zou took the Great Tenseigan’s internal core, and he and Oto traveled through the Earth-Moon Passage back to the surface.
• Zou and Oto sensed Nagato’s and Obito’s chakra, left the cave, and found Obito facing Nagato and Konan.
• Obito claimed he had lent Nagato the Rinnegan, while Nagato taunted him about failing to obtain the other Rinnegan.
• Zetsu reported that Konan’s explosive tags had thwarted him and that the President was approaching with a subordinate, so Obito retreated using Kamui.

Nagato and Konan regrouped with Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha after Obito and Zetsu withdrew, and Zou revealed that Toneri was only a pawn of the Ōtsutsuki Clan. Obito still planned to pursue the Eye of the Moon Plan, but Zetsu reported that Zou’s group had rejected negotiations and killed their White Zetsu scouts.

• After Obito and Zetsu left, Nagato admitted he was vulnerable without his Rinnegan, and Konan reported that Zetsu had implanted one and could use its attraction and repulsion abilities.
• Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha arrived, and Nagato asked whether Zou had dealt with Toneri and the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
• Zou told Nagato that Toneri was only a pawn, prompting Nagato to worry about the Ōtsutsuki’s greater power and the shinobi world’s future.
• Zou detected and struck a White Zetsu spying on the group, while Nagato noted that more than a hundred White Zetsu had appeared.
• Obito considered the risks of advancing the Eye of the Moon Plan without the other Rinnegan and hoped to negotiate with Zou’s group.
• Zetsu returned and told Obito that Zou’s group had refused to negotiate and killed the White Zetsu scouts.

Obito and Black Zetsu discussed the President’s group reaching an agreement with Nagato and the threat that they might pursue the Rinnegan and Ten-Tails. Obito considered transplanting the Rinnegan and building his own Six Paths of Pain from jinchūriki corpses, while Black Zetsu proposed using Rinne Rebirth to restore powerful dead shinobi.

• Black Zetsu told Obito that Nagato and the President’s group had stopped fighting and reached an agreement, prompting Obito to suspect they wanted the Ten-Tails.
• Black Zetsu urged Obito to recover the Rinnegan and revive the Ten-Tails before their rivals, and suggested transplanting the Rinnegan into Obito’s chest or arm using a special White Zetsu body.
• Obito weighed the risks of using a White Zetsu body, then decided to create a new Six Paths of Pain from the corpses of jinchūriki.
• Black Zetsu agreed to have the White Zetsu search for jinchūriki corpses and proposed resurrecting them and other powerful dead shinobi with Rinne Rebirth.
• Obito recognized Rinne Rebirth as a Rinnegan technique and reacted with surprise.

Obito considered using the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu to control Orochimaru and obtain the First and Second Hokage, while Zou Hyuga and Nagato discussed the Otsutsuki threat and their plans. Days later, Oto Uchiha and Zou met Yamato and Guy, who reported that a battle in the Land of Fire was believed to be Akatsuki infighting.

• Obito dismissed Black Zetsu's suggestion of resurrecting Madara and considered finding Orochimaru to control him with genjutsu.
• Zou Hyuga examined Nagato's newly awakened Mangekyō Sharingan and learned that its dojutsu manipulated ninja tools.
• Nagato asked whether they should warn the Five Great Shinobi Villages about the Otsutsuki, but Zou explained that the villages would not trust the Akatsuki and that Obito pursued the Eye of the Moon Plan.
• Nagato concluded that Obito might have destroyed the original Akatsuki and added him to his list of enemies.
• After several hours of discussion, Nagato and Zou Hyuga parted ways, and days later Oto Uchiha and Zou met Yamato and Guy at their agreed meeting point.
• Yamato told Oto and Zou that black-market intelligence described a battle in the Land of Fire as infighting within the Akatsuki.

The Third Hokage learned that Danzo had died and rushed to Root, where he discovered Danzo had become a tree and found a sealed experiment log. Zou Hyuga and Oto revealed they had taken Root’s valuables and left the Third a present, while the log’s contents left him gravely concerned.

• The Third Hokage questioned Zou Hyuga and the Fire Squad about the Akatsuki and possible Hokage candidates, then sent them away without reaching a decision.
• A Root ninja reported that Danzo had died and been transformed into a tree, prompting the Third Hokage to hurry to the Root Base with ANBU.
• Zou Hyuga and Oto watched the Third head for Root and revealed that they had taken Danzo’s wealth and left him a present.
• At the Root Base, the Third learned that Danzo’s death had released the Tongue Root Eradication Techniques, causing many Root ninja to leave or flee.
• The Third opened Danzo’s sealed experiment log, read several pages, and reacted gravely to what Danzo had left behind.

After Danzo's death, Hiruzen locked down Root and considered undergoing Hashirama cell transplantation, with Tsunade agreeing to assist after reviewing the procedure. Meanwhile, Kakashi investigated chakra traces in a training forest and discovered Naruto there.

• Hiruzen read Danzo's journal, learned the Hashirama cell procedure could restore youth, and placed Root under lockdown.
• Hiruzen convened an emergency meeting and told Tsunade he planned to transplant Hashirama cells into his body.
• Tsunade reviewed the procedure, found no flaws, and said she would prepare to assist with the surgery.
• Hiruzen declared that Root would be abolished and its dark responsibilities would return to the Hokage.
• Kakashi followed chakra traces in a training forest with his ninja dogs, and Pakkun found Naruto hiding there.

Kakashi found Minato, Kushina, and Naruto living together in the woods and asked Minato to return to Konoha as Hokage. Minato and Kushina refused, but agreed that Naruto could attend his graduation exam under escort, while Jiraiya avoided visiting Minato because he feared drawing him back into village politics.

• Naruto met Kakashi and Pakkun, and Minato appeared to take Naruto and Kakashi to his home in the woods.
• Kushina and Minato told Kakashi they would not return to Konoha, though they would protect the village in a crisis.
• Kakashi suggested that Naruto return to the Ninja Academy for his graduation exam, and Kushina assigned Kakashi, Zou, and Oto to escort him.
• Kakashi left to report the situation to the Third Hokage and continue his senjutsu training with Jiraiya.
• Jiraiya told Kakashi he had avoided seeing Minato because he feared Minato might return as Hokage and be drawn into the village's turmoil.

Zou Hyuga returned to his underground laboratory, informed Sasori that Nagato had made him Akatsuki’s new leader, and investigated Toneri’s cells and his own transformation. His research led him to speculate about the God Tree and chakra as he considered who could help him face the dangers of becoming an Otsutsuki.

• Zou Hyuga returned to his underground laboratory, where Sasori confronted him and asked whether he had attacked another Akatsuki member.
• Zou Hyuga told Sasori that Nagato had approved him as Akatsuki’s new leader and that they were hunting Madara Uchiha, then showed him Nagato’s signed scroll.
• Zou Hyuga examined Toneri’s cells and found that they could withstand far more chakra than ordinary Hyuga cells.
• Zou Hyuga compared Toneri’s cells with his own and found little difference, concluding that Karma had brought his body close to an Otsutsuki’s.
• Zou Hyuga considered the Great Tenseigan, the God Tree, and how chakra might function, but treated his ideas as speculation.
• Zou Hyuga decided he could not become an Otsutsuki alone and needed a helper who would remain useful at that level.

After returning to Konoha, Zou Hyuga learned that Danzo had died defending the village and went to the Uchiha compound after hearing about a mysterious Root ninja with Sharingan. He met Itachi practicing Chakra Cloak, then learned that Uchiha Shin had been taken away by Itachi's father.

• Zou Hyuga returned to the village and learned from his Shadow Clone's memories that Danzo had died defending Konoha and been buried with the fallen ninjas.
• Zou learned that a Root ninja claiming to be an Uchiha had approached Itachi with two Sharingan absent from clan records, and Oto suspected his unusual constitution was connected to Nagato's Mangekyo Sharingan awakening.
• Zou and Oto went to the Uchiha training ground, where Itachi used Chakra Cloak to deflect a barrage of kunai and shuriken.
• Oto praised Itachi for mastering Chakra Cloak, which Zou had developed, and Itachi thanked them for their help.
• Itachi told Zou and Oto that his father had taken Uchiha Shin away, and said Shin admired him while intensely hating Sasuke.

Zou Hyuga brought Uchiha Shin to an abandoned laboratory and revealed to Itachi that Shin had been the subject of Root’s Sharingan replication project. Itachi learned that one pair of copied eyes had reached Mangekyō Sharingan power, while Shin left the examination shaken by Zou’s presence.

• Zou Hyuga found Uchiha Shin near the Fugaku Residence and took him to an abandoned laboratory with Itachi and the others.
• At Zou Hyuga’s request, Uchiha Shin told Itachi that Root had studied him because his body did not reject transplanted organs.
• Oto explained that Danzo’s Sharingan replication project had produced a pair of copied Mangekyō Sharingan, but reassured Itachi that their wielder was an old acquaintance of hers and Zou’s.
• Zou Hyuga examined Uchiha Shin, who recoiled in terror when he sensed a resemblance between Zou and Danzo before leaving the laboratory.

Zou Hyuga considered Uchiha Shin’s unusual compatibility with transplanted cells, while the Fourth Kazekage worried that Sunagakure’s new oil wealth would attract enemies. Orochimaru warned Rasa not to seize Rōran’s former territory because it was protected by the Tailed Beast Merchant Association, then faced questions about why he had come to Sunagakure.

• Zou Hyuga recorded Uchiha Shin’s experimental data and reflected on how Shin’s constitution could aid Danzo’s projects.
• The Fourth Kazekage worried that Sunagakure’s oil reserves would invite invasion and grew angry over Rōran’s secret oil extraction.
• Orochimaru warned Rasa that Rōran’s former territory was protected by the Tailed Beast Merchant Association, whose president rivaled the Five Kage.
• Orochimaru reminded Rasa that the association’s president was the same figure who had humiliated Sunagakure during the battle for the One-Tail.
• Rasa asked Orochimaru why he had not defected from the Akatsuki with its president, then questioned what had brought Orochimaru to Sunagakure.

Orochimaru discussed his research and Gaara’s progress with the Fourth Kazekage, then inspected Gaara’s successful adaptation to the Cursed Seal of Heaven. Obito arrived at Orochimaru’s desert laboratory after recovering from his Rinnegan transplant and located him.

• Orochimaru asked the Fourth Kazekage for more experimental materials and reported that Gaara had developed psychological issues despite continuing to grow stronger.
• The Fourth Kazekage warned Orochimaru that Sunagakure was the only village that would shelter him, but Orochimaru dismissed the warning and left.
• Orochimaru considered his research and plans for cultivating cloned bodies, then went to his desert laboratory to check on Gaara.
• Gaara told Orochimaru that he had adapted to the Cursed Seal of Heaven and could activate it, and Orochimaru confirmed that the seal was stable.
• White Zetsu attacked the Sunagakure squad guarding the laboratory and took control of the Eye of the Sand.
• Obito arrived with Black Zetsu, said he had adapted to the Rinnegan after half a month, and located Orochimaru from a nearby dune.

Obito tracked Orochimaru to Sunagakure, while Gaara detected the intruder and chose to return to defend the village. Orochimaru summoned the First and Second Hokage to face the Rinnegan-wielding enemy, whose chakra the First Hokage recognized as stronger than before.

• Gaara sensed a ninja moving underground, and Orochimaru sent him to warn Kazekage Rasa after identifying the intruder as an Akatsuki member.
• Gaara considered abandoning Sunagakure but remembered Bunpuku and Pakura, then decided to protect the village and raced back.
• Orochimaru fled through the desert and encountered Han, whose Rinnegan made him fear that Nagato had come after him.
• Orochimaru summoned Manda and asked him to stall Han, but Manda recognized the Rinnegan and immediately returned to Ryūchi Cave.
• Orochimaru summoned the First and Second Hokage, who recognized the Rinnegan and prepared to confront the enemy.
• The First Hokage sensed that the enemy's chakra differed from before and had grown stronger.

Obito attacked Orochimaru and the reanimated Hokage, intending to extract information and use them for the Eye of the Moon Plan. After explaining his plan, he found that Hashirama and Tobirama had broken free of his control and were preparing to fight him.

• Hashirama and Tobirama used Wood Release to trap the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, but Obito rescued it with his space-time technique.
• Orochimaru realized the Pain Jinchūriki were being controlled by someone other than Nagato, then recognized Obito as the attacker who tried to pull him into a vortex.
• Obito used genjutsu and Black Rods to immobilize Orochimaru, then began extracting his soul to learn about Impure World Reincarnation and the President.
• Obito commanded Hashirama and Tobirama to approach and explained that the Eye of the Moon Plan would place the Shinobi World under genjutsu after he revived the Ten-Tails.
• Hashirama and Tobirama rejected Obito's plan and advanced on him, but Obito discovered he could no longer control their reanimated bodies.

Obito fought the reanimated First and Second Hokage while the First battled the Pain Jinchūriki, and Obito eventually used the Rinnegan’s Limited Tsukuyomi to immobilize the First. The Second’s body was blown apart, and Obito was left exhausted after capturing the First with Black Rods.

• Obito tried to control the reanimated Hokage, but Tobirama attacked him with Flying Thunder God and the two began fighting.
• The First Hokage fought the Pain Jinchūriki and overwhelmed them with Sage Art: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees, a Wood Golem, and a Wood Dragon.
• Obito used Intangibility to evade Tobirama’s attacks, but Tobirama surrounded him with Explosive Tags.
• Obito reflected the Explosive Tags’ blasts with his Gunbai, blowing Tobirama’s body apart, then used Kamui to remove the remaining Pain bodies.
• Obito revealed his Rinnegan and cast Limited Tsukuyomi, stopping the First’s attack and pinning him with Black Rods.
• Obito dropped to one knee, exhausted by the chakra cost of the technique.

Obito captured the First Hokage and recovered part of Orochimaru’s soul and the Impure World Reincarnation formula, but Tobirama killed Orochimaru and escaped. After the Sunagakure forces found the devastated battlefield, Tobirama secretly arrived in Amegakure, choosing not to return to Konoha yet.

• Obito sent the First Hokage into the Kamui Dimension, but arrived too late to stop Tobirama from killing Orochimaru.
• Tobirama escaped Obito’s Kamui with Flying Thunder God, leaving behind a formula, while Obito revealed that the President was a mysterious Ryūchi Cave successor.
• Obito refused to attack Sunagakure and left with Black Zetsu, keeping the reanimation plan secret from Konoha.
• The Sunagakure Reconnaissance Squad reported the forest, and Fourth Kazekage Rasa found evidence that Orochimaru had been attacked and was likely dead.
• Tobirama slipped into Amegakure, avoiding the guards after learning about the current shinobi world and deciding not to return to Konoha immediately.

Tobirama tracked a group carrying traces of Akatsuki-related chakra to Amado’s hidden laboratory beneath Amegakure. Just as he confronted Amado, a spatial rift swallowed him, and an ancient voice accused Amado of betrayal.

• Tobirama searched Amegakure’s Tower and spotted several people whose presence resembled the traces inside it.
• Tobirama attacked the group, stopped their pellet barrage with Water Release, and let their captain escape after the others detonated.
• Tobirama followed the captain through the drainage pipes to an underground laboratory, where Amado questioned him about lost samples.
• Tobirama confronted Amado, who claimed to lead a civilian research organization and surrendered.
• A spatial rift swallowed Tobirama, and an ancient voice accused Amado of trying to betray its master.
• Amado denied intending betrayal and said he had surrendered to preserve his life and continue his research.

Orochimaru took control of Kabuto Yakushi's body and met Zou Hyuga and Sasori in the underground laboratory. After revealing that Madara Uchiha had killed him and obtained the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, Zou invited Orochimaru to join Akatsuki as they prepared to oppose Madara.

• Kabuto Yakushi's Cursed Seal flared, and Orochimaru took control of his body before leaving the bedroom.
• Sasori and Zou Hyuga blocked Orochimaru at the laboratory exit, and Orochimaru recognized them.
• Zou deduced that Madara Uchiha had killed Orochimaru, who confirmed it and said Madara had used Rinnegan genjutsu to obtain the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu and information about Zou.
• Zou revealed that he had taken over as Akatsuki's acting leader and was leading its remnants against Madara and his followers.
• Zou said Akatsuki sought to protect the shinobi world and preserve peace, then invited Orochimaru to join.

Orochimaru rejoined the Akatsuki under Zou Hyuga and agreed to work with him against the Starry Sky Ōtsutsuki Clan. Meanwhile, Tobirama Senju’s Shadow Clone reached Konoha and asked Minato Namikaze to take him to the current Hokage so he could deliver a warning.

• Orochimaru moved into a White Zetsu body and learned from Zou Hyuga that the Starry Sky Ōtsutsuki Clan threatened the Shinobi World.
• Orochimaru questioned Zou Hyuga’s motives and guarantees, then negotiated an agreement with him.
• Zou Hyuga asked where the First and Second Hokage were, and Orochimaru said the First was near Sunagakure while the Second seemed to be in the Land of Rain.
• Tobirama Senju’s Shadow Clone returned to Konoha using the Flying Thunder God Technique to warn the village about a powerful enemy.
• Minato Namikaze and Kushina confirmed Tobirama meant no harm, and Minato revealed that he had been the Fourth Hokage before dying in battle.
• Tobirama asked Minato to introduce him to the current Hokage so he could share important information.

Minato brought Tobirama to meet Zou Hyuga and Orochimaru, whose past rivalry with Minato resurfaced when they came face to face. The group traveled to meet Tobirama, who sensed their powerful chakra and prepared to defend Kushina.

• Minato persuaded Tobirama to meet the person backing him, then used Flying Thunder God to return to the laboratory.
• Kabuto told Zou Hyuga and Orochimaru that Minato had arrived, and Zou Hyuga ordered him to bring Minato into the secret room.
• Minato and Orochimaru were surprised to see each other, recalling their rivalry over the Fourth Hokage position.
• Minato told Zou Hyuga that Tobirama had escaped a powerful enemy and was waiting outside the village, so Zou Hyuga invited Orochimaru to come meet him.
• Minato led the group through the Flying Thunder God Array to Tobirama, who sensed their chakra, drew his sword, and shielded Kushina.