The Land of Rain, a nation perpetually shrouded in drizzle, felt particularly desolate and oppressive in its northern border regions.
The lead-gray sky continuously shed cold threads of rain, beating against the muddy ground and sparse trees, creating an incessant rustling sound.
Within this curtain of rain, two figures advanced at an unhurried pace.
Konan wore the black cloak embroidered with red clouds. Her purple hair was dampened by the rain, clinging to the sides of her cheeks, making her delicate features appear even colder. A pure white paper flower adorned her hair, strangely untouched and unmelted by the rain.
Walking beside her was a presence with a completely different aura.
His short orange hair resembled burning flames. His cold, purple eyes held rippling, concentric circles. Black metal rods pierced his face, ears, and arms, giving him a sinister and murderous appearance.
Pain, or more accurately, the [Deva Path], created from Yahiko's corpse and remotely controlled by Nagato using the Rinnegan.
Pain's steps were steady, as if the rain actively avoided him. His eyes stared vacantly ahead, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
The two arrived before a long-abandoned small wooden hut deep in the border forest.
The hut looked dilapidated, but under the rain's wash, it strangely hinted at traces of recent activity.
Konan and Pain silently pushed the door open and entered.
Inside, the light was dim, and the air was filled with the smell of damp mold and dust.
Four people were already waiting.
The leader, a tall and burly man, wore the standard Jonin flak jacket of Iwagakure. His skin was dark, his face resolute, and his eyes sharp. This was Iwagakure Jonin, Monga.
Behind him stood three Chunin, also wearing Iwagakure flak jackets, their auras keen and vigilant as they assessed the newcomers.
"Hmph, you're finally here." Monga's voice was low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible scrutiny and arrogance, "Meeting in this kind of weather, in this kind of place... your Akatsuki's preferences are truly unique." His gaze focused mainly on the eerily imposing Pain, filled with intense curiosity.
He had already received the Tsuchikage's secret orders, knowing this transaction partner was extraordinary, but seeing the legendary leader of the Akatsuki in person still made him feel an intangible pressure.
Especially those eyes-
Konan stepped forward, her voice cool and even. "Jonin Monga, sorry to keep you waiting."
Monga grinned, looking with interest at the pair before him.
'A cold female Paper Release User, and a bizarre man covered in black rods with an unfathomable aura.'
"We hung the bounty in the underground exchange for so long, and only your Akatsuki has the guts to take this job." His words carried a probe, wanting to see their reaction.
Konan's expression didn't change at all. She merely responded flatly, "The Akatsuki only recognizes money, not people. As long as the commission is sufficient, even if the target is a Kage of one of the Five Great Nations, it's not out of the question."
Her tone was terrifyingly calm, as if discussing a trivial matter.
A flicker of surprise passed through Monga's eyes, quickly replaced by a complex mix of admiration and wariness, "Willing to risk your lives for money? Heh, a truly astonishing philosophy."
He paused, his tone softening slightly, "However, this isn't our first time cooperating."
Since the Third Great Ninja War, where Iwagakure exhausted the Third Raikage with ten thousand Ninja, they had won but were severely weakened, nearly losing an entire generation of youth.
They won the battle, but the village was nearly emptied.
So after the war, Onoki issued strict orders to preserve the village's fighting strength to the greatest extent possible.
Especially particularly dangerous missions, or those involving destroying a country, were often outsourced to 'mercenary organizations' like the Akatsuki.
Monga's voice carried a note of heaviness and helplessness.
Konan listened quietly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
She and Nagato were well aware of Iwagakure's methods.
It was precisely through this kind of 'grey' cooperation with Iwagakure and other great Ninja Villages that the Akatsuki managed to rapidly accumulate funds and develop their power.
Monga changed the subject, his expression turning serious, "The mission target this time, you presumably already know: the Land of Stars, and its military core, the Hoshigakure."
He carefully observed the reactions of the two opposite him, but Pain remained expressionless, and Konan only raised an eyebrow slightly.
Monga continued, "Those Missing-Nins of the Land of Stars have been causing too much trouble lately! Overturning the governments of five countries in one go, their military power is not to be underestimated. Other mercenary groups and Rogue Ninja Teams all refuse the job as soon as they hear the target is Hoshigakure."
His tone held a trace of contempt for those ragtag groups, but it indirectly acknowledged the Land of Stars' strength.
Not just Iwagakure, but other Ninja Villages also speculated that while the Star Ninja Village's strength hadn't yet reached that of the Five Great Ninja Villages, it far surpassed other small and medium villages, becoming a force second only to the Five Great Ninja Villages, one that couldn't be ignored.
"So, our requirements are: Infiltrate deep into the Land of Stars' heartland, conduct detailed reconnaissance on Hoshigakure's defenses, troop strength, and intelligence on their strong individuals! Especially their leader!"
"Simultaneously, cause as much damage as possible to their important military installations, supply warehouses, and transportation hubs! Methods are unrestricted, the bigger the commotion, the better! In short, create the maximum amount of trouble for them, delay or even disrupt their process of digesting the new territories!"
After speaking, Monga stared at Pain and Konan, waiting for their response.
This mission was extremely dangerous, equivalent to initiating a covert war against a rising power.
After a moment of silence from Konan and Pain, Pain slowly lifted his head.
Those cold Rinnegan locked onto Monga, and he uttered a number without any fluctuation:
"One hundred million ryo."
The voice wasn't loud, but it exploded like thunder within the small hut!
"One hundred million?!" The three Iwagakure's Chunin behind Monga couldn't help but gasp in shock, exclaiming involuntarily.
Even Monga himself, the muscles on his face twitched violently, his eyes filled with astonishment!
He knew the mission was difficult and the reward would be high, but this number far exceeded his expectations!
This was almost equivalent to a small country's entire annual fiscal revenue!
Monga forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart, his face darkening, "One hundred million ryo... Your price is simply too exorbitant! Even if the target is the Land of Stars, this price-"
Pain interrupted him emotionlessly, his voice still flat, "The Land of Stars possesses military strength capable of rapidly overthrowing Five Great Nations. Their leader's power is unfathomable, with numerous powerful subordinates under his command. Executing this mission is equivalent to waging a full-scale war against the Land of Stars. The survival probability is extremely low."
"One hundred million ryo, buying the risk of the Akatsuki's elite forces being completely wiped out, is fair. Or, Iwagakure can send its own people."
Monga was rendered speechless, frowning deeply.
He knew Pain spoke the truth.
Tsuchikage had chosen to hire the Akatsuki precisely because he was unwilling to bear heavy Iwagakure casualties.
And among the numerous mercenary organizations, only the Akatsuki truly had the capability to destroy a country.
After all, the enemies potentially encountered on this mission wouldn't be just one or two Elite Jonin.
As for the money... they could just bill the Daimyo later.
After weighing the pros and cons, Monga finally nodded with difficulty, "Fine! One hundred million it is! But Iwagakure can only pay ten million upfront as a deposit! The rest, after the mission is completed-"
"The remaining ninety million must be deposited in full into a neutral account at the underground exchange." Konan's cool voice cut in, interrupting Monga decisively, "The exchange will act as a third-party guarantor. After the mission is confirmed complete, we will retrieve it ourselves."
Monga's face instantly turned extremely unpleasant. He let out a cold laugh, tinged with insulted anger, "What? Does your Akatsuki doubt that Iwagakure would renege? The credibility of one of the Five Great Ninja Villages can't compare to an underground exchange?!"
Pain and Konan didn't speak, just looked at him quietly. Their eyes seemed to say: 'Yes, we don't trust you.'
Silence itself was the most powerful answer.
Monga was so angered by this silent contempt that his chest heaved. But remembering Onoki's secret order to 'complete the mission at all costs', he ultimately forced down his rage and snorted coldly, "Fine! We'll do it your way! The commission will be deposited in the exchange!"
"However, the high intermediary fee charged by the exchange will be borne by you!"
"Acceptable." Konan agreed promptly.
For the Akatsuki, ensuring they got the money was the top priority.
"Hmph! Then it's settled! The detailed mission scroll is here. The deposit will be paid through the underground exchange within three days!" Monga threw a sealed scroll on the ground, seeming not to want to stay a moment longer.
He turned and left the hut with his three subordinates, their figures quickly disappearing into the vast rain curtain.
Silence returned to the hut, leaving only the patter of rain outside.
Pain stood still in place, his Rinnegan faintly flickering.
Nagato, far away in the tower in Amegakure, was carefully sensing through Pain's senses and the [Rain Tiger at Will Technique] enveloping this area that Monga and his team had indeed left and there were no other spying Chakra Presences nearby.
Before coming, Nagato had controlled Pain to make it rain in this area.
And since the Land of Rain was perpetually rainy, the Iwagakure's Ninjas didn't find it suspicious.
"They're gone." Pain stated emotionlessly.
Konan stepped forward, picked up the scroll, checked it, and stored it away.
She looked up at Pain, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes, "Nagato, the Land of Stars' expansion speed is simply too fast. That Shura's strength is mysterious and unpredictable. He even has an Uchiha under his command who can defeat Madara-"
Although neither she nor Nagato believed this so-called Uchiha Madara was the real one, the opponent's formidable strength was undeniable.
Pain was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, his voice transmitted through the puppet, carrying a note of gravity and strange interest, "Hmm. I never expected that besides us, others are walking a similar path, and… walking so fast, so far."
His tone held no discernible joy or anger, more like a condescending appraisal, "Destroying old Ninja Villages, establishing new nations, using absolute force to break the old order... This method does share similarities with my ideal path to peace."
"I just never thought his strength would be so formidable, able to recruit someone powerful enough to defeat Madara, and even step onto the stage, becoming a sixth power that even the Five Great Nations have to take seriously."
After Yahiko's death, Nagato realized how naive Yahiko's dream was. So he cooperated with Obito, collecting the Tailed Beasts, creating Tailed Beast Weapons, wanting to obtain a power sufficient to destroy a country.
Then, using this weapon of mass destruction as a [Sword of Damocles], he would make all nations fear him, thereby suppressing war and achieving world peace.
But that guy called Shura seemed even more arrogant, recruiting powerful Ninjas to form a new country, constantly annexing surrounding nations, eliminating the barriers between countries.
Pain slowly walked to the doorway, looking towards the direction of the Land of Stars, "And we are still trapped here in the Land of Rain, haven't even completely dealt with that old fool Hanzo, still only able to accumulate strength in the shadows, waiting for the right moment-"
He had to admit, in this aspect, Shura's path had progressed further than theirs.
Konan walked to his side and asked softly, "Then, this mission..."
"The mission proceeds as planned." Pain's voice returned to absolute calm, "But this is also an excellent opportunity. An opportunity to personally contact, to measure this Shura."
A profound light flashed in the Rinnegan, "If his ideals align with ours, perhaps we can try to invite him to join the Akatsuki, to jointly create true peace. Such power should not be wasted on a meaningless nation-building game."
He paused, his voice suddenly becoming filled with divine authority:
"If he refuses, or if his very existence is another deviation from 'peace'…"
"Then let him witness with his own eyes-"
"What true divine power is!"