The Shinomiya Family.
A strange atmosphere filled the air.
Silence.
It permeated the Shinomiya Family residence.
Yukinoshita Haruno had left.
Along with that terrifying Cerberus.
Leaving behind only a wisp of pitch-black karmic fire.
Yet, all members of the Shinomiya Family seemed to still be immersed in that recent terror.
Their eyes were vacant, and their faces were filled with dread.
Leaning on his cane, Somiya Yanan's face was pale, and his lips trembled slightly.
Even though the person in the main seat had already departed, he still sat in the side seat, his eyes filled with contemplation.
Yukinoshita Haruno's parting words echoed continuously in his ears.
"Kaguya, is it..."
Only after a long while did he murmur, uttering his daughter's name.
Somiya Yanan closed his eyes slightly, a trace of bitterness rising in his heart.
He knew his youngest daughter's temperament all too well.
It seemed quite normal for her to offend people.
It was just that this time, she had offended someone the Shinomiya Family couldn't afford to provoke.
But...
Somiya Yanan did not blame Kaguya Shinomiya too much.
After all, Kaguya Shinomiya's personality was ultimately the result of the Shinomiya Family's upbringing.
And...
Even without Kaguya Shinomiya's involvement, given the development of the Shinomiya Family, they would have eventually become rivals with the Lynn Group anyway.
Perhaps having this incident erupt prematurely was actually a good thing.
If the Shinomiya Family had really gone so far as to make some irreversible mistake in targeting the Lynn Group,
that would have been true, eternal damnation for the Shinomiya Family!
By then, it wouldn't be something that could be resolved simply by Yukinoshita Haruno bringing Cerberus over for a visit and making them a subsidiary family of the Lynn Group.
However...
the thought of handing over such a massive foundation of the Shinomiya Family to someone else still made his heart ache.
Feelings of distress, depression, and various other emotions piled up all at once.
"Cough, cough!"
Somiya Yanan couldn't help but cough aloud.
Seeing this, Somiya Unyo quickly patted his back. "Father, are you alright?"
Somiya Yanan raised his hand and said, "I can still live for a few more days."
Somiya Unyo's expression was unreadable as he gritted his teeth and said, "Father, do we really have to—"
"Unyo!"
Somiya Yanan immediately stopped him from voicing his thoughts, saying coldly, "Do not harbor any other ideas."
Somiya Unyo opened his mouth, then closed it dejectedly.
Yet, the frustration in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.
Although he didn't hold much real power in the Shinomiya Family, he was still the son of the family head.
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, when had he ever encountered such a humiliating situation?
But...
the moment he thought of that Cerberus, he couldn't help but shudder!
Somiya Yanan also understood Somiya Unyo's mindset, but...
the moment Yukinoshita Haruno walked in, the outcome of the matter had already been decided.
Especially Somiya Yanan, who understood this all too well.
As the leader of a top conglomerate, he had long known about the other side of the world.
Therefore, how could he not have made preparations beforehand?
The Shinomiya Family actually possessed a formation that he had purchased from the Onmyōryō at an enormous cost!
Due to the existence of this formation, the Shinomiya Family appeared to be a pure land amidst a human society teeming with Curse Spirits.
According to the high-ranking figures of the Onmyōryō, this formation could even withstand attacks from A-rank Curse Spirits!
But...
Somiya Yanan sighed.
When facing Yukinoshita Haruno and that Cerberus, this formation seemed to have completely malfunctioned.
It didn't work at all!
No.
Or rather...
Somiya Yanan's cloudy eyes turned to the Purple Stone Soul on his cane, which was already covered in cracks.
In just a split second,
the formation had already been shattered...
A formation capable of defending against an A-rank Curse Spirit hadn't even lasted a single second!
Could Yukinoshita Haruno or that Cerberus have already reached S-rank strength?
No!
Perhaps even higher!
At least, the high-ranking figure from the Onmyōryō who had dealings with the Shinomiya Family could not achieve such a feat.
And this was precisely the reason why Somiya Yanan was so tactful.
How could the Shinomiya Family afford to provoke an existence that even the Onmyōryō could only count on one hand?
Besides...
Somiya Yanan didn't even know if that was the full extent of the Lynn Group's power!
"Who can guarantee that behind Yukinoshita Haruno, there isn't an even more terrifying existence?"
"Surrender."
"At least it can preserve some of the Shinomiya Family's bloodline."
"Yes, some."
Somiya Yanan looked at the Hellfire that Yukinoshita Haruno had left behind.
"Only those who can withstand the burning of the Hellfire are qualified to live."
The meaning behind this was self-evident.
From the mere fact that Yukinoshita Haruno left behind a trail of Hellfire, Somiya Yanan could see her confidence.
She was not afraid of the Shinomiya Family playing any tricks.
This attitude clearly meant letting them find external help or run away.
"Otherwise..."
"Just obediently jump into the Hellfire, endure the test, and become an affiliate of the Lynn Group."
Being given a choice actually made Somiya Yanan even more depressed.
"To attack the heart…"
A flash of helplessness crossed Somiya Yanan's cloudy eyes.
"Find external help, or run?"
Somiya Yanan didn't have such a fluke mentality at all.
Unless the entire Onmyōryō supported the Shinomiya Family, Somiya Yanan would not have any confidence.
But obviously, even the top conglomerate Shinomiya Family did not have the value to make the entire Onmyōryō take action.
"So..."
"Accept your fate."
Somiya Yanan made up his mind.
"Thump, thump!"
He tapped the floor with his cane to startle the members of the Shinomiya Family, then said, "Unyo, arrange for the clansmen to undergo the Hellfire test."
Somiya Unyo's body trembled, his fists clenched, and his eyes were full of unwillingness.
When Somiya Yanan said this, the fate of the Shinomiya Family was already sealed.
"But..."
"Yes..."
Somiya Unyo slumped in defeat.
He still didn't have the courage to say no.
"Anyway..."
"He wasn't the first heir of the Shinomiya Family; let Kouko and the others have the headache."
Thinking of this, Somiya Unyo felt a sense of clarity, and then his gaze scanned his clansmen.
The clansmen he scanned felt a sudden tremor in their hearts.
"No!"
"Don't!"
"I won't accept any Hellfire test!!"
Someone with a ferocious expression and fear in their eyes subconsciously stepped back and ran towards the door.
"Haha! Crazy! You must be crazy!!"
He yelled while running, "Are you going to completely ruin everything in the Shinomiya Family!"