The scorching desert winds howled as Gaara and his siblings pushed forward through the relentless sandstorm, their cloaks billowing behind them. The trio—Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro—pressed on toward the ruins of the ancient city of Loulan, a place long abandoned yet shrouded in mystery.
Temari shielded her eyes against the sand and spoke up, her voice tinged with concern. "According to the villagers near Loulan, there have been strange lights appearing in the ruins recently. They suspect it's the power of the Dragon Vein."
Kankuro frowned. "The Dragon Vein? Wasn't that sealed by the Fourth Hokage more than ten years ago?"
Gaara's expression remained impassive. The idea that such an ancient power was stirring again was troubling, but his orders were clear. The Daimyo of the Wind Country had entrusted Sunagakure with handling this situation. If the Dragon Vein went out of control, the entire region could be devastated.
Temari's brow furrowed. "Could it be that someone is trying to break the seal?" She glanced at her younger brother. "Only someone from a major village—like Konoha or Kumogakure—would have the skill to undo a sealing jutsu of that level."
Gaara's voice was cold and decisive. "It doesn't matter who it is. If they are interfering with the Dragon Vein, we eliminate them."
Kankuro and Temari exchanged uneasy glances. They both knew Gaara's upbringing under their father's harsh rule had shaped his merciless nature. Words wouldn't sway him.
At last, they reached the outskirts of Loulan. The ruins stretched before them—crumbling stone, broken pillars, and the remnants of an ancient civilization swallowed by time. Gaara stopped and raised his hand. Sand from his gourd burst forth, scattering into the air, drifting over the ruins like an all-seeing eye.
Moments later, Gaara's eyes snapped open. "There's someone here." His gaze locked onto a spot deep within the ruins.
The Guardian of the Dragon Vein
In the heart of Loulan, a lone figure stood against a half-collapsed wall, arms crossed, eyes calm. Senju Hashirama's Wood Clone had been stationed here, tasked with protecting the Dragon Vein.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Looks like some guests have arrived."
As Gaara and his siblings emerged from the alley, their eyes landed on the man before them. His attire was unfamiliar, but his aura was suffocating.
"You," Gaara said, his voice like the shifting sands. "You're the one interfering with the Dragon Vein, aren't you?"
Hashirama's gaze fell upon the three Sunagakure shinobi. "You're from the Sand Village, huh? I take it the recent disturbances caught your attention." He dusted off his sleeves. "That was quick."
Gaara didn't wait for an answer. He extended his hand, and a tidal wave of sand surged toward Hashirama.
But just as the sand was about to engulf him—
Hashirama simply waved his arm.
Boom!
The attack was scattered instantly, the grains dispersing like smoke in the wind.
Gaara's eyes widened.
From deep within his subconscious, a voice suddenly screamed.
Shukaku's Panic
"Idiot! Stop right now!"
The sharp, frantic voice of Shukaku echoed through Gaara's mind. "Are you blind?! That's Senju Hashirama! Konoha's First Hokage!"
Gaara's breath hitched. "What?"
Shukaku was panicking. The normally boastful and violent One-Tail was now trembling with sheer terror.
"This is bad. This is really, REALLY bad! We have to RUN, kid!"
Gaara hesitated. "You're saying… that man is the Senju Hashirama? That's impossible. He died decades ago."
"You think I'd mistake him?!" Shukaku screeched. "I'd recognize that bastard anywhere! You don't understand—he's the reason the other Tailed Beasts ended up in Konoha's hands! If we stay, we're finished!"
Gaara's lips parted slightly. The First Hokage… the God of Shinobi?
Behind him, Kankuro scoffed. "Gaara, what the hell are you talking about? The First Hokage's been dead for years."
"Shut up!" Gaara snapped.
Hashirama sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, so Shukaku remembers me, huh? Well, that saves me the trouble of explaining." His eyes twinkled with amusement. "You're the Jinchūriki of the One-Tail, aren't you?"
Gaara's blood ran cold.
Even as he stood still, his hands clenched into fists. The way Hashirama spoke—casual, calm—made it clear he wasn't fazed at all.
Shukaku, however, was losing his mind.
"FK! FK! F**K! KID, MOVE! HE JUST SAID HE WANTS TO CAPTURE TAILED BEASTS! WE'RE GONNA DIE!"
Gaara's hesitation ended.
He spun around and bolted.
The Birth of the Tree World
But before they could take more than a few steps—
Boom!
The ground trembled violently. The very earth beneath their feet cracked and heaved.
"What—?!" Temari gasped.
Huge tree trunks erupted from the ground, thick as towers. Vines lashed out like whips, snaking toward them. Within seconds, the barren ruins of Loulan had transformed into a dense, towering forest.
"It's Wood Style!" Temari's voice shook. "It's really him!"
"Damn it!" Kankuro cursed as he slashed at the thickening branches. "This is insane!"
The trees continued to grow at an alarming rate, closing in around them. Even Gaara's sand was struggling to keep up, unable to push back against the overwhelming force of Hashirama's legendary technique.
Shukaku's frantic voice shrieked in Gaara's mind.
"LISTEN, KID! WE'RE DEAD IF YOU DON'T LET ME OUT! GIVE ME CONTROL NOW!"
Gaara's breath came in short gasps. He hated letting Shukaku take over. He feared losing himself completely.
But they had no other choice.
Gritting his teeth, he whispered, "Fine."
A surge of power exploded from his body.
The Rage of the One-Tail
Boom!
The air trembled as Gaara's form was swallowed in a massive burst of chakra. A monstrous figure emerged, towering over the treetops.
With a roar, Shukaku's massive brass-colored eyes gleamed with desperation. His gigantic body, covered in jagged markings, twitched in fear as he landed in the middle of the growing forest.
Yet, instead of celebrating his freedom—
Shukaku ran.
The massive raccoon-like beast, feared by countless shinobi, was sprinting for his life.
Temari and Kankuro stood frozen, watching in stunned silence.
"You've gotta be kidding me," Kankuro murmured. "The One-Tail… is running away?"
Hashirama raised an eyebrow as he watched the enormous beast scurry away like a frightened rabbit.
"Well, that's new," he mused.
With a sigh, he brought his hands together. "Alright then. Time to wrap this up."
The Unstoppable Power of the First Hokage
Boom!
An even larger tree erupted from the earth, its branches extending at blinding speed. Thick vines shot forward, latching onto Shukaku's limbs.
"NOOOO!!" Shukaku howled, thrashing wildly. "I JUST GOT FREE—NOT AGAIN!!"
The vines tightened, dragging the One-Tail backward.
Gaara, trapped within his own subconscious, could only watch as the legendary power of Hashirama effortlessly subdued the very creature he had struggled to control his entire life.
As the trees closed in around them, Hashirama exhaled.
"Well… I suppose that's that."
Temari, Kankuro, and even Shukaku knew—
They had never stood a chance.
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