Tokisawa household
Breakfast
"I can't believe that the 7th clan head was a subordinate of the lightning Roc." Chouji said after hearing Yon's narration of what happened after he passed out until Yon tore the summoning inscription apart.
"But you still got three ancient types of spirit beasts! That alone is a great achievement for a 9-year-old kid!"
"Thanks, Jisan."
"Anyway, since you have already awakened. I need to train you until you're 12 years old. So, you can enter the exorcist academy."
"Academy? Right, you did mention that earlier."
Doorbell rings 2x
"Looks like we got visitors."
"Shall I go and welcome them Jisan?"
"No, you finish your breakfast let adults talk it out."
"But I- "
"Yes, I know. But no matter how capable you are, you are still a 9-year-old kid. So, behave alright?" His grandfather cut him off as if to understand what he wanted to say. Yon didn't have a choice but to follow his grandfather's words.
Door opens
"Isshin and Masaki! Please come in!" Chouji greeted. They all sat in the living room while Yon was still eating his breakfast without hurry.
"We're sorry for intruding this early Chouji dono but we're really worried about what we felt last night. And we both think it was coming from here." Chouji's face became serious upon hearing Isshin.
"Well, you both are correct in saying that." Chouji confessed.
"To tell you the truth, I was explaining to my grandson our history as exorcists. And afterwards, I was examining him on what kind of path he'll walk on." Isshin and Masaki became interested on the prospect of knowing what exorcist do.
"So, what kind of path will he take?" asked Isshin curiously
"It seems he'll walk the same path his mother did as an Element/Summoner Exorcist." Chouji revealed with a serious face but when he looked at the two, they had clueless faces.
'Oh, I forgot that they don't have any information about us.'
And so, Chouji told them a summary of what he's already told Yon so they both could understand. The two actually paid attention to Chouji's story as they were too curious to know about exorcist. Yon didn't join them in their discussion and went back to his room.
Inside Yon's room
He sat in a lotus position to begin cultivating and consolidate what he gained from earlier. Jumping straight to 3rd order of Xiantian realm from the 1st order was a good thing. Yon recently just entered the Xiantian realm using the residual from the grand fisher. The accumulated spirit energy from devouring those residuals was enough to facilitate his breakthrough to 3rd order.
But now that all of that was used up, he needs to cultivate again hence the lotus position. Although the spirit energy in the atmosphere was so thin, he could barely make any progress in a short amount of time. It was still enough for him to fully cement his new strength.
Meanwhile in the living room after Chouji's story
"Isshin, Masaki. Can I ask you both for a very heavy favor?" Chouji asked with a very serious expression.
Isshin and Masaki didn't immediately agree and instead asked first what kind of favor he will be asking for it to be a heavy one.
"Can you adopt my grandson 3 years from now?" the couple was caught off guard.
"Huh? Why would you ask us to do that? You're not sick or dying, are you?" asked Isshin.
A pained expression from Chouji's face was formed which probably says 'yes, he is.' Then Chouji started to explain.
"An exorcist's lifespan is a century long. And I have been living in this world for 99 years already. Next year, I will die." Isshin and Masaki was shocked by the sudden revelation.
"I don't want to let Yon know of this. He doesn't have any other place to go and no one else as his family. So-" Chouji got down on his knees and begged them,
"Please take care of my grandson, I beg of you Isshin san, Masaki san." Isshin was too shocked to answer but Masaki's face felt warm.
"It would be an honor to take in someone who saved me, and my son's lives." Says Masaki while smiling. Chouji was grateful and continued to bow while saying thank you.
After a while
Chouji then discussed his plans for the remaining time of his life. How he will train Yon in the mountain area where there are less humans and how Yon needed to enroll to the exorcist academy once Yon turns 12 years old.
That was the required age for an awakened exorcist to start learning in their private academy which is for 3 years. This was required before they can be allowed to exorcise any hollows.
For a family like theirs who chose to leave the clan. Their offspring still to attend 3 years in the academy as a requirement for letting them leave the clan.
It will be up to the young ones to choose if they want to leave the clan too like their parents or return to the clan. This requirement was created so the exorcists could still protect themselves even without the help of the clan.
Once they were done talking about Yon's adoption the couple went home. Chouji didn't immediately started training Yon that day and told him to rest and relax for a week. He also instructed him to tell his friends he'll be gone for year to train more in the arts of exorcism.
Yon was delighted for this news since he would very much want to be stronger. That way he won't have to worry too much once the plot starts.
And so Yon told Ichigo and Tatsuki about his plan while they were sparring in the karate dojo. Yon still attended the training and joined Masaki and Ichigo on the way home.
"Ichigo, Tatsuki. While I'm gone for a year. You both better not be playing around or I will make this distance between us wider. Hahahaha" Yon said in complete arrogance as his two friends were down on the floor. The orange hair boy grinned and stood.
"You better comeback, Yon." Ichigo said no longer would you be able to trace that innocent behavior from him. Apparently after the incident he still became who he was meant to be even though his mother is alive.
"He's right you better come back because while you are not around, I will hold the title as the best in our generation.!" Tatsuki declared.
"Hey! Who said you can take it for free? You must earn it first." Complained Ichigo
"I don't need to do that since I can easily beat you and everyone else besides this monster." Tatsuki said while pointing out Yon by the side.
'Did she just call me a monster?' a confused Yon asked inside his head.
"Oh yeah? How about you prove it right now and beat me then?" said Ichigo raring to go another round against Tatsuki. And the two fought right then and there with Tatsuki claiming the victory over an unwilling Ichigo.
"Damn it. One of these days I will certainly snatched that back before Yon returns!" said the annoyed Ichigo.
"Heh. I will be waiting." Tatsuki answered.
"It looks like you guys won't even be lonely without me, so cruel." Yon complained with an imaginary tear.
"Why would we even be lonely without you?" asked Ichigo in a confusing manner.
"Once you're gone, I'll be the best so why would we be lonely?" added Tatsuki.
"Oh, my friends are so heartless." Yon acted while holding his chest.
"Hahahaha2x" Both Ichigo and Tatsuki laughed at his antics.
If only Yon wasn't acting it out, he's grandfather would be saying that's karma while looking at this situation.
After a week Chouji and Yon were already on the road to go deep in the mountains. It took them few hours only to be able to leave town and enter the mountains in a single day.
They didn't bring any camping equipment so Yon was caught up thinking that they will be sleeping on grass or on top of a tree. Contrary to his expectations they arrived in front of what seemed to be an empty house.
"This house was used by your mother and I once we left the clan. We spent a few years living here until your mother met your father and married each other." Said Chouji as they made their way inside.
"Why did you leave the clan Jisan?" asked Yon casually but Chouji stopped dead on his tracks.
"It was so that we could prove that your mother was not interested to be the next clan head."
"What? Mom could've been the Clan Head?" asked the surprised Yon by the sudden revelation.
"Yes. She was, in fact, the 1st reserved head disciple. And she was stronger and talented the assigned head disciple. It's just that not all the elders are in her favor." Yon listened eagerly to his grandfather.
"Since this was the case. Your mother decided to leave the clan to avoid further dispute inside. Even though she decided to leave the clan, she still prioritized the clan's safety instead of her own."
"Jisan." Yon called his grandfather albeit gently, Chouji could feel the seriousness of what his grandson will say next so he listened very carefully.
"How did Mom and Dad die?" asked Yon. Chouji was caught off guard for a bit. But smiled gently. 'This kid, he must have been wondering all this time and carried such burden not knowing how his parents die. But is it really time to tell him?'
End of chapter 6
Volume 2: Exorcist Arc