The Otokaze Team, newly formed and barely acquainted with one another, had completed only a handful of missions. If it weren't for the team leader, Otokaze's personal recommendation, they might not have even qualified as one of the six alternate teams. In a similar position was Saya's team. Unlike Daimaru's squad, which was often overlooked, Saya's team actually stood a chance of securing formal qualifications. However, Saya was keen on testing her new teammate, Shira's, strength without relying too much on her connections. This cautious decision left her team among the alternates.
Three days passed before all the qualified genin teams returned from their missions, and two more days of rest followed before the preliminary test began. During this time, Yinfeng's team had done all they could to prepare. Daimaru, eager for information, had hoped to get a list of all the genin teams but was swiftly shut down by Saya. Her erratic personality frustrated Daimaru, but he knew better than to push the issue. Business deals with others, like Kankuro, always went smoothly, with clear expectations and prompt payment. Saya, however, was an unpredictable headache.
Finally, the rules for the preliminaries were revealed, and they were both simple and challenging. Each team could challenge another, and the result would be decided through a series of one-on-one matches. Victory went to whichever team's members outlasted the others. The first team to have all three members defeated would be disqualified from the Chunin Exams.
Daimaru, holding the official notice in his hands, smiled. "A wheel battle? Now that's interesting. It accounts for both individual strength and teamwork."
According to the rules, even if one genin was significantly stronger than their teammates, that person could carry the entire team by defeating all of the opponents. This battle format was pure pragmatism—Suna ninja style. However, to prevent abuse, certain restrictions were in place, like preventing teams from being targeted repeatedly by malicious challengers.
By late afternoon, all 48 genin gathered for the preliminaries, joined by a group of senior ninjas who would oversee the battles. Majii, the ninja in charge, reminded everyone that if a challenger couldn't defeat the other team within the allotted time, they would be disqualified. As Majii barked his instructions, Daimaru's eyes met with Temari's, but she gave him only a cold, dismissive glance in return. None of the teams dared challenge Gaara or his siblings—facing Gaara meant risking one's life.
Daimaru's team faced three genin who appeared unremarkable at first glance, though they clearly underestimated Daimaru and his teammates. In Sunagakure, the idea of forming balanced teams was disregarded. The elite trained with the elite, and the weaker genin were left to band together as best they could. This meant that the sight of Daimaru's team—two girls who seemed easy to bully and Daimaru himself, often underestimated—was met with smug overconfidence from their opponents.
The first match pitted Qian against a messy-haired genin with poison-tipped claws tied to his wrists. He sneered, "A little girl like you going first? If you're scared, surrender now. I, Uncle Fuchen, might show some mercy."
Daimaru, watching from the sidelines, scoffed. "Fuchen? What a ridiculous name." In Sunagakure, names often had a utilitarian feel, with many tied to nature, animals, or the desert environment. There were exceptions, of course, but Daimaru found most of his peers' names lacking in creativity.
As the battle prepared to begin, Daimaru assessed the situation carefully. With such a cocky opponent, things could go either way, but Daimaru trusted Qian. This would be the first test of his team's strength, and he had a feeling it wouldn't disappoint.
With the stage set for battle, Daimaru's team braced for what was to come. Whether they would prevail against their cocky opponents, or fall in the preliminaries, only time would tell. The Chunin Exam had officially begun.