Jinichi was already prepared to raise the banner of rebellion.
But what surprised him was that Katen Kyōkotsu had no regard for friend or foe.
Under the moonlight, the sword flash from Katen Kyōkotsu's [Kageoni] caused the shadows of everyone on the ground to stir and twist as ghostly figures.
With just one swing, aside from Naobito and the other three elders of the Zenin clan, the entire zenin sorcerers had been brought down.
"Hey, Toji, are you even cutting down your own brother?"
Jinichi blocked the incoming Kageoni and leapt into the air.
He had people within the Zenin clan. If they were all taken out indiscriminately, how could he possibly raise the banner of rebellion with pride?
Unfortunately, Toji completely ignored his brother.
After using Kageoni to clear the surroundings, he turned to Satoshi. His true purpose had never been rebellion—it was to clear interference so Satoshi could sense whether the Zenin estate contained enough energy.
As for the four people still standing on the ground, Toji didn't care about them at all.
And as for his own brother?
He was just a blood relative. What Jinichi thought was his own business. It had nothing to do with him.
Unless Satoshi needed him to, Toji had no intention of taking over the Zenin clan.
…
Toji's presence made Ogi instinctively step back. A sense of dread rooted in years of trauma flared in his heart.
Though he had blocked the blow from Kageoni, he couldn't help but retreat.
He wasn't a coward, but Toji had become too powerful.
And now, under the moonlight, Ogi could clearly see the silhouettes standing on Minazuki's back.
Aside from Toji, those two identical figures were ones he would never forget.
Gojo Satoshi and Gojo Satoru. The twin prodigies of the Six Eyes.
To him, this looked like Toji had secured the Gojo clan's backing and was preparing to seize power.
…
Naobito, observing Toji's strike, realized something.
Toji's target was not the Zenin clan.
The mustache on his face twitched as his brows furrowed.
Though the attack had been clean and swift, it only incapacitated members of the Bing Organization without injuring them.
It was clear Toji had only wanted to prevent further retaliation.
But what was the meaning of this? What exactly were they doing?
He couldn't understand why Satoshi and his group had gone through all this trouble just to find a place to sleep that satisfied some unknown system condition.
...
On Minazuki's back.
When Satoshi shook his head, everyone sighed in quiet resignation. But none of them were surprised.
After all, if the Zenin clan's energy levels were similar to the Gojo's, then there was no point checking the Kamo clan.
Rather than wasting time flying to the Kamo residence, they might as well focus on alternate sites near Tokyo.
"Let's go."
Satoshi shrugged at Toji. Since this location didn't meet the system's standards, there was no need to linger.
He had no real interest in the Zenin clan anyway.
As Satoshi gave the signal, Minazuki began flapping its massive fins and turned toward the next site.
If the three great clans' estates weren't sufficient, then the next best option was Mount Fuji.
Sacred mountains and famous sites might contain the spiritual richness the system required. But even so, no one dared to get their hopes up.
...
Watching the massive shikigami drift away through the sky, the four Zenin elders exchanged stunned glances, then looked around at the collapsed Zenin clan members in silence.
What the hell just happened?
Why did Toji and Satoshi show up over the Zenin estate in the middle of the night?
Did they just come out for a late-night joyride?
From what I saw, that shikigami is carrying a Star Plasma Vessel, and the lady from the Ieiri family was there too. Satoshi even brought that special-grade cursed spirit from the Tombs of the Star, didn't he?
That kind of lineup could take down an entire clan.
Ogi had even been ready for a large-scale battle.
But everything had happened so quickly.
It started abruptly, ended abruptly, and now all that was left behind was an eerie sense of emptiness.
The Zenin compound was left in disarray, and the ones responsible simply flew off as if nothing happened…
…
Time passed slowly. The sky began to lighten.
Minazuki had flown for nearly the entire night. They had visited every major mountain and sacred site near Tokyo, but Satoshi still hadn't found a place that met the system's energy requirements.
There were now fewer than fifteen hours remaining before the system initiated forced sleep. If this continued, not only would future plans be derailed, but the repair process might end up draining Satoshi dry.
Even if he woke up eventually, he might do so as a cripple. That thought chilled him.
Seeing the frown etched on Satoshi's face, Toji, Satoru, and the others looked just as concerned.
In this situation, none of them could think of any viable alternative.
Just when the mood was reaching its lowest point, a flash of resolve passed through Yuki's eyes. She stepped closer to Satoshi.
"Satoshi, are you only considering whether the energy is sufficient? What about the safety of the location?"
Yuki asked seriously.
To be honest, she hadn't wanted to bring this up. Satoshi was far too important, and her suggestion carried certain risks.
After all, people like them had no idea what someone like her was really thinking.
Satoshi looked up at her in confusion, then nodded slightly.
At this point, he didn't have a choice. Safety had to come second. Energy was the top priority.
Since Yuki had asked that, did she have a location in mind?
Meeting his gaze, Yuki hesitated for a moment, then parted her lips and said softly,
"Satoshi, have you considered the Tombs of the Star?"
"That's where Lord Tengen resides. It's saturated with energy. And with a barrier master like her… maybe her domain could even assist you."
"If what you care most about is the energy, then I believe the Tombs of the Star may be the most suitable place for you…"
(To be continued.)
***
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