Chapter 9 – The Zen'in Brothers
After listening to Shinsuke's explanation, Toji's face remained unreadable, but a great deal of weight lifted from his heart.
If it was all for their mother's sake, then he could understand.
But… for his brother to put their mother above him and forget about his little brother—that still stung.
"She left a letter for you. I've been holding onto it. If you want it, come get it," Toji said.
"No need. You keep it. It's just useless words anyway."
Shinsuke waved it off.
So much time had passed; he had no desire to reopen those wounds. He knew his mother too well. The letter was probably filled with apologies. And for what? None of it had been her fault. The one at fault had always been this twisted world.
"What about you? What are you planning now?" Toji asked, eyes narrowing on his brother.
"Obviously… to eat—cough—I mean, to find some work and scrape by first."
Shinsuke nearly blurted out what was really on his mind. But thinking of how his younger brother already had a family and a child, he couldn't very well keep loafing around, living off others. Bad influence and all.
"Since you're back, don't run off again. Work with me. Let's become sorcerer killers together."
It was an earnest invitation. With their unique circumstances, assassins were the only path open to them. They could never be like sorcerers, exorcising curses.
"No thanks. Killing for hire doesn't interest me."
Shinsuke shook his head without hesitation.
He already had a plan. His priority now was to grow stronger—fast.
The jujutsu world was heading for turbulent times, and with his current strength, he couldn't guarantee the safety of the people he wanted to protect.
Thinking of what his nephew would one day endure, Shinsuke clenched his fists. If anyone dared touch his family—even Sukuna—he'd crush them with a single kick.
Of course, training wasn't everything. A man needed to earn a living too. And aside from freeloading… what job made money faster?
"You'd do better to give up on this 'sorcerer killer' nonsense. Go home. Be a father. Raise your kid properly. Stop wasting your life."
Shinsuke scolded his younger brother like a nagging parent.
"Like hell I need you lecturing me. I'm leaving. Don't come pestering me for nothing."
Toji got up and walked off, tired of his brother's long-windedness. Always playing the old mother hen. Always so damn irritating.
Yet as he left, his lips curved into the faintest smile. His brother's sudden return had lifted a loneliness he hadn't even realized he carried.
Watching him walk away, Shinsuke chuckled and called after him, "Remember to take me to meet my nephew and niece tomorrow."
Toji froze for a fraction of a second, the corner of his mouth twitching. Then, without a word, he yanked the door open and strode out as if he hadn't heard a thing.
"This brat…" Shinsuke muttered, shaking his head.
---
While the Zen'in brothers finally untangled their past, chaos erupted at Jujutsu High.
The prodigies Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru had openly defied the higher-ups, escorting the Star Plasma Vessel, Riko Amanai, back home.
Their decision had endangered the entire balance of the jujutsu world.
If Master Tengen failed to merge with the vessel, his body would evolve to a higher state—risking the loss of his consciousness. And if that happened, Tengen might very well turn against humanity, siding instead with the curses.
An evolved Tengen would be far closer to a curse than to a human ally.
As the higher-ups debated punishments for Gojo and Geto, Master Tengen himself spoke up.
To everyone's shock, he bore no ill will toward the two. Instead, he reassured them: if Riko Amanai refused to assimilate, that was her choice. For now, he could still maintain control of himself. There was no need to rush.
"See, Gojo? Master Tengen is surprisingly kind. He didn't even blame us."
Inside Jujutsu High's empty basketball court, Geto spoke as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
Ieiri Shoko leaned lazily against the doorframe, a lollipop in her mouth, watching them play.
"Of course. That's why he's Master Tengen," Gojo replied with a grin. "A real big shot wouldn't bully a little girl."
Watching the two laugh and shoot hoops, Principal Yaga felt his blood pressure spike. If not for Tengen's leniency, these two would've already been branded as curse users.
"Principal, you look a little upset. Something wrong? C'mon, tell us—make us happy too," Gojo said with a mischievous smile, ever the tactless instigator.
"Brat, are you itching for a beating?"
Yaga's voice boomed with authority, making Gojo shrink back slightly.
He knew full well that thanks to his and Geto's reckless stunt, Yaga had probably been chewed out by the council of old geezers.
"Don't be mad, sensei. Honestly, with our power, the higher-ups can't really touch us anyway."
Gojo spoke lightly, but his words carried weight. With the Six Eyes and the Limitless at his disposal—plus his recent awakening of Reversed Cursed Technique and even the hidden Hollow Purple—his strength had already reached a terrifying level.
He was confident that his current strength was enough to make the higher-ups back down.
And indeed, they hadn't really pressed the issue—just barked a few half-hearted threats, but never dared to take actual action.
"Yes, yes, you two are the strongest. Happy now?"
Principal Yaga sighed, too tired to argue with Gojo anymore.
Sooner or later, that kid would understand—there were some problems that brute strength alone could never solve.
"Gojo, we've identified the people who tried to assassinate you."
Ieiri Shoko's voice cut into their conversation.
Back when Gojo and Geto had sent Amanai Riko home, she had quietly asked Mei Mei to look into the assassins.
The two hadn't even bothered to hide their tracks. Their identities had been dug up with ease, right down to the last detail.
"They're from the Zen'in clan. Both are natural-born without cursed energy.
The elder, Zen'in Shinsuke, slaughtered dozens of Zen'in clan members eight years ago and fled overseas. Looks like he just returned.
The younger, Zen'in Toji—now renamed Fushiguro Toji after marrying into the Fushiguro family—is a contract sorcerer killer."
The words made both Gojo and Geto pause.
"The Zen'in clan?"
"No cursed energy? That's impossible."
Geto's brow furrowed in disbelief. A man with no cursed energy had been able to push Gojo Satoru to the brink? How did that make sense?
"It's true. No cursed energy whatsoever. That much I'm certain of."
Gojo's voice was firm. He hadn't sensed even the faintest trace of cursed power from those two.
"By the way, Shoko," Gojo tilted his head, "what's this about Shinsuke slaughtering half the Zen'in clan eight years ago?"
Shoko shrugged, her tone lazy. "Zen'in clan. No cursed energy. Do I really need to explain more?"
"I see…"
Gojo rubbed his chin, thoughtful. "As I thought. He really is an interesting man."
From the moment their eyes had met, he had seen it—that unwavering, absolute confidence. The kind only true strength could give.
---
Meanwhile, Shinsuke had no money for a hotel, so he returned to the small house he'd lived in before going abroad.
It was right on the edge of Zen'in clan territory.
"Still pretty clean. Not bad."
The place wasn't as run-down as he expected. Someone had clearly been maintaining it—probably that old man Naobito, or maybe his foolish little brother.
Exhausted, Shinsuke collapsed onto the bed and drifted off immediately.
Tomorrow, he would meet his nephew. Then maybe he'd think about getting a job.
After all, he couldn't exactly go knocking on the Zen'in clan's door asking for money.