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Chapter 283: These Are Traces of Cultivation
Out in the hallway.
As the girls left the room, they exchanged glances. A blush crept across all their faces, but they quickly averted their eyes.
Even the normally aloof Kaguya Otsutsuki reacted the same way.
After sharing such an intimately vulnerable night together, the unapproachable aura surrounding her had largely dissipated. She was beginning to truly integrate into their circle.
"Since it's barely dawn, let's go back and catch a little more sleep," Hinata suggested with a bright smile.
Even though they had advanced to the Six Paths Level and their physical constitutions and chakra had been massively enhanced, they were still leagues behind Alex and Konan, who possessed Kekkai Mora.
Shion's legs were practically trembling, her face wearing a silly, dazed expression that looked quite comical. She was the textbook definition of being bad at something but loving it anyway.
Even Samui, who had excellent stamina, looked like a wilted flower right now, her eyelids fighting to stay open. Under Lord Alex's suggestion, she had been used as the prime example for grasping and fusing Six Paths Level power.
"Mhm, Hinata is right. Let's all go get some rest."
After bidding each other goodnight—or rather, good morning—the girls returned to their own rooms.
Hinata gently pushed open her bedroom door.
The room was quiet, filled only with the sound of even breathing.
Hanabi was sleeping soundly. Her small body was curled up under the covers, leaving only her little head exposed. Her long black hair was scattered across the pillow, reflecting a soft sheen in the dim light filtering through the curtain gaps.
Having her sister by her side, falling asleep to her scent, was the best sleeping pill Hanabi could ask for.
A gentle smile touched Hinata's lips.
She softened her footsteps, walking slowly to the edge of the bed, and carefully brushed aside a strand of hair resting on Hanabi's face.
Though her body was exhausted, her heart was incredibly at peace.
"Good morning, Hanabi."
She whispered softly, lying down beside her sister, closing her eyes to catch some sleep.
Time ticked by.
Sunlight peeked through the gaps in the curtains, spilling into the room bit by bit.
The soft, warm light fell on Hanabi's small face, and her long eyelashes fluttered slightly.
"Mmm…"
Hanabi groggily woke up, murmuring before she even opened her eyes: "Sister…"
She rolled over, reaching her small hand out to the side.
Empty?
Hanabi opened her eyes. A trace of sleep-addled confusion flashed through her pure white pupils. But the drowsiness quickly faded, and she came to her senses, immediately turning to look beside her.
"Huh? Sister?"
The bed was empty, save for a slight indentation proving her sister had been lying there.
"Where did she go?"
Hanabi muttered, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
Shhh—
Just then, the faint sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Hanabi realized what was going on; her sister was taking a shower.
She threw off the covers, her bare feet stepping onto the floor. Her long hair hung loosely, swaying gently with her movements.
As she walked toward the bathroom, she raised her voice, "Sister, are you taking a shower?"
"Mhm."
Hinata's calm reply came from inside the bathroom, her voice carrying a barely noticeable hoarseness. "Hanabi, it's still early. You can sleep a little longer. No one here is going to force you to do Morning Practice day after day, and no one will make you do anything you don't like."
Hanabi's eyes instantly lit up.
"Oh yeah! That's awesome! No more Morning Practice! Sister, you're the best!"
She was so happy she almost jumped, but then she tilted her head, asking with some confusion, "Sister, why does your voice sound raspy? Is your throat hurting?"
There was a slight pause from inside the bathroom.
Hinata subconsciously raised a hand, gently touching her neck. It had taken a bit of damage, and she had spoken quite a lot, but it wasn't a major issue.
She cleared her throat softly, trying to make her voice sound normal again. "I have a bit of a… cold. Don't worry about it."
"A cold?" Hanabi was even more confused. "But Sister, didn't you become super, super strong? How can you still catch a cold?"
Silence fell over the bathroom for a moment.
"…Catching a cold has nothing to do with how strong you are," Hinata's voice drifted out, as gentle as ever. "Be a good girl, Hanabi, go sleep a little longer."
"No!" Hanabi flatly refused, her little feet already at the bathroom door. "Sister, I'm coming in too! I want to take a bath with you!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she pushed the bathroom door open and rushed inside.
A cloud of warm steam wafted over her face, carrying the faint scent of body wash.
At a glance, Hanabi spotted Hinata standing under the showerhead.
"Sister!"
She happily lunged forward, but after only two steps, she suddenly stopped.
Her pure white eyes widened, staring intently at Hinata's body.
"Sister…"
Hanabi's voice changed, carrying a mix of disbelief and faint anger. "Sister, why do you have injuries on your body?"
She pointed at Hinata's collarbone, her shoulder, and the faintly visible marks elsewhere, her small face scrunching up. "Who bullied you? I'm going to teach them a lesson!"
Hinata's body stiffened slightly, instinctively trying to cover herself.
Taking a deep breath, she naturally turned around, presenting her back to Hanabi, her voice remaining gentle. "Nothing like that happened, Hanabi."
"But those marks…"
"Sister accidentally made them while cultivating new powers last night," Hinata explained softly. "Lord Alex bestowed a new power upon me. It's incredibly strong, and I couldn't control it well at first, so it went a bit out of control… It's a normal reaction."
"Really." Hinata turned back around, crouching down to meet Hanabi at eye level. "When has Sister ever lied to you?"
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