Chapter 64. In the name of love

Susanoo swiftly reached out and grasped Rasa. With a gentle squeeze, he transformed into a pile of gravel.

He dispersed Susanoo, his Sharingan eyes spinning rapidly. In an instant, he detected a chakra reaction beneath the distant sand.

Taking swift action, Natsuki stepped forward, waving and launching three kunai that embedded into the sand before him. The Explosive Tags was ignited with a hiss.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Rasa was blown out of the sand, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Seizing the opportunity, Natsuki leaped and struck his chest with a palm, unleashing a massive sealing technique that enveloped his body.

"Sealing Technique!?" He exclaimed in shock. "You've sealed my chakra!?"

Gravel continued to fall from his face, not from Sand's clone this time, but from Sand's last line of defense, the Sand Armor.

Proudly patting the dust off his body, Natsuki exhaled. His chakra reserves remained ample, showcasing the characteristic strength of the Uzumaki clan.

"Rasa, this marks our first encounter. I am Natsuki Uchiha," he declared.

His expression darkened. "I know you're Natsuki Uchiha. What exactly do you want?"

"Didn't your Uchiha clan leave Konoha independently? Why come to the Land of Wind and stir up trouble for us in Sunagakure?" he questioned.

"Give me a moment," He said casually, retrieving another scroll from his person.

He unfurled a four-piece desert travel set, complete with a table, chair, umbrella, and herbal tea. Pouring himself a cup, he took a leisurely sip.

"I'm curious. Why didn't you reinforce the seal to prevent the tailed beast from going berserk? Instead, you kept provoking Gaara," He then inquired.

Rasa's eyes widened in anger and shock. "How do you know our village's Jinchuuriki is Gaara?!"

Natsuki knocked his head, admitting his lack of interrogation finesse.

"As you're now a prisoner, answer my questions honestly," Natsuki demanded.

Rasa retorted with a snort. "No comment!"

Natsuki frowned. "If you doubt your son's ability to seal the One-Tail, why not become a Jinchuuriki yourself?"

Rasa turned away, unwilling to engage further with this seemingly mad Uchiha.

'Are all Uchiha so unstable?

'As the Kazekage of the village, I am a Jinchuuriki. If I were to go berserk, what would happen to the village? Besides, it wasn't my idea for Gaara to become a Jinchuuriki.'

Observing Rasa's lack of cooperation, Natsuki could only shrug. "I suppose you see yourself as the village's Kazekage. You fear becoming a Jinchuuriki and running wildly, thinking no one would care about the village, right?"

"You lack faith in yourself, yet you insist on sealing Shukaku into your son's body and continue to test him. Is there something wrong with your mind?" Natsuki questioned.

Rasa was taken aback, recalling his experiences in the illusion. He pursed his lips but chose to remain silent.

Growing impatient, he grabbed him, holding his head and opening his eyelids. The Sharingan in Natsuki's eyes spun wildly, turning a deep shade of scarlet.

...

In Sunagakure.

A drunk man staggered forward, tightly gripping a bottle of wine as he ambled through the village streets.

He brushed past a red-haired child, nearly stumbling and regaining his balance.

The drunkard belched, "Watch where you're going, you little brat!"

The red-haired child turned slowly, revealing cold, lifeless eyes and dark circles under them.

The drunkard suddenly felt a chill down his spine, eyes widening. "You are..."

There it was again, that haunting gaze.

Gaara's expression dripped with hatred, memories of bullying and disgust flooding his mind.

"Get out of here! You monster!"

Why, why...

Gaara's eyes gradually turned bloodshot.

"Ah..." A shrill scream pierced the air as the wine bottle crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.

The commotion attracted a group of onlookers.

All they saw was Gaara's retreating back.

"What happened!?"

"It's Gaara!"

"He's gone mad!"

The incident swiftly reached the higher-ups of Sunagakure.

"The Fourth Kazekage issued an order. If Gaara goes berserk again, kill him," Yashamaru lamented with pain in his eyes.

However, this wasn't the first time Gaara had taken a life.

Sunagakure Village had already faced the consequences of being severed from the daimyo.

If news of Gaara's latest actions spread, the village's situation would deteriorate even further.

Given these circumstances, Yashamaru decided to shoulder the burden.

With determination, he made a choice and rose to his feet.

...

"The outcome is still far from smooth..."

Gaara perched on the railing, gazing at his hands with a mixture of distress and helplessness. Tears welled up, uncontrollable.

"Why am I the only one destined to become such a monster?"

"What am I?"

Yashamaru's words echoed in Gaara's mind.

Gaara wept, clutching his stomach in pain.

Unbeknownst to him, six kunai were swiftly hurtling towards him.

A surge of sand burst forth from Gaara's back, forming a protective barrier around him.

Startled, Gaara turned and discovered a sand ninja, face concealed, throwing a barrage of kunai.

Why? Why me again?

Gaara's expression twisted into ferocity, a recurring theme that tormented him.

He reached out, and sand swiftly ensnared the assailant.

As the person faced imminent demise at Gaara's hands, a black shadow swooped down from the sky, deflecting the sand and rescuing the Sunagakure ninja.

Asshole!

Gaara's expression grew more ferocious. His small hands opened, and the sand accelerated, propelling forward.

When he caught up, a swift kick from the black figure sent him tumbling away.

After a few rough moments, the attackers vanished without a trace. Gaara, now squatting on the ground, wore an expression of pain.

At his young age, he had little chakra left, feeling only the persistent agony in his body.

Amid the uncertainty, a figure suddenly materialized before Gaara. Looking up, he recognized Yashamaru.

Yashamaru's clothes were fresh, and his expression was a mix of emotions as he promptly embraced Gaara.

Gaara's heart found comfort in Yashamaru's presence.

"Yashamaru, someone dressed as a Suna ninja tried to kill me," Gaara trembled, his small frame expressing vulnerability.

Yashamaru's expression soured, and he comforted, "I'm sorry, it's okay, it's okay..."

Gaara, still teary-eyed, uttered, "Is it because I'm a monster that people always want to kill me?"

Yashamaru gently stroked Gaara's head. "Don't think like that, Gaara. There are people in this world who love you. Kazekage-sama and I have always loved you deeply."

"My beloved sister sacrificed her life for you. You are the continuation of her existence, the most precious treasure. I care about you immensely."

"When she gave birth to you, my sister loved you deeply. From then on, my heart yearned to be by your side and witness your growth."

"Your name, 'Gaara,' was given by my sister out of love. Cherish yourself and live well."

Recalling the past when Yashamaru was ordered to kill Gaara by Rasa, Yashamaru harbored concerns about his late sister Garura's possible disapproval.

Over the years, he had come to understand that Gaara's irritability stemmed from Shukaku's influence, and underneath, Gaara possessed a kind heart.

Enduring the pain, Yashamaru had prepared himself to assassinate Gaara that night.

Unexpectedly, Rasa intervened, announcing that Gaara had alternative methods, and there was no need for further testing.

Yashamaru found himself on the brink of bidding Gaara farewell forever.

After a journey to the edge of despair, he was overwhelmed with excitement, embracing Gaara tightly and unwilling to let go.

Feeling Yashamaru's genuine care, Gaara couldn't help but cry. However, this time, the tears weren't born of pain but rather tears of happiness.