"I'm Ifu, head farmer from Ritou," said the towering, muscular farmer, standing nearly two meters with a LV3 communication skill. His planting lagged behind others, but his stature and presence made him the farmers' chosen leader. Ritou's farmers, though slightly shorter, were similarly robust, even the gray-haired elders exuding strength. Their imposing aura unsettled the Sumeru scholars and Tenryou Commission samurai escorts.
"I'm Bai, this is Andre, and that's Dainon. We're the scholar representatives," Bai said, lips twitching.
The scholars outlined their groups: inspection teams, soil and cultivation teams, and crop optimization teams. Inspection teams, the smallest but most elite, had two groups of five Sumeru scholars each, needing one seasoned farmer per group. Post-survey, they'd serve as emergency experts. Soil and cultivation teams, with twenty groups of two to three scholars, required one local farmer per five groups for coordination. The largest, the optimization teams, had fifty to sixty groups, mostly two to three scholars, with twenty-four farmers, tasked with breeding high-yield, resilient crops and guiding locals in optimized farming and land development.
Only two or three groups needed translators—most scholars spoke Inazuman. In Sumeru, "scholar" spanned from researchers and students to sages, but only formal scholars were Akademiya-recognized. Over seventy formal scholars led groups, with researchers and students assisting. Critical teams like inspection had all formal scholars; less vital ones, like some soil groups, had none.
Ritou's farmers split accordingly: elders joined inspection and soil teams, the rest bolstered optimization teams.
Ritou Certified Elite Farmer
Life Level: LV20+
Status: Peak Vitality
Role: Village Agricultural Advisor, Ritou Weather Station Member, Ritou Shrine Vassal
Mindset: Celestial Light (Eternal Faith, shared by shrine affiliates)
Theory: Inazuma Common Botany LV4+ (comprehensive plant knowledge), Inazuma Crops LV4+, Inazuma Medicinal Herbs LV4+, Inazuma Geology LV4+ (familiar with most landforms), Inazuma Oceanography LV4+, Inazuma Biology LV4+, Inazuma Meteorology LV3+
Practice: Cultivation LV4+, Husbandry LV4+, Meteorology LV3+, Ritou Shrine Swordsmanship LV3+
As scholars settled into villages, the Shogunate received steady reports. "I'm no academic. How's it going?" Makoto asked, handing Reisen Riou the briefs.
He scanned them. "Inspection teams are progressing smoothly—Kujou Encampment and Seirai Island soil analyses are nearly done. But Musoujin Gorge and Tenryou Pass are problematic; scholars suggest abandoning them. I disagree—those sites could grow rare herbs or unique products. Yougou Mountain's soil teams are on track, but results need next year's crop validation. Optimization teams started guiding locals, but some rural samurai resist change. Public fields are improving, though—their plans are solid."
"All on schedule," he assured Makoto.
She hummed, resuming paperwork. Her workload had eased, but her relentless pace seemed self-driven, as if venting frustration. Ei told Reisen Riou this wouldn't last long. Sure enough, by evening, Yae Miko appeared, and Makoto, Ei, Yae Miko, and Torachiyo headed to the Yuna Clan's hot springs. Reisen Riou tagged along.
Watching the lively group, he sighed. Inazuma's top fighters were overwhelmingly female—Makoto, Ei, Yae Miko, Torachiyo. The strongest males? Aging Oni and Tengu, plus Urakusai (LV81) and Gohyaku (LV75). Gohyaku, despite his level, might lose to Reisen Riou in a real fight. Anko Renrei, meanwhile, could trounce both, as proven in festival sparring. Urakusai called her "unrefined," a sore loser's quip.
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