"Don't worry. There's not much to worry about anymore. For now, he just needs to take care of himself and recover gradually. But Shinichi, you'll probably be rather uncomfortable for a while. You'll have to keep those bandages on."
Tsunade reassured him. After hearing her, Hyuga Shinichi finally let out a sigh of relief.
"That's good. You scared me."
Uzumaki Kushina spoke up next.
"Zhenyi, don't worry. I'll study hard and learn how to take care of you. Leave everything to me!"
"Mm, I believe in you, Kushina."
Hyuga Shinichi replied with a smile.
Just then, Uzumaki Mito spoke as well.
"Shinichi, you came close to losing your life this time. Nawaki told me about your plan. It was far too dangerous. You could have waited for reinforcements to arrive..."
Lying in the hospital bed, Hyuga Shinichi gently shook his head.
"Grandma, in that situation, if we hadn't taken action, the Uzumaki Clan might not have been saved. If Gai, Tomohiro, and I hadn't drawn some of the enemy forces away, the enemy might have already overrun the Uzumaki Clan.
"What kind of terrible fate would have awaited them?"
As soon as Hyuga Shinichi finished speaking, he paused, then stammered.
"F-furthermore, I... couldn't bear to see you heartbroken over the Uzumaki Clan's destruction, Grandma."
When Uzumaki Mito first heard what Hyuga Shinichi said, concern appeared on her face.
She remembered hearing members of the Uzumaki Clan and Nawaki describe what had happened on the mountaintop that morning. Although Hyuga Shinichi and the others had successfully drawn some of the enemy forces away, the enemy had soon charged up the mountain.
If the Uzumaki Clan members hadn't acted quickly, and the Village Chief hadn't held the enemy back at the cost of his life, they might not have escaped their pursuers.