Fumino and Haruno were greeted with an ominous quietness as they approached the Shinomiya Group's manor. The massive estate, typically well-guarded, had no one at its gates. The door stood ajar, a troubling sight for a family as powerful as the Shinomiyas.
"Something feels off," Haruno murmured, casting a wary glance at the imposing structure before them.
Her mother, usually composed, seemed equally unsettled. Still, they had come this far. Turning back wasn't an option. "Let's go inside," Fumino said, leading her daughter through the gates and into the sprawling grounds.
As they walked into the manor, the tension only grew thicker. The large hall was filled with prominent members of the Shinomiya family, including the patriarch, Gan'an Shinomiya, and his children: Oko, the eldest; Un'yo, the quiet but ruthless strategist; and finally, Kaguya Shinomiya, who stood with her characteristic grace, though her face betrayed a rare anxiety.
"Mr Shinomiya!"
Fumino called out as she entered the grand hall with her daughter, Haruno, by her side.
The moment she stepped in and saw the gathering of the Shinomiya family, she froze. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and it felt like the weight of the room had dropped several degrees.
She quickly spotted Gan'an Shinomiya, the family patriarch, seated at the head of the group, his expression as cold as stone.
He glanced up at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Are you from the Yukinoshita family? The one I contacted earlier?"
"Yes, Mr Shinomiya," Fumino replied politely, bowing her head. Given the dire state of her family's fortunes, the Shinomiya family's favor could make or break them. One word from Gan'an Shinomiya could restore their standing or ruin them completely.
Gan'an merely nodded, his focus clearly elsewhere. "Hmm," he muttered, acknowledging their presence but offering no further words. It was as if, in the grander scheme of whatever crisis the Shinomiya family faced, Fumino and her daughter were of little consequence.
A sense of unease crept over Fumino. She wasn't expecting a warm welcome, but the indifference was unsettling. Something was very wrong here.
As they moved further into the room, her eyes fell on something that made her blood run cold. In the center of the room lay a corpse twisted, unnatural. The dead man's eyes were wide with horror, as though he'd seen something unspeakably terrifying in his final moments.
Fumino gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Haruno stiffened, her usual playful demeanor giving way to shock.
"Mother... that's Seiryu, isn't it?" Haruno whispered, eyes wide.
Fumino nodded slowly, unable to take her eyes off the body. "Yes... Gan'an's second son."
The mood in the room was grim, and even the powerful Shinomiya patriarch, Gan'an, looked troubled. The family's grief and tension were palpable, but amid them stood a strange figure, a man in a monk's robe with peculiar bangs, watching the scene unfold with unsettling calmness.
"Master Geto," Gan'an said suddenly, turning to the man in the robe. His voice was respectful, an unusual tone for the head of the Shinomiya family, who rarely showed deference to anyone. "Please help us lift this curse."
At the word "curse," Haruno's attention sharpened. She exchanged a glance with her mother, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Curse?" she echoed quietly, but Fumino quickly motioned for her to stay silent. This was clearly a private family matter, and they were outsiders here.
The man called Master Geto, as Gan'an had addressed him smiled slightly, as if the whole situation was of little consequence. "It's just a minor curse spirit. Though it seems to be hiding at the moment, I'll need a bit of time to draw it out."
Haruno blinked, her confusion deepening. A curse spirit? Wasn't this a murder?
Oko, the eldest son and heir, looked between his father and the monk, his confusion evident. "Father... what is all this about? Why are we involving some... monk? Shouldn't we be calling the authorities to—"
"Silence!" Gan'an snapped, cutting off his son with an authority that brooked no argument.
Oko immediately fell quiet, though the frown on his face remained. His siblings, Un'yo and Kaguya, exchanged glances but said nothing. This wasn't the time to question their father.
Turning back to Geto, Gan'an continued, his voice respectful once more. "Please, Master Geto, we are counting on your expertise."
Geto nodded, unfazed by the family drama unfolding around him. He knelt beside Seiryu's body, closing his eyes as if sensing something unseen by the others. After a moment, he straightened up, a faint smile still on his lips.
"As expected," a voice cut through the silence, drawing their attention. It was Geto, the sorcerer who had been hired by the Shinomiya family. He stood near Seiryu's body, his arms crossed as he assessed the situation. "It's a curse spirit. The curse must be hiding somewhere nearby, though it may take a little time to track it down."
Geto's words carried a hidden meaning he didn't bother to share with the rest of the room. This wasn't just any curse spirit it was something far more powerful. From the traces of energy he felt around Seiryu's corpse, Geto knew it was a special-grade curse spirit, one that was particularly formidable. Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered coming here in person.
Geto Suguru's technique, the Cursed Spirit Manipulation, allowed him to consume and control the power of the spirits he encountered. A special-grade curse spirit like this one would make for an excellent addition to his arsenal. The risk, in his mind, was worth the reward.
"Then I leave it to you, Mr. Geto," Gan'an Shinomiya said with a respectful nod, his tone filled with hope. He clearly trusted the sorcerer to handle this, though the specifics of what was happening seemed beyond his understanding.
Haruno, meanwhile, couldn't help but let out a gasp. "A… curse spirit?"
Her sudden outburst drew the attention of everyone in the room. Haruno's mother, Fumino, quickly shot her a warning glare, her voice low but firm as she scolded her. "Haruno, this is none of our business. Don't involve yourself in the Shinomiya family's matters. You might make things worse."
But Haruno wasn't listening. Her mind was already racing. A curse spirit… That meant this wasn't just some normal crime or accident. This was something otherworldly, something she'd only ever heard about in passing. And while her mother was keen on staying out of it, Haruno had other ideas.
"I have a solution, Mom!" she said, her voice brimming with newfound determination. Without waiting for her mother's permission, she stepped forward.
"Mr Shinomiya," Haruno called out, addressing the patriarch directly. "I may know someone who can help with this problem."
"Oh?" Geto raised an eyebrow, intrigued. A smirk played on his lips, clearly amused by her boldness.
Behind Geto, the twin sisters Nanako and Mimiko, who had been silent up until now, couldn't hold back any longer. "Do you realize what you're saying?" Nanako asked sharply, her tone full of indignation. "Master Geto has already said he can handle it. Are you implying he isn't capable?"
Both sisters were fiercely loyal to Geto Suguru, seeing him as a father figure. Any hint of disrespect toward him, especially from someone they didn't know, was unforgivable.
"Mimiko, Nanako," Geto said, cutting them off with a wave of his hand. His smile never wavered. He was clearly more amused than insulted. "Let her speak. I'm curious to see where this is going."
Gan'an Shinomiya frowned at the interruption. As the head of the Shinomiya family, he had been counting on Geto to solve this crisis. He knew enough about the sorcerer's reputation to trust his abilities, but now, this bold girl from the Yukinoshita family was making things complicated.
"It's fine," Geto reassured him, his eyes still locked on Haruno. "Let her continue."
Haruno swallowed hard, feeling the weight of everyone's gaze. She could feel the pressure mounting but stood firm. "Yes, I know someone who can deal with this. He's… different, but he's capable."
"Interesting," Geto replied, tilting his head slightly. "So, you know a sorcerer? Why don't you call him? Let's see what he's made of."
Haruno nodded quickly, fumbling with her phone. She scrolled through her contacts until she found the number marked with a heart a rather personal label she'd given to Ryuji.
She hesitated for a moment, then pressed the call button.
***
Ryuji had just finished school for the day when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Seeing Haruno's name on the screen, he answered with a smirk. "Haruno, do you miss me already?"
Haruno immediately clamped a hand over her phone, glancing around nervously. Everyone in the room could hear his voice. She could feel her mother's eyes burning holes into her back.
"I need a favor," Haruno whispered urgently, her tone unusually serious.
"Is it something weird? A curse, maybe?" Ryuji asked, cutting straight to the point.
"Yes," Haruno replied, quickly explaining the situation at the Shinomiya estate.
"And… can you handle it?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. Despite knowing how strong Ryuji was, she couldn't help but feel a little anxious. What if this was too much for him?
"Haruno," Ryuji's voice came through the phone, brimming with confidence. "Are you underestimating me? I'm the strongest."
Across the room, Suguru Geto's eyebrows twitched. The strongest? That phrase was all too familiar. But this voice didn't belong to the man he knew—Gojo Satoru.
"You're really something else," Haruno muttered, biting back a smile. Despite herself, she felt her worries melting away, replaced by the usual annoyance and fondness she felt toward him.
"Don't worry. I'll be there soon."
As Ryuji was about to hang up, Haruno stopped him. "Wait! There's one more thing. The Shinomiya family already hired a sorcerer named... Geto Suguru."
"Geto Suguru?" Ryuji paused.
"You know him? Is he strong?" Haruno asked, her curiosity piqued by the sudden change in Ryuji's tone.
"Yeah, I know him. He's strong enough," Ryuji answered. Then, with a smirk, he added, "He's the guy who wants to rid the world of monkeys."
"Monkeys?" Haruno repeated, confused.
The entire Shinomiya family stared at each other in bewilderment. Even Gan'an Shinomiya shot a glance at Geto, silently wondering if this so-called monkey aversion was real. After all, the estate did have a few exotic animals, including some rare breeds of monkeys.
But Geto merely chuckled. "Interesting."
"Alright, I'll be there soon. Hang tight," Ryuji said before ending the call.