In a dark, desolate space, surrounded by faint, star-like fragments of light, a pair of enormous yellow eyes, glowing like distant stars, stared down at Gaara.
At first, Gaara didn't notice the eyes. He was too absorbed in the glimmering lights, which reminded him of his past—a past that had long haunted him.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the void.
"What do you see?"
The words struck Gaara like a bomb. He immediately spun around, searching for the source of the voice. That was when he saw the pair of yellow, star-shaped eyes staring at him, as though they were studying him. A rush of emotions flooded his mind, overwhelming him to the point of collapsing to his knees.
But as soon as the emotions surged—like an ocean crashing against the shore—they vanished, as if they had never existed.
Gaara found himself convulsing on the floor, clutching his head, as though something inside him was trying to break free. Then, just as quickly as it began, the floor beneath him turned liquid, and Gaara began sinking into it. The sensation was disorienting, and before he could process what was happening, everything went black.
Meanwhile, in the real world, the sand cocoon that had formed around Gaara began to collapse. The sand from above rushed down to the ground, signaling that Gaara was waking up.
Temari, who had been anxiously watching, saw Gaara stir. Her eyes widened in concern as she shouted for the scouts to help pull him out of the sand.
Gaara's body was slow to respond. Though his eyes fluttered open, his mind was still reeling from what he had just experienced. The ordeal had left him disoriented.
He was quickly pulled from the sand, but the moment he reached solid ground, Gaara collapsed again, this time into Temari's arms.
The scouts, having secured Gaara, headed back to the Sand Castle to report to the Kazekage. As expected, the Kazekage gave only a brief, indifferent response and dismissed them without a word.
Temari immediately carried Gaara to the Sunagakure infirmary, where Yashamaru worked.
When Temari walked in with Gaara, the other patients in the infirmary instinctively gave way, though they still regarded Gaara with a mixture of fear and contempt. He was rarely seen in such a state—unconscious and vulnerable—so it only heightened their unease.
Yashamaru's face was a mixture of surprise and concern. Gaara wasn't one to get injured easily, so his presence in the infirmary could only mean something serious had happened.
He rushed to Gaara's side and, after checking his condition, turned to Temari, his brow furrowed with questions. Temari and Kankuro quickly explained what had happened, detailing the poison dart and the strange events surrounding Gaara's disappearance.
After some time, Yashamaru came out of the room where Gaara was resting, his face glistening with sweat. He looked toward Temari and Kankuro, who were waiting anxiously outside.
Despite the atmosphere, they didn't mind the wary looks of the other patients. Gaara hadn't harmed anyone, after all, and a little caution was enough.
Yashamaru opened the conversation with a reassuring tone.
"It was a false alarm. Gaara's fine."
Temari looked at him, unconvinced. "Huh? But he was shot with a poison dart. Didn't that do anything to him?"
Yashamaru sighed, shaking his head. He reached into a bag he was holding and pulled out a small vial. "It wasn't a typical poison. It was a sleeping potion," he explained, showing them the bag and its contents. "Normally, it's only dangerous in large doses, and primarily for those with weak mental health. In Gaara's case... well, it was potentially dangerous, considering his mental state as a child."
Temari frowned, still confused. "How does mental health affect how harmful a poison can be?"
Kankuro, who had been listening intently, interjected. His curiosity piqued, he wanted to know more. "Yeah, how does that work?"
Yashamaru paused for a moment, deep in thought. He had known Gaara since childhood, and the intricacies of his condition were not lost on him. Finally, he spoke.
"Poison can affect the body physically, but its true impact depends on the state of the person's mind. If Gaara's mental state had been unstable, the poison could have affected him more severely. But luckily, he's strong enough to withstand it."
Temari and Kankuro exchanged glances, their worry fading a little. But the questions still lingered in their minds—questions about the mysterious nature of the poison and what it all meant for Gaara's safety.