[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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"Wahahahahaha! I'm finally out! I'm finally free!"
At the border of Konoha, a colossal tanuki with a body made of gravel and mysterious curse marks etched across its form rampaged through the forest. My
Every so often, it would suddenly slap its own belly, unleashing a devastating air cannon that obliterated everything in its path. The trees that once stood tall were reduced to splinters in an instant.
No one could truly comprehend Shukaku's feelings at this moment.
Sealed away in a confined space since the founding of the Hidden Sand Village, Shukaku had endured countless years of imprisonment. But now... finally...
He was completely free!
Though Shukaku had no idea why or how, the seal that had kept him bound for decades had vanished entirely. The sensation of freedom was exhilarating—something he had not experienced in ages.
For a moment, Shukaku resembled an overexcited child, finally unleashed from parental restrictions, wreaking havoc in a frenzy of wild joy.
Meanwhile, not far behind him...
Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, who was supposed to accompany the team returning to the Hidden Sand Village, quietly formed a sequence of hand seals. A barrier rose around him, isolating his presence.
As he observed Shukaku's rampage, a calculating gleam appeared in his eyes. The unfolding chaos seemed to be going exactly as he had planned.
But just then, a voice laced with fear and confusion interrupted his thoughts.
"Father! What is going on?!"
Beside Rasa stood Temari, holding an unconscious and severely weakened Gaara in her arms. Her expression was one of disbelief and anguish.
Nearby, Kankuro looked equally bewildered, glancing between his father and the destruction Shukaku was causing.
As Rasa's children, Temari and Kankuro were privy to secrets that most ninjas of the village were unaware of. They knew, for instance, that the sealing techniques of the Hidden Sand Village were far from advanced. When a Jinchuriki lost control of their tailed beast, death was inevitable—and swift.
The sight of Gaara, his face pale and his body limp, felt like a dagger twisting in their hearts. It was unbearable to witness.
Although they were well aware that Rasa had always considered Gaara a failure as a Jinchuriki, blaming him for his inability to control his emotions and repeatedly sending assassins after him...
Even so, the idea of their father—a man entrusted with the safety of the entire village—going so far as to sacrifice his own son chilled them to the core.
But Rasa, unperturbed by Temari's expression, reached into his robe with a calm demeanor. He retrieved a small vial containing a strange, glowing liquid and handed it to her.
"Make Gaara drink this," he instructed, his tone unwavering.
Temari hesitated, startled by the sudden command, but her instincts as a ninja compelled her to obey. She took the vial, carefully tilting its contents into Gaara's mouth.
With Shukaku forcibly removed from his body, Gaara's life force was rapidly draining. Without intervention, he would be dead within minutes.
However, Rasa, ever the strategist, had prepared for this moment.
The liquid in the vial was no ordinary potion—it was an essence of life he had acquired from Crocodile, a rare resource worth an astounding 5,000 points. This powerful essence could not only replenish Gaara's dwindling vitality but also grant him a body as resilient and strong as that of a Kage-level ninja.
Rasa had carefully considered how best to use the essence of life. Although converting it into Gaara's physical potential might have been more efficient, his next plan required something more immediate.
Thus, he ordered the entirety of the essence to be used to enhance Gaara's physical strength, crafting an exceptionally powerful body for him.
Perhaps it was the guilt of his past actions that had finally caught up to Rasa. For years, he had allowed Gaara to endure assassination attempts, isolating his youngest son and treating him as a failed experiment rather than family.
When he had reached VIP Level 6 status and could make any request by spending points, the first thought that came to his mind was of Gaara—the son he had wronged for so many years.
Rasa had no illusions about seeking forgiveness from Gaara.
But he was determined to mold him into something greater:
A peerless warrior, capable of standing tall in the ninja world.
The day before the Chunin Exams finals, Rasa had summoned Gaara to his chambers. In a rare moment of vulnerability, he had shared with him his plans, his regrets, and his aspirations for the future.
Now, as he watched the events unfold, Rasa's expression remained impassive. Yet deep within, he carried the faint hope that his actions would pave the way for Gaara to forge a new destiny—one far removed from the pain of his past.
Yashamaru, Gaara's uncle and once his caretaker, had always loved Gaara deeply. Yet, to test whether Gaara could control his emotions and thus stabilize the tailed beast within him, Yashamaru had resorted to cruel lies and even his own staged death to provoke Gaara's fragile heart.
That fateful night, Gaara had come dangerously close to losing control. If not for the suppression techniques, Shukaku would have been unleashed upon Sand Village in a catastrophic rampage.
Fortunately, the disaster was narrowly averted.
Rasa, however, had little regard for Gaara's emotional turmoil. That night, he revealed everything to his son—the truth behind his actions, his manipulations, and the countless trials Gaara had endured over the years.
Gaara's dark, hollow eyes burned with nameless hatred as he listened.
Yet, when all was said and done, Gaara did not direct his anger toward Rasa. Instead, his fury was reserved for the Sand Village, the institution that had caused all his suffering, and for the twisted ninja world that perpetuated such cruelty.
Rasa, having anticipated this response, unveiled his trump card.
Two figures emerged from the shadows—Rasa's bodyguards, who had remained hidden until now.
Gaara's eyes widened in shock as he recognized them.
One was Karura, his mother, the woman who had given him life. The other was Yashamaru, the uncle who had once been his sole source of warmth and care.
Both of them had been resurrected through Rasa's dimensional transactions, brought back to life at a steep cost. While Rasa had officially justified this act to the Elder Council as a way to give Gaara a sense of belonging to the village, his true motivations remained unclear.
Faced with this unexpected reunion, Gaara and Rasa struck a deal.
Rasa would free Gaara from the torment of being a Jinchuriki and grant him unparalleled strength. In exchange, Gaara would accept his father's position and, when the time came, ascend as the Fifth Kazekage to lead and protect the Sand Village.
Though Gaara had long harbored resentment, his bond with Yashamaru and the presence of his mother swayed him. Even his volatile nature softened enough to agree to Rasa's proposal.
As for Rasa himself, he intended to step back and join the Council of Elders after Gaara's ascension. His ambition was to lead the village's Earth-Style ninja in cultivating fertile land in the desert, transforming the barren expanse into thriving fields.
Perhaps Rasa was not a good father, but he had always been a dutiful Kazekage. His entire life had been dedicated to the prosperity of the Sand Village. Even after becoming the Fourth Kazekage, he had never given up the search for the Third Kazekage, striving to uphold the legacy of the village.
Unlike the Hidden Leaf, with its web of political intrigue and betrayal over the Hokage title, the Sand's struggle had always been for survival.
Under Temari's careful attention, the life essence flowed into Gaara's weakened body. Slowly, his pallid complexion regained color, and his strength returned.
A faint groan escaped Gaara's lips as he stirred in Temari's arms.
His eyes fluttered open, revealing a familiar face—his sister, Temari—watching over him with worry etched into her features.
For the first time, Gaara saw something unexpected in her tearful gaze: a look of genuine care, one he had only seen before in his mother and Yashamaru.
"Are you... worried about me?" Gaara asked directly, his tone devoid of its usual sharpness.
"Ah!?" Temari blinked, startled by the question. She hadn't expected Gaara's first words after waking to be so straightforward.
Before she could respond, Gaara pushed himself upright and stood, his gaze shifting past her toward the distant figure of Shukaku.
"It seems everything is proceeding as planned," he said calmly, his voice carrying a quiet intensity.
The act of releasing a tailed beast from its seal was an incredibly dangerous gamble. Neither Rasa nor Gaara could guarantee the Jinchuriki's survival through the process. But now, as Gaara stood tall once more, it was clear that their plan had worked—at least halfway.
The stage had been set.
Now, it was Gaara's turn to take center stage.
"I'm going to kill you, Father," Gaara said coldly, his voice as sharp and unyielding as steel.
Rasa's response was equally indifferent, his tone carrying no trace of emotion. "Do as you will."
The two exchanged words like strangers meeting for the first time, speaking in riddles that only they understood.
——
As Shukaku rampaged near the border of Konoha, Gaara stood still, his gaze sharp and unwavering. Without a word, he clenched his fists tightly and swiftly unwrapped the bandages from his wrist, revealing a peculiar bracelet etched with intricate designs.
Any seasoned dimensional trader would have recognized it instantly—it was a Pokémon Bracelet, a must-have artifact for powerful trainers.
Gaara's eyes narrowed with focus as he formed a hand sign, his fingers moving with the precision of a blade. From his pocket, he retrieved a Poké Ball and pressed it firmly against the bracelet.
"Tyrantrum!" Gaara's voice rang out, steady and commanding. "Achieve your Extreme Evolution!"
"Show your worth to this world!"
Boom!
The moment the words left his lips, the skies above the forest darkened, casting an ominous shadow over the land. It was as if dusk had suddenly fallen.
Clouds churned violently, giving rise to howling winds. A massive vortex began to spiral in the sky, growing larger by the second.
And then, as if tearing through the fabric of dimensions, an immense figure descended into the forest. Towering at nearly 100 meters, twice the size of Shukaku, Tyrantrum made its entrance.
Its aura was suffocating.
Shukaku, who had been gleefully indulging in his newfound freedom, froze in his tracks. His searchlight-like eyes locked onto the colossal figure now standing before him.
"You…" Shukaku muttered, his voice laced with wariness.
Though he often displayed an erratic, childish temperament, Shukaku's instincts as a centuries-old tailed beast kicked in. He could immediately sense the overwhelming power radiating from Tyrantrum.
The tanuki took an involuntary step back.
For the first time, Shukaku felt an unease he couldn't shake—a sense that something calculated was unfolding.
Meanwhile, Gaara glanced at his father, Rasa, who stood in the distance watching. A subtle nod passed between them before Gaara's body dissolved into sand. In an instant, he materialized atop the Tyrantrum's massive head, standing tall and unyielding.
His cold gaze bore down on Shukaku.
"Shukaku," Gaara called out, his voice resonating across the battlefield, "you've lived within me for so long. It's time for you to repay your debt."
The tailed beast's eyes widened in recognition.
"It's you!" Shukaku exclaimed, a mix of surprise and indignation flashing across his face.
But his expression quickly twisted into a mocking grin as he sneered.
"So, it's the little brat!"
"You kept me imprisoned all this time, and now you dare to face me? Let's see how you handle this!"
Despite the suffocating presence of Tyrantrum, Shukaku's fiery temper remained unyielding. His inherent immortality gave him confidence, even in the face of a seemingly insurmountable foe.
A deep, guttural roar escaped his maw as he slammed his massive belly. In an instant, a colossal air bomb materialized and launched toward Gaara and his dragon.
"Tyrantrum, use Ancient Power!" Gaara commanded, his voice calm yet firm.
The Tyrantrum let out a low growl, disdain flashing in its eyes as it sized up the tanuki who barely reached its belly. Even so, it obeyed its trainer's orders, knowing Gaara was holding back its full strength for strategic reasons.
Rock energy coalesced in front of the dragon, forming a massive boulder that hurtled forward with immense force.
Boom!
The air bomb and boulder collided midair, unleashing a cataclysmic shockwave that tore through the forest. Trees were uprooted, and the ground trembled violently as the sheer energy of the clash left a vacuum zone in its wake.
The battle escalated quickly. The two giants exchanged blows, their bodies colliding with earth-shattering force while elemental energies clashed in blinding displays of power.
A few kilometers away, Rasa stood on the branch of a tall tree, observing the chaos from afar. Beside him were Temari and Kankuro, who watched the fight unfold with growing concern.
"Father, why aren't we helping Gaara?" Temari asked, worried evident in her voice. The sight of her younger brother locked in combat with Shukaku left her uneasy.
Rasa, however, responded with a calm, almost dismissive smile.
"There's no need," he said, his tone composed. "Don't underestimate the power of Dynamax. Gaara hasn't even begun to use his full strength."
With that, he fell silent once more, his eyes never leaving the battlefield.
Back at the scene of the battle, the conflict between Shukaku and the Tyrantrum had attracted an audience. Participants of the Konoha Chunin Exams, as well as numerous spectators, had retreated to a safe distance to watch the unfolding spectacle.
Among them were seasoned shinobi who immediately recognized Shukaku. Their expressions turned grim as they realized the scale of the fight.
Suddenly, a new group of figures arrived on the scene—the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, accompanied by a squad of Konoha ninja.
The old Hokage's face darkened as he surveyed the devastation in the forest. But when his eyes landed on Gaara and the colossal dragon, his brows furrowed in suspicion.
Before he could act, a familiar voice called out to him.
"I apologise, Third Hokage."
Rasa emerged from the shadows, his expression calm and authoritative.
Adopting a tone of regret, he explained, "An incident occurred in the Sand Village. It seems Orochimaru's subordinates infiltrated while I was away and attempted to steal the container sealing Shukaku. Their intention was to unleash the tailed beast here in Konoha."
He gestured toward the battlefield, adding, "Fortunately, we intercepted them before they could reach the village. Rest assured, Gaara, our genin, is more than capable of handling the situation."
Rasa's voice was steady and convincing, yet Hiruzen's expression twitched slightly.
The Third Hokage wasn't fooled.
He knew all too well that this was no accident. Rasa was using this battle—and Gaara—to flaunt the strength of the Sand Village and its advancements.
As he watched the Tyrantrum clash with Shukaku, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel uneasy. Somewhere in the chaos, he realized, the Sand Village had just made its declaration.