Incompatible Natures

Zhilili's strength was well-known to Daimaru; anyone who could give him such a beating was no ordinary challenger.

"As long as you won!"

Daimaru patted his former teammate on the shoulder.

Among the Genin, the gap between the veterans and the newbies was noticeable. It wasn't just about experience; as a ninja transitioned from youth to adulthood, their physical development was rapid.

With each passing year, the all-around growth in physical prowess and the increase in chakra made young ninjas' strength soar.

The advantages that came with age were undeniable until the body was fully grown.

In his fourth year as a Genin, even if there were some exceptionally talented youngsters, Zhilili could outlast them all through sheer tenacity.

The rich experience of the seniors wasn't a laughing matter.

As Zhilili was about to say more, Jonin Maki, not far away, called out:

"Satie Squad, report to Training Ground Five for your challenge."

"What?"

Zhilili's face stiffened,

"Again?"

In theory, squads that qualified could indeed be challenged repeatedly, but this was just unlucky!

"Damn, it must be Tuzi's squad. They lost because they weren't up to par and now they're targeting us because they saw us exhausted from a previous fight…"

"Take care!"

Daimaru sighed, watching as Zhilili left.

Soon after, the third victorious squad appeared before Daimaru.

"Huh?"

It was an old acquaintance. The squad's leader, Kouji, had fought with Daimaru as kids. Being a year younger and no match for Daimaru's strength, Kouji had received a thorough beating back then.

They hadn't seen much of each other since growing up, and naturally, they weren't on good terms.

The second member, Shishio, had a tough-sounding name but a rather gloomy demeanor, wearing a robe with sleeves that covered his hands and a slightly hunched back, giving him a gaunt look.

He was a rare Barrier Ninja, skilled in using formations for reconnaissance, camouflage, and even casting small-scale illusions. A versatile support ninja.

The last member was a tall, curvaceous female ninja skilled in Water Release and medical ninjutsu. Her combat ability was moderate, but she was adept in emergency care and detoxification.

This female ninja, Yuno, who Daimaru found challenging to deal with, seemed naive but actually possessed significant personal charm and leadership. She was the team's de facto leader, having even subdued the proud Kouji.

Daimaru's squad had cooperated with Yuno's on a joint mission, which proved to be a rather uncomfortable experience for him.

Yuno liked to subtly persuade others to follow her lead.

What Daimaru despised the most was knowing full well that he disliked her but never finding the opportunity to settle it with a good punch.

"Isn't this the 'Red Sandstorm' senior? True to your reputation, you succeeded in your challenge so quickly…"

Yuno seemed to bear no grudges, greeting Daimaru with a smile.

"You guys won too? Your opponents must have been really weak!"

Daimaru's lips twitched as he forced a smile.

"Hey, do you think I'm invisible?"

"Kouji? Long time no see. Your strength hasn't changed much, but your temper seems to have grown."

"You looking for a fight?"

Kouji rolled up his sleeves, ready to settle scores with Daimaru, but Yuno held him back.

"See, your female captain is sensible, knowing you're no match for me!"

The trio opposite had fought hard for their victory and weren't in the best condition, while Daimaru appeared completely unharmed, seemingly winning with ease.

Daimaru patted the puppet on his shoulder, squinting at Kouji, considering whether to give this arrogant fellow another lesson.

"Hiss…"

A blade of wind sliced through the ground between them, halting the escalating tension. Maki's roar followed,

"Private fights will result in disqualification from the Chunin Exam. Think it through, and don't make me repeat myself…"

"Tch, lucky you!"

Daimaru turned and walked away, with Senza and Yoru casting apologetic glances at Yuno before following him.

Yuno waved with a smile and turned to Kouji,

"Any grudges can be settled during the Chunin Exam. Don't cause unnecessary trouble now."

Yuno, Kouji, and Shishio's strengths didn't give them an edge among all the candidates from Sunagakure. It was Yuno's almost cheating medical ninjutsu that drained the stronger opponents of their chakra, securing their victory.

If it had been a team battle in the wild, they might not have struggled so much.

Yuno, Kouji, and Shishio were typical Sand ninjas who needed cooperation and environmental advantages to excel. One-on-one duels weren't their forte.

On the other side, Senza asked with some confusion,

"Daimaru, you don't get along with Kouji?"

"No!"

Daimaru shook his head,

"Compared to him, I dislike Yuno even more…"

"Why? She seems like a nice person!"

Yoru naively commented.

"Hmm… how should I put it?"

The afternoon in the Land of Wind was already hot. Daimaru shielded his eyes from the direct sunlight and glanced at the sky,

"I believe there's no such thing as a perfect person in this world. Every act of kindness is aimed at gaining something!

I haven't found the dirty motive behind Yuno's acts of playing the good person…"

"Isn't that a good thing? Maybe she's just kind-hearted. Such people do exist, right?"

"Perhaps!"

Daimaru nodded,

"Maybe there are many selfless deeds in the Shinobi world, but that only makes someone like me feel even more out of place."

Daimaru didn't consider himself a good person; he had a bad temper and plenty of faults, including some dirty thoughts.

If everyone around was ordinary, Daimaru could feel at ease, but one different person would completely overshadow him.

Daimaru thought Yuno was naive, and Yuno probably didn't think highly of him either.

"Stay away from that silly ninja in the future, so you don't get infected with her stupidity. She's blinded by the so-called medical ninja ethos! But she's mistaken about one thing; medical ninjas are still ninjas, not doctors…"

Ninjas were born for conflict, fighters by profession, where every technique served the purpose of better killing, unlike doctors who aimed to save lives.

"Got it!"

Yoru and Senza agreed on the surface but remained skeptical inside.

"Let's drop this unpleasant topic."

Daimaru waved it off,

"Yoru, treat Senza's injuries first. I've got something to do…"

The next chance to approach Temari so openly was uncertain, and too much time had been wasted on pleasantries with others…