Recaps

Yubi stopped Deidara after the boy attacked him and tried to escape Sunagakure, then realized Deidara’s rebellion may stem from learning he was born in Iwagakure. The chapter left Yubi considering how to respond to the child’s sense of loss.

• Deidara ran from his teacher, attacked Yubi with a clay explosive, and declared that he wanted to leave Sunagakure.
• Yubi caught Deidara and threatened to cripple and abandon him unless he stopped misbehaving; Deidara apologized and agreed to attend school.
• Yubi ordered Kuroda to report any further truancy, and Kuroda pleaded that Deidara was seeking Yubi’s attention and acknowledgment.
• Kuroda explained that Deidara had learned from Kitsuchi and the Iwagakure visitors that he was born in Iwagakure and sent to Sunagakure.
• After Kuroda left, Yubi reflected that Deidara’s newfound defiance and sense of loss might be connected to learning about his origins.

Yubi tried to address Deidara’s feelings of being an outsider while Sunagakure continued hosting students and representatives from other villages. Pakura gave birth to Yubi’s son, Yōichi, and the story ended with news that Otogakure had been established in the Land of Rice Fields.

• Yubi recognized that Deidara’s defiance came from wanting Sunagakure to acknowledge him and planned to ask Karura for help.
• Deidara quieted down, while Yubi allowed him to interact with Iwagakure’s visiting delegation.
• Sunagakure welcomed larger groups of students and visitors from other villages, including Shikaku Nara, Ao, and Mei Terumi.
• Pakura gave birth to a son, whom Yubi named Yōichi.
• As Year 56 began, news spread that Otogakure had been established in the Land of Rice Fields.

Yubi reflected on his newborn son’s possible inherited kekkei genkai and considered how Orochimaru had founded Otogakure with Black Zetsu’s help. He suspected the new village could be used to provoke Sunagakure into starting a wider war, but dismissed the scheme as unimpressive.

• At home, Yubi thought that his son Yōichi might inherit Blood Release and Dōjutsu, and possibly Pakura’s Scorch Release as well.
• Yubi left Pakura and their newborn son in the care of two Anbu before heading to the Kazekage Building.
• Yubi reasoned that Orochimaru had founded Otogakure with help from Black Zetsu, who could have supplied capable rogue ninja such as Kakuzu, Juzo Biwa, and Raiga Kurosuki.
• Yubi concluded that a Sunagakure attack on Otogakure could turn the other great villages against Sunagakure and ignite a larger war.
• Yubi suspected Black Zetsu and Orochimaru were trying to draw Sunagakure into conflict, then called their plan disappointing.

Yubi refused Black Zetsu’s attempt to persuade him to attack Orochimaru, instead pressuring Otogakure through letters to other villages and warning Sasori. He then tested a new spatial sealing jutsu, which he hoped would eventually let him seal Black Zetsu.

• Black Zetsu told Yubi that Orochimaru had returned to Otogakure, but Yubi declined to attack him and sent Zetsu away.
• Yubi wrote to the Kage of Konoha, Kirigakure, and Takigakure about Otogakure and its possible rogue ninja, then sent the letters with Yura.
• Yubi sent a separate letter to Sasori through a hidden messenger.
• Yubi tested his modified Curse Binding Mandala, combining it with his Blood Release sealing jutsu to create a stable spatial seal.
• Yubi found that the seal could only contain a small target so far, but believed further development could make it powerful enough to seal Black Zetsu.

Black Zetsu persuaded Sasori to travel to Otogakure and attack Orochimaru, hoping to provoke a conflict between Sunagakure and the Land of Rice Fields. Yubi allowed Sasori to go, while Orochimaru learned of their approach and welcomed the chance to catch a valuable opponent.

• Black Zetsu urged Sasori to kill Orochimaru in Otogakure, claiming he threatened Sunagakure and suggesting Sasori act without the Kazekage's knowledge.
• Sasori agreed to go after Orochimaru and brought a subordinate with him, while Black Zetsu anticipated that the mission would spark a wider conflict.
• Yubi learned that Sasori had left his duties and recognized Black Zetsu's scheme, but let Sasori proceed so he could vent his anger and test Otogakure's strength.
• Orochimaru heard that Sasori and Black Zetsu were coming and said that catching Sasori would make up for failing to lure in the Kazekage.

Sasori and his companions entered the Land of Rice Fields to confront Orochimaru at Otogakure, where village shinobi repeatedly attacked them. Sasori dismissed warnings that Orochimaru might be behind the attacks and unleashed a heavily armed mechanism against the assembled defenders.

• Sasori, Black Zetsu, and a Sunagakure puppeteer entered the forest near Otogakure, where Hiruko killed the shinobi who ambushed them.
• The Sunagakure puppeteer warned Sasori that Otogakure's attacks seemed unusually lethal, but Sasori insisted they continue toward the village to face Orochimaru.
• Hiruko used poison, a tail spike, and hidden weapons to kill successive groups of Otogakure shinobi as the three advanced.
• Black Zetsu concealed himself, while Sasori and the puppeteer encountered dozens of Otogakure shinobi led by a captain who accused Sunagakure of attacking first.
• Sasori recognized the captain's accusations as part of Orochimaru's scheme and transformed his wooden shield into a weapon that bombarded the forest with smoke bombs and explosive-tagged hidden weapons.

Sasori and Kazuo entered Otogakure and surveyed its suspiciously sparse village before an ambush struck near Orochimaru’s central building. Hiruko blocked the attack, and an unknown enemy emerged from an alley, preparing to find another way to kill Sasori.

• Sasori and Kazuo reached Otogakure after defeating the Otogakure ninja who attacked them along the way.
• Sasori ordered Kazuo to scout the village with his puppet bird, and Kazuo sensed that people were hiding inside its houses.
• Kazuo noticed the villagers seemed unfamiliar with Otogakure and questioned whether the Land of Rice Fields had given the village enough resources.
• Black threads burst from the ground beside Kazuo, and Hiruko’s tail stinger destroyed them before two bolts of lightning attacked.
• One lightning bolt struck and killed a villager, while Hiruko took the other without damage.
• A figure stepped out of an alley, praised Sasori’s skill, and said they would need another way to kill him.