A terrifying crisis descended in an instant, and all the children let out screams of horror. At this moment, they felt the absolute sensation of being shrouded by death.
The child who had first mocked Gaara and was now targeted by him turned deathly pale, his legs shaking uncontrollably. Furthermore, he had no ability to resist the sand blades shooting from Gaara's fingertips and could only wait helplessly for death to arrive.
Gaara's face also showed a look of terror. He desperately wanted to stop the sand from advancing, but with his current abilities, he was simply unable to do so.
Just as everyone fell into despair, a figure appeared.
It was Gaara's uncle, Yashamaru.
He used the Body Flicker Jutsu to appear in front of the child, using his palm to block the "parting gift" from Gaara. Despite Yashamaru using chakra for defense, Gaara's sand sliced through his skin with ease.
Blood splattered and mixed with the sand, leaving a deep wound on his hand that nearly severed his entire palm.
"Uncle!"
The sand in Gaara's hand dissipated, and he rushed to Yashamaru's side to check the injury. Gaara cared deeply for his uncle because, along with the Shopkeeper, Yashamaru was one of the few people who did not fear him and truly cared for him. Consequently, Gaara was filled with immense guilt for accidentally hurting him.
As for the other brats, they were relieved to be alive. They didn't dare stay in front of a "monster" like Gaara for another second and immediately scrambled away as fast as their legs could carry them.
Looking at Gaara's remorseful expression, the blonde-haired Yashamaru endured the sharp pain in his hand and offered a gentle smile, lightly patting Gaara's head.
"I'm fine, Gaara. I know you didn't do it on purpose, right?"
Gaara nodded hurriedly, explaining in a fluster, "I really didn't mean it. I just wanted them to stay so I could explain, but the sand just suddenly..."
At this point, Gaara began to feel aggrieved. He truly had no ill intentions, yet a single thought had caused someone else to suffer.
"It's okay, Gaara. Let's go home."
Yashamaru said nothing more. After a simple bandaging, he led the boy back toward their house.
That evening, Gaara sat alone on the roof.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, and the wind in the Hidden Sand Village was cool. The entire village was immersed in tranquility. However, Gaara knew that no matter how quiet the night was, many Anbu ninjas were watching his every move. Their purpose was to prevent him from breaking that very peace.
It felt as if he and the village were always on opposite sides, and he had never truly belonged. Gaara stared at the moon emitting its cold light, lost in thought.
Gaara, predators always walk alone.
Even if a tiger has no intention of harming a sheep, its fangs and claws can easily tear the sheep apart during play...
Therefore, a predator's companions can only be other predators; it can never mingle among a flock of sheep...
The Shopkeeper's words echoed in Gaara's small head once again.
Do a tiger's fangs and claws hurt sheep unintentionally?
Gaara held up his small hands. Under the moonlight, these palms looked incredibly delicate. Yet, hidden beneath that youthful appearance was a lethal killing intent.
He had merely wanted to explain things to those kids, yet that simple thought had nearly cost them their lives. Was this not the perfect illustration of the Shopkeeper's theory regarding predators and sheep?
A sudden realization dawned in Gaara's heart.
Watching their dazed younger brother on the terrace, Temari and Kankuro felt a surge of worry. On one hand, they worried he had been mistreated; on the other, they feared that if he felt too wronged, he might lose control and go on a rampage.
One could not blame Temari or Kankuro for this. They were children under the age of ten themselves. Dealing with a brother who was like a ticking time bomb, being able to show any concern at all was already quite commendable.
Also watching Gaara was the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, who was currently sitting in the Kazekage's office.
Knock, knock, knock...
"Enter."
Rasa shifted his focus back to the present. Having received permission, Baki quickly approached him.
"Kazekage-sama, our reconnaissance team discovered an ancient ruin while investigating the Wind Scorpion swarms. There are at least a thousand Wind Scorpions living inside, making it the largest swarm discovered to date. Additionally, a special creature capable of controlling the swarms was allegedly spotted among them."
"The reconnaissance team is currently being besieged by the swarm and is formally requesting reinforcements from the village."
Upon hearing this news, Rasa immediately became alert. A thousand Wind Scorpions meant the Hidden Sand Village could obtain a massive amount of Scorpion Jade, which would significantly boost the village's strength.
More importantly, if they could capture the creature that controlled them, it might mean the village would gain the ability to breed and command Wind Scorpions in battle. This would be an unprecedented enhancement to their military power!
"This is a matter of vital importance..."
Rasa's eyes gleamed with ambition. After a moment of thought, he displayed the decisiveness of the Fourth Kazekage. "Baki, you will lead the team personally. Take two Anbu squadrons to provide support. You must capture that special creature! Do not harm it!"
"Kazekage-sama, aren't two Anbu squadrons too many? If we do that, the village's defenses might be a bit..."
Although Baki knew the matter was urgent, such a large-scale deployment of Anbu made him uneasy. After all, a squadron consisted of three squads—nine people. Two squadrons meant eighteen Anbu members.
How many squadrons did the Hidden Sand Village have in total? Including those out on missions, the remaining Anbu in the village might drop to just one-third, leaving their defenses somewhat hollow.
In response, Rasa said with confidence, "Don't worry, I am still here as the Kazekage. Even if something happens, I can suppress it in time."
Baki looked at the confident Kazekage and finally nodded. It had to be said that the Fourth Kazekage, who mastered Magnet Style and could skillfully manipulate Gold Dust, was indeed very powerful. Combined with his excellent Sealing Jutsu, even if Shukaku went on a rampage, it shouldn't be a big problem.
Furthermore, despite missing some Anbu, the Hidden Sand Village—as one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations—still possessed other powerful ninjas. They were more than capable of guarding the village.
"In that case, I will take my leave."
Baki vanished, leading the Anbu to rush toward the ruins.