Land of Rain, Amegakure.
Inside the tall tower of Amegakure, in Nagato's quarters:
Still connected to his life-support apparatus, Nagato hadn't yet awakened when someone knocked at the door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Those three knocks roused Nagato from his sleep. He groggily opened his eyes and saw Konan's exquisitely beautiful face approaching with a faint smile.
Walking to his side, she spoke in her usual gentle manner:
"Nagato, you're well rested by now, right? These documents concern some crucial matters for both the village's development and the Akatsuki's growth. I need your input on them."
Nagato: o(╥﹏╥)o
He couldn't help letting out a sigh inwardly. Day after day—why so many matters? Why did they only seem to increase?
Just last night, hadn't he already made final decisions on a host of issues concerning Amegakure's and the Akatsuki's development?
After all, Amegakure was just a mid-to-small shinobi village—where were all these matters coming from?
Nagato sighed and said,
"Konan, you're one of the Akatsuki's founders, and an important manager of Amegakure. Whether it's the Akatsuki's development or the village's, unless it's one of those very few issues where both of us must decide together, you can just take care of the rest yourself."
Hearing this, Konan gave him a slightly odd look.
Nagato, puzzled: "What is it?"
Speaking offhandedly, Konan replied, "I've been doing that all along. Everything I can decide on my own, I've already handled."
Nagato: (O_O)???
Good grief!
So the documents he'd vetted last night—applications, briefing notes, plus everything Konan had brought him now—were merely the leftovers after her initial filter. If that was the case, just how many daily tasks did Amegakure currently face?
He didn't have a chance to keep wondering, though, because Konan had already picked up one of the files, ready to read it out for him to decide.
A fragrant breath escaped her lips as Konan began:
"Quite a few mercenaries in our black market say they want us to revise the mission rules again."
"Recently, Hidan and Kakuzu have been 'speed-running' missions in the black market."
"Aside from the high-value commissions, some lesser jobs—normally not assigned to them—wind up going to them anyway, just because the employer sees they're more efficient and prefers to hire them directly."
Nagato heard that and felt his head throb.
He'd already dealt with black market issues a long time ago. Back then, it was Senshi dominating all the missions. He re-organized the black market so at least other mercenaries could get enough to do. Now that Senshi wasn't around to cause trouble, Kakuzu and Hidan had picked up the baton and stirred up new chaos.
The black market wouldn't normally give them those lesser tasks, but if some clients specifically sought out Kakuzu or Hidan, that was another matter. Given they pay the same fee, of course the client would prefer the "super-efficient" mercenary. It threatened to disrupt the black market's normal order. Another overhaul was evidently needed.
After thinking hard for a while, Nagato said to Konan:
"Konan, from now on, any mission commissions in Amegakure must first be submitted to the village's mission office. That office will arrange how to assign them."
"All high-difficulty tasks can still go to the black market, while low-difficulty ones will be assigned by the village to whichever ninja is suitable."
"Any client who wants to post a job in Amegakure must abide by this rule."
Konan listened and commended him:
"Nagato, as expected. You came up with a good plan in no time."
In her eyes, Nagato was becoming more and more like a real leader of both Amegakure and the Akatsuki. No wonder so many villagers privately referred to him respectfully as "Lord Amekage." Of course, a mid/small-scale village like Amegakure usually didn't officially appoint a "kage," but it showed how many admired him.
As for Nagato himself, he wasn't happy. If he could swiftly decide complicated matters now, that was thanks to Konan's "training." Originally, his only tasks had been to gather rogue ninja for the Akatsuki, accumulate wealth to grow the organization, and then methodically capture the Tailed Beasts to realize the Akatsuki's ultimate dream of resetting the ninja world. That alone was enough—simple and straightforward, with no need to worry about other nonsense. Now, as he put it, it was just "All tears, every day."
Before Nagato could dwell on it further, Konan moved on to the second file:
"Many villagers are suggesting…"
She didn't get to finish reading before Nagato's face darkened. Evidently, someone else from some other village had arrived at the leader's office to negotiate. This time, it was high-level officials from the Land of Rivers, a neighboring country of the Land of Rain.
Because the Land of Rivers borders the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, it was in slightly better shape than the Land of Rain. As long as Suna and Konoha didn't go to war, they could stay safe. However, they also lacked strong ninja, so any rogue jōnin-level ninja could wreak havoc there, and the Land of Rivers would have a hard time dealing with it. With ninja powerhouses everywhere rising and rogue ninjas proliferating, the Land of Rivers felt enough pressure to turn to Amegakure.
Led by a "Defense Officer Kawagakure," the Land of Rivers delegation arrived in Amegakure's main office. They saw Tendo (Deva Path) Pain, and Shin'nosuke introduced himself:
"Honorable Leader, I'm Ogō Shin'nosuke, defense officer of the Land of Rivers."
"We've come to discuss a long-term cooperative arrangement. Though our world's at peace on the surface, many powerful wandering ninja roam around."
"We'd like Amegakure to send a high-level ninja squad for a long-term station inside the Land of Rivers, so they can handle troublemakers beyond our ability."
If Senshi were there to hear this, he would've laughed— "Stationing your ninja in another country for their security? Looks like Amegakure really is becoming the big boss now." Of course, most ninja would not want the hassle of a permanent posting in a foreign land, but Senshi could just dispatch a few Wood-Style clones. Unfortunately, Senshi wasn't present, and Nagato didn't think first to hire him.
Upon hearing Shin'nosuke's request, Tendo Pain briefly considered, then asked:
"How many ninja do you need? Roughly what level are the enemies you fear? Do you want them expelled or eliminated?"
Though Nagato was exhausted day in, day out, he still displayed a Kage-level sense of leadership. He only needed a moment to ask precisely the right questions.
Ogō Shin'nosuke, somewhat impressed at Tendo's efficiency, replied:
"We leave the number of shinobi up to you, Leader. Whether to drive them out or wipe them out is also your choice. Our threat is jōnin-level enemies on par with Konoha's, so if anyone that strong shows up, we need Amegakure's help to subdue them."
Tendo frowned. One-time or short-term tasks were easy—send a Pain or a core member. But a permanent station was trickier. He had two plans:
1. Have multiple squads rotating stints in the Land of Rivers.
2. Pass the entire job on to Senshi, who might even thank him for the contract.
Just as he meant to press forward, Tendo felt another headache. Amegakure's Anbu had just arrested two mysterious spies, who required interrogation by the Naraka Path. Meanwhile, Nagato's main body was busy in a separate meeting with Konan about official matters, while Tendo was dealing with the Land of Rivers, and now the Naraka Path had its own demands.
Senshi used Wood-Style clones to multitask—Nagato had to rely on the Six Paths.
Back in the Anbu's interrogation hall…
The Naraka Path, along with the Anbu, surrounded two unidentifiable middle-aged men.
"Summoning: King of Hell!"
Naraka Path wasted no words, immediately summoning the giant black-and-white King of Hell, the kanji "王" (king) inscribed on its forehead. With Naraka Path's Judgment, if a detainee lied, a purple tongue-hand would yank out the victim's tongue and feed it to that giant maw—purely to show them the stakes.
Meanwhile, as Tendo and Naraka did their work, Nagato's real body also wasn't resting. Konan wasn't there in person this time, but she had left him a desk by the life-support system and a tall stack of documents. She even readjusted his chakra rods for convenient desk-work. After all this training, he was now able to manage the flood of Amegakure and Akatsuki paperwork more briskly.
Konan had left him a mountain of files, and he'd finally processed all but two.
"Whew." Nagato let out a slight breath. Tendo Pain's discussions with the Land of Rivers were nearly resolved; the interrogation at Anbu had finished. Once he cleared these last two files, he'd be done and could relax.
He picked them up and handled them one by one. Ten or so minutes later, all done.
He couldn't help exclaiming,
"Good grief—Amegakure and the Akatsuki are expanding so fast. Each new day, a new flood of matters I have to decide on. But at least for now, I'm finished. I can rest."
No sooner had that thought occurred than he saw Konan appear again in her calm, lovely way—carrying yet another stack of urgent documents. Nagato was taken aback:
What the—? Already so many more?
As Konan moved to place them on the desk, Nagato hurriedly called out:
"Konan! Wait—this can't be right. Why is there so much that needs my final say every day now?"
Konan: (O_O)???
She didn't see anything amiss. With the village and organization growing at such a pace, it was only natural.
Organizing her thoughts, she explained:
"Right now, the village and the Akatsuki are developing so rapidly that there's indeed a ton of work. I'm also dealing with quite a lot on my own. These are all to help the village and the organization thrive, so just bear with it, please."
Nagato: (O_O)???
He was at a loss. Handling so much daily wasn't a matter of personal effort anymore. Looking down at his scrawny frame, he sighed:
"Konan, working on so many issues each day, I fear my body might not handle it."
In her shimmering eyes, Konan's gaze reflected encouragement:
"Nagato, I believe in you; you can do it!"
He shook his head.
"No no, it's not about willpower or trust—it's simply a fact. Lately, my health's been declining. I must cut back on my workload!"
His survival instincts were strong; the Akatsuki's ultimate plan wasn't yet realized—he absolutely couldn't die prematurely. But Konan remained confident:
"Relax, Nagato. I previously gave Senshi a mission: cure your health troubles. I believe soon, you'll recover completely."
That made Nagato's heart ache once again—did they really need the Akatsuki and Amegakure to flourish so thoroughly before the final plan even started?
Having left those documents, Konan glanced again at Nagato's bony form and decided to message Senshi, asking about the mission's status.
They spent the night without incident.
…
Next morning, Konan went to Amegakure's black market to locate one of Senshi's Wood-Style clones.
On the way, every villager who saw her greeted her warmly:
"Good morning, Angel-sama!"
"Angel-sama, you're more radiant every day!"
"Morning, Angel-sama!"
These heartfelt greetings received Konan's gentle nod in return. Before long, she reached the black market, where Senshi's Wood Clone had just taken a job and was about to leave. Spotting him, she called out:
"Senshi, hold on!"
The Wood Clone paused and turned around:
"Yes? What is it?"
Konan approached and asked, "Contact your main body, please. I'd like to know how that mission I gave him last time is going."
At her request, the Wood Clone immediately contacted the original. An instant later, a swirling reddish-black vortex opened, and the real Senshi emerged with Karin stepping out as well.
Seeing Konan, Senshi gave her an immediate update:
"Sister Konan, don't worry—the mission you entrusted to me earlier, I've finished it!"
"Konan-nee!" cried Karin happily. It'd been a while since she'd seen Konan, so she launched herself into a big hug.
Konan had been concerned Senshi might fail—after all, the mission involved the legendary Rinnegan. But hearing him say it was done soothed her worries, banishing the faint anxiety on her lovely face.
Karin pounced on her, and Konan caught her in a tender embrace. "Karin-chan, what's making you so delighted?"
Karin's eyes sparkled. She'd indeed had a cheerful time lately, traveling with Senshi on missions. But she didn't know how to explain. Partly, she was elated because they'd earned so much money from Orochimaru; partly, she had two "pet" tailed beasts locked away in her Kamui dimension.
Karin's bright eyes darted mischievously. She changed the topic:
"Konan-nee, shouldn't we have Senshi hurry up and finalize that task? He's itching to complete it!"
Senshi: ?
He was not in any hurry, but clearly Karin was fibbing. In truth, Nagato might still live a long time, etc. The mission did not need to be rushed.
Yet mention of Nagato refocused Konan's mind. She asked for confirmation:
"Senshi—so you really can cure Nagato's health problems now?"
Senshi, chest out, gave a resounding nod:
"Sister Konan, trust me. Ever since you gave me that mission, Leader's problem was basically solved!"
Senshi's confident tone instantly reassured Konan. But the passing shinobi who overheard were stunned:
What problem of the Leader's was "basically solved?" What were they talking about? Still, Senshi and Konan both walked away without clarifying.
….
Led by Konan, Senshi and Karin soon arrived at Nagato's door. Konan pushed it open and walked in. Nagato looked up, saw Konan's elegant face, and felt his head ache. He'd done so much mental work recently that every time Konan came, it meant more tasks. Yet after a moment, he felt relief: she wasn't alone—she'd brought a young man and a young girl.
Senshi and Karin, upon seeing Nagato, both widened their eyes.
Senshi: (O_O)???
Karin: (O_O)???
They remembered how, in earlier times, Konan would push him in a wheelchair for fresh air; back then, Nagato seemed relatively normal. In Senshi's mind, Nagato only got this emaciated much later. Now, not only was Nagato rail-thin, he had dark circles under his eyes—obvious signs of poor sleep.
Having brought Senshi here, Konan spoke to Nagato:
"Senshi's found a thorough way to resolve your health problems."
Nagato's expression showed deep doubt. He knew exactly how much strain the Rinnegan placed on his body; not even Senshi could easily fix that, right?
Nagato frowned slightly and asked:
"Senshi, how exactly do you plan to cure me?"
Senshi took out the system's modified 'Captain America serum,' explaining:
"I'll use this super shinobi potion to make you a 'super shinobi,' fully unleashing your potential and comprehensively strengthening you. That way, your health issues will be solved once and for all!"
Nagato furrowed his brow. As leader of the Akatsuki, he had a top-notch intelligence network, yet had never heard of any "super shinobi potion." Could it truly be reliable?
Hesitating, Nagato asked, "Are you sure this potion works the way you claim?"
Before Senshi could reply, Karin eagerly nodded like a pecking chick:
"Senshi never lies! You can trust him completely!"
Amused, Senshi patted her on the head. He privately thought Orochimaru would've done a better job marketing this product—he's the real sales genius, but oh well.
Nagato still seemed wary, but Konan then spoke up:
"Nagato, there's no need to worry. Senshi took the mission: that means he'll see it through."
Hearing that, Nagato relaxed. He had far less faith in Senshi's normal deals—since that man either was scamming or about to scam someone—but when it was a mission, Senshi's success rate was absolute. Thus Nagato felt hopeful. Because of Hanzo, he'd lost the use of his legs, forced into a wheelchair; add to that the accumulated toll of the Rinnegan. If Senshi could truly restore him fully or beyond, that was exhilarating indeed.
Finally, Nagato nodded: "All right. Let's begin. How do we apply this super shinobi potion?"
Senshi approached:
"Very simple—just inject."
Whereupon he gave the bony Nagato a shot. Almost instantly, Nagato let out a piercing wail:
"Aaaaaah—!"
A sphere of chakra engulfed his entire body, and he howled with ever more pained cries.
Karin and Konan, hearing him shriek, were alarmed. Konan, in particular, asked at once, "What's happening? He sounds like it's unbearable!"
Senshi pressed his palm down in a calming gesture:
"It's fine, Sister Konan, don't worry. Nothing stands without first being broken. He's currently going through a rebirth—just wait."
But ironically, Nagato's screaming only intensified.
Senshi: (O_O)???
Is he doing this on purpose? he wondered. Is the serum that painful?
Konan, already worried, got even more anxious. Luckily, the ordeal didn't last long. Within a few minutes, Nagato's cries subsided, replaced by the sudden surge of a massive, formidable chakra!
Boom!
A thunderous burst came from the life-support device as it shattered. In the roiling smoke, one could see a red-haired man, his Rinnegan eyes glowing pale purple, emerging. Senshi reacted quickly, taking a set of black-and-red Akatsuki robes from his system storage, tossing them over, then covering Konan's and Karin's eyes to avoid embarrassment. Realizing he was bare, Nagato quickly donned the robe.
Once Senshi let go, Konan and Karin both gasped in astonishment:
Konan: (O_O)!!!
Karin: (O_O)!!!
Because the difference between Nagato now and Nagato just minutes ago was night and day.
Before, he was all skin and bones, chest ribs jutting out. Now, his entire frame radiated vitality, looking tall and solid, with none of that sickly aura—he no longer qualified to join some "Emaciated Duo" with Itachi Uchiha. Even wearing the robe, one could glimpse the faint outlines of powerful muscle definition in his shoulders and arms.
Nagato gazed at Konan, then looked down at his strong new limbs, too emotional for words, a smile tugging at his lips. Senshi hadn't exaggerated—the leg injuries were gone, his emaciation cured. And it wasn't just a return to his old prime; he'd far exceeded his former state. He felt an immense reservoir of chakra, surging with power. Never had he felt this strong.
Senshi happily glanced at Konan:
"So, Sister Konan? Satisfied with the mission results? If so, pay up."
He said this while playfully rubbing his hands. After all, the commission was 150 million ryo—a huge sum.
Seeing Nagato's remarkable transformation, Konan was indeed pleased. Nagato was not only her most important companion but also the indispensable leader— "kage" in all but name—of Amegakure. She gladly took out a 150 million–ryo check and handed it over.
[Mission Complete!]
[Client: Konan]
[Goal: Cure Nagato's health issues completely!]
[Reward: 150 million ryo]
[Rank: S]
[Mission Bonus: 150,000 Employment Points]
When the system message sounded in his head, Senshi grinned from ear to ear. Indeed, money was sweet! Better yet, these days, any job he took seemed to pay well into the hundreds of millions. He needed plenty for that "academy" and for sustaining refugees, so the more the better.
After finishing, Senshi turned to Konan and Nagato, giving a little wave:
"All right, Boss, Sister Konan, I've still got other tasks waiting. I'll be off."
Karin also waved goodbye:
"Bye, Leader—bye, Konan-nee!"
Nagato nodded, Konan smilingly returned their farewells, and Senshi vanished via his "lazy-man's space-time technique."
Once Senshi left, Konan looked at Nagato:
"Nagato, how do you feel now?"
Exhaling, Nagato murmured in awe:
"Senshi's power is absolutely unbelievable. I don't even know where he got that 'super-ninja serum.' Its effects exceed everything he claimed."
"I feel a complete rebirth in every aspect, with all my hidden potential unleashed. I can now wield these eyes perfectly, no burden. Before, my legs were crippled; traveling outside the village or doing anything physically was extremely troublesome. All of that is gone now!"
At this moment, Nagato was practically brimming with confidence, ready to say "Come at me—I'll take on ten." But that bravado soon deflated, as Konan's lovely eyes lit up, and she produced a towering stack of documents for him.
"Nagato, this is wonderful news. Since the village is expanding so fast, and your workload will also keep growing, at least your body can handle it now!"
Yes, Nagato thought bitterly, but I'm fully recovered. Shouldn't I take on bigger missions instead of continuing with this paperwork?
He shook his head:
"Konan, at this point, my strength has reached an incredible level. I shouldn't waste time on trifles—I ought to hunt down the long-lost Uchiha Madara and advance the Akatsuki's final plan!"
Konan was unconvinced:
"Nagato, do you think your ability to handle tasks surpasses Senshi's?"
Nagato: (O_O)??
N—No, obviously not. Nobody in the ninja world could match Senshi at mission efficiency. Realizing he had no comeback, Nagato stayed silent.
Konan just nodded and continued:
"Exactly—so all missions should go to Senshi. Our job is to keep developing the Akatsuki and the village, so we'll have more and more funding to keep giving Senshi tasks."
Nagato felt helpless. Konan was right, and he couldn't argue: Whether it was him or any other core member taking missions, none could guarantee a perfect success rate. But if they hired Senshi, it'd be 100%. So that left him no choice but to obey her logic. His new role? Grow the organization and the village, earn more money, and pay Senshi to do the missions.
At that, Nagato had a sudden idea:
They were about to sign a deal with the Land of Rivers, maybe at an annual rate of 200 million ryo. Senshi's Wood-Style clones would fix at most three major crises a year, and if more big troubles arose, not only would they have to pay Senshi extra commission, but the Land of Rivers would also owe Amegakure an additional 10% "collaboration fee." With Senshi's skill, even 10% was a windfall.
And more importantly, this approach could be expanded across many smaller countries lacking robust ninja forces. Amegakure would simply post a few Wood clones, and in return, collect fees. Senshi had no idea just how generous "Nagato-bro" was being, forging more missions for him while generating more revenue. That Captain America Serum definitely paid off.
When Nagato sank into these thoughts, he realized Konan was still there:
"Konan, is something else up?"
She gave a slight, hesitant smile—yet did not take out a scroll with more files. Instead, she said:
"We found suspects in the interrogation who'd rather have their tongues torn out than talk. So I've formed an Interrogation Department. I need the Human Path to staff it—his memory-reading would be invaluable. While he's idle, just let him remain stationed there without you actively controlling."
Nagato let out another sigh:
"Konan, you do realize I control all the Paths behind the scenes?"
She nodded:
"I do, but right now, the Human Path is underused, and his ability is ideal for the interrogation division. When there's no interrogation, just have him hang around, with no extra strain on you. Since the village and organization are skyrocketing, every resource must be exploited fully. Let's all work even harder—it's all for the Akatsuki."
"Anyway, our manpower is limited, so everyone's overloaded. Unfortunately, that includes you. Let's endure these times—this surge of growth won't last forever, right?"
Nagato felt the pangs of despair anew. It was as though the rain falling on Amegakure was his tears of sorrow.
Even so, he had no way to oppose Konan. She stood for the collective good, and indeed, everything benefited the organization.
Finally, Nagato said with resignation:
"All right…I'll dispatch the Human Path to join your interrogation department and assist you."
Thrilled, Konan beamed:
"Nagato, you need to get accustomed to all this as soon as you can. When you were so ill, I turned down many requests that would help us develop Amegakure and the Akatsuki. Now you're better, so next time we face those opportunities, I'll gather the documents, and you can handle them."
Nagato: "Huh?"
He was dumbfounded. So, with every passing day, the tasks for Amegakure and the Akatsuki grew? Had they always been so big? Could they really keep going like this?
As Konan departed, Nagato momentarily questioned everything.
…
Nagato's life was hard indeed; Orochimaru, by contrast, had become quite comfortable.
After absorbing a load of Senshi's chakra, his own research on that special "Chakra of Senshi" soared by leaps and bounds. While he hadn't yet developed a "true Eternal Chakra Elixir," he had manufactured a preliminary "Eternal Chakra Elixir, Type-2." Though diluted, it marked real progress. Supposedly, it could even turn gray hair black again. He planned to call Homura Mitokado over to test it, hoping for some dramatic "before-and-after" effect to entice the older crowd. If that worked, many waffling old-timers would happily throw money at his cures.
Just then, Yakushi Kabuto led Homura Mitokado into Orochimaru's lab. That old fellow Homura Mitokado once again found himself scammed…
Catching sight of him, Orochimaru stood up, wearing a sly grin:
"Ojisan, so glad you're here. Quick, come try our lab's latest product. This time, we've had a major breakthrough!"
~~~
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