After the conclusion of the war between Konohagakure and Kumogakure, Sunagakure and Kirigakure also sheathed their fangs and retreated into dormancy.
However, the village that suffered the greatest losses in this war was undoubtedly Konohagakure.
When Minato Namikaze conducted a post-war headcount, he discovered with dismay that fewer than one in ten members of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans who participated in the war had survived.
Konohagakure, Hokage's Office.
Bang!
Danzo Shimura slammed his palm onto the desk, his tone laced with reproach as he addressed Minato.
"Fourth Hokage!"
"This war has left almost all of our elite forces on the battlefield, with only you safely returning!"
"Who is going to take responsibility for this?"
"This is clearly a major command failure!"
"Deploying defensive lines without thoroughly investigating the enemy's movements? You didn't even detect that the Sunagakure guy infiltrated the northern front!"
Danzo's accusations were delivered with an air of self-righteousness, as if to say, "Even if we ignore the facts, can you deny you made mistakes?"
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, merely smoked silently, letting the purple haze drift through the office, mirroring the somber mood of the Konohagakure leadership.
"Danzo Elder," Minato said coldly, his face dark and brooding as he sat behind his desk.
"If you believe my command was flawed, then next time we go to war with Sunagakure, I'll assign you as the frontline commander to face Sōmi directly."
"Then we'll see firsthand the brilliance of your strategic talents."
Minato's patience for Danzo, who contributed little but excelled at posturing, was wearing dangerously thin.
"Minato!"
Koharu Utatane, seeing Minato's blatant disregard for Danzo, stepped in to reprimand him.
"No matter what, Elder Danzo has risked his life for Konohagakure. Watch your tone!"
Minato's gaze briefly flicked to the bandages covering Danzo's right eye and arm, which seemed more like badges of honor used to justify his authority.
But Minato, in his foul mood, only spared them a glance before looking away.
Koharu's expression, however, grew increasingly dissatisfied. The advisors and elders derived all their power from the Hokage.
If the Hokage was strong-willed, these so-called advisors were nothing more than figureheads.
But ever since the Second Hokage, these elders, contemporaries of the Third Hokage, had continually carved out more power for themselves under his administration.
This was why Minato, since taking office, had been constrained at every turn.
When Konohagakure was at its peak, the drawbacks of this power-sharing arrangement were less apparent. But now, at a critical juncture, the flaws were glaring.
If Konohagakure didn't unite and overcome its challenges, the village's very existence after the next ninja war would be in question.
Yet even though Minato had the will for sweeping reforms, these elder statesmen clung desperately to their power.
Cough, cough.
"For now, let's focus on maintaining peace and quickly providing relief to the families of the fallen," Hiruzen said, exhaling a cloud of smoke as he attempted to diffuse the tension.
"Everything else... let's leave it for later."
A few days later.
Konohagakure, Uchiha Clan Compound.
The usually lively compound was now shrouded in a heavy atmosphere of grief. The air was thick with sorrow, and the faint sounds of sobbing could be heard, hoarse and broken from prolonged mourning.
Following the sounds would lead one to the Naka Shrine, where the clan's customs dictated that the deceased be mourned by their relatives for several days before burial.
Today was the day the bodies of the fallen were to be transported to the Konoha Cemetery for burial.
Even the clouds overhead seemed to share in the collective sorrow, releasing a gentle drizzle that mingled with the mourners' tears.
A procession of mourners, dressed in black funeral attire and carrying coffins under black umbrellas, slowly made their way from the shrine to the cemetery. Most of them were women and children, their faces streaked with rain or tears.
At the front of the procession were Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Yashiro Uchiha, the acting clan head.
In the second row was a young boy with a face full of anguish. He held an umbrella in his left hand, while his right hand clutched tightly to a younger child, as if afraid this family member might leave him too.
The most striking feature of the boy was his crimson eyes, adorned with a unique pattern resembling three interlocked blades.
The younger child, meanwhile, kept wiping away tears with the back of his hand. His own blood-red eyes contained a single, slowly spinning tomoe.
Land of Wind, a barrier outside Sunagakure.
After learning through Ichikishimahime that the war involving Sunagakure had ended, Sōmi didn't rush back to the village. Instead, he and Ichikishimahime detoured to the Land of Hot Water for a relaxing soak in the hot springs before leisurely flying home.
As a result, by the time Sōmi returned to the village on the fourth day after the war, most of the post-war matters had already been handled.
Within the barrier, a winding stream flowed through a carefully maintained channel, its waters crystal clear. Occasionally, translucent fish could be seen swimming within.
Lush green grass had sprouted along the banks, and nestled among the greenery stood a spacious gray-white stone house. Its sturdy, seamless construction clearly indicated it had been built using advanced Earth Release techniques.
"Sasori!"
"So, what do you think now?"
"Do you finally understand the importance of puppet size?"
"I showed you during our sparring session, but you didn't believe me!"
Sōmi draped an arm around Sasori's shoulder, grinning as he teased him.
After hearing Sasori recount his frustrating battle with Kisame, Sōmi couldn't help but poke fun at him.
"Good thing I left you that summoning scroll. Otherwise, you might not have been able to hold your ground against that guy!"
Sōmi's tone carried a hint of relief. He hadn't anticipated Kirigakure's support for Konohagakure to be so overwhelming.
It was as if Kirigakure had mobilized their entire village to cover for Konohagakure.
This gave Sōmi a new perspective on Kirigakure—its leadership had likely undergone a complete overhaul.
Under the old regime, Kirigakure would never have engaged in such self-sacrificial actions.
"You're right!" Sasori admitted with uncharacteristic humility, reflecting on his shortcomings.
"It seems I need to rethink the form of my art."
"Good, good... there's hope for you yet!" Sōmi said, casually patting Sasori on the shoulder.
"Your puppets all use Earth Milk Jade to connect their networks, right?"
"Why not make them modular? Interchangeable and adaptable—capable of both agility and brute force."
"Otherwise, your effectiveness in future battles will only diminish."
Sasori's eyes lit up with realization. Having grown up alongside Sōmi, Sasori had always been the stronger of the two.
That dynamic had changed completely when Sōmi became a Jinchūriki and mastered Sage Mode.
Now, even if Sasori entered Sage Mode, he was no match for Sōmi. His prized "artworks" were little more than scrap metal against Sōmi's Sage Techniques.
This was a bitter pill for the proud Sasori to swallow. To him, a true friend was someone who could fight alongside him as equals, complementing each other's strengths.
Hiding behind a friend, helplessly watching them fight alone while he could only pray, shout, and beg...
That wasn't the kind of friendship Sasori could accept.
"Heh!"
"Don't worry!"
"I brought back something good for you this time. In a little while, your strength will skyrocket."
"By then, I might have to rely on your help again!"
Sensing Sasori's emotional turmoil, Sōmi quickly sought to reassure him. Sasori's pride was formidable, and if left unchecked, his impulsiveness could lead to trouble.
"What is it?" Sasori asked, his curiosity piqued.
"No rush. I'll give it to you in a few days."
"For now, focus on modifying your art."
Sōmi flashed a mysterious smile before casually picking up a bottle from the stone table.
The bottle contained a pale green solution that radiated vitality. However, the object submerged within was rather unsettling—a blood-red eyeball.
The eyeball bore three black tomoe.
The table was cluttered with rows of similar bottles, some containing pairs of crystalline white eyes.
As Sōmi picked up the bottle, he formed a hand seal, and a layer of purple patterns slowly spread across the bottle's surface, seamlessly blending in as if they had always been part of the design.
The sole purpose of these patterns was to block the leakage of any forbidden aura, preventing others from sensing the contents.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
🤔 Want to know what happens next to the characters?
🤫 Eager to explore the untold secrets of this world?
✍️ Ready to read more of my wildest stories?
✨patreon.com/GoldenLong