My Techniques are a bit off

Half a month later, Hokage's Office

"Anbu corpses have been discovered near Kikyo Castle," Mitokado Homura said, his expression stern as he examined a report scroll.

"That Orochimaru again," Koharu Utatane muttered with a frown. "He hates the village and is targeting both Link and the last Uchiha."

She added, "He even declared in front of Anko that he intends to destroy the village."

"Could another allied nation be involved?" one of the jōnin present asked.

Mitokado Homura replied, "Since the start of the Chūnin Exams, Anbu teams have been patrolling the borders. So far, there has been no unusual activity."

"If Orochimaru is colluding with allied nations, shouldn't we immediately halt the exams?" another proposed.

"No," the Third Hokage finally spoke, his tone firm. "The Chūnin Exams are a gathering of allied nations. If we act recklessly and sow mistrust, it might be exactly what the enemy wants."

"We've already dispatched Anbu to gather intelligence from our allies," Koharu Utatane added. "Until we know more, I urge everyone to proceed with caution."

With the discussion concluded, the Third Hokage declared, "That's enough for now. Meeting adjourned."

The jōnin left one by one, but Koharu turned back and asked, "What about the protection of Link and Sasuke Uchiha?"

Removing his hat, the Third Hokage revealed his graying hair and weathered face. "I've already assigned Yamato to guard them in secret. Even against Orochimaru, he should be able to buy time."

He smiled faintly and added, "And don't underestimate Link—he's much stronger than you imagine."

"Let's hope so," Koharu said, leaving it at that.

Mitokado Homura, however, remained deeply concerned, muttering, "I have a bad feeling about this."

As the date for the Chūnin Exam finals drew closer, everything felt like the calm before the storm. Despite revealing himself on the first day, Orochimaru had made no further moves, leaving an unsettling tension in the air.

The deaths of Anbu operatives were like surface wounds—who could say how much deeper the rot went beneath the skin?

"Have faith in everyone," the Third Hokage said as he stood, taking a deep breath and feeling the weight of his age. "Even in the face of a crisis—"

…

Land of Wind, Sunagakure, Kazekage's Office

"We've mapped out all defensive positions near Konoha's borders," Baki reported, seated on a cushion. Presenting a scroll, he added, "As planned with Orochimaru and the Otogakure, Gaara has successfully advanced to the finals."

The Fourth Kazekage studied the scroll, his face concealed by a hat and mask, his gaze calm.

"You've done well, Baki," he said, opening the scroll.

Baki remained silent, waiting for further instructions.

"If this plan fails," the Fourth Kazekage began, his tone still light.

Baki's expression grew heavy. This was his greatest concern—if the plan failed, Sunagakure might lose even the chance to resist. The village's prolonged weakness had left them struggling with scarce missions and insufficient funds, forcing a reduction in ninja numbers. Even smaller nations like the Land of Rain dared to compete with them for resources.

While Baki supported taking bold action, the Konoha Crush plan was excessively risky, especially with both Gaara and the Kazekage putting their lives on the line. A single misstep could spell disaster.

Orochimaru's injury at the hands of a Konoha child only deepened his unease.

"With our current forces, the disparity between us and Konoha is stark," the Kazekage said, reading the scroll without looking up. "Even with Orochimaru and the Otogakure, our chances of success aren't high."

"Baki, we lack absolute certainty, and Gaara—"

He paused, closing the scroll.

"If this plan fails, I'll die in Konoha. When that happens, you are to immediately surrender to them."

Looking out at the unusually clear and sunny sky, a rare sight in the desert country, the Kazekage added, "Even if they defeat us, Konoha won't escape unscathed. As the Kazekage, I'll bear the consequences. After that, the future is in your hands."

"Understood." Baki bowed deeply, hiding the sorrow in his eyes.

This is the way of the ninja—tools of war. Even Kages must be prepared to sacrifice themselves for the village.

…

Konoha, Training Ground Seven

"Boom!"

Iris was sent flying, rolling several times before Link caught him and helped him to his feet. Holding his reddened left eye, he glanced at Sasuke, who had just sent Ami flying as well.

"This guy... the speed of his growth is insane."

In just over a month, Sasuke had gone from barely holding his own with the Sharingan, to nearly matching Iris's physical strength, to completely overpowering him with taijutsu alone.

"Boom!" Ami hit the ground, unable to rise.

After giving Iris a quick healing and using his Delicate Illness Extraction Jutsu on Ami, Link turned to Sasuke.

"Ha..." Sasuke approached, only slightly out of breath. Since unlocking his three-tomoe Sharingan, his growth had accelerated exponentially.

Thanks to his advanced vision, he didn't need to worry about reaction times, focusing solely on improving his physical abilities. With Link's intervention, Sasuke's progress was even faster than in the manga, where he'd matched Rock Lee's speed in just one month.

Driven by sheer determination, his efforts always yielded results, especially with fatigue no longer being an issue. In just over two weeks, Sasuke's taijutsu skills alone were enough to defeat chunin-level opponents like Iris and Ami.

"Yo!" Kakashi suddenly appeared. "I hope I'm not interrupting your training."

Link looked up. "What do you need?"

"The Third Hokage wants to see you," Kakashi said before adding, "And I'd like to borrow Sasuke for a bit."

Borrow? That phrasing was odd.

Sasuke also turned to Kakashi. After just over two weeks, he felt a slight sense of estrangement from his mentor. Knowing more now, he instinctively doubted those who had kept secrets from him.

"I understand," Link said, standing up. "That's enough for today. Dismissed."

With that, he vanished using the Body Flicker Jutsu.

"Well, Sasuke," Kakashi asked casually, "care for a one-on-one chat?"

~~~

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