The statement struck her like a blow. Her heart thudded in her chest as she realized who Shoi was referring to: Naruto.
Even though Shoi hadn't mentioned his name, the meaning was clear.
Her lips parted slightly, but no words came.
The comparisons she had been making—the echoes of Naruto she saw in Shoi—it was as if Shoi had sensed them all.
"You don't have to decide anything right now," Shoi added quickly.
Hinata swallowed hard, her emotions swirling into confusion once more.
As they continued walking, a heavy silence fell between them. But this time, it wasn't as suffocating as before.
Hours passed, and they were already far from the village. It was nightfall when Hinata noticed something unusual.
"Is that smoke?" she murmured.
Hinata's eyes narrowed as she scanned the horizon. "Shoi, do you see that? It looks like smoke."
"Yes, it is," Shoi replied. "But it's quite a distance away."
"Let's check it out. I have a bad feeling," she said.
They adjusted their path and headed toward the source of the smoke. The night air was crisp and cool, with the stars above flickering unsettlingly.
As they drew closer, the smoke thickened, and its acrid scent filled the air.
Soon, the silhouette of a burning structure became visible in the dim light. Hinata's heart sank. It was a small village, engulfed in flames.
The crackling of burning wood and the distant cries of panic filled the night.
Shoi moved swiftly, his face set in determination. "We need to help them."
One by one, they rescued people trapped in their homes. Almost everyone was saved, and Hinata was scanning the area with her Byakugan activated.
Hinata's Byakugan revealed the last few villagers trapped in smoke-filled houses. She guided them out with urgency.
However, as she was about to check one more building, her senses caught something alarming—a faint glimmer of a hidden trap.
Before she could react, the ground beneath her gave way, and she fell into a concealed pit.
Panic surged through her as she landed hard, the impact jarring her body. Smoke began to seep in from the edges of the pit, carrying a nauseating, toxic scent.
Shoi, who had been working to put out the flames and rescue the remaining villagers, noticed Hinata's sudden disappearance. His eyes widened with alarm. Quickly, he tracked her scent and followed it to the pit.
"Hinata!" he shouted, peering down into the darkness.
He saw her struggling to climb up, but there seemed to be no strength left in her body. Her movements became slower and more labored as the poison took hold.
Shoi was puzzled—how could such a strong ninja like Hinata fall into a trap, especially with her Byakugan? His concern turned to resolve.
He suspected the poison might not affect him due to his chakra, so without hesitation, he jumped into the pit.
As he landed beside Hinata, he found that his intuition was correct; the poison that entered his body through his lungs was neutralized immediately by his chakra.
Hinata, desperate and weak, looked up at Shoi who had jumped down without a second thought.
She wanted to stop him, concerned that someone as weak as Shoi wouldn't survive the poison—especially since it seemed to be a high-level toxin if it could immobilize her.
Shoi knelt beside her, his mind racing. He knew he had to act quickly. While he could survive the poison, the trap's creator might return soon, and he needed to save Hinata as quickly as possible.
He suddenly had an idea. Since his chakra could resist the poison, he decided to use it to help her.
"Hinata, don't blame me. I'm just saving you," he said, his voice resolute.
Without hesitation, he gently grasped the back of her head and pressed his lips to hers. Hinata's eyes widened in shock. Though she was conscious, she lacked the strength to push him away.
Shoi's lips moved against hers as he opened her mouth and pushed his tongue inside. Using his chakra control, he sent a steady flow of healing energy into her body.
His chakra surged into Hinata, enveloping her in a warm, protective glow. The sensation was intense—a tingling warmth spread through her veins as Shoi's chakra began to neutralize the poison.
Her breathing steadied, and the paralysis that had gripped her body started to lift, though she remained weak and disoriented.
Shoi's focus was entirely on channeling his chakra, and the intense concentration required for the healing process left little room for anything else.
As the minutes passed, his hands shifted subtly from her waist to her legs, driven by his unconscious effort to stabilize her and ensure the steady flow of chakra.
Hinata, still disoriented and weak from the poison, was only partially aware of the change in Shoi's touch.
Her mind was foggy, and her body was gradually regaining strength, though she struggled to make sense of the situation.
The warmth of Shoi's chakra was working wonders, and she could feel the poison retreating, but her awareness remained clouded. Her face felt flushed, as if an intense heat was building within her.
When she felt Shoi's kiss, her confusion turned to a swirl of emotions. Despite her weakened state, an unexpected urge drove her to respond.
She wrapped her arms around Shoi's neck.