Yako glanced around and found a clean blanket, then gently draped it over Pakura.
Her face flushed red as she sneaked a look at him.
But Yako, who had seen more than his share of heat and perfumed winds, simply said,
"Who told you to bathe tonight of all nights? You didn't even check the weather before stripping down."
Pakura curled up under the blanket, burying her flushed face between her knees.
"I crossed half the Land of Wind on foot… and this was the first unclaimed oasis I came across. I just… really needed a bath..." she murmured, then looked up and asked:
"Is your Earth Release strong enough? Are you sure the kids won't be blown away by the wind?"
Yako patted the earthen pikes driven into the sand beside him.
"Rock solid. Don't worry."
With that, he walked over and scooped her up.
"W-What are you doing?!"
"I can't let you sit on sand. I'll put you on the bed."
That was the last thing he said that night.
Pakura had spent the entire night on edge, unable to sleep, nervous about the young man in the tent possibly trying something.
The next morning, her head ached from the lack of sleep. With dark circles under her eyes, she shot a glare at Miqū.
He was still asleep.
She quickly rummaged through the tent for clothes—anything that fit even remotely—and then stepped out.
All morning, as she distilled water with her special ability, she kept throwing resentful glances toward Yako's tent.
He really hadn't done anything… and that made her oddly disappointed.
Around noon, Yako finally stumbled out of the tent, yawning.
The mission was complete—he could finally relax.
At the crescent-shaped lake, he watched as Pakura carefully distilled the drinking water.
She glanced up at him once, then hurriedly looked away, her cheeks bright red.
Once she finished drawing water, she gathered her courage and approached Yako as he drank.
"Mr. Miqū… can you teach me ninjutsu? The one you used last night in that huge sandstorm… something that could save a life."
Yako gave a small cough.
"I can. But in exchange—I want a bath tonight too."
"Deal!"
For several days, Yako enjoyed her distilled water at the oasis—perfect for drinking, perfect for bathing.
Poor Leaf Monkey only got his two pots of water a day and nothing else.
Meanwhile, Yako and Pakura grew closer at lightning speed.
Yako began by teaching her chakra refinement instead of relying purely on instinct to use her steam ability. In return, Pakura prepared hot bathwater for him.
One night, another massive sandstorm rolled in.
Yako woke to the howling winds. Stepping out, he went to reinforce the children's tent—but caught sight of Pakura, bathing alone again by the lake in the dead of night.
Her tent had already been ripped open by the wind.
Yako, long practiced by now, scooped up the naked but blushing Pakura, reinforced the children's shelter mid-stride with an Earth Release jutsu, and carried her back to his own tent.
Back inside, he noticed her soaked body covered in grit and sand. Reaching out, he brushed her shoulder to shake off the clinging grains.
Pakura's face turned even redder.
"Not there… You can't touch there either… Definitely not there…"
Half an hour later, she lay sprawled across the bed, panting heavily.
The sand on her back and thighs had been thoroughly "cleaned" again and again during that half hour.
Finally freeing his hands, Yako moved on to the rest of her body.
As he gently traced her back, he asked,
"Pakura… what are you doing here? This place is way too close to the frontlines."
She shifted slightly, arching her back to show off a more seductive curve.
"I'm originally from the north. One day, a Suna-nin passed through and told me I had a rare talent for ninjutsu. He wanted to take me to Sunagakure.
"But I didn't want to be a ninja. So when he got called away by the village, I took a different path instead.
"I knew they'd come looking for me, so I chose a route they'd never expect—and ended up behind the front lines in the east.
"Along the way, I ran into three children who were dying of thirst. I took them in."
She turned her shoulder, still mostly on her stomach, and reached out to hook her arm around Yako's neck.
"Miqū… how many more days until I can start learning that Earth Release pillar jutsu of yours?"
Yako chuckled.
"Of course I'll teach you. But on one condition."
"What condition?"
Far away, amidst the sandstorm that blocked out the sky, Leaf Monkey squinted toward the oasis.
In this godforsaken weather, he had no idea how their captain was managing to survive.
The next day, the terrifying sandstorm finally passed by noon.
Pakura, dressed in another set of ill-fitting clothes, emerged from the tent and made a beeline for the children's shelter.
Thanks to the Earth Release fortification, they were all safe.
After distilling a new batch of water, she hurried over to Yako, eager to continue her training.
He said:
"Pakura, I may be a rogue ninja, but I know how they train in the Hidden Villages.
"Most genin and even many chūnin can't actually use their ninjutsu in real combat. Taijutsu and ninja tools are far more practical early on.
"I'm not refusing to teach you ninjutsu—but your biggest hurdle right now is building a solid foundation. Learn to refine chakra, learn to control it, and build up your physical strength."
Chakra is formed by blending physical and spiritual energy.
Yako had already taught her how to sense her bodily energy… then her spiritual energy… and finally how to mix the two into chakra.
Now, he showed her how to channel it to different parts of the body for various effects.
Focusing chakra into the legs and feet would enhance speed; into the shoulders and fists would increase striking power.
Pakura progressed rapidly, thrilled by the newfound strength flowing through her.
That night, instead of returning to the kids' tent, she entered Yako's again.
"I'm stronger now! I'll last even longer tonight!"
From thirty minutes to thirty-five—she really had improved.
Though in the end, she still quivered and surrendered first.
The next day, Yako had her stomp water in a basin filled with their first batch of middle-distilled water.
In the afternoon, they went to the poison-blasted dead tree by the lake, where he taught her tree climbing with chakra control.
That night, her fragrant sweat drenched Yako's legs. She lasted three more minutes.
"Don't feel bad—three minutes is a long time."
She blushed at the teasing, her waist buckling again.
After five grueling days of this intense training, Pakura could now channel chakra at will.
Standing beside the crescent lake, she listened carefully to Yako's explanation—what each hand seal represented, how they guided chakra through different circuits.
Slowly, she formed the seals with both hands, feeling out the chakra paths with painstaking care.
A searing orb of flame appeared above her palm.
It was about the size of a fist, radiating intense heat and light.
Yako nodded repeatedly. Even he hadn't known her chakra nature until now. Trying to teach her Earth Release had been futile. The real key was developing her kekkei genkai.
"This…" Pakura whispered, eyes wide, "Mr. Miqū… is this the special ability you mentioned?"