My Techniques are a bit off

The Next Day and a Half: A Blend of Routine and Suspicion

For the next day and a half, routine tasks mingled with an unsettling tension.

The three Sunagakure genin showed no interest in further "friction." Even Temari, who had been testing the waters, refrained from approaching again.

The Land of Fire merchant, however, was an anomaly. Once known for his excessive indulgence in gambling and debauchery, he now stayed confined to his room, only stepping out for the scheduled meetings. His transformation into a reclusive, subdued figure was almost jarring.

Yet, despite the looming suspicion, nothing happened—adding a veneer of normalcy to the situation.

For the Konoha team, this mixture of unease and vigilance was exhausting. From the jōnin down to the genin, they remained on high alert for two days straight. In light of Sunagakure's reputation for using poison, they were cautious with everything, even their water, and relied solely on ration pills for sustenance.

…

Departure Day, Morning at the Inn

Click.

The door to the merchant's room opened. Dressed in a loose kimono, he stepped out, surrounded by his entourage. As they moved toward the staircase, he suddenly turned and flashed a strange smile at Link.

"..."

Nara Ensui noticed it as well. Exchanging a quick glance with Link, the two communicated silently through hand signals, alerting Iris and Ami.

Once outside the Inn, the Sunagakure team separated and went their own way.

The remaining group continued onward, leaving the town behind. The desert winds howled around them, obscuring their surroundings as they marched in tense silence.

The former protectors, now wary of their own employer, exchanged no words with the stoic samurai, who had grown suspicious themselves.

The city's silhouette shrank in the distance as they ventured into the wilderness.

By mid-morning, as the sun climbed high, the scenery began to change. Crossing into the Land of Rivers, the barren expanse gave way to rolling hills, gullies, and patches of greenery.

Suddenly, the group came to an abrupt halt.

Iris and Ami drew their kunai, while Link instinctively created a shadow clone and began gathering chakra to scan the area. His sharp eyes fixed on the merchant's palanquin.

"Sir, we—" Ensui began cautiously, turning toward the merchant.

"Watch out!" Link's shout cut through the air as he sensed an abnormal spike in chakra.

"Swoosh—thud!"

A katana pierced Ensui's shoulder. The samurai captain, who had always been close to the palanquin, now gripped the weapon, his face melting away.

"Thud!"

Ensui groaned in pain as he teleported backward. Blood sprayed as he clutched his wound, desperately trying to staunch the bleeding with chakra. His expression twisted in agony—something in the wound was interfering with his chakra control, making it difficult to heal.

The injury had also rendered one of his arms unusable, preventing him from forming seals.

"Creak... rip..."

As Link moved to support him, his own body strained. His muscles expanded beneath his vest, and his breathing grew heavy.

"Ensui-sensei, leave this to me," he said firmly, his voice calm but resolute.

"Link..."

The samurai captain's flesh had fully dissolved, revealing pale skin and golden, slit-like pupils. His voice, raspy yet magnetic, was chilling.

"The moment I saw you, I knew we were the same."

"Orochimaru," Ensui spat bitterly, recognizing the infamous Sannin.

Link wasted no time. Swiftly forming seals, he summoned his Mountain Drake.

The ground trembled as the massive creature, over ten meters long, materialized beneath their feet. With a roar, it began to ascend, lifting the group high into the air.

From below, the palanquin was overturned, sending the merchant flying several meters. His fate was uncertain, but Link didn't spare a glance. His focus was entirely on the battle ahead.

"Swoosh!"

Orochimaru hurled his katana toward the dragon.

The creature raised its head, shielding its passengers.

"Clang!"

The blade struck its scales but failed to penetrate, instead bouncing off with a sharp metallic ring. Despite this, the dragon's pained roar made it clear the blade carried a sinister force.

With a defiant cry, the dragon spat a massive boulder toward Orochimaru.

"Thud!"

The boulder crashed into a hastily summoned Rashōmon, scattering debris into the air.

As Link prepared to follow up, Ensui shoved him aside. The katana, seemingly guided by a will of its own, arced back through the air, narrowly missing its target.

Orochimaru leapt onto the dragon's back with eerie agility, landing with unsettling grace.

Ensui, his breathing steadied, tested his hand seals. Though his fingers trembled slightly, his chakra was beginning to flow more smoothly.

The oppressive presence of Orochimaru filled the air, his slit pupils glinting with amusement.

"Release!"

Link disrupted his chakra, breaking free of the genjutsu triggered by Orochimaru's gaze.

"Argh!"

Iris cried out, collapsing to his knees, trapped in the illusion.

Ami trembled as she dispelled the genjutsu and immediately helped Iris, her breaths labored.

The Mountain Drake, wings beating furiously, hovered in place.

"How interesting," Orochimaru murmured, a faint smile on his lips. His attention shifted briefly to Ensui, wary of the Nara clan's shadow techniques.

Maintaining his distance, he dismissed them as a minimal threat.

Link avoided making direct eye contact with Orochimaru. Though defeated by Itachi's genjutsu, Orochimaru's skill in illusions was still formidable enough to cause trouble.

Quickly forming seals, Link summoned a shadow clone.

The clone's shadow rose to attack, but Orochimaru's katana fell from the sky, piercing the dragon's back and dispersing the shadow.

"Roar!"

The dragon screamed in pain as the blade unleashed a malevolent energy, causing immense discomfort despite not breaking its defenses.

Link's shadow continued its assault, engaging Orochimaru in a tense exchange. However, the legendary Sannin, unbothered by his diminishing chakra reserves, remained unyielding.

As Iris and Ami prepared to assist, Ensui stopped them.

"This isn't a fight for genin," he warned. "Stay back."

Meanwhile, Link maintained a cold focus, repeatedly using substitution techniques to avoid Orochimaru's strikes.

It was clear from Orochimaru's demeanor—

He didn't even consider them worthy opponents.

~~~

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