The Kamo Family had been very pleased recently.
A new Blood Manipulation successor had been born into the family.
Last year, the concubine's son of the Kamo Family Head awakened Blood Manipulation.
This greatly excited the Kamo Family.
The Gojo Family had Satoru, the divine child with the Six Eyes and Limitless.
The Zen'in Family had Eichi, who wielded the Ten Shadows Technique.
But the Kamo Family had nothing.
Now, that gap was finally closing.
Kamo Noritoshi, who had inherited the clan's innate technique, had been born.
They didn't yet know how far he could go, but for the time being, the Kamo Family could finally breathe easier.
While Blood Manipulation wasn't the strongest technique, it had no notable weaknesses.
More importantly, it held symbolic value.
Blood Manipulation was the spiritual pillar of the Kamo Family.
Its symbolic weight exceeded its practical combat use.
There was just one issue: Kamo Noritoshi's birth mother.
Among the great houses in the Jujutsu world, the Kamo Family placed the highest importance on bloodline.
Therefore, the main wife of the Kamo Family Head came from another prestigious Jujutsu clan.
However, it wasn't the main wife, but the concubine—looked down upon by many—who gave birth to this outstanding child.
Yes, she was looked down upon.
Though she was the Family Head's concubine, she lacked any notable background and was accepted into the house only because of her beauty.
As a result, she suffered significant bullying and neglect within the family.
She had hoped that giving birth to an excellent son would allow her to rise in status and change her fate.
But harsh reality struck her down.
Her son would no longer be hers.
This was because of the Kamo Family's obsession with bloodline legitimacy.
A woman of humble origin, with only her looks, could never stand at the top.
This was why, despite being a concubine of the Family Head, she was still treated with disdain.
And standing before her was another insurmountable wall.
The main wife of the Kamo Family Head.
The "noble-blooded" wife.
To preserve the legitimacy of the bloodline, the Kamo Family—especially the main wife—forced her to relinquish her son.
Thus, Kamo Noritoshi would become the legitimate child of the Kamo Family Head and his wife.
In despair and confusion, she made the painful decision to let go, all for her son's future.
Just as Toji, despite his hatred for the Zen'in Family, still worked hard to make Fushiguro Megumi the Family Head.
Kamo Noritoshi's mother also gave up everything for her son's sake.
After signing a strict Binding Vow, she left the Kamo Family.
Kamo Noritoshi was then secretly nurtured and trained by the family. After all traces of his real mother were erased, he officially appeared this year as the legitimate son of the Kamo Family.
And indeed, his arrival had a strong impact.
Not only did the Kamo Family and its affiliates feel more confident in public,
Even many neutral factions became more respectful toward them.
With one bearer of the Six Eyes and one user of the Ten Shadows leading the other two families,
People believed it was only a matter of time before the Kamo Family also produced a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer with their inherited technique.
That was the value Blood Manipulation held for the Kamo Family.
Even if it couldn't compare to the Six Eyes or the Ten Shadows, its reputation was enough.
As long as it existed, it could be used.
Even a façade could be effective.
Just like businesses with only a grand entrance yet still making a fortune.
Blood Manipulation was the same. As long as it was packaged properly, it could be displayed. If not, it could be hidden at home, becoming a legend in the Jujutsu world.
So for the past six months, life had been good for the Kamo Family.
Until the news from Jujutsu Headquarters wiped the smiles off the faces of the family's core members.
At that moment, inside the Kamo Family compound.
"I wonder why the Family Head summoned us so suddenly?"
There were few people in the room—only the Kamo Family Head and two elders.
It was a small meeting for a big problem.
"This is newly obtained intel. Our people have already started taking steps, but it likely won't be delayed for long. Take a look."
The Family Head handed out copies of a document.
Attached was a detailed explanation.
As the elders read the documents, their expressions turned serious.
What first caught their eyes were the four bold characters: Blood Manipulation.
'Could it be the Family Head's long-lost child?'
They instinctively thought so.
After all, gossip was human nature.
Currently, only the Family Head had a child who awakened Blood Manipulation.
'Is he trying to bring the child back? Is the wife making trouble again?'
Then they saw the application Rank: Special Grade.
"Special... Special Grade!"
Both elders' eyes widened.
Their first reaction was disbelief. How could someone from the Kamo Family wielding Blood Manipulation at the Special Grade level exist without their knowledge?
'Does the Family Head want to bring this person into the family?'
If so, it was understandable.
Blood Manipulation was immensely important, and Kamo Noritoshi was still growing.
If they could bring in a fully-formed Blood Manipulation user, he could be used immediately.
It would just be a matter of arranging a reasonable explanation, and how to appease the Family Head's wife.
In the Zen'in Family, where strength reigned supreme, this would be no issue.
Naobito became the Family Head simply because of his strength as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
But in the Kamo Family, with its rigid bloodline traditions, everything had to align with the rules.
Still, for a Special Grade Blood Manipulation user, exceptions could be made.
"Don't get ahead of yourselves. Look at the next page."
The two flipped the page.
Immediately, the name Kamo Noritoshi and the words "Cursed Womb: Death Painting" entered their sight.
Bang!
"This brat... is he deliberately trying to humiliate the Kamo Family?!"
One elder slammed the document onto the table in anger.
As expected, they hadn't missed anything.
The Special Grade Blood Manipulation user was the incarnated Cursed Womb: Death Painting.
Once this got out, the good times the Kamo Family had enjoyed would be over.
From now on, when people heard "Blood Manipulation," they wouldn't think of a noble inherited technique from the Big Three Families.
They'd think of Kamo Noritoshi, the most evil Jujutsu Sorcerer in history.
How could the Kamo Family accept that?
This was happening after just half a year of good fortune. They had every reason to suspect that Eichi had done this on purpose, out of jealousy.
If Eichi knew what they were thinking, he'd definitely protest.
Blood Manipulation? That kind of technique? Not even worth the effort!
"Regardless, the situation has already developed. We must deal with it before it gets out of control."
The Family Head thought for a moment, then said.
"How do we deal with it?"
The previously silent elder finally asked.
"...Send someone to Tokyo Jujutsu High. After all, this is an internal matter of our family. Yaga probably won't make things difficult for us."
"What about Azuma Eichi?"
That was their biggest headache.
"Have our people find a way to issue a designated mission and transfer him away."
"That won't be easy."
After it was revealed during the star plasma vessel incident that the Kamo Family had issued a designated mission to Eichi's Emiya, they had stopped making such moves.
Even though there was nothing procedurally wrong, the optics were bad.
They would definitely be suspected of scheming again.
"Don't be stingy. If this isn't handled properly, you all know what will happen."
The Family Head's tone made the message clear.
If they didn't want the Kamo Family's reputation ruined, and their lives to get harder, then everyone needed to pull their weight.
"I understand."
The two nodded.
(To be continued.)
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