"I'm sorry, but Mr Daimyo is unavailable. Mrs. Kushina is currently handling most of the affairs of the Daimyo Mansion. Please wait here for a moment—I'll inform her of your arrival," said the manager of the Daimyo Mansion politely to Konan.
After departing from the Land of Rain, Konan had rushed all the way to the capital of the Land of Fire.
However, the journey had not been smooth. Having not visited the Land of Fire for a long time, she was unfamiliar with the changes that had taken place.
Along the way, she was stopped and questioned by three different so-called security teams. Without identification or an entry permit, Konan had no choice but to use her paper techniques to evade them and travel off the main roads.
Fortunately, someone within the Daimyo Mansion was aware of the Akatsuki organization. Otherwise, Konan wouldn't have even made it through the gate.
After a short wait, the steward returned and said, "Mrs. Kushina is ready to see you. Please come with me—but only you."
"I understand. Thank you," Konan replied with a nod.
Since the other party was the daimyo's wife, a private audience was expected. It was rare to meet someone of such status, and bringing companions was out of the question.
After signaling subtly to the other members of the Akatsuki with her eyes, she followed the steward inside.
They passed through several courtyards before arriving at a secluded one. From several dozen meters away, Konan spotted a red-haired woman dressed in a white blouse and black skirt.
"The strongest Jinchūriki... and the future target of the Akatsuki," Konan thought. However, she also knew that at this point, Nagato had not yet fully mastered the Rinnegan and would stand no chance against the woman before her.
Kushina's brows furrowed briefly before relaxing into a smile. She waved at Konan and greeted her warmly, "You must be Konan from the Akatsuki organization. Kain has told me about you. He's been busy training lately. What brings you here?"
"I've come regarding the Land of Rain. Konoha is currently at war with it, but the Akatsuki's mission is to pursue peace—we don't want any more bloodshed. I've come to request that His Excellency the Daimyo withdraw Konoha's ninja troops."
Konan paused when she noticed Kushina frown slightly, lost in thought. She fell silent, waiting.
Kushina called over the manager and instructed him to retrieve something. Curious, Konan waited patiently. When the steward returned, he handed a document to Kushina, who glanced at it and then turned to Konan.
"The war is already over. The Land of Rain is now focused on rebuilding and restoring its people's livelihood."
"What?" Konan's eyes widened. A surge of anger followed as she said, "This is an invasion! The Land of Rain will never accept such a thing!"
"Calm down," Kushina said, quickly raising her hand in a placating gesture. "I don't know the full extent of your relationship with Kain, but the fact that he helped you last time suggests some degree of trust. I'm willing to overlook certain things because of that—but the guards of the Daimyo Mansion won't. If they see you act this way, they may consider you a threat."
After hearing Kushina's words, Konan was momentarily stunned. The news from the Land of Rain had shaken her so much that she nearly forgot who she was speaking to and where she was.
Kushina shook her head and said calmly, "If that's what this is about, I advise you to let it go. If you were here to borrow money or request something else, I might be able to help. But I won't get involved in matters between nations."
She had always avoided doing anything unnecessary, even though Kain treated her well.
"I understand. I apologize for troubling you, Madam," Konan said, rising to her feet and bowing respectfully. Then she turned to leave. The Land of Rain might already be lost—there was no longer any reason for her to stay.
But just as Konan was about to exit, Kushina suddenly asked, "Konan, have we met before?"
Konan paused, frowning slightly. She shook her head and replied, "No, Mrs. Kushina. This should be our first meeting."
"Haha, is that so? Just now, my ability sensed malice from you. I must've been mistaken," Kushina said with a smile.
Konan, however, was quietly shocked. When they first met, she had indeed briefly considered targeting the Tailed Beasts—but she hadn't acted on the thought. The fact that Kushina had sensed even that fleeting intent was something Konan hadn't expected.
Konan didn't say anything more. After Kushina finished speaking, she followed the steward out, her expression calm.
Once outside the Daimyo Mansion, she regrouped with the other Akatsuki members, and they quickly departed from the capital of the Land of Fire.
After Konan left, Kushina's smile faded, replaced by a slight frown. She soon made up her mind to go see Kain. Something about the Akatsuki group unsettled her, and the malice she had felt wasn't an illusion.
Lately, Kushina had been in a sour mood. Her son, Naruto, had become the main target of her frustrations. Though she still shared a bed with Kain, the tension in her heart hadn't eased.
And then there was Miss Tsunade and Nono. After shedding her pajamas, Kushina found herself feeling foolish—she hadn't realized certain things until now.
"Naruto, try that magic again," Kain said.
He had just finished setting up a magic circle and was now seated inside it, watching Naruto prepare to activate the lightning spell he had been studying.
But Naruto frowned and held his head, clearly reluctant. "Dad, I want to learn ninjutsu. Let others do this magic stuff—it's not even mainstream." His tone was sulky.
"Just think of it as an ultra-powerful Lightning Style jutsu," Kain replied. "Once we finish the test, I'll take you out for a walk. Come on—and remember to suppress your magic power."
Naruto's eyes lit up at the promise of going out. "I really can't say no to you, Dad. Alright then—God-Given Thunder Chain Technique!"
As Naruto finished the incantation, Kain immediately felt the magic circle activate. A faint energy was drawn from his body, amplified by natural energy, and transferred into Naruto almost instantly.
The result: a ten-centimeter-thick thunder chain burst forth, surging into the forest ahead with explosive force.
The power of the Thunder Chains was immense, shattering five or six massive trees instantly, leaving Naruto momentarily stunned.
"It seems to have worked," Kain murmured.
"After the first god-blessing, the connection was stabilized, and not much power was drained. The main reason is that the magic circle gathers natural energy. Still, it might become inefficient if too many people are involved. Between Infinity Gems or Sacred Trees, just planting one should be enough for now, so there's no need to worry yet."
Seeing Naruto successfully cast the lightning magic confirmed for Kain that his research direction was correct.
Still, further investigation was needed into the transmission distance of the magic circle and how to enhance lightning spells. It would be wasteful otherwise.
Once Naruto snapped out of his amazement, he immediately began clamoring to learn the technique. Kain didn't mind; laying a solid foundation for him was enough. With Naruto's potential, his body was practically a treasure trove of talent.
As for taking Naruto out for a walk, Kain was prepared to keep his promise. However, their plans were cut short when Kushina suddenly came to find him.
Naruto protested, but Kushina ended it with a light smack on his messy yellow hair, sending him obediently back to his studies.
Naruto's practice time had recently been reduced by an hour each day—not for rest, but to make time for academic studies.
"Don't worry about the Akatsuki organization. They're just a bunch of naïve idealists," Kain said, after listening to Kushina's concerns.
After a moment of thought, he made up his mind. The most valuable asset in the Akatsuki was the pair of Rinnegan eyes. But considering Kain's ongoing pressure on Uchiha Obito, it was likely that Nagato would soon begin targeting the Tailed Beasts directly.
It was unrealistic to think Obito could collect all the Tailed Beasts alone. After acquiring two or three, he'd likely be unable to continue.
In Konoha, Orochimaru made a rare public appearance, holding a Jōnin meeting to discuss the village's relocation. As Hokage, he had no choice but to attend in person.
Almost all the Jōnin were present—even Tsunade sat in the front row. However, the Hokage who appeared was just one of Orochimaru's Shadow Clones.
The real Orochimaru was busy with his research into new biological entities. After acquiring the Azure Dragon fruit serum and the Yamata no Orochi fruit serum, he believed the Tailed Beast Hydra had room for further evolution—and began cultivating it anew.
This was a critical stage in his research, and Orochimaru would never have shown up in person if the village relocation weren't equally important.
After this is over, it's time to hold a new Hokage election, he thought. Since becoming Hokage, Orochimaru had acquired everything he wanted—Konoha's forbidden jutsu scrolls, vast research resources, and more.
Now, the title of Hokage had become a burden.
Though he had held the position for less than five years, Nawaki had been handling village affairs for the past few years. It was time to pass the dream on to his disciple.
"The affairs of the Land of Rain will be handled by the Daimyo's office," Orochimaru announced.
"Guards will be dispatched to maintain order and security. Next, let's discuss Konoha's relocation plan.
As previously agreed, the Uchiha, Inuzuka, Aburame, Kurama clans—seven in total—will accompany the first batch of 800 civilian settlers."
He read directly from Nawaki's prepared plan. The Jōnin voiced no objections—not even those from the Sarutobi or Ino–Shika–Chō clans.
"One more thing," Orochimaru added.
"After the move, both Konoha and the Daimyo's office will undergo further structural reforms. All civilian ninjas will fall under the Daimyo's administration. The Hokage will retain overall command. And after the relocation is complete... the Fifth Hokage will be elected."
The room fell into stunned silence. Even Nawaki was caught off guard—it was clearly a spontaneous decision.
Tsunade, Nawaki, and the others quickly realized the truth: Orochimaru had no interest in holding power.
Though he looked calm, this kind of responsibility clearly annoyed him. He had likely only become Hokage to cooperate with Kain.
But Tsunade's thoughts were elsewhere. After Konoha's relocation, she was to live in the Daimyo Mansion, as previously arranged. It was a matter that had been weighing on her. What she feared most... was facing Kushina.
…
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