บท 130: Gaara!

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After making up his mind, Takuya began his plan to collect the tailed beasts. He already had Matatabi, the Two-Tails, and Kurama, the Nine-Tails, sealed within him. The remaining seven bijuu were still bound to their respective jinchūriki in various villages.

"In that case, let's start with Shukaku, the One-Tail," Takuya murmured. It didn't matter to him which tailed beast he began with; with his power, capturing a bijuu was a trivial task.

After finalizing his plan, Takuya informed Tsunade and the others of his intention to head to Sunagakure. Tsunade and the rest had no objections. However, Pakura approached him, expressing her desire to accompany him to Sunagakure.

Takuya naturally agreed to her request. Pakura, originally from Sunagakure, had not returned to her hometown since marrying Takuya. Now, she wanted to seize this opportunity to visit her village again, a request Takuya found reasonable.

After some brief preparations, Takuya activated Kamui, transporting both himself and Pakura directly to Sunagakure.

"I didn't expect Sunagakure to have developed so much," Pakura remarked, observing the clean streets and the rows of shops on either side. Though it wasn't as prosperous as Konoha, the transformation of Sunagakure was undeniable.

In just a few years, Sunagakure had evolved from a harsh desert village into a modern city with towering buildings. Seeing her hometown flourishing, Pakura's spirits lifted.

"Sunagakure owes its current prosperity to you," Pakura said, gratitude shining in her eyes. Although Sunagakure was one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, its villagers had led difficult lives. The Kazekage often resorted to extracting gold from the desert to support the village, and many civilians perished from the harsh conditions. Pakura still remembered the bleak atmosphere that once permeated the village. But now, Sunagakure had transformed, and the smiles on the villagers' faces reflected their newfound happiness.

"Do you like it? If you do, we can go shopping first," Takuya suggested thoughtfully.

"Really? Thank you, dear!" Pakura exclaimed, planting a kiss on Takuya's cheek. She was thankful for the Third Kazekage's decision to send her to Konoha years ago. If not for his insistence on building ties with Takuya, she wouldn't be living the joyful life she now had.

Arm in arm, Takuya and Pakura wandered through the streets, occasionally stopping to browse the various products, snacks, and toys. Takuya enjoyed experiencing customs different from those in Konoha.

"This stinky tofu is so delicious. If people knew you invented it, they'd be shocked," Pakura said happily, holding a box of stinky tofu.

"Haha... then the hospital would make a lot of money," Takuya joked with a smile. "Alright, finish it quickly; the smell is a bit strong."

"Hehe... I won't," Pakura replied playfully.

As they strolled and chatted, a sudden commotion erupted nearby.

"Run quickly! The murderer is out again!"

"Look at his eyes! They're the eyes of a demon!"

"Don't go near him! Get out of here!"

Amid the frantic shouts, several young children, about five or six years old, dashed out from a side alley. The passersby on the street quickened their pace, moving away in fear.

"A murderer? What's going on?" Pakura frowned, confused by the situation.

"Hey, that kid they called a murderer, didn't you hear?" Pakura grabbed a nearby villager who was about to leave and asked.

"Of course I heard," the villager whispered, glancing around nervously.

"Then why doesn't anyone try to stop him?" Pakura pressed further.

"Who would dare? You're not from around here, are you? I suggest you leave quickly, or you might end up dead, with no one seeking justice for you," the villager warned before quickly hurrying off.

Pakura's curiosity only deepened.

"Let's go check it out," she said, turning to Takuya.

"Up to you," Takuya replied nonchalantly.

Without hesitation, Pakura pulled him into the alley.

Inside the narrow passage, they found a young boy with a large gourd strapped to his back. There was no one else around.

"Hey, kid. I just heard some other children shouting about a murderer. Do you know who they were talking about?" Pakura asked gently, crouching in front of the boy.

The boy's eyes slowly dulled at her words, and he began muttering, "Murderer... murderer..."

"Hey, are you okay?" Pakura waved her hand in front of the boy's face. It was then that she noticed his lack of eyebrows and the dark rings around his eyes, which looked almost painted on.

Suddenly, the boy's expression twisted into one of rage.

"I'm not a murderer!!!" he screamed, and in an instant, a massive wave of sand erupted from the gourd on his back, surging toward Pakura.

Boom! The sand slammed down hard, then compressed together.

"I'm not a murderer... I'm not a murderer..." The boy covered his head, squatting on the ground as tears streamed down his face, repeating the words over and over.

"Phew~ That was close. I nearly got hit," Pakura said, reappearing beside Takuya with a slightly sad expression.

"You were a bit careless," Takuya remarked calmly. "Even if it's a child, you should always be cautious."

"Yeah... I guess I've been out of action for too long," Pakura admitted. Since marrying Takuya, she had spent most of her time taking care of their children, and her instincts had softened, especially when encountering kids.

The boy looked at Pakura and Takuya in shock, then turned his attention to the pile of sand. Slowly, the sand dispersed, revealing only a heap of shattered wood fragments.

"Kid, you'd better explain yourself," Pakura demanded coldly, her eyes locked on the boy in front of her. Her body exuded a palpable killing intent. If the boy couldn't give her a satisfactory explanation, she wouldn't hesitate to end him. His previous attack had been lethal, after all.

"Do you want to kill me? Hahahahaha... can you kill me?" the boy laughed maniacally. "Go ahead, do it! Kill me!"

Seeing the boy's crazed expression, Pakura's gaze grew even colder. It was clear the boy had mental issues, and his strength was not to be underestimated. The fact that he was called a "murderer" meant he had taken lives before. In that case, she had no reason to show mercy.

With that thought, Pakura pulled a kunai from her ninja pouch and began advancing toward the boy.

"Stop!" A commanding voice rang out, and several masked shinobi suddenly appeared, positioning themselves between Pakura and the boy.

"Sunagakure's Anbu?" Pakura asked, frowning.

Without warning, the Anbu moved to attack Pakura, weapons drawn.

"Idiots! How dare you..." Pakura gritted her teeth, astonished by the Anbu's aggressive approach. Before she could react, Takuya placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

Boom! With a deafening noise, all of the Sunagakure Anbu fell lifeless to the ground.

"A..." Pakura's eyes widened, looking at Takuya with a worried expression. Had she caused trouble by being too hasty?

"This little one is more complicated than you think. Come with me," Takuya said with a smile, gesturing for Pakura to follow him. He then walked over to the boy.

"Who are you? Can you kill me?" the boy asked, unfazed by the fallen Anbu. Instead, he looked at Takuya with a twisted curiosity.

"You should come along," Takuya replied calmly. The boy's body suddenly lifted off the ground, floating in mid-air. He didn't struggle; instead, he wore a slight smile. With Takuya leading the way, the three of them soon arrived at the Kazekage's office.

"Takuya-sama?!" The Anbu stationed outside the Kazekage's office recognized him immediately, falling to one knee in shock and respect. Takuya, now a figure of immense power and influence, was known to all.

Takuya ignored the kneeling Anbu and walked straight into the Kazekage's office.

Inside, Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, was deeply engrossed in paperwork. Hearing the door open, he frowned. "I thought I made it clear I wasn't to be disturbed..."

Before he could finish, he looked up and froze in shock. "You... why are you here?" Rasa stammered, rising quickly from his seat. Though he was the Kazekage, even he was nervous in front of Takuya.

"Rasa, do you know this boy?" Takuya asked casually, seating himself in the Kazekage's chair, his gaze indifferent.

"Yes, this is my son, Gaara," Rasa replied, his panic growing. He knew Gaara's reputation all too well. Had his son somehow angered Takuya-sama? The mere thought of it made Rasa break out in a cold sweat. He vividly remembered the time Takuya nearly annihilated Sunagakure.

"So, he's your son," Pakura remarked, nodding in understanding.

"Pakura-sama!" Rasa bowed respectfully to Pakura as well. Both he and Pakura had once been candidates for the position of Kazekage. In the end, he had claimed the title, but now he showed Pakura great respect.

"This boy just attacked us," Pakura stated, causing Rasa's face to pale even further. Damn it! He knew Gaara had caused trouble again.

"And why is your son called a murderer by the villagers?" Pakura inquired, her curiosity piqued. As the Kazekage's son, shouldn't Gaara be loved by the people?

Rasa hesitated but knew he couldn't lie in front of Takuya. "Gaara is my son and the village's Jinchūriki. He was born at the exact moment the previous Jinchūriki passed away. As soon as he was born, I sealed the One-Tail, Shukaku, inside him."

"Ever since then, Gaara hasn't been able to sleep. Shukaku torments him every night, and if he falls asleep, Shukaku tries to break through the seal. Gaara hasn't had a peaceful night's rest since he was born," Rasa explained, his voice heavy with guilt.

Pakura nodded in understanding. No wonder Gaara had such severe dark circles under his eyes.

"Years of this torture have driven Gaara to the brink of madness. His behavior has become unpredictable and violent. He discovered that even if he tried to kill himself, the sand would automatically protect him. One day, after being mocked as a freak, Gaara snapped and killed dozens of people. From that day forward, the villagers began calling him a 'murderer'," Rasa continued, his voice tinged with sorrow.

As Pakura listened, her eyes filled with sympathy. She hadn't imagined that a child could endure such suffering from such a young age.

"So, Lord Takuya, Lady Pakura, please forgive Gaara," Rasa pleaded sincerely, dropping to one knee.

Gaara watched in disbelief. He had never seen his father, usually so stern and authoritative, act with such humility. Who exactly was this Takuya-sama?

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