Nightmare

"The sand cocoon feels way too familiar, like I made it. Not exactly me, but the chakra signature is just resonating with mine."

"This probably... no, this has to be done by Shukaku."

"I just started sensing chakra, and now I'm already faced with the hurdle of controlling it? That's a big leap, even for me."

BOOM

The sand cocoon exploded, sending dust filling the air before quickly dissipating. Standing in front of Gaara was Baki.

"Lord Gaara, are you alright?"

"...Yes."

"Then I shall take my leave. Lord Kazekage awaits me."

Gaara didn't respond immediately, his thoughts lingering. Weirdly enough, I was expecting something more. Tch, I shouldn't expect anything from them. I need no praise.

Gaara slowly walked out of the castle's training grounds, breathing in the fresh air, now more familiar with his surroundings.

The beginning of a fresh start, he thought to himself.

It's time to delve deeper. Hmm, as for who almost killed me... it's definitely that father of mine.

With that, Gaara continued walking toward his apartment to rest for the day.

As for why I wasn't able to sense chakra, I don't know. I don't mean to be ignorant, but I couldn't care less. Now that I can sense it, I don't think it should be a problem anymore. And why did Shukaku help me? I'll have to ask him whenever I can.

Now, onto the next agenda. It seems things didn't go exactly as planned—learning taijutsu before sensing chakra and ninjutsu—but I still gained something.

By the time Gaara arrived at home, night had fallen.

It was time for a good night's sleep, which he did... but fate wasn't done tormenting him.

While sleeping peacefully, as every other child would, tonight's dream was different. In an open space of endless sand, earth, and desert, Gaara stood alone. It felt like the earth stretched on forever, and Gaara, still only three years old, remained unfazed for quite some time.

Is this supposed to be a nightmare?

Gaara questioned where he was and how he got here, but couldn't find a plausible answer. He opted for the obvious.

Shukaku.

It was a long shot, but not uncertain.

Suddenly, the calm earth began to tremble, and earthquakes erupted. Though they were not near him, natural disasters could never be underestimated.

Gaara turned around and did what any reasonable person would do.

Run.

He ran, feeling his fragile legs protesting with each step, but his instinct urged him forward. The urgency spurred him on until, as though heeding his desperate wish for freedom, he woke up. Gaara jolted upright in his bed.

To his relief, the moment he jumped off the bed, a dagger slammed into the mattress, its poison-tipped blade sinking into the fabric.

Who else would do this if not an assassin? Gaara thought, but a shiver of fear ran down his spine at the unknown. His room was sealed tight, with no way for sunlight to get in, but an assassin had somehow slipped past his defenses. If that was the case, the stealth involved must have been on another level.

If not for my siblings next door, no one would have been alerted. Now I regret isolating myself from them...