Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

"Is this... real?"

"Hmph! Not to mention the wounds caused by those black rods, even if internal organs are blown out and the body suffers huge injuries, as long as the treatment is timely, Jugo can repair them."

"Get to work! Leave this to us. Rescuing people from those ruins isn't something ordinary ninjas are good at."

Karin responded confidently. Obito Uchiha breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at the unconscious Kakashi and Rin, and finally solemnly replied:

"I'm counting on you all here! I will do everything in my power to save as many people as possible."

Jugo watched Obito Uchiha's departing figure, then glanced at the little boy named "Obito," scratched his head in confusion, and muttered to himself:

"I've wanted to ask this for a while now. Is the uncle's son named Kakashi?"

"The relationships seem complicated..."

"It's probably just the old man's peculiar taste! After all, not everyone has a young heart like Master Xiu!"

Jugo sighed helplessly as he watched the girl suddenly cover her face in embarrassment. In his view, Karin also had mental problems, somewhat like himself being corrupted by natural energy...

In the camp, most of the medical personnel from Kirigakure and Sunagakure were busy, and many people would occasionally look out at the ruins. The entire village had disappeared, leaving only rubble and debris scattered all over the ground.

Chiyo, who had almost turned herself into a puppet, squinted as she looked at everything in front of her. The old woman was filled with mixed feelings. Sunagakure was able to escape the attack thanks to Gaara's previous decision.

The Land of Wind is indeed barren and of little value. Even if an oasis were to appear, it would take decades to change the environment. Another factor that the Shell Organization did not take advantage of the situation was that they joined the United Nations agreement.

"The protection of the strong is greater than their shadow..."

"The daimyo and ninja villages no longer have any reason to exist..."

Kankuro, who was panting heavily nearby, had just finished taking a secret medicine to replenish his chakra. Hearing Chiyo's words, he paused for a moment, looked around, and then asked in a low voice:

"Elder, what do we do without a daimyo and ninjas?"

"How will everyone survive? The village will probably continue to exist, right?"

Chiyo glanced at the clueless young man and shook her head slightly. Thinking about the future, the old woman answered earnestly:

"How did the samurai disappear from history? The ninjas are just repeating the old story."

"When ninjas can no longer protect themselves, their villages, or their countries, they have no reason to exist."

"Samurai were replaced by ninjas back then, and ninjas will be replaced by science and technology. Most ninjas are already outdated in their use of chakra. Just look at the development of the Land of Water to see that."

"Kankuro, shouldn't you consider changing careers too? My good-for-nothing grandson is the head of the research and development department in the Land of Rain. His fully automated puppets may replace the genin in the future."

"This is the change brought about by technological progress. Clinging to past traditions will only lead to ruin."

Kankuro wiped the sweat from his face. He had only heard that Sasori of the Red Sand had connections with the village's higher-ups, but he hadn't expected that the rogue ninja had already begun cooperating with the village and even updated his puppet technology.

Thinking about how he was still using chakra threads to control the puppet, Kankuro chuckled awkwardly and muttered to himself:

"Manual puppets won't be obsolete that quickly, will they?"

"Automatic puppets? They need ninjas to control them in battle..."

Chiyo ignored Kankuro's fantasies. In her view, the world was changing faster and faster, and the application of chakra was no longer as crude as it used to be.

The destruction of the three great ninja villages is actually an opportunity for the ninja world. Without destruction, there can be no construction; a new world is about to begin.

Tsunade, who was continuing to provide emergency treatment amidst the ruins, finally showed a hint of exhaustion on her face.

Even though her body had been modified, the mental and physical strain from the continuous and intense use of medical ninjutsu could not be quickly recovered.

"Silence, hand me the casualty report! A night has passed, and the statistics should be completed by now."

"Teacher, let's wait until it's fixed before we look at it..."

Covered in dirt, Shizune clutched the report with some worry. Tsunade, hearing her disciple's words, immediately shook her head, took the report, glanced at it, and her face turned even paler:

"Less than three thousand people...?"

"If this happens, the village can't continue. I... I'm so sorry to my grandfather..."

Of the survivors, only half were ninjas. Without much protection, almost all of them died in the collapse. The immense power of the "Great Spiral Wheel" had exceeded the strength of ordinary ninjutsu.

The slugs wriggling among the rubble suddenly stopped. After receiving the message, a small slug quickly came to report to the two.

"Lady Tsunade, don't worry, Lord Shu controls the Pure Land and can bring everyone back to this world."

"However, it is difficult for resurrected people to continue to master powerful chakra, and they may encounter some problems if they want to continue as ninjas."

"If we want to continue the legacy of the ninja village, we can start considering candidates for the next Hokage!"

"Master Xiu will be back soon. We'd better repair our bodies as soon as possible, otherwise our souls may die again after returning due to their severe injuries."

Hearing the soft, sweet voice of the live slug, Shizune froze on the spot, subconsciously murmuring:

"Cultivation can revive everyone? So many people?"

"How is this possible?"

"It's just a basic application of the Rinnegan, don't worry. The chakra will be partially taken over by Isshiki Otsutsuki. Master Shu has already successfully captured the alien!"

The slug's soft, sweet voice turned cheerful. The ninja's life or death was not important to her; the alien's body was more valuable to her, as it represented a path of evolution.

"build..."

Tsunade bit her lip and whispered, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes. She immediately recovered from the earlier shock, stood up straight, and loudly gave orders to those around her:

"Get everyone's bodies back to camp as soon as possible; our mission is to repair the wounds in their bodies."

"The order will resurrect everyone, so hurry!"

"It's Lord Xiu! We're saved!"

"Waaah...that's great..."

The oppressive atmosphere that had enveloped the ruins vanished almost instantly, and some of the Konoha ninja who had participated in the rescue burst into tears. The nightmarish night was finally over.

The little slug that had appeared on Tsunade's shoulder whispered a reminder, in her opinion, that everyone was celebrating too soon:

"Lady Tsunade, besides the potential problems with chakra, some people may not be able to be revived."

"The Pure Land is a magical place that captures souls carrying chakra; it was passed down to Master Shu by the Sage of Six Paths."

"As for the world of 'Hell' and the true world of the dead, Master Xiu currently has no way to explore them. Once a soul goes there, it will most likely only leave its original information on this planet."

"Lord Xiu cannot resurrect the souls absorbed by 'Hell' and 'The World of the Dead'. That involves the operation of the planet, and perhaps only a god can interfere with such places."

Tsunade was completely bewildered. Furukawa Osamu had never mentioned any of this to her. She instinctively felt that Katsuyu's access to more information seemed too intimate with her disciple, but at this moment, she couldn't dwell on it.

"It's already good enough that we can revive some people!"

"Tell Xiu to take care of his health. He can't overdraw his chakra after the battle. If he revives, we still have time."

"As for so-called power, none of that matters. What everyone hopes for is to come back to life."

"I will convey your message, Lady Tsunade!"

The small slug crawled away, and the rescue work continued. By 9 a.m., all the medical ninjas were exhausted and collapsed on the ground. Everyone had done their best and had basically repaired the serious injuries of the deceased.

Looking at those lifeless bodies, Tsunade pursed her lips and remained silent. There were many that were currently beyond repair, and she didn't know how many people would eventually come back to life.

"Are these all? If so, I should inform Lord Xiu!"

The enormous, house-sized slug surveyed its surroundings. The number of resurrected individuals was less than it had anticipated, and the losses from Shell's suicide attack the previous night were greater than expected.

"Yes, that's all there are. Some of their bodies have disappeared."

"Let Xiu do it! It's already a miracle that he was able to be resurrected."

"I understand, Lady Tsunade!"

The giant slug responded with a sound and then stopped moving. Everyone outside the ruins looked at the bodies. Kankuro nervously swallowed and was about to ask a question when his eyes involuntarily widened.

Countless green dots appeared in the sky, their light drawing dazzling lines across the heavens. The spectacular sight caused the ninjas who witnessed it to gasp in astonishment.

"What is that?!"

"My God! Unbelievable! Could that be a soul?"

"Lord Xiu's power has surpassed the entire world; it's practically the power of a god!"

Countless green dots of light continuously entered the repaired body, and everyone present involuntarily held their breath until the last green dot disappeared, at which point everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Tsunade was standing in front of Minato and Kushina. When she saw the two of them twitch their fingers, her tense mood immediately eased.

As Minato slowly opened his eyes, some of the surviving Konoha ninja cheered. The Fifth Hokage had been successfully resurrected, and the village had not been destroyed by their own hands.

"Tsunade... Lady... I'm sorry! The village was ultimately destroyed..."

After regaining his memories, Minato forced himself to sit up and apologized in a low voice. He already knew he would be resurrected in the Pure Land, but when he woke up and saw the desolate scene before him, he couldn't feel happy.

Kushina, who was beside her, also regained consciousness. She looked around in a daze before tears welled in her eyes. The village had vanished. Thinking of her son she had seen in the Pure Land, she choked back sobs and murmured:

"Naruto..."

One by one, the dead ninjas awoke, and soon some noticed the abnormality in their bodies. They instinctively tried to refine their chakra, but their cells did not react much, and their consciousness could not fully control their resurrected bodies.

Chakra!

"I'm alive again?!"

"My body? What's going on...?"

The Konoha ninjas who regained their memories gasped in unison. Nara Shikaku, who had sat up early, covered his forehead and sighed. His body had also experienced problems, but it was already a miracle that he had survived.

"Dad!!"

With his left arm in a sling, Shikamaru rushed to his father's side. As a young ninja, he and his comrades were protected immediately and survived the collapse of the Kage Rock.

Seeing his son's tear-streaked face, Shikaku patted his shoulder weakly. After looking around and considering his physical condition, he realized what had happened:

"Don't cry, Shikamaru. A man shouldn't cry at a time like this. I've come back to life, haven't I?"

"Ninjas may be fading from the scene of history like samurai... Looks like I'll have to retire too..."

Shikamaru froze upon hearing his father's words. The shouts around him made him realize the problem. Wiping away tears, he asked softly:

"Dad, are you unable to use the secret technique anymore?"

“It’s extremely difficult to refine chakra, so I probably won’t be able to continue as a ninja. From now on, the family will depend on you.”

"The future may very well become a new world without ninjas. Shikamaru, don't put too much pressure on yourself. We are already very lucky to have escaped with our lives."

Lu Jiu didn't complain; instead, he showed a relieved smile. Noticing his son's shocked expression, he didn't discuss the matter further. After coughing twice, he asked in a deep voice:

"It must have been Xiu who revived us, right? My injuries must have been caused by Lady Tsunade."

"Yes, Dad, only we young ninjas survived. Too many died last night, those enemies..."

Shikamaru recalled the elusive Caudelaire and the speed and strength that overwhelmed everyone, and for a moment he didn't know how to evaluate them.

He was deeply shocked by the cyborgs who were willing to self-destruct and take the ninjas down with them. For the first time in his life, Shikamaru, who had never experienced war, experienced the “cruelty” that the older generation of ninjas had spoken of.

Not far away, Might Guy and Might Day, having regained their senses, embraced each other and wept uncontrollably. Unusually, the father and son didn't mention "youth."

"Father! I'm so glad you're alive!"

"Kai! It's my fault for not protecting you!"

Although it might seem odd for a 30-year-old man to be hugging his father and crying like a child, the scene felt especially heartwarming in the current context.

Unlike the resurrected ninjas, Kakashi, now fully awake, was squinting with dead fish eyes as Obito Uchiha held him in his arms.

"Kakashi! That's great, I knew you wouldn't die!"

Rin Nohara stood to the side, hugging Obito Hatake, her eyes wide. Seeing Obito's tearful face, a strange expression appeared on her face. She felt that Obito's feelings for her husband seemed to be too deep.

"Mom! Who is that uncle? Why is he also called Obito?"

"Hmm... Uncle was once a hero who saved Dad and Mom! That's why he named you that."

Hatake Obito nodded, seemingly understanding, but as he watched Uchiha Obito hugging his father and weeping with emotion, a thought suddenly popped into his head:

"This uncle seems to really like dads..."

Chapter 331 A Unified Nation!

In early May of Konoha Year 68, the resurrected Konoha ninjas finally adapted to their new bodies after more than half a month. From then on, they would no longer be able to use their powerful chakra abilities.

The price of resurrection is heavy for many, but most Konoha ninjas are truly grateful. Being able to come back to life is always a good thing, and there's nothing wrong with retiring from the ninja profession.

The Konoha ninja clan was greatly affected. Although some of the clan's best "seeds" were preserved, maintaining their previous autonomous status was almost impossible.

Under such circumstances, some members of the ninja clans simply went with the flow and completely withdrew from the ninja ranks. In addition, another group of resurrected ninjas made the same choice, which caused considerable problems for the reconstruction of Konoha Village.