The Divine Tree Fruit

"Are you saying I shouldn't have placed Kaguya in the palace?"

Inside the Daimyo's Residence, Nanchuan You looked calmly at the elderly man before him.

Before him stood an old man in ornate robes, rooted in place.

He was already advanced in years, with snow-white hair and beard, yet before Nanchuan You, this daimyo, he still wore a stubborn expression.

This man was named Sawada Kawa no, a senior retainer left to Nanchuan You by the previous Lord of the Country of Zu, and counted among his vassals.

Over the years, he had assisted Nanchuan You in ruling the Country of Zu, working with reasonable diligence.

But at this moment, he had come before Nanchuan You to offer his admonishment.

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"Has Your Highness forgotten the efforts you once made to revive the Country of Zu?"

Sawada Kawa no spoke loudly: "To revive the Country of Zu, Your Highness worked so hard. How can you now forget that, and how can you neglect state affairs for the sake of a woman?"

"Moreover, does Your Highness not fear that the Lord of the Country of Pi might take issue with this?"

He brought up the Lord of the Country of Pi.

When Nanchuan You had first reincarnated here, to secure stable external conditions, he had promised to marry the Lord of the Country of Pi's daughter.

Nominally, that never-met princess of the Country of Pi was his rightful fiancée.

In the past, Nanchuan You had always performed flawlessly, but now, after encountering Kaguya, in just a short time, there were already signs of him neglecting state affairs.

This deeply worried the senior retainers led by Sawada Kawa no, prompting this admonishment.

But clearly, his admonishment had not achieved the desired effect.

"And what of it?"

Meeting Sawada Kawa no's gaze, Nanchuan You simply smiled and then spoke: "Lord Sawada's admonishment is etched in my heart. I will consider it carefully later."

"As for now, please take your leave."

Before the assembled senior retainers, he was as gentle as ever, with little to fault in his demeanor.

He had put up a sufficient front.

As for whether he would actually listen, that was his own affair.

Of course, listening was impossible.

After all, having finally latched onto a wealthy woman and secured an easy life, the most important thing now was to enjoy it while it was still fresh. Why would he push her away?

As for the Country of Pi, Nanchuan You had no worries at all.

He had spent years building up his strength, quietly amassing enough power.

The only reason he hadn't openly clashed with the Country of Pi was that he wanted a few more years of stability.

But if they truly dared to say anything, there was nothing more to discuss.

He would simply act.

Still, the likelihood of them making a move was low.

After all, even now, Nanchuan You paid them a substantial annual tribute every year.

Even if only for the sake of that tribute, they wouldn't act rashly.

With Nanchuan You's firm stance, this storm gradually subsided.

A few months later, those who brought up the matter had all but disappeared.

The people of the Country of Zu gradually grew accustomed to Lady Kaguya's elevated status.

Thus, several more years passed.

Over those years, time marched on.

During this period, things around them began to change constantly.

Under Nanchuan You's leadership, the Country of Zu gradually expanded outward, annexing several small states over the years.

Within the Country of Zu, the population grew steadily, presenting a scene of prosperity.

But the most noteworthy thing was that Divine Tree.

Over the years, the Divine Tree had grown even larger, now truly resembling a divine tree, visible even from afar.

During this time, Kaguya brought Nanchuan You there once.

Before his eyes, she plucked a special fruit from the canopy.

The Divine Tree Fruit carried a sense of mystery, and the moment it appeared, it exerted a powerful pull on Nanchuan You, drawing his gaze irresistibly.

"What is this?"

Looking at the fruit in Kaguya's hand, he asked.

"This is the Fruit of the Divine Tree."

Kaguya spoke, her eyes filled with various emotions as she gazed at the fruit in her hand.

That gaze carried a dense mix of longing, fear, and many other emotions, all intertwined, making it quite complex.

Like Nanchuan You, she too was incomparably eager for this Divine Tree Fruit.

Even more so, because of her identity as a member of the Otsutsuki Clan, her craving for this fruit was even stronger, almost instinctual.

Nanchuan You could somewhat understand the complex emotions within her heart.

The Divine Tree was a tool used by the Otsutsuki Clan to absorb Natural Energy and produce Chakra Fruits, its purpose being to drain the energy of other planets and bear fruit.

This fruit held immense benefits for the Otsutsuki Clan; by consuming it, one could not only gain tremendous power but also directly awaken the Rinnegan, the standard bloodline awakening of the Otsutsuki Clan.

Speaking of the Rinnegan, Nanchuan You had originally thought it was a standard trait of the Otsutsuki Clan.

But from what he had experienced so far, it seemed Kaguya had not yet awakened the Rinnegan.

Thus, a reasonable inference was that even among the Otsutsuki Clan, unless one had pure blood and could naturally awaken the Rinnegan, they would still need to consume a Chakra Fruit to have a chance at awakening it.

Just as most members of the Uchiha Clan could not awaken the Sharingan bloodline and were merely ordinary people, the Otsutsuki Clan had a similar situation.

But as long as they could consume a Chakra Fruit, their bloodline would evolve, granting them the power of the Rinnegan and completing their own ascension.

The Divine Tree before them had been planted in this world for that very reason.

As for Kaguya, she was the tree farmer tasked with guarding it.

As the sentinel dispatched by the Otsutsuki Clan, her purpose was to protect the Divine Tree and ensure the Chakra Fruit it bore was safe, awaiting the arrival of the Otsutsuki Main Family.

Yet, from Kaguya's current behavior, she too had her own schemes regarding this Divine Tree Fruit.

For the Otsutsuki Clan, the temptation of a single Chakra Fruit was still far too great.

Kaguya stood still, staring at the Chakra Fruit before her, struggling for a long time before finally giving up.

She sealed it away, not using it.

"Not using it?"

Nanchuan You watched her actions and suddenly asked.

Kaguya shook her head.

She looked at Nanchuan You, still wearing that usual indifferent expression, but the words she spoke were entirely different: "If it were just me alone, I would have used it. Even if I were caught and taken back to the Main Family, it wouldn't matter much."

"But I don't want you to die because of me, You."

As her words fell, Nanchuan You instinctively looked up, momentarily stunned.