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 calmest.
With the onset of war, the Medical Experimental 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 summer 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 investment, 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 medicinal ingredients and, most importantly, natural energy. This combination doubled the value and effectiveness of the medicine.
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 immediate death.
Unless a person naturally possessed an affinity for natural energy, but Shiraishi had never encountered someone 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. Some 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 time frame 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 time 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 medicine when the time was right. With the imminent war, better preparation increased the chances of survival.
.....
"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 home to Shiraishi.
"That's good to hear. I've made some 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 me, 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 time with you here might attract attention."
Ayane nodded and watched as Shiraishi left her ward.
....
The news of Nawaki's death came unexpectedly, leaving people overwhelmed. 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 came to his mind. It was hard to accept that someone 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 mercy just because someone 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 moment. Even someone 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 time to defeat the enemy and drive them out of the country.
Life and death are no longer considerations, and there is no time 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 meant for happiness, and death is not meant for mourning. Being born in troubled times is the greatest misfortune.This chapter's initial release occurred on the n0vell--Bjjn site.
