Michikatsu blinked his six eyes. His golden pupils swept across the group that had just entered. Six distinct lines of sight overlapped, eventually settling on the stern man leading the procession.
He felt an indescribable, profound aura surging toward him, as if a mountain with no visible peak was standing directly in his path, forcing him to look up in awe.
Though the man's expression was calm and his eyes held a restrained brilliance, his features radiated a steady composure. Every minute movement he made was a testament to an innate, unshakable confidence.
Having lived for centuries, Michikatsu had accumulated vast experience; a single glance was usually enough for him to gauge another person's strength.
Yet, the man before him was unpredictable.
There was no doubt—this was an absolute powerhouse that he could not hope to oppose!
At the same time, he knew this was not an intentional display of power.
The man showed no killing intent and exerted no spiritual pressure. Simply by standing there and doing nothing, he projected an indefinable weight upon his surroundings.
This was a sensation Michikatsu had never felt in life, nor had he experienced it since arriving in this world of the dead.
Even his own brother, who was like a god among men, had never caused his very soul to tremble quite like this.
'Ren Shihoin...'
'I heard Nasu no Yoichi mention him. He is the master of this place and a top-tier powerhouse within the Seireitei of the Soul Society.'
'I never imagined that seeing him in person would be like this. His strength is inconceivable!'
His six eyes flickered as he etched the man's face into his memory before quickly averting his gaze.
Ren naturally noticed the brief, scrutinizing look but was not surprised. He assumed the newcomer was merely assessing his situation.
With steady steps, Ren walked forward and took his seat at the head of the training room, settling in with casual ease.
The group behind him filed in, standing on either side of the room as they observed Michikatsu, who stood alone in the center.
They were particularly intrigued by his strange set of six eyes.
"Make yourselves comfortable. There is no need for such formality."
Ren waved his hand, addressing both his followers and Michikatsu, who was being stared at by everyone.
Once everyone was seated, Ren looked down at the silent figure kneeling before him. His voice carried a hint of scrutiny.
"I have heard the details. Riko brought you here, and both my grandfather and Yoichi think highly of you. They do not wish to see the martial skills you honed over so many years go to waste."
"Now, I ask you: are you willing to serve under my command?"
The light in the man's six eyes shifted, though the extra eyes made it difficult to discern his specific expression. His face remained as stoic as ever.
However, the slight tightening of his lips and the faint twitching of his facial muscles betrayed the emotional turmoil within.
Ren continued, "If you agree, I will treat you as a comrade through life and death, sharing the glory and joy of every victory with you."
"I have only one question."
Michikatsu spoke softly, his voice cold and low.
He raised his head, his six eyes showing no cowardice as he looked directly at the legendary figure who loomed over him like a mountain.
Ren had only mentioned what would happen if he agreed. While the alternative was not explicitly stated, it was clearly implied in the subtext.
If he refused, it was likely that his martial skills—and his life—would indeed be 'wasted' as Ren had phrased it.
"If I join your ranks, can I become as powerful as you?"
"That depends on you."
Ren chuckled inwardly while maintaining a serious facade.
"I can give you power, but the heights you eventually reach are for you to decide."
Michikatsu closed his eyes. When he opened them a moment later, all six pupils were filled with resolve.
He had clearly made his choice.
"I understand."
His expression became solemn as he performed the formal etiquette of a vassal toward the lord above him, his posture meticulous.
"From this day forward, I am your subordinate."
From the moment he had been handled like a mere ant in the Infinity Castle to his arrival in this afterlife, he had witnessed power that transcended the world he knew.
If he could obtain such overwhelming power, he might finally be able to surpass the brother who had become the inner demon of his heart.
Everything... for power!
"Good!"
Ren nodded slightly. Looking at the figure below, he momentarily saw the silhouette of that god-like man.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
'It is a pity... Riko arrived a few centuries too late. Otherwise, I could have secured Yoriichi as a rare SSR.'
'Still, Michikatsu is quite good.'
If he could not have Yoriichi, he could certainly settle for a replacement.
Ren imagined that if he ever voiced this thought, this elder brother would likely turn green with envy and choke on his own bitterness.
"Since you have entered my service, cast aside that demon name you used before."
"As you command."
Michikatsu Tsugikuni nodded solemnly, accepting his first order. To him, a mere name was of little consequence.
Ren asked tentatively, "Besides you, Riko captured two other demons."
"One is the Demon King, your former master, and the other is your colleague. Do you have anything to say regarding them?"
"Nothing," Michikatsu said deeply. "Whether it be them or myself, being captured simply means we were too weak. That is why we are prisoners."
"They treated humans as food to be dealt with at will, so it is only natural for the strong to treat them as prey. It is the way of the world."
Ren sighed, seemingly with or without intent. "You certainly have a cold nature. You lived together for centuries; one would expect at least a shred of sentiment."
Michikatsu sensed a faint displeasure in Ren's tone, but he remained unmoved, lowering his voice. "I would not dare deceive you, my lord."
Ren understood Michikatsu's meaning. If Ren were to fall one day, Michikatsu would abandon him just as he had abandoned the Demon King today.
But that would only matter if Ren actually lost.
Ren was unconcerned. If he ever reached such a desperate state that his massive organization crumbled, a single Michikatsu would not change the outcome anyway.
Besides, would he ever truly fall to that level?
"Hmph..."
Ren smiled inwardly. He lightly gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist. A thread of clear light extended from the blade and connected to Michikatsu.
Michikatsu felt a terrifying, vast will descend upon him. It vanished in an instant, leaving him with a lingering sense of shock.
Snapping back to reality, he looked up sharply at Ren before quickly lowering his head again, his gaze fixing on the cracks in the floorboards.
"The contract is complete."
Ren looked at Michikatsu's six eyes, his mind suddenly drifting back to the Rinnegan from before.
That was a mistake; he had given it to Nagato too early.
A thought flashed through Ren's mind: if he replaced Michikatsu's six eyes with the three great ocular powers of the ninja world, he wondered what kind of transformation would occur.
Once Ren officially accepted Michikatsu, the atmosphere in the room relaxed significantly.
Nobunaga rubbed his chin, asking with a curious expression, "Michikatsu Tsugikuni... I recall you were from the Sengoku period?"
"I was."
"That is strange. I do not recall any samurai clan with that surname..."
Nobunaga was interrupted by Shimazu Toyohisa. "You idiot, Nobunaga! He is from another world. Naturally, his history is different from ours."
"Toyohisa, what do you know, you provincial hillbilly!"
Nobunaga snapped back, and the two immediately began bickering.
Watching the chaotic pair, Michikatsu deduced their identities.
'Nobunaga of Owari and Shimazu of Satsuma...'
'To think I would encounter such famous figures in the world of the dead. Truly remarkable.'
While the others were fooling around, Ren followed the spiritual thread, connecting his consciousness to Riko Amanai.
With Riko's permission, Ren took control of her body. As he opened his eyes, he found himself within the Uchiha clan compound.
The street ahead was crowded. A wooden platform was being erected in the center of the street, with a gallows standing atop it.
"Uchiha... what are they up to now?"
Within his mind, Riko's voice replied.
"My lord, I heard from Izumi that the Uchiha clan is preparing for an execution. In a few days, they are going to hang the traitors who almost caused the destruction of their clan."
At this point, Riko's voice turned somber.
"Izumi has been depressed lately. She has been spending time in the prison with someone named Uchiha Itachi. I heard he is the son of the current Uchiha Patriarch..."
She could not wrap her head around how the son of the Patriarch could murder his entire clan.
Ren felt nothing on the matter, simply offering a quiet, "Oh."
He had no opinion on Uchiha Itachi's perspective or choices.
"By the way, Lord Ren, is there a reason you suddenly dropped in?"
Riko changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on the Uchiha drama.
Ren replied, "You brought back some people from that other world, didn't you? Besides the demons, there were some demon slayers. I came to see them and pick someone useful."
"Understood."
Riko regained control of her body and turned to look at the attendants behind her.
"Go and summon those demon slayers. Have them wait at the Gate Hall."
"The Lord wishes to see them."
With that, Riko stopped her wandering and led her entourage toward the Gate Hall.
On the other side, after accepting Michikatsu, Ren did not linger. He brought Nobunaga and the other two back up to his office.
He carefully checked the surroundings to ensure there were no security breaches, then let out a sigh of relief.
The three warriors pulled tea sets from the desk and brewed some tea.
Seeing Ren's cautious behavior, Shimazu Toyohisa asked curiously, "You are being quite careful. Do you have something important to tell us?"
"It is a big matter... well, a good thing, actually. Just make sure you do not leak it."
Ren took a tea cup from Yoichi. Just as he was about to speak, Riko's voice appeared in his mind through the connection.
Nobunaga urged him, "What is it? We promise not to say a word."
"Wait a moment. I need to handle some business on the other end first."
Ren waved them off and closed his eyes to meditate, sending his will across the distant connection back to Riko.
The three looked at each other, their curiosity growing, but they patiently drank their tea and waited.
Inside the Gate Hall, Riko sat before a row of Senkaimon gates.
Over the years, she had spent most of her time either training or collecting powerful souls in the pirate world, rarely spending much time in the Soul Society.
However, in her spare time, she had managed to open several space-time channels.
These worlds had only been briefly scouted; they seemed to be modern societies, so she had not delved deeper into them yet.
She knew Ren's current priority was not expanding into new worlds, but accumulating power to secure control over the Soul Society. He did not have the manpower to spare.
Once they were free in the future, they would send people in to take total control.
"Lady Riko, the members of the Demon Slayer Corps have arrived."
Riko's thoughts were interrupted by a guard. She waved her hand and cleared her throat, adopting a forced, dignified tone.
"Ahem. Bring them in."
A moment later, a line of people ascended the steps under guard, entering the vast hall.
Riko's eyes scanned the newcomers as they approached.
Leading the Demon Slayer Corps was a frail young man with white hair. Most of his once-handsome face was scarred and rotted, covered by bandages, though the remnants of his former elegance were still visible.
His eyes were a vacant, milky white, indicating blindness. He could only walk with the support of the woman beside him.
Two young girls walked beside him, clutching the fabric of his kimono.
Behind him were the various members of the Demon Slayer Corps, of varying heights, looking around at the grand interior of the hall.
"Lady Riko, Kagaya Ubuyashiki has come to see you, accompanied by my wife, daughters, and the members of the Demon Slayer Corps."
The man's voice was gentle and steady, possessing a broad, inclusive warmth that was pleasant and soothing to hear.
He was about to bow when Riko stopped him.
"Master Kagaya, your health is poor. There is no need for such grand gestures."
Under the guidance of the attendants, the group sat down one by one. Kagaya directed his sightless eyes toward the figure above.
"I wonder what instructions Lady Riko has for us?"
"We shall put forth our utmost effort to comply."
Riko waved her hand. "I did not call you here for myself. It was someone else."
"Ah, the Lord is coming. You can speak with him. I am going offline now." Riko's head slowly drooped.
Kagaya's heart skipped a beat. They had been in this spectral world for some time now.
Though they were restricted to this area, he was highly intelligent and had gradually learned much about their situation from the locals.
This place was called the Soul Society, and they were currently in the territory of the Uchiha clan.
The Lady Riko who had brought them here was free-spirited and frank. Though she was still a child, she held a position of extreme status.
Even the Uchiha, who owned this land, treated her with the utmost respect and obedience, fearing to offend her.
For Lady Riko to use a title of respect, he could only think of the legendary figure known here as Great King Enma.
The other members of the corps realized this as well. They felt conflicted, curious about the great figure they were about to face.
Kagaya tilted his head slightly, listening intently to the sounds in the hall.
But aside from the sound of patrolling guards, there was nothing.
Just as everyone began to feel confused, the Riko sitting above them slowly raised her head. Her expression was no longer lively and playful; her youthful face was now set in a mask of absolute solemnity.
When she opened her eyes, a calm and steady gaze swept over the crowd before settling on Kagaya at the front.
"So, you are the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps that Riko mentioned?"
The voice was still that of a young girl, but the words lacked any childish innocence, instead overflowing with an aura of supreme authority.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]