Chapter 257: Burial
Within this single day, Kenji's squad was completely wiped out, Jiraiya was heavily injured, and Sakumo lost his arm. Since the beginning of the Third Great Ninja War, this was Konoha's first and only battlefield defeat.
More and more people gathered at the Konoha camp. Minato also returned with Kakashi, and they gathered around Jiraiya and Sakumo respectively.
Shikaku was organizing various Chunin and Genin to move the Chakra Diffusion Cannons out of the supply depot and place them at the camp entrance to prevent the enemy from taking advantage of the situation to attack.
Masahiko helplessly comforted Nawaki. He originally thought Tsunade would be the one needing more comfort, but unexpectedly, after a period of silence, she pulled herself together and threw herself into treating the wounded. Emergency retreats would inevitably result in some casualties.
"Kenji, as a father, you really aren't as important as a lover and a younger brother. Tsunade doesn't show any signs of hemophobia at all... This actually makes me feel a bit more at ease. Well then, see you in about twenty years?"
Masahiko muttered inwardly as he faced Kenji's remains.
After a long while, Nawaki finally wiped the tears from his face and spoke, "Great-Great-Grandpa, let's escort Father back to Konoha for burial."
Masahiko nodded, then shook his head. "Let's do it tomorrow. There's enough time, and it's already getting late today."
"Plus, we need to gather the Senju clansmen and have them withdraw from the battlefield first. They should all attend Kenji's funeral, as well as the funerals of the other clansmen..."
The Senju clan suffered heavy losses this time. Besides Kenji, the six elites in his squad were all wiped out.
Glancing at Nawaki, Masahiko sighed. "Michiyama, go gather the clansmen."
"Yes, Great-Grandpa," Michiyama immediately replied.
"Michiyama has matured quite a bit over the years. He's no longer the youth who threw his brother into a pit during the Second War." Masahiko nodded in gratification.
Afterward, Masahiko also joined the ranks of treating the wounded. Together with Tsunade and a group of medical ninjas, they finally finished treating all the injured before late into the night.
"Go get some rest, Tsunade. Tomorrow we will escort Kenji back to Konoha together."
Tsunade hesitated, a sorrowful expression resurfacing on her face. "I want to go stay with Father a little longer."
"The dead cannot... The dead might not necessarily be unable to be resurrected," Masahiko was about to comfort her but suddenly changed his words. "Maybe there will be a day when you see him again."
Tsunade was startled, and Masahiko smiled. "Go rest quickly."
"Lord Hokage!"
Shouts rose and fell outside.
Masahiko paused. He didn't expect Hiruzen to rush over personally after hearing the news.
Hiruzen looked travel-worn. Seeing Masahiko and then looking at Tsunade beside him, whose condition seemed relatively fine, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"Elder Masahiko."
Masahiko nodded. "Go see Kenji. Tomorrow I will escort his remains back to Konoha along with the Senju clansmen... taking Sakumo along as well."
He thought Danzo might have a solution for Sakumo's arm, and Sakumo's current condition made him temporarily unfit for battle.
"Sakumo?" Hiruzen was stunned. Upon hearing the news about Kenji, he had handed everything over to Danzo and rushed to the battlefield, so he didn't know what had happened to Sakumo yet.
Masahiko didn't explain, letting Hiruzen go see for himself. Meanwhile, he found Shikaku to arrange a tent for him to rest. He was feeling a bit mentally exhausted.
"The future is always constantly changing."
Lying in the tent, Masahiko sighed with emotion, recalling his trip to Roran.
If Sara hadn't said that boys like tall and big puppets, he wouldn't have gone to the Sand Village to build Optimus Prime. The Sand Village wouldn't have gained two secret weapons, and Kenji wouldn't have died.
"In the end, the responsibility still lies with me... Who did I provoke to deserve this! And the Sand Village... Chiyo, is it..." Thinking of Chiyo, Masahiko fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Masahiko, along with a group of Senju ninjas, as well as Sakumo and Kakashi, escorted Kenji's remains back to Konoha.
Tsunade was also in the procession.
On the way, Masahiko looked around and frowned. "Are there only these twenty or so Senju clansmen on the battlefield?"
Nawaki looked slightly dejected. "There were originally over thirty."
"That's still not a lot..." Masahiko was stunned. The Senju clan compound was half-empty.
"The Senju population hasn't been thriving these years."
Tsunade walked up to Masahiko in a few steps. She hesitated for a moment and motioned for Nawaki to stay away.
"Great-Great-Grandpa, the situation in the clan has been a bit wrong these past few years. The population is getting increasingly sparse."
Masahiko frowned, signaling Tsunade to continue.
"Ever since Grandfather Hashirama's generation, the fertility of the Senju clansmen seems to be getting weaker and weaker, especially reaching our generation..." At this point, Tsunade looked a bit bashful. "Only Nawaki has had an offspring, and that was only because of your medicine..."
Masahiko was shocked, suddenly realizing that he indeed hadn't seen any young children in the Senju compound these past few years.
"That's impossible." Masahiko pondered inwardly.
This wasn't some Xianxia world where the stronger you are, the harder it is to have descendants. With the Senju's physique, it should be very easy to pass down their lineage. Just look at the Uzumaki clan, whose physique was slightly weaker. Ever since Masahiko ordered them to encourage childbirth, the clan's population had grown exceptionally fast.
"Back then, I thought Nawaki was just an isolated case. I didn't expect everyone to be like this."
Masahiko looked at Tsunade. "You haven't found the cause?"
Tsunade shook her head. "No."
Masahiko pondered for a moment. "What could be the reason? Diet?"
"They must have noticed this situation too, and they probably tried the medicine as well, but it only worked for Nawaki," Tsunade whispered.
Masahiko nodded. "I understand. After your father's funeral, I will carefully research what the exact cause is."
"It worked for Nawaki because his physique is better? Then Tsunade... Forget it, let's look at Michiyama instead."
They traveled in silence for the rest of the journey. After traveling for most of the day, the group returned to Konoha.
Danzo was waiting at the gate to welcome them. After Masahiko briefly explained the current situation in a few sentences, he asked in a low voice, "Do you have any solution for Sakumo's arm?"
Danzo shook his head. "Regeneration of a severed limb is impossible to achieve."
Masahiko frowned, recalling the original story. "That arm of Naruto's... used Hashirama's cells?"
Looking at Danzo in front of him, Masahiko actually didn't quite believe that he hadn't researched Hashirama's cells. It was possible he truly couldn't do it, or perhaps he could but wasn't willing to...
"Forget it, I wouldn't really feel at ease letting him do it anyway. I'll have Sakumo make a trip to the Land of Whirlpools later to see if Yuna can make a prosthetic. If it really doesn't work, in a couple of years, Orochimaru will naturally have a way."
Compared to Danzo, Masahiko would rather trust Orochimaru.
Afterward, under the organization of Masahiko and Danzo, Kenji was buried in Konoha's cemetery.
The funeral was very brief. Only Masahiko, Danzo, and the Senju clansmen attended. On Konoha's Hero Monument, Masahiko personally carved seven more names.
Looking at the tear-streaked face of Aika, who was being supported by Tsunade and Nawaki, Masahiko felt a slight headache.
Looking again at the Senju clansmen, whose total number was less than fifty, Masahiko narrowed his eyes and swore inwardly: "This Great Ancestor will personally supervise you all making babies! Nobody is going to the battlefield until you leave behind at least one child."
"Wait, where is the Fat Cat?" Masahiko only just remembered it. "It seems to still be with Orochimaru... I hope it has nine lives..."
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