"Of course!"
"If you don't trust me, I can pay a portion of the deposit upfront," Sōmi said as he gazed into the distance.
"No need for a deposit. If your only goal is the star, then I can help you!"
"Wait a minute! Summer Star! They're unknown ninjas—how can you trust them so easily?"
Firefly Star interjected, his tone agitated, but his sudden outburst triggered a fit of coughing.
"Firefly!" Summer Star called out anxiously to her companion.
As someone who had trained in the Mysterious Peacock Method alongside him since childhood—and as his wife—she was well aware of his current physical condition.
As a mother, she was even more determined to prevent this tragedy from being passed down to their son.
"Does it really matter what their intentions are? As long as they take the star away, isn't that enough?" Summer Star's eyes welled with tears as she watched Firefly Star's hand, now stained with crimson blood seeping through his fingers.
Cough! Cough! Cough...
"Your companion… seems to have a serious health issue. How about I take a look?" Sōmi suggested, observing the two star ninjas who were practically conspiring out loud. His expression showed a hint of exasperation.
"You know medical ninjutsu?" Despite living in seclusion, Summer Star's knowledge was anything but shallow.
"I know a little," Sōmi replied calmly, his tone devoid of much emotion as he glanced at Summer Star, whose tear-filled eyes seemed to plead for help. He certainly didn't share the heroic sentiment of someone like Cao Cao.
Sōmi had studied the Mystical Palm Technique for some time. Thanks to his extraordinary soul strength, his precise control over Chakra was exceptional. Even Granny Chiyo, who had once taught him, couldn't help but praise his aptitude.
Granny Chiyo had lamented then that, if only Sunagakure had a more advanced medical ninjutsu tradition, the village might have produced someone akin to Tsunade.
Summer Star led the group to a cave, which was sparsely furnished with a few animal-skin blankets. At the back of the cave, remnants of charcoal hinted that someone had once lived there.
A green glow illuminated the cave as Sōmi began examining Firefly Star.
"His condition stems from the depletion of his life force, leading to organ failure and functional decline," Sōmi said, frowning.
In his perception, Firefly Star, who appeared youthful on the outside, had the internal organs of someone in their seventies or eighties. Moreover, faint purple light emanated from the depths of his meridians, like parasitic worms clinging to his bones, constantly draining his life force.
"Such severe life force depletion cannot be treated with ordinary medical ninjutsu. Only a Forbidden Technique might extend his life," Sōmi concluded coldly.
"It's okay, don't worry, Summer!" Although his condition couldn't be cured, Firefly Star's complexion had improved significantly after Sōmi used the Mystical Palm Technique to realign his Chakra. At least now, he looked no different from a healthy person. Holding Summer Star's pale hands, he spoke tenderly.
"So, can we proceed with our deal?" Sōmi interrupted directly.
"Yes! We can tell you the location of the star and help you steal it, but you must not harm any of Hoshigakure's ninjas," Firefly Star replied.
"We don't need money, but you must reestablish the sealing barrier and teach Summer Star how to control it."
Firefly Star had clearly changed his mind. The aftereffects of the Mysterious Peacock Method had pushed him to the end of his life. To completely rid the village of this curse, he was willing to make compromises.
"Firefly..." Summer Star looked at him with deep concern.
Standing up, Firefly Star gently stroked Summer Star's silky hair and spoke softly, "We were already planning to do this ourselves, but if we did, we'd surely be exiled from the village."
"Even if we don't care about that, we still have to think about our son..."
"If we let them handle it, at the very least, you'll be able to stay by Subaru's side and take care of him in the future!"
"No! It'll be fine! You'll be fine! We'll both stay by Subaru's side, watch him grow up, and always be with him..." Summer Star broke down, burying her face in Firefly Star's chest as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Firefly Star's lips curled into a smile as he gently patted her head, though his face carried a deep sense of regret.
Sōmi and Scorpion exited the cave, leaving behind the faintly sour odor that lingered in the air.
"Why not just take it by force?" Scorpion, who had been silently observing, finally asked.
A breeze brushed past, ruffling Sōmi's dark bangs. He took a deep breath, gazing at the tranquil valley and savoring the peace it offered.
"Maybe because that woman also has red hair," Sōmi replied casually.
...
That night, the stars were dim, the silver glow of the full moon obscured by thick clouds, and the night sky appeared unusually deep and dark.
A golden cloud floated quietly above Hoshigakure, blending into the shadows of the night and remaining inconspicuous.
"This is the place. At this hour, everyone who was training has already returned, and there won't be any guards," Firefly Star whispered as he stood on the golden cloud. The night breeze seemed chilly, or perhaps it was something else, as a trace of worry lingered on his face.
"The terrain is quite unique," Sōmi commented. With his sharp ninja eyesight and the faint moonlight, he could make out a quarry-like pit below.
"What's that raised hill in the back?" Sōmi asked, seemingly out of curiosity.
"That's where our ancestors rest," Summer Star answered without much hesitation.
Sōmi let out a soft "Oh" before steering the golden cloud to descend to the ground.
The ground was covered with dark blue pebbles. Stepping on them carelessly would produce a crisp crunching sound, but if Chakra was emitted from one's feet in advance, the noise could be avoided.
"Alright, we're heading in!" Sōmi gestured to Firefly Star before entering the wooden hut ahead with Scorpion.
The hut was old and sparsely furnished. As soon as Sōmi stepped inside, his eyes were drawn to the orb placed in the center.
The orb emitted an eerie purple glow, and the flowing light seemed to exude a sense of danger.
The orb's pitted surface rested on an unknown beast's claw, its three dark silver talons protruding sharply, giving it an otherworldly appearance.
"Such a wondrous object actually exists in this world?!" Scorpion's attention was instantly captivated by the star. The purple glow reflected deep within his pupils.
"According to them, this star fell from the heavens. Of course, it's not simple," Sōmi remarked.
"Let's take it first. We can study it later," he added, keeping his focus on the task at hand.
"There's an alarm barrier set up beneath it. If we take it directly, they'll quickly catch up, won't they?"
"Unfortunately, a barrier of this level is no challenge for me," Sōmi said with a confident smile.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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