The Price of Chasing Dreams

The normally agreeable Jonin Onfū had quite the booming voice when angry. Daimaru, freshly awakened, was immediately on the receiving end of a scolding before being escorted to apologize to the injured Leaf shinobi.

Naruto's injuries were negligible, while Sakura's arm was sprained—a couple of days' rest would see her right. The most serious, Sasuke, had only a mild concussion and a few soft tissue contusions.

Sakura sat listlessly on her hospital bed, while Sasuke, his forehead bandaged, leaned against the window. Naruto was grumbling, his face a picture of discontent, and Kakashi wore his usual nonchalant smile.

With Onfū pressing down on his head, Daimaru bowed deeply to Team 7 of the Leaf Village, while Senza and Yoru sheepishly held flowers and a fruit basket, their smiles strained.

"Anyway, we're sorry for the trouble," Onfū offered with sincerity to Kakashi.

"Kids fighting, no need to be so formal!" Kakashi waved his hand. "My students were at fault too, youthful exuberance and all, haha..."

His hollow laugh failed to garner any support from his students, so he placed a hand on the disgruntled Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto, you can't be rude. They've apologized; can't you forgive our guests who've come from afar?"

"Hmph, a brute who resorts to fists at the first disagreement, and he hurt Sakura. If they hadn't ambushed us, I wouldn't have lost."

"Hey, being petty like that will tarnish the village's reputation..."

Naruto turned his head away, too annoyed to deal with a teacher who seemed to side with outsiders.

"The grievances between young people are so hard to mediate!"

Kakashi scratched his head awkwardly. "Jonin Onfū, and... Daimaru, was it? I'll take care of things from here. Please, go back..."

"Well... we'll take our leave then. If there's anything we can assist with, please let us know..."

"Goodbye, and no need for escort."

As Onfū led his subordinates away, Kakashi sighed. "You guys really know how to stir up trouble. I step away for a moment, and you're brawling with the Sand shinobi. It's quite embarrassing for me as your teacher."

"It's all that weird Daimaru's fault..."

Naruto defended himself, still not reconciled. "I just wanted to check out his puppet. Why did he have to be so aggressive?"

"What exactly did you learn at the Ninja Academy? A puppet is a puppeteer's weapon; touching it without permission is a severe provocation! Don't tell me you didn't recognize who they were?"

"Ah? Well... of course, I knew. Just got a bit curious."

Kakashi knew his student understood nothing from the comical expression Naruto put on.

"Now I'm starting to regret it. Recommending you guys for the Chunin Exams, maybe it was too soon."

"The Chunin Exams?"

Naruto shouted excitedly. "I'm going! Whether it's Sand shinobi or puppeteers, I won't lose to them!"

"Then work hard. Sakura, Sasuke, I'm looking forward to your performances!"

"Alright!"

Naruto pumped his fist, psyching himself up. The usually silent Sasuke suddenly asked:

"Are puppeteers that strong?"

"Hmm... how to put it..."

Kakashi crossed his arms. "Not necessarily strong, but they are skilled killers. Few ninjas can surpass puppeteers in figuring out how to kill more efficiently."

"Experts in killing?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"You guys, being born in a time of peace, might not realize it. During the Third Great Ninja War, Leaf shinobi feared puppeteers the most on the battlefield. Almost every one of them was a master of poisons. Once they found an opening and struck, the chances of survival were slim."

If not for Tsunade's push to establish a system of medical ninjas, the Leaf would have paid a much higher price to defeat the Sand.

"That Daimaru, without even using his puppets, had us thoroughly defeated..."

Team 7, feeling improved after their mission in the Land of Waves, were doused with a cold reality by a seemingly unknown adversary.

Kakashi sighed softly. "It wasn't a fight to the death. Sand shinobi are allies of the Leaf and wouldn't strike fatally. Don't dwell on winning or losing; you're no less than the Sand shinobi!"

However, the potential of Team 7's Genin had yet to be realized into strength; they were still too naive.

The Chunin Exams were an opportunity for them to recognize their own abilities and strive to improve, but too harsh a blow could shatter their confidence.

...

Ninjas fighting was nothing new in Konoha. Every so often, rumors of feuding parties clashing would circulate, with the most talked-about story being the time Jiraiya was beaten so badly by Tsunade that he ended up in the hospital.

And a brawl between Sand and Leaf shinobi?

Each joint Chunin Exam without a few skirmishes would be considered abnormal. The news of Daimaru's fight with Kakashi's students barely made a ripple, with only a few acquaintances joking about it.

Before the official start of the Chunin Exams, it was common for participants to test each other and gather intelligence. A squad of Leaf Genin rookies getting beaten by a Sand puppeteer was hardly a big deal.

The impact on Team Onfū from the Sand and Team 7 from the Leaf was merely an order to repair the damaged wooden wall within a deadline.

Such a punishment was trivial. Daimaru, capable of crafting intricate puppets, found the wooden wall repair beneath him. Accompanied by Yoru and Senza, he completed half the task in less than a day, leaving the rest to the clumsy Team 7.

After a brief rest, Team Onfū glanced at the would-be heroes taking over and turned to leave. At that moment of heavy silence, Naruto jumped up and called out to Daimaru:

"Hey, you, Daimaru..."

"What is it now, runt?"

Daimaru narrowed his eyes.

"Let's settle this at the Chunin Exams!"

"We'll see if you even make it that far!"

"And I'm not a runt. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm going to be the Hokage!"

"Hokage? You?"

Yoru and Senza couldn't help but snicker.

Daimaru, however, was much more polite. "Anyone can talk big, but being the Hokage... do you even know what it means?"

He glanced up at the Hokage Rock in the distance. "None of the Hokage of the Leaf have died a natural death."

"Died a natural death?"

The term was too complex for Naruto to understand.

"It means they didn't die of old age. The only one who might have lived out his days, the Third Hokage, had to come out of retirement to lead again. You say you want to be Hokage, but are you prepared to be killed in the pursuit?"

With a smile that sent chills down Naruto's spine, Daimaru left with a hint of mockery, leaving a somewhat shaken Naruto lost in thought.