Takuno considered the feasibility of this matter; it could certainly serve as Plan B.
However, he wasn't sure if the Cloud Shinobi would come again in this lifetime.
There was still a possibility, as they had often engaged in kidnapping.
Previously, they had secretly infiltrated Konoha, attempting to capture Kushina, but Minato discovered and stopped them, which ultimately became an accelerator for the two of their feelings.
Therefore, it was impossible for the Cloud Shinobi not to covet the Byakugan.
Furthermore, even if the Cloud Shinobi didn't act, he could facilitate the incident himself and profit from it.
Takuno had now left the experimental base and stopped overthinking, as regardless of which plan he chose, it needed to be initiated now and could not be completed immediately.
As for the test subjects, he would continue cultivating them. He would only stop if a long time passed without any further changes, at which point they could become samples for other experiments... That night, in a relatively remote forest, Takuno was holding a map and searching for his destination.
"This is truly remote," Takuno muttered, frowning as he looked around. "It should be nearby."
Afterward, he bit his finger, formed hand signs, and summoned several crows, instructing them to search the vicinity for his target village.
Its name was Hoshigakure!
Before coming here, he had specifically investigated the legends and confirmed the village indeed existed before traveling there.
Because in the original work, Hoshigakure was part of an anime filler arc, he wasn't certain whether it existed in this world or not.
He had previously considered the problem of the star in Hoshigakure, but at the time, given his strength as a Special Jonin, coming to Hoshigakure, which possessed the Kujaku Myōhō, made him slightly apprehensive, so he hadn't paid much attention.
While the crows searched for Hoshigakure, Takuno also contemplated the Hoshigakure's star.
It was an object that allowed the Hoshigakure shinobi to raise their Chakra, enabling them to condense various ferocious beasts using the special Chakra activity provided by the star for attack.
However, at the same time, the star possessed powerful 'radioactivity.' While changing the Chakra activity, it also ravaged the bodies of the Star Shinobi who used it, causing the lifespan of shinobi who trained with the star to be generally very short.
It should be said that the shinobi profession itself is not one associated with longevity, as extracting physical energy from cells naturally has an impact on the body.
As for those long-lived shinobi, they either rarely took action in their later years, like the two old Advisor of Konoha, or they mastered a Kekkei Tōta, like the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, which allowed them to live so long.
Of course, the Uzumaki Clan, the village of longevity, was an exception; their good physique was the reason for their large Chakra reserves.
If the shinobi profession is not one of longevity, then the shinobi of Hoshigakure are even less so. Those who train using the star and manage to live for a decade or two are already considered prodigies; most are killed by the star's radiation before they can complete their training.
Takuno knew about the star's flaw, but he wanted to see exactly what the star was.
Something that could change the activity of other people's Chakra, and even allow them to condense external Chakra resembling a Tailed Beast, looked suspiciously like something belonging to the Ten-Tails.
After all, Chakra itself is energy produced by the God Tree consuming Natural Energy, yet this meteorite could change Chakra activity and condense external Chakra resembling a Tailed Beast.
Given all this, how could one not be suspicious?
As for the radioactivity, if it truly was a part of the Ten-Tails, it was easily understood—how could an ordinary person's physique withstand the power of the Ten-Tails? Even a small fraction would be too much.
Takuno's purpose in coming here was naturally to obtain this meteorite, not to cultivate the so-called Kujaku Myōhō.
This technique is not weak, but it has a fatal flaw: while using the Kujaku Myōhō, the caster's body cannot move. Although they can use the externalized Chakra to move, it is ultimately not very agile.
This is a major taboo in combat!
He possessed an entire arm of the Gedo Statue, so he could completely compare the Hoshigakure's meteorite with the Gedo Statue to find a connection.
If it truly was a part of the Ten-Tails, then this meteorite should be some kind of core item, as he hadn't sensed any method for cultivating Chakra from the arm of the Gedo Statue.
Just then, a sudden burst of Chakra transmitted by the crow startled him from his contemplation, and he connected to its line of sight using the Clairvoyance Technique.
He then discovered a village surrounded by a gorge filled with poisonous gas.
That's right, this was Hoshigakure.
Takuno's eyes lit up. He instructed the crow to fly inside and continue observing, while he simultaneously hurried toward the gorge.
This level of poisonous gas could not be dispersed by Wind Release. Takuno expressionlessly removed his current mask and put on a gas mask.
His experimental base was equipped with poisonous fog, so how could he not have a gas mask?
Afterward, Takuno walked toward the opposite side of the gorge.
As he stepped into the air above the gorge, the rocks beneath his feet rapidly extended, eventually forming a bridge of stone across the gorge.
Once across, he deliberately dissolved the stone bridge, not wanting it to naturally disintegrate and fall into the gorge, causing unnecessary commotion.
Suddenly, the crow transmitted a Chakra fluctuation again.
"Hmm? It shouldn't have flown into the village yet at this time, right?"
Takuno was slightly confused. He used the Clairvoyance Technique again and saw two Star Shinobi, a man and a woman wearing star-engraved forehead protectors, surrounded by Anbu.
"Is this... Hoshigakure's only Jonin, Natsuhi, and her husband?" Takuno clicked his tongue. It seemed his arrival was coincidental, occurring exactly when the couple discovered the star's danger and decided to leave with it.
In other words, the meteorite was currently on Natsuhi.
"So, how should I obtain it?" Takuno rubbed his chin. Although he wasn't afraid of Natsuhi, fighting her would be troublesome. It would be best to get the meteorite first.
Sure enough, no matter how he thought about it, threatening the other party with a hostage was the most convenient method.
Takuno shook his head. He genuinely felt this approach was somewhat despicable, but there was no helping it; as long as it worked.
Having made his decision, Takuno rushed toward the group of people.
Inside the forest.
At this moment, the Third Hoshikage reassured Natsuhi that the village would no longer use the star's power, and he wanted Natsuhi and her husband to watch over the village from the outside.
If the village ever used the star's power again, the couple, Natsuhi and her husband, who were outside the village, would be the ones to stop Hoshigakure.
Convinced by the Third Hoshikage's words, Natsuhi agreed and was about to hand over the meteorite along with a pendant meant for their child to the Third Hoshikage.
Just then, Natsuhi suddenly stopped.
Just as the Third Hoshikage and the surrounding Anbu thought she was going to back out, Natsuhi stared in one direction and shouted loudly.
"Who is there?!"