Outside Konoha, in a forest clearing.
After sending most of his Shadow Clones back to the village to provide support, Naruto turned his gaze back to Gaara, who was struggling painfully on the ground.
"Ugh... Aaaahhh! My head... my head hurts so much! Mom... my head... it hurts...!"
Gaara, in a state of Partial Tailed Beast Transformation, had a face covered in cracks like shattered pottery, with fine sand constantly sifting out through the fissures.
His body and mind were utterly exhausted, his willpower at rock bottom, and the seal had become extremely fragile. The One-Tails Shukaku within him was taking the opportunity to violently batter the seal, trying to seize control of his body by force—this was the source of his agonizing headache.
Naruto stepped forward and crouched down, showing not the slightest hesitation at Gaara's ferocious appearance. He gently placed a hand on Gaara's trembling, transformed shoulder.
Healing energy and Life Energy slowly flowed into Gaara's body and mind, both on the verge of collapse.
The crushing headache ebbed away like a receding tide. Gaara's tense body gradually relaxed, leaving only ragged breaths like those of someone who had survived a disaster.
"Feeling better?" Naruto's voice was calm. "Don't worry. Trust me. Once today is over, everything... will slowly get better."
Yet those well-intentioned words instantly ignited the most sensitive and paranoid fuse buried deep within Gaara's heart!
"Don't touch me—!"
He suddenly swung his arm and violently knocked Naruto's hand from his shoulder. His half-human, half-beast face twisted as he glared at Naruto with hatred and madness blazing in his eyes, roaring hoarsely.
"Stop... stop with that hypocritical sympathy!"
"What do you know?! Between people... there has only ever been killing! Betrayal! Exploitation! That is the truth of this world! Only by taking lives... only through boiling