"Change the climate of the Hidden Rain Village, profit from it, and establish peaceful relations with the Land of Wind, the Land of Fire, and even the Land of Earth?"
"But what if another Shimura Danzō rises in Konoha?"
Nagato gazed at Naruto in silence before speaking.
"Human desires are endless. Perhaps if we uphold the peace agreement, the shinobi world will truly experience an era of stability."
"But power is the easiest thing to corrupt one's heart. Your village's Sandaime Hokage is proof of that."
"And Shimura Danzō, the darkness of Konoha's past, spent his entire life pursuing power."
"If Konoha becomes the strongest village in the world, smaller nations like ours will inevitably suffer when the ruling clans seek to expand their influence."
Naruto had countless counterarguments, but instead, he simply smiled and said:
"Within the framework of production and scientific advancement, humanity constantly evolves."
"Nature, too, is in a perpetual state of change. It never remains static."
Nagato and Konan fell into deep thought.
Naruto rose to his feet. "We need to train a new generation. These individuals will be the foundation of the future."
"They must have vision, but also the spirit of struggle and sacrifice."
"Loyalty, positivity, honesty, and selflessness are crucial."
"But above all, they must listen to the people."
He then turned to Nagato. "Nagato, how long has it been since you walked the streets of the Hidden Rain Village? Since you last saw the lives of its common citizens?"
Nagato remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Closing his eyes, he extended his Rinnegan's vision through his paths, observing the village as it was now.
After a long pause, he opened his eyes. Tendo Pain materialized outside the door, his gaze fixed forward.
"I will bring Yahiko with me tomorrow."
With that, he dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
Naruto and Konan exchanged glances before leaving the hidden chamber.
Upon arriving at Konan's residence, Ajisai was already waiting.
"Naruto-sama!" Ajisai's eyes burned with determination.
"Well done. From here on, the ideological reform of the village is in your hands."
"I'll see you in Konoha tomorrow."
As Naruto spoke, the ever-present rain over the Hidden Rain Village ceased.
"It seems even the sky of Amegakure has its own emotions."
He extended a hand out the window, feeling the warmth of sunlight breaking through for the first time in years.
A chuckle escaped his lips before he turned back to find both Konan and Ajisai staring at him in silence.
"I'll be going ahead."
Whoosh—
In an instant, Naruto vanished using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Meanwhile, in Konoha, the last of the civilians and shinobi who had failed the initial screening had already departed the village.
"Tsunade-sama, what are our next steps?"
Without looking up, Tsunade responded, "Tenten, are you bringing… Tenten here?"
Ino nodded. "Yes, Kurama asked her to return home."
"Alright. Ino, you and Sakura go."
"Tell Gangzō Tetsu and Shenyue Izumo that if Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura try to leave, simply turn a blind eye."
She then turned to Hinata and Temari. "You two, head outside the village and monitor the evacuees."
"If any structures they built in Konoha remain unfinished, make a note of them. My great-grandfather will take care of it at night."
Temari frowned. "Why help them?"
Tsunade smirked. "They refuse to settle down. Let them keep living in their delusions."
"Once we finish their unfinished business, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu can lead them away."
"I have no doubt the Daimyō will recognize their so-called 'Konoha,' and it won't be long before exploitation begins."
"Until then… heh."
"Understood!"
The four kunoichi were quick to grasp Tsunade's plan. Without hesitation, they departed the Hokage's office.
After returning home, Naruto was immediately summoned to the lab, where Orochimaru and Tobirama Senju had been waiting.
Meanwhile, Hashirama Senju had already left for Sunagakure with Gaara.
Following the peace conference, it was time for reconstruction to begin.
In the Hidden Rain Village, Konan and Ajisai stayed behind to oversee ideological reform.
Nightfall.
In Sunagakure, Gaara, adorned in his Kazekage robes, led his delegation toward Konoha, accompanied by Hashirama Senju.
In Kirigakure, Mei Terumi departed for Konoha with Ao and Chōjūrō.
In Iwagakure, Ōnoki, his granddaughter Kurotsuchi, and his son were en route as well.
In Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage, A, set out shortly after Naruto and Nagato's departure. Alongside him were Killer Bee and Darui.
Two-Tails' Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, and a team of Kumo shinobi remained behind to guard the village.
Back in the Hidden Rain Village, Nagato sat in his wheelchair. His legs had been irreparably damaged by Hanzō's Explosive Flame Array during Yahiko's death, and years of overusing the Outer Path Statue had drained him beyond recovery.
Thus, he now relied on Tendo Pain to push his wheelchair forward.
Konan and Ajisai remained behind, ensuring the village's transformation continued.
Except for the Hidden Rain Village and the Hidden Sand Village, the other three great villages mobilized for war before setting out. The ninja world was still tense, and Naruto's words alone weren't enough to earn their trust.
The only reason they dared to come was that his words had moved them—though intimidation also played a role. If they truly waited until Senju Hashirama arrived with his massive Wood Release construct, things would take a turn for the worse.
That said, they still had confidence in their own abilities.
However, Ōnoki and A had a different thought in mind. They wanted to see for themselves if Konoha's Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō were really reduced to sweeping streets and cleaning toilets as intelligence reports suggested.
Since they had agreed to arrive in Konoha the next day, the journey began early in the morning.
…
The delegations from the Hidden Mist, Hidden Cloud, and Hidden Rock villages coincidentally arrived at the same time, leading to an awkward collision.
Ōnoki and A exchanged sharp glares before both turning their attention to Mei Terumi.
"The Fifth Mizukage?" A mused.
"It seems so," Ōnoki replied.
Mei Terumi smiled politely in greeting.
However, since they had already spoken, Ōnoki and A immediately began arguing.
"Heh, little Raikage, did I ask you a question?" Ōnoki taunted, hovering slightly higher in the air to establish dominance.
A smirked. "Isn't this the Third Tsuchikage? You're already so old, yet you're still traveling overnight? Go back home and prepare your funeral feast."
Kurotsuchi chuckled. "That sounds great!"
A burst into laughter, while Ōnoki glared at his granddaughter before shooting back at A.
"Hmph! I'll still be alive long after you're gone, you brat!"
"Yo~ The old man from Iwagakure, the smelly old man~ is about to die~ Yo yo yo~ Let's throw a feast~ Yeah~"
Bang! A silenced Killer B with a punch. "Shut up!"
Mei Terumi sighed and quickened her pace. She had no interest in watching two old men bicker.
Ōnoki narrowed his eyes as he watched Mei walk ahead. "Just as I suspected... Every village has been invited. I wouldn't be surprised if the Fourth Kazekage is already in Konoha."
A scoffed. "Old man, your memory failing you? The current Kazekage is already the Fifth."
Kurotsuchi added, "I heard he's around my age—and the Jinchūriki of the One-Tail."
That statement made both Ōnoki and A pause.
"They made a Jinchūriki their Kage? Has the Sand Village grown that weak?"
For a brief moment, the two rivals looked at each other and grunted in unison.
"Hmph!"
…
Before long, they reached Konoha's gates.
"This is... Konoha?" several people murmured in disbelief.
"So, the Mizukage, Tsuchikage, and Raikage have arrived," a voice interrupted.
Utane Koharu and Mitokado Homura emerged, exchanging words briefly before leaving without a second glance.
"Hmph!" Koharu scoffed.
"Patience," Homura muttered. "It won't be long before Konoha collapses on its own."
Unbothered, the group moved forward and soon encountered Nagato, who was being pushed along by Tendo Pain Yahiko.
Ōnoki narrowed his eyes. "The Hidden Rain Village... Akatsuki?"
Nagato merely glanced at them indifferently before nodding slightly and continuing onward.
At the gate, Kotetsu Hagane inspected the records before recognizing the visitor.
"Ah, it's Lord Nagato from the Hidden Rain Village. Please, go right in."
Nagato was momentarily taken aback by the gate guard's confidence but nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you."
As he entered, his eyes widened at the towering buildings before him. More than that, the sight of villagers and shinobi going about their lives with smiles left him momentarily speechless.
"Konan and Naruto spoke of this, but seeing it firsthand... is completely different."
A small smile formed on his lips.
"So they really do prioritize the common people."
Kotetsu Hagane spoke up again. "Lord Nagato, Naruto-sama said that you may freely explore Konoha before heading to the Hokage Building. However, please do not cause any disturbances."
Nagato nodded. "Understood."
As he wheeled himself through the streets, he was overwhelmed by what he saw. He had been traveling for a long while when he finally stopped in front of a street. The vibrant red banners and the lively atmosphere dispelled any lingering doubts in his heart.
…
Not far behind, A furrowed his brows. "Wasn't Hanzo still in control of the Hidden Rain Village?"
Ōnoki sneered. "Hmph. The intelligence from the Hidden Cloud is severely outdated. Let's just see for ourselves what Konoha is like without its Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō."
A's brow twitched, but given that they were at Konoha's gates, he suppressed his irritation.
"It's Mizukage-sama, Tsuchikage-sama, and Raikage-sama." Kotetsu Hagane greeted them with the same message as before.
With their respective guards in tow, the three Kage stepped into Konoha. And just like Nagato before them, their jaws dropped.
"Whoa—!" Nine voices exclaimed simultaneously.
They wandered through Konoha in awe, like country folk seeing a grand city for the first time.
"This... This is completely different from the Konoha we saw before!" Kurotsuchi gasped.
Then, Ai and Ōnoki suddenly froze, their eyes widening in disbelief.
"That is..."
"The Third Hokage?!"
"And..."
"Danzō Shimura?!"
They watched in shock as the former Hokage swept the streets, while Danzō emerged from a public toilet with a mop in hand.
Mei Terumi smirked. "You two sure have great chemistry."
"Who has chemistry with that stinky brat (stinky old man)?!" A and Ōnoki retorted in unison.