Gaiden - Zenin Zoro 1

*This is a "side story" where Zenin Zoro (18 years old) finds himself in the original Jujutsu Kaisen universe. This is not part of the main story.

*It's Zenin Zoro who has been reincarnated, not Roronoa Zoro. This story follows Zoro, who has grown up to 18 years old in his second life and finds himself in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

*Of course, he's overpowered.

*Future main story developments may be spoiled (however, the developments in this side story may not perfectly match those in the main story).

*Nanami melting away

*Smashing through the original Jujutsu Kaisen narrative

...

Nanami Kento discovered something immediately after enrolling in the Jujutsu High.

Sorcerers are terrible.

Seeing a white-haired senior introducing a much younger green-haired boy as "Your senior, Nanamin!" to him, 15-year-old Nanami Kento realized he had truly entered a dreadful place.

The truly astonishing part was that Gojo Satoru wasn't exactly wrong.

Squinting his gray eyes and looking up at him, the green-haired boy, who ended up enrolling in Jujutsu High later on, was technically Nanami Kento's junior but...

'Until then, he was practically a senior.'

It made no sense for a 15-year-old to be taught practical experience by a 6-year-old, but in the world of sorcery, it was possible.

Especially if that 6-year-old was Zenin Zoro.

Indeed, sorcerers are terrible. Nanami sighed internally.

'And yet, staying in this terrible place makes me no less abnormal.'

Nowadays, sorcerers, except for the special grades, could freely retire. This was due to the decrease in higher-grade Curses over the past few years, thanks to the efforts of various special grade sorcerers. The overall level of sorcerers had also improved significantly.

Yet, staying in the sorcerer world was entirely Nanami Kento's choice.

Step, step.

He moved forward through the damp sewer, stepping on the thick layer of black ash on the ground. It was all that remained of the Curses that had been exterminated.

At the end of the dark sewer, an undeniable presence was felt.

Nanami instinctively ignored the chill running down his arms and continued forward. Ever since he learned to harness his energy, it had become a common occurrence.

Swoosh!

The head of a Curse resembling a giant snake was neatly sliced off and rolled toward Nanami's feet. It immediately turned to ash right before Nanami's eyes.

"Ah, sorry."

With a thud, the body of the Curse, as massive as a building, staggered.

Whoosh!

A young man who was standing atop the body leaped down. Jumping from a height equivalent to three stories of an apartment and landing lightly, the man sheathed his black sword with a click.

With hair as fresh as green grass, three swords at his waist, a muscular body, a tall stature, a dark blue school uniform over a white shirt, and a yellow badge engraved with the emblem of Jujutsu High.

It was Zenin Zoro.

Zoro casually started a conversation.

"Yo, Nanamin."

"Please don't call me that, Zoro-kun."

Zenin Zoro chuckled at Nanami's sharp response.

Unlike Gojo, who consistently ignored Nanami's requests and called him Nanamin, Zoro would stop using the nickname if firmly told not to. Though it was unavoidable to hear it once or twice at the beginning.

"What's up, Kento?"

"That's what I'd like to know. What were you doing here?"

Alone. Nanami held back those words.

'Never let Zoro walk alone' was kind of an unwritten rule in Jujutsu High. Whether it was family like Toji, Megumi, or Tsumiki, an assistant supervisor helping with Zoro's missions, classmates sent to accompany Zoro outside the school, or seniors and juniors from the school, someone had to always be with Zoro. Otherwise, he would immediately become lost, just like now.

Zoro scratched the back of his head and said,

"The assistant supervisor disappeared, and as the building moved, Curses appeared. I killed them."

It wasn't the assistant supervisor or the building that disappeared; Zoro had simply wandered off the correct path.

However, Nanami didn't point that out. No matter how much you correct him, it won't stick in his head. Especially not in Zoro's head, who is considered the strongest swordsman in history.

"How many Curses were there?"

"One special grade, and at least twenty of lower grades."

"That's definitely strange."

With six active special grade sorcerers (though one is abroad focusing on research) and an increased number of non-special grade sorcerers, the current assessment is that there are more sorcerers than Curses.

The situation with twenty Curses swarming in the sewer was definitely not normal.

"Let's go for now. The assistant supervisor is waiting."

Nanami recalled the assistant supervisor who had been grumbling that one should never take their eyes off Zoro, wondering how they were supposed to find him again if he wandered off.

When Zoro willingly followed Nanami,

"...! Be careful!"

Noticing something, Zoro urgently pushed Nanami away with his scabbard.

Turning around, Nanami saw a mirror-like artifact on the ground emitting a dangerously high level of cursed energy, almost equivalent to a special grade sorcerer. Had Zoro not pushed him away, Nanami would have been undoubtedly engulfed by it.

Strangely, Zoro, who could have easily dispersed the cursed energy, did not escape from it either.

"Zoro-kun—!!"

Just as Nanami called out, Zoro's figure vanished. The whirlwind of cursed energy that had swallowed Zoro also abruptly stopped.

"Damn...!"

It wasn't a seal. Nor was it extinguished. That wouldn't happen to him. He had been transported somewhere.

Nanami quickly took out his cellphone.

...

What Zoro saw was a blue sky and a black curtain spread below him. He internally clicked his tongue.

'I knew it would be something like this.'

So it was a charm containing a technique that transported its target to a specific location.

Though he didn't know why such a charm appeared there or where it was supposed to transport him, he couldn't let Nanami be affected. Zoro was confident he could survive regardless of where he landed, but the same couldn't be said for Nanami.

In fact, Zoro could have easily slashed through the swirl of cursed energy with his sword.

Yet, he didn't escape because he saw Megumi's injured face amidst the energy. It didn't seem like a mere illusion created by a technique; it looked real.

'I let my guard down.'

I need to train harder. Even as he fell through the air, Zoro thought this calmly.

Whoosh!

As he fell, Zoro prepared for impact, but the curtain didn't stop him and let him pass through seamlessly.

Thud.

Zoro landed lightly and looked around. It was a familiar place, one he had visited frequently since he was a child. It was the forest located in Tokyo Jujutsu High.

And within the storm of cursed energy, Zoro saw Megumi in the same state as he had envisioned.

"Megumi…?"

Megumi, Maki, Itadori, Todo, and a special grade Curse they hadn't seen before were in a standoff. Megumi was injured, sitting by a stream with several thorns growing out of his upper body, blood dripping from his mouth.

It didn't make sense for Megumi to be so powerlessly overwhelmed, even by a special grade Curse. Pushing aside that question, Zoro quickly ran towards Megumi.

"Stop."

Hanami suddenly appeared, blocking Zoro with caution. Given Hanami was wearing the same black school uniform as the others, it was clear he was an enemy.

'The cursed energy I sense from him is among the weakest here, on par with the woman wielding the triple-section staff.'

But there was something different about him.

"You are—"

Ignoring the odd noise in his head, Zoro nonchalantly bypassed Hanami and continued running. Hanami, not expecting to be ignored, blankly watched Zoro run past him.

Reaching Megumi, Zoro knelt on one knee by the stream, not caring if his pants got wet, to meet Megumi's eye level.

"Are you okay?"

The moment their eyes met, Zoro felt an unavoidable sense of unease. Something was off. The look in Megumi's eyes was like seeing a stranger, and the presence he emitted was weaker than the last time Zoro had seen him.

Not just Megumi, everyone there was on guard, treating Zoro like a stranger.

"...."

It was unsettlingly strange.

However, with Megumi injured right before him, all other concerns had to be put aside for later.

Zoro examined Megumi. He seemed tired and had strange thorns protruding from his stomach, but vital organs appeared to be untouched.

'If we just remove the thorns, Shoko can heal him right away with her reverse cursed technique.'

Having made his assessment, Zoro slung Megumi over his shoulder.

Naturally, Fushiguro Megumi, having no idea who had just abruptly picked him up, struggled.

"Who…? No, more importantly, watch your back!"

Back? Ah. Zoro briefly glanced at Hanami.

He was tougher than expected for still standing.

But that was as far as he would go.

But that was as far as it would go.

Zoro spoke bluntly.

"It's fine."

I've already cut him.

Hanami groped his upper body with his only arm, feeling something was off.

And that premonition was correct.

With a slicing sound, Hanami's perspective bizarrely lowered. Looking down, he saw his upper body was bisected. A cut from his shoulder to his side caused the divided upper body to tilt and slide off along the cut surface.

{Ahhhhhhhhh—!}

Even as Hanami screamed from the delayed pain, he couldn't grasp the situation. Why? Why was his body cut in half? When? How?

When that man brushed past Hanami?

He hadn't even heard the sound of the sword being drawn.

'To think I was cut so swiftly that even I, the one being cut, didn't notice?'

Fear crept over Hanami. Not fear of his own death, but the certainty that the world they desired would never come as long as he existed.

The world Curses desired would never arrive as long as he was there.

Feeling anger, confusion, and injustice, Hanami reached out towards Zoro.

{You, just who are—}

Thud.

Before he could finish speaking, Hanami's bisected upper body fell to the ground. Then both the cut upper and lower bodies turned into black ash and scattered.

"...."

The sorcerers of the high school were left speechless, unable to find words. The special grade Curse they had fought so fiercely against had fallen in an instant, and they couldn't comprehend what had happened.

Only one thing was clear to them: the young man with green hair and swords had caused it.

Zoro approached Maki with Megumi hoisted on his back.

"Do you need to be taken to the infirmary too, Maki?"

"No need— Wait, who are you?!"

Zoro frowned, which might have been interpreted as anger by Maki, as she flinched and clenched her teeth, trying not to show any tension. A reaction that would never normally come from Maki.

'Is this some kind of collective amnesia?'

Or… is it really their first time seeing me?

The first to snap out of it was Itadori. Just as he tried to rush towards Megumi.

"Fushiguro—!"

"…Stay put, my brother."

Todo grabbed Yuji by the shoulder. Cold sweat was running down Todo's face.

He's strong. Uncomparably stronger than the special grade Curse that just died.

'Even if my brother and I teamed up, no… even if all the sorcerers here in perfect condition teamed up.'

They couldn't win. Absolutely not.

Only someone like Gojo Satoru could possibly stand against him.

"Listen to me, rookie."

With a suddenly emerging Sukuna's face on his cheek, Yuji frowned.

"What's up, Sukuna? Stay back!"

"…Disappointing. To think you wouldn't notice even this."

Sukuna, appearing on Yuji's cheek, spoke coldly, glancing fleetingly at Zoro.

He hadn't explicitly shown it, to avoid startling these weaklings, but his power far surpassed everyone present combined.

That included the current Sukuna.

'So, he was the leader.'

Sukuna sneered, recalling the annoyingly white sorcerer talking about the higher-ups.

'It would be problematic if Fushiguro Megumi were to die.'

At least, there was no way to prevent that now.

Since Maki had refused, Zoro stepped back. There were plenty of other sorcerers around to support Maki, besides Zoro.

Suddenly, the barrier lifted. It was a bit later than Zoro had expected. What was everyone doing?

"Put Megumi down, will you?"

A chilly voice descended from the sky. Gojo Satoru, clearly visible to the naked eye, descended from midair.

Gojo frowned. Not a sorcerer. No techniques. To the naked eye, only an utterly ordinary non-sorcerer was in sight. Not even Six Eyes. Yet, Gojo found it impossible to ignore this man and walk away.

And the moment he faced Zoro, Gojo was sure of his decision.

'What is this?'

Feeling chills all over his body, Gojo let out a scoff. How long had it been since he felt threatened by someone? In truth, there had only ever been one such individual in the past.

Gojo looked at Zoro, who held Megumi preciously, and hummed.

"Taking hostages is stupid. Do you think I can't kill you just because I want to keep Megumi alive?"

Zoro realized something was terribly wrong. Anyone who knew Zoro would never assume he'd take Megumi hostage. Nobody would.

He sighed. Life was never quiet, was it?

"I can't put Megumi down. Not until I take him to Shoko."

"…Huh?"

"Look, he's hurt."

Treating Megumi and the students was the priority. Fortunately, it didn't seem like anyone was critically injured here, but injuries were still injuries.

The discussion could wait.

…But first.

"Gotta catch the rat."

Zoro's gray eyes glinted with a crimson killing intent. Whether Gojo tensed up or not, Zoro drew his sword.

Then, he launched a massive slash into the forest.

Swoosh!

The slash, towering twice the height of the thick trees planted around Jujutsu High, split the forest with a blue line, connecting directly to the opposite side of the school. The slash, which had not cut down a single tree despite its massive size and power, aimed precisely at Mahito, who had retreated upon the barrier's disappearance.

As Mahito ran, a gigantic slash blocked his path, turning everything in his vision blue.

"Huh…?"

Swoosh!

Mahito was precisely bisected, dying without understanding what had happened.

Zoro, sheathing his sword, clicked his tongue.

"Missed the other one."

The students stood, clueless about what Zoro had done. Naturally, they could never have imagined a slash reaching all the way to Mahito on the opposite side without cutting a single tree in the forest. Gojo, realizing belatedly what Zoro had accomplished, chuckled wryly.

'From this distance, to sense a Curse's presence on the opposite side and send a slash aimed only at it, hitting the target?'

And all that without the use of energy or techniques?

"Who are you?"

"Zoro Roronoa."

Briefly stating his name, Zoro, feeling Megumi's increasingly labored breathing, grew irritated.

"Hurry up and tell me where the infirmary is. We'll have plenty of chances to talk after treating the kids."

Gojo narrowed his eyes. It didn't seem like a lie.

'After all, if someone of his caliber wanted hostages, it's unnecessary.'

If he so wished, he could kill everyone here, excluding Gojo, without breaking a sweat, and he didn't seem inclined to do so at all.

Gojo half-gambled with his next words.

"…I'll take Megumi to the infirmary myself, then come here."

Surprisingly, Zoro obediently handed Megumi over to Gojo. It was evident from his careful handling that he didn't want to startle or injure Megumi further.

Fushiguro Megumi, now in Gojo's arms in a princess carry, demanded an explanation.

"Gojo-sensei, what's going on? Do you know that person?"

"…That's what I'd like to know, Megumi."

Who is he that he'd treat you this way? Gojo, with questions swirling in his mind, headed for the infirmary.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

If you want to read 20 chapters ahead or support me, visit my pátreon.com/fumiaki