43 Chapter 43

Gaara of the Sand opened his eyes. He hadn't returned to his village as his Jonin and team were still here.

It had been two weeks since Gaara was able to sleep peacefully, without the Shukaku threatening to take over him.

He must say, he was impressed with the results. In the first few days, he had a few nightmares, remembering his mother, uncle, and all. After a couple of days of sleeping, he felt that a fog was lifted off his brain, and he could think about his life. The bloody images he usually saw when looking into someone's eyes had faded.

The more days passed, the more Gaara had to think about his past to remember it. It was no longer an endless cycle of memories. The killing intent and the endless hatred cycle were now getting broken by sleepiness.

On the 14th day, Gaara was having his coffee and enjoying simple things, such as breathing air and drinking water.

But if something had really bothered him, it was his fight against Kuzo. He could clearly remember it more than anything. The way Kuzo had dodged his attacks gracefully, and the way he fooled him by sealing his sands, then beating him with a club on the head. Gaara had thought the Shukaku would emerge, but he lost consciousness before that.

When he woke up, he found an additional seal on his body. Temari had explained that Kuzo put him in order to help him sleep. After he had learned that, Gaara was so angry that he wanted to see Kuzo being ripped into parts. But now that many days had passed, he no longer felt that killing urge. What he really wanted now was for this feeling of inner peace to last. He no longer bothered with the Sand Village who hated him or the missions. He had lived his life for himself, and he was willing to continue it that way. He'd live for himself and wouldn't bother with others anymore.

-x-X-x-

Kuzo was running toward the Sand Village at this time of night. Since he was with two Jonins, the distance between the Land of Fire and the Land of the Wind was closing quickly.

"You haven't been showing up lately," Anko said, "why aren't you coming for a visit?"

Kuzo turned to her and smiled, "Would you believe if I tell you I were busy in the two weeks."

"Busy, huh?" she asked.

"Anyway, why didn't you come by my house."

"I did. All I found was two girls there," Anko said, smiling and clapping her hands. "Could they be the reason why I don't find you."

"Hehe. I was giving private lessons for money. You should register too. We have discounts for Jonins." Kuzo laughed while promoting his business. "Though, we'd close after the Chunin Exam."

"Private lessons, huh?" she tilted her head. "You'd be going on the nerves of some clans if you do so."

"And why is that?"

"You're messing up with the system."

"They can fight me if they don't like it."

"Trouble seeker. That's what I like about you."

"Anyway, if you have energy to talk, then you'd have one to keep up." Kuzo said. He increased his speed dramatically.

It didn't take a long time before they arrived at the Land of the Wind.

An endless desert with winds hissing, not showing any signs of stopping.

"The village hidden in the sand is from here." Yamato pointed in one direction.

"I wonder how they will welcome us." Asked Anko.

Kuzo smiled as he said. "The Kazekage must personally come and talk with us. After all, we're going to deliver him an S-tier information."

Knowing Orochimaru, Kuzo knew that the latter won't hesitate to take the bait.

After traveling through the desert and through the peaks, they finally reached their destination. Kuzo used a transformation jutsu to hide his identity, taking an appearance of just a usual Jonin.

Welcoming them was an ANBU shinobi. He asked what they were doing here. Anko handed him a scroll from the Hokage, saying that they were tasked to deliver an S-tier information for the Kazekage.

The ANBU gently said, "stay here." He then vanished, leaving them surrounded by a few guards.

Kuzo put his hands in his pocket, looking at the surrounding guards, imagining how it would be easy to slice their throats.

He knew that it wasn't him thinking of that, but it was the irrational part of his brain driven by the Gluttony Power.

Since the waiting took so long, Kuzo's impatience helped the urge to get stronger.

A hand rested on his shoulder, Anko saying, "It's okay."

"I'm getting hungry." He replied, looking at the ANBU guards. "I get angry when I'm hungry."

"Just say you want to suck my boobies," Anko teased him with a laugh.

Kuzo shook his head.

Finally, an ANBU arrived, saying, "that Kazekage is inviting Konoha's representatives. However, you need to put your weapons aside."

Kuzo and his team looked at each other. They didn't need weapons anyway, especially Yamato.

They did as they were told, and they were allowed to enter the village.

The Sand Village's buildings were mostly built with stone sands. If he had to admit, these buildings were really huge.

They then headed to the Kazekage's office, a pale man with the Kage's attire, covering his lower face with a mask.

Orochimaru was really an asshole to hide as the Kazekage.

"What is it you want to talk about to me personally," asked the 'Kazekage'.

Kuzo, Anko, and Yamato looked at each other.

The plan was simple.

Kuzo fights Orochimaru. Anko and Yamato take care of those who come for his protection.

"Yeah. It's about Orochimaru," Kuzo said, releasing ink marks around his body, his form turning into more like a demon. "We didn't tell him we know that he's the Kazekage, so we could find him when he escapes."

By this time, Anko released her seals. With her base being as a Jonin, her transformation would allow her to keep away whoever came here for a few hours without troubles. Plus Yamato's assistance, there won't be much annoyance.

After Kuzo's words dropped like a bomb on Orochimaru's ears, he opened his eyes widely, saying. "It's you, again, Kuzo-san."

He took off his Kazekage's hat and mask, revealing his true face.

Not wasting the opening, Kuzo appeared under Orochimaru, sending him flying with a kick under the chin.

Orochimaru's body broke the ceiling. Kuzo followed after him, only to find the former had flipped and stood on his legs.

"You won't be able to escape this time." Kuzo crossed his fingers, creating around 8 untransformed clones — he had to save chakra.

The clones then created 2 barriers, one keeping Orochimaru from escaping and one keeping anyone outside the barrier from attacking the inside barrier.

"You won't have an escape this time."

"Humph."

Orochimaru harrumphed before tapping the ground. Many coffins appeared. Kuzo opened his hand, and from it appeared a bunch of papers. He then vanished and reappeared standing again. The papers had sealing marks, which stopped whatever was inside the coffins from coming out.

Still, Kuzo was unable to stop the coffins that came out of the barrier.

"You know, Kuzo-san, there are a few impressive shinobis out of this era. Although I knew about the guards around the graves of the 1st and 2nd Hokage, I still got what I need to beat you."

When Kuzo looked outside, he could see someone who had the potential even to kill Pain: the previous Raikage. Not only that, but a few shinobis out of this era. All gave a very powerful aura.

"Thanks to you, I had time to improve my Edo Tensei, and I can say, they may not be in their peak. But your barrier will soon be broken with brute force. Fufufu." Orochimaru laughed like any villain would. "And even if you kill me, these zombies of mine won't stop."

The reanimated shinobis started attacking the barrier.

The clones clicked their tongues, pushing more chakra into it.

Kuzo looked at Orochimaru. 'Then all I have to do is to kill you before you have a chance to command them to do something else.'