Upon entering the Land of Rain, the group immediately noticed its unique humid climate. The country was constantly drenched due to moisture-laden airflows converging from three directions, only to be trapped by the surrounding mountains, leaving the Land of Rain in a perpetual state of "weeping."
When Uchiha clan members carried out missions outside the village, they would remove their clan-emblazoned fan insignias. As long as they didn't reveal their Sharingan, no one would recognize them as Uchiha.
Amegakure's management was notably lax. As long as one didn't cause trouble within the village, even rogue ninja from other nations could walk the streets openly.
Keikou Sanmoku's group entered without issue. His carriage was extravagant, surrounded by twelve guards—an unmistakable display of status. Upon arrival, he initially considered sending word ahead, but the existence of Akatsuki within Amegakure was not a publicly known fact. The villagers only knew that their leader was Pain, with the "Angel" acting as the primary administrator. However, few knew how to contact either of them, as it was typically the "Angel" who sought people out to deliver orders.
There was, however, one method to directly reach Pain. Keikou Sanmoku lifted the carriage curtain, glancing at the heavy rain outside, and turned to Uchiha Tekka.
"Tekka, could you and your clansmen release some chakra?"
"Release chakra? Keikou, what's the point of that?" Uchiha Tekka activated his Sharingan, scanning the surroundings warily, but he found no visible threats.
"This will allow Amegakure to detect our presence faster. This rain is actually a jutsu used for surveillance."
Keikou Sanmoku pointed toward the pouring sky, explaining, "Pain has likely already noticed us upon entering. If you release your chakra together, they'll come to us directly instead of making us search for them."
"A surveillance jutsu covering an entire village?" Tekka was visibly shocked. How powerful did one have to be to achieve that?
Amegakure was slightly smaller than Konoha, yet Konoha's barrier required multiple squads to maintain. And from Keikou's words, this jutsu had been cast by Pain himself?
"Captain, there is chakra present, but it's faint. Even with the Sharingan, it's difficult to see clearly," another Uchiha jonin reported. The Sharingan could perceive chakra, but not with the clarity of the Byakugan.
Tekka found it hard to believe such a formidable individual existed, but he trusted Keikou Sanmoku's words. Signaling his clan members, they all gathered their chakra and released it into the air.
With eight people, the weakest among them possessing dual-tomoe Sharingan, the concentrated chakra output was quickly detected by Pain.
"Konan."
Pain spoke calmly. "At the village entrance, several strong ninja are deliberately releasing chakra. Go check on them."
It seemed as if they knew about the rain's surveillance ability and were intentionally drawing attention.
Pain ceased his jutsu, and soon, the constant downpour over Amegakure came to a halt.
At the entrance, Keikou Sanmoku and his group watched as the rain abruptly stopped, though the thick clouds overhead remained. The Uchiha shinobi immediately deduced that whoever controlled the jutsu had noticed their presence.
Tekka approached the carriage and asked in a low voice, "Should we prepare for battle, Keikou?"
Keikou Sanmoku shook his head. "No need. We're here to discuss business. Even if we fail to strike a deal, we should maintain cordiality. Besides, Amegakure has dealt with the Keikou Trading Company before; they wouldn't attack on sight."
The Uchiha alone were no match for the Akatsuki. They might be able to take down one or two members, but if three or more showed up, all eight Uchiha would be wiped out. Moreover, Keikou Sanmoku hadn't brought them solely for protection—if they all perished, part of his plan would fail.
With the rain gone, Keikou Sanmoku stepped out of the carriage.
Before long, paper butterflies fluttered down from the sky, converging into the form of a woman with origami-like wings.
"So, it's you," Konan said upon recognizing Keikou Sanmoku. She recalled his background—Nagato's medical equipment had been purchased from the Keikou Trading Company. After extensive treatment, Nagato's legs had slowly begun recovering, and he could now stand and walk.
"Konan-san, I am Keikou Sanmoku of the Keikou Trading Company. I've come to Amegakure to discuss a business proposal."
Keikou Sanmoku smiled as he gestured toward the Uchiha around him. "These are my hired guards. It was at my request that they released their chakra earlier."
"I see..."
Konan's gaze lingered on Keikou Sanmoku. The fact that he used this method to summon her meant he knew about Pain's Rain Tiger at Will Technique. Yet this was his first time in Amegakure—how did he know such details?
"What business do you wish to discuss?"
Keikou Sanmoku raised an eyebrow. "Here? I have quite a bit to say."
Konan's expression remained calm. "Who do you represent—Keikou Trading Company or Sunagakure?"
The Akatsuki were already aware that the Keikou family had joined Sunagakure. Given that the Fourth Kazekage had died at their hands, relations between both sides were hardly amicable.
"There's no difference between the two. If you're concerned about the Fourth Kazekage's death, you needn't be. The Keikou family had not yet joined Sunagakure at the time."
Keikou Sanmoku smiled, his tone gentle. "Or rather, it was precisely because of the Fourth Kazekage's death that the Keikou family ended up joining Sunagakure."
In a way, Akatsuki wasn't just a weapon for the daimyo—it was also a weapon for Hyuga Mirai.
"Come in," Konan said after a long pause. She gave Keikou Sanmoku a deep look, sensing something eerily familiar about him. Something about him reminded her of Pain, as if he were a lifeless puppet.
She led them toward the towering structure at Amegakure's center. This area was deserted—no other Rain ninja were present. The surroundings were eerily silent.
"Speak," Konan said directly after bringing them to the location. She didn't seem concerned with formalities, and Keikou Sanmoku noticed that there wasn't even a place to sit.
Seeing that discussions were about to begin, Uchiha Tekka spoke up. "Keikou, would you like us to wait outside?"
As hired guards, they would follow their client's wishes.
"Yes, if you don't mind, Tekka-san," Keikou Sanmoku replied with a polite smile. "I'll call for you once we're done."
(End of Chapter)