The following afternoon, sunlight filtered through the leaves at the Training Ground, scattering tiny patches of light. When Ling arrived on time, Ino was already waiting. She wore a purple training outfit that allowed her to move freely, her golden ponytail tied with meticulous care. Her expression held both nerves and excitement.
"Let's begin." Without any small talk, Ling sat down cross-legged.
Ino sat opposite him and took a deep breath, forming a complex hand seal before her chest. Her expression grew focused and serene. "Mind Body Switch Technique: Telepathic Link!" she murmured. A gentle yet resilient strand of mental energy slowly reached toward Ling's consciousness like a slender thread.
Ling offered no resistance, willingly lowering part of his mental defenses. In the next instant, he felt a strange connection take shape. It was not an intrusion, but more like a silent bridge built between them. He could vaguely sense Ino's nervousness, her concentration, and a trace of... barely perceptible joy. At the same time, his own state of mind, calm as a deep pool, flowed clearly back to her.
[The link is stable. Its bandwidth is limited, but sufficient to transmit basic information and emotions,] Tobirama's voice assessed objectively within Ling's consciousness. [Be careful to control your killing intent and those... lingering traces from "outside." Don't let them overwhelm her.]
"It worked!" Ino opened her eyes, her blue-green gaze shining with success as a surge of delight came through the link. "Ling, can you hear me?"
"Yes," Ling replied simply, sending a thought of acknowledgment through the link at the same time.
With their first link successfully established, they began some simple coordination exercises. Ling moved rapidly around the Training Ground and formed hand seals, while Ino closed her eyes and concentrated, sensing his position and intentions solely through