03 - The Merchant

The next day, when Konan found Shin, he was training diligently in the only practice field at the base. Over the past few months, his survival instincts had fully fueled his self-discipline and hard work.

Ever since receiving the first system rewards, he hadn't relaxed his training for a single day. When there were no missions, he often spent the entire day at the base's practice field.

He had no choice; for him, training might be tough, but not training could really mean death…

His hard work paid off, and over the past few months, his progress was swift. Not only had he quickly mastered and integrated the basics of taijutsu and kenjutsu, but he had also learned several water and lightning-style jutsus through sparring with others in the organization.

Watching his solid stance, his fluid movements as he advanced, retreated, and swung his blade, Konan couldn't help but feel a bit conflicted.

"You've improved again, Shin," she genuinely praised him.

Such a hardworking and strong member—why couldn't he understand our ideals? she sighed inwardly.

"You're too kind, Konan. What's the reason you've come to find me?" Shin said as he observed her.

He estimated they were likely around the same age, but since they were both orphans and didn't know their exact birthdays, it was impossible to figure out the accurate age difference.

"Yahiko has assigned your team to other tasks. So for the next few days, I'll be your mission partner."

Shin smiled.

"So, you've been sent to try and convince me?"

Konan was slightly embarrassed at having her intentions seen through so easily and instinctively reached up to adjust the paper flower at her temple.

"We're concerned about your recent methods, Shin."

"What mission are you planning to give me this time?"

Konan tilted her head. "Aren't you upset? Your squad was reassigned so suddenly."

Why would I be upset? Now, I have more opportunities to change your view.

Far from being upset, he was quite satisfied with Yahiko's decision.

He understood that no matter his future plans—whether it was to change Akatsuki or seize control—breaking up the triangle of Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato was a critical first step. Everyone else was just a side character. If things had followed the predestined path, all the early Akatsuki members would have eventually died in the purge led by Hanzo and Danzo.

Only Konan and Nagato had incredible potential, capable of surviving and growing into Kage-level powerhouses. The others? Just cannon fodder.

"It's my honor to work with you."

"No need for flattery. Let's get to the task at hand."

After Konan explained the mission, Shin had a rough idea of what they needed to do. Their goal was to investigate a merchant from the Land of Rain named Mashiro. He did business in a town not far from Akatsuki's base.

Some time ago, Akatsuki had defended the town from a group of rogue ninjas, but for some reason, Mashiro didn't show any gratitude. In fact, he had secretly caused trouble during Akatsuki's supply runs. Recently, some residents even reported that he had hired outside ninjas for a shady plot.

After explaining the mission, Konan sighed.

"Shin, you know Yahiko isn't good at handling situations that might cause friction with neighboring communities. And the residents who reported Mashiro don't have concrete evidence, so we need your help."

"But please, promise me you won't use extreme methods this time, okay?"

Shin smiled. "I'll take this mission seriously."

He only said he'd take it seriously, but made no promises.

Konan wanted to say more but ultimately stayed silent. She had a kind yet resilient heart but wasn't skilled at persuasive talk—especially when facing someone like him, whose mind was far more mature than his physical age.

True to his word, Shin did take the mission seriously. That afternoon, he headed to the town, visiting various places to gather samples, evidence, and investigate details.

He chatted with shopkeepers, listened to gossip in the marketplace, and even managed to sneak a peek at some of Mashiro's business ledgers. By nightfall, he already had a basic understanding of the situation. If his only goal was to complete the mission, he could have already wrapped things up at that point.

But his ambitions were far greater. He planned to use this perfect opportunity to open Konan's eyes to the harsh reality of the world.

So, he purposely concealed his findings, dragging Konan around for a few more days, pretending to search for clues while giving the target plenty of time to reveal themselves.

"It's strange," Shin said, feigning frustration. "The leads seem to vanish into thin air."

"Perhaps we're overlooking something?" Konan asked.

Oh, we're overlooking plenty.

In the meantime, to avoid wasting time and to distract her from noticing anything suspicious, he constantly asked her for advice on ninjutsu.

"How do you distribute chakra when using your clone jutsu? You use paper clones? That's fine—I might not be able to use your bloodline limit, but I can still learn from your techniques."

"Well, it's a matter of balance and control. You see, the chakra flow needs to be..." Konan explained as her hands moved to demonstrate.

"Any tips for throwing shuriken? You hide explosive tags? That's clever. Why shouldn't I learn it?"

"Too ruthless? No, I think it's brilliant. Such an artistic method. Sometimes we need to be extreme to protect what matters."

"How do you control the airflow when you fly?"

And just like that, three days flew by. Konan never found an opportunity to convince Shin of their dreams—not even once.

Instead, she noticed the distance between them had been shrinking. She was growing more accustomed to working with him, to his diligence, to his questions, and to his calm, methodical thinking during missions.

No one could say for sure who had swayed whom, or who had silently changed their first impressions.

During this time, he carefully orchestrated meetings with his informants, always ensuring Konan was distracted or occupied. Through this network, he received confirmation: the restless target had successfully made contact with Iwa ninjas.

In a sense, such actions were already a betrayal of the Land of Rain. The moment he confirmed this information, he couldn't help but smirk.

The time for friendship and bonds was over.

Now, it was time for Konan to experience the true nature of the ninja world.

After confirming that Mashiro had indeed committed an act of betrayal, Shin's investigation made a significant breakthrough.

That afternoon, they tracked Mashiro to a hidden base in the nearby mountains. This base was located deep in a dense forest, well-hidden, and guarded by a team of wandering ninjas patrolling the area, taking their security measures seriously.

However, these measures were no match for the two elite members of Akatsuki conducting the investigation.

After landing, Konan quickly grabbed Shin's arm and urgently whispered, lowering her voice, "These are local wandering ninjas from the Land of Rain. Don't be impulsive. You promised me that this time you wouldn't handle things in such extreme ways."

She wasn't even concerned about the enemy's threat, focusing instead on his response. This made Shin smile wryly for a moment. He wasn't sure whether to be thankful for her trust in his strength or to lament how far his reputation had fallen.

"Your lack of faith wounds me," he said, feigning innocence.

Konan ignored him and observed their surroundings for potential threats, even if there were likely none, given their strength. As for how she instantly recognized the patrolling ninjas as locals, it was obvious from their appearance—they were extremely poor and distinctly local.

The wandering ninjas lacked standard ninja vests, wearing mismatched, cold-colored clothing that blended with the environment. Half of them didn't even have proper ninja tools, carrying basic weapons and wearing rain hats while chewing on grass stalks.

Their laid-back yet impoverished state reflected the local conditions perfectly.

Pathetic. This is what becomes of those who cling to outdated loyalties.

He decided not to argue over this minor issue with Konan.

"Let's avoid them and sneak inside to investigate quietly."

She was a bit surprised by his cooperative attitude, not expecting him to agree so easily.

"I... yes. Thank you," she said.

Shin didn't rush to explain because the real drama was inside, not at the perimeter. They bypassed the amateurish guards and infiltrated Mashiro's secret hideout.

Soon, they were both shocked by what they found—an entire warehouse full of supplies.

Konan checked the stockpile and exclaimed in disbelief, "It's mostly medicine and food, with some meat. My God! How does he have so many supplies? The surrounding villages have been struggling to find food because of the war!"

Shin remained silent, also surprised but for different reasons. He had already suspected Mashiro of hoarding, but he hadn't expected the scale to be this massive.

"It seems our merchant friend has been busy," he murmured, his tone neutral.

"We need to find Mashiro. He has so many supplies, yet he's never helped the nearby refugees. If we could distribute these, Akatsuki, Yahiko, and everyone wouldn't have to struggle so hard to support the surrounding villages," Konan said urgently.

But Shin quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Don't be impulsive, Konan. Calm down. Are you just going to rush in and confront him without thinking? And if he doesn't listen, what will you do? You were the one telling me not to handle things in extreme ways just now."

Konan suddenly realized her own rashness, calming down. She looked at him with a complex expression.

"Thank you, Shin. You're right. I was too impulsive. You're amazing. How can you stay so calm?"

Because I only care about my own survival.

"I understand how you feel right now, but maybe it's time to wake up from this naive dream."

"What do you mean, Shin?" she asked, startled.

"I don't know if people can truly understand each other, but at least you should see the truth of this world clearly."

Konan was caught off guard by Shin's mention of their ideals, but he didn't delve deeper.

"Come with me. If Mashiro hoarded this much, he likely has more people than just the guards outside. We still need to be cautious with every step," Shin said as he took her hand.

For the first time, Konan didn't resist when Shin held her hand. In her dazed state, she forgot to pull away.

Trust builds through touch. She doesn't even realize.

Hand in hand, they continued their stealthy advance and soon reached a hidden room behind the warehouse. Cautiously clinging to the ceiling, they peered through a crack and finally found their target: Mashiro.

He wasn't alone; several Iwa ninjas were in the room with him. Even in the Land of Rain, they wore their headbands openly, showing no attempt to hide, a blatant display of arrogance from a major ninja village.

Seeing this, Konan, who had just calmed down, felt a new surge of anger. So not only had Mashiro ignored the war refugees, but he was also colluding with Iwa ninjas!

Thankfully, Shin was still holding her hand and gently squeezed her palm to keep her calm.

Inside the room, Mashiro sat in a chair, puffing on a cigarette, venting his frustration.

"Do you understand? My request is to eliminate that annoying Akatsuki group. Kill them all if possible, or at least drive them out of the town and make them take their recruiting somewhere else!"

The lead Iwa ninja frowned. As a ninja, he wasn't supposed to question a client's motives, but the mission seemed strange enough to warrant caution.

"From what we've heard, your town was recently saved by this Akatsuki group. So why are you hiring us to drive out your saviors?"

Mashiro's lack of morals was shocking to him, who even began to suspect this might be a trap set by Akatsuki to trap them.

But the merchant wasn't that calculating—he genuinely hated Akatsuki.

"Who asked them to save me? I have my own hired ninjas. I wouldn't have been in any danger without them!"

"I never begged them for help! And those naive idiots aren't just saving people—they're trying to interfere with my price hikes. Are you kidding me?!"

"If I don't take advantage of this war to raise prices and make a profit, how will I sell these goods for a good price once the war is over?"

"What do those peasants' lives have to do with me? Even Hanzo the Salamander doesn't care about them, but those fools act all high and mighty! If the Land of Rain ends up under their control, how will I ever make money again?!"

Hearing Mashiro's confession, Konan trembled uncontrollably.

Even though it was still warm, she felt cold all over, except for the warmth in the hand Shin was still holding. She couldn't believe there were people like Mashiro in the Land of Rain.

Her gaze turned toward Shin.

"This is the reality of our world," he whispered. Watch closely, Konan. This is the world as it truly is. And soon, you'll see things my way.