Having absorbed the chakras of all nine Tailed Beasts, the Gedo Statue begins its transformation into Ten Tails. Naruto, Killer Bee, Kakashi, and Guy try to destroy the Gedo Statue but are stopped by the masked man.

After the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, Obito finds himself inside the hidden lair of Madara Uchiha, who saved the young shinobi’s life. There, Obito works to rehabilitate his injured body in the hopes of being reunited with Kakashi and Rin.

While pursuing Orochimaru, Kakashi wanders into a village inhabited by the Iburi Clan, a group of people with the unique ability to turn into smoke. Kakashi is soon captured and learns that the villagers all serve under Orochimaru.

Sasuke leaves the village in order to obtain power from Orochimaru. Naruto and his friends learn that Sasuke is in danger and decide to go after him. To keep this a secret, only Naruto and Shikamaru set out on this mission, but on the way the duo are accosted by masked ANBU shinobi!

Itachi joins the ANBU and is quickly promoted to captain. But he must report directly to Danzo, and is placed as a double agent to observe the Uchiha clan, who are in the midst of planning a coup d’état. With dissatisfaction rising within the clan, the Uchiha ultimately decide to carry out their revolt, and the fateful night approaches.

Black Zetsu reveals that he masterminded and influenced all the events from the end of Ashura and Indra's era to the current Fourth Great Ninja War. Naruto rejects Black Zetsu’s claim that the entire history of shinobi was solely for the resurrection of his mother, Kaguya. Naruto and Sasuke work together to seal away Kaguya, but they can't find a way to counter her.