Makima was sitting in the garden, surrounded by plants, seemingly staring at nothing. The wind blew gently, but her mind was completely blank, calm. Suddenly, a stream of cold water poured over her head, drenching her hair and clothes. She looked up to see a watering can emptying over her. Behind her, a maid, with trembling hands and wide eyes, covered her mouth, horrified by what she had just done.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Makima!" the maid exclaimed nervously. "I didn't see you... I didn't realize you were there..."
Makima, still seated, didn't say a word. She just stared at the maid, unmoving. But something dark and oppressive began to fill the atmosphere. The young Zenin's gaze was cold, calculating, and her lips curled into a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Without warning, the maid brought her hands to her throat, beginning to strangle herself. Her face quickly turned blue, and her eyes begged for help as she tried to scream, but no air reached her lungs. She dropped to her knees, convulsing.
Kaori was strolling through the Zenin estate gardens, enjoying the peaceful surroundings, when a strange sound, almost like a muffled gasp, caught her attention. Frowning, she approached the source of the sound, and when she arrived, what she saw left her stunned.
In front of her, one of the clan's maids was kneeling on the ground, strangling herself with her own hands. Her face was blue, and her eyes, bulging, pleaded for help. Facing the scene, her daughter Makima, soaked with water, stood watching the woman's agony with a faint smile on her lips.
"Makima, stop this instant!" Kaori exclaimed, her voice filled with concern and authority.
Makima didn't take her eyes off the maid, but after a few seconds, she slowly turned her face toward her mother. Her eyes, devoid of emotion, stared back at her.
"She got me wet," Makima said, her tone calm but cold. "She, who is just a servant, dared to drench me. The daughter of the clan leader. The future leader."
Kaori shuddered. Not because of the words themselves, but because of what they revealed about her daughter's mind. She had never imagined Makima thought this way, or that she was capable of such cruelty.
"I told you to stop, or you will face severe punishment!" Kaori warned, her voice firm.
For a moment, mother and daughter locked eyes in tense silence. Then, suddenly, the maid released her throat and collapsed onto the ground, gasping and coughing, struggling to catch her breath as her face slowly returned to its normal color.
Makima stood up calmly, her expression unchanged.
"I don't want to see that thing near me again," she said as she slowly walked away.
Kaori stood watching her daughter, feeling deeply concerned about the personality Makima was developing. She knew the girl had inherited a great deal of power and ambition, but something in her seemed to be taking a dangerous turn, one that Kaori wasn't sure she could stop.
Makima walked with firm, determined steps toward the dojo. She still felt the tension in her chest, that knot she couldn't untie. She didn't fully understand the sensation that dominated her, but she knew she needed to release it. Upon entering the dojo, the echo of blows reverberated off the walls. Inside, Maki was training, while Mai sat to the side, breathing deeply, taking a break.
When the cousins saw Makima enter, both stopped. Maki lowered her guard, surprised, and Mai, who was calmer, slightly bowed her head.
"We were just about to leave," Maki said in a neutral voice, though a slight unease showed on her face.
Mai stood up quickly, ready to leave, but before Maki could take another step out of the dojo, she felt a brutal blow to her stomach. The air was knocked out of her lungs, and her body flew backward, crashing violently against the wall. As she struggled to catch her breath and process what had just happened, she looked up and saw a cursed chain emanating from Makima's body, glowing with dark energy.
Maki got up with difficulty, gasping, but before she could even react, Makima clasped her hands together, and several more chains appeared around her. Maki's eyes widened, her body began to sweat, and her instincts screamed that Makima's intentions weren't good. Mai, off to the side, watched the scene, her face paralyzed with fear. Her cousin's eyes showed no mercy, not even a trace of compassion.
"Makima, stop!" Maki shouted, but her words had no effect.
Suddenly, the chains lunged toward Maki with terrifying force. Maki tried to resist, blocking the blows as best as she could, but the chains were too fast, too strong. Each impact resonated through her body, making her scream in pain. Her skin was bruised, the pain unbearable, and soon her resistance crumbled. Maki fell to her knees, gasping, barely aware of what was happening around her.
Mai, who had been frozen until that moment, began to cry. Tears streamed down her face as she watched her older sister, always so strong, being brutally beaten without being able to do anything to stop it. Helplessness and fear consumed her.
"Please... stop, Makima... please," Mai murmured through her sobs, but her voice was a mere whisper in the storm of violence.
Finally, the chains ceased their attack. Maki lay on the ground, covered in wounds, barely conscious. Her muscles trembled from the effort, and her breathing was weak. Makima looked down at her cousin, her expression cold, without a trace of remorse.
"It's not enough," Makima muttered, emotionless. Then, her gaze shifted to Mai.
Mai instinctively backed away, paralyzed with fear. Her lips trembled, and she could barely utter words between her sobs.
"No... no... please, Makima..." Mai begged, her voice a desperate whisper.
Makima said nothing. She clasped her hands once more, and the chains shot toward Mai, advancing at full speed. Mai closed her eyes, bracing for impact. But the chains stopped, just inches from her face.
"Makima, Mom is looking for you," said a firm, calm voice.
It was Naoya, who had entered unnoticed. He stood, watching the scene with a raised eyebrow, as if it were nothing more than a triviality. The cursed chains vanished into the air, and Makima slowly turned toward her brother.
"I'm coming," she said, emotionless, not bothering to glance back at her cousins.
As Makima left the dojo, Mai collapsed to the ground, hugging her legs, trembling with fear and relief at the same time. Maki, still on the floor, could only watch with half-closed eyes, struggling to stay conscious, but unable to move. Both cousins were traumatized by what had just happened, unable to understand how their cousin, who shared their blood, could treat them so cruelly.
Naoya, showing little concern, glanced at his cousins for a moment longer, then turned and followed his sister, leaving the dojo in complete silence, save for Mai's soft sobs and Maki's ragged breathing.