The Land of Bears is covered with dense forests, and at its center lies a canyon filled with poisonous gas. If a woodcutter accidentally falls into the canyon or encounters strong winds that blow the toxic fumes outward, their life would be instantly claimed.
This canyon, shrouded in poisonous gas, is known as Hell Valley, a place that locals fear and avoid at all costs.
Hell Valley spans a vast area, and due to its unique terrain, rare medicinal herbs grow in the outer regions of the valley—herbs that are hard to find elsewhere in the world.
These life-saving herbs, ironically, thrive in an environment filled with death. The high value of these herbs naturally attracts daring profiteers.
As more people venture into the valley, the number of bodies left behind in its vicinity continues to grow.
According to some lucky individuals who made fortunes from collecting these herbs, Hell Valley is also home to venomous beasts and insects, some of which, when they spread their wings, are larger than adult hawks or falcons.
However, the elders of the region scoff at such claims. They know that the Land of Bears has its own ninja village—Hoshigakure, the Village Hidden in Stars.
The ability to soar through the skies is a signature technique of this village. Yet, for reasons unknown, the ninjas of Hoshigakure suddenly vanished from public view at some point in time.
They sealed themselves within the toxic confines of Hell Valley, though many elders still regard the ninja of Hoshigakure as the guardians of the Land of Bears.
After all, this nation has largely been spared from the ravages of war. To the locals, this peace is undoubtedly thanks to the efforts of the elusive Hoshigakure ninjas.
Above the lush forest canopy, a golden cloud hovered in the air. Two young men stood side by side atop the cloud, one of them—a handsome, black-haired youth—reaching out to touch the empty space in front of him.
The pair were Sōmi and Scorpion, having just completed their recovery in the Land of Fire.
"Is the star within Hoshigakure really that miraculous?" Scorpion asked, watching Sōmi's continued probing.
After hearing Sōmi boast about the star's wonders throughout their journey, Scorpion still harbored doubts.
To him, if the star truly possessed such great power, why was Hoshigakure's reputation so obscure?
In fact, Scorpion had been skeptical about the village's very existence until Sōmi brought him here and he personally sensed the sealing barrier surrounding it.
"It's miraculous, yes, but the side effects are severe. Its method of aiding cultivation is more like draining a person's life force. Rather than calling it a star, it's more accurate to describe it as a devil that trades power for human life," Sōmi replied without turning his head.
"When you're immersed in the continuous growth of power, your life quietly reaches its end."
"That said, its system of power does enable flight. Whoever developed this system must have been quite remarkable."
As Sōmi spoke, he maneuvered the golden cloud, shifting its position.
Scorpion glanced below. The morning light had already spread across the land, and dew clinging to the trees shimmered stubbornly with a radiant glow.
The lush greenery and the invigorating scent of nature were sights and sensations unimaginable in the arid Land of Wind.
Turning his gaze to the horizon, Scorpion could faintly make out a white line in the distance.
The gentle sunlight bathed the two of them, and even the typically stern Scorpion couldn't help but squint slightly, savoring the rare tranquility.
Suddenly, a breeze stirred the forest below, causing the trees to sway like waves of green rippling across the landscape. Their branches and leaves danced in harmony with the wind.
But amidst the movement, wisps of yellow smoke began to spread from an unknown source.
Before long, the smoke had engulfed a large area below. The trees within the smoke lost their vitality, standing motionless like lifeless sculptures despite the wind's caress.
"Here, put this on—just in case!" Scorpion caught the gas mask Sōmi tossed his way.
As someone who frequently dealt with poisons, Scorpion understood the importance of protective measures. After all, if one were to succumb to poison before incapacitating the enemy, it would be nothing short of laughable.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
A fierce gust of wind roared forth, bending the trees below and sending leaves flying in all directions. The yellow smoke was dispersed significantly, revealing the original appearance of the area.
But soon, the yellow smoke began to seep out again from the sealed barrier's interior, clinging to the soil and trees. Gradually, the vibrant green forest was once again smothered in yellow.
"Scorpion, what are you doing?" Sōmi complained in an irritated tone.
"Nothing. I was just curious and wanted to study this poisonous gas a bit," Scorpion replied.
"What if you disturb the people of Hoshigakure?"
"Impossible. The sealing barrier clearly incorporates soundproofing techniques. My level of ninjutsu can't penetrate the barrier..."
It was clear that, beneath his mask, Scorpion maintained his usual confident and indifferent expression as he spoke.
"Well, you've disturbed me, alright?" Sōmi protested. He had been entirely focused on locating the barrier's node, only for Scorpion's sudden commotion to trigger a physical stress response.
"Oh."
Scorpion paused momentarily before uttering a single syllable, clearly unfazed by Sōmi's complaints.
"Expand your carpet a bit. I want to collect some of this poisonous gas for further study," Scorpion said.
"It's not a carpet! Calling this golden cloud a carpet cheapens it..." Sōmi grumbled as he complied.
From the golden staff on Sōmi's back, a small stream of gold sand flowed out and merged with the cloud below.
Moments later, the cloud's size expanded severalfold—large enough to accommodate ten or more people with ease.
Normally, Sōmi kept the cloud as small as possible, as larger clouds were harder to control and consumed more Chakra.
But since he didn't need the cloud to move at high speed right now, enlarging it for slow hovering was relatively effortless.
Without hesitation, Scorpion retrieved a scroll from his back. With a poof, a rotund, bull-shaped puppet appeared.
The puppet stepped to the edge of the golden cloud and opened its mouth, inhaling large volumes of yellow smoke like a whale drinking water.
After a while, Scorpion formed several hand seals and slapped the puppet's body. Its movements ceased, and its mouth closed shut.
Simultaneously, a black sealing rune appeared on its back, spreading across its entire body.
After ensuring everything was in order, Scorpion re-sealed the puppet with satisfaction.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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