No Surprises in Old Acquaintances

On a night of rare stillness in the Sand Village, with no wind to disturb the peace, the pure moonlight spilled over the slumbering hamlet. Even the typically fiery soul of the One-Tail's Jinchūriki found a moment of calm, leaning against a rooftop corner, basking in the lunar serenity.

In a shadowed nook where moonbeams failed to reach, the secretive Anbu directly under the command of the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, kept vigilant watch over every move within the village.

In a communal apartment for single shinobi, a drenched young ninja was vigorously training his muscles, unaware of the pair of eyes scrutinizing him from outside his window.

"So that's the guy, huh? Not too shabby. Putting aside his innate talent and strength, his diligence alone surpasses the majority of other ninjas," remarked the up-and-coming elite Jōnin of the Sand Village, Otofū. Fresh off a mission, he was immediately tasked with leading a newly formed Genin team. Reluctantly bound by duty, Otofū wasted no time in checking out the prospective member of his squad.

The first impression he got from his new charge was a good one, far more telling than any report.

For the oblivious Daimaru resting on the floor after his intense workout, a memory suddenly surfaced. Reaching under his bed, he pulled out a small wooden box, revealing a puppet as tall as an adult's arm inside. Although its face was still a blur, the rest of it—the body, limbs, and outfit—was meticulously crafted.

"Something's missing. Ah, that's right, it needs a fan," he mumbled to himself. Puppetry materials were expensive, and the rare woods and metals that could conduct chakra were luxury items hard to come by.

With Daimaru's limited finances, he resorted to hunting large creatures like the Desert Scorpions and Quicksand Pythons, using their venomous fangs, bones, and scales as alternatives. With enough skill, puppets made from these materials could nearly match those crafted from rarer substances. The only downside was the risk and hassle, especially for a low-ranking ninja like himself.

In the Sand Village, puppets were produced and discarded in abundance, yet second-hand materials rarely surfaced. A puppet master's work bore their chakra signature and battle scars, revealing much about their techniques and fighting style. Only the utterly unusable were destroyed; the rest were repaired and reused.

"I'll have to see if Saya or Kankuro can spare some materials. If not, hunting larger game it is. I aim to finish before the Chunin Exams," Daimaru resolved, reflecting on his time studying puppetry. He had accumulated a wealth of knowledge but lacked a true masterpiece to show for it, let alone the secret techniques he wasn't ready to reveal.

Three days later, Daimaru finally received the summons to meet his new team and Jōnin leader. With his tousled gray-white hair and somewhat petulant youthful visage, Otofū, the twenty-six-year-old Jōnin, was about to lead a Genin team for the first time. Although it was just temporary, fate had brought them together.

The other two members of the squad held some intrigue.

"Sen, Yoru, it's you guys! Life really is full of unexpected reunions," Daimaru greeted them. Sen, a Genjutsu ninja who needed strategic positioning and specific medicines to utilize her fan effectively, was lacking in both Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, though she did have a sharp mind.

Yoru, on the other hand, was a support type ninja with Dojutsu, capable of sensing over vast distances and transmitting information, complemented by mediocre medical ninjutsu skills.

At face value, the two seemed a decent match for Daimaru's combat style, but their shortcomings were glaringly obvious. The two kunoichis weren't reliable in a straight fight, leaving Daimaru to cover both offense and defense, while also protecting his vulnerable teammates from being targeted.

"Looks like you all know each other, so we'll skip the introductions. For the foreseeable future, I'll be leading you on our missions," announced Otofū after examining his three subordinates. Despite their flaws, they were certainly capable by Genin standards.

As long as they played to their strengths and worked together, D-rank missions would be a breeze, and even C-rank ones should pose no major problems. Of course, as it stood, the trio still had a ways to go before reaching Chunin level.

"Let's call it a day for our first meeting. Tomorrow morning we gather for our mission, which I've already chosen for us: to eliminate a band of thieves lurking on the border of the Wind and Grass countries. Be prepared," instructed Otofū.

"Understood!" they responded in unison.

"Good, you're dismissed."

Sen and Yoru had not expected to reunite with Daimaru so soon, much less to be in the same squad.

"Daimaru, I heard your previous team abandoned you. I thought it was just a rumor, but it's true. For someone like you to suffer such a slight…" Sen started.

"Enough chatter!" Daimaru interjected, his usual authority seemingly evaporated in one fell swoop.

"Aren't you two in the same boat?" he retorted.

"It's different for us!" Sen claimed, her mood turning somber. "One of my teammates was seriously injured and retired. Our team disbanded, and the other was reassigned…"

"Losing a core member often leads to a team's dissolution, as finding replacements that can compensate for the loss is tough," Daimaru noted.

"And Yoru, why have you ended up alone as well?"

"That's a long story," Yoru hesitated, reluctant to dredge up unhappy memories. Sen answered in her stead, "Yoru's eyes are somewhat of a Kekkei Genkai. She was probably overestimated at the time of her enlistment and placed in a strong team. However, both the team leader and the members felt she wasn't growing as expected and couldn't keep up…"

"Rejected because they thought you were too weak?" Daimaru murmured, a bitter smile on his lips. In the end, it came down to the Sand Village's poor evaluation standards for Genin and a near farcical training system.

The village's pervasive mentality of immediate results left no consideration for the long term, its dire straits forcing short-sighted decisions.

Assigning such teammates to Daimaru effectively meant the village had little faith in his future. With their combined might lacking, and the upcoming Chunin Exam notorious for its prodigies, standing out seemed almost out of reach.

Still, their support capabilities were commendable, and the hope of helping Daimaru break through the first exam and survive the Forest of Death in the second was very much alive.

Ultimately, it all hinged on whether Daimaru, the linchpin of the team, could hold his own.

"In the coming months, it's going to be all about missions, making money, acquiring materials, and training. The Leaf Village Ninja Academy's Genin must be readying themselves too. How exciting indeed!"