My Techniques are a bit off

Evening, Ninja Apartments.

"Stop."

Link stopped in his tracks as Uchiha Sasuke emerged from the apartment entrance.

"So, do you still want to challenge me now?" he asked, using the word "challenge" instead of "spar."

Sasuke lowered his head and remained silent for a long moment.

The feeling of being defeated by someone he had once dismissed as inferior… it was unbearable.

"If I'm this weak… easily surpassed by others… how can I ever take revenge on that man?"

"Can you…" Sasuke finally spoke, his voice strained. Fortunately, Link didn't mock or interrupt him, allowing the quiet atmosphere to help him overcome the hardest part. "…show me how to receive your training?"

After fully admitting his plea to someone younger but stronger, Sasuke raised his head, his expression resolute.

For power, for his weak self, for vengeance—there was no shame in doing whatever it took. Such shame was nothing compared to the pain he had already endured.

"A price, huh?" Link chuckled. "You really are a naive kid, thinking that such help comes with a price…"

He stepped closer, standing in the fading sunlight. With a warm smile, he said, "We're comrades in the village. If you want to get stronger, come to Training Ground Seven tomorrow afternoon."

"Comrades…"

Sasuke gazed at Link, bathed in the gentle light of the sunset. His lips trembled, and something stung his eyes. He recalled Naruto's words earlier, looked away, and stepped out of the shadows of the apartment entrance.

In a low voice, he said, "Thank you." With that, he quickened his pace and left.

"Naive kids—sometimes, what's free is the most expensive," Link thought, his smile fading into something faint and inscrutable as he stepped into the shadows of the ninja apartment.

Sasuke, for all his hatred and ambition, was still too normal before encountering Itachi again. His cold exterior but warm core made him far too susceptible to emotional bonds.

Unlike Iris and Ami, whose growth potential was limited, Sasuke's potential was enormous. With a bit of nurturing, he was guaranteed to become Kage-level. When Itachi eventually returned to "help him awaken" and gift him the Eternal Mangekyō, Sasuke's power would surpass most Kage.

A deeply emotional and highly talented new ally— "It's decided; it's you."

Link's mind was already drafting a training plan for Sasuke. In the world of Naruto, even Orochimaru knew how to manipulate loneliness and emotions to control Kimimaro, yet he neglected to apply the same tactics to Sasuke.

What a waste.

"Now, I'll take him for myself, Orochimaru."

…

The next day, afternoon, Training Ground Seven.

"Huff… huff…"

Sasuke panted heavily, his body screaming in pain and exhaustion. Yet strangely, he felt the physical discomfort peeling away, replaced by an odd dissonance from the lingering mental strain.

"This is…?!"

With his sharp mind, Sasuke quickly realized something was amiss. If his physical pain and fatigue could vanish so easily, then theoretically, he could…

"This is my secret technique," Link said, removing his hand from Sasuke's shoulder. Smiling, he added, "If possible, could you keep it a secret for me?"

He didn't truly expect Sasuke to keep the secret. After all, the existence of Delicate Illness Extraction was bound to leak eventually—whether through the extraordinary growth of Iris and Ami or the miraculous recovery of Nara Ensui, who would likely protect Konoha during the Konoha Crush.

Rather than trying to keep it hidden, Link chose to use this technique to forge bonds and build loyalty. After all, sharing a secret was one of the fastest ways to strengthen a relationship.

"Got it." Sasuke didn't explicitly promise but nodded calmly.

"No wonder those two are growing so fast. If I had such a technique… maybe I could catch up to that man soon…"

His eyes burned with determination. Ignoring his mental fatigue and skipping any chance to catch his breath, Sasuke gritted his teeth and threw himself back into training.

"This guy… Boss, are you sure we can trust him?" Iris muttered, watching Sasuke. "Cold, moody types like him don't seem reliable at all."

Ami, standing nearby, shook her head. "Trust Boss's judgment, idiot."

She glanced at Sasuke, who was pouring his soul into his training. "He looks like someone who has something he absolutely must achieve, even at the cost of his life. Seeing him work this hard makes me feel ashamed of myself."

Iris snorted but got to his feet. "I won't lose to him!" He rushed off to resume his training.

"What a fool," Ami muttered, laughing softly. Her gaze lingered on Sasuke, whose restrained expression had shifted to one of fervent intensity.

"Haruno Sakura likes someone like this. She'll never get any response from him."

With that thought, Ami also stood up. "Alright, if I want to become a Chūnin, I have to give it my all."

As the three trained tirelessly, Link flipped through a book, his expression calm.

He was on the verge of mastering Mystical Palm Technique. The technique had been lingering in his thoughts, compelling him to perfect it before the Chūnin Exams.

He also needed to accelerate his efforts to create a special energy pill. While Delicate Illness Extraction could restore physical condition, it couldn't replenish stamina.

For now, stamina exhaustion remained the biggest bottleneck in his training.

…

As evening fell, Iris and Ami left the training ground, gasping for air and clutching their empty stomachs. They both glanced at Sasuke, still training with ferocious determination, and shook their heads in disbelief.

"Man, this guy is just too intense…" Iris muttered.

"Boss, want to grab some ramen with us?" Ami asked, patting Iris's arm. "Our eating habits are starting to mirror yours."

Iris grinned and rubbed his growling stomach. "Boss, let's leave him here. We'll grab food, and it's on me today."

"No," Link replied, turning a page in his book without looking up. "You two go ahead. Don't be late tomorrow afternoon."

He glanced at Sasuke from the corner of his eye.

"I want to see how far his determination will take him."

~~~

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