Chapter 171: Chat Alone With Your Mother
The crisp knock made the mother and daughter nestled on the sofa freeze simultaneously.
Kaguya had placed exquisite concealment techniques on this residence. Ordinary people couldn't possibly detect this place's existence.
Moreover, no one usually sought them out. Even Naruko contacted them directly by phone.
Who could it be?
Both simultaneously thought of the same name—Uchiha Yu.
Yoya was about to rise and answer the door when Kaguya gently pressed her down. Kaguya's eyes flickered slightly as the courtyard gate silently opened automatically.
Yu walked slowly to the living room door yet stopped outside the threshold, advancing no further.
His tone was mild. "Excuse the intrusion, Lady Kaguya. I need to speak with you about something."
Kaguya inside the living room remained silent—or rather, she didn't know how to respond to such pleasantries in an ordinary manner.
The air gradually stagnated in silence. Just as the atmosphere became awkward, Yoya's soft, sweet voice broke the quiet.
"Hello, Uncle Yu. What brings you here?"
Hearing this childish voice, Yu's tone unconsciously softened. "Little Yoya, I need to discuss something with your mother."
Yoya blinked her innocent large eyes, tilting her head to pursue. "What is it, Uncle Yu?"
Yu instinctively answered, "It's something between adults..." Halfway through, he suddenly stopped.
His gaze swept across the ethereally elegant Kaguya and the purely innocent Yoya.
Wait—why did this conversation sound increasingly off?
A single mother's home, an adult male suddenly visiting, asking the well-behaved daughter to avoid them, saying he wanted to "privately discuss adult matters" with her young, beautiful mother...
This...
Yu coughed lightly. What he needed to discuss next was rather heavy—truly inconvenient to mention before a child.
"That..." He considered his wording. "Could Yoya watch television for a bit? Uncle needs to discuss some boring matters with your mother."
Yoya blinked yet not only didn't leave, she walked with small steps before Yu, raising her face to show a purely innocent smile. "No way~ The things Uncle Yu and Mother discuss privately must be very interesting. I want to know too~"
Yu looked at this seemingly pure and innocent little girl, feeling somewhat helpless.
He crouched down, using as gentle a tone as possible to explain. "These are very complicated matters. When Yoya grows up, she'll understand."
"But I want to know now." Yoya tugged Yu's hem, lightly swaying. "Mother said when you don't understand something, you should ask more."
Yu found himself stumped by this child, couldn't help raising his eyes toward Kaguya in the living room, only to discover that mother was leisurely watching television, showing no intention of providing relief.
"This..." Yu coughed lightly. "It's about some... work matters."
"What work?" Yoya tilted her head. "Mother said she hasn't accepted any missions recently?"
"Not that meaning..."
"Then what~" Yoya persisted. "Tell me~ I promise not to tell anyone else!"
Just as Yu was nearly unable to cope, Kaguya finally spoke, her cool voice sounding. "Yoya."
The little girl immediately released Yu's hem, standing obediently.
Kaguya walked slowly to the door, gaze pausing momentarily on Yu, shock flashing through her eyes. "Let's talk in the guest room." She lowered her head, saying gently to her daughter, "You watch television here. Mother will return shortly."
Though somewhat reluctant, Yoya still nodded understandingly. "Then Mother must be quick." She also smiled sweetly at Yu. "Uncle Yu too."
Kaguya nodded lightly. Yu also nodded warmly at Yoya.
The two walked one after another toward the guest room, leaving Yoya watching Kaguya's back somewhat worriedly.
As soon as Yu entered the guest room, he casually closed the door. Invisible energy fluctuations instantly isolated internal and external sounds.
Kaguya followed etiquette Yoya had taught her previously, pushing an empty teacup before Yu, saying blandly, "Sit."
Both sat facing each other beside the tea table. Yu noticed his cup was empty yet said nothing more.
He raised his head toward Kaguya, politely saying, "Thank you."
Kaguya nodded slightly before elegantly lifting the teapot, only pouring herself a cup of clear tea.
Yu: "..."
The guest room fell into awkward silence.
Just as Yu prepared to discuss proper business, Kaguya suddenly said, "You're going to die."
Yu: "..."
If an ordinary person treated guests this way, their mind probably wasn't very clear.
But the speaker was Kaguya, so it was fine.
Yu thus omitted meaningless pleasantries, calmly nodding. "Yes."
This matter couldn't be concealed much longer anyway.
This straightforward response made Kaguya freeze slightly. She'd originally only guessed through observing with special abilities. She hadn't expected he'd directly admit it.
This human... trusted her this much?
"You..." Kaguya rarely found herself at a loss for words. "Why are you injured this severely?"
In her Rinnegan's unique vision, Yu's soul was already riddled with holes, broken like a candle in wind.
Ordinary people in this state should have had their souls scattered long ago. What puzzled her even more—from observations during their last shared meal, Uchiha Yu had clearly still been perfectly intact then.
Exactly who could injure such a powerful existence to this degree in such a short time?
Yu gazed at Kaguya, tone calm. "Just an experiment."
Seeing he was unwilling to elaborate, Kaguya tactfully didn't pursue further.
Their current relationship was at most acquaintances—more accurately, temporary allies built on mutual benefit exchange.
Yu redirected the topic to proper business. "Your main family—when exactly will they come?"
"Uncertain." Kaguya shook her head. "The Otsutsuki's planetary recovery timeline has always been unfixed."
"Is there a way to lock onto main family members coming to Earth?" Yu pursued. "Or... make them arrive earlier?"
Kaguya frowned slightly. "You want to actively lure them here?"
"In your current state, can you still deal with main family members?"
If it were Uchiha Yu at full strength, she naturally wouldn't worry. But now he was severely damaged. Whether his strength retained even a tenth of before remained unknown.
Yu didn't directly answer but instead asked, "How much stronger is your main family than you?"
Kaguya answered, "Ordinary clan members are naturally inferior to me."
"But some great nobles might be several times stronger than me."
Hearing this answer, Yu visibly relaxed. "Then there's no problem."
This casual response made Kaguya inexplicably displeased.
Even if stronger than herself, this human was far too rude—in his eyes, was she truly so vulnerable?
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