Chapter Summaries

Saibote attacked Konoha, where the Barrier Team, Kurenai Yuhi, and other ninja tried to stop him. As Saibote remained trapped by Kurenai’s genjutsu, Guy opened the sixth gate to strike him.

• Shinji recognized Saibote’s arrival and chose to wait while Tobi prepared to send Hidan in later.
• Naruto and Sasuke rushed toward the attack, while Sakura was stopped and sent to evacuate.
• The Barrier Team trapped Saibote and tried to absorb his attack, but he destroyed the Vajra statues and the team collapsed from the backlash.
• A Nara ninja caught part of Saibote with the Shadow Imitation Technique, but Saibote turned to sand and killed several Konoha ninja who attacked him.
• Kurenai Yuhi used Tree Binding Death to restrain Saibote, and Guy opened the sixth gate.

Guy defeated Saibote with Morning Peacock, but Saibote revived through his hourglass and ambushed Guy and Asuma. Shinji intervened from the rubble, and the Konoha ninja joined the fight after learning Saibote was weak to water.

• Guy unleashed Morning Peacock and blasted Saibote into a charred head, leaving his hourglass intact.
• After the hourglass emptied, Saibote revived and attacked Guy and Asuma with Sand Thorn Spears, wounding them.
• An unseen Shinji used Repel to push Guy and Asuma out of danger, then fired blood-red bullets at Saibote.
• Saibote recognized Shinji and attacked him with a giant sand hand, but Shinji's bullets riddled it with holes.
• Shinji revealed Saibote's weakness to water, and Sarutobi and the other Konoha ninja struck him with Water Release techniques.

Two figures watched Saibote’s fight in Konoha, and one left Hokage Rock to pursue his own plans while Mr. Enemy prepared a gift for the humans. Saibote trapped Hiruzen Sarutobi and over a hundred Konoha ninja inside his Domain Expansion, where his sand blades killed and wounded many, while the Barrier Team searched for a way to reach them.

• Mr. Enemy explained that he planned to let Saibote suffer so he could rescue him and recruit him, while his companion said he needed more souls for Domain Construction.
• Mr. Enemy’s companion used Idle Transfiguration to survive a fall from Hokage Rock, then went toward a crowd to experiment on souls; Mr. Enemy vanished after preparing a gift for the humans.
• Surrounded by Konoha ninja, Saibote used Domain Expansion: Heavenly Wheel Hourglass to trap Hiruzen Sarutobi and over a hundred others in a desert domain.
• Saibote merged with the sand and attacked with Sandstorm Dance, killing twenty or thirty ninja and leaving the rest, including Hiruzen Sarutobi, wounded and unable to understand how the blades struck them.
• Outside the domain, Kurenai and the injured Guy and Asuma remained safe, while Konoha ninja discovered folded space and called the Barrier Team to rescue Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others.

Asuma and the others learned that Saibote's Folded Space guaranteed the enemy's attacks would hit, and Akagi Shinji offered to enter and rescue those trapped inside in exchange for favors. Shinji broke into the domain, but Asuma followed him inside, leaving Kurenai and Guy to trust them and handle the other attack.

• Asuma proposed opening a gap in the Folded Space, but an ANBU reported that a powerful, regenerating cursed spirit was attacking the residential area near Hokage Rock.
• Asuma sent Kurenai and Guy to deal with the cursed spirit and decided to rescue the Third Hokage himself.
• Akagi Shinji warned that anyone entering Saibote's space would be unable to fight back against its guaranteed-hit attacks, then offered to save the trapped people in exchange for two favors.
• Guy promised to repay Shinji as long as doing so did not violate his ninja spirit or harm the village's interests.
• Shinji used a Black Flash punch to break a hole in Saibote's domain, entered under the protection of Blood Veil, and Asuma followed him inside before the gap closed.

Shinji entered Saibote’s sand domain and used the Ratio Technique to defeat the Sand Giant, then exposed and attacked Saibote. Saibote unleashed a powerful surge that made the sand sink rapidly, and Shinji countered with Golden Serpent Frenzy.

• Sasuke recognized the symbol on the enemy’s neck from his dream and resolved to investigate Akagi Shinji.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi discovered that counterattacking at the instant of a guaranteed-hit attack could reduce its damage, but the sinking sand and casualties worsened the group’s situation.
• Shinji and Asuma entered the domain, where sand blades struck Asuma, but Shinji shattered the blades aimed at him.
• Saibote summoned a Sand Giant, but Shinji severed both its legs and collapsed it with the Ratio Technique.
• Shinji exposed Saibote, immobilized and put him to sleep, then gouged out one of his eyes with the Snakeskin Sword.
• Saibote poured cursed energy into the sand, accelerating its descent, and Shinji attacked with Golden Serpent Frenzy.

Shinji fought the gentleman who rescued Saibote, but the gentleman killed him before Shinji transformed into a Giant of Light and drove him to flee. Back in reality, Hiruzen learned that Konoha was under attack by monsters and transfigured humans.

• Saibote’s Golden Snake Sword bit him and spread the Petrification Curse, but a gentleman entered the domain, saved Saibote’s half-petrified head, and took his hourglass.
• Shinji used Cursed Speech and temporary curse cards against the gentleman, but the gentleman cut through Kubikiribōchō and burst Shinji’s heart.
• Shinji’s doll erupted with light, and a Giant of Light appeared, stomped the gentleman into the sand, and struck him with a Cluster Ray.
• As Saibote’s domain destabilized, the gentleman escaped, Saibote disappeared, and the domain shattered, returning the survivors to reality.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi mourned Shinji and learned that Konoha was under attack by monsters while the gentleman spread the stitched man’s transfigured humans through the village.

Guy and the others fought Stitched-Up Man until Gentleman Man arrived and escaped with him through a spatial rift. Shinji revived, recalled the Giant of Light, and Danzo sent Root to collect the remains, while Hidan and Tobi hid away to eat hot pot until a transfigured human crashed into them.

• Guy struck Stitched-Up Man with Konoha Bad Rock Rise, but the enemy healed immediately, while Kurenai remained unconscious.
• Gentleman Man arrived, returned half of Saibote's head to Stitched-Up Man, and escaped with him through a pitch-black rift.
• Shinji came back online, recalled the Giant of Light, and left as Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others realized he was alive.
• Danzo ordered Root to recover whatever remains they could find while leaving the surviving monsters to others.
• Hidan and Tobi ate hot pot instead of joining the fighting, and Tobi secretly sprinkled laxatives over the lamb.
• A transfigured human crashed into their room and overturned the hot pot, prompting Hidan to grab his scythe and threaten to slice it up.

Shinji suspected a hidden leader was uniting the special grade cursed spirits, making the villages’ campaign against them more dangerous. He confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi over Konoha’s failure to provide the chakra natures they had agreed on, and Hiruzen realized the promised payments might have been intercepted.

• Shinji considered how a united group of cursed spirits could threaten the nations and decided to prepare by killing more of them and gathering trump cards.
• Shinji left Tobi in charge of the residence and went to the Hokage Building to collect Lightning Release chakra.
• Shinji argued with a Konoha staff member because too few ninjas had come to provide chakra and the agreed deadline was near.
• Shinji told Hiruzen Sarutobi that Konoha had not supplied Lightning, Yin, or Yang Release as promised and that the chakra providers had received no pay.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi denied withholding the allowances, suspected a misunderstanding, and told Shinji he would investigate.

Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Danzo over misusing funds and warned him against interfering with the joint Chunin Ninja Exams. After finishing his work in Konoha and preparing to leave, Shinji was stopped by Sasuke Uchiha, who asked whether they had met five years earlier.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Danzo for withholding funds and using his name to assign mandatory missions, then ordered him to return the money within three days.
• Hiruzen showed Danzo a proposal for cooperation against cursed spirits and warned him not to cause trouble during the joint Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Shinji completed the chakra collection requirement for his Six Eyes modification scroll with help from the Ino-Shika-Cho clans.
• After achieving his goals in Konoha, Shinji prepared to leave and seek out another person to help against cursed spirits.
• Sasuke Uchiha approached Shinji and asked whether they had met on a night five years earlier.

Sasuke confronted Shinji about dreams of the Uchiha massacre, convinced they revealed a meeting in which Shinji defeated Itachi. Shinji realized Sasuke may have been involved in the Instance that recreated the events, but Sasuke ended the conversation demanding to know why Shinji had hidden the truth.

• Sasuke visited Shinji and claimed he remembered seeing him defeat Itachi during the massacre five years earlier.
• Shinji denied ever meeting Itachi outside an Instance and invited Sasuke inside to explain.
• Sasuke showed Shinji drawings of the Jashin Cult emblem and uniform, saying he had seen them in his dreams.
• Sasuke described his dreams, and Shinji recalled that Sasuke's presence and unconsciousness had shaped the Instance and provided Shinji with Genjutsu Immunity.
• Sasuke asked Shinji whether the dreams were real and demanded to know why Shinji had stopped him from learning the truth.

Shinji tried to keep Sasuke from learning the truth about the Uchiha massacre, but Sasuke refused to give up questioning him. After Shinji kicked him away and shut him out, Sasuke was confronted by Hidan and Tobi when they came looking for Shinji.

• Shinji denied knowing Sasuke five years earlier and refused to explain what had happened to the Uchiha Clan.
• Shinji bound Sasuke with a rope of blood and kicked him out the door, sending him into a park lake.
• Sasuke returned to Shinji's door and insisted he would not leave until he got answers, so Shinji shut him outside.
• Sasuke sat cold and hungry outside until Hidan shoved him aside while demanding entry, with Tobi following him.
• Shinji stabbed Hidan with his Snakeskin Sword, then learned Hidan and Tobi had gone drinking without him the night before and took them inside.

Shinji confronted Sasuke about Itachi’s massacre and began revealing the truth, but Sasuke collapsed from exhaustion before he could hear it. Shinji carried the feverish boy away, leaving the revelation unfinished.

• Tobi joked that Shinji was Sasuke’s father, and Shinji blasted him through a wall before Tobi returned unharmed.
• Sasuke stayed outside through the night, refusing to give up despite being hungry, cold, and wet.
• Shinji took Sasuke aside, explained that Itachi had been deceived and had hidden the truth to protect him, and warned that learning more could destroy his worldview.
• Sasuke demanded the full truth, awakened his Two-Tomoe Sharingan, and then collapsed before he could hear Shinji’s explanation.
• Shinji said he had already told Sasuke the truth, then carried the feverish boy away.

Mei Terumi and Hozuki Mangetsu visited Shinji in Konoha, where Mei explained that Hiruzen Sarutobi had called for joint Chunin Ninja Exams to unite the villages against the rapidly growing Cursed Spirits. Shinji heard that the Cursed Spirits seemed to be organizing and that the villages risked being defeated one by one if they kept fighting separately.

• Mei Terumi and Hozuki Mangetsu arrived at Shinji's home, and he invited them to talk at Mei's accommodations after they found his house in disarray.
• Shinji left with Mei and Mangetsu, ignoring Hidan's scythe as it crashed through his upstairs window and prompted an argument inside.
• At Mei's villa, Shinji asked why she had come to Konoha, and she told him about Hiruzen Sarutobi's joint Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Mei explained that Hiruzen intended to use the exams to unite the villages against the growing Cursed Spirits, which appeared to be joining forces.

Hiruzen Sarutobi gathered support for Konoha’s joint Chunin Ninja Exams, and Mei Terumi brought Kirigakure’s candidates in exchange for promises of aid. Shinji warned Mei that Sunagakure might be plotting against Konoha and urged her to stay cautious.

• The Raikage and Tsuchikage refused to join Hiruzen Sarutobi’s joint Chunin Ninja Exams unless control was handed to their villages.
• Sunagakure agreed to cooperate, and Hiruzen Sarutobi promised Mei Terumi that Konoha would support Kirigakure and help fight the cursed spirits.
• Mei Terumi brought ten Genin to Konoha after arranging for Genji to deter troublemakers, then went to seek Shinji’s advice.
• Shinji agreed that Mei Terumi had sensibly chosen to shelter Kirigakure behind Konoha while her village recovered.
• Shinji warned Mei Terumi that the ambitious Fourth Kazekage might be using the exams to plot against Konoha or Kirigakure.

Shinji agreed to stay in Konoha and help Mei Terumi protect her people in exchange for seven Cursed Objects if her warning proved true. Kakashi returned and told Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke about the upcoming joint Chunin Ninja Exams, asking whether they wanted to participate.

• Mei Terumi offered Shinji Cursed Objects to stay and help her people if Sunagakure attacked Konoha, and Shinji accepted the deal.
• Shinji took two Cursed Objects as a deposit and planned to tell Hidan and Tobi they would leave after the exams.
• Kakashi returned from his mission and learned that Sasuke was hospitalized with a cold and fever.
• Naruto and Sakura visited Sasuke with Kakashi, who then told Team 7 about the joint Chunin Ninja Exams and asked if they wanted to enter.

Naruto and Sakura considered joining the Chunin Ninja Exams, while Sasuke remained distracted by his concerns about Shinji and his companions. After failing to find Shinji, Sasuke secretly followed Hidan, who had stayed behind in Konoha.

• Naruto eagerly agreed to join the exams, but Kakashi explained that all three teammates had to sign up together.
• Sasuke hesitated to commit, and Kakashi encouraged him to follow his wishes without regrets before leaving with Naruto and Sakura.
• Sasuke escaped the hospital and hurried to Shinji's former lodging, but found it empty and learned nothing at the Konoha Gate about where they had gone.
• Sasuke collided with Hidan in the street and secretly followed him after realizing he was Shinji's companion.
• Hidan returned with groceries, complained about being sent on errands, and knocked over salad dressing while Tobi cleaned the floor.

Shinji escaped Hidan and Tobi’s brawl, then confronted Sasuke, who had pieced together Shinji’s hints and asked to become stronger. Shinji threatened him but eventually revealed the Jashin Cult’s recruitment standard, while Sasuke remained determined to join.

• Shinji left Hidan and Tobi wrestling over spilled salad dressing and found Sasuke waiting outside.
• Sasuke explained that he had understood Shinji’s hints and would wait until he was strong enough to seek the truth himself.
• Shinji choked Sasuke when he nearly named the person behind the events, then released him and warned him to stop asking questions.
• Sasuke demanded to join Shinji and said he wanted to become strong enough to defeat the man who had hurt him.
• Shinji told Sasuke that the Jashin Cult required the strength of an Elite Elite Ninja and a successful assessment to join.

Sasuke struggled to join the Jashin Cult after learning he lacked the required strength, but Tobi led him to Hidan, who offered him an initiation assessment. Hidan began the assessment by attacking Sasuke and told him to survive.

• Sasuke worried that he could not join the Jashin Cult without reaching the strength of an Elite Elite Ninja.
• Tobi lured Sasuke to a secluded clearing, where Hidan was waiting.
• Hidan said Tobi had persuaded him to give Sasuke a chance, while Tobi secretly hoped to use Sasuke’s hatred of Konoha as a backup plan.
• Sasuke questioned whether Hidan could offer him a chance if Shinji was in charge, and Tobi claimed Hidan was the Cult Leader.
• Hidan named Sasuke’s assessment “Survive” and struck him with the Bloody Triple-Bladed Scythe, breaking his arms as he tried to block.

Sasuke fought Hidan and was badly injured, but managed to burn Hidan’s sleeve with a surprise attack before Shinji intervened. Shinji stopped Hidan from killing Sasuke and punished Hidan and Tobi for their behavior.

• Sasuke attacked Hidan with shuriken and Fire Release, but Hidan overwhelmed him in close combat and left him severely injured.
• Sasuke used a wire trap, an explosive tag, and the Dragon Fire Technique to burn Hidan’s sleeve, prompting Hidan to prepare to kill him.
• Shinji arrived and used an invisible force to stop Hidan’s scythe from striking Sasuke.
• Tobi hid behind Shinji as Hidan confronted him for reporting the fight.
• Shinji ordered Hidan to clean toilets and wash socks, with Tobi supervising him.

Shinji decided to recruit Sasuke into the Jashin Cult after a system quest tied the boy to Tobi, setting the Chunin Ninja Exams as a condition. Sasuke insisted on entering the exams despite his injuries, while Naruto and Sakura left the hospital room after clashing with him.

• Shinji realized Hidan and Tobi had made Sasuke take a dangerous test, then received a Bond quest for Tobi triggered by Sasuke.
• Shinji promised Sasuke a chance to join the Jashin Cult and help awaken his Three-Tomoe Sharingan if Sasuke took first place in the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Sasuke collapsed after hearing Shinji's promise, and Shinji carried him back to the hospital.
• Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura visited Sasuke, who refused to explain his injuries and insisted on entering the exams.
• Sasuke told Sakura not to hold him back, so she ran out and Naruto chased after her.
• Kakashi agreed to register Sasuke but warned that he could withdraw him if the exams put him in danger.