Senju Kyogawa with a Child

Although Senju Kyogawa did not want to go to the battlefield, he was forced to go under the pressure of unavoidable circumstances.

However, Senju Kyogawa had already made preparations and intended to "lay low" until the war ended.

Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama were incredibly worried about Senju Kyogawa before this war. They even wanted to keep him directly by their sides, but since both of them had to fight on the front lines where the danger was even greater, his two older brothers decided it was best for Senju Kyogawa to stay safely in the rear and provide Healing Jutsu to the injured Senju clansmen.

Yet, before heading to the battlefield, Senju Tobirama could not suppress his anxiety. He gave Senju Kyogawa a long list of battlefield precautions—the same ones he had recited during Kyogawa's first time on the front—but he still could not set his mind at ease. After all, Senju Kyogawa was his only remaining younger brother.

Furthermore, Senju Hashirama used most of his savings to purchase a large quantity of Explosive Tags, stuffing them into Senju Kyogawa's ninja scroll. He urged him that if he ever encountered an enemy he could not handle, he must throw all these Explosive Tags out; his own life was the top priority.

Even Senju Butsuma, who was usually stern and humorless, took time out of his busy pre-war preparations to give Senju Kyogawa instructions and express his concern.

Even many Senju clansmen who were on good terms with Senju Kyogawa came to check on him, wishing him a safe return from the battlefield and hoping for the Senju clan's victory in this war.

All these things, and many more, were too numerous to list.

Senju Kyogawa was so moved by them that he almost cried, feeling deeply grateful to have met such caring family and clansmen in this life.

In short, regardless of his reluctance or unwillingness, the war began.

With three tall banners bearing the emblems of different ninja clans raised high, this long-awaited war finally broke out.

Senju Kyogawa's role this time was logistics and medical support. Several young Senju ninjas around his age were assigned to assist him—no matter how heartless a ninja clan might be, they would not be so deranged as to send five or six-year-old children to fight on the front lines.

Many of these "little sprouts" were on the battlefield for the first time. This assignment served two purposes: first, to let the older, experienced, and seasoned Senju ninjas guide them; and second, to cultivate a sense of awe for the battlefield so they would not treat it as child's play.

Senju Kyogawa was tasked with leading this group of young ninjas to adapt to the battlefield.

The young ninjas were mostly acquaintances of Senju Kyogawa, as he had previously dragged them along to help with farming, and he often rewarded them with delicious snacks. As a result, they were quite familiar with him. Moreover, Senju Kyogawa was something of a "veteran" figure with considerable authority among the children of the Senju clan.

Therefore, having Senju Kyogawa lead them was the most appropriate choice.

When the "little sprouts" first arrived on the battlefield, they felt a sense of novelty. Although they had taken on simple mercenary missions and most had already drawn blood or killed, this was their first time on a real battlefield. Even though the adults had told them of its cruelty, they lacked a concrete concept of it and still harbored a primitive curiosity—much like Senju Kyogawa had during his own first time.

In a sense, perhaps the rear of the battlefield was the most terrifying and bloody place, yet the most suitable for these greenhouse-raised young ninjas to grow.

Compared to the fast-paced, high-intensity combat on the front lines, the rhythm here was relatively slower, yet it allowed the young ninjas to realize the true horror of war more effectively.

Senju Kyogawa was responsible for escorting a group of wounded soldiers who had narrowly escaped death back to the rear base.

Among these wounded, some were missing limbs, others had been slashed across the waist, and a few had nearly had their throats slit. Had Senju Kyogawa not arrived in time with several Senju ninjas to drive off the enemy, they would have already breathed their last.

In short, these wounded men were covered in gore and blood, a sight entirely unsuitable for children to witness.

Seeing these injuries, Senju Kyogawa could not help but turn pale—yes, he was genuinely frightened.

But after seeing such wounds for a long time, Senju Kyogawa became somewhat numb. He even tried to find humor in his misery, thinking that if this were the country he lived in during his past life, such content would never pass censorship even if filmed as a war documentary... and even if it somehow did, it would inevitably be covered in mosaics.

In the tent where the wounded were kept, the smell of blood and sweat mingled in the sweltering midsummer air, stinking and dissipating until it was enough to make one's eyes swim.

The ground, the beds, and the stretchers were all stained with foul, blackened blood, some of it already clotted—truly not a place for children.

"Ugh—"

"Blech—"

The young ninjas could not help but feel nauseated the moment they stepped into the tent. Several collapsed, retching violently on the floor.

Senju Kyogawa, having just finished using Healing Jutsu on a few patients, turned around to see this scene and immediately shouted for them to go out.

"If you can't handle it now, get out and catch your breath. There will be plenty more scenes like this in the future. You're scared already?"

The young ninjas looked up to see the hellish scene before them. They were deeply shaken, taking a long moment to digest what Senju Kyogawa had just said.

Refusing to admit defeat, the young ninjas shouted:

"Who's scared! We aren't scared at all!"

However, when they looked at Senju Kyogawa and the gore-covered wounded before him, they still felt a flicker of cowardice, hesitating and daring not to step forward.

Seeing their stubborn yet fearful expressions, Senju Kyogawa could not help but find it somewhat amusing.

What could he do? These "little sprouts" were still just children.

However, Senju Kyogawa's own appearance was indeed quite terrifying at the moment.

He had originally been wearing green clothes, but they were soaked in large patches of blood, turning a deep, dark crimson. The ends of his soft white hair, which usually rested on his shoulders, were matted together with blood, and his fair skin was also splattered with red. The contrast between the bright blood and his pale skin made it all the more striking.

Furthermore, due to the foul air in the room, Senju Kyogawa's face was slightly pale, and his hands were covered in blood, making him look all the more like a vengeful ghost.

It was no wonder the children hesitated to approach him.