Chapter 324: Gaara and Shukaku
Inside a room that appeared a bit austere and plain.
The walls, the table, even the floor were plastered with childlike drawings—undoubtedly the handiwork of Kankuro and Temari, Gaara's older siblings.
Thanks to these drawings, the otherwise rigid room had a touch of warmth and childish innocence.
The three flowers gifted by Tonari were now placed neatly in a vase beside Gaara's bed.
Kankuro and Temari were lying on either side of Gaara, watching over him.
In truth, Gaara was lucky to have such loving siblings.
But having such a cold, calculating father was equally unfortunate.
Tonari walked to the bedside and looked at the tiny figure lying there, the red "愛" (Love) character on his forehead standing out starkly.
He had to admit—young Gaara was truly adorable. A round face, wide eyes, and dark circles under his eyes—though the latter were partly hereditary from his father, Rasa, who also bore heavy bags under his eyes.
"Yah yah!"
Seeing Tonari, Gaara excitedly reached out his hands and waved them. Tiny grains of sand floated between his palms.
Tonari's eyes lit up. "An incredible sand manipulation talent. Rasa, he's really a lot like you."
"Tonari-nii, Gaara really likes you!" Temari said cheerfully.
Tonari chuckled.
No need for her to say it—he could already feel Gaara's trust and curiosity.
But Rasa remained stoic.
This scene didn't align with what he had envisioned or planned. In his eyes, relocating Gaara to a new residence had become an urgent necessity.
Rasa stepped forward. "Temari, Kankuro, step outside for now. I have something to discuss with your... Tonari-nii."
Oddly enough, Rasa inadvertently addressed Tonari with the honorific "nii" (older brother), which Tonari had jokingly suggested earlier. Now he had to go along with it.
"Okay—"
The two children nodded, evidently still a bit afraid of their stern father. Their mother, Karura, had passed away giving birth to Gaara, which explained Temari's slightly rough and tomboyish personality.
Just as they reached the door, Temari hesitated and turned back. "Father... Gaara didn't cry at all today…"
Before she could finish, Rasa cut her off sharply. "I know!"
His voice was gruff, and Temari stuck out her tongue sheepishly before leaving the room, clearly used to this treatment.
Tonari sighed inwardly. Even just hearing what Temari said made his heart ache a little. But Rasa stood unmoved, his face like stone.
Was this what it meant to be truly heartless?
Once the children had left, Rasa let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He wasn't heartless—just painfully aware of the cruelty of the shinobi world. As the Fourth Kazekage, the weight on his shoulders wasn't limited to just his family—it was the entire Hidden Sand Village.
He had personally witnessed the strength of a shinobi who could manipulate sand, and when paired with Shukaku's power, it became something terrifying.
So long ago, he had already made the cold decision: his son would become Shukaku's Jinchūriki.
If Gaara could become a perfect Jinchūriki, then even without him, the boy could guard the village alone.
Even Karura's death hadn't changed his mind. In fact, perhaps it had only hardened his resolve.
"Tonari-kun, sorry to trouble you," Rasa said solemnly.
Tonari nodded silently. This was family business—he was only here to keep his word.
He gently placed his hand on Gaara's stomach and closed his eyes, entering Shukaku's sealed space.
It looked identical to the one Tonari had visited before—except this time, the kind-looking monk that once sat in meditation was gone.
Shukaku, shackled by iron chains, thrashed and roared. Each movement caused the entire space to tremble slightly—evidence that the seal wasn't exactly stable.
"Shukaku," Tonari said with a smile.
Though they'd always been at odds, Tonari had to admit—he didn't actually dislike the tanuki beast.
"You again?!" Shukaku bellowed. Though not the brightest, it seemed to remember Tonari clearly.
"How's life in here? Comfy?" Tonari teased.
"Hmph—" Shukaku snorted sand through its nose.
"What do you want? I'm not listening to a word you say!"
"Oh really? I don't think you have a choice."
Tonari instantly appeared before Shukaku, his voice suddenly carrying a strange, compelling force. "Look into my eyes."
Shukaku met his gaze instinctively—and froze.
By the time it realized the trap, it was already too late.
"This trick works on you every time…" Tonari smirked.
But he wasn't here to control Shukaku. He had no need—especially when he wasn't staying in Sunagakure long-term.
Instead, he showed Shukaku something—a vision of the future.
One minute passed.
Shukaku's eyes cleared, and—for the first time—Tonari saw a trace of fear on its face.
The vision he had shared showed all the Tailed Beasts being absorbed into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—reverting to the Ten Tails.
Even the usually mouthy Shukaku was shaken.
"Was that real…?" Shukaku asked.
Tonari replied calmly, "For now, no. But give it time—it will be."
"But… wasn't that thing sealed on the moon by the Sage?" Shukaku asked skeptically.
Tonari removed his mask, revealing his Rinnegan.
"This eye!" Shukaku gasped.
"Rinnegan. And this eye alone can summon the Demonic Statue."
"Wait… you're trying to unify us?"
"Me?" Tonari snorted. "I'm already a Jinchūriki. You think I need more? Ask Nibi and Kurama."
"Long time no see, you damn raccoon," Nibi said lazily.
"Even the stinky fox is here?" Shukaku said in disbelief.
"We're all in this together now," Kurama said coldly.
"This eye says everything, doesn't it?" Tonari continued. "It used to belong to the one trying to turn you all into the Ten Tails again."
"He's hiding the statue. And when he's ready, he'll come for each of you."
"But why?" Shukaku demanded.
Tonari shrugged. "Power. What else? With the Ten Tails' power, he can cast Infinite Tsukuyomi—enslaving the entire world in illusion."
Shukaku fell silent. It hated Tonari—but it hated being tricked and absorbed even more.
"What do you want from me?" it asked.
"Simple. Don't mess with your Jinchūriki. Help him grow stronger. We might need him one day."
Shukaku didn't reply, but its silence was answer enough.
Tonari withdrew his hand from Gaara's stomach.
The baby had fallen asleep—his first peaceful rest.
Rasa stood dumbstruck. He had never seen his son sleep without Shukaku going berserk.
"Is… is it done?" Rasa whispered.
Tonari patted his shoulder. "Your plan to use hatred to strengthen him is outdated. Nowadays, the best power source for a Jinchūriki is emotion—especially love."
He pointed to the "愛" on Gaara's forehead.
"Think about that. I'm just an outsider, but as Hokage, I must warn you—an organization is targeting the Tailed Beasts. Protect your Jinchūriki."
He walked out, leaving Rasa stunned in place.
Later, Rasa followed him out of the room.
"Thank you, Tonari-kun," he said quietly.
Tonari simply waved it off. This wasn't for Rasa or even for Sunagakure—it was for Gaara, a boy fated to suffer just like Naruto.
"And one more thing," Rasa said seriously, "I would like to propose another deal as Kazekage."
"Oh?" Tonari turned.
"I request that Konoha's Fourth Hokage—Master of Wood Release—help us create a forest in the Land of Wind. In return, we will offer ample compensation."
Hearing this, Tonari wasn't surprised. He'd seen the spark in Rasa's eyes when he conjured flowers for the children.
What followed was a formal negotiation between two village leaders.
In the past, Tonari might have extorted a hefty price—but with war looming, he chose diplomacy.
Helping Sunagakure build strength would benefit everyone.
After some discussion, Tonari agreed.
With this, not only was the alliance between Konoha and Suna strengthened, but the image of Tonari in the eyes of Suna's people also improved greatly.
When he returned to Konoha, Tonari immediately issued a warning to the other major villages:
A dangerous force was targeting the Tailed Beasts.
Whether they would listen was another matter entirely.
But the storm was coming.
And Tonari was preparing his village for war.
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