“Good evening, Lord Unkawa.” Amid the gentle sounds of rippling water and the cool lake breeze, the two guards standing at the city gate bowed respectfully.
“Please present your identification.” The wide moat stretched several dozen meters across.
Beyond it rose city walls over thirty meters high and nearly twenty-five meters thick.
Yahiko and Konan stared with their mouths slightly open.
That moat and those walls alone might not be enough to stop Amegakure’s shinobi…
But they were more than enough to discourage ordinary bandits.
When had a city like this appeared out of nowhere?
Had the Daimyō and his officials really failed to notice?
At this rate…
Unkawa would found a nation right under their noses!
Those fools really were beyond saving.
While Yahiko was still marveling at the sight, the guards’ words finally registered.
“Huh?” “What identification?” He watched in disbelief as Unkawa casually took out a card and handed it over.
The card was engraved with writing and covered in intricate patterns.
After carefully inspecting it, one of the guards stepped aside.
He respectfully returned the card and offered Unkawa a black umbrella.
“Our apologies, Lord Unkawa.” “Please forgive the inconvenience.” “No apology is necessary.” Unkawa accepted the umbrella with a smile.
“You’re only doing your duty.” “You’ve done well.” With that, he opened the umbrella and walked through the city gate beneath the gentle rain.
Passing through the entrance…
The broad stone-paved streets left the children momentarily stunned.
It felt like they had entered a capital city.
No…
It was cleaner and better organized than any capital they had ever seen.
“Um…
Brother Unkawa.” Yahiko glanced back at the two gate guards before quietly moving closer.
“Are you sure this city belongs to you?” “Why do you have to show identification to enter your own home?” “…I didn’t build it.” Unkawa shot him a sidelong glance.
“I built it together with everyone else.” Tch.
Yahiko curled his lip in disdain.
If you led everyone to build it, then just say you built it.
Why insist on saying everyone built it together?
This guy really loves acting humble.
“You’ll need to register your household later.” Unkawa glanced at Yahiko warningly.
“Only after receiving your identification will you be allowed to enter or leave the city.” “And one more thing.” “The two guards at the gate are very responsible men.” “Even if I tried forcing my way through…” “They’d still do everything they could to stop me.” “So all of you had better behave yourselves.” Of course…
Whether they could actually catch him was another matter.
If they failed…
They would probably commit suicide afterward to atone for their failure.
Duty was duty.
A retainer’s shame was his lord’s shame.
There was no point explaining that to Yahiko.
He wouldn’t understand anyway.
“Got it!” Yahiko answered lazily before asking again, “So what’s household registration?” “It mainly records information such as your name, date of birth, family members, marital status, and so on.” Unkawa explained simply.
“You only need to know that it helps prevent spies and infiltrators from slipping in later.” After all…
He had quite a few talented people working for him.
The so-called identification card wasn’t an ordinary card that could be forged.
It contained specialized encryption methods that were extremely difficult to imitate or decipher.
It also recorded detailed information such as physical appearance and body characteristics.
As for the two seemingly ordinary guards…
Before meeting Unkawa, they had both been Missing-nin forced out after refusing to accept Hanzo’s ideals.
Each possessed powerful sensory techniques.
Unless someone like Orochimaru personally used the B-rank Forbidden Technique, Face Copy Technique, after physically altering their body…
Simple disguises and the Transformation Technique would never fool them.
Of course…
If someone possessed genjutsu powerful enough to manipulate them without their knowledge…
That was another matter.
Fortunately…
Unkawa’s organization wasn’t important enough yet to become a target for every enemy.
Once it grew larger, he could always assign someone more suitable.
The Uzumaki Clan would actually be perfect for gate duty.
Guarding the entrance is an incredibly important responsibility.
Besides preventing spies…
A household registration system was also invaluable for taxation, population management, military conscription, censuses, demographic planning, and balancing population distribution.
The earlier such a system was established…
The better.
Occupations could eventually be categorized into scholars, farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and more.
As the population increased…
Each department could manage its own people independently.
Back when Unkawa first introduced the household registration system…
He had spent countless hours refining it into something practical.
Naturally…
He intended to lead by example.
“Lord Unkawa!
You’re back!” Although a light drizzle still fell…
The town was lively.
Some people had set up tiny rain shelters.
Shops extended awnings over their entrances.
Vendors shouted enthusiastically as business flourished.
Before long…
They arrived in front of a tavern.
The woman standing outside immediately brightened upon seeing Unkawa.
“Lord Unkawa!” “Have you eaten yet?” “Would you like to come in for a late-night meal?” Unkawa smiled apologetically.
“Good evening, Mrs.
Yoshikawa.” “I’ll pass tonight.” “I’m not in the habit of eating four meals a day.” Before she could respond…
Someone inside the tavern shouted, “Mrs.
Yoshikawa!” “We’re out of sake!” “Bring another bottle!” “We made good money today!” “We’re drinking until we’re satisfied!” “Stop rushing me, you old drunk!” “I’m coming!” She laughed before bowing slightly toward Unkawa.
“Please excuse me, Lord Unkawa.” “Please don’t mind me.” Unkawa waved his hand helplessly.
“Lord Unkawa!” “You rescued four more children this time?” “That’s right.” “Once I saw them…” “I couldn’t simply leave them behind.” “I’ll have to trouble everyone to look after them from now on.” “You’re as kind as ever, Lord Unkawa!” “…” During that short walk through town…
Merchants and townsfolk alike greeted Unkawa warmly.
Some stopped to chat.
Others insisted on pressing gifts into his hands.
Even Unkawa found it impossible to withstand such overwhelming enthusiasm.
No matter how many times he waved his hands in refusal…
It made no difference.
Even Yahiko, who had originally been watching the scene with amusement…
Gradually became uncomfortable under everyone’s warmth.
In the end…
They simply started running.
Only after leaving the commercial district behind did people finally stop chasing after them.
They had reached the expanding residential district.
The pungent smell of cement.
The heavy sounds of construction.
Workers shouting directions.
“Come on!” “We’re almost finished!” “Hey!” “You old fool!” “Watch where you’re walking!” “If you collapse right in front of me, Lord Unkawa will skin me alive!” The workers labored tirelessly.
Some carried baskets of sand across their shoulders while hauling two more buckets by hand.
Foremen wearing work hats shouted orders from every direction.
Not even the cold rain could dampen their determination.
“This…” “It feels…” “So strange.” Looking at the flourishing construction site before them…
Yahiko and the others couldn’t help feeling deeply moved.
“I came here with my father three years ago.” Jiyun’s eyes flickered.
“If I remember correctly…” “This place was overrun by bandits.” “It was shabbier than an ordinary village.” “But now…” If the capital of the Land of Rain resembled a steel jungle…
Filled with towering buildings and exposed pipes that initially looked imposing before eventually appearing chaotic…
Then this city…
Though smaller…
Already surpassed most towns.
Especially the bustling construction before them.
It exceeded anything the children had ever imagined.
The buildings also incorporated numerous pipes.
But everything had clearly been planned beforehand.
Nothing appeared randomly added.
The structures followed standardized designs.
Individual customization only occurred inside.
Even when workers failed to meet construction standards…
The supervisors berated them mercilessly.
The workers simply laughed sheepishly and corrected their mistakes.
“Brother Unkawa…” Konan looked completely bewildered.
“How did you make everyone so disciplined?” “In all the places I’ve seen…” “Workers usually cut corners.” “They only behave when someone threatens them.” “Hmm…” Unkawa narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
“That’s a rather complicated question.” “But it can be summarized with one sentence.” “What sentence?” Yahiko immediately stepped forward.
Unkawa smiled.
“Only when the granaries are full do people learn propriety.” “Only when they are well fed and clothed do they understand honor and shame.” “When those above uphold the rules, those below will follow.” The moment those words entered Yahiko’s ears…
His tiny brain completely shut down.
Granaries?
Propriety?
Honor?
Rules?
He understood every single word…
Yet somehow…
Not the sentence.
Sighing, Unkawa rubbed Yahiko’s head.
“It means this.” “Only when people have enough food will they have the luxury to care about manners.” “Only when they’re no longer worried about clothing and survival will they understand dignity and shame.” “And only when leaders set an example by obeying the rules themselves…” “…will everyone beneath them willingly do the same.” Unlike Yahiko, who stood frozen in shock…
Jiyun merely frowned.
Then gave up trying to understand.
She didn’t need to grasp complicated philosophies like that.
She only needed to know one thing.
When every room in the world was locked…
The person who held the key…
Was the king.
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