Maki Zenin's Doubts

"Surprised to see me?"

Shinsuke Zenin glanced at the wary individuals around him, a hint of disdainful amusement on his face.

"Why the long faces? I'm not some kind of monster."

With that, Shinsuke Zenin stopped paying attention to the group. He removed his arm from the man's shoulder and walked into the inner room without looking back.

A bunch of self-righteous Sorcerers, he couldn't even be bothered to look at them properly.

"Haa..."

As the figure departed, the gazes of the onlookers sharpened, their brows furrowed. Only the one who had been scolding Maki let out a sigh of relief, his back soaked with sweat.

It couldn't be helped. It wasn't that he was timid, but the pressure emanating from that person was too immense.

"Mom, who is he?"

Maki looked up at the receding figure, tugged on her mother's hand, and asked curiously.

"He... is your cousin, I suppose..."

The woman's eyes held a trace of shock. She hadn't expected him to return to this family.

A person without Cursed Energy, who had endured scorn and discrimination since childhood, had managed to make the entire family fear him through sheer force of will.

"...Cousin?"

"Why is this guy without Cursed Energy back? Wasn't he supposed to be expelled from the Zenin Family?"

The surrounding clan members began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Let's hope the events of the past don't repeat themselves."

"Hmph, he's just a good-for-nothing without Cursed Energy. Do you think he can stand against the entire Zenin Family?"

"You didn't personally experience what happened back then, so you wouldn't say that."

"Alright, stop discussing these pointless topics. Disperse."

An elder of the Zenin Family shooed away the gossiping clan members.

Family shame should not be aired publicly; they didn't want this matter to get out.

Seeing this, Maki pondered for a moment and muttered, "Does that person also not have Cursed Energy? Why is everyone so afraid of him?"

Her little head couldn't comprehend it.

After the crowd dispersed, Shinsuke Zenin arrived at the inner room and looked at the old man sitting cross-legged on the cushion. "Yo, still alive, old man?"

The current Family Head of the Zenin Family, a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, Naobito Zenin.

Naobito Zenin slowly poured a cup of tea and pushed it forward, showing no surprise at Shinsuke Zenin's appearance.

"It's been eight full years. You're not leaving again this time, are you?" Naobito Zenin asked.

As if speaking to an old friend, he didn't display the same fear towards Shinsuke Zenin as the other clan members.

In his eyes, no matter how strong the other person was, he was still his junior.

"Who knows."

Shinsuke Zenin took a sip of the tea and stuck out his tongue. It was shockingly bitter.

"Where's Toji?"

"Ah, he left the Zenin Family after you did. I heard he's married into another family now and changed his name to Toji Fushiguro."

Naobito Zenin said calmly.

Although Toji had a contentious relationship with the Zenin Family, his relationship with him, the Family Head, was still quite good. They occasionally kept in touch.

The two had met not long ago.

"He sold his son to the Zenin Family a while back."

"Is that so? It certainly fits his personality." Shinsuke Zenin said, his expression unreadable.

He knew Toji, who grew up with him in the Zenin Family, very well.

"You agreed to it?"

Naobito Zenin was somewhat puzzled by Shinsuke Zenin's lack of a strong reaction.

"Toji selling his son to the Zenin Family was his own decision. Besides, are you expecting two guys without Cursed Energy like us to train him?"

Shinsuke Zenin didn't intend to get Megumi Fushiguro back.

Megumi possessed the ancestral Cursed Technique of the Zenin Family, and in the future, he could rival the ceiling of Sorcerers, Satoru Gojo.

The Zenin Family's resources could better unlock Megumi's talent.

He understood the principle of "borrowing a hen to lay eggs."

He wouldn't feel any heartache using the Zenin Family's resources.

However, the relationship between Toji and Megumi did need some improvement.

"That's fine. The existence of the Gojo Family has already broken the balance of the Jujutsu world. I hope Toji's son awakens the Zenin Family's hereditary Cursed Technique."

Naobito Zenin wasn't sure what Cursed Technique Megumi Fushiguro would awaken in the future.

He had already settled on a price with Toji. If Megumi awakened a hereditary Cursed Technique in the future, he was willing to give everything to him.

Everything here included everything belonging to the Zenin Family.

"Satoru Gojo..."

Shinsuke Zenin was naturally very familiar with Satoru Gojo.

"Speaking of which, has there been any major commotion in the Jujutsu world recently?"

"Major commotion... If I had to say, it would be Tengen's assimilation, which happens once every five hundred years, occurring in the next few days."

Naobito Zenin said calmly.

As one of the three major families in the Jujutsu world, he was quite clear about matters concerning Tengen.

"Is that so? It seems I've returned at just the right time."

Shinsuke Zenin felt a surge of gratitude towards Yuki Tsukumo in his heart. Fortunately, he had returned in time.

Otherwise, he might have lost his Little Brother.

"Old man, live well. If you die, the Zenin Family will be gone."

Shinsuke Zenin stood up and left, scratching his ear.

Of the entire Zenin Family, only this Family Head seemed somewhat capable.

Watching his retreating figure, Naobito Zenin sighed softly.

The thought of these two brothers gave him a headache.

It was him, but if it were another Family Head, the Zenin Family would collapse sooner or later.

After leaving, Shinsuke Zenin encountered Maki Zenin at the main gate of the Zenin Family.

She was standing at the entrance, her small body upright, with the timid Mai Zenin standing behind her.

"Sis... Older Sister, he's so scary. Let's run!"

Mai Zenin's eyes were filled with fear as she whispered into Maki Zenin's ear.

Her small hand tightly gripped her Older Sister's hand.

Looking at Shinsuke Zenin, she felt even more terrified than seeing those Cursed Spirits.

Maki Zenin's gaze was fixed on Shinsuke Zenin, ignoring her sister's plea, and she casually held her hand.

"Hey! Why are they afraid of you!"

Maki Zenin spoke, raising her head to ask Shinsuke Zenin as he walked up to them, her eyes devoid of fear, only a thirst for an answer.

Hearing this, Shinsuke Zenin, who had intended to leave directly, stopped in his tracks. He glanced down at Maki Zenin, a hint of interest curving his lips.

"Kid, you've got quite the look in your eyes."

He then walked past the two sisters and left.

"Hey! You haven't answered me yet!"

Maki Zenin turned around, clenched her fists, and shouted.

"Because they're afraid of dying..."

He responded without looking back. Before Maki Zenin could register his words, the figure had already disappeared.

"Afraid of dying?" Maki Zenin muttered softly.

"Older Sister, let's go back quickly. You have to hold my hand tightly, don't let go."

"Got it."

Snapping back to reality, Maki Zenin left, pulling her sister's hand.

Meanwhile, Shinsuke Zenin had already embarked on his journey to find his Little Brother.

He felt a bit of pity for Maki Zenin.

He could sense a trace amount of Cursed Energy within Maki Zenin, so weak it was negligible.

This prevented her from becoming a Sorcerer and also from achieving the ultimate physical strength like him and Toji.

She was destined to face countless scornful glances and mockery.

And she didn't have enough ability to resist