Kyoto City

A nation's lifeblood was shaped by countless factors.

Economics, education, military affairs, production, technology, and all manner of other fields were the foundations that built a nation—the outer shell of the word "nation." Among them, the most important was economics.

Only when all those areas were sufficiently developed, stable, and backed by ample economic strength could a nation function steadily.

And only capable people in power could prevent events that stirred public outrage—or even coups—from occurring during the nation's development.

The capability referred to here was not martial strength, but administrative ability and excellence in culture and ideology.

However, those matters were part of the Land of Fire's framework, not Konoha's.

At present, the major nations of the Ninja World all operated under an extremely delicate arrangement.

Take the Land of Fire and Konoha. Although Konoha was considered the Land of Fire's military force—

In truth, Konoha was also a country within the Land of Fire, with its own separate power structure and institutions. Its foundation was strength and military merit, completely unlike the Land of Fire's own governing system.

In other words, the Land of Fire's rulers—the Daimyo, nobles, and their ilk—governed the ordinary people within the Land of Fire.

They guided them in production, technology, education, commerce, and other fields, enabling them to generate and circulate wealth for the nation.

What these people emphasized was ideology, culture, strategy, and administration.

Meanwhile, Konoha was ruled by the Hokage, elders, and advisers. They governed Konoha's shinobi and the shinobi of the Land of Fire, restraining all those with extraordinary abilities from turning against ordinary people.

And in the course of maintaining that restraint, Konoha would develop steadily under the support of the Land of Fire's Daimyo and nobles, becoming the nation's defensive force against foreign invasions.

One external and one internal, one civil and one martial—this was the stable path of mutual development for the Land of Fire and Konoha, established by the First Hokage and the Daimyo of that time.

This path was now being emulated by the other nations of the Ninja World, all of them attempting to develop along similar lines.

Thus, in this Ninja World, Daimyo and nobles were not puppets put forth by shinobi.

Though they possessed no power, they possessed wisdom.

They commanded the hearts of ordinary people who, like themselves, lacked the talent to become shinobi, gathering that scattered strength into a surging river.

"Isn't this just a democratic system built jointly by intellectuals and warlords?"

The journey had been smooth and uneventful, without a single battle. Ryosuke and the others arrived safely in Kyoto City.

Watching the bustling crowds flowing back and forth, he felt deeply moved.

On the road from Konoha to Kyoto Prefecture, he had witnessed many things and seen much that could never be found in the Hyuga Clan's intelligence network.

The Land of Fire's current state could be summed up in four words: peaceful and prosperous.

The intellectuals—that was to say, the Daimyo, nobles, and their kind—

Though they considered themselves brilliant scholars, brimming with learning, with the shinobi watching them like tigers from the side, they simply did not dare act against the will of the people or set themselves in opposition to the masses.

Serving the people, considering their interests, and developing and strengthening the nation were the price they paid for holding power and status.

Because of this, less than ten years after the Third Shinobi World War, the nation had completely stabilized under their administration and arrangements, and its national strength had risen to another level.

"How laughable. Konoha, a village of people with extraordinary abilities, is already rotten to the core inside, with conflicts breaking out endlessly."

"Yet the Land of Fire, under this system of ordinary people governing ordinary people, has developed so quickly and peacefully." Ryosuke casually clasped his hands behind his back, silently judging everything before him with the bearing of a little adult.

But... his inner self had never been little.

The three of them strolled along, stopping now and then to admire the prosperity and vitality of this greatest of cities.

Soon, they stopped by the city gate.

Kyoto City was the central city of the Land of Fire. It covered a vast area and was divided into an inner city and an outer city.

Though Ryosuke and the others had just entered Kyoto City, they were only in the outer city.

The inner city was accessible only to certain people. One needed qualifications, such as... status.

"We are shinobi of the Hyuga Clan."

Just as the soldier guarding the inner-city gate stepped forward to stop them, Souji, who had remained behind Ryosuke, stepped ahead, activated his Byakugan, and revealed their identity.

"So you are honored shinobi of the Hyuga Clan. Please, go ahead."

The captain of the soldiers blocking their path spoke respectfully and hurriedly signaled his subordinates to make way.

There was no need to verify their identities. The Byakugan Souji Hyuga had activated while speaking was the best proof of entry.

Ryosuke did not speak throughout the exchange. He kindly nodded to the captain in greeting, then led the other two into the city.

The inner city differed greatly from the outer city.

With soldiers stationed to bar the way, there were no street stalls or peddlers. Those allowed to conduct business in the inner city were all merchant families of considerable scale within the Land of Fire.

And unlike ordinary small vendors, these families did not hawk their wares directly on the streets. They all had their own storefronts.

Thus, as Ryosuke stood at the entrance and looked ahead, he had only two judgments.

Neat. Orderly.

Without small vendors, there were also far fewer strolling and crowded pedestrians.

Though the entire street appeared rather empty and lacked the liveliness of everyday life, it was not lifeless.

Nobles, government officials who managed the Land of Fire's various institutions, shinobi hired from Konoha, and the servants and carriages of these prominent figures and scholars were all common sights on the inner city's streets.

All in all, it was much quieter.

"You are... honored shinobi of the Hyuga Clan, aren't you?"

Ryosuke had originally planned to wander around the inner city first, familiarize himself with the overall layout and routes, and scout the area.

But before he could lead Souji and the other man more than a few steps, a carriage stopped in front of them.

A refined middle-aged man dressed in a long kimono robe and styled like a scholar stepped down from the carriage. The moment he spoke, he identified Ryosuke and the others.

Given the distinctive appearance of the Hyuga Clan, though, it was hardly surprising.

"And you are?"

Souji stepped forward again, positioning himself in front of Ryosuke as he asked.

"I am Nagahira, a retainer of the Daimyo."

After briefly introducing himself, the refined middle-aged man added amiably, "The Daimyo has been awaiting the three of you at his residence."

As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted past Souji Hyuga and settled on Ryosuke.

As a Great Clan, the Hyuga Clan needed additional sources of income besides taking missions in the village in order to support the entire clan's finances.

Families such as the Ino-Shika-Cho and the Uchiha likewise had other businesses in the Land of Fire, earning funds to sustain their clans' operations.

Most of the Hyuga Clan's business, meanwhile, was supplied by the Land of Fire's nobles.