Kurama's deep voice rumbled from inside Naruto's body.
"Hmph! Naruto, that's not just some stinking tanuki… No!"
"It's the great One-Tail Shukaku!"
Naruto blinked in surprise.
Wait—did Kurama just praise Shukaku?
That didn't sound right at all.
Shukaku, too, was stunned. "What the hell are you planning, you damned fox!?"
Everyone around could hear Kurama continue in an oddly serious tone.
"Shukaku is the strongest tailed beast."
Rasa froze.
What? Since when was Shukaku that strong?
Kurama went on, his voice solemn. "Shukaku commands Wind Style, has massive chakra reserves, immense strength, and can even use sealing techniques. He's absolutely the most powerful among us."
Shukaku felt a chill run down his spine. "Smelly fox! Stop talking! What the hell are you up to!?"
Kurama ignored him and said calmly to Naruto, "So, Naruto… just place three to five layers of the Eight Trigrams Seal on Shukaku."
"WHAT!?" Shukaku roared furiously, his voice echoing across the seal space.
Naruto picked at his ear and muttered, "You're so noisy, tanuki."
Even when pushed this far, Shukaku—the self-proclaimed leader of the Tailed Beasts—refused to behave.
He continued to curse at both Naruto and Kurama nonstop.
Naruto had had enough. He sighed, raised his hand, and applied three layers of the Eight Trigrams Seal on Gaara.
That was it—six layers total, reinforced with Four Symbols Seals.
Instant silence.
Shukaku's voice vanished completely, and not a trace of abnormal chakra could be felt from Gaara's body.
A familiar sound chimed in Naruto's mind.
[Ding~ System Task Completed. Simulation Opportunity +1]
Behind him, Rasa stared in shock, utterly bewildered by what she had just witnessed.
"Uzumaki Naruto… are you sure that's safe?" he asked cautiously.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, genuinely confused.
Rasa looked at him and felt a strange emotion stir in his chest.
This child… he doesn't think like a typical ninja.
To Rasa, what Naruto had just done—leaving Konoha to help another village seal its Jinchūriki—was no small act.
If someone from Sunagakure had done that for another nation, Rasa would have immediately branded them an SSS-level traitor and sent Anbu to hunt them down daily.
But Naruto… he didn't think that way.
To him, it was simple.
A friend was in trouble.
So, he helped.
Rasa felt a flicker of shame at his own thoughts. "No… no problem," he finally said softly.
He stepped forward and examined Gaara's new seal.
Almost immediately, his body stiffened, the hairs on his neck standing up.
This sealing technique…!
The power radiating from it was countless times stronger than the one Chiyo had placed on Gaara.
And the complexity—there was no way a mere kid should have been able to craft something like this.
Temari glanced at her father and asked, "Lord Kazekage, can Naruto stay in the village for a while?"
Although they were father and daughter, Rasa's family discipline was strict.
In public, his children never called him "Father."
Rasa coughed awkwardly. He didn't know that his daughter had already grown fond of Naruto.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi finds out I let Naruto stay here, he'll think I kidnapped him, Rasa thought nervously.
Even though the Third Hokage appeared gentle and kind, Rasa knew well—when pushed, Sarutobi could be ruthless.
Rasa opened his mouth to refuse… but then paused.
Wait… why should I be afraid of Sarutobi Hiruzen?
The boy standing before him was a once-in-a-century genius.
If Naruto was willing to stay in Sunagakure, it would be an honor!
Honestly, if it came to that, Rasa wouldn't mind giving not just his daughter but even his other sons to Naruto if it meant keeping him here.
Offending Konoha? So what?
In the shinobi world, power spoke louder than alliances.
After a moment of internal struggle, Rasa finally nodded. "Alright. I'll leave this matter to you."
At that moment, Gaara began to stir.
His eyes opened, filled with confusion and exhaustion.
But this time, there was no madness, no rage—only peace.
A calm warmth flowed through his stomach.
What's going on? Where's Shukaku? Has he stopped screaming? Did he… leave my body?
Can I finally live like a normal person?
When Gaara saw Rasa, fear flickered in his eyes—but beneath it, a quiet hatred lingered.
Rasa sighed. "Gaara, Uzumaki Naruto helped you strengthen Shukaku's seal. You can rest now."
Gaara, who hadn't properly slept in years, felt his mind grow heavy.
He closed his eyes and drifted into deep sleep.
Inside the seal space, Shukaku was completely immobilized—unable to influence Gaara anymore.
…
Elsewhere, Temari led Naruto through the streets of Sunagakure.
Of course, they weren't just sightseeing.
Temari was helping Naruto buy daily necessities for his stay.
As the daughter of the Kazekage, Temari naturally attracted attention wherever she went.
Not long ago, her admirers had been heartbroken when they heard she was engaged.
Now, seeing her walking through the marketplace with a strange blond boy, their expressions darkened.
"Please! Wait a moment!"
A voice called out behind them.
Naruto turned and saw a young Sand ninja, about Temari's age, running toward them with two teammates and a Jōnin supervisor.
They must have just returned from a mission.
The young ninja stopped before Temari, his face full of disbelief.
"Lady Temari… are you really engaged to this guy?"
Naruto blinked, glancing at Temari.
Temari shrugged with a confident smile. "Calm down. I know it sounds boastful, but I'm quite popular among the boys in the Sand Village."
Naruto laughed. "Hahaha~ That line sounds really familiar."
The young Sand ninja clenched his fists, his expression pained. "I see… I understand."
He turned and walked away, shoulders slumped in defeat.
Temari watched him go and smiled proudly. "Well, I didn't expect you to help me get rid of a pest."
To be honest, she had rejected that guy multiple times, but he just wouldn't give up.
Naruto chuckled softly and didn't say anything.
As the sun began to set, Temari looked at him and asked, "So, Naruto… are you going to stay at a hotel or… come to my place?"
Naruto froze, his mind spinning wildly with possibilities.
After a long pause, his brain seemed to short-circuit.
He scratched his head and blurted out, "Uh… can we stay at the hotel together?"
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