JJK: Chapter 35/36

Chapter 35: The Warmth of the Fushiguro Family

The crisp sound of the alarm clock rang out. Eichi skillfully slapped it off, yawning as he walked into the bathroom.

Because he had stayed up too late the night before, he was still groggy when he finished washing up. Just as he was about to head to school, he suddenly realized it was the weekend.

For a moment, Eichi had the urge to smash the alarm clock.

Sitting on the sofa, he began to ponder what to do today.

"Forget it, I'm not thinking anymore. Time to exercise."

Sometimes, once you start thinking too much, the time you spend thinking far exceeds the time you actually spend doing something.

For example, in his previous life, Eichi liked to find a novel or a livestream to watch while eating before meals.

He would end up eating for ten minutes but spend half an hour just choosing what to watch.

It was the same when ordering takeout. He didn't want to just order anything. If he was going to eat casually, he might as well cook instant noodles at home.

As a result, he would spend half an hour scrolling through the takeout app, wait another half hour for delivery, and finish eating in ten minutes.

Time just quietly slipped away like that.

By chance, Eichi once saw a video. It said that if a person doesn't know what to do and feels lost, they should read, exercise, and enrich themselves.

Once they discover what they want, they should pursue it, not just lie around aimlessly when feeling lost.

Only then can they seize opportunities when they appear in a state of readiness.

Eichi felt that made a lot of sense.

Changing into sportswear, he began exercising according to the routine he remembered.

First, a few sets of warm-up movements.

A hundred push-ups, a hundred sit-ups, and finally a hundred squats.

The simple workout trained his chest, abs, and legs.

After finishing the warm-up, he stepped outside and turned left, beginning a ten-kilometer jog.

It was already winter, and since it hadn't started snowing yet, not all the leaves had fallen.

Around four or five in the morning, sanitation workers would have already cleaned the streets, so there weren't many leaves on the road.

Out of boredom, whenever Eichi spotted a leaf, he would subtly adjust his pace and step on it as he passed.

People are strange. When trees are full of leaves, no one pays attention. But when only a few leaves remain, all focus shifts to those few.

Perhaps the jog was too monotonous, and Eichi found himself thinking the same way.

By the time he finished his ten kilometers, it was almost noon. He decided to visit Toji's house for a while.

"Excuse me."

Eichi changed into slippers as he entered and saw a scene that made him chuckle.

"Don't pull, kid."

"Toji, be gentle with the children."

Toji was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, a soft pink blanket draped across his lap. Little Megumi sat in the middle of the blanket, staring at Toji with wide, curious eyes.

Tsumiki was perched on Toji's shoulder, babbling as she occasionally grabbed his hair for balance.

"Find a place to sit," Toji said without looking up, focusing on the two children.

His hands were raised high, hovering around Tsumiki, ready to catch her if she slipped but careful not to use too much force.

His crossed legs weren't idle either, gently rocking up and down like a cradle, coaxing Megumi in his lap.

The clumsy movements and conflicted expression made Eichi laugh quietly.

"Minako-san, I'll help."

Toji noticed his gaze and shot him a glare.

Eichi immediately turned away and walked toward the kitchen.

"No need, lunch will be ready soon. Just wait a bit," Minako said with a smile.

"I'll help too. Don't worry, my cooking skills are decent," Eichi replied confidently.

"Then I'll leave the vegetables to you," Minako said, unable to refuse, as she began preparing the fish, which required more attention.

Judging by the ingredients—bean sprouts, tofu, miso, and tomatoes—it was clear they were making simple home-style dishes. After a quick assessment, Eichi began working.

Having been single for two lives, he had plenty of experience cooking for himself. Why? Because after college, he couldn't afford takeout anymore.

Rent, utilities, phone, internet, heating... After paying all those, how could he afford three takeout meals a day?

He simply couldn't.

He often ate at the breakfast shop downstairs. Three buns and a cup of soy milk for seven yen were enough to fill him up.

Later, after getting tired of buns and stir-fried noodles, he started learning to cook.

Three stir-fried vegetable dishes, one pan-fried fish, and a bowl of miso soup accompanied by rice made up their meal.

"I'm eating," the three of them said in unison.

After the hearty meal, Eichi sat on the sofa next to Toji, who was lounging lazily.

Minako held Megumi in her left arm and played a small game with Tsumiki using her right, a contented smile on her face.

If Megumi's mother, Erika, hadn't died, Megumi would have called Minako his maternal aunt.

If Toji hadn't died, Minako would probably have lived a happy life.

Minako and Erika were cousins who had always supported each other.

Erika was cheerful and cool, while Minako was gentle and quiet.

Unfortunately, fate played a cruel joke on them both. Minako's husband died in an accident shortly after their child was born, leaving her widowed.

Erika also passed away not long after giving birth to Megumi. Both suffered tragic fates.

Later, because Toji was completely incapable of taking care of children, Minako took in Megumi and raised him alongside Tsumiki.

Two people whose lives had been shattered came together and rebuilt a family.

Toji went out to work and earn money. For someone with a complete Heavenly Restriction, that wasn't difficult.

By the time he left the Zen'in Family, his strength had already reached Special Grade. With that kind of power, even manual labor would be easy for him.

Not to mention, Naobito hadn't completely severed ties with him. If Toji needed, he could still find work through him.

In this way, Toji found his home and gradually learned what love meant.

Minako found support too, a partner who could protect her and two lively, healthy children.

In another world, Toji and Minako might have had an ending that, while not perfect, was at least peaceful. But unfortunately, he was born into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

The important characters written by Gege are always beautiful, strong, and tragic.

Some have tragic fates, some have tragic endings, and some have both.

Toji is a character who has both.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 36: Love Tragic Story

In the plot of Jujutsu Kaisen, Megumi once said, "That bastard old man named his child Megumi without even checking if it was a boy or a girl."

Megumi's dissatisfaction is understandable, because the character "Megumi" in a name is typically used for girls.

Megumi is a boy, and the cool, handsome type who could take down half of a junior high's delinquents by himself.

Anyone who learned that such a powerful and cool person, even more rebellious in junior high, had a name typically given to a little girl would look at him with a strange expression.

The strange looks from his classmates naturally made Megumi uncomfortable and even more rebellious.

However, what Megumi did not know was that no matter if he was a boy or a girl, Toji had only one name in mind for him.

Megumi.

Meaning a blessing bestowed upon Toji by Heaven.

Before leaving the Zen'in Family, Toji did not know what love was, because his childhood lacked it.

He was born without Cursed Energy, which made his life in the Jujutsu-centric Zen'in Family incredibly miserable.

Although Toji's parents came from good backgrounds, they did not have the talent of a Jujutsu Sorcerer, so they lived poorly in the Zen'in Family.

It was not until Jin'ichi grew up that things got a little better for them, and later they pinned their hopes for further advancement on Toji.

Unfortunately, Toji did not inherit the Zen'in Family's Technique as they wished, and he did not even have a trace of Cursed Energy.

In Zen'in philosophy, Toji was considered even less than an ordinary person with just a trace of Cursed Energy.

This made his parents angry and disappointed.

Later, as their last shred of hope, they threw him into a pile of Cursed Spirits when he was six years old.

Throwing a child into a pile of man-eating Cursed Spirits.

Outside, this would be an incredibly cruel act, universally condemned.

But in the Zen'in Family, it was not difficult to understand.

This also shows the twisted values of the Zen'in Family.

Toji did not Awaken a Technique as his parents hoped. When a wounded Toji crawled out of the ground, he still had no Cursed Energy.

The scar at the corner of his mouth was also left during this incident.

His parents completely gave up on him.

The Zen'in Family was not surprised, and simply raised Toji along with several other individuals who lacked Cursed Energy talent.

When he was young, before his Heavenly Restriction fully developed, he was constantly bullied by others.

This planted the seed of violence deep within his heart.

Later, in his teens, as his body developed, the power brought by his Heavenly Restriction became strong enough.

At this point, Toji also began to use violence to resist all injustice, just like them.

At first, two fists were no match for four hands.

But as the fighting instinct hidden within Toji's perfect body was gradually unleashed, the Heavenly Restriction was born.

This is also why Naoya later feared and respected him.

Initially, he was just curious to see him, but their first meeting immediately captivated him for life.

Later, Naoya tried to test Toji to determine if he was truly strong or just a facade, and as a result, he completely fell for him, becoming a Toji fanboy.

Naoya was self-important, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, and many in the Zen'in Family were like this.

They were self-important due to their status, yet because of that status, they dared not resist those above them.

Later, the Zen'in Family made Toji feel bored.

Everyone feared him and dreaded him. Those who had once bullied him would now avoid him directly upon seeing him.

Few people still spoke to Toji, and Naobito was one of them.

Naobito was hailed as the most open-minded among the 26 generations of Zen'in Family Heads.

He noticed Toji's situation and understood what he was thinking.

So when Toji fought his way out of the Zen'in Family, Naobito did not stop him.

Because it was not worth it.

Letting Toji leave preserved some face between them and also avoided too much Family loss.

This was because Toji merely injured members of the Kukuru Squad and a few remaining Hei members before leaving with a few convenient cursed tools.

It was fortunate that he had not yet tamed his Inventory Curse at that time, otherwise there would have been nothing left in the Zen'in Family's Sealed Repository, and then Naobito would probably have fought him to the death.

Toji was a Heavenly Restriction that grew step by step, not like Maki, who accumulated power and then suddenly Awakened and reached the peak.

Therefore, if Naobito had fought Toji to the death, the outcome would truly have been uncertain.

After leaving the Zen'in Family, Toji experienced what love was for the first time.

At first, it was just physical love with Erika.

Slowly, Erika's care and anticipation for new life made this big boy realize what love was.

"Toji, what do you plan to name the child?"

Erika touched her growing belly and looked at him.

"Megumi."

"What if it is a boy?"

"Also Megumi."

Erika was a little surprised.

"This is a blessing bestowed upon me."

Hearing this, Erika's face filled with a happy smile.

"Zen'in Megumi, what a good name."

"Not Zen'in, it is Fushiguro."

"Huh?"

Erika's face was full of surprise.

"I hate Zen'in."

So he did not want to give that name to his child.

"I married into the Family, so it is Fushiguro."

"Mm."

Erika, who vaguely guessed something, agreed to Toji's decision.

Having been together for so long, she knew that his past was not good. When they first met, Toji was like a stray dog, pitiful and helpless.

Unfortunately, fate did not spare him.

Erika died, but fortunately, Megumi still had someone to care for him.

Minako could not bear to see Megumi being clumsily looked after by Toji, so she took Megumi with her and cared for him alongside Tsumiki.

Toji loved Megumi very much, but he did not know how to express this love, because his parents had not loved him, so he did not know how to express his love to his child.

Later, before accepting the mission to assassinate the Star Plasma Vessel, Toji met with Naobito.

In that meeting, Toji and Naobito made a deal.

If Megumi Awakened a Technique, he would sell Megumi to the Zen'in Family.

Did Toji lack that money?

No, he did not.

This was just his way of applying pressure. No one cherishes cheap linen clothes, but expensive silk garments make people walk carefully.

Therefore, Megumi could not be simply given to the Zen'in Family.

Toji knew this, and this was the only way he could think of to ensure Megumi had a good life.

And this deal also included a clause.

If Gojo Satoru died or lost consciousness for some reason, the agreement with Toji would be fulfilled, and Megumi would be appointed as the Zen'in Family Head.

Yes, Toji had decided to bet everything for the future of his most beloved child even before undertaking the mission to assassinate the Star Plasma Vessel.

In Toji's perception, the Zen'in Family Head was the most noble status in this world.

He wanted to give this status to his most beloved son.

Even if the one standing in his way was the pinnacle of the Jujutsu world, the legendary Six Eyes.

Naobito had no objection to this. If Megumi truly Awakened the Ten Shadows Technique, then he naturally had the qualifications to become the Zen'in Family Head, and at that time, Naobito would simply adopt Megumi as his godson and cultivate him well.

A Zen'in bloodline, possessing the Ten Shadows Technique, and the adopted son of the former Family Head.

It would not be difficult to push Megumi to the position of Family Head.

Moreover, if Toji, the Sorcerer Killer, really had difficulty killing the Six Eyes, it would also be considered helping the Zen'in Family eliminate a major hidden danger.

Unfortunately, fate did not favor Toji.

Before Tengen's assimilation was complete, the karma between Tengen, the Six Eyes, and the Star Plasma Vessel would not be severed.

Just as a second Star Plasma Vessel appeared quickly before Tengen after Amanai Riko's death, the Six Eyes, as insurance, would not disappear before Tengen completed assimilation.

Kenjaku had tried to kill the Six Eyes and the Star Plasma Vessel five hundred years ago, but afterward, the Six Eyes and the Star Plasma Vessel still appeared, and Tengen once again completed assimilation with the Star Plasma Vessel.

Facing such an overpowered and unreasonable existence, Toji could only be defeated unwillingly.

He still had one concern, and that was Megumi. Without him putting pressure on the Zen'in Family from outside, would Megumi also be bullied like he was?

With this last worry, Toji tried to entrust Megumi to the Six Eyes.

Toji was lucky, because in this final, gambling-like entrustment, he bet correctly.

When he was reincarnated in Shinjuku, Toji committed suicide with satisfaction.

He was also unlucky, because Megumi was later subjected to possession by Ryomen Sukuna, and Sukuna used his Technique to kill his own sister. After that, Megumi's life was worse than death.

(To be continued.)