Shout out to The Lord of Blood for the support. Enjoy your stay.
***********
Remember to vote on my Patreon. It's really important, regarding the future of the story!!!
***
Time ticked steadily by, minute after minute.
When Nanjō Arisa returned, she was holding a forest-green folder in one hand and a sleek silver keychain in the other. The folder was marked in bold lettering: Real Estate Registration Certificate – Legal Affairs Bureau of Chiba Prefecture.
In Japan, there were no physical property titles like in other places. Ownership was determined through registration with the national Legal Bureau, and this certificate—complete with an identification code—was the official proof.
With a professional smile, Arisa stepped forward and presented the documents to the young man lounging on the couch.
"Adagaki-sama," she said respectfully, "Villa No. 1 in the Seiou District is now officially under your name."
Ren nodded, standing up and accepting both the folder and keys. "Thanks," he said simply, his voice calm and detached.
Yukinoshita Haruno, still seated nearby, immediately stood. "Ren, let me have our driver take you."
"No need," he replied, already making his way out of the sales office.
Outside, Ren flagged down a taxi. Compared to the Yukinoshita family's slow, chauffeured rides, the cab driver tore down the roads like he was auditioning for a Tokyo drift sequel. The trip to the Seiou District took just under twenty minutes.
The neighborhood was quiet and upscale, nestled just a few blocks from Soubu High School. After a quick identity check at the main gate, Ren walked down a paved stone path flanked by trimmed hedges and sakura trees in early bloom.
Villa No. 1 stood at the end of the lane.
Ren paused as he took in the sight.
It wasn't so much a "villa" as it was an oversized ikkodate—a standalone Japanese house. The entire structure was wooden, built in traditional-meets-modern architectural style with deep eaves and sliding glass doors. It had two stories and no basement. A small carport to the side offered only two parking spaces.
"...No wonder it was that cheap," Ren muttered under his breath.
Unlocking the front door, he stepped inside.
The interior, however, told a different story. The natural wood tones gave the space a warm, calming atmosphere, and the air carried a faint scent of hinoki and tatami.
The first floor was expansive—three lounges, a fully stocked kitchen, two walk-in closets, a private gym, a study, two bathrooms, and six bedrooms, each with its own en-suite.
The second floor was even more ridiculous. Seven guest rooms, a utility room, a maid's quarters, a small attic, and extras like a sauna, wine cellar, karaoke room, and home theater.
Out back, there was a garden sunroom and a stone-paved barbeque terrace.
"This place really is overkill," Ren said, but he couldn't deny it—it was kind of perfect.
Plenty of space. Plenty of privacy.
And more than enough room for future... guests.
After a final walkthrough, he locked the villa behind him and made his way out of the district. His temporary apartment was also close to Soubu High, and since Seiou District bordered the same area, it didn't take long to walk back.
He reached the familiar apartment building, climbed the steps, and pushed open the front door.
A pair of shoes greeted him at the entrance—black indoor loafers with a scuffed heel.
"…Maki's here?" Ren muttered, recognizing them instantly.
He kicked off his own shoes and stepped inside.
In the living room, sitting on the tatami mat with her legs crossed and eyes closed, was Zen'in Maki. Her brows were furrowed in concentration, and a faint pressure hung around her, the kind that made the air feel just a little heavier.
She opened her eyes as he entered, exhaling a slow breath.
"You're back," she said with a slight grin.
Ren nodded. "Where's Kyōko and the others?"
"No clue," Maki shrugged. "They weren't here when I arrived."
"So how'd you get in?"
"Kyōko texted me earlier and told me where the spare key was."
Ren frowned. "That's a security risk. Just take a spare with you next time."
Maki gave a light, confident laugh. "I'm aJujutsu sorcerer born under a Heavenly Restriction. I've faced down Cursed Spirits since I was old enough to hold a weapon. Why would I worry about something as mundane as a thief?"
Maki chuckled. "You're worrying too much. I'm a Jujutsu sorcerer from the Zen'in clan. You really think I'm worried about a common thief?"
"…Fair point," Ren admitted with a half-smile.
"Anyway, enough of that. Look at this," Maki said excitedly, grabbing his wrist and pulling him down beside her. "Check my magic levels."
Ren placed a hand on her shoulder and focused.
He blinked.
"You're kidding," he muttered. "It's more than a hundred times what it was yesterday. What the hell happened?"
"I don't know!" Maki said, clearly just as confused. "I was just training this morning, focusing my magic, and then it suddenly… surged. Like my body just opened a gate."
Ren's expression turned serious. He extended a finer thread of energy, letting it probe deeper—harmless, but precise.
"Hm... The reason your Magic surged so quickly is because of your 'Heavenly Restriction,'" Ren said, closing his eyes briefly as the realization settled in.
Maki tilted her head. "You're saying that's the reason?"
"Exactly," he continued, his voice steady. "The restriction gave you that monstrous physical strength, but there's more to it than raw power. Your life force—your vitality—is off the charts. That's what Magic feeds on."
In this world, where most power systems—Jujutsu, Onmyojutsu, even Exorcism—draw on cursed or spiritual energy, Magic stood apart. It was life energy itself made malleable. And Maki, blessed—or cursed—with a body far surpassing normal limits, was practically a generator.
"People with sturdy bodies can channel and refine life energy more efficiently," Ren said. "But with your Heavenly Restriction, you're not just strong. You're optimized for it."
Maki sat back slowly, the gears in her mind turning. Ren pressed on.
"If your Heavenly Restriction were fully unlocked—like Toji Fushiguro's—your potential magic output might reach what I'd call a Knight-class in the hierarchy of Magic."
"Knight-class?" she echoed.
"In this system, that's the threshold where Magic users become strategic-level threats. The kind of people who could stand beside the titans—Gojo Satoru, Sukuna, Ashiya Dōman, even someone like Tsuchimikado Yakou. Not just brute force, but a synthesis of martial arts and Magic."
Maki frowned. "But originally , unlocking the full restriction meant sacrificing Mai…"
Ren shook his head. "Not anymore."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"I found another way," he said. "A clean severing of your bloodline connection. No sacrifice. No death."
"That's... possible?"
"It is now. Last night, I visited the Noragami world. After interfacing with the divine rules there, I inherited two divine mantles: War God and Calamity God."
"Wait—like Yato?"
Ren smiled faintly. "Exactly. With those blessings, I can sever anything—ties, fates... even karma."
Maki's breath caught. "So you can free me."
Ren's eyes glinted with certainty. "And when I do, you won't just be strong—you'll be unchained."