Where was Gaara, the one the Sand ninja had placed such high hopes on?
Gaara was being supported by Temari, while a masked Konoha ninja stood before them.
"This road is closed, you two!"
That Konoha ninja was naturally Hayato. He stretched out an arm, blocking their path.
Hayato was hurrying toward the Chunin Exams venue, while Gaara was rushing from the venue toward the battlefield outside the village. The odds of the three of them "running into each other" were pretty high.
Hayato stroked his chin and fell into thought. He was considering whether he should kill Gaara right here and now.
If Gaara died, Shukaku would die too. Then, during the few years before Shukaku revived, would Akatsuki cause less trouble and let Hayato live peacefully for a few years?
Gaara was in the midst of a frenzy, constant growls rumbling from his throat.
"Hey, you, the kid with dark circles. Could you and the raccoon inside you quiet down? This is a public place. Have some manners, will you?" Hayato gave Gaara a cold glance. "I'm thinking about whether to kill you here."
When had Gaara ever been threatened like this? He glared viciously at Hayato, drool continually dripping from the corners of his grinning mouth. He looked especially... unhygienic.
Then Gaara discovered in surprise that Shukaku had gone quiet.
Shukaku, who feared neither heaven nor earth and even wanted to take on the Nine-Tails, had actually gone quiet?
Was he scared?
Heh, scared was impossible.
It was just that Shukaku had sensed a familiar chakra.
That old man of the Six Paths?
No! It was that old man of the Six Paths' younger brother, the one from some village called Hagu... what was it?
Shukaku sank into his memories and froze for a moment, forgetting all