"Boring. Boring. Boring."
A six- or seven-year-old boy with spiky, hedgehog-like black hair leaned against a tree, muttering under his breath.
Akira Zenin gazed up at the clouds overhead, shifting endlessly as the wind pushed them along, his eyes dull and unfocused.
"Everything is so boring."
The unhinged classmate from his previous life who insisted on calling him "some nobody."
That dump truck that somehow avoided everyone else with uncanny precision, its headlights glowing red as it barreled straight toward him.
And that old driver who, apparently worried he wasn't quite dead yet, got out with a wrench and smashed his head again.
Then there was reincarnating into the world of jujutsu, only to discover he'd been born into the Zenin Clan, a decaying family steeped in suffocating oppression.
Akira Zenin covered his mouth and yawned.
"All of it is unbearably boring."
A wave of drowsiness surged through his head, sudden and overwhelming, like a toilet flushing.
"It's not even eleven yet, right? I woke up way too early today. I could still sleep for a bit."
He had just closed his eyes, on the verge of drifting off, when a voice rose from beneath the tree.
"Young Master Akira, your breakfast is ready."
Born with a slightly excessive amount of Cursed Energy and having awakened the Zenin Clan's most prized technique, the Ten Shadows Technique, which allowed him to summon Shikigami through his own shadow, Akira Zenin ranked just below the clan head, Naobito Zenin, in status.
A dedicated team of maids handled his daily needs, while specialized guards protected him at all times. Among them were even members of The Hei organization, composed entirely of Grade 1 sorcerers from within the Zenin Clan.
Akira Zenin cast a lethargic glance down at the maid.
"It's still early. Let me sleep a little longer."
The maid didn't reply. She placed the crystal tray on the ground and knelt toward the tree.
Seeing this, Akira Zenin pressed a hand to his temple, a dull ache forming.
Seriously.
He knew that if he refused to eat, the maid would be subjected to inhumane punishment. After six years in this rotten family, his pampered lifestyle had seeped into his every habit, helped along by the constant sleepiness that plagued him. The fact that he still retained even a shred of basic conscience was already proof of his firm moral backbone.
No matter how he looked at it, someone's life over something this trivial was absurd. With a quiet sigh, Akira Zenin interlaced his fingers and slowly formed a hand sign, a bird-shaped shadow spreading across the ground.
"Nue."
The shadow began to boil. A Shikigami the size of a house emerged, resembling a purple owl. Upon spotting Akira Zenin in the tree, it rolled its eyes in a distinctly human way, then carefully and expertly lifted him with its beak and set him down on the ground.
Once steady, Akira Zenin reached out and gave the owl's fluffy face a few strokes.
"Go back."
Nue melted into a liquid form and sank back into Akira Zenin's shadow.
"Alright. Is there soy milk? The kind I like."
The maid lifted the tray above her head, bringing the cup close to the boy.
Akira Zenin took several large gulps, downing half the cup in one go.
"Mmm. The texture's good. Much better than yesterday."
"Young Master Akira, this batch was made from soybeans specially sourced from Fukushima Prefecture. The sorcerers handled the preparation and heating themselves, so it's absolutely fresh."
Akira Zenin spat, spraying soy milk straight out of his mouth.
"Ahem. Fukushima?"
"What year is it now?"
"Young Master Akira, it is currently the seventh year of Heisei."
1995, then. Looks like the leak incident hasn't happened yet. Still, it feels uncomfortable.
Without changing his expression, Akira Zenin set the remaining half cup of soy milk back onto the tray and grabbed the rice ball beside it, taking a bite.
After he finished eating, the maid spoke softly.
"Young Master Akira, the Clan Head instructed me to inform you that the latest batch of Cursed Spirits has arrived. Tomorrow, you are also scheduled to attend the 'banquet' of the Three Great Families. Please make the necessary preparations."
"Mm, got it. Yuki Kogure, right? You're done for today. Go get some rest."
Yuki Kogure gave a light bow and left at an unhurried pace. Her steps were even a little light and cheerful, something practically impossible in a place as rotten as the Zenin Clan.
To her, Young Master Akira was the easiest master she had ever served. He spent most of his days sleeping, and when he did eat, he only wanted simple, easy-to-find food.
He never lashed out without reason, nor did he arbitrarily punish servants who lacked cursed techniques. He merely looked at everyone with the same lifeless, dead-fish stare.
After the maid left, a shirtless, spiky-haired young man walked into the courtyard, rubbing his hands together like an eager fly.
Jinichi Zenin, by virtue of being Akira Zenin's father, had easily become the leader of the [Hei] organization.
"Kiddo! I'm here to take you to training!"
Visible resentment gathered around Akira Zenin. One after another. Did nobody intend to let him sleep?
"Why the rush? Can't the Cursed Spirits just stay in the cellar for now?"
Jinichi Zenin nodded repeatedly.
"Sure, sure. Sleepy again? Want to rest in your room? The bed there's comfortable."
"Forget it. Let's just go train."
Jinichi Zenin nodded again.
"Alright, alright. We'll train first, then rest."
Akira Zenin's face twitched slightly. He still found it hard to respect a father who had insulted and beaten him simply because his mother was an ordinary person who hadn't passed on a cursed technique.
And Jinichi Zenin was far too young…
This rotten, disgusting family.
That said, ever since Akira Zenin awakened the [Ten Shadows Technique], Jinichi Zenin's attitude toward him had changed so drastically that Akira didn't quite know how to deal with it.
Akira Zenin pressed his right hand against his left palm, forming a hand sign. A dog-shaped shadow appeared on the ground.
"Divine Dog."
At his slow, lazy command, the canine Shikigami hidden within his shadow emerged. It was a white wolfdog standing five or six meters tall.
"Awooo~"
After a hearty howl, THE Divine Dog enthusiastically licked Akira Zenin all over, then lowered its head, picked him up, and tossed him onto its back. It followed behind Jinichi Zenin at an unhurried pace.
[Ten Shadows Technique]: A technique capable of summoning ten types of Shikigami, namely:
Divine Dogs: Two Shikigami dogs that pursue and devour curses.
Nue: An owl-like Shikigami capable of releasing electrical currents.
Great Serpent: A massive serpent Shikigami.
Toad: A toad Shikigami that can latch onto opponents with its tongue and drag them down.
Max Elephant: An elephant Shikigami that can spray massive amounts of water from its trunk.
Rabbit Escape: A rabbit Shikigami used to distract enemies and facilitate escape.
Round Deer: Capable of healing through the Reverse Cursed Technique.
Piercing Ox: Deals greater impact damage the farther it charges, but can only move in a straight line.
Tiger Funeral: A tiger-shaped Shikigami.
Eight-Handled Sword, Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga: The strongest Shikigami summonable through the Ten Shadows Technique. The ritual wheel above its head allows it to adapt to any phenomenon.
Aside from the Divine Dogs granted at the outset, all other Shikigami must be subdued before they can be commanded.
At present, Akira Zenin had already subdued Nue, Great Serpent, Toad, Max Elephant, and Rabbit Escape.
As for the rest, excluding Mahoraga, they could still be subdued, but he couldn't be bothered.
The moment Akira Zenin lay down on Divine Dog's back, he closed his eyes.
"Boring. Everything's boring. I'm so sleepy."