Recaps

Pain called an unscheduled Akatsuki meeting and announced that the organization would abandon its gradual plan and move directly to conquering the world. He ordered the members to collect the Tailed Beasts so Konan’s child could grow up in a peaceful world.

• Pain summoned Akatsuki’s members to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to discuss the organization’s future.
• Tobi joined the meeting despite Hidan’s objections, and Pain allowed him to stay.
• Pain explained Akatsuki’s former three-stage plan to build wealth, monopolize mercenary work, collect the Tailed Beasts, and eventually conquer the world.
• Pain said Konan’s child had changed his thinking and declared that Akatsuki would skip the first two stages and begin conquering the world.
• Pain ordered the members to collect the Tailed Beasts immediately so the child could grow up without war or pain.

Pain ordered the Akatsuki to begin capturing the Tailed Beasts and assigned teams to their targets. He left the Three-Tails assignment unfinished when Tobi volunteered to handle it.

• The Akatsuki members reacted with surprise when Pain announced that the capture plan was beginning immediately.
• Pain assigned Sasori and Deidara to capture the One-Tail in Sunagakure, warning that they might face the Fourth Kazekage and other shinobi.
• Pain ordered Hidan and Kakuzu to target the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails in Kumogakure, including the powerful Killer B.
• Tobi interrupted Pain before he finished discussing the Three-Tails and volunteered to capture it.

Pain assigned Akatsuki members to capture the remaining Jinchūriki and gave Itachi and Kisame the Nine-Tails after Itachi claimed he could take Naruto unnoticed. Deidara and Sasori then approached Sunagakure, each focused on a different target.

• Pain assigned Tobi to capture the Three-Tails and Kisame and Itachi to capture Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki.
• Pain said his Six Paths of Pain would capture Han, Utakata, Fū, and Naruto, prompting Deidara to protest and Hidan to mock him.
• Itachi asked Pain to let him and Kisame capture Naruto, saying he could take the Nine-Tails without Konoha noticing.
• Pain agreed to Itachi's request and gave him three days to capture Naruto.
• Near Sunagakure, Deidara asked Sasori to leave the One-Tail Jinchūriki to him, while Sasori said he wanted to capture the Fourth Kazekage.

Sasori and Deidara approached Sunagakure, where Sasori’s secret arrangement let them enter without resistance. Captain Yura revealed his allegiance by killing the gate guards and welcoming Sasori.

• Deidara told Sasori he wanted to handle the enemies protecting the One-Tail Jinchuriki, including the Fourth Kazekage, while Sasori watched.
• Sasori made a mysterious hand seal and said they would proceed to Sunagakure and adapt to the situation.
• Sunagakure’s sensory ninja detected the approaching pair’s powerful chakra and tried to alert Captain Yura.
• Yura killed the Chunin guarding the walls before they could react.
• Yura stood at the village gate and confirmed to Sasori that the hand seal had reminded him whom he served.

Deidara infiltrated Sunagakure to abduct Gaara, but Fourth Kazekage Rasa intercepted him and revealed that he had already sent assassins to kill his own son. Deidara mistook Rasa’s motives for a possible scandal before Rasa attacked him.

• Deidara praised Sasori for controlling Yura, and Sasori explained that he used ninjutsu to make Yura obey.
• Deidara rode a giant clay bird into the sky to search for Gaara while Sasori waited below.
• Deidara spotted Sunagakure Jonin preparing to fight and was confronted by Fourth Kazekage Rasa.
• Deidara demanded that Rasa hand over Gaara, but Rasa said he had sent people to assassinate his son.
• Deidara wondered whether Gaara was Rasa’s biological son, and Rasa denounced the question before attacking him.

Deidara fought Rasa above Sunagakure, and Rasa tried to capture him without letting the battle endanger the village. The chapter left Deidara restrained by sand, with Rasa preparing to take him away.

• Rasa’s golden sand grabbed Deidara’s bird, but Deidara escaped and detonated it, revealing himself as the rogue ninja known for explosive clay.
• Deidara mounted a larger clay dragon, and Rasa created a sand cushion to draw the fight away from Sunagakure.
• Deidara refused to leave the village’s skies, but Rasa immobilized the dragon with gold dust and explained that its size made it slower.
• Deidara tried to detonate the dragon, but Rasa trapped his hands and filled his mouth with sand after deducing how his explosions worked.

Gaara survived another assassination attempt by his father’s forces and crushed the assassins with his sand. Sasori then appeared, revealed that Gaara had destroyed only his Sand Clone, and invited him to leave for a place inhabited by monsters.

• Rasa’s assassins spotted the battle overhead but chose to continue their mission to kill Gaara.
• The assassins attacked Gaara in his bedroom with kunai fitted with Explosive Tags, but his sand shielded him from the blast.
• Gaara crushed more than a dozen elite Chunin with sand and sat among their corpses, overcome by bloodlust.
• Sasori approached Gaara and was seemingly crushed by Sand Burial, but the body was only a Sand Clone.
• Sasori told Gaara that his village and family despised him, then invited him to come somewhere inhabited only by monsters.

Sasori defeated and captured Gaara, but Gaara’s unconsciousness released Shukaku inside Sunagakure. Sasori faced the rampaging One-Tailed Beast and prepared to get serious.

• Gaara attacked Sasori with waves of sand, but Sasori deflected them with his tail.
• Sasori struck Gaara from underground and discovered that Sand Armor protected him from the blow.
• Sasori poisoned Gaara with senbon, knocking him unconscious, then declared the Jinchūriki captured.
• Sasori prepared to leave and help Deidara, but Shukaku’s voice rang out from Gaara’s tail.
• Shukaku emerged as a giant monster within Sunagakure, and Sasori readied himself to fight.

After Shukaku appeared and terrorized Sunagakure, the village’s senior officials learned that the Third Kazekage had returned and sealed the tailed beast. They rushed to see him as he floated above the village in a black robe.

• Villagers fled as Shukaku appeared, while Sunagakure’s senior officials gathered to discuss the crisis.
• The officials heard that Rasa was fighting a powerful intruder outside the village and urged him to return and deal with Shukaku.
• A ninja reported that Shukaku had been subdued and sealed, and the officials assumed Rasa had done it.
• The ninja clarified that the Third Kazekage had sealed Shukaku, stunning the officials with news of his return.
• The officials learned that the Third Kazekage was floating above the village in a black robe and hurried out to see him.

Chiyo and Ebizo learned that the Third Kazekage had returned as a puppet and subdued Shukaku before leaving Sunagakure with Gaara. Suspecting that Chiyo’s grandson Sasori was responsible, Chiyo set out to investigate, vowing not to spare him if her suspicion was true.

• Chiyo and Ebizo discussed Gaara’s repeated rampages and Chiyo’s doubts about sealing Shukaku inside him.
• A Jonin reported that the Third Kazekage had appeared and subdued Shukaku, prompting Chiyo to welcome his return.
• The Jonin revealed that the Third Kazekage was a puppet and had left Sunagakure with Gaara.
• Chiyo and Ebizo suspected Sasori had made the Third Kazekage into a Human Puppet, and they hurried to see for themselves.
• Chiyo said she would show no mercy if Sasori was responsible.

Rasa returned to Sunagakure after hearing Shukaku’s roar and discovered that Sasori had sealed Shukaku and captured Gaara. Enraged to learn Sasori had turned the Third Kazekage into a puppet, Rasa attacked him, but Sasori vowed to add Rasa to his collection.

• Rasa abandoned his battle with Deidara and rushed back to Sunagakure after hearing Shukaku roar.
• Rasa found Shukaku sealed and recognized his former mentor, the Third Kazekage, as Sasori’s Human Puppet.
• Sasori told Rasa that he had killed the Third Kazekage to pursue his art and had helped Rasa become Kazekage.
• Rasa saw Sasori’s tail wrapped around the barely breathing Gaara and attacked with Gold Dust Spear.
• Sasori blocked Rasa’s attack with an iron sand spear and declared that Rasa would become his next collection piece.

Rasa diverted his attention from Sasori to stop Deidara from destroying Sunagakure with a C3 bomb. He shielded the village with a Gold Dust Barrier, leaving the fight with both enemies unresolved.

• Rasa learned that the higher-ups had identified Sasori and ordered his forces to surround him while rescue units evacuated civilians.
• Deidara bombed Sunagakure's northwestern corner and threatened to destroy the village with his C3.
• Rasa ordered his subordinates to keep Sasori from escaping, then flew toward Deidara on gold dust.
• Deidara dropped C3 No. 18 and detonated it above the village.
• Rasa formed a vast Gold Dust Barrier that stopped the blast, and the villagers praised him for saving them.

Yura betrayed Sunagakure and slaughtered its ninja as Sasori attacked the village. Chiyo and Ebizo confronted Sasori, who revealed that he had turned himself into a human puppet, and Chiyo prepared to fight him.

• Rasa's defense rallied Sunagakure's ninja, who split into teams to confront the blond attacker and Sasori.
• Yura suddenly turned on his fellow Sunagakure ninja and killed them from behind, shocking Baki.
• Sasori praised Yura as Chiyo and Ebizo arrived to face him.
• Chiyo ordered the other ninja to help Baki hunt Yura and claimed Sasori for herself, while Ebizo offered to help kill his great-nephew.
• Sasori left Hiruko and revealed his youthful red-haired body, prompting Chiyo to realize he had become a human puppet.
• Chiyo tied up her hair and prepared to fight Sasori, saying she would dote on him one last time.

In Kirigakure, Xia Yu learned that Akatsuki had begun capturing the tailed beasts and decided to join in, despite Uchiha Itachi warning him that the plan could destroy the world. Xia Yu claimed he would protect his family and make every village part of Uchiha Village as he looked forward to meeting Kaguya.

• After spending the night with Mei Terumi, Xia Yu told Uchiha Itachi that he was working to carry on the Uchiha bloodline.
• Uchiha Itachi warned Xia Yu that his efforts could weaken him and said Akatsuki had begun its final plan to capture the tailed beasts.
• Xia Yu asked whether Akatsuki needed more people and offered to help capture the beasts.
• Uchiha Itachi warned that gathering all nine tailed beasts could destroy Xia Yu's family and the villages.
• Xia Yu said he would protect his wives and children, unite the villages under Uchiha Village, and meet Kaguya.

Chiyo and Ebizo faced Sasori in Sunagakure, determined to stop him before he could take the village’s tailed beast. Their battle began with Chiyo and Ebizo deploying puppets, but Sasori unleashed the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand against them.

• Chiyo and Ebizo discussed how quickly they needed to defeat Sasori, with Ebizo refusing to stay out of the fight.
• Chiyo summoned [Father] and [Mother], the first puppets Sasori had made, and revealed her combined technique, [One Heart, One Body].
• Ebizo summoned ten black-robed puppets modeled after Chiyo’s [Ten Guards of the Sturdy Pine] and vowed to end the battle.
• Sasori sent the Third Kazekage at the elders and used Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method to fill the battlefield with iron-sand spikes.

Sasori used the Third Kazekage’s iron sand and new defenses to defeat Chiyo and Ebizo’s attack, revealing that he had turned himself into a Human Puppet. He spared his family for now but remained intent on taking the One-Tail Jinchuriki, while Chiyo vowed to stop him.

• Chiyo and Ebizo blocked Sasori’s Iron Sand World Method with their puppets’ chakra shields, then launched a concealed-weapon attack at his real body.
• Sasori revealed mechanical tubes in his palms and used the Flame Prison Formation to melt Ebizo’s weapons.
• Chiyo and Ebizo realized Sasori had transformed himself into a Human Puppet to make his body immortal.
• Sasori used iron sand residue to jam Ebizo’s puppets and said he had come for the One-Tail Jinchuriki, not to kill his family.
• Chiyo vowed to stop Sasori from leaving, even if she died trying.

Sasori and Deidara argued over who would fight, then unleashed poison gas and a clay bomb on Sunagakure. Two kilometers away, White Zetsu and Black Zetsu rescued them and found both artists poisoned after the blast.

• Sasori tried to keep Deidara out of his fight, but Deidara revealed that the Deidara in the sky was a clay clone and insisted on using his remaining clay.
• Sasori released poison gas as Deidara prepared a clay bomb, and neither artist backed down.
• Chiyo warned Sunagakure's ninja about the poison while Rasa tried to contain the bomb with gold dust.
• Deidara detonated the bomb, and the blast raised a massive mushroom cloud above Sunagakure as the poison began to paralyze Rasa.
• Two kilometers outside Sunagakure, White Zetsu and Black Zetsu emerged from a giant aloe plant with Sasori and Deidara, who had both been caught in the blast and poisoned.

After capturing the Three-Tails’ Jinchūriki, Sasori and Deidara headed back with Zetsu’s help. Meanwhile, Hidan and Kakuzu confronted Yugito Nii to take the Two-Tails, but Hidan paused to pray and discuss his religious rules.

• White Zetsu found Sasori and Deidara after their fight, and Sasori gave Deidara an antidote before hiding inside Hiruko.
• Sasori and Deidara acknowledged that they had captured the Jinchūriki and set off to return.
• Yugito Nii trained alone on an isolated island, determined to control the Two-Tails through her own strength rather than become its friend.
• Hidan and Kakuzu arrived and attacked Yugito, intending to take the Tailed Beast inside her.
• Hidan prayed to Jashin and told Kakuzu that he had to follow the commandments, while Yugito prepared to fight them.

Kakuzu and Hidan confronted Yugito Nii, who transformed into her tailed beast form after becoming enraged. The chapter ended with Hidan emerging nearly unharmed from her fire attack and taking an interest in her.

• Hidan teased Yugito and complained that capturing her alive conflicted with his religious beliefs.
• Kakuzu reminded Hidan that their leader had ordered them not to kill Yugito.
• Yugito unleashed her blue chakra and transformed into a gigantic cat demon.
• Yugito attacked the duo with a massive fireball, which Kakuzu dodged.
• Hidan walked out of the flames nearly unscathed and called Yugito interesting.

Hidan and Kakuzu attacked Yugito, and Kakuzu secretly wounded her to give Hidan her blood. Hidan began his ritual while Yugito was injured and unable to use her Tailed Beast Bomb.

• Yugito repeatedly swiped Hidan into walls, but he kept getting back up unharmed.
• Kakuzu joined Hidan and urged him to work with him, but Hidan insisted on fighting Yugito alone.
• Hidan dodged Yugito’s claw and flung his Triple-Bladed Scythe at her.
• Yugito began forming a Tailed Beast Bomb, but Kakuzu punched through her chest with a black fist.
• Kakuzu handed Hidan threads coated in Yugito’s blood, and Hidan began his ritual.

Hidan and Kakuzu argued after capturing Yugito Nii, while Zetsu took her away to the organization. The partners then quarreled over Hidan’s damaged uniform before moving on.

• Hidan finished his ritual beside the wounded Yugito Nii as Kakuzu complained about the delay.
• White Zetsu and Black Zetsu appeared and took Yugito away, saying they would handle the Two-Tails Jinchūriki.
• Hidan and Kakuzu argued over whether faith or money deserved their trust and blamed each other for slowing the hunt for Jinchūriki.
• Hidan asked Kakuzu for a replacement cloak, and Kakuzu threatened to dock his pay for wasting work uniforms.

Kakuzu and Hidan went to the Valley of Clouds and Lightning to capture the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. They found Killer B after his training, and he mistook them for foreign fans before Kakuzu attacked him.

• Kakuzu refused to provide Hidan with new clothes without an approval form, and the two set off for their mission.
• At the Valley of Clouds and Lightning, Hidan complained that the secluded location made it hard to find the Eight-Tails, but Kakuzu pointed out a building on the hill.
• Killer B emerged from the building after training and sang a rap about food and his plans for the night.
• Killer B noticed Kakuzu and Hidan and asked if they had come to hear him rap.
• Kakuzu identified Killer B as the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki and told him they had come to capture him, but Killer B jokingly suggested they introduce themselves as his fans.
• Kakuzu grew angry at Killer B’s antics and attacked him.

Kakuzu and Hidan attacked Killer B, who effortlessly countered them while irritating them with his rhymes. Kakuzu unleashed the masked monsters from his body and combined Fire and Wind Release against Killer B.

• Kakuzu charged Killer B and shattered the steps with an Earth Release-enhanced punch, but Killer B emerged unharmed.
• Hidan attacked Killer B with his Triple-Bladed Scythe, and Killer B caught its blade barehanded.
• Killer B taunted Kakuzu and Hidan with improvised rap lyrics, making Kakuzu furious.
• Kakuzu removed his cloak and released four masked monsters from his back.
• Kakuzu ordered the Fire Release and Wind Release masked monsters to attack Killer B with Searing Migraine and Pressure Damage.

Killer B fought Kakuzu and Hidan, overpowering Hidan and breaking free of Kakuzu’s black threads with Gyuki’s chakra. As Kakuzu faced Killer B’s Tailed Beast Transformation, Xia Yu appeared and introduced himself as Akatsuki’s newest member.

• Killer B punched Hidan into the ground and believed he had defeated him.
• Kakuzu reinforced himself with Earth Release and met Killer B’s punch head-on.
• Kakuzu wrapped Killer B in black threads, while Hidan climbed out of the crater.
• Killer B released Gyuki’s chakra and melted the threads binding him.
• Xia Yu appeared before Kakuzu and introduced himself as Akatsuki’s newest member.

Xia Yu intervened when Kakuzu and Hidan were overwhelmed by Killer B and the Eight-Tails, using Amaterasu to engulf the beast in black flames. Kakuzu escaped while Hidan emerged from the rubble, wondering whether Uchiha Itachi had arrived.

• Kakuzu and Hidan recognized Xia Yu, who offered to help them fight the Eight-Tails.
• Kakuzu released his Earth Grudge Fear threads, and Killer B summoned the Eight-Tails.
• The Eight-Tails hurled Kakuzu around and struck Hidan into the ground, leaving both Akatsuki members helpless.
• Xia Yu activated his right Mangekyō Sharingan and covered the Eight-Tails in Amaterasu's black flames.
• Kakuzu withdrew his threads and escaped, while Hidan climbed out and wondered if Uchiha Itachi was there.