---
Finally, I began practicing—1,000 punches and 1,000 kicks each day.
At noon, I would rest, then repeat the morning's training again in the afternoon.
After dinner—rest time would shorten as my body adapted—I would do sit-ups: fifty per set, continuing until I fell asleep.
That would be my routine. The rest of the time was recovery.
(This is just my initial plan. If something's unreasonable, I'll adjust—it's no use being stubborn.)
Once I finalized the plan, I scratched it into the cave wall with a stone, marking the first day of training.
---
"According to the child's memories… the Third Hoshikage is still alive, and only recently banned training with the 'Star.'" Chen Xing thought. "That means the Fourth Hokage has been dead for over two years. I'm about six years old now… so there's about nine or ten years before the events of the main story begin."
"I need to push hard. Within two years, I must find a way to learn chakra refinement and at least some basic ninjutsu. Otherwise, I'll be nothing but a background extra in this world. If I stay weak, I won't even survive until the Fourth Great Ninja War—forget resisting the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
His fists clenched. In this cruel world, power was everything. Without it, any passing shinobi in a bad mood could kill you, and you wouldn't even have the strength to protest—let alone control your own destiny.
That night, after dinner, Chen Xing lay back on his sack, peering through a hole to watch the stars slowly appearing outside.
"As a lucky transmigrator, if I can't become one of the strongest in this world, I might as well die alongside all those who dreamed of crossing over but never had the chance."
"Start training now. If I put it off until tomorrow, laziness will take root."
---
He clasped his hands behind his head and began sit-ups.
"1, 2, 3…"
The first set left him only slightly warm and sweating lightly—that was the benefit of the original child's habit of constant labor. Without nutrition, his growth had stalled, but his endurance wasn't completely hopeless.
"51, 52, 53…"
By the second set, sweat was dripping down his face, and fatigue set in.
"101, 102, 103…"
By the third set, his breathing grew ragged.
"198, 199, 200!" He collapsed back onto the sack, chest heaving.
Outside, the night sky glittered—some stars bright, some dim, some dazzling.
"I've lived over twenty years in my original world. Here, I will shine as brightly as the star I represent. I'll light up the entire shinobi world!"
Gritting his teeth, he resumed sit-ups.
"201, 202, 203…"
---
A month passed.
Morning sunlight spilled over the land, casting a golden veil over this lonely, barren place.
Beside a shallow two-meter-wide river, a six-year-old boy in tattered pants stood, a sack tied to a branch hanging before him like a makeshift sandbag.
The boy's fists struck the sack over and over. Though weak by adult standards, his movements were sharp and precise. Each strike was deliberate, every punch followed through with full focus.
Behind him, a massive boulder cast its shadow, sheltering him from the direct sun. The boy was, of course, Chen Xing.
"1, 2, 3…"
Punch after punch, he adjusted his form, felt the force in his shoulders and hips, and learned how to deliver maximum impact.
"998, 999, 1000!"
He sagged to the ground, gulping in air. "Good… better than yesterday. After a short break, I'll start the kicks."
---
The sandbag swayed under his kicks, the makeshift frame creaking but holding.
"1, 2, 3…"
What Chen Xing didn't know was that, just beyond the boulder, a figure was watching him.
It was a shinobi in the purple flak vest of Hoshigakure, wearing the village's forehead protector. Two pale arms showed beneath short sleeves, and their build was slender. From the white skin and form, one might think it was a woman—but in the shinobi world, appearances could be deceiving.
The face was hidden by a breathing mask, making it impossible to tell gender at a glance.
"This child… what strong willpower. Whose son is he?" the masked figure murmured. "With proper guidance, he could become a formidable shinobi in ten years."
From the voice, it was clearly a woman, no older than twenty-five.
"I've watched him for two days—no complaints, no bitterness. His spirit is open, not narrow or spiteful. With a temperament like that, if he learns chakra control, I'd recommend him to the Hoshikage myself. It would be a waste otherwise."
If Chen Xing had heard that, he would have been shocked—especially at the next words:
"If my son, Sumaru, had such resolve, I could be at peace."
That alone would've told him who she was—Natsuhi, Sumaru's mother, the kunoichi who once defied the Third Hoshikage to protect her child.
---
Why was Natsuhi here? Wasn't she supposed to be stationed in the forests beyond Poison Valley?
In truth, the Third Hoshikage had assigned Natsuhi and her husband Hotarubi to guard the outskirts beyond Hell Valley. Their duty was to protect the village and eliminate hostile ninja who approached from that direction.
But a month ago, Hotarubi had overused the Mysterious Peacock Method, letting the Star's chakra corrupt his body. Unable to suppress its violent nature any longer, his health collapsed, and he died in agony.
Natsuhi had considered following him in death. But for Sumaru's sake, and out of loyalty to the Hoshikage, she endured her grief and carried on.
She often snuck back near the village to catch glimpses of her son from afar—never approaching directly, but drawing strength from even a distant view.
Passing by today, she had spotted Chen Xing training with unyielding focus. Her curiosity kept her watching for two days.
---
"998, 999, 1000!"
Kicks finished, Chen Xing dropped to the ground, panting too heavily to even wipe the sweat from his face.
"Hey, boy—who are you? Training this hard?" Natsuhi finally stepped out from behind the boulder, removing her mask to reveal her mature, beautiful face framed by Hoshigakure's forehead protector.
"Who—?" Chen Xing flinched at the sudden voice, then stared at the kunoichi. He was too exhausted to stand, but he recognized the forehead protector's emblem instantly—she was from the Hidden Star Village.
"Don't be afraid. I'm not your enemy. I'm a shinobi of Hoshigakure."
"Big sister, I recognize the emblem of Hoshigakure," Chen Xing replied politely, still catching his breath. "What can I do for you?"
.