Recaps

Orochimaru summoned the Third Raikage with Impure World Reincarnation, but the revived ninja briefly resisted control before Orochimaru subdued him. The Third Raikage joined the fight against Kakuzu and Hidan, leaving the Immortal Duo in danger as Akatsuki members approached.

• Orochimaru summoned the Third Raikage, who attempted to attack him before Orochimaru regained control.
• The Third Raikage charged into the battle and pierced Kakuzu's chest, destroying one of his hearts.
• The Third Raikage broke Hidan's shoulder and struck him in the heart, sending him crashing through trees.
• Kakuzu's masked monsters attacked the Third Raikage with Lightning, Fire, and Wind Release, but Naraku noted that the Impure World Reincarnation body could not be killed by their techniques.
• Naraku watched from above as the Third Raikage and the Third Kazekage put Kakuzu and Hidan at a disadvantage, while other Akatsuki members cleared their way toward the fight.

The Akatsuki defeated the wandering ninja, then Deidara flew to the battle site and found Kakuzu and Hidan fighting the Third Raikage and Third Kazekage. Deidara joined the fight, but the Third Raikage immediately sent Kakuzu crashing into the forest.

• The Akatsuki drove the surviving wandering ninja from the battlefield, and Deidara flew ahead to investigate the distant battle.
• Shihōin Naraku watched Deidara from high in the sky as Deidara discovered the Third Raikage and Third Kazekage overwhelming Kakuzu and Hidan.
• Deidara used explosive clay birds to blast the Third Kazekage and damage his iron sand shield.
• The Third Raikage kicked Kakuzu into the forest, where Kakuzu's black threads slowed his impact.
• Deidara saw the Third Raikage's speed and directed his bird to climb higher.

Deidara joined the fight and discovered that Orochimaru’s reanimated Third Kazekage and Third Raikage were difficult to damage. As Orochimaru sent the Sound Five into battle, Kakuzu told Deidara that sealing the dead shinobi—or finding Orochimaru—was the way to stop them.

• Deidara arrived on his explosive bird and attacked the Third Kazekage, while Jiraiya and Naruto watched from hiding.
• Jiraiya recognized Deidara and grew wary of the Akatsuki’s powerful rogue ninja.
• Orochimaru ordered Kaguya Kimimaro and the Sound Five to join the battle and trouble the Akatsuki.
• Deidara noticed the Third Kazekage seemed lifeless and puppet-like, then asked Kakuzu what the two reanimated shinobi were.
• Kakuzu explained that both opponents were dead and summoned by Orochimaru, and said they needed to seal them or find Orochimaru to win.

Kakuzu, Hidan, and Deidara fought the Third Raikage and Third Kazekage, using desperate attacks to damage and temporarily restrain the reanimated Kage. Orochimaru and the Sound Five ambushed them, and as both Kage recovered, Deidara and Kakuzu were left surrounded.

• Hidan restrained the Third Raikage long enough for Kakuzu's combined attacks to blast them both, leaving Hidan charred and the Raikage temporarily unable to fight.
• Kakuzu kept the Third Raikage from recovering by having a mask creature bombard him, while Deidara planted explosives on the Third Kazekage's iron sand wings and brought him crashing down.
• Orochimaru emerged from underground and stabbed Kakuzu, then used a Shadow Clone to evade Kakuzu's counterattack while striking Hidan as well.
• Kimimaro led the Sound Five in destroying the mask creature attacking the Third Raikage, costing Kakuzu another heart, and Orochimaru and the Sound Five attacked him.
• The Third Raikage recovered and struck Kakuzu while Deidara's explosions kept him at bay, but the Third Kazekage recovered too and joined Orochimaru and Kimimaro in surrounding Kakuzu and Deidara.

Shihōin Naraku redirected Konoha’s tracking squad away from the battle between Orochimaru and the Akatsuki and ordered them to protect Naruto Uzumaki. The squad found Naruto and Jiraiya watching from the battlefield’s edge, leaving them together as the fighting continued.

• Shihōin Naraku noticed that the other Akatsuki members were nearing the battle and decided the tracking squad should not join the fight.
• Shihōin Naraku intercepted Shibi Aburame and his squad, then ordered them to find and protect Naruto Uzumaki.
• Shibi Aburame led the tracking squad toward Naruto and Jiraiya while Shihōin Naraku vanished as a Shadow Clone.
• Jiraiya told Naruto to remain hidden and let Orochimaru and the Akatsuki fight while he gathered information.
• The tracking squad reached Jiraiya and Naruto, and Jiraiya dispersed the Rasengan in his hand as Naruto recognized the Konoha Ninja.

Jiraiya learned that Konoha’s Tracking Squad had arrived to protect Naruto, while Shihōin Naraku watched the battle from a cloud above. Deidara and Kakuzu identified Orochimaru’s injured right arm as a weakness, and the chapter ended with Kakuzu’s flames blasting Orochimaru and the others away.

• The Tracking Squad told Jiraiya that Shihōin Naraku had ordered them to protect Naruto Uzumaki, and Jiraiya assigned them to keep Naruto safe.
• Shihōin Naraku watched the fight from a cloud high above, where the ninja below could not find him.
• Deidara and Kakuzu noticed that Orochimaru could not use his right hand to form hand seals and targeted his weakness.
• Deidara pinned the Third Kazekage with repeated explosions while Kakuzu fought off Orochimaru, Kimimaro, and the Third Raikage.
• The Third Raikage cut through Kakuzu’s black tendrils, and Kakuzu unleashed a powerful blast that struck Orochimaru and the others.

Orochimaru and his allies turned the battle against Kakuzu after Deidara’s explosives disabled the Third Raikage, but the Raikage recovered and charged at Kakuzu’s last heart. As the killing blow neared, someone shouted “Shinra Tensei.”

• Deidara’s buried explosives blasted the group, severed the Third Raikage’s leg, and gave Kakuzu a chance to attack Orochimaru.
• Kakuzu pierced Orochimaru’s heart and grabbed him by the neck, but Orochimaru and Kaguya Kimimaro revealed they had switched appearances during the explosion.
• Orochimaru bound Kakuzu with snakes and a Cursed Seal while Kimimaro recovered from his crushed body.
• The Third Raikage’s leg healed, and he charged at Kakuzu’s remaining heart as Deidara fought to get past the Third Kazekage.
• Someone shouted “Shinra Tensei” just as the Third Raikage’s One-Finger Nukite was about to pierce Kakuzu’s heart.

Pain’s Akatsuki group arrived in the middle of the battle, and Sasori killed the Third Raikage while Jiraiya recognized Pain and Konan as his former students. As Jiraiya watched in confusion and Naraku tracked Nagato’s hidden location, Pain turned his attention to Orochimaru and sentenced him to death.

• Pain used Shinra Tensei to blast Kakuzu, Orochimaru, and the Third Raikage away, and Sasori’s scorpion tail cut the Third Raikage in half.
• Pain, Konan, Itachi, Haku, and Sasori appeared, joining Deidara, Kakuzu, and Hidan as Akatsuki’s main fighters assembled.
• Jiraiya recognized Pain as Yahiko and Konan, wondered what had happened to them and Nagato, and told Naruto and the Konoha ninjas to stay quiet.
• Naraku watched the scene from above and detected Nagato and the real Konan hiding on a distant mountain, while the Konan beside Pain was a Paper Clone.
• Orochimaru coveted Pain’s Rinnegan and Itachi’s Sharingan, and Pain declared him a traitor and prepared to kill him.

Jiraiya joined the battlefield after Orochimaru tried to draw him out, and he discovered that Deva Path Pain and Konan were his former students, Yahiko and Konan. When Jiraiya asked what had happened to Nagato and the Rinnegan, Deva Path Pain refused to explain and threatened to kill his teacher.

• Jiraiya stopped Naruto Uzumaki from rushing into the fight and warned him that Orochimaru was trying to make them take the enemy's attacks.
• Nagato rejected Konan's offer to kill Orochimaru, intending to kill both Orochimaru and Jiraiya if Jiraiya opposed the Akatsuki.
• Jiraiya left hiding and theatrically introduced himself on the battlefield, while Naruto Uzumaki stayed behind under orders.
• Jiraiya recognized Deva Path Pain as Yahiko and greeted Konan, then asked where Nagato was and why Yahiko had the Rinnegan.
• Deva Path Pain refused to answer and threatened to kill Jiraiya, who decided Yahiko needed a lesson.

Deva Path Pain fought Jiraiya and Orochimaru while Naraku watched, expecting the battle to take a dramatic turn. Pain overwhelmed Orochimaru, but Kimimaro and the Sound Four rescued him before Pain crushed Kimimaro with Shinra Tensei.

• Naraku watched as Deva Path Pain ordered the others not to interfere and faced Jiraiya and Orochimaru himself.
• Pain used Banshō Ten'in to pull Orochimaru close, slammed him into the ground, and pinned him with a black rod while the Preta Path absorbed Jiraiya's fire attacks.
• Kimimaro's bone spikes erupted from the ground, and Sasori and Haku sealed the Third Raikage while Sasori rescued the immobilized Hidan and Kakuzu stitched him back together.
• Kimimaro broke the rod pinning Orochimaru, and the Sound Four carried Orochimaru away as Kimimaro attacked Pain to cover their escape.
• Pain unleashed Shinra Tensei, shattering the bone forest and sending Kimimaro flying in pieces.

Deva Path Pain and Konan fought Orochimaru and Jiraiya, with Konan sealing the Sound Ninja Four and then clashing with her former teacher. Jiraiya struggled to counter Konan’s airborne paper attacks as their battle continued.

• Deva Path Pain repelled Kaguya Kimimaro, struck him with a Black Rod, and sent Orochimaru and the Sound Ninja Four flying with the force of his attack.
• Konan attacked Jiraiya and Orochimaru with paper shuriken, then sealed the Sound Ninja Four inside paper covered in Sealing Jutsu Formulas.
• Jiraiya confronted Konan over her chosen path and attacked her with his growing silver hair while she countered with paper shuriken and Explosive Tags.
• Jiraiya trapped Konan’s ankle and used Fire Release, but Konan’s paper smothered the flames.
• Konan used the Substitution Technique to escape Jiraiya’s hair and resumed her paper-shuriken assault as he searched for a way to restrain her.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru joined forces against Deva Path Pain, summoning Gamabunta and Manda to support them. Their coordinated fire attack was repelled by Shinra Tensei, and Gamabunta cut through the redirected flames to save himself and Jiraiya.

• Jiraiya used toad oil to slow Konan, but his Wild Lion's Mane Technique caught only her Paper Clone.
• Deva Path Pain sent Orochimaru crashing to the ground, and Orochimaru and Jiraiya reunited to face him.
• Deva Path Pain blasted Jiraiya and Orochimaru away with Shinra Tensei, and they summoned Gamabunta and Manda together.
• Orochimaru promised Manda three hundred people for his next offering, persuading the snake to fight alongside them.
• Jiraiya and Gamabunta unleashed Toad Oil Flame Bullet at Deva Path Pain, but Pain's Shinra Tensei turned the flames back toward them.
• Gamabunta used Water Release: Iron Cannonball and then his sword to break apart the returning fire.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru exploited the cooldown on Deva Path Pain’s Shinra Tensei and appeared to defeat him, but Nagato took control again and sent Yatagarasu to attack Jiraiya. Jiraiya defended himself from the explosive eggs as Gamabunta leaped to fight the bird.

• Jiraiya and Orochimaru coordinated Gamabunta and Manda’s attacks, discovered Deva Path Pain’s shared vision and suspected Shinra Tensei had a cooldown.
• Jiraiya drew Deva Path Pain’s attention while Gamabunta and Manda struck him in succession, leaving him motionless on the ground.
• Deidara and Sasori left to deal with the regenerating Third Kazekage, while Jiraiya approached Deva Path Pain and the Akatsuki members did not intervene.
• In a hidden cave, Nagato said Jiraiya had reminded him of his past and vowed to eliminate his remaining weakness; Konan chose to stay with him.
• Yatagarasu bombarded Jiraiya with explosive eggs, forcing him to protect himself with Needle Jizo, and Gamabunta leaped up to attack the bird.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru fought Pain’s summoned beasts while Jiraiya tried to enter Sage Mode. The battle left their summons battered and several enemies destroyed, but Yatagarasu’s bombardment continued as Orochimaru and Manda were blasted to the ground.

• Gamabunta and Manda failed to bring down Yatagarasu, while Jiraiya escaped its explosions and prepared to enter Sage Mode.
• Manda carried Jiraiya to safety, but Pain’s Hell Hound attacked and split into two, forcing Jiraiya to summon Gamaken and Gamahiro.
• Pain summoned a charging Bull, so Jiraiya ordered the toads and Manda to hold the enemies off while he prepared to summon his Sage Mode helpers.
• Jiraiya noticed Deva Path Pain standing unharmed and recognized that several Pain bodies and summoned beasts possessed the Rinnegan.
• Manda and Orochimaru helped defeat a Hell Hound and the Bull, while Gamabunta and Gamahiro dealt with other summoned beasts.
• Yatagarasu launched another barrage, blasting Orochimaru and Manda into the ground as Manda demanded that Orochimaru prepare his sacrifice.

Deva Path Pain and the other Paths pressed Jiraiya and Orochimaru with powerful attacks while Naruto’s allies kept him from rushing to Jiraiya’s aid. Jiraiya defeated Animal Path and two summons, but Asura Path’s assault badly injured Gamaken and Gamahiro, and Jiraiya failed to enter Sage Mode as the battle continued.

• Manda left the battle, and Deva Path Pain ambushed Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and the toads with Shinra Tensei, forcing Gamabunta to return to Mount Myōboku.
• Jiraiya fled the Yatagarasu’s bombardment while Orochimaru escaped using a shed snakeskin, and Konoha ninja restrained Naruto as he tried to rescue Jiraiya.
• Shihōin Naraku watched Nagato’s Paths attack and prepared to intervene when Jiraiya’s situation worsened.
• Jiraiya used fire, his hair, and the toads’ attacks to defeat the Hell Crab, wound the Yatagarasu, and bring down Animal Path.
• Asura Path’s rockets and laser struck Jiraiya and the toads; Gamaken and Gamahiro were badly injured and withdrew, while Jiraiya lowered his clasped hands, having failed to enter Sage Mode.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru fought Pain’s five Paths but were badly wounded, and Jiraiya realized that Nagato controlled them as puppets. Naruto charged in with four tails unleashed and was pinned down, while the Deva Path pulled Jiraiya toward him; a sudden rumble of thunder interrupted the fight.

• Jiraiya recognized the Paths as puppets controlled by Nagato and confronted the Deva Path over Yahiko’s death and Nagato’s beliefs.
• Orochimaru emerged to help Jiraiya defeat the Animal Path again, but both were severely injured as the five Paths remained mostly intact.
• Naruto rushed into the fight in a four-tailed transformation after Konoha’s ninja failed to stop him.
• Naruto attacked the Animal Path and Preta Path, but black rods pinned his tails to the ground and disrupted his chakra.
• The Deva Path used Banshō Ten'in to pull Jiraiya toward him as Orochimaru lay helpless, and thunder suddenly rumbled across the horizon.

Shihōin Naraku descended from the sky and defeated Deva Path Pain after rescuing Jiraiya and Naruto from the battlefield. He then caught Orochimaru trying to escape and attacked him with Kurikara.

• Shihōin Naraku transformed into a blazing meteor and plunged toward the battlefield.
• Jiraiya freed Naruto from the Black Rod, and they fled underground with Konoha's Tracking Squad as the meteor struck.
• Deva Path Pain used Shinra Tensei against the meteor, but Naraku broke through the Repulsive Force and sent Deva Path crashing into the ground.
• Naraku landed amid the burning battlefield, shocking the Akatsuki members with his arrival.
• Naraku cut Orochimaru in two as Orochimaru tried to escape, then confronted him and attacked again with Kurikara.

Shihōin Naraku destroyed Orochimaru’s current body and soul, then turned on Pain after learning the Paths had attacked Konoha’s people. He left Deva Path alive but dismantled the other Paths, while Jiraiya, Naruto, and the Konoha Ninja watched.

• Shihōin Naraku decapitated Orochimaru, pierced his head with Kurikara, and burned the body and remaining soul.
• Shihōin Naraku confronted Deva Path Pain, who said they did not want to be his enemies, but Naraku attacked over the assault on Konoha’s people.
• Shihōin Naraku switched places with Naraka Path to redirect Deva Path’s Shinra Tensei, then cut off Deva Path’s left arm.
• Human Path, Asura Path, Animal Path, and Preta Path helped Deva Path escape, but Shihōin Naraku cut down the other Paths and destroyed Asura Path after it exploded.
• Jiraiya, Naruto, and the Konoha Ninja called out to Shihōin Naraku as they watched him defeat Pain’s Paths.

Shihōin Naraku overwhelmed the Six Paths of Pain while the Konoha shinobi watched and Obito Uchiha considered how to get Nagato to retreat. Naraku continued fighting Deva Path Pain, who failed to injure him and tried to draw him away from Nagato’s hiding place.

• The Konoha shinobi praised Naraku’s strength, while Jiraiya told Naruto Uzumaki that he had laid the foundation for Naraku’s training.
• Obito Uchiha and Zetsu worried that Nagato’s defeat might expose his location, and Obito went to find a way to persuade him to leave.
• Deva Path Pain’s Shinra Tensei clashed with Naraku’s Getsuga Tenshō, and Naraku severed the Path’s remaining arm and black rod.
• Deva Path Pain tried to lure Naraku away from Nagato, but missiles exploded around Naraku without harming him.

Shihōin Naraku overwhelmed the Six Paths of Pain, destroying several puppets while Gore Magala fought Animal Path’s summons. When Deva Path used Planetary Devastation, Naraku resisted its pull and nearly cut apart the forming sphere before summoning Kurikara-Immovable Wisdom King.

• Naraku summoned Gore Magala, which easily overpowered Animal Path’s giant wolf as Animal Path called more beasts to join the fight.
• Nagato sent the other Pain puppets to attack Naraku while Naraka Path stayed back to repair damaged puppets.
• Naraku destroyed Human Path and burned its remains to prevent Naraka Path from restoring it.
• Deva Path used Shinra Tensei against Naraku, but Naraku broke through the repulsive force, defeated Human Path, and left Deva Path facing him alone.
• Deva Path cast Planetary Devastation, but Naraku resisted its gravitational pull and nearly shattered the rising sphere with Getsuga Tenshō.
• Naraku raised Kurikara and summoned Kurikara-Immovable Wisdom King amid flames, lightning, and storm winds.

Shihōin Naraku summoned the towering Immovable Wisdom King and countered Nagato’s Planetary Devastation by lifting its enormous black sphere. Nagato prepared to answer with his strongest Shinra Tensei as the battle approached a decisive clash.

• The Akatsuki members and Konoha ninjas marveled at the Immovable Wisdom King’s overwhelming size and power.
• Shihōin Naraku sent the Immovable Wisdom King charging toward the Deva Path and leaping at the growing sphere created by Planetary Devastation.
• The Immovable Wisdom King seized the black sphere, landed, and hoisted it onto its shoulder, astonishing Nagato and the Deva Path.
• Shihōin Naraku had the Immovable Wisdom King raise the sphere overhead and charge toward Nagato.
• Nagato gathered his remaining strength while Konan watched anxiously, then sent the Deva Path into the air to unleash its strongest Shinra Tensei.

Shihōin Naraku defeated Deva Path Pain in a devastating clash with Nagato’s Shinra Tensei, destroying all Six Paths of Pain. Nagato and Konan escaped, while Naraku let them go, and he reunited with Jiraiya, Naruto Uzumaki, and the surviving Konoha ninja.

• Nagato unleashed his strongest Shinra Tensei as Naraku swung the Immovable Wisdom King’s planet-like sphere into the repulsion.
• Jiraiya led Naruto Uzumaki and the Konoha ninja away from the imminent collision, while the Akatsuki members also retreated.
• The clash caused a massive explosion and shock wave that devastated the battlefield and left Deva Path Pain buried in rubble with his arms severed.
• Naraku found Nagato and Konan fleeing their hiding place, but decided not to pursue them; Obito Uchiha and Black Zetsu withdrew and planned to recruit more ninja.
• Jiraiya, Naruto, and the Konoha ninja emerged from underground unharmed, and Naraku appeared beside them.

After defeating the enemy puppets, Shihōin Naraku and Jiraiya found that the final puppet was Yahiko, Jiraiya’s former student. Jiraiya buried Yahiko and began telling Naruto Uzumaki about his past with Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan.

• Shihōin Naraku told Jiraiya that the enemies had been puppets and pointed out where the final puppet was buried.
• Jiraiya uncovered Deva Path Pain, found its scattered limbs, and recognized the body as Yahiko.
• Jiraiya discovered a Black Rod receiver on Yahiko’s body, confirming that someone had controlled it as a puppet.
• Jiraiya buried Yahiko’s remains and carved his name on a wooden grave marker.
• At their campfire, Jiraiya began recounting his memories of Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan, leaving Naruto deeply moved.

Shihōin Naraku and Jiraiya discussed the truth behind Akatsuki’s apparent deaths and Orochimaru’s revival while Naruto rested nearby. Jiraiya postponed investigating the Land of Rain, choosing to focus on Naruto and keep watch for Orochimaru.

• Jiraiya realized that Konoha’s ANBU report had falsely claimed Nagato and Konan died with Yahiko, and Naraku suspected Shimura Danzō had manipulated the information.
• Jiraiya asked what had transformed Nagato and Konan and changed Akatsuki’s goals, but Naraku warned him against entering the Land of Rain because Nagato was too powerful and Naruto needed him.
• Jiraiya set aside his investigation and agreed that teaching Naruto came first, while Naraku explained that he had sent the Sensor Squad back after the matter with Orochimaru was settled for now.
• Jiraiya asked whether Orochimaru could revive again, and Naraku explained that Orochimaru had hidden soul fragments as backups but lost part of his soul each time he was killed.
• Jiraiya agreed to watch for Orochimaru while training Naruto, and Naraku offered to help if anything unexpected happened.

Shihōin Naraku told Jiraiya what he knew about the Akatsuki and urged him to teach Naruto Uzumaki basic ninja fundamentals alongside controlling the Nine-Tails. The next morning, Jiraiya weakened Naruto’s seal to begin training, but the Nine-Tails’ chakra surged out faster than expected.

• Naraku and Jiraiya discussed Naruto’s efforts to control the Nine-Tails, and Naraku reminded Jiraiya to build up Naruto’s basic knowledge.
• Naraku shared detailed intelligence about the Akatsuki, leading Jiraiya to realize that Uchiha Itachi had provided the information.
• After breakfast, Naraku, Jiraiya, and Naruto went to the ruined battlefield to train Naruto in controlling the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Jiraiya used the Fourth Hokage’s key to weaken Naruto’s seal, and Naruto erupted in a tailed-beast cloak as a third tail began to form.