Chapter 1: Birth

Sunlight timidly filtered through the wooden panels of the Zenin estate, illuminating the austere and solemn atmosphere that characterized the powerful family. That morning, the silence in the hallways was heavier than usual. The maids moved nervously, while the guards remained vigilant, as if the air was thick with an invisible tension.

Inside one of the estate's most private rooms, Naobito Zenin, the clan leader, stood with his arms crossed, his expression impassive. The air was stifling, but he showed no sign of discomfort. In front of him, his wife lay on the bed, exhausted after hours of labor.

"Another one..." Naobito murmured, almost to himself. "Another Zenin."

The mother's scream echoed in the room, followed by the sharp cry of a newborn. The midwives hurried to receive her, cleaning her with expert hands. One of them carefully wrapped the baby in a blanket and, trembling, approached Naobito, who extended his arms indifferently.

"Well?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the small bundle.

The midwife lowered her head and presented the baby, whose cries had now softened to small murmurs. Naobito's face remained expressionless, though his eyes coldly scrutinized the child.

"It's a girl, Naobito-sama."

Naobito observed the baby in silence for a few moments. Her small, narrow eyes shone with an unusual intensity. There was something about her, a presence that made itself known even in her most vulnerable state. She was different.

"We'll name her Makima," he declared, offering no further discussion. Without another word, Naobito turned and left the room, leaving the midwives and the newborn's mother behind. Once the clan leader had left, the women gathered around the mother, carefully and respectfully. They handed her the baby, who squirmed restlessly in the blankets.

Makima's mother gazed at her daughter with a mixture of tenderness and pride. The baby's small body curled against her as she sought her mother's breast to nurse. Her reddish-brown hair, identical to her mother's, reflected the soft light in the room. With every breath her daughter took, the mother felt a deeper, almost inexplicable connection, as if destiny had already carved out a grand path for her.

"You will be strong, my little one," the mother whispered in a soft yet firm voice, gently stroking Makima's head as the baby continued to feed. "And no one will ever bend you... no one will stand above you."

Her words were a promise. In the Zenin clan, power was everything. And though Naobito was a demanding man, Makima's mother saw in her daughter a future even greater, one that even her husband could not foresee.

Little Makima, not yet understanding the words, seemed calmer, as if deep down, she was already absorbing those ideas. The mother smiled, certain that her daughter would carry with her a strength that no one could challenge.

"My sweet girl... no matter what comes, you will be invincible."

The mother softly caressed Makima's face, noticing the unusual calmness the newborn radiated. She felt there was something deeper in those moments of connection, as if her daughter, from her very first breath, already possessed an unsettling presence—something she couldn't yet explain but which filled her with pride and a slight unease.

When the baby had finished feeding, the midwives helped the mother lie down again. Though she was still weak from the labor, a warmth enveloped her.

"Take your time to rest, ma'am," one of the midwives said. "We'll take the little one to her room when you're ready."

The mother nodded gratefully, but she couldn't take her eyes off Makima, who was now peacefully asleep in her arms. Though just a baby, something about her exuded power and authority, even in the stillness of her slumber.

After a while, when the mother felt more recovered, the midwives gently wrapped Makima in a soft blanket. After a final caress of her daughter's head, the mother let them take her away.

"Take good care of her," she whispered, her eyes following them as they left the room. "She's special... I know it."

Makima was taken to the room prepared for her, but even as she was carried away, the mother felt a deep bond. She knew her daughter would not be ordinary and that something in the child's fate was beyond even the Zenin clan elders' predictions.

Inside, the air was filled with the scent of incense, and in an improvised cradle lay the newborn. Makima, with her reddish-brown hair and golden eyes, quietly observed her surroundings. She didn't cry, as if from her first breath she already understood everything around her.

Naoya approached with an arrogant smirk, looking down at the small figure in the cradle.

"So this is our sister, huh?" he remarked with disdain. "Another girl… she won't be of much use to the clan."

Makima, despite her young age, slightly turned her head in his direction, her eyes locking onto Naoya's. Something in that gaze made him pause. For a brief moment, Naoya felt an unease he couldn't explain.

"Naoya," one of his brothers said sternly, "watch your words. She is a Zenin."

Naoya scoffed and stepped away from the cradle, but he couldn't help casting one last cautious glance at Makima.

Four Years Later

The Zenin clan had always been a family divided by strength and weakness. Contempt for those without Cursed Techniques was common, and internal rivalries were fierce. Maki and Mai, Makima's cousins, had already begun to feel the weight of the clan's expectations and prejudices, especially Maki, who did not possess traditional cursed energy.

Despite being only a child, Makima was already showing signs of her power. In her room, she would play with invisible chains that floated around her, obeying her will, though no one knew how she did it. She was always silent, observing others' behavior with a presence so unsettling that even adults avoided her.

One day, while Maki and Mai were practicing with wooden weapons in the courtyard, they heard light footsteps. They turned their heads to see their little cousin approaching them with her characteristic silence.

"What do you want, Makima?" Maki asked, crouching to her height, unable to ignore the fact that at just four years old, Makima already had a gaze that unsettled her.

Makima said nothing at first. She just stood there, watching them practice. After a few moments, however, she raised her hand, and suddenly, both girls felt a strange pressure around their bodies. Something invisible was wrapping around them, like invisible hands.

"What… what are you doing?" Mai asked, eyes wide as she tried to move, but her body wouldn't respond.

Maki tried to resist, but she couldn't move either. The pressure slowly increased, as if something larger was controlling them.

"It's just a game," Makima finally said, her voice soft but filled with an authority that didn't match her age. "A game I wanted to try."

Both twins tried to move, but the pressure was too strong. Unable to do anything else, Maki shouted:

"Let us go!"

Makima smiled slightly and released the pressure, allowing both girls to collapse to the ground, gasping. Maki immediately stood up, her eyes fixed on her young cousin. Despite her age, Makima was clearly a threat, not because she used cursed energy simply, but because of the power she seemed to hold over others' wills.

"Don't do that again," Maki growled, trying to maintain her composure.

Makima just tilted her head.

"I won't… if you behave."

Mai, still on the ground, looked at Makima with fear. She knew something about her was different. And though the Zenin clan was full of powerful sorcerers, none had the kind of control Makima seemed to wield with such little effort.

The fate of the Zenin clan had begun to shift from the moment Makima was born, though few realized it yet. But Maki knew from that instant: her cousin wouldn't be someone they could ignore. Makima wasn't just strong… she was control itself.