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Gaara glanced at Naruto and slowly said. "Sorry about my friends,"
Then he vanished from the branch, appearing between Temari and Kankuro.
Naruto exhaled. The oppressive aura faded.
Kankuro stepped back, visibly shaken, sweat glistening on his forehead.
The tense air hung thick, like mist after a storm.
Kankuro stood frozen, his posture rigid, sweat collecting at his temples as a cold shadow loomed beside him.
Gara's green eyes, empty and cold like twin shards of jade, locked onto his brother.
Then came the voice—low, quiet, but sharp enough to cut glass.
"Why," Gaara asked, "do you think we came all the way here… to the Leaf Village?"
Kankuro's mouth opened and closed like a fish pulled from water. The words caught in his throat, strangled by fear.
"P-Please listen to me, Gaara," He stammered, taking a cautious step back. "They lashed out first. I was just—"
"SHUT UP!" Gaara's voice cracked through the silence like thunder. Birds nearby scattered in fear.
Kankuro flinched hard, his breath catching in his throat.
"I'll kill you," Gaara continued, his tone now eerily calm, calm in the way that storms feel right before they explode.
Kankuro's knees nearly buckled. His instincts screamed to run, but his body stayed rooted in place.
"I-I understand, Gaara," He said quickly, his voice cracking. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have… I'm sorry. I'm really sorry…"
The cold that radiated from Gaara wasn't just chakra—it was deeper. It was the cold of someone who had never been touched by love or warmth. The kind of cold that crept into your bones and stayed there.
Naruto, who had been standing protectively in front of Konohamaru, narrowed his eyes.
He hadn't missed how Kankuro—cocky and arrogant just moments ago—had completely folded in front of his younger brother.
That's the one to watch, Naruto thought. That one is dangerous…
Gaara slowly turned his head toward Naruto and the others. The pressure receded, just slightly, as his lips moved again.
"I'm sorry about that… you guys."
The words were calm, but the tone wasn't friendly. There was no warmth behind them—just observation, and perhaps, the smallest trace of curiosity. His gaze settled on Naruto, and for a long moment, he didn't blink.
To think he was able to pressure Kankuro into backing down like that, Gaara mused. This one… he's not ordinary.
He didn't say it aloud, but Naruto could feel the weight of the thought in that stare.
Then Gaara turned to his siblings.
"Let's go," He said flatly, walking ahead.
"We didn't come here to play around."
Kankuro and Temari said nothing. They simply followed—quiet and tense.
But just as they reached the corner of the street, Gaara paused. He turned back once more, his stare locking on Naruto again. The silence between them stretched, the noise of the village fading into the background.
"You," Gaara said, his voice sharp and sure. "The one with the yellow hair. State your name."
Naruto blinked once, and then a wide grin spread across his face.
"Naruto Uzumaki!" he smirked and said calmly.
Gaara gave a small grunt, almost a scoff—but not in mockery. It was more like acknowledgment. His mouth curled slightly—not a smile, but not quite indifference either.
"I am Gaara of the Sand," He said coldly. "Next time we meet… we are enemies."
And just like that, he turned, his back straight, steps quiet but firm, as he disappeared down the path with his siblings trailing behind him.
The moment they were out of sight, the village seemed to breathe again.
The tension snapped like a stretched rope, and everything returned to normal.
Sakura stepped closer to Naruto, her face thoughtful and tinged with concern.
"Those three," She said softly, "they weren't from here, right? Why were ninja from another village wandering around like that… especially someone like him?"
Naruto didn't answer right away. He looked in the direction the trio had gone, his blue eyes darkening slightly.
"That guy…" He muttered. "He wasn't just some foreign genin. He had killing intent so thick, I could feel it in my lungs. And his chakra—it's… twisted. Like it's screaming."
He turned back to Sakura and the kids, exhaling slowly.
"They probably came here for the upcoming Chūnin Exams," He said finally, his voice calm, but his jaw tight. "That's the only reason shinobi from another village would be allowed in Konoha."
Sakura nodded slowly, processing his words.
"Then… that Gaara guy… We'll have to fight him?"
Naruto didn't answer right away. He crouched beside Konohamaru, gently dusting off his clothes.
"You okay, kid?"
Konohamaru nodded, eyes wide with admiration. "You were so cool, boss!"
Naruto ruffled his hair. "Next time, try not to pick a fight with a scorpion."
Konohamaru asked curiously.
"Who was that guy…? He looked like a kid, but he felt like… a monster."
Naruto looked toward the path Gaara had vanished down.
"That's the kind of monster you get," he said quietly, "when someone's left all alone for too long."
Then he stood up, his expression resolute.
"But don't worry. If we do meet in the exams… I'll handle him."
Sakura smiled softly, standing beside him.
"I know you will, Naruto-sama."
"After all, they didn't stand a chance," She whispered.
Naruto nodded slightly. But inside, he was thinking—not about the fight, but about Gaara.
He's dangerous… and broken.
After all, Gaara had no one to guide him. He was left alone for a long time.
At least not yet.
As they began walking back through the streets of Konoha, with Konohamaru and his friends trailing close behind, the sky above seemed to shift ever so slightly.
The wind carried a chill now. Not of winter, but of something approaching... the approaching storm.
And somewhere far down the street, out of sight, Gaara paused for a moment and glanced behind his back, muttering slowly.
"…Naruto Uzumaki."
He whispered the name like a puzzle waiting to be solved.
On the other hand, as Temari walked a few quiet steps behind Gaara, her mind was somewhere else entirely.
That blonde boy… She thought, her green eyes distant, unfocused.
Naruto Uzumaki.
Even just thinking the name made something shift inside her chest.
She remembered how the tension had filled the air like a drawn blade, how Kankuro had acted like an idiot, as usual—grabbing that little brat and mouthing off like he always did. She had almost rolled her eyes at him again, ready to give her brother another lecture.
But then... Naruto appeared.
He had stepped in without hesitation, calm but firm. His hand had gripped Kankuro's wrist in a flash, and in that one move, he had completely shut him down.
And then the words he spoke after…
"They're guests in our village… so act like it. I already apologized. Next time, I'll tear your limbs off."
He had said it so coldly.
Even when he was facing Gaara, He didn't even flinch.
No one stares at Gaara like that. No one looks into those cursed eyes without shivering. But he did.
Temari felt a strange flutter in her stomach and gripped her fan a little tighter. Her lips pursed, but it wasn't from annoyance—it was to hold back a smile.
What the hell is wrong with me? She thought. Getting all warm inside over a Leaf boy? Am I going soft?
Her cheeks were a little warm, and she looked away quickly in case Gaara sensed anything. She didn't need a death stare for something like this.
But as they walked further, she found her thoughts drifting again to Naruto again as he had left a strong impression.
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Spoilers for the next three chapters!
Chapter 166: Meeting for Exam
Chapter 167: Uchiha Prodigies
Chapter 168: A Battle of Teamwork
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