"…" Orochimaru really wanted to argue that this wasn't kidney deficiency.
But the moment he considered that Kamizuki Gen might keep expanding on the topic, he chose silence.
"Heh."
Gen chuckled and walked away, sighing inwardly. Being drained was normal. Over the past few days, he had been practicing the techniques he'd Cut, and as for chakra—he had been using Orochimaru's the entire time.
Although the passive ability Shared Burden from the "Sworn Brotherhood" trait claimed to directly use a brother's chakra, in reality, it drained their mental energy and physical stamina.
Gen dared to use Orochimaru's chakra so openly precisely because Orochimaru didn't dare act against him right now. Even if Orochimaru suspected something, it didn't matter.
With that thought, Gen sat back down on the cold snake scales, withdrew his sensory perception, and asked casually, "How long until we reach Hoshigakure?"
Orochimaru replied, "We're currently at the border of the Land of Birds. By noon, we'll enter the Land of Bears and reach Hoshigakure."
In the Land of Bears, towns and villages were surrounded by ring-shaped mountains, with dense forests everywhere. Small countries like this didn't require any border procedures to enter or leave.
Hoshigakure itself was located at the edge of the Land of Bears. The place was perpetually damp, with thick mist filling the valleys.
Originally, it had only been a small village. After obtaining the "Star," the First Hoshikage gained power from the meteorite, developed the Peacock Mystic Art training system, and publicly declared the founding of a ninja village—going so far as to call himself a Kage.
Even now, the entire village only had around thirty ninja and roughly three hundred civilians. Their primary duty was to guard the "Star," but to survive, they also hunted in the mountains and took on intelligence and assassination missions.
In short, it was a tiny village that, after gaining power it couldn't fully control, developed ambitions to expand.
At the center of Hoshigakure stood a wooden tower. This was where the "Star" was stored—and where the Hoshikage worked.
"Have you found Natsuhiboshi and Hotaruboshi yet?"
The Third Hoshikage sat inside the crude wooden room, looking at the three shinobi kneeling below him. He was over a hundred years old—hair white, beard white, eyebrows white. His body was hunched, limbs withered, his face like wrinkled paper soaked in water.
Akahoshi, kneeling in the middle, shook his head. "Lord Hoshikage, we've found no trace of those two traitors."
"Keep searching," the Third Hoshikage said heavily. "And strengthen the defenses around the Star. I fear they're still targeting it."
As he finished speaking, the old man's face slackened slightly.
As Hoshikage, he had long known the side effects of training with the Star, but for the village's development, he couldn't publicly forbid its use. Most of the Star ninja supported training with it because it allowed them to produce elite ninja and take high-paying missions.
Only two people opposed it—for the sake of the children's health—Natsuhiboshi and his wife.
The Third Hoshikage had actually hoped their plan to steal the Star would succeed. Unfortunately, that night, Akahoshi and the others stopped them. The couple was severely injured and disappeared without a trace.
"Yes—" Akahoshi stood, a cold glint in his eyes as he exchanged looks with his two subordinates.
Akahoshi, middle-aged, with a gaunt face and light purple hair, wore a blue-black robe and a Hoshigakure forehead protector. The two subordinates rose and approached the aged Hoshikage.
The old man's dim eyes trembled. Sensing something, he forced authority into his voice. "You may leave now!"
Akahoshi showed no reaction. He stepped forward, crouched, and stared into the old man's eyes. "Old man… you were protecting Natsuhiboshi and his wife, weren't you?"
"Cough—cough—what nonsense are you spouting!" the Third Hoshikage shouted, his chest heaving violently.
Akahoshi narrowed his eyes. "A villager reported that the night before they tried to steal the Star… they came to see you."
The old man shook his head, struggling to deny it. "That never happened!"
Akahoshi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then pulled out a kunai. "Then how do you explain that we searched everywhere… and still couldn't find them?"
"That's because you're incompetent—"
Before he could finish, the old man broke into violent coughing.
Akahoshi opened his eyes and drove the kunai straight into his chest.
Blood spread across the gray robe.
The Third Hoshikage's frail hands gripped Akahoshi's wrist as he gasped, "Your parents died early… I raised you with my own hands… I was your teacher!"
Feeling the weak trembling grip, Akahoshi said calmly, "But now… you're a traitor to the village."
The old man's breathing grew ragged. His pupils began to fade.
Akahoshi continued, "You must be wondering why your guards didn't come. It's because I told the entire village about your actions—protecting those traitors. You've betrayed the First Hoshikage's will. You've lost everyone's support!"
"Hh… hh…"
The old man's breath weakened further.
Akahoshi looked at him coldly. "You've lived long enough. Go in peace. Under my leadership, Hoshigakure will flourish. No one will ever dare covet the Star again!"
With that, he pushed the kunai deeper into the old man's heart.
The Third Hoshikage died in agony.
Akahoshi withdrew his hand, grabbed the corpse, and tore off the gray robe, exposing the withered chest—only to find no signs of Star corrosion whatsoever.
"Damn it!"
Akahoshi's eyes turned bloodshot.
"This old bastard knew the side effects—so he never used the Star to train! As Hoshikage, he never trained with the Star—what kind of Hoshikage is that?! No wonder he lived so long!"
Furious, he shoved the corpse aside.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Applause echoed from outside the door, accompanied by a cheerful voice.
"Wonderful, wonderful! Orochi-san, did you learn something?"
"This is a classic ninja world tradition—killing your master to prove your path!"
Akahoshi and the others whipped their heads around.
At the doorway, three figures in black cloaks with red clouds walked inside.
"Orochimaru!!!"
Akahoshi's mouth fell open, his pupils shrinking.
For someone who kept up with the ninja world, there was no mistaking it.
One of them—
was one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha.
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