Not the Same!

The drizzle fell without letup, adding a gloomy air to an already somber funeral.

Three days had passed since the Akatsuki Organization's attack.

It had taken Konoha three whole days to clear away all the rubble, compile a complete list of the dead and wounded, and hold this funeral.

The elite forces led by Tsunade and Jiraiya had returned to the village the day before.

They weren't the only ones. After learning that Konoha had been attacked, the Ninja Village Allied Forces, who had joined them in the assault on Amegakure, had also rushed to the village.

So this funeral was attended not only by Konoha's High Command, but also by the other four Kage, who had been invited.

Among the crowd, the Ninja Academy students wore grief-stricken expressions.

The count showed that the Akatsuki Organization's attack had killed more than forty Konoha Ninja on the spot, while hundreds more had been injured.

Many of the dead and wounded were relatives or friends of the Ninja Academy students.

For instance, Shikamaru's father, Shikaku Nara, had been gravely injured in the battle and was still in the intensive care unit at Konoha Hospital.

Ino's father, Inoichi Yamanaka, had lost an arm and could no longer perform Hand Seals with both hands.

Shino's father, Shibi Aburame, had been poisoned by Scorpion and was receiving treatment at the hospital. Several of Shino's other elders had also died at Scorpion's hands.

On the roof of Konoha Hospital,

Tsunade and Yakumo, who hadn't attended the funeral, gazed silently in the direction of the Memorial Stone.

Noticing that Yakumo seemed downcast, Tsunade said, "Yakumo, you did very well this time! We all underestimated Hiruko's strength. With five Kekkei Genkai, he may have surpassed the limits of an ordinary ninja. Even if I'd been there, I wouldn't