Third Subordinate

Upon his return to his human form, Yagura's first act was to summon his club, a weapon crafted by the skilled hands of Kirigakure's finest craftsmen—the same artisans behind the legendary seven mist swords. 

Despite its potency, the club's fame paled in comparison to the renowned mist swords, largely due to the rarity of ninjas favoring such robust weaponry over the elegance of swords.

With a subtle whisper of smoke, Yagura's lost club materialized back into his grasp, prompting him to let out a sigh of relief. 

His focus then shifted to the paramount task at hand—the reason he was here.

He turned his gaze toward the distance, his eyes seeing what the ordinary couldn't. To most, the landscape remained featureless, but Yagura, an exceptional sensor in his own right, swiftly pinpointed his target.

In a flicker of movement, Yagura materialized in front of Gaara, who huddled beneath the shelter of tree roots, shivering in fear. 

As Yagura advanced, Gaara's voice pierced the air, laden with desperation and terror. "No!!" he screamed, his pleas echoing, "Don't come near me!!"

Gaara's life had always been one of isolation, marred by a tragic twist of fate. 

Once, he knew the warmth of a loving mother and caring uncle. Yet, his father, Rasa, driven by desperation, manipulated young Gaara, convincing him that love was a mere illusion, a luxury unaffordable to the child who contained the One-Tail within him. 

Rasa wasn't inherently malevolent or devoid of love for his son. He was, In fact, a loving husband and father; however, he was also a weak man, 

A weak man caught in a desperate struggle between life and responsibilities.

During Rasa's reign, the daimyō's decision to cease funding Sunagakure plunged the village into financial turmoil; balancing his duties as Kazekage and family man became an overwhelming struggle. 

Not long after that, Rasa's life took a tragic turn with the loss of his wife, Gaara's mother. 

In his grief, he became consumed by his role as a leader, neglecting his family. Desperate for improvement, he resorted to drastic measures; manipulating Gaara and condemning him to isolation in a misguided attempt to salvage their village through Gaara's strength.

Under Rasa's influence, Gaara's innocence wilted, replaced by a dark conviction: to survive, regardless of the cost. Fueled by a relentless desire to protect himself, he embraced a chilling creed. He vowed to annihilate anyone stronger, ensuring his own existence above all else. 

Yet, he knew he was powerless here.

He had witnessed Kakuzu's formidable strength, and he had also seen how Yagura had overwhelmingly defeated him. Even Ichibi, the one tail who constantly whispered about death and destruction inside Gaara's head, was silent right now. 

Facing Yagura's approach with gripping fear, Gaara stammered, his voice quivering, "I-If you come near me, I will release the Ichibi!"

Yagura's suppressed chuckle reverberated, intensifying Gaara's terror. "Stay away!!" Gaara pleaded, his will to fight dwindling against the overwhelming dread.

As Yagura's shadow fell upon him, Gaara, resigned to his fate, braced for the worst. Yet, the next moment, to his utter astonishment, he felt only a soft hand, gentle and tender, brushing through his hair. 

Bewilderment etched across his face, Gaara looked up, seeking an explanation. "What?" he whispered, his voice laced with confusion.

Under the snow-white moonlight filtering through the leaves, Yagura crouched down, his eyes meeting Gaara's with a gentle understanding that seemed to dissolve the walls around Gaara's heart. 

For the first time in years, Gaara glimpsed a genuine smile, a smile untouched by malice or fear.

"There, there. It's alright," Yagura's voice was a soothing melody, calming Gaara's racing thoughts like a gentle lullaby in the quiet night.

Gaara's eyes widened, his gaze flickering between Yagura's kind face and the memories of past betrayals haunting his mind. 

Yagura's features, though youthful, held a wisdom that spoke of shared pain and resilience. He continued, his tone soft yet resolute, "I am not here to hurt you, but to protect you."

A maelstrom of conflicting emotions swirled within Gaara. Kindness and warmth; two alien sensations to Gaara, slowly seeped into his guarded heart like the first rays of dawn after a long, cold night. 

Memories of his mother and uncle surfaced, their smiles mirroring Yagura's, filling him with a bittersweet ache. But alongside those memories was the cruel reality of his uncle's betrayal, a bitter reminder of the world's harshness.

The next moment, Gaara let out a roar. His defiant cry, meant to shield his vulnerability, hung in the air, a testament to his strength despite the pain.

Yagura's expression softened, understanding Gaara's struggle intimately. "It's unbearable, isn't it?" Yagura's voice carried the weight of shared isolation. "I know you don't know me, and I don't know you either. But I know exactly how you feel."

With a gesture both gentle and profound, Yagura approached Gaara and enveloped him in an embrace, the warmth of his touch seeping through Gaara's defenses like a comforting embrace from a long-lost friend. "Being alone, being stared at by everybody as if you're a... monster. I know how bad it hurts, I really do."

He pulled away, meeting Gaara's gaze with unwavering determination. "But I am not someone who sees you like a monster. After all, I am a jinchuriki, just like you. You have the One Tails, and I have the three, so in a way, I am your older brother," Yagura chuckled.

Yagura then stood up, his silhouette framed by the forest's soft glow, radiating a quiet strength and acceptance. His outstretched hand, offered in trust and companionship, cut through Gaara's insecurities like a beacon of hope. 

"Come with me," Yagura's voice, soft yet steady, reached Gaara's ears like a gentle breeze. "I will take you somewhere you won't have to live alone, where you will have a family."

In that moment, under the serene moonlight, Gaara felt a glimmer of hope, a chance for a new beginning amidst the shadows of his past. With a heart heavy with both fear and longing, he reached out, his hand finding Yagura's in the quiet night.

Yagura gently pulled Gaara to his feet, a silent understanding passing between them. "My name is Yagura," he said, "I used to have a surname, but I left it behind when I left my village."

"I'm Gaara," replied Gaara, his voice still carrying a trace of his usual coldness. Despite warming up to Yagura and deciding to join him, Gaara's trust was not easily given.

Yagura noticed the dark markings on Gaara's face and inquired, "What's with those markings, Gaara? Do you have sleep problems?"

Gaara nodded and confessed, "Yes, Ichibi always talks in my head. He says he will come out if I fall asleep." His words were tinged with sadness, a burden he had carried for years.

Concern etched Yagura's face as he asked, "Do you hear his voices all the time? Even now?"

Gaara nodded once more, his eyes slightly shaky. "What is he saying right now?" Yagura pressed.

"To kill you," Gaara replied, his voice barely audible.

With a frown in his face, Yagura pulled out a scroll and instructed, "Press on it." Gaara hesitated but ultimately succumbed to Yagura's urging, placing his hand on the scroll. 

The moment Gaara's hand touched the scroll, the markings on the scroll came alive, swirling around Gaara's hand and climbing up his arms, disappearing beneath his clothes, leaving behind an empty scroll.

In Gaara's palm, a whirlpool marking appeared. 

"What did you-" Confused, Gaara started to question Yagura, but mid-sentence, he paused. Disbelief filled his eyes as he uttered, "I can't hear Ichibi's voice anymore."

A proud smile graced Yagura's lips as Gaara, overwhelmed by emotion, fell to the ground, finally succumbing to peaceful slumber. 

For the first time in years, Gaara found the relaxation he needed to drift into sleep, his tense form easing into unconsciousness.

Yagura sighed, watching over the sleeping Gaara, knowing the immense weight that had been lifted from the young jinchuriki's shoulders.

Under the silver glow of the moon, Yagura kept his vigil over the sleeping Gaara, his eyes reflecting the relief that had finally settled on the young jinchuriki's shoulders like a comforting blanket. The forest was silent, a stark contrast to the tumultuous events that had just transpired.

Then, a sudden series of claps pierced the stillness, making Yagura snap his head towards the source. 

There, sitting on a tree branch, was Enkai, his presence masked by the darkness of his attire, his mask and hat obscuring his features. He clapped rhythmically, his applause echoing through the night. In the next instance, he appeared before Yagura.

"You're a much better actor than I thought," Enkai remarked, his tone carrying a mix of sarcasm and approval, as he swiftly placed seals on Gaara and effortlessly hoisted him onto his shoulder.

"Why are you late?" Yagura inquired, his brows furrowing slightly. He began to replenish his dwindling ninja tools from his storage scrolls.

"Apologies, some unexpected, yet pleasant meetings held me off from the scheduled time," Enkai replied, his expression growing serious. "Did you deal with them?"

Yagura nodded in response. "I beheaded the scythe-wielder, and have confirmed that his body is vaporised. As for Kakuzu, he couldn't have survived a Bijuu Dama."

Enkai's contemplative silence stretched for a moment before he nodded, acknowledging the undeniable logic in Yagura's words. "Yeah, you're right,"

In the original timeline, Enkai distinctly remembered that Kakuzu needed Hidan's body to attach it to his head, so he believed that even if Hidan's head is alive somewhere he will likely die soon. 

As for Kakuzu, Enkai was sure that he had died, after all Kakuzu couldn't survive a rasenshuriken so there is no realistic possibility of him staying alive after getting hit by a literal bijuu dama.

In unison, they decided to leave the area, anticipating the arrival of Konoha shinobi. Swiftly traversing the trees, they soon left the outskirts of the village, and once they were out, they slowed their pace. 

Enkai turned to Yagura with concern etched on his features. "Are you injured anywhere, Yagura?" Enkai's voice held genuine worry.

Yagura shook his head nonchalantly. "No, they were surprisingly weak for people who call themselves 'Bijuu Hunters.'"

Enkai's tone turned serious as he recounted their encounter. "Don't underestimate them. Remember, I took you down in your full form."

"Yeah... How did you even do that? It's still a mystery to me," Yagura asked, tilting his head in genuine curiosity.

"Hmm, I just kept fighting you until I figured out how I could take you down," Enkai said, his expression contemplative as he recalled the intense battle.

"How to take me down? As if there is a pattern to defeat a tailed beast," Yagura scoffed, his scepticism evident.

"Say, how do you think a mouse takes down a cat?" Enkai asked, his eyes glancing sideways at Yagura.

"Ugh, I don't know, struggle as much as possible, maybe try to bite its legs or something because it obviously can't bite a cat's mouth or upper body," Yagura said, sounding uncertain, as if he were making a wild guess.

To which Enkai nodded and said, "Yeah, that's exactly what I did. I used the biggest sword I could get and started cutting your legs off."

Yagura shuddered at the thought. "That sounds horrifying."

Enkai's expression grew sombre. "That's that, but my point is—never underestimate the Akatsuki. Under the right circumstances, their members can even overwhelm me, let alone you."

"Wait, what? I thought you were strong! Now I want to switch sides," Yagura muttered, his shoulders slumping in feigned defeat.

Enkai chuckled softly. "Switch sides? Who would take you in, Akatsuki? You're like food to them."

"That's exactly what makes it all the more depressing," Yagura sighed, a sense of resignation in his voice.

Enkai's gaze met Yagura's, his eyes reflecting a depth of determination. "Don't worry too much," he said, his voice steady and reassuring, "because even though I am not very strong right now, what sets me apart from everybody else is that I know how to become strong, truly strong."

______

Meanwhile, amidst the silent, shadowy depths of the forest where Yagura once clashed with the Akatsuki members, eerie black threads slithered out of the earth.

Initially, they emerged one by one, akin to earthworms surfacing after a heavy rain. But swiftly, these threads multiplied into hundreds, intertwining and weaving a grotesque silhouette.

Eventually, a solitary mask also emerged, followed by the manifestation of a human figure – Kakuzu, clutching Hidan's severed head in his hands.

They had evaded both Enkai's and Yagura's senses. 

This was because Yagura's chakra sensing worked by sensing the vapour in the air, and Enkai's senses literally sensed everything in the air. But none of them could sense things underground, a flaw about which they have yet to find out.

His gaze fell upon Hidan, his tone devoid of emotion. "Mission has failed," he declared stoically, "let's meet the others at the rendezvous point."