Chapter 193 – Suspicion blooming...
Ren walked inside the building he hadn't stepped foot in for months—it felt like years had passed since the last time. The familiar scent of the hallway stirred something strange in him, but he brushed it aside. He pressed the elevator button, waited in silence, and when the doors opened, he stepped in. The ride up was quiet, and when the elevator chimed at his floor, Ren walked out, his steps steady.
He stopped at the apartment door, knocking once. It opened almost immediately.
Ogami stood there, bowing low, her tone reverent.
"It's nice to see you once again, Master."
Ren gave her a small nod and walked in, closing the door behind him. His eyes went to the couch, where Mei Mei sat with her legs crossed, gaze sharp as always. Without hesitation, Ren sat down beside her.
"Ogami," he said calmly, "come here and give me the curse I gave you."
Ogami obeyed instantly, producing the small orb with both hands. Ren took it from her, smiling faintly, and let it fall. The Worm hit the ground—and then slipped seamlessly into his shadow, disappearing from sight.
Both women froze. Mei Mei's eyes narrowed, her thoughts racing. "Did it just disappear? No… it sank into his shadow and then vanished? What the hell was that?"
Ogami, on the other hand, was almost awed. "How magical… Is that a cursed technique? Or a natural trait of Master? It reminds me of the Zenin clan's Ten Shadows, but… different."
Ren leaned back, speaking evenly.
"Well, I have work to do. But before that, I'd like to clear things up—just to make sure everyone's on the same boat."
Mei Mei cut in without a second of hesitation.
"How much damage did you truly take in Congo? And are you even okay now?"
Ren paused, his eyes flicking toward Ogami. "Hmm. Did Ogami tell her about my condition? Well, it does sound terrifying when phrased like that, but it's not nearly as bad. My body was damaged, yes, but most of it was healed thanks to Shoko. The real issue is my soul—it's unstable from using Project Rebirth. But even that is temporary. My soul isn't broken, just shaken… like water sloshing in a cup. Let it rest, and it calms."
Out loud, he said, "Yes, I was badly hurt. But right now, I'm fine—about eighty-nine percent fixed. Just burnt out, nothing serious."
Ogami's voice broke the air next, cutting straight through.
"What about your soul, Master?"
Mei Mei stiffened, her eyes darting between them. She hadn't known anything about soul damage.
Ren waved a hand, his tone easy.
"Yes, yes, even that is fine, Ogami. Now, if you don't have any more questions, I'll need to use the bedroom for a while. Alone."
He started to rise—but both women stood at the same time. Mei Mei's voice snapped first.
"Not so fast!"
And Ogami added sharply, "Master… what is your relationship with Maki?"
Ren blinked, stunned. "What the hell? I thought Mei Mei would press about my soul, but no… Both of them are more interested in me and Maki than anything else. Hah… fine. It shouldn't hurt to give them a little piece of the plan."
He spoke with casual calm.
"Maki? Well, she has potential. It's good to make friends with people who have potential."
Mei Mei's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean, potential? Maki is grade 4 at best. She has almost no cursed energy. How can someone like that have potential? Are you lying to us, Ren?"
Ogami nodded in agreement, her gaze firm.
Ren's thoughts sharpened. "Wait a second. Are they ganging up on me? Makes sense, though—everyone thinks Maki is weak. No one knows it's her twin sister dragging her down. Once that's gone, the monster inside Maki will awaken… but that's still far away."
His voice stayed calm and steady.
"I believe Maki could become a special grade one day. Stronger than both of you."
The silence that followed was deafening. Both Mei Mei and Ogami stared at him, disbelief painted across their faces.
Ogami spoke first, her tone softened into obedience.
"Understood, Master. We shall not take any more of your time."
Mei Mei opened her mouth, ready to argue—but Ogami's sharp side-eye shut her down.
Ren, unaware of their earlier tension, simply walked to the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
The room was heavy with silence until Mei Mei hissed under her breath.
"Why did you just let him go? Shouldn't we press him harder about Maki? Don't tell me you actually believe a college girl could surpass both you and me!"
Ogami exhaled slowly before answering.
"No. I don't believe that on my own. But I believe in Ren. Simple as that. We are the proof of his ability to spot talent. He could have killed either of us, yet he didn't. Instead, he made us work for him. He must have seen something in us. So if he says Maki has potential… I don't doubt he sees something in her too."
Mei Mei grunted, sinking back into the couch. Her mind stormed with irritation.
"Do you have any idea how that curse disappeared into his shadow?"
Ogami shook her head, her expression tightening. Then her tone turned darker, sharper.
"But tell me this—why does Master only see something in females?"
Mei Mei's eyes narrowed to slits, suspicion blooming.
End of Chapter 193