Chapter 32

The return to Sunagakure was a somber affair. Naruto and Sasuke carried Gaara's lifeless body between them, their steps heavy with exhaustion and sorrow. The desert wind howled around them, kicking up clouds of sand that seemed to mourn alongside the team. Ahead, the gates of the Sand Village loomed, and beyond them waited the others: Chiyo, Sakura, Temari, Kankuro, and Team Asuma.

Temari was the first to see them. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Gaara's still form. She let out a choked sob, collapsing into Shikamaru's arms. He held her tightly, his usually calm demeanor cracking just slightly as he whispered reassurances.

Naruto and Sasuke laid Gaara gently on the ground. Sakura stepped forward, her hands glowing with the faint green light of medical chakra, but she paused. Her trembling fingers hovered over Gaara's chest. "It's too late," she whispered, her voice breaking. "There's nothing we can do."

The silence that followed was deafening. Kankuro clenched his fists, his shoulders shaking as he looked down at his younger brother. Temari buried her face in Shikamaru's chest, her sobs muffled. Naruto, standing to the side, clenched his jaw and looked away, his fists trembling at his sides. He had thought he was strong enough to save Gaara—he had failed.

Chiyo broke the silence. "Step aside, girl," she said, her voice firm despite the grief that etched her features. Sakura hesitated but obeyed, moving back to stand beside Naruto. Chiyo knelt beside Gaara, placing her frail hands over his chest. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"You have done much for us, child," Chiyo said softly, directing her words to Naruto. "It is wrong that I ask for more. But I must."

"What do you mean?" Naruto blinked in confusion.

Chiyo turned to face him, her aged eyes meeting him. "My jutsu… It can bring him back. But I need more chakra to make it work."

"Ok." Naruto's response was immediate. "Take mine!" he said, stepping forward without hesitation. "Take as much as you need!"

Sakura's eyes widened in alarm. "Naruto—"

"I'll be fine," Naruto said, cutting her off. He looked at Chiyo. "Whatever it takes."

Chiyo gave him a small, almost sad smile. "You truly are something, child." She gestured for him to kneel beside her. Placing her hands over Gaara and Naruto's, she began to channel her jutsu.

The process was slow and draining. Chiyo's chakra intertwined with Naruto's, forming a brilliant aura that enveloped Gaara's body. Naruto gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of his energy into the technique. He didn't notice the way Chiyo's body began to tremble, or the way her breaths grew shallow.

Sakura, however, did. "Chiyo-sama…" she whispered, a terrible realization dawning on her. "This jutsu—it—"

Chiyo glanced at Sakura, her eyes filled with a quiet resolve. "This is the way it should be," she said softly. "The young inherit the future. We old fools… we've done enough."

Sakura's hands flew to her mouth, but she said nothing more. She understood.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Gaara's eyes fluttered open. He blinked up at the faces around him, his expression one of confusion. "Temari? Kankuro?"

"Gaara!" Temari cried, breaking away from Shikamaru and rushing to her brother's side. Kankuro followed, his hands shaking as he touched Gaara's shoulder, as if to make sure he was really there. The siblings embraced, their tears falling freely.

Naruto collapsed onto his back, utterly drained. But his exhaustion was nothing compared to the relief that flooded through him. "We did it…" he murmured, a tired smile on his face.

Chiyo, her strength fading rapidly, looked down at Gaara with a tender expression. "You're not a Jinchuriki anymore," she said quietly. "But you are alive. Make the most of this second chance, child."

Gaara turned to her, his eyes wide with realization. "Chiyo… you…"

Her gaze shifted to Naruto. "You remind me of the Hokage who gave his life for his village. A fool, perhaps, but a noble one." She smiled faintly. "You're the kind of person who will change the world, Naruto Uzumaki."

With those final words, Chiyo's body went still. Sakura knelt beside her, checking for a pulse she already knew wouldn't be there. "She's gone," she whispered.

The group stood in silence, mourning the loss of the woman who had given her life to save another. Naruto sat up, his expression somber. He placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder. "She believed in you," he said. "Don't waste what she gave you."

Gaara nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and sorrow. He looked to his siblings, then to the others. "Thank you," he said, his voice hoarse but sincere.

As the sun set over the desert, the group began their journey back to Sunagakure, carrying both the weight of their loss and the hope of their victory.

—

When they returned, Naruto and Sakura stood before Tsunade in her office, the atmosphere thick with tension. The Hokage's gaze bore into them, her fingers steepled on her desk. "Where is Sasuke?" she asked, cutting through the silence like a blade.

Sakura and Naruto exchanged a glance, unsure of how to respond. The hesitation hung heavily in the room. Sakura finally broke the silence. "He didn't return with us, Tsunade-sama."

"Obviously. I asked where he is." Tsunade's brow twitched.

"We aren't sure, Baa-chan," he admitted. Naruto took a step forward, his usual grin replaced by an unusually somber expression.

Tsunade didn't even flinch at the nickname, though her patience was visibly wearing thin. "You aren't sure?" she repeated, her tone sharp. "Naruto, Sakura—tell me everything, and understand the gravity of your actions. Sasuke Uchiha is the last loyal member of one of our village's founding clans. Furthermore, he is one of the village's greatest individual assets."

Naruto frowned. The way she spoke about Sasuke, as if he were just a tool, struck a nerve. He hesitated, but when he spoke, his voice was steady. "He needed to go, Hokage-sama."

The use of her formal title stopped Tsunade in her tracks. She blinked, her frustration momentarily giving way to confusion. Naruto never called her by her title. She leaned back in her chair, her sharp gaze softening just slightly. "Explain," she demanded.

"He left with Kimimaro," he began. "He's looking for information about the cursed mark. I trust him, Baa-chan."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Kimimaro? Orochimaru's pawn?"

Sakura stepped in, her tone measured but firm. "He's more than that, Tsunade-sama. I've met Kimimaro too. He's... unusual, yes. But he's a good person, manipulated by Orochimaru. Sasuke sees that. And Sasuke's had every chance to leave in the last three years." Her voice wavered slightly as she added, "But he hasn't. He's proven his loyalty over and over again."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "Sasuke has his own way of doing things. I get that. But he's still one of us. He's still fighting for the village, even if it doesn't look like it right now."

Tsunade tapped her fingers against her desk, deep in thought. She looked at the two before her—Naruto, who had grown into a leader capable of inspiring loyalty in even the most hardened shinobi, and Sakura, whose analytical mind and unwavering determination reminded her so much of herself. These weren't the same brash kids who had once stood in this office. They had earned her trust. But this... this was Sasuke Uchiha. The stakes were too high for blind faith.

"I don't like this," Tsunade said at last. "But if you're both this certain... I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. For now." Naruto and Sakura let out a collective sigh of relief. "But," Tsunade continued, her voice hardening, "if Sasuke shows even the slightest sign of betraying the village, I will act. And if you two knew something and kept it from me... there will be consequences. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Naruto said without hesitation.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Sakura added.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her expression softening slightly. "You're putting a lot of faith in him," she said quietly. "Let's hope he deserves it."

Naruto smiled faintly. "He does."

The three stood in silence for a moment, the tension gradually dissipating. Tsunade finally waved them off. "Go. Rest. You've earned it."

Tsunade groaned, rubbing her temples as the two left the room. She glanced at the pile of mission reports on her desk, but her thoughts lingered on Sasuke. Trust was a gamble. She could only hope this one wouldn't cost the village everything.