Two Hours Later.

  "Swish!"

  After using the Delicate Illness Extra Teique multiple times, an exhausted Link had just returned home from the hospital when an Anbu operative appeared at his door. With surprising courtesy, they knocked and said:

  "in Link, Lord Third wishes to see you."

  He had no choice but to go. After all, apart from fatigue, he was in perfect dition—his repeated use of the Delicate Illness Extra Teique on himself had made his body unnaturally healthy.

  Apanying the Anbu to the Hokage's office, Liered to find the Third Hokage seated behind his desk, his iic hat on. Beside him were two elderly advisors.

  [The two vilge advisors?]

  Link thought to himself. Ohe Anbu had closed the door aed, he bowed slightly and greeted them, "Lord Third."

  The Third Hokage smiled warmly and nodded. "Take a seat, young Link."

  "in Link, I’m Mitokado Homura, one of the vilge advisors. Could you ret the events of your ret mission?"

  The bespectacled elder’s voice was steady and kind.

  "Of course." Link bowed again and began reting the mission: from the assig and execution, to the anomalies they entered, and finally the battle with Orochimaru and Kabuto.

  He iionally glossed over the details of the fight, vaguely mentioning "using a secret teique to hold out until reinforts arrived."

  her the advisors nor the Third Hokage pressed for details. They uood that prying too deeply into a ninja’s secret teiques could be inappropriate.

  When Liiohe name "Orochimaru," the female advisor, Koharu Utatane, reacted sharply, her tone icy.

  "in Link, are you certain that the enemy was referred to as ‘Orochimaru’ by Nara Ensui?"

  "Yes," Link firmed, his tone calm.

  His at was measured and objective. While subtly hinting at the Sunagakure ninjas’ questioions, he shared only what his teammates and Ensui already knew.

  Koharu fell silent, her expression stern. Homura’s face also tightened as both turheir attention to the Third Hokage.

  The Third’s smile faltered momentarily before he sighed and expined, "Orochimaru was once my student. Now, he is a traitor to the vilge."

  Such a did admission made Koharu frown. Revealing this to a in could harm the Hokage’s image, she thought. But the Third Hokage seemed uned, his gaze resolute.

  "For now, young Link, remain in the vilge for some time. Your two teammates will be reassigo other squads."

  Liated briefly before l his head. "Uood."

  He knew separating his team was meant to protect him and his teammates. However, the sudden loss of his "meat shields" left him feeling strangely uled.

  But soon, he adjusted his mi. Staying in the vilge meant more time for training rather than endless missions—a positive, all things sidered.

  Homura seemed ready to speak, but the Third Hokage stopped him with a gnd said, "You’ve worked hard, young Link. Go home a."

  Some political siderations didn’t o be shared with the vilge’s younger geion.

  "Yes, sir." Link bowed once more to the elders before leaving the office.

  As he exited the Hokage Tower, he ran into Team 7. They were likely there to report their mission and cim their reward.

  Kakashi, holding a book, g Link, closed it, and greeted him casually, "Yo."

  "Good afternoon," Link replied, keeping it formal.

  Behind him, Naruto Uzumaki, usually boisterous, tightened his fists slightly before smiling brightly. "Good afternoon, Link!"

  Both Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno turo look at Naruto in surprise. They didn’t know he was acquainted with the younger genius.

  "Good afternoon."

  Li he should establish a e with Naruto. As the apprentice of Nara Shikaku, he had every reason te ties with the vilge’s "nuclear on" and the Uchiha survivor—two key figures.

  Even the Hokage wouldn’t object to suetw.

  Yet, inexplicably, he found himself g the energy. After returning a polite greeting, he turned and walked away alone.

  Sakura murmured, "He seems a bit down. Where are his teammates?"

  Naruto, often oblivious to suuances, uood this time. It wasn’t sadness—it alpable loneliness emanating from Link’s retreating figure.

  He watched the smaller boy walk away, his silhouette disappearing at the street's edge.

  …

  In the Hokage’s Office.

  "Orochimaru…" Koharu’s expression was grave. "That man must be plotting something!"

  Her voice was firm, almost accusatory. She had rusted or liked Orochimaru.

  As one of the vilge’s founding elders, she had watched Konoha grow—from a colle of ninja s to a thriving unity. The vilge was her life, her everything.

  To her, Orochimaru’s crimes—dug experiments on fellow vilgers, betraying the vilge—were unfivable.

  Now, he was targeting Konoha’s rising talents, sabotaging an A-rank mission, and killing a wealthy t from the Land of Fire.

  In her eyes, Orochimaru deserved nothiharu.

  Homura, calmer, asked, "Hiruzen, what do you make of Orochimaru’s parting words: ‘I’ll e back for you’?"

  The implication was clear: as the Hokage, what would you do when Orochimaru iably returned?

  The Third Hokage’s expression remained unreadable as he replied solemnly, "If Orochimaru shows himself again…"

  "I will kill him with my own hands."

  Bleam