"After all, the dango here are the best," Kaguya said, opening her rosy lips and taking a bite of a dango, savoring its soft, sweet flavor as she chewed gently.
"Mmm, mmm."
A strange sound came from beside her. Turning her head, she saw the cat-eared loli holding a skewer of dango in one hand while clutching her chest with the other, trying hard to swallow as if she were choking.
With a crisp "pop," a small blue folding fan landed on the cat-eared loli's head. The loli's entire body trembled before she relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to look gratefully at Black Zetsu loli.
But Black Zetsu loli did not appreciate the gesture. She snorted, "Are you a pig? Eating so much."
"There's nothing wrong with enjoying food," Kaguya said, taking another bite of dango and speaking with her mouth full. "Besides, you shouldn't just sit there; you should eat too." With that, she picked up a skewer of dango and placed it in Black Zetsu loli's hand.
Looking at the sticky skewer handed to her, Black Zetsu loli's face turned alternately pale and green, hesitating whether to eat it or not. Black Zetsu loli was an avowed fan of savory foods and always had a strong aversion to sweets, evident from the fact that she never touched pastries. Moreover, she disliked sticky foods.
"Mother, why did you use the Outer Path—Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to revive them?" Black Zetsu loli asked, her clear eyes blinking. "It wouldn't have mattered if those people died. They're not important."
Black Zetsu loli usually wasn't interested in such things. Whether or not they were revived was up to Mother, who must have her reasons. She just wanted to change the subject.
"Well, how should I put it?" Kaguya chewed on the bamboo skewer holding the dango, pondering for a moment before saying, "Am I important to you?"
"Of course you're important," Black Zetsu loli said, raising her eyebrows as if it were obvious. "Mother is the most important person to me. I'd do anything for you, even if it meant killing someone or dying."
Kaguya felt a warm sensation in her heart, smiled softly, and patted Black Zetsu loli's head. "You are also the most important person to me."
"Mother..." Black Zetsu loli's clear eyes glistened as if tears might fall. She tugged at Kaguya's sleeve, moved.
"But many people are just like us; they have someone most important to them," Kaguya said softly. "It could be their wife, husband, or another important person. If they died in the war, many would grieve. So I would rather take an extra year to recover and prevent such tragedies."
Kaguya could have recovered sooner, but because she used the Outer Path—Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique and battled the corrupted consciousness of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, it took her over a year to recover fully. In fact, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's consciousness had long been corrupted by the God Tree. During the time of Hamura and Hagoromo, it wasn't as obvious; she behaved strangely but was still somewhat normal. However, after being sealed for thousands of years by Hamura and Hagoromo, the powerless Kaguya Ōtsutsuki was completely corrupted by the God Tree, her consciousness nearly disappearing. This is why Kaguya Ōtsutsuki later only cared about chakra.
The good news, though, is that Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's true form has been absorbed by Kaguya, which means Kaguya Ōtsutsuki has vanished from this world, and the God Tree has disappeared as well. As a result, Kaguya's power has significantly increased, surpassing even the peak of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's strength.
At this point, she could be considered both Kaguya and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
As for the dragon veins chakra and the mysterious purple glow, Kaguya had no idea what they were, no matter how much she thought about it. Seeing no progress and that it posed no apparent threat, she decided to ignore it.
"Then, Mother, why don't you reveal your identity and meet with them?" Black Zetsu loli asked, her big eyes wide with curiosity, "You actually want to see them, don't you?"
"Ahem," Kaguya coughed lightly, her face slightly unnatural, "Sometimes it's better not to meet. Seeing them might only add to the sadness, so let's leave it for later."
"Mother," Black Zetsu loli frowned slightly, "I feel like you're hiding something from us."
"Is that so?" Kaguya chuckled dryly, scratching her head and turning away, "How could that be?"
Indeed, Kaguya was hiding something from them—the system. After completing the task of defeating Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the system notified her that she had completed the mission and rewarded her with 100 Achievement Points. Kaguya didn't care much about the Achievement Points; what she cared about was whether she could return to being a man. The system, however, informed her that it required 1000 Achievement Points to exchange for the character gender conversion function.
What a scam! It's like those browser games that promise a Dragon-Slaying Saber at the click of a button, only for you to discover that it's just a beginner's weapon once you enter the game, and if you want better equipment, you have to pay.
This made Kaguya want to curse, but she was helpless. She was completely at the system's mercy, with no room for negotiation. To make matters worse, the system informed her that she would be leaving this world soon.
The thought of leaving the place she had lived for so many years and the people she cared about made Kaguya feel sad. It made her hesitate, unsure whether to reveal herself to them. Meeting them would only add to the sadness since she would still have to leave. Maybe it would be better not to meet. Over time, they might forget her.
Just as Kaguya turned her head, she was met with a charming face, wide-eyed and staring at her.
"Hey, I've told you not to use that stealth ability suddenly," Kaguya said, startled. It was Black Zetsu loli who had sneaked up behind her.
"Mother hasn't answered my question yet." Black Zetsu loli blinked her beautiful eyes, as if she could see through people's thoughts.