"Nagato: "And then?"
His voice carried a flicker of zeal as he looked at Uchiha Yorin. "You… no—we. What do we do next? How will you govern this country—and how will you govern the world?"
Everyone turned to Yorin—excited, a little anxious—wanting to know where he would take them.
Yorin's answer: "For now, we do nothing."
After a brief jolt, Nagato settled.
"Our strength is still lacking; we need to keep building power and capital. Next, we use the Land of Rain as a base and recruit more like-minded people."
Yorin: "Not only that—our base must be hidden. We won't create too much turmoil in the Land of Rain… which means—"
Mei Terumi: "Outside the Land of Rain… we can do whatever we want?!"
Yorin: "Let's not call it 'whatever we want'—that sounds ugly. Akatsuki are allies of justice, enemies of Daimyos, friends of the toiling masses! We're the kindest righteous rogue there are.
"So, Nagato—outside the Land of Rain, great nation or small; nobles, daimyo, murderous bandits or black-hearted merchants…
"What no one used to police—we will police! What others fear to police—we will police! I want our name out fast—so everyone knows there are people who will speak for them, fight for them, and work to build a better world!!"
Nagato: "Understood."
Nagato: "And when the time is ripe—we take the whole shinobi world the way we took the Land of Rain?!"
Yorin: "Yes. But first there's much to prepare.
"We need tens of thousands of professional civil servants; a unified market and monetary system.
"We need stronger force and technology.
"More importantly—we must plant ideas of equality and revolution in every heart. We will build a unified, prosperous empire where everyone can live well—not one driven by any single man's greed, right?"
Nagato: "Understood, Your Majesty."
After a brief silence, he bowed his head, then sank to one knee and pledged his loyalty.
This time was different.
Before, when Yorin styled himself Akatsuki's leader, Nagato's internal commentary could have filled volumes.
But after all that had happened, he finally accepted Yorin. This time his "Yes, Your Majesty," was sincere.
If the strongest—Nagato—yielded, the others followed. "Yes, Your Majesty." ×3.
Then even the controlled nobles and the daimyo prostrated themselves before Yorin:
"Yes, Your Majesty," echoed throughout the palace.
First the Rain. Then the Five Great Countries. Finally—the world.
Uchiha Yorin: "Hn-hn… hn-hn-hn… HAHAHAHA—"
Over the familiar Uchiha cackle, the system chimed:
[Quest: "Conquer the Land of Rain" — Complete. Reward: Local Climate Improvement (The Senju command the winds and the rains!)]
"Hahahahaha…"
Amid laughter, Yorin used his power—and the pall of rain that had clung over the Rain's sky for ages cleared in moments.
Sunlight fell on every head.
…
And so, under a world's clueless gaze, the Land of Rain completed a quiet regime change.
Though the official line from the daimyo's palace was "thieves infiltrated and were driven off by brave Ame-nin," the people noticed things had changed.
The nobles returning to their domains seemed… different.
Not "better"—just less bad.
On one hand, Yorin would never give the credit for reform to the old nobility. On the other, with their training and thinking, those nobles wouldn't know "good" if it hit them.
Micromanage every detail and Nagato would die of exhaustion years early. Tell them vaguely "be a good lord" and you get Karens.
Hence—education can't wait.
Without enough trained administrators, toppling any regime—no matter how corrupt—risks catastrophe.
Revolutions spill blood; the less, the better.
So Yorin's order was: do nothing. Lie low and rest with the people.
And what do you know—it worked well.
All the petty taxes and arbitrary noble whims vanished. The playboy brats who harassed girls were ordered home.
The daimyo's planned tax hike—never mentioned again.
Suddenly freed of a crushing burden, the Rain's people breathed in a confused, disbelieving happiness.
Uneasy, yes—but finally, they could relax.
"But only for now," Yorin told Nagato. "Given time, the underlings—deputies, gangs, gentry, landlords—will fill the old niches and resume their evils—worse than before.
"Anarchism has no future. We need to train our own cadres fast.
"Hire teachers, write textbooks, open schools and academies, recruit those with management talent, educate children… and, if necessary, use Orochimaru's synthetic-human plan to mass-produce cadre that fit our needs.
"All this—I leave to you and Konan."
Back in Ame, he gave the order: "Seize this strategic window and strengthen our advantage. Funding and supplies—I'll handle."
"Yes… but Yorin-sama—what about you?" Nagato realized Yorin wasn't staying.
Yorin: "I'm returning to Konoha.
"Our plan is global, and the Land of Fire is the world's center. Our plan needs Fire Country's strength and resources."
"I understand, Yorin-sama."
Still uneasy, but with Yorin speaking so plainly, Nagato could only nod. "I'll fulfill my task."
"I believe you… Pack up—we're going to Konoha."
"Oh."
"Oh."
"Oh."
Three voices answered—Tsunade, Pakura, Mei.
Nagato: "Eh—come on…"
He'd hoped for a few more strong hands, given how many and how heavy the tasks were. Yorin was taking all three newly recruited… Akatsuki Kage powerhouses—what about him?
Yorin: "You still have Konan, don't you?"
Nagato: "Konan is excellent, but—"
But as Akatsuki's head of logistics and general affairs, she had a mountain of work—no time to help.
Yorin: "There's also… Orochimaru?"
Nagato: "…"
His face said it all.
~~~
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