"Hey, are you from the Zenin family?"
Toji glanced at Maki, one brow raised.
Maki's expression stiffened. She clearly disliked being tied to that name, yet it was still hers.
"Yes. What do you want?"
Toji smiled faintly, amused. "Life in the Zenin family isn't easy, is it?"
Silence.
A shadow flickered across Maki's eyes. Old memories, none of them pleasant.
"Just say what you mean," she snapped.
Toji ignored the challenge. His tone shifted, steady and direct.
"Why did you come to Jujutsu High?"
"To get stronger."
"And after that?"
Maki paused. Her fingers tightened around the shaft of her naginata.
"I'll tear the Zenin family out by its roots," she said slowly. "That rotten tree deserves to fall."
For a moment, Toji stared at her.
Then he burst into laughter.
It was loud and unrestrained, the kind of laugh that carried no concern for who was listening.
Panda blinked.
"Is this uncle okay?"
Nanako leaned toward Mimiko. "He seems unstable."
"Salmon, salmon," Toge muttered.
Megumi quietly took two steps back.
Of everyone present, only Satoru and Suguru understood the meaning behind that laughter.
Maki watched Toji carefully. Strangely, instead of feeling insulted, she felt something else.
Relief.
The same thrill she felt in her dreams when the Zenin compound lay in ruins.
After a while, Toji's laughter faded. His gaze sharpened.
"Kid," he said, "want to be my disciple?"
Maki blinked. "Me?"
"Hold on," Satoru cut in, stepping forward. "She's a Jujutsu High student. Are you poaching now?"
"Then I'll be a temporary instructor," Toji replied lazily. "I'll teach only her. No salary."
"No salary?" Satoru tilted his head.
"Call it a personal interest. I'd like to give the Zenin family a little surprise."
Suguru and Satoru exchanged looks.
That was not a surprise. That was a disaster waiting to happen.
"I refuse," Maki said immediately. "Compared to this random guy, Teacher Satoru and Teacher Geto are obviously more reliable."
Both were Special Grade sorcerers. Choosing an unknown man over them made no sense.
Satoru shook his head.
"Maki, he might be better suited to teach you than either of us."
She frowned. "Why?"
"Because he carries Heavenly Restriction too," Satoru said calmly. "And his name used to be Zenin Toji."
Maki froze.
Zenin Toji.
Within the Zenin clan, that name was almost forbidden. The elders avoided it. Only one person ever spoke it openly, and even admired it.
Zenin Naoya.
Every time Naoya humiliated her under the excuse of training, he compared her to Toji, another Heavenly Restriction bearer, and concluded she was worthless.
That was how she learned the name.
Same clan. Same restriction. Same rejection.
The difference was that Toji had awakened fully, slaughtered half the clan, and walked away.
Maki was still fighting for control of her own fate.
Toji watched her in silence.
"So," he said, "still not interested?"
Maki lifted her chin. A fierce smile curved her lips.
"Fine. I'll finish what you started."
For a second, Toji looked surprised.
Then he laughed again, though this time it was quieter.
Satoru and Suguru both shook their heads.
The Zenin family really had a talent for creating monsters.
Megumi glanced at his father, then at Maki. His expression grew complicated.
For some reason, his position in the family felt slightly less secure.
"Stop sulking," Toji muttered, ruffling Megumi's spiky hair and nudging him forward. "Go say hi to your classmates."
"About that," Satoru said apologetically, raising a hand. "They aren't his classmates. Megumi is thirteen. He enrolls next year."
Toji and Megumi both turned to him.
"Then why did you tell me to bring him?"
Satoru clasped his hands together with a grin. "I took in a genius disciple. I heard my bro did too. I figured I'd show Megumi off a bit."
Toji stared at him.
Megumi stared at him.
Suguru covered his face. "That sounds exactly like you."
"Show off in front of who?"
A new voice cut in.
Satoru and Suguru turned immediately.
"Bro, you're here!"
Everyone followed their gaze.
A tall man with snow white hair and dark sunglasses approached, hands casually in his pockets. His smile carried the same playful edge as Satoru's, though his presence felt steadier.
This was Gojo Shion, current head of the Gojo family.
Behind him walked a slightly withdrawn young man.
Toji's eyes narrowed.
The Cursed Energy radiating from the boy was immense. Dense. Refined.
Not far from Satoru's level.
Satoru's grin faltered slightly.
"Bro… who is he?"
Shion's smile widened.
"Oh, him? My student."
He stepped aside slightly.
"Yuta Okkotsu."
"Yuta, say hello."
Yuta stepped forward, posture polite and composed.
"Hello. My name is Yuta Okkotsu. Please take care of me."
The air felt heavier.
Satoru stared at Yuta, then at Shion.
His shoulders sagged dramatically.
"Ah, this is unfair…"
He spun around and grabbed Megumi by the shoulders.
"One more year of special training, okay? After that, you're beating Yuta."
Megumi blinked, glancing at Yuta, whose Cursed Energy shimmered faintly around him.
"Me?"
---