Yuura POV

I ran and ran and continued to run for several minutes. I did not dare to look behind me, because I was afraid I would see something I didn't want or need to.

At some point, the mist had eventually cleared away as I got further and further away. I took the opportunity to stop for a moment to catch my breath.

What's with the mist, though? I wondered. Wouldn't it have cleared by now? How is it still here? Could it be the work of that guy?

I slapped my cheeks and then continued running. No, I can't bother myself with that right now. I have to get to the Waterfall Village. Everything's riding on me! C'mon, Yuura! You've been a complete disgrace your whole life! You haven't been able to save anyone. Now, you finally have friends. Are you gonna let them down as you did them? Come on, come one!!

I then willed myself to go faster and sped down the forested path, ignoring my racing heart and aching legs.

It wasn't long before I could hear the sound of running water in the distance. Running up a cliff, I stopped short when I found myself gazing at the biggest waterfall I had ever seen. It stretched several meters and was over a kilometre long.

Is this the Waterfall Village? I wondered, looking around. I don't see any buildings or people, though.

That was when I then felt the cold hard steel of a kunai to my neck. I froze in terror and hitched my breathing. Beside me were two other ninja probably from the Waterfall.

They found me so quickly!! I haven't even been here for more than two minutes! Security here must be really tight!!

"Who are you and what village did you come from?" asked the woman who held a kunai to my throat.

"Wait, look at his headband," said the ninja on the right. "It looks like he might be from the Hidden Leaf. We're on good terms with them."

The woman still held the kunai to me. "He might be a rogue ninja, or is wearing someone else's headband."

"N-no, I'm definitely from the Hidden Leaf!" I squirmed. "Please, I need your help. My team is under attack from rogue ninja right now! I-I was told to come to you guys to get reinforcements, seeing as how y-you're allies of the Leaf."

"He does look desperate."

"It could just be an act, though."

"Enough," the woman released the kunai from my throat but still held a fierce grip on me. "We'll take him to the leader. Let him decide what to do with him."

I was relieved but still tensed up. One of the ninja then approached me with a cloth.

"We're going to need to blindfold you, as the way to our village is a secret," he said, and thus proceeded to wrap the blindfold over my eyes.

Afterwards, I was led by one of them presumably downhill and into the lake, I saw. The water was cold but it felt refreshing. Then a thought struck me.

Are we going into the waterfall?

Sure enough, I could feel the splashing, freezing weight of the waterfall as we passed through it.

"A-Are we here?" I asked.

"Be quiet," one of them said.

"Sorry..."

Once we were on the other side of the waterfall, I could feel the hard, rocky and slippery ground of a cave. The continuous sound of dripping water echoed all around me.

"We're going to need you to hold your breath for as long as you possibly can," said the man.

"Oh, okay," I held my breath.

"And hold onto me tightly."

I did as he said in confusion. Um, what's goi--

I was suddenly engulfed in water as the man swam ahead at furious speed, dragging me against the current of the water. I held on even tighter for dear life.

It seemed to me like the man was twisting and turning un different directions as he swam like he was moving around in a tunnel of some sort.

At some point, he started swimming upward and no sooner had my head emerged from the water.

"What the heck?!" I breathed in exasperation.

"Sorry about that."

He guided me across the water to what felt like the edge of ground. Reflexively, I placed my hands on the ground and pulled myself up.

"We're here," said the woman. "Take off the blindfold."

They proceeded to untie the blindfold and my eyes were then exposed to the Waterfall Village. There were several buildings and people all standing upon what looked like little islands that were all connected to a huge green tree at the centre of a massive cave, surrounded by a body of water.

I gazed on in amazement until the woman shoved me forward.

"Get going," she said.

Walking past the people, I could see everyone giving me strange looks. It made me think that it must not be every day that they see outsiders.

It seems like this village is so used to keeping to themselves. Will they really help me if I ask?

Coming to the leader's castle I saw that it was a man who was about in his late thirties with dark brown hair and kind eyes. He looked on in wonder as the ninja brought me before him.

"What's all this?" he asked, "Who's this you've brought before me?"

"He claims to be a ninja from the Hidden Leaf, seeking our aid," said the woman, "so we brought him before you for questioning."

"The Hidden Leaf, you say," said the leader. "What's your name?"

"Y-Yuura," I replied. "Yuura Kairi."

"Yuura, it's clear to me that you're in distress over the comrades you left behind, am I right?"

I'll admit, I was a little stunned. "How-how did you know?"

"Because I was once in the same shoes as you. I know the face of someone who's done nothing but run."

My head dropped below my shoulders. He was reading me like an open book. But what did this mean? That he was like me? Was he going to help then?

"The policy of my village is not to get involved in outsider's affairs, has been for centuries, but," he stood from his chair, "this is the Hidden Leaf that had helped us in the past. And besides, there's a certain someone I once knew who would frown at me if he knew I turned you away."

I looked up in anticipation.

"Uh, but sir!" the woman interjected. "You're going to help him, just like that?"

The leader turned to face her. "Several people in this village nearly died because I couldn't be bothered to act out sooner than later in the past. Whether or not this boy is telling the truth will be my risk and responsibility to take."

The woman nodded in understanding and backed away.

The leader swept his hand out at all the shinobi in the area. "Gather every available shinobi and meet outside the village's limits in ten minutes! We move out as soon as everyone is ready!"

"Wait, Lord Shibuki," said one of the ninja, "does this mean you're coming with us?"

Shibuki nodded. "That's right. For this to be happening so close to our border is a cause for alarm and I need the exercise."

"Right," the shinobi acceded, then turned to the other shinobi. "You heard the leader, get moving!!"

As for Shibuki, he was already well-equipped and seemed to be heading out immediately.

I bowed before him fervently. "Thank you very much!!"

He waved it off with a closed-eye smile. "There's no need, really! I'm just doing what's right. Although, I do have a question for you I'd like to ask."

"What's that?"

"I imagine you were well aware of the dangers of coming here and yet you risked your life anyway. What drove you to act despite those fears?"

His question caused me to reflect on the Bell Test with Iroko, Asami and Hisao-sensei and even further back when Iroko would always get bullied by Kazue and I could nothing but stand and watch, and further back again when I was just an eight-year-old kid in tattered clothes who hopelessly wandered into the Leaf after he had lost everything.

"I'm not strong, I've never really been able to defend those I care about and, as you said, I'd just run away at the sight of danger. But ... these people in trouble had accepted me despite that, and gave me a second chance. There's no way I'd still stand around and let them die. I want to be a ninja who's able to protect his friends, and I'll do so in any way whatsoever, even if I should die in the process."

Shibuki looked at me sympathetically. "I thought so. You and I are very much quite alike. Don't worry, we will save your friends. I swear on my ancestors."

I nodded appreciatingly. "Th-Thank you."

I didn't even realize when we had reached the edge of the lake again. Oh no, does this mean...?

Next thing I knew, Shibuki had me wrap my arms around him.

He smiled jokingly. "You might want to hold your breath."