Konan’s Thoughts

After hearing Uchiha Mikoto call out, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Tekka finally realized there was a third person in the house.

Then came the sound of someone landing from a height outside, as if someone had jumped down from the second floor. Soon after, Uchiha Fugaku, who had moved close to the door, heard Itachi and Mikoto talking.

"Sorry, Mother. I need to replenish some ninja tools. I want to practice a little longer today."

"It’s fine, Itachi. Has your father finished talking?"

"I’m not sure, Mother. I was afraid of disturbing Father, so I went up to the second floor directly from outside."

"Honestly, just take the stairs next time. You’re your father’s pride. How could you possibly disturb him?"

Their voices gradually faded away. Only then did Uchiha Fugaku sit back down and shake his head at Tekka.

"Let’s leave it at that for now, Tekka. Our clan alone cannot dictate whether war breaks out. It still depends on the village’s choice. But the Uchiha Clan has lived in Konoha for over fifty years, and many clansmen have come to see this place as where they put down roots."

Uchiha Fugaku spoke helplessly. They had taken root here for nearly sixty years, even moving the Uchiha Clan’s greatest secret to Konoha. By now, even the elders of the clan had gradually forgotten their ancestral land from before Konoha.

Unless absolutely necessary, Uchiha Fugaku had no desire to leave Konoha at all. Besides, the background of the Yasunori Trading Company was far from simple. Based on the intelligence he had gathered, there was likely another person hidden behind the Yasunori Trading Company—the true master of the company.

Because of Uchiha Itachi, their conversation ended early. Next, they only had to wait for the other party to visit. When that time came, Uchiha Fugaku would personally probe their intentions.

But Itachi has seemed a little strange lately. He’s been spending more time at home.

The thought flashed through Uchiha Fugaku’s mind, but Itachi’s behavior had not changed much from usual. He was simply carrying out missions less frequently than before.

It should be nothing.

Uchiha Fugaku shook his head and stopped thinking about Itachi. His son was the pride of the Uchiha Clan, a genius no less renowned than Kakashi Hatake had been in his day. Uchiha Fugaku held immense expectations for Itachi, so whenever Itachi asked for guidance in training, no matter how busy he was, Uchiha Fugaku would put aside matters of the Military Police Force to instruct him.

Sasuke did not receive the same treatment. Though he had also asked Uchiha Fugaku for guidance, he did not possess Itachi’s talent, so Uchiha Fugaku withdrew his expectations for Sasuke.

The Uchiha Clan had not revealed the matter of the Rain Country to outsiders, but Uchiha Itachi had overheard some of it.

At the time, he had not dared get too close. His father and Senior Tekka were both powerful Ninja of the clan. If he had possessed Shisui’s strength, perhaps he would have dared to approach and eavesdrop. But Uchiha Itachi’s current strength was only that of a powerful Chunin. He might have reached the level of a Special Jonin, but before two battle-hardened Uchiha, he was still somewhat immature.

Even so, Uchiha Itachi had heard extremely useful information.

Two days later, seeing that his father was not monitoring him, Uchiha Itachi arranged to meet Shisui and told him everything he had heard that day.

After hearing it, Shisui Uchiha frowned deeply as he considered what the Clan Head and Tekka were plotting.

Sending people out to secretly carry out missions, colluding with people outside the village, and words like "war"…

Shisui Uchiha believed that Itachi could not possibly have heard wrong. If he had only heard vague fragments, he would not have brought the matter up.

Uchiha Itachi asked, "Shisui, what should we do now? Should we tell Hokage-sama?"

"Not yet. I can already narrow down the general scope. Let’s wait until I investigate the details."

Shisui Uchiha shook his head. From the information Itachi had provided, he could already roughly identify some clansmen. Next, he would investigate personally.

He did not want the Clan Head to continue down the wrong path. Secretly accepting missions was something a Ninja Village could never tolerate. Ninja had to accept missions through the village; otherwise, they would be undermining the village’s foundations.

And then there was war. Shisui Uchiha thought of how, at recent clan meetings, more and more clansmen had been clamoring to reclaim power through force.

The Uchiha Clan absolutely could not be allowed to go to war with Konoha. Shisui Uchiha thought to himself that he would need to pay closer attention to movements within the clan lately, especially outsiders.

"Itachi, don’t investigate the Clan Head’s movements any further for now. If you’re discovered again, they’ll definitely become suspicious."

"Shisui, I…"

"Listen to me, Itachi. For now, continue carrying out normal missions and build up some achievements." Shisui Uchiha cut him off before he could finish.

"I’m preparing to recommend you to Hokage-sama for the Anbu, Itachi. Your qualifications are still a little lacking, so take on more missions while you can. I’ll help you when the time comes as well."

"The Anbu?" Uchiha Itachi’s eyes brightened slightly. Because he had been unwilling to join the Military Police Force, he had taken the Chunin Exams alone. But if it was the Anbu, it should be of great help to him.

"I understand. Thank you, Shisui."

After seeing Yasunori Sakai off, Konan took a trip around the Rain Country by herself.

Ordinary Civilians truly lived as Yasunori Sakai had described. A family that could earn enough food for the day was already considered to be living fairly well. The Rain Country had been like this more than ten years ago, but after Akatsuki seized Amegakure, the Civilians of the Rain Country were still living the same way.

After traveling around the Rain Country, Konan suddenly wondered whether Nagato’s dream, even if realized, could truly improve the Ninja World’s current state.

The Rain Country had not experienced war for a long time. It had not even participated in the Third Shinobi World War.

Yet the lives of Civilians remained unchanged. They still struggled bitterly just to survive. That kind of future should not be their dream.

Even if Nagato’s wish is fulfilled, it would merely expand the Rain Country’s current state to the entire Ninja World.

The thought suddenly arose in Konan’s heart after her trip around the Rain Country.

She quickly drove the thought from her mind. She should not doubt Nagato, nor doubt Akatsuki’s dream and purpose.

But when she passed begging children by the roadside, Konan could not help associating them with other things and recalling her own childhood.

The Ten-Tails might bring peace, but it could not bring hope to the Civilians of the Rain Country.

The thought took root in Konan’s heart, strengthening her resolve to cooperate with the Saudi Federation and the Yasunori Trading Company.

If they could improve the living conditions of the Rain Country’s Civilians and bring them hope while also bringing peace to the Ninja World, then they would not have called her Angel-sama in vain.

With that thought in mind, Konan set off back to Amegakure. She prepared to send people to the Saudi Federation to finalize the redevelopment agreement with Yasunori Sakai and begin work in the Rain Country as soon as possible.

Brothers, please spare a few votes!