Practicing the Stick?

"Uncle, I'm heading back now."

Megumi Fushiguro walked to the entrance of the yard and bid farewell to Shinsuke Zenin.

Due to certain arrangements, he came to the Zenin Family every Saturday and Sunday to learn about the Ten Shadows Technique.

Within Megumi was the mark of the Zenin Family's inherited Cursed Technique, the Ten Shadows Technique. This meant that there was finally a possibility for the Zenin Family to have another Special Grade Sorcerer.

When the Zenin Family learned that it was Toji's son who had awakened the Ten Shadows Technique, they were both angry and delighted.

They were angry that the person who awakened the family's inherited Cursed Technique was an outsider, yet they were delighted because this outsider possessed Zenin blood and had a chance to return to the Zenin Family.

However, their joy didn't last long. Although Toji had sold Megumi to the Zenin Family back then, he now regretted it.

As a result, Megumi was now like he was attending remedial classes, with the Zenin Family serving as a cram school for him.

It allowed him to better understand his Cursed Technique and tame more Shikigami.

This led to everyone in the Zenin Family, except for Naobito Zenin, feeling quite annoyed with him, or rather, annoyed with Toji.

But they were helpless.

Why did a useless person without cursed energy have a son who awakened the family's inherited Cursed Technique?

They couldn't understand.

"Mm, be careful on your way."

Shinsuke Zenin glanced at his spiky-haired nephew. If it weren't for Toji protecting him, the Zenin Family would have likely forcibly changed the boy's surname.

Or perhaps not necessarily. If it weren't for him and Toji, there was also Satoru Gojo.

This kid was quite lucky.

Shinsuke Zenin thought.

"Hey! Kiddo, are you only saying goodbye to your older brother?"

Maki stood beside Shinsuke Zenin with her hands on her hips, looking down at Megumi Fushiguro with arrogance.

Originally, she and Mai had the lowest status in the Zenin Family. They never expected a strange nephew to suddenly appear, so she had to put on a good elder's demeanor.

"Tch, boring."

Megumi Fushiguro pouted, ignored Maki's childish behavior, slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, and turned to leave.

She was only about his age, so him calling her aunt was absolutely impossible!

"You brat! Older Brother, look at him~ He doesn't respect his elders at all!"

Seeing Megumi Fushiguro's attitude, Maki stomped her feet in anger. She had finally found someone with lower status than herself, only for him to be a troublemaker.

She could only grab Shinsuke Zenin's hand and act spoiled, trying to regain her aunt's authority.

Shinsuke Zenin could offer no assistance.

They were all just kids, and he couldn't possibly show favoritism to anyone.

Seeing that her older brother wasn't helping her, Maki could only pout and sulk, vowing to ignore him for three hours.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Not long after Megumi Fushiguro left, there was a knock on the yard gate. A tall, beautiful woman stood at the entrance.

Dressed all in black, with ice-blue hair tied in a braid that fell behind her, she was highly recognizable.

"Miss Meimei? What can I do for you?"

Shinsuke Zenin looked at Meimei standing in front of the yard, his eyes filled with surprise. Could she be here to demand compensation for the axe he had dulled?

Didn't they agree that he wouldn't have to pay?

"Teacher Shinsuke, your weapon was damaged in the last battle, right? I'm here to help you repair it."

Meimei's expression was natural, not like she was lying.

After all, repaying his life-saving grace with just an axe felt somewhat insufficient.

She had noticed his Cursed Tool was broken before, and since she had nothing to do today, she decided to help him repair it.

"Hiss—! How much? I can't afford it if it's too expensive."

Shinsuke Zenin remembered the damaged Play Cloud inside the house.

Repairing a Special Grade Cursed Tool was too expensive, and he didn't have much money at the moment, so he had left it there, planning to give it to Maki in the future so she could pay to fix it herself.

Seeing Meimei come all the way to repair a Cursed Tool, he instantly recalled her hobby: making money, saving money, and hoarding wealth.

"Pfft!"

Meimei looked at Shinsuke Zenin's nervous expression, her eyes curved, and she let out a laugh.

She hadn't expected him to think that way.

Did he also value money greatly? She hadn't noticed that before.

But on second thought, he often took on missions to exorcise Cursed Spirits, so it was reasonable.

"Are you very short on money? If you are, I could lend you some, but lending money would require interest."

Meimei calmed down and spoke.

Repairing cursed tools was free, but lending money would be at a high interest rate; that was her bottom line.

"No, no need."

Shinsuke Zenin waved his hand. He could borrow money from anyone, but he would absolutely not borrow from the woman in front of him.

He figured his salary wouldn't even be enough to cover the interest.

"Hahaha, just kidding. Seriously, give me the cursed tool. I guarantee I'll return a brand new one within five days, no charge."

"Really?"

"Really."

Looking at the woman, who appeared here with a serious expression and for some inexplicable reason, Shinsuke Zenin dazedly took out Play Cloud and handed it over.

"I'm off. I definitely won't cut corners."

Meimei took Play Cloud and turned to leave, as if she had simply come to help him fix his staff.

This made Shinsuke Zenin's impression of her change slightly. So she wasn't purely a miser after all. She knew how to repay a kindness.

"Oh, right. Your physical combat skills are strong, aren't they? Let's spar sometime, without weapons."

Meimei, who hadn't gone far, remembered his strength and added.

A large part of her own strength was supported by her physical combat skills, and his were clearly far superior to hers. Perhaps he could even offer her some pointers.

If she became stronger, she could earn more money, save all of it!

When Shinsuke Zenin heard this, he felt something was off.

"Older Brother, who is that beautiful older sister?"

Maki looked at the departing Meimei and asked curiously.

Meimei hadn't styled her hair in that bizarre way yet, and her perfect face wasn't hidden by braids. Any normal human would consider her a beauty.

"A jujutsu sorcerer with good skills who likes money."

Shinsuke Zenin commented.

"Then is she Older Brother's girlfriend?"

Maki continued to press, her cute big eyes wide. Older Brother was already this old, and he didn't even have a girlfriend. She was starting to worry.

Shinsuke Zenin froze at her words, and the image of that woman inexplicably appeared in his mind.

He quickly shook his head. Why would I think of her?

"Maki, are you looking for a beating?"

Shinsuke Zenin glared at Maki. She was so young, yet she was already concerned about his affairs. Did she want to rebel against heaven's decree?

"I was just asking, what's wrong..."

Maki was scolded and pouted, looking a little wronged.

"Don't ask. Go follow Maki and train properly. Look how weak you are, you can't beat anyone. If you get bullied later, you'll just cry alone in secret."

Shinsuke Zenin wondered if he should change his image in Maki's eyes a little.

"No, no, I don't want to train. Anyway, with Older Brother and Older Sister here, no one dares to bully me!"

Maki immediately hugged Shinsuke Zenin's thigh and started acting spoiled.

After a few years together, Maki had already figured out who the reliable one was. As long as she stayed by her Older Brother's side, even the Zenin Family wouldn't dare to bully her.

"You..."

Shinsuke Zenin shook his head helplessly. This girl had truly mastered the power of acting cute.

At least for him, her cuteness could solve ninety percent of her problems.

The remaining ten percent were things he truly couldn't tolerate.