~ Support & Read 60 Advanced Chapters on Patreon

~ Bonus Chapter every 200 Powerstones!

The scene shifted to the rear shrine.

Candlelight flickered quietly within, casting elongated shadows across the wooden walls. Once, Brynhildr had stood here, sealing away the demon spirit. Now, all that remained was a bare, blood-stained sealing stone—marked by a deep sword slash.

Creak—

The shrine door swung open slowly, the aged hinges groaning softly. A slender, youthful figure stepped into the dimly lit chamber.

It was Bokue Keikain, who'd hurried over directly from the bonfire gathering.

"So," Bokue spoke up calmly, "what's so important that you had to call me all the way here at this hour?"

His gaze swept across the three Keikain branch heads and the village elder. His tone wasn't exactly deferential—but that wasn't surprising.

These men might be family heads, but they were still just branch houses.

After all, Bokue Keikain was the current Acting Head of the main family. If they strictly considered status, his rank was second only to the main family's head himself. Normally, even respected elders or branch heads like these would have to bow respectfully, addressing him as "Acting Head Bokue."

Typically, even his casual cough would have these branch leaders rushing over, hunched over in subservience, eager to fulfill any whim he might express.

Yet strangely, tonight was different.

Bokue had clearly spoken first, but the three branch heads acted as if they hadn't heard him. They merely exchanged unreadable glances, cold eyes fixed silently on the young boy before them.

Hm?

Bokue's brows furrowed slightly. He could already sense something wasn't right. Slowly, deliberately, he raised his voice and repeated the question clearly:

"Just what exactly are you all doing gathered here?"

No reply came.

The head of the Fukujū branch lifted the corner of his mouth in a faint smirk, his fingers already gripping a hidden sealing charm beneath the sleeve of his robe.

"Gentlemen," he murmured quietly, eyes narrowing. "Now that our esteemed Acting Head is here, let's fulfill the arrangement we've made with the village elder..."

He didn't finish his sentence—but the Aika and Yaso branch heads wore identical knowing smiles, faces hardening into cold masks of hostility.

"Ah, indeed."

"It's about time."

Arrangement? About time for what?

Before Bokue could fully process the situation, the Fukujū family head acted swiftly. With a sharp motion, he ignited the charm in his grasp, unleashing a brilliant golden barrier.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Instantly, the powerful sealing barrier surged from the ground like a glowing monument, engulfing the entire shrine and trapping all four of them inside.

At the same time, the Aika head flung out a paper charm of his own. Dark kanji symbols leaped from the page, twisting and swelling into two massive shikigami. They roared ferociously, lunging toward Bokue from either side.

Then came the Yaso branch head. Drawing a wicked-looking blade from within his robes, he cast aside its sheath. Its edge glinted ominously in the candlelight, revealing sinister patterns etched into the steel. Killing intent surged visibly through his body as he lunged forward, bringing the sword down toward Bokue's exposed neck—his eyes glinting cruelly with triumph.

"Apologies, Acting Head Bokue... Ah, forgive me. I mean 'former' Acting Head."

?!

For a split second, Bokue's pupils constricted in shock. He'd never imagined they'd dare to make such a brazen move—to actually try killing him outright!

In less than half a heartbeat, his entire field of vision filled with attacks: Yaso's blade aimed straight for his neck, flanked on both sides by ferocious shikigami, and behind him the impenetrable barrier from Fukujū—no escape, nowhere to run.

This was undeniably a flawless execution—a perfect ambush, impossible to escape from. No one alive should have stood a chance.

Even the Yaso head's face lit with sadistic glee, utterly convinced of his victory.

He had him!

So this was it—the so-called prodigy, the once-in-a-generation genius, defeated in an instant. In the end, no matter how talented, this was still an adult's world. Just some seven-year-old brat—how could he possibly...

CLANG!!

Reality struck faster than an early morning alarm.

At the last possible moment, mere inches from contact, both the cursed blade and the two shikigami froze in place—stopped completely, as if they'd collided with an invisible wall.

Not because they'd reconsidered their morality or found some shred of humanity—but simply because they couldn't go further. Their strength was utterly insufficient.

A faint golden glow enveloped Bokue's body, seemingly delicate yet utterly unbreakable, effortlessly deflecting every attack hurled his way.

Impossible...

Just a second ago, the Yaso branch head had been certain of his victory. Now, confusion and disbelief distorted his expression.

The Fukujū and Aika heads, standing to either side, also stared incredulously, unable to believe what their own eyes were telling them.

These were no ordinary men—they were the heads of the three strongest branches of the entire Keikain Clan. Three renowned masters had joined forces to ambush a mere seven-year-old child—and yet...

They'd failed.

"Surprised?" Bokue tilted his head curiously, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm.

"Honestly, I'm surprised too. I never imagined you'd have the guts to actually come at me directly. But... ah, whatever."

His gaze shifted briefly toward the elder standing at the far end of the shrine, next to the empty sealing stone. Bokue's lips curled in a humorless smile, equal parts disgust and weary resignation.

This wasn't a detective mystery—he wasn't Conan Edogawa, and this wasn't Beika Town. He didn't need decisive evidence to figure out such obvious schemes. Just one glance was enough to see through their intentions.

As Acting Head, Bokue had always known the three powerful branch heads harbored resentment toward him.

He also knew that their resentment had nothing to do with him personally. Any other candidate—even someone perfect in every way—would've faced the exact same dissatisfaction, simply because they weren't from these three dominant branches.

"Bloodline impurities," "unsuitable upbringing," "improper etiquette," "wrong personality"—the reasons were endless, infinite.

Normally, Bokue could overlook such petty jealousy—gossip and whispers couldn't harm him. But he never imagined these jealous, blustering fools would dare to actively conspire together and attempt his murder.

Worse still, they'd allied openly with the village elder to do so.

Certainly, for the now severely weakened Hero Village, aligning with these influential Keikain branches was appealing. Eliminating Bokue meant receiving the branches' long-term backing—after all, employers typically didn't stab their own hired mercenaries in the back.

In other words, once Bokue Keikain was dead, the Hero Village would remain safe. And with him gone, the three powerful branch houses could swiftly call for another selection process—one favorable to their own children.

Everyone would get exactly what they wanted—all for the cost of one minor sacrifice... or perhaps, not even a sacrifice. For these branch families, Bokue wasn't a sacrifice at all.

He was simply a thorn to be removed.

Fine. Very well. Quite courageous indeed...

The anger he'd suppressed with sleep flared to life again, brighter and hotter than ever. Bokue Keikain burst into bitter laughter, eyes flashing with cold fury.

"Since you all put in so much effort, it'd be rude not to humor you," he said icily, his voice trembling slightly with rage.

"Come then—I'll show you a simple truth:"

"If hard work alone was enough, what's the point of talent?!"

With those words, Bokue calmly reached out, his bare hand catching the cursed blade—the Yaso head's pride and joy, forged meticulously over decades of effort and dedication.

Then he squeezed, gently.

The demon blade shattered like cheap glass.

As razor-sharp shards fluttered helplessly to the ground, all that remained was Bokue's cold, emotionless stare, locked onto the faces of those who'd betrayed him.

~ 60 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon

https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx

(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)

Keep the chapters coming—Support with Power Stones!