Early Preparations

The bumbling Daimaru next door hadn't made any odd noises at night for a while now, nor were there any signs of him during the day. It seemed he had left the village for a mission. After long periods of anxiety, Miss Sayuri was finally able to sleep soundly at night. What brought even more relief was the smooth resolution of the long-standing issue of selecting a new teammate.

Although the new teammate, Zairo, caused some concern due to his insufficient number of missions, there was still hope. Ordinary ninjas might not know, but Sayuri had heard from her family's elders that Konoha village was planning to invite allies to a joint Chunin Exam. The exact dates were yet to be determined, but it was certain it wouldn't be in May. Based on past experiences, Konoha's exams were mostly held at the end of June or early July. Calculating the travel time, Sayuri's team could have at least an extra month to complete the required number of missions.

Sayuri was glad for her decisiveness, not giving up or wasting time finding someone else, but instead, quickly completing low-rank missions. Barring any accidents, qualifying for the Chunin Exam shouldn't be a problem.

The influential Sayuri family wouldn't let just anyone approach their daughters. Since Sayuri didn't choose from the mediocre talents she was initially presented with, the family certainly wouldn't ignore this unexpected newcomer, Zairo. In just a few days, three generations' worth of information about Zairo was thoroughly investigated. Skipping over the insignificant details, the family provided a fair assessment of the new teammate, which now lay in Miss Sayuri's hands.

"Genjutsu and Ninjutsu, utterly talentless, but his Taijutsu talent is excellent!"

Ninjas with a special talent in a particular area were not many, but neither were they scarce. Among them, Taijutsu was relatively undervalued, especially for someone like Zairo who was completely devoid of Ninjutsu and Genjutsu skills.

The high cost of training and low success rate was one aspect, but it was also due to the scarcity of excellent Taijutsu schools. Many Taijutsu techniques required special physiques or Kekkei Genkai to be effective, like the Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist or the Kaguya clan's Shikotsumyaku.

Training purely in generic Taijutsu would result in a low ceiling; one might as well learn from the samurai of the Land of Iron, donning armor and wielding a long sword—but would that still be a ninja?

Zairo's physical condition was undoubtedly exceptional, and his training was rigorous. What was more remarkable was his ability to create a "Seven Breaths Method" tailored to himself without any guidance, which Daimaru considered even more rare than Might Guy and Rock Lee's mastery of the "Eight Gates."

It was admirable to have talent and the will to work hard, and even more so to find a suitable mentor. Zairo's ability to forge his own path was truly not simple.

The "Seven Breaths Method" had only just shown its potential, but its effects were already impressive. In terms of combat strength, Zairo's performance in missions already surpassed many experienced Genin.

It was not yet certain whether the "Seven Breaths Method" was a unique miracle suited only for Zairo or a secret Ninjutsu that could be widely disseminated. However, Zairo had already shown considerable investment value.

Building a good relationship now could yield unexpected benefits in the future.

"I've actually stumbled upon a treasure!"

Initially, Sayuri had little expectation for Zairo, but now it seemed the favors spent to secure his ninja slot were not in vain—in fact, she might even come out ahead.

"That Daimaru, average in strength, but not bad in judgment."

The ability to find gems among rubble was not something the average person possessed. Miss Sayuri might have an odd personality, but she was no fool, and her family's elders were even more astute, which was why they held high positions.

"This is good. The Chunin Exam seems even more promising now."

If she could successfully become a Chunin this time, she wouldn't have to deal with those inexplicable arrangements anymore.

...

Meanwhile, Daimaru, stationed at the northern fortress, hadn't seen an Iwagakure ninja crossing the border in a long time. The only creatures that came close to the wall were a few guinea pigs chased by desert wolves seeking refuge nearby—how the barren desert of the Land of Wind managed to raise these rodents so plump was a mystery.

In these days, Daimaru's team had become acquainted with some of the ninjas who had been stationed here for a long time, like Suna-jin, one of them. This young man, in his early twenties and recently promoted to Chunin, had decent strength. He had sparred with Daimaru during a dull moment, and Daimaru, holding back, only used sand manipulation and Taijutsu. He lost but not too disgracefully.

According to Suna-jin, Daimaru was quite impressive. Of course, it was unclear whether Suna-jin was just being polite due to respect for the Jonin Otofū.

Yoru and Senza weren't idle either, seizing every opportunity to improve themselves. Daimaru couldn't offer much assistance with their training; they had to manage on their own. The elusive Jonin Otofū also offered occasional guidance to his subordinates.

Then one day, Daimaru looked with satisfaction at the meticulously crafted puppet before him. It matched his height and physique, and its features were carefully carved to mirror his own reflection. To prevent the face from looking too stiff, Daimaru had modeled it after the jawbone's joints, attaching a layer of silk-treated soft material to mimic skin, even filling it with a layer of red dye underneath.

Should it be damaged, the face would appear to bleed. To make the deception convincing, Daimaru had put considerable effort into the puppet's materials and joints. This was something that could save his life in a critical moment.

There wouldn't be just one puppet made. As for the rest, there were still some materials left, which he needed to think about what to create next.

Regarding the frequently used sand manipulation technique, all Daimaru could do was imitate Gaara's method, forming the sand into a hard armor that covered his body to protect himself from harm. Although it consumed a fair amount of chakra, the key was to secretly use the Replacement Technique, allowing the armor to absorb damage when the opponent used powerful jutsu.

With his combat mode taking shape, Daimaru was eager to test his skills on someone, but unfortunately, the mission ended before he got the chance.

Upon returning to the village, news had already spread that Sunagakure would send representatives to the joint Chunin Exam hosted by Konoha. An ambitious Daimaru was preparing to show his mettle when Otofū delivered some disheartening news.

"There are too many Genin recommended; we might not even make the trip?"

The number of teams registered for the Chunin Exam, including Otofū's team, totaled sixteen. Ten had already confirmed their qualifications. The remaining six had to challenge the qualified teams for a chance to catch the last ride to Konoha.