Early in the morning of the second day, Kairen felt something sharp pressing against his throat, and slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was Temari's grief-stricken and furious face, a kunai in her hand pressed against Kairen's throat.
"You bastard, you actually—"
Kairen had absolutely no awareness of being held hostage. He glanced to the side and asked in confusion,
"Where's Konan?"
On the pillow beside him was a red cloud cloak, with a note and a ring on top. It was Akatsuki's ring that had been recovered after Kakuzu.
Temari increased the strength in her hand and cursed angrily,
"You damn bastard, not only did you mess with me, you even have other women."
"Stop it." Kairen lightly knocked Temari's kunai aside.
He half sat up, holding the note Konan had left while replying to Temari,
"What I like is your body. I don't care about your heart."
Kairen's utterly scummy words made Temari even angrier, to the point she almost attacked, but then she let out a sigh.
"Sigh… my life is basically over."
"Hmph! Who told you to use so much force."
"Don't say that!"
Temari snapped back in embarrassment, then immediately asked Kairen,
"You promised to help cure my brother's hands."
Kairen nodded, chakra flowing throughout his body.
Before long, a wood clone full of vitality condensed, with its signature green hair, making Kairen quite speechless.
That wood clone called itself Aka Kairen. After packing up the medical kit, it had Temari lead the way to treat Gaara by scraping the bones to heal his injuries.
After Temari left, Kairen silently looked at the things Konan had left behind.
They were some of Akatsuki's rules—pretty lax. Usually you just had to show up when the boss held meetings, then get assigned some tasks.
There was also an Illusion Magic Lantern Body Technique attached, 8G communication.
After putting the ring on, Kairen tossed the clothes and note Konan had left aside.
He didn't value joining Akatsuki at all. Nagato trying to use him was simply a joke.
Unless Konan was used as the payment.
A frantic voice came from outside the door, "Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law!"
Kairen knew immediately—it was little Hanabi.
Hanabi pushed the door open and came in with Hinata.
Kairen sat upright solemnly, looking like a pure virgin.
"What's wrong, Hanabi?"
Hanabi's little face was full of curiosity.
"Brother-in-law, you promised to take me out to play today."
Since his sister-in-law had spoken, Kairen hurriedly jumped to his feet.
"Let's go!"
"Brother-in-law is the best!"
Kairen held Hinata's hand with one hand and Hanabi's with the other, greedily taking both big and small as he walked out of the house.
The two gate generals, Wolon and Fenchu, were still sleeping. Hanabi picked them both up, and everyone began today's trip.
...
After Aka Kairen's series of operations, Gaara grew new hands before everyone's disbelieving eyes.
Temari's face was full of joy. "That's great, Gaara."
Kankurō and the others were also beaming with happiness.
Gaara looked at his own hands, then glanced at Temari, who was different from before.
In his heart, he knew that Temari must have paid a great price for his hands.
"Sis… ter!"
It was the first time Gaara had ever called Temari "sister."
Temari was so excited that she kept stroking Gaara's head, comforting him.
"Don't ever do something so stupid again. If you can't win, you can't win. That Moku Kairen is a beast. Right now my legs—"
Temari hurriedly stopped herself; Kairen's clone was still beside them.
Aka Kairen glanced at Temari. Green chakra appeared in his hand and slowly flowed into Temari's body. In the blink of an eye, the discomfort on Temari's body disappeared.
Aka Kairen smiled. "I won't disturb you any longer. Goodbye!"
He turned into a pile of wood and gradually merged into the ground.
After Aka Kairen left, everyone finally relaxed.
Kankurō hurried over and asked Temari anxiously,
"You didn't return to your room all night last night. Did Moku Kairen force you?"
Maki watched awkwardly from the side. A girl not returning all night and walking shakily in the morning—wasn't it obvious?
Kankurō asked so bluntly. How low did his emotional intelligence have to be?
Just as Maki expected, Temari was extremely embarrassed, her face turning slightly red.
Was she forced? In a sense, yes.
But in the end, she had also cooperated very willingly with Kairen's actions. After the first time, she had even become somewhat addicted.
Even now, she was still thinking about Kairen coming again.
Overall, her feelings toward Kairen were complicated—she hated his brutal and domineering attitude toward Sunagakure, yet she longed for his brutal and domineering treatment of her.
The word "brutal" was the same, but the actual actions were completely different.
She didn't know what kind of feelings she should use to face Kairen.
After Kankurō asked, Temari didn't know how to answer. She could only stammer,
"I… I knelt for him all night yesterday. He pitied me and agreed to help Gaara."
"Oh!"
Kankurō's brain wasn't great, and his emotional intelligence was even worse. He believed Temari's nonsense the moment he heard it.
Gaara was the same. Having been an autistic patient in his early years, his emotional intelligence was even lower than Kankurō's, and he directly believed Temari's lie.
Maki shook her head and sighed inwardly. It was fine that Temari's two younger brothers didn't know—at least they wouldn't go seeking death.
It was just a pity for Temari. Such a pure young girl, taken advantage of by that demon.
Gaara stood up and looked out the window. His ears even caught the sound of birds chirping. Since when did birds come to the desert?
With a single glance, he saw scenery like that of the Leaf Village.
Lush trees, verdant branches winding everywhere, a scene brimming with vitality.
There were also many children chasing each other through the village, filled with laughter and joy.
"Is… this something he brought?"
Temari nodded. In her heart, she even felt a bit fortunate that Kairen had chosen their village first.
Kankurō spoke from the side about the major event that happened in the village last night.
"That Chōhei had his entire family wiped out last night, and he was beheaded. It was truly satisfying."
"That damn thing. I knew he wouldn't come to a good end."
Temari suddenly froze. The elder who had first taken the lead in attaching himself to Kairen had been killed.
"Why?"
Kankurō explained, "The reason seems to be that that Chōhei coveted a woman Moku Kairen had his eye on, so he was chopped."
Temari recalled yesterday's conflict with the white-haired group.
So in his heart, I really am more important than the entirety of Sunagakure.
For some reason, Temari suddenly felt sweet inside.
But when she suddenly thought of the blue-haired woman who served Kairen together with her, her heart filled with sourness again.
╭(╯^╰)╮Scumbag!
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