July 1st, Konohagakure, Afternoon, Ninja Academy Entrance.

  "Do your best in the exam today," Link said, pressing a hand on the shoulders of Iris and Ami. Ohe in Exams started at 4 PM, he would head to the Medical Corps headquarters to join his team at the tral tower in the Forest of Death, ready to treat injured didates.

  Although he wao withe legendary ses of didates creatively cheating in the first exam, he simply didn’t have the time. The proctors wouldn’t allow him to loiter in the exam halls either.

  "Got it, boss." Both teammates gave him a thumbs-up, brimming with fidence, before heading toward their eam, entering through the academy gates together.

  Link didn’t leave right away. He lingered he gate for a while, spotting Team 7 arriving. He raised a hand to greet them.

  "Yo!"

  "Link, did you e to see me off for the exam?" Naruto Uzumaki asked, visibly moved.

  "Do your best, Naruto," Link said warmly, the same encement he’d given his own teammates.

  Naruto’s eyes filled with tears of gratitude, his spirits surging as he decred, "Alright! I’ll beat everyone and bee Hokage!"

  "It’s the in Exams, not a Hokage campaign…" Sakura Haruno muttered.

  Link gave her a thumbs-up, smiling. "Then you’ll have to work really hard."

  "Yes!" Naruto cheered, raising both hands iement.

  As the trio walked into the academy, Link stopped Uchiha Sasuke, who was bringing up the rear, by pg a hand on his shoulder. His tone was light. "Good luck."

  "Hm."

  Sasuke didn’t resist, pausing briefly to allow Link’s hand to linger before tinuing forward.

  Such a tsundere.

  Link g the academy building o time befathering chakra underfoot and vanishing with a Body Flicker to head to the Medical Corps building. Once, he’d envied Jonin who could zip around effortlessly with this teique. Now, it had bee sed nature to him.

  "Orochimaru… when will you show up? Will your target still be Sasuke, or…"

  "I’ll wait for you to make the first move."

  …

  Ninja Academy, Sed Floor.

  "I want to challenge you!"

  Rock Lee leapt from the staircase, nding in front of Team 7, striking a fighting pose. "I wish to see if my teiques defeat the so-called prodigies of your !"

  "Let me handle him!" Naruto, overly enthusiastiterjected prematurely, charging straight at Lee without hesitation.

  "This guy…" Sasuke muttered, too speechless to react.

  "Smack!"

  Lee casually spped Naruto aside, following up with a swift Leaf Whirlwind, sending the hyperactive ninja flying.

  "I knew he was useless," Sasuke thought as he dashed forward, Sharingan fring to life as he moved.

  After two weeks orous training—where his physical limits were pushed under Link’s healing—and stant sparring with Iris and Ami, Sasuke’s potential had begun to blossom. While his body still gged behind Rock Lee’s, his Sharingan provided a crucial edge.

  "Such speed… and those eyes…"

  Lee’s expression grew serious as he engaged Sasuke in close bat.

  "Smack!"

  On the upper level, Ami crossed her arms. "Who do you think will win?"

  "Sasuke," Iris replied without hesitation. "Those eyes are cheating…" He grimaced at the memory of his sparring sessions where, despite being faster, he was still overwhelmed.

  Down below, the skirmish quickly reached its climax.

  Sasuke, leveraging his Sharingan to keep up with Lee’s superior physique, devised a pn to ge the tide. Deliberately taking a kid being flung backward, he formed hand seals mid-air—

  "Snap!" "Snap!"

  Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy simultaneously appeared via Body Flicker, oopping Sasuke before he could unleash Fireball Jutsu, the other intercepting Lee, who had begun unwinding his hand bandages.

  "That guy seems to have more tricks up his sleeve."

  Ami frowned. "That bushy-browed kid is dangerous. His taijutsu is…"

  "e on, Iris, Ami!" Their teammate called from the . Without further observation, the two entered Room 301.

  …

  Forest of Death, tral Tower.

  "It’s not my first time in the Forest of Death, but it’s my first time ihe tral tower…"

  Link stood among the mediinjas, quietly listening to the briefing.

  For the five days, they’d be stationed here, alternating shifts to provide medical aid to didates in need.

  "Rex," Medi Mokusa said, patting Link on the shoulder. As the you member of the team, he was clearly trying to ease Link’s nerves. "They’re probably still in the first exam. Most of the time, we won’t even be called out."

  "Everyone except those on duty is free to move around."

  With those words, the mediinjas dispersed.

  "Yawn~" Link’s shift partner, Kunshi, stretched. "I’m going to rest. If anything happens, find me in my room."

  He’d been up all night w on a new medie and looked pletely exhausted.

  Ohe group scattered, Link wahe tower to familiarize himself with its yout before retreating to his room to study.

  While he had mastered Mystical Palm Teique, his skills in pharmacology were still rudimentary. Without hands-on guidance, he had to rely entirely on self-study, requirira effort.

  "I hope Iris and Ami are doing well. They should hahe first exam fine…"

  As the su, nearing his shift, Link packed up and headed toward the medical station. lingered in his mind.

  His teammates were strong enough to meet the in standards, but the Forest of Death was dangerous. As long as they didn’t enter Gaara’s team or Orochimaru, even a defeat wouldn’t be fatal.

  "Step."

  He halted, hearing the distinct sound of sand shifting against the ground.

  Turning, he saw three familiar figures.

  "Long time no see," Temari greeted with a smile. "Link."

  Gaara gred at him with murderous i, his expression twisted with hostility. Beside him, Kankuro tensed, his muscles tight, too afraid to intervene or reprimand his ‘brother.’

  After all, they’d seen this Konoha “in” battle Orochimaru like a monster…

  Link g them, unfazed, before walking past them toward the medical room without a word or ge in expression.

  To him, the Sunagakure Genin team posed no threat whatsoever.

  Bleam