Chapter 73

The ceasefire with the Sand Hidden Village was something that happened a few days later.

This time, the location for signing the ceasefire agreement was reconfirmed, and the Konoha delegation was not attacked. The signing of the ceasefire agreement proceeded smoothly.

Although the war had ended, the border of the Land of Fire still required ninja to be stationed there.

Moreover, the withdrawal and return to the village was not a matter of a day or two. Unused supplies needed to be inventoried, and many injured needed care.

There were also the bodies of the fallen to be identified and transported back to the village.

Sakumori's team was now idle. With the war over, there was no need to carry out sabotage missions behind the Sand Hidden Village's camp.

Leaving aside the other three, Shiraishi, being a medical ninja, was in a state of being requisitioned and had to stay in the medical unit every day.

When these injured ninja recovered and returned to Konoha, things would go more smoothly.

On this day, Shiraishi worked as usual in the medical unit, cooperating with other medical ninja to treat the injured.

Actually, he was just an assistant. The medical ninja who performed surgery were all experienced and skilled adult ninja.

Shiraishi did not complain about this; it made his workload much lighter.

This kind of life continued until early December. When the Konoha ninja at the front lines began to dismantle their camps and return to the village, Shiraishi's work in the medical unit came to an end.

Returning from the front lines to the village, since they did not move very fast, it took about three or four days to get back.

During this time, they had to take care of the injured and protect the important unused supplies, so they could not move too quickly. Otherwise, they would have returned to the village in a day.

When they returned to the village, Shiraishi experienced the treatment of a 'hero' for the first time.

The Third Hokage and other high-ranking officials of Konoha, along with a large number of Konoha ninja, and the villagers of Konoha, all came to welcome the returning ninja.

After resting for a day, the next day Konoha held a large funeral ceremony.

Only about five hundred bodies could be brought back, and among them, only less than one-tenth were intact.

There were also many who could not be found, or whose bodies were so damaged that they could not be identified as allies or Sand Hidden Village ninja. There were even more of these.

The weather in December was already very cold.

Moreover, the weather on the day of the funeral was not very clear, and there was little sunlight.

Sakumori's team of four wore pure black mourning clothes, standing before the newly added tombstones, in silent mourning.

This war with the Sand Hidden Village, which lasted for more than two years, was even more intense than the Rain Country War. In terms of casualties, it exceeded the Rain Country War.

The overall level of the Sand Hidden Village ninja was far superior to that of the Rain Hidden Village ninja.

"Didn't see Jiraiya-senin."

Ayame looked around and said softly.

Shiraishi also looked around. Among the Three Great Sannin, Orochimaru and Jiraiya were there, and even Jiraiya's disciple Minato was there, but there was no sign of Tsunade.

"Considering that this war directly caused her to lose two of her closest people, it's understandable that she doesn't want to attend such a funeral. However, after everyone leaves, she will probably come alone."

Not wanting others to see the vulnerable side of the Sannin, she chose to come alone to mourn. In Shiraishi's view, Tsunade's heart had become weaker.

However, the strength of a person's heart varies, and their ability to bear bad news also differs.

This was something Shiraishi could fully understand.

"You go back first, I need to discuss something with the Hokage."

After the funeral, Sakumori said this and walked towards where the Third Hokage and other high-ranking officials were.

Shiraishi and the other two did not object. They exchanged glances and left the cemetery.

"It seems this year's New Year Festival will be very quiet."

Ayame said this as she walked, seemingly regretful.

Shiraishi and Ruri also nodded slightly.

It was already December, and many families had been torn apart by this war. Although the festival would still be held, it would definitely not be as lively as in previous years.

Not just civilians, but many ninja from the major clans also fell.

"What are we going to do next? The war ended so suddenly."

"That's because our team didn't participate in the main battles, so it feels that way."

Shiraishi answered Ayame's sigh.

"Don't get complacent just because the war is over. If you die, finding a ninja who can keep up with my rhythm will be very difficult."

Ruri poured cold water on them.

Shiraishi laughed and said, "Don't worry, safety first has always been my principle."

The end of the war does not mean that ninja have lost their place.

In peacetime, ninja still carry out missions, but compared to wartime, the difficulty of the missions will be much lower.

Shiraishi thought that he had never tried a normal mission. All the missions he had been on involved fighting enemy ninja.

The lowest level was B-rank, and the most common were A-rank. Occasionally, he would follow Sakumori on S-rank missions, just to coast along.

Thinking about how Ruri and Ayame were already Chunin, and Sakumori's team had only him as the lowest-ranked Genin, Shiraishi was considering when it would be best to become a Chunin.

After all, being a Genin in a team of elites felt a bit out of place.

After chatting for a while, the three parted ways and went home.

"By the way, are your uncle and aunt coming back for the New Year this year?"

"They'll send some things back."

"Is that so? Won't you feel lonely?"

Shiraishi asked.

"It doesn't matter."

"It seems we'll be keeping watch together again this year."

Shiraishi put his hands behind his head and said casually.

"Yeah, another year with no expectations."

Ruri said, then her gaze swept across the gray sky, lost in thought.

◎

December passed quickly. Since Konoha and the Sand Hidden Village signed the ceasefire agreement, nothing major happened in the ninja world.

During this period, Sakumori's team only carried out two missions, both relatively simple C-rank missions: eliminating a bandit stronghold in the Land of Fire and escorting a merchant convoy to the neighboring Land of Waves.

Compared to the calm ninja world, some significant things happened in Konoha.

Tsunade resigned from her position at the Konoha Hospital and instead devoted herself to training medical ninja at the Ninja Academy.

This left many people puzzled.

Among those who were puzzled was Shiraishi.

Tsunade, with her unparalleled medical ninjutsu, was unmatched in the current ninja world.

The strongest among ninja are the 'Five Kage.'

But in the world of medical ninja, the strongest person is undoubtedly Tsunade.

In the eyes of medical ninja, Tsunade is the peak they strive to surpass.

With Tsunade's abilities, she could easily continue working at the Konoha Hospital while training medical ninja at the Ninja Academy, as the two roles do not conflict.

After all, working at the Konoha Hospital only occasionally required her to perform difficult surgeries, and most injuries could be handled by other medical ninja.

However, the higher-ups gave no explanation, only expressing respect for Tsunade's decision.

Although she gave up her position at the Konoha Hospital, Konoha's medical ninja could still consult her on medical issues.

Tsunade did not say anything about this.

In the field of medical ninja, she is the greatest authority.

She is also very passionate about training more excellent medical ninja for the village.

Compared to the other two Sannin, Tsunade's prestige is undoubtedly more solid, with a vast popular base.

The various medicines she developed for Konoha, and her ability to counter all the poisons of the Sand Hidden Village elder Chiyo during the war, significantly reduced the effectiveness of the Sand Hidden Village's puppet corps' poison attacks.

Not to mention the countless Konoha ninja she saved through surgery, earning their gratitude and building a large network of connections and popular support.

If one of the Sannin were to become the future Hokage, Shiraishi believed Tsunade had the greatest potential.

Inheriting the excellent bloodline of the First Hokage, with a solid popular base, having saved countless patients, and being an outstanding Jonin... if she had the desire to become Hokage, few in Konoha would oppose her.

However, this was just Shiraishi's personal opinion, as Konoha's political environment is... well, how to put it, quite unique.

Shiraishi couldn't find the right words to describe it, so he could only call it 'unique.'

The Hokage's most trusted direct force, the Anbu, is divided into the Anbu and the Root.

The Root is not under the Hokage's control but has the same level of independent action as the Anbu.

The Uchiha clan controls the Konoha police force, which in some respects has more power than the Hokage's direct Anbu.

For example, the Anbu need a Hokage's order to arrest someone, while the police force can detain suspects before the Hokage's order arrives.

As a clan, the Uchiha have very strong power.

However, the headquarters of the police force is not in the center of Konoha but in a relatively quiet part of the village, which is not conducive to their function.

There are many fundamental issues that Shiraishi believes need to be changed.

The First Hokage established Konoha, and the Second Hokage laid the foundation for the development of the ninja villages, but many of their rules are no longer in line with the times.

If reforms are not carried out in the future, some tragic events are likely to occur.

Upon reflection, Shiraishi felt he might be overthinking things.

Organizational matters have been formally established.

The five people he dispatched are currently following Ruri's parents' commercial group, purchasing a large piece of land in the Land of Ghosts to establish a base.

Shiraishi just needs to wait for the next major conflict to leave Konoha and follow his own path.

His ideals and way of thinking are incompatible with this village.

◎

January, the beginning of the new year.

To avoid suspicion, every year during the New Year, he would attend the festival with Ruri.

Now that Ayame has joined Sakumori's team, they can openly be together without causing unnecessary suspicion.

In a sense, a team formed as a squad is a bond, and each member of the squad is like family.

"Happy New Year."

Wearing a new white kimono with a pink cherry blossom pattern, Ayame, who had been waiting on the street for a long time, bowed slightly to Shiraishi and Ruri as they approached.

"Happy New Year."

The two also bowed slightly, and Ruri did not give her a cold look.

Unlike Ayame, Ruri wore a light blue kimono with a blue headband, and there was some space between her hair and the neck of her kimono, allowing a glimpse of her white, slender neck from the side.

The three exchanged red envelopes, which served as gifts for the year.

Because they were still in the aftermath of the war, even during the New Year.

This year's New Year celebration in Konoha was a bit quieter.

It was not yet time for the evening festival, but many festive decorations were already hung on the streets.

For example, straw ropes were hung as sources, and some people placed pine and bamboo in front of their homes.

On the streets, children were already playing with toys, running around, and their laughter could be heard.

Hearing the laughter of these children, much of the sadness brought by the war was dispelled.

"Ruri, your kimono is very beautiful."

"Yeah, yours isn't bad either."

Ruri glanced at Ayame's kimono, which was white with a pink cherry blossom pattern, and it indeed suited Ayame's gentle and pure demeanor.

"Thanks, this is the best gift I received this year."

Ayame said with a smile.

"By the way, where do you two plan to go?"

After hearing Ayame's words, Shiraishi quickly changed the topic to avoid any unnecessary remarks.

"I heard that some new shops have opened in the village. Let's go check them out. After we're done, we can have barbecue with Sakumori-sensei in the evening."

Thinking about the sumptuous meal in the evening, Ayame was very excited about the festival.

Shiraishi and Ruri had no objections.

The focus was on the evening barbecue.

To prepare for this, the three of them planned not to eat anything during the day.

To be honest, Shiraishi was not very interested in shopping, but he understood that the enjoyment for Ruri and Ayame was in the atmosphere, not in actually buying anything.

Ruri aside, Ayame's family background was not bad, and she did not have a strong materialistic desire.

Otherwise, with Ayame's appetite, an ordinary family would have been bankrupt long ago.

In the end, he was the poorest of the three.

Ruri and Ayame were discussing and evaluating a particular item, and occasionally, Shiraishi would join in and give his opinion, creating a very harmonious and family-like atmosphere.

Time passed unnoticed, and the sky began to darken.

More and more people came to the streets.

Snow began to fall, adding a chill, but with more people, the chill was not felt.

Ninja who were usually busy with work took off their ninja uniforms, put on new clothes, and joined the evening festival.

Gradually, the festive atmosphere grew.

There were outdoor plays, with actors in strange costumes and masks, performing bizarre ghost stories, attracting the attention of many children.

On the streets, children were jumping and playing, and even the adults' shouts were ignored.

"Am I late?"

After shopping in the afternoon, the three waited at the agreed place. Not long after, Sakumori, dressed in civilian clothes, appeared before them.

He was holding a two-year-old child, huddled in his arms for warmth.

"No, we still have half an hour before the agreed time. Is this Sakumori-sensei's child? He's so cute."

Ayame looked at the child in Sakumori's arms, who had the same white hair as Sakumori.

He was looking at Ayame with curious eyes.

"Alright, you can come down now, Kakashi."

Sakumori put the child down.

The child, who could already walk independently, stood there in confusion, not knowing what to do.

Ayame picked him up, and he did not cry or fuss, but his upturned eyes showed a very arrogant expression.

Though his eyes were lively, this expression... it would be more comfortable to just give him a good beating.

Shiraishi did not find this child cute at all.

"This child is very energetic."

Ayame said with a smile.

"Where's the energy?"

"Oh, it seems Ruri doesn't have the potential to be a good wife."

Ayame laughed with a proud tone.

Ruri huffed and said with a dismissive tone, "Excessive compassion only harms oneself and others."

As she spoke, she gave Shiraishi a sharp look, as if asking for a fair judgment.

"Alright, you two, let's enjoy the festival."

Sakumori said, making Shiraishi sigh in relief and look at him gratefully.

Sakumori patted Shiraishi's shoulder, as if to say, "I can only help so much."

Young people's affairs are indeed complicated. With Sakumori's keen eyes, he could see the ambiguous relationship between the three, and he sighed inwardly.

The four then entered a nearby barbecue restaurant.

This was the place where Sakumori's team celebrated when they were first formed.

Sakumori remembered it well.

One meal cost him the reward of an A-rank mission.

"Try to eat a little less. Eating too much is bad for your stomach."

Before ordering, Sakumori said seriously.

He was genuinely concerned about their health, not worried about his wallet.

He was the White Fang of Konoha, a renowned Jonin in the village.

A few hundred thousand ryō...

It's better to be cautious.

"But we haven't eaten a single grain of rice all day to prepare for tonight's feast."

Ayame looked at Sakumori with innocent eyes.

"Is this the capacity of the White Fang of Konoha? How disappointing."

Ruri's smile was mocking.

"Can't help it, being the White Fang of Konoha."

Shiraishi also fanned the flames.

After starving all day, they were determined to eat their fill tonight.

Sakumori was amused and exasperated. These guys, except for Shiraishi, the other two were not short of money, so why were they targeting his wallet?

He didn't think he had offended them in any way during missions and had even taken good care of them.

"Bring all of these."

After everyone had chosen what they wanted to eat, Shiraishi called a waiter to prepare it.

The waiter, seeing the selected ingredients and the quantity, was worried if they could finish it all.

But when he saw Ayame, a familiar young girl, he smiled.

Not only did she choose the most expensive and best ingredients, but the quantity was also large, making her a big customer of their barbecue restaurant.

— Two hours later.

Everyone was full and satisfied. When it came time to pay, Sakumori looked at the huge bill, his eyes rolled back, and he looked like he had lost all hope.

It wasn't enough to bankrupt him, but it was just a barbecue, and it made him very heartbroken.

If this happened a few more times a year, he would be bankrupt sooner or later.

"Thank you for the feast, Sakumori-sensei."

Seeing the three satisfied faces, especially Ayame, who was the most enthusiastic eater.

"You three should also consider my wallet a bit."

"But among our team, only Sakumori-sensei is a Jonin."

"Being the most generous Jonin, after all."

"True, being able to consider the team members is what