At the border of the Land of Iron, Tobirama handed the documents provided by the Land of Iron to the guards to verify his identity as Hokage.
After confirming the authenticity of the documents, the guard nodded and asked the three of them to wait there, saying that someone would soon come to greet them.
Although the people of the Land of Iron didn't have much affection for shinobi, as formally invited guests, they were still very courteous in their etiquette.
After a while, a samurai team arrived.
Except for the captain at the very front, the rest were fully armed, wearing thick armor and masks.
The samurai corps of the Land of Iron was the only unit in the entire shinobi world where every member could use chakra.
While they couldn't use ninjutsu, they utilized the nature transformation of chakra to amplify their weapons and their own strength.
For example, they would use Lightning Release chakra to stimulate cell activity or Wind Release chakra to enhance the cutting ability of their blades.
If compared to shinobi, they were all a group of highly skilled taijutsu shinobi.
The samurai captain, not in samurai armor but traditional attire, walked over and said in a neither warm nor cold tone, "Welcome to the Land of Iron, Lord Hokage.
My name is Saito, and I am a squad leader in the samurai corps.
I will be escorting the three of you into the city."
"We appreciate your trouble," Tobirama nodded slightly.
"It is my duty," Saito bowed, then turned and led the way.
The group left the border fortress and headed into the interior of the Land of Iron.
At the same time, the weather grew colder and colder.
The ground, which initially had only a little snow, gradually became covered with a thick layer of snow.
This kind of environment was truly an excellent place for training, quite suitable for groups like samurai.
Fumori Masaki remembered that in a movie version, there was also a country where it snowed all day, called the Land of Snow.
If that also truly existed, then it shouldn't be far from the Land of Iron, at least in the same region.
"Masaki, it seems the samurai in the Land of Iron are truly not simple," Sarutobi Hiruzen gently nudged him at this moment, pointing at the lightly dressed Saito, and whispered.
"Indeed, they are formidable," Fumori Masaki nodded.
Unlike Sarutobi Hiruzen, his unique perception could also sense the other party's physical condition.
In his eyes, Saito's physical fitness was extremely high; it was a body honed through countless trials.
And his walking posture and gait also revealed the abilities he possessed.
"Although the others aren't as formidable as him, they shouldn't be underestimated either," Fumori Masaki glanced at the other armored samurai and said.
These armored samurai wore masks, their faces hidden, and they were almost identical in height, weight, and build, as if they had been duplicated.
They were positioned around the three, front and back, forming a unique formation that could readily meet and counter attacks from any direction.
One difference between samurai and shinobi lay in their combinations.
Shinobi were accustomed to fighting alone because their traditional style was assassination.
Even now that they had emerged and began to attempt team cooperation, only three people could ensure seamless coordination.
Exceeding six people would be somewhat difficult.
When Fumori Masaki and Shimura Danzo led a team of twenty-one, they also fought by dispersing into three-person squads.
Samurai teams, however, were different.
Since their emergence, samurai had fought in organized units.
Even with dozens of people, their cooperation was extremely tacit agreement.
This was an important factor that allowed them to cause trouble for powerful shinobi—a well-coordinated team of dozens, even if they couldn't win, could at least stall the opponent, either by exhausting them or by reducing their stamina, thus buying time for their comrades to follow up.
Saito, walking in front, had acute hearing.
He could hear the discussion between the Hokage's two escorts.
He said nothing, but inwardly felt that these two shinobi were knowledgeable.
The samurai of the Land of Iron were by no means easily manipulated by ordinary shinobi.
Any country wishing to conquer the Land of Iron would have to pay the price of shaking its foundations!
Although Tobirama felt it was a bit inappropriate, the two men's words did not anger these samurai, as they were, after all, praising them.
Their conversation was quite discreet, so Tobirama simply turned a blind eye.
As the group walked on, they entered the town, and more and more civilians could be seen.
They all watched the Hokage and his entourage, escorted by samurai, with curious eyes.
Some knowledgeable people recognized that the three escorted individuals were shinobi and began talking to their companions.
In a samurai nation without shinobi, the appearance of shinobi was a very rare occurrence.
The Five Kage Summit did not happen all the time, making it a topic of conversation for these common people.
Amidst the hushed discussions of the surrounding people, Saito led the three to the main castle.
The security here was noticeably stricter, with patrolling samurai teams visible everywhere.
The atmosphere was silent, as if one's heart was being squeezed.
However, neither Tobirama nor the other two were strangers to battle, so they naturally weren't startled by such a display.
They followed Saito through the corridor to a room, their expressions unchanged.
"This is the room arranged for you all," Saito opened the door, revealing a typical traditional room.
"Lord Raikage and Lord Mizukage have already arrived, but they have been assigned to other rooms, far from here, and are strictly protected by our country's samurai.
No one will be allowed to approach, nor will anyone be allowed to leave.
Please rest assured."
"Does that mean we can't easily go out either?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked.
"You shinobi have many methods; this is a way to ensure safety.
We hope you can understand," Saito said indifferently.
"If you need anything, you can tell our people, and they will bring it in.
Of course, we will also inspect those who bring things in, so there's no need to entertain any crooked thoughts."
"How could we possibly?" Sarutobi Hiruzen pouted.
"That would be for the best; we wouldn't have to worry," Saito smiled faintly, bowed, and then left the room.
After Saito left, Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled and said to Tobirama, "Teacher, I heard that the samurai of the Land of Iron dislike us, and now I've experienced it.
Although their etiquette isn't bad, their words always have a somewhat stifling feeling."
"Don't mind it.
A shinobi is one who endures.
If you can't even tolerate such words, then don't expect to become an excellent shinobi," Tobirama sat down and said.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Fumori Masaki also sat down.
Under such strict security measures, while there was no need to worry about danger, it did make them feel a bit bored.
Having finally come to a foreign country, yet unable to go out, Sarutobi Hiruzen thought for a moment and asked, "Teacher, do you know what the strongest samurai in the Land of Iron is like?"
"The strongest samurai?" Tobirama recalled for a moment and said, "Hmm, during the Warring States period, there was such an extraordinary samurai whose name was Wakonosuke.
If my brother is called the God of Shinobi, then Wakonosuke should be called the God of Samurai."
"The God of Samurai, is he as strong as the God of Shinobi?" Sarutobi Hiruzen thought it unlikely, but still asked.
"In terms of taijutsu, perhaps he was unrivaled, even by the God of Shinobi," Tobirama said.
Although it was only limited to taijutsu, it still proved that this God of Samurai was indeed extraordinarily powerful.
One should know that even with taijutsu, Hashirama had few rivals.
Fumori Masaki was somewhat curious about the samurai and asked Tobirama if he could tell some stories about the Land of Iron.
Upon hearing this, Tobirama also had the idea of broadening their horizons, so he agreed to Fumori Masaki's request and began to recount the fascinating tales he knew about samurai.
This storytelling was not something that could be finished in a short while.
It only stopped when the maid came to deliver their meal, and after the meal, it resumed.
In an era lacking entertainment and with no way to go outside, this was the only way to relieve boredom.