The rain, which had briefly stopped, began to fall again. The Uchiha clan members were now aware that this was an artificial detection jutsu, so they refrained from wandering around Amegakure and instead focused entirely on their duty as guards.
They disliked the feeling of being watched and understood that their primary objective was to complete their mission. Days of monotonous guard duty were nothing to seasoned jonin who had experienced war. Besides, the reward from the Hyakusa Trade Association was twice that of an S-rank mission from Konoha, and without any deductions from middlemen.
Unlike the Konoha Police Force, these Uchiha had no official positions in the village and relied entirely on the clan's support. Although the clan provided for them well, it couldn't compare to those who took on missions independently. The payment from Hyakusa Trade Association was a welcome additional income, benefiting both individual Uchiha and the clan as a whole by providing funds and valuable experience.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Tekka sat playing shogi with Keikou Sanmoku, subtly probing him for information.
For Unit 18, this was an utterly crude attempt at intelligence gathering. Uchiha Tekka's shogi skills were so abysmal that if Unit 18 weren't deliberately feeding him some information, he wouldn't even consider wasting a fraction of his vast computing power on such a trivial opponent.
In the most secluded area of Amegakure, known only to Konan and Nagato, Tobi had also learned of this location through Zetsu's reconnaissance. However, he remained unaware that Nagato had regained his ability to move and was undergoing rehabilitation. Even Zetsu, wary of the Rinnegan's abilities, dared not approach too closely and could only observe from a distance.
Thanks to medical treatment, Nagato's frail, emaciated form had gradually returned to that of a normal person. However, his movements were still stiff, requiring further training to regain full mobility. If he could completely recover, he might even be able to rid himself of the black rods embedded in his body. Yet, even then, he would likely continue relying on the Six Paths of Pain for combat.
"Konan, do you really want to go through with this?"
Nagato looked at the project proposal provided by Keikou Trade Association and asked Konan. The document was meticulously detailed, written in layman's terms specifically to accommodate Nagato and Konan, who had limited formal education. Unit 18 had carefully simplified the language to ensure clarity.
After reading it, Nagato realized that even without the Trade Association's help, he now understood how to alter Amegakure's perpetual rainfall. If he could level a mountain range and use a jutsu equivalent to the combined efforts of a hundred Wind Release users, he could disperse the thick cumulus clouds that constantly loomed over the Land of Rain.
"Yes, Nagato," Konan replied. "We defeated Hanzo, yet Amegakure remains unchanged. This is not the future Yahiko dreamed of, not the promise we once made. If there's a way to change that, I don't want to ignore it."
Her words brought back memories of Yahiko's passionate vision. Changing this nation had once been their shared dream. But after Yahiko's death, Nagato had shifted his focus to becoming the world's sole god, believing that only through divine intervention could he reshape the chaotic world.
"If that is what you wish, then let's do it," Nagato said, a strange expression flickering in his eyes. He then added, "Don't worry about the threat from Sunagakure. I am regaining control over my body, and the Six Paths of Pain have grown even stronger. If Suna intends to attack after the barriers are removed, I will show them the power of a god."
Konan nodded but hesitated before adding, "Nagato, there's something strange about the Keikou Trade Association. Their integration into Sunagakure is unlikely to be based on financial power alone. There must be another force backing them… and I suspect the Sasori of the Red Sand is connected to them."
"What makes you think that?"
"I can't say for certain. It's just a feeling," Konan admitted, shaking her head. The way Keikou Sanmoku had spoken, along with the unexpected encounter with Sasori when they had ambushed Rasa, felt too coincidental.
"It doesn't matter," Nagato said firmly. "If Sasori only has his puppets, he is no match for Pain."
Nagato's confidence was absolute. With his restored body, the power of the Six Paths of Pain had reached new heights. If he fought seriously, he could single-handedly defeat anyone in Akatsuki.
His assurance alleviated some of Konan's concerns. She had witnessed Pain's true power firsthand. Now that Nagato could fully utilize it himself, his combat prowess alone was equivalent to six Pains combined.
After their discussion, Konan decided to take charge of the project. She rarely took on missions within Akatsuki, but this endeavor aligned with the dream she, Nagato, and Yahiko once shared. It was only fitting that she oversee it.
Outside the room, Uchiha Tekka spoke up. "Keikou-san, your previous guest has returned to see you."
"I see," came the response from within. Moments later, Keikou Sanmoku opened the door and saw Uchiha Tekka standing beside Konan.
"Konan-san, please come in. This plan is quite complex, so I'll need to explain it in detail."
Keikou Sanmoku stepped aside to let Konan enter. The room had been cleared for space, and he immediately retrieved his computer from a spatial capsule.
"Konan-san, here's the detailed plan along with the estimated costs. Please review it, and if anything is unclear, I'll explain further."
Upon hearing the mention of costs, Konan took the scroll and unrolled it. As she read through it, her expression darkened.
"Three billion ryo?! Are you joking?!"
Her voice carried a sharp edge of anger. No ninja village could afford such an amount. Even though Amegakure had seized control of most of the Land of Rain, financial authority remained with the daimyo. The village's annual budget barely reached one hundred million ryo.
The Land of Rain was small, and its constant downpours limited economic growth. The only reason Amegakure received as much funding as it did was because Pain had brutally eliminated Hanzo, intimidating the daimyo into increasing financial support.
At this rate, even if Amegakure drained its entire treasury, they still wouldn't be able to afford this project. They would have to pool all of Akatsuki's funds just to come close.
"Konan-san, this is a massive national transformation project, one that affects both the Land of Rain and the border regions of the Suna Federation. Three billion ryo is already a bargain," Keikou Sanmoku said with a chuckle.
As he spoke, he pulled up various project images on his computer, presenting them to Konan.
"This doesn't just affect Amegakure. Even the Suna Federation will have to pay a fee to the Hyakusa Trade Association. We treat all clients equally. You already know how to change the weather—leveling the mountains between the two nations and hiring hundreds of Wind Release users daily to disperse the cumulus clouds would suffice."
"If that's too difficult, then the only solution is to use the methods of the Keikou Trade Association. Konan-san, forgive me for being blunt, but only we can accomplish this."
Keikou Sanmoku smiled with a practiced, almost artificial warmth—the kind of smile that only a seasoned businessman could master.
Konan clenched her fists slightly within her cloak. She had to remind herself that this was for the people of Amegakure, for Yahiko's dream.
"Fine," she said, taking a deep breath. "Explain to me exactly why this project costs three billion ryo."
Keikou Sanmoku's smile deepened. "Of course, Konan-san. I assure you, by the time you finish hearing my explanation, you'll find that this price is more than worth it."
(End of Chapter)