Gaiden - Zenin Zoro 7

As Zoro exited the building, he frowned at the swarming curses.

"Damn it."

It seemed the curses Kenjaku had set loose were going berserk after his death. Zoro drew his swords and slashed at the visible curses.

'If the entire Shibuya is in this state, it's obvious what would have happened to the civilians.'

Luckily, it appeared someone had begun evacuation efforts. When he checked with his Observation Haki, there were hardly any civilians around... but with so many curses running wild, there would undoubtedly be casualties.

'No matter how strong I am, I can't cut down only the curses in this city without harming the humans and buildings.'

It's possible to cut down the entire Shibuya city in one sweep, but that would be like burning down the house to get rid of a flea. Millions of civilians, along with the curses, and Shibuya itself would be destroyed.

'Using my swords would cause too much collateral damage.'

Zoro recalled a conversation he had years ago with Haibara Yume. It was around the time she had just joined Jujutsu High with Zoro and started as his assistant instructor.

Whenever Zoro was tasked with writing mission reports, he would submit them with summaries like, "There was a teapot-shaped curse. It picked a fight, so I cut it down. The end." Because of this, Haibara Yume often ended up writing his reports for him.

As she was typing away, recording the collateral damage, she took off her glasses and pressed her fingers to her temples.

"You know, Zoro. Could you stop cutting down buildings every time you go on a mission?"

"Huh?"

"No matter how skilled a swordsman you are, there are limits. You slice through houses like they're cakes."

Three houses, four fields. Those were the collateral damages from Zoro's recent mission.

She sighed at the money spent on building repairs, though she was relieved there were no casualties among the 12 people present during the incident. That was very Zoro-like.

"What I mean is, you do care about saving people, right?"

"Are people and houses the same?"

"Well, when you put it like that..."

But you pay too little attention.

"Of course, nothing is more important than a human life. I'm not saying to prioritize anything over that."

But you can save more than just lives, Haibara Yume thought.

"Sure, there are people who can get back on their feet just by staying healthy. But some lose the will to move forward even without losing their health or loved ones."

Money, buildings, homes, shops, fields, and other tangible assets. Most non-sorcerers accumulate these over a lifetime of learning and working.

Of course, these things don't compare to the value of life.

'Zoro could move forward even if he lost all these things.'

Even losing much more wouldn't deter him. But for some, these are the fruits of their entire life.

'Losing them can mean losing the will to live.'

So far, the financial compensation from Zoro's earnings and the support from the Jujutsu Headquarters had been enough. But there could come a time when that's not possible.

"Even if that happens, I'll still be on your side."

No matter how many buildings Zoro had destroyed, he had saved countless lives. ...Including her precious brother's. Zoro might say it's nothing, but one doesn't just forget a debt of life.

'I have to repay it.'

...Even if she wasn't sure how much her paperwork could help.

Zoro, lying on the sofa with his arm behind his head, shrugged at Yume, who was looking at him with a somewhat serious expression.

"If Tatsuya hears about this, he might come and stab me."

Whack! Yume threw her wireless mouse at Zoro's face.

"Shut up! You idiot Marimo!"

How dare he bring up my boyfriend now?!

Yume, who had previously had fights or even broken up with boyfriends because she spent too much time with Zoro, felt aggrieved.

'What am I supposed to do about being the only one who can find that directionless Marimo and thus became his assistant instructor?!'

I don't even talk to him outside of work! Of course, as a colleague, he's the most reliable in the world, but dating him? No way, he's too dumb! An idiot!

It's my curse for having a good sense of direction. Yume let out a fake sob.

In less than ten seconds of reminiscing, Zoro calmly reached a conclusion.

'Cutting is not an option.'

It might be possible to avoid cutting humans, but avoiding buildings is impossible. Shibuya is one of the busiest districts in Tokyo. The financial damage of destroying its buildings would be beyond what the Jujutsu Headquarters could handle.

It's fine. Zoro had other means besides his swords.

He scanned his surroundings and then jumped up the glass wall of a building. Standing at the highest point where he could overlook the entire Shibuya district, Zoro steadied his breathing.

'The widest range of Conqueror's Haki. Until it reaches.'

He released it.

The maximum amount of Conqueror's Haki.

Crackle, crackle.

Dark red lightning flickered from Zoro's body as he released his Conqueror's Haki widely.

Woooooooong—!

The intangible aura burst from Zoro's body and spread out, piercing through layers of barriers and expanding in all directions.

[Po-Potato—?]

Curses hit by the Conqueror's Haki collapsed,

"Please, save me. It's getting closer. I-I can't move…!"

Humans collapsed,

"Caw, caw!"

And animals collapsed.

Conqueror's Haki, which excludes beings too weak to be worth fighting, spread across Shibuya ward with red lightning striking the sky.

Rumble, rumble.

The ground beneath Zoro's feet trembled slightly due to the Haki. It's fine. The tremors caused by the Haki were at most a magnitude 3 earthquake. Most buildings in Japan were built to withstand such minor quakes.

'There's no time to hesitate.'

He had to go straight for the strong ones who didn't pass out from the Conqueror's Haki. Otherwise, those stronger beings would wipe out all the weaker ones who had fainted.

Zoro, gauging their positions with his Observation Haki and about to jump off the building, heard his phone ring. He answered it. It was Satoru.

"Oh, good, there's reception. You used your Conqueror's Haki just now, didn't you? I have a rough idea of your plan and your location, so stay right there."

"What?!"

"Aspect, Twilight, Eye of Wisdom."

Just as Zoro was about to shout back, he saw a blue energy projectile, a thrust (蒼), flying straight toward him. He realized that the familiar phrases he had just heard were the incantation for maximizing the thrust's power.

"You—"

Damn you, Gojo Satoru! Zoro was swept away by the force of the thrust and flew far away.

...

"Damn...!"

"Ugh—!"

KAAAAANG!

A tremendous amount of Conqueror's Haki collided with Dagon and Fushiguro's domain. Fushiguro Megumi, Dagon, Nanami, Maki, and Naobito, who were trapped inside Dagon's domain expansion, all turned to look in the direction from which the Haki had come, shocked.

"...!"

Even Fushiguro Toji, who had intruded into Dagon's domain, felt the overwhelming force of the Haki and instinctively took his eyes off Dagon to look in that direction.

"Ugh...!"

Fushiguro Megumi coughed up blood from the immense backlash caused by maintaining his domain expansion.

'Could this be another domain expansion?!'

But who, and from where?

Fushiguro Megumi gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his domain. However, the immense, unknown force gradually shattered Fushiguro's domain expansion, Chimera Shadow Garden, which he had deployed to counter Dagon.

"Arrrgh—!"

Of course, Dagon's domain expansion, Horizon of Captivating Skandha, was also affected.

PAACK!

Both domains were neatly obliterated along with the Conqueror's Haki. Fushiguro Megumi vomited blood, and Dagon flinched.

SHEEEENG.

Fushiguro Toji sharpened the blade of the inverted spear he had taken from Maki. He immediately charged at Dagon.

After deploying a domain expansion, sorcerers cannot use their techniques for a few minutes due to technique overload. The same goes for cursed spirits.

Having expended a significant amount of cursed energy in his domain expansion, Dagon couldn't even properly reinforce his body. In other words, he had no cards left to play.

In front of Fushiguro Toji wielding the cursed tool, Dagon was no different from a fish on a cutting board.

CRACK!

Toji drove the sharp end of the inverted spear into Dagon's head. Dagon, twitching, grabbed the spear. Not yet. If he could just use his technique again, he could escape...

SNAP.

Fushiguro Toji broke the ring of the inverted spear, holding one piece of the tri-section staff in his hand. Then,

WHAM, WHAM, WHAM, WHAM!

In a blur of speed, Toji repeatedly drove the inverted spear into Dagon's head. Purple fluid splattered as Dagon's body shook lifelessly.

Finally, when the Inverted Spear of Heaven penetrated Dagon's head, Dagon's body stopped moving. Dagon's entire body began to crumble into black ashes.

Fushiguro Toji tossed the fragmented Inverted Spear of Heaven onto the ground. He then turned his head to look at the four people.

Fushiguro Megumi and Zenin Maki's eyes wavered. They had seen Megumi's father from another world during the last exchange event. He had the same face as the man before them.

Perhaps, contrary to what Zoro had said, their father had actually returned, alive and well, from somewhere. But this man, even to Fushiguro Megumi's eyes, didn't seem "alive."

'Rampaging... is it?'

There are times when a technique or the target of a technique goes berserk because the sorcerer who cast it dies before properly ending the spell. This usually happens with necromancy techniques.

Necromancy involves overlaying a corpse or soul of the dead onto another. Fushiguro Megumi recalled what he had learned and swallowed the blood rising up, glaring at Toji.

So, this person is probably—

SHEEEEENG—!

Suddenly, a blue blast flew towards them, shattering the building.

Toji quickly retreated, Nanami grabbed Fushiguro and dodged to the side, and Maki pushed Naobito aside to save him from the blast's impact.

CRASH!!

The blue blast neatly shattered the building's glass windows as Zoro, carried by the blast, rolled across the ground. Groaning, Zoro quickly stood up.

"...Damn it, that guy. This time, I won't let him get away with it."

Is it even normal to use a blue to transport someone? Sure, he uses that for high-speed travel, but that's because he has Limitless.

'I am a non-curse user, you know?'

Of course, Zoro didn't have a single scratch, just like Gojo!

Anyway, it seemed he had arrived where he intended. Zoro made eye contact with the battered Megumi. The pupils of his gray eyes widened, and he took a step towards Megumi.

"Megumi."

Are you all right—

TA-ATT!

Fushiguro Toji's silhouette dashed towards Zoro in the blink of an eye.

CRASH!

Toji's punch, aimed at Zoro's temple, was blocked by the Wado Ichimonji. Zoro's indifferent gray eyes turned to the one who dared to punch him, and they widened in shock upon recognizing the face.

"Ah,"

Father?

WHOOSH!

Instead of answering, Fushiguro Toji launched another punch at Zoro's face. Moving at an invisible speed, dozens, hundreds of punches were evaded by Zoro with just head movements.

CRACK!

Toji's kick, aimed at Zoro's side, was blocked by Zoro's sword. Toji tried to push down the sword with his kick, but Zoro gradually pushed Toji's leg back.

"...!"

His green eyes widened. It was clear he hadn't expected this.

SWISH, BOOM!

Zoro swung his sword, sending Toji flying with the slash. Fushiguro Toji was slammed into a wall, raising a cloud of dust.

Through the dust, he saw the face of the fallen man. It was a face that seemed to not understand why he was being overpowered. Zoro gazed at the man before him.

'It seems he is indeed Toji.'

But he is not Zoro's 'father.'

'I never imagined a day would come when 'Toji' would attack me with intent to kill.'

Even after urging him to take their sparring matches seriously, he had never complied. Now, he was confirming Toji's full strength in this manner. His mouth tasted bitter.

"Zoro-san! That man is…"

"I know."

It's okay. Zoro spoke kindly, gently pressing Megumi's head.

Toji stared at his leg in disbelief. Zoro had a rough idea why. He was a Heavenly Restricted Body user with zero cursed energy. In a world where order is maintained, there should not be anyone with pure physical strength surpassing him.

'So, this must be the first time.'

That someone has overpowered him in a pure physical fight.

For Zoro, it was something that had always happened with his father.

Whoosh!

Fushiguro Toji dashed at Zoro again. As he blocked the fist aimed at his chest, Zoro noticed the black sclera in Fushiguro Toji's eyes and understood the situation.

"Necromancy."

No wonder he didn't seem like the 'Toji' Zoro knew, even if he was from another world.

His lips twisted. Zoro hated necromancy. It was even worse seeing 'Toji' fall victim to it.

Even though he knew the man before him was from another world and not his father.

He is… still Toji.

Fushiguro Toji clenched both fists. Then, he dashed towards Zoro's chest with such speed that only an afterimage was left.

At that moment.

"Aah. That won't do."

Thwack!

A man, appearing like a ghost, grabbed the incoming fist tightly. The four sorcerers' eyes widened.

'When?'

When had he appeared?

If Fushiguro Toji's speed made it difficult to follow with the eye, then this man had been observing the fight all along, but no one had noticed his approach.

'Even he was incredibly fast.'

But this man was much faster, much stealthier.

The Shikigami, which enveloped the man's body, squeaked as it writhed towards Fushiguro Toji as if greeting its master. Fushiguro Toji rolled his green eyes to look at the new opponent. Before him stood a man who looked exactly like him.

Two beings from different worlds, who had inherited the same Heavenly Restricted Body and walked similar paths, now faced each other. However, their paths had diverged due to the presence or absence of certain people in their lives.

Zenin Toji, with his hand turned black by Armament Haki as he held Toji's fist, stood in front of Fushiguro Toji and slowly asked.

"What business do you have with my son?"

A ghost already dead and fallen.

...

[Author's Note]

Vote with your power stones, it motivates me to keep posting chapters.

If you're interested, you can read 20 advance chapters on my Patréon.

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