Five kilometers outside Narumi City lay a gently sloping stretch of elevated ground. The terrain there was broad and open. To the south, one could see the ancient outline of Narumi City's walls and the thin curls of smoke rising above it, while to the north stretched the only road the great army of Konohagakure would take on its return journey.
At one side of the slope, a natural spring bubbled endlessly from cracks in the rocks. The water was crystal clear, feeding into a shallow stream that murmured softly as it flowed toward Narumi City.
At this moment, a group led by the old steward of the Land of Fire Daimyō — Sōsei — stood there in solemn silence, quietly waiting.
Sōsei wore the formal robes of a high-ranking official of the Land of Fire. Though he served as the Daimyō's steward, he himself held an official post. He was a senior statesman of the rank of Karō — a powerful minister second only to the Daijō in status, responsible for overseeing both the internal and external affairs of the Daimyō's court and assisting in matters of governance.
Behind him stood the lord of Narumi City and a host of local officials, all dressed in formal court attire. They kept their hands lowered respectfully, holding their breath as the atmosphere remained solemn and heavy.
A short while later, dust began to rise on the distant horizon.
A disciplined, imposing force slowly emerged into view like a great beast returning from war.
At the very front of the procession was naturally Sarutobi Hiruzen, clad in the Hokage's robes. Half a step behind him stood Shimura Danzō, expressionless and missing his left arm, while beside him was Orochimaru, the faint curve of a smile constantly lingering at the corner of his lips.
A little farther behind them stood Higashino Shinichi.
When the army reached the foot of the slope, Karō Sōsei immediately straightened his robes and stepped forward together with the officials of the Land of Fire behind him.
"Welcome back in triumph, Hokage-sama!" Sōsei bowed deeply toward Hiruzen first, and the officials behind him all bent forward in unison.
After straightening up, Sōsei spoke with unmistakable admiration in his voice.
"Since the beginning of this war, Konoha first crushed Sunagakure in the southwest, then struck down Kumogakure in the northeast. Victory after victory has raised the prestige of our nation throughout the shinobi world. Truly, Konoha stands as the pillar of the nation, its merits resplendent beyond measure! By His Highness's command, this old man has come here to represent the countless people of the Land of Fire and convey to you, my lord, as well as to the Konoha shinobi who fought bathed in blood, our highest respect and deepest gratitude!"
He paused briefly and swept his gaze across the weary yet resolute Konoha shinobi standing behind Hiruzen before continuing: "Before I departed, His Highness specifically instructed me to personally deliver his message. The Land of Fire and Konohagakure are bound by blood and share prosperity and hardship alike. No matter how the future situation may change, the nation's support for Konoha shall remain as steadfast and unwavering as ever. The soldiers on the front lines need only fight bravely. As for supplies, pensions, and all support from the rear, the nation shall shoulder them with its full strength!"
A smile appeared on Hiruzen's face as he gave a slight nod in return.
"Karō Sōsei overpraises us. Protecting the nation and defending the homeland has always been the duty of Konoha's shinobi. That we were able to achieve some small victories this time was inseparable from His Highness's trust and the nation's full support. I and all of Konoha are deeply grateful."
The two exchanged several more formal words regarding national affairs and the current war situation. Afterward, Sōsei also courteously greeted Orochimaru and Danzō.
Orochimaru at least maintained a perfunctory politeness and casually responded with a few words.
Danzō, however, kept a cold face the entire time and showed no intention of replying whatsoever.
Yet Sōsei appeared not to notice in the slightest. His gentle smile remained unchanged as his gaze naturally shifted toward the young man quietly standing nearby, the warmth in his expression deepening slightly.
"Captain Shinichi, it has been quite some time. The last time we met was at the culinary tournament in the capital a year ago. Over this past year, His Highness has remained utterly captivated by your cooking. He has mentioned it to this old man many times, saying that the flavor of Whale Wave Condensed Jade still lingers vividly on his lips even now. Every time he recalls it, he cannot help but praise it endlessly."
"You honor me with His Highness's remembrance. If the opportunity arises in the future, I shall certainly prepare new dishes for His Highness once more," Shinichi replied with a modest nod.
"Excellent, excellent! However..." Sōsei smoothly shifted the topic, his smile growing even gentler. "His Highness has also often said that Captain Shinichi is a once-in-a-generation genius among shinobi. A talent such as yours ought to shine brilliantly upon the battlefield and defend the homeland with unmatched valor, lest such extraordinary gifts go to waste."
He paused, his expression turning solemn.
"Speaking of which, ever since this war began, His Highness has followed the front-line battles closely at all times. In particular, after hearing how Captain Shinichi traversed deep into the heart of the Land of Lightning and repeatedly inflicted devastating blows upon powerful enemies, His Highness could not help but clap his hands in admiration and sigh with emotion. In His Highness's view, such achievements and such courage deserve to be commemorated with honors of the nation itself, so that all the world may bear witness!"
As he spoke, he lightly waved his hand.
Three officials of the Land of Fire who had long been standing solemnly nearby stepped forward carrying brocade boxes, then opened them one by one with great care.
The moment the first box was opened, a faint scent of ink seemed to drift out from within. Inside was a scroll mounted upon exquisite paper decorated with golden patterns.
The second box contained an elegant wine bottle crafted entirely from the finest porcelain and adorned with magnificent golden cloud motifs. One glance was enough to tell it was a specially brewed wine reserved exclusively for the court.
Inside the third box rested an exquisitely forged tachi of ancient design, its blade gleaming like autumn water. Clearly, it was no ordinary weapon.
Sōsei first removed the scroll.
Holding it with both hands, he slowly unfurled it.
Upon the pristine paper patterned with golden tracery were four bold and powerful characters, written with overwhelming momentum.
Crowned the Bravest of the Entire Army!
A wave of restrained gasps immediately spread through the watching Konoha shinobi, their eyes filled with astonishment and shock.
Yet that emotion came and went quickly, soon replaced by calm respect.
There was truly nothing to say.
Higashino Shinichi fully deserved those words.
Or rather—only those words were worthy of him.
Seeing this, Hiruzen smiled in satisfaction and silently nodded.
Danzō merely let out a cold snort.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's golden snake-like pupils narrowed slightly as the smile at the corner of his lips deepened further.
Crowned the Bravest of the Entire Army?
Good. Very good!
This Daimyō of the Land of Fire really knows how to handle people. I fucking love him.
Inside, Shinichi was practically blooming with joy, but outwardly he revealed just the right amount of hesitation as he spoke somewhat awkwardly: "Karō Sōsei, this victory was achieved through the united efforts of every shinobi of Konoha fighting bravely together. Shinichi alone truly does not dare claim such an extraordinary honor. This..."
Sōsei said nothing.
He merely turned to look toward Hiruzen.
Hiruzen fell silent for a brief moment before slowly speaking.
"Shinichi, as the captain of the Shinichi Unit, you led from the front throughout this war, displaying both wisdom and courage. Your contributions are plain for all to see."
"His Highness bestowing these words upon you is not merely a reward for you personally, but also recognition for the equally brave and fearless members under your command. Though every shinobi of Konoha is courageous, your conduct stands as an example worthy of imitation and learning by all."
"Accept it. This is an honor you have earned. And I hope you will use it to encourage yourself further, continue leading your comrades, and create an even more glorious future for Konoha and for the Land of Fire."
"Th-this..." Shinichi still looked hesitant.
At that moment, the usually silent Danzō suddenly spoke coldly.
"If they're giving it to you, then take it. What are you rambling on for?"
Only then did Shinichi respectfully bow toward Sōsei and solemnly receive the personally handwritten calligraphy bearing the words Crowned the Bravest of the Entire Army with both hands.
"In that case... many thanks for His Highness's generous favor. On behalf of all my unit members and all of Konoha's comrades, I humbly accept."
Sōsei smiled and nodded. Then he lifted the exquisite wine bottle and handed it toward Shinichi.
"This is the wine personally bestowed by His Highness, likewise granted in recognition of Captain Shinichi's unparalleled achievements in this campaign."
This time, Shinichi did not hesitate as before, nor did he decline on the grounds of being underage. He directly extended both hands and steadily accepted the wine bottle.
After taking it, a thoughtful look appeared on his face. Then he solemnly asked: "Karō, now that this wine has been bestowed upon me, may I decide myself how it is to be used?"
Sōsei was slightly startled, but the smile soon returned to his face as he nodded.
"Naturally. Since the wine has already been granted to Captain Shinichi, you may dispose of it as you see fit."
He had assumed the boy's so-called arrangement would either involve presenting the wine to the Third Hokage as a show of respect, or preserving it for a future ceremony honoring his teachers and elders.
What he did not expect was for the young man to simply nod before making a move that stunned everyone present.
"Good!"
Shinichi answered crisply.
Then, beneath the puzzled and curious gazes of everyone present, he carried the wine toward the bubbling spring nearby. Without the slightest hesitation, he pulled out the stopper and poured every last drop of the wine into the clear spring water.
Sōsei's warm smile instantly froze.
One of the officials from the Land of Fire standing beside him subconsciously opened his mouth to rebuke him, yet before a single word could leave his lips, an icy, razor-sharp killing intent instantly locked onto him.
The reprimand that had nearly escaped his mouth became stuck in his throat.
He had no doubt whatsoever that if he dared utter even half a word, the Dark of Konoha beside him would disregard all consequences and kill him on the spot.
Meanwhile, Shinichi had already turned around to face the densely packed ranks of Konoha shinobi behind him, all of whom wore expressions of shock and confusion.
He raised the now-empty wine bottle high into the air, his clear voice echoing across the sunlit slope.
"Comrades!"
"We won this battle, repelled powerful enemies, raised Konoha's prestige, and established the might of the Land of Fire! But this victory was never mine alone!!"
His gaze swept across one determined face after another — some young, some weathered, some scarred.
"It was every Konoha shinobi who fought in this war! Every comrade who fought bathed in blood and feared no sacrifice! It was everyone's courage, wisdom, and blood that forged the foundation of this victory!"
"This wine of victory should be shared with every comrade who bled, sweated, and sacrificed for this triumph!"
"Today, I shall pour this wine into this spring!"
"With the waters of this spring, we honor this victory!"
"With the name of this spring, we engrave today's achievement into memory!"
"This wine! This spring! I shall drink it together with all of you!"
Silence.
For a brief instant, the entire scene fell into a suffocating stillness.
Then, the next second—
"GOOD!!!"
"We drink together! Together with the captain!"
A thunderous roar exploded from within the ranks of the Shinichi Unit like sparks thrown into boiling oil.
"We drink with Captain Shinichi!"
"To victory! To Konoha!"
First came the members of the Shinichi Unit.
Then the entire crowd erupted like wildfire.
Th-This... what kind of conduct was this?!
Nearby, the officials of the Land of Fire stood utterly dumbfounded, their expressions stiff as countless conflicting emotions churned inside them.
As for what exactly they were thinking, that could wait for later.
...
That very night, within the Daimyō's residence of the Land of Fire.
After hearing the full account of what had happened outside Narumi Town that day — especially Shinichi publicly pouring the wine into the spring and sharing it symbolically with the entire army — the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, seated behind his desk, first froze slightly.
Then—
"Hahahahahahaha!"
A burst of hearty, delighted laughter shattered the silence of the study.
"Good! What a Higashino Shinichi! Truly interesting! Far too interesting!"
He clapped his hands and laughed, showing not the slightest trace of displeasure.
A moment later, a sharp glint flashed through the Daimyō's eyes as though he had just thought of an excellent idea.
Since this young hero of Konoha was so skilled at handling matters and understood how to maximize the value of a bestowed favor, then as the Daimyō, he might as well push things even further and make this entire affair louder and more far-reaching.
Not only would it further win over a future powerhouse with limitless potential, it would also demonstrate the Land of Fire's generosity and favor toward meritorious subjects, while leaving behind a celebrated tale of ruler and subject understanding one another and sharing blessings alike.
"Someone!"
One of his subordinates immediately entered and bowed to receive orders.
The Daimyō pondered briefly, the smile on his lips deepening as he slowly spoke: "Pass down my order. From this day onward, Narumi Town shall be renamed..."
He paused slightly, savoring the new name.
"Sakemizu Town."
And thus, a new name born from the youthful hero's sudden inspiration and bold act was officially engraved into the geography and history of the Land of Fire.
Sakemizu Town.
For now, Shinichi still knew nothing of this.
But if he did know, he would certainly feel gratified by just how tactful the Daimyō of the Land of Fire was.
Because this was not merely a simple renaming.
It would become an official public endorsement from the Land of Fire itself — a geographical inscription binding his personal legend to this land.
From this day forward, whenever people mentioned "Sakemizu Town," they would naturally think of "Crimson Flame Shinichi," his illustrious military achievements, and the way he shared blessings with his comrades.
This was a form of cultural implantation.
A form of cognitive anchoring.
For the future accumulation of his fame, the expansion of the breadth of Entry recognition, and even deeper long-term plans, it would all bring subtle yet immeasurable benefits.