Author's note
I went back to recheck Naobito's character and realized that I had been mistaken about him.
He is just as rotten as the rest of the Zen'in clan. He simply never had the opportunity to show it.
So from now on, consider this an AU… or assume that in the manga Zoro read, Naobito was portrayed as a relatively decent person.
Enf of author's note
Chapter
Zoro quickly reached Toji.
The child was on the floor, eyes shut tight, coughing violently, his small body still
trembling from the shock.
For a fraction of a second, something hot surged through Zoro.
Rage.
Pure.
He held it back.
He immediately knelt down and pulled Toji into his arms, holding him with almost excessive care.
"Toji, are you okay? Come on… breathe slowly. Inhale… exhale… it's going to be fine."
His voice was low, controlled, almost soothing.
Toji clutched at his clothes, following his instructions. His uneven breathing gradually slowed. The trembling subsided little by little.
Tears shimmered at the corner of his eyes.
And yet…
He smiled.
A fragile smile.
"Did you see that, big brother… I didn't cry…"
His voice was still shaky, thick with restrained sobs.
Zoro knew.
He knew Toji was forcing himself to hold it in.
He knew the child was fighting against his own body just to remain strong.
And despite everything… Zoro let out a small laugh.
Short.
Soft.
He placed his hand on Toji's head and ruffled his hair.
"Yeah. I'm proud of you, little brother."
The tears were still threatening to fall.
But Toji now wore a proud smile. Almost cheeky.
Seeing that expression, Zoro deliberately frowned.
He withdrew his hand.
And flicked Toji lightly on the forehead.
"Tch. Don't get cocky, brat."
The sting was minimal.
But Toji's grin only widened.
For a few seconds, the tension in the room seemed to fade.
The warmth between the brothers replaced the earlier violence.
But the moment didn't last.
"Ahem."
A sharp clearing of the throat echoed through the room.
"Excuse me for interrupting this touching scene, but we still haven't discussed why I summoned you here."
Naobito had shattered the moment.
Zoro slowly lifted his eyes toward him.
Reality returned instantly.
He stood up.
Helped Toji to his feet.
His brows furrowed.
All his attention fixed on Naobito.
"Well now, you're almost scary with that face, kid. Glug glug glug… Haaa!"
He took a long swig from his bottle before sighing in satisfaction.
The drunken behavior irritated Zoro deeply.
He was one insult away from losing control.
But he restrained himself.
He couldn't afford to act impulsively here.
"Originally, I wanted him present for this discussion… but it doesn't really matter."
His demeanor shifted abruptly.
The laid-back attitude vanished.
His gaze became heavier.
Sharper.
"I summoned you here for two reasons. But first… come sit."
Zoro moved carefully.
He chose his spot on the tatami with intent, sitting in front of Toji, slightly angled so he could keep the entrance in view.
Instinctive protection.
The moment he crossed his legs, he activated his haki.
The wave hit immediately.
Naobito's cursed energy was dense.
Oppressive.
Disgusting.
Nausea rose violently in his throat.
He clenched his teeth.
He could not show weakness.
He reduced the range.
Ten meters around him.
No more.
It was enough to cover most of the room.
And especially the entrance.
The strain was intense.
But he endured.
"Can you stop looking constipated, kid?" Naobito said lightly. "Honestly, what's wrong with the youth these days… back in my time—"
"Why are we here?" Zoro cut in sharply.
Naobito blinked.
Then chuckled briefly.
"Alright, alright. I was getting to it. No need to get so worked up. No patience anymore…"
The veins on Zoro's forehead throbbed.
"Anyway. Back to the point."
His tone shifted again.
"I brought you here for two reasons. First… to explain why you lived alone all this time."
He raised his hand.
Zoro immediately sensed cursed energy gathering there.
Dense.
Active.
"Do you see anything?"
Toji shook his head.
Zoro did the same.
"Well… that's precisely the reason."
Naobito stood.
Loaded his fist.
And slammed it into the wall.
BOOM.
Wood splintered.
Toji flinched violently.
Zoro pretended to do the same.
Naobito calmly returned to his seat.
"In this world, negative human emotions create monsters called cursed spirits. You can't see or touch them without using the very thing that gave birth to them."
He tapped his fingers lightly.
"Cursed energy."
He observed them.
"And you… have none."
Silence.
"Your condition is unprecedented. And… undesirable. That is why your parents isolated you."
He scratched the back of his head.
"I'd like to say it was to protect you. But really, they didn't want you ruining their reputation."
Toji blinked.
Confused.
"What are parents, big brother?"
"I don't know. I'll ask later."
Zoro knew.
But he had to maintain the role.
Naobito sighed.
"In short… you lack something the clan considers vital. So you were abandoned."
His gaze grew heavier.
"That brings us to the second reason."
He straightened slightly.
"I brought you here to discuss what you want to do now that you know this."
Zoro stiffened.
But the next words struck him harder than expected.
"However… looking at you now, I can tell you severely lack education. I doubt you've even begun learning how to read."
Toji turned his head.
"Big brother… what's reading?"
"I don't know. I'll ask later."
Naobito tilted his head back and sighed deeply.
"This is even worse than I thought…"
He straightened again.
"Fine. Here's what we'll do."
His tone became administrative.
Decisive.
"For the next year, I'll send people to teach you whatever I deem necessary. Once I'm satisfied… I'll ask you the question again. Understood?"
Zoro feigned confusion.
Toji, on the other hand, was genuinely lost.
Zoro looked at him.
Then back at Naobito.
And answered in the most innocent voice he could muster:
"I don't know what lessons are… but okay. We'll do that."
But internally—
He understood perfectly.
One year.
To observe.
To learn.
To prepare.
And this time…
They would never again be left in the shadows.
Author's note (yeah, a second time)
It was close, but I kept my word.
I did publish the chapter at 11:59 PM, but I still managed to keep up my pace of one chapter per day.
I think it deserves a few power stones, don't you? So feel free to send some, it's always appreciated.