It just so happened that the first mission the Sand siblings were assigned to was a C-rank mission that was strangely related to their expertise. It was difficult to call it a mere coincidence.
Mission: The Puppeteer's Lost Artifact
Rank: C
Objective: The team is tasked with retrieving a valuable puppet that has been stolen from a puppeteer's collection. This puppet is not only a masterpiece of craftsmanship but also contains a secret compartment with rare antidotes to poisons commonly used by Sunagakure's shinobi.
Details:
Location: The mission takes place in the desert surrounding Sunagakure, where the puppet is believed to be hidden in an abandoned outpost.
At the sight of this mission, the Sand siblings were stunned and exchanged suspicious glances with Lady Chiyo, who averted her gaze, avoiding their questioning eyes. Temari, however, was different. She continued to stare at the mission description for a long moment before speaking up.
"How are we supposed to find a puppet in the desert around Sunagakure? Have you seen how vast the desert is? There's no lead, this mission is pointless. We should change it and take another one."
"I agree," Kankuro added, his arms crossed as he turned toward the mission hall to walk away.
But Lady Chiyo was quick to stop him. "Not so fast, boy. Don't be so hot-headed. I'm not done explaining."
She cleared her throat, glancing down at the mission sheet before continuing. "The puppet is intricately designed, resembling a traditional Sunagakure warrior with detailed armor and a sand-colored cloak to blend into the desert environment. It's also equipped with a whip and a sword, along with built-in chakra shields. The puppet is capable of setting up traps, like bombs and poison gas."
"That makes it even harder to find," Gaara said, his voice calm but tinged with a sense of foreboding.
"Don't be discouraged yet," Lady Chiyo said. "That's exactly the point. We've already taken up this mission, so we might as well learn from it."
"Are we going now?" Temari asked, eager to move forward but still clearly skeptical.
"Yes, we are. Time waits for no one," Lady Chiyo replied, and without wasting any more time, the group set off.
As they ventured into the desert, they walked in silence, each of them staying alert for any signs of danger, save for Lady Chiyo, who seemed unusually calm. It wasn't long, though, before Gaara suddenly halted.
"The sand here... it's been tampered with," Gaara said, his voice steady but sharp.
Hearing this, Kankuro crouched down to investigate. He pulled out some equipment from his bag, his brow furrowing in concentration. After a moment, he nodded and looked up.
"Yes, it seems there are remnants of poison in the area. Though it's not harmful unless taken in large doses," Kankuro said, his tone grim.
As if to signal the beginning of their troubles, Temari, who was more sensitive to shifts in the wind, turned her head and gasped. She and Gaara simultaneously spotted a sandstorm rapidly approaching them.
Without hesitation, Gaara stepped forward, using his sand to form a protective dome around them, shielding the group as the sandstorm rushed past. The fierce winds howled, but inside the dome, they were safe from the deadly storm.
"Is it over yet? Can we go check?" Temari asked, her voice filled with impatience.
But Kankuro quickly disagreed. "A sandstorm just passed through a poisoned desert, and you want to go out and take a look? The storm must've stirred up some toxic winds. The air is probably chaotic, and if we breathe it in, even just once, we could be dead."
Temari scowled but held her tongue as she stared out at the shifting sands. "Then how do we survive and get past it?"
Kankuro looked at her with a serious expression. "We wait. If we don't act recklessly and give it some time for the air to clear, we might just make it. But rushing out will only get us killed."
Lady Chiyo, who had been watching the exchange, nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Kankuro's right. Patience is key here."
The team settled into a tense silence, waiting for the sandstorm to subside, knowing that the real challenge was just beginning.