As mentioned earlier, the Land of Iron lies just beyond the Land of Rice Fields, which borders the Land of Fire. With the war now over, Hoshiyomi's journey went smoothly—his only real trouble came from Lobo's ever-growing size.
Over the past year, Lobo had entered a rapid growth phase. What was once a pup-sized ninja wolf now towered over two meters tall, already comparable to a wolf king in the wild. And he wasn't done growing—Inuzuka Clan estimates suggested a fully matured Lobo could stretch up to eight or nine meters.
One day, Hoshiyomi might really become a "wolf-riding warrior." If paired with transformation techniques like Kiba's Twin-Headed Wolf, Lobo could potentially rival massive summons like Gamabunta.
But Lobo's daily growth made travel difficult. Near Konoha, people were used to ninja beasts, so reactions weren't too extreme. But near the border, things got chaotic.
Entire villages panicked at the sight of Lobo, even organizing militias to confront him. If Hoshiyomi hadn't staged a "man-wolf acrobatics show" to prove Lobo's intelligence and gentleness, they might not have been allowed in.
Realizing the issue, Hoshiyomi began teaching Lobo the Transformation Jutsu. Thanks to his growth in both intellect and chakra control, it didn't take long for Lobo to master it—shrinking from a towering two meters to a one-meter form, resembling a large, sleek dog.
Of course, Hoshiyomi couldn't help adding his own flair. With a few tweaks and Lobo's expressive eyes, he looked like a fluffy, mischievous husky. It was oddly fitting.
Training Lobo to speak was now also on the agenda. He could already understand about 80% of Hoshiyomi's daily speech. With his intelligence, the only real obstacle left was overcoming the vocal anatomy.
By day, Hoshiyomi continued travel and physical training. At night, he practiced swordsmanship and helped Lobo with his speech. After half a month of this routine, they finally arrived at their destination: the Land of Iron.
A strictly neutral nation, the Land of Iron refused to interfere in foreign politics—and didn't allow foreign interference either. Its vast mineral reserves controlled nearly half the ninja tool market in the entire shinobi world.
If the country stopped exporting iron, all the villages would feel it. Yet no one dared attack it—because any aggressor would immediately face unified retaliation.
This balance of power created an unwritten rule: no matter how fierce the wars, no one strikes the Land of Iron.
Hoshiyomi couldn't help wondering—without Naruto's generation uniting the Five Great Shinobi Nations, would the endless fighting have weakened them so much that the samurai rose up and conquered all? Would the ninja world have entered its own shogunate era?
Probably not—but the thought lingered.
Though neutral, the Land of Iron maintained a strong border presence. Even with his forehead protector removed, Hoshiyomi was still subjected to an inspection. But with all his chakra sealed, they couldn't detect anything ninja-related. Even if they had, it wouldn't have barred entry—just led to closer supervision.
It's worth noting that the samurai armor at this time was still traditional. No gas masks, no modernization. After all, Mifune was still a young man, hadn't fought Hanzō yet, and hadn't taken power. That era of battlefield evolution hadn't come.
Ultimately, thanks to his refined appearance, travel clothes, and the beautiful Mikazuki Munechika at his hip, the samurai let him in—mistaking him for a nobleman fascinated by samurai culture.
"Enjoy your stay in the Land of Iron," one said with a courteous nod.
Hammer Town was the outermost settlement of the Land of Iron. Even so, its streets exuded samurai culture. Veterans strolled past with swords on their hips and shaved forelocks, while traveling merchants even carried wakizashi for self-defense. Children played in the streets with bokken, laughing as wooden swords clashed together.
But Hoshiyomi didn't linger. His purpose was clear: to fight strong opponents and refine his Taijutsu—and to sharpen his blade.
Oh, right—his Sword Heart System, that low-key background mechanic, deserved a mention. He hadn't checked it since the Chūnin Exams. Now it showed:
Intermediate Swordsmanship: 100/500
At the end of special training, it had been at 30. The Two-Tails-enhanced enemy during the Chūnin Exam gave around +15. His battle with Kiru earned another +10. The remaining +45 came from his year of grueling, weighted sword training—hard-earned progress, to say the least.
This was the real reason he came to the Land of Iron. If he didn't challenge stronger foes, he'd never break into the Advanced Swordsmanship tier—not even by the age of twenty.
Clearing his thoughts, Hoshiyomi stopped a samurai-looking man on the street and asked:
"Excuse me, sir. Where's the best sword dojo in this town?"
The man's eyes lit up the moment he saw Mikazuki Munechika.
"That's a fine blade, young man! You must be an admirer of our culture! Now that's what a real man uses in battle. None of those delicate little kunai or shuriken, eh?"
…He hadn't answered the question at all.
Hoshiyomi humored the guy, agreeing briefly before repeating his query. This time, he got a proper response.
"Best dojo? Why, that'd be Kazama Dojo—my dojo! Come with me, I'll take you. Train there for two years and you'll be a swordsman to remember!"