What If Jinchuriki Were Treated As Heroes?

For many years, I always wondered why it was that Naruto was so hated. Like, I get the idea. It's only natural for people to be bitter towards the Ninetales. It killed a lot of innocent people, but the villain was the Ninetales, not Naruto. I had expected people to be able to understand that, at least to the same level that Eraka did. I know took some time to get there and all, but he did eventually get there. I blame a lot of things on Hirozen. Should I blame this on him, too? Well, honestly, I don't know. He did try to do something to help by limiting who could talk about Naruto to nobody. This was so that the next generation wouldn't hate Naruto. And considering he needed to hide Naruto based on Mito's will, he couldn't exactly scream from the rooftops, he's Mito's child. Or could he have? What if the villagers of the Hidden Leaf realized that Naruto was actually a hero? And while we're at it, let's include poor Gar into the story. What if he was treated positively, too? What might have happened? Well, that's what we're here to find out. Naruto's birth had been a rough one, to say the least. Some people didn't give babies the credit they deserved. Yes, they were weaker and far more fragile than the other humans, but for all that we believed, babies and humans were a lot less fragile than they seemed, and they did possess an ability to self-t treat their own wounds. Blood clotting stopped bleeding, bones mended, comas were common to help bodies heal. While we seemed weak and fragile, it was also true that we were simply mortal. And the human body possessed many systems designed to stall that final breath. Babies possessed these, too. A certain willpower, a divine strength in their bodies that shouted, "How could this be possible without divine hands?" The little babe, having been thrown from its place, now laid on the grass. Only the loose swaddling keeping the blades of green and the dirt below from tarnishing its body. Upon its belly was the mark of a hero, the seal of a ginger, the strongest and most useful seal the Usuzamaki had ever created. And it had been placed there by a dead man. Of course, the babe didn't know this. At least Hirozen didn't think that it knew this. It was so young, barely an hour old. All it seemed to know how to do was cry. And that's exactly what it was doing. It was wailing into the night sky. Whether this was out of discomfort or bodily pain was unknown. Hirozen, running his hand along its small back, checked its spine for any injuries before he lifted it any further up. The babe was unharmed mostly, but there was still pain in its voice. Was it somehow capable of witnessing the death of its parents? Was it conscious enough of mind to comprehend at this early of an hour the concept of demise? Hi began considering something new. What if? What if it was actually in pain from another source? Looking down at the seal once again, he wondered what it must feel like to become a genturi to have enough chakra to level the surface of a planet, to cut a lunar body in two, shoved into your very spirit. He had been lucky enough to speak with Mito Uzamaki about it during his earlier years as Hokag, and she told him that it was the most uncomfortable feeling in the world, to feel as though your own body was no longer your own. your entire being burning as if it were on fire. The only thing she could truly liken the pain to was the burn of pure capsain. Like the feeling it gave on the tongue rubbed across your whole body, pumping through every vein and vessel from head to toe. The baby was in pain, and it was in pain for their protection. Hi held it close, his scruffy goatee unintentionally provoking a bit louder of a cry from the orphan. "Naruto, thank you. Thank you so much, he said as tears began to roll down his cheek. Mito had told him that it was one of the worst pains she had endured. And during the ceiling of Kusha Uzamaki, for the first time in a while, Hisen questioned his own humanity. Her screams of agony as the beast was sealed within her unconsciousness after her mental instability that came with two voices vying for control. She was a well-developed girl by that time. Her mind strong enough to fight back. But this child didn't even have the concept of spoken word. And perhaps that was the best outcome. If it couldn't understand, then it couldn't heed. Maybe this would give the babe time to adjust. All the same, Hisen lifted the swaddling from the ground and shook the dust off. He wrapped the babe in it as it continued to wail. Looking at Mato, he heard him speak from the memories of the past. They had stood in the Hokage's office just a month earlier, talking about how happy Mino was that he'd be a father, his smile beaming from ear to ear. Hi had never seen such a look on a man since his own time preparing for Osuma's birth. But despite the joy, a sudden darkness overtook Mito. Hi, he said. It's going to be rough. What do you mean? Hi asked. The birth, I mean. There's a risk that the Ninetailes will escape. And even if it doesn't, there's also a risk that war calls myself and Kusha away. Parenthood is going to be unusual for two warriors with responsibilities to a larger hole. Up to this point, I've never really thought about dying. I knew it was a possibility and I had seen it, but I never feared it. Not until now. And I don't fear it for my own sake or even for Kusha's, but for Naruto's. For Naruto's sake, I feel true sudden fear. What will happen if we don't come back? Here sat there in his seat thinking about how he had gone the same way. The village is your family, Mito. They will remember you. They will honor you by honoring your son. I don't know if I want them to know Naruto is my son. What if they come for him? What if who comes for him? Herizen asked. My enemies, Mito said. Hi looked down. In Mito's many years, he had made many enemies. And it was true. A lot of them might seek retribution against a dead man by harming his helpless child. That's when Hien accepted it. I will protect him. Nobody will touch him ever. I think he should forego using my name. He should not use the Usuzamaki name in order to hide him. Hi shook his head. No, Mito. Naruto should not run from who he is. Nor should he hide from connection with you. He is your legacy and your name is his birthright. I don't know if that matters. Mito said it doesn't matter if he knows about me. It just matters that he's safe. I think you overestimate your name. Mito. Overestimate and underestimate all at the same time. How do you mean? Mito asked. You overestimate your name by thinking that all of your worst enemies you ever fought will come for him. The Raich will not come for him because you spared his life. We may have a harsh relationship with the hidden cloud, but they respect you and they will not hurt your child for some reason. And you further underestimate your own name by thinking that your name won't be sufficient enough to protect him. People are so scared of you that even the mentioning of your name makes them sit straight. Of all their fears, I believe that they would worry that you might just come back to life momentarily to kill anyone who dares touch your child. You're a legend, Mito. Surpassed only by Hashiama Senu himself. And just as Sununade wasn't forced to run from her name as a child after the death of Hashiama, your son won't either. Mito thought about it. Yeah, I guess you're right. Besides, I'm probably just being silly. I probably won't die. But he did. Had Minato somehow foreseen the future. Had it been revealed to him that he would die alongside Kusha, leaving their infant child behind, didn't know. And now, as he held the baby in his arms, it had also seemed to slow its tears. The fatigue of the experience had finally caught up to it, and now it sought to sleep. And that's all it did for the next 3 days. For a time, Hisin was afraid that maybe he would never wake up, that maybe the Ninetailes's power had left him brain dead. But no, after the third night, the babe awoke again, and amazingly was in quite the fantastic mood. Looking into the baby's eyes, Hisin thought about it. He was not going to hide the truth. He was going to be transparent and let the whole world know exactly who Naruto was and why he should be respected. And if this invited danger to the child, then so be it. Hi would just have to put a room in the Hokag's mansion for Naruto and treat him the same as they often treated the children of Kag. Naruto was special. Naruto was a hero and the whole world would know it. Elsewhere, in another part of the world, there was another baby born. This child was premature. It was so weak that it came out of the womb silent without tears. Fears abounded that maybe it was dead. But the mother who herself was dying held close to the infant, keeping it warm with her body heat as if willing some of her own spirit into the child. This child was born to a desperate man of the desert. A man who, like the Hokag, had sought only to do what was best for his village and found his family life and business life clashing. Sunagakade was a land where many powerful and sometimes cruel shinobi gathered. After the end of the third shinobi world war, the name of Sunna had become tarnished. They had become known as cruel, unruly, incompetent, especially when compared to their peers such as Konoha, who had through the power of the White Fang been put in their place. Due to the reputation they gained, the village was now facing historic poverty where the rich were now poor and the poor were even poorer. It wasn't sustainable. But what was this man to do? What could he do that would somehow make things right in his village? Well, to understand how to heal a village like this, one must first recognize what this village was and the way of life that brought culture to it. As a hidden village, they were in charge of training Shinobi. This means that they were perhaps the most important facet of the land of wind, being responsible for much of its military training. Shinobi sustained their village and their nation through trade, and the only thing of value a shinobi could offer to trade was services. These services ranging from the smallest chore to assassination and espionage. That's right. The entire economy of Suna of any hidden village really was to serve as soldiers for hire. This meant that not only Konoha but the whole world was kept afloat by a war economy. Pour money into a war and pillage and plunder until the recession you face is lifted. Build weapons and sell them. Train soldiers and sell them. Give birth to new lives and then sell them. This was the terrible fate of the economy that kept the world spinning. War had changed. It was no longer about nations, ideologies, or ethnicity. War and its consumption of life had become a welloiled machine. The age of deterrence created by Hashiama Senju had become the age of conflict. All in the name of averting economic catastrophe. Use of tailed beasts. Weapons of mass destruction had become the fuel to the flames of greed. War had become routine. And when blood mixed with money, people came to realize that human life could have a price placed upon it. Perhaps the price that man had placed on it was absurdly low compared to what it should be. But the price was nonetheless there. Was it worth it? Rosa questioned himself as he stood there looking at the scene. Was it worth it to sell off the life of your beloved? To sell off the life of your child? To sell off your very soul for money and influence? Was it worth it? As Rosa looked down at the now deceased face of the only woman to ever show him love, tears began to form in his eyes. Falling to his knees, he began to cry. "No, it wasn't worth it," he shouted. "It was never worth it." Taking her hand and kissing it, squeezing it between his shaking fingers, he cried out, "forgive me!" He cried this up to the heavens, toward his wife, toward the creator, who now stood in judgment of his actions. "I beg you. Forgive me," he said. as if a sudden answer to his prayers. He heard a small cough and gag followed by the tiniest cry imaginable. He looked up and saw the infant Kura was cradling, crying. For the first time since its birth, it gave off signs of life. Rosa took it up in his hands and held it. The little baby boy was so small he could fit it comfortably in two palms in both of Rosa's hands. Tears rolling from his cheeks, they dripped onto the little baby as Rosa's face of agony slowly shifted into a sorrowful smile. Gar, he said, his shaky voice hardly able to leave his lips. You're alive. I have you. At this moment, everything that Rosa was fell to the wayside as his singular focus became this baby. Pulling it into his chest as if desperately trying to share body heat to keep it warm, he looked up. I will keep you safe, he said. I will keep you safe. These two births were tragic. The lives of those around them shifting in a strange direction due to the actions around the births. Yet the children remained blissfully unaware. They did not know what they lost, only what they had been told, and due to not remembering, there was a certain contentedness to it. Jeriah was a man of long white hair. The color of his hair was not based upon his age. No, it was instead based upon his love for theater. Jeriah was an entertainer at heart, a writer, and an actor. And though he was a shinobi, it didn't mean these gifts went to waste. In fact, it is perhaps the reason why he was so good at what he did. Everything he had learned, he learned from his time studying the arts of theater, particularly Kabuki theater. This was why his hair was so wild and why he displayed a continuous need to pose and paint his face up in the style of white paint with red and sometimes blue lines depending on the role he felt he was playing today. If he felt like the hero of his own story, he wore red. If he was helping someone else out, he would consider green lines to symbolize a bit of a spiritual nature as a teacher. And he even surmised that if he were to become Hokag, which he never planned to do, he would wear purple. That was if he actually felt like wearing Kumadori that day, which today he did not. However, if he did, he'd be wearing green because today he was taking on the role of teacher. You see, after Naruto's birth, Hisen had thought it best to teach the boy how to use his tailed beast and how to become the kind of warrior that would make Mato proud. And who better to call for that job than Mito's own teacher. Not to mention that Jeriah was also Naruto's godfather as willed by Minoto and Kusha themselves. So besides Hirozen, Jeriah was the only family that Naruto really had. Jeriah had been training with Naruto for quite some time and now the end of the day was at hand. Naruto had made good progress for such a young man, no older than seven, and he was already capable of using the initial Gingeriki cloak at will. It had yet to be honed into the perfect version one cloak, but it was a start. And he even displayed the ability to summon frogs. Just tadpoles and baby frogs, sure, but they were able to be summoned. And if anything, Naruto would at least have friends to talk to. Here, Jeriah said, handing Naruto one of the two popsicles that came in the pack. What's this for? Naruto asked as he took it. Jeriah smiled. You've been doing good in your training. I'm proud of you. Naruto offered a solemn smile and took it. The gravity between them seemed unusually dense today. Jeriah couldn't help it. He needed to know why. Something on your mind, Naruto? Naruto looked out toward the setting sun. Grandpa Harrison said that you trained my daddy. Is that true? Jeriah nodded. Yep. Can you tell me what he was like? Jeriah smiled. He was a lot like you. He had blonde hair and a similar face. If you ever look at the face on the far right side of the monument, you'll see what he looks like. I know that, Naruto said. I just want to know about who he was, though. Can you tell me a funny story? Jeriah chuckled a bit. Your father was a ham. Pretty much the only stories I have of him are funny stories. Jeriah thought for a moment. Let me show you something. He held out his hand and formed a reengon. This technique was designed by your father. Naruto's eyes sparkled with amazement. I want to learn how to do it. I'll teach you someday soon. Don't worry. Jeriah began to explain. Your father fought alongside me during the third Shinobi World War. During that time, he witnessed two Genturiki named Han and Roshi, both in. They were very powerful shinobi in their own right, and they possessed the five tales and the four tales, respectively. They attacked us right after we completed a mission. During the time we faced them, they created tailed beast balls, which were powerful spheres of destruction. Thanks to Mino, he got us out, but he could never forget the technique the tailed beasts used. He hacked his head around it for such a long time. This was all going on during the time he was dating your mom, Kusha, the previous holder of the Ninetailes that's inside of you. He wanted to make this technique for your mom so she wouldn't have to use tailed beast balls if she didn't want to since controlling the Ninetales was a lot harder for her than it is for you. Well, he wanted to spin his chakra into a sphere, which is already hard to do. But when he tried, they kept exploding in his face. I've never seen a face covered in as much soot as his. I told him that he needed to spin his chakra in the way that was natural for his flow, either clockwise or counterclockwise. But he didn't know how. So, I told him it could be divined by looking at the swirls in his hair. So, he asked me to look. Which way was the swirl going? Naruto asked. Well, that's the thing. He had two swirls and they went in different directions, so his chakra flowed abnormally. Jeriah chuckled. He thought he would never figure it out. That's when Kusha helped him understand that the spin he needed to use shouldn't be any shape but a helix that would give rise to better stability due to being a three-dimensional shape. So eventually he mastered it and showed it to me. I asked him what he was going to name it. You know what he said to me? What? Naruto asked. He said that the name of the technique should be Halo frozen dessert hair warl Jeriah twin formula sphere. H your father sucked at names. Can you imagine saying the name of that technique every time you used it? I bite my tongue just thinking about it. Naruto laughed. It does sound hard to say. In the end though, Jeriah said, I convinced him to give it a new name. And he chose something far more simple, the reengon. He said it would help Kusha and so he taught it to her. He taught it to me, too, and one day I'll teach it to you. Naruto smiled and looked down. Thanks, Jeriah Sensei. They sat there watching the sun lower down, eventually crossing the horizon, a green flash appearing just as the sun disappeared. It was as if the disappearance of the sun, the beautiful yet sorrowful sight, had awakened something in Naruto. There was a sniffle as a set of tears ran down his face. Jeriah looked over. Naruto? Naruto looked over at Jeriah. Jeriah sensei. Why does it hurt? Why does what hurt? Jeriah asked. Naruto continued. I never knew my parents, so how can it hurt so bad when they're gone? I know, Naruto. It hurts me too, but it will be okay. Jeriah would take Naruto in and help him prepare for bed. It would be another early morning tomorrow, especially tomorrow. Naruto had a lot of time on his hands, and he had plenty of time to dive deeper into what it meant to be a genturi. But after tonight, Jeriah felt that his top priority should be teaching Naruto the reengon. This technique was his birthright. It was the legacy of Mino and one of the last things Mito had left behind for Naruto. Naruto needed to be able to make it to carry a piece of Mato in him. As much as he carried a piece of Kusha, the reengon, and more stories, pictures, anything that belonged to Kusha and Mito should now belong to Naruto. While they couldn't be there with him, Jeriah could, and he knew that he needed to show him who they were. Jeriah would live in place of Mito and Kusha. After getting a snack, and taking a shower, brushing his teeth, and getting nice and cozy, Jeriah would walk into the room and kneel beside Naruto's bed. Taking his hand and pressing it against the face that he knew could use a bit of a shave, Jeriah smiled. "I know you feel sad, Naruto, but know this. The human spirit, the soul, it exists and a piece of it lives inside of you. It'll never go away. Your parents are with you, Naruto. Their love is in you. You are made up of their love, and it endures. And since they can't be with you physically, they charged me with it instead. Really? Naruto asked. Jeriah nodded. Before their passing, back when you were still growing in your mom's belly, I paid them a visit to show them my new book. They loved it so much that they decided to name you after the main character. This essentially made me your godfather. I didn't think I was ready for the responsibility, but they told me that they trusted nobody else with the job more than me. And so, I accepted it. They wanted to make sure that should anything happen to them that you wouldn't be left without support. that you would still feel loved. At this, Naruto's stoic face began to be betrayed by another tear that Jeriah wiped away. You are loved, Naruto. You exist because someone wanted you. We all exist because someone wanted us. Whether that be our parents who crafted our body or the one who crafted our soul, we exist because we're wanted, because we are loved. I never want you to forget that. The day after, Naruto spent his time training the Reengon, learning the steps to achieving it. This would be a long and arduous road, but it would teach Naruto something important, and that was chakra control. That would over the long run prove to be a very useful technique, and if he could master this, he could master anything. Or so Jeriah believed. That being said, he made very little progress on the first day. He kept popping the water balloon, and as frustrations built up, Jeriah alleviated it by throwing one of the water balloons at Naruto. Naruto would giggle and throw one back. Their training had become play, and maybe that was okay. There was a lot to being a shinobi, and there was more to life than just training. So, currently, Naruto was riding on Jeriah's shoulders. Both of them soaked, leaving a dark trail of spots behind them. As they walked down the street, many a villager waved to them. At least one of the elderly women stopped. "Good afternoon, Lord Jeriah. Good afternoon, Master Naruto." Naruto waved. "Hi, Miss Shimizu." The elderly woman chuckled a bit. "Jeriah, you need to get that boy a towel. He's going to catch his death wandering around like that. Put him down for a second. Jeriah lowered Naruto to the ground. The woman disappeared into her store for a moment before returning with a big white towel. She threw it on Naruto's head and began to quickly dry him off, using the warmth of the friction to evaporate any water. The elderly woman pinched his cheeks. "So cute. You make your village proud, Naruto." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, to which Naruto giggled, trying to escape. Jeriah gave a bit of a chuckle. He was at least glad to see the village doing its part to take care of Naruto. "You ready for lunch, Naruto?" Jeriah asked. "Yes, please," Naruto shouted, his hunger evident on his face. "What are we looking at today?" Naruto didn't even need a second to think. He blurted out, "Ichiraku ramen." As if he had this planned out from the beginning. "Maybe it was knee-jerk." Jeriah was slowly getting burned out of eating ramen every day, but whatever made Naruto happy. If he could keep going, then so too could Jeriah. Showing up, they both got a bowl and proceeded to eat. On the other side of the continent, Garatu was eating. But instead of lunch, it was supper. And the person he was eating with was none other than his uncle Yashimaru. The brother of Kura. Yashimaru had taken the role in Gar's life that his mother was supposed to have. Besides him, he did the same for the rest of Gar's siblings. Each one carried a piece of their mother with them. And Yashimaru loved each and every one of them. As a staunch supporter of Rasa, Yashimaru followed every word his Kag commanded of him. Knowing that Rosa was a busy man, he was more than happy to play the role of babysitter. Something Rosa had officially named him, though he used a more official term such as retainer or guardian or some other title to disguise and add honor to the otherwise gentle job that stood opposite of a shinobi of Yashimaru's standing. Once an onbu agent, force of death and destruction, known to all around him as the desert wind blowing, he had since hung up his mask for an apron, becoming little more than a butler. And you know what? That was okay. Yashimaru was not in this for himself or for his own honor. He was in this for the village, to do his part. Due to the hard position that Suna found itself in, the budget limits, it was a tough deal on Rasa, who found himself getting up early and staying up late, sleeping between meetings, and very little time to do anything. Yashimaru balanced the family life for Rasa, being the stand-in for Kura. He would often take the kids out to eat or take them shopping with him. All the while he did that, the civilians would wave to Gar and give him gifts, treating him with love. Yashimaru told Gar many a time that love was the greatest shield one could hold and the greatest sword that a person could wield. For love could pierce any heart without leaving a hole. And better still, it did not kill, but instead healed. To that end, Gar had become somewhat of a flower child. Every morning, Gar would rise and paint the word love upon his forehead, using that concept as his strength to keep Shukaku at bay. Gar had the kindest heart that Yashimaru had ever seen. For better or worse, Yashimaru had only wished that the village was in better shape when Gar was born. Despite his happy, loving disposition, things were not so good. Yashimaru feared that someday soon the innocence in Gar may be shattered by necessity. Yashimaru didn't know if he'd be able to handle seeing this, to see his nephew lose himself to the darkness of the Shinobi world. Yashimaru had lost himself long ago. Once Yashimaru had also been like Gar. In fact, the act of painting the word love on his forehead was passed down from Yashimaru himself. But sadly, the wars raged on. And the lifestyle Yashimaru once held close was taken away, and he was turned into this. This thing, this monster, things that kept him awake at night, things that haunted his dreams. Yashimaru took a deep breath and began to refocus. He didn't want his nephew to end up in the same position. He didn't want the kanji he painted on his head to ever go away. And that's what he had told him. Gar, can you promise me something?" he asked. Gar nodded and asked what he wanted. Yashimaru told him, "Life may get hard someday, and you may be forced to do things you don't like, but please promise me that you'll never stop printing this kanji on your head. Never forget what it means." Gar promised, and it was a good thing, too. It wasn't long after that Gar and Rosa had their first interaction in quite some time. Rosa had come home from work, but he hadn't really come home from work. His mind remained at the office. He had brought the stresses home with him. It was nighttime and Rosa didn't have enough time to spend with his children. They had all been put to sleep. Rosa, on the other hand, had decided to stay up. His sleep schedule was so screwed up that sleeping began to seem like a foreign concept. Standing on the roof of his home, he leaned against the railing. The air was cold and dry as it got in the desert. Rasa felt himself losing his composure. Rosa was a strong man, and he rarely cried, but that didn't mean that he hadn't had a heart. A time had come during the third world war where he had almost cast off his heart for good to become as ruthless as his village needed. But the words of Kura echoed in his mind. Words of love and compassion, assuring him that these traits and qualities would lead them through the endless night. Rasa held on to his compassion, though right now he wondered if that were the right choice. As tears streamed from his eyes, he felt the weight of the whole village bearing down. Everyone in that village was relying upon him to find a way to revive their way of life. Rosa turned around and sat down, his back against the bars, and he continued to cry like a baby. He did not notice that Gar had showed up on the roof. Teddy in hand, he drew closer. Rosa detected the sound. "They've finally done it," he said. "They've finally had enough of me. They're going to kill me," he said as his hand moved to his coai holster. He raised his eyes for a moment and saw not the face of an assassin, but the concerned look of his son, wondering for what reason his strong father could be reduced to tears. Rosa closed the holster silently as he put on a smile. He wiped his eyes. "Oh, hey, Gar, I didn't know you were still up. What are you doing out of bed?" "I couldn't sleep. I felt strange, like sadness." "Just like his mother," Rasa said within himself, remembering that Kura could always tell when Rasa was upset, even if he wasn't in the room. On his hands and knees, Rasa crawled over to his son, scooping him up and sitting him in his lap. "It's just stuff," Rasa said. "Being the Kazak is really hard," Gar. "The village isn't doing good." Rasa didn't want to scare his son, but he needed someone who cared to listen. "Why not?" Gar asked. "Nobody wants to buy help from our shinobi anymore, so we're not making any money. We have bills and taxes. Our village has expenses it needs to pay, and now we're not making any money to pay it. Our village could get shut down and go away forever. Gar seemed to understand the gravity of it. You are sad because you don't know how to fix it? Gar asked. Rosa nodded. Daddy doesn't know how to fix it. Daddy loves his village. It's where his babies grew up. It's where he met mommy. It's all Daddy's ever known, and now it's going to go away. And Daddy feels like it's his fault. Gar turned around to look at his father. Daddy, don't be sad. I'll help save the village. Rosa shook his head. I don't know what you can do besides things I don't want you to have to do, he said. Gar looked at his father, seeing the tears that even Rasa didn't know he was still crying. Gar wiped them away. I will help you, Gar said. I will do the stuff that I don't want to do so the village can stay. Rasa began to cry a bit more. Gar, the things I would ask you to do, I don't know if I could live with it. It would change you forever. You'd never be the same. Gar took his father's hand and put it on his forehead, resting his father's thumb over the kanji he had painted there. This kanji means love. And love is to do things for people who need it without getting anything back. That's what Yashimaru said. Love is useless if it doesn't help. Even if it hurts, I want to help. So, let me help. I love the village, too, and I don't want it to ever go away. It's where daddy grew up. Ross's heart smashed into a thousand pieces as he burst into tears, wailing like a baby. He pulled his son into his embrace. Oh, Gar. From then on, Rasa began to set up a new strategy. The only way he could improve Sunagakaday's standing was to reduce the reputation of its greatest rivals, such as the Hidden Leaf. And even if that was wrong, even if it was underhanded, Rasa was desperate. And to that end, Rasa began to personally train his son in the usage of magnet release, the Kekai genkai that had been passed down in their bloodline. the Kekai Genkai that Gar had doubled due to the one tale sealed inside of him. He taught Gar how to control his one tale and to use it to the best of his abilities. His son, once a child of peace and love, was being forged into a weapon of war, contributing to the endless cycle of hatred. How cruel was the world for forcing him to do this? How cruel was Rasa for forcing Gar to become what he wasn't? Kura, forgive me, he said as he witnessed his son's prowess, his natural talent for fighting being turned from a protector to a destroyer. Shaking his head, Rasa spoke once more. Please forgive me. Naruto also grew in his powers and abilities. Jeriah took special care to train him. Naruto eventually did learn the reengon and would even go so far as to perfect his version one chakra cloak. Due to his completion of high-ranking techniques, including the summoning jutsu, to which he found himself even able to summon massive toads like Gamabunta, it became obvious that he was more than ready to be placed on his own team. This team would include Sasuke and Sakura and all three genin would be placed under the supervision of Kakashi Hate, a Jonin who like Hirozen and Jeriah had a connection to Minato Namakazi. Kakashi would test his team to see if they could understand the concept of teamwork and would be pleasantly surprised by how proactive Naruto was in helping his fellow genine to understand this. Due to his actions, his team easily passed the test Kakashi had set up for them with Naruto and Sasuke even coming very close to taking the bells from Kakashi. Their teamwork had forced Kakashi to give his all just to escape. While he could escape Sasuke, it was a bit harder to escape Naruto due to his ability to use the version one chakra cloak. But miraculously, Kakashi managed to avoid Naruto long enough to keep the bells. He would accept these three onto his team and would go about preparing missions for them, executing them with them, and even helping them come into their new power. It wouldn't be long until a new mission to the land of waves was ordered for them. Due to the overall prowess they displayed, Naruto was more than happy to take this challenge, hoping that something might happen so he could display his new power. On their way there, they would, as usual, be attacked by the demon brothers. But the way this is handled is far different. Sasuke and Naruto effortlessly team up against these two and defeat them. And when Zabaza shows up with Haku, well, things don't go according to plan for him. Not only does he have to deal with Kakashi, but he also has to deal with a genine who could easily pass for Chunin possesses the Sharing and Njutsu that kids his age should not have. Furthermore, he also has the Ninetailes Chinuriki coming after him. After being distracted by Sasuke, Naruto comes in with a Rasengon and knocks Zabuzza away. Zabuzza would be rescued by Haku, who would flee along with him. Kakashi knows that that's not the last they'll see of him and tells his students that they need to prepare for their return. They would later head to the bridge where they would once again be assailed by Zabuzza and Haku. However, Haku is unable to take the combined might of Naruto and Sasuke. And due to this, Zabuzza is killed, leaving Haku alone to mourn the loss of his master. Naruto feels bad about this, but Kakashi takes it as the perfect opportunity to teach them a lesson, letting them know that this is something they may face in the future, and it's very likely that they will have to kill. Gateto's goons attempt to take the bridge, but are quickly repelled. With the bridge secured and built, Team 7 is allowed to go home where they are debriefed by the Hokage and their placement in the Chunin exams is secured. In Suna, however, a secret meeting is about to take place. Rosa was in his office standing and looking out the window when he had heard that someone wanted to meet with him. He didn't really think it mattered, but it wasn't any person who came and told him, but one of the elders who helped keep Rosa in check. This confused Rasa. That was until they told Rosa who it would be. And now, Rosa felt his nerves acting up. Without so much as the sound of a door opening or closing, there was a voice. "Lord Kazak," the voice said with a hint of a chuckle behind it. Rasa turned around and looked to see a man who had obviously not spent much time in the land of wind. "His complexion said that much." "To what do I owe this?" "Honor!" Orochimaru asked, attempting to finish the stumbling man's sentence. "No, just whatever this is," he said, pointing up and down Orochi Maru. Most men would be offended, but Orochimaru had a sense of humor, and he found it funny that a man so afraid would find the courage to make such a joke. Well, it is indeed a pleasure, I'm sure. You're a wanted criminal. How can you simply walk into this village and expect a warm welcome? I should have you arrested and turned over to the leaf. But that wouldn't be very advantageous, would it? It seems you're terribly misinformed. You currently speak with not just any criminal, but the Otoag. Rasa shook his head. There's no such thing. Perhaps not. But there is indeed a village. A village with weapons. A village with soldiers. A village with ambitions. Not too unlike yours. Orochimaru said as he looked around. Just spit it out already. What do you want? The same thing you do. The destruction of our shared enemy, Konoha, Rosa said. Orochimaru raised a brow of acknowledgement as his face bore a twisted smirk. I can see that your village has been having hard times. Mine as well. Konoha seems to be the main culprit of this situation we both find ourselves in. So why don't we work together to alleviate our stresses? Rosa would slowly lower to his chair, not taking his eyes off Arochimaru for a moment. He knew not to trust a snake lest he be bitten. But if the elders wanted him to speak with Orochimaru, then it seemed like they wanted to hear him out. "I'm listening," Rasa said. As I'm sure you're aware, Konoha is planning to host its tuning exams very soon. I am aware, Rasa said. I plan to send some of my own shinobi to attend, as will most villages, mine included, Orochimaru said. Rasa seemed to understand where Orochiaru was going with this. You plan to use the tuning exams as a way to infiltrate the village and crush it while Konaha's forces are too concerned with the other to bother with you. Well, look at that. You do have a brain. It's risky. Rasa said, "Everything worth doing comes with a certain level of risk." Orochimaru said, "This could lead to a new world war." Rosa said, "One that could see my nation as the central antagonist against every village in attendance." "Have you not read the attendance list?" Orochimaru said. "Only two of the great nations will be attending this." Konoha and you. The other villages consist of myself, Kusagakade, Agakade, and Taki Gakade. Even if a war does break out, these small potato villages are nothing compared to you. Don't underestimate Takiakade. They possess the Seven Tales, but you possess greater friends than they do. Nations that would be grateful to you for destroying their greatest rival. Kumo, for one, would love you, as it likely means that the fall of Konoha would result in a longcoveted Dojutsu falling into their possession. In fact, I'll even inform them of such if you agree to this, so they can make their way in and try to take one out during the confusion. To that end, you should have more than enough means to destroy your enemies. Rasa sat there and thought deeply about it. Arochimaru spoke. Consider it this way. If you try and fail, your village may be destroyed by Konoha, but if you do nothing, you'll still be destroyed by Konoha, albeit economically. Arochimaru stood and leaned across the desk, speaking in an alluring whisper, something to stoke the fires of courage within Rasa. But if you win, he let it dangle for a moment to get Rosa's mind started. Rasa spoke. If we win, their clientele would have no other choice but to hire from another Shinobi village. And who better to hire than the village so crafty that it killed your go-to guy? Arochimaru slithered back into his chair. Exactly. So, do we have a deal? Rasa sat forward. What do you have planned? Gar was well on his way to the village hidden in the leaves. At this point, the plan was simple, and it all revolved around Gar. Gar as the one-tailed ginger would sneak into the village under the guise of a genine seeking to take the tuning exams. He would make it to the final rounds through his superior power and training. And when he got there, he would ultimately release the oneales and let it rampage throughout the village. Soona Shinobi mixed with Oton would then rush in and try to put down resistance while Gar proceeded to destroy the infrastructure. Rasa would personally kill the Hokag and they would wipe the village off the map. Gar was not in favor of this idea. He knew why he became a shinobi, and he knew that he had to do everything he could for the village that he loved. But the longer that he thought about it, he just couldn't bring himself to smile. Naruto couldn't stop smiling. He had already finished filling out his forms and submitting them. They were ready for the tuning exams. As he and Team 7 walked the streets, they noticed all of the new shinobi from other villages that were visiting. It was then that Naruto saw it. Konohamaru and his two friends, Udon and Moagi. They ran through the crowds playing, having fun, just being kids. It brought another smile to Naruto's face. This one larger than the last. That was until they ran into a shinobi from another village. That Shinobi turned around. His clothes were black and he wore a funny hat. His face was painted up like a character in a Kabuki play. In fact, this guy's love of Kumadori reminded Naruto of Jeriah to a degree. But in truth, this guy was nothing like Jeriah. Jeriah would never do this to a kid. Naruto ran forward. Sasuke and Sakura nearby. Naruto stopped. Hey, let him go. Konohamaru, throat in the grasp of Konuro, coughed and gagged and choked out a phrase. The big brother Naruto. Tamari would flare her fan, ready to fight. That was until someone else appeared. Concuro, let him go. But Gar, I said, let him go, Conquo. Gar stood before Conquo, looking him directly in the eye, caring, but a certain sense of sternness. Despite him being the youngest, he acted like the oldest. Don't make me ask you a third time. Concordo let Konohamaru go. Konahamaru hit the ground and began to cough. Gar knelt down and tried to help the boy up. I'm very sorry about my brother. He's just very jumpy and protective. I assure you he meant no harm. Are you okay? Konohamaru, still coughing, nodded. Thank you. Gar watched Konohamaru run away with his friends. Naruto stood there looking at Gar. This boy had caught his eye. Something was different about him. Hey, Naruto called out, catching Gar's attention. Who are you? Gar smiled. My name's Gar. I'm from Suna. I'm Naruto Usuzamaki. It's a pleasure to meet you. Gar nodded his head with a slight bow. The pleasure is mine, Naruto. Now, if you don't mind, I will be on my way. Gar turned around and walked away, bringing his siblings with him. Sasuke pulled up on Naruto from the right side. "Bizarre," he commented in regards to the very different personality Gar displayed compared to his siblings. "Naruto couldn't take his eyes off the red-haired ninja. Something inside of him was drawn to him, like they were somehow connected on a deeper level." "Earth to Naruto," Sakura, snapping her finger, said in front of his face, drawing Naruto's attention. "You're spacing out on us." "Sorry, it's just that guy." "What about him?" Sakura asked. "I feel like I know him from somewhere." Sakura followed Naruto's gaze back to him. Well, you'll have all the time in the world to figure it out. We need to get ready for the exams. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura would enter the facility where the exams were to take place. And there, Naruto made his exclamation going to defeat them all. Sakura and Sasuke regretted his actions due to him basically making a public enemy out of everyone. It was then that Naruto spotted Gar and his siblings again. Running over, he went to say hello. He extended his hand. "Hi, I don't know if you remember me, Naruto, right?" Gar said as he shook his hand. "I remember you. I just wanted to say thanks again for protecting my kid brother yesterday. Oh, that kid was your little brother. Pardon me saying, but you don't look very similar. Oh, that's because I'm technically adopted, but our bond is stronger than blood. This brought a smile from Gar. Naruto spoke. You know, I can't help but notice that there's something different about you, Naruto said. Can I ask what it is? No, you may not, Tamari said as she pushed Naruto back. Sorry, I just wanted to talk to your brother. Kodo then stepped in. It's best you go back to where you came from, buddy. We don't want nothing to do with you. Naruto seemed a little hurt by this. Gar didn't stop them, but he did smile from where he was leaning and offered a little wave. It was really a pleasure to meet you, Naruto. From there, they didn't talk much. They wouldn't have had much more time to, as not long after the exams began. Garuto would follow his siblings back and sit at the table where they would pass out the test sheets. Gar would take one. Concuro would begin looking at the sheets and begin to panic. What's wrong? Tamari asked. These questions are way too hard, he shouted through a whisper. Father charged us with making it to the finals. How can we make it if we can't even get past the first question. We cheat, Gar said. Kono looked back. But that's against the rules. We're not here to keep the rules, Gar said. We're here to complete a mission, not actually become genine. It doesn't matter how. Just get a hold of the answers anyway you can. Gar activated his third eye of the sand technique, forming a new eye made of sand that he connected to his optic nerve via chakra. This eye wandered the room searching for correct answers. As the test officially began, Concodo would use his crow puppet to also sneak peeks at answers, which he would write down on a slip of paper and pass to Tamari on his way out to visit the bathroom. As the time for this test reached an end, it was revealed that there would be another question, which would make or break them. Proctor Marino stated that if they gave up their chance at the exams now, they could leave and come back again later. But if they took this question and failed, they could never again take the tuning exams ever. Once more, Concodo began to panic. That's when Gar spoke. This village will not be around long enough to enforce that rule, Konko. Just calm. It was then that Naruto stood up with a loud voice and exclaimed that they would never scare him away and that he didn't care if he was stuck at Genine for the rest of his life. He would still become Hokag one day. This made Gar wonder, "There's something special about this kid, too." Taking the question, the sand siblings readied themselves for the worst possible question. "What if we fail?" Tamari asked. If we don't get the question right, there's no moving on to the next level, let alone making it to the final. Gar nodded. Honestly, even if we fail, I don't see it as an issue. Why not? Kodo asked. Because we only need to be in a certain location for this to work, Gar said. That's the coliseum. But we don't have to be there as a part of the exam. We could just be people watching. If worse comes to worse, I can just jump the side and do the exact same thing I otherwise would. The other two, knowing that Gar had this figured out, decided to trust him. Gar put his arms around his siblings. No need to be afraid. We've got this. The surprise was that by simply taking the test, they passed. After this, they were told to meet the next proctor outside to take the forest of death test. Something they would need to sign a waiver for if they plan to continue. This was no big deal for them. The point of this test was to capture the scroll of one of the opposing teams, but only if they had a scroll opposite yours. Gar through use of his third eye technique, would search the other teams to see who the closest team with a heaven scroll was. That would be a bunch of shinobi from the hidden reign. And so Gar and his team, the moment the gate opened, tried to head off the Rain Ninja by intercepting them. The moment they did, the Rain Ninja spoke. "You have bad taste picking your opponents." Gar sighed and offered a kindly smile. "I would prefer not to get rough with you if you would simply hand over your scroll." It was then that one of the Shinobi threw a grouping of parasolles into the air, causing Tamari and Conquo to retreat back to get out of range of whatever attack was coming. Suddenly, the parasol began to spin rapidly, dropping needles down upon them. a sand dome covered Gar to protect him. I take it he's not going to back down. Once he shrugged off the attack, he'd proceed to step forward and with a single hand gesture, all three rain ninja would be bound up in a sandbinding coffin. Gar would walk to their leader. I apologize for having to end your bout in the exam so quickly. I truly do wish it could have been different. From there, the scroll would manifest through the sand that Gar would then pluck it from. When he received the scroll, he caused the sand to harden like cement. Looking it over, he turned to his brother. Concodo, make sure that this is the scroll. He compared the two. It's the heaven scroll. It's exactly what we need. Gar would offer a bow. Thank you, gents. I suggest that you take the L and go home. I think it would be best for you and your careers, honestly. Gar and his team began to leave. That's when they'd be attacked by team 8. They would all at once be attacked by Ka, Shino, and Hinata, who'd been hiding in the bushes. Evasive maneuvers, Gar shouted. Tamari jumped back and pulled out her fan. Protect Conqueror, he further commanded. The two of them would get in the way. Shino and his bugs would come out to attack Tamari, but she would sweep them aside with her wind style. Hinata attempted to attack Gar, but as her open palm came in, he summoned his sand to grab her arm and leg to hold her in place. As Ka came through, Gar raised his hand and sent out sand to strike both Ka and Shino at the same time. With this, he plastered them to a nearby tree and let the sand harden like cement there, too. "Sorry, but I can't allow this," he said. "We got to win." He looked at the new trio and the old. You know, maybe it's all around best you both fail. You obviously both have bright futures, and I would hate to see them cut short. He said this as a reference to the fact that Konoha was about to be obliterated. Even though Gar knew why he was there, he couldn't bring himself to kill these six genine. Despite this, his words likely came across far more menacing. He turned around and began to leave. "Hey, wait. Aren't you going to free us?" the rain ninja asked. Gar looked back. "Uh, you'll be fine. that cement should crack open and fall apart in about 3 days. Maybe it was a little mean, but it did make Gar giggle. And so they left, heading to the central coliseum where they would prepare for the third and final portion of the exams. During this time, Gar would be pitted up against Rock Lee to move on towards the finals. Gar was pretty sure of himself, but just by looking at the boy, he knew he was in for something special. As the battle commenced, Gar stood there, his sand already moving about to protect him. Lee, entering his fighting stance, measured his movements and the flow of battle before finally committing to the first assault. Lee rushed out at Gar to strike, but none of his strikes were working. Despite these things, he kept pressing the attack. "This obviously isn't working," Gar thought to himself. "Why isn't he switching to njutsu?" As more time passed, though, Lee would jump away to avoid Gar's counterattacks. It was then that he looked to his sensei. Gar looked at them both. "What kind of people did I stumble into? Matching outfits, matching hairstyles, overly exuberant mannerisms. The sensei commanded this rock lee to drop his ankle weights. Something Gar found laughable. That was until the force of their impact created a dust cloud so big that it rose some 20 ft into the air. It was then that Lee began to move again. His speed was so intense that Gar couldn't see it. Impossible. He knew that there was a chance that his first line of defense might go down, so he tried a second line, coating himself in a thick shell. It was a good thing he did too because Lee immediately thereafter broke through and forced Gar to endure the primary lotus, but Gar survived thanks to his sand shield. Gar managed to stand. Lee already looked worn out. Gar was a bit shaken, but he was okay. Looking at Lee, Gar could tell he had nothing left. He put out his hand. Sandbinding coffin. He caught the tired Lee. Gar then spoke. Impressive. But I'll be honest with you, this needs to end now. Surrender. Lee then looked to Guy, who gave another nod of approval. It was then that Lee broke through the first four inner gates and escaped the coffin. He then went about smashing the crap out of Gar. Gar had no chance to fight back or even defend himself. And right there at the very end, he opened the fifth gate and sent Gar smashing down into the ground. Gar laid there flat on his back. Lee also hit the ground and rolled to his side. "Did he do it?" Kunko questioned. "Did he really beat Gar?" Lee looked back with a smile. It's a TKO. I have one, he said within himself. That was until he saw Gar's hand switch. Conquo came to the side of the railing. No, no, no, no. Gar, don't do that here. What's going on? Naruto asked. The sand demon in him. It's breaking free. What do you mean? Naruto asked. Concodo looked over. Gar is the host of a sand demon. Whenever he tries to sleep, it tries to escape. He's managed to find ways to keep it in, but he hasn't done his nightly ritual yet. He's been left unconscious. I think it's taking over his body. Gar rose up from the ground. He turned, his face still displaying the look of unconsciousness. Eyes rolled up, mouth left a gape. Yet his body moved. The sand around him swirled and from behind he formed a single tail made of sand. Naruto saw it and immediately knew what it was that he had seen. Guy sensei le's toast. He can't win now. You have to call the match. Naruto shouted. Guyia looked down looking at Kakashi, his arms crossed in a judgmental fashion. I already resent how you taught that boy a forbidden jutsu. If you let this continue, I'll report you to Hisin for negligence and have you stripped of your position. Guy looked down and saw the terror in Lee's eyes. Darn it, you're right. Guy jumped the side and stood before Lee and Gar. Gar kept coming, but eventually Guy, with a movement so quick he couldn't be seen, delivered a jab to Gar's face. Gar's eyes rolled forward. "Uh, huh?" he asked as he stood there. He grabbed onto his head. "What happened?" He looked up and saw Guy standing before Lee. Oh no, I didn't hurt anyone, did I? Guy shook his head. No, but you almost did. Gar took a slight bow of apology, something that put him on his knees when he felt his bones crack from the fight. "Call in the medics," Guy said to the judge. Both boys were then taken to the hospital. "There, Gar rested." "Tar would visit him not long thereafter." "I apologize for harming your friend," Gar said. "You didn't hurt him. He hurt himself," Naruto said as he took up a seat. That does remind me though. There's something I want to ask you. What is that? Gar asked. Are you the genturiki of a tailed beast? Gar's eyes widened. How did this boy know? Did he display it at the exhibitions? Naruto waved it off. It's okay. You can tell me. I'm I'm actually a genturiki, too. Of the ninetailes. Gar let out a sigh. Naruto spoke again. See, I knew there was something different about you. We have something in common, except you're from another village. From here, Naruto and Gar began to talk and share stories. For the next month, that's pretty much all they did. They became friends. Naruto showed Gar Ichaku ramen and all the places where they went to have fun in Konoha. Konko and Tamari would eventually pull Gar aside. Gar, you can't keep hanging out with this boy, Tamari said. Why not? Because we're on a mission, you don't, said Konko. Tamari then spoke again. You're going to get attached. And you know what happens if you get attached? You don't finish the mission. Gar looked down with sorrow. Look, I know you met someone you can be friends with, but you have friends back home. There are tons of kids your age that would want nothing more than to call themselves the best friends of the hero of Suna. Gar nodded and looked away. I know, but but what? Tamari asked. Gar looked up. None of them would know what it's like. Tamari's shoulders dropped with a sigh. I know you have it in common with Naruto, but you can't forget he's the enemy. But why? Why does he have to be the enemy? Gar asked. Because Konoha is killing our village with its success. Don't you care about Sununa? Tamari asked. I do. I just There's got to be another way. I'm sorry, Gar Kodo said. But I don't think there is. We either do this or Suna dies. Don't choose some stranger over your own village. Gar for the first time in a while began to see tears forming in his own vision. His heart was broken. How could it come to this? From that point on, Gar avoided Naruto, and Naruto knew this. But why? Why would Gar avoid him? That was when the tuning exams continued. Naruto had his battle where he managed to beat out Nei. The use of his version one cloak as well as his reengon was all it took to put Nei to sleep. And now it was time for Sasuke versus Gar. Sasuke had yet to show up, but Gar was already standing out in the arena. Naruto waved to Gar. Hi Gar. Good luck. Try not to lose to Sasuke too hard, he said. Gar didn't respond. Naruto looked at him from the distance. Something's not right. He looks scared. Gar looked up at the Kag's viewing box. There he saw his father. He gave him a nod. It was time. Gar held up his fingers to release the beast. Suddenly, from within Gar, a massive tanuki formed from sand and rose up. The crowds began to flee as the other Shinobi began to get ready for battle. Oton and Sununin together began to fight against Konohan. Gar began assisting in the attack, trying to kill as many as he could. Naruto ran over the side and called in Gamabunta, who landed at top the tanuki. The tailed beast tried to reform, but Gamabunta tried to keep it in place. Naruto rushed up the side of Gamabunta where he called out, "Gar!" Gar looked up at Naruto from his place in the forehead of the beast. "Run away, Naruto," he shouted. "I want you to live." "I can't do that," Naruto said. "I can't let you destroy my village." "I don't want to," Naruto, Gar said. "I really don't want to." "Then why are you?" Naruto asked. "Because I have to." "Why?" Gar was silent for a moment. "Because I love my village. and my village is suffering. Nobody hires us anymore. They prefer the leaf. You're our greatest competition and you're putting us out of business. My father's the Kazak and I've seen what it's done to him. I just don't want to lose my home. I don't want to lose my people. I love them. Naruto stood there thinking about his own village. Besides, it's too late. Gar said. My father is already fighting the Hokag. He'll kill him. My father's strong. Your father is not fighting the Hokag. Kakashi said. Gar looked up to see Kakashi also standing upon Kamabunta's head. All I saw was Arochimaru wearing your father's clothing. Gar's eyes widened. Then, "Where's my father? The type of jutsu Arochimaru uses to disguise himself. It steals people's faces. People don't generally survive without a face like that." Gar fell to tears. Hrochimaru betrayed us. Gar dropped to the ground. There's nothing left worth fighting for. Naruto jumped down and ran over to hug Gar. The Hokag was killed by Arochimaru due to nobody being able to rescue him in time. However, the battle was in favor of Konoha and the Suna and Oton were repelled. And as the new Hokag was sworn in, Gar would be released. He'd returned to Suna in shame and sorrow, fearing his village wouldn't make it. But he was surprised. Upon returning to the village, he was told by his siblings that they had received help from Konoha. "Wait, they helped us?" Gar asked. "But we attacked them." "Why? You know that genturiki friend of yours? Konuro said, "That guy convinced the Hokag to forgive us." He explained the situation and they've been sending us help. They've even been referring us new clients. We've had more missions in the past week than we have in the last 6 months. Gar looked back toward the gate where he had come from toward where Konoha was. "Nar," he smiled. The loss of their father was very hard, not just on Gar and his siblings, but on Suna as a whole. However, they knew that they would need new leadership. And who better than Gar himself? He was the hero of Suna. And in his time in the village, he proved himself wise and full of heart. Upon taking office, he promised to change things and make a new Suna, one where the cruelty of the past gave way to compassion and care, to love and peace. He promised to repay Konaha for their mercy, kindness, and forgiveness, and offered a special thanks to his new best friend, Naruto. These things Kakashi read to Naruto, who smiled. Sounds like you're not just the hero of one village, Naruto, but the hero of two.

What do you think of this AU? Could Naruto and Gaara’s friendship have changed the shinobi world? Share your thoughts! #naruto #Gaara #AnimeWhatIf