The Great Hero of Konoha

The five great ninja villages of the Ninja World, based on their construction and primary functions, could roughly be divided into three categories.

Iwagakure and Kumogakure fell into the first category—both villages were built among countless mountains and valleys, easy to defend and hard to attack. Their layouts and daily atmosphere were very close to military fortresses.

Of course, these villages also had shops and a sense of daily life, but the military atmosphere was heavier.

Sunagakure and Kirigakure were ordinary villages, with a strong sense of everyday life. They weren't particularly outstanding in any aspect, simply serving as towns where village ninjas, their families, and civilians lived.

What about Konoha?

Konoha was called a village, but it was actually closer to a city with commercial and tourism attributes. The commercial atmosphere was very strong, with merchants and tourists coming every year to do business and sightsee in an endless stream, making it very lively.

Today's Konoha was even livelier than usual.

Because the Heavenly Flying Immortal Uchiha Jiang Feng, who had single-handedly thwarted Kumogakure's evil schemes, beaten the Son of the Raikage to his knees begging for mercy, and slain over three hundred Kumogakure jonin, was about to return in triumph.

At least, that was how the rumor mill told it.

To crush Konoha's morale, the shameless Kumogakure people had made public the news that the Sannin Princess Tsunade had become a cripple, exposing Konoha for pretending to be a hunter while carrying a dead rat in its pocket.

Konoha immediately retaliated by changing the subject. First, they sternly condemned Kumogakure, denouncing their unprovoked attack as an attempt to destroy peace in the Ninja World, branding them criminals of the Ninja World.

Then, they emphasized the fact that the Son of the Raikage, Lao Da, had been defeated by Konoha ninjas twice in a short period, and heavily promoted the battle at Tanzaku Town—mere Lao Da was nothing but their village's Jiang Feng's Number One Son!

With the tacit approval and even encouragement of the Hokage Office, the journalists and literary professionals of the Land of Fire went full throttle. Overnight, the streets were filled with stories and legends of Uchiha Jiang Feng.

He was gifted beyond measure, only sixteen yet able to overpower the Son of the Raikage and over three hundred jonin-level experts.

He was righteous to the skies, making friends wherever he went, never spending money on meals—always treated by friends.

He was handsome and dashing, able to capture the hearts of countless girls and young women with just a faint smile.

He was Konoha's great hero!

"That's ridiculous!" Asuma squeezed through the bustling crowd and complained. "Killing over three hundred Kumogakure jonin in one battle—are the journalists of the Land of Fire that illiterate? Does Kumogakure even know they have that many jonin?"

All of Konoha's jonin and special jonin combined numbered only about four hundred. Kumogakure's jonin couldn't be more than Konoha's.

"Rumors on the street—a little exaggeration is understandable. What matters is that Jiang Feng really did foil Kumogakure's scheme." The girl Kurenai Yuhi defended her bro with a sweet smile. She believed her bro deserved all the praise, even if some of it was a bit overblown.

The past few days had been the happiest for the girl Kurenai Yuhi in recent years.

The villagers and friends praised her bro's great deeds in new ways every day, and just listening made Kurenai Yuhi happy.

The only thing that displeased Kurenai Yuhi was that a few low-tier journalists and literary professionals, to emphasize her bro's handsomeness, had fabricated absurd stories about Tsunade falling for her bro at first sight. And those stories were surprisingly popular.

Everyone loved tales of heroes and beauties. As the hero in the story, he naturally had to be paired with at least one beauty. But Kurenai Yuhi wasn't famous enough, so the ignorant literary professionals could only cook up stories of a young hero and an older sister.

Kurenai Yuhi was furious—furious enough to want to get real with those fabricators spreading yellow rumors. But unfortunately, those people knew the story's heroine was a sensitive figure, so they used pseudonyms when writing their novels and tales.

Since she couldn't get real with the rumor-spreaders offline, she decided to fight magic with magic. Kurenai Yuhi resolved to write her own novel, her own story, with her bro as the protagonist and herself as the heroine.

Though she hadn't written a single word yet, Kurenai Yuhi was confident that once her novel was published, it would win thunderous applause. Then everyone would know she was her bro's quasi-girlfriend.

Kakashi's sudden question interrupted the girl's daydream.

"So how many jonin were there that day, roughly?"

"Shinku-sensei said at least twenty or thirty, and the rest were elite chunin. Nearly a hundred in total, plus the Son of the Raikage. Maybe even the old man couldn't have broken out of that encirclement."

The "old man" Asuma referred to was the Third Generation Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Jiang Feng's strength and growth rate are really too formidable to deal with." Kakashi shook his head and sighed.

He naturally didn't believe the street rumors about beating the Son of the Raikage to his knees and slaying three hundred jonin.

But being able to escape from such a hopeless encirclement while carrying the crippled Tsunade was still terrifyingly powerful.

Jiang Feng now was undoubtedly a ninja on par with Minato-sensei, the Sannin, or even a Village Leader—in short, a "Kage-Level" powerhouse.

Kage-Level?

He himself had only just touched the edge of jonin, while the other was already Kage-Level. Kakashi had long known the gap in their strength would be huge, but he never imagined it would be this huge.

Now, he could only be a background extra in the other's story.

"He's a few years older than us, after all, and an Uchiha, a genius. Having that kind of strength isn't impossible. What matters is that we're still young—we still have a chance!" Asuma clenched his fist with fighting spirit, inspired by his friend's strength and success, and resolved to work twice as hard himself.

"Yeah." Kakashi nodded slightly.

He could marvel at his friend's strength and talent, and clearly recognize the gap between them, but he would never wallow in self-pity or give up trying because of a temporary difference in strength.

Having a noble rival is more joyful than having a noble friend.

Jiang Feng was both their friend and their rival—wasn't that even rarer?

Suddenly, the crowd gathered at the village entrance stirred. An eight- or nine-year-old boy with delicate features and short black legs came running from the end of the road outside the village.

Kurenai Yuhi and the others recognized him. He was [Shisui, the not-brother-by-blood brother of Jiang Feng], and he had a good relationship with Jiang Feng.

"Jiang Feng and Lady Tsunade are one kilometer from Konoha!"

Shisui shouted as he ran, finally skidding to a stop beside Kurenai Yuhi and the others, looking for a reward.

"Good!"

The girl Kurenai Yuhi cheered. "Scout again! Scout again!"

"Ah, scout again?"

Shisui's face showed reluctance. He'd already run back and forth five or six times—how hard was it to earn a little pocket money from her?

The villagers pulled up banners, preparing to welcome the great hero about to arrive in Konoha. Kakashi grabbed Shisui, who was about to be chased off by Kurenai again.

"There's no need to scout anymore if it's only one kilometer. First, go back to the Uchiha Clan Compound and tell Minister Fugaku and the others the news."

Jiang Feng's triumphant return wasn't just good news for Konoha—it was even better news for the Uchiha, even if the people of Konoha never saw Jiang Feng as a typical Uchiha.

Shisui didn't say a word. He just stood there, staring at Bro's almost-girlfriend.

Kurenai Yuhi counted out a handful of small change and shoved it into Shisui's hand.

Shisui took the money and bolted off in a flash. This place wasn't safe to linger—because besides Lady Tsunade, there was another very beautiful woman by Bro's side.

It was hard to say whether that woman or Kurenai was prettier. After all, Kurenai hadn't fully bloomed yet, but that woman was about the same age as Bro. Standing next to him, she definitely matched better than Kurenai.

Shisui didn't pass this news on to Kurenai. He knew Bro naturally had a way to handle it, but he was afraid Kurenai might fly into a rage and refuse to pay the final installment.