Famous Throughout Leaf Village

Hinata Tianyi was awakened by a jumble of noise.

He laboriously opened his eyes, his vision gradually clearing from a blur.

What came into view was the ceiling of a crude medical tent.

Aoba Tachibana, standing nearby, saw Tianyi awaken. "Sister Aoi! Sister Aoi! He's awake!"

"...Aoba Tachibana, quiet down!" Mitarai Aoi's slightly weary reprimand came from outside the tent.

Tianyi tried to move, and soreness and dull pain immediately flared throughout his body.

His ribs hurt especially badly. They had been tightly bandaged, and even the slightest movement pulled at the injury.

His chakra had recovered considerably, without the stabbing pain of overexertion. He had clearly received good treatment and rest.

Memories came flooding back: poisonous fog, a desperate battle, explosions, and finally darkness.

"Little Sansho Fish... Nawaki and the others..." he murmured, struggling to sit up.

"Tianyi! You're finally awake!!"

An energetic voice entered the tent, filled with undisguised excitement.

Nawaki bounded to the bedside in a few quick strides, his face wearing a brilliant smile utterly at odds with the atmosphere of the postwar camp.

"How do you feel? Do your injuries still hurt? Do you know? You've rendered great service! An enormous service!"

Nawaki spoke as rapidly as a barrage of gunfire, his eyes sparkling.

"The entire camp is talking about you now—no, the news has probably already reached the village. Everyone is talking about you!"

Tianyi was a little dazed by the noise. "Talking... about me?"

"Of course!" Nawaki nodded vigorously, gesturing animatedly.

"You took down one Hidden Rain Village Jonin and four Chunin by yourself.

You also badly wounded Hanzo's second summoned beast and completely destroyed the source of the poisonous fog!

You directly changed the course of the local battlefield! If you hadn't badly wounded that poison-spewing salamander,

Moonlight Kaede and I wouldn't have been able to save so many people. The front-line casualties would have been far worse!"

He leaned closer and lowered his voice, though he could not conceal his excitement.

"And most importantly, the demigod Hanzo remembered you!"

Tianyi's heart skipped a beat.

Nawaki did not notice the subtle change in his expression and continued excitedly.

"My sister, her teacher, and the other one successfully held Hanzo back in this battle.

They displayed strength capable of standing against him, and Hanzo himself named them Konoha's Three Sannin!

What an honor and recognition!"

He paused and looked at Tianyi, his eyes shining with shared pride.

"And you, Tianyi, caught Hanzo's attention too! Though he didn't speak to you directly.

Before retreating, he looked in your direction for a long time, then said to my sister and the others..."

Nawaki imitated Hanzo's hoarse, cold tone with uncanny accuracy.

"I never expected my scheme to be ruined by a Leaf Village brat.

Yet under poisonous fog of such scale, so many of you Leaf Village ninja survived.

Judging from your expressions, this brat also neutralized my poison.

It seems this battle was a victory for you Leaf Village ninja.

So I shall spare you this time.

The three of you are all very powerful,

and you survived even under such circumstances.

From this day forth, I, Hanzo, shall call you Konoha's Three Sannin!

As the price of surviving,

each of you shall bear your own fame."

"And then, listen, Hanzo pointed in your direction and said:

'That Leaf Village brat—I, Hanzo, will remember him. One day, I will personally take his head.'"

Tianyi was utterly stunned.

A chill crept up his spine.

He had been personally singled out by Hanzo of the Salamander, the demigod of the ninja world?

How was this an honor?! It was clearly a death warrant!

A tall tree catches the wind. Fame unsupported by sufficient strength was just a slab of meat roasting over a fire!

He could already imagine it. From now on,

"that Hyuga boy remembered by Hanzo,"

"even Hanzo knows him"... Those labels would be like magnets,

drawing countless gazes of curiosity, jealousy, scrutiny, and... targeting from enemies!

"This... damn Hanzo..." Tianyi's lips felt dry as he cursed under his breath.

He would rather remain an inconspicuous Branch House Genin and quietly build his strength.

He did not want to be shoved into the spotlight so early, especially not in this way.

Nawaki froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting Tianyi's reaction.

"Tianyi? What's wrong? This is a good thing! It means even Hanzo recognizes how dangerous you are!"

At that moment, the tent flap was lifted, and Mitarai Aoi walked in.

She looked even more haggard than she had a few days ago, with faintly dark circles under her eyes, but her gaze remained clear and gentle.

She first nodded to Nawaki, then walked straight to Tianyi's bedside.

She naturally placed a hand over Tianyi's forehead, then lightly pressed the bandaging around his ribs.

She carefully sensed the flow of his chakra and the recovery of his injuries.

"Your chakra is recovering faster than expected. The broken ribs have already begun healing under the Palm Sage Jutsu.

But you cannot engage in strenuous activity for at least three days," Aoi said softly.

Only after finishing the examination did she raise her eyes to Tianyi. Her calm eyes seemed able to see through the worries in his heart.

"Don't worry." Aoi's voice was soft, yet it carried a reassuring strength.

"Lady Tsunade is here."

Those few words loosened Tianyi's tightly drawn nerves somewhat.

That was right. He was not entirely without support now.

He had saved a great many Leaf Village ninja, including core members of the Medical Corps.

That debt of gratitude and those achievements were real.

And Tsunade, one of the Three Sannin and the princess of the Senju Clan,

undoubtedly possessed considerable influence in Leaf Village. Since she had acknowledged Nawaki's friendship with him,

then to some extent, he had also been taken under her wing.

At the very least, there would be far fewer open attempts to make things difficult for him within Leaf Village.

Aoi watched the change in his eyes and nodded slightly, as though she knew he understood.

Just then, a stern voice came from outside the tent.

"Hinata Tianyi, an order from headquarters: if your injuries permit, proceed to the central command tent immediately."

Nawaki immediately stood up, an expression of I knew it appearing on his face.

He excitedly grabbed Tianyi and pulled him up. "Come on, come on! It must be my sister and the others wanting to see you. They're going to reward you for your merits!"

Tianyi was half-dragged out of the medical tent by Nawaki.

Outside, the rain had stopped, but the sky remained overcast.

The camp was filled with the distinctive mingled scents of the aftermath of battle.

Quite a few Leaf Village ninja resting or working saw him emerge.

Their gazes turned toward him, filled with curiosity, admiration, and gratitude.

Many ninja also began discussing him.

"Look, that's Hinata Tianyi..."

"I heard he took care of that poison-spewing monster all by himself..."

"Hanzo even said he would personally..."

"Is he really only a Genin?"

Tianyi tried his best to keep his eyes straight ahead as he followed Nawaki beneath the gazes of the crowd.

They headed toward the largest tent at the center of the camp.

Tianyi steadied himself and took a deep breath.

What had to be faced would be faced.