Recaps

Haruma posed as Akatsuki’s leader, but Sasori and Deidara recognized that his answer to their code question was wrong and fled. Haruma quickly defeated them, while Tsunade and Jiraiya were left questioning his identity and motives.

• Haruma crushed Manda and sent him back to the summoning realm.
• Deidara tested Haruma with Akatsuki’s code question, and Haruma gave an answer that revealed he was an impostor.
• Sasori and Deidara tried to escape with a clay bird, but Haruma caught up and knocked Deidara out of the sky.
• Haruma used overwhelming force to bring down Sasori and the Third Kazekage Puppet.
• Tsunade questioned Jiraiya about Haruma’s identity and his connection to Akatsuki, Orochimaru, and other events, while Jiraiya said he would explain after the fighting.

Jiraiya questioned why Shisui had not appeared as the Mist youngsters kept him from approaching Orochimaru, until Naruto woke and awkwardly recognized the gathered group. Meanwhile, Haruma let Sasori and Deidara escape after Shisui helped stage a convincing pursuit, then changed the plan and ordered the group to go to the Land of Lightning after dealing with Orochimaru.

• Kimimaro, Suigetsu, and Haku blocked Jiraiya as he asked why Shisui had not appeared, and Tsunade moved to support him.
• Naruto woke, noticed Orochimaru and the others, and called out to Sasuke, Haku, and Chōjūrō before Karin scolded him for overlooking everyone else.
• Sasori fled through the forest carrying the unconscious Deidara after hearing Haruma and Shisui discuss Obito and Pain.
• Haruma praised Shisui's performance and explained that the disrupted plan did not matter because Sasori would carry information back to Nagato.
• Haruma told Shisui to bring everyone to the Land of Lightning after they finished with Orochimaru.

Haruma’s plan to mislead Akatsuki succeeded, and he brought Orochimaru to his underground base to recruit him. Orochimaru joined Haruma’s team after asking whether he could see the future, and Haruma confirmed the ability while explaining why Orochimaru could not repair his arms by stitching together pieces of other souls.

• Haruma watched Shisui take Orochimaru and the youngsters away, while planning to exploit the delay before Nagato and Obito learned what had happened.
• Shisui told Jiraiya and Tsunade that Kirigakure would take Orochimaru into custody, and Jiraiya stopped Tsunade from confronting him.
• After Shisui left, Jiraiya collapsed under Haruma’s Limbo technique, then recovered when Haruma released it.
• Orochimaru led Shisui and the others to an underground base, where Haruma was waiting in his original appearance.
• Orochimaru agreed to join Haruma’s team and asked whether Haruma could see the future; Haruma confirmed it and explained why soul grafting could not restore Orochimaru’s arms.

Haruma explained how Orochimaru could use Living Corpse Reincarnation to restore his hands and arranged for him to join the Great Rich Man Company, promising to unseal the souls after Orochimaru gathered his assets. Meanwhile, Kisame discovered that Itachi and Kakuzu had betrayed the organization and fought to deliver his intelligence, leaving Itachi closing in on him as Kakuzu deployed his monsters.

• Haruma explained that Living Corpse Reincarnation could repair Orochimaru’s body but could not restore his hands’ trapped souls, and Orochimaru realized Haruma knew something about the future.
• Haruma told Orochimaru to bring his test subjects and assets to the Great Rich Man Company in Kirigakure within seven days, then gave him coordinates for a welcome gift and a Shinigami summoning sacrifice.
• After Orochimaru left with Kabuto, Haruma told the youngsters and Shisui about the next stage of the plan.
• At the Land of Lightning’s border, Kisame tried to send his intelligence to the leader, but Kakuzu destroyed his messenger summon while Itachi stood by.
• Kisame accused Itachi and Kakuzu of betraying the organization, fused with Samehada, and unleashed powerful Water Release techniques to protect the intelligence.
• Kakuzu revealed five masked monsters from his back, while Itachi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and charged at Kisame.

Kisame, Itachi, and Kakuzu fought amid a vast ocean of water and fire, while Haruma’s squad approached the battle near the Land of Lightning. Sasuke recognized Itachi, but Haruma prioritized the mission and vanished toward the fighting as Kisame sensed an approaching chakra presence.

• Itachi used Amaterasu and Susanoo to repel Kisame, who escaped with a Water Clone and summoned a vast ocean of whale sharks to cover his retreat with the intelligence.
• Kisame sent a white shark carrying the intelligence scroll away while Kakuzu combined his elemental masks and blasted much of the sea-beast swarm with a powerful lightning attack.
• Haruma brought Sasuke, Shisui, Suigetsu, Karin, and others near the battlefield, where Sasuke recognized Itachi and asked whether they could bring him home.
• Shisui told Sasuke that their mission was not to capture Itachi, and Karin punched Suigetsu after he mocked Sasuke.
• Haruma ordered Karin to watch for approaching Land of Lightning ninja and the others to wait, then vanished toward the battlefield as Kisame detected a rapidly approaching chakra presence.

Haruma rescued Kisame from Kakuzu and Itachi, while Shisui used Kotoamatsukami to rewrite Kisame’s memories and make him a loyal Kirigakure and Great Rich Man Company infiltrator. Shisui then gave Itachi replacement Mangekyō Sharingan, which Itachi received after signing another IOU.

• Haruma used Domain Expansion to freeze Kisame and knock him unconscious, then brought him to a nearby cave with Itachi and Kakuzu.
• Shisui arrived and used Kotoamatsukami to make Kisame believe he had always served Lord Haruma and infiltrated the Akatsuki for Kirigakure.
• Kisame thanked Haruma, who declared that Kisame, Kakuzu, and Itachi were now comrades.
• Haruma took Kakuzu and Kisame outside, leaving Shisui and Itachi to speak privately.
• Shisui gave Itachi a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan and a ten-digit IOU, explaining that the transplant could stop his eyesight from deteriorating and that both men might evolve their eyes into the Rinnegan.
• Itachi signed the IOU and pressed his bloody fingerprint onto it.

Haruma orchestrated a staged Akatsuki attack on Kumogakure, sending Shisui to impersonate Itachi while the others devastated a Cloud ninja unit. A rushed to confront the attackers, and Haruma returned to the Land of Lightning’s border to face what came next.

• Itachi learned Shisui had lost track of his debt and asked him to keep Sasuke from signing an IOU.
• Haruma briefed Kisame and Kakuzu on the plan, then used Flying Thunder God to take them and Itachi toward the staged battle while Shisui stayed behind to impersonate Itachi.
• Akatsuki members attacked a hundred-strong Cloud ninja unit, and Shisui’s arrival disguised as Itachi helped rout the remaining defenders.
• A learned of the attack, ordered Mabui to keep watch on B, and rushed out to confront Akatsuki.
• Mabui sent the intelligence to the Anbu, while Darui led five Anbu squads after A; Haruma returned alone to the Land of Lightning’s border.

Haruma protected Sasuke and Shisui’s group from Raikage A, badly injuring him and forcing Kumogakure to wait for reinforcements. Haruma then told the group to hold back until the reinforcements arrived and to announce their names and objective.

• Raikage A attacked Sasuke with a Lariat, but Haruma stopped him and threw him back.
• A attacked Haruma again, and Haruma broke his leg and slammed him into a deep pit.
• Shisui gathered the youngsters and paused their attack while Suigetsu celebrated their fight.
• Darui arrived with Anbu, and C began healing A as Darui urged him to wait for reinforcements.
• Haruma told the group not to act until the reinforcements arrived and to announce their names and objective.

Haruma and the Akatsuki confronted Raikage A and demanded that the Five Great Nations pay them five billion annually. When A refused, Haruma rose above Kumogakure and began unleashing Super Shinra Tensei.

• Cloud reinforcements gathered, but Haruma repelled A when the Raikage charged at the rising stone platform.
• Suigetsu introduced Haruma as Pain and named the disguised Akatsuki members to the Cloud ninja below.
• Suigetsu demanded five billion in annual payments from every ninja village in the Five Great Nations, threatening war if they refused.
• A rejected the demand, so Haruma rose into the clouds to demonstrate a god's power while leaving witnesses alive.
• Haruma gathered immense chakra above the assembled Cloud ninja and cried, "Super Shinra Tensei!"

Killer B slipped away from his guards and reached the battlefield, where he found Raikage A battling Haruma amid the slaughtered Cloud ninja. Haruma defeated A in a direct clash and explained the five-second cooldown of his repulsive dōjutsu, leaving A and Killer B facing an enemy who claimed his strength went far beyond his eyes.

• Killer B used an Eight-Tails clone to fool the two Anbu guarding him and headed toward the battlefield.
• Killer B found the battlefield in ruins and saw Raikage A fighting Haruma among the dead.
• A attacked Haruma, but an invisible barrier repelled him; Killer B joined the fight with a surprise sword strike that Haruma dodged.
• A realized Haruma’s repulsion had a five-second cooldown and attacked during the interval, but Haruma broke A’s fist and sent him flying with a punch.
• Haruma explained that Shinra Tensei repelled attacks in every direction and had a five-second cooldown, then declared that his power did not depend on his dōjutsu.

Haruma defeated the Raikage’s attackers while demanding annual protection money, and Darui realized Akatsuki’s other members were targeting Kumogakure. Killer B transformed into Gyuki as Shisui’s group reached the village to seize its gold and silver.

• Darui, A, and Killer B attacked Haruma together, but Haruma evaded their Double Lariat and sent A crashing into rubble.
• Darui asked Haruma’s purpose, and Haruma demanded five billion a year in protection money.
• Darui realized Akatsuki’s members were absent because they were attacking Kumogakure, and A urged Killer B to act.
• Killer B called on the Eight-Tails and transformed into Gyuki.
• Shisui, Suigetsu, Karin, and Kimimaro continued toward Kumogakure to take its wealth while leaving witnesses alive.

Haruma defeated the Eight-Tails’ coordinated assault and stopped Gyuki’s all-out Tailed Beast Ball with a black rod, while Killer B rescued Darui, A, and C from the blast. Back in the Land of Water, Haruma granted Yagura a month and a half of leave from collecting bridge tolls.

• Darui, A, and C attacked Haruma in succession while Gyuki charged a Tailed Beast Ball, but Haruma repelled their strikes and combined attack.
• Haruma opened three gates and stopped Gyuki’s Tailed Beast Ball with his black rod, knocking it toward the men on the ground.
• Killer B called to Gyuki, who shielded the three injured men from the explosion with his body.
• Killer B emerged from the rubble that night and carried the wounded men to a ruined village where Anbu were rescuing survivors.
• Haruma returned to the Land of Water and approved Yagura’s request for leave, arranging for three Anbu squads to guard Rich Man Bridge.

Haruma began seclusion in Kirigakure while the Land of Lightning publicly warned the Shinobi World about Akatsuki and called for a summit. After hearing Sasori’s suspicions about the Kumogakure operation, Nagato considered that impostors and spies might have infiltrated his organization.

• Haruma instructed Mei Terumi to coordinate with Shisui on the Land of Lightning’s secret techniques, then announced Orochimaru would visit in seven days and entered seclusion.
• Three days later, the Fourth Raikage and the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning issued an announcement detailing Akatsuki’s attack, its leader’s abilities, and its members, and invited the Five Great Shinobi Village leaders to discuss defeating the organization.
• Nagato received Sasori and Deidara’s report that impostors had attacked Kumogakure and agreed with Konan to gather Akatsuki’s members and verify their identities.
• Sasori privately told Nagato that the person impersonating him might be connected to the Masked Man, citing suspicious coincidences during the mission and the attackers’ decision to let him and Deidara escape.
• Sasori identified Black and White Zetsu and Uchiha Itachi as suspects who might have helped arrange the operation.

Konan deduced that the Masked Man and Black Tortoise were trying to force the Akatsuki into conflict with the Five Great Villages, and Nagato summoned the organization to investigate possible traitors. Meanwhile, battles erupted across the Land of Fire, where Tsunade and Shikamaru began to suspect that Hidan was not behaving like an ordinary living opponent.

• Konan argued that the Masked Man and Black Tortoise had provoked the villages and preserved the organization’s strength to force Nagato to begin capturing the Tailed Beasts or face the Five Great Villages.
• Nagato summoned the organization to check whether any members remained allied with the Masked Man, but several members had not appeared after half an hour.
• Kisame confronted Might Guy in the Valley of the End and began a Water Release attack.
• Jiraiya and Kakashi escaped Itachi’s black flames and charged at Itachi and Kakuzu, while Tsunade battered Hidan with her strength.
• Shikamaru warned Ino and Choji to stay away from the battlefield, then rushed toward it himself after sensing something was wrong with Hidan.
• Tsunade noticed that Hidan’s expression never changed despite his injuries, making him seem like a living corpse.

Tsunade and Shikamaru cornered the apparent Hidan, while Itachi’s battle with Jiraiya escalated as Kakuzu and Kakashi fought nearby. Itachi’s Perfect Susanoo crushed Hidan before Shikamaru could learn whether he had killed Asuma, and the surviving fighters gathered as Gamabunta confronted the giant.

• Tsunade battered Hidan while Shikamaru used Shadow Possession Jutsu to restrain him and prepare to question him about Asuma’s death.
• Kakuzu moved to support Hidan, but Kakashi held him off while Jiraiya fought Itachi across the lake.
• Jiraiya’s fire attack failed against Itachi’s Perfect Susanoo, which charged into the forest and swung its giant sword at Hidan.
• Tsunade rescued Shikamaru as the Susanoo crushed Hidan, leaving Shikamaru frustrated and unsure whether the killing was accidental or deliberate.
• Gamabunta intercepted the Susanoo’s next strike, and Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shikamaru, Kakashi, Kakuzu, and Kisame regrouped nearby.

Obito and Black Zetsu worried that the Five Great Shinobi Villages would unite against Akatsuki, while Nagato sent Konan to investigate Kakuzu and the others. In Kirigakure, Haruma's seclusion forced the Rich Man Company to relocate to the Uchiha compound, where Fugaku found himself besieged by requests from Shisui and Sasuke.

• Obito told Black Zetsu to find Kisame and learn what had happened, while insisting Akatsuki must stop the Five Kage Summit from proceeding smoothly.
• Nagato sent Konan to investigate in the Land of Fire and agreed not to trust the Masked Man while she was away.
• Haruma's pressure during seclusion caused employees near the company building to collapse, so the Rich Man Company moved its operations to the Uchiha Clan compound.
• Kirigakure's residents welcomed the Uchiha Clan, whose members benefited from the company's busy work and generous mission pay.
• Shisui asked Fugaku for special training, and Sasuke arrived soon after to ask his father for money after finishing a D-rank fishing mission.

On the fifth day of Haruma’s secluded training, Nagato accepted Kakuzu’s report of Hidan’s death while Orochimaru brought Jūgo toward Haruma, hoping he could cure him. Haruma continued testing his new strength against an endlessly powered Might Guy, and on the sixth day Konan investigated Hidan’s death and began suspecting Kirigakure.

• Kakuzu and his companions contacted Nagato, explained their missed meeting, and reported Hidan’s death; Nagato accepted Kakuzu’s account and assigned him to work alone.
• Orochimaru led Kabuto, Jūgo, and three Sound Ninja toward the Land of Water, telling Jūgo that Haruma might cure his condition.
• Haruma fought Might Guy in the mental training room, using Yin-Yang Release to withstand Night Guy as his strength and control improved.
• Konan investigated the Valley of the End in disguise, confirmed that Hidan had died there, and began suspecting Kirigakure after checking reports from Tanzaku Town.

Konan connected the Masked Man to the events in Kirigakure and secretly planned to investigate, while Obito warned Nagato that the village was dangerous. Nagato told Konan what Obito had said, strengthening her suspicion that Kirigakure hid a major secret.

• Konan linked the Masked Man's lies, the Uchiha Clan's move to the Land of Water, and the impersonations across the Shinobi World, then decided to investigate Kirigakure alone.
• Obito urged Pain to take the Five Kage Summit seriously, but Pain dismissed the villages as weak and insisted he could handle them.
• Obito warned Pain that Kirigakure was strange and that Konan should not go there, while Black Zetsu secretly followed Konan.
• Nagato summoned Konan and repeated Obito's warning, leading her to suspect that the impersonator and the attacks on the organization were connected to Kirigakure.

Haruma emerged from seclusion after spending his fortune to raise his combat power, but briefly lost control and damaged the company headquarters while overwhelming everyone nearby. He captured suspected White Zetsu infiltrators as Konan entered Kirigakure alone, followed cautiously by Black Zetsu’s clone.

• Haruma checked his system panel and saw that he had reached the upper tier of Six Paths power, though his fortune was nearly gone.
• Haruma accidentally released a burst of pressure that shattered the building’s windows, damaged its exterior, and knocked Mei Terumi and several others unconscious or to their knees.
• Haruma apologized and treated Mei Terumi, then the company’s workers repaired the building and brought in four tavern servers suspected of being White Zetsu clones.
• Haruma explained that he had been tracking infiltrators through the mist and ordered the four servers’ mouths sealed.
• Konan crossed Rich Man Bridge into the mist disguised among merchants, while Black Zetsu sent a clone after her and stayed behind.

Haruma welcomed Orochimaru into the company, restored his ability to use ninjutsu, and summoned four Hokage with Impure World Reincarnation. The Hokage learned about the village’s later history, and Hashirama was startled by the voice behind them.

• Haruma assigned Jūgo to the Gold Medal Squad and told him to follow Kimimaro, who could calm his berserk condition.
• Orochimaru pledged his loyalty, and Haruma used the Reaper Death Seal to restore Orochimaru’s soul and ninjutsu.
• Haruma used four White Zetsu Clones as sacrifices for Impure World Reincarnation and summoned Hashirama Senju, Tobirama, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze.
• Hashirama, Tobirama, Hiruzen, and Minato discussed their identities and learned that Tsunade was the Fifth Hokage.
• An eerie voice spoke from behind the four Hokage and startled them.

Haruma subdued the four resurrected Hokage and ordered them to work under Orochimaru, then told Mei Terumi and the others to secretly observe a woman he identified as a major target. He had already detected Konan entering Kirigakure and wanted to learn what she was investigating.

• Hashirama and the other Kage turned to confront Haruma, while Orochimaru explained that Haruma had summoned them and that he worked for him.
• Tobirama tried repeatedly to release himself from Haruma’s control, then attacked him, but Haruma exposed his scheme and forced him to kneel.
• Haruma threatened the four Kage, demonstrated his overwhelming power, and warned them against resisting or leaking information to Konoha.
• Haruma sent the four Kage with Suigetsu to Orochimaru’s laboratory and said their assignments would come later.
• Haruma showed Mei Terumi and the others a woman’s portrait and told them to let her investigate without revealing they had noticed her.
• Haruma revealed that Konan had entered Kirigakure and that he planned to discover her objective before acting.

Orochimaru signed a costly contract to conduct forbidden research under Haruma, while Konan investigated Kirigakure and discovered that its peaceful streets hid an unusual system for catching offenders. The chapter left her increasingly suspicious after she witnessed Jonin-level restaurant workers compete to arrest a drunk who tried to leave without paying.

• Suigetsu praised Boss Fu extravagantly and led Tobirama and the other Hokage onward, leaving Tobirama baffled by his devotion.
• Orochimaru signed an employment contract with Haruma that charged him for laboratory rental, protection, repairs, and other costs, while granting him access to prisoners and rare abilities for research.
• Konan disguised herself and ate at a crowded seafood ramen shop, where she noticed that several restaurant workers were Jonin-level ninja discreetly watching outsiders.
• A drunken Iwa ninja flipped a table at an izakaya and tried to leave without paying, prompting workers from nearby shops to hurl hidden weapons around him.
• Akun bound the offender and claimed he had committed one of the Land of Water's most serious offenses, leaving Konan more unsettled about Kirigakure's customs.

Konan secretly followed a drunken Stone ninja into the company and discovered its prison and system for selling prisoners as experimental subjects. In the laboratory, she saw Orochimaru preparing human experiments while Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted him—and three supposedly dead Hokage stood nearby.

• Konan followed Akun as he brought a drunken Stone ninja to Ao, who gave the man the choice of a thirty-million fine or punishment.
• Ao dragged the Stone ninja into a hidden prison, where Konan learned that offenses affecting company revenue were treated as money crimes.
• Orochimaru used employee points to select ten imprisoned ninja, including the Stone ninja, as experimental subjects.
• Kabuto drugged and restrained the ten subjects in the underground laboratory as Orochimaru prepared to experiment on them.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Orochimaru, and Konan was shocked to see the Second, Third, and Fourth Hokage standing there despite being believed dead.

Konan pieced together a theory about Obito’s conspiracy and left the village, while Haruma received orders concerning the One-Tail Jinchuriki and watched Jūgo’s training. The chapter ended with Zabuza calling the group to a new mission.

• Orochimaru told the resurrected Hokage that Obito had summoned them as experimental subjects, and Minato questioned him about Obito Uchiha.
• Konan overheard the conversation, concluded that the Masked Man’s conspiracy involved the Hokage and Orochimaru, and retreated from the village.
• Kisame told Haruma that Obito had ordered him and Itachi to capture Sunagakure’s One-Tail Jinchuriki, and Haruma told them to follow the orders and report changes.
• Jūgo lost control during training, but Kimimaro restrained him with his bones and promised to become his shackles.
• Zabuza arrived at the training room and told the group they had a mission.

Nagato and Konan planned to use the mysterious enemy’s forces while Haruma ordered the reanimated Hokage to demand protection money from the Five Great Nations. As Akatsuki captured several Jinchūriki and the Five Kage Summit was suspended, Haruma’s group arrived in Konoha, where Tsunade confronted them and attacked Suigetsu.

• Nagato scolded Konan for infiltrating Kirigakure alone, then decided Akatsuki would accelerate its Tailed Beast captures and kill the man manipulating them later.
• Haruma ordered the four reanimated Hokage and Zabuza’s squad to demand protection money from the Five Great Nations, threatening destruction for any nation that refused.
• Akatsuki captured the newly appointed Fifth Kazekage and several Jinchūriki, forcing the Five Kage Summit to be suspended while the villages searched for them.
• Tobirama and Minato brought Haruma’s group to Konoha, where Tsunade, Jiraiya, Naruto, and the Anbu recognized the reanimated Hokage.
• Suigetsu demanded five billion in protection money and threatened to destroy Konoha, so Tsunade attacked him with a full-power punch.