Mahoraga in My Left Hand, Fine Wine in My Right

Question: What is more terrifying than death?

Answer: Watching something happen right before your eyes and being unable to stop it.

Eiji's fist could have struck Naoya Zenin's handsome face half a second earlier.

But Eiji deliberately slowed down, letting Naoya Zenin widen his eyes and watch Eiji's fist inch closer and closer.

Bang.

The instant the freeze was lifted, Eiji's fist landed on Naoya Zenin's face.

Hit by the blow, Naoya Zenin was slammed into the ground like a basketball before bouncing viciously back up.

Blood streamed from his nose and mouth.

"Cough, cough. How is this possible? How could you possibly keep up with my speed?"

Naoya Zenin clutched his bleeding nose and stared at Eiji in utter disbelief.

"What's impossible about it? Your speed is nowhere near Toji Fushiguro's."

Eiji's face was full of mockery.

In truth, while Toji Fushiguro's speed allowed him to effectively deal with Projection Sorcery, he could not surpass it.

But that did not matter. Saying it would deal a devastating blow to Naoya Zenin's mentality.

Sure enough, when "he can keep up with my speed" and "why does it have to be that man" surfaced in Naoya Zenin's mind at the same time—

Naoya Zenin recalled the terror of being dominated by Toji Fushiguro.

Instinctively, he placed Eiji in the same category of people he feared.

"Young Master Naoya, let us handle this."

Ranta Zenin, blood flowing from his eye sockets, and the badly injured Futo Zenin stepped in front of Naoya Zenin.

"Tch. As expected of the Zenin Family. They trained their dogs well."

Ranta Zenin and Futo Zenin's behavior perfectly embodied the definition of loyal dogs.

This time, all three of them attacked together.

Ignoring the agonizing pain in his eyes, Ranta Zenin activated his Technique again.

Futo Zenin also launched his attack without hesitation.

But compared to his earlier powerful assault, this one was obviously all bark and no bite.

The next instant, Futo Zenin's actions were explained.

Using Futo Zenin as cover, Naoya Zenin rushed into Eiji's inner range.

But it was pointless.

Eiji reached out, grabbed Naoya Zenin by the neck, then turned and threw him into the cage created by Ranta Zenin's Technique.

Squelch.

Divine Dog: Black emerged from Eiji's shadow.

Its claws flashed, leaving three bloody wounds across Futo Zenin's body.

"Young Master Naoya!"

Seeing his own cursed technique attack Naoya Zenin, Ranta Zenin immediately dispelled it.

Eiji punched Naoya Zenin in the face again.

Before Naoya Zenin could be sent flying by Eiji's blow—

Eiji grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back.

Bang, smack!

A right hook crashed into Naoya Zenin's face. Eiji's right hand shifted from a fist to an open palm, and another slap whipped back across it.

Bang bang, smack. Bang bang, smack.

As he kept hitting him, Eiji somehow found a rhythm.

Under Eiji's fists, Naoya Zenin's originally handsome face had turned into a pig's head.

"Hmm?"

Just as Eiji was having a blast, a nearly imperceptible trace of Cursed Energy caught his attention.

Eiji's movements slowed for an instant.

Ranta Zenin seized the chance to activate his Technique.

Eiji's movements were restrained for less than half a second, after which he forcibly shattered the cage Ranta Zenin had created with Cursed Energy.

But that half-second was enough for Naoya Zenin to escape Eiji's clutches.

"Y-Young Master Naoya, run first."

Blood flowed from Ranta Zenin's eyes, crimson veins nearly covering his entire field of vision.

Futo Zenin, his body covered in wounds, silently stepped in front of Naoya Zenin as well.

Why does this feel a little wrong?

Wasn't the script supposed to be a spoiled young master from a powerful family bringing his servants to bully me, the protagonist who used to be trash?

Shouldn't this be the moment when righteous me turns the tables on this young master and earns everyone's applause?

Why does this scene make it feel like I'm the villain instead?

Watching the two servants prepare to risk their lives to cover Naoya Zenin's escape, with the miserable-looking Naoya Zenin behind them, Eiji felt that something was increasingly off.

Futo Zenin charged forward again, attacking Eiji with the resolve to die.

Ranta Zenin's bloodshot eyes could no longer fully open.

Yet he still forced himself to charge at Eiji, intending to hold him back with his body and buy Naoya Zenin time to escape.

"Tch."

Eiji clicked his tongue in displeasure.

Back when he saw Megumi Fushiguro, Yuji, and Nobara go wild, he had thought it looked pretty damn cool.

But when it was his turn...

It did not seem too bad either.

At least, seeing Naoya Zenin—a guy who was no good now and would be no good in the future—looking so pathetic felt pretty satisfying.

Why should bad people get to throw their weight around while good people can only be bullied?

When good people went crazy, they were the most terrifying of all.

But now was not the time to think about that.

Lightning coursed over Eiji's entire body.

Strengthened by it, Eiji grabbed Ranta Zenin and Futo Zenin one in each hand and threw them out of the building.

Their dearly beloved Young Master Naoya followed right after them.

The three rolled into a heap in the snow.

Eiji appeared before them, his massive shadow completely engulfing their bodies.

Giant Elephant.

Since Round Deer had been fused into Giant Elephant's body, Giant Elephant was now the Shikigami Eiji summoned when he wanted to use the Reverse Cursed Technique.

Eiji could use it himself too, but it was less efficient and rather tiring.

Under the Reverse Cursed Technique's healing, the three men's injuries quickly recovered.

"What are you going to do?"

Naoya Zenin stared at the enormous creature before him in terror.

The four-meter-tall Giant Elephant brought immense pressure upon them.

"I'll give you a chance."

Eiji Zenin wore a gentle smile.

But to Ranta Zenin and the others, that smile looked like a demon's grin.

"I'll give you a chance to defeat Mahoraga."

"What did you say?"

Naoya Zenin looked utterly incredulous.

Mahoraga.

It was a legend that had only appeared in historical records.

Eiji clenched both fists before his chest.

"Furube, Yura Yura..."

"Stop! Do you want to die?!"

Naoya Zenin cried out in horror.

Throughout the Zenin Family's history, every wielder of the Ten Shadows Technique had summoned Mahoraga for only one reason.

To perish together with their enemy.

At that moment, Naoya Zenin's heart was filled with terror.

Rather than believe that Eiji had already tamed Mahoraga, Naoya Zenin would rather believe that Eiji intended to self-destruct alongside him, the Zenin Family's young heir.

It was the last shred of his pride.

However, Murphy's Law told them that the more one feared something, the more likely it was to happen.

"Yatsuka Sword, Otherworldly Divine General, Mahoraga."

As Eiji's voice fell, a terrifying figure appeared behind him.

Mahoraga.

It was the Shikigami revered as a legend by the Zenin Family for having fought the Gojo Family's Six Eyes to the death, and it was the faith in the hearts of every Zenin Family member.

They believed that as long as Mahoraga existed, the Zenin Family would remain at the pinnacle of the Jujutsu World.

But at this moment, the being they worshipped bared its blade at them.

"Just don't kill them."

After saying that to Mahoraga, Eiji turned and left the scene.

Mahoraga's lips curled upward into a chilling smile.

Eiji paid no further attention to Mahoraga's actions. After walking several hundred meters, he looked toward an inconspicuous corner.

"Are you still not coming out?"

"Hahaha, as expected of a genius capable of taming Mahoraga."

An Old Man wearing a Yukata beneath a Haori emerged from the corner.

The current head of the Zenin Family, Naobito Zenin.

Perhaps because he was worried about his son, Naobito Zenin had accidentally revealed his presence while Eiji had been enjoying himself beating Naoya Zenin earlier.

Though it had been faint and fleeting, Eiji and Mahoraga had still caught it.

"Aren't you cold?"

"This is nothing. Glug glug."

Naobito Zenin smiled, pulled out a Gourd, and took a drink.

"I know a good Izakaya. Want to sit down for a while?"

"Sounds good. Lead the way, kid."

Naobito Zenin smilingly accepted Eiji's invitation.

He already loved drinking, and being able to sit down and talk was exactly what he wanted.

Hearing Naobito Zenin's reply, Eiji smiled in satisfaction as well.

Actually, it had been an easy choice.

Mahoraga on the left, an Izakaya on the right. Old man, pick one.

Naobito Zenin had naturally not become the Zenin Family head by being a good man, and he saw this very clearly.

Eiji could have beaten Naoya Zenin and the others flat with his fists earlier, so why had he gone out of his way to summon Mahoraga?

Mahoraga had clearly been summoned for him to see.

But Naobito Zenin did not care.

Eiji had no intention of killing them. In that case, letting Naoya Zenin suffer a little was fine.

Naoya Zenin had had things go his way for too long and had never known the meaning of humility.

Besides, if Eiji was willing to talk, then he must want something.

It was not scary when someone had terms; what was scary was when they asked for nothing at all.

And so, a strange scene unfolded.

Two enemies—or at least, people who were still enemies for now—walked toward the drinks table, chatting and laughing.