Hara watched their obedient behavior, sweeping her gaze over the five with a faint, ambiguous smile. "What, you aren't harboring any other ideas, are you?"
An oppressive aura instantly enveloped the hall. The Five Elders shuddered and hurriedly bowed in unison, their expressions utterly resolute.
"We wouldn't dare! We harbor no disloyalty!"
"This is the pact Lord Imu and Lady Kaguya, the Rabbit Goddess, established. The Celestial Dragons will honor the agreement and make offerings to the God Tree. This is our destiny, and we would never dare defy it!"
Hearing this, Hara was thoroughly satisfied and spoke calmly to reassure them.
"Relax. As long as you behave yourselves and know your place, we'll honor the agreement too. Even if that monkey reincarnates eight hundred times, we can kill him eight hundred times."
With business concluded, Hara casually asked a question, as though something had suddenly occurred to her.
"By the way, let me ask you something. Do you know a way to control natural energy?"
This was what concerned her most at the moment. That little toad could teach Hagoromo and Hamura secret techniques, making him the greatest wild card. She had to get to the bottom of it.
At her question, the Five Elders exchanged bewildered looks, then shook their heads in unison.
"Your Highness, natural energy is extremely unusual and exceedingly difficult to control."
"Only a tiny number of extraordinary beasts can grasp it through chance encounters and cultivate it on their own."
"Throughout history, there has never been a method that could be taught to others, nor any instance of one being passed on."
"It can't be learned?"
Far from being disappointed, Hara's eyes suddenly lit up, and alarm bells instantly rang in her mind.
"Now that's interesting."
"Even you Celestial Dragons can't learn secret techniques