After the exam in the Death Forest was over, Sand #1, Sand #2, and Sand #3 imdiately returned to the hotel.
At this mont, the three of them were gathered in Sand #1's hotel room. There were a lot of Konoha snacks on the table that they bought from the street when they ca back.
The three of them had hardly eaten anything for three days and two nights in the Death Forest, surviving only on standard military ration pills.
Although those pills et basic ninja nutritional needs and provide energy, the taste of the Sand Village's food pills… is truly indescribable.
Sand #1 could stomach it, but the two girls, Sand #2 and Sand #3, had to pinch their noses every ti just to swallow it.
Of course, it's not that Sand #2 and Sand #3 were delicate—rather, the unfamiliar delicacies on the table and their recent experience made them eager to taste all these Konoha snacks.
After a hearty al, all three showed satisfied expressions. Even Sand #1, who was usually extrely self-disciplined, couldn't help but eat two more skewers of sweet dumplings.
He thought such sweets were perfect for restoring physical strength—and probably the favorite of all taijutsu fighters!
At that mont, Sand #2 finally let go of the tension from the second round of the Chūnin Exam. Like a lazy sloth, she hugged Sand #3, her voice trembling slightly.
"Waaah~ Sand #3, when the Hokage's assistant announced the results, I was scared to death."
"I barely made it to the next round. I almost failed! That was terrifying!"
"You and Sand #1 are way stronger than . What if I had been the only one eliminated? I don't want to be separated from you two!"
As she said this, she sneaked a glance at Sand #1 with her big watery eyes, thinking she was subtle.
But in the eyes of Sand #1 and Sand #3, her feelings were impossible to miss—it was too obvious not to notice.
Sand #3 grabbed Sand #2's twin ponytails and started ssing with her hair while sighing.
"Sand #2, you're a rare dical ninja. There aren't many like you in the Sand Village."
"There were so many people in the exam this ti, and you still advanced to the top 26. That's incredible."
"To be honest, if I were in your position, I might not have made it to the finals. You're the only dical ninja among the 26 who advanced."
"dical ninjas aren't great at combat, so the fact you passed is already a big deal~"
Sand #1, standing beside them, nodded in agreent. But he had noticed Sand #2's line about "not wanting to be separated." He quietly made up his mind.
Looking at his teammates of many years, Sand #1 decided to speak up about his future plans after the Chūnin Exams.
"Sand #2, Sand #3, what do you plan to do once the exams are over? I'm planning to take up a border mission after I get promoted."
Sand #2's heart skipped a beat. A wave of sadness surged over her chest, nearly suffocating her.
Sand #3 looked at Sand #1, confused.
"You're doing fine—why go to such a harsh place? Border duty is long-term, the pay isn't great…"
"And the missions are dangerous. Why not choose a better career path?"
Sand #2 nodded in agreent, clearly also hoping to talk him out of it.
But Sand #1 shook his head, firmly explaining his reasons.
"My mother lives out there. My father's buried there, and she refuses to leave. So I want to be closer to take care of her."
"And also… like you saw in the extra test this afternoon, there are still a lot of hidden dangers in the ninja world. So people dared to attack a village like Konoha."
"If our own village were attacked one day… who would protect it?"
"I want to protect our ho. Even if it's dry, harsh, and not beautiful—it's still ho, right?"
Sand #2 looked into Sand #1's determined eyes. His words stirred sothing deep in her heart. She suddenly stood up, filled with emotion. It would be the most important decision she'd ever make.
"Sand #1! You're right! I want to go too!"
"A ho of your own is better than anything else! I want to protect the Sand Village with you!"
Then she ran to the window and shouted out loud.
"I will definitely beco a Chūnin!!!"
Her voice rang out through the open window, drawing the attention of several Konoha villagers. They looked over to see a cute girl with twin ponytails shouting boldly.
They couldn't help but smile. "Such a lively girl… it's nice to be young~"
In that mont, Sand #1 and Sand #2 silently ford a united front. Together, they turned toward Sand #3, their eyes full of expectation.
"Sand #3, what about you? What will you do after you advance?"
Sand #3 leaned back, propping herself up on the tatami mat. She couldn't help but reflect on her past.
In the Sand Village, every necessity was precious. The land was too barren to grow crops.
Harsh winds and dry sand made it impossible for seeds to sprout—they'd just wither away.
Only the oases had greenery or water, so everyone had to carefully manage their daily water use.
Even bathing required rubbing with sand to clean the body—only nobles had the luxury of using water.
"As for … I might try to join Konoha's trading caravan."
"Our village is so short on supplies. I want to bring more things back from Konoha, so our people can live better."
"It seems like we might not get to do missions together again. But I'll still pass by the border often, so we'll have chances to et."
Sand #2's big, watery eyes almost welled up with tears again. But eventually, she felt better.
Even though they wouldn't stay together as a team, it was enough that they shared the sa goal—to make the Sand Village a better place.
Though their paths differed, they all led to the sa destination...
…
…
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