Chapter 271: Sage Art
Konoha Main Street.
Shizuka of Nadeshiko and her guard had finished their registration at the village gate, recording their chakra signatures. In Konoha, this was standard procedure for all visiting shinobi; it ensured that if they attempted anything detrimental to the village, they would be tracked and neutralized immediately.
"Village Head, why did those gate guards have such strange expressions?" the guard asked, recalling the registration process.
When the two guards asked why they had come to Konoha, they had answered truthfully. The moment the names were mentioned, the guards' faces became quite peculiar.
"It must be because Kakashi and Might Guy are recognized as exceptionally powerful ninjas within the village," Shizuka replied.
"I see. Let's go then. I heard they both happen to be in the village right now."
"Mhm."
Achoo!
On the main street, Might Guy, who was currently walking on his hands, suddenly sneezed. A string of snot instantly landed on his stylish bowl-cut hair.
"Curse it! Is Kakashi thinking about me again? Or perhaps it's Tonbo?"
Guy quickly wiped away the snot, falling into deep thought. He had a nagging feeling that something troublesome was about to happen.
Hokage's Office.
Achoo!
Kakashi suddenly sneezed so hard his mask fluttered.
"Kakashi, don't tell me you caught a cold while on mission in the Land of Frost," Tsunade said, looking at his mask with a hint of disgust.
"I'm fine. I just ran into a troublesome fellow there. It might have been his ninjutsu that caused this," Kakashi replied. Before Tsunade could react, he produced a tissue from nowhere and cleaned himself up.
"Well, you did a good job on the mission. This cooperation with the Land of Frost will bring more benefits to Konoha in the future." Tsunade nodded in approval.
"By the way, Lady Tsunade, any news on Naruto? How is his training with Lord Jiraiya going?" Kakashi asked.
It had been nearly two and a half years. He wondered how much Naruto had grown. Sakura had already reached the rank of Special Jonin; he hoped Naruto wouldn't be too shocked when he returned.
At the mention of Naruto, Tsunade smiled. "He's grown a lot. But to be honest, that idiot Jiraiya doesn't have a single hair's worth of my teaching ability."
She spoke with pure pride, completely forgetting that it was Tonbo Tobitake who had built the foundation for Sakura and Ino. Now, both girls had been promoted to Special Jonin due to their outstanding talents—one for medical ninjutsu, the other for her prowess in intelligence and mind-reading.
"Haha, true..." Kakashi laughed. He certainly wasn't going to argue with her on that point.
Land of Bears.
An old man in a white hooded cloak appeared. Beneath the cloak, one hand was formed into a sensory seal.
"The Land of Bears... located right next to the Land of Fire, near the coast. Two hundred years ago, the First Hoshikage founded the prototype of Hoshigakure. Could it be related to Kara?"
Tonbo Tobitake walked through the streets of a town, deep in thought. Two hundred years ago, the First Hoshikage discovered a radioactive meteorite from space and developed the Mysterious Peacock Method.
Back then, the world was dominated by individual clans and clan alliances. Aside from established nations, organized shinobi villages were rare. Yet, this man created his own unique system and sustained it for two centuries. Surviving the warring states and three Great Ninja Wars suggested Hoshigakure might be a front or a base for an organization like Kara.
An "extraterrestrial star" sounded highly suspicious.
Tonbo had come to the Land of Bears specifically to investigate if Kara had any influence here. Even as one of over two hundred clones, he possessed chakra reserves surpassing an average Jonin. Because he was in Infinity Mode, his consumption was reduced fifty-fold, allowing him to use natural energy to boost his sensory range.
In just two days, he could cover the entire Land of Bears with his perception.
"No signs of Kara in the surrounding areas... let's see if there are any traces within Hoshigakure itself."
Tonbo hadn't found anything yet. He had spent two days scouring the mountains and valleys. Now, only the Hidden Star Village remained. He soon arrived at the village, using Sage Art: Frontal Concealment to walk past the guards unnoticed. His Genjutsu, now elevated to a Sage Art, was far more potent; he was in a state of "oneness with nature," making his presence nearly impossible to detect.
"Quickly, give chase! Natsuhi assassinated the Acting Hoshikage and hasn't gone far! Find her, kill her, and bring back the 'Star'!"
"Mysterious Peacock Method: Sensory!"
The village was currently in chaos. Shinobi were searching everywhere. Waves of sensory chakra passed right over Tonbo, but it was as if they were looking at empty space.
"So this is the Mysterious Peacock Method. Strong shape transformation and unique abilities, though the side effects are severe," Tonbo observed. The First Hoshikage must have been a remarkable talent to create this during the warring states era.
During his two days in the country, Tonbo had gathered a general idea of the current situation: Natsuhi had supposedly assassinated the Third Hoshikage and fled with the "Star." For the sake of stability, a Jonin named Akahoshi had taken over as Acting Hoshikage.
In reality, there was clearly more to the story. Natsuhi had likely returned to assassinate Akahoshi. Tonbo wasn't familiar with this specific plot—he hadn't watched this filler arc in his previous life—but he knew the village revolved around a fallen meteorite.
"It doesn't look like a Kara hideout, but you never know."
Following his senses, he arrived at the Acting Hoshikage's residence. Compared to the noise outside, it was quiet here. A few men were talking, led by a man with pale purple hair and blue eyes.
"Sorry, I'm in a hurry. I'll have to turn you all into my subordinates," Tonbo's figure suddenly manifested before them.
"Who's there?!"
The men were horrified. They thought Natsuhi had returned to finish them. Their chakra manifested into purple wings, ready to strike.
"Sage Art: Hypnotic Eye. Sage Art: History Correction..."
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