Chapter Summaries

Shihōin Naraku and his squad broke the Five-Seal Barrier and entered the cave after the Akatsuki completed sealing Shukaku the One-Tail. The chapter left Sasori and Deidara behind to face the intruders while the rest of the Akatsuki withdrew.

• Shihōin Naraku recognized the Five-Seal Barrier, and Neji Hyuga used his Byakugan to locate all five talismans.
• The Akatsuki completed sealing Shukaku the One-Tail, and Gaara fell lifeless to the ground.
• The Deva Path ordered Sasori and Deidara to retreat, but Sasori chose to stay, and Deidara stayed with him.
• Shihōin Naraku and four shadow clones removed the talismans together, breaking the barrier as Sakura Haruno smashed the boulder.
• Naruto Uzumaki and the others charged into the cave while Shihōin Naraku and his shadow clones easily defeated the trap clones.

After finding Gaara apparently dead, Naruto pursued Deidara in a rage while Naraku and the others stayed behind to face Sasori. Naraku caught up and cut down Deidara’s bird, but Deidara made another bird and escaped the fall with Gaara’s body.

• Naruto found Gaara lying dead and charged at Sasori and Deidara, but Deidara escaped through a concealed passage with Gaara’s body.
• Naraku ordered Sakura Haruno, Neji Hyuga, and Chiyo to fight Sasori, then melted Sasori’s volley of hidden weapons and pursued Naruto.
• Sasori revealed Hiruko as a human puppet, and Chiyo summoned her own puppets to face him alongside Sakura Haruno and Neji Hyuga.
• Naraku caught up with Naruto as he chased Deidara, whose explosive clay birds failed to stop Naruto’s pursuit.
• Naraku sent a crescent-shaped blade of energy through the air, splitting Deidara’s bird and sending Deidara and Gaara falling before Deidara created another bird and escaped.

Naraku and Gore Magala pursued Deidara after he dropped Gaara and attacked Naruto. Deidara baited Naraku into striking a clone, then prepared to detonate it and his clay dragon with Naraku nearby.

• Naruto caught Gaara before he hit the ground but crashed into the forest, giving Deidara a chance to attack.
• Gore Magala plunged from the sky and destroyed Deidara's giant bird, but Deidara survived and hid in the bushes.
• Naraku rode Gore Magala after Deidara, who summoned his C2 Dragon and launched explosive clay pigs at them.
• Gore Magala outran the bombs, and Naraku used his lightning-charged Kurikara to cut Deidara in two.
• Deidara revealed his real body on the ground and prepared to detonate the clone and clay dragon with Naraku nearby.

Shihōin Naraku defeated Deidara with Kirin and Kurikara, then found Chiyo had destroyed Sasori’s core. The rescue party gathered around Gaara’s apparently lifeless body, where Chiyo began using a technique to save him.

• Deidara’s C4: Garuda failed to stop Shihōin Naraku, who summoned Kirin and struck him with lightning before killing him with Kurikara.
• Shihōin Naraku sensed Chiyo pierce Sasori’s core, then burned Deidara’s corpse and went to meet the others.
• The rescue mission ended with Sasori and Deidara dead, but the group mourned because they believed they had failed to save Gaara.
• Temari and the Sunagakure ninja arrived, and Temari wept when she saw Gaara’s body.
• Chiyo placed her hands on Gaara’s chest and began a chakra technique, saying there was still time.

Chiyo used her life and Naruto’s chakra to revive Gaara, then died as Gaara awoke. In Amegakure, Nagato and Konan discussed the deaths of Sasori and Deidara and planned the Akatsuki’s next targets.

• Chiyo asked Naruto to lend her chakra for her technique to bring Gaara back to life, and Naruto agreed after Shihōin Naraku approved.
• Chiyo’s life force revived Gaara, and she collapsed and died as Gaara opened his eyes.
• Nagato learned that Sasori and Deidara were dead and that White Zetsu had found neither of their bodies.
• Nagato decided the Akatsuki would not recruit new members and said they would target Kirigakure while Zetsu gathered intelligence on the Six-Tails Jinchūriki.
• Nagato considered capturing Han in Iwagakure difficult because Han was the Tsuchikage and Ōnoki’s Dust Release threatened the Akatsuki.

After the Akatsuki captured Gaara and several other Jinchūriki, Iwagakure and Konoha assessed the danger and discussed forming a wider alliance. Tsunade considered Naraku’s suggestion to convene a Five Kage Summit.

• Ōnoki and Han concluded that the Akatsuki had likely captured Roshi, and Han proposed joining forces with Konoha and Kirigakure.
• Han told Ōnoki that the Akatsuki had also captured the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, leaving more than half the Tailed Beasts in their hands.
• Tsunade heard Naraku and Naruto’s account of Gaara’s rescue and praised Chiyo for sacrificing her life to revive him.
• Tsunade warned Naruto to stay alert, then asked Naraku about the Akatsuki’s strength and likely next target; Naraku predicted they would target Kirigakure.
• Naraku told Tsunade that Iwagakure appeared to be searching for its missing Four-Tails Jinchūriki, and Tsunade said she would propose an alliance.
• Naraku suggested holding a Five Kage Summit, and Tsunade recognized that Kirigakure and Sunagakure would support the idea.

After Gaara was rescued through the cooperation of several villages, Mei Terumi pushed Kirigakure to seek an alliance against the Akatsuki. Tsunade’s proposed Five Kage Summit was arranged for the Land of Iron, but the other villages refused to let Shihōin Naraku accompany her as a guard.

• Mei Terumi ordered Kirigakure to pursue cooperation with the other shinobi villages, fearing the Akatsuki would target her village next.
• Mei received intelligence that Gaara had been rescued by the combined efforts of the Cloud Ninja, Konoha, and Shihōin Naraku, though the One-Tail had been taken.
• Mei prepared to sound out the other great nations as Tsunade proposed a Five Kage Summit and communications between the villages increased.
• The Kage debated possible summit venues and eventually agreed to meet in the neutral Land of Iron.
• The villages agreed that each Kage could bring three protective ninja, but they firmly rejected Shihōin Naraku accompanying Tsunade as one of her guards.

Tsunade prepared to attend the Five Kage Summit without Naraku, while Nagato and Obito discussed the Akatsuki’s plans to capture more Tailed Beasts. White Zetsu discovered that Utakata, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, was hidden on a protected island, giving the Akatsuki a lead for a future attack.

• Tsunade told Naraku he could not accompany her to the summit and planned to take Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Might Guy instead.
• Naraku and Tsunade wondered who Kumogakure would send, since Darui was dead and the village had not chosen a new Raikage.
• Nagato and Obito discussed the Five Kage Summit, and Obito planned to target Han after it ended.
• Nagato told Obito to find the Six-Tails Jinchuriki while the Akatsuki waited for the Three-Tails to revive.
• Mei Terumi visited Utakata on a remote island protected by a barrier, and White Zetsu secretly observed her.
• White Zetsu reported Utakata’s location to the Akatsuki, and Nagato hoped the Three-Tails would revive while Mei Terumi was away at the summit.

As the Five Kage Summit approached, Mifune explained why the Land of Iron had to host it and ordered heightened security. Tsunade and Han departed for the summit with their escorts, while Konoha and Iwagakure arranged for others to handle affairs in their absence.

• Mifune ordered the samurai to maintain vigilance and tighten security throughout the Land of Iron.
• Mifune told a young samurai that the Land of Iron had accepted the summit because its neutrality depended on its strength and it could not refuse the major villages.
• Shikaku Nara asked Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy to protect Tsunade as she left Konoha, while Jiraiya asked Shihōin Naraku to oversee Naruto Uzumaki's training.
• Tsunade instructed Shihōin Naraku to manage Hokage work with Shikaku Nara while she was away, then departed with Jiraiya, Kakashi Hatake, and Might Guy.
• Han set out for the Land of Iron with Ōnoki, Akatsuchi, and a Jonin escorting him because he was Iwagakure's Five-Tails Jinchūriki.
• Ōnoki strained his back while insisting he needed no help, and Akatsuchi carried him on his shoulders.

As the Kage traveled toward the Five Kage Summit, Kumogakure struggled to choose a successor to the missing Killer B. Dodai became the Sixth Raikage as a temporary compromise and prepared to leave for the summit.

• Mei Terumi warned Kirigakure's leaders to protect Utakata if the Akatsuki attacked while she was away, then departed for the Five Kage Summit with Yuki Yuki, Ao, and Chōjūrō.
• Gaara traveled toward the Land of Iron with Temari, Ebizo, and Shira, who defeated a giant scorpion that attacked them.
• Kumogakure's elders and advisers argued for days over who should become the Sixth Raikage as the Five Kage Summit approached.
• The leadership chose Dodai as a temporary Raikage because the factions could not agree on another candidate.
• Dodai accepted the position and prepared to attend the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron.

Shihōin Naraku learned that Dodai had become Kumogakure’s Sixth Raikage and warned the Hokage that the village’s plans would need to change. After finishing office work, Naraku visited Naruto Uzumaki’s training ground and learned that Naruto was progressing steadily but accumulating dangerous mental fatigue.

• Shihōin Naraku and Shikaku Nara discussed Dodai’s appointment as Sixth Raikage and his record of failures, which Naraku believed could undermine his authority.
• Naraku ordered an Anbu ninja to send the intelligence to the Hokage so Konoha could adjust its plans.
• Naraku and Shikaku finished the accumulated Hokage’s office work before the afternoon.
• Naraku went to Training Ground Twenty-Seven and found Naruto Uzumaki using shadow clones to train against a waterfall.
• Tenzo told Naraku that Naruto was making steady progress but that mounting mental fatigue could cause problems with the seal, requiring Tenzo to keep watch.

Shihōin Naraku oversaw Naruto Uzumaki’s exhausting waterfall training and let him sleep before feeding him grilled meat. Naruto woke refreshed and learned that a Hokage could promote a Genin directly to Jonin, leaving him eager to finish training and ask Tsunade for the rank.

• Shihōin Naraku told Tenzo to rest and temporarily use the name Yamato while supervising Naruto’s training.
• Naruto’s Shadow Clones disappeared, and he collapsed from exhaustion; Yamato caught him with Wood Release and brought him to Naraku.
• Naruto slept for several hours while Naraku waited beside him, then Naraku had food brought over and grilled meat.
• Naruto woke to the smell of the meat, ate hungrily, and asked Naraku why he had come to help with training.
• Naruto asked whether Naraku would become the Sixth Hokage, and Naraku teased him about still being a Genin.
• Naraku told Naruto that the Hokage could promote a Genin straight to Jonin, and Naruto resolved to train hard and ask Tsunade for the promotion.

Shihōin Naraku persuaded Naruto Uzumaki to rest or train only with Yamato present, then offered to reward his progress by telling him who his parents were. Naruto was shocked and eager for the truth as Naraku considered why Jiraiya and Tsunade had kept it from him.

• Shihōin Naraku told Naruto Uzumaki to rest after he passed out from exhausting training, but Naruto wanted to keep training to surprise Jiraiya and Tsunade.
• Naraku warned Naruto not to train without Yamato, who could restrain the Nine-Tails Chakra if Naruto lost control.
• Naruto reluctantly considered finding Yamato, worrying that a rampage could harm Konoha and cost him the friends he had made.
• Naraku decided to reward Naruto’s rapid progress by offering to reveal his parents’ names and identities.
• Naruto froze in shock and asked whether Naraku truly meant it, while Naraku wondered why Jiraiya and Tsunade had never told him the truth.

Shihōin Naraku told Naruto Uzumaki about his parents, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, and explained his mother's Uzumaki heritage and role as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki before him. Naruto's grief and anger grew until the Nine-Tails encouraged him to unleash his fury.

• Shihōin Naraku revealed that Naruto's parents were Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, and Naruto reacted with tears and joy at learning he had parents.
• Naraku explained that Naruto resembled his blond-haired father and had inherited his mother's Uzumaki surname and clan heritage.
• Naraku described the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools and pointed out the Uzumaki crest on Naruto's jacket.
• Naraku explained that the Uzumaki Clan excelled at Sealing Jutsu because of its powerful chakra and vitality, then revealed that Kushina had been the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki before Naruto.
• Naruto grew furious at the thought that his mother had suffered as he had, and the Nine-Tails urged him to set the world ablaze with his anger.

Naraku stopped the Nine-Tails from taking advantage of Naruto’s distress after Naruto learned his parents’ names. Naruto went home eager to hear more about Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, then realized Minato’s name seemed familiar.

• The Nine-Tails urged Naruto to surrender his body and take revenge on Konoha as tailed beast chakra began to leak out.
• Naraku entered Naruto’s sealing space and silenced the Nine-Tails, who abandoned his plan to run rampant out of fear of Naraku.
• Naraku noticed gaps in Naruto’s seal and realized they made it easier for Naruto to use the Nine-Tails’ chakra but increased the danger of losing control.
• Naruto asked Naraku to tell him more about his parents, but Naraku put him off until the next day and left.
• Naruto lay awake thinking about his parents and decided to find Naraku in the morning, then wondered why Minato Namikaze’s name felt familiar.

Naruto realized that his father, Minato Namikaze, had been the Fourth Hokage and grieved over how the village treated him. Meanwhile, Akatsuki moved to capture the Six-Tails and Three-Tails, with Obito watching over the operation as Uchiha Itachi’s health worsened.

• Naruto remembered that Minato Namikaze was the Fourth Hokage and realized his father had been the village’s hero.
• Naruto questioned why the village rejected him and cried, while Shihōin Naraku kept watch in case the Nine-Tails caused trouble.
• Akatsuki sent Uchiha Itachi and Haku to capture the Six-Tails and assigned Akame and Kakuzu to monitor the Three-Tails and support their retreat if needed.
• Nagato told Akame and Kakuzu that the Three-Tails had revived, so they changed course to subdue it.
• Obito arrived near Kirigakure to support the operation, while he and Black Zetsu discussed Uchiha Itachi’s declining health.

Obito assigned Black Zetsu to find Sasuke Uchiha while Akatsuki prepared to target Kirigakure’s Three-Tails and Six-Tails. In Konoha, Naruto confronted Naraku after realizing that his father’s name matched the Fourth Hokage’s.

• Obito said he would formally join the Akatsuki and argued that Itachi would stay alive while Sasuke remained unresolved.
• Obito ordered Black Zetsu to locate Sasuke and sent White Zetsu to handle tailed-beast intelligence, while he went to support the Six-Tails operation.
• Naraku rested in the Hokage’s Office after spending the night watching Naruto, and Shikaku arrived to handle the day’s work.
• Naruto entered the office and asked Naraku why his father, Minato Namikaze, had the same name as the Fourth Hokage.
• Shikaku reacted with alarm when Naruto pointed to the Fourth Hokage’s photograph.

Naruto learned that Minato Namikaze was his father, and Shikaku explained why Konoha had concealed his identity. At Kirigakure Lake, Akame and Kakuzu prepared to fight the Three-Tails and the Mist Ninja.

• Naraku confirmed that Minato Namikaze was Naruto's father and directed Naruto's questions to Shikaku.
• Shikaku told Naruto that Konoha had hidden his identity to protect him from Minato's enemies and because he was a Jinchūriki.
• Akame sensed thirteen Mist Ninja waiting near Kirigakure Lake, including one Jonin leader.
• Kakuzu argued Kirigakure would be unable to send reinforcements once the battle at the Six-Tails began.
• Kakuzu chose to fight the Mist Ninja, and Akame agreed to handle the Three-Tails.

Akame found the Three-Tails, Isobu, beneath Kirigakure Lake and fought to capture it while blocking its escape route. Kakuzu finished off the Mist Ninja on shore, then saw the lake erupt into enormous waves.

• Kakuzu charged across the lake and defeated the Mist Ninja stationed nearby.
• Akame found Isobu resting over the underwater passage and sealed the passage with Wood Release.
• Isobu broke free of Akame's restraints and struck her, but her Substitution Technique let her counter with blade beams.
• Akame recognized that underwater currents and Isobu's shell blunted her attacks, then summoned a giant Wood Dragon.
• Kakuzu sealed a Mist jonin's corpse in a scroll and saw Kirigakure Lake erupt into enormous waves.

Akame subdued the Three-Tails with two wood dragons, and Kakuzu sealed the weakened beast inside the Amber Purifying Pot. As they left the Land of Water, Naraku realized Kakuzu’s seal was temporary and would likely expire in less than a month.

• Kakuzu woke to find Akame restraining the Three-Tails with a wood dragon.
• The Three-Tails damaged the first dragon while struggling, but Akame summoned a second one and drained his strength.
• Kakuzu brought out the Amber Purifying Pot and began sealing the Three-Tails while Akame watched.
• Naraku recognized that Kakuzu’s sealing formula differed from Kumogakure’s and would probably last less than a month.
• Kakuzu sealed the Three-Tails in the pot, carried it away, and left with Akame to get it out of the Land of Water.