A Natural Conclusion

The battle ended faster than expected.

When the last Earth Grudge Fear clone was smashed to pieces by the Nine-Tails Fox's claw, turning into a pool of black, viscous substance that seeped into the ground, the only sounds left on the plaza, besides the lingering smoke and devastation, were heavy breathing and suppressed sobs.

Taiichi retracted his Chakra Light Blade and calmly swept his gaze across the battlefield.

Kakuzu and Hiruko's main bodies had already fled. Although the clones left behind were not weak, they lacked the flexibility and sustained combat ability of their main bodies, so it was expected that they would be defeated one by one.

Nine-Tails- Tailed Fox shook its paws, removing the black substance that clung to them. With a soft whimper, it hopped lightly back onto Taiichi's shoulder, licked its front paws, and adopted a lazy, "nothing special" attitude.

It wasn't even trying; the Water Style Clone was torn apart by its sheer power and speed.

The battle on the other side is even more interesting.

Itachi, Jiangtai, and Yami stood back to back, slightly out of breath, but their faces were flushed with excitement.

Although they were facing Fire Style Mask Clone, whose strength was roughly at the level of Special Jonin, it was still an extremely strong opponent for the three children.

The battle was far from easy. The Fire Style clones inherited some of Kakuzu's combat experience, and their Ninjutsu releases were tricky and had a wide range. The three of them were initially a bit flustered, but they quickly found their rhythm.

Jiangtai used Earth Style to alter the terrain, creating obstacles to disrupt the clones' movement and line of sight; Yami concentrated her Chakra and unleashed Wind Style for a focused attack; Itachi provided support from the center, using Shuriken and Kunai to force the clones to reposition, while simultaneously counterattacking with Fire Style. Although the Fire Release was less powerful, it effectively disrupted the clones' rhythm.

Finally, in a brilliant coordinated attack by the three, the Fire Style clone dissipated into black smoke.

"Well done." Taiichi walked up to the three children with an approving smile. "For your first real battle, to defeat such an opponent without taking any damage shows good teamwork. When you get back, carefully analyze the gains and losses from the battle."

"Yes, teacher!" the three answered in unison, their eyes sparkling.

Jiangtai and Yami, in particular, experienced an indescribable sense of accomplishment as they defeated a powerful enemy on their own for the first time.

In contrast, the Hotarubi side looked much more disheveled.

The Lightning Style Clone he faced were extremely fast, their attacks were fierce, and their Lightning Release Chakra was highly penetrating, which perfectly countered his Mysterious Peacock Method.

After several rounds, he not only failed to defeat his opponent, but was also forced to defend himself, with several charred wounds on his body, and his Chakra was greatly depleted, leaving him panting heavily.

If Itachi and his two companions hadn't arrived to provide support after finishing the battle and restrained him from the sidelines, he would probably have fought for much longer and might have been even more seriously injured.

At this moment, Hotarubi, leaning on her knees and panting heavily, looked at Taiichi and the three children who were only slightly sweating as they approached. Her face was burning hot, practically as red as a monkey's bottom.

How humiliating! A Jonin from Hoshigakure, struggling so much to deal with an enemy's clone, and in the end needing help from a few Konoha kids—this blow was far more unbearable for him than the physical pain.

Taiichi glanced at him, said nothing, and simply nodded slightly. Small ninja villages are resource-poor and have limited traditions; it's common for the Jonin to vary greatly.

Hotarubi's strength might be considered top-tier in Hoshigakure, but among the Five Great Nations, he'd probably only be at the level of Special Jonin. The fact that he fought to the very end without backing down shows that he fulfilled his duty.

"Teacher--" Itachi suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with uncertainty. He raised his hand and gently touched his eye socket.

Taiichi had noticed it long ago; during the most intense part of the battle, Itachi's eyes subtly changed.

At this moment, his black pupils had turned scarlet, and a Tomoe appeared in the center, slowly rotating.

"Ah! Itachi, your eyes!" Jiangtai was the first to exclaim, pointing at Itachi's eyes with a face full of surprise.

Yami also took a closer look and exclaimed sincerely, "This is truly eye-opening! Amazing!"

Itachi himself was somewhat stunned. There was no excruciating pain of losing a loved one, no shock of a comrade's tragic death, only a battle fought with all his might and fraught with danger. In the peak state of high concentration and intense Chakra circulation, those eyes that the Uchiha Clan had always dreamed of opened naturally.

"How does it feel?" Taiichi walked up to Itachi and carefully examined his eyes. His pupil power was pure and stable, without the superficiality or violence often seen after forcibly opening his eyes.

"Very clear. The world seems to have slowed down, and I can even see some outlines of the Chakra flow." Itachi described his feelings truthfully, his tone tinged with curiosity and a hint of confusion. "Sensei, I didn't experience any extreme emotions—"

"This is what I wanted to tell you." Taiichi turned to his three disciples, his voice calm yet firm, "The Sharingan is essentially a product of the combination of Yin Release and Uchiha bloodline."

Intense emotional stimulation, especially negative emotions, can indeed dramatically stimulate mental fluctuations, thereby catalyzing the awakening and evolution of the Sharingan.

But that's a form of overdraft, a distorted shortcut, often accompanied by psychological trauma and unstable pupillary light.

He pointed to Itachi's eyes. "And like Itachi, through long-term and unremitting physical training, mental meditation, and Chakra control training, one can hone one's body and mind to a certain level."

Finally, awakening the Sharingan naturally under sufficient pressure is a healthier, more stable, and more promising approach.

These eyes have a solid foundation, and their potential for future growth is even greater.

He looked at Jiangtai and Yami, who seemed to be deep in thought, and emphasized, "Remember, the simultaneous improvement of physical and mental strength is the foundation of all power. Don't be superstitious about those quick fixes and harmful, crooked methods."

Lay a solid foundation and proceed step by step; power will naturally follow. This applies not only to the Sharingan and Sage Mode, but also to all the abilities you will master in the future.

"Yes, teacher!" the three solemnly replied. Having witnessed Itachi's "natural awakening" firsthand, and combined with Taiichi's daily teachings, this concept was deeply imprinted in their hearts.

Just then, a soft groan was heard. Everyone turned to look and saw Natsuhiboshi Chunin to Earth Flow over, supported by two surviving Chunin.

She was seriously injured and pale, but her eyes were filled with relief and deep gratitude for surviving the ordeal.

Behind her, several other lightly wounded Star Ninja were busy treating the seriously wounded and collecting the bodies of their comrades. Each of them had a face full of grief, exhaustion, and a hint of bewilderment.

"Lord Taiichi— " Natsuhiboshi, supported by others, bowed deeply to Taiichi, her voice hoarse, "Thank you—for saving Hoshigakure. We will never forget this kindness."

Hotarubi quickly stood up straight, disregarding her disheveled appearance, and bowed in greeting, her face filled with shame and gratitude.

Taiichi waved his hand. "It's just a mission. Since Hoshigakure issued an S-rank request for assistance, Konoha accepted it and naturally has to complete it."

His gaze fell on the Third Hoshikage Yotaka, which was simply placed on the ground not far away.

The old man's face was ashen, his breath weak, and although the wound on his waist from the Kunai had been bandaged, blood was still slowly seeping out, staining the fabric beneath him.

Although Hokuto's blow did not hit his heart, the injury was extremely severe. Coupled with his advanced age and the blow he had suffered from the Akahoshi Rebellion, he was on the verge of death.

Natsuhiboshi followed Taiichi's gaze, her eyes immediately filled with anxiety and pleading. "Taiichi, please—save Hoshikage! We know your medical skills are divine, please—" As she spoke, she was about to kneel down again.

Hotarubi also said urgently, "Taiichi, as long as Hoshikage can be saved, Hoshigakure is willing to pay any price!"

Taiichi didn't agree immediately. Instead, he walked to Yotaka's side, squatted down, and gently placed his index and middle fingers on the old man's wrist. Chakra flowed into Yotaka's body like the most precise probe, quickly sensing his physical condition.

His right kidney was pierced and seemed useless; his spleen was ruptured; he had lost too much blood; his meridians were disordered; his Chakra was almost depleted; and most importantly, he was old and his self-recovery ability was not good to begin with.

The situation was indeed very bad. Given the medical capabilities of Hoshigakure, Yotaka wouldn't even last another half hour, let alone survive.

After a moment, Taiichi withdrew his hand and, under the tense gazes of Natsuhiboshi and Hotarubi, calmly said, "The injuries are severe, but there is still hope."

Upon hearing this, the two almost wept with joy.

"However," Taiichi changed the subject, "I need immediate treatment, and the follow-up care will be very troublesome. I need a quiet, clean room, some hot water, and clean cloths. Also, you need to prepare the medicine I prescribed as soon as possible."

"Yes! Yes! We'll get ready right away!" Hotarubi responded repeatedly, personally directing the survivors to take action.

Soon, a relatively intact quiet room was cleared out. Taiichi dismissed all irrelevant people, leaving only Natsuhiboshi and Hotarubi to wait at the door.

The treatment went very smoothly. With Taiichi's current level and the Yang Release Nature Transformation, a complete cure would not be difficult. However, it's always wise to have a backup plan when dealing with outsiders.

Nearly an hour later, when Taiichi walked out of the operating room with a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead (pretending), Hotarubi and Natsuhiboshi immediately surrounded him.

"He's out of immediate danger," Taiichi said, putting down his hand to wipe his sweat, to Natsuhiboshi and Hotarubi, who were waiting anxiously. "But he's old, and this injury has taken a toll on his health. His future depends on how he fares. Also, he can't have any major emotional fluctuations after he wakes up."

"Thank you, Lord Taiichi! Thank you!" Natsuhiboshi and Hotarubi bowed deeply again, their gratitude overflowing. They knew very well that without Taiichi, the Third Hoshikage would have surely died.

Taiichi nodded, walked to the desk, picked up a pen and paper, and quickly wrote down a prescription, which included several precious medicinal herbs. "Get the medicine according to the prescription, and give him three doses first. I will adjust the dosage after three days depending on the situation. During this time, he must rest absolutely."

"Yes!" Hotarubi took the prescription with both hands, as if it were a lifeline.

After treating Yotaka's injuries, Taiichi stepped out of the quiet room. Outside, the survivors of Hoshigakure had already begun to clear the battlefield, properly disposed of the bodies of the fallen, and provided basic medical care to the wounded.

However, it was clear that all the survivors looked lifeless and had no hope for the future.

Taiichi found his three disciples who were helping to take care of the wounded and Nine-Tails, and briefly explained that he would need to stay for a few days.

He then found a relatively intact rooftop, took out Communication Scroll, and wrote a detailed report on everything that had happened there, including the fact that the culprit in the Konoha Ninja disappearance case, Akahoshi, had been killed, the encounter with Akatsuki members, the internal strife in Hoshigakure, and the request for help. He then sent the report back to Konoha using Summoning Technique.

Next, it's time to wait for the village's response and handle the follow-up matters concerning Hoshigakure.

The wait wasn't long. The following evening, a Communication Hawk flew through the miasma of Death Canyon, bringing Minato's reply.

The reply should be concise and clear:

Mission confirmed successful; Taiichi Squad commended.

Akatsuki members have reappeared and are Rogue Ninja with Hoshigakure. The intelligence has been recorded and archived. Taiichi is instructed to remain vigilant and pursue them as appropriate.

Regarding the Hoshigakure's request for assistance and subsequent reliance on them, Taiichi is authorized as Konoha's plenipotentiary representative to negotiate with the Hoshigakure.

The principle is: to provide humanitarian aid to Hoshigakure as much as possible while ensuring Konoha's interests and not violating the spirit of the alliance treaty, and to establish a stable relationship. Specific terms will be determined by Taiichi based on the situation on the ground.

With this authorization, Taiichi felt more confident.

Two days later, with the help of medication and occasional check-ups by Taiichi, the Third Hoshikage Yotaka finally woke up. Although he was still weak and unable to get out of bed, he was conscious.

After learning from Natsuhiboshi and Hotarubi about the suppression of the rebellion, the execution of Akahoshi, the retreat of the Akatsuki, and the conditions Hotarubi had proposed to Konoha on behalf of Hoshigakure in a moment of desperation, the old man remained silent for a long time, his face showing grief, anger, regret, and also deep weariness and helplessness.

In the end, all the emotions turned into a long sigh.

"Hotarubi —you did the right thing." Yotaka's voice was hoarse and weak, but clear. "In that situation, it was the only way to save the village— Konoha's Taichi Matsushita saved me and the village. We must acknowledge this debt of gratitude."

He looked at Hotarubi and Natsuhiboshi standing by the bedside, his expression turning serious. "Miyakure is a great nation, the strongest ninja village in the Ninja World. Our Hoshigakure has suffered a devastating blow, and even this old man of mine has become a cripple—"

To survive, to avoid being swallowed up by the surrounding covetous forces, aligning ourselves with Konoha might be our best option, perhaps even our only option.

He paused, took a breath, and continued, "However, how to become affiliated, what the terms should be, what conditions we need to negotiate, and what we are willing to give up—all of these require careful consideration. Has that Taiichi made any indication?"

Hotarubi replied, "These past few days, besides treating you, Taiichi has been guiding his disciples in their cultivation, occasionally taking a stroll around the village. He hasn't brought up the terms of the agreement himself. However, he did say that everything would be discussed after Lord Hoshikage wakes up."

Yotaka nodded, a knowing glint in his cloudy eyes. "He's waiting, waiting for us to speak up, waiting for us to face reality—that's fine. Hotarubi, Natsuhiboshi, help me up. Please pass on my message: ask Taichi Matsushita to come over for a talk. Some things need to be made clear face to face."

A moment later, Taiichi, with a peaceful smile, entered Yotaka's room.

Yotaka struggled to sit up and bow, but Taiichi gently pressed her down. "Hoshikage is still recovering from serious injuries, there's no need for such formalities, just speak while lying down."

Yotaka did not insist. Leaning against the headboard, he looked at the Konoha Ninja in front of him who was too young but possessed terrifying strength and superb medical skills, and said First Gate, "Lord Taiichi, the kindness of saving our lives and the righteousness of quelling the rebellion will never be forgotten by the people of Hoshigakure."

As the Third Hoshikage, I acknowledge the promise made by Hotarubi. Hoshigakure —is willing to ally with Konoha, and will obey Konoha's commands with Konoha at its head.