"Ryo... Mr. Ryo, my mother!"
Maki Chi wasn't sure what that black skeletal arm was, but his mother's soul was being choked by it....
Uchiha Ryo: "It's unfortunate, but your mother's memories and consciousness have already been shattered by the Matoba clan. All that's left now is a monster that knows nothing but destruction and revenge."
Turning his head, Uchiha Ryo's Mangekyo reflected in the pupils of the giant fox head.
A youkai that was only a soul body could not block the genjutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan!
"Well then, Mr. Matoba, it's time for us to have a good talk. I've worked so hard to solve your troubles. You youkai exterminators must thank me properly."
Watching the giant, translucent fox fall onto the venue, the way Matoba Seiji looked at Uchiha Ryo also changed.
He had underestimated Uchiha Ryo's power. Or rather, he had completely underestimated that such a powerful existence still existed among the civilians.
"Maki, you come too. I think you also have a lot of things you want to talk to Mr. Matoba about."
Matoba Seiji: "You've really surprised me. Are you... an onmyoji who has come out of seclusion? No wonder our Matoba clan was blocked by the Shinomiya family's power when we tried to investigate your information."
"Let's go to the reception room on the second floor of the inner residence. As for these people in the venue...."
Uchiha Ryo: "They're just asleep. You can send someone to settle them down or wake them up as you please. Let's go, Maki. We'll go upstairs first."
Maki Chi looked at the motionless body of the giant fox, then glanced at Matoba Seiji, and followed Uchiha Ryo out of the venue.
After Uchiha Ryo left, Matoba Seiji finally breathed a sigh of relief. The moment that skeleton frame appeared, he had felt as if he was being targeted by some terrifying entity, and the shikigami behind him were also trembling constantly.
Looking at the youkai exterminators who had fallen asleep all over the floor, Matoba Seiji gave a wry smile, instructing his shikigami to settle them down properly. He also went outside to call in the other Matoba clan members who had not fallen asleep to keep an eye on the soul of this ferocious spirit fox.
Well then, he also had to go and have a good talk with that Uchiha Ryo.
Leaving the venue and walking into the backyard of the Matoba residence, he passed through a long corridor to the inner residence. Matoba Seiji looked up at Uchiha Ryo, who was standing at the top of the stairs, and suddenly showed a smile.
"Young friend Uchiha has some impressive methods. But our deal should have been discussed very clearly, right? I will help you contact the onmyoji."
Uchiha Ryo closed his eyes. "Mhm... about that. I suddenly want to change the terms. There's no hurry to contact the onmyoji. As long as you're here, I can do it anytime."
Matoba Seiji: "Then... what terms would you like to change to, sir?"
Uchiha Ryo smiled. "The Matoba clan seems to have many connections with the upper echelons of the government. Just as you said, the higher the status, the more superstitious. And in this era where onmyoji have withdrawn from the world, you are indeed a force with a strong network."
"But.... the only thing worthy of my praise is probably just your network. So, Mr. Matoba, if I wanted the entire Matoba clan, how would you respond?"
Matoba Seiji's entire face darkened. "You're not joking, are you, young friend Uchiha?"
As he spoke, he slowly walked up the stairs. As the head of the Matoba clan, he disdained to look up to anyone.
Uchiha Ryo shook his head. "Besides your network, the Matoba clan probably has nothing left, right? Not only is your clan's population dwindling, forcing you to recruit civilian youkai exterminators, but you don't even have many powerful shikigami. Otherwise, you wouldn't have ambushed that fox here."
"But if you hand the Matoba clan over to me, I can help you deal with some of the youkai that bring harm to the human world. And I'm not interested in power or money. All I want is your network and those records related to the youkai world."
Matoba Seiji stopped in the middle of the stairs. "Your strength is great, and I don't think I'm your match. But the Matoba clan's influence is spread throughout the country. And if you make a move on me, not even the Shinomiya family can protect you!"
Uchiha Ryo chuckled lightly and pointed at the stairs beneath his feet.
"I'll give you a choice. As long as you take two steps back, I'll take it that you've agreed to my request. If you continue to move forward... then ascend."
Matoba Seiji didn't speak, but walked directly up the stairs.
"What's going on!"
I clearly took two steps forward. Why... why am I moving backward instead!
Uchiha Ryo: "What's wrong? Your body is still very honest. You chose to move backward. In that case, I'll gladly accept the Matoba clan."
Matoba Seiji: "No! I clearly took a step forward! This feeling is real! It's impossible for me to be hallucinating.…"
[note: What's wrong? Have I weakened your unwavering resolve, Polnareff?]
Real... indeed. Matoba Seiji had indeed just made the action of walking forward. But Uchiha Ryo could invalidate his reality.
This was the ability of Uchiha Ryo's Mangekyo! Amanonagi and Amanonami.
Unlike the Uchiha clan's forbidden jutsu, Izanagi, which chose a favorable event to become reality at the cost of losing one's sight, Uchiha Ryo's Amanonagi could forcibly rewrite reality by consuming the Mangekyo's ocular power.
And Amanonami was to prevent the other party from achieving the reality they wanted, which was why Matoba Seiji was moving backward even though he was walking forward.
As long as he was under the influence of Uchiha Ryo's Mangekyo, he would never achieve the reality of walking up the stairs!
Matoba Seiji: "What on earth is going on? I!"
Uchiha Ryo turned around. "Well.... you should just come up and have a good talk. Let's talk about... how to hand the Matoba clan over to me."
Watching Uchiha Ryo at the top of the second-floor stairs turn and leave, Matoba Seiji clenched his fists. He didn't know what had just happened, but he had a strange feeling... that he was completely powerless in front of the other party.
Walking into the reception room, Uchiha Ryo sat in the main seat and pointed at the sofa in front of him.
"The location of this mansion is not bad. It's far from the hustle and bustle of the city, and you can see the scenery from the mountain forest not far away."
Uchiha Ryo: "Although I want to talk to you about taking over the Matoba clan right now, there's someone who wants to ask you something else more."
Maki Chi, who was sitting to the side, looked up.
"Mr. Matoba, have a seat."
Uchiha Ryo leaned back on the sofa, propped his chin on the back of his hand, and put on the expression of a spectator.
Maki Chi: "Mr. Matoba... after you discovered my youkai identity, you didn't expose me at school. For that, I should thank you. And I should thank you even more for threatening me to come to this gathering..."
"Otherwise... I would not have seen my mother's tragic state!"
Matoba Seiji sighed. "I see. That big fox... was actually your mother?"
Maki Chi's pupils were bloodshot, and his clenched fists were trembling slightly.
"Mr. Matoba... can you tell me the reason... that day, why was my mother killed?"