Kaguya stood quietly in place, looking at the two sons she had raised herself. Deep within her icy eyes, a rare trace of sorrow emerged, faint yet utterly genuine.
She had never imagined that the children she had lovingly raised would ultimately turn against her, joining forces with an outsider to plot her downfall and destroy everything she had.
After a long silence, Kaguya spoke softly, her voice tinged with loneliness and bone-deep regret.
"So... from beginning to end, Hara was the only good child who truly cared for me and had my best interests at heart."
"I should have listened to Hara back then."
Her gaze darkened as she looked at Hagoromo and Hamura, revealing, word by word, a hidden truth that sent chills through both brothers.
"When you sneaked away to learn Senjutsu from that toad, I should have acted immediately."
"I should have killed that toad, dragged you back, and kept you locked by my side. Then this betrayal would never have happened."
Her words exploded in their ears like thunder!
Hagoromo and Hamura shuddered, disbelief flooding their faces as they froze completely.
They had always believed their secret training and covert preparations were flawlessly concealed, that they had controlled the pace from beginning to end.
Never had they imagined that their mother had known everything from the start!
Hamura's pupils contracted sharply. In utter disbelief, he instinctively asked in a trembling voice, "Mother... you already knew we were training under Gamamaru? You knew everything we were doing?"
Kaguya nodded gently, hiding nothing as she laid out the whole truth.
"Did you think you had hidden yourselves so well?"
"Hara noticed something was wrong with you long ago. Your movements were suspicious, so she arranged for White Zetsu to watch your every move."
"Hara uncovered every detail