Arashi's eyes dimmed. "I graduated early at ten, became a Chunin at twelve, and a Special Jōnin at sixteen... I once thought that as long as I worked hard enough, I could change this place."
"And what came of it?"
He raised his only remaining hand and pointed to his empty sleeve.
"I lost this arm in the Third Shinobi World War. As a Ninjutsu specialist, I was left without a hand, so of course I was cast aside."
"Couldn't you use a puppet, or learn to make Hand Seals with one hand?" Temari couldn't help asking.
Arashi gave a bitter laugh. "A puppet? I did have one before, the most ordinary kind, but it broke! As for having one custom-made that I could control with one hand, I didn't have the money."
He paused, his voice sinking even lower.
"As for one-handed Hand Seals... those are the domain of geniuses. I tried, but I failed. In the end, all I could do was retire."
Temari's fists clenched without her realizing it.
A genius ninja, cast aside completely because he had lost an arm.
Sunagakure's system was that cruel.
Temari asked, "What about your compensation? A ninja forced to retire by a disability should receive a payout."
Arashi said, "Compensation? What compensation? We even had to buy our own supplies during the war."
"That's absurd!" Temari said angrily. "You risked your lives for the village, and in the end, you weren't even given the most basic support. They just let you be forgotten like that?"
"No one will be forgotten forever!"
"Stars buried beneath a sandstorm can light up the heavens again, as long as someone is willing to dig through the yellow sand!"
Hoshino walked over to Arashi and pulled a scroll from his robes.
"This is a recruitment notice for Anbu Team Eleven. I'm sincerely inviting you to join us and change this place together!"
Arashi's gaze fell on the scroll, a complicated expression flashing in his eyes. His fingers trembled slightly, as if he wanted to touch it, but he hesitated.
"What... can I still do?"
"I'm already a cripple. I can't even make the most basic Hand Seals. What good would joining the Anbu do?"
Hoshino didn't answer directly. Instead, he gently set the scroll on the table and said in a low voice,
"Anbu Team Eleven doesn't need perfect ninja. It needs people like you... people who've known despair but are still willing to fight for the village."
Temari chimed in, "Arashi, you're not alone! We'll change this village together, so those who've been forgotten can be seen again, and those who've been cast aside can stand up again."
Arashi fell silent for a moment, his gaze moving between Hoshino and Temari. The uncertainty in his eyes was gradually replaced by a glimmer of light.
His former self appeared in his mind...
That high-spirited youth, that ninja who had given everything for the village.
"All right, I'll join."
The corners of Hoshino's mouth lifted slightly in a relieved smile.
"Sign your name. Starting today, you're a member of Anbu Team Eleven."
Arashi took a deep breath, picked up a pen with his only remaining hand, and solemnly wrote his name on the scroll.
"What do we do next?" Temari asked.
Hoshino put the scroll away. "First, we need to find more people like Arashi. We need to let them know they're not alone."
Arashi nodded, fighting spirit kindling in his eyes for the first time in a long while.
"I know a few people who, like me, once gave everything for the village, only to be cast aside in the end. I can try to contact them."
"Good." Hoshino patted Arashi on the shoulder. "But before that, you need to get used to a new way of fighting."
"A new way of fighting?" Arashi asked, puzzled.
Hoshino smiled and took a small scroll from his robes.
"This is a gift I prepared for you... a specially made puppet prosthetic."
Arashi looked at the prosthetic before him, shock and gratitude flashing in his eyes.
Temari smiled. "Hoshino, looks like you had this ready all along, didn't you?"
Hoshino nodded. "From the moment I saw how rotten this village was, I knew someone had to step forward and change it all. And now, we're that someone."
Arashi clenched his fist. "I won't run away anymore. This time, I'll fight for those who've been forgotten."
At that moment, even the dim light seemed to brighten a little.
Outside the window, a gentle breeze drifted past.
"Temari, let's go."
Hoshino turned and headed for the door. "We still have to find the next person."
"Who?" Temari asked.
"If Arashi is someone who was forgotten, then she's someone who was cursed."
The next day.
The morning sun streamed through the window, lighting up the office that had just been assigned to Anbu Team Eleven.
The room was next door to the Kazekage's Office.
Though it was in a prime location, the interior was very bare.
A few desks and chairs were scattered about, unopened boxes of ninja tools were piled in a corner, and a map of Sunagakure hung on the wall.
Hoshino pushed the door open, and dust rushed into his face.
"This is our office?" Temari frowned. "It really is... bare."
Hoshino laughed. "I told you, your dad's a real cheapskate."
"You're asking for it!" Temari raised the Three-Star Fan, making as if to strike him.
Just then, a brisk patter of footsteps came from outside the door.
"Sorry I'm late!"
A girl with a ponytail ran in, an apologetic smile on her face.
She wore a Sunagakure Anbu uniform, with two streaks of purple paint on her face and a Sunagakure Forehead Protector tied around her forehead.
Hoshino turned and greeted her with a smile. "You're Maki, right? I'm your captain, Hoshino."
"Hello, Captain!"
Maki scratched her head and muttered under her breath, "He really is a little kid. Is he that good?"
Hoshino's keen hearing caught every word, and dark lines immediately filled his face.
"Looks like we arrived at just the right time."
Yashamaru walked into the room, a faint smile on his face and a short blade hanging at his waist, looking both refined and capable.
"Sorry, we were held up a little on the way."
Arashi followed close behind, the specially made puppet prosthetic Hoshino had prepared for him fitted to his right arm.
"Uncle!" Temari cried in pleasant surprise.
"Temari!" Yashamaru said with a smile. "You're all grown up now!"
Clap, clap, clap-
Hoshino clapped his hands and said, "All right, let's introduce ourselves properly. This is Maki, Senior Pakura's apprentice. And this is Temari, Arashi, and Senior Yashamaru."
As soon as he finished speaking, the others began greeting one another.
"Hello, everyone! I hope we get along!"
"You're the seniors here!"
"Come on, we're teammates now. What are you so shy for?"
Yashamaru suddenly said, "Oh, right, isn't there one more team member?"
Hoshino smiled and nodded. "There is one more! But because of her identity, she won't be able to report in until this afternoon. Let's first make each of our responsibilities clear."