Inquiry

Ang led Naruto and the others into Star Hidden Village. However, Chen had nearly destroyed the entire village a few days ago, so it was currently being rebuilt. Collapsed houses and ruins lay everywhere, making the place look utterly miserable. The villagers of Star Hidden Village, busy rebuilding their homes, saw Neji and the others Ang had brought with him. They all stopped what they were doing and cast distinctly unfriendly looks at Naruto's group.

"Is this Star Hidden Village? How did it end up like this?" Naruto asked in surprise as he looked at the ruins around them.

"Hmph! Isn't it because..." Ang glared at Naruto when he heard that, as if he wanted to say something, but he held himself back and continued leading the way.

"Hey, Neji! Why do I feel like the villagers here are looking at us pretty unfriendly? Is it because they don't like outsiders?" Tenten glanced around before moving to Neji's side and speaking in a low voice.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it for now. We'll talk once we meet the leader of their village." With his Byakugan, Neji could sense what was happening around them without even needing to turn his head.

"Ang, who are they?" At that moment, a shinobi from Star Hidden Village walked over and asked Ang.

"They're all Konoha shinobi, sent here by Konoha's Hokage. Star Shadow-sama wants to see them now," Ang answered.

"Konoha shinobi? The person who destroyed our village had a pair of terrifying eyes. Star Shadow-sama said they were Sharingan, and the Sharingan is a Kekkei Genkai possessed only by Konoha's Uchiha Clan. Could that person have been sent by Konoha?" The Star shinobi glared at Naruto and the others with hatred after saying that.

"What did you say? Sharingan? Are you saying the person with the Sharingan was the one who turned your village into this? Tell me who that person was!" Upon hearing the Star shinobi's words, Naruto hurried in front of Ang and demanded anxiously.

"Hmph!" Ang merely shot Naruto a sidelong glance without answering, then continued walking forward.

"Hey! Wait! Tell me already—"

"Calm down, Naruto!" Neji reached out and grabbed Naruto, stopping him from acting rashly.

"How can I calm down? The person they're talking about could be Sasuke! Let go of me! I need to ask him what happened!"

"That's enough, Naruto! I'm the captain right now, so you have to listen to me. Whatever this is, we'll discuss it after we meet Star Hidden Village's leader."

"But... I... I understand." Naruto had wanted to say more, but when he saw Neji's stern expression, he obediently complied.

Before long, Ang brought Neji and the others to a building in the center of the village. It was Star Hidden Village's Star Shadow Office Building.

"We're here. Star Shadow-sama is inside. Come in with me." Ang spoke to Naruto and the others, then pushed open the door and entered first.

"Let's go!" Neji called to Naruto, Rock Lee, and the others as they followed Ang into the office building.

Inside the Star Shadow Office Building, Natsuhi, the Fourth Star Shadow, was sitting in the chair behind her desk with her eyes closed in rest. When she heard the commotion, she opened them.

"Ang, you're back. You've worked hard! These must be the shinobi Konoha sent, right? Please, have them sit." Natsuhi smiled upon seeing Naruto, Neji, and the others behind Ang.

"Yes, Star Shadow-sama," Ang replied respectfully, then led Naruto, Neji, and the others to sit on the tatami mats beside the room.

A few days earlier, after Chen left Star Hidden Village, Natsuhi had told the village's shinobi about the secrets of the past, Hong Xing's ambitions, and the dangers of Star training. Those dangers had also been proven by the condition of Mizuna, a young Star shinobi who had undergone Star training. In the end, the shinobi of Star Hidden Village had jointly asked Natsuhi to become their Fourth Star Shadow. After learning the truth, Ang had also forgiven his mother. However, in front of outsiders, he did not call Natsuhi Mother, instead respectfully addressing her as Star Shadow-sama.

"Guests from Konoha, greetings! I am Natsuhi, the Fourth Star Shadow of Star Hidden Village." Once Neji and the others had taken their seats, Natsuhi introduced herself with a smile.

"Star Shadow? Aren't only the leaders of the Five Great Shinobi Villages allowed to be called Kage?" Naruto asked in surprise.

"That's not true! We haven't lost to you. Our village may still be small now, but one day we'll stand alongside the Five Great Shinobi Villages and become a true Star Shadow..." Ang immediately stood up and retorted to Naruto.

"Enough." Natsuhi waved her hand at Ang, signaling for him to sit down.

"Tch!" Since Natsuhi had spoken, Ang did not continue. He glared at Naruto, then ran out of the room, still feeling indignant.

"Hey, wait!" Naruto hurriedly got up and chased after him.

"I'm sorry, Naruto..."

"No, I should be the one apologizing. Ang was rude."

"Let's leave Naruto for now. Please continue, Star Shadow-sama."

"My apologies. As you said, the shinobi of Star Hidden Village are not qualified to call ourselves Kage, because we are simply too weak. The reason we were once able to secure a place in the Ninja World was entirely because of our village's Star... Forget it. Let's talk about your mission. Did your Hokage-sama tell you anything?"

"Hokage-sama only instructed us to investigate who stole Star Hidden Village's Star. He told us to learn the details ourselves after arriving here," Neji answered.

"I see!"

"Please tell us what happened, Star Shadow-sama!"

Natsuhi composed herself, then said to Neji and the others, "You saw the terrible state of our village when you entered, didn't you? Do you know what caused it?"

"What was it?"

"Our Star was not stolen. It was taken by force. The other party did not hide their tracks. After arriving at Star Hidden Village, they directly demanded that we hand over the Star. The outcome was obvious. Naturally, we could not simply hand it over, and when we refused, they attacked us outright. What we did not expect was that they were far too powerful. Star Hidden Village was no match for them at all. Left with no choice, to avoid even greater casualties, we had to give them the Star in hopes that they would spare us."

"Seeing the scene outside, the battle must have been brutal. How many people came? Do you know their identities?"

"Heh... Our enemy was only one person..." Natsuhi said with a bitter smile.

Natsuhi's answer stunned Neji and the others. "What? One person? You mean a single person challenged every shinobi in Star Hidden Village, and even..."

"That's right. One person not only confronted all of our shinobi head-on, but also slaughtered most of the shinobi of Hoshigakure, including our former Acting Hoshikage. They even destroyed over half our village. They were simply too powerful. With no other choice, I handed over the Star and hoped they would spare us. And they did keep their word. After taking the Star, they did not attack us again and left Star Hidden Village directly."

"Then... do you know who they were?" After hearing Natsuhi's account, Neji hurriedly asked.

"No. Although they did not conceal their face, they wore no Headband or symbol that could identify them. But... during the battle, we saw their eyes..."

"Were they... Sharingan?"

"That's right. The eyes they revealed while fighting us were the Kekkei Genkai possessed only by your Konoha's Uchiha Family—the Sharingan!"

"Were they really Sharingan? Could you have seen wrong?" Tenten asked in shock.

"Impossible. I did not merely see them myself—every shinobi in our village saw them. Blood-red pupils, with three black tomoe. There is no way we could be mistaken."

"Those were definitely Sharingan. Then the murderer must have been an Uchiha. But who could it have been?" After hearing Natsuhi's description, Neji and the others had no choice but to believe her.

"Who could it be? Could it really have been Sasuke? But Sasuke shouldn't be that strong. What exactly is going on?"