My Techniques are a bit off

The Next Day, Hospital

"Root?"

Link frowned. He hadn't expected Danzo to make a move at this time. With the Third Hokage and the village in relatively stable condition, and with Konoha actually benefiting from the Sunagakure's defeat, logically...

The anger over being invaded, coupled with the opportunity to extract resources from the Sunagakure, naturally fueled the militaristic faction's ideologies.

Moreover, the Konoha Crush Plan's biggest casualties weren't the villagers but the feudal lords, nobles, and wealthy merchants invited by Konoha to watch the Chunin Exams. Sitting in the stands when disaster struck, their deaths represented significant losses.

It became clear why Danzo had found an opportunity to act. As the leader of the militaristic faction, Danzo would undoubtedly seize this chance.

Political maneuvering.

After years of being held accountable for the Uchiha Massacre, the militaristic faction now had a chance to strike back. Of course, Danzo wouldn't let it slip away.

"I understand," Link said, looking at Sasuke with a hint of relief.

The boy who once carried the Uchiha tendency to shoulder everything alone had started to change, thanks to Link's influence—or perhaps because Sasuke's personality was already different from the typical Uchiha.

"Don't rush into dealing with Danzo," Link said, tossing the scroll Sasuke had received back to him. "This is yours, so you should keep it."

"When you're strong enough to kill Itachi, you'll have the ability to kill Danzo as well."

"Understood." Sasuke didn't doubt this logic. He accepted the scroll solemnly. A militaristic leader like Danzo wouldn't be weak. Sasuke had seen firsthand how terrifying an experienced Kage could be during the Third Hokage's overwhelming display at the Chunin Exams.

Except for the Kazekage.

Link didn't realize how much his descriptions had skewed Sasuke's understanding of strength. In Sasuke's young mind, having the strength of a Kage equated to the kind of over-the-top techniques the Third Hokage had unleashed during the invasion—techniques Danzo, as a rival to the Third, was surely capable of as well.

And Orochimaru? Well, to Sasuke, Orochimaru was more comparable to Kakashi.

This warped perspective only solidified Sasuke's belief in his own inadequacy, which, in a strange way, was rational.

Link patted Sasuke on the shoulder, then summoned Fugaku using his summoning technique, giving father and son a chance to talk post-battle. After that, he left the hospital.

He frequently summoned Fugaku to reinforce the impression that his summoning technique could offer familial love and support. Unlike Iris and Ami, who easily admired strength, Sasuke needed more than just power to earn his trust—he needed friendship, familial ties, and perhaps even future assistance in finding a wife. Binding Sasuke to him emotionally and practically would ensure Link never lost this potential Six Paths-level ally.

Leaving the hospital, Link made his way to the Hokage's office. Being a Special Jonin came with privileges, including the ability to meet the Hokage at any time.

And Link wasted no time filing a complaint about Danzo.

The incident where a supposed Root member entered Sasuke's hospital room in the middle of the night and caused a confrontation wasn't just a grievance—it was an opportunity to cast suspicion on Root as an illegal organization.

Hearing Link's detailed report, the Third Hokage couldn't help but stifle a laugh. The image of someone tattling to the Hokage immediately after being approached by a covert operative was... well, innocent.

Considering that Link was only ten years old, the Third Hokage's expression softened into a faint, amused smile.

"Root was once a division of the Anbu," the Hokage explained patiently, "and its leader was Danzo."

After a moment's thought, the Hokage decided to provide more context. Though Link was young, he was also a Special Jonin and deserved to know such matters.

"If Root has been disbanded, why are people still using its name to bother Sasuke?" Link asked directly after the explanation.

The Third Hokage's expression turned more serious. "Don't worry. I'll handle it."

As Link left, satisfied with the response, the Hokage closed the file on reducing military spending and said, "Summon Danzo to the Hokage's office."

"Yes," an Anbu operative replied before vanishing.

…

Elsewhere in Konoha

Temari shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight as she stepped out. After being held in Konoha's Anbu facility for two days since the failed Konoha Crush, she felt disoriented but relieved.

Konoha's people, as it turned out, were kinder than expected. They hadn't used any unconventional interrogation methods and had treated her with respect.

"Temari and Kankuro of the Sunagakure," said Ibiki Morino, the scarred examiner of the first stage Chunin Exam, "until the peace talks are concluded, Anbu operatives will remain stationed nearby. Do not attempt to leave the village."

Covered in bandages and without his puppets, Kankuro looked unusually normal—and uncomfortable. "I don't know how long we'll be stuck here," he muttered.

"Do you think anyone will actually come to negotiate from the village?"

Temari stood silently on the street, her thoughts heavy.

The failed invasion had been a catastrophic blow. The Sunagakure had lost its Kage, elites, and even its jinchuriki. The fate of their village was unclear.

Though she wasn't worried about other villages launching an invasion, her thoughts were consumed by one figure.

Baki-sensei...

Her hands clenched tightly. The desperate decision to invade Konoha had led to consequences far too bitter to bear.

~~~

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