Just as Ning Feng was lost in anticipation of the power of Dust Release, the calm voice of Nagato—who had been leading the way—suddenly rang out from ahead.
"We're here."
As those words fell, Ning Feng and the others finally realized that they had already arrived at Amegakure.
Although his teacher Namikaze Minato, along with Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui, very much wanted to enter Amegakure and see for themselves how the village had developed under Ning Feng's governance, their identities made such a visit inconvenient. In the end, they found a casual excuse and prepared to leave.
Ning Feng was deeply grateful for their help. After chatting with his two older brothers and his teacher Minato for quite some time, he finally parted with them reluctantly.
Watching Minato and the others disappear into the distance, Ning Feng's eyes flickered slightly.
If his judgment wasn't wrong, the night when the Nine-Tails descended—marking the beginning of the original story—was not far off.
Neither was the night of the Uchiha clan's annihilation.
Before those critical moments arrived, he had to grow stronger—stronger, and stronger still—so that he could resolve everything.
At the very least, he could not allow the brothers and teacher who had treated him so well to die such stifled, unjust deaths.
As Ning Feng was thinking this, he suddenly felt a warm, sweet sensation on his cheek. In the next instant, a soft, crimson pair of lips pressed against him, accompanied by a faint, fragrant breeze.
When Ning Feng saw who it was, he realized that it was none other than Konan.
"Lord Feng… I-I really don't know how to repay you," Konan said softly. "For Amegakure, you didn't even care about your own life—you went directly to negotiate with the Third Tsuchikage…"
"To be honest… I was worried sick the entire time…"
As she spoke, the owner of that gentle fragrance shook her head with lingering fear. Two clear streams of tears slid down her cheeks and dripped straight into Ning Feng's hands.
Seeing the beautiful woman in front of him crying like this, Ning Feng could only shrug helplessly. Smiling, he pulled Konan into his arms and gently comforted her.
"Don't cry, don't cry…"
Not far away, Nagato said nothing, but even his Rinnegan eyes were brimming with tears.
Heaven knew how tense they had been when Ning Feng stood off against the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki—how worried they were about Ning Feng's safety.
Especially when Ning Feng walked out of the Tsuchikage Residence, their hearts had practically leapt into their throats.
Thankfully, the outcome had been good.
"Don't cry, don't cry…"
Holding Konan in his arms, Ning Feng himself finally relaxed.
In truth, when he went to Iwagakure to confront Ōnoki, how could he not have been worried? How could he not have felt fear?
But since he had transmigrated into this world, he was determined to live boldly and spectacularly. Cowardice was never an option for him.
Even so, being faced with a woman who cared about him this deeply still made a warm current flow through his heart.
He could clearly feel that Konan had been worrying about him the entire time, terrified that even the slightest harm might come to him.
It took a full half-day before Ning Feng finally wiped the tears from Konan's eyes. Nagato and Yahiko also stepped forward, looking at Ning Feng with undisguised admiration.
Unfortunately, Ning Feng had long since developed immunity to such flattery. He directly took out the space–time scroll he had extorted from the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.
Without hesitation, he activated the scroll.
What followed was astonishing.
The moment the scroll was used, tens of thousands of weapons poured out in a torrent, clattering as they spread across the entrance of Amegakure.
But that wasn't the most shocking part.
What truly stunned everyone was that behind those countless weapons, several fully formed weapon factories and forging workshops descended from nowhere, landing solidly before their eyes.
"Weapon factories? Forging workshops!?"
Nagato and Yahiko were completely dumbfounded.
Konan stood frozen in place, staring blankly, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
All three of them were natives of the Land of Rain. They knew better than anyone just how weak Amegakure's weapon-production capabilities had always been.
Back when they led the Akatsuki and controlled Amegakure, it was precisely because they lacked their own weapon-manufacturing workshops and production capacity that the village had never truly grown strong.
Ninja talent could be cultivated—but weapons were not something that could be mass-produced just anywhere.
With these weapon factories and forging workshops, Amegakure would finally possess the true capital to rise.
At the very least, every member of the Akatsuki would now have ample weapons at their disposal, greatly increasing their chances of survival.
"Ahem—rein in those never-seen-the-world expressions of yours," Ning Feng said lightly.
"Since I'm the Third Rain Shadow, I naturally intend to lead Amegakure to rise completely. Weapon-production factories and workshops are obviously indispensable."
"Of course, beyond that, Amegakure also needs a proper system for training ninja—a Ninja Academy. Yahiko, I'll leave that matter to you."
Ning Feng issued the order on the spot.
For Amegakure, every minute of development gained meant becoming stronger that much sooner.
"A Ninja Academy!? Got it!"
Yahiko nodded heavily.
Although Amegakure had previously had some small-scale ninja schools, it had never possessed a proper large academy. He understood very well how important this role was.
After that, Ning Feng spent quite some time discussing Amegakure's future development with Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato.
Once the final decisions were made, Konan, Nagato, and the others immediately went off to carry out Ning Feng's orders.
And just as Amegakure began developing at full speed under Ning Feng's direction, news of Iwagakure's proposed Five Kage Summit spread to Kumogakure, Sunagakure, Kirigakure—and Konoha.
Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure all responded by agreeing to attend.
Konoha's response, however, completely exceeded everyone's expectations.
Not only did Konoha refuse to attend the Five Kage Summit—it also proposed recognizing Amegakure as the Sixth Ninja Village, with Uchiha Feng officially holding the status and qualification of an "Kage."
One had to understand that Amegakure had always been considered a small ninja village, and those who ruled it traditionally had no right to call themselves "Rain Shadow."
But if Konoha's proposal were accepted, then from that moment on, Uchiha Feng would be officially recognized as the Third Rain Shadow, effectively acknowledging his standing in the ninja world.
Naturally, Konoha's proposal did not gain the approval of the other villages.
Even so, Konoha still unilaterally recognized Uchiha Feng's identity and status.
From then on, any Konoha ninja who encountered Uchiha Feng would address him respectfully as—
The Third Rain Shadow.
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