The air hung heavy in the dimly lit room, where paper lanterns cast long, dancing shadows on the tatami floor. The scent of incense, usually a comfort, felt oppressive tonight. A low table held a single flickering candle, its flame reflected in the cold, calculating eyes of Lord Kuroshiro.
His children knelt before him in seiza-dachi, their heads bowed in feigned submission. Seven shadows, each darker than the last, mirrored the darkness in their father's soul. He looked at them with a mix of contempt and indifference, disappointment clinging to him like a shroud.
"You disappoint me," he rasped, his voice like a dry leaf scraping across stone. "Each of you is a pale imitation of the legacy of the Kuroshiro clan."
Shinjai, the lord of the Kuroshiro clan, had walked the same bloody path as them, but to him, they all fell short. He believed they were supposed to surpass him if one were to inherit his title.
The Kuroshiro clan, a shinobi clan also known as the Ghosts of the East, was secretive and hard to locate. Throughout history, this powerful clan had pulled the strings behind the scenes, acting as a pivotal force in the annals of history. Clans had fallen by their hands, and legacies long forgotten were their doing.
Because the clan was so powerful, it had a unique tradition. Unlike other clans that relied on succession, this one relied on strength to lead. The patriarchs would marry many wives to produce many children, who would then fight and kill each other for the title of patriarch. It was a brutal system-kill or be killed.
To maintain control over hidden clans and those that worked in the shadows, the Kuroshiro clan would marry off their daughters to these clans without revealing their true origins.
The current patriarch, Shinjai Kuroshiro, had fathered twenty-five male heirs, and through bloodshed, only seven remained. Among these seven, Shinjai had his eyes on one with great potential.
Shinjai heaved steady breaths as he looked at his remaining children with a ruthless gaze. To him, they were disposable. If none satisfied him, he could kill them all and father more-he was still young.
His gaze settled on his most promising child, Reiji Kuroshiro, a handsome boy with unsettling purple eyes. "A shame he constantly shows mercy," Shinjai thought, gripping his katana tightly. A clenching sound echoed through the room.
The room was silent and tense; to the children, it felt as though their heads could be cut down at any moment.
"Is this how you greet your children after not seeing them for nine years, Father?" Aido spoke up, always the fearless one, too bold for his own good. Reiji and the others were surprised he was still breathing, considering how rash he was. "But honestly, if we are pale imitations of this clan, then what were you? I wonder, Father, do you really think you were better than us, or more?" Aido's crazed smile taunted his father's authority.
"It seems Aido is still the same, perhaps even more reckless," Nagisa thought, his blue eyes drifting toward Reiji with concern. "But even he must know who the true threat is."
Shinjai's mouth curled into a smile that was anything but reassuring. "So, do you think you are enough to face me, Aido? All of you are merely tools of the Kuroshiro clan-cogs in the machine. Nothing more." His voice dropped to a chilling whisper as he raised his hand, opening his clenched fist.
A gust of air rushed toward Aido with impeccable speed, sending items in the room into chaos as a suffocating pressure bore down on him and the others.
Aido's pupils shrank to the size of a needle, but beneath his serious expression was a look of satisfaction.
The other children were startled, immediately dashing to the corners of the room, clinging to the ceiling in an impossible fashion for normal human beings.
"What is Aido trying to do?" Nagisa wondered as he observed, as usual. His eyes drifted toward Reiji, who, to his shock, remained still, seated with that same unsettling calm. It made Nagisa's nerves jittery-he knew how dangerous Reiji was, having witnessed it firsthand.
Aido took a deep breath as the fast-approaching wind neared him. He waved his hand, redirecting the attack toward Reiji.
Reiji had always been quiet, calm, and known as the best product the Kuroshiro clan might have produced, despite having the highest kill count among the siblings .
Authors Note: At the beginning they were 25 siblings, please keep that in Mind.
This made him a significant threat to the rest. If worst came to worst, the siblings might cooperate just to kill Reiji, knowing he would guarantee their deaths. Despite Aido's impulsive behavior, it was clear he wanted to take out Reiji, counting on Reiji to fall for his ploy.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Aido had been practicing deflecting such attacks and had used up most of his Yuan in the process.
"As always, your schemes are so plain," Reiji whispered, his words almost inaudible. He remained still as the screeching wind crashed against his body, but to everyone's astonishment, nothing happened.
Aido's pupils dilated in disbelief. This was not what he had expected. All his work had been for nothing.
The others stared at Reiji in shock. Considering the attack had been deflected and sent hurtling toward him, it should have still retained about 60% of its strength. Even though Shinjai had not used his full power-otherwise, Aido wouldn't have been able to deflect it-such an attack could have killed Aido had it hit him directly. Yet, Reiji not only saw through Aido's scheme, but he also emerged unscathed. At most, they expected him to be injured, but this was simply unbelievable.
Nagisa frowned, feeling an overwhelming urge to attack Reiji then and there. His life was under serious threat, and he didn't like it one bit.
"He's gotten stronger, huh? Well, well! This is certainly exciting!" Aido thought, his smile turning maniacal.