Chapter 33 New Year
The war between Sunagakure and Konoha had been ongoing for two years, but compared to Sunagakure, there was a strong sense of war-weariness within Konoha.
Before engaging in the conflict with Sunagakure, Konoha had already been fighting against Amegakure and its shinobi. Many ninja were already exhausted, and in such circumstances, being dragged into the rhythm of war with Sunagakure was deeply frustrating for them. It was easy to imagine how much Konoha had grown weary of the ongoing conflict.
Therefore, when the Third Kazekage presented the peace accord, according to Shiroshi's estimation, there was a significant likelihood that Konoha would agree.
After all, this had been the main strategy Konoha had followed historically.
Continuing to deplete their strength in battles against Sunagakure would only benefit other ninja villages.
"This is getting ridiculous. We've come this far; we should just defeat Sunagakure in one go. These half-hearted peace accords will just let them regroup for a future attempt," Rui said, sitting on a rock with a disgruntled expression.
It had only been a little over a month since they left the village, and Ayane hadn't yet fully satisfied her urge to battle against the Sand ninja. Ending the war now would mean the conclusion of the Sakumo Squad's mission.
"You can't say that. Many ninja from various villages at our camp are also war-weary, and Sunagakure is probably in a similar state. Bringing peace now would benefit both sides. As for the future… we'll deal with that later," Shiroshi stated, considering the matter in line with what a Konoha ninja would.
"That's great. I thought I wouldn't be able to return to the village for the New Year this year. I'm really looking forward to the festival," Ayane chimed in cheerfully.
Shiroshi turned his head away, pretending not to hear her words.
"You're right. Ending the war a bit earlier would allow us to return for the New Year festival... And also, I want to go back and visit Kakashi," Sakumo added, joining in the conversation.
"Kakashi?" Shiroshi and the others were drawn to this name.
"Ah, did I not mention this before?"
Sakumo blinked in confusion.
"No, we've never heard of this person. By the way... who is he?" Shiroshi shook his head.
"He's my son, Kakashi Hatake. Although he's only two years old this year, I believe he will become an outstanding ninja in the future," Sakumo explained.
"Son!?" Shiroshi and the others were stunned, exclaiming loudly.
"Wait, are you serious? I thought you were still single up until now, Sakumo-sensei. I didn't expect you not only to be married but also to have a son..." Ayane hurriedly clarified.
Both Shiroshi and Rui nodded. In their eyes, Sakumo indeed projected the image of a single person.
"Sorry, I thought I had mentioned it before."
"It's fine. It's just a bit surprising to hear this suddenly. After all, this is your personal matter, and before we graduated from the ninja school, we had no contact with you, Sakumo-sensei. So, Sakumo-sensei's son is already two years old... Hatake Kakashi, that's a nice name," Ayane smiled.
Although she smiled, she was thinking in her heart: What kind of name should our child have with Shiroshi and me?
"Speaking of which, I feel a bit negligent as a father. When my son's birthday came in September, I couldn't return to the village to celebrate. And now it's already November."
"You'll have a chance next year. Then, Sakumo-sensei, you can host the celebration."
Shiroshi laughed.
Sakumo sighed. It seemed he was about to lose his wallet. Then he shifted his gaze towards Rui.
"Don't look at me like that. It's your son's birthday party. If I end up paying, wouldn't that be rude? After all, you are Lord White Fang."
No, I don't care about appearances. Upon hearing Rui's blunt refusal, Sakumo internally muttered.
...
Two days later, it was the day when Konoha and Sunagakure would officially sign the peace accord and ceasefire agreement.
The weather was clear, and sunlight was abundant.
The Sakumo Squad began their journey back to the Konoha camp at the border of the Land of Fire.
The signing of the ceasefire agreement was scheduled for nine in the morning.
It was now four in the afternoon.
In other words, the ceasefire agreement with Sunagakure should have been signed already, and this news should have reached the camp and the village as swiftly as possible.
However, when the Sakumo Squad returned to the camp at around five in the afternoon, the four of them sensed that something was amiss.
It was too heavy.
Or rather, it felt sorrowful.
The four of them exchanged glances, not knowing what had happened.
Although they knew that there would be sadness after the war ended, it shouldn't be this heavy.
Within this heaviness, there was also a consuming anger and bloodlust.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know, did something happen?"
Shiroshi began to contemplate, stroking his chin.
Had there been an issue on the agreement's side?
Could it be that Sunagakure hadn't intended to fulfill the terms of the agreement?
Otherwise, this couldn't be explained.
"You're a medical ninja too, hurry to the medical unit! They urgently need more hands!"
Just then, a Konoha ninja rushed over, anxiously telling Shiroshi.
Shiroshi looked at Sakumo, who nodded in agreement. Following the ninja, Shiroshi went with him towards the medical camp's location.
"You guys rest here for a bit. I'll go find Orochimaru to get some information."
Rui and Ayane nodded in response, following Sakumo's instruction.
—Medical camp.
It was a scene of devastation.
Only "devastation" could describe it accurately.
Dozens of Konoha ninja were lying in the tents, their bodies mangled, and their agony was like the howls of vengeful spirits, leaving even Shiroshi momentarily stunned.
What happened?
These injuries, they must have occurred recently... No, perhaps even today?
What had taken place?
Without asking, White Fang immediately followed a skilled medical ninja into action. All these dozens of ninja required immediate surgical intervention.
Moreover, during the emergency care process, there would inevitably be severely injured individuals whom they couldn't save, succumbing directly to the pain.
Sobs and wails mingled together.
Every medical ninja was working furiously, drenched in sweat, with no time for extraneous communication.
After two hours, the emergency treatment ended.
Not because the treatment was successful; it ended early because many couldn't undergo surgery and had already passed away.
Some were saved through emergency treatment, only to still die.
Only a dozen or so were pulled back from the brink of death.
"We did our best."
The chief medical ninja patted Shiroshi's shoulder, seemingly worried that a young medical ninja like him might be psychologically burdened, and offered reassurance.
"Um, senior, what exactly happened? Why did it turn out like this?"
Finally, Shiroshi asked the question he had been wanting to ask the most.
The chief medical ninja knew that Shiroshi was following behind Sakumo, and it was only natural that he wasn't aware of the situation here.
"We don't have specific details. We only know that the delegation that was on its way to sign the ceasefire agreement with Sunagakure was ambushed by unidentified assailants. By the time they were brought back, they were in this condition."
The chief medical ninja said with a pained expression on his face.
"How about the ceasefire agreement? Did the Suna ninja attack?"
"I don't know about that either. But our losses have been heavy this time. I heard that even Jounin Kato sacrificed himself."
"Jounin Kato?"
Shiroshi paused, this surname, and a Jounin at that. Could it be...
"Lady Tsunade's emotions are extremely unstable now. The loss of Jounin Kato has hit her hard."
The chief medical ninja sighed.
"Jounin Kato's strength was so formidable, how could he..."
Shiroshi found it hard to understand.
Jounin Kato referred to Tsunade's current boyfriend. Though his fame couldn't compare to Sakumo's White Fang title, he was still one of the elite Jounin in Konoha. In one-on-one situations, he might not even be inferior to the Sannin.
After all, the power of the Spirit Transformation jutsu was terrifying,
Furthermore, he had a wide range of sensory abilities. Escaping and finding weak points for escape would be quite easy.
"To protect his comrades' retreat, he chose to fight the enemy alone. By the time reinforcements arrived, he... couldn't make it! Lady Tsunade did her best but couldn't save Jounin Kato's life."
"Is that so?"
Shiroshi sighed.
Although he didn't know Jounin Jiraiya personally, the selfless act of saving comrades like this was admirable from any standpoint.
In these times, neither life nor death was a reason for pure joy or sorrow.
This was the present principle of the ninja world.
He could understand Tsunade's pain, but he couldn't experience it firsthand.
Human emotions are unique to each individual.
Because he wasn't close to Jounin Kato, his sigh was only for Tsunade.
The death of her younger brother, Nawaki, and the sacrifice of her boyfriend, Kato... her life fell into a downward spiral...
No, no matter what, she is a part of the Sannin. It shouldn't have been like this, right?
Shiroshi thought like this, but he didn't have much confidence in it.
Humans are ultimately emotionally fragile beings.
Seeing that there was nothing for him to do at the medical camp, Shiroshi left and went to join Sakumo's group at their lodgings.
Sakumo and the others were already waiting there and engaged in conversation.
"Sakumo-sensei, I'm back. What happened? I heard that the delegation of ninja heading to sign the ceasefire agreement with the Suna ninja was attacked by unknown assailants."
"That's correct. Furthermore, Orochimaru was seriously injured too. If it weren't for Jounin Kato's decision to hold the line, it's likely that everyone going to sign the ceasefire agreement would've been surrounded and wiped out."
Sakumo briefly explained what he had learned from Orochimaru.
"This is just outrageous. Regardless, we need to maintain the highest level of vigilance."
Rui wore an angry expression.
After all, they had learned from history. During the First Shinobi World War, the Second Hokage and the Second Raikage of the Cloud Village were ambushed by the radical faction leaders, the Gold and Silver Brothers, during the signing of a ceasefire agreement. The Second Raikage was killed on the spot, and the Second Hokage, to protect his subordinates, eventually perished along with the Gold and Silver Brothers and their troops.
It was all because they had trusted the enemy too much.
With the precedent set by the Second Hokage, one would expect a more cautious approach during the signing of a ceasefire agreement.
Who could have thought that Orochimaru, as the commander, would be seriously injured and only slightly more than half of the Konoha ninja returning?
The biggest sacrifice was still Jounin Kato, who, to allow Orochimaru to lead the Konoha forces to retreat, fought alone to the death.
"Now isn't the time to blame anyone. Have they identified the attackers?"
White Fang looked at Sakumo.
Sakumo sighed and shook his head, saying, "No. Their ninjutsu style is incredibly complex. It's said that one of them has a terrifying strength and seems to possess an ability like immortality. They can resurrect even after being killed once. Due to this ability, many comrades let their guard down and were ambushed, with several high-ranking ninja being killed in an instant."
"Who are they?"
"I don't know."
The furrowed brows of the three from Team Sakumo deepened slightly.
For someone so formidable, with an ability resembling immortality, it wasn't possible for them to be unknown in the ninja world.
How could they not know?
"Maybe they're black market bounty hunters."
Sakumo wasn't very certain about the identity of the leader of the attack on the Konoha delegation going to sign the ceasefire agreement, but he speculated that the attackers might be ninja active in the criminal underworld.
That was a true dog-eat-dog world of darkness. There, too, were many skilled yet not very well-known ninja.
The ninja who attacked the Konoha delegation this time fit the image of these powerful black market ninjas.
"Underground black market? Investigating that would be quite difficult. Could it be that the Sand Village ninja hired them?"
Shiroshi had also heard of this dark side.
It was the hidden side of the ninja world, a world where bounty hunters thrived. They were either defectors from their villages or rogue samurai. While there were many who were mediocre, there were also genuinely skilled individuals.
The complex network of the underground black market had bases in every country, deeply rooted in the ninja world.
"It's a possibility, but we don't have any evidence to prove it. However, before we returned, the Third Kazekage sent an envoy to reprimand us for not arriving at the appointed time. They're questioning whether we intend to continue the war."
This angered many of the Konoha ninja.
In the eyes of many Konoha ninja, the ones who ambushed their delegation were the Sand Village ninja working behind the scenes.
If it weren't for Orochimaru's intervention, the Sand Village envoy would probably have been torn apart by the multitude of Konoha ninja.
Upon hearing this, Shiroshi and the others felt a bit downcast. They could understand the anger of those Konoha ninja.
From the current situation, it was highly likely that Sunagakure had gone back on their word and intended to catch Konoha off guard.
However, all of this was mere speculation. There was no concrete evidence to prove that it was the work of the Suna ninja.
It was indeed frustrating.
"What's the village's stance on this?"
"The village has only just received this news. Given the gravity of the situation, the high-ranking officials will surely debate extensively. Accurate orders probably won't come down for another three or four days."
This was the most conservative estimate.
Now, whether it would be war or peace depended solely on the decisions of the high-ranking officials.
Shiroshi had no objections to this. He wasn't interested in war to begin with, and how the village's high-ranking officials managed the situation was of no concern to him.
…
"Peace talks?"
Three days later, the orders from the high-ranking meeting came down.
Peace talks with Sunagakure.
This caused many of the Konoha ninja at the camp to furrow their brows.
However, the high-ranking officials provided an explanation - the ambush on the Konoha delegation, which prevented the signing of the ceasefire agreement between Konoha and Sunagakure, was all part of Iwagakure's plot.
The unidentified ninja who ambushed the Konoha delegation were hired by Iwagakure from the black market.
At this point, if Konoha and Sunagakure continued to wage war, they would fall into Iwagakure's carefully laid trap together with Sunagakure.
Therefore, they must sign the ceasefire agreement with Sunagakure and remain vigilant against Iwagakure.
"What's going on, Orochimaru?"
Jiraiya, quite puzzled, asked.
Orochimaru produced another piece of information and said, "This is vital intelligence collected by the ANBU. Two days ago, there was a minor conflict between Sunagakure and Iwagakure shinobi in the Land of Bears."
"Sunagakure and Iwagakure... them?"
Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru even more perplexed.
Orochimaru explained, "After the supply depots of Sunagakure were destroyed by Sakumo, they sought cooperation with Iwagakure to obtain some supplies. Iwagakure agreed to the request, but when transferring the supplies two days ago, they only delivered a twentieth of what was promised to Sunagakure. This led to a conflict."
Jiraiya continued to furrow his brows. Something about all this felt off to him.
"Whether it's Iwagakure's Tsuchikage setting up the situation or Sunagakure's Kazekage, or whether both of them teamed up to scheme against Konoha, that's no longer important."
"How could it not be important? That guy sacrificed himself just for—"
"Don't shout here. Too many have died in this war. Kato was a true ninja, that's all."
Orochimaru didn't want to hear Jiraiya yelling in front of him. His emotions were in turmoil at the moment.
"To continue peace talks with Sunagakure is a unanimous decision by the high-ranking officials. After all, if the war continues, it won't just be Sunagakure we face, but also Iwagakure."
'For the sake of one Kato, it's not worth starting a war against both Sunagakure and Iwagakure at the same time,' he thought, though he couldn't voice it out loud.
But that was the reality Orochimaru perceived.
The mastermind behind the previous ambush on the delegation was most likely Sunagakure. However, Orochimaru wasn't entirely clear why they would ambush Konoha before the war's conclusion and involve the Tsuchikage in this scheme, causing Konoha to be cautious.
"What's the Kazekage really thinking?"
…
"It's like doing some kind of warm-up exercise before a battle, gradually heating up the atmosphere."
"Warm-up exercise?"
Only the two of them were in the tent. Ayane looked puzzledly at Shiroshi, not understanding why he was saying such things.
"The one behind the ambush on the Konoha delegation was undoubtedly the Kazekage. Even if he didn't hire them personally, this strategy undoubtedly came from his hand."
"Do you have any evidence for that?"
"The basis for what I'm saying is the warm-up exercise. By eliminating a portion of Konoha's elite ninja before the end of this war, they are weakening Konoha's strength."
"But... if the higher-ups decide to continue the war, won't that be counterproductive?"
Ayane countered.
"That's why they involved Iwagakure. In the eyes of the Konoha higher-ups, the initial intention of Sunagakure was to continue fighting against Konoha because they had received supplies from Iwagakure, which would allow them to continue fighting. However, after the ambush on the Konoha delegation, Iwagakure suddenly drastically reduced the promised supplies to Sunagakure, causing them to lose their ability to continue fighting. From this perspective, Sunagakure in the eyes of Konoha's leadership has been played by Iwagakure. If Konoha continues to fight against Sunagakure, they will fall into Iwagakure's trap."
"Such a simple plan, the high-ranking officials won't fall for it."
"Whether they fall for it or not doesn't matter. What's important is whether they have the capability to wage war against both Sunagakure and Iwagakure simultaneously. The key point is that the Konoha high-ranking officials are not prepared to engage in war with both ninja villages. This is a blatant conspiracy."
While Konoha had the capability to do so, the sacrifice would be even greater.
Shiroshi didn't believe that the Konoha high-ranking officials had the determination to sacrifice almost a decade of Konoha's future development by sparking a war with both Sunagakure and Iwagakure.
It was evident that these two villages, one in the light and one in the shadows, had long been in collusion.
Or perhaps, the Kazekage was manipulating Iwagakure.
Iwagakure didn't collaborate with Sunagakure in this scheme. Sunagakure was the one putting on a one-sided show for everyone's benefit, misleading their perspective and shifting the focus of the problem.
"A warm-up exercise? That's a fitting description."
If what Shiroshi said was true, Ayane thought the term "warm-up exercise" was quite apt.
By wiping out the Konoha delegation and coordinating with Iwagakure, they were preparing for a more intense attack on the Land of Fire.
In other words, in the years after this war ended, Sunagakure would undoubtedly return, under the leadership of the Third Kazekage, with an even more fierce assault.
Recalling a long time ago when Shiroshi had mentioned that after the Second Great Ninja War, there would be a significant gap before the Third Great Ninja War, Ayane couldn't help but feel admiration.
That would indeed be the best time to leave Konoha.
…
Sunagakure's camp.
"Is this your plan for the future, Lord Kazekage? It's truly amazing! No one could have guessed your true intentions, Lord Kazekage."
Surrounded by loyal upper-level Suna shinobi, after they had seen the entire plan, they all revealed a look of reverence toward the Third Kazekage.
Both Iwagakure and Konoha had been played in circles by their respected Kazekage.
Konoha's situation was even more pitiful. After losing so many lives, they still had to continue signing a ceasefire agreement with Sunagakure.
Iwagakure was indeed planning to manipulate Sunagakure into continuing the war against Konoha.
The reduction in the supplies they had originally promised to provide Sunagakure was real and not a fabrication.
However, this very point was also exploited by the Third Kazekage.
Iwagakure was secretly rejoicing while the conflict between Sunagakure and Konoha deepened.
On Konoha's side, they believed that Sunagakure and Iwagakure had long been colluding, and this was a trap aimed at Konoha. They had to be cautious and must continue signing a ceasefire agreement with Sunagakure, preventing a joint attack by Sunagakure and Iwagakure on the Land of Fire.
"In the coming years, we must make good use of the abundant resources we've obtained from within the Land of Fire and train more outstanding shinobi for our village. We are preparing for the next war in a few years. We are also working toward building a prosperous era for Sunagakure. I urge all of you to work together with me."
Rising from his seat, the Third Kazekage's tone was full of confidence and encouragement for his subordinates.
"Yes! We'll serve you to the death!"
These upper-level Suna shinobi stood up from their seats in unison, gazing at the Third Kazekage with zealous eyes.
As if envisioning the years to come, under the leadership of the Kazekage, they would once again open a path into the Land of Fire, plundering even more and better resources.
The era of Sunagakure's true rise was about to arrive.
…
Ceasing hostilities with Sunagakure took several more days. The location for resigning the ceasefire agreement was reconfirmed this time. The Konoha delegation that traveled there was not attacked, and the signing ceremony passed smoothly without any disturbance.
Although the war was over, ninja still had to be stationed along the borders of the Land of Fire. Moreover, the withdrawal and return to the village were not a matter of just a day or two. Unutilized supplies needed to be inventoried, and many injured ninja required care. The bodies of the fallen also had to be verified for identification and transported back to the village.
Team Sakumo was currently idle. Since the war had ended, there was no need for them to carry out destructive operations behind Sunagakure's lines. As for the other three members, aside from the topic at hand, due to his status as a medical ninja, Shiroshi was in a state of requisition and spent his days in the medical corps.
When the condition of the injured improved and they were ready to return to Konoha, everything would be much smoother.
On this day, Shiroshi was working as usual in the medical corps, collaborating with other medical ninja to treat injured shinobi. Those who actually performed surgeries were experienced and skillful adult ninja.
Shiroshi didn't complain about this. In fact, his workload became much lighter due to this arrangement.
This routine continued until early December. As the Konoha ninja on the front lines began to withdraw and return to the village, Shiroshi concluded his duties in the medical corps.
The return journey from the front lines to the village took three or four days due to the pace not being too fast. During this time, they had to take care of the injured and protect important, unused supplies. They couldn't move too quickly; otherwise, they would have reached the village within a day.
Upon their return to the village, Shiroshi, for the first time, experienced the treatment of a "hero." Led by the Third Hokage, a large number of Konoha ninja, along with the village's residents, came to welcome the returning ninja from the front lines.
After a day of rest, a large burial ceremony was held in Konoha. Only a little over five hundred bodies could be brought back, and less than one-tenth of those were kept intact. Many bodies couldn't be found or were so badly damaged that they couldn't be identified as either Konoha or Sunagakure ninja. The latter group was even larger.
December's weather was already very cold. On the day of the burial ceremony, the weather wasn't particularly sunny; sunshine was rare.
The four members of Team Sakumo were dressed in pure black mourning clothes, standing in front of newly erected tombstones, paying their respects in silence.
This war with Sunagakure had lasted for over two years. In terms of casualties, it had surpassed even the Rain Country War and was equally as devastating. The overall skill level of the Sunagakure ninja far exceeded that of the Rain Village's ninja.
"Haven't seen Tsunade around."
Ayane looked around and whispered.
Shiroshi also glanced around. While the Sannin, Orochimaru and Jiraiya, were present, and even Jiraiya's disciple, Minato, was there, Tsunade's figure was conspicuously absent.
"After all, this war directly took away two of the people closest to her. It's natural for her not to want to participate in this kind of funeral. However, I think she might come here quietly after everyone leaves."
Not wanting others to see the vulnerable side of the Sannin, Shiroshi believed that Tsunade's heart had become weaker.
However, the strength of each person's inner emotions varied, and their ability to cope with devastating news differed as well. Shiroshi completely understood this.
"You all can head back. I'm going to talk to the Hokage about something."
After the funeral concluded, Sakumo said this and walked toward the location where the Third Hokage and other high-ranking officials were situated.
The three members of Team Sakumo didn't object. They exchanged glances and left the cemetery park.
"It seems that this year's New Year festival will be quite quiet," Ayane said as they walked down the road, sounding a bit regretful.
After hearing this, both Shiroshi and Rui nodded in agreement.
It was already December. Many families had been shattered by the war, and while the festival would still go on, it wouldn't be as lively as in previous years.
This sentiment was not exclusive to the civilians; many ninja from various clans had also fallen in the war.
"What should we do next? The war's over, but it still feels quite sudden," Rui wondered aloud.
"That's probably because our team hasn't participated in a direct confrontation before," Shiroshi answered Ayane's sentiment.
"Don't let your guard down just because the war is over. If you die, finding ninja who can match my pace will be quite difficult," Rui interjected with a splash of cold water.
Shiroshi chuckled and said, "No worries, safety first has always been my motto."
The war's end didn't mean that ninja had lost their purpose. In times of peace, ninja still carried out missions. However, compared to wartime, the difficulty of the missions would be significantly lower.
Shiroshi realized he had never really attempted a standard mission. All the missions he'd undertaken until now involved combat against enemy ninja.
Even the lowest-ranking missions he received were B-rank, and the majority were A-rank. Occasionally, he would tag along with Sakumo for S-rank missions, contributing less due to his junior status.
Thinking about it, with both Rui and Ayane being Chunin now, and he being the only Genin left in Team Sakumo, Shiroshi contemplated when it would be the right time for him to become a Chunin. After all, being the only Genin in a team of elites felt somewhat out of place.
After chatting for a while, the three went their separate ways, heading back home.
"Speaking of which, will your Uncle and Aunt be coming back for the New Year this year?"
"They'll send some things back."
"Really? Won't you feel lonely?"
Shiroshi asked.
"It doesn't matter."
"It looks like it's another year of staying up late together for the two of us."
With his hands behind his head, Shiroshi casually remarked.
"Yeah, another year with no expectations."
Rui said this and then gazed absentmindedly at the grayish sky.
...
December passed quickly. Since the ceasefire agreement was signed between Konoha and Sunagakure, the ninja world had remained free of major events.
During this time, Team Sakumo had only taken on two missions. Both were relatively simple C-rank missions—exterminating a group of bandits within the Land of Fire and escorting a merchant caravan to the neighboring Land of Waves.
Compared to the tranquil state of the ninja world, there were some noteworthy occurrences within Konoha.
The most significant was Tsunade stepping down from her position at the Konoha Hospital and shifting her focus toward nurturing medical ninja at the ninja academy.
This puzzled many people.
Among them was Shiroshi.
Tsunade possessed unparalleled medical ninjutsu, making her unrivaled in the current ninja world. The top-tier among ninjas was represented by the Five Kage.
But within the medical ninja field, Tsunade stood at the pinnacle.
For medical ninjas, she was the summit they aspired to reach. Given her capabilities, she could easily serve both at the hospital and the ninja academy without any conflicts in their functions.
After all, her duties at the hospital mostly involved challenging surgeries that other medical ninja couldn't handle, while more routine injuries could be managed by the other medical staff.
However, the higher-ups didn't offer any explanation for her decision. They merely stated that they respected Tsunade's wishes.
Even though she stepped down from the hospital, Konoha's medical ninja could still seek her guidance on challenging medical issues. Tsunade didn't object to this.
In the field of medical ninjutsu, she was an unassailable authority. She was genuinely enthusiastic about training more outstanding medical ninja for the village.
Compared to the other two Sannin, Tsunade's prestige was undoubtedly greater. She had amassed a vast network of contacts and support. Many Konoha ninja owed their lives to her surgical skills during the war, inadvertently creating a significant amount of goodwill and popularity.
If one considered who among the three Sannin was most likely to become the future Hokage, Shiroshi believed Tsunade had a better chance than the other two.
With her heritage as the granddaughter of the First Hokage, a solid base of popular support, and the countless lives she'd saved through her surgeries, she was an exceptionally capable Jonin. If she had the desire to become Hokage, few in Konoha would likely oppose her.
However, this was only Shiroshi's perspective, as the political landscape in Konoha was... well, how should he put it, unique.
Konoha's leadership heavily relied on its specialized ANBU forces, known as the Anbu Black Ops, which was further divided into the Anbu and Root factions. However, the control over the Root was not vested in the Hokage; it enjoyed significant independent authority akin to the Anbu.
The Uchiha clan, controlling Konoha's police force, held a power that sometimes exceeded that of the Hokage's direct Anbu. For example, while Anbu required the Hokage's written orders to apprehend someone, the police could detain suspects even before such orders arrived.
As a clan of ninja, the Uchiha wielded considerable power.
Yet, despite their might, the headquarters of the police force—the Uchiha—wasn't located at the heart of Konoha but in a more secluded area, which hindered the effectiveness of their functions.
There were many other principle issues that, in Shiroshi's view, required change.
While the First Hokage had founded Konoha and the Second Hokage had established the village's developmental pattern, many of their regulations didn't align well with the present era.
Without reforms in the future, it was likely that tragic and lamentable events would unfold.
As he thought more about it, Shiroshi found himself getting overly concerned.
The organization's affairs had been officially set in motion.
The five individuals he dispatched were currently following behind Rui's parents' newly established business conglomerate. Inside the Land of Demons, they had acquired a sizable piece of land to create a base.
Shiroshi only needed to wait for the next, potentially fiercer war, and then he could depart from Konoha and follow his own path.
His ideals and mindset didn't match this village at all.
…
January, the beginning of the new year.
To avoid suspicion, every New Year, Shiroshi attended the festival together with Rui. Now that Ayane had joined Team Sakumo, they could openly celebrate together without arousing unnecessary suspicion.
In a sense, a team like this was a bond that connected them. Each member of the team was like family.
"Happy New Year."
Dressed in a fresh white kimono adorned with pink cherry blossom patterns, Ayane waited on the street for Shiroshi and Rui to approach, bowing slightly.
"Happy New Year."
The two of them also bowed slightly, and Rui didn't show any signs of annoyance.
Unlike Ayane, Rui wore a light blue kimono with a blue headband tied around her hair. There were gaps in the clothing around her neck and hair, allowing a glimpse of her slender and graceful neck.
They exchanged red envelopes, considering them as this year's gifts.
Due to the war that had just ended the previous month, even though it was the New Year, the celebrations in Konoha were somewhat subdued.
The village's New Year celebration this year would be a bit quieter.
Though the nighttime festival hadn't begun yet, the streets were already adorned with festive decorations.
There were makeshift fountains crafted from grass ropes and pine and bamboo decorations placed in front of houses.
Children were running around with toys on the street, and their cheerful laughter echoed in the air.
Hearing the laughter of these children helped dispel some of the sadness that the war had brought.
"Rui, your kimono looks beautiful."
"Well, yours is nice too."
Rui glanced at Ayane's kimono, which had a white base with pink cherry blossom patterns. It really complemented Ayane's gentle and pure demeanor.
"Yeah, after all, this is the best gift I've received this year."
Ayane smiled and said.
"By the way, where do you two plan to go?"
Quickly redirecting the conversation after Ayane's remark, Shiroshi didn't want her to say anything unnecessary at this moment.
"I heard that there are several new shops in the village. Let's check them out. After we've had enough fun, we can go eat barbecue with Sakumo-sensei at night."
Thinking about the sumptuous dinner awaiting them later, Ayane's anticipation for the festival tonight grew immensely.
Shiroshi and Rui had no objections to this plan.
The highlight was the evening barbecue.
In preparation, Shiroshi and the others planned to avoid eating anything during the day.
Honestly, Shiroshi wasn't particularly interested in shopping, but he understood that for Rui and Ayane, the joy came from the atmosphere rather than the intention to buy something.
Putting aside Rui for now, Ayane's family background was also quite comfortable, and neither of them had excessive materialistic desires.
Otherwise, with Ayane's appetite, an ordinary family would have gone bankrupt already.
Calculating, he was likely the poorest among them.
Rui and Ayane were discussing and evaluating some products, and occasionally, Shiroshi would join in, giving his opinion. The atmosphere was harmonious, resembling that of a family.
Time slipped away unnoticed, and the sky began to darken.
More and more people were coming out onto the streets.
Delicate white snowflakes began to fall from the sky, adding a touch of cold, but with the increased crowd, the chill was barely noticeable.
Ninjas who were usually busy with their work shed their ninja attire, donned new clothes, and joined the evening festival.
Gradually, a lively atmosphere began to take shape.
There were open-air plays, with characters in strange costumes and masks performing bizarre ghost stories, capturing the attention of many children.
Children were running and jumping on the streets, paying no heed to the shouts of the adults.
"I hope I'm not late."
After shopping in the afternoon, Shiroshi and the others had gathered at the agreed-upon location. It didn't take long for Sakumo, dressed casually, to appear before them.
He held a two-year-old child in his arms, huddled tightly for warmth.
"No, we still have half an hour until the designated time. Is this Sakumo-sensei's child? So adorable."
Ayane looked at the child in Sakumo's arms. Like Sakumo, the child also had white hair.
The child gazed at Ayane with curious eyes.
"Alright, you can come down now, Kakashi."
Sakumo put the child down.
The child was already capable of walking on its own, so after being placed on the snowy ground by Sakumo, it stood there somewhat bewildered, unsure of what to do.
Ayane picked him up and held him in her arms. The child didn't cry, but with his upper eyelids slightly raised, he sported a rather arrogant expression.
While his eyes seemed lively, that expression... perhaps giving him a good beating would be more satisfying.
Shiroshi didn't find this mischievous child cute at all.
"This child seems quite spirited."
Ayane said with a smile.
"He is, to some extent. He's always been quite healthy, and he will become an excellent ninja in the future."
"Sakumo-sensei, today is a rare celebration. Can you avoid saying something that kills the mood? It's not easy to break free from busy missions for this."
"Apologies, it's a professional habit."
Due to his keen insight into the essence of things, Sakumo subconsciously spoke those words.
"Rui, would you like to hold him?"
Ayane looked at Rui.
"No, this brat's eyes are too arrogant. Makes me want to smack him."
Seeing Kakashi's half-closed eyes, Rui felt a bit displeased.
Shiroshi nodded from the side; he felt the same.
This brat would probably grow up to be a delinquent.
"Nah, I think Kakashi's spirited expression is quite a statement."
"Where's the spirit in that?"
"Oh dear, it seems Rui doesn't have the potential to be a virtuous wife and mother."
Ayane seemed to chuckle in a proud tone.
Rui huffed and said disdainfully, "Excessive compassion just brings harm to oneself and others."
With that, she shot a sharp look at Shiroshi, as if expecting him to provide a fair assessment.
"Alright, you two, enjoy this lively festival to the fullest," Sakumo spoke up.
Shiroshi breathed a sigh of relief and gratefully glanced at Sakumo.
Sakumo patted Shiroshi's shoulder as if to say, "I can only help up to this point."
Young people's matters were truly complicated. With Sakumo's discerning eyes, he could naturally see some ambiguous connections between the three of them. He sighed helplessly in his heart.
The four of them then entered a nearby barbecue restaurant.
This restaurant was the place where Team Sakumo had celebrated when they were formed.
Sakumo had a strong impression of this place.
Because of a single meal, he had eaten the payment for an A-rank mission.
"Eat a bit less, overeating isn't good for your stomach."
Before ordering, Sakumo said seriously.
It wasn't that he was concerned about his wallet, but rather he was considering their health.
He was Sakumo of Konoha's White Fang, after all, a respected Jounin in the village.
Just a few hundred thousand ryo...
It would be prudent to be cautious.
"But all three of us haven't had a single grain of rice all day just to indulge in tonight's feast."
Ayane looked at Sakumo with innocent eyes.
"Is this the extent of the White Fang's generosity? Quite disappointing."
Rui's smile held a hint of disdain.
"No choice, after all, it's the White Fang's generosity."
Shiroshi added fuel to the fire.
They had been hungry the entire day; tonight they had to feast.
Sakumo was a bit helpless. These guys, except for Shiroshi, the other two didn't lack this amount of money. Why did they have to give him a hard time about his wallet?
He hadn't offended them in their missions, right? On the contrary, he had taken good care of them.
"Bring all of this to us."
After everyone had chosen what they wanted to eat, Shiroshi called a waiter to prepare the order.
Seeing the selected ingredients and the quantity on the order, the waiter was worried whether their table could finish it all.
However, upon recognizing Ayane, a familiar young lady, the waiter smiled knowingly.
Not only were the ingredients they picked the most expensive and the best, but the portions were also quite large. They were undoubtedly regular customers at this barbecue restaurant.
—Two hours later.
The group had eaten and drunk to their heart's content. When it was time to pay, Sakumo looked at the enormous figure on the bill. His eyes rolled slightly, and he wore an expression of despair.
Though it wouldn't bankrupt him, it was still quite painful for a single barbecue meal.
However, if this kind of thing happened a few times every year, him going bankrupt as the captain was only a matter of time.
"Thank you for the treat, Sakumo-sensei."
Seeing the satisfied expressions on the three faces, especially Ayane's, who seemed to have eaten the most joyfully, Shiroshi felt grateful.
"At least you three could consider my wallet a bit."
"But among our team, Sakumo-sensei, you're the only Jounin."
"After all, you're the Jounin with the most generous heart."
"Exactly, a qualified Jounin takes care of their teammates. Considering all this, you truly are the White Fang of Konoha."
Seeing all three of them praising him in various ways, Sakumo's headache intensified.
They had just been calling him the White Fang of Konoha with a small heart, and now they were praising him so much.
They chatted for a while, then Sakumo took Kakashi and left for another place to have fun. Shiroshi's group didn't disturb them.
Around midnight, it was quite late.
The road was covered with a thick layer of snow.
The once bustling festival had become quiet, and many shops had started to close.
"This year's festival seems a bit happier than before. After all, participating in the festival with fellow clan members, I always feel a bit reserved. It would be great if we could do this every year."
Ayane placed her hands behind her back, stepped on the snow with focused steps, then suddenly lifted her face and smiled at Shiroshi and Rui.
"Of course, we can do this every year. We're teammates in a small team, after all."
Shiroshi answered this way.
"Yeah. Speaking of which, I really liked this year's gift, so let me express my gratitude to you, Shiroshi-kun..."
"Ah?"
When Ayane suddenly brought up this matter, Shiroshi knew things were getting complicated. He was just about to use an excuse to change the topic.
Suddenly, something soft touched Shiroshi's cheek. Ayane's fair and translucent profile was right before him, causing him to stiffen in place.
Rui was also stunned, forgetting to react.
"Although it's not my first kiss, this is a unique mark I've left on Shiroshi-kun. It's quite meaningful. Well then, goodbye."
Ayane blushed shyly, then lightly ran away through the falling snow.
While Shiroshi was still dazed, Rui, beside him, was growing red with anger.
It was a sense of humiliation for her cherished 'toy' to be taken away by someone without hesitation.
This humiliation filled her mind with dark thoughts of wanting to destroy everything.
No other thoughts existed.
"This, this, this—Shameless! How shameless! Obscene! Lewd woman!"
Saying this, Rui formed hand seals with both hands, gathering chakra throughout her body.
"Wait! Don't cause a scene in the village!"
Shiroshi realized what was happening and immediately stepped forward to stop Rui, pushing her down into the snow, preventing her from using Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
After all, on New Year's Day, it wasn't fortunate for the ANBU to come knocking on their door.
A distance away from there, Ayane naturally heard the commotion behind her, but her mind wasn't focused on it anymore.
She touched her lips with her fingers, still feeling Shiroshi's presence there.
This year was going to be a great start.
...
Mid-January.
The four members of Team Sakumo gathered at the entrance of Konoha village.
"This mission is to eradicate an illegal organization within the borders of the Fire Country. There seem to be ninja among them, so it's a B-rank mission and can be upgraded to an A-rank mission at any time. It's not a very difficult task, but don't be careless..."
As Sakumo explained the mission, he suddenly realized that the atmosphere in the team was a bit strange.
Ayane had a gentle, innocent smile on her face, as if she hadn't noticed the odd atmosphere in the team.
Rui's gaze toward Ayane was filled with extreme malice, making Sakumo suspect that she might tear Ayane apart.
"Shiroshi, what's wrong with them?"
Sakumo looked at Shiroshi, the most ordinary and normal medical ninja in the team.
"Nothing, girls go through... this every month."
Rui directly moved to the side and accidentally stepped on Shiroshi's foot, making him turn pale and unable to speak.
"Sakumo-sensei said the mission is dangerous, so don't leave my sight. Otherwise, I can't guarantee your safety."
Hearing Rui's threatening words, Shiroshi could only nod in agreement.
Ever since that day, Rui's expression had become extremely terrifying.
It's impossible to reason with a woman in extreme anger.
Sakumo scratched his head, he was unsure why, but the teamwork within this team seemed to have become more difficult.
(Chapter End)