The group traveling through the windblown sand wore fairly thin dust cloaks to keep the grit at bay.
Visibility was poor in the yellow haze. Without Maki, a Sand ninja, to guide them, Naruto and the others would most likely have lost their way.
"We're here! Just up ahead!"
Maki, the Sand ninja leading the way, suddenly brightened and pointed at the village emerging from the swirling sand ahead.
"This is the last village on our itinerary. If there's no sign of the Akatsuki here either, they've probably already left the Land of Wind."
"This is the last one? Does the Land of Wind really have so few villages and towns?"
Naruto stepped forward and squinted, making out the outlines of the buildings ahead as he asked in puzzlement.
Never mind comparing it to Konoha—even the small villages around the Land of Fire were larger than the one before them.
Like the other villages they had seen in the Land of Wind, it was built beneath a cliff.
According to Maki, this offered good protection from the surrounding wind and sand, and there was also likely to be a water source underground.
"Uh... well, you've seen our country's environment on the way here. There aren't many places suitable for people to live in to begin with. It's nothing like the environment you have in Konoha."
Maki sounded a little embarrassed.
"Let's head into the village first. The storms along the way have been much worse these past few days."
Mei Terumi spoke up.
The group entered the village. Sheltered beneath the sandy rock face, it was out of reach of the blowing sand, and Naruto and the others could finally take off the coats wrapped snugly around them.
They then split up with practiced ease, spending several days making inquiries