"...What do you mean?" Suzuki was completely at a loss as he stared at the panting young man.
"It's like this, Clan Head!"
Ranta quickly narrated the situation, his chest heaving with indignation. He passionately explained how the Jujutsu Elders had arrogantly declared Suzuki a Curse User, and how they had just sent a formal delegation to the estate demanding that Suzuki submit to their authority and accept his punishment.
If this had been yesterday, Ranta might not have cared. But the Zenin Clan operated on a very simple, biological imperative: they submitted to the strongest.
Suzuki had vividly demonstrated his absolute might by effortlessly beating the entire clan's combat force into the dirt using only his Projection Sorcery. He was also the legitimate son of Naobito, which entirely cleared up any political resistance regarding his succession.
Lastly, and perhaps most terrifyingly, Suzuki wielded the power of infinite capital. He had literally bought their loyalty.
Because Ranta was young and fiercely loyal to the clan's new hierarchy, his thought process was incredibly simple. Since Suzuki now led the Zenin Clan, the Zenin Clan was inevitably going to become the strongest faction in the country. Therefore, when the Elders' representatives had the sheer audacity to demand Suzuki's surrender, Ranta didn't hesitate for a single second. He wanted to massacre the entire delegation to show the Jujutsu world the absolute might of the new Zenin Clan!
"..."
Suzuki pinched the bridge of his nose, took a deep breath, and let out a long, exhausted sigh. "Where are the representatives right now? Let me talk to them."
"They're out in the courtyard, Clan Head!" Ranta said proudly, puffing out his chest. "Don't worry! We've already disabled them and broken their legs! There's no way they'll escape!"
"...Okay. Thank you for your diligence," Suzuki said flatly.
Maki, standing behind Suzuki, looked at his deeply exhausted face and suddenly felt incredibly grateful that she hadn't become the Clan Head. Dealing with a private army of bloodthirsty meatheads seemed like an absolute nightmare. Still, she tightened her grip on the new polearm she had taken from the armory. If the Elders really tried to cause trouble for Suzuki, she was fully prepared to carve them into pieces.
"...."
Suzuki silently concluded that out of the entire Zenin Clan, he was literally the only sane person.
When he finally walked out into the courtyard, the scene was exactly as barbaric as he had expected. The entire Zenin clan had formed a massive, intimidating circle. In the center, huddled together on the dirt like frightened animals, were three middle-aged men in traditional robes. They were openly weeping, trembling in intense fear, utterly convinced they were about to be executed.
"Clan Head!"
As Suzuki stepped into the light, every single member of the Zenin Clan instantly snapped to attention and shouted his title loudly, their voices echoing with absolute respect.
Did they love him?
No. But Suzuki was the strongest. It had been violently engineered into their biology over a thousand years to submit to absolute strength. It was a savage, brutal system, but it made taking control of them incredibly simple.
"Give me some space. Let me speak with our guests."
The crowd immediately parted like the Red Sea. Suzuki walked calmly toward the bleeding, sobbing staff of the Elders. He crouched down and pressed his hands against the broken legs of the nearest man. A soft, glowing aura enveloped his palms as he effortlessly applied his Reverse Cursed Technique, instantly knitting the shattered bones back together.
"Wow..."
A collective gasp swept through the Zenin crowd. They marveled at the sheer versatility of their new leader.
While the lower-tier Kukuru Unit had fully embraced their new Clan Head, the elite Hei Vanguard—especially Naoya, who was currently nursing several cracked ribs—ground their teeth in bitter resentment. Yet, none of them dared to make a move. Attacking Suzuki was an instant death sentence.
Because of this, Naoya had secretly been hoping that Suzuki would arrogantly declare war on the Elders. If Suzuki initiated a Jujutsu Civil War, there was a high probability that Suzuki would be killed in the crossfire!
If that happens... Naoya thought, a dark smile creeping onto his face, I can finally step in and reclaim the Clan Head's seat!
He completely forgot that, as Suzuki's subordinate, Suzuki could order him to lead a suicide charge at the front lines.
"..."
Suzuki suddenly glanced up, making direct eye contact with his older brother.
Naoya flinched violently. The dark smile vanished, and he quickly lowered his head, staring at the dirt, his heart pounding nervously. Naoya instantly loathed himself for being such a terrified coward, but his body refused to look Suzuki in the eye.
"Let's talk."
"W-Wow..."
The representatives of the Elders stared at Suzuki in absolute shock. The monstrous Clan Head of the Zenin Clan—the man who had single-handedly slaughtered the estate's defenses—was actually being reasonable. Instead of executing them as they expected, he was using the incredibly rare, highly complex Reverse Cursed Technique to heal their wounds!
Reverse Cursed Technique was notoriously difficult to master because it required multiplying negative cursed energy against itself to create a positive output capable of healing human flesh. The fact that the terrifying new Clan Head possessed such a gentle, life-saving technique threw the representatives into massive cognitive dissonance. They had fully expected a bloodthirsty beast.
Because of this sudden relief, one of the representatives mistakenly assumed Suzuki was weak and eager to negotiate. He stupidly puffed out his chest and spoke up.
"S-Suzuki Zenin! You should recognize your grave mistakes! You must immediately come to headquarters, meet with the Elders, and formally submit to your punish—!"
SLAP!
CRACK!
The sound of the impact echoed like a gunshot across the quiet courtyard.
The man's head whipped violently to the side. His jaw unhinged with a sickening crunch, and several bloodied teeth scattered across the dirt.
"....."
The entire courtyard went completely, deathly silent.
"AGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!"
The man collapsed, clutching his shattered jaw and screaming in blinding agony.
The other representatives were completely paralyzed. They couldn't comprehend how a man who was gently healing them a second ago had instantaneously morphed back into a cruel, unfeeling monster.
"I said I want to talk," Suzuki said, his voice quiet, calm, and entirely devoid of emotion as he wiped a drop of blood off his knuckle. "So be quiet and listen. Or would you prefer I make you permanently unable to speak?"
The screaming man instantly clamped his hands over his ruined mouth, choking down his sobs and killing his voice.
"Thank you," Suzuki smiled softly, adjusting his glasses.
"..." The Zenin Clan members swallowed hard.
"I apologize for the incredibly rude welcome from my subordinates. You don't mind, right?"
"A-Ah! No! Y-Yes, we apologize as well for coming unannounced!" the lead representative stammered, his face pale with terror. "So... so we should just go back now..."
They wanted to flee the compound immediately!
"Don't be in such a hurry," Suzuki said smoothly, standing up and dusting off his knees. "Let me give you a message to take back to headquarters, so I don't have to waste my time talking with idiots who don't understand their place in the modern world."
"..."
Suzuki maintained a perfectly calm, polite expression as he began his explanation. "Please, don't worry. I have no intention of waging a physical war and starting a Jujutsu Civil War. I am not a barbarian."
"R-Really?"
"Of course."
Those words were the sweetest melody the representatives had ever heard. The Elders' greatest fear was a full-scale civil war. If Suzuki were just a lone rogue sorcerer, no one would fear him. But he now held absolute control over the Zenin military—one of the three strongest armies in the country. If he mobilized them against headquarters, the casualties would be catastrophic.
Sure, Satoru Gojo could easily stop him, but unfortunately for the Elders, Gojo absolutely hated them and refused to help.
"I am not like the traditionalists who want to assassinate or physically massacre the Elders," Suzuki said, deliberately pausing. His polite voice dropped a few degrees, becoming freezing cold. "I am a reasonable and intelligent man. So, I will tell you exactly what is going to happen."
Suzuki looked directly down at the terrified men.
"Tell the Elders they have until Friday to officially recognize my succession and revoke my Curse User status. If they refuse, I will immediately withdraw every single Zenin sorcerer from active duty, letting Cursed Spirits completely overrun Japan. Simultaneously, I will liquidate the Zenin Clan's entire, massive fortune into foreign markets, effectively bankrupting the entire domestic Jujutsu economy overnight."
"....."
"Oh, and I also have the deeply classified financial records detailing the Elders' decades of tax evasion, illegal offshore accounts, and black-market embezzlement."
Suzuki smiled, though his eyes were completely dead.
"So, go back to headquarters right now. Tell them to comply. Because if they don't, they will all be completely bankrupt by Monday morning. You will all instantly lose your jobs. You will become permanently unemployed and homeless as the banks violently foreclose on your mortgages. Your families will lose any chance of a future, buried under tens of millions of yen in inherited debt."
Suzuki leaned in closer, his shadow falling over the trembling men.
"And your only possible option to pay off that debt will be to travel to the freezing north and work for an Alaskan crab fishing company. You will work eighteen-hour shifts, sleeping on the violently rocking decks in the Bering Sea, suffering in an intense, agonizing cold that will make you genuinely wish for death."
"....."
A suffocating chill swept through the entire courtyard.
Whether it was the terrified staff of the Elders or the hardened killers of the Zenin Clan, everyone felt it. In fact, the Zenin members who had physically beaten the men moments earlier suddenly felt like they were the merciful ones. Physical pain faded. What Suzuki was threatening was the total, inescapable eradication of their entire existence.
"Should I have my men escort you out now?" Suzuki asked politely.
"A-AH! NO! WE WILL TELL THE ELDERS IMMEDIATELY!" the lead representative screamed in absolute terror, scrambling to his feet. "WE ARE SO SORRY FOR OUR RUDENESS! PLEASE EXCUSE US! WE WILL REPEAT EVERY SINGLE WORD TO THE ELDERS!"
"Excellent," Suzuki nodded. "My legal team in Tokyo is already en route to headquarters to handle the paperwork, so try not to waste their time."
"T-THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"
The representatives didn't even look back as they desperately limped toward the main gates, desperate to escape the monster in the glasses.
Good, Suzuki thought, feeling quite satisfied with himself. I resolved the entire conflict without initiating a massive bloodbath. I really am a very reasonable, good person.
He was just patting himself on the back when a voice suddenly echoed from above.
"Scary~! You are just so scary, Suzuki-kun~!"
"..."
Every single Zenin Clan member who recognized that arrogant, singsong voice violently whipped their heads upward, their bodies trembling in sudden panic.
Suzuki, however, remained completely calm. He didn't flinch. The Manager had detected the massive, overwhelming anomaly in Cursed Energy hovering directly above them the moment the man arrived.
Suzuki let out another heavy, exhausted sigh.
"Satoru Gojo."
Floating lazily in the air above the courtyard, wearing his signature black blindfold and a wide, shit-eating grin, was the strongest man in the world.
"Yup, I am here~!" Gojo cheered, waving enthusiastically. "The strongest of all, Satoru Gojo! Nice to finally meet you face-to-face, Suzuki Zenin! Or... should I call you the new Clan Head of the Zenin Clan~?"
Yup. Satoru Gojo had arrived. And he was clearly here to mess around.
---
Frankly, I have been thinking about it a lot. What world do you want the 5th Suzuki to come from?
Let me refresh my palate.
Surprise me, please!