The battle lasted until six or seven o'clock in the evening, taking a full four or five hours to end.
This is already very fast. It would be impossible to end the battle so quickly against the Five Great Nations and their powerful ninja villages.
Moreover, this was done without harming civilians, which shows that it was quite efficient.
If it were like Pain attacking Konoha, that would be terrible. He came to liberate the people, not to massacre villages and destroy countries.
"Go inside, and if you bare your teeth at me again, I'll let you see your own brains!"
Kakuzu led a dozen or so bruised and battered samurai into a room.
Inside the large room were already twenty or thirty wretched-looking samurai, all covered in dust and looking at Kakuzu at the door with resentment.
"Where are these ninjas from? Why are they attacking us?"
A ninja asked blankly, and many people were still in a daze.
He was fine at noon, how did he become a prisoner in just half a day?
Is it that their Land of Iron is too weak, or that their enemy is too strong?
They usually think they look very imposing in their armor, but this is how they actually go into battle?
Many people expressed their inability to accept it and even began to question the meaning of life!
"I heard they're from the Northern Lands!"
"The Northern Lands? What kind of place is that?"
At this moment, someone else spoke up. Although everyone was frustrated and indignant, they also wanted to understand the current situation.
Little did they know that Orochimaru had already planted his own people among these samurai.
It wasn't just these people, but also some respected elders in the village, and in addition to some high-ranking officials around Mifune.
Many samurai captains had already been branded by him.
The time was too short; otherwise, the conflict could have been resolved peacefully, like the conflict between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Snow.
There was no other way; time was of the essence, and we had to seize every minute. So, let's be violent; the unification of dynasties never happens without bloodshed.
Soon, ninjas from the Northern Lands entered the cell where the samurai were being held and began to persuade them to surrender.
At first, they were still defiant, but as their companions explained the situation in the Northern Lands, their initial resolve gradually wavered.
During that time, they encountered a few samurai who kept contradicting them, and they were dragged away by the Northern Lands ninjas. They were never seen again after that.
This scene silenced many people. From the people who came to persuade them to surrender, it was learned that their main purpose this time was to subdue the Land of Iron.
If there are stubborn people who would rather die than comply, Orochimaru wouldn't mind granting their wish.
Not only were the samurai being persuaded, but the villagers were also gathered in the square.
At this moment, nearly a thousand residents of the Land of Iron had gathered in the huge square.
Ninjas holding torches stood around the residents.
A high-ranking official from the Land of Iron is explaining the current situation to the villagers from a high platform.
Meanwhile, Hozuki Mangetsu and others were also nearby. After the leader of the Land of Iron finished speaking, the orator from the Northern Lands stepped forward to continue his speech.
First, calm the panicked villagers; otherwise, a village riot would render all our efforts futile.
There were many people in the crowd who had already submitted to Orochimaru, so things weren't that difficult.
As for Orochimaru, he was drinking hot tea in Mifune's office. In front of him lay a middle-aged man covered in blood, who was none other than Mifune.
Despite his pitiful appearance, he had more than a dozen large and small knife wounds on his body, and a penetrating wound in his shoulder.
These were all superficial injuries; no internal organs were damaged. Apart from excessive blood loss and some lethargy, his heartbeat was still strong.
"You... want to destroy the Land of Iron?"
Mifune, lying on his back in the distance, looked at Orochimaru with some resentment.
After generations of effort, is the Land of Iron destined to perish now that it has been passed down to him?
How could a ruler who had lost his country have the face to meet his ancestors?
"Tch... The Land of Iron really shouldn't exist anymore. Your thinking has gone out of touch with the times!"
Orochimaru took a sip of tea and looked at him with pity.
Which country that closes itself off from the world has ever had a good outcome? I've come here not to destroy them, but to save them!
Providing them with a better environment and better living conditions is truly ungrateful!
As for that reluctance to leave one's homeland, stop joking. Anyone with a bit of ambition would want to leave this harsh and cold place!
It's just that there's constant fighting outside, and no safe living environment. Otherwise, who would want to stay in this godforsaken place forever?
Mifune had considered moving the village to a warmer area further south, but things are never that simple.
I may want to, but my abilities don't allow it!
Upon hearing Mifune's reply Orochimaru, Mifune immediately struggled to get up.
However, his hands and feet were bound, and he could only wriggle on the ground.
The wound, which had already been given a simple bandage, started bleeding again after he fussed over it.
"You! You devil! What have we done to offend you? I'm going to fight you to the death! You demon!"
Orochimaru looked at this pedantic old man. Mifune was already in his early fifties, much older than Orochimaru.
Is it true that older people are all so stubborn? Ōnoki is like that, Rōshi is like that, and the Third Hokage is like that too.
"I want the people of the Land of Iron. They will all become subjects of the Northern Lands. I will not only not harm them, but I will also make their lives better!"
Mifune didn't mind spending a little more time talking to Orochimaru, since the guy was just not very capable, but not a bad person at heart.
This is why Orochimaru spared his life; otherwise, Mifune would be a corpse by now.
Upon hearing Orochimaru's explanation, Mifune immediately stopped struggling.
He never imagined that Orochimaru's purpose in attacking the Land of Iron was this. If it was really as Orochimaru said, then the situation wasn't so bad.
Are you sure you didn't kill any villagers?
The resentment in Mifune's eyes turned into surprise and uncertainty. Who goes to war without wanting resources? This was the first time he had ever encountered such a situation where people and resources were taken away in one fell swoop.
This is annexation! No wonder Orochimaru said the Land of Iron would cease to exist.
"The victor is king, the loser is a bandit! The new era has no ship to carry you. Meeting me is your Land of Iron's good fortune!"
Orochimaru didn't answer his question. Killing villagers? Where aren't there a few fools who just walk right into the line of fire?
This already minimizes the losses; no reform revolution is without bloodshed.
With a wave of his hand, ignoring his complicated expression, two Northern Lands ninjas came over and took Mifune away.
Although this guy's abilities are limited, he has managed the Land of Iron for so long that he still has some prestige.
Given the prevailing trend, keeping him around won't cause any major trouble; on the contrary, it can express goodwill to the villagers.
As for when he arrives in the Northern Lands, he will naturally change his mind, and then he can make good use of his remaining energy.
The Northern Lands is currently facing a severe talent shortage, and keeping the village chiefs and high-ranking officials in these small countries is still useful.
The Northern Land City is simply too large; Orochimaru's forces alone cannot manage it!
After dealing with the matter in the Land of Iron, Hozuki Mangetsu and some ninjas escorted the residents of the Land of Iron to the Northern Lands the next day.
Orochimaru once again led the remaining two hundred-plus ninjas to their final destination – Takigakure!