The claws formed from Gaara's sand restrained the Gold Dust Shukaku from every direction.
Not far away, Sakura closed her eyes and focused on the Magnetic Point between her brows. With her right palm extended and her left hand supporting her right wrist, she drew the Gold Dust Shukaku's Magnet Release chakra out from a distance, like a magnetic suction device.
That magnetism flowed through Sakura's arm and body, gathering at her forehead.
As mentioned before, that magnetism... also contained Shukaku's will!
"Heeheeheeheeheehee!!!!!!!"
A shrill laugh exploded out of nowhere inside Sakura's mind!!
"A little girl who's barely grown thinks she can wield my power?! I'll eat you alive!!!"
Of course, Shukaku could not actually eat Sakura, but he deliberately made chewing noises with his teeth grinding furiously, playing them directly inside her mind!!!
"Ugh...!!!!"
Sakura's concentration shattered at once. Her raised hand trembled, and she could no longer hold it steady!!
"..."
Gaara noticed. He closed his eyes and followed the Magnetic Point on Sakura's forehead, sending his consciousness into Sakura's Inner Sea.
It was a place filled with fluttering cherry blossoms.
Before Shukaku's consciousness, formed from gold dust, sand gathered into a manifestation of Gaara's consciousness.
"Hmph!!" Shukaku snorted. "Gaara, you're here to boss me around again!!"
Gaara's gaze was calm. "I'm not here to lecture you this time. I'm here to apologize."
"Haaah...?????" Shukaku drew out the sound.
Gaara said sincerely, "I'm truly sorry. If I'd been stronger back then, your real body wouldn't have fallen into the Akatsuki's hands. I'm so sorry..."
Shukaku scratched his gleaming golden head with a massive gold-dust claw.
"Damn it, you think putting on an act and spouting all this nonsense will win my sympathy? Not a chance. You humans are always scheming. Your father was exactly that sort of man,