At its core, Jiongu is a technique of bodily modification. Those black tentacles aren't some random lines; they're actually a large number of specially processed and modified blood vessels.
Through the mutual combination of the heart and blood vessels, the importance of other tissues is stripped away, allowing one to manipulate chakra of various deceased attributes in the form of a secret technique and use various Ninjutsu.
This aligns perfectly with the effect Hibari desires. Of course, he doesn't want to use the heart as a medium. Instead, he needs to make certain modifications, combining parts of Jiongu's concept with the Edo Tensei, thereby allowing the bones of the deceased to be 'activated'!
Half a month has passed since Kakuzu was recruited by Hibari and began living in Konohagakure. Konoha itself still hasn't seen too many ripples, though the atmosphere has grown much heavier.
From time to time, the logistics department would transport back the bodies of shinobi who died on the front lines for memorial services and burials. The formerly somewhat sparse Memorial Stone now bore many more names.
Some shinobi couldn't even have their remains sent back, with only a blood-stained Konoha forehead protector and their last will and testament returning.
Wearing black clothing, Hibari was currently participating in a memorial service for the fallen, alongside some of the shinobi who remained in the village.
These memorial services were simplified, as the war on the front lines hadn't ended. Once the war truly concluded, the village would likely arrange a unified, solemn, large-scale memorial service to honor these shinobi who perished in the war.
Standing beside Hibari was Senju Toka. She should have been serving as Tobirama's bodyguard, fighting on the front lines in the Land of Hot Water. However, due to some setbacks and serious injuries suffered in previous battles, she had returned to Konohagakure a week ago to recuperate.
This wasn't an isolated incident; many injured shinobi had been sent back, so now in Konohagakure, one could frequently see shinobi walking around wrapped in bandages.
And these were considered the lucky ones. Some shinobi had completely lost their combat ability, losing an arm or a leg, which was quite normal.
This once again made Hibari, who remained in the village, feel the gravity of war.
Toka had bandages on her abdomen and left shoulder. Perhaps standing for a long time during this memorial service had caused her wounds to reopen slightly, with some blood faintly visible on her abdomen.
Hibari saw this but didn't say much. What reason could he have to prevent a shinobi from seeing off a comrade they once fought alongside to their final resting place?
He couldn't think of one.
As an elite Jonin of the Senju clan who had emerged from the chaotic Warring States Period, Toka didn't show overly sorrowful emotions on her face, only a hint of melancholy in her eyes. As shinobi, death was always a constant companion, not something impossible to accept.
As the memorial service drew to a close, Toka took a Konoha forehead protector from her pocket. The steel part of it was missing a corner and was stained with blood, emanating an aura of brutal combat from the battlefield.
Toka handed the forehead protector to Hibari beside her, saying with a hint of sadness, "This was sent back this morning, Sakaun's forehead protector... If I hadn't been careless and gotten injured, I wouldn't have left the unit. If I hadn't left, Sakaun might not have died so silently, nor would he have left behind only a forehead protector... I truly don't have the face to see Renge. Nawaki is still so young and has lost his father. I... Hibari, please go return this forehead protector on my behalf..."
Hibari looked at the forehead protector, and his heart ached. By family lineage, Senju Sakaun was his uncle. Although he didn't have much interaction with him, he was still family. For many years, they would see each other at least once or twice almost every day, and often ate dinner together.
He never expected that in the blink of an eye, his uncle's body couldn't even be transported back, leaving behind only a blood-stained forehead protector, and a wife who had just given birth and a young son at home.
"Why die for duty or war when life still has so much to offer..." Hibari murmured softly. "This isn't your fault, Toka-basan. Sakaun-jisan, as an excellent and qualified shinobi, surely understood before stepping onto the battlefield that ending up like this is quite normal for a shinobi, isn't it?"
Then Hibari reached for the blood-stained forehead protector, but instead of taking it, he gently pushed Toka's hand back, continuing, "Renge-basan won't blame you. I believe that when Nawaki grows up, he'll understand too. This isn't anyone's fault; it's just war. It's that simple and cruel."
Hearing Hibari's words, a tear fell from Toka's eye, and she murmured softly, "War... Yes, this damned war is always so simple and ruthless..."
To change the somber topic, Hibari quietly asked, "How are things on the front lines, exactly? Every day I see people coming back wounded... Although our Anbu has detailed intelligence, I still want to ask someone like you who just came back from the battlefield..."
Toka put the forehead protector back into her pocket, then quietly replied, "At least a week ago, Konohagakure was still in a dominant position. At the forward command center, Shikajin Nara estimated it would take at most another month, or even two weeks if things go quickly, before Kumogakure can't hold on anymore. There's a high chance of a complete collapse..."
"A week has passed now... So, at the very latest, before spring arrives, our war with Kumogakure will end?" Hibari raised an eyebrow and said softly.
"According to estimates, yes. Shikajin predicts that before Kumogakure completely collapses, the Second Raikage will initiate peace talks... But war is unpredictable; no one can truly say for certain what will happen. Unexpected things can happen at any time before everything settles down," Toka said after some thought.
"Does Tobirama-jiisan have any thoughts?" Hibari asked after a moment.
"Perhaps influenced by the chaotic wars in various countries, Sunagakure in the Land of Wind, which was previously quiet, has recently become a bit restless. You should know about this, right?" Toka asked.
Hibari nodded upon hearing this. Although Konohagakure didn't currently pay much attention to the Land of Wind and Sunagakure, they were still one of the Five Great Nations and one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. If they truly went berserk, they would be quite troublesome.
Therefore, after the war with Kumogakure began, many people from the Anbu and Intelligence Department were monitoring Sunagakure's movements. Four of the Five Great Nations were engaged in chaotic warfare. If a scenario where both sides suffer heavy losses truly arose, Sunagakure might just step in to reap the benefits.
And as the Deputy Commander of the Anbu, with the Hokage and Hiruzen both on the front lines, Hibari couldn't genuinely disregard everything. If there was any important situation, the Anbu would still report to him immediately and await his orders.
Thus, he also knew that Sunagakure was indeed making some minor moves, possibly waiting for an opportune moment.
"Even if Sunagakure truly decides to make a bad move, Konoha can handle it, but..." Toka paused here, then looked at the surrounding crowd dressed in black, mourning, and continued, "But as you said, war is very ruthless. So, to prevent such mournful events from happening again, Tobirama believes it's necessary to prevent war before it starts. If Kumogakure is truly willing to bow its head..."
"Don't let the current life-and-death struggle between our two sides fool you. If Kumogakure is truly willing to bow its head, Tobirama-jiisan is prepared to accept it, perhaps even forming an alliance to deter Sunagakure and nip the war threat in the bud, right?" Hibari sighed and said.
If one were to ask if Tobirama was angry or hateful towards the people of Kumogakure, Hibari thought he certainly was both angry and hateful. After all, this war was initiated by them, and although Konoha currently held the advantage, it had also suffered many losses and countless sacrifices.
These were blood debts, but Hibari knew very well that if necessary, Tobirama would definitely agree to an alliance with the damned Kumogakure!
The reason was none other than that as Hokage, he had to embody a ruthless attitude. This ruthlessness was not a derogatory term, nor was it directed only at the village.
This ruthlessness meant that Tobirama, as Hokage, could not let his emotions interfere before making these decisions. He had to act like a robot, making the most rational judgments, even if those judgments were unacceptable, because right was right! This was true ruthlessness!
Toka didn't answer Hibari, because she knew Hibari already understood these things. Then she looked at Hibari and asked, "What about you? You've rested for so long. If you keep resting, the war will be over. Are you really not going back to the front lines?"
Hibari chuckled upon hearing this, then said, "I will. I still have some things to deal with here, but I expect results in the next two days, so I'm also preparing to gather my forces and head to the front lines."
Toka smiled. Although she hated war and had just experienced the sacrifice of a family member, she had no intention of stopping Hibari from going to the battlefield. The reason was simple: Hibari was a shinobi, and a Senju shinobi at that!
"Are you preparing to play the decisive role?" Toka asked with a playful smile.
Seeing that his aunt's mood seemed to have improved slightly, Hibari also chuckled and said, "I struck the first blow in this war. Even if I don't strike the last one, I still want to go and see it..."
"Although you're already a formidable shinobi, as your obasan, I still need to remind you, Hibari, when you're on the front lines, be careful in all things," Toka said softly.
Hibari nodded as well, then said, "I will, don't worry. I'll come back with victory and honor..."
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