The desert nights were bitterly cold, so the group lit a fire in the cave to warm themselves on the food brought by the Hongshi.
Hongshi took out a small salt shaker, sprinkled some salt on the roasted wild boar leg, and then started gnawing on it without a care for appearances.
"Delicious, delicious! smack smack"
Temari leaned closer to Shino to avoid being hit by flying bones. " Shino, has Hongshi always eaten like this? Look, look, he even swallowed the bones!"
Shino took a bite of the delicious wild boar meat. "That's right, once when we were eating ramen, he accidentally ate the bowl too."
The aroma of meat filled the entire cave, and even the four Star Ninja, who were in a state of paralysis, couldn't help but drool.
Hōryūsai couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he patted each of the three children to absorb the toxins and relieve their paralysis.
Subaruboshi spoke first, "You! What exactly do you want to do to Hoshigakure!"
The Hokuto Star and the Sanrensei also sat timidly in place, not daring to speak.
Hongshi handed the half-eaten wild boar leg to Hokuto Star: "(•͈ᴗ•͈ૢૢ)❊ What a cute little girl, here, uncle's leg is for you to eat."
Temari grabbed the Three Star Fan and slammed it against the Hongshi, sending sparks flying. "You beast, get out of here! Aren't you all the same age?"
Shino couldn't stand it any longer and separated Hongshi and Hokuto Star from the others. "Hey, you three, you heard what those mercenary ninjas said, right? Their purpose in coming to Hoshigakure isn't that simple, so tell us what you know."
Subaruboshi, being the most mature, spoke up, "Why should we believe you? Besides, this old man just said he's after our Mysterious Peacock Method and Xing!"
Hōryūsai chuckled, "Yeah, yeah, what can you do to me? Hehehe."
Hongshi: "Your tone is so arrogant, I like it."
Hōryūsai continued, "Our Nuclear Ninja Village can study the power of stars and perfect the Mysterious Peacock Method. To be honest, your current cultivation methods are too rubbish. Even an idiot could learn them. You'd die from practicing them. What's the use of being strong?"
Subaruboshi was furious and wanted to use the Mysterious Peacock Method to attack. "You bastard!"
The Hokuto Star and the Sanrensei quickly grabbed Subaruboshi: " Subaruboshi! Don't be impulsive! We can't beat them."
Hōryūsai pointed at Hongshi: "Don't believe me? Hongshi, show him Chakra chakra by transforming it into a pair of wings."
Upon hearing this, Hongshi became interested. His Chakra surged forth, instantly condensing into a pair of almost tangible white wings behind him. "ଘ(ˊᵕˋ)ଓ⁾⁾Is that so?"
The Lord God: " Chakra Wing Transformation, terrifying indeed!"
Hōryūsai: "Look, even a fool can do shapeshifting, and Hongshi is just a medical-nin. Is that all? Does he need to rely on star cultivation? Your cultivation direction is all wrong."
Hongshi's wings retracted into his body. "(°ー°) Hōryūsai, have you ever been kicked by a nuclear warhead?"
Hōryūsai looked coldly at Hongshi: "Hmph! Father, spare my life."
Subaruboshi was shocked by this scene. The form transformation that he and his companions had risked their lives to achieve was being used so easily.
Hokuto Star: "Amazing."
Shino looked at Subaruboshi and said, " Hongshi just examined you both. Except for you, both of you have suffered varying degrees of damage from activated Chakra. If you continue training like this, you'll die."
Subaruboshi straightened up. "What does it matter if I die for the sake of the Star Ninja!"
Temari laughed, "How should I respond? Shino- kun is surprisingly gentle. I don't care what happens to the Star Ninja, nor do I want to, since it's your own business. But now, the Sunagakure is under threat, so I have to investigate."
Hōryūsai took out two black pills and handed them to Hokuto Star and Sanrensei: "This medicine can temporarily repair the damage to your bodies."
Shino: "Why does this pill look so familiar? What's it called?"
Hōryūsai laughed and said, "This is our Nuclear Ninja's secret medicine, called the Xiong Family Old Formula Pill. The Xiong Clan Old Formula is made from thirty-three kinds of wild medicinal herbs. It can quickly replenish Chakra, physical strength, and mental power, and restore the body from damage. Just take one pill and you will die on the spot... oh no, die on the spot."
Hongshi suppressed a laugh, "It seems your Xiong Clan's Old Fang is more powerful than my Super Military Rations Pill."
Temari: "Why does your Nuclear Ninja Village always research such strange and bizarre things?"
Looking at the dark pills, Hokuto Star and Sanrensei quickly shook their heads in refusal.
"Not eating? Fine, then don't eat."
"Let us go back immediately, or Hoshikage will send a ninja squad to hunt you down."
Shino suddenly looked towards the cave entrance. "Be careful, someone's coming."
Hongshi wiped his oily hands on Yotaka's clothes. "I'm just medical-nin. You guys handle the fighting. Oh, and this guy isn't a bad guy. I'm going to sleep now. Zzz..."
Hongshi fell asleep on the spot.
Hōryūsai stood up. "This person's Chakra fluctuations are passable. Let me handle this. You three brats watch over the true power of the Mysterious Peacock Method."
Subaruboshi and the other two exchanged bewildered glances. "Could it be Hoshikage who has arrived?"
As soon as the words were spoken, a figure dressed in Star Ninja attire and wearing a gas mask flew in from the darkness, using wings formed by the Mysterious Peacock Method, and gently landed not far from the cave entrance.
Hōryūsai stood up, not intending to draw his sword. He placed his cane on the ground and slowly walked out of the cave. "Who goes there?"
The newcomer wore a gas mask, and his voice was very muffled, making it impossible to tell if he was male or female, "I am Natsuhiboshi, the one you are looking for."
Upon hearing this, Subaruboshi exclaimed, " Natsuhiboshi? I didn't expect you to actually be here."
Hōryūsai's aura changed. "What brings you here?"
Natsuhiboshi pointed at the four Star Ninja: "I want them."
Temari said seriously, "That won't do. They've already heard our plan. No one can leave until we finish our investigation, including you."
Natsuhiboshi was silent for a moment, then said, "Then I'll have to resort to robbery."
Hōryūsai spread his arms, revealing his muscular upper body. "Alright, as long as you can defeat me, you can take them away."
" Mysterious Peacock Method: Beast!"
Purple Chakra erupted from behind Natsuhiboshi, spreading out like a peacock's tail feathers, and then transformed into the shape of a fierce tiger, pouncing towards Hōryūsai.
Fire Style: Unrivaled Flame Burst!
Flames erupted from Hōryūsai's body, especially his arms, greatly enhancing his physical abilities. Before the Mysterious Peacock Method could strike, he had already used the Body Flicker Technique to appear before Natsuhiboshi, simultaneously unleashing both fists. " Nuclear Ninja Style - Twin Bones!"
The Twin Bones is one of the basic Taijutsu belonging to the Konoha-Style secret Taijutsu. It involves simultaneously striking with both fists, injecting the Chakra from both fists into the enemy's body, and destroying the enemy from the inside out.
Natsuhiboshi Rixing was the strongest in Hoshigakure. Not only had he perfectly mastered the Mysterious Peacock Method, but he also had considerable skill in Taijutsu. Facing the fierce fists, he remained calm and waved his right hand, causing the purple Chakra behind him to transform into a shield in front of him, successfully blocking the attack.
"Boom!"
Hōryūsai struck the Mysterious Peacock Method with both fists, unleashing a massive burst of flames. However, the flames were blocked by the Chakra shield and exploded outwards, illuminating the surroundings. Natsuhiboshi used the momentum to retreat.
"Not bad. I acknowledge you. Of all the ninjas who have fought me using the Mysterious Peacock Method in the past, none can surpass you. Hōryūsai, am willing to acknowledge you as the strongest."
The Lord God: "Bah! Shameless."