Ubi left this sentence, wagging its tail, slowly walking towards the door.
◎
The internal conflict in the Land of Rain grew increasingly intense, with many unidentified ninjas rampaging across the land, threatening to send the war spiraling out of control.
At this time, whether it be the great nations intervening in the Land of Rain's civil war or the ninjas of the Hidden Rain Village, they were all seeking a way to break the deadlock.
Konan had been enduring without taking action, only sitting in the rear and commanding, as her ninja techniques were too distinctive.
If she were to take action, it would make many people realize her identity.
Especially her mentor, Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.
At that time, Nagato's Rinnegan would likely be exposed to the Five Great Nations and become a target of all.
However, this would inevitably cause the Hidden Rain's battle situation to fall into a certain decline, but fortunately, they had pre-purchased a large amount of military weapons from the Land of Demons, raised a militia of tens of thousands, and with the collaboration of Hidden Rain Village's ninjas who joined the battle, they could hold on for a while longer.
Just as she and Nagato had speculated, the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth did not wish to expand the scale of the war, thereby causing greater turmoil.
Because the Land of Rain is a war-ravaged land, fundamentally unsuitable for occupation, at least currently, no great nation has shown any desire to swallow the Land of Rain.
As long as this country remains chaotic and weak, it is the best outcome for the surrounding great nations.
They want to extinguish the will of resistance from the Land of Rain, not to annihilate this country and devour its territory.
This is not only a war, but also a political game.
It's just that now it has manifested in the form of war.
At the beginning of November, as the weather grew colder, Nagato had left the Land of Rain for half a month before finally returning from the Land of Demons.
"So, Nagato, did Chiba Hakushi agree to your terms?"
When Nagato returned, Konan immediately went to greet him, asking about the results of his secret talks with the Land of Demons.
Inside a tent in the camp, the two talked there.
"Overall, it went quite smoothly. Chiba Hakushi agreed to my terms and will provide some assistance to the Land of Rain, helping us win this war."
Nagato said.
His face showed some fatigue, clearly indicating that the negotiations in the Land of Demons were not smooth but faced many twists and turns.
The Land of Demons is not a charity, seeking their help naturally requires offering them tempting incentives and explaining what they can gain from this war.
Seeing Nagato like this, Konan felt somewhat pained, but she knew this wasn't the time for sentimentality, and she had to suppress these emotions.
"What does the Land of Demons intend to do?"
"They'll provide stable logistical support and later will attract the Fire Nation's firepower in other places, holding them back. The strategic plan is a bit long, I'll explain it to you in detail later. How's the situation here now?"
Nagato asked.
"Not very optimistic, as we lack sufficient high-end combat power, we appear at a disadvantage in direct confrontation."
Konan stated the facts.
Most of Hidden Rain Village's elite perished on the battlegrounds of the Third Ninja War, and now the number of Jonin in Hidden Rain Village is very few, and their strength is somewhat superficial.
"You've worked hard, Konan, I'll take over from here."
Nagato also knew the difficulties the Land of Rain was facing, and he had to take action now, no longer able to wait.
"You want to take action personally?"
Konan looked at Nagato in surprise.
Doing so would expose his identity.
"Don't worry, I'll only reveal part of my strength, avoiding using the abilities of the Rinnegan to prevent drawing attention from those with intentions. After all, the enemy has already used their ninjas, and as the leader of the Hidden Rain, I cannot sit back and do nothing. Although we're at a disadvantage now, it's necessary to let the great nations know our attitude, we will not let them manipulate us."
Having temporarily reached a united front with the Land of Demons, the pressure on Nagato lessened, and he gained more room for maneuver in this war.
He also knew that his current identity must not be exposed to the Five Great Nations.
The matter of the Rinnegan is of great importance; revealing it now would invite countless assassins, which would be detrimental to the development of the Land of Rain.
He must consider the country's situation instead of just his personal circumstances.
His own strength does not mean the Land of Rain is equally strong.
The real reason why Chiba Hakushi can be fearless, and the Five Great Nations dare not act rashly, is because the power of the Land of Demons is not merely concentrated on one individual. Economy, military, politics, these are decisive factors.
The Land of Rain's politics are now corrupt, its economy collapsed, its military is half-destroyed; if the problem of the Rinnegan were also exposed, even if it could flaunt its might temporarily, the great nations could impose a blockade on the Land of Rain afterward, making it impossible for it to move on the international stage.
"But…"
"I will appear as 'Pain,' just as a chance to test the power of the Secret Techniques of the Hidden Rain Village I've recently practiced. Using those secret techniques is enough to cope with the current situation."
Although most of Hidden Rain Village's secret techniques were looted by Konoha Root in the past, some were still handed down.
Among them are several Hiden Ninjutsu passed down by Hanzou, these techniques are also immensely powerful, well-suited for battlefield combat.
"Alright, be careful then."
Seeing Nagato's mind was made up, Konan could only silently wish him well.
She then remembered that the techniques Nagato knows are not solely related to the Rinnegan; mastering all nature transformation techniques is one of Nagato's greatest strengths.