Sunagakure, Kazekage’s office.

“So he’s dead, huh.” Rasa said as he leaned on his chair. “Do we have the information he had with him?”

“Yes.” Pakura nodded as she took out a scroll. “But I don’t believe this is all he gave to them.”

“Still keeping the most important info as a failsafe, huh…” Rasa nodded. “Even then, they didn’t doubt to kill him. In a sense, it was expected.”

“Those blockheads can’t be trusted at all.” Pakura snorted. “They apparently planned to get me killed too, but I doubt it was like that.”

“Mm? Why so?” Rasa raised an eyebrow.

“There’s no way they could know where I was at the time.” Pakura shrugged. “Not even you knew where I was, me being there was a mere coincidence.”

“Mm.” Rasa nodded. “It might as well be the reason you’re alive. Knowing them, they would have brought far more people to kill you.”

“Yeah, I believe they probably tried to pull as many shinobi as fast as possible. The lackluster ambush and the more than obvious invasion attempt seemed to be more of an attempt to distract, and possibly kill, whoever was sent behind them; me and the brat showing up wasn’t probably in their plans, and they had to improvise on the spot. Even if they had a group of Iwa-nin already at the borders, I don’t it would reach all the way to the hundreds that show up. Either that or they underestimate us pretty hard.” Pakura shrugged. “Which could also be a possibility, after all, it was me, and a brat.”

“No matter the case, you both managed to stop important info from escaping the village.” Rasa sighed. “We also cleaned up some traitors from the council, at least, that way, we kind of has more leverage to keep those greedy old men at bay for a while.”

“Ha… It’s the ‘for a while' that worries me.” Pakura pinched the middle of her brows. “Can’t we just dissolve the council?”

“That would complicate things more than necessary.” Rasa shook his head. “In the eyes of the people, it would be no different than a dictatorship, after all, the council’s purpose is to offer different points of view into the leadership of Sunagakure, and allow people to have a voice in it.”

“Ha… If only those bastards weren’t so greedy and selfish.” Pakura growled at the idea of keeping the council. “Have we found anyone in league with the traitors?”

“Not much. Only a couple of bodyguards here and there, and some administrative operatives that worked under them. All shinobi from the clans.” Rasa threw a list of the people involved to Pakura. “Now we need to see what to do with the clans associated with the imprisoned councilmen.”

“...” As Pakura read the list, she noticed that there weren’t that many, and most of them were part of the same clans as the councilmen. After a quick view, she just sighed. “Improving the village is going to be a pain in the ass while we keep having rats like these in our ranks.”

Rasa simply nodded at this, his face stern at the prospect of finally improving Suna. “Ha… anyways, I’ve heard good stuff about your student. I assume the travel was successful, huh?”

“He.” Pakura smirked, finally switching away from the depressing topics. “The brat is a monster. It’s so unfortunate not to have a clue on how to train his Ice Release, but even without it, he has improved a lot with Wind and Water nature.”

“Mm… Is that so?” Rasa raised an eyebrow while he smiled amusedly. “Is that a shinobi or a teacher speaking?”

Pakura snorted. “Mark my words, that brat will grow to be a big name around the elemental nations. I’ll give him less than ten years to become a monster in both Water and Wind Release, getting the title of the strongest user.”

Rasa chuckled. “If your prediction becomes true, Kirigakure can only whine and cry at the loss of such a talented individual, we might have to wage war to fend them off from trying to get him back.”

“They can try as much as they want.” Pakura smirked. “Anyways, the brat is more than ready to become a shinobi of Sunagakure, at least officially.”

“I agree.” Rasa nodded. “Where is he, by the way?”

“I sent him over to Maki, he’s been improving his seals, but he’s mostly working around inventory and explosive ones, it’s better if he learns different types of seals. Maki can help him with that.”

“Mm.” Rasa nodded. “But is it any good for him to learn seals? From what you’re telling me his strong point is ninjutsu.”

“Yeah, but the kid has talent in fuinjutsu too.” Pakura sighed. “Seriously, that kid is a monster. Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Fuinjutsu, and even Kenjutsu. The only thing he’s kind of an idiot on is with Genjutsu. But well, it’s not like I’m much to talk hahaha.” Pakura chuckled. “Considering his physique, and his high amount of chakra, I can certainly say that he’s at the very least, chunin material.”

“Do you think we should…?” After contemplating for a while, Rasa turned to ask her.

“That’s your decision, Kazekage-sama.” Pakura shrugged. “Though, if you ask me, I’m more tempted to put him in a genin squad first. After all, the only teamwork he’s been doing is with me, and that only includes practicing combination jutsus, so it’s precisely the best teamwork practice.”

“Mm… Teamwork, is it?” Rasa nodded. “I guess you’re right. Anyways, I guess we can postpone the decision to when it’s time for this year’s academy graduation. Although, he’s two years younger than the common graduation age.”

“Bah!” Pakura rolled her eyes while waving her hand. “That doesn’t matter, it’s not like we haven’t made exceptions for graduates.” She then stopped and rubbed her chin. “Though maybe he could take the time to work more on his Fuinjutsu and Water Release? After all, I didn’t know too many Water Release techniques to teach him, maybe ask someone from that clan to teach him?”

Rasa smiled wryly as he looked at the pondering Pakura who seemed to be lost on what decision to take. ‘Ha… Mm? Now that I think about it, Temari is at the same age… if they both graduate at the same time, we could put them both in a team.’ Rasa crossed his hands and rested his head over them. ‘It might be a good idea. Maybe if Gaara…’ He sighed.

“Mm? What are you thinking so much?” Pakura asked as she rested on both hands on Kazekage’s table, pulling him from his thoughts.

“Nothing much.” He shook his head. “I’ve decided.”

“Decided what?” Pakura frowned.

“Suzuki Daisuke will partake in the graduation exam two years later.” He said.

“What? Why? Haven’t you heard what I’ve told you?” Pakura glared at the Kazekage.

“Calm down, Pakura.” Rasa sighed. “Temari is the same age as Daisuke. She’s graduating at that time from the academy.”

“What does that have to do with him?” She frowned, but moments later, her eyes widened. “Wait, you mean to put those two in a team?”

“That’s right.” Rasa nodded. “You wanted him to practice his teamwork, and I feel we could benefit from him being on the same team as Temari, her prowess on Wind Release is quite high too after all.”

“But there’s still two years before then…” Pakura thought for a moment. “Ha… I guess that leaves more freedom for him to learn stuff outside of whatever thing he would be learning under a jonin instructor.”

“Correct. Focus on strengthening his missing spots during these two years.” Rasa nodded.”

“I just want to point out that, in the chance that we proceed, we won’t be able to leave him as a genin for too long. His progress is monstrous.” Pakura said as she crossed her arms. “And you’re giving him two more years to progress further. He’ll be a special jonin, if not a full-fledged jonin, in everything but name.”

“That would be the best.” Rasa nodded. “With him on the team, we could push them on difficult missions, forcing Temari and whoever ends up in his team to progress at a rapid speed.”

“Huh… Is that so?” Pakura raised an eyebrow, thinking for a moment. “I guess that would somewhat work.”

“Besides, with you as their instructor, they would be perfectly safe.” Rasa grinned.

“O-Oi! I’m not a jonin instructor!” She shouted as she slammed both hands on Rasa’s table.

“Tch. Think of it as if further training your student.” Rasa waved his hand dismissively.

“Argh…” At his ‘I-don’t-care-about-your-opinion’ attitude, Pakura could only exclaim in frustration as she pulled her hair. “There’s still time and I’m already feeling the stress of taking care of three damn brats! Just one is a pain!” After whining for a while, she let out a deep sigh, turning to the Kazekage with a glare. “Fine! I’ll do it. BUT! You better pull out your damn title as Kazekage to find good teachers for that brat! He needs a Water Release teacher and a Fuinjutsu expert! The best we can find in Sunagakure!”

Chuckling, Rasa shook his head. “Don’t worry. I can at least do that much. Besides, with the current situation, there’s nothing the council can currently do to interfere.”

Pakura nodded, as she turned to look at Sunagakure. For a while, the office stayed in absolute silence as both Pakura and Rasa contemplated the sunset through the window.

“What was the decision of the council previously?” The one to break the silence first was Pakura.

“A failed weapon.” Rasa answered shortly.

“What about now?” Pakura asked. “Is the decision still standing.”

“Whether there were traitors or not in the council, the decision still stands.” Rasa closed his eyes. “Gaara will be disposed of.”

“...” Pakura looked at Rasa with a frown, before nodding. “Well, just so you know. I don’t plan on intervening.”

“Mm?” Rasa raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t care what cards you have to pull off from your sleeves, but I don’t plan on killing the brat. I have other things to do that are more important, like keeping watch of those blockheads so they don’t pull something like this again.”

“Pakura…”

“Disposing of our own… It just doesn’t sit well with me.” She shrugged before turning to leave, ignoring the stare of the Kazekage.

***

As Pakura left the building, walking through the streets, Daisuke went towards his house, traveling through the streets of Suna.

“Shukaku, huh…” Daisuke frowned as he looked at the buildings that were still in the process of being reconstructed. ‘So Gaara already lost control…’ Almost half a year ago, Shukaku showed up in the middle of the village and started attacking Sunagakure, it was with the help of the Kazekage that the damage could be controlled, and Shukaku once again sealed inside Gaara. While most of the damage done was already recovered, there were still some less-important buildings that are still in the reconstruction process. ‘I guess I was fortunate enough for Shukaku showing up far from my home… as well as not being here during the attack.’

As Daisuke came closer to his house, a sudden redhead showed up in his peripheral vision. But that wasn’t what caught his attention the most. ‘What a terrible chakra…’ It was the evil-feeling chakra that could be felt from the one sporting the read head, a child.

In an empty alley, Gaara was standing alone, in front of what seemed to be the dead body of a shinobi, covered in sand. The eyes the child was pointing at the corpse were filled with cold hate. But the cold eyes not normally seen on a child weren’t the only thing that stood out from the kid, as a kanji meaning ‘Love’ was scarred on his forehead.

‘So he’s already gone, huh…’ Daisuke frowned for a moment. He knew of Gaara’s past. What he went through until he became what was shown during the chunin exams. ‘Gaara of the Desert. The bloodthirsty demon of Suna…’ Just as Daisuke thought of Gaara’s past, the latter turned to look at him, with the same cold eyes he aimed at the corpse. Both Daisuke and Gaara stared at each other intently.

After a moment, Gaara frowned, his glare fixed on the strange older kid that was standing outside the alley where moments before, another shinobi tried to kill him. Inside his mind, the shouts of Shukaku asking him to kill the passerby intensified, and a headache started to form in his head.

“You know.” It was then that the voice of the stranger reached his ears. “I don’t think you’re a monster.” Daisuke said before turning his head and resuming his walk back home.

“...” Gaara stood there, frozen for a moment, as the words registered inside his head. Moments later, his anger skyrocketed. ‘WHAT DO YOU KNOW!?’ As he clenched his teeth, clear hate was visible on his face as he glared at the spot where the seemingly older kid was standing moments ago. Around him, the sand rose, as if waiting for a command to act. It was just that the command never came as Gaara turned around and left through the other side of the alley.