Chapter 17
"You actually..."
Just as Kamo Chokichi was about to speak, Hato Kazuma raised his hand to stop him.
"Let's take this opportunity to be more frank."
When he spoke, no one dared to utter a sound—it was as if only now did they realize that this black-haired youth, who had appeared out of nowhere, was already their head of the family, and no one was allowed to object.
"I'm keeping you because I think you're still useful." For example, in earning gold coins.
Kazuma Hatori spoke calmly, "Instead of giving everyone the illusion that there's room for negotiation when it comes to doing things for me."
That mere old NPC dares to think about rebelling against him all day long.
If he didn't team up with Wu to grind levels, wouldn't he be facing a level 4 opponent fighting a pseudo-special-grade enemy? Is he playing a Souls-like game?
[Current mission: Kamo Nokichi's test, completed.]
[Reward: Increases the Kamo family's level of control.]
[Gain at least 80% control over the Kamo family: 78%/80%]
...78%? Kazuma Hatake raised his eyes, his gaze slowly sweeping over each of these people.
Everyone lowered their heads under his gaze, not daring to look him in the eye.
The people in front of him were the core members of the Kamo family who had been treated to more than fifty meals by him from the beginning. They also constituted a powerful group that could control the entire Kamo main family.
Subduing them is, in principle, equivalent to controlling the entire Kamo family.
According to Kazuma Hatori's previous plan, they should still be farming to earn money at this time, but he stopped their work and forcibly called them all over.
The reason is simple.
Since Kamo Chokichi dared to test him with a so-called first-class cursed artifact, he was not stingy in showing off his abilities in front of everyone.
For example...
And how exactly can we improve this 2% level of control?
"[The root of herpes], along with the herpes nymphs it spawned, have all been exorcised by me," Kazuma Hatake continued.
"But if we're talking about the root of the problem, I've discovered another one."
"There's another one?" Kamo Nokichi asked instinctively, "In the hospital?!"
No, right in front of me.
Kazuma Hatori raised his hand, revealing the python-shaped Colt revolver that had been hidden from view by the sleeves of his kimono. The trigger was pulled by his index finger, and the dark green vertical pupils coldly stared at the prey, the snake's mouth slowly opening.
Beneath its sleek and ornate heavy-duty design, even the dark luster flowing over the metal gun exudes a cruel and savage chill.
This is the most primal and extreme violence that can only be fully revealed during hunting.
"You...no, patriarch, I..."
With that dark gun barrel pointed at him, Kamo Chokichi's voice trembled—not from old age, but from utter fear.
“I’m telling you, isn’t this kind of provocation, a matter of life and death?”
Kazuma Hatori, with a cold expression, pulled the trigger without blinking.
Bang!
His attempt to enhance his physical abilities with his own magical power to counteract the bullet attack failed. He never expected that this attack would also be a magical technique. Kamo Chokichi stared with those turbid eyes and fell backward onto the ground where the crowd had dispersed.
Instead of going through the trouble of completing a bunch of quests and tasks to subdue an NPC subordinate who has been disobedient from the beginning and now wants to lead a rebellion, it's better to just kill him.
Amidst the uproar, a game pop-up appeared in Kazuma Hatake's eyes.
[Gain at least 80% control over the Kamo family: 81%/80%]
[Reward: The Spellcasting Directorate module is now available, allowing for promotion through various means.]
Current position: None.
See, this perfectly achieves the mission objective!
Kazuma Hatori's lips twitched slightly. He wasn't good at conveying emotions through his face, and his cheerful expression at this moment was more like a chilling, ambiguous smile that sent shivers down the spines of everyone present.
He really knew everything... He even discovered that Kamo Chokichi and outsiders were secretly tampering with [Herpes Cultivator] behind the scenes!
The fact that this black-haired youth went to find Gojo Satoru for a marriage alliance on the very day he became the head of the Kamo family, and then followed him to Yamagata Prefecture for several days afterward, already sent a clear signal to everyone.
The newly appointed head of the Kamo family is on the same side as Gojo Satoru, who opposes the existing order of the magic world and intends to reform it.
Unlike Gojo Satoru, he would not hesitate to take action against them—in a physical sense.
Kamo Chokichi, who resisted the most fiercely, is now dead.
Now, the patriarch, who can exorcise top-tier cursed spirits, is also threatening them silently, finally revealing his truly ruthless fangs.
Since you won't listen to him, then listen to the gun.
Isn't he even slightly afraid of being labeled a curse master and being hunted down and attacked by the entire sorcery world?!
In the utter silence, Kamo no Yoshikichi suddenly stepped forward, and Asahide Tokichi bowed deeply.
"What a pity,"
His peripheral vision didn't even glance at the fallen body.
"While assisting the head of the family in fighting against the [root of herpes], my elder brother was unfortunately attacked by a cursed spirit and died."
With just this one sentence, Kamo Chokichi's death was changed from [murder] to [accident].
As for the sorcerers killed by cursed spirits, it was far too commonplace for them to be worth investigating.
"In that case, let's give him a proper burial."
Kazuma Hatori sheathed his pistol and expressed his approval of Nokichi Kamo's approach.
"Forgive my bluntness," Kamo Nokichi said, still uneasy, "but for a sorcerer, to prevent the victim from becoming a curse after death, they must be killed with sorcery. Your gun..."
The blood bullet was too fast, and Kamo Chokichi, who had not fought for a long time and was already old, did not even notice the curse power contained within it. Kamo Chokichi was killed instantly.
"Don't worry, he was killed by my spell."
Kazuma Hatori glanced at him and walked towards the car prepared specifically for the head of the family.
The rest of the people lined up in two rows, with their hands at their sides and heads bowed, making way for the patriarch who controlled them.
The overwhelming power and decisive methods are indeed effective tools to deter them.
The figure in the kimono gradually disappeared from everyone's sight, and even the black hair and hem of the kimono that swayed slightly with each step seemed to have become synonymous with coldness and unfathomable depth.
And their mindset was completely different from when they arrived.
As long as the thought of the once all-powerful Lord Chokichi lying on the ground is enough to deter anyone from questioning Hagoromo Kazuma's position as head of the family.
After a long while, someone cautiously spoke up.
"What should we do about the person Lord Chokichi instructed us to keep in touch with?"
He euphemistically referred to "passing on intelligence" as "keeping in touch".
"...Let's tell the truth this time."
Kamo Nokichi spoke, his voice steady, “Including the position we were forced to change.”
Even if they oppose Gojo Satoru's ideas, Gojo Satoru will not kill them; in fact, he will treat them with respect and they will obediently complete the difficult tasks assigned to him.
But this head of the Kamo family was different. He had clearly been fed up with Kamo Chokichi’s repeated opposition, and after this test, he simply took action.
"Hopefully he can understand the hint."
Kamo Nokichi let out a breath.
Compared to Gojo Satoru... this guy is more dangerous.
…………
"Hmph... It was exorcised in such a short time, quite capable."
The black-haired youth, wearing a kasaya and with stitches still unhealed on his forehead, propped his head up and quickly scanned the letters in his hand.
Contrary to Kamo's expectations, he had deliberately arranged this training ground, so he naturally had a way to obtain detailed information about the battle.
"His little tricks seem to have been discovered; he didn't swallow the crystal."
He sighed, muttering to himself with considerable regret.
"I felt like I made it look pretty good. But it's still not quite there until I saw it in person."
This statement implies that he was even very clear about what happened between Gojo Satoru and Hato Kazuma in Yamagata Prefecture.
"However, it wasn't entirely fruitless."
He put the letter down, and from the ink-like spatial rift behind him, another eye, dripping with blood and tears, slowly emerged.
"Compared to Gojo Satoru, who is focused on teaching and missions, trying to seize my power is not allowed, you know, Kamo's new head of the family."
The news of killing Kamo Chokichi, one of the core high-ranking officials in the General Staff Department, and disrupting his plans was something he didn't want to hear again.
"Let me think... Hmm, this is how we should do it next..."
…………
"Tokyo Higher Vocational School is looking for me?"
Upon hearing the report, Kazuma Hatori was somewhat surprised. "What is it?"
"It's still because of the [root cause of herpes] getting out of control."
Kamo Noyoshi said respectfully.
“Originally, after a sorcerer exorcises the cursed spirit that devours the cursed object, they can retrieve the cursed object, reseal it, and place it in a place that needs to be suppressed.”
“But according to you, you did not obtain the consumed cursed item [Herpes Root] after exorcising that cursed spirit, which means that the hospital is missing a suppressing substance, and this must be reported no matter what.”
"However, in my report, I stated that the cursed object went out of control due to the long seal—in this way, the Kamo family will not be held responsible."
"But I still need to go to the high school. Besides, you've become the new head of the Kamo family, which has one of the three major families, so I also need to make an appearance at the General Administration."
Kamo Nokichi became increasingly cautious as he spoke, "Chōkichi was, after all, a member of the General Headquarters. His sudden death is somewhat..."
No further words were spoken, and Kazuma Hatori, who had already grasped the implication of the other party's words, fell into deep thought.
"I see."
He remembered that Fushiguro Megumi had said that the school where Satoru became a teacher was Tokyo Vocational College.
Since there was still some time before the start of the spring semester, he went there to try applying for a teaching position at a vocational college...?
He also needs to understand the structure of the director's office.
Kamo no Yoshikichi stood still for a moment, then heard Hatori Kazuma respond.
"Then let's go over there."
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