Land of Iron

"Then we'll go inspect the site and clean up the traces." The captain prepared to take a look.

"I think you'd be better off not going right now. I don't know whether they have reinforcements, and Orochimaru's subordinates all have very unusual abilities. If you're careless, it'll be easy to suffer losses. I think you should bring two more squads with you. That would be safer." Sasuke was afraid they would run into Kimimaro. If that happened, they would be doomed. Everyone here was a Chunin, with no Jonin accompanying them, since this border region was relatively peaceful.

"Mm, we'll be careful. Then we'll be on our way." They accepted Sasuke's goodwill. After all, they were all Konoha ninja, and based on Sasuke's description, Otogakure's ninja truly were different. If another four people like that showed up as reinforcements, their squad would be finished. So they went to find more people, and in the end, a Jonin led the team.

Kimimaro did not have Orochimaru's endurance. He had already died alone within the Land of Fire, so the patrols did not encounter him. After three patrol squads examined the battlefield, they confirmed Sasuke's words. They then dealt with the body and the scene, while one squad returned to Konoha with the news.

Sasuke found a place to rest. The battle had been quite intense, and it had required careful thinking as well, which was truly exhausting. He rested for a night on the Land of Fire's side, then set off again the next morning.

The closer he got to the Land of Iron, the colder the weather became. Sasuke took out the cloak he had prepared long ago and draped it over himself, continuing onward against the freezing wind. His training did not stop; he still stuck to his daily plan.

The Land of Iron bordered Konoha and faced the Land of Lightning across the sea, yet its climate was extremely cold. However, because it produced large quantities of iron ore, the country was fairly prosperous. At the same time, it was the last gathering place for samurai, and its military strength was formidable. Its leader, Mifune, was a figure comparable to a Kage. It was precisely for these reasons that the Land of Iron could remain neutral and refrain from participating in wars between ninja.

As soon as Sasuke entered the Land of Iron, he was stopped by patrolling samurai. The Land of Iron had another distinguishing feature: training samurai was easier than training ninja. They did not need ninjutsu; wearing specially made armor and wielding specially made swords allowed them to fight ninja. All their combat power was concentrated in their blades, so there could be many samurai.

"This is the Land of Iron. State your business." The fully armed samurai watched Sasuke warily.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke, a Chunin from Konoha. I have identification documents." Sasuke stated which ninja village he belonged to, then presented his papers.

"May I ask your purpose for coming to the Land of Iron?"

"I'm looking for a Forging Master. I want to forge a weapon. Do you know where I can find one?" Sasuke asked while he had the chance. After all, he knew little about the Land of Iron; it had not appeared much in the Naruto anime.

"You may pass. Ninja are forbidden from fighting in the Land of Iron. I hope you understand. You can go to Three Wolf Mountain. Our Forging Masters are all there. As for who will forge your weapon, that depends on your own choice." The samurai gave Sasuke one final warning.

"What if I encounter danger?" Sasuke asked.

"Samurai patrol the cities, so no accidents will happen there. If you encounter bandits or robbers in the wilderness, you may naturally fight back." Sasuke nodded and continued onward.

The Land of Iron was not large, but vast quantities of iron ore existed within its limited territory. This was its main source of income. Where there was iron ore, there were naturally smiths, which was why Sasuke had come here. The Land of Craftsmen also had quite a few smiths, but it was too far from Konoha, and it specialized in Ninja Tools. Sasuke wanted a sword, making the Land of Iron the most suitable place.

After entering the Land of Iron, the roads became increasingly difficult to travel. The frigid wind swept snowflakes along as it raged. Sasuke tightened his cloak and continued forward step by step. He still did not give up his training. The heavy weights caused every step to leave a deep pit in the snow as he slowly advanced.

Three Wolf Mountain consisted of three great mountains shaped like wolf heads. The Land of Iron had been established around them. Though snow filled the sky, Sasuke spotted the three mountains from afar. Several merchant caravans were also making their way through the wind and snow along the road, transporting iron goods for sale. High-quality iron ore was forged into weapons. Besides being used by the samurai of their own country, many were made into Ninja Tools and sold to nations surrounding the Land of Iron. Many ninja also came here specifically to commission custom weapons. After all, ninja combat and ninjutsu came in countless varieties, making a weapon suited to oneself especially necessary. Chakra Metal was the most popular, but it was rare and expensive, beyond the means of ordinary ninja.

The three wolf mouths of Three Wolf Mountain were all excellent locations, capable of blocking the wind and snow while dividing different areas apart. After arriving, Sasuke directly asked for the commercial district. This was where passing merchant caravans gathered, and also where the smiths were concentrated.

The streets were not bustling, but every shop was open. Sasuke did not immediately seek out a Forging Master. He wanted to gather information about the Land of Iron first, since he did not understand the place. The Five Great Nations had agreed not to attack the Land of Iron, but that did not mean there was no conflict here. It was better to ask around in advance, lest he get drawn into unnecessary trouble.

Sasuke looked around and eventually chose a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant for lunch. The Land of Iron was by the sea. Although ocean currents kept the country covered in snow year-round, those near mountains lived off mountains, while those near the sea lived off the sea. The fishermen of the Land of Iron still went out to fish every day. Moreover, the fish in its waters were exceptionally plump because of the cold, so there were many sushi restaurants here.

Conveyor-belt sushi restaurants were inexpensive establishments. A fairly large oval counter stood in the middle of the shop, with customers seated around it. The center of the counter was hollow, where sushi chefs made sushi and placed it on a constantly moving conveyor belt. Plate after plate of sushi passed in front of the customers, with two pieces on each plate. They could take whatever they liked, which was very convenient. However, the fish used here were generally common varieties and not expensive.

After entering, Sasuke looked around and found quite a few people inside. The sushi was cheap, so most people chose to eat here, including passing merchant caravans. When traveling, they generally only needed to fill their stomachs. Naturally, there were also many ninja, mainly from the Land of Fire, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Water. The Land of Iron lay between those three countries. Although their distances from it differed, because of the Land of Iron's unique nature, ninja from all three villages were common here.

Sasuke found an empty seat and sat down. A waiter brought him fresh utensils and a cup of hot green tea. After taking a sip to warm his stomach, Sasuke picked up his chopsticks and prepared to eat.