Takeshi led the Anhilation Army, escorting the Land of the Water officials and civil personnel, and arrived at Gorin City.
Because in desert areas the best time to move is early morning, dusk, and midnight, Ryosuke planned to set out at dusk today, heading to the Land of the Wind's royal capital, Warsaw City.
Takeshi held half a piece of flatbread, chewing as he rested. But seeing his excited look, it was clear that just the thought of being able to fight side by side with Ryosuke truly made him happy.
Ryosuke looked at his back, smiling and shaking his head.
Ever since the Anhilation Army was formed, Ryosuke had been quite relaxed. He even had spare time to train in Konoha, vacation in Morioh, and along the way, even seized a city in the Land of the Wind.
Takeshi, however, had been working non-stop, either killing enemies or on the road to kill enemies.
Though it was said to be "killing people," in reality Ryosuke wanted to take this chance to let Takeshi get a bit of rest.
This operation to Warsaw City wasn't for killing the Land of the Wind Daimyō.
If it really were, there'd be no need to bring anyone else. He could just fly over, and while the Land of the Wind Daimyō was taking a dump or sleeping, chop his head off in one stroke and be done with it.
Ryosuke truly needed to have a talk with the Land of the Wind Daimyō.
Gorin City was taken, and Sunagakure had also surrendered.
But whether it was Gorin City or Sunagakure, both were located deep in the Land of the Wind's territory.
Even if the Land of the Wind Daimyō backed down, didn't send troops to attack, and didn't hire ninjas to harass them, still… What about the trade routes?
Basic needs like food, drink, and daily life, Gorin City had an oasis behind it, enough to sustain itself and Sunagakure. But what about equipment parts that required deeper imports?
Even if everyone worked together and managed to handcraft some things, what about industrial raw materials?
They couldn't exactly send Sunagakure ninjas to plunder.
Once or twice might work, but if too often, the other side would simply refuse to mine at all.
So, trade routes had to be maintained. And once there's trade, it involves tariffs, product dumping, financial changes, talent import and outflow… a whole series of problems.
Truthfully, before seizing the city, Ryosuke hadn't thought of all this.
At the time, he only thought, the Land of the Wind Daimyō didn't treat the people of Gorin City as human, driving beasts like Shinnō, using the lives of the entire city as bargaining chips.
If Ryosuke didn't seize this city, similar tragedies would inevitably keep happening.
So, he acted.
It wasn't until Ryosuke had a long-distance call with Oda Ieyasu that he realized how many complicated issues were involved in managing a truly massive metropolis.
"From what you're saying…"
Ryosuke asked over the phone, "Did I act too rashly?"
"From the economic perspective, yes."
Oda Ieyasu's deep, tired, yet faintly excited voice came through the receiver, "But from the bigger picture, none of these problems are real problems."
"Your expansion in the Land of the Water was too fast. Many people in other countries are questioning your ambitions. This will make people, subconsciously, resist you, resist the Awakening Movement."
"If you had used other methods to seize a city, it would have inevitably caused more neutrals to defect to the opposition."
"From the perspective of ordinary people in Gorin City, I must condemn Shinnō. But..."
Oda Ieyasu chuckled softly.
"From our perspective, I must thank Shinnō for paving the way for us."
On the third day after the call ended, which was also the night before the Land of the Wind envoy arrived, Oda Ieyasu faxed over the draft document he had written.
Simply put, it was a kind of unequal treaty between the Land of the Wind and Gorin City.
Ryosuke scratched his head.
So after all this… he had become one of the great powers?
But Ryosuke quickly laughed, carefully putting the document away.
Unlike the great powers he knew from history, every word in this agreement was for the ordinary people living on this land.
"At least..."
Ryosuke turned his head to look at the people walking on the streets, each one wearing gray-black cloaks.
"At least let this nation no longer have people living like rats underground."
As he thought this, a man came walking toward him. The man was tall and fat, wiping sweat as he walked, clearly unaccustomed to the Land of the Wind's heat.
It was County Magistrate Shirakawa of Yoma County.
Ryosuke smiled at him, "I was worried that the officials coming here wouldn't be competent. Seeing it's you, I can rest assured."
He was speaking sincerely.
Under the poisonous rule of the Land of the Water's previous Daimyō, just being able to ensure the counties and towns under one's control had enough food and clothing was already a great achievement.
Shirakawa smiled bitterly and pointed to himself.
"Lord Ryosuke, please don't flatter me like that. Since you and Lord Oda trust me, what else can I say, but…"
"Offer thanks for the immense favor."
Ryosuke could hear the helplessness in Shirakawa's tone.
With this laid-back old magistrate's personality, most likely he hadn't wanted to travel thousands of miles away to work in a foreign land.
The fact Oda Ieyasu chose him meant Shirakawa was the most suitable choice.
"No, from now on, I can't call you Magistrate Shirakawa anymore. It should be City Lord Shirakawa."
Shirakawa forced out two dry laughs, "You… are you sure I can handle that?"
———
[Arima Residence]
Kamikawa Yui slowly sat up. She was nearing forty, with dignified and beautiful features, graceful figure, clearly in her youth she must have been a great beauty.
She had only woken from a coma ten minutes ago. Picking up the newspaper on the table and glancing through it, she roughly understood the events of recent days.
Kamikawa Yui glanced at the stone-carved bird pendant hanging by her bedside. Her lips curved into a faint smile. Just as she was about to get out of bed, she lifted the thin blanket,
Below the knees, nothing remained.
Staring for a full thirty seconds, she slowly let out a breath.
"So that's how it is."
Kamikawa Yui sighed, "I lost both my legs in that explosion."
At this moment, City Blind pushed the door open and came in, having heard the change in his wife's breathing.
"You're awake?"
"Yes, Aichi."
Kamikawa Yui patted the bedside, motioning for City Blind to sit down. Once he did, she reached out, held her husband's hand, and with a smile said, "I think… we'll have to get a divorce."
"Back when we had our wedding, we said it clearly, you'd be responsible for earning money outside, and I'd take care of your daily life. But now I can't fulfill that promise."
She reached out and gently caressed her husband's face.
"Tomorrow we should think this matter over properly."
"Think, huh."
City Blind slapped her hand away and scolded loudly, "If we're going to divorce, we'll have to settle the accounts first. You've taken care of me for ten years, so I must take care of you for the next ten. Otherwise, my reputation as City Blind will be ruined by you, an ugly woman!"
"I'm now following a righteous lord, about to do something big. If, because of you, that lord despises me, I won't forgive you even in death!"
"So, until I've taken care of you for twenty years, don't mention divorce again. Once twenty years are up, even if you cling to my leg and beg me, I won't soften, I'll kick you out onto the street!"
Ever since their marriage, it was the first time Kamikawa Yui had seen her husband so angry. She looked at him in shock, and after a long silence, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"…Alright."
After saying that, Kamikawa Yui remembered what he'd just said, "You're going far away?"
"To the royal capital, Warsaw City."
"To do what?"
"They say..."
City Blind's expression was solemn, "Kill the Daimyō. Execute the bureaucrats. Break the royal castle."
"…Eh?"
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