My Techniques are a bit off

A Familiar Ceiling.

Link opened his eyes and immediately recognized the unchanging ceiling of Konoha Hospital. It was so distinct that seeing it once made it unforgettable.

The real world, he thought, was full of surprises.

He hadn't even fought the elite minions yet when the boss suddenly appeared. If he hadn't kept his trump card active, Orochimaru would have likely beaten him into submission and dragged him off as a test subject.

In previous missions, he had been accustomed to easily overpowering weaker enemies or average foes. His unique techniques allowed him to crush them effortlessly, sometimes with a single move. But facing a master like Orochimaru revealed glaring gaps in his abilities.

The First Problem: Taijutsu and Reaction Time.

Although his physical fitness was barely sufficient—nearly on par with non-taijutsu-focused jōnin like Nara Ensui—his innate abilities and reflexes were not exceptional. Without years of dedicated training, his reaction speed in close combat left much to be desired.

Against an all-rounder like Orochimaru, who had no obvious weaknesses, a slower reaction speed was enough for the opponent to strike and retreat unscathed.

Even though Link's strength and speed were competitive among ninjutsu-focused shinobi, his delayed reactions made close combat a persistent weakness.

Reaction time often determined a ninja's effectiveness in battle. Speed alone wasn't enough; reflexes were crucial. Kakashi, for instance, needed his Sharingan's dynamic vision to wield Chidori effectively, as his natural reaction speed couldn't keep up with the jutsu's acceleration.

Similarly, techniques like the Body Flicker Jutsu relied on the user's reaction speed to control movement. The Fourth Hokage, even without Flying Thunder God, was a formidable opponent due to his terrifying natural reflexes.

Battle wasn't about running a race. Speed was always limited by reflexes.

Link's slower reactions prevented him from effectively controlling his movements in combat. Even if he could see an attack coming, his body couldn't process the required steps—gathering chakra, countering, or executing a jutsu—in time.

[I need specialized taijutsu training.]

The solution was simple: find a taijutsu expert to train him. With his unique healing abilities, he wasn't afraid of injuries. As long as the training didn't kill him, he would endure it to improve.

And finding a teacher? That was the least of his worries. His mentor, Nara Shikaku, was the head of the jōnin council. If anyone could arrange training with a taijutsu master, it was him.

The Second Problem: Ninjutsu.

Link's chakra control and the unique characteristics of his mutated jutsu allowed him to cast ninjutsu as fast as an average jōnin. However, this was misleading. His ability to perform seals quickly masked his slower natural reflexes.

In combat, his reaction limits capped how many jutsu he could release in a short period. He couldn't cast multiple jutsu quickly or multitask effectively.

In practical terms, this meant that even if he could cast individual jutsu rapidly, the overall frequency of his attacks was limited—rendering his speed advantage moot.

This wasn't a turn-based game. Enemies like Orochimaru wouldn't politely wait their turn to act.

If Orochimaru hadn't held back, opting instead to obliterate them from afar with ninjutsu, all of Link's plans would have been for naught—beautiful illusions with no chance of succeeding.

Looking back, the fight was filled with moments of helplessness for Link.

His most reliable ally, Nara Ensui, had been effectively incapacitated early on. Despite being the only one who could keep up with Orochimaru's reflexes, Ensui had lost an arm almost immediately.

Link had been forced to use his Shadow Clones as decoys, sacrificing their potential as stealth tools.

The Mountain Drake couldn't act freely without endangering Ensui and the others.

His Stand Summoning Technique had been unreliable, wasting his chakra on abilities that were irrelevant in the fight.

The Five Elements Seal, his ace, had failed in its first attempt, as Orochimaru hadn't underestimated him enough to fall for it.

In the end, desperate times called for desperate measures. Link had asked Ensui to serve as bait, risking his teacher's life to create a slim chance of victory.

Even when it succeeded, his only follow-up was to throw his severed hand to force a seal with the shadow's help.

Beyond that, he was out of options.

If Kabuto hadn't shown up or if Orochimaru had revealed new tricks, the battle could have taken an even darker turn.

"Boss, you're awake?"

A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. Ami entered the room carrying a lunchbox, her expression unusually heavy.

Sitting up, Link immediately asked, "How's Ensui-sensei?"

"He's out of the critical stage," Ami replied with a faint smile, but quickly added, "The doctors say he might not be able to work as a ninja anymore…"

…

Nara Ensui's Hospital Room.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway as Link and Ami approached. Iris, half-asleep in a chair, stood up and greeted them. "Boss, Ami."

Wearing a hospital gown, Link nodded and walked to the bedside.

Nara Ensui lay there, heavily bandaged and unconscious. His breathing was shallow. Reaching out, Link checked his condition with chakra.

Even without advanced medical training, it was clear that the injuries were severe. While Ensui might eventually recover enough to live normally, returning to active duty as a ninja seemed impossible.

Complete recovery would require a master medic like Lady Tsunade. Even then, the process would involve extensive surgery, chakra-intensive regeneration, and extraordinary willpower from the patient.

[But that's okay. As long as he's alive, I can heal him…]

Link clenched his fists before slowly relaxing. His unique Delicate Illness Extraction Technique could work miracles over time.

Even if it was a slow process, he would ensure Ensui-sensei recovered.

[I'll fix this, Ensui-sensei…]

~~~

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