Chapter 380: Chapter 380: Three Years
Amegakure, the top floor of the tall tower.
Pain stood before the window, his Rinnegan gazing into the distance through the rain, as if he could pierce through a thousand li and see everything happening in Konoha.
Konan stood behind him, holding an intelligence scroll that had just arrived.
"Nagato, the news from Konoha has been confirmed."
"Uchiha Fugaku has become the Fifth Hokage; Sarutobi Hiruzen has stepped down. The Uchiha clan has fully taken over the power in Konoha."
Pain did not turn around, only asking indifferently, "The process?"
"There were clear fluctuations of Mangekyō chakra on the battlefield; it was most likely Shisui’s ability."
Konan unrolled the scroll and replied, "Our informants couldn’t get close to the core area, but observing from the periphery, Sarutobi Hiruzen’s change in attitude was too sudden. It’s highly probable that his will was controlled by some kind of genjutsu."
"A dōjutsu that alters the will..."
Pain slowly turned around, a flicker of emotion passing through his Rinnegan. "The Mangekyō Sharingan, indeed every ability it possesses cannot be underestimated."
Konan put away the scroll and walked to his side. "Should we intervene? The Uchiha controlling Konoha might affect the Tailed Beast collection plan."
"No."
Pain’s answer was very curt. "How Konoha changes is none of our concern."
"Our goal is the Tailed Beasts, is to create true peace. As for who rules Konoha... it is not important."
Konan frowned slightly. "But the Uchiha clan’s strength cannot be underestimated. If they consolidate Konoha’s power, when the time comes to capture the Nine-Tails..."
"Uchiha Madara will be more anxious than us."
A hint of sarcasm flickered in Pain’s Rinnegan. "His wariness of his own clan far exceeds what outsiders can imagine. The Uchiha controlling Konoha means they have slipped from his control. He will not sit idly by."
Konan looked thoughtful. "You mean... he will make a move?"
"Sooner or later."
Pain looked out the window again. "But the time is not now. My Rinnegan still needs time to master, and the Akatsuki organization also needs to develop. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have waited until now to begin preparing the Tailed Beast plan."
"Let Uchiha Madara worry about that. We’ll proceed at our own pace."
Konan nodded and said no more.
She knew Nagato’s decisions were never wrong. Since he said not to worry about it, then there was no need to worry about it.
The hall fell into silence, leaving only the sound of the drizzling rain.
...
Time passed; three years later.
Three years, for the ninja world, was but a fleeting moment.
But during these three years, many things quietly changed.
Kirigakure.
Several years had passed since the death of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, yet the power struggle within Kirigakure grew increasingly intense.
The major clans openly feuded and schemed behind the scenes. Although the Blood Mist policy had loosened somewhat with Yagura’s death, the long-accumulated contradictions had not disappeared.
In the end, through compromises among all parties, the elder Genji temporarily took over the position of Mizukage, becoming the "Acting Fifth Mizukage."
This aged elder was well aware that if Kirigakure continued its internal strife, it would only lead to self-destruction.
So, he made a decision—to turn the conflict outward.
"Apply pressure on Konoha."
Genji slowly stated in a high-level meeting. "We need an external war to divert internal attention and consolidate Kirigakure’s strength."
"But Konoha is now controlled by the Uchiha. They are more radical than ever before." A clan representative raised a doubt.
Genji smiled. "Precisely because the Uchiha are radical, it’s easier to provoke a conflict. What we need to do is give them a reason."
Kirigakure began secretly amassing troops, creating friction along the border.
...
Kumogakure.
It had been nearly four years since the Fourth Raikage, A, officially assumed the position of Raikage.
This hot-tempered, burly man had harbored resentment ever since his father, the Third Raikage, was killed by Sora. But reason told him—the current Kumogakure was no match for that monster yet.
So he chose to bide his time.
"Expansion."
The Fourth Raikage issued orders in the Raikage’s office. "Apply pressure to the surrounding minor countries. Annex their mission resources. We need to accumulate more funds and power."
"Raikage-sama, won’t this draw the vigilance of the other great nations?" his secretary, Mabui, cautioned.
"So what if they’re vigilant?"
The Fourth Raikage snorted coldly. "Konoha is preoccupied with its own affairs now, Iwagakure is in civil strife, Kirigakure is weakened, and Sunagakure is impoverished. This is the perfect opportunity for our expansion."
He clenched his fist, unwillingness flashing in his eyes. "Once Kumogakure is strong enough, I will definitely avenge my father with my own hands!"
...
Iwagakure.
In the Tsuchikage’s office, Ōnoki looked at a report, rubbing his temples with a headache.
"That Deidara kid again!"
"This brat is only eight, causing explosions every day. What exactly is he trying to do!"
Though he grumbled verbally, a hint of appreciation flickered in Ōnoki’s eyes.
Deidara’s talent for explosions was indeed astonishing. If properly guided, he would surely become a top combatant for Iwagakure in the future.
But two other things gave him an even bigger headache.
"Those damn Roshi and Han!"
Ōnoki slammed the table hard. "Being Tailed Beast jinchūriki of the village, they dare to defect and flee! Do they still have any respect for me, the Tsuchikage, in their eyes?!"
The other ninja in the office dared not make a sound.
The Four-Tails jinchūriki, Roshi, and the Five-Tails jinchūriki, Han, had both left Iwagakure successively over the past three years, their whereabouts unknown.
This was a huge loss for Iwagakure.
"Search! Use all our strength to track them down!"
"Bring them back alive, or confirm their deaths!"
Iwagakure’s Anbu began secret operations, scouring the Land of Earth for traces of the two jinchūriki.
...
Sunagakure.
In the Kazekage’s office, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, stared at the financial report in his hand, his brows tightly furrowed.
"Still not enough..."
After three years of uninterrupted gold dust mining, Sunagakure had finally recovered somewhat from the trauma of the Third Great Ninja War. Its financial situation had improved.
But it was still far from being "wealthy."
"We need more missions, more commissions."
Rasa said to his subordinates. "Spread the word: Sunagakure is willing to undertake missions, especially high-difficulty ones, at twenty percent below market price."
"Kazekage-sama, wouldn’t this..." an elder tried to dissuade him.
"Sunagakure has no choice."
Rasa interrupted him. "We are too poor. We must use every means to accumulate resources, to prepare for future wars."
He looked out the window at the blinding sandstorm.
"The ninja world won’t have peace forever. When the next war comes, Sunagakure must possess enough strength to protect itself, and even... to counterattack."
Sunagakure began using a low-price strategy to snatch the mission market, which drew dissatisfaction from other ninja villages, but it did indeed further improve Sunagakure’s financial situation.
