Chatting with Gaara

Just like that, the meeting between the Jinchuuriki and their Bijuu ended. While Fuu managed to befriend Chomei, Gaara only held a small conversation with Shukaku that didn't really bring them any closer.

Since then, one day passed, and the second part of the chunin exam was about to start.

The rules were pretty much the same as those in Yuna's first chunin exam. Every team will get a heaven or an earth scroll, and they have to reach the middle of the exam area, the Demon Desert, with both types of scrolls.

Meanwhile, Gaara was sitting in his office with one of his eyes closed and in deep concentration. Simultaneously, a bit of sand started gathering inside the Demon Desert, and a short while later, it turned into a floating eye.

This eye was controlled by Gaara. He could move it around freely and even see through it. The moment the second exam started, he used it to observe the participants to make sure that no one died during the exam and to look for those who want to rebel against him.

"Oh my~ To think the new Kazekage would be into peeping~"

The moment Gaara heard someone else's voice in his office, sand burst out of the gourd he carried on his back and shot towards the source of the voice.

However, before the sand could hit its intended target, it turned into one big ice block and stopped moving.

"Oh? Not bad. Most people freeze up or get startled when I appear inside a place they deem safe and talk to them. Did you react because you are especially wary or because this is not a place you consider safe?"

Gaara gave the intruder an annoyed glare before taking a deep breath to remove some of the tension he felt due to thinking that someone was trying to assassinate him.

"*Phew* Although I would like to claim it is the first reason; it actually is the second. Considering that some people want to rebel, I can't even feel safe inside my own office. Anyway, why are you here, Yuna?"

"Hehe, I was just wondering about the current situation. I have already mentioned to Temari that I know about the rebellion, and I honestly wouldn't mind giving you a hand."

Although Gaara was slightly surprised by Yuna's words, he couldn't help but be suspicious at the same time.

"Why would you do that? I don't think you would get anything out of this."

"Isn't that obvious? Since Konoha and Sunagakure are allies, it is only natural to help you out in a time of crisis."

Although there was a righteous and honest look on Yuna's face, while she said those words, Gaara didn't believe her for even a second. From the reports he read about her, Gaara was certain that Yuna was not a person who would do something that didn't benefit her or those close to her.

"Although that may sound like a nice excuse, I somewhat doubt that that is the true reason."

When Yuna heard Gaara's words and saw the skepticism in Gaara's eyes, she couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hehe, despite being relatively young, you have quite the sharp mind. You are correct. I don't give a damn about the treaty between Konoha and Suna."

Although Gaara found it a little weird that Yuna was calling him young, when she herself was about the same age, he decided to ignore that for now while motioning for Yuna to continue speaking.

"Well, the real reason why I want to help you is much more straightforward. Naruto said you two became friends, and Naruto would be sad if his friend died, so I want to prevent that from happening."

Gaara was visibly moved when he heard Yuna's words. He never had someone he could call a friend. After Naruto defeated him during the chunin exam, he said that Kurama was his friend, but at that point in time, he could barely understand what that meant.

Although his understanding grew over the last year, only after seeing the interaction between Yuna and Kurama did he feel like he got a better grasp of the concept of friendship.

Although he failed to befriend Shukaku for now, he wouldn't give up so easily. Now that he heard that Yuna was willing to participate in something this dangerous just because Naruto was his friend, his opinion of Yuna immediately skyrocket.

He took another deep breath to calm down his raging emotions before calmly looking at Yuna.

"I am moved by the support you are willing to give me just because of my friendship with Naruto, but this is not something shinobi from another village should intervene in. This is Suna's problem, so Suna will solve it."

Yuna simply shrugged her shoulders when she heard Gaara's words.

"Very well, if that is what you want, I will comply. Oh, but if I see something I can take advantage of, I will do so, so you'd better prepare yourself, hahaha!"

A small smile appeared on Gaara's face before he nodded his head.

"Well, I guess that is what being a shinobi is all about, so it's fine. I just hope you won't over-exert yourself and get into trouble. You might want to protect me because I am Naruto's friend, but I don't want my friend's sister to be hurt either."

A smirk appeared on Yuna's face that gave Gaara an incredibly dangerous feeling.

"Hehe, no worries. At the end of the day, I will be the one to collect the most prizes."

A wry smile appeared on Gaara's face when he heard Yuna's words. Although he wasn't sure what Yuna was planning to do, considering his friendship with Naruto, he didn't believe that she would do anything too dangerous. Well, even if she wanted to do something dangerous, Gaara had no confidence in actually stopping Yuna, so all he could do was hope that Naruto's friendship with him would be enough to restrain Yuna.

Luckily, or maybe unluckily, Gaara couldn't hear the conversation that was currently happening in Yuna's mind.

[Shameless as always, huh? Protecting Naruto's friend? I don't believe you for even a second.]

'Hehe, you really know me well, Kurama. Although I might go out of my way to protect people like Ino or the members of the Uzumaki clan, I won't do the same for someone Naruto befriended and hasn't seen since then.'

[So, what is the real reason that you want to interfere in this matter?]

'I am pretty sure that you already know the answer to that, Kurama.'

[So it really was that, huh. As always, you have some pretty weird hobbies.]

'Yup, what can I do? I just love killing corrupt people in high positions.'

[She said while corrupting multiple people in high positions herself.]

'*Cough* It is different when I am involved.'

[Oh? How is it different?]

'Haven't I already said that? The difference is that I am involved.'

[...]