Chương 10: 10.- Deal with the devil
Upon leaving the room, Maki and Mai guided Megumi through various parts of the heir complex, pointing out the rooms and naming their owners, along with a brief opinion of each, at Megumi's request.
Once the tour of the building where he was currently staying was finished, Megumi asked them to guide him to the clan's library.
"We're here, Megumi-sama. This is the clan library," Mai said, pointing to a building with a traditional Japanese structure and two floors.
"Wow, I didn't think they would have enough books to need two floors," Megumi said, genuinely surprised.
From his first impression, the people of the Zenin clan did not seem to be the most "intellectual," so he didn't expect much from their library. But standing in front of this imposing and beautiful building, Megumi's opinion of them shifted from "stupid, racist, and misogynistic" to just "racist and misogynistic."
"In general, the library has history books. The jujutsu books are on the second floor, and the ones with the most advanced techniques can only be read with the clan head's permission, so the library is mostly for show," Maki commented.
"Really? That's disappointing! Still, I want to go inside; there's something I'm interested in learning about the clan's history," Megumi said as he moved toward the large library doors. However, as he tried to enter, he was blocked by the spear of a guard who had been hidden behind one of the building's pillars.
"Who are you, kid? Identify yourself! If you don't, I can't let you in," the guard exclaimed in an intimidating voice.
Seeing the man looming before him, Megumi thought, 'White shirt, black pants, black shoes with bandages, black gloves, black face mask, shaved head… I'd bet all my money this guard is from the Kukuru Unit.'
Reaching that conclusion, Megumi quickly responded, "My name is Megumi Zenin, I am the son of Toji Zenin."
'Is—this kid the son of that monster?' the guard thought, shocked. The clan head had informed him that a boy named Megumi, with great potential, would soon arrive, and his orders were to treat him as a candidate for the clan leadership.
But what Naobito Zenin hadn't told the poor guard was that the boy was the son of the greatest disgrace to ever befall the prestigious Zenin clan. This revelation triggered some unpleasant flashbacks for the guard.
Realizing he had been lost in thought, the guard quickly stepped aside and said, "Go ahead, you may pass. But the women stay outside!"
"Huh?" Megumi's voice reflected confusion.
"Are you sure you have the authority to go against one of my wishes? Because if you happen to be wrong, you're going to have a bad time," Megumi said, pressing the guard with his cursed energy.
The look on Megumi's face and the pressure from his aura reminded the guard, once again, of Toji's imposing presence. Not wanting to get into unnecessary trouble, the guard allowed Megumi to do as he pleased. After all, technically, the boy had the authority of an heir, so letting a woman enter the library wasn't a big deal.
'I hope Naobito-sama doesn't punish me for this,' were the guard's thoughts as he watched the three children enter the library.
—[Zenin Clan Library]—
Upon entering the library, an anxious Mai grabbed Megumi's arm and spoke to him.
"You didn't have to do that for us, Megumi," Mai said in a worried tone. The young girl feared possible repercussions when Megumi wasn't around.
"Mai... I don't need to be a genius to see the problems this clan has. During our tour, I saw enough to know that things need to change, and I want to make that happen," Megumi said, reassuring her with pats on her head.
"Don't worry, Mai. If anyone tries to retaliate, I'll protect you. We'll always be together," Maki declared with determination.
"All right, all right. Enough with the long faces, go find something you like to read. I'm going to look for a book," Megumi told the girls.
That day, the library was empty, so Maki and Mai could move around freely to find a book without any trouble.
An hour passed after they all found books that interested them. The book Megumi had chosen was titled "Inherited Techniques of the Three Great Clans." It was a bit worn from use and age, but its content was still readable.
The content of the book confirmed one of Megumi's main assumptions, which was that anyone with the Ten Shadows Technique was automatically designated as the head of the Zenin clan.
The book stated that the Gojo clan, the Kamo clan, and the Zenin clan each possessed three main inherited techniques: [Limitless], [Blood Manipulation], and [Ten Shadows], respectively. The book made it clear that anyone who possessed these techniques was automatically declared the future leader of their respective clan without question.
This statement in the book provided Megumi with a valuable tool. With his authority as the future leader of the clan, Megumi decided to "store" the book in his [Shadow Inventory] with the intention of using it in the future.
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Once the girls finished reading, Megumi said he wanted to leave the library, followed by Mai and Maki. Determined to learn more about other places, Megumi wandered around the Zenin clan grounds with Mai and Maki, who described the functions and purposes of the places Megumi pointed out.
At the end of the day, after a long tour of the complex, Megumi, Maki, and Mai were calmly returning to the heirs' quarters while having a friendly conversation.
However, their chat was interrupted when they saw an adult blocking the door to Megumi's room. This adult was Ougi Zenin, Maki and Mai's father, who was currently directing a piercing gaze at his two daughters.
After a few moments of eye contact, Ougi spoke first, giving his daughters a cold glare: "I heard you entered the library despite being women. What do you have to say for yourselves, you useless brats?"
The insult from their own father saddened Mai and enraged Maki, but they still didn't respond.
Seeing that neither girl was going to say anything, Megumi stepped in front of them and calmly responded to Ougi: "Excuse me, sir, but it seems your concerns are misplaced. I was the one who allowed these ladies to enter the library."
"Shut up, you brat! It's clear you don't know your place! You're just like your damn father! This is a matter between my daughters and me, so if you take one more step, I'll kill you like I should have killed that trash of a father of yours!" Ougi threatened, drawing his sword and unleashing his cursed energy.
'Interesting, so that's the famous [Falling Blossom Emotion]. I can feel it firsthand, and it seems… simple.'
Not even a second had passed since Ougi activated his technique, and Megumi had already replicated it with far more power than the older Zenin could manage.
Surrounded by an intense aura of black and purple petals, Megumi said, "Not only do you insult me, not only do you insult your daughters, my friends, but you also insult my father's memory, and even go as far as to threaten me with death, knowing full well that by law, I will be the future leader of the clan." Megumi's aura grew stronger with each word, all of it directed at one individual: Ougi Zenin.
Falling to his knees from the pressure, Ougi was watched by an astonished Mai and Maki, who never expected Megumi to be so powerful, much less see their father in that state. Well, at least Mai didn't; Maki might have wished to hit her father a bit when she got stronger.
"Your ego and baseless hatred cloud your vision of reality and make you incapable of knowing what's best for you. The only reason I won't kill you now is because I believe that right belongs to others," Megumi said in a voice that left no room for argument.
"Though my opinion could change if you prove yourself useless," Megumi added. A tentacle extended from Megumi's shadow and opened the door handle, and another tentacle grabbed Ougi by the neck and dragged him into the room.
Changing his expression and turning to the two girls, Megumi said, "Girls, forgive me if I got a bit carried away with your father. Could you wait a second outside, please?" After finishing his sentence, Megumi entered his room and closed the door, and shortly afterward, loud, agonizing screams were heard.
—[Outside Megumi's Room]—
"M-Maki, don't you think Megumi-sama is being a bit harsh on father?" Mai said, a little disturbed by the screams coming from the room next door. While she was used to hearing cries of agony and had even screamed many times herself when beaten by her father, the intensity of her father's screams now was something she had never heard before.
On the other hand, for Maki, this day couldn't be happier, as evidenced by the huge smile on her face. Maki quickly responded to her beloved sister: "What are you talking about? That trash isn't our father and deserves everything that's happening to him."
"You're right, but I can't help feeling a bit uneasy hearing him scream like that," Mai replied.
Maki sighed and said to Mai, "Ah... Mai, one day you'll understand that this clan is rotten and if it doesn't change, it must be eradicated."
—[Inside the Room]—
Ougi Zenin could be seen with his clothes torn and bound by strong shadow-made tentacles gripping his four limbs. In front of the old man, Megumi loomed imposingly despite his short stature.
"Well, have you made your decision? Because I have all the time in the world. I can keep torturing and healing you for a very, very long time," Megumi asked.
"You won't get away with this, brat. Do you think there won't be consequences for what you're doing?" Ougi said, fury lacing every word.
"Well... that sounds like a no. Goodbye," Megumi said, as a sharp tentacle shot toward Ougi's head at high speed.
Ougi believed Megumi wouldn't kill him. He had been healing him after torturing him in every way imaginable. If his intention had been to kill him from the start, he wouldn't have wasted so much energy, right? However, as he saw his end drawing near, Ougi Zenin realized he didn't want to die, at least not in such a pathetic way, and if it meant prolonging his life, he would do anything, just like that time.
—[Flashback: The Day Toji Left the Zenin Clan]—
"Any last words, uncle?" Toji said to a defeated Ougi, the edge of the [Split Soul Katana] drawing a line of blood on his neck.
Toji had said he was done, that he would no longer stay in that cursed clan or work for them for free as he had all this time. He wouldn't work for anyone for free anymore. Naobito and Ougi refused to let him go and summoned the entire Hei unit to stop him, but they couldn't. Now, Ougi was the only one left conscious and would probably soon be dead along with everyone else around him.
"P-Please let me live. If... if you do, I'll give you the most precious treasure of the Zenin clan," Ougi stammered.
"The [Inverted Spear of Heaven]?" Toji asked incredulously.
"Y-Yes, along with the [Chain of a Thousand Miles]," Ougi felt so humiliated resorting to this, but he had no other choice. After all, he didn't want to die like that.
"Fine," Toji said, sheathing the katana. "But remember, you're only alive because of my whim," Toji made it clear to Ougi.
—[End of Flashback]—
"Fine, brat, I'll accept your deal," Ougi's voice showed resignation.
'Huh? Looks like he remembered something. For a moment, I really thought he wouldn't make the binding vow. I guess having a father who traumatized so many people comes in handy after all,' Megumi thought, a smile curving his lips.
"Okay... make the binding vow and become my slave, then," Megumi said calmly.
"A... But first, to ensure you're telling the truth, add a clause: the first time you try to attack me, you'll lose your manhood, and the second time, you'll die. After all, I need a way to verify the contract's effectiveness. Don't I?" Megumi challenged Ougi to contradict him.
"F-Fine," Ougi's face showed signs of annoyance, but he didn't protest.
The first order Megumi gave Ougi once he became his slave was to attack him. After being forced to fulfill his order due to the self-imposed vow, Ougi let out a scream more gut-wrenching than those he had released while being tortured.
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Next chapter: If you want... YOU CAN KILL THEM ALL.
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