As Gaara continues to reminisce about Yashamaru, he remembers Yashamaru's statement of his mother's death and his uncle's suicide bombing. Though Gaara survived the blast - thanks to the sand shield - he lost the only person who ever cared for him. From that point on, Gaara came to love only himself and started to find purpose in killings others. Returning to the present, Gaara keeps his grip on Sakura with his sand claw choking her to death. Gaara, feeling deranged, asks Naruto to play a game with him saying that if he can beat him, Sakura will be set free. Determined to save Sakura, an enraged Naruto violently attacks Gaara and they engage in battle.