"I'm a reliable 27-year-old adult; why wouldn't I have a child?"
This statement was logical enough. In Japan, the legal adult age is 20, but the legal marriage age is 18 for males and 16 for females. Minors require a guardian's consent, but once they are adults, there are no restrictions. That's how you occasionally get those stories about JK brides.
But when it comes from Gojo Satoru's mouth...
Maki: "You, reliable?"
Panda: "Can you even take care of a child?"
Akira: "Are you sure the kid isn't taking care of you?"
Toge Inumaki didn't say anything, but he picked up Naughty Pancham, who comfortably settled into Toge's arms. It was the perfect demonstration of what real childcare looked like.
And so, Gojo gave up trying to explain, nodding repeatedly, "Mm-hmm, looks like they'll get along well with my kid."
By this point, everyone was used to Gojo Satoru's antics. Maki asked, "Which unlucky kid are we talking about?"
"I'll show you a picture."
Gojo pulled out his phone from his pocket, skillfully opened the photo gallery, and selected a picture.
The image was of a boy with hair similar in length to Gojo's but spikier, sticking out in all directions.
It was the classic "hedgehog head" style, commonly seen among delinquent teens, much like Gojo's signature broom-head look.
The boy's gaze also carried a delinquent vibe, but he was quite good-looking. His features bore some resemblance to Maki's, and they could easily compete in terms of attractiveness.
But that wasn't the focus. After all, at Tokyo Jujutsu High, everyone was either a handsome guy or a pretty girl; you'd feel embarrassed to say hello if you weren't good-looking.
What's that? You're asking about Panda? Sorry, but that's an entirely different category. When it comes to popularity, humans don't stand a chance.
Maki raised an eyebrow, "This is your kid? How old is he?"
"Fifteen. Why?"
"As expected from the head of the Gojo family, what a scumbag," Maki said, without hiding her disdain.
"I think you'd make a better panda than me," Panda chimed in with high emotional intelligence.
"Salmon," added Toge, ever the professional repeater.
"Having a kid at twelve, huh? Impressive."
Akira, the only one who knew the truth, didn't bother to clarify and instead added fuel to the fire. It was, after all, satisfying to him.
"While I think having a kid at twelve isn't impossible, I should clarify that this is my adopted son. Look at his hair color!"
The Gojo family was known for their white hair, but the boy in the photo had pure black hair.
"Oh, so he's adopted. Sorry for accusing you. At least you're not crossing any moral boundaries like some people. That's good to know," Maki said, her tone softening slightly.
It wasn't that Maki was being overly harsh, but growing up in the Zen'in family had given her a deep understanding of how dirty the world of the Three Great Families could be.
The phrase "Jujutsu supremacy" meant that as long as you inherited a jujutsu technique, you could do whatever you wanted.
Since jujutsu techniques were primarily passed down through bloodlines, ensuring the continuation of these techniques often led to unsavory practices.
Incest, polygamy, having as many children as possible as early as possible—these were all common because of the dangers jujutsu sorcerers faced.
While having a child at twelve was shocking in the outside world, in the jujutsu world, it wasn't a big deal.
Maki's cousin, Zen'in Naoya, had more than once shown perverse interest in her.
Not to mention Gojo Satoru, who had been seen as invincible since childhood. Many people wanted to have his children, and even if he didn't, the other members of the Gojo family would certainly try to ensure he had as many offspring as possible.
"I agree," Gojo said with a smile, though his tone was more serious than usual. "That was part of the reason for adopting him. But speaking of blood relations, you're actually closer to him, Maki."
"Closer to me?" Maki was momentarily stunned, then her pupils widened. "Could it be... he's that rumored child?"
"Rumored child?" Panda asked, confused.
Naughty Pancham tilted its head in sync with Panda, their faces equally adorable.
"It's a bit of a scandal within the Zen'in family. While I don't know the full details, the Zen'in family's most core technique, 'Ten Shadows Technique,' was inherited by a child who ended up outside the family, and no one in the family has been able to inherit it since."
Jujutsu techniques weren't always passed down perfectly; sometimes, they would mutate or be incomplete. That's why a family might have multiple techniques, each with a different level of importance.
Why had Akira's cheap biological mom tried to snatch Kamo Noritoshi? Because he had inherited the Kamo family's signature technique, "Blood Manipulation," the top-tier, most prioritized technique.
Unless another "Blood Manipulation" inheritor appeared, Noritoshi was guaranteed to be the next head of the Kamo family.
"Those old geezers in the Zen'in family have been trying to bring the child back, but they haven't been able to... So, it's you. No wonder," Maki started to laugh, and her laughter grew louder.
"Hahaha! What a masterpiece! The Zen'in family's prized technique ended up with the Gojo family! They can't beat you, and they can't take him back! Hahaha! What's the kid's name?"
"Fushiguro Megumi," Gojo answered.
"Not Gojo?"
"You have to respect the child's wishes, you know. He's not a baby."
This was Gojo—usually unreliable, but always dependable when it mattered, which is why he was trusted.
"I can't wait to meet this relative," Maki twirled her spear, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"Let's go meet him then," Akira stretched lazily.
"You're coming too?" Maki glanced over.
"If I don't go, who's going to keep you two from fighting?" Akira responded with a smile.
"Have I really been that obvious?" Maki muttered to herself.
"What do you think?" Akira raised an eyebrow.
No matter what name the boy in the photo carried or whether he would return to the Zen'in family, the fact that he had inherited the "Ten Shadows Technique" made him the most suitable candidate to inherit the position of family head.
If Maki wanted to become the head of the Zen'in family, she would have to prove herself stronger than Fushiguro Megumi. With Maki's personality, it was inevitable that they would fight.
Besides, Akira was curious about the real-life Fushiguro Megumi.
After all, he was the second male lead of Jujutsu Kaisen, often referred to as the true heroine of the series. He had not just one, but three "strongest" fathers: his adoptive father, Gojo Satoru; his biological father, Fushiguro Toji—the strongest physical fighter, who almost killed Gojo; and his figurative father, Ryomen Sukuna—the strongest sorcerer of a thousand years who challenged the entire jujutsu world.
Most importantly, Akira had a rough idea of what had happened on Fushiguro's side. Megumi was a year younger than him, just starting his third year of middle school.
"This is a rare opportunity. How about we all go together? Tomorrow's the weekend, so why not make it a little vacation? We've been training hard every day, so we deserve a break."
"No, we'll pass."
To Akira's surprise, Panda refused.
Toge gave Panda a questioning look, but Panda just smiled mysteriously and poked the Naughty Pancham resting on his shoulder.
"My little brother's at a critical stage in his training. Toge and I will stay and help him with some special practice. You and Maki can enjoy a nice weekend together."
"What's with that expression? Gross," Maki said, glaring at Panda.
Akira didn't think much of it. "Thanks for taking care of things. Gardevoir, Gardevoir, let's go on a long-overdue family trip. Make sure to tell Mom and ask if she wants to come along."
"Gar~" Gardevoir floated over, circling Akira affectionately.
Akira gave her a familiar pat on the head, his face beaming with a radiant smile.
Panda looked at the innocent Gardevoir, then at Maki, and sighed deeply: "There's still a long way to go..."