Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation

The Shinobi World War Arc spans from chapter 515 to 592 and in the anime from episode 256 to 289 (with the Chikara Arc going on from episode 290 to episode 295) and resumes from episode 296 to 340. It covers the Fourth Shinobi World War where the Five Great Shinobi Countries and the samurai all unite into the Allied Shinobi Forces to oppose Tobi and Akatsuki, all to protect the last two jinchūriki, Naruto Uzumaki and Killer B. The arc began with the war finally starting with both the Allied Shinobi Forces and Akatsuki moving out for battle. The arc ended following the defeat of Kabuto Yakushi, and the release of Impure World Reincarnation. This arc is preceded by the Confining the Jinchūriki Arc and is followed by the Ten-Tails Revival Arc.

The War Commences
As Ōnoki, Akatsuchi, and Kurotsuchi relocate the island turtle to Kumogakure, Killer B keeps Naruto from leaving by having him undergo training to control his Nine-Tails chakra. Anko's scouting team sends information about Tobi's lair known as Mountains' Graveyard and the size of his army to the Allied Shinobi Forces. They ready their troops for battle as does Tobi and Kabuto who uses Yamato to strengthen the Zetsu. Kabuto increases the army's size by reincarnating the former Akatsuki members, previous jinchūriki, Kage and famous shinobi: Hizashi Hyūga, Dan Katō, Asuma Sarutobi, Hanzō, Chiyo, Kimimaro, Zabuza Momochi, Haku, Gari, Pakura, Chūkichi, Shin and Toroi as they march off to begin the war.

The first battle to happen in the war began when Kankurō and the Surprise Attack Division find Muta Aburame, a member of Anko's search team. However, what the division did not know was that Muta was captured by Kabuto's Surprise Attack and Diversion Platoon and has been placed under Sasori's control with his insect jar filled with Deidara's Explosive Clay. Though Zaji almost got himself killed to save who he thought was an injured comrade despite Muta pleading him not to come closer, Kankurō quickly saved Zaji. Ittan then gets them to safety by lowering the ground before Deidara detonated the explosive clay and killed Muta. In response, Sasori sends Muta's fellow enslaved team-mates Ranka and Tokuma Hyūga to attack as Shin and Deidara emerge from hiding with Kankurō correctly deducing that Sasori was with them and behind the initial attacks.

Vowing to make the Akatsuki pay for pitting them against their friends, Omoi launches himself to Deidara, but the attack is revealed to a feint as his intended target was the chakra strings controlling Ranka and Tokuma. Kankurō then quickly attached his own chakra strings with Sasori's to pull him down while telling Ittan to raise the ground. Now exposed, Sasori uses Shin as a puppet as the Allied ninja realised the deceased Root ninja is stuffed with explosives with Kankurō and Omoi managing to contain the explosion. Furious that brother was used as a bomb, Sai knocked down Sasori and Deidara, who were captured by Kankurō. 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 telling him he was immortalised by the puppets he created. With the new found information about release the reincarnated ninja by freeing the soul, Kankurō prepares his team to launch their ambush.

Elsewhere, Tobi meets up with Kabuto, who managed to defeat and capture Anko Mitarashi. Though sensing Sasori and Shin's release from his technique, Kabuto still has a good feeling about how things are going according to plan as he tells Tobi to go ahead to the front lines while he stays hidden and focuses on his technique. Gazing at Anko, Tobi realises that Kabuto led her near his location in the hopes that he and Allied Shinobi Forces would take each other out. However, though Kabuto believes he is using him, Tobi quietly states that it is vice-versa.

The Seven Swordsmen Reunited
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 Surprise Attack Division were waiting for the incoming enemy force, they encountered Zabuza Momochi, Haku and two other ninja: Gari of Iwagakure's Explosion Corps and Pakura from Sunagakure. Haku was able to defend against the first attack and then attacks once he and the other reincarnated shinobi quickly realised their invincibility. When he and his Third Division arrive to stop them from killing, Kakashi engages Zabuza and Haku in brief chat over the two ninjas' impact on Naruto until Kabuto renders Zabuza's group into mindless killing machines to begin the attack. Though Kakashi said he got an idea of how to counter, Kabuto does not give him time to enact it as he has Gari and Pakura summon Zabuza's reincarnated team mates from his days as a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

Though only most of them having their traditional blades, Zabuza's Hiding in Mist Technique enables them to slaughter about a dozen more Allied shinobi. Kakashi developed a plan involving Ensui Nara, Santa Yamanaka and Maki to trap Zabuza and end his Hiding in Mist Technique. However, Haku once more acts as a human shield for Zabuza, holding Kakashi in place so Zabuza can slash through them both. Kakashi survived being slashed and immediately countered, allowing Maki to immobilise the recovering Haku and Zabuza. Though the Hiding in Mist Technique ended as he planned, Kakashi expresses his rage about how Impure World Reincarnation is used in such unforgivable matter.

At the Land Lighting, Gaara picks up the presence of Second Tsuchikage Mū with Sand Sensing. Kabuto decides to have Mū summon the reincarnated Second Mizukage, Third Raikage and Fourth Kazekage, the four curious of how they are even alive. The Fourth Kazekage explains to his fellow Kage that they were brought back by Impure World Reincarnation, detailing the technique's history while speculating their reincarnation to be Orochimaru's doing before noticing that they are all being watched by his son. Ao informs the Kage of the reincarnation of both their predecessors and famed powerful shinobi such as the Gold and Silver Brothers of Kumo. Enraged upon hearing of his father and his village's two infamous traitors being among the reincarnated, 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, arriving to what appears to be the hideaway of the countries' daimyō, Black Zetsu makes his move to take them but ends up alerting the guarding shinobi with the daimyō revealed to hidden elsewhere. 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 while putting him at ease that the repeated moving of the daimyō from one safe house to another to hinder the enemy's search for them.

Clash of Wills
At the Land of Lightning's Coast, Chōza Akimichi confronts Dan and Asuma Sarutobi while Hiashi Hyūga confronts his reincarnated brother, Hizashi Hyūga. Darui reluctantly decides to take on Kinkaku and Ginkaku, the treacherous Gold and Silver Brothers who betrayed Kumogakure in life, with Samui and her brother Atsui aiding him. However, the brothers unveil the Treasured Tools of the Sage of the Six Paths. A informs Tsunade that Kinkaku and Ginkaku are able to use Sage of the Six Paths' tools as they ingested some Nine-Tails's chakra during a failed attempt to captured the unsealed tailed beast long ago.

When Kinkaku tackles Atsui and Samui with the Kōkinjō, Ginkaku severs their pulled word souls with the Shichiseiken and placed them in the Benihisago. The siblings try to keep themselves quiet so not to use their most spoken word to get sucked into the Benihisago, but Atsui gets sealed once tricked into saying "hot" by Kinkaku creating a wave of fire with the Bashōsen. Ginkaku holds Samui hostage to have Darui drop his weapon, only to slice Kinkaku's arm and aims his Storm Release: Laser Circus on Ginkaku to free Samui. But as Kinkaku kicks his sliced arm wrapped with Kōkinjō at him to pull out his soul word, Darui is horrified to find Samui sealed despite her silence and that he will suffer her fate if silent for too long. Though he knew not to say it, his attempt to defend against the brothers' notion that he is pawn of the Raikage forced Darui to say a word that has a similar pronunciation to "dull". Luckily, he manages to escape the sealing when his apology habit changed his most spoken from "dull" to "sorry".

Knocking Ginkaku into the Kōkinjō while commandeered both the Shichiseiken and the Benihisago, Darui uses the Ginkaku's most used word, "Kinkaku", to seal him away. This causes Kinkaku to assume a six-tailed pseudo-jinchūriki form to demolish the First Division, with A seeing the only way to stop the rampaging monster is to seal him in the only item of the Sage of Six Paths Kumo managed to keep from the brothers: the Kohaku no Jōhei. Mabui uses her Heavenly Transfer Technique to send Darui the sealing pot while receiving aid from Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi and Ino Yamanaka as they use their Formation Ino–Shika–Chō to restrain Kinkaku long enough for Darui to seal him in the Kohaku no Jōhei.

At the Land of Hot Water, Chūkichi receives back-up from a team consisting of Hanzō, Chiyo, and Kimimaro to fight the Surprise Attack Division. Hearing their arrival, with Deidara demanding his allies to save him, Kankurō's team attempt to fall back when Hanzō summons his salamander Ibuse to paralyse Surprise Attack Division. Hanzō is stopped from killing Kankurō by the arrival of his old enemy Mifune and his 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.

Back on the Land of Lightning's coast, Darui, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane go against Kakuzu and his heart monsters while Team Asuma fights their reincarnated teacher. However, while noting his students' growth, Asuma uses his Wind Release: Dust Cloud Technique on a hesitant Chōji before Ino saves him. Despite Asuma's words for him to fight back, Chōji could not attack his mentor as Ino takes control of his body to fight in her team-mate's place. After being saved by his father and reminded of the oath forged among the Ino-Shika-Chō groups. Encouraged to fight without holding back, Chōji creates butterfly wings without the assistance of his clan's pills to others' amazement. Ino controls White Zetsu clones to hold Asuma long enough for Chōji and Shikamaru 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, while training, Naruto suddenly sensed the Nine-Tails' chakra within the rampaging six-tailed Kinkaku far away from the temple. Wanting to investigate, Naruto was able to trick Killer B into letting him out but is confronted by Shibi Aburame and a team of Konoha ninja who try to persuade to explain what is happening back inside the temple. Despite Iruka Umino's attempted lie, Naruto assumes Sage Mode to force his way out of the Falls of Truth, getting caught in a Nara clan ninja's Shadow Imitation Technique before sensing the chakra of his friends and other ninja fighting. Having no choice, Iruka tells Naruto the truth that Tobi has declared war and reveals that they have been Naruto and Killer B to protect them from Tobi. After remembering his talk with Nagato, Naruto tells Iruka that his role is to stop the war and that he will endure the pain on his own. Despite Iruka's insistence, Naruto reminds his mentor that he was the first to recognise him for more than a jinchūriki and gave him his first forehead protector. Iruka stares down at the forehead protector and hands it to Naruto before using a barrier technique that is countered with his former student's Nine-Tails chakra. As Naruto puts his forehead protector back on, he finds a hidden note slips out from Iruka telling him to come back alive. Emerges from the Falls of Truth, B follows Naruto to keep him safe.

Black Zetsu manages to find the location of the daimyō but finds himself fighting Mei Terumī and Daimyō Protection Squad. However, sensing Naruto and Killer B breaking out of the Thirty-Six Layer Self-Repairing Barrier covering the Island Turtle, Black Zetsu informs White Zetsu of the jinchūriki's escape. With this new information, Tobi deems the need to have the daimyō as bargaining chips for the jinchūriki no longer needed and decides to enter the front lines while giving Black Zetsu new orders to use guerilla tactics on Mei's group. Arriving to the Land of Lightning's coast as Darui and Kitsuchi's divisions have defeated all the White Zetsu and sealed most the reincarnated ninja, Kakuzu included, Tobi summons the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. As the statue fights Chōza, Chōji, and the other the allied shinobi, Tobi uses the opportunity to obtain the Benihisago and Kohaku no Jōhei, containing the sealed Gold and Silver Brothers. Shikamaru realises Tobi actually set the event of the brothers' sealing, Tobi taking his prize as Shikamaru and Darui are saved from the statue by Chōji and Kitsuchi before it vanished. Learning of Tobi and the Demonic Statue's appearances on the battlefield along with Naruto and B leaving the Island Turtle, A leaves Shikaku in charge while he and Tsunade leave to stop the jinchūriki. As night approaches, Tobi states that his Eye of the Moon Plan will be commenced the next day. As night fall while he is heading to the battlefield, Naruto is dragged into his subconscious by the Nine-Tails as it chides Naruto for thinking he can handle both the war and Sasuke's hatred. However, Naruto is confident he can shoulder both of them and shocks the Nine-Tails with the intent to someday help the tailed beast with its own hatred.

At Kiba Inuzuka's insistence, due to his overuse of his Byakugan, Neji Hyūga is sent from Fifth Division camp to Logistical Support and Medical Division compound where Sakura Haruno tends to his injuries. At this time, word has spread that ninja are being killed off in the compound despite the sensors not detecting an enemy presence and everyone reaches the conclusion that there is a spy among them. Despite the actions of suspicious Iwa shinobi who was actually giving her love letter, Sakura exposes the real spy as a White Zetsu posing as Neji. Interrogating the White Zetsu clone about how he was able to copy Neji right down to his chakra, Sakura realises that the clones can siphon a person's chakra and assume their form with no one able to tell the real ninja from a White Zetsu. As other ninja arrive to assist Sakura while she reports the information to headquarters, the real Neji is revealed to have never left the Fifth Division camp. 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.

By that time, A and Tsunade appear before the jinchūriki with the former having no intention to let Naruto go any further and resolving to kill him if needed to delay Tobi's plans. However, B halts his brother's attack as he reminds him of how they formed the A–B Combo and everything their been through including their time with their cousin and their confrontation with Naruto's father Minato Namikaze.

Though Tsunade decides that Naruto can enter the war, A refuses to allow it before being taken down by B's Lariat defeats his brother. 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 clones is to have Naruto scatter his shadow clones at the locations as Nine-Tails Chakra 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.

The Jinchūriki Enter The War
The sun rises, marking the second day of the Fourth Shinobi World War. Tobi makes his move, having his own Six Paths of Pain composed of the reincarnated jinchūriki who have eyes that mirror Tobi's. Knowing Naruto can sense malice in the Nine-Tails form, Tobi 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. Believing that "Madara" developed a technique with her grandfather's cells to extend his life, Tsunade states there is no clue on how to defeat someone who is truly 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 Tobi, Kabuto and the reincarnated shinobi. Naruto and B come across a group of F|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.

When Nagato and Itachi Uchiha encounter Naruto and Killer B, Kabuto planned to capture and use them to further blackmail Tobi. The battle reveals some truth on Itachi's mission and much to his chagrin, Itachi learns that Sasuke has turned to Tobi instead of returning to Konoha. With this, the battle begins with Nagato (forcefully) summoning his bird and multi-headed dog monsters to battle Naruto. Joining in the fight, Itachi eventually activates his Mangekyō Sharingan. This causes the crow Itachi had placed inside Naruto comes out using Kotoamatsukami on Itachi, freeing him from Kabuto's control as he uses Amaterasu on Nagato and his summons. However, Kabuto responds by removing Nagato's personality to make him a more ideal weapon. When B enters his version 2 form to attack with Lariat, Nagato uses the Preta Path's ability to absorb B's chakra. Regaining his vibrant apperance, Nagato grabs Naruto and begins to remove his soul.

Naruto tries to escape by attacking Nagato with a Rasengan but he absorbs it. B tries to cut Nagato to save Naruto, but he stops him using the Asura Path ability and and almost succeeds in removing Naruto's soul and destroying B until Itachi intercepts with his his Susanoo and attacks the summonings' eyes making them disappear. Nagato proceeds to use Chibaku Tensei to trap the three but is stopped by the combined effort of Itachi's Yasaka Magatama, B's Tailed Beast Ball and Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken to destroy the sphere at the centre of the attack. As the smoke clears, Nagato finds himself impaled by Susanoo's Sword of Totsuka and his personality returns. Itachi then seals him but not before Nagato gives his last words to Naruto telling him that he was part of a trilogy that included Jiraiya and himself and to correct the wrongs that he had done during his lifetime.

Once done sealing Nagato, Itachi then takes his leave to find Kabuto in order undo the Impure World Reincarnation. Seeing the youth weakened from using his Nine Tails Chakra Mode Itachi advises him not to overburden himself and to remember those that are helping him as B tells the youth of the promise he made to Iruka. Itachi then incinerates the crow, as Shisui's eye can not be used for another decade and to ensure it would not fall into enemy hands; and Itachi then departs. Frustrated by losing Nagato and Itachi, Kabuto considers bringing out his trump card to compensate for the turn of events.

The Fourth Division vs. The Kage
Using the Hiding with Camouflage Technique, Mū was able to infiltrate the Land of Lightning undetected until Gaara was able to locate him on the first day. Mū then summoned the Second Mizukage, the Third Raikage, and the Fourth Kazekage with the Fourth Division drawing the reincarnated Kage farther into the Land of Lightning while part of the division under Shikamaru broke off to aid Darui in his fight against Kinkaku in Land of Lightning's coast.

Once the battle on the Land of Lightning's coast was won, with the First Division boxing their opponents from the rear, Gaara and Ōnoki engaged the Kage with their attacks countered by their respective predecessors. As Gaara comes into sight, his father is shocked to see that Gaara is no longer a jinchūriki as the two engage with their attacks cancelling each other out. However, by attempting to protect two of the other Kage from an aerial barrage, Gaara restrains his father, and his counters continue to fail in the face of Gaara's Shield of Sand. After Gaara learns the truth about his mother, seals his father, turning his attention to the Third Raikage and Second Mizukage with new determination as the two Kage envade him and. divulge their abilities. Meanwhile, Ōnoki follows Mū, who becomes invisible and states that Ōnoki is going to die if he doesn't call Gaara over. Ōnoki tells Mū not to underestimate him as he makes several clones.

As the Mizukage overwhelms the their forces with his clam's mirage, Gaara spots Mū as he is about to be attack Ōnoki from behind before noticing a Rasengan behind the reincarnated Tsuchikage. Naruto's Planetary Rasengan misses at first, but then he manages to hit Mū with a second attack thanks to Gaara. Just as he is sealed by Gaara, Mū utters a warning yet is silenced once the seal is complete. After learning of Naruto's resolve to fight with them, Gaara and Ōnoki part ways with the youth to as he goes to where Temari uses the Wind Release: Cast Net technique to seemingly incapacitate the Raikage, offering his assistance as wind chakra users are effective against their opponent. After two missed Rasenshurikens, Naruto finally manages to hit the Raikage with the technique, but the Raikage recovers fast as the alllied shinobi prepare multiple earth walls, supported by Dodai's Lava Release: Rubber Wall, to defend against the Raikage's strongest ninjutsu, Hell Stab. But seeing him break through all their defences, Dodai explains that the Third was very resilient, and was only injured when he fought the Eight-Tails.

Despite attempting the Tailed Beast Rasengan, Naruto fails to form it fully and is forced out of the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. Naruto tells Dodai that he needs to contact B and the Eight-Tails. Kabuto focuses all of the Third Raikage's attacks on Naruto but Dodai forms a rubber ball as a decoy to buy Naruto some time. Naruto then asks the Eight-Tails how he defeated the Third Raikage. When he learned that both fought each other to a stand still, and the Third Raikage had only been injured after he fell. Suspecting what had happened, he entered Sage Mode and created a Rasengan, he plans to use Frog Kata to sense the Raikage's attack faster. The Raikage attacks with a one-finger nukite, but Naruto dodges and hits the Raikage's arm with a Rasengan, knocking his attack into his own chest. The sealing team immediately seals the Raikage.

Elsewhere, Gaara faces the Second Mizukage alone and notices how his opponent's oil is nullifying his sand as he uses his Sand Sensing to find the Giant Clam. After locating it, Ōnoki uses Earth Release: Fist Rock Technique combined with Earth Release: Super Added-Weight Rock Technique to destroy it, revealing the Mizukage's real body. Ōnoki throws out his back, rendering him immobile as the Mizukage uses the Water Gun Technique to shoot what he learns was a sand clone as it envelopes him. The Second starts to wash away the sand with oil, but Gaara layers the sand into his Desert Layered Imperial Funeral before it explodes. As hail begins to fall, Ōnoki explains to Gaara that this is the Second's Steaming Danger Tyranny as his clone reconstitutes. The explosive clone wreaks havoc, with Gaara protecting his division before fighting the clone and managing to incapacitate it with a sand clone with his father's gold dust mixed into it. with the sand clone, along with the clone's heat, to fuse the gold to its body. The clone then finds the real Gaara, and tries to attack him, only to be stopped by Gaara's sand and stopped from exploding. Greatly impressed by this feat, the Second Mizukage beams at Gaara before being sealed.

Earlier, at the Mountains' Graveyard, Sasuke recovers from his surgery yet is told by White Zetsu to keep the bandages on for the time being. However, as Naruto and Gaara fought the Third Raikage and Second Mizukage, Sasuke attacks White Zetsu with his Susanoo and sets him ablaze with Amaterasu. Saying that his eyes could see just fine in the dark that he should try them outside, Sasuke removes his bandages to see with his newly evolved Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

Kabuto's Trump Card: The Real Madara Uchiha
In the rubble of a smashed pillar, a damaged Mū stands up. He reveals that he split his body in two, and that only half of him was sealed. He tries to remove the tags from his other half, but the seal is too strong in his weakened state. Mū then, eventually due to his weakened state, performs a summoning of the reincarnated ninja who is Kabuto's ultimate weapon. The figure, whose power is so intense that the coffin's lid bursted open, is revealed to be Madara Uchiha. Emerging from coffin, Madara believed he has been brought back by Nagato using Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique until Mū reveals the technique to be Impure World Reincarnation. When Madara questions Mū about the user of the technique's identity, Kabuto takes full control of the Tsuchikage to explain to the reincarnated Uchiha that he brought him back and had made enhancements that have gave him greater power then he had in the prime of his life.

News of this turn of events reaches the Fourth Division's location with Gaara leading the attack as Madara counters with a widespread fire technique, which is countered by the combined usage of Water Formation Wall by several shinobi. Moving on to general melee attacks, given free reign by Kabuto, Madara wreaks havoc on the Fourth Division, prompting Ōnoki to raise the ground below him to force him into Naruto's Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan.

Madara responds by activating his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and blocking the attack with his Susanoo and goes on to continue decimating the division's forces. As Naruto enters Sage Mode and creates his attack, Ōnoki lightens Gaara's sand, allowing him to manipulate it easier, which he uses to pull Madara out of Susanoo into the path of Naruto's Sage Mode-enhanced Rasenshuriken. Claiming the attack to be 'too much', Madara surprisingly activates his Rinnegan and uses the Preta Path's chakra absorption technique to dispel the technique, to which Kabuto rejoices that the hypothesis that he came up with based on the data gathered by he and Orochimaru was validated, as he improved Madara's body beyond what it was in his prime. Madara replies that his power is not of Kabuto's creation, but his own. Using his twin-bodied Susanoo to weave two seals at once in conjunction with his own, pulling a giant asteroid earthbound towards the Fourth Division, stunning everyone, leading Gaara to question whether this was the power of a god.

As the giant meteorite descends, Ōnoki tells the Allied Shinobi not to give up before even trying. He flies towards the meteorite intending to lighten it. Gaara orders everyone to retreat, as he stays behind to help Ōnoki. Kabuto speaking through Mū, surmises that Madara intends to destroy everything with the meteor, and Madara states that he is correct as they will simply regenerate. Ōnoki successfully lightens the meteorite, as Gaara catches it with his sand. Madara asks what they will do about the second one, as it collides it with the first. At the Allied HQ, discussing their masked foe's reason for calling himself "Madara Uchiha" with A and Shikaku, Tsunade believes it was to play on the fear the name itself presents and how their opponent used Madara's name to get the world's attention and drag it into war. The shock from the second meteorite's impact reaches HQ. They receive intel about what happened, and they determine that it must be Madara's attack. Tsunade states that she will be heading to the front. Back at the battlefield there are barely any survivors left. Dodai protected Naruto's clone due to him being a valuable asset.

Ōnoki was severely injured by the attack. Madara and Mū regenerate, and speak about Madara's plans. They notice survivors and Madara attempts to summon the Nine-Tails, but fails due to it being sealed. Kabuto points out that the jinchūriki is Naruto Uzumaki. Madara uses Hashirama's Wood Release Secret Technique: Nativity of a World of Trees to attack the the remaining Allied Forces. The Nine-Tails gives Naruto some of its chakra without any of its will, preferring to help Naruto over being controlled by Madara again. Naruto rushes towards the approaching forest and creates many shadow clones. The clones create multiple Big Ball Rasengan and destroy the advancing forest. Naruto says that he used up all of the Nine-Tails chakra and that he feels like he could disappear at any moment. Ōnoki tells Naruto to rest while they finish the battle. He proclaims that it's finally time to pick himself off the ground and that there's no opponent more worthy than Madara Uchiha.

Ōnoki decides to take on both Madara and Mū with the assistance of the remaining Fourth Division. Tsunade and A decide to head to Madara's location through Mabui's Heavenly Transfer Technique, a technique that only transports objects as transporting a living being would surely rip them apart. However, Tsunade decides to take the gamble using her Yin Seal: Release. Shikaku telepathically communicates to Genma to have him, Raidō and another Konoha shinobi to perform the Flying Thunder God Technique to transport Mei to Madara's location as well after Chōjūrō incapacitates Black Zetsu with a single slash. The three Kage arrive at the battlefield and prepare to fight Madara.

Mei and A battle Madara while Tsunade heals Gaara and Ōnoki. Gaara and Ōnoki protect the group when Madara goes into the offensive. The five Kage tell Naruto's clone that he isn't needed in that battlefield any more, and urge him to beat the other Madara. The clone disperses.

The Showdown with Tobi
Naruto and B encounter Tobi and Naruto head-butts him head-on, sending them both reeling. Tobi's mask doesn't even get a scratch on it. B catches Naruto and advises him to calm down. Naruto comments on Tobi's new mask's appearance and strength, which Tobi replies is due to the mask being made of materials suitable for war. Then, Naruto and B start fighting Tobi's Six Paths of Pain. Rōshi begins the assault by lunching lava boulders at his opponents, which B and Naruto responds by attacking head on. Yagura however manages to counter the attacks causing B and Naruto to fall into Utakata's trap. B and Naruto manage to escape it, but find themselves being blinded by Fū, which were followed by fast attacks from Yugito and Han, and though the assault were successfully blocked, Naruto and B were still driven back. Tobi finds out that Madara was reincarnated, with the youth demanding who he truly is, he tells Naruto that he is a nobody and that the only thing that truly matters is him completing the Eye of the Moon Plan. When Naruto and B state their own goal of tearing his mask off to find who he is truly it, Tobi ends the conversation by proclaiming that he will capture both of them and complete his plans.

Naruto states they won't hand over the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails. B questions if the jinchūriki had their tailed beasts removed, and the Eight-Tails concludes that they must have been resealed, as it can sense them in their hosts, though different. B begins attacking despite Naruto's call to wait. B attacks Fū with Samehada, but she dodges it by flying. B launches his swords coated in lightning chakra from her blindspot, but she dodges it as the other jinchūriki watch the two. B wonders how she could dodge from a blindspot, so Naruto tells him about the Rinnegan's shared field of vision. Rōshi coats himself in lava and attacks Naruto, who narrowly evades it, the heat burning his cheek. Yugito launches her guided attack, and clashes with B, cutting his scarf. B and Naruto take cover, and B is surprised by her speed, and the Eight-Tails points out that the Sharingan allows them to react faster, while the Rinnegan coordinate attacks. Naruto tells B and the Eight-Tails about the Paths of Pain and the chakra receivers. B points one in Yugito's chest, from a hit he landed earlier. Naruto goes in the open and tries destroying a receiver in Rōshi while being attacked, but is stopped by Han. The Eight-Tails says that the forest will hinder their field of vision, so B transforms into the Eight-Tails to level the forest.

B devastates the forest, also knocking down the other jinchūriki. At the Allied Shinobi HQ, Ao detects that B has transformed into the Eight-Tails. Inoichi receives updates on the Kage holding Madara back. Shikaku requests other divisions' statuses, and learns that the First and Second Divisions are almost done with their enemies, the Third only has one more reincarnated shinobi to seal, and the Fifth has the advantage on their fight. Shikaku orders that as soon as they're done, that they go back up B and Naruto, and asks their coordinates. Naruto notes that the jinchūriki are down, and the Eight-Tails urges B to seal them. B spits out ink clones, which proceed to lock them in place.

Before the clones finish sealing them, Tobi appears from underground, the jinchūriki advance in their transformations and resume attacking. Fū and Yugito tag-team on Naruto, followed by Yagura, who impairs Naruto's movements. Meanwhile, Utakata frees himself from B's hold and Rōshi attacks. The Eight-Tails is concerned and thinks they should retreat, but B is rammed by Han, who has fully transformed into the Five-Tails. Tobi moves in, to warp Naruto away, stating that six against two puts the odds in his favour. However, this was thwarted as Kakashi and Guy attacked Tobi with his Violent — Leaf Adamantine-Strength Whirlwind technique and causes Tobi to become intangible and slip through Naruto while Kakashi retrieve Naruto. Naruto is happy to see them, while Tobi states that two more shinobi doesn't make a difference against the power of his eyes and tailed beasts. Kakashi then states that they too have a Sharingan followed by Guy who states that to not underestimate him as he was Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey.

At the Mountains' Graveyard, Sasuke breaks out of the hideout while elsewhere, having escaped the samurai, Jūgo and Suigetsu discuss Sasuke and Karin, as well as Suigetsu's goal to collect swords as they head to one of Orochimaru's hideouts. On the battlefield, Naruto warns Guy and Kakashi about Tobi's abilities. As the Five-Tails attacks, Guy frees Naruto from the coral before seeing the beast turn on Tobi who chains and suppresses the Five-Tails, who is dismayed at being controlled in that manner. The Eight-Tails tries crushing Tobi, but he simply slips through it. Tobi returns Han back to his Version 2 form. Guy and Kakashi speculate that Tobi doesn't have full control over the tailed beasts. The Eight and Nine-Tails speak to each other telepathically about the treatment of the tailed beasts and the Nine-Tails says that as the second strongest beast, going by tails, the Eight-Tails should just finish the battle already, and feigns sleep. The Eight-Tails snaps back, saying that this belief about their powers being defined by the number of tails is exactly why the Shukaku hated the Nine-Tails so much. Guy and Kakashi charge at the jinchūriki, intending to figure out which of the Six Paths of Pain techniques each one used, only to conclude that Tobi isn't making them use Six Paths techniques because they already have strategies against those. Tobi praises them for figuring that out, and proceeds to make Rōshi and Utakata transform completely into their respective beasts. Naruto falls out of Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, and considers creating more shadow clones with the Nine-Tails' chakra as diversions. B thinks that creating more clones would surely kill him, but the Eight-Tails points out that Naruto should already be on the brink of death, and thinks that the Nine-Tails has stopped taking Naruto's chakra for a while. The Six-Tails attacks Kakashi and Guy, who dodge. The Four-Tails tosses the Eight-Tails, and Naruto almost falls into its mouth, but resists being eaten by the Four-Tails, now back in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, as the Nine-Tails opens one eye watching on.

The Four-Tails tosses the Eight-Tails on the ground, and keeps forcing its mouth shut with Naruto in it while the Nine-Tails watches on. Guy wants to save Naruto, but Kakashi points out their own unfortunate situation between two attack fronts: the Six-Tails' corrosive gas and the other jinchūriki's chakra arms. Kakashi creates a shadow clone and slices through the arms, while Guy punches and burns the gas away. The Eight-Tails wraps its tentacles around the Four-Tails, telling it to let go of Naruto. The Eight-Tails tells the Nine-Tails it heard that it helped Naruto against Madara, the Nine-Tails saying it won't wag its tails to help its jinchūriki as easily as the Eight-Tails. The Eight-Tails questions if it doesn't care at all about what happens to Naruto. The Nine-Tails recalls how many shinobi in the past have restrained it and denied it an identity. The Four-Tails closes its mouth. Naruto meets the Four-Tails, bound by chains. It asks if Naruto is there to take its power, and demands to be called by its proper name, making a boisterous introduction. Naruto apologises for not listening to Son Gokū, which impresses it. Naruto and Son Gokū discuss issues of recognition, identity, and existence. The Four-Tails laughs when Naruto says he's jealous of how B and the Eight-Tails are with each other, before seeing Naruto is serious about it. Considering Naruto to be a better sight than Tobi, Son Gokū offers to help Naruto if he can undo the chains that bind it.

Son Gokū tells Naruto that it won't become his ally even if he saves it, unless it can trust Naruto, who is OK with that. Kurama ponders that it knows Naruto, and that nothing he can say will reach a tailed beast. Tobi pulls Son towards himself with chains intent on absorbing them both. B's still trying to make Son open its mouth and release Naruto. Naruto fails to make Son open its mouth, and decides using the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to make Son puke him out, which it does. B celebrates it. Son tells Naruto that the chakra receiver in him slid from its chest to its neck because of the full tailed beast transformation. Naruto spots it, enters in his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, and sets out to remove it, apologising to Son in advance if he needs to get rough. Naruto pulls himself towards the receiver. Tobi tries binding Naruto with the chains. Kurama recalls Naruto's past achievements, and thinks that if Naruto truly wants to help tailed beasts, that he should do like he always has and act. Naruto tries pulling out the chakra receiver, while a clone he left inside Son enters Sage Mode tries pushing it from the inside.

After Naruto successfully removes the chakra receiver, Tobi instantly summons the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and reseals Son Gokū, but not before it leaves Naruto with a parting gift. With a declaration, that he intends to go all-out from this point on because they had something that belonged to him, Tobi forces the remaining five jinchūriki into their respective full tailed beast forms. As Kakashi and Guy watch on in shock, Kurama tells Naruto that he is willing to lend him more of his power. Somewhat taken aback by this, Naruto then proceeds to thank the beast for helping him during his brief battle with Madara Uchiha, which Kurama rebuffs. Naruto then chastises the beast for the manner in which he took gratitude before the beast — offering him its fist — tells Naruto to meld his chakra with its own. Bumping fists with the beast, Naruto stands and tells B and the Eight-Tails that he was ready to go again. They however tells him that they would take the front lines while Naruto acted as support since he was unable to transform into the full Nine-Tails. Naruto however declines this manoeuvre, leading the Eight-Tails to wonder if Kurama had finally come around. As Naruto places his hand on the seals on his stomach and opens the gates that held Kurama back, he states that it was no longer the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, but Kurama — a comrade from Konohagakure.

As the seal opens up, the five opposing tailed beasts each create a Tailed Beast Ball to fire at Kakashi and Guy. Kakashi planned on countering using Kamui while Guy considers openning up his eighth gate, but Naruto, after undergoing a transformation from releasing his seal was able to deflect all the attacks. Frustrated, Tobi made all the tailed beasts attack, but they were all pushed away by the Nine-Tails' roar. Kakashi and Guy found themselves within Kurama's chakra, while Naruto created a clone which entered Sage Mode to locate the rods on the tailed beasts. Kurama warned Naruto that since their union wasn't perfect, they could remain in this form for only five minutes, which Naruto states was plenty of time. Using the chakra, Naruto grabbed the Seven-Tails, planning on pile-driving it into the Three-Tails, but the giant turtle managed to curl up and roll away. Intending on finishing off the Seven-Tails, Kurama raised its fist, but it was swallowed by the Six-Tails, trapping them while the Three-Tails rolled straight at them. Just before it could reach the giant fox, the Eight-Tails managed to grab the turtle with its tentacles. The Five-Tails then tried to ram into the bull again but B managed to knock it away. The Two-Tails then attempted to pounce on Kurama, but Naruto swung the Six-Tails into its path, sending them both flying. Naruto's Sage Mode clone managed to figure out the location of the chakra receivers, while Kakashi and Guy watch on in disbelief. Tobi, realising he wouldn't be able to defeat the two jinchūriki unless he aimed to kill them, made his tailed beasts regroup to perform one massive Tailed Beast Ball, which Naruto responded to by firing his own.

As Naruto's Tailed Beast Ball collide with those of the opposing tailed beasts, both attacks fly upwards and explode. Using the opportunity to grab the beasts by the throat, Naruto sends clones of himself all in the initial Nine-Tails Chakra Mode to grab hold of the chakra receivers. As they do so, the original enters the consciousness of the tailed beasts who had all been waiting there with their respective jinchūriki and is greeted by Yugito who was pleased he had made it to this level. Welcoming him, Naruto and Yagura — whom the former starts pitying believing the former Mizukage to be a child who looked even weaker than Naruto did — have a brief conversation after having Kurama remind him that the only person he had kissed was Sasuke. After learning of Son Gokū and Rōshi's fate from Fū, he is summoned before the tailed beast and told to stretch out his hand. After Utakata and Han thank Naruto, one by one, tailed beast and jinchūriki alike introduce themselves to Naruto and then "bump fists" with him. Here, Kurama remembers the parting words of the Sage of the Six Paths and then — as the stakes are removed — asks his fellow tailed beast if they too believed as Son did that Naruto was the one that the Sage had spoken of so long ago. They all affirm them as a shocked Tobi reseals them into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Though stating that nothing had changed because of his worn out condition after the Tailed Beast Mode had ended, Naruto refutes Tobi's claim, stating that he had just learned a bunch of difficult names all at once.

Tobi is confused by Naruto's claim of learning difficult names, which Naruto teases him for. Guy remarks how Naruto's progress is making him feel old, to which Kakashi tries to make him feel better, only to fail. Tobi feels a moisture on his wrist, at first thinking it was sweat but eventually convinces himself that it's the rain that's starting to fall. Tobi has a strange feeling about Naruto and perceives an aura about him. However, he snaps out of his shaken state and asserts that the war will make everything irrelevant, including Naruto. At the Allied Shinobi HQ, Naruto's use of Kurama's chakra was felt, though they also feel something else. Ao relays to events to Shikaku, who wants to use it to raise the army's morale all at once, despite the strain it would cause to him. Naruto's friends from Konoha all rush towards his direction, all with intent on supporting him. Elsewhere, Sasuke also walks towards the battlefield as a thunderstorm ensues.

Against the Uchiha
In the Konohagakure Intelligence Division, Karin feigns mental instability to lessen the guards' attention to her, and begins plotting her escape with a lock-pick set hidden in her glasses and under a portrait of Sasuke she made. Jūgo and Suigetsu learn about the war, near one of Orochimaru's hideouts. Jūgo questions Suigetsu's reasons to be part of Taka, and while the two argue, Jūgo's killing intent kicks in, and he attacks Suigetsu. Suigetsu simply reforms and begins drowning Jūgo to subdue him. He notices that the attack revealed a secret room caused by Jūgo's attack, where Suigetsu discovers a scroll detailing secrets to winning the war. Sasuke runs into a small platoon of the White Zetsu Army, who question his presence outside, and realise he's killed the original White Zetsu before attacking. Sasuke uses Susanoo and incinerates several of them. He interrogates one of the White Zetsu using genjutsu, and learns about the war and its purpose. Sasuke finishes the White Zetsu and decides to go kill Naruto Uzumaki. Sasuke is pleased with Itachi's eyes, and reminisces about him. Elsewhere, Itachi is on the move.

Ōnoki attacks Madara Uchiha with a giant rock golem, which Madara destroys, creating several flowers. Tsunade recognises the technique as her grandfather's. Gaara suspends the Kage above the attack, Ōnoki levitating A. The flowers begin releasing a toxic pollen. Kabuto Yakushi muses on how people who heard of Hashirama Senju's strength consider it a myth, just like the Sage of the Six Paths, and that he'll show everyone that this is real. Dodai, Genma, and Raidō give chase to Mū. Having steered the Kage's attention towards the flowers, Madara uses Susanoo to knock them down from behind, throwing them at the flowers, and proceeds to set the forest ablaze. Mei tries putting out the fire, but collapses due to the pollen, as do the other Kage. Ōnoki thinks back to his youth, talking to the First Tsuchikage about the strong will of Iwa shinobi. Ōnoki musters enough strength to destroy the flowers and injure Madara. The other Kage regain conciousness just in time to see the face formed from the DNA of the First Hokage's face in Madara's chest. Kabuto gushes on how Orochimaru's creation allowed him to create the ultimate trump card. Elsewhere, Sasuke Uchiha detects someone in the woods nearby. Taking out his sword, he goes investigate, only to be shocked at seeing Itachi Uchiha.

After Sasuke spots Itachi, he chases his brother down. Itachi refuses to be swayed from his mission, so Sasuke attempts to use Susanoo to stop him, but Itachi counters with his own. As Sasuke chases his brother the two have a conversation. Elsewhere, a regenerating Madara decides to target Tsunade after realising she was a Senju. Deeming her a weak woman who had seemingly inherited nothing from Hashirama who he claimed was even more skilled in medical ninjutsu than she was, he goes on to say that even more so that a weak person, he detested a weak Senju. Tsunade however rebuffs him, telling him that though she had not inherited the Wood Release kekkei genkai her grandfather possessed and that he may have even been more skilled than her with medical ninjutsu — since he did not require the use of hand seals to use it, Madara made two mistakes. One was assuming she was a weak woman and the other was that she had inherited nothing from her ancestor. She states that she inherited something more than simple power, the Will of Fire — something Madara should not take so lightly.

Madara doubts Tsunade can defeat him with the Will of Fire, stating power has nothing to do with will. Tsunade disagrees, saying that the will she inherited made her strong, crediting it for her revolution of medical ninjutsu, building an entire system, and making its three rules, which she lists to him as she releases her seal. She then reveals another rule: that only those who have mastered the Strength of a Hundred Technique are allowed to break the other three rules. The other Kage are stunned to learn about this, while Madara is unfazed, having never heard of the technique. Tsunade explains it's a kinjutsu only she knows how to use. Madara says that getting rid of the pollen and adding a medical-nin won't help their odds. Tsunade says all of them will go at it at once if it comes down to it, and that she's not just a medical-nin. Madara covers himself with Susanoo's ribcage, which Tsunade cracks with her attack. Madara notes her to be slower than the Raikage, but stronger than him.

Madara tries immolating Tsunade, but is stopped by Mei, who also attacks. A and Ōnoki deal a heavy blow just as Tsunade lands a powerful kick, sending Madara crashing down. Madara concedes that Tsunade isn't as weak as he thought. Madara reminds her that she'll get herself killed if she simply rushes into battle, the Kage's source of treatment and recovery. Madara wonders what Hashirama left them, saying they're nothing compared to Hashirama, and that if he had known how weak they'd be, he'd have taught Hashirama how to rise from the dead. He says the only power Hashirama left is clinging to him, and that his own brother only left him his eyes and their power. Tsunade asks if he heard nothing of what she said. Madara says the only thing that could be passed to them is hatred.

At the same time, Dan Katō and Chōza Akimichi have a conversation where Chōza informs him that Madara had been reincarnated and that Tsunade — as Hokage — and the other Kage were battling him, which shocks Dan. Despite Chōza's confidence in Tsunade, Dan tells him that he should use his time finding the caster of the technique instead of guarding the barrier that held him as Madara was not to be taken lightly, expressing his belief that only Hashirama could possibly defeat Madara. Back at the battle with Madara, Tsunade manages to land a devastating blow on Madara and as he regenerates, Gaara binds and seals him. This is however, revealed to be nothing more that a wood clone, as Tsunade is impaled by a Susanoo Sword and Madara emerges from a root telling them that when he fought Hashirama in the past, only his dōjutsu could see through the clone.

To keep Sasuke from following him, Itachi summons a flock of crows, which stall Sasuke. Itachi finds Kabuto Yakushi, saying that he felt where his chakra came from while he was being controlled earlier, citing it as a weakness of the technique. Kabuto isn't concerned, as he's the only one who can stop the technique. After seeing Sasuke close behind Itachi, Kabuto gets excited, exclaiming his luck had turned for the better which prompted an exasperated Itachi to remark that things had turned out worse than he expected.

Having arrived at Kabuto's hideout, Sasuke identifies Kabuto. Kabuto attempts to manipulate him into attacking Itachi, but Sasuke explains his goal was to talk with his brother and that Kabuto, who has now taken Orochimaru's mantle, is his enemy. Meanwhile Tsunade reveals her new technique's power, which allows nearly instant regeneration without the usage of hand seals, and throws the sword that impales her back at Madara. While he absorbs it into his Susanoo, Ōnoki tries to blast Madara with Dust Release from behind, but Madara simply absorbs it, claiming he could have done it earlier but instead took it as a chance to demoralise them with Hashirama's visage. Tsunade questions his confidence, stating the Kage forced him into using a wood clone. Instead of rebuffing her, Madara admits five versus one is a good match-up number and creates twenty-five wood clones, five for each Kage. Sasuke attempts to kill Kabuto, but Itachi stops him, explaining the need to discover the counter to the Impure World Reincarnation beforehand. Sasuke agrees to cooperate on the terms that Itachi will answer his questions once they're done, and Itachi accepts, as both brothers and Kabuto ready themselves for battle.

Closing his hood and stating that he was an introverted person and as such it was unsettling to be stared at by so many people, Kabuto sends his snakes charging towards Sasuke and Itachi. The brothers are able to fend this attack off by activating their Susanoo, however Kabuto uses this opportunity to hide in one of his snakes. Here, Kabuto reveals the abilities that he had gained from experimenting with Sasuke's former team-mates: Karin's healing abilities, a similar ability to Suigetsu's Hydrification Technique as well as Jūgo's ability to absorb natural energy. After revealing that he had found and trained at the Ryūchi Cave — much to Itachi's shock — he narrowly dodges Sasuke's arrow. Emerging from the snake's mouth he reveals that he had finally surpassed Orochimaru and was able to become a sage and declares that he was now a dragon after Sasuke mistakes him for an imperfect snake like Orochimaru was.

Kabuto launches a dragon at the brothers. As Itachi rushes over, a blinding light and violent air vibrations erupt. Sasuke and Itachi are paralysed by the air vibrations, but Kabuto is still able to move because of his liquified body. Kabuto goes after Sasuke first. Itachi protects him with Susanoo. Itachi explains that he already knows where Kabuto's going to attack, so he can guard properly. Sasuke attempts to impale Kabuto with his Chidori Sharp Spear, but Kabuto jumps onto the ceiling. Itachi tells Sasuke to remember the plan they used when they went on a mission together. Sasuke remembering hunting a huge boar as he puts the plan into action with his brother. While Itachi launched Yasaka Magatama as a distraction, Sasuke fired another arrow at Kabuto and managed to pin him to the ceiling. Sasuke thinks he has Kabuto, but then is shocked to see Kabuto off to the side stabbing Itachi. Itachi's body is revealed to be a crow clone, and the real Itachi counterattacks, cutting off a piece of Kabuto's horn. Itachi and Sasuke remember their time together and prepare to catch the snake.

Amused at the fact that though Sasuke should hate Itachi, the two seemed to be getting along well, Kabuto states that he understands that something might have happened during the brothers' battle, could not understand what Sasuke could want from a dead person. After hearing Sasuke declare that he wanted to know the truth, Kabuto surmises that Sasuke was suspicious of his brother, having already heard the truth and as such never returned to Konohagakure because of his intent to destroy it for making his brother suffer. Calling Itachi a liar and stating that he had went as far as to eradicate his entire clan in order to protect the village, he asks Sasuke whether or not what he was doing was more akin to his own goals of wanting to continue what Orochimaru started and destroy Konoha.

Attempting to inveigle him to his side once again, Sasuke has a flashback of a conversation he overheard with a group of Konoha-nin bad-mouthing Itachi after which he declares that he was nothing like Kabuto and that crushing Konoha was his own ambition. Recalling his life in Konoha, Kabuto begins to renounce the village and tells Sasuke that he would be his new brother. Telling his brother not to listen to Kabuto, Itachi commences his plan of action, telling his brother that he would use one of the clan's ultimate dōjutsu. Believing it to be Izanagi, Sasuke questions his brother on this. Itachi however corrects his brother as he clashes with Kabuto while wielding Sasuke's sword telling him that this is another technique, able to decide destiny: Izanami.

Kabuto attacks the Uchiha brothers with his Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation causing the cave formations to attack them. Having used his Susanoo to protect Sasuke, Itachi is incapacitated between the rocks. As Kabuto retrieves a talisman from his snake, intent on rewriting Itachi's mind, Sasuke creates a ring of Amaterasu flames to prevent Kabuto from taking any further action. Commending Sasuke's strategy, Kabuto tells him nonetheless that they were not capable of defeating him. Continuing to brag about his accomplishments, he states that of anyone currently alive, he had come the closest to the Sage of the Six Paths and that compared to him, the Uchiha were nothing. This prompts Sasuke to lash out at him, but he is stopped by a fully-regenerated Itachi. Itachi tells Kabuto that he reminded him of his former self though the two of them were very different. He then tells him that because he did not understand his own limitations, the value of comrades and who he really was, he was doomed to fail as he did when he was alive. With this, Kabuto retorts that they were the ones that knew nothing about him and that for his whole life, he had tried to find who he really was. With this Kabuto has a flashback to his earliest memory of being found by Nonō and Urushi. He then states that for his whole life, he had nothing.

The Tale of Kabuto
Kabuto then remembers his first meeting with Orochimaru while aiding the wounds of several Konohagakure shinobi, declining the offer of being a shinobi. Nonō is later approached by Danzō Shimura, Orochimaru and an Aburame shinobi, who blackmail her into undertaking an intelligence gathering mission based on the intel they had received that Iwagakure was planning a big attack. Taking Kabuto along with them to replace a dead Root member, the young man was sent on several spy mission in different hidden villages inclusive of the Five Great Shinobi Countries. On a mission in Iwagakure, his cover was blown and as he attempted to escape he was confronted by an Iwa-nin. Kabuto attacked the ninja with his chakra scalpel severely wounding his would-be assassin, revealed to be Nonō to his horror. When Nonō did not remember him as he attempted to heal her, a shocked Kabuto ran off and left her as Kitsuchi and another Iwa-nin approached them. Devastated that she did not remember him and wondering who he was, Kabuto is once again approached by Orochimaru who states that Kabuto had become quite the shinobi.

Kabuto is startled by Orochimaru's approach. Orochimaru says he's been watching Kabuto and Nonō for a long time, and invites him to come with him, promising to reveal to him the reason Nonō attacked him and didn't recognise him. Orochimaru takes Kabuto to his medically-equipped hideout, telling Kabuto he's the first person he has brought there. Kabuto questions Orochimaru on why he brought him there, and Orochimaru is pleased with his enquiring nature. Orochimaru reveals that Root set up Kabuto and Nonō to kill each other, as their skilled abilities as spies with vast knowledge have made them too dangerous to be kept alive. Orochimaru then explains that Danzō told Nonō the reason Kabuto joined Root, accepting her pleas to relieve him of duty if she kills one man, Kabuto, who she would believe be someone else, having been given photos of a different child over the years.

Kabuto figures Orochimaru was sent to kill whoever survived, Orochimaru confirming this fact to a mortified Kabuto while telling him they are no different. He explains to Kabuto that he has found value in Kabuto's skill and wants his services within the newly created Otogakure with the promise of a new identity. Accepting the offer, Kabuto becomes Orochimaru's spy, pretending to be a spy for Sasori in order to learn about Akatsuki, and aids his new employer in his experiments through the years. After Orochimaru's defeat at Sasuke's hand, Kabuto injects himself with blood from the remains of Orochimaru's true form to achieve an identity of his own making.

The Three Climatic Battles
Having finished reminiscing about his childhood, Kabuto tells the brothers that he assimilated more than just Orochimaru's DNA, that his pawns were a show of his own power and refuses to have Itachi oppose him any longer. Even though Itachi rejects what Kabuto says, Kabuto presses on with his attack. A construct of Sakon emerges from the base of his navel snake, and Kabuto uses his Attack of the Twin Demons technique as he has the construct transform into Jirōbō, who then uses the Earth Release: Earth Shore Return technique to part the circle of flames that the Uchiha brother had created around themselves. Giving them no time to react, he brings forth Kidōmaru next and has him use the Spider Web Unrolling technique to trap the brothers — who use Amaterasu to incinerate the uncuttable web. Moving behind the brothers and producing Kimimaro next, he has him use the Dance of the Seedling Fern technique to block the area behind them while also creating another web in front of them, effectively caging the brothers in. After they manage to escape, Kabuto uses Tayuya and her Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains technique to attack the siblings with an auditory genjutsu effectively incapacitating them. Bringing forth Orochimaru himself finally, Kabuto has him transform into his white snake form and attack the brothers. The Uchiha manage to escape the genjutsu and fend the snake off by casting genjutsu on each other. Kabuto, however, appears from the mouth of the snake with a surprise attack and bisects Itachi, stating that a genius that has had everything would not understand him wanting to find his true self and then declared that no one would stand in his way with this.

Regenerating, Itachi called out to Sasuke as Kabuto moved to implant his talisman to rewrite Itachi's mind. Responding, Sasuke threw his sword at Kabuto. Kabuto caught the sword with his navel-snake, and dodged the grasp of Sasuke's Susanoo. Sasuke launched a fireball at Kabuto who countered it with a large torrent of water which swept Sasuke off his feet. Through the mist created from the two clashing techniques, Kabuto noticed that Itachi, who Kabuto stabbed with the sword for him disappeared into a flurry of crows and attack Kabuto with the sword he took from him. Chastising him for using the same attack pattern he had used before to cut his horn off, to which Itachi rebuffs that he cannot be harmed also refuting Kabuto's claims that genjutsu cannot affect him, stating that it already had. This sequence of events repeats itself once again until Kabuto begins to notice the déjà vu, regardless of what he did differently. It was ultimately revealed that the entire new sequence of the battle was taking place within Kabuto's head, as he was trapped within Izanami.

Using this time, Sasuke questions his brother about Izanami. Itachi explains the mechanisms behind the technique, the history of their clan, their use of Izanagi and why Izanami was created. He then tells his brother that Kabuto would be freed from Izanami once he accepted his fate. Somewhat angered that Itachi would use a technique that the victim could escape, Sasuke questions his brother who tells him that he wanted to give Kabuto the opportunity to accept his fate — something he himself could not do during his lifetime. This explanation only served to irate Sasuke more who believed his brother to be perfect, but Itachi, refutes this claim. All throughout this, Kabuto continues to battle on in his mind, refusing to give up. Elsewhere on the battlefield, a grown up Urushi, tells one of his comrades about his home and hopes that by the time he got back, his brother, Kabuto, would be there. Meanwhile at the cave, Itachi prepares to end the Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation.

As Kabuto remains incapacitated by Izanami, Sasuke questions whether undoing the Impure World Reincarnation would not mean Itachi would disappear as well. Declaring that he no longer had any attachment to the world of the living, Itachi notes that he was proud to be able to protect Konohagakure once more. Enraged to hear Itachi's motives, Sasuke states that while he could forgive his brother, he could never forgive the village for what they had done. This leads Itachi to tell his little brother that he won't be the one to change him and that he was doing this to aid Naruto Uzumaki — whom he had entrusted that task to. Itachi then proceeds to raise the brille over Kabuto's eyes and uses genjutsu to order Kabuto to teach him the hand seals needed to stop the Impure World Reincarnation.

Meanwhile, the five Kage struggle to hold their own against Madara's twenty-five Susanoo-clad wood clones. Amidst all the struggles, Ōnoki rallies them to fight on having been entrusted with a great task at which they could not fail. Madara notes that he needed to break Ōnoki's will as it was the most troublesome of all. Rallying to each other's side, Tsunade transfers chakra to Ōnoki who uses a large-scale Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique which succeeds in obliterating the twenty-five clones and part of the real Madara, in one fell swoop. Splitting the cube down the middle, Mei Terumī unleashes a Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique which A charges with lightning. This makes contact with Madara effectively slowing down his response time. As Madara prepares to counter, it is revealed that sand was also concealed in the dragon which Gaara uses to bind Madara's movements further in order to create an opening for Ōnoki to use another Dust Release thus giving time to seal him due to the regeneration process. After they declared that this was the power of the five Kage, Madara compliments them stating that he would respond with his full power as well. He then unleashes the complete version of his Susanoo stating that it would help them realise just how futile their efforts have been, regardless of being Kage.

The five Kage look on in shock as Madara unleashes his Susanoo. After stabilising the construct, Tsunade questions whether her grandfather really fought against someone who was so much stronger than five Kage put together. Madara responds by saying that Hashirama was the only one who could defeat him and then states that it was a good thing that he wasn't here as the extent of damage to the surrounding landscape would be on a much smaller scale as he sends the Kage flying with one swing from his sword — destroying the mountain range behind him in the process. Realising his full power, Ōnoki questions whether or not Madara had gone easy on him and Mū in the past, to which Madara states that why should fight seriously against children. As the Kage stand to face Madara nonetheless, Ōnoki then states that they would not back down now, causing Madara to resolve himself to crushing their beliefs.

Elsewhere, Itachi then commands Kabuto to use the hand seals he had just stated to end the Impure World Reincarnation. Sasuke uses this time to state his resolve to Itachi and that he will destroy the village because of what it did to him before bidding farewell to Itachi. As the technique is released, the reincarnated shinobi from all-over the battlefield begin to deconstruct. Upon seeing this, a battered Naruto and B thanks Itachi and uses it as motivation to wrap things up with Tobi as well. Before being completely decommissioned, Itachi heads towards his little brother with his hand outstretched, stating that he could still make it.

With the Impure World Reincarnation released, all the reincarnated shinobi began to fade into pillars of light. As the battle between Tobi and Naruto ensues, Naruto charges at him, stating that his opponents were in front of him as Tobi contemplates the fact that Kabuto had seemingly been defeated. Meanwhile, the five Kage struggle to combat Madara, as as he is about to deal another blow with his sword, Madara's Susanoo suddenly dissipates and he is enveloped in a beam of light, causing him to wonder what happened to the summoner. Back at the cave Itachi uses the last of his consciousness to show Sasuke his memories of the Uchiha clan massacre, showing him when he came into possession of Shisui Uchiha's Sharingan, Konoha leadership's decision to move against the Uchiha clan's coup d'etat, his meeting with Tobi and ending with Fugaku and Mikoto's last words to Itachi. With the full truth about the massacre revealed, Itachi told Sasuke that even if Sasuke never forgave him, and no matter what he decided to do from that point on, he would always love him.

After imparting his final words to Sasuke, Itachi's soul is released from the Impure World Reincarnation after which Kabuto seems to have been released from Izanami. On different battlefields, all the other reincarnated shinobi's souls are being released, as the five Kage realise what was happening, they wonder who had released the technique with Ōnoki noting that whomever it was, was a hero to the shinobi world. Regaining dominion over his movements, Dan asks Chōza to have them remove the barrier which sealed him. When the barrier is released, Chōza notes the hand seals Dan used, realises his intentions and tells him to hurry and go to Tsunade. Using his Spirit Transformation Technique to take control of his then-ascending soul, Dan flies to Tsunade's location in time to take over her body and save her from Madara — who though was being released from the Impure World Reincarnation, was still making a desperate attempt to kill the Kage. Speaking with Tsunade in her subconscious, before disappearing Dan tells Tsunade that he would wait for her in the afterlife but not to follow after him just yet and leaves her with the remainder of his chakra, thus restoring her Strength of a Hundred Seal. After returning to the real world, Tsunade and the other Kage watch in some confusion, wondering why Madara hadn't stopped moving as yet. He then explains that if the reincarnated know the seal to end the summoning contract of the Impure World Reincarnation, they could sever ties from the summoner. With this Madara performs the seal to sever the contract and tells them to tell his summoner, that he shouldn't use kinjutsu so arbitrarily.

Reminiscing about Itachi's last words, Sasuke is tormented by questions about important aspects of a shinobi's life, his clan, his friends and about his existence. Just as the roof of Kabuto's place caves in, Sasuke manages to dodge the falling stones and rocks. Suigetsu and Jūgo appear, claiming, at last, to have found Sasuke. Meanwhile at the battlefield, as the five Kage are still amazed to find Madara among themselves even after the Impure World Reincarnation has been released, Madara exclaims that after fighting him, they might have realised he was not the type of shinobi to be under someone else's control. And that it would be a disgrace to again summon his complete Susanoo when it is said that "anyone who has seen it has died". Ōnoki exclaims that they must fight and defeat Madara themselves when Mei gives up.

Meanwhile, while Naruto and Killer B are still fighting Tobi and his Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Naruto provokes Tobi to show his real face. Angered by Naruto's provocations, Tobi decides to revive the Demonic Statue to its full form as he starts weaving the hand signs. At Kabuto's place, Jūgo declares Anko Mitarashi to still be alive and exclaims that Madara is still in the living world, surprising Sasuke. As Sasuke questions them why they were still after him, Suigetsu tells him that they had found a cool thing and hands Sasuke the scroll which they found at one of Orochimaru's hideouts. Rendered speechless for a moment by the contents, Sasuke decides to meet with with Orochimaru; explaining to a shocked Suigetsu that Orochimaru is too tough to die easily, deciding he is "going to meet the one who knows everything".

Episodes