Chapter Summaries

Shinji failed to catch Mr. Enemy or Shanhu after their battle, then left the Land of Swamps with his companions while Shion realized that the future she had foreseen had changed. After the group departed, Mr. Enemy killed the dark-skinned guide, reclaimed his body, and vowed revenge on Shinji.

• Shinji pierced Shanhu’s domain with Hollow Technique: This, but Shanhu escaped underground and vanished from his sight.
• Shion could not sense Mr. Enemy, and she realized that her predicted death had been avoided after Shinji and his companions intervened.
• Shinji and his companions left the Land of Swamps, while Shion planned to return to the Land of Demons and report what had happened to Konoha.
• The dark-skinned guide planned to rebuild the ancestral hall as a tourist attraction using the monster stories he had learned.
• Mr. Enemy killed and devoured the dark-skinned guide, resumed his own form, and vowed to make Shinji regret defeating him.

After capturing the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Itachi parted ways with Kisame and set out to meet Sasuke, intending to entrust his remaining strength to his younger brother. Shinji recovered the Sharingan Wraith Soul from Tobi and found Sasuke training so hard that his eyesight was already blurring.

• Itachi defeated the Six-Tails with Amaterasu, but the strain worsened his failing health and eyesight.
• Itachi told Kisame he would go see Sasuke alone, while Kisame agreed to return to the Akatsuki and keep others from interfering.
• Shinji asked Tobi to return the Sharingan Wraith Soul, and Tobi reluctantly handed it over.
• Shinji visited Sasuke and saw that his intense training had rapidly worsened his eyesight, but chose not to discourage him.

Shinji took Sasuke to meet the dying Itachi at an abandoned Uchiha Clan base, where the brothers prepared to spend time alone. Itachi revealed that his condition had worsened after he fought Jiraiya, and Shinji left them to handle what came next.

• Shinji agreed to Itachi's request and brought only Sasuke to the Uchiha Clan's abandoned secret base.
• Sasuke was shocked to find Itachi waiting in the base's innermost chamber.
• Shinji recognized that Itachi was nearly blind and close to death, and Itachi acknowledged Shinji's growing strength.
• Itachi asked Shinji to leave him alone with Sasuke, and Shinji agreed after confirming Itachi was prepared for what came next.
• Itachi told Shinji that he had fought Jiraiya, leading Shinji to infer that Itachi had gone after Naruto.

Shinji let Sasuke choose whether to confront his dying brother, and Sasuke stayed to face Itachi. Their battle began as a genjutsu contest, where Sasuke unexpectedly broke Itachi’s Tsukuyomi and reflected it back at him.

• Shinji explained Itachi’s condition and offered Sasuke the choice to leave or stay, promising to reveal the hidden truth after Itachi died.
• Sasuke chose to stay, and Shinji left the brothers alone while watching from outside with his special vision.
• Itachi challenged Sasuke to show how much he had grown, and Sasuke attacked him after Itachi mentioned their parents.
• Sasuke and Itachi exchanged attacks involving clones and genjutsu, then Sasuke realized they had been fighting inside an illusion.
• Itachi used Tsukuyomi, but Sasuke broke it and reflected it back, leaving Itachi injured and drained.

Sasuke fought Itachi in a Genjutsu duel and, with help from the Sharingan Wraith Soul Shinji had lent him, reflected Tsukuyomi and awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan. Itachi outmaneuvered Sasuke in their ensuing fight, leaving him badly burned and warning him to stay alert until an enemy could no longer fight.

• The Sharingan Wraith Soul reflected Itachi's Tsukuyomi, freeing Sasuke and letting him activate his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Sasuke charged Itachi with Chidori, but Itachi evaded the attack, wounded him with two kunai, and explained that Sasuke had let himself get distracted.
• Sasuke drew his Kusanagi Sword and fought Itachi with Uchiha-style Taijutsu, eventually cutting Itachi's shoulder.
• Sasuke taunted Itachi about his unpoisoned sword, but Itachi used Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique to blast Sasuke away and burn him.
• Itachi warned Sasuke that he had to remain alert until his enemy had lost the ability to fight.

Itachi and Sasuke fought as Itachi tested his younger brother and showed him the limits of his current power. The battle left Sasuke awestruck by Itachi’s complete Susanoo as Itachi, already coughing blood, prepared to give him one final lesson.

• Sasuke used a feint and a silently flying Kusanagi Sword to strike at Itachi, but Itachi blocked the attack with his Half-Body Susanoo.
• Sasuke revealed that he had also mastered a Half-Body Susanoo, and the brothers’ clash destroyed the base.
• Shinji withdrew from the fight with his sunflower seeds after Itachi and Sasuke turned their attention toward him.
• Itachi transformed his Susanoo into its armored complete form and drew the Totsuka Blade, stunning Sasuke with its power.
• Itachi told Sasuke that his current strength was insignificant as blood spilled from his mouth.

Sasuke fought Itachi’s Complete Body Susanoo, awakened Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi, and learned that Itachi had shaped his path of revenge to obtain his eyes. The battle left Sasuke stunned by Itachi’s claim that he was raised to provide eyes for the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, while Shinji questioned Itachi’s cruel way of frightening him.

• Itachi overwhelmed Sasuke’s Susanoo and struck him with Amaterasu, forcing Sasuke to escape using the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique.
• Sasuke awakened Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi, shaped Itachi’s black flames into a bow, and fired an arrow that began melting Itachi’s Complete Body Susanoo.
• Itachi deflected Sasuke’s arrow with the Totsuka Blade and sealed the black flames inside its gourd.
• Itachi explained that the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan could be gained by transplanting a close blood relative’s Mangekyō Sharingan, then told Sasuke he had raised him to provide those eyes.
• Sasuke was left reeling by Itachi’s revelation, while Shinji remarked that Itachi was still frightening his little brother.

Sasuke exhausted himself trying to defeat Itachi, but Itachi overwhelmed him and died after touching Sasuke’s forehead and telling him he would always love him. Shinji then promised to reveal the truth behind the Uchiha Clan Massacre and explained that Itachi’s Mangekyō Sharingan were his final gift to Sasuke.

• Sasuke used his remaining strength to fire a black-flame arrow at Itachi, but Itachi blocked it with the Yata Mirror.
• Itachi shattered Sasuke’s Susanoo and approached him as Sasuke, unable to fight back, retreated against a ruined wall.
• Itachi touched Sasuke’s forehead, apologized, said he would always love him, and collapsed against him.
• Sasuke realized Itachi had died and broke down in tears as he struggled to understand Itachi’s final words.
• Shinji laid Itachi on the ground, promised to tell Sasuke the truth behind the Uchiha Clan Massacre, and revealed that Itachi’s Mangekyō Sharingan were his final gift.

After learning the truth about Itachi and the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke vowed to seek revenge on the people responsible without harming Konoha’s innocent citizens. He buried Itachi and set out with Shinji and the others, who were heading to the Land of Sound to check whether Orochimaru was truly dead.

• Shinji explained that Itachi had kept the massacre’s truth from Sasuke to protect him and urged him not to target innocent people.
• Sasuke abandoned his plan to destroy Konoha and decided to demand justice from the village officials responsible for the Uchiha massacre.
• After Shinji persuaded him to remove Itachi’s Mangekyō Sharingan, Sasuke buried his brother and declared that his real revenge was beginning.
• Sasuke returned to Hidan and the others withdrawn and changed, while Shinji told them not to provoke him.
• Shinji changed their destination from the Land of Jade to the Land of Sound to investigate whether Orochimaru was really dead.

After the Akatsuki sealed the Six-Tails and confirmed Itachi’s death, Pain assigned missions to capture the remaining tailed beasts. Shinji and his companions searched the Land of Sound for Orochimaru, hoping to have him transplant a Sharingan into Sasuke.

• Utakata died after the Six-Tails’ chakra was sealed into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
• Pain confirmed that Sasuke had killed Itachi, then stopped Kisame and Deidara from fighting over Itachi’s death.
• Pain assigned Sasori and Deidara to capture Gaara, Kakuzu and Muramasa to capture Fū, Kisame and Zetsu to find the Three-Tails, and himself to capture the Nine-Tails and attack Konoha.
• Shinji explained that Orochimaru could survive by transferring his soul into another body, and that repeated deaths could still damage his soul.
• Shinji and his group searched the Land of Sound for Orochimaru, hoping to find him and arrange a Sharingan transplant for Sasuke.

Shinji used intelligence from the Underground Bounty Station to track Kabuto Yakushi to the ruins of Otogakure, hoping to enlist him or Orochimaru for Sasuke's eye transplant. After Shinji found a concealed underground base and led the others inside, Kabuto realized his hiding place was compromised and prepared to deal with the intruders before moving elsewhere.

• Shinji explained that the Underground Bounty Station had traced Kabuto Yakushi's supply purchases to the former site of Otogakure.
• Shinji led Hidan and the others through the ruins and used his Heavenly Blue Eyes to locate a secret underground passage.
• Shinji uncovered the entrance beneath a bloodstained stone slab and left Tamamo Hotaru and little Turtle above as lookouts.
• Kabuto heard the intruders entering his base and decided to deal with them before relocating to another of Orochimaru's secret research bases.

Shinji broke through Kabuto’s trap-filled base and stopped him from escaping, then questioned him about Orochimaru’s fate and revival. Kabuto admitted he was preparing to revive Orochimaru because he believed Orochimaru would eventually return and discover what he had done.

• Shinji crossed the base’s mechanical traps unharmed and used Limitless to catch up with Kabuto as he fled through a backup passage.
• Kabuto recognized Shinji and claimed Orochimaru had not contacted him, but Shinji revealed he had killed Orochimaru and threatened Kabuto with blood-red needles.
• Shinji asked whether Orochimaru had been revived, and Kabuto denied it.
• Kabuto confessed that he was researching how to reduce reincarnation’s side effects so he could revive Orochimaru.
• Kabuto explained that he wanted Orochimaru back because his freedom without him was only temporary, and Orochimaru would eventually return and learn what Kabuto had done.

After Sasuke received Itachi’s eyes and gained the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Shinji gave him a one-month test before he could pursue revenge alone. Meanwhile, Gaara saved Kirigakure from Deidara’s massive bomb and experienced the villagers’ gratitude and protection.

• Kabuto performed the transplant of Itachi’s eyes into Sasuke, and Shinji left after Sasuke recovered without complications.
• Sasuke gained the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and Shinji tested his strength before agreeing to let him leave if he killed three hundred Cursed Spirits and one Special Grade Cursed Spirit within a month.
• Sasuke accepted the test and set out to find Cursed Spirits, while Shinji expected to gain half the Cursed Soul Points from his kills.
• Deidara attacked Kirigakure from the sky, and Gaara used his sand to block the massive C3 bomb and protect the village.
• Hozuki Mangetsu rescued Gaara as he fell, and the villagers showed their gratitude by shielding him from the continuing attack.

Shinji and Sasuke fought a village full of cursed spirits, where Sasuke defeated the special grade Oujihi with a trap. Shinji took the final kill, passed Sasuke’s test, and gained enough cursed soul points and Domain Fragments to consider trying a lottery draw.

• Shinji discovered that the dead villagers were cursed spirits and let Sasuke fight them, earning cursed soul points as Sasuke slaughtered hundreds.
• Oujihi revealed himself and used his speed to attack Sasuke, who surrounded the battlefield with Amaterasu and lured him toward a prepared trap.
• Oujihi pierced Sasuke’s Susanoo but became caught in steel wires behind it, and Sasuke stabbed him with the Kusanagi Sword.
• Oujihi began expanding his domain, but Shinji killed him before he could finish, gaining 20,000 cursed soul points and a Domain Fragment.
• Shinji passed Sasuke’s test and counted his new total of 176,800 cursed soul points and five Domain Fragments, then considered trying a lottery draw.

After spending heavily on ten-pulls, Shinji improved his Limitless and obtained a map that could track people and teleport him to a marked spot. Tobi then triggered a mission for Shinji to help Sasuke take revenge on Konoha’s elderly leadership, leaving Shinji considering how to use his new Cursed Object.

• Shinji used two Jujutsu Enhancement Scrolls on Limitless and gained an automatic defense that assessed and stopped or repelled threats.
• Shinji examined the Trickster's Hide-and-Seek Map, which could locate people and return him to a marked location but risked silencing him if the Trickster caught him.
• Shinji recycled an unhelpful Cursed Object and acknowledged that Sasuke had completed his trial.
• Tobi triggered the Uchiha's Revenge mission, requiring Shinji to help Sasuke kill Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura for 300 Bond Points.
• Shinji weighed the danger of attacking Konoha’s leaders and considered using the Trickster's Hide-and-Seek Map.

After becoming Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya learned that Akatsuki and other mysterious forces were capturing tailed beasts and jinchūriki across the shinobi world. He ordered an investigation into Akatsuki and prepared for its leader, who was reportedly planning to come to Konoha for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Jiraiya took office as Fifth Hokage and struggled with the paperwork after Konoha held a grand inauguration ceremony.
• An ANBU member reported that attackers had captured Gaara during an assault on Kirigakure, and Jiraiya recognized their clothing as Akatsuki Cloaks.
• Jiraiya asked Iwagakure and Kumogakure to confirm the safety of their jinchūriki, then learned that the Two-Tails and Five-Tails jinchūriki were missing.
• Jiraiya received news that Takigakure had been attacked and its Seven-Tails Jinchuriki captured, leaving most tailed beasts or jinchūriki unaccounted for.
• Jiraiya ordered a full investigation into Akatsuki and learned from the Underground Bounty Station that its leader planned to come to Konoha for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Kakuzu's information sale prompted Konoha to tighten security, forcing Shinji's group to change their plan to enter the village. Sasuke returned to Konoha and learned that Jiraiya had become Hokage, which made him believe his revenge against Hiruzen Sarutobi would be easier.

• Kakuzu sold information about Pain's impending attack, and the Bounty Station used it to gain benefits from Konoha.
• Shinji and his group found Konoha's gates under strict inspection and agreed that Sasuke would enter first and meet them later.
• Sasuke showed his Konoha forehead protector, and Kakashi arrived to bring him into the village.
• Kakashi told Sasuke that Naruto and Sakura were away training and that Jiraiya had become the new Hokage.
• Sasuke realized Hiruzen Sarutobi's reduced protection could improve his chances of carrying out his revenge.

Sasuke returned to Konoha with Shinji and the others, settled them into the Uchiha Compound, and gathered information about a possible invasion. After Ino spotted him and told their friends he was back, Sasuke reluctantly agreed to attend a welcome feast.

• Sasuke cleaned part of the abandoned Uchiha Compound and prepared rooms for Shinji and the others.
• Tobi brought Shinji and the others into Konoha, where Sasuke shared Kakashi's information about an outside enemy and showed them their rooms.
• Shinji worried that Nagato might attack Konoha, then decided they should exploit the coming chaos to complete their mission.
• Sasuke went out to gather more information and buy breakfast for the group, but Ino recognized him and learned he had returned.
• Ino told their friends Sasuke was back, and they agreed to hold a welcome feast at a barbecue restaurant.
• Sasuke reluctantly accepted Ino's invitation, hoping that attending one meal would keep his friends from bothering him afterward.

Pain launched a direct assault on Konoha, forcing Jiraiya to confront the Deva Path, who appeared as Yahiko. As the village descended into chaos, Shikamaru organized the young Genin to help evacuate civilians, while Sasuke left alone to pursue his own objective.

• The Six Paths of Pain destroyed Konoha's main gate and split up to wreak havoc, search for the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and attack the Hokage Building.
• Jiraiya mobilized Konoha's reinforcements, changed into his combat clothes, and encountered the Deva Path, whom he recognized as Yahiko.
• Sasuke and the other young Ninja heard the attack orders and discussed whether to fight or take shelter.
• Shikamaru proposed that the Genin move toward the battlefield to rescue civilians while avoiding direct combat with the enemy.
• The young Ninja prepared to operate in their usual teams, but Sasuke refused to join them and left alone.

Shinji saw Pain attack Konoha and led Sasuke, Hidan, and Tobi into the village to target its senior leaders. Meanwhile, Jiraiya confronted Pain Deva Path and refused to surrender Naruto, setting the stage for a fight between teacher and former student.

• Shinji watched Pain's arrival at Konoha and suspected Nagato had acted without Tobi's knowledge.
• Shinji, Sasuke, Hidan, and Tobi planned to locate and kill Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura amid the chaos.
• Shinji summoned Moqian and told Tamamo Hotaru to stay behind with Little Turtle.
• Pain Deva Path told Jiraiya that force was the only way to create peace and demanded the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Jiraiya rejected Pain's plan and refused to let him reach Naruto, so Pain challenged his former teacher to fight.