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Chapter 111: A Cute Little Child Like You

Kawanishi suppressed the overwhelming nausea that churned in his stomach and forced the wriggling worm mixed with viscous saliva down his throat.

It wasn't until the worm reached his stomach that the suffocating fear that enveloped him gradually dissipated.

The terror felt like being plunged into an infinite, dark ocean, compelling him to swallow the worm without hesitation rather than face such horror.

Strangely, he hadn’t sensed any murderous intent from that shopkeeper. Yet, the moment their eyes met, an uncontrollable shiver ran through his body, pulling him into an abyss of fear.

Oddly enough, the shopkeeper hadn’t even looked directly at him.

Kawanishi felt utterly defeated.

Panting heavily, he waited for the wave of nausea to pass before a flicker of doubt crept into his mind.

That ration pill clearly contained a worm. So why didn’t anyone else seem to notice?

Didn’t they feel the worm’s texture while chewing? Could it be that everyone just swallowed the pill whole?

Casting a bewildered glance around, he saw the others savoring the pill as if it were a delicacy, their faces filled with satisfaction. His confusion deepened.

Could it be…?

He suddenly recalled something: right before he realized the ration pill was actually a worm, the evil god’s mark on his palm had heated up.

That brief pain had jolted him out of the trance-like state the pill induced.

Could his ability to discern the pill’s true nature be related to his status as a follower of the Evil God cult?

But that didn’t make sense either.

The shopkeeper himself was part of the cult. Why would he want other cult members to know the truth about the ration pills?

While Kawanishi wrestled with these thoughts, the lively atmosphere of the trading post was abruptly silenced as if someone had pressed a mute button.

The shopkeeper—or rather, Kaneki—looked up, slightly surprised, toward the entrance.

The once-crowded doorway had gone eerily quiet. The crowd parted silently, making way for someone.

A boy, no older than six or seven, stepped inside carrying a massive gourd almost taller than himself on his back.

Fear and a barely concealed hatred flickered in the eyes of those around him.

As Kaneki’s mastery of Yin Release and his understanding of souls deepened, he could now easily sense the emotions of those nearby—or more precisely, the fluctuations in their souls under different conditions.

If his guess was correct, the boy before him was the youngest son of the current Kazekage of Sunagakure, the Jinchūriki of the One-Tail, Shukaku—Gaara.

Given Akatsuki’s objective to capture the tailed beasts, information about Jinchūriki like him had already been thoroughly investigated.

Of course, even without the intelligence provided by White Zetsu, Kaneki could sense the uniqueness of Gaara's soul the moment he saw him.

Cold and desolate, it was like a lifeless desert shrouded in eternal night. Just a glance was suffocating.

In addition to Gaara’s own soul, Kaneki could clearly perceive another presence within him—violent, twisted, and brimming with murderous intent.

If unleashed, it would likely destroy everything without hesitation.

Kaneki pondered this as a faint smile crept onto his face, his interest in the tailed beasts growing.

“Tell me, child, is there something you’re looking for?”

Gaara froze for a moment. Instead of answering, he furrowed his brow and asked, “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

He seemed genuinely surprised.

No, it wasn’t just surprise—it was disbelief.

For the first time, Gaara didn’t sense any fear or loathing from the person in front of him.

What he did sense, though, was… curiosity?

For Gaara, this was a novel feeling.

In all of Sunagakure, there wasn’t a single person who wasn’t afraid of him.

The villagers, including everyone around him, feared the monster within his body. Over time, that fear morphed into hatred, and he became the “cursed one” they all spoke of.

Even his own family wasn’t exempt.

A fleeting image flashed through Gaara’s mind, and a wave of malice emanated from his small frame.

The sheer intensity of the unconscious aura he emitted caused everyone nearby to panic.

Some even began inwardly cursing the Anbu for not capturing this “monster” sooner. Why had the Kazekage allowed him to roam freely?

Kawanishi also looked at the boy who was being labeled a monster. But this time, the fear he once felt was gone.

If he had to explain why—it was because the terror this “monster” brought paled in comparison to that man.

To Kawanishi’s astonishment, that very man gently placed a hand on the boy’s head.

“The Higanbana never turns away any guest—especially a cute little child like you.”

Everyone who heard those words and saw that scene was utterly dumbfounded.

“Cute… little child?”

Did he just call the boy who kills indiscriminately and wants to destroy the village a cute little child?

Even Gaara himself looked bewildered.

Since birth, no one had ever dared to speak to him like this—not even his siblings.

For Gaara, this was an entirely new experience.

However, the moment didn’t last long, as several Anbu appeared at the trading post’s entrance.

“Gaara, it’s time to go,” said the leader—a Sunagakure jōnin and Gaara’s uncle, Yashamaru.

Yashamaru stared warily at Kaneki, clearly on edge.

Kaneki simply smiled faintly, removing his hand from Gaara’s head. Before the boy left, Kaneki slipped a few ration pills into his hand.

“Consider this a gift for you, little brother.”

Gaara looked at the pills in surprise but said nothing as Yashamaru and the other Anbu escorted him away.

As a Jinchūriki, he had no freedom. Every move he made was under the Anbu’s surveillance, making such unexpected outings rare.

Back home, Gaara was met with a harsh reprimand from his father, the Kazekage Rasa.

“Gaara, you are the village’s strongest weapon. Your duty is to protect the village, not waste time wandering around!”

Lowering his head, the young Gaara whispered, “I just wanted to see the outside world.”

His words only fueled his father’s anger.

“If you can’t control even such a trivial desire, how can you hope to control the monster inside you? If you can’t control it, then you’re a worthless Jinchūriki!”

With that, Rasa waved his hand, sending Gaara flying into the wall with a blast of wind.

In the adjacent room, Temari and Kankurō cowered in silence, too frightened to make a sound.

(End of Chapter)

---

*Chapter 112: Encounter with Gaara*

After enduring a harsh scolding, Gaara curled up on his bed, his small, trembling hands clutching his body tightly. Tears streamed from his eyes, glistening as they fell.

"Why... Why was I born a monster?"

He couldn't understand why his life was so difficult or why the gazes of those around him were filled with fear, anger, and cold indifference.

He had done nothing wrong.

Suddenly, a shadow flitted past his window, followed by several kunai shattering the glass and hurtling toward him.

Sensing the danger, Gaara lifted his head, his face etched with terror.

Being so young, he couldn’t react to such a sudden attack. He could only watch in frozen fear as the weapons approached.

But, as always, sand surged from his body, forming a protective shield that effortlessly blocked the incoming kunai.

The assassin, however, seemed prepared. He immediately formed hand signs, activating the explosive tags attached to the kunai.

"Die, you cursed monster!"

The tags ignited, and flames erupted in a powerful explosion.

Yet the sand surrounding Gaara moved as if alive. Before the explosion could fully unleash its force, the sand had formed a sphere, encasing and absorbing the blast.

The fiery explosion was consumed within the sand. The resulting shockwave only broke the sphere into countless grains, leaving Gaara unharmed.

Seeing his attack fail, the assassin didn’t flee. Instead, he charged at Gaara with a kunai in hand.

At that moment, Yashamaru, Gaara’s guardian, intervened.

In a flash, he appeared above the attacker and pinned him to the ground effortlessly.

A glimmer of relief crossed Gaara’s face. "Uncle!"

"I’m sorry, Gaara. I came too late."

Yashamaru gave him a warm smile. He was one of the few people in Sunagakure who dared to approach Gaara, treat him kindly, and truly understand him.

The pinned assassin, however, was far from subdued. Though restrained, he continued to struggle and hurl insults at Gaara.

"It’s because of you, you monster! You killed my wife and son! I’ll make you pay!"

Yashamaru frowned and delivered a swift chop to knock him unconscious.

But the man’s words lingered in Gaara’s mind, filling him with doubt. He stared at his hands in disbelief and asked, "Uncle, did I really kill a lot of people?"

Yashamaru sighed and gently reassured him, "Gaara, it’s the monster inside you that kills, not you. I know it’s not your intention, right?"

Hearing his uncle’s comforting words, Gaara’s expression softened. He nodded firmly. "I really didn’t mean to..."

"That’s all that matters, Gaara."

Yashamaru patted his shoulder before leaving with the unconscious attacker to report to the Anbu.

"Gaara, are you okay?"

Temari and Kankuro entered the room, their faces showing concern.

But as their eyes scanned the scattered sand across the floor, Gaara noticed a hint of fear in their expressions.

The small joy he felt from their presence faded significantly.

Even his father didn’t come.

Did his father not care, even when his son was targeted for assassination?

"Let us help you clean up the room," Temari offered hesitantly. Despite her fear, she genuinely cared for her younger brother.

Kankuro shared similar feelings. Although he often kept his distance due to fear of their father and Gaara’s unstable powers, he still worried about his sibling deep down.

Gaara remained silent, allowing his brother and sister to tidy the room.

After cleaning up, Temari spoke softly. "We’ll head to bed now, okay?"

As the door closed behind them, plunging the room into darkness, Gaara was once again enveloped by the familiar, suffocating blackness.

"Monster!"

"Murderer of villagers!"

"Die!"

Voices echoed relentlessly in his mind as the darkness surrounded him.

Clutching his head with trembling hands, he rasped, "Father, I don’t want to be a weapon for the village anymore..."

All he wanted was a small, insignificant shred of love.

"The red spider lily welcomes all guests, especially adorable little ones like you."

Suddenly, a voice unlike the others rang in his mind. A figure with glasses and a calm demeanor appeared before him.

"Adorable little one?"

Gaara reached into his clothes and pulled out a single soldier pill.

The rest had been confiscated by Yashamaru, but this one was hidden within his sand. No one dared check there.

As soon as he brought it out, a faint, pleasant aroma wafted through the air.

His body craved the pill instinctively.

Without hesitation, Gaara popped it into his mouth.

The pill unleashed a surge of chakra, followed by an overwhelming drowsiness that enveloped him completely.

Despite trying to stay awake to prevent the monster within from taking over, his exhausted mind succumbed.

It was like a sleep-deprived worker collapsing into bed after days of endless labor.

His weary soul had no strength to resist. He fell into a deep slumber.

"Finally, an opportunity."

A sinister voice echoed from the depths of his mind.

Within a pitch-black cage, a massive beast opened its eyes, radiating a ferocious chakra.

Chains of gold sand wrapped around its enormous form rattled as it stirred.

Whenever Gaara fell asleep, the seal weakened, giving the beast its best chance to escape.

But this time was different. As it began to push against the seal, a surge of chakra coalesced in Gaara’s mind, forming a human figure.

"So, this is a Tailed Beast?"

A man named Kaneki appeared, observing the beast up close for the first time.

Feeling the intense chakra filling the air, Kaneki inhaled deeply, a look of fascination on his face.

"This kind of unrestrained, ferocious chakra... How intoxicating."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 113: Shukaku, the One-Tail, and Its Piercing Voice

Facing the immensely destructive aura of the rampaging tailed beast, Shukaku, Kaneki showed no trace of fear. Instead, his expression betrayed a mix of excitement and a strong urge to dissect the giant creature in front of him for research.

"If the intel is correct, you must be Shukaku, the One-Tail?"

Kaneki adjusted his glasses, his face brimming with curiosity.

"A lifeform entirely composed of chakra—how utterly fascinating."

Shukaku, towering like a small brown mountain, resembled a tanuki with an enormous belly. Its brown body appeared as rugged as exposed rocks in a barren desert, crisscrossed with numerous black markings. A massive tail swayed rhythmically behind it.

"You detestable brat!"

Shukaku's voice was piercingly sharp as its cross-shaped pupils fixed coldly on Kaneki, the intruder.

The beast couldn't sense the slightest fear emanating from Kaneki—only intense curiosity and a fiery passion.

"Brat, how did you get in here?"

Infiltrating someone else's mental world was no easy feat. Entering the body of a jinchūriki was even harder.

It was also incredibly dangerous—if one's consciousness were destroyed in another's mental realm, their soul in the real world would suffer severe repercussions.

Most importantly, Shukaku had been sharing Gaara's senses 24/7, yet it hadn't detected any signs of a mental invasion. This meant the intruder's method of entry had been remarkably stealthy.

"Could it be... that pill?"

Shukaku's thoughts raced. If there was any possible explanation, it had to be the pill Gaara had consumed earlier.

Kaneki pushed up his glasses again, holding a notebook in hand, jotting down observations.

"Shukaku, the One-Tail, aside from having a sharp voice, also possesses a decent level of intelligence."

Shukaku erupted in fury upon hearing Kaneki’s detached, experimental tone.

More infuriatingly, this brat had dared to comment on its voice!

"My voice isn't something a brat like you is qualified to judge!"

Shukaku roared, gathering countless streams of wind-style chakra in its mouth to form a high-pressure, spinning air bullet aimed directly at Kaneki.

Despite being restrained by the golden sand seals around it, Shukaku couldn't resist the urge to annihilate this insolent human.

Even as Shukaku prepared to launch its attack, Kaneki remained unfazed, continuing to jot down notes:

"Hates having its voice criticized."

"Die!"

With a sharp roar, Shukaku fought against the sealing power on Gaara to unleash the air bullet.

But just as it was about to fire, eight crimson, fleshy tendrils burst from Kaneki's back, wrapping tightly around Shukaku.

"You think this can hold me, brat?"

Shukaku’s defiance was short-lived. The tendrils radiated powerful sealing energy, combining with the golden sand seals to completely suppress its previously raging chakra.

This was Kaneki's newly developed technique, *"Blood Tendril Seal"*, inspired by the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts and modified with his own ideas.

Functionally, it was similar to traditional Uzumaki sealing methods but used the tendrils for quicker deployment, making it easier to capture and restrain enemies.

What surprised Kaneki was how exceptionally effective this technique seemed against tailed beasts.

Moments ago, Shukaku had been fiercely resisting. Now, under the double restraint of the tendrils and the golden sand, it could only glare at Kaneki with clenched teeth.

Though the seals left by the Fourth Kazekage played a significant role in suppressing Shukaku, the Uzumaki sealing arts provided Kaneki with a pleasant surprise.

"You... you're from the Uzumaki Clan, aren't you?"

Shukaku growled, glaring at Kaneki. From the undulating tendrils, it sensed a familiar aura.

Long ago, Shukaku had been sealed by a member of the Uzumaki Clan.

Hearing this, Kaneki's suspicions were confirmed. He jotted another note:

"Uzumaki Clan sealing techniques seem to have a strong suppressive effect on tailed beasts."

Kaneki's disregard only enraged Shukaku further.

"Damn brat! Answer my question!"

Unfortunately for Shukaku, its chakra was being steadily drained by Kaneki's tendrils. Under the dual-layered seal, it had virtually no power to resist.

If Shukaku truly wanted to retaliate, it would first have to break free from the seals.

Shukaku's piercing roar eventually snapped Kaneki out of his focused note-taking. Adjusting his glasses, he offered an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that, I got a bit too engrossed. Could you repeat your question?"

Shukaku:

"...Forget it. Just destroy me already."

Kaneki had hoped to chat more with Shukaku about the Sage of Six Paths, but the beast's earlier commotion had drawn the attention of others.

Reluctantly, Kaneki gave up on his plan.

"My apologies. I have other matters to attend to. I'll visit you again sometime."

With a smile, Kaneki vanished from Gaara's mental world.

A small insect crawled out from Gaara’s body, disappearing into a crack in the wall.

Moments after Kaneki left, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, appeared before Gaara, accompanied by Yashamaru and a squad of Anbu.

Rasa wasted no time grasping Gaara’s wrist and inspecting his body and the seals.

"Everything seems normal."

After a thorough check, Rasa concluded there was nothing wrong.

If anything, it was surprising that Gaara was sleeping so peacefully. Even Rasa's movements hadn't disturbed him.

"Perhaps I'm just being paranoid."

Satisfied that Gaara’s seals remained intact, Rasa ordered the Anbu to disperse.

After giving Gaara one last look, Rasa disappeared as well.

Once the room was empty, Shukaku’s eyes opened in Gaara's mental world. With a cold sneer, it muttered,

"Heh, Rasa... Things are about to get interesting."

---

The next morning, Gaara woke to sunlight streaming across his face.

Outside, birds chirped atop power lines, and the aroma of breakfast wafted in from nearby.

For a moment, Gaara felt disoriented before jolting awake. Rushing to the window, he anxiously checked for any signs of destruction in the village.

Seeing everything peaceful, he exhaled in relief.

At least he hadn’t turned into a monster while asleep.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 115: New Species Unlocked in the Land of Wind  

During his time in Sunagakure, Kaneki used ration pills made from Blood Spirit Insects to open up the market for the Higanbana Merchant Guild in the Land of Wind.  

At the same time, he created a variety of desert species and integrated them into the local ecosystem to gather intelligence about the Land of Wind.  

Among these creations, the Desert Dragonfly played a crucial role. This dragonfly easily adapted to the harsh climate of the Land of Wind, surviving even in the extreme temperature fluctuations of the desert.  

Their diet was remarkably diverse—withered plants, decaying organisms, microorganisms, and even self-sustained energy derived from photosynthesis via microbial colonies on their backs.  

These dragonflies could lay thousands of eggs in the desert, ensuring exponential population growth. With their extraordinary survival and reproduction abilities, they seamlessly integrated into the local ecosystem within a few months, providing ample food for many other desert predators.  

However, this sudden emergence of a new species in the desert was far more complex than it appeared.  

Though each Desert Dragonfly seemed independent, in reality, they were not.  

In every territory, there was a primary hive for the Desert Dragonflies. All information collected by the dragonflies within the hive’s domain was shared with the primary hive.  

These hives acted as biological signal towers. Following Kaneki's commands, they filtered and relayed information back to him, functioning as his eyes across vast stretches of the desert.  

In addition, Kaneki created two other new species: Ghost-Faced Wind Scorpions and Poison-Blade Centipedes.  

The Ghost-Faced Wind Scorpions, modeled after scorpions, featured a menacing ghost face on their backs. They emitted a pheromone akin to genjutsu, instilling fear in their enemies.  

These scorpions were incredibly fast, making them challenging even for ninjas to handle in swarms.  

The Poison-Blade Centipedes were true predators of the desert. They lay hidden beneath the sand, waiting for unsuspecting prey to pass by before bursting out to strike. Their razor-sharp, venomous claws spelled doom for their victims.  

Both species were also influenced and controlled by the hives.  

To be honest, Kaneki derived his inspiration for this system from Nagato.  

Nagato controlled multiple bodies using black rods to transmit chakra, sharing sensory information among them and allowing Nagato to coordinate their actions. This required Nagato to multitask extensively during battle—a significant challenge for most.  

The black rods acted as receivers, forming a communication network. Kaneki adapted this concept to create his hive network.  

However, Kaneki couldn’t simply replicate Nagato’s approach.  

Controlling a few bodies was already a taxing endeavor. Considering the sheer number of his creations—likely surpassing billions worldwide—it would be impossible to directly micromanage each one without overwhelming his mental capacity.  

Thus, he designated one primary hive per region.  

Most of the time, these creatures were left to roam freely—hunting, breeding, and behaving like normal organisms. The hives, serving as signal relay stations, remained dormant under typical circumstances, conserving energy unless an anomaly arose within their range.  

When Kaneki needed their services, his commands would be relayed to the hives, which would then distribute the orders to the creatures under their control. These creatures were primarily used for tasks such as reconnaissance.  

The Desert Dragonflies were relatively benign to humans, often even beneficial.  

In fact, in the remote areas of the Land of Wind, some impoverished towns had begun catching these dragonflies as a food source.  

On the other hand, the Ghost-Faced Wind Scorpions and Poison-Blade Centipedes significantly impacted the safety of the Land of Wind’s residents.  

Reports emerged of caravans encountering swarms of Ghost-Faced Wind Scorpions or falling prey to ambushes by Poison-Blade Centipedes while crossing the desert.  

Without the protection of ninjas, encountering these creatures in the desert was essentially a death sentence.  

As a result, Sunagakure's mission requests surged.  

Consequently, the demand for mission-related weapons and medicines also skyrocketed, driving the rapid growth of the Higanbana Merchant Guild.  

At the same time, the Cult of the Evil God was quietly expanding within the Land of Wind.  

Although the Daimyo of the Land of Wind had issued orders prohibiting the cult’s spread, the vastness of the region made enforcement nearly impossible.  

The region’s impoverished and barren lands, apart from a few major oases in the core areas, left many small desert villages struggling to survive.  

The sudden appearance of desert creatures only exacerbated the hardships of these villages.  

Most of these destitute villagers couldn’t afford to hire Sunagakure ninjas to eliminate the creatures.  

However, their suffering ended with the arrival of three young individuals in one such village.  

Though their appearances were somewhat unusual, these three quickly gained the villagers’ trust by driving away the menacing Wind Scorpions.  

Afterward, they introduced the villagers to a faceless god statue and encouraged them to worship it. They claimed that by becoming followers of the Evil God, the villagers would no longer be attacked by these desert creatures.  

The trio also helped dig a well to provide water and taught the villagers how to cultivate Divine Rice.  

“The Lord created this crop for your survival,” explained Jugo, cloaked in a brown hood, holding a stalk of ripe rice.  

Moved by his words, the villagers knelt down and repeatedly kowtowed.  

“Praise the Lord’s mercy! Thank you for His blessings!”  

“We are willing to become His followers!”  

As Jugo basked in the villagers' reverence, a faint smile appeared on his face.  

After the ritual, Uzumaki Rii approached Jugo, teasing, “Jugo, you’re really getting into character, huh?”  

Jugo touched his face in confusion. “Am I?”  

“Of course! Though you’re not as awe-inspiring as Lord Shingetsu, you’re starting to look the part of an Evil God cult priest.”  

Rii lifted her chin slightly, her admiration for Lord Shingetsu evident. To her, he was unparalleled.  

(End of Chapter)