Chapter 166
"Maki..."
Panda placed one large, furry paw on her head and gave it a gentle pat.
"You’re already amazing. You’re better than most of the students at Jujutsu High."
"Salmon."
Inumaki nodded firmly.
"I know."
Maki did not deny it.
"But I’m still nowhere near my real goal."
"So you want Kiriya to teach you his.... taijutsu?" Panda asked.
"Yes."
Maki nodded.
"You both saw what that technique can do. If I could master it, I’d finally have a real chance of achieving everything I want."
Her expression tightened.
"The problem is figuring out what I could possibly offer him in return."
That was what bothered her most.
Offering too little would feel insulting. But if the price was too high, she had nothing valuable enough to pay it.
"Then you need to ask yourself what matters most," Panda said solemnly. "What’s the one thing you would never sacrifice, no matter what?"
"Mai." Maki answered without hesitation. "I want to protect her and give her a real home."
"In that case... I have an excellent idea."
Panda’s serious expression suddenly transformed into a sly grin.
"Give him a present."
"What?"
Maki stared at him.
"Are you joking? If it were that simple, I wouldn’t be worrying about it."
"I’m completely serious. It just needs the right presentation."
Panda dashed away.
When he returned, he was carrying a length of red ribbon, a notebook, and a pen.
"I’m about to explain the concept and presentation of your gift. I need you to cooperate, Maki."
His expression was so professional that Maki found herself sitting straighter.
"Fine."
Panda wrapped the red ribbon around her several times before tying an enormous bow over her chest.
Then he opened the notebook and began writing.
Inumaki watched with a growing sense of dread.
He suspected something terrible was about to happen, but he was not entirely certain, so he decided to remain silent for now.
"What exactly are you doing?"
Maki tugged at the bow in confusion.
"Be patient. You’ll understand soon."
Panda held up the notebook.
"Now put your hand on the bow and read this."
"This is getting weird."
Despite her complaints, Maki did as instructed and began reading the words from the page.
"Your present is..."
Panda flipped to the next page.
"...me."
Because the sentence had been split between two pages, Maki did not realize what she was saying until the words had already left her mouth.
Her face erupted in red.
The ribbon snapped beneath the sudden tension in her arms.
Then she grabbed her spear and swung it straight at Panda’s head.
"You bastard! You tricked me!"
Maki chased him across the courtyard.
"I’m tearing you into pieces today!"
Metallic crashes rang through the estate as the two created their own little disaster.
...
The moment Kiriya entered the underground chamber, the imprisoned curses gave him an enthusiastic welcome.
Cursed spirits were creatures born from accumulated negativity.
After years of being dragged out and used as training targets by the Zenin clan, most of them were overflowing with resentment.
Now an apparently defenseless human with no cursed energy had walked directly into their prison.
To them, he looked like a meal delivered to their door.
They rushed him.
A few moments later, every last one of them was dead.
Kiriya stood amid the fading remains with his sword already returned to its sheath. Pure energy flowed into his eyes, but the amount left him disappointed.
There had been nearly six hundred curses.
Yet they had not even filled one-tenth of what his Sharingan needed for its next evolution.
Most of the spirits had been weak, with only a few reaching Grade 2, but Kiriya had still expected more from such a large number.
"Looks like the Mangekyō is still a long way off."
He sighed and headed back toward the exit.
Not long afterward, the reinforced doors opened.
The first thing Kiriya saw was Maki beating Panda.
There was no technique involved.
Only emotion.
"What happened here?"
Kiriya stared at them, completely lost.
Panda noticed him and immediately brightened.
He twisted away from another swing of Maki’s spear and shouted,
"Kiriya! Over here!"
"Hm?"
Maki had been so focused on hunting Panda that she had not noticed Kiriya leaving the chamber.
The moment she heard his voice, she froze.
’Damn it. He saw me acting like this.’
She did not even realize how much his opinion had begun to matter to her.
Panda took advantage of her hesitation and sprinted toward Kiriya. He threw one arm around Kiriya’s neck and leaned closer.
"I need to ask you something extremely important. You have to answer honestly."
Kiriya rolled his eyes.
"That depends entirely on the question."
"What kind of woman do you like?"
Panda put on a deadly serious expression.
"Curvy or slender?"
He even raised his paws and made a highly unnecessary gesture in front of his chest.
Kiriya stared at him.
’You’re a panda.’
’A national treasure.’
’Could you stop making expressions like that before you ruin the entire species’ reputation?’
"What?" Panda asked. "Is the question that difficult?"
Then his eyes widened in horror, and he hurriedly covered his backside.
"Wait. Don’t tell me you prefer—"
Smack!
Kiriya moved like lightning and shoved the sheath of his sword into Panda’s mouth, stopping that dangerous sentence before it could destroy his reputation.
"I’m a simple man," Kiriya said calmly as he withdrew the sheath. "I appreciate luxury cars."
"Elegant curves, impressive headlights, and plenty of power beneath the hood."
He nodded sagely.
"A real man knows quality when he sees it."
"Hehehe..."
Panda understood immediately and gave him the knowing grin of a fellow man.
Then he turned toward Maki and formed a heart shape with his arms.
"Maki, your chances are excellent! Go for it!"
Maki’s eyebrow twitched.
"Good."
She tightened her grip on the spear.
"I’ve made my decision. Forget the Geneva Conventions. I’m going to tear you limb from limb!"
She shot toward Panda.
Panda immediately hid behind Kiriya.
"Kiriya, look at her. She’s so violent."
He even made his voice sound pitiful.
Kiriya stared at him in silence.
’That was disgustingly manipulative.’
’Keep this up and you’re going to lose every ounce of dignity associated with being a panda.’
Maki became even angrier.
She was about to attack when Kiriya raised a hand.
"Save the beating for when we’re back at school. I still need to visit the Kamo and Gojo clans."
He looked between them.
"Are you coming?"
"Salmon."
Inumaki nodded.
"Absolutely," Panda said immediately. "I’ve always wanted to see Gojo-sensei’s home."
Anywhere was fine as long as Maki could not hit him there.
Maki sighed and finally nodded as well.
The group had only just stepped through the courtyard gates when a crowd blocked their path.
"Greetings, Kiriya-sama!"
More than a dozen young women stood before them.
Every one of them was attractive in a different way.
Some wore elegant kimono and carried themselves with the gentle refinement of traditional noblewomen.
Others were dressed in sailor-style school uniforms, radiating youthful energy.
A few even wore specially tailored maid outfits and smiled with practiced sweetness.
More than a dozen pairs of eyes settled on Kiriya—some shy, some bold, and some openly flirtatious.
For a moment, he felt as though he had stepped into a warm bath. Even his bones seemed lighter.
Kiriya stared at them.
’What the hell is going on?’