Chapter 437: Becoming Famous
"We're finally here." Obito stared up at Konoha's tall gate and groaned. "The trip was shorter than those overseas missions, but we somehow spent even more time on the road."
In the past, they traveled while training. This time, because their injuries were severe, they could not push themselves like usual. Their pace had been much slower.
Kakashi looked at the village gate and felt a wave of relief hit him.
He might not have been the one who did the most on the battlefield, but he was definitely the one who burned the most mental energy.
As vice captain, he believed it was his responsibility to bring everyone back safely. He had thought through every action with care, and the constant vigilance had been exhausting.
Once they entered Konoha, Kakashi turned to Guy. "Do you want to go home first, or come straight to the hospital with me?"
Even though Mugetsu had Shadow Clones escorting them, the clones had limited chakra. If they used medical ninjutsu on Guy, they would not be able to maintain themselves. Guy still needed to recover at Konoha Hospital.
Kakashi was the same, though he only needed hospitalization for a week.
"Let's go straight to the hospital," Guy answered without hesitation. "My father is still on the battlefield, and nobody is home right now."
Kakashi nodded, ready to head there with him.
"Let's all go together," Rin said. "Even if you do not need to be admitted, you can still get checked."
After speaking, Rin looked at Obito.
Meeting her gentle gaze, Obito nodded on reflex.
Rin clapped her hands lightly, smiling bright. "Great. We all thought of the same thing."
Only then did Obito realize he had originally planned to go straight home and tell his grandmother he was safe.
But with Rin smiling like that, Obito swallowed his words. Going to the hospital would not take long anyway.
The four of them headed to Konoha Hospital together.
"Oh, are you Kakashi Hatake?" The ninja handling admissions glanced between Kakashi's face and the newspaper beside him, then widened his eyes. "The Konoha White Fang Junior."
A strange expression flickered across Kakashi's face. Konoha White Fang Junior? That sounded ridiculous.
"That's hilarious!" Obito burst into loud laughter. "What kind of title is that, White Fang Junior? Is it because you're not tall enough, Kakashi?"
"I am Kakashi," Kakashi said calmly, ignoring Obito. "But I am not Konoha White Fang Junior."
Obito's shout had drawn attention, and the hospital ninja finally noticed that Uchiha Obito, Guy, and Rin were all present too, exactly like the report had described.
"You must have just returned from the front lines," the hospital ninja said with a grin. "Your deeds were published in the Leaf Newspaper and spread through the whole village. Everyone's saying you can become the next White Fang."
If the main figure of the latest issue was Mugetsu, then Kakashi was an important supporting character. Combined with his father's identity, the discussion around Kakashi had even surpassed Guy's, second only to Mugetsu.
Even though the White Fang had ultimately taken his own life after a failed mission, leaving a painful stain behind, he was still recognized as a legendary powerhouse. The title was not meant to mock Kakashi. It was simply people placing expectations on his future.
After all, Kakashi was only ten, and he had the achievement of killing Suikazan Fuguki. Even if it was not a solo kill, it was still something to be proud of.
"Your taste in titles is terrible," Kakashi said bluntly.
He could tell there was no malice in the hospital ninja's words, but he still disliked the title.
After everything he had been through, Kakashi had let go of a lot. He had made peace with parts of himself, and with the shadow his father left behind. But that did not mean he wanted to be called White Fang Junior.
He did not need to become anyone else. If he had to set a goal, it was to surpass the White Fang as Kakashi, not as someone's sequel.
"True," the hospital ninja said, not embarrassed at all. He simply followed Kakashi's line of thought. "The White Fang did not have achievements like this at ten. Calling you White Fang Junior really is not appropriate."
Then, unable to hold back, he asked, "By the way, since you're back, has Mugetsu returned too?"
The moment the newest Leaf Newspaper hit the streets, Mugetsu became the most discussed ninja in Konoha, and even across the Land of Fire. He had overshadowed Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Mugetsu had never been unknown in Konoha, but in the public's mind, he was not a famous powerhouse like the Yellow Flash. This achievement caused a huge stir.
"No," Kakashi answered flatly. "Please finish the procedures as quickly as possible."
There was a limit to slacking off. Chatting during work hours was one thing. Chatting this openly was another.
The hospital ninja jolted as if remembering where he was. He nervously looked left and right twice, then hurried through the paperwork for Guy and Kakashi.
When he finished, Kakashi extended his hand. "Give me the newspaper as compensation for your mistake."
"Please do not report me," the hospital ninja begged.
He handed it over immediately. He had already read it anyway. A newspaper was not worth much.
"Let me see, let me see." The moment Kakashi took it, Obito leaned in, trying to read over his shoulder.
"My Fire Release is definitely described as super cool. My title has to be insane."
In Obito's head, words like Flame Demon, Fire God, and Konoha's Fiery Tiger were already marching in formation.
"What are you imagining?" Kakashi shoved Obito's head away, exasperated. "Why would the village's official newspaper staff give you a title?"
Titles rarely appeared in the Leaf Newspaper unless they were widely recognized by everyone.
His so called White Fang Junior title definitely did not come from the newspaper. It had to be something bored people started saying.
"Then how do you have a title?" Obito asked, confused. "Even if it's a bad one."
"First, I did not acknowledge it," Kakashi replied. "Second, having a title does not mean the village gave it."
Once they reached the ward, Kakashi sat on the bed and opened the paper. Obito and the others crowded around, curious.
Guy and Rin were also curious about how their battle would be written up.
Kakashi immediately saw the huge headline.
Defending the Homeland, the East Bank Battlefield Achieves an Unprecedented Great Victory, Mist Forces Suffer Heavy Losses!
Clearly, this entire issue was about their battlefield.
The report began with grand, righteous language.
The cruel and ferocious Mist forces took advantage of the weakness along the eastern defense line to invade the Land of Fire's eastern coast. At first, our ninja were forced into a disadvantage for various reasons. But under the leadership of the unit commander Orochimaru, the situation improved, gradually turning from disadvantage to advantage. In this process, Konoha's outstanding jonin, Hayate Mugetsu, played an indispensable role. Like a sharp blade, he killed many Hidden Mist elites and obtained crucial intelligence for our side…
The front pages showed almost no trace of Kakashi's team. They were filled with descriptions of Mugetsu and Orochimaru, along with battlefield photos.
Kakashi was not surprised. He read the Leaf Newspaper often. It was always like this. The best pages went to important figures and famous powerhouses. Everyone else appeared later.
"Why are our names not here?" Obito complained. "Mugetsu sensei makes sense, but why is there so much about Orochimaru?"
Orochimaru had not even participated in their skirmish. Obito could not understand why Orochimaru's name was everywhere.
And this part about being under Orochimaru's leadership? Obito had not even spoken to him.
Kakashi glanced outside, then signaled with his eyes for Guy, who was closer to the door, to close it.
This ward only had two beds. Their only concern was someone overhearing from outside.
"Orochimaru sama is one of the legendary Sannin," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "He's also the commander of the East Bank forces. Do not say things like that next time."
Kakashi knew exactly why Orochimaru was mentioned. Orochimaru was the commander. No matter what merit they earned, it could not bypass him.
But Kakashi also knew Obito would not understand the politics even if he explained it, so he simply warned him.
For someone in Obito's position to talk about Orochimaru like that was extremely disrespectful. If Orochimaru's subordinates heard it, they could beat Obito senseless, and Obito would have no defense.
"But Toad Uncle is also one of the Sannin," Obito muttered. "He does not have this many issues."
Obito had even complained about Jiraiya openly on the Land of Grass battlefield once.
Kakashi hesitated.
Obito had indeed offended Jiraiya, but Jiraiya clearly did not care. Still, people were different.
Even without understanding Orochimaru deeply, just looking at their temperaments, Kakashi felt Jiraiya and Orochimaru were nothing alike.
"If I tell you not to say it, then do not say it," Kakashi decided. "Take it as a vice captain's order."
"We are not on the battlefield now, and we are not on a mission," Obito shot back. "Your vice captain status does not apply anymore."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "If you do not want to be assigned to miscellaneous tasks on the next mission, you should listen to me."
He did not hide the threat at all.
Obito's face darkened. "Kakashi, you'll regret this."
He had no doubt Kakashi would do it. Their team's combat strength was overflowing. Kakashi could absolutely shove Obito into endless chores and still complete the mission.
"I am the vice captain," Kakashi said plainly, implying that power really did let you do whatever you wanted.
Obito behaved immediately. He kept reading in silence.
Only when they reached the lower half did they finally find a report about themselves, placed in a relatively marginal position.
The newspaper described Kakashi and his team as talented ninja who, despite their youth, possessed an incredibly firm Will of Fire. Even when facing enemies as terrifying as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, they did not abandon their comrades. They fought bravely to protect the village.
Without Mugetsu's arrival, they had joined forces with Might Duy to repel the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and even killed Suikazan Fuguki on the spot.
They were all included, but the lengths differed.
Guy had the most coverage, followed by Obito and Kakashi, who had jointly killed Suikazan Fuguki, then Shisui.
Rin was mentioned less.
As for Ebisu and Genma, only their names were listed. They had no individual description at all.
"Now nobody should dare look down on my father anymore," Guy said, pride swelling in his chest as he read the section about Duy.
Duy's description was only slightly shorter than Guy's.
"It's still too little," Obito complained, even while soaking in the praise. "The mission process feels like it was written in a rush."
"If you were the one who killed Reiki and four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen," Kakashi said indifferently, "your section would be longer."
A newspaper only had so much space. For their current status, getting this much coverage was already a miracle.
"One day, I'll make sure the best spot in the Leaf Newspaper describes my deeds!" Obito said excitedly.
He refused to believe he could not reach the front page. Once he became Hokage and ended the war, he would be everywhere.
"I hope your plan is not to become a Leaf Newspaper writer and secretly replace the content," Kakashi said, folding the paper and setting it aside.
Rin covered her mouth and chuckled. "Kakashi, do not underestimate Obito that much. Even he would not do something like that."
Even though she was defending him, Obito felt oddly attacked.
"That's true," Kakashi said, lying back on the bed. "He is probably fantasizing about becoming Hokage and then appearing in the paper."
Obito froze.
Was there a ninjutsu that could read minds?
As if seeing through Obito's thoughts, Kakashi added, "You are just too easy to read."
Obito scratched his head.
Kakashi could guess because Obito's thoughts were basically written across his face. It was hard not to know.
In the end, Obito fled the hospital like he was retreating from a battlefield.
If only there really was a mind reading ninjutsu, Obito thought on the way home.
People's thoughts were hard to grasp, especially girls'.
Obito often could not understand what Rin was thinking.
If he could read minds, he could make Rin happy every day.
"Grandma, I'm home!" Obito shouted the moment he reached the house, full of energy.
Hearing that familiar voice, his grandmother slowly walked to the entrance.
When she saw Obito's face, relief softened her features into a smile.
"You're hungry, aren't you?" she said warmly. "Grandma will make you something to eat."
After carefully checking him over, she turned toward the kitchen.
"Hehe, I guess I am a little," Obito chuckled, accepting her kindness.
Mugetsu's cooking was delicious, but after going without it for a while, Obito still missed his grandmother's food.
"Our Obito has become accomplished," his grandmother said, pride laced into her voice. "Yesterday, the clan head even came personally and left some things as a reward. He said you're an excellent Uchiha."
She had raised Obito alone since he was small.
Even though she had not read the newspaper and did not know what Obito had done, it had to be something good.
"Also," she added, "the clan head said that once you came back, you could go see him."
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