Chapter 165
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The entire training ground had fallen silent.
Only the crunch of gravel beneath Kiriya’s footsteps could be heard as he crossed the ruined field.
The Zenin clan members watched him approach, but the mockery and contempt from earlier had vanished. In their place were fear and wary respect.
That was the Zenin clan for you.
They were feudal, rotten, and arrogant to the bone, carrying the stench of an age that should have died long ago.
But they understood strength.
They had to.
The ones who failed to understand it rarely survived for long.
So when Kiriya looked around and asked, "Would any other members of the Zenin clan care for a spar?"
No one answered him.
They glanced at the training ground, which now looked as though it had endured a missile strike, then at Kiriya, who stood there as calmly as if he had merely finished a warm-up.
Not a single person stepped forward.
Wherever he walked, the crowd silently parted, creating a broad path without the slightest hesitation.
"Clan Head, I apologize for damaging your training ground."
Kiriya scratched his cheek, looking faintly embarrassed.
"Hahaha! It’s only a piece of land. Nothing worth worrying about."
Naobito finally recovered from his amazement and looked at Kiriya with open admiration.
"Being allowed to witness martial arts of such quality is an honor for the Zenin clan."
"You’re praising me too much, sir. Those were only a few minor tricks."
Kiriya responded modestly now that the old man was showing him respect.
"The Zenin clan possesses generations of history and a deep foundation. I’m the one who still has much to learn."
The two of them continued exchanging compliments until Maki felt physically uncomfortable.
Even Gojo looked as though goosebumps were crawling across his skin.
"All right, Clan Head," Gojo interrupted. "Shouldn’t we go see the curses now?"
"Oh, right."
Naobito slapped his forehead.
"Look at me, getting carried away with conversation and forgetting the real reason you came. I must be getting old."
He apologized with a chuckle, then led the group toward the underground chambers where the clan kept its cursed spirits.
Naobito deliberately walked slowly and kept Kiriya beside him the entire way.
He talked about everything from sorcerer clans to politics, history, food, and travel.
Their conversation became friendlier by the minute, and before long, they sounded only a step away from calling each other old friends.
"If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to contact me." Naobito spoke warmly.
"I can’t promise much outside the country, but within Japan, there are still quite a few problems the Zenin clan can solve."
"Hahaha! Then I may have to trouble you in the future." Kiriya answered with an equally cheerful smile.
After walking for some time, they finally arrived before an enormous reinforced door.
"This is where the Zenin clan stores its cursed spirits."
Naobito gestured toward the entrance.
"Would you like this old man to accompany you?"
"No need."
Kiriya waved his hand.
"They’re only curses. I can handle them myself."
Naobito nodded and ordered one of the clan members to open the door.
Kiriya gave the others a brief nod before walking confidently into the darkness.
The heavy door slammed shut behind him.
The instant it did, Naobito appeared beside Maki wearing a grin that immediately made her suspicious.
"So, Maki. When are you going to get it done?"
Maki stared blankly at him.
"Get what done?"
"What else? The wedding."
Naobito looked at her as though she were hopeless.
"A man that promising doesn’t come along often. You need to act before someone else takes him. Once you miss your chance, crying won’t bring it back."
"What?!"
Maki’s voice shot several octaves higher, and her face turned bright red.
"W-What are you talking about? Kiriya and I aren’t like that!"
"You aren’t?"
Naobito looked genuinely surprised.
"He came to the Zenin estate, put on this entire performance, and specifically brought you along. Wasn’t all of this meant to stand up for you?"
"You’re already an old man! Why is your head full of this nonsense?"
Maki’s face remained crimson as she argued.
"Kiriya came here for the curses. Exorcising them makes him stronger. That’s all."
Kiriya had explained his ability during the trip, so none of them were unfamiliar with it.
"Oh... is that so?"
Naobito looked deeply disappointed.
"And here I thought you were already in love. I was even wondering whether things had progressed much further."
He let out a heavy sigh, like an old drunkard who had just learned that a legendary bottle of wine had slipped through his fingers.
From his perspective, Maki being with Kiriya would solve many problems.
She would no longer have to endure the clan’s suppression and ridicule, and her future would be secure.
For all his faults, she was still his niece. He had watched her grow up and genuinely hoped she would find a good life for herself.
There were also obvious benefits for the clan.
Kiriya would become an incredibly powerful ally with nearly limitless potential.
Any children born from such a union would probably be exceptionally talented, bringing fresh blood and new possibilities into the Zenin family.
The clan would gain strength, preserve its influence for generations, and Naobito could eventually face his ancestors with his head held high.
No matter how he looked at it, everyone won.
Unfortunately, judging from Maki’s reaction, reality was nowhere near his perfect scenario.
’No. I can’t give up yet.’
Naobito’s mind shifted fully into clan-head mode as he began searching for another path.
’If Maki doesn’t work, there’s always Mai.’
’If Mai isn’t suitable, there are other girls in the family.’
A whole new world opened before him.
What powerful young man had no interest in beautiful women?
Someone as proud and talented as Kiriya surely had strong desires to match.
As long as one of the clan’s girls caught his attention and formed a genuine relationship with him, the Zenin clan would benefit enormously.
Would arranging such opportunities hurt the clan’s dignity?
Naobito almost laughed.
Compared with the survival and prosperity of the family, what value did a little dignity have?
The more he considered it, the more promising the idea seemed.
After offering Gojo a quick apology, Naobito hurried away to begin making arrangements.
Not long after his departure, Gojo left as well.
As both the head of the Gojo clan and the strongest modern sorcerer, he had plenty of responsibilities demanding his attention.
He had personally accompanied Kiriya today because he had expected the Zenin clan to create trouble and wanted to support his new student.
But the clan had already been thoroughly subdued by Kiriya’s violence, and Gojo’s endorsement removed any remaining concern.
There was no longer a reason for him to stay.
...
Once Gojo and Naobito had left, the small courtyard became quiet.
Inumaki looked up at the sky, apparently lost in thought.
Panda pulled out a handheld game console and began fighting with one of the missions on the screen.
Maki remained still, staring at the sealed door leading into the underground chamber.
"You know... I’ve always wanted to become stronger."
Her sudden words drew the others’ attention.
"Strong enough to silence everyone who ever looked down on me. Strong enough to become the head of the Zenin clan, so that when I speak, no one dares argue."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"I always imagined how satisfying their expressions would be once I reached that point."
"And if I became clan head, Mai would finally have somewhere she belonged. She wouldn’t have to keep suffering because her useless sister was born with barely any cursed energy."
Maki lowered her head, her eyes falling beneath the shadow of her hair.
"I’ve always trained hard. Harder than anyone else at Jujutsu High."
"But... I guess effort really can’t erase every difference in talent."
She gave a bitter smile.
"After seeing Naoya and Jinichi today, I finally understood how far I am from genuine Grade 1 sorcerers."
"How enormous that distance really is."
"And how impossible it feels to cross."
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