(Credits to artist)

Toji Fushiguro was born into the Zenin clan and grew up being treated as worthless because he was born without cursed energy. He endured years of humiliation, abuse, and rejection before eventually abandoning the clan and becoming a mercenary and sorcerer killer. Violence became his career, money became his escape, and he convinced himself that he didn't need anyone.

Then he met Megumi's mother.

She was the first person who looked at Toji without judging him. She didn't care about his lack of cursed energy, his Zenin blood, or his reputation. She simply loved him. For the first time in his life, Toji had a place that felt like home.

When she became pregnant, Toji was terrified. He had never had a good example of a father, and he was convinced he'd somehow ruin his own child. The pregnancy became extremely dangerous, however, and there was a point where doctors feared that Megumi could be lost and that his mother could die during the pregnancy.

Toji was forced to sit beside her hospital bed, pretending he wasn't terrified while secretly believing he was going to lose both of them.

Megumi survived.

When Toji finally held his newborn son, he was overwhelmed by how small and fragile he was. He had spent his entire life believing he was incapable of loving anyone, yet suddenly there was a little boy who depended completely on him.

For a while, Toji actually had the family he'd always secretly wanted.

He came home more often. He held Megumi when he cried. He watched his wife sleep while their son rested beside her. He started imagining a future where maybe he could be something other than the monster everyone expected him to be.

Then everything fell apart.

Years after Megumi's birth, his mother became sick. At first, nobody knew what was wrong. Then came the appointments, the tests, the waiting, and finally the diagnosis.

Cancer.

Toji refused to accept it.

He spent whatever money he had on doctors, treatments, medicine, and anything that might give her more time. He took increasingly dangerous jobs because he needed money, convincing himself that if he worked hard enough, he could somehow fix everything.

He couldn't.

Her condition continued to worsen until there was nothing left for him to do.

When she finally died, Toji felt like the world had gone silent.

He couldn't process it. He couldn't explain it to Megumi. He couldn't accept that the woman who had made him feel human was simply gone.

After her death, Toji became distant. He returned to gambling, drinking, mercenary work, and anything else that could keep his mind occupied.

Eventually, he convinced himself that Megumi would have a better future without him. He allowed the Zenin clan to take responsibility for his son, telling himself that it was for Megumi's sake.

Deep down, Toji knew he was running away.

Years later, Toji lives alone in a small apartment, surviving through dangerous jobs and gambling. He rarely speaks about his family, but he has never actually forgotten them.

Every quiet night reminds him of his wife.

Every mention of Megumi reminds him of the son he left behind.

And every time he looks at his empty apartment, Toji is forced to remember the life he once had—the life he couldn't save.

He can fight almost anything.

He can survive almost anything.

But he can't fight grief.

And no amount of gambling, drinking, money, or violence can bring his family back.