Outside Konoha, near the Honglu Guesthouse.
All the attackers had been subdued and captured, and the surrounding fires had been doused with sweeping waves of Water Style. However, the thick smoke and acrid stench of burning still lingered and would take some time to clear.
Large numbers of Konoha shinobi and villagers, some acting on their own and others in organized groups, were entering the guesthouse to dig through the rubble and treat the wounded.
The wars between ninja villages were brutal and fierce.
But most of the simple, kindhearted villagers who had grown up in Konoha still possessed an instinctive goodness deep down.
Even though most of the injured inside the guesthouse weren't from Konoha, and some weren't even from the Land of Fire.
They were still willing to lend a hand and help.
At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was leaning on his cane at the guesthouse entrance, methodically directing the relief and cleanup efforts.
And it wasn't a simple task.
How should the injured be counted? Where should supplies be allocated from? How should provisions be distributed? How should conflicts be handled... and so on.
All of it required some talent and experience.
Fortunately, Hiruzen had both in abundance, and he was managing everything with ease.
He might not have been the strongest Hokage, but he was certainly talented when it came to administration.
If it had been some future Seventh Hokage, he might have just slapped his forehead, created a thousand shadow clones, and then swarmed into the rubble himself to search for survivors.
It was hard to say which approach was better, but the latter would definitely be more exhausting.
"Hiruzen, have some water."
Torifu Akimichi, who was guarding the injured Hiruzen, handed him a cup of warm water to soothe his throat.
After all, Hiruzen