Chapter Summaries

Shihōin Naraku explained that his Zanpakutō, Kurikara, had inflicted the soul injuries that kept Killer B unconscious, and he argued Kumogakure was too weakened to attack Konoha. Tsunade approved border vigilance and an ANBU investigation of Kumogakure, then the meeting turned to forming teams to hunt Orochimaru.

• Tsunade asked Naraku how he had injured Killer B so severely, and Naraku revealed that Kurikara could harm souls and burned anyone but him who touched it.
• Naraku said Kumogakure was unlikely to attack because Killer B remained badly injured and the Eight-Tails' rampage had caused substantial losses.
• Shikaku Nara agreed that Konoha did not need large-scale reinforcements, while Mitokado Homura urged the Border Forces to stay alert.
• Tsunade approved heightened border vigilance and proposed sending one or two ANBU to contact Konoha's spy in Kumogakure.
• Tsunade raised the question of hunting Orochimaru, and Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shikaku Nara supported forming teams to pursue him.

Konoha agreed to hunt down Orochimaru, with Shihōin Naraku proposing a sensory-focused pursuit squad that would locate him while he handled the final attack. Naraku formed the squad and sent it out, while Konoha raised Orochimaru’s bounty and circulated an updated wanted notice.

• Shihōin Naraku persuaded Tsunade and the advisors to use sensory ninja to track Orochimaru and call him in to deal with the target.
• Tsunade assigned Naraku to lead the hunt, and she ordered Mitokado Homura to raise Orochimaru’s bounty and update his wanted notice.
• Naraku recruited sensory ninja from the Yamanaka Clan, the ANBU, the Inuzuka Clan, and the Aburame Clan, then named Shibi Aburame captain.
• Naraku ordered the squad to report Orochimaru’s location rather than fight him, and the squad departed from the Konoha Gate.
• Konoha’s updated wanted notice spread through the underworld, where people discussed the bounty and the danger of hunting Orochimaru.

The villages’ bounties on Orochimaru sent bounty hunters searching for him and prompted the Akatsuki to make capturing him its next mission. As pursuers closed in on his hideouts, Orochimaru and Kabuto faced the loss of yet another base.

• Sunagakure announced that Orochimaru had killed the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and issued its own wanted notice with a reward of gold dust.
• After reading the newspaper, Kakuzu set out with Hidan for Otogakure to hunt Orochimaru for the bounty.
• Deva Path Pain ordered Zetsu to search for Orochimaru and assigned Kakuzu’s team to Otogakure and Sasori and Deidara to the area near Kumogakure.
• Kakuzu claimed Orochimaru’s corpse and bounty for himself, threatening anyone who tried to take them.
• Dozens of ninja entered a suspected Orochimaru hideout, triggering an explosion that collapsed the base and killed them.
• Kabuto told Orochimaru that another group had found one of his bases, and Orochimaru lamented losing more than ten hideouts.

Orochimaru faced an expanding hunt by the Three Great Shinobi Villages, Akatsuki, and bounty seekers, but repeatedly escaped capture. After Akatsuki’s attack left him gravely wounded, he and Kabuto prepared to fake his death before Shihōin Naraku could arrive.

• Orochimaru and Kabuto used Sasori’s request for intelligence to lure Sasori and Deidara toward a false lead, while Orochimaru’s pursuit caused a battle near the Land of Birds that killed many hunters.
• Akatsuki’s search eventually uncovered one of Orochimaru’s bases, where Sasori, Deidara, Yuki Haku, Uchiha Itachi, Hidan, and Kakuzu attacked him.
• Haku froze Orochimaru, but Deidara’s explosion broke the ice and allowed Orochimaru to escape; Uchiha Itachi held back because Sasuke Uchiha was training under Orochimaru.
• Kabuto confirmed that Sasuke and the others had reached safety and that a vessel for Living Corpse Reincarnation was ready, while Orochimaru insisted he had to die convincingly before Shihōin Naraku arrived.
• Orochimaru revealed that his experiments on Killer B had accidentally caused the Eight-Tails’ death and had taught him about souls, knowledge he planned to use to deceive Akatsuki.

As the hunt for Orochimaru plunged the Land of Birds into chaos, Jiraiya decided to take Naruto Uzumaki there while considering how to help him control the Nine-Tails’ chakra. The Akatsuki and Konoha’s pursuit squad both located Orochimaru and prepared to act.

• Orochimaru used expendable Cursed Seal subjects to hold off the Akatsuki, rogue ninja, and pursuit squads as the fighting spread across the Land of Birds.
• Jiraiya and Naruto Uzumaki trained together, and Jiraiya decided they would head to the Land of Birds.
• Jiraiya considered loosening Naruto Uzumaki’s seal to help him sense the Nine-Tails’ chakra, but postponed the attempt until Orochimaru’s situation was resolved.
• Zetsu reported Orochimaru’s location to Deva Path Pain, who ordered the Akatsuki to converge and finish him off.
• Shibi Aburame’s pursuit squad confirmed Orochimaru’s location and sent the intelligence back to Konoha.

Shibi Aburame’s pursuit squad hid while waiting for Shihōin Naraku, who received intelligence about the chaos in the Land of Birds and set out to find Orochimaru. The chapter ended with Naraku, Jiraiya, Naruto Uzumaki, Orochimaru, and the Akatsuki converging on the Land of Birds as a major battle loomed.

• Shibi Aburame ordered his injured pursuit squad to conceal themselves and wait for Shihōin Naraku after narrowly avoiding a clash with Kakuzu and Hidan.
• Shihōin Naraku finished his work at the Education Department and received an eagle-delivered report about the Land of Birds.
• Tsunade warned Naraku that the Akatsuki were in the Land of Birds and told him that Jiraiya had gone there with Naruto Uzumaki.
• Tsunade urged Naraku to deal with Orochimaru and expressed her anger at Jiraiya for taking Naruto into the unfolding conflict.
• Shihōin Naraku flew toward the Land of Birds as Orochimaru prepared to ignite the already tense situation.

The Akatsuki, Orochimaru’s cursed-seal forces, and bounty hunters converged near Clear Water Lake in the Land of Birds. Shihōin Naraku headed there with Konoha’s tracking team as the battle erupted, while Orochimaru stayed hidden and let his disposable subordinates fight.

• The Akatsuki assembled and set out to hunt Orochimaru, while Kabuto Yakushi stayed behind to escape once the fighting drew attention away.
• Orochimaru sent his cursed-seal subordinates out as expendable fighters, then left Kabuto Yakushi to prepare for his later revival.
• Wandering and rogue ninja gathered near the Land of Birds’ capital and moved toward Clear Water Lake after receiving Orochimaru’s location.
• Shihōin Naraku arrived at Konoha’s tracking team, learned that the Akatsuki and other pursuers were gathering near Clear Water Lake, and flew ahead with the team following.
• A chaotic battle broke out at Clear Water Lake between the bounty hunters and Orochimaru’s cursed-seal ninja, while Orochimaru hid nearby.

Jiraiya and Naruto Uzumaki confronted Orochimaru, but Kakuzu and Hidan arrived to capture the organization’s traitor. Kakuzu attacked Orochimaru, who escaped his binding and countered with a Cursed Seal before Kakuzu’s black threads forced him to retreat.

• Jiraiya confronted Orochimaru and vowed to avenge Hiruzen Sarutobi, while Naruto Uzumaki began losing control to the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
• Hidan and Kakuzu arrived, and Kakuzu sealed away a bounty target’s corpse before identifying Orochimaru as the organization’s traitor.
• Kakuzu told Hidan to watch Jiraiya, then attacked Orochimaru with a powerful punch and black threads.
• Orochimaru dodged Kakuzu’s punch, used the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique, and bit Kakuzu with a Cursed Seal.
• Kakuzu burst black threads from his back, and Orochimaru retreated to avoid them.

Kakuzu’s attacks drove Orochimaru into hiding while Jiraiya pulled Naruto Uzumaki away from the fighting and weighed whether to ally with Orochimaru. Orochimaru summoned the Third Kazekage with Impure World Reincarnation, and Kakuzu recognized his former opponent before attacking Orochimaru in anger.

• Kakuzu unleashed Wind Release and Lightning Release attacks against Orochimaru, while Jiraiya led Naruto Uzumaki away and kept Hidan from pursuing them too closely.
• Orochimaru countered with a swarm of venomous snakes, but Kakuzu’s wind technique destroyed them and forced Orochimaru to reposition in the shadows.
• Orochimaru used Impure World Reincarnation, but Kakuzu’s lightning struck the summoned coffin as it appeared.
• The Third Kazekage emerged with a damaged chest that rapidly repaired itself with paper, and Orochimaru revealed that he had summoned him for Kakuzu.
• Kakuzu recognized the Third Kazekage as the opponent who had once defeated him, accused Orochimaru of mastering the forbidden jutsu, and attacked him with a powerful wind technique.

Kakuzu fought the Third Kazekage, whom Orochimaru had summoned with his improved Impure World Reincarnation, while Jiraiya protected Naruto from Hidan. When the Third Kazekage could not defeat Kakuzu quickly, Orochimaru summoned the Third Raikage as another weapon.

• Orochimaru angered Kakuzu by mentioning Earth Grudge Fear, and Kakuzu attacked him.
• The Third Kazekage unleashed iron sand attacks, but Kakuzu countered with wind, fire, and lightning ninjutsu.
• Hidan offered to help Kakuzu, who refused, while their battle devastated the surrounding forest.
• Jiraiya pulled Naruto away from an exploding flame and warned him to watch out for the battle's stray attacks.
• Orochimaru summoned the Third Raikage after realizing the Third Kazekage could not quickly defeat Kakuzu.

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.