Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation

The Shinobi World War Arc spans at chapter 515 to current. It covers the Fourth Shinobi World War where the Five Great Shinobi Countries all ally into the Allied Shinobi Forces to oppose Madara Uchiha and Akatsuki, all to protect the last two jinchūriki, Naruto Uzumaki and Killer B. The arc began in chapter 516 with the war finally starting with both the Allied Shinobi Forces and Akatsuki moving out for battle.

Resurrected Shinobi
The first battle to happen in the war was when the two ambush squadrons met in battle. Kankurō led the Surprise Attack Division against Sasori, Deidara, Chūkichi and Shin of the Surprise Attack and Diversion Platoon, having been resurrected by Kabuto Yakushi to fight in the war. Shin tried resisting the control, yet attacked against his will his own (adoptive) brother Sai and his comrades. Through clever manoeuvring and strategy, as well as Deidara enraging Sai, both Deidara and Sasori were captured in Kankurō's Black Secret Technique: Machine Triple Shot. After seeing the picture finished in Sai's picture book, Shin's ties to the world were severed and he could pass on, breaking the summoning bind. Chūkichi was returning to reinforce Deidara and Sasori. Sasori is then released from the summoning thanks to Kankurō in much the same way as Shin. With the new found information about how to release the Summoning: Impure World Resurrection by freeing the soul, Kankurō prepares his team to launch their ambush.

Elsewhere, Madara Uchiha meets up with Kabuto, who still holds onto Anko Mitarashi's unconscious body with his snake. Kabuto sensed that Sasori and Shin were released from his technique, having good feeling about how things are going well with his plan. He tells Madara to go ahead to the front lines while he stays hidden and focused on his technique. Gazing at Anko, Madara realises that Anko was able to get incredibly close to his hideout and Kabuto knew about it, figuring that Kabuto must have led her there as part of his plan for him and the Allied Shinobi Forces to take each other out. However, Madara quietly states that in the end, Kabuto isn't using him, but he is the one using Kabuto, which resulted unknowingly to them that they are using each other.

Killer B attempts to teach Naruto how to use the Tailed Beast Ball, but Naruto cannot turn into the Nine-Tails because his bond with it is weak. The Eight-Tails then explained to Naruto that whenever he uses the Nine-Tails' chakra he stocks his own and the Nine-Tails can steal it, in the end Naruto could lose it all and die if he uses the chakra constantly, and using shadow clones speeds up the process, making them useless. The Eight-Tails explained that he and B were able to compromise on how much chakra each would take from the other, eliminating the risk. Naruto decides to focus on his own skills with the Nine-Tails chakra, trying to perform the Rasengan using the fox's chakra shroud to make extra hands in lieu of shadow clones. Killer B notices the technique is similar to the Tailed Beast Ball, and upon learning it was created by the Fourth Hokage, he tells Naruto to keep on working on it.

While the ambush squad members were waiting to attack the incoming enemy force, they encountered Zabuza, Haku and two other ninja. Haku was about to use Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors when Kakashi arrived. Zabuza and Haku then had a brief chat with Kakashi until Kabuto brought a dramatic change to his technique, turning the four into mindless slaughter machines. Zabuza, Haku, Gari, former member of Explosion Corps from Iwagakure, like Deidara, and Pakura, kunoichi with rare kekkei genkai from Sunagakure who attacked Kakashi's division without hesitation cruelly. Then, he said he got an idea of enemy's tactics and it's their turn for the counter-attack. But Kabuto didn't even give them a chance, having Gari and Pakura summon the revived previous generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

The seven swordsmen then attacked, using their superior kenjutsu skills to kill at least a dozen more allied shinobi. Kakashi developed a plan involving Ensui Nara, Santa Yamanaka and Maki to trap Zabuza. However, Haku once more saved Zabuza, holding Kakashi in place, which Zabuza tried to exploit by attempting to slash through both of them. Kakashi was slashed yet survived and immediately countered, allowing Maki to immobilize the recovering Haku and Zabuza, stopping the Hidden Mist Technique. Kakashi was angered by the Summoning: Impure World Resurrection to be an unforgivable matter stated that he'd go on a rampage. The war rages on and Gaara picks up the presence of Mū, the Second Tsuchikage with his Sand Sensing despite the latter being invisible. Kabuto decides to have Mū summons the revived Second Mizukage, Third Raikage and Fourth Kazekage. They all try to learn who resurrected them until the Fourth Kazekage tells them of Second Hokage, the creator of Impure World Resurrection, being dead long ago and the possible culprit of their revival being Orochimaru. Suddenly, he notices they are all being watched by his son. Ao informs the Kage of the revival of the past Kage and powerful well known shinobi such as the Gold and Silver Brothers of Kumo. After hearing of his father and the Gold and Silver Brother's resurrection, enraged, A decides to enter the battlefield but Tsunade keeps him from doing so. Shikaku Nara formulates battle plans with portions of the Second, Fourth and Fifth Divisions to assist the First Division which the Raikage approves.

Elsewhere, Black Zetsu appears before what appears to be the hideaway of the country daimyō. He decides to make a move but ends up alerting the guarding shinobi and he was laid to a trap. At the real hideaway of the daimyō, they bicker of the place they are hiding at. Black Zetsu escapes from the guards and continues his objective. Mei Terumī and Chōjūrō accompany the Frost Daimyō while he is escorted to the safe house of the daimyō and explains to him of their plan of hiding the daimyō by switching from safe house to another to hide from the enemy which puts the concerned daimyō at ease.

Darui vs. the Gold and Silver Brothers
The First Division begin their fight with enemy as Chōza Akimichi confronts Dan and Asuma Sarutobi and Hiashi Hyūga confronts his resurrected brother, Hizashi Hyūga. Darui decides to take on the Gold and Silver Brothers, Kinkaku and Ginkaku, ashamed of fighting once good men of their village. Samui and her brother Atsui arrive to assist him in his fight with the brothers. To fight against the trio, the brothers pull out the Treasured Tools of the Sage of the Six Paths. At Allied Shinobi Forces HQ, A tells Tsunade the reason why the brothers possess chakra of the Nine-Tails. At one point, Kumo tried to capture the Nine-Tails but the Gold and Silver Brothers ended being swallowed. Two weeks later, the Nine-Tails regurgitated them after they caused commotion in its stomach, resulting in them obtaining its chakra. They are able to possess the Sage of the Six Paths' tools due to their massive chakra which if a normal person wielding them would die by the massive chakra consumption. The brothers begin fighting Darui and his team-mates where Kinkaku tackles Atsui and Samui with the Kōkinjō and Ginkaku severs their pulled word souls with the Shichiseiken which are after that sucked in the Benihisago. The siblings try to keep themselves quite as their most spoken word will result in them being sealed in Benihisago. Kinkaku waves the Bashōsen to create a wave of fire that causes Atsui to say "hot", his spoken word, and gets sealed. Ginkaku holds Samui hostage and the brothers threatens Darui she will be killed unless he drops his weapon. Just as he appears to have given up, Darui slices Kinkaku's arm and aims Storm Release: Laser Circus on Ginkaku to free Samui. Ginkaku kicks his sliced arm wrapped with Kōkinjō at Darui causing his word soul to be pulled out. Ginkaku seals Samui despite her not saying a word and Kinkaku curses Darui's word soul. Darui discovers that if he keeps silent to long, he'll be sealed anyway. Ginkaku refers to shinobi of Kumo as tools of the Raikage though Darui calls them disgraces for thinking that. An angered Kinkaku yells at him saying he is a tool too but Darui states he is not a tool but the second right arm of the Raikage.

Despite not saying his most spoken word "dull", Darui is still sealed when saying words sounding similar to dull. Darui apologises to those he failed which cancels the sealing as the spoken word "dull" has changed to "sorry" due to Darui being very apologetic. Darui attacks Ginkaku which causes him to bump into Kinkaku holding the Kōkinjō and causes his word soul to be pulled out. Darui steals Shichiseiken and Benihisago from brothers and curses and seals away Ginkaku after he says "Kinkaku". Seeing his brother being sealed, Kinkaku becomes enraged and takes the form of a six-tailed fox. During his training, Naruto senses an evil presence from Kinkaku's transformation. Kinkaku begins going on a rampage against the First Division, taking out many shinobi. HQ learns of Kinkaku's transformation and A decides to seal him in the fifth treasure Kumo managed to take back from the brothers, the Kohaku no Jōhei. Mabui uses her Heavenly Transfer Technique to send Darui the sealing pot while Shikaku talks to Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi and Ino Yamanaka using Inoichi Yamanaka's telepathy to have them help Darui. Kinkaku notices Darui's plan and tries to strike him but Kitsuchi and his division saves Darui from him. Part of the Fourth Division arrives as well along with Shikamaru, Chōji and Ino. The trio use their Formation Ino-Shika-Chō to get a hold of Kinkaku, giving Darui the chance to seal him in the pot.

Ideals and Faith/Team 10 Reunited
Chūkichi receives back-up from a team consisting of Hanzō, Chiyo, and Kimimaro to fight the Surprise Attack Division. Hearing their arrival, Deidara demands them to save him. Kankurō's team retreats with the enemy following them. After enough focus, Hanzō summons his salamander Ibuse and commands him to use Poison Mist to stop them. Hanzō finds the Surprise Attack Division, who are paralysed by the poison and moves in to kill Kankurō with his kusarigama, but the attack is stopped by the arrival of Mifune and his division who came to back up the Surprise Attack Division. Mifune fights Hanzō, impeding him of using ninjutsu by attacking when he stops to weave hand seals. He remembers having fought Hanzō in his youth, and the two discuss their ideals during the fight. Hanzō decides to have faith in Mifune, and injures himself, creating an opening, and allowing Mifune's division to seal him.

With Kinkaku sealed, Darui, along with Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane go against Kakuzu and the allied forces fight his hearts while Team 10 fights their revived teacher. Asuma notices his students's growth and Team 10 charge their teacher. Shikamaru creates an opening for Chōji to attack, but he hesitates, allowing Asuma to use his Wind Release: Dust Cloud Technique on him. Ino saves him and his teammates and Asuma's technique destroyed one of Kakuzu's hearts. Asuma tries to get Chōji to grow up and fight back. Even with Asuma's goads to anger him into fighting, Chōji still refuses to hurt him. The controlled Asuma goes in to kill Chōji but Ino takes control of his body and dodges. Chōza saves his son from another attack from Asuma and reminds him of his oath. With enough encouraging, Chōji creates butterfly wings without the assistance of his clan's pills, much to others' amazement. Ino controls White Zetsu clones to fight Asuma, giving Chōji and Shikamaru a chance to hit and immobilise him. Before being sealed, Asuma thanks them and compliments them of their great teamwork. Chōji asks his team-mates to help him finish the war once and for all to which they happily agree.

Escaping Jinchūriki and the Fall of Night
Back at the Island Turtle, Naruto asks B if there are others that have chakra of the Nine-Tails. The Eight-Tails tells B Naruto can longer be lied to and asks what to do next. Naruto asks where the bathroom is and B points him the direction, upsetting the Eight-Tails and yelling at him to go after Naruto. A and Tsunade are notified by ninja in the temple of Naruto's escape and Tsunade has a team of hers to stop him. Naruto is confronted by Shibi Aburame and a team of Konoha ninja who try to persuade to explain what is happening back inside the temple. Naruto refuses, then suddenly, Iruka Umino appears. Iruka lies to Naruto telling him that they discovered untamed beasts on the island with chakra of the Nine-Tails. However, Naruto doesn't fall for it as he remembers Motoi telling him B has tamed all the animals on the island. Naruto goes Sage Mode and tells them he'll take care of them but the ninja won't let him. Naruto pushes them out of the Falls of Truth but gets caught in a Nara clan ninja's Shadow Imitation Technique. Suddenly, Naruto senses the chakra of his friends and other ninja fighting and asks what is going on. Having no choice, Iruka tells Naruto the truth that Madara has declared war.

Naruto asks why he isn't helping them and Iruka tells him that the war is to protect the remaining jinchūriki from falling in Madara's clutches and everyone is risking their lives to protect them. After remembering his talk with Nagato, he tells Iruka that his role is to stop the war and that he will endure the pain on his own. Iruka tells him to stop behaving like a child and that he cares for Naruto as if he was a little brother. Naruto tells Iruka he was the first to recognise him for Naruto and that he gave him his first forehead protector. Iruka stares down at the forehead protector and hands it to Naruto, giving him the thought that he'll let him go. However, Iruka still refuses to let Naruto go into the war and uses a barrier technique to try to stop, but, using the Nine-Tails chakra, he is able to break free and escape. As Naruto puts his forehead protector back out, a note slips out from Iruka. In case he couldn't hold him back, Iruka wrote a note to Naruto telling him to come back alive. B emerges from the Falls of Truth, noticing Naruto had gotten away. Iruka asks B to make sure that Naruto is safe.

Black Zetsu manages to find the location daimyō but is stopped by the Daimyō Protection Squad, led by Mei, forcing him to have to fight them all. A Hyūga Clan member informs the Kumogakure Barrier Squad of Naruto's approach and they prepare the Thirty-Six Layer Self-Repairing Barrier covering the Island Turtle. As Naruto appears before the barrier, B shoots the Tailed Beast Ball at it and asks Naruto for his help to get them through. Together, with B bursting through in Version 2 and Naruto pushing in B's Tailed Beast Ball, the two jinchūriki escape and make their move to the battlefield. While fighting Mei's team, Black Zetsu senses the escape of the jinchūriki and informs White Zetsu who, in turn informs Madara. With Naruto and B out in the open, Madara no longer needs the daimyō as his bargaining chips for the remaining tailed beasts but decides to have Black Zetsu continue with his guerrilla tactics while he himself takes to the battlefield. Darui and Kitsuchi's divisions have defeated all the White Zetsu and Kakuzu's hearts on their side and have the revived ninja immobilised and sealed. Suddenly, Madara appears and summons the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Chōza and Chōji try to fight against the Demonic Statue but are easily defeated. While it fights against the allied shinobi, Madara uses the opportunity to obtain Benihisago and Kohaku no Jōhei, containing the sealed Gold and Silver Brothers. Shikamaru realises Madara sent them to the front lines so they can be sealed into the statue when given the chance. Madara states he is a worthy opponent and has the statue stomp on him. Shikamaru and Darui are saved by Chōji and Kitsuchi and the statue is de-summoned but Madara has taken the sealed Kinkaku and Ginkaku with him. A and Tsunade learn of Madara and the Demonic Statue's appearances on the battlefield as well as Naruto's escape, accompanied by B which further angers his brother. A decides to leave Shikaku in charge during his absence while he and Tsunade leave to stop the jinchūriki. As night approaches, Madara states that his Eye of the Moon Plan will be commenced the next day.

On the way to the battlefield, the Nine-Tails begins a conversation with Naruto, telling him to stop squandering his chakra. The Nine-Tails then tells Naruto it is impossible to handle both the war and Sasuke's hatred, though Naruto is confident he can shoulder both of them and tells the beast that he had even been contemplating getting rid of the Nine-Tails' own hatred as well someday. Neji becomes exhausted from overusing his Byakugan. Kiba insists on him going to the Logistical Support and Medical Division compound to recover. Neji arrives at the compound where many injured ninja are being treated. Sakura, who has joined up with the other medical-nin, patches up Neji. Word goes around that ninja are being killed off around the compound, though the sensors have not sensed any enemy presence. They come to the conclusion that there is a spy sneaking around and Neji decides to search for them. Neji enters one of the tents and kills the medical-nin, revealing he is the spy. A suspicious Iwa Shinobi approaches Sakura, but ends up just giving her a love letter. She thanks him and kindly but tells him she loves someone else, disappointing him. "Neji" stops by Sakura's tent again to ask where Shizune and she tells him Shizune is tending Tonton's injury, who "Neji" think is a ninja. Neji asks Sakura to check his hands again and when she leasts expects it, attack her. However, Sakura slams him to the ground before he can do so. After the attack, "Neji" is revealed to be a transformed White Zetsu clone that Neji had fought earlier. The White Zetsu asks how she knew and Sakura reveals that Tonton is pig. She then interrogates the Zetsu about how he was able to copy Neji right down to his chakra. After remembering the intel they received from Yamato about the White Zetsu turned Kisame clone killed by A and Killer B, she learns that the White Zetsu take the appearance and chakra of the person they touched. Other ninja arrive to assist Sakura while she reports the information to headquarters. Back at the Fifth Division camp, the real Neji is shown to have never left and refusing to get tended. At HQ, Shikaku receives the information and Ao informs him of chakras disappearing all over the divisions. Shikaku then begins to formulate a counter-measure against this imminent threat and find the imposters.

Naruto notices the chakras vanishing everywhere and suddenly, A and Tsunade appear before the jinchūriki. A declares that they won't pass them but Naruto tries to get past him only to be blocked by A. With Naruto resisting to return to the Island Turtle, A decides to kill him to delay Madara's plans. A's attack is stopped by B who tells his brother to kill him as well. A appears to have no problem with this when the time is right, however, B denies that. B bumps his fists with A and he remembers the day they met. The Third Raikage and A were looking for a child that could partner with A to do a Double Lariat and form an A-B Duo. One of the children successfully decapitated one of the rubber dummies and is then named B and from then on becomes brothers with A. A has a series of flashbacks, one of the predecessor jinchūriki of the Eight Tails telling A how B needs to fill the void with something after be becomes his successor and another of with A and B's team having encountered Minato's team. When his team retreats after hearing their signal, Minato remains to tell A that he should find out his brother's values as a person before he became neither a human nor a jinchūriki. A ignores this and charges ahead to punch Minato, but he teleports behind B holding his kunai to B's head with B also holding his sword to Minato's stomach. Minato compliments B, saying he is a true killer shinobi, despite being the enemy.

Naruto uses this opportunity to strike A, but A notices him and punches him out of the way. Both Naruto and B try to get past A but fail at every attempt. Remembering Naruto's statement that he'll never die until he becomes Hokage, Tsunade gives permission for Naruto to pass and argues with A if Naruto is killed, his successor won't be able to control the Nine-Tails like Naruto. B uses Lariat on his brother, though he failed, he bumps fists with him, giving A another flashback. After his father's death, A forbids B from using Lariat anymore and from leaving the village ever again. B insists that he and Naruto will not fail and decides to let him pass, depending on whose Lariat is stronger. B's Lariat defeats his brother, sending him to the ground. B tells A that his and Naruto's powers don't come from them being jinchūriki, and that his brother's words, saying he is important to him, has made B surpass him. B also tells him that as long as he has people he cares about, he can overcome the tailed beast in him. B calls A as his sun, the person he cares about, and Naruto calls his parents his suns. Naruto tells A how he met both Minato and Kushina, and that they believed he could control the Nine-Tails. Tsunade states she will fight A if he continues his attempt to kill Naruto, but A charges towards Naruto who manages to successfully dodge A's top speed punch, saying he will not fail. A reveals he was just testing Naruto to see if he can avoid his punch and tells Naruto to get going. Back at HQ, Shikaku learns the only way to discover who are the White Zetsu is to have Naruto scatter his shadow clones at the locations, knowing in his Nine-Tails form, he can sense malice. But, knowing A will disapprove, Mabui doubts it will happen. A Katsuyu clone informs them of A letting Naruto enter the war.

Naruto Enters the War
The sun rises, marking the second day of the Fourth Shinobi World War. Madara makes his move, having his own Six Paths of Pain composed of the revived jinchūriki who have eyes that mirror Madara's. Knowing Naruto can sense malice in the Nine-Tails form, Madara knows that Naruto will be taking out the White Zetsu, saying that it is going along perfectly. Back at the Logistical Support and Medical Division compound, Shizune and Sakura learn the secrets about the White Zetsu, using the clone Sakura captured. Shizune reveals that the White Zetsu have the same DNA as Yamato, meaning they are altered plant clones of the First Hokage. A and Tsunade return to HQ and learn about the White Zetsu's clones being created from the First Hokage's cells. Knowing that Madara, developed a technique with the cells to extend his life, Tsunade states there is no clue on how to defeat Madara, saying he is a true immortal.

As Naruto and B head towards the battlefield, Shikaku contacts them telepathically through Inoichi's technique, telling them to search for the White Zetsu and explaining about Madara, Kabuto and the revived shinobi. Naruto and B come across a group of ninja heading back to "defend" HQ, but were revealed by Naruto to actually be a small force of White Zetsu. Naruto takes out a majority of them and summons Gamahiro to squish a merged white Zetsu and then to look out for more White Zetsu with B, while he sends his shadow clones to the other battlefields.