.
***
**Chapter 27: Gaara**
The streets of Konoha bustled in the afternoon sun. Rubik was pondering the newly acquired Uzumaki Sealing Technique scroll when a sharp child's cry and arrogant scolding interrupted his thoughts. Looking toward the noise, he saw a small crowd gathered at the street corner, the atmosphere tense and volatile.
In the center, Kankuro from Sunagakure was smirking as he dangled Konohamaru in the air by the collar with one hand. Konohamaru's little face was flushed red, but he kept struggling fiercely.
Nearby, Naruto, Sakura, and Konohamaru's two friends glared furiously. Naruto, especially, was yelling in rage:
"You bastard! Put Konohamaru down!" Before the words even finished, he charged straight at Kankuro.
"Hmph, Konoha genin brats—can you only bark?" Kankuro's fingers twitched slightly, chakra threads extending silently. Naruto tripped and stumbled as he rushed in.
"Kankuro, enough. Don't forget the mission," Temari frowned and reminded him in a low voice, her tone laced with a hint of helplessness. She didn't approve of her brother's pointless provocations, especially on enemy turf.
"Tch, Sis, you're too cautious. I'm just teaching these arrogant kids a lesson..." Kankuro brushed it off.
Just then, a lazy voice cut in:
"Hey, hey, bullying kids isn't a very glorious hobby, Mr. Puppeteer from Sunagakure."
Rubik pushed through the crowd and strolled in casually. His gaze was immediately drawn to Temari.
Her blonde hair was tied into four flamboyant fan shapes, her beautiful features carrying the bold, wild spirit unique to desert women. The tight mesh inner lining and cropped top accentuated her tall, powerful curves. Especially those long, straight legs—barely concealed by mesh stockings—they instantly lit up Rubik's eyes.
"Oh? Another busybody?" Kankuro saw Rubik in civilian clothes, not ninja gear, and dismissed him even more.
"Wanna play hero?"
Rubik ignored Kankuro's taunt entirely, turning straight to Temari with a brilliant, slightly flirtatious smile:
"Miss, your beauty makes even Konoha's streets lose their shine. Especially those mesmerizing legs—they're a masterpiece! May I have the honor of knowing your name?" He paused, adding silently in his mind:
*"Though I already know it."*
That unabashed appreciative (or lecherous) gaze lingered on Temari, making the usually straightforward girl feel uneasy and annoyed. Her cheeks flushed faintly, and her fingers tightened unconsciously on her Three-Star Fan.
"You bastard! I'm talking to you!" Kankuro, completely ignored, burned with fury. He yanked his chakra threads sharply, sending a massive roadside boulder hurtling toward Rubik's face!
"Watch out!" Naruto and Sakura cried.
The flirtatious look vanished from Rubik's face in an instant. He didn't even make a big motion—just casually raised his arm and punched.
**Boom!** A dull thud echoed as the oncoming boulder shattered to pieces under his fist!
Rubik said gravely,
"My power can even crush rock."
"W-What?! No way!" Kankuro's pupils shrank in disbelief. Shattering rock with bare hands? What kind of strength was this?!
Temari was stunned too. She'd pegged him as some arrogant pervert, but they'd kicked an iron plate. Not wanting things to escalate, she hurriedly urged Kankuro:
"Put him down, now!"
Kankuro hesitated, then grudgingly released his grip, tossing Konohamaru toward Rubik. Rubik caught the terrified kid effortlessly and gently handed him to the arriving Naruto, brushing off his hands. He turned back to Temari as if he'd just swatted some dust, smiling brightly as he suggested:
"Still, it's the beauty from Sunagakure who has some sense. I know a great dango shop nearby—care to join me? We could... 'chat' a bit."
"You..." Temari was both embarrassed and furious. Her Three-Star Fan snapped open with a **whoosh**, wind chakra flickering faintly. This man was unfathomably strong; beneath his flirty attitude lay absolute confidence. Her instincts screamed: even with the humiliation boiling inside, she couldn't afford to strike rashly.
"Interesting..." An icy, raspy voice rang out, laced with manic excitement—like a rattlesnake hissing in the desert.
Gaara, who had been silent until now, slowly raised his head. Those bloodshot eyes ringed with heavy dark circles locked onto Rubik, burning with a near-mad hunger. Rubik's effortless strike was far beyond ordinary Konoha ninja.
"Powerful... prey."
The stopper on the gourd behind Gaara loosened slightly. Fine sand seeped out like a living thing, swirling at his feet and radiating chilling killing intent. He licked his cracked lips, a sickly smile mixing loneliness and destructive urge spreading across his face.
"Finally... a worthy opponent to crush. Your blood... will taste delicious!"
Heavy killing intent spread, thickening the air like it had frozen. Naruto and Sakura instantly struggled to breathe, chilled to the bone, and backed away instinctively.
Kankuro dropped his arrogance, his face grim as he retreated to Gaara's side. Temari gripped her fan tightly, her wary gaze shifting between Gaara and Rubik, her heart filled with dread—this mysterious powerhouse had ignited Gaara's dangerous state.
Rubik sensed the intense killing intent and the faint rasp of grinding sand. The last trace of playfulness faded from his face. He sized up the excited Gaara with keen interest, his expression turning serious as a smirk tugged at his lips:
"Oh? The One-Tail Jinchuriki? That aura... it's got some bite. But kid, if you want a taste of my blood, this sand alone won't cut it."
"Th-This guy knows..."
"Damn, does that ruin our plan...?"
Rubik exposing his identity made Temari and Kankuro's faces change drastically, plunging them into anxiety.
Unlike them, Gaara's eyes grew even darker and colder, his bloodlust surging as he fixed on Rubik.
At that moment, a figure dropped from a nearby tree. Sasuke, who had been lurking, flashed in with a Body Flicker, blocking Naruto and Sakura. He eyed the increasingly ominous Gaara warily.
Gaara ignored the noisy Naruto, his battle-hungry gaze sweeping between Rubik and Sasuke.
"What….. are your names?"
"Huh? Me? I'm Uzumaki Naruto! The future Fire—"
"Not you," Gaara cut him off coldly. "The two with black hair."
"Huh?!?!" Naruto froze, then gritted his teeth and glared at the smirking Sasuke beside him.
"Uzumaki Rubik. Just call me Rubik."
"Uchiha Sasuke."
Gaara grinned, a chilling smile that sent shivers down spines.
"Good... You're worth killing. See you in the Chunin Exams."
With that, he turned and walked away. Temari and her siblings exchanged uneasy glances. Before leaving, Temari shot Sasuke a look and murmured a warning: "You'd better not face Gaara." She then gave Rubik a complicated glance and hurried after him.
Rubik glanced sullenly at the handsome Sasuke beside him.
"Tch, being handsome really has its perks." He considered himself fairly handsome, but his Uchiha-obtained features leaned towards ruggedness, unlike Sasuke's refined, almost ethereal beauty.
Still... Chunin Exams? If Gaara knew he wasn't even participating, would he rage? Beating him up was inevitable anyway.
His mind raced: With Gaara's One-Tail, he now had the chakra of the Two-Tails, Four-Tails, and Five-Tails too. Naruto's Nine-Tails would have to wait until he unleashed One-Tail mode and lost— no rush there. He could snag the rest soon; the Three-Tails would be tricky, though...
Watching Gaara's retreating back, a faint smirk curved Rubik's lips. Maybe... he could try pulling this guy to his side? Unlike Naruto, possibly influenced by Asura chakra, Gaara could be changed...
***