SHINOBI EXAM

The tailed beast's chakra connected, intertwining two lonely souls.

When Naruto entered Gaara's inner world, he witnessed a mirror of his own pain and loneliness. At the same time, Gaara caught a glimpse of Naruto's inner struggles. Two teenagers from different villages, yet united by the same cruel fate, saw reflections of their suffering in one another.

Naruto's memories unfolded before Gaara:

A young blonde boy stood alone in a crowded village.

"Stay away from him!" an angry woman spat, dragging her son away from Naruto.

Not far behind, whispers carried venomous words.

"That monster..."

"What was the Third Hokage thinking? Letting a creature like that become a ninja?"

"What if it learns ninjutsu? We're doomed!"

The toddler wiped his tears with his small, fragile arms. As he grew older, he began wearing goggles to hide the traces of sadness etched into his eyes.

One day, filled with curiosity and longing, Naruto asked, "Grandpa Hokage, what were my parents like?"

The old man, kind yet mysterious, turned solemn. "You don't need to know this," he replied.

Naruto learned not to ask again, fearing even this shred of kindness might abandon him.

---

The night before the graduation exam...

Mizuki whispered venom into Naruto's ear:

"Do you know the truth about yourself?"

Iruka's voice cut through. "No! Don't say it!"

But Mizuki's words were unstoppable.

"Twelve years ago, the Nine-Tails demon fox attacked the village. The Fourth Hokage sealed it—but not before leaving behind a strict rule: never speak of the truth. And that truth, Naruto, is you. You are the demon fox. You killed Iruka's parents. You destroyed this village! You're nothing but a monster!"

Naruto's heart sank into an abyss as Mizuki continued to hammer away at his fragile sense of self.

"Even Iruka hates you! No one will ever accept you. You're a monster—nothing more!"

"Stop it!" Iruka shouted, shielding Naruto with his own body.

But the damage was done.

---

In the present, as Naruto and Gaara shared these memories, their hearts resonated with mutual pain.

Gaara's memories mirrored Naruto's.

The faces of two boys who had been abandoned by the world overlapped in the storm of their sorrow.

For a brief, shattering moment, they felt their humanity break apart.

The sand of Gaara's absolute defense crumbled to the ground. Both boys were overwhelmed by the weight of their shared despair.

"Why?" Gaara's voice trembled. "Why don't you hate them? Why are you different from me?!"

Naruto's answer came without hesitation.

"Because... Iruka-sensei recognized me."

His mind replayed that pivotal moment:

Hiding behind a tree, clutching the forbidden scroll, tears streaming down his face as Iruka proclaimed, "Naruto isn't the demon fox. He's Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure—a student I believe in!"

That memory was etched into his soul. Iruka's acknowledgment became a beacon of hope in the darkness.

"That's why I'm different. I have Iruka-sensei, Grandpa Hokage, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Choji... I have people who pulled me out of my hell."

Naruto's voice softened as he looked at Gaara. "But you... you have no one."

The thought pained him. Gaara's loneliness mirrored his own, and Naruto felt a desperate urge to save him.

---

Suddenly, Naruto clenched his fists, his resolve burning bright.

"I've decided!" he declared.

Gaara's eyes widened as sunlight pierced through the clouds, bathing Naruto's golden hair in its warmth.

"I don't know what I've done in the future," Naruto said, "but I'll change everything if I have to! I'll pull you out of that hell, Gaara. You have my word!"

Gaara stood frozen, the sunlight sweeping away the shadows on his face. For the first time, he felt something new—a glimmer of hope.

"Naruto..." he murmured.

Naruto grinned. "Until then, stick with us! Watch how I, Uzumaki Naruto, take down anyone who tries to mess with us! And if you try attacking Sasuke again, I'll beat you myself!"

Sasuke sighed. "Naruto, stop making decisions for everyone."

Sakura, however, couldn't hide her excitement. Great! A new powerful ally!

---

The following twenty hours were grueling. Naruto, true to his word, didn't regret his promise.

But...

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