Hey guys, I'm just trying out a new writing style. tell me what you think and if I should continue this story.
The cold wind whipped my face as I trudged across the frozen tundra. My armour clung to my skin from sweat which had rapidly chilled and made the journey that much more uncomfortable. My target was the capital of The Land of Iron, my purpose? That is a question you will have to wait and find out. I was twenty years old at the time, and although I was quite young, I was quite experienced. My whole life up till this moment was constantly filled with violence and bloodshed.
When I was twelve years old I was given an allowance and an apartment from the Hokage, the leader of the Village Hidden in The Leaves. This was due to my orphanage kicking me out for reasons I did not fully understand at the time. I enrolled in the local military academy and graduated within a year and a half, during these times the time required at the academy were streamlined to maximize available manpower due to the current war. War seems to be one of those things we can never truly avoid.
During the spring and summer, the killing seasons, after my graduation I was deployed to the eastern border as cannon fodder like many young ninja fresh out of the academy. I was given the rank of genin and although the more experienced ninja tried to keep us out of harm's way and teach us basic battle techniques eventually even they got discouraged by the losses and would retreat to their own vices to occupy themselves from the brutalities of war. Only in the heat of battle will you find yourself close as lovers with a man or women who is constantly trying to kill you. Only in the heat of battle will you dance with the devil so devoted that one wrong move could spell your end. Of course, only in battle would you prove yourself to those around you and earn the respect of your comrades and enemies alike.
Early fall was the season to capture ground quickly and secure them due to the harsh winter to come. Once winter hit the fighting would be limited to short skirmishes, Lack of supplies and blocked passes from the snow would force large armies to stop and wait out the winter but even waiting around brought its own problems. Sickness ran wild and improper clothing led to many cases of frostbite that left many ninja unable to continue their career. It was in one such fall that I learned the art of kenjutsu the dance of blades I had watched so many men and women live and die from intrigued me. Back in those days many of the skills you learnt were self taught and you had to be careful which battles you picked to wield your katana in. By the third year since starting my career as a Ninja I was promoted to chunin and by the fifth I was a full fledged Jounin. Promotions where relatively easy to obtain in times of war.
That was the five years leading up to this point in my life. Constant killing and mourning. When spring came on that final year and the smell of thawing and rotting bodies filled the air, an armistice was signed between the Iwa village and Leaf village. My first war had come to an end and I was left without a job. Because the war had ended or at least been delayed I was put on the reserve forces and given leave for the next 6 months. When I reached the capital of Iron country after trekking through the frozen country which had no seasons other than winter I was confronted by these large Gates. These were no regular gates, they were siege gates. Built many wars ago to prevent intruders from breaking into the village and laying ruin to it. I put my Hitai-ate in my pouch to remain relatively inconspicuous.
The gate guard greeted me and motioned for me to present some Identification or travel permit. "Perhaps I can interest you in something else instead," I said as I reached for my change purse and produced 4 gold coins. In those days the villages were all hurting for money because the war had taken a toll on all the villages even those that had no part in it had suffered shortages due to supply lines being interrupted and ninja raiding them. They gladly took my money and I was left staring into the vastness of the village of iron. The Village had gotten its name from the large Iron deposits in the nearby mountains and the blacksmiths were world renown for their Excellent Steel and quality craftsmanship.
By now I'm sure you have realised that I arrived here to purchase a weapon. I had heard rumours that a very skillful blacksmith by the name of hattori lived and operated here. His blades were said to be legendary, able to cut through the thickest of armours and, in the most absurd rumor, able to cut clean through a fully matured tree trunk. The only problem I did not forsee was how difficult it would be to find hattori, you see someone as renown as hattori wouldn't just be peddling his wares on the streets. As it turned out after a brief conversation with a local bartender, in a bar that seemed to primarily serve the local samurai garrison, Hattori had been contracted to work for the royal samurai armoury in the walled off military headquarters/training base for the samurai.
The base itself was large but not all that impressive, stone barracks were built to keep out the cold and house the main army and the headquarters was only two stories high, although I was sure it had lower levels and tunnels leading to stockpiles of weapons, armour, and rations. The blacksmith's forge and conjoined main armoury was just to the left of the headquarters and a man could be seen working away in front of a furnace and anvil. Two guards stepped in front of my path barring me from entering the compound. "You seem a bit lost, ninja," the last part was almost spat out. I leveled my gaze at the guard who spoke to me, "I am on official business from Kumo, your Leader Mifune has given me permission to put in a order from kumo to your top blacksmith for new blades to outfit our army with". "If this is true then you may proceed, speak to the blacksmith. He's in the building to the left of the two story building". That was a deception that would only work for a limited period of time before the messenger they sent to the town hall returned.
I knew it would take the messenger ten minutes running flat out to reach the tower and return, time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted. The messenger this time though did not seem to be in any rush and would not be back for at least 15 minutes but by then my task would be complete. I approached hattori who had been working away on the anvil till he noticed me approaching and stopped what he was doing. "Welcome to my shop," he eyed me suspiciously "You don't seem like the usual samurai here to get your weapons repaired. So tell me what kind of business brings a young ninja like you all the way to the land of iron"? "I'm looking for a blade evenly balanced for someone of my build and built to master blacksmith standards. Perhaps you know of someone who can fill those requirements" I jested. He pondered the question for a minute and eyed me up and down, "aye, I can build you a sword that fits those criteria. Typically when a ninja walks through those gates it's on official business and not a personal order," he was quite sharp. "I don't know what you have used to get yourself into this compound but I can tell you one thing that's for sure. You won't be getting back in here to retrieve the blade when it is done. Give me a week. I have many orders already to fill. In a weeks time meet me at my house near the wealthy district, I'll have your blade waiting". He turned his back to me, the conversation was over and I left the compound giving the guards a small smug smile. I found myself the nearest bar to sit down in and relax.