Recaps

Naoki Senju used the One-Tail’s chakra to collapse the sand and destroy the White Zetsu army, then faced Sasori of the Red Sands as he arrived. Naoki badly damaged Sasori’s Hiruko puppet, and Sasori revealed that he was about to show the ultimate secret of the Puppet Technique.

• Naoki Senju disrupted the ground beneath the White Zetsu army and trapped the fused White Zetsu in quicksand, where they sank as they struggled.
• Black Zetsu learned that Sasori of the Red Sands was approaching and ordered White Zetsu to search for Pain while complaining about Deidara and Hidan.
• Sasori of the Red Sands crossed the quicksand and watched the White Zetsu army fall before identifying Naoki Senju as the One-Tail Jinchuriki who also held the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails.
• Naoki Senju attacked Hiruko with the Monster Strength Fist and bent the puppet’s steel frame, forcing Sasori to recognize that Hiruko could not defeat him alone.
• Sasori of the Red Sands announced that he would reveal the ultimate secret of the Puppet Technique, speaking in his own voice from inside Hiruko.

Sasori of the Red Sands revealed himself and sent the Third Kazekage Human Puppet to fight Naoki Senju. Naoki’s Monster Strength Fist punched through the puppet’s iron sand defense, forcing Sasori to raise a stronger barrier.

• Sasori of the Red Sands emerged from Hiruko and challenged Naoki Senju, who urged him to begin fighting.
• Sasori summoned his Human Puppet of the Third Kazekage and sent it lunging at Naoki.
• Naoki evaded the puppet and charged Sasori, aiming to destroy his core.
• Sasori used Magnet Release to form an iron sand wall, but Naoki punched a deep crater into it.
• Sasori, shocked by Naoki’s strength, used Magnet Release: Iron Sand Barrier Formation.

Naoki Senju overwhelmed Sasori of the Red Sands by taking control of the Third Kazekage’s iron sand with his mastery of One-Tail chakra. As Sasori burned through his puppets to survive Naoki’s attack, Pain’s Deva Path arrived and intervened.

• Naoki Senju blocked the Third Kazekage’s iron sand attacks with Wood Release, but Sasori of the Red Sands followed up with flames and a second Iron Sand World Method.
• Naoki Senju revealed that his Magnet Release had overpowered the Third Kazekage’s, and he said his strength came from mastering the One-Tail’s chakra.
• Naoki Senju unleashed Iron Sand Shower using more than half of Shukaku’s chakra, forcing Sasori to defend himself with Hiruko and disposable puppets.
• Sasori of the Red Sands deployed his Hundred Puppets technique and used puppet after puppet as shields against Naoki’s iron sand.
• Pain’s Deva Path descended to the battlefield and used Shinra Tensei.

Pain's Deva Path took over the fight against Naoki Senju after Sasori warned that Naoki was far stronger than expected. Meanwhile, Deidara and Hidan got lost on their way to the battlefield, then mistook Sasori for an enemy until his ring proved his identity.

• Pain's Deva Path repelled Naoki Senju's iron sand attack and told Sasori to find Deidara and Hidan while he handled the target.
• Deidara and Hidan argued as they searched the desert, blaming each other for losing their White Zetsu guide.
• Naoki pierced the wing of Deidara's Clay Bird, and Deidara retaliated by dropping Clay Bombs on Sasori.
• Deidara and Hidan failed to recognize Sasori, attacked him, and mistook his Human Puppet form for an impostor.
• Sasori showed Deidara his Virgin Ring, convincing him that he really was Sasori of the Red Sands.

Hidan, Deidara, and Sasori headed to the battlefield while Naoki Senju faced Pain and learned why Nagato was committed to the Akatsuki’s plan. The Six Paths of Pain assembled against Naoki, despite the strain their distance put on Nagato.

• Hidan charged Deidara and Sasori again, but Deidara blasted him and Hidan sat down, daring them to kill him and face Lord Jashin.
• Sasori revealed his identity to Hidan, who mocked his age and appearance, so Sasori hung him upside down from the four-winged clay bird as Deidara carried them toward the battlefield.
• Pain confronted Naoki Senju, cited his Magnet Release and Wood Release, and demanded that the tailed beast be handed over to the Akatsuki.
• Konan warned Nagato that controlling the Six Paths from afar was harming him, but Nagato insisted on continuing to avoid being discovered.
• Nagato summoned the Animal Path, Naraka Path, Asura Path, Preta Path, and Human Path, bringing all Six Paths of Pain together before Naoki Senju.

Nagato sent the Six Paths of Pain to fight Naoki Senju, who targeted the Naraka Path to prevent it from reviving the others. The Naraka Path turned out to be a decoy, while Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki continued watching Kumogakure.

• Nagato ordered the Six Paths of Pain to attack Naoki Senju in formation and used their shared vision to coordinate them.
• The Asura Path launched homing missiles, and the Animal Path summoned a giant bull that pierced Naoki's wooden barricade.
• Naoki appeared behind the Naraka Path and struck it with Wind Release: Wind Cutter Blade, but it broke apart like a puppet.
• Nagato realized Naoki might know the Six Paths of Pain's secrets and suspected Uchiha Itachi had revealed them.
• Uchiha Itachi considered killing Kisame Hoshigaki while they scouted Kumogakure, but Kisame remained unaware and reported that the Two-Tails Jinchūriki had become acting Raikage.

Naoki Senju summoned a colossal portion of Katsuyu during his battle with the Six Paths of Pain, dwarfing Pain’s summoned beasts and forcing Nagato to reconsider his countermeasures. Meanwhile, Itachi agreed to help Kisame lure the Two-Tails Jinchūriki out of Kumogakure.

• Itachi agreed to assist Kisame in luring the Two-Tails Jinchūriki outside Kumogakure, despite recognizing the danger this posed to her.
• The Animal Path summoned the Hell Crab and Chameleon alongside the bull as Pain’s forces prepared to stop Naoki.
• Naoki completed a summoning before Pain’s attacks could interrupt him, and Katsuyu emerged large enough to stop the bull and absorb the Asura Path’s laser without injury.
• Katsuyu crushed the bull and prepared to attack, while Nagato doubted that the Hell Crab’s planned foam and salt-water countermeasure could work against her enormous size.

Nagato used Super Shinra Tensei to protect the Six Paths of Pain from Katsuyu’s acid, while warning Konan not to trust the Masked Man. After Katsuyu returned to Shikkotsu Forest, Naoki Senju attacked the depleted Pain with Wood Release, forcing Nagato to spend even more Chakra.

• Nagato used the Deva Path to push the other Paths of Pain out of Katsuyu’s acid and warned Konan that he did not trust the Masked Man.
• Pain’s Deva Path rose above the acid and unleashed Super Shinra Tensei, leaving several of the other Paths drained and vulnerable.
• Naoki Senju recognized that Katsuyu was the Katsuyu Sage and sent her back to Shikkotsu Forest.
• Naoki Senju used Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence to challenge Shinra Tensei and drain more of Nagato’s Chakra.

Nagato pushed Pain to the brink with Super Shinra Tensei, but Naoki Senju remained ready to fight as the Akatsuki rushed to the battlefield. Pain attempted a surprise attack on Naoki, and Sasori of the Red Sands sacrificed his Human Puppet to block it.

• Nagato spent his remaining life force to unleash Super Shinra Tensei, flattening Naoki Senju's Deep Forest Emergence and blasting Naoki across the desert.
• Sasori of the Red Sands, Deidara, and Hidan headed toward the crater, while Sasori explained that Hidan's immortality let him survive a fall from the Clay Bird.
• Naoki Senju entered the crater and confronted the exhausted Pain's Deva Path, who declared that the Akatsuki had to capture the Tailed Beasts and Jinchūriki.
• Pain's Deva Path feigned weakness and used Banshō Ten'in to send a black chakra rod toward Naoki's heart.
• Sasori of the Red Sands intercepted the chakra rod with his Human Puppet, which was pierced and badly damaged, and reminded his leader to reimburse him.

Naoki Senju used Space-Time Ninjutsu to turn aside Pain's Deva Path's attack, then fought the Akatsuki members in the desert while transformed with the power of a Tailed Beast. He left Deidara badly wounded, and Sasori of the Red Sands rescued him as Pain's Deva Path's counterattack failed to catch Naoki.

• Deidara taunted Pain's Deva Path, while Sasori of the Red Sands explained that Naoki Senju had used Space-Time Ninjutsu to evade the Chakra rod.
• Konan and Nagato suspected Naoki Senju might be the Masked Man, but Nagato dismissed the theory because of their apparent difference in age.
• Naoki Senju entered an eight-tailed Partial Tailed Beast Transformation and swept Deidara from the sky with Wind Release: Wind Killing Formation.
• Deidara tried to detonate a Clay Bomb at close range, but Naoki Senju severed his left arm and suppressed the explosion with Tailed Beast Chakra.
• Pain's Deva Path used Shinra Tensei, but Naoki Senju dodged, while Sasori of the Red Sands used the Third Kazekage to rescue the bleeding Deidara.

Naoki Senju used his teleportation technique to evade Pain's Deva Path and Sasori of the Red Sands while charging a Tailed Beast Bomb. He sent the attack toward Sasori, who threw Deidara clear and was left facing the blast.

• Sasori of the Red Sands used iron sand to stop Deidara's bleeding and urged him to endure the pain.
• Pain's Deva Path attacked Naoki Senju, but Naoki struck him and teleported Sasori's poisoned iron sand spikes away before they could hit.
• Pain's Deva Path realized Naoki could teleport nearby objects and prepared to interrupt his Tailed Beast Bomb with taijutsu.
• Naoki teleported the nearly completed Tailed Beast Bomb to Sasori of the Red Sands, who flung Deidara away with his Chakra Threads.
• Sasori of the Red Sands was left facing the Tailed Beast Bomb after its chakra disrupted his Chakra Threads.

Naoki Senju fought Pain's Deva Path while trying to reach Deidara, who was badly injured and grieving Sasori's death. Deidara began his ultimate art by preparing to self-destruct, leaving the battlefield on the brink of a massive explosion.

• Deidara mourned Sasori, who had sacrificed himself to save him from the Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Hidan arrived late after performing his prayers and charged into the battle, eager to be hit by another Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Naoki Senju used a Tailed Beast Bomb as a feint, then rushed toward Deidara, but Pain's Deva Path interrupted him with Shinra Tensei and fought him off.
• Naoki Senju activated Sage Mode with help from Wood Release and resisted Pain's Deva Path's Banshō Ten'in.
• Deidara, gravely wounded by his own Clay Bombs, removed the stitches over his chest and began chewing explosive clay with the mouth on his heart, preparing to self-destruct.

Deidara completed his ultimate art by turning his body into a massive explosion, while Naoki Senju tried to slow Pain's Deva Path as they fled. The blast engulfed them, and Nagato decided to move closer to Pain's Deva Path despite Konan's concerns, agreeing not to use a dangerous ninjutsu.

• Deidara's body turned black and began cracking as the Explosive Clay inside him reached the final stage of his ultimate art.
• Naoki Senju and Pain's Deva Path fled, while Naoki attacked the Deva Path with wooden spikes and a forest to slow him down.
• Deidara shouted "Explode! Katsu!" and unleashed a vast blast that swallowed Pain's Deva Path, Hidan, and Naoki Senju.
• Black Zetsu watched the explosion from afar, while Nagato and Konan saw the Six Paths of Pain deteriorating through the Rinnegan.
• Nagato decided to move closer to Pain's Deva Path despite Konan's warning, and he agreed not to use the ninjutsu she feared.

Naoki Senju survived Deidara’s explosion and discovered that Nagato’s weakened Deva Path was regaining strength because Nagato had come nearby. Naoki tried to draw the fight toward Nagato, while wood clones pursued Nagato and Konan as they fled.

• Naoki Senju, Pain's Deva Path, and Hidan struggled to their feet after Deidara’s explosion, which destroyed the other five Paths of Pain.
• Naoki Senju confronted Pain's Deva Path and declared that he would take Nagato’s Rinnegan.
• Nagato supplied Pain's Deva Path with chakra, restoring his fighting strength enough to resume battling Naoki Senju.
• Naoki Senju realized Nagato was nearby and decided to move the fight outward to prevent him from escaping.
• Pain's Deva Path used Shinra Tensei to stop Naoki Senju from shifting the battlefield, while Naoki's wood clones pursued Nagato and Konan.

Naoki Senju cornered Nagato and Konan, who fought back with Konan’s explosive paper techniques. Nagato summoned Pain’s Deva Path, leaving the confrontation poised to turn as the battle continued.

• Naoki Senju’s Wood Clones pursued Nagato and Konan, while Naoki urged Nagato to surrender the Rinnegan.
• Konan left a Paper Clone to carry Nagato toward Amegakure and turned back to attack the pursuing Wood Clones with explosive paper.
• Naoki’s hidden Wood Clone captured Konan, and Nagato returned with a kunai held near the Rinnegan to force Naoki to release her.
• Naoki released Konan and offered to let them leave if Nagato surrendered the Rinnegan, but Konan attacked again with Explosive Tags.
• Nagato used the Summoning Technique to call Pain’s Deva Path from afar.

Nagato and Konan tried to escape Naoki Senju, but Konan stayed behind to stop him with three million explosive tags. Nagato read her farewell letter and turned back to save her, only to be caught in the blast.

• Nagato used Shinra Tensei to destroy nearby Wood Clones, then fled toward Amegakure with Pain's Deva Path.
• Konan remained behind and confronted Naoki Senju, who carried Hidan's severed head and intended to pursue Nagato.
• Konan revealed that she had hidden three million explosive tags and threatened to detonate them if Naoki continued after Nagato.
• Naoki tried to shake Konan's resolve, but she insisted Nagato would not return and that Naoki would not get the Rinnegan.
• Nagato intercepted Konan's paper crane, read her farewell letter, and turned back to rescue her.
• The explosive tags detonated as Nagato cried out for Konan, and the blast sent his weakened body tumbling.

Nagato woke in the Akatsuki base and learned that Zetsu had rescued him on behalf of Obito Uchiha, who intended to take the Rinnegan. After Obito revealed that his attempt to capture the Nine-Tails had failed, Nagato broke free of his genjutsu and attacked him with Shinra Tensei.

• Nagato regained consciousness in the Akatsuki base and worried about Konan, his missing Pain paths, and who had brought him there.
• White Zetsu introduced himself and Black Zetsu, and Black Zetsu revealed that they served Madara Uchiha rather than the Akatsuki.
• Obito Uchiha arrived and told Nagato that he had seen the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki in Konoha but had found no chance to capture him.
• Nagato learned that Jiraiya had returned to Konoha to guard the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and taunted Obito over the failed operation.
• Obito used Sharingan genjutsu on Nagato and demanded the Rinnegan, but Nagato broke free and struck at him with Shinra Tensei.

Obito Uchiha tried to seize Nagato’s Rinnegan, but Nagato activated the Asura Path and prepared to destroy the eyes rather than let Obito take them. Obito used Izanagi to protect the Rinnegan, while a mysterious sphere drifted above Amegakure.

• Black Zetsu told Nagato that Amegakure’s ninja had gone to the Land of Lightning, leaving him without reinforcements.
• Obito Uchiha evaded Nagato’s attacks and moved in to take the Rinnegan, hoping to strengthen himself against Naoki Senju.
• The Asura Path attacked Obito with a missile, but Obito’s body remained intangible and the attack destroyed the building around them.
• Nagato activated the Asura Path’s weapons against himself, declaring that no one would get the Rinnegan.
• Obito removed his mask and used Izanagi to protect the Rinnegan, as a tiny sphere of darkness rose above Amegakure.

Naoki Senju rescued Konan from the explosion of three million Explosive Tags, hoping to preserve her valuable Paper Release for Konoha. After the blast, Konan asked why he had saved her and realized he knew about her connection to Jiraiya.

• Konan detonated three million Explosive Tags while trying to stop Naoki Senju from pursuing Nagato.
• Naoki Senju used the Three-Tails Isobu's chakra to shield himself and Konan from the explosions.
• Konan recovered inside the protective chakra, while Naoki Senju considered making her Paper Release an exclusive incentive for Konoha's Anbu.
• After the explosions ended, Naoki Senju and Konan rested and shared water as her chakra began to recover.
• Konan asked why Naoki Senju had saved her, and he said he did not want her to die in the blast.
• Konan compared Naoki Senju to Jiraiya and realized he already knew about her former teacher and Nagato's identity.

Konan learned that Black Zetsu had taken the unconscious Nagato and tried to escape Naoki Senju to reach him. Naoki stopped her and treated her chakra exhaustion, leaving Konan unconscious as he prepared to continue toward Sunagakure.

• Naoki Senju told Konan that he was heading to Sunagakure, then revealed that Black Zetsu had carried Nagato away while White Zetsu held off his Wood Clones.
• Konan realized Nagato was in danger and resolved to return to Amegakure, recalling how hardship had taught her to survive without giving in to despair.
• Konan secretly formed paper cranes and began making Paper Clones so she could flee, but she exhausted her remaining chakra and collapsed.
• Naoki Senju lifted Konan, knocked her unconscious to calm her restless chakra, and placed one of Tsunade's chakra-exhaustion pills beneath her tongue.
• Naoki Senju concluded that Konan would recover after sleeping and accepted that Nagato or Obito might end up with the Rinnegan.

Naoki Senju arrived in Sunagakure and arranged for Temari to take charge while Konan recovered. Konan urged him to save Nagato, but Temari revealed that Amegakure had been lifted into the sky and reduced to a crater.

• Naoki Senju entered Sunagakure with the unconscious Konan and asked where Temari was.
• Naoki Senju told Temari he would leave Sunagakure in her hands after learning she had obtained intelligence on the Akatsuki.
• Konan woke and pleaded with Naoki Senju to go to Amegakure and save Nagato.
• Temari told Naoki Senju and Konan that Amegakure had been destroyed, with its buildings and land pulled into the sky.
• Naoki Senju and Konan recognized the destruction as Nagato's Chibaku Tensei.

Naoki Senju questioned Konan about the Masked Man’s battle with Nagato and offered her a mission once she recovered. After leaving her room, he confronted Temari about who in Sunagakure had approved her imprisonment.

• Temari told Konan that Amegakure had been sealed off and Sunagakure’s intelligence ninja could not approach, while the disaster seemed unlikely to have left survivors.
• Konan worried that Nagato might have died and asked Naoki Senju what she had to do to be released; Naoki said she needed to heal before handling an important mission.
• Naoki Senju left Konan with Temari and asked Temari who in Sunagakure had tacitly approved of imprisoning her.
• Naoki Senju reflected on his past political maneuvering, including absorbing Root and the destruction of the Shimura Clan, while the Sarutobi Clan remained at risk.

Temari told Naoki Senju who held power in Sunagakure, and he promised to resolve the village’s problems while demanding her personal submission. After surveying Sunagakure and finding it economically unsustainable, Naoki prepared to replace it with a Konoha branch in the Land of Wind.

• Temari named Ebizo and the council elders as Sunagakure’s real power brokers, while Naoki considered Chiyo a threat to Temari’s succession.
• Naoki told Temari he would deal with Sunagakure’s problems and demanded she prove her loyalty that night; Temari agreed.
• Naoki left the recovering Konan in Temari’s care and spent the day inspecting Sunagakure, including infiltrating its Anbu.
• Naoki concluded that Sunagakure was economically unsustainable but strategically useful because of its location.
• The next day, Konan said she had fully recovered and asked Naoki to keep his promise, and he declared that Sunagakure would be replaced by Konoha Village’s Land of Wind branch.

Naoki Senju sent Konan to destroy Sunagakure’s elders’ council hall, and her explosive attack killed or buried many of the village’s leaders. As Chiyo arrived to help Ebizo, her puppets began drawing the raging explosions and debris into their formation.

• Temari asked Naoki Senju whether he had decided to move against Sunagakure’s elders, and Naoki gave Konan a scroll of thirty thousand Explosive Tags and ordered her to leave none alive.
• Konan flew to Sunagakure’s elders’ council hall and leveled the century-old building with explosions, burying many senior officials.
• Ebizo recognized Konan as an Akatsuki member, sent for Chiyo, and attacked with his Seven Puppets, but Konan’s explosive paper attack destroyed the puppets and engulfed him.
• Chiyo arrived, saw Ebizo’s puppet fragments, and summoned the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets to fight Konan.
• Chiyo’s Three Treasures Suction Crush pulled flames, rubble, puppet fragments, and unexploded Explosive Tags toward the three puppets.

Konan fought Chiyo in Sunagakure, overwhelming her defenses while Chiyo tried to protect the village. Naoki Senju intervened, captured Konan, and declared the fighting over, leaving Sunagakure under the control of its pro-Konoha faction.

• Chiyo used puppet wires to attack Konan, but Konan's paper body passed through them unharmed.
• Chiyo defended Sunagakure's residents with the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets' Dust Light Shield Seal as Konan drained her chakra with explosions.
• Konan and Chiyo both seized an opening, but Naoki Senju's giant Wood Release figure captured Konan and interrupted Chiyo's counterattack, damaging her puppets.
• Chiyo collapsed from exhaustion, and Naoki told Sunagakure's ninja that the fighting had ended and Konan had been captured.
• Naoki's Wood Clones had eliminated the remaining opponents, leaving Sunagakure's survivors as the pro-Konoha peace faction.