"Is this the flying ability you mentioned before?"
"Strange chakra flow, indeed quite different from Onoki's Earth Style!"
The Nine-Tails glanced at the sky following Orochimaru's gaze, and a look of surprise flickered in its eyes. Except for the Seven-Tails Chōmei, other Tailed Beasts, including the Nine-Tails, could not fly.
It was one thing for Onoki, with the foundation of Iwagakure as one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, to possess the Particle Style secret jutsu that allowed flight. But surprisingly, Hoshigakure, an obscure minor village in the ninja world, also had a similar flying ability.
"Is it by gathering that chakra called 'Star' onto the body, forming wings similar to a bird's?"
"I must say, the name of this secret jutsu is quite interesting!"
Orochimaru nodded slightly, observing the Third Star Kage flying in the air for a moment. Seeing that he had no intention of descending for the time being, Orochimaru simply stopped paying attention to him.
"It seems my fight with the Four-Tails Jinchuriki has startled this Star Kage. I'll wait for him to calm down first!"
"Now..."
Orochimaru bent down and removed the talisman from the forehead of Roshi, and a ball of Yin-Yang Release power emerged from his palm, gently stroking it.
Roshi's hazy soul slowly rose from the talisman, drifting towards his body lying on the ground and entering it.
As his soul returned, Roshi's stiff expression gradually regained a human touch, his thoughts gradually revived, and under Orochimaru's gaze, he slowly opened his eyes.
"Uh..."
"You..."
As soon as he opened his eyes, Roshi saw Orochimaru half-crouched beside him. His pupils contracted, and he was about to assume a combat stance.
Before Roshi could sit up, Orochimaru opened his right hand and pressed it towards the seal on Roshi's lower abdomen where the Four-Tails was located.
"Fūinjutsu: Gogyō Fūin!"
Roshi's body trembled. The Lava Style chakra he had just mobilized from the seal immediately dissipated. No matter how hard he tried, the Four-Tails' power seemed to be bound by a shackle, allowing him to only mobilize a sliver of it.
As for the Four-Tails, which always wanted to talk to him, there was no sound at all at this moment.
"Damn it, what did you do?"
"Four-Tails..."
The connection with the Four-Tails was suddenly severed, and Roshi was greatly alarmed.
"Heh heh!"
Orochimaru retracted his hand and sneered at the reckless Roshi.
"As a tool carrying the power of a Tailed Beast, you should just do your job as a tool."
"As for your qualification to use the Four-Tails' power, it has been temporarily restricted by my Gogyō Fūin!"
"When I feel you are qualified to use it someday, I will personally go to Iwagakure to lift the seal for you!"
Roshi's expression was horrified, and his finger trembled as he pointed at Orochimaru.
"You..."
"Gogyō Fūin, which strong ninja from Konoha are you?"
"Sealing the Four-Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure, aren't you afraid of triggering another Great Ninja War?"
Orochimaru did not deny it, merely let out a disdainful smile and looked coldly at Roshi's actions.
"If you don't want to die here immediately, take your hand back!"
"If I had a suitable vessel, do you think I would let the Four-Tails continue to stay in your body?"
"As for triggering a Great Ninja War..."
"Heh..."
"You, a wandering Jinchuriki, are not qualified for that!"
"Scram!"
Assailed by the chilling killing intent emanating from Orochimaru, Roshi trembled and unwillingly lowered his usually proud head.
He silently got up and left without looking back in the direction of Iwagakure.
He was full of regret now!
He regretted why he hadn't directly agreed to the request of the ninja named Kūshin earlier, regretted why he had left the protection of the village and appeared here, regretted...
With complicated emotions, Roshi hurried, wanting to return to Iwagakure as quickly as possible. He would report the information of Konoha ninja attacking him to the village, and also bow his head to Onoki and ask if there was a way to solve the problem of the Gogyō Fūin.
Without the power of the Tailed Beast, what was the meaning of his existence as a Jinchuriki?
Was it really as that Kūshin said, to peacefully be a vessel for the Four-Tails' power?
...
"Lava Style, purple clothes, Iwagakure forehead protector..."
"A ninja dressed like this, could it be Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure?"
"Being threatened like this, he didn't even dare to retort and just left?"
The Third Star Kage watched Roshi disappear into the darkness, and couldn't help but gasp.
"Just how strong is this person's power?"
Orochimaru turned around again, his gaze calm as he looked at the Third Star Kage in the air and said coldly:
"You've been watching for so long, isn't it time to come down?"
"By the way, I don't like talking to people while looking up!"
The cold words, accompanied by a powerful chakra fluctuation, crashed into the Third Star Kage's senses. The old man's heart trembled, he gritted his teeth, and slowly descended to a position far from Orochimaru.
Being able to crush the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, and not caring about the threat of war with one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Then this person was either so powerful that he could ignore Iwagakure, or he had the support of an equally powerful force behind him.
Whichever of these two possibilities it was, neither was something the small Hoshigakure could afford to provoke.
As his body stabilized, the Third Star Kage retracted the peacock feather wings on his back, tidied his robes, and bowed respectfully to Orochimaru from a distance.
"Your Excellency..."
"I had no intention of spying on the battle between you and the Iwagakure Jinchuriki!"
"It is just that as the Third Star Kage of Hoshigakure, I have an obligation to investigate the fluctuations of battle from powerful individuals appearing near the village."
"If this action has caused you displeasure, I shall leave immediately!"
A smile curled up on Orochimaru's lips, he gently shook his head and slowly walked towards the Third Star Kage.
"I am not displeased!"
"On the contrary, I am genuinely happy to see the legendary Third Star Kage, who has lived for over a hundred years, arrive!"
"After all, to live to such an age under the corrosive influence of the Peacock Myōhō is itself something to be greatly admired."
"Isn't it?"
The Third Star Kage, who was bowing, trembled and looked at Orochimaru with disbelief, a hint of reverence and excitement in his eyes.
"Your Excellency..."
"You actually know that the power of the Peacock Myōhō erodes the cultivator's body?"
"This... how is this possible!"
The Nine-Tails grinned from the side, looking at the Third Star Kage with pity.
"This old man..."
"Orochimaru throws out a bait and you're in a hurry to bite. Won't you be eaten to the bone?"
Orochimaru glared at the Nine-Tails, who was muttering to himself in his heart, and returned a benevolent smile to the Third Star Kage.
"Star Kage-sama, there's no need to be so surprised. I just know a little more than ordinary ninjas."
"Coincidentally, I am curious about the Peacock Myōhō of the Star Clan. If Third Star Kage trusts me, why don't you invite me to your village as a guest?"
The Third Star Kage showed hesitation, and after a moment of deliberation, he nodded vigorously.
"Your Excellency is such a powerful figure, and your actions should be upright and honorable!"
"On behalf of Hoshigakure, I welcome your arrival!"
"Please!"