Daimaru felt a small flush of embarrassment as Otokaze approached, catching him in the act of teasing his teammates. It wasn't something a jounin captain should witness. But at the same time, every ninja, especially those from Sunagakure, needed an outlet. The life of a shinobi was filled with harsh realities, and the village itself was suffering, more so than its peers. Acting recklessly wasn't the worst thing he could've been caught doing.
As Otokaze approached, he crouched beside Yome, carefully inspecting her unconscious form. Daimaru, his guilt gnawing at him, offered an explanation.
"I didn't overdo it, Captain. I know my limits," he said, a trace of unease in his voice.
Otokaze, glancing between the two girls, sighed. "They'll be out for a while, but we've got time. The sandstorm's still raging outside, and there's no point rushing when it's like this."
The howling winds were a constant reminder of the harsh conditions of the Wind Country. It seemed like everything here was designed to test a shinobi's endurance—whether it was the hostile environment, limited resources, or the village's precarious political position.
Otokaze used Earth Release to carve a shelter between two rock walls, creating a temporary cave for the group to rest in. Daimaru helped carry Yome and Sen inside, laying them down gently before sealing the entrance to block out the storm. The dim, flickering light of a small fire filled the cave as they settled around it. The warmth was welcome, but the atmosphere remained tense.
The crackle of the fire was the only sound for a while, both of them chewing silently as they shared a meal. The wind outside whipped at the rock walls, but within the cave, there was an eerie calm, as if they were cut off from the world.
After a few minutes, Otokaze broke the silence, his tone unusually casual. "Hey, Daimaru. Ever thought about stronger teammates?"
Daimaru paused, confused. "Teammates? You mean, switching out Sen and Yome? Is that even a thing?" His brow furrowed as he tried to read the captain's expression.
Otokaze smirked, but there was something deeper in his tone—something more serious. "Not normally, no. But for someone like you? Exceptions could be made."
The words hung in the air. Daimaru could feel the weight behind them, the implications swirling in his mind. "So you could... pull some strings?"
"If the situation calls for it, yes. The village is under a lot of pressure, Daimaru. Things aren't like they used to be. We don't have the time we once did to nurture talent at a leisurely pace."
The fire crackled again, as if punctuating Otokaze's statement. Daimaru looked into the flames, thinking about what this meant. He had known that Sunagakure was struggling, but hearing it so plainly was a sobering reminder.
"We're stretched thin," Otokaze continued, his voice low but steady. "The Third Ninja War left us with fewer high-level ninja, and it's taken a toll. The village isn't what it used to be, and we're still trying to recover."
Daimaru felt a twinge of unease, but before he could respond, Otokaze pressed on. "Do you know what really hurt us during the war? It wasn't just the fighting, the losses on the battlefield." His tone turned bitter. "It was what came after. The Daimyo of the Wind Country, that weak fool, signed an agreement with the Fire Country. He disbanded part of our forces, gave away mission shares to Konoha. He crippled us."
Daimaru felt the anger simmering under the surface of his captain's words. But despite the growing frustration, he kept quiet. His own feelings about the Daimyo were conflicted; it wasn't just anger. There was a resignation to their situation, an understanding that Sunagakure had no choice but to cooperate with Konoha. As much as it hurt their pride, they needed the alliance.
Otokaze's voice grew quieter, more sombre. "And yet, despite that, we're forced to keep our ties with Konoha. The real threat to us isn't them. It's Iwagakure. The northern territories have been under constant threat from them for years, and without Konoha's backing, we'd be even more vulnerable."
Daimaru looked down, his hands clenching. He knew about the tensions between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth. The northern settlements, the harsh living conditions, it was a constant struggle. And the village, weakened by the Third Ninja War, was barely holding on.
"There's another reason we're stuck with Konoha," Otokaze continued, his gaze distant.
"Chiyo... she lost her son and daughter-in-law to Konoha's White Fang. The hatred she bears isn't something that can be erased easily. But even she understands the need for this alliance. We need Konoha to keep the other villages from closing in. Without them, we're isolated, easy pickings for Iwa."
Daimaru sighed quietly, his heart heavy. He had heard of Chiyo's grudge, but the weight of it, paired with the reality of their situation, made the future seem bleaker than ever. Even their alliances, it seemed, were born out of necessity and survival, not trust.
The crackling fire filled the silence that followed. Otokaze leaned back, staring into the flames. "Daimaru... the village needs people like you. Shinobi who can grow quickly. If you're strong enough, if you can rise to the occasion, you'll have a real chance to make a difference."
Daimaru's eyes flicked to his captain. There was something different in his tone, an urgency that he hadn't heard before. The weight of his words hung in the air, heavy and oppressive.
"What happened to the others you trained?" Daimaru asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Otokaze's face darkened, his earlier smirk disappearing. "They... didn't make it," he said quietly.
The cave fell into silence once more. The wind howled outside, the storm still raging. Inside, the flickering firelight cast long shadows on the cave walls, creating a sombre, almost mournful atmosphere. The weight of Otokaze's words, and the reality of Sunagakure's struggles, settled heavily on Daimaru's shoulders.
In that moment, Daimaru understood the gravity of his situation. This wasn't just about becoming stronger for himself. It was about survival—for his village, for his teammates, for everyone who depended on Sunagakure's future.
Daimaru nodded, his resolve hardening. There was no turning back now. He had to get stronger, not just for himself, but for his village. For the future of Sunagakure.