The night was as cool as water.
The riverside at night was peaceful and beautiful.
The river ran crystal clear, its surface as still as a mirror, reflecting the moonlight in shimmering beams.
Lying on the riverside vegetation, Hiroki sprawled out flat on his back, completely naked.
As Kaguya approached, she heard him whisper softly in his sleep, murmuring her name.
"Kaguya..."
She paused slightly, fixing her gaze on him.
He was clearly asleep!
He wasn't pretending after hearing her footsteps.
Even while sleeping, he's thinking about me... It was only our first meeting. Could he really like me?
With mixed feelings, she placed over him some clothes she had taken from Tenko, and casually left several fruits beside him.
It got a lot colder at night than during the day. As Kaguya covered him with clothing, a slight breeze stirred. When she leaned down, she noticed his body hairs rising slightly, and also heard his soft sneeze.
Kaguya tightened the clothes around him and draped the pale yellow coat from her shoulders over his body. A little confused, she wondered, "Could he really be sick?"
"Has... he caught a chill? His constitution doesn't resemble that of the otsutsuki..."
"Cold… so cold…" Hiroki's lips were slightly blue-tinged as he mumbled softly to himself, his voice reaching Kaguya's ears.
She realized then—his injuries were too severe, leaving him weak and vulnerable.
Finally softening just a bit, Kaguya started a fire about one meter away from him.
Then, in a calm yet distant tone, she gave instructions to the waiting clone beside her, "If necessary, treat his wounds."
When she returned, Ayano was still waiting inside the room.
"Why are you still here?" Kaguya asked.
Seeing her finally return, Ayano's anxiety and fear vanished as she knelt on the floor, pleading, "Kaguya-sama, Lady Tenko ordered me to ensure your safety. Please don't leave alone again."
"Go rest," Kaguya simply replied.
...
The next morning, dew had just formed, and the air carried a chilly bite.
Hiroki shivered slightly, waking up from sleep.
The clothes covering him still held residual warmth, and beside him lay several clean fruits, which confused him.
Drifting faintly toward him came thin black smoke. He turned his head, only to see the remains of a bonfire.
He quickly figured out these things must've been left by Kaguya.
Turning his head, he saw that familiar figure standing in place as if never having moved.
"Kaguya, did you stay the whole night guarding me?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
At those words, the Kaguya Clone calmly walked over and sucked away all the chakra he had recovered throughout the night.
Hiroki's lips twitched slightly, his expression helpless.
Without being obvious, the Kaguya Clone briefly scanned his bare skin, then turned around naturally.
"Hurry up and get dressed."
Only after a long while did she face him again.
His injured upper body remained uncovered, causing her brow to furrow lightly.
"You won't kill me, yet you insist on watching me. Kaguya, what exactly do you want?" Hiroki asked.
"What exactly are you trying to do then?" she countered.
Hiroki thought for a moment before deciding to tell her the truth. "Kaguya, do you believe in time-space travel?"
"I do," she answered straightforwardly.
Her quick response surprised him slightly.
Why did he feel like Kaguya had suddenly become much easier to talk to?
Yesterday's Kaguya wouldn't even have talked to him.
The Kaguya Clone raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
The reason she had become more direct was because she was only a clone. Although sharing the same temperament as the original, she was more casual and spontaneous.
She remained cautious within her limits, but wasn't weighed down by the same worries as the original.
Moreover, being just a clone, sometimes she saw things more clearly than the original could, even understanding the original's own conflicted feelings toward him.
In fact, the Otsutsuki Clan truly possessed treasures capable of traversing space and time, which was why she had believed him so quickly.
Sitting on the grass, Hiroki began his story.
"I've always forgotten to tell you my name—I'm Hiroki Hyuga."
"Wherever the sun turns its gaze, the moon follows—and so does Kaguya."
At those words, the Kaguya Clone froze, whispering softly, "The moon?"
"I once saw someone exactly like you in another dimension. She also called herself Kaguya. That's why when I first saw you, I thought you were her."
He smiled bitterly, revealing his disappointment. "But now I understand. You're not her."
Hearing this, the Kaguya Clone's mind swirled with confusion.
So she had actually been taken as someone else's replacement!
If another version of me truly existed, then all the mysteries around him would finally make sense.
"What kind of relationship exists between her and me?"
"They are two completely different individuals," Hiroki said firmly.
She could sense the aloofness in his eyes while speaking, prompting an inward sarcastic laugh:
You, Kaguya... all those tangled emotions and longing—you thought they were real, but they were never meant for you to begin with...
A pointless struggle causing nothing but amusement for others!
"Were you close with her? Close enough that you still carry traces of her everywhere?" Suddenly, she asked.
Hiroki found her wording strange, but nodded anyway. "Yes."
"If that's the case, then why didn't you stay by her side? Why did you come here instead?" Her expression abruptly turned cold.
"She was sealed away—and constantly in danger. I am searching for ways to rescue her. I followed our enemies into this world," Hiroki replied.
At this, the Kaguya Clone felt genuine jealousy rising within.
A question rose from deep within her: If *she* were the one in danger, would anyone be willing to risk everything—even cross through time and space—to save her?
No... There wouldn't be anyone like that...
Suddenly feeling deflated, she completely lost interest in learning anything further about this other "Kaguya."
The wound began to itch slightly while sending waves of mild stinging sensations. Hiroki furrowed his brows a little and couldn't help but speak up:
[Given the current situation, this site may shut down anytime soon. Please move to Huanyuan App, our permanently operating alternative source.]
"Kaguya, can you help me treat this wound?"
"What, you've got hands and feet, don't you?" she snapped.
"It needs proper bandaging, and I can't tie knots by myself."
Heaving a sigh, she stepped forward, tore a piece of clean cloth nearby into strips, and started wrapping the injury.
They were close again—close enough to feel each other's breath and catch every flicker of emotion in their eyes.
Instinctively, Hiroki extended both arms, wrapping them around her waist and pulling her closer.
Her body went rigid. Remembering what he'd said earlier, she felt a chill inside and replied icily, "Now that you know I'm not meant for you, don't pull a stunt like that again."
Hiroki opened his mouth as if to say something, but remained silent. Finally, he let go.
As soon as the wound was bandaged, the Kaguya Clone took a few steps back, staring blankly at some distant point.
The atmosphere turned strange. They stood silently for quite some time, neither speaking. Hiroki couldn't guess what she was thinking. After a moment's contemplation, he broke the silence first.
"Kaguya, shall we talk about working together now?"
Almost as if exhaling softly, she turned and looked at him, her voice dull and heavy. "Go discuss it amongst yourselves."
With that, she transformed into mist and instantly vanished before his very eyes.
Hiroki stood still for a moment, muttering in bewilderment, "Hmm? *She* actually knows the Clone Jutsu too?"
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