After persuading Aburame Torune to stand down, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others set out again, continuing toward the Land of Iron to attend the Twin Kage Summit.
The rest of the journey passed without incident, and they arrived at their destination smoothly.
As Senju Haruto stepped into the territory of the Land of Iron alongside Sarutobi Hiruzen and Yamanaka Kaze, that familiar voice echoed in his mind once again.
Congratulations, Host. You have reached the sign-in location. Sign-in commencing!
Sign-in progress must reach 100%. Leaving midway will result in failure.
1%… 23%…
Haruto blinked slightly, glancing at the ground beneath his feet.
"So this time, just entering the Land of Iron counts toward the sign-in progress,"
he thought, already wondering what reward awaited him at 100%.
A few heartbeats later—
66%… 73%…
"The Land of Iron…" Hiruzen's gaze roamed the scenery, his tone tinged with quiet admiration.
The Land of Iron lay deep within the mountains, its geography making it a natural fortress—easy to defend, difficult to invade. Because of its location, the country enjoyed four distinct seasons, and in winter, it became blanketed with thick snow.
In truth, this climate played a major role in why the Land of Iron could remain neutral during the great wars, aside from the mutual agreements among shinobi nations. In winter, its heavy snow made large-scale agriculture impossible. Even if someone conquered the land, its food reserves couldn't sustain large numbers of people for long, turning it into a liability for any great nation.
Moreover, the Land of Iron bordered many other countries, forming a natural buffer zone. Anyone who tried to invade it risked drawing the intervention of neighboring nations before the conquest was complete. And with the country's strong defensive position, it would be no easy feat to take.
Any leader with sense could see that attacking the Land of Iron was an exhausting, thankless endeavor—difficult to take, poor in resources.
"Let's keep moving," Hiruzen said, taking in a deep breath. The air here was crisp and pure—another benefit of a land untouched by war.
Meanwhile, Haruto's sign-in progress quietly reached 100%.
Congratulations, Host. Sign-in complete!
Reward: Asauchi and Mastery of Kenjutsu.
Haruto froze for a moment at the words. He'd suspected from past rewards that this one might involve samurai or swordsmanship, but the specifics still caught him off guard.
The reward didn't materialize in his hands. Instead, it appeared in his inventory, ready to be drawn out by thought alone.
He glanced at the Asauchi lying silently there.
At first glance, it was nothing more than a slender, snow-white katana, no different from the standard blades used by the ANBU in this world.
But as a transmigrator, Haruto knew exactly how outrageous its potential was.
This weapon wasn't native to the Naruto world at all—it came from another series entirely, Bleach. "Asauchi" was the name given to a Zanpakutō before it awakened into its true form. Forged by Ōetsu Nimaiya, known as the "God of the Sword," it was said to be the most powerful Zanpakutō, its potential limitless.
When given form, it became a naked, featureless humanoid with only a mouth and nose. By pouring in one's spirit and conviction, the wielder could transform it into their one and only Zanpakutō.
In other words—this unassuming blade was far more incredible than even the mastery of kenjutsu.
"Every Zanpakutō has its own unique ability,"
Haruto thought, his excitement growing as he studied the weapon. He couldn't help but wonder—what ability would his Asauchi awaken to?
Would it be the ultimate illusionary power of Kyōka Suigetsu?
Or the world-freezing might of Hyōrinmaru?
Perhaps the inferno that incinerated everything with Ryūjin Jakka?
But the awakening of a Zanpakutō depended entirely on its wielder. A master of deception like Aizen gave his Asauchi Kyōka Suigetsu. The spiritually overwhelming Kurosaki Ichigo had Tensa Zangetsu. And monsters like Zaraki Kenpachi… well, Haruto considered his Zanpakutō the most absurd of them all.
"I might not have reiatsu, but chakra and reiatsu feel pretty similar—both are manifestations of mental and physical energy. The denser it is, the stronger the power."
In Haruto's mind, chakra from Naruto, reiatsu from Bleach, cosmos from Saint Seiya, ki from Dragon Ball, and nen from Hunter × Hunter were all essentially the same thing—sometimes even sharing similar visual effects.
Take Senju Hashirama or the Nine-Tails' chakra, for example. Its sheer magnitude could crush an opponent's will to fight, much like reiatsu or haki.
Which meant—he could pour his chakra into the Asauchi and awaken its one, unique ability.
"Haruto?"
Hiruzen's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
At the entrance to the Land of Iron, guards were already posted. One stepped forward upon recognizing the group, giving a respectful bow before introducing himself.
The man was Rikyaku, a subordinate of Mifune, the general of the Land of Iron's samurai, and one of Mifune's personal guards during the Five Kage Summit.
Though not a shinobi, his strength was on par with a jōnin.
"Lord Hokage, please follow me. Lord Mifune has been expecting you," Rikyaku said with deep respect.
The Land of Iron might remain neutral, but it wasn't ignorant of the great nations—especially the famed Third Hokage of Konohagakure, the "Professor of Ninjutsu" and "Hero of the Shinobi." Even Mifune himself held the man in high regard.
Hiruzen smiled and nodded, motioning for Rikyaku to lead the way.
Of course, Hiruzen understood the reality behind the neutrality. On the surface, the Land of Iron stayed out of shinobi wars, but this was also thanks to Mifune's methods.
Hidden throughout these mountains were countless traps. Without a knowledgeable guide, it was nearly impossible to enter safely.
"Please stay close to my steps," Rikyaku warned as he led them on. "There is only one safe route into the Land of Iron, and it is changed regularly."
The unspoken message was clear—trying to memorize the path was pointless.
Haruto studied the samurai. All of them wore layered silver armor, with at least two swords hanging from their right side. Though not shinobi, they still made use of chakra in battle.