At exactly 6:00 am Hide's group boarded the red pick-up truck. Hide and Takeo sat in the rear bed, just behind the cabin. Meanwhile, Shizuka, Yukino, and Aizawa sat in the front. There was no window between the cabin and the rear bed, so they could talk easily.

After a smile, Kubota turned to look at the two little girls beside him.

"Ready to depart?"

""Mhm.""

In unison, Yukino and Aizawa nodded vigorously. It seems like riding a 2.5-ton truck was a new and exciting experience for them.

Not long after that, the red pick-up truck left the Morning Market. While still in urban areas, Kubota maintained a speed of 40 km/h. Then, twenty minutes later, various buildings on both sides of the road had been replaced by paddy fields as far as the eye could see. Also, the sun was starting to shine brightly.

While fanning his sweat-drenched face, Takeo said, "It's not as hot as summer, but isn't this too much?"

"Unfortunately, it will become hotter," replied Hide after a smile.

Kubota who heard the conversation of his two guests immediately said, "Wait until we get to the higher area, the air will be much cooler there."

"Okay," Takeo replied weakly.

At the same time, from the opposite direction two units of a 2.5-ton military truck passed by. The back of the trucks was full of soldiers with tired faces. Their clothes were also covered in dirt and mud.

Kubota then casually explained, "In Hakaido there are many Army training centers. Sniper Specialization, Jungle & Mountain Warfare, Riverine & Coastline Warfare, Basic Infantry Camp, and some others. So, don't be surprised if you meet a lot of military personnel here."

"I see," Shizuka replied shortly.

Then, the red pick-up truck passed a long line of soldiers on one side of the road. The line consisted of a single file, all of the soldiers carried a large backpack on their back, assault rifles in both hands, wore jungle hats on their heads, and combat boots on both legs. However, their bodies were only covered in underwear. Boxer for male soldiers, and an additional sport bra for the female.

Except for Kubota and Hide, everyone on the red pick-up truck looked at the soldiers on the side of the road with confused faces.

"Why are they almost naked?" asked Shizuka.

"They are an Airborne Ranger platoon that lost the night war game. As punishment, they must return to base on foot without wearing their combat fatigue."

"That's harsh," Takeo said.

"Unfortunately, that's not the worst." Kubota was silent for a moment before continuing, "A platoon that lost the war game three times has to do a Walk of Shame at night?"

In an instant, a question mark appeared on Shizuka's forehead, "Walk of Shame at night?"

"It's a 5 km night march, from Kano City Square to the City Garrison HQ, fully naked either male or female soldiers."

"Such things exist?" Takeo asked with a shocked face.

"Yeah, and quite popular among local people, especially the female. From 5-year-old little girl to 105-year-old granny will fill both sides of the route. My wife also always watches the event and calls it the Ultimate Public Service."

"I have to watch it," said Shizuka excitedly.

As he grinned Kubota turned to Shizuka. "Don't forget to bring chocolate and candy."

"Why?"

"Twenty soldiers with the fewest chocolates and candies should repeat the Walk of Shame. So, they will do a special service to get as many chocolates and candy as possible."

An intense curiosity immediately reflected in Shizuka's gaze. "Special services?"

Hide, who had been silent for a while, decided to give a little explanation. "The unfortunate and naked young soldiers have to dance exotically in front of the audience to get the chocolates and candies."

In an instant, Shizuka turned to Hide, "Seriously? Hide, how do you know about it?"

"Somehow, he look like someone who had experienced it," said Kubota as he slightly nodded three times.

"Like hell I'll do such immoral things," said Hide before he pursed his lips.

After looking at Hide's face through the mirror, which looked like someone who had just been forced to drink a glass of vinegar, Kubota muttered under his breath, "Now, I'm absolutely sure you've done it."

Hide snorted slightly, while Takeo said, "I never thought our military had such tradition."

Kubota calmly said, "Actually, lots of elite military units in the world have older but similar traditions."

"Really?" asked Shizuka.

"When I lived in a small town in Britiss, every winter I had the opportunity to see Royal Marine Commando's personnel doing the Walk of Shame under a drizzle of snow."

""I see,"" replied Takeo and Shizuka in unison, while Hide still pursed his lips.

---

After passing through a seemingly endless paddy field, the group then arrived at the base of the Hakka Plateau. Kubota didn't follow the main road that went up to the peak, but turned into an archway with a simple sign that read 'Kirishima Family'.

Not far from the gate, there was a rice and corn mill, followed by a vast field where corn and grain were dried under the sun, rows of warehouses, workshops, garages filled with various vehicles, and finally a complex consisting of 30 houses.

"Have we arrived?" asked Aizawa while looking outside.

Kubota gently replied, "Not yet Pumpkin, this is a complex for workers. Kirishima Family lives on the east peak of the Hakka Plateau, about 5 km hike from here."

"Mhm," Aizawa nodded slightly as relief filled her face. It seemed like she did not want the trip with the pick-up truck to end soon.

Then, not long after that the red pick-up truck was already on an uphill road flanked by green fields as far as the eye could see.

In amazement, Shizuka looked at the watermelon field on the left side of the road and the eggplant field on the right.

"Mr. Kubota, don't tell me this whole field from bottom to top belongs to the Kirishima Family?"

"Actually, 45% of the paddy fields we pass also belong to the Kirishima Family."

"That is a huge piece of land," said Takeo in amazement.

Kubota smiled, then humbly said, "Well, there are many families that are richer than Kirishima Family."

While Takeo and Shizuka were drowning in amazement, Hide only gave a small nod. He didn't say much, but actually he was fully aware that the whole Hakka Plateau was owned by Kirishima Family. They even lent the Nikko Army 15% of the area on the Hakka Plateau to use as a Sniper Specialization Training Center.

Regarding wealth, the Kirishima Family was indeed only the fifth largest in Nikko. However, if their assets abroad were also taken into account, then even when the entire wealth of the four families above them were combined, the amount would still be nothing compared to Kirishima Family's wealth.

'Harsh environment will kill a lifeform or stimulate it to evolve.' These were the words that Kubota used to say to Hide in his previous life.

In the last moment before their death, the Kurokara Family managed to evolve and survive. It was no secret that the founder of the Kurokara Family looked down on merchant families as scoundrels of the middle-class and referred to farmer families as low-class workers.

For the founder of the Kurokara Family, only the warrior family had the right to become a ruling class and leader of society. But now, their descendants evolved into a combination of merchant, farmer, and warrior. Also, they wisely stay away from politics, no matter which side tried to get them involved.

Some people even thought it was ironic that the strongest and richest family in Nikko choses to be a reclusive family. They did allow their family members to join the military and government, but they would not get any support from the family except for the education that had been given.

'Harsh environment will kill a lifeform or stimulate it to evolve,' Hide muttered as he leaned his head.

*****