Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 510 "Mother"

Magnet Release ninjas generally have different manipulation tendencies, and the weapons used by the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Kazekage were all different.

When Rasa took over, Sunagakure's budget was reduced and gradually shifted to the training of elite ninjas. Jinchuriki, who could be used as weapons, were an urgent need.

However, the youngest son, who had cost Karura his life, failed the final test. Shukaku's occasional outbursts increased the pressure on Rasa, so he devised a method to mix heavier gold dust into the sand, hoping to slow its movement and suppress Shukaku. But when he looked up, he saw only a remarkably thin figure hanging in the sky, carrying a gourd disproportionately large on its back—none other than his once-unpromising youngest son, Gaara.

The father and son's reunion should have been filled with sorrow, but Gaara merely waved his hand expressionlessly, and an arm formed of sand emerged from the mixed sand beneath the feet of the four Kage. Except for Mu, who had sensed it beforehand and dodged the attack, everyone else was caught by the sand.

However, Wu's evasion was exactly what the other side expected. Onoki, who could also fly, suddenly attacked from the sky and was about to use Dust Release without any mercy.

Wu naturally sensed him. Seeing his old and frail little disciple, Wu sighed and began to gather power through the Dust Escape technique as well.

"You've lived quite a long time, haven't you, Onoki? Is it all thanks to Dust Release?"

"Dust Release..." The voices of both generations rang out simultaneously, "Plasma Detachment Technique!"

The two beams of light, one cylindrical and one conical, collided, and the resulting sphere of light nearly swallowed the newly formed sea of ​​sand, leaving a huge crater in the ground.

Both sides remained wary amidst their reflections. Rasa casually defused Gaara's surprise attack and asked, "Gaara, where's Shukaku?"

Gaara struggled to select a passage from the cacophony of thoughts in his head and said, "He said he hates you. Also, Father, your wish has come true; I am now Shukaku's companion."

"...Shukaku's...companion?" These two words didn't seem like they could be put together at all, and Rasa was a little confused. "What does this mean!"

"With the help of my friends, I finally reconciled with Shukaku. It was that simple."

Rasa was shocked by every word Gaara said; even the word "friend" seemed so unfamiliar. He struggled to lift his head, trying to find a trace of the past in Gaara, but... the resentment he once thought was ingrained had vanished. Gaara's aura was calm and powerful; he was clearly an excellent and strong warrior.

The Second Mizukage was wondering why his father was surprised that his child had made friends. He had just said that it was normal for a child to have many friends, but Gaara's next words left him speechless.

“Father, I have nearly died at your hands six times, and each time my fear and hatred for you have grown stronger. But now I no longer hate you, but that doesn’t mean I can fully understand what you have done.”

"As the Kazekage, protecting the village from threats is indeed my duty. But that's only the most basic thing. I also need to protect everyone's happiness and prevent the same tragedy that happened to me from happening again."

These words were Gaara's heartfelt vow, and this is precisely what makes him so different from the previous Kazekage.

"You've become the Kazekage? You?" Luo Sha didn't even know where to begin with his shock. The child he had the least faith in had grown into such an outstanding individual, now serving as the Kazekage, completely denying all the arrangements he had made for his child.

Floating on the ground, Onoki thought the father opposite him was really outrageous and couldn't help but speak up for his current colleague: "Not only that, he is now the company commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces' combat unit. Although he became a Kage at a young age, the other Kage have great respect for him."

So it really is the Allied Ninjas.

The four Kage already knew what was going on. Apart from Rasa, who was still in shock, the other Kage were already urging them to kill someone first.

Faced with everyone's unanimous praise, Rasa calmed himself down when he recalled Karura's face with her eyes closed forever, and once again put on the airs of a father.

"This Impure World Reincarnation technique can be considered a useful ninjutsu, at least for now. Let me personally verify your value once again."

"Come and surpass me!"

This same determination was shared by the other three Shadows.

"Onoki, stop me! For me, who uses Dust Release, the number of enemies is meaningless. Only you can stop me." Mu had a very clear understanding of himself.

"I see."

"And... do you remember what happens after an alliance wins a war? From the moment the war ends, the alliance will fight amongst themselves for the spoils, and only the winning village can take control afterwards."

"What you said is utterly despicable, Tsuchikage!"

"Don't even think about succeeding!"

Just as the harmonious atmosphere was about to be broken, Onoki said something that was completely inconsistent with the policies he had followed for decades.

“We don’t intend to do that this time, Master.”

Unexpectedly, Onoki's answer backfired, or perhaps he had already seen through Wu's probing.

"Really? Looks like you haven't turned into a stubborn old man."

Battle is imminent.

The Magnet Release ninjas were making quite a racket, with two clumps of sand of different colors clashing in the sky. Meanwhile, the Allied Forces launched their attack as planned, with assigned squads blending into the crowd, ready to strike at any moment.

The battle between Rasa and Gaara was quickly decided. As Rasa focused his gaze on the sky, yellow sand rose from beneath his feet and engulfed him. At the same time, the Raikage and Mizukage were also captured. Mu had already taken to the air and was engaged in a fierce battle with Onoki.

Coincidentally, both the sand that trapped the three Kage and the sand that protected Gaara sculpted into the image of a short-haired woman whose features were obscured. Others couldn't recognize her, but Gaara instantly recognized the face that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Karura...was she protecting Gaara all along? Was what she perceived as Shukaku's dangerous ability actually a mother's love for her child?

But what did he do? He was clearly trampling on Gallo's hard work time and time again, turning a child who could have grown up happily into a ruthless killer.

The Gaara we see now is the real him!

“You’ve grown up, Gaara.” This was the first time Rasa had lowered his head as a father. “As parents, all we need to do is believe in our children, that’s all. That’s the only value we have.”

"Am I right, Garura? It seems my judgment... has never been very good."

Gaara's expression finally showed some change. "What do you mean?"

“The sand has always been protecting you. It’s not Shukaku’s power, but your mother Karura’s power.”

Luo Sha revealed a truth that was completely different from the false lie he had told in the past.

"Your mother loves you very much."

"Mom...loves me?" Gaara couldn't even believe it, because the betrayals of the past were too painful. "But back then, Yashamaru, who came to assassinate me, said..." He was a child his mother didn't want, and she had no love for him whatsoever.

"I ordered Yashamaru to lie to you, to deceive you. It was to push you into a corner to see if the Tailed Beast would go berserk. It was for the sake of the village." Rasa offered a weak excuse, but the truth was that he was terribly wrong. He sacrificed his wife and brother's lives, forged weapons in the wrong way, and instead of caring for Gaara as his own child.

He wasn't a good father, nor was he a particularly wise Kazekage. But at least he did one thing before he left: he healed the deepest and largest wound in Gaara's heart.

It was the mother's love and the father's guilt that filled the void.