The cool night breeze brushed against Yuto's face as he and his teammates stood a kilometer away from their destination. The faint glow of the Star Village shimmered in the distance, visible just beyond a narrow wooden bridge that stretched over a misty gorge.
Naruko squinted into the distance before exhaling loudly. "Finally!" she groaned, placing her hands behind her head. "We found it! Seriously though, why is it stuck in such a remote place and hidden like this?"
Hitomi gave her a deadpan look, her eyes glinting faintly under the moonlight.
"Every village is called a 'Hidden Village' for a reason, Naruko," she said in a dry voice. "Our own 'Village Hidden in the Leaves' is called that because it's hidden inside a forest."
Naruko tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face. "But... if it's hidden in the forest, why isn't it called the 'Village Hidden in the Trees' or 'Village Hidden in the Forests' ?"
Hitomi sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're hopeless," she muttered. "How do you even plan to become Hokage if you're this dumb?"
"What was that?!" Naruko snapped, puffing out her cheeks in frustration. "I'm not dumb! I just think differently, dattebayo!"
The two girls immediately began bickering, their voices rising in the otherwise quiet night.
Yuto ignored them with practiced ease, his eyes sharpening as he activated his Kamigan. A crimson glow flashed through his irises as the world around him became clearer—every movement, every source of chakra, laid bare.
'There,' he thought, narrowing his gaze at the Human shaped siloets thanks to his Chakra Thermal Vision Ability. 'Hidden signatures behind those trees at the end of the bridge. Five of them...'
Without looking at the girls, Yuto gave a subtle hand signal, one they had practiced countless times during missions. Both Naruko and Hitomi immediately noticed it, stopping their quarrel and nodding silently in understanding.
The three of them approached the bridge cautiously, footsteps light against the weathered wood. The night was still, almost unnervingly so—until a sudden, sharp whoosh tore through the air.
"Jump!" Yuto barked.
All three of them leapt backward instinctively just as several glowing projectiles—arrows made of swirling purple chakra—slammed into the spot they had just vacated, embedding themselves into the wooden planks with a thud.
From the shadows near the bridge, five figures emerged, each wearing dark purple flak jackets bearing the insignia of the Hidden Star Village. Their expressions were serious, hands twitching near their weapons.
Yuto pulled both of his blades from his inventory—his katana gleaming under the moonlight, and his solar energy blade humming softly with latent power.
His Kamigan locked onto all five enemies without hesitation.
Naruko immediately weaved a hand sign, her fingers steady despite the tension. '1000 Exploding Shadow Clone Barrage Of Death And Destruction Of The Finest Art Jutsu at the ready,' she thought, smirking slightly at the cool name she had came up with.
Hitomi's Sharingan spun , the three tomoe revolving hypnotically in her blood-red eyes. Her stance shifted subtly, ready to react the instant the enemy made a move.
Stepping forward slightly, Yuto called out in a clear, commanding voice.
"We're here on the orders of the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. Your leader should have been informed about our arrival. We request an audience with the Hoshikage."
One of the Star Village ninjas, shorter and younger-looking than the others, turned to glance at a tall man standing beside him—likely their team leader.
The leader gave a short nod.
At once, the younger ninja's body flared with a burst of purple chakra. Ethereal wings, formed entirely of chakra, sprouted from his back with a low hum. Without a word, he took to the skies, soaring swiftly toward the village like a purple comet.
The remaining four Star Village ninjas held their positions, eyes never leaving Team 7. Tension hung heavy in the air, the threat of violence lingering just beneath the surface.
Minutes passed slowly, each second dragging.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the winged ninja returned, landing smoothly beside his leader. He leaned close and whispered something into the older man's ear.
The leader nodded once, then raised a hand to his team.
"Stand down," he ordered.
The four ninjas immediately eased their postures, though their eyes remained locked onto Team 7.
"The Hoshikage-sama is waiting for you," the team leader said, his voice rough but respectful. Without another word, all five of them flickered away, disappearing into the darkness to resume their watchful guard over the bridge.
Yuto exhaled quietly, sheathing his weapons back into his inventory.
Naruko and Hitomi followed suit, relaxing their battle-ready stances.
Without wasting another moment, the three of them body-flickered across the bridge, heading toward the glowing lights of the Star Village that beckoned in the distance.
Soon, Team 7 stood respectfully in front of the Hoshikage, the leader of the Hidden Star Village. The Hoshikage, a tall man with graying hair and a kind expression, welcomed them with open arms, a warm smile on his face.
"You've arrived just in time," he said, his voice carrying a deep, reassuring tone. He turned toward a wooden desk behind him, pulling open a drawer and retrieving a tightly sealed scroll adorned with both the Star Village's insignia and a red wax seal from the Hidden Leaf.
"This," he continued, handing the scroll over carefully to Yuto, "is the item I discussed with the Hokage. Make sure it reaches him without fail."
Yuto accepted the scroll with both hands, bowing deeply in thanks. Naruko and Hitomi followed his lead, bowing respectfully.
"We'll deliver it safely, Hoshikage-sama," Yuto said firmly.
The Hoshikage nodded approvingly, a slight twinkle in his eye. "Safe travels, young shinobi."
Without wasting time, Team 7 turned and exited the building, stepping back into the cool night air. The moment they were outside, Naruko leaned in close and whispered loudly enough for both her teammates to hear,
"I wonder what's inside the scroll..." she mused, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Hitomi gave her a sideways glance, her expression flat. "Probably something really important," she said plainly. "If only the Hokage himself is supposed to open it, then it's not something we should mess with."
Naruko pouted, crossing her arms.
"I wasn't gonna open it or anything..." she grumbled, kicking a small pebble down the road.
Yuto, feeling the tension ease now that their official meeting was over, chuckled lightly.
"Anyway... I'm kinda starving," he said with a grin. "How about we grab some dinner before heading out?"
Naruko immediately brightened up, the thought of food quickly lifting her spirits.
"Yeah! Let's eat! Ramen, here I come!" she cheered.
Hitomi shrugged casually. "Fine. As long as it's not garbage like instant noodles," she said coolly.
Without any further arguments, the three made their way to a cozy-looking restaurant near the village center. They found a small corner table and quickly placed their orders—Naruko ordering a huge bowl of ramen, Hitomi asking for tomato soup and rice balls, and Yuto picking a meat-and-rice set.
While they waited for their food to arrive, Yuto stood up casually. "I'm gonna hit the restroom real quick," he said.
"Don't take too long!" Naruko called after him, before turning to Hitomi with a scowl. "And ramen is not garbage! Take that back!"
Hitomi rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Tomato soup is superior in every way," she said, smirking. "At least it's healthy."
"Ramen is food for the soul, dattebane!" Naruko shouted, slamming her hands on the table as the two girls fell back into another heated argument.
Meanwhile, Yuto let their bickering fade into background noise as he made his way toward the restaurant's restroom. He entered quickly, locking the door behind him with a soft click.
His Kamigan flared to life, scanning the entire building meticulously. His gaze swept over each wall, each room, carefully checking for any hidden chakra signatures or signs of eavesdropping.
'Good. No one's watching,' he thought, relaxing slightly.
Wasting no time, Yuto weaved a quick set of hand seals and created a single shadow clone. Unlike a regular clone, this one contained about eighty percent of his chakra—strong enough to carry out the next step of his plan.
The clone gave a short nod, already aware of its mission.
"You know what to do," Yuto said quietly.
The clone's Kamigan lit up before it flickered out of existence with a silent whoosh, slipping through the back door of the restaurant and vanishing into the night.