"What's this?" the question zipped through the rows of spectators and reached the commission's tables, and the people's surprise was understandable.

Right now, servants were leading out resistant animals and tying them to the target stands.

There was a pair of old donkeys, several pigs, and an equally old bull. The animals were agitated, sensing something menacing.

Ordyntsev had to visit all the nearby slaughterhouses to gather material for the demonstration.

"Esteemed commission!" Stanislav addressed the examiners. "Today, I would like to present to your attention a technique that I myself have improved. You may know, but my lineage has recently manifested. I have combined it with the modified earth technique. For a better demonstration of the result, it's best to use live targets."

"Hmm," the elders exchanged glances, quietly discussing something. "Shiro, you are permitted to use live targets."

'Come on, Stas, don't mess up the technique.' The man was anxious. After all, he had never tried to infuse so much prana into his technique before.

His muscles tensed, and the ether quivered, beginning to move, obeying the commands of its master.

"Earth Technique! Strike of a Hundred Serpents-Devourers!" The length of the technique's name was a necessary concession; otherwise, the prana consumption would reach indecently high levels.

Ordyntsev's hand touched the ground, and from it, dozens of lightning-fast shadows shot toward the targets. Writhing, they sped to the shrieking animals.

Following the first gray shadows, more and more tentacles burst forth, which, under the eager gazes of the spectators, turned out to be thick, steel-colored serpents.

Black gaps where eyes should be, bottomless maws, impossibly long and razor-sharp fangs – such were the creations born of an earthly mind.

And the earth continued to spew forth a stream of snakes, even though Stas had already removed his hands and was controlling the technique from a distance.

The man-made monsters barely touched the ground, propelling themselves forward for even swifter movement.

Finally, the serpents reached the targets. Fangs flashed, and the first blood appeared.

Prana-fueled constructs seized the target stands and animals with a deathly grip, crushing wood, bones, and metal.

But this was only the beginning.

No one saw how it began, but a purple glow streaked along the serpents' bodies, illuminating the gray scales from within. In the dark gaps of their eyes, a sinister purple light flared.

Obeying the summoner's will, the serpents all at once clung to their victims. They didn't seek to dispatch them with a single bite, and it soon became clear why.

The animals' bodies rapidly withered, turning into skin-covered skeletons. Supple skin sagged and shriveled until it finally burst, exposing yellowing bones, but not a drop of blood spilled, as it had been dried up and absorbed.

No one could have known, but right then, Ordyntsev finally managed to relax slightly.

His technique had already spawned many serpents, which were furiously destroying the designated targets. But at this moment, the actual number of reptiles was only thirty, falling short of the technique's name.

The thing was, Stas only had enough prana for that many, and if the serpents hadn't replenished their energy from the animals, Ordyntsev would have had to dismiss them. Now, however, they could exist for a while without his support.

"Hide!" Stas demonstratively raised his hand, and upon command, the serpents, plunging their snouts into the ground, began to burrow downwards.

A few seconds later, they disappeared beneath the earth.

All that remained on the field were utterly destroyed targets.

Now came the most pompous and critical moment. He needed to concentrate as best as possible on controlling the technique to ensure everything went perfectly.

Ordyntsev spread his arms to the sides, then leaned back, allowing himself to fall backward.

But his body never reached the ground.

The bulging earth transformed into two serpents, which gently caught their creator under the arms with their deadly maws, while two more heads propped him up from behind.

Beneath his feet, thick serpent bodies twirled in a mesmerizing dance, lifting him upward.

A push in the back, and his feet, thanks to the adhering prana, allowed him to stand on the admittedly slippery surface.

Standing two meters above the ground, Stanislav surveyed the quiet rows of spectators.

And yet, this wasn't the end.

New serpents kept emerging, weaving into the menacing composition. Each new serpent bared its fangs and darted in its own direction, controlling the approaches and defending its angle of attack.

And finally, atop this rustling predatory ball, the earthling stood, arms crossed over his chest.

A jump, and he descended from the serpents, landing calmly on the ground.

'Disperse.'

The serpents, frozen, began to flake off, scale by scale, into dust.

Looking into the astonished faces of the commission, Stas Ordyntsev was prouder than ever. This technique was currently the pinnacle of his talent as a warmaster.

In it, he had combined both his knowledge of elemental techniques, namely earth, and forbidden ones, giving it the ability to absorb and store energy.

And as if that wasn't enough, he managed to teach his prana to behave like real serpents. His attempts to merge the prana and the technique unexpectedly bore fruit, enhancing the artificial intelligence of the constructs.

Lastly, Ordyntsev managed to deviate from the "black sun" template. The ether he used in this technique was purple, not black.

All he had to do was play with the concentration and add elemental prana at the right moment.

Of course, the efficacy of the ether decreased, and it absorbed energy much weaker. However, the likelihood of being branded as a forbidden arts user decreased as well.

The stands finally came to their senses, clamoring and shouting. Unlike all the other contenders who merely caused a "boom," Stas showed a bloody and spectacular display with several acts. No wonder his show was the most memorable.

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"Thank you, Shiro. What do you plan to name your lineage?"

"The Serpent's," replied Ordyntsev after a moment's thought.

*****

"What are your thoughts?" The latest Council meeting, this time, also concerned the recent addition of advanced warmasters. "Who, in your opinion, deserves a promotion?"

"Considering the war, I think all of them," one of the elders expressed a common sentiment. "We need to restore our former power as quickly as possible so that our adversaries continue to take us seriously."

"Didn't the Hogoro clan switch from the Sansa to us? With their fighters, we've even increased our troop numbers."

"If a snake offers you its back, it doesn't mean you can relax and pet it," another elder cut off sharply. "One who has betrayed once will betray again. The Hogoros cannot be trusted. They must prove with blood that they are ready to obey and serve to the end."

"Speaking of snakes. Am I the only one who found a strange connection between the technique of that odd clanless one and the forbidden art of the Deathbringers?" Elder Yutaka narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I don't believe in such coincidences."

"Really?" Elder Toshiyuki's voice made the woman grimace as if all her teeth ached. "Chimiko, you're always hasty. I'd advise you to think first before throwing around such serious accusations. You'd look smarter..."

"Really?" Yutaka snorted. "And I hear that from you, Toshiyuki? Everyone knows your daughter is on the same team as him. That's why you're covering for him. By the way, what about the rumors that he's going to marry your daughter?"

"Those rumors are false," Elder Eiko smiled slyly. "Shiro-kun is a smart lad, and he knows his place. As for your accusations, maybe we should also accuse the Raigachi and Kuroyada clans of connections with the Deathbringers? Their lineage is also based on absorbing prana. Let's accuse them of ties with the Deathbringers."

"Stop feigning ignorance! You saw that purple glow. Yes, it's different from forbidden techniques. But I still suggest we check his technique for..."

"Wait, Yutaka," Elder Jero, a bald man, interjected, clearly disliking the woman's suggestion. "You seem to have forgotten who we are, sitting in your office. We are warmasters! And the secrecy of techniques is sacred to us. Shall we start demanding each other's secrets? How soon will we be cutting each other's throats?"

No one tried to dispute his words. This rule was not just for show.

"So I think the lad is good. He managed to modify a decent but weak earthworm technique into one worthy of the advanced level. Masters like him will be needed in our clan for the upcoming war. And if someone is so eager to learn his secrets, let them do it the old-fashioned way. Find a shorter skirt and make a move on the lad. Aren't you the expert in that, Yutaka?"

"How dare you?!" Yutaka flared up instantly. "I'll slit your throat!"

"Quiet!" Goro roared, watching as the elders calmly took their seats again. He had seen the same scandals many times over.

Needless to say, that included squabbles between Jero and Yutaka. The elders of these two families constantly insulted each other, and the head of the Sumada clan consistently prevented them from tearing into each other's throats.

In the end, honor was preserved, and the work process continued.

"Then, inform the participants that they have all passed the first stage. Don't be too harsh on the second stage, either. Let them be able to read, write, and have some sense of direction. We'll need their combat skills, not their ability to quote philosophical treatises."

"Hai, Goro-sama!"

*****

"Hooray! We passed!"

Four people and one snake celebrated heartily, having passed the first test. Besides Stas, Mei, and Eiji, even Jun, in his delight, accepted their invitation.

Leviathan coiled around the seated Stas, listening with interest to their conversations.

A wide table laden with various meats and other delicious dishes stood before the youngsters. No one intended to skimp that day.

"Well, Shiro, you really outdid yourself," Eiji was bursting with excitement. "It takes quite an imagination to come up with that. Watching your snakes, I thought they were truly alive. They moved just like Levi."

'Not true,' the pet snake flicked her tail tip, 'I move more gracefully and naturally.'

'Of course,' Stas smiled and stroked Leviathan along the head between the horn plates of her "crown." 'You are the most beautiful, and no imitation can compare to you.'

At these words, the snake's snout instantly tilted upwards, threatening to pierce the upper layers of the stratosphere.

'However, if a certain someone doesn't start moving more and focusing on training, that someone risks getting fat and turning into a plump sausage.'

'Not true! And that's not fat, it's muscle!'

'I might have believed you if I hadn't examined you with Healing Palm. So from tomorrow, you stop being lazy and start working on your appearance. And no piglets until you slim down.'

Leviathan had stopped growing as wildly as before but had reached an impressive length of ten meters. Her width would have made the largest pythons envious.

She was only allowed into this establishment because of Jun's reputation. Such a massive snake looked rather ominous.

'But...'

'No.'

'Master...'

In response, Stas turned and accurately poked a finger at the fat, causing Levi to pull away, offended, and slither over to Mei. The girl warmly welcomed her. She didn't understand what had happened between Shiro and his pet, but female intuition sided with the latter.

"And my father," the girl smiled, "promised that if I become an advanced warmaster, he will buy me artifact bracers directly from the Clan of Magic Blacksmiths."

"Crazy money," Eiji said enviously. "Their artifacts are among the best. They say they can last for generations."

But he didn't sulk for long, cheering up.

"Imagine, as soon as everyone found out I'd become an advanced warmaster, I was suddenly in demand. Now they'll dance to my tune. All that's left is to become a supreme warmaster to completely crush them."

His voice rang with gleeful anticipation.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Booby," Jun shook his head. "Talk less, do more. Don't brag about what you haven't earned yet. What if the advanced rank passes you by, and you've already boasted to everyone? You'd look like a complete fool. And it's especially not worth talking about the supreme rank..."

"Why not?" asked Shiro, noticing their mentor's contemplation.

"I had a friend once. Almost a brother. We fought a lot, side by side. From childhood, he had dreamed of becoming a supreme warmaster," Jun took a sip from his mug. "'When I grow up, I'm going to be a supreme warmaster,'" he mimicked. "'I'm already an advanced warmaster; just a little more, and I'll be supreme.' But you know what, Booby? He almost made it, but Lady Fate is very jealous and doesn't like others deciding the future for her."

Jun smiled unpleasantly.

"My friend died. And quite stupidly at that. He was killed by damn shinobi on the order of a whore he should have killed a long time ago. Just a few years later, I fulfilled his dream and became supreme. Talk about irony, right?"

The man sighed regretfully.

"Of course, I visited that bitch and made her watch as I killed the remnants of her family right before her eyes. Then I crushed her in stone vices... But my friend was already dead. So don't boast about your plans. Fate might have a different opinion."

"And you, Shiro, what are you planning to do?" asked Mei, wanting to defuse the uncomfortable silence. "By the way, your new technique was indeed very impressive. I was surprised that you fell so in love with those earthworms. You used them everywhere. But now it's clear why."

"I plan to become strong enough to study medicine peacefully," Stas smiled modestly.

In response, Jun chuckled amusedly.

"Then you're mistaken. Believe me, the stronger you get, the more they want from you. On the other hand, the strong have a better chance of achieving what they want, simply by surviving."

"Shall we drink to that?" Stas grinned, lifting his cup.

"You read my mind," the mentor bared his teeth.

"Kampai!"

*****

"Hello, Shiro-kun. You're always punctual."

"Hello, Io-san. This is, after all, my first independent assignment."

"I understand. It's precisely because of your seriousness that I chose you for the next mission. You've proven yourself to be someone who can handle tasks that the wider public should not know about."

Ordyntsev remained silent. When he was summoned here for the mission briefing, he understood that nothing simple awaited him.

"We, Sumada, as a great clan, work with many other clans of warmasters. Some are our enemies, others are allies or subordinates. But among our acquaintances, there are those with whom we maintain relations but rarely interfere in their affairs. I'm talking about the onmyoji."

Stanislav perked up. This was getting interesting.

"The Shigero clan is a very old partner of ours. We've been working with them for centuries, ordering all sorts of protective amulets..." Io paused, then looked intently at Stas. "Tell me, Shiro-kun, do you know about... The Other Side of our world?"

"Not really," Stas hesitated, feigning uncertainty. "Are you talking about spirits?"

If there's a chance to learn about yokai from an outside source, why not take advantage of it?

Not that Stas didn't trust the ancient yokai... Well, no, he didn't trust her. But in Minoru's defense, Ordyntsev generally didn't trust anyone.

If we summarize Io's story, Stas didn't learn much new, perhaps just a couple of onmyoji clan names and information about their way of life.

It turned out that, like warmasters, the life of spirit enchanters revolved around the imperial court and wealthy people. But unlike warmasters, onmyoji often cared for ordinary people as well.

Thus, spirit enchanters frequently went on long walks through villages and small towns, killing particularly malicious spirits and removing curses.

Therefore, the attitude towards onmyoji from ordinary people and even the aristocracy was very positive. In addition, the onmyoji code prohibited involvement in politics and worldly affairs.

Listening to all this, Ordyntsev couldn't help but regret that he had gone to the warmasters. So far, the life of an onmyoji seemed much more peaceful and calm to him.