My Techniques are a bit off

Eight Days Later, Morning, Forest of Death

"Shing!"

Link thrust his kunai into the skull of a massive bear, standing over three meters tall, narrowly dodging a swipe of its giant paw.

"Thud!" The bear collapsed to the ground, its massive body twitching intermittently.

Link pulled the kunai out, wiped it on the bear's fur, and returned it to its sheath. The blade was sharp and durable, barely showing any wear after piercing a skull. He couldn't afford to waste tools like this—clean it up, and it was as good as new.

It was no wonder combat-related missions had such high rewards. Over the past few days, both Iris and Ami had burned through a considerable amount of ninja tools. Meanwhile, Link, frugal as ever, refused to throw shuriken unless absolutely necessary, relying solely on his kunai for attacks, retrieving and reusing it after every skirmish.

If this were a mission involving enemy ninja, saving supplies like this would've been impossible. It was frustrating that typical mission expenses weren't reimbursed.

"Counting this one, I think we're just about done," Link said, looking up at his two teammates.

The task of clearing wild animals wasn't bound by strict quotas. As long as the work seemed sufficient, the mission would pass inspection. The assignment office didn't require specific proof, but if field maintenance staff later found an abundance of unchecked beasts, the team might face consequences.

It was a trust-based system. In the relatively insular Konoha ninja hierarchy, this approach worked well. Who would risk defecting over a few thousand ryo? With a supervising jonin, there was even less cause for concern.

Konoha had a surprisingly scientific method for estimating wildlife populations—analyzing tracks, droppings, and the movement patterns of herbivores. The Team Five's task was based on these assessments.

Link's question may have been phrased tentatively, but his tone was decisive. After over a month of working together, his teammates had grown accustomed to following his lead, both due to his competence and his calm, commanding demeanor.

The trio stopped near a river to rest briefly before leaving the forest.

At that moment, Nara Ensui appeared, tucking a notebook into his bag. "Well done, everyone," he said with a smile.

He wasn't the type of leader to engage in casual bonding with subordinates. Though responsible and dutiful, his professionalism maintained a certain distance. Ensui saw himself more as a silent guardian than a buddy—despite being in his twenties, his students were just nine and eleven.

Completing a C-rank mission with no injuries, even if it involved only wild animals, was no small feat for newly minted genin. Their performance confirmed the team's readiness to operate as a fully functional squad.

Iris hesitated, as if he wanted to express his excitement, but ultimately held back. His once-lively, impulsive nature had been tempered by the composed leadership of Link and Ensui.

Ami sighed in relief. Since her first day as a genin, she'd been quietly pushing herself, unwilling to be the team's weak link. The praise brought her a rare sense of ease.

Link remained stoic, showing no reaction to the compliment.

"Well, see you at the Hokage Building the day after tomorrow," Ensui said, locking the gate behind them. "You've worked hard these past few days. Take tomorrow to rest."

With that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Iris instinctively glanced at Link, intending to signal his departure, but paused when he heard:

"You two—do you have time this afternoon?"

"I do," Ami answered first.

"Me too," Iris quickly added, raising a hand.

Link nodded slightly. "Meet me at Training Ground Seven this afternoon. We'll start special training."

"Special training?" Iris's voice jumped several pitches. Seeing his teammates look at him, he forced a grin and said, "No need for that, boss. We're not new to being genin anymore."

The memory of their first day, which had involved nothing but getting beaten up, still lingered. As a ninja, he could handle pain—it was part of their training—but who liked getting thrashed?

"We've completed our first C-rank mission," Link said, glancing at him. "Chances are, we'll be sent out of the village for the next one. Both of you still have a lot to work on. Once we're outside, there's a good chance we'll face enemy ninja. I want to help you prepare."

During the nine days of hunting wildlife, his teammates had performed decently by genin standards but still had many flaws. Issues like uneven chakra control, inefficient ninjutsu usage, unnecessary movements in combat, and poor concealment of their presence were glaring weaknesses.

Link genuinely wanted to help them improve. Even if he advanced to chunin and the Team Five disbanded, there was a high chance they'd form a temporary "Link Squad" for missions. He couldn't be their babysitter forever, unlike Ensui.

Helping them now was an investment in his future.

Once everyone reached chunin rank or found other roles—like working in the hospital, Anbu, interrogation, Barrier Team, or Medical Corps—they'd naturally part ways.

He had no intention of recruiting new teammates once he became a chunin. Finding reliable allies was too uncertain. Better to train and mold the ones he had.

"Thank you, boss!" Iris said after a brief pause, his face lighting up. His straightforward nature left no room for second-guessing. Having a capable leader willing to help was a clear benefit.

"…Thank you, boss," Ami echoed hesitantly, her reluctance stemming mostly from using the term "boss."

"Good. See you at two this afternoon," Link said, cutting off further conversation as he turned to leave.

The mission completed, he planned to reward himself with a proper meal, wash his bloodstained gear, and clean his clothes. Days of trekking through the forest had left everything reeking. The blood-stiffened kunai holster was especially troublesome to clean.

"Other transmigrators worry about ninja wars, the fate of humanity, or the Otsutsuki clan," he muttered to himself with a sigh. "Meanwhile, I'm stuck dealing with laundry and groceries."

~~~

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