When Jiraiya and Sasuke departed from the village, Naruto and Sakura made their way back home.
Two days post Sasuke's departure, Tsunade summoned Naruto to the Hokage's office...
Naruto found himself standing before Tsunade.
"Naruto, I've got a mission lined up for you!" Tsunade announced, unfurling a scroll that contained the mission's specifics.
"Mission ? But Where's Sakura and Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto queried.
"Well, they're not around, they're probably engaged in a separate mission, so you'll be working with a new squad for this mission!" Tsunade informed.
"A new squad?" Naruto echoed.
"Sure, come on in." Tsunade invited as Neji and Tenten and finally stepped inside "For this mission, it'll be you, Hinata,Neji and Tenten, You're in charge, got it?" she directed at Naruto.
"Got It ... But What's the mission ?" Naruto asked.
Tsunade paused for a while to collect her thoughts and then began speaking. "Your task is to safeguard the Star of Hoshigakure. It's a valuable relic with immense power and currently, it's under threat from a group of ruthless ninjas who wish to steal it."
Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. "Whoa, shielding such a potent relic sounds like an awesome task! Bring it on, Grandma Tsunade!"
After completing the mission paperwork and bidding goodbye to Tsunade, they exited the Hokage's office.
"Naruto, you're already heading a team!" Tenten exclaimed.
"Well, what can I say..." Naruto responded, a hint of carefree nonchalance in his voice, reminiscent of a certain white-haired jujutsu sorcerer.
They engaged in a light-hearted chat about the mission before Neji and Tenten departed, leaving Naruto and Hinata to talk for a while. Afterwards, they headed to the training grounds for some practice.
Hinata attempted to instruct Naruto on the gentle fist technique. Naruto, after several attempts, was making good progress. His exceptional perception, ability to sense and see chakra, and enhanced chakra control aided him, yet the gentle fist required more. It demanded the ability to visualize the chakra points of an opponent, a feature exclusive to the Byakugan.
Following their training, they sparred - a Taijutsu-only match where Naruto effortlessly overcame Hinata.
Subsequently, Naruto escorted Hinata back to her place before returning to his own.
The next day...
Naruto,Tenten,Hinata,Neji rendezvoused at the Konoha gate at the designated time, ready to embark on their journey to the village of Hoshigakure.
"Alright, squad, are we all set?" Naruto asked, his tone a mix of his usual enthusiasm and a hint of Gojo Satoru's playful nonchalance. Neji, Tenten, and Hinata all gave their affirmatives, stepping beyond the village boundaries to begin their expedition to Hoshigakure.
As they trudged along, Naruto broke the silence. "Just a random thought popping in my head, not that I'm bored or anything," he said, his voice carrying a familiar hint of mischief. "Are you two, like, dating?" He directed his question at Tenten and Neji.
Tenten nearly tripped over her feet at the unexpected query but quickly regained her composure. "What? No! What gave you that idea?" she shot back, her tone a mix of surprise and incredulity.
"Well, I've noticed you two training together a lot, so I just assumed...you know, maybe there's a spark or something," Naruto replied, a teasing lilt in his voice.
"Practicing martial arts together doesn't automatically mean we're a couple, Naruto." Neji expressed.
"Well, I've observed you and Hinata sparring together often, does that sound familiar?" Tenten teased, grinning as Hinata turned a soft shade of pink.
"How about we proceed with our adventure in silence, huh?" Naruto suggested with a playful smirk.
The group of four resumed their expedition, leaping from tree to tree. They paused for a meal at midday before once again pressing on.
Their adventure carried on until the cloak of nightfall descended, prompting them to establish a camp in a suitable location, where they would spend the night.
With the break of dawn, Naruto and his squad resumed their adventure.
As they neared the village of Hoshigakre, their assignment's destination, an uncanny spectacle greeted them. A mass of thick, swirling mists, almost like a valley, shrouded the area, casting an eerie, foreboding cover over it.
Taking a few steps closer, Naruto tilted his head and quizzically asked, "So, what's up with this?" Naruto said.
Naruto unfurled the mission scroll, taking in the details, "Looks like we're supposed to wait here for a guide..." he announced, neatly rolling the parchment back up, "So, we chill until then..."
After a while, they noticed a rope strung across the gaping valley, and a masked figure nimbly sprinted across it from the other side.
"You lot are from the Leaf Village, yeah?" The figure's voice echoed out as he removed his mask, revealing a boy with reddish-brown eyes and glossy black locks tied in a neat braid. His blue headband, partly obscured by his curly bangs.
"Right. You're from the Star Village, Hoshigakure?" Naruto queried.
The boy nodded affirmatively, "I'm Sumaru. Here to escort you guys."
"Cool, thanks for showing up. I'm Naruto," he responded.
"I'm Neji..."
"I'm Hinata..."
"I'm Tenten..."
They each took turns introducing themselves.
"Ok, Than Lead the way..." Naruto said.
Guided by Sumaru, Naruto and his companions made their way to the village.
"I am Akahoshi, the acting Hoshikage of the star-hidden village," the man declared as Naruto and the team settled before him.
"Acting...Hoshikage?" Tenten queried.
"With the sudden demise of the Third Hoshikage a year prior, currently, our village lacks a Hoshikage..." Akahoshi explained.
"Wait a sec, isn't the title 'kage' reserved for the heads of the five major hidden villages?" Naruto interjected, with his typical mix of curiosity and candidness.
"Right..." Neji affirmed.
"That's irrelevant..." Sumaru, who had been quietly observing from the corner of the room, suddenly broke his silence. Every eye in the room turned towards him. "We are not less than you guys! Our village might be small now, but it's destined to stand toe-to-toe with the grand hidden villages of the five Great Nations! When that day comes, I will be the true Hoshikage!" Sumaru professed passionately.
"Enough!" Akahoshi commanded, "Resume your training." Sumaru got up and exited the room at Akahoshi's stern directive.
"Forgive me !" Akahoshi said As you say, the Shinobi in our village are not qualified to refer to themselves as Kage, However, in this village, there is the start that all the Kage in the five great hidden villages also envy. We will use the power of the star and someday, this can become a village which can claim the sixth kage tittle." Akahoshi said.
"So We're here to protect the star you're talking about which is being targeted right ?" Neji asked.
"Yes. Out Search team obtained some information." Akahoshi said.
"Yes, the Star of Hoshigakure," Akahoshi confirmed. "This celestial object has a mystical power that can enhance the abilities of any shinobi. However, in the wrong hands, it can cause immense destruction. Recently, we've been receiving threats from a group of rogue ninjas interested in our star."
"Rogue ninjas?" Naruto queried, his brows furrowing. "And why should they be interested in your Star?"
"The Star has the power to amplify the abilities of a shinobi, but it's not without its risks. Overuse can lead to severe degradation of the physical body. However, these rogue ninjas don't seem to care about the consequences," Akahoshi explained.
"I see. So, we're here to ensure these rogue ninjas don't get their hands on the Star," Naruto deduced, understanding the gravity of their mission.
"That's right," Akahoshi confirmed. "They could attack at any moment. We need you to guard the Star and if necessary, engage these rogue ninjas to prevent them from stealing it."
"No pressure, huh?" Naruto quipped, flashing a grin. "Well, I suppose it's just another day at the office then. We'll safeguard your Star with all we've got."
"Thank you," Akahoshi said, bowing slightly. "We're grateful for your help."
After leaving the Hoshikage's office, Naruto and his team headed towards the location where the Star was kept. It was a tranquil area, a small shrine nestled amidst the towering trees, exuding an aura of solemnity.
While they were heading towards the spot, they noticed Sumaru who had just arrived from an undisclosed location.
"Hey, now... Cool your jets, what's all the fuss about?" Naruto questioned, his tone casual yet tinged with concern.
"The star...." Sumaru gasped for breath, "The star has been stolen..." He managed to utter.
[A. N: Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]