Talking Reason

At Ze Zenin's summons, a Four-Eyed Sacred Deer appeared behind him.

"Round Deer isn't aggressive..."

Toji looked at the sacred deer before him, utterly unmoved, then drew the Soul Liberation Blade and charged straight at it.

Toji slashed Round Deer, but its wound healed in moments.

Its Reverse Cursed Technique is pretty advanced... This could be a little troublesome.

Toji took a step back, studying the huge creature as he began to formulate a plan.

"Teacher, watch this."

As he spoke, Ze Zenin formed the hand signs for all his Shikigami, summoning every one he had tamed so far. Then he formed a hand sign even Toji had never seen.

He recombined the Shikigami, just as Sukuna had summoned a Chimera Beast and Mahoraga to fight Satoru Gojo three against one during the Shinjuku Showdown...

This expanded the Cursed Technique on the foundation of the Ten Shadows Technique. Throughout history, it seemed only Sukuna had ever managed to fuse multiple Shikigami.

The process was quick, and the fusion was complete in moments.

"Chimera Beast."

The pitch-black shadows fell away.

A five-meter-tall behemoth appeared beside Ze Zenin.

It combined all the abilities of Toad, Great Serpent, the black and white Divine Dogs, Nue, Max Elephant, and Piercing Ox.

With six Shikigami fused together, its current strength might have surpassed Ze Zenin's own.

Surging cursed energy radiated from the Chimera Beast, stirring a strange excitement even in Toji.

"You can use the Ten Shadows Technique like this?!"

Toji froze, still struggling to process it.

But he finally understood the potential and talent of the boy before him.

This Chimera Beast alone had probably already reached the level of a Special Grade Sorcerer.

Looking at Ze Zenin, Toji couldn't help but chuckle. Talent really did matter sometimes.

Then he picked up the Soul Devouring Blade and charged at Round Deer.

Ze Zenin watched Toji's actions without a word. He was putting capitalist principles into practice: if he could get his teacher to work for him, why bother doing it himself?

He also intended to conceal his full strength. Until his Sasuke template reached a certain level, he would keep developing the Ten Shadows Technique.

And this would prove an enormous help to Ze Zenin in the final showdown... But that was a story for later.

Toji fought as though possessed by a god of slaughter, repeatedly hacking at Round Deer with the Soul Liberation Blade while the Chimera Beast's enormous fists hammered down on it. Soon...

Watching the battle with its foregone conclusion, Ze Zenin's lips curled upward.

"Kid!"

Toji glanced at Ze Zenin. "That's enough for today. I'm heading down the mountain."

With that, Toji stretched, then rested the Soul Liberation Blade on his shoulder and walked down the mountain.

Ze Zenin said nothing. He then summoned Round Deer and learned Reverse Cursed Technique in an instant.

"Was Toji with Ze again today?"

Ogi Zenin's gaze turned cold as he looked at his subordinate. "That bastard really doesn't know what's good for him..."

The servant immediately put on a knowing expression. "Sir, should we have him..."

"Idiot!" Ogi Zenin snapped. "That piece of trash might not have any cursed energy, but neither you nor I can beat him. All we need to do is drive him out of the Zenin Clan..."

"That will be enough!"

Ogi Zenin's eyes were ice-cold. Ze Zenin was the key to his becoming clan head!

"Yes, sir."

Ogi Zenin hurried toward the Main House, where Naobito Zenin was staying, having already devised a plan to drive Toji out...

"Ogi Zenin?"

Toji stared at the man before him with a hostile expression. "Where do you think you're going?"

Meeting Toji's eyes, Ogi Zenin hurriedly looked away in guilty panic. "Nothing... I just need to discuss something with the clan head."

"Ogi Zenin..." Toji's gaze chilled. "Don't think I haven't noticed you sending people to watch me. You'd better behave yourself, or..."

"You'd better not sleep too soundly at night."

With that, Toji tucked his hands into his kimono. He glanced at the trembling Ogi Zenin and gave a disdainful smile. "I'm strong. Stronger than you..."

"So I'm qualified to teach him. You aren't."

Then Toji left Naobito Zenin's doorway without looking back. Clearly, he had intended for Naobito to hear him too.

Naobito Zenin opened the door and looked at the trembling Ogi Zenin, exasperated by his inadequacy. "You know perfectly well that schemes and tricks won't work...

"And when all is said and done, Toji really is the strongest person in this family."

That damned piece of trash... Ogi Zenin stared hatefully in the direction Toji had left, looking like a man whose wife had been stolen.

His nails dug into his flesh. He wanted nothing more than to charge after Toji and finish him off.

"Mother."

Ze Zenin approached a woman in a kimono and looked at her with a smile playing on his lips.

"Ze, you're here..." Sawa's Mother spoke kindly, showing no sign of the woman who would target Mai and Maki in the future.

"It seems Father got told off by Toji." Ze Zenin watched his mother's face, hoping to find some trace of concern, but he saw none.

Sawa's Mother retained her gentle expression. "Did he... Perhaps he deserved it, then."

Perhaps she really is different now. Ze Zenin let down his guard. I can still change the way she thinks!

"Mother, if you had children without any cursed energy in the future, would you still treat them so well?"

Sawa's Mother couldn't help but laugh. "What are you talking about, silly child?"

"I'll always be me. What mother wouldn't love her own children?"

With a creak, the door opened.

"Ze? Why are you back so early today?" Dressed like a Japanese samurai, Ogi Zenin slowly approached with a katana at his waist.

His face was perfectly calm, as though he hadn't been the one trembling with rage at Toji just moments earlier.

"Father, I came today to talk some sense into you." Ze Zenin looked at his father and couldn't help feeling disgusted.

"Talk sense into me?" Ogi Zenin laughed. "What nonsense are you spouting? I haven't even..."

Wait... Ogi Zenin looked at Ze Zenin with an uneasy expression. "You've been watching me?"

"..." Ze Zenin said nothing, merely nodding.

"You ungrateful son!" Ogi Zenin flew into a rage and was about to raise his hand to slap Ze Zenin across the face. But then he remembered the position of clan head and settled for a cold snort.

"Father, I'm serious..." Ze Zenin wasn't angry. He simply continued staring at Ogi Zenin. "Toji has no ill intentions. He may not have any cursed energy, but that doesn't make him any less powerful. I really don't want to keep seeing you two at odds."

"Unfortunately, you can't persuade me."

Ogi Zenin spoke flatly. "That's enough of this for today, Ze!"

"I know I can't talk you out of it, but I hope you'll think carefully about what you're doing."

"What if Toji could help me tame Mahoraga and make me the first in history?" Ze Zenin suddenly asked.

"What?!" Ogi Zenin's pupils abruptly contracted. "You mean that Shikigami no one has ever tamed..."

"But it doesn't matter..." Ze Zenin's expression turned cold. The three tomoe in his eyes spun continuously as lightning crackled in his hand. "I can also talk some sense into you with the Chidori in my hand."

"Would you rather fight me, or go fight Toji?"

Seeing Ze Zenin's killing intent and the lightning-infused cursed energy radiating from his hand, Ogi Zenin felt fear rise within him. This ungrateful son's strength has already surpassed mine?!

But Ogi Zenin was still scheming inwardly. With this ungrateful son's influence in the clan and my own standing, it shouldn't be hard to gather a group of supporters...

"Let's leave it here. I don't want to be branded a patricide."

Seeing that Ogi Zenin made no move, Ze Zenin turned away disdainfully, took his worried mother's hand, and led her out of the room.

He looked back and said coldly, "Think carefully about what you're doing."

Ogi Zenin watched the two leave with a sinister gaze, his hands clenched into fists as though unwilling to accept it.

He could have risen in status through his son, yet Ogi Zenin insisted on competing with him for the position of clan head...