Konoha.
"It's been such a long time." Sarutobi Hiruzen casually picked up the tobacco pipe beside him and glanced at Koharu Utatane in front of him. "Tsunade still hasn't recovered?"
He had always believed...
As his disciple, Tsunade would surely pull through.
From the moment one becomes a shinobi, everyone understands...
Death is the main theme of a shinobi's life.
Whether it's oneself or others...
No shinobi can escape it.
Back then, his teacher, the Second Hokage, embodied the Will of Fire. To ensure the survival of him, Danzo, and the other two, the Second Hokage faced the enemy alone.
In the end...
The Second Hokage, who had made outstanding contributions to Konoha's forbidden techniques, passed away just like that.
At that time, the four of them were also deeply saddened.
But thinking of Konoha, the villagers, and the ideals left behind by the First Hokage...
They...
Pushed through.
Even when facing exclusion from the clans in the village and indifference from the higher-ups, they never gave up, all because...
The Will of Fire continued to support them.
And so, in the end...
They succeeded.
Now, it could be said that the authority of Konoha was entirely in the hands of the four of them. No clan or shinobi dared to question their decisions.
Those times were truly difficult to endure!
Now...
As the light of Konoha, with Danzo as the darkness, and the assistance of his two companions, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, Konoha would thrive and grow until one day...
It would undoubtedly become the strongest shinobi village.
"I visited her a few days ago." Koharu Utatane looked through the documents on Konoha's recent situation without raising her head. "Although she seems much better on the surface..."
She sighed and closed the file.
"Her hemophobia still hasn't gone away."
"I don't think she's fit to be a shinobi anymore."
What kind of shinobi is afraid of blood?
The moment Tsunade punches an enemy and they spit out blood, she'll probably start panicking, and then...
She'll be at their mercy!
That would be far too dangerous.
"This..." Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe, furrowed his brows, and pondered for a moment. "What about the Medical Department?"
"Could we assign her to the Medical Department?"
If Tsunade were to simply retire from her shinobi career like this, it would be a bit of a waste.
After all...
The Legendary Sannin!
The three of them were meant to support Konoha in the future.
"If it's for non-surgical roles, that could work." Koharu Utatane nodded. "But surgery might be too much for her."
What if she faints halfway through an operation?
That would cost lives.
Who wants to deal with medical disputes?
"Sigh." Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed helplessly. "In that case, let Tsunade become a medical instructor."
"Do you remember the suggestion Tsunade made during the war?"
"Assigning one medical-nin to each squad." Sarutobi Hiruzen took another puff. "Based on the war reports from last time..."
"If each squad had a medical-nin back then, many of them might..."
"Have survived."
"But if we do this..." Koharu Utatane frowned slightly when Sarutobi Hiruzen brought up the suggestion again. "Wouldn't it affect the combat strength of the squads?"
"No." Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up and shook his head. "They just need to learn some first-aid knowledge."
"Enough to avoid being helpless in dangerous situations."
Sarutobi Hiruzen gazed deeply out the window at Konoha...
The war was over.
The village had returned to its usual peaceful atmosphere.
Calm, harmonious...
But he knew...
This peace would inevitably be shattered one day.
No shinobi village would sit back and watch Konoha develop steadily.
Thus, Konoha needed to prepare early.
The new generation would eventually step onto the stage, and he...
The Third Hokage, would burn himself to light the path for the younger generation.
"Let's try it." Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed. "Failure isn't scary. What's scary is not even daring to try."
"Perhaps..."
"This will make Konoha even stronger?"
"If that's the case." Koharu Utatane thought for a moment and nodded. "I'll discuss it with Tsunade later."
She wasn't sure what this change would bring to Konoha.
But...
If it could truly reduce casualties?
Besides, trying it wouldn't hurt.
Year 40 of Konoha.
Over two years had passed since the war ended.
Thus, every shinobi village gradually returned to its original rhythm of life.
Especially in the two years following the war, there was a population boom. During this period, birth rates in each village skyrocketed.
This injected vitality into the villages ravaged by war.
"Roshi." Tai called out to the red-bearded shinobi not far away. "Come here for a second."
"Oh, it's you, Tai." Roshi smiled and walked over. "What's up?"
It had been over a year since he arrived in Uzushiogakure.
Originally, he had planned to wander the shinobi world and train, but he never expected to settle down in Uzushiogakure in the end...
And even obtain Uzushio citizenship.
He was supposed to be an Iwa-nin!
Even though he had defected, he still loved Iwagakure.
"If only Iwagakure could become like Uzushiogakure." Roshi sighed inwardly.
A nation governed by law...
If all shinobi could abide by the law, perhaps true communication could be achieved between shinobi and civilians, and between shinobi themselves.
Though he had caused quite a few incidents and paid hefty compensations over the years due to being a jinchūriki...
This place truly was as the Uzu-nin had described.
Uzushiogakure discriminated against no one.
Whether it was jinchūriki or others.
Moreover...
During this time, he had even sold some chakra to earn money for a down payment.
"That's my house." Son Gokū grumbled inside Roshi. "You wretched human, selling my chakra."
And not even putting his name on the deed.
How despicable.
"I didn't have enough!" Roshi replied sheepishly. "Besides, you wouldn't want to live in a tiny place, right?"
Their current house was huge!
A two-story concrete home with a small garden on the side. So comfortable.
"I can't even feel it." Son Gokū retorted. "After work, buy me fruit candy. A hundred each of banana and peach flavor."
"..."
Roshi's expression froze at Son Gokū's words.
As a jinchūriki, he had to eat all that candy himself for Son Gokū to experience the taste. But...
Eating that much would rot his teeth!
He wasn't exactly young anymore.
"If you don't, I won't lend you chakra next time." Son Gokū threatened.
"Your mortgage isn't paid off yet."
"And the compensation for the neighboring village."
"Tsk." Son Gokū mocked. "Your salary alone isn't enough."
"You're the one who caused it!" Roshi grumbled. "If you hadn't gone berserk back then, we wouldn't have destroyed that house!"
"Thankfully no one was hurt, or we'd be rotting in prison for the rest of our lives."
"Don't blame the tailed beast." Son Gokū sneered. "You're the one who couldn't control my chakra and lost control."
Some people...
Even blame tailed beasts.
"Yeah, yeah." Roshi brushed it off and turned to Tai. "What's the matter?"
He was still on the clock.
If he didn't finish today's work, it'd spill over to tomorrow.
Besides...
His team only had him as the shinobi now. If he slacked off, the project would be delayed.
As the team leader...
He absolutely wouldn't allow that.
As for the Four-Tails' demands...
He'd deal with it after work. Maybe he'd forget by then.
"Oh, nothing much." Tai smiled. "The higher-ups just issued a notice. All team leaders need to attend a meeting in the conference room tomorrow morning."
"I'm here to inform you."
"Rumor has it..."
"A new plan is about to be implemented."