My Techniques are a bit off

"Not going to struggle a bit?"

Link asked with a smile as he formed a series of hand seals, directly severing the target's shadow and applying the Five Elements Seal. His hand shot forward to place the seal.

This seal…

Kabuto Yakushi felt a wave of weakness as his energy was drained. Glancing at the hand held by the shadow, he gave a helpless smile.

If that seal landed on him, even someone like him would have no choice but to surrender. He knew the effects of the Five Elements Seal all too well. For someone like him who relied heavily on chakra control for medical ninjutsu, the seal would completely incapacitate him.

In other words, once sealed, he would lose all ability to resist.

Apologies, Lord Orochimaru, Kabuto thought, though his expression remained calm.

His feelings toward Orochimaru were complex. Kabuto knew he was being used, but it was through this "use" that he found purpose in his otherwise aimless life: to serve as the subordinate of the infamous rogue ninja, Orochimaru.

Will you kill me, Link-kun? Kabuto wondered, watching as the shadows approached. His face remained emotionless, showing neither sadness nor fear.

As the Five Elements Seal was completed, Link let out a small sigh of relief.

Without the ability to form hand seals, Kabuto would be unable to perform most traditional ninjutsu, especially the genjutsu Link found most troublesome. Even if Kabuto could enhance his body with chakra or use medical ninjutsu, Link was confident he could handle it.

"Now, tell me why Orochimaru sent you here," Link demanded, withdrawing his hand from his shadow clone and forming another to ensure he remained cautious.

Kabuto obediently replied, "To conduct experiments and prepare for Lord Orochimaru's arrival."

Link glanced at the unconscious experimental subjects in the cells. "Orochimaru is coming here?"

"Yes," Kabuto confirmed. "Lord Orochimaru highly values these experiments. The chaos in the Land of Rivers provides an ideal environment for obtaining test subjects."

"And there's a meeting with Lord Danzo scheduled for next month."

Danzo?

Link's expression darkened. Danzo seemed to be meddling everywhere, spreading his influence like a disease. While Link had only been contemplating how to deal with him, it seemed Danzo had already been trading Link's information as a commodity.

"What has Danzo gained from this?" Link pressed.

Kabuto's eyes flickered with understanding. He realized that Link was unaware of certain truths about his own abilities. Steering the conversation away from Orochimaru's experiments, Kabuto began to divulge details about Danzo's cooperation with Orochimaru.

Their partnership dated back to before the Konoha Crush Plan. Orochimaru, seeking to kill the Third Hokage, had aligned with the disgraced Danzo, who was desperate to regain influence after his Root faction was officially disbanded.

The collaboration revolved around Link.

From investigating the history of Link's parents to tracking his personal experiences and even attempting to obtain his genetic material, Danzo and Orochimaru had maintained a close working relationship.

Hearing this, Link's expression remained calm, though internally, he had already sentenced Danzo to death.

The old man had crossed a line. While Link had merely considered taking action against him, Danzo had been using Link's information to barter with others for years.

"What exactly did Danzo receive in return?"

"Curse marks," Kabuto admitted without hesitation.

This revelation made Link frown. With his existing arsenal of techniques—Izanagi, Kotoamatsukami, and Wood Release—Danzo was already a formidable foe. If he now possessed an incomplete version of Sage Mode, it would make him even harder to deal with.

Link gestured to his summoned spirit, Fugaku Uchiha, and ordered him to bind Kabuto. Capturing Kabuto alive meant he could be handed over to Konoha's interrogation unit.

The Yamanaka clan, renowned for their mental manipulation techniques, could extract every secret from Kabuto, potentially uncovering irrefutable evidence of Danzo's treachery. Even if it didn't lead to Danzo's outright downfall, it would weaken him and force him back into hiding.

…

Iwagakure, Tsuchikage's Office

"Interesting."

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, closed a report from spies stationed in the Land of Rivers and chuckled.

Danzo, it seemed, had resurfaced, aiding the rebel forces in the Land of Rivers. But what no one had anticipated was that the rebel leader wasn't a puppet but an ambitious figure seeking independence from all external control.

This leader had sent information about Danzo's involvement to Iwagakure, hoping to secure an alliance against the Land of Fire.

However, with the Land of Rain and its internal conflicts lying between Iwagakure and the Land of Rivers, direct intervention was impractical. Even if Iwagakure supported the rebels, the potential benefits would be minimal.

Instead, the rebel leader's proposal—claiming they would establish a new state called the Tanigakure and seek friendly relations with Iwagakure—was clearly a veiled threat.

They're likely making similar overtures to other nations, Onoki thought.

While no one wanted the Land of Fire to expand its influence further, helping the rebels was unnecessary.

"Notify the Akatsuki to handle the situation," Onoki ordered his village's black-ops division. "Eliminate the rebels in the Land of Rivers."

While Iwagakure couldn't act openly, they also wouldn't allow the Land of Fire to profit. Hiring the Akatsuki, a mercenary organization already active in the region, would ensure the conflict continued to destabilize the area.

As the Anbu agents left, Onoki turned his attention to the next document on his desk.

~~~

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