That same night, long after the restaurant had begun closing, Akira left the hotel.
The town streets were quiet now. Lanterns hung along the main road while the occasional late traveler or guard walked through the darkness. Most merchants had already closed their shops, leaving the night air calm and still.
Akira walked through the gates without drawing attention.
Once outside the town, the stone road slowly turned into a dirt path leading north.
Toward Hoshigakure.
The moon hung high above the forest as he walked.
His mind, however, was far from peaceful.
Hoshigakure…
The more he thought about it, the more certain he became.
If that village truly existed in this world, then the meteor it guarded might exist as well.
The Star of Hoshigakure.
In the story he remembered, it was a mysterious meteorite that emitted powerful chakra radiation. The shinobi of the village used it to train their bodies through a dangerous method that enhanced chakra and physical ability.
The training was brutal.
Most people couldn't survive it.
But those who did gained extremely unusual chakra abilities.
Akira's footsteps slowed slightly.
If the filler elements of the world truly existed…
Then there were more opportunities than he had ever imagined.
His thoughts shifted to something darker.
Reincarnators.
He already knew he wasn't the first.
People like Ryo had appeared before him—individuals who carried knowledge from another world.
Which meant there could be more.
Good ones.
Neutral ones.
Or worse.
Evil ones.
Akira's expression hardened slightly as he continued walking through the forest road.
If even one reincarnator decided to abuse their knowledge and power…
The consequences for this world could be catastrophic.
So the solution was simple.
Become stronger.
Stronger than anyone else.
Strong enough that if another reincarnator appeared—especially a dangerous one—he could deal with them himself.
The Star of Hoshigakure was only the beginning.
Akira continued thinking.
There were other things too.
Things that originally appeared only in filler stories but might now exist somewhere in the world.
Three in particular came to his mind immediately.
The first was the Star of Hoshigakure.
The second was the Dragon Vein.
A massive underground chakra source located near Rōran—a power so unstable it could even distort time itself.
And the third…
The Box of Ultimate Bliss.
A legendary artifact once guarded by Kusagakure, said to grant wishes—but at a terrible cost.
But he knew the truth behind those claims was just a demon.
Akira exhaled quietly as he walked beneath the trees.
If those things truly existed in this world…
Then ignoring them would be foolish.
Another thought crossed his mind.
Why didn't the previous reincarnators go after these?
Someone like Ryo, for example.
He clearly possessed enormous strength.
Yet Akira had never heard of him pursuing any of these artifacts.
Maybe they didn't know.
Maybe they only focused on the canon storyline.
Or maybe…
They simply didn't believe filler elements were real.
Akira looked up at the night sky through the forest canopy.
Stars shone quietly above him.
There were far more secrets hidden in this world than anyone realized.
And Akira intended to find them.
------
The forest path stretched quietly under the moonlight as Akira continued moving north.
After some time, he finally stopped.
The wind rustled softly through the trees while the distant night insects hummed in the darkness.
Akira looked down at his hands.
If he was going to take the Star of Hoshigakure from Hoshigakure, he couldn't do it as himself.
Even if the village was small, stealing something that important would create attention.
Attention meant investigation.
Investigation meant traces.
And traces could lead back to him… worse, Orochimaru would find out.
Akira had no intention of telling Orochimaru about any of the filler abilities he will be going after.
Akira exhaled slowly.
"Kuso Hensei: Transformation. "
Chakra turned into black mist and moved through his body as the transformation began.
His bones shifted slightly. His muscles adjusted. Facial structure changed gradually while his height increased a little. His hair darkened to a deep black while his features aged several years.
When the transformation finished, the boy who had left the town earlier no longer existed.
Standing there now was a man in his early twenties. Dark hair and Sharp red eyes.
A lean but dangerous build. [Image in the comments]
Akira studied his reflection briefly in the surface of a small puddle beside the road.
Good.
Even someone who knew him would struggle to recognize him.
But appearance alone wasn't enough.
If he was going to move through the world like this, he needed more than a disguise.
He needed a persona.
Akira leaned against a tree for a moment, thinking.
If anyone asked questions…
If rumors spread…
If someone investigated…
There needed to be a story.
Something believable.
Something unpredictable.
After a moment, a faint smile appeared on his face.
A crazy mercenary.
That would work.
A man obsessed with money.
Someone reckless.
Unstable.
The kind of person who would take dangerous jobs without asking too many questions.
But even better—
He wouldn't be acting alone.
The persona would be loyal to a mysterious organization.
An unknown group operating somewhere in the shadows.
That way, if anyone ever traced his actions…
They wouldn't find Akira.
They would find a rumor.
A ghost.
A nameless organization pulling the strings.
Akira straightened slightly.
Now he needed a name for this persona.
Something simple.
Something that fit the situation.
After a moment he chuckled quietly to himself.
"Star? I guess, I am not great at names."
Akira adjusted his cloak slightly before continuing down the forest road.
From this point onward, the world would not see Akira.
Only the strange mercenary named Star.