113. The Jinchūriki’s Burden -2
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"You & Shukaku are not a monster!" Kushina gently explained to the poor child, giving him a lesson on the concept of tailed beasts and jinchūriki.
"What did you say? This kind of thing..." Gaara covered the 'love' symbol on his forehead with one hand. It was the first time someone had said this to him in so many years. "I... am I not a monster?"
"Of course not. Some people may see us as containers for tailed beasts, but those who truly love us don't. We can still choose the life we want!"
"We?" Gaara looked up at Kushina.
"That's right. Naruto and I also have tailed beasts sealed inside us."
"Then why do you..."
"A wise woman once told me, 'Maybe it's our fate to be containers for tailed beasts, but before becoming one, we must fill that space with love.' And I've already done that." Kushina gazed tenderly at Minato and their children. "I am truly happy now, and I don't feel any pain anymore."
"Love..." Gaara recalled his conversations with Yashamaru:
"Hey, Yashamaru, why do people get hungry?"
"Well, it's so they can eat delicious food, right?"
"That's right, the food you cook for me is the best."
...
"Hey, Yashamaru, why don't I have a mother?"
"Well, Gaara-sama, you have me, and I'll always be by your side."
"Okay!"
...
Gaara's expression twisted with emotion. "But Yashamaru told me he lied to me. He said even my mother didn't love me, that there was no one at all..."
"That's not true." Kushina placed her hand gently on Gaara's head and smiled softly. "If you want, you can call me mom."
"Huh?" Gaara was stunned. The warmth on his head was different from the coldness of the sand. Tentatively, he whispered, "Mom?"
"Yes, Gaara." Kushina hugged him gently and said, "You are not a demon. You're a child I love, Gaara."
Naruto, sensing the need to lift the mood, chimed in: "Yashamaru's last words were a lie. He had no choice but to follow the Kazekage's orders."
"Really?" Gaara, who had always felt abandoned, didn't question how Naruto knew these things. He just wanted to confirm that Yashamaru had lied to him.
"Yes, there's an old woman named Chiyo in Sunagakure. She knows the truth, though she may not be willing to share it."
"Chiyo-sama? I know her. I'll investigate carefully."
"If she doesn't cooperate, just let me know." Naruto leaned close to Gaara and whispered mischievously, "We'll quietly capture her, bring her to Konoha, and have Uncle Inoichi use his Mind-Reading Technique on her."
Kushina gave Naruto a light knock on the head. "Don't have such dangerous thoughts. And Inoichi's technique is called the Mind-Reading Technique, not 'soul search.'"
Minato, now accustomed to Naruto's antics, waved at Gaara. "If you don't mind, may I check the seal on your body?"
Gaara lifted his shirt without hesitation.
"This isn't a standard sealing technique. It's more like a Possession Jutsu that allows Shukaku to take control of your body."
Minato examined the original seal, then looked at the adjustments made by Naruto, and commented, "This Four Symbols Seal—Naruto did a good job on it."
Naruto grinned. "Of course! Sealing techniques are a family speciality."
Minato, after ensuring Gaara's clothes were in order, added, "With this, there shouldn't be any more problems. Gaara, you should be able to sleep peacefully now."
"...Thank you." Gaara, unsure of how to feel, thanked Naruto despite their fierce battle not long ago.
"It's fine as long as you don't hold a grudge. If we're brothers, don't go trying to kill me... Oh, by the way," Naruto asked, "how old are you?"
After calculating their ages, they realized they were the same age. However, Gaara's birthday was on January 19, making him slightly older than Naruto. This solidified their bond as brothers in Naruto's eyes.
Kushina offered another piece of advice: "Gaara, you should try communicating with Shukaku. Maybe after some time, you could even become friends... Like the tailed beast sealed in me. Kurama got a bad temper, and he can be difficult, but deep down, he's loyal."
Gaara was shocked. Could Shukaku be spoken to?
Meanwhile, Kurama, sealed within Naruto, shouted, "Stupid woman! What nonsense are you spouting?"
Kushina smiled. "Don't worry about those details. By the way, Kurama, maybe you could help convince Shukaku."
"Convince him? I'd rather beat him senseless," Kurama grumbled.
Kurama, less interested in Naruto's family drama, asked, "Hey kid, why not give Shukaku a proper Eight Trigrams Seal, like mine?"
Naruto thought for a moment. "Maybe because Shukaku doesn't need it. Not every tailed beast is as strong as you."
"Hmm..fair" Kurama reflexively agreed with Naruto's praise but grew irritated the more he thought about it. After all, it was this very strength that led to him being so tightly sealed in the first place.
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Later that day, when Kimimaro returned home, Kakashi also stopped by for a meal.
Neither of them was surprised by the growing number of people in the house. They introduced themselves and took their seats.
Naruto looked around and asked, "Are Granny Tsunade and the Pervy Sage coming?"
Minato, after a pause, replied, "They're... probably drinking at a bar somewhere right now."
In a secluded forest clearing outside Konoha, a newly built grave and tombstone stood alone.
The grave was constructed by Jiraiya, and the tombstone was engraved by him as well. Since Orochimaru was considered a rogue ninja, he wasn't eligible for a spot on Konoha's memorial stone.
Jiraiya poured sake into a cup in front of the grave, then filled another for himself and Tsunade.
Tsunade drank her sake and gazed at the tombstone. "There will be no more Sannin from now on."
Despite everything Orochimaru had done, she couldn't deny that their bond as friends was real.
Jiraiya remained silent for a moment, then downed his drink. "After all these years, I never expected things to end like this."
Jiraiya was melancholic. He had chased Orochimaru for years, both physically and emotionally, but in the end, he couldn't save him. Instead, he had to end his friend's life. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
They sat quietly, drinking in front of Orochimaru's grave, honouring their fallen comrade.
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