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After finishing their cursed tool shopping, the grandfather–grandson duo went out for sushi at Kagenori's suggestion. However, after witnessing Naoya's true power, Kagenori silently realised that if he made a habit of treating his grandson to meals, his personal funds might soon be in danger.
Later that night, once Naoya was alone in his room, he took out the [Inverted Spear of Heaven] and decided to experiment with it for a while. The cursed tool was something more than what meets the eye.
He checked the weapon from top to bottom, trying to find a clue that might help him.
He used his [Ten Shadows Technique] and the shadow below him turned even darker.
He then tried to put the cursed tool inside once again, and just like before, the moment the blade touched the shadow, his cursed technique got cancelled.
"It is a passive ability of the spear, I guess," muttered Naoya, and tried to put the spear back once again, but this time he immersed the handle first, and the handle successfully started going inside, only to fail the moment the blade touched his shadow.
"The passive ability resides in the blade only," noted Naoya.
He tried the same with the spear mode, and the results remained the same.
He then summoned his shikigami from his shadows.
"See this, guys!!! I got a special grade cursed tool!!!" exclaimed Naoya.
The shikigami replied in excitement, congratulating their master.
"The cursed tool seems to have a special ability. I want to test it. Would you guys help me?" asked Naoya.
The shikigami nodded in affirmation.
"Great, first of all. Maou, bring out one of your soldiers."
The rabbit shikigami nodded, and a rabbit jumped out of its body
The new rabbit hopped towards Naoya and saluted him.
Naoya saluted back and poked the rabbit with his spear.
The rabbit was still present and looked at the spear curiously.
"So it doesn't cancel you guys. I will lightly stab you. Sorry in advance," said Naoya and stabbed the rabbit's leg.
The rabbit still didn't vanish.
"Hm? Looks like you guys won't vanish when stabbed. Alright, try to go boom," said Naoya and readied his shadow to pull the rabbit back in if he explodes.
He didn't want to destroy his room.
The rabbit soldier nodded and tried to use its cursed technique to explode.
However, no matter how much time passed, the rabbit didn't explode.
Naoya nodded and slowly retracted the spear from the rabbit's body.
The rabbit tried again, and this time its body began to expand.
Not even thinking twice, Naoya sent the rabbit into his shadow, where the rabbit exploded.
"Hm? This spear seems to cancel the activation of cursed techniques. Senzu, try to use your reversed cursed technique."
Noaya touched the deer with the spear, but the healing worked just fine. He then lightly stabbed Senzu.
The healing still worked just fine.
"I guess, reversed cursed technique is not affected as well....so is it just activation of cursed techniques and active cursed technique cancellation?" muttered Naoya.
Naoya wanted to check the spear a bit more, but the other cursed techniques of his shikgami were not something that could be tested in the room.
Naoya looked at the spear and held it from the blade side, and tried to activate his [Projection sorcery], but the technique didn't activate.
He then grabbed it with the handle once again and used his [Projection Sorcery] that worked perfectly this time, and while in motion, he grabbed it from the blade end, and immediately, his technique came to a stop.
"So, it is strictly limited to cursed techniques, using cursed energy reinforcement and reversed cursed techniques still work just fine even when stabbed," muttered Naoya.
'...Wait, does that mean it can bypass Satoru's [Limitless]?' thought Naoya in astonishment.
Theoretically, it should be possible since any active technique that was cancelled when struck by the blade was cancelled immediately. Satoru's limitless was also an active technique, so it should cancel that as well.
Naoya looked at the blade intently.
'...I picked something far more amazing than anything I could have expected.' thought Naoya.
He experimented with it for a while and finally found a way to store the spear in his shadow.
It was a simple method, too. Cover the blade part with a cloth, wrap it tightly, and voila, the blade didn't come in contact with the shadow and doesn't cancel it.
He will get a proper sheath for the blade later, but for now, this makeshift method worked.
He would not leave such a precious thing sit openly, ready to be stolen by bad men.
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The next day, after he was done training, he headed to have breakfast with his father.
However, to his surprise, Kagenori was present there as well.
The two men were sitting in front of each other, both reading a newspaper.
'Such a great bonding session,' thought Naoya and rolled his eyes at the scene.
"Good morning, Father, Grandpa," greeted Naoya and took his seat as well.
"Hm," responded Naobito.
"Good morning," replied Kagenori.
"So how's the cursed tool?" asked Kagenori.
"It's amazing. It will take some time to master form shifting during a fight, but it's a great weapon," replied Naoya with a smile.
Kagenori smiled in satisfaction. Seeing his gift being appreciated so much made him happy.
Naobito looked at Kagrnori's smile and narrowed his eyes. He couldn't grasp what the old man was planning.
"What did the clan head get for you?" asked Naobito.
"No father. You should call him Father as well. Clan Head seems too distant," said Naoya.
He tried to bridge the gap between the two.
"That's disrespectful. You too should call him clan head," responded Naobito in disapproval.
Kagenori's expression didn't change, but he still felt a bit sad.
"I mean, you can be respectful to him by calling him father as well, right? In a private setting, wouldn't father be more respectful? I call you father, too, right? I am a very respectful boy. Should I call you Hei leader from now on?" asked Naoya 'innocently'.
Naobito frowned and wanted to say it was fine to call him 'Hei Leader' if he wanted to.
However, he stopped and tried imagining it.....he didn't like that.
"...Alright, I will call him father in private settings from now on.... Is that alright?" asked Naobito and turned towards Kagenori.
Kagenori looked away.
"D-Do as you wish. I am your father, so I don't think there is any issue with that," said Kagenori.
Naoya cringed at the sight of the tsundere old man and drank the miso soup to freshen his mood.
Naobito looked at his father and didn't know what to say. Looks like the old man was starting to go senile.
"So? What did father get you?" asked Naobito.
Kagenori's lips twitched at those words. It had been too long since he heard those words.
"Grandpa got me a special grade Spear/ Short sword. It can switch between the two," answered Naoya and puffed his chest in pride.
Naobito's eyes widened, a special grade for a 10-year-old kid. The old man was being too generous.
"I registered it under his name. The clansmen won't have a claim over it, too," added Kagenori.
Naobito got even more surprised. A personal Special Grade cursed tool for his son.
"Aren't you favouring him too much?" asked Naobito.
"He's my grandson. What's wrong with doting a bit on him?"
"He already lacks discipline, don't make it worse."
"He might be unconventional for a Zenin, but he is a good kid."
Naobito looked speechless at that.
His gaze then fell on Naoya, who just smirked back.
'Father is favouring this undisciplined brat?!' thought Naobito.
Naobito didn't know what to think anymore and decided to focus on his tea.
"Grandpa's super nice. He took me out to have sushi, too. Let's all go together next time," suggested Naoya and winked at Kagenori.
He brought up an opportunity; now it was up to the old man.
Kagenori felt conflicted, on one hand, his grandson made an opportunity for him, on the other hand, the opportunity included taking Naoya out for a meal again.
'...Let's go to a buffet next time.'
"Sure, let's go out this weekend," said Kagenori.
"We have a meeting this weekend," reminded Naobito.
Kagenori nodded and looked behind him.
"Shift the meeting to Friday. Inform the other clansmen," ordered Kagenori and looked back at Naobito and then smirked.
Naobito's brows twitched.
The clan head was acting too differently. He looked at his son, who was now simply enjoying the food, unbothered by his father's gaze.
'Is it him that's rubbing off on father?' thought Naobito.
Once the lively breakfast was over, surprising for a Zenin family, Naoya went back to his room and changed into his uniform.
Once done, he headed to the clan's gate and spotted his father and grandfather standing there as well.
Naoya approached them and took his lunch from the servants.
"Thank you," replied Naoya and started to walk out of the clan compound.
The servant gave a nod and stood back once again.
"Well then, I will get going now. Bye," said Naoya.
"I will drop you," said Kagenori and walked out as well.
"What is happening here?!" asked Naobito in a slightly loud tone. He was not able to take it anymore.
Naoya shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to say.
"I am dropping him. It lets me get some steps as well. I am not getting any younger; I need to stay active," replied Kagenori with a straight face.
Naobito looked at his father. He wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words.
"Let's go, Naoya. You will be late if we stay here because of this brat," said Kagenori and gave a pat on Naoya's back.
Naoya nodded and joined his grandfather, and walked away.
Naobito looked at their retreating figures for a while and then massaged his forehead.
Something was going on, but he just couldn't prove what it was.
Naoya was acting like usual, but for some reason, his father was acting like his son, too.
'...I need more information.' thought Naobito and used his cursed technique and launched out of the clan compound as well and joined the two of them.
"Hm? Father?"
"What do you want?" asked Kagenori.
"I will tag along as well," said Naobito.
"Huh?" muttered Naoya in disbelief.
"Don't you have clan duties? I know that it is currently your turn as the acting clan head," said Kagenori.
"I can do that later. Right now, I will be tagging along," said Naobito.
'And keep an eye on you,' thought Naobito and stared at Kagenori.
Kagenori shrugged his shoulders but smirked internally. His plan to rile up his son worked perfectly.
Naoya looked at the two old men behind him and simply smiled.
It was the first time he and his father were doing something family-like.
'It's kinda nice~' thought Naoya as they continued towards the school.
'It's kinda nice~' thought Kagenori, enjoying the company of his son and grandson.
'...What is this nice atmosphere...' thought Naobito as he glanced at his father and son.
He continued to stare suspiciously at his father before he dropped it.
'It's kinda nice...' thought Naobito, remembering one of his childhood days when his father took him and Ogi to a beach once.
The three Zenins didn't say anything, just walked contentedly.