The crimson sun shone high above in the sky. Heat beat down upon the valley. Dry and cracking earth shone in the light, shadows cast along the ground by the furrows in the ground.

Sarutobi's hands laced together rapidly. Sarutobi's lips curled upward. "You know, I'd hoped to avoid it… being forced to use this. Still, I'm an old man now. I'm going to have to sooner or later."

"What are you on about, old man?" Gaara demanded aggressively.

"Sage Arts." Sarutobi stood motionless, his hands clapped together in an immobile position.

Gaara gritted his teeth. His right hand reached up to his head. …Come on… answer me, you old hag! His left hand gestured toward the sand.

The sand rose in the air.

I know you're in there. This geezer's taking things pretty seriously already… if you don't do something, we'll both die!

Sarutobi threw pieces of paper up in the air. His fingers flashed outward, striking various points on the papers.

Gaara's eyes widened.

"Well, though I'm old, I'm still enough to deal with one Tailed Beast. I managed to hold off the Nine-Tails for a while, after all. That was about thirteen years ago… Since then, I haven't gotten terrible." Sarutobi's eyes changed color. His hair lengthened, turning coarse and thick. His hands shifted form slightly, becoming more light and bony.

Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"Ninja Technique: Spatial Seal." Sarutobi pushed the papers forward.

The pieces of paper lifted in the wind. Crimson flames burned around the marks, extending.

Gaara's eyes narrowed. "What is this technique?"

"It would be unfair of me to expect you to understand, even if I did explain it to you. I'll just give you a basic summary—basically, this technique seals us off." Sarutobi gestured around him.

"Seals us off?" Gaara demanded, his eyebrows furrowing.

"From the outside world. It's a barrier technique based on space-time magic. Basically, you can't affect anyone outside the barrier, and anyone outside the barrier can't affect you. Of course, the same conditions apply to me."

"I see."

The air glowed.

Energy surrounded the body.

"In that case…" Gaara smirked, his hands extending and driving into the air around him.

"I have no reason to fear. You will die here, crushed by my sand."

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed.

Gaara's fingers extended. Sand gathered around the fingers. "Don't you think this will be the case?" Gaara questioned, his expression still smiling.

"It isn't… as easy as you make it sound, Gaara of the Sand. Killing me won't be so easy as you think. Sage Arts: Consuming Flame of the Restored Seal!" Sarutobi's hands laced together, forming seals in a lightning-quick motion.

Sand rushed forward from Gaara's fingers. This should be an effective defense… Gaara smirked smoothly.

Crimson flames rushed out of Sarutobi's throat, blasting into the wall of sand.

The sand turned to glass.

What?! Gaara took a step backward, staring at the vitrifying sand.

Sarutobi smirked. "This fire is hotter than you have experience with, I gather."

Gaara's eyes widened.

"Well, in this world, there are hundreds of people with stories like yours… Gaara of the Sand."

Gaara extended his fingers. More sand rose.

Flames rushed forward, engulfing the sand with flames and fire.

Even if it does turn to glass, I'm protected from everything but the heat… So what on earth is the old geezer on about? Defeating me in a few hits… no, defeating me at all… is impossible. Even that freak from Frost couldn't open the sand armor. As long as I have this perfect armor, he can't reach me. There's no way he can reach me.

"I know a little of it. Yashamaru-san, your father's lies in order to determine your true worth… So I know more or less what it is you're trying to achieve." Sarutobi frowned. He tapped his chin, his expression contemplative and thoughtful.

Gaara's eyes narrowed. "You do talk a lot… If you keep it up I will kill you."

"To have your existence validated. Something like that… That's a quest everyone shares." Sarutobi paused. "Most people don't find meaning in slaughtering everyone who opposes them."

Gaara's eyes widened. The sand lifted. "What do you know?" Gaara roared. His hand drew backward. "What do you know of pain?!"

"That even if that does fulfill you—something of which I am not at all certain of, from your manner—it isn't the answer that you should be looking for." Sarutobi frowned, his expression stern and serious.

Gaara's eyes widened. …What's that supposed to mean?

"Thankfully… I'm aware that Rokuemon is not the type to have good relations with its host."

Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"Since that's the case, I'll have no concerns over you two acting in concert. Though… It's true that even if you were on good terms, you wouldn't be capable of reaching me from this distance."

Gaara's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?! Huh? What do you mean, this distance?"

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed. "I'm referring to the vast gulf that exists between our capacities and talents. You can't reach me in your present state."

What the hell is with this old geezer?! "Don't you ever shut up?!" Gaara's hands clenched. The sand rushed toward Sarutobi's feet.

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed. "…Hm." His hands clapped together. "Sage Art: Blossoming Flowers of the Flame." Flames rushed up Sarutobi's body.

The sand turned into glass.

"You can't knock that away from you so easily!" Gaara smirked. The sand rushed forward from Gaara's hands, driving toward Sarutobi's body. A massive wave of sand blasted through the air. Even if he can vitrify the sand, there's still too much for him to stop!

Sarutobi smirked. His hands spun in a circle. "Try me." Glass shards fell away from the body.

Gaara gasped. What? This is the same as that other guy… Neji?!

"I learned the basics of Tsukiyomi Mikoto. Of course, it's not possible to use it without a Sanshigan, but the basic maneuvers are within my range of experience. Now… I think that you're in a perfectly good situation for me to continue, so I'll say it to you clearly. That perfect defense of yours has a vulnerability. Do you know how much of your sand I've vitrified?"

Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"Your basic techniques all rely on the sand that protects you." Sarutobi's eyes narrowed.

Gaara frowned. "What's the matter with that?"

"It gives your powers… a very basic flaw. Based on my guess, I've vitrified about eighty percent to ninety percent of all that sand."

Gaara's eyes widened. Since I was so focused on killing him, I forgot to save some to protect myself!

"Since all of that has been caught up…"

This old geezer completely manipulated me!

Sarutobi rushed forward. "You're as weak as an ordinary citizen, like those you killed, now.

A kunai rose in Sarutobi's hands.

Gaara gasped.

Sarutobi pressed his kunai against Gaara's neck. "…You killed those who are precious to me…"

Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"In all justice, I should kill you as well." Sarutobi's shoulders sagged. "But that's not the way things work."

Gaara frowned.

"You will be tried." Sarutobi's fingers laced together.

Chains formed around Gaara's arms.

Gaara gasped in pain.

"You will be tried…" Sarutobi sat down heavily. "And, with any luck, you will be sentenced harshly."

Gaara gritted his teeth. "Old man…"

"I don't want to hear any complaints. You did what you wished, and you will pay for it fairly." Sarutobi gestured briefly.

The papers fell to the ground.

The seal shattered rapidly.

Hm. Sarutobi bowed his head. I wish sometimes that I could change history, but... the time for that is long past.

Gaara growled, a caged enemy bound by the power of the chains Sarutobi conjured.

A silence fell over the clearing.

If you have a bad relationship with your bijū, it's only natural that you can't be as powerful as a successful jinchūriki. Sarutobi sighed wearily. The effects of Sage Mode faded. I should begin to dig the graves of the dead... After this reprobate is taken into custody.