Black Zetsu's composure was shattered.
Seeing Kaguya remain indifferent made him even more furious.
What in the world is going on?
Mother, you're the mighty Goddess of Uzu, the Progenitor of Chakra, possessing an immeasurably noble status!
He's just a misguided brat!
How can you just ignore such blatant disrespect and abuse?
Punch him!
Strike back!
Are you actually letting him treat you like some cheap flirt?
Sensing his burning gaze, Kaguya gently pushed Hiroki away with an annoyed expression. "Stop fooling around."
Hiroki immediately straightened up and behaved himself.
Black Zetsu silently retreated once again, feeling extremely unsettled.
Where exactly is their relationship heading...
Kaguya had little appetite and soon left the table to calm herself down.
Hiroki ate a few bites of rice before starting to think about what White Zetsu had told him earlier.
The Five Great Ninja Villages remained peaceful.
The Land of Fire, Country of Hot Springs, Country of Frost, and Land of Lightning had established transportation links with each other — railroads had even been laid outside Konoha Village.
Military units and some ninja were tasked with maintaining security.
The previously obscure Snow Country, funded by both the Country of Hot Springs and Country of Frost, was developing various technological products.
Without existing ninja villages or officially recognized ninja of their own, the Countries of Hot Springs and Frost were prospering.
Within just two years, the lifestyles of these countries' citizens had changed dramatically.
Regulations were implemented quickly.
After initial concerns, people gradually found no major incidents occurred, so they settled down to live and work in peace.
Deep in their hearts, they believed these two nations could only enjoy peace because protected by the Land of Fire and Land of Lightning.
Yet a strange thought crossed Hiroki's mind.
Is it possible that beings like White Zetsu, lacking independent thought, might actually be the perfect rulers over thinking beings...
After all, they have no emotions or desires, thus no personal agendas.
They don't require human resources, which means there's no conflict of interest between them and humans.
Capable of imitation, or perhaps possessing learning ability? Able to store massive knowledge? Each clone could exchange information like a small server...
Aren't they essentially artificial intelligence?
Trusting humans to act selflessly is less reliable than believing machines will strictly follow procedures.
Human nature breeds despair — this world holds no saints.
Only the dead can truly be called saints.
Idealistic, capable individuals with strong execution power can bring changes to the world, but they often easily bring disasters too.
Because the more capable and thoughtful people become, the more likely they turn arrogant and authoritarian, expanding their power excessively.
Just like Madara Uchiha from the original story.
Initially, he naively believed ruling the entire world through sheer strength would create peace, yet peace means more than merely absence of war — it requires eliminating conflict and violence too.
However, the weaker party constantly suffered oppression, bullying, and exploitation from stronger factions, which inevitably triggered unrest, contradictions, and confrontations.
Once he became the strongest ruler, he quickly transformed into the greatest oppressor.
Hiroki finally understood Hayato and Ashura's concerns and pursuits.
Without an extremely high level of civilization and cultivation, peace will always be an illusion.
Over time, Madara Uchiha may have come to understand similar thoughts as well.
But he chose a more extreme approach.
[Infinite Tsukuyomi] would eliminate conflicts by letting everyone live within their own illusions...
"Whatever. Let's just leave it at this for now. At least things remain peaceful within our territory."
Hiroki shook his head, deciding not to dwell on these thoughts further.
As for becoming a king adored by ten thousand people—he had absolutely no interest in that.
After all, he'd encountered the otsutsuki before. The admiration of ordinary people, weak and powerless as they were, brought him no sense of pride or excitement whatsoever.
The night sky glittered with a canopy of stars.
Croaking frogs and chirping insects were occasionally joined by ripples in the water, breaking the stillness of the night.
Inside the room, Hiroki and Kaguya, both in pajamas, lay in each other's arms on the bed.
He stopped teasing her on purpose and soon dozed off peacefully.
Listening to his calm breathing beside her, Kaguya felt a rising frustration—annoyed and restless inside.
What was this! Was she really just being used as a pillow?
Ever since coming back, he'd been teasing her constantly—just to leave her hanging afterward?
She turned sideways, gently pulling out her arm and looking at him with a quiet sigh.
The sensations from yesterday's intimate moments kept replaying in her mind, especially unbearable in such close proximity. Her heart raced with desire.
That hollow feeling inside her deepened.
Her imagination ran wild, replaying vivid scenes in her mind as if they were playing out in real time. In an instant, she felt immersed within them again. Her cheeks flushed red, and her body trembled slightly.
Her hand had already slipped beneath his shirt, gently caressing his chest. Kaguya lightly bit her lip, thinking: If I do something right now, wouldn't it be so embarrassing?
She glanced at the thin blanket near the edge of the bed.
She used her foot to hook the blanket toward her, then gracefully tugged it over both of them with one hand.
Seeing he remained fast asleep, Kaguya softly exhaled, her breath mingling with the nervousness and rapid thudding of her heart.
Slowly, she wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing herself closer to him, and hugged him tightly with both arms.
Their warmth mingled, binding them together in a quiet, unspoken connection.
Half-asleep, Hiroki faintly felt himself being held. His breathing became slightly obstructed, and his brows knit together slightly.
That strange emptiness inside her felt briefly soothed.
Kaguya was just about to shut her eyes and enjoy this moment fully.
Suddenly, another presence appeared.
Her expression immediately hardened.
Who dared to sneak into her Chambers?
At a time this intimate!
Were they asking for it?
A humanoid figure wearing partial leaf camouflage with half-black, half-white face stood frozen in place.
Looking at the couple lying on the bed, White Zetsu wore an expression of shock, opening and closing his mouth soundlessly.
Eh? Did things progress this quickly already?
Black Zetsu's eyes nearly popped out of his skull, his mind utterly collapsing in an instant.
What?! Mother?! Does she really have to sing him to sleep every night?!
That can't be right. Who does he think he is?
But... look at the scene now...
It must be that evil guy, Hiroki Hyūga.
It had to be Hiroki!
He actually dared to sneak into her bed now? What happens next is beyond imagination!
Mother's sacred and pure body… If she were ever defiled… No! That must never happen!
Aaaaargh! Hiroki Hyuga!
Black Zetsu is practically bursting with fury inside, screaming nonstop in his mind, desperate to tear him apart on the spot.
Letting out a deep breath, Kaguya sits up and glances over her clothes.
Everything seems perfectly in order.
She gently tucks the thin blanket over him before turning around, sitting at the edge of the bed, her feet touching the cold floor. Her eyes flicker dangerously as she fixes an icy, indifferent glare on Zetsu, suppressing a surge of fury inside.
Those two are growing bolder every second.
They've got no idea what death even means!
Terrified by the icy aura radiating from her, White Zetsu dares not utter a word or meet her gaze. He shifts uncomfortably, trembling slightly, silently cursing Black Zetsu inwardly.
If only he'd known earlier, he never would've listened to him—he shouldn't have brought him sneaking in here in the first place.
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