Want to Be a Family Head?

Inside the Zenin Family, Family Head's residence.

"Bang!"

Naobito Zenin forcefully slammed the sake pot onto the table, looking at the two brothers before him and saying:

"Change Megumi Fushiguro's name. Whatever you want, as long as the Zenin Family can provide it, we'll give it all to you."

In Megumi Fushiguro, he saw the Zenin Family's hope, a being capable of perishing together with the ancestor who awakened the Limitless and Six Eyes of the Gojo Family.

As long as Megumi Fushiguro could return to the Zenin Family, as long as he could grow, then the balance Satoru Gojo had broken would be restored once more.

Their Zenin Family would also regain its former glory.

Shinsuke Zenin and Toji exchanged a glance, both revealing a hearty smile.

"Old man, you have a pleading side too?"

"Did you get the consent of the other members of the Zenin Family for this?"

Shinsuke Zenin found it quite amusing watching Naobito's determined stance, as if he wouldn't give up until he got Megumi Fushiguro.

"I am the Family Head of the Zenin Family, when have I ever needed their consent?"

Naobito said indignantly, "Matters concerning the future of the Zenin Family do not require considering their thoughts."

He knew, of course, that other members of the Zenin Family had opinions about these two brothers, and even about Megumi Fushiguro, but so what?

That was the inherited Cursed Technique, the Ten Shadows Technique, enough to make the Zenin Family the strongest in the Jujutsu World.

"Selling Megumi to the Zenin Family back then was a helpless choice because I couldn't take care of him. Now I've seen through many things and feel I should take on a father's responsibility.

So the deal with the Zenin Family is off. However, rest assured, after learning so much from the Zenin Family, I won't make him hate them."

Toji stated his position.

Making Megumi Fushiguro change his name was impossible, but considering the use of the Zenin Family's resources, he wouldn't deliberately make Megumi Fushiguro hostile towards the Zenin Family.

This was the greatest concession he could make.

"I think this is for the best. If you want Megumi Fushiguro to have a certain attitude towards the Zenin Family, you'll have to work for it yourselves.

If you leave a good enough impression on Megumi Fushiguro, perhaps he'll remember your kindness when he becomes successful in the future."

Shinsuke Zenin added mercilessly.

At first, we Zenin Family were aloof, but now we Zenin Family are too lowly to approach them; that's the principle.

Toji also hadn't expected that, one day, the Zenin Family would bow to them in this manner.

Although it was just the personal act of the Family Head, the fact that the Family Head had already bowed to them indicated that the Zenin Family had lost, and lost completely.

"..."

Naobito Zenin remained silent, merely picking up the sake pot and taking a heavy swig. He knew the two brothers wouldn't forgive the Zenin Family's past actions.

To be precise, Toji wouldn't forgive.

After all, Shinsuke Zenin had never cared about the Zenin Family's opinion of him; he only saw the Zenin Family as a place to exploit.

"Shinsuke, do you want to be the Family Head?"

After a moment of silence, Naobito decided to make a decision that went against their ancestors.

"...??" Shinsuke Zenin.

"You certainly have courage, but unfortunately, not many people in the Zenin Family think like you. Keep the position of Family Head for yourself; I'm not interested."

Shinsuke Zenin flatly refused.

He understood Naobito's intentions. Once he became the Family Head, Toji and Megumi Fushiguro would essentially be locked into the Zenin Family. He couldn't agree to it just for the sake of the Zenin Family's wealth and cursed tools.

"Is that so? Then... let nature take its course."

Naobito no longer insisted. After all, no one in the Zenin Family had awakened the Ten Shadows Technique before, and now there was at least one.

The situation was better than before.

"The Zenin Family can provide all resources for Megumi Fushiguro, asking for nothing in return. I only ask for one thing: if any of Megumi Fushiguro's descendants awaken the Ten Shadows Technique in the future, they must take the Zenin surname."

At this rate, Megumi Fushiguro would most likely become the Zenin Family Head in the future, and his descendants would most likely awaken the Ten Shadows Technique.

As long as the Ten Shadows Technique eventually returned to the Zenin Family, he would be satisfied.

"That will depend on the depth of your bond with Megumi Fushiguro."

Shinsuke Zenin stood up and replied.

Neither he nor Toji could make decisions for the future Megumi Fushiguro.

Besides, it was still uncertain whether the future Zenin Family could even survive.

Toji also stood up and followed him out.

Pushing open the door, several figures stood outside.

As the two of them emerged, several people pretended to look elsewhere, concealing their eavesdropping.

Ignoring them, Shinsuke Zenin walked towards the nearby courtyard, Toji following behind with a faint, unreadable smile.

Seeing the Zenin Family value his son so highly, yet still not be able to truly possess him, felt even more satisfying than destroying the Zenin Family.

"By the way, you were actually tempted just now, weren't you?"

Toji looked at Shinsuke Zenin, who was walking ahead, and asked.

"Tempted by what? I'm warning you, don't spout nonsense."

Shinsuke Zenin immediately denied it.

The Family Head of the Zenin Family, what was it? Just a bit more wealth, just an extra cursed tool vault?

How much could a cursed tool vault sell for? Probably only the price of a few Play Clouds. How could he possibly be tempted...

"Oh right, if Megumi becomes the Zenin Family Head in the future, remember to have him hand over the cursed tool vault to me. It's too important a place to entrust to anyone else."

Hearing this, Toji's lips twitched slightly.

Still claiming he wasn't tempted, when he was already planning for years down the line. Fortunately, all the good stuff in the Zenin Family's cursed tool vault was with him.

Returning to his own residence, the courtyard was quite lively. Maki was practicing her staff techniques, Megumi was practicing his Cursed Technique, and Maki was chatting with Meimei, who had arrived at some point.

"Older Brother is back!"

Maki shouted, and everyone's gaze shifted to the two of them.

"Meimei, when did you get here? Why didn't you say anything beforehand?"

Shinsuke Zenin's eyes lit up when he saw the intact Play Cloud placed beside Meimei.

It was repaired this quickly?

"Here, your cursed tool. Try it out."

Meimei tossed the Play Cloud beside her to him.

Taking Play Cloud, Shinsuke Zenin swung it casually and nodded in satisfaction, "It's exactly the same as before. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"You broke Play Cloud?" Toji, after a brief deduction, guessed what had likely happened to Play Cloud.

"Can't I? It was as brittle as paper, so breaking it was normal, right? Speaking of which, don't you have a lot of cursed tools? Give me another one?"

Shinsuke Zenin set his sights on Toji's weapon stash. One Play Cloud wasn't quite enough.

"Don't even think about it! Megumi, let's go home."

Toji decisively led Megumi away. If they stayed any longer, this shameless Older Brother would probably try to steal something.

"Tch, stingy."

Shinsuke Zenin was somewhat displeased. Did their brotherhood mean less than a cursed tool?

Meimei, standing nearby, sighed as she watched this scene, "You and your brother have a really good relationship."

With her intelligence network, she naturally recognized Toji's identity. Furthermore, with the two of them standing there, who wouldn't recognize them as brothers?

"It's alright. Don't you and your brother also have a pretty good relationship?"

Shinsuke Zenin replied.

"It seems you know quite a bit," Meimei said with a smile.

"It's almost dinnertime. Why don't you stay and have dinner with us before leaving?"

Shinsuke Zenin looked at the sky and spoke.

"No need for dinner. How about we take this opportunity to spar? A little practice?"

She had another purpose for this visit: to see if she could further improve her physical combat skills.

Her physical strength was already at its limit, but in terms of technique, there might still be room for improvement.

"Is that so? Alright."

For the sake of Play Cloud, it wouldn't hurt to give her some pointers.

At least she was approaching it with the mindset of getting stronger, unlike that lunatic Satoru Gojo who just wanted to fight him for the sake of it.