Episode Summaries

As they travel slowly towards an unknown destination, Nagato and Itachi wonder who they are going to be forced to fight. Sensing a nostalgic presence, they are greeted by Naruto and Killer B. Their reunion conversation is cut short when Kabuto Yakushi — thrilled by the prospect of capturing the Eight and Nine-Tails — commands Itachi to attack. After slicing through Itachi's enormous fireball using Samehada, B apologises to the sentient blade, who did not appreciate being used to absorb hot flames. Moving-in, Itachi clashes with Naruto while they converse about Sasuke, and Naruto reveals to Itachi that he knows the truth behind the Uchiha Clan Downfall. A shocked Itachi questions how far this news has spread, and upon hearing that only a few people know, requests that nobody else finds out.

Though puzzled by the conversation, Nagato is forced to attack before he can ask for more details, and the battle between the four shinobi ensues. Retreating atop Nagato's Giant Drill-Beaked Bird, Itachi activates his Mangekyō Sharingan, which causes one of his crows to emerge from a shocked Naruto's mouth. Itachi casts Amaterasu in order to incinerate Nagato's summons as well as Nagato himself, telling the Rinnegan-wielder that his plan had worked. It is revealed that the crow has Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan implanted in its eye socket, and the eye is rigged to cast Kotoamatsukami (with the order "protect Konoha") when it sees Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan. Now freed from Kabuto's control, Itachi explains that this was the power he had given to Naruto, and that he had intended for it to be used on his brother. During this explanation, however, Nagato's corpse is able to regenerate and Kabuto, excited by the prospect of acquiring Shisui's DNA, has Nagato attack once again. Hidden in his Giant Snake-Tailed Chameleon, Nagato surprises the group by launching a large-scaled Shinra Tensei before targeting B. B throttles him in his Version 2 form, but Nagato absorbs B's chakra and is restored to his youthful-looking self. With this, Nagato captures Naruto and prepares to remove his soul.