Recaps

Naruto overwhelmed Menma in their ongoing fight, while Itachi explained his past to Sasuke and warned him not to act rashly. The battle escalated when both Naruto and Menma summoned Nine-Tails, leaving the onlookers unsure which Menma was real.

• Naruto dodged Menma's attacks and nearly removed his mask, forcing Menma to use Obito's Intangibility ability.
• Itachi told Sasuke about the massacre and Danzo's role, then calmed Sasuke and tapped his forehead.
• Naruto continued to overpower Menma after Menma's Nine Masked Beasts returned to his body.
• Menma summoned his dark, savage Nine-Tails and ordered it to tear Naruto apart.
• Naruto called on Kurama, who emerged as a golden Nine-Tails and agreed to teach Menma a lesson.
• The onlookers mistook the golden Nine-Tails' appearance as proof that Naruto was their Menma, angering the masked Menma.

Naruto defeated Menma and forced Obito to flee after Obito took control of Menma’s body. Naruto then healed Menma and returned to his own world with Sasuke and Hinata, leaving Irascible Hinata behind.

• Minato teleported away Menma’s Tailed Beast Bomb as Naruto and Kurama overwhelmed Menma’s Nine-Tails.
• Obito persuaded the defeated Menma to surrender control of his body, but Naruto knocked Obito out of Menma and drove him back to his world with Kamui.
• Naruto used Flying Thunder God to reach Menma and treated his injuries while Minato watched warily.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata returned through the Book of the Vermilion Moon, while Irascible Hinata arrived too late to join them.
• Sasuke and Hinata returned to Konoha with Naruto and headed home under the full moon.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata traveled to the moon, where Naruto persuaded Otsutsuki Toneri to train Sasuke and Hinata. Toneri began teaching them to fight without relying on their eyes, while Danzo lay broken and motionless in Konoha's prison.

• Sasuke asked to visit the moon to spar with Otsutsuki Toneri, and Naruto agreed to take him and Hinata there immediately.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata reached the moon and met Otsutsuki Toneri, who feared they had come to attack him.
• Naruto introduced Sasuke as Indra's reincarnation and Hinata as a potential Tenseigan user, then asked Toneri to train them.
• Toneri accepted and had Sasuke and Hinata wear blindfolds so they would learn to rely on perception and bodily instincts instead of their eyes.
• Naruto praised Toneri's teaching, while Danzo lay filthy, silent, and seemingly lifeless in a Konoha prison cell.

Naruto visited Orochimaru in Otogakure and found that she had successfully cloned a Mangekyō Sharingan in a Blood Monkey. Sasuke saw the monkey use Amaterasu and lamented that he still had not awakened his own Mangekyō, while Naruto considered how to help him obtain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

• Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata improved their chakra control under Otsutsuki Toneri's guidance over a month.
• Naruto hurried to Orochimaru's base after she reported success cloning a Mangekyō Sharingan in a Blood Monkey.
• Naruto examined the Blood Monkey and learned that its single Mangekyō Sharingan could use Amaterasu.
• Sasuke tried to take the monkey's banana, but it activated Amaterasu and forced him to dodge.
• Sasuke felt dejected that the monkey had awakened a Mangekyō Sharingan before him, then cheered up imagining his future Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

Naruto proposed using Mangekyō Sharingan cultivated from Uchiha genes to help Sasuke and Itachi awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and Fugaku agreed to his plan. As Naruto began explaining how they would awaken Sasuke’s Mangekyō Sharingan, a spatial vortex appeared and attacked the group.

• Naruto told Sasuke he would help him awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, and Sasuke eagerly agreed to go with him.
• Naruto explained his plans to Fugaku and Itachi, estimating that Sasuke was guaranteed to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan while Itachi had a fifty-percent chance.
• Fugaku agreed to Naruto’s plan and also approved cultivating Mangekyō Sharingan from talented clan members for use as replacements.
• Itachi asked how they would awaken Sasuke’s Mangekyō Sharingan, and Naruto said Fugaku and Itachi only needed to help maintain an illusion.
• A spatial vortex appeared and pale arms reached out to grab Naruto, Sasuke, Fugaku, and Itachi, prompting them to dodge and prepare for combat.

Obito and Danzo's spatial vortex unleashed a mass of Sharingan-covered arms that attacked the Uchiha Clan, and Naruto identified the vortex as their weakness. With the arms devouring clan members, Naruto prepared to destroy the vortex despite Sasuke's fears.

• Sharingan-covered arms emerged from a black vortex at Fugaku's home, and Naruto recognized the spatial ability as Obito's Kamui.
• Homura arrived with the Uchiha Police Force as Fugaku escaped the house and ordered everyone to attack from a distance.
• The arms joined into a huge sphere, and Naruto used Sage Mode and his Railgun to blast them, but they quickly regenerated.
• One Uchiha clansman was dragged into the sphere and absorbed, strengthening the arms' Sharingan.
• Naruto pointed out the vortex at the sphere's center as the arms' weakness, and Sasuke warned him against approaching it.
• Naruto insisted he was the only one who could destroy the vortex.

Naruto entered the spatial vortex to destroy the source of the eerie arms, but the arms multiplied and he did not return. Sasuke summoned Kirin to destroy the sphere, then discovered that Fugaku and Itachi no longer remembered Naruto.

• Naruto charged through the sphere of pale arms and leaped into its spatial vortex.
• The arms became more frenzied and multiplied, while Sasuke was unable to reach Naruto.
• Sasuke asked Fugaku for help and had the Uchiha use Fire Release to heat the air and bring rain and thunder.
• Sasuke used Lightning Release: Kirin to destroy the sphere and the spatial vortex.
• Sasuke realized Naruto was missing, but Fugaku and Itachi claimed they did not know who Naruto was.

Sasuke discovered that everyone else had forgotten Naruto and that the world held no trace of him. As Sasuke’s own memories began to fade, he fought to stay awake and remember Naruto.

• Fugaku, Itachi, and Mikoto failed to recognize Naruto, and Mikoto said Kushina had never had a child.
• Sasuke searched the crater where Naruto had disappeared and concluded Naruto had sacrificed himself to destroy the strange spatial vortex.
• Hinata did not know who Naruto was, confirming Sasuke’s fear that no one else remembered him.
• Sasuke searched for proof of Naruto, but found Naruto’s home empty and no trace of him anywhere.
• Sasuke felt his memories of Naruto being erased and stabbed his thigh with a kunai to keep himself awake.

Sasuke believed Naruto had been erased from the world, and the grief awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan before he reunited with Naruto. Naruto later revealed that Sasuke’s ordeal had been a staged Genjutsu, and he told Fugaku and Itachi that the terrifying creatures it depicted really existed.

• Sasuke remembered Naruto and awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan while fighting the illusion that everyone had forgotten him.
• Naruto appeared, and Sasuke embraced him in relief before Naruto took him back to the Uchiha Clan.
• Naruto signaled to Fugaku and Itachi that their plan had succeeded, and Sasuke soon fell into a deep sleep.
• Naruto explained that he, Fugaku, and Itachi had used an elaborate Genjutsu to provoke Sasuke’s Mangekyō awakening, while concealing the truth from him.
• Fugaku asked whether the creatures in the Genjutsu existed, and Naruto confirmed that they did.

Naruto sparred with Sasuke after Sasuke awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, showing him that its abilities could not overcome Naruto’s Intangibility. Naruto then trained Sasuke in using Sage Mode and natural energy in taijutsu, while Sasuke’s combat awareness began to improve without his noticing.

• Naruto, Itachi, and Fugaku trapped Sasuke in a genjutsu, and Sasuke later avoided discussing what happened while showing off his newly awakened Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Naruto challenged Sasuke to a duel, and Sasuke used Amaterasu, but Naruto’s Intangibility caused the black flames to fall harmlessly away.
• Sasuke lost focus while considering his abilities, so Naruto struck him, healed his broken breastbone, and told him to activate Sage Mode.
• Naruto and Sasuke fought in Sage Mode, and Naruto demonstrated how natural energy could extend taijutsu attacks beyond their apparent reach.
• Naruto explained his understanding of Sage Mode, and Sasuke recognized that his Mangekyō Sharingan was costly and of limited use against stronger opponents.

Naruto and Sasuke traveled to Amegakure to join the Akatsuki, with Naruto intending to disrupt Obito's plans. Pain and Konan confronted them, and Naruto announced their purpose.

• Naruto convinced Orochimaru that he and Sasuke were going to Amegakure to join the Akatsuki, despite Orochimaru's warnings.
• Naruto and Sasuke reached Amegakure and Naruto sensed the chakra probing the rain from the Rain Tiger at Will Technique.
• Nagato sensed the Nine-Tails' chakra Naruto had released and sent Konan and the Six Paths of Pain to meet the visitors.
• Konan and the Six Paths of Pain arrived, and Pain challenged Naruto, who said he and Sasuke had come to join the Akatsuki.

Naruto told Pain and Konan that he and Sasuke wanted to join the Akatsuki, then revealed that he knew about the Eye of the Moon Plan. The Akatsuki attacked instead, and Naruto rapidly destroyed two of Pain’s bodies while Sasuke fought Konan.

• Naruto told Pain and Konan that he and Sasuke wanted to join the Akatsuki and named its plan to collect the Tailed Beasts and launch the Eye of the Moon Plan.
• Pain’s Six Paths scattered to attack Naruto, while Konan engaged Sasuke.
• Naruto used Flying Thunder God to evade Pain’s attack and revealed that he knew Pain was controlled by Nagato Uzumaki.
• Naruto exploited Pain’s pulling force to strike the Deva Path with a Rasengan, then destroyed Naraka Path with a Monster Strength Fist.
• Konan watched Naruto’s attack in surprise, giving Sasuke an opening to thrust his Kusanagi Sword through her paper body.

Sasuke and Naruto overwhelmed Nagato’s forces while insisting that they wanted to join Akatsuki. Unable to defeat them, Nagato agreed to their membership, though Naruto made him deliver a more enthusiastic welcome.

• Sasuke’s attacks damaged Konan’s paper form, and the Preta Path absorbed his next Fire Style attack to protect her.
• Sasuke shot a blue beam through the Preta Path’s skull before the Asura Path and Human Path arrived beside Konan.
• Naruto told Nagato that he and Sasuke wanted to join Akatsuki, despite knowing the organization planned to collect the tailed beasts.
• Nagato weighed the danger of continuing the fight and agreed to let Naruto and Sasuke join.
• Naruto demanded a proper welcome, so Nagato grudgingly welcomed them and praised the honor they brought Akatsuki.

Naruto and Sasuke joined the Akatsuki, with Naruto obtaining Orochimaru’s old “Void” ring and both receiving the organization’s robes. The chapter ended with Obito learning Naruto had joined and panicking at the prospect of facing him again.

• Naruto demanded Akatsuki uniforms and membership rings from Nagato and Konan.
• Konan gave Naruto Orochimaru’s old “Void” ring, and Naruto and Sasuke changed into Akatsuki robes.
• Naruto noticed Black and White Zetsu moving underground while the Deva Path suggested he familiarize himself with the organization’s plans.
• White Zetsu reported Naruto’s recruitment to Obito, who feared confronting Naruto after losing to him in another world.

Obito panicked over Naruto’s strength while Black Zetsu weighed his options, and Naruto went to Nagato’s base in Amegakure. The chapter ended with Naruto asking Nagato to summon the Akatsuki’s real leader.

• Obito paced anxiously and refused Black Zetsu’s suggestion that he face Naruto again.
• Black Zetsu considered activating another organization but worried that exposing it too early would prevent it from growing.
• Naruto and Sasuke waited for Obito at the Akatsuki base, then headed toward Nagato when Obito failed to appear.
• Nagato repaired the destroyed Paths of Pain while Konan worried about his exhausted condition.
• Naruto and Sasuke arrived at Nagato’s basement, where Naruto asked Nagato to call out the Akatsuki’s real leader.

Naruto secured Nagato’s agreement to help locate Obito, then confronted him at his cave with Sasuke. Naruto’s Rasengan destroyed the cave and badly injured Obito, and Sasuke followed up with Amaterasu.

• Nagato agreed to help Naruto find Obito, while he and Konan decided to get White Zetsu involved.
• Naruto told Sasuke that they were joining the Akatsuki to catch Obito Uchiha.
• After White Zetsu alerted him, Obito emerged from his cave and Naruto attacked, breaking his mask with a Rasengan.
• Naruto unleashed a Big Ball Rasengan that collapsed the cave, leaving Obito injured and missing an arm.
• Naruto signaled Sasuke to attack, and Sasuke struck Obito with Amaterasu after revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Naruto and Sasuke trapped Obito with sealing techniques and genjutsu, then beat him up before leaving. Obito questioned Black and White Zetsu about abandoning him, and White Zetsu asked whether they would still seek revenge.

• Obito escaped Sasuke's Amaterasu with Kamui, while Naruto stopped Sasuke from overusing his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Sasuke attacked Obito with the Great Fire Dragon Jutsu, and Naruto caught him with sealing techniques and genjutsu when his Intangibility ended.
• Naruto and Sasuke pummeled Obito until he regained control of his chakra and fled with Kamui.
• Naruto and Sasuke left without pursuing Obito, saying they would return next time.
• Obito demanded to know why Black and White Zetsu had not helped him, and Black Zetsu blamed Naruto's sealing techniques.
• White Zetsu asked whether they would still get revenge, leaving Obito stunned.

Naruto told Nagato that Jiraiya had become Hokage, prompting Nagato to deny knowing his former teacher despite his conflicted feelings. After leaving Nagato and Konan, Naruto and Sasuke met Deidara and Sasori, who were returning from a mission.

• Naruto told Nagato and Konan that Jiraiya was now Hokage, and Nagato claimed he did not know him.
• Naruto left with Sasuke, while Konan quietly asked Nagato about Jiraiya and received only silence.
• Naruto sensed two people approaching Amegakure and soon encountered Deidara and Sasori, who noticed his and Sasuke's Akatsuki cloaks.
• Deidara asked Sasuke to demonstrate Uchiha genjutsu, and Sasuke used his Sharingan to cast a minor illusion that Deidara easily dispelled.
• Sasori warned Naruto to stay away from Orochimaru, and Deidara showed Naruto and Sasuke how he used the mouth in his palm to make a clay bird.

Deidara and Sasori argued over whether art should be fleeting or eternal until Naruto offered a view that impressed them both. After leaving Amegakure with Sasuke to meet other Akatsuki members, Naruto hinted that Sasuke’s brother’s partner had a secret crush on him.

• Deidara made a clay bird explode to demonstrate his art, and Sasori dismissed the fleeting display in favor of eternal art.
• Deidara asked Naruto and Sasuke to settle their argument, and Naruto said artists should stay true to their own art without needing to prove anything.
• Sasori and Deidara left to report their mission, then discussed Naruto’s remarks while Nagato wondered why they were unusually quiet.
• Naruto and Sasuke left Amegakure to look for other Akatsuki members, and Naruto said he wanted Sasuke to meet his brother’s partner.
• Naruto told Sasuke that the man who partnered with his brother had a secret crush on him.

Naruto teased Sasuke by claiming an Akatsuki member had a crush on Sasuke’s brother, then led him to Kisame Hoshigaki and Juzo Biwa. After meeting them, Naruto guessed that Kisame was the one who liked Sasuke’s brother, leaving Sasuke wondering whether his brother knew.

• Naruto told Sasuke that someone in the Akatsuki had a crush on his brother, making Sasuke eager to learn who it was.
• Naruto and Sasuke encountered Kisame Hoshigaki and Juzo Biwa, and Naruto was surprised that Juzo was alive and partnered with Kisame.
• Naruto asked Juzo whether he had given the Kubikiribōchō to Zabuza, and Juzo confirmed that he had trained and equipped him.
• Naruto showed the Akatsuki ring engraved with the character for “void,” and Juzo recognized him as a core member before leaving with Kisame.
• Sasuke asked which man liked his brother, and Naruto guessed Kisame Hoshigaki, leaving Sasuke wondering whether his brother knew.

Naruto and Sasuke encountered Kakuzu and Hidan, and Naruto brutally attacked Kakuzu’s scouting arm before decapitating Hidan. Hidan’s head complained that the blow hurt, leaving Sasuke startled by his apparent survival.

• Naruto and Sasuke walked away from Amegakure while Naruto told Sasuke bizarre unofficial stories about the Shinobi World.
• Kakuzu sent a thread-covered arm to investigate the danger ahead, and Naruto stabbed it repeatedly with Sasuke’s Kusanagi Sword.
• Kakuzu and Hidan appeared, mistook Naruto and Sasuke for new Akatsuki members, and demanded that they greet their seniors.
• Naruto swiftly cut off Hidan’s head, and Hidan complained that having it severed hurt.

Naruto explained Hidan’s weaknesses and revealed how much he knew about Kakuzu, frightening the Akatsuki finance director into submission. After Naruto and Sasuke left, Kakuzu repaired Hidan, and Naruto told Sasuke about Kakuzu’s long history and greed.

• Naruto told Sasuke that Hidan was not truly immortal and could be destroyed by a powerful attack, silencing Hidan.
• Naruto recited personal details about Kakuzu, who became wary and asked whether they had met before.
• Naruto gave Kakuzu little explanation, then left with Sasuke; Kakuzu stitched Hidan’s head back on and wondered what kind of monster the leader had recruited.
• As Naruto and Sasuke traveled, Naruto explained that Kakuzu had lived since the First Hokage’s era and had once fled after a distant sneak attack.
• Naruto said Kakuzu was so greedy that he might even pursue a bounty on the Akatsuki leader if the reward were high enough.

Akatsuki held a meeting to discuss whether Naruto and Sasuke should remain in the organization, but its members welcomed them. Naruto interrupted the meeting and mocked Deva Path, who ended it rather than confront him.

• Kisame asked why Naruto and Sasuke had not been called to the meeting, and Juzo Biwa covered his mouth when Deva Path signaled him to stop.
• Kakuzu asked whether Deva Path opposed the new members, and Sasori and Deidara voiced their support for Naruto and Sasuke.
• Deva Path found that the members supported the newcomers and agreed to accept their decision.
• Naruto kicked open the door and entered with Sasuke, asking to hear what the meeting was about.
• Deva Path claimed the Akatsuki had been discussing dinner, then ended the meeting while Sasuke left confused about what had happened.

Nagato struggled to move the tailed-beast plan forward while Naruto remained in the Akatsuki, so he decided to shift the problem onto Obito. Obito and Black Zetsu vanished through a strange gate, leaving Nagato to abandon the mission after he mistook their disappearance for a deception.

• Nagato worried that Naruto's presence had stalled the plan to capture the tailed beasts and decided to send Naruto and Sasuke away by dumping the problem on Obito.
• Black Zetsu led Obito into a magnificent palace, hoping to find something that could summon the Ōtsutsuki Clan for help against Naruto.
• Obito stumbled into a gate of light, and Black Zetsu failed to pull him free before the gate swallowed him and disappeared.
• The gate reappeared and dragged Black Zetsu inside as he tried to escape.
• Nagato's Six Paths of Pain found a White Zetsu, who said that both Obito and Black Zetsu were missing.
• Nagato assumed Obito and the Zetsu were deceiving him, gave up searching, and decided to stop bothering with the mission.

Obito and Black Zetsu were transported through a gate of light to an unfamiliar, desolate world, where Black Zetsu discovered he could not take humanoid form. Back in the Shinobi World, Naruto and Sasuke searched for White Zetsu in hopes of tracking down Obito.

• Naruto searched the Shinobi World for Obito, unaware that Obito and Black Zetsu had vanished through a gate of light.
• Obito woke in a desolate land covered with grave-like mounds and broken swords, then found Black Zetsu reduced to a lump of black sludge.
• Black Zetsu woke and realized he could not change into humanoid form, concluding that the region was suppressing him.
• Obito followed Black Zetsu as they set off to explore the unfamiliar world.
• Naruto and Sasuke searched for White Zetsu with Pakkun and the other Ninja Dogs so they could use him to find Obito.