What a touching display of fatherly love and filial devotion.
Yet neither of the two involved seemed surprised by the other's attitude.
Zenin Ogi showed no anger at his biological son's mockery, nor did he care about the undisguised killing intent radiating from the boy.
Before drawing his blade, Ogi cast a cold glance at him.
"Do you know why the former clan head chose Naobito instead of me as his successor?"
"Because you're a beast, not a human being?"
Zenin Mirai replied without hesitation, eyes filled with ridicule.
At those words, killing intent flickered in Ogi's eyes. He silently condensed cursed energy into his iaido stance.
"Secret Art — Falling Blossom Emotion."
Within the dark, cramped room, a dazzling flash of light vanished in an instant.
Even against his own flesh and blood, Ogi showed no mercy.
His body shot past Mirai, reappearing in the corridor behind him. Slowly, he sheathed his blade and continued:
"I failed to become clan head because of you. And because of those twins — all worthless disappointments."
"As a sorcerer, the only thing I lost to Naobito in… was my ability to produce capable children."
"As children, how dare you drag your parents down?"
Certain that the strike had ended the boy's life, Ogi turned—
"How is that possible?!"
Mirai stood there completely unharmed.
Even in the dim light, Ogi had clearly seen his blade pass through the boy's abdomen.
"Hmm?"
Seeing his son's eyes, Ogi frowned.
Scarlet pupils. Intricate, indecipherable patterns rotating within them like spinning blades.
Had Ogi not frequently trained his body with the Kukuru Unit and occasionally encountered this rebellious son—
With those eerie eyes, and the sinister cursed energy flowing from him—
He might have believed the boy before him was a curse wearing human skin.
"Clang!"
Ogi drew his katana again, gaze sharp as frost.
"So you've awakened some unknown technique. That must be what inflated your courage, you worthless brat."
Mirai slowly formed another hand sign. The vicious smile on his face widened.
"Don't be so impatient, Father. I prepared another surprise for you."
Meeting the crimson in the boy's eyes, Ogi replied coldly:
"Arrogant fool. Laughably overestimating yourself."
"Great Serpent."
"BOOM!!"
A massive serpentine body slithered out from the shadows, instantly smashing the narrow room to pieces.
Before Ogi's stunned gaze, the enormous jaws came crashing down.
Half a beat too slow to evade, Ogi thrust both legs—wrapped in cursed energy—against the inner walls of the serpent's mouth before it could close completely.
"Divine Dog — Totality."
Mirai summoned again.
This time, the shikigami that burst from his shadow did not conceal itself.
It threw back its head and unleashed a brazen howl at the moon, thunderous in the night.
Nearly five meters tall, the Divine Dog's entire body was jet black. Upon its forehead was engraved the intricate crest unique to the Ten Shadows Technique. Its razor-sharp claws gleamed coldly beneath the moonlight.
Its scarlet pupils bore an uncanny resemblance to Mirai's own.
Not only Divine Dog — even the Great Serpent clamping down on Ogi possessed similar red eyes.
Having declared its presence, Divine Dog leapt nimbly to the rooftop and sprinted toward Ogi, who was trapped within the serpent's jaws.
"The Ten Shadows Technique?!"
"Two shikigami at once?!"
Inside the serpent's mouth, Ogi's pupils trembled violently as the descending claws came crashing down.
How?!
When had that brat awakened the Ten Shadows Technique?!
And how could he summon two shikigami consecutively?!
The sheer size of the shikigami far exceeded that of ordinary Ten Shadows users — silent proof of their master's profound cursed energy control.
Ogi's mind nearly froze, but he twisted his body at the last moment, narrowly avoiding a lethal strike.
Still, searing pain erupted from his shoulder as claws tore flesh and sent blood spraying.
With his legs pinned inside the serpent's mouth, Ogi gripped his katana tightly, pouring surging cursed energy into the blade.
Then, as if recalling something, he hurriedly flipped the blade and chose to strike Divine Dog with the back of the sword instead.
Their relationship was strained. Their affection nearly nonexistent.
But there was no denying it—
That "worthless brat"—no.
Zenin Mirai. Zenin Mirai, wielder of the Ten Shadows Technique—
Was his biological son.
And that realization triggered a dramatic shift worthy of Sichuan opera face-changing.
"Mirai—son! My good son! Stop at once!"
"If I accidentally kill your shikigami, the loss would be far too great! Good son, stop!"
That was the true reason Ogi had reversed his blade.
If a shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique is destroyed, it is permanently erased for the user.
However, this loss applies only to the current wielder. Should another Ten Shadows user arise in the future, their shikigami set would be entirely separate — not shared.
Ogi's fervent cries echoed through the night.
Mirai's smile froze. His expression twisted.
There was no other reason—
It was simply revolting.
Not just the thick false concern in Ogi's voice, but the sickening term of address.
Mirai faintly remembered hearing that same "good son" while still in the womb.
After he was born…
"Worthless."
"Rebellious brat."
Those had been Ogi's usual descriptions.
As if sensing his master's will, the Great Serpent bit down harder, and Divine Dog's assault grew even more ferocious.
Ogi, forced to defend only with the blunt edge of his blade, felt the pressure mount.
Yet he dared not truly harm his "good son's" shikigami.
After all—
These were critical bargaining chips in his bid for the position of clan head.
"Boom! Boom—!"
Each violent thrash of the massive serpent's body crushed another building.
Divine Dog, leaping and bounding across rooftops, kicked up clouds of dust beneath the moonlight.
The escalating commotion finally shattered Ogi's stalemate.
A sudden, overwhelming force struck the Great Serpent's lower jaw. The enormous body was hurled aside, its mouth forced open for a split second.
Zenin Naobito — the current head of the Zenin Clan.
Mirai instantly recognized the burly old man emerging from the swirling dust.
White hair swept back over his shoulders. Slender eyebrows. Two long white mustaches.
He wore a simple dark yukata and wooden geta sandals, with a sake gourd hanging at his waist.
Praised as the strongest among Grade 1 sorcerers, and a sorcerer whose speed was second only to Gojo Satoru.
As Mirai sized up the old man, Naobito swept his gaze over the Great Serpent and Divine Dog… then toward Ogi and Mirai standing apart.
His eyes were exceedingly complex.
No explanation was needed.
As head of the Zenin Clan, Naobito had already grasped the situation.
The crimson seeping from the collapsed houses.
The blood saturating the air.
None of that mattered anymore.
Zenin Mirai wielding the Ten Shadows Technique was now a fact.
Irreversible.
The real question was how to preserve Zenin Ogi's life, quell the fury in Zenin Mirai's heart, and secure his loyalty to the Zenin Clan.
Even if it would be extremely difficult.