Dust billowed through the moonlit air, perfectly obscuring the silhouettes moving within it.
"Who is it?!"
A furious roar cut through the night, dripping with rage.
Under Sasuke's sharp gaze, a middle-aged shinobi emerged, wearing a forehead protector marked with a star. The oppressive aura rolling off him instantly put the trio on alert.
This one wasn't weak.
Around them, more footsteps echoed. Star Village shinobi rapidly encircled the intruders. Though Hoshigakure had deluded itself into believing it could rival the Five Great Nations, its ninja did possess some capability.
But most were only on the level of chūnin—relying far too heavily on the mysterious power of the star.
Dozens… then hundreds of figures closed in.
Watching from afar, Natsuhi's face paled. She silently cursed the Umbrella organization's audacity.
Sending a few adolescents for such a mission?
Even if they were geniuses, how could they handle overwhelming numbers like this?
But she had vastly underestimated what true genius looked like.
Faced with an army of enemies, Sasuke smirked. Neji's lips curved in quiet confidence.
The Hoshikage's eyes narrowed as he looked down upon them. Yakumo lay hidden in ambush far away, while Sasuke and his group had boldly infiltrated the very heart of Hoshigakure.
And each one carried Naruto's Flying Thunder God markers—an instant lifeline to summon him if anything truly went wrong.
This wasn't recklessness.
It was absolute certainty.
The Hoshikage scrutinized them further. No forehead protectors—no affiliation shown. He had been secluded in training for nearly two years… so he failed to recognize these prodigies.
But even he sensed the danger they represented.
Could these three be elite disciples of a major village?
Sasuke and the others didn't bother with words. Their target was here—the mission had begun.
They exchanged a glance.
Then moved.
"Konoha Whirlwind!!"
In an instant, Lee's figure blurred into motion. The first wave of shinobi was sent flying like leaves in a storm.
"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!!!"
Lee tore through the encirclement—an unstoppable force of pure taijutsu. Screams echoed as he dropped shinobi one after another, unconscious before they hit the ground.
He didn't kill. He didn't need to.
He knew the human body's weak points better than anyone.
But the remaining Star shinobi quickly recovered.
"Peacock Method!!"
Their chakra surged outward—vivid purple and tangible like blazing flames. Sasuke and Neji frowned.
The intel had been correct.
These star-enhanced bodies held an unnaturally large chakra capacity… at a terrible cost.
Ordinary chakra was blue.
Purple meant something had gone very wrong.
"Sasuke! Let's go!"
Neji rushed forward, and Sasuke gave a curt nod. Lightning exploded into his hand—white and blue like the moon's reflection on water.
He could now form Chidori in a heartbeat.
And it suited him far better than Kakashi.
Chirp!
The birds' cry drowned out human voices. Sasuke shot forward, a streak of killing lightning cutting toward the Hoshikage.
Neji followed close behind, arms tucked behind him—reducing air drag, minimizing the enemy's perception.
This was Hyuga precision at its purest.
"Peacock Method: Beast!!"
The Hoshikage flashed through hand seals. Chakra surged upward like a pillar of fire, shaping into a massive beast that towered over the battlefield.
"It's Lord Hoshikage's most powerful technique!"
"Lord Hoshikage will prevail!!"
"Crush the intruders!!"
The surrounding Star shinobi shouted with blind faith. To them, this was the pinnacle of power—unmatched across the world.
Surely only the Kage of the Five Great Nations could rival such strength.
A colossal, bear-shaped chakra beast materialized before the crowd.
It clashed with Sasuke's Chidori, detonating in a violent surge of light and wind. Sasuke skidded back a few steps, expression calm—unshaken.
"So this is your power? Your chakra is distorted and unfocused."
His voice was cold, dismissive.
The Hoshikage's face darkened. "Arrogant brat!"
Sasuke's foundation had been honed with precision since childhood—refined further under Naruto's guidance. His chakra control was far beyond the norm.
The Hoshikage, for all his immense chakra reserves, barely managed the finesse of a standard jōnin.
A Kage-level pool of chakra…
Wasted behind a mediocre technique user.
Enraged, the Hoshikage weaved new hand signs.
"Peacock Method: Twin Wolf Assault!!"
Twin wolf-headed blasts shot toward Sasuke and Neji.
Neji stepped forward.
"Eight Trigrams: Rotation!!"
A perfect sphere of chakra burst around him, shredding the attack into harmless motes of light.
Sasuke counterattacked immediately.
"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!!"
A blazing dragon roared through the night sky. The Hoshikage grimaced as he surged more chakra, snuffing the inferno with sheer volume alone.
Behind them, Lee faced a tidal wave of enemies—and grinned.
"Eight Gates… Gate of Opening, Gate of Healing, Gate of Life—open!!"
His aura ignited. The ground cracked beneath him as he disappeared in a blur. Star shinobi were launched skyward before their jutsu even finished forming.
"Wh–what monster is this?!"
Terror spread like wildfire. Every time a hand seal began, Lee was already there—an unstoppable force.
Neji targeted the Hoshikage again.
"Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm!!"
A burst of compressed chakra slammed into the Hoshikage, hurling him from his vantage point. Buildings behind him exploded into rubble from the impact.
The tide had flipped in an instant.
Natsuhi, once panicked, now stared wide-eyed. She had never imagined such overwhelming strength from these youths.
Then her eyes shifted toward the star.
If she moved now… she could take it.
Meanwhile, the Hoshikage trembled with fury and humiliation.
"Aaaaaah!!"
Chakra surged skyward—spiked spears of violet energy shooting out like deadly lightning, targeting Sasuke and Neji from every angle.
The duo exchanged a glance.
Neji took the front. The Eight Trigrams field shimmered into existence, deflecting the barrage.
Sasuke's hands blurred through seals.
Crackling light burst forth—sharper, deadlier than Chidori.
Kakashi's famed technique.
Raikiri.
"Die in despair!"
Sasuke advanced, Sharingan spinning ominously. The Hoshikage's heart raced—an instinctive terror choking his breath. He summoned every fragment of chakra he could—
—and suddenly froze.
Just for an instant.
But that was all Sasuke needed.
Lightning pierced straight through his chest. The Hoshikage's eyes widened, disbelief frozen on his face.
Sasuke didn't spare him another glance.
Instead, he looked up at a distant hillside.
Yakumo Kurama lowered her hand and waved lightly—her illusion having halted the Hoshikage's final defense.
A simple gesture.
You're welcome.
...
TN:
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