Eichi shook his head as he looked at the focused Satoru.
In this short period alone, Satoru had stared at Nanami so many times that Nanami repeatedly looked up to check his surroundings.
However, each time, Satoru's Six Eyes detected him in advance, and he hid.
This left Nanami completely bewildered.
Eichi suspected Nanami was wondering whether some strange presence had sneaked into Tokyo Jujutsu High.
He left the edge of the training ground.
Finding an air-conditioned office, Eichi happily opened a bottle of ice-cold soda.
This was what one should drink in summer.
So far, everything was changing for the better.
Kasumi had become Sasaki's personal disciple.
This girl, who often felt out of place because of her ordinariness, would surely have a much better future in this life.
Because Kasumi was diligent enough.
Shinkage-ryu imparted the skills of a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Sasaki taught supreme swordsmanship.
In addition, there were cursed tools personally crafted by Medea.
As long as Kasumi did not slack off, her achievements would not be low.
After all, the training of skill was different from struggling in the workplace.
In the workplace, you might work hard for several years and earn only a meager salary.
The promotion you longed for might go to someone else for inexplicable reasons.
Finally, after more than a decade, when you were no longer young and could not work overtime like those in their twenties, you could only muddle through and try not to be eliminated.
The training of skills like swordsmanship was a cumulative process that truly allowed continuous improvement.
Even if one's talent was not outstanding, quantitative change could lead to qualitative change.
Many people only realized their Way of the sword in middle age or even old age.
So Eichi was not worried about Kasumi's future.
And if that still was not enough, he had a backup plan.
After Maki's attempt, the use of the Holy Grail to imbue a Jujutsu Sorcerer with Heroic Spirit power had already been proven feasible.
At worst, he could engrave Sasaki's power into Kasumi's soul.
Leaving aside everything else, that secret sword, Tsubame Gaeshi, which entered the Way through the sword, would be enough for Kasumi to use for a lifetime.
Sukuna was an exception. After all, no one knew what he could borrow or exploit.
Maki's goal had also changed slightly from before.
She still longed to become stronger.
However, unlike the original story where she wanted to grow strong and return to the Zen'in Family to become its head, this time she only wanted to become stronger for one person.
Mai.
Eichi still remembered their conversation that day.
"Most of the trash in the Zen'in Family has been cleaned up by me, so you do not need to worry about you and your sister anymore. Is there anything you want to do in the future?"
He quietly looked at the girl before him.
She had bravely defied fate, yet lost everything.
If in this life, Maki no longer needed to fight against fate and wanted to live as an ordinary person, Eichi would do his best to ensure she lived happily.
"I want to become stronger, as strong as you."
After only a brief moment of thought, Maki gave her answer.
"Why?"
Eichi looked at her curiously.
Unlike before, she no longer had a reason to pursue strength.
"You were able to clean up that garbage dump because you are very strong, right?"
Maki met his gaze directly.
"That is right."
Eichi nodded.
"Then I also want to become stronger. Forget about the Zen'in Family. What if some Shin'in Family or Ma'in Family appears in the future and bullies my sister and me?
So I want to become stronger, as strong as you, strong enough to beat anyone who dares to bully us."
This way, I can protect Mai.
Maki made her decision in her heart, her eyes burning as she looked at Eichi.
"It will be very difficult."
"Hmph. No matter how difficult it is, I am not afraid."
Compared to Maki, who had not changed much, Mai had changed more.
In this life, Mai chose the path of a Jujutsu Sorcerer of her own will.
However, she did not intend to become a frontline sorcerer.
Instead, she wanted to become a cursed tool user who could assist her sister.
Mai was someone who adapted to circumstances, accepted adversity, and was easily content with small happiness.
She had no grand ambitions, no extraordinary talent, and no unyielding inner strength.
But there was one figure deeply engraved in her heart.
Her older sister.
A sister who would fight others for mocking her.
A sister who would diligently finish her chores if she got hurt.
A sister who would hold her hand and comfort her when she was afraid of Cursed Spirits and did not dare to move forward.
A sister who would defy that terrible father for her.
Even in the original story, after Maki left the Zen'in Family and Mai was left behind, Mai did not truly resent her.
At most, she was verbally tsundere, making her words sound harsh.
After Maki broke through her tsundere facade with blunt honesty, she was still the little girl who wanted to hide behind her sister.
Perhaps that was why Mai ultimately chose to sacrifice herself for Maki.
A sister who had been protected for more than a decade stepped forward when her sister needed her most.
She sacrificed everything she had.
Eichi felt relieved after hearing Mai's thoughts.
He also felt a little emotional.
Childhood was wonderful. You could say whatever was on your mind without hesitation.
When people grew up, there were many things they wanted to say but could not.
In his previous life, Eichi had even felt embarrassed to say, "Mom, I love you."
Afterward, he made arrangements for Mai as well.
He sent her directly to the Oriental Folklore Research Institute.
The old professors there would help her build a solid foundation.
Once her foundation was secure, Eichi would have Medea personally teach her how to forge cursed tools.
Then, whatever cursed tools Maki needed, she could simply ask her sister.
For some reason, Eichi often imagined Maki carrying eighteen different weapons, while Mai still complained that it was not enough and insisted on adding two more.
It seemed Maki was destined to walk the path of a weapon master.
Mai, who had been overlooked in the Zen'in Family, was unanimously welcomed by the old professors upon arriving at the institute.
Not only because she was intelligent, clever, and hardworking, but also because of her Technique.
In their eyes, the ability to create objects out of thin air was the privilege of a creator.
Normally, items formed by Jujutsu would disappear after a period of time.
However, Mai's Construction Technique could create truly long-lasting objects.
This greatly aroused the curiosity of those old professors.
Combined with Mai's cuteness and good manners, it filled the faces of those elderly researchers, who spent their days in laboratories and rarely returned home to hug their grandchildren, with kindness.
(To be continued.)