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Chapter 22 - Chapter 22 – Ashes and Bandages

Chapter 22 – Ashes and Bandages

The medic camp smelled of blood, smoke, and antiseptic.

Even in the quiet of night, the groans of pain never stopped.

Every cot held a story — some breathing, some not.

Yuva sat up slowly, his body aching, his arm tightly wrapped in bandages covered with sealing marks. Tenzo rested nearby, treating a wounded chunin. Daichi sat cross-legged, cleaning his cracked brass knuckles in silence.

For the first time since the war began, they had nothing to do — no mission, no orders.

Only time to think.

---

🩹 Rest and Reality

A medic-nin passed by, whispering, "Another squad returned… only one survivor."

The words made the tent colder.

Tenzo frowned. "Every day more wounded come in. Every day fewer walk out."

Yuva's gaze was fixed on his sword lying beside him — the edge still faintly blackened from his last battle. "That's war. I thought I understood it before… but I didn't."

Daichi grunted softly. "We were lucky. That jōnin could've killed us easily."

Yuva nodded, remembering the kick that shattered trees. "He didn't because he had somewhere else to be. If he'd stayed—"

He didn't finish the sentence.

---

🍃 A Veteran's Words

An older shinobi lying in the next cot chuckled dryly. "You three must be new to this."

Yuva turned. The man was missing his left arm and had a scar running across his face. Despite his wounds, his eyes were calm.

"You kids still think surviving a battle means you're strong. It doesn't," the man said quietly. "It means you're lucky. Strength… comes after you lose that luck — and live through it."

Tenzo bowed slightly. "We'll remember that, sir."

The man smiled faintly. "You should. Because out there, no one cares how old you are. The earth swallows everyone the same."

His words stayed with them long after he fell asleep.

---

⚔️ Konoha's Condition

Later that evening, a messenger-nin entered the tent with a stack of scrolls. He handed one to the head medic, who sighed heavily after reading it.

"What is it?" Yuva asked.

The medic shook her head. "Bad news from the northern front. Iwagakure pushed back our supply line — half the outpost was destroyed. But…" She paused, a small smile forming. "There's some good news too. Our forces on the western border — the Land of Rivers — managed to push Suna back. Jiraiya-sama himself led that battle."

Daichi's eyes brightened a little. "So… we're still standing?"

"Barely," the medic said. "But yes. Konoha's still holding the line. The Hokage refuses to retreat."

Tenzo exhaled. "Then we fight too… when we're ready."

---

🌫️ Night in the Camp

Later, as the candles dimmed, the camp quieted — but it wasn't peace.

The silence was heavy, filled with the weight of exhaustion and unspoken fear.

Yuva sat outside, staring at the faint glow of distant fires burning beyond the horizon. Each flicker meant a battlefield. Each shadow meant a lost comrade.

Daichi joined him, sitting beside him on the cold ground. "Think Father's okay?"

"He's a jōnin," Yuva said softly. "If anyone can survive this, it's him."

Tenzo came out next, carrying tea in three tin cups. "You think we'll really be sent to the front next?"

Yuva took a sip, the warmth cutting through the chill of night. "We will. They're running out of shinobi fast. Genin, chunin — it doesn't matter anymore. If you can fight, you fight."

Daichi looked at his fists. "Then we'll be ready."

Yuva nodded slowly. "Yeah… ready."

But inside, he wasn't sure anyone could truly be ready for what was coming.

---

🕯️ End of the Day

That night, the brothers fell asleep under the sound of the rain tapping against the tent roof.

Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled — or maybe it was another explosion.

In war, no one could tell the difference anymore.

Yuva closed his eyes, whispering to himself,

"We'll survive this… and when it's over, we'll change the world that created it."

The storm outside didn't answer — only echoed softly, like a warning.

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