There's nothing wrong with being passionate; youth should embrace their emotions. What irks Daimaru are sudden outbursts and accidents that lead to negative consequences. Thankfully, over the years, he has developed various strategies to manage his feelings. Taking advantage of these moments, he has remained dedicated to rigorous practice. While he can't claim a massive improvement in strength, his foundation is rock solid. Without it, he wouldn't have been able to consistently navigate the dangers of the crisis-ridden Land of Wind.
By the time Daimaru finished preparing for the day, his neighbour, the female ninja, had likely exhausted herself and stopped her tirade. Living in a communal apartment has its downsides, and dealing with a temperamental neighbour was certainly one of them. Daimaru had been unfortunate; when he moved in, the suite had been empty. He had wondered why no one wanted it until he learned that his next-door neighbour, Saya, was a fiery and vicious kunoichi skilled in puppetry and spiritual arts. Though she had initially carried herself with the grace of a lady, she had taken up residence here, causing friction with the neighbours. especially after Daimaru's arrival, which led to frequent arguments. Thankfully, everyone had busy schedules, so they rarely crossed paths, keeping disputes mostly verbal.
Listening to the wind howl outside, Daimaru slowly drifted into sleep.
...
The following morning, an energetic Daimaru hurried out. The remnants of Gaara's rampage from the previous night had vanished as if erased. As he strode along the broad street, he approached a familiar door just as his longtime teammate stepped out.
"Hey, what a coincidence! Long time no see!" Daimaru greeted, casually draping his arm over the other's shoulder. "Did you miss me? I'm back, and things won't be the same without me for our missions!"
Shitori appeared a bit flustered by the enthusiastic greeting. "Uh, Daimaru, I'm sorry, but a lot has happened while you were gone."
"A lot?" Daimaru asked, noticing the unease on Shitori's face. "You seem off. Are you okay?"
"Uh, no! It's just… I didn't expect you to survive that last C-rank mission…"
"Yeah, what's the issue?" Since maturing, Daimaru's memories had sharpened. Despite being a physically capable ninja, he seemed cursed with misfortune, encountering one bizarre accident after another throughout his nearly four years as a genin. More than two months ago, he had faced a dire situation—one that had almost cost him his life in the endless sea of sand. Sunagakure hadn't expected him to escape such despair. In recognition of his bravery, he was honoured with the title "Red Sand." To everyone's surprise, the Anbu Corpse Disposal Team had found him alive amid the quicksand.
With the seasons changing, the hero of Sunagakure had recovered, and today he intended to visit his former teammates.
"Actually, we've added a new member to our team…" Shitori bowed his head, avoiding Daimaru's gaze. "I'm really sorry!"
"What do you mean?" Daimaru paused, momentarily stunned. "Are you saying I'm no longer needed?"
"Sorry! At that time, we all thought you were dead…"
"Did Teacher Satie approve this?" Sunatetsu, the experienced bald ninja of Sunagakure, was Daimaru's nominal mentor.
"Initially, he didn't, but then the situation became urgent, and we had to temporarily fill the gap," Shitori explained.
With that, there was nothing more Daimaru could say. "Who's the new member?"
"Komaza. You know, that guy with the short fuse."
"Ah, him." Komaza, with mediocre strength but a superior attitude, was not well-liked. Shitori lowered his voice. "Honestly, we all preferred having you as a teammate, but now… it's too late."
"Um…" Daimaru released his grip on Shitori's shoulder, struggling to find words.
"I have something to attend to, so I'll be going now. You take care…" With that, Shitori left without looking back, leaving Daimaru feeling isolated.
He had planned to tackle a few missions before the Chūnin Exams to earn money for quality ninja tools, but all those plans had collapsed. Depressed, he returned to the apartment. After much contemplation, he grew restless. "If this continues, it'll be disastrous. Not only will I miss the Chūnin Exams and the Konoha Collapse Plan, but individual genin won't even qualify for missions."
Could he bear to watch Temari and Nara Shikamaru flirt? His plan to nip their budding romance in the bud had already fallen through before it began. He had originally intended to defeat Team 10 in the Death Forest, disrupting their flow, which would keep Temari and Shikamaru from interacting. Now, his biggest challenge was simply qualifying for the Chūnin Exam.
With frustration mounting, Daimaru decided to seek out the Kazekage. Although they hadn't made any errors, the need for clarification regarding his team's status fell on someone of authority, and the Kazekage was the highest-ranking official in Sunagakure. Naturally, a father-in-law would assist his son-in-law.
Daimaru approached the imposing Kazekage office, a grand edifice rising like a fortress against the arid winds of the Wind Country. Inside, the atmosphere felt heavy with authority, marked by bare walls that spoke of power and sacrifice. Surprisingly, he was ushered in without delay, rare privilege for a genin. Normally, one would expect a lengthy wait, but the Kazekage had been alerted to his arrival, a decision not common for someone of his rank.
Within the dimly lit chamber sat Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, shrouded in the shadows cast by his bamboo hat and dust-proof veil. His demeanour was grave, reflecting the burdens of leadership. Daimaru could sense the weight of the Kazekage's past decisions looming over the room. He had heard whispers from the villagers about Gaara, Rasa's son. Host to the One-Tail Shukaku, he was both feared and reviled, condemned to a life of isolation and scorn.
"Are you Daimaru? What do you want?" Rasa's voice was low, his tone devoid of warmth.
"My lord Yondaime, I face a challenge that only you can resolve, so I must disturb you…"
"Oh? What is it?"
Daimaru gathered his thoughts, feeling the gravity of the moment as he recounted how he had gloriously perished in the line of duty yet miraculously survived, only to find himself without a team. "Sir Yondaime, I thought I could swiftly become a Chūnin and serve the village, but now it feels like everything has unraveled. Please grant me another chance to contribute to the village!"