"With all our might, we were supposed to be the star's shield... Interesting!" Naruto smirked.
"When did all this transpire?" Neji inquired.
"I returned here to train and found my fellow trainees defeated, and the star missing... I saw a masked figure fleeing with it outside, but I couldn't catch him..." Sumaru explained.
"So, what's our next move, given that the star we were tasked to protect has been swiped?" Tenten questioned.
"We reclaim it... whatever it takes!" Naruto declared, his eyes shining with determination.
"Indeed, the moment we accepted this mission, it became our duty to keep the star from enemy hands. We didn't succeed, hence it's now our duty to retrieve it." Neji affirmed.
"First, we must inform Deputy Hoshikage Alahoshi about the stolen star.." Hinata suggested softly.
"Absolutely, let's get on it!" Naruto agreed.
Subsequently at the Hoshikage's residence... .
"What? The star has been stolen?" Alahoshi exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yes, the individuals who were undergoing training were present, but they were all incapacitated by an enemy Jutsu," Sumaru explained.
"Frustrating!" Alahoshi expressed his frustration by striking the ground with his fist.
"Well, getting angry won't be of much help at this moment..." Naruto intervened, "Do you have any information or did you witness the specifics of the Jutsu used by that masked Ninja?" Naruto inquired of Sumaru.
"That Ninja possessed an extraordinary chakra. It was undoubtedly the Ninja Art: Kujaku," Sumaru disclosed.
Alahoshi appeared tense and serious as he pondered something.
"That's the Jutsu passed down in the Village Hidden in the Stars, right?" Tenten chimed in.
"Yes, with regards to that Jutsu, only those who have mastered the star training can..." Sumaru was cut off by Alahoshi, who called out Sumaru's name.
"Tenten... The secrets of a Jutsu should not be discussed or inquired about casually, especially a Jutsu that can only be passed down within that village," Neji cautioned.
"I apologize..." Tenten apologized.
Naruto remained silent, observing the situation attentively.
"Lord Alahoshi, please give me an order! The stolen star is my responsibility," Sumaru pleaded.
"Actually, we are here precisely for that reason, so I believe it would be best if you allow us to carry out our duty..." Naruto asserted.
"Yes, we were entrusted with the task, and we will retrieve the star with our own hands, no matter what," Neji declared.
"Alright, I entrust the star search to the Leaf ninjas..." Alahoshi declared. "Sumaru, tend to your wounded allies," he instructed Sumaru.
"But, internal affairs should be dealt with internally…" Sumaru protested.
"It's an order, Sumaru…" Alahoshi replied firmly.
Following this, Naruto, his team, and Sumaru exited the room…
"So, how are your comrades, the ones who were attacked?" questioned Neji.
"That's none of your concern…" Sumaru retorted, leaving Neji, Tenten, and Hinata taken aback. "At the end of it all, you're just foreign shinobi! You're not my friends!" Sumaru walked away after his outburst.
"What an oddball. Dreams of being a Kage, but lacks basic courtesy," Naruto commented, a smirk playing on his lips. "Let's just focus on locating the star and getting out of this village."
"However, we're clueless about the star's appearance, what occurred during the theft, and there's a strong possibility that Alahoshi is withholding information…"
"Now that you mention it, we're lacking solid leads." Tenten acknowledged.
"Actually, we might have one... Naruto just pointed out that Alahoshi, the village leader, is probably hiding something." Neji reminded.
"Right, Sumaru's face did change when he mentioned the Kujaku matter." Tenten recalled.
"Does that imply that the perpetrator is from this village?" Hinata asked.
"Based on the intel we have now, that seems to be the most plausible explanation…" Naruto concluded.
"Alright, we gotta keep tabs on Akahoshi and Sumaru, they could hold the key." Neji voiced out.
"Time to plan out, team," Naruto started, his voice shifting from its usual light-hearted tone to a more grave one.
"First off, Tenten and Hinata, you're on Akahoshi watch. Hinata, your Byakugan's gonna be crucial here..." Naruto instructed.
Tenten and Hinata acknowledged with a nod.
"I'll patrol the village." Neji announced.
"Good idea, Neji. As for me... I'll do what I do best, fishing out info from the locals, the onlookers, even the trainers. Any lead is a good lead... That's all for now." Naruto concluded.
"Sounds solid." Tenten agreed as they prepared to disperse, when Naruto halted them, "Hold on a sec..."
"Everyone, give me your hand for a moment, please..." Naruto requested.
"For what?" Tenten questioned.
"You'll see..." Naruto assured, "Just trust me on this one..." Naruto added.
Reluctantly, every team member extended their hands. Naruto then proceeded to mark a seal on each one, "There we go..." Naruto stated after marking everyone's hand.
"What's this for?" Tenten enquired.
"The answer will come when the time's right. Now, take these..." Naruto said, bringing earpieces, "Got one for each of us, for smooth communication. If there's danger, we can warn each other quick..." Naruto explained, distributing the earpieces.
"Now, we each have a role to play. If you spot anything fishy or dangerous, get in touch right away..." Naruto instructed, "Let's hit the road." Naruto concluded as the team split up, heading off in different directions to carry out their assigned tasks.
Naruto strolled through the village, engaging in conversations with various individuals in hopes of gathering vital intel. While he did manage to acquire some information, it proved to be unrelated to the stolen star and provided little leads.
As the day drew to a close, Naruto found himself on the outskirts of the village, captivated by a melodious voice that echoed in the vicinity. Intrigued, he followed the sound until he reached the source.
There, standing alone, was Sumaru, singing, clutching a locket in his hand. Naruto positioned himself beside Sumaru and spoke up, "So, you're here? Your singing voice is quite impressive."
Sumaru glanced at Naruto and asked, "What brings you here?"
"Just on a mission, doing some work. And you?" Naruto inquired.
"Nothing much, just gazing at the stars," Sumaru replied.
"Ah, stargazing... That reminds me of our mission," Naruto remarked with a knowing smile. "
However, Sumaru remained silent, his gaze fixated on the starry sky.
"Speaking of the star, you mentioned something about it earlier. Do you want to..." Naruto began, but before he could finish, Sumaru interjected, "No... I can't reveal information to outsiders," Sumaru declared as he turned and started walking away from the spot.
"Pondering over a risky move ain't a bad idea..." Naruto mulled over, "Perhaps interacting with the training ninjas might shed some light on the theft incident..." His thoughts trailed off as he navigated towards the training quarters from where the star was reportedly stolen.
Initially, Naruto rapped on the door but received no response from within...
"Surely, it's not that late for them to be snoozing..." Naruto contemplated, gently nudging the door ajar, "Anybody home?" He inquired, stepping inside, "Just as I thought, someone's catching some Z's. I'll revisit later..." He decided, preparing to leave when he felt a surge of chakra aimed at him from above. Swiftly, he activated the Limitless jutsu to counter the attack.
As Naruto glanced upwards, he spotted a girl who had initiated the attack. The girl, on the other hand, was petrified as Naruto's gaze met hers causing her to lose balance and tumble.
"Who might you be?" The girl questioned, regaining her footing.
"You could easily recognize me from the forehead protector, but to answer your question, I'm a ninja from the Leaf Village. I came by to inquire about a few things..." Naruto replied.
"Yo.. You-are ?" The girl stammered, "My apologies for the impolite greeting!" She bowed in remorse.
"No worries..." Naruto dismissed.
At the Hoshikage's residence...
"It's undeniable, It was certainly that individual who absconded with the star." A Hidden Star ninja reported to Akahoshi.
"So, that one's still breathing...?" The second ninja queried.
"This complicates things. That individual being the final ninja proficient in the star's power implies..." The first ninja expressed.
"We can't combat them with our current Jutsu!" The second ninja exclaimed.
"Let's not panic. If our suspicions about the culprit are correct, we already possess their Achilles heel." Akahoshi assured with a grin.
"I see... Let's apprehend them then." The first ninja proposed, ready to exit.
"Hold on..." Akahoshi interrupted, "We must first divert the attention of the meddling bugs!" He suggested, peering out the window.
Back home...
"Apologies... I'm Hokuto. I sensed unfamiliar chakra and thoughtlessly struck..." The girl confessed, as Naruto faced her.
"No worries, being vigilant is always good..." Naruto replied casually.
"And the others? Is everybody safe?" Naruto queried.
"The intruder just put us under... The harm is minimal." Hokuto answered.
"I see..." Naruto muttered, hearing a cough from the boy sleeping nearby. He stood and moved to sit next to him.
"You alright, mate?" Naruto asked.
"No... I'm fine..." The boy responded.
"Ever since Mizura started the star training, he's been feeling off..." Hokuto began, but was cut off by Mizura, "Hokuto! Don't spill about the star to an outsider." Mizura coughed out.
"You okay there...Mizura?" Hokuto asked, helping Mizura sip some water, "Sorry... I let it slip..." she apologized.
Naruto sighed, "How ridiculous, asking for help from foreign ninjas and then acting cold towards them, it's just absurd." Naruto grumbled internally.
"Don't you think it's a bit extreme? You need our help but aren't willing to share necessary info or chat, isn't that a bit harsh? And this includes Sumaru!!!" Naruto voiced out.
"Apologies... But Sumaru has his reasons." Hokuto defended.
"I get that, but what are they?" Naruto probed.
"Ten years ago... Sumaru's parents were killed by foreign ninjas while protecting the star... So, he's likely to be..." Hokuto explained.
"Ah, so that's why he's not friendly towards outsiders." Naruto deduced.
"Hold on, where's Sumaru now? And the others?" Naruto inquired.
"It seems they've gone to retrieve the star." Hokuto informed.
Without wasting time, Naruto zapped himself to Neji's location in the village.
"Naruto... You..." Neji was slightly taken aback but regained his cool, "What's up?" He asked.
"Sumaru and the other hidden star ninjas have gone somewhere to get back the star..." Naruto explained.
"I see..." Neji said, activating his Byakugan eyes.
"Spot anything?" Naruto asked.
"A huge chakra surge at the valley of death... " Neji updated.
"Well, then... Let's get moving!" Naruto urged.
"On it..." Neji agreed as they sprinted towards the location.
[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]