"Hey!!!"
A sharp gust tore through the courtyard, carrying with it a fierce Wind Release: Vacuum Blade (Fūton: Shinkūjin). The air blade split the sand and rock apart, forcing Chiyo (Qian Dai) and her brother Ebizo (Hai) to leap aside.
The two elders landed on the roof, eyes narrowing.
"This boy…" Ebizo muttered, surprised. "Who is this little devil?"
They had only used a fraction of their strength, but even so, Chen Xing had managed to match their attacks evenly. That alone was shocking. The siblings, long removed from the outside world, had no knowledge of Chen Xing's name or his origins.
While they analyzed him, Chen Xing noticed that his shadow clone had already retrieved something behind the Earth-Style Wall they'd raised earlier — the forbidden scroll he came for. His eyes gleamed. Perfect.
Since his goal had been achieved, there was no need to continue the fight. Chakra flared beneath his feet, and his figure blurred like a bolt of lightning as he rushed toward the clone.
"What—!? A shadow clone?" Ebizo's face darkened as he realized what was happening. "He distracted us deliberately!"
"Careless," Chiyo hissed under her breath, glaring at the two scrolls now in the clone's hands. Her expression turned grim — she regretted not having summoned her Ten Puppet Collection (Chikamatsu no Shū: Jūnin) earlier.
Chen Xing recalled the clone, grabbed the scroll, and with a faint smile, unfurled ethereal violet wings of Chakra — a unique manifestation of his power. In a burst of speed, he shot into the night sky, leaving the furious Chiyo and Ebizo behind in the swirling desert wind.
---
The Return
Having obtained the forbidden scroll, Chen Xing didn't linger in the Land of Wind. He crossed the border and returned to the secluded forests of the Land of Bears (Kumogakure no Kuni) — the remote home of the Hidden Star Village (Hoshigakure).
Deep within a misty valley, he set up camp among the towering cliffs. The air here was warm and tranquil, untouched by desert storms.
Ignoring the wind-natured scroll he'd also taken, Chen Xing focused on the one he truly wanted — the Scroll of Reanimation. Unrolling it with eager hands, he began to study the technique that had once belonged to Chiyo.
"Haha…" He couldn't help but laugh in satisfaction as he read the contents.
He had feared that Chiyo's version of the reincarnation jutsu — the One's Own Life Reincarnation Technique (Kishō Tensei) — would be incomplete or flawed. Yet, even though the old woman hadn't perfected it, the foundation was nearly complete. It was exactly what he needed.
---
One Month Later
Time passed swiftly. In just over a month, Chen Xing had mastered the mechanics of the forbidden technique — but he didn't dare use it.
Why? Because the Kishō Tensei demanded the ultimate price: the user's life. Until he could modify it to remove that fatal flaw, using it would be nothing short of suicide. Chen Xing valued survival far too much to waste his life testing an unfinished jutsu.
The noonday sun glared above, but within the sheltered valley, it felt like spring — calm, warm, and quiet.
Chen Xing sat cross-legged atop a boulder, meditating. His eyes suddenly opened. "You've been standing there for a while. What do you need?"
A tall figure stepped from the shadows — his cloak bearing the insignia of the Hidden Star Village. "The Third Star Shadow has ordered you to head for Konohagakure. It's time."
Chen Xing stood, dusting off his cloak. "Understood."
It was already June 20th. The timing matched perfectly.
With a faint smirk, he clasped his hands together. A pair of violet Chakra wings shimmered into existence behind him. As they spread wide, his figure blurred and took flight — soaring toward the distant sky above Hoshigakure.
---
Mission to the Leaf
When Chen Xing arrived at the Star Shadow's Office, three people awaited him.
The first was the Third Star Shadow (Hoshikage) himself, seated at the far end of the room.
Beside him stood two young shinobi — both around twelve years old. One was a quiet girl with pale features and soft, white hair. The other was a dark-haired boy with a serious expression, known as Tiexing (Iron Star).
"Chen Xing," the Third Star Shadow began, his tone formal but trusting, "this time, you'll be heading to Konohagakure. I've decided that Bai and Tiexing will accompany you. You'll act as the Caixing Team, under your command."
Chen Xing bowed his head slightly. "Understood."
Though the Hoshikage clearly disliked sending Chen Xing away, he trusted his strength more than anyone else in the village.
---
Departure
After final preparations, Chen Xing, Bai, and Tiexing departed Hoshigakure, heading toward the Land of Fire.
Using his unique Chakra wings, Chen Xing carried Bai through the skies while Tiexing followed below, leaping across treetops. To maintain formation, Chen Xing intentionally flew slower, allowing the younger shinobi to keep up.
The wind whistled around them. Despite the altitude, Bai seemed calm — though her hands gripped Chen Xing's cloak tightly.
"You're quiet," Chen Xing said, glancing down at her. "Nervous?"
"N-no, I'm fine!" Bai stammered, her pale cheeks coloring slightly. She tried to keep her composure, avoiding his gaze.
Chen Xing chuckled softly. "You're not afraid of heights, are you?"
"I'm not!" she replied quickly, her voice trembling despite her insistence.
He laughed again. "You're braver than most. Good — that'll be useful where we're going."
Bai's tension eased slightly at his tone. For a while, they flew in silence, the sky stretching endlessly before them. Below, the forests of the Land of Fire rolled by like a green ocean.
Chen Xing finally spoke again, his voice quieter this time.
"Tell me, Bai… have you ever wondered why we fight? Why shinobi kill and die so easily?"
Bai looked at him in surprise. The question came from nowhere — but his expression was sincere, almost gentle.
He continued, "This world forces us to live covered in blood. No one's born cruel — it's just how the world shapes us. But living like that… it's exhausting, isn't it?"
Bai's eyes widened. For a long moment, she couldn't speak. No one had ever said something like that to her before — not even Zabuza, the man who had once taken her in.
Her throat tightened. "Why would you say that now…?"
Chen Xing smiled faintly. "Maybe because you remind me of someone who deserved better. I'm not as cold-hearted as people think."
For the first time, Bai's eyes softened. The flight continued, silent but peaceful — the air between them no longer heavy with fear, but understanding.