Chapter 30: 29: Life and Death
War brings pain, but life goes on day by day.
Amidst the restlessness and anxiety of the villagers, Shiraishi remained the calst.
With the onset of war, the dical Experintal Class reverted back to its previous state with the Anbu instructor.
Since the beginning of the war with Sunagakure, Tsunade had already gone to the front lines to assist a group of Konoha ninjas in the battle against Suna. Tsunade's younger brother, Nawaki, also joined the fight early on. Shiraishi hoped for their safety.
War is not a matter to be taken lightly.
....
Several months passed after the war began, and it was now July, the sumr season with a warm breeze carrying a hint of sultry heat.
Shiraishi had successfully advanced to the fifth grade. He continued his training in Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, as well as his research on natural energy, which proceeded regularly.
After months of relentless efforts and significant investnt, Shiraishi finally developed the first batch of drugs utilizing natural energy.
These lilac-colored tablets, about the size of a thumb, contained a blend of various dicinal ingredients and, most importantly, natural energy. This combination doubled the value and effectiveness of the dicine.
Shiraishi's research had revealed that natural energy possessed a unique and powerful vitality.
Without proper neutralization, directly ingesting natural energy into a living organism would likely result in imdiate death.
Unless a person naturally possessed an affinity for natural energy, but Shiraishi had never encountered soone with such a unique constitution, and it remained uncertain if it even existed.
The new drug Shiraishi developed could enhance various aspects of the body, including self-healing, immune ability, overall strength, reaction speed, and resistance to attacks. With minimal side effects, only one tablet needed to be taken daily for over a month to gradually experience its effects.
The duration for the drug to reach its maximum effectiveness varied depending on individual constitution and processing system abilities. So individuals could take it for seven to eight months to reach saturation, while continuing to take it beyond that point would not enhance physical abilities but instead cause harm.
Others could take it for over ten months before experiencing physical rejection.
Based on his self-examination, Shiraishi determined that his saturation point for taking the drug was eleven months. Once that ti fra was reached, he had to discontinue its use.
Ruri's saturation point fell between eleven and twelve months. To err on the side of caution, Shiraishi set her ti at eleven and a half months.
After taking the drug, Ruri would feel less fatigue and heaviness even when using her Sharingan for extended periods after about six to seven months.
Shiraishi also planned to provide Ayane with the dicine when the ti was right. With the imminent war, better preparation increased the chances of survival.
.....
At this ti, Ayane was in the hospital.
She purposely sprained her leg during training, which required her to rest in the hospital for approximately four days. Shiraishi assigned her important tasks that needed completion during her hospital stay.
For example, whether the chakra in a newborn baby is self-generated or drawn from the mother's body, or if chakra is present during the formation of an embryo. There were endless peculiar questions like these.
Ayane felt embarrassed by this observation task.
Although there were nurous pregnant won in Konoha, providing abundant observation materials, she couldn't help but wonder why she was given such a bizarre assignnt.
Were all dical ninjas so strange?
It wasn't only about pregnant won and childbirth; there were even more peculiar observation tasks. Ayane was asked to write docuntary reports, which Shiraishi claid would greatly contribute to his research.
Ayane wondered if Shiraishi intended to switch to gynecology research. What a drastic change that would be.
On the third day of Ayane's hospitalization, there was a knock on the door.
"Please co in."
Shiraishi entered the room with a basket of fruits.
"Ayane-san, I've co to visit you. These fruits are a small gift from our classmates."
Ayane sighed and said, "There's no need to be so cautious. Nobody is watching, so you don't have to put on a facade."
"Well, Ayane-san, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Why can't I understand? I'm simply here to express my well-wishes on behalf of my classmates..."
"Do you want
to burn those observation reports?"
"Please, spare ."
Shiraishi feigned ignorance and took the scroll containing the observation reports from Ayane, placing it in his ninja bag.
After placing the fruit next to Ayane's bed, he took out a small dicine bag from his pocket and handed it to her.
"What's this?"
"This is a new dicine I developed using natural energy and other dicinal ingredients to enhance physical abilities. Rember to take one after lunch every day. This supply will last for a month, and I will provide you with the next batch on ti. You should continue taking it for eleven months."
Shiraishi was familiar with Ayane's body and knew that her saturation point was also eleven months, just like his own.
"I have my doubts about its color."
"The appearance doesn't matter as long as it's effective, right? Don't worry about the color. Speaking of which, is there anything noteworthy happening lately?"
"No, as you asked, I've been leading a peaceful life with my family."
Ayane recounted her experiences at ho to Shiraishi.
"That's good to hear. I've made so hypotheses regarding the Caged Bird Seal, but I haven't been able to confirm their accuracy. Can you gather any information about the seal?"
"You overestimate , Shiraishi-kun. If I were to get involved with such classified secrets, I would likely face severe consequences. The branch family don't have access to that kind of information."
Ayane replied helplessly.
Shiraishi wasn't disappointed. He had expected as much, but he wanted to explore all possibilities.
"It seems I'll have to find a way on my own. I won't bother you any longer. Spending too much ti with you here might attract attention."
Ayane nodded and watched as Shiraishi left her ward.
....
The news of Nawaki's death ca unexpectedly, leaving people overwheld. It felt as if just yesterday he was chatting and laughing with everyone, but the next morning, news of his sudden death reached them. It was a shock.
It was said that he was eager to achieve great things, but unfortunately, he didn't follow his sensei Orochimaru's instructions in that encounter.
When Shiraishi heard the news, he was struck with disbelief. The image of the confident and cheerful Nawaki ca to his mind. It was hard to accept that soone so young had passed away, and Shiraishi felt a sense of pity in his heart.
In the face of war, even having the bloodline of the original Hokage held no significance. In places like the battlefield, everyone must be prepared to face death. It doesn't matter if they're a ninja or their bloodline. The enemy won't show rcy just because soone is the grandson of the first Hokage.
"Tsunade-sensei must be devastated..."
Although Shiraishi wished to visit Tsunade and offer comfort, it wasn't possible in Konoha at the mont. Even soone with the status of Senju died without leaving any lasting impact. As an ordinary person, what could he possibly change?
Humans are creatures who seek personal benefit and avoid harm. Before ensuring their own safety, reaching out to others would only bring them more trouble. The concept of "salvation" belongs to the strong, while the weak can only feel sorry for themselves.
When Nawaki died, Konoha wouldn't hold a funeral for him. Currently, everyone is racing against ti to defeat the enemy and drive them out of the country.
Life and death are no longer considerations, and there is no ti to mourn for the deceased, even if he was the grandson of the first Hokage.
Hashirama was a ninja, and whether he had that awareness or not didn't matter. This is the reality of a ninja war.
Shiraishi was gradually understanding the ruthlessness of war. In his previous life, he lived in a relatively peaceful era, far away from the horrors of war.
However, in recent years, Konoha had not experienced war firsthand, but he still deeply grasped one truth: Life is not ant for happiness, and death is not ant for mourning. Being born in troubled tis is the greatest misfortune.
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