"I'm a reliable adult of twenty-seven, at least. Why can't I have a child?"
There was nothing wrong with that statement. Japan's legal age of adulthood was twenty, but the legal marriage age was eighteen for men and sixteen for women. Parental consent was required before adulthood, but there were no restrictions afterward. That was how JK Brides occasionally came about.
But coming from Satoru Gojo's mouth—
Maki: "You? Reliable?"
Panda: "Can you take care of a child?"
Akesato: "Are you sure it wouldn't be the child taking care of you?"
Toge Inumaki said nothing. He merely picked up Playful Panda, who sat comfortably in the crook of Inumaki's arm, vividly demonstrating—see? This was what taking care of a child looked like.
Thus, Satoru Gojo gave up trying to defend himself and nodded repeatedly. "Mm-hm, looks like you guys would get along pretty well with my kid."
By now, everyone had long grown accustomed to Satoru Gojo's terrible behavior. Maki asked, "Which kid is unlucky enough to be yours?"
"I'll show you a picture."
As he spoke, Satoru Gojo pulled his phone from his pocket, opened his photo album with practiced ease, and tapped on a picture.
The photo showed a boy. His hair was fairly long, like Satoru Gojo's, and stuck upward.
But unlike Satoru Gojo's uniformly upward, broom-like hair, his spiked out in every direction.
Commonly known as a hedgehog head, it was, like a broom head, a common hairstyle among delinquent boys.
The boy's gaze also carried the air of a delinquent. Fortunately, he was good-looking, with features somewhat similar to Maki's. His looks could easily stand up to hers.
But that was not the focus. After all, Tokyo High School was full of handsome men and beautiful women. If you were not attractive enough, you would be embarrassed to even say hello.
What, Panda?
Sorry, that was a dimensionality-reduction strike. When it came to popularity, humans were utterly defeated.
"Is this your child?" Maki's brows furrowed. "How old is he?"
"Fifteen. Why?"
"As expected of the Gojo family's Family Head. What a scumbag." Maki did not bother concealing her contempt.
"I think you're better suited to be a panda." Panda, with high emotional intelligence.
"Salmon." Inumaki-brand professional parrot.
"Having a child at twelve. You're really something."
Akesato, the only one who knew the truth, not only did not help clear things up, but kicked him while he was down, because it pleased him.
"While I don't think it's impossible to have a child at twelve, I still need to clarify that he's my adopted son. Look at his hair color."
The Gojo family's white hair was hereditary, while the boy in the photo had a head of pure black hair.
"So he's your adopted son. Sorry, I wrongly accused you. Unlike some people, you properly upheld the bottom line of humanity. How wonderful."
It was not that Maki's reaction was overly intense. Having grown up in the Zenin Family, she understood the filth of the Three Great Families all too well.
What did Jujutsu Supremacy mean? It meant that as long as you inherited Jujutsu, you could do whatever you wanted.
And since Jujutsu inheritance basically depended on bloodlines, it was not hard to imagine what would happen in order to ensure the continuation of a bloodline and the purity of a Cursed Technique.
Incestuous marriages, polygamy, having as many children as possible, having them as early as possible—after all, the dangers Jujutsu Sorcerers faced were right there.
Having children at twelve would be shocking in the Outer world, but it was nothing unusual in the Jujutsu world.
Maki Zenin's cousin, Naoya Zenin, had harbored beastly intentions toward her more than once.
Not to mention someone like Satoru Gojo, who had displayed an invincible bearing from childhood. Who knew how many people wanted to bear his children? Even if Satoru Gojo did not want to, the rest of the Gojo family would find ways to make him have more.
"I think so too." Although Satoru Gojo was smiling, there was no joking tone left in his voice. "That was one of the considerations behind adopting him. But in terms of blood relation alone, he's actually closer to you, Maki."
"Closer to me?" Maki froze slightly, then her pupils widened. "Could he be that child from the rumors?"
"The child from the rumors?" Panda asked in confusion.
Playful Panda tilted its head along with him.
Two adorably blank faces.
"It's considered one of the Zenin Family's scandals. Though no one knows exactly what happened, the Zenin Family's core Cursed Technique, the Ten Shadows Technique, was inherited by a child who had ended up outside the family, while not a single heir existed within the family."
Cursed Techniques were not inherited with one hundred percent certainty. Mutations and incomplete inheritances could also occur, so a family's inherited Cursed Techniques were not necessarily limited to one. Even the Jujutsu in Jujutsu Supremacy had a hierarchy.
Why had Akesato's cheap mother insisted on taking Kamo Noriki away? Because he had inherited the Kamo family's signature Blood Manipulation—the highest rank, the highest priority.
Unless there was a second inheritor of Blood Manipulation, Kamo Noriki was unquestionably the next Family Head.
"Those old guys have always wanted to bring that child back, but they've never managed it... I see. If it was you, then it makes sense."
At that, Maki burst out laughing, growing louder and louder.
"Ahahaha! What a masterpiece! The Zenin Family's signature Cursed Technique is in the Gojo family. They can't beat him, and they can't take him back. Hahahaha! What's that child's name?"
"Megumi Fushiguro," Satoru Gojo answered.
"Not Gojo?"
"Something like this should follow the child's wishes. He's not a baby anymore."
That was just how Satoru Gojo was. Usually unreliable, but never vague when it mattered. That was why he could be trusted.
"I can hardly wait to meet this relative."
Maki twirled her spear, her eyes brimming with an emotion called eagerness to fight.
"Then let's go take a look." Akesato stretched lazily.
"You're coming too?" Maki turned to look at him.
"If I don't, who'll keep things under control when you start fighting?" Akesato replied with a smile.
"Was I really that obvious?" Maki muttered.
"What do you think?" Akesato asked back.
No matter what surname the boy in the photo bore or whether he would return to the Zenin Family, the fact remained that he had inherited the Ten Shadows Technique, making him theoretically the most suitable successor for Family Head.
If Maki wanted to become the Zenin Family's Family Head, she had to prove she was stronger than Megumi Fushiguro. Given Maki's personality, it would be stranger if they did not fight.
Besides that, Akesato was also curious about what the real Megumi Fushiguro was like.
He was the second male lead of Jujutsu Kaisen, known as the true heroine, and possessed three "strongest" fathers: his adoptive father Satoru Gojo; his biological father Toji Fushiguro—the holder of the strongest body, the Heavenly Restriction Tyrant who had nearly killed Satoru Gojo; and his foster father—the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer from a thousand years ago, Ryomen Sukuna, who had fought the entire Jujutsu world alone.
Most importantly, Akesato had roughly guessed what had happened on Megumi Fushiguro's side. Megumi Fushiguro was one year younger than him and had only recently entered his third year of middle school.
"This is a rare opportunity. How about we all go together? Tomorrow happens to be the weekend, so why not take a vacation together? Keeping up daily training is tiring too."
"No, we'll pass."
Unexpectedly, Panda refused.
Inumaki gave him a puzzled look, but Panda wore a mysterious smile as he poked Playful Panda, who was lying on his shoulder.
"Brother is at a critical stage. Kato and I will stay behind to help him with special training. You and Maki enjoy a pleasant weekend together."
"What kind of expression is that? Disgusting." Maki shot Panda an annoyed glance.
Akesato did not think much of it. "Then I'll leave him to you two. Little Sa, Little Sa, let's take a long-overdue family trip. Remember to tell mom and ask whether she wants to come too."
"Sa~" Gardevoir floated over in response, circling Akesato affectionately.
Akesato skillfully patted her head, his smile bright and radiant.
Panda first looked at the innocent Gardevoir, then glanced at Maki, putting on a solemn expression.
"A long road ahead..."
Before you continue