After testing the power of the meteorite from the Land of Demons—once worshiped as a "celestial" by Hoshigakure—Chen Xing surveyed the scorched wasteland it had created in the forest outside the village. The blast had hollowed out the earth, forming a vast basin that would eventually fill with water. In time, it could become a lake large enough to support fisheries and farmland—something the small and impoverished Land of Demons had always lacked.
Satisfied, Chen Xing unfurled the chakra wings formed through the Peacock Method and vanished in a streak of light.
When he returned to Hoshigakure, the village was in turmoil. The tremor from his experiment had shaken buildings, sending villagers into the streets. Shinobi worked to maintain order.
Inside the Celestial Shadow Building, the Third Celestial Shadow and Natsuhi were already waiting. Both looked tense until Chen Xing appeared.
"Chen Xing, was that an earthquake?" the Third Celestial Shadow asked gravely. Hoshigakure had never fortified its buildings against such disasters.
Natsuhi added, "If it was, the damage could be severe."
Chen Xing coughed lightly. "It wasn't an earthquake. I was testing a large-scale technique in the forest."
Their expressions shifted from worry to shock. A technique powerful enough to shake the entire village—such strength was far beyond ordinary shinobi.
"You caused that?" the Third Celestial Shadow asked.
Chen Xing shrugged. "I went far enough away. I didn't expect the impact to carry this far."
---The Story Begins
Two years passed.
At sixteen, Chen Xing had become the youngest Celestial Shadow in Hoshigakure's history. Under his leadership, the village had grown rapidly. The Ninja Academy produced promising genin, and the once-declining village began to regain strength.
Through continued training with the meteorite's chakra—carefully controlling its corrosive effects unlike past victims—Chen Xing's mastery of the Peacock Method deepened. His chakra reserves and physical vitality far surpassed most jōnin.
Hoshigakure prospered economically as well. Trade increased, and the village stabilized politically after the internal conflict that once revolved around the meteorite's power.
Inside the Celestial Shadow's office, Chen Xing reviewed a letter bearing the seal of Konohagakure.
The Chūnin Exams were approaching.
Held jointly between villages, the exams were both a test of strength and a display of political power. This year, they would be hosted in the Land of Fire.
Bai, now serving as Chen Xing's assistant, stood beside him. "You're planning to attend?"
Chen Xing smiled faintly. "It's time we step onto a larger stage."
He knew what this exam would entail.
This would be the Chūnin Exams where Gaara of the Sand would reveal his terrifying power. Where Orochimaru would strike from the shadows. Where the invasion of Konoha would unfold—and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would face his final battle.
History was about to move.
And this time, Hoshigakure would not remain in the background.