Chapter 105

"Ahem."

Shiro approached the old ghost and whispered, "The dark-haired boy is Tsunade's younger brother and a disciple of Jiraiya. The blond one is a disciple of Master Shinki. They both want to go to the battlefield, so Master Shinki sent them here to experience the reality of war."

"Do they need special treatment?" the old ghost asked, taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

Hissss~~~

When the mask was removed from the old ghost's face, Nawaki and Minato Namikaze couldn't help but gasp. 

*Goodness, what happened to his face?* 

The scarred, expressionless man looked at them with narrowed eyes, the movement causing the damaged skin to twitch.

"Of course, take good care of them. Master Shinki's orders. I'll leave them to you," Shiro said before hurrying off. He didn't enjoy staying around the old ghost—there was something unsettling about him.

The old ghost took a couple of drags from his cigarette, then tossed it to the ground, putting his mask back on before throwing two mismatched raincoats at Nawaki and Minato.

The boys, confused but obedient, slipped on the raincoats without question. The old ghost led them into a windowless room.

"Open the bag."

*What's inside?* Nawaki thought as he hesitated. The moment he unzipped the bag, his whole body froze. A pale, lifeless face with a deep, ragged wound stared back at him. Nawaki's legs felt like springs as he leaped back, pointing at the body.

"This...this...this..."

Minato's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the corpse.

"These were heroes of the village. If we're fortunate, we can bring their bodies back. If not, they're left behind on the battlefield," the old ghost said flatly. He began checking the body, ensuring nothing was missing before picking up tools and suturing the wounds with practiced ease.

Nawaki and Minato stood by, pale and trembling, watching in horror as the old ghost worked.

After he finished, the old ghost zipped up the body bag and turned to them, blood-stained tools in hand. "Your job is to check the bodies, stitch the wounds, and move them to the next room."

"Ugh~~~"

Nawaki couldn't hold it in any longer and ran outside to vomit. Minato soon followed, the stench and sight of the corpses overwhelming them both.

Neither boy had imagined that Shinki would assign them such a task.

*Experience the cruelty of war?* They felt it, alright. These bodies were just the village's own fallen. If they had to inspect enemy corpses, they would probably be sick for days.

"Get back to work!" the old ghost barked once they were done retching. 

If they were here, they had to work. There was no time for weakness.

In the medical room, Shinki removed his gloves and tossed them into the trash. He turned to Silang. "Think those two will handle it?"

Silang's expression was uncertain. "Maybe...maybe not. When I was their age, I froze just looking at a body."

There were few teachers who would send their young students to sort through and move corpses. It was a brutal way to introduce them to war.

Brutal? Maybe, but Shinki knew that facing corpses here was nothing compared to the battlefield.

After a day's work, Nawaki and Minato stumbled back to the rest area, dazed, their faces pale and eyes hollow.

Shinki set a meal on the table and asked with a knowing smile, "Do you still envy those who get to go to the battlefield?"

Nawaki glanced at the meat dishes and felt his stomach churn. He bolted for the door, retching again. 

Minato stayed seated but turned even paler at the sight of the food.

"These two probably won't be eating meat for a while," Shinki noted.

"Eat. This is a lesson all shinobi must learn. No one is exempt," Shinki said firmly.

"Yes..."

Minato forced himself to pick up his bowl and chopsticks, trying not to think about what he had seen. But the gruesome images flashed in his mind, making each bite an ordeal.

Shinki watched his disciple eat, noting his effort. *The blond kid has a strong will,* he thought approvingly.

As for Nawaki...

"Eat!" Shinki said sharply.

After vomiting until he was dry-heaving, Nawaki returned, grabbing his bowl and chopsticks. He shoveled food into his mouth, swallowing hard and forcing himself to keep going.

Influenced by Nawaki's determination, Minato also ate in large bites, their faces contorting as they fought the urge to gag.

Neither of them had imagined that a simple meal could feel as grueling as battle.

"Teacher, do a lot of people die in war?" Minato asked quietly as he stood up to wash the dishes. Keeping busy was the only way he could push the memories aside.

Nawaki sat with a book, sipping tea to keep his stomach calm.

"Yes, many. You can't take the word 'many' lightly. War means death. The Land of Rain has become a living hell," Shinki replied, pausing his reading. "Are you wondering why this war started in the Land of Rain?"

"Yes." Minato nodded earnestly. He thought the people of the Land of Rain seemed tragically caught in the middle.

Shinki set down the medical records, leaning forward on the table. "It's due to the power struggles between the great nations and villages. The Land of Rain is both innocent and not innocent."

He gestured for them to come closer, feeling it was time for a lesson. Minato dried his hands and sat, while Nawaki followed.

Shinki tossed a log into the brazier, flames sparking to life.

"This war began because the Sand Village kept provoking us. In response, our village had to act, so we sent forces into the Land of Rain."

"Why the Land of Rain?" Nawaki asked, raising his hand. He remembered Tsunade telling him that Sand Village's provocations happened in the Land of Rivers. Why did the village choose the Land of Rain instead of going there directly?

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