It was his first time setting foot on a battlefield, but Dosuke did not feel particularly nervous.
As Tsunade's disciple, he had come to the front lines as a medical ninja. As long as the Konoha forces were not completely surrounded by Sunagakure, the medical ninja would not be in excessive danger.
The primary dangers for medical ninja came from two sources. First, skilled medics were sometimes needed on the front lines to treat injured ninja, especially wounded Jonin. These frontline medics needed a pure mastery of the Mystical Palm Technique to heal injuries quickly and preserve the army's combat strength.
The second danger was that during large-scale battles, the medical and logistics departments were always key targets for the enemy's assault teams. An army's logistical supplies were its lifeline, and medical ninja, who restored their own side's fighters, became high-priority targets for elimination.
This was especially true against Sunagakure's Puppet Brigade, which was particularly adept at using poison. To maximize lethality, the Puppet Brigade typically coated their weapons with toxins. This required the medical department to have personnel with advanced medical skills to provide antidotes and treatment at critical moments. This was also Dosuke's most significant role in this campaign.
The first day at the ninja camp passed without incident. All Dosuke saw were scouts constantly coming and going from Orochimaru's large command tent.
Dosuke stood at the entrance of the medical department tent, watching the ninja come and go. This is war.
As he was lost in thought, Yamamatsu Taihe walked up to him. "How are you finding it, Dosuke? Are you settling in alright?"
The man speaking to Dosuke was a fellow Deputy Director of the medical department, the medical-nin Yamamatsu Taihe.
"Deputy Minister Yamamatsu, I was just contemplating the cruelty of war."
"Dosuke, there is no need for such formality. Are we not past that? Whether you are Tsunade-sama's disciple or not, Ayase and I have watched you grow up. If not for the village's arrangements, Ayase and I would absolutely support you leading the medical department," Yamamatsu Taihe said warmly.
Yamamatsu Taihe and Ayase Asami were the other two deputy directors of the medical department. They were also Dosuke's colleagues from Konoha Hospital, which was why they fully supported Tsunade's recommendation.
Dosuke had begun studying at Konoha Hospital under Tsunade at the age of five. Because of his youth, the other doctors at the hospital had looked after him for a long time. Later, he learned medical ninjutsu from them, until he eventually surpassed them all. He had long since proven his capabilities within the hospital.
Most of the medical ninja sent to the Land of Wind this time were from Konoha Hospital, a result of Tsunade's personal selection. For this campaign, she had dispatched almost half of the hospital's medical-nin. She had gone to great lengths for Dosuke's sake.
"Uncle Yamamatsu, please, you are too kind. I am still inexperienced in warfare and will need your and Aunt Ayase's guidance," Dosuke replied modestly.
"Do not worry, Dosuke. Let us go see how your Aunt Ayase is progressing with the camp setup."
After they had determined the camping locations, Ayase Asami had taken charge of the actual construction. The two walked towards the medical department, talking as they went.
"Ayase!"
"Aunt Ayase!"
They called out to Ayase Asami, who was dressed in a white medical-nin uniform and still directing staff on where to place supplies.
She turned her head and glanced at them. "You two are here. Dosuke, you chose this location very well," she said, praising him the moment she saw him.
Looking at the nearly completed medical department, Dosuke could not help but return the compliment. "You have set everything up wonderfully, Aunt Ayase."
Just as they were exchanging pleasantries, Shikaku approached. "Yamamatsu Taihe, Ayase Asami, Dosuke. All of you, come to the central command tent."
"Yes," the three replied in unison.
They followed Shikaku towards the command tent in the center of the camp. Along the way, Dosuke saw ninja forming into small squads. Members of the Aburame clan were busy laying down defensive lines with their insects. The Hyuga and Uchiha clans were patrolling the camp perimeter, their visual prowess making them ideal for the task.
The Hyuga clan were the most recognizable, their conspicuous white eyes always announcing their identity. The Uchiha clan were also patrolling diligently, using their Sharingan to check for any Sunagakure spies disguised among them.
Konoha ninja from various clans were everywhere. The Inuzuka clan were calming their ninken partners. Before war, everyone was equal.
The vast majority of the forces Konoha had sent were elites from the various ninja clans. Regarding the war with Sunagakure, the Third Hokage and the elders had agreed on a strategy of a swift resolution.
After all, while fighting in the Land of Rivers against Sunagakure, they had to remain vigilant against potential moves from Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
According to intelligence sent back by Jiraiya, Iwagakure had been making small moves in the surrounding nations. Whether it was their previous attempt to capture the Seven-Tails or other actions against Konoha, it all pointed to Iwagakure's restlessness.
If Iwagakure did commit to a full conflict, Kumogakure, also one of the Five Great Nations, would certainly not sit idly by given the Third Raikage's aggressive nature.
If the situation developed into the worst-case scenario, Konoha might have to fight forces from three major nations simultaneously. This was an outcome Konoha desperately wanted to avoid. Therefore, in the war against Sunagakure, they aimed for a quick victory. A protracted war would only be to their disadvantage.
They arrived at the entrance to the central tent. Several Hyuga clan members stood guard around it, using their Byakugan to continuously monitor the surroundings. Nearby, Uchiha clan members also stood watch, using their Sharingan to scrutinize every ninja who attempted to approach the large tent.
"The Uchiha and Hyuga clans really are incredibly advantageous in war," Dosuke muttered to himself.
Although he held no fondness for the Hyuga clan apart from Tachie, he could not deny the crucial role they played in warfare. Similarly, the Uchiha's Sharingan had miraculous effects in rebounding genjutsu and seeing through disguises.
Entering the central tent, they saw a huge sand table in the center. The positions of the Konoha ninja army and the Sunagakure forces were marked on it in detail.
Orochimaru leaned over the sand table, both hands planted on its edge, staring intently at the map. Around the table stood the strategy team and the captains of the various ninja units.
"Lord Orochimaru, we are here," Shikaku announced as he led Dosuke and the others into the tent.
Orochimaru raised his head upon hearing them. His golden, snake-like vertical pupils fixed on Dosuke and the others who had just entered.