Just as these people brainwashed themselves into accepting it, Uchiha Tenshu granted the twelve village chiefs and captains even greater authority—the power to punish their subordinates.
They had originally been elite samurai. Uchiha Tenshu had deliberately broken them up and integrated them into the ranks.
Now, leveraging the pressure that the former samurai class naturally exerted over ordinary civilians, they could command those common people as they normally would and bring out even greater value.
Among them, the sole samurai general, Minamoto no Raishi Sada, also served as the battalion commander of the entire force.
As for the ninjas, Uchiha Tenshu did not integrate them into the ranks.
Instead, he divided them into different squads. Some went ahead to scout and clear the path; some trailed behind, both to guard against enemies attacking from the rear and to keep watch on anyone in the convoy who fell behind intending to flee; while others accompanied the main column.
After all, a force of over twelve hundred people was far too conspicuous. Moving like an army would inevitably draw the attention of other countries, so Uchiha Tenshu had his village chiefs and captains lead their respective squad leaders and group leaders, dividing the force into four separate columns.
That left each group with roughly three hundred people. Though such numbers were still rare, in a world like the Ninja World, where extraordinary power existed, having such a defensive force was perfectly normal. Besides, their disguise involved carrying large quantities of goods, making them even less conspicuous.
And these goods, strictly speaking, were merely daily necessities for the march.
With dozens of carts accompanying them, their average travel speed was not slow either. They could cover sixty to seventy kilometers a day.
In Uchiha Tenshu's previous life, such a marching speed could only