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Chapter 277: Studying
Much later, after dinner.
The moon shone brightly, its brilliant light drowning out the sparse stars as the night deepened into the early hours of the morning. The entirety of the Sky Fortress had settled into a tranquil silence.
Inside the master bedroom, the only reason Konan's high-pitched cries hadn't echoed through the halls was thanks to a specialized Silencing Seal. Now, the intense, prolonged sounds of activity had finally come to a halt.
Konan rose from her kneeling position. She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, then sat on the edge of the bed alongside Alex, resting her head affectionately on his shoulder.
"Alex, you're certainly full of energy," Konan teased, her flushed face glowing as she spoke with clear double meaning.
Alex chuckled and rubbed his nose. "Ever since I gained a human body, I've been constantly full of energy."
From his days as a mere sheet of paper to his current fully-restored form, he had always been deeply bound to Konan. The massive power boost Konan received from consuming the Chakra Fruit synchronized perfectly with him. Coupled with the cheat-like abilities of his system, he had instantly mastered the supreme laws and secret techniques inscribed on the Black Fragment. He took to cultivation like a fish to water, progressing even faster than Konan herself.
As of now, his raw power had already surpassed hers.
Alex wrapped his arm around Konan's slender waist. Her skin was incredibly smooth, like the finest silk. Having ascended to the realm of Bloodline Encompassing, her physical form had evolved closer to absolute perfection. He simply couldn't get enough of holding her.
"Konan, how goes your progress with the Spatial Laws and the Mental Secret Techniques?" he asked.
Back when he lacked a human body, Alex used to possess Konan. Just as he had helped her instantly master various ninjutsu, he had guided her through learning the arcane secrets of the Black Fragment. This was likely the path their future cultivation would take, and they couldn't afford to slack off.
He had no intention of stagnating at the Bloodline Encompassing stage forever. They needed to keep climbing higher. The universe was vast, and capping out at a power level that could merely blow up a planet was far from enough to guarantee their absolute safety.
Konan let out a long breath, the rosy tint still lingering on her cheeks. She shook her head slightly. "While I fully comprehend the theory behind it, actually putting it into practice is incredibly difficult. My progress is nowhere near yours."
She knew better than anyone just how terrifyingly high Alex's talent was. No matter what it was—ninjutsu, senjutsu, or even ancient arcane arts—he could grasp and master it in an instant. It was an unnatural ability that even she, having ascended to the Bloodline Encompassing realm, could never hope to match.
"Our future path of cultivation is likely tied to this," Alex said, his tone relaxed but serious. "We can't stay at the Bloodline Encompassing level forever. This 'God of the Otsutsuki' that Kaguya mentioned… such a being must have existed long ago. Their power probably eclipses Bloodline Encompassing entirely. We have no idea if there are even stronger lifeforms lurking out in the universe. For our own safety, we can't be satisfied with where we are now."
Konan pinched the ethereal mental projection she had summoned into her hand and nodded. "I understand. However, the spatial laws and mental cultivation are genuinely arduous. I might still need your 'assistance,' Alex… just like how you helped me master ninjutsu and senjutsu before."
"Possession?" Alex nodded thoughtfully. "That could work."
Even though he had gained a human body, he still retained the ability to revert back to his paper form. He could freely transition between the two states. He wasn't even sure what kind of lifeform he classified as anymore—able to be human, able to be paper. Who knew what else he might be able to transform into in the future.
"Not just possession," Konan murmured, leaning in to blow a soft puff of air into his ear.
The warm breeze tickled him, sending a delightful shiver down his spine.
"I mean a much more in-depth method of academic assistance," she added with an ambiguous, utterly captivating smile.
Alex caught her meaning instantly. It was indeed a far more efficient method of 'tutoring' than simple possession.
"We can't let our cultivation fall behind. Come, Konan, I can help you sense the spatial laws right now."
The intense late-night study session immediately resumed.
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Meanwhile, in the bedroom directly adjacent to Konan's, Hinata was still wide awake.
Wearing her silk pajamas, she leaned back against the headboard. Her long, dark-purple hair cascaded over her shoulders. She stared blankly at the wall separating the two rooms. The veins around her temples bulged prominently; her Byakugan was fully activated. She bit her lower lip, her earlobes burning a bright crimson.
"Big sister?" Hanabi mumbled sleepily beside her, rubbing her eyes in confusion. "You're still not asleep?"
Hinata flinched violently, but instantly forced herself to calm down. She carefully tucked the blankets around her younger sister and spoke in a soothing whisper. "Sister will go to sleep very soon. You go back to sleep now, okay?"
Under Hinata's gentle, rhythmic patting, Hanabi drifted off into a deep slumber once more.
Seeing this, Hinata let out a sigh of relief, though her face remained heavily flushed. She reactivated her Byakugan and resumed glaring intently at the opposite wall, throwing herself back into her own unique "study session."
Given Lord Alex and Lady Konan's absolute power, they could have easily blocked her Byakugan if they wanted to. But they hadn't. That meant there was definitely some profound deeper meaning to it all! They must have left it unshielded so she could observe and learn from their techniques. She absolutely could not slack off!
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