Sed Hokage, you've ruined everything!
Standing ieam weling the Land of Wind's envoy, Link sported dark circles under his eyes and a ral expression. But internally, he was relentlessly cursing the Sed Hokage.
The reason why the summoning teique rarely attracted anyone and ofteed in insults was all thanks to Tobirama Senju, who had abused Edo Tensei and Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.
Any ninja with a modicum of skill, knowledge, or information-gathering capability knew about this infamous teique. Naturally, no one was eager to respond to a call that might turn out to be some new form of Edo Tensei.
Who knew if they’d be summoned only to be strapped with explosive tags and used as living bombs?
Although Link did sprinkle in a few small, harmless lies in his broadcasts, he sidered himself a good person at heart.
Times are tough, and people are so ical these days.
o him, Kakashi Hatake was leisurely flipping through his Icha Icha Paradise.
"Ah-hem~" Standing in front of them, Hiashi Hyuga cleared his throat, deactivated his Byakugan, and sigo his two panions that the envoy had arrived.
A half-asleep kid with dark circles and a guy reading a smut hey didly exude professionalism, making the usually serious Hiashi struggle to maintain his posure.
Link quickly pstered on a polite, business-like smile, and Kakashi casually tucked away his book.
The reception process wasn’t plicated. Hiashi handled all the formalities as the team leader, while the other two were essentially just there to fill out the lineup and pad their resumes.
Other than a brief introdu and some polite words exged when he resented as the "young genius of Konoha," Link didn’t have to do much of anything.
The entire process left him feeling like his presence made no difference.
Still, the envoys from the Land of Wind were respectful, sh him with excessive praise, calling him things like "the future of Konoha" and "the brightest prodigy."
Seriously, to down.
Judging by Kakashi’s id-back demeanor, he was clearly used to this kind of over-the-top fttery.
The only hy moment came from an elderly envoy with thick, bushy eyebrows and a bandaged head, who silently stared at Kakashi until the delegation was escorted to their designated aodations.
The delegation sisted of emissaries from the Land of Wind and senior members of Sunagakure. The envoy from the daimyo of the Land of Wind was there primarily to mediate betweewo vilges.
Sunagakure's decision to attack Konoha during the in Exams without inf their own daimyo had nearly driven the man insane.
The exams were attended by every allied nation and their elites, and the daimyo of the Land of Wind had been increasing mission allocations to Konoha i years. There was no way he would have missed the event.
For Sunagakure to unch a rogue invasion that almost cost him his life... It was absurd.
Even so, Sunagakure was still the military arm of the Land of Wind. Despite his fury, the daimyo had to swallow his pride, up the mess internally, and prioritize peace talks to avoid esg into full-scale war.
After esc the delegation and watg the Anbu dispersing, the trio returo the Hokage’s office to report.
"Thank you for your hard work," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a nod.
"Then, Lord Hokage, we’ll take our leave." Kakashi Hatake, already dragging Link along, excused themselves.
Hiashi would likely remain behind for some private discussions with the Hokage.
The whole process had seemed straightforward, but it had eaten up a good k of time. They had gathered at the vilge gates early in the m, waited outside until mid-m, escorted the delegation to their aodations, aurned—by now, it was already noon.
Just as Link was about to leave, Kakashi stopped him.
"Want to grab lunch together? My treat."
Oh?
…
Twenty Minutes Later – Ichiraku Ramen
I k…
Link ordered a rge bowl of miso char siu ramen, added two extra servings of tempura, and grabbed a of soda before turning to the now visibly regretful Kakashi.
"So, what’s this about?" he asked.
Knowing Kakashi’s zy personality, Link doubted he’d go out of his way without a reason. If the man wasn’t lounging at home, he’d be brooding by the memorial stone. He hadn’t even trained properly in years.
"You’re really not shy about freeloading, huh?" Kakashi quipped.
Link took a refreshing sip of soda. "You’re a jōnin. You shouldn’t be short on cash, right?"
"Well…" Kakashi paused. "I think you’re overestimating the average jōnin’s savings."
He didn’t eborate further, instead a regur bowl of salt-fvored ramen. Finally, he admitted, "There’s something I’d like to ask of you."
Link raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to tinue.
"Nara Ensui—he’s recovered." Kakashi suddenly veered off-topic, his visible eye steady but carrying a hint of relief.
"Oh?" Link prompted him to go on.
It wasn’t surprising. Ensui-sensei wasn’t the type to sit idle while enemies wreaked havo the vilge. Though Konoha had weathered the invasioively unscathed, the Otogakure intruders had caused some damage and casualties.
Scratg the back of his head awkwardly, Kakashi tinued, "It’s thanks to you, isn’t it? From what I know, the Nara ’s herbs couldn’t have healed him."
"And so—" Link drawled.
"Lee. You remember him, right?" Kakashi sighed. He was terrible at asking for favors. "During the in Exams, he took heavy damage while trying to hold off the jinchūriki. If you hadn’t stepped in, he wouldn’t have survived. But even now, he’s been told he ’t tinue as a ninja."
"You wao help, don’t you?" Link interjected.
He had assumed Might Guy would approach him about Lee’s dition. Then again, Guy probably hadn’t realized Link’s medical abilities exceeded the norm.
After a pause, Kakashi finally said, "I’m asking for your help."
For a man as shameless as Kakashi, it was rare to see him genuinely embarrassed. But for his friend Guy, he had no choice.
"Leave it to me." Link grinned. Helping Lee was already part of his pn. He hadn’t expected the boy to go so far to protect the vilge.
"Ramen’s ready~" Teuchi pced their bowls on the ter.
Kakashi csped his hands together, his tone much lighter now. "Itadakimasu~"
"And also…"
"Thank you."
Bleam
