For a long while after Gojo Satoru's explanation, Zoro listened with one ear and let it go out the other. Being naturally indifferent to others and lacking concentration on uninteresting topics, Zoro yawned with a look of indifference.
Noticing this, Gojo Satoru leaned in close to Zoro's face.
"Hey, tennis ball. You didn't listen to a word I just said, did you?"
"It's not tennis ball, it's Zoro."
"Ugh!"
Satoru scratched his white hair vigorously. Zoro thought he looked just like a flustered chicken.
"Gojo, don't lose your temper with a child. It's natural for children to have less concentration than adults."
Geto scolded him. Zoro, unsure whether to join in or get angry, ultimately chose not to react at all.
With a loud sigh, Gojo then said boastfully,
"Fine. I'll ask you a simple question that even a dumb kid like you can understand."
"Huh?!"
"What did you just say to my son—"
"Are you strong?"
Toji fell silent, and Zoro raised his eyebrows. Was he knowledgeable about something, or just probing?
Seemingly having received his answer from the silence, Gojo shrugged.
"I thought so. My eyes are special, you see. They can see through most things."
The mystical blue eyes peeked through the fluttering white eyelashes before revealing themselves again.
"But you and your sword, I can't see anything special with my eyes. A regular non-sorcerer and a regular sword without any cursed energy. A combination that shouldn't possess any strength. Yet, my instincts, my soul, tell me something completely different."
You are strong. Gojo Satoru stated decisively.
Toji felt tense, but Zoro remained calm. It was to be expected. Just as Toji had recognized Zoro, strong beings recognize each other.
'I would have been somewhat disappointed if they hadn't noticed at all.'
Because it would seem the strongest in this world are only this much.
"You already know the basics about sorcerers and cursed spirits, right? Your lineage, the Zenin Clan, along with the Gojo and Kamo Clans, have been considered prestigious families in the world of sorcerers for a very long time. And that place, they really like talent."
Gojo put on his sunglasses again and grinned.
'I'm not exactly sure how old this kid is.'
But it seemed certain he was under ten years old. If Gojo judged him to be strong at that age, then he would have been a once-in-several-hundreds-of-years genius even in the prestigious Three Great Families.
Zoro clearly showed no interest.
"I'm not interested."
"You might not be interested in that. But would the people of the Zenin Clan immediately try to take you to their family?"
"—No."
Toji, who had been leaning against the wall and listening silently, interjected.
Toji walked over and plopped down next to Zoro, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. It was unclear whether he was trying to protect him or ready to flee with him at a moment's notice. Probably both.
"What's wrong with what I said, gorilla?"
"The Zenin Clan will never register this kid in their family register. They should be thankful just to acknowledge his existence."
Thinking that the Zenin Clan would want to register Zoro just because he has talent is indeed a thought process fitting for a sheltered young master.
Of course, Zoro is strong. He has talent. Toji had no intention of denying that. However,
"Zoro is not what they are looking for."
The ultimate candidate the Zenin Clan wants is a 'male' 'sorcerer' with 'Ten Shadows Technique'. Even if one is strong or talented, if they are not male or a sorcerer, they will not be accepted and will be rejected. Toji was living proof of that.
Toji guessed that Gojo Satoru was unaware of such rejection. Because he never had to face rejection in his life.
'From birth, he was exactly what they revered and acknowledged the most.'
The owner of the Six Eyes, born into the Gojo Clan for the first time in 400 years, and his technique was the Limitless Cursed Technique. That was everything the clan could have hoped for. From the moment of his birth, he would have been designated as the clan head, and all of the Gojo Clan's resources would have been poured into Gojo Satoru.
It was natural for Gojo Satoru to be unaware of the existence of prejudice and disdain, having never experienced it.
On the other hand, Zenin Toji knew all too well about the unique prejudices, rejections, and disdain of the sorcery world. That's why he never wanted his own children to go through such experiences.
That's why he had been keeping Zoro from facing cursed spirits lately, but in the end, they were discovered by a sorcerer.
'It happened too soon.'
He hadn't thought they could hide Zoro from the eyes of the sorcery world forever. However, it happened much sooner than expected. Now, two sorcerers, Gojo Satoru and that forelock sorcerer, already knew about Zoro's existence.
'The sorcery world is small.'
Just a word from them to one or two people, and rumors would spread across the entire sorcery world in no time. It might be quiet for a while. But for how long? A month? Or two months?
A non-sorcerer at just 5 years old being strong. Those two might just find Zoro curious without any aversion towards him.
But most sorcerers wouldn't react the same way.
They would question how a non-sorcerer could be stronger than a sorcerer, ignore, dislike, slander, doubt, and reject them.
In the worst case, they might even try to erase his existence altogether.
As his thoughts reached that point, an instinctive killing intent flared up inside Zenin Toji as if lighting a lighter.
'If only these two were gone.'
If he eliminates these two now and moves far away, Zoro might be able to avoid the sorcery world's attention for at least a few years. Zoro is getting stronger every day, and by the time he's ten, even the old folks at the headquarters won't stand a chance against him.
'This area is all residential for non-sorcerers.'
It's not a place where sorcerers can recklessly cause commotion and use destructive techniques. Plus, the geography of this area, down to each alley, was all in Toji's head.
If it came to a fight, the odds were in their favor.
"What are you looking at, gorilla?"
At Gojo's gruff words, Toji unconsciously relaxed the fist he didn't realize he was clenching.
Although they lack manners, luck, and politeness, these two haven't shown any hostility towards either Zoro or Toji, and certainly not towards Megumi. Simply for the reason of irritating Toji, killing them wouldn't be right.
'I need to improve.'
For the sake of the children who would stay by my side no matter what.
Toji gradually eased the murderous intent that had bloomed in his chest. As soon as his green eyes regained their calm, Gojo spun around with a grin.
"Did you fall for me? I guess I am quite handsome."
"..."
The murderous intent that Toji had just calmed flared up again within 3 seconds.
Toji raised his fist but seeing Gojo clearly wrapped in Limitless, he lowered it again. Unless it was a destructive type of Cursed Energy, Toji's level of Cursed Energy wouldn't be able to penetrate Limitless.
'I should just throw him out of the house quickly.'
If he had to endure Gojo's babbling any longer, he might actually shove a natural curse into his neck.
"If you're done talking, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my house, Lord Gojo of Limitless."
"Ha. And you're from the Zenin family. A physical gifted thanks to being a heavenly restriction with zero Cursed Energy."
...So, he really does have the Six Eyes. Not just an eye that reads the flow of Cursed Energy. Considering he knows exactly what Toji is, even though he has no Cursed Energy. Well, that must be why he sensed Toji standing behind him back then.
Getou clapped once.
"Let's all calm down. We can't spend all our time here chatting. Gojo, how about we get to the point and leave?"
Gojo made a grumbling sound. The main point, the main point.
He originally came here out of curiosity. He wanted to see what kind of people could run away from Gojo Satoru like that.
For the first time, something appeared that even the Six Eyes couldn't discern, and a human being with no Cursed Energy appeared, both of which he wanted to see again. So, he found them again after spending all night searching.
'But even after seeing them again, I still don't really understand.'
He was sure they were strong. But why they were strong, or how strong they were, was still unclear. That was true for both the green-haired kid and Toji.
Ah, and there was one more thing he wanted to ask.
"Do you have a goal? Something you want to achieve?"
Gojo Satoru was curious about what this strong kid wanted and what his goal was, especially since he would become even stronger in the future given his age.
"The strongest."
Zoro's response came immediately. Gojo was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing.
"Ah, haha! That's unfortunate. Because we are the strongest."
"Gojo, don't get into a serious argument with a child."
"It's funny, Getou. The strongest is us."
You and me. Gojo pointed to Getou and himself in turn.
Sigh, Getou exhaled. Even so, he looked slightly proud and didn't deny it.
Zoro didn't react much. Time would tell, after all. Gojo stood up with a grunt.
"Anyway, it was interesting. Worth the visit~"
There was still much he didn't know, and he wanted to learn more.
'Then I should see more of them.'
Gojo Satoru came to a clear conclusion.
How should he continue to see them? It would be troublesome for Gojo and Getou to come here every time. They were still students, but as sorcerers, being a sorcerer wasn't such a leisurely job.
Then, the solution was to invite them to where Gojo was.
"Tennis ball, Gorilla."
"I told you, I'm not a tennis ball or a gorilla—"
"You guys, come to Jujutsu High."
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