Chapter 57: The Dog God Messenger Atram

The client is a man with brown skin and thick blonde hair; he looks very young, not at all like someone in his 50s.

In Sora's world, he is a handsome man from the Middle East. For this reason alone, Sora decides to call the client "Oil King" in his mind.

His dark circles make him look exhausted, but even so, he is far from aged, appearing 10 years younger than his actual age.

If one views him as an ordinary person caught in a series of unresolved suspicious deaths, his Spirit Power is quite considerable; in this regard, the three Hunters honestly evaluated their client.

But, conversely, he is a man who is nothing but unquantifiable disgust and a sense of royal evil.

Such an oil tycoon, the client Atram Gariasta, expressed his frustration with his very first words.

"Up until now, we have been sent many useless people, and in the end, we were sent 'extraordinary talents'—though they have past records, they are all Relic Hunters and Phantom Beast Hunters from different fields.

When it comes down to it, these two are just 'assistants.' The 'talent' recommended by the Vice Chairman is a rookie who just passed the Hunter Exam this year..."

"No, this time, although it is a private request rather than as an official of the Licensing Bureau, we may have to consider our relationship with the Hunter Association."

Before they could even greet or introduce themselves, the three were hit with this mockery, and they smiled with Ambiguity.

None of the three are the type to fake a smile just to sell out their own sarcasm, but at the same time, they don't care enough about this level of sarcasm.

So, the reason the three of them smiled was a bitter smile, making them realize once again that this was a terrible combination that wouldn't help even if spoken aloud; they felt sympathy for being used as Pariston's clients. Toys from the bottom of his heart. I thought I was sorry.

However, the client did not even ask for the three Hunters' sympathy or pity, nor did he offer a sincere apology or response.

Atram's only expectation of others is behavior that benefits him.

Atram arrogantly views others, especially those he hires, as "goods bought with money," not seeing them as people equal to himself, and he has no doubts about this. I glared at the three of them, thinking they should at least show a cute appearance, but unfortunately, the three in front of me didn't look at me that way, and without it, I was even yawning.

Atram raised his eyebrows in disgust at Ging's behavior, but he said nothing.

Although their fields are completely different, Ging, who has a decent track record among the three Professional Hunters, is still someone to look forward to, so he hesitated to order them to "get out," and finally issued a warning to the Hunter Association.

"In any case, this is the last time we will let the Association slap us in the face."

"In fact, the three Hunters sent by the Association were all killed, and the Hunter I hired personally didn't solve the problem, but they have already finished the job of protecting me. I understand now that it is better to trust my own eyes than to rely on blind associations."

Hearing Atram's words, the man standing behind him, with long blonde hair but straight bangs, short hair, and a red coat, had a distinct personality and was somewhat conspicuous.

I don't know if he is a professional or an amateur, but he is clearly a Hunter who has signed an exclusive contract with Atram.

Sora and the others thought that Pariston had sent a loyal hunting companion to find him in addition to themselves, but their expectations were ill-timed.

Rather than losing trust and being unable to send more, this area is likely in Pariston's hands.

Perhaps he hoped they would deliberately send unqualified Hunters, let them return to be defeated, cause the client and their exclusive Hunter to feel antipathy, not cooperate with us, or they are not good at it, and they will drag their feet.

The biggest drawback of this plan, "losing the Association's credibility," is what Pariston would rather have, so if he could expect the same effect, he decided it was easier than sending someone with his own breath. Maybe.

Sora sighed and glanced at the Hunter whose name he still didn't know.

Although his movements sounded petty, he was still trusted by this arrogant, results-oriented Atram, which might be someone with excellent defensive capabilities; originally, he didn't expect a solution at all. If so, that would explain why Atram didn't lose his composure even when tired.

Moreover, probably in Sora's world, he is someone with an ability similar to a "Barrier," thinking that the range of that "Barrier" covers the entire residence, roughly equivalent to the size of the museum Sora destroyed before, and is calm. If so, it is definitely a good category.

The range of the Barrier and the protection of Atram from what is likely the "Heart of the Reaper" ability is amazing, but what impressed Sora was that this "Barrier" made "even those with power feel uncomfortable." The point I am good at is "I cannot let you down."

Sure enough, Ging, the highest level of ability user, and his disciple Kaito, whether because of Magic Attribute or the remnants of the magic eye called "Clear Eyes" that he possessed before his Direct Death. "Impossible things." Sora, who is good at perceiving things, noticed immediately upon entering the residence that "this place is different from the 'outside'," but there was too little sense of discomfort, and looking at the residence from the outside, this was already the place for the three of them; he didn't expect it to be an "otherworld" completely covered by the man's Barrier.

The word "barrier" is linked to the so-called barrier, but to put it more extremely, a "barrier" is a "dividing line" that separates "here" and "there." It is enough to act as a "barrier."

Depending on the time and situation, a common-sense triangular pyramid might be more effective than using Magic or Nen Ability to cover it with an invisible wall that is crazy and abnormal to anyone.

If you want to hide or protect something, it is more effective than a thick wall because it will not be discovered or identified by the enemy. If the enemy cannot find the target of the attack or identify the existence of the target itself, even if the target has no means of self-defense, the wall itself can be made of paper armor. Because there is no chance of being attacked.

For a magician who would be fatal if he openly practiced this mystery, this kind of Barrier specifically used for concealment and implicit magic is common sense and basic, but in this world, it is a kind of ability and magic I have never seen before. Sora was frankly impressed; he had a good point because it was a good obstacle as a teacher.

However, the unique hairstyle and the red coat and red top hat he wore indoors caught my attention, and it didn't last long.

Following the oil tycoon, Sora gave the unknown Hunter the nickname "Factory Manager." The origin is that the red coat and top hat reminded me of the chocolate factory manager in a movie based on a children's book popular when Sora was a child.

"Yes, it can't be helped if you think so, so it's fine."

While thinking about such stupid things, Sora responded with common sense, which was unusual. The reason is that the more information I got about the job, the less motivated I became; if I want to go home, I have no choice but to finish it as soon as possible.

For those who usually know Sora, it is miraculously gentle and polite, but for Atram, it is 3 incompetents, 2 newcomers in different fields, and no apology even when they arrive. An unpleasant existence; I want to throw a coffee cup in front of me.

"What is it? I think we've already talked about it, well, it must be the first time I've talked to you, but can't the Association even coordinate information? You died before you could report? Listen to me?"

Sure enough, he knew that if he did that, he would be nothing more than a crazy, hysterical little person, so instead of drinking a cup of hot coffee, he made a sarcastic remark.

Of course, for Sora, who is too lazy to get angry even at those who hate him, the insults to the Hunter Association, which has not yet received any special benefits, and the sarcasm toward the three Hunters he has never met, are neither painful nor itchy.

With a little sympathy, she asked, almost ignoring Atram's sarcasm.

"Why do you think this is a Curse from your wife who died two years ago?"

Atram's expression disappeared under Sora's question.

Although provoked, he continued to arrogantly look down on Sora and the others; I turned my face to show it.

Of course, Sora and the others understood without reading minds that their reaction contained immense guilt.

So Sora ignored Atram's reaction and continued speaking.

"If this suspicious death incident started after your wife died, I can understand why you would link it to her, even if you don't have any particular resentment toward it. But the suspicious death incident started six months ago, right?"

"If it were exactly one year after your wife passed away, it would be a normal thought to link it, but why do you think it is 'my wife's Curse' because there is a slightly longer and irrelevant one-and-a-half-year gap? Do you understand?"

"Don't be rude. Are you doubting your employer?"

Faced with Sora's repeated questioning, Atram's exclusive Hunter raised his eyebrows in dissatisfaction and asked back, but Atram unexpectedly stopped him.

"Come on, Alba."

"... Ah, I see. If you look at it from the side, it certainly looks unnatural. But the reason is simple. Before the suspicious death incident started, I had seen my wife many times. That woman looked at me with a gloomy and resentful face, resenting me, saying 'I am ungrateful' and 'I did this for you'."

"So, if I hired him first, Alba, as insurance to protect myself, then a series of suspicious death incidents would only begin and continue to this day."

First, Atram simply explained why he thought it was "his wife's Curse," and Ging and Kaito were somewhat surprised by the "reason for thinking it was a Curse."

However, seeing Atram talking about his wife with an unhappy face, even if only on the surface, dropping the form of honorifics, dropping them, Ging's eyes turned pale, and Kaito's eyes turned white. An even more unpleasant look.

Obviously, judging from his expression and tone, there was no intention of a "loving wife" at all.

It has been two years since she passed away, and it seems that what should have been the cause of her suspicious death has dried up.

In fact, he may have never loved his wife.

"... Do you have any thoughts on that kind of resentment?"

Sora asked again, expressionless. Whether he was uncomfortable with Atram's words and actions like Kaito, or pale like Ging who pitied the trivialities of the other party, he was better at eliminating emotions from his expression than Atram. I asked.

Perhaps you really didn't think anything at all.

The reason was that Atram's answer was too familiar to Sora, nostalgic even.

Atram answered with a smile.

"Isn't it just that woman's 'Curse' from when she was alive?"

Seeing Ging and Kaito's eyes widen even more than at Atram's previous answer, the person who answered was like a child who had successfully pulled off a prank... but it wasn't a cute prank, it was filled with ill-intentioned Malice. Standing behind me, laughing with me, as if I had done something successful.

Ignoring the two's reactions, Kaito asked with wide eyes.

"... What does this mean? You are the one who..."

"Kite."

But before Kaito could finish, Ging stopped him, crossing his arms and staring straight at Atram.

Why stop? He didn't even look at the disciple who seemed to be saying something, just said one word.

"No evidence."

Hearing this, the corners of Atram's mouth lifted even further.

Kaito looked at it helplessly and had to shut his mouth.

Just as Ging said, Atram admitted that the annoyingly suspicious deaths and disappearances, and the mental illnesses that could not be cured, were not a Coincidence, but his wife's work.

But that was it.

He said wisely: "That woman did it." I didn't order myself to do it, but made an excuse that my wife did it herself.

The reason for confessing here is because I have the confidence to Stick to such a claim, no matter what others say, 'My wife did it herself, I didn't know anything at the time, and I have nothing to say about it.' Maybe it's because I have...

First, regardless of this series of suspicious deaths now, the suspicious deaths related to my disturbance were exactly the same time as my wife's presence, so from the beginning I thought there would be suspicion, and I took appropriate measures from the beginning. His wife's death is likely the answer.

He didn't have to think about what his wife did at all; scolding her to death was useless, it would only make his mood worse, so he endured it with force.

Ging also snorted in disgust. I glared at Atram in my heart, thinking that if there was a chance, I would hit him. Although he looked exactly like my son, I was not as impulsive as my son, so I was thinking about some troublesome things.

Both of them were of a good age and had been Hunters for a long time.

"... Phew. Then, one last thing."

Although he was an adult and a man, Sora, who was only in his twenties, was a woman, yet he used his wife as much as possible, likely killed her, and even after she died, he harbored self-pitying resentment. Ging felt that this man who bought it and pushed all the sins onto his wife was far from being offensive.

When I asked Ging about Gon, Kaito wondered if he should stop him, thinking he might say something like a direct stab.

However, unexpectedly, Sora remained expressionless and calmly moved on to the next question.

Regarding this, not only Ging and Kaito, but even Atram and Alba's expressions turned to disappointment, and Sora's expression changed from expressionless to strange because of everyone's reaction.

For Sora, this was an unsettling story. A heart that feels like this will never be paralyzed.

However, my heart was so used to it that it didn't show on my face.

Things that Ging and Kaito were familiar with, Sora was even more familiar with.

From the moment I was born, I had seen people who were born thinking they would do anything for their own purposes, and that being grateful to others was natural as long as they acknowledged their own value, as long as they were still being used by others.

Sora didn't have much to think about regarding an opponent with values, cunning, and stupidity similar to a Magician. I had been unpleasant from the start, but now that I had received this expected answer, that hadn't changed.

So, although everyone's disappointment made him a bit at a loss, Sora didn't care and asked the final question.

"Do you know about the 'Inugami'?"

Hearing this question, not only Atram, but Alba's expression also changed.

"Why do you think this is your wife's Curse?" As for Alba, she reacted to the words that seemed to doubt Atram, but she did not react to the question itself with a disgusted expression.

However, this question was completely unexpected.

At the same time, the blood drained from both their faces at once, and their mouths opened and closed several times like goldfish, but they were speechless. It didn't come out, but everyone knew what I wanted to say.

"Why do you know?"

Ging and Kaito looked at Sora with wide eyes at the two's reaction.

Sora muttered this sentence in the car.

Of course, I was curious about the meaning, but since the time for us to reach the mansion was almost up, I didn't have time, so I said to Sora: "So I'll postpone it until later."

Perhaps the culprit of this suspicious death was an eloquent affirmation of the identity of the "Nen Ability of the dog with only a neck," so Sora let out a weary sigh, lowered his head, and covered the corners of his eyes.

Furthermore, Sora rubbed the corners of his eyes over and over, trying to let the messy emotions that had gathered in his eyes inadvertently, like that car, relax.

Wanting to kill him, but somehow suppressing the frustration of not being able to find a target, Sora didn't look at anyone, stated his conclusion, and then received the verbal answer from Atram and Alba to his question.

"Ah, yes, yes. Enough. I understand now. Your wife is an 'Inugami User'."

"... Then, the story is simple."

I don't want to see anyone.

The client who treated his wife as the worst, worst tool, and the colleague who laughed happily after knowing, the strange appearance of being clumsy but openly worried about him, both confused and worried. So, it was rude and offensive to Sora, but they were annoying.

Everyone, everyone, is still a remake of 7 years ago.

Ging and Kaito were worried about themselves, so they came together to help solve the case.

Atram and Alba were too similar in personality and gender to the Magician who was the target of "her" revenge.

Feeling that this stage was created based on my own past, there is no doubt that I deliberately created such a stage without knowing Sora's past. The culprit Pariston, I opened my eyes and admired his bad personality even more; in a sense, he was like a god.

I didn't want to see anything originally, but as soon as I closed my eyes, the person I least wanted to see was drawn too vividly in my mind, so I opened my eyes and said,

"... Kill me."

Sora ignored the phantom pain throughout his body and spoke.

Phantom limb pain. Thanks to the healing Magic of friends and an overprotective sister and apprentice, the wounds at that time had no sequelae, let alone scars.

The excruciating pain of being bitten by a dog ghost that was only a head, being gnawed alive, was just sentimental.

Therefore, Sora ignored the irredeemable pain of the past and made a declaration.

"I will kill you. Ghost, god, whatever. As long as you are still alive, it doesn't matter."

Sora stated clearly.

It was not the client Atram, nor was it Alba, the high-ranking Hunter assigned to this job, but rather in "her" hallucinations that she cried and made herself attack the Inugami, which would not disappear even when she opened her eyes.

"I will kill the past you somehow," I said to myself when I was powerless.

"... There have been no suspicious death incidents recently. On the contrary, at night, the 'Inugami' appears to the extent that it covers the mansion. Perhaps the moment my Barrier loosens, Boss Atram, I think the target is the moment it steps out of the Obstacle.

Your job is to either annihilate the 'Inugami' or get rid of the Dead Spirit of the woman who is troubling the boss.

... Based on my current experience, it is certain that the 'Inugami' will not act until after the Sun sets. So stay here. I don't want you wandering around the mansion too much."

Alba spoke quickly and rudely, not clear if it was an explanation or an order, and opened the door to the guest room.

The spacious and luxurious room had a large bed, but there was only one, and Sora, who was temporarily only a woman, did not seem to be guided to other rooms.

Three people chatting was enough, but if they had to stay here for a while, it would be terrible. Although they knew this, Sora and the others were neither trusted nor expected, and there seemed to be no intention of welcoming them.

No, perhaps at first they each had a room, or at least Sora should have been in a separate room.

It is more likely that Sora's unnecessary words of confirmation shifted his perception from "unexpected incompetence" to "unnecessary trouble that cannot be handled."

In fact, even when asked, the never-flustered and talkative wife Atram, after Sora's question and declaration of "I will kill you," said empty words like "That is reliable" with a crumpled smile. Afterward, I left the rest to Alba and left early.

Likewise, Alba's face was twitching.

It seems this girl truly understands what the Nen Ability of the "Inugami" is, if she truly understands and says "I will kill you" seriously. Understanding what I was looking at, she only gave a vague "fuun" in response.

Alba scoffed at this reaction, gave up on beating around the bush to see the reaction, and finally asked straight out.

"Do you really know what the 'Inugami' is? Do you understand it and then say 'kill'?"

Kill? That? How? Are you going to kill him 'again'?!"

This was not Jin and Kaito's imagination; while they were being sarcastic rather than questioning, it sounded like they were expecting and hoping for a negative word.

From Sora's remarks, the two with good intuition had already recognized the identity of the "Inugami." Alba's "again" statement supported the fact of their imagination.

That is why I can understand the feeling of wanting to be rejected.

If what we imagine is the true identity of the "Inugami," then fighting or even getting rid of it would be even more troublesome.

However, Sora certainly did not possess the meaningless service spirit to satisfy their expectations.

Since she herself brought up the "Inugami," she turned her gaze to Alba for the first time, answering with the color of the night sky.

"I can kill you.

As long as they exist in this world, as long as they are moving, even if they have no physical form, as long as they exist as a concept, I can even kill gods. Especially Dead Spirits and ghosts, I don't need to be shy about such things as immortal undead, so I am very good at it."

It was already troublesome to even cover up superficial politeness, and she spoke flatly and indifferently.

Although it was impossible based on the content alone, in weather like today, Sora's words were like muttering to herself, with a complex expression on her face, but the pride and stubbornness of an excellent Nen User who is a Hunter made up for it with a smile.

"... I see. Truly reliable!"

She did not take Sora's words seriously, spat out sarcasm she didn't want to take seriously, and Alba slammed the guest room door shut.

Seeing this, Sora muttered, "I wonder if it's okay to be this violent at the employer's house?" and pulled it out.

"How serious are you?"

"? I am serious about most things."

"... It's better to make a joke, that's how it is."

Looking troubled and in a bad mood, Jin turned around and scoffed at Sora's words and actions.

Sora answered Jin's question with a serious face, and Kaito did not know if he should be afraid or surprised, and temporarily stated his true impression.

Hearing his disciple's impression, Jin couldn't help but laugh, holding his stomach and saying, "You could say that!"

"You're the type who can't talk about others, aren't you?" He laughed regardless of Sora's reasonable remarks, and then took a heavy breath.

"Ah, I laughed, I laughed. So, although I'm laughing, can you tell me the basis for your 'seriousness'?"

Sure enough, if the 'Inugami' is the ability we imagine, then I'm afraid we can't do anything, and we can only rely on your confidence that 'I can kill'."

I'm afraid only Sora can be relied upon, and the situation has reached a desperate point... In fact, not only Sora, but his disciple Kaito also said: "You have one or two Hidden gems, you definitely can," Sora was a little angry at Jin, and Jin seemed so relaxed that he thought, "You know?"

To young people, she was an open-minded woman, but perhaps because Sora's attitude toward older people was actually quite narrow, she was still a bit annoyed and did not answer Jin's question, but asked back.

"First of all, what kind of imagination does Jin have about the 'Inugami'?"

To Sora's question, Jin answered immediately.

"'Inugami' is the spirit of a dog after it dies, and an 'Inugami User' is someone who can manipulate the spirit of a dog, right?"

From every word of Sora and Alba, Jin stated an answer he was almost certain of, but Sora looked in the direction of the day after tomorrow and got an indescribable answer.

"Yes, you might be right."

""Maybe!?""

Involuntarily, not only Jin, but Kaito also repeated part of Sora's answer, and then threw himself into it. No way, although I said it so boldly, the person who initiated it had no confirmation at all.

However, it is natural that there is no Certainty. After all, Sora's relationship with the 'Inugami' and 'Inugami User' is not in this world, but in that world.

"No, about seven years ago, I was involved with someone with the same name, and I could manipulate ghosts with just a dog's neck, so I thought maybe it was a derivative of it, but I'm sorry. I didn't confirm it from the beginning.

If it is someone I was involved with, and it was derived from it, then I believe this is exactly what Jin imagined, but it is also possible that it is an ability created with that ability as a hint, and the essence is completely different."

Sure enough, she didn't want to tell Gon and the others "I am from another world," so Sora didn't lie, but defended herself with an explanation that didn't clarify the whole truth.

Sora could have talked about it, but Kaito was convinced that if he talked to Jin, he would definitely get into trouble, so he decided not to talk about it for the time being.

This man's reaction to the absurd story of "another world" was neither suspicious nor unbelievable, but like his son, he easily believed it and bit into it. It is easy to imagine that I would not be able to return to the topic by accepting my curiosity and completely forgetting this disgusting job.

The two people who were a bit powerless at Sora's words said, "Ah, I see."

Unlike Magic inherited by blood, Nen Ability is created by individuals and completed through individual research, not inherited, so Nen Ability is basically not the same as other abilities except for strengthening the physique. However, Nen Ability can also learn the same abilities as others, as long as it is not a special ability.

Of course, the precision and details of this ability will be very different from the original version, but if the original version and the aura system are the same, then this ability is very likely to be at the same level as the original version, and if not done well, the ability might be even better than the original, and if compatible, it might be improved.

"In that case, the dog's decapitation isn't a dog ghost, but rather that it tastes bad, though it could also be an ordinary Nen Bead, but in that case, is that okay?"

"To me, whether it is a Spirit Beast created by a living person or the ghost of a dog, the only difference is the amount of Aura. This is not a special ability, so it cannot change such a fact. He suits me very well."

"……Seriously, who are you?"

When Kaito spoke the question posed by Sora's excuse, Sora answered with a remark that broke the common sense of a Nen User, which naturally troubled Kaito's reaction.

However, Kaito did not pursue it further. It should be said that Ging, who should have said "tell me your serious reason," also asked nothing.

As everyone knows, people with abilities cannot expose their "deep schemes" so fluently, so Ging probably really didn't expect Sora to say this, and the main topic at the beginning was "Inugami." I guess.

Kaito made the same decision, casting aside his doubts about Sora's ability and returning to the main topic.

"Alright, even if you don't have evidence, please tell me. What kind of person is the 'Inugami' you are involved with? If the name, appearance, and effects are similar, then it is not unrelated."

(No, this is a different world, so it is almost certain that it is irrelevant.)

Sora sat on the bed while speaking, recalling the events of seven years ago, but his heart felt a tightness.

Ignoring the overly fleeting smile of "her" who gave up everything.

＊＊＊

"For the time being, the 'Inugami' I know is the same as what Ging just guessed, a type of Manipulation ability that uses dog ghosts."

Sora rephrased the magic based on Dead Spirit magic in the style of this world, explaining "Inugami."

Even so, Sora did not know much about "Inugami."

Magic... or rather, "mysteries" are unknown, and precisely because it has not been analyzed and explored, it is a "Miracle" that emits power, but at the same time, it also has the property of amplifying Mana. The power of people's "faith," so it is one of them. The most important part of the ritual is only known to clans that deal with magic, but the name and effects of the magic, as well as the surface and influential parts. The ritual is not only known to other mages, but even ordinary people know it. There are quite a few things.

"Inugami" is secondary in the world, but in Japan, it can be said to be a typical magic.

Even if you are not a mage, anyone with a little interest in horror or occultism has heard of this Curse at least once.

"'Inugami' means to first bury a live dog with only its head exposed, place food where it seems to be able to reach, and starve it to the limit until it goes mad. Then, it is that kind of hunger and hatred. At the moment it reaches its peak, the head is decapitated and killed, and it is said that the head is enshrined, but I don't know what this 'offering head' part actually does. The ritual of enshrinement might be a Constraint or something."

In this way, the dog ghost that was supposed to attack its hatred originally shifts to another person and attacks them. As far as I know, at least that is what I was involved in."

Facing Sora's brief explanation, Ging and Kaito countered somewhat casually with tones of "Hmm" and "……I understand."

Both are humans who cherish animals as friends, so they seemed offended by the more unorthodox way of creating "Inugami" than they had imagined.

However, these two Professional Hunters, even if their guts were boiling from the disgusting story, still calmly organized the information they got from Sora in their minds and pieced it together.

"……I see. If it is transferred to someone else without erasing the hatred itself, even if it is the thought of the dead, it should be possible to manipulate it."

"Even so, although it is just a dog, just thinking about the dead is troublesome, but the esper themselves died and became even more powerful, making even the teacher unable to help but grit his teeth."

Ging and Kaito were each sitting on nearby chairs, muttering their own thoughts, when Sora interrupted Ging's muttering.

"Oh right, right, right, there is one thing that bothers me, can I ask you one thing?"

Although he requested permission to ask, Sora did not wait for an answer and asked Ging and Kaito.

"Is it impossible to inherit or succeed a 'Nen Ability' from an amateur who has no Training at all and hasn't even opened their Shoko?"

"Shoko?"

Not understanding why such a question suddenly appeared, Kaito made a questioning sound.

When I looked at Sora, she looked at me with a puzzled face, waiting for an answer, and I was a little embarrassed to answer her question, "Why are you asking me this?" I replied.

"No, it is generally impossible. If it is inheritance, if the Aura system is the same, even if there is a difference in precision, it is possible, but even so, if the pores are open and the Four Major Principles are not mastered, the ability itself cannot be used, it is impossible."

Occasionally there are those born with pores open or something, skipping the Four Major Principles, and unknowingly creating and using some kind of ability, but in general, it is greatly influenced by individual quality, and specifically because it is the peak ability of Transformation, it is almost impossible for others to obtain the same ability even if they practice."

Speaking of genetics, it is even more impossible because the Aura system is not a blood type. It seems that parents and children have a tendency to have the same lineage, but it is not uncommon for parents and siblings to have the same lineage, and it is rare for the lineage to change after birth."

"……No, there is an exception."

While puzzled, he politely explained to Sora's question that it was "impossible," but after explaining, Ging immediately denied it.

Kaito's eyes widened, and Ging did not look at Sora, who was asking the question.

"There is a Nen Ability called 'Parasitic Type'."

As the name suggests, it is a Manifestation or Manipulation type ability that incorporates specific rules and conditions into things created by one's own Aura, or things with Aura, and parasitizes people who meet these rules and conditions. Then, the Aura consumed to activate the ability is not the person who owns the ability, but the kind that absorbs the Aura of the parasitic opponent. In this case, it does not matter if the Shoko is open. It is fine for anyone to have all Shoko completely closed and be in a natural state of constant 'absence'."

There are cursed Nantoka people whose masters die one after another, right? This is probably what it is like."

So, Parasitic Type Nen Abilities are usually intended to cause harm to the parasitized opponent, but sometimes there are types that 'protect the opponent'."

Kaito's question, "Why would you ask such a question?" was answered by Ging, not Sora.

"……Sora. Is that the type of 'Inugami User' you know?"

"……No, it's to throw the resentment of the dog I bought onto my descendants, and then run away."

To Ging's answer and question, Sora narrowed his indigo eyes slightly and answered with a sarcastic smile.

Ignoring the Fate of the "abandoned descendants" glimpsed at the edge of your thoughts.

"……The 'Inugami User' I know is passed down through bloodlines. It's probably not an ability."

Just as Kaito said, it is possible to transfer the target to someone else instead of eliminating the hatred, but even so, you can imagine that manipulating the thoughts of the dead is not that easy, right?"

Even just burying a dog alive, driving it to the point of starving to death, decapitating it immediately after it goes mad, spending a lot of time and energy preparing, and then turning the ghost of the dog that holds a grudge against it into an 'Inugami'. I have to perform a ritual to do it, so it shouldn't be an ability that can be mass-produced."

My wife was in her twenties when she passed away, so rather than thinking she created so many ridiculous Inugami alone, this person is like the 'Inugami User' I know, she was inherited a little bit. Very little from her parents or others. It is more natural to think that he is manipulating the Inugami he has been increasing."

So, if this idea is correct, let alone the 'Inugami User' who cursed this house is not his wife, the 'real culprit' most likely does not know that he himself is an 'Inugami', cursing people to death."

Yes. If Sora's idea is correct, if the 'Inugami' of this world is inherited by bloodline or something like that house, then it is very likely the work of the living, not the dead."

Atram's claim that he "saw his wife's ghost" is most likely a lie because he wanted to hide information about "Inugami."

Just hearing that he was eaten alive by an invisible beast, it is natural to associate suspicious deaths with his wife's "Inugami," even now, he pretends not to know the details."

Therefore, he most likely lied about seeing his wife's ghost because he could not use "Inugami" as a basis and thought it was his wife's Curse."

If this "wife's ghost" story is a lie and does not exist, then it is not impossible that the "Inugami User" is a living person."

Conversely, if you consciously use "Inugami," it would be more natural to explain that you spent so much time mastering the "Inugami" you inherited during a strange blank period."

"Her remaining life seems to have been alone, but it wouldn't be surprising if others were related to her by blood on the family register. I don't know if the wife's relatives were intentional or unconscious, but they might be cursing."

And personally, this is actually more troublesome than my wife's death."

"What does it count as? If the only difference between your Nen after death and a Nen Beast is the amount of aura, then it is better for a capable person to survive than to have the Nen of a dog and a human combined."

Hearing Sora's "troublesome" remark, Ging asked with a truly suspicious expression.

Facing this question, Sora looked up at the sky, struggling with how to explain it while speaking.

"……My ability, to be precise, is not destruction."

"So…… perhaps 'Inugami' is an Emission System ability, so I feel it is still okay, but…… what I mean is, the possibility of death is high. The ability user themselves is chained—"

"Hmm?"

When I asked him why he called it "troublesome" in a sense different from what he imagined, and why he replied that it was much more troublesome than he thought, not only Ging, but Kaito was also stunned.

Having already anticipated such a reaction, Sora ignored their reactions and continued speaking.

"Just in case, aura is Life Energy…… isn't it the 'life' of a person itself? If you are the type who separates aura from yourself, such as the Manipulation System or Emission System, there are many cases where it is fine, but the aura is directly connected to the person themselves. In that case, if I 'kill' the Nen Ability, 'death' will track the person's aura—their 'life'—and in a chain reaction, the capable person will die. There are precedents."

"If it were just a Nen Bead, I could cut it with a 'line', but if it is an 'Inugami', even if I can cut it, I have to cut it into small pieces. If you want to kill him for sure, you should hit the 'point', but if you know that the 'Inugami' was inherited and you intentionally curse it, you don't even know you inherited it, 'I want to kill him'. This feeling drives the Inugami mad, and if this person themselves knows nothing, it would leave a bad aftertaste to kill them without asking questions, so I am currently thinking about what to do."

The two who did not have the Direct Death Magic Eye explained to them naturally did not know what "line" and "point" meant.

Almost nothing was told to me, but I did know this much.

"Your ability, just how disgusting is it? You are a monster."

"I don't know much about Ging, but I don't want to hear that from you."

Kaito also thought about it, but as expected, Ging spoke bluntly without hesitation, and Sora responded immediately. Both of them brushed past each other, and Kaito, thinking that neither of them had the right to say it, was the most correct.

While thinking, I interjected to calm the two who were having a strange argument, "Who is the monster, who is it?"

"Ging-san, there is a limit to your childishness. And Sora, I understand your feelings, but apologize to Gon."

"Okay, Ging."

While casually saying rude things to Kaito, Ging, and Gon, he took out his Mobile Phone and urged Ging to do the same.

Ging also retorted to his disciple's cold-natured remarks, saying: "Hey, that's enough."

"Sora. What are the conditions for the 'Inugami User' you know to be inherited by a non-blood relative?"

"For now, I will find an acquaintance with good news and ask if the deceased bride was really alone in this world, or if she had any close friends."

Hearing this, Sora's eyes widened even more.

All I wanted to ask was the conditions for those who would inherit the "Inugami".

Finding the inherited "Inugami User" is a decision.

Although the "Inugami" cannot be guaranteed to be inherited, even if it is inherited, if you don't understand the conditions of inheritance, it is like looking for a grain of gold dust in the desert. Ging and Kaito were naturally searching for the "Inugami User".

Hearing Sora's words, "a capable person might die in a chain reaction" and "it leaves a bad aftertaste to kill without asking questions," they listened without asking anything further.

She naturally tried her best to satisfy Sora's wish, "If possible, I don't want to kill her."

Understanding this, Sora smiled and replied.

"Thank you."

Instead of answering the question, I directly answered how I felt about their actions.

Facing such an answer, Kaito smiled faintly and said lightly: "Don't worry." Kaito's smile indicated that he did not want to worry for Sora's sake.

Ging turned away from his disciple, who could take care of him so naturally, which made his heart tremble, and he said lightly: "It's fine, just answer."

Facing this reaction, Sora said honestly: "With a reaction like that, Kaito looks more like Gon than Ging." He laughed.

After laughing for a while at Ging, the doting parent who didn't know who he was, Sora finally answered the question.

"If the inheritance conditions are the same as the family I am in, then the 'Inugami User' is female."

"Or rather, if you make becoming a 'blood relative' a condition, isn't that the only way?"

"What?"

Facing Sora's answer, Ging immediately asked again.

And to this question, Sora seemed surprised, opening his eyes wide as if to say: "Why are you asking me back?"

Ging and Kaito, who had the same question, could not understand Sora's reaction and also widened their eyes.

"Aha! Ging is better than I thought."

"What do you mean? I mean, how low do you think I am in your eyes?"

Although he tilted his head, he only understood that he wasn't being praised but had said something terrible, so Ging glared, but Sora laughed and didn't answer at first, answering the question directly.

"You know, Ging. In the end, the restrictions and vows of Nen Ability are self-suggestions based on your own rules, such as, 'I feel that if I do this, I will become stronger.' So, conversely, there are times when power drops due to assumptions, right?"

"……In that case, the conditions for the target of a 'Parasitic Type' Nen Ability to 'parasitize' are more important than the actual 'belief'. So, if you want to pass the ability to a blood relative, the condition is not 'from parent to child' or 'from father to son', but 'from mother to daughter' is certain."

"After all, unless you are a surrogate mother, it is impossible for the child your mother gave birth to not to be your child, right?"

"……"

Understanding Sora's words and answer, Ging boldly shifted his gaze away from Sora.

The disciple smiled bitterly at this reaction, and Sora watched him with a smile.

In terms of Magic, due to the "Magic Circuit" and "Magic Crest", "blood relationship" is almost an absolute requirement for inheriting Magic. Sora's "Inugami User" being limited to women is a completely different story, but in the case of Nen Ability, on the contrary, it is difficult to use blood relationship as a condition, so it can only be used as a matrilineal line, "from mother to daughter."

"At least, if it is something passed down from hundreds of years ago, regardless of modern times, as Sora said, passing it through the matrilineal line to a 'blood relative' is the most reliable method."

Modern times have DNA testing, but in an era without DNA testing, a father had no basis to believe that the child his wife gave birth to was his own child, other than his love for his wife.

From a woman's perspective, it is very unpleasant to be suspected of infidelity just because she has no specific reason for not bearing children, but for a man who cannot raise or have children no matter what he does, it might be a desperate thing.

Therefore, in a situation where the self-suggestion "this is how it is" is important, if it is a patrilineal inheritance of "from father to son", then the actual blood relationship is irrelevant, and the inheritance will happen even if the father is suspicious, and it is very likely to be cut off.

If it were just the inheritance of the ability being interrupted, it wouldn't be a big problem, but "Inugami" is an ability that transfers hatred for him to others, so when the inheritance is interrupted, the "Inugami's" hatred is a legitimate target. It will definitely go to some ego.

That is why, in order to continue using "Inugami", there is no way to generate the anxiety of "perhaps this child is not my child", and it can only be "from mother to daughter" in the maternal and female bloodline. Sora thought so too, but…… compared to the woman Sora, he is more like a man, and although Ging's mindset of having children is easy to understand, he could not understand it until Sora explained it to him. Completely unable to imagine. Sora said with a smile.

"Ging, you are not only a doting father, but your wife also loves you very much."

"Shut up, you idiot!!"

Not only Sora, but Kaito also laughed loudly at Ging, who was using stubbornness that didn't look like a son at all to cover up his son's innocence.

Compared to Gon, who is much older than his actual age, Jin is not very popular, and his words and actions are not like his, but his face is just like an angry and sullen Gon.

I am very sorry for the late update. Starting from last month, I have been too busy this month...

I think it will be better from now on. For the time being, I will try my best to return to a weekly update pace.

And as I wrote in the foreword, I thought, "Readers don't remember the names of original characters and template villains, their eyes will slide off." Because I saw "Case Files," Atram Gariasta appeared in the Star System.

Atram Gariasta is much older, because I think it is more appropriate for him to be an ordinary person, rather than a Magician, holding a high position.

It feels like it might be closer to the early settings of a spellcasting master.

In Aluba, almost everything is fine. It's just that the ability has become close to Alaya, changing from a puppet to a Barrier.

This time when I used the Star System, I felt that compared to the original characters, the possibility of readers remembering the names would be smaller, so I will use characters other than Hunter in the future. On a business trip, I am thinking of putting Katatsuki characters into the Star System.

Readers who only know Hunter might find it hard to understand, but this is also the true fun of crossover works; I hope everyone can appreciate it metaphorically.