Chapter 77: Ishiro's Vision for the Future
"Exactly, that's the method," Ishiro said excitedly, looking at Yahiko and the others.
"In the Land of Rain, everyone is like a family. Under Akatsuki's leadership, they can freely exchange goods without fear of being deceived. This allows everyone to live better lives."
"But outside the Land of Rain, everyone belongs to different nations, and mutual trust is far more limited. Without an organization like Akatsuki to mediate, there are very few opportunities for exchange."
Ishiro pointed to a merchant caravan ahead and continued, "A caravan like this is actually one of those rare opportunities. People mostly see it as a way to accumulate wealth, but they forget that such exchanges can also improve people's lives."
"If the entire ninja world had an organization like Akatsuki, different nations could exchange goods. Even if these exchanges rely on caravans, even if their initial purpose is wealth accumulation, they could still improve everyone's lives."
"I know you're not fond of caravans, but that's not the fault of the caravans—it's the fault of the ninja world. There are too few caravans in this world, and so the ones that do exist focus on products that bring the most profit, neglecting the needs of the common people."
"But if there were countless caravans doing business, some would inevitably focus on goods that the common people need, rather than just dealing with the nobles."
Ishiro's enthusiasm grew as he spoke, his voice growing louder. "I believe that if that day comes, life will definitely improve, it will be better than it is now, better than before the wars. There will be hope for everyone!"
He then turned to Yahiko and the others, "At that time, there will be no hunger, no cold, and even if they forget the scars of war, the people will still find hope in their lives."
Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato were immersed in Ishiro's vision of a bright future, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Finally, Konan spoke up first, a little hesitant. "But do you think the ninja world will have organizations like Akatsuki?"
Looking at Konan's cautious expression, as if a slightly louder comment might shatter this beautiful dream, Ishiro suppressed a smile and replied solemnly, "Yes, it will definitely happen. If the ninja world doesn't have it, we will create it ourselves."
"Our strength is still weak. Your Akatsuki can only operate in the Land of Rain for now, and I'm just a team leader. But we will become stronger because we have a belief."
Ishiro almost believed what he was saying himself.
However, he was well aware of his true thoughts. He wouldn't fool himself, but the trio before him truly believed what he said, treating it as a shared goal for the future.
Suddenly, Ishiro turned to Nagato, and his gaze became fixated.
At that moment, Nagato exuded an indescribable aura, not extremely intense but still carrying immense pressure. Ishiro felt it immediately.
Yahiko, Konan, and Ishiro exchanged glances and understood what was happening. They all realized at the same time what was occurring: Nagato had just broken through.
The three of them had all gone through the transition from Chunin to Jonin, and Ishiro had done so only half a year ago, making the experience still fresh in his memory. But seeing Nagato, who was only slightly older than him, break through this critical barrier so easily made Ishiro feel a tinge of jealousy.
Nagato's talent was exceptional, and with the power of the Rinnegan, it was inevitable that he would become a Kage-level shinobi. Ishiro hadn't expected Nagato to reach such a level at this age.
Ishiro was certain that in the original timeline, Nagato's strength wasn't at Kage-level when he and Danzo, along with Hanzo, had teamed up against him. At that time, Nagato had relied on his Rinnegan to tap into an almost overpowered state to push back Danzo and Hanzo.
But if Nagato had already broken through to Kage-level now, would the events of the original timeline play out differently? Would Nagato still blacken? If Nagato didn't blacken, would there be the Akatsuki as it was known in the future?
Although Ishiro knew he had already disrupted the original timeline, he still couldn't quite imagine what would happen if Nagato didn't blacken. How would the future story unfold?
Nagato's aura fluctuation lasted for about an hour. During that time, Ishiro's team members came to check on the situation, but he waved them off. He also used his sensory jutsu to scan the area carefully but unfortunately couldn't detect any trace of Black Zetsu or White Zetsu.
Ishiro wasn't sure if that was because they weren't nearby or because his sensory skills weren't refined enough.
But now wasn't the time to focus on that. By this time, Nagato had recovered from his breakthrough.
Ishiro, Yahiko, and Konan approached Nagato and congratulated him on his breakthrough.
After exchanging congratulations, Nagato turned to Ishiro and said, "Thank you, Ishiro. You've pointed me toward the path I must follow. I will strive for the peace of the ninja world."
Ishiro nodded and replied, "You don't need to thank me. You should thank yourself. If you didn't already have the desire to work for peace, hearing my words wouldn't have had such an effect on you."
"Moreover, your breakthrough proves that we can succeed. When we last met, Akatsuki was just a small organization in the Land of Rain, but now Akatsuki is seen as the savior by the people here."
"And I, while I was just accompanying my team leader before, now I'm leading my own team. I'm growing too, and I'm close to becoming a Jonin. Though I'm still far behind you, I'll keep working hard."
The conversation then shifted to Nagato's feelings after his breakthrough. Ishiro had never interacted with a Kage-level shinobi aside from Onoki, and Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato had only met Jiraiya, so everyone was eager to learn more about the difference between a Kage-level shinobi and an ordinary Jonin.
However, Nagato didn't seem to have any particular insights yet. His power hadn't undergone a fundamental change immediately after his breakthrough. Ishiro guessed that a true transformation into a Kage-level ninja would take a year or two of refinement.
Then Nagato said something that surprised everyone: "Although I don't fully understand what it means to be a Kage-level shinobi, I feel like I can now use the power of these eyes."
Ishiro, Yahiko, and Konan froze, then realized Nagato was talking about his Rinnegan. Yahiko and Konan had grown accustomed to Nagato's eyes and didn't think much of it, but Ishiro, who had only recently seen them in action, was momentarily taken aback.
When he recovered, Ishiro smiled and said, "So you're talking about these Rinnegan, right? To be honest, the first time I saw them, I was shocked."
Nagato nodded and explained, "I couldn't use them before. It seems that only in moments of danger would their full power emerge."
Ishiro nodded and added, "The Rinnegan has too much significance in the ninja world. You should be careful. Consider getting a pair of goggles. It's a common ninja accessory, and wearing them won't draw attention."
Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato all brightened up at this suggestion. Why hadn't they thought of that before?
After chatting for a while, Ishiro then said, "Right now, I'm still just a team leader. Once I grow stronger and gain more influence in Iwagakure, I'll suggest that our village establish unrestricted trade relations with the Land of Rain. We can create a safe trade route between our two nations. This way, caravans won't have to spend so much on hiring shinobi for protection."
"If the cost of trade goes down, the number of caravans will increase. Eventually, many merchants will start choosing to transport goods that help improve the lives of ordinary people. This will benefit both the Land of Rain and the Land of Earth."
Nagato was a bit surprised by Ishiro's plan, but it seemed like a reasonable proposal. Given Ishiro's talent, he could likely gain significant influence in Iwagakure in a short time. Even if he couldn't directly control the village's major policies, he could still influence Onoki on certain matters.
Thus, Ishiro and Akatsuki reached an informal agreement. Once both sides had gained influence in their respective countries, they would negotiate a tax reduction policy to promote economic cooperation.
Ishiro felt this idea was worth reporting to his superiors.
Suddenly, he asked, "Yahiko, I remember that Konoha's Anbu was helping you out before. Is that still the case?"
Yahiko shook his head, saying, "Not long after you left, Konoha's Anbu withdrew, and they haven't shown up since."
Ishiro thought for a moment and asked, "Has Suna been active in the Land of Rain recently?"
Yahiko paused, then replied, "I haven't heard of anything."
This mission for Team 7 was to confirm the level of infiltration by Konoha and Suna in the Land of Rain. While Yahiko wasn't particularly observant, Akatsuki would certainly notice any major moves from these two countries.
Since Yahiko hadn't noticed anything, it seemed that Konoha hadn't made much progress in the Land of Rain. This suggested that the aftermath of the White Fang incident had truly weakened Konoha, slowing down their efforts in the region.
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 25 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that help the story a lot Thank you