Smaug took less than half an hour to fly from Konoha to the Land of Iron.
With Yongye's Light-Weight Rock Technique enhancing him, he could fly faster than sound.
When the Land of Iron appeared on the horizon, its gray-white stone walls and iron-gray rooftops were the first things they saw.
The entire village looked carved from rock. It had none of Konoha's wooden warmth or Sunagakure's loose, earthen feel. It was cold and hard, like iron tempered over and over.
Smaug folded his wings and landed in an open snowfield outside the village, his claws pressing four shallow pits into the frozen ground. Yongye and the other two leaped off his back and landed in the snow.
The village entrance was packed with people.
Mifune, the Land of Iron's general, stood at the front in black samurai armor, a long sword at his waist. Behind him, hundreds of samurai in iron-gray armor stood in orderly ranks.
Every samurai stood straight, their scabbards braced beside their feet and their blades pointed down. Their sword hilts crossed overhead to form an arch.
They waited in silence for the three visitors to pass beneath it.
This was the highest honor samurai could offer.
Standing just behind Yongye, Tsunade stared at the arch of crossed sword hilts and paused.
She had seen countless ceremonies over the years, but never had she seen the Land of Iron arrange such a grand welcome for anyone.
Mixed feelings surged through her. She knew that even her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, had not received a reception this lavish when he came to the Land of Iron.
And she knew the Land of Iron had not extended its highest honor because she was the Fifth Hokage.
It was because of Uchiha Yongye beside her.
Shisui Uchiha stood on Yongye's