Chapter 12: The Ancestors New Guardian of Sunagakure

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow across the desert landscape outside. The soft light filtered through the open window in Gaara's office, illuminating the room's minimalistic decor. Gaara sat behind his desk, his eyes focused on a scroll as he reviewed mission reports. Sakura stood in front of him, awaiting her next assignment.

Gaara glanced up from the scroll and met Sakura's gaze. He knew she was becoming one of Sunagakure's most skilled Shinobi, and it was time to entrust her with a mission of greater importance.

"Sakura," Gaara began, his voice calm but resolute, "I have an assignment for you. It involves an heirloom of great significance to our village, the Suna-Tessen, a legendary fan said to hold immeasurable power."

Sakura's red eyes widened with intrigue. She had heard tales of the Suna-Tessen during her training and knew its importance to the village's history.

Gaara continued, "The Suna-Tessen has been missing for decades, but recent intel suggests it may have resurfaced. Its current location is unknown, but we believe it's in the possession of a powerful criminal organization that's been operating in the Land of Wind."

Sakura nodded, her determination clear. "I'm ready for this mission, Gaara."

Gaara smiled faintly, acknowledging her readiness. "Good. However, this mission requires a delicate touch and extensive knowledge of our village's history. That's why I've decided to pair you with an experienced shinobi, Granny Chiyo. She is one of the few who remembers the Suna-Tessen's power firsthand. She will guide you in this mission, and together, you will retrieve the fan and ensure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

Sakura nodded in understanding. She respected Granny Chiyo's expertise and was eager to learn from her again.

"Your mission," Gaara concluded, "is to locate the Suna-Tessen, recover it, and protect it at all costs. The fan's power is immeasurable, and in the wrong hands, it could pose a significant threat to our village."

Sakura smiled. "I won't fail, Gaara. I'll bring the Suna-Tessen back to Sunagakure."

Gaara returned the gesture and handed her a sealed scroll containing all the mission details. "Be careful."

As they left Gaara's office, she couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility. Sakura and Granny Chiyo made their way through the bustling streets of Sunagakure, heading toward the village's main gate. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm and relentless heat upon them, but Sakura was too absorbed in the anticipation of their mission to notice.

Granny Chiyo, walking beside Sakura with her hands folded in her traditional Suna robe sleeves, began to speak, her voice carrying the wisdom of years gone by. "The Suna-Tessen, my dear, is more than just an ancient artifact. It's a piece of our village's history and holds a power unlike any other."

Sakura looked at the elderly kunoichi, her curiosity piqued. "I've heard stories about the Suna-Tessen, but I don't know much about its history."

Granny Chiyo nodded, her eyes distant as she delved into the past. "Long ago, when Sunagakure was in its infancy, the village faced great hardships. The Land of Wind was a harsh and unforgiving place. Sandstorms ravaged our homes, and resources were scarce."

Sakura listened intently as they continued to walk. The streets were filled with villagers going about their daily lives, but Granny Chiyo's words drew her into a different world.

"During those trying times," Granny Chiyo continued, "a skilled puppeteer and master of wind jutsu named Kazekiri emerged. He crafted the Suna-Tessen, a fan of such extraordinary power that it could control the very winds themselves. With the fan in his possession, he became a symbol of hope for our village."

Sakura's eyes widened as she grasped the importance of the fan. "So, the Suna-Tessen was used to protect Sunagakure and its people?"

Granny Chiyo nodded, her expression solemn. "Indeed. Kazekiri used the fan to quell the sandstorms, to shield our village from external threats, and to ensure our survival. It symbolized our people's strength, resilience, and unity. But, my dear, power has a way of corrupting even the noblest of intentions. As the years passed, the Suna-Tessen's immense power drew the attention of those who sought to misuse it. Fearing its potential destruction, Kazekiri sealed it away, ensuring it could only be wielded by a descendant of his bloodline."

Sakura pondered the significance of this revelation. "So, if the Suna-Tessen has resurfaced, it could be in the hands of someone from Kazekiri's bloodline who may not have our village's best interests at heart."

Granny Chiyo nodded gravely. "Exactly. Our mission is not only to retrieve the Suna-Tessen but also to safeguard it from those who might exploit its power. It's a duty we owe to our village's history and to the generations that will come after us."

At the village gate, Sakura held the mission scroll in her hand, ready to present it to the vigilant guard standing watch. Her heart fluttered with excitement and anticipation as she embarked on this critical mission with Granny Chiyo.

The guard, recognizing the purpose in Sakura's determined eyes, nodded in acknowledgment of their departure. However, just as they were about to pass through the gate, a familiar voice called out Sakura's name, causing her to turn around.

Kankuro, clad in his traditional Suna attire, was hurrying toward them. Sakura's face lit up with a warm smile as she patiently waited for him to approach. Her boyfriend had always been a steadfast presence, and his unexpected appearance brightened her day.

Kankuro, his expression a blend of concern and deep affection, pulled Sakura into a warm embrace and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. His touch conveyed his genuine care for her as he spoke, "You didn't tell me you'd be leaving today."

Sakura's radiant smile widened even further, basking in the affectionate embrace of her boyfriend. She felt the warmth of his love and understanding as she replied, "Sorry, Kankuro. I was a bit overexcited about the mission. It's highly ranked, so I'm a bit nervous."

Kankuro's chuckle reverberated through their hug, the depth of his devotion to Sakura shining brightly in his eyes. He confessed, "When Gaara and I found this mission, we thought it might be perfect for you to handle on your own. But we didn't want you to leave by yourself, so we asked Granny Chiyo to accompany you. I would have gone in her place, but I'm still hunting your father. He's been elusive lately, popping up all over the place."

Sakura's heart swelled with gratitude for Kankuro's unwavering support and understanding. She replied, her words filled with sincerity, "Thank you, Kankuro. Your thoughtfulness means the world to me. I'll be back soon, and we can catch up properly."

As their lips met in a loving kiss, sealing their bond, Sakura and Granny Chiyo resumed their journey beyond the walls of Sunagakure. With a mission of immense importance awaiting them, they ventured forth. As Sakura and Granny Chiyo set out to recover the stolen Suna-Tessen, the desert sands stretched before them, shimmering in the harsh sunlight. With each step they took, the weight of their mission hung heavily in the air.

Sakura glanced at Granny Chiyo, her curiosity piqued. "Granny Chiyo, could you tell me more about the group that stole the Suna-Tessen and where we're heading to retrieve it?"

Granny Chiyo nodded, her gaze fixed on the horizon as she recounted the details. "The group that stole the Suna-Tessen is known as the 'Waru.' They're a band of rogue Shinobi who have been causing trouble in our region for some time now. They're skilled in espionage infiltration and have a reputation for resourcefulness."

Sakura listened intently, focusing on Granny Chiyo's every word. "Do we know why they targeted the Suna-Tessen?"

Granny Chiyo sighed, her brows furrowing. "It's believed that the Waru seek to harness the power of the Suna-Tessen for their nefarious purposes. Rumors suggest they use its destructive capabilities to seize control of valuable resources in the desert."

Sakura's expression tightened with determination. "We can't allow that to happen. Where are they?"

Granny Chiyo's lips curved into a knowing smile. "The Suna-Tessen is said to hold a unique resonance with the desert's chakra. The Waru are likely hiding in one of the civilian villages where a temple to the desert lives."

Sakura nodded, her resolve strengthening. "Then that's where we'll find them. We can't let them succeed."

Granny Chiyo placed a reassuring hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Indeed."

They ventured deeper into the small village and were exposed to harsh elements without protection from cliff walls or towering sand dunes. The village's skimpy homes were constructed from humble materials like tents and clay, their fragility apparent in the unforgiving desert landscape.

The villagers they encountered wore the visible scars of their harsh environment. Some were wrapped in layers of bandages, not as a fashion statement but as a necessity, a defense against the relentless onslaught of disease and sandstorms. Their existence was one of endurance, resilience, and survival.

A scrawny teenage boy with short, spiked black hair caught their attention as he collected water from the village's central well. Fear flickered in his eyes as he observed the newcomers, and his curiosity compelled him to speak.

"You're not from here," the boy remarked, his voice trembling slightly with uncertainty.

Granny Chiyo offered the boy a warm, reassuring smile and replied, "No, we're Shinobi from Sunagakure."

The boy carefully placed his bucket of water on the sun-scorched sand between his feet and ventured another question. "Are you here for Waru?"

Sakura nodded solemnly and inquired, "Do you know them?"

The boy shook his head gently, his gaze filled with apprehension. "Not personally, but the group attacked the village's priest, demanding the keys to the temple."

Realization washed over Sakura's face. "That means they're here now."

Granny Chiyo's expression grew more severe as she affirmed, "We have to hurry."

As Sakura and Granny Chiyo continued their relentless pursuit, the wind along the dirt path grew increasingly fierce. The chaotic gales whipped dust and debris through the air while the distant screams of terrified children and their parents echoed from the direction of the temple. The urgency of their mission weighed heavily on their hearts.

With each step closer to the temple, the intensity of the sandstorm seemed to magnify. It raged and howled, obscuring their vision and making it nearly impossible to use their jutsu effectively. Granny Chiyo gasped, her eyes wide with alarm, "That sandstorm—it wasn't here a minute ago."

Sakura, determined and resolute, assessed the situation. "Our jutsu are useless against this raging storm," she acknowledged her voice firm with resolve.

But Granny Chiyo, her concern for their safety palpable, cried out through the tempest, "We must find shelter quickly!"

Sakura, however, was undeterred. She pushed forward, the fierce winds whipping at her, and declared, "Not until we secure that weapon."

Bewildered by Sakura's unwavering determination, Granny Chiyo snapped, "Have you gone mad, child? The rogue Shinobi of the sand won't be going anywhere in this storm. Our lives are at risk!"

Sakura, maintaining her resolve, responded with a confident smirk. "One lesson I learned from Gaara is that storms don't appear out of nowhere unless someone is controlling them with chakra."

Realizing the gravity of Sakura's suspicion, Granny Chiyo questioned with fear and determination, "You don't think..."

Sakura's eyes glinted with resolve as she replied, "There's only one way to find out—before they use the storm as a diversion." The mission had taken an unexpected turn, and they were determined to uncover the truth behind the sudden sandstorm and confront the rogue Shinobi who sought to evade them.

Each step forward felt like an arduous endeavor, akin to carrying burdensome weights against the relentless onslaught of the sandstorm. With every stride, the stone temple emerged more clearly from the swirling sand, its ancient form half-buried and consumed by the unforgiving desert. The unforgiving tempest only fueled their resolve.

As they drew closer, their initial suspicions shifted. The temple's massive wooden doors swung violently open and closed, painted a sinister red by the violence unfolding within. With frail perseverance, Granny Chiyo braved the maelstrom, clutching the stone entrance to anchor herself against the ferocious wind. Her eyes remained closed until she had reached the sanctuary of the temple's interior.

Upon opening her eyes, she was met with a gruesome tableau. A sea of lifeless bodies lay sprawled before her, each bearing the distinct visage of the rogue Shinobi listed in the bingo book. Their dead expressions spoke of the desperate battle they had waged, all in pursuit of the coveted Suna-Tessen.

Granny Chiyo, trembling with fear and shock, beckoned Sakura to witness the harrowing sight. "Sakura... Come and see."

Sakura entered the temple, her eyes widening in disbelief at the macabre scene before her. She couldn't help but ponder aloud, "Did they battle in a brutal contest to determine who among them was worthy of wielding the Suna-Tessen?" The temple's dark secrets were beginning to unravel, and the mystery deepened as they ventured further into its depths. The Waru members lay lifeless on the temple's stone floor, their bodies bearing the unmistakable marks of violence and death. The leader, recognizable by his crimson cloak, lay motionless with his eyes forever closed. Surrounding him were his comrades, each fallen in a manner that left no room for doubt—their lives had been taken ruthlessly.

More profound, they ventured into the temple's narrow, stained hallways, their every step echoing through the hollow chambers. Amid the gruesome aftermath of the fallen Shinobi, a surprising and disheartening sight unfolded before them.

A young boy, his fragile form barely able to hold the massive Suna-Tessen, stood amidst the blood-soaked carnage. His once-innocent eyes now glowed with a haunting shade of dark purple, marred by sinister curse marks that sprawled across his face and body, his dirty blonde hair adding to the striking contrast. The legendary weapon, whose power had been the stuff of legends, seemed wholly incongruous in the hands of one so young and innocent-looking.

Granny Chiyo's shock gave way to a gasp of recognition and despair. Her voice trembled as she cried, "The blood relative of Kazekiri."

Fueled by her deep empathy, Sakura approached the young boy with caution. Her heart ached with sympathy for the child who had witnessed such horrors. She gently extended her hand towards him, whispering soothingly, "Hey, there's no need to be afraid."

But Granny Chiyo, her experience etched in every line of her face, viewed the boy as a potential threat. She cautioned sternly, "Do not approach him; he's dangerous."

As she rebuked her elder, Sakura's voice quivered with determination, "He's not a threat, Granny Chiyo. He's just a frightened and confused boy who needs help."

Granny Chiyo's whisper was laden with sorrow and understanding, "You blame yourself for what happened to Gaara the night Shukaku attacked the village. The boy isn't Gaara. You can't save him."

The child was a blood relative of Kazekiri, the legendary wielder of the Suna-Tessen, and it was evident that he had used this formidable weapon to slay the Waru group. His eyes, filled with hatred and despair, met theirs as he clung to life.

Sakura, her voice gentle yet filled with empathy, asked, "What happened here? Why did you do this?"

  The boy's voice, though frail, bore the heavy burden of tragedy. "The Waru murdered my parents," he recounted, his words infused with the weight of unbearable loss, "and then they took me away from my village. They wanted to use me as a weapon."

Granny Chiyo and Sakura exchanged somber glances.

Granny Chiyo clutched the Suna-Tessen and stated with conviction, "There is darkness in his heart, but I can discern his potential to wield the Suna-Tessen for the greater good, to protect Sunagakure, and perhaps even the entire world."

Sakura knelt beside the boy, gently wiping the blood from his face with a cloth. She asked softly, "Would you like to come to Sunagakure, where your family hails from? We might even be able to locate one of your relatives."

His eyes glistened with hope as he wiped away his tears and asked, "Really, can we?"

Sakura responded with a warm smile, "Absolutely."

A smile graced the boy's small, weary face for the first time, though it was evident that he had endured hardship. He held Sakura's hand and walked outside with her and Granny Chiyo. However, what awaited them was even more chilling than what they had encountered inside the temple. The village had been engulfed by towering sand dunes, their homes obliterated, and countless lives lost. It was as if a catastrophic sand tsunami had swept through, leaving devastation in its wake. Her gaze swept over the destruction; Sakura had never witnessed such destruction before. She turned to Granny Chiyo, who still bore the weight of the bodies entombed within the sand.

The boy hesitated, asking, "Did I cause all of this?"

Both Sakura and Granny Chiyo assured him, "No."

Sakura continued, "A sandstorm must have coincidentally passed through here. Let's not dwell on it. We should get going."

With a nod from Granny Chiyo, they swiftly embarked on their journey back to Sunagakure. Hurrying back to Sunagakure, Sakura carried the young guardian boy in her arms while Granny Chiyo securely held the Suna-Tessen. The desert landscape blurred around them, the awkward silence between them growing palpable.

In wanting to break the tension, Sakura turned her attention to the young boy she cradled. Gently, she asked, "I've wondered, Do you have a name?"

The boy's face contorted in thought, struggling to recollect any memories from his past. After silence, he shook his head and replied softly, "I... I can't remember."

Sakura offered him a warm and reassuring smile. "That's okay," she said kindly. "We'll help you come up with a new name. Something special, just for you."

The boy gazed at Sakura with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Her words seemed to comfort him like they were a lifeline to a new beginning.

Granny Chiyo, walking beside them, chimed in with a soft smile of her own. "Yes, a fresh start for a brave young soul like you."

Sakura momentarily contemplated, her thoughts weaving together like a delicate tapestry. Finally, she spoke with a gentle certainty, "How about 'Hikaru'? It means 'radiance' and 'light' in our language. It suits you.

The boy's face lit up as if he had just been gifted a treasure. He accepted his new name with a grateful nod and a heartfelt smile. "Hikaru... I like it."

And so, in their journey back to Sunagakure, Sakura gave the young guardian boy a name that would symbolize his fresh start, a beacon of hope and renewal in his life. As they continued their way home, the trio's hearts were lightened by the newfound connection they had forged on this fateful mission.

Hikaru's youthful eyes spotted something moving in the distance. Excitedly, he tugged on Sakura's sleeve, his newfound energy palpable.

"Look! What's that?" Hikaru pointed ahead, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Sakura followed his gaze and saw a small hyrax darting between the rocky outcrops. She couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "That's a hyrax," she replied, her voice gentle. "They're quite common around here."

Without waiting for a response, Hikaru wriggled out of Sakura's grasp, his tiny feet eagerly carrying him toward the playful creature. He laughed joyfully as he tried to chase it, his young spirit untamed by the harsh desert.

As they approached the entrance to Sunagakure, a vigilant Suna Shinobi stepped forward, blocking their path. He scrutinized them, mainly focusing on Hikaru, who clutched Sakura's hand.

"Who are you, and what's your business in Sunagakure?" the Shinobi inquired, his tone stern and unyielding. 

Standing at the entrance of Sunagakura, Granny Chiyo and Sakura exchanged incredulous glances. It was a moment of shock and disbelief that swept over them. During their return journey, Sakura suddenly realized she hadn't worn her customary Suna Shinobi headgear. It was a minor oversight but one that was causing an unexpected problem.

As the seconds ticked, it became apparent that the Jonin stationed at the gate did not recognize them. Sunagakure was undoubtedly a vast village, and the Shinobi guarding its entrance were responsible for security. However, the notion that they, especially Sakura, would be halted and questioned at the gate was beyond their expectations.

This was an argument neither of them wanted to engage in, especially after a long and successful mission. Yet, here they were, facing an unforeseen challenge that threatened to delay their return and, more importantly, cast doubt upon their identities as esteemed Shinobi of Sunagakure.