The Argument

Aoi turned her head. There was no blame on her face; instead, she wore a gentle smile.

"Awake? You really slept deeply." She paused, looking at Tianyi's still-dazed face.

Her tone became more serious.

"Today, you did very well. The vast majority of the severely wounded were saved because of your medical skills.

"You've rendered great merit, Hyuga Tianyi."

Being praised so directly made Tianyi even more embarrassed. He scratched his head, just about to say something.

"He's awake!"

"Hyuga Tianyi is awake!"

Several hushed cries came from the bonfire.

Then seven or eight figures rose to their feet and hurried over.

At the front was a scar-faced Chunin with reddened eyes.

He came before Tianyi without saying a word and first gave him a deep bow, bending almost to the ground.

When he raised his head, his voice choked with emotion. "Brother Tianyi... thank you! My younger brother...

"I thought he definitely wouldn't make it. You were the one who removed that fatal piece of bone from his chest.

"You stopped the bleeding... They said that if it had been a few minutes later...

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" As he spoke, he tried to bow again.

Tianyi hurriedly reached out to stop him.

"Don't... don't do this, sir. I... I only did what I could..."

Before he could finish, the people behind him began speaking over one another.

"And my teammate—his stomach was cut open, and you were the one who stitched him up!"

"My older sister's internal injuries—if you hadn't found them in time, she might have been gone..."

"Thank you..."

"It's all thanks to you..."

Words of gratitude came from different people, simple, direct, and sincere.

The way they looked at Tianyi was full of trust and gratitude.

Those pure emotions warmed Tianyi's heart, while also leaving him at a loss.

He could only wave his hands repeatedly, his face turning even redder.

Mitarai Aoi rose at the right moment and lightly clapped her hands. Her voice was not loud, but it quieted everyone.

"Alright. He has received your thanks, and he needs rest now. Besides!"

She looked at Tianyi, her expression turning serious. "Lady Tsunade has ordered that once you woke up, you were to report to the main camp immediately."

"Lady Tsunade?!" Tianyi's heart gave a violent jump.

Tsunade-hime, one of the Legendary Sannin! A leading figure in charge of Leaf Village's medical system!

The surrounding ninja also showed reverence, moving aside to make way for him. Their gazes held a little more encouragement.

"Come on. I'll take you there." Aoi gestured for Tianyi to follow.

Tianyi suppressed the nervousness and excitement in his heart, nodding to those around him once more.

Then he followed behind Aoi and passed through the camp.

Along the way, quite a few ninja who were resting or on guard duty looked his way.

Their expressions varied. Some were curious, but even more were kind and approving.

What he had done in the medical area today had clearly already spread.

The closer he got to the largest, brightly lit tent at the center of camp, the faster Tianyi's heart beat.

Inside was one of the greatest medical ninja in the world.

She was also one of the most influential figures in the future Naruto World.

How would she view a Hyuga Branch House Genin who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere?

Would this summons bring fortune or disaster?

Aoi stopped outside the main tent and quietly said a few words to the ninja guarding the entrance.

The guard went inside to report, then soon returned and nodded to Tianyi. "Go in. Lady Tsunade is waiting for you."

Aoi nodded at Tianyi, encouragement in her eyes.

Tianyi took a deep breath and lifted the tent flap.

Inside the tent at that moment.

The tent was brightly lit and far more spacious than it had looked from outside.

Several figures were arguing fiercely beside the tactical sand table in the center. Tsunade's voice could be heard from a long way off.

So when he entered, aside from the guard at the door glancing at him,

almost no one immediately noticed the small Genin.

Tianyi quickly swept his gaze over them.

The most eye-catching was Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, standing before him.

Her long hair was tied up, and her fists were clenched tight.

Jiraiya stood slightly behind Tsunade, watching her with cold sweat on his face.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru and Nara Shikaku pointed at several locations on the sand table.

Boom!

Tsunade slammed her fist onto the table.

"...Results? Yes! We wiped out at least three Hidden Rain Village companies.

"We severely damaged their raiding force! It sounds impressive!"

Tsunade's voice carried barely suppressed fury.

"But what was the cost?! The openings we deliberately exposed.

"The bait we let in! B-7 and C-9 Outpost were nearly crippled!

"The Medical Corps was specifically targeted. Have you looked at the casualty numbers, Orochimaru?!

"Those aren't numbers. They're living people! A victory bought with the lives of our comrades.

"I don't recognize that kind of victory! This isn't the Will of Fire at all!"

Jiraiya sighed, trying to smooth things over.

"Tsunade, calm down... Orochimaru's strategy was aggressive, but the situation at the time..."

"The situation at the time was that Hanzo of the Salamander's poisonous mist on the main battlefield.

"Our conventional forces simply couldn't withstand it!"

Orochimaru's cold voice cut in. His tongue unconsciously flicked across the corner of his mouth.

His tone was deeply unsettling.

"If we hadn't sacrificed a portion of our forces to draw his elite troops away from the main position,

"creating an opportunity to divide and annihilate them, then the collapse and casualties on the main front

"would only have been several times, perhaps dozens of times, worse than they are now.

"This is war... Tsunade, Jiraiya. This is not child's play. War is this kind of cruel arithmetic.

"Paying a smaller price for greater results and destroying the enemy's living strength.

"That is what is most responsible for Leaf Village as a whole."

"You call that a smaller price?!" Tsunade suddenly took a step forward, and even the ground seemed to shake.

Orochimaru did not retreat in the slightest, narrowing his eyes.

"Compared to being wiped out unit by unit by Hanzo's poisonous mist,

"yes, it is a price small enough to accept. Don't forget, if I hadn't arrived in time,

"the two of you might have died long ago. Even if the three of us joined forces..."

He looked at Tsunade and Jiraiya, his tone carrying a rare gravity and... self-mockery.

"we could only barely hold him back and keep him from personally reaching those encirclement zones.

"The pressure he exerted... heh, it reminded me of facing the old man."

Those words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing part of Tsunade's anger.

They also made the air in the tent heavier. Nara Shikaku spoke at the right moment.

His voice was steady and objective. "What Orochimaru said... is true.

"Based on all frontline intelligence and battle reports, Hanzo of the Salamander's individual strength and battlefield dominance

"far exceeded our estimates. The success of this strategy to lure the enemy deep in and annihilate them in separated groups

"depended heavily on the three of you joining forces to restrain him.

"And on our excessive confidence in the combat strength of his subordinates. But this plan... can only be used once."

He pointed at the tangled positions on the sand table.

"After this battle, Hanzo will never split his forces so easily again, nor will he underestimate our tactical flexibility.

"The coming battles will be head-on wars of attrition and positional warfare.

"And the most fatal problem remains this: if the three of you are held down by the enemy's high-level combatants

"and cannot intercept him with your full strength, then should Hanzo himself break through to our main line, or even merely approach it..."

Shikaku did not finish, but everyone in the tent understood what that meant.

That would not be a battle, but a one-sided massacre.

Ibuse's poison, combined with Hanzo's terrifying strength and the Land of Rain's favorable terrain,

would be enough to bury every Leaf Village ninja in an entire area here.

That was the might of the Ninja World's demigod!

The main tent fell into a brief silence.

Even Tsunade bit her lower lip tightly, the anger on her face replaced by a deep sense of helplessness.

As one of the greatest medical ninja, she understood better than anyone how futile individual Medical Ninjutsu was against poisonous mist of that scale and potency.

Amid that heavy silence, Hyuga Tianyi, who stood in the shadows by the entrance and tried his best to make himself inconspicuous, was noticed.

"Hm?" Jiraiya noticed him first. He turned to look, somewhat surprised. "You are...?"

Everyone's gazes instantly focused on Tianyi.

Being watched by the Legendary Sannin and Shikaku, the strategist, at the same time brought pressure down on him like a mountain.

Tianyi immediately straightened his back, dropped to one knee, lowered his head, and reported, "Genin Hyuga Tianyi, reporting under orders!"

"Hyuga Tianyi..." Tsunade reined in her emotions, her delighted gaze falling on him.

It lingered especially on the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead.

"So it's you."

"Good kid. You're the Hyuga Clan Branch House boy who used unconventional methods in the medical area today

"to save dozens of critically wounded patients?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade. Compared to you, it isn't worth mentioning," Tianyi answered honestly.