Chapter 326: Gaara
"Wood Style: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"
With a clap of his hands, Haneda summoned a sprawling forest into Gaara's mental space.
In mere moments, countless vine-like trees erupted from the ground, encircling Shukaku in an impenetrable barrier.
Shukaku resisted fiercely, unleashing gusts of Wind Style and powerful Magnet Style techniques. But against the overwhelming might of Haneda's Wood Style, his efforts were futile.
Bound tightly like a rolled-up scroll, Shukaku was immobilized within seconds.
Gaara stood frozen, his mouth agape.
He could scarcely believe that the same Shukaku—who had terrorized him for as long as he could remember and posed a threat even to his father—was now utterly helpless, treated like a mere pet in front of Haneda.
The idea that someone could stand up to Shukaku, let alone dominate him so easily, seemed surreal.
Haneda walked over to Gaara and crouched to meet his gaze. "Want to take a shot at him yourself?" he asked softly.
"But... I'm not strong enough," Gaara murmured, lowering his head.
He had tried to resist Shukaku countless times before, only to fail every time. Each attempt ended in humiliation, further reinforcing his sense of powerlessness.
"Don't worry," Haneda said reassuringly, gently lifting Gaara's small hand. A spiraling orb of chakra began to form in Gaara's palm.
The orb grew larger and larger, transforming from a standard Rasengan into a Giant Rasengan, and then an Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan—eventually becoming as massive as Shukaku's head.
Gaara stared at the glowing sphere in his hand, stunned.
"So heavy... but it's warm," he whispered.
"Go on," Haneda encouraged, smiling. "Don't be afraid."
Taking a deep breath, Gaara closed his eyes to steady himself. When he opened them again, they gleamed with newfound determination.
"I... I can do this!"
Seeing Gaara approach with the enormous Rasengan, Shukaku's pupils shrank in panic.
"No way! This kid—he's really going to use that on me?!" Shukaku thought, his mind racing. Bound by Haneda's Wood Style, he had no means of escape.
The Rasengan struck Shukaku squarely on the head, distorting his face comically before sending his massive form hurtling hundreds of meters away.
As Shukaku crashed to the ground, Haneda completed a Four Symbols Seal, trapping the One-Tail inside a secure cage within Gaara's mental space.
Haneda turned back to Gaara, who stood beaming with satisfaction. "How about coming to live in Konoha with me?" Haneda asked.
Without hesitation, Gaara nodded. "Okay."
When they returned to the real world, Gaara's demeanor had completely changed. He now clung to Haneda's side, his posture relaxed and trusting, a stark contrast to the guarded and combative child he had been earlier.
Observing the scene, Kakashi's lips twitched slightly. "Not bad, 'Orphanage Director,'" he muttered under his breath.
Meanwhile, Deidara chuckled lightly. He figured that with Haneda's charisma, winning Gaara over was inevitable. Besides, adding the One-Tail to Konoha's assets could only benefit the village.
"Who cares if Suna protests?" Deidara thought dismissively. "If Haneda-nii ever wants to go after the other Tailed Beasts, I'd gladly help him find Four-Tails or Five-Tails."
Haneda turned his attention back to Deidara. "The Akatsuki member they sent... it was Sasori, right? Where is he now?"
Deidara coughed awkwardly. "Sasori-sama? Uh... yeah, he said he had other business and left early. Hmm."
In truth, Deidara had discreetly tipped Sasori off to leave as soon as the mission was completed. After all, great artists had to look out for each other.
Haneda smirked faintly but chose not to pursue the matter. Compared to the larger scope of his plans, Sasori was a minor concern—something to deal with later when the time was right.
After confirming the whereabouts of Zabuza and Pakura, Haneda learned that Zabuza had returned to Kirigakure to observe the aftermath of its political upheaval. Pakura, on the other hand, had taken some mission scrolls and headed back to Hoshigakure.
Since neither of them had urgent roles to play in his immediate plans, Haneda let them be.
Tucking away the Izanagi Tensei scroll, Haneda teamed up with Kakashi to activate Flying Thunder God and teleport Deidara and Gaara back to Konoha.
…
Upon arriving in Konoha, Gaara gazed in awe at the bustling streets and vibrant crowds. Everywhere he looked, there were families walking hand in hand, children playing ninja games, and merchants cheerfully peddling their wares.
It was a stark contrast to the hostile and desolate environment of Suna, where he had spent his childhood ostracized and feared.
Tugging on Haneda's sleeve, Gaara asked hesitantly, "Will the people here... reject me too? Will they avoid me because of Shukaku? Will they hate me, like they did back home?"
Haneda smiled warmly. "If you're unsure how to address me, you can just call me 'Uncle Haneda.'"
Caught off guard, Gaara's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He hadn't thought about how to address Haneda properly.
Ruffling Gaara's hair affectionately, Haneda reassured him, "You don't have to worry. Konoha is home to someone just like you—a boy around your age, and a jinchūriki like yourself. He's doing very well here."
"The Nine-Tails jinchūriki?" Gaara asked, his curiosity piqued. "What's his name?"
"Uzumaki Naruto," Haneda replied with a gentle smile. "He lives with me. He even calls me 'Uncle Haneda.' He's my adopted son."
Hearing this, Gaara felt a flicker of hope. If Naruto could thrive in Konoha, perhaps he could too.
"Do you think he'll want to play with me?" Gaara asked.
Haneda chuckled. "Naruto understands what it's like to feel lonely and unloved. He grew up facing the same kind of rejection and pain that you did.
"Now, he has many friends, a caring teacher, and an extraordinary, handsome, gentle, thoughtful, hardworking..."
Hearing this, Kakashi snorted lightly.
Haneda coughed awkwardly, cutting himself off. "Ahem. Anyway, Naruto had a tough start, but he's doing just fine now."
Gaara's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "I want to meet him," he said earnestly.
As they talked, the group arrived at the Uchiha District.
At that moment, Sasuke happened to be walking up to Haneda's house, ready to knock on the door.
Sensing someone behind him, Sasuke turned around and saw Haneda, Kakashi, and Gaara approaching.
"Are you Naruto?" Gaara asked curiously.
Sasuke frowned slightly, glancing at Gaara before replying coldly, "No. I'm here to see Naruto."
"Are you his friend, then?" Gaara pressed.
"Who'd be friends with that idiot?" Sasuke retorted.
After briefly greeting Haneda and Kakashi, Sasuke ignored Gaara entirely and walked inside, muttering about training with Naruto.
Watching Sasuke's retreating figure, Gaara's sharp instincts picked up on something: despite his dismissive words, Sasuke seemed deeply invested in Naruto.
"Uncle Haneda," Gaara asked softly, "who was that just now?"
Without missing a beat, Haneda replied, "That's Uchiha Sasuke, Naruto's best friend."
Gaara's suspicions were confirmed, but the realization left him feeling a little disheartened.
"If Naruto already has a best friend, will he still accept me?" Gaara wondered quietly.