The first-broadcast completion reward wasn't points or items. It was something entirely different.
[Negotiations with the production team complete]
[Please select one of the following as your first-episode fee:]
[1. Solo promotional poster / merchandise production]
[2. OP1/ED1 appearance slot (available until end of Episode 5)]
[3. Solo OVA filming opportunity]
"Oh, this is genuinely hard to choose."
Hanabi stared at the options for a moment—uncharacteristically torn.
A solo OVA was not a small thing. As a supporting character, her screen time was always going to be capped. She'd already noticed: the moments that generated the most popularity were the ones where she and Naruto appeared on screen together. Independent scenes pulled in far less. In an OVA, she'd be the lead—potentially racking up maximum popularity through the entire runtime. A windfall.
But OP/ED appearances were powerful in a different way. They solidified her image in viewers' minds. The trade-off: OPs and EDs changed.
The poster and merchandise option had its own appeal—steady long-term exposure, consistent visibility. Not bad.
After careful thought, Hanabi chose the OP/ED slot.
First impressions. Everything came back to first impressions.
She was a supporting character—she knew that. But she wanted the audience to feel like she was the female lead.
Episode one had already planted that seed in more than a few viewers.
The standard problem: a girl who dominates the first episode then quietly becomes background scenery from episode two onward. It happened constantly in action series.
Popularity was an illusory thing.
Even as a supporting character, if the audience saw her as the protagonist—that was enough.
A true idol didn't let herself be seduced by short-term gains or the shiny surface of a stage. An idol set the trends.
[Application submitted]
[OP/ED filming will be scheduled after Episode 5 production concludes]
"Let me check my inventory."
Excluding the hourglass—which she couldn't use during "performances"—she currently had 20,000 popularity points, one Close-Up Shot Card, and one Daily Scene Card. The shop had five Random Shot Cards available for purchase.
"The original story's second episode is basically Naruto's solo showcase. Not much popularity to collect there—better to invest in upgrades."
She bought all five Random Shot Cards first: three Close-Up Shot Cards and two Daily Scene Cards.
The remaining 15,000 points went toward leveling her Character Cards.
Upgrading a five-star Character Card from Level 1 to Level 2 cost 5,000 popularity points. Level 2 to Level 3 doubled it.
"The next arc should be the Kakashi test and then the Land of Waves."
She was a supporting character in terms of stage positioning—but this world was real. The show was, at its core, a reality broadcast.
In terms of narrative logic, Hanabi was the student with the best academic record, she was Naruto's friend, and Naruto didn't have the same fixation on Sakura that he'd had in canon. The conditions for a different kind of story were already in place.
"Redirecting fate" was possible. But it needed reason.
And Hanabi had already given herself enough reasons.
— Well. More accurately, the more critical step had been going to her very convenient father and having Hiashi quietly mention to the Third Hokage that his daughter had a... particular situation, and might benefit from being assigned to a familiar team.
She had a backdoor. Not using it would've been a waste. I ran the backroom deal myself, and I'm not even slightly embarrassed.
She would, of course, play the surprised card when the time came.
The audience just needed to watch the story. Lady Hanabi was playing a much longer game.
With her placement in Team 7 confirmed, it was time to start building toward the next arc.
"Genjutsu is useful up to the chūnin level—against jōnin, it's harder to rely on. I need to shore up my actual combat power."
Even if she could deceive an enemy, that meant nothing if she couldn't break their defense.
The Shiranui Style's techniques ran on fire affinity—and in the Land of Waves, that would be partly countered by the environment.
She did have access to the Hyuga clan's taijutsu, of course.
But the moment she used those, her blindfold persona would be done. That kind of reveal belonged much later—layered disclosure was the whole point. Secrets unfolded one at a time. Showing her hand now would be a disservice to the audience.
A good idol should always know how to fire up the audience.
"Then—let me upgrade Jingliu's card."
Strengthening a Character Card meant strengthening the keepsake tied to it. Hanabi removed the black gauze blindfold and held it as the level climbed.
"—!"
When the upgrade hit Level 3, something sharp and cold flooded from the blindfold into her mind—a feeling like glacial clarity threaded through with a killing intent that wasn't quite hers.
[Character Inheritance Card]
[Flawless Flying Light: Jingliu—Level 3]
[Rarity: Five-Star]
[Talents/Skills: Ice Affinity, Yin Affinity, Sword Affinity]
[Bonus: +10% attention rate when wearing Chinese-style attire]
[Keepsake: Eye-Covering Black Gauze—Blindfold]
[Keepsake Effect: +12% attention rate while worn, +12% training speed, enhanced perception]
[Level 3 Passive Talent Unlocked: Ancient Mirror Illuminates the Gods]
[Ancient Mirror Illuminates the Gods (2/2): After wearing the Eye-Covering Black Gauze for 7 consecutive days, may resonate with Jingliu once.]
Level 3, Level 7, Level 10—each milestone unlocked a unique ability.
Unfortunately, she couldn't upgrade further right now. Going from Level 3 to Level 4 required ten times as many points—a jump from 10,000 to 100,000.
"Resonate?"
Ancient Mirror Illuminates the Gods—that was one of Jingliu's abilities in canon, something about generating an ice domain. But on the card, the effect was listed as resonance?
"Miss Hanabi, time to wash up."
Natsu's voice came through the door.
Today was a rest day after the exams—but there was a graduation photo to take. Natsu had every intention of getting Hanabi properly dressed for it.
"Mm."
She'd find out what resonance meant after dealing with this.
[FIRST!]
[Seven years. I waited SEVEN YEARS for this!]
[WE ARE SO BACK—]
[I have never seen a first episode this good!]
At that moment, the live comments surged back. Episode two had started.
Hanabi immediately played her Daily Scene Card.
Better to get in before Naruto showed up at all. Episode two was Naruto and Konohamaru's everyday slice—stepping in mid-episode wasn't as clean as taking the opening.
The broadcast cut to her room.
Hanabi wasn't wearing the blindfold while getting ready—she sat with her eyes closed. The camera, as if it understood, never once caught her face straight on at the moments that would have shown her eyes. Natsu served as a natural visual block, and the framing itself handled the rest. A soft, unhurried daily-life BGM played underneath.
"Miss Hanabi."
Natsu was combing her hair, her voice low and warm.
(Image: Natsu)
(Image: the maid)
[HANABI!]
[It's Hanabi!]
[Lady Hanabi, I am your devoted servant!!]
[Camera, move up. Just a little. Your bonus is GONE—]
[DOCK THE CAMERA OPERATOR'S PAY!]
[Is it just me, or is the short-haired maid also extremely pretty?]
[The maid has Byakugan too!]
[Based on that analysis thread, Hanabi really is a noble—and the maid apparently also has Byakugan? Is this a whole-family thing?]
[Wouldn't Hanabi have Byakugan too, if she wasn't blind?]
[Someone in the fan forum edited white eyes onto Hanabi. Go find it.]
[I'm enduring my in-laws' judgment daily. 💀]
The goofy netizens were a riot.
But the scene itself was something warmer.
"After you become a shinobi, I won't be able to stay by your side every day. You've chosen a difficult path, Miss Hanabi."
"It's my choice to make. Natsu—you know that."
Being a chaos gremlin was one thing. But Hanabi's image wasn't purely comedic, unlike a certain Honkai character.
She needed the audience to know: she was a person of genuine conviction. When she made a decision, nothing changed it.
"That's true. When Miss Hanabi decides on something, nothing can change it."
Natsu had served Hanabi long enough to know her daily reality.
"You are all grace on the surface. But in your training, you're almost ruthless with yourself—and the decisions you make are solid as iron."
Yes, Natsu, you're doing beautifully, keep going.
Hanabi was satisfied. The live comments were already climbing.
[Lady Hanabi clearly has some history.]
[Old money families always have stories.]
[Wait, how "ruthless" is ruthless? For genjutsu?]
[Did anyone see the state of the training posts outside her room?]
[But there aren't any calluses on her hands though, right?]
The camera obligingly cut to the practice posts outside—the ones Hanabi had been using. No calluses, no. Partly good skincare, partly something she'd noticed about herself: she simply didn't develop them. Not even on the soles of her feet.
Which meant every training session hurt more than it did for anyone else. The pain never diminished with repetition. And she had never once stopped.
Not because she was fearless.
She'd simply discovered that becoming the most popular dimensional idol was a goal that suited her down to the bone.
Being an idol?
Not bad at all.