The Young Clan Head Was Under Enormous Pressure

Most of the day had passed, and the Martial Exhibition Before the Emperor had seen a full twenty-one matches...

After twenty-four matches, the heads of the three clans would fight to decide the final outcome, bringing this edition of the exhibition to an end.

The current head of the Zenin Clan was Zenin Kei.

He had inherited the position only recently and was just twenty-two years old.

He had awakened the clan's inherited Cursed Technique, the Ten Shadows Technique, and had already become a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer at such a young age. The clan elders therefore had high hopes for him.

This Martial Exhibition Before the Emperor should have been the perfect opportunity for this "rising star" to lead the Zenin Clan in a strong showing...

And yet...

"Damn those Gojo..."

Zenin Kei tallied the wins in his head.

In the first match between the Gojo and Zenin Clans, both sides had fielded two small-fry Jujutsu Sorcerers, and the Zenin Clan had won.

That opening victory should have been a good start.

But afterward, the Gojo Clan had brought in the Thunder God, Hajime Kashimo, and another man with an explosion Cursed Technique, and they had swept through the competition ever since!

Even Chiba Kichi, a fairly well-known Special Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer whom Kei had personally invited, had been defeated by that bomb sorcerer.

If he also counted the Zenin Clan's matches against the Kamo Clan...

Out of fourteen matches in total, the Zenin Clan had won only four!

What a disgrace...

"Damn it...!"

Zenin Kei slammed his fist against the wooden railing before him.

"Are you kidding me...? I only just became clan head. Is the first Martial Exhibition Before the Emperor under my leadership going to end in defeat?"

"Twenty-second match, Gojo versus Zenin. The Gojo Clan wins!"

Zenin Kei had already been feeling a mountain of pressure, and the referee's loud announcement only made matters worse.

His hands trembled...

Eleven matches... The Zenin Clan has already lost eleven matches!

"This can't go on!"

"Nobuyasu!"

"What are your orders, Clan Head?" Zenin Nobuyasu immediately responded.

"The twenty-fourth match, Zenin versus Kamo, is the last one the Zenin Clan has to fight."

Zenin Kei's expression was grave. "You're up. Make sure you win... The Zenin Clan can't end in defeat, at least not at the very last moment!"

"Understood."

Bloodstained all over, Hajime Kashimo looked with satisfaction at his opponent, who was down on one knee before him.

"You managed to hold out against me for nearly five minutes, and you even wounded me. Not bad!"

"Be proud. You're already very strong!"

"Lord Thunder God, you really are merciful... Cough, cough!"

The Kamo Clan sorcerer clutched the bloody hole in his chest, looking relieved. "You could have pierced my heart directly, but you deliberately avoided a vital spot."

"Are all strong people like you so merciful?"

"Well..." Hajime Kashimo rested his lightning staff on his shoulder and gave his opponent a brilliant smile.

Then he repeated almost word for word something Shiratori Gotsu had once said to him.

"I just think that a fight doesn't necessarily have to end in death to decide the winner!"

"Twenty-third match, Gojo versus Kamo. The Gojo Clan wins!"

"Whew, that felt good!"

Having once again defeated two opponents in a row, Hajime Kashimo returned to the spectator stands with his lightning staff in his arms, humming a tune.

"So, did you have your fill?"

Shiratori Gotsu elbowed Hajime Kashimo in the side.

"You bet. It's just..."

"Just what?"

"As expected, I still didn't get a chance to use my Cursed Technique, Mythical Beast Amber..."

A trace of regret welled up in Hajime Kashimo's eyes as he looked at Shiratori Gotsu.

"I can only use my Cursed Technique once in my life, but I still haven't met an opponent who could make me use it."

"That includes you, Shiratori Gotsu."

"You're a strong man I acknowledge... my friend?"

"You taught me to be more forgiving toward others. Through your own actions, you showed me that victory doesn't have to mean killing."

"Meeting you makes me feel that my life has probably been a fortunate one."

"But in the end, I can't find complete satisfaction from you."

"Perhaps only when I face the unquestionable strongest, and then find myself truly at the end of my rope, in a fight to the death..."

"Will I be able to unleash Mythical Beast Amber without regrets and burn my life away."

"Perhaps only then will I be satisfied!"

"I understand you." After hearing that long, heartfelt speech, Shiratori Gotsu put away his usual playful smile, a rare occurrence.

He wasn't merely being polite, nor was he trying to comfort him.

After all, to strong men like Hajime Kashimo, others were as fragile as dirt and stone.

That meant they endured a loneliness ordinary people could hardly understand.

In the original story, Hajime Kashimo had never experienced the interference of a transmigrator like him, and that loneliness had twisted him into an utterly single-minded fighting machine, obsessed with seeking a battle against the strongest.

"But you'll have your chance!"

Shiratori Gotsu spoke with certainty.

"Do you remember what I told Kenjaku?"

"The King of Curses from six hundred years ago, Ryomen Sukuna. Perhaps he could satisfy you."

"Don't kid me. He died ages ago, didn't he?"

Hajime Kashimo leaned over the railing.

"People can't come back to life after they die, unless a Jujutsu Sorcerer who didn't die from a curse turns into a Cursed Spirit through his own lingering resentment."

"There really aren't any truly worthwhile strong people in this era, and that includes the heads of the Three Great Families."

"Every one of them acts superior and chases fame and profit. They're all hollow shells, impure to the core!"

Shiratori Gotsu draped an arm over his shoulder.

"Don't be impatient. Just wait and see. Maybe Kenjaku will bring you a wonderful surprise you never expected~"

"Ah, I hope so!" Hajime Kashimo waved a hand casually. "Speaking of which, what are we eating tonight?"

"Yeah, what are we eating...?" Shiratori Gotsu rubbed his chin and gave the matter some serious thought.

"Twenty-fourth match, Zenin versus Kamo. The Zenin Clan wins!"

"He was pretty damn weak."

Zenin Nobuyasu casually tossed aside the head he had severed, then walked through the blood and off the stage, returning to Zenin Kei's side.

"Clan Head, I'm pleased to report I succeeded!"

"Well done, Nobuyasu..."

Zenin Kei's gaze grew deep.

The current head of the Gojo Clan was Gojo Shinichi, who was one year older than Zenin Kei.

Yet because he possessed the Six Eyes and Limitless, he was respected and sought after in today's Jujutsu Society.

Under his leadership, the Gojo Clan was also growing more prosperous by the day.

If this continued, the original balance between the Three Great Families would be forcibly transformed into one where the Gojo Clan reigned supreme and the Zenin and Kamo Clans could scarcely do anything but submit.

That had always put enormous pressure on Zenin Kei, who was also a so-called "young genius."

To be honest, he had no confidence at all that he could win the upcoming battle between the clan heads.

But if he lost, his standing within the Zenin Clan as its newly appointed head would surely suffer a severe blow...

Many people were already unhappy about his succession. If he lost the first Martial Exhibition Before the Emperor of his tenure...

"Clan Head, it's time for you to go on."

A clan elder walked up behind Zenin Kei and patted him on the shoulder. "Do well. Don't disappoint us old fellows..."

"...All right."

He clenched his sweat-soaked fists and walked toward the arena with heavy steps.

I can't lose... I absolutely can't!