In the shinobi world, the division of power and tradition remained exceedingly rigid. The Five Great Shinobi Countries were ruled at the highest level by five Daimyo, while the smaller nations were likewise governed by their own lesser Daimyo.
Before the age of shinobi, the Daimyo had relied on the support of samurai and aristocratic generals. Tradition was therefore an extremely useful tool of rule. Imagine someone who wanted to raise a rebellion, only to find that, as a commoner of low birth, no one would rally behind him. Did that not greatly reduce the threat to the ruler before the rebellion could even begin?
And if word spread that someone harbored ambitions, all one needed to do was investigate his family tree. Eight generations of ancestors could be dragged into the light, a few scandals from the clan could be dug up and broadcast, and the damage to the would-be usurper was easy to imagine.
After thousands of years of cultural inheritance, belief in noble bloodlines and heavenly mandate had become deeply rooted among the privileged classes of the Naruto world. To them, a commoner was simply a commoner. There was no possibility of overturning one's station through personal success. If a commoner wanted to rise, the only path was to serve someone who already possessed noble status and then receive a title from that person, becoming a new aristocrat and thereby escaping common birth.
That was why neither wealth like Gato's nor strength like Akatsuki's could truly buy political legitimacy. Gato could only entrench himself in the Land of Waves and bribe the Daimyo of the Land of Waves into delegating authority to him. Pain, despite killing Hanzō of the Salamander, did not dare announce the fact. Instead, he had to maintain the fiction that Hanzō still ruled Amegakure.
That alone showed just how stubborn and difficult to break the aristocracy's obsession with bloodline was in this world.
But everything had two sides. This class system made it extremely difficult for ordinary people to rise, yet if one day you acquired noble status, you could instantly stand above the common people. The old aristocracy would begin treating you as an equal. Their devotion to class tradition could make the speed of that change in attitude almost astonishing.
Naturally, Hinata had no intention of making the same mistake. Pain and the others could not expose themselves because they were Missing-nin, and Hanzō of the Salamander possessed extensive connections and prestige. If news of his death leaked out, it could easily bring retaliation from other countries and hidden villages acting together.
Hinata had no such restriction. Her incarnations were enough to let her play virtually any role. With Uchiha Itachi's masterful Suggestion Genjutsu added to the equation, making the Daimyo of the Land of Waves see her as a 'daughter' who had been lost outside the country was not especially difficult.
To tell the truth... aside from a very small number of ambitious Daimyo, most of them were content to coast through lives of idle luxury until they died. The Five Great Shinobi Countries firmly controlled the world's main centers of power, and the era when states freely warred against one another had long since passed. There was little left for Daimyo to do besides accumulate money. Naturally, anyone who could bring them more of it would receive extraordinary indulgence.
The Daimyo of the Land of Waves was a perfect example. The country itself was poor in resources, so even diligent rule could not create much additional profit. That was precisely why he had welcomed someone like Gato, who was willing to hand him money without being asked.
"Everything went smoothly. Your current title is Princess Suikyo. Publicly, you are the long-lost child of the Daimyo of the Land of Waves. Conveniently, the Original Heir of the Land of Waves died of a sudden illness last night. So now you are also the only lawful heir."
Konan knelt behind Hinata. The Angel of Akatsuki spoke with a softness devoid of warmth, while her cool, delicate fingers carefully arranged Hinata's white hair into a traditional coiffure.
"Ah then I am truly heartbroken for my poor brother who succumbed to such a sudden illness We had only just managed to reunite~"
Wrapped in a broad black Junihitoe, Hinata raised her right sleeve to cover her mouth. A perfectly timed glimmer of moisture shone at the corner of her eye, matching the grief in her voice. Both expression and tone were flawless.
"Yes. Exactly like that."
Konan showed no reaction to Hinata's performance, as though she were merely evaluating a disguise technique. She picked up a decorative hairpin and fixed it into Hinata's hair, her voice remaining calm.
"In a little while, you will ride the Daimyo's palanquin through the capital so everyone can see that you are this country's princess and sole heir. Once that happens, the image of your authority will naturally take root here."
Taking up some face powder, Konan shifted to Hinata's side and continued helping her dress. As Konan's smooth fingers brushed over her cheek, Hinata relaxed her brow in quiet enjoyment. There was a familiar gentleness in Konan's movements, something that reminded her of Haku.
"What about Pain? Will all of you stay here with me?"
Hinata tilted her head and let Konan continue dressing her. She could sense Pain's wariness toward her; otherwise he would not have sent Konan to supervise her personally. If all he wanted was someone to help with clothes and cosmetics, there were plenty of maids available.
"Deidara and Sasori will remain for a while. Pain and the others will leave once the situation stabilizes. I will stay here and assist you."
Just as expected, Konan's answer cleanly confirmed Hinata's suspicion. Hinata opened her eyes and looked at the woman before her. Konan looked nothing like Haku, yet that calm gaze and composed bearing were strikingly similar to the snow-born youth who had already become one with Hinata.
The similarity was not physical. It came from the same spirit of 'sacrifice' shared within both of them.
"Is that really all right? If you leave, won't Pain get lonely?"
Resting her head on one hand as she watched Konan, Hinata glanced sideways. "Or won't you get lonely being away from Pain?"
"...Akatsuki's purpose comes before everything."
Hinata's question made Konan fall silent for a moment before she answered softly.
The reply erased the smile from Hinata's face. After carefully confirming the expression in Konan's eyes, she gave a faint shake of her head. "As I thought..."
"You're so alike."
For the people of the Land of Waves, recent events had been both numerous and momentous.
First, the coastline had inexplicably been sealed off. Then the Team 7 Great Bridge was completed. After that, Gato and his gang vanished without a trace. And then, just last night, the Daimyo's only son suddenly died. At exactly that moment, the Daimyo presented a daughter said to have been lost many years ago and announced his intention to name her heir to the Land of Waves. Soon she would parade through the streets beside him and take part in the rites of state, publicly declaring where succession now lay.
"Fate really does make fools of people. I heard the Daimyo's son had always been in good health. Who would have thought he'd just die out of nowhere?"
Tazuna stood curiously among the crowd along the street, listening to the people around him chatter. For commoners, affairs inside a Daimyo's household were always worth discussing at length.
"Princess Suikyo approaches! All unrelated persons, clear the way!"
At the servants' shouts, two lines of ceremonial attendants moved ahead. Hinata, draped in a black Junihitoe, knelt atop an open palanquin carried by four guards of the Daimyo of the Land of Waves. It advanced slowly down the street as the people lining both sides watched her with a mixture of awe and curiosity.
"Hmm~~ as expected of little Suigintou. She really does look the part of a noble lady, yeah~!"
The Akatsuki members, all wearing their conical hats, were mixed into the crowds on both sides of the road. The lively Deidara spoke first. Beside him, Sasori had unusually chosen to appear in his real body. The red-haired youth nodded slightly as well. "Good. As long as she truly takes control of this country, the Figure factory will operate much more smoothly."
"Hmm, but Leader, are we changing the team assignments and pairing Konan with little Suigintou? An angel team does sound pretty good, but won't you get lonely, Leader?"
Hoshigaki Kisame adjusted the conical hat on his head and asked Pain with a meaningful note in his voice. As a piece personally recruited by Uchiha Madara, Kisame naturally had thoughts of his own.
"Everything is for Akatsuki's greater purpose. Besides, the only person currently suited to working with Suigintou really is Konan, though Suigintou is not yet a formal member of Akatsuki."
Pain watched the palanquin carry Hinata farther away. His answer was almost identical to Konan's. Clearly, the two of them shared the same ultimate resolve.
"Her strength is already astonishing. The power of this body is worlds apart from the last one. If she can preserve her current intelligence, it won't take long before she acquires strength on our level as well."
Kakuzu clearly had even more confidence in Hinata. What made him wary was that her present body carried a distinctive chakra quality he remembered sensing from a Konohagakure shinobi long ago. That shinobi had been Senju Hashirama (First Hokage).
"Hehehehe. If that's the case, why don't we help that Daimyo ascend to the afterlife a little sooner too? Then Suigintou could inherit the whole country right away, couldn't she?"
Hidan, scythe strapped to his back, spoke impatiently. "Then I could have her declare Jashinism the state religion here! Yeah!"
"Impossible. Suigintou has only just appeared publicly. If the Daimyo dies soon afterward, other countries and even the people here will become suspicious."
Uchiha Itachi folded his arms and gave his opinion calmly. Pain nodded. "Exactly. Nothing should be rushed. Given Suigintou's methods, this country will quickly fall under her control even while the Daimyo remains alive. There is no need to gild the lily."
"Tch~ what a pain~!"
Hidan grumbled in displeasure. This slow approach plainly did not suit his impatient personality.
"People of the Land of Waves, thank you for the support you have shown my father, and please share my grief for my unfortunate elder brother. I wish to do what little I can for all of you in return. I will use my own savings to establish a factory that produces Figures. Any citizen with the ability may apply for work. I won't offer flowery promises. I will simply do my best to create more opportunities for honest work in the Land of Waves."
Standing before the shrine used for state rites in the capital, Hinata looked gently over the assembled people of the Land of Waves. Her white hair and crimson eyes made her look almost like a different species from the Daimyo, yet her words still drew thunderous cheers from the common people. Jobs were exceedingly precious now, especially with the surrounding seas sealed off. The maritime trade on which the country had relied most heavily had effectively been cut away, making new employment all the more necessary.
"Hmm, more jobs? That's something. Maybe she really is better suited to inherit this country than her father."
Tazuna, mixed into the crowd, was naturally pleased as well. He was one of the rare commoners who held some standing among the people, and seeing the princess promise more work immediately gave him a favorable impression of her.
As for matters like purity of blood, the Daimyo himself had not raised any objections. There was certainly no need for commoners to worry about it on his behalf.
"Construction of the factory will begin immediately. Every citizen who takes part will have my heartfelt gratitude, and their contribution will be remembered. This will be a factory belonging to the Land of Waves. Once it is completed, each citizen will receive the return they deserve according to the effort they contributed."
Hinata's voice was unusually gentle, drawing another round of cheers. Without question, her first public appearance had established an excellent image among the people of the Land of Waves.
"Mm~ which means we can save the wages we originally planned to pay the construction workers."
Kakuzu clicked his tongue approvingly. From Hinata's wording, there was no doubt that the people of the Land of Waves would now do the factory construction themselves. As for that line about rewarding them according to their contribution, it contained plenty of flexibility. Anyone who contributed the most would naturally be the most skilled or hardworking, and such people were already the best candidates for leadership positions in the new factory. If they were promoted afterward, did that count as the promised reward?
"Seriously. No wonder she insisted on becoming a princess. If this much trouble gets us a factory built without spending a single coin, it's worth it."
Hoshigaki Kisame shook his head with an amused smile. He had clearly seen through Hinata's maneuver even more completely.
"Heh~ now that's more like it. Anyone qualified to cooperate with Akatsuki needs at least this level of ability."
Pain nodded in satisfaction. Akatsuki was not exactly short of the money required to build a factory, but saving it in a reasonable way was obviously better.
Looking down at the people gathered beneath the shrine, Hinata narrowed her pink-violet eyes with visible satisfaction. She knew perfectly well that her work here had gotten off to an excellent start.
If only everything elsewhere went this smoothly, it would be perfect.