T/N.
Warring States Period — A Time of Turmoil
(The Warring States Period was a tumultuous era lasting two centuries after the collapse of the Ashikaga Shogunate's centralized governance. Japan splintered into rival factions, and the land was engulfed in endless conflict.)
Uchiha Tonan returned to the North City Guard's headquarters in the Fire Capital. There, he sat quietly, sipping tea. The attendants had already dismissed the Guard members for the day. Not long after, Yoshiwara Ao approached respectfully, holding out a sealed scroll.
"Tonan-sama," Ao said, bowing slightly as he handed over the document.
Tonan set down his teacup and broke the seal with a series of hand signs. With a sudden bang, a swirl of smoke dissipated, revealing over a dozen wooden boxes arranged neatly in the open space before them.
"Open them," Tonan instructed Ao.
One by one, Ao lifted the lids. Inside were stacks of gold coins, shimmering silver ingots, fine jewelry, ancient antiques, and land deeds—alongside bundles of paper currency. These were the accumulated savings of Shimokawara Shota over many years.
Tonan nodded in approval. "Are these all his assets?"
Ao promptly produced an account ledger and presented it with a bow. "Yes, this is the account book. You may verify the details."
Tonan leafed through the book carefully, eyes scanning each entry.
"This man's total assets… roughly two hundred million Ryo." Tonan's voice held a note of surprise mixed with satisfaction. "Enough to purchase land for a welfare institution. This trip was definitely worth it. That Shota fellow… died well."
"To think a mere vice-captain could amass nearly two hundred million Ryo in savings." Tonan chuckled softly. "The Fire Capital truly deserves its reputation as the wealthiest city in the Ninja World. The tolls levied on caravans alone must bring in an astronomical sum. Even diverting a small percentage covers the cost of an A-rank mission."
Suddenly, Tonan asked, "What of his family?"
Ao poured tea for himself and replied, "There are seven direct relatives, ranging from young children to the elderly. They are currently detained under the North City Guard's temporary custody."
Tonan's gaze hardened with resolve. This new subordinate's style aligned well with his own. "Hold them for now. Send one body and five million Ryo to the Supervision Minister's residence every month."
Ao hesitated, then asked quietly, "Should I file a report?"
Tonan smiled faintly, shaking his head. "Masaki-sama will handle the reports. This is his political achievement. And from now on, you'll oversee the North City Guard for me. Smuggling, tax evasion, bribery, and the collection methods we've established must continue—subtly. We must not disturb the other three City Guard guardian lords."
Ao's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Understood, Tonan-sama."
Tonan lifted his teacup and sipped before casually asking, "If anyone inquires, who authorized these activities?"
Ao's smile was sly. "Tonan-sama was busy with training. The others and I took advantage and acted on our own."
Tonan laughed and waved him off. "Dismissed."
Three Months Later
Tonan had fully consolidated his control over the Fire Capital. Each month, the North City Guard funneled nearly twenty million Ryo into his coffers. Five million of this was a tribute paid monthly to the Supervision Minister.
Previous North City Guard captains sent tributes to the Guardian Residence Chief in hopes of climbing the ranks. But Tonan was here on a mission only. No matter how well he performed, promotion was out of reach.
Even if he slipped up, only his nominal superior—the Daimyo—could remove him from office.
The Guardian Residence Chief held no real power over Tonan. Only if someone reported Tonan to the Supervision Minister, who then relayed it to the Daimyo, could Tonan's position be challenged.
And even then, the worst consequence was a failed mission and recall to the village. Tonan therefore ignored attempts to curry favor with the Guardian Residence and instead aligned himself directly with the Supervision Minister.
Of the remaining fifteen million Ryo each month, Tonan allocated about two million to his subordinates. Leadership meant winning hearts—and to be just, one must share.
During these months, Sarutobi Shinnosuke visited repeatedly, trying to sway Tonan to their side. His methods were crude, lacking the subtlety of Sarutobi Hiruzen. Tonan played along, easing his guard.
In one such meeting, Tonan learned that Sarutobi Asuma was to leave the Fire Capital in two months to return to the village for his graduation exam.
This news stirred urgency in Tonan. Once Asuma returned, making a move against him would be far more difficult…
Night Under the Full Moon
The full moon peeked intermittently from behind drifting clouds.
"Don't hit me… lord, please spare my life… lord… please…" whimpers echoed from the newly built dungeon in Tonan's backyard.
Tonan read under lamplight, flipping through books he had purchased at the Fire Capital's largest bookstore while listening via Wind Communication to the pitiful cries.
Though these books were not ninja-related, they covered a broad spectrum of trades and professions. Anyone serious about self-improvement must use their downtime to enrich their knowledge.
Tonan was particularly fascinated by the history of the Ninja World. Like Asuma, he wondered why the Hokage, despite being the strongest military leader, could not truly govern the country.
Now Tonan knew.
The answer was simple: The Hokage was a military leader, but lacked expertise in governance and livelihood.
Training ninjas required substantial funding. Without the ability to generate income from missions alone, ninjas had two options: commerce or agriculture.
If ninjas engaged in these ordinary professions, what set them apart from civilians?
Moreover, would they be as skilled as civilians at such work? Highly unlikely. And who with formidable power would want to toil in fields or markets?
Some assumed ninjas could subsist through robbery. Indeed, many clans in the past survived by looting rather than producing.
But civilians weren't fools. They sought protection from powerful ninja clans, offering a share of resources in return.
Eventually, almost every ninja clan became tied to a civilian base.
This imbalance in resources led inevitably to war, with ninjas as the main combatants—a conflict known as the Warring States Period that followed the decline of the old ninja sect era.
As for why the Hokage could not become a Daimyo and directly govern civilians—this came down to human nature and the desire for social mobility.
Since the Hokage was a ninja, all high-ranking officials in a ninja-ruled country had to be ninjas.
No one wanted to remain low-class, so families strove to train their children as ninjas from youth.
This created a society where most refined chakra and learned ninjutsu from childhood—spending vast resources on training.
As a result, the productive workforce shrank dramatically, forcing ninjas to take on commerce and farming like ordinary people.
Then, what distinguished this from the old ninja sect era?
Progress, not regression.
The ninja village system separated ninjas from civilians to avoid conflict.
From another angle, the country was the ninja village's estate.
Civilians worked the land and produced wealth, managed by the Daimyo, who then funneled resources to the ninja villages in the form of funds and missions.
While providing support, the Daimyo also sought the villages' protection.
Those with insight had long understood this balance.
Thus, in recent years, wealthy families of the Land of Fire sent their heirs to Konoha—to gain a head start.
This was a major factor in Konoha's skyrocketing land prices.
The Hokage didn't govern the country—that was the government's role.
Ninjas and civilians occupied separate spheres.
If mixed, power imbalances would cause chaos.
As for which was superior—the Hokage or Daimyo—that depended on circumstances.
The Hokage held absolute military power, outranking the Daimyo's voice.
But the Daimyo commanded economic power and civilian loyalty.
In times of peace and economic growth, popular support outweighed military might.
The capital held military power but could not overturn this social order.
Suddenly, Ao knocked and entered.
"My lord, he's fainted five times already. If the beatings continue, he'll die."
Tonan closed his book, took a slow sip of tea, and asked, "What crime did he commit?"
"He tried to hide three hundred Ryo while handing over funds today."
"Three hundred Ryo…" Tonan exhaled deeply.
"Ao, you know me well. I despise corruption and bending the law. In the North City Guard, my rules are the law. He violated those rules—that's a crime."
"Though it's only three hundred Ryo, the amount doesn't matter. It's the corrupt heart that matters. Once they start, it'll happen again and again, and we can't watch him constantly."
"To stop him from making a grave mistake, it's best to kill him and send his body to Masaki-sama."
Tonan nodded solemnly.
"And the human trafficking rings you asked me to investigate?"
"I've located their hideouts, but they seem to have hired rogue ninjas as protection."
Tonan's eyes narrowed. "Gather a team tomorrow night. I'll lead the raid myself—and save those children."
Ao smiled with admiration. "My lord is truly merciful."
Tonan's expression softened but remained resolute. "As captain of the North City Guard, it is my duty to punish traitors and eliminate evil for the common people. No need to praise me."