This was the second time he had landed a Black Flash, and this time, Naomitsu successfully entered the "no self state." His control over cursed energy became crystal clear in his mind.
It felt like waking up groggy and plunging into a pool of ice water, forcibly jolting his brain awake in an instant.
"Speed! Attacks! Cursed energy! All three improved across the board!"
Naomitsu's only regret was that he had no enemy to face, so he soon slipped out of the state without a chance to test how much stronger he had become in it.
Looks like I'll have to land another Black Flash during my special training with Toji Fushiguro, then really explore the mysteries of slashing attacks.
Putting away the Soul Liberation Blade, Naomitsu rose and returned to the courtyard. Next, he still had to face questioning from Ogi Zenin and his mother.
Ogi Zenin sat motionless on the tatami with his eyes closed. Behind him, Naomitsu's mother stood with her hands at her sides like a servant.
On either side, Maki and Mai huddled like a pair of little quails. They kept glancing outside, worried that Naomitsu would be punished when he returned.
Had they known this would happen, they probably never would have told their mother. They would have been better off keeping it secret and taking the punishment themselves after Naomitsu returned.
A few minutes later, Naomitsu entered the room with the Soul Liberation Blade, taller than he was, resting on his shoulder. Facing the interrogation awaiting him, he raised his head and met their eyes without a trace of fear.
"Hahaha! That's my son! Not only are you powerful at such a young age, but your courage is extraordinary too!"
Naomitsu watched him coldly. Although Ogi Zenin had tens of thousands more units of cursed energy than he did, a fight was not out of the question.
Ever since his birth, Naomitsu had felt nothing but hostility and wariness toward this old bastard, without the slightest familial affection.
So even if they came to blows right now, he would swing his blade down without hesitation. After all, every effort he had made so far had been for the sake of survival.
"I'm leaving tomorrow, and no one can stop me." Naomitsu's voice was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Mitsu-chan!"
Naomitsu's mother tried to dissuade him, afraid Ogi Zenin would punish him. Naomitsu was her precious darling, and she normally pampered him with every kind of delicious food and drink.
"..."
Ogi Zenin said nothing, silently studying Naomitsu. He saw not the slightest willingness to back down in his eyes.
"Fine! I agree!"
Ogi Zenin's answer completely surprised the sisters and their mother. Naomitsu merely nodded before turning to leave.
He had only come to inform him, not to ask permission. Whether Ogi Zenin agreed or not, he would go see Toji Fushiguro tomorrow.
After Naomitsu left, Ogi Zenin departed as well. Maki and Mai exchanged a glance, then hurried toward Naomitsu's room.
"Mitsu-chan!"
"Mitsu-chan!"
Naomitsu had just reached the door to his room when he stopped. As he turned around, both sisters threw themselves into his arms.
"Mitsu-chan! You were so cool back there! Your big sister loves you to bits!"
"Stupid Maki! Don't steal my Mitsu-chan!"
Trapped between them, Naomitsu gave each of his sisters a bite. He had come dangerously close to being smothered by them.
"Ouch! Why are you biting me like a little puppy, Mitsu-chan?"
"Hmph! I'm going to bite you too."
Seeing that the two girls still wanted to play, Naomitsu dropped his smile and grew serious.
"All right, Maki, Mai, stop messing around. I have something important to do tomorrow. Get to bed early tonight, and don't disturb my sleep."
Both sisters doted on Naomitsu, so at his words, they immediately let go of him, however reluctantly, and said their brief goodbyes.
After a dreamless night, Naomitsu set out with the Soul Liberation Blade at first light.
He followed a bluestone path through the woods, passed through the geisha temple, and arrived at the Shinkansen boarding area.
The Tokaido Shinkansen ran directly to Tokyo. Toji Fushiguro was waiting for him there.
Along the way, Naomitsu hid the blade under black cloth to avoid drawing attention. Even so, his appearance as a two-year-old child still made him the center of attention.
"Hey, little one! Did you get separated from your family? Want me to help you find your mommy?"
A high school girl in a school uniform approached Naomitsu. Several of her classmates gathered around him too, chatting among themselves.
"So cute!"
"His clothes are adorable too! Is this cosplay from some anime?"
"Come sit on my lap!"
Throughout the journey, Naomitsu felt like a monkey in a zoo. His adorable looks made him irresistible to the girls, leaving him without a moment's peace.
That continued until he reached Tokyo Station.
The sky darkened, and through the flickering steel high-rises, Naomitsu caught sight of Toji Fushiguro outside the train.
In a flash, he vanished again.
Naomitsu knew it was no illusion. Toji Fushiguro had arrived. Perhaps his special training had already begun without him realizing it.
"I hope it isn't anything ridiculous..."
Scratching his head, Naomitsu arrived at Tokyo Station. He stepped off the train, his tiny body disappearing into the crowd.
Walking through the station, Naomitsu sensed an unseen pair of eyes watching him. There was no need to guess-it had to be Toji Fushiguro, who had arrived ahead of him.
"What a headache. I didn't come here to play hide-and-seek."
Naomitsu stopped and stuck both hands in his pockets. Toji Fushiguro had no cursed energy, leaving Naomitsu with no way to track him down.
"Hey, brat!"
Behind him. Toji Fushiguro had actually been behind him all along. Without turning around, Naomitsu answered calmly.
"Lead the way!"
They left Tokyo Station and headed straight onward. Toji Fushiguro's first welcoming gift for Naomitsu was a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit.
At a dilapidated, abandoned house, Toji Fushiguro reclined outside in the courtyard. Inside, Naomitsu focused intently on evading each of the cursed spirit's attacks.
It was a mantis-like cursed spirit, every bit as large as an adult Asian elephant.
Its two mantis arms could slice a car apart with ease. Faced with its attacks, Naomitsu could only keep fleeing.
"Damn you, Toji Fushiguro! You won't even let me use the Soul Liberation Blade! With it, I could finish a cursed spirit of this level in one slash!"
Naomitsu dodged while complaining and cursing Toji. Toji simply watched, ostensibly helping Naomitsu gain experience in hand-to-hand combat.
"Behind you!"
Having narrowly dodged an attack, Naomitsu looked up and found that the cursed spirit had vanished. At Toji's warning, he flipped several times in succession to evade its attack.
With nothing but hand-to-hand combat and cursed energy... how could I possibly... no! There's a chance!
In the midst of battle, inspiration struck Naomitsu, and the moment when he had landed Black Flash flashed through his mind.
As long as he kept fighting with Black Flash, defeating this Grade 1 Cursed Spirit would be no problem.
"Oh? Not bad instincts for combat!"
Seeing Naomitsu coat his fists in cursed energy and begin fighting back, Toji Fushiguro was slightly surprised. He had not expected Naomitsu to catch on so quickly.
"Looks like I can arrange the next fight!"
Toji Fushiguro stopped watching and turned to leave. Behind him, Naomitsu hammered the cursed spirit again and again with his cursed-energy-coated fists.
Before you continue