The boy who had just spoken — a black-haired genin with a sharp tongue — glared at Chen Xing, anger flashing in his eyes.
"What did you say, you—"
Before he could finish, there was a blur.
Everyone froze.
In the next instant, Chen Xing was already in front of the boy. His left hand shot out like lightning, seizing the genin by the throat and lifting him effortlessly off the ground.
"Wh–what speed…! I didn't even see him move!" gasped the leader of the group — a jōnin from Kusagakure named Yamamoto. His pupils shrank. This boy's reflexes and chakra control… monstrous.
"L–let go…! I can't… breathe!" the black-haired boy choked out, his face turning crimson as he struggled and kicked helplessly in the air.
But Chen Xing's grip was like iron. His expression remained calm — cold, even.
"Friend from Hoshigakure, please don't act rashly!" Yamamoto raised his hands slightly, sweat beading at his temple. He didn't dare make a move.
He could feel Chen Xing's killing intent clearly. Though the boy's chakra wasn't enormous, its density and purity were terrifying — refined to a degree only seen in true elites. Even as a jōnin, Yamamoto knew he wouldn't escape unscathed if they fought here.
"This isn't our side being impulsive," murmured Red Star, frowning. "That brat insulted Star Village first. He's lucky Lord Chen Xing didn't break his neck outright."
Everyone in Star Village knew Chen Xing's temper — polite on the surface, but never one to endure disrespect. Even the Third Star Shadow had said before that Chen Xing's patience had limits.
"Tch." With a single flick of his wrist, Chen Xing released the genin, tossing him aside like a rag doll.
The boy hit the ground hard, coughing and clutching at his throat, gasping for air.
"This was only a warning," Chen Xing said coolly. "Next time you speak without thinking, you won't get off so easily."
Without another glance, he turned and gestured to his teammates. "Let's go."
White, Iron Star, and Red Star followed, their expressions composed but grim. Within moments, the four disappeared into the forest canopy, leaving behind the stunned Kusagakure team — and one humiliated genin sprawled in the dirt.
For a long moment, only the sound of rustling leaves could be heard.
Then the genin, still trembling, hissed through clenched teeth, "Yamamoto-sensei, why didn't you stop them? They humiliated us!"
"Shut up."
Yamamoto's tone was ice-cold. His usually calm face was dark with anger — and something else: fear. His killing intent leaked faintly, silencing the others at once.
The genin flinched, paling. What… what's with him? He's never looked like this before.
Yamamoto slowly exhaled. His gaze drifted in the direction Chen Xing had gone.
"Do you even know who that was?" he asked quietly.
The boy frowned. "A nobody from Hoshigakure! That tiny village doesn't even have a single jōnin in the Bingo Book!"
"You fool." Yamamoto's eyes hardened. "I didn't hold back because I was afraid of losing face. I held back because if I'd made a move, none of us would still be breathing."
The Kusagakure team stiffened.
"Wh-what do you mean, sensei?" one of them asked hesitantly.
"That boy… his chakra, his precision — it's not something you see in a mere genin or even most chūnin. There's only one person from Hoshigakure who matches that description." Yamamoto's voice dropped. "They call him the Peacock King — Chen Xing."
The name sent a ripple through the group. Even the black-haired boy's face turned pale.
"Th-the Peacock King…?" he stammered. "You mean that Chen Xing? The one who defeated a Kumo jōnin in single combat last season?"
Yamamoto nodded grimly. "The same. He's a prodigy who's been shaking the ninja world. Word is, even the Third Hokage has taken an interest in him. The destruction of the Uchiha clan barely overshadowed his reputation."
Silence fell over the Kusagakure team. The boy who had mouthed off earlier looked sick, realizing just how close he'd come to dying.
"If I hadn't stepped in, you'd have been a corpse before you even hit the ground," Yamamoto said flatly. Then he turned away, hands in his pockets. "Let this be a lesson. In the shinobi world, talent like his exists — people who surpass the rest of us with nothing but time and willpower. Against monsters like that… even we jōnin are just ordinary men."
No one spoke.
The humiliated genin swallowed hard, eyes trembling with regret.
---
Meanwhile, farther ahead, Chen Xing and his team continued their journey. The border forests of the Land of Fire stretched endlessly before them.
Under the guidance of a Konoha patrol unit, they were finally approaching the gates of Konohagakure — the Hidden Leaf Village.
The incident with the Kusagakure shinobi had already been dismissed from Chen Xing's mind. They were just small fry — not worth the effort.
He knew that once the Chūnin Exams began, this would be the moment for Star Village to make its name known. His identity as the "Peacock King" would draw attention — but that was exactly what he wanted.
After all, no village could thrive without reputation.