Second Hokage, you've ruined everything!
Standing in the team welcoming the Land of Wind's envoy, Link sported dark circles under his eyes and a neutral expression. But internally, he was relentlessly cursing the Second Hokage.
The reason why the summoning technique rarely attracted anyone and often resulted in insults was all thanks to Tobirama Senju, who had abused Edo Tensei and Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.
Any ninja with a modicum of skill, knowledge, or information-gathering capability knew about this infamous technique. Naturally, no one was eager to respond to a call that might turn out to be some new form of Edo Tensei.
Who knew if they'd be summoned only to be strapped with explosive tags and used as living bombs?
Although Link did sprinkle in a few small, harmless lies in his broadcasts, he considered himself a good person at heart.
Times are tough, and people are so cynical these days.
Next to him, Kakashi Hatake was leisurely flipping through his Icha Icha Paradise.
"Ah-hem~" Standing in front of them, Hiashi Hyuga cleared his throat, deactivated his Byakugan, and signaled to his two companions that the envoy had arrived.
A half-asleep kid with dark circles and a guy reading a smut novel—they didn't exactly exude professionalism, making the usually serious Hiashi struggle to maintain his composure.
Link quickly plastered on a polite, business-like smile, and Kakashi casually tucked away his book.
The reception process wasn't complicated. Hiashi handled all the formalities as the team leader, while the other two were essentially just there to fill out the lineup and pad their resumes.
Other than a brief introduction and some polite words exchanged when he was presented as the "young genius of Konoha," Link didn't have to do much of anything.
The entire process left him feeling like his presence made no difference.
Still, the envoys from the Land of Wind were respectful, showering him with excessive praise, calling him things like "the future of Konoha" and "the brightest prodigy."
Seriously, tone it down.
Judging by Kakashi's laid-back demeanor, he was clearly used to this kind of over-the-top flattery.
The only noteworthy moment came from an elderly envoy with thick, bushy eyebrows and a bandaged head, who silently stared at Kakashi until the delegation was escorted to their designated accommodations.
The delegation consisted of emissaries from the Land of Wind and senior members of Sunagakure. The envoy from the daimyo of the Land of Wind was there primarily to mediate between the two villages.
Sunagakure's decision to attack Konoha during the Chūnin Exams without informing their own daimyo had nearly driven the man insane.
The exams were attended by every allied nation and their elites, and the daimyo of the Land of Wind had been increasing mission allocations to Konoha in recent years. There was no way he would have missed the event.
For Sunagakure to launch a rogue invasion that almost cost him his life... It was absurd.
Even so, Sunagakure was still the military arm of the Land of Wind. Despite his fury, the daimyo had to swallow his pride, clean up the mess internally, and prioritize peace talks to avoid escalating into full-scale war.
After escorting the delegation and watching the Anbu dispersing, the trio returned to the Hokage's office to report.
"Thank you for your hard work," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a nod.
"Then, Lord Hokage, we'll take our leave." Kakashi Hatake, already dragging Link along, excused themselves.
Hiashi would likely remain behind for some private discussions with the Hokage.
The whole process had seemed straightforward, but it had eaten up a good chunk of time. They had gathered at the village gates early in the morning, waited outside until mid-morning, escorted the delegation to their accommodations, and returned—by now, it was already noon.
Just as Link was about to leave, Kakashi stopped him.
"Want to grab lunch together? My treat."
Oh?
…
Twenty Minutes Later – Ichiraku Ramen
I knew it…
Link ordered a large bowl of miso char siu ramen, added two extra servings of tempura, and grabbed a can of soda before turning to the now visibly regretful Kakashi.
"So, what's this about?" he asked.
Knowing Kakashi's lazy personality, Link doubted he'd go out of his way without a reason. If the man wasn't lounging at home, he'd be brooding by the memorial stone. He hadn't even trained properly in years.
"You're really not shy about freeloading, huh?" Kakashi quipped.
Link took a refreshing sip of soda. "You're a jōnin. You shouldn't be short on cash, right?"
"Well…" Kakashi paused. "I think you're overestimating the average jōnin's savings."
He didn't elaborate further, instead ordering a regular bowl of salt-flavored ramen. Finally, he admitted, "There's something I'd like to ask of you."
Link raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
"Nara Ensui—he's recovered." Kakashi suddenly veered off-topic, his visible eye steady but carrying a hint of relief.
"Oh?" Link prompted him to go on.
It wasn't surprising. Ensui-sensei wasn't the type to sit idle while enemies wreaked havoc in the village. Though Konoha had weathered the invasion relatively unscathed, the Otogakure intruders had caused some damage and casualties.
Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Kakashi continued, "It's thanks to you, isn't it? From what I know, the Nara clan's herbs couldn't have healed him."
"And so—" Link drawled.
"Lee. You remember him, right?" Kakashi sighed. He was terrible at asking for favors. "During the Chūnin Exams, he took heavy damage while trying to hold off the jinchūriki. If you hadn't stepped in, he wouldn't have survived. But even now, he's been told he can't continue as a ninja."
"You want me to help, don't you?" Link interjected.
He had assumed Might Guy would approach him about Lee's condition. Then again, Guy probably hadn't realized Link's medical abilities exceeded the norm.
After a pause, Kakashi finally said, "I'm asking for your help."
For a man as shameless as Kakashi, it was rare to see him genuinely embarrassed. But for his friend Guy, he had no choice.
"Leave it to me." Link grinned. Helping Lee was already part of his plan. He hadn't expected the boy to go so far to protect the village.
"Ramen's ready~" Teuchi placed their bowls on the counter.
Kakashi clasped his hands together, his tone much lighter now. "Itadakimasu~"
"And also…"
"Thank you."
~~~
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