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As night deepened, the only sound in the ward was the faint ticking of medical equipment.
Rock Lee could feel Tenten's eyes fixed on him like searchlights, filled with guilt and worry, making him feel uneasy even while pretending to be asleep.
Eventually, he simply allowed himself to drift off.
After all, acting was physically demanding work, especially after opening the Fourth Gate. The physical fatigue was completely real, no matter how much his system had already healed him.
He was awakened by a slight disturbance. He had no idea how long he'd slept, but daylight now streamed through the window.
A medical ninja wearing a mask stood beside his bed, holding a recording tablet and frowning as he studied the data displayed on the monitoring equipment.
"Strange..." the medical ninja muttered to himself, his voice barely audible.
Tenten immediately stood up, her movement sharp and anxious. She'd stayed up all night keeping watch, and her eyes were bloodshot with exhaustion and worry.
"Doctor, what's wrong? Has Lee's condition worsened?"
"No, quite the opposite." The medical ninja shook his head slowly, his expression showing more confusion than concern. "His vital signs are too stable. Far too stable. Logically speaking, forcibly opening the Fourth Gate of the Eight Gates should cause extensive muscle tearing and cellular breakdown, leaving the body in a state of extreme depletion. All his indicators should be critically low."
As he spoke, he lifted a corner of the blanket and carefully began unwrapping the bandages around Lee's chest, where the supposed fatal wound should be.
The torn fabric still showed the large hole where the blade had supposedly pierced straight through his heart.
When the medical ninja finally revealed the skin underneath, he froze completely.
There was no penetrating wound. No gruesome torn flesh. No signs of the life-threatening injury that should have been there.
There was only a small bruise that was already fading rapidly, barely visible against healthy, slightly flushed skin.
"This is impossible!" the medical ninja exclaimed, his professional composure cracking. He even wondered for a moment if he'd somehow entered the wrong patient's room by mistake.
He hurriedly flipped through the medical records in his hands, double-checking every detail. "No, this is definitely correct. Rock Lee, severe muscle tears throughout multiple muscle groups from forcibly opening four gates, internal organ damage from combat trauma... When the ANBU brought him in yesterday, he was barely clinging to life! I documented it all myself!"
Tenten also leaned in closer to look. When she saw that smooth, unmarked chest, her mouth fell open slightly, her face filled with complete disbelief.
She clearly remembered seeing that short blade pierce completely through Lee's chest during the fight. She'd seen the blood. She'd seen him collapse.
"Could it be that I'm still trapped in that genjutsu?" Tenten couldn't help but rub her eyes hard, as if trying to dispel an illusion. "Is none of this real?"
"No, this definitely isn't a genjutsu." The medical ninja snapped back to his senses, and his eyes suddenly blazed with intense fascination, like a scholar who'd just discovered an entirely new field of study. "It's his physique! His regenerative ability! My God, this cellular activity, this regeneration speed... it's simply miraculous! I've never seen anything like this in my entire career!"
He immediately pulled out more specialized medical equipment, and green diagnostic chakra enveloped Rock Lee's body in a gentle glow.
On the instrument screen, a series of readings representing various bodily functions fluctuated wildly before finally stabilizing at health values that far exceeded those of any ordinary shinobi.
"Extraordinary... absolutely extraordinary..." the medical ninja muttered to himself, staring at Rock Lee as if examining a priceless, once-in-a-lifetime discovery. "No, I need to report this immediately! This has gone far beyond the scope of conventional medical treatment. This could provide entirely new research directions! If only Lady Tsunade were still in the village, she'd want to examine this phenomenon personally!"
"It's such a shame that Lady Tsunade isn't here right now. She would have been fascinated by your case."
Rock Lee chose that precise moment to "slowly wake up," blinking groggily and looking with apparent confusion at the medical ninja who was practically vibrating with excitement.
"Doctor... am I... am I going to die?" he asked weakly, his voice hoarse.
"Die? No, no, no!" The medical ninja grabbed his hand enthusiastically, nearly shaking it in his excitement. "Young man, not only will you not die, you're a treasure! An absolute treasure! You're the shinobi with the most powerful natural recovery ability I've encountered in my entire ten years of medical practice! Without question!"
After making that declaration, he rushed out of the ward like his feet were on fire, muttering urgently about "immediate reports" and "major medical discovery."
In the suddenly quiet ward, only Rock Lee and the completely stunned Tenten remained.
Tenten stared blankly at Lee, then at his almost completely undamaged chest, her mind struggling to process what she was witnessing.
So his near-death appearance yesterday had all been an act?
No, wait. That couldn't be right. The pain of opening the Fourth Gate was absolutely real. The agony of muscle tearing was terrifying just from hearing the doctor describe the theoretical effects earlier.
But this recovery speed...
"Um, Tenten," Rock Lee forced what he hoped was an innocent, slightly confused smile. "Maybe it's because I train so much? So my body is particularly... resilient?"
Even he could tell how weak and unconvincing that explanation sounded.
Tenten didn't say anything. She simply sat back down in her chair silently, head lowered, clearly lost in deep thought about everything she'd witnessed.
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward and tense.
Just then, the door to the ward was suddenly thrown open with a tremendous bang.
"Lee! My precious student!"
The voice arrived simultaneously with its owner this time.
Might Guy burst through the doorway like a green whirlwind, followed by a resigned-looking Neji who'd clearly been dragged along against his better judgment.
Guy spotted Rock Lee on the hospital bed immediately, and two streams of tears instantly gushed from his eyes like waterfalls.
"Lee! You protected your comrades with your very life, burning with the Will of Fire pushed to its absolute limit! This is youth in its purest, most beautiful form!"
He spread his arms wide, clearly intending to give Rock Lee one of his signature crushing bear hugs.
"Guy-sensei! Wait!" Tenten jumped up in alarm, quickly reaching out to physically stop him. "The doctor said Lee's muscle damage is extremely severe! You absolutely cannot touch him roughly!"
"Oh?" Guy froze mid-motion, wiped away his tears with the back of his hand, and looked at his student with genuine concern softening his features. "Lee, how are you feeling? Tell me honestly."
Rock Lee forced an expression that mixed pain with determination, making his voice come out hoarse and strained. "Guy-sensei, I'm fine. This injury is nothing at all compared to the importance of protecting my comrades!"
"Beautifully said!" Guy was moved to tears all over again, fresh streams running down his cheeks. He clenched his fist dramatically and declared with passionate intensity, "You truly are worthy of being my student! Once you've fully recovered, we'll celebrate by running fifty laps around the village on our hands to commemorate your victory!"
Neji, standing off to the side, felt his eye twitch involuntarily. He silently took several steps further away from his overly enthusiastic sensei.
Just then, steady, measured footsteps echoed from the corridor outside.
A masked ANBU operative appeared in the doorway, their presence immediately commanding attention. The operative's hidden gaze swept around the entire ward before finally settling directly on Rock Lee.
"Rock Lee." The ANBU's voice was completely emotionless and professional. "The Hokage has issued an official order."
The atmosphere in the ward transformed instantly, becoming deadly serious.
Guy wiped away his tears immediately. Tenten and Neji both held their breath, tension radiating from their suddenly rigid postures.
The ANBU operative stepped fully into the room, withdrew an official scroll from within their uniform, and carefully unfurled it with practiced movements.
"Rock Lee, genin of Konohagakure, encountered hostile enemy forces during a mission outside village boundaries. Displaying exceptional composure and courage in the face of mortal danger, he selflessly engaged and successfully eliminated the invading enemy shinobi while securing critical intelligence for the village. His actions demonstrate outstanding merit and exemplify the Will of Fire."
The ANBU operative paused deliberately, then raised their voice slightly for emphasis on the following words.
"By official decision of the Hokage and the assembled council of jonin, the following commendations are hereby awarded: First, a citation of major merit shall be entered into his permanent service record. Second, immediate promotion to the rank of tokubetsu jonin of Konohagakure, effective as of this moment. Third, authorization to select one A-rank taijutsu scroll of his choosing from the restricted archives. Fourth, all medical expenses incurred from this incident shall be covered entirely by village funds, with an additional monetary reward of three hundred thousand ryo."
After the reading concluded, the entire ward fell into absolute silence.
You could have heard a pin drop.
Tenten covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with shock.
Tokubetsu jonin!
This wasn't just an ordinary chunin promotion. This was a special rank, an honor reserved exclusively for shinobi who demonstrated exceptional talent in specific areas or who had made tremendous contributions to the village!
Furthermore, Lee was also being rewarded with an A-rank taijutsu scroll and three hundred thousand ryo in cash!
This level of recognition was almost unheard of for someone who'd been a genin just yesterday!
Even Neji's usually composed expression shifted noticeably, revealing his surprise.
He looked at the supposedly talentless dead-last from the Academy lying in that hospital bed, his Byakugan-trained eyes filled with genuinely complex emotions.
He'd always dismissed Lee as nothing more than a hot-blooded fool who didn't understand his own limitations. But now that fool had somehow reached a height that even Neji, with all his genius and prestigious bloodline, had never achieved. And he'd done it through nothing but that supposedly foolish "reckless" fighting spirit.
Might Guy was trembling with overwhelming pride and excitement. He reached out and patted Rock Lee's shoulder enthusiastically, completely forgetting in his emotional state to control his considerable strength.
Bang!
"Cough! Cough cough!" Rock Lee's body jerked from the impact, and he coughed violently.
"Oh! My apologies, Lee!" Guy quickly pulled his hand back, looking genuinely mortified.
Rock Lee cursed internally at his teacher's terrible timing, but his face maintained that same expression of noble sacrifice, the look that said "I suffered for the village, and I'm proud of what I did."
'Perfect.'
The fish hadn't just taken the bait. It had practically thrown itself onto the shore and offered up its entire body on a silver platter.
This all-out performance had been an overwhelming success!
It seemed clear that the old man had indeed detected something significant about the incident with the Sound ninja. The Third Hokage wasn't senile yet, after all.
The ANBU operative placed the official scroll and a promissory note worth three hundred thousand ryo on the small table beside the bed, gave Rock Lee one final, penetrating look that lingered just a bit too long, then turned and departed as silently as they'd arrived.
But in that brief moment before they turned away, the hint of genuine shock visible in their eyes didn't escape Lee's notice.
A genin who relied exclusively on taijutsu to fight back against overwhelming odds and eliminate two chunin-level opponents, who also possessed seemingly impossible regenerative abilities that defied medical explanation...
Such an existence would naturally attract significant attention from anyone with eyes to see.
"This is wonderful, Lee!" Guy excitedly pumped his fist in the air, his teeth practically sparkling. "Your dedicated efforts have finally been recognized by everyone in the village! Your youth burns brighter than ever!"
Rock Lee managed a weak but genuine-looking smile, though his heart remained completely calm and analytical.
Recognition?
No, this wasn't about recognition or acknowledgment.
This was an investment, pure and simple.
That old fox Hiruzen Sarutobi had clearly detected Orochimaru's subtle fingerprints all over the intelligence Lee had brought back about the Sound ninja.
The Third Hokage was rewarding Lee to demonstrate that his information had genuine strategic value, while simultaneously appeasing him as a "hero" to prevent any resentment, and setting him up as an inspiring example to motivate other shinobi to risk their lives for the village's protection.
Classic political maneuvering. Layers upon layers of calculated motivation.
However, this arrangement suited Lee's purposes perfectly.
The Hokage wanted a hero and a role model to inspire the younger generation. Lee wanted tangible resources and freedom to grow stronger.
Everyone got exactly what they needed. A perfect win-win situation.
"You should get some rest now." Tenten looked at the scrolls and promissory note resting on the bedside table, then back at Lee's pale face. Her expression was incredibly complicated, mixing genuine happiness for him with lingering confusion and concern.
She stepped forward carefully and gently adjusted his blanket, tucking it more securely around him. Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "I'll go get you some water."
Watching the girl's retreating figure as she practically fled from the room, Rock Lee closed his eyes and allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.
'This feeling of being cared for...'
'Not bad at all.'