Founding a nation, family and friends

Summer, Konoha Year Seven.

Elder Xuan's injuries had finally stabilized, thanks to the Fake Immortality Pill keeping him alive and the clan's meticulous care.

He was still a world away from regaining his former strength, but at least he could get out of bed, walk a few slow steps, and handle minor matters that required little thought. That spared the clan a good deal of worry.

As for the mess Yuanguang had caused, only Uchiha En's iron-fisted suppression and Uchiha Wen's repeated mediation had barely managed to contain it.

Yuanguang remained imprisoned, but no verdict had been settled. Like a thorn lodged in the Uchiha Clan, he could neither be removed nor made to disappear, and every so often, he still caused a stab of pain.

Yinglang continued dealing with these outward troubles every day as usual.

He never backed down when an argument was needed, never yielded an inch when something had to be fought for, and could swallow his pride when compromise was necessary. His expression remained flawless, betraying not a trace of emotion.

But only he knew that his heart had long since left Konoha and the Uchiha behind.

Every night at midnight, when all was quiet.

He would open the Anywhere Door, pass through its pink frame, and step from the cold, dank basement of the Uchiha Clan Compound into the hot, humid night of "New Land Camp One," alive with the clamor of living things.

He made clever use of the time difference. It was a summer night in the Land of Fire, and night here as well, though it seemed to last a little longer. He had an entire night to draw up his plans on this land that belonged entirely to him.

Great Britain.

The name echoed in his chest through the quiet rainforest night, carrying a burning weight.

Founding a nation took more than throwing together a makeshift administration. He needed a framework that could take root, grow, and withstand countless challenges to come.

The memories of his previous life were both a treasure and a burden. He knew too many examples of failure and had also seen the beginnings of success. In the end, he chose a "hybrid" path.

"Grant lands and establish domains to shield the nation; cross distant seas to develop resources and build industry."

Put plainly, he would borrow the enfeoffment system of the early Zhou dynasty and combine it with the colonial company model of Britain at its height. Together, they suited the situation before him perfectly.

The vast land he had named the British Continent currently held only around five hundred thousand primitive natives, scattered throughout the boundless rainforest in separate groups.

He could not, and had no need to, immediately establish an enormous bureaucracy reaching all the way down to the local level.

That would drag him down, and it would also be prone to corruption under such primitive conditions.

His plan was clear.

First came the core territory under his direct administration.

With Camp One at its center, he would designate the surrounding region with the richest resources, flattest terrain, and a natural harbor near the mouth of a great river as his core territory.

Here, he would build the first city, his future capital. He casually named it New London, a harmless little indulgence in his own peculiar humor.

He would rule this region directly, implement the "Great Britain Charter" he had already drafted in his mind, establish a standing army, first lay the foundations of the Royal Guard, and then create three institutions for civil administration, justice, and finance, all answering directly to him.

This would be Great Britain's undisputed political, military, cultural, and economic center, as well as the engine that would eventually spread its influence across the continent.

Next came the frontier noble domains.

He would grant places far from the core territory but rich in resources or strategically located to his most loyal and capable followers.

Those granted lands would be called lords or knights. They would hold administrative authority over their domains, some taxation rights, and permission to maintain armed forces of a specified size under the rules.

But one condition had to remain inviolable: they must recognize his supreme authority, honor him as king or Protector of the Realm, obey the "Great Britain Charter," and fulfill their obligations of military service, taxation, opening new lands, and assimilating the natives. Even the inheritance of their domains would require central approval.

This would rapidly expand the territory under his effective control, motivate his followers, and allow him to gradually govern and assimilate the primitive natives through the nobility.

After all, the natives would more readily accept a lord resembling their own tribal chiefs than deal directly with an outsider king like him, and there would be far less resistance.

Last came the Chartered Colonial Company.

For places that were more remote, more dangerous, or required special skills to develop-such as mineral veins deep in the mountains, the innermost rainforest, or overseas islands-he would issue charters authorizing the establishment of colonial trading companies.

The companies would bear their own profits and losses, with rights to trade monopolies, land reclamation, and the recruitment of settlers. They could even establish limited self-defense forces.

But there was one firm requirement: the majority of company shares must belong to him. He would set the rules, a fixed proportion of profits would be remitted to him, and central needs would take priority in everything.

This would greatly reduce the central administration's burden and risks in expansion. Capital and commerce would gradually encroach upon and develop those peripheral regions, saving him both worry and effort.

At the heart of this framework lay a balance between "centralized authority" and "local autonomy," a combination of "military conquest" and "shared interests." More than that, it would clothe the absolute authority of one man-Toyotomi Yinglang-in an institutional, sustainable form.

But even the best framework needed people to implement it.

He could not rely on the Anywhere Door forever, running back and forth between both sides every day. He could not be everywhere at once.

He needed a governor who could put down roots here, remain absolutely loyal to him, and handle the early affairs in his stead.

The choice required almost no thought.

Yutian.

That night, Yinglang brought Yutian through the Anywhere Door to "Camp One."

Despite having prepared himself, Yutian still stood frozen when he stepped through the Anywhere Door, felt the utterly different, scorching air, and saw the completely unfamiliar primeval rainforest, its grandeur almost suffocating. For a long time, he could not speak.

"Where... is this?" Only after a long while did Yutian find his voice and ask hoarsely.

"The British Continent." Yinglang stood beside him, his voice calm but carrying an unquestionable force. "South of the Land of Fire, across a vast ocean. A land undiscovered by the ninja world. Its area is roughly a third of the Land of Fire's. There are no nations here, no ninja, only around five hundred thousand primitive tribespeople living in the Stone Age. The climate is hot, the rainforest dense, and its resources... endless."

He turned to look at Yutian's face, blank with shock. "This will be the foundation of our future. Here, a new nation will be established-Great Britain. And I need someone to govern, develop, and protect this place for me when I cannot remain here."

Yutian's breathing suddenly quickened. He looked at Yinglang, his eyes churning with disbelief, excitement, fear, and the dizzying sensation of being struck by an enormous measure of trust. "Young Master... Yinglang... I..."

"Yutian," Yinglang interrupted, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Once you set foot on this path, there is no turning back. You will leave the Uchiha, leave Konoha, and even leave the world you know entirely behind. What you will face is wilderness, disease, wild beasts, unfamiliar natives, and unwelcome visitors from the Shinobi World who may appear in the future. Are you willing?"

Yutian's chest heaved. Rather than answer immediately, he looked around once more at this land brimming with wild vitality, breathing deeply of the scorching, free air. Then he abruptly dropped to one knee and bowed his head low.

"You gave me my life and showed me my path. Through blades and fire, I would face death ten thousand times without hesitation!"

"Good." Yinglang reached out and helped him up, his expression solemn. "But here, you will need a new power. Not the Uchiha's Sharingan, but something more fundamental, a power bound by no one."

He brought Yutian to a cleared space in the center of camp and had him sit cross-legged.

"Close your eyes and relax your mind. What comes next may be a little uncomfortable." As Yinglang spoke, he placed his hand on top of Yutian's head.

The next instant, pure, immense dragon essence, mingled with the powerful spiritual energy granted by the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, flowed gently but firmly into Yutian's body. This was no attack, but guidance and protection of the utmost precision.

Yutian shuddered as he felt a warm, boundless power envelop him, particularly the "chakra seed" deep within his lower dantian, which had always felt somewhat sluggish. That seed was a creation of the Sage of Six Paths' system. Though faint, it resembled an invisible shackle.

Like the finest scalpel, Yinglang's spiritual energy guided the dragon essence, carefully winding it around the old seed. There was no violent devouring, but a higher-order process of enveloping, permeating, and transforming, carrying the qualities of "replacement" and "purification."

He had devised this method after successfully replacing his own seed, drawing on his understanding of "qi" and "origin" from his feng shui observations. It was far gentler and safer than his own initial, crude devouring, but required the recipient to open their mind completely and trust him without reservation.

The process lasted roughly an hour. Yutian was soaked in sweat, his face pale, his body trembling slightly from the violent changes at the energetic level. Yet he gritted his teeth without a sound and cooperated with all his strength.

At last, wrapped in dragon essence, the old chakra seed with its impurities and invisible restraints quietly melted and transformed like snow beneath the sun. It became a smaller, more condensed "new seed," its radiance restrained, its aura faintly resonating with the origin of Yinglang's dragon essence.

The core of this new seed was Yutian's own life essence, but its framework and energetic properties were deeply branded with Yinglang's dragon essence imprint. It could still extract and use "chakra," but this chakra was purer, more efficient, and entirely removed from the Sage of Six Paths' system. More importantly, it shared the same origin as Yinglang's power, meaning that Yutian's future training could receive nourishment and guidance from Yinglang's dragon essence to a certain degree, progressing far faster than that of ordinary people. At the same time, this was also a bond and safeguard at the deepest level-from now on, the source of Yutian's power was tied to Yinglang, making betrayal almost impossible and making it extremely difficult for outsiders to control or probe him through conventional means.

"How do you feel?" Yinglang withdrew his hand, a fine sheen of sweat appearing on his own forehead. The procedure had taken a considerable toll on him.

Yutian slowly opened his eyes and tried circulating his chakra. An unprecedented sensation of smoothness, strength, and effortless control surged throughout his body! The slight sluggishness and strain he had once felt when extracting chakra had vanished without a trace! The instant the seed replacement was complete, both the quality and quantity of his chakra had improved significantly! More importantly, he faintly sensed that his affinity with a certain active, primal energy in the world around him-natural energy-had increased as well.

"Better than ever!" Yutian exclaimed in delighted surprise, then dropped to one knee again, this time out of heartfelt gratitude and submission. "Thank you for granting me new life, my lord!"

His form of address had changed. From "Young Master Yinglang" to "my lord," it meant that he had formally placed himself as Yinglang's retainer and subordinate, rather than merely a follower.

"Rise." Yinglang accepted it without hesitation. "This new seed is your foundation. Nurture it well. For a while, I will come here every night to teach you the basics of managing this place, dealing with the natives, and using its resources. I will also leave some construction plans, crop seeds, and methods for making basic tools and weapons. You have a heavy task ahead, and you must learn quickly."

"Yes! I will do everything in my power!"

In the days that followed, Yinglang began "operating on two fronts." By day, he was the Uchiha's "Acting Elder"; by night, he was "the founder of Great Britain." He took a wealth of knowledge from his previous life about organizational management, infrastructure, agriculture, hygiene, and military training, combined it with the realities of the Shinobi World and local resources, then simplified and adapted it before teaching it to Yutian. At the same time, he brought Yutian into initial contact with a relatively large nearby native tribe. Presenting themselves as "envoys of the gods," aided by simple ninjutsu and the light effects of released dragon essence, they displayed "miracles" and "divine gifts" such as iron tools, cloth, and salt. They easily won over these primitive people who worshipped natural forces, took them in as their first "subjects," and selected the clever and sturdy among them to begin training a rudimentary guard.

Yutian displayed astonishing adaptability and speed of learning. He had always been steady by nature and able to endure hardship. After receiving the new seed, growing stronger, and being entrusted with such responsibility, he unleashed his full potential. Before long, he could handle many practical matters independently.

Watching the first row of wooden houses rise at the site of New London's harbor, the first green shoots emerge from the reclaimed fields, and the natives gradually move from fear and curiosity to accepting orders, Yinglang knew the foundation had been laid. Though still tiny and fragile, the seed had been planted in fertile soil.

It was time to place a few more pieces on the board for the more distant future.

One afternoon a few days later, after finishing his clan duties, Yinglang strolled toward the training ground near the edge of the compound. Rather than his conspicuous elder's attire, he wore an ordinary dark gray training outfit, looking like a slightly older youngster of the clan.

At the edge of the training ground, Tsume Inuzuka was practicing surprise attacks with Haimaru, who had grown considerably. The girl had shot up quite a bit over the past few years, with wheat-colored skin, agile movements, and a hearty laugh. Haimaru looked all the more imposing, his lunges swift and fierce.

In a quieter corner on the other side, Kurama Unkai sat alone, an old book open before him and a twig in his hand, absentmindedly tracing something on the ground. He remained thin and pale, but there was more composure in his eyes than before.

Yinglang walked over.

"Sister Claw, Brother Unkai." He greeted them with a familiar smile, as though they had barely been apart.

Tsume Inuzuka turned at his voice, and her eyes lit up when she saw him. "Yinglang? Oh, it really is you! Long time no see! I heard you're quite something now. You've even become an elder!" She ran over and unceremoniously patted his shoulder, finding it hard beneath her hand, then leaned closer to look him over. "You've grown so fast! You're almost taller than me!"

Haimaru came over too, sniffed Yinglang, and wagged his tail, seemingly still remembering the child who had not minded his doggy smell when he was little.

Kurama Unkai also closed his book, stood, and nodded to Yinglang with a faint smile. "Yinglang, it's been a while."

"Elder, nothing. I just help out with a few chores." Yinglang waved a hand, his smile gentle and carrying just the right degree of affection for an "old playmate." "All those matters have been giving me a headache lately, so I came out for some air. It's good to see you're still training."

"What's good about it?" Tsume Inuzuka pouted. "It's training every single day, and we can't get any decent missions either. Unkai's the same, always reading, and his health never gets any better."

"I'm used to it," Kurama Unkai said quietly. "Reading helps calm my mind."

The three chatted about their recent lives for a while. Tsume Inuzuka did most of the talking, complaining about how dull training was, envying Yinglang for "making something of himself," and sharing some recent clan gossip. Kurama Unkai occasionally added a sentence or two. He said little, but listened attentively.

Yinglang spent most of the time listening, responding when appropriate and asking about their clans, whether they were having any difficulties with training, and what they hoped for in the future. His tone was sincere and caring.

He knew the Inuzuka Clan's beast-handling techniques had unique value in tracking, reconnaissance, and combat in specific environments. The Kurama Clan's secret mental techniques were an even greater treasure, independent of the Sharingan and possessing enormous potential. Both clans were currently struggling, serving as Uchiha vassals with limited resources. Though Claw and Unkai were talented young members of their clans, they had been marginalized for various reasons.

This was precisely what he needed.

He did not need to win them over right now; that would be too obvious. He only needed to maintain this "old friendship," occasionally offering a suitably measured, unobtrusive expression of concern or even a little help-such as training tips or information on resources suited to them that he happened to come across "by chance"-and plant the impression that "Yinglang is one of us, capable, and remembers old friendships."

In the future, when he needed to establish a force in Konoha that belonged entirely to him-the "Toyotomi Clan"-these early investments in emotional ties and trust would provide the best opening. Tsume Inuzuka's frankness and loyalty and Kurama Unkai's sensitivity and quiet intelligence made both of them talents worth cultivating. More importantly, their clan backgrounds were relatively uncomplicated, and they were distant from the Uchiha's inner circle of power, making them easier to bring into his ranks.

As the sun sank in the west, the training ground gradually emptied.

"It's getting late. I should head back too." Yinglang stood and smiled at them. "Come visit whenever you have time. There may be plenty of trouble at my place, but there are still quiet spots."

"Sure! I'll bring Haimaru next time!" Tsume Inuzuka readily agreed.

Kurama Unkai nodded gently as well, his voice mild. "All right."

Watching the two walk away, the warmth in Yinglang's eyes slowly faded, returning to their usual deep calm.