The days of youth

The Zenin Clan.

"Old man, how's your health?"

Ze Zenin walked straight to the door of the clan head Naobito Zenin's room and calmly greeted him.

"Hahahaha, I'm feeling pretty good!"

Watching Ze Zenin grow bigger by the day, Naobito Zenin took a swig from his sake gourd and laughed heartily.

"Your two little sisters are here with me. Come play with them!"

"Maki and Mai?"

"Big brother... you're back?!"

Two babyish voices sounded behind Naobito Zenin, then two tiny figures rushed into Ze Zenin's arms.

"Why aren't you with Mother? What brought you to the old clan head's room?"

Ze Zenin gently stroked Maki's head as he asked.

"Because... because..."

Maki's voice grew quieter as she said pitifully,

"We wanted to learn taijutsu, but no one in the whole family would teach us, so we could only come to the clan head."

"..."

Ze Zenin's gaze turned cold. It seemed his methods had still been too gentle.

So much so that Ogi Zenin's faction actually dared to openly expand its influence within the Zenin Clan and target the sisters.

He glanced at Naobito Zenin. If he was going to stir things up at home, he still needed to show the clan head some respect.

Naobito Zenin sighed, then waved a hand. "Who knows what's gotten into your father? What kind of father tries to steal the position of clan head from his son? Do whatever you want."

Ze Zenin said nothing. He simply took a brick phone out of his clothes and dialed.

"Hello? Naoya? You're the Hei's third seat now, right?"

"Contact the entire Hei in my name as the Zenin Clan's next head. I'm going to purge the factions within the clan.

"It's time certain people learned I'm no pushover..."

"Got it!"

Naoya didn't hesitate at all. Once Ze Zenin hung up, he immediately sent a message to the Hei's first seat.

"..."

The first seat fell silent for only a moment before telling Naoya, "I'll follow his lead. Let's work with him!"

He knew perfectly well that unless something happened to Ze Zenin...

The next clan head would definitely be him, and he absolutely couldn't afford to pick the wrong side!

Even if he couldn't hold on to his position as first seat in the future, he would at least be assured of a comfortable retirement.

That night, both the Hei and the Zenin Clan's Kukuru Unit mobilized.

With Ze Zenin backing them, they entered the Zenin Clan's estate and used various charges to uproot the forces Ogi Zenin had spent years cultivating.

"Bastards!"

Ogi Zenin stared at his subordinates, his face livid. At that moment, he had lost completely, without even the slightest strength left to resist.

Over the years, he had used his status as Ze Zenin's father to win over the Zenin Clan's higher-ups, pouring tremendous effort into it. He had hoped to take advantage of Ze Zenin's youth and use his seniority to claim the position of clan head before his own son...

But after tonight, the position of clan head was forever beyond Ogi Zenin's reach.

From now on, he would be nothing more than the clan head's father, the exact opposite of what he had dreamed of!

"That damned unfilial brat! How did I father something like him?!"

In his fury, Ogi Zenin had even forgotten that Ze Zenin was the very reason he had enjoyed such prestige all these years.

Meanwhile, in another room, Ze's mother wore a worried expression. With her husband and son at odds, she didn't know whom to support...

The next day.

"..."

Ze Zenin sat at the head of the table, expressionless, lightly tapping his fingers against it.

If he wasn't mistaken, Ogi Zenin should be flying into a rage right about now.

"Cousin, wasn't that a little too cruel to Uncle Ogi?"

Naoya Zenin asked as he looked at the faint smile on Ze Zenin's lips.

But there was clearly a smile on his own face too.

As long as his cousin was fine, what did anything else have to do with him?

"Naoya..." Ze Zenin said mildly to him.

"You're still too young... You don't understand politics at all."

"You should learn more from Uncle Jinichi, right?"

Ze Zenin looked toward a rugged-looking man with long hair on the other side.

Jinichi smiled. "Don't tease me, Ze. I've always been on your side!"

Ze Zenin nodded, acknowledging Jinichi Zenin's words.

The man was Toji's cousin, and for now, he wasn't one of the Zenin Clan's particularly stubborn traditionalists.

Ze's own position within the Zenin Clan was already unassailable. All that remained was to decide whether to take over as clan head after graduation.

"I'm well aware of that, which is why I'm planning to have you take over as the Hei's first seat in a few years.

"The current first seat is too old, so..."

"I understand..."

"As for Naoya?"

Ze Zenin glanced at Naoya Zenin, whose eyes were shining.

"Keep honing yourself. Once you become a Grade 1 Sorcerer, you can move up."

Naoya immediately deflated like a punctured balloon. "Cousin, you're playing favorites!"

Ignoring Naoya's complaints, Ze Zenin spoke mildly.

"I'll be leaving for Jujutsu High shortly.

"I'm leaving the Zenin Clan's affairs to the two of you. Don't let that dear father's faction of mine rise from the ashes."

"Got it!"

"Oh, right, Naoya... Have you been hiding something from me lately?" Ze Zenin suddenly asked.

"N-no!" Naoya visibly panicked for a moment.

Ze Zenin gave him a suspicious look, then walked straight out of the Zenin Clan's estate.

Jinichi Zenin gave the blushing Naoya Zenin a puzzled glance, but didn't think much of it.

Looking in the direction Ze Zenin had left, he felt an inexplicable surge of pride.

Perhaps Ze Zenin could lead them to the very pinnacle of Jujutsu Society...

Ze Zenin returned to Jujutsu High, where he found Satoru Gojo, Suguru Geto, and the others on the athletic field, sparring.

Suguru Geto had yet to subdue a special grade cursed spirit.

Against Satoru Gojo's cursed technique, he had no means of fighting back. Their cursed technique duel gradually turned into a taijutsu match.

Satoru Gojo coated his hand with Blue to reinforce it and swung a fierce blow at Suguru Geto. Geto easily sidestepped it, then reinforced his fist with cursed energy and counterattacked.

Bang-

Limitless blocked Suguru Geto's attack. Geto formed a finger gun, and several cursed spirits shot from his fingers toward Satoru Gojo.

"Geto, your cursed energy will never hit me..." Satoru Gojo said with a grin.

"Just get ready for a beating!"

"Damn it! Quit looking down on me!"

Suguru Geto increased his output. Blue laser beams kept erupting from the ground where Satoru Gojo stood. Gojo used his left hand to block them while gathering blue cursed energy in his right.

"Cursed Technique Lapse-Blue Attraction!"

"Geto's lost!" Ze Zenin walked over to Shoko and shook his head.

Seeing Ze Zenin arrive, Shoko thought of what had happened the night before and blushed despite herself. "I bet on Gojo winning," she said casually.

"Oh?" Ze Zenin seemed interested. "Can I still place a bet?"

"Not anymore, junior..."

Mei Mei suddenly appeared beside Shoko and covered her mouth with a charming smile. "The winner's practically decided, after all. I bet on Satoru Gojo too."

"Huh?"

Utahime looked stunned. Her voice trembled as she said, "Am I really the only one who thought Geto could beat Satoru Gojo senseless and bet on Gojo losing?"

Ze Zenin: "..."

Clearly, Utahime really wanted to see Satoru Gojo get beaten senseless.

Meanwhile, the immense attraction had pulled Suguru Geto right up beside Satoru Gojo.

Just as he was about to summon more cursed spirits, Satoru Gojo formed a finger gun.

The white-haired boy's grin was so obnoxious that it made people want to punch him.

"Geto, I won! From now on, you'd better accept your title as number three! Hahahahahahaha!"

Satoru Gojo planted his hands on his hips and laughed triumphantly on the athletic field.

"Satoru, honestly... isn't being number two a lot weirder?!"

Ze Zenin's utterly serious yet suggestive words reached everyone's ears.

"What's wrong with number two..."

Halfway through that thought, Utahime suddenly caught the innuendo, and her face instantly flushed red.

Whether from embarrassment or laughter at Satoru Gojo, no one could tell. She clutched her stomach and pointed at the awkward-looking Gojo.

Satoru Gojo forced a friendly smile, about to make peace with Geto and form an alliance. But when he looked back, Suguru Geto was also covering his mouth, desperately holding back his laughter.

Satoru Gojo's smile froze on his face. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Fuck, Ze Zenin, you bastard!"

"My whole reputation is ruined!"

Everyone clutched their stomachs and roared with laughter, mercilessly mocking Satoru Gojo.

Only Shoko, her face red, stole a glance at Ze Zenin as he continued pretending to be aloof.

"I knew there wasn't a decent bone in your body!"