Naruto's firm and earnest voice left everyone present slightly stunned.
It even caused a subtle shift in everyone's emotions.
"Hot-blooded brat."
Kisame Hoshigaki smirked slightly and muttered under his breath.
Someone who clings to their dreams, no matter the era, would probably never be disliked.
Moreover.
If anyone else had shouted such a proclamation, some might have dismissed it inwardly, even thinking it was a joke.
But for some reason, hearing Naruto's absolute conviction, everyone present couldn't help but feel... perhaps this boy really did have what it takes to become Hokage.
On Nagato's expressionless face, his eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at Naruto.
This brat whom Nagato hadn't taken seriously at first now stirred a faint sense of danger deep within him.
Standing at Naruto's side, Kakashi observed the change in everyone's eyes and scratched the back of his head.
No matter how you looked at it, Naruto's words always made one feel a bit embarrassed...
Kakashi's single visible eye flickered slightly as he thought to himself.
Naruto always possessed an inexplicable power. Even people who had barely spoken a few words with him could quickly become his friends.
This kind of power seemed useless on the surface, but at crucial moments, it always produced results beyond anyone's expectations.
This point!
Could be faintly perceived from the sudden warmth in Chiyo's gaze.
After hearing Naruto's words, Chiyo suddenly let out a soft sigh.
"I've lived a long time and seen all manner of things. I understand many of the world's truths, so I know full well that alliances between nations are merely a formality."
Chiyo spoke calmly, her body slightly hunched.
As she spoke, her gaze swept over Kisame Hoshigaki, Nagato, Kakashi, and Yamashiro Aoba.
At these words, the atmosphere in the air suddenly grew tense!
After multiple Shinobi World Wars, the true nature of alliances as mere formalities was understood by many.
But some things were not meant to be said out loud, especially by someone who was currently the acting leader of Sunagakure.
This made the atmosphere somewhat delicate for both the Kirigakure forces currently cooperating with Sunagakure and the Konoha forces looking to ally with them.
Chiyo seemed oblivious to the shift. Her wrinkled face bore a look of calm as she turned and slowly walked toward Gaara's body.
Baki, Kankuro, and the others from Sunagakure quickly stepped aside to make way.
At that moment, Chiyo's sudden and inexplicable behavior left most of the people present confused.
Only Kisame Hoshigaki and Nagato among the crowd seemed to realize something, their eyes flashing with a mix of shock and gravity.
Chiyo walked to Gaara's side and knelt down, looking at his pale, lifeless face with eyes full of guilt.
"Sealing Shukaku into Gaara's body was a decision I made together with his father, the Fourth Kazekage Rasa."
"We did it to protect the village, but in the end, it only brought suffering to the village."
Chiyo spoke softly, her tone laced with regret.
"Lady Chiyo, this was not your fault..." Baki stepped forward and spoke earnestly.
Chiyo gently waved her hand, cutting Baki off.
"I'm already in my twilight years. I've grown more and more indecisive, and someone my age is no longer fit to lead Sunagakure."
Chiyo spoke with serene acceptance.
"Lady Chiyo, you're still young. We can discuss this matter back in the village."
Temari quickly wiped away her tears and hurried to Chiyo's side, reaching out to help her up.
Hearing Temari's words, Chiyo paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. She reached out and patted Temari's hair.
Chiyo looked at Temari's reddened eyes with gentle affection and patted the hand Temari had placed on her arm.
"Since everything began with me, let it end with me as well."
Chiyo's gaze drifted from Temari and Kankuro before settling on Gaara's lifeless face, her voice soft:
"Youth holds so many possibilities."
"Baki, you must guide and support Gaara well. He will be the Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure."
What!
At these words, aside from Nagato and Kisame Hoshigaki who had already guessed what was coming, everyone's faces showed sheer astonishment.
Before anyone could react!
Chiyo raised both hands and pressed them directly onto Gaara's body. A massive surge of blue Chakra flowed from her hands, continuously pouring into Gaara's lifeless form.
"This is..."
Temari and Kankuro exchanged glances, their faces filled with shock.
"Lady Chiyo!" Baki and the Suna shinobi finally realized what was happening.
Baki in particular, as a high-ranking official of Sunagakure, had already deduced the jutsu Chiyo was about to use.
"Forbidden Jutsu—One's Own Life Reincarnation!"
Baki slowly spoke, pronouncing each word with heavy gravity.
"What's that?"
Naruto was the first to ask, his eyes filled with bewilderment and curiosity.
Naruto's question reflected the confusion in the minds of most people present.
"A jutsu that can bring the dead back to life."
Baki glanced at Naruto and spoke in a low, measured tone.
"There's actually a jutsu like that? That's incredible!" Naruto's eyes went wide, his voice dripping with disbelief.
Temari and Kankuro were simultaneously filled with hope.
"A jutsu this powerful must come with some kind of drawback."
Kakashi looked at the excited Naruto and shook his head gently.
"One's Own Life Reincarnation—the name of the jutsu says it all. You trade your own life to bring back the dead."
Kisame Hoshigaki slung Samehada over his shoulder, speaking in a flat tone as if he had known all along.
Hearing Kisame's words, Kakashi was taken aback, his eyes carrying a hint of surprise as he looked at Baki.
Baki gave a slight nod without refuting the claim.
Kisame knowing about this jutsu didn't surprise Baki. After all, Lady Chiyo had used this very jutsu to bring back Gaara.
As the crowd absorbed the principle behind this jutsu, their shock deepened.
Meanwhile, in the cave.
The previously lifeless Gaara began to show hints of color returning to his face. Even his heart, which had long since stopped beating, began to beat slowly once more.
And Chiyo, the caster—her life force was visibly weakening at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Unlike the original story!
In the original, Chiyo had used this jutsu to save Gaara two years later during the Shippuden era, after enduring a fierce battle against Sasori. Her Chakra and vitality had already been greatly depleted.
But this Chiyo hadn't been through any intense battle, and her vitality was far stronger than it would be two years later, so she didn't need Naruto's assistance at all.
In Gaara's mindscape!
It was a space of utter silence and absolute darkness, completely devoid of life.
Gaara sat in the center of this space, hugging his knees with his eyes closed.
Suddenly!
A ray of light appeared in the center of the space, bringing a hint of inexplicable color to what had been a lifeless void.
Gaara, who had been hugging his knees, opened his eyes in bewilderment and looked around at the dim, desolate space.
"Who am I..."
"Where is this..."
"Whose hand is this... mine?"
Gaara stared at his own hand with a vacant expression.
So I'm still a person...
Just then, Gaara suddenly felt a hand land on his shoulder.
[
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