Besides Mai, there was another child who was very popular at the research institute.
That was Tsumiki.
Considering that Tsumiki would become Kenjaku's vessel in the future, Eichi decided to let her join the research institute as well and become a researcher or cursed tool user.
Both Tsumiki and her mother, Fushiguro Minako, agreed.
In the eyes of children in most countries, scientists are impressive figures.
Especially when someone acknowledges and encourages them to pursue such a formidable path, most children readily accept it.
Of course, the premise is that they truly have talent.
Otherwise, it is easy for their Way Heart to be shattered by the academic elites there.
Eichi remembered that a student from Tokyo Jujutsu High once got into Tsinghua University.
That student was promoted by the school as a role model for many years.
But after arriving at Tsinghua, he found that people everywhere were no worse than him, and many were even better.
His sense of superiority disappeared, and with his Way Heart shattered, he almost failed his courses.
In the end, he got serious, enlisted in the army, and only experienced a kind of rebirth after returning from military training.
University students who enlist usually retain their student status, allowing them to resume their studies after service.
Fushiguro Minako's reason for agreeing was even simpler.
Because Eichi said the job at this research institute was an iron rice bowl.
The persuasive power of an iron rice bowl on most parents is something those who understand, understand.
So Tsumiki and Mai entered the research institute one after the other.
Perhaps because they had each other's company, the two had a very happy time there.
Except for the homework that the old professors considered very simple.
Megumi's desire to become stronger was much weaker than in the original story.
However, his strength was even greater.
The reason was simple.
In this life, his family was relatively complete.
Moreover, Tsumiki had not been implanted with a cursed object by Kenjaku and fallen into a coma.
So Megumi had no urgent desire to grow stronger.
But with Eichi and Toji guiding him, his proficiency in both hand-to-hand combat and the Ten Shadows Technique was much greater than before.
Especially in hand-to-hand combat.
Megumi suffered a lot because of Toji's outrageous personality and behavior.
Just like a saying that often circulated online, when there is danger, the safest place is by Dad's side. When there is no danger, Dad is the biggest danger.
Whether it was his feminine name, Megumi, which often led to teasing from classmates, or Toji's casual actions in daily life, all of it made Megumi feel deeply embarrassed.
So Megumi genuinely wanted to give this unreliable father a proper beating.
With that motivation, his progress in hand-to-hand combat was very fast.
In contrast, his training in the Ten Shadows Technique was slightly slower.
To be honest, when Eichi first learned about Megumi's thoughts from Tsumiki, he even wondered whether he should deliberately tease Megumi a few times as well.
It would not do for a child to focus seriously in class but have his mind full of other men at home.
However, Eichi ultimately gave up on the idea.
Megumi was a very emotional person.
After the White Divine Dog was completely destroyed by a Cursed Spirit, Megumi mourned alone for a long time.
Therefore, his motivation for improving his hand-to-hand combat largely came from a somewhat strange place.
He, a Shikigami user, wanted to protect his Shikigami with his own strength.
In the past, Eichi could not understand.
But after so many years as a Shikigami user and experiencing the feeling of losing a Shikigami companion, he finally understood.
"Let the children do what they want. We adults will handle the future."
In the end, Eichi decided not to interfere with Megumi's thoughts.
Finally, there were Rika and Yuta.
Yuta was still as kind as ever.
After understanding the danger of Cursed Spirits and realizing that he had the ability to exorcise them and help others, he agreed to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Rika was different.
She did not want to concern herself with other people's affairs, nor did she want to be bound by grand principles.
She only wished to stay by Yuta's side.
So after learning of Yuta's decision, she also applied to Eichi to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
She wanted to remain beside him forever.
After conducting a comprehensive examination of Rika together with Medea, Eichi agreed to her request.
However, the direction was different from what she had imagined.
Rika wanted to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer and fight alongside Yuta.
But in the eyes of Medea and Eichi, Rika, like Utahime, was not suited for direct combat.
So Eichi gave her another choice.
Enter Tokyo Jujutsu High, become Yuta's Assistant Supervisor, and eventually step into the upper ranks of the Jujutsu world, becoming the woman who supports Yuta from behind.
He also told her about some of the misdeeds of the higher-ups in the Jujutsu world, as well as certain unreliable Assistant Supervisors.
In the end, he promised to help her stay by Yuta's side in another way.
Rika ultimately agreed.
A reliable pillar of the Jujutsu world plus one in the future, and the countdown to the old geezers' doomsday minus one.
The solution itself was simple.
Just like the original Shikigami Rika that she left for Yuta.
Using the engagement ring as a medium, a Shikigami Rika, created from a portion of her soul, would remain by Yuta's side to assist and protect him.
Rika's Technique allowed her to connect herself with her surroundings.
She could connect not only with Yuta, but also with the world.
After connecting with the world, she gained inexhaustible Cursed Energy and an immense scale of existence.
Medea, using a fragment of Rika's soul as a foundation and with Rika's cooperation, successfully created Yuta's external Technique, Shikigami Rika.
With the help of the Holy Grail, Rika gradually restored the missing portion of her soul.
This was the future these children wanted, and also the future Eichi wanted to protect.
That evening, the six children, exhausted from playing, went to rest in the Tokyo Jujutsu High dormitories.
Tokyo Jujutsu High, being well-funded, had many dorm rooms.
However, because the number of students admitted each year was small, and the casualty rate was not low, the dormitories were rarely fully occupied.
This conveniently allowed the children to rest.
Nanami was cleaning the zoo alone.
Although Shikigami did not shed fur like real animals, a group of energetic children and animals playing wildly for an entire day still left the place in a mess.
"Finally finished."
Nanami set the knocked-over railings and decorations back in place.
Then he looked with satisfaction at the tidied zoo.
At that moment, a Rabbit Escape with snow-white fur hopped to his feet.
Nanami looked at the small creature, then bent down and picked it up.
Cute animals could always soothe the heart.
At this moment, the travel-worn Nanami was just like that.
Click.
"Operation successful. It was definitely the right choice to have Eichi leave his Shikigami here a bit longer. Hurry and send the photos to Eichi. Oh, send a copy to Shoko too."
The sudden shutter sound made Nanami freeze.
His neck turned stiffly, like rusty gears grinding.
What came into view was Satoru, holding his phone and trying not to laugh.
"So that gaze today was you."
Nanami covered his eyes with one hand, speechless.
Out of sight, out of mind.
"By the way, what did Eichi mean by saying he would help me enter Suguru's body or something?"
Only after winning the bet did Satoru begin to seriously consider this question.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)