Several months later, Leaf Village's Ministry of Commerce had fully gotten on track.
On the busiest street in the Land of Fire's capital, the Ministry of Commerce building rose from the ground. The three-story stone structure had two stone lions standing at its entrance, while the words "Leaf Village Ministry of Commerce" were engraved above the doorway in bold, powerful strokes—the handwriting of the Third Hokage himself.
Every morning, before the doors even opened, a long line had already formed outside. Merchants came from every corner of the Land of Fire: some sold grain, some cloth, some medicinal herbs, and some specialized in transportation.
They clutched thick stacks of documents, their faces filled with anxiety, afraid they would not get a number.
The registration process was simple—fill out a form, pay the fee, and receive a certificate. The form only required a few basic details: name, type of business, business area, and contact information. The fees came in three tiers: one million ryo per year for small vendors, five million ryo per year for medium-sized businesses, and ten million ryo per year for large merchant groups.
Once they paid, they received their certificates on the spot. The palm-sized hard paper cards bore the Ministry of Commerce's official seal and a unique serial number. Several brief notes were written on the back:
Certificate holders received priority access to intelligence, goods, and protection.
Within three months, the number of registered merchants had surpassed two hundred. The Ministry of Commerce's membership fees exceeded two hundred million ryo, and through it alone, Leaf Village had directly gained control over more than half of the Land of Fire's commercial lifeline.
In pursuit of priority access, merchants voluntarily provided Leaf Village with intelligence.
In pursuit of protection, they voluntarily hired Leaf Village ninja to escort their