Chapter 18

Hiruzen made a mental note to find out the source when he had time, as even one such seal at a temporary base had saved the lives of a considerable number of shinobi on several occasions during surprise enemy attacks. Given their ability to camouflage through techniques and move underground, Iwagakure no Sato remained the most unpleasant direct combat opponent.

And good sensors were always in short supply, not to mention that they were often disabled first, alongside medics. Inuzuki weren't always successful, and the vast majority of Hyuga were deployed in Suna and Ame for understandable reasons.

However, even such a small advantage turned out to be sufficient to mobilize all forces and send a messenger with a message. Nevertheless, a third of all forces gathered in the camp were destroyed, and another third would not be able to continue the war soon, having received injuries incompatible with further service for the next few weeks or even months. Once again, they would have to prepare a convoy with severely wounded for Konoha.

With a tired sigh, the Hokage threw a final glance at the devastation and, turning around, headed towards the broken-down nearby reinforcement station and survivors. The only thing comforting in this situation was the even heavier losses suffered by Iwa, expecting a much lighter battle against an unprepared opponent.

That was where the good news ended—besides significant losses, Danzo had been severely injured and lost an eye in a clash with the Tsuchikage, and the main strategist of this front sector had been killed outright, overwhelmed by a dozen high-level shinobi who disregarded losses despite the efforts of those defending.

This loss dealt a much greater blow to Konoha than the loss of replenishable masses of fighters. Good strategists don't grow on trees, and a veteran Nara who had survived the entire first shinobi world war and even participated in clan wars was valued much more than several hundred chunin and a couple dozen jonin.

Ultimately, in war, numerical advantage is neutralized if the strategist is unable to make effective use of it, which had been demonstrated on numerous occasions by Iwa. Not that they had bad strategists, but the Naras noticeably outperformed them in this quality almost every time, confirming their reputation as brilliant commanders.

  ***

"Hey Shikaku," Ryo greeted his cousin wearily, nodding towards Akamichi and Yamanaka, "Hello folks."

"Hello Ryo, are you here on this troubled graveyard too?" Nara replied with a voice lacking enthusiasm.

"Accept our condolences, Ryo," sighed Chouza, looking unusually without food in his hands. Over time, he had gained even more in volume and still towered over me in height, towering over everyone like a huge mound of flesh, though like most Akamichi.

"Thank you. Of course, I'll show up here, especially when dad is in such a state," I sighed heavily, glancing at the tearful women of the three clans standing aside, including Saya and Setsura. "Who would have thought that after surviving the first shinobi war without serious injuries, grandpa would die in the second..."

Not that I was very attached to anyone besides Sai, but still family, as it is. However, with the total number of losses in the clan, it had become a routine matter.

"Not only him, Ryo, not only him."

Indeed, besides the seven Naras, today they buried three more Yamanakas and nine Akamichis—the latest attack on Iwa had cost our forces dearly, and the funerals had been going on for the past couple of days since the convoy with the wounded arrived. Throughout the war, I had been to the graveyard for our clan exactly sixty-three times for a known reason alone, and more than a hundred times for allies.

About half were with closed coffins, and a third were empty altogether—there isn't always time on the battlefield to collect bodies, let alone identify a person by a pile of meat. But what weighed most heavily in terms of responsibility was the absence of the clan head, who had once again gone to the front after a short rest and still hadn't returned.

This meant all organizational matters fell on the shoulders of our mothers, and Shikaku and I had to not only contribute as shinobi but also take care of clan affairs, trying to ease the burden on the women, who were not very emotionally stable due to grandfather's death.

"You look like hell, Ryo," Inoichi slapped me on the shoulder, "You should rest sometimes, instead of pushing yourself so hard."

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