Endurance: my ninja way

Chapter 28

Kakashi's
As soon as I heard the explosion I knew what had happened. I knew Hato gave in to his uncontrollable rage and the charkra inside of him was let free. But the thing that made me sick to the stomach was how Yuum-Hiruna would react to it. I knew that she must have felt it, I knew she was terrified. But what I couldn't fathom was will she give in to her grief  like Hato did. I was worried, not only for the surrounding she might let go in, but the fact that she might let go. That I can lose a friend one more time. I could not imagine the loss right now.

I couldn't go to the site of explosion because it can really burn you down. It was so hot in there. I was waiting for the dust to clear up a bit but also, I was waiting Hiruna to reach here. After she gets here, she'll need a clear mind with her to go into those flaming ashes.

Soon enough, I could see her coming, she was running like a clueless person, helplessness taking over her. I caught her in time before she had a chance to run into the blazing ground. I had to stabilize her a bit.

"Hiruna... hey, hold on Hiruna!" I said and she turned to face me. Her eyes changed from absolute grief and terror to recognition and helplessness. She asked me a million questions in that instant. Her brother was the only family she had left. I knew her pain, I knew how it was like to lose someone that your whole life revolves around, that single most important existence that keeps you motivated to move on even in the face of adversity. I was orphaned young, she must be feeling the same unbelievable loneliness. I couldn't answer any of her pleads, all I could do was take her to the site of doom. A tear escaped from her eye, and I knew she was ready, ready to face the truth.

I took her hand and led the way into the choking dust. Hiruna at this point had no idea of her surrounding. I'm sure all she must have been thinking about was how her brother was doing in this blinding smoke. My mask helped, I could breath a little,  also, me having the sharingan was a huge help. Normal eyes couldn't see a single thing in here. A little in to the grounds, I spotted a faint chakra signal. I turned to Hiruna, and told her that I'll be back, to stay where she was. And ran head on towards the possible source of life.

I arrived at the site and there was a humongous crater, a single human body, barely clinging to life, was lying there.

I jumped in, the place was worse than the rest of the ground and now I could not even breath, the ashes and the dust clouds were all I was taking in. I was barely keeping my sharingan active.

I reached in for the person, which was clearly Hato, picked him up and ran towards Hiruna to give her the good news. Her brother was not, infact dead.

I returned to the place I left her, but she wasn't there. I can imagine her state of terror and now she was completely lost! She would not survive for long in here. I had to take Hato back into the village before he dies, and searching for Hiruna can be fatal in his condition. If only i had mot waited for her out there and retrieved Hato before she came!

I begrudgingly headed towards the clear air where Guy and others were. I handed Hato to Guy, with instructions to take him to the infirmary, fast, and returned towards the ground.

I searched for her everywhere but there was no sign of her. I kept looking in different possible directions that I found Hato lying around as she migh have followed me, but I couldn't find her.

Then, far away from where i found Hato, I saw the marks of a body being dragged. My heart stopped! Was she taken? And in her state, she was vulnerable! I couldn't fathom the possibilities, without Hato, Hiruna was the next best thing as a source of Soyu chakra.

I followed the tracks, hoping against hope that she was alright. Finally, after a few miles, I saw a body lying. She was alive. I had never been this glad in my entire life.

I reached out to her, her lips were cracking, and she had tear strains around her eyes. She was breathing with difficulty. Her clothes were teared at places and her limbs were bleeding from dragging her body on the burning ground. It pains me to this day what she must have gone through in that desperate moment and not let her chakra run wild, because Hato was still there. Her eyes opened a bit, she saw me and her dry mouth formed my name without a sound. I burried my face in her hair, that had turned black from a mouse brown due to the amount of soot she dragged them through, and held her tight before heading out.

I took her to the hospital in a few minutes. The medical ninjas took her in immediately. I didn't have to explain anything, looks like Guy had explained the situation for me before.

By that time, Hato had already undergone the necessary regimen to stabilize his vitals. The medical unit that were looking after him called it a miracle that he's still alive. His skin was crisp black and his hair had burnt down.