Deep Forest Bloom

"Wood Release: Deep Forest Bloom!"

Hum—

The very moment Lin Mu pressed his palm down, the surrounding space seemed to shift.

The area had been filled with the roar of violent winds, the thunder of battle, and the manic laughter of Shukaku...

But now, it fell into an eerie silence.

A mysterious power radiated outward, centered on the body of Shukaku.

This force was gentle and enigmatic, drawing one in with an irresistible pull.

The flowers, grasses, and trees in the forest surrounding Shukaku seemed to receive a calling, as if blessed by a divine grace.

They grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, bursting with renewed vitality.

The beasts and birds that had been fleeing in terror were pacified, their emotions stabilizing as they hid within the thickets.

This was the power of life!

Wood Release contained this very essence of life; otherwise, Senju Hashirama could never have possessed such formidable healing abilities.

Nor could his granddaughter, Tsunade, have become the most renowned medical ninja in the world of Naruto.

Yet, this power also carried an unquestionable dominance!

What now manifested before Shukaku was nothing short of absolute tyranny.

The force was immensely thick, possessing an absolute suppressive power that seemed to contain an indomitable will, one that brooked no rebuttal.

The violently raging chakra that Shukaku had wielded was swiftly quelled under this pressure, rendering him as docile as a kitten.

The powerful Wind Release, Magnet Release, and sand-manipulation abilities he once commanded vanished, rendered completely unusable.

"You... this... this power..."

As the power spread, everyone present was struck with shock.

But for Shukaku, it wasn't just shock; his heart was filled with sheer terror.

He knew this power all too well—it was the power of Wood Release, the power of Senju Hashirama!

It was by this very power that he had been forcefully suppressed and handed over to Sunagakure all those years ago.

Hum—

The power exerted its influence once more. Despite the swirling doubts in his mind, Shukaku could only close his eyes under the crushing weight of that force, sinking into a deep slumber.

I will remember you...

In the final seconds before falling into sleep, Shukaku forced his eyes open, staring intensely at Lin Mu above his head, muttering to himself.

With the power of Shukaku completely suppressed, the sand body beneath Gaara, who was still in a state of Feigned Sleep, could no longer be maintained.

Whoosh—

That massive body transformed into sand, scattering across the ground.

Lin Mu and Gaara both plummeted toward the forest below.

I'm going to be smashed to death from this height...

As he neared the canopy, Lin Mu channeled his last remaining chakra, spreading it toward the surrounding trees.

Creak—creak—

The branches of the forest trees extended, weaving together to cushion Lin Mu's fall.

Thud! Thud!

Two dull impacts echoed as Gaara and Lin Mu landed one after the other.

Thanks to the trees, Lin Mu only suffered minor injuries.

Gaara, however, fell straight from the air, slamming hard into the ground.

The impact caused him to cough up blood, and his Feigned Sleep state was forcibly broken.

Step, step, step...

"Are you alright?"

Naruto Uzumaki sprinted over, helping Lin Mu up from the ground and asking with urgency.

"Cough, cough, I'm fine," Lin Mu said with a light cough.

Naruto Uzumaki helped Lin Mu sit down under a nearby tree, paused for a moment, and then strode toward Gaara.

He stood beside Gaara, staring at him in a daze.

This person was too much like him.

"It's not just a normal kind of pain, is it? I don't know why, but I can deeply understand how you feel..."

Naruto Uzumaki paused, a sorrowful light flickering in his eyes. But then, his gaze turned resolute.

"But I already have people I cherish. I won't let you hurt the people I love, and even if I have to kill you, I will definitely stop you!"

Gaara, who had already regained consciousness, widened his eyes abruptly. That sorrowful light in Naruto's eyes...

He knew it all too well; it was loneliness!

"...Why? Why would you go this far for the sake of others?"

Gaara's heart was filled with confusion. Why would this person, who was the same as him, be willing to sacrifice himself for others?

"Because they are the precious comrades who saved me from the hell of loneliness and acknowledged my existence!"

Naruto Uzumaki's body was severely injured, and his voice trembled, yet it was filled with conviction.

Gaara's heart trembled slightly, and a figure appeared before his blurred vision.

She smiled at Gaara and said gently:

"Feelings are the desire to dedicate yourself to the people you cherish, the heart that protects for the sake of love."

"Feelings... Is that why this guy is so strong?"

Whoosh—

The sound of wind whipped by as several figures landed beside Naruto and Gaara.

"That's enough, Naruto. The sand trapping Sakura has long since dissipated, and this guy's chakra must be exhausted by now."

Sasuke Uchiha reached out to support the swaying Naruto.

Hearing this, Naruto let out a sigh of relief. Unable to hold on any longer, his body went limp, and he fell unconscious.

Temari and Kankuro flashed to Gaara's side, helping him up while keeping a wary eye on Sasuke Uchiha.

"Forget it, no more fighting!"

Gaara's tone was weak, his gaze lost, as if he were deep in thought.

Kankuro and Temari exchanged a glance, then hoisted Gaara onto their shoulders and quickly fled, disappearing from sight.

"Feelings... Love..."

"Yashamaru..."

Gaara's consciousness grew hazy as his thoughts shifted, finally settling on a specific memory.

In this memory, there was him, and there was Yashamaru.

A young Gaara stood by the table next to the bed, his eyes fixed on a photograph in a frame of a woman who looked somewhat like him.

Her hair was a pale yellow, and her eyes shimmered with gentleness, yet he had never met her.

Is this my mother?

The woman I killed!

As he stared, an inexplicable emotion suddenly surged in his heart.

He suddenly reached out with his right hand, grabbed a dagger from the table, and stabbed it fiercely toward the back of his left hand.

Ssh—

There was no sensation of the dagger piercing skin or flesh.

Countless grains of sand surged forth, obstructing the dagger and blocking it completely from Gaara's body.

Ssh, ssh, ssh—

Gaara's expression grew increasingly ferocious as he desperately swung his right hand to stab the back of his left hand.

But the protection of the sand made it impossible for him to harm himself.

Just as his emotions became increasingly uncontrollable, a gentle voice reached his ears.

"Lord Gaara..."

His body trembled slightly, and he turned to look at the woman approaching him.

The woman wore an apron, and the bandages wrapped around her hands were faintly stained with blood.

The wounds had been caused by his sand!

Yet, this woman did not seem to fear him, nor did she care about the wounds on her hands.

She leaned down gently, her eyes filled with nothing but tenderness as she looked at Gaara.