Black Zetsu couldn't help but feel irritated.
The Rinnegan in Nagato's possession was something it had acquired after immense hardships.
For over a thousand years, it had continuously sought out the reincarnations of Asura and Indra's chakra.
After countless failures, Madara had finally brought a glimmer of hope.
If it gave up now, it would mean starting all over again.
The worst part was that it didn't even know who the reincarnations in this era were.
However, if nothing unexpected happened, they were most likely shinobi of Konoha.
With the overwhelming presence of Shinho in Konoha, getting close to them was an almost impossible task.
The only way was to wait.
Black Zetsu wasn't human, it had an infinite lifespan.
All it needed to do was wait until Shinho died.
But Black Zetsu didn't want to wait.
After all, it had already waited for a thousand years.
Its plan was only one step away from completion!
How could it be willing to give up now?
"There's still a chance."
Black Zetsu turned its gaze toward Obito and said, "All we need to do is retrieve the Rinnegan."
"Retrieve it?"
Uchiha Obito's eyes narrowed. "Looks like I'll have to handle it personally."
"...?"
Black Zetsu was baffled.
Where did this confidence come from?
Did he think he was Madara?
That was the Rinnegan they were talking about!
And Konoha had something even more terrifying than the Rinnegan—Shinho Aburame.
Still, retrieving the Rinnegan would indeed require Obito's help.
His Kamui was invaluable in critical moments.
"No."
Black Zetsu flatly refused. "We cannot afford another failure."
"I believe the odds of success are high," Obito said, clearly displeased.
"But not one hundred percent," Black Zetsu countered, his voice tightening, "The best approach is to act amidst chaos."
"Chaos?" Obito asked, puzzled, "Who can cause chaos in Konoha right now?"
The Akatsuki had been annihilated, and even their former leader had defected.
The remaining great ninja villages had lost their Jinchuriki and no longer posed any threat to Konoha.
At this point, Konoha was unquestionably the dominant power in the shinobi world.
"An alliance."
Black Zetsu pondered for a moment before saying, "An alliance with Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure."
"Will that even work?" Obito asked, stunned, "Can they really stand up to Konoha?"
"They don't need to win."
Black Zetsu explained calmly, "They just need to create chaos."
"I see."
After some thought, Obito nodded. "I'll reach out to them."
"Even though they share a common enemy with us, it won't be easy to gain their cooperation," Black Zetsu warned, "Return their Jinchuriki to them."
"Return them?" Obito halted, immediately objecting, "No way!"
"It's only temporary," Black Zetsu sighed, "Without the Rinnegan, the Jinchuriki are useless. The top priority is getting the Rinnegan back."
Compared to Madara, Obito's intellect was clearly lacking.
"True."
Obito nodded reluctantly.
"I'll accompany you."
Black Zetsu glanced toward Amegakure. "We can't stay here any longer."
From what it knew of Nagato, he wouldn't give up Amegakure so easily.
Now that he had joined Konoha, Amegakure would likely become part of Konoha's domain.
If they stayed any longer, they would be waiting for Nagato and Shinho to show up at their doorstep.
Moreover, Amegakure had no value for Black Zetsu anymore.
It felt no attachment to the place.
…
Konoha;
In the Hokage's office.
Shinho sat in the Hokage's chair, looking at Konan and Nagato, who was seated in a wheelchair, in front of him.
Beside him, Shizune stood wearing a serious expression, still on high alert.
To be honest, Shizune didn't personally approve of Konan and Nagato joining Konoha.
Their motives were unclear, and their strength was formidable.
A single misstep could lead to massive losses.
However, Shinho had insisted, and she could only comply.
After all, she trusted him.
"Hokage-sama."
Konan was the first to speak. "According to our agreement, you need to help heal Nagato's legs."
Shinho's gaze drifted downward.
If it was a typical leg injury, it wouldn't be an issue in the shinobi world.
With Nagato's Uzumaki lineage and the support of skilled medical ninjas, recovery was possible.
However, in the original story, Nagato remained incapacitated until his death.
The only plausible explanation was the effect of the Gedo Statue.
Nagato had first been gravely injured by Hanzo's paper bomb trap, then recklessly summoned the Gedo Statue in a fit of rage, which drained him of his life force.
That's why he had become so emaciated.
The fact that he was still alive was already a miracle, restoring his legs was out of the question.
"Is there a way?"
Konan couldn't help but ask.
A trace of hope appeared on Nagato's face.
No one wanted to be confined to a wheelchair forever.
And the best medical ninja in the shinobi world resided in Konoha, Tsunade.
"There is."
Shinho nodded.
A loss of life force was indeed an impossible issue to resolve for most medical ninjas.
But he happened to possess two life-force-rich resources.
Hashirama's cells and White Zetsu.
"Really?"
Konan's disbelief was evident.
Shinho's unwavering response filled her with suspicion.
Nagato's hands clenched the armrests of his wheelchair, his emotions stirred.
"Of course."
Shinho's tone was full of confidence, "Only Konoha can heal his legs."
Konan took a deep breath and scrutinized Shinho carefully before letting out a sigh of relief.
His expression didn't seem like that of a liar.
"Then, when will the treatment begin?"
Konan asked again.
"There's no need to rush."
Shinho shook his head and said, "He overexerted himself today and needs to rest for a while."
Whether it was Chibaku Tensei or Super Shinra Tensei, both had drained Nagato's chakra completely.
If not for his Uzumaki heritage, he would have burned out entirely like an extinguished flame.
Konan pressed her lips together.
When it came to Nagato, there was no room for error. She could only suppress her impatience for now.
"You'll stay at the Senju Clan's old residence."
Shinho contemplated for a moment before speaking.
The Senju residence had plenty of vacant rooms.
More importantly, it was safe.
Nagato possessed the Rinnegan, Black Zetsu and Uchiha Obito wouldn't just let things slide.
They might attempt to infiltrate Konoha for a surprise attack.
By placing Konan and Nagato close to him, Shinho could provide timely support if needed.
"We'll follow your arrangements, Hokage-sama," Konan replied without any objections.
Konoha was unfamiliar to her, so it didn't matter where they stayed.
All that mattered was ensuring Nagato's recovery.
"As per the agreement, starting today, you will serve as my Secretary."
Shinho announced calmly.
"Yes."
Konan immediately adapted to her new role.
Her position in the Akatsuki was essentially akin to being a secretary anyway.
"Huh?"
Shizune looked at Konan in shock.
What was happening?
Hokage Secretary?
She suddenly recalled that Shinho had mentioned something like this before.
But she never imagined he'd appoint someone from outside Konoha, let alone someone like Konan.
Wait a minute!
Shizune's expression stiffened.
Could this scoundrel have ulterior motives?
Even though Konan was once an enemy, Shizune had to admit that she was stunningly beautiful.
And completely different from Tsunade's style, cool, composed, and alluring.
"Shizune-nee."
Shinho cleared his throat and said, "I'm taking them to the Senju residence."
"..."
Shizune pursed her lips.
She was convinced she'd seen through his intentions.
But should she stop him?
Tsunade's face suddenly flashed through her mind.
One precedent could lead to another.
Shizune had long understood this.
After all, she knew Shinho too well.
Forget it, it wasn't worth meddling in.
Shizune didn't want to suffer through another exhausting night because of this.
"I'll leave things here to you, Shizune-nee."
Shinho stood up and spoke.
The three of them left the Hokage building.
As they walked down the main street, Konan and Nagato attracted the attention of many villagers.
But it was only out of curiosity.
That earth-shattering battle earlier hadn't affected Konoha itself.
This was thanks to the Blood Curtain Skyflower Gu.
Since the villagers didn't recognize them, there was no animosity in their gazes.
"Hokage… Hokage-sama," Nagato said awkwardly, "Can you tell us now how you plan to handle Amegakure?"
"Would you be willing to merge Amegakure into Konoha?"
Shinho asked in return.
"No."
Nagato rejected the idea without hesitation.
Amegakure held their shared memories of himself, Konan, and Yahiko. It had immense sentimental value.
If it ceased to exist, Nagato would never agree.
"Just as I expected."
Shinho smiled slightly and said, "Amegakure can remain independent, but there are conditions."
He casually took out two scrolls and handed them to Nagato and Konan.
"If you agree to the terms, it stays as is."
Shinho glanced at them meaningfully.
He didn't say the rest aloud, but Nagato and Konan understood.
The consequences of refusal were obvious.
This was the stance of the victor.
Nagato's face darkened as he opened the scroll.
His only hope was that the conditions wouldn't be too harsh.
The first line, or rather, the title, struck him as odd.
"A Shinobi Village Alliance Centered Around Konoha"?
Nagato continued reading.
There was a lot of content, divided into three main sections:
-Amegakure would remain intact but was limited to a formal ninja force of no more than fifty members.
-Amegakure would be subordinate to Konoha but would have the right to voice opinions and accept missions independently.
-The Land of Rain would be incorporated into the Land of Fire, though Amegakure would receive regular subsidies as needed.
Nagato furrowed his brow.
Some parts didn't quite make sense to him, such as the clause about voicing opinions and accepting missions.
Would Shinho really be that generous?
Nagato didn't believe it.
Why not just eliminate those privileges altogether? Why impose such terms?
He raised his head thoughtfully.
Konan's expression mirrored his, filled with contemplation.
To be honest, the conditions weren't bad.
Amegakure was a small ninja village to begin with, so having fifty ninjas was barely sufficient but not unreasonable.
As for the Land of Rain, Nagato didn't feel too attached.
The nation had always been under the control of the daimyo and nobles.
Handing it over to the Land of Fire didn't seem like a significant loss.
Plus, Amegakure would receive financial support.
"What do you think?"
Shinho asked.
He could have forcibly annexed the Land of Rain and Amegakure, but there was no need.
Doing so would completely alienate Nagato and Konan.
Cough.
Shinho was a bit of a Konan fanboy in his previous life, so he didn't want things to get that bad.
After some consideration, he had crafted this cooperative arrangement.
The losses were minimal.
At most, he'd only lose fifty Amegakure shinobi.
But the benefits were considerable.