Konoha Year 60.
Sunagakure, Land of Wind.
In the middle of the desert, about ten miles from the village, Aizen stood quietly beside a massive rock.
Behind him stood two of his students, Temari and Kankurō, the children of the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
They were far more mature now than they had been three years ago. After all, Temari was already fifteen, Kankurō fourteen.
Temari, who had followed Aizen faithfully since their first meeting three years ago, had grown from a child into a young woman. Aizen had seen her transformation firsthand—her appearance, her temperament, and even her figure had steadily matured. She was not yet at the level of Tsunade or Terumi Mei, but given time, she would likely rival Kurenai without issue.
About a hundred meters away stood Gaara, dressed just as he had been during the original Chūnin Exams. The difference now lay not in his appearance, but in his aura. Gone was the sharp, murderous edge that once clung to him like a curse. Though still dangerous, his presence had grown calmer, more controlled.
To truly change Gaara required Naruto—the boy with the unshakable will to reach people's hearts. Yet even so, Aizen had carved out an irreplaceable role in Gaara's life.
Clap!
Gaara suddenly pressed his palms together. With a guttural growl, chakra surged visibly around him, swirling like a storm. Sand from the desert floor and the gourd on his back wrapped around his body.
Within seconds, Gaara's human form vanished.
The swelling mass of sand expanded, rising higher and higher until it transformed into a colossal tanuki with violet markings, towering tens of meters tall.
One-Tail, Shukaku.
"Manifestation, complete form!"
Even though the siblings had witnessed Gaara's transformations before, the sheer presence of a fully materialized Tailed Beast was overwhelming. Temari instinctively clutched Aizen's sleeve, her body trembling despite her effort to remain composed.
"How is it, Gaara?"
Aizen's voice was calm as ever as he addressed the massive beast. "Can you control this power?"
The giant tanuki lifted an arm, clenched its fist, and in Gaara's voice, answered slowly:
"…I think I can."
Temari and Kankurō were stunned to hear Gaara's voice coming through Shukaku's mouth.
The last time he had fully transformed, Gaara had completely lost control, forcing Aizen to step in and suppress him.
"Impressive," Aizen said with a faint smile. "It seems you've learned to master Shukaku's strength. Just like the Cloud's Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii… and Killer B of the Eight-Tails. You can truly be called a perfect Jinchūriki."
Gaara's expression—or rather, Shukaku's—shifted subtly, though he remained silent.
"As your teacher, I'm proud of you," Aizen continued with genuine warmth. "Well then, to celebrate this achievement, I'll treat you all to dinner tonight."
Slowly, the sand began to crumble away. The massive tanuki shrank down, collapsing into dust until only Gaara's human form remained.
Unlike three years ago, he did not look haunted or broken. Quietly, he stepped forward to join Aizen, standing at his side.
Half an hour later, inside one of the few barbecue restaurants in Sunagakure.
The sizzling of meat filled the private room.
This was not the first time the four of them had eaten together over the past three years, but it had become something of a tradition.
Temari, as always, seated herself beside Aizen without hesitation. Neither Gaara nor Kankurō bothered to contest her for the spot.
More than once, Temari had tried to glimpse the face hidden beneath Aizen's mask—much like Team 7 had often attempted with Kakashi. Each attempt had failed, and eventually, she had resigned herself.
Still, she often thought to herself: The teacher has such a calm, refined voice. He must be handsome.
Aizen broke the quiet, his tone steady.
"In addition to celebrating Gaara's success in mastering Shukaku's power, there's another matter I must discuss with you."
The siblings froze mid-motion, chopsticks hovering over the grill.
"Do you know of the Chūnin Exams?" Aizen asked.
"Of course," Temari answered quickly. "They're held every other year, jointly by us and Konoha. Teacher, is that what you mean?"
Kankurō leaned forward, less restrained. "We've been strong enough to become Chūnin for a while now! But Father never let us participate. Are you finally going to tell us the reason?"
Gaara stayed quiet, but his eyes reflected the same unspoken question.
Aizen nodded. "Yes. It's true you've been ready for years, and many of your peers have already advanced. The reason Kazekage-sama has held you back is his own to bear. But this year's Chūnin Exams will be different."
He paused, then added deliberately:
"For the three of you, this will not simply be an exam. It will be treated as an S-rank mission. Listen carefully…"
The moment those words left his mouth, the siblings froze in shock. Their chopsticks slipped from their hands as they sat upright, eyes fixed on their teacher with unwavering attention.