At seven in the morning the next day, the sky was just beginning to lighten.
Izumi, who still had to go to school, had already packed her school supplies early in the morning.
After putting on her uniform, she was ready to head out.
Konan, who hadn't slept much all night, was startled awake by the noise Izumi made.
She looked in surprise at Izumi, who stood by the door, staring at the clock as if waiting for something.
"You're going to school this early?"
Izumi shifted her gaze from the clock and glanced at Konan, who had just woken up.
Konan had spent the entire night reading her textbooks, which had increased Izumi's sense of camaraderie with her.
After all, Naruto had said that those who shared the same ideals and worked together to achieve them could be called 'comrades.'
Since Konan had already shown her approval of Naruto's ideas, she could be considered a potential ally.
"The early morning is the most important part of the day. I need to get to school early to prepare for morning reading."
"The early morning is the most important part of the day?"
This was the first time Konan had heard such a saying, and it struck her as profoundly insightful. She couldn't help but ask, "Can I go to the school with you to take a look?"
Izumi frowned when she heard this. After a brief moment of thought, she shook her head and explained: "We still can't fully trust you. Kakuzu will be here soon, and I'll leave then. He'll take you to meet the leader."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Konan's face, but after thinking about it, she realized it was reasonable.
At this stage, the Akatsuki and the Land of Waves were more like adversaries.
Not long after, Kakuzu, whose face was covered except for his glowing green eyes, came over.
After exchanging greetings, Izumi left for school with her books in hand.
Kakuzu led Konan to Naruto's office, where she was told to wait.
He also conveyed Naruto's instructions: she was free to explore the Land of Waves.
However, Konan chose not to wander around. She was worried that her presence as a stranger might disturb the peace of this nation.
She didn't want to disrupt the tranquility here.
After having breakfast prepared by the staff, Konan sat in a chair, thinking about how to approach the upcoming meeting while waiting patiently.
After what felt like an eternity...
Click!
The door finally opened, and as the door opened, a surprised female voice came.
"Huh? Why wasn't the door locked?"
Hearing the voice, Konan looked over curiously. When she saw the red-haired figure stepping inside, her expression froze.
'The same hair as Nagato…'
Kaho, puzzled by the unlocked door, was equally surprised to see the blue-haired girl sitting inside.
No one had told her there would be a guest today.
"You are…"
Before Kaho could finish her question, a staff member hurried over.
After whispering a few words in Kaho's ear, her face lit up with understanding.
Once the staff member left, Kaho walked over to Konan and extended her right hand.
"My name is Uzumaki Kaho. Welcome to the Land of Waves."
Konan quickly stood up and shook Kaho's hand.
"Th-thank you! My name is Konan."
"Konan-san, there's no need to be so formal."
Kaho smiled and walked over to the kettle to prepare some tea for her guest.
"I understand."
Konan nodded lightly and sat back down.
Her initial reaction had been due to the resemblance the red-haired woman bore to Nagato.
Although red hair wasn't uncommon in the shinobi world, as Sasori's true body had red hair, this woman reminded her of Nagato from years ago.
'The Uzumaki Clan...'
'So, she's of the same clan as Nagato. No wonder they look so similar.'
"From the look on your face, Konan-san, it seems you've met other members of the Uzumaki Clan before."
Thanks to her past experiences of living under others' roofs, Kaho had developed a keen sense of observation.
When she first entered the room and saw the momentary look of recognition on Konan's face, she guessed that Konan must have met other Uzumaki Clan's members.
After all, in the shinobi world, the Uzumaki Clan's traits were among the most distinctive.
The bright red hair alone was hard to miss. Of course, Naruto is a special case.
Coupled with their immense Chakra and vitality, any moderately skilled Ninja could easily identify them.
Konan's expression shifted slightly. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "I have a friend who is also a member of the Uzumaki Clan."
"Really? That's really a coincidence."
Kaho smiled as she spoke, placing the prepared tea on the table in front of Konan.
"Thank you."
Konan politely expressed her gratitude.
Kaho, however, shook her head and said earnestly, "Konan-san, since you have a friend from the Uzumaki Clan, that makes you a friend of mine as well. I just wonder how your friend is doing now. Is he in good health?"
"After the fall of Uzushiogakure, very few Uzumaki Clan's members survived. Every surviving member is family to us."
Seeing the pain in Kaho's expression, Konan felt a wave of sadness. Only those who had experienced pain could truly understand the value of peace.
Uzushiogakure, the Land of Rain, and now the Land of Waves… all had suffered.
"My friend isn't doing very well. Due to expending a large amount of Chakra, he lost the use of his legs and can no longer walk." Konan's voice carried a hint of bitterness.
"It's that serious?"
Kaho was shocked, her expression turning somber.
The Uzumaki Clan was known for their robust vitality and immense Chakra Reserves. Yet, someone had lost the ability to walk due to excessive Chakra consumption. She felt it sounded somewhat similar to her own situation, though the cause was likely different.
Thinking this, Kaho's expression grew serious. She said earnestly, "Konan-san, if possible, could you ask your friend to come to the Land of Waves? We might be able to help him. "
"R-really?" Konan's eyes widened in surprise. She had been under the impression that the Land of Waves' medical capabilities were lacking, especially after seeing the homework yesterday that didn't even address stopping bleeding.
"Of course, it's true. Before I came to the Land of Waves..."
Kaho briefly recounted her own past, explaining how she had nearly died due to excessive Chakra and vitality consumption but was ultimately saved.
As Konan listened, she clenched her fists. She hadn't realized that Nagato's clansmen were enduring such hellish lives. After returning, she would urge Nagato to help search for surviving members of the Uzumaki Clan.
Kaho's proposal had struck a chord with Konan. She wanted to see Nagato stand on his own two feet again. She replied seriously, "I'll ask my friend about it when I return."
"Yes, this matter shouldn't be delayed."
Kaho didn't press further. She stood up and retrieved a document from Naruto's desk.
Before leaving, she handed Konan a high-level pass and said, "Konan-san, if you get bored waiting here, feel free to look around. The leader will likely be busy for a while longer."
"Thank you. I'll take a look around."