Then Arisu said, "Sealing Kaguya, destroying the God Tree, and saving this world, that has always been your destiny, Hagoromo. You must follow the path laid out by fate."
Hearing this, a complicated look flashed through Hagoromo's eyes.
"Senior, I can tell your power is unfathomable... You should be far stronger than even my mother, right? If that's the case, why don't you personally step in and solve all of this?"
Looking at the unfathomable aura surrounding Arisu, intense confusion welled up inside him, and he couldn't help asking.
Hearing that, Arisu clasped his hands behind his back. His thoughts drifted to his previous life, when he had driven the sealing of Kaguya forward and personally taken part in the war to seal her.
"I am this world's observer. I will not personally interfere with the world's course in such a crude way."
"But when the world goes wrong, I will step in to correct it... just like now.", Arisu spoke calmly.
Hagoromo's brows knitted tightly together, as though he wanted to say something but hesitated.
He opened his mouth, but in the end swallowed the words that had reached his lips.
———
In the courtyard near the main hall, Hamura paced back and forth.
His brows were slightly furrowed, his hands clasped behind his back as he walked circle after circle through the courtyard, repeatedly thinking about whether he should tell Mother Kaguya about his older brother Hagoromo.
"In the original story, Hagoromo awakened the Rinnegan because my heart was pierced..."
"As long as my heart isn't pierced, Big Brother won't awaken the Rinnegan.", Hamura muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear.
His footsteps stopped, and a cold glint flashed through his eyes.
"Besides, Big Brother can't possibly seal Mother by himself. As long as I don't cooperate, no matter how strong he is, he'll never complete the sealing."
"And those stinking toads from Mount Myoboku... with me around, they won't be able to stir up any trouble."
Thinking this, Hamura felt somewhat relieved.
He was convinced that as long as he firmly stood on Mother's side, there was no way Hagoromo could follow the script of the original story, and that tragedy naturally would never happen.
However, before long, Hamura's brows furrowed tightly again.
"Still... should I tell Mother about Big Brother so she can prepare in advance?"
Hamura stopped walking and looked toward the main hall. A complicated light flashed deep within his eyes.
On the surface, he was worried about Mother.
But buried deep in his heart was another hidden desire. He actually wanted to obtain that bargain-bin big brother's Rinnegan.
'If Big Brother could awaken the Rinnegan, why couldn't he?'
That was the supreme dojutsu, one that surpassed the Tenseigan. If he could make it his own...
Hamura slowly clenched his fists. His gaze shifted uncertainly, and for a moment he found himself unable to decide.
———
Hamura paced around the courtyard for a long time. In the end, a determined look flashed through his eyes.
He wanted Mother to love only him. He wanted Mother to completely see that his bargain-bin big brother was an unfilial son.
Thinking this, Hamura no longer hesitated. He turned and quickly walked into the main hall.
Inside the hall, Kaguya sat upright in the seat of honor, her Byakugan slightly open as if deep in thought.
"Mother."
"This is bad! Big Brother... Big Brother secretly went to the God Tree!"
Hamura quickly walked in front of Kaguya, speaking anxiously.
Hearing this, Kaguya's gaze suddenly sharpened.
"The God Tree?"
Hamura immediately nodded, his face full of concern as he began adding fuel to the fire.
"That's right! I was worried about Big Brother, so I secretly followed him. Then I found that he forcibly tore open the God Tree's cocoon... It looked like he took something out from inside!"
"He even held that thing and cried for a long time. He looked completely out of sorts!"
"Mother, Big Brother... he may no longer trust you. I heard him muttering to himself, saying the God Tree was darkness, that Mother was darkness, and that he wanted to... to destroy the God Tree."
"I was terrified at the time. I wanted to persuade him to come back, but he told me to return first and cover for him. I have no idea where he went afterward!"
"Mother, how could Big Brother do this? You've done so much for us, yet he did something like this behind your back. He's simply too unfilial!"
As Hamura spoke, he secretly watched Kaguya's expression. His voice was filled with helplessness.
After hearing everything, Kaguya's expression gradually darkened. A trace of coldness flowed within those white eyes.
She instantly understood what Hagoromo had seen.
She also realized that Hagoromo would definitely oppose her.
The temperature throughout the main hall seemed to drop several degrees.
She fell silent for a moment, her slender fingers lightly tapping the armrest of her chair.
"You and I will wait for him here.", Kaguya said coldly.
Hamura lowered his head, but the corners of his lips curved into a faint smile that was almost impossible to notice.
———
In the forest, the sky gradually darkened.
"Senior, I have to go back. If Mother finds out, she'll become suspicious."
Hagoromo looked up at the darkening sky and said to Arisu.
"Come to the bamboo forest tomorrow and find me again."
Arisu nodded lightly and spoke in a calm tone.
Hagoromo nodded solemnly. His figure flashed, and he hurried toward the main hall.
After returning to the palace, Hagoromo found that Hamura was not waiting for him at the entrance as usual.
He vaguely sensed that something was wrong, and his brows unconsciously drew together.
When he quickly reached the entrance of the main hall, the scene before him made his heart sink.
Hamura was standing obediently beside Kaguya, while Kaguya sat quietly in her chair, her white eyes fixed coldly on him as he entered the hall.
"Mother."
Hagoromo's heart skipped a beat. Forcing down his unease, he knelt on one knee and lowered his head.
"Where did you go?"
Kaguya did not respond to his greeting. She only spoke coldly.
"Mother, I went to help the villagers clear a blocked river channel..."
Hagoromo looked somewhat nervous. He subconsciously glanced at Hamura beside him and forced himself to continue.
Before he could finish, Kaguya suddenly slammed the armrest of her chair. Her voice exploded through the hall like icy frost.
"Lies! You went to the God Tree! Hamura has already told me everything!"
"Hamura!?"
Hagoromo suddenly looked up, staring at Hamura in disbelief. Intense anger and killing intent instantly flashed through his eyes.
'That bastard actually told Mother directly!'
'Back at the God Tree, I should have killed him on the spot!'
Seeing this, Hamura deliberately put on an apologetic expression and said softly, "Big Brother, don't blame me. We're both Mother's children. I didn't want to keep it from her... We should tell Mother the truth."
Hearing Hamura's words, Kaguya nodded slightly. A rare trace of motherly affection and approval flashed through her eyes as she gently glanced at him.
Then her gaze returned to Hagoromo.
"What are you planning to do!?", Kaguya demanded.
Looking at the soul that had occupied his younger brother's body, acting so brazenly before Mother, the fury in Hagoromo's heart instantly erupted. He could no longer suppress it and suddenly rose to his feet.
The atmosphere in the main hall instantly became tense, as if swords were drawn and bows fully strung.