Shion, feeling the closeness of a boy for the first time, initially blushed with embarrassment. But upon hearing Kimimaro's calm and serious tone, her gaze lit up with sudden realization, as if she had grasped something deep within herself.
A gleam sparked in her amethyst eyes. "Alright then, let's see just how far you can go!"
After Shion and her attendant Ashihito left, Karin leaned closer and asked quietly, "Kimimaro, can she really predict the future?"
"Prophecies are often misunderstood," Kimimaro replied. "They're as much psychological as they are spiritual. Shion's real problem is that she doesn't understand herself. Once she comes to terms with her purpose and how she wants to live, those so-called tragic prophecies will lose their power over her."
He wasn't overly concerned about her ability to foresee death. The true potential lying dormant within Shion was something even she hadn't awakened to yet.
By planting a seed of determination in her heart, Kimimaro had subtly linked himself to the coming conflict involving Mōryō. If all went well and he played a key role in suppressing the demon, then regardless of whether Shion developed romantic feelings for him, the Land of Demons would owe him a great debt.
Strategically, the Land of Demons held key value. Its central location between several smaller nations and proximity to the Land of Bears made it a perfect springboard for expansion. With the Land of Bears to the north and logistical backing from the Land of Vegetables and neighboring western nations, Kimimaro could gradually build a force capable of rivaling the Five Great Nations.
But first, he needed to bring the Star Ninja Village under control.
Several days later, Kimimaro and Karin arrived at the Land of Bears.
"You know, your eyes keep switching from red to white," Karin remarked with amusement. "It's kinda freaky, but cool."
They had taken their time entering the territory, traveling cautiously to avoid drawing attention. And on this day, the Red Eye Bloodline Gene Potion had finally been completed.
Name: Kimimaro
Bloodline Abilities:
Kekkei Genkai – Shikotsumyaku
Senju Bloodline
Kekkei Genkai – Wood Release (Incomplete)
Secret Technique – Hydrification
Uzumaki Bloodline
Kekkei Genkai – Ice Release
Kekkei Genkai – Crystal Release
Kekkei Genkai – Byakugan
Kekkei Genkai – Red Eye
The Red Eye functioned similarly to the Byakugan—it granted extended vision and chakra detection—but with a twist: it could interfere with the enemy's sensory perception using genjutsu-like illusions. This gave it a limited edge against standard Byakugan users, disrupting their focus.
However, Kimimaro knew that the Red Eye couldn't compare to the Byakugan overall. The Hyūga dōjutsu had the potential to evolve into the Tenseigan, and although he hadn't followed Boruto too closely, he was aware that Boruto's Jōgan—a unique ocular power—was likely a mutation of the Byakugan as well.
For Kimimaro, acquiring the Red Eye was just one more piece of the puzzle—a stepping stone toward future evolution. What he really sought was the elusive Ketsuryūgan, but he had yet to find any clues about it.
As they entered the Land of Bears, Kimimaro immediately noticed the deterioration.
His intelligence on the Star Ninja Village was sparse. He only knew that a rebellion had taken place recently, with Naruto Uzumaki aiding the village in overthrowing a corrupt leader. But the meteorite that once served as their power source—and caused illness among them—had vanished afterward.
Now, the Star Ninja Village was adrift, its core strength lost. The shinobi were like orphans cut off from nourishment, uncertain of their future.
Kimimaro and Karin soon located the village. It was small—barely the size of Konoha's inner district. In contrast, Konoha's full administrative territory extended for miles and was patrolled by shinobi across several zones. Here, the Star Ninja's influence was limited and contained, tightly bound to the former meteorite's vicinity.
The meteorite had been everything to them. Without it, and with the village surrounded by poisonous mist that deterred outsiders, they were a flickering candle in the wind.
As Kimimaro and Karin passed through the toxic barrier unharmed, thanks to Karin's medical-enhanced resistance and Kimimaro's modified physiology, they encountered a standoff between two groups.
The two concealed their chakra signatures and approached cautiously.
"Subaru," a man barked, "stop being stubborn. The Star Ninja Village is finished! The only rational choice now is to submit to the Daimyō of the Land of Bears!"
A younger man, clearly the leader of the opposing group, retorted with conviction, "Sirius, if you and your men want to defect, we won't stop you. But why did you attack Hokuto?!"
Kimimaro looked over and saw a brown-haired female ninja beside Subaru, badly injured—Hokuto. From the way Subaru gritted his teeth, it seemed they shared a deep bond, perhaps even love.
"I asked her to come with me. If she had refused, fine—but she dared to persuade others to stay behind. What use is a woman like that to our future?"
"Damn it! I won't let you get away with this, Sirius!" Subaru shouted, his voice hoarse with anger.
Sirius sneered. "Subaru, you're just a genin. What can you possibly do? If your mother were still alive, maybe we would've stayed. But she's dead. The Hoshikage is gone. And more importantly, our so-called 'sacred star'—the meteorite that gave us the Peacock Method—is gone. How long do you think we can keep using chakra techniques without it? We need another path."
Subaru fell silent.
He knew Sirius wasn't wrong. Without the meteorite, the Star Ninja Village's core technique—the Mysterious Peacock Method—was losing power. The jonin might retain their strength for now, having cultivated internal chakra cycles, but the genin and chunin, whose bodies still relied on the radiation of the star, were gradually weakening.
The meteorite from outer space, long kept as the Star Village's treasure, had once enhanced chakra through prolonged exposure. For those compatible, the energy could be internalized over years, developing the Peacock Method—a unique chakra manipulation technique that took form as wings or tendrils of chakra.
But the risks were real. Many who trained under the star developed chronic illnesses or died young due to its radiation. The village's strength had always been a double-edged sword.
Now that the meteorite had been sealed away—thanks to outside interference—the remaining high-level ninjas had scattered, and only a dwindling group of underpowered chunin and genin remained.
"I understand wanting to find a new path," Subaru finally said. "But joining the Daimyō of the Land of Bears? Are you blind to what's happening? Not long ago, rogue ninjas from the Land of Birds, after their coup failed, infiltrated the Bear Country's government. With our village weakened, they're tightening their grip on the region."
Sirius scoffed. "So what? At least they still have a system to train ninja. We thought the Peacock Method made us superior—but without the star, we're no better than wandering civilians. I'd rather align with someone who has resources than wait here and rot."
"If that's your choice, I won't stop you. But you hurt Hokuto. That's not something I'll overlook."
"You want to fight me, Subaru?" Sirius mocked. "You're still a genin. You never even passed the official chunin trials. And now that we've lost the meteorite's influence, your strength is fading faster than mine."
"Even so… I won't stand down!" Subaru shouted, and faint, shimmering chakra wings began to rise from his back—the faint remnants of the Peacock Method.
Kimimaro watched the quarrel, unmoved. "A bunch of weaklings," he thought. "But Subaru and those genin under him… they might have some potential."
Karin, leaning casually nearby, smirked. "They do look ripe for subjugation. If you swoop in as their savior, Kimimaro, they'll worship you. And once genin like that swear loyalty, they won't be so quick to betray."
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