Raiding Their Home Base

"Oh?" Taiichi's smile deepened, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

He scrutinized Hotarubi from head to toe, his gaze seemingly possessing a tangible penetrating power, trying to see right through him. "A similar secret technique? That's interesting."

Itachi exchanged a glance with Jiangtai and Yami, and suddenly understood.

No wonder this Star Ninja so nervous; it turns out the scene might involve their village's unique Ninjutsu.

Taiichi took a step forward, his tone still calm but carrying an undeniable air of authority. "Hotarubi Xing, since we have this connection, would you be willing to take us to your village to see for ourselves? Perhaps there we can find more clues, clarify the truth as soon as possible, and clear your village's name."

He deliberately emphasized the word "innocent," revealing the domineering nature of the Great Ninja Village.

Upon hearing this, Hotarubi felt a deep sense of unease.

This is a classic case of shooting oneself in the foot!

If he had known that Konoha was sending such a terrifying figure with such terrifying investigative abilities, he would have been better off pretending to know nothing and letting Konoha investigate on its own, while Hoshigakure would have come out completely clueless.

The words have already been spoken; there's no going back.

Reject?

He had no doubt that if he dared to say "no," the seemingly gentle "White Reaper" in front of him might take more forceful actions on the grounds of "obstructing the investigation" or "suspected cover-up."

By then, the situation of Hoshigakure will only get worse.

He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly. "Fine... alright."

However— Taiichi, please believe me, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with my Hoshigakure!

Although the village's secret techniques have similar effects, their practitioners are strictly controlled and would never dare to go out and attack Konoha ninjas! Please—please investigate this thoroughly!

At this moment, all thoughts of saving face and maintaining composure were disregarded. Hotarubi's only thought was to calm Taiichi, avoid conflict, and minimize any potential negative impact on the village.

"That's natural. We in Konoha act with evidence." Taiichi nodded, giving him a preliminary assurance. "Then please lead the way."

The group followed the Hotarubi towards the depths of the Land of Bears, towards the natural barrier known as "Death Canyon".

Along the way, in order to ease the almost stagnant atmosphere and to salvage some impression, Hotarubi took the initiative to introduce the local customs and culture of Hoshigakure and the Land of Bears.

He particularly emphasized the Death Canyon that encircles the country, his tone unconsciously tinged with pride.

"----This canyon is perpetually shrouded in highly poisonous miasma, extremely corrosive, making it difficult even for Asuka to fly through. It is precisely because of this formidable barrier that our Land of Bears has been able to maintain its independence between the Wind and Earth Kingdoms, remaining untouched by the direct ravages of war. Any large-scale army attempting to cross it will inevitably pay a heavy price."

Hotarubi pointed ahead at the increasingly thick, ominous yellowish-green mist.

The three children, on their first mission away from the village, were captivated by the strange and treacherous landscape, their eyes brimming with curiosity. Jiangtai, in particular, craned his neck, trying to see what lay deep within the miasma.

However, Taiichi and the Nine-Tails on his shoulder clearly weren't focused on explaining the Hotarubi from the moment they approached this area.

Taiichi's gaze swept across the canyon, landing on the misty distance, his brows furrowing slightly.

The Nine-Tails also abandoned its lazy demeanor, its ears perked up, its nose twitched slightly, and its crimson fur seemed to fluff up a little, as if it was about to stand on end.

Taiichi's unusual behavior finally caught the attention of the incessantly chattering Hotarubi.

He stopped talking and looked in the direction Taiichi was staring at, but could see nothing but a vast expanse of yellow fog.

"Lord Taiichi, is there a problem?" A sense of foreboding rose in Hotarubi's heart.

Taiichi didn't answer immediately, remaining in his gazing posture, pointing towards a certain direction deep within the mist, his tone carrying a hint of confirmation as he asked, "Hotarubi, if I'm not mistaken, the Hoshigakure is roughly in that direction, right?"

Hotarubi nodded without hesitation. "That's right, that's the direction. Taiichi knows the location of our Hoshigakure so well?"

He was somewhat surprised, but more than that, he felt uneasy about being noticed by someone powerful.

Taiichi's expression gradually shifted from inquiry to a complex look that mixed pity and seriousness.

He continued gazing in that direction and slowly said, "Then you'd better hurry back. Your village seems to be under attack, and the fighting is quite fierce."

"Wh-what?!" Hotarubi was struck as if by lightning, her whole body jolted, and she almost jumped up.

His eyes widened, the color draining from his face in an instant, replaced by disbelief and terror. "Taiichi, you—you're not joking, are you? How is this possible! The miasma of Death Canyon— "

"Miasma is not a panacea," Taiichi interrupted him, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable certainty.

He extended his fingers into a palm, the palm slightly facing the direction of Hoshigakure, as if receiving signals in the void that ordinary people could not perceive.

"Very intense Chakra fluctuations, of varying natures, with at least four to five powerful Chakra colliding violently. The distance—approximately twenty kilometers."

Twenty kilometers! That's exactly the straight-line distance from here to Hoshigakure!

The last shred of hope that Hotarubi had was completely shattered.

"Lord Taiichi, I'm sorry, I have to go back now and can't stay with you any longer."

After saying that, he didn't wait for Taiichi's reply and began to Hand Seals.

The Mysterious Peacock Method

Pale purple Chakra surged from Hotarubi's body, condensing into two pairs of Chakra wings behind him.

He then leaped into the air without looking back, attempting to fly across Death Canyon.

"Uh, isn't it said that Asuka can't cross the river?" Jiangtai muttered softly.

"It's not that it's impossible to cross, didn't he fly over on his own?" Yami replied unhappily.

"Teacher, shall we?" Itachi looked at Taiichi, his eyes filled with eager anticipation.

"Haha, of course we should go check it out! Our mission objective might be inside."

Taiichi laughed heartily, looking at the Hotarubi that was still climbing higher, unsure whether he was laughing at its ignorance or simply happy.

Hotarubi can fly, and so can Taiichi, who can fly even faster.

Chakra materialized on his back, and a pair of wings materialized out of thin air, more real than the empty wings of Hotarubi.

Three Adamantine Sealing Chains extended from behind and wrapped around the three children's waists several times.

"Hold on, we're about to take off."

Taiichi gave a word of advice, and the air around him began to swirl and surge. A powerful Wind Style lifted the group higher and higher.

Hotarubi flapped its wings rapidly in the air, its speed constantly increasing. It wasn't that it didn't want to bring Taiichi and the others over, but Death Canyon was over a thousand meters wide, and it was already difficult enough for it to fly over alone. Bringing another person would be too much of a burden for it.

He had only flown halfway when he sensed something was wrong; it seemed like someone was approaching from behind.

Hotarubi turned around in surprise, and what he saw almost caused his Chakra disordered, and the wings that had been gathering on his back nearly dissipated.

In the blink of an eye, Taiichi, along with the three others and the fox, had overtaken him and surpassed him.

"Hotarubi, you're too slow. Do you need me to give you a ride?"

This kind of subtle showing off is the most hurtful. Taiichi's question made Hotarubi feel like he had swallowed a fly, but thinking that the village was still under attack, he had no choice but to nod and ask for help.

"Thank you so much, Taiichi Hotarubi! I am extremely grateful!"

The wind whistled in my ears.

Hotarubi was tied to Taiichi's waist with an Adamantine Sealing Chains, and dragged behind him like a kite.

Fortunately, he had already formed wings, so he could at least control his flight, unlike the three little guys below who could only curl up in a ball.

He strained his eyes, trying to penetrate the increasingly thick yellow-green miasma below to see the village's condition.

As he drew closer, he gradually noticed something amiss while flying high in the sky. In the distant horizon, towards the village, a plume of black smoke was drifting in the sky—smoke from burning houses.

"Lord Taiichi —faster—please—" Hotarubi's voice was torn apart by the wind.

Taiichi did not answer, but his Chakra wings on his back suddenly vibrated, the airflow around him extended outward, and his speed increased again.

Nine-Tails perched on Taiichi's shoulder, its vertical pupils narrowed into slits by the strong wind, and its tail swished impatiently.

"A strong smell of blood—and the smell of death." It whispered in a voice only Taiichi could hear, "Many people have died. The one who did it— his Chakra is quite sinister."

Taiichi nodded slightly, his gaze sharp as lightning, piercing through layers of mist to lock onto the distant forest clearing—the location of the Hoshigakure.

In front of the forbidden tower in Hoshigakure.

This place was originally the most sacred and solemn square in the village, used for important ceremonies and the practice of the Mysterious Peacock Method. Now, however, it has been transformed into a battlefield.

The flagstone ground was riddled with craters from various Ninjutsu attacks, leaving behind charred marks, deep furrows, raised stone pillars, and burning ruins.

Even more shocking were the bloodstains.

Dark red, bright red, and even eerily purple blood splattered on the stone slabs, walls, and broken Ninja Tool.

Severed limbs and fragments of internal organs were scattered all over the battlefield. Some corpses, not yet fully cooled, lay in various contorted positions, their empty eyes staring at the sky filled with black smoke.

Of the village that once had more than eighty people, only about thirty are still alive.

They gathered before the heavy gates of the forbidden tower, their backs against the last line of defense. Each of them bore wounds, their eyes filled with fear, anger, and a despair on the verge of collapse.

Blocking their way was Jonin Natsuhiboshi.

This usually gentle and strong female ninja was now half-covered in blood. Her right arm hung limply, clearly broken, and there was a deep cut on her left cheek that exposed the bone. Blood flowed down her neck, soaking her collar.

Yet she remained standing, her Chakra struggling to maintain a pale purple aura around her.

Behind her stood the equally scarred Third Hoshikage Yotaka.

The old man was in even worse condition. He slumped to the ground, leaning against a pillar of the tower, a clear palm print dented on his chest, his clothes charred and torn. His breathing was weak and rapid, his face ashen, and each cough brought up a mouthful of blood.

There were only three people standing opposite them.

But they are like three insurmountable Takayama.

Akahoshi stood at the very front. His face held a mixture of fanaticism, resentment, and cruel pleasure. Pale purple Chakra surged around him, more concentrated and solid than any of the Star Ninja present.

On his left and right sides, Kakuzu and Hiruko like two silent gatekeepers.

Their cold gaze swept over the remaining survivors as if they were livestock awaiting slaughter, devoid of any pity.

"Yotaka," Akahoshi spoke, his voice slightly hoarse with excitement, "I warned you long ago. Hand over the 'star' to me, let me lead Hoshigakure to true strength. But what did you do? Stubborn, short-sighted, guarding the star like a treasure, refusing to use it on the most talented person!"

He spread his arms, Chakra behind him condensed into a giant bear that roared in unison. The silent shockwave caused some of the injured to vomit blood again.

"Look at this now!" Akahoshi's voice suddenly rose, filled with resentment, "These deaths, these bloodshed, this despair—it's all your fault! You betrayed my talent! You forced me to this point! You killed them!"

"Damn it—" The Third Hoshikage Yotaka to raise his head, his cloudy eyes fixed on Akahoshi, each word laced with blood, "Akahoshi —you've been practicing the Mysterious Peacock Method —your mind has long been twisted by the stars—cough cough—I stopped you because I didn't want you—to become a monster who only knows power—and I didn't want the village—to be destroyed in your hands—"

"Monster?" Akahoshi laughed maniacally. "Power is everything! With power, who would dare call us a small ninja village? With power, those big shots from the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth would finally look at us with respect! Instead of cowering in this gas canister, barely clinging to life like this!"

He abruptly stopped laughing, his gaze sweeping across the trembling ninjas behind Natsuhiboshi like a venomous snake.

"And you?" his voice was seductive. "Do you still want to be buried with this senile old man and this dying woman? Surrender. Kneel down, admit that I am the true leader of Hoshigakure, and offer me the stars. I might spare your lives. I might even—let you share in the power of the stars!"

Silence.

A suffocating silence.

Only the suppressed groans of the wounded and the crackling of the still-burning flames in the distance could be heard.

Natsuhiboshi clenched her teeth, making a grinding sound. She knew how tempting Akahoshi's words were to her companions who were already on the verge of collapse.

Sure enough, a commotion began to break out in the crowd.

Another Jonin, Hokuto, was also pale, but overall he was in much better condition than Natsuhiboshi and Yotaka.

His eyes flickered intensely. He looked at the critically injured and dying Third Hoshikage, then at the three men radiating murderous Akahoshi, and finally at his trembling hands.

"I—I don't want to die—" Hokuto murmured, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear in the deathly silent square.

Natsuhiboshi whirled around and shouted angrily, "Hokuto! You—"

Her words came to an abrupt end.

Because Hokuto moved.

Instead of charging towards the enemy, he lunged at the Third Hoshikage, who was slumped on the ground!

"I'm sorry, Hoshikage!" Hokuto's face was twisted with a desperate will to survive, his Kunai aimed straight at Yotaka's heart. "I still want to live!"

"Stop!" Natsuhiboshi's eyes were bloodshot as she tried to stop them, but her serious injuries and the distance made it impossible for her to act in time.