My Dad Is The Strongest?: Ch.22

“Hey, Mom,” Killua spoke softly as he entered the room, a bouquet of white roses in his arms as he walked into the room they had made for her in the Gojo main house.

“Has anything happened?”, He asked, staring at the woman sleeping peacefully and back at his grandmother who sighed and shook her head.

“Unfortunately, there has been no signs of her waking up.”

“I figured. Still, I brought these since you said that they're the most honest flowers,” Killua murmured as he replaced the wilted ones in the vase beside her bed with the new ones while Kanade smiled softly at the gesture.

“We'll give you a minute,” Gintoki spoke from the door and Killua gave a thankful smile as he watched his grandparents leave, letting out a soft sigh before grabbing softly onto his mom's right hand.

He grimaced as he felt cold, almost as if she was dead yet he could also feel the sparks of her cursed energy and her bio-electricity rippling around her form to show that she was alive.

“Hey, Mom. I know I haven't visited much, but I've been so busy with school and stuff. That's one thing you'd be happy about, knowing how much you pressured me to go back,” Killua spoke with a chuckle, wrapping both hands around her right arm before letting out a soft sigh.

“Gods, what kind of son forgets the voice of his mother? I'm just sitting here and remembering the times I used to make you tea and how you never said a word even though you hated how bitter I made it, but I just…I want to hear your voice.

I keep thinking that maybe if I keep training, keep fighting or just try to get stronger…that maybe I'll find a way to wake you up, but…but I guess it's just my mind trying to cope, huh?”, Killua muttered, looking at the crest glowing ominously on her forehead before frowning.

“I'm going to find who did this to you. I don't care what rules I have to break and if I have to tear apart heaven and earth to do it. They don't get to take you from me and keep breathing,” He declared, his cursed energy sparking before softly placing her hand down and standing up.

“I'll try and visit when I can. Hopefully, it will be soon,” He spoke while leaning over her, kissing her forehead before taking a deep breath and walking out of the room with a frown.

“ 'What rules I have to break', huh?”, Gintoki asked with a smile as Killua walked out, Killua looking at the man as he saw the concern in his grandfather's eyes.

“You heard that?”

“I'm old, not deaf, but I would prefer you didn't go around breaking any heavens or earth just yet. It's a lot harder to clean up divine retribution than the average rebellion from a young teenager,” The man spoke, smiling as Killua gave a snort before he narrowed his eyes.

“I'm serious, though. Your mother wouldn't want you to throw your life away chasing after something or someone that may not even exist. For all we know, her parents, grandparents or even one of her ancestors could have been cursed by a spirit and it's only acting up now.”

“Don't worry, gramps. It's not revenge I'm after. It's simply justice,” Killua answered, but Gintoki caught the flicker of electricity in his eyes before nodding.

“Very well. Just make sure that in this pursuit, you don't let the burden of justice make you lose sight of yourself.”

“I won't,” Killua spoke with a smile as he walked past, the older man watching as he walked away before glancing back at his wife as she turned the corner with a frown on her face.

“Like I said, he's more like his dad than he realizes.”

“His strength is both a blessing and a burden. I just hope this burden doesn't bury his light away.”

“No need to. He's far too arrogant to let that happen,” Gintoki spoke with a smile and Kanade rolled her eyes, but the old man glanced back at where Killua vanished before nodding slowly.

After all, the man hoped he was.

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“You done already?”, Mai asked as Killua walked out of the house, the boy simply nodding while looking at where the girls from the brothel manor were walking and talking with the Gojo clan members.

It's been a month since the Goodwill Event and since Special Grade cursed spirits weren't that common, it left Killua with enough free time to come around to the compound and see how everyone is doing.

Most have adjusted quite well to their new accommodations and while some were still struggling to get used to the fact that they were now part of an actual clan, others were having the time of their lives.

Namely, one certain housemistress who was doing her best to lounge about and drink as much expensive liquor as she can. Unfortunately for her, though, Kanade was in charge of all alcohol so she was forced to do as his grandmother asked in exchange for a bottle.

“Yeah, I just came to say hello again before we leave for that mission tomorrow. You sure you don't want to come with to the school?”

“Nah, it's fun here and besides, I get to eat as much of the food that your grandma makes.”

“Yeah and if you're not careful, you might end up eating too much of it.”

“Oh, are you calling me fat?”

“Yes,” Killua nodded as he continued walking, Mai rolling her eyes with a smirk as the two made their way to the exit. As they got there, Killua couldn't help his smirk while Mai giggled when they saw Noritoshi ignoring the girls trying the girls trying to flirt with him.

“Come on~ Just a quick few minutes~”

“No.”

“Girls, let's stop bothering Noritoshi, shall we?”, Killua spoke up with a smile and the girls gave out disappointed groans as they turned and walked away while the Kamo heir gave a thankful nod.

“I appreciate it. I did not wish to be rude to them.”

“Eh, they wouldn't have mind it. Anyway, I thought I said I was going to get a train. You didn't have to come pick me up.”

“I would not have, but unfortunately, my father wishes to meet you.”

“Tell him to come to the school, then,” Killua spoke with a shrug before looking over at the car behind Noritoshi as what appeared to be a butler opened one of the backdoors.

The next, Killua narrowed his eyes as an older man walked out, his black hair combed back while the man's dark brown eyes looked at Killua with a calculative gaze.

“It is a good thing that I came to visit, then.”

“Killua, this is my father, head of the Kamo Clan and Grade 1 sorcerer, Noriko Kamo. Father, this is my underclassman, heir to Satoru Gojo and Special Grade sorcerer, Killua Gojo,” Killua felt like Noritoshi added a bit value in his father's name as he looked at the man, who simply hummed before bowing his head ever so slightly.

“Pleased to meet you, Killua Gojo. I've heard much about you from my son and from the many that have seen you in battle.”

“And here I thought I was doing a good job staying under the radar,” Killua spoke with a casual smile, his hands in his pockets and his stance relaxed. Yet, no one missed the sound of static in the air and the smell of sulfur as the Kamo leader smiled.

“It would be hard to miss the son of the Satoru Gojo walking around.”

“I guess it would. So, what does the head of the Kamo Clan want with little ol' me?”

“I'm merely here to see and understand the storm brewing around my son,” Noriko answered with a thin smile, Killua's gaze flickering to Noritoshi for a brief moment to see his stiff stance.

“Oh, the storm where he's allowed to breathe and think for himself?”

“Independence is indeed admirable, but influence is dangerous when it comes from the wrong source.”

“And I'm that wrong source?”

“You are unpredictable. Unlike most from the noble clans, you were raised far from traditional sorcerer circles, lacking proper grounding in clan values and yet you wield power beyond your years. That makes you a variable and variables are something that I do love to study,” Mai shifted beside Killua with a guarded frown, but as she looked at her protector, she was surprised when he simply let out a chuckle.

“ 'Studied, hmm? Cute. That's one way to say 'watched like a threat'.”

“With who your father is, we cannot be blamed for being wary,” Noriko spoke and Killua nodded before an oppressive pressure pushed down on everyone while the Kamo clan's head was forced to look into the sparking eyes of the smiling boy.

“I don't care how many eyes you put on me, Noriko. I'm not here to ruin the brainwashing you put on your son. I'm simply here to make sure he picks the better future. If that's a problem for you, then I guess we'll just have to see what path leads you to success and which one leads you to ruin.”

“…I suppose we do,” Noriko murmured with a nervous frown as the pressure vanished, the bloodlust in the air vanishing as Killua smiled and nodded.

“Great! Then, I don't believe we have anything else to talk about, now do we?”, Killua asked, watching as the man simply looked at him before giving a practised bow and turned back to the car where the butler opened the door for him and Noritoshi.

A moment later, Killua and Mai watched as the car drove off, the older girl looking at the boy as he watched the car leave with a narrowed frown.

“Well, that was tense. You sure you want to antagonize the Kamo clan head like that?”

“Something tells me that he won't be around for long.”

“…You're not planning on killing him, right?”

“Of course not. That would be too easy,” Killua spoke with a shrug and Mai just looked at the boy before looking up at the sky with a sigh.

“Of course, you would say that,” She murmured, but Killua turned his gaze back to where the car had turned the corner while narrowing his eyes.

Yeah, something tells him that the man might not be around for long.

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“Hey, Killua. Mai still not joining us?”, Miwa asked with a smile, giggling as he just gave a thumbs-up while sitting down in between her and Mechamaru.

“Yep. She said that she's going to stay at the house for a while before coming back. Hey, Mecha. How's your day going?”

“As well as it can be,” Mechamaru answered and Killua just nodded with a smile while his gaze lingered on the puppet for a moment longer.

He had gotten the address for where Mechamaru's body should be from Utahime after his dad had explained their suspicions to her and when he had gotten to look at the spot, he had found that there was absolutely no one there.

That meant that not only was he lying about where he was, but he also had reason to hide it and that led Killua to one simple conclusion.

There was a huge chance that Mechamaru was indeed the mole.

'That or he's very shy and secretive about himself,' Killua thought with a smirk before shaking his head as he nodded.

“That's good to hear. Just make sure you don't short-circuit on us halfway through the job.”

“I have no intention of doing so,” Mechamaru replied flatly, his tone mechanical yet witty as Miwa chuckled while Killua smiled. However, his smile didn't quite reach his eyes as he ran through everything he had researched on Mechamaru's real body.

'If Mechamaru was the mole, then perhaps we have to look in a few more places.'

“So, you excited for the mission?”, Miwa asked, drawing his attention as Killua looked at her before shrugging.

“Not exactly to be honest. It's only a Semi-Grade 1 so I don't know why we're all being sent to face off against it.”

“Actually, it's a dozen Grade 1 spirits and almost three dozen Semi-Grade 1 spirits.”

“And it would take me less than a minute to take them all out,” Killua spoke with a shrug, to which Mechamaru just nodded while Miwa just giggled.

“It would, but I think this is more to see whether or not we can work together.”

“In that case, I'll leave a Grade 1 spirit for you guys while taking care of the others myself,” Killua spoke with a shrug, to which Miwa smiled while Mechamaru hummed.

“Generous, but unnecessary. Efficiency should take precedence over theatrics and flare.”

“Come on, Mecha~ I'm not exactly the strongest and Killua wants to show off so let him show off. He is a Special Grade after all.”

“Yeah, let me be flashy once in a while. You know, keep my reputation up.”

'And keep the target on me,' Killua thought, knowing that with the attention on him, they would be more focused on him and his father who could handle what they throw at them compared to when said attention would be turned to others.

“I would suggest maintaining operational discipline instead. Flashy distractions create openings for the enemy,” Mechamaru answered flatly, but Killua looked at the puppet as he heard the sharp tone in his voice before Miwa spoke up with a shaky voice.

“W-Well, I'm sure we'll all do great. Just stick to the plan, right?”

“…Eh, fine/ Very well,” Killua and Mechamaru answered respectively, the boy leaning back before Utahime walked in only to blink at the tense atmosphere.

“Miwa, were they arguing again?”

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'This is far easier than I expected,' Killua thought as he raced throughout the abandoned industrial plant, hopping from floor to ceiling and back while also taking out every cursed spirit in his path.

True to his word, he was easily keeping all of the Semi-Grade 1 and all but one of the Grade 1 cursed spirits away from Miwa and Mechamaru while the two of them faced off against their single Grade 1 sorcerer.

To be honest, Killua was more impressed by Miwa's swordsmanship and cursed energy usage, but more specifically, he was intrigued with the domain-like technique she was using called Simple Domain.

It looked to be a more refined yet simpler version of Falling Blossom Emotion since she could adjust and tweak the Binding Vow of the technique, which made him wonder why not many people knew of it.

'Still, it's a pretty thing to learn for someone who has no cursed technique,' Killua thought with a smile as he came to a stop, electricity sparking around his body while the cursed spirits around him slowly fell to pieces.

“All done?”, He asked, looking down from the top catwalk at where Miwa was breathing a bit heavily while Mechamaru pushed out what appeared to be a cartridge from his arm and nodded.

“We are. Are you?”

“Yeah, pretty much. They were fun to fight, but like I said, I don't know why we needed more than me to do this.”

“Perhaps they wished to make sure that the spirits are taken care of?”, Miwa said/ asked, but Killua just hummed as he looked down at them before blinking as his voice rang.

Taking it out and looking at the screen, he was confused when he saw Mai's number, accepting the call while raising the phone to his ear.

“Hey, Mai. What's u-!”

“Killua! It's your mom! She's been taken!”

A/N: And we're ending it here~!! Clifhanger~!!

Next chapter: Revelations and the Night of a Hundred Demons~!!

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!