Good deeds bear good fruit.
This saying held especially true now for Natsuhoshi. A single kind act—recommending Ryan to the Third Star Shadow—led to Ryan absorbing the Star's chakra, which in turn allowed her to finally return to Hoshigakure and reunite with the son she thought she'd never see again.
Their meeting in the wilds had seemed purely coincidental, but it had been a stroke of fate—both Ryan's luck and Natsuhoshi's. Without that encounter, who knew how long she would've remained hidden, forever guarding the Star from the shadows, never able to hold her child again?
Morning arrived in a golden haze.
Sunlight poured down from the sky, brushing against soft clouds that drifted lazily overhead on a light breeze.
Four days had passed since Ryan had absorbed the chakra of the Star. Four full days—he'd been unconscious the entire time. Understandable, really. For any normal person to strengthen their body or expand their chakra network even slightly, it would take weeks of medicinal baths. Yet Ryan had done it all in a single leap, thanks to the Dimensional Seal.
The pain had been unimaginable. Even most jonin wouldn't have survived it. His mind had suffered greatly, which explained the coma.
But this ordeal was also a profound tempering of the spirit and body. Ryan had endured hellish agony—and in doing so, his willpower had grown ironclad, his mental strength forged in fire.
The Star Shinobi headquarters—the village's administrative center—stood separate from the residential part of the village. It was only a short walk away, just past a small forest two or three miles wide. This design kept the ninja affairs separate from civilian life, but close enough for accessibility.
This was likely why, in the original anime, village civilians were so rarely shown.
Inside a modest and tidy traditional wooden house, a young boy lay sleeping on a futon. His breathing was calm and steady, and the thin blanket on top of him gently rose and fell with each breath. A shaft of morning sunlight filtered through the wooden shutters, laying a golden veil across his face.
Beside the futon stood a low table, and atop it sat a slim vase with an unknown plant inside. A single bud of soft purple had begun to bloom, its faint fragrance subtly filling the room. A small stool next to the table held a neatly folded set of fresh clothes—clearly tailored for a child.
The sunlight must have gotten too bright, because the boy stirred.
His brows furrowed slightly, and then his eyes slowly opened.
Clear, crystal-like eyes blinked up at the wooden ceiling. Ryan looked around, clearly confused. He braced his slightly pale arms against the futon and sat up, his gaze filled with curiosity and just a hint of daze.
"Grrrr…"
His stomach grumbled loudly and unexpectedly. Ryan gave a wry smile.
"Ugh, my stomach's making such a fuss… I must've been asleep for more than a day."
This boy, of course, was Ryan—just awakened after four days of unconsciousness. If not for the doctors of Hoshigakure feeding him daily nutrient infusions, he probably wouldn't even be able to stand.
Realizing he was completely unclothed under the blanket, Ryan scanned the room and spotted the clean clothes on the stool. It didn't take a genius to know they were left there for him.
After changing into the fresh outfit, Ryan was about to head out when a soft knock and the sound of a door opening startled him.
"Sister Natsuhoshi?"
The person entering was none other than Natsuhoshi, now officially allowed to return to the village by order of the Third Star Shadow. She had been the one caring for Ryan over the past few days. As an experienced jonin, she'd already sensed his stirring from outside.
"You're awake, Ryan."
She smiled gently at him. In her left hand, she carried a paper bag—one that smelled amazing.
"Sister Natsuhoshi? Why are you here?" Ryan asked in surprise.
He distinctly remembered asking Akahoshi about her once before. Akahoshi had told him that, due to special circumstances, she was no longer considered part of the village.
Just as he finished speaking, the delicious smell wafted from the paper bag again—and his stomach let out another grumble. His face turned a little red.
Natsuhoshi giggled softly.
"Hungry? No surprise—you've been asleep for four whole days!"
She handed the bag to him with a warm smile.
"Thanks!"
Ryan didn't hesitate. He opened the bag and found several steaming hot meat buns inside.
Ordinarily, people who had fasted this long would be given porridge or broth first—but Ryan wasn't an ordinary civilian. As a shinobi, his digestive system was stronger, so Natsuhoshi had no concerns about giving him solid food.
Starving, Ryan immediately grabbed a bun and devoured it like a wild animal. Natsuhoshi, watching, sighed and shook her head. She reached out and gently patted his back.
"Slow down! Don't choke on it!"
"Sister Natsuhoshi," Ryan said between mouthfuls, "you still haven't said why you're here. I remember Akahoshi-sensei told me that you weren't… y'know…"
Natsuhoshi smiled, unfazed.
"I was given a mission—to guard the Star and prevent the resurgence of Star Training. But now that the Star has become nothing more than an ordinary rock, the Third Star Shadow let me return. And it's all thanks to you, really…"
No one blamed Ryan for undergoing the forbidden Star Training. After all, he was only six—a child too young to understand consequences. Everyone, including the Third Star Shadow, believed it was Akahoshi who had lured him into it.
They didn't know that Ryan himself had long desired to draw close to the Star.
"I see!" Ryan nodded in understanding.
He remembered seeing the Third Star Shadow when he was on the verge of unconsciousness, so this didn't surprise him much.
After breakfast, Natsuhoshi told Ryan that the Third Star Shadow had summoned him. She guided him to the village office.
The Star Shinobi headquarters wasn't large—just a collection of modest wood buildings. Nothing like the sprawling military compounds of the Five Great Nations. There were no training arenas, no Forests of Death, and only a handful of medical rooms.
The buildings were all made of wood. There was not a single concrete structure in sight.
Soon, Ryan arrived at the office.
The Third Star Shadow's office was just a slightly roomier wooden house, distinguished only by a larger desk and the oversized "Star" character above the entrance. Honestly, if Ryan hadn't known what to look for, he might've thought it was just another building.
He stepped inside and bowed politely to the elderly man within.
Though the title of "Star Shadow" was self-proclaimed—and not recognized by the major villages—this old man had always treated Ryan well, and Ryan respected him deeply.
"Grandpa Star Shadow, you wanted to see me?" Ryan asked softly.
Though he didn't expect serious punishment, he had technically broken the law. His heart thumped with a mix of anxiety and curiosity.
The old man crouched slightly and placed a warm hand on Ryan's head.
"Ryan… Do you feel any discomfort in your body?" he asked gently.
Ryan blinked, then quickly shook his head.
"I feel great, Grandpa! Full of strength! I got so much chakra from the Star!"
Normally, this would've been the perfect time for a lecture. After all, Ryan had violated the ban on Star Training. But with the Star now just a lifeless rock, scolding him didn't matter anymore.
The Third Star Shadow's tone turned more serious.
"That's good. Ryan, I want to ask you something. Promise me you'll answer honestly."
"Of course!" Ryan nodded.
"…Do you love this village?"
That question stunned Ryan.
What is this—Konoha or something?
He had read plenty of Naruto fanfics in his past life, and every single one of them had a scene like this. The Third Hokage would always ask, "Do you love Konoha?"
Ryan silently complained in his heart—but kept his expression serious.
At this moment, he really did like the village. Aside from the scumbag father who had belonged to the body's original owner, everyone had treated him kindly. And now that the Star was no longer a divisive issue, the village felt united and warm.
He nodded firmly.
The Third Star Shadow gave a pleased smile.
"And if one day you become a strong shinobi… would you be willing to protect this village?"
This wasn't asked out of suspicion or caution—it was to understand Ryan's heart. The boy's past had been rough, and the old man wanted to be sure of his intentions.
(Though Ryan couldn't help but think, That trauma belongs to the original host, not me! I'll avenge him maybe, but that's it!)
"Of course I will!" Ryan replied with conviction.
He had always planned to help Hoshigakure as he rose to power. It was, after all, the place where his new life had started.
The Third Star Shadow stood, nodding with satisfaction. Then he turned to Natsuhoshi and spoke firmly:
"Very well… Natsuhoshi, I'm entrusting Ryan to your care from now on. I don't feel comfortable leaving him with Akahoshi anymore."
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