Chapter 21: Father and Sons
In the garden, Yuu wore a faint smile, his manner as gentle as ever. That calm presence alone washed away the anxiety that had been clinging to his sons' hearts.
The moment Hagoromo and Hamura heard his voice, their breathing steadied and their emotions settled.
"Father."
They bowed respectfully, their spirits fully recovered.
"We came back this time because there are a few things we want to ask you," Hagoromo said, his expression turning serious. "It's about the God Tree."
"The God Tree?"
At those words, Yuu's heart stirred. He already knew what Hagoromo was about to ask.
Sure enough, the questions that followed matched what he had anticipated.
"I don't know much about the God Tree's origins either," Yuu said after a moment of thought, explaining what he understood. "I only know that it is a divine object that descended together with your mother back then."
He did not hide anything, because he neither wanted to nor needed to.
The two in front of him were not outsiders. They were his own children.
In this world, Yuu told himself there was nothing he could not say to them. He had no intention of deceiving them.
As they listened to his explanation, Hagoromo and Hamura gradually relaxed.
"The God Tree's growth requires massive amounts of chakra and life force," Yuu continued softly. "That's why I must periodically extract chakra from the populace and offer it as a sacrifice to the God Tree."
"If I didn't, the God Tree's growth demands could not be met."
"As for life force, it's also necessary."
"Father," Hagoromo said solemnly, "do you know how many people die every year just to supply the God Tree?"
"Too many people…"
"For the sake of that God Tree, countless people die every single year."
"Many of them didn't have to die. But to feed the God Tree, even people who only committed minor crimes end up being sent to the shrine to be sacrificed."
"Those people should have had a chance to reform. They shouldn't die so easily."
In the Land of Ancestors, criminals were already rare.
But the reason the number had become so small was cruelly simple. For anyone who committed a crime, the end result was often the same: being offered to the God Tree.
To be honest, that process was harsh.
Some crimes should not have merited death, yet those people were still taken away and sacrificed.
"Sacrifices are always necessary," Yuu said quietly. "And this is only temporary."
"Over the past two years, the number of people used to feed the God Tree has already dropped significantly."
"Right now, the life force required for the God Tree's growth is mostly provided by livestock."
"You both know that."
The God Tree needed an immense amount of life force, but that life force did not have to come from humans.
The life force of domestic animals could serve the same purpose.
That was why, in the early years, Yuu had pushed the development of animal husbandry so aggressively. He had wanted to use large livestock to replace human sacrifice and reduce the number of living humans being offered.
As time passed and productivity continued to rise, the day would come when human sacrifice would become history, no longer existing on any large scale.
Hagoromo and Hamura's expressions softened slightly.
They had been responsible for criminal judgments before. They knew this change was real.
In the past two years, the number of people sacrificed to the God Tree had indeed been steadily decreasing.
From that alone, it was clear Yuu had prepared for this, and had not been indifferent to the cost.
As long as enough time passed, the situation would improve greatly.
"Then what about Natural Energy?" Hagoromo pressed. "Chakra can be extracted periodically. Life force can be supplied by livestock. But Natural Energy doesn't regenerate so easily."
"If we allow the God Tree to take it so recklessly, I'm afraid this world isn't far from being exhausted."
"That is indeed the biggest problem," Yuu admitted, shaking his head. "But we have no other choice."
"As I just told you, your mother's clansmen will eventually track her here."
"When that time comes, whether we choose to resist or we choose to hand over the chakra fruit to complete the mission, the fruit atop that God Tree is indispensable."
"And after that fruit is produced?" Hagoromo fell silent for a moment, then spoke again. "The human heart is always greedy, and some people are especially so."
"Father, I understand your intentions. I also understand how important that fruit is."
"But I'm still worried."
He let out a long sigh before continuing.
"With Mother's personality, after she gets that chakra fruit… will she really be willing to stop?"
At Hagoromo's words, Hamura's lips parted as if he wanted to argue, but in the end, he only sighed and said nothing.
They were Kaguya's children. They had lived beside her for many years.
They understood her disposition too well.
Once the next fruit was born, would she truly stop on her own and spare this world?
Or would she continue to let the God Tree grow, trying to produce another chakra fruit after that?
The brothers couldn't say.
If it were Yuu, they believed he would keep his word. Their father had the vision and self control for it.
But if it were Kaguya, it was hard to trust.
Kaguya had never been someone who empathized with others' suffering.
The life and death of mortals in this world meant nothing to her.
She was a lofty being from beyond the heavens. Her gaze, across past and future, would only ever linger on Yuu.
As for everyone else, what did their lives matter to her?
This world's foundation was deep. Perhaps the Natural Energy still remaining could support the God Tree long enough to produce a second fruit.
But after that?
The greed of the human heart has no end.
The greed of gods is even worse.
"So when that time comes, it will be your turn to step forward," Yuu said softly, looking at his sons.
"Us?"
Hagoromo and Hamura froze.
"You already understand your mother's personality," Yuu said calmly. "If what you fear truly happens, then the only ones who can stop her will be you."
"Perhaps that's why the Great Toad Sage sought you out."
"Because in this world, the only ones with any chance of stopping Kaguya are you, her children."
"Father… you…"
Hagoromo and Hamura stared at Yuu, shock written plainly across their faces.
From the past until now, Yuu and Kaguya had always treated each other with mutual respect.
The reason the brothers had been so anxious was because they feared Yuu would stand firmly on their mother's side, becoming their enemy.
But from what they were hearing now… that didn't seem to be the case at all.
.....
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