Chap 154: Megumi’s first fight
Appearing in the middle of the Japan Sea line, the huge shadow of Shin dropped in a splash of ocean water.
"Okay, this is the closest I can place you, so until I call, just lay low." Since Takumi can't put Shin in his inventory. He ordered her to stay hidden underwater. "Does she even understand me ? Hmmm, go lie flat on the ocean floor until I call you."
Shin didn't reply or give him any indication that she understood, she just did. Slowly sinking under the water while Takumi summons Nue.
"Now, let's go home." Summoning Nue, Takumi and his clones fly back to Takumi's house.
"That's strange...." he can sense them, special grade curse spirits. So many of them, too, and were able to roam freely in broad daylight.
'What is going on?' One of the clones jumped off, and the other one went online to search for information.
"They-WHAT!?" Not only was the government of the globe on the verge of a nuclear war, but curse spirits are racking up trouble on a planetary scale.
Fortunately, the Japanese government didn't do anything stupid, like giving false information that could send people into panic mode.
Out of the three clans, his was the one doing all the hard lifting of the job, being the protector. The Kamo and Gojo are also helping, but they don't have the same number advantage as him, stuck being the cleanup and working on a smaller scale. Which is causing some sour mood between the clans.
'Gone for a few days and this world has gone to shit.' Since his absent, the clan can be run by Naobita just fine.
He can let her handle the affair between clans, but sending a second-in-command as an envoy might be a bad move. So she probably won't be able to clear the air just yet, Takumi has to think about this meeting later.
Hoping down to his house, Takumi inwardly thanks his luck, which is also his mom, and himself for thinking about setting up a barrier in advance.
A lot has changed, like him being seen by everyone now that curse energy is so widely spread.
The people and places are largely the same as when he came down; most folks are wearing amulets and talismans now. Object of superstition that the normal wont usually wear, not to mention wearing it so openly.
"Oh-Woah!" Takumi's hand was pulled inside even before he cab reach the knob of the door.
"You're back! Ohhhhh I miss you so much, my beloved!" Toji squealed, hugging him tightly.
Takumi's face was smoothed by a soft pair of breasts. Tojiko could no longer keep herself distant from her beloved; her hands grabbed him by his hips as her face was buried into Takumi's long ponytail hair, inhaling the fragrance, and sating the craving of love she desired.
"I was just out for a day."
"No, you were out for two, and it was so longggggg."
"Papa! You're home!" Megumi came down the stairs and greeted him, she was practically jumping with joy. Climbing up his arm like a bear, all the way till she is atop his head.
"Hey hon, how's school?"
"I haven't been to school at all." She let out a giggle as she answered him.
“Th—krrshh… skoo—b’n lohk—d’n… ssince ’n—’nounce… crrse en—g—” Tojiko spoke, her voice muffled by his hair.
"What?" Takumi said, trying to push her head out and failing as she just won't budge.
"Mom said, "All schools have been on lockdown since announcement of curse energy.""
'Man, this is the pandemic all over again?' Housing his thought for later, Takumi wormed his way out of his wife and daughter.
"Then, where did you learn?"
"Mom said you can homeschool me."
Takumi's eyes shot back to the woman who expressed no sense of guilt or remorse. In other words, Tojiko was being a bad parent.
Takumi positioned himself on the chair, sitting down, and let out a long sigh.
"Díd i miss anything else while I was gone?"
"Uhh, we went to see my family's household. That was fun."
A day earlier-at the Zennin Estate.
"This?" Naoya scoffed, "This is the next clan head?" Irritation was obviously shown on her face.
Seeing Megumi, Naoya wasn' sure what to expect. But definitely not this, a union between a ten shadows user and a heavenly restriction. It sounded so crazy in her mind.
Looking down in disappointment at Megumi, the older zennin was not sure whether she wanted to laugh or be angry.
"You're not even that strong, for real, are you even the child of our clan?" Those words she came to regret almost immediately as the eyes of Tojiko would bore down on her.
"What did you just say?"
"Now now, let's not get too serious with the kids." Naobita came around just a second away, Naoya in her clutches.
Where the girl once stood, a hole was now left. Tojiko dragged her feet out of it. "That's so?" Tojiko said, leg still smoking from the impact.
"Child, get over here."
"Yes, Mom."
"You see that punk over there?" Lowering herself to Megumi's ear, she spoke to her. "You're gonna fight that kid."
"So....what happened?" Takumi asked, the sudden pause of his wife left him worried.
Not for them, for the Naoya kid who has to go against his daughter.
"You didn't kill them did you?" He turns to Megumi for an answer, all he got was a sparkling smile and a "I won!" Said so innocently came from her.
The fight winner was, to be expected, Megumi.
No one in the clan doubted that, with a pair of parents like Takumi and Tojiko, it was the natural outcome. Even Naobita didn't see her own daughter coming out standing, she was right.
Naoya stared at Megumi, her gaze filled with growing hostility.
The air warped as Naoya Zenin moved.
To anyone else, she has vanished, space snapping forward in rigid frames as Projection Sorcery forced the world to obey her tempo.
She ran in circles around Megumi, a sneer forming on her face.
"What's the matter, too fast for ya?" She said mockingly, "How about now?" Appearing just behind Megumi, Naoya was bout to deliver a punch when.
*Bam*
Unexpectedly, something caught her leg. Then came blood, spewing straight out of her gut.
Naoya reacted by flashing away, Megumi disappeared at the same time as her. Shocking everyone who watched, except for Tojiko.
"Divine dogs." Shadow clung to Megumi's feet like a pair of shoes.
Not just her senses but reaction time was increased drastically, Megumi with two clawed hands swiped to her right, and Naoya fell back coughing as another slash appeared on her shoulder.
"Mother told me, a good sorceress would rely on their technique and their own strength." She smirked, "I guess you're not a good sorceress then."
"You fucking bitch!" She roared.
Movement of the two of them became a blur, clashing sparks on invisible air.
Naoya gritted her teeth and charged in, her fists were much faster than the little brat that she was fighting.
The problem is her reaction; she moved before Naoya could come close to land and deliver meaningful blows.
Megumi, all she needed was to draw this out; the more Naoya attacked, the more times she slipped up.
Taking a punch or two was fine with Megumi, she got some anger that needed to be released anyway.
*Bam* *bam* *Bam* *bam* *Bam* *bam* *Bam* *bam* *Bam* *bam* *Bam* *bam*
Megumi's guard was hit by over a dozen fists, all in one moving second. Another dozen jabs went by her hand and whipped Megumi's head around like a doll, blood trickling from a split lip. She didn't let down her guard and continued to defend.
"Tired yet?" She wooshed to her side, ready to deal the final blow. "I'll teach you-!" She hiccuped, and blood trailed from her mouth.
*splugh!*
Vomiting, she looked down, where two wolves caught her legs. Their fang digs deep into her thigh.
Naoya didn't get a chance to use projection sorcery again, Megumi hit her in the chest with the meanest punch possible. And it was possible, as a flash of black exploded on Naoya.
Her body went flying through the air, hitting the ground, kicking up a curtaint of dust, ending with her lying down on her face.