It took the White Fang Squad five days to travel from Konoha to the border of the Land of Wind. The border looked like a rough seam stitched across the edge of the world.
One moment, they were surrounded by the lush forests and humid air along the Land of Fire's border. The next, endless gold and gray-white brutally filled their vision.
Heat shimmer distorted the distant scenery. The dry wind carried fine sand that stung faintly against their faces.
Shinji Uchiha adjusted the Wind Goggles on his head and tightened his Forehead Protector.
He narrowed his eyes at the vast, deathly still sea of sand, and his inner snark refused to stay quiet.
Seriously-we went straight from "tropical rainforest" to "desert survival" mode.
These environmental debuffs really stack up. Humidity down eighty percent, sunlight intensity up two hundred percent. Back in my old life, I coded in an air-conditioned office from nine to nine, six days a week. Who would've thought I'd end up doing extreme cross-country trekking somewhere like this? Survival pressure's maxed out.
"This godforsaken place..." Miwa Kato muttered beside him, fanning herself in an attempt to drive away the relentless heat. "It feels like all the moisture's being sucked out of my skin."
"Conserve your water, Miwako." Hizashi Hyuga's voice remained calm, though even his pure white eyes had narrowed slightly.
Clearly, even the Byakugan was less comfortable to use amid the harsh glare and blowing sand. "No obvious chakra signatures within five kilometers ahead. But the terrain is complex, and the dunes obstruct visibility."
Hatake Sakumo, who was leading the group, stopped. His silver hair stood out sharply beneath the blazing sun.
He turned and swept his gaze over his three teammates, speaking gravely. "We have officially entered the Land of Wind. This environment is