Another day passed, and I couldn't shake the feeling that time had been slipping through our fingers faster than it should. The rain had let up a bit, but the air still felt heavy with the weight of everything that had happened.
Yahiko and Konan had finally gotten some rest, and I'd stayed with them through the night. Today was no different. We stayed in the cave, the dim light from the fire flickering against the jagged walls. There was an odd stillness in the air, as if even the world outside was holding its breath.
I finished eating the last bit of rabbit meat, the taste still fresh on my tongue. The hunger pangs that had been gnawing at me earlier seemed to have dissipated. But what was truly strange was that... My body felt like it had returned to its usual state—like I was back at full strength already.
How?
How am I already back to full strength again?
This happened before our encounter with Hanzo too… Weird...
My recovery rate always seemed to be faster than normal, but I always just chalked it down to having Chakra in this world. It is life force personified, after all. So it only made sense. Like, maybe it was some sort of anime logic recovery rate that this world had. But today, even that felt… different. Too much. Almost completely unnatural. I ran my hand through my hair, frowning slightly.
Was it the Medical Ninjutsu I applied to myself that was making this happen? I had used it a lot, especially after opening the Sixth Inner Gate. But by all conventional metrics, I should've been way more hurt than I was. The toll it had taken on my body was supposed to be significant. I wouldn't have been surprised if I had gotten myself crippled again and in need of Tsunade's specialized methods. But here I was, feeling as strong as an ox, almost as if I hadn't pushed myself to the edge in the first place.
That wasn't natural in the slightest.
Rock Lee would be envious.
The nagging thought settled at the back of my mind, but I pushed it away. It wasn't the time to think about that.
I gathered my remaining supplies, packing everything tightly and securely. Then I stood up, glancing over at Yukino. She was still sitting against the wall, her legs stretched out in front of her. She looked better—much better—but I could tell that the aftereffects of the poison still lingered. Yukino still couldn't walk on her own.
I crouched down beside her, gently lifting her into my arms in a princess carry. Her face flushed a little, and I could feel the slight tension in her body. She gave me an apologetic smile, looking up at me. "Sorry... I still can't feel my legs," she murmured.
"It's from the poison's aftereffects," I replied, my voice soft but steady. "Don't worry about it. Tsunade will have you back to full health soon enough."
Yukino nodded, her cheeks still rosy as she leaned into my chest. She closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh. I could feel her relax in my arms, the tension in her body slowly fading away as she snuggled into me. I couldn't help but notice the smile that spread across her lips. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make my heart settle a little.
I couldn't help but think to myself that I was glad she was doing better. The weight of everything that had happened, the battles we had fought, the lives lost—it all felt so heavy. But seeing Yukino like this, feeling her warmth in my arms, it made everything feel… just a little lighter.
I glanced down at her, my heart firm with resolve. I would not let Shinichi's sacrifice be in vain. I would make sure Yukino got back home safely. That was a promise I would keep, no matter what it took.
My footsteps echoed softly on the stones as I walked towards the exit.
But then, I stopped. A thought crossed my mind, and before I could shake it, I called out to Yahiko and Konan without looking back.
"One last time, will you come with us?" I asked, my voice carrying the weight of sincerity. "I can take you to a safe place, somewhere you won't have to worry about surviving day-to-day. You can stay with us. I have a home, and I know the people who can make that happen. All you need to do is follow me."
There was silence from behind me, a long stretch of it that felt like a heavy pause. I didn't turn around, waiting for their answer.
Yahiko and Konan hesitated, the quiet stretching out between us, the air thick with their uncertainty. They didn't answer immediately, and I could feel the hesitation in their silence.
I shook my head, taking another step forward, preparing to leave without another word. It was their decision, after all. They were free to stay or go as they wished. I'll still have time to do something about their future down the line, there's quite a bit of time before Hanzo gets to them.
But then, I heard quick footsteps behind me. Konan ran up to me, her blue hair flowing behind her as she came into my view. I stopped and looked back, meeting her gaze. She was serious—dead serious.
"I'll go," she said, her voice firm.
I glanced over at Yahiko, and I could see the stunned expression on his face, his eyes wide with disbelief. After a long moment, he spoke up, voice edged with surprise. "Konan… are you serious?"
Konan turned around, facing him with complete seriousness in her eyes. "We need to go, Yahiko," she said, her tone urgent. "We don't have a lot of food here, and I've been thinking about it. It's not just the war we need to worry about. Shirokumo found this place by accident, right? He's a good person, but what if it had been a group of bad men instead? Bandits? Marauders? What if they were the ones who found us, desperate and starving like we are? People who'd rather take what little we have than offer help. We'd be dead, or worse. Turned into slaves, or kicked out into the rain to fend for ourselves. It's not a situation I want to experience again."
Her words hit me hard, and I could see the sincerity in her eyes. I didn't say anything at first, but I could feel the weight of her reasoning. Yahiko stayed silent, but I saw him grimace, the reality of her words sinking in.
Yahiko sighed, and with a begrudging acceptance, he nodded. "Fine. I'll go with you to the Leaf. I won't be able to rest easy unless I know you're safe, too."
Konan beamed. "Thank you, Yahiko!"
I smiled at that, and so did Yukino, still in my arms. It was a significant victory.
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear," I said, giving them both a nod. "Let's get out of here."
…
We traveled slowly as I made sure to pace myself for Yahiko and Konan's sake. I couldn't push them too hard; they were still adjusting, and it wasn't like I had much time to spare. But I wasn't about to rush them either. The terrain was rough, and we had to stay alert for anything that could be a threat. I stayed extra cautious, keeping an eye on Yukino, making sure she was as comfortable as possible despite the rain. I wrapped her up in a cloak, shielding her from the worst of the downpour.
The rain seemed to follow us, never letting up, and it made every step harder. But we pressed on. The days blurred together, camp after camp, each one more hurried than the last. My Shadow Clones helped us along the way—hunting for food, gathering supplies, and making the meals. They kept the fire going and prepared everything, while I focused on Yukino, giving her my undivided attention.
Whenever we stopped, I fed her my makeshift medicine, the bitter taste barely hiding the intent behind it. It wasn't much, but it was enough to help her body recover from the poison's aftereffects. I applied Medical Ninjutsu to her as often as I could, using the skill to ease her suffering and to fight back the lingering toxins. The process was slow, but she was improving, little by little. Each day, she seemed to regain some of her strength.
Still, the road was long and exhausting, and I could see the fatigue in everyone's faces. Yahiko and Konan were getting more and more exhausted. They weren't yet Shinobi, after all. Untrained. They were simply normal kids. But shockingly, they didn't let that slow us down too much. The determination they had to survive was evident.
Soon enough, we reached the outskirts of the Leaf territory, and in the distance, I saw the familiar outlines of an outpost. The others were supposed to be here, waiting for us. My heart gave a brief flutter of relief. We were close. We had made it this far, and we were on the brink of reaching safety.
I turned to look at Yukino, still nestled against me, her head resting against my chest. Her breathing had steadied, and she was still out of it, but I could see the faintest trace of a smile on her lips as she slept. It made everything worth it. The long, painful days, the constant worry… it all had a purpose.
"Almost there," I whispered softly, more to myself than to anyone else. We'd made it. The Leaf outpost was just ahead.
As we neared the outpost, the familiar sight of the Leaf's camp brought a wave of relief. The rain hadn't let up, but the walls, tents, and soldiers in the distance were a welcome sight. We were so close to safety, just a bit further, and we'd finally be able to rest.
As we approached the entrance, I could see some movement. A few figures were standing near the perimeter of the outpost, and I couldn't help but smile as they became clearer. It was the familiar faces of the current Ino-Shika-Cho trio: Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi. They had clearly been waiting for someone, their eyes scanning the horizon, when they caught sight of us.
"Hey! Whoa! They're back!" Shikaku called out, his sharp eyes lighting up with recognition as he pointed toward us.
Inoichi, standing beside him, couldn't contain his excitement and immediately grinned, raising his fist in the air. "Shirokumo! Yukino! You're back! I can't believe it! I really thought you were goners!" He rushed forward, but Shikaku held him back with a hand on his shoulder.
"You're both all right?" Choza asked with his usual deep voice, his eyes searching us over, concern etched on his face. His gaze briefly lingered on Yukino, who was still resting in my arms, and then he looked at me, clearly assessing the situation. "Is she…?"
"We're both fine," I said, nodding to reassure them. I adjusted Yukino carefully in my arms, making sure she was still comfortable. "She was poisoned before we fell in the river. I've been tending to her this whole time to stabilize her. She's okay now, but needs a lot more rest and a lot more medical attention."
"I see, then it's best that we head inside and get her that, yes?" Choza smiled.
"Yeah, we should. But tell me first, what happened after we fell in the river? Did everyone else escape from lady Chiyo or…?"
"Yeah," Inoichi said with a grin. "We fought her a while longer and ran around for a bit until we split up. Minato, Captain Fugaku and Nawaki stayed behind to hold her off for us. They used Minato's Flying Raijin to escape once we were a safe distance away."
I nodded. "I see. That's good to hear."
Shikaku finally spoke again, his usual calmness falling away as he grinned. "Well, anyway. It's good to see you both alive. I knew you'd make it back eventually, though I was getting worried after all this time if I'm gonna be perfectly honest with you. But where is that Uchiha Shinichi fellow? And who are the kids?"
I shifted Yukino gently in my arms, glancing at the trio before responding. "Shinichi didn't make it," I said quietly, my voice rough as the weight of his loss settled over me again.
"What?" Inoichi's eyes turned wide. "That can't be true..."
Shikaku closed his eyes as he nodded. "I guessed as much."
"You'll have to brief everyone on what happened later." Choza said.
Nodding back. "Of course. As for the kids, this is Yahiko and Konan. They're war orphans and are with us now. I'll tell you about that later, too."
"Hello…" Konan said, hiding behind me.
Yahiko just stared at them with a know-it-all expression plastered over his face. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
The trio exchanged looks, their expressions momentarily turning serious.
Choza couldn't hide his concern. "That's rough," he murmured, scratching his head.
We started walking toward the gates, the rain continuing to pour down around us, but the walls of the outpost offered a sense of security. As we got closer, I couldn't help but feel relief. The worst was over, at least for now.
"Is the rest of our team here?" I asked, my voice low. "Fugaku, Mikoto, Nawaki and Minato… are they all here too?"
Choza shrugged, looking over his shoulder as if to check. "Fugaku's still leading operations, Mikoto's been helping with the medical side on the frontlines, as for Minato and Nawaki... well, they've been out looking for you guys this whole time. Not sure if they're back yet, though. But I'm sure you'll see them both soon. Minato periodically checks in on us here to see if you're back or not."
Hearing that Nawaki and Minato had been out searching for us this whole time made something tight in my chest loosen slightly, though a pang of guilt still lingered. They'd been out there, looking for us, while we were trudging through the rain, fighting our way back.
Minato... he always pushed himself, always putting others before himself. Nawaki, too. I couldn't help but feel both thankful and ashamed at the same time.
"Damn," I muttered under my breath, the weight of their dedication hitting me hard. "I didn't realize they'd been out there searching. I knew Minato might do that, but Nawaki too... I'll owe them for that." My voice dropped, a little guilty and overwhelmed by the realization of the sort of friends I'd made.
We reached the gates of the outpost, the heavy wooden doors creaking open as the guards acknowledged us. The outpost was bustling with activity—soldiers, medics, and other shinobi moving about, preparing for whatever came next.
We were finally safe.