The Land of Iron was situated on the fringes of the Shinobi World. It was a nation devoid of ninja, making it one of the rare neutral territories.
However, its unique geographical location—sandwiched directly between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning—meant that neutrality wasn't always a choice.
It was true that the Land of Iron hadn't formally participated in the multiple Great Ninja Wars, but that didn't mean its borders were free of conflict. The country frequently served as a buffer zone and battlefield for skirmishes between the Stone and the Cloud. It wasn't nearly as peaceful as outsiders imagined.
The fact that Hanzo of the Salamander had once battled Mifune here in the original story was proof enough of that.
Thanks to the chaotic spatial displacement of the Reverse Summoning Jutsu, Saiki and Tsume had ended up within the Land of Iron's borders. Having no idea how the battle at the front lines had concluded, they decided to head into the nearest town to gather intelligence before deciding on their next move.
The two of them walked down the winding mountain path, the snow crunching softly beneath their boots. Before long, they arrived at the entrance to the settlement.
The Land of Iron, Furuki Town!
At the edge of the town stood an ancient stone stele engraved with the characters for "Furuki Town." The carving was weathered and mottled, bearing the heavy marks of time.
It wasn't far from the capital of the Land of Iron, but due to its high altitude, rugged terrain, perpetual snow cover, and freezing climate, the local economy was far from prosperous.
Most of the townspeople were bundled in heavy cotton coats. The houses lining the streets were built from massive stone blocks and thick timber—squat, sturdy structures designed to withstand the brutal environment.
In a world as violent and chaotic as the Shinobi World, the town didn't even have a gate guard. But after a moment of thought, Saiki understood why.
Seeing the name of the town, it clicked: this was a major gathering place for the Samurai of the Land of Iron. Many warriors came here to train, using the extreme cold to temper their willpower and hone their swordsmanship.
Samurai didn't use flashy, elemental Ninjutsu like shinobi, but they still utilized chakra. By channeling chakra into their Kenjutsu, they had produced many formidable powerhouses of their own.
In a remote, underdeveloped town like this, regular travelers were rare.
Even if outsiders did visit, the vast majority of the town's businesses catered directly to the resident samurai. Anyone foolish enough to cause trouble here would quickly find themselves sliced to ribbons by the local warriors.
Realizing what kind of town this was, Saiki felt a surge of satisfaction. Since this was a samurai hub, it was guaranteed to have exceptional blacksmiths.
Unlike ninja, who could still cast Ninjutsu without weapons, a samurai without a proper blade was effectively stripped of half their combat power.
Saiki's chakra blade had shattered during the battle, and he was just wondering where to find a high-quality replacement. This was a perfect stroke of luck.
Entering the town, both Saiki and Tsume wore heavy black cloaks with the hoods pulled up to conceal their identities. The locals cast wary, vigilant glances their way, but didn't stare for long; the occasional outsider passing through wasn't entirely unheard of.
As they walked down the street, Tsume noticed Saiki paying close attention to the various smithies. "Saiki, do you need a new weapon forged?" she asked softly.
"Yes, Sensei. My sword broke. I want to find a top-tier forge to have a new one made. The forging techniques here are famous across the world; I might be able to find exactly what I need."
The reason they were here in the first place was because Saiki's sword had broken. Tsume had tried to throw him a replacement, only to become the target of the Eight-Tails. To save her, Saiki had suffered a severe backlash and was forced to use the unstable Reverse Summoning Jutsu, landing them in this frozen wasteland.
Tsume nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. We don't know the current situation at the front, so rushing back blindly is too dangerous. It'll take time for news to reach us here anyway, and you need a weapon. We'll lay low here for a bit, get you sorted, and try to gather some fresh intel."
The two chatted as they walked. Instead of heading straight for a blacksmith, they found a decent-looking tavern first, planning to eat and see what rumors they could pick up.
Inside the tavern, a large hearth crackled merrily, filling the room with a comforting warmth. However, it wasn't very busy, and there were no obvious samurai present—just a few local idlers and layabouts.
The arrival of Saiki and Tsume, shrouded in black cloaks, drew a few curious stares, but the patrons quickly lost interest and returned to their drinks.
The two found a quiet table in the corner.
The tavern owner, a middle-aged man with a sharp eye for business, saw them sit down and immediately hurried over with a welcoming smile. "What can I get for you two travelers?"
They both pulled back their hoods, revealing Saiki's handsome, boyish face and Tsume's striking, wildly beautiful features.
Since they were traveling incognito, and despite Saiki being vastly more powerful, he was still visibly a child. To avoid unnecessary complications, Tsume took the lead. "We'll have a few of your signature dishes, a bucket of rice, and two bowls of hot soup to chase away the cold."
"A bucket of rice?" The owner looked at Tsume with obvious surprise.
Sometimes, when serving a large group, taverns would just bring out a small wooden bucket of rice to save the staff from making constant trips for refills. But for two people?
"Yes, a bucket. We might even need a refill," Tsume replied with an easy smile, clearly anticipating his reaction. "We've traveled a long way, and we're quite hungry."
Saiki was an absolute glutton. Although they had eaten earlier in the cave, Tsume knew the walk down the mountain would have burned through his reserves again. She knew exactly how massive Saiki's appetite was.
"Of course! Right away." Although they weren't wearing forehead protectors, their attire clearly marked them as ninja. The owner nodded with a smile and hurried off to the kitchen.
Before long, the owner and a server returned, laying out plates of food, steaming bowls of soup, and the requested bucket of rice. "Please enjoy your meal. Let me know if you need anything else." With that, the owner went back to work.
The Inuzuka clan possessed incredibly sensitive noses. After taking a few quick sniffs, Tsume confirmed the food was untainted and gave Saiki a nod.
Some poisons were colorless and odorless, but a trained nose could detect the vast majority of common toxins.
They weren't famous VIPs, so it was highly unlikely anyone was trying to assassinate them over lunch, but caution was always better than carelessness.
Having cultivated Pre-natal Qi, Saiki was functionally immune to most toxins, capable of using his internal energy to force poisons out of his system like a Qigong master from a wuxia novel. He picked up his chopsticks and dug in first.
Although Saiki had long since become immune to extreme temperatures, a mouthful of hot soup still sent a comforting wave of warmth spreading through his entire body.
After quickly sampling every dish on the table and finding nothing amiss, he gave Tsume a nod of confirmation.
Tsume immediately began eating as well. When she picked up her bowl of hot soup to take a sip, she paused for a fraction of a second, but then drank it down.
Only children worried about indirect kisses from sharing utensils or cups. Saiki had done far more than just kiss her; his "seeds" were likely still resting deep inside her womb. There was no point in being prudish now.
The hot soup hit her stomach, and the warmth flooded her system, chasing away the residual chill and fatigue, leaving her feeling deeply relaxed.
She glanced at Saiki. His movements were so fast, precise, and efficient that one could easily forget he was just a child. The mountain of rice in the bucket and the food on the plates were vanishing at a terrifying, visible rate. Tsume hurriedly picked up her pace so she wouldn't be left with nothing.
After the meal, the owner stood by their table, a look of absolute shock plastered across his face. "Did... did you get enough to eat, little brother?"
Downing the last bowl of hot soup in several large gulps, Saiki let out a satisfied sigh and smiled. "Ah, that hits the spot. Your chef has some decent skills, Boss!"
Hearing the praise, the owner let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for the compliment! Are you sure you don't want to order anything else?"
Saiki had truly taught the owner a lesson today. The boy's appetite was terrifying; looking like a child, he had single-handedly consumed enough food to feed a dozen grown men working hard labor. The table was currently buried under a chaotic stack of empty plates and bowls.
It couldn't be helped. Between the intense dual cultivation and recovering from his injuries, the caloric deficit had been massive. He needed the fuel.
"No, thank you. We're full," Tsume replied, feeling a bit helpless at the owner's stunned expression.
After settling the bill and resting for a bit, the owner—having gathered from their conversation that the two travelers planned to stay in town for a few days—enthusiastically escorted his new "VIP" customers out of the tavern.