Chapter 12: The Apprenticeship Threshold—Free Labor
"If you don't agree, I'll keep kneeling until you do."
Maki's voice was firm, unwavering.
She didn't know why her cousin refused to teach her, but she had seen enough TV shows to know that kneeling and kowtowing usually got results.
And if it didn't, that only meant the teacher was testing her. All she had to do was keep kneeling.
"..."
Zen'in Shinsuke couldn't help but laugh at her.
Earlier, he had thought she seemed mature, but in the end… she was still just a child.
"Alright, get up."
"You agreed!" Maki immediately brightened.
"What are you thinking? Don't be so naive. Don't you know that apprenticeship requires a test?" Shinsuke said, keeping a serious face.
"Oh, right." Maki nodded thoughtfully. He made a good point.
"Then come at me with your test!"
Compared to acquiring strength, a mere test was nothing.
"Heh, fine. Here's my condition: the moment you can independently exorcise a Grade-1… uh, Grade-2 cursed spirit, I'll teach you how to get stronger."
Shinsuke had initially considered setting the bar at Grade-1, but seeing her determination, he decided to give her a little hope. Defeating a Grade-2 cursed spirit should roughly meet the threshold for "getting stronger."
"Deal! It's settled!"
Maki didn't even know what a Grade-2 cursed spirit looked like, but she firmly believed she could do it someday.
Satisfied, she grabbed her still-whining younger sister and left.
Shinsuke shook his head with a smile.
The Zen'in family… sooner or later, their arrogance would be their downfall.
He didn't care what happened to them in the end. He was already planning to ask the old man Naobito for a favor—arranging a low-paying job for him.
After all, if something's going to disappear eventually, better to get what you can while you still can.
---
The next day came quickly.
True to his word, after training, Shinsuke swaggered into the Zen'in estate, earning the displeasure of the entire household.
But he loved seeing them frustrated yet powerless. Let them dislike him—if they dare, they could try to stop him.
"Damn it, this guy is way too arrogant."
Once Shinsuke disappeared from view, they whispered among themselves.
"Shh—keep it down. Don't let that freak hear you, or he might go crazy again."
"Is he really that strong?"
Some of the younger members had gone on missions before, but none had witnessed Shinsuke's madness firsthand. They couldn't believe a person without cursed energy could almost single-handedly overwhelm the Zen'in family.
"That's why they call him a freak. Both of those brothers are freaks."
In a corner, Maki quietly witnessed this scene, her resolve strengthening. She also felt a flicker of admiration for her future master.
So this is what a true strong person feels like?
All these arrogant people only dared whisper behind his back.
Meanwhile, on the other side, a young man also observed from afar.
Sixteen-year-old Zen'in Naoya hid behind a building, watching Shinsuke's back. His eyes were a mix of fear and awe.
Big brother Shinsuke… still so powerful.
Even more terrifying than before.
Naoya, lucky enough to have witnessed Shinsuke's tyrannical side years ago, had already become his devoted admirer—but only dared to watch from afar.
Then his gaze shifted to the head of the family.
Zen'in Shinsuke showed no courtesy toward Naobito.
"Old man, set me up with a job I don't actually have to work at."
He reached out directly, asking for money through a position—blunt, perhaps impolite, but requesting a job shouldn't be too much to ask, right?
Naobito tilted his beard and immediately realized what kind of freeloader he was dealing with.
"What do you want? With your skills, do you even need money?"
He didn't immediately agree, wary that this young man might be digging a trap.
"Making money isn't hard, but it's a waste of time."
Shinsuke wanted to spend his time training, so naturally, he preferred money for nothing. After all, empty pockets won't pay the bills in modern society.
"Then I'll set you up as a part-time teacher at Tokyo Jujutsu High. I can arrange that."
Naobito knew Shinsuke wanted to freeload. Luckily, it was an easy job, and for the sake of the Zen'in family's reputation, he could manage it.
Why not just hand him cash directly?
Naobito smirked. Did this kid really think the Zen'in family was rolling in money? A clan built on cursed energy and techniques didn't hand out cash. Even he, as the family head, occasionally took missions for extra income.
---
"What? Teaching at Jujutsu High?"
Shinsuke froze.
He had assumed Naobito would arrange some cushy corporate position—but teaching at Jujutsu High? A joke, surely.
"You want me—a guy without cursed energy—to teach a bunch of sorcerers?"
Teach what? Martial arts?
"Ahem… it's just a title. You don't actually have to teach."
Naobito explained patiently.
"Isn't it supposed to be easy? At Jujutsu High, as long as you don't take missions, you get your monthly salary for free. Less profit, sure, but no risk. Doesn't that suit you perfectly?"
The base salary for teachers at Jujutsu High wasn't high, but mission commissions for exorcising curses could be substantial. If you didn't want to take missions, you'd be a bit poor—but at least you got free money. Even top-grade sorcerer Yuki Tsukumo didn't take missions, yet still received a modest monthly wage.
"Fine, fine."
Shinsuke waved his hand. A free paycheck? Why not take it.
If things got rough, he could always return to his old tricks and do a quick hustle. But working for real? Never. That was his principle.
With the money secured, Shinsuke left satisfied.
Meanwhile, Naobito made a few calls, leveraging the Zen'in family's long-standing connections to smooth over Shinsuke's personnel placement at Tokyo Jujutsu High.
After all, reputation was cheap—might as well use it.
"This should improve the kid's impression of the Zen'in family, at least a little," Naobito muttered to himself.
He had never looked down on Shinsuke and his brother like other family members did—just adopted a hands-off approach.
He didn't undervalue them, nor mock them—simply treated them as ordinary Zen'in clan members.
Even when Toji had seized many of the clan's powerful cursed tools, he hadn't minded.
The Zen'in family had instilled the importance of cursed energy and techniques deep into their bones, and Naobito was no exception.
But as the two brothers' abilities grew, Naobito gradually shifted from indifference, trying to ease tensions between the family and the brothers.
Even if they couldn't become one big happy family, at least there shouldn't be hostility.
Naobito believed that Shinsuke coming to him for help meant he still recognized the Zen'in name. If he satisfied his needs, Shinsuke would remember it.
The vision sounded noble. In reality…
Shinsuke only wanted to freeload. If you gave it, he'd take it; if you didn't, he'd strong-arm it.