The Uchiha Clan's extermination sent ripples through the entire shinobi world.
For a time, espionage activities targeting Konoha sprang up one after another, naturally keeping Kushina busy beyond measure.
Thinking Konoha had been weakened, Kumogakure Village and Iwagakure Village began stirring up trouble in secret again.
Most obviously, attacks on Konoha merchant caravans increased significantly. Only after Wuye raised the rank of escort missions for Konoha shinobi did things gradually settle down.
Interestingly, Konan sent word that Onoki had contacted Nagato through intermediaries, hoping to arrange a terrorist attack on Konoha.
So Wuye flew over to discuss it with Nagato. They conducted a nuclear weapons test outside Konoha Village, flattening the mountain range that had long hindered Konoha's expansion. Then they told Onoki the job had been done, except they had failed to break into Konoha.
Pitifully, the other nations could no longer send spies in and could only observe the general situation from afar. They actually thought Akatsuki had pulled off something major, leaving Onoki secretly delighted.
While he was delighting in it, Wuye was sitting in the Land of Rain, drinking tea and chatting with Nagato.
"Nagato, you can keep in contact with Onoki and make him believe that Akatsuki will do anything as long as the payment is sufficient," Wuye said.
Konan leaned against him, looking together with him at Nagato seated opposite them.
After several years apart, Nagato had built and developed Akatsuki on his own. At last, he was no longer the innocent boy who hid behind Yahiko.
"Mm. I understand your plan. I'll cooperate."
Nagato raised his gaze, let it travel over the two of them, then lowered it again. "By the way, how should I deal with Itachi Uchiha?"
"There's no need to do anything special. Use him when needed. He's probably having