Route to Mist Ninja Village
Mufasa's plan was to cross the Land of River, pass through the Land of Fire, reach the Land of Bears, and then catch a ship from there to Mist Ninja Village on the island.
The journey so far had been smooth.
While riding the bullet train through Land of River, they even witnessed a thrilling moment—a Kamen Rider zoomed past the window chasing a robber.
It was flashy, fast-paced, and left the group in awe.
Mufasa gave an approving nod. "Now that's some firepower."
After reaching the Land of Fire border, the group had to switch from train to car since the railways hadn't been extended past that point.
Along the way, Mufasa took the team for a little sightseeing detour through Konoha.
Konoha had changed a lot.
From the outside, it looked a lot like Sand Ninja Village—tall metal walls, chakra cannon towers, and prism surveillance turrets.
But once they stepped inside, the difference was clear.
Only the factory zones had been modernized. The old residential areas still had their wooden homes and cobbled streets.
Tsunade had kept the heart of the village untouched.
"Too expensive to tear everything down," Mufasa explained as they walked. "And not everyone wants to live in a fortress."
He admired the village's blend of old and new—and the defense system Sand Ninja had helped them install. "Well, at least now Konoha won't be flattened every other week."
After their short visit, the group continued toward the Land of Bears.
Upon arrival, they were told that the only way to reach the island was to find a ship in Hoshigakure.
Hoshigakure was unique—a self-proclaimed ninja village formed around a meteorite that had landed 200 years ago.
The villagers practiced near the meteorite, developing techniques like the Mysterious Peacock Method to shape chakra into wings, weapons, or even armor.
The only downside?
Prolonged exposure to the meteorite could mess with your health.
They also had an elite ANBU-like unit and a musket squad armed with chakra-enhanced explosives.
Shun looked hesitant. "Leader, are we seriously going to this 'Star Ninja Village'?"
Mufasa gave a cheeky grin. "Yup. Gotta see this flying chakra show for myself."
Unfortunately, the infrastructure in the Bear Country was... nonexistent.
The car had to be store in a scroll.
Roads were barely more than dirt paths.
So, the six of them trekked toward the village on foot.
As they neared the outskirts of Star Village, they saw a commotion—several villagers surrounding two people.
Based on their headbands and chakra flares, it was clear these were Star Ninjas.
Mufasa adjusted his sunglasses and pointed. "Let's check it out."
Before they got close, they heard shouting.
"Get out! That's an order from the Hoshikage!"
"You're not welcome here anymore. You tried to steal village property!"
The leader of the group—a grumpy man named Yotaka—spotted Mufasa's group.
He raised a hand. "Hey! Stop! Don't come any closer!"
Yotaka looked the group over.
Bright shirts, floral patterns, sunglasses, beach shorts... only Tabby wore her signature cloak.
They looked more like tourists than ninja.
"What do you want?" he barked.
Mufasa smiled. "I'm Scar, head of the Tekkadan travel group. We're looking for a boat to Mist Village and heard this was the place to go."
Yotaka scowled. "No boats. Go home. If you approach our village again, you might not walk away."
He turned back around, clearly writing them off as harmless weirdos.
Rhodes leaned in. "Wanna teach him a lesson, boss?"
"Not yet," Mufasa replied, eyes narrowing.
He focused on the pair being yelled at.
A woman with long red hair. A child with dark hair and soft brown eyes.
They didn't look dangerous, but their stances were too polished for regular civilians.
"Ninjas," Mufasa muttered.
He motioned his group back, and they retreated quietly into the nearby mountainside path.
Yotaka sneered as they left. "Good. Stay out."
He turned back to the red-haired woman and her son.
"Natsuhi! Move it! The Hoshikage ordered your exile. I'll kill you right here if I have to."
With her husband's ashes and young son Sumaru in tow, Natsuhi turned and walked away from the only home she'd ever known.
That evening, Natsuhi and Sumaru found shelter in a cave.
They started a small fire, trying to stay warm.
"Hello there, madam."
A sudden voice from the entrance made Natsuhi spring to her feet, shielding Sumaru and drawing a kunai.
The firelight revealed a tanned man with silver hair and a disarming smile. It was the same touristy guy from earlier.
Mufasa raised his hands.
"Whoa, easy there! I swear I'm not here to cause trouble."
He took a cautious step forward.
"My team got turned around in the woods. Saw your fire and thought, hey, maybe someone kind could help."
Natsuhi's eyes scanned him.
No weapons. Shorts and flip-flops weren't hiding anything.
She relaxed—slightly.
"Who are you?" she asked, still on guard.
"I'm Scar. Head of the Tekkadan group. We're travelers."
He gestured to the fire.
"Mind if I sit?"
Mufasa smiled warmly, his expression calm and kind.
His eyes were clear, almost too clean for someone who'd seen battle.
Natsuhi finally lowered her guard a bit.
She glanced behind him. "Your companions?"
Mufasa nodded. "The cave's small, so they're camped outside."
Natsuhi gave a small nod and gestured toward the fire. "Then please, have a seat."
He sat down across from her and Sumaru. The boy, who'd been hiding behind his mother, peeked out with curious eyes.
"Captain Scar," Natsuhi said, "where are you headed?"
Mufasa smiled. "We're traveling across the sea, hoping to reach the Land of Water and maybe even the Land of Hot Springs."
Sumaru chuckled. "You picked the wrong stop then! You should've gone to the Land of Fire. Their big chakra-powered ships are way safer than the rickety boats here in Land of Bear."
Because of Suna's striving technological advancements that Konoha bought for their use, Konoha's naval tech—especially Danzo's infamous fishing fleet—became feared across the coasts.
Just seeing one of his steel ships made most pirates turn tail.
In Konoha's eyes, Mufasa was helping Danzo indirectly, but from Mufasa's perspective, it was the other way around.
With the amount of money Konoha was pouring into the operation, it was clear that if Danzo continued his fishing spree, the costs would become astronomical and plunge the village into debt.
Mufasa laughed and scratched his head. "Haha, guess us landfolk still have a lot to learn about the sea. But we're already here, so might as well see it through."
Natsuhi gently nudged Sumaru to stay quiet.
"Star Village isn't in the best shape right now. You should probably look elsewhere."
Mufasa tilted his head. "If you're from Hoshigakure too, why'd they kick you out?"
The truth was complicated.
Natsuhi was once a prodigy, mastering the Mysterious Peacock Method to an elite level.
But she and her husband, Hotarubi, discovered the chakra-reactive meteorite's radiation was harmful to the human body.
They tried to flee with it, hoping to save others. The Third Hoshikage caught wind and exiled them both.
Natsuhi's eyes dimmed at the memory.
Hotarubi didn't survive the damage. The meteorite's power had eaten away at him.
She looked down. "We made a mistake. That's all."
Mufasa grinned. "Pretty harsh mistake to drive out someone as beautiful as you."
Sumaru gave him a glare.
Mufasa chuckled. "Kidding, kidding."
"So, what now?" he asked.
Natsuhi gently ran her fingers through Sumaru's hair. "We'll find a village far away. Somewhere safe."
"And your husband?" Mufasa asked.
Natsuhi's voice was soft. "He's gone."
Sumaru lowered his head, tears forming.
Mufasa leaned forward, more serious now. "I'm sorry. That was careless of me."
She shook her head. "It's alright."
Mufasa gave a short nod. "By the way, would you be willing to help us? We're a bit lost. We were hoping to find a boat."
Natsuhi's expression turned helpless. "Even if I wanted to help, there's nothing I can do. Akahoshi's taken control of the village now. No one dares go against him."
"Akahoshi?" Mufasa repeated. "And he's the new... Hoshikage?"
She nodded. "He's the one who drove us out. Declared himself the leader. Star Village's Hoshikage,' but it's more for show."
Mufasa raised an eyebrow.
A tiny village in Land of Bears calling someone a Kage?
That was a stretch.
It sounded like Akahoshi needed a reminder of what being a true Kage meant.
Just as he was thinking that, shouts rang out from outside the cave.
Natsuhi and Sumaru instantly stood, kunai drawn.
They looked at Mufasa.
He held up his hands. "No idea what's going on. Let's check it out."
The three of them hurried out.
Outside, two girls were locked in combat.
One was Tabby, the one-armed powerhouse from the Tekkadan squad.
She swung her massive iron axe with relentless strength.
Her opponent was a tan-skinned kunoichi with brown hair, clearly using the Mysterious Peacock Method from Hoshigakure.
Behind her, glowing chakra extended like majestic wings.
She shaped her chakra into tendrils—ropes—that lashed out, trying to bind Tabby.
Tabby's brute strength was overwhelming.
Every time the chakra rope got close, she slashed it apart with her axe.
Shun, Rhodes, and the rest of the group stood to the side, watching with interest.
They didn't bother jumping in. It was clear who was going to win.
The meteorite's radiation might enhance chakra manipulation, but it didn't give the user more chakra than they already had.
The tan-haired girl shouted, "Ursa Major!"
Sumaru's eyes lit up. "Hokuto!"
Mufasa called out, "Tabby, enough!"
Tabby swept the ropes aside and leapt back to her team.
Hokuto's face lit up. "Sumaru! Finally!"
She ran over, embracing them both.
"Hokuto, why are you here?" Natsuhi asked, heart pounding.
Hokuto's voice trembled. "Akahoshi killed the Third Hoshikage. He wants the whole village to accept him as the Hoshikage."
"What?!" Natsuhi and Sumaru both gasped.
Mufasa narrowed his eyes. So that's how far things had gone.
Hokuto nodded. "The village is in chaos. I escaped. I want to come with you."
Natsuhi and Sumaru exchanged uncertain glances.
Mufasa's voice cut through the tension.
"Ma'am, are you really going to let your village fall into Akahoshi's hands?"
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Word count: 1702
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