章 131: The Truth

---

"Rasa, where is Gaara's mother?" Pakura asked quietly.

"Gaara's mother... She had a difficult time giving birth to him. She's been gone for many years," Rasa replied in a deep voice, his expression darkening. These were memories he least wanted to recall.

"Takuya, what should we do? This child is so pitiful," Pakura said sympathetically, her gaze softening as she learned more about Gaara's tragic past. Becoming a Jinchūriki at such a young age, suffering from the tailed beast's torment daily, and never even knowing his mother's face—she couldn't imagine such a fate for her own child.

"Don't worry, I won't harm him," Takuya reassured Pakura with a smile. It's often said that a woman's maternal instincts overflow after childbirth, and now it seemed absolutely true. Even Pakura, once a feared elite ninja, showed compassion toward someone who had just tried to kill her.

"Thank you so much, Takuya-sama! Gaara, apologize to Takuya-sama at once," Rasa said, visibly relieved that Takuya wouldn't pursue the matter. He turned to Gaara, pressing his head to the ground.

"Are you Takuya-sama? I see that my father fears you greatly. Can you hurt me?" Gaara asked, looking up at Takuya with wide eyes. Rasa, enraged by his son's boldness, was on the verge of kicking him.

"Rasa, there's no need for that. I won't hold a grudge against a child," Takuya said, stopping Rasa before turning his attention back to Gaara. "Gaara, do you want to be hurt?"

"Yes. I want to know what it feels like to be injured," Gaara responded without hesitation. The next moment, a sharp kunai pierced his shoulder.

*Thud!* The sound of the blade piercing his flesh echoed, and Gaara stared at his shoulder in disbelief as blood began to seep through his clothes, staining them red.

"Ah!!!" Gaara screamed, the pain overwhelming him. He collapsed onto the ground, rolling in agony. Despite his strength as a Jinchūriki, he was still just a child, unaccustomed to physical pain.

"Takuya-sama..." Rasa and Pakura exclaimed, shocked by the sudden turn of events.

"Why are you so anxious? This little wound won't kill him," Takuya said casually. For a Jinchūriki, this was nothing. Sure enough, after a few moments, Gaara began to acclimate to the pain. He knelt on the ground, snot and tears mingling as they streamed down his face.

"So... this is what it feels like to be hurt? The pain... this is it," Gaara murmured, trembling.

"Gaara, why are you so excited? Isn't it uncomfortable to be hurt?" Takuya asked, puzzled by the boy's reaction.

"I feel it. The sand finally let me get hurt! I'm bleeding... This is my victory! That damned tanuki won't control my life anymore!" Gaara exclaimed, laughing maniacally.

"Gaara, do you really believe the sand protects you because of the tailed beast inside you?" Takuya asked keenly.

"Isn't it? I live and die with it. It's afraid that if I die, it'll die too, so it uses the sand to shield me," Gaara replied.

"I see," Takuya sighed. No wonder Gaara kept seeking out opponents who could harm him—it was his way of resisting the Shukaku inside him.

"Gaara, I can extract the tailed beast from your body. Would you want that?" Takuya asked, his gaze steady as he looked at the young Jinchūriki.

"Takuya-sama... please, spare Gaara. He's still a child. If he's offended you in any way, I'll take the punishment," Rasa said, panic creeping into his voice. As a Kage, he knew all too well what would happen to a Jinchūriki separated from their tailed beast.

"Father..." Gaara was stunned. His father had always been so stern and distant—he never imagined Rasa would beg on his behalf.

"Takuya-sama, I beg you, please spare Gaara," Rasa pleaded, falling to the ground and bowing deeply. Gaara clenched his small fists tightly, his mind reeling. Did his father truly care for him after all?

"Rasa, calm down. I can revive Gaara," Takuya said, exasperation creeping into his tone. Why didn't Rasa listen to him first?

"Really? If it's Takuya-sama, maybe he can do it," Rasa said, his voice tinged with hope. If Takuya could make Gaara immortal, then he supported extracting the tailed beast. Initially, he had made Gaara a Jinchūriki for the village's sake, but seeing his son's suffering made him regret it.

"Father, isn't the Jinchūriki the village's most important weapon?" Gaara asked in disbelief. He couldn't understand why his father would agree to such a request.

"Gaara, compared to you, tailed beasts are nothing. Don't worry—Takuya-sama would never deceive us," Rasa said, gently placing a hand on Gaara's head, a rare smile gracing his features. Gaara was stunned. This was the first time his father had shown him such affection. His throat tightened, and his vision blurred with unshed tears.

"Alright. It's not like this is a farewell. Step back; I'm going to begin," Takuya said, motioning for Gaara to move aside before placing a hand on his body.

"Shukaku, you can hear me, right? Don't cause any trouble, or you'll regret it," Takuya warned calmly. To successfully extract the tailed beast, it was better to first issue a warning. Immediately, the chakra of the tailed beast began to flow out of Gaara's body in a torrent.

---

Due to Shukaku's cooperation, Gaara didn't experience any significant pain during the extraction of the tailed beast.

The process was progressing smoothly.

In just a few moments, Takuya sealed Shukaku, the One-Tail, from Gaara into his own body.

As the tailed beast was pulled from him, Gaara's life force completely faded away.

"Gaara!"

"....?!"

Rasa anxiously turned to Takuya, his eyes filled with fear as he saw his son's lifeless body lying on the ground.

"Rasa, don't worry,"Pakura said softly.

She had witnessed Takuya extracting the Nine-Tails from Mito and reviving her. Despite losing all vitality, Mito had miraculously been brought back to life after Takuya healed her. Not only that, but she had also regained her youthful appearance.

If Takuya could do something like that, reviving Gaara should be well within his power.

Takuya ignored Rasa's panic and gently placed his hand on Gaara's body. Immediately, a surge of majestic life energy flowed into Gaara. Under its influence, Gaara's pale skin regained its color.

Soon, Gaara's heartbeat resumed.

"I'm alive?"

Gaara opened his eyes, looking around in confusion. Moments ago, it felt as if he had been in a distant place.

"Gaara!"

Rasa's eyes filled with relief and amazement as he saw his son come back to life. He looked at Takuya with newfound awe.

The power of this man was beyond comprehension. He could revive the dead at will. It was terrifying.

"Takuya-sama, thank you," Rasa said, kneeling down in gratitude. He could sense that Gaara's body was perfectly healthy. Even the dark circles from years of insomnia were gone.

"Gaara, quickly thank Takuya-sama!" Rasa urged, seeing his son still standing in a daze.

"Oh, yes."

"Takuya-sama, thank you!"

Gaara knelt obediently, his face full of emotion. The burden of the monster inside him was finally lifted, and he felt an immense sense of relief. He glanced at Rasa, realizing for the first time that his father truly cared about him.

"Gaara, you can live a normal life now," Rasa said solemnly. "The decisions I made back then were wrong. I hope you can forgive me."

"Father, I don't blame you," Gaara shook his head.

Pakura smiled warmly at the sight of their reconciliation. She was relieved that this child would no longer suffer.

At that moment, Takuya walked up to Gaara and pulled out a kunai.

"Takuya-sama, what are you doing...?" Rasa's expression changed as he instinctively moved to protect Gaara.

"Do not move."

Takuya's gaze froze Rasa in place. His body refused to respond as Takuya approached Gaara, raised his arm, and thrust the kunai towards him.

Just as the blade neared, a surge of yellow sand burst from the gourd on Gaara's back.

Boom!

The sand blocked Takuya's attack.

"W-What...?" Gaara stared at the sand in shock. Shukaku was gone, so why was the sand still protecting him?

"What's happening?" Gaara muttered, bewildered.

"Gaara, do you really think the tailed beast, which constantly tried to drive you mad, would protect you?" Takuya asked calmly.

"If not the tailed beast, then... what's causing this?" Gaara wondered aloud.

"I sensed a very gentle presence in the sand," Takuya said, dropping the kunai to the ground. "Pakura, let's go."

"Gentle presence...?"

"It's Karura!"

Rasa exclaimed.

"Karura?" Gaara repeated, confused.

"Gaara, it's your mother," Rasa said, his eyes welling up. "The one who has always been by your side, protecting you, isn't the tailed beast. It's your mother!"

"My mother?" Gaara stared at the yellow sand, overwhelmed.

After a long moment, a smile crept onto Gaara's face. He realized that the one protecting him all this time was his mother. She didn't resent him for the cost of her life. She had been silently guarding him.

Understanding this, Gaara began to cry. Both his father and mother had always loved him. The sand he once hated was proof of his mother's love and protection!

Finally, Gaara let out the emotions he had held in for so long, crying loudly as Rasa silently held him. Together, they bowed in the direction where Takuya had left.

Outside, Takuya and Pakura walked away.

"Husband, did you already know?" Pakura asked, wiping away her tears.

"Ah, yes," Takuya replied nonchalantly.

"Husband~"

"Yes?"

"You are so handsome!" Pakura said with a smile.

"Really? I was just bored, so I mentioned it casually..." Takuya shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets as he walked forward without looking back.

Watching his retreating figure, Pakura couldn't help but laugh.

Sister Tsunade was right. Her husband truly was a remarkable man.

---