Time passed, second by second.
As Naobito fell silent, Mirai's expression grew increasingly impatient. Overwhelming cursed energy rippled through the shadows, spreading outward in slow waves.
Yesterday, he had deliberately revealed the Ten Shadows Technique to make this old man step down naturally.
If the Zenin clan could not become a tool in his hands, then it would be better destroyed.
Facing a Zenin clan that lacked even a single special-grade sorcerer, Mirai—who controlled the Intangibility Technique—had nothing to fear.
The Intangibility Technique was in no way inferior to Satoru Gojo's Limitless defense.
Kamui Annihilation—a terrifying technique capable of destroying even Gojo's defense.
Having initially awakened and gained control over his own power, Mirai unquestionably now possessed the qualifications to contend for the title of the strongest.
But before becoming invincible, caution was still necessary.
What he lacked now were records of special-grade cursed tools and intelligence on the endless stream of techniques within the jujutsu world.
And, of course, the limitless wealth required to command curse users.
Those were the reasons he had not carried out a massacre last night.
He merely regarded this already decaying clan as nourishment to accelerate his path toward becoming the strongest.
But if he could not control it…
With the boundless cursed energy of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path surging through him, the shadow at Mirai's feet faintly began to stretch downward, writhing as if alive.
Terrifying killing intent swept downward. Only then did Jinichi realize something was wrong. His eyebrows twitched violently as he hurriedly rose and assumed a combat stance.
Sensing the shift, Naobito's expression changed slightly. After a brief hesitation, he sighed.
"I agree."
"After the meeting, I will announce the decision."
Naobito was not a man attached to power. His hesitation stemmed from Mirai's personality—and from the dominance and bloodthirst he had displayed since last night.
Zenin Nobuaki's death had occurred simply because he had blocked Mirai's path.
What an absurd reason. A captain-level figure, slain without mercy for such a thing.
Naobito feared that if he stepped down now… it wouldn't be long before half the clan's sorcerers were destroyed by Mirai's hand.
The existence of the Ten Shadows Technique destined Mirai to become the Zenin clan's next unquestionable head.
Naobito simply hadn't expected him to demand authority so quickly.
He had intended to spend several years teaching the boy.
To use that time to smooth over the resentment Mirai harbored toward the clan.
Seeing the old man yield, Mirai retracted his cursed energy and calmly voiced his second demand:
"Dispatch half of the clan's sorcerers to capture cursed spirits alive. Detain them in the depths of the Taboo Vault."
When no response came, his voice grew colder.
"Old man, I am the clan head now. You only need to obey."
The sudden shift in status left Naobito somewhat unaccustomed.
But seeing Mirai prepared at any moment to wipe out the entire clan, he could only sigh and agree.
"Hand it over. The key to the Taboo Vault."
Mirai ordered it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Naobito did not hesitate. He had intended to give it to him today regardless.
Without approaching too closely, he tossed over a key reinforced with cursed energy.
A claw emerged briefly from the shadows, caught the key, and sank back into Mirai's shadow to await command.
Casting a cold glance at Jinichi beside Naobito, Mirai turned and walked toward the Taboo Vault.
Before leaving, he spoke without looking back:
"I'll be staying in the Vault for a while."
"Deliver the captured cursed spirits and the intelligence immediately once it's organized."
Naobito's previously dejected demeanor changed at once. As he watched Mirai's departing figure, a strange light gleamed in his eyes.
"Understood. I'll have it prepared."
Watching the sudden shift in the former clan head's attitude, Jinichi blinked in confusion. After Mirai's figure disappeared, he finally asked:
"Old man, what's with you?"
Naobito ignored the change in address. He walked to the veranda, sat down, and raised his sake gourd.
After taking a long swig, he glanced at the spot where Jinichi had previously been seated. A trace of complexity flashed across his expression.
"I thought that child was merely indulging in his newfound power, venting his dissatisfaction with the past."
"My earlier hesitation was precisely because I feared that power would make him utterly arrogant."
"But the fact that he's actively demanding intelligence and information about the outside world proves he's not a reckless fool."
"You're happy just because of that?"
"Don't you feel even the slightest resentment for that brat forcing you to give up your position as clan head—"
Jinichi stepped toward the room—then suddenly froze.
He finally understood why Naobito had abruptly tackled him out of the doorway earlier.
From this angle, he saw it clearly: the large hole blasted through the courtyard wall directly behind where he had been sitting.
Because of the angle, he hadn't noticed before. Now, up close, he realized that the missing section of wall was precisely where his head had been.
"Old man—the clan head ordered half the sorcerers to capture cursed spirits, didn't he?!"
Jinichi turned sharply, his tone suddenly stern.
"Why aren't you moving already?!"
Naobito blinked, his silver mustache twitching in irritation.
But seeing the fear buried deep within Jinichi's eyes, he gave a half-smile and rose to issue the orders.
The Blazing Unit answered only to the clan head. Jinichi lacked the authority to command them, so the message had to be delivered by Naobito himself.
Pushing open the gates of the Taboo Vault, Mirai surveyed the Zenin clan's forbidden ground—constructed by hollowing out the interior of a mountain.
It was his first time entering.
He only knew that cursed spirits were imprisoned in its depths from what he had seen in the manga in his previous life.
Countless cursed tools were displayed neatly upon wooden racks, polished spotless.
Over a hundred items—each worth tens of millions to hundreds of millions—silently showcased the terrifying foundation of the Zenin clan.
After a brief glance, Mirai lost interest and walked deeper inside.
Compared to the Uchiha war fan, these were hardly worth mentioning.
He pushed open a sealed door ahead. Hearing the howls echoing from below the staircase, a violent smile curved across his lips.
Descending step by step, his figure gradually disappeared into the darkness.
The shadows beneath his feet and the space by his shoulder began to boil and rejoice as well.
Twenty minutes later—
"Not enough! Still not enough!"
"These cursed spirits, this cursed energy, these negative emotions—it's all not enough!"
Bathed in a rain of blood, his white robe dyed crimson, Mirai looked once again like the reaper he had been the previous night.
The massive Divine Dogs and the Great Serpent weaved flexibly among the cursed spirits, strangling and tearing apart the twisted monsters.
From the space beside the boy's shoulder, a gigantic hand reached out, casually sweeping up handfuls of cursed spirits and dragging them into the void—devouring the cursed energy within them in great gulps.
Laughing wildly, Mirai did not remain idle. He lunged forward, seized the nearest cursed spirit, and tore the creature—several times his size—into pieces with his bare hands.
Boom—!
The tremors from the depths of the Taboo Vault, along with the manic laughter echoing through the cavern walls, sent chills through the sorcerers and servants guarding the entrance.
They held stacks of intelligence documents in their arms, wanting to step inside—
Yet their limbs faltered, their hearts trembling in rhythm with the violent shaking from within.