Chapter Summaries

Aoki Tsuki fought Itachi, then escaped a second confrontation with Tobi and Zetsu while running low on chakra. After sleeping for three days, he studied chakra and the nervous system and resolved to pursue internal vision as a route to greater power.

• Aoki Tsuki used Water Release to force Itachi to abandon the Uchiha Flame Formation, then blocked Itachi’s Yasaka Magatama with Adamantine Realm.
• Sasori and Deidara arrived, and Aoki Tsuki and Itachi ended their fight; Sasori and Deidara then found Orochimaru, whose Impure World Reincarnation battle with Sasori’s Third Kazekage puppet ended with Orochimaru retreating and Deidara bombing his base.
• Tobi attacked Aoki Tsuki near the Land of Rain with Wood Release, but Aoki Tsuki destroyed the vine assault with a burst of stored power and resisted a coordinated ambush by Tobi and Zetsu.
• Aoki Tsuki reached the Land of Rain, slept for three days, and woke with new ideas about how spiritual energy, chakra, and the nervous system might connect.
• Aoki Tsuki decided to pursue internal vision and consider using the nervous system to intervene at the cellular level, while looking forward to Jūgo’s ability.

Aoki Tsuki began observing his own nervous system and cells, then met Orochimaru to trade his Secret Mind Technique for incomplete cell-control technology. After returning to Amegakure, he understood how Orochimaru used Chakra to control cells and saw how it differed from his own approach.

• Aoki Tsuki rested, then used Mind Introspection to explore his nervous system and locate the cells in his muscle tissue.
• Orochimaru invited Aoki Tsuki to join a joint operation with Sunagakure against Konoha, and Aoki Tsuki agreed to participate personally.
• Aoki Tsuki asked Orochimaru about cell-strengthening technology, and they exchanged his Secret Mind Technique for Orochimaru's cell-control research.
• Aoki Tsuki returned to Amegakure and studied the technology, realizing Orochimaru used Chakra to connect to physical energy and control cells.

Aoki Tsuki experimented with using natural energy to strengthen his cells, while Konan worked to improve her spiritual sensitivity and Karin rejected the idea of becoming family with him. After many failed trials, Aoki suspected that his cells were too fragile to withstand natural energy and decided he needed a way to control it.

• Aoki Tsuki studied the Heaven and Earth Cursed Seal and planned to strengthen his body by directing natural energy into his cells.
• Aoki began testing cellular enhancement on his hands, but his first cells exploded as he experimented with different energy ratios.
• Konan practiced improving her spiritual sensitivity and strengthened her mental defenses after learning that Itachi's genjutsu had failed against Aoki.
• Yurika asked Karin how she would feel about becoming family with Aoki, and Karin firmly refused because she believed he was a liar.
• Aoki noticed that a few of his cells were unusually resilient and suspected they had been altered by drinking Yurika's blood.
• Aoki concluded that natural energy was too violent for his cells and decided he needed a way to tame it.

Aoki Tsuki tested his new body-strengthening method, then returned to the Jashin Cult and used a second stage of his spiritual secret technique to help Kikuno Momo improve her Yin Release control. He left Kikuno Momo recovering after their training, while Izumi revealed a new cursed seal that could restrain Hidan.

• Aoki Tsuki used his cell-control technique to spread sage-enhanced life energy through his body, then tested his restored strength at the bubble house with Tsunade.
• Aoki Tsuki arranged for Tsunade's husband, Midorino Otoko, to join the corpse collection squad before leaving the village for the Jashin Cult.
• The bubble house proprietress reported Aoki Tsuki's visit and boast to Konan, who learned he had stayed away for nearly two years.
• Izumi told Aoki Tsuki that the Ninjutsu Research Institute had developed the Cursed Blood Heart-Locking Seal to restrain Hidan, and she had mastered it.
• Aoki Tsuki returned to Kikuno Momo and taught her the second stage of his spiritual secret method, claiming it would improve her control over Yin Release.
• Kikuno Momo trained with Aoki Tsuki and needed a full day to recover, while she learned the spiritual secret technique quickly.

Aoki Tsuki joined Orochimaru’s plan for a surprise attack on Konoha and entered the Chunin Exams undercover, where he gathered intelligence and studied the young contestants. As the matches exposed tensions among the Hyuga and the strength of the next generation, Aoki secretly provoked Neji while Orochimaru hinted that Konoha’s young ninja might not survive what was coming.

• Aoki Tsuki traveled to Otogakure, received a cover identity as an Otogakure Jonin, and entered Konoha with Genin ahead of the Chunin Exams.
• Kabuto gave Aoki Tsuki a scroll containing the Mystical Palm Technique, and Aoki gathered intelligence on Konoha, its visitors, and the Tailed Beasts.
• Hinata Hyuga fought Neji Hyuga, but after Neji overwhelmed her, she told him that he was the one suffering under the Main and Branch Family divide; Neji charged at her before the other Jonin intervened.
• Rock Lee opened the Five Gates against Gaara and was nearly killed, while Neji watched and reflected on Lee’s defeat.
• Aoki Tsuki secretly told Neji an embellished story about Uchiha Itachi and urged him to reject his fate; Neji resisted the unknown speaker and left.
• Aoki Tsuki observed Choji Akimichi’s match against Dosu and discussed the contestants with Orochimaru, who suggested they might not live long enough to become Konoha’s pillars.

The Chunin finals descended into the Konoha invasion, while Aoki Tsuki infiltrated Root and fought Shimura Danzō. Tsuki killed Danzō, and Hiruzen Sarutobi also died after his battle with Orochimaru.

• Neji Hyuga lost to Naruto Uzumaki, then heard a mysterious voice offer a way to challenge the Hyuga Caged Bird Seal; Hyuga Hiashi knelt before him in the hospital.
• Shikamaru won his match and earned a Chunin promotion, while Sasuke arrived to fight Gaara as snow began falling and the attack on Konoha started.
• Kabuto cast the Temple of Nirvana Technique as Sunagakure and Sound Ninja forces assaulted Konoha, and Aoki Tsuki infiltrated Root to kill Shimura Danzō.
• Tsuki defeated Danzō's guards, survived Danzō's repeated use of Izanagi, and used poison and a summoned salamander to counter Kotoamatsukami before killing him.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi died after his battle with Orochimaru, closing his eyes with a smile.

Aoki Tsuki escaped Konoha after killing Danzo and later brought his corpse to Konan, giving her a chance to confront the loss of Yahiko. After Konan thanked and embraced him, Aoki Tsuki shared intelligence about the One-Tail and Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and planned to study Danzo’s body and interrogate Yamanaka Fū.

• Aoki Tsuki sealed Danzo’s corpse in a scroll and escaped Root’s base by countering Jiraiya’s Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan with Angel’s Kiss; Jiraiya recognized his Senjutsu and suspected Danzo was dead.
• Pain sent Itachi and Kisame to investigate Orochimaru’s attack on Konoha, while Aoki Tsuki returned to Amegakure without meeting Orochimaru.
• Aoki Tsuki invited Konan to tower one, revealed Danzo’s corpse, and explained his guilt in the events that led to Yahiko’s death.
• Konan thanked Aoki Tsuki and embraced him, then stopped him from touching her and left after he shared information about the One-Tail and Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Aoki Tsuki planned to study Danzo’s corpse and extract the principles of the Mind Body Switch Technique from the captive Yamanaka Fū.

Pain launched the Akatsuki’s Tailed Beast operation, while Tsunade took over as Hokage and dealt with Sasuke’s and Neji’s disappearances. In Amegakure, Aoki Tsuki began developing a way to fly on his blade and was summoned to the Jashin Cult to check on his researchers’ work.

• Konan told Pain that Tsuki had assassinated Danzo and brought back intelligence on the One-Tail and Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, prompting Pain to prepare for the Akatsuki’s next operation.
• Orochimaru learned of Danzo’s death, planned to seek Tsunade’s help for his hands, and ordered Zetsu’s cultivated body prepared as a possible vessel.
• Pain assigned the Akatsuki members pairs of Tailed Beasts to capture, reserving the Nine-Tails for himself.
• Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage, chose not to hunt Sasuke immediately, and ordered a discreet investigation after Neji went missing; Hiashi agreed to send a Main Family member.
• Aoki Tsuki experimented with Chakra Flow to make Futsunomitama hover, but found that the technique consumed too much Chakra and lost control at a distance.
• Kikuno Momo told Aoki Tsuki that a visitor was waiting at the Jashin Cult, so he traveled to the Land of Hot Water to check on his researchers.

Neji joined Aoki Tsuki and the Jashin Cult after learning that conventional methods could not remove his Caged Bird Seal, and Aoki proposed restoring his ancestral bloodline as a risky solution. The story left Aoki considering what to do with Danzo’s exhausted right eye and wondering whether he could trust Kikuno Momo with it.

• Neji tracked down Aoki Tsuki in the Land of Hot Water and asked for help breaking the Caged Bird Seal.
• Aoki Tsuki examined Neji’s seal, found that tampering with it would trigger its destruction, and proposed fusing Neji with chakra from the moon branch of the Hyuga Clan to restore his ancestral bloodline.
• Aoki Tsuki told Neji about the Hyuga Clan’s lunar branch and pressured him to reject the Main Family and the Will of Fire; Neji agreed to join the Jashin Cult and fight back against the Main Family.
• Aoki Tsuki arranged for Neji to train with the Jashin Cult, where Haku and Zabuza served as its public faces.
• Aoki Tsuki visited Kikuno Momo, who had guessed that he killed Danzo and had sought to repay him, while he considered whether he could trust her with Danzo’s exhausted right eye.

Aoki Tsuki took Hotaru and Tonbee in after Hotaru demonstrated her ability to sense Natural Energy, then helped the Jashin Cult research rune formations for flight. In Konoha, Might Guy and his students remained worried about Neji's disappearance and the danger posed by the Hyuga Main Family.

• Hotaru and Tonbee found Aoki Tsuki, and he agreed to take Hotaru on as his third student after calming the Natural Energy she had lost control of.
• Aoki Tsuki fed Hotaru and Tonbee and settled them at the Jashin Cult before meeting with Hino about rune-powered flight research.
• Aoki Tsuki and Hino tested rune formations, found that a spiderweb pattern was efficient and stable, and began developing a formation based on a Möbius strip.
• At Konoha's Training Ground Eight, Tenten and Rock Lee learned that Might Guy still had no news of Neji and worried that Neji might have defected.
• Might Guy planned to take more missions outside the village to search for Neji, then urged his students to train harder.

The Great Toad Sage warned Jiraiya of a Child of Destruction and told him the Child of Prophecy was already by his side. Jiraiya returned to Konoha and pushed Naruto to strengthen the Rasengan, leaving Naruto to train even harder after struggling to enlarge it.

• The Great Toad Sage dreamed of a devastating war and told Jiraiya to guide the Child of Prophecy, who had already appeared by his side.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade about the prophecy and said he believed he had found the Child of Prophecy; Tsunade dismissed the prediction and returned to her work.
• Tsunade assigned Kakashi another mission despite his request for a few days of rest, and Kakashi left without going home.
• Jiraiya began training Naruto to strengthen the Rasengan, but Naruto could not figure out how to enlarge it on his own.
• Jiraiya showed Naruto that he could use his abundant Chakra to make the Rasengan bigger, then left him to work it out, and Naruto began more intense training.

Obito and Black Zetsu discussed the Akatsuki’s shifting loyalties and agreed to cooperate with Itachi until the Nine-Tails was captured. Meanwhile, Aoki Tsuki developed a blinding mental-attack technique and a flight array, then took Neji toward the moon as Neji examined his unusual chakra.

• Obito admitted that the Akatsuki was slipping out of his control, while Black Zetsu withheld Madara’s countermeasure against Nagato and continued to favor Madara.
• Black Zetsu proposed an alliance with Itachi, and surveillance revealed that Itachi might have a Kekkei Genkai disease, prompting Obito to agree to cooperate with him until the Nine-Tails was captured.
• Aoki Tsuki developed Lightning Illusion: Mind Wheel Destruction Technique by combining a blinding lightning ball with a mental attack.
• Aoki Tsuki tested energy arrays inscribed on his feet and Futsunomitama, allowing him to fly on the blade and take Kikuno Momo for a ride.
• Aoki Tsuki took Neji flying toward the moon, and Neji used his Byakugan to observe Aoki Tsuki’s complex pathways and distinct black and green energies.

Aoki Tsuki found Toneri on the moon and persuaded him to cooperate with the Akatsuki, offering Hinata and pure Main Family Byakugan in exchange for help with their plans. Toneri transferred some of his power to Neji, who later sensed it merging with his Chakra and learned that awakening a higher ocular technique might break the Caged Bird Seal.

• Aoki Tsuki reached Toneri's castle while Neji fought the puppets outside, eventually collapsed, and was dragged into the castle.
• Aoki Tsuki told Toneri about the Akatsuki's plans and the Shinobi World's strength, then secured Toneri's cooperation by promising him Hinata and pure Main Family Byakugan.
• Toneri transferred some of his Chakra to the unconscious Neji, and Aoki Tsuki left with him after agreeing that the Akatsuki would pursue a war against the Five Great Nations.
• Toneri watched Aoki Tsuki and Neji depart through the Giant Tenseigan and resolved to observe the Shinobi World more closely.
• After Neji woke at the Jashin Cult, Aoki Tsuki explained that Toneri's power was merging into him and that awakening an ocular technique above the Byakugan could break his Caged Bird Seal; Neji accepted the plan and the agreement concerning Hinata.

Aoki Tsuki recruited Karin to help locate a White Zetsu Clone hidden in Amegakure, then used their combined sensory abilities to find it. After Karin collected her reward, two Genin discussed Pain’s corpse collection and rain technique, while Shuhei considered seeking Aoki Tsuki’s favor.

• Aoki Tsuki sent Hotaru Sage Mode knowledge and went to Amegakure to hunt a White Zetsu Clone.
• Aoki Tsuki offered Karin 200,000 ryo to find the hidden clone, but Karin failed to locate it on her own.
• Karin proposed combining her Mind's Eye of the Kagura with Aoki Tsuki’s sensory technique, and they found the clone’s hiding place.
• Aoki Tsuki gave Karin her reward, and she planned to buy her mother a proper birthday present.
• Midorino Otoko told Shuhei that Aoki Tsuki was one of his wife’s clients, and Shuhei privately decided to try winning Aoki Tsuki’s favor.

Aoki Tsuki captured a White Zetsu Clone, transplanted Shisui's Sharingan into it, and took control of it as a physical clone. As Orochimaru and the Jashin Cult prepared for possible conflict, Tsuki studied the Hyuga's Vacuum Palm and began developing Senjutsu-enhanced techniques of his own.

• Aoki Tsuki infused Shuhei with Senjutsu Chakra, exposed the hidden White Zetsu Clone inside him, and captured it.
• With Mieko's help, Aoki Tsuki transplanted Shisui's Sharingan into the White Zetsu Clone and took control of it as his physical clone.
• Orochimaru and Kabuto discussed Akatsuki's silence and an Uchiha survivor in the Jashin Cult who had agreed to provide intelligence.
• Kikuno Momo and Izumi worried about another war while Neji trained hard and noticed his Chakra and control improving.
• Aoki Tsuki studied the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, tested its power in the rain, and began planning a Senjutsu upgrade using water and lightning Chakra.

Aoki Tsuki gave Ajisai Ibuse’s summoning contract and passed his Secret Mind Techniques to Karin before joining the Akatsuki to seal the One-Tail. After Gaara’s capture and the sealing, Konoha prepared a rescue team, while Sasori and Deidara were assigned to face the approaching pursuers.

• Yura was turned into Sasori’s puppet by a heart talisman after being appointed to handle Akatsuki missions.
• Aoki Tsuki introduced Ajisai to Ibuse, who accepted her as a summoning-contract partner, and later gave Karin his collection of Secret Mind Techniques.
• Pain summoned the Akatsuki members, and they began extracting the One-Tail from the captured Gaara.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya decided to send Kakashi and Might Guy’s teams, along with Yamato and an Anbu squad, to rescue Gaara.
• On the third day, the Akatsuki completed the One-Tail’s sealing and sent Sasori and Deidara to confront the approaching rescue teams.

Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura, and Chiyo fought Sasori and Deidara in the hideout, but the Akatsuki members escaped after destroying the cave. Naruto survived the collapse and found Gaara’s body, while Chiyo mourned Sunagakure’s losses.

• Naruto flew into a Tailed Beast Transformation after discovering Gaara was dead, while Chiyo confronted her grandson Sasori.
• Kakashi’s attack on Deidara’s clay clone failed, and he and Deidara exchanged attacks as Chiyo protected Sakura from Sasori’s poisoned Senbon.
• Sasori revealed his Human Puppet form and brought out the Third Kazekage puppet, whose Iron Sand attacked Kakashi, Sakura, and Chiyo.
• Naruto’s transformation reached three tails, and Sasori repeatedly slammed him with Iron Sand as Deidara prepared an escape.
• Kakashi rescued Chiyo and Sakura from the cave’s explosion, and Naruto emerged unharmed with Gaara’s body beneath him.
• Naruto mourned Gaara, while Chiyo reflected on Sunagakure’s losses and its uncertain future.

Kakashi, Yamato, Might Guy, and Chiyo fought Sasori and Deidara while protecting Naruto. After Deidara injured Sakura, Naruto accepted the Nine-Tails’ Chakra, transformed into a six-tailed form, and launched a Tailed Beast Bomb at the Akatsuki pair.

• Deidara’s C3 explosion was stopped by Yamato’s Wood Release, and Might Guy arrived and knocked Deidara’s Clay Bird from the sky with Morning Peacock.
• Kakashi, Yamato, and Guy attacked Sasori and Deidara, but Sasori escaped Wood Release and used the Third Kazekage puppet’s Iron Sand against them.
• Guy used Daytime Tiger to destroy the Iron Sand and the Third Kazekage puppet, while Sasori and Chiyo led their puppet forces into battle and Naruto joined with shadow clones.
• Deidara detonated a powerful clay bomb underground, injuring Sakura and enraging Naruto.
• Naruto accepted the Nine-Tails’ Chakra, entered a six-tailed transformation, and began forming a Tailed Beast Bomb; Yamato stopped Deidara from interrupting him.
• Sasori and Deidara combined their surviving puppets into a Chakra shield, but Naruto’s Tailed Beast Bomb shattered it and hurtled toward them.

Itachi agreed to consider helping Obito regain control of Akatsuki, but demanded proof of his sincerity. At the same time, Aoki Tsuki rescued Sasori and Deidara from Naruto’s Tailed Beast Bomb, fought Six-Tails Naruto, and helped Kakashi and Yamato retreat with Naruto sealed.

• Obito appeared before Itachi and asked him to help regain control of Akatsuki before Pain attacked Konoha for the Nine-Tails.
• Aoki Tsuki used the Diamond Dharma Realm to deflect Naruto’s Tailed Beast Bomb and then joined Sasori and Deidara in fighting Six-Tails Naruto.
• Aoki Tsuki repelled Naruto with the Thousand-Armed Kannon, bound him with sealing hair and lightning, and briefly clashed with Kakashi and Yamato.
• Yamato restrained Naruto with Wood Release, while Kakashi used Jiraiya’s sealing tag and Naruto’s Chakra necklace to suppress the Nine-Tails.
• Kakashi and Yamato fled with Naruto, and Chiyo left after seeing that Sasori had become a puppet and abandoned hope of reconciling with him.
• Aoki Tsuki promised to ask the leader for the corpse of a powerful, poisonous fighter as a replacement for Sasori’s destroyed puppet.

Aoki Tsuki prepared to intensify Neji’s conditioning while arranging to settle in the Land of Hot Water and have a child with Kikuno Momo. He taught Neji to develop Twin Lion Fists and strengthened his resentment toward the Hyuga Main Family.

• Aoki Tsuki sealed a syringe of Hashirama Cells for Neji and planned to deepen his hatred of Konoha and the Hyuga Main Family.
• Aoki Tsuki told Eiko he and Mimoto would settle in the Land of Hot Water and that he planned to have a child.
• Aoki Tsuki trained Hotaru, conditioned Neji, and practiced Yin-Yang Release with Kikuno Momo, who questioned his claims about fate and their future child.
• Aoki Tsuki showed Neji a fire-enhanced version of Twin Lion Fists and explained how to shape the technique, prompting Neji’s resentment toward the Main Family to grow.
• Aoki Tsuki encouraged Neji to break free of his clan’s restrictions, and Neji began learning the technique’s Shape Transformation.