Temari and Kankuro had witnessed everything that happened, and their emotions were shaken far more than anyone else's.
They had seen their younger brother use that terrifying power to protect the villagers who had always shunned him and even feared him. The impact was earth-shattering.
Kankuro spent noticeably less time fiddling with his puppets, often staring absentmindedly in Gaara's direction from afar.
Temari had grown quieter than before. Her brow was always furrowed, as though she were rethinking many things.
Their mother had died from complications shortly after giving birth to Gaara, and afterward, their father seemed to become a different person.
All day long, he talked about nothing but value, tests, weapons, and things like that.
At first, the three of them could still play happily together. But ever since a terrifying monster had been placed inside Gaara, their father had strictly controlled how much time they spent with him.
At first, they had been puzzled, but an unexpected incident soon dispelled their confusion.
Gaara had killed two Genin who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy!
They hadn't believed it when they first heard the news, but after seeing everyone around them make a 180-degree turn in their attitude toward Gaara, they had no choice but to believe it.
They couldn't imagine how their younger brother, who had always been like a bot, could have such a cruel side. Wasn't that ridiculous?
At that thought, Temari suddenly shivered. Back then, they hadn't known why Gaara had killed the two Genin at all. What was more, Gaara had shown extreme remorse and guilt at the time. He seemed to have no idea what had happened.
When they saw how the people around them reacted, they had unconsciously gone along with them and forgotten all about what had caused the incident. But no one had brought up the cause, either.
Temari was a little bewildered. It was as though someone had been controlling everything...
At that thought, Temari and Kankuro involuntarily exchanged a glance. Neither knew what the other was thinking, but they knew that the person on the other's mind was probably Gaara.
After their earlier awkward attempts to show Gaara kindness, another, deeper layer of confusion seemed to have emerged from their blood ties, along with a faint trace of guilt.
Yashamaru saw all of this, his heart filled with both worry and relief.
He was glad that Gaara had finally shown a protective side, but he was also deeply worried about whether Lord Kazekage would devise even less predictable countermeasures in response to this subtle change.
He could only stay by Gaara's side and protect him even more carefully.
Inside the Kazekage's office building, Rasa listened to the Anbu's detailed report on the villagers' reactions, his fingers tapping the desktop out of habit.
Shira's rising prestige aligned with his principle of "use whatever has value." He was even happy to see an inspiring role model emerge.
But when it came to Gaara, Rasa frowned. From the standpoint of the "weapon's" stability, the villagers' diminishing fear seemed to be a good thing.
But would this uncontrolled display of kindness and the potential influence it brought pose a threat to his absolute control?
"Continue observing. Record every emotional fluctuation and action of Gaara's. Reevaluate Shira's potential, focusing on the principles and limits of that explosive technique of his," he ordered coldly.
The crisis had passed for the time being, and Sunagakure began rebuilding amid the ruins.
And the invisible walls between people's hearts were also undergoing a silent battering, slowly beginning to loosen.
The changes were subtle, but they were happening.
Lying in his hospital bed, Shira felt the power within him, which had grown more surging after his breakthrough but also harder to control, and planned his next steps in cultivation.
Gaara stood in the empty courtyard, looking at the food the villagers had quietly left in the distance, his green eyes filled with unprecedented confusion.
The future remained shrouded in wind and sand, impossible to see clearly.
But at least a faint ray of light had pierced the thick clouds.