Returning to Konoha Openly, Facing Their Teacher in Shame

The Konoha rescue force returned to Konoha with Tobirama's body, silent the entire way.

The atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme.

Halfway through the journey, the sensory ninja in the team suddenly noticed something unusual. Following the chakra trail deep into the forest, they found the body of a female ninja who had been "crushed."

The sight was too horrifying to bear.

"It's Utatane Koharu from the Shadow Guard," Aburame Ryūgen reported in a low voice, his expression grave.

Senju Touka froze for a moment, then immediately stepped forward to inspect the body.

The rescue force's core mission on this trip was only to bring back the Second Hokage's body. The Shadow Guard members who had escaped under Tobirama's cover were not part of their mission.

Their current location was still within the war zone in the Land of Lightning, and the situation remained unclear. An encounter could break out at any moment. Their top priority was to safely return Tobirama's body to Konoha as quickly as possible.

Of course, they would help if they encountered a comrade on the road. But those people had failed in their duty first, and the village would not dispatch more forces to actively rescue them.

Looking at Utatane Koharu's body, Senju Touka felt a complicated mix of emotions.

Out of affection for Tobirama, she had cared deeply for his disciples. Utatane Koharu in particular had received her personal guidance and instruction.

But this incident was like an icy nail driven into her heart. Between her and the Shadow Guard now stood a sorrowful barrier that could never be crossed, and their former bond as teacher and students could never return to what it had been.

Even if staying behind to cover the retreat had been Tobirama's intention, they should have refused.

Tobirama wanted