20 My Child

“What’s gone missing?”

Kong Shiyu’s anxious voice suddenly rose sharply, causing distortion on the phone’s earpiece. “The cursed spirits placed around the Fushiguro residence—all of them were instantly wiped out just now! I can sense a powerful presence descending!”

“A first-grade sorcerer, no, stronger than first-grade—most likely… a special-grade sorcerer.”

After a brief silence, Fushiguro Toji let out a cold snort. “Huh?”

“What’s going on recently? Everyone seems to want to snatch that brat… It’s not like I’m not selling him.”

“Well, if you don’t want to pay, then put your life on the line.”

Fushiguro Toji turned sharply and strode toward a GTR parked by the roadside.

Buzz—

The car alarm blared sharply the moment he grabbed the handle without unlocking it, drawing puzzled glances from passersby, which instantly turned to astonishment—

Screech.

With brute force, Toji tore off the entire car door along with the handle, clamping the phone between his ear and shoulder. He ripped open the cover beneath the steering wheel and, by short-circuiting the wiring, started the engine before grasping the gear shift.

“I’ll be there soon. Make sure you keep a close eye on him. Don’t let him get away,” he said, hanging up and flooring the accelerator.

Roar!

The fully unleashed GTR engine thundered deafeningly, and the moment the clutch was released, the car shot forward like a bullet.

The silver body streaked like lightning, and by the time the crowd reacted with shouts, it had vanished into the city skyline.

Kisaragi Ruming was unaware of Fushiguro Toji’s transformation into a car thief, recklessly speeding down Tokyo’s main avenue. Perhaps, if he knew, he might have even thought Toji was arriving too late—

After dealing with the troublemakers named Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, and rushing back to Conan’s side, Kisaragi Ruming took the opportunity to briefly organize the pressing matters at hand.

The foremost priority was, naturally, to reunite with Toji.

Thanks to Satoru Gojo, he had a vague understanding of Toji’s hardships during his youth at the Zenin family estate. Next, he planned to visit the Zenin household personally. If he confirmed that was Toji’s emotional burden, he would not hesitate to erase their entire clan from this world.

Secondly, there was the matter of Megumi’s growth and education.

For every parent, this was an eternal dilemma. According to the vision from his previous life, he intended to let Megumi peacefully finish elementary and middle school, then choose a university and major he liked, and live a joyful, ordinary life.

But unexpectedly, neither Toji nor he were ordinary.

“Although Megumi was not born of my true body, his soul and flesh share the same origin. He carries the bloodline of my clan, but to awaken it, a blood purification ritual is necessary. I can conduct the ceremony, but the required rare materials cannot be found in this world… Moreover, half of his bloodline comes from Toji.”

From information obtained from Satoru Gojo, Kisaragi Ruming knew that Toji descended from an ancient sorcery family with a hereditary technique. Therefore, Megumi, bearing Toji’s blood, likely possessed the Zenin family’s sorcery as well.

At first, he thought cursed energy was akin to the spiritual energy of this world. If Megumi wished to cultivate cursed energy, he had no objection—after all, with countless paths to choose, he wouldn’t force his child down his own.

However, after fighting Gojo and understanding the limits and restrictions of cursed energy, his perspective changed—

Why pursue a path bound by the laws of heaven and earth, even at its peak?

Not to mention his own self-developed ways, even a random martial manual he had seized would be superior to cultivating cursed energy.

But Megumi was not just anyone; he was his own child. He did not want to arbitrarily impose his ideas on him.

Arriving downstairs at Megumi’s residence, Kisaragi Ruming still hadn’t come to a conclusion.

“Forget it. Megumi is still young. With Toji and me watching over him, he can try any path he wishes. If he errs, it won’t have too much impact.” Setting aside the issue for now, Kisaragi Ruming softened his expression as he looked at the apartment building before him. “Let’s go see Megumi first…”

He lifted the great formation sealing the space and began ascending the stairs, suddenly realizing he didn’t know the exact address. He grabbed his phone and called Conan.

The call was quickly answered.

“Conan, tell me Megumi’s address.”

“Well...” Conan hesitated, unable to provide a clear answer for a long moment.

“Hmm?” Kisaragi Ruming sensed something was off. His golden eyes shifted from the faint curses lingering around to the phone screen. His expression turned icy cold, and his voice was filled with overwhelming pressure: “What’s going on? Speak.”

“Whatever I’m about to say… please don’t get angry,” Conan took a deep breath and braced himself. “You know… your partner married another woman?”

“What… did you say?” Kisaragi Ruming’s first instinct was to think his ears were faulty. “I didn’t hear clearly. Say that again.”

Conan’s voice trembled. “He married into the Fushiguro family… He’s taken the surname Fushiguro now and even changed your child’s surname…”

Boom!!!

A surging spiritual force erupted from its master in furious wrath, its power several times greater than when he fought Gojo. Within hundreds of miles, curses both large and small were instantly wiped out, even ordinary people with poor eyesight noticed—

The tremendous roar pierced eardrums and struck at Conan’s heartstrings, leaving his mind blank and breath forgotten.

“Give me the address…”

Knowing the other’s terrifying strength and how much he cared for his partner, Conan feared Toji might unleash a slaughter at any moment.

“Stay calm…”

But Kisaragi Ruming’s cold laugh cut through Conan’s plea—his partner had run off with their child; how could he remain calm?

“Don’t worry, I won’t kill anyone in front of Megumi without reason.”

Relieved by the promise, Conan sighed and gave him the address. “Apartment 3-11…”

Ding dong.

Almost as soon as Conan finished speaking, someone knocked on the door. He refrained from barging in to avoid frightening Megumi.

But upon seeing the nameplate bearing the Fushiguro surname on the door, Kisaragi Ruming’s dazzling golden eyes, bright as the sun, turned colder than glacial ice.

“Toji, you’re quite something…”

Spiritual energy welled up in his raised palm, ready to destroy the glaring nameplate when the door opened: “Hello, guest…”

Kisaragi Ruming looked up to see a woman in her twenties standing in the foyer. Long hair, flowing dress, gentle features—she was the traditional kind favored by Japanese society.

So this is the type Toji likes? Perhaps following me all this time was unfair to him.

Anger surged within Kisaragi Ruming, his expression growing icier still. Even the woman before him sensed the danger.

“May I ask what your business is?”

Before Kisaragi Ruming could speak, Conan’s voice came from her feet: “Haha, Ruming brother, you’re here.”

Conan’s voice eased the woman’s tension. “Oh, you’re Conan’s brother?”

“Yes, yes, Ruming brother,” Conan eagerly signaled to Kisaragi Ruming that Megumi was inside.

Suppressing his emotions, Kisaragi Ruming nodded. “I am. May I come in? I won’t disturb you long.”

The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly displeased by the rude request, but ultimately did not refuse. “Ah, alright… please come in.”

Upon entering, the moment he stepped into the foyer, he saw Megumi seated in the living room. Upon noticing his gaze, Megumi looked up, eyes filled with confusion and caution when he recognized him.

“Megumi…”

A girl noticed Kisaragi Ruming’s sincere gaze, stood up, and positioned herself protectively in front of Fushiguro Megumi, eyes wary. “Big brother, do you know Megumi?”

The woman with the Fushiguro surname also asked, “Do you know my adopted son?”

At the mention of “adopted son,” Kisaragi Ruming raised an eyebrow but did not answer her question. Instead, he released his spiritual awareness to examine Megumi’s current home.

In an instant, countless details flooded his mind—the lady’s cigarette butts in the trash, overdue utility bills, ready-to-eat meals in the fridge… the room was filled with the carelessness of a child’s space and outdated, ill-fitting clothes.

Kisaragi Ruming gained a rough understanding of Megumi’s life at the Fushiguro residence—the woman hadn’t mistreated them but hadn’t cared much either. Just getting by, surviving… barely reaching the passing mark for a new and inexperienced mother.

But this did not satisfy Kisaragi Ruming. His dissatisfaction was not directed at the woman, but at Toji—

There was not a trace of anything related to Toji in this home. Perhaps he had returned here, but very rarely.

So why did Toji marry into the family? Just to ensure Megumi had no father named Zenin?

What?

Kisaragi Ruming felt that if Toji had genuinely fallen in love with a woman after his death and brought Megumi into the family, he wouldn’t be so furious. At least Toji would be living peacefully, not like a walking corpse detached from the world.

“Why degrade yourself like this? It only makes those who hate you cheer and those who love you grieve…”

“Hey! Are you listening to me?”

The woman, ignored for a long time, finally lost patience.

“Oh.” Kisaragi Ruming snapped back to reality. He looked up at her, speaking calmly but with an unyielding authority: “I’m taking Megumi with me.”

The words stunned not only the woman but also Fushiguro Megumi and Conan, who all widened their eyes.

The woman finally realized something was wrong and shouted angrily, “I won’t let you kidnap my adopted son. Please leave now, or I’ll report this—”

Kisaragi Ruming said firmly, “Megumi is my child.”