Chapter 38: An Unexpected Visitor

On the first floor of the Kazekage's office building, Sakura stood in the records and scrolls room, guarded by two Jonins. She had spread multiple files across a round dark oak table, each detailing possible rogue Shinobi who could have committed such an act, but none seemed to fit. These were the worst individuals in the village, and she spent hours poring over each one, desperately trying to make a connection.

Stacks of old styrofoam noodle cups, wooden chopsticks, and plastic bags filled with empty bento containers piled up by the door as Sakura focused on her work. She whispered to herself, "Where are you, monster?"

Gaara entered the room, accidentally knocking over a pile of trash Sakura had collected. He approached the table and said, "Sakura, you've been cooped up here too long. I can't let you continue this research project like this."

Sakura, still focused on her work, shuffled some files and replied, "I know, I apologize. I've been here for days, and I think I might have a lead, but we've had the suspect in custody for years."

Gaara, his expression stern, crossed his arms. "I haven't seen you at the house since May died last week. This is taking an emotional toll on you."

Sakura quickly raised her head, her eyes wide. "I didn't realize it's been a week. I see her in my nightmares, so sleeping isn't an option. Usually, by now, I would have found a trail to follow, but I don't have anything. And it worries me that we haven't heard from Kankuro either."

Gaara pushed the rogue Shinobi files aside. "I believe what you're looking for isn't in these folders. It might be a group of Shinobi rather than just one."

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Sakura asked.

"There have been multiple attacks in the village since the explosion, and it's unlikely a single person could have committed them all. I need you to visit the hospital and collect statements from everyone involved," Gaara explained, gently brushing his fingers through her hair to snap her out of focus.

Sakura blushed and said, "You must be desperate to get me out of this room if you want me to collect statements from everyone."

Gaara smirked and held her hands. "We have a shortage of Shinobi due to the attacks, so we need more help with this mission. But I also want you to return to the land of the living."

Together, they walked out of the room silently, passing the guards on duty. In the hallway, Sakura stopped and said, "I'd rather hear it from you. What happened out there while I was in the records room?"

"Do you recall the market where you bought your first hairpiece?" Gaara asked.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Yeah, that was a long time ago."

"Two Shinobi walked through the market and exploded. They killed a dozen people," Gaara revealed.

Sakura gasped, cupping her mouth with her hand. "How many were injured?"

Gaara glanced out the window. "I don't know the exact number. Witnesses report over twenty injured, but those in shock from the blast might not be accurate. I have Jonin there now."

Sakura frowned, recalling a Shinobi known for explosive chakra energy. "Don't these attacks remind you of someone we know?"

Gaara nodded silently. "Now is not the time to panic. Without accurate information, we can't find a solution."

"Kankuro was supposed to find answers for us, but we haven't heard from him in over a week. We need to send someone to find him. Deidara might be behind this. Our recovery team with Konoha never found a piece of his body."

Gaara kissed her forehead and embraced her tightly, his body trembling slightly. "I will summon the council for an emergency meeting to discuss this further. For now, we should only act on facts. Report back to me right away after speaking with the victims."

Feeling the fear in his fragile frame, Sakura held him tighter, her eyes watering. "Okay, I will, but you must stay inside the building—no more chasing after clay birds in the sky without me knowing."

Gaara nodded and returned to his office to summon the emergency meeting. Sakura watched until he was safely upstairs before leaving.

Her fear turned to bubbling rage as she headed to the village hospital. She whispered, "If that lump of clay is still alive, he will regret the day he escaped us." Her face turned bright red, and she clenched her jaw so tightly it gave her a headache.

Reaching the front doors, Shinobi pushed her aside, making way for incoming trauma victims. Some survivors were still being pulled from the rubble.

Sakura watched the Shinobi carry in the stretchers, checking each victim's face to ensure it wasn't Kankuro or anyone else she knew personally.

After the stampede of Shinobi passed, Sakura followed them into the emergency triage bay. She walked past grieving families waiting in the hall, their loved ones fighting for their lives inside the hospital beds. She spotted a male Chunin leaning against the wall, staring blankly into the distance. His torso was covered in blood that didn't appear to be his. Seeing an opportunity to gather information, Sakura approached him.

"Hey, you. My name is Sakura, and I'm the Kazekage's Advisor. He asked me to find out what happened out there. Do you know anything?"

"My sister forced me to come with her to buy groceries tonight," the Chunin replied, his voice hollow. "She picked up a massive peach and squealed with joy. The next moment, she was gone. I only found her head."

Sakura's brow furrowed, struggling to find the right words. "I'm sorry for your loss. If you remember anything else, please inform me."

The boy didn't respond, continuing to stare at the crowds of victims and their families. Sakura couldn't blame him. She left to find someone else who might have more information.

A kind young medic, new to the triage bay and wearing her dirty blonde hair in pigtails, called out to Sakura. "Hello, Lady Sakura. Is it? I have something to report."

Sakura turned to face the short girl and replied, "I am only here to collect information about the bombs that exploded in the village today."

"Yes, about that," the young medic whispered. "I have a man in one of my triage stations who was struck by the debris of the blast, and he will soon be transferred upstairs."

"And?" Sakura questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"He claimed he was a Shinobi from the civilian guard unit," the medic whispered.

Sakura frowned, her eyes widening. "There's no such department in our village. Something's wrong, and I don't like it. Thank you for the information."

"Yeah, hope it helped," the medic Shinobi said. "He's in room three."

Sakura quickly made her way to the third triage room nearby. Panting, she held the door frame and noticed the empty bed. The wrinkled white sheets lay halfway off the bed frame. She glanced around the hospital room, but the mysterious figure was nowhere to be seen.

"Shit, where did he go?" she muttered.

Suddenly, a young woman screamed behind her. Sakura turned, feeling a sudden sense of nausea and fear. Her heart raced as she focused on the young woman sitting in the waiting room, clinging to a baby stroller with a newborn, crying loudly.

Sakura had to push through the crowd to reach the woman and her baby. As the stroller came into view, she saw the newborn flailing its arms, clinging to a small explosive device. The mother was desperately straining to remove it from the baby's hand.

In seconds, Sakura had to devise a plan to save everyone inside, even if it meant sacrificing herself. Her expression hardened, and she clenched her teeth.

"One second could change the future," Sakura whispered.

She pulled a sizable scroll from her hip and threw it before her. Before it hit the ground, she cut her thumb on her canine tooth and spread her blood across the scroll. Instantly, her tall, slender puppet emerged from the thin paper, ready for action. With precise movements, Sakura manipulated the puppet with her blue chakra strings, directing it to remove the bomb from the child's hand aggressively.

"Everyone, run!" Sakura screamed.

The crowd of civilians scrambled from their seats, fleeing in a panicked rush toward the exit. Sakura quickly formed a massive wall of thick sand between herself and the bomb, providing a barrier for the evacuating people. Those bedridden had to stay behind, so Sakura had to do everything she could to keep everyone safe.

With a swift motion, Sakura flung her arms forward, sending the puppet crashing through the window and rising into the sky. She whispered, "This will be our last fight, my friend. I don't know how far the explosion will reach, but I can't take that risk. I alone cannot win. I'm sorry, everyone."

Shukaku's voice cried out from within her, "You are not alone..." 

Tears ran down Sakura's face as she whispered, "What?"

A figure sped past her so quickly she could only see a shadow. He stood in front of her, unfurling a massive scroll. She recognized the familiar rugged black jumpsuit and scrolls tied to his back.

"Stay back!" the voice yelled.

"Kankuro," Sakura whispered.

"Sorry, I'm late. I'll explain everything later, but now is not the time," Kankuro said. He cut his thumb on his canine tooth and smeared the blood over the scroll. A thick mist appeared, summoning the massive Salamander, immediately entering defensive mode. Kankuro then pulled out two more scrolls, summoning his other puppets to provide support in the sky. His primary focus, however, was keeping Sakura alive.

The Salamander puppet burrowed through the hospital flooring and insulation, eventually reaching the dirt below. It dug rapidly, creating a hole large enough to fit them inside.

"Come on, hurry! We only have moments," Kankuro shouted.

Gaara arrived on a sand platform, swooping through the hospital's double doors. He grabbed Sakura and pulled her into the hole. Kankuro quickly followed, sealing the hole with the Salamander attached to the top.

A blinding white flash erupted above them. Gaara instinctively shielded Sakura in his arms, protecting her from the falling dirt and debris. The flash was followed by a loud blast that burst their eardrums and knocked them to the ground. Sakura struck the back of her head and fell unconscious.

Everything went black, and she thought she was dead until she began hearing the sounds of monitors beeping and voices in the darkness. She couldn't make out any voices, and she had no control over her body. The frustration of not being able to move annoyed her greatly. Then, suddenly, there was silence.

"Am I dead?" Sakura wondered.

Sakura opened her eyes and gagged as oxygen rushed to her brain. Her heart raced as she sat in bed, gasping for air and feeling the outdoor breeze on her skin. She saw hundreds of people around her in triage beds on the front lawn of what used to be a hospital building.

Sitting beside her was Gaara, keeping a close eye on her despite his head injuries from the explosion. Both of their faces were caked with a thick layer of dirt. His eyes widened when he noticed she was awake, and he yelled, "Hey, she's awake!"

Sakura groaned, "Gaara, what happened?"

"I thought I lost you, but thankfully, we're safe now. The debris hit us, and we fell and hit our heads."

"How bad is it?" Sakura asked, wincing in pain as her headache intensified. She reached her right hand to the back of her head to feel the damage, but it was packed with gauze and bandages.

Gaara gently took her right hand and lowered it to her lap. "We didn't suffer any fatal injuries, and that's what matters now," he reassured her.

Just then, Kankuro entered the triage station with a big smile despite being covered in filth, minor cuts, and bandages. The falling debris had smeared his makeup during the accident. "Hey, we've been worried about you. How are you feeling?"

Sakura spotted an empty plastic cup beside her and threw it at his forehead. "Where have you been? You didn't report back like you were supposed to," she said.

Kankuro rubbed his forehead, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry I worried you, but we were in a difficult position."

"I spent hours searching for a reason why May was murdered in the records room. Leaving wasn't an option until I found my answers, but Gaara informed me the answers I sought were not in that room. Do you know who?" Sakura whimpered.

"When Gaara first became the Kazekage, not everyone was happy about it. Some admired Deidara and formed an alliance within our village, knowing Gaara's weakness. They began committing small crimes from a secret lair in the desert. Then one day, Sasori and Deidara attacked the village and won. They discovered that explosions were Gaara's weakness and started testing them throughout town. They're planning something big," Kankuro explained.

"The black hole brought you to their hideout in the desert?" Sakura asked.

Kankuro nodded. "Yes, the invitation was a trap, but we saw through their plans. They expected Gaara, but we turned the tables and burned their hideout to the ground."

Sakura sighed and crossed her arms. "I assume that's not the end of the story."

Kankuro shook his head. "No, we came here chasing the few who escaped. We didn't realize there were more in the village. They said we'd never find their leader, and they might be right." He sighed, rubbing his face in frustration. "The leader hides in the shadows, never revealing himself. He's here, watching his handiwork. It feels like this job is never-ending."

"These explosives are appearing out of nowhere. I can't even do my job without one showing up," Sakura said, her frustration evident.

Gaara gently stroked her hair to reassure her. "Don't worry about those interviews. I'll have other Jonin handle them while you recover."

Out of the blue, a middle-aged man approached them, immediately catching the attention of Sakura and the Sand siblings. The man's hair was short and pale blue, and one of his ocean-blue eyes was missing due to a large scar across his face. It looked like a bear had attacked him, the wound a stark contrast to his small, oval-shaped face.

"You must be the beautiful princess of Sunagakure I've heard so much about," the man said.

Maintaining his composure, Gaara stood beside his brother and asked, "And who might you be? How did you pass our security?"

The mysterious man waved his arm defensively and chuckled nervously. "There's no need for that reaction. I assure you, I'm a friend of the village."

"I am the Kazekage of Sunagakure, and I don't recall ever seeing your face around here," Gaara replied.

Kankuro stepped between them, spreading his arms to prevent a confrontation. "This is Gin, a consultant from the Land of Rivers. They've recently encountered attacks from a dark shadow lurking around their village. He's come to our village to cross-reference our incidents and find similarities to our witness statements. We met outside the village on our mission. Gin, this is my younger brother Gaara and his girlfriend and advisor, Sakura."

Gin smiled and waved to the couple. "I look forward to working with you both."

"Why wasn't I informed of this?" Gaara demanded. "Allowing someone like him into our village requires intensive background checks and at least a letter from his Kage."

"Yes, but given the urgency of the recent attacks, he came here with me," Kankuro explained.

Gaara clenched his fist. "You can't break the rules just because you're my older brother."

Sakura sat up from her makeshift cot and gently held Gaara's fist, trying to calm him down. "Hey, it's okay. Kankuro tried to warn us about the attacks while bringing Gin along. It makes sense he didn't have time to consult with us first."

"Fine," Gaara conceded, sitting back by Sakura's bedside, unwilling to leave her alone with such a suspicious man in the village.

Kankuro sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I assure you, I'll keep an eye on him during his visit. Gin and I will be at the office to discuss this case further."

As Kankuro and Gin walked toward the Kazekage office, Sakura's unease grew. Something felt off about this man who had appeared out of nowhere, claiming he could help with the investigation. She frowned, turned to Gaara, and whispered, "Something's not right here."

"Did he mention anything to you when he arrived at the hospital?" Gaara asked.

"No," Sakura whispered. "Normally, it would take at least a week to process that kind of paperwork to ensure the village's safety. So, where did Kankuro find this guy?"

"It's not like he brings in strangers randomly. You should be on bed rest, but that would make the perfect cover for you to investigate who this guy is."

"What about Kankuro? He might be in danger," Sakura whispered.

Gaara slammed his fist on the chair. "Worry about yourself. I almost lost you today."

"Thank you for coming to save me, but I'm fine. I'll always feel safe knowing I'm with you. But something happened to Kankuro out there, and we need to find out what went wrong. It might be the key to stopping these attacks," Sakura said.

"Do as you wish, but for now, I am not letting you out of my sight," Gaara said, knowing they had a lot of work ahead. His older brother was caught in someone's web, and they had no idea who the mysterious character was yet. They needed each other now more than ever.