chapter 77 part 3
In his spare moments, Tsukasa Kaede had considered how to handle the Uchiha problem.
The collapse of the Senju Clan was inevitable, unless Tsukasa Kaede gave up on changing bodies and tried to influence the Senju Clan's actions. But he had no obligation to do so.
The Hyuga Clan wasn't a concern for now. Tsukasa Kaede had no interest in the Byakugan, though he was very interested in the Tenseigan. But the time wasn't right.
Only the Uchiha Clan remained. They made many small moves, and their future destiny was not necessarily set in stone. Tsukasa Kaede had to think carefully about what role he would play in it.
As for the matter of taking disciples...
Tsukasa Kaede would do it. If not now, then definitely in the future.
Every famous ninja in Konoha did such a thing. But who to recruit, and what kind of Technique Formula to teach, was something that required careful consideration.
"Speaking of which, my Corpse Release Secret Technique isn't something that can't be taught to a disciple. But the prerequisite is that my disciple must have the guts to practice it, and... not get themselves killed during training. A single misstep, and they'll become a part of me."
Tsukasa Kaede chuckled lightly and stopped thinking about it. He would deal with everything after the war.
A continuous stream of battle-scarred ninja fell back to rest, while numerous Medical Ninja administered emergency treatment.
From time to time, people would glance toward Tsukasa Kaede while eating to replenish their strength, their gazes filled mostly with gratitude and awe.
Even though Tsukasa Kaede had deliberately held back and hadn't created a frenzy of several thousand Zombies to join the battle, he had still caused a huge sensation and greatly boosted the confidence of the Konoha ninja.
In many fights, the Zombies employed suicidal tactics to create opportunities for the Konoha ninja. And as long as their heads weren't destroyed, the Zombies, though riddled with wounds, could still fight. This terrifying characteristic struck even greater fear into the Iwagakure ninja.
The battle raged from dawn till dusk. As night fell, the war continued, with the sounds of battle cries rising and falling from all directions.
Everyone grew numb.
The frantic passion from the start of the battle was slowly worn away in the mechanical, endless cycle of charging, getting injured, retreating to recover, and charging again.
Finally, as the last Dust Release erupted, accompanied by the beastly roar of the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, the Iwagakure forces began to retreat in waves.
The troops left behind to cover the retreat met a tragic end. They were furiously encircled and annihilated by the Konoha ninja, who unleashed all the frenzy from years of war upon them in this final battle.
At some point, cheers replaced the cries of battle. Countless people embraced wildly, and the sound of weeping carried far and wide in the deep darkness.
Everyone knew the war was over.
Those in the Main Camp handling logistics or recovering from injuries forgot everything else. They all rushed out, screaming at the top of their lungs, venting their excitement and sorrow.
"It seems it's really over. For the next few years, the world will see a superficial peace."
Tsukasa Kaede also breathed a sigh of relief, a trace of deep exhaustion flashing in his eyes.
Even though he could draw Life Force from the Zombies to continuously produce Chakra, as long as he avoided overexerting himself with powerful jutsu and aimed for a steady, sustainable output, he could last for a very long time.
But mental fatigue could not be concealed. Chakra was a product of both spiritual and physical energy. While Life Force could nourish the Spirit, it could not replace Mental Energy. Yin Release power at the soul level could not be replenished by Yang Release power at the physical level.
Furthermore, Tsukasa Kaede had to pay attention to the situation across the battlefield, constantly adjusting the Zombies' combat process to prevent a true Zombie Horde from forming. Cleaning that up would be a hassle, and it might even allow some troublesome individuals to see through his act.
For instance, the eagerly returning Orochimaru.
"Not chasing the enemy? Lord Orochimaru, you're surprisingly merciful," Tsukasa Kaede said, sitting on the ground and panting.
"Hehehe, the enemy has already lost. Killing a few more or a few less makes no difference. They're just a group of people destined to perish."
Orochimaru staggered as he walked, more than half of his body stained red with blood. Several Medical Ninja cried out in alarm and rushed over with their medical kits to treat him.
Orochimaru sat down next to Tsukasa Kaede, allowing the Medical Ninja to heal the massive wounds on his body. His vertical pupils were already fixed on Tsukasa Kaede. "Tsukasa-kun, in this war, what percentage of the Corpse Release Secret Technique's power would you say you used?"
"That's hard to assess. If I had to say, probably 10%," Tsukasa Kaede replied, tilting his head in thought.
"Is that so? As much as 10%..." Orochimaru chuckled deeply. It was unclear if he thought the number was high or low, but he was clearly in a good mood; everyone could see it.
A Medical Ninja said reverently, "Lord Orochimaru, some of your wounds have reached the bone and nerves. You'll need to return to the Village for better treatment. It would be even better if Lady Tsunade could attend to you."