And that was absolutely impossible to perform inside Konoha.
Honestly speaking, Daimaru didn't know how Temari and Kankuro felt about accompanying Gaara to Konoha to participate in Konoha Crush.
The three siblings were risking their lives to create favorable attack conditions for Sunagakure. This was beyond reproach; ninjas were a combat profession that lived on the edge of a blade.
But did they really understand the fate of a Jinchuriki after the Tailed Beast within them was liberated?
Either they died from losing the Tailed Beast, or they were killed in retaliation by Konoha ninjas.
Aside from perfect Jinchuriki, basically no one who fully liberated a Tailed Beast met a good end.
If Temari and Kankuro's mission had a slim chance of survival, Gaara's task was essentially a suicide mission with zero chance of life.
Presumably, Sunagakure, including the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, regarded Gaara, this failed Jinchuriki, as a burden. They just wanted to "recycle the waste" one last time, letting him contribute his final strength to Konoha. As for the life or death of the Jinchuriki of the One-Tail, basically no one cared.
Did Gaara understand the fate he was about to face?
Maybe he knew. Even if Gaara wasn't clear, the One-Tailed Shukaku inside him would clamor to tell him, striking at his spirit to increase its own hope of escaping.
As for Temari and Kankuro, they were likely just following the plan in a daze.
If Uchiha Sasuke hadn't injured Gaara, disrupting his spirit and preventing him from using the Feigning Sleep Technique to release the One-Tailed Shukaku in time, coupled with his defeat by Uzumaki Naruto, the outcome might not have been so "good."
"Hey, Daimaru..."
Daimaru, who was zoning out, suddenly noticed a hand waving in front of his eyes.
"What the hell are you doing? Did you hear a word I just said?"
"Did you say something?"
"You bastard..."
Kankuro cursed. He had kindly offered a reminder, only to be treated like wind passing the ears.
"Calm down, Little Brother-in-law..."
"Who's your Little Brother-in-law..."
Before Kankuro could finish speaking, the seemingly indifferent Temari suddenly shouted, "Don't think I can't beat you up just because you're in a wheelchair..."
"Temari, don't yell so loud. This is a hospital; you'll trouble others..."
Kankuro glanced at the loose-lipped Daimaru and tried to persuade Temari, who had suddenly flared up.
"If it weren't for his big mouth, how could this guy be so smug?"
When a girl gets angry, she doesn't care if you're her biological brother; the scolding is just as explosive.
"What does it have to do with me? If you two have a conflict, you can have a good fight in the Chunin Exam. Repay grievances with grievances, revenge with revenge..."
"I don't need you to tell me..."
Temari spoke viciously, then seemed to remember something. She gave a cold snort, turned her head away, and stopped talking.
Whether intentional or not, after the first match between Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Neji came the battle between Uchiha Sasuke and Gaara.
Logically, the second match was Gaara's opportunity to release the One-Tailed Shukaku. The third match between Kankuro and Aburame Shino, and the fourth between Daimaru and Temari, would be impossible to hold.
At this point, who could have predicted that Uchiha Sasuke, the genius attracting the most attention, would actually be late for the Chunin Exam?
If it were anyone else—say, Daimaru—who was late, the referee would surely have declared a forfeiture. Candidates with backing and buzz had privileges; they could actually postpone the match. The so-called dignity of the joint Chunin Exam was nothing more than this.
"Did your squad leader, Otokaze, leave any special instructions for you?"
Before long, the sun rose higher. It seemed time to leave, and Kankuro asked suddenly.
"No!"
Although Daimaru's relationship with Captain Otokaze was decent, they had only known each other for a few short months.
In less than half a year, their communication had been limited to missions; otherwise, they stuck to their own business.
They hadn't reached the stage of talking about everything.
"Is that so!"
Kankuro smiled helplessly.
Although Kankuro and Temari nominally had arrangements, once the fighting started, who could look out for whom? Everyone would have to rely on their own skills to survive.
For Temari and Kankuro, their only concern might be the bond of blood between the three siblings.
"What are you thinking about? Let's go..."
Daimaru said with a smile, seemingly unaware of anything. "Getting up this early to see off our comrades is enough. I'm hungry; time for breakfast."
With that, the Substitute Puppet dutifully pushed the wheelchair, taking Daimaru away.
Only the siblings, Temari and Kankuro, remained, bathing in the morning light.
"Temari, how much do you think Daimaru knows about the 'plan'?"
"How should I know? I'm not close to him!"
"I'm relatively familiar with him, but I still don't quite understand this guy. I don't know what he's thinking..."
"Sneaky guy. He's probably plotting some scheme again..."
Kankuro shook his head with a smile. "Although Daimaru is a bit mysterious, he's actually a very lazy guy. He wouldn't do boring things! And he's excessively proud! Why do you think he can ignore our identity as children of the Fourth Kazekage and interact with us so nonchalantly? Because he doesn't regard those things at all..."
"He probably just doesn't understand the power and influence of a Kazekage yet!"
"Is that possible? Being ignorant and fearless as a child is one thing, but after being a Genin for four years, could he still be an idiot who knows nothing of the world?"
Sunagakure was only so big. Most children of the same age group had heard of each other, even if they weren't close.
Daimaru had been a domineering child from a young age, and the number of times he bullied the Kazekage's children wasn't small!
He had restrained himself a bit as he grew up, but that wasn't because his temper had improved; rather, his childish actions had decreased.
"If you don't interact with him often, you can't sense that deeply hidden arrogance. A few months ago, Daimaru swore he would take the Chunin Exam. Why do you think that was? Just to show off and make you look at him differently? I can't be sure about other things, but his constant claims of pursuing you—those are likely true. Because a guy like Daimaru disdains lying about such things..."
"So what?"
Temari chuckled lightly. The cheerful Sand Princess was no less proud than anyone else.
"Only those Sand Ninja who survive are qualified to talk about anything else. You and I are the same!"
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