on screen
Next scene
On a street in Konoha Village
Sasuke said: [Hey, kid in front, what's your name? ]
Gaara tilted his head slightly: [Gaara of the Sand. I am also interested in you, what is your name? ]
[Nice to meet you. I'm Uchiha Sasuke.]
Naruto on the side pointed at himself with his thumb and said with a silly smile: [What about me? ]
Gaara turned around directly.
[Not interested.]
Ninja World
"Haha, this savior with a lively personality is so cute! Gaara dislikes him."
"Naruto and Sasuke are in the same class, and so is Sasuke's wife. Naruto is so miserable. Will he have to eat dog food for several years?"
"This is what Gaara looks like when he grows up. He doesn't look anything special except that he's a little cold."
On screen
The screen flashes
Gaara and Naruto's battle
Naruto lowered his head: [True strength shouldn't be like this. You can't become stronger just by fighting for yourself! ]
After saying this, Naruto raised his head and formed the Shadow Clone Seal with both hands.
Naruto's shadow clones surrounded Gaara, who had transformed into a half-tailed beast.
[Uzumaki Barrage!]
Countless Narutos punched the half-tailed beast Gaara hard.
This move directly knocked Shukaku out.
Naruto used a summoning technique to summon a toad, then used a transformation technique to turn the toad into Kurama, which bit Shukaku. Naruto took the opportunity to punch Gaara in the face.
[Wake up, you bastard!]
After Naruto slid out, his feet were wrapped in a ball of sand.
Gaara formed a hand seal: [Go to hell!]
A powerful burst of chakra exploded from Naruto's body, and he easily broke free from the sand's grip. He rushed towards Gaara and headbutted him hard.
[You bastard!]
Gaara's white pupils were dotted with bloodshot veins.
Shukaku crumbled into sand inch by inch, and both figures fell downward at the same time.
[Why? Why is this guy so strong?]
The defeated Gaara lay on the ground, turning his head to look at Naruto, who was lying down, his body trembling, yet still using his chin to inch toward him.
Seeing Naruto's body getting closer and closer...
Just when Gaara thought Naruto was going to kill him...
Naruto spoke up.
[The pain of being alone is more than just ordinary pain, right?]
Gaara's pupils shrank.
Naruto lay on the ground, looking up at Gaara. His blue eyes were no longer as bright as before.
[I don't know why, but I deeply understand your feelings. But I already have people I love, and I won't let you hurt them! Otherwise! Even if I have to kill you, I will definitely stop you!]
When he said this, Naruto's eyes were full of determination.
[Why? Why can you do this for others?]
Naruto, with blood covering his forehead, said with difficulty: [Because they are important companions who saved me from the hell of loneliness and recognized my existence!]
[They are the most important people to me!]
Gaara's pupils trembled.
The image of Yashamaru came to mind.
"Is that why he is so strong?"
"To them, I am just a experiment of the past that they want to erase. So, what do I exist for?"
At this time
Sasuke appeared next to Naruto.
[That's enough, Naruto. Sakura is fine now. This guy has run out of chakra. The sand that trapped Sakura has long since dispersed.]
After hearing this, Naruto finally breathed a sigh of relief and stopped moving forward.
At this time, Temari and Kankuro arrived at the same time and blocked Gaara behind them.
Gaara said in a hoarse voice: [Forget it, I won't fight anymore.]
Kankuro was startled when he heard Gaara's voice and quickly looked back, gritting his teeth.
'This is the first time I've seen Gaara so weak...'
Then he leaned down and tried to help Gaara up.
[I see.]
Temari looked at Gaara with concern in her eyes.
After Kankuro helped Gaara up, the three figures disappeared with a "swish."
Sasuke looked at Naruto, who had fainted, and fell silent.
Sand Hidden Village
Gaara stared blankly at Kankuro and Temari, who were worried about him, feeling mixed emotions.
"You approached me... weren't you trying to kill me? Why are you worried about me?"
He murmured, "Did I... misunderstand them?"
It turns out there are still people in this world who care about him.
His heart, which had been broken for a long time, was being healed at this moment.
Yes, his uncle didn't love him, his father didn't love him, and his mother didn't love him, but that didn't mean his siblings didn't love him either!
He is... someone cares about him!
Two lines of tears flowed from Gaara's eyes.
On screen
In a forest.
Gaara's mind flashed with Naruto's image and the words he had spoken.
"Uzumaki Naruto?"
"One day, I will also have..."
[Temari, Kankuro.]
[Hm?]
Gaara said weakly: [I'm sorry.]
Temari and Kankuro were stunned.
The two looked at each other.
[No... it's alright.]
People in the ninja world were talking about it.
"It turns out the one who truly saved Gaara was Naruto!"
"Gaara saw Naruto's determination to protect his companions, so he was shaken, right? Now he wants to be recognized by others like Naruto, so he apologized to Kankuro and Temari. Otherwise, how could Gaara say such words with his personality?"
"Gaara is just emotionally unstable because of the tailed beast. He must be a very good kid deep down. We can tell from the fact that he brought medicine to the villagers he accidentally injured."
Sand Hidden Village
Rasa's expression trembled.
He and Chiyo looked at each other and saw disbelief in their eyes.
"Gaara... he has suffered so much, yet just by seeing Naruto's path, he denied his former self. How kind was his original heart?"
Rasa's eyes were moist, and he murmured, "Was I really wrong?"
"Perhaps I was wrong from the beginning. Gaara, I should have let him use the power of love to suppress Shukaku..."
On screen
Gaara fell into memories.
[That day became the most special day in my life.]
[I know there are people who are in the same situation as me, but are taking different paths.]
[So I decided to become a Sand Ninja and strive for the goal of becoming the Kazekage! I will establish a bond with the village in order to survive.]
[My negative life has finally taken a step forward.]
Screen turns
Gaara appeared on the screen wearing the ceremonial robe of the Fifth Kazekage.
The villagers below cheered.
Ninja World
"Although there are no battle scenes, this scene is still shocking! Gaara, once feared as a Jinchūriki, overcame the hatred and prejudice of the villagers, earning their recognition to become Kazekage!"
"No one knows how much he has suffered. The screen just skipped over his struggles these past few years."
"Looking at his youthful appearance, it's not an exaggeration to say he's the youngest Kage in history! What an outstanding young man!"
...