Amegakure Village isn't actually broke.
In reality, as the true ruler of the Land of Rain, Nagato has a large amount of wealth.
Closing the country off isn't about cutting off all contact with the outside world. It's a strategy in the context of the ninja world's wars.
In recent wars, thanks to the power of the 'Ninja World's Demigod', the Land of Rain has fared better than neighboring countries.
--Countries like Grass Land and Land of Hot Water have been trampled all over by ninjas from big countries to the point that they know the terrain better than the locals, making them the main war zones.
This also means that the common people of the Land of Rain are doing okay when it comes to resting and recovering. They even have enough rice to export it to other countries.
But generally, Nagato doesn't take the taxes the people pay as his own. Coming from a regular background, he has some sympathy for their hardships.
So, basically, he uses this money to create jobs and build factories, giving people struggling to make ends meet a way out.
The things the factories produce aren't rare either. They're the most common things among ninjas: explosive tags. These go well with Konan's ninja skills, also increasing her fighting ability.
Now, the factories are producing more explosive tags than needed, but Nagato can't just ignore the lives of the people who depend on these factories.
So, the support Konan is talking about is another kind: the secret stash of S-rank missing-nin Kakuzu.
She knows the personality of this old guy who's been alive for who knows how long.
Saving money is just a hobby. Being a bounty hunter is just something he's been doing for decades out of habit.
Ninjas, as human, lose their spirit and will drastically when they lose sight of their goals. This is especially true for Kakuzu.
His body has already been modified into some kind of monster. The decline of his spirit means death to Kakuzu.
And that's why this old guy has saved up money for lifetimes.
Konan, who manages Amegakure Village's finances, is also very sensitive to money and has been eyeing Kakuzu's secret stash for a long time.
Of course, not by robbing or stealing, but by borrowing, with interest.
Thinking about it, the fact that his invisible fortune keeps growing without him having to do anything extra should also appeal to Kakuzu's tastes.
After learning Konan's plan, Nagato, lying on his wooden bed, was speechless.
After a while, he said, "You don't have to worry about the cost of hiring. 'Madara' suggested this, so he should be responsible. Besides, this is just a test."
Although he has already tested it and found that killing lower and middle-level ninjas with his power is a piece of cake, he still can't underestimate the top fighters of the five great ninja villages.
If he fully reveals his power, he will face the combined attacks of the five great ninja villages.
This is an obvious fact. Although they are fighting fiercely among themselves, they will never allow anyone to appear who can change the existing order.
And although the Akatsuki organization is not inferior to the great ninja villages in terms of top combat power, these people are not meant to be seen in the light. Publicly, they are all acting separately.
Konan agrees with Nagato's idea. 'Madara' is trying to goad them with words, pushing them to change their original pace and bring forward their plans, so he has to show something.
Nagato said slowly, "Also, have him give us a copy of the information he has collected."
Choosing which country to provoke into war is also very important. Information is the key, and on this point, Madara's ability is far superior to Amegakure Village's intelligence organization.
"I will tell him."
Konan nodded, her figure shattering into pieces of paper, flying away.
...
In the Uchiha Clan grounds, in a training area in the forest.
Two figures, one big and one small, stand facing each other. Countless kunai and shuriken fly and collide from both sides, with clanging sounds ringing non-stop.
However, the kunai that are knocked away don't just fall to the ground. Controlled by wires in their hands, they launch secondary and tertiary attacks on each other.
The Uchiha's shuriken throwing technique is essentially a flashy skill for dojutsu ninjas. In a small area, their perceptive abilities surpass even those of the Byakugan, allowing them to easily perform complex operations that normal ninjas can't even imagine.
Of course, in Orochimaru's view, this throwing technique is fancy and flashy, with far more entertainment value than practical value.
But it has to be said that in the Uchiha Clan, this throwing technique is still very popular. Almost every Uchiha who awakens the Sharingan uses it to develop the perceptive powers of their dojutsu bloodline.
And that's why Fugaku feels very proud when he sees his son playing it so well even before he has awakened his eyes.
"Orochimaru-sama, I received a notice from Itachi's ninja teacher the other day that Itachi should graduate early, saying that the ninja school can't teach him anything more."
Outside the training ground, the corners of Fugaku's mouth tugged slightly up, his face overflowing with pride. "When will you start formally teaching Itachi?"
"No rush, it's not time yet."
Orochimaru understands Fugaku's feelings. Now is not a time of war, and to be recognized by the ninja school teachers at such a young age, this child's talent is indeed good.
But that's why he doesn't want to interfere too much at this time, prematurely using up Itachi's potential.
You have to know that with Itachi's talent, he will definitely awaken the Sharingan, and it is very likely that he will awaken the Mangekyo in the future. That item is a considerable burden even for the Uchiha's physique.
Now that the situation in the ninja world has returned to stability, and there is no need to trade intelligence for power, why abandon the basics and pursue the trivial?
Orochimaru glanced at Fugaku, who was a little disappointed. "Not only that, Itachi's growth rate is too fast. It needs to be suppressed, otherwise it will be detrimental to his future growth."
Fugaku looked puzzled, not quite understanding Orochimaru's idea.
In the ninja world, people always complain that their rate of becoming stronger is too slow. When would they complain that their rate of growth is too fast?
But he could not help but believe Orochimaru's words, and could only nod in approval.
Orochimaru didn't explain much when he saw this.
A person's vision and ideas cannot be changed in just a few words.
It was also because there was a genie and many years of personal experience that he began to see that something was wrong.
Generally speaking, a ninja's strength usually increases rapidly between the ages of ten and twenty-three or four. After that time, the rate of growth slows down, even for Orochimaru himself.
Of course, this is without taking external forces into account.
But according to the genie, other worlds are not like this. Setting aside the monsters who get stronger as they get older, the peak period for average strong people is at thirty, and some strong people can even continue to grow until they are forty.
This made Orochimaru puzzled.
But after investigating and confirming that the growth period of ordinary people in the ninja world is similar to that of people in another world, he had a bold guess.
--Perhaps it is precisely because of the overexploitation of ninjas from a young age that their growth period is far shorter than that of other people.
Previously, the experienced judgment of the increase in ninja strength may be a 'survivor bias' theory at work.
Of course, even if the average ninja knew about this, it would be useless. In this ninja world full of wars, if they aren't forced to grow prematurely and trade potential for strength, they may have already been sent to the Pure Land before their true potential is realized.
But Uchiha Itachi has what it takes.
"Inside is a ninjutsu that 'helps stimulate the stomach and intestines and replenish energy', let Itachi practice it first."
Orochimaru turned his hand and took out a small scroll, handing it to Fugaku casually.
---
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