Isei stood in front of the familiar manor. For the people inside, he hasn't returned for more than six years, for Isei, it was much longer.
He left without saying anything back then. He vowed to grow strong enough to force them into accepting his sisters back into the clan. And now he returned ready to make good on that promise.
Two guards stopped him at the gates and asked for his identity. They were the same ones on duty the day he left, so Isei found it amusing that they couldn't recognize his face.
"Tell gramps that I'm back." He smiled at them like he usually would.
One of the guards scrutinized Isei's face and seemed to realize something. The guard then whispered towards the other guard then showed a shocked expression. He then made his way inside the manor.
A while later, the guard came back with someone familiar walking behind him.
"It's been so long since we've met each other, young master."
It was Ren with blatant contempt that could barely hide behind his insincere smile. Still, it didn't bother Isei at all.
However, just because it could not affect him didn't mean he'd just let it be.
"You are..?"
Isei pretended to not recognize him.
It proved effective as Ren's smile visibly got stiff. He quickly tried to hide it, but even the guards on the side already noticed.
However, Isei didn't let up...
"Pardon, I thought I knew every important member of the clan. You seem pretty young..." Isei turned his gaze towards one of the guards and said, "Is he your son? You must have a beautiful wife then."
Ren's face started twitching, and his whole expression grew worse and worse as Isei continued to speak. When he finally couldn't take it, he made a move.
Isei just snorted at him.
Surprise filled Ren's face when Isei seemed unaffected. His shock didn't stay at that, however. He expected Isei to drop to his knees, but none of that happened. Instead, beads of sweat began streaming down his forehead as he started breathed heavily, his face hovering between fear and disbelief.
"Anyway, I can go in, right? Talk to you later."
Isei patted Ren's shoulder as he went past him.
The guard didn't try to stop him. They just stared at Ren, who fell to his butt. His quick, heavy breathing seemed unbelievable to them. Ren, who became a rising star within the clan, was made unable to stand without even touching him.
How?
Mana Pressure.
A mage with enough mana control can direct pure, unchanneled mana towards a specific direction. This pressure can render non-mages unconscious if enough mana is used. However, using it on another mage is another matter.
Once mages get their first Symbiote, they would be able to protect themselves by surrounding their body with mana.
Ren would have succeeded if it was six years ago, but the Isei now is entirely different from before. The numerous life and death situations he had to go through have tempered both his mana control and his will.
Ren's act was akin to punching a professional MMA fighter and expecting him to just take it in the face. And of course, as would any fighter do, he hit back, and with a perfect counter at that.
While Ren was busy directing all his mana towards Isei, he left himself without anything to cover himself with. Isei took this chance and instantly concentrated a portion of his mana towards Ren's unprotected head.
This was how Isei was able to use mana pressure with far less amount of mana than you would otherwise need to use against another mage.
But of course, Isei wasn't dumb enough to use Mana Pressure to other people thoughtlessly. It uses far too mana and far too much effort to achieve something that could be easily countered. He only did it to give Ren a taste of his own medicine.
Isei made his way inside as if nothing happened. He saw his grandfather, the master of the clan, sitting on the same chair as he looked at Isei.
The old man spoke.
"You've come."
I hint of sadness could be seen in Isei's eyes. The once-respected patriarch of the clan looked to be nearing the end of his life.
No matter how the old man tried to hide it, Isei knew that he secretly helped him multiple times even after he left the clan.
Isei sighed. While the old man may care about Isei and his sisters, this did not extend to their mother. She died shortly after Isei went to live with them. Isei would never be able to forget that.
That is why Isei came today to take what supposed to be theirs.
The old man started coughing loudly.
"It seems you've grown... in many ways."
He must have known what Ren was up to. Whether told Ren to provoke him or it was of own volition, Isei didn't mind. He already told Ren a lesson anyway.
"Your decision in chasing me out proved to be right." Isei answered, but he didn't smile like he usually did. He just stared back.
"Are you going to take my throne now?" The old man smiled as if he had been waiting for this.
"Yes, but no."
The old man's brows rose. He waited for Isei to explain.
"You're going to make my sister your heir."
Isei waited for his response. Silence pervaded despite other people being there, too. They were afraid of interrupting the conversation. After a while, the old man answered.
"No. She is unworthy, just like you once were." He shook his head in disapproval.
"But I can make her." Isei pressed on. If he could persuade him without using any force, it would be very ideal. His body was still far from being able to perform like he did before he escaped to Earth.
The old man pondered. He knew he had no more time to wait. He must have lost his stubbornness somewhere. If the man in front of him didn't wake up and turned to what he was right in front of him, he was going to force one of his sisters into taking his throne. He laughed.
"And if you can't?" He asked Isei, but he already knew what he was going to say.
"Then, I'll take your throne."
The old man sighed. He then stood up and called for his right hand.
"Take care of it."
"Understood." The middle-aged man bowed towards Isei before he followed the patriarch out of the hall.
"Isei." The old man took one last look at Isei and said, "Our blood has never broken a promise. I kept my promise to your father. You should do the same."
"That's why I came here." Isei finally smiled.
"Heh."
The old man finally went out.
The hall filled with members of the clan started murmuring with each other. A few of the old generation came up to Isei and greeted him, some even congratulating him. The blind trust that they had made Isei admire the old man more. All of them accepted their Patriarch's decision. All of them except for one...
Ren, who was able to witness the latter part of the conversation. He despaired at the fact that he no longer had a chance to take the seat as the clan master. He did everything for him to the point of being a slave yet...
No, he knew he had no chance from the beginning. When the clan master made him fight Isei all those years ago, he knew it was only to guide Isei. He knew that the patriarch never intended to make anyone else his heir at all. He knew all this... But he decided to deceive himself.
Still, it hurt. Were all his hard work all for nothing? Was being born on with a silver spoon really had that much gap?
He refused to believe it, even when he saw every bit of evidence in front of him. So, even with his own self-preservation instincts telling him otherwise, he went on and challenged Isei in front of the crowd.
"Are you sure you want to this?" Isei asked him.
"I want to know... If my effort means something."
Ren held his blade. Unlike when they were younger, this time, he wielded a real one. His shaking hands gradually calmed to a still. A stance he practiced thousands of times.
"Please show me everything you have."
"I can't show you everything, but... I'll show you enough to satisfy you."
Isei channeled mana on his left hand.
"Tell me this: what are you going to do if you lose?"
Isei received no response whatsoever.
"Hm... There is no point for me to this fight then." Isei thought for a moment. "If I take your right arm, will you serve me?"
Isei's words baffled Ren. Whatever happened after this didn't matter to him, so he just nodded.
"Okay. Bea help me out..." Isei started talking to someone. Ren tried to listen, but he couldn't hear a thing.
"Repeat this and accept the 2nd Seal's Contract. If I take your arm, you will serve me." Isei turned to him.
"..."
Seeing that Isei would likely refuse the duel if he didn't answer, he repeated the words Isei said, but with more resolve.
"If you take my right arm, then I shall serve you till the I die."
The moment his words finished, a burst of foreign mana entered his body. He unconsciously accepted it without resistance. Ren realized it had something to do with Isei and the contract he spoke of.
Isei aligned himself to Ren, who once again took his stance.
"Invi, come."
As Isei spoke, a black katana with golden engravings materialized from the air. Immediately the air surrounding Isei changed. He took this fight seriously, enhancement type opponents were his weaknesses as he can't use his skills on mana control against them who only enhance their physical abilities.
"This blade is called the Blade of Envy. It can cut anything and everything except the designated weapon of my opponent. Whether it is a piece of stick or your bare hands, long as it's your weapon, it will not cut. It will also disappear the moment I am wounded even slightly."
"Why are you telling me this?" Ren asked.
"Because this is how my Law Magic operates."
Isei smiled before instantly rushing towards his opponent.