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The news in Hoshigakure was that a talented genius had not been promoted. All official records of Chen Xing had been altered by the Third Hoshikage. On paper, he appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary, well-behaved child.
In the morning, soft daylight broke through the night, casting a golden sheen over the land.
Deep within the forests of the Land of Bears, the trees stood tall and lush. A gentle breeze rustled the emerald canopy. Most birds and beasts were still asleep, and the forest remained unusually quiet.
Amid this rare stillness, three faint purple streaks of light swept through the treetops. They were three masked figures soaring with radiant chakra wings. To any ninja familiar with Hoshigakure, one glance would spark recognition and surprise:
"Peacock Technique!"
These were the Third Hoshikage, Xia Xing (Summer Star), and Chen Xing. The trio had departed early that morning, heading into the vast depths of the Land of Bears' forests. Although Hoshigakure lay within the Land of Bears, this place was still far from the village's borders—remote enough that they had traveled by sustained flight using the Peacock Technique for hours.
The Third Hoshikage had decided that if Chen Xing remained in the village, his remarkable talent would inevitably draw the attention of powerful outsiders. That meant the risk of assassination or abduction was high. To protect him, the Hoshikage resolved to place Chen Xing somewhere no one would think to look—a hidden place where he could grow in safety. Only when he was ready would he return to the village. In the Hoshikage's eyes, Chen Xing might well be the village's greatest hope for the future.
The Hoshikage led the way, with Chen Xing and Xia Xing following in silence, their Peacock chakra wings fanning the air. Because their route crossed a poisonous marsh known locally as the Toxic Hell, all three wore gas masks. The violet chakra wings shimmered as they cut through the morning air.
Chen Xing, feeling slightly stifled by the mask, called forward to the Hoshikage, about five or six meters ahead:
"Grandfather, how much longer?"
"We've been flying for over two hours—almost there!" the Hoshikage replied warmly. He had high hopes for Chen Xing, whose strength of character matched his talent. In truth, he had already begun to view Chen Xing as a future Fourth Hoshikage.
What was most remarkable was that Chen Xing's mastery of the Peacock Technique was already on par with Xia Xing's and nearly matched the Hoshikage's own. Only his age and smaller chakra reserves limited him from maintaining it indefinitely.
"Lord Hoshikage, I never realized you knew this forest so well," Xia Xing remarked with mild surprise. "The Land of Bears' forests are vast—even most ninja couldn't cross this distance in less than half a day."
"I once had a mission here when I was a young shinobi," the Hoshikage said, his voice calm as they flew. "In this forest, I discovered a secluded mountain valley with a great waterfall, over ten meters high. It was so peaceful I thought—if I ever retire—I might live out my days there."
Not long after, the faint roar of falling water reached their ears.
"We're here," the Hoshikage said as the treeline gave way to a quiet green valley.
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BOOM—
A waterfall, ten meters wide and over ten meters tall, thundered into a deep pool surrounded by towering boulders. Birds flitted among the trees, their calls echoing faintly through the valley.
Chen Xing's eyes widened. This was an ideal training ground—especially with a natural water source perfect for elemental training.
"It's beautiful!" Xia Xing said with genuine delight.
The Hoshikage produced two scrolls and handed them to Chen Xing.
"Chen Xing, with your current ability, you can survive here without issue. This first scroll contains notes from the First Hoshikage on training with the Star's power. We can only teach you so much—you'll need to explore the rest on your own. The second scroll holds supplies and basic ninja tools. I'll visit from time to time with Xia Xing. If you need anything, tell us."
"Yes, Grandfather," Chen Xing said solemnly, taking the scrolls.
The Hoshikage nodded. "I can't stay away from the village for long. Xia Xing, remain here with him for now. Return after making sure he's settled."
"Understood. Leave it to me," Xia Xing replied.
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The Next Morning
By the waterfall, a simple wooden cabin stood—a project Chen Xing and Xia Xing had completed the day before. Chen Xing intended to spend his training period living here.
Despite the roar of the waterfall, which would make sleep difficult for most people, Chen Xing's disciplined body had long adapted to harsh conditions. He needed only three or four hours of rest, spending the remainder of the night in semi-meditative chakra control.
"My foundation's solid enough," Chen Xing thought as he unrolled one of the scrolls. "It's time to try Lightning Release."
Breaking the seal with a touch of chakra, he retrieved a training scroll containing a basic C-rank Lightning Release—False Lightning. It was not a powerful jutsu, merely one that could temporarily paralyze an opponent, but for a beginner in lightning-style, it was a perfect start.
Memorizing the hand seals, Chen Xing stepped to the water's edge, fingers weaving rapidly. Chakra surged through his body.
"Lightning Release: False Lightning!"
A faint tingling spread through his hands, followed by flickers of white electricity. The arcs danced across his palms and leapt into the water, rippling outward. Within seconds, two unlucky fish floated to the surface, stunned but not dead.
"Not bad for my first try," Chen Xing said with a small grin.
He repeated the exercise relentlessly until his chakra was depleted, by which time the pool's fish had all been scattered or stunned.
"Mastered in a morning. Better than expected," he muttered, before moving on to his next training goal—taijutsu conditioning.
In front of the cabin, sturdy wooden posts stood planted in the ground, each made from a rare, dense tree species Xia Xing had helped him find. Chen Xing began hammering his fists into one post, each strike exploding with force.
"One hundred and ten… one hundred and eleven… one hundred and twelve…"
His blows showed no sign of slowing. This was the same daily routine he had maintained since arriving here—a taijutsu regimen to push his body beyond its limits.
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