It did not take long for Konoha and Uzushio shinobi to recover from the explosion and begin clearing the battlefield.
Inside the barrier defense station — now the temporary frontline headquarter of the Konoha–Uzushio alliance — Uchiha Sosuke stood beside Uzumaki Kenzo. Behind Sosuke stood Uchiha Eisuke on his left and Uchiha Shinichi on his right. Fukashi and the rest of the Uchiha forces remained at the frontlines, reinforcing defenses in case Kirigakure attempted another assault.
Kenzo stared blankly at the map table with trembling hands.
"What's the situation?" Sosuke asked.
"…" Kenzo didn't respond.
"Hah~!"
Sosuke dipped his head as he exhaled sharply. He stepped forward and slapped Kenzo hard on the back. Sosuke considered slapping his face, but it seemed inappropriate to slap the acting-Uzukage in front of Uzushio ninjas.
"Uzumaki Kenzo! You are the acting Uzukage now! Your people need you! And Kyoto-dono is still alive. Do you want to disappoint him with this pathetic appearance when he wakes up?!!"
The room fell silent.
After the battle, they had recovered Senju Kenichi and Uzumaki Kyoto. Both were gravely injured with missing limbs and barely clinging to life thanks only to their Senju and Uzumaki vitality. Their limbs had been reattached by Shinichi, but neither man would ever return to his former strength.
Kenzo finally inhaled, as clarity returned to his eyes. He nodded gratefully toward Sosuke. He began his report in a hoarse voice.
"Majority of Kiri forces retreated, but they still have about 3,000 troops within our barrier range. And…." Kenzo clenched his fist. "...The Mizukage is among them."
Sosuke added.
"It's likely they won't attack again. But Hozuki Gengetsu alone can still cause catastrophic damage. The sea itself is his greatest weapon."
"...." Kenzo did not respond and clenched his fist harder at the mention of the mizukage.
"I don't think that Mizukage will attack Uzushio again."
Uchiha Eisuke commented.
Sosuke turned as he gave a fatherly smile.
"Why do you think that Eisuke?"
Eisuke stepped forward and continued calmly.
"Most of Kiri's forces were either very old or very young. It looked like they were using this battle as forging ground to temper their next generation. The older and experienced elites focused on shielding the young and never committed fully. Their kage‑level and quasi‑kage forces acted early, holding down our elites from the start."
Normally, Kage level experts rarely charged in first in the start of the battle. Chunins and jonins would clash first and test the waters while Kage level ninjas preserved their strength and chakra for emergencies or variables. It was rare for high-end ninjas to clash on the first day of battle or war.
Eisuke continued as he pointed at the map.
"Such tactics… I do not think Kiri was trying to conquer Uzushio at all. I think They were trying to force Konoha to divide its strength beyond our limits. Collaborating with the other major villages to press us on multiple front. They wanted to exhaust us."
An Uzushio jonin added.
"We also received intelligence that Land of Water recently annexed several smaller islands. The Mizukage shouldn't be able to leave his village for long. Their priority should be integrating those territories."
Sosuke frowned and unlinked his arms as he stared at the redhaired jonin in disbelief.
"You knew this? And did not care to inform us!"
"We had the intelligence," Kenzo admitted, "but we didn't consider that Kiri's goal was to thin out Konoha's forces. We were too focused on the invasion itself."
He shot a sideways glance at Shinichi.
"And Shinichi‑kun's suggestion that they were after the Three‑Tails made us overlook this possibility."
Sosuke's voice sharpened.
"Are you blaming a child for your own oversight?"
Shinichi raised a hand to stop him.
"There is no need, clan head."
He then faced Kenzo.
"I admit that my conjecture was wrong. With your strength, the outcome of the battle might have been more favorable for us and Kyoto-sama or Kenichi-san might have not suffered such injuries. But what's in the past is in the past, our focus should be on the future and it doesn't change the fact that Kiri is now a priority threat to Uzushio. And I advise you, Kenzo-sama, you and Uzushio should strengthen your own defenses further. Do not rely too much on outsiders for YOUR security. It will spell your own doom."
Kenzo's leaned in as his expression darkened.
"What are you implying, Jonin Uchiha Shinichi?"
"This… 'First' Shinobi War is but a prelude to staunch Konoha's growth. The real war will be the next one."
The room fell into silence. The genin scribes halted their hands and raised their head, looking at Shinichi in disbelief. Chunins and jonins froze on the spot and perched their ears.
Soon, chatter broke out in chaos.
"""First… Shinobi… War???!!!""" "You've gotta be kidding me." "Haha... A child's ignorant comment..." "How can such war start so easily?"
Shinichi ignored the outcries and continued as he traced the map of Land of Water.
"You said Kiri is integrating new territories. If Mizukage knows what he's doing, then he should be able to fully integrate these lands in next ten to twenty years."
Kenzo shook his head.
"I think that's little too fast Shinichi-kun. integrating territories takes generations to achieve."
Shinichi, in response, gestured his hands toward Kenzo and asked.
"… Tell me, Kenzo-san, did Kiri take children and young ninjas from these new territories and ninja clans they subdued?"
Kenzo straightened up and widened his eyes.
".... How did you…"
""This is the most efficient method of assimilation. Either you settle your own people in the new land… or you take the younger generation, raise them in your culture brainwashing them, and send them back as loyal vanguards."
"""...."""
Everyone stared at Shinichi in shock. Such method was unheard of and sounded even quite outrageous. No one has done this before in the Ninja world.
Shinichi closed his eyes and recalled his past life; how the Empire used this method to integrate conquered lands and kingdoms quickly. Kill the preexisting culture and lifestyle and overshadow them with the empire's.
He opened his eyes and continued.
"Do you think Kiri protected their young out of compassion or just to guard their future generation? They were also instilling loyalty. By sacrificing the old, they planted seeds of hatred towards us. In twenty years, those children will be adults and backbones of Kiri's power structure. By then, whether Mizukage likes it or not, those young shinobis will demand vengeance. That will be the Mizukage's justification for war."
"….."
"And when that day comes, Kiri's forces will be unified, stronger, and far more dangerous. And they will come here for a conquest or destruction."
A Uzushio jonin protested weakly.
"But Konoha is our ally, Kiri won't dare to face us alone!"
"Exactly!" Shinichi slammed the table and exclaimed. "When Kiri strikes again, it will be during the Second Shinobi War.... or it will be the start of the Second Shinobi War. And Konoha's forces will be spread thin again."
He looked back at Kenzo.
"Do you truly believe Konoha can spare enough troops to save Uzushio a second time?"
GULP
Kenzo swallowed hard.
No one dared to retort Shincihi's analysis as cold dread settled over the room. But, Shinichi's final question lingered in every Uzushio shinobi's mind:
'If Tobirama dies… will Konoha still come next time?'
***
For this war, Uchiha clan mobilized total of 112 Jonins, 1672 Chunins, and 92 Genins. Now, they were left with 93 Jonins, 1448 Chunins, and 71 Genins.
Senju clan deployed 121 jonins and 1200 chunins and 150 genins. Now they were left with 55 Jonins and 773 Chunins and 124 Genins.
Konoha deployed total of 251 Jonins, 3505 Chunins, and 374 Genins but now ended up with 133 Jonins and 1793 Chunins, and 245 Genins.
Genins had the lowest casualties, because they were mostly sent here as supporting role; delivering message, supplies, and throwing explosion tag kunais at the enemy from a distance.
Uzumaki clan suffered the least, because most of their forces were scattered across the entire land of Whirlpool, guarding sentry post and controlling fuin trap seals. Even Uzushio's strongest, Uzumaki Kenzo was left to guard the headquarters and lead a quick reaction force against potential Kiri's special strike force. At best, Uzushio lost little over 30 jonins and 800 chunins.
****
Two days later, Uzukage and Senju Kenichi woke up from their coma.
Three days later, Kirigakure's forces left the peripheries of Uzushio sensory barrier. Uchiha Sosuke sent his crow summons to relay this news to Konoha and Tobiramam.
Five days later, Konoha forces received an order to return to Konoha as Uzumaki deployed to Konoha returned replacing them.
On the Sixth day Konoha forces withdrew from Uzushio and returned to the Land of Fire.
The people of Uzushio would remember this brief but devastating conflict as The One Week War.