Bang.
Eichi kicked open the dojo door.
The wooden doors flew inward from the force and slammed against the walls with a loud crash.
Everyone frowned and turned toward the entrance.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone."
Eichi walked into the dojo with his hands in his pockets, wearing an arrogant posture that looked almost identical to Satoru's.
More than a dozen people were already kneeling in two neat rows inside the hall. The central seat, which belonged to Naobito, was conspicuously empty.
"How rude."
"Do the younger generation no longer understand basic etiquette?"
Several aged yet powerful voices echoed through the hall.
These elders had come after receiving Naobito's notice for the family meeting, but once they arrived, they immediately sensed something was wrong.
The attendance was incomplete. For example, Jinichi of the branch family, a high-ranking member of the Zen'in Family, was absent.
More importantly, they had waited a long time, yet Naobito himself had not appeared.
"Who are you?"
Eichi stopped in front of the first elder who spoke and bent down, staring directly into his eyes.
"Hmph. Is that how you speak to an elder?"
A flicker of panic crossed the old man's eyes before he forced on a furious expression.
Within the Zen'in Family, whenever he showed that look, the younger generation would tremble like frightened quails.
"Elder?"
Eichi slowly sized him up from head to toe.
"You don't qualify."
A mocking smile appeared on Eichi's face.
The elder froze.
The weight of those words was no less devastating than Satoru calmly telling Jogo, "You're weak."
After a brief daze, the elder exploded in rage.
"You little—"
Bang.
Eichi slapped him across the head.
The next instant, the elder collapsed unconscious onto the floor.
"What?!"
"How dare you—"
The moment Eichi moved, several people could no longer remain calm.
This was the first time they had ever seen someone openly strike an elder during a Zen'in Family meeting.
Boom.
Overwhelming Cursed Energy flooded the hall, almost materializing as it pressed down like a raging tide.
In their eyes, Eichi's figure seemed to grow taller and taller, like an ancient beast standing before them.
The Zen'in Family followed the doctrine of jujutsu supremacy.
Anyone who could rise to a high position within the family was, without exception, a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
They might not all be wise, but they were strong enough to sense danger.
Under the pressure of Eichi's Cursed Energy, they clearly realized the gap between them.
Gulp.
One of the weaker elders swallowed hard.
His body was already trembling.
'A Special Grade. A Special Grade who could destroy a nation alone…'
Seeing the hall fall silent, Eichi nodded in satisfaction.
'I'll let this trash live a few minutes longer.'
He glanced at the unconscious elder, then walked straight to the highest seat in the hall.
To everyone's shock, Eichi casually sat down in the seat of the Zen'in Family Head.
Anger surged through the hearts of those present.
That seat represented authority and dignity.
It was a position everyone here coveted.
Yet Eichi, a youngster who had not even fully matured in their eyes, sat there so casually.
"Azuma Eichi, that is the Family Head's seat. It is not somewhere you can sit at will."
Ogi spoke, his sinister gaze hidden beneath lowered eyelids.
"What, you don't approve?"
Eichi leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and propping his chin with one hand as he looked at Ogi.
"If you don't want to face the Family Head's wrath, you'd best behave. This is the Zen'in Family."
Ogi spoke slowly, deliberately invoking both Naobito and the Zen'in Family in one sentence.
Those words gave the elders present a sense of confidence.
That's right. This was the Zen'in Family.
Their Family Head was the strongest Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer.
The fastest man after Satoru was not an empty title.
Through years of deliberate image-building, Naobito was widely regarded as the strongest Grade 1 Sorcerer in the outside world.
And his achievements justified that reputation.
Although Kusakabe was actually stronger, his low profile and desire to avoid trouble meant his true strength was known only to a small circle.
Eichi even suspected that if Shinkage-ryu did not need Kusakabe, its senior disciple and pillar, Kusakabe might never have bothered to take the Grade 1 examination.
At this moment, the names Naobito and Zen'in Family filled the elders with misplaced courage.
"Are you finished?"
Eichi's calm voice cut through the room.
Everyone focused on him.
In these few minutes, Eichi had observed every gaze and heard every word.
He had already sorted out which elders were unrecyclable trash that needed to be eliminated.
And which ones were recyclable trash that could be kept for now.
"Speaking of which, Ogi, there's something I'm curious about. Why does someone as useless as you believe you failed to become Family Head because your children were incompetent?"
Eichi looked at him with amusement.
Ogi frowned.
His displeasure was obvious now that his deepest thoughts had been laid bare.
"They were useless to begin with."
Ogi replied coldly.
At the same time, his sharp gaze locked onto Eichi, ready to strike if provoked further.
"Is that so? Then they belong to me."
Eichi's words made Ogi's hand unconsciously move toward his waist, where his cursed tool katana should have been.
He had not brought it due to the meeting.
Ogi was not angry because Eichi wanted his daughters.
In his twisted view, if those two useless daughters could please a Special Grade Sorcerer and bring him benefits, that would be putting waste to good use.
What truly angered him was Eichi's attitude.
An attitude that completely disregarded his existence.
Even though he had lost the struggle for Family Head to Naobito, Ogi was still a Special Grade 1 Sorcerer.
Countless people bowed before him.
Eichi noticed the subtle movement immediately.
"Want to draw a sword? I have one."
Eichi's shadow stretched unnaturally, reaching Ogi's feet.
A cursed tool katana radiating an impressive aura emerged from the darkness.
At least a Grade 1 cursed tool.
Ogi judged instantly.
Yet, faced with such a fine blade, he hesitated.
His instincts screamed at him not to fight.
He could not even defeat Naobito, let alone Eichi, who was clearly stronger.
But Eichi's actions cornered him.
His pride would not allow him to bow to a junior.
"Hmph. I don't lower myself to fight juniors."
Ogi said stiffly.
'Putting on the airs of an old man.'
When Eichi looked at Ogi again, it was like looking at a corpse.
Clap. Clap.
Eichi clapped his hands, signaling for silence.
"Everyone, I have an announcement. Starting today, I am the acting Zen'in Family Head. I have finished speaking. Who agrees, and who disagrees?"
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)