Chapter 61: Implications

Yao remained tense for several long seconds, her eyes scanning the area, the Time Stone still pulsing with emerald energy. Only when she was certain that the threat had truly passed did she allow her defensive posture to relax. She turned to face her children, her expression a mixture of relief, concern, and unmistakable disappointment.

The siblings, still reeling from the encounter, looked at their mother with a combination of awe and trepidation. They had never seen her like this before, her power so openly displayed, the weight of her responsibilities as Sorcerer Supreme so evident.

"Mother," Oogway began, his usual calm demeanor shaken. "We—"

Yao held up a hand, silencing him. Her eyes, still glowing with residual power from her confrontation with Shibai, swept over each of her children in turn.

"What were you thinking?" she asked, her voice low but filled with intensity. "Attacking an Otsutsuki settlement without proper preparation or authorization? Do you have any idea of the cosmic forces you've just provoked?"

Fenrir, usually the most hot-headed of the siblings, stepped forward. "We were trying to protect our world, Mother. The Otsutsuki are a threat that needs to be dealt with."

"A threat?" Yao's voice rose slightly. "You've faced but a fraction of their true power. What you've done here today is equivalent to poking a sleeping dragon with a twig and expecting it not to burn down the entire forest in retaliation. We are unaware of how many of them exist or how many Compounds exist in different Dimensions. You four made a grave misstep."

Jörmungandr spoke up. "We extracted valuable information about their strongholds and abilities. Surely that counts for something?"

Yao's gaze softened slightly, but her tone remained firm. "Information is indeed valuable, Jörmungandr. But at what cost? You've alerted the Otsutsuki to our active resistance. We've lost the element of surprise, and now they'll be even more guarded."

Irene, who had been silently observing, finally found her voice. "Mother, the being we just encountered... was that the same one from before? The one you interacted with previously?"

Yao's expression grew grave. She took a deep breath before responding, her voice now tinged with a hint of uncertainty that her children rarely heard.

"Yes, Irene. That was indeed Shibai, the Otsutsuki God. But I fear... I fear I gravely underestimated his power during our last encounter."

The siblings exchanged worried glances. It was almost unheard of for their mother to admit to such a misjudgment.

Yao continued, her voice thoughtful. "In our previous clash, I believed I was facing a particularly powerful Otsutsuki, perhaps just a powerful being that could be taken down easily. But now, having felt the full weight of his presence... Shibai is something else entirely. He exists on a level that could be considered a Cosmic Entity in all but name."

"A Cosmic Entity?" Oogway repeated, his brow furrowed in concern. "Like Eternity or the Living Tribunal from the stories you've told us?"

Yao nodded solemnly. "Definetly not quite to that extent, but closer than any being we've encountered before. His power doesn't just transcend our physical realm; it seems to operate on fundamental levels of reality itself."

Fenrir growled low in his throat. "So how do we fight something like that? There must be a way to defeat him!"

"Defeat him?" Yao shook her head. "Fenrir, you're missing the point. Beings of this magnitude aren't simply 'defeated' through brute force or even conventional magic. They are cosmic constants, as integral to the fabric of existence as time or space."

"Then what hope do we have?" Jörmungandr asked as it sounded as if they were fighting a losing battle

Yao's expression softened as she looked at her children. "Hope lies in understanding, in preparation, and in unity. We must learn more about the nature of Shibai's existence, about the Otsutsuki as a whole, and about our own place in this cosmic dance."

'Speaking in riddles again.' All four thought to themselves, though a smile from her made them all erase the thought as chills went down their spines.

She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "What you did today was reckless, but I understand the intentions behind it. You sought to protect our world, and that instinct is admirable. But we cannot afford to act impulsively when dealing with forces of this magnitude."

Irene stepped forward, her eyes meeting her mother's. "We're sorry, Mother. We should have consulted with you first. But... may I ask, why did Shibai retreat? He seemed more than capable of obliterating us all."

"Fate deemed that it was not time for us to clash yet. You can take that how you wish." Yaou spoke, with all four of there eyebrows twitching.

"Or." Oogway interjected thoughtfully, "Perhaps your arrival changed the equation. Maybe he sensed that a battle with you at this juncture would disrupt something he foresees in the future."

Yao nodded approvingly at her son's insight. "That's entirely possible, Oogway. The Time Stone's power may have given him pause, forcing a recalculation of whatever cosmic game he's playing."

"So what do we do now?" Fenrir asked, his earlier bravado tempered by the gravity of the situation.

Yao's gaze swept over the ruined Otsutsuki settlement. "Now, we learn. We gather every scrap of information we can from this place before we leave. Then, we prepare. This encounter has made it clear that our understanding of the Otsutsuki, and of Shibai in particular, is woefully inadequate."

She turned back to her children, her expression resolute. "Each of you will need to intensify your training. The four of you seem to have slacked off in regards to your training, so I hope you begin growing once more."

The siblings nodded, their earlier shame giving way to determination.

"What about you, Mother?" Irene asked. "What will you do?"

Yao's hand moved to the Time Stone, which had now dimmed to a soft glow. "I will delve deeper into the mysteries of Time. The confrontation with Shibai has shown me that there are depths to reality that even I, as Sorcerer Supreme, have yet to fully grasp. I must expand my understanding if I want to be more certain in my win against him.."

She paused, her expression softening as she looked at her children. "I know I've been stern, and this ordeal has been trying for all of us. But I want you to know that I'm proud of the strength and courage you've shown today. We faced a being of unimaginable power, and you stood your ground. That's no small feat."

The siblings straightened at their mother's words, a mix of pride and renewed determination visible in their stances.

"We won't let you down again, Mother," Oogway said, bowing slightly.

Yao smiled, a rare sight given the circumstances. "I know you won't. You never have in the past. We're in this together, as a family and as protectors of our world. The path ahead will be challenging, perhaps more so than anything we've faced before. But I believe in each of you, and in what we can accomplish together."

She took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping across the horizon. "Now, let's salvage what we can from this settlement and return home. I was in the middle of our meeting when I came."

[AN: I've hit writer's block with this book again. I could barely get this chapter out. I have to brainstorm some idead before I return with it full time. Love You Guys~]