Recaps

After returning from the Akatsuki ambush, Ayato helped Gaara and Sasuke, then pursued evidence against Danzo while preparing Naruto for the coming crisis. Naruto learned Sage Mode, and Ayato mastered it himself before hurrying to meet Kakashi about the investigation.

• Ayato stopped Naruto’s rampage, defeated Deidara, and reunited Sasuke with the others before Chiyo sacrificed herself to revive Gaara.
• Ayato returned to Konoha, warned Tsunade that Danzo might target Sinai, and learned from Jiraiya about the Evil God Sect and a possible connection to Kakuzu.
• Ayato modified Sasuke’s cursed seal to store Natural Energy and taught him an imperfect Sage Mode, then explained to Sasuke how the Nine-Tails’ Riot had left the Uchiha isolated.
• Ayato found Orochimaru, traded help against Danzo for evidence, and brought records of Danzo’s activities to Tsunade.
• Tsunade assigned Kakashi and Tenzō to investigate Danzo, while Inoichi confirmed Tenzō’s memories linked Danzo to Orochimaru’s experiments.
• Ayato taught Naruto to throw the Rasenshuriken and took him to Mount Myōboku, where Naruto trained in Sage Mode and began working toward reconciliation with the Nine-Tails.
• Ayato used Naruto’s perfect Sage Mode to learn how to convert Natural Energy into Mount Myōboku’s Sage Art Chakra and achieved Sage Mode himself.
• Ayato returned Naruto to Konoha, then hurried to find Kakashi after hearing that Kakashi had been looking for him since the previous day.

Ayato became the Sixth Hokage after exposing and executing Danzo, and he revealed Naruto’s identity to Konoha. As Ayato began his new duties, a Sky Ninja attack led Naruto and his team to uncover Shennong’s connection to Zero-Tails and the ruins of Ancor Vantian.

• Ayato extracted the sealed Nine-Tails chakra from Sora and gathered evidence of Danzo’s crimes, including his theft of Konoha’s resources and experiments on children.
• Ayato set Danzo’s sentencing for the day of his Hokage inauguration and announced his engagement to Ino, who accepted and told her parents.
• At the inauguration, Ayato exposed Danzo’s crimes and his Sharingan-filled arm, then defeated and executed him after Danzo attacked the crowd and repeatedly used Izanagi.
• Ayato became the Sixth Hokage, announced his future wedding to Ino, and revealed that Naruto was the Fourth Hokage’s son and Konoha’s hero.
• Ayato began his Hokage duties, shared Jiraiya’s intelligence about Akatsuki, and shot down Sky Ninja attackers before sending Kakashi’s team to find their hideout.
• Ayato suspected Shennong was connected to the Sky Ninja, assigned Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura to protect the village, and sent Neji and Jugo to watch Shennong.
• Neji discovered that Shennong had provoked Zero-Tails within Ame Ryu, and Naruto and Neji stopped the creature when Ame Ryu regained consciousness.
• Naruto’s group set out for the Sky Ninja ruins to search for captured villagers, while Jugo followed secretly and the ruins transformed into the flying fortress Ancor Vantian.

Neji and his allies destroyed Shennong’s Sky Fortress, while Neji and Ayato began addressing the Hyuga curse mark and Ayato advanced his Sage Mode. Sasuke awakened his Mangekyō, defeated Itachi, learned more about the Masked Man, and joined Ayato in exploring his eye powers, leaving both of them with new gains.

• Neji’s group escaped Shennong’s Sky Fortress with the rescued villagers, and Ayato later discussed removing Neji’s Caged Bird Curse Mark with him and Hiashi.
• Ayato gained Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode, then delivered Itachi’s final letter to Sasuke as Sasuke prepared for their battle.
• Sasuke awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and faced Itachi at the Uchiha Secret Base while Ayato watched for Uchiha Obito and Zetsu.
• Sasuke defeated Itachi with his purple Susanoo arrow, and Itachi gave him Shisui’s Mangekyō before dying.
• The Masked Man tried to recruit Sasuke and claim Itachi’s corpse, but Ayato arrived and joined Sasuke in questioning the man’s identity.
• Sasuke recovered in Konoha Hospital, reunited with his friends, and told Naruto he intended to compete with him to become Hokage.
• Sasuke gave Ayato Shisui’s Sharingan and a special kunai, then agreed to help Ayato study his Mangekyō through the Spirit Transformation Technique.
• Ayato entered Sasuke’s body, awakened the Hexagram Mangekyō, formed Susanoo’s skeletal frame, and returned to his own body after studying its Yin Release.

Ayato created Moon Spirit, confronted Hiruko and defeated Nagato’s Six Paths before bringing Nagato and Konan under Konoha’s authority. The arc left Obito with Nagato’s Rinnegan while Ayato questioned Nagato about its origins.

• Ayato created Moon Spirit, which played with the Nine-Tails and convinced the fox to consider accepting Naruto.
• After Hiruko announced his plans to provoke war, Ayato stopped Kakashi from sacrificing himself and defeated Hiruko during the solar eclipse.
• Ayato developed Swift Release and Magnet Release, then prepared Konoha for Akatsuki’s attack as Nagato led the Six Paths of Pain toward the village.
• Ayato defeated the Six Paths, including the Deva Path, and Nagato surrendered after Black Zetsu stole his Rinnegan.
• Konan recounted Akatsuki’s history, and Ayato spared her and Nagato on the condition that they serve Konoha.
• Obito obtained Nagato’s Rinnegan, while Ayato arranged for Nagato and Konan to live near Jiraiya and asked Nagato how he had acquired the eyes.