Naruto: Cthulhu: Ch. 219

Meteorites glowing in Hoshi wasn't considered particularly strange.

After all, the first meteorite that fell two centuries ago also descended with a radiant hue.

Through the unique practice of the Mysterious Peacock Method, developed from this first meteorite, the chakra of the ninjas in Hoshi would take on this same purple tint.

Thus, the purple color in Akahoshi's chakra was a direct reflection of the radiance emitted by that first meteorite which had fallen in Hoshi two centuries prior.

Now, although the glow emanating from this second meteorite was far harder to describe, it could be roughly characterized as an uncanny fusion of purple and pink, mingling in an otherworldly way to form a strange, indefinable hue.

Of course, such a description was merely a simplification to align with human comprehension.

Yet, the light this second meteorite radiated at night bore a similarity to the natural glow of the first meteorite. This similarity inevitably led to speculation that the two meteorites might originate from the same source, possessing the same kind of power.

However, judging by its size, the first meteorite was only about the size of a handball, while this one had a diameter of two meters. By all logic, the energy contained within it should be exponentially greater.

If this meteorite were used for practicing the Mysterious Peacock Method, it could potentially push the chakra levels of its users beyond the limits set by the previous meteorite—a tantalizing possibility.

This was exactly what Akahoshi aspired to achieve.

But as Akahoshi extended his chakra wings to touch the bizarre colors of the meteorite, the hues recoiled, as if repelled by the same magnetic polarity, swiftly retreating from his chakra wings.

Helpless, Akahoshi retracted his wings and sighed, "This thing doesn't respond to my chakra at all."

"Could it be that my training isn't refined enough to resonate with a meteorite this large?"

"How is that possible? Even your chakra, Akahoshi-sama, can't trigger a reaction? You're the strongest in the village now!" Shisō remarked, who was nearby, trying to flatter him.

But Akahoshi immediately shook his head, dismissing the idea.

"If that person were still alive, my Mysterious Peacock Method would be no match for hers."

Yotaka interjected, "That woman disappeared ten years ago and hasn't been seen since. She must have died by now."

Akahoshi shook his head again. "Not necessarily. Today, I heard some ninjas from Konoha mentioning her name. The villagers suddenly talking about her isn't a good sign."

"What? If Natsuhi is still alive, then the matter of us killing the Third Hoshikage—"

"Don't worry. Even if she returns, her son is still in the village. As long as we control her son, she won't dare make a move."

Above the crater, the three ninjas were conspiring on a grand scale about the intricate happenings in the human world.

But in the unseen microcosm, within the shadowy moonlit areas, an amorphous, glowing hue began to seep from the meteorite. It emerged from a hollow sphere nestled at the center of the gray-brown rock, encased in scorched earth.

The hollow sphere was no larger than an eight-centimeter handball, its surface smooth and lined with distinct patterns. Each groove brimmed with the strange purple-pink glow, which now overflowed.

These faint, nearly intangible hues resembled gas but didn't behave like it—neither rising nor sinking as expected.

Instead, they burrowed into the soil, slipping through its crevices, and spread rapidly through the sparse layers beneath the ground, moving with a frenzied, chaotic flow invisible to Akahoshi and his companions.

Silently, they infiltrated forests, farmlands, and groundwater reservoirs. No one could discern the purpose of these colors, but it seemed as though they indeed had an agenda. After long subterranean journeys, they reemerged on the surface via the underground water system.

Suddenly, in a quiet forest pond, a strange phosphorescence began to seep up from the bottom without any bubbles rising in the water.

These pink-purple glows swirled faintly on the pond's surface like an ethereal mist, while within the water, the luminous colors spread like delicate oil blossoms blooming across the surface.

In the moonlit forest, nocturnal animals initially avoided approaching the pond now "occupied" by these colors. Snakes, leopards, hedgehogs, owls, and others observed cautiously from trees, bushes, and burrow edges, wary of the uninvited guests.

Eventually, a thirsty lizard, hopping tentatively from a shadowy corner of the grass, approached the water's edge.

It dipped its tongue to the water for a cautious taste and froze for a moment. Looking around briefly, the lizard soon lowered its head again and began rapidly lapping up the water with its tongue, rippling the pond's surface with gentle waves.

Satisfied, the lizard departed contentedly.

Seeing the lizard drink safely from the colored water, the other animals gradually worked up the courage to approach the pond. Although their instincts warned them of potential danger, their thirst overcame their caution.

One by one, animals gathered at the pond, sampling the water. Finding no immediate harm, they drank deeply and left, seemingly unscathed.

However, what these animals could not perceive was the change in their own appearance. After drinking from the pond, each creature developed a faint, bizarre pinkish-purple tint on their bodies.

Meanwhile, the same mysterious water infiltrated the farmland of Hoshi, circling the roots of crops buried in the soil.

Such phenomena were not uncommon in the forests surrounding Hoshi. Even highly perceptive ninjas found it nearly impossible to detect these subtle changes.

Late into the night, the clouds high above began to rumble faintly, and flashes of lightning danced sporadically within their thick formations.

Suddenly, a torrential downpour erupted, with large raindrops driving the Hoshi ninjas guarding the second meteorite back into shelter.

Exposed to the relentless rain, the meteorite began to undergo a transformation.

The rainwater steadily washed away the accumulated scorched earth and dead grass from the meteorite's surface. Before long, its diameter visibly shrank at an almost alarming pace.

Meanwhile, the thunder in the sky grew louder and more frequent.

Boom!

A lightning bolt struck directly onto the meteorite, leaving a charred, murky indentation on its surface.

Boom!

Another lightning strike followed, deepening the newly-formed crater on the meteorite.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

A barrage of six consecutive thunderbolts descended upon the meteorite, ultimately dissolving it into nothingness, leaving no trace behind.

---

The next day, when Shikamaru and his team were notified by the ninja from Hoshi to head to the farmhouse's backyard, they witnessed an astonishing scene. 

In the deep crater left by the meteorite in the backyard, the meteorite itself had completely vanished. All that remained were some scorched marks on the debris around the pit, evidence that the meteorite had once been there. 

The three of them widened their eyes in surprise. None of them had expected the meteorite to disappear within just one day. 

Standing nearby, Akahoshi was angrily scolding the four ninjas who had been assigned to guard the meteorite. 

"It rained with thunder last night, so the four of us went inside. But we swear, no one came near the farmhouse!" 

"But the thunder was so loud yesterday—couldn't you have missed hearing someone sneak in and move the meteorite?" Shisō asked.

The four guards looked sheepish and couldn't argue, knowing they were at fault. 

Shikamaru crouched down, picking up a charred piece of rock from the ground, and said, "Look, this area seems to have been burned by something. But it rained all night, didn't it?" 

Prompted by his observation, one of the guards suddenly remembered something. 

"That's right! There was loud thunder last night, and we could see flashes of lightning coming from the backyard even while we were indoors!" 

"Yes, yes, that's true!" the other guards quickly chimed in. 

Was the lightning striking the same spot repeatedly? 

This peculiar phenomenon left a big question mark in Shikamaru's mind. But Akahoshi seemed to have reached his own conclusion. 

"I know what happened!" 

"Kumo ninjas! Lightning Release is their specialty; it could only be them!" 

"For over a decade, Kumo has coveted our star and never stopped trying to steal it. "

"This time, a new star fell into our Hoshi. But when Kumo ninjas saw that it was too big to steal, they used Lightning Release techniques to destroy it!" 

"That must be it!" 

Akahoshi's words immediately roused the anger of the surrounding ninjas, and he issued an order to track down any Kumo ninjas who might still be lurking nearby, watching for the first star. He also instructed Shikamaru to assist in the effort. 

Reluctantly, Shikamaru agreed for the time being due to the tense atmosphere. 

Akahoshi also decreed that no one in the village should know about the star's destruction and that the Star Festival would proceed as planned. 

The search began swiftly. Hoshi ninjas scattered in all directions, determined not to rest until they found any Kumo intruders within the Land of Bears' borders. 

Meanwhile, Shikamaru and his team were assigned to stay in Hoshi to guard against anyone targeting the first star. 

The first star wasn't located within the village but was a few hundred meters outside it, inside a massive meteorite crater. 

This crater was far larger than the one in the village. The pit was so vast that a small settlement could have been built in its center. 

According to Sumaru the meteorite had exploded during its descent, creating such a gigantic crater. 

However, as Shikamaru's team tried to approach the training ground at the crater's center, Sumaru stopped them, saying it was a village secret and they couldn't go near it. 

Back in the village, Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji wandered the streets, bored and aimless. 

"This mission is so dull. We're treated as outsiders and can't do anything," Ino complained. 

Chōji, having already finished the snacks he'd brought with him, was now struggling with his craving for food, as the small village didn't sell any outside snacks. 

Just then, his eyes lit up. He spotted a tomato plant growing in someone's yard by the roadside. 

The sturdy tomato plant had grown past its bamboo fence, with three ripe tomatoes hanging just within reach.

These tomatoes were absurdly large, their vibrant red skins glistening with fresh, crystalline dew. Just looking at them made it clear they would be incredibly delicious.

His face immediately lit up with delight. He practically sprinted forward, reaching up to pluck the tomatoes.

"Hey, Chōji! These tomatoes belong to someone else. That's stealing!" Ino whispered urgently, scanning the area to see if anyone had noticed.

But Chōji didn't seem to care. He leaped up and, in one go, plucked all three tomatoes.

"It's fine. In rural places like this, it's normal to grab a few fruits to quench your thirst if you're passing by," he said casually. "Besides, I didn't climb over their fence. These tomatoes were hanging outside. I just jumped up to get them."

Ino covered her face in exasperation, speechless at Chōji's nonchalant attitude. Shikamaru, however, didn't bother to scold him. After all, it was true that in rural areas such customs existed. Looking at the garden brimming with ripe tomatoes, it was clear this year had yielded a bountiful harvest. Losing three wouldn't likely trouble the owner.

Still, out of consideration for Ino's embarrassment, the trio moved to another spot to enjoy the "delicious" tomatoes.

"I'm digging in!" Chōji declared, raising one massive tomato high with excitement before taking a big bite.

Shikamaru examined the tomato in his own hand. It was ridiculously large—so big it nearly slipped out of his grip. Its vibrant color and perfect ripeness made it almost mesmerizing. Even Shikamaru, usually indifferent, was curious about its taste.

But just as he was about to take a bite, Chōji's retching sound interrupted him.

"Bleh! Ack! Ptooey!"

Nearby, Ino, who was just about to bite into her own tomato, scowled. "Chōji, you're ruining the mood! How are we supposed to eat now?"

"I'm serious! This tomato tastes awful!" Chōji exclaimed, pointing at the half-eaten fruit he had tossed aside. Tears welled up in his eyes, activated by his gag reflex.

"No way! It looks so good!" Ino said skeptically, taking a bite of her own tomato. Her reaction was instant and identical. She spat it out and discarded the rest of the tomato. 

"Bleh! Why is this tomato so disgusting?"

Seeing his companions' reactions, Shikamaru couldn't help but grow suspicious of the one he held. Learning from their experience, he only took a tiny nibble. 

Immediately, an overpowering flavor overwhelmed his senses. It was like a mix of vomit and rotting apples—a stench so vile it made his stomach churn instinctively. The juice was incredibly sour and bitter, a combination that could nauseate anyone with just a lick. It was akin to eating fermented black garlic but infinitely worse.

"Ptooey!" Shikamaru spat the tomato out at once. Thankfully, his small bite saved him from outright gagging.

"Well?" Chōji asked, seeing Shikamaru's reaction. "Yours tastes just as bad?"

"Yeah… more or less," Shikamaru muttered, still dazed.

Ino waved her hand dismissively. "I knew it. Stolen fruit is never sweet. We shouldn't have touched someone else's property—this is clearly divine punishment."

Shikamaru glanced down at the discarded tomatoes lying on the ground, then back at the one in his hand.

Looking closer, he noticed something peculiar. On the cross-section of the tomato, a faint, otherworldly shimmer danced subtly within the juice. It was a strange and eerie glow that seemed unnaturally present.