Amegakure.
With Pain's return, peace was quickly restored to Amegakure.
After a few merchants were punished, commerce in Amegakure resumed its normal course.
Pain ended the Astral Projection Jutsu and walked to a windswept opening in the tower, gazing down over the entire village.
Though the village was still steeped in water, the energy supplied by the Biogas Digester continuously heated the enormous central Boiler House.
Mist always clung to the hot-water pipes that stretched in every direction.
Free from the bitter cold, Amegakure had seen a huge population boom over the past few years.
Between newcomers and newborn children, its population had doubled.
Not long ago, Pain had received a request to expand Amegakure's housing.
For a city built on water, neither drainage nor foundations could be taken lightly.
Any expansion would be a sizable undertaking.
Pain had held off on approving it and instead suspended approvals for new arrivals to Amegakure.
Akatsuki had suffered a devastating blow. Everything else would have to wait until the organization stabilized.
From his perch high above, Pain could not hear what the villagers below were saying.
But he could tell from their peaceful expressions.
With the village having developed this far, its people were all happy.
I really was too impatient before.
A trace of tenderness flickered in Pain's eyes.
Tap, tap, tap.
With the sound of footsteps, Konan appeared behind him.
"I'll leave the village to you. I'll go see if there are any suitable recruits."
Pain gave a quiet acknowledgment. "Thank you for your hard work, Konan."
Konan said nothing. Countless sheets of white paper flew from her body, forming a pair of enormous wings behind her.
With a beat of her wings, she rose into the air and swiftly vanished into the sky.
Pain remained where he was.
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