Somewhere else, in the Uchiha Compound, Mikoto sat beneath a gnarled tree, her dark eyes fixed on the sky. "I'll wait a little more," she muttered, her voice barely audible. "If he still doesn't come back… I'll have to go find him." The worst flickered through her mind—him hurt, caught, gone—and she stood, brushing dirt from her knees as she headed toward her house.
...
Back where Souta and Hinata were, they walked slowly toward the Land of Rain. As they made their way forward, Hinata suddenly stopped. She glanced around, her senses sharp, before speaking softly, "Did you hear something?"
She murmured, and Souta shook his head in denial.
Unconvinced, Hinata turned her gaze toward a specific direction. After a brief moment, she activated her Byakugan, her eyes narrowing as the veins around them pulsed with chakra. A few seconds passed before she spoke again.
"There are some shinobi fighting at a distance," she said, her voice steady as she continued, "One kunoichi is facing off against several hooded ninjas."
Hearing this, Souta fell into deep thought.
Could it be Pakura? he wondered silently, careful not to let his suspicion show on his face.
"We should take another route," Hinata suggested, already starting to turn away.
But Souta reached out and stopped her. "Hold on," he said, keeping his tone casual. "Don't you think it's strange? A single kunoichi holding her own against a group like that? I'm curious who she is—and who those hooded guys are. Could be trouble for us later if we don't check it out."
Hinata hesitated, her Byakugan still active as she scanned the distant skirmish. "It's dangerous," she warned, her concern evident. "There are too many of them."
Souta shrugged, playing it off. "Yeah, but we're not jumping into the fight. I just want to get a look. If it's some rogue ninja or a bigger problem, we'd be better off knowing now than running into it blind down the road."
Hinata studied him for a moment, her sharp eyes catching the faintest hint of something he wasn't saying. Still, his reasoning made some sense. After a pause, she gave a small, reluctant nod. "Fine. But we stay hidden and keep our distance—no engaging."
"Deal," Souta agreed.
With their decision made, the two adjusted their course, moving cautiously toward the sounds of battle filtering through the trees. The air grew tense as they approached, the distant clang of kunai and muffled grunts growing sharper with every step.
They crept through the underbrush, staying low and silent, until they reached a vantage point atop a small ridge. Hinata positioned herself slightly behind Souta, her Byakugan scanning the scene below while he peered through the foliage.
In the clearing ahead, a fierce battle unfolded. A lone kunoichi stood at the center, her green and orangish hair whipping in the wind as she wielded a blazing orb of scorching chakra. It was Pakura—Souta recognized her instantly, though he kept his expression neutral, masking any sign of familiarity. She was surrounded by a dozen hooded ninjas, their movements swift and coordinated, but Pakura fought with relentless precision. Her Scorch Release melted through their weapons and sent waves of heat rippling across the battlefield.
Souta watched in silence, his heart pounding. here she was, holding her own against overwhelming odds.
Hinata's warning echoed in his mind—no engaging. Besides, he didn't want to explain how he knew her.
Hinata crouched beside him, her focus split between the fight and their surroundings. "She's strong," she whispered, her voice tinged with admiration. "But she's tiring. Those ninjas—they're wearing her down."
Souta nodded absently, his eyes locked on Pakura. She was incredible, weaving between attacks with fluid grace, her hands forming seals faster than he could follow.
One of the hooded ninjas lunged with a tanto, but Pakura sidestepped and retaliated with a searing blast, reducing the blade to slag.
Another tried to flank her, only to be engulfed in a shimmering wave of heat. The numbers were thinning, but Hinata was right—Pakura's movements were slowing, her breaths growing ragged.
"She's got this," Souta muttered, more to himself than to Hinata. He kept his tone casual, as if he were just observing a random stranger's fight.
Minutes stretched on, each clash more desperate than the last. Finally, Pakura unleashed a massive orb of Scorch Release, the air igniting in a brilliant flare.
The remaining hooded ninjas scattered, some collapsing in charred heaps, others fleeing into the trees. When the light faded, Pakura stood alone, her chest heaving, her body trembling from exhaustion. She'd won—but barely.
Hinata shifted beside him. "She's done. We should go before—"
Before she could finish, Pakura's head snapped up. Her sharp eyes scanned the ridge, locking onto their position.
"She knows we're here," Hinata hissed, her hand already reaching for a kunai. "We need to move."
But it was too late. Pakura raised a shaky hand, forming a small, flickering orb of heat. With a flick of her wrist, she sent it hurtling toward them. Souta barely had time to react before Hinata leapt in front, her palms glowing with chakra. She deflected the orb with a precise Gentle Fist strike, sending it spiraling into a nearby tree, which erupted in flames.
"Stay back!" Hinata said, her stance shifting into combat mode. She darted forward, closing the distance between her and Pakura.