Naruto and Gaara stepped onto the dueling grounds.
The afternoon sun shone brightly on the face of the blond boy opposite him, and those blue eyes were reflected in Gaara's pupils.
After both of them nodded, the duel began.
Both were Jinchūriki, but Naruto had quite a few more spectators inside his belly than Gaara did.
And so, the discussions on either side were different as well.
On Naruto's side, Kushina wondered whether Gaara might have Uzumaki Clan blood. After all, his hair was so red that he looked more like a member of the Uzumaki Clan than Naruto did.
"There are redheads in Sunagakure too, but they aren't from the Uzumaki Clan."
Minato thoughtfully explained it to Kushina.
If Sunagakure had anyone with Uzumaki Clan blood, Gaara's seal couldn't possibly have been so... peculiar.
"Honestly, couldn't you let me be happy for a moment? Maybe it's a throwback."
Kushina pouted angrily and complained.
"All right, all right, I was wrong." Minato raised both hands in surrender.
Kurama, however, was different. His attention wasn't on Gaara-or rather, not on Gaara himself.
After all, if Gaara were from the Uzumaki Clan, Shukaku wouldn't have been so unruly. Kurama had no need to pay attention to him.
It was Shukaku he cared about.
That brat Shukaku really seemed to have been beaten sore. He was probably curled up in some dark corner right now.
Then, with a distraught expression, he would cry, "Kurama, please spare me! I'll never do it again! I admit you're the strongest Tailed Beast!"
Mm-hmm, probably something like that.
Just as Kurama was happily imagining Shukaku trembling in fear, a Hashirama with the corners of his mouth slightly raised slipped around behind him.
"Shit! Hashirama, what are you going to do to me this time?!"
Over on Gaara's