Chapter Summaries

Orochimaru confronted Black Zetsu and learned that he was tied to Princess Kaguya and the Eye of the Moon Plan. Black Zetsu escaped after sacrificing part of himself, while Orochimaru collected his remains and resolved to surpass Princess Kaguya.

• Orochimaru questioned Black Zetsu about the Sage of Six Paths, then revealed that Naoki Senju had told him about the ancient history.
• Black Zetsu blamed Hagoromo for interfering again and fused with White Zetsu to make his body expand inside the sage snake.
• Orochimaru allowed White Zetsu to keep expanding until it exploded, damaging the sage snake and giving Black Zetsu a chance to flee.
• Black Zetsu reunited with White Zetsu and discovered that half his body and much of his chakra were gone.
• Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi gathered Black Zetsu's scattered tissue, which Orochimaru saw as material from Princess Kaguya, and he vowed to surpass her.

Obito returned to Amegakure but postponed seeking out Rin while he steadied himself and recommitted to the Eye of the Moon Plan. Meanwhile, Naoki returned to Konoha, where Konoha declared war on all four great shinobi villages, and Tsunade questioned him about bringing Konan back before agreeing to meet her later.

• Obito appeared in Amegakure three days after Pain's Deva Path was abducted, but avoided seeking out Rin because he feared her rejection and feared she might have changed.
• Naoki returned to Konoha as letters declared the Fourth Shinobi World War, with Konoha openly declaring war on Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure.
• Tsunade confronted Naoki about bringing Konan to Konoha, and he described her as a subordinate with impure intentions before winning Tsunade over with affection.
• Naoki told Tsunade that the Akatsuki was gone and highlighted Konan's Paper Release as a valuable technique, prompting Tsunade to ask to meet Konan privately another day.
• Tsunade refused to let Naoki leave that day.

Naoki Senju and Tsunade prepared Konoha for war, and Tsunade approved Shikaku Nara’s plan to fight Iwagakure and Kumogakure with Sunagakure and Kirigakure. Konoha’s forces prepared to move, while the threat of the Akatsuki remained unaccounted for.

• Naoki Senju tried to leave for the war, but Tsunade pulled him back to bed until midday.
• Tsunade returned to Konoha and reviewed Shikaku Nara’s battle plan with Jiraiya and Mei Terumi.
• Tsunade approved a plan that sent Sunagakure against Iwagakure first, while Naoki Senju led a second force and Jiraiya led Konoha and Kirigakure troops against Kumogakure.
• Tsunade ordered Mei Terumi to prove Kirigakure’s value, and Mei Terumi agreed despite her anger.
• Shikaku Nara ended the meeting and allocated wartime funds for supplies and pay for participating ninja.

Ōnoki prepared Iwagakure’s forces to attack Sunagakure while worrying about Naoki Senju and the Akatsuki. He refused Kurotsuchi’s request to join the war, but she secretly found the troops’ departure point and planned to go anyway.

• Kitsuchi reported that Iwagakure’s 324 jonin and supplies were ready, while Akatsuchi said the Akatsuki had not answered their offer.
• Ōnoki said he would secretly follow the war and questioned whether Kitsuchi could face Naoki Senju, prompting Kitsuchi to admit Wood Release would overwhelm Earth Release.
• Kurotsuchi arrived and pleaded with Ōnoki to let her join the war, but he refused and reassured her that Iwagakure would be safe with him there.
• Kurotsuchi sent an Earth Clone into the Tsuchikage’s office and found a report revealing the operation’s departure point.
• Kurotsuchi left with the location and delightedly resolved to take part in the war.

Obito Uchiha sent the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path toward Iwagakure after failing to obtain the Five-Tails and Seven-Tails chakra. Meanwhile, Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure to attack Sunagakure, whose forces Temari led, and the two villages unexpectedly began the Fourth Shinobi World War.

• Orochimaru told Obito Uchiha that he would have to find the Five-Tails and Seven-Tails himself, then left the Akatsuki base.
• After draining Kinkaku and Ginkaku, Obito Uchiha ordered the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to march on Iwagakure.
• Han returned to Iwagakure and reported that Kisame Hoshigaki had captured the Four-Tails Jinchūriki.
• Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure to attack Sunagakure and realized that Kurotsuchi had secretly joined the departing troops, so he chased after them.
• Temari prepared Sunagakure's forces, but they unexpectedly encountered Iwagakure, and the Fourth Shinobi World War began between the two villages.

Sunagakure and Iwagakure escalated a clash into an all-out battle, with Temari trying to save her outmatched forces by retreating into the desert. Ōnoki prepared to strike Temari with Dust Release, but Naoki Senju and Konoha arrived to stop him.

• Sunagakure and Iwagakure scouts discovered each other, and the fighting quickly escalated as Ōnoki and Temari sent in nearly all their forces.
• Temari ordered Sunagakure to retreat deeper into the desert and harass Iwagakure rather than fight head-on.
• Ōnoki sent Han into battle, and the Five-Tails Jinchuriki broke through Sunagakure's retreating forces.
• Temari summoned Kamatari and used Wind Release to pin Han down and steady Sunagakure's formation.
• Ōnoki flew toward Temari and formed Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique, but Naoki Senju and Konoha arrived as he aimed at her.

Naoki Senju overwhelmed Ōnoki in battle, answering the Tsuchikage’s rock giant with vast Wood Release techniques. While the battlefield focused on their clash, Akatsuki captured the Five-Tails Jinchuriki and began sealing the beast, bringing Black Zetsu closer to his goal.

• Ōnoki recognized Naoki Senju’s Wood Release and realized he might have sealed multiple tailed beasts, including the Seven-Tails.
• Naoki Senju used Wind Release and Seven-Tails’ Scattering Powder Technique against Ōnoki, who countered with Earth Release techniques.
• Ōnoki summoned the Golem Technique and faced Naoki Senju with renewed resolve, but Naoki’s Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Golem overwhelmed his confidence.
• Akatsuki ninja subdued the Five-Tails Jinchuriki and began sealing the beast into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

Naoki Senju survived Ōnoki’s Dust Release and overwhelmed the battlefield with Wood Release, while Obito Uchiha continued sealing the Five-Tails into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Ōnoki died when an unseen attacker used the Rinnegan to stop his final Dust Release, and the chapter ended with the attacker addressing Naoki.

• Ōnoki’s Dust Release erased the wooden giant’s upper body, prompting Iwagakure’s ninja to cheer as he believed he had defeated Naoki Senju.
• Naoki used Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence to crush the rock giant and bind the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, while Obito Uchiha’s Five-Tails sealing continued.
• The Seven-Tails’ chakra traveled through Naoki’s Wood Release into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, setting up the Ten-Tails’ resurrection once the Five-Tails was sealed.
• Ōnoki gathered his remaining chakra for another Dust Release, but an unseen person seized his arm and extinguished the attack.
• Ōnoki died, and the attacker asked Naoki what he thought of the Rinnegan.

Naoki Senju and Orochimaru discussed Black Zetsu’s escape with Madara Uchiha’s reincarnated body as the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path transformed into the Ten-Tails. Obito Uchiha tried to control it, but Naoki appeared behind him and threatened to use Rinne Rebirth on Rin Nohara.

• Naoki Senju examined Nagato’s Impure World Reincarnation and told Orochimaru he would rather see Madara Uchiha at his prime.
• Orochimaru admitted Black Zetsu had stolen Madara Uchiha’s reincarnated body and severed its connection to Impure World Reincarnation.
• Naoki watched as the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path sealed the final tailed beast, while Orochimaru warned that the Ten-Tails’ chakra might retain consciousness.
• The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path threw off the reincarnated ninja and transformed into the Ten-Tails despite the Seven-Tails’ absence.
• Obito Uchiha leaped onto the Ten-Tails to control it, but Naoki Senju appeared behind him and mentioned using Rinne Rebirth on Rin Nohara.

Naoki Senju sealed the Seven-Tails, gained the power of flight, and left Takigakure with Konan while planning to use the Masked Man’s hunt for tailed beasts against him. Meanwhile, Ōnoki suspected a hidden conspiracy behind the shinobi world’s unusual calm, and Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi’s Two-Tails mission ran into trouble after Kumogakure detected them.

• Konan killed the leaders of repeated Takigakure groups sent to confront her, and the eighth group finally fled, quieting the area around the flowering tree world.
• Naoki Senju sealed the Seven-Tails with little resistance and gained transparent wings that let him fly.
• Naoki Senju told Konan he would let the Masked Man gather the other tailed beasts, intending to lure Obito Uchiha into a trap.
• Ōnoki reviewed intelligence about recent upheavals and chose to restrain Iwagakure’s pro-war faction because he suspected a deeper conspiracy.
• Kisame Hoshigaki praised Uchiha Itachi’s genjutsu as they moved unnoticed among Kumogakure ninja.
• Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi’s attempt to capture the Two-Tails Jinchuriki was disrupted when the Jinchuriki’s complete transformation triggered Kumogakure’s alarm system.

Naoki Senju sealed the Seven-Tails and gained the ability to fly, while Konan watched Takigakure’s ninja repeatedly fail to stop them. Elsewhere, Ōnoki suspected the Shinobi World’s calm concealed a plot, and Orochimaru offered Obito a partnership after destroying Amegakure; the limits of controlling Madara Uchiha through Impure World Reincarnation remained unresolved.

• Naoki Senju used Wood Release to capture the Takigakure ninja who attacked him and Konan, while Konan drove off successive groups by killing their leaders.
• Naoki Senju sealed the Seven-Tails with little resistance and gained transparent wings that let him fly.
• Naoki Senju told Konan he would let the Masked Man gather the remaining tailed beasts, then use the situation to lure Obito Uchiha into a trap.
• Ōnoki reviewed reports of the recent upheavals and restrained Iwagakure from exploiting the weakened neighboring villages because he suspected a hidden scheme.
• Orochimaru showed Obito the ruins of Amegakure as an introductory gift and proposed discussing their cooperation, while keeping quiet about the limits of controlling those revived through Impure World Reincarnation.

Obito confronted Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi after their failed attempt to capture the Two-Tails, while Ōnoki prepared Iwagakure's forces for a war against Sunagakure. Konan faced Chiyo in battle, and the chapter ended with Chiyo's cutting-wire attack unable to harm Konan's paper body.

• Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi returned with chakra and an arm from the Two-Tails Jinchūriki after Kumogakure's alarm forced their mission to fail.
• Obito rebuked Kisame, used Banshō Ten'in to pull Uchiha Itachi toward him, and passed Itachi's shuriken attacks with Kamui Intangibility.
• Kitsuchi reported to Ōnoki that Iwagakure had assembled 324 jonin and its hired mercenaries, while the Akatsuki had not responded to their offer.
• Ōnoki said he would secretly follow Iwagakure's war effort and warned his companions not to reveal his presence.
• Chiyo attacked Konan with puppets and steel wires, but Konan's paper body was unaffected by the cutting attack.

Obito confronted Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi after their failed attempt to capture the Two-Tails, while Amegakure struggled to recover from its destruction. Elsewhere, Naoki Senju questioned Temari about Sunagakure’s leadership as Chiyo faced the crisis caused by the Fourth Kazekage’s death and Gaara’s loss.

• Pain's Deva Path organized rescue and repair efforts in the ruins of Amegakure, while White Zetsu caught ninja attempting to defect.
• Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi failed to capture the Two-Tails Jinchūriki after Kumogakure's warning device alerted the village, though Kisame claimed Samehada had torn off a tail and an arm.
• Obito rebuked Kisame, then used Banshō Ten'in to pull Uchiha Itachi toward him as Itachi tried to escape; Obito's Kamui let the shuriken pass through him.
• Chiyo countered Konan's attacks with the Puppet Technique.
• Temari told Naoki Senju that Ebizo and Sunagakure's council held real power, while she viewed Chiyo as a threat to her bid to become Fifth Kazekage.
• Naoki Senju arrived in Sunagakure with a patrol, leaving Chiyo alarmed as Gaara's death and the loss of the One-Tail weighed on the confined siblings.

Konoha prepared reinforcements for the front while Black Zetsu ordered Obito Uchiha to use the Akatsuki and White Zetsu to kill Naoki Senju. Naoki faced the Fourth Raikage and Killer B in battle, and Temari and Kankuro encountered him when they came to the appointed meeting place to return to Sunagakure.

• Shikaku Nara assembled Konoha's reinforcements and logistics units to depart for the front at Tsunade's command.
• Black Zetsu ordered Obito Uchiha to have the Akatsuki kill Naoki Senju and offered to send all the White Zetsu to support them.
• Killer B located Naoki Senju amid the dust, and the Fourth Raikage charged him with Lightning Release: Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop.
• Shikaku Nara woke Kakashi and decided he would serve as Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha's jonin instructor.
• Temari and Kankuro went to the designated meeting place to return to Sunagakure and found Naoki Senju waiting there.

Orochimaru forced Obito to accept a deal exchanging Impure World Reincarnation forces for the hidden Rinnegan, then used Rin Nohara’s cells to unsettle him. The story left Obito and Black Zetsu scrambling to advance the Eye of the Moon Plan while Amegakure struggled to recover.

• Orochimaru trapped Black Zetsu and offered to tell him about the Sage of Six Paths’ era if he cooperated.
• Orochimaru offered Obito an army of reincarnated ninja, including former Jinchūriki, Kage, Kekkei Genkai users, and deceased Akatsuki members, in exchange for the other Rinnegan.
• Orochimaru began reincarnating Rin Nohara, and Obito accepted the deal before taking the coffin into the Kamui Dimension.
• Black Zetsu confronted Orochimaru for reviving Rin, while blaming White Zetsu for failing to destroy her remains.
• Pain’s Deva Path organized rescue efforts in ruined Amegakure, while White Zetsu captured ninja who were preparing to defect.
• Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi completed their mission to capture the Two-Tails, though not entirely.

Naruto took Gaara away from the fighting and invited him to Ichiraku Ramen, while Naoki Senju dealt with Danzo's remains. Black Zetsu and Obito Uchiha agreed that Naoki had to be killed, though Obito left Nagato to decide whether the Akatsuki would attack Konoha.

• Naruto led Gaara to safety, introduced himself as a genius, and invited him to Ichiraku Ramen.
• The Shinigami phantom's attack knocked out nearly every ninja nearby, leaving Naoki Senju as its first target.
• Naoki ordered Danzo's remaining Sharingan sealed in the Anbu archives and his body hung at the Konoha Gate for three days.
• Black Zetsu told Obito Uchiha to order the Akatsuki to kill Naoki and offered the White Zetsu as support.
• Obito refused to act personally and left Nagato to decide whether the Akatsuki would attack Konoha.

Naoki Senju attacked Danzo with Futsunomitama, while the Chunin Ninja Exams began with a truth-and-lie door test. The examinees saw the first genin eliminated and rushed toward the other door, where a Sunagakure genin discovered trouble.

• Jiraiya learned that Tsunade had become the Fifth Hokage and Orochimaru had been branded a high-ranking missing-nin.
• Naoki Senju wounded Danzo with Futsunomitama, whose strikes caused soul-deep pain despite leaving only shallow wounds behind.
• Danzo stumbled as Naoki Senju struck him repeatedly in nonfatal areas.
• Kotetsu Hagane announced that examinees had to identify the real door by asking one question of two guards, one truthful and one lying.
• Oboro of Amegakure asked Izumo Kamizuki whether the right door was correct, chose it, and was eliminated when it proved to be a wall.
• Several genin rushed toward the right door, and the first Sunagakure genin to reach it reacted with alarm when he touched it.

Naoki Senju saved Konan from her Explosive Tags and considered how her Paper Release could serve as a strategic resource for Konoha's Anbu. Meanwhile, Danzo used Kotoamatsukami on a Wood Clone of Naoki, who revealed the deception and stabbed him.

• Naoki Senju decided to save Konan, valuing her Paper Release and considering how to reserve its training for Anbu.
• Naoki Senju stopped Team Guy in an open area for lunch, while Kakashi and Inoichi Yamanaka watched his apparently blank behavior.
• Inoichi Yamanaka entered Naoki Senju's body and discovered that no spirit was there, then reassured Kakashi that Naoki was safe and Danzo was about to suffer.
• Danzo, believing Kotoamatsukami had controlled Naoki, ordered him to take Kakashi's Sharingan.
• Naoki Senju stabbed Danzo and revealed that the controlled figure had been a Wood Clone.

Konoha battled the invading forces while Tsunade organized its defense, and the Akatsuki discussed Konoha’s victories and plotted against Naoki Senju. Naoki’s pursuit of Nagato continued as Nagato realized his identity had been exposed.

• Tsunade directed Konoha’s Chunin, Genin, and Jonin to fight the invaders and evacuate villagers as floodwater overwhelmed the village.
• Kisame Hoshigaki and Pain discussed Mei Terumi’s capture and Konoha’s victories, including its capture of the Fourth Raikage and Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Shikaku Nara dragged Kakashi to the Hokage Building and assigned him to instruct Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha.
• Naoki Senju used Wood Release to block the Third Kazekage’s iron sand attack while Sasori of the Red Sands sent iron sand spikes at him from behind.
• Itachi Uchiha chose to remain with the Akatsuki for the moment, while its members planned to lure their target outside Kumogakure and use Itachi’s genjutsu.
• Naoki’s Wood Clones kept pursuing Nagato, who panicked when Naoki revealed that he knew Nagato’s true identity.