The training hall was quiet, late in the evening. The sun had dipped fully, leaving long shadows that stretched across the room.
Takeru sat cross-legged, fingers tapping lightly against his knee. His glowing blue Six Eyes were dimmed slightly, but his mind was sharp, racing.
Gojo, ever relaxed, leaned lazily against a wall, one foot propped up. Yuji shifted nearby, glancing nervously at Takeru. "Uh… what's up?"
Takeru exhaled slowly, staring at the floor. "…I've been thinking."
Gojo raised an eyebrow. "Uh-oh. That's never good."
"I… look a lot like you, Yuji," Takeru began, voice low. "And with all this—this cursed energy, my abilities… it got me wondering if there's more to it. If we might… be related in some way."
Yuji blinked, wide-eyed. "Wait… related? Like, family?"
Takeru's glowing eyes met his for a moment. "…Exactly."
Gojo, finally taking the hint, pushed off the wall and approached. "Ah. I see. So you want to check the numbers, huh? The blood connection?" He tapped his blindfold thoughtfully. "Well… statistically, there's a minuscule chance, but given your energy similarities… it's worth testing."
Takeru nodded. "…I need a blood sample from you, Yuji. And one from Gojo too."
Yuji tilted his head. "Me? Why—oh! For testing?"
"Yeah," Takeru said simply. "If I compare them… I can see if there's a genetic link, hidden lineage, something we wouldn't notice otherwise."
Todo, who had been quietly leaning in the corner, suddenly clapped. "Oooohhh! Science time! This is getting interesting. I like it."
Sukuna stirred faintly on Takeru's cheek, chuckling. "Hmm… you're digging deeper. Very curious. I wonder what you'll find."
Takeru didn't respond. He carefully set up a small cursed tool on the table, calibrated to detect genetic markers through cursed energy. He needed the samples clean, precise.
Gojo smirked, crossing his arms. "Well, if you insist, kid… I suppose I can humor you. Let's see what secrets the blood tells us."
Yuji rolled up his sleeve, and a small prick from Takeru's tool collected a few drops. Gojo did the same, smirking the entire time, while Takeru's eyes glowed faintly as he analyzed.
The room felt tense, quiet… even Sukuna seemed unusually silent, waiting to see the results.
Takeru exhaled softly, turning his gaze toward the two. "If there's a connection… it could explain a lot. Not just how I fight, but… why I feel this… resonance with cursed energy around you both."
Gojo raised an eyebrow. "…Resonance, huh? Now you're getting spooky."
Yuji frowned. "Wait… if we're related, does that mean—?"
Takeru's glowing eyes narrowed slightly. "…I don't know yet. But we're about to find out."
The chapter ended on that quiet but heavy note: Takeru holding the blood samples, his mind racing with possibilities, and a faint blue glow reflecting off the walls.