Recaps

Shin'yu’s forces battled the Third Kazekage while Hiruko gained new abilities, and the Kazekage turned to Kara for help against the Hidden Leaf. After Jigen demonstrated his strength, the Third Kazekage agreed to join Kara, while the war ended in defeat for the Hidden Sand Village.

• Hiruko, Orochimaru, and Nian raided Angkor Fortress, escaped with Mechanical Wheel Wings, and left the regenerated Shinnō vowing revenge on the Hidden Leaf Village.
• Shin'yu brought Nagato to Cloud-Lightning Gorge, killed Kinkaku, defeated Ginkaku’s Nine-Tails transformation, and asked Nagato to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Orochimaru, Nian, and Hiruko fought the Third Kazekage, but failed to capture him, and Hiruko later permanently assimilated Toroi to gain Swift Release and another form of Magnet Release.
• The Third Kazekage sought Shinnō’s support, then traveled with him to meet Jigen, who offered Kara’s power only if the Kazekage joined as an Inner Member.
• The Third Kazekage tested Jigen with Iron Sand and was swiftly defeated, then agreed to join Kara after deciding its strength could help him fulfill one last responsibility to Hidden Sand Village.
• Jigen ordered Oya Kensuke to cooperate with the Third Kazekage and Shinnō, and revealed that he still needed a suitable Vessel for his power.
• After the Third Kazekage disappeared, Chiyo withdrew the remaining Hidden Sand forces, Hatake Sakumo’s forces killed Red Sand Gorou, and the war ended with Hidden Sand Village crushed.
• Sasori asked Ebizo whether his parents were truly gone and why the Third Kazekage had broken his promise.

Naka’s battle with Nian and Orochimaru ended with his capture as the Blood Pond Clan and Sky Ninja attacked the Hidden Leaf Village. Jigen then targeted Nian as a Vessel, but Shin'yu intervened and unlocked the Sixth Scenic Gate in their fight, breaking free of Jigen’s cage of Chakra Black Rods.

• Uchiha Naka fought Hiruko, Nian, and Orochimaru at Nanga Mountain before Orochimaru’s venom knocked him unconscious and the group carried him away.
• Nian used Kuenbiko to observe the Blood Pond Clan’s attack on the Hidden Leaf Village, then saved Tsunade from Oya Kensuke and left with her as the Sky Ninja arrived.
• Orochimaru held off the Sky Ninja while Hiruko fled with Naka, but the Third Kazekage ambushed Hiruko and captured Naka with Iron Sand.
• Madara warned Shin'yu that his life was fading and ordered him to awaken the Rinnegan and carry on his plan if Madara died first.
• Jigen appeared before Nian and Tsunade, revealed that he sought a suitable Vessel, and placed a Karma Mark on Nian before Nian struck him away with several techniques.
• Shin'yu arrived, freed Nian and Tsunade, and fought Jigen, who shifted his attention to Shin'yu after their Karma marks resonated.
• Shin'yu and Jigen traded attacks, but Jigen’s shrinking and rods overcame Shin'yu’s illusions until Shin'yu’s power grew and he opened the Sixth Scenic Gate.
• Shin'yu battered Jigen through a mountain and shattered the countless Chakra Black Rods Jigen summoned to cage him.

Shin'yu defeated Jigen, while Madara entrusted his legacy to Shin'yu before dying. As the Otsutsuki threat and a Hidden Cloud plot against Kushina came into view, Nagato killed the kidnappers and was summoned to the Land of Iron.

• Shin'yu fought Jigen through both Karma stages, used Formless Calamity Slash and the Seventh Gate, then unleashed the Five Finger Fist Heart Sword, after which Jigen vanished and was presumed dead.
• Shin'yu restored Nian and Tsunade, removed Nian's Karma mark, and brought them to the underground base, where Madara and Light discussed the Otsutsuki threat and Tsunade learned more about Light's past and plans for peace.
• Orochimaru met Hiruko and began investigating the conspiracy, while Isshiki emerged in a new body, learned his Karma attempt on Shin'yu had failed, and examined the captured Uchiha Naka.
• Madara gave Tsunade his Hidden Leaf forehead protector, and after she and Nian kissed, Madara awakened the Rinnegan, summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, created White Zetsu, and entrusted his possessions and mission to Shin'yu before dying.
• Nen and Hiruko captured Oya Kensuke after discovering his connection to Kagami's revival, while Shin'yu feared Black Zetsu might still interfere and prepared to interrogate Kensuke.
• Danzo planned to hand Kushina to Hidden Cloud as an experimental subject, but Minato rescued her from the kidnapping attempt and Nagato killed the pursuing Cloud Ninja with the Nine-Tails' Chakra.
• Orochimaru warned Nagato about the Nine-Tails' influence and ordered him to go to the Land of Iron for a highest-priority mission from his Grand Master.

Shin'yu secured the Two-Tails and arranged for Kushina to become the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki while building a network to claim every Tailed Beast. As Orochimaru advanced his research and Nagato trained with the Rinnegan, Shin'yu assigned his allies their targets and continued testing Nagato's power.

• Nagato received the Rinnegan from Hiruko, learned to balance its power with the Nine-Tails, and began training under Shin'yu.
• Isshiki survived by taking over Uchiha Kagami’s body, while his Inner Members escaped Nen and Kara’s base was abandoned.
• Shin'yu revealed to Mito that he had protected the Uzumaki Clan and Kushina, then pressured Mito to choose between the village and her family.
• Mito freed the Two-Tails and Seven-Tails, and Shin'yu bound the Two-Tails to himself while Kushina became the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Orochimaru continued working undercover in the Hidden Leaf Village, taught Minato a Chakra blade technique, and accepted Minato’s copy of the Book of Sealing.
• Orochimaru’s Impure World Reincarnation experiment using Sumoi failed, so he developed Living Corpse Reincarnation and planned the White Snake Cursed Seal.
• Shin'yu gathered his allies and ordered them to secure every Tailed Beast through Summoning Contracts, assigning targets across the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
• Shin'yu tested Nagato’s control of the Rinnegan and Nine-Tails in battle, redirecting Nagato’s energy shells before Almighty Attraction seized him.