[The projection shows a conversation between Yashamaru and young Gaara.]
["There's a medicine that can heal wounds of the heart. It's just that this medicine is incredibly precious, and it can only be obtained from others… That medicine is 'love.'"]
["Th-Then! How do you get it?!!"]
["I believe Lord Gaara has already received it." Yashamaru smiled as he told Gaara. "My sister—Lord Gaara's mother—loved you very, very much."]
Gaara: "Mother…"
Hearing the tremble in Gaara's voice, Temari and Kankurō felt their chests tighten as well.
For too many years, they had all pushed that painfully obvious truth to the back of their minds.
[Yashamaru gently advised the young Gaara, "Shukaku of the Sand was originally a violent being, born only to attack. But you were born with an 'Absolute Defense' that protects you. I believe that power belongs to your mother—my sister, Lady Karura…"]
["This is the sacred medicine you already possess, the cure for the wounds in your heart."]
[As if the moment reached its peak, a single crystal-clear drop sparkled in the sunlight before falling onto the sand.][One drop… then another… and another… endlessly.]
[Dark marks bloomed across the sand.]
[The sand defense shaped like Karura shielded the face of the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Shinobi Forces—like a mother hiding her child's tears so he wouldn't lose face.]
[Yashamaru's voice faded into the air. "Even after leaving this world, my sister still wanted to protect Lord Gaara."]
Karura's smile before her death. Her obsession that turned into sand after death, still protecting her child. The tears of the Allied Forces' Commander-in-Chief.The Fourth Kazekage's repentance…
Scene after scene struck straight at the heart.
Unlike the shinobi, whose thoughts were tangled and complex, the civilians who watched the projection—daimyō and samurai alike—were openly moved to tears.
Daimyō of the Land of Fire: "S-Someone bring me a tissue! W-Waaah… This is too touching! "Attendant: "..."
Does His Excellency think those terrifying shinobi are actors in a drama?
I mean… it is a little touching.
Civilian: "That poor child!!" "He's kind of handsome too—seriously tragic and beautiful." "Hey, haven't you noticed? The stronger the shinobi, the prettier the women around them." "I noticed ages ago. Look over there." A male civilian pointed helplessly toward the distant female villagers.
One after another, girls with hearts in their eyes looked like they wanted to dive straight into the projection and introduce themselves to the Allied Forces' Commander-in-Chief on the spot.
"So cute!" "He's not even twenty yet~" "Let's hire shinobi like that for our next mission~" "Yeah!"
...
The projection continued—
[With a sigh, the Fourth Kazekage—still in his Edo Tensei body—murmured, "Karura… mothers are truly powerful beings. Even death couldn't stop you from protecting your child."]
["You helped Gaara reach this point. You helped him become Kazekage, helped him make friends, gave him bonds with siblings… You gave him everything I stole from him…"]
["As a father, I… no. I don't deserve to be your father."]
["Mother really was amazing…" Gaara said hoarsely, tears filling his eyes. "From her hands, I received medicine that healed the wounds my father gave me."]
["Gaara, you…" The Fourth Kazekage's eyes brimmed with tears.]
Temari and Kankurō: "Dad…!"They had never seen their father like this. In their memories, he was always cold and unshakable, no matter the situation.
Yet here in the projection—his tear-filled eyes, the way he had collapsed by Karura's bedside and sobbed, the way he'd grabbed his head in frustration under the pressure of the elders—they had never seen any of it.
At least, never in front of them.
[A sealing tag marked with the character "Seal" appeared within the flowing sand.] [Amid sorrowful music, the Fourth Kazekage's Edo Tensei body was gradually buried beneath the grains of sand…]
[From the Fourth Kazekage's perspective, Gaara's figure was slowly blocked by sand. Unlike the darkness below, Gaara stood bathed in sunlight…]
[Rasa: "You've surpassed every Kazekage before you. The village… I'm leaving it to you, Gaara!!"][[The projection followed the Fourth Kazekage's fading vision into darkness.][That darkness pressed heavily on everyone's hearts…]
"Th-That's great, y'know…" Naruto sniffed hard, tears and snot streaming down his face anyway. "Your mom and Yashamaru don't hate you at all! And your dad—acknowledged you! That's awesome, I'm tellin' you!!"
"You're amazing, you jerk! You actually became such an incredible Kazekage!"
Sasuke: "Oi, dead last…" What are you crying for?! You're bawling harder than Gaara is!!
Inner Sakura: Exactly!!
Gaara, dark circles under his eyes, looked at Naruto wiping tears for his sake and muttered softly, "Thank you…"
"No need for that, y'know? We're friends, aren't we?" Naruto puffed out his chest proudly. "One day, I'll become Hokage too! I'll make the Fourth Hokage acknowledge that I've surpassed all the Hokage before him, dattebayo!"
"..."
Shikamaru, who'd been standing nearby as background scenery the whole time: "Naruto… I know you really respect the Fourth Hokage, but I have to tell you—the Fourth Hokage already sacrificed—"
Before Shikamaru could finish, the projection—darkened but not gone—suddenly played sound again!!!
—