novelraw Chapter 490 Welcome to the Star Capital!
Chapter 490 Welcome to the Star Capital!
Chapter 490 Welcome to the Star Capital!
After the flash flood, the sky finally cleared up completely.
Accompanied by Neji, Kimimaro, and Toneri, Naruto, Sasuke, and their group continued south, officially entering the heartland of the Land of Stars.
Sunlight streamed down through the gaps in the dispersed clouds, illuminating the mountain forests that had been soaked by rain all night, causing a thin layer of white mist to rise.
The water droplets on the leaves shimmered in the sunlight, and occasionally a bird would flutter up from the damp bushes, shaking off a clump of water.
The floodwaters rushing down from the Nagano Mountains, after flowing into the Yu River, seem to be slowly held down by an invisible hand.
The river suddenly widened, transforming from a rapid, narrow gorge several tens of feet wide into a vast expanse of water several miles across, and the flow of the water slowed down.
The murky water gradually settled on the wide riverbed. By noon on the second day after their departure, the river water had changed from yellowish-brown to light brown. The reeds on the bank had re-emerged from their submerged tops, and several water birds stood on the reed stalks, shaking off the water droplets on their wings.
What surprised and reassured the people of Konoha the most was the scenery on both sides of the river.
Although the floodwaters passed through and the water level rose significantly, submerging some low-lying riverbanks and grasslands near the river, the anticipated devastation of destroyed farmhouses and submerged villages did not materialize.
On both sides of the river, there are flood control dikes built of gray-white boulders. Above the dikes are flat roads that can be used by vehicles and horses. Every so often, there are ingeniously designed floodgates and diversion channels to orderly divert floodwaters that exceed the warning level into pre-planned flood storage areas or downstream tributaries, thus protecting the vast plains behind the dikes to the greatest extent possible.
Although some villages located in low-lying areas near the riverbanks were affected by the floods and some farmland near the villages was submerged, the main houses of the villages were built on higher terraces or slopes and were not directly impacted.
The villagers can be seen returning to their homes and are busy cleaning up the mud in their courtyards and on the roads, drying damp furniture and clothes, and repairing fences damaged by the flood.
Children chased and played in the cleaned threshing ground, women gathered by the well to wash clothes and chat, and men inspected the houses and livestock sheds.
Although busy, the atmosphere was not chaotic or desperate; instead, it exuded a sense of resilience and order in post-disaster reconstruction.
What's even more striking is that at key river confluences and along some important sections of the dikes, squads dressed in dark blue uniforms and wearing Star Ninja headbands are patrolling.
They appeared to be carrying some kind of instrument, periodically measuring water levels and flow rates, checking the condition of the dam, and maintaining communication with the rear.
Clearly, the Star Kingdom has a complete early warning, monitoring, and emergency response mechanism for this sudden flood.
Naruto and his group were standing on a high river embankment, looking down at the scene below where the floodwaters flowed smoothly into the Youhe River, and were firmly contained within the river channel by the sturdy embankments and diversion facilities.
Although they didn't fully understand the specific principles and functions of those dikes, sluice gates, and diversion channels, nor were they aware of the massive organizational mobilization, engineering technology, and resource investment required behind them, they intuitively grasped one point:
Here, natural disasters do not seem to bring the same devastating despair they have seen in the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers.
There is a powerful, systemic force protecting this land and its people.
"That's great—it seems the villages here are alright." Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest.
Tenten and Yakumo Kurama also showed relieved smiles.
Shikamaru didn't speak, but stared intently at the busy and orderly villagers and the Star Ninja patrolling the riverbank, lost in thought.
Sasuke silently witnessed the scene before him.
The further downstream you go, the less noticeable the effects of the flood become.
The Youhe River is like a forgiving mother, embracing the turbulent tributaries from the mountains and soothing them with its broad embrace.
What unfolded before them was a truly vast and boundless riverside plain.
Golden sunlight spills onto the boundless green landscape.
That's a rice paddy.
An endless expanse of vibrant green rice paddies.
The crisscrossing ridges, like the veins of the earth, divide the emerald green carpet into neat squares.
The rice seedlings in the paddy field are already half a person tall, growing vigorously, rippling in the breeze with layers of green waves, and the air is filled with the fresh scent of soil and plants.
It was nearly noon when they passed by a village near the river.
Many villagers, wearing wide-brimmed straw hats and simple coarse cloth clothes, were carrying shoulder poles, moving between the ridges of the fields, spreading fertilizer or bending over to remove weeds.
Their movements were skilled and steady, and although their faces were covered in sweat from their labor, they showed little sign of distress.
Some children who are not yet of school age play and chase each other barefoot on the ridges of the fields, trying to catch jumping frogs and grasshoppers, their clear laughter echoing through the fields.
Several elderly people with gray hair sat on stones under the shade of trees at the edge of the field, smoking their pipes and squinting at the pleasing greenery in their fields. Their wrinkled faces wore satisfied and peaceful smiles.
Sunshine, green fields, people working, children playing, and peaceful old people —
All of this creates a tranquil yet vibrant pastoral scene.
This painting, however, deeply moved the young ninjas of Konoha.
Konoha was indeed quite good for the ninjas and civilians in the village, but what about the rural areas outside Konoha?
What about the ordinary farmers who paid taxes to the daimyo, rent to the nobles, and protection money to the samurai?
They are no longer the naive children from the ninja academy.
Nearly a year after graduation, they had carried out many C-level missions. When they passed through the rural areas of the Land of Fire on missions outside the village, the scenes they saw were completely different from those here.
Even in the relatively prosperous capital of the Land of Fire, most of the common people on the streets looked hurried, their brows shrouded in a layer of weariness and numbness worn down by the heavy pressure of life, and the air was filled with a suffocating, lifeless atmosphere.
But the fields and villages of this Star Kingdom present a completely different kind of vitality.
The people here seem to live with more hope and more energy.
They are busy with their fields and happy with their harvest; children play carefree; and the elderly enjoy their twilight years.
This seemingly ordinary scene appears so precious, even somewhat unreal, in the ninja world, a place rife with war and oppression.
Just as everyone was immersed in the complex emotions brought about by this peaceful scene, woof—!!
A deep, drawn-out sound, like the howl of a giant beast, suddenly came from afar, breaking the tranquility of the fields!
Following the sound, everyone looked and saw a colossal creature hurtling past at an astonishing speed on a raised line formed by a gray-white stone base and two parallel metal tracks, clearly above the ground at the end of the green rice paddies in the distance!
It was a steel construct made up of many long, silver-gray boxes connected together.
Without being pulled by horses, it galloped smoothly along the two metal tracks, leaving the rice paddies on both sides behind, leaving only a trail of white smoke and a faint rumble in the air.
"Wow! What is that?!" Naruto was the first to exclaim, his bright blue eyes wide open as he pointed at the receding steel dragon, his face filled with astonishment.
"Wow, that's fast! Much faster than a carriage! Is that some kind of ninja tool?"
The other members of Konoha were also drawn to this unprecedented sight, and they all stopped to gaze at it.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan, and his dynamic vision allowed him to capture the details of the monster more clearly.
He noticed that the thing was indeed not biologically tractioned; each box had many small wheels tightly fastened to the track underneath, and the structure was extremely precise and complex.
Is it some kind of puppet?
Or is it a large-scale mechanical device?
Tian Tian was filled with curiosity about the power source of that thing.
"Without horses or cows, how does it run?" Tian Tian murmured.
Shikamaru's brows were furrowed tightly; his perspective was different from the others.
He noticed that the thing wasn't traveling on ordinary roads, but rather on two fixed metal tracks.
This means it has a fixed route and cannot turn arbitrarily.
However, this design seems capable of bearing enormous weight and achieving extremely high speeds.
If used in war—
"This is a passenger train on a high-speed railway, which we generally call 'high-speed rail' here, but some people also call it 'Raiden'." At this moment, Neji's calm voice rang out from the side, answering everyone's questions.
"It's not a ninja tool, but a large vehicle, primarily powered by a Lightning Release chakra engine mounted at the front, propelling its wheels at high speeds along specially designed steel rails. The train we just saw was a passenger model, with a top speed of approximately 300 kilometers per hour, taking about four hours to travel from Nagano Castle in Kuma County to the Star Capital."
"Three... over three hundred kilometers per hour?!" Ya gasped. He wasn't slow when he ran, and could even surpass the speed of sound in short bursts, but compared to this—
"It only takes four hours to get from Nagano Castle to the Star Capital?"
"Lightning Release Chakra—engine?" Sasuke caught this unfamiliar term.
"Yes, it's a device that converts Lightning Release chakra into stable, efficient mechanical energy. It combines puppetry, metallurgical technology, and energy conversion theory, and is one of the important achievements of the Star Country's Engineering Academy," Neji explained simply.
Shikamaru was silent for a moment, then asked a crucial question: "How long does it need to run before it needs to stop frequently to refuel?"
Neji thought for a moment and replied, "After all, it's a machine. As long as the equipment doesn't malfunction and the energy supply is adequate, it can theoretically keep running indefinitely. Of course, passengers and cargo need to get on and off, so there will be designated stations where it stops."
'
Shikamaru stopped talking and just stared at the two railway tracks stretching into the distance, his eyes becoming incredibly deep.
Running continuously—the solid high-speed corridor—the nationwide network of lines—what does this mean?
This means that the speed at which personnel and resources can be mobilized within the Land of Stars will reach a level that will leave traditional ninja villages speechless!
In times of war, what a terrifying strategic airlift capability that would be!
If war breaks out, Konoha's ninjas will have to run to the front lines on foot, while the Land of Stars—
They may have already used these "thunder vehicles" to send hundreds or even thousands of ninjas, along with supplies, to the border!
Xiao Li, however, didn't think much of it. He stared at the train disappearing into the distance, clenched his fists, and blazed with fighting spirit: "Such speed! Is this the power of technology? So exhilarating! One day, I'll race against this 'thunder train' with my own two legs! Let's see if youth can outrun machines!"
This abrupt declaration startled Shikamaru, who was deep in thought, and the others who were observing curiously, leaving them both somewhat amused and exasperated.
Perhaps drawn by the novelty of the high-speed rail, or perhaps wanting a more direct experience of the country, the group decided to change their route and continue south along the high-speed rail line that seemed to be intertwined with the You River.
Along the way, they saw even more amazing sights.
They saw the railway bridge, as majestic as a steel dragon, spanning the several-kilometer-wide Youhe River.
On the bridge, there were the same kind of tin box-like vehicles that I had seen before in Nagano Castle, as well as various horse-drawn carriages and oxcarts, coming and going, and pedestrians on both sides of the sidewalk were coming and going in an endless stream.
They saw towns of varying sizes, all vibrant and lively, standing on the plains along the railway line. Many of the buildings were no longer traditional wooden structures, but rather made of brick, concrete, or even composite materials they didn't recognize, with novel designs and orderly arrangement.
They saw huge factory buildings, towering chimneys belching black or white smoke, busy riverside docks, and vast expanses of greenhouses shimmering in the sunlight.
The further south you go, the denser the population becomes, and the architectural style becomes increasingly distinct from the traditional ninja world, full of modernity and technology.
Wide, smooth asphalt roads have replaced dirt roads, and the streetlights are uniquely designed with clear road signs.
The pedestrians on the street were not dressed in fancy clothes, but they were clean and tidy, and their expressions were calm.
Occasionally, you can see people wearing ninja uniforms or dark blue police uniforms walking by, but more often you see ordinary people in uniform work clothes, hurrying around, seemingly busy with their own lives.
At first, the Konoha people thought they had just passed through another relatively prosperous town.
But as buildings became denser, floors taller, roads wider, and traffic and pedestrian flow more intense, they gradually sensed that something was amiss.
The towns here seem to have no boundaries.
Walk across one street, and you'll find more streets, taller buildings, and busier intersections.
It was as if they had stepped into not an isolated settlement, but a boundless modern metropolis composed of buildings and roads.
Finally, when the outlines of several skyscrapers reflecting a dazzling silver light in the sunlight came into clear view on the distant horizon, everyone subconsciously stopped in their tracks.
Naruto, Shikamaru, Sasuke, Sakura, Tenten—everyone seemed frozen in place, looking up blankly at the towering skyscrapers piercing the sky in the distance, and at the even more vast, boundless urban forest composed of countless buildings of varying heights at their feet!
Sunlight streamed onto the glass curtain wall, reflecting a dazzling light.
The windows of the tall buildings are faintly visible, densely packed like a honeycomb.
Further away, the outlines of towers, domes, and viaducts of various shapes and sizes appear to emerge.
A vibrant urban atmosphere, a blend of city noise and bustle, filled the air.
Naruto stood with his head held high and his mouth agape, his eyes filled with shock.
Sasuke looked around at the bustling crowds, the strange vehicles speeding by, and the multi-story commercial buildings adorned with eye-catching signs and neon lights.
"This...this is...the Star Capital?" Shikamaru swallowed hard.
In his mind, the capital city should be like the capital of the Land of Fire, with high city walls, concentrated palaces and noble districts, relatively clear urban areas, and even large slums.
But here—as far as the eye can see, there are only buildings, and you can't see the end of them at all!
Neji, Kimimaro, and Toneri also stopped in their tracks.
Seeing the Konoha villagers' dumbfounded expressions, like country bumpkins entering the city, Neji's lips curled into a slight smile. He explained, "We're not there yet. This is just one of the new districts on the outskirts of Star Capital, although it falls under the jurisdiction of the Star Capital metropolitan area."
"Wait a minute." Shikamaru pulled his hand out of his pocket and pointed to the cluster of tall buildings in front of him.
"You mean this is just—the outer jurisdiction area?" He looked around.
The wide road was bustling with traffic, the sidewalks were crowded with people, the neon signs of the roadside shops shone in the sunlight, and in the distance there were more high-rise buildings under construction, with the steel arms of tower cranes slowly rotating in the sky.
In the Land of Fire, this would be the most prosperous metropolis.
Is this just the "outer jurisdiction" of Star City?
Neji said, "Well, it's about ten kilometers away from the core area of the main city of the Star Capital."
"Ten...ten kilometers?!" Tian Tian exclaimed in shock, covering her mouth.
Sakura's eyes widened as well.
What does this mean is that this seemingly endless cluster of buildings, which has already deeply impressed them, is not actually in the city center, but only on the outskirts?
Shikamaru's brows furrowed deeply, and he couldn't help but press, "Just how big is the Star Capital?"
Kimimaro answered him this time: "The specific numbers change every day. According to statistics at the end of last year, the registered permanent residents in the main urban area of the Star Capital have exceeded three million."
"Three—three million people?" Ya's mouth dropped open, his jaw almost falling to the ground.
Akamaru also let out a low groan, seemingly frightened by the number.
The bag of potato chips in Choji's hand fell to the ground with a "thud," but he didn't even notice.
The entire Hidden Leaf Village, including ninjas and civilians, has a total population of only around 100,000.
Even at its peak, the most prosperous capital of the Land of Fire only had a population of seven or eight hundred thousand.
The Star City, in its main urban area alone, is thirty times the size of Konoha!
It's four or five times the size of the capital of the Land of Fire!
What kind of concept is this?
They simply cannot imagine what it would be like for three million people to live in the same area.
"By the way," just as everyone was still reeling from the shock of this astronomical figure, Sheren turned to them and kindly reminded them in his gentle voice, "Now that we've entered the urban area, there's something I need to remind you all of."
"In the cities of the Land of Stars, ordinary ninjas are prohibited from jumping and moving across rooftops, walls, or other high places unless they are members of the police force on a special mission or in case of an emergency."
"Doing this will affect the city's appearance, disrupt residents' lives, and pose safety hazards. Violators will be fined and have their corresponding military merit points deducted." The fine isn't much, only 200 star coins per offense, but the point deductions are severe: 6 points for the first offense, 12 points for the second, and so on, doubling each time.
"Huh? We can't jump?" Naruto's face immediately fell upon hearing this, and he scratched his head in confusion, saying, "What do you mean? Don't ninjas always run on rooftops? That would be so much faster!"
Choji, recovering from the shock of seeing so many people, bent down to pick up the bag of potato chips, blowing off the dust with a pained expression, and asked in a muffled voice, "Deduct points? What kind of points? Like the credits at the Ninja Academy?"
Neji picked up the conversation and explained in detail: "The ninja system of the Land of Stars is very different from that of other traditional ninja villages."
"We implement a comprehensive military merit point system. Star Ninjas, including active-duty soldiers of the Star Ninja Army, police forces, militia reservists, etc., receive a certain amount of military merit points in addition to corresponding rewards when performing missions, fulfilling duties, or making special contributions."
"For professional soldiers, their monthly fixed military pay also includes a portion of points as a subsidy. These points are very valuable and can be exchanged for various resources in special shops set up by the military logistics department or through a specific internal network."
He paused, glanced at the somewhat bewildered Konoha members, and continued with his examples: "From standard D-rank and C-rank ninjutsu scrolls, to various qualities of standard ninja tools, rations, and medical supplies; to advanced B-rank and A-rank ninjutsu, and even S-rank..."
Top-tier ultimate ninjutsu and some forbidden ninjutsu; as well as various newly developed scientific ninja tools—all can be redeemed with points. The more points you have, the better and higher-level the items you can redeem.
"Use points to exchange for ninjutsu? Including A-rank and S-rank?" Shikamaru's pupils contracted slightly.
In Konoha, high-level ninjutsu are tightly controlled by the major ninja clans and are secret techniques that are never passed on to outsiders.
For a commoner ninja to learn advanced ninjutsu, they either need to become a disciple of a Jonin and receive instruction, and even then, it depends on whether the teacher is willing to teach them. Alternatively, they need to perform a great service and be rewarded by the village. The avenues are extremely limited.
Geniuses like Minato Namikaze, who can develop A-rank ninjutsu on their own, are few and far between.
The Land of Stars has actually put up prices for high-level ninjutsu, including forbidden techniques, and made them available for exchange.
This is undoubtedly a revolutionary system that breaks the ninja clan's monopoly and inspires all ninjas!
As long as you have the strength, are willing to work hard, and can obtain enough points, even if you are from a commoner background, you will have the opportunity to learn those powerful ninjutsu!
Sasuke's gaze involuntarily drifted towards Kimimaro and Toneri.
Could it be that...?
As if guessing what Sasuke was thinking, Shiren turned his head slightly, facing Sasuke's direction, and smiled at him.
"Besides ninjutsu and scientific ninja tools, if one's military merit points reach a very high standard, and one passes a rigorous political review and physical adaptability test—there's even a chance to apply for the opportunity to exchange for certain special bloodline limits" or the transplantation of eye techniques."
"Bloodline Limit—can you exchange for it?!" Tenten and Sakura, both born into commoner backgrounds, exclaimed in surprise at the same time, their voices trembling slightly.
In their understanding, bloodline limits are predetermined by birth, a gift of family bloodline, and they can even obtain them through exchange in the Star Kingdom.
Sasuke, however, felt a sudden sense of relief.
That's it!
Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku (Corpse Bone Pulse) was innate, but his Byakugan (Byakugan) was probably achieved through this system!
This means that in the Star Kingdom, the upper limit of power is no longer entirely determined by birth and bloodline!
If you contribute enough to this country, you will have the opportunity to obtain those powers that were once unattainable.