Chapter 2. Ten Shadow Technique, Double Shikigami

What a touching scene of father and son, filled with filial piety.

Yet, neither of the two involved seemed surprised by the other's attitude.

Zen'in Fan wasn't angered by his son's sarcasm, nor did he care about the killing intent the boy made no effort to hide.

With a cold gaze, Zen'in Fan drew his sword, his eyes fixed on the boy before him.

"Do you know why the previous head of the family chose Naobito over me as his successor?"

"Because you're a beast, not a man?"

Zen'in Mirai's tone was scornful as he replied without hesitation.

Hearing this, a flash of murderous intent appeared in Zen'in Fan's eyes. Without a word, he concentrated his cursed energy into his Iai slash.

"Secret Technique: Falling Flowers."

In the narrow, dark room, a brilliant flash of light burst forth, disappearing in an instant!

Even against his own flesh and blood, Zen'in Fan didn't hold back in the slightest!

Appearing behind Mirai, Zen'in Fan sheathed his sword and spoke as if concluding, "The reason I never became the head of the family is because of you, and those worthless twin sisters."

"As a sorcerer, the only thing I lacked compared to Naobito... was the ability to produce capable offspring."

"You don't deserve to drag me down like this."

Certain that his slash had been enough to end the boy's life, Zen'in Fan sighed after finally voicing his long-held frustrations and began to turn away.

However, as his glance left the lifeless body he couldn't help but see Mirai standing there, unscathed.

Seeing Mirai's body unscathed, Zen'in Fan's expression shifted to one of shock.

Even in the dim light, Zen'in Fan had clearly seen his sword slice through the boy's abdomen.

"Hm?"

He frowned, noticing his son's eyes for the first time—red, with intricate patterns swirling in their depths, resembling the edge of a blade.

If not for his habit of frequently training his body with the Kukuruyu unit, where he often crossed paths with his rebellious son, Zen'in Fan might have thought the boy standing before him was a curse spirit wearing human skin.

Clang!

Zen'in Fan unsheathed his sword once more, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

"It seems you've awakened some unknown technique, and now your courage has swelled, hasn't it?"

Mirai's grin widened as he slowly formed hand signs.

"Don't be in such a rush, Father. I've got another surprise for you."

Staring into the boy's scarlet eyes, Zen'in Fan coldly replied, "Arrogant fool. How laughable."

"Serpent."

Boom!

A massive serpent emerged from the shadows, crashing through the narrow room, smashing everything to pieces!

Caught off guard, Zen'in Fan could only watch in shock as the serpent's enormous jaws snapped toward him!

Unable to dodge in time, Zen'in Fan instinctively braced his legs, reinforcing them with cursed energy, pressing them against the inside of the serpent's mouth just as it was about to close!

"White Dog, Totality."

Mirai called out once more, and this time the shikigami that shot out from the shadows did not hide its presence.

—Awooo!

A thunderous howl pierced the night, reverberating beneath the moonlit sky!

Standing nearly five meters tall, the White Dog's black fur gleamed under the moonlight, and the unique markings of the Ten Shadows Technique were carved into its forehead. Its razor-sharp claws reflected the pale light like cold steel.

The White Dog's crimson eyes mirrored those of Mirai.

Not only the White Dog— even the serpent clamping down on Zen'in Fan had the same blood-red eyes!

After making its presence known, the White Dog gracefully leapt onto the roof, swiftly closing in on Zen'in Fan, who was still locked in the serpent's jaws.

"Ten Shadows Technique?"

"Two shikigami?"

Zen'in Fan's pupils shook violently as he stared at the razor-sharp claws descending toward him.

'How could this be?'

'How did this disgrace suddenly awaken the Ten Shadows Technique?'

'And how is it possible to summon two shikigami at once?'

The sheer size of the shikigami far exceeded what was normal for the Ten Shadows Technique, silently confirming the immense amount of cursed energy their master was able to control!

Zen'in Fan, whose mind had nearly gone blank, barely managed to twist his body, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike from the White Dog's claws!

But the sharp pain that shot through his shoulder, and the spray of blood that followed, brought Zen'in Fan back to his senses.

With his legs still trapped inside the serpent's mouth, Zen'in Fan quickly gripped his katana, infusing it with cursed energy.

Something clicked in his mind, and he quickly flipped his blade, choosing to strike the White Dog with the back of his sword!

Though his relationship with his son was strained, and their emotions nearly non-existent, Zen'in Fan couldn't deny one fact—the boy, Zen'in Mirai, who now controlled the Ten Shadows Technique, was still his flesh and blood and his key to becoming family head.

With that in mind, even while on the brink of danger, Zen'in Fan suddenly switched tactics, displaying the famous face-changing act from the traditional Sichuan opera.

"Mirai, my son! My dear son, stop this madness at once!"

"If I accidentally kill your shikigami, that would be a terrible loss. Stop, my son!"

This was the real reason Zen'in Fan had turned his blade.

If a shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique dies, it is permanently erased for the sorcerer who summoned it.

But this death is only permanent for the current user. Should another Ten Shadows sorcerer awaken, or a new one appear in the future, their shikigami would be an entirely different set—there's no shared link.

Zen'in Fan's eager pleas echoed through the night. Hearing them, Mirai's smile froze, and his expression twisted in disgust.

It was unbearable—disgusting.

Not only the overly affectionate words but also the revolting way he called him "son."

Mirai could still vaguely remember hearing this same word—"son"—uttered by Zen'in Fan while he was still in his mother's womb.

But when he was born...

"Worthless," "disgrace," "rebellious son"—these became Zen'in Fan's common descriptions of him.

Sensing his master's revulsion, the serpent's jaws clamped down even harder, and the White Dog's attacks became even fiercer!

Zen'in Fan, who continued to fight back with the flat of his blade, felt the pressure mounting. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to deal a fatal blow to his son's shikigami!

After all, these shikigami were crucial to his plan to seize the position of family head!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The massive serpent, with every thrash of its colossal body and every swing of its head, reduced another building to rubble.

And as the White Dog leaped across the rooftops, a cloud of dust rose into the moonlit sky with every bound!

The growing commotion finally broke the deadlock Zen'in Fan had been caught in.

Bang!

A sudden, immense force struck the serpent's lower jaw, sending its body crashing to the side, its mouth forced open for a brief moment.

Zen'in Naobito, the current head of the Zen'in family.

Emerging from the swirling dust and debris, the old man's appearance was unmistakable to Mirai.

His white hair was slicked back over his shoulders, his long, thin eyebrows and neatly combed white beard adding to his imposing presence.

Dressed simply in a dark robe and wooden geta, a wine gourd hung at his waist.

Known as the strongest of the Grade 1 sorcerers, with speed second only to Gojo Satoru, Naobito was a formidable figure.

As Mirai took in the sight of the old man, Naobito's gaze swept over the massive serpent, the White Dog, and then moved to Zen'in Fan and Mirai. His expression grew increasingly complex.

No explanation was needed. As the head of the Zen'in family, Naobito had already pieced together the situation.

The blood seeping from the collapsed buildings, and the thick scent of iron that filled the air, were no longer of any importance to Naobito.

The fact that Zen'in Mirai had awakened the Ten Shadows Technique was undeniable and could not be changed.

Now, the urgent task was figuring out how to calm Mirai's fury and ensure his loyalty to the Zen'in family while also sparing Zen'in Fan's life.

Though it would not be easy...

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