Chapter 14: 14.- The Will of Discord
—[One Month Later]—
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a month had already passed.
Three weeks ago, it was announced that the leader of the Zenin clan, Naobito Zenin, had gone missing after venturing out alone to hunt cursed spirits.
This news spread throughout the jujutsu society, eventually reaching the ears of the Jujutsu Council. Initially, they considered sending Satoru Gojo to search for the clan leader, as they didn't want to jeopardize their close relationship with the Zenin clan.
However, before the Council could assign the task to Gojo, Jinichi Zenin, Ougi Zenin, and Chojuro Zenin—members of Hei, the Zenin clan's elite force—volunteered to take on the search themselves.
Three weeks after embarking on their mission, only Ougi Zenin and Jinichi Zenin returned to the Jujutsu Council, severely injured.
They reported encountering a special-grade curse during their search for Naobito. They claimed to have found Naobito's decomposed body in the cursed spirit's claimed territory.
According to their account, the curse attacked the three of them upon discovery, taking Chojuro Zenin's life during the battle. However, with great effort and at the cost of Chojuro's sacrifice, they managed to exorcise the curse.
Hearing this, the Council decided to reward the two Zenin members for exorcising a special-grade curse and officially closed the case.
This brings us to the present day.
Inside the Zenin clan estate, a small man in a suit and glasses held Naobito Zenin's will in his hands. Surrounding him were Ougi Zenin, Jinichi Zenin, and a visibly agitated Naoya Zenin, who had left the Kyoto Jujutsu School in haste upon hearing of his father's death.
"Ahem… Ahem…" Clearing his throat, the small man prepared to address the group.
"Since I have been informed of the unfortunate passing of the clan's leader, I, Furudate, the executor of the will, have summoned you three: Naoya Zenin, Jinichi Zenin, and Ougi Zenin, in accordance with the late Naobito's wishes."
"So… if none of you have any objections, I will proceed with the reading of the will." Furudate paused briefly, scanning the room to see if anyone objected. No one did.
"Very well… I shall proceed with the reading of the will," the man said.
"First of all, the 27th leader of the Zenin clan will be Naoya Zenin," declared Furudate.
Upon hearing this, a wide grin spread across Naoya's face. As was his habit, he glanced at the others to gauge their reactions, hoping to spot some sign of annoyance so he could amuse himself by provoking them further.
Unfortunately for Naoya, all he saw were blank, robotic expressions on the faces of Ougi and Jinichi. Bored, he ignored them and refocused on Furudate.
"Furthermore… all of his possessions, including the cursed tools stored within both the institute and the Zenin family warehouses, will be inherited by Naoya."
"However, Naoya may only use them with the approval of either Mr. Ougi Zenin or Mr. Jinichi Zenin."
"Tch! Fine, whatever," Naoya muttered, slightly annoyed but quickly calming down, satisfied with the fact that he would be the new head of the clan.
"However," just as everything seemed to be settled, the small man spoke, catching Naoya off guard, who already thought himself at the pinnacle of everything.
"In the event that Megumi Zenin desires it, there must be a contest between him and Naoya Zenin to determine the head of the Zenin clan. If Megumi Zenin proves himself worthy of the position by defeating Naoya Zenin in a public duel..."
"He will become the leader of the clan and inherit all its possessions without objection and... without requiring special permissions for their use." The small man had a cold expression as he finished reading the will.
"What?!" Upon hearing the last words of his father's will, Naoya's face turned red with anger, his veins visibly bulging.
It didn't take him long to calm down, however, as he was confident he would win the fight if Megumi Zenin decided to challenge him.
He had heard of him—a mere six-year-old boy who had joined the Zenin clan a little over a month ago. His father had told him that he had "purchased" the boy because of his talent and cursed technique. Naoya assumed Megumi was a future member of Hei who might prove useful someday, so he had paid him no mind and continued his studies at the Tokyo Jujutsu School.
However, it seemed his father thought differently. Apparently, the old man believed that this mere child could defeat him, Naoya Zenin. Surely, his father hadn't anticipated dying so soon. Most likely, he had expected Megumi to grow stronger and surpass him in the future. Fate truly is cruel, thought Naoya Zenin.
What Naoya didn't know was that Naobito had carefully devised this contingency to ensure the clan's leadership was determined as fairly as possible.
When Megumi Zenin arrived at the Zenin clan accompanied by Satoru Gojo, Naobito had considered the possibility that the boy might have been indoctrinated by Gojo and sent to infiltrate the Zenin clan, intending for it to eventually fall into the hands of the Gojo clan.
His suspicions seemed confirmed when, on the very first day of Megumi's arrival, Ougi Zenin's screams could be heard throughout the heirs' quarters, followed by a sudden and complete shift in Ougi's demeanor. Naobito didn't know how Megumi had accomplished this, but there were only two possibilities:
One, he was receiving support from the Gojo clan, and they had somehow forced Ougi to follow Megumi's orders.
Two, Megumi Zenin was extraordinarily strong and had managed to subdue Ougi Zenin himself, bringing him to his side.
If it was the first option, the will would act as a safeguard for Naoya, ensuring that the selection of the clan's leader was closely observed by all. With all the clans watching, Megumi would be unable to cheat or receive external help from the Gojo clan to defeat Naoya. If he attempted it, it would undoubtedly be discovered.
If it was the second option, the clause in the will would solidify Megumi's position as a worthy heir and elevate the Zenin clan's status by demonstrating its power to the other clans.
Of course, this was all in the event that Naobito died in the near future—which he did.
Naturally, Naoya was unaware of any of this. So, when he learned that Megumi wished to challenge him, he laughed mockingly and immediately accepted the challenge.
—[Five Days Later: Zenin Clan-Owned Arena]—
Five days later, in a secret property belonging to the Zenin clan, spectators from the Three Great Clans and a few members of the Jujutsu Council gathered to witness the battle that would decide the Zenin clan's future.
In the VIP box of the arena, representatives of the Three Great Clans sat in luxurious leather seats that appeared very comfortable.
Representing the Zenin clan were Jinichi Zenin and Ougi Zenin. Beside them were Ranta Zenin, a new member of Hei, and Nobuaki Zenin, head of the Kukuru Unit, serving as their bodyguards.
Representing the Kamo clan was Hiroshi Kamo, the current head of the Kamo clan, accompanied by two guards and an assistant.
And representing the Gojo clan was Satoru Gojo, the current head of the clan. Unlike the other representatives, he brought no guards and was, in fact, the only member of the Gojo clan present in the entire arena.
"Honored guests from the Zenin, Kamo, and Gojo clans," Furudate greeted the gathered audience, holding a microphone.
"Today, we are here to carry out the will of the late Zenin clan leader, Naobito Zenin. We will act as witnesses to this event to ensure that the results… cannot be questioned."
"Now… before we begin, do either of the contenders wish to say a few words?" Furudate asked.
Naoya Zenin wasted no time, snatching the microphone from Furudate's hands and starting to speak.
"I don't know what gave a brat like you the nerve to challenge me," Naoya said, staring directly into Megumi's eyes.
"And I don't even understand why this is necessary when we all already know the outcome," he added with a mocking tone.
"But if what you want is to be humiliated… I'll happily oblige and accept your challenge." His voice was dripping with confidence and arrogance.
"Prepare for the worst moment of your life, kid." Naoya threw the microphone back to Furudate after finishing.
"Well… that was very… enlightening, Mr. Naoya. Young Mr. Megumi, would you like to say a few words?" Furudate asked.
"Yes, please," Megumi said, walking slowly toward Furudate to take the microphone.
"Thank you, sir," Megumi said as he accepted the microphone.
"Actually… I would like to inform everyone present that there are valid reasons for this battle to take place," Megumi said as he reached into his [Shadow Inventory] and pulled out a slightly worn book.
"In fact… there are reasons why I should be promoted to Zenin clan leader immediately," he continued, flipping through the book to find the information he needed.
"According to this text, any member of the Zenin clan who possesses the Ten Shadows Technique is automatically placed in the position of future clan leader without debate. This rule has been upheld since the Heian era," Megumi declared, holding the book up for everyone to see before handing it to Furudate to review.
"He's correct..." Furudate's tone betrayed his surprise.
"You heard that, didn't you?" Megumi said to Naoya, who looked as though he was about to lose his composure.
"Don't get it twisted, Naoya… you're the challenger here," Megumi added with a sharp tone before handing the microphone back to Furudate.
Sensing the rising tension, Furudate quickly moved to start the fight.
"Very well… if no one has anything else to say… begin!" Furudate's loud shout signaled the start of the duel.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Sorry for the lack of activity! I've been busy for the past three days studying and dealing with some grade issues. But now I'm back, recharged, and ready for action.
A/N: If you spot an error, don't hesitate to let me know.
A/N: If you want to see 5 chapters ahead on Webnovel, you can join my P@treon.
link: p@treon.com/Wade69
Next chapter: MASSACRE
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone