Recaps

Naruto Uzumaki’s four-tailed transformation threatened to overwhelm his reason, so Shihōin Naraku subdued him with Conqueror’s Haki and confronted the Nine-Tails inside Naruto. The Nine-Tails’ chakra retreated, but he was left wondering about Naraku’s power while Naruto still struggled to resist its influence.

• Naruto Uzumaki’s Nine-Tails Chakra intensified, and as a fourth tail emerged, he began losing control despite Jiraiya’s warnings.
• Shihōin Naraku approached the rampaging Naruto and pinned him down with Conqueror’s Haki.
• Naraku appeared inside Naruto’s sealed mind and ordered the Nine-Tails to stop tempting him, forcing the chakra to retreat.
• The Nine-Tails wondered about Naraku’s strength and suspected he carried the presence of other tailed beasts and a trace of the Sage of Six Paths.
• Naruto remained enveloped in Nine-Tails Chakra but managed to hold on to his will without the Nine-Tails tempting him.

Naruto trained to control the Nine-Tails' chakra under Shihōin Naraku's Conqueror's Haki, then Naraku suggested that ninja might befriend the Tailed Beasts instead of suppressing or controlling them. Jiraiya began seriously considering the idea, and Naruto woke up searching for Naraku.

• Naruto maintained control of his Tailed Beast Cloak while resisting Shihōin Naraku's Conqueror's Haki and slowly approached him.
• Naraku ended the pressure, and Naruto rushed forward to punch him, only to strike an afterimage before Naraku knocked him unconscious with an elbow.
• Jiraiya checked Naruto and praised the training, while Naraku warned that Naruto still had a long way to go.
• Naraku suggested that ninja could become friends and family with the Tailed Beasts, prompting Jiraiya to reconsider how peace and understanding might be achieved.
• Naruto woke up and looked around for Naraku.

Naruto continued training with Jiraiya and began trying to befriend the Nine-Tails, while Naraku returned to Konoha and arranged a joint Chunin Ninja Exams with Sunagakure and Kirigakure. As the participating teams prepared to travel, Tsunade told Naraku that Gaara had survived an assassination attempt and that Sunagakure’s leadership troubles could threaten the exams.

• Naruto kept training with Jiraiya and learned that the Nine-Tails had a name, strengthening his resolve to become its friend.
• Naraku returned to Konoha, where Tsunade had entrusted him with many village affairs, and announced the joint Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Tsunade and Naraku coordinated the exams with Sunagakure and Kirigakure as the other great villages declined to participate.
• Mei Terumi sent fifteen Kirigakure Genin to the exams and warned Ao that their bloodlust could cause trouble.
• Sakura Haruno joined Ino Yamanaka and Choji Akimichi’s team, while Tsunade praised Sakura’s progress as her student.
• Tsunade told Naraku that Gaara’s position as Kazekage was insecure after an assassination attempt, and Naraku agreed that Gaara was the best choice for Sunagakure’s leader.

Naraku traveled with Konoha’s Jonin to Sunagakure to protect Gaara during the Chunin Exams, which were proceeding without incident. Gaara welcomed them, while Sunagakure’s elders ordered the hidden guards around him to withdraw after Naraku noticed their precautions.

• Tsunade assigned Naraku to keep Gaara alive and in power while Konoha’s Jonin handled the Chunin Exams.
• Naraku watched the visiting Genin begin the second exam, a race to reach an observation post in Sunagakure’s Demon Desert within three days.
• Naraku joined the Jonin traveling to Sunagakure, where Gaara personally welcomed them at the village gate.
• Naraku noticed the sentries, mechanisms, and traps Sunagakure had set around Gaara and the Kazekage Building.
• Chiyo and Ebizo ordered the hidden Sand shinobi to withdraw, then discussed Naraku’s perceptiveness and Sunagakure’s lingering losses from the failed Konoha Crush Plan.

Chiyo and Ebizo decided to support Gaara as Kazekage and exposed a plot against him. As assassins attacked the Kazekage Building during a sandstorm, Temari stopped one, while an explosion erupted on a nearby roof.

• Chiyo and Ebizo concluded that Gaara was doing well as Kazekage and resolved to hand over a list of people plotting against him.
• Kankuro told Gaara that the village elders supported him and warned that his opponents planned to assassinate him before the Chunin Ninja Exams ended.
• Gaara refused to change his plans or avoid public appearances, saying protecting the village was his responsibility.
• An Iwa Shinobi infiltrated the Kazekage Building, but Kankuro spotted him and chased him outside as a diversion.
• Temari intercepted a second assassin and blasted him out of the building with Wind Release: Sickle Weasel, destroying his Explosive Tags in the storm.
• A burst of fire erupted on the roof of a nearby building.

Shihōin Naraku watched Sunagakure’s failed assassination attempt on Gaara and then joined the Chunin Ninja Exams delegation at the Demon Desert. He warned Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, and Asuma that someone planned to target Gaara during the exams.

• Shihōin Naraku observed Temari and Kankuro defeat assassins who had tried to kill Gaara, while Gaara remained safe at the Demon Desert Observation Post.
• Temari told Kankuro she would leave the village’s affairs in his hands while she accompanied Gaara to the Demon Desert.
• Shihōin Naraku arrived at the Demon Desert as an adviser and received three draw chances from the system.
• Shihōin Naraku summoned Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, and Asuma and told them to protect their genin teams if anything unexpected happened.
• Shihōin Naraku revealed that someone in Sunagakure planned to use the Chunin Ninja Exams to attack Gaara.

Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma, and Shihōin Naraku discussed the coming unrest in Sunagakure and agreed to protect their Genin while Naraku watched over Gaara. In Amegakure, Konan brought Nagato a new corpse as he rebuilt the Six Paths of Pain.

• Kurenai Yuhi suggested suspending the Chunin Ninja Exams because of Sunagakure's approaching civil strife, but Asuma and Might Guy noted that Gaara had support and Sunagakure needed the event.
• Shihōin Naraku explained Gaara's dilemma and told the others to protect their Genin, while he took responsibility for Gaara's safety without interfering in Sunagakure's internal conflict.
• Two Amegakure Ninja delivered a corpse to the Central Tower, following the village's unexplained custom of bringing fallen Ninja inside.
• Konan examined the corpse and carried it deeper into the tower to Nagato, who was rebuilding the Six Paths of Pain.
• Nagato told Konan that the Naraka Path and Human Path had been remade, the Asura Path was nearly ready, and another attempt at the Animal Path had failed.

Nagato hurried to rebuild the Six Paths of Pain after Shihōin Naraku destroyed them, while the Akatsuki prepared to begin its Tailed Beast Hunting Plan. After Obito revealed documents about the Ten-Tails, Nagato regained confidence and resolved to complete the Paths quickly.

• Nagato defeated Hidan and Deidara when they challenged his strength, and the Akatsuki members grew more united after their battle with Shihōin Naraku.
• Konan told Nagato and Obito that Amegakure Genin had reached Sunagakure to investigate the tailed beasts during the Second Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Obito objected to the mission because Shihōin Naraku was in Sunagakure, but Nagato accepted responsibility for sending the Genin.
• Zetsu delivered documents showing the Ten-Tails, and Obito described it as the ultimate weapon that would overcome any obstacle.
• Nagato set aside his doubts about Shihōin Naraku and decided to accelerate the creation of the Six Paths of Pain.

After their defeat by Shihōin Naraku, Nagato and Obito Uchiha prepared to strengthen the Akatsuki and rebuild the Six Paths of Pain while keeping their larger plans in motion. Meanwhile, the Chunin Ninja Exams reached their second round in the Demon Desert, where the remaining teams set out to collect Heaven and Earth Scrolls.

• Nagato asked Obito Uchiha for information about the Ten-Tails, and Obito and Black Zetsu decided to seek stronger pawns while keeping watch on Sasuke Uchiha and Orochimaru.
• Nagato told Konan he trusted Madara's information but had prepared for betrayal, and they agreed to leave Yahiko's remains buried while searching for a new Deva Path body.
• At the Demon Desert Observation Post, the Jonin discussed the Genin teams' progress and noted that Takigakure's team had taken first place, with Team Guy in second.
• Fū reached the observation post ahead of the other teams, registered with her two Takigakure Jonin, and learned that she should stay indoors because of the desert storms.
• After the remaining teams arrived and rested, the second round began, and the candidates scattered into the Demon Desert to collect Heaven and Earth Scrolls and reach the tower.

Shihōin Naraku used Observation Haki to uncover Sunagakure’s gold dust mine and discovered a vast underground river of gold dust beneath the Demon Desert. At the cavern’s deepest point, enormous root-like objects resisted his perception, leaving him wondering what they were.

• Shihōin Naraku watched the Genin enter the Demon Desert and observed a Sand shinobi secretly set a formation inside the Observation Post.
• Shihōin Naraku learned that Sunagakure had a gold dust mine nearby and used Observation Haki to look inside it.
• Shihōin Naraku discovered an underground river filled with gold dust nearly a thousand meters below the surface.
• Shihōin Naraku traced the cavern to a mass of enormous intertwined roots, but they resisted his Observation Haki.

Shihōin Naraku discovered enormous chakra-bearing roots beneath Sunagakure’s Demon Desert and suspected they belonged to a God Tree, planning to claim them. A Sunagakure rebel emissary tried to bribe him to stay out of an impending disturbance, but Naraku rejected the offer and overwhelmed him with a terrifying illusion.

• Shihōin Naraku sensed huge roots beneath the Gold Dust Mine that resisted his Observation Haki and considered whether they were remnants of a God Tree.
• Naraku reasoned that the roots might explain the Land of Wind’s desert conditions and decided to take them, planning to prepare scrolls to carry them away.
• A Sunagakure rebel shinobi asked Naraku to avoid interfering in an upcoming disturbance and offered him three hundred jin of gold dust on behalf of Lord Sha Qing.
• Naraku repeatedly ordered the emissary to take back the gold dust and leave.
• When the emissary hesitated, Naraku subjected him to a terrifying scarlet vision that shattered his reason.

Shihōin Naraku uncovered Sunagakure conspirators’ plan to trigger a storm and remove Gaara, then watched Gaara and the village respond to the disaster. As the Genin were rescued, Naraku headed to Sunagakure’s gold dust mine for an undisclosed purpose.

• Shihōin Naraku killed a Sand shinobi who tried to bribe him and warn him away from Sunagakure’s internal conflict.
• Sunagakure conspirators planned to trigger a sandstorm during the Chunin Ninja Exams, force Gaara into the Demon Desert, and extract Shukaku from him.
• Shihōin Naraku overheard the conspirators and sent Gaara a tiny phoenix messenger before preparing sealing scrolls.
• A massive sandstorm struck the Demon Desert, and Gaara sent Temari and Kankuro with rescue teams while secretly leaving a sand clone in his office.
• The sensory unit found interference tools hidden in its base, revealing that the sensory barrier had been sabotaged.
• Shihōin Naraku entered the superstorm and reached Sunagakure’s gold dust mine, slipping underground.

Shihōin Naraku discovered the God Tree's roots and an enormous underground river of gold dust beneath the Gold Dust Mine, then sealed away some roots and destroyed the cavern. After emerging, he sensed that Gaara and a large group—including Might Guy and his companions—were already fighting, and hurried toward them.

• Shihōin Naraku entered the underground cavern and found a river filled with vast quantities of gold dust.
• Shihōin Naraku confirmed that the massive roots belonged to the God Tree after they absorbed his chakra.
• Shihōin Naraku sealed about two-thirds of the roots in ten scrolls, burned the rest, and left the cavern to collapse over the gold dust and ashes.
• Shihōin Naraku emerged to find the storm had ended and used Observation Haki to locate Gaara amid a fight involving many people, including Might Guy and his companions.
• Shihōin Naraku flew toward the fighting to investigate.

Shihōin Naraku arrived at the Demon Desert and rescued Gaara and Fū from a sealing ritual that was extracting their Tailed Beasts. He suspended the Chunin Ninja Exams and led everyone back to the Observation Post, where the Genin wondered whether their actions might still earn them promotion.

• Sunagakure rebels trapped Gaara and Fū with a sealing technique while Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kurenai Yuhi struggled to break through the barrier protecting them.
• As Gaara and Fū neared death, Shihōin Naraku crashed into the battlefield, shattered the barrier, and severed the chains draining their Tailed Beast Chakra.
• The rebels retreated, and Naraku ordered the Chunin Ninja Exams suspended and everyone to return to the Observation Post.
• Gaara thanked Naraku and identified Fayi as the captured monk behind the sealing technique; Temari and Kankuro arrived with Sunagakure's reinforcements and took charge of him.
• On the way back, Sakura, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi worried about the exams ending, while Rock Lee, Tenten, and Neji Hyuga suggested their rescue efforts could help them become Chunin.

After Gaara’s seal was repaired, the villages ended the Chunin Ninja Exams and prepared to return home. Gaara secretly sent Sand shinobi to protect Fū on her journey back to Takigakure, while Konan received intelligence gathered by Amegakure’s Genin.

• Konoha and Kirigakure’s Jonin agreed to suspend the exams, and Shihōin Naraku supported waiting until Sunagakure’s troubles had been handled.
• Temari told Kankuro that Gaara’s seal had a small gap, and Kankuro said he had identified the person behind the rebellion and was preparing arrests.
• After three days, Naraku sensed that Gaara’s seal had been repaired, and Gaara returned to the Observation Post to discuss the exams.
• The Jonin decided to end the exams, and the villages’ Genin began their journeys home.
• Gaara arranged a secret escort for Fū and her Takigakure Jonin, while Fū happily called Gaara her friend.
• Konan received the Tailed Beast intelligence from Amegakure’s Genin and assigned them another mission; as Fū neared Takigakure, her escorts sensed someone nearby.

Hidan and Kakuzu ambushed Fū and her escorts, leaving them dead before Sunagakure could find the scene. Gaara sent Kankuro to investigate Amegakure, where Kankuro encountered Sasori and prepared to fight him.

• Hidan and Kakuzu attacked Fū, the Takigakure Jonin, and the Sunagakure shinobi, then collected valuable corpses and left Fū motionless among the wreckage.
• Gaara learned that the escorts and Takigakure shinobi had likely died, and he and Kankuro considered who might have targeted Fū.
• Kankuro decided to infiltrate Amegakure to investigate and reassure the other villages that Sunagakure was addressing the disappearance.
• Kankuro entered Amegakure and was confronted by Sasori, who was hidden inside Hiruko.
• Sasori attacked Kankuro with Hiruko’s tail, and Kankuro summoned Crow and challenged Sasori to face his puppets.

Sasori defeated and apparently killed Kankuro while Tsunade and Naraku discussed Akatsuki’s capture of Fū and how to warn Sunagakure. Naraku then considered Tsunade’s proposal to use Sunagakure’s request to investigate Kusagakure as a chance to search for Orochimaru’s bases.

• Sasori poisoned Kankuro, struck him with Hiruko’s scorpion tail, and pursued him as he tried to escape.
• Tsunade received Gaara’s request for help investigating Fū’s disappearance and concluded that Akatsuki had taken her to Amegakure.
• Naraku examined God Tree roots in his underground laboratory before an ANBU summoned him to Tsunade.
• Naraku and Tsunade agreed to share only a broad warning about Akatsuki with Sunagakure and to warn Gaara that he was a target.
• Tsunade asked whether Konoha should use Sunagakure’s request to investigate Kusagakure as an opportunity to search for Orochimaru’s bases.

Shihōin Naraku helped Tsunade plan a search for Orochimaru, then discovered that a God Tree root had evolved into a humanoid form and began experimenting with it. After creating empty shells capable of holding his chakra and consciousness, he was appointed head of Konohagakure’s newly established Intelligence Department.

• Tsunade and Shihōin Naraku decided to send a team to locate Orochimaru, and Tsunade assigned Neji Hyuga to lead newly promoted Chunin on the mission.
• Shihōin Naraku found a shattered cultivation tank and a humanoid form grown from the God Tree root in his underground laboratory.
• Shihōin Naraku experimented on God Tree roots and successfully created an empty shell resembling himself that could contain his chakra and consciousness.
• Tsunade explained that the Analysis Team and Interrogation Department needed to be separated from the ANBU to prevent its power from growing unchecked.
• Tsunade appointed Shihōin Naraku head of Konohagakure’s newly established Intelligence Department.

Shihōin Naraku took charge of Konohagakure's newly independent Intelligence Department and arranged for the Analysis Team and Interrogation Department to relocate. He visited ANBU to oversee the Interrogation Department’s handover, where Tenzo assured him that the transfer was proceeding smoothly.

• Tsunade appointed Shihōin Naraku director of the Intelligence Department and ruled that ANBU would receive intelligence through her.
• Naraku showed Inoichi Yamanaka and Ibiki Morino the new office and arranged for their teams to move there, with the Interrogation Department’s transfer requiring ANBU’s cooperation.
• Ibiki asked Naraku to help handle the Interrogation Department’s handover from ANBU, and Naraku agreed to visit that afternoon.
• Naraku entered the ANBU base, silenced two inattentive guards, and learned that Tenzo was in his office.
• Tenzo told Naraku that he had assigned ANBU members to help Ibiki’s staff pack and that no one would obstruct the transfer.

Shihōin Naraku reprimanded Tenzo for neglecting ANBU’s leadership and training, then confronted ANBU officers who were harassing the departing Interrogation Department. He helped the department continue packing and prepared to leave ANBU, while Tenzo was left to consider how to regain control.

• Shihōin Naraku chastised Tenzo for handling too many missions, letting ANBU discipline weaken, and leaving its training in the hands of former Root members.
• Naraku reached the Intelligence Room and sent away ANBU members who had gathered to watch the Interrogation Department pack.
• Naraku recognized Kagami and Yellowfish among the officers in the room and ordered them out.
• Naraku told the Interrogation Department members to continue packing and urged them to work faster.
• Ibiki Morino arrived and reported that only a few items remained to be packed.

Naraku reorganized the Intelligence Department and returned home, where Harumoto brought the disgraced Genya before him for punishment. Genya confessed and stabbed himself in the abdomen, leaving his fate uncertain.

• Tenzo demoted Kagami and expelled Yellowfish from ANBU after catching them interfering with the reorganization.
• Naraku established the Intelligence Department, appointed Inoichi Yamanaka and Ibiki Morino as squad leaders, and left them to settle into their new roles.
• Harumoto brought Genya to Naraku and explained that Genya had confronted the Interrogation Department over its separation from ANBU.
• Naraku said Genya's punishment could end because his actions had caused no consequences, but Harumoto insisted the clan needed to uphold discipline.
• Genya admitted his fault, said he would take responsibility for the clan, and stabbed himself in the abdomen with a kunai.

After resolving Shihōin Genya’s fate, Shihōin Naraku began his sixth Ten-Pull and received rewards that included the Forest-Forest Fruit, Wood Release techniques, Five-Tails Kokuō’s chakra, and Ryūjin Jakka. He set plans in motion to assist the Akatsuki’s Tailed Beast capture operation and began absorbing Ryūjin Jakka into Kurikara, then examined his remaining rewards.

• Shihōin Harumoto and Naraku decided that Shihōin Genya would be sent to the Land of Earth, and clan members treated his wounds and took him away.
• Naraku reflected that his plan depended on the Akatsuki advancing its Tailed Beast capture operation, so he decided to help them.
• Naraku began his sixth Ten-Pull and received the Forest-Forest Fruit, gold dust, Five-Tails Kokuō’s chakra, two Wood Release techniques, Ryūjin Jakka, and other rewards.
• Naraku decided to seek Tsunade’s authorization to learn more Wood Release Ninjutsu and the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Naraku activated Kurikara’s devouring ability on Ryūjin Jakka, which began to break apart much more slowly than the swords Kurikara had absorbed before.
• Naraku accepted the enhancement to his lungs, destroyed the face mask and sandals, and turned to examine the final rewards, Sakura Ten and Kokuto.

Shihōin Naraku created and empowered a doll modeled after Akame, gave her a forged sword, and strengthened Kurikara by feeding it Ryūjin Jakka. He tested Akame's combat abilities outside Konoha, where the chapter ended with both sheathing their swords after a destructive sparring match.

• Shihōin Naraku materialized Sakura Ten and Kokuto, then used God Tree roots and his Chakra to grow a doll modeled after Akame.
• Shihōin Naraku inscribed and activated three imprints on Akame, awakening her as a puppet he could control with ease.
• Shihōin Naraku infused Akame with the Forest-Forest Fruit's power and had the system forge Sakura Ten and Kokuto into a single Supreme Grade Blade for her.
• Shihōin Naraku discovered that Kurikara had devoured Ryūjin Jakka and gained its abilities, greatly enhancing his Fire Release Ninjutsu.
• Shihōin Naraku and Akame fought outside Konoha, unleashing fire, growing trees, and clashing swords before sheathing their blades together.

Shihōin Naraku trained the Akame doll until she reached Jonin-level combat ability, then planned to strengthen her further before sending her into the Akatsuki. After Tsunade allowed him to study most forbidden techniques, Naraku entered Konoha’s forbidden technique room and rapidly mastered several techniques, including Flying Thunder God.

• Naraku judged that Akame had reached Jonin-level combat ability and decided she would need at least Kage-level strength to join the Akatsuki safely.
• Naraku sealed Akame in a scroll and told Tsunade he wanted to study forbidden techniques to increase his strength.
• Tsunade let Naraku study the village’s forbidden techniques but refused to give him the method for undoing the seal on Impure World Reincarnation.
• Naraku read the Flying Thunder God scroll and studied the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Technique before turning to the Wood Release techniques he planned to prepare for Akame.
• Naraku left the forbidden technique room without taking any copies, having memorized and learned Flying Thunder God, Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags, and numerous Wood Release techniques.

Shihōin Naraku trained Akame to strengthen her Wood Release and combat ability while planning to introduce her to the Akatsuki as his student. Black Zetsu arrived for their meeting, saw Akame fighting Naraku, and wondered whether she was an Orochimaru experiment as Naraku intensified the battle.

• Akame used Wood Release to form a forest and showed that her branches could absorb chakra, while Naraku assessed her potential and fought her to improve her strength.
• Naraku recorded Akame's slow but complete recovery from severe injuries and considered how to place her in the Akatsuki without revealing that she was his puppet.
• Naraku reflected on Black Zetsu's missed meeting and decided to present Akame as his successor and student, keeping her identity secret.
• Black Zetsu traveled to meet Naraku, deciding to report the Akatsuki's progress but conceal details of its plans and members.
• A shock wave caught Black Zetsu and White Zetsu near the training ground, and Black Zetsu emerged to investigate the battle between Naraku and an unfamiliar girl using Wood Release.
• Naraku noticed Black Zetsu watching and intensified his fight with Akame, hoping to push her to super Kage level strength before she joined the Akatsuki.