Konoha Encampment
The Konoha camp was in a grim state.
Ninjas were tallying the names of the dead. Like every war before, the so-called benefits were nowhere to be seen. If a ninja's body could be retrieved whole, it was considered a blessing. Such was the fate of shinobi.
Before they died, perhaps all they wanted was to go home one last time—to see their loved ones again. Only then would they understand what their sacrifice was truly for.
"This time the losses are heavy. I didn't expect Sunagakure to go as far as to collaborate with Iwagakure with such recklessness."
In the temporary command tent, Hatake Sakumo rubbed his temples as he reviewed the post-battle report.
Everyone knew war meant death. The shinobi who came here had long accepted that truth. But there had to be meaning in death.
Meaningless deaths—like the ones in this battle—were the worst kind. They crushed morale and sowed doubt about the future.
There was no doubt this failure fell on Danzo's shoulders. He hadn't performed proper reconnaissance before the attack, and he had recklessly ordered a direct assault. It was a strategy that completely contradicted the way shinobi were supposed to fight.
"Where's Yukika?"
Sakumo glanced around. All the other clan leaders and squad commanders were present—except the Senju siblings.
Post-battle evaluations like this were standard procedure, and Yukika had been the only true hero of this engagement. If the Senju clan hadn't arrived when they did, the list of casualties would be far longer.
"Resting, apparently. I heard he overexerted himself during the battle."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, visibly deep in thought.
Victory or defeat didn't matter much to him. But in Senju Yukika, he had found something far more intriguing.
A new kekkei genkai had emerged within the Senju—something as devastating as Wood Release.
That emerald green glow… What was it exactly?
Green typically symbolized vitality. Yet in Yukika's hands, it manifested as a blinding flash that reduced everything to nothing.
A new kekkei genkai. Yukika called it Void Flash.
Everyone here had seen it—how that dazzling energy beam tore through enemies, leaving a deep ravine in the earth in its wake. According to those who witnessed it, any shinobi struck by that light were instantly erased.
Orochimaru was now desperate to learn more about Void Flash.
For him, this was the ultimate temptation—whether as a new ninjutsu or a kekkei genkai, it was something worth obsessing over.
And more than that, after seeing Yukika's strength with his own eyes, Orochimaru was convinced: the future of the Senju clan lay in Yukika's hands.
To surpass Hashirama Senju…
That wasn't just talk anymore. Yukika had proved this was possible. This may have been his debut, but it wouldn't be his last.
"Overexerted?"
Understandable.
Sakumo nodded. He'd heard the stories—that it was Yukika who created the breakthrough in the enemy lines.
Young and full of potential. No wonder he was the Senju Clan's new patriarch.
"Uh… any word on Danzo?"
Sakumo's tone shifted slightly as he brought up the name.
"Nothing for now. But with Lord Danzo's skill, we don't need to worry," Orochimaru replied coolly.
"He won't die—not easily. Even if he's taken prisoner, he won't choose martyrdom. That's not his style."
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