Time ticked by second after second.
As Naobito remained silent, Zenin Mirai's expression gradually darkened. A tide of cursed energy rippled beneath his shadow, subtle but growing.
Last night's display of the Ten Shadows Technique was meant to make this transition effortless. He had no intention of debating.
If the Zenin Clan couldn't become a tool in his hands, then it might as well be destroyed.
Facing a clan with no Special Grade sorcerers, and wielding Kamui Phasing, Mirai had nothing to fear.
Kamui Phasing was no weaker than Gojo Satoru's Limitless Defense.
And Kamui Obliteration, that was a technique capable of tearing straight through Gojo's invincibility.
Now that he had fully awakened and mastered his power, Zenin Mirai undoubtedly had the qualifications to aim for the title of strongest.
But even before becoming unbeatable, a certain level of caution was still necessary.
What he lacked now were detailed records of rare cursed tools, intelligence on various cursed techniques within the jujutsu world...
And above all else, the kind of wealth needed to move curse users on a global scale.
Those were the reasons why, last night, Mirai had not gone on a full-scale massacre.
He had simply turned this rotting clan into fertile ground, fuel to accelerate his rise to the top.
But if it couldn't be used...
The endless cursed energy from the Gedo Statue surged beneath him, and the shadows at Mirai's feet began to churn and stir.
A murderous pressure radiated outward. Zenin Shinichi, finally sensing something was wrong, jumped to his feet in a panic and instinctively took a defensive stance.
Noticing this, Naobito's face changed. After a brief moment of hesitation, he sighed.
"…I agree."
"I'll announce it after this meeting concludes."
Naobito was never one obsessed with power. His hesitation came not from greed but from what Mirai had shown, the overbearing cruelty and utter lack of restraint.
Zenin Shinro's death last night... all because he was standing in Mirai's way?
A captain-level figure, erased over something so petty?
Naobito feared that if he abdicated now, it wouldn't be long before half the clan's sorcerers were dead at Mirai's hands.
Yet the presence of the Ten Shadows guaranteed that Mirai was destined to become the next clan head.
He just hadn't expected the boy to come for the position this quickly.
Naobito had planned to take a few years to teach and guide him, hoping to soothe his hatred toward the family in time.
But seeing the old man yield, Mirai withdrew his cursed energy and calmly issued his second command.
"Have half the clan's sorcerers capture Cursed Spirits alive. Send them into the Forbidden Vault."
When no one responded for a while, his voice dropped further.
"Old man, I'm the clan head now. You just need to follow orders."
Naobito struggled to adjust to this sudden shift in authority.
But one look at Mirai, who looked like he was about to wipe out the entire clan at the drop of a hat, and he could only sigh and give in.
"The key," Mirai said bluntly, as if it was his by right. "Hand it over."
Naobito didn't hesitate. He had already prepared to hand it over today anyway.
Careful not to get too close, he threw the cursed energy–infused key toward Mirai.
A clawed hand emerged briefly from the shadows, caught the key midair, then sank back into darkness.
Mirai cast a cold glance toward Shinichi, then turned and walked in the direction of the Forbidden Vault.
Just before he disappeared from view, he said without turning back, "I'll be living in the Forbidden Vault for the time being."
"Send all captured Cursed Spirits and any intel directly to me."
Hearing this, Naobito's eyes lit up. The weariness vanished from his expression, replaced with a strange, quiet excitement.
"Understood. I'll have the materials compiled and delivered."
Watching… no, watching the former clan head change so suddenly, Zenin Shinichi blinked, completely confused.
Only after Mirai's silhouette disappeared did he ask in disbelief, "Old man, what's going on with you?"
Naobito didn't bother correcting the change in address. He walked to the edge of the corridor and sat down heavily, taking a large gulp from his sake gourd.
His eyes drifted to the spot where Shinichi had been sitting earlier, and a flicker of emotion passed through them.
"I thought the boy was just drunk on power, lashing out in anger over everything that happened."
"I hesitated because I feared he'd let that power blind him completely."
"But the fact that he asked for intelligence, that he wants information on the outside world... that tells me he's not just some reckless brute."
"He's thinking ahead."
Shinichi furrowed his brows and slowly stepped into the room.
"So that's all it took to cheer you up?"
"You don't feel even a little resentment about that brat forcing you to give up your position, "
He stopped mid-sentence.
The realization finally struck him.
He now understood why Naobito had suddenly tackled him and shoved him out the door earlier.
His eyes drifted to the courtyard wall behind the seat he'd been in just minutes ago.
There was a massive hole, blown clean through the stone.
A chill crawled up his spine. Shinichi couldn't help swallowing hard.
He hadn't noticed from his angle before, but now that he was closer, he saw it clearly, the hole lined up exactly with where his head had been.
"Old man, didn't the clan head order half our sorcerers to catch Cursed Spirits?" Shinichi turned around, his voice abruptly sharp. "Why are you still sitting here?!"
Naobito blinked, his bushy silver brows twitching as he jolted upright.
But seeing the raw fear in Shinichi's eyes, he broke into a wry, crooked smile and finally went to relay the orders.
Since Hei was a direct combat unit under the command of the clan head, Shinichi had no authority to mobilize them. Only Naobito could deliver Mirai's commands.
...
Mirai pushed open the towering doors of the Forbidden Vault, stepping into the Zenin Clan's most secure domain, carved deep into the heart of a hollowed-out mountain.
This was his first time here in person. He'd only learned about the Vault's layout and its secrets from the manga in his past life.
Cursed tools of all shapes and sizes were arranged neatly along wooden shelves, each one spotless and polished.
Over a hundred of them, their prices ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of yen, a silent display of the Zenin Clan's terrifying wealth and influence.
Mirai swept a brief glance across them, then lost interest.
Against the Uchiha Fan, these were barely worth mentioning.
He pushed open a heavy door sealed with talismans. A bestial roar echoed from the stairwell beyond.
His lips curled into a twisted smile.
Descending the staircase step by step, Zenin Mirai walked into the darkness.
Behind him, both his shadow and the void beside his shoulder began to boil with violent anticipation.
...
Twenty minutes later
"Not enough. Still not enough!"
"These Cursed Spirits, their energy, their malice, it's all too weak!"
Bathed in a downpour of blood, Mirai's white robes had turned a deep, gory red. He once again looked like the grim reaper he'd become the night before.
His massive Shikigami, Divine Dog and Great Serpent, moved fluidly through the crowd of Cursed Spirits, tearing and crushing grotesque creatures without pause.
From the space beside his shoulder, a monstrous arm reached out, grabbing clusters of spirits and dragging them into the void, greedily devouring their cursed energy.
Mirai himself wasn't idle. He lunged forward, grabbing the nearest beast, one easily several times his size, and ripped it apart with his bare hands.
BOOM! BOOM!
The earth-shaking tremors from deep within the Forbidden Vault, along with the mad laughter that echoed through the stone halls, left the guards outside pale with fear.
They held thick stacks of intelligence files in their trembling hands, wanting to deliver them but frozen in place.
Every time the ground shook, their hearts skipped a beat.
None dared to enter.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter