Wrap up

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A while later, the guards entered the shelter and allowed us to leave. Apparently, Kakuzu had fled and the village was now safe. Stepping outside, a loud noise assaulted my ears; People were cheering everywhere around the Kazekage's tower, chanting Rasa's name with pride.

Snapping me out of my trance, The Anbu from earlier materialized and whispered in my ear.

He told me that Rasa was calling... and that I had to leave immediately. Curious about what my father needed me for, I followed him alongside Temari and Kankuro; He took us to the Kazekage tower's rooftop. Once up there, the first thing I noticed was the council. All of them were here, including the honored siblings, Chiyo and Ebizo.

Rasa was standing at the forefront of the group, observing the villagers that were chanting his name. With a serious expression, he raised his arms and started speaking.

"Not even the Akatsuki can lay their hands on our village! We stand strong, and we shall prevail through all hardships! I swear on my name I'll protect this village with my life!"

Hearing his words, the crowd roared and became alive... Clapping sounds resonating throughout the desert. Heh, even though Rasa is nothing compared to the Akatsuki, I have to admit that his skill with words is unparalleled. Kage really have some... Charisma. I should learn from him in this aspect.

Done speaking, Rasa turned around before looking at me. His mouth curled up into a determined smile, and he walked up to my position before placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Follow me to my office... We need to talk."

Damn, he will probably ask for explanations. Well, it's better for him to think that I'm in control of Shukaku... Again, I must remain on his 'no need to assassinate' side of the family.

Thus, I followed him silently. It wasn't long before we arrived at his office, which looked exactly like Gaara's in the anime. Rasa sat down on his chair before resting his elbows on the desk. His smile disappeared, and the temperature of the room dropped noticeably.

"Now, care to explain how you gained control over the Shukaku's chakra?"

Looking at him straight in the eye, I showed no signs of weakness. My expression was just as cold as his before I opened my mouth to offer an explanation.

"I met Shukaku today. He's nice you know, even lent me some of his chakra to help me out. I think he said something about him dying if I died? I don't remember all too well, but his chakra wasn't that hard to control."

(Rasa's POV: 'Gaara's chakra control and mental stability are unprecedented. Not once has the village produced such a talented Jinchūriki, and he could become our greatest asset. If he can really control the beast's chakra, maybe I should...')

For a while, he stared back at me with disbelieving eyes, but finally sighed and drooped his head down. I must admit that I've never seen my father act this way; He's always so high and mighty... As if something was stuck up his ass.

"Gaara... After seeing you out there, I've realized my errors. I neglected you and treated you as a mere weapon, just so that I wouldn't hesitate to kill you if need be. I've tried hard, but today you made me see that you're more than a weapon. You're my son."

"I don't expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know this. From now on, Not only will I treat you just like I treat your siblings, but I'll also train you from now on. You've surely inherited the clan's Kekkei Genkai... I'll teach you how to use it effectively."

Wait, wait, wait, wait... Wait. Am I dreaming? Is this a joke? Is Rasa really offering to be a father? This must be a prank... Seeing his serious expression, I frowned in confusion. I expected this to go way differently... And prepared accordingly. I've been caught off guard now.

He can't be serious right?

"Do you really mean it?"

"Yes, Gaara."

His expression even showed a tinge of remorse as he looked at me. No. He probably just wants to use me and just saw more potential in me. He just wants to groom me into an even stronger weapon, I'm sure of it.

Well, even if that's the case. I'll play his game. This is perfect, I'll have the best teacher possible...

"Father... I accept your apology."

"Hm. Good, now go with your siblings. We'll speak when I train you tomorrow."

Nodding, I saw myself out of the office. On my way back home, I couldn't stop shaking in excitement. These next seven years are going to be very good...

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Amegakure. (Village Hidden by Rain)

A single tower stood above countless buildings. It remained unmoving under the perpetual rain... Instilling a sense of dread into whoever stared at it for too long.

A pair of enormous metallic faces protruded out of the tower's sides. One had its tongue sticking out, and a ripple pattern spread across its eyeballs... The other one carried two protruding horns. Countless piercings covered the two of them.

Inside the tower, three figures sat inside a dimly lit room. Two of them wore the same cloak as Kakuzu, with red clouds embroidered. A fourth figure was standing... One half of his face was white, while the other was black. Two Venus flytrap-like extensions emerging from his sides, as he spoke with an offputting voice.

"Kakuzu and Denki were discovered and thus failed their mission. Also, I should mention that the former killed the latter... The good news is that Sasori's spies gave us a report."

A female with blue hair and orange eyes stepped forward, expressing her opinion. A small piercing protruded under her lower lip.

"That damn Kakuzu... Will he ever stop killing his teamma-"

Interrupting her words, a man with orange hair stepped out of the shadows. His eyes were purple, and he had piercings all over his face, similar to the statue outside the tower. His presence overpowered everyone else in the room, and the woman backed off.

"Konan. I have already found a replacement for him. Now, Madara... What do you think of the situation?"

A crimson Sharingan lit up in the shadows... And a deep voice resounded across the room.

"It's too early to strike. If our plans are to come to fruition, we must be patient... Even so, a five-year-old that can control the one tail's chakra? Interesting..."

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Sunagakure.

It had been a month since the Akatsuki invaded; Sunagakure was put on lockdown and its defenses strengthened. For now, the borders would be heavily controlled, and everyone would be strictly checked before entering the village.

News of the Kazekage taking down a member of the Akatsuki quickly spread across the ninja world. As a result, Rasa's fame skyrocketed; Talks about him one day rivaling his predecessor were commonplace... Although it was all a lie, Rasa was still young. Most saw him capable of achieving great things.

(AN: By a lie, I mean that it really wasn't him that killed Denki. Also, the annual school tournament got canceled because of the Akatsuki situation.)

The Daimyō took notice of this and reevaluated Sunagakure's value. Slightly increasing the village's budget, he temporarily stabilized its economic situation. The villagers started seeing Rasa as a god because of this.

The village entered a period of tranquility, which some call it the calm before the storm.

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AN: OK! This wraps up the volume and the arc. Next chapter... Timeskip! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!