"I trust you."

  Link pced a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder. After pleting a standard healing procedure, he followed it up with a Delicate Illness Extra Teique and said, "I’ve spoken to the Third Hokage. He’ll e to talk to you soon."

  "I uand," Sasuke replied with a nod. He trusted his panion enough to believe there was no ill i, so he wasn’t worried about what the versation might entail.

  "Wheime es, don’t hold back," Link said with a smile. "Make any requests you have. I doubt the Third Hokage will refuse you."

  Sasuke’s mood lightened a little.

  "Don’t pressure yourself too much," Link said, releasing his grip and sitting on a nearby chair. He noticed a peeled apple on the bedside table, grabbed it, and took a bite.

  It was surprisingly sweet.

  Mung on the apple, Link added, "With my teiques to assist you, you’ll eventually surpass him. But don’t keep thinking you have to face everything alone—"

  Outside, Sakura ressed against the door, watg Lihe apple she had peeled. Her forehead veins throbbed in frustration.

  Sasuke gnced briefly toward the door, ensuring it was shut and soundproof enough that their versation couldn’t be overheard.

  "What do you think about Sakura?" Link asked with a sly smile, aware of the girl outside. "If you’re thinking about rest the Uchiha , choosing the right wife is a necessary step."

  "I’ll ask your father for adviext time."

  Link often summoned Fugaku to let him and Sasuke talk. Despite being a schemer with rebellious ambitions in life, Fugaku had genuinely loved his children. That love had driven him to willingly die by Itachi’s hand.

  After experieng death, Fugaku had beuch more id-back. Aside from his lingeriment toward Konoha, he didn’t seem to care much about other matters.

  After all, in his eyes, the Uchiha had only two surviving members—one a perpetrator of their downfall, and the other someone he hoped would live a more normal life.

  "Let’s discuss that after I deal with Itachi and Danzo," Sasuke said, turning his face away, his demeanor as stubborn as ever.

  "I think Sakura likes you quite a bit," Link teased, throwing the apple core into the trash.

  "I don’t like her," Sasuke replied firmly.

  His dislike was geemming from her naive personality, ck of strength, and past remarks about orphans. For Sasuke, dislike meant dislike—there was no gray area.

  "Fair enough," Link said, not pushing the matter. After all, in the manga, Sakura had pursued Sasuke for years before finally achieving her goal, enduring tless rejes, a near-death experience, and eveing stabbed by him.

  Even in the spin-off, The Scarlet Spring, Sakura had followed Sasuke during his travels and only returo Konoha after having a child. As a siher, she tinued waiting for Sasuke, who was rarely home, all without a family photo to dispy.

  Her sheer persistence was beyond what most people could endure, so there was no rush to pair them up now.

  Unaware of the storm he had iently attracted, Sasuke sat on the bed and said, "Once I bee a in, I pn to join the Anbu."

  "My bat experience is far inferior to his," he added, determination shining in his eyes as he outlined his steps.

  The truth about his ’s downfall, coupled with the return of his father, had slightly tempered his thirst for vengeance, leaving him looking more like a normal 12-year-old boy.

  Link listened quietly, nodding as Sasuke finished. He stood and said, "It’s te. Get some rest."

  As he reached the door, he paused.

  "I’ll find your mother soon," he added before leaving.

  The time he had set aside for summoning practice had been ed by the Konoha Crush. With three years left before the Akatsuki’s global ambitions began, it was time to return to his daily training routine.

  Sasuke watched Link’s silhouette disappear behind the door. For a while, he sat silently before softly muttering, "Thank you."

  He felt ied to Link in ways that words couldn’t fully express. His gratitude seemed too light pared to the weight of everything Link had done for him.

  At the same time, Sasuke’s feelings were plicated. Being cared for and protected was a new experiehat flicted with his desire to be the one proteg others.

  …

  Late Night, Hospital Room

  A breeze swept through the room, and a masked figure appeared beside Sasuke’s bed.

  The moment, the masked figure froze as a kunai silently pressed against his neck.

  "An Anbu outfit, huh?" Sasuke’s expression was icy, his Sharingan glowing. "Who are you?"

  "Spsh!" The figure dissolved into ink, spilling onto the floor.

  Sasuke dodged the mess with a quick spin, stepping into the intruder’s spad bringing his kunai back to their throat.

  "Don’t think your tricks fool these eyes," Sasuke said coldly.

  "Ah, the Sharingan," the masked figure muttered, seemingly giving up resistance. As Sasuke removed the mask, a pale, expressionless face was revealed.

  "I’m here as a representative of Root," the boy said ftly. "We’re inviting you to join us, Sasuke Uchiha."

  Root? That means...

  Sasuke’s face darkened with a flicker of killing i. However, after a few seds of tension, he lowered his kunai and stepped back.

  "What is this ‘Root’ you speak of?" he asked.

  The boy, eared to be about Sasuke’s age, forced an awkward, emotionless smile.

  "The roots buried deep undergrou to protect Konoha above," he expined.

  "That smile is disgusting," Sasuke retorted.

  "Apologies. I’m still learning how to smile," the boy replied, immediately returning to his ral expression. "If you ower—"

  Is this a eet Danzo? A ce for revenge? Or...

  Sasuke wrestled with his thoughts. He hadn’t expected su opportunity to e so quickly, but—

  He had just promised Link not to act rashly.

  Steeling himself, he said coldly, "Get out."

  "If you ge your mind," the boy said without any appareion, pg a scroll on the bedside table, "use the code io tact us."

  With that, he vanished out the window.

  Bleam