Only This Head of Hair Remains

Gods cannot bleed.

To the average Konoha ninja, the Tsuchikage Ōnoki is a god.

Yet, they had actually managed to wound a god.

Although it was merely a fragment that had embedded itself into Ōnoki's leg, it served as proof that Ōnoki was not a god.

Kawadera Uchiha shouted, "Quick! Release the Ninja Hawks!"

Over a dozen Ninja Hawks took flight from outside the medical ward.

Kawadera Uchiha did not have the time to craft any more fragment-based explosive tags.

However, how was Ōnoki to know whether or not these Ninja Hawks carried fragment-based explosive tags?

Seeing the multitude of Ninja Hawks released by the medical ward, Ōnoki hovered in the air, no longer daring to fly toward the medical facility.

Having been delayed for some time, Hiruzen Sarutobi caught up.

The several-hundred-meter-long Adamantine Enma Staff swept across the sky, intercepting Ōnoki.

The battle between the two Kage-level ninjas fell into a stalemate; neither Ōnoki nor Hiruzen Sarutobi could do anything about the other.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's taijutsu was formidable, and the Dust Release, which required a certain amount of preparation time, could not land a hit on him.

Ōnoki flew at a great height, his Earth Release Flight Technique keeping him in an invincible position, but he could not break through Hiruzen Sarutobi's defense in the short term to reach the medical ward.

Kawadera Uchiha was looking up, watching with great interest, when three figures appeared via Body Flicker.

Leading them was Naraichi, the Hokage's assistant to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Naraichi asked urgently, "Who was it that just wounded Ōnoki!"

Dazhou Yamanaka hurriedly stepped forward a few paces, his voice rising sharply: "Me! It was me! It was definitely me!"

Seeing that the captain of the medical guard unit, Chu Inuzuka, seemed to have something to say, he quickly cut him off and continued shouting:

"I was inspired by Kawadera Uchiha, and in coordination with him, we created the suicide Ninja Hawk tactic! It is very effective against aerial targets!"

Naraichi said, "Dazhou Yamanaka, I am now appointing you as the captain of the Anti-Air Unit!

Ask for whoever you need; I require you to have the Anti-Air Unit begin counterattacking within three minutes!

Gangcheng Nara will help you coordinate everything; his orders are my orders!"

After saying this, Naraichi vanished with a Body Flicker, leaving only the other pineapple-head behind.

Dazhou Yamanaka thought to himself, I finally have my moment in the sun!

He said to Gangcheng Nara, "Lord Gangcheng! My Anti-Air Unit needs two squadrons, totaling 32 ninjas from the Yamanaka Clan, and one demolition squadron responsible for manufacturing Explosive Wooden Barrels."

"Explosive Wooden Barrels?"

Gangcheng Nara understood the request for two squadrons of the Yamanaka Clan, assuming it was to utilize their secret techniques, but he did not understand what an Explosive Wooden Barrel was.

Dazhou Yamanaka said, "Kawadera Uchiha! Let Kawadera Uchiha be the captain of the demolition squadron! He knows how to manufacture Explosive Wooden Barrels!"

The order was quickly disseminated, and seconds later, two squadrons of Yamanaka Clan ninjas arrived before Dazhou Yamanaka.

Watching the confusion on his clansmen's faces, Dazhou Yamanaka felt incredibly satisfied.

You all looked down on me, saying I lacked Ino-Shika-Cho teammates; well, now you don't have teammates either, you've all been drafted!

Ninja Hawks, Fire Release ninjas, and sealing ninjas—the unit was fully assembled.

Dazhou Yamanaka approached Kawadera Uchiha and said:

"Kawadera! You are now a squadron captain; a squadron captain's resume must feel like a dream to you, right?

An Uchiha rarely has the opportunity to become a squadron captain in a regular Konoha unit.

Hurry up and manufacture the Explosive Wooden Barrels; rest assured, I will apply for a major mission reward for you after the war!"

Kawadera Uchiha said, "Then I must thank you!"

What a nuisance, he thought. He had originally only wanted to obtain an A-rank mission reward from Tobirama Senju, never expecting to be dragged into some Anti-Air Unit.

Within his sea of consciousness, Kawadera Uchiha asked, "Lord Second, where is my reward?"

With a ripple of his soul, Tobirama Senju completed a Mind Awakening.

Kawadera Uchiha's [Illusion] stat rose from 8.2 to 8.3, his genjutsu prowess advancing further.

"Lord Second! I gifted the fragment-based explosive tags I created to Konoha; this is no small contribution to the village. Is there no reward?"

"Of course not." Tobirama Senju said decisively, "Konoha has its own wartime regulations.

If you were to refuse Gangcheng Nara now, you would certainly be executed by him."

Kawadera Uchiha withdrew from his sea of consciousness, thinking, This damned world.

He had Kureya Inuzuka and Ken Aburame go teach the temporary squadron how to manufacture the Explosive Wooden Barrels.

He himself took people to hurry and draw the explosive tags.

One by one, the Ninja Hawks soared into the sky.

Some acted as decoys, circling above Ōnoki to intimidate him.

Others carried Explosive Wooden Barrels filled with several Explosive Tags and shrapnel, waiting for the right moment to dive toward Ōnoki.

Ōnoki was forced to expend a great deal of energy dodging or dealing with these Explosive Wooden Barrels.

The explosions of the tags were inconsequential; it was the rapidly flying shrapnel that gave Ōnoki a massive headache.

Seeing the situation improve, Hiruzen Sarutobi hurriedly said:

"Naraichi! Well done!

I will hold Ōnoki back—counterattack! Order a counterattack!"

"Yes! Lord Hokage!"

Based on the battlefield situation, Naraichi quickly issued orders to the various units, and the counterattack began.

Outside the medical station, Kanzuki Senju came to Kawadera Uchiha's side and said, "Brother-in-law, we've received orders to head to the front for the counterattack. See you later!"

Kawadera Uchiha looked at the three twelve-year-old children, not knowing what to wish them.

"Go on. Once this battle ends, perhaps you'll be able to take the Chunin Exams."

Kanzuki Senju with her twin tails, Shingu Senju with his glasses, and the Inuzuka Clan ninja with his small grey-and-white puppy left the medical station.

Kawadera Uchiha buried his head in drawing Explosive Tags.

He drew one every two minutes, losing track of how many he had made—perhaps thirty, perhaps forty—until he was so exhausted he couldn't refine any more chakra, and finally, no one came to ask him for more tags.

Ōnoki flew away, and the battle ended.

Kawadera Uchiha accepted another mission: to lead a squad to carry the wounded off the battlefield.

After walking a few dozen paces, he saw over a dozen large craters; these were created by Ōnoki's Dust Release.

Kawadera Uchiha examined the craters closely; the side walls were incredibly smooth, with soil, grass roots, and vines sliced perfectly clean.

The bottom of the pits was absolutely flat; if one were struck by Dust Release, they would be instantly reduced to dust.

Walking another two hundred paces forward, they encountered many Konoha ninjas.

Those who were severely wounded were already drifting in and out of consciousness, groaning on the ground.

Those who were not as badly hurt gritted their teeth, remaining silent while cold sweat poured down, signaling for the others to carry the heavily wounded first.

I must pretend to be unconscious and scream if I get hurt in the future, Kawadera Uchiha thought to himself, otherwise, I'll be the last one saved.

They made three trips to carry the wounded, with each round trip covering an increasingly long distance.

By the fourth trip, Kawadera Uchiha suddenly saw a figure he had recognized earlier.

Shingu Senju, whom he had just parted ways with, was holding a small grey-and-white puppy, clutching a lock of pale golden hair in his hand, standing there blankly with a dazed and unfocused gaze.

That... that hair?

Kawadera Uchiha walked over and asked, "Shingu, where is Kanzuki?"

Shingu Senju slowly raised his head, his neck stiff: "Kanzuki charged too fast and was swept by the Dust Release. Only... only this hair was left."

Kawadera Uchiha froze, said nothing more, and continued to carry the wounded.

"Second Hokage, I did save Kanzuki Senju. It was she who charged too recklessly and died in the Dust Release."

"You cannot take back my reward."

After a dozen seconds passed, Kawadera Uchiha continued:

"Hey, Second Hokage, why aren't you saying anything?"

No matter how great the Will of Fire might be, it appeared pale and powerless in the face of the only thing left of a twelve-year-old child: a lock of pale golden hair.

After completing the mission of carrying the wounded, he learned from Seigetsu Senju that thirty-eight ninjas from the Senju Clan had sacrificed themselves in this battle.

This included five twelve-year-old genin who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy, as well as her best cousin, the child of her own uncle.

Seigetsu leaned her head on Kawadera Uchiha's shoulder, then went back to treating the wounded.

Kawadera Uchiha saw a wet patch on his shoulder.

For the first time, the number of ninjas in the Senju Clan had fallen below two hundred, leaving only 192.

Tobirama Senju said, "Kawadera Uchiha, I am giving you an S-rank mission: protect the ninjas of the Senju Clan as best as you can. Save as many as you can..."

"An S-rank mission reward? May I know what the reward is?"

"A forbidden jutsu no less powerful than the Eight Inner Gates."

Kawadera Uchiha heard a rare exhaustion in Tobirama Senju's words and did not press further.

Kawadera Uchiha asked, "By any means necessary?"

"By any means necessary?" Tobirama Senju was silent for a moment before saying, "Of course, by any means necessary."

"Understood!"

Kawadera Uchiha was instantly filled with fighting spirit; it seemed Tobirama Senju had finally felt a hint of urgency, and his mindset had shifted.

He was looking forward to his second forbidden jutsu.

Seeing Shingu Senju standing there blankly, clutching that lock of pale golden hair, Kawadera Uchiha felt a pang of discomfort in his heart.

His sister-in-law, whom he had only known for a few days—how could she just be gone like that?