Hi guys, author here!Please share your thoughts in the comments and reviews. And if you like it, don't forget to drop some stones — they're a great motivator!
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The morning sunlight spilled softly across the Zenin estate, warming the tiled roofs and casting long shadows across the stone pathways.
Naoya sat at the breakfast table, chewing on grilled fish while occasionally sneaking glances at his father. Naobito ate silently, his posture impeccable, movements deliberate. Every sip of tea seemed to carry the weight of discipline.
Naoya, on the other hand, had the posture of someone being punished by existence itself.His muscles screamed from the morning training, his arms trembled faintly from overuse, and yet — compared to yesterday — he felt just a little lighter.
Maybe it was the "stat points," maybe it was psychological, or maybe he was just getting used to pain.
He didn't care which. Progress was progress.
When Naobito finally finished, he spoke without looking up."Training continues after breakfast."
Naoya sighed. "Can't we just call it a day and say I learned the value of suffering?"
A sharp glare shut him up instantly.
The morning sunlight spilled softly across the Zenin estate, warming the tiled roofs and casting long shadows over the stone pathways.
Naoya sat at the breakfast table, chewing on grilled fish while occasionally sneaking glances at his father. Naobito ate silently, his posture impeccable and his movements deliberate. Every sip of tea seemed to carry the weight of discipline.
Naoya, on the other hand, had the posture of someone being punished by existence itself.His muscles screamed from the morning training, his arms trembled faintly from overuse, and yet — compared to yesterday — he felt just a little lighter.
Maybe it was the "stat points," maybe it was psychological, or maybe he was just getting used to pain.
He didn't care which. Progress was progress.
When Naobito finally finished, he spoke without looking up."Training continues after breakfast."
Naoya sighed. "Can't we just call it a day and say I learned the value of suffering?"
A sharp glare shut him up instantly.
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A short while later, they stood once again in the courtyard.
The morning air was cool, the faint scent of bamboo drifting across the grounds. Around them, other Zenin trainees sparred fiercely — their practice weapons colliding with dull thuds that echoed like a heartbeat of violence.
Naobito stood at the center, hands folded behind his back. "Begin."
Naoya took his stance. His movements were awkward at first, but his footing was firmer than yesterday. He focused on his breathing — slow, steady, like Naobito had taught him.
"Your stance has improved," Naobito noted quietly.
"Wow, actual praise," muttered Naoya.
The wooden stick cracked against his shoulder. "Don't speak."
"Ow!" yelped Naoya.
He continued, channeling his cursed energy, trying to summon that faint shimmer from before. The emotion came easily this time — irritation, exhaustion, defiance.
The air rippled faintly around his hands. It wasn't bright or stable, but it was there.
Naobito's eyes narrowed slightly. "Better."
Naoya exhaled shakily, sweat dripping from his brow. "Feels like I'm trying to squeeze fog."
"Control comes from discipline. Discipline comes from pain. You're learning."
"Great. I must be very disciplined by now," Naoya muttered.
Another light smack followed. "And yet your mouth remains undisciplined."
Watching the boy struggle to stabilize his cursed energy, Naobito frowned slightly.
'He's actually become meeker. Has the pressure of training been too much for him?''Well, he's still a kid. Probably just another phase,' he thought, shaking the concern off.
A few hours later, Naoya's small mass of cursed energy finally started to stabilize.
Seeing that, Naoya smiled — only for a stick to smack his thigh.
His posture immediately broke, but this time the cursed energy didn't dissipate.
"Good. You can maintain it now. That's the first step to controlling cursed energy," said Naobito with a small nod.
"..." Naoya wanted to complain but knew it would result in another hit, so he wisely stayed silent.
"Now let's move to the next step." Naobito showed both his palms. Cursed energy gathered on one of them, forming a small glowing sphere. Then, slowly, it moved from one hand to the other.
"Did you get that?" asked Naobito.
"You made the cursed energy crawl from one palm to the other," replied Naoya.
"...I meant, did you understand how I did that?" asked Naobito flatly.
"Oh. No clue," said Naoya bluntly.
Naobito stared at his son for a moment, unsure if this was politeness or stupidity.
After explaining the technique, Naobito stepped back and observed as Naoya tried to replicate it. No matter how hard he tried, the cursed energy refused to move an inch.
Training lasted until afternoon. When it finally ended, Naoya collapsed on the ground, panting.
"You've improved slightly," Naobito said, turning away. "Don't let it make you complacent."
"Don't worry," Naoya groaned. "I'm way too miserable to feel complacent."
While they spoke, two older trainees sparring nearby lost balance — one accidentally pushed the other with too much force, sending him stumbling straight toward Naoya.
Noticing the large boy hurtling toward him, Naoya panicked.As if responding to his fear, cursed energy flared faintly around him — trembling violently before fizzling out.
'I'm gonna be a pancake,' thought Naoya, bracing for impact.
Naobito, watching from nearby, sighed.'He gathered that much cursed energy and still didn't dodge...'
He flicked a small burst of cursed energy at the falling trainee, sending the boy sprawling harmlessly to the side.
Thud!
Naoya blinked. The pain never came. He opened his eyes to find the boy on the ground and his father staring at him sternly — before another flick of cursed energy smacked him on the forehead.
"Ow!"
"Move away if you're about to be hit," Naobito said flatly.
"Sorry, just suffering from the pain of tort— I mean training," said Naoya, rubbing his forehead — only to get flicked again.
"Just because you have good control doesn't mean you need to show off," grumbled Naoya.
Naobito smirked. "Then learn to control cursed energy soon," he replied, walking away.
Nearby, several clan members whispered among themselves.
"Naoya-sama already showing cursed energy at his age…""The heir to the Zenin bloodline, indeed.""Though his control still seems unstable."
Naoya's ears twitched. He caught every word.
'I'm literally four years old. What do you people want from me?' he thought bitterly.
Meanwhile, the boy who nearly crushed him was now yelling at the one who pushed him."Do you want me dead?! Throwing me towards the clan head!""I told you it was an accident!!!""If I'd died, my parents would've—"
Naoya watched them bicker, then decided he'd suffered enough secondhand stupidity for one day.
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Later, back in his room, Naoya sat cross-legged on the futon and exhaled slowly.His hands trembled faintly as he raised them, focusing.
A flicker of cursed energy danced across his fingertips before fading again.
He frowned. "Still not stable."
A translucent blue screen appeared before him with a soft ding.He skimmed it — same numbers, same stats.
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Name: Naoya Zenin
Title: Body Stealer, Possible Zenin Heir
Cursed Technique: Locked
Cursed Energy: 445 / 450
STR: 15
DEX: 10
VIT: 30
INT: 15
LUK: 12
Extra Points: 8
Achievements:
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He sighed. "So it's not going to hand me power on a silver platter. Figures."
The "Achievements" tab glowed faintly, but no new entries appeared — just the same milestones: walking, speaking, unlocking cursed energy.
"Guess I'll have to earn the next one the hard way."
He closed the screen and lay back, staring at the ceiling.
"It hurts like hell," groaned the kid, feeling pain course through his body.He rolled up in his futon and screamed into his pillow to vent.
A little while later, a servant came to call him for lunch.At the mention of food, Naoya stood up, stretched, and walked out — noticing that despite harsher training, the pain wasn't as bad as before.
'Seems like the extra stats did help,' thought Naoya with a small smile.
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During the meal, Naobito spoke suddenly."After evening training, wash up and come straight to the main hall. We'll be having a clan meeting."
Naoya looked up from his rice bowl, gave a small nod, and went right back to eating.
Naobito stared at him for a moment — tempted to smack him — but decided against it. The boy was working hard after all.
"Eat well. The evening training will be harsher to make up for the missed slot due to the meeting," said Naobito.
Naoya looked at him in disbelief.'Are you sure you're my father?' he thought, then turned toward the servant behind him.
"One more," said Naoya, holding out his empty bowl.
The servant blinked in surprise. Just a few days ago, this same boy had thrown bowls and cursed the staff. Now he was calmly asking for seconds — fifths, actually.
The servant refilled the bowl and handed it back.This version of the young master was much better.
'Training has really disciplined the boy. May the clan head push him even harder so he grows into a great man,' thought the servant.
A shiver ran down Naoya's spine.He didn't know why, but it felt like someone had just wished for his suffering.
"Eat some meat too. A growing body needs meat," said Naobito, signaling for the servants.
"Bring two plates," said Naoya, focusing back on his food — making Naobito and the servant exchange looks of disbelief.
"Wha—?" mumbled Naoya with his mouth full, noticing their stares.
Naobito sighed. "Don't talk with your mouth full."
'I should arrange etiqutte classes for him.' thought Naobito
Another shiver ran down Naoya's spine.
'Again… someone's definitely wishing for my suffering,' he thought grimly.
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In the evening:
After finishing his training, Naoya washed up and got dressed before being led toward the meeting hall by one of the servants.
When they arrived, the servant bowed and stepped aside, sliding open the door.Immediately, Naoya felt dozens of gazes fall upon him — some curious, others indifferent.
Under those watchful eyes, he walked into the room, scanned the gathered clan members, and quickly found his seat.His father sat further ahead, near the center, surrounded by elders and senior members of the Zenin clan.
Once everyone except one person had arrived, the meeting began.
Naoya glanced at the empty seat beside him, wondering who was missing, but quickly turned his attention back to the front when he felt his father's glare pierce through him.
.
.
.
"The Gojo and Geto clans' influence is on the rise," one elder began.
"Well, the Six Eyes and Infinity manifested in the Gojo heir. It was bound to happen," another replied. "It's the Geto clan we should be wary of. They didn't waste a moment in forming ties between their heir and Gojo's."
"It's not just that. Rumor has it the Geto clan's heir also manifested one of their core techniques."
"..." Naobito fell silent. Two heirs in the same generation awakening ancient clan techniques… If handled poorly, it could completely disrupt the current balance of power.
His gaze drifted toward Naoya — who was barely keeping his eyes open, fighting to stay awake.
'If only this idiot son of mine awakened an ancient technique…' thought Naobito dryly.
The elders, following Naobito's gaze, turned to look at Naoya as well.Some looked at him with deadpan expressions, a few chuckled, but most wore clear annoyance.
"Naoya-kun," called Ogi Zenin, one of Naoya's uncles.
"Huh? I'm awake! I was just meditating!" said a startled Naoya, straightening up.
"Is the meeting boring you?" asked Ogi in a cold tone.
"Kind of, but I can handle it," replied Naoya while rubbing his eyes.
The entire hall fell silent.A vein throbbed visibly on Ogi's forehead.
Feeling the tension rise, Naobito was just about to step in when another man spoke.
"How's your training going, Naoya?" asked Jinichi Zenin — a tall, muscular man with a long scar across his face. Though older-looking, he was actually Naoya's cousin.
"It's going well, I guess. Though it's a bit much for a small child like me to handle," replied Naoya.
"Really? Unlocked your cursed technique yet?" asked Jinichi.
"No, not yet. It's only been two days since I started training."
"I see," said Jinichi, his tone deliberately casual. "The Gojo clan's heir unlocked his technique the moment he was born."
"Woah, really? Lucky him," said Naoya, genuinely impressed — and a little envious of someone who didn't have to go through daily clan torture— training— to awaken power.
"…Even the Geto clan's heir awakened his technique too," added Jinichi, watching closely. He'd heard the boy had a quick temper — perfect for provoking.
"Hm? Good for him then. Is there a problem with them unlocking their techniques?" asked Naoya, genuinely confused.
Jinichi's expression hardened. His attempt to rile Naoya had failed miserably.
"Naoya," called Naobito, a small smile twitching on his face. For once, his son's newly awakened manners were saving him.
"Yes?" Naoya turned toward him.
"Your cousin just means that you should work hard and unlock your technique soon," said Naobito quickly, trying to defuse the tension.
"Oh! So that's what he meant. You're surprisingly caring despite how you look," said Naoya with a bright smile.
Naobito immediately regretted speaking.'…I take it back. My son's an idiot.'
Jinichi froze for a moment, then his expression turned icy. Being mocked for his looks by a child — and that too in front of the whole clan — was beyond humiliating.
"…Don't worry about that," Jinichi said coldly.
"Naoya! Is that how you speak to your elders?! Get out and kneel with your hands raised!" barked Naobito, hoping to cut the situation short before it escalated.
Naoya looked at his father in disbelief. What did I even do—Then realization dawned."Oh…" he sighed. Knowing his father, this was a light punishment. He stood up obediently.
"Sorry for the earlier comment," he said politely before walking out of the hall. The servant guided him to the koi pond and instructed him to kneel.
Naoya sighed deeply as he looked at his reflection in the water."It's seriously not cool to punish such a pitiful child," he muttered under his breath.
Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of a man standing nearby, looking in his direction. Their eyes met, and the stranger's lips twitched in amusement.
After a few seconds, Naoya frowned. "Umm… who are you?"
The man's brows lifted slightly, surprised, before he started walking toward him.
"Interesting…" he muttered, crouching down beside Naoya and dipping his feet into the koi pond.
"Name's Toji," said the man with a faint smirk.