The Weight of Life

Sarutobi Sōun sighed slowly.

He looked at Sasuke, and in those dark brown eyes that were exactly the same as Sasuke's, the sharpness and majesty faded layer by layer, revealing the exhaustion beneath, which was covered with bloodshot veins.

"Sasuke, I know you're willing to go to great lengths for your friends. But before you do that, think of your mother, Miori, and your son Hiruzen. You're not a young man anymore. You have a family, you're a husband, an heir. You can't act recklessly."

Sasuke leaned against the headboard, staring at the thin, long crack in the wood grain on the ceiling for a long time.

At that moment, he suddenly remembered that when Miori had put the roasted salamander into his mouth, her fingers had been trembling slightly.

It seems this outing really frightened her.

"I understand, old man."

Sarutobi Sōun didn't say anything more. He pushed the food box towards Sasuke again, stood up, and turned to walk towards the door.

At the same time, Tobirama led Nara Shikahiko through the corridor of the Post Station and into the inner room.

Yuan Yusheng was sitting on the veranda reviewing documents sent from the Capital when he heard footsteps. He looked up and put down his pen.

"Your Daimyo," Rokuhiko bowed slightly, "I apologize for disturbing you. I would appreciate your guidance on the specific arrangements for the Memorial Service."

Yuan Yusheng put the brush down on the inkstone and glanced at Wakako.

Wakako nodded slightly, got up and went to the inner room to fetch a tea set, then poured a cup for each of the two guests in the corridor.

Tobirama accepted it with both hands and thanked him.

Rokuhiko pulled a blank scroll and a pen from his sleeve, ready to take notes.

Yuan Yusheng pondered for a moment and then spoke, "The Memorial Service can be held at the Dueling Arena. That's the place that suffered the most damage in this attack, and it's also the place where everyone experienced the battle together. Choosing it there carries more weight than choosing any indoor venue."

"In terms of setup, an altar will be set up at the front of the venue, with portraits of the victims hanging on it. If portraits cannot be prepared, wooden plaques with names written on them can be used instead. White Banners will be erected on both sides of the altar, Plain-Colored Cloth will be laid on the ground, extending from the entrance to the front of the altar."

"All participants must wear dark-colored clothing. Uniform styles are not mandatory, but the primary colors must be black, gray, and dark blue. The specific order of the procession is as follows: the families of the deceased are at the front, followed by the Hokage and clan Clan Head, then ordinary villagers. Foreign Envoys will be seated on the side."

"Secondly, speeches. The Hokage will deliver a eulogy, mainly recounting the life and deeds of the deceased. If any Clan Head wish to go on stage, they can do so after the Hokage, with each clan having no more than three minutes."

"If any family members of the deceased wish to go up on stage, they will be arranged to do so last, but it is not mandatory. The final step is the offering of flowers. A flower-offering platform will be set up in front of the altar, and all participants will come forward in order of their queue to offer flowers. If there aren't enough flowers, wildflowers from the mountains can be used."

Rokuhiko's pen moved swiftly across the scroll.

Tobirama looked at Yuan Yusheng and nodded from time to time.

When the topic of maintaining order at the meeting came up Tobirama offered his own arrangements.

"The Konoha Military Police Force will be responsible for maintaining order at the venue," Tobirama said. "The entrance and exit are separate, and all participants will enter in batches according to queues, with the interval between each batch controlled by guides."

"The departure will also be staggered to avoid crowding. Twelve Security Force will be on duty every two hours. If any family members become emotionally distraught, they will be assisted to the rest area by guides, where medical-nin will be on standby."

Yuan Yusheng listened and nodded slightly, feeling that Tobirama Senju's ideas and arrangements were very thoughtful, and there was nothing to add.

Just then, he heard Tobirama's next words.

"Medical-nin need to set up temporary Medical Tents on both sides of the venue to deal with possible fainting, wound rupture, and serious injuries due to exhaustion during the ceremony."

"Seriously wounded?" Yuan Yusheng frowned slightly. "Could it be that the seriously wounded are also coming to participate?"

Tobirama's Red Eyes met his gaze, his tone calm and unwavering. "They will definitely come, so a medical team is necessary."

Tobirama's words silenced Yuan Yusheng. He lowered his eyes and spoke after a few seconds.

"I initially thought your failure to commemorate your comrade was due to indifference," Yuan Yusheng began, his voice lower than before. He set down his teacup, clasped his hands on his knees, and bowed slightly. "Now it seems I was too deeply influenced by the idea that 'Ninjas are weapons.' Please allow me to apologize."

Tobirama blinked, somewhat surprised, completely unprepared for the Daimyo's actions, but his years of experience in dealing with people allowed him to quickly understand.

He waved his hand gently. "It's not your fault, Your Daimyo. The reason we're in this situation is because we haven't had time to do this kind of thing in the past."

"Warring States Period, tasks were numerous, and funerals could only be held hastily. Now that Konoha has been rebuilt, these matters can finally be scheduled. We are very grateful for your help this time."

"Does this mean you originally intended to change the funeral arrangements?"

"I had planned to do this, but I hadn't found the right time until now, so I'm actually quite happy that it can be held in this format."

Yuan Yusheng frowned; Tobirama's words made him naturally uncomfortable.

He knew how brutal the Ninja's living conditions were, and he also foresaw that the war would not disappear after the establishment of Konoha.

The Land of Fire is such a tempting piece of meat that neighboring countries, no matter how wary they are, will continue to test it. Casualties will be inevitable, and mass funerals will happen sooner or later; it's a foregone conclusion.

But "in this form"? Does it mean the death toll was low? That the attack was timed perfectly? Or that it was a victory?

These reasons all make sense, but it is precisely because they make sense that he feels something is wrong.

He frowned, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

Wakako's voice rang out at that moment. "The right time?"

Her sharp eyes were fixed on the white-haired Ninja before her. "Lord Tobirama, did you perhaps have a funeral before this battle?"

"Of course," Tobirama replied quickly and calmly, "Any combat mission carries the risk of death. But back then, they were all small, isolated missions, and everyone was handling their own tasks. There was never an opportunity for us to hold a collective funeral."

Wakako put down her teacup. The porcelain fell onto the tray with a soft thud, which was particularly clear in the quiet corridor.

She raised her head, a sharp glint flashing in her otherwise gentle eyes. "This is not an opportunity, Lord Tobirama. Your words make me somewhat uncomfortable."

The dignified lady before me said, enunciating each word clearly, "A matter of life and death cannot be described with such language. Please be sure to correct your statement."

The corridor fell silent for a moment.

"I see." Tobirama understood. No wonder the nobles hadn't left their homes these past few days, and no wonder the Envoy always wore a polite and cautious mask on their faces.

It wasn't because Hashirama and Madara's battle frightened them, it wasn't because Konoha's defenses were inadequate, and it wasn't because people had died.

It's because Ninjas themselves viewed themselves as weapons.

In his speech Hashirama Senju said, "We are Ninjas," "We fight like Ninjas," and "We will protect the future that is truly worth protecting with our own hands." Yet, when they talked about the deaths of their comrades, they used the exact same tone as during the Warring States Period.

The number of casualties, mission completion rate, and a mass funeral that was called "the right time".

Even he, who prided himself on being clear-headed, didn't realize it.

When he saw the document stating "76 seriously injured, 112 slightly injured, and 16 dead," he thought that these numbers were much better than expected.

When he said, "Now that Konoha has been built, these things can be put on the agenda," his tone was no different from arranging the construction schedule for the new Training Ground.

If they themselves treat life so lightly, how can they expect others to see them as human beings?

Tobirama placed his hands on his knees and bowed deeply, almost touching the ground. "I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Daimyo's Wife."