Naruto was in dire straits. Danzo stubbornly refused to release him, leaving Iruka and Kakashi scrambling for a solution. This time, even Kakashi found himself at a loss.
Luckily, fate had other plans. A man with half his white hair burned off and a forehead protector etched with the kanji for "oil" returned to Konohagakure.
It was none other than Jiraiya!
After an unsuccessful ambush on Deidara and Sasori, Jiraiya figured he was close enough to Konoha to justify a visit.
And, just to be clear, it definitely wasn't because he missed the hot springs of the village. Absolutely not!
But the moment he returned, a barrage of shocking news hit him.
What?!
The Third Hokage was dead?! And killed by Orochimaru, no less?
What?!
A Fifth Hokage had already been chosen?! And it was Danzo?!
What?!
Naruto had been captured by Danzo and was about to undergo brainwashing training?!
The sheer pace of events left Jiraiya feeling as though Konoha had become a completely foreign place.
Thanks to his timely intervention, Naruto was finally rescued. Although Danzo was clearly displeased, as the newly appointed Hokage, his power was still far from the level Sarutobi Hiruzen had wielded.
Realizing that Naruto's future in the village would be fraught with challenges, Jiraiya initially planned to take him away, train him, and travel the world together. However, Danzo was adamant in his refusal.
With no other choice, Jiraiya decided to stay in the village for the time being to personally look after Naruto. After all, Naruto was the son of his disciple, Minato Namikaze, and even bore the name of his novel's protagonist. If anything were to happen to the boy, Jiraiya would carry the guilt for the rest of his life.
...
Meanwhile, in Amegakure, Deidara had returned alone.
Why alone? Because Sasori had gone off to join forces with Orochimaru, determined to perfect his Wood-Style Puppet Technique before reemerging. That left Deidara flying solo.
The whole situation felt bizarre to him. Back in his original world, he and Orochimaru had loathed each other and wouldn't have hesitated to kill one another. Now, Sasori willingly sought Orochimaru out? Clearly, Sasori had been seriously provoked.
Deidara found the central tower of Amegakure, where a newly furnished office had been set up. You could almost call it the "Amekage's Office," though the village lacked the recognition needed to claim the title of Kage.
Inside, Tendo Pain was seated while Konan brought in a mountain of documents, making Nagato question his life choices.
"Konan, shouldn't we be focusing on collecting the Tailed Beasts and dominating the world instead of wasting time on these petty tasks?"
Konan shot him a sharp look. "This is part of world domination. At the very least, we've already taken over Amegakure. As the leader of both this village and Akatsuki, you're responsible for reviewing these matters."
Wait… ruling the world was like this?
With a resigned sigh, Nagato picked up the first document. It was a proposal submitted by the Hozuki Clan and a coalition of former Mist and Rain shinobi, requesting funding to expand the village.
It made sense—Amegakure had indeed grown overcrowded with the influx of new residents.
Nagato reached for the stamp on his desk, extending his hand slightly.
Bansho Ten'in!
The stamp obediently flew into his grasp.
Thud!
Approved!
With a casual wave of Shinra Tensei, the stamp was pushed neatly aside. Nagato nodded in satisfaction, admiring his precise control.
"Do you even look at these documents?" Konan asked with a heavy sigh.
"Hm?" Nagato looked up in confusion. "The village does need expansion. What's there to hesitate about?"
"But they're requesting five billion ryō in funding," Konan countered. "That's far too much. I think fifty million would suffice."
The four billion nine hundred and fifty million saved could buy a lot of explosive tags. There was no way they could afford to waste money recklessly!
"Oh, there's that issue too?" Nagato muttered. Human greed truly knew no bounds. If not for Konan, he would've been swindled.
Adjusting the amount, Nagato crossed out five billion ryō and replaced it with fifty million.
Bansho Ten'in!
A pen flew into his hand, and he jotted down the amendment with deliberate strokes. Satisfied, he set the pen down, only for Konan to sigh yet again.
"What now?" Nagato asked, exasperated.
"Turn to the second page. The proposed expansion site is one of our best agricultural zones. If we allow them to build there, Amegakure won't be able to produce enough food to sustain itself in the future."
Nagato groaned internally. Was managing just a single village supposed to be this complicated? If they ever did manage to take over the entire Shinobi World, wouldn't he end up like a workhorse? Where was the grandiose, enigmatic life of a shadowy mastermind?
At that moment, Deidara strolled in.
"Yo, Leader! Konan! You two look like you're really into it," he teased.
Nagato glanced up, relieved to see Deidara. The kid must've sensed Nagato's Rain Tiger at Will Technique and returned ages ago but had only now decided to show up. Were all youngsters this slow these days?
"How did the mission go?" Nagato asked, standing as he motioned for Deidara to follow him out.
"Konan, I'll leave the rest to you," he added, throwing her an apologetic look.
Konan sighed for the third time, having fully anticipated this outcome.
Taking the hint, Deidara followed Nagato out, eagerly recounting his latest escapades.
"So, the next step is to send envoys to Konoha to negotiate an alliance with Danzo?"
"Exactly. Aside from Hidan and Kakuzu, who've been exposed, we'll need to select two or three others. It'll also be a good opportunity to showcase our strength and ensure Danzo honors our agreement."
Nagato nodded. "We'll decide who to send at the next meeting. For now, we'll wait for Danzo to send word."
"Got it. In that case, I'll take a stroll around the village."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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