My Techniques are a bit off

In the central forests of the Land of Rivers.

"Sensei, what kind of person is that Link?"

Rock Lee, with his characteristic thick eyebrows, asked curiously as he bounded across the treetops.

"What kind of person…" Might Guy, sporting the same bold eyebrows, fell into a rare moment of contemplation.

He remembered noticing that child during their days at the Ninja Academy.

Aside from Lee, Sasuke Uchiha, who was consumed by hatred, and Neji Hyuga, Link was one of the most hardworking students he had ever seen.

That desperate dedication left a lasting impression on him. Unfortunately, Link was wholly unsuited for his path.

[The Eight Gates], a body technique requiring extreme talent, was brutally unforgiving. No amount of effort alone could ensure success.

Even someone as gifted and hardworking as Neji Hyuga, blessed with the Byakugan, hadn't mastered it.

But Link had his own talents. Through his relentless effort and natural ability, he had graduated early, shone brightly, and quickly rose to become an exemplary genin before advancing to chunin.

Might Guy was deeply gratified. That was the power of youth!

Neji, observing his sensei suddenly burst into tears mid-run, calmly added the information he knew:

"I've heard he's considered the most talented young ninja in the village. He's only ten years old and has already completed several B-rank missions and even an A-rank mission."

"He's three years younger than me?!" Tenten exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"That's incredible!" Lee declared with admiration.

Might Guy's gaze grew firm, radiating determination.

"That's right! He's a genius of the village and its future!"

Remembering the grave and earnest expression of the Third Hokage when assigning him the rescue mission to locate Nara Ensui and Link's team, Guy's youthful energy surged to an all-time high.

"Tenten, Lee, Neji! Let's move even faster!"

"We've been running for an entire day—I'm exhausted," Tenten grumbled, though her pace didn't slacken. Instead, it quickened.

"You need to train more, Tenten," Lee advised earnestly.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Team 3 of Konoha raced toward the battlefield with unwavering speed.

…

At the Hokage's Office in Konoha.

"Shikaku, I'll leave this matter to you."

The Third Hokage watched somberly as Nara Shikaku, burdened with responsibility, left the office. He sighed silently.

The failure of an A-rank mission often caused a chain reaction of issues. The gold mine in the Land of Rivers was entangled with the interests of several elites, and when the merchant's body was discovered in Tanzaku Town, accusations were quickly directed at Konoha.

Although the matter wasn't catastrophic, it was still a problem.

The interrogation division found no intelligence from the corpses recovered at Tanzaku Town; their brain tissues had been thoroughly destroyed with precision.

Moreover, the disappearance of Link's team and their jōnin leader, Nara Ensui, added another layer of complication.

"Ninja are just tools that carry out their missions, but for daimyo and the elite, these incidents are always political," the Hokage mused.

Shikaku had wanted to personally search for his student, but his presence was needed to address the daimyo's demands and accusations.

"We've sent Team 3 for backup. With Guy, they should be fine—if they're still alive," Mitokado Homura reassured him.

Koharu Utatane's expression was grim. "I suspect the Sunagakure is behind this."

She elaborated: the real merchant had died in Tanzaku Town, yet there were reports of Ensui and Link's team leaving the town with a living merchant. Whoever orchestrated this possessed genjutsu abilities at least on par with a jōnin.

While the Sunagakure claimed in their response to have no involvement and even promised to assist in the search, the circumstances were suspicious.

"Who benefits most? That's who's guilty."

The Hokage remained noncommittal. Friction among allies was not uncommon, and the Sunagakure had long harbored grievances. With the daimyo of the Land of Wind cutting their funding in favor of Konoha, it wasn't implausible that they might act out of desperation.

"Let's find the team first and investigate further afterward," the Third Hokage concluded.

…

"Boom!!!"

The Mountain Drake crashed into the forest of the Land of Rivers, its impenetrable scales smashing through the terrain. A massive crater formed at the impact site, with dirt and debris rippling outward in waves.

Dust filled the air, obscuring the surroundings. Broken tree trunks littered the ground, creating a chaotic landscape.

"Whoosh!"

A gust of wind cleared the smoke, revealing the devastation: broken trees, scattered debris, and lifeless animal carcasses.

The wind carried dirt and debris toward the four Konoha ninja, who stood amidst the wreckage.

Link quickly formed seals, pressing his hands to the ground.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

A flowing wall of earth rose before them. Despite the wind's violent assault, the barrier only deformed slightly before bouncing back to its original shape.

Atop a tall tree, Orochimaru lowered his hand from his mouth, having just unleashed a terrifying Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.

Link estimated his remaining chakra. Despite expending energy on shadow clones, substitution techniques, and the Five Elements Seal, he still had a fair reserve. However, his transformed state wouldn't last much longer.

"Ensui-sensei, I'll need your help creating an opening to get close to him," Link said, sinking into the ground with Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage.

In the oppressive atmosphere, Link saw no path to escape. If they fled, Orochimaru would hunt them down—and the injured Ensui, along with the two genin, wouldn't stand a chance.

Ensui, feeling the numbness spreading from his injury, steeled himself.

"Iris, Ami," he said, his voice heavy. "You two can escape now…"

~~~

Patreon(.)com/Bleam

— Currently You can Read 100 Chapters Ahead of Others!