Apprenticeship Threshold, Free Job

"If you don't agree, I'll kneel here until you do."

Maki's tone was unusually firm.

She didn't know why her cousin refused to teach her, but this was how it was done on TV. If you knelt and kowtowed, the other party would most likely agree.

If they still didn't agree, it meant they were testing her, and she just had to keep kneeling.

"..."

Shinsuke Zenin was successfully amused by Maki.

He had just said the other person was mature, but it seemed no matter how mature, they were still just a child.

"Get up."

"You agree!" Maki immediately became delighted.

"What are you thinking? It's not that easy. Don't you know that becoming a disciple requires an assessment?"

Shinsuke Zenin said with a serious expression.

"That's right." Maki pondered seriously. What he said made sense.

"Then go ahead and assess me!"

Compared to possessing greater strength, a mere assessment was nothing.

"Heh heh, alright. My assessment condition is this: when you can independently exorcise a Grade 1... no, a Grade 2 curse. When you can exorcise a Grade 2 curse with your own power, I will teach you how to become stronger."

Shinsuke Zenin had initially intended to set the bar at Grade 1, but considering her situation, he decided to give her some hope.

The strength to defeat a Grade 2 curse should barely meet the threshold for becoming stronger.

"Okay! It's a deal!"

Maki didn't even know what a Grade 2 curse was like yet, but she believed she would definitely be able to do it in the future.

Having gotten the result she wanted, Maki then pulled her whimpering sister away.

Shinsuke Zenin smiled and shook his head.

The Zenin Family, it will be destroyed by its own arrogance sooner or later.

Shinsuke Zenin didn't care what would happen to the Zenin Family in the end. He was even planning to ask the old man Naobito to pull some strings and arrange a job for him where he could just collect a salary.

Since it was going to collapse sooner or later anyway, he might as well get what he could. He wouldn't be able to later.

Time came to the next day.

Without delay, after his training, Shinsuke Zenin swaggered into the Zenin Family, drawing the displeasure of many within the family.

But he loved seeing these guys resent him yet be unable to do anything about it. If they disliked him, they should come at him. If they could.

"Damn it, this guy is too arrogant."

Only after Shinsuke Zenin's figure disappeared did these people start whispering.

"Shh, keep it down. Don't let that freak hear you. Be careful he doesn't go crazy again."

"No, is he really that strong?"

Some of the younger ones who had gone out on missions back then hadn't personally witnessed Shinsuke Zenin's rampage and couldn't believe that someone without Cursed Energy had almost wiped out the Zenin Family.

"That's why they call him a freak. Both brothers are freaks."

In a corner, Maki Zenin encountered this situation again. Her conviction grew stronger, and a sense of admiration for her future master arose.

Is this what it feels like to be strong?

These ugly people only dared to gossip behind his back.

Of course, besides Maki, another young man witnessed this scene from the other side.

Sixteen-year-old Naoya Zenin hid behind a house, watching Shinsuke Zenin's retreating figure from afar, his eyes filled with both fear and admiration.

Big Brother Shinsuke is still so powerful.

Even more terrifying than back then.

Naoya Zenin, who had the dubious fortune of witnessing Shinsuke Zenin's tyrannical transformation, had become his loyal fanboy back then. However, he only dared to steal glances at his idol from afar.

The scene shifted to the Family Head.

Shinsuke Zenin showed no politeness towards Naobito.

"Old man, arrange a job for me where I don't have to work."

He directly asked the Zenin Family for money, which seemed rather impolite.

But asking for a job should be fine, right?

Hearing this, the old man Naobito's beard twitched. He immediately understood that this deadbeat had come to fleece him.

"What do you want to do? With your abilities, would you lack money?"

Naobito didn't agree immediately, fearing this brat would set a trap for him.

"Making money isn't difficult, but it's a bit of a waste of time."

He wanted to spend his time cultivating now. As for making money, it was naturally easier to get it for free.

He couldn't show up empty-handed, after all, this was modern society and there were many places that required money.

"Then how about working part-time as a teacher at Jujutsu High? I can arrange it for you."

Naobito knew this kid wanted a free ride. Fortunately, it was just a relaxed job, and with the Zenin Family's influence, it could be arranged.

As for why he didn't just give him money...

Naobito stated, did they really think the Zenin Family was rich?

It was a family that valued Cursed Energy and Cursed Techniques above all else; if you wanted money, you had to earn it yourself.

Let alone others, even he, the Family Head of the Zenin Family, sometimes had to take on missions to earn some extra cash to subsidize the household.

"What? A teacher at Jujutsu High?"

Shinsuke Zenin was instantly dumbfounded.

He had thought the old man was going to arrange some cushy position in a listed company for him. Having him teach at Jujutsu High? That was ridiculous!

"You want me, someone without Cursed Energy, to teach those Sorcerers?"

Teach what? Physical combat?

"Cough cough, it's just a nominal position anyway, you don't actually have to teach."

Naobito explained.

"Don't you want it to be easy? At Jujutsu High, as long as you don't take on missions, you'll get paid a salary every month for free.

Although the profit is a bit less, there's no risk, doesn't that fit your requirements perfectly?"

The base salary for teachers at Jujutsu High wasn't high, but the commission for missions to exorcise curses was quite substantial.

If you didn't want to take on missions, you'd be poor, but at least you'd get paid for free.

For example, Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer Yuki Tsukumo didn't take on missions, but she still received a small monthly salary deposited into her account.

"Fine, fine."

Shinsuke Zenin waved his hand.

It was free money, after all. Why not take it?

If things really didn't work out, he could always go back to his old ways and earn quick cash occasionally.

Regardless, he would absolutely not do any actual work.

That was his principle.

With the money issue settled, Shinsuke Zenin left satisfied.

Meanwhile, old man Naobito made a phone call, using the Zenin Family's years of cultivated connections to have the higher-ups in the Jujutsu World do him a favor and finalize Shinsuke Zenin's personnel file at Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Face was worthless anyway; if you can use it, why not?

"Now, this kid should have a slightly better impression of the Zenin Family, right?"

Naobito muttered to himself.

He had never looked down on Shinsuke Zenin and his brother like other clan members. He had simply maintained an indifferent attitude towards them.

He didn't value them, nor did he mock them, treating them merely as ordinary members of the Zenin Family.

He hadn't even cared when Toji had snatched away many powerful Cursed Tools from the Zenin Family.

However, the Zenin Family had ingrained the importance of Cursed Energy and Cursed Techniques into their very bones, and he was no exception.

But as the strength of the two brothers grew, Naobito's indifferent attitude gradually began to change.

He tried to ease the relationship between the Zenin Family and these two brothers.

Even if they couldn't become family, at least they shouldn't be enemies.

Naobito believed that Shinsuke Zenin coming to him for help meant the young man still recognized his identity as part of the Zenin Family. As long as he did his best to meet the young man's needs, he would surely remember it.

His imagination was beautiful, but the reality was the exact opposite...

Shinsuke Zenin was simply operating with the mindset of getting a free ride. If you gave it to him, he'd take it for free; if you didn't, he'd force his way to take it.