At 10 p.m., in a high-end restaurant in Hachiman City, Eichi and Gojo Satoru were devouring food as if competing.
"Are you reincarnated as a hungry ghost or something?"
After finishing the last plate of dessert, Satoru picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth.
Eichi, sitting across from him, was less particular. He casually wiped his mouth, then ordered two more plates of steak.
There was no other way. The portions were small, especially in a high-end restaurant like this. Even as a child, he could eat many plates.
"Why don't you try going hungry for a whole day, then fight with everything you have?"
Rolling his eyes at Satoru, Eichi took a couple of sips of freshly squeezed juice.
"Are you from the Zen'in Family? How come I've never heard of you?"
"Not from the Zen'in Family, and I won't have any connection with them in the future."
"Oh? With the Ten Shadows Technique, you should be very important to them. Will those old geezers let you leave?"
Calling the higher-ups old geezers so early?
"Heh, don't worry. In their records, I am just a servant whose parents died and who has no Technique. That bastard who used the Family's help to reach Grade 2 is dead, so it is impossible for me to still be alive."
Did he awaken the Ten Shadows Technique on the brink of death?
Satoru understood.
"Interesting."
A flicker of excitement passed through his eyes. As part of the Big Three Families, he knew some things about the Zen'in Family and had guessed some of Eichi's circumstances.
"But now that you've awakened the Ten Shadows Technique, if you go back, you will be a treasure in those old geezers' eyes."
He specifically emphasized treasure, then looked at Eichi with a smile, anticipating his answer.
"And then?"
"Huh?"
Eichi's sudden question interrupted his thoughts.
"Go back to the Zen'in Family, use the Ten Shadows Technique, and then what?"
"Then those old geezers will rally around you to become the successor to the Family head. You can get anything you want, and you can deal with those who bullied you however you please."
Satoru took a sip of juice, diluting the intensely sweet taste that ordinary people would find unbearable.
Due to the burden the Six Eyes placed on his brain, he had an extreme sweet tooth. Flavors that ordinary people would find hard to swallow were commonplace for him.
"Does that make me any different from them?"
Eichi spread his hands.
"At that point, you would be the Zen'in family's main heir, though still not as good as me."
"Forget it. I am afraid I will lose control one day and kill all those bastards."
"You really do have that power."
Ancient texts in the Gojo Family contained records of Mahoraga. The Gojo Family head of that generation had Six Eyes as well. Although weaker than Satoru, he was still a top-tier powerhouse.
Therefore, the Gojo Family was one of the few that knew about Mahoraga's abilities.
Out of curiosity, Satoru had once asked the current Family head if he could defeat Mahoraga.
The Family head had been evasive, but the implication was clear. Even if the Gojo Family attacked together, they might not win.
The Zen'in Family's strength was similar to the Gojo Family's, which meant the current Eichi indeed had the power to wipe them out.
If Eichi knew Satoru's thoughts, he would definitely say, "You're overthinking it."
Relying only on his own Cursed Energy recovery to replenish Command Seals, he did not know when he could complete all three.
Moreover, Mahoraga's adaptation to Command Seals was not slow. If Mahoraga truly eradicated the Zen'in Family, the most likely outcome would be that before the clan was destroyed, Mahoraga would adapt to the Command Seal's restraint and turn around to smash him into a pancake.
"What do you plan to do next?"
"Find a rural area to hide for a while, and after a few years, when this dies down, I will go to Tokyo to pursue the life I want."
After he finished speaking, he began wrestling with the steak the waiter had brought.
Mainly, he was not used to using a knife and fork. It felt awkward.
"By the way, will you take this? It is a Special Grade Cursed Object, useless to me."
And it might attract trouble.
Eichi did not say the latter.
"We can."
Clap, clap.
Satoru clapped indifferently.
A bodyguard who had been waiting nearby stepped forward, took Ryomen Sukuna's finger, then left the restaurant. Soon after, he returned with a bank card.
Satoru reached out to take the card and waved his hand, signaling the bodyguard to withdraw.
The people of the Gojo Family were all old-fashioned, not as interesting as outsiders.
He also knew why. If one gained the Divine Child's favor, it was fine, but if one did not and showed disrespect, they would be lightly removed from his side or severely disciplined by Family law.
The Big Three Families were quite similar in this regard, except the Zen'in Family was the most heartless.
"Is that enough?"
He handed over the bank card.
"It is enough."
Looking at the string of zeros for the amount and password, then at Satoru propping his chin with one hand, completely unconcerned about money, Eichi felt like hitting a landlord.
"Thanks for the meal. I am leaving."
Taking the bank card, he stood up to go.
"What is the rush?"
Satoru raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't I say there are many Zen'in Family dogs in Kyoto? While it is still dark, it is best to leave Kyoto first."
Hachiman City was on Kyoto's outer edge. With the Divine Dogs for travel now, his speed would increase significantly. Leaving Kyoto under cover of night, then resting in the suburbs or countryside tomorrow morning, was the safest option.
"Do you want me to send someone to escort you?"
Eichi paused, thought for a moment, but still refused.
Putting on his hat, he found a dark alley and summoned the Divine Dogs, who had been eager to come out.
"Hey, do not lick my face."
They seemed to have been cooped up for a long time. As soon as they emerged, they lunged forward, placing their front paws on Eichi's shoulders, tongues lapping at his face, tails wagging like windmills.
He did not scold them, only fumbled to fend off their attack.
After all, what boy could refuse a majestic, powerful, affectionate dog?
It took a great effort to calm them down. They had wanted to see their master ever since the Technique awakened, but had been kept in the shadows for a long time due to Eichi's command.
Looking at the Divine Dogs, almost as tall as himself, Eichi was surprised.
Were the Divine Dogs he first summoned about the same size as the ones Megumi Fushiguro summoned at the beginning?
Before the System left, it had strengthened Eichi's body. Now, the Cursed Energy in his body was very high, almost unrivaled among his peers, so the Divine Dogs he summoned were also much larger.
In this world, the upper limit of Cursed Energy was determined at birth, but whether one could reach it depended on growth and training.
With the System's strengthening, as long as Eichi did not slack off, he would not lose to anyone in terms of Cursed Energy in the future.
"I remember the Nue Megumi summoned was only the size of a person, but the one summoned by Sukuna Fushiguro was as big as a building."
As he spoke, his gaze fell on the White Divine Dog with half its tongue hanging out, like a husky.
"Will there be a chance to summon Divine Dogs as big as skyscrapers? And Great Serpents too. Then I will find people to film Norse mythology, like Fenrir vs. Jörmungandr, and arrange for a few people to play Heroic Spirits."
Embracing fantasies about the future, Eichi rode one of the Divine Dogs and disappeared into the darkness.
(To be continued.)
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