"…I want to become strong," Maki said.
"How strong are we talking?"
Maki planted the naginata's butt against the ground and leaned on it slightly, staring forward at the trees.
"Strong enough that no one in the Zenin clan can look down on me again. Strong enough that people like Father can't decide our lives." She glanced briefly toward Mai. "Strong enough that no one can lock us in a place like that again."
Hearing that, I nodded. Maki has started to mold into the personality she was in canon. I loved her character in anime, someone strong-headed who refused to give up; even with her ordinary power, she still refused to give up. I remember that she also had a dream to become head of the Zenin clan; maybe that dream hasn't formed yet.
When I first saw her in anime, I vaguely imagined that if there was a female version of me, that would be her, because she shared some of my stubbornness. Like refuse to give up even when you know the chance of making it is near zero.
Thinking about my past, about how I formed and then started reviving my dying startup, a smile unconsciously formed on my lips. I was really a hot-blooded bastard. My dream was to become a billionaire and most powerful person, but when I went to jail, all the things I built started falling down: my reputation, my future, the trust in me, and all other things that are important to climb up the social ladder.
After that, my next dream was revenge, to make my former best friend and ex suffer.
I nodded slowly.
"That's a good dream."
Maki looked away slightly, embarrassed by the praise. Then both of us turned toward Mai. She had been quiet the entire time. Her fingers were still holding my sleeve. Her eyes were directed toward the ground.
"Well?" I said gently. "What about you?"
Mai kicked a small pebble on the ground with her foot.
"…I don't know."
"That's not a dream."
She frowned slightly. "I never thought about it."
That wasn't surprising either.
Unlike Maki, Mai had never chased strength for its own sake. Maki wanted to fight the world. Mai mostly just wanted the world to stop fighting her.
After a moment, she spoke again. "...If you becomes clan head …" She glanced toward me. "…then maybe I could just live quietly."
I chuckled at her reply, "You wanted to be shut in."
Maki blinked. "That's it?"
Mai puffed her cheeks slightly.
"What's wrong with that?" She crossed her arms. "I don't want to fight everyone all the time like you."
Her gaze drifted toward the trees.
"…I just want a peaceful life." Her voice softened slightly. "A place where no one calls us useless."
Then she glanced up at me briefly before looking away again.
"And… somewhere we can stay together." Then Mai looked at me as if changing the subject. "What's your dream, Naoya?"
"My dream."
"Yes, since we told you our dream, it only makes sense you told us yours?"
"Well, my dream is that I want one of you to become head of the Zenin clan in my stead," I said. It was always my dream since the moment I came to this world. I have no interest in burying myself in the useless paperwork; I already did that in my previous world. I have no one to care about and no one that cares about me. I have no big dreams. I exhausted all my desire.
My only wish is that at least in this life I wish to die of old age instead of a bullet and to help Maki and Mai overcome their future endeavors. And support Yuji and others to help defeat Sukuna so that I can achieve my wish of old age. If Japan were erased, then it would leave a bad taste in my mouth.
For a moment after I said it, neither of them spoke.
The wind brushed through the trees again, carrying the scent of damp earth and leaves. Somewhere above us a crow cawed, then flew off.
Maki was the first to react. "…What?" Her brows furrowed.
"You want one of us to become the head of the Zenin clan?" Mai blinked twice as if trying to process the sentence.
Then she pointed at herself. "Us?"
I shrugged casually. "Why not?"
Maki stared at me like I had just said the dumbest thing imaginable.
"Because that's your position," she said flatly. "You're the heir."
She wasn't wrong.
Within the Zenin clan hierarchy, my position had become almost untouchable after defeating the Grade 1 curse and later humiliating Ogi Zenin in front of half the clan. No one openly questioned it anymore. Which was exactly why I wanted nothing to do with it.
"I know," I replied. "Still sounds like a pain."
Mai tilted her head. "…A pain?"
"Paperwork," I said, counting on my fingers. "Meetings. Clan politics. Listening to old men argue about property and prestige." I shuddered slightly. "I have no interest in that."
Both of them looked confused at that last part. Maki crossed her arms at last. "So you're just going to hand it to someone else?"
"Not someone, one of you. Think about it; if you become head of the clan, then everyone will look up to you, and you will have power and money. Everywhere you go, people's attention will be on you," I said.
Even though Zenin is a shitty clan, it didn't change the fact that Zenin is one of the top 3 families in the JJK world. Their wealth and influence are nothing to trifle with. In a normal case, it will be a godsend gift to even become the heir to such a clan. And Maki and Mai also understand that.
"What would you do if one of us took that role?" Mai asked.
~~~
I like the idea of people who reading my novel leaving their make on my book so Give me lot of comments and Power stones. Give me inspection. Give me reviews.
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100 POWER STONE FOR BONUS CHAPTER
Posted some extra 35 chapter in patron, if you are interested check it out, link is the synopsis.