Kamo Itsuki returned home and headed straight to his room to rest. As for the Curse User attack, he had no intention of worrying about the report. Kamo Masaki would certainly handle everything. The clan would not let the culprits who dared place a bounty on their Divine Child walk away freely—they would make an example of them and show the world that the Kamo Clan was not to be provoked.
Whether justice would truly be done, however, was another matter. Even without thorough investigation, he already had a good idea who the mastermind was. When the time came, that faction would likely toss out a few expendable scapegoats—enough to soothe the clan's pride while simultaneously eliminating internal dissidents. A convenient, two-in-one political maneuver.
But such games held no interest for Kamo Itsuki. In this world, authority was fleeting. Only one's own strength was a real guarantee of survival. The living proof was that every head of the Three Great Families was also the most powerful sorcerer within their clan.
He stayed home and cultivated in seclusion for several days, until a formal invitation disrupted his peace.
The Three Great Families were hosting a grand joint banquet—an event designed to strengthen bonds among the younger generation. As the Kamo Clan's Divine Child, he had no choice but to attend. The responsibility was tied to his status, and refusal was impossible.
"Itsuki," Kamo Masaki called him over, speaking gently, "at this banquet, you and Gojo Satoru—the Divine Child of the Gojo Clan—will be the center of attention. There may be a chance for you two to spar. Just do your best."
Just do my best? Sounds like he's already preparing for me to lose, Itsuki thought drily.
But outwardly, he simply bowed his head. "Family Head, I understand. I will give it my all."
Seeing his composed response, Kamo Masaki continued, "You don't need to be nervous. Gojo Satoru was born with the Six Eyes, which greatly enhance his Limitless. A genius like him appears only once every few hundred years. Maintain a calm mindset and simply display your true strength."
Is he really trying to comfort me? Itsuki sighed inwardly. First telling me not to worry, then lecturing me on how rare Satoru's abilities are… is he trying to make sure I'm prepared to lose?
Of course, none of this showed on his face.
"I understand," he replied mildly.
Kamo Masaki's voice grew serious. "This banquet—and the recent assassination attempts—are both tests for the Three Families. It is said Gojo Satoru was targeted as well, though the culprit remains unknown. We need to demonstrate strength, enough to withstand whatever open conspiracies the outside world throws at us."
He paused, then added, "Besides Gojo Satoru, you must also go all out when facing other young sorcerers. Victory is the only acceptable outcome."
So much for not being nervous… now he's assigning extra missions. Itsuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Perhaps the Family Head has been under a little too much pressure lately.
Still, he responded respectfully, "I understand, Family Head."
After a few more reminders about etiquette and caution, Kamo Masaki dismissed him to prepare for the upcoming event.
Gojo Satoru… I wonder how far you've grown by now. I'm genuinely looking forward to testing myself against you.
Three days later, the bell signaling the start of the banquet echoed across the sea. The venue—a luxurious private island owned by the Zen'in Clan—glowed with opulence. Their official excuse was that sparring among young elites would be dangerous near civilian populations, but everyone knew the truth: with both the Kamo and Gojo Clans boasting Divine Children, the Zen'in Clan needed to reassert its status somehow.
Rumors of a Zen'in child born without Cursed Energy had already tarnished their reputation. Flaunting their wealth was a convenient way to regain face.
As the Three Great Families arrived, the island erupted with activity, transforming into a radiant jewel set upon the ocean.
When Kamo Itsuki stepped into the magnificent castle beside the Family Head, the lively chatter surrounding them abruptly fell silent.
Everyone's attention involuntarily shifted toward the Divine Child of the Kamo Clan as the crowd sized up the long-awaited prodigy. Yet after only a moment, whispers rose again—this time louder and more animated than before.
"That has to be Kamo Masaki, and the boy beside him should be Kamo Itsuki. Honestly, he doesn't look very impressive."
"He only awakened Blood Manipulation. That technique hurts the enemy a thousand but injures the user eight hundred. Even if he did awaken it, what's the practical use? Maybe only the Kamo Clan treats it like a treasure."
"You're oversimplifying it. The Kamo Clan wouldn't rank among the Three Great Families if Blood Manipulation didn't have something special to it."
"True. It works at close, mid, and long range. Very flexible—just not ideal for drawn-out fights."
"Look, the Divine Child of the Gojo Clan just arrived."
The moment Gojo Satoru appeared, every conversation faltered, then shifted in his direction. His white hair and star-bright Six Eyes made him shine effortlessly in the crowd, impossible to overlook. Under that brilliance, Kamo Itsuki appeared all the more ordinary.
Gojo didn't seem affected by the admiration or noise around him. His gaze drifted across the hall and soon locked onto Kamo Itsuki, who happened to be watching him as well.
The two Divine Children met eyes from afar. Then, without hesitation, Gojo Satoru cut straight through the bustling crowd and walked directly toward Itsuki.
"Oh, Kamo Itsuki—hello! I'm Gojo Satoru. I'm six this year."
"If I remember correctly, you're also six, right?"
His voice was carefree, lively, almost bursting with energy.
Kamo Itsuki paused for a heartbeat before answering, "I am Kamo Itsuki, six years old. Do you need something?"
He added inwardly, "So the rumors were true. He really is a social butterfly."
Oblivious to Itsuki's internal complaints, Gojo grinned. "I saw you staring at me earlier, so I figured you wanted to say something."
Itsuki almost sighed. "Plenty of people were staring at you. Why come to me specifically?"
But instead, he simply replied, "I must have looked over unintentionally. My apologies for the misunderstanding."
Gojo waved it off. "It's fine. It's boring hanging around those old geezers anyway. It's much more fun to talk to someone my age, don't you think?"
Itsuki gave a polite nod. Just as he was about to respond, he noticed Gojo had already brushed past him—heading straight to the dessert table behind him.
Only then did realization dawn.
So he hadn't walked over for him at all. Itsuki had just been standing in the way of the pastries.
"This guy really is obsessed with sweets," he thought helplessly, a small smile tugging at his lips.
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