Chapter 618

"Ability Person 22, what the hell is going on?!"

After the lecture, Bitter Tea Master immediately sought him out.

"I've already graduated, so you have to call me 【Ape 22】 now." Hall Master Nen Nen crossed his arms, gave him a cold, disdainful look, and said, "Why are you asking? That's a new human bred from painstaking research at the institute, selected through ancestral experiments, and you've turned her into a lunatic. The Research Ape has decided: from now on, I will lead the breeding."

"I don't care who holds the leadership, but you can't continue the experiment—she'll be ruined!"

"It's fine, I'm already cultivating Number Four; if there's a problem, I'll just replace it." the other party said coldly.

Those words were like a knife, gouging into Bitter Tea Master's heart; he rarely lost control of his emotions, shouting at Ape 22: "*Master's Secret Chant*!! That's a child we raised from childhood—don't you have even a shred of morality?!"

""Morality? You're talking to me about morality?" Ape 22 seemed utterly indifferent, "On Bax-2, morality means each family's second son must be offered as a sacrifice to Nanuk; in the Tianma Star Duchy, morality means bipedal beings must become slaves to quadrupeds; on Kapaka Star, morality means people with blue eyes are forbidden to walk the streets."

""Morality shackles their wisdom and dooms those worlds' futures, which is why the Primitive Doctor chose them as the targets of the atavism experiment."

Every word Ape 22 spoke was not only persuading Bitter Tea Master but also convincing herself; she lifted her head and said, word by word, ""Our sacrifice isn't for such vulgar things—it's for a future where humanity is happy, the universe progresses, and the Doctor is satisfied."

——

Kaguya-sama wants me to confess my love.

""Huh..."" Chika Fujiwara rested her chin on her hands, brows slightly furrowed, ""It sounds... maybe what she said isn't completely unreasonable? If morality in some places is really that terrible..."

The secretary's tone clearly showed hesitation; she, too, had her thoughts thrown into disarray by Ape 22's string of extreme examples.

Miyako pursed her lips, her little face tense. Her instinct told her Ape 22's words were wrong—very wrong—but she couldn't find a suitable rebuttal, so she muttered resentfully, ""But sacrificing others' dreams... no matter how you look at it, that's just too cruel."

""Fujiwara, don't let her twisted logic lure you in."

""Huh?"

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on the speaker—the Silver-haired Chairman—his hands crossed against his chin, expression grave.

""I think she's conflated a concept: she's mixing the specific manifestations of morality on certain planets with morality itself. If you only focus on morality's backward, cruel side in ignorant or distorted times and then deny its entire value, that's a narrow and dangerous viewpoint. In other words, she's looking for a seemingly reasonable excuse for the Primitive Doctor's extreme behavior."

""But Chairman, those planets' morality really does hinder their wisdom, right?" Miyako then raised a question.

""Morality itself is dynamic, progressing with civilization and continually discarding its backward, cruel parts. We humans once had plenty of bad morals, like human sacrifice... but as civilization advanced, we discarded them."

Silver-haired Gyoko lifted his coffee and took a small sip, ""If Ape 22 were dropped onto Earth a few thousand years ago and used the extreme example of human sacrifice to deny all humanity, then today's Earth civilization wouldn't exist. Moreover, their actions are also depriving other civilizations of the right to choose for themselves—isn't that just too self-righteous?"

——

""Hall Master Nen Nen, are you... destroying the Galaxy Ninja Scrolls? Why?"

Ranha heard the sound of books being torn, followed the noise, and saw a scene she could hardly comprehend.

""Isolating cognition is the first step to curing the meme virus. Your genius-level intellect should have been, but these trash are killing it." Ape 22 handed her the half-torn manga, ""—Tear it up, tear it yourself."

Ranha shook her head, not daring to touch it, looking with anguish at the pile of paper in the other's hand: ""This, this is the secret treasure of the Raving Ninja—absolutely not..."

""Strange, I remember you always being obedient. You did whatever Ability Person 75 said—why aren't you listening to me?"

Ape 22 was thoroughly annoyed and slapped Ranha across the face; all that was heard was a ""smack""—Ranha wasn't seriously hurt, but her hand swelled up first.

""Hiss... this muscle tissue is really tough, like slapping a stone."

Ranha still didn't understand why Hall Master Nen Nen had become like this, staring blankly at her: ""Karate... why karate?"

""Hurry up! Tear this trash apart!!"

Seeing the other remain motionless, Ape 22 switched to a different attitude and tone, softening a bit: ""If you behave well, I and Ability Person 75 can both bask in glory. You don't want to disappoint him, right?"

""Bitter Tea Master..."

Ranha lowered her head, intending not to disappoint the master, and gradually understood the other's intention.

""I understand now; this must be Bitter Tea Master's trial, testing my ninja spirit of detachment..."

In the end, she still took the manga Ape 22 handed her and, in front of them, tore it piece by piece into fragments.

——

Demon Slayer.

""If I were Ranha, the first thing I'd do when I get out is beat that nasty woman to a pulp."" Tengen Uzui crossed his arms and gave a cold snort.

That woman is as hateful as a demon; although the Demon Slayer Corps doesn't kill people, if the day comes when all demons are eradicated, he will take up his ninja identity again and utterly exterminate scum like her.

It's truly disgusting.

Shinobu turned her gaze away from the canopy, unable to bear watching any longer: ""By now, Ranha can still recite lines from the Galaxy Ninja Scrolls—she must have read this book countless times. Having her personally tear it up is practically murderous intent. They raised Ranha from childhood; even if they'd raised a kitten or puppy, they'd have feelings, right?"

""Tsk... if she had any feelings, she couldn't do this; bottom line, she never saw Ranha as a person, but merely as a tool." Ibuki's little flower narrowed her eyes, ""That Bitter Tea Master is not bad, though... I wonder if Ranha will ever be able to see him again?"

——

Ranha left the room, but saw Bitter Tea Master and Hall Master Nen Nen discussing something; she quickly hid and, using her super hearing, listened to their conversation.

""Ability Person 22, you can't dispose of her!"

Hall Master Nen Nen stood with hands on hips, coldly saying, ""Number Three is also a failure. She broke into the containment room, caused a massive disturbance, and was disrespectful to the Research Ape. Just that alone makes her unqualified."

""But you know, that was just an accident."

""I'm the Research Ape, not a banana master. You're the one who raised her into this despicable state—the lab should hold you accountable."

""Damn it......!" Bitter Tea Master trembled with rage.

After Hall Master Nen Nen left, Ranha dared to step out from the side, nervously approaching the master and bowing her head guiltily: ""Bitter Tea Master, I... did I do something wrong?"

""... No, Ranha." Bitter Tea Master drew a deep breath, firmly patting her shoulder, ""You did very well; a true ninja should wholeheartedly follow their own ninja way."""