Akahoshi raised the meteorite glowing with blue chakra high above his head, shouting in wild excitement.
The meteorite of Hoshinin Village came from a small fragment that had fallen off the Gedō Mazō (Outer Path Golem).
Long ago, when Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo sealed away their mother Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, they imprisoned the Gedō Mazō within the moon. During that sealing, a small piece broke away and fell to earth—eventually discovered by the Star Ninja Village, beginning their so-called "path of training."
Thus, the Kujaku Myōhō (Peacock Method) they developed produced chakra similar in nature to that of a tailed beast.
This power was immense—but power beyond limits always exacted a price. Meteorite backlash, consuming the very ninja who used it, became a common tragedy in the village.
Once, the Third Hoshikage had issued an absolute ban forbidding the use of the meteorite to cultivate chakra. That balance ended the day Akahoshi, together with his lieutenants Shizang and Yahawk, murdered the Third and seized power.
Reviving the meteorite's use, they began experimenting on children—brainwashing them to believe that if they kept absorbing its chakra, they would become strong. Even as countless died, Akahoshi didn't care. He wanted only power, authority, control—the means to dominate everything.
Now, with only a handful of children left alive, he had lost all reason. He wanted victory, at any cost.
"As long as we have the star's chakra to protect us, we will never lose! Charge!" he screamed, utterly deranged.
The remaining Star Ninjas looked uncertain, but followed him anyway.
They never had a chance. Shigeo didn't even use ninjutsu—only simple taijutsu. A few moves later, the two hundred attackers were flattened across the ground.
Fury consumed Akahoshi. If the meteorite's power couldn't reach his adult followers, then he would wield it himself.
Roaring, he forced the meteorite into his own body.
A shriek tore through the air. Every Star Ninja turned to see Akahoshi twisting, eyes glowing like lanterns, his body warped by pain and madness.
"Hyūga Shigeo! Hand over your life!"
He bellowed a command—Yahawk and Shizang, already deranged by the meteorite's chakra, lunged from the crowd. The three hurled themselves at Shigeo.
All three soared into the air, their chakra howling like beasts. Shigeo's golden chakra flared in response, surging outward like a tidal wave—
"Pffft!" The three spat blood and crashed to the ground.
Shigeo stood unmoved, hand raised. The earth quaked, magnetic chakra bursting from below.
"Jiton: Jisha Daizō (Magnet Release: Magnetic Sand Burial)!"
Instantly, the three were swallowed by a storm of black sand and vanished. A moment later, the stench of blood filled the air. They were dead—not by the technique, but by the meteorite's backlash itself.
"Our star!" one Star Ninja cried, charging forward.
But before he could move, a figure descended from the sky—purple chakra wings unfurled behind her.
"Stop! Can't you see? Akahoshi has been using you all along!"
The crowd froze. "Sumaru's mother, Natsuhoshi?"
It was her. Days earlier, she had fought Akahoshi to save her son "Ao," but was forced to flee when the entire village turned against her. Now she was here again.
"Yes, it's me," Natsuhoshi said softly. "I studied the meteorite for years, yet I still couldn't see what Hyūga-dono saw at a glance." She turned toward Shigeo, then toward the med-nin working desperately to heal the fallen children, gratitude filling her eyes.
She knelt on one knee. "Thank you, my lord, for saving my son."
Shigeo waved his hand lightly and used Banshō Ten'in (Universal Pull) to drag several corpses out from the magnetic sand, tossing them before the surviving Star Ninjas.
"Look closely. Do you still think this 'star' brings you strength? Look at those children—what has it done to them?"
The villagers stared. The corpses were mottled with black-red patches, identical to the lesions covering the children. Around the meteorite embedded in Akahoshi's chest, the flesh had already liquefied into black blood.
They hadn't been killed by Shigeo's Jiton—they'd been devoured by the meteorite's own power.
Several Star Ninjas ran toward the gates, where South Ink medical-ninja were treating their children.
"Xiaolan! Are you all right? Say something!"
"Son, open your eyes! Please!"
For two years, the Star Ninjas had used the meteorite in their training. Many children had already died. Yet Akahoshi had urged them on—telling them their children would become heroes of the Peacock Method.
Few had ever succeeded. Even the rare few who did never lived long; those like Tensei, who had once met Shigeo, had perished five years ago from the meteorite's backlash.
Now only Natsuhoshi remained as the sole true user of the Peacock Method. Everyone else had died chasing its power.
They had always known the risk—but as long as Akahoshi ruled, they could only follow blindly.
Now, with their children lying motionless, the truth was unbearable.
Sobs broke through the crowd. They knew what those still bodies meant.
Natsuhoshi stepped forward, pulled the meteorite from Akahoshi's corpse, and turned to Shigeo.
"Moe-kage-dono, please take in the remaining Star Ninjas. They were deceived, not evil. I'll destroy this accursed stone so it never harms another soul."
Without waiting for an answer, she took flight, heading toward a newly formed stretch of land dozens of kilometers away. There she gathered every ounce of her chakra and hurled it at the meteorite.
But the meteorite fought back. Its backlash surged through her body, draining her chakra as if the stone were devouring her.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. Even this… isn't enough?
In that instant, Shigeo appeared before her, eyes shining pale blue with the Rinnegan. Black receivers sprouted in his palm. With one sharp motion, he broke one off and hurled it.
Thud!
The rod pierced the meteorite, pinning it to the earth.
(End of Chapter)
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