"Young Master Zoro, Young Master Toji, you are summoned to the main estate."
Those words echoed in my mind as Toji and I were escorted by one of the nurses.
"What does that mean?"
My confusion was absolute.
For years, we had been kept away. Hidden from the rest of the clan like an inconvenience better forgotten. I had always assumed we wouldn't see our progenitors again until much later.
I hadn't done anything to draw attention to myself.
Nothing—except never crying.
It only took a few minutes to reach the main area from our cabin, but those few minutes felt incredibly long.
I felt like a condemned man about to go to the gallows, but despite all my feelings and reluctance, we still arrived at the entrance.
It was exactly as I remembered it from the manga.
Imposing.
Traditional.
Immaculate.
A large wooden building, with a rather steep sloping roof and dark tiles.
The entrance is centered and slightly elevated, accessible by a few steps.
The gate has an elegant curved shape, typical of ancient Japanese buildings.
Dense vegetation on both sides—tall trees, perhaps willows or bamboo—reinforces the peaceful atmosphere.
A white wall surrounds the property, giving an impression of calm and privacy.
A residence worthy of a great clan.
But unfortunately, the inside of the house was far from being as calm as the outside.
I didn't have time to admire it.
The sliding doors opened, releasing a wave of cold air.
Beside me, Toji flinched and immediately hid behind my back.
"Big brother… I'm scared. Where are we going?"
His voice trembled.
In an instant, my surprise was replaced by anxiety.
I had trained relentlessly for over four years.
But I wasn't foolish enough to believe that was enough to protect myself in this world.
Protecting someone else…
It's impossible to obtain a cursed tool right now. I haven't even begun Armament Haki training.
I knew it.
Against a cursed spirit above Grade 4, I would be no different than a three-year-old facing a professional boxer.
Honestly, I was scared, extremely scared, both for myself and for Toji.
Over time, our relationship has gone beyond the stage of just "a lost guy and a baby she pities" At the big bro /little bro and even father/son in a certain way.
I was terrified at the thought of what this rotten-to-the-core clan might do.
While my mind desperately searched for a solution, we stepped inside the estate grounds.
Toji, clutching my sleeve, scanned the surroundings like a cornered animal.
Finally, after a few moments, I pulled myself together. I was still terrified, but I refused to let anyone in that clan mistake us for weaklings.
"Toji."
No response.
He was completely absorbed by this new environment.
Until now, his world had been nothing more than a ruined shack and an abandoned garden. Everything he knew, I had taught him.
Even how to speak.
I raised my voice.
"Toji."
Still nothing.
I grabbed his shoulders and shook him firmly.
"TOJI."
He snapped back to attention.
"Yes, big brother?"
I sighed.
"Listen to me carefully. Once we're inside, you don't tremble. You don't cry. And you don't hide. Do you understand?"
He nodded timidly.
"Do you remember what I told you?"
This time he shook again, a faint smile forming.
"This kid is going to drive me insane…"
"People here won't be as kind as I am. At best, they'll ignore us. At worst…"
I let the sentence hang.
My tone said enough.
His expression darkened.
I eased my grip and ruffled his hair.
"Stand proud. No one's going to walk over us."
I took his hand and quickened our pace to catch up to the nurse, who hadn't waited for us.
We reached her at the entrance of a long corridor.
It wasn't narrow.
It wasn't damaged.
Yet something pressed down on me.
An invisible weight.
With every step forward, it grew heavier.
This isn't normal.
The Zen'in clan was grim, yes—but this feeling went beyond a mere oppressive atmosphere.
Unless…
I closed my eyes while walking.
Three seconds.
That was all it took to activate my
Observation Haki.
It wasn't as precise as when I stood still, but it was enough.
And what I sensed made my blood run cold.
The corridor was saturated.
Drenched in a thick, nauseating aura that felt almost tangible.
A violent wave of disgust hit me so hard I nearly gagged.
I forced it down.
That aura… it gathered everything vile within the human soul.
Anger.
Hatred.
Resentment.
Fear.
I couldn't yet clearly distinguish emotions with my Haki.
But the intensity was so overwhelming that their nature was unmistakable.
Cursed energy.
Every inch of the corridor was steeped in it.
And if the corridor was—
Then the entire estate must be the same.
Centuries of history.
Generations of sorcerers.
Battles.
Deaths.
Yes.
It made sense.
"So this is cursed energy…"
It was incredibly disgusting .
I felt like I was drowning in a pool of vomit and excrement.
"I understand now why Geto got insane."
Just feeling the cursed energy makes my head spin, but having to eat it, I can't even imagine the ordeal it must be.
No longer able to bear this feeling I deactivated my Haki,I opened my eyes and realized that we had just arrived at our destination.
We stopped in front of a large closed door.
Absolute silence.
Even without Haki, the pressure behind that door was crushing.
On an entirely different level from the corridor.
This time it wasn't just cursed energy; it was the weight of a higher existence, the weight of power.
Even Toji could sense it; I knew it from his trembling.
The nurse stepped aside and placed her hand on the door.
From his behavior, I understood that we were the only ones allowed to enter, and that wasn't a good sign.
"Well… here goes nothing," I muttered.
The door slid open.
I stepped inside, pulling Toji with me.
And immediately, a loud voice boomed across the room.
"Bahahaha! So you're my nephews, huh?"
I lifted my gaze.
My first meeting with Zen'in Naobito.
And with the Zen'in clan.
Author's thoughts
Hi it's been a long time.
My exams are officially today and I'm here to shock Or rather, that's why I was there.
This chapter was incredibly difficult to write, just 5 days past and I didn't know how to write anymore.
But with Chat gpt's help and a burst of inspiration that came at almost midnight I managed to write a moderately good chapter of average length by my fanfics standards.
So from now I restart one chapter per day.
Thanks and see you tomorrow.