The remaining duration of our stay within the Land of Iron remained as peaceful as the rest of the stay; there were no real dangers awaiting us, no sudden fights, no assassins in the dark.
It was very much what most people could expect by living in this world, despite its nature and the darkness the world hid; by all accounts, it wasn't all that dangerous unless you were a shinobi.
And even then, it really depended on where you lived and your own circumstances.
But for most civilians, this world wasn't all that much more dangerous than one without chakra and ninja.
Without my Byakugan, I might have suspected that no one had chakra at all, because it really wasn't widely used— even less here in the Land of Iron.
Sure, the samurai used it, but in ways that didn't seem all that obvious. Even Karin had grown bored of samurai, not finding them nearly as cool as ninja.
And I couldn't help but agree; they lacked that extra flashy flair that shinobi had. They fought purely with kenjutsu, which was really just taijutsu using a sword.
And yes, it did have its merits, because if you were going to use taijutsu, you might as well use a weapon. After all, getting hit by a fist might hurt; it might even break a bone, but getting hit with the sharp edge of a blade was far more deadly.
Even a mace was superior to the fist; it also offered greater reach.
Still, I guess it hardly mattered. The only person who really relied on taijutsu was Might Guy, and when you can kick so hard that space itself is affected, well, you get to be a little arrogant and look down on weapons.
Still, the samurai were far from being that strong, and their training mostly consisted of meditating to control their chakra and swinging a sword countless times.
It was really no wonder that Karin grew bored. Even their spars—while exciting at first—quickly lost their lustre, and other than a little training, her sword was quickly forgotten in favour of just playing.
Naturally, I wouldn't just let her waste all her time playing around. She was taught to read and write by Kanna, and I introduced chakra-control exercises as games.
She was getting better and better; it would only be a matter of time before she could start training in full.
She was getting there in both skill and age.
Seven years was a good time to start; just simple things, but given that she wouldn't be going to any form of school, she had plenty of free time to learn how to fight and maybe even sealing.
Though that wouldn't be until she was better at writing. Sealing leaned a lot on being able to write, and just being able to draw wasn't enough, no matter how proud Karin might be when she drew her family.
And it wasn't like I hadn't been doing nothing while staying here. Mifune had asked for my help regarding some illegal shinobi activity happening inside the Land of Iron.
Because, despite the samurai indeed being able to find a tracking unit or ANBU team crossing their borders, it was far more difficult to find someone operating in the criminal underworld.
Those were people deeply hidden, having spent years building their covers before finally revealing their true intentions.
There was a reason that even the big shinobi villages couldn't get rid of spies; they knew what they were doing.
The people I helped locate were doubtfully spies—mostly criminal scum, people who controlled the underworld, who sold information about guard patrols and merchant caravans, who dealt with kidnappings and slavery.
And while the samurai struggled to find them, it was no challenge for me, who could track everyone in a city all at once. Who could see every secret room there was, even the secret passages meant for nobles and important people who used them in case the city fell.
With that level of information available to me, it was no challenge at all to find the people Mifune was looking for; just check for people with more chakra than civilians, and building a list of suspects was done.
Mifune and his men handled the rest.
There was a reason sensors were considered even more important than medics when it came to wars and battles.
When it came to shinobi, information was king, and the Byakugan was one of the very best.
Perhaps only the Uzumaki's Kaguya Mind's Eye was better.
An ability I hadn't yet figured out how to do, despite it being named after me.
It was a tricky ability; it hardly showed up in someone's chakra when they had and used the ability. And it wasn't like there were a lot of people with it around these days.
Kanna didn't have it, and Karin was still too young to have awoken it, so I couldn't even try to figure out how it worked.
Hopefully, once Karin awoke the skill, I would figure out how it worked.
I refused to accept that I couldn't learn it. After all, it was named after ME!
Even if it wasn't more useful than my Byakugan, after all, with how powerful my eyes were, I could already see everything around me in an immense radius.
But I wouldn't say no to any free abilities, much less something that could be useful; after all, it might just be able to see through the shadow clones.
…
Snow fell steadily over the capital.
Not heavily, not enough to obscure the streets or slow the city, but in that quiet, persistent way that softened edges and dulled sound. The Land of Iron wasn't strangers to snow, but this time, it felt different.
This time, I really felt it was time to leave, as if the weather itself warned me that it was time to go before conditions grew worse.
Kanna sat nearby, Karin bundled at her side, the child's attention divided between the snow and the sword resting across her lap.
Despite not liking to train with it, she still treasured it, loving carrying it around and showing it off, something that only annoyed the samurai all the more, seeing her treat a real chakra blade like a toy.
Yet she was a noble child, so something like that was almost expected, and none but the most foolish dared to show their dislike. None dared to voice it, not since the last man who couldn't hold his tongue ended up with a bone stuck in his brain.
"Kanna, I think it is time to leave once more," I finally said, informing her of my intention.
"We are leaving?" Karin asked, finally looking up.
Her face was a mixture of disappointment and curiosity, her small hands tightening on the scabbard.
I nodded. "Yes, Karin, we are leaving soon. We've stayed long enough here; it is finally time to leave."
"But I want to play in the snow!" Karin complained, but not all that much; she seemed more resigned than angry.
I sighed, not that it was all that deep or sad. "I know you do, but we can't stay here forever. There's more to the world than just snow and samurai, you know," I explained to her.
She pouted but didn't argue further.
"Be nice, Karin," Kanna said, not wanting her daughter to start making a fuss. "We shouldn't be a burden on Kaguya-hime," she added, trying to be polite and kind.
"You are not a burden, Kanna. We are family, not some guest I am hosting," I reminded her gently, making sure to correct her.
"Right," she said, not really sounding convinced.
I didn't push further, letting it be for now. Changing her mind wasn't something I could do in a single afternoon.
…
The next morning, Kanna dragged Karin along to go shopping for anything they needed or wanted before getting back on the road. After all, it was possible we wouldn't stop by another large city again for some time, and some things were just harder to get outside of one.
Not every village had anything meant for nobles.
And while they did that, I went to speak with Mifune. It was only polite to bid him farewell after he had hosted us for so long. Despite being a feudal lord, we had gotten along well enough.
His office was, as always, spartan and functional. A map of the Land of Iron dominated one wall, a sword stand held several blades in a corner, and a simple desk sat near a window overlooking the training grounds.
Mifune was already there, seated behind the desk, a cup of tea steaming in his hands.
He rose as I entered, a gesture of respect that felt less like formality and more like genuine regard.
"Kaguya-hime," he said, his voice as measured and calm as ever. "I was told you were planning to depart."
"I am," I confirmed, my own tone even. "We've stayed longer than I initially planned. I thought it best to speak with you before we left," I added, making it clear I wasn't trying to leave without telling him.
"Please, sit," he offered, gesturing to the chair across from him. "I must admit, I will be sorry to see you go. Your assistance with the criminal elements was invaluable. My men would have taken months, perhaps years, to root them out."
"It was only fair I helped you, after you helped get someone to make that sword for Karin," I countered, my tone dismissive.
Mifune simply shook his head. "A sword does not balance the scales of safety for an entire nation. You have my gratitude."
He set down his cup, his gaze steady. "May I ask what your destination is? Or is that a secret?"
"East," I replied simply. "Towards the Land of Hot Water."
"The Land of Hot Water," Mifune repeated. "That is dangerously close to the Land of Lightning, and they are very interested in the two Uzumaki, from what I hear," he warned me, clearly aware of Kumogakure's interest.
"I am aware," I replied, not hiding the fact I already knew that. "I will make sure we are safe."
"Good," Mifune said, and just as I thought the conversation was over, he added, "There is something I must give you before you leave. Please, wait a moment."
I raised an eyebrow but stayed put as he walked over to a locked chest in the corner. He retrieved a small key from a pouch on his belt, unlocked the chest, and carefully lifted out a scroll. It was bound with dark blue silk and sealed with the crest of the Land of Iron.
He returned to the desk and held it out.
"A token of my thanks," he said. "Something that may aid you on your journey. It is a letter of introduction and safe passage. It bears my personal seal, a request to any of my border patrols to render you aid should you require it, and allow you swift passage through our lands."
I took the scroll. The silk was cool and smooth against my fingers, the paper inside felt heavy and substantial. It was more than a simple gift; it was a statement. A declaration that the Shogun of the Land of Iron considered me a friend.
It had limited value, though it might make it easier to communicate with other Daimyō—potentially useful—though we both knew it would mean nothing when it came to Kumogakure's interest.
Still, I accepted it with a small bow of my head. "I thank you, Lord Mifune. I hope I will not have cause to use it."
"As do I," he agreed. "But it is better to have a shield one does not need, than to need a shield one does not have. Your path east… be wary. The Land of Hot Water is a neutral territory, a place of commerce and relaxation, but it is also a nest of vipers. Many deals are made in its hot springs, and shinobi from all the great villages walk its streets openly."
I gave him a wry smile. "I am not careless."
"No," he conceded, a flicker of something—respect, perhaps, or amusement—in his eyes. "I suppose you are not. Still, a warning is a sign of respect. I do not wish to hear that the Kaguya-hime and her companions met an unfortunate end."
I tucked the scroll safely into my sleeve. "Your concern is noted, Lord Mifune. We will be careful."
(End of chapter)
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