At first light, Konoha's outline emerged from the morning mist.
Sunlight slanted across the ruins, gilding the newly erected beams and piled lumber with warm gold. The air smelled of sawdust and dirt, with a trace of cooking smoke.
When Shuo landed, his footing faltered and he swayed. Sai quickly reached out to steady him.
He was truly exhausted. Every bone in his body felt as though it had come apart, the light in his palm had faded almost beyond sight, and he barely had the strength left to chew candy.
Kaguya landed beside him, her white dress trailing on the ground, dusted with lunar soil. Her long black hair fell down her back, and her pale purple eyes swept over the devastated village without much expression.
"So this is Konoha?" she asked, her voice cool and clear.
Shuo braced his hands on his knees, caught his breath, and nodded. "Yeah."
"It's in ruins."
"The war just ended."
Shuo looked up at her, his tone flat. "You fought it."
Kaguya fell silent.
Her gaze shifted to the people rebuilding-some carrying timber, some mixing mud, others repairing roofs.
The next second, everyone saw her. Tools clattered to the ground, mouths opened wide enough to fit an egg, and blank expressions turned to terror.
"Fuck! That's..."
"Kaguya! It's Kaguya, the Progenitor of Chakra!"
"Run! She's here to destroy the village again!"
The crowd erupted like a hornet's nest that had been poked. Everyone ran madly in the opposite direction, scrambling and stumbling. In an instant, they were gone, leaving only tools and scattered lumber behind.
Shuo stayed where he was. Kaguya stood there too, looking at the empty ruins as a trace of complexity flickered in her eyes.
"They're afraid of me."
Her tone was mild, as though she were stating a