The Sunagakure Anbu and the Puppet Brigade were in an uproar over the position of the Fifth Kazekage, but the two Kazekage candidates nominated by the crowd were actually not present.
Chiyo was in the Elder Council meeting room, while Pakura was at the Sunagakure Hospital with Karura.
Sunagakure Hospital.
After the doctors finished examining Karura and Gaara, they found that Karura's body was fine and very healthy—so healthy that it was somewhat illogical.
Generally speaking, premature birth causes immense harm to the mother.
Hemorrhaging, birth canal tearing, cervical damage...
Any one of these could take the mother's life. Even as a Shinobi, Karura should have suffered significant damage.
But after the Medical Shinobi's examination, they found Karura's body was very healthy, as if some powerful Medical Ninjutsu had repaired her injuries.
The Medical Shinobi asked, "Is it Granny Chiyo's Medical Ninjutsu?"
In addition to her profound Puppet Technique, Chiyo's Poison Techniques and Medical Ninjutsu were also top-tier in Sunagakure.
On the battlefield, she was an excellent commander of the Puppet Brigade, and in education, she could raise an outstanding Shinobi like Sasori.
Regardless of whether Sasori was evil or not, just look at how strong he was.
Being able to solo-kill the Third Kazekage and the Fourth Kazekage proved that Sasori's talent had surpassed the Kazekages of past generations.
Puppetry, medical skills, poison skills, strategy, education...
Chiyo was an all-rounder.
Compared to her, Pakura was just a brute.
Karura replied, "Uchiha Ryou treated me."
"Uchiha Ryou?!"
The Medical Shinobi was a bit stunned; she had just learned that Ryou had killed the Fourth Kazekage and slaughtered the Elder Council.
"Was Gaara also treated by Uchiha Ryou?"
Gaara was a premature baby, as thin as a kitten, without even the strength to suckle.
Such an infant should have been riddled with ailments, but the Medical Shinobi found his body very healthy, with traces of Medical Ninjutsu.
Karura nodded.
The Medical Shinobi said seriously, "Then the news spreading outside must be false!"
Medical Shinobi understand Medical Shinobi best; if one's heart isn't gentle and their character isn't mild, they cannot become a Medical Shinobi.
In the original work, every Medical Shinobi is someone who cherishes life.
The same goes for Kabuto, who joined forces with Obito to start the Fourth Great Shinobi War. After finding his heart and reclaiming himself, he inherited Nonō's orphanage.
In his heart, he was also someone who knew how to love, because Medical Ninjutsu is a technique for protecting others.
It is benevolent!
Pakura was eating an apple on the side. Thinking of her man, she felt a bit angry and bit the apple very hard.
She should have bitten him to death back then.
Temari and Kankuro entered Karura's hospital room one after the other. Temari was still holding a Shukaku toy.
Kankuro said with hatred, "Mother, Uchiha Ryou killed Father. I must seek revenge against him!"
Pakura gave Kankuro two slaps. "With just you? A piece of trash who can't even extract chakra, go home and play with your puppet toys!"
"Waaah..."
Kankuro ran away crying loudly.
Karura shook her head helplessly but didn't speak to stop her. If the target of revenge were Sasori, there might be a sliver of hope.
But Ryou?!
It's good for Kankuro to suffer a bit of a setback. He should face his own mediocrity and stop fantasizing about things he cannot achieve!
The most painful thing for a person is just like this: the revenge for a father's death must be taken, but the enemy is an opponent one cannot defeat.
What should be done?
Temari gave the Shukaku toy to Karura. "Mother, this is my gift for Gaara."
Karura stroked Temari's head and smiled. "You snatched this from Kankuro's hands, didn't you?"
Temari huffed, "He's so big, why is he still playing with toys? Gaara is like a little tanuki; the Shukaku toy suits him better!"
Maki watched from the side, feeling a strange sense of sorrow for Kankuro.
Little Gaara didn't understand anything, but seeing the Shukaku toy now, he reached out his hand to grab it.
Seeing this, Karura placed him on top of the Shukaku toy, her gaze filled with an inseparable tenderness and pity.
Temari, Pakura, and Maki—everyone in the room focused their gaze on Gaara's small figure playing with the Shukaku toy.
There was a look of envy in Pakura's eyes. She was the same age as Karura, but Karura was already a mother of three.
Pakura wanted a child, and the first person she thought of was Ryou.
She fiercely shattered this phantom.
This evil Uchiha—next time she saw him, she would definitely capture him alive and bring him to the Village, squeezing his genetic material dry to strengthen Sunagakure.
There was a moment of silence.
Temari suddenly knelt to Pakura. "Lord Pakura, please accept me as your disciple!"
Everyone in the room looked blankly at Temari, who was acting like an adult.
"Temari..."
Karura felt some heartache. After Rasa's death, Temari seemed to have understood many things and had grown up all at once.
The price of growth is loss.
Pakura sat up straight and looked at Temari seriously. "Temari, do you want to seek revenge against Uchiha Ryou?"
Temari nodded. "He disguised himself as Lord Sasori to deceive me and killed my father. I must make him pay in blood."
Pakura said, "He is strong, very strong. If there's anyone else who can defeat him, the only one I can think of is Uchiha Madara."
"Give up! Temari, it's impossible for you to get revenge."
Pakura still had things she hadn't told Temari.
Ryou was not the culprit who killed Rasa.
Even without learning the information from Karura and Yashamaru, Pakura could judge from her own information that Sasori was the one who killed Rasa.
Against Sasori, this enemy, Temari's chances were equally slim.
Although she was the descendant of a Kage, she had not inherited Rasa's Magnet Release Secret Technique. Rasa was killed by Sasori; what did Temari have to fight him with?
Of Rasa's three children—Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara—perhaps only Gaara could defeat Sasori.
Pakura had already seen great potential in Gaara.
But it was only a probability.
Sasori wouldn't just stand there waiting for Gaara to hit him with a Tongbeiquan; he would also grow. Following Ryou and Madara, his growth would be even more astonishing.
The enemy was too strong, suffocatingly strong. Even a Kage-level expert like Pakura could only be at Ryou's mercy.
What did Temari have to defeat them?
Temari remained silent, only continuing to kowtow. "Lord Pakura, if I give up, how can I practice my Shinobi Way?"
"..."
Pakura looked silently at the stubborn Temari. Temari's personality was that of a traditional Sunagakure person.
Competitive, vengeful, spirited, and responsible.
Pakura appreciated such a personality because she had always advocated for blood for blood and an eye for an eye.
That was how she taught Maki.
A favor might not be returned, but a debt of hatred must be repaid.
If your father was killed and you don't dare to seek revenge, then what kind of Shinobi are you?
Just be an ordinary person, grow up properly, and get married!
Pakura was starting to approve of Temari.
Temari's talent was also good; at this age, she had already refined her chakra.
To be able to refine so much chakra at this age, this talent was much better than Maki's.