My Techniques are a bit off

The Next Morning – Hokage Building

"Haah~"

Link let out a yawn, looking both groggy and strangely energized. "Good morning."

The previous afternoon and evening had been consumed by his obsession with developing his Transformation Jutsu. He had gone to bed at 1:30 a.m. but spent hours tossing and turning, his head full of ideas. Eventually, he got back up to experiment further, only falling asleep as dawn approached.

Sometimes, the thrill of growing stronger, even just a little, was intoxicating.

"Good morning," came the replies from Iris and Ami.

With a soft swish, Nara Ensui appeared out of nowhere, smiling as he said, "Looks like you three had a good rest."

…Iris and Ami exchanged glances before discreetly looking at Link, who was stifling another yawn. They wisely chose not to comment.

The group of four entered the mission assignment office. Early morning was peak time for genin teams led by jonin to line up for new missions. Despite the bustling atmosphere, the ninja maintained orderly silence, with only a few exceptions.

It wasn't long before Team Five reached the front. Nara Ensui greeted the Third Hokage respectfully, saying, "Lord Third, may we have a D-rank mission, please?"

The three genin glanced at each other but said nothing, holding back their disappointment.

"Very well," the Third Hokage said with a kind smile. His gaze lingered on Link, and he gave the young ninja an especially warm look before selecting a mission slip. Handing it over, he said, "Here you go."

Nara Ensui accepted the slip and led Team Five out of the office. The tallest of the group, Ami (surprising, isn't it?), caught sight of the mission details: "Babysit a Merchant's Child."

While D-rank missions typically included mundane tasks like picking up trash, finding lost pets, or helping with farming, this one felt especially lackluster. They had just successfully completed a C-rank mission, after all.

And children? The worst.

Ami grumbled internally, conveniently forgetting that she herself was still a child.

Outside the building, Nara Ensui briefed the team on their task.

"Huh?" Iris said, his disappointment evident. "Why, Sensei? We just did a great job on a C-rank mission!"

Good point, Iris! Ami silently cheered him on.

Probably because you two made so many mistakes, Link thought to himself, immediately understanding the reason.

The ninja mission ranking system wasn't just about protecting the ninja themselves; it was also about maintaining the village's reputation. Assigning ill-prepared genin to higher-ranked missions could lead to failure, damaging Konoha's credibility.

While having a jonin supervise lower-ranked teams provided a safety net, relying on that safety net could breed complacency. It was a form of coddling that could foster arrogance and overconfidence—exactly what seemed to be happening with Iris and Ami.

Both teammates were clearly dismissive of D-rank missions and eager to prove themselves with more challenging C-rank assignments.

But a jonin couldn't play babysitter forever. At some point, Team Five would disband, and when faced with real danger, regret would come too late.

This suppression wasn't punishment; it was protection.

Nara Ensui glanced at Link, whose calm demeanor brought a small smile to the jonin's face. Pulling out his notebook, Ensui tore off two pages and handed them to Iris and Ami.

The pages detailed mistakes the three—no, two—had made during their recent mission in the Forest of Death. They included things Link had already covered in his lessons and issues even he hadn't noticed.

Small habits might seem trivial, but for ordinary ninja, even minor errors could prove fatal in close combat.

Iris and Ami, who had initially dismissed their sensei's concerns, grew silent as they read. Accepting the notes, they resigned themselves to another D-rank mission and the additional training they clearly needed.

No notes for me?

Link looked up at his sensei, noticing the amused smile on his face.

Suddenly, it clicked.

This wasn't neglect—it was preparation. Ensui was grooming him to think and act like a chunin, pushing him to analyze their missions independently and improve through self-reflection.

Nara Ensui gave him a slight nod before addressing the team. "All right, let's get started, everyone."

For his less experienced subordinates, he offered guidance and patience. For those with ambition, he provided opportunities to grow.

This is the wisdom of a true jonin.

…

Time Passed Quickly

Two months flew by in the blink of an eye, during which Team Five completed five more D-rank missions: babysitting a merchant's child, assisting with farming three times, and searching for a lost pet cat.

Since spring planting season began in April, the village received a flood of farming-related requests. Team Five spent much of this time working in the fields, practically transforming into laboring oxen.

Literal beasts of burden!

At least all three had strength surpassing that of average adults, easily handling tasks requiring immense physical effort. If this were Link's previous life, he might have been hailed as a "Farm Sage."

Despite the monotony, the team also devoted a good amount of time to training. Slowly but surely, Iris and Ami became more grounded. Their initial arrogance, born from relying on Ensui's safety net and Link's silence, dissipated. They focused on improving their fundamentals.

Link, for his part, had no complaints. He never expected to become a chunin overnight. With over a year left before the Konoha Crush, there was still plenty of time.

Even if the Third Hokage and Ensui wanted to promote him, completing seven D-rank and one C-rank mission wouldn't suffice. Without exceptional displays of power, more experience and qualifications would be necessary.

Meanwhile, Link's development of the Transformation Jutsu progressed significantly. He had even begun to formulate a new battle strategy tailored to his evolving abilities.

But just as things seemed to be heading in a positive direction, an afternoon in mid-June brought an unexpected development.

Nara Ensui approached Link privately and posed a question: