Fushiguro Megumi rolled his eyes as he looked at the invitation delivered personally by Zenin Naobito.
"Dad..."
"Whatever."
Toji Fushiguro lounged on the sofa with his legs crossed, waving him off without interest.
Megumi's eye twitched. "This is the head of the Zenin family. It's a serious matter, at least give me some advice."
Toji rested his chin on his hand. "Busy, no time."
Megumi stared at him. "...You look pretty free to me."
Toji shrugged. "Busy doing nothing."
"..."
Toji let out a sigh, his tone still lazy. "If you want the position, take it. If you don't, walk away."
"You know my history with that family. If I show up, things will get awkward."
Megumi covered his face. "Right. Talking to you about this was a mistake."
At that moment, the door opened.
"Dad, Megumi, I'm home."
Toji sprang to his feet and hurried over, opening the door with enthusiasm. He took Tsumiki's schoolbag with both hands, smiling brightly.
"Tsumiki, you're back. High school treating you well? Are your studies stressful? Want something to drink? What should we have for dinner?"
Megumi stood there in silence.
"...I'll go find Maki-senpai."
...
At Tokyo Jujutsu High, Zenin Maki was training.
Her movements were sharp, precise, each strike carrying the weight of relentless effort. Few could understand the level of discipline she forced upon herself.
Yet despite all that, frustration lingered.
She could feel it clearly.
A limit.
No matter how hard she pushed, something within her held her back, like invisible restraints she could not break.
Her strength had already reached the level of a Grade 1 sorcerer.
But after witnessing the devastation left behind in Shibuya during the previous battle, she understood one thing.
Grade 1 was not enough.
Under the influence of Gojo Shion, her perspective had long changed.
Proving herself to the Zenin family, humiliating them, those thoughts no longer mattered.
Her goal had grown far beyond that.
To become truly strong.
To stand at the peak of the jujutsu world and see everything from above.
That was what she wanted now.
But if she could not break through the limits binding her, all her effort would amount to nothing.
"Maki-senpai."
She looked up. "Megumi. What is it?"
Megumi scratched his head, slightly awkward. He knew her relationship with the Zenin family was complicated.
Still, after hearing him out, Maki simply nodded.
"I'll go with you."
Megumi blinked. "You will?"
Maki gave a small smile.
"The Zenin family is just an obstacle."
"If something blocks your path, you remove it. I didn't choose this path just to deal with one obstacle."
Megumi watched her walk ahead, momentarily stunned.
"The Zenin family..." he muttered, "...they really are pathetic."
...
Zenin family estate.
"Megumi, you're here. Welcome, welcome."
Zenin Naobito greeted him with narrowed eyes and a loud laugh.
Then he noticed the person beside him.
"Maki, you came as well."
His tone softened slightly. "I heard you recently became a Grade 1 sorcerer. Impressive progress."
Maki replied calmly, "Thank you."
Naobito gestured ahead. "Come with me."
He led them toward the ancestral hall.
Two clan members walking nearby exchanged hesitant looks. In their view, women should walk behind men, not beside them.
But since Naobito said nothing, they kept quiet.
Inside the hall, the elders were already seated.
Naobito took his place at the head and motioned toward Megumi and Maki.
"Sit."
They had barely taken their seats when a voice exploded from across the room.
"A woman has no place sitting in a family meeting."
Megumi and Maki looked up.
The speaker was Zenin Ogi.
Maki's father.
His gaze was cold, devoid of any warmth. To him, Maki was not a daughter, only a stain on his name.
Naobito frowned. "Ogi, that's enough."
Ogi ignored him, his eyes fixed on Maki.
"Maki, learn your place."
Maki glanced at him once, then looked away.
Indifference.
Or perhaps contempt.
"You..."
Ogi's anger flared.
Her mere existence had already brought him enough disgrace. This silent defiance felt like a direct insult.
Unspoken thoughts seemed to echo in the room.
You can't even control your own daughter, yet you want to compete for the position of family head?
Ogi's hand moved to the hilt of his sword.
"Ogi."
Naobito's voice rang out, heavy with authority.
The room fell silent.
Ogi froze, then slowly stood.
After a moment, he turned and walked out, letting out a cold snort.
As the door closed, he cast one last dark look at Maki.
She did not react.
Naobito rubbed his forehead, clearly irritated. "Apologies. You shouldn't have had to see that."
He exhaled. "Let's continue."
With that, the meeting resumed.
No one spoke out of turn this time.
Soon, the discussion reached its core.
"The rule of the Zenin family remains unchanged," Naobito said plainly. "Anyone who inherits the Ten Shadows Technique will become the head of the family without exception."
A sharp silence followed.
Beside him, Zenin Naoya's smile stiffened.
He had expected this possibility, but hearing it confirmed still struck him hard.
"What kind of joke is this?"
Another voice cut in.
Zenin Jinichi, disheveled and visibly irritated, glared at Megumi.
"That man's son as the family head? I will never accept it."
"He killed his own father."
Megumi blinked.
...Wait.
His dad killed his grandfather?
Then again, considering it was the Zenin family, that did not sound surprising.
Back then, when Toji Fushiguro left the clan, he had nearly wiped out half of its members.
Among the dead was Zenin Torine, Naobito's elder brother, and the father of Jinichi.
A history written in blood.