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"Yes, thank you. I will work hard!" Chen Xing said respectfully. "Will you teach me the method for refining chakra?"
"Come with me," Caixing replied. "My current role is to guard the 'Star'—our village's sacred treasure—alongside two other companions. I can't leave my post, so you'll stay here for now. That way I can keep an eye on you and teach you directly. This is also the will of the Third Hoshikage."
After Summer Star's recommendation, Chen Xing's potential was officially acknowledged. In Hoshigakure, true masters were few, and the village's elite ANBU-like unit was small. The "Star" itself was always guarded by the most capable shinobi. If Chen Xing's talent was as extraordinary as it appeared, grooming him for the top ranks would be worth the effort.
Caixing himself had been selected years ago for Peacock Method training, but he'd only reached mid-level jōnin skill. In the whole village, perhaps only the Hoshikage and a few others could be called true elites. What kept Hoshigakure safe was not numbers, but its location—surrounded by a poisonous gas barrier that discouraged invaders. The Hoshikage's cautious diplomacy avoided provoking the Five Great Nations.
Chen Xing followed Caixing into a large, well-maintained wooden building. From a side corridor, he could see a sealed inner gate, beyond which lay the chamber where the "Star" meteorite was kept. The room Caixing led him to was simple: a tatami floor, a neatly folded futon, a short table with a teapot and two cups.
"You'll live here from now on," Caixing said with a smile. He liked this boy—polite, humble, not arrogant about his talent. Such a student would be easier to train.
"Do you already know how to read and write?" Caixing asked.
"Yes, I learned a bit from my older brother before…" Chen Xing nodded.
"Good. This is the basic chakra refinement method," Caixing said, handing him a scroll. "Don't try to practice it yet. Wait until I return so I can guide you. Refining chakra is dangerous if done improperly. I need to report your arrival to the Hoshikage first."
"I understand," Chen Xing said.
After Caixing left, Chen Xing eagerly unrolled the scroll—only to find diagrams of the human chakra network and the Eight Gates.
"…Acupuncture points? No wonder they don't teach this to children. A six-year-old wouldn't understand most of this," he muttered. "Practicing blindly could cripple someone."
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Months passed. Chen Xing met the Third Hoshikage twice—an elderly man with a warm demeanor who seemed pleased with the boy's progress. Under Caixing's guidance, Chen Xing learned the basics: the Three Basic Techniques (Henge no Jutsu, Kawarimi no Jutsu, Bunshin no Jutsu). Caixing insisted he perfect these before moving on.
Chen Xing knew transformation was the most versatile of the three; if he mastered it alongside swift hand seals, he could adapt to many situations. But he also knew this training alone wouldn't make him strong enough.
What he truly wanted was Peacock Method training. The technique, though banned by the Third Hoshikage due to its deadly side effects, allowed a shinobi to manifest wings of chakra for flight and combat—by directly channeling the meteorite's energy.
One day, Chen Xing noticed faint traces of purple chakra around Caixing—signs of recent Peacock Method use.
When Caixing descended before him, wings folding away, his expression was conflicted.
"Chen Xing, you know that outside the Peacock Method, our village's jutsu arsenal is… limited, right?"
"Yes. The Peacock Method is our strongest technique. But the Third Hoshikage banned it to protect our people."
Caixing studied him, then said quietly, "I don't agree with that ban. Yes, some die from the strain, but to protect the village, a few sacrifices are worth it. I can't watch talent like yours go to waste. If you can endure the pain, I'll teach you in secret."
Chen Xing's eyes lit up—though he hid his calculation behind an eager expression. "For Hoshigakure, I'll endure anything."
"Good. My two comrades share my view. We'll train in secret. This scroll contains my improved Peacock Method regimen—less strain than the old one. Study it, but don't tell anyone." Caixing handed him the scroll.
Chen Xing accepted it solemnly. "I won't tell a soul."
When Caixing left, soaring away on chakra wings, Chen Xing looked down at the scroll in his hands. He had no intention of using the original, harmful method. He'd already arranged for an external seal master to help him safely absorb the meteorite's chakra—purifying the harmful radiation.
He understood well that chakra volume often decided a battle. Clan children had advantages: special training methods, herbal baths to strengthen the body, secret techniques. Civilian ninja like him were at a disadvantage, lacking resources and inherited jutsu. Exceptions like Might Guy's training of Rock Lee were rare—and even then, Lee benefited from constant medicinal support to offset the strain on his body.
In Hoshigakure, herbal baths existed, but resources were limited. Even a favored civilian wouldn't receive elite-level treatment. That was why the meteorite's chakra was so important to him. With it, his already-wide chakra pathways could grow even further—narrowing the gap between himself and those born into great clans.
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