The New Akatsuki

is episode 348 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime.

Summary
Akatsuki's leaders Yahiko and Nagato attend a meeting with the Amegakure leader Hanzō after receiving a message from Danzō Shimura, who was under the code name Kanzō at the time. During the meeting, members of Akatsuki discover that Konoha's Root division were attempting an assassination of the Akatsuki leaders attempted to stop them, but was killed by Obito and Zetsu. Root and Danzō are revealed to have plotted with Hanzō to end the Akatsuki's rebellion, capturing Konan and giving Nagato an ultimatum; kill Yahiko or they will kill their hostage. Choosing for him, Yahiko runs himself into Nagato's kunai killing himself. Enraged, Nagato uses the power of his Rinnegan to slaughter the Konoha and Ame shinobi by summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path as Hanzō escapes from their wrath. Nagato is finally driven by Obito Uchiha's Eye of the Moon Plan. Then Nagato states that Yahiko, whose body is now the Deva Path of his Six Paths of Pain, will always be the true leader of the Akatsuki.