Mai was concerned about how Luke’s missions had been going and couldn’t help complaining,
“Is pushing yourselves just something older siblings are born to do? You keep taking on things so difficult that you might not finish them even after getting covered in injuries. I really don’t understand what you’re trying so hard for…”
Mai clearly disapproved of all the dangerous missions Luke had taken over the past five months in pursuit of greater strength, many of which had left him seriously injured.
Luke raised an eyebrow.
“Whether it’s an older brother or an older sister, we’re simply supposed to walk ahead of our younger siblings. That way, they can safely watch the path we’re taking.”
Seeing Mai’s confused expression, Luke smiled.
“If my persistence and effort can help you even a little, then I’ll be happy.”
He placed a hand over his chest.
After staring blankly for a moment, Mai bit her lower lip and snorted.
“Hmph. Who needs that kind of help? Every one of you overestimates yourselves. If you’d just give up those unrealistic fantasies, you could live peacefully…”
She turned her head, leaving Luke with only a view of her ear.
But where he couldn’t see it, the corner of her mouth curved slightly upward.
Just then, an unpleasant voice interrupted them.
“Luke, no wonder you’ve become so weak. So it’s because you’ve been hanging around this useless woman since you were kids.”
That familiar, irritating voice.
Luke looked toward it and, sure enough, saw Naoya Zenin.
His expression immediately turned cold.
Mai’s face changed as well.
Among their peers, the one who had bullied, humiliated, and tormented Mai and Maki the most since childhood was Naoya.
He regarded the sisters as nothing more than tools for reproduction who had no right to possess wills of their own.
Mai’s expression instantly became extremely ugly.
Luke’s gaze grew even colder.
Naoya sneered,
“What’s with that look? You’re a failure who can’t even keep his Grade 1 Sorcerer title. You inherited the Zenin clan’s most valuable Ten Shadows Technique, yet you don’t have the ability to live up to it. You’re a disgrace to the clan.”
There was an unmistakable trace of jealousy beneath his vicious mockery.
Part of it came from the importance clan head Naobito Zenin placed on Luke.
More importantly, the inheritor of the Ten Shadows Technique held first priority in the Zenin clan’s succession.
Naoya didn’t possess the Ten Shadows Technique.
Even though he was the current clan head’s son, as long as Luke stood ahead of him, the position of clan head wouldn’t fall to him.
Naoya had resented Luke for years because of it.
Now that Luke had finally fallen from grace, there was no way Naoya would miss the chance to ridicule him.
“The weak should know their place. Don’t you even have the most basic sense of shame anymore? If I were you, I’d find a rope and hang myself to apologize.”
Naoya attacked him with the most vicious words he could think of.
Behind Luke, Mai trembled with anger.
A contemptuous smile remained on Naoya’s face.
By this point, Luke was actually amused by how angry he had become.
“You said it yourself. The weak should know enough to kill themselves. Then let’s have a jujutsu duel and see which one of us should be apologizing.”
Luke raised his fist, ominous cursed energy burning around it.
Naoya’s expression changed.
“Have you lost your mind? Someone like you still dares to talk that big?”
He looked Luke over suspiciously.
It wasn’t fear.
Among Grade 1 Sorcerers, Naoya was one of the stronger fighters in the middle-to-upper tier.
He was simply surprised that Luke, who was normally calm and composed, had suddenly exploded like this.
Especially when Luke currently couldn’t even reliably exorcise a Grade 1 cursed spirit.
What gave him the confidence to challenge a powerful Grade 1 Sorcerer like Naoya?
Could there be something—
Before Naoya could think any further, Luke gave a cold laugh.
“Heh. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of me.”
Seeing the contemptuous provocation on Luke’s face, Naoya immediately clenched his fists, but still didn’t dare accept outright.
After all, according to the Zenin clan’s rules, Luke was still first in line to inherit the clan.
And the old clan head was still there to keep everything under control.
If Naoya openly attacked the heir, then…
Naoya gritted his teeth.
Then Luke casually threw out another taunt, one that pierced straight into him.
“How ugly. You obviously want to kill me right now, yet you still have to pretend to restrain yourself. After all these years, Naoya Zenin, you’re still living this pathetically.”
Crack.
Naoya almost shattered his molars from how hard he clenched his jaw.
Veins bulged across his neck.
Luke’s smile grew wider as he deliberately sighed in pity.
“Your expression right now is hilarious. You’re furious, but you don’t dare do anything.”
Then, before Naoya could completely lose control, Luke folded his arms and abruptly turned serious.
“I’ll give you a chance to settle this through strength. We’ll make a Binding Vow. The winner gains priority in the succession to clan head. The loser gives up all rights to inherit the position.”
The air instantly froze.
Naoya’s eyes widened, his voice filled with shock and disbelief.
“You… you actually want to make that kind of Binding Vow?!”
Luke remained calm.
“Accept or refuse. Don’t tell me you don’t even have that much nerve.”
Naoya’s expression shifted repeatedly between fury, desire, caution, and hesitation.
He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his chest rising and falling heavily.
His voice came out low and tense.
“You’re the one who proposed this. Then don’t blame me…”
The desire in Naoya’s voice was almost impossible to suppress.
Luke likewise had difficulty keeping the smile from his face.
Naoya had taken the bait exactly as expected.
But Mai hurriedly spoke from behind Luke.
“Hey, don’t do anything reckless! He’s Naoya Zenin. He’s a very strong Grade 1 Sorcerer. You’ll—”
“Shut up!”
Naoya’s roar cut off her warning.
He glanced coldly at Mai.
“You damn woman. You have no right to interfere in matters of clan succession.”
His tone was vicious.
Mai’s expression darkened, but she still argued back.
“If this concerns the clan’s line of succession, then the clan head should be the one to decide it, not the two of you fighting privately.”
She was far weaker than Naoya.
Mai knew very well that if she brought Naobito into this, his favoritism toward Luke would immediately put an end to the conflict.
Naoya understood that just as clearly.
The moment he heard Mai planning to call the clan head, he became anxious and threatened her viciously.
“You damn woman, if you dare go find that old—”
Before he could finish, Luke waved a hand and interrupted him.
“There’s no need to bother the old man. If I can’t even suppress dissatisfaction within my own clan, then I really don’t deserve to hold the highest priority in the succession.”
With no intention of relying on outside help, Luke directly extended his hand.
“Come on. We’ll make the Binding Vow and prove everything through the duel.”
Seeing Luke act so decisively, Naoya’s face lit up with delight.
As though afraid Luke might change his mind, he immediately agreed.
“Fine. The Binding Vow is established!”
It really helps the fic grow!