Chapter 12: A Small Chance

Inside the Zenin Residence a few days after Mute's assassination of the political official. There is a meeting being held. Some of the highest-ranked Zenin Clan members are talking to the youth of the Zenin Clan.

Hundreds of children are sitting on the balcony waiting for the meeting to begin. One of the children being Mute. He was forced to attend the meeting by his sister. She said this meeting would be important to figure out how to kill Gojo. 

Mute's face was clearly annoyed by being forced into this meeting and someone staring directly at him. Maki was glaring at Mute trying to figure out who he was. Maki was about to say something until suddenly a wave of energy spewed into the room. 

Mute looks towards the energy and watches as the head of the Zenin clan walks into the room through a sliding door before looking up at the group of kids. His face is flushed and he holds a bottle of sake in his right hand. Mute stares at the drunk man before noticing a small child walking behind the drunkard old man.

Mute watches as the kid looks up at the balcony with a cocky grin. After seeing the kid's grin, Mute instantly knew. The kid was someone of importance. Mute turns to the right and watches the kid walk up the stairs before noticing Maki's face morph into annoyance. 

The kid walks over to Maki with a grin before talking. 

" If it isn't the failure, Maki. "

Says the kid in a screeching high voice. Mute looks over at Maki confused until she lets out a deep breath.

" If it isn't the son of Naobito, Naoya "

Says Maki glaring at Naoya. The tension between the two kids was high until a loud couch snapped both of their heads at Naobito glaring at them. The two kids sat down as Naobito slammed his Saka onto a wooden table in front of him.

" I'll keep this meeting short and brief. We all know a tournament is happening next year on this very day. The tournament will be bracket-style. Hundreds of kids will be participating, luckily since we are such a well-known clan. We skipped the first three stages of the brackets. When you enter the tournament there will only be around 20 students. " 

Naobito lets out a burp before stumbling back. He reaches out and grabs the sake bottle, taking a huge swing before talking again. 

" I'm sure, Y'all realize that there are too many children currently sitting on the balcony to participate in the tournament, that is because we will have a tournament in a week. To decide to send which kids to the tournament, there are only nine spots open for the tournament. One of you has already been chosen to participate in the tournament. "

Said Naobito glancing over at Mute. Maki and Naoya looked over at Mute confused but before they could ask any questions, Naobito started to speak again. 

" If the ten chosen to participate perform badly, they will be banished from the Zenin clan before getting executed by assassination. But if you win the tournament you will get to choose a prize from a plethora of options. That is all. You are dismissed from this meeting. "

As soon as Maki heard the words dismissed, she instantly snapped her head towards Mute but he was already gone...

Outside the Zenin Residence walking down a sidewalk scrolling through his phone was Mute. He was looking through the black market trying to see any assassination requests. He kept scrolling until he realized that he had a personal message sent to him...

Geto? Who is Geto? I think to myself reading a message he sent to me on the black market. He's asking me a question. He's wondering how many people I would kill per request. Geto, I don't know why but his name sounds familiar. 

I keep walking down the sidewalk until a sudden energy engulfs my body snapping my head up. I stare at Gojo walking past me with an annoyed face. Sweat rolls down my nose from his energy alone. After walking past each other something clicked in my mind. 

Geto? I remember him. He used to be close friends with Gojo. I have read about his betrayal. A smirk appears on my face. As I responded to the message he sent me. If Geto was close friends with Gojo, he surely knew some of his weaknesses. Everything I have seen and read about Gojo. He seems unkillable but no one is perfect and if I can become allies with Geto, I might have a chance to kill him.

The response I sent to Geto was " I'll kill as many people as you want if the price is right.". I walked into the forest heading to the cellar with a smirk on my face...