Konoha Was Anything but Respectable

Nagato Uzumaki set out to infiltrate Amegakure and investigate.

They had never considered doing anything like this before.

They had lived inside the beautiful future Yahiko had painted for them, imagining too many things would be simpler and better than they were.

Kazan's arrival had shown Nagato another possibility.

He needed to confirm it himself, if only for Yahiko and Konan, who had given him a life worth living.

Nagato would not let anyone take everything from him.

Konan and Yahiko had returned to the hideout by then.

They watched Kazan in silence for a long time before Konan finally asked, "Um..."

"Just call me Kazan."

"All right, Kazan. Is Teacher Jiraiya doing well?"

Life had been hard for the three of them as children. They had been treated like vermin.

Amegakure was nothing like Konoha. As orphans, they had only their own hands to rely on.

The time they spent with Jiraiya had been the happiest of their lives.

Jiraiya had cared for them like a parent. He had eaten with them, told them stories of the Shinobi World, and taught them Ninjutsu.

Konan sincerely wished that time could have lasted forever.

What she wanted was that simple. She had never cared much about changing the village.

Yahiko did, so she worked hard to help him.

"He's doing well. Still full of energy, too. Even at his age, he often sneaks off to peep into the women's baths."

"..."

Yahiko and Konan opened their mouths, then laughed with a touch of resignation.

"That does sound like Teacher Jiraiya."

Once they started talking about Jiraiya, they all opened up. Even Yahiko, who had plenty of objections to Kazan, joined in.

"But even so, I won't agree to your plan. We'll bring peace to Amegakure our own way."

"Even if it