Toji Fushiguro

In 2006, something major happened.

The Star Plasma Vessel Incident: Riko Amanai was killed by Toji Fushiguro, Satoru Gojo mastered Reverse Cursed Technique and killed Toji in turn, and Suguru Geto began to question his beliefs.

Naomitsu could do nothing to stop this chain of events. He was only two years old this year, and he was still weaker than Ogi Zenin.

All he could do was keep getting stronger, survive, and protect his two older sisters so they could live out their lives in happiness.

"That's the three-thousandth stalk! My control over cursed energy has gone up another level!"

Back in the bamboo grove, Naomitsu held a wooden stick wrapped in deep blue cursed energy. With this stick alone, he could kill any cursed spirit below Grade 2.

"I'm terrifyingly strong!"

With the wooden stick in hand, Naomitsu's confidence swelled without limit. He wished a cursed spirit would pop out right then so he could beat it to death.

"Boss! Boss!"

The little blond-haired Naoya Zenin swung his arms as he tottered into the bamboo grove, panting heavily, his face alight with excitement.

"What is it?"

Naomitsu narrowed his eyes at Naoya Zenin, and the wooden stick in his hand crumbled into splinters that fluttered through the air.

Naoya Zenin gave a sheepish smile. All his earlier excitement vanished, and even his voice became a stammer.

"Um..."

"Spit it out! What are you stammering for?"

A glare from Naomitsu made Naoya Zenin break out in a cold sweat over his little scheme. It was as though he had only just remembered that the boy in front of him wasn't someone to mess with either.

"Hehe, boss, a bad guy barged into our clan's estate. He's chatting with my dad right now. Let's go corner him and beat him up."

Naomitsu turned to fix Naoya Zenin with a cold stare. Though Naoya stood a head taller than him, he felt incredibly small at that moment.

"Who is it?"

Naoya Zenin suddenly realized that Naomitsu didn't know the man, and his tension immediately eased.

"His name is Zen... Toji Fushiguro!"

Having nearly let the truth slip, Naoya Zenin broke out in a cold sweat. But when he saw no expression on Naomitsu's face, he started laughing to himself.

"Is he strong?"

At Naomitsu's question, the little voice inside Naoya Zenin's head laughed even more wildly.

"He's really weak. You could even call him useless. He was born without any cursed energy."

Naomitsu nodded thoughtfully. "I see! But I think he's right behind you."

"Huh?"

Naoya Zenin's pupils contracted, and his body instinctively stiffened. He slowly turned his head, terrified that he would see that nightmarish face behind him.

"He's not... he's not? Huh? He's not there!"

Naoya Zenin's terror turned to delight, then his delight turned to anger. He whipped around to confront Naomitsu, only to be greeted with a chokehold.

"You little brat! You thought you could lie to me, huh? Huh? You even tried to set me up!"

Caught in the lethal chokehold, Naoya Zenin was squeezed so hard that his tongue stuck out. He howled and apologized to Naomitsu at the same time.

"Cough, cough, cough! Boss, I was wrong! Stop choking me! I can't breathe!"

Naomitsu smacked the back of Naoya Zenin's head, then kicked him to the ground.

"You thought I didn't know? Toji Fushiguro isn't some pushover! Trying to screw over your boss? You've got a long way to go!"

Naomitsu spoke in a way that didn't suit his age, yet it sounded perfectly natural. Naoya Zenin could only stare wide-eyed, unsure where Naomitsu had learned all this.

"Come on. Let's go meet Toji together. After all, seeing him again later might be a little difficult."

Naoya Zenin didn't understand. If Naomitsu knew how terrifying Toji Fushiguro was, why would he still go over there? That man was practically a demon.

And... what was that nonsense he was saying...?

With Naomitsu dragging him along, Naoya Zenin had no choice but to go. The two arrived at Naobito Zenin's courtyard, one behind the other.

Inside, Toji Fushiguro had already finished talking with Naobito Zenin. He had sold his son, Megumi Fushiguro, to the Zenin Clan for the hefty sum of one billion yen.

When Toji walked out, Naobito Zenin made no attempt to persuade him to return. No one knew better than he did what this clan had done to Toji.

At the end of the corridor, Naomitsu and Naoya Zenin poked their little heads out. They watched Toji furtively, like a pair of curious toddlers.

Just as Toji Fushiguro passed them, Naomitsu shoved Naoya Zenin out. Naoya stumbled and fell, landing right in Toji's path.

"Hm?"

One glance from Toji was enough to make Naoya Zenin wet his pants. While he stood there at a complete loss, Toji sent him flying dozens of meters with a single kick.

Afraid of taking another beating, he simply lay on the ground and pretended to be unconscious. In his mind, he had already cursed Naomitsu a hundred times over.

With that troublesome brat Naoya Zenin out of the way, Naomitsu stepped out openly.

"Oh? Kid, I don't think I've seen you before. You've got pretty decent cursed energy, though!"

Toji Fushiguro studied the boy who had suddenly appeared with interest. The senses granted by his heavenly restriction let him see through Naomitsu's cursed energy with ease.

"Toji Fushiguro! Let's make a deal!"

Naomitsu's opening words took Toji somewhat by surprise. Hearing the surname Fushiguro only made him more interested in the boy.

"What kind of deal?"

Naomitsu spoke unhurriedly. "A deal concerning your son!"

Toji's gaze sharpened, gradually turning dangerous. Yet Naomitsu remained composed, handling the pressure surprisingly well.

If Naoya Zenin had been on the receiving end of that stare, he would probably have been wetting himself and screaming his head off.

"Don't worry. You'll definitely be satisfied with this deal," Naomitsu continued when Toji said nothing.

As Toji closed in, Naomitsu threw out his final bait. The Divine Dogs slowly materialized. Toji's son had these too, so he was quite familiar with them.

The appearance of the Divine Dogs brought Toji to a halt. For a brief moment, he weighed his options.

Two heirs to the Ten Shadows Technique-then the agreement he had just made with Naobito Zenin was a joke. It was even possible that Naobito Zenin had been lying to him all along.

Now Toji felt an urge to kill every last member of the Zenin Clan.

"No one knows I can use the Ten Shadows Technique. Not even Naobito Zenin."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Toji folded his arms across his chest.

"Because my older sister, Maki Zenin, has a heavenly restriction just like you and can't use cursed energy. I want to grow stronger so I can protect my sisters."

Naomitsu dropped his final bombshell. If even this couldn't persuade Toji, then today's negotiations were over.

"Your son Megumi Fushiguro and I both possess the Ten Shadows Technique. If he ever gets the chance to become head of the Zenin Clan, I'm willing to support him."

Toji opened his eyes. Those words worked better than everything that had come before. He had no interest in what anyone else had been through. He only cared about his own child.

"What do you want?"

If there was one thing Naomitsu wanted most, it was undoubtedly the strongest cursed tool in Toji's possession: the Inverted Spear of Heaven.

But Toji would never agree to hand it over. So Naomitsu settled for his second choice.

"Give me the cursed tool Soul Liberation Blade, and put me through three days of intensive training."