Led by Bunpuku and Chiyo, the Sunagakure ninjas left dejectedly. Hearing the unrestrained cheers behind them, each one looked as if they were in mourning, yet they were helpless.
What else could they do? Just look at the man on the stretcher—the great Third Kazekage, reduced to such a state. With their Kazekage like this, what right did they have to challenge Konoha? No matter how bitter the loss, they could only swallow it in silence.
Watching the hunched, dispirited figures of the Sand shinobi retreat without even looking back, the cheers of Konoha's forces only grew louder. This was the honor of victory, and none bothered to suppress their voices.
The Second Great Ninja War—though the final negotiations had yet to be concluded—could essentially be declared over.
The war had dragged on for nearly four years, from Year 32 until now, approaching Year 36. And finally—finally—they could rest.
The war was over!
Everyone's expressions lit up with joy as if it were New Year. Even Hoshiyomi couldn't help but show a relaxed smile.
Beyond the relief of the war's end, another thrill lingered in his heart—the satisfaction that the butterfly wings he had flapped had now caused a hurricane.
In the original story, this Second War had dragged on for a whole year before fizzling out. The conflict with Sunagakure had stretched endlessly before a weary and reluctant conclusion.
And in that timeline, there hadn't been any true victors among the three great villages. All three had simply fought until their resources were drained, forcing a stalemate. Konoha had only managed to claim the title of "victor" because of its vast reserves and stronger foundation.
But now—things were different. Hoshiyomi's maneuvers had directly hastened the war's end.
First, he lured Ōnoki into action, prompting Kumo's opportunistic invasion. Then, he personally struck down Ryūnosuke, directly pushing the Second War to its conclusion.
The exhilarating sense of having altered the course of the world was something words could not fully capture.
As Hoshiyomi returned to the crowd to receive the cheers of his comrades, Tsunade suddenly acted. She boldly stepped in front of him and, ignoring everyone's stares, kissed him on the lips.
Though this wasn't the first time she'd done such a thing, Hoshiyomi's god-of-war performance had completely conquered her heart.
What young maiden doesn't dream of romance? What woman doesn't hope her beloved will be a peerless hero?
At this moment, Hoshiyomi was the perfect embodiment of such a hero: young and handsome, unmatched in strength, defeating the Third Kazekage, and single-handedly forcing Sunagakure into retreat, ending a war that had embroiled four of the great shinobi nations.
How could Tsunade not love such a man?
And as for those watching, none mocked or jeered. Instead, they smiled warmly at the pair, some of the kunoichi even looking on with envy shimmering in their eyes.
When will I ever meet a man like that?
...
The greater Konoha's joy, the deeper Suna's despair.
On the road back to their village, not a single shinobi spoke. The air was suffocating, thick with despair.
Once they were far enough from the maddening cheers, Bunpuku signaled for the main group to head back to the village while he and Chiyo stopped in a shaded, dry place to examine Ryūnosuke's condition.
hey couldn't simply carry him back openly. If the villagers were to see their Kazekage hovering between life and death… Bunpuku dared not imagine the consequences. He would sooner announce outright that Ryūnosuke had died than allow the villagers to witness such a morale-crushing sight.
Looking at Ryūnosuke, who was barely clinging to life on the stretcher, and Chiyo, who was covered in a cold sweat, Bunpuku hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "What's the situation with Ryūnosuke?"
Bunpuku and the Second Kazekage, Shamon, had been brothers-in-arms through life and death. Since Shamon left no heirs, the day he took Ryūnosuke under his wing, he raised him as though he were his own son. Bunpuku too had always regarded Ryūnosuke as if he were his own nephew.
It was precisely because of this bond that Bunpuku, who had once turned his back on worldly affairs to devote himself to Buddha, still came down from the mountains from time to time to attend Sunagakure's councils.
Now, faced with the sight of his "nephew" in such a miserable state, Bunpuku's heart was filled with unending sorrow.
Chiyo, having finished using medical ninjutsu to peel away the charred blackened skin from Ryūnosuke's body and bandage him to stave off infection, let out a long sigh.
"I truly don't know whether to call him fortunate or unfortunate. After enduring such a terrifying Lightning Release attack, he still managed, in his final moment, to use what little chakra he had left to protect his internal organs.
"That measure left him clinging to a single breath of life. But… to be honest, living like this may be worse than dying.
"That Lightning Release was simply too devastating. Aside from his severed arms, the skin and muscle of his legs are nearly carbonized—there is almost no saving them. Over seventy percent of his body is burned beyond repair. Even with continuous medical ninjutsu, restoring his former appearance is nearly impossible.
"Worse, though he shielded his internal organs, they still suffered varying degrees of damage. Even if we keep him alive now, his organs will not hold out for long."
The more Bunpuku listened, the deeper his brow furrowed, until his whole face was twisted with grief. He let out a heavy sigh, tears glimmering in his clouded old eyes. After a long silence, he gently wiped the corners of his eyes and asked:
"If we put everything into saving him… how long could he live? No matter what, he is Shamon's disciple—the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure."
Chiyo's brows tightened as well.
"At most, with all my skill, I could extend his life by perhaps three years. But during those three years… his existence would be nothing short of torment."
Chiyo had put it as delicately as she could, but Bunpuku immediately understood.
It was obvious: a body with ruined limbs, a face unrecognizable, forced to watch as his organs withered away little by little. To call such a fate the cruelest torture on earth would not be an exaggeration.
At that thought, Bunpuku nearly wished to end Ryūnosuke's suffering then and there. But considering the state Sunagakure was in, he could only sigh deeply again.
"Is there truly no other way?"
Chiyo hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, her voice carrying both caution and boldness:
"There is… one thing. Not really a solution, but… instead of leaving him to linger in this half-dead agony, we could give him an entirely new body."
Bunpuku's pupils contracted sharply. He looked Chiyo over, his voice trembling:
"You mean… a human puppet?"
Chiyo nodded. As she spoke, a distinct clack echoed from her arms—the unmistakable sound of puppet mechanisms. Her arms spread open, revealing the puppet framework beneath.
"Right now, Ryūnosuke's organs are damaged, but not beyond saving. The reason he wouldn't live past three years is because his body is already near death—leaving his organs in such a husk would only let them wither away completely.
But if, like my arms, we were to forge him a puppet body… perhaps we could allow his brain and internal organs to continue on…"
Hearing this, Bunpuku shivered. Even as a monk, he felt a cold dread creep into his heart. Such an audacious, blasphemous idea sent chills down his spine.
"Would… would that still count as a person?"
Chiyo fell silent for a long time, before finally answering:
"But Sunagakure needs him."