One Week Later, Hokage's Office

  "Lord Third."

  Liered the office, a slight bow out of respect. As for the two advisors fnking the Third Hokage, they were teically only jonin like him, so he saw o aowledge them. His respect for the Third Hokage came from admiration, not formality. With no prior iion or camaraderie with the advisors, he didn’t even spare them a gnce.

  The Third Hokage smiled warmly. "Link, the vilge has a mission for you."

  "I'm listening," Link replied.

  Although he worked in the Medical Corps, his promotion to Special Jonin wasn’t due to his medical skills. He had little authority to refuse a mission assigned by the vilge.

  "This is an S-rank mission," the Hokage began. "The vilge has decided to assign you to monitor the jinchūriki from Sunagakure."

  Because I subdued Gaara and the other tw the in Exams?

  Link nodded. "What form will this take?"

  This was important—it determined his official role. Surely, they weren’t pnning to put him directly into the Anbu, right?

  "Special Jonin Link," Koharu Utatane spoke up, "starting today, you are no longer a member of the Medical Corps. As a newly promoted Special Jonin, you’re qualified to bee a supervising jonin. You will lead a team of geni from Sunagakure."

  Seriously? I'm only ten years old.

  Link's expression remained calm, though he had already guessed the arra. Leading Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro on missions?

  His first thought was that this would interrupt his training. The inclusion of Sunagakure’s genin in Konoha’s system was likely a term in the reaty, and he hadn’t sidered that he might be chosen to lead them. This wasn’t just about babysitting; it olitical move. Gradually influeng the geion of Sunagakure to align with Konoha’s values was clearly part of the pn.

  Despite his age and limited experiehis arra could work to his advaraining with Gaara would allow him to tap into the jinchūriki’s immeential and secure a highly capable ally.

  "You meet them now at the Ninja Academy," the Third Hokage said with a smile. "Your team is waiting for you in Room 201."

  "Special Jonin Link," Homura Mitokado interjected, "remember, your role is not just as their leader but as their supervisor."

  "The vilge has reinforced the seal on the jinchūriki," Koharu Utatane added bluntly. "If necessary, you have the authority to eliminate him."

  The direess of her words hung heavily in the air.

  The Third Hokage’s smile disappeared, his brows furrowing slightly in disapproval. However, he chose not to publicly tradict his old friends.

  "Uood," Link said calmly before leaving.

  After he was gohe Third Hokage turo his advisors. "Koharu, Homura—you’ve gooo far."

  "e now, Hiruzen," Koharu said, gng at him. "He’s not like the other kids. You’ve already decided to make him a Special Jonin. Do you want him to live in a naive bubble?"

  Homura shook his head. "That rejuvenation jutsu of his—"

  "Trust in the younger geion, especially those who serve the vilge," the Third Hokage interrupted firmly.

  The debate wasn’t new. Link’s abilities—summoning the dead, breaking barriers, and the rejuvenation jutsu—were undeniably powerful, capable of ging the oute of a war.

  Abilities like these, even if tied to a bloodline, should ideally be recorded, preserved, and trolled.

  Even though they had kept his abilities under s after the in Exams, internal sensus within the vilge was far from settled.

  "I agree with trusting the younger geion," Koharu said as she stood, "but we should trol the jinchūriki directly rather than assigning someoo monitor him."

  She didn’t si Gaara, instead lumping him in with Naruto Uzumaki, who had also been given a free rein.

  Homura rose as well. "Ebizō from Sunagakure personally requested Link as their supervisor. He might be after the vilge’s Kekkei Genkai."

  It had now gone from being "Link’s Kekkei Genkai" to "the vilge’s Kekkei Genkai."

  "Enough," the Third Hokage said, knog oable for emphasis. "I trust that Link will bee a bridge between Konoha and Sunagakure."

  Havihe tohe advisors refrained from further argument a, just as their pns to interrogate Link had beeedly deyed.

  Alone in the office, the Third Hokage removed his hat and walked to the baly, gazing at the bustling vilge below.

  He had met with Sasuke Uchiha, whose dark, hate-filled demeanor had been pletely transformed. Although the boy still harbored some reseoward the vilge, he had not taken areme path.

  Link was gradually mending the mistakes the vilge had made. His trust was well-pced.

  Koharu and Homura would never uand this. Perhaps no one would. But it didn’t matter.

  The essence of the Will of Fire was that the old would sacrifice themselves for the young. He roud that he had avoided war and ehe children of the vilge didn’t have to suffer.

  Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up at the clear blue sky and the warm sun, smiling.

  …

  Shimura Residence

  "The daimyo is very pleased with your pn."

  The Land of Fire minister sat across from Danzo, saying, "Proceed as pnned, Danzo."

  "If all goes well, we will support you as the Hokage."

  "Thank you very much," Danzo said with a humble smile, showing no trace of his usual ominous demeanor.

  "Well then, it’s time for me to take my leave. Good luck."

  "Good luck to you as well," Danzo replied, esc the minister out.

  Standing at his door, Danzo’s face slowly broke into a smile.

  What a on-a-lifetime opportunity.

  Hiruzen’s weakness had allowed him to climb out of obscurity, and the ambitious new daimyo shared his drive.

  He his opportunity to bee Hokage. Likewise, the daimyo needed a decisive moment to distinguish himself from his father.

  With Sunagakure’s ey, its jinchūriki, and its high-ranking ninja all in their grasp, Konoha could have demanded far more. Yet, the reaty fell short of satisfying most people.

  By appearing to defer and not directly opposing the Hokage, Danzo had garnered widespread support.

  Hiruzen, it seems I’m finally going to win.

  Bleam