"A child-rearing stipend?"
In other words, was he asking me to raise children?
"Me?" I asked, incredulous.
"I am not speaking of mere childcare. I am asking if you have any desire to groom a woman to your particular tastes. It just so happens there are some girls of a similar age to you."
Good grief. This was madness.
Was he really suggesting that a nine-year-old engage in some long-term grooming project?
"You're telling a nine-year-old to go out and 'husband' some girls? This is absurd."
"If you were an ordinary nine-year-old, I wouldn't have dreamed of it," Naobito grunted. "In fact, I wouldn't even be making this proposal in the first place."
"Even considering my circumstances, this is beyond ridiculous."
"Hmm. Seeing as you're offended, perhaps I misread the situation. With so many women around you, I assumed you had already awakened to the pleasures of the flesh…"
Naobito Zenin (male) muttered, stroking his chin.
He wasn't technically wrong about the women, but hearing it from him felt strangely insulting.
However, his proposal stuck in the back of my mind. A child? At this point in time, were there children in the Zenin house who fit that description?
"Anyway, I'd rather not die today, so I'll go finish the cleanup. To think I'd be doing grunt work at my age... Life certainly takes strange turns."
Naobito grumbled as he headed back toward the residence.
His stride was leisurely, remarkably composed for a man who had just survived a brush with death. Taking the opportunity, I turned to Zenin Toji (male).
"Toji-san. Do you know anything about this?"
"Naturally, I'm in the dark. But we can just ask someone who knows."
Toji immediately pulled out his flip phone and dialed a number.
It was Zenin Naoya (male).
"Yeah, it's me. The old man said something weird. Do you know what he's talking about?"
"Eh? What kind of talk?" Naoya's voice crackled through the speaker.
"He asked our Boss if he wanted to take in some Zenin girls and raise them however he liked."
"Ah… that? The Head was mentionin' something like that earlier, wasn't he? There's Maki and Mai. They're lasses just a bit younger than you, Big Brother. Maybe a four or five-year difference?"
My eyes widened instantly.
It wasn't the age difference that shocked me—it was the names.
Zenin Maki (female) and Zenin Mai (female).
The very sisters from the original story.
"Maki and Mai?" I asked, keeping my voice as steady as possible.
Toji shifted the phone closer to my face.
"Oh? Master? You're there with him?"
"Yeah. Tell me, what kind of children are they?"
"Well… one of 'em has barely any Cursed Energy to speak of, and the other's pool is pathetic. I reckoned the old man was just tryin' to pawn off the leftovers, but…"
Hearing them referred to as 'leftovers' made me sigh. Even if Naoya no longer underestimated those he perceived as weak, it seemed he still lacked basic human empathy. It was bittersweet, but for someone like Naoya, this was probably progress.
"I see. Thanks for the info. I'm hanging up."
"Aye. If ya need anythin' else or got questions, call me whenever!"
I ended the call amidst his polite farewell. My head was spinning.
"Why the look? Are you bothered by it?" Toji asked as he tucked his phone away.
He didn't seem particularly comfortable with the situation either.
"A little."
"Then wouldn't it be better to take them? Aside from the conscience aspect, they're offering money."
"But if there's a consistent paper trail of money flowing from the Zenin clan, it'll be easy for the higher-ups to track us."
"Tell them to send it to my account. I can launder it from there."
He had a point. If we funneled the funds through offshore accounts and black-market routes, it wouldn't be an issue.
"It's finished," Naobito announced as he returned.
Specks of blood were splattered across his sleeves.
"Good work," I said.
"There were quite a few Cursed Tools fashioned from bone. I'll be taking those as payment for my errand."
"Fine by me. You've earned it."
"Hmph. I suppose you technically are the superior here… but still, try to show a little more respect for your elders, boy." Naobito shook his head.
Had I been too blunt? Maybe I should toss him a bone to keep him motivated.
"Naobito-san. About what you said earlier."
"The girls? Are you interested?" Naobito's eyes sharpened instantly.
He was like a shark scenting blood. The bait had definitely worked.
"It's not something I can decide right this second. I'll need some time to consider it."
"That answer alone is sufficient payment for today's labor."
"I'm glad. Shall we head back?"
"By all means," Naobito nodded readily.
His step was light, his expression satisfied. No doubt he was pleased that things were moving according to his calculations.
After returning home, I convened a meeting with all the Servants. The conclusion was unanimous.
Zero objections. Even the two Servants who could only manifest in my dreams agreed.
"Thanks for your support. We won't bring them in immediately; I'll adjust the timing once things are settled."
"Are those the children you mentioned before?" asked Ibuki-douji (female), who was seated across from me.
Maki and Mai Zenin. She asked because she knew the tragic future those sisters were originally destined for. Every Servant knew. I had already explained how the plot of Jujutsu Kaisen was supposed to unfold.
Toji's survival. The failure of Master Tengen's merger. The timeline had already fractured significantly, but the primary threat remained.
'The real problem is catching Kenjaku.'
Geto Suguru's descent into villainy had been averted. Without that catalyst, the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons would never happen, meaning Kenjaku (male) would likely change his tactics.
He might stay hidden until the very end, or he might try to assassinate Geto Suguru (male) in secret to steal his Cursed Spirit Manipulation.
'It'll likely be the latter.'
Kenjaku—currently inhabiting the body of what people called 'Pseudo-Geto' in the future—absolutely required Cursed Spirit Manipulation for his ultimate plan. It was non-negotiable. Kenjaku's personal Cursed Technique involved hijacking the bodies of others. Specifically, he would open the skull of a deceased person and transplant his own brain inside.
Beyond that, he could use the techniques of the bodies he possessed, though there seemed to be a limit on how many he could retain at once. He had Itadori Kaori's Anti-Gravity System. He had Geto Suguru's Cursed Spirit Manipulation. He used two in the original story, but there could be more. Or perhaps not.
Then there was his Domain. Its exact nature hadn't been fully revealed. Since he utilized gravity during his Domain Expansion, it was likely an application of Kaori's technique, perhaps with a guaranteed-hit effect added.
'There are still too many unknowns about him.'
A sorcerer who had lived for a thousand years. An ancient monster among ancient monsters. It sounded terrifying, but he had a glaring weakness: if the body he stole was weak, his combat power plummeted. Thus, he was likely at his weakest right now. There were no particularly powerful bodies for him to steal at this point in the Jujutsu Kaisen timeline.
Except maybe Okkotsu Yuta? It was a possibility, but he likely didn't even know Yuta existed yet. Still, finding Kenjaku would be a nightmare. If he felt pursued, he'd just go deeper into hiding. Kenjaku was a dopamine addict who had lived a thousand years purely for the sake of entertainment. For that high, he was more than capable of being patient.
'Or… will he be the one to approach us?'
A group using Magecraft instead of Jujutsu? To a dopamine addict like him, that would be a bait he couldn't resist.
'Enough of that for now.'
The immediate task was the experiment with the Mystic Code. When to accept the Zenin sisters was a secondary concern. After thinking for a moment, I called Gojo Satoru (male). Since it was daytime, I expected he'd answer quickly.
"Hello?"
As expected, Gojo picked up.
"Are you busy? I'd like to meet for a moment. It won't take long, but I'd prefer somewhere secluded. Somewhere wide open would be even better."
"This is sudden. What's up?"
"I have an experiment to run, and I was hoping you could help me out."
Gojo's Cursed Technique was the peak of this world. If we could block it, that would be the ultimate proof of our success.
"Hmm… I'm actually quite free lately. What exactly are you trying to do?"
"To put it simply… I want to experience your Cursed Technique head-on."
"What?" Gojo's voice rose in disbelief.
It was a fair reaction. Being hit by his technique usually meant instant death. Taking it head-on? You'd have to be insane. Even the King of Curses himself avoided taking Gojo's attacks directly. It was a tempting challenge.
"You're not the one taking the hit, right?"
"No. My Servant will take it. Is that possible?"
"Servant? Ah, the woman with the tail? Or the pink-haired one who walks around with her chest half-exposed?"
"The pink-haired one."
I sighed despite myself. His way of describing them was certainly… something.
"So, what exactly is a Servant?"
"That's a secret."
"Ah, shouldn't have asked. Whatever. Fine. I'll send you the address now, so come over. It's a place where we won't be disturbed."
"Thank you."
I hung up. I appreciated how easily he went along with things.
"Shuten. You're coming with me."
"Oh? It's my turn now?"
Shuten-douji (female), who had been chewing on some yokan on the sofa, rose slowly. Her Jiangshi-style dress left her bare legs fully exposed. From her calves to her thighs and up to the curve of her hips—I had to pull my gaze away and focus.
"I want you to see Gojo Satoru for yourself and give me your assessment."
"True enough. But what about the others? Are they coming too?"
As Shuten asked, the other three rose as well. They didn't need to say a word.
'Of course.'
My Servants were overprotective. Whenever I planned to go somewhere far, they all insisted on following. If it was just around the neighborhood, only one would come. If I were to go on a date, they'd likely trail behind me from a distance.
"Let's go, then."
I headed out with everyone. From an outsider's perspective, it only looked like Shuten and I were traveling together. We used the subway and taxis to reach our destination: a desolate, vacant lot.
In moments like this, not having a car was a distinct inconvenience.
"Yo, you're here?"
Gojo waved as we arrived. The area felt like a basin, sunken into the earth. Even though it was day, the surroundings felt dark and oppressive. A Curtain had been cast over the area.
"Yes. What is this place?"
"This is land owned by the Gojo family. The Limitless technique has a huge area of effect, so I needed a wide place like this to train properly."
"I see. That explains it."
I nodded, looking at the numerous craters and gouges in the surrounding terrain.
"And who's this one?"
Gojo's eyes locked onto Shuten. He looked intensely curious.
"She is Shuten-douji."
"What? Really?" Gojo's eyes widened, disbelief plain on his face.
"Really."
"You've gotta be kidding me. Ibuki-douji, and now Shuten-douji? You planning on conquering Japan?"
"Hardly. I don't have that kind of ambition."
"Being that humble is almost disgusting, you know?" Gojo's brow furrowed slightly.
Meeting him again after some time, he felt a bit more mature. The Star Plasma Vessel incident had clearly sparked some internal growth. In the original timeline, Geto's departure had left a deep, festering wound, but since that hadn't happened here, perhaps the impact was less traumatic.
"The chatter is getting tedious. Just get on with it. Or have you developed cold feet at the last second?"
Shuten-douji stepped forward. Her kimono dissolved into motes of light and reformed into her Jiangshi battle attire. It was just like the transformations in FGO when Heroic Spirits prepared for combat. A thick, violet haze of Magical Energy began to swirl around her body.
Even though I wasn't her target, the sheer pressure made my skin crawl. Facing her directly, Gojo's tension was palpable, yet he was grinning.
"Okay. Let's start with this. Try to take it!"
Gojo bared his teeth in a savage smile and extended his hand.
—Cursed Technique Reversal: Red.
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