They knew all too well that they still lacked the strength. Acting on a moment of hot-blooded impulse would never save everyone.
If they exposed themselves and enraged Kaguya, not only would all their efforts go to waste, but they might also destroy their only hope of turning the tide.
For now, restraint was their only option.
They could only suppress the emotions churning within them, silently bearing witness and committing everything to memory. They turned the suffering of the people into the drive to press onward, quickening their search for allies.
After a long journey, just as the two were searching far and wide without success, a violent clash suddenly rang out from the distant woods, accompanied by the roar of fierce combat and the whistle of attacks cutting through the air.
The brothers' gazes sharpened. They immediately suppressed their presence, slipped into hiding, and looked intently toward the source of the fighting.
Within their sight, several powerful Celestial Dragon guards clad in matching armor were working together to surround a lone figure.
The figure moved with deadly precision and fought with formidable strength, holding off multiple guards single-handedly. His attacks were fierce, his endurance remarkable, and he refused to retreat even when forced onto the defensive.
But in the end, he was outnumbered. After a prolonged struggle, several grievous wounds marred his body, blood spilling steadily from them.
Seizing the instant the guards' formation loosened, the man gritted his teeth and unleashed his last burst of strength. He forced the enemies before him back, then turned and fled deeper into the Dense Forest, dragging his battered body along.
The guards did not pursue him. They merely watched coldly as he fled, then briefly regrouped before turning away to continue their patrols and capture other sacrifices.
Hamura's eyes immediately