Recaps

After learning Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode and gaining a powerful Sage Body, Shihōin Naraku returned to Konoha and escorted Mei Terumi to negotiate peace. An attack at Konoha’s gates exposed a conspiracy within Kirigakure, but Mei chose to continue the talks as her village investigated.

• Shihōin Naraku returned to Konoha after Karatachi Yagura’s death and revealed that Obito Uchiha was alive, prompting Tsunade to send Kakashi Hatake to investigate the Uchiha massacre and the Nine-Tails’ Attack.
• Shihōin Naraku resigned from his positions and traveled to Shikkotsu Forest, where the Katsuyu Sage guided him through dangerous Sage Mode training.
• Shihōin Naraku survived the corrosive pool, gained a Sage Body, and mastered Shikkotsu Forest’s Senjutsu, but his attempt to combine it with Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode injured him.
• Shihōin Naraku returned to Konoha and confirmed his success to Tsunade, who assigned him to escort Mei Terumi’s delegation from the Land of Water.
• Mei Terumi proposed a trade agreement with Konoha, and Shihōin Naraku met her at the border before escorting her delegation to the village.
• At Konoha’s gate, Shihōin Naraku stopped a Mist Ninja from triggering a seal trap, but the attacker was revealed as Ao and Mei Terumi killed him after he denounced Konoha.
• Tsunade’s advisers debated whether to suspend negotiations, but Shihōin Naraku argued that Kirigakure needed stability, and Mei Terumi continued the talks while Genji ordered an investigation into the attacks.

Shihōin Naraku strengthened Konoha’s ties with Kirigakure, reformed the Academy, and took charge of the Mission Office before leading the hunt for Orochimaru. The arc left Orochimaru and Kakuzu locked in a destructive battle as Jiraiya protected Naruto from the fighting.

• Mei Terumi restored order in Kirigakure and reached a trade agreement with Tsunade, while Shihōin Naraku compelled Black Zetsu to share intelligence on Obito and the Akatsuki.
• Tsunade appointed Shihōin Naraku to lead the Education Department, where he revised Academy rules and argued successfully for students to learn about Madara Uchiha’s deeds and faults.
• Shihōin Naraku escorted Mei Terumi toward the Land of Earth, where she survived an ambush and arranged further negotiations with Iwagakure and other villages.
• Tsunade made Shihōin Naraku chief of the Konoha Mission Office, then told him that Orochimaru had escaped after causing the Eight-Tails to go berserk and killing Medical Ninja.
• Shihōin Naraku assembled a sensory squad led by Shibi Aburame to track Orochimaru, while Akatsuki and bounty hunters also pursued him across the Land of Birds.
• Orochimaru used his cursed-seal subordinates to delay his pursuers, and Shihōin Naraku flew toward the Land of Birds after learning that Jiraiya had gone there with Naruto Uzumaki.
• Jiraiya confronted Orochimaru near Clear Water Lake as Naruto Uzumaki began losing control to the Nine-Tails, while Kakuzu attacked Orochimaru and Hidan watched Jiraiya.
• Orochimaru summoned the Third Kazekage to fight Kakuzu, then summoned the Third Raikage when the Third Kazekage could not quickly defeat him, as Jiraiya protected Naruto from stray attacks.

Orochimaru and the Akatsuki clashed with the reanimated Third Raikage and Third Kazekage before Pain’s Paths attacked Jiraiya and Naruto. Naraku defeated the Paths and killed Orochimaru, while Jiraiya learned the truth about Yahiko and turned to training Naruto against the Nine-Tails’ chakra.

• Orochimaru’s reanimated Third Raikage and Third Kazekage overwhelmed Kakuzu and Hidan as Deidara joined the battle and the Sound Five attacked.
• Naraku sent Shibi Aburame’s tracking squad to protect Naruto, while Jiraiya stayed hidden with him and watched the fighting.
• Pain and the other Akatsuki members arrived, and Jiraiya recognized Deva Path as Yahiko before confronting him alongside Orochimaru.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru fought Pain’s Paths and summoned beasts, but Jiraiya failed to enter Sage Mode and Naruto transformed into a four-tailed form.
• Naraku arrived as a blazing meteor, killed Orochimaru, and defeated Pain’s Paths, while Nagato and Konan escaped.
• Jiraiya uncovered Yahiko’s body and Black Rod receiver, buried him, and shared memories of Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan with Naruto.
• Naraku warned Jiraiya not to pursue Nagato in the Land of Rain, and Jiraiya agreed to focus on training Naruto and watch for Orochimaru’s return.
• Naraku shared intelligence about the Akatsuki, then Jiraiya weakened Naruto’s seal with the Fourth Hokage’s key as Naruto’s tailed-beast cloak formed a third tail.

Shihōin Naraku protected Gaara during a Sunagakure rebellion, but the Akatsuki abducted Fū and Kankuro went missing while investigating. Back in Konoha, Naraku established an Intelligence Department, created the puppet Akame, and prepared to introduce her to the Akatsuki as his successor.

• Naruto Uzumaki held on to his will as the Nine-Tails’ chakra surged, and Shihōin Naraku forced the beast to stop tempting him before knocking Naruto unconscious during training.
• Naraku arranged joint Chunin Ninja Exams with Sunagakure and Kirigakure, then traveled to Sunagakure to protect Gaara from assassination plots.
• Naraku discovered God Tree roots beneath Sunagakure’s gold dust mine and sealed away much of them as rebels prepared to target Gaara during the exams.
• A sandstorm and sabotaged sensory barrier enabled the rebels to trap Gaara and Fū, but Naraku broke their sealing technique and stopped the attack.
• The villages suspended the exams, but Hidan and Kakuzu later attacked Fū’s escort and left her motionless, prompting Kankuro to investigate Amegakure, where Sasori confronted him.
• Tsunade and Naraku coordinated a response to Fū’s disappearance, while Naraku created a chakra-bearing shell from God Tree roots and became head of Konoha’s new Intelligence Department.
• Naraku reorganized the Intelligence Department and ANBU, while Genya accepted responsibility for challenging the department’s separation and stabbed himself with a kunai.
• Naraku’s Ten-Pull gave him the Forest-Forest Fruit, Kokuō’s chakra, and Ryūjin Jakka, which Kurikara absorbed, while Naraku created Akame as a puppet and equipped her with a Supreme Grade Blade.
• Naraku taught Akame Wood Release and trained her toward Kage-level strength, then presented her to Black Zetsu as his successor and student while concealing that she was his puppet.