[Author note: Sorry for not posting for a while.
Important note: the protagonist's technique is now called Chiral Manipulation, not Chiral Reversal. ]
Two months passed quietly.
Most of it was spent learning the limits of my own mind—how much information my eyes could process, how far I could push perception before it became a strain instead of advantage. By the time the internal tournament was announced, I had a clear understanding of where that line was.
The tournament itself was simple: an in-clan bracket to evaluate the younger generation. No ceremony. Just a marked training ground, a referee, and the rest of the clan watching from the edges.
My match was first.
Tomogui's voice surfaced in my head as we waited near the ring.
*Daichi Kamo. Fifteen years old. Decent cursed energy control. He exorcised a third grade cursed spirit last year.*
Across from me, Daichi rolled his shoulders and gave me a confident look.
"So you're Futago," he said. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Have you?"
"Yeah. You're the one who cleared Stage One on your first evaluation, right? People still bring that up." He cracked his knuckles. "Don't take it personally if I knock you out."
I gave a small nod.
"Do your best."
The referee raised his hand.
"Begin!"
I moved first.
No hesitation. No waiting.
I closed the distance in a single step.
Daichi barely had time to tense before my fist connected cleanly with his guard—and went straight through it.
One punch.
He folded.
The match was over before the crowd even finished reacting.
"…Winner—Futago Kamo!"
For a moment, the entire training ground went silent.
Then the noise hit all at once.
"W-what just happened?"
"He dropped him in one hit?"
"Daichi didn't even get to move—"
"That was impossible. His guard was up!"
Instructors exchanged confused glances. A few leaned forward as if trying to replay the moment in their heads.
Daichi sat up slowly, blinking in open disbelief as someone checked on him.
"I… I didn't even feel it," he muttered. "How did—"
I lowered my hand and exhaled.
That was it.
From the sidelines, Kenta stared at the arena with wide eyes.
"That was ridiculous," he muttered.
Tomogui nodded. "Faster than expected."
"I thought Daichi was supposed to be one of the stronger ones."
"Why are you surprised, you can feel the cursed energy Futago and I have, it should be no surprise"
Kenta let out a long breath. "Guess I just never thought about how strong it made you guys, I mean, he didn't even have time to use blood manipulation"
I leaned back against the railing, eyes drifting from match to match.
None of it felt exciting.
That realization bothered me more than I expected.
Everything just felt… small.
I knew the modern era of sorcerers was weak—compared to the golden age, compared to the sorcerers that would appear in a decade—but knowing that and living through it were different things.
Part of me wondered how long I'd have to wait for anything truly interesting.
The Culling Games were years away.
Until then, all I had was this: minor tournaments, low-grade curses, and a generation that hadn't been forced to evolve yet.
'The way things are, as soon as I get older and my physical body grows up, with pure reinforcement, I won't have much challenges'
'At least I'll be able to meet Gojo soon.'
The tournament moved quickly after that.
Matches blended together—brief bursts of technique, clashing cursed energy, and the occasional upset. Some fights were close. Tomogui's and mine weren't close, we destroyed anyone before they had the chance to fight back
By the end of the day, the results were clear.
Six names stood at the top.
Tomogui Kamo.
Futago Kamo.
Tenken Kamo.
Ren Kamo.
Hibiki Kamo.
Daichi Kamo.
Daichi had fought his way back through the losers bracket with stubborn determination, defeating three opponents in a row to reclaim a spot among the finalists.
The six of us stood in a line at the center of the training ground as the clan elder stepped forward, hands folded behind his back.
"Young sorcerers of the Kamo Clan," he began, voice calm but carrying authority. "You 6 have proven yourselves above your peers. These results will determine who represents our family in the inter-clan tournament."
His gaze swept across us.
"But victory in controlled matches means little in the real world."
He gestured toward the outer gates of the estate.
"True sorcerers are forged in the field. Against curses."
A faint smile touched his face.
"Your first task will not be sparring. To prepare for the Inter-clan tournament we "
He paused.
"You will be sent to deal with real cursed spirits. Dismissed for now. Tomorrow at ten in the morning—meet at the front of the training halls."
I felt a small thrill stir in my chest.
Finally, I get to meet a cursed spirit.
Later That Evening – Elder Council Chamber
Elder POV:
The lanterns burned low as I stepped into the council room.
Tatami floors. Ink scrolls. The smell of old wood and older traditions.
Five elders were already seated when I arrived.
I took my place among them.
"As expected," one said, folding his hands. "The tournament produced predictable results."
"Mostly," another replied. "There were… surprises."
All eyes turned to me.
"You will be responsible for their next stage of training," the head elder said. "How do you intend to proceed?"
I considered the question carefully.
"Practical education," I answered. "Theoretical foundations are useless without application. I will teach them about Shikigami Creation, Barrier Techniques, and Binding Vows. First, I will begin with cursed spirit exorcisms to see their current levels."
A few heads nodded.
"Dangerous."
"Necessary," I replied. "Their talent doesn't matter if they are babied for the rest of their lives."
One elder let out a thoughtful hum.
"And the twins?"
There it was.
The room shifted.
Tomogui and Futago Kamo—the center of attention.
"Extraordinary," I said. "Both of them"
"Which makes his upbringing… concerning," a different elder added.
I raised an eyebrow. "Concerning?"
"Tell me," he continued, "why are two children of such value being raised by a mere maid?"
A silence fell.
It was a fair question.
Any other clan family would have fought viciously to claim them—adopt them, control them, mold them into political tools.
And yet…
No one had.
'Strange,' I thought. 'In this clan, that makes no sense at all'
"Because there was no one else," the head elder finally said.
He leaned back with a sigh.
"Their father ran away shortly after their mother became pregnant. A disgraceful man. Weak of spirit."
"And the mother?"
"Dead," he replied calmly. "Passed away from illness not long after giving birth."
"A shame she didn't live longer. Women of good blood are valuable to the clan… especially when they produce results like these two."
'At least she birthed the twins before dying.'
Another elder spoke up.
"By the time the twins awakened their techniques, there was no family left to claim them. Only the household maid remained to care for them."
I absorbed that in silence.
So that was the reason.
No parents.
No guardians.
No political backing.
Just two prodigies growing up in near isolation.
"That explains their independence," I murmured.
"Oversee their training carefully. They are valuable assets to the clan."
"I intend to," I replied.