Are You Good at Fighting?

The Jinchuriki atop Shukaku, Gaara, had already fallen asleep, and the Adamantine Sealing Chains had locked both Shukaku and Gaara together.

Almost instantly, Shukaku was immobilized.

This was the domineering nature of the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques—no questions asked, just seal it!

"Kurama!"

Shukaku roared nonsensical words in fury, thrashing wildly, but it was futile.

Naruto temporarily ignored the giant Shukaku and ran through the forest for a few minutes. He finally found Sasuke, barely alive, in a patch of crushed undergrowth.

Sasuke's face was pale, and his neck was covered with the black Cursed Seal of Heaven, flickering like molten lava.

"How are you?" Naruto slapped Sasuke's face—a small battlefield technique.

When a companion is lying unconscious, the first step is to wake them up. Then, assess their condition. If the person can still respond, it means their airway isn't obstructed.

If they respond incoherently, it's usually for one of two reasons: brain damage or they're on the verge of death, spouting nonsense.

At that point, looting the body is recommended.

"Cough, cough!" Sasuke coughed up blood. When he opened his eyes and saw Naruto, he instinctively frowned.

"Hey, that's uncalled for," Naruto said, exasperated.

"I won't die," Sasuke replied calmly.

Naruto stood up, silently gave him a thumbs-up, and decisively called for Sakura. Truly, this was Sasuke—a man whose last words would probably be full of smugness even in cremation.

---

"Kankuro," Temari called out, waking up the unconscious Kankuro. Her gaze turned complicated as she surveyed the surroundings, noticing Kankuro's smashed puppet.

"Temari?"

Kankuro, who had just come to, froze for a moment, then suddenly clutched his head and cried.

"My puppet! Damn you, Uchiha Sasuke!"

Seeing her brother cry so miserably, Temari felt her heart soften. But thinking of her own predicament, she couldn't say much and sighed helplessly.

After Kankuro calmed down, Temari asked, "Where's Gaara?"

"That guy went berserk and chased after the two from Konoha."

"Which direction? I have to find him!" Temari gritted her teeth, enduring her injuries. "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is after him—I'm worried something might happen to Gaara."

"What could possibly happen to him?" Kankuro, still mourning his puppet as if he'd lost a loved one, turned to look at her and froze.

"Temari, where's your three-star fan?"

Temari bit her lip and replied, "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki took it—don't ask me how!"

"What would he need that for?" Kankuro muttered. "Isn't the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki supposed to be weak?"

Temari didn't want to explain further. Saying it was misinformation, she brushed off the topic.

Supporting each other, they limped toward Gaara's location.

---

Naruto stood before Shukaku and summoned his Lava Release.

"Damn it! Brat, what are you doing?"

"Let's see how long you last," Naruto said, tightening the Adamantine Sealing Chains even more. "Shukaku, let's hope you respect me next time we meet."

"I'll kill you!"

"Lava Release!"

With an infinite surge of chakra, Naruto's Lava Release intensified, engulfing half of Shukaku's body.

"Bind it."

The Adamantine Sealing Chains tightened further, ignoring Shukaku's screams as they sank deep into his mountain-like body.

Satisfied, Naruto felt at ease. With the Adamantine Sealing Chains on the outside and the Four Symbols Seal within, he could suppress any tailed beast he encountered in the future.

The excruciating pain jolted Gaara awake, pulling Shukaku's consciousness back into the seal. Gaara's transformation reverted, and he was promptly knocked out by Naruto's punch.

When Temari and Kankuro arrived, they found Naruto beating Gaara into submission. Both their chakras were nearly depleted, leaving only fists to settle the matter.

Gaara, exhausted and heavily injured by Shukaku, was no match for Naruto. What started as a fistfight soon became a one-sided beatdown.

"Are you good at fighting?" Naruto shouted, punching through Gaara's sand defense and landing a heavy blow to his face.

Gaara was sent flying, his face distorted, landing heavily on the ground, motionless.

"What's the use of having a tailed beast?"

Naruto grabbed Gaara by the collar, delivering another punch. For a Jinchuriki, such injuries were negligible and would heal quickly.

"If you want to survive, you need power! You need connections!"

Gaara rolled his eyes after a brutal punch, barely conscious as Naruto continued pounding him.

"If it weren't for your lucky birth, you'd already be dead."

Gaara, unable to respond, stared blankly as Naruto's fists rained down on him.

"Worthless brat!"

Naruto gritted his teeth, lava forming in his hands, ready to strike again.

Terrified, Temari rushed forward, crying and throwing herself over Gaara.

"You promised not to kill him!"

Temari, truly frightened, broke down. She didn't want Gaara to die, despite his cruelty and unpredictability.

Naruto withheld the final blow, withdrew his Lava Release, and stared at the trembling Temari for a few seconds.

"You're lucky to have been born into the right family."

With that, Naruto left.

Not long after, news of peace between Konoha and the Sand Village would spread.

Temari, still shielding Gaara, watched Naruto's retreating figure in terror, her tears dripping onto Gaara's swollen face.

Gaara, his gaze blank, stared at Temari's tear-streaked face, seemingly lost in thought.

Eventually, Kankuro staggered over, pulling the limp Temari to her feet. For the first time, he saw Gaara in such a battered state.

After some hesitation, Kankuro lifted Gaara.

Temari joined him, each supporting one of Gaara's arms over their shoulders.

"Temari."

"Kankuro."

Hearing Gaara's voice, both froze in shock.

After a moment, Gaara spoke again.

"I'm sorry."

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