Uzumaki Ayaka’s Return

How hard was it to fool a ninja who didn’t even have a middle school education? Answer: not hard at all.

The proposal Yasunori Sakai produced contained nearly a hundred renovation projects. Although more than half of them were items that took money without producing much effect, anyone unfamiliar with this field would never be able to spot it.

Those without strength got beaten, and those without education got deceived. That was the current state of the Ninja World. Even if Konan had a close friend who called himself a god, there was nothing she could do about it. Could Nagato, her godlike friend, even understand civil engineering blueprints?

"Ms. Konan, renovating the Rain Country requires setting up twenty large blowers along the path of the moist air currents. This route is fixed and cannot be changed. Each large blower and its accompanying equipment costs 150 million ryo. That is already the discounted price; the Yasunori Trading Company has waived all other fees for you."

Yasunori Sakai smilingly took out a series of lists and handed them to Konan, while using a computer to show her a simulation of the planned renovation.

It looked like a single sizable piece of equipment, but the blower actually included numerous other devices, such as satellite signal transmission, data storage, monitoring, and so on.

Konan accepted the proposal with a slight frown, then began reading it with utmost seriousness. However, it contained many technical terms, and in all her twenty-odd years of experience, she had never come into contact with such things.

Furthermore, the Yasunori Trading Company was the authority in the Ninja World. Unless Konan went to the Land of Craftsmen and brought back some masters, she would not be able to spot anything wrong with this proposal.

The renovation animation on display was fairly straightforward: mountains would be cut through, blowers erected, and the moist air currents covering the Rain Country blown away. That way, cumulonimbus clouds would no longer accumulate over the Rain Country.

Konan roughly understood the process and principles behind the renovation, but she still found the plan somewhat unacceptable.

"Regarding the cost…"

Konan spoke softly, but her voice grew quieter and quieter until she stopped. First, ever since Yahiko’s death, she had always maintained an icy demeanor and had never haggled over prices. Second, Yasunori Sakai’s smiling face seemed to be waiting for her to ask for a lower price.

"If Amegakure cannot afford it, you can use other things as collateral."

Yasunori Sakai smilingly took out a scroll he had prepared in advance. It listed what the Rain Country could use as collateral and the prices offered by the Yasunori Trading Company.

Iron and steel naturally came first. The Rain Country’s iron-smelting industry was fairly decent; this might have been the only thing the Rain Country could offer. Next came building factories and roads, allowing the Yasunori Trading Company to conduct business in the Rain Country, commissioning Akatsuki missions to repay the debt, and so on.

In short, the Yasunori Trading Company would suck Amegakure’s upper ranks dry, then give one-tenth back to the Rain Country’s civilians.

Konan read through it carefully. Half her attention was focused on the ninja mission commissions, while she did not give much thought to the other demands.

The Yasunori Trading Company offered very generous payments for mission commissions, practically the best in the Ninja World. For the Yasunori Trading Company, which monopolized several industries, the money paid to ninjas was a trivial amount—and they could earn it back several times over in the next second.

After finishing, Konan said coldly, "I need to discuss this matter with the others."

"Of course. For such a massive project, the Yasunori Trading Company will also need time to prepare." Yasunori Sakai smiled at Konan. "Afterward, we will need to discuss moving the mountains with representatives from the Saudi Federation. If Amegakure is worried that war may break out once the barrier between the Saudi Federation and the Rain Country is gone, both sides can also sign a peace accord."

Konan said indifferently, "No need. We do not believe in so-called peace accords."

"That is true. Such pointless agreements only fool civilians and lower- to middle-ranking ninjas. To those at the top, they are worth less than toilet paper."

Yasunori Sakai nodded in agreement, then began discussing other matters with Konan.

"Ms. Konan, next we must discuss other matters. They are merely small matters to you. First, we hope Akatsuki will not reveal any information regarding Sasori of the Red Sand. Second, we hope Akatsuki members will not appear during discussions with the Saudi Federation. If Ms. Konan intends to go, I hope you can change your clothes. Until both sides complete the renovation plan, it would be best to avoid conflict as much as possible."

After hearing this, Konan stared deeply at Yasunori Sakai and said, "…So you really do have dealings with Sasori of the Red Sand. His appearance back then was deliberate."

At that, Konan suddenly remembered that when she had first gone to invite Sasori of the Red Sand to join the organization, Hyuga Mirai, a Rogue ninja from the Hyuga Clan, had gotten there before her and taken Sasori of the Red Sand away.

Thinking about it carefully now, the Yasunori Trading Company was clearly trying to conceal information about Sasori of the Red Sand. Perhaps they wanted him to return to Sunagakure. After all, the only reason they would hide him was the puppet in Sasori of the Red Sand’s possession.

Hyuga Mirai…

He truly was a frightening man, hiding himself so deeply. If the other side had not taken the initiative to reveal it this time, Konan would never have considered it. The nobles of the Land of Fire, whose lineage had endured for hundreds of years, actually had ties to a Rogue ninja from Konoha.

"If that is a condition of our cooperation, then we will agree."

After leaving those words behind, Konan went to gather Amegakure’s officials. Although she bore the title of Angel in Amegakure, she carried out the duties of its village leader.

Because Nagato had been in poor health and needed to control Pain’s Six Paths, Amegakure had always been managed by Konan.

Renovating the Rain Country involved far too broad a scope. It would require mobilizing more than half of Amegakure’s manpower, and the cost was enormous. Konan had to inform everyone. Although she desperately wanted to improve the Rain Country’s environment, the investment of as much as 3 billion ryo, along with the future maintenance costs…

After Konan told Amegakure’s officials about the matter, everyone said they would obey the Angel’s orders. Many of Amegakure’s officials had once been members of Akatsuki. Konan and Pain had led them in overthrowing Hanzo and rebuilding Amegakure, so naturally they would obey the two without hesitation.

Moreover, renovating the Rain Country was clearly a good thing. If their efforts were needed, none of them would refuse. Konan simply did not tell them that it would cost 3 billion ryo, because Amegakure definitely could not produce that sum anyway, so there was no need to create worries out of nothing.

If she did not withdraw funds from Kakuzu, Konan would have to agree to the Yasunori Trading Company’s series of demands.

It was a difficult choice. Since joining Akatsuki, Kakuzu had been suspected of killing his comrades, but he completed missions exceptionally well and handled the organization’s finances with ease. However, Konan knew Kakuzu’s character well.

Depositing money with him was one thing, but asking Kakuzu for money—especially a massive sum like 3 billion ryo—might make Kakuzu defect on the spot. Even Pain would not be able to talk him down.

After thinking it over, Konan felt she could only accept the Yasunori Trading Company’s other method of repayment.

"Lord Mirai!"

After Uzumaki Ayaka returned to Rōran, she began calling out before even entering the palace that sealed the Dragon Vein.

Using Mind’s Eye of the Kagura to sense where Hyuga Mirai was, Uzumaki Ayaka immediately activated Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, transformed into a streak of golden light, and rushed over.

Hyuga Mirai had just received a reminder from Android 18. After setting aside his research and walking out of the Laboratory, he saw a streak of golden light charging toward him.

If he had not known it was Uzumaki Ayaka, who had been gone for so long, Hyuga Mirai would have slapped her away.

How could she run so fast around the Laboratory? What if she damaged the research results?

Bam!

Uzumaki Ayaka crashed straight into Hyuga Mirai’s arms. Then, wearing an aggrieved expression, she rattled on, "Lord Mirai, on my way back this time, I encountered someone incredibly powerful. Even after entering Nine-Tails Mode, I was no match for him. In the end, I only managed to escape injured after entering Sage Nine-Tails Mode and relying on the armor’s protection…"

Hyuga Mirai was slightly taken aback. Somewhat doubtful, he said, "Ayaka, are you sure you are not exaggerating? There should not be many people in the Ninja World with that kind of strength."

"Of course it is true. If you do not believe me, look at my armor, Lord Mirai." The aggrieved look on Uzumaki Ayaka’s face did not fade as she pressed her wristwatch, instantly changing into the T1 Armor.

After the armor appeared, Hyuga Mirai frowned slightly. It was indeed as Ayaka had said—the armor’s damage rate exceeded forty percent, and many of its functions were essentially scrapped.

"Android 18?"

"Data loss, sir." A display screen extended from Hyuga Mirai’s wristwatch, with Android 18’s face appearing on it.

"Uzumaki Ayaka left the satellite data reception range. The storage components of the armor were damaged during the battle, so only a small portion of the visual data was preserved."

After Android 18 finished speaking, she played a clip on the display.

It showed Uzumaki Ayaka entering Sage Nine-Tails Mode, protecting her body with the armor, and fighting the other party.

As Hyuga Mirai watched the footage, Uzumaki Ayaka explained from the side, "It was this person, Lord Mirai. He was incredibly fast. Without the perception of Nine-Tails Mode and Mind’s Eye of the Kagura, I might not have been able to keep up with his speed. And the moment he appeared, he knew I was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and wanted to capture me."

"Ayaka, you are safe now. Let go of me first."

She was holding him too tightly for him to even watch the footage properly. Her red hair kept swaying in front of his eyes. After Hyuga Mirai said that, Uzumaki Ayaka continued whining and pretending to be hurt, unwilling to let go. Hyuga Mirai saw through her immediately and lifted her away with one hand.

"Is this guy Jigen?"

Hyuga Mirai watched the less-than-three-second clip four or five times, then made the guess in confusion.

Uzumaki Ayaka asked in puzzlement, "Lord Mirai, who is Jigen?"

"Someone very powerful. An alien’s skin suit…"

Hyuga Mirai frowned slightly as he thought to himself, then turned and asked, "Ayaka, how did you escape?"

"I did not escape. That guy was somewhat wary of my Adamantine Sealing Chains, and he retreated first." As Uzumaki Ayaka spoke of Jigen, there was still some fear in her eyes.

If the other party had not retreated first, she might have had a hard time coming back.