Gaara's usually cold and brooding gaze was now filled with anticipation.
From the moment he was born, no one had ever been able to hurt him.
Any attempt to do so would be blocked by the cursed sand that always surrounded him, acting on its own to shield him from harm.
Everyone said it was the power of the monster inside him.
Gaara hated this power. He wanted to be normal.
Every time he saw others bleed, cry out in pain, or writhe in agony, he felt an overwhelming sense of envy.
He longed to understand what pain felt like.
But no matter how hard he tried, even when he deliberately attempted to hurt himself, the sand would never let him.
It was always there—watching, guarding, preventing.
But now, for the first time, someone had managed to break through the sand's defense and actually hurt him.
Gaara wasn't thinking about anything else at this moment. He just wanted the man in front of him to use even greater force—to let him truly savor the sensation of pain.
When Mirai remained still, showing no intention of attacking, Gaara's expression twisted into madness.
Not going to hit me?
Then I'll just have to kill you!
With a flick of his thoughts, the sand surged toward Mirai once more.
Watching the attack come, Mirai sighed inwardly.
Under normal circumstances, this would be the perfect time to teach the brat a harsh lesson.
But Gaara was different. The way he thought was completely abnormal.
Punishing him might not even be a punishment—it could very well be a reward in his eyes.
As Mirai pondered this dilemma, the sand had already enveloped his body.
Gaara slowly extended his hand. "Sand Binding Coffin."
A sinister smile spread across his face as he imagined Mirai being crushed into a bloody pulp.
But in the very next second, something happened that Gaara couldn't believe.
The sand did nothing.
"Sealing Art: Chakra Absorption."
The chakra within the sand was drained away, and the grains of sand fell uselessly to the ground.
Mirai looked at the stunned Gaara and casually raised his hand—then slapped him across the face.
A new wave of sand shot out, desperately trying to block the strike, but it was completely ineffective.
Smack!
Gaara's mouth split open, blood trickling from his lips.
Yet instead of being angered, he became even more excited.
"Yes! That's it!" Gaara exclaimed, his voice brimming with eagerness. "Hit me harder! Make me feel it!"
"Hahaha—"
Smack!
Before he could finish laughing, another slap landed.
Then came more—his stomach, chest, head, legs—Mirai didn't miss a single spot.
Gaara's initial excitement quickly gave way to terror.
He had wanted to experience pain, yes—but now he felt like he was going to be beaten to death!
Panic set in, and he instinctively reached out to the monster inside him, seeking its power.
But the ever-present beast that had tormented his sleepless nights was now eerily silent.
No response.
Only a tiny, insignificant wisp of sand attempted to protect him, but it was useless.
Smack!
Smack!
Smack!
"Stop… stop! I—I'm going to die!" Gaara finally pleaded, his voice weak.
Seeing that Gaara was barely holding on, Mirai finally relented. He crouched down in front of him and spoke in a calm voice.
"Now, can we have a proper conversation?"
Gaara nodded weakly. "What… do you want to ask?"
Mirai said evenly, "Gaara, I can extract the monster sealed inside you. I can help you become a normal person."
Gaara's breath hitched. His expression was one of shock and disbelief.
"You… you're serious?" he asked hoarsely. "You can really remove it?"
Mirai nodded. "Of course."
Gaara hesitated only for a moment before asking, "What do I need to do?"
Mirai thought for a second. "Take me to your home."
Without hesitation, Gaara stood up and began leading the way.
Mirai followed him silently.
After weaving through several alleys, they arrived at a small, run-down clay house.
The inside was sparse and disorganized, with items scattered haphazardly across the floor.
Looking around, Mirai couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
Compared to the original timeline, Gaara's living conditions in this world seemed even worse than Naruto's had been.
"Gaara, is that you?"
A small figure appeared at the doorway.
Mirai turned his gaze and saw a young girl, no older than six or seven.
She wore patched-up clothing, her golden hair tied into four small buns at the back of her head.
Her delicate features were undeniably cute.
"Gaara, Kankuro made a mess again," she said with a soft sigh. "Don't get mad, I'll clean it up right away…"
As she spoke, she finally noticed the unfamiliar man standing in the room.
In an instant, her expression turned wary.
"Who are you?" she demanded. "Why are you here? What do you want with Gaara?"
Mirai smiled faintly. "I mean no harm."
Temari remained silent.
As the children of Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, all they had ever known in Sunagakure was malice.
She didn't believe for a second that someone would approach them with pure intentions.
Standing in front of her, shielding her protectively, Gaara spoke coldly.
"He's here to extract the monster inside me. Don't get in our way."
Temari's face paled.
Unlike her younger brothers, she had already been old enough to understand things when their father was alive.
She knew exactly what the monster inside Gaara was—a Tailed Beast.
She also knew that a Jinchuriki would die if their Tailed Beast was removed.
Panicking, she grabbed Gaara's arm and tried to pull him away. "Gaara, you'll die if you lose the monster inside you! He's trying to kill you!"
Gaara remained indifferent and pulled his arm away.
"So what if I die?" he said coldly. "I've had enough of this torment."
"Do you have any idea what it's like to never be able to sleep?" he continued, his voice raw with emotion. "To be treated as a tool from birth? To be seen as a monster by everyone?"
"This world has no love in it."
"I don't care if I die. I just want to be free from this life."
Temari's eyes filled with tears. "Kankuro and I care about you! Mother cared about you— Yashamaru—"
"Don't say their names!" Gaara suddenly snapped, his voice cracking. "Even in death, they hated me!"
At the mention of Karura and Yashamaru, Gaara lost all control.
With a furious shout, his sand surged toward Temari.
Whoosh!
Mirai flicked his hand, dispersing the sand effortlessly. He then turned to Temari and said reassuringly,
"Don't worry. I won't let Gaara die."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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