Naruto: I, the villain template, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 169 When the whole world is a locked room, the one who holds the key is the 'King'.

The last rays of the setting sun lingered on the surface of the river.

The city's transparent glass was also tinged with the red hues of the setting sun, making the entire city feel languid in the warm tones.

But hurried footsteps echoed throughout the city, shattering the peace and tranquility.

"Um?"

"What happened?"

The surrounding crowd was drawn by the sudden sound, casting curious or surprised glances in the direction of the sound.

They were several men dressed in white robes, their faces covered by white cloths painted with swirling patterns, standing in four directions to block all exits.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't interfere with my entertaining guests...wait, what's with that outfit...?"

The owner of the noodle shop on the street poked his head out from behind the counter, holding a cleaver in his hand and frowning as if he was about to say something, but swallowed his words after seeing their attire.

As mentioned in the public announcement not long ago, this attire and uniform belong to the newly established security department.

"Don't be nervous, everyone. Please listen to me."

Now the Minister of Security, Uzumaki Ichiya stepped forward and announced politely yet solemnly, "Excuse me, we have discovered enemy infiltration. This area needs to be sealed off. Please leave in an orderly manner!"

As they spoke, the sound of increasingly rapid and dense footsteps drew closer from behind, and figures dressed in white robes surrounded them in the rosy glow of the sunset.

The drizzling rain washed over the cold, hard black gun-shaped ninja tools in their hands, enveloping the entire area within a few breaths, leaving no empty corner for escape.

Every resident being watched felt the increasingly oppressive atmosphere and pressure.

There was some disturbance at the scene, but it didn't reach the point of chaos.

After all, they already knew the identities of these people.

"Has an enemy infiltrated?"

"They're from the Ministry of Defense?"

"Oh well, then there's no reason to complain."

"Do as instructed; after all, they are Lord Yun Chuan's subordinates."

After recognizing and understanding the identities of the two groups, the noodle shop owner scratched his head and smiled helplessly. The others' complaints disappeared, and they obediently began to evacuate in an orderly manner as instructed.

They knew that the Security Department and the Defense Department were both important departments directly under Lord Yun Chuan.

Just like the same color as the white doves on their bodies, the Security Department is mainly responsible for maintaining security within the city.

Collecting and analyzing intelligence information related to national security, handling actions that endanger the collective interests of Dawn City and leaks, including preventing and dealing with espionage activities, and combating violations and illegal activities...

They had seen people taken away by security personnel before, but this was the first time they had seen such a large-scale operation, completely sealing off the entire area within their sight.

Not only in their neighborhood, but also in some other places.

"On another note..."

The noodle shop owner looked up with some confusion at the several white shadows circling overhead and casually remarked, "Those pigeons seem unusually lively today."

Meanwhile, above Dawn City, amidst the clouds that painted the sea red with the setting sun, a massive fortress floated and remained hidden.

"A bunch of mice have just delivered themselves to our doorstep, allowing us to test the results of our efforts over the past few months."

Shennong crossed his arms and looked at the projection of the city in front of him with a cold smile. Several pulsating red dots on the projection were reflected in his gray eyes.

Behind him, the once spacious core area, which had only contained stone seats, had become crowded and noisy.

Compared to before, this place can now truly be called a central control room.

Dozens of Sky Ninjas and Uzumaki Clan members mingled together, some sitting in front of the screens on the monitoring station, while others recorded information and exchanged intelligence.

There was no crowding or noise, no barriers or awkwardness. The entire control room operated efficiently and orderly, with tasks assigned as if they were pieces of a puzzle, each efficiently placed in its proper place.

They now all belong to the security department and have changed into white uniforms, resembling a tightly controlled machine.

Although the energy source "Zero Tail" of the fortress is inside Shennong's body, which forces him to stay here and not leave the fortress, Shennong still feels very satisfied and happy.

Because he could feel himself gradually moving towards his ideal, and at a rate several times faster than before.

Even if we can only keep Dawn City in sight now, we will definitely be able to grasp the dynamics of the entire ninja world in the future.

"The entire ninja world."

Shennong's gaze gradually turned fervent, and he recalled the words of that great man, the blueprint for the future he had been given.

◎

"Kumokawa-sama."

Shennong, arriving in Dawn City for the first time, was filled with doubts, especially after witnessing Yun Chuan's preferential treatment of the refugees. He couldn't help but ask, "May I ask why...?"

"You want to ask me why I do these 'unnecessary' things?" Yun Chuan interrupted with a smile.

But Shennong subconsciously shook his head. He had already absorbed Yun Chuan's "blood". Although he was a little puzzled, he did not think that Shennong would do anything unnecessary.

"I'm curious why they keep flocking here, even though I can clearly feel their unease and fear," Shennong asked.

"It's not surprising that you have this question, after all, in your eyes, I should be the 'villain'."

Yun Chuan smiled calmly, looking down at the city below. Before Shen Nong could make a flustered attempt to explain, he waved his hand to interrupt, saying, "It's alright. I admit, I'm not exactly a good person."

"However, I am not the kind of fool, butcher, or executioner who is driven by desire, unworthy of respectability, or stupid and incompetent."

"In my opinion, only those who have an unwavering belief in their own outstanding talents and unique value, who are willing to use any means to achieve their goals and stand against everyone, yet still manage to gain the reliance, trust, and respect of those who oppose them, and thus have a real sense of existence in the world, deserve to be called villains."

Upon hearing this, Shennong's expression shifted slightly, as if he had something on his mind and was deep in thought.

"As for why they still flock to us despite their fear..." Yun Chuan paused for a moment, then said calmly, "When the whole world is full of locked rooms, the one who has the key is the 'king'."

"When war broke out, nobles sold weapons, the rich sold food, and commoners sold their children."

"After the war, the nobles took back the remaining weapons, the rich planted more crops, and the common people could only search for their children's graves."

"So I told them that I wanted to end this boring war and world, so that even ordinary people without ninja talent could have the same or even stronger power as ninjas, and let them fight for the future they wanted."

Yun Chuan's voice was not deliberately lowered, and every word was heard clearly.

Shennong subconsciously looked up at what was in front of him, carefully examining Yun Chuan's expression, as if trying to figure out if he was joking.

However, the boy's eyes were so deep that he couldn't understand or fathom them. His blue eyes were like ice, and beneath the ice lay a deep shadow, like a bottomless deep sea, making it impossible to see what was hidden.

There's another chapter of 4,000 words, coming a little later.

(End of this chapter)