Konoha Notes

Chapter 384 Gaara

It was Maki who wanted to see people.

But when he actually met the person and stood face to face, this Sand Village Jonin found that he had very few words to say.

How are you feeling?

—Are you adapting well to the training?
—Is there anything I need?
They were all just the most ordinary, polite expressions of concern. Dry and uninteresting, even he himself felt they were pale and insincere.

What left him even more bewildered was Gaara's reaction.

There was no silence, no resistance. The red-haired boy simply raised his turquoise eyes and calmly answered, sentence by sentence.

"very good."

"adapt."

"No."

Each answer was brief, yet complete. There was no perfunctory response, just... normal.

It was so normal that it made Maki feel uneasy.

Is this really Gaara?

What medicine did Konoha give him?

He even wondered if the Gaara in front of him was a trick by Konoha using a transformation jutsu.

After all, up until now, including what we just saw, Gaara has not shown his usual sand manipulation technique. Instead, he has been swinging his fists and exchanging blows with people, which looks quite methodical.

These chaotic thoughts ultimately remained just that—thoughts. He dared not ask, nor could he ask.

Shuji was standing right next to him.

The dark-haired young man simply leaned quietly against the railing, his gaze fixed on the training field below, as if giving them space to talk.

But at this distance, he could hear everything.

In this atmosphere, Maki couldn't utter a single word of phrases like "Remember who you are" or "Don't forget where you come from."

“…That’s good.” That was all Maki could say in the end.

Gaara waited a few seconds, and when he was sure that Maki had nothing more to say, he nodded slightly and turned to walk towards Shuji.

Shuji is looking down.

He saw Sasuke's actions, and he also saw Naruto's actions.

Both of them noticed his presence, but the difference was that Sasuke took a few steps and then went back to his secluded self.

The blond boy skipped and waved, and after receiving a nod of response from Shuuji, he continued with his own business.

“Naruto, you’ve improved a lot,” Gaara said softly as he stood beside him.

Xiu Si didn't turn his head: "Do you think he's ready for the special training program now?"

Gaara remained silent for a moment.

“I hope he can join,” he began, speaking slowly, as if carefully choosing his words, “but perhaps… it’s better for him not to join now.”

Shuji turned his head to look at him.

Gaara met his gaze and continued to explain, "He is... my friend."

“I hope Naruto can achieve his wish. He wants to enter the special training program, he wants to become stronger, he wants to prove himself.” Gaara said, his gaze returning to the field, “But his ultimate goal is to become the champion of the martial arts competition, to become the Hokage.”

"so……"

He crafted the most precise expression.

"The current training program is too fast-paced. If Naruto goes in now, he will only be caught up in the pace of catching up and will neglect what he really needs to improve."

"He'll only focus on winning and forget how to avoid losing."

As Xiu Si listened, the usual calm on his face gradually melted away, revealing a hint of gentleness.

He raised his hand and gently patted Gaara's shoulder.

"You've already been able to put yourself in other people's shoes and think about 'what would be better,' Gaara."

Gaara tilted his head back.

He didn't smile, but the muscles in his cheeks relaxed very subtly, softening the lines of his mouth a tiny bit.

Sunlight fell into his eyes, spreading out a very faint light.

Ma Jiji stood two steps away, watching this scene unfold.

He should be here, but it seems he shouldn't be here.

Although he and Gaara were from Sunagakure, he felt somewhat superfluous at this moment. Especially those conversations, about comrades, about growth, about how to become a better person.

Maki suddenly felt a suffocating embarrassment.

He didn't even dare to think about how Gaara would view everything there if he returned to Sunagakure, to that land where the wind howled year-round and everyone saw him as a monster.

How will they view... the Sand Village that treated him so badly?

“Temari and Kankuro,” Maki heard his own voice, dry and grating, “they’re in class right now, aren’t they? Can I… go check on them, Mr. Shuji?”

"of course."

Shuji raised his hand. Ebisu's figure emerged from the corner of the corridor, his sunglasses reflecting the light.

"Ebisu-sensei, could you please take Jonin Maki with you?"

"Yes."

Ebisu bowed and led the way. Maki followed, his steps heavy. As the corridor neared its end, he glanced back—

Shuji and Gaara, one tall and one short, stood in front of the railing, their backs bathed in light.

Maki turned his head away.

The footsteps faded away, disappearing around the corner of the stairs.

Gaara gazed at the playground and asked in a low voice, "Is Maki worried about me?"

“There are now forces specifically targeting the Tailed Beasts,” Shuuji said. “Of course, in a sense, my actions are similar. But you have indeed become a target, so be careful.”

Silence spread again.

This silence was longer and deeper. But Gaara's expression wasn't tense; he just seemed to be thinking about something.

"Konoha and Sunagakure are different."

Gaara suddenly said.

"Some people here are anxious too. Sasuke is very anxious, Neji is too... Many people are anxious to become stronger."

"But many talented people... don't seem to be in a hurry."

He pointed to Shikamaru, who was training with Kiba Inuzuka, then quickly lost and stood aside, finding a cool spot to stay.

Xiuji looked over and chuckled softly.

"Because of different expectations for what is visible."

"Shikamaru knows roughly how his future path will unfold, and he knows where he started. His family and his intellect have paved a path for him that, even without reckless running, won't be too bad."

"So whether he performs well or poorly at the Ninja Academy, as long as he has mastered what he is supposed to master, it will not have a decisive impact on his future. He can be relaxed, lazy, or wait."

Shuji's gaze swept over the other students on the field.

“There are also people who, even if their grades are mediocre, have enough confidence in becoming a ninja.”

"They know that even if they end up as genin, even if they never become ninjas, they can still find their place in Konoha and still make a living."

His voice lowered a little.

"But some people don't have that kind of luxury."

"They foresee tomorrow, next month, next year—and what they see may be a dead end."

Gaara listened quietly, and after a long while, he asked, "Father, is he that kind of person?"

Shuji did not answer immediately.

He looked towards the distant Fire Shadow Rock, gazing at the stone faces illuminated by the sunlight, as if recalling something.

“Luo Sha,” he finally spoke, his voice very soft, “is indeed an anxious person.”

Gaara lowered his eyes.

"If I return to Sunagakure and become the Kazekage, will I be as anxious as my father?"

Shuji said, "Rasa only saw one path."

"But there is more than one path for the future of Sunagakure. Even if it is just for the goal of 'making Sunagakure better', there is more than one path to take."

He reached out and patted Gaara's shoulder again.

"You will find your own way."

"I will not become him."

(End of this chapter)