Unlike Konoha, the Star Ninja Village was truly just a village.
Orochimaru, who entered the Star Ninja Village with the Third Star Kage, casually scanned the area with his senses. There were only about five hundred humans with signs of life. Even fewer, only around a hundred, had unusual chakra fluctuations within them.
Despite being a village with such a small population and weak strength, it had become the most powerful force in the Land of Bears, all thanks to the Peacock Myriad Method secret technique obtained from a meteorite that fell from the sky.
The ordinary citizens of the Star Ninja Village had already received instructions from the Third Star Kage and had returned to their homes to hide before Orochimaru and the Nine-Tails arrived.
Most of the remaining Star Ninja Village ninjas were also dispersed from the plaza where the Star was enshrined, leaving only a few relatively important figures of the Star Ninja Village.
Natsuhi and Hotaru stood together, two teenagers looking with curiosity at the man and the fox being respectfully escorted into the village by the Third Star Kage.
Beside them stood a slightly older, gray-haired man, who was also observing the strange ninja led by the Third Star Kage towards the Star with a scrutinizing gaze.
Orochimaru casually swept his gaze over the surrounding Star Ninja Village ninjas and calmly walked to the eagle claw in front of the enshrined Star Stone.
"Star Kage-sama, such a precious treasure, and your village doesn't even have anyone guarding it normally?"
The Third Star Kage's expression dimmed, and he sighed.
"Alas!"
"Master Konjin, you jest. The Star Ninja Village is small and weak, naturally, it cannot be compared to the Five Great Ninja Villages."
"Moreover, the Land of Bears is remote and rarely visited by outsiders, so there's no need for a large guard!"
"Besides..."
The Third Star Kage chuckled self-deprecatingly and slowly reached out to place his hand on the stone pillar of the eagle claw altar. The moment his palm touched the altar, the anomalous chakra within the Third Star Kage was drawn by the power of the Star Stone and began to circulate spontaneously.
"Master Konjin must have also noticed, the Star may not be such a precious treasure..."
Three pairs of illusory peacock wings spontaneously sprouted from behind the Third Star Kage, eliciting gasps of admiration from the watching ninjas of the Star Ninja Village, both young and old.
"Is this the state of the Third Star Kage-sama entering the Peacock Myriad Method?"
"Such chakra fluctuations, so strong!"
The gray-haired man standing next to Natsuhi and Hotaru, looking at the wings behind the Third Star Kage, had a glint of fervent greed flash in his eyes. The intensity of his desire caused Orochimaru, who was looking at the Star Stone, to turn his head and glance at him.
"Gray hair, eyes as dead and gray as those from Edo Tensei. This must be that fellow named Akaboshi?"
"Heh heh!"
"So, even at this time, he's already harboring the thought of replacing the Third Star Kage?"
A few fleeting thoughts crossed his mind. Orochimaru had little interest in the power struggles of this small village. His mind was focused on only one thing: how to gain the flight ability of the Peacock Myriad Method while preventing his body from being affected by the meteorite's radiation.
Yes, radiation!
It was only after searching his memories in a secluded corner that Orochimaru found this fresh term.
The corrosive radiation emanating from the Star was very subtle. If Orochimaru hadn't cultivated the Body Revitalization Secret Technique and known every cell of his body intimately, he might not have discovered the existence of that corrosive power.
"Nature's creations are truly miraculous!"
Orochimaru praised, taking two steps back and standing away from the Star Stone, he asked the Third Star Kage:
"Star Kage-sama, regarding the issue of Star energy erosion that I mentioned earlier..."
"Have your village's ninjas experienced any different changes after cultivating the Peacock Myriad Method?"
The Third Star Kage withdrew his hand from the altar and looked with a complex expression at the exceptionally talented children like Natsuhi and Hotaru.
After a moment of silence, the Third Star Kage sighed slowly.
"Alas!"
"As Master Konjin said earlier, cultivating the Peacock Myriad Method has indeed had some significant effects on the ninjas of the Star Ninja Village."
"The ninjas of the Star Ninja Village..."
"Live much shorter lives than ordinary ninjas who cultivate chakra!"
Orochimaru followed the Third Star Kage's gaze to those children and let out a cold snort.
"Although Star Kage-sama has summarized some of the dangers of the Star Stone's power through the lives of your past ninjas, these are merely superficial phenomena!"
"The true drawbacks of the Peacock Myriad Method are far more than simply shortening the lives of its practitioners!"
Orochimaru pointed at the shocked and bewildered children and said with a stern expression:
"As long as the Star Stone remains in the Star Ninja Village, the corrosive power will continuously erode the people living here."
"This erosion penetrates the bloodline!"
"As long as they cultivate the Peacock Myriad Method, these children, including their descendants..."
"Will live shorter and shorter lives!"
"Until..."
A cruel, cold smile curled Orochimaru's lips as he said in a chilling tone:
"Until all the people of the Star Ninja Village are wiped out!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Third Star Kage's face instantly turned extremely unpleasant.
The gray-haired man standing in the distance glanced at the Third Star Kage's face, his heart stirred, and he immediately shouted angrily at Orochimaru.
"How dare you!"
"Who knows from what place you wicked scoundrel comes, to spew such alarmist nonsense in front of the Star Kage-sama!"
After berating Orochimaru, the gray-haired man then obsequiously ran to the Third Star Kage's side, looking at Orochimaru with a sinister grin.
"Star Kage-sama, this person must be coveting the village's Peacock Myriad Method and is speaking wildly here!"
"Why don't we capture him and interrogate him to find out which village sent him as a spy!"
Upon hearing this, the Third Star Kage broke out in a cold sweat.
"Akaboshi, shut up!"
"Master Konjin, Akaboshi is merely concerned about the village's safety and did not intend to offend you..."
Orochimaru waved his hand gently and slowly walked in front of Akaboshi.
"Akaboshi..."
"Greed for the Peacock Myriad Method is not enough of a reason for you to offend a strong individual."
"If you want to gain greater power, I can understand."
"However, choosing me as a tool to curry favor with Star Kage-sama and help you obtain the Peacock Myriad Method..."
"Have you made preparations to die?"
Sensing the powerful aura gradually rising from Orochimaru, Akaboshi finally realized where he had gone wrong. His face turned pale, and he stumbled back two steps.
The Third Star Kage quickly stepped forward, shielding Akaboshi, and bowed respectfully to Orochimaru.
"Master Konjin, please forgive us!"
"As compensation for Akaboshi's offense, I am willing to give you the cultivation method of the Peacock Myriad Method!"
"I know you are powerful and may not be interested in such a flawed secret technique, but this is all the Star Ninja Village has to offer!"
After speaking, the Third Star Kage bowed deeply.
A look of satisfaction flashed in Orochimaru's eyes, and he nodded lightly.
"Indeed, you have lived nearly a hundred years and are quite perceptive!"
"In that case, Akaboshi's life will be temporarily spared by your account."
Gently patting Akaboshi's shoulder, Orochimaru said meaningfully:
"If you want to play political games to rise to power, your strength and character are still lacking."
"Although the Star Ninja Village is small, not just anyone can inherit the position of Kage."
"Do you understand?"
Akaboshi nodded in fear.
Witnessing Akaboshi's demeanor, the Third Star Kage silently erased his eligibility to inherit the Star Kage position.
Compared to Akaboshi, who even tried to manipulate strangers and his own village elders, the Third Star Kage felt that Natsuhi and Hotaru were far superior.