Lord Of Doom!Reincarnated Into a Novel as the Strongest Side Character-Chapter 54: Heian-kyo City

Gojin hummed a song that Sakura didn’t recognize, prompting her to question him. However, Gojin ignored her and began stretching his arms, a wave of relief washing over him and soothing him.

"Now, let’s keep moving. We don’t want to arrive at night; remember, it’s a city, so security will be tight."

Gojin snapped his fingers, signaling them to get up and start walking. Chop chop!

Heian-kyo was heavily guarded primarily because it is home to the imperial palace. As the political and cultural center, the palace houses the emperor and serves as the seat of government.

Heian-kyo became the capital, replacing Nara. Emperor Kammu - the current emperor of the era wanted to escape the influence of powerful Buddhist temples in Nara and sought a more secure location for the imperial court.

Sakura and Kenji reluctantly stood up from the large rock, trailing behind Gojin with a frustrated sigh.

As they walked, the path wound through a dense forest, sunlight pased through through the natural canopy above. Tall trees towered on either side.

After a while, the forest began to thin, revealing another sprawling meadow dotted with vibrant wildflowers. The colors swayed in the wind, and the distant sound of a babbling brook added a soothing backdrop. Kenji kept glancing at the map, his brow furrowed in concentration as he pointed out the next turn they needed to take.

They crossed a small wooden bridge that spanned the brook, the river beneath them, flowed with ease. On the other side, a rocky hillside rose steeply, its surface were covered in patches of grass and scattered stones. Kenji noted the steep incline on the map, advising to stick to the well-trodden path to avoid any potential hazards.

They reached another landscape, this time leading them into a grove of cherry blossom trees. Petals fluttered down like soft pink snow, creating a picturesque scene that momentarily distracted Sakura from their journey.

Kenji and Gojin, however, remained focused. Carefully studying the map to ensure they stayed on course.

Finally, they approached a clearing that opened up to reveal the distant silhouette of Heian-kyo. The city’s stone walls loomed ahead.

The walls of Heian-kyo stretched impressively around the large city, measuring about 30 feet in height and 15 feet in width- quite a formidable barrier. The walls were constructed in three layers, each strong enough to withstand the impact of 13 cannonballs..

13 cannonballs could be equated to approximately 1 Tomahawk cruise missile in terms of explosive power, given that a Tomahawk can carry a warhead weighing around 1,000 pounds.

Atop the walls, a sloped karahafu roof extended over the guards - upward curved at the edges. Made from sturdy wooden beams and covered with durable clay tiles, the roof shielded the guards from rain and sun, allowing them to maintain their watch in comfort. The design facilitated effective water drainage.

At the center of the walls stood a massive gate, wide open, where a line of people waited to enter.

Each person held a wooden plaque inscribed with their names and stamped by the authorities of their respective villages. They presented these plaques to two guards stationed at the gate.

The guards, clad in traditional armor, wore crafted do (chest armor), and their sleeves were reinforced with protective plates. The helmets, or kabuto had a distinctive crest, while their lower garments consisted of a layered skirt of protective fabric. Each guard gripped a long staff topped with a sharp blade.

Maintaining serious expressions, the guards shouted at the people in line, demanding to see their identification. Those who hesitated or failed to respond quickly were met with the point of a blade directed at their necks. The guards made it clear that any delay could lead to dire consequences—either a swift end or imprisonment on charges of terrorism.

The line of crowds shifted nervously while the guards remained vigilant, their gazes scanned the faces before them. The tension around was palpable.

Sakura and Kenji’s faces fell in fear and disbelief, their mouths agape as Gojin pondered their next move. He rested his hands on his chin, his gaze was deep in thought.

"How are we going to get in? We can’t possibly climb the walls. Even if we could fly, we’d be met by those guards on top. I can’t go to prison... not yet. Does this look like a face that could survive in prison?"

Sakura exclaimed, panic rising in her voice as she held Kenji’s face and stretched it toward Gojin, causing Kenji considerable pain. The moment she released him, his cheeks were hot and light red, as if scorched. He rubbed his cheek, tears welling in his eyes.

"Ouch...!"

Gojin concluded his deep thinking and turned to the two of them, who were struggling to calm themselves. With a menacing grin, he added to their tension:

"You forgot about the daily tortures after imprisonment. Imagine enduring the torture of the water wheel, where they would strap you to a wheel and slowly crush your bones; the sawing, where they would hang you upside down and saw you in half; the rat torture, where they would place a rat on your stomach and cover it with a pot, then heat the pot until the rat burrowed into your flesh to escape; or the flaying, where they would peel your skin off while you were still alive."

Their faces turned pale instantly, as if they were about to faint from fear. They began mumbling incoherently and panicking.

Gojin sighed in disappointment and shook his head. Grabbing them by the back of their clothes, he dragged them toward the line, their feet dragging along the ground as panic set in. He pulled them along with ease.

When he reached the end of the line, he spotted a man in front of them with a wagon, covered by a large, thick brown blanket that concealed a good amount of ginseng brought from another country.

Gojin poked his head out to gauge how long the line stretched. It was about 98 people long—some in groups, some merchants, while others appeared to be nobles, adorned in expensive hakama and holding handmade fans, distancing themselves from the common folk.

This stark division reflected the hierarchical ideology prevalent in society, where status dictated one’s worth and interactions.

Gojin muttered:

"I can’t wait in a line this long; I need to find a way to the front."

He had a straightforward plan for entering the city without causing commotion.

Turning to the two, still trembling with fear, he instructed them to cooperate. They reluctantly masked their anxiety, wearing a fazed expression, though their apprehension was evident.

Gojin moved forward with them to the 67th position in the queue, where four common men stood. Only 30 more people separated them from entering the city.

The other commoners behind watched them closely.

In a low, deep voice that carried a menacing weight, Gojin addressed the four men:

"Why did you take our spots? This is where we were."

As the four men opened their mouths to retort, Gojin silenced them instantly with a hush.

"Huhu, you don’t want to do that... here?"

He tilted his head toward the two guards in the distance, who were checking identifications and shouting as they allowed people in.

The four men fell silent, casting fierce glances at Gojin. They feared that raising their voices could lead to their death, imprisonment, or worse—torture.

No one wanted that.

Gojin pressed on.

"So...? Are you going to keep yell, or will you move out of the way?"

Kenji and Sakura snapped back to reality, staring at Gojin, stunned by his ruthless and effective method of cutting in line and intimidating the men with threats - not indicating it with words.

The four men stepped aside immediately, grumbling and silently cursing Gojin in their minds.

With a straight face, the three of them stepped into the line.

Couple of minutes later - forty five in exact, they were finally three people away from the gate....