Chapter 26: "Why Do We Fight?" (Part One)
Mid-December, Konoha Year 45. The hospital had noticeably more patients than the month before.
For veteran ninja, injuries were a routine part of the job. For fresh graduates it was different. A lot of young ninja found their dreams ending here.
Evening. In the intensive care ward of Konoha Hospital, Furukawa Osamu had just finished a treatment when a voice came from the doorway.
"Is Mami out of danger?"
A boy of about twelve rushed to the bedside, asking loudly in a panicked voice. Kakashi, who had followed him in, cut in calmly.
"A ninja should stay calm at all times."
"It wasn't a fatal injury. At Osamu's level, she'll be discharged in two days at most."
The boy at the bedside looked irritated. His teammate caught his arm from behind and bowed in apology.
"Uchida is just worried about Mami. I apologize for his rudeness."
Furukawa Osamu didn't hold it against either of them. He kept his expression easy and gave them the short version.
"Like Kakashi said, Mami will be out in two days."
"Don't blame yourselves. Sunagakure ninja are skilled with poison. Your emergency treatment was well timed."
The calmer boy bowed again, seemingly worried his teammate would say something else, then pulled the struggling Uchida out of the ward.
"You do care about your squad members. An injury like this doesn't actually need the intensive care ward."
A straightforward application of the Affliction Extraction Technique had handled most of the treatment. Furukawa Osamu understood Kakashi had used his connections to get her in here, but the squad members clearly didn't appreciate it.
Kakashi's expression stayed flat. He knew his squad didn't think much of him, and given his age, that wasn't surprising.
"If this makes them quit being ninja, that's not a bad outcome."
"Handling even a chunin is difficult at their age. I don't think much of their futures."
"If they only want to earn money, there are better options. Holding on to a ninja career would just drag down the team in the end."
Furukawa Osamu didn't argue. By his own assessment, most of the girls genuinely weren't suited for this line of work. But thinking about what the higher-ups were moving toward, he said something anyway.
"Lower-ranked missions need more genin. Keep this up and the Hokage is going to want a word with you."
"It's a hassle either way. D-rank missions are enough going forward. Whatever time is left over, arrange as you like."
"Fine, you're right."
Kakashi gave a short answer and went back to his usual blank expression. He had overestimated his graduates. They had nearly failed a C-rank mission.
"You ran into a puppeteer? Poisoned senbon are a real problem."
"Don't underestimate Sunagakure. They have excellent medical ninja, and their poison development is actually ahead of Konoha's."
"Tsunade-sensei developed an antidote for this particular poison early on. Remember to bring it on missions from now on."
Kakashi nodded seriously at the reminder, then walked through the previous day's fight.
"The puppet's attack patterns were strange, but once the puppet was destroyed, the one controlling it fell apart quickly."
"I increased the lightning frequency in the blade. It was effective. Lucky the opponent's Wind Style wasn't much, otherwise it would have been more troublesome."
Elemental affinity counters were useful in most ninja encounters. When Furukawa Osamu used a blade, he mainly channeled wind-natured chakra through it. The White Fang's kenjutsu he had absorbed through Gathering was most of the way digested now.
"Sounds like you've developed your own approach..."
Furukawa Osamu started to add something, but the girl on the bed had come around. She looked at the two of them through unfocused eyes.
"I was saved?"
"I guess Kakashi was right. I really don't have what it takes to be a ninja..."
Barring something unexpected, she would most likely end her ninja career when she was discharged. Kakashi's talent for discouraging people was getting sharper.
* * *
That evening, Tsunade had skipped the bar for once and was drinking at her apartment until her cheeks went red.
"This salted cod roe is wonderful. Shizune, another glass."
"Tsunade-sensei, you've had too much..."
Shizune poured carefully. Tsunade drained it in one go, propped her chin in her hand and swayed slightly, then started complaining loudly.
"I knew staying in the village would mean trouble. Konoha is starting to look like Kumogakure, thirsting for war."
"Osamu, has anyone said anything to you about this? The Nara boy thinks highly of you."
"Today they told me they'd open their clan's pharmacopoeia. I wonder what terms they offered Jiraiya and Orochimaru..."
The hawkish voices in the village had been getting louder. Some ninja, not satisfied with current income, had started calling for expansion. Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure had all made their moves. There was no reason the strongest of the Five Great Nations should keep holding back. Konoha hadn't gained much from the Second Shinobi World War, and that was exactly why the hawks had found supporters.
"Captain Shikaku never talks to me about these things. With the pharmacopoeia to work from, sensei should be able to develop a lot of new medicines."
Furukawa Osamu tasted his pickled clams slowly and unhurriedly. He had caught the meaning beneath her words, but he had no interest in discussing the question of who would be the next Hokage.
"You just brush me off, you little brat."
"I'd rather travel every gambling house in the world. The Hokage can't change anything. The old man really has gotten old."
Tsunade grumbled and launched into another round of eating and drinking. Nobody actually believed she didn't want the Hokage position. A lot of the ninja clans were hedging their bets in both directions.
Shizune didn't understand why Tsunade found it so troubling. The Hokage was many people's dream. It meant everyone's recognition.
By the end of dinner, Tsunade had drunk herself off her seat again. Furukawa Osamu had seen this before many times. For Katsuyu, it was a first.
"So this is another side of Lady Tsunade's private life."
The soft voice came from Furukawa Osamu's shoulder. Shizune looked a little embarrassed. The image of a drunkard didn't quite fit the Sannin's reputation.
Tsunade gambled, drank, had no talent for housework or cooking, but Furukawa Osamu still thought she was a good woman.
"Ninja are under a lot of pressure. Sensei just doesn't sweat the small things."
"I see."
Katsuyu's antennae swayed as she replied. Compared to Tsunade's troubles, she still thought Furukawa Osamu was the stranger one. Wanting to be cursed.
"Osamu, is there going to be a war?"
Shizune had just helped Tsunade lie down. She turned back with a confused expression and asked what was on her mind.
Furukawa Osamu had been about to give her an easy answer, but he paused, and instead turned it back on her.
"Why do we fight?"
Shizune opened her mouth to say for the village and for comrades, but nothing came out. No one was invading Konoha right now. The war was only some ninja's longing.
"Don't worry. Even if there is a war, I'll protect you. Girls are better off staying in the village."
Furukawa Osamu smiled and reassured her. Shizune's face went slightly pink as she answered. Katsuyu's antennae swayed again. Thinking about what lay ahead, she wondered quietly to herself:
'A war? Is that what Lord Osamu means by an opportunity?'
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