Meanwhile, at the gates of Sunagakure.
Several dozen Konoha ninja were looking around with open curiosity.
For many of them, this was genuinely their first time setting foot in Sunagakure.
And this trip was going to leave a deep impression on everyone.
Ever since they entered the Land of Wind, what had been a fairly relaxed journey instantly turned miserable for the Konoha visitors.
Sandstorms that flared up without warning made travel extremely difficult for a group that hadn't prepared much for it.
Just being able to keep their bearings in the low-visibility dust was already no small feat for Kakashi and the others leading the way.
"Kakashi-sensei, have you been to Sunagakure before?"
Akimichi Choji pulled out a snack, tore open the wrapper, and tried to eat a few bites to calm his nerves, only to spit out the grit that had blown into his mouth. He asked their captain weakly, sounding irritated as he did.
"Does anyone actually live in a hellhole like this?"
"We can't be that rude once we reach Sunagakure, Choji."
Before Kakashi could answer, Asuma spoke first.
"The Land of Wind's environment is harsh, sure, but not to the point people can't survive."
"It's just that this season isn't good for travel, and we happened to run into strong winds."
As he spoke, Asuma drew a deep breath.
His eyes flickered.
He was here for a reason.
He wanted to meet that man.
He needed answers about what Yuhi Kurenai had gone through back then.
Why she'd changed so drastically after returning to Konoha.
And why she'd rejected his feelings.
Might Guy said cheerfully, "I've passed through the Land of Wind on missions before, but I've never been to Sunagakure. I heard it's a really interesting place."
"What could possibly be interesting about it?"
Yamanaka Ino complained as she held one hand in front of her face to keep the sand out of her eyes.
With the other hand, she tied up her sand-dusted blonde hair, pulled up the hood of her coat, and kept grumbling under her breath.
"There are so many genin squads in the village, so why did they pick Team Ten?"
Coming all this way just to eat sand, when she could be comfortable back in Konoha?
A pampered Yamanaka clan princess like her was obviously not going to take this well.
Nara Shikamaru lifted his head, squinting at the dim yellow sky where a thin strand of sunlight barely managed to pierce through. He spoke in that lazy, drawn-out tone of his.
"The Suna ninja who went to report to them has been gone for a while. Someone should be coming soon, right?"
"Soon," Kakashi replied casually.
Guy didn't like the defeated vibe coming off his students and the others, and raised his voice.
"You guys, your nerves are awful."
"Young people are supposed to burn with youth. Why not learn from Sakura? She hasn't been talking your ears off."
Haruno Sakura kept her head down. She couldn't exactly argue with Guy.
Even now, she still didn't understand why Tsunade-sama had assigned her to this mission.
All she wanted was to get stronger, then catch up to those two.
But still.
Marching into a headwind through the desert really was exhausting.
Every step sank into loose sand that swallowed her feet.
Sometimes even half her calf disappeared.
After days of this, the fact that she could keep going without collapsing was already proof of frightening willpower.
"Guy-sensei, if it was just a mission, we could grit our teeth and push through, but…"
Ino jabbed a finger toward a group of Suna ninja resting in the shade not far away.
"Why are we baking in the sun while they get to lounge in the shade?"
No wonder everyone was complaining.
The worst part of the Land of Wind wasn't just the sand. It was the dryness, so arid it felt like your throat was smoking.
Every breath in and out made your chest and stomach feel like they were burning.
All along the road, they kept drinking cold water to soothe their throats, but it helped less and less as time went on.
Still, after enduring so many days, they'd finally reached Sunagakure's gates.
This brutal journey was almost over.
When the seasons shifted, this was always the most unbearable stretch for the Land of Wind.
Sandstorms rolled in one after another, arriving with relentless frequency.
Even chunin could be put in danger.
The Konoha group had been lucky.
They hadn't run into any extreme weather they couldn't handle.
Just then, someone approached at an unhurried pace.
The newcomer had short red hair and a gourd strapped to his back, his arms folded across his chest.
Including Kakashi, every single person's heart sank hard.
They knew this man well.
When he came closer, Gaara opened his eyes and greeted them calmly.
"Welcome…"
Such plain words, and yet who knew how many years of undercurrent they contained, how much he'd kept buried for so long.
It was Gaara's first time doing "welcome duty."
He honestly didn't know what expression he was supposed to wear at a moment like this.
So he settled for simple words.
"Thank you," Kakashi said, stepping forward and holding out his hand.
Gaara looked surprised by the gesture. A flicker of astonishment showed on his face.
He hesitated for a moment, then reached out as well and clasped Kakashi's hand.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's fine," Kakashi replied evenly.
But internally, he was watching Gaara closely, staying alert every second.
This was the Fifth Kazekage, the one who'd been forced off the seat.
Shouldn't he be angry?
At least resentful?
Yet he looked… calm.
Could he really think handing the Kazekage position to that unheard-of Teizawa was the right choice?
At the same time, Gaara was also observing the utterly worn-out Konoha ninja.
"The Land of Wind is harsh. You've been through a lot."
Sensing Gaara's scrutinizing gaze, Guy didn't care at all.
"Youth is when you thrive. A little wind and sand is just training!"
"Uh…"
Gaara's mouth twitched, and he didn't respond to that.
"Please come with me. The Kazekage wishes to see you."
Everyone hurried to follow as Gaara led the way.
They hadn't walked long before the watchtowers on top of Sunagakure's walls came into view.
On the road, Kakashi tested the waters, speaking to Gaara ahead of them.
"Your current position is…?"
"The Kazekage's ANBU captain," Gaara answered flatly.
"You're impressive for someone so young," Kakashi said, his eyes flickering. "But are you also in charge of this exchange program with the Land of Wind?"
A former Kazekage who'd been removed, yet still serving as the current Kazekage's ANBU captain?
That…
Were they really that trusting of each other?
Or was the new Kazekage simply arrogant?
Kakashi turned it over in his mind.
Gaara shook his head. "Your notice from Konoha came too suddenly. I'm not the one in charge."
"Then… do you know who your side's point person will be?"
"Sorry, I don't know yet," Gaara said apologetically. "Sunagakure is about to hold a large-scale conference. The exchange program will probably have to wait a few days."
"A large-scale conference?"
Kakashi frowned, puzzled.
When the Konoha group set out, Sunagakure hadn't made any announcements.
Which meant Kakashi and the others truly had no idea Sunagakure was about to host a shinobi conference.
(End of Chapter)
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