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Chapter 272: Kaguya: Am I Truly Lonely?
In the center of the clearing, Kameda remained deeply bowed, maintaining his respectful posture. He didn't slowly straighten his back until a full minute had passed since Alex's departure. His round, chubby face was still flushed with a feverish, excited red.
"Hahaha—"
Unable to suppress it any longer, he threw his head back and burst into boisterous laughter. He laughed wildly, freely, his entire body shaking with the force of it.
Power... he could feel an endless reservoir of power coursing through his veins. Lord Alex's blessing had instantly elevated him to Kage level—a realm of strength he wouldn't have even dared to dream of before. Kameda's chakra flared around him as he fully unleashed the oppressive aura of a Kage.
Feeling this immensely crushing pressure, the civilians from the various hidden villages standing in the clearing had no choice but to lower their heads, standing anxiously in place. They shivered in fear. Even the former Genin, Chunin, and elite Jonin felt a profound sense of unease. Only the former Kage-level shinobi managed to barely maintain their composure under the aura, though their expressions were exceedingly grim.
Tsunade pushed Shizune's supporting hands away and straightened her back, locking her gaze firmly onto Kameda. It was one thing to submit to the god-like leaders of Akatsuki. But her pride and dignity absolutely refused to let her bow to a sycophant who had only been forcefully elevated to this level. This was perhaps Tsunade's final, stubborn stand.
As for Orochimaru standing nearby, his thoughts weren't nearly as complicated. His snake-like pupils widened, and his tongue repeatedly darted out to lick his lips. He stared intently at Kameda, looking at him as though he were examining a priceless work of art.
"Marvelous—"
Orochimaru spread his arms, visibly shaking with excitement. This method of elevating strength was infinitely superior to the curse marks he used to inflict on his experimental subjects. There were no side effects, and the power could be wielded as naturally as if the user had trained for it themselves. It was simply flawless.
Perhaps only those who wielded the power of gods, like the Akatsuki leaders, could bestow strength so effortlessly. In the face of such absolute power, true immortality was undoubtedly already within their grasp.
Standing behind Orochimaru, Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, Inoichi Yamanaka, and the other former high-ranking ninja from the various villages felt their hearts grow even heavier. If a petty man like Kameda could be casually granted Kage-level power by the Akatsuki leader, then the dream of rebuilding their villages was completely dead. They wouldn't even be a match for this lackey, let alone the gods above him.
After taking a moment to thoroughly enjoy the sensation of his new strength, Kameda reeled in his aura and smoothed out his expression. Since Lord Alex had granted him such a profound blessing, he couldn't afford to disappoint him. He needed to work even harder to fulfill the tasks assigned to him. The Holy City had to be constructed as quickly as possible, and to the absolute highest standards.
His gaze swept over the crowd. "Right now, all of you have only one mission—building the Holy City!"
He held up the white Chakra Paper containing a massive reserve of energy. "You all heard it earlier. This contains the chakra Lord Alex bestowed upon us."
Suddenly, his tone shifted, and a strange smile crept onto his face. "Losing your chakra and becoming ordinary mortals... it doesn't feel very good, does it?"
"Unable to walk on water, unable to leap into the trees, unable to release dazzling ninjutsu. Completely stripped of power. A taste like that..." Kameda clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk..."
He described the feeling vividly, putting on an exaggerated look of distress. In the crowd, the former shinobi, including Tsunade and Orochimaru, couldn't help but clench their fists. The sensation of losing their chakra and being stripped of all their strength was indeed agonizing. The physical weakness, the internal panic, the uncertainty of the future, the sheer plummet in their social standing... only regaining their chakra and power could bring them even the slightest sliver of security.
"Unbearable?" Kameda's voice rang clearly in everyone's ears. "Good! It should be!"
"However, as long as you put your backs into building the Holy City from this moment forward, I'll grant you a little extra time every day to enjoy the feeling of having chakra and power again."
After all, he was the one who decided exactly how much chakra they received. If they wanted more, they would have to work themselves to the bone and build the Holy City as fast as humanly possible.
A heavy silence fell over the crowd. They could only silently accept the terms. They had no other choice. By coming here, they had already prepared themselves to follow orders. And now, the chance to wield chakra again—even if it was temporary—was enough to make them scramble for it like starving animals.
Meanwhile, back at the Sky Fortress.
Alex returned with Konan, Hinata, and the others.
"Lord Alex," Honoka said, looking around the empty Sky Garden with a hint of worry. "Shion and Ryuzetsu haven't returned yet. Do you think something happened to them?"
"There's no need to worry," Alex replied, shaking his head. "The relocation processes for the Sand and Stone villages are just a bit more complicated, so they need a little extra time."
He closed his eyes, sensing their locations. "They're almost done. They should be back in about half an hour."
"That's good then." Honoka's worry vanished instantly. She glanced up at the sky. "It's getting dark. It's time to make dinner. Since Uncle Kameda is busy down below, I—"
"Wait..." A familiar voice called out from below, rapidly approaching.
Less than a second later, a figure hurriedly landed on the deck. It was Kameda.
"Lord Alex, Lady Konan." He immediately bowed to them both.
Alex nodded.
"Uncle Kameda..." Honoka asked, utterly confused. "Weren't you just assigning manpower down there? How come you're..." She had been hoping to show off her cooking skills, but Kameda had stubbornly followed right on their heels.
Kameda gave a goofy smile. "Just leave it to me. I'll go prepare dinner right away."
With that, he scurried off the deck in a flash. He knew exactly where his priorities lay. The most crucial and urgent task was, of course, serving Lady Konan and Lord Alex. As for managing the laborers below, leaving three shadow clones behind was more than enough for now. He was very clear on what was truly important.
Konan patted Alex's shoulder. "Go check on Kaguya."
"Alright." Alex rubbed his nose, and his figure vanished instantly, reappearing in Kaguya's room.
By now, Kaguya had woken up. She was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees, staring blankly out the window. Her long, silver-white hair cascaded down, scattered across the bed and the floor. She was dressed only in simple undergarments.
Large expanses of her pale skin and Snow Seeds gave off a faint gleam under the light. Kaguya Otsutsuki's skin possessed a morbid, almost translucent pallor, giving her a uniquely mesmerizing, ethereal beauty.
Seeing Alex appear, her eyelashes fluttered slightly. She turned her head, looking at him with an incredibly complicated gaze. The blanket draped over her shoulders slipped off entirely due to the extreme softness of her skin.
"Uh..." Staring down Kaguya's intense gaze, Alex suddenly found himself at a loss for words, unsure of how to start the conversation.
"You're here..." Kaguya's voice was cold and commanding, yet it carried an inexplicable, subtle emotional tremor.
Her feelings toward the man standing in front of her—the man who had subjected her to experiences she had never once felt in her long life—were truly conflicted. He had resurrected her, but he had also stripped her of all her power. She had previously plotted on how to reclaim her strength and teach him a lesson, but after enduring wave after wave of his "guidance" earlier this afternoon, her resolve didn't seem quite as firm anymore.
Such a drastic shift in mindset surprised even Kaguya herself.
Is it because... I was simply too lonely for the past thousand years?
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