After a stretch of travel, Uchiha Ying Yue and the other two finally arrived near Iwagakure in the Land of Earth.
As the Land of Earth's most important military stronghold, Iwagakure was the very heart of the entire country.
Surrounded by towering mountains and situated in treacherous terrain, it was a naturally secret fortress with an immense geographical advantage that made it easy to defend.
Standing on a distant hillside, Uchiha Ying Yue and the other two gazed at Iwagakure's unique terrain, feeling the heavy, solemn atmosphere that hung over this land.
"Iwagakure truly is different from the other shinobi villages," Hyuga Ayane said. "The geographical conditions here are extremely harsh. Not only is it difficult to attack, but the people living here must have very hard lives as well."
Yamanaka Chinatsu nodded in agreement. "Yes. Even standing here, we can feel the dryness and heaviness in the air. This environment would be almost unbearable for ordinary people, but for Iwagakure's shinobi, it seems this harsh setting has tempered their unyielding will."
Uchiha Ying Yue's gaze was profound as he studied the mountains surrounding Iwagakure, continuously contemplating the village's structure and significance.
Though Iwagakure's naturally fortified terrain gave it formidable defensive capabilities, it also made communication with the outside world exceedingly difficult.
The rocky mountains surrounding the village were like a natural barrier that shut out the outside world. They were both protection and confinement.
Uchiha Ying Yue pondered aloud, "The Land of Earth's Feudal Lord clearly harbors great wariness toward shinobi. By keeping Iwagakure's shinobi away from productive work, he intends to turn them into mercenaries dependent on the Feudal Lord's economic support. In doing so, he ensures his absolute control over the shinobi, while Iwagakure's shinobi have no choice but to accept this fate."
Iwagakure's shinobi revered the