The Tenshu Castle of the Daimyō of the Land of Earth, which had stood for over a thousand years, was destroyed by Konoha ninja.
The Daimyō had ruled this plateau for millennia, an unbroken line passed down through generations.
The people in the capital didn't know how to face the coming situation or where to turn.
If they selected a new Daimyō from among the Daimyō's distant relatives, it seed it might anger the Konoha ninja.
The capital city was in a state of panic and high alert.
Under martial law, the city streets were empty.
Konoha Anbu ninja swiftly jumped from rooftop to rooftop.
The Anbu ninja, following the orders of Konoha Fox, were summoning certain people to et him.
Many left their hiding places and, upon receiving the Konoha ninjas' orders, made their way towards the Tenshu Castle.
The Tenshu Castle's walls were gone; the rear bedchamber area had completely vanished.
So buildings in the front administrative area remained.
They arrived at a side courtyard. This courtyard had originally been the Daimyō's archive office but now bore a strange trident emblem.
Those with good sources of information recognized it as the emblem of the Three Gods Religion.
This courtyard had been converted into a shrine of the Three Gods Religion.
At the entrance to the shrine's courtyard, a beautiful woman with pale blonde hair stood on the steps, scrutinizing those who had co to see Fox.
The scroll in Yakushi Nonō's hands contained detailed records of important figures in the capital of the Land of Earth.
"Ten representatives of enlightened nobles, twelve representatives of major rchant guilds, twenty-one representatives of major trade unions, sixteen representatives of agricultural cooperatives—fifty-nine people in total."
Those selected now understood they were people filtered by Konoha.
Yakushi Nonō counted and found only fifty-one people. She looked questioningly at Kika beside her.
Kika said, "Lady Nonō, eight people resisted to the death, their opposition was very fierce, unwilling to cooperate with Konoha. I... carelessly killed them."
Just as Yakushi Nonō was about to say sothing, soone walked out from the courtyard gate behind her.
Yōkō's tone carried reproach. "Kika, you're just too careless. How could you be so impolite?"
"Going to notify so people to co, and you 'carelessly' kill eight of them? I must punish you severely. I'll dock half your mission pay for this task!"
Kika quickly lowered her head. "Apologies, Minister Fox! I'll try to be more careful in the future."
The people below the steps looked up and saw the mastermind behind the capital's dramatic change: Konoha Fox.
Wearing a fox mask, his features, expression, and eyes were hidden. But the killing intent emanating from Fox made everyone tremble in fear.
"If so are willing to accompany the Daimyō of the Land of Earth in death, then let them accompany him," Yōkō said, looking at the fifty-one people on the steps.
"Since you are all here, I assu you will not accompany the Daimyō in death."
"I hope you can establish a Joint Governnt, elect a Pri Minister, and manage the Land of Earth. How exactly you elect, who you elect—I will not interfere."
Yōkō glanced at Yakushi Nonō. She had planted a spy among these fifty-one people. She would find a way to make that Konoha spy beco the Land of Earth's first Pri Minister.
In tis of chaos, special asures were sotis necessary.
Yōkō continued, "I have a few expectations for the Joint Governnt."
"First, adapt to the Transport Altars of the Three Gods Religion. Physical distance will no longer be a problem. Everyone will be able to quickly reach other places using the Transport Altars."
"Second, prioritize the developnt of production. In the old era of one-country-one-village, ninja could not constantly protect vast farmlands or scattered workshops, leading to extrely poor production."
"Production was precarious. A small Fire Release from a passing rogue ninja could destroy a village's year of hard work."
"In the future, all towns will be within the range of Transport Altars. The maintenance of order by ninja will reach a new level."
"Third, dismantle the border defense systems of the great nations. Increase economic, cultural, and personnel exchanges with other great and small nations."
Yakushi Nonō's eyes flickered, her gaze fixed on Fox's profile filled with admiration.
Fox had beco the strongest ninja in the shinobi world and was changing it.
As the Wandering Miko, Yakushi Nonō had traveled to most towns and villages in the shinobi world.
The atmosphere in hidden villages was like hell, filled with professional sand-ninja executioners. Every ninja was shrouded in death, living precariously, ready to die at any mont.
Outside the hidden villages, the lives of commoners in villages were even harder.
Ninja could mostly decide when they would die, but a ninja passing through a village might kill everyone there.
In the eyes of commoners, ninja who wielded violence were terrifying reapers.
While nobles would maintain order, would later commission missions to investigate village massacres, that was after the fact. By then, it was too late.
Therefore, most commoners could only live humbly around the great nobles, as close as possible.
The chances of survival for people in the capital's slums were much higher than for farrs in remote villages.
All commoners had to attach themselves to the nobility.
The unchecked behavior of ninja outside the villages also intensified the commoners' dependence on the nobility.
Perhaps all this would begin to change because of the Transport Altars.
If a tragedy occurred anywhere, the great hidden villages could react swiftly, sending ninja squads to maintain order. This way, rogue ninja, samurai, and ninja from other villages wouldn't dare act recklessly.
This deterrence would be far more effective than the old mission commission model of the one-country-one-village era.
In the old era, if a noble wanted to commission ninja to investigate a massacre, they would go to a hidden village to commission the mission. By the ti the ninja squad arrived, a fortnight might have passed.
Many missions would end without results.
Yōkō continued, "I don't know what the Joint Governnt will beco either. I will be watching you. I will collect intelligence on you."
"I hope you will implent the rules I've set."
"If you are unwilling to implent them, my subordinates might have another 'careless' accident."
"My subordinates don't earn mission pay easily. I'm sure you wouldn't want to see dock his pay again, would you?"
Kika thought to herself, Lord Fox, that's a bit much, isn't it? If you want to threaten them, threaten them. Why drag into it? What use is my reputation? Of course, your reputation, Lord Fox, is what matters.
"You are the first councilors of the Land of Earth's Joint Governnt. Do your jobs well. I hope the Land of Earth becos more prosperous under your leadership than it was under the Daimyō."
After leading the first councilors on a tour of the shrine and explaining how to use the Transport Altar and how to worship the Three Gods, Yōkō stood on the steps, watching the fifty-one councilors leave.
He sighed and said, "I don't have the ti or energy to slowly build a new order. I can only use force and coercion to establish a frawork."
"I hope the Land of Earth's Joint Governnt can adapt to the new order. That way, I can promote this model to the other great nations."
"Nonō, you are responsible for overseeing the Joint Governnt."
Yakushi Nonō took out a Snow Rabbit mask and said, "Alright. I'll keep an eye on the Joint Governnt."
Yōkō said to Kika, "Let's go. We continue onward, to Iwagakure."
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