After the nine pulls stopped, the lunar surface sealing entered a brief lull.
This was not peace.
Kaguya acknowledged that the tailed beasts possessed memories she had never experienced.
She still believed the Ten-Tails Husk, the God Tree, and the original chakra belonged to her.
The present world acknowledged that she possessed a consciousness capable of expressing judgments.
It did not lift the sealing as a result.
The two sides stopped using force on only one issue.
All other conflicts remained.
The Land of Rivers rewrote the rules to include the limited voice channel.
Before each opening, the questioning party, Ri, and the lunar surface Gatekeeper Mark would each give confirmation.
Only sound could pass through.
No chakra.
No permanent coordinates would be retained.
Any party could close it upon detecting an override.
The voice channel had no fixed opening schedule.
Each session could convey at most one question and one answer.
If Kaguya asked a question in return, a new round of permission would be required.
This would interrupt continuous conversation, but also prevent either side from using a single agreement to prolong contact indefinitely.
All unanswered questions would remain blank, without Ri or the recorder filling them in.
Ri refused to become a permanent interpreter.
Her ability to understand some ancient syllables did not mean she had to stand between Kaguya and the present world at all times.
She would decide anew whether to assist each time.
If she refused, the Five Nations could not forcibly use her eye pattern in the name of the Shinobi World's safety.
Nor could Kaguya access it directly because their bodies shared an origin.
The first limited conversation allowed only three questions.
The present world asked whether Kaguya would stop forcibly pulling at the jinchūriki and tailed beasts.
She answered that she