The brave Simmel wants to resign

"This is so incredibly painful!!"

The sudden, unannounced earthquake startled Xia Youjie, who was standing next to him.

"W-what happened!?"

“No, how should I put it, I really can’t stand all that red tape…” Simmel scratched her head, her expression conflicted and pained. “My companions and I are usually quite free and easy, so being put in this kind of environment is just…”

The scenery here.

sound.

Even the way people bow, the posture when drinking tea, and the composition of language all have many rules.

It was so unsettling that even Simmel could no longer maintain her facade of being an elder.

"...Well, it's not that I can't understand it."

Xia Youjie took a sip of tea.

"Because of its long history, it is powerful; because it is powerful, it wants to preserve its traditions—but they have not delved into whether those traditions are the source of its power."

"That kind of behavior pattern of giving up thinking is something that not only you and I can't stand, but even Gojo, who comes from one of the three main families, can't stand."

“Yes, yes, yes!” Simmel agreed. “I never imagined that Gojo would come from a family like this…”

"Ah, speaking of which, it's said that Gojo was a super difficult and cold kid when he was young."

"Huh? Really?"

"Really, really, I secretly looked through the photo album when I went to Gojo's house last time."

"Liar..."

Fortunately, there were two people present, and Xia You and Xinmeier immediately started chatting enthusiastically.

However, this relaxation was quickly shattered.

Boom, boom, boom.

A dull thud came from outside the door, and the two turned to look at the source of the sound.

Then, a figure appeared.

He was a middle-aged man.

He was thin, with long, black hair tied into a neat ponytail at the back of his head. His face was etched with deep wrinkles, which did not make him look kind, but rather added a touch of stubbornness and meanness.

The man, dressed in a plain white Japanese kimono with a sword at his waist, sat down opposite Simmel and the other man without saying a word.

silence.

"That's how this guy is."

Simmel couldn't help but whisper to Xia Youjie.

"Who knew the three starter families would be like this?"

Xia Youjie also tilted his head slightly and whispered.

“I heard everything.”

The middle-aged man spoke in a deep voice, and the two 'high school students' sat up straight, pretending to be serious.

"I am Zen Temple Fan, a Level 1 Special Sorcerer."

"Is that so? Where is your family head?" Xia Youjie asked directly, seemingly not liking the guy in front of him and not bothering with formalities.

"...when the Lord is temporarily absent."

"I thought Zen monks would be very particular about etiquette."

“I am qualified to act as the head of the household.”

"I have my doubts."

----------

The atmosphere suddenly shifted from warm to cool towards the man in front of her.

He opened his eyes, his pupils, clearly black and white, seemed to be upside down, and his angry expression appeared.

"Don't be so arrogant, kid."

"Finally showing their true colors?" Simmel, who had been forcing herself to sit upright, complained from the side, but finally changed to sitting cross-legged. Xia Youjie also chimed in, "That's just how the three starter families are."

The Zen temple fan is being raised higher and higher.

"The fact that the higher-ups arbitrarily designated you as a top-level sorcerer was already a violation of the rules."

"The Gojo family is one thing, but how could an outsider, wild sorcerer possibly surpass the ancient, inherited technique—Spirit Manipulation? Although the effect is amazing, it requires the sorcerer's own ability to activate it. Xia Youjie, you only got to this point by relying on Gojo Satoru to subdue spirits." The man in front of him clearly had a deep prejudice against the Gojo family. "Don't be arrogant."

"Want to give it a try?"

Xia Youjie remained unconcerned, keeping his eyes narrowed.

"I can probably beat you even without using any spells."

"You brat!"

The Zen temple fan could no longer tolerate it.

For these privileged classes, dignity is more important than anything else, even surpassing their desire for rights.

Or rather, their pursuit of rights is essentially a pursuit of 'dignity'.

An ancient tradition.

A noble aristocratic family.

They have been instilled with this idea since birth.

Gojo Satoru's departure to Tokyo and Natsuyuki's promotion to Special Grade Sorcerer had caused Tokyo's power to grow too strong, which filled the sorcerers of Kyoto with resentment towards Natsuyuki.

The dissatisfaction with the new spells and with Xia Youjie's stance had long been on the verge of exploding.

Meanwhile, Xia Youjie also suspected that the three starter families might be behind the special-grade cursed spirits he and Xinmeier encountered after arriving in Kyoto, so he deliberately spoke without any mercy.

The two were about to engage in battle.

The Zen monk waved the sword at his waist.

The Japanese sword swept through the air in a semi-circle, slashing towards Xia You's neck at incredible speed.

Of course, he will stop in mid-air, just as a deterrent.

but--

kang!!

The Zen monk's eyes widened.

His knife stopped.

But it wasn't because he deliberately reduced his speed; rather, it was at the moment he reached his peak acceleration—

My hand was grasped.

Simmel, who was originally sitting to the right of Xia You, now stretched out her arm to block Xia You's left side.

His left hand was as steady as a rock, and he held the sharpened blade with only his index finger and thumb.

Then--

"Waaah!"

A tremendous force came from his wrist, and Zen Temple Fan felt dizzy. The next moment, he was flipped over and fell onto the table in front of Xia Youjie and Xinmeier, lying on his back coughing up blood.

The blade spun several times in the air, creating a dazzling display.

The back of the knife spun and adjusted on Simmel's arm, and then, the moment the tip of the knife was pointed at the door.

Simmel pulled her elbow back and pressed her palm against the hilt of her sword.

boom!

The blade shot out with incredible speed, piercing through the wooden curtain door.

The entire curtain structure was destroyed in an instant, and it crashed down with a crash.

Hahahahahaha!!!

Amidst the painful sobs of the Zen temple fan, a hearty laugh rang out.

"We've been discovered! This young man is truly formidable!!"

Hey.

The tall man stepped into the room, shattering the curtains scattered on the ground.

The man's kimono was haphazardly draped over his body, leaving his chest and breasts exposed. Thin ropes were tied to his wrists, connecting them to a gourd-shaped sake bottle. Two small mustaches were spread out to the sides.

“Zen-in Jikkijin, head of the Zen-in family.”

The man winked and made faces.

"Please give me your guidance, both of you."

Chapter 27 Changing to a Larger Cup!

Before the birth of Gojo Satoru, the three starter families maintained a delicate balance.

The Gojo family's "No-Limit Techniques" and "Six Eyes"

The Zen Monastery's Ten Shadow Techniques

Kamo family’s [Red Blood Exercise]

Although their focuses differ, they are all undoubtedly powerful techniques. These family-inherited techniques have allowed them to maintain their family status generation after generation, continuously gather talented individuals, and ensure the continuation of high-quality bloodlines.

Their ancient and decaying foundations have also led most of the members of the three major families to adopt a stern and unconventional approach, paying great attention to formalities and rituals.

However, there are exceptions.

Zen-in Naokijin, the current head of the Zen-in family, is 6 years younger than Rakuganji Yoshinobu, the principal of the Kyoto school.

Spells – “Projection Spells”.