In the Land of Iron, the capital city, it was covered in ice and snow. The eaves, streets, and even the crowns of trees and grass were piled with white snow. Even the shoulders and heads of pedestrians were covered with a good amount of snow.
Outside a palace, five people were waiting at the gate. Tatsuma raised his hand to brush off the snow from his hair, vigorously rubbed his hands, and sighed, "It's really cold here. Why do we have to wear formal attire?"
At this moment, all five of them were dressed in elaborate kimonos. Although the fabric of their clothes was sturdy, it couldn't withstand the erosion of the wind and snow in this icy world. Minato beside him couldn't help but nod involuntarily.
Tsunade and the other two looked much better. Except for Orochimaru, who always looked pale as if he were about to die at any moment, the three of them didn't shiver or complain.
Only Jiraiya, wearing a slightly smaller kimono, occasionally grabbed his own ample crotch and adjusted his pants.
Tsunade, upon hearing her disciple's complaint, turned back and pointed to the double-sided fork emblem on their clothes, saying, "Of course, it's to show off the Senju of the forest."
The Senju of the forest referred to another name for the Senju Clan, and the emblem of the Senju Clan had a much longer history than today's Konoha. Coupled with the deeds of Senju Hashirama in the past, the reputation of the Senju Clan spread far in the shinobi world.
Although the Senju Clan no longer exists today, or even if it does, it is only a part of the Konoha village. In diplomatic situations, they still need to represent themselves as Konoha, the Land of Fire, externally.
However, in terms of individuals or people in diplomatic settings, the weight of the Senju Clan is undoubtedly greater. Especially when Tsunade wears this attire, after all, she is the granddaughter of Senju Hashirama. After putting on this attire, anyone would have to show her more respect.
Before departure, Sarutobi Hiruzen instructed them to wear formal attire with the Senju clan emblem. This also carried some significance of borrowing the prestige of the First Hokage. Otherwise, where else could they find these formal clothes?
At this moment, a warrior clad in full armor also emerged from within the gate, returning a document to Tsunade with respect, and said, "Lady Tsunade, and esteemed guests, please come in."
Tsunade, not as carefree as usual, instead had a dignified demeanor reminiscent of Uzumaki Mito. She nodded, and even the headpiece adorned with leaf symbol on her head hardly moved. She followed the warrior into the palace.
Tatsuma glanced at Jiraiya, who was once again adjusting his kimono, then looked at Minato, who was similarly reserved. He raised an eyebrow at him, drawing his attention, and then gestured with his eyes towards Orochimaru, who remained composed.
Minato instantly understood, subtly nodding. Immediately, the two of them mimicked Orochimaru's posture and movements, also stepping gracefully into the palace. It had to be said that in terms of elegance, Orochimaru far surpassed Jiraiya by a considerable margin.
Following Orochimaru's example, the two of them finally shed some of their awkwardness. After meandering through various corridors with the warrior, they eventually entered a hall with very few seats prepared, just six in total.
On the main seat sat a middle-aged man with gray hair. The other five seats were undoubtedly reserved for Tsunade and her companions. Besides them, whether armored or not, everyone else stood.
Tsunade appeared very composed. After bowing, she took her seat. Tatsuma followed Orochimaru's lead in bowing and then sat down as well, continuously glancing around. Tatsuma's assessment of this palace was that the lighting was too poor.
Even in broad daylight, they still needed electric lighting, and what's more, these lights were oil lamps. Electricity had been widely used in Konoha for decades, and various household appliances were readily available. It was surprising that the Land of Iron remained so primitive.
"Lord Mifune, do you happen to be aware of the Land of Rain declaring war on your country?"
While Tatsuma was still critiquing the Land of Iron's infrastructure, Tsunade and the others had already concluded their pleasantries and moved on to the main topic. Hearing this, Mifune nodded and replied, "I have heard a bit."
Seeing Mifune's calm demeanor, or perhaps his indifference, the members of the Konoha delegation simultaneously furrowed their brows. Mifune's lack of concern regarding the Land of Rain far exceeded their expectations.
At this moment, Orochimaru spoke up, saying, "Lord Mifune, if the Land of Rain insists on deploying troops, perhaps the other nations will also be powerless to stop them. Moreover, Hanzo's actions are undermining the peace of the shinobi world. I hope you won't underestimate it."
Upon hearing Orochimaru's somewhat impolite words, Mifune furrowed his brow and replied, "What concern is it of us samurai if ninjas go to war? If they dare to truly attack the Land of Iron, then I will intervene. However, if they are merely bluffing and dare not set foot in the Land of Iron, then if I were to preemptively send troops to engage them, not only would I lose the advantage of terrain, but I would also risk being accused of invading their territory, contradicting the consistent principles of the Land of Iron."
At this moment, although the Land of Iron had not yet officially declared itself a neutral country, they indeed preferred not to involve themselves with ninja affairs. This sentiment wasn't just applicable to Mifune's generation or the present; even during the Warring States period, they simply held their ground.
The Land of Iron's most significant action concerning ninjas wasn't about how many ninjas they killed or how many powerful ninjas they produced. Instead, it was about preventing ninjas from emerging in the Land of Iron, avoiding a situation where samurai of other countries would decline.
On the way here, Orochimaru also mentioned to Tatsuma and others the Land of Iron's view on ninjas, which is that ninjas and ninja organizations are the roots of chaos. Especially in the past century, ninjas have either been at war or plotting wars.
From previous clan wars to present-day wars between nations, it's always the work of ninjas. It seems that causing trouble is the top priority for ninjas, which differs greatly from the samurai's primary duty of protecting the Daimyo.
Therefore, in a certain sense, the samurai of the Land of Iron look down on ninjas. Tatsuma's understanding is that the samurai of the Land of Iron consider themselves to be people of integrity and look down on ninjas as opportunistic individuals who resort to underhanded methods.
Orochimaru pursed his lips, changing his tone, and said, "Lord Mifune, with you and your warrior group in charge, the Land of Iron can naturally maintain peace in the current situation. However, if the actions of the Land of Rain are not stopped in time, once they swallow up several surrounding countries and grow into a major power comparable to the Five Great Nations, then if Hanzo wants to initiate even larger-scale wars in the future, more people will inevitably be drawn into the conflict."
"We in Konoha also earnestly hope that the Land of Iron can send troops to join us in stopping Hanzo's war expansion ambitions for the sake of peace in the shinobi world. We hope, Lord Mifune, that you can see our sincerity."
"Sincerity?" Mifune scoffed, "Sarutobi Hiruzen sends three young people, along with two brats, to talk to me about war. Is that what you call sincerity?"
At this point, Jiraiya, who had been displeased with Mifune from the start, couldn't help but speak up, "Two brats? These are not just any two brats!"
He proudly looked towards Minato and Tatsuma, intending to introduce them as disciples of himself and Tsunade, the most outstanding among the next generation of Konoha. However, Tsunade subtly punched him in the side.
Tsunade glared at Jiraiya, seemingly warning him to keep quiet. After all, they were discussing matters of war, so what did Jiraiya mean by diverting the conversation to the two kids?
But this hesitation from Jiraiya left Mifune somewhat puzzled. He began to scrutinize Tatsuma and Minato. In fact, from the moment they entered until now, Mifune hadn't really looked at the two of them closely.
However, under this scrutiny, Mifune's brow furrowed. Minato's golden hair and warm smile, as well as Tatsuma's white hair and red pupils, with eyes filled with deep thought and scrutiny.
"Is this your brother? Another grandson of Senju Hashirama?" Mifune pointed at Minato. After all, Mifune remembered that Tsunade seemed to have a brother. Then his finger pointed at Tatsuma, and he asked tentatively, "Could he be under Senju Tobirama's lineage?"
Just as Tsunade was about to correct him, Orochimaru gently raised his hand to stop her. He then gave Mifune a smile that seemed to say "You truly understand," and Mifune suddenly had a moment of realization, reconsidering whether Konoha was sincere in its intentions.
Minato Namikaze: ??? Am I being Substituted? No, am I Nawaki now?
Sakamoto Tatsuma: ??? Who am I in relation to Senju Tobirama? Explain it clearly, you jerk!
While Mifune might not hold ninjas in high regard, he couldn't disregard Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama. The reputation of these brothers had transcended the ninja ranks, becoming pioneers and creators of a new era.
Tsunade bringing along a descendant of Senju Hashirama to discuss war was not sincere enough. Bringing along two kids made it even more of a farce. But if these two kids were also direct descendants of Senju Hashirama or Senju Tobirama.
As for Orochimaru and Jiraiya, they were just commoners' children under Sarutobi Hiruzen and couldn't hold any authority.
If previously Mifune thought the delegation sent by Konoha consisted of three young ninjas and two kids, thus feeling the sincerity was lacking, it now turned into a delegation led by three Senju descendants equal in status to Tsunade, with Orochimaru and Jiraiya as assistants.
After a moment of contemplation, the faint impatience on Mifune's face dissipated, replaced by a composed smile as he said, "Since you've come all this way to the Land of Iron, why not take a break for now? Tomorrow happens to be the annual Kenjutsu Competition final in our Land of Iron. With esteemed guests like you, the enthusiasm among our young warriors will only be heightened compared to their usual bouts."
Upon hearing Mifune's words, Tsunade furrowed her brow. Not only did they not immediately deploy troops, but he also had the audacity to hold a Kenjutsu Competition and ask them to stay as guests?
"Lord Mifune, our purpose for coming here this time is not..."
Before Tsunade could finish her sentence, Mifune raised his hand and said, "I understand your intentions. There's no need to repeat them. However, this matter is of great importance, and I cannot simply agree or refuse you outright. Since you have come from afar, the Land of Iron cannot simply leave you waiting. The Kenjutsu Competition in our Land of Iron is more than just a mere Chunin Exam in your Hidden Leaf Village. It is a significant selection trial. By observing, you can better understand the strength of our warriors in the Land of Iron. If the negotiations go smoothly and our two countries reach an alliance to restrain the Land of Rain, having a better understanding of the strength of the Land of Iron would be beneficial for cooperation, wouldn't it?"
Seeing Mifune yield a bit, Tsunade couldn't push further and could only nod, saying, "Then, we'll appreciate your hospitality, Lord Mifune."
Upon hearing this, Mifune's face regained its composed smile. He looked at Tatsuma and Minato, saying, "The participants of the Kenjutsu Competition are all young swordsmen around ten years old. If you have the inclination, you may also engage in some friendly sparring to foster friendship."
Tatsuma raised an eyebrow. Could it be that Mifune didn't know that Senju Tobirama was the ultimate glory of the warriors of the Land of Iron? Tatsuma himself had made a name for himself as "Little Tobirama." Was it unreasonable to consider himself as the Land of Iron's final glimmer of hope?
What kind of warriors dared to spar with him?!
"Alright, I've heard of the Daimyo of the Land of Iron's warriors. It would be an honor to witness them. However, I hope Lord Mifune won't mind if the young warriors of the Land of Iron aren't as skilled as the young ninjas of our Konoha."
Upon hearing Tatsuma's words, Mifune was momentarily taken aback. However, the absolute confidence hidden within his calm demeanor truly befitted someone under Senju Tobirama's lineage.
Minato raised an eyebrow at Tatsuma, seemingly using Tatsuma's tone to jest, "Impressive as always, Tatsuma, declaring victory before the battle."
Tsunade rubbed her forehead, unable to bear watching her disciple. His competitiveness was simply too strong.
"What's your name?"
Mifune snapped back to attention, looking at Tatsuma and asking. Tatsuma straightened his posture, about to answer, but received a signal from Orochimaru's eyes. A thought flashed through his mind, prompting him to change his answer, "Ryuma."
"Tatsu" means dragon, so if he calls himself Ryuma, that's fine, right? Tatsuma even thought about adding the title of Dragon Slayer Warrior, but as a ninja, he felt it was inappropriate to add.
"Ryuma. Alright, I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll defeat the young warriors of the Land of Iron. If you can truly achieve that, I'll grant you a request."
With a grand gesture, Mifune smiled. He kept a close eye on every Kenjutsu Competition, from the preliminaries to the semifinals. The two remaining contenders were impressive swordsmen, older than this kid. Mifune wasn't certain they would lose.
As for granting a request to the ultimate victor, he did this regularly, every year. Some chose to become warriors serving a faction, while others became his disciples. Mifune believed this encouraged the younger generation to strive harder, and he had always done so.
Without hesitation, Tatsuma responded, "Then, how about Lord Mifune leading the troops personally to fight against Hanzo?"
When the conversation circled back to the Land of Rain, Mifune felt a bit displeased, but Orochimaru's eyes lit up slightly. Mifune, a traditionalist warrior, valued faith and commitment above all else.
Sure enough, despite his displeasure, Mifune earnestly said, "If you can truly achieve that, then sure"
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