Shimizu, Come Help

Sarutobi Hiruzen lectured for a full hour, filling the air with words that Obito had absolutely no interest in—just another dose of sentimental speeches.

"When the Hokage speaks, we should listen carefully," Namikaze Minato said to Obito, who was standing beside their squad.

Minato was someone who genuinely bought into these ideals. Sarutobi Hiruzen's words about the Will of Fire were razor-sharp, cutting straight to the essence of true dedication and self-sacrifice.

"Oh, is that so?" Obito muttered listlessly.

He turned his head to see a blond-haired ninja with long sideburns and striking features—a bright and cheerful young man through and through.

Obito's relationship with Minato was just average.

"Tch, I hate these good-looking types the most," he thought.

His gaze shifted to Nohara Rin, standing behind Minato, followed by Kakashi and finally Shimizu.

The more he looked, the more irritated he felt.

That spot next to them should have been his. The Third Hokage must have made some kind of mistake.

Obito drifted in and out of these thoughts.

"Obito, if you're sleepy, go home. You think this is just some game?" Kakashi remarked with his usual sharp tongue.

"Tch, you—" Obito was about to charge at him but suddenly felt Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze sweep past. He quickly froze, pretending to listen attentively.

"Shimizu, we're finally heading to the battlefield," Kakashi murmured once Obito quieted down.

"That's not exactly a good thing," Shimizu replied, shaking his head. "But we're likely assigned to logistics, far from the front lines."

"Shimizu is right. Our job is in logistics," Minato chimed in, turning with a smile. "The Third Hokage has already assigned us our roles. Since you and Rin are both medical ninjas, we'll be heading to the temporary field hospital."

"We'll do our best, Minato-sensei!" Rin responded enthusiastically, raising a small fist.

She had worked hard to learn medical ninjutsu so she could be on the same team as Kakashi.

But the first time she ever felt the desire to become a medical ninja, the true reason she was so determined, was after witnessing many wounded comrades.

Rin wanted to heal them, to ease their pain and suffering.

Now, at last, she could take her first real step toward that noble goal.

The four of them chatted for a while before returning their attention to Hiruzen's speech.

To be honest, Shimizu felt the same way about these speeches as Obito did.

He just couldn't appreciate them.

Everything was about bonds. Everything was about the Will of Fire.

It was just too much indoctrination.

The ninja academy mainly focused on theory, training, battle insights, history, and practical exercises.

The only philosophy taught was the Will of Fire, ingrained into young minds as the guiding principle of Konoha's shinobi spirit.

What was missing entirely? Politics.

Every shinobi was politically illiterate, and the disastrous decisions made by some higher-ups made perfect sense in light of that.

Shimizu's past life had been filled with rampant scams and cult-like schemes, making Hiruzen's speeches sound painfully dull.

Only these political illiterates found them enthralling, listening with rapt attention.

Minato, for example.

--

Half an hour later, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally finished speaking, and all squads began marching out of the village.

This deployment mainly involved Chūnin and Genin, with most assigned to the medical logistics division.

Those with unique clan techniques were sent to the sensory and intelligence divisions.

The remaining Jōnin formed the Second Division, responsible for frontline combat, cutting down large numbers of enemies, and protecting the support teams.

Uchiha Fugaku led this Second Division, commanding a group of elite Uchiha as they headed toward the northwestern border.

Hiruzen had given orders to push Konoha's defensive line outward, extending it to the borders of Takigakure or the nearby Grass Country.

Shifting the main battlefield into another nation's territory would significantly reduce the losses suffered by the Land of Fire.

War wasn't a single battle but an ongoing tug-of-war along a vast front.

That entire region was home to many towns and civilians.

If the battlefield wasn't pushed outward, the first to suffer would be the Land of Fire's people.

--

The vast mountain ranges stretched endlessly, with columns of black smoke rising in the distance, explosions echoing through the valleys.

From a high vantage point, one could see the rocky cliffs at the mountain's edge, where a river marked a clear dividing line.

On one side lay an endless forest; on the other, churning waters and cascading waterfalls.

Day and night, shinobi from both sides clashed there, seizing and defending territory in a relentless struggle.

After half a month of arduous travel, Shimizu and his team finally arrived at the temporary field hospital at dusk.

The hospital was situated dozens of kilometers from the front lines. Given how fast shinobi could move, it had been placed at such a distance to prevent surprise attacks.

Calling it a "hospital" was generous—it was little more than a collection of tents clustered on a flat clearing.

A red cross stood at the entrance, distinguishing the medical area from the resting quarters.

Minato went to discuss logistics with the head of the hospital, checking personnel and supplies.

The rest of the team followed orders from their assigned Jōnin and began their medical support work.

Most shinobi stationed there continued their march forward, leaving only the medical logistics unit behind.

"Heh, Kuuno, our scores are about the same. Let's watch each other's backs," Obito said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Kuuno Tetsuji waved dismissively.

Obito hardly seemed like an Uchiha—his grades were on par with an ordinary civilian.

While handling their support duties, many first-time battlefield shinobi couldn't contain their excitement, eagerly chatting with their comrades.

"Shimizu, this is real war," Uchiha Tekka muttered, wiping his sweat as he set down a crate of supplies. Under the dim twilight, the black mole on his forehead took on a slightly yellow hue.

"Never let your guard down in war. Don't get yourself killed," Shimizu replied, glancing at the wounded being carried in on stretchers.

Some injuries were so severe they hadn't even been treated yet—gaping wounds where flesh had been torn away, the result of brutal combat.

The medical team members tried to distract themselves by chatting with familiar faces, easing their tension and anxiety.

Uchiha Tekka was among them. So was Uchiha Inabi, though he had been assigned to tent setup duty.

"Shimizu! Come help!" a voice called from afar, interrupting their conversation.

Shimizu nodded at Tekka in farewell.

Donning a white medical robe over his flak jacket, he stepped into the tent to begin treating the wounded.

Amidst the work, the sound of Obito moving crates echoed in the background.

"I, Uchiha Obito, will carve out my own legend! Rin, believe in me!" his voice rang out.

Shimizu shook his head with a smirk.

This was the battlefield against Iwagakure.

The famous Battle of Kannabi Bridge was looming, where Iwa's Jōnin, Tōnin, would lead a surprise attack.

And in that battle, Obito would lose half his body, sacrifice an eye, and be taken away by Uchiha Madara into the shadows of history.

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