Protect Her

After less than a mile, Ringo stopped.

His perception trembled. Not curse mark perception—chakra perception. Southeast. Three hundred meters away. Three masses of chakra surrounding one. The surrounded one—was about to go out.

"Ringo—" Naruto turned back.

"You go on ahead." Ringo turned southeast. "I'm going to save someone. In ten minutes—meet at the waterfall."

"Wait—"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto. "Let him go." His Sharingan was activated. He had seen Ringo's expression. It was cold.

Ringo had already vanished. Steam bursting from beneath his feet propelled him through the trees. Every step he took—steam blasted from under his feet—launching him forward. Branches slashed across his face. He had no time to care.

He saw it.

First, he saw the blood on the ground. A trail running down from a tree trunk. Dark red. The bark had split. Hinata had been slammed into it.

Team 8 was surrounded in the middle. Shino's insects had been scattered by the sound waves. They twitched on the ground. Kiba lay facedown, Akamaru in his arms, blood staining its fur. His arm had been sliced open—the compressed air from the sound waves had become blades and cut through his skin.

Hinata stood at the very front. Shielding Shino and Kiba. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. The sound waves had struck her internal organs. Her Byakugan was active, but the veins around her eyes bulged. She was forcing herself to hold on.

"The Hyuga clan's eldest daughter—" Zaku crouched on a tree branch, the sound holes on his arms spinning. Air was sucked in, then expelled as blades. "Your Byakugan—in the Forest of Death, it's worthless. You can see us, but you can't dodge."

Dosu stood on another tree, the shell on his hand vibrating. The air shook along with his hand. "Stop wasting time. Kill them. Take their scrolls."

Kin stood on a third tree, senbon between her fingers. She did not need to aim. Hinata could barely stand anymore.

Zaku jumped down. The sound holes on his arms aimed at Hinata's chest.

"Goodbye—"

Steam.

Orange crashed down. The ground split, steam pouring into it from below—the water in the soil all turned to vapor. The trees shook. Zaku flipped backward, thrown by the blast.

"Who—"

Someone emerged from the steam. As he walked, steam followed behind him like an orange cloak. Fire without flames.

Ringo stood in front of Hinata.

He slammed a fist into the ground. Steam poured from his fist into the soil, spreading outward in rings. When it touched trees—the bark split. When it touched grass—the grass dried up. When it touched the three Sound ninja—not one of them could stand steady in the steam. Their skin burned.

"Whoever dares touch her—"

Steam surged upward from the ground. Three orange pillars. Everything turned white. Even breathing scalded—every breath felt like inhaling boiling water.

"—I'll turn them into steamed meat."

Silence. The steam swallowed every sound. Zaku backed away. Dosu backed away. Kin backed away. Their skin told them this man could not be approached.

Ringo turned around.

Hinata leaned against the tree, one hand braced on the trunk, her knuckles white. Her Byakugan was still active, but—she was looking at him. No. It was, You came.

Ringo crouched down, his hand hovering above her wound. Steam seeped from his fingertips. Warm. Very gentle. Like a thin veil wrapping around her shoulder. It stopped the bleeding, just enough to constrict the blood vessels, just enough to ease her pain.

"Does it hurt?"

Hinata looked at him. Her lips moved, but tears came first. No. It was, You came to save me.

"It doesn't hurt." Her voice was soft. "Because—I knew—you would come."

Ringo's hand paused. Those words—weighed more than any ninjutsu. She had been waiting. Waiting for him.

"Yeah. I'm here."

He stood and turned around. Steam wrapped around his fist again. Not orange this time. Brighter. Steam Ninja Art. For the first time since the Land of Waves—he unleashed it at full power.

Zaku charged out of the steam, the sound holes on his arms fully open. The shockwave pushed the steam aside, punching a hole through it.

"Sound waves—your steam—can't stop them—"

Ringo did not dodge.

Steam burst from his entire body. Three layers. The first layer: Boil Release: Scalding Mist. Golden. The sound waves struck the steam and evaporated. The second layer: Steam Ninja Art: Dispersal. Steam exploded outward around his body. Zaku was engulfed. His vision turned completely white. His skin screamed. The third layer: a fist.

The fist tore through the steam. Piercing steam blasted out before it. Zaku flew backward and crashed into a tree trunk. The bark split. He fell down and did not move. Smoke rose from his skin.

Dosu moved. From the side. The shell on his hand vibrated, aimed at Ringo's ear. Sound waves into the inner ear—would make a person lose their sense of direction.

Ringo turned sideways. The steam around his ear countershocked. The sound waves struck the steam and were bounced back by its density. Dosu froze for an instant.

Ringo kicked. Steam blasted from beneath his foot. His heel struck Dosu in the chest. Dosu flew back and crashed into Zaku. The two piled atop each other, motionless.

Kin backed away, senbon between her fingers, but her hand trembled. The steam was too close. Every breath drew in heat. She turned and ran. Staying meant death.

Ringo did not pursue her. The steam began to withdraw, shrinking back into his body. Orange mist receded from the forest like the tide. The ground still smoked.

He turned around. Hinata had gotten to her feet. Shino supported her. Kiba stood nearby, Akamaru licking his face.

"Hinata—" Kiba's voice trembled. "I thought—you—"

"I'm fine." Hinata looked at Ringo.

Shino adjusted his sunglasses. "Ringo-kun—thank you."

Ringo nodded and took Hinata from Shino, supporting her by the shoulder. Steam seeped from his palm. Warm. Little by little.

"Take care of her." Ringo handed Hinata back to Shino. "I still need to catch up with my team."

Hinata caught the hem of his clothes.

Two fingers pinching the edge of his shirt. Very lightly.

"Ringo-kun—"

She raised her head. Her Byakugan looked at him. Looked at the person.

"Stay alive—in the tower—wait for me."

Ringo did not turn back. If he did, he would not be able to leave. Her eyes—were too clear. Trust.

He nodded. "Wait for me to come find you."

Her fingers loosened. She believed him.

Ringo left. Steam beneath his feet, light and soft. He leaped from tree to tree, chasing after Team 7. Chasing toward the waterfall.

His back burned. It was her eyes. No. It was, I knew you would come.

The system lit up.

[Detected: Collectible drops, White ×3, Purple ×1 (Dosu · Sound Wave Fragment), source: Sound Ninja trio]

Ringo did not stop. "People first. Cards later."

The sound of the waterfall came from afar. It was not, Ten minutes. It was, I'm back.