Dawn in the Sunagakure Village always arrives exceptionally clearly. First, a layer of cold, fish-belly white appears on the horizon, then that white is tinged with a faint orange by the light below the horizon, and is quickly blurred into a murky gray-yellow by the eternal sandstorms of the Land of Wind.
The wind, carrying the chill of the night, felt like a dull knife cutting into my face.
The plaza in front of the mission hall was now packed with a large, dark mass of people. It wasn't the usual sporadic gathering of mission teams, but rather three standard squadrons of ninja, plus the elite Jonin Baki in charge of coordination, totaling thirty-one people.
They silently formed three squares according to the company's organization, each fully armed, their ninja tool kits bulging, their expressions solemn.
The morning breeze rustled the hems of their dark clothes and Forehead Protector, making a soft, fluttering sound. Apart from that, there was only suppressed breathing and the occasional soft rustling of their equipment.
Shira stood in the squadron formation led by Captain Reppu, surrounded by the same few people: Asuka, Sada, and Sasori.
Asuka, unusually, didn't look around; instead, she pursed her lips and repeatedly checked the buckles of her ninja tool pouch.
Sada silently wiped the puppet's joints, while Sasori closed his eyes, his fingers unconsciously caressing the mechanisms of the puppet in his arms.
Captain Reppu stood at the front of the group, his back straight like a lone pine tree on a cliff, only his hand on the hilt of his knife, his knuckles slightly white from the force.
The other two squadrons were led by two powerful Jonin.
The man on the left is an exceptionally tall and burly bald man with dark skin and an old scar running across his left eye, making him look extremely fierce.
His name is Iwa. It is said that his ancestors were stonemasons. He is famous in Sunagakure for his Earth Release Taijutsu and superhuman strength. His personality is as silent and hard as a rock.
The man on the right is a tall, slender, middle-aged man with a cold and stern face. His short silver hair is neatly combed, and his eyes are sharp.
He had three different types of Ninja Blade hanging at his waist, and a faint breeze swirled around him. He was Ryoma, another powerful figure besides Baki, whom we needed to be especially wary of during this mission.
His name itself carries the fierceness of Sunagakure, and he is famous for his mastery of the three Chakra nature transformations of wind, fire, and lightning, which he skillfully integrates into his swordsmanship. He is a rare multi-attribute combat-oriented Jonin Sunagakure. He has a proud and aloof personality, but his strength is beyond doubt.
Elite Jonin Baki stood at the very front of all the formations.
He was still wearing his impeccable Sunagakure Jonin uniform, his face calm, his gaze slowly sweeping over each ninja present. He didn't say anything extra, but the invisible pressure and absolute reliability he exuded were enough to put everyone at ease.
He was the supreme commander of this border reinforcement mission and the backbone of this expeditionary force.
" Lord Kazekage has arrived--!"
A shout broke the silence of the square. The crowd parted to make way for the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, who strode in, escorted by a squad of Anbu guards.
He wasn't wearing the formal robes of the Kazekage, but rather a dark, close-fitting outfit that allowed for easy movement, covered by a white feather robe representing the Wind Kazekage. His brows were slightly furrowed, and his eyes held the usual coldness, as well as a hint of unconcealed solemnity.
He walked to the high platform at the front of the procession, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping across the entire area. The square was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; only the howling wind could be heard.
" Sunagakure ninjas," Rasa's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a metallic quality, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"Today, you will travel to the northern border. There, you will find the barrier of the Land of Wind and the gateway to Sunagakure. Recently, some restless 'guests' have been lurking around our doorstep."
He paused, then his voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable resolve. " Sunagakure may be poor, may suffer hardship, but our home will not be coveted by outsiders! Our land will not be trampled upon! You are not going there for sightseeing, but to defend it!"
"Use your eyes to keep a close watch on every inch of the border! Use your ears to hear every unusual sound! Use your fists and Ninjutsu to tell all those with ill intentions—the ninjas of Sunagakure are still standing here! The spine of Sunagakure has never bent!"
His words echoed in the sandstorm. They were not eloquent, but each word struck a chord with people, stirring the blood of many young ninjas and making them clench their fists.
"The mission is arduous, and the road ahead is unknown. But I believe in you, the most elite warriors of Sunagakure!"
Rasa's gaze swept over Baki, Ryoma, and Iwa, over the Reppu, and over the young or resolute faces of every ordinary Genin.
"Remember, behind you are your homes and your loved ones. Every act of vigilance you take could avert a disaster. Every act of perseverance you take is buying Sunagakure space to breathe and grow!"
"May the winds and sands protect you, and may you return safely!" Rasa gave a final, heavy wave of his arm. "Let's go!"
"Yes, Lord Kazekage!" The thirty-one ninjas responded in unison, their voices briefly drowning out the wind, echoing across the plaza with a tragic yet resolute air.
After the brief ceremony, the team did not set off immediately, but was given a short time to say goodbye.
The ninjas walked towards the edge of the plaza to see off their family and friends.
Shira went over too. Her mother, Rira, had red eyes, but she held back her tears, gripping his hand tightly and repeating over and over, "Be careful, you must come back safely..."
Standing behind his mother, Shiya remained silent. He simply stuffed a newly bought, sturdy water bottle into Shira's bag, patted his shoulder firmly, and whispered, "Son, your father believes in you. If there's danger, protect yourself first."
"Dad, Mom, don't worry." Shira nodded emphatically, her throat tightening slightly.
Next was Granny Chiyo. She didn't go to the center of the square, but stood far away in the shadow of a wind-eroded pillar.
Shira walked over, looked him up and down, and snorted, "Kid, don't die out there, you haven't finished your old woman's tea yet."
As she spoke, she slipped a small, flat leather pouch into his hand. "An antidote for desert snake venom, a universal one. Use it sparingly."
"Thank you, Grandma." Shira carefully put it away.
Then, he saw Yashamaru standing Gaara. Gaara somewhat uneasy.
Shira walked over, nodded to Yashamaru, and then looked at Gaara.
Gaara's gaze seemed to focus for a moment, landing on Shira's face. He silently stretched out his hand, palm open.
Inside was a small, coarse object made of dark golden sand, large at both ends and long and thin in the middle—shaped like a dumbbell. The sand was exceptionally hard, carrying the cold, heavy feeling unique to Gaara's Chakra.
" Shira, this is for you." Gaara's voice was very soft.
Shira paused for a moment, then took the heavy sand dumbbell. It was clearly Gaara had made hastily using his abilities.
Why?
"Thanks, Gaara," Shira said earnestly, carefully placing the dumbbell into a separate inner compartment of her ninja tool pouch. "I'll take it with me."
Gaara nodded, then turned his gaze to the unknown distance. Yashamaru gave Shira a gentle, slightly apologetic smile.
After saying goodbye to her family and teachers, Shira saw three girls, Ameno, Matsuri, and Yukata, huddled together a little further away from the crowd.
When Ameno saw him looking over, her face flushed again, and she hesitated, not daring to go forward. Matsuri chuckled and gave her a nudge, and she lowered her head and jogged over.
"Zi... Shira..." Ameno's voice was barely audible, like a mosquito's buzz, her hands clasped behind her back, her fingers twisted together.
Please stay safe. I will work even harder at school!
She suddenly mustered her courage and raised her head, her clear eyes filled with worry and determination.
"Yeah, you too, good luck." Shira smiled at her and nodded to Matsuri and Yukata behind her. The two girls also put away their joking expressions and waved to Shira seriously.
Just as the group began to regroup and Baki was about to give the order to set off, a slightly hurried female voice rang out. "Wait! Shira!"
Then, Uzumaki Kei pulled Karin along, squeezing through the crowd. Karin's face was flushed from running, and her large, purplish-red eyes behind her glasses were nervously watching Shira.
Their arrival attracted some attention; after all, the mother and daughter in the vortex were considered "celebrities" in the village.
" Aunt Uzumaki, Karin, what brings you here?" Shira, somewhat surprised.
Uzumaki Kei, having caught her breath, wore a gentle yet urgent smile. She placed a small, palm-sized package carefully wrapped in ordinary coarse cloth into Shira's hand, then grasped his hand, squeezed it firmly, and whispered:
"Child, take this. It's nothing special, just some dry food I made myself, something to eat if you get hungry on the road. Be sure to be careful!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but Shira could sense that her hand holding hers was trembling slightly, and her eyes held a seriousness and earnestness far beyond that of ordinary "rations".
The coarse cloth wrapping was slightly hard to the touch and its shape was irregular, definitely not like an ordinary rice ball. Shira instantly understood—this was probably some kind of unknown, possibly highly effective "specially made Military Rations Pill " or something similar from the Uzumaki Clan, something the mother and daughter used to save their lives in dire situations, but had secretly given to him now.
They didn't want to attract attention, which is why they used the term "dry rations."
"Auntie, this is too precious, I..." Shira tried to decline.
"Take it!" Uzumaki Kei used an unusually commanding tone, then quickly released her grip, took a step back, her face regaining its usual gentle smile, and raised her voice slightly, "It's just some food, don't be picky. Karin, say goodbye to Shira."
"Goodbye, Shira." Karin whispered, her eyes filled with worry.
Looking at the unassuming little cloth bag in her hand, and then at the undeniable concern in Shira 'Uzumaki Kei and Karin's timid appearance, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.
He clutched the cloth bag tightly in his hands and bowed deeply to the mother and daughter. "Thank you! Please take good care of yourselves."
At that moment, Baki's cool voice rang out. "All, line up—move out!"
There was no more time. Shira took one last look at the crowd seeing her off, etching the faces of her parents, Chiyo's back, Gaara's shrill bells, Ameno's Red Eye, the worried eyes of the Uzumaki mother and daughter, and the pale, unwarm sunrise in the gray sky into her heart.
Then, he turned around abruptly, ran back to his squadron's formation, stood behind Captain Reppu, and stood between Asuka and Sada Sasori.
"Target: the third, seventh, and Eleventh Outpost on the northern border! Full speed ahead!" With that command, Baki transformed into a gust of wind and dashed off.
"Yes!"
Thirty figures followed closely behind, like arrows released from a bow, or a silent torrent of steel, rushing out of the gates of Sunagakure and heading towards the even fiercer and more violent sandstorm sweeping in from the north. They quickly turned into a string of black dots on the horizon and eventually disappeared into the rolling dust on the horizon.
In the square, the people seeing her off lingered for a long time. Rira finally couldn't hold back anymore and buried her face in her husband's shoulder, sobbing softly. Shiya held his wife, gazing northwards with a deep look in his eyes.
Chiyo sighed, turned, and slowly walked back into the village. Ameno bit her lip until the string of black dots completely disappeared. Uzumaki Kei hugged Karin, the mother and daughter nestled together, silently praying.
The wind picked up, whipping up sand and dust that blurred the footprints of travelers and the vision of those watching over them.
The Sunagakure's sharp blade has already been drawn.
What awaited them was the cold moon over the border, the lone smoke rising from the desert, and the unknown dangers and battles lurking behind the shadows of rocks and the sandstorm.
It's 10:24 AM on February 8th. The author is still at school and hasn't had a holiday yet. They'll have a holiday on the afternoon of the 10th, and the awards ceremony will be in the morning.
Yes, the author did well on the final exam, ranking first in the class.
ദ്ദിᵔ.˛.ᵔ₎✧
Chinese 113, English 117, Politics 86, History 82, Geography 58; after scoring, Politics 97, Geography 82.
However, my math score was 42, a drop of two points from the last exam. ⌓‿⌓
Winter break starts Tuesday afternoon (sad)
Also, this pace is so hard to push forward! Author, please hurry up and push it to Shippuden! (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)