In Naruto, build the strongest Hidden Mist Village.

Chapter 146 Nagato's Observations and Gradually Changing Ideologies.

The thirty-third.

Nagato silently raised his long sword, wiped away the blood, his eyes somewhat dim and lifeless, showing no joy at having dealt with yet another daring challenger.

The Land of Grass, the Land of Waterfalls, and the Land of Fields are all the same, not much better than the Land of Rain.

It was just as chaotic, filled with killing and bloodshed.

The only advantage is that the weather is relatively sunny.

They're all the same, there's no difference.

The water country we're going to is probably even worse.

I've heard that the weather there is not only similar to the Land of Rain, but even worse.

The land there is rumored to be much more chaotic than this place.

If it weren't for Tree-senpai saying that there was a possibility of curing Yahiko's leg there, he wouldn't have gone to that boring land.

"Nagato."

Xiao Nan waved her hand, pointing behind the mountains.

"Nagato, beyond the mountains lies the Land of Iron!"

"That country, I heard, has no ninjas, no war, it's a peaceful and tranquil land."

"Understood, Xiao Nan."

Nagato forced a smile, guessing that Konan might have noticed his unusual expression, and silently warned himself not to make that kind of face again.

We can't let everyone worry.

"Everyone, let's go see the Land of Iron!"

"Let's go and see what kind of happy life people live in countries without war."

Konan not only worried about Nagato, but also paid attention to the Akatsuki ninjas. She made a megaphone shape with her hand and encouraged them loudly.

Forced to leave their homes due to the threat to their lives, even with the support of their beliefs, no one is having an easy time.

not to mention.

Tree-senpai, who was previously regarded as the most reliable member of the Akatsuki, has already left to go to the Land of Water to take over the territory of the Akatsuki members.

People are restless right now, and Nagato isn't good at these things, so this is the time for me to work hard!
Konan clenched her fist, fed Yahiko a few more sips of water, then walked to the front of the group and began to encourage them.
-
"It all seems the same, this world..."

As Nagato strolled along the streets of the town in the Land of Iron, a sense of bewilderment filled his eyes.

This Iron Country, which was rumored to be like a fairy tale, greatly disappointed him.

The so-called refusal to accept the power of ninjas, without the exploitation of ninja power, has led to the samurai who replaced ninjas doing even worse in this regard.

In this land perpetually covered in snow, samurai can be seen everywhere stealing the last piece of firewood from ordinary people.

The fate of ordinary people was predictable.

Nagato really wanted to take action and teach these samurai a lesson.

But Senior Tree isn't here.

If he were to provoke some uncontrollable force here, plunging the Akatsuki into danger once again, how would Nagato take responsibility?
"Stop!"

Nagato looked towards the front of the carriage, where a dozen or so samurai were gathered, surrounding Konan.

His heart tightened, and he was about to step forward. At that moment, as if by telepathy, Xiao Nan turned her head and their eyes met.

Nagato understood; it meant, "Don't come any closer."

His pale purple pupils were fixed on the group of samurai. He only felt relieved after seeing Konan take out a wad of banknotes from her pocket and the samurai turn and leave.

It's just another bunch of guys blocking the way.

They were no different from the ninjas of the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls.

"Could you give me something to eat?"

Seemingly noticing the sign of traveling merchants from out of town, a three- or four-year-old child ran over barefoot.

"Of course."

Looking at the child, he felt as if he were seeing himself when he was a child, and a pang of heartache welled up in his heart.

Nagato covered her purple pupils with her long hair, rummaged around on her body for a while, and took out a lot of bread.

"Go and eat."

The child first filled a bag to the brim, hesitated for a few seconds, and then returned most of it to Nagato.

Nagato naturally didn't need to ask the child why he wanted to return the child; with his extensive experience in surviving as an orphan, he could understand why the child did this.

but.

There are far too many children like this.

Wherever the Rinnegan was cast, green eyes from all directions looked in this direction.

Behind these children were adults dressed in worn-out cotton robes. Nagato could see the marks of time etched on their dark faces, making them appear old and weary.

Looking further into the distance, one sees simple houses built of mud and firewood. In this icy and snowy landscape, those houses would likely offer little protection against the cold.

As for other daily necessities, there's no need to even think about them.

For those people, simply being alive is the greatest luxury they can hope for.

Why should we pursue anything else?

What went wrong with this neutral country, which is free from war?

As Nagato distributed bread to the children, he pondered to himself.

This is something he has been doing for the past few days.

After suffering a crushing defeat, Nagato began to think seriously.

He wanted to find a solution.

At that moment, a flash of inspiration struck him, and Nagato seemed to have grasped a glimmer of opportunity.

Yes, it's a problem with those in power, isn't it?
The Land of Rain, situated in a land of constant conflict, has always been regarded as a battlefield by various ninja villages. The culprits are the major powers and their Kage!

The same is true of the land of grass.

Although the Land of Waterfalls possesses considerable power, their ninja villages are in utter chaos, with no trust whatsoever among the ninjas.

As a result, it became an extremely chaotic country.

What about the Land of Iron?

Why is this country, which is covered in snow all year round, has no ninja power, remains permanently neutral, and never participates in wars, so poor?

Nagato was still very inexperienced and couldn't find the answer.

Even the teachers and senior mentors who could help him solve his problems were not by his side.

Let's ask about it later.

The most important thing now is to go to the land of water.

Can a place with a reputation far worse than other countries really become a dream paradise?
This cannot go on.

Konan kept a vigilant eye on everything in the Land of Iron, while also being very aware of the psychological changes of the Akatsuki members behind her.

The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

They had originally thought that the Land of Iron, a country that had never experienced war, would be a refreshing sight for them, but they never expected it to be like this.

This is the most direct attack on the Akatsuki's ideology.

Their pursuit of a peaceful future seems so bleak.

Perhaps, it's about to fall apart.

Looking at Yahiko on the stretcher, Konan felt a deep bitterness in her heart.

Yahiko, you'll be alright once you stand up.

I will do my best to ensure that my companions do not get hurt or lose their faith in that chaotic and bloody place, the Land of Water.

Yahiko, please don't worry.

I will definitely bring the Akatsuki organization to you completely.
-
"The Land of Water, here we come."

Konan and Nagato boarded the ship bound for the Land of Water and traveled side by side.

Looking at the taciturn Nagato, Konan felt a pang of heartache.

In the past, Nagato's silence was simply a product of his personality.

His silence today must also be a sign of doubt about his beliefs.

Even she herself began to have genuine doubts about the path she had chosen.

Since I'm already in this state, how can I comfort Nagato?

Konan felt helpless but made a decision: she should just tell everything. Nagato wasn't such a fragile person after all.

"Nagato, you said that even a country like the Land of Iron has not found true happiness, so what should become of our Land of Rain?"

"I do not know."

Nagato looked pained.

“This time, I feel that everything we thought before was wrong, and we have never really understood this world.”

"Yes."

Xiao Nan sighed sincerely.

"I also realized that what we insisted on before might really have been naive."

"Therefore," "we need to find the answer to the problem as soon as possible. Once Yahiko's leg is healed, we must strive to solve the problems of this world."

"Xonan."

Nagato suddenly became agitated.

"I seem to understand."

"Understand what?"

A hint of doubt appeared in Konan's eyes. Why had Nagato, who had always lacked his own opinions, changed his personality this time?

"The truth about the poverty of the Land of Iron!"

"what?"

“They live deep in the mountains, covered in snow all year round, with almost no merchants passing by and no other income.”

"At the same time, we must train many warriors to guard against possible attacks from great powers!"

"So, in order to support these warriors, the Land of Iron will have to squeeze the last drop of blood from its people."

Xiao Nan suddenly realized.

Nagato, however, was passionate and eloquent.

"so."

"The root of the problem is actually only one thing, and that is war!"

"As long as we ensure that no war breaks out in the world, the Land of Iron will not need so many samurai and will be able to acquire more wealth."

"If we can find a way to keep the world at peace, everyone can achieve true happiness!"

Xiao Nan clapped her hands in admiration, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes.

"I never imagined that you, Nagato, had grown to this level. If everyone continues to improve like this, our Akatsuki organization will definitely realize our dream!"

Nagato smiled, keeping the last words hidden in her heart.

After witnessing Yahiko's tragic fate, he devised a way to maintain peace throughout the world.

That is.

Let all the major powers that dare to wage war feel the pain!
Once everyone feels the same pain they experienced when they saw Yahiko lose both legs and their Akatsuki comrades die one after another, no one will want to start another war!

but.

This approach is too extreme; Xiao Nan, the teacher, and Senior Tree would probably not agree to it.

Nagato sighed, but in his heart he hoped to find a better solution.

Because, if you want the whole world to feel pain.

My friends, we will inevitably face a desperate situation.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Land of Water!"

The ferryman, fiddling with the gears of the ship, shouted proudly, causing all the ninjas who had been dozing or resting on the deck to rise and turn their gaze to the white mist that obscured their vision.

At this moment,

The fog gradually dissipated, and the sun rose in the east.

Golden sunlight spilled across the bustling sea, making it shimmer. Fishing boats and cargo ships lined the harbor, their sails billowing like clouds, seagulls soaring above the bows, and the sea breeze carrying the pungent, salty scent of fish.

Looking at everything before them and smelling the air, Nagato and Konan's eyes widened.

The Akatsuki members behind them were the same.

Born into a war-torn country, surrounded by ruins, the countries I traversed were no different from the Land of Rain.

They'd never seen anything like it before!
"Xonan."

Nagato swallowed hard.

"Do you think all the major powers in Konoha are like this?"

As if he had found a reason for himself, Nagato continued to talk on and on.

"That's how it should be."

"Konoha shouldn't lose to him either, nor should the other major powers."

"Nagato."

Xiao Nan interrupted.

"Let's go take a look."

"See for yourself."

Nagato shut his mouth, looked at the ocean waves and the approaching port, and slowly nodded.

"Let's go take a look."

"Let's go see what the Land of Water is really like!"

The ship docked, and the Akatsuki members still disguised themselves as merchants, but their eyes couldn't help but wander around.

The large dock, or what could be called a port, was piled high with goods. Porters came and went, carrying loads and walking, their faces covered in sweat and their backs soaked.

but.

Nagato examined it closely and it didn't seem fake.

They look like they're laughing.

Are they laughing?
"Fish, a specialty of the land of water!"

"Come buy, come buy."

As soon as they entered the center of the port, shouts rose and fell, causing Nagato to turn his gaze away.

I was even more shocked.

Can I still sell things here?

This scene is probably one of enjoyment.

Nagato finally found an adjective, and was somewhat stunned.

It really does seem different.

It's really different from other countries.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way."

The gruff voice jolted Nagato awake, and the sight of the Hidden Mist headband further invigorated him.

Let's begin.

Ninjas oppressing civilians—a familiar scene.

and many more.

What is he doing?
Nagato watched as the ninja walked to a damaged road, slowly formed hand seals, and spewed out a stream of earth from his mouth to fill the gap. After finishing, he nodded in satisfaction.

He then walked over to the snack shop next to him and started eating casually.

Is this a ninja?

Is this still a ninja?

Shouldn't ninjas be those who bleed and die on the battlefield for the benefit of a great nation?

Why have they started repairing the road instead?

Nagato felt a bellyful of questions in her mind.

Just then, Lang Lang's voice rang out from a courtyard.

Nagato looked on curiously and saw dozens of children reading inside the open doorway.

Although many were causing trouble, many were not taking it seriously, and many did not even know what they were doing, they were just following along in a daze.

But they are truly learning, without having to worry about making a living.

How heartwarming!

Nagato felt tears welling up in her eyes.

Isn't this the life they've always dreamed of?

"Nagato."

Konan gently clenched Nagato's sleeve.

"Nagato."

"Perhaps we can find the answer in the land of water?"

Nagato nodded firmly.

"Yes, Xiao Nan."

"Perhaps we really can find the answer in the Land of Water!"

"Then, let's work together."