The Ino-Shika-Chō trio left the room, leaving only the three members of the reception team in the Hokage's office.
In truth, Link would have left with his mentor Shikaku if Kakashi hadn't held him back.
"Hiashi, I'm entrusting Kakashi and Link to you," the Third Hokage said to the Hyūga clan leader, his tone relaxed and cordial.
"You can count on me, Lord Third," Hiashi Hyūga replied with a bow.
As the three stepped outside, Hiashi turned to them and said, "The delegation from the Land of Wind is expected to reach the border the day after tomorrow. If you're free, please visit the Hyūga compound tomorrow."
His speech was polished, and his words carefully chosen. After extending the invitation with a polite bow, he didn't wait for a response before leaving.
Hiashi's demeanor was a reflection of the Hyūga clan's pride. Even after the Konoha Crush, while the entire village celebrated the victory, the Hyūga clan had stayed home to celebrate the birthday of their three-year-old heir.
Such aloofness said it all.
Kakashi patted Link's shoulder and said, "See you tomorrow," before wandering off toward the Jonin ready room, engrossed in his newly acquired Icha Icha book.
Representing Konoha to welcome an allied delegation? Link thought, pondering the significance of his task.
Rather than return to the Jonin ready room for idle chatter, he decided to resume training at the practice field. After all, Sasuke was waiting for him there.
The only downside was that, with Naruto gone, Sakura had started frequenting the training ground too.
Maybe it's time to find a new spot.
He suddenly sensed someone watching him and spun around.
Leaning against the wall at the corner of the hallway was none other than Danzo Shimura, the bandaged old man who had been smiling at him earlier in the Hokage's office.
"I am Danzo Shimura," the man introduced himself, standing upright and lowering his arms from their crossed position.
So it is him, Link thought, his expression remaining neutral.
"What can I do for you?" he asked calmly.
"There's a matter I'd like to clarify," Danzo said, skipping any unnecessary preamble. "My subordinates were not trying to attack Uchiha Sasuke. They believed he shared our willingness to sacrifice for the village, so they sought to invite him to join us."
Danzo's words were steeped in righteousness, placing himself on a moral high ground.
Still, Link held his tongue. It wasn't wise to argue against someone framing their actions as being "for the village."
"As an apology," Danzo said, pulling a scroll from his sleeve, "this contains some techniques and insights on developing the Sharingan, passed down within the Uchiha clan."
For someone who preaches that emotions lead to hatred and war, he sure knows how to use sentiment to his advantage.
Link took the scroll without hesitation. If he planned to take Danzo down eventually, there was no reason to refuse any benefits offered along the way.
"Thank you, Lord Danzo," he said, his polite words betraying none of the disdain he had voiced about Danzo in private.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Link added, turning and walking away.
Danzo watched his retreating figure and felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Didn't that fool Mizuki get taken advantage of in a similar way by this kid?
Yet Danzo wasn't angry. Instead, he chuckled. From his perspective, Link posed no real threat. They were from entirely different generations, and there was no scenario where a ten-year-old would compete with him for the Hokage title.
By the time Link matured into a viable candidate, Danzo would either already be Hokage or long dead.
In fact, Danzo welcomed Link's ambition. The more ambitious he was, the easier it would be to recruit him.
His earlier attempt to approach Sasuke was simply a means to indirectly influence Link. Though Sasuke's reaction had been harsher than expected, Danzo wasn't concerned. Misunderstandings could be smoothed over in time.
And then there was that rejuvenation technique Link had used...
Danzo left the Hokage's office with a light heart. The Konoha Crush had provided him with an opportunity to reassert his influence. This time, he wouldn't squander it.
…
Land of Fire, Eastern Border
In a forest near the border, a crow perched on Uchiha Itachi's arm, preening its feathers.
That kid's influence on Sasuke is growing stronger by the day, Itachi thought, his usually calm demeanor hiding a storm of emotions.
Seeing his father—whom he had killed—had shaken him to his core.
Sasuke, who was supposed to follow the path Itachi had laid out for him, was drifting further away from it.
Meanwhile, Itachi's health and eyesight were deteriorating. He knew his time was running out. If Sasuke couldn't gain enough strength before then...
The Sharingan in Itachi's eyes spun as he resolved himself. The village was important, but certain individuals could be sacrificed.
To ensure Sasuke becomes the strong shinobi I envisioned, I have to eliminate that boy.
His decision was made. Even if Akatsuki's leader valued Link's abilities and Konoha prioritized his development, sacrifices were sometimes necessary—just as they had been with the Uchiha clan.
Sasuke…
~~~
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