'Brother, huh?'
That was Naruto's perspective. But from Gaara's point of view, it felt difficult to accept.
While Naruto acknowledging him as a brother filled him with joy, Gaara couldn't ignore the widening gap between them. He didn't feel worthy of being called Naruto's brother.
Through his Observation Haki, Naruto noticed Gaara's subdued demeanor. Though not entirely clear, he picked up on the faint undertone of inferiority emanating from Gaara.
'But it was understandable… standing among such formidable figures, anyone might feel a sense of inadequacy.'
After some thought, Naruto smiled and proposed, "Hey, Gaara, how about trying the Weapon Blessing? It's pretty neat."
"Can I…?"
Gaara hesitated, uncertain whether he deserved such an extraordinary enhancement.
Naruto waved his hand and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? This doesn't cost me anything. It's no big deal."
As he spoke, he waved his hand and a golden light enveloped Gaara.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Gaara's gourd, along with his entire body, radiated golden light.
While it was expected for his gourd, which is his weapon, to shine, no one anticipated that Gaara's body would also glow.
Kisame couldn't help but mutter, "What's with Sunagakure producing all these freaks? First Sasori, now this kid."
In Kisame's opinion, Gaara had also transformed himself into a puppet.
Naruto, noticing the remark, grinned mischievously, "Gaara, did you hear that? He called you a freak. Are you just going to let that slide? Go teach him a lesson!"
Naruto's encouragement was deliberate, as he wanted Gaara to showcase his newfound power and regain his confidence.
Letting insecurities fester would only drag Gaara deeper into self-doubt, potentially leading him to withdraw again. Naruto knew he had to nip that in the bud.
"Okay!"
Initially, Gaara wanted to decline, but Naruto's tone carried the subtle weight of a command. With the servant status, even if he wanted to refuse, he couldn't.
However, as he moved to manipulate his sand, Gaara realized something astonishing. His sand had transformed into shimmering golden grains, each particle brimming with explosive energy.
This level of enhancement was something Gaara had never dared to imagine.
Courage Blessing!
Naruto added another buff, overlaying Gaara with glowing streaks of red, blue, and purple light.
At this moment, Gaara just felt that his energy and spirit were improved to an unprecedented level.
But Naruto wasn't done yet. He also opened the restrictions on Shukaku, and issued a mental command, "Shukaku, support Gaara with everything you've got."
Under the influence of the Servant Contract, Shukaku had no choice but to comply, channeling an unending stream of Chakra and amplifying Gaara's control over sand.
"Hiss!"
Gaara drew in a sharp breath. At this moment, his strength was increased to the maximum extent, and he felt that he was several times stronger than before.
Challenges that once seemed insurmountable, like Deidara's catastrophic explosions, now felt manageable to him.
This wasn't just his delusion, as Naruto can guarantee it.
In the original work, Gaara had defended his village against Deidara's C3 with his sand.
Now, enhanced by the Weapon Blessing, Gaara could undoubtedly withstand such an attack again… and more.
"Come on, Naruto-kun, this isn't fair! What about me? I want some blessings too."
Kisame wanted to cry but had no tears.
Kisame, with his vast combat experience, immediately noticed the details Gaara's sand. The grains had a dark reddish hue and exuded a metallic tang of blood… undeniably the result of countless lives claimed. At least a hundred.
Gaara was clearly a master of sand manipulation. And after seeing how dramatically the Weapon Blessing had elevated others, Kisame fully understood its game-changing potential for someone with such expertise.
Upon first meeting Gaara, Kisame couldn't help but notice Samehada's unusual reaction. It has a thirst for the Chakra within Gaara's body. That desire for Shukaku's Chakra confirmed what Kisame suspected: Gaara's Chakra Reserve was on par with his own, the so-called tailless Biju.
This realization hit hard, as Kisame's greatest advantage, his immense Chakra Reserve, was effectively nullified
With Gaara's arsenal now enhanced by both the Weapon Blessing and the Courage Blessing, Kisame, still unenhanced, was at a clear disadvantage. A battle between them would only result in him being completely overwhelmed.
"Fine. Here, take it."
Naruto said with a smirk, waving his hand to bestow Kisame with the Courage Blessing and Weapon Blessing.
In fact, Naruto hadn't planned to grant Kisame any buffs. This sparring session was meant to help Gaara rebuild his confidence, after all.
But Naruto's Observation Haki revealed Gaara's emotional resistance. It was clear that a one-sided battle against an unenhanced Kisame wouldn't bolster Gaara's confidence.
Instead, it might reinforce his self-doubt, suggesting that he only won because of unfair advantages, not because of his own strength.
'Only a fair and just duel will allow Gaara to truly realize his capabilities.'
'Shukaku, I'm lifting the restrictions on you. If Gaara makes any mistakes, discreetly use the sand to block the damage. Make sure he doesn't notice.'
Naruto instructed mentally.
Though he couldn't overtly intervene, Naruto wasn't above pulling a few strings in secret. Helping Gaara regain his confidence was non-negotiable, even if it meant cultivating him in a slightly 'protected' environment.
After all, the psychological scars were far more damaging than any physical wound.
But it didn't take long for Naruto to realize his concerns were unfounded.
Gaara's strategy was unexpectedly cautious. He enveloped himself in a protective shell of golden-red sand, forming an ultimate version of his Absolute Defense, leaving Kisame with no openings to exploit.
Using the Sand Eye technique, Gaara carefully observed the battlefield, launching precise attacks from the safety of his impenetrable defense.
"Uh… beautifully done!"
Naruto exclaimed, momentarily speechless.
He hadn't anticipated that Gaara's slight lack of confidence would lead to such meticulous tactics. From the start, Gaara had employed his strongest defensive measures, ensuring he was in an unassailable position.
With the golden sand shell in place, Gaara was effectively unbeatable.
Kisame found himself forced to simultaneously break through Gaara's Absolute Defense while dodging the relentless attacks from the sand.
What should have been a fast-paced, heated battle had turned into a war of attrition.
However, in terms of stamina, Gaara had no fear of being outlasted. With Shukaku providing an endless supply of Chakra and an infinite reserve of desert sand at his disposal, Gaara was the undisputed ruler of the battlefield.
Gaara created warriors out of sand, which emerged in droves, brandishing sand spears and relentlessly attacking Kisame. Anytime Kisame attempted to close the distance, the sand warriors coordinated to repel him.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Growing frustrated, Kisame decided to unleash a large-scale Water Release Ninjutsu, flooding the battlefield with enough water to create a lake.
In this new environment, the sand warriors were weakened by the water, while Kisame's sharks, enhanced by Samehada, grew stronger and easily tore through the sand warriors.
But just as Kisame managed to clear the battlefield, he realized the golden sand shell was gone.
Through his Observation Haki, Naruto discovered that Gaara had changed his strategy and had burrowed underground in a more despicable manner, remaining in a state of Absolute Defense while concealing himself in the vast desert.
Now it was Kisame's turn to struggle. Just as Samehada allowed him to sense Chakra in water, Shukaku amplified Gaara's ability to detect movements within the sand. Hidden in the desert, Gaara was effectively invisible, while Kisame was completely exposed.
What had begun as a heated duel transformed into a battle of attrition and, eventually, into a one-sided beating.
Naruto couldn't help but laughed at this.
At this rate, neither combatant would run out of Chakra. However, theoretically, Gaara's hidden position meant Kisame was constantly on the defensive, unable to mount a proper offense.
The outcome was clear. After a brief discussion among the spectators, the unanimous decision was made: the victor was Gaara!
When Naruto announced the result, just as he'd anticipated, he felt a surge of confidence emanating from Gaara.
In fact, even if the fight had ended in a draw or a loss, the fact that Gaara could hold his own in a prolonged battle would have proven his strength. That alone would have been enough to restore his confidence. After all, Gaara was still young and had plenty of room to grow.
But now, with an outright victory, Gaara's confidence had skyrocketed, even...
Kisame let out a resigned sigh, "Gaara, I admit it—I lost!"
Gaara, exuding newfound confidence, coldly replied, "Be respectful. Call me Gaara-sama."