Chapter Summaries

Jiraiya tried to persuade Tsunade to return to Konoha and become Hokage, but she saw through his claim that Hiruzen had sent him a letter. Jiraiya admitted he had lied, then began explaining the truth.

• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Hiruzen wanted her to return to Konoha and become Hokage.
• Tsunade questioned whether Hiruzen had really said that in a letter and demanded to see it.
• Jiraiya claimed he had destroyed the letter, but Tsunade pointed out that he would have kept it if it were real.
• Tsunade threatened to leave unless Jiraiya told the truth.
• Jiraiya admitted he had lied, though he said his claim was not entirely false.

Sasuke defeated Naruto in a brief Taijutsu fight after Naruto tried to provoke him into returning to Konoha. Tsunade and Jiraiya found Naruto pinned down, while Sasuke’s rigorous training was shown to have widened the gap between them.

• Tsunade and Jiraiya finished their conversation and found Sasuke pinning Naruto to the ground with his arm twisted behind his back.
• Naruto provoked Sasuke, hoping to prove his strength and persuade him to return to Konoha.
• Naruto punched at Sasuke, who dodged, tripped him, and pinned him.
• Sasuke’s daily sparring with Shinji and Hidan, and sometimes Tobi, had strengthened his Taijutsu beyond Naruto’s level.

Naruto used his Shadow Clones to shield himself while forming a Rasengan, then charged Sasuke with it. Sasuke countered with his newly developed Chidori Sharp Spear.

• Naruto began forming a Rasengan with help from a Shadow Clone.
• Sasuke threw shuriken at Naruto, who used his remaining Shadow Clones to block them.
• Naruto completed his Rasengan and charged at Sasuke.
• Sasuke formed a Chidori Sharp Spear and fired it at Naruto.

Naruto lost control after Sasuke’s taunts drove him to draw on the Nine-Tails’ chakra, and the resulting fight threatened everyone nearby. Jiraiya tried to restrain and seal him, but Hidan’s interference left Naruto choking Jiraiya as Tsunade kicked Hidan away.

• Shinji stopped Jiraiya from intervening in Sasuke’s fight with Naruto, and Jiraiya conceded on Naruto’s behalf.
• After Sasuke mocked Naruto’s defeat, Naruto peeled back his seal and became engulfed in the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Naruto broke free of Jiraiya’s Wild Lion’s Mane Technique and charged Sasuke, but Shinji struck him away with the Kubikiribōchō.
• Jiraiya pinned Naruto with a Rasengan and began applying the Five Elements Seal while Hidan attacked him with the Bloody Triple-Bladed Scythe.
• Naruto escaped his restraints and seized Jiraiya’s throat with a chakra tail, while Tsunade kicked Hidan away as his scythe flew toward Jiraiya.

Shinji attacked Tsunade after she kicked Hidan away, and the two argued over whether Jiraiya had been in danger. Tsunade warned that Naruto might lose control, but Shinji remained unconcerned.

• Tsunade kicked Hidan away, causing his scythe to miss Jiraiya and cut off a few hairs.
• Shinji rushed in and struck Tsunade with a Black Flash punch because she had hit Hidan.
• Tsunade blocked the punch and demanded to know why Shinji had attacked her.
• Shinji argued that he had been protecting Hidan after Jiraiya nearly killed him.
• Tsunade warned that Naruto might lose control, while Shinji privately trusted Naruto's parents to handle the Nine-Tails.

After Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Naruto left, Shinji returned to the lake to retrieve a treasure chest, only to discover that he had unleashed a horde of grade 3 cursed spirits across the town. He killed one as it emerged, leaving the town facing a potential disaster.

• Shinji returned alone to the lakeside after Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Naruto had left.
• He dove to the lake bottom, where the Cursed Treasure Map transformed into a chest.
• Shinji opened the chest and learned that he had collapsed a grade 3 cursed spirit nest, releasing many spirits throughout the town.
• Shinji drew the Kubikiribōchō and cut down a cursed spirit that emerged from the ground.

Shinji and Hidan exorcised 111 Grade 3 cursed spirits, earning Shinji 22,200 cursed soul points as he neared his goal of 200,000. Jiraiya and Tsunade mistook Shinji’s frantic efforts to clean up the spirits he had released for proof that the Jashin Cult opposed them, and Naruto woke up dispirited the next day.

• Shinji and Hidan killed 111 Grade 3 cursed spirits, earning Shinji 22,200 cursed soul points.
• Shinji became eager to find another cursed spirit nest because he was less than 20,000 points short of 200,000.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade watched Shinji rush around exorcising cursed spirits without realizing he had released them.
• Jiraiya revised his opinion of Shinji, while Tsunade believed the Jashin Cult was fighting against cursed spirits.
• Naruto woke up dispirited the next day.

Tobi abandoned his chance to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and sent the intelligence to the Akatsuki. Shinji sold his treasures and repaid Tsunade through Sasuke, while Tsunade became a notorious attraction at the casinos.

• Tobi decided not to seize the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki because Jiraiya was nearby and an attack could expose his identity.
• Tobi passed the intelligence to the Akatsuki, whose members were expected to come capture the Nine-Tails.
• Shinji sold the treasures from the [Wealth-Generating Mist Shell] through the Underground Bounty Station and earned a large sum.
• Shinji had Sasuke deliver money to Tsunade after she stopped visiting him.
• Tsunade's reputation as the Big Fat Sheep drew crowds hoping to profit by betting against her at the casinos.

Shinji investigated reports of a likely special grade cursed spirit at a large lake, while Deidara and Sasori arrived there to search for the Three-Tails. The chapter ends before either group finds the creature.

• Shinji gathered intelligence at the Bounty Station and led his group toward a lake after settling things with Tsunade.
• Deidara and Sasori reached the lake ahead of Shinji and waited for signs of the target beneath the water.
• Pain assigned Deidara and Sasori to search for the Three-Tails, while Itachi and Kisame prepared to infiltrate Kirigakure for the One-Tail Jinchuriki.
• Gaara was living more comfortably in Kirigakure, where people treated him kindly rather than as a monster.

Deidara lured the Three-Tails toward shore while Sasori prepared the Third Kazekage Human Puppet. Deidara and Sasori identified the Three-Tails' exposed eye as a weak point, but its armor closed around it, leaving Deidara without a clear target.

• Deidara dodged the Three-Tails' water jet and drew it toward shore.
• Sasori prepared the Third Kazekage Human Puppet, waiting for the Three-Tails to come within range.
• Sasori noticed that the Three-Tails' uncovered eye was its weak point.
• Deidara sent Explosive Clay: Small Birds at the eye, but the Three-Tails' armor closed over it and blocked the attack.

Sasori and Deidara prepared to confront their target at Wuhu, with Sasori using a shark-shaped puppet to fight underwater. Deidara promised to seize the chance to defeat the target if Sasori forced it to the surface.

• Sasori summoned a new shark-shaped puppet made from water-adapted Cursed Spirit corpses and waterproof materials.
• Sasori climbed inside [Shark-Samehada] and chose not to reveal his regenerative core to Deidara.
• Sasori told Deidara to be ready to defeat their target if he forced it to the surface.
• Deidara confidently promised Sasori he would not fail again.

Shinji and Moqian escaped after discovering that the lake monster was the Three-Tails, leaving Sasori behind as the beast’s attacker. Deidara watched Sasori linger and assumed he was trying to lure the Three-Tails out.

• Sasori tried to flee the lake but found himself transported back toward its center.
• Moqian told Shinji that Sasori had attacked the Tailed Beast, so Shinji left him behind for the Three-Tails to confront.
• Shinji realized the monster was the wild Three-Tails rather than a Special Grade Cursed Spirit and left with Moqian.
• Shinji and Moqian reached within a hundred meters of shore while Deidara wondered why Sasori had not fled.
• Deidara decided Sasori was deliberately luring the Three-Tails out.

Shinji suspected that Deidara and Sasori were behind the explosion and the strange shark, but he planned to stay out of it. Moqian objected that the Three-Tails had done nothing to deserve being attacked, leaving Shinji to consider the beast’s perspective.

• Shinji reasoned that Orochimaru and Guren were unlikely culprits and suspected Deidara had caused the explosion.
• Shinji guessed that the strange shark was a puppet made by Sasori, but decided not to get involved.
• Moqian asked why the Three-Tails had to suffer when it had been peacefully living at the bottom of the lake.
• Shinji realized that he had never considered what the Tailed Beasts thought.

Deidara explained his explosion to Sasori, who hid his anger and pretended it had only startled him. Deidara then revealed he could have used the deadlier C4: Garuda, leaving Sasori quietly resentful.

• Deidara explained what had happened, and Sasori withdrew his killing intent.
• Sasori told Deidara to be careful before acting next time.
• Deidara said he had thought his explosion would not bother Sasori and mentioned C4: Garuda as an alternative.
• Deidara described C4: Garuda's tiny Clay Spiders and how they destroyed creatures from within.
• Sasori became more wary of Deidara and silently resolved to get back at him.

Moqian and Sasori fought fiercely across a lake, with Sasori using his puppet collection and the Third Kazekage Puppet to breach her defenses. After Sasori froze the lake to disrupt her movement, Moqian transformed, dove underwater, and blackened the water with ink, leaving Sasori facing an unseen threat.

• Moqian used acid to destroy Sasori's puppets, forcing him to summon hundreds of Red-Clothed Puppets with his Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets.
• Sasori attacked Moqian with his puppets and flames while the Third Kazekage Puppet struck from above with Iron Sand World Method, wounding her.
• Moqian released intense heat, melted the iron sand, healed her wounds, and smashed through the Red-Clothed Puppets as she charged Sasori.
• Sasori froze the lake with Freezing Breath to disrupt Moqian's steam-powered running, but she transformed into an Ox Face and dove underwater.
• Moqian spat ink into the lake, turning the water black as Sasori watched from the surface.

Shinji beat Deidara after Deidara ran out of explosive clay, then forced him to talk instead of letting him escape or self-destruct. Deidara refused to reveal anything about Sasori or the Akatsuki, but reacted with surprise when Shinji asked about the Jashin Cult.

• Shinji repeatedly beat Deidara, who had no explosive clay left and could not escape across the lake.
• Deidara tried to threaten Shinji with self-destruction, then realized he could not blow himself up without explosive clay.
• Shinji promised not to hit Deidara during their conversation and asked about his identity and origins.
• Deidara admitted he was with the Akatsuki but refused to discuss Sasori or the organization's affairs.
• Shinji asked whether Deidara had heard of the Jashin Cult, and Deidara reacted with surprise.

Shinji tried to recruit Deidara to the Jashin Cult by promising generous pay and the chance to blow up the Five Great Nations. Deidara pretended to consider the offer so he could escape, then resolved to make Explosive Clay and return to save Sasori.

• Shinji pitched Deidara on switching to the Jashin Cult and nearly talked him into signing a contract.
• Deidara resisted the offer, and Shinji claimed Pain had tried to recruit him twice before Shinji killed him both times.
• Shinji promised to take Deidara to blow up the Five Great Nations, tempting him with the prospect of attacking Kumogakure.
• Deidara said he needed time to decide, then ran away and admitted to himself that he had only played along to escape.
• Deidara decided to make Explosive Clay and save Sasori, while Shinji recognized Deidara's act and expected him to return.

Shinji and Moqian defeated Sasori by extracting his Regeneration Core, while Deidara was stopped from returning to the battlefield. Pain ordered Deidara to withdraw and said someone else would rescue Sasori.

• Moqian attacked Sasori from underwater, then used her insect wings to battle his puppets in the air.
• After Deidara fled, Shinji swapped Sasori onto the battlefield and used Moqian’s attacks to create an opening.
• Moqian burned Sasori with blue flames, and Shinji restrained him with Cursed Speech and tore out his Regeneration Core.
• Moqian knocked away the Third Kazekage Puppet after it stabbed Shinji, and Shinji explained how Sasori’s core let him inhabit puppet bodies.
• A mysterious man carrying the Empty Ring stopped Deidara, and Pain ordered Deidara to abandon the Three-Tails mission and withdraw, saying someone else would rescue Sasori.

Tobi forced Deidara to leave while he returned to find a way to rescue Sasori, and Moqian befriended the Three-Tails after protecting it. The Three-Tails admitted it could not defeat the humans who came after it.

• Tobi stopped Deidara from returning to the battle, and Deidara left with his hastily made Explosive Clay.
• After confirming Deidara was gone, Tobi hurried back to find a way to rescue Sasori.
• Moqian woke the Three-Tails and scolded it for failing to notice the attackers who came into its lake.
• Moqian promised to protect the Three-Tails, and it asked her to stay because she treated it as an equal.
• Moqian explained she could not stay and suggested that the Three-Tails move, but it said it could not escape or defeat the humans who found it.

Moqian tried to help the Three-Tails escape capture by making it her Jinchūriki, but neither of them knew how to perform a sealing jutsu. Shinji agreed to take Isobu with them using another method, and his technique left an egg forming above his hand.

• The Three-Tails asked Moqian to become its Jinchūriki, but she refused because she was a Cursed Spirit and did not know a sealing jutsu.
• Moqian told Shinji about Isobu's request, and Shinji warned that taking it would bring trouble before agreeing to help after Moqian promised to do whatever he said.
• Moqian merged with Shinji, who approached Isobu and persuaded it to relax and not resist.
• Shinji used Tailed Beast Technique: Return to the Root to extract Isobu's essence, and an egg with patterns matching its armor began forming above his hand.