Land of Rain, located at the junction of the Land of Earth , Land Of Fire, and Land Of Wind.
The sky was gloomy, and the rain fell endlessly, surrounding the village, as if the world had abandoned it.
The cold statues at the village entrance, soaked by the rain, added a sense of desolation.
Naruto felt guilty about Amegakure.
He had once promised Konan that he would bring peace to Amegakure after becoming Hokage.
But in the future, Amegakure had still fallen, consumed by the Akatsuki organization, becoming a breeding ground for evil.
Even after the organization, including Isshiki and Kawaki, was wiped out, Amegakure never recovered, fading away into the vast sea of ninjas, with the rain still pouring.
Now, this desolate village would become his safe haven and base.
Naruto could not comfortably enjoy his position without sharing its hardships and challenges.
He stood on the rain-soaked lake, gazing at the village, swearing to himself: From today, Amegakure will become my second hometown. The debt I owe from my past life, I will repay in this one...
Konan, Orochimaru, and Kisame, who were with him, didn't know Naruto's thoughts, but they could sense a certain resolve from his figure.
Upon entering the village, there was no grand welcoming ceremony.
However, whether commoners or ninjas, they all greeted Konan with sincere reverence.
Konan was an angel, a representative of Pain, a figure with great influence in Amegakure.
This place is isolated from the world, and the people here have no idea that Lord Pain, who once led Amegakure, is no longer with them.
They are curious and cautious about the strangers walking with Konan, especially the man with blonde hair and a mask walking beside her.
"Could that be Pain-sama?"
"It can't be. Pain-sama is so mysterious and low-profile, he never shows himself in front of others. Even his existence has always been a mystery."
"Then they must be outsiders!"
"Why would Konan-sama bring outsiders into the village?"
"Surely, Pain-sama wouldn't harm us..."
Feeling the questioning atmosphere around him, Naruto mumbled, "The perverted sage must have had a hard time investigating here back then..."
Konan replied calmly, "Yes, this place is isolated. After defeating Hanzo, Pain unified Amegakure. He's considered a god by the people here. Anyone who shows hostility toward Pain becomes an enemy of everyone."
"Also, before Pain's administration, there were actually two ninja villages in Amegakure, the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers. After Pain unified the two, we now have the Amegakure village we know."
At this point, Konan turned to Naruto and said, "Now that Nagato is gone, Naruto, I want to support you to become the new village leader of Amegakure."
Naruto thought for a moment and replied, "It's not the right time yet. I'm an outsider here with no foundation. If I take the position of leader now, it could hurt your reputation, Sister Konan..."
Konan's eyes softened, and she turned her gaze away, "That's what I was thinking as well... There's no such thing as a wall that doesn't let air through. The truth about Pain's absence will eventually be known. Before that day comes, if you build up enough reputation, you'll be able to take his place as the rightful leader."
As they continued talking, they left the civilian district and moved deeper into the village.
The buildings here are mostly made of steel, with a considerable amount of stone, and the style leans toward cold tones, combined with religious-looking sculptures. The atmosphere is heavy and solemn.
There are many large and small steel pipes all around, forming a unique landscape. This is closely tied to the heavy rainfall in Amegakure, which requires so many large pipes and drainage systems.
"..." Perhaps because of his past experiences, Naruto felt that the environment here matched his inner feelings very well.
Naruto looked at the tallest tower to the south and said, "The towers of Amegakure are tall. The rumors say that Pain resided in the highest tower. That must be the one."
Konan nodded, "Yes, Pain liked to watch over the village from that tower. The highest meetings of the Akatsuki were also held there, so that tower became his mark."
Naruto glanced over and asked, "You're talking about Obito?"
Konan's orange eyes darkened slightly, "Yes, the man who calls himself Madara. His Sharingan has space-time abilities. From what I've observed over the years, I have a pretty good understanding of how his abilities work."
"He can mark spaces with his eyes and then jump between those marked spaces using his space-time jutsu. That tower is one of the many places he's marked."
Naruto thought to himself: So Kamui marks spaces, not individuals. In that case, my Flying Thunder God technique has an advantage.
Konan looked northward and said, "So, I plan to abandon that tower and use the backup tower to the north. Follow me..."
The four of them reached an open space to the north. After Konan formed some hand signs, she placed her hand on the ground.
Rumble...! With a loud noise, a tower deep underground began to rise, followed by several smaller towers.
Once it was finished, she stood up, soaking in the rain, and looked hopeful, "This is our new starting point..."
Naruto nodded with satisfaction, "It's exactly what I had in mind."
Konan suggested, "We've been traveling and sleeping outdoors for a long time. Let's rest for the night and discuss the next steps tomorrow, shall we?"
Naruto turned to Orochimaru and Kisame, "What do you two think?"
"No objections."
Orochimaru and Kisame replied in unison.
"Then it's decided..."
Swish! Naruto tossed his cloak over his shoulder and walked into the tower.
The tower looks small from the outside, but the interior is quite spacious.
There are nine floors in total, with corridors and rooms on the first seven floors.
As they walked up the stairs, Konan said, "Orochimaru, Kisame, you two can choose any room on the first six floors, but you are not allowed on the seventh floor without permission..."
Kisame stopped on the second floor.
Orochimaru stopped on the fourth floor.
Konan, on the other hand, went to the seventh floor with Naruto.
The seventh floor is special, with only three rooms arranged side by side.
Konan asked, "Naruto, which room do you want to stay in?"
Naruto responded, "What about you, Konan?"
Konan replied, "I'm fine with anything. You choose first, and I'll stay next door so I can keep an eye on you."
Naruto thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll take the one in the middle."
Konan said, "Alright, I'll take the one at the far end. If you're not used to it..."
Naruto took off his mask, revealing his youthful yet weary face, and said, "I'm used to it. After all these years, I've gotten used to living in caves. Just having a bed to sleep on is enough for me..."
Konan smiled gracefully, "That kind of life is over now, Naruto. I officially welcome you to Hidden Rain Village!"
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