Arrival at Hoshigakure

After Chen killed the bandit in the rear with a Great Fireball, the bandit leader angrily charged at him.

"Bastard, die!" The bandit leader swung his long blade at Chen, but Chen caught it between two fingers, twisted it until it snapped, then flicked the broken piece back at him.

"Damn it." The bandit leader cursed, twisting to dodge, but when he straightened up, Chen was already in front of him, fist driving toward his chest. The bandit leader hastily crossed his arms to block.

When Chen's fist struck the bandit leader's arms, a sickening crack of bone rang out, accompanied by the bandit leader's scream. Then the bandit leader flew backward, crashing into his underlings. He was already dead, his chest caved in where Chen's fist had hit.

"Ding! Host killed a Genin. Points rewarded: 10. Current points: 10." "System, why so few points? Did you eat them?" Chen found that killing a Genin only gave 10 points and questioned the system.

"Reply to Host: Due to Host's increased strength, killing Genin no longer yields points. Only a symbolic 10 points are awarded."

"I see, how stingy!" Since that was the case, Chen had no choice but to accept it.

"How is it possible... the boss... the boss was so strong, and he killed him..." "Let's all rush him and avenge the boss!" The remaining bandits, hot-headed, shouted and charged at Chen. But when they saw Chen's cruel grin fixed on them, they suddenly came to their senses. This guy wasn't the pushover they'd faced before. Even their powerful boss was killed in two moves. If they went up, they'd die just like him.

Thinking that, the bandits scattered like birds and beasts. Chen couldn't be bothered with them and went back to sit in the carriage. The big man named Zongtian immediately jumped down from the carriage and said excitedly to Chen, "So you're such a powerful ninja, young master. No wonder you were so calm earlier—you never saw those bandits as a threat."

"Mm, not bad."

The old man also came up to Chen. "Did not expect you were also a strong ninja, young master. Thank you for your help. If not for you, our cargo would surely have been lost, and we might have been killed by the bandits. It's all those two bastards' fault for tricking me and nearly getting us killed. From now on, I'll only hire ninja as guards, and never trust these ronin samurai again."

"No need to be polite, uncle. You should get everyone moving." Chen waved at the old man, signaling it was nothing.

"Right, right. I'll properly thank you at the next post station!" The old man thought this over, then returned to his own carriage and ordered his men to continue.

At that moment, the two samurai came before the old man: "Sir... um... actually, we were using a strategy earlier. We planned to strike when the bandits let their guard down. We..."

"You what? You two shameless bastards, get lost!" The old man, seeing the samurai shamelessly approaching him again, roared angrily, "Strategy? Do you take me for an idiot?"

"What about the payment we discussed..."

"What? You still have the nerve to ask for money? Get lost, both of you, get lost..."

Seeing the old man enraged, the two samurai had no choice but to leave bitterly. They didn't dare force him to pay, since that ninja was still with the caravan.

After that, the caravan continued on without further incident. As dusk approached, they finally reached a small town and stopped there for the night.

After resting for a night, the caravan set out again for the Land of Bears. After several days of travel, Chen's caravan finally arrived in the Land of Bears. Chen said goodbye to the caravan. Before he left, the old man gave him some travel money as payment for his guard duty. Penniless, Chen didn't refuse and accepted gladly.

After leaving the caravan, Chen found an inn and rested for a night. The next day, he asked around and learned the location of Hoshigakure. Then he set off alone toward the village.

"So this is Hoshigakure? I didn't expect it to be surrounded by poison gas." Chen stood on a cliff edge, looking down at the yellow mist spreading below.

"This is a natural barrier. Ordinary people would need gas masks to get through. I don't have one, but that's no problem for me." After saying this, Chen leaped into the air, then used Moon Step to run across the sky toward the village. Soon he cleared the poison gas zone. He made no effort to hide himself, so as soon as he crossed it, the Hoshigakure guards spotted him.

"Look up in the sky! What's that?" A Hoshigakure ninja who spotted Chen exclaimed.

"Heavens, that looks like a person. How can he fly without using the Mysterious Peacock Method? What's going on?"

"Don't say so much. Everyone on alert. Jiro, go report to Lord Red Star immediately."

"Ah... yes!" The Hoshigakure ninja named Jiro glanced at Chen in the sky, then ran toward the village.

"So those are Hoshigakure's ninja. Heh! Welcome your uninvited guest!" Chen sneered, then charged at the several Hoshigakure ninja. He landed forcefully in front of them, cracking the ground with the impact, creating an awe-inspiring scene.

"Who... who are you? How dare you trespass into Hoshigakure? What do you want?" The Hoshigakure ninja were shocked by Chen's display, but still demanded sternly.

"Relax, I just want to ask you for some information." Chen spread his hands, signaling them not to be so tense.

"Answer our question, outsider. Who are you? What do you want in Hoshigakure?" The ninja, seeing Chen hadn't answered, pressed again, surrounding him.

"Tch. Looks like we can't talk nicely. I'll have to use force to make you talk." Chen showed them a cruel grin.

"Let's take him down, no matter who he is. Then hand him over to Lord Red Star for judgment." The ninja gripped their Kunai and attacked Chen simultaneously. This kind of attack was exactly what Chen wanted.

"Lightning Style - Chidori Stream!" As the ninja entered his jutsu's range, Chen used Lightning Style - Chidori Stream, instantly paralyzing them and leaving them unable to move. These ninja were only Genin, even weaker than those from the Five Great Shinobi Villages. After taking Chen's Chidori Stream, they wouldn't recover anytime soon.

"Now, can you answer my question?" Chen walked up to one ninja, crouched down, and asked, "Tell me, where is your Star kept?"

"What... what? So your target is our village's Star!"

"That's not your concern. Just tell me where it is."

"Hmph! I won't tell you!" The ninja Chen questioned snorted disdainfully and refused.

"Oh, is that so? Then die." Without anger, Chen cruelly snapped the ninja's neck. Then he moved to another. "You talk."

"Pah! Don't even think about it. Lord Red Star won't let you get away!" That ninja was also stubborn.

"Oh, really? Too bad you won't see it." After saying that, Chen snapped his neck too.

"Those two were uncooperative. What about you?"