Chapter – 561 Funeral Ceremony

Ding-Ding Ding Ding

As Kuroto passed through a street, he could clearly hear the noisy and percussive sounds coming from all directions.

The current Konoha Village has become a super large construction site, this is neither a metaphor, nor exaggerated rhetoric, but just a simple, straightforward, and accurate description.

Wherever one sees, one will find some sort of construction work going on, under the directive of busy villagers, and construction workers while the trolley pullers who are transporting all sorts of materials related to construction work are crowding the streets.

It's been three days since the night of Akatsuki's Attack.

Pain and sorrow are still fermenting in people's hearts, but the reconstruction of the village is the most urgent task and can not be delayed by any means. As the greatest shinobi village among the five great powers, Konoha obviously has its own heritage, so after the ruins were cleared and dead bodies were found and removed, the vigorous village reconstruction project started in full swing.

And while the Konoha started its reconstruction work, the other four Kages who had secretly arrived in Konoha to participate in the Five Kage Conference, gathered up all their subordinates and hurriedly returned to their villages because they were worried about the safety of their villages as well. So, immediately after recovering from their injuries under Tsunade-hime's treatment, they did not delay even an hour and secretly returned using the fastest routes.

One thing to note is that since experiencing everything that happened three days ago, the Five Great Shinobi Villages have reached a consensus, and unanimously declared the Akatsuki Organization as the enemy of the entire world. Therefore, now the Akatsuki Organization has been named the evilest Terrorist Organization that must be annihilated at all costs because it threatens the peace of the entire shinobi world.

This is not only because the Akatsuki managed to almost succeed in their outrageous attack on Konoha, but also because countless people saw the leader of the Akatsuki Organization using the Gedo Mazo statue to extract and absorb the Tailed Beast out of Killer Bee and Karatachi Yagura.

This action of Nagato exposed that Akatsuki's goal of stealing all the tailed beasts is not just pure idiocy, they probably have a method to perfectly use all the stolen Tailed Beasts.

So, their danger level has been increased by several levels again.

Moreover, the act of stealing tailed beasts has also touched the bottom line of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and even Iwagakure, who used to work together with the Akatsuki Organization is unwilling to tolerate such actions.

After all, the tailed beasts are the strategic weapons of the great shinobi villages that are considered the trump cards to be used as a last resort. The main reason why Kumogakure was considered to be an extremely strong village and even had the guts to provoke Konoha is that the people of Kumogakure have mastered the means to perfectly use the tailed beasts and the by doing so the Jinchuriki have reached Kage level strengths.

In fact, it might not even be an exaggeration to say that one of the reasons why the Five Great Shinobi Villages are called the Five Great Shinobi Villages is that they have the power of tailed beasts in their hands.

And Akatsuki has openly shown that they have ambitions to steal these tailed beasts, doesn't this goal alone makes them the enemy of the five great shinobi villages?

Previously, although it was rumoured that the Akatsuki wants to steal all the nine-tailed beasts, the rumours were only rumours and they had no basis. Even if Akatsuki did manage to capture the Jinchuriki of Nibi, the five great villages were still not so serious about Akatsuki's goal.

After all, the tailed beasts are not just weapons of mass destruction that can be used against enemies, they are also ticking time bombs that can explode at any time and their own village, and unless someone masters how to use that power, they will remain ticking time bombs that will have to remain sealed.

Precisely the reason why even the five great Shinobi Villages who have owned the tailed beasts for several decades did not dare to openly claim that they have perfectly mastered the power of the tailed beasts.

So, the five Kage did not believe that the Akatsuki Organization has the means to perfectly use the power of the tailed beasts.

But three days ago, they all saw what the Wooden Statue controlled by Nagato is capable of.

The five Kage themselves witnessed and were shocked to find that the Wooden Statue controlled by the leader of the Akatsuki Organization can actually absorb the tailed beasts' Charka out of the body of the Jinchuriki. This action clarified that the Akatsuki Organization not only has the ambition to collect the tailed beasts but also has the ability to use those tailed beasts.

In the eyes of the five Kage, such a thing is too horrible!

Therefore, they have unanimously declared the Akatsuki Organization as the enemy of Humanity.

Anyway, that aside, after the catastrophic destruction that Konoha suffered at the hands of Akatsuki, the four Kages, including the Tsuchikage have expressed their intentions to Sandaime Hokage that they will try to provide the necessary assistance within their capacity to help with the reconstruction of the village.

There was no fraud in their words, and all four Kage really did want to help Konoha this time.

The reason is also very simple, they knew very well that their villages will be relatively safe only if Konoha, the figurative head of the five great villages stands at the forefront in the upcoming wars against the Akatsuki Organization.

The four Kage fears that if Konoha is not at the forefront, then the next one to be baptized by Nagato's Super Shinra Tensei will likely be their village.

As such, they want to do what they can push Konoha at the front so that their villages can remain safe.

"Haaaawww…"

At this moment, Hayate who was walking next to Kuroto yawned in tiredness.

Kuroto glanced at Hayate from the corner of his eyes and noticed that the already sick and pale Hayate seemed more tired and pale, with deep undereye marks and sunken eye sockets, as if he is just a few steps away from death.

In fact, not only he, even Kurenai and Yugao looked haggard and seemed extremely tired.

Because of the large number of casualties and injuries which resulted in the shortage of manpower, Kuroto's Team-Ro had to undertake the missions of three Anbu Teams, therefore, his Team-Ro has not taken even a little bit of rest in the past three days and are extremely tired.

Kuroto said lightly, "Everyone, hold on for a while longer, next we have to attend the funeral ceremony, after which Team-Ro will be given half a day's holiday…"

Hayate rubbed his eyes, and said with a light chuckle, "Don't worry captain, we can still hold on… the village is in such a state, how can we be lazy?"

Yugao nodded in agreement, "That's right."

Kurenai only nodded silently and did not say anything in particular. Although, one can see that her expression is a little distracted as if she is in the midst of some deep thoughts(?), or perhaps worry(?).

Kuroto nodded slightly.

Regarding Kurenai's deep thoughtful face, Kuroto didn't think too much, because almost all the Shinobi in the village have thoughtful and solemn expressions on their faces.

In the afternoon, the funeral ceremony officially commenced.

In the up and down of the past three days, the exact number of casualties and missing shinobi, as well as villagers, have been counted.

It was exactly as previously guessed, the number of villagers who had died or disappeared last night reached somewhere around a thousand, and most of these deaths were of those villagers who became prey to the evil chakra of the Box of Bliss.

The number of Konoha Shinobi who died or went missing also reached a number close to a thousand.

In the final statistical analysis, all those considered to be 'missing' are also regarded as dead. The reason why they are marked as 'missing' is simply that either their bodies haven't been found yet, or if their bodies are found, they are unrecognizable.

At Konoha Cemetry.

Wearing a set of Black Clothes, Kuroto led the Team-Ro to attend the Funeral Ceremony.

At this time, thousands of Konoha Shinobi are already lined up in front of the graves, expressing their grief for the loss of their loved ones.

Sandaime Hokage quietly stood before the Memorial Stone and looked at the new names inscribed on it with a saddened expression.

Among the dead this time, the highest status was that of Konoha Advisor Homura Mitokado from the Elder Council.

On the attack that night, while contact with Sandaime Hokage was suddenly lost, Elder Homura took the charge of the Konoha Shinobi and followed the four Kages to launch a surprise raid on the leader of the Akatsuki Organization.

Because he was one of the five leaders of the charge, so Homura Mitokado also received key 'care' from the Akatsuki Organization, and it's a pity that he couldn't survive that care.

Among the four Kage and elder Homura, only Tsuchikage Ohnoki, who was attacking from a relatively safe distance remained safe.

While the other four suffered heavily, and naturally Elder Homura was no exception.

In fact, it can be said that Elder Homura suffered the most.

Godaime Kazekage can use Scorch Release to mummify her enemies and defend herself.

Yondaime Raikage has the Lightning Chakra Mode that grants him speed and power.

While the Yondaime Mizukage being a perfect Jinchuriki had the attack and defence of Sanbi.

Therefore, Elder Homura, who had no such special Kekkei Genkai, Special Jutsu, or tailed beast had the unfortunate luck of getting his name inscribed on the Memorial Stone.

And to be honest, this is not a surprising thing.

The strength of the two Elder Advisors Homura and Koharu was originally weaker compared to Sandaime Hokage and Shimura Danzo. And after the end of the Second and Third Great Shinobi Wars, both of them gradually turned into civilians with high authority.

Coupled with their increasing old age which brought the decline in physique as well as Chakra reserves, their strength is no longer what it used to be. And, obviously, such people can't survive against the likes of the members of the Akatsuki Organization.

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