EmotionalRockfish
Member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2014
- Messages
- 332
- Reaction score
- 59
All of part 1 is now up:
Feel free to share these with credit.
You must be registered for see links
It is said that Shinobi are people who endure. It is said that this is because they endure during absurdity. It is a fact. The man is confident of this. This is because the world he came to exist in ought not to exist as such.
Sand.
It has been a familiar landscape since he was born.
While the temperature can rise above 40 degrees celsius, in the evening it drops below freezing, a world that rejects the existence of any living thing. Not only animals and plants, but also bacteria cannot live in this absolute hell.This is the world he lives in. Therefore, the man cannot help but endure.This man’s name is Gaara.
・・・・・・・・
The village hidden in the sand is the one oasis that exists inside such a desert. The strange, sunken in terrain is not thought to be a natural occurrence, and, during the time of myths, it was thought that it might be the result of a god such as Susanoo or Amaterasu using a technique beyond human knowledge.
In the center, the Kazekage’s Office is quite a simple building.
Gaara, who was in charge of the building, and most of the shinobi, were not interested in a thing called extravagance. For example, he thought clothes like the ones he was accustomed to wearing and typical furniture were good. This is an extension of his self-control that might be connected to the past, where during his childhood, as the son of the previous Kazekage, he had no need for material wealth, and in time, savoured loneliness.
With a sigh, he looks up to the sky. His hair, illuminated by the evening sun, is more red than brown, and his pale complexion, like marble, adds to his beauty. Gaara wonders when he will soar through that sky freely.
Currently, the only enemy he has to fight is paperwork.
Ninja fought against the Akatsuki who were trying to control the world, and also defeated Kaguya Ootsutsuki. But it was not a war that anyone asked for.
Of course, as part of the national defence, the daimyo of each country invests in the cost of war, however, the land of wind was unwilling to do so due to the disarmament policy of the past ten years. To the very end, that is the private war of the shinobi.
How does that make sense? Weren’t you being protected by us in the first place?
It is was no wonder that Suna’s shinobi became angry. Not demanding luxuries and riches is different. Construction of clean maternity hospitals for babies and wells for water. Everyday, there science and technology advances due to prior investment. Shinobi that are unable to work because of injuries and life security payments to families of the deceased. These are the things that require money.
The money from the daimyo for the work is gone, but currently it comes from Gaara’s livelihood. There isn’t even the risk for showy ninjutsu fights or flesh spilling blood. Fighting with steady paperwork, there is nothing but uninteresting groundwork and the mediation of various military powers.
That is the reason for Gaara’s sigh.
・・・・・・・・
“Gaara, are you there?” With a click, the door opened and a single kunoichi entered. It was a beautiful woman whose hair shined golden, like the desert reflecting the morning sun. The Kazekage, Gaara, was the type of person who could be spoken to easily, but in many villages, this was not the case.
Because she was a woman, there was only one person she could be. That person was Temari.
“What’s happened?” Gaara’s lips relaxed. Usually when his sister came to his office there wasn’t anything to worry about . If it was work related, Kankuro would usually accompany her.
“Hehe…” Sure enough, with a wide grin, Temari sat down in a chair, “Well… another letter arrived from Shikamaru.”
“I see.”
“Even with emails, that guy still writes letters. He’s apparently concerned with the security… It’s such an old way of doing things, but as strange as it is, it’s still a cautious measure to take.”
Shikamaru was his sister’s fiance. They met at Konoha’s Chunin exams, which Gaara also participated in, and he was an extremely skilled ninja.
When Gaara was informed of Temari’s relationship with Shikamaru, he was very surprised, but, according to his brother, Kankuro, “It seemed obvious.”
Was that how it was?
Awfully concerned after hearing of such a thing, Gaara even tried reading the romance novel, Icha Icha Paradise, but he eventually concluded that this was one of those things that if he still didn’t understand, it was likely to remain that way.
“Development of email encryption systems are advancing. The THX-1138 file we received from the Raikage is…”
“No, that’s no good…”
“…Were we not talking about email?”
“Ha—-” Temari shrugs her shoulders and gives a terribly exaggerated sigh.
“When it comes to these things, you’re as bad as Naruto of the leaf, you know…”
“Did I say something wrong?”
“You did. Something seriously wrong.”
Snap! And Temari thrusts her folding fan towards Gaara.
“When a girl talks about stuff like this, she wants you to listen to her talk about the actual contents of the letter. Understand?”
“Is it an emergency?”
“No, that’s why…” Temari forced a smile, but it seemed like she had abandoned any detailed explanation.
“It’s the ceremony… the date of the ceremony!”
“Aah…” Sure enough, Gaara has that unresolved matter pinned to his mental cork board.
Temari is the Kazekage’s sister, and her soon-to-be husband, Shikamaru, is also an authority in Konoha. The wedding is already political. It’s not something merely decided by those involved. If there is an error in judgement, more than one hundred shinobi could fall.
Since ancient times, there has been a deep relationship between Konoha and Suna. Beginning since the birth of the villages, Suna has been able to survive because of fertile land given to the village by Konoha. Since then, the plan to acquire more abundant land for Suna from north of Konoha has continued. Gaara and Temari even met with Naruto and Shikamaru regarding the upheaval of the scheme.
When depicted like this, the hidden sand might be felt as a one-sided aggressor, but the shinobi world is not simple. Actually, Konoha’s side has also proceeded to destabilize Suna on countless occasions, and during long months and years, apart from the two villages seeming to have an alliance, tension remains beneath the surface. For this reason, Temari’s marriage, into the Nara clan of Konoha, as daughter of the previous Kazekage, has a huge political significance. This is because their marriage will, under the pretense of an alliance, ease tensions between the two villages.
“I take it Konoha accept our conditions?”
“They’re so unromantic… How long have shikamaru and I been racking our brains? ”
“The people in charge of security too…”
“That’s not cute, is it? Honestly, say you are jealous.” Temari pulled Gaara’s cheeks.
It was once the case that Gaara would kill instantly for such a thing, but now, he didn’t have even the slightest intention of doing so. Actually, he didn’t mind it so much.
However, how relationships between families and between men and women differed was still something Gaara didn’t understand. Every time Gaara saw the wondrous smile that Uzumaki Naruto gave towards Hinata Hinata, or Temari’s appearance become untidy, he thought “Somehow, it seems different.”
Gaara’s mother died giving birth to him, a Jinchuriki. His father never remarried. Looking back, he thinks his father might have done such a thing to remain faithful to his mother.
“In anycase, if the leaf village accepts our conditions, we can settle this.”
Gaara stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“I have been called to a meeting with the elders regarding a particular matter. Showing up on time will put them in good spirits.”
Sand.
It has been a familiar landscape since he was born.
While the temperature can rise above 40 degrees celsius, in the evening it drops below freezing, a world that rejects the existence of any living thing. Not only animals and plants, but also bacteria cannot live in this absolute hell.This is the world he lives in. Therefore, the man cannot help but endure.This man’s name is Gaara.
・・・・・・・・
The village hidden in the sand is the one oasis that exists inside such a desert. The strange, sunken in terrain is not thought to be a natural occurrence, and, during the time of myths, it was thought that it might be the result of a god such as Susanoo or Amaterasu using a technique beyond human knowledge.
In the center, the Kazekage’s Office is quite a simple building.
Gaara, who was in charge of the building, and most of the shinobi, were not interested in a thing called extravagance. For example, he thought clothes like the ones he was accustomed to wearing and typical furniture were good. This is an extension of his self-control that might be connected to the past, where during his childhood, as the son of the previous Kazekage, he had no need for material wealth, and in time, savoured loneliness.
With a sigh, he looks up to the sky. His hair, illuminated by the evening sun, is more red than brown, and his pale complexion, like marble, adds to his beauty. Gaara wonders when he will soar through that sky freely.
Currently, the only enemy he has to fight is paperwork.
Ninja fought against the Akatsuki who were trying to control the world, and also defeated Kaguya Ootsutsuki. But it was not a war that anyone asked for.
Of course, as part of the national defence, the daimyo of each country invests in the cost of war, however, the land of wind was unwilling to do so due to the disarmament policy of the past ten years. To the very end, that is the private war of the shinobi.
How does that make sense? Weren’t you being protected by us in the first place?
It is was no wonder that Suna’s shinobi became angry. Not demanding luxuries and riches is different. Construction of clean maternity hospitals for babies and wells for water. Everyday, there science and technology advances due to prior investment. Shinobi that are unable to work because of injuries and life security payments to families of the deceased. These are the things that require money.
The money from the daimyo for the work is gone, but currently it comes from Gaara’s livelihood. There isn’t even the risk for showy ninjutsu fights or flesh spilling blood. Fighting with steady paperwork, there is nothing but uninteresting groundwork and the mediation of various military powers.
That is the reason for Gaara’s sigh.
・・・・・・・・
“Gaara, are you there?” With a click, the door opened and a single kunoichi entered. It was a beautiful woman whose hair shined golden, like the desert reflecting the morning sun. The Kazekage, Gaara, was the type of person who could be spoken to easily, but in many villages, this was not the case.
Because she was a woman, there was only one person she could be. That person was Temari.
“What’s happened?” Gaara’s lips relaxed. Usually when his sister came to his office there wasn’t anything to worry about . If it was work related, Kankuro would usually accompany her.
“Hehe…” Sure enough, with a wide grin, Temari sat down in a chair, “Well… another letter arrived from Shikamaru.”
“I see.”
“Even with emails, that guy still writes letters. He’s apparently concerned with the security… It’s such an old way of doing things, but as strange as it is, it’s still a cautious measure to take.”
Shikamaru was his sister’s fiance. They met at Konoha’s Chunin exams, which Gaara also participated in, and he was an extremely skilled ninja.
When Gaara was informed of Temari’s relationship with Shikamaru, he was very surprised, but, according to his brother, Kankuro, “It seemed obvious.”
Was that how it was?
Awfully concerned after hearing of such a thing, Gaara even tried reading the romance novel, Icha Icha Paradise, but he eventually concluded that this was one of those things that if he still didn’t understand, it was likely to remain that way.
“Development of email encryption systems are advancing. The THX-1138 file we received from the Raikage is…”
“No, that’s no good…”
“…Were we not talking about email?”
“Ha—-” Temari shrugs her shoulders and gives a terribly exaggerated sigh.
“When it comes to these things, you’re as bad as Naruto of the leaf, you know…”
“Did I say something wrong?”
“You did. Something seriously wrong.”
Snap! And Temari thrusts her folding fan towards Gaara.
“When a girl talks about stuff like this, she wants you to listen to her talk about the actual contents of the letter. Understand?”
“Is it an emergency?”
“No, that’s why…” Temari forced a smile, but it seemed like she had abandoned any detailed explanation.
“It’s the ceremony… the date of the ceremony!”
“Aah…” Sure enough, Gaara has that unresolved matter pinned to his mental cork board.
Temari is the Kazekage’s sister, and her soon-to-be husband, Shikamaru, is also an authority in Konoha. The wedding is already political. It’s not something merely decided by those involved. If there is an error in judgement, more than one hundred shinobi could fall.
Since ancient times, there has been a deep relationship between Konoha and Suna. Beginning since the birth of the villages, Suna has been able to survive because of fertile land given to the village by Konoha. Since then, the plan to acquire more abundant land for Suna from north of Konoha has continued. Gaara and Temari even met with Naruto and Shikamaru regarding the upheaval of the scheme.
When depicted like this, the hidden sand might be felt as a one-sided aggressor, but the shinobi world is not simple. Actually, Konoha’s side has also proceeded to destabilize Suna on countless occasions, and during long months and years, apart from the two villages seeming to have an alliance, tension remains beneath the surface. For this reason, Temari’s marriage, into the Nara clan of Konoha, as daughter of the previous Kazekage, has a huge political significance. This is because their marriage will, under the pretense of an alliance, ease tensions between the two villages.
“I take it Konoha accept our conditions?”
“They’re so unromantic… How long have shikamaru and I been racking our brains? ”
“The people in charge of security too…”
“That’s not cute, is it? Honestly, say you are jealous.” Temari pulled Gaara’s cheeks.
It was once the case that Gaara would kill instantly for such a thing, but now, he didn’t have even the slightest intention of doing so. Actually, he didn’t mind it so much.
However, how relationships between families and between men and women differed was still something Gaara didn’t understand. Every time Gaara saw the wondrous smile that Uzumaki Naruto gave towards Hinata Hinata, or Temari’s appearance become untidy, he thought “Somehow, it seems different.”
Gaara’s mother died giving birth to him, a Jinchuriki. His father never remarried. Looking back, he thinks his father might have done such a thing to remain faithful to his mother.
“In anycase, if the leaf village accepts our conditions, we can settle this.”
Gaara stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“I have been called to a meeting with the elders regarding a particular matter. Showing up on time will put them in good spirits.”
You must be registered for see links
A vortex of sand swirled, the harsh winds howling loudly, and a large human figure appeared in the center of the sandstorm.
It’s huge, jan! Kankuro couldn’t help but stare in wonder, even if it was the enemy’s work. It was probably ten… no twenty metres tall, as big as a small building.
Generally it was possible for a shinobi to summon a huge spiritual being, but for a shinobi to transform into something so huge, that was rare.
This is way different to the Akimichi clan’s expansion jutsu! I guess this is something only an A rank missing nin would be capable of!
“Kankuro-sama! I’ll handle this!”
“…!”
One of his subordinates, Amagi, had leapt out.
“We still can’t see the enemy’s move. It’s too early to charge in, jan!”
“With this kind of the thing, the enemy’s jutsu only gains strength!”
Amagi was still young. He had become chunin at 13, and under Kankuro’s command at 15, an age where he had not experienced the war against Kaguya. With childish chestnut-coloured hair, Amagi was an androgynous boy who was often mistaken as a girl.
“I’m going!” From his sleeves, ten… no twenty kodzuka knifes were released. In an rather artistic display, he threw several daggers simultaneously, and such skilled timing was something that matched even Kankuro, a Jounin.
With an imposing roar, the giant brushed away the annoying knifes.
However, that was part of Amagi’s plan.
“I’ve got you!” Amagi drew the blades he had thrown back by their silver bands, and like a meteor shower, the knifes changed directions and evaded the Giant’s arm, only to pierce it’s heart in rapid succession.
As expected, Chakra threads.
Ninja transmitting chakra through threads was useful when it came to puppets and this technique was one of the sand village’s specialities. Amagi had used this to control his blades, like some kind of homing device, and this was his own original technique.
Well, he’s still young.
The giant roared again, charging power in it’s body.
“…!”
Aware of the strange change, Amagi hurried to extract his knifes. But, he was one second… no half a second late.
Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning.
The bolt released from the giant's body struck Kankuro and all the surrounding shinobi at once.
“Amagi!”
Kankuro and the other’s were fine. Through the shock of the thunderclap, they had only been knocked over. However, Amagi had suffered a direct hit due to the electrical current passing through his chakra threads, and he was unable to move.
Amagi’s body had fallen like a puppet with broken strings.
・・・・・・・・
It is said that during death, people see revolving lanterns.
Amagi imagined his death would have probably been more heroic, but in reality, it wasn’t as such. Since his first fight, he had survived numerous battles, but he never expected his own jutsu to be his defeat. He had assumed wrong.
Am I… really going to die like this? I still haven’t done anything with my life…
His consciousness was fading into an abyss of darkness.
“Hey.” Warm arms held him close.
“Huh…?” Amagi thought, for just a moment, that it might have been his mother or father. Such a thought was nothing to be ashamed of. It was a common feeling for those on the battlefield.
“Are you alive?” That was Kankuro. He had his usual kabuki makeup, but Amagi saw he was looking down at him with kind eyes.
・・・・・・・・
“It seemed to be the Magnet Release: Thunder God Transformation jutsu, jan.” Kankuro said, having placed Amagi behind the safety of a boulder.
“According to the name, the jutsu seems to allow you to absorb mass from the environment through electromagnetic powers, and then expand and transform your body’s appearance into that of a giant. Really, it’s a jutsu that creates a huge human form from iron sand gathered with magnetic powers, jan.”
This had been explained in the mission briefing already, but Kankuro explained it to Amagi again to help him recover.
Shinobi were extraordinary people who always put themselves through missions and training. They were able to regain their composure just by hearing the details of their mission, no matter how much blood had flowed or how much they feared death.
Kankuro didn’t know if being human was blessing or a curse.
Nevertheless, right now he didn’t want the young subordinate to die before his eyes. He’d already stopped the bleeding, of course.
“He uses lightning style to expand his body, but his electromagnetic power… That’s a different thing altogether. His walking causes a piezoelectric effect by crushing granite beneath his feet, creating electrical discharge. Because of this, he isn’t restricted by his chakra and takes energy from world around him.”
“I’m sorry.” Amagi grasped Kankuro’s hand tightly. His consciousness was still a little cloudy, but Kankuro understood why he was apologizing. Amagi probably thought he had gotten in the way of the Jounin he respected. Who didn’t have such thoughts. Not to mention it was his first A Rank mission.
Well, the only person who wouldn’t get distressed by their first A rank mission would be Gaara, jan. Kankuro had begun to think about his brother, who really did seem to have a face like a puppet.
・・・・・・・・
Gaara was twelve when he was assigned in first A rank mission - in other words - the first time he would face a ninja of Jounin rank. It happened a little after the end of the chunin exams, and Orochimaru’s “Konoha Crush” plan.
Gaara’s first A rank mission, in other words, the first time he would face a ninja of Jounin rank, was when he was twelve. It had been about the time of the chunin exams, at the end of Orochimaru’s Konoha Crush plan. Considering that the mission had involved Kekkei Genkai users and one of the legendary Sannin, it really should have been classed as an A rank mission in itself. But, in those days, Kankuro had though A rank missions were something to aspire towards.
Around that time, Kankuro had been 14, while his older sister Temari would have been 15.
Looking back now, Kankuro remembered the incident in Konoha fondly Admits the fighting, the three had met someone. Someone as bright as the sun. Naruto Uzumaki.
・・・・・・・・
“Kankuro-sama, it’s coming!” The genin’s voice pulled Kankuro from his thoughts.
“Then we’ll move out soon, jan. This time, follow the plan.”
“…Of course.” Amagi was cooperative. Even though he thought he could have died in his mission, the child prodigy seemed to have regained his strength.
Collecting energy, the giant took a step towards them and Kankuro jumped in the giants way deliberately. Exposing yourself in a fight between shinobi was almost always a way to lure the enemy out and gain a chance at attacking them.
People like Gaara and Naruto Uzumaki were the exceptions.
In this case, Kankuro’s sudden movement had meant to lure out the giant, and it also knew this. Still, the giant turned towards Kankuro, each step accompanied by a thud.
It seemed the enemy was confident about their skill, especially the Thunder God Transformation jutsu.
I’ve seen that before… Kankuro thought. He was reminded of Gaara, his younger brother.
Sand and electromagnetic fields were certainly different, but in the end they were both forms of an absolute defence. They protected the body with an invincible defense, and that defense could also be used as a weapon.
Speaking of differences, unlike the Thunder God Transformation jutsu, that turnt the user into a giant, Gaara didn’t use his jutsu in such a showy way.
Nevertheless, beyond appearances, the jutsu had it’s advantages.
It’s fast! In a blink, the giant was before Kankuro’s eyes.
People thought large things were slow. Whales, blimps, large vehicles and even monsters like the Ten-Tails - big things looked like they moving extraordinarily slowly.
However, that was simply an optical illusion. If, like the giant, a single step was this huge, then these things were certainly fast. It could be understood by looking at a race between adults and children.
Huge things were fast. Small things looking like they could avoid larger things was an illusion.
The giant aimed it’s huge leg over Kankuro with ease. Even the soles of it’s feet were larger than a small building. To be stepped on was to be pulverised.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Three times Kankuro lept and evaded the Giant’s foot. But, the fourth time he didn’t evade the giant. He jumped upwards. Aiming for the giant’s face, Kankuro lept to it’s knee. Though a Jounin rank ninja could easily leap up and climb a scaffold as flimsy as leafs, a giant’s leg were pushing it.
But, the Thunder God Transformation jutsu wasn’t the only technique the giant had up it’s sleeve.
Kankuro-sama! Amagi didn’t shout aloud, but his scream came from within his heart.
The moment Kankuro’s foot came in contact with the giant’s knee, the electromagnetic force driving the giant extended to Kankuro and he literally scattered into tiny pieces.
The giant laughed.
His whole body was a weapon. Destroying everything on touch, that is an absolute defense, or really, the offence to his absolute defence. If the giant was attacked, anyone who touched it would be turnt into a million tiny pieces.
Until now, the giant had never tasted defeat in it’s life.
Kankuro laughed.
“…!”
Kankuro hadn’t revealed himself yet, but his laugh had given something away.
The Kankuro that had disintegrated instead turnt into countless tiny bullets, embedding themselves into the giant’s body. With a loud noise, the sand holding the giant’s body together wavered.
Where Kankuro should have landed, there was only his black hood. It had been a simple trick. The Kankuro who had lept up had, in fact, been one of Kankuro’s puppets, used as a substitute to face the giant while the real Kankuro hid underground. While it had been simple, the timing and knowledge of where to attack had all been Kankuro. The inexperienced Amagi also being fooled wasn’t surprising.
The giant hadn’t been able to watch it’s feet. That was the weakness of being so tall.
The giant shrieked in pain. Amagi noticed it was sending electromagnetic waves through the puppet’s chakra strings. But this was expected. From its withering, it seemed the giant was going through torture.
“The fragments aren’t the only thing causing it pain, jan.” Watching the aftermath, Kankuro smiled in satisfaction. It was the expression of a performer after demonstrating a trick before an audience.
He had also manipulated the giant’s chakra pathways. Chakra pathways were like pipes for a body’s chakra and necessary for ninjutsu. Kankuro had attacked these pathways with his chakra threads, turning the enemy into his living uppet. Of course, kankuro didn’t have a power like the byakugan to see the chakra points clearly. But, by studying the topic diligently, he had learnt how to invade his opponents’ bodies with his chakra to disturb their jutsu.
Unable to sustain the Lightning God Transformation jutsu, the giant fell on its knees.
If the giant was a skilled shinobi, it’d regain it’s footing in a few seconds.
And the enemy was a skilled shinobi.
But he was unfortunate, and Kankuro quickly sent three chunin to hold down and capture the giant… well, the shinobi that had once been the giant.
・・・・・・・・
“Kajuura of the Lightning God Transformation jutsu, formally a Jounin of Ishigakure, you’re under arrest.” Kankuro said, and so sooner were the missing ninja’s hands and mouth bound in shackles. It goes without saying that they were to prevent suicide.
“We’re not killing him?” The injured Amagi seemed frustrated, “This guy killed three of his own students. Not to mention ten civilians in the process.”
“That’s true.” Kankuro was no longer mentally affected by that number of deaths. During the war, dozens- no, hundreds of shinobi had died. “Do you want to kill him?”
“I do.”
“Then, you can kill him.” Kankuro handed a kunai to Amagi, “However, only if you can guarantee that you can bring back all the genin and citizens that were murdered. How’s that, can you do it?”
“T-that is…”
“If you can’t, then after you kill him, you’ll be killed too. Forgetting what his village and family will do, dead shinobi do not have information about secret jutsu. They’re just a mass of bones and muscle. I don’t want a subordinate who causes such pointless trouble”
“I can’t do it…”
‘See,” It was a good answer. If he managed to survive a few more battles, he’d surely become a good shinobi. “Amagi, in anycase… I also want to kill him, jan.”
“…Sir.”
“This guy was hired by terrorists, as far as I understand, he’s killed hundreds of women and children, jan. That is, no one wants him to live, jan.” With a stare, Kankuro looked down at the captured Kajuura. Even his eyes had been blindfolded, It was standard practice, restricting the enemy incase they used doujutsu. “Still, if we kill because of hatred, we’re the same as this guy, jan. We can’t do that.”
“Shinobi are people who endure…”
“That’s right.” Kankuro smiled, He looks up, and the men walking the same way smile too, “Let’s hurry and get home, jan. Let’s celebrate the safe completion of an A rank mission, jan! I’ll treat you all to a heap of lamb kebabs, jan!”
A cheer rose from the young shinobi.
It’s huge, jan! Kankuro couldn’t help but stare in wonder, even if it was the enemy’s work. It was probably ten… no twenty metres tall, as big as a small building.
Generally it was possible for a shinobi to summon a huge spiritual being, but for a shinobi to transform into something so huge, that was rare.
This is way different to the Akimichi clan’s expansion jutsu! I guess this is something only an A rank missing nin would be capable of!
“Kankuro-sama! I’ll handle this!”
“…!”
One of his subordinates, Amagi, had leapt out.
“We still can’t see the enemy’s move. It’s too early to charge in, jan!”
“With this kind of the thing, the enemy’s jutsu only gains strength!”
Amagi was still young. He had become chunin at 13, and under Kankuro’s command at 15, an age where he had not experienced the war against Kaguya. With childish chestnut-coloured hair, Amagi was an androgynous boy who was often mistaken as a girl.
“I’m going!” From his sleeves, ten… no twenty kodzuka knifes were released. In an rather artistic display, he threw several daggers simultaneously, and such skilled timing was something that matched even Kankuro, a Jounin.
With an imposing roar, the giant brushed away the annoying knifes.
However, that was part of Amagi’s plan.
“I’ve got you!” Amagi drew the blades he had thrown back by their silver bands, and like a meteor shower, the knifes changed directions and evaded the Giant’s arm, only to pierce it’s heart in rapid succession.
As expected, Chakra threads.
Ninja transmitting chakra through threads was useful when it came to puppets and this technique was one of the sand village’s specialities. Amagi had used this to control his blades, like some kind of homing device, and this was his own original technique.
Well, he’s still young.
The giant roared again, charging power in it’s body.
“…!”
Aware of the strange change, Amagi hurried to extract his knifes. But, he was one second… no half a second late.
Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning.
The bolt released from the giant's body struck Kankuro and all the surrounding shinobi at once.
“Amagi!”
Kankuro and the other’s were fine. Through the shock of the thunderclap, they had only been knocked over. However, Amagi had suffered a direct hit due to the electrical current passing through his chakra threads, and he was unable to move.
Amagi’s body had fallen like a puppet with broken strings.
・・・・・・・・
It is said that during death, people see revolving lanterns.
Amagi imagined his death would have probably been more heroic, but in reality, it wasn’t as such. Since his first fight, he had survived numerous battles, but he never expected his own jutsu to be his defeat. He had assumed wrong.
Am I… really going to die like this? I still haven’t done anything with my life…
His consciousness was fading into an abyss of darkness.
“Hey.” Warm arms held him close.
“Huh…?” Amagi thought, for just a moment, that it might have been his mother or father. Such a thought was nothing to be ashamed of. It was a common feeling for those on the battlefield.
“Are you alive?” That was Kankuro. He had his usual kabuki makeup, but Amagi saw he was looking down at him with kind eyes.
・・・・・・・・
“It seemed to be the Magnet Release: Thunder God Transformation jutsu, jan.” Kankuro said, having placed Amagi behind the safety of a boulder.
“According to the name, the jutsu seems to allow you to absorb mass from the environment through electromagnetic powers, and then expand and transform your body’s appearance into that of a giant. Really, it’s a jutsu that creates a huge human form from iron sand gathered with magnetic powers, jan.”
This had been explained in the mission briefing already, but Kankuro explained it to Amagi again to help him recover.
Shinobi were extraordinary people who always put themselves through missions and training. They were able to regain their composure just by hearing the details of their mission, no matter how much blood had flowed or how much they feared death.
Kankuro didn’t know if being human was blessing or a curse.
Nevertheless, right now he didn’t want the young subordinate to die before his eyes. He’d already stopped the bleeding, of course.
“He uses lightning style to expand his body, but his electromagnetic power… That’s a different thing altogether. His walking causes a piezoelectric effect by crushing granite beneath his feet, creating electrical discharge. Because of this, he isn’t restricted by his chakra and takes energy from world around him.”
“I’m sorry.” Amagi grasped Kankuro’s hand tightly. His consciousness was still a little cloudy, but Kankuro understood why he was apologizing. Amagi probably thought he had gotten in the way of the Jounin he respected. Who didn’t have such thoughts. Not to mention it was his first A Rank mission.
Well, the only person who wouldn’t get distressed by their first A rank mission would be Gaara, jan. Kankuro had begun to think about his brother, who really did seem to have a face like a puppet.
・・・・・・・・
Gaara was twelve when he was assigned in first A rank mission - in other words - the first time he would face a ninja of Jounin rank. It happened a little after the end of the chunin exams, and Orochimaru’s “Konoha Crush” plan.
Gaara’s first A rank mission, in other words, the first time he would face a ninja of Jounin rank, was when he was twelve. It had been about the time of the chunin exams, at the end of Orochimaru’s Konoha Crush plan. Considering that the mission had involved Kekkei Genkai users and one of the legendary Sannin, it really should have been classed as an A rank mission in itself. But, in those days, Kankuro had though A rank missions were something to aspire towards.
Around that time, Kankuro had been 14, while his older sister Temari would have been 15.
Looking back now, Kankuro remembered the incident in Konoha fondly Admits the fighting, the three had met someone. Someone as bright as the sun. Naruto Uzumaki.
・・・・・・・・
“Kankuro-sama, it’s coming!” The genin’s voice pulled Kankuro from his thoughts.
“Then we’ll move out soon, jan. This time, follow the plan.”
“…Of course.” Amagi was cooperative. Even though he thought he could have died in his mission, the child prodigy seemed to have regained his strength.
Collecting energy, the giant took a step towards them and Kankuro jumped in the giants way deliberately. Exposing yourself in a fight between shinobi was almost always a way to lure the enemy out and gain a chance at attacking them.
People like Gaara and Naruto Uzumaki were the exceptions.
In this case, Kankuro’s sudden movement had meant to lure out the giant, and it also knew this. Still, the giant turned towards Kankuro, each step accompanied by a thud.
It seemed the enemy was confident about their skill, especially the Thunder God Transformation jutsu.
I’ve seen that before… Kankuro thought. He was reminded of Gaara, his younger brother.
Sand and electromagnetic fields were certainly different, but in the end they were both forms of an absolute defence. They protected the body with an invincible defense, and that defense could also be used as a weapon.
Speaking of differences, unlike the Thunder God Transformation jutsu, that turnt the user into a giant, Gaara didn’t use his jutsu in such a showy way.
Nevertheless, beyond appearances, the jutsu had it’s advantages.
It’s fast! In a blink, the giant was before Kankuro’s eyes.
People thought large things were slow. Whales, blimps, large vehicles and even monsters like the Ten-Tails - big things looked like they moving extraordinarily slowly.
However, that was simply an optical illusion. If, like the giant, a single step was this huge, then these things were certainly fast. It could be understood by looking at a race between adults and children.
Huge things were fast. Small things looking like they could avoid larger things was an illusion.
The giant aimed it’s huge leg over Kankuro with ease. Even the soles of it’s feet were larger than a small building. To be stepped on was to be pulverised.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Three times Kankuro lept and evaded the Giant’s foot. But, the fourth time he didn’t evade the giant. He jumped upwards. Aiming for the giant’s face, Kankuro lept to it’s knee. Though a Jounin rank ninja could easily leap up and climb a scaffold as flimsy as leafs, a giant’s leg were pushing it.
But, the Thunder God Transformation jutsu wasn’t the only technique the giant had up it’s sleeve.
Kankuro-sama! Amagi didn’t shout aloud, but his scream came from within his heart.
The moment Kankuro’s foot came in contact with the giant’s knee, the electromagnetic force driving the giant extended to Kankuro and he literally scattered into tiny pieces.
The giant laughed.
His whole body was a weapon. Destroying everything on touch, that is an absolute defense, or really, the offence to his absolute defence. If the giant was attacked, anyone who touched it would be turnt into a million tiny pieces.
Until now, the giant had never tasted defeat in it’s life.
Kankuro laughed.
“…!”
Kankuro hadn’t revealed himself yet, but his laugh had given something away.
The Kankuro that had disintegrated instead turnt into countless tiny bullets, embedding themselves into the giant’s body. With a loud noise, the sand holding the giant’s body together wavered.
Where Kankuro should have landed, there was only his black hood. It had been a simple trick. The Kankuro who had lept up had, in fact, been one of Kankuro’s puppets, used as a substitute to face the giant while the real Kankuro hid underground. While it had been simple, the timing and knowledge of where to attack had all been Kankuro. The inexperienced Amagi also being fooled wasn’t surprising.
The giant hadn’t been able to watch it’s feet. That was the weakness of being so tall.
The giant shrieked in pain. Amagi noticed it was sending electromagnetic waves through the puppet’s chakra strings. But this was expected. From its withering, it seemed the giant was going through torture.
“The fragments aren’t the only thing causing it pain, jan.” Watching the aftermath, Kankuro smiled in satisfaction. It was the expression of a performer after demonstrating a trick before an audience.
He had also manipulated the giant’s chakra pathways. Chakra pathways were like pipes for a body’s chakra and necessary for ninjutsu. Kankuro had attacked these pathways with his chakra threads, turning the enemy into his living uppet. Of course, kankuro didn’t have a power like the byakugan to see the chakra points clearly. But, by studying the topic diligently, he had learnt how to invade his opponents’ bodies with his chakra to disturb their jutsu.
Unable to sustain the Lightning God Transformation jutsu, the giant fell on its knees.
If the giant was a skilled shinobi, it’d regain it’s footing in a few seconds.
And the enemy was a skilled shinobi.
But he was unfortunate, and Kankuro quickly sent three chunin to hold down and capture the giant… well, the shinobi that had once been the giant.
・・・・・・・・
“Kajuura of the Lightning God Transformation jutsu, formally a Jounin of Ishigakure, you’re under arrest.” Kankuro said, and so sooner were the missing ninja’s hands and mouth bound in shackles. It goes without saying that they were to prevent suicide.
“We’re not killing him?” The injured Amagi seemed frustrated, “This guy killed three of his own students. Not to mention ten civilians in the process.”
“That’s true.” Kankuro was no longer mentally affected by that number of deaths. During the war, dozens- no, hundreds of shinobi had died. “Do you want to kill him?”
“I do.”
“Then, you can kill him.” Kankuro handed a kunai to Amagi, “However, only if you can guarantee that you can bring back all the genin and citizens that were murdered. How’s that, can you do it?”
“T-that is…”
“If you can’t, then after you kill him, you’ll be killed too. Forgetting what his village and family will do, dead shinobi do not have information about secret jutsu. They’re just a mass of bones and muscle. I don’t want a subordinate who causes such pointless trouble”
“I can’t do it…”
‘See,” It was a good answer. If he managed to survive a few more battles, he’d surely become a good shinobi. “Amagi, in anycase… I also want to kill him, jan.”
“…Sir.”
“This guy was hired by terrorists, as far as I understand, he’s killed hundreds of women and children, jan. That is, no one wants him to live, jan.” With a stare, Kankuro looked down at the captured Kajuura. Even his eyes had been blindfolded, It was standard practice, restricting the enemy incase they used doujutsu. “Still, if we kill because of hatred, we’re the same as this guy, jan. We can’t do that.”
“Shinobi are people who endure…”
“That’s right.” Kankuro smiled, He looks up, and the men walking the same way smile too, “Let’s hurry and get home, jan. Let’s celebrate the safe completion of an A rank mission, jan! I’ll treat you all to a heap of lamb kebabs, jan!”
A cheer rose from the young shinobi.
You must be registered for see links
“Furthermore, as a result of Kajura’s capture and interrogation carried out three days ago, an organization behind the scenes has been uncovered. Within the next couple of days, we will try to catch the whole organization in one operation. After this, the remaining suspects custody will be negotiated by the five Kage.” Gaara finished reading the long report the senior advisors had presented him with.
While Gaara was worthy of being the leader of the sand village, the Kazekage, the real ones in charge were the old shinobi who had once fought on the front line. They were representatives of the several clans that composed the village, and even Gaara could not ignore them when making decisions. Every briefing session was really just the elders and Kazekage coming to a place of mutual understanding.
“Hmm, as expected, Kazekage. There is no need for us to worry.” Wrinkled faces nodded simultaneously in agreement.
“Well, by the way…” The head advisor, Ebizo, sat in front, and gave a broad smile.
‘Of ****ing course’, was something that his friend. Naruto Uzumaki would say, but such a thing would never come from Gaara. However, he had been expecting this, and instead furrowed his brow a bit.
“From this point on, it’s just old geezer’s chatting over tea, Kazekage.”
“I see.”
He wondered what they would talk about ‘over tea’.
What he had really meant, was that from this point on, the councilors would report on ‘serious’ matters. From previous reports, the councilors already knew. Informing them had been a mere ceremony.
The councillors had requested to see the Kazekage personally - this was just so they could ask a favour. Really, it was absurd.
For example, if their genin grandchildren were unlucky in their missions, they would ask him to talk to the Chunin responsible. Or, if sand was blocking roads, they’d ask for him to talk to the daimyo. These were the things these influential men talked about.
For these cases, it was fine. When they started asking for favours as shinobi, that was when things got bad.
They said their jutsu required a rare cactus, which they couldn’t find. The land of snow ‘s medical merchants possessed it, however, so they asked if he could send some young shinobi to get it for them instead.They had said that they had stolen the Hidden Rain’s shinobi book of secrets. Because this couldn’t become public, they asked if the Kazekage could settle it behind closed doors for the sake of protecting the village’s honour. They said that if the medical ninja’s budget was being expanded, they wanted him to create a position of special jounin for some poison users from their clans.
The councilors always wanted to push dirty work and impossible tasks onto the Kazekage. Gaara, who had complied willingly when he first assumed office as Kazekage, had learnt the art of ignoring and avoiding them. It was because he had complied with the elder’s wishes that he had been promoted to Kazekage, but there was also the easing tensions between the villages to thank.
I wonder what they want…
He flooded chakra though the chakra point in his navel.
This was no joke.
Skilled Ninja can expel chakra through their voice and snatch a person’s consciousness in a moment. Referred to as the art of instant hypnosis and binding paralysis, there was someone who had used it during this mundane meeting. For shinobi, places of negotiation and war are one and the same.
“Gaara.”
“You turnt twenty recently, correct?”
“Huh…”
“That was fast… The young prodigy, the Jinchuuriki child called Gaara of the desert has grown so much…!”
“Gahahahaha,” Tojuro, sitting besides Ebizo, laughed. This man was Ebizo’s successor, as his health was beginning to decline. He was only several years from active duty, and as one would expect, while his muscles had become weak and his hair and mustache grey, his power of observation hadn’t decayed in the slightest. He was an old hero as solid as a rock.
“Hey, during the ‘Konoha Cursh’, even you, the prodigy, had been overrun. I guess even monkeys can fall from the trees.”
“I’m a little ashamed of that incident…”
It was true that the former Gaara would kill impulsively, but the current Gaara had no intentions of ever doing such a thing again. He left that world by exchanging words like these, and because he would no longer kill, he now knew that he lived in a world where his family and friends care about him.
Old men like to have long conversations - what did they want to talk about anyway?
From their faces, Gaara didn’t think they wanted to complain about his work. Rather, the counselors had a relaxed atmosphere. It was calm. Therefore, it was likely that for this topic of discussion, they’d already discussed and agreed upon it.
“Speaking of twenty, that is a good age…”
“Huh…”
“So, Gaara…” Ebizo shook his head, before he smiled like a child. “…Take a wife.”
“I… what?” Even to himself, Gaara thought he sounded stupid.
Their words were like an attack from his blind spot, a void outside of his awareness. No one had full 360 vision, but they could tell if a friend was approaching or a pet cat playing with their legs, for example. This was because a person’s mind could reach out into their surroundings and ‘see’ the unseen.
Ninja trained to use their sixth sense freely and perceive the world with all their senses. Even so, if you couldn’t imagine something, then you couldn’t recognize it. And if you couldn’t recognize it, then you absolutely wouldn’t be able to see it coming.
This was what was called a blind spot, and this time, Gaara had surely been attacked from his own.
If Ebizo had been a genjutsu user, Gaara would be dead.
Cold sweat ran down his spine. If Gaara was an ordinary person, he would have shuddered, but he was a true shinobi.
My training is still insufficient.
“With all due respect, why me?”
“You weren’t aware?”
“Is there a chance this has something to do with my sister?”
“Yes,” Ebizo nodded.”As you know, the previous Kazekage had three children, Temari, Kankuro and you, Gaara. And you, a Jinchuriki, became Kazekage. You must understand the importance of your bloodline.”
“I do.”
The shinobi world consists of many bloodlines.
Of course, being succeeded by a talented shinobi from another clan can happen too. Konoha’s Sarutobi clan is an example of this - though they are worthy of leading the village, they have never had another member as Hokage after the third.
But it couldn’t be ignored that many jutsu were heredity, and in order to preserve the lineage, blood relations were important.
“Of course, if it was only to preserve the clan name, than and adopted child would be okay. But, if it is not blood inheritance, the public will not accept it.”
“The clans are the sand village’s foundations. The clans value blood ties.”
“….” There was nothing Gaara could say to argue with the elders’ words. If he tried, he could see that the elders would refute him without hesitation. Because of this, he listened to the elders’ words patiently, conducting himself like a grandchild as he listened.
“The point is, Temari will marry into the Nara clan… this is fine. Even we have accepted this.”
“However,” Ikanago, the medical ninja advisor, beat her fan against her knee, “If it is the case that there is an unfortunate incident involving you and Kankuro some time in the future, and during this time Temari and Shikamaru Nara had a child… that child would be the Kazekage’s only blood relationship.”
“I understand what you’re saying. If that were the case, it would be necessary to adopt that child in order to preserve the Kazekage’s bloodline.” Gaara thought the things coming from his mouth were disgusting. Although he himself had been cursed to be used as a tool by his father, now he had to talk about his own sister’s possible child, something that should be celebrated instead, as a political tool.
A position of political power was mighty, but also very bleak.
“But if it came to such a thing. the Nara clan would form a blood relation with the Kazekage and Konoha would greatly influence Sunagakure’s politics… of course, everyone of you fear that, don’t you?”
‘That is correct.”
“However, if that is the case, what about the order of oldest to youngest? My brother Kankuro should be first to wed, not me.” He said this even though he didn’t want to push the issue onto his brother.
Kankuro had a smooth tongue that Gaara did not. He was able to do things like take young ninja to drinks and listen to their troubles, unlike Gaara. Gaara had also tried to do such things, but he had been somewhat less than successful. While the young ninja respected Gaara, it seemed they never wanted to meet his gaze.
“I guess that’s how it is. You’re you, and I’m not Kankuro either.” Naruto had said, smiling, “There are friends you do mess around and do stupid things with, and also friends you want by your side during hard times, you know? Gaara, out of the two, you’re the later, for sure.” Those words were probably ordinary for Naruto, but to Gaara, they meant something.
More than anything, Naruto thought Gaara was a friend, and to hear those words without hesitation had pleased him.
But, if he thought about it calmly like the ninja he was, Kankuro seemed to be the better option here.
“We also considered your brother. However, he refused.”
“…Oh,” After a pause, Gaara realized Kankuro had pushed this onto him.
His brother was a very easy going person. He shared Gaara’s good looks, which he hid with makeup and childish antics. Kankuro was a man who was reluctant to take on any responsibilities, and it had been troublesome getting him to accept the position as captain of the counterterrorism division that Gaara and the advisor Tojuro had nominated him for.
“He said that while the Kazekage doesn’t have a wife, it would be disrespectful for him to marry. He wanted you to be first. His logic was reasonable.”
“…Really.”
“That’s not the only thing, the daimyo have been criticizing the village because you are unmarried and haven’t determined a successor.“
“Well, Gaara…” Ebizo’s aging eyes held a sliver of kindness, “This isn’t only about Jinchuriki and politics. The others and I have taken responsibility for burdening you with a cruel life. We want to give you a family, for you to be happy. That would be a tribute to those who have passed away.”
“…”
He no longer held any ill feelings towards his father. Their meeting during the war had washed away those past feelings. He knew that, even for just a moment, he had been born with his mother’s love.
“This is how it really is, Gaara. The people of the village… no, even your friends from other villages, wish for you to have this.”
“Your partner has already been arranged. She’s a nice girl.”
‘Indeed.”
They showed Gaara a photograph.
Already he was certain this was something he couldn’t escape.
This was an inescapable situation, and struggling was not something a worthy shinobi would do. He should try to make the best of it.
“…I understand.” Gaara bowed his head, and he didn’t notice the cold sweat that had appeared.
This wasn’t that much different than a mission.
“The matter of the marriage meeting… I respectfully accept. I would appreciate it if you could contact the other party and arrange a date.” It had taken all his effort to manage to say such a thing.
While Gaara was worthy of being the leader of the sand village, the Kazekage, the real ones in charge were the old shinobi who had once fought on the front line. They were representatives of the several clans that composed the village, and even Gaara could not ignore them when making decisions. Every briefing session was really just the elders and Kazekage coming to a place of mutual understanding.
“Hmm, as expected, Kazekage. There is no need for us to worry.” Wrinkled faces nodded simultaneously in agreement.
“Well, by the way…” The head advisor, Ebizo, sat in front, and gave a broad smile.
‘Of ****ing course’, was something that his friend. Naruto Uzumaki would say, but such a thing would never come from Gaara. However, he had been expecting this, and instead furrowed his brow a bit.
“From this point on, it’s just old geezer’s chatting over tea, Kazekage.”
“I see.”
He wondered what they would talk about ‘over tea’.
What he had really meant, was that from this point on, the councilors would report on ‘serious’ matters. From previous reports, the councilors already knew. Informing them had been a mere ceremony.
The councillors had requested to see the Kazekage personally - this was just so they could ask a favour. Really, it was absurd.
For example, if their genin grandchildren were unlucky in their missions, they would ask him to talk to the Chunin responsible. Or, if sand was blocking roads, they’d ask for him to talk to the daimyo. These were the things these influential men talked about.
For these cases, it was fine. When they started asking for favours as shinobi, that was when things got bad.
They said their jutsu required a rare cactus, which they couldn’t find. The land of snow ‘s medical merchants possessed it, however, so they asked if he could send some young shinobi to get it for them instead.They had said that they had stolen the Hidden Rain’s shinobi book of secrets. Because this couldn’t become public, they asked if the Kazekage could settle it behind closed doors for the sake of protecting the village’s honour. They said that if the medical ninja’s budget was being expanded, they wanted him to create a position of special jounin for some poison users from their clans.
The councilors always wanted to push dirty work and impossible tasks onto the Kazekage. Gaara, who had complied willingly when he first assumed office as Kazekage, had learnt the art of ignoring and avoiding them. It was because he had complied with the elder’s wishes that he had been promoted to Kazekage, but there was also the easing tensions between the villages to thank.
I wonder what they want…
He flooded chakra though the chakra point in his navel.
This was no joke.
Skilled Ninja can expel chakra through their voice and snatch a person’s consciousness in a moment. Referred to as the art of instant hypnosis and binding paralysis, there was someone who had used it during this mundane meeting. For shinobi, places of negotiation and war are one and the same.
“Gaara.”
“You turnt twenty recently, correct?”
“Huh…”
“That was fast… The young prodigy, the Jinchuuriki child called Gaara of the desert has grown so much…!”
“Gahahahaha,” Tojuro, sitting besides Ebizo, laughed. This man was Ebizo’s successor, as his health was beginning to decline. He was only several years from active duty, and as one would expect, while his muscles had become weak and his hair and mustache grey, his power of observation hadn’t decayed in the slightest. He was an old hero as solid as a rock.
“Hey, during the ‘Konoha Cursh’, even you, the prodigy, had been overrun. I guess even monkeys can fall from the trees.”
“I’m a little ashamed of that incident…”
It was true that the former Gaara would kill impulsively, but the current Gaara had no intentions of ever doing such a thing again. He left that world by exchanging words like these, and because he would no longer kill, he now knew that he lived in a world where his family and friends care about him.
Old men like to have long conversations - what did they want to talk about anyway?
From their faces, Gaara didn’t think they wanted to complain about his work. Rather, the counselors had a relaxed atmosphere. It was calm. Therefore, it was likely that for this topic of discussion, they’d already discussed and agreed upon it.
“Speaking of twenty, that is a good age…”
“Huh…”
“So, Gaara…” Ebizo shook his head, before he smiled like a child. “…Take a wife.”
“I… what?” Even to himself, Gaara thought he sounded stupid.
Their words were like an attack from his blind spot, a void outside of his awareness. No one had full 360 vision, but they could tell if a friend was approaching or a pet cat playing with their legs, for example. This was because a person’s mind could reach out into their surroundings and ‘see’ the unseen.
Ninja trained to use their sixth sense freely and perceive the world with all their senses. Even so, if you couldn’t imagine something, then you couldn’t recognize it. And if you couldn’t recognize it, then you absolutely wouldn’t be able to see it coming.
This was what was called a blind spot, and this time, Gaara had surely been attacked from his own.
If Ebizo had been a genjutsu user, Gaara would be dead.
Cold sweat ran down his spine. If Gaara was an ordinary person, he would have shuddered, but he was a true shinobi.
My training is still insufficient.
“With all due respect, why me?”
“You weren’t aware?”
“Is there a chance this has something to do with my sister?”
“Yes,” Ebizo nodded.”As you know, the previous Kazekage had three children, Temari, Kankuro and you, Gaara. And you, a Jinchuriki, became Kazekage. You must understand the importance of your bloodline.”
“I do.”
The shinobi world consists of many bloodlines.
Of course, being succeeded by a talented shinobi from another clan can happen too. Konoha’s Sarutobi clan is an example of this - though they are worthy of leading the village, they have never had another member as Hokage after the third.
But it couldn’t be ignored that many jutsu were heredity, and in order to preserve the lineage, blood relations were important.
“Of course, if it was only to preserve the clan name, than and adopted child would be okay. But, if it is not blood inheritance, the public will not accept it.”
“The clans are the sand village’s foundations. The clans value blood ties.”
“….” There was nothing Gaara could say to argue with the elders’ words. If he tried, he could see that the elders would refute him without hesitation. Because of this, he listened to the elders’ words patiently, conducting himself like a grandchild as he listened.
“The point is, Temari will marry into the Nara clan… this is fine. Even we have accepted this.”
“However,” Ikanago, the medical ninja advisor, beat her fan against her knee, “If it is the case that there is an unfortunate incident involving you and Kankuro some time in the future, and during this time Temari and Shikamaru Nara had a child… that child would be the Kazekage’s only blood relationship.”
“I understand what you’re saying. If that were the case, it would be necessary to adopt that child in order to preserve the Kazekage’s bloodline.” Gaara thought the things coming from his mouth were disgusting. Although he himself had been cursed to be used as a tool by his father, now he had to talk about his own sister’s possible child, something that should be celebrated instead, as a political tool.
A position of political power was mighty, but also very bleak.
“But if it came to such a thing. the Nara clan would form a blood relation with the Kazekage and Konoha would greatly influence Sunagakure’s politics… of course, everyone of you fear that, don’t you?”
‘That is correct.”
“However, if that is the case, what about the order of oldest to youngest? My brother Kankuro should be first to wed, not me.” He said this even though he didn’t want to push the issue onto his brother.
Kankuro had a smooth tongue that Gaara did not. He was able to do things like take young ninja to drinks and listen to their troubles, unlike Gaara. Gaara had also tried to do such things, but he had been somewhat less than successful. While the young ninja respected Gaara, it seemed they never wanted to meet his gaze.
“I guess that’s how it is. You’re you, and I’m not Kankuro either.” Naruto had said, smiling, “There are friends you do mess around and do stupid things with, and also friends you want by your side during hard times, you know? Gaara, out of the two, you’re the later, for sure.” Those words were probably ordinary for Naruto, but to Gaara, they meant something.
More than anything, Naruto thought Gaara was a friend, and to hear those words without hesitation had pleased him.
But, if he thought about it calmly like the ninja he was, Kankuro seemed to be the better option here.
“We also considered your brother. However, he refused.”
“…Oh,” After a pause, Gaara realized Kankuro had pushed this onto him.
His brother was a very easy going person. He shared Gaara’s good looks, which he hid with makeup and childish antics. Kankuro was a man who was reluctant to take on any responsibilities, and it had been troublesome getting him to accept the position as captain of the counterterrorism division that Gaara and the advisor Tojuro had nominated him for.
“He said that while the Kazekage doesn’t have a wife, it would be disrespectful for him to marry. He wanted you to be first. His logic was reasonable.”
“…Really.”
“That’s not the only thing, the daimyo have been criticizing the village because you are unmarried and haven’t determined a successor.“
“Well, Gaara…” Ebizo’s aging eyes held a sliver of kindness, “This isn’t only about Jinchuriki and politics. The others and I have taken responsibility for burdening you with a cruel life. We want to give you a family, for you to be happy. That would be a tribute to those who have passed away.”
“…”
He no longer held any ill feelings towards his father. Their meeting during the war had washed away those past feelings. He knew that, even for just a moment, he had been born with his mother’s love.
“This is how it really is, Gaara. The people of the village… no, even your friends from other villages, wish for you to have this.”
“Your partner has already been arranged. She’s a nice girl.”
‘Indeed.”
They showed Gaara a photograph.
Already he was certain this was something he couldn’t escape.
This was an inescapable situation, and struggling was not something a worthy shinobi would do. He should try to make the best of it.
“…I understand.” Gaara bowed his head, and he didn’t notice the cold sweat that had appeared.
This wasn’t that much different than a mission.
“The matter of the marriage meeting… I respectfully accept. I would appreciate it if you could contact the other party and arrange a date.” It had taken all his effort to manage to say such a thing.
Feel free to share these with credit.
