Chapter Summaries

Hiruko, Orochimaru, and Nian broke into Angkor Fortress’s control room, learned that its power came from extracting Chakra from Sky Ninja Village’s residents, and stole Mechanical Wheel Wings from the Equipment Depot. They were surrounded there by a new squad led by Shinnō.

• Hiruko intimidated the control-room technicians and killed the Sky Ninja who charged at the three intruders.
• Nian used his Demonic Illusion: Puppet Technique to make a technician lead Hiruko and Nian to the Equipment Depot.
• Orochimaru questioned the technicians and learned that Angkor Fortress was powered by Chakra extracted from every resident of Sky Ninja Village.
• The three reached the Equipment Depot and began storing the Mechanical Wheel Wings in scrolls.
• Another squad of Sky Ninja surrounded them, and Shinnō stepped forward as their leader.

Orochimaru, Nian, and Hiruko raided the Sky Ninja Village’s Equipment Depot for Flying Shinobi Tools and fought the village’s leader, Shinnō. They killed Shinnō and his forces, leaving the depot under their control.

• Shinnō confronted the three intruders as they continued looting the Equipment Depot without answering him.
• Orochimaru struck Shinnō with an invisible Sage Art attack and sent him flying.
• Nian used his Spirit Body to destroy the souls of the attacking Sky Ninja, killing them all except Shinnō.
• Hiruko fought Shinnō, was briefly knocked into a wall, then pierced him with blades and cut him in half.
• Shinnō asked why they had attacked before dying after Hiruko suggested he consider whom he had offended.

Hiruko, Orochimaru, and Nian escaped Angkor Fortress using Mechanical Wings, while Shinnō recovered from his injuries and vowed revenge on the Hidden Leaf Village. Later, Shin'yu found Nagato training and urged him to study Sealing Technique, then asked why he wanted to become stronger.

• Hiruko destroyed the elevator to stop anyone from reaching the top floor, but Orochimaru and Nian pointed out that Sky Ninjas could fly and that the group had no way down.
• Nian used his Sharingan to compel a technician to explain the Flying Shinobi Tools, and the three men flew away from Angkor Fortress on Mechanical Wings.
• Shinnō regenerated his severed body, saw three figures escaping into the night, and vowed never to forgive the Hidden Leaf Village.
• At a Training Ground by the shore of Hidden Whirlpool Village, Shin'yu interrupted seven-year-old Nagato's stake training and advised him to study Sealing Technique.
• Shin'yu told Nagato that his Uzumaki bloodline offered a shortcut to strength and asked why he wanted to become stronger.

Nagato explained that he wanted strength to protect others and prevent war, and Shin'yu chose him for a dangerous opportunity that would grant him growing power. Shin'yu flew Nagato to Cloud-Lightning Gorge in the Land of Lightning, where Nagato began his journey beyond his peaceful home life.

• Nagato told Shin'yu that his family’s rescue had inspired him to become strong enough to protect everything and prevent future tragedies.
• Shin'yu praised Nagato’s progress with the Uzumaki Sealing Technique and suggested he ask Orochimaru again to become his disciple.
• Shin'yu offered Nagato a chance to gain great power, warning that it would draw him away from his parents and into conflict, and Nagato immediately accepted.
• Shin'yu summoned Frost Descent One Heart and carried Nagato through the sky on the sword.
• Shin'yu and Nagato arrived at Cloud-Lightning Gorge in the Land of Lightning, leaving Nagato excited by the journey.

Shin'yu arranged for Light to free the Gold and Silver Brothers from decades of mental control, then killed Kinkaku after he attacked in rage. Nagato watched from the air as Shin'yu defeated the Kage-level fighter with overwhelming ease.

• Shin'yu met Kinkaku and Ginkaku at Cloud-Lightning Gorge and waited for Light to remove the Yachihoko Technique's effects.
• Kinkaku and Ginkaku collapsed as their consciousnesses returned, and the Mangekyo markings on their hands faded away.
• Kinkaku realized Shin'yu had controlled the brothers for decades, formed a Tailed Beast Cloak, and attacked him.
• Shin'yu slammed Kinkaku into the ground, punched him hard enough to make him disgorge the Purifying Rope and Basho Fan, and killed him with a Blaze Release slash.
• Nagato watched from the Guardian God Sword as Shin'yu's black flames consumed Kinkaku.

Shin'yu overwhelmed Ginkaku with Magnet Release and the Eight Gates, forcing him to unleash the Nine-Tails' full power. As Ginkaku's Nine-Tails form prepared to fight, Shin'yu advanced with a newly condensed Susanoo.

• After Kinkaku burned to ash, Ginkaku charged Shin'yu with the Seven Star Sword, but Shin'yu stopped the blade with Magnet Release and struck Ginkaku into a mountainside.
• Shin'yu declared he was no longer the youth Ginkaku had fought before, then challenged him to die honorably in battle.
• Ginkaku transformed into a Nine-Tails jinchuriki, but Shin'yu opened the Second Gate and battered him with powerful blows.
• Shin'yu opened his Mangekyo Sharingan and waited as Ginkaku's Nine-Tails power awakened into a full Tailed Beast Transformation.
• The Nine-Tails fired a Tailed Beast Ball, and Shin'yu's Susanoo deflected it into the clouds.
• Shin'yu condensed Susanoo into an obsidian-like form and charged the Nine-Tails alongside it.

Shin'yu defeated the Nine-Tails, suppressed it, and extracted it from Ginkaku. He asked Nagato to become its new Jinchuriki, and Nagato agreed.

• Shin'yu and his Susanoo overwhelmed the Nine-Tails with a barrage of attacks and hurled it across the mountains.
• When the Nine-Tails attacked Nagato, Shin'yu protected him with the Uchiha Flame Formation and pierced the beast with Totsuka-no-Tsurugi.
• Shin'yu used Kakuan Entering the City with Helping Hands to suppress the Nine-Tails and render Ginkaku unconscious.
• Shin'yu released the Nine-Tails from Ginkaku with the Iron Armor Seal and used his Sharingan to subdue the beast.
• Shin'yu asked Nagato if he was ready to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Nagato agreed.

Nian, Orochimaru, and Hiruko attacked the Hidden Sand Village, where the Third Kazekage recognized Nian’s Mangekyo Sharingan and fled after concluding that he was their target. Nian and Orochimaru pursued him, leaving Bunpuku and Kakuzu behind as the village’s potential defenses and their hidden backup.

• The Third Kazekage used Sand Iron Rain and Sand Iron Thorn to destroy Orochimaru’s summoned Great Snake, but Nian protected the group with Susanoo and drove back the sand iron.
• The Third Kazekage recognized Nian’s Mangekyo Sharingan and inferred that the Hidden Leaf had sent the masked attackers to assassinate him.
• The Third Kazekage launched Sand Iron Spears at the attackers, then fled into the sky as Hiruko pursued him.
• Nian pointed out Bunpuku, the Hidden Sand Village’s One-Tail Jinchuriki, explaining why the Kazekage believed the attackers would not risk destroying the village.
• Nian and Orochimaru discussed Kakuzu secretly following them as backup, then sped after Hiruko and the Third Kazekage.

Orochimaru, Hiruko, and Nian pursued the Third Kazekage to an abandoned fortress, where they fought his Sand Iron with coordinated attacks. The Third Kazekage escaped his iron cocoon by tunneling underground, but Nian detected him and exposed his position.

• The Third Kazekage fled across the desert while Orochimaru, Hiruko, and Nian pursued him using Flying Shinobi Tools.
• Orochimaru struck the Third Kazekage with a Wind Blade, but Sand Iron blocked it and the Kazekage continued leading them away from the village.
• The Third Kazekage landed at an abandoned fortress and challenged his pursuers, while Hiruko attacked him with Steel Release.
• The Third Kazekage formed a Sand Iron cocoon and sent out spikes, forcing Orochimaru and Nian to evade and knocking Hiruko away.
• Nian and Orochimaru used Lightning Release to disrupt the cocoon, but Nian sensed the Third Kazekage underground and Nian's Susanoo struck the ground behind Orochimaru, revealing him.

After learning that Gorou and his wife were in grave danger, the Third Kazekage decided to leave Hidden Sand Village to rescue them and investigate the failure at Sky Ninja Village. Before he could depart, three flying attackers arrived and confronted him above the village.

• Ebizo demanded permission to rescue Gorou, and the Third Kazekage said he would go to the Hidden Leaf battlefield himself.
• An alarm announced that three unidentified enemies had breached Hidden Sand Village's barrier and could fly.
• The Third Kazekage confronted the three attackers above the Kazekage Bunker and recognized their Mechanical Wheel Wings as equipment from Angkor Fortress.
• Hiruko said Shinnō was dead and demanded that the Third Kazekage come with them.
• Hiruko attacked with Steel Transformation Shuriken, but the Third Kazekage blocked them with an Iron Sand shield.

The Third Kazekage revealed a vast underground reserve of sand iron beneath the abandoned Fortress and unleashed a devastating attack against Orochimaru, Uchiha Nian, and Hiruko. The three refused to dodge and took the strike head-on, leaving Kakuzu fearing they had been killed.

• Hiruko disrupted the Third Kazekage with an Earth Tremor Technique, but the Kazekage summoned enormous quantities of sand iron from beneath the Fortress and lifted into the sky.
• The Third Kazekage formed a massive Sand Iron Triangular Pyramid and sent it spinning down toward Orochimaru, Uchiha Nian, and Hiruko.
• Hiruko urged the others not to dodge, and all three remained in place as they prepared their defenses.
• Orochimaru used Sage Mode, Uchiha Nian activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, and Hiruko invoked his Iron Skin technique as the pyramid struck them.
• The impact shook the desert and sent Kakuzu crawling from the sand, where he feared that all three had died and Shin'yu would blame him.

Nian, Hiruko, and Orochimaru survived the Third Kazekage’s devastating attack and launched a coordinated counterattack. Their strikes overwhelmed his defenses, and the chapter ended with Orochimaru detonating his Sage Art halo in a massive explosion.

• The Third Kazekage’s iron-sand pyramid destroyed much of the fortress, but Nian, Hiruko, and Orochimaru survived through their defenses and abilities.
• Nian healed Hiruko with Ame no Tokotachi, and the three replaced their broken Mechanical Wheel Wings before charging the Third Kazekage.
• The Third Kazekage knocked Hiruko aside, while Orochimaru trapped him with lightning and Nian struck him with Thunder God’s Judgment.
• Orochimaru’s Eight Trigrams Halo pressed against the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand Wall as Nian and Hiruko attacked him from behind.
• Orochimaru ordered the halo to explode, unleashing a blast that sent iron sand surging in every direction.

The Third Kazekage revealed his Steel Terracotta Army and unleashed a massive iron-sand attack against Nian, Orochimaru, and Hiruko. Nian pierced a gap through the falling iron cloud with Susanoo, allowing the trio to leap clear of the impact zone.

• The Third Kazekage survived the trio's assault and summoned three hundred Steel Terracotta Warriors, sealing himself inside an armored formation.
• The Third Kazekage sent the iron-sand cloud crashing down while his flying warriors pursued the trio and fired Chakra Cannons at them.
• Nian extinguished his flight wings and summoned Susanoo as Orochimaru and Hiruko covered him from the attacking warriors.
• Nian expanded Susanoo to its fourth stage and fired Thunder God's Judgment, blasting a hole through the iron-sand cloud and weakening its magnetism.
• Nian pulled Orochimaru and Hiruko into Susanoo, then leaped over the gap as the iron cloud struck the ground.

Nian used Mature Body Susanoo to protect himself, Orochimaru, and Hiruko from the Third Kazekage’s iron-sand attack, but the Kazekage hid underground and attacked with Steel Terracotta Army puppets. Hiruko and Garaga stayed behind to fight the puppets while Nian and Orochimaru turned to pursue the Kazekage.

• Nian activated Fourth Stage Mature Body Susanoo, shielding himself, Orochimaru, and Hiruko from the Third Kazekage’s iron-sand assault.
• The Third Kazekage emerged indirectly through waves of Steel Terracotta Army soldiers while remaining buried and concealed underground.
• Nian fought back with Susanoo’s Thunder Hammer and Thunder Cannon, but the Kazekage’s moving hiding place and puppet attacks prevented a clean hit.
• Hiruko leapt from Susanoo and used Steel Release and his Mechanical Wheel Wings to hold off the iron soldiers.
• Orochimaru summoned Garaga and ordered him to help Hiruko fight the puppets while he and Nian went after the Third Kazekage.

Nian, Orochimaru, Hiruko, and Garaga fought through the Third Kazekage’s Iron Terra Cotta Warriors to break into his steel fortress. After Nian’s Susanoo failed to hold it, Garaga seized the fortress and poisoned its defenses, leaving Orochimaru poised to strike it with a Sage Art Rasengan.

• Hiruko and Garaga cleared Iron Terra Cotta Warriors from Susanoo’s path, while Garaga’s poisonous mist disabled the puppets and frustrated the Third Kazekage.
• Nian’s Susanoo grabbed the steel fortress, and Orochimaru attacked it with his Eight Trigrams Halo, provoking Garaga to sense the Third Kazekage inside.
• Nian’s Mangekyo Sharingan backlash weakened Susanoo’s grip, allowing the fortress to break free despite his attempt to catch it again.
• Garaga bit down on the fortress, dragged it to the ground, and flooded it with venom until its shell became brittle and its mechanisms shut down.
• Orochimaru flew toward Garaga and launched a Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasengan at the poisoned iron sphere.

The Third Kazekage unleashed a massive sand-iron prison to restrain Orochimaru, Nian, Garaga, and Hiruko, then escaped by transforming into iron sand. He sacrificed his remaining Iron Terra Cotta Warriors to cover his flight, leaving the prison shattered and the three pursuers unharmed.

• Orochimaru breached the Third Kazekage's iron fortress with a Sage Art Rasengan, and the Kazekage retaliated with a widespread sand-iron attack that trapped Orochimaru, Nian, Garaga, and Hiruko.
• The Third Kazekage severed his poisoned right arm, transformed into iron sand, escaped the prison, and fled into the sky.
• Orochimaru attacked the iron cage with a serpent-shaped Rasengan while Nian broke free and used Susanoo's Tomoe to clear a path.
• The Third Kazekage summoned six Iron Terra Cotta Warriors and sent them to self-destruct, collapsing the sand-iron prison in a massive explosion.
• Nian dispersed his battered Susanoo and revealed that he, Orochimaru, and Hiruko had survived the blast.

After failing to capture the Third Kazekage, Hiruko recognized that his ambition had outgrown his strength and explained the risks and rules of his Kimaera Technique to Nian and Orochimaru. He resolved to try again after becoming stronger, while already considering another target.

• Nian prepared to pursue the retreating Third Kazekage, but Orochimaru warned him to rest, and Hiruko admitted their capture attempt had failed.
• Hiruko reflected that he had taken his companions' support for granted, apologized to Nian and Orochimaru, and resolved to proceed more patiently.
• Hiruko explained that the Kimaera Technique allowed temporary Devouring, which could be reversed but left weak stitch marks, or permanent Devouring, which required a difficult ritual but fused a target's bloodline completely.
• Nian and Orochimaru warned Hiruko that the Third Kazekage and his village would retaliate, but Hiruko declared that the Kazekage would not escape him next time.
• Hiruko considered capturing someone nearly as powerful in Magnet Release, and Orochimaru reminded him that the strongest Magnet Release belonged to their master, Shin'yu.

Kakuzu brought Hiruko the captured Cloud Ninja Toroi as a potential Magnet Release target and demanded payment, offering him a loan when Hiruko could not pay. Meanwhile, the wounded Third Kazekage reached Sky Ninja Village seeking Shinnō’s support and confronted him over the Mechanical Wheel Wings used by his attackers.

• Kakuzu arrived after the battle and revealed that he had captured Toroi, an Elite Jonin with Magnet Release, for Hiruko to use as a temporary Devouring target.
• Kakuzu valued Toroi at sixty million ryo, and when Hiruko admitted he had no money, Kakuzu offered to lend him the sum in exchange for an IOU.
• The Third Kazekage chose not to return to the Hidden Sand Village and instead flew to Sky Ninja Village to seek support and question Shinnō about the attackers’ Mechanical Wheel Wings.
• Sky Ninja scouts surrounded the Third Kazekage, but Shinnō recognized him on the display screen and ordered the attacks stopped.
• Shinnō brought the battered Third Kazekage into the Fortress and asked who had left him in such a state, and the Third Kazekage demanded that Shinnō explain himself.

Shinnō and the Third Kazekage uncovered the Hidden Leaf Village’s role in attacks on the Sky Ninja and discussed a counterattack that might involve Kara. Meanwhile, Hiruko completed his second Devoured, absorbing Toroi, but noticed a disturbing suture line on his body.

• Shinnō concluded that the Hidden Leaf Village had sent the three attackers who raided Angkor Fortress and later targeted the Third Kazekage.
• Shinnō explained the Sky Ninja’s three-month recovery and proposed an aerial assault on the Hidden Leaf Village, with Angkor Fortress and some elites preserved for the future.
• The Third Kazekage warned that the Hidden Leaf Village could destroy the Sky Ninja in retaliation, then offered to help in his personal capacity.
• The Third Kazekage asked Shinnō to take him to Kara’s leader, and Shinnō realized he had accepted the second method of cooperation.
• Hiruko completed his second Devoured, assimilating Toroi and appearing younger, then discovered a deep suture line between his right shoulder and back.

Hiruko revealed that his latest fusion had granted him Swift Release and tested his new speed and Steel Release against Orochimaru. Orochimaru continued the spar with a Sage Art attack after Hiruko tried to call it off.

• Hiruko explained that his devouring method let him fuse with bloodlines without the Ring Solar Eclipse, and said he had gained a changed form of Magnet Release.
• Hiruko asked Orochimaru to spar, then blocked his attacks with Steel Release and challenged him to fight seriously.
• Orochimaru entered Sage Mode and attacked with a Rasengan, but Hiruko used Swift Release to vanish and strike him from above.
• Hiruko named his new Kekkei Genkai Swift Release and said even Nian's Sharingan could barely track his speed.
• Hiruko tried to end the spar, but Orochimaru refused and unleashed the Sage Art: White Rage Technique.