As the Family Head

"Although the situation is basically confirmed, to prevent any aftereffects, I'll prescribe some medicine for you to keep on hand, all right?"

Kamo Noritoshi nodded slightly, the faint smile on his face unchanged.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

After the examination ended, he tidied up briefly and prepared to leave the consultation room to collect his medicine.

Before he turned the corner, hushed whispers from not far away drifted silently into his ears.

"Did he get thrombosis at such a young age?"

"Yeah... He clearly looks perfectly healthy. This kind of thing could very well be hereditary!"

Kamo Noritoshi heard those voices, but he made no move or other response.

He merely clenched his right hand in silence and slipped it into his pocket...

All kinds of blood-related illnesses.

This was, in fact, an unavoidable and fatal issue within the Kamo Lineage.

Because the prerequisite for using Crimson Blood Manipulation was blood itself. Without a special constitution, and without mastering the Reverse Cursed Technique to restore one's body...

Blood became a literally "single-use" tool.

Whether it was Piercing Blood or any other technique, once blood had been used as an attack, there was basically no way to retrieve it.

That was why Kamo Noritoshi not only tried carrying blood bags with him in the original work, but later even developed a technique to recycle his blood...

In a sense, this was also an ordinary person's desperate means of staking his life.

After all, the Reverse Cursed Technique was hardly something everyone had.

As for thrombosis.

"..."

Kamo Noritoshi looked toward his chest.

The Kamo Lineage's secret art, Flowing Red Scale.

It was a technique that controlled blood, specifically adjusting body temperature, pulse, red blood cell count, and other blood components to produce an effect similar to stimulants for a short period of time.

In battle, this sudden enhancement of one's condition could absolutely be called a "decisive weapon."

Yet it did not come without a price.

The surging blood continuously circulated through his body, speeding up at times and slowing down at others.

For an ordinary body, the strain was immense in the most literal sense. After undergoing multiple physical examinations, Kamo Noritoshi knew that while he was still young, various problems would emerge if this continued.

The appearance of a pathological symptom like thrombosis likewise indicated just how serious the problem was.

At its core, this issue was also a consequence of his insufficient mastery over Crimson Blood Manipulation... If he could control his blood perfectly, such a situation should have been resolved before it ever formed.

In truth, such predicaments born of inadequate talent were everywhere.

The Jujutsu World's disdain for mediocrity was plain to see. Those without enough talent, unable to lose themselves in madness, incapable even of obsession... in a sense, truly could not step onto this frenzied stage.

Kamo Noritoshi stood at the stairwell corner, parting his lips to let out a quiet breath.

Though he felt the pressure and recognized his own "limits," in his current situation...

"I still can't stop."

He aspired to become the next head of the Kamo Clan.

What Kamo Noritoshi desired more was the recognition of others, as well as a place within the Kamo Lineage earned through his own strength.

This talent bestowed by heaven, this inherited technique.

Until he had developed it to its utmost limit, Kamo Noritoshi had no reason to stop.

"Be more careful during practice from now on. Before you finish completely, remember to use cursed energy to gradually slow your blood flow... That should prevent something like this from happening again."

Of course, physical checkups were also important.

As he considered his future arrangements, the pocket of Kamo Noritoshi's trousers began to tremble slightly.

He took out his phone. Seeing the stored number and contact name, Kamo Noritoshi raised a brow and pressed the answer button.

Beep.

"Hello? Noritoshi? Are you still at the hospital? How did the examination go?"

The string of questions alone was enough to make his head ache. Kamo Noritoshi leaned against the wall, raised a hand to press against his temple, and sighed softly.

"The examination's over. It's nothing serious... Is something wrong, Zenin?"

"How distant~ We're classmates, yet you're still calling me so formally? Just call me Mai."

Mai Zenin.

A second-year student at Kyoto Jujutsu High, she was also Kamo Noritoshi's junior.

As members of the Big Three Families within Jujutsu Society, from Kamo Noritoshi's perspective, building a good relationship with her should have been a necessary step.

Yet for some reason, Mai Zenin seemed to greatly dislike bringing up matters of status...

Although they had known each other for roughly two years, they had never had the chance for any deeper interaction, so Kamo Noritoshi's impression of her remained rather vague.

He only knew that she was a woman skilled at making use of her own strengths.

Being eloquent was a skill in itself, but her lack of talent as a jujutsu sorcerer meant Kamo Noritoshi had little interest in her at heart.

They were destined to belong to two different worlds.

"All right... Mai, what is it?"

"Nothing much. Todo and I happened to go out, and his idol meet-and-greet just ended. When we were heading back, we realized we're pretty close to your place."

So?

"Young master of the Kamo Clan, give us a ride?"

"...That guy Todo needs a ride too?"

"You can't expect him to run all the way back, can you? Apparently, he bought 150 CDs for this meet-and-greet and spent all the money he earned."

"Can't you pay for a taxi?"

"Oh, how awful! A lady doesn't voluntarily spend money when she goes out. It would be terribly tasteless. Young master Kamo, pretty please~"

As the Kamo Clan's designated next family head, he did possess certain privileges in this regard.

Kamo Noritoshi pursed his lips and sighed helplessly. Though they were theoretically classmates at Jujutsu High, honestly...

His impression of Aoi Todo was truly not very good.

However...

As a family head, it was necessary not to reveal one's emotions and to take the initiative in befriending other jujutsu sorcerers.

He needed to discard certain unnecessary personal feelings and think from the calmest, most purely practical perspective.

Aoi Todo was the disciple of Special Grade Sorcerer Yuki Tsukumo, and was also a Grade 1 Sorcerer himself. Befriending someone like him... would bring nothing but benefits to the Kamo Lineage.

With that thought, Kamo Noritoshi immediately agreed.

"No problem. Come to the hospital. Once you arrive, we'll take a car back together."

He walked down the stairs and passed through the revolving doors.

Basking in the sunlight, Kamo Noritoshi said one last thing.

"Make it quick. I want to get back to Jujutsu High early."

At his side, Kana Shizumi passed by with a stiff expression...