Naruto: Eat this fruit and we will be brothers

Temari rushed forward, trying to stop him.

"Don't eat that, Teacher Qi Hai! It might be poisonous!"

Even Gaara, usually indifferent, couldn't hide his unease. His eyes darted between Kankurō and Qi Hai, silently pleading. Teacher Qi Hai can't get hurt—he hasn't given me a Devil Fruit yet!

But Qi Hai calmly bit into the mushroom without hesitation.

"Hmm… not bad!" he remarked, chewing thoughtfully, though inwardly he was stunned.

The mushroom did something entirely unexpected—it satiated him completely. Not only was his hunger gone, but he also felt he wouldn't need to eat for the next three or four days!

Given Qi Hai's enormous appetite, this was nothing short of miraculous. However, he sighed, lamenting that he wouldn't get to enjoy his beloved meat buns and ramen for a while.

"This is amazing," he said with a grin. "You guys should try it too!"

Temari hesitated, eyeing Qi Hai suspiciously. Still, she trusted him.

With a deep breath, she plucked a small mushroom and popped it into her mouth.

"Delicious!" Temari's eyes lit up as she gave a thumbs-up.

Seeing her reaction, Gaara followed suit, eating a mushroom as well.

Moments later, Temari clutched her stomach in disbelief.

"What's going on? I feel… full. Completely full. Like I don't need to eat for weeks!"

Gaara, too, looked stunned. "What kind of cursed mushrooms are these, Kankurō?!"

Kankurō, overwhelmed, looked helplessly at his siblings. "How should I know?! They're just mushrooms!"

Qi Hai, however, was impressed.

"This is incredible!" he exclaimed. "Your mushrooms can serve as the perfect food substitute! No more nasty ration pills or dry rations for Team One!"

Kankurō: "...???"

The others, however, immediately turned to him with gleaming eyes.

Kankurō's face turned pale. He could already tell that his "little mushrooms" were destined to be mercilessly exploited.

"Is this… a Logia-type fruit that doesn't allow elementalization?" Qi Hai wondered aloud.

Playtime aside, he turned to Gaara. His youngest student was still looking dejected, clearly waiting for his own Devil Fruit.

With a smile, Qi Hai pulled out another fruit, holding it up for Gaara to see.

"This," he began, "is a **Paramecia-type Slow-Slow Fruit. It's yours, Gaara."

"Paramecia?" Temari blinked in surprise.

She had assumed Gaara would receive a Logia fruit, like herself and Kankurō. After all, he was the strongest of the siblings.

Gaara, too, seemed momentarily disappointed. His dark-rimmed eyes betrayed his emotions.

But Qi Hai placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Paramecia fruits have immense potential," he said. "They may be harder to master, but they can become even more powerful than Logia fruits. Do you have the confidence to unlock its true strength?"

For a moment, Gaara was silent. Then, with determination flashing in his eyes, he nodded.

Without hesitation, Gaara bit into the Slow-Slow Fruit, swallowing it whole.

As the bitter taste filled his mouth, he grimaced. Still, warmth began to fill his chest.

"Good," Qi Hai said. "Now, let's test it out. Gaara, try using the fruit's Slow-Slow Beam on me!"

Gaara complied. Holding his hands up, he formed a gesture resembling his signature Sand Burial technique.

Pink rings of light shot out from his hands, hitting Qi Hai directly.

And then, time seemed to stop.

To Qi Hai, everything slowed to a crawl. Even raising his hand felt like moving through molasses—every motion was reduced to a fraction of its normal speed.

This wasn't just "slowness"—it was time manipulation.

Qi Hai's thoughts raced. This is no mere slowing ability. It's a power that affects the very flow of time!

If developed properly, this ability could have limitless potential:

It could delay the effects of injuries, giving medics crucial extra seconds to save a life.

It could slow down aging for a specific target, extending their lifespan.

It could turn battles into a one-sided game, rendering opponents helpless in the slowed state.

This is beyond what I imagined.

After 13 seconds, the effects wore off. Qi Hai felt his body return to normal speed.

Looking at Gaara, he nodded with approval.

"Gaara, this fruit is more powerful than you realize. Its potential is extraordinary. Develop it well, and you'll surpass everyone—including me."

For the first time, Gaara's expression softened. Someone believes in me?

This fruit was his. He wouldn't let Qi Hai's trust go to waste.

"Alright!" Qi Hai clapped his hands. "Time for official training to begin!"

"Wait," Temari groaned, "you've already said that at least five times!"

Qi Hai smirked. "Careful what you say, Temari. Training starts with 200 push-ups each for Gaara and Kankurō. Temari, you're doing 300!"

"What?!" Temari wailed.

"Complain again, and I'll make it 350," Qi Hai threatened.

Kankurō tried to argue but immediately regretted it.

"Fine, Kankurō—you're doing 350 as well."

Despite their grumbling, the three began their exercises.

To Qi Hai's surprise, Kankurō was the first to finish. He stood up, stretching casually.

"Huh," he said, "I don't even feel tired!"

Gaara and Temari glared at him.

Realizing his mistake, Kankurō tried to backtrack. "Uh… I mean…"

But it was too late.

"500 push-ups for Kankurō tomorrow," Qi Hai announced.

Kankurō's face turned as pale as a mushroom.

And so, the training continued for seven intense days.

Using Kankurō's mushrooms to stave off exhaustion, the trio pushed their bodies to the limit. They worked tirelessly to master their new powers, with Qi Hai guiding them every step of the way.

By the end of the week, Qi Hai looked at his students with pride.

Gaara, Temari, and Kankurō—Team One—were no longer the same.

They had grown strong.

Even Qi Hai, who had high standards, admitted to himself: These three are ready.

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