The Star Ninja Village drew power from the meteorite—but the Land of Bears was small and weak.
It simply couldn't produce a demigod like Hanzō of the Salamander, the way the Land of Rain once had.
Prosperity born of fortune is often answered by ruin.
The meteorite carried intense radiation. Long-term cultivation around it didn't just hinder further growth—it locked one's potential in place. Many Star Ninja died young because of it.
As someone who had already pushed the Peacock Mystical Method close to mastery, Natsuhoshi had long realized the meteorite's dangers.
Yes, it granted power—but never without a price.
The strange chakra and radiation within it were steadily eroding the Star Ninja's bodies.
That meteorite contained chakra… and radiation.
Natsuhoshi suspected the radiation was produced by the abnormal chakra within it.
Sadly, in two hundred years, no one in the Star Ninja Village had ever managed to truly assimilate that chakra as their own.
Months ago, she had already warned the Third Star Shadow about the dangers of the meteorite.
But her words carried little weight.
Without the meteorite, how could the Star Ninja survive in the shinobi world?
Ironically, Akahoshi's rebellion came at the worst possible moment. The Third Star Shadow—who had just begun to waver because of Natsuhoshi's warnings—once again hardened his belief that the Star Ninja must rely on the meteorite.
By the time Uchiha Ran and Natsuhoshi arrived, the Star Ninja Village was already engulfed in flames.
They rushed to the Star Shadow's office—only to find that former comrades Yayoi and Shisō had joined the rebellion, fighting alongside shinobi dressed like Iwagakure forces against the Third Star Shadow and his teammate Hotaru Hoshi.
"I'll help you!"
Natsuhoshi was already forming hand signs, ready to activate Peacock Mystical Method.
"No!" the Third Star Shadow shouted while fighting.
"Natsuhoshi—and the Konoha jōnin! Go after Akahoshi and the Iwa-nin who stole the meteorite! Hotaru and I can hold this place!"
"They haven't gone far—go now! Above all else, the Star Stone must not fall into the hands of traitors and warmongers!"
Natsuhoshi wanted to scream that the Star Stone was dangerous and not worth protecting—but when she saw the old man's fierce, almost desperate gaze, she swallowed her words.
She turned and ran.
Ran followed immediately.
After all—he was being paid.
Timing, it seemed, was absurdly precise.
Neither Ran nor Natsuhoshi had sensory abilities. If they'd been even a few minutes later, Akahoshi would have escaped for good.
But when Akahoshi saw them, he stopped.
To Akahoshi, Natsuhoshi wasn't just an enemy—she had once been a comrade, a teammate, a fellow disciple of the Third Star Shadow.
From the moment she appeared, his eyes never left her.
He didn't spare Ran a single glance.
As for the Iwagakure shinobi—
Finding a lone Uchiha in the Star Ninja Village was fantastic news.
A living Uchiha.
If they captured him and brought him back, the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki would be ecstatic.
With that thought, the leading Iwa jōnin spoke coldly,
"You two special jōnin, be careful. He's an Uchiha brat. Watch out for his Sharingan."
"Yes, Akita-jōnin!"
"…Akita-jōnin?"
Ran tilted his head. "So you're closely related to Akita Tetsuya, huh?"
"…Tetsuya?"
The Iwa jōnin's face changed instantly.
"How do you know that name? Don't tell me—Tetsuya—!"
He glared at Ran, rage flashing in his eyes.
"What did you do to my brother?!"
"Hahahahahaha—!"
Ran burst out laughing.
"I see. So you really are brothers. Don't worry—soon enough, you'll be reunited."
Everyone knew this.
The Uchiha Mad-Laugh Quartet actually has five members.
Ran pushed his glasses up and laughed openly.
For a moment, everyone except Akahoshi—who was still staring at Natsuhoshi—turned their attention to Ran.
The Iwa-nin were disciplined enough not to meet his eyes directly.
They didn't understand why this Uchiha kid was laughing.
Was it really just because of the Akita brothers?
Ran's left hand adjusted his glasses.
His right hand hooked the tassel of his blade.
With a light lift of his middle finger, the sword slid slowly from its sheath—
Then snapped free, spinning once in the air before Ran caught the hilt in a reverse grip.
No Sharingan.
No ninjutsu.
No shuriken or kunai.
An Uchiha… using swordsmanship?
Natsuhoshi and the Iwa-nin all had the same thought.
"Unfortunately for you," Ran said calmly,
"your fates end here."
He could already feel it.
Everyone present—except Akahoshi—had fallen under Fleeting Life, Dreamlike Illusion.
No wonder Star Ninja Village shinobi barely survived a few episodes even in that watered-down original plot, Ran mused internally.
Ah—wait. These are Iwa-nin at this point. Even worse.
In a novel, these guys wouldn't even qualify as proper villains. Surviving one chapter would already be impressive.
While Ran was still indulging in idle thoughts, Akahoshi and Natsuhoshi had already clashed, Peacock Mystical Method colliding in brilliant arcs of chakra.
Meanwhile—
Ran stood with his blade pointed downward, gripping Fleeting Life, Dreamlike Illusion in reverse.
That posture alone placed immense psychological pressure on the Iwa-nin.
Damn it… this Uchiha kid is way too calm!
"Well?" Ran taunted lightly.
"Aren't you coming? Three big brothers and uncles from Iwagakure?"
The provocation hit hard.
For some reason, all three Iwa-nin flushed red with anger.
As Ran began to walk, the three unconsciously mirrored his steps.
They were already preparing to teach this insolent Uchiha brat a lesson with Earth Release.
Fine, then.
The instant Ran finished speaking—
Akita-jōnin saw Ran vanish.
A blade flashed from behind him.
"When—?! Why is he so fast?!"
Shock flooded Akita's face.
Space–time ninjutsu?!
No time to think.
He twisted aside, barely dodging the slash, and immediately formed seals.
Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!
In Akita's eyes, Ran was still just an inexperienced ninja.
The three of them, on the other hand, were battle-hardened comrades who trusted one another completely.
Sure enough—
As Akita activated Swamp of the Underworld, the other two Iwa special jōnin used Earth Spear and Earth Stone Uplift, sealing off Ran's movement paths.
Ran was forced to dodge—and stepped straight into the swamp.
Akita's heart finally settled.
Got him.
An Uchiha trapped in Swamp of the Underworld—
As long as they were careful of genjutsu—
He was nothing more than a turtle in a jar.
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