In Shikkotsu Forest, the sun rose and fell.
Tsunade and Kaguya continued living in the wooden house Tsunade had created using Wood Release.
After staying for several days, their supply of Military Rations Pill was nearly gone. Tsunade wondered how much longer Kaguya planned to keep this standoff with Slug Sage.
The barrier between them remained undisturbed, a mutual understanding.
Although she knew Kaguya could draw Sage Chakra from it, that thin layer acted like a protective shield, offering some comfort to the timid Slug Sage.
The air in Shikkotsu Forest was always fresh. Kaguya stepped outside the wooden cabin, lazily stretched her arms upward, and looked toward the forest's center.
Her eyes fell on what looked like a temple-like structure in the distance.
Inside, Slug Sage hid nervously.
"Will Gamamaru actually come to help me? When will he arrive?"
Outside the barrier, Tsunade chose a spot and sat cross-legged on the ground, beginning to draw Natural Energy into her body.
"Tsunade, exactly how long are you planning to stay here?"
A soft, delicate voice entered her ears, momentarily disrupting her focus before quickly regaining composure.
She stopped her cultivation.
At some point, Slug Sage's monstrous bulk had already appeared not far from her.
Hearing those words, Tsunade opened her eyes but said nothing. Instead, she looked toward Kaguya, who was slowly walking in their direction, her gaze asking an unspoken question.
Kaguya kept her face blank, pointedly ignoring her.
To be constantly ignored in her own territory was unbearable for Slug Sage. She briefly lowered the barrier and opened her huge mouth toward Kaguya's direction.
A large amount of light-yellow acidic liquid sprayed out from her mouth.
Alerted immediately, Tsunade formed hand seals. Wooden branches and vines shot out from the earth, rapidly growing into a wooden wall blocking both herself and Kaguya.
The Tongue Tooth Sticky Acid that Slug Sage spat out was highly corrosive. As it hit the wooden wall, it hissed loudly, as if burning.
Unable to withstand such intense corrosion, the wall soon broke through and began rapidly dissolving after wilting.
Both Tsunade and Kaguya reacted swiftly, leaping clear of the acid's reach.
Yellow liquid flowed down like water, spreading outward across the ground. Kaguya glanced at herself—though none had touched her, she still showed visible disgust, snorting coldly, "Beasts will always be beasts. Untamable savages."
"One last chance. Will you be Tsunade's mentor—or fertilize the soil here?"
As she spoke, Kaguya already pulled out a [Gray Bone] needle and pressed it directly against Slug Sage's body.
This object, seemingly just a fine needle in Slug Sage's eyes, emanated extreme danger.
With a sudden "Thud!", thick white smoke burst forth. Just like falling quicksand, Slug Sage's enormous body split apart into countless small slugs, splattering noisily onto the ground.
Looking at the crawling small slugs covering the ground—both horrifying and strangely adorable—Kaguya merely smiled faintly.
Katsuyu's splitting was simply a technique to break her body into many visible fragments, all still large enough to be seen by the naked eye. Unless she could dissolve into elemental particles and merge completely with the surroundings, as long as she still possessed a physical form, she couldn't completely ignore physical attacks.
"Hurry up and make a decision," Kaguya said, as a blue Chakra Fist formed in her palm.
"...Very well, I will teach her." After hesitating, Sage of the Slugs temporarily chose to compromise.
Unlike Ryuchi Cave or Mount Myoboku, which actively cultivated generations of disciples, Katsuyu herself, due to her reserved nature, had always appeared lacking in power, leaving everything on her shoulders.
"Good, I'll head back first. Tsunade, if she tries any underhanded tricks, let me know immediately."
After speaking, Kaguya turned and left, her figure growing more distant until disappearing from Tsunade's sight.
"Sage of the Slugs, she possesses Spatial Ninjutsu and can appear here anytime."
Though Tsunade had never personally seen Kaguya use spatial techniques, she specifically emphasized this point. She had no interest in wasting time playing cat-and-mouse games.
"I understand. It'll be just like before," sighed the Sage of the Slugs.
It seemed like returning to old times—she would still provide guidance, answer summoning calls, and assist with Reverse Summoning.
But both Tsunade and the Sage of the Slugs understood their relationship could never return to what it once was.
After sending Shion back to her palace, Hiroki also began his journey home to Konoha.
Since hearing Kaguya's voice, Moryo had suddenly become unusually quiet.
Even when Hiroki crossed out of the Land of Demons' territory, it made no move at all.
Hiroki couldn't stop thinking about how to absorb Moryo—should he invade its consciousness like with Toneri and consume it from within?
But this entity lacked fixed form. How could he pinpoint it? He was beginning to feel uneasy.
---
Several quiet days passed before Hiashi sent someone to knock on Hiroki's door.
"Hei, you've got an important guest."
"What important guest?"
"You'll find out when you go to the Hokage's office."
Inside the Hokage's office, a white-haired girl conversed with Hiashi while Asahoho stood silently beside her.
Learning that Shion had come specifically for Hiroki, Hiashi felt complicated emotions.
How come every time this kid went somewhere, he brought back another person? Did he have some weird collecting habit?
Although Shion hadn't actually returned to Konoha with Hiroki, in Hiashi's view, it amounted to almost the same thing.
A shrine maiden in the Land of Demons, she rarely traveled outside and commanded great respect. Since she showed no hostility, her presence must stem purely from personal friendship.
Pushing the door open, Hiroki froze at the sight of the familiar face inside, his expression turning confused.
"Why did Shion follow here too? Come on... I should've disguised myself earlier."
Their eyes met. Before either spoke, Shion took out her protective bell and rang it, producing a clear ringing sound.
The bell rang crisp and melodious, yet Hiroki found it extremely grating, instinctively frowning.
Rubbing his temples, he groaned, "Shion, can you stop ringing that bell already? Every time you do, my head starts pounding."
Shion studied him closely and sighed, "It seems you've already been influenced by Moryo."
"I'm perfectly fine. Don't talk nonsense," Hiroki replied unimpressed.
Seeing his obvious disbelief, Shion explained, "Just now I used my bell to dispel the malice from you."
"Everyone has some negative thoughts—it proves absolutely nothing."
"That's not how it works," Shion shook her head. "Normal people have a balance between good and evil, so they coexist most of the time. But Moryo is different. It only carries pure evil. It cannot possibly stay quiet and peacefully coexist with you."
"The longer it stays inside you, the more deeply it bonds with you. It's subtly influencing you without your awareness."
"This bell was left behind by my mother. It possesses the power to suppress Moryo. When something like that resides within you, it will always try every possible means to take over your body and control your mind."
"You reacted to its sound, which proves you're already infected by Moryo. Don't believe me? Look at the others—they're perfectly fine."
Hiroki turned his gaze toward Hiashi and the other ninjas standing on alert. Indeed, they looked completely confused.
Shion jingled the bell again, and Hiroki found himself feeling agitated.
Perhaps because of the bell's effect, he could indeed sense Moryo stirring within his body.
But under Kaguya's stronger protection, Moryo couldn't even escape from him. It was just like being domesticated.
Originally, it had planned a slow takeover—first claiming Hiroki's identity while behaving itself until understanding the strength of the woman dwelling inside him. If it could win, great; if not, then play along.
Now, Shion's arrival greatly annoyed it.
"Miroku… oh Miroku… you and your heir really are a real thorn in my side..."
Hiroki began to partially believe what Shion said, wearing an expression filled with both curiosity and surprise.
"So, a miko isn't just some ceremonial figure after all."
Hearing this, Shion immediately realized she'd been underestimated. She let out a huff and said, "Long ago, when people fell ill, they sought help from mikos."
"Why do those monsters grow stronger simply by absorbing human negativity?" Hiroki muttered.
"Once someone falls, it's hard to rise again."
Despite hearing everything from Shion, Hiroki didn't show any panic or anxiety. Quite the opposite—he remained calm while Shion appeared far more concerned than him.
"When you can hear the bell's sound without discomfort, that'll mean you've overcome it. Hiroki Hyuga, only I can truly help you. This is my duty as a miko."
"Just this bell?"
"Exactly."
"How about giving me the bell, then? With it, Moryo won't dare cause trouble inside me. You also won't have to keep stressing about your 'duty' anymore."
"Eh…" Shion hesitated for a moment.
Asahoho murmured softly beside her, "Lady Shion, you mustn't agree. It might be Moryo manipulating him right now. Once he gets your bell, he might throw it away or destroy it."
"Miko-sama, surely you don't want Moryo to go out of control either," Hiroki smiled.
"No," Shion insisted firmly. "Only Lady Shion can do this."
"Shion Miko, how serious is the matter you mentioned?" Hiashi finally asked after listening for a while.
"Honorable Lord Hiashi, I have ways to subdue Moryo. Please rest assured."
Shion lowered her gaze to the ground. Hiroki's face remained expressionless.
Glancing at their expressions, Hiashi seemed to understand something. Sighed inwardly, then instructed others aloud, "Prepare accommodations for Lady Miko."
Afterward, several people left one by one.
Watching Hiroki's retreating figure for a moment, Shion and Asahoho reached the lodging Konoha had arranged for them.
When only the two remained, Asahoho questioned hesitantly, "Lady Shion, since Moryo resides within him, why not bring him back to the Seal Site?"
"He is from Konoha. How could they possibly let him go?"
"If we explain clearly about Moryo's dangers, they should cooperate right? This concerns the entire Ninja World's safety," Asahoho suggested.
As if she hadn't heard this comment, Shion gave no response.
"...Lady Shion, did you see that person's fate in your premonition?" After a long silence, Asahoho spoke again.
"I indeed 'saw' him, but I didn't witness his death," Shion answered.
"Huh? Has your ability failed?" Asahoho expressed surprise.
"I think this feeling is wonderful," A bright smile suddenly appeared on Shion's face. "Not having to foresee death anymore—I actually enjoy this uncertainty."
---
"It seems Moryo is quite persistent too. It wants to fuse completely with me?" Hiroki muttered inwardly as he left the Hokage Building.
A conscious being and an unconscious existence were incomparable. Hiroki planned to fully absorb Moryo primarily to enhance his spiritual power, and secondarily to test whether he could later obtain other people's identities, just like the current 'Toneri.'
Prolonged separation of consciousness might damage his main body's mental health. He definitely didn't want to end up like Orochimaru, getting easily defeated by a simple genjutsu.
"That little girl might have some feelings for you," Kaguya said as she walked along Konoha's Streets beside him, speaking suddenly without warning.
"Feelings?"
"Perhaps affection. That's why she kept emphasizing 'Only me, only me,'" Kaguya glanced at him lightly.
Hiroki couldn't help but turn his head toward her, his tone carrying obvious teasing, "Kaguya, do you actually understand these things?"
Suddenly, Kaguya's distant expression froze momentarily.
After a while, she finally responded in a very calm voice:
"She must always uphold her mission and duties as a miko throughout her life. To many people, she exists solely for sealing Moryo. You changed her fate for her. At least in her heart, you're somewhat special. Even if it isn't exactly what humans call love or affection..."
"You observe all my interactions with others. I haven't been flirtatious with her at all," Hiroki shrugged his shoulders.
"What you do with whom is entirely your own business."
...
Hearing this, Hiroki momentarily didn't know how to respond.
Just a moment ago, she was constantly warning him not to betray her for some girl he liked, but now she was telling him he could do whatever he wanted.
She flipped so suddenly—could someone's feelings really change that fast? Didn't seem likely.
Hiroki turned to look at Kaguya—and found her already watching him. Their eyes met briefly, and then she quickly looked away, fixing her gaze straight ahead, ignoring the pedestrians and shops lining the street.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind, growing stronger as they neared a quiet side path lined only with rows of trees, where only a few scattered passersby walked.
Hiroki quickened his pace slightly, reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into his arms.
Kaguya didn't resist or push him away. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his back, just like they had when he was a child.
"Kaguya," he whispered, "what if I told you... the one I like is you?"
His breath brushed against her hair and even her ear as his voice reached her.
Kaguya stiffened. For some reason, she suddenly felt uneasy but remained silent.
She had lived for centuries, yet had never known romantic love, leaving her truly at a loss.
If any fool had ever dared say something like this to her before, Kaguya would have made sure he understood what it meant to bring shame upon himself—or worse, she'd have taken his life.
But this person wasn't someone meaningless to her; she couldn't act that way with him.
Back in the Otsutsuki Clan, there were men who overstepped their bounds, saying things laced with mockery, teasing, or even insult.
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Within that family, internal tensions were constant, and those people merely sought to provoke and torment her until she lost control.
Yet Hiroki was clearly nothing like them—she could feel that much.
Sometimes fearlessness brought freedom—but right now, Kaguya felt confused. Resting her head on his shoulder, she kept her eyes lowered and said nothing.
They stood facing each other, locked in an embrace. Though separated by their clothes, each could feel the warmth of the other.
Hiroki spoke again, softly, "Kaguya… can you feel my heartbeat?"
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