The sounds of laughter and excited chatter echoed across the Gojo estate's eastern gardens. The two young brothers, Shiori and Satoru, were still admiring the freshly planted seeds, basking in the glow of their small triumph.
However, their voices did not go unnoticed.
A few meters away, hidden behind the tall hedges and polished wooden columns of the estate, guards and maids exchanged curious glances. One particular guard narrowed his eyes, having caught a glimpse of the faint glow emanating from the garden.
"Did you see that? The soil glowed. Like... cursed energy, but different," the guard muttered.
"Where did Shiori-sama get those seeds? They weren't from any known warehouse. I haven't seen any records of special deliveries to the estate."
With a swift nod, the guard slipped away, headed toward the main hall.
Inside the grand chamber, the clan head sat in deep contemplation, his fingers gently tracing the rim of a porcelain teacup. When the guard arrived and bowed low, his gaze immediately sharpened.
"Speak."
"My Lord, I bring a report regarding young Shiori-sama. Earlier today, he was seen planting glowing seeds in the private garden he requested a year ago. The nature of these seeds is unknown."
The clan head raised an eyebrow.
"Where did he get them?"
"Unknown, My Lord. I request permission to discreetly investigate his whereabouts and interactions over the past few days."
The clan head frowned, swirling the tea once before nodding. "Do so. Quietly. No one disturbs my grandson. But I must know."
Back at the garden, Shiori felt it.
A shift in the air. A sharpness.
Eyes.
Someone was watching him. More than one.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw a pair of maids pretending to sweep nearby, eyes flicking toward him every few seconds. Another figure stood by the gate, their gaze fixed like a hawk.
Shiori clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. Those Marites just can't mind their own business."
He turned back to the soil, brushing some dirt off his hands.
"System," he whispered in his mind. "Do you have a defensive function to protect this garden from outsiders? Something that can repel intruders or hide the garden from spying eyes?"
[Affirmative. The Host may now access: Garden Guardian Barrier. This technique erects a protective ward infused with Host's spiritual energy, repelling malicious intent and obscuring visibility to all except those permitted.]
[To activate, the Host must chant the invocation aloud. Would you like to proceed?]
Shiori nodded mentally. "Display the chant."
The system projected an ethereal, glowing text before his eyes. Only he could see it, shimmering like sunlight on water.
He took a deep breath, voice clear and calm despite the power gathering in his small form.
"From sacred soil and guiding light, Born of will, untouched by blight, Shield this place from cruel eyes, Let peace bloom beneath these skies."
As he spoke, the sunlight intensified, beams converging at the garden's heart. A dome-like shimmer rose from the soil, unfurling slowly like the petals of a lotus. It expanded outward, encasing the entire garden and the small forge beside it.
The translucent shield pulsed with soft, golden light—a visible barrier resembling those used by high-grade barrier sorcerers, yet laced with nature's serenity. It hummed with life and layered enchantments, crafted directly from the synergy of his system and innate cursed energy.
From outside the garden, the air distorted. To an onlooker, the garden now appeared ordinary, overgrown, and unkempt—a clever illusion to mask the truth.
The lingering eyes blinked in confusion, some scratching their heads.
"Huh... wasn't the kid just here? Where did the forge go?"
"I must be seeing things..."
Shiori smirked, brushing his hands off. "That should buy me some privacy."
—
Elsewhere, far beyond the Gojo estate, whispers began to stir.
In the heart of the Zenin compound, a meeting of clan heads and inner circle members was taking place.
"Any news from the Gojo Clan?" a silver-haired elder asked, voice laced with suspicion.
"Our spies reported unusual activity," another answered. "A private garden was constructed for the younger Gojo child. Forbidden access. Magical properties, perhaps."
"That brat again," someone spat. "Satoru's enough trouble, and now they have another one."
Another voice chimed in, old and bitter. "There are rumors... that he might possess a variant of the Six Eyes."
The room fell into a tense silence.
"Two Six Eyes in a single generation? Impossible."
"Unconfirmed. But even a variant is a problem."
—
At the Kamo estate, the mood was no better.
"How unfortunate," the clan head murmured, his tone dripping with false calm. "The Gojo family continues to rise while our own bloodlines grow thin. Our techniques no longer manifest in the youth."
A younger Kamo slammed his fist on the table.
"We must act. We cannot allow them to monopolize the balance of power."
The clan head looked toward the distant sky, a flicker of envy hidden behind placid eyes.
"Let them bask in their blessings," he whispered. "For even the brightest flowers may burn under the wrong sun."
But deep down, he knew.