Persuading Konan

"By the way, how effective are our Trading Company’s Medical Machines? I remember Konan-san bought two at once—that was practically on par with the Five Great Ninja Villages."

Yasunori Sakai smiled as he struck up the conversation, but Konan did not answer at all. Her expression remained as placid as water, like that of an icy beauty.

"Very well. It seems your village is highly wary of us, so I’ll get straight to the point."

Yasunori Sakai took out a capsule, pressed its button, and tossed it aside. With a bang, a cloud of smoke rose, and a large computer and projected map appeared inside the room.

Is this some kind of special Sealing Scroll? Konan wondered as she watched. The man before her was not a Ninja at all, so how could he use a Sealing Scroll? And that Sealing Scroll looked extremely strange as well…

"Konan-san, does your village intend to change the Rain Country’s year-round rainy weather? I mean, make it like Konoha, with favorable weather and a springlike climate throughout all four seasons."

As Yasunori Sakai spoke, he operated the computer and displayed the Rain Country’s territory and its rainfall. Across that land, only a small portion was free of dark clouds; everywhere else was battered by torrential rain.

If the Rain Country had not had rivers flowing directly into the sea, it would have become the Lake Country by now.

"The Rain Country’s soil and environment are exceptionally suitable for farming. But because of the endless rain, the Rain Country’s Villagers have had no choice but to abandon their fields and seek other work. Even now, some food Supplies have to be imported from elsewhere… Oh, right. Most of them are purchased from the Yasunori Trading Company, aren’t they?"

"Recently, the Yasunori Trading Company may need to take better care of the Saudi Federation, so we might slightly reduce the Rain Village’s purchasing quota. My apologies, but that is the Trading Company’s decision."

Yasunori Sakai nodded faintly at Konan, then pointed at the projected image showing the moist air currents converging over the Rain Country.

"If the Rain Country’s current situation can be changed, then its Civilians may no longer need to buy food from outside. And this is the reason why the Rain Country receives rain all year round."

Konan looked toward where Yasunori Sakai pointed. She could not really understand the climate-change chart, but she could tell that the currents came from the directions of the Lands of Fire, Grass, and Earth. Her tone turned slightly cold as she asked, "Just state your purpose."

Hearing that, Yasunori Sakai nodded and asked, "Konan-san, do you and Pain-san intend to change this Rain Country? The Yasunori Trading Company can accomplish it. We can make the Rain Country’s environment as suitable for farming and habitation as the Land of Fire’s. We can also provide a high-yield grain seed as a bonus. Once the Rain Country’s Villagers plant it, they will never go hungry again. They may even become grain exporters."

After saying that, Yasunori Sakai brought up another projection: a comparison of grain cultivation. On the left was the current state of most fields in the Ninja World, where crops grew sparsely. On the other side were the crops improved by Hyuga Mirai. The difference was obvious at a glance. On fields of equal size, the yield differed by at least threefold.

"What do you think, Konan-san? Change this country, let its Villagers enjoy the care of Angel-sama and Pain. If improvements are made according to the Yasunori Trading Company’s plan, the Rain Country’s Villagers’ reverence for you will turn into heartfelt gratitude. They will support you of their own accord, because you brought change to the Rain Country!"

Yasunori Sakai continued speaking without pause as images comparing two countries constantly appeared on the computer projection.

The rain-soaked Rain Country and the Tea Country bathed in gentle sunlight; Rain Country Civilians doing odd jobs in the rain everywhere and Tea Country Civilians harvesting after farming—the images kept changing, until they finally settled on the expressions of children from both countries. One was numb and blank, while the other wore a blooming smile.

That final image gave Konan a slight jolt. Although her face remained as still as stagnant water, she recalled the vow she, Yahiko, and Nagato had made as children.

Though Akatsuki now controlled Amegakure and even the Rain Country, it seemed they had not changed much. At most, they had abolished many of the rules left behind from Hanzo’s era.

The expressions on the faces of the children from the two countries also made Konan feel deeply uncomfortable. She even wanted to destroy that unpleasant image.

"Please do not do that, Konan-san."

Yasunori Sakai seemed to know what Konan was thinking. Before she could act, he chuckled and said to her, "This computer is worth several million as well. And even if you destroy it, you would merely be covering your ears and closing your eyes. Nothing would change."

With that, Yasunori Sakai took out a scroll and placed it on the nearby table. He continued, "This is a proposal for changing the Rain Country’s climate. If Konan-san is interested, you may pass it along to Pain for him to examine."

Konan gave Yasunori Sakai a deep look and said calmly, "You know Amegakure very well?"

"More or less. I know it much as you know Amegakure, Konan-san. There is no need for you to be so hostile toward us. Setting aside the Saudi Federation’s identity, we should be the best of allies, shouldn’t we? You have dreams, while the Yasunori Trading Company has the ability to make dreams come true."

After hearing this, Konan fell silent for a long while.

She had not understood much of the plan Yasunori Sakai described, but the images she saw afterward resonated deeply with her.

As a child, she had survived amid these endless rainy days. If Yahiko had not boldly decided to seek out Jiraiya, it was unclear whether the three of them would have survived until now.

Yahiko had once vowed to change this crying country and allow the Rain Country’s Civilians to live peaceful, carefree lives.

Yet even now, many people in the Rain Country still endured the same hardships they had as children. Though the threat of war was gone, their living conditions had perhaps not improved much.

Although Akatsuki had grown increasingly wealthy, Konan had never felt particularly happy. Since Yahiko’s death, she had placed her hope of continuing to live in Yahiko’s dream. But thinking back on it now, she and Nagato seemed not to have fulfilled even the original promise the three of them had made.

"We will accept the scroll. We will give you an answer in two days."

A voice suddenly came from above. Konan and Yasunori Sakai immediately looked up upon hearing it.

A man with short orange hair and several black adornments on his face stood on the wall. He extended one hand, and in the next moment, a force of suction pulled the scroll from the table toward him.

"Pain," Konan said. Her body then dispersed into Kami-e, reforming behind Pain.

After seeing Pain take the scroll, Yasunori Sakai smiled and said, "In that case, I shall await your response here in Amegakure. As for other matters, we can discuss them after we have settled our cooperation."

If they could not settle the cooperation, then there would be no need to discuss anything else.

Pain and Konan both understood the meaning behind Yasunori Sakai’s words, but they could not understand why a mere merchant—not even a Ninja—had the courage to say such things.

Yasunori Sakai then pressed something behind the computer. The large computer and projection equipment reverted to a Space Capsule, which he put away.

After he walked outside, Uchiha Tekka and the others standing guard in the distance immediately surrounded him. When Pain had appeared earlier, Uchiha Tekka and the others had gone on alert. If no conflict had been avoided between the two sides, they would have rushed inside.

"Yasunori-kun—"

Yasunori Sakai waved his hand and said, "We may need to stay in Amegakure for another two days. Sorry to trouble you, Tekka-kun."

Sorry, I had to work overtime again and got back late. First update!