Chapter 20: Calling

50 power stones, so extra chapter

---

The main mansion of the Zenin clan was shrouded in an unsettling gloom. The lamps, which once illuminated the halls with elegance, now cast shadows that seemed to reflect the decaying state of the family. In the study of the clan leader, Naobito Zenin, the tinkling of a sake bottle could be heard as it emptied over the tatami. The man who was once feared and respected now lay amidst disordered papers and broken memories.

Naobito, with his cheeks flushed from alcohol, could barely hold himself up. His gaze was lost in the void, intertwined with images of his late wife, Kaori. The days since her funeral had passed, but the pain and guilt had consumed him, driving him to seek refuge in drink. He had lost control of his own clan, and though the murmurs around him betrayed that fact, he lacked the strength to face them.

Makima, dressed in her immaculate black kimono, quietly entered the room. Her eyes, cold and calculating, scrutinized her father before slowly approaching. Darkness seemed to follow her like a living shadow. Gently, she knelt beside him, placing a hand on his weathered face. His skin was rough, and the scent of sake filled the air, but she showed no revulsion.

Naobito, in his drunken state, squinted his eyes, and for a moment, his vision blurred. "Kaori..." he murmured, believing he saw his wife in his daughter's figure. "Have you returned...?"

Makima smiled coldly, her lips barely moving. "Yes, I'm here, Naobito. Don't worry anymore," she whispered softly, her true intentions hidden. "Everything will be fine... if you give me everything you have."

Naobito, unable to distinguish between reality and his fantasy, nodded. His muddled mind did not allow him to question the words of what he believed to be his wife's ghost. "Do it... Do it for the clan. I... can't anymore."

The bond was sealed.

Makima, feeling the echo of her words resonate in the air, watched as the invisible chains of her cursed domination technique began to surround Naobito's soul. His cursed energy flowed into her like an unending torrent, feeding her reserves. She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the sensation of absolute control. Her technique made a connection to her father's cursed energy, integrating it into her being. She felt her power grow, amplified by the vast reserves Naobito had accumulated over his lifetime.

A smile appeared on her face as she elegantly rose, leaving her father in his miserable state. "Everything is under control," she murmured before leaving the room. The first threads of her plan were in motion.

In the hallway, Makima paused. She remembered her father's projection technique perfectly; she had seen it countless times during her training with Naoya. It wasn't something complicated for her, more like another tool in her arsenal. She wanted to test it.

"It's time to see if this technique is as valuable as they say," she thought as she turned her gaze toward a group of servants passing through the corridor.

With a simple gesture, Makima activated the projection technique. In an instant, everything around her seemed to slow down. She could clearly see the servants' movements, the traces of their actions at 24 frames per second. Time was hers to manipulate. As she reached out to a nearby vase, she touched it gently, and in an instant, the flower froze in time. The technique worked perfectly. In that frozen second, she moved with millimeter precision, as if tracing her next move on an invisible canvas.

"So this is what they felt," she reflected as time resumed its normal pace, and the servants continued on their way, oblivious to what had just happened. The projection technique would allow her to dominate her enemies before they could even react.

But for Makima, this wasn't enough. Her true strength lay in her Cursed Domination technique. Now she had access to Naobito and Ranta's cursed energy reserves, as well as those of Rika, her loyal servant, whose cursed energy she could also drain when necessary. Makima felt she was getting closer and closer to achieving absolute power.

She stopped for a moment, enjoying that sensation of control, of how the pieces fit perfectly into her plan. Her father was nothing more than a shadow of his former self. With his technique and power now under her command, Makima would ensure that the Zenin clan was completely at her mercy.

As she left the mansion, the moonlight bathed the gardens, and a cool wind blew through the trees. With a whisper, she ordered Rika to follow her. The young woman approached but said nothing. She knew exactly what Makima had done.

"How do you feel?" Rika asked, her voice almost a whisper.

Makima, without turning to her, simply smiled. "Better than I've been in a long time. And this is just the beginning."

The two walked silently through the Zenin clan's gardens as Makima meditated on her next move. Now, with her father's technique and control over the clan nearly assured, her ambitions were closer than ever to becoming reality.

"Just a little more," she told herself, as a faint laugh escaped her lips. In the end, everything was under her control. Or so she thought.

Now 13 years old, Makima was in her private room within the vast Zenin estate. It had been a year since she killed her mother, and since that day, she had only noticed one thing: freedom. She had never felt as free as she did at that moment, for now, she could execute her plans without that woman's influence.

The Zenin clan, once full of independent voices and strong wills, was practically under her control. Her technique had turned almost everyone into mere pawns on her board. Even her brothers, who once rivaled her for power, were under her command... except for one: Naoya.

Makima hadn't fully used her technique on him, not because she couldn't, but because she didn't find it necessary. Naoya, despite his demeanor, handled the external politics of the clan, something Makima found tedious and irrelevant to her ambitions. Besides, she enjoyed the relationship they had, a mix of camaraderie and competition that didn't need manipulation.

As for her father, Naobito, he remained in a deep depression, taking refuge in drink. To Makima, he was irrelevant. She had dominated him long ago, turning his vast reserves of cursed energy into an extension of her own power.

While drinking tea in her room, Rika, her most loyal servant, stood silently by her side, serving her as always. Everything seemed perfect, a moment of calm in her rise to power.

Suddenly, the peace was interrupted by a servant who approached clumsily. Makima observed him with indifference, her gaze cold as ice, causing the young man to visibly tremble. He felt insignificant under Makima's presence, and rightfully so.

The servant nervously swallowed before speaking. "Miss... your brother Naoya urgently requests your presence in the main hall."

Makima sighed, her displeasure evident at the interruption. She didn't consider the servant important enough to disturb her time with Rika. For a moment, she contemplated the idea of punishing the servant for his impertinence, but she chose to ignore him. "Wait here," she told Rika, who silently nodded.

She rose gracefully, adjusting her kimono as she walked toward the main hall.

Naoya awaited her, seated with a bored expression on his face. He held a letter in his hand, playing with the edge of the paper while resting his head in the other hand. Upon seeing her enter, he barely reacted. He lifted his gaze for a moment and then returned his focus to the letter.

"What is it?" Makima asked in a disinterested tone, crossing her arms as she observed her brother.

Naoya lifted his gaze once more, holding the letter between his fingers. "Gojo Satoru will be coming tomorrow. You have a meeting with Tengen."

Makima remained silent, her mind processing the information. The name Tengen surprised her. She knew of his existence but had never had direct contact with that being. "Tengen...?" she murmured, pensive. What could that old man want with her? Why now?

Noticing her confusion, Naoya smirked with his typical arrogance. "I guess you're important enough now to catch the attention of legendary figures." He shrugged. "I don't know what he wants with you, but Satoru Gojo is the one who'll take you. It seems he's quite keen on making this meeting happen as soon as possible."

Makima didn't immediately respond. The name Gojo Satoru echoed in her mind. She knew who he was. The prodigy of the Gojo clan, the most powerful sorcerer of the current era, the man with the Six Eyes. Her father had spoken of him with a certain reverence, though Makima was unimpressed. She didn't see Gojo as a threat, but rather as another piece on her board, an obstacle she would eventually overcome.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Do you know what this meeting is about?"

Naoya shook his head. "No. I just received the letter this morning. But I think it's important for you to go. Maybe it has something to do with what's happening in the sorcerer world, or who knows."

Makima nodded slowly, already calculating her next steps. If Tengen had summoned her, there was something bigger at play. And if Gojo Satoru was involved, she couldn't afford to ignore this opportunity. She turned toward the door, ready to leave.

"Makima," Naoya called out before she could go. "Be careful. Tengen isn't someone to be trifled with."

Makima smiled to herself, turning her back on her brother. "No one is," she replied, before leaving the room without looking back.

As she walked back to her room, her mind was already working. What could Tengen want from her? And why was Gojo the one tasked with taking her? Whatever it was, she knew she had to be ready for the unexpected.

Upon returning to her room, Rika was waiting as always, silent and attentive. Makima said nothing, but her expression had changed, a mix of intrigue and determination.

"Tomorrow," she thought, her eyes gleaming with ambition. "Tomorrow, I'll find out what that old man wants from me."

With that certainty, she prepared herself for what was to come.