Naruto: Eat this fruit and we will be brothers

The sandy training field shimmered with flying grains of dust, threatening to form a violent storm.

"Die, you worms! Sandstorm Hell!"

Swish!

Before Gaara's sand could explode outward, Qi Hai appeared beside him in an instant, using Soru (Shave).

Tap!

A light touch on Gaara's shoulder.

"Alright, that's enough. The fight is over," Qi Hai said with a grin.

That one move was enough to instantly nullify Gaara's murderous intent.

Absolute Defense… had been breached.

Gaara froze, his mind reeling.

The sand shield that had always protected him—even without his conscious control—had been bypassed entirely.

"How did he do that?" Kankurō stammered, his disbelief evident.

Even as an opponent, Kankurō had a deep respect for Gaara's defenses. He knew full well that, no matter how much effort he and Temari put into their attacks, they wouldn't be able to break through Gaara's sand.

Gaara's shock was visible. Though his expression didn't change, his subtle body language betrayed him. For a moment, his tongue flicked out to wet his lips as his adrenaline faded, leaving him in a cold sweat.

Qi Hai, meanwhile, was deep in thought, analyzing his students' performance during their scuffle.

Gaara's Issues:

Zero teamwork skills.

The sand shield has a delay—quick attacks can penetrate it.

Weak mobility, making him a sitting duck against faster opponents.

Far too dramatic—his habit of shouting attack names wastes time and gives his enemies an advantage.

Gaara had all the hallmarks of a stereotypical anime villain: slow, flashy, and overly confident.

Kankurō's Weaknesses:

Overreliance on puppets.

Predictable attack patterns.

Lack of creativity when controlling his puppet, Crow.

Temari's Strengths and Flaws:

Strong analytical abilities and leadership potential.

Lacks versatility—her combat style depends entirely on wind jutsu and ranged attacks.

In summary: the team was a mess.

Qi Hai scratched his head. Fixing this trio was going to be a tall order.

Thankfully, Qi Hai had a plan.

The solution was simple, elegant, and ambitious: the Devil Fruit Invasion Plan!

From today onward, this plan would officially begin. Gaara, Temari, and Kankurō were about to become his test subjects.

Why This Plan?

Qi Hai knew that the effectiveness of a Devil Fruit depended on compatibility. Giving Gaara the Sand-Sand Fruit, for example, might seem logical, but it would be a waste since it duplicated his existing abilities.

As their teacher, Qi Hai felt a deep responsibility to give each student the right fruit to maximize their potential.

He couldn't let his first teaching job end in failure. As someone who had only ever been a third-year university student in elementary education back in his past life, this was his first real opportunity to shape the future.

Qi Hai smiled. "Alright, next order of business: we need to elect a class leader for Team One. I recommend Gaara for the position!"

Silence.

Kankurō's jaw dropped.

Temari froze mid-breath.

Gaara looked like he'd just been struck by lightning.

Gaara? Leader?

Did their teacher even know what he was doing?

But Qi Hai's reasoning was solid. Leadership required two key traits:

Capability: Temari might have been a natural leader, but when Gaara lost control, she wouldn't have the authority to stop him.

Personal Growth: Gaara needed the responsibility of leadership to overcome his inner demons. His violent tendencies stemmed from a lack of attention and affirmation—he was, at heart, a neglected child crying out for acknowledgment.

Putting Gaara in charge wasn't just a way to train the team—it was a way to help Gaara heal.

"Alright, it's settled!" Qi Hai declared. "Gaara is officially Team One's class leader! Let's give him a round of applause!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Qi Hai started clapping enthusiastically.

Temari and Kankurō hesitated at first but eventually joined in, albeit reluctantly.

Gaara's expression turned blank. His mind drifted as memories of his lonely childhood resurfaced.

When the applause died down, Qi Hai reached into his pocket and pulled out a vibrant red coral flower.

"This is for you, Gaara," Qi Hai said, pinning the flower to his shoulder. "It's your badge of honor as class leader."

Gaara stared at the flower in stunned silence. He turned to Kankurō, his lips trembling slightly.

"I'm… sorry, Kankurō."

Kankurō was speechless. His brother had never apologized before—not once in his entire life.

"Oh, uh… it's fine! Totally fine! Haha!" Kankurō stammered, forcing a grin.

Temari, sensing the emotional moment, joined in, cheering: "Gaara! Class leader Gaara!"

Gaara's pale face turned beet red. The sudden praise made his heart race, and for the first time, he felt something unfamiliar: acceptance.

"Alright!" Qi Hai announced. "Now that we've got our leader, it's time to start the real training—Devil Fruit Ability Development!"

For 20 advanced chapters: patreon.com/Adrian91