boyutpedia Chapter 279 The War Approaching its End
Chapter 279 The War Approaching its End
Gaara's mind went completely blank, a state he had never experienced before.
The pain that gnawed at him day and night, the confusion that led him to destruction, the anger that had sustained him until now… all the heavy and dark emotions were quietly soothed and dispelled by an invisible and warm force at this moment. What remained was only shock that swept in like a tsunami.
"True love is about dedicating yourself to those around you and protecting their thoughts with a compassionate heart."
Those tender words, long buried deep in my memory by blood and betrayal, resurfaced uncontrollably, accompanied by the unforgettable feeling of abandonment and the tearing pain of that time.
"like……"
That final, complex, and indistinct look reminded him of the warm blood splattering everywhere, and those pupils that gradually lost focus and became unfocused before his eyes.
Since then, the familiar scenes in his memory have lost their color. The world he knew has become a cruel arena filled with endless malice towards him.
Unable to sleep, every time he closes his eyes, he may be met with a deadly assassination. Unable to find peace, even if he does nothing, the mere existence of himself is enough to attract the cold killing intent of his companions.
He had pleaded, begged, and prayed to a god whose existence was unknown, humbly hoping for even the slightest bit of kindness... but all he received in return was deeper despair.
In the end, all tenderness was worn away, leaving only the sole thought of tearing all those who wanted to hurt him to shreds.
I can't get any kindness from anyone... My mother died because of me... I shouldn't have been born...
This was the cold foundation upon which Gaara firmly believed and built his entire world.
Perhaps... after personally killing the last vestige of tenderness in that cruel world, after receiving the definitive answer that "no one has ever loved me"... what am I still thinking about?
The answer is obvious—to transform into a self-loving demon, using the fear and blood of others to fill the emptiness in one's heart and prove one's own worth.
Until now—
Until this blond boy, whom he could not kill and whose strength far surpassed his, made that incredible vow to him.
He said... he would protect me?
He said... "My worth doesn't need to be proven by killing?"
He said... he wanted to become my... bond?
"Gaara!!"
Only when the familiar shouts grew louder and louder, and after confirming that the two enormous, monstrous creatures had finally disappeared, did Kankuro and Temari muster all their courage and rush to the place where Shukaku had vanished, anxiously searching for their younger brother.
When they saw what was before them, their hearts nearly stopped. There stood the boy shrouded in a shimmering golden chakra cloak—Naruto Uzumaki.
Recalling the earth-shattering power they had just witnessed, which far exceeded their comprehension, the two had no doubt that if this person wanted to take their lives, it would be easier than crushing an ant.
However, from the current perspective, this is a war, and Sunagakure is the invader. Logically, Gaara, who just nearly caused massive destruction in the village, has no chance of being spared.
Could it be... that even their father was defeated by him? The two of them simultaneously thought of that fleeting glimpse of the sand-gold ninjutsu, and its subsequent complete disappearance. A chill ran through them.
Even so, seeing their unusually weak younger brother, despite their legs trembling with fear, Temari and Kankuro gritted their teeth and rushed forward, using their trembling bodies to firmly stand between Gaara and Naruto.
Even though this younger brother had once filled them with fear and even brought them the threat of death, their blood-rooted, never-truly-extinguished protective instincts overwhelmed everything at this moment.
Am I really... always alone...?
This thought once again rippled through Gaara's chaotic mind. Naruto always had people pulling him towards the light… but what about himself? Really… had he never experienced that?
Or perhaps... she deliberately closed her eyes, rejected all glimmers of light, and resolutely chose to fall into darkness?
"The war is almost over," Naruto said calmly to the tense siblings who looked like they were facing a formidable enemy. The intense golden chakra around him also subsided slightly. "I won't kill Gaara."
He looked at Gaara, who was being protected behind him, and said, "Before that, please take him to a safe place."
"...!"
This completely unexpected answer stunned Temari and Kankuro, who were then overwhelmed with a sense of relief, as if they had escaped a disaster. They were incredibly fortunate to have achieved such a result!
Kankuro took a deep breath, trying to calm his wildly beating heart, and turned around. When he saw Gaara's current state, he was stunned—those eyes, which were always filled with bloodlust, madness, and numbness, were now clear, even... carrying a kind of fragile confusion that he had never seen in Gaara before.
Seeing her younger brother like this, even though fear still lingered deep inside, an indescribable feeling of heartache quietly overshadowed all other emotions.
He carefully bent down and gently helped the weak and powerless Gaara up, placing his younger brother's arm on his shoulder to support his weight. Temari immediately stepped forward to help as well.
The siblings took a deep look at the blond boy who had given them a way out, and without further hesitation, they used the Body Flicker Technique to quickly leave this place of trouble with Gaara.
The three siblings from Sunagakure raced through the dense forest, searching for temporary shelter before receiving news of their defeat. The wind whistled past their ears, and the scenery around them rushed by.
This scene of escape slowly overlapped with certain deliberately ignored, repressed fragments of Gaara's memory.
It wasn't all cold-blooded killing intent and betrayal... It seemed that, earlier, there had been a blurry figure trying to approach, only to be pushed away by him with even deeper indifference and ruthless rage.
"Temari...Kankuro..."
Suddenly, Gaara, who was leaning on Kankuro's shoulder, spoke in an extremely weak but no longer cold and piercing voice.
The unusual tone startled the two people who were rushing on their way, and they turned to look at him in confusion.
Gaara didn't meet their gazes; he simply lowered his head and forced out those heavy words.
"All these years... I'm truly... sorry..."
"...?!"
Temari and Kankuro froze, their minds blank. This…this really is something Gaara would say? The younger brother who sees no emotion, who only believes in killing?
"...? Oh...no, it's okay."
Kankuro was the first to recover, his voice hoarse and clearly bewildered, responding almost instinctively. Temari nodded subconsciously beside him, her eyes filled with shock.
------
One minute ago.
"Well done... descendant of the Uzumaki clan..."
Her body was completely covered by dark sealing runes, and Mito Uzumaki said in a tone of relief and reassurance.
Through Kagura's Mind's Eye, Mito Uzumaki clearly sensed that the familiar chakra belonging to her husband, Hashirama Senju, was being manipulated in the distance, and she instantly understood her current predicament.
Although the young man before him did not have the signature red hair, the resonance that came from the depths of his blood, as well as the dazzling and skillful Vajra Lock behind him, convinced Mito of his identity.
In the moments before her consciousness was completely sealed and dragged into darkness, she used her last strength to make a pleading request.
"Please... don't let that despicable scoundrel continue to toy with... Hashirama's soul..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Mito Uzumaki's figure, along with Rasa and Kushina, was completely sealed away, transforming into three enormous cocoon-like objects that stood silently on the ground, wrapped in black runes.
Menma slowly turned his head, his gaze piercing through the vast distance, looking towards the direction of Konoha Village. In his sight, the dazzling golden Nine-Tails was forcefully throwing the rampaging Shukaku out of the village with absolute power.
However, he was not at ease. Although the seal was successful, as long as Orochimaru, the caster, did not actively release the Impure World Reincarnation, the souls of the three would still be bound within the Impure World Reincarnation bodies.
Unable to find true peace. The face, filled with tenderness and reluctance, and those final words flashed through my mind again…
Menma silently raised his hand, and a brand new fox mask appeared in his palm. He gently placed it on his face, and at the same time, his once brilliant golden hair faded, rapidly turning into a deep, inky black. Intense wind-style chakra rose from beneath his feet, enveloping his entire body.
"Whoosh—!"
The next moment, he transformed into a blurry blue afterimage and sped off towards Konoha Village!
Beneath the mask, those cold eyes were fixed on the twisted and sinister snake on the distant rooftop, still locked in fierce combat with the Third Hokage.
The goal is clear and unambiguous.