Recaps

Asuma Sarutobi and the Allied Shinobi Forces reached Konoha, where the villagers claimed Akatsuki had caused no deaths thanks to Shihōin Naraku, Jiraiya, and Tsunade. After Kakashi Hatake explained the battle and kept the resurrection secret, Asuma and the others entered the village and were stunned by its destruction.

• A Konoha ninja told Asuma Sarutobi that few people had been injured and no one had died, crediting Shihōin Naraku, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Naruto Uzumaki with stopping Akatsuki's attack.
• Neji Hyuga used his Byakugan and saw that Konoha had been razed to the ground.
• Kakashi Hatake told Asuma to keep the Allied Shinobi Forces outside the village and conceal that Konoha's dead had returned to life.
• Asuma asked Kakashi what had happened, and Kakashi explained the truth before taking charge of the Allied Shinobi Forces.
• Asuma, Might Guy, and the others entered Konoha and gaped at the ruined village.

Asuma Sarutobi and the Allied Shinobi Forces returned to find Konoha reduced to ruins, then met Shihōin Naraku, who explained the next steps. Naraku ordered the forces to report Konoha’s destruction to the other villages before temporarily disbanding the alliance, and the shinobi were allowed to see the ruins.

• Asuma Sarutobi, Neji Hyuga, and Might Guy surveyed Konoha’s destroyed terrain and headed for the villagers’ tents to find their friends and families.
• Shihōin Naraku met Asuma’s group and asked whether the Akatsuki had delayed the Allied Shinobi Forces on their return.
• Asuma explained that an Akatsuki woman using Wood Release had blocked their advance until the enemy withdrew.
• Naraku told Asuma to keep the Allied Shinobi Forces outside Konoha, report the village’s condition to the other villages, and then temporarily disband the alliance.
• After resting, the Allied Shinobi Forces approached Konoha and saw the ruins for themselves.

The Allied Shinobi Forces found Konoha in ruins and reported the attack to the other villages, which saw an opportunity in its losses. Iwagakure and Kumogakure chose to proceed cautiously while their leaders considered how to manage the news and the shifting balance of power.

• The Allied Shinobi Forces inspected Konoha's ruins, doubted Konoha's claim that nobody had died, and sent reports to the villages.
• Ōnoki learned of Konoha's destruction and concluded that Iwagakure should avoid provoking Shihōin Naraku while requesting more information from Konoha.
• Dodai ordered Kumogakure to publicize the attack to lift the village's morale.
• Sunagakure and Kirigakure also learned of the attack, and their leaders welcomed Konoha's losses while recognizing that Shihōin Naraku's presence made a new Ninja War unlikely.

Shihōin Naraku reviewed other villages’ responses to the Akatsuki attack and discussed Konoha’s reconstruction with Shikaku Nara, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu. He rejected rebuilding in the crater and insisted it be filled, leaving the elders supportive of him as the likely Sixth Hokage despite the enormous challenge.

• Shihōin Naraku read letters from other villages and noted that Sunagakure sincerely offered ninja and supplies to help Konoha.
• Shikaku Nara reported that destroyed buildings and overcrowded temporary shelters made housing Konoha’s villagers an urgent problem.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu proposed rebuilding homes according to Konoha’s original layout.
• Shihōin Naraku rejected their proposal, arguing that the crater’s terrain posed serious problems for safety, drainage, health, and underground pipes.
• Mitokado Homura urged Naraku to provide shelter first and address broader reconstruction later, while he and Utatane Koharu accepted Naraku as the best candidate to lead Konoha.

Shihōin Naraku organized Konoha’s reconstruction, temporary housing, security, and requests for aid after Nagato’s death. With Jiraiya and Tsunade unconscious, the leaders also began preparations to choose a new Hokage, leaving Utatane Koharu to contact the daimyo.

• Shihōin Naraku persuaded the leaders that he would personally fill in Konoha’s crater, using his chakra, while they helped.
• Naraku said the Allied Shinobi Forces would be disbanded once the other villages replied, and assigned temporary housing plans for Konoha’s displaced residents.
• Naraku assigned Shikaku Nara to organize a temporary residence, Kakashi to oversee security after the forces dispersed, and Mitokado Homura to coordinate supplies and merchants.
• Naraku tasked Utatane Koharu with handling communications with the daimyo and requesting funding and supplies from the Land of Fire.
• Mitokado Homura argued that Konoha needed a powerful Hokage while Jiraiya and Tsunade remained unconscious, and Naraku agreed to begin the selection process.
• Shikaku Nara said the jonin should still nominate candidates, and Utatane Koharu agreed to arrange the nomination and inform the daimyo once they reached a consensus.

Shihōin Naraku visited the makeshift hospital after agreeing to begin the process of making him Sixth Hokage. He found Naruto watching over the unconscious Jiraiya and Tsunade, and reassured him that both were recovering and Jiraiya could get new arms.

• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu urged Shikaku Nara to begin the Jonin nomination process so Shihōin Naraku could become Sixth Hokage and lead Konoha’s reconstruction.
• Naraku left the planning tent and went to the makeshift Konoha Hospital to visit Jiraiya and Tsunade.
• Naraku found Naruto keeping watch over Jiraiya and Tsunade while Sakura was away fetching supplies.
• Naraku examined both patients and told Naruto they were recovering well and would likely wake within a few days.
• Naruto asked if Jiraiya could still be a Ninja without his arms, and Naraku reassured him that they could attach new ones.

Naruto learned that Tsunade, not Naraku, would treat Jiraiya’s severed arm, while Naraku prepared to become Konoha’s Sixth Hokage. After Sakura and Shizune explained the appointment, Naruto wondered if Naraku could promote him directly to jonin.

• Naraku told Naruto that Tsunade would treat Jiraiya’s severed arm once she woke up.
• Naraku instructed Sakura and Shizune to watch Tsunade and Jiraiya and notify him when they woke.
• Naraku left the tent after telling Naruto to rest, and Sakura and Shizune urged the exhausted Naruto to do the same.
• Sakura told Naruto that Naraku was about to become the Sixth Hokage, and Naruto realized Konoha needed a new leader while Tsunade was unconscious.
• Naruto envied Naraku’s appointment and asked Sakura whether Naraku could promote him straight to jonin.

Naruto asked Shihōin Naraku to promote him to jonin, but Naraku told him to study with Iruka-sensei before they discussed it further. Outside Amegakure, Obito defeated Konan, learned where Nagato's body was, and left to claim the Rinnegan.

• Naruto proposed his promotion to jonin, and Shizune and Sakura discussed whether he met the requirements.
• Naruto asked Shihōin Naraku for a promotion, and Naraku told him to get remedial lessons from Iruka-sensei before they revisited the matter.
• Naraku told the Konoha ninja to prepare to move outside the village while Konoha was rebuilt.
• Obito recalled how Konan's trap of more than four hundred billion explosive tags had nearly killed him, but he escaped with Izanagi and defeated her.
• Obito used genjutsu to learn where Konan had hidden Nagato's body, then vanished with Kamui to retrieve the Rinnegan.

Obito recovered Nagato's Rinnegan and decided to use Amegakure as a diversion while he pursued his plans. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Itachi continued their battle, and after Sasuke's Kirin failed to harm Itachi, Itachi advanced inside Susanoo as Obito watched.

• Obito took Nagato's Rinnegan, stored them in a container, and decided to find suitable vessels rather than implanting them in himself.
• Obito left Nagato's remains undisturbed and chose to leave Amegakure alone so it could draw the Shinobi World's attention.
• White Zetsu and Black Zetsu watched Sasuke and Itachi fight, with Black Zetsu explaining that Itachi was controlling the battle and holding back.
• Obito returned to the battlefield and saw that Sasuke was panting while Itachi appeared close to death.
• Sasuke summoned Kirin, but Itachi survived inside Susanoo and walked toward him as Obito watched.

Uchiha Itachi exposed Orochimaru and sealed him with the Totsuka Blade before approaching Sasuke, while Obito and Black Zetsu discussed their plans. They left the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path in its hidden base, but still had no answer for capturing the Nine-Tails.

• Uchiha Itachi’s Susanoo forced Orochimaru to emerge from Sasuke as the Eight-Headed Serpent attacked.
• Uchiha Itachi pierced Orochimaru with the Totsuka Blade, then burned Orochimaru’s escaping white snake with Amaterasu.
• Obito and Black Zetsu recognized Itachi’s Yata Mirror and Totsuka Blade, while Obito decided to take Sasuke and eventually give him Itachi’s eyes.
• Black Zetsu planned to inspect the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, but Obito said to leave it at the hidden Akatsuki base.
• Obito and Black Zetsu acknowledged that capturing the Nine-Tails remained unresolved and decided to handle their other tasks first.

Black Zetsu and Obito Uchiha struggled to find a way to obtain the Nine-Tails' chakra without Shihōin Naraku interfering, while Obito prepared to appear after Uchiha Itachi died. In Konoha, the jonin unanimously elected Shihōin Naraku as the Sixth Hokage, pending the Land of Fire's Daimyo's approval.

• Black Zetsu and Obito Uchiha discussed the difficulty of sealing the Nine-Tails while Shihōin Naraku stood in their way, and Black Zetsu kept his idea about using only a fraction of the Nine-Tails' chakra to himself.
• Obito watched Uchiha Itachi die after touching Sasuke's forehead and decided it was time to make his appearance.
• Shikaku Nara told the jonin that Tsunade and Jiraiya remained unconscious and that Konoha needed to act quickly for the village's stability.
• The jonin voted for Shihōin Naraku as the sole candidate, and Shikaku Nara announced that he had been elected unanimously as Sixth Hokage, pending the Daimyo's approval.

After the Daimyo approved Shihōin Naraku’s nomination as the Sixth Hokage, Konoha hurried to prepare his inauguration amid the village’s ruins. Naraku agreed to give a speech to reassure the people as he took office.

• Utatane Koharu told the Daimyo that Akatsuki had destroyed Konoha, and he approved Naraku’s nomination and promised reconstruction funds and supplies.
• The Daimyo arranged for merchants to transport materials to Konoha, leaving the village’s ninja responsible for protecting them.
• Konoha began preparing Naraku’s inauguration ceremony, and Naraku supplied a Hokage Ceremonial Haori when his new clothes could not be completed in time.
• Mitokado Homura and the others built a temporary platform in the ruins, and Naraku agreed to make a speech at the ceremony.

Shihōin Naraku formally addressed Konoha’s villagers and ninja as he took office as the Sixth Hokage, promising to protect them and lead the village’s recovery. Meanwhile, Tsunade awoke, learned how the battle ended and that Jiraiya had lost both arms, and asked Shizune for the full account.

• Shihōin Naraku stood before Konoha’s gathered villagers and ninja and began his inauguration speech.
• Tsunade awoke in a tent, and Shizune told her the Akatsuki battle was over and Shihōin Naraku had defeated the enemy.
• Shizune explained that Naruto had gone to find the enemy’s true body after recovering from his berserk state, and that the Akatsuki’s leader had died.
• Tsunade learned that everyone in the village had come back to life, then saw that Jiraiya’s arms had been severed at the shoulders.
• Shizune told Tsunade that the senior leadership and the Land of Fire’s Daimyo had approved Shihōin Naraku as the Sixth Hokage.
• Shihōin Naraku acknowledged the village’s losses and promised to protect Konoha and give everything for its future.

Shihōin Naraku became the Sixth Hokage as Konoha’s villagers welcomed his promise to protect and rebuild the village. Outside Konoha, Tsunade reflected on her own record and resolved to find a way to restore Jiraiya’s arms.

• Shihōin Naraku’s speech won the villagers’ support, while Konoha’s ninja ranks were already prepared to carry out his orders.
• Shihōin Naraku accepted the Hokage hat from Mitokado Homura, completing the ceremony and becoming Konoha’s Sixth Hokage.
• Tsunade heard the villagers cheering from outside the village and felt ashamed about the destruction that had occurred during her tenure.
• Shizune reminded Tsunade of her past achievements, and Tsunade regained her confidence by taking pride in training Naraku.
• Tsunade looked at the unconscious Jiraiya and decided to seek a way to replace his severed arms, though she did not know where they had gone.

Shihōin Naraku accepted the responsibilities of Hokage while Tsunade recovered and planned to research Hashirama cells to restore Jiraiya’s arms. The next day, Naraku used a powerful sword strike to cut off a distant mountain summit as the first step toward rebuilding Konoha’s cratered terrain.

• Tsunade told Naraku that her chakra was severely depleted, then warned him that the Hokage position was not something he could casually give up.
• Tsunade passed Konoha’s Hokage secrets and responsibilities to Naraku.
• Naraku and Tsunade decided that Tsunade would research Hashirama cells to create new arms for Jiraiya.
• The next day, Naraku drew his blade outside Konoha and sliced through the top of a distant mountain.
• Naraku said the strike had mostly succeeded and planned to move the severed summit to Konoha to help fill the crater left by Shinra Tensei.

Shihōin Naraku demonstrated Kurikara’s Immovable Wisdom King by smashing the summit off a mountain and lifting the resulting boulder. He began carrying the massive rock onward as Kakashi and the ANBU struggled to keep pace.

• Shihōin Naraku stopped his ANBU escort at the foot of a mountain and summoned Kurikara.
• Shihōin Naraku transformed into the Immovable Wisdom King and punched the mountain summit loose.
• Shihōin Naraku directed the Immovable Wisdom King to lift the boulder formed from the fallen summit, and it hoisted the rock onto its shoulder.
• Shihōin Naraku ordered two ANBU to clear the giant’s route while he carried the boulder forward.
• Kakashi followed the giant and wondered if Naraku was the strongest Hokage in Konohagakure’s history.

Naraku brought the Immovable Wisdom King and a boulder weighing over a million tons toward Konoha, while Kakashi and Uzuki Yugao worried about the danger. After villagers watched from a distance, the giant hurled the boulder into a deep crater in the village, causing a huge explosion.

• Kakashi reassured Uzuki Yugao that Naraku was Konoha's strongest Hokage, though he too could only trust Naraku's judgment.
• Naraku realized the Immovable Wisdom King used less chakra than expected and continued toward the evacuated village.
• Tsunade and the other onlookers saw the giant approach Konoha carrying the massive boulder.
• Tsunade urged the recovering Jiraiya to rest and promised to find a way to restore his arms, while Jiraiya joked about his nurses.
• Naraku made the Immovable Wisdom King ignite flames, lift the boulder with four arms, and throw it into Konoha's crater, creating a mushroom cloud.

Shihōin Naraku used the Immovable Wisdom King to move boulders into Konoha’s deep pit, then ordered the village’s outer walls demolished so Konoha could expand during reconstruction. After finishing the day’s work, he headed to the hospital to speak with Jiraiya and Tsunade about restoring Jiraiya’s severed arm and other matters.

• Shihōin Naraku spent the morning and afternoon hauling boulders into Konoha’s pit, filling more than half of it before running low on chakra.
• Uzuki Yugao checked on Naraku, and Kakashi reported that reconstruction was proceeding smoothly.
• Naraku ordered the demolition of Konoha’s outer walls so the rebuilt village could expand outward.
• Naraku surveyed the nearby mountains he had cut down to fill the pit, then went with the ANBU to visit Jiraiya at the temporary hospital.

Shihōin Naraku visited Jiraiya in the hospital and learned that Tsunade was researching Hashirama cells to find a way to restore his arms. Jiraiya reflected on Naruto’s prophetic role and wondered whether Naraku might also shape the Shinobi World, then chose to leave those questions to the next generation.

• Shihōin Naraku found Jiraiya recovering in Konoha Hospital and learned that Tsunade was researching Hashirama cells in hopes of restoring his arms.
• Naraku invited Jiraiya to visit the laboratory, but Jiraiya declined, accepting that he might never regain his arms.
• Jiraiya recalled that the Great Toad Sage had confirmed Naruto was the Child of the Prophecy but could no longer see the future clearly.
• Jiraiya wondered whether Naraku might also be a Child of the Prophecy after watching him rebuild Konoha.
• Naruto arrived to visit Jiraiya, who set aside his doubts and decided to let Naruto and Naraku follow their own paths.

Shihōin Naraku visited Tsunade as she studied records for research on Hashirama cells, intended to help restore Jiraiya’s arms. Tsunade chose to work alone to keep the research from becoming public, while Naraku returned to his Hokage duties amid ongoing unrest.

• Shihōin Naraku entered Tsunade’s laboratory and found her examining experimental data and a strange growth in a petri dish.
• Tsunade condemned Orochimaru and Shimura Danzō’s past human experiments and criticized Hiruzen Sarutobi for allowing them to evade punishment.
• Naraku gave Tsunade additional records gathered during the hunt for Orochimaru and offered to find someone to help her study them.
• Tsunade refused assistance because she wanted to keep her Hashirama cell research secret and said she would handle Jiraiya’s situation herself.
• Naraku agreed to let Tsunade continue alone and said he would help when he had time, while Tsunade urged him to focus on his Hokage duties and the unrest in the shinobi world.

After leaving Tsunade to handle matters herself, Naraku returned to the Shihōin Clan’s temporary settlement and reassured his worried uncle that he was fine. As Naraku went to rest under ANBU guard, Shihōin Harumoto confronted Uzuki Yugao about letting her boyfriend work so hard.

• Naraku left Tsunade and returned to the Shihōin Clan’s temporary settlement.
• Shihōin Harumoto checked that Naraku was unharmed and warned him not to overwork himself.
• Naraku explained that he had worked hard to speed Konoha’s reconstruction and promised he had delegated the later tasks.
• Shihōin Harumoto urged Naraku to rest and then left him in his room under ANBU guard.
• Shihōin Harumoto called Uzuki Yugao out of the shadows and asked why she had let Naraku work so hard.

Naraku left Konoha to meet Kabuto Yakushi in the Land of Rivers and waited to learn whether he had mastered Sage Mode. A little white snake delivered Kabuto’s message, and Naraku told him to keep training and wait at their agreed location when he finished.

• Harumoto warned Yugao about leaking information and urged her to tell him if a similar situation happened again.
• Naraku left a Shadow Clone to rest in Konoha and used Flying Thunder God to travel to the Land of Rivers.
• Naraku waited for Kabuto, worrying that changes to Kabuto’s circumstances might affect his Sage Mode training.
• As Naraku prepared to return to Konoha, a little white snake brought him a scroll from Kabuto.
• Naraku read the message and sent the snake back with instructions for Kabuto to continue training and meet him at their agreed location once he finished.

Shihōin Naraku returned to Konoha after learning that Kabuto Yakushi was close to mastering Sage Mode, while Obito and Black Zetsu discussed Sasuke Uchiha and Akame joining their plan. Naraku then ordered Kakashi to begin the village reconstruction work and descended into the pit to start breaking up the boulders.

• Shihōin Naraku returned to his temporary residence, read the scroll about Kabuto Yakushi’s training, and concluded that Kabuto could soon approach Obito about joining his plan.
• Obito told Black Zetsu that Sasuke Uchiha had not fully believed the truth about Itachi, and Black Zetsu reported that the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was recovering.
• Black Zetsu told Obito that Akame had agreed to join them, and Obito decided she should help strengthen White Zetsu and learn their plan.
• Shihōin Naraku ordered an ANBU member to have Kakashi gather the ninja and begin the planned work in Konoha.
• Naraku met Kakashi and the assembled ninja, then jumped into the pit to break apart the boulders and stabilize its foundation.

Shihōin Naraku shattered boulders and compacted rubble to fill most of Konoha’s crater, then directed Kakashi and Yamato’s earth-release teams as they filled the rest with soil. The groundwork for Konoha’s reconstruction was nearly complete, though the settling ground still needed repairs.

• Shihōin Naraku broke the boulders with a punch and shook the ground to pack the rubble into gaps in Konoha’s crater.
• Naraku told Kakashi to begin, and Kakashi fired the signal for the earth-release teams to start moving soil.
• Under Yamato’s leadership, the Konoha ninja guided a river of soil into the crater, filling it as they exhausted their chakra and stamina.
• Kakashi signaled Yamato to stop once the crater was mostly filled, and the ninja celebrated that reconstruction could begin.
• Naraku stamped the ground to settle the soil, causing depressions to appear where underground gaps were being filled.

Shihōin Naraku oversaw preparations to rebuild Konoha and considered who could replace Yamato as ANBU commander. As reconstruction began, he reassured Jiraiya that Tsunade was making progress on treating his missing arms, and the chapter left their recovery unresolved.

• Shihōin Naraku checked that Konoha had secured reconstruction supplies and told Kakashi to protect them from damage.
• Shihōin Naraku learned that Yamato was using Wood Release to build houses and began considering candidates to replace him as ANBU commander.
• After several days, Konoha began rebuilding on the outskirts while waiting for the deeper soil to settle before installing underground facilities.
• Shihōin Naraku and Jiraiya watched ninja and civilians work together, and Jiraiya praised Naraku for the village’s renewed unity.
• Shihōin Naraku assured Jiraiya that Tsunade was making progress on treating his arms and offered to help after reconstruction became less demanding.