I Punch the Tailed Beast Ball

Chapter 442: Arrival of a New Template

In the tallest tower within Amegakure, Konan was busy handling village affairs. Although Nagato, also known as Pain, was the leader, he was also considered the "God" of Amegakure.

Naturally, a god wouldn’t interact directly with the everyday world, so it was up to Konan, the "Angel," to manage the village’s day-to-day operations.

Bang!

The office door burst open.

Looking down at her papers, Konan frowned, wondering who would dare to be so disrespectful. They would surely face consequences.

"Konan, my legs are healed," Nagato announced excitedly.

Konan looked up in disbelief, but her expression quickly turned to joy.

Years ago, she, Yahiko, and Nagato were war orphans, wandering the Land of Rain together. Although they weren’t related by blood, they had formed a stronger and more genuine bond than many real siblings.

Nagato could not walk after being injured while saving her from Hanzō’s attack. Konan had always felt guilty about it, so she was pleased to hear that Nagato’s legs had healed.

"You should sit down and rest. If you’re just recovered, you shouldn’t move too much," Konan said, her concern evident as she stood up and motioned for Nagato to sit in her chair.

"No need. I’ve been sitting long enough. I know my body well; I won’t push myself," Nagato smiled.

"Alright then," Konan relented, seeing that Nagato didn’t want to sit. She trusted that he wouldn’t lie about his condition.

"How did you manage to heal your legs?" Konan asked, curious.

She knew Nagato very well. Initially, it had been just the three of them—Yahiko, Nagato, and her—surviving together. Then Yahiko created Akatsuki, attracting like-minded individuals. Over time, their group grew.

After Yahiko’s death, all their comrades had been killed, leaving only Konan and Nagato. They cherished each other deeply, and Konan had chosen to stay by Nagato’s side to protect him. Nagato, in turn, shared all his secrets with Konan.

For instance, Konan knew the abilities of the Rinnegan very well. Nagato’s problem wasn’t just his injury but also the immense pressure from the Rinnegan, which required a vast amount of chakra to support its abilities.

Even though Nagato was a Uzumaki with extraordinary talent, Rinnegan’s demands were overwhelming, causing his body to deteriorate further, exacerbating his leg injury. Moreover, Amegakure’s medical ninjas needed to be more advanced, lacking high-level medical expertise.

If they had someone like Tsunade, his legs could have been healed earlier. However, given Akatsuki’s current position, going to Konoha for help was out of the question.

Konan couldn’t figure out how Nagato had managed to heal his legs.

"I used the method ’Madara’ provided," Nagato explained, without any intention of hiding the truth from Konan.

Hearing the name Madara, Konan’s frown deepened. She sighed and said, "You should be more cautious of him. That man is certainly hiding something from us."

Konan did not like the mysterious masked man who called himself Uchiha Madara. Although she couldn’t pinpoint anything concrete, his sudden appearance had always been suspicious.

The masked man had approached Akatsuki long before, during Yahiko’s leadership. Yahiko had naturally been wary and rejected his offer of cooperation. The masked man reappeared during Yahiko’s death, and in their grief and desire for revenge, Nagato and Konan reluctantly agreed to work with him.

"I know, but we had no other choice. If we didn’t do this, everything we’ve done would be in vain. All our efforts would be meaningless," Nagato said, his voice heavy.

Konan didn’t argue further. Nagato had already taken action, and there was no point in lamenting the past. She couldn’t change it.

"My condition is better than ever. The abilities of the Rinnegan are stronger now. Whatever his intentions, this method has indeed made me more powerful," Nagato stated firmly.

His message was clear: despite the risks, he would continue to use this method to strengthen himself.

"No matter what you decide, I’ll stand by your side and fight with you until the end," Konan said calmly.

"Don’t worry. I have a new plan. We will fulfill Yahiko’s dream and create a world without war," Nagato assured her.

"Tomorrow, you should move to the Land of Rice Fields. Amegakure is no longer safe, and the new base needs your management," Nagato instructed.

According to Zetsu’s information, Konoha had substantial intel on Akatsuki. This made Amegakure less secure. Nagato knew that Konoha wouldn’t attack unless Akatsuki directly threatened them.

If their actions started to infringe on the interests of the Five Great Nations, particularly Konoha, there could be retaliatory strikes. This meant Amegakure was no longer a haven.

"Are you coming too?" Konan asked.

"I will, but not immediately. I need to make some arrangements first," Nagato replied.

"Who will protect you if I leave...?" Konan started to say, then stopped herself. Nagato no longer needed her constant protection; he had grown stronger.

"Don’t worry, Konan. I don’t need your protection anymore. It’s my turn to protect you. Once I’m in the Land of Rice Fields, we’ll act together as we used to," Nagato said with a smile.

In the past, he had needed Konan to stay by his side constantly. Now, it was his turn to protect her. No one would harm her as long as he lived.

"Let’s settle the base first and then take control of the Land of Rice Fields’ leadership. One official isn’t enough; we need the entire country under Akatsuki’s control," Nagato planned aloud.

"We’ll establish a new ninja village in the Land of Rice Fields to strengthen our power and support our future actions," Nagato explained.

"The village’s name?" Konan asked, nodding.

"Let’s call it Hikari Village," Nagato decided after a pause.

The name "Akatsuki" wasn’t chosen randomly. Yahiko had named it, inspired by the dawn breaking through the darkness, symbolising their goal of breaking the darkness, shrouding the Land of Rain and changing the world.

Naming the new village Hikari (Light) Village carried similar symbolism. Nagato hoped it would bring light to the world, eliminate darkness, and achieve peace.

He also saw it as a beacon of resistance, challenging the great nations. Despite being a small village, Hikari would defy the powerful, much like Amegakure had tried before it fell.

In Nagato’s view, Amegakure had failed due to various factors, but primarily because it lacked sufficient strength. With Akatsuki’s backing, Hikari Village would not suffer the same fate.

"Hikari Village..." Konan murmured, reminiscing. She hoped the new village would live up to its name.

.........................

Recently, Konoha has been involved in significant events that have drawn the attention of various factions in the ninja world.

Fortunately, these events were beneficial for Konoha.

The first was the Chūnin Exams. Despite the expenses of the new arena, Konoha had more than recouped the costs.

Many nobles would spend large sums on private boxes rather than sit in the noisy crowd. They valued comfort over money.

Some merchants also opted for private boxes, though fewer than the nobles, as some merchants, having built their fortunes from nothing, were okay with the noisy environment.

Regardless, Konoha profited handsomely from this new approach.

The second significant event was the Five Kage Summit, which had a much broader impact on the ninja world than the Chūnin Exams.

The decisions made at the summit would have lasting effects, increasing Konoha’s political influence.

These factors combined led to a significant increase in Konoha’s prosperity level, surpassing the threshold for a new template.

[Prosperity Level: 3200]

Before the Chūnin Exams, the level had been 2810. This was a notable increase, considering the greater difficulty in gaining prosperity as levels rise.

[Detected prosperity level exceeding 3000. You may choose one from the following templates:]

[Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto - The strongest Shinigami of Soul Society]

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