Inside the Kumogakure Raikage's office, the Raikage's secretary Mabui was reporting on Konoha's request to convene a Five Kage Summit.
The Fourth Raikage, A, originally looked completely uninterested. However, when Mabui mentioned that the location of the summit was set in the Land of Iron, a flash of red light suddenly passed through his eyes.
"Raikage-sama?"
Noticing that the Raikage had suddenly frozen, Mabui couldn't help but ask.
Hearing her voice, the Fourth Raikage abruptly stood up and said to Mabui: "Go arrange the guards. Kumogakure will accept this Five Kage Summit."
After saying that, A turned around and left the office.
Left standing there, Mabui stared blankly at the Raikage's back, unable to understand why he had suddenly become so enthusiastic about the summit. But when she thought about the Fourth Raikage's unpredictable temperament over the years, she quickly let it go.
He's the Raikage; it's normal for him to have a bit of a temper.
...
"Madara-sama, we've confirmed it. The Five Great Ninja Villages will be holding the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron."
The Akatsuki base had now become Madara's headquarters. After obtaining the information from the Fourth Raikage's side, Tobi immediately returned to report the news to Madara.
Madara, savoring the wine in his cup, set it down after hearing this. After thinking for a moment, he smiled.
"This is a perfect opportunity to announce my reign to the world. Interesting. In that case, Tobi, come with me. I'm already looking forward to the looks on their faces when they see me."
...
After bidding farewell to his wife and children, Hoshiyomi, Minato, and Hashirama set out together on the road to the Land of Iron.
There was nothing special worth mentioning about the journey. With the strength of the three of them, it was impossible for them to run into any clueless bandits. About two days later, they arrived in the snowstorm-covered Land of Iron.
Looking at the Land of Iron blanketed in silver, a trace of nostalgia flashed through Hoshiyomi's eyes. Back then, he had once spent three full years in this country without being able to use chakra.
Thinking back now, those days were actually quite nostalgic.
Hoshiyomi even took some time off to visit the Kazama Dōjō, but unfortunately, it wasn't just that the people had changed—the dojo itself had been completely transformed.
Not only had old Master Morishige passed away, but even his son Masahiro had died several years earlier. The current head of the dojo didn't recognize Hoshiyomi at all, and even the old man's Wind Severing Slash was being used sloppily.
Seeing this, Hoshiyomi lost any interest in talking further. He simply offered three sticks of incense at the old man's grave, demonstrated his current swordsmanship before the tomb, and then turned and left Hammer Town.
At the main gate of the Land of Iron's capital, the Land of Iron's general, Mifune, stood in the wind and snow, waiting expectantly for the arrival of the Five Villages' Kage.
Due to geographical proximity, the Raikage and Kazekage had already arrived some time ago. Judging by the travel distance, Konoha's representatives should be the third to arrive.
With his right hand resting on the hilt of Kurosawa at his waist, Mifune stared forward expressionlessly, though a faint sense of anticipation stirred in his heart.
Would that youth who had once crossed blades with him at the swordsmanship tournament decades ago attend this summit?
Thinking this, Mifune couldn't help but smile slightly.
Mifune… what are you thinking?
Hoshiyomi is now among the highest ranks of Konoha's leadership—second only to the Hokage himself.
Normally, he would certainly be holding down the fort in Konoha's rear. Even if he does remember me and follows the Hokage to the Land of Iron, what of it?
Could I possibly challenge him to another match? A legendary figure like him has probably long forgotten who I am.
Just as Mifune was thinking this with a hint of self-mockery, he suddenly felt his hairs stand on end. This sensation was not unfamiliar to him—back when he sparred with his master, he would feel this exact warning every time his master's blade was about to touch his throat.
However, ever since he became the general of the Land of Iron, he had not experienced this feeling in a very long time.
Though it had been a long time since he last felt it, Mifune still reacted instantly. The famed blade Kurosawa leapt from its sheath, and with flowing, seamless motion, Mifune unleashed the technique he was best at—Iai Flash.
As a master of iaidō, Mifune was unlike other samurai who practiced countless techniques. The only thing he trained was that single, thunderbolt-like draw of the blade.
A single killing slash, forged through tens of millions of repetitions—nothing more, nothing less.
Clang!
A crisp sound of metal striking metal rang out. After the collision, Mifune lowered Kurosawa, his eyes filled with emotions too complex to describe.
His Iai Flash had been shattered head-on!
Despite the immense distance between them, the opponent had effortlessly broken his slash with a single arc of sword energy.
There was no mistake—only a blade of such breathtaking brilliance could do this. That man had truly arrived in the Land of Iron.
Behind Mifune, his attendant samurai exchanged confused glances. In a daze, they had seen Mifune suddenly draw his blade, followed immediately by the sound of a clash.
They had assumed someone was attacking, but when they looked up, there was no trace of anything. It made them wonder if they had imagined it.
One of them subconsciously asked:
"Did you guys hear something just now? Why is Lord Mifune suddenly holding Kurosawa?"
Another hesitated and said:
"I think I heard it too… Could it be that someone tried to sneak attack?"
The third offered a different opinion:
"Don't be ridiculous. Who would have the nerve to attack Lord Mifune? His iaidō is so fast that he can cut through a candle while the burning wick still stands on the blade without going out. Who would dare to sneak attack someone with a blade that fast?"
The moment his words fell, the three of them suddenly shuddered, feeling a bone-chilling cold.
Lowering their heads, they discovered that at some point, a perfectly straight slash had appeared across their armor, with icy wind pouring through the opening.
Their faces went pale beneath their masks as they hurriedly touched their chests. Only after confirming there was no blood did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Just as the three were secretly rejoicing that their armor had blocked a fatal blow, Mifune suddenly turned around, staring at the cut marks on their chest plates with shock written all over his face.
A sword slash launched from an unknown distance away, yet controlled so precisely that it cut only through the armor and inner clothing without harming the skin in the slightest—what terrifying swordsmanship that was.
Swordsmanship this precise, bordering on the unbelievable… could it be that Gekko Hoshiyomi had already stepped into the legendary realm of the Sword Saint?
As Mifune stood there in shock, Hoshiyomi's voice echoed from afar, drawing closer with each word:
"It's been decades since we last met, Mifune. You've truly grown much stronger as well."
...
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