***
Most of Sunagakure's Genin missions were within the Land of Wind; the vast majority of ninja never saw what the world outside was like before becoming Chunin. Outsiders rarely hired Suna ninja, and due to their geographical location, there were many troublesome missions Suna was unwilling to accept. The chance to visit Konoha for the joint Chunin Exams was something many Genin looked forward to.
There was still some time before their departure, not enough to leave the village for a C-rank mission, and the uninteresting D-rank missions were meaningless for candidates like Daigan about to take the exams. Most of the qualified Genin were quietly making preparations, and Daigan was no exception.
In terms of talent, Daigan wasn't bad, but he wasn't a dazzling prodigy either. He couldn't match the diligence of Rock Lee or Shira, and he knew himself well enough to understand that his body couldn't withstand such grueling training. Chi and Yome had their own ideas and had gone off somewhere to train. Captain Otokaze seemed incredibly busy lately and had no time to manage his handful of cheap students.
But that was fine. When it came to training, Daigan had always been his own master. Besides making puppets and his routine practice, he would spend his free time wandering around the village. He felt he had hit a bottleneck in his strength and couldn't seem to find a breakthrough. He wasn't like those ninja with inherited legacies who could learn a secret technique, sign a contract with a powerful summoning animal, or inherit a legendary weapon and dominate the battlefield.
Moments of doubt were inevitable. Even after deciding on his own path, he sometimes hesitated, wondering if it was viable. The Chunin Exams would be a good opportunity to find out just how strong he really was.
*More ninja are rushing around, and even the soldier pills at the equipment shops are sometimes out of stock. The war machine is starting to turn!*
A chill ran down Daigan's spine. He figured it was time to prepare some trump cards for survival.
***
Lately, Temari had been feeling uneasy.
Ever since the preliminary selection for the Chunin Exams ended, the words of her sensei, Jonin Baki, had felt off. *What did he mean, 'be prepared to defend the honor of Sunagakure with your lives'? Is a mere Chunin Exam supposed to be that dangerous?*
Gaara was a problem child who didn't care about anything, and Kankuro wasn't very reliable, always fiddling with that pile of junk puppets. Only Temari, who for all her brashness was incredibly perceptive, could sense that something was wrong. There were some things she couldn't bring up with others, and even if she asked, she was unlikely to get an answer.
After venting some of her frustration at the training grounds, Temari went to her friend's house as planned. As the Kazekage's daughter, she was not without her share of sycophants. Many delusional young ninja also tried to win her affection to improve their own standing. There were a few other kunoichi of similar status to Temari, but most were ill-tempered ladies, and there was almost no one she could talk to. She enjoyed the conveniences her father's position brought, but she also endured her fair share of criticism.
It was only natural that she became friends with Chi. Back in the academy, both were fan-users and shared a love for horticulture. With common interests, Temari and Chi had gotten to know each other well over the years. Although the vast difference in their status and skill separated them, it hadn't affected their friendship.
A few days ago, Chi had ventured out on a risky trip and brought back several precious desert plants, intending to create potent medicines in preparation for the Chunin Exams. Before that, Chi wanted Temari to see her results, so she had specially invited her over.
A long chat with her friend helped to ease some of the gloom in Temari's heart.
"With these, my chances in the Chunin Exams are a little better." Although the effects were still unknown, at least she had made an effort.
"Chi, be careful during the Chunin Exams," Temari said, wanting to warn her but constrained by Baki's order not to spread unfavorable news.
"Don't underestimate me now. I might just surprise you."
"Is that so?" Temari sighed silently, not knowing where to begin her explanation.
"You're acting a bit strange today, Temari. Is something wrong?"
"The only thing making me unhappy lately is your idiot teammate, Daigan. I don't know why that guy is always pestering me…"
"It depends on the person. Look at me, I see him almost every day, and I haven't seen him try to take advantage of me. And Yome, in Daigan's eyes, is probably just a little kid who hasn't grown up."
"You make it sound like being pestered by him is a good thing! There aren't many people who can talk to me normally without caring about my family background. Honestly, having a dumb friend isn't a bad thing, but a guy like Daigan…" Temari waved her hand dismissively. "Being that stupid is a problem for me too!"
"Lady Temari, you're so greedy," Chi giggled, covering her mouth. "Disappointment in life often comes from having too many expectations. If Daigan were a bit more normal, plenty of girls would like him. There are so many young ninja in our village with all sorts of weird quirks. Compared to them, Daigan is actually quite normal."
"Now that you mention it…" Temari rested her chin on her hand and thought lazily. "It's true. There's no 'dumbest,' only 'dumber'!"
Her own two brothers were handfuls, and among the ninja she knew, many behaved far more outrageously than Daigan.
"Actually, Yome and I have been on a team with Daigan for almost three months, and I feel like this person…" Chi recalled their time together. "How should I put it? He's a bit of a contradiction."
"Oh?" Temari's interest was piqued. "You seem to like him quite a bit."
"It's not really that I like him, it's just… I haven't seen any other Suna ninja our age who's more outstanding than him."
"That's high praise! Have you lost your mind? Did Daigan's stupidity rub off on you?"
Chi chuckled, pushing away the hand Temari extended to feel her forehead. "I can understand why you think Daigan is a bit dumb. In my opinion, Daigan only seems to lose his head when he's around you. Most of the time, he's really quite extraordinary."
"Hey, are you that eager to speak up for your teammate? If you like him, I can go reject him to his face so he'll give up on chasing me, and then you can swoop in."
"You don't get it," Chi said, shaking her head. "Daigan has never once looked at me that way. In his eyes, I'm just a ninja whose gender happens to be female."
"So your love story ended before it even began? How boring," Temari teased. Their long-established way of interacting meant they wouldn't take offense at such blunt words.
"A proud phoenix soaring high in the sky doesn't notice the sparrows chirping in the woods," Chi said with a touch of regret. "It's a bit frustrating, but Daigan has excellent taste. He spotted the very best right away!"
"You're just praising me in a roundabout way, aren't you? You won't get anything for it!"
"I don't need anything. I just hope that no matter what the future holds, we'll always be friends."
"Of course," Temari said with a smile playing on her lips. "Don't die in the Chunin Exams. I'd be sad."
"Is it that serious?" Chi was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "You too, be careful! If you need our help, don't hesitate to ask. That Daigan guy is practically deranged waiting for a chance to play hero and save the damsel in distress!"
"If that day ever comes, I might just see him in a new light," Temari scoffed. As if Daigan could handle a problem that she, Kankuro, and Gaara couldn't solve together.
***
In the single ninja apartments, Lady Saya was a rare sight at home, diligently checking and repairing her puppets. Next door, Daigan was patiently carving his substitute puppet. Although he wasn't an orthodox puppet master, he still needed to be proficient in deceiving enemies to protect his real body.
Moreover, Daigan didn't let the leftover materials go to waste. Considering the potential enemies in the Chunin Exams and the Konoha Crush, he crafted a few small, targeted items, just waiting for the right time to use them.
Meanwhile, Baki, the supervising Jonin for the Chunin Exams and the overt commander, was selecting ninja for the mission according to plan. Daigan's former captain, Iron Sand, and his current captain, Otokaze, were both conscripted. Even Sajin, the Chunin he had met at the Northern Fortress, was assigned to the assault team for the main arena during the third stage of the Chunin Exams.
As the departure date drew closer, Daigan, who had been feeling somewhat anxious, gradually calmed down. On a rare visit home, he still exchanged only a few words with his estranged grandfather, and his mother, a homemaker, knew little about the affairs of ninja.
After bidding farewell to their families, the Genin, each with their own thoughts and feelings, received their travel passes and set off on the journey to Konoha.