Ch 34 Zenin clan

As the car drove off to its destination, Ichiro couldn't help but ask Gojo about the reason for going to the Zenin Clan.

"Um, Gojo Sensei, can you tell me the reason why you brought me along with you?" Ichiro asked, nervousness laced in his voice.

"We were discussing on the phone about Megumi," Gojo replied calmly.

"Megumi?... Why? Didn't you cut off the transaction between my father and the Zenin Clan?" Ichiro inquired, wanting more details.

As they drove, Gojo listened to Ichiro's concerns about the Zenin Clan's persistence in acquiring the Ten Shadows.

"Well, yes, they are quite persistent," Gojo agreed, glancing at Ichiro. "They'll do anything to get their hands on the Ten Shadows, even if it means dirtying their hands."

Despite doubting the Zenin Clan's ability to take Megumi away from Gojo's care, he found the situation intriguing, a smirk playing on his lips. Gojo noticed the expression, silently amused.

After a few hours, they arrived at their destination, greeted by people bowing on both sides of the path. A man in his 60s, wearing a yukata, stood before them.

"Hello, Gojo," Naobito greeted.

"Yo," Gojo replied playfully. They exchanged short greetings before heading inside. Walking through the long corridor, Ichiro marveled at the grandeur of the place. He observed people training together, reminiscent of scenes from Chinese movies.

As they continued, Ichiro noticed a group of girls picking a fight with a pair of twins.

'Hmm? Oh, it must be them, Mai and Maki,' ichiro remarked upon seeing the twins.

"You shouldn't look at them; they are the curse of this clan," a man's voice suddenly interjected from behind. Both Ichiro and Gojo turned to see a man with an x-shaped scar on his face.

"Jinichi, what are you doing here?" Naobito inquired.

"Just got curious," Jinichi replied vaguely, evading the question. He then turned his gaze towards Ichiro.

"So, this is Toji's eldest son," Jinichi stated, looking Ichiro in the eyes. Ichiro met his gaze, but Jinichi sensed a lack of interest in Ichiro's demeanor, which irritated him. However, he kept his expression neutral.

"You've certainly inherited your father's gaze," Jinichi remarked, his eyes keenly studying Ichiro.

"Why, thank you," Ichiro retorted playfully, a hint of pride in his voice. On the sideline, Gojo observed the exchange with a smirk, thoroughly entertained by the interaction.

"Gojo, let's continue our discussion in that room" Naobito suggested, gesturing towards the direction they had come from.

"Alright, Ichiro, you're coming?" Gojo turned to Ichiro with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, yes—" Ichiro began eagerly, but his words were cut off by Naobito's firm interruption.

"Children are not allowed in this room," Naobito stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Ichiro nodded understandingly. "Oh, I see. Well, you can stay here, Ichiro," Gojo reassured him, patting him lightly on the shoulder.

"You don't have to worry about him. I'll ask some lower-rank members to show him around," Naobito assured Gojo.

After a few moments, two lower-rank members arrived and bowed respectfully before Ichiro. "Please, follow us," they said, indicating for him to join them. Meanwhile, Jinichi quietly followed behind

"So, when are you gonna stop following me?" Ichiro finally confronted Jinichi after a few minutes of walking.

" I just happen to be walking in the same direction as you," Jinichi replied casually, but Ichiro could sense the underlying intent in his words.

'As if. I know how your mind works. You're observing me to assess if I could be of use to you. I know you're just a greedy man, you're one of the reason why Mai, maki and megumi were branded as rebel for trying to release Gojo in the prison realm' Ichiro accused, his tone sharp.

"I see. Have it your way then," ichiro responded nonchalantly

As they continued walking, Ichiro came across a training ground. He noticed the twins sitting on the sideline, and in the middle, a group of people wielding weapons surrounded a man who appeared to be around 22 years old.

'That guy must be Naoya,' Ichiro thought to himself. He watched the scene unfold with interest, wondering what was happening in the midst of the training ground.'

As Ichiro continued to observe Naoya, he sensed the gaze of ichiro landed on him.

"What are you looking at, brat?" Naoya's voice cut through the air, sharp and confrontational.

Ichiro remained composed, responding calmly, "I'm sorry if I offend you. I'm only looking at this place, and you happen to be in my line of sight."

Before Naoya could retort, Jinichi interjected, introducing Ichiro, "This kid is Megumi's older brother. His name is Ichiro Fushiguro."

Naoya clicked his tongue inwardly, feeling annoyed by the intrusion.

'tsk another pest'

He then returned to his training, brushing off Ichiro's presence as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Ichiro decided to take a seat. His guides looked puzzled.

"Um, aren't you going to look around?" one of them asked.

"I'm kinda tired, so I want to rest here," Ichiro replied with a smile, accepting the snacks and drink they offered.

After the guides left, Jinichi also took his leave, leaving Ichiro alone to contemplate the events of the day in the bustling training ground.

"Sigh, finally some peace," Ichiro muttered to himself as he enjoyed the tranquility, savoring his snack.

As he sat there, Ichiro couldn't help but notice the curious gazes of those around him, including the twin. Maki's unwavering stare caught his attention, but she made no move to approach him.

Finishing his snack, Ichiro stood up, intending to leave, but before he could make his exit, he heard Gojo's voice calling out to him.

"Hey," Gojo greeted him as he approached.

"Oh, Gojo Sensei, are you done with the negotiation?" Ichiro inquired, turning to face his mentor.

Although Ichiro hadn't witnessed the negotiation firsthand, he could gauge from Naobito's expressions that things hadn't gone as planned for him. He observed the subtle signs of frustration and disappointment on Naobito's face, confirming his suspicions

"Yeah, so let's go?" Gojo asked, ready to leave the bustling training ground.

As they exited, they got into the car and drove off. During the journey, Gojo turned to Ichiro, seemingly curious about his opinion of the Zenin Clan's compound.

"So, how was it? Did you like the place?" Gojo inquired.

"No, it was dreadful. I can't even imagine staying there for an hour," Ichiro replied honestly, his expression reflecting his distaste for the environment.

"I see. Oh, by the way, we will resume our training tomorrow, okay, and also there's something I'll be giving you tomorrow so look forward to it" Gojo informed him.

"Yeah," Ichiro agreed, mentally preparing himself for the rigorous training sessions ahead. He glanced out of the window, already eager to leave the Zenin Clan's domain behind and return to the familiarity and comfort of their own training grounds.