Chapter 69 — Megumi's Concern
She turned her palm over, as if to prove her words.
In her soft, pale hand, a white cube suddenly materialized out of thin air.
"The function of this technique is—"
"I know," Ren nodded. "We have a classmate with the same technique."
"Oh?" Tsumiki looked surprised. "Someone… has the same technique as me?"
"Yeah," Ren replied. "Zenin Mai from the Kyoto school. She's—" he gestured toward Maki nearby, "Maki's younger sister."
Maki gave a small nod in confirmation.
But beside them, Megumi's expression grew complicated.
"Tsumiki…" he murmured, lowering his head.
—
At that moment, Ren suddenly noticed something—
The white cube Tsumiki had created was unusually large, nearly the width of her palm.
Its volume and mass far exceeded the known "limit" of what Mai could construct.
And Tsumiki shouldn't have formed any binding vows yet… so what was going on?
"Tsumiki," Ren asked instinctively, "your technique should consume a lot of cursed energy, right?"
"Sorry…" Tsumiki frowned slightly, her expression apologetic. "Ren, I've only just awakened this ability. I don't really know how it works for others, so… I can't answer that."
"That makes sense," Ren nodded.
He was just about to ask her about the upper limit of what she could construct—since she seemed completely at ease even producing something of that size—
when Tsumiki tilted her head and asked curiously,
"Ren… do you know a lot about my technique?"
"A little," Ren answered modestly.
"That's great," her face lit up with joy, though she quickly composed herself. Pressing her lips together slightly, she looked at him with shy anticipation.
"Since you understand my technique… could I ask you to guide me in the future?"
—
Ren was just about to agree—
"NO!"
Megumi suddenly shouted.
"Listen to me," he rushed forward, gripping the handles of her wheelchair. "Tsumiki, you can't become a jujutsu sorcerer. It's a dangerous profession."
"Now that you've recovered, just focus on getting stronger. Then go back to school and live a normal life."
There was a pleading look in his eyes.
"But, Megumi… you—" Tsumiki frowned slightly.
"I became one because of a deal between our father and Gojo-sensei," Megumi interrupted, grabbing her hand tightly.
"You remember that, right?"
"Our father sold me to them. That's why I had no choice but to become a sorcerer."
Back then, after both of their parents divorced and formed a new family together, they eventually abandoned them—leaving the two young siblings to rely only on each other.
When Satoru Gojo came to take him in, he made a promise:
As long as Megumi became a jujutsu sorcerer, Tsumiki would be able to live a happy life.
That was the reason Megumi chose this path.
To protect his sister from the mess left behind by irresponsible adults.
And now—how could he possibly stand by and watch her step into the most dangerous world of all?
—
"And besides," Megumi continued, "Tsumiki, you hate violence, don't you?"
"The life of a sorcerer is filled with constant fighting. It's not suited for you at all."
Tsumiki looked at her brother, seeing the earnest plea in his eyes.
She fell silent for a long moment.
Then, gently, she spoke.
"I'm sorry, Megumi. I can't."
"What—?!"
"Over the past few days since waking up, I've had time to think."
"You're right—I don't believe violence is the solution to everything."
"But now that this power has come to me… now that the world of jujutsu has opened before me…"
"I can't just pretend it doesn't exist."
"Running away from reality isn't a solution either."
"The problem is already solved," Megumi insisted. "You're awake now. As long as you recover and leave Jujutsu High—"
"No," Tsumiki interrupted firmly, though her expression remained gentle.
"I don't want to go through something like that again."
"Being harmed by something I don't understand… and making the people around me worry and suffer."
"That's the real problem, Megumi. Do you understand?"
She paused, then added softly,
"At the very least, I want to learn how to use this power—to protect myself… so you don't have to carry everything alone."
—
"Maybe she could start by just learning jujutsu," Ren suggested, stepping in as the argument reached a stalemate.
He understood Megumi's concern.
People like himself—exceptionally talented—were rare. Most sorcerers lived like Miwa or Mai, constantly brushing against danger, surviving one crisis after another. One mistake could mean irreversible consequences.
No one would want their loved ones exposed to that kind of life.
Especially not Megumi—whose sister had only just awakened after more than a year of unconsciousness.
His fear of losing her again was completely understandable.
But his reaction was still a bit extreme—blinded by that fear.
"As for whether she becomes a sorcerer or exorcises curses," Ren continued, "that can be decided later."
"It's not like this is some kind of organization you can't leave."
He glanced at Yuji Itadori, who had been standing there blankly, watching everything unfold.
"Yuji—your mentor, Nanami-sensei… didn't he leave this line of work for a while to become a regular office worker?"
"Yeah!" Yuji nodded enthusiastically. "But then he said office work was crap, so he came back."
Ren pressed his lips together.
This guy really has no filter…
Some things didn't need to be said out loud.
Still, the point had been made.
Megumi visibly calmed down.
"…Then," he said slowly, as if forcing the words out, "let's start with learning jujutsu. Just enough to protect yourself."
"But I'm still firmly against you becoming a sorcerer!"
"Don't worry, Megumi," Tsumiki smiled gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not some child who needs constant supervision."
"How are you not?" Megumi sniffed. "Who was lying in a hospital bed for over a year?"
"And who still needs someone to push her around in a wheelchair just to move?"
"…Huh?"