The Fourth Kazekage remained missing, and Gaara, as a jinchūriki, was also unaccounted for. However, Link knew the whereabouts of Temari and Kankurō—they had been placed in a ninja apartment complex. They were effectively his neighbors now, so arranging a meeting was effortless.
"Speaking of which, the ninja apartment is way too small. There's not even a proper training room. Should I think about taking out a loan to buy a better apartment?"
The thought crossed his mind suddenly.
Despite the fantastical world of shinobi, the existence of mortgages and loans in Konohagakure was strangely grounded in reality. As the youngest Special Jōnin, Link's meteoric rise in rank meant he had a significant loan limit.
Buying a centrally located apartment near the Ninja Academy, like Naruto's, was out of the question. But getting one closer to the village center, not so far from everything, seemed feasible.
"But during the Pain assault…"
Better to stick to renting for now.
After weighing the high interest rates for large properties and recalling how his wallet had thinned from not taking missions recently, Link decided to sell his father's old small apartment and use the proceeds to rent a larger, more central space.
He didn't need many rooms—just one with enough space for training. Living, eating, and training in a single cramped room was starting to feel oppressive.
His current home, cluttered with scrolls and boxes of tailed beast chakra cubes, made even simple movements feel restrictive.
Meanwhile, Baki, oblivious to Link's musings, was deep in thought, staring at the distant sky with a heavy expression.
The failure of the Sunagakure's plan meant they could no longer approach Konoha on equal footing. The future of his village looked grim.
In life, Baki had left behind a trove of unpassed intelligence, spy contacts, and political legacies. His death had been sudden, and he had destroyed his brain tissue to prevent information leakage. Now, with an opportunity to pass on that legacy, it felt like a small silver lining.
Moreover, Link's summoning technique was extraordinarily powerful—capable of breaching the barrier between life and death without any cost.
Given the weakened state of the Sunagakure and the impossibility of eliminating Link, investing in the boy seemed like a prudent choice.
Baki, though a ninja, had a mind as sharp as any politician. As the right hand of the Fourth Kazekage, strategic thinking was second nature.
"Link, my mother wants to talk to you," Sasuke said, his face flushed. Years of emotional barriers were slowly breaking down.
The blurred line between life and death was reshaping his worldview.
Hatred, sadness, and pain were being replaced by the warmth of having his parents back, even if temporarily. Sasuke was beginning to accept that as long as he stayed close to his companions, he could reunite with his family again.
When Link approached, Mikoto Uchiha's gaze was gentle yet curious.
"I disguised myself as Sasuke to contact you," Link explained with a smile.
"Thank you," Mikoto said, her warm smile radiating motherly affection. "Thank you for taking care of Sasuke."
Link met her gaze and replied, "It's no trouble. We're comrades."
Sasuke, standing behind Link, couldn't take his eyes off his mother's face, his expression one of lightness and joy. Compared to his stern father, he was clearly much more attached to his mother.
"No matter what happens, if you ever need us—whether for battle or anything else—" Mikoto glanced at Fugaku before continuing, "please don't hesitate to ask."
"You're too kind," Link said politely, though inwardly he was more than eager to accept such an offer.
Mikoto gently stroked Sasuke's hair, offering a few more words of comfort and advice. As the Rashōmon began to close, she hugged Sasuke and whispered, "I'm sorry about Itachi…"
When the gates closed, the embrace turned to air. Sasuke stood frozen for a moment, staring at the empty space. Then, snapping back to reality, he turned to Link.
"Link…" Sasuke seemed lost for words, his emotions tangled, much like Naruto had been at one point.
"Go train," Link said, patting Sasuke on the shoulder before returning to his own training.
Using Sasuke's identity to summon Mikoto had been an enlightening experience for Link.
The spiritual connection and bonds seemed to make it easier to locate specific individuals. But he realized he didn't have to rely solely on those ties.
If summoning jutsu allowed him to contact the Pure Land directly, why not try impersonating other identities?
Gathering his chakra, Link formed hand seals.
"I am the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju!"
"Liar!"
Nawaki, unable to hold back, called him out immediately.
"This shameless Konoha brat!" another voice snapped, apparently one of the spirits his wide-net summoning technique had caught.
Then came a cacophony of replies:
"I'm the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!"
"I'm the Sage of Six Paths! Hahaha!"
The broad nature of his summons meant that dozens of spirits thought the message was addressed to them. What ensued was chaos, with everyone shouting over one another.
"Link-chan is great at everything… except honesty."
Mikoto's accidental thought, captured by the summoning, caused her to immediately withdraw in embarrassment.
"A bunch of idiots," Link muttered, ignoring the barrage of insults and laughter.
Most of the replies came from uncooperative spirits—shinobi from other villages who neither wanted to reveal their identities nor engage in meaningful dialogue.
After broadcasting "I'm the First Hokage" twice more, he switched tactics.
"I am Nagato."
If he could summon Yahiko, that would be a significant gain.
Unfortunately, there seemed to be many Nagatos in the Pure Land. The ones who responded were entirely unrelated to the Rinnegan-wielding Nagato he had in mind.
Initially awkward at this "spiritual scam," Link quickly found his groove. He added context to his introductions:
"I am the First Hokage. Konoha is in crisis…"
Some spirits took the bait, but the flaw in his summoning technique soon became apparent. Once a spirit accepted his call, basic information was automatically shared. Upon realizing they'd been deceived, most promptly cut ties.
~~~
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