Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Uchiha Taiga and Yugito Nii settled down in Sunagakure. On their first night, they rested in their respective rooms and did not go out.

The night in Sunagakure was quiet. The wind swept over the cliffs, letting out a low howl. The few trees in the courtyard rustled in the wind, and the water in the pond shimmered.

Early the next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows, brightly illuminating the room.

Yugito Nii got out of bed. After washing up, she knocked on Uchiha Taiga's door.

"Are you awake?"

"Yeah."

After getting ready, the two headed out.

Two Sunagakure shinobi were standing guard outside the courtyard. Seeing them emerge, they gave a slight bow.

Uchiha Taiga asked casually, "Where's the liveliest place in the village?"

One of the shinobi quickly replied, "If you head west, there's a market."

Uchiha Taiga nodded and led Yugito Nii toward the west.

The streets of Sunagakure weren't wide, but they were neat. The ground was paved with stone slabs, and the architecture blended seamlessly with the surrounding environment.

It didn't take long for the two to arrive at the market.

Though called a market, it was actually just a moderately sized plaza surrounded by a few dozen shops. They sold ninja tools, medicinal herbs, fabrics, and daily necessities, along with a few food stalls. However, the shops were small, and the variety of goods was limited, making the place look rather desolate.

Yugito Nii looked around, curious about everything here.

"The buildings here are so short. The ones in Kumogakure are much taller."

Uchiha Taiga hummed in response, not saying much else.

He made a mental judgment. Sunagakure's commercial environment was the worst among the five great ninja villages, but it was still much better compared to the smaller ninja villages.

The two strolled around and bought a few small trinkets.

Just as they finished exploring the market and were about to head back, they saw Maki rushing over from a distance.

His pace was brisk, and a thin layer of sweat covered his forehead, clearly indicating he had jogged all the way here.

"My lord, so this is where you were," Maki greeted with a smile.

Uchiha Taiga looked at him and nodded. "Is there something you need?"

Maki stepped aside, revealing the person standing behind him.

It was a young man with a gentle appearance, wearing round-framed glasses and a Sunagakure flak jacket. In his arms, he held a child who looked to be about a year old. The child had light red hair, very pale skin, and was sleeping with his eyes closed.

The child was wrapped entirely in a light-colored blanket, with only his small face exposed.

Uchiha Taiga's gaze fell upon the child.

"This is Gaara."

Maki lowered his voice slightly. "Lord Kazekage's son, and also the village's Jinchuriki."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "By Lord Kazekage's orders, since Your Excellency desires Tailed Beast chakra, this child is the Jinchuriki. As long as his life is not endangered, Your Excellency may do as you please."

The young man holding the child slightly lowered his head, his eyes downcast and his face devoid of expression.

He was Yashamaru, Gaara's uncle.

Uchiha Taiga looked at Maki, then at Gaara in Yashamaru's arms, a hint of surprise in his tone.

"Rasa is this willing to part with him? This is his own son."

Maki's smile remained unchanged. "This is Sunagakure's sincerity."

Uchiha Taiga then glanced at the items Maki had brought along.

Aside from Yashamaru and Gaara, there was a small cart of supplies: fresh vegetables and meat, dry rations and fruits unique to the Land of Wind, as well as a few other items that could be considered Sunagakure specialties.

These goods were by no means a small expense.

"Why didn't Lord Kazekage come himself?" Uchiha Taiga asked.

"Lord Kazekage has urgent matters to attend to and is temporarily unable to come."

Uchiha Taiga nodded. "Alright, then thank Lord Kazekage on my behalf."

With that, he headed back and soon arrived at the courtyard.

The courtyard wasn't large, but it was very clean. The sunlight shone down from above, stretching the shadows cast by the trees.

Uchiha Taiga stood in the center of the courtyard and turned to look at Yashamaru.

"Put the child down." He pointed to a nearby rock.

Yashamaru didn't say a word. He carried Gaara over to the rock and gently set the child down.

Gaara was still asleep, his breathing even and his small mouth slightly open, completely unaware of what was about to happen.

Yashamaru took a few steps back and stood to the side, his eyes downcast and his face expressionless.

Yugito Nii stood at the courtyard entrance, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed. She watched quietly; this scene was very familiar to her.

Maki also stood at the entrance, the smile still hanging on his face, but his eyes were fixed intently on Uchiha Taiga's hands.

Uchiha Taiga walked up to Gaara and extended his right hand, hovering it about an inch above Gaara's abdomen. He then began to channel his chakra. A gentle force surged from his palm and probed into Gaara's body.

Gaara's brows furrowed slightly, and his body gave a soft tremble.

Uchiha Taiga's movements were meticulous. He knew the child was still young and couldn't withstand too much of a shock, so he controlled his chakra output, carefully sensing for Shukaku's presence within Gaara's body.

Shukaku's chakra was hidden deep within the child's body, exuding a violent and frantic aura.

The moment the two chakras made contact, Gaara's body trembled violently. His small face scrunched up, and his mouth puckered as if he were about to cry.

Uchiha Taiga quickly adjusted the frequency of his chakra, shifting from intrusion to guidance. Shukaku's chakra quieted down, no longer struggling.

Gaara's expression relaxed, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out. His eyes twitched as if he were dreaming, and then he fell back into a deep sleep.

Without any pain or crying, Gaara continued to sleep peacefully.

Strands of purplish-black chakra began to appear in Uchiha Taiga's palm. It was Shukaku's chakra, carrying a frantic aura, but under his control, it obediently flowed out, weaving together strand by strand.

He waved his other hand at Yugito Nii, who then opened a sealing scroll and spread it out on the ground. Uchiha Taiga slowly guided the Shukaku chakra into the scroll bit by bit.

The entire process of extracting the Tailed Beast chakra didn't take long. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, Uchiha Taiga withdrew his hand.

The amount of chakra extracted wasn't large, but it was enough, and it wouldn't have any adverse effects on the child's body.

He sealed all of the Shukaku chakra into the sealing scroll and then clapped his hands together.

"Alright, take the child and go back."

He looked at Yashamaru, his tone flat, before turning to Maki. "Also, tell Lord Kazekage that if he has time to visit me, I will give Sunagakure a gift of gratitude for this matter."

Yashamaru didn't speak. He stepped forward and bent down to pick Gaara up from the rock.

Gaara was still asleep, his little face flushed red.

Yashamaru wrapped him in the blanket, held him in his arms, and turned to leave the courtyard.

Throughout the entire process, there were no words or communication between the two sides.

Maki's face was full of smiles as he quickly thanked him. "Thank you, my lord!"

This time, his smile seemed much more genuine. Uchiha Taiga truly hadn't harmed Gaara, nor had he even caused the child any pain.

Maki exchanged a few more pleasantries before turning around and hurrying after Yashamaru.

Yugito Nii walked in from the doorway and glanced at the sealing scroll at Uchiha Taiga's waist.

"Is it enough?" she asked.

"Just about. It's enough for my needs, anyway."

Yugito Nii nodded and walked over to the pond to wash her face. The wind and sand here were still too heavy.

Uchiha Taiga also sat down. He sat cross-legged in the center of the courtyard, facing the tree.

The tree wasn't large; its trunk was only as thick as an arm, and its branches and leaves weren't particularly lush.

He closed his eyes and began to form hand signs. His speed wasn't fast, and every sign was executed perfectly. The chakra fluctuations around his body started to become noticeable, waxing and waning in intensity.

Yugito Nii stood up from the stone bench, walked over to the courtyard entrance, and leaned against the doorframe. She seemed to know what Uchiha Taiga was doing and didn't disturb him, merely standing guard quietly.

In the afternoon, before the sun had set, Rasa appeared at the courtyard entrance.

He hadn't brought any attendants and came alone. He was wearing those white Hokage robes, without his Kazekage hat. There was a trace of exhaustion on his face, but his eyes remained steady.

Seeing Rasa, Yugito Nii stepped aside to make way and pointed toward the courtyard.

Rasa walked into the courtyard and saw Uchiha Taiga sitting cross-legged in the center. His eyes were closed, his hands forming a sign in front of his chest, and the chakra fluctuations around his body had almost come to a halt.

The tree in front of him trembled slightly under the chakra fluctuations, its leaves rustling.

Rasa stood at the courtyard entrance, neither stepping forward nor making a sound to disturb him. He could feel a very unique chakra permeating the air—gentle and enduring.

He was very curious about what Uchiha Taiga was doing.

A moment later, Uchiha Taiga nodded and muttered softly, "I see. I understand now."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the hand sign he was holding suddenly changed.

The change was swift, his fingers leaving a blur in the air before settling into a new hand sign.

The next moment, the tree began to grow, rapidly shooting up at a visible rate. The trunk thickened, the bark grew denser, and branches stretched out in all directions. Fresh, vibrant green leaves sprouted from the boughs.

The canopy grew larger and denser, quickly transforming from a small sapling into a massive, leafy tree. Its shade covered the entire courtyard, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of vegetation.

Rasa's expression changed. His eyes widened sharply, his pupils slightly contracting, and his breathing involuntarily quickened.

He looked at the tree, then at Uchiha Taiga, and then back at the tree.

A thought surfaced from the depths of his mind, growing larger and clearer.

"Could it be..."

He muttered to himself, his voice very low.