Is it actually her?
Seeing the girl's familiar attire and that distinctive hair, Shinichi raised an eyebrow slightly in genuine surprise; he had never expected that the future fifth Mizukage from the original timeline would appear here at this moment.
Mei Terumi, the genius girl who, in another timeline, should have grown up safely, mastered two Kekkei Genkai, and eventually ascended to the position of Mizukage.
If he had not suddenly decided to rescue the wounded Kirigakure ninjas buried beneath these ruins, she would likely have been silently buried deep within this forgotten wreckage.
Still, this was quite an unexpected delight.
For the grand and long-term plan in his heart, a future potential Mizukage would be an extremely valuable chess piece.
Of course, it was still too early to talk about such things, but since the seed had already fallen into his hands, there was no reason not to plant it.
Suppressing his thoughts for the moment, he stepped forward, crouched down, and then a gentle green chakra light illuminated his palm as he placed it over the girl's injuries.
After treating her briefly, he took several pills from his waist pouch and fed them to her. Only after her breathing gradually stabilized did he raise his head and speak to the young Medical Ninja who had already hurried over and was awaiting orders.
"Ryokage, I'll leave her to you. Take her away and properly treat her injuries."
"Yes, Captain Shinichi!"
The young ninja named Ryokage immediately accepted the order; he had been one of the Medical Ninjas under Shinichi since the southwestern front and had later followed him through life-and-death battles as a member of Shinichi Battalion on the northeastern front. He was one of Shinichi's old veterans.
Although he could not help feeling somewhat puzzled about why they were saving an enemy, he asked no questions, and since it was Captain Shinichi's order, he simply got to work.
After giving his instructions, Shinichi stood up again and watched as Ryokage carefully lifted the girl onto a stretcher and carried her away, then he turned toward Minato Namikaze and continued the unfinished conversation from earlier.
"So, senior Minato, if we ninja wish to escape the fate of being tools of slaughter, we must first regard ourselves as human beings, and we must also regard other ninja as living people. Even if we were once enemies, once fought each other to the death, or even inherited blood feuds spanning generations..."
At this point, Shinichi smiled slightly.
"Weren't the Senju and Uchiha once exactly like that? They slaughtered one another for hundreds of years. Their hatred was passed down from generation to generation. Yet through the efforts of the first Hokage, the Senju and Uchiha ultimately united under Konoha and became comrades who protected and fought alongside one another."
"The first Hokage already accomplished this. As his successors, we should inherit his will and even expand it from a single village and a single nation to the entire Shinobi World."
"Let the ninjas of different villages, who now kill one another, also put aside old grudges and stand side by side just as the Senju and Uchiha once did."
Through these words, Shinichi skillfully transformed his act of treating the Village Hidden in the Mist enemies into an extension and promotion of the first Hokage's will.
In this way, even if someone felt uncomfortable or dissatisfied with his decision to spare and heal enemies, they would find it difficult to openly question him.
Leaving aside whether anyone in Konoha still dared to challenge Shinichi, even if such a person existed, who could question Hashirama Senju? Who would dare say that the first Hokage's ninja way was wrong?
This was absolute political correctness.
"Perhaps only then will we ninja one day truly return to the original mission and essence that the Sage of Six Paths, the ancestor of all ninja, bestowed upon us when he first founded Ninja Creed."
Shinichi let out a sigh.
To many ninjas, treating enemies was almost an incomprehensible act.
After all, enemies on the battlefield represented a struggle where either you died or they did; why should one heal them instead?
But to Shinichi, the term enemy had always been merely a temporary label.
Long ago, he had already begun viewing everyone in the entire Shinobi World as his future subordinates and subjects.
Even if many of them currently hated him to the bone, had once drawn blades against him, or sought desperately to kill him, as long as they possessed sufficient value, Shinichi would not take it to heart.
Like a tolerant father, he would generously forgive his children's foolishness.
Upon hearing this, Minato fell silent for a moment before nodding seriously.
"I agree with what you're saying, Shinichi. If everyone in the Shinobi World could think the way you do..."
At this point, he tilted his head slightly upward and looked at the gray rain clouds overhead.
"Perhaps the world that Jiraiya-sensei longed for, a world where people understand one another, where there are no wars and no slaughter, might truly arrive."
"That's why we must continue working hard, helping more of our comrades in Konoha, and even beyond Konoha, come to accept our ideals and strive toward that goal together, isn't that right?"
Shinichi smiled and turned around, continuing toward the ruins ahead.
As he walked, he raised both hands, summoning powerful gusts of wind that slowly lifted another section of collapsed debris not far away, revealing an unconscious Kirigakure ninja beneath.
"Senior Minato, I intend to use this opportunity to formally submit a proposal to the village."
As he spoke, he crouched down and began treating the Kirigakure ninja.
"Among the great ninja villages, whether in war or during missions, there should be a shared set of principles governing the treatment of enemy wounded and prisoners. Or rather, a common restraint. You could also call it a public agreement."
Minato paused slightly and followed after him, listening quietly.
"First, on the battlefield, all enemy ninja who have lost the ability to fight, laid down their weapons, or clearly surrendered should be regarded as prisoners. They should receive timely shelter and treatment and must not be killed or left to die."
"Second, surrendered prisoners, regardless of where they come from, should receive basic humanitarian treatment and necessary medical care. They must not be abused, publicly humiliated, or subjected to inhumane interrogation or experimentation. After the war ends, they should be repatriated according to mutually agreed terms and not detained without reason."
"Third, medical personnel, medical facilities, and medical transport should be regarded as protected neutral parties on the battlefield and must not be deliberately attacked."
"Fourth, civilians must not be targeted. Civilian homes, farmland, and water sources must not be attacked. Wars between ninja should not come at the cost of civilian lives and homes, nor should civilians be forced to participate in any war-related activities."
"In addition, Genin and Chunin who have not yet reached adulthood should also fall under protected status. They must not be treated as military targets unless they attack us first."
"Of course, this is only a rough framework."
"The specific provisions will require detailed discussion and refinement with more comrades in the village and even with ninja from other villages before anything can be finalized."
After hearing this, Minato remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.
"This won't be easy, Shinichi. Leaving aside whether the village will agree, even if they do, if only Konoha follows these rules..."