🎊🎊HRU: Chapter 343/345

Chapter 343: Uraume vs Choso

A calm female voice rang out. A barrier of frost suddenly manifested in front of Choso's eyes, and upon contact with it, the blood surging through his veins froze completely.

Beyond the frost barrier, a girl with a doll-like face, dressed in monk's robes, stepped toward him one slow, deliberate step at a time.

The one who arrived was Uraume. She had accepted Kenjaku's command and come to Tokyo to assist Choso.

After all, she was someone from a thousand years ago. Uraume had her own pride. Though she followed Sukuna, she wouldn't so casually join hands with a Cursed Spirit.

The only one worthy of my loyalty is Ryoumen Sukuna...

The cursed spirit standing before her did possess a unique and powerful cursed technique, but Uraume wasn't the least bit impressed.

The Nine Phases of the Cursed Womb.

Before arriving, Uraume had already acquired detailed information.

She knew this was a hereditary technique from the Kamo clan, one of the Three Great Sorcerer Families.

But so what? Against her Ice Manipulation Technique, even the Kamo clan's cursed blood would freeze solid.

A special-grade Cursed Spirit born just a hundred years ago? Not worth her cooperation.

That thought filled Uraume with a sense of cold arrogance.

Though Sukuna had instructed her to assist, she felt her duties should be carried out independently, not reduced to cleaning up the mess of some hundred-year-old special-grade Cursed Spirit.

"You're sitting too high up, completely blind to your own standing."

Uraume spoke softly. With a casual wave of her right hand, the frozen blood scattered into icy powder and drifted to the ground.

At the same time, she raised her right hand to her lips, placed her index and middle fingers together, and kissed them gently. Her lips turned a deep purple instantly as intense frost surged from her mouth to her fingertips. An ice arrow then shot out from her fingers with a sharp whistle.

This was her answer. Uraume intended to end Choso with a mirrored approach.

Choso's eyes widened in horror. He hadn't expected the woman before him to possess such overwhelming strength. She had not only blocked his attack effortlessly, but counterattacked with brutal precision.

He attempted to use his Blood Manipulation again, but their cursed techniques shared a similar foundation. Her Ice Manipulation completely suppressed his Red Blood.

"Blood Manipulation: Blood Blade."

"Blood Manipulation: Blood Star."

"Ice Manipulation Style: Frost Dance."

"Ice Manipulation Technique: Absolute Zero."

Cursed Energy surged wildly as the two clashed. The leader of the Time Vessel Association, observing from the shadows, could barely conceal his shock.

In his mind, Choso was already an incredibly powerful Curse User. But now, a woman who could suppress him so effortlessly had appeared…

Why were they fighting?

The Time Vessel Association Leader didn't know the answer. But from his perspective, the newly arrived female sorcerer didn't seem to harbor any true killing intent.

Though clearly dissatisfied, she controlled her techniques precisely, as if she were trying to prove through this duel that she was the stronger one.

As Choso's body was pierced through by Uraume's ice blade, the battle ended with her decisive victory.

"This is the one I'm supposed to work with? Hah."

Uraume pulled the ice blade from Choso's chest, flicked off the blood, and a flicker of disdain flashed across her eyes.

Then, her figure vanished from the room, as though none of it had ever occurred.

If not for the frozen aura lingering around the walls...

What was that woman here for? Just to stab Choso? He's the most powerful bounty-class Curse User in the current black market, but he couldn't even touch her.

The Time Vessel Association Leader's eyes gleamed with excitement.

If such a powerful sorcerer could be brought in to help assassinate the Star Plasma Vessel, their success rate would surely skyrocket.

Since this strange woman hadn't killed Choso outright, the possibility remained.

The association leader hurried out from the shadows and rushed to Choso's side.

Right now, Choso was in a miserable state. The wound on his chest was regenerating, but Uraume's residual ice technique had drastically slowed his healing.

As the Time Vessel Association Leader approached, a fierce light flashed in Choso's swollen face.

To be seen in such a state by this man—how humiliating.

Just as he raised his hand to kill him, Choso's phone suddenly rang.

"Ding-ling-ling, ding-ling-ling!"

The sudden ringtone startled the Time Vessel Association Leader, who instinctively flinched as a chill ran down his neck.

Choso frowned. The only person who knew his private number was Itadori Kaori, who was currently in Shikoku. So the only possible caller was her.

That strange woman had clearly been sent by Kaori.

He took out his phone with a battered face and answered.

The Time Vessel Association Leader remained unaware that he had just brushed against death.

"Hello—"

Choso clutched his chest with one hand, reinforcing his cursed technique to accelerate his healing.

"Wow, you sound weak! Looks like Uraume already found you?"

"So, how was it? Just how strong is Uraume?"

Itadori Kaori's teasing voice came through the phone.

"So that doll-headed woman was sent by you?"

Choso grit his teeth, suppressing the irritation in his voice as he questioned her.

"Doll-headed girl? Hahaha, I suppose that's one way to put it. Yeah, I sent Uraume to assist you. But it looks like you didn't gain her recognition."

Far away in Shikoku, Itadori Kaori chuckled as she toyed with eight cursed tools in her hands.

"But don't feel bad. It's normal for Uraume to be stronger than you. After all, she's a lot older."

Choso's expression stiffened. A trace of doubt surfaced in his eyes.

Older than me? Could she be... another Special Grade Cursed Object incarnate? I've already lived over a century myself.

"Uraume lived in the same era as Sukuna. She was Sukuna's right hand. Losing to someone from a thousand years ago, doesn't that sound pretty reasonable?"

Kaori shrugged on the other end of the call, though her voice sounded more like a playful jab than a genuine explanation.

"Reasonable? So being ancient means you win by default? Don't mess with me. I'll pay her back for this. I'll beat her."

Choso refused to accept it.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to KE for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 344: Choso's Path to Becoming Stronger?

Although he was well aware of the difference in power between himself and Uraume, Choso still believed in his own potential. He was convinced that if he continued to grow, he could surpass her one day.

Despite just having lost, the battle made one thing clear, Uraume wasn't as untouchable as he had imagined.

"I know what you're thinking. You're not satisfied, right? But let me tell you... that fight with Uraume? It probably didn't mean a thing."

"You want to become stronger?"

"Then return to Shikoku. I have something for you."

"Of course, if you're willing to follow Uraume's lead, hand over your initiative, and become her subordinate... then don't bother coming."

"Hehe..."

With that, Itadori Kaori hung up.

Beep, beep, beep—

Hearing the dial tone, Choso's face darkened. A pungent smell of blood spread across the room.

Mocked and provoked, his Cursed Energy surged violently, breaking through the frost sealed into his wounds. His regeneration began to accelerate.

The Time Vessel Association Leader who had been standing silently to the side was horrified. The man in front of him—wasn't he a creature that had already existed during the Meiji era?

And the doll-headed girl from earlier... was from a thousand years ago?

Wasn't this beyond comprehension?

He had always believed that the key reason the Time Vessel Association worshipped Lord Tengen was her technique of immortality.

Yet the two people he just witnessed—one over a hundred years old, and the other over a thousand—seemed to have cracked that mystery long ago.

Could it be that the secret to eternal life had already been found?

The association leader wanted to ask for more information, but just as he opened his mouth, he met a pair of bloodshot eyes filled with killing intent.

Just being glanced at once sent cold sweat pouring down his back.

What the hell was I thinking? I actually approached him while he's still wounded? Did I forget who this man is? A bounty hunter who kills without hesitation...

"Get lost."

The voice boomed in his ears, heavy with pressure.

The Time Vessel Association Leader trembled, then scrambled out of the room without hesitation, only wanting to get as far from Choso as possible.

As for whose room this was? He couldn't care less.

"Ryoumen Sukuna's subordinate..."

Choso furrowed his brows tightly. Now that he knew Uraume's background, he realized how baseless his earlier pride had been.

But still, he couldn't accept the idea of becoming her subordinate.

He needed freedom. He had to find his brothers.

Among the Nine Phases of the Cursed Womb, eight others still waited for their eldest brother to find them.

I must become stronger.

Only strength will give me the lead.

It's fine if I can't beat Itadori Kaori for now, but there's no way I'll bow to Uraume.

Choso made up his mind. He would put aside his current missions and head to Shikoku to find Itadori Kaori. He had to grow stronger, fast, and reunite with his siblings...

What he didn't know was the price he'd have to pay for power in Shikoku.

Shikoku.

Shoso (Scorched Phase) has been lost. The Nine Phases Diagram is no longer complete.

Was it damaged during storage?

Itadori Kaori lowered her phone, visibly displeased.

The school's internal management was just too lax.

She grumbled about Jujutsu High's incompetence, but in truth, she had benefited greatly from it.

After all, the college never expected anyone to raid the secret archives. The only time it happened before was when the Kamo clan had swapped out artifacts before storing them.

The Nine Phases Diagram is incomplete.

Kaori frowned, turning her attention toward a long object wrapped in layers of talismans.

Seems I'll have to rely on his power again.

...

A month passed in the Kidō Training Class.

Gakuganji Yoshinobu had made several trips to the Gojo clan residence, urging the return of Kyoto Jujutsu High's teachers and students. After all, Yuki was one of Kyoto's core Special Grade sorcerers, and Mei Mei and Utahime were also important assets.

Now, all three had been staying at the Gojo residence for three months, skipping school entirely. Gakuganji was getting anxious.

Though Mei Mei and Utahime had little to gain from attending class, there were still plenty of assignments they were supposed to complete.

"Yuki, your principal's come again to visit Kumaen. Are you really planning to stay at the Gojo estate? You're a Special Grade. It's not right for someone like you to abandon their duty to the Jujutsu world, is it?"

Gojo Satoshi was poring over materials on the Tenshintai, but Yuki wasn't with Mei Mei or Utahime. Instead, she remained glued to Satoshi's side, no one really knowing what she was up to.

"What is there to contribute? There's always someone else who can take the job. 'Special Grade sorcerer'—it's just a title."

"Take you, for example. With your power, you're already at the Special Grade level, aren't you? But the General Directorate still won't recognize it."

Yuki stretched lazily. Even though Gakuganji was currently at the Gojo residence, she had no intention of meeting him.

Why waste time? She'd rather spend it with her boyfriend.

If she met Gakuganji, she'd be dragged back to Kyoto High. That would only widen the gap between her and Satoshi.

"Yuki, those are just your excuses."

Satoshi fiddled with the prototype Tenshintai in his hand and glanced at her helplessly. The former Star Plasma Vessel in front of him should have long since mastered Kidō.

But she always pretended like she hadn't learned a thing.

"Is the incantation for Kidō really that difficult? You can just cast it silently, right? Why waste time pretending?"

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to KE for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 345: Reciting the Chant!

Yes, the real reason Yuki hadn't learned Kidō yet… was because she hadn't memorized the incantations.

If others found out, they'd probably be so furious they'd cough up blood.

After all, compared to Yuki, even Yuto, Mei Mei, and the others hadn't yet mastered how to circulate Cursed Energy through Kidō.

While their progress had improved, it would still take time before they truly grasped the path of Kidō.

Over these three months, Satoru and Utahime had already mastered the basics of Kidō. Though they were only somewhat proficient in intermediate Kidō, the advanced techniques remained the exclusive domain of Satoshi.

Meanwhile, the Gojo Clan estate had become a hub for boys and young men, particularly in the mornings. In every hall, classrooms echoed with nothing but the sound of chanted incantations.

Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south

Hadō #31: Shakkahō!

Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!

Hadō #63: Raikōhō!

From within the Gojo Kyokushin-ryu's private training hall, the clear voices of recitation echoed in the early morning hours. In another hall, disciples of the school whispered among themselves.

Though the chants sounded majestic at first, hearing them over and over began to make them feel somewhat childish.

But whenever someone mocked them aloud, Shunichi would immediately scold them.

At first, many disciples thought that Shunichi had rented out the Gojo dojo to outsiders to earn extra money.

Until one day, one of the disciples happened to see Shunichi himself inside that mysterious room... reciting those "middle school" lines together with the rest.

After that discovery, the entire Kyokushin-ryu went into an uproar.

They couldn't believe it— Shunichi was actually part of this middle school-level group!

But soon, the most informed among them, Genichi—the senior disciple and grandson of the current Gojo patriarch—unraveled the truth through his grandfather.

"What exactly is Master Shunichi doing every time he goes into that room after assigning us our daily drills?"

Everyone gathered around, eager for answers.

They had also heard that whatever was being studied in that room was related to Young Master Satoshi.

All disciples of Kyokushin-ryu revered Satoshi.

He was the genius who had forged a Zanpakutō nine years ago, who had erased one of Sukuna's fingers after sleeping for nine years, and who had crushed the combined forces of the two Jujutsu High campuses.

And most importantly, as Shunichi often emphasized, Satoshi was also a master of zanjutsu, a grandmaster in kendo.

Just how old was Satoshi? A 15 or 16-year-old kendo grandmaster—he was practically a living legend.

Now, the legend himself had opened a class inside the Gojo dojo. Whether or not it had anything to do with them directly, anyone who caught wind of it couldn't help but be drawn in.

"Kidō. Master Satoru, Master Shunichi, all of them... they're learning Kidō from Gojo Satoshi in that room!"

Kidō.

The word froze the room.

Suddenly, they remembered the spell Gojo Satoshi had used during the Kyoto-Tokyo Sister School Goodwill Event, the very technique that destroyed Sukuna's finger.

In an instant, those chants—once mocked as childish—became sacred.

They now seemed incomparably refined and powerful.

A system completely independent from Jujutsu, according to the rumors.

And now, it could be learned?

Could it be that Kidō wasn't something you were born with?

"Kidō? That's impossible..."

When Gakuganji Yoshinobu heard the term from Gojo Kumaen, he was left stunned.

Only now did he finally learn the real reason Mei Mei and Utahime had remained at the Gojo estate.

Until now, he'd thought the Gojo family had taken an interest in them for... marital reasons. But to his surprise, they weren't here as potential brides at all.

Gakuganji let out a long sigh of relief.

"Still thinking about dragging them back to Kyoto?" Kumaen asked teasingly, lifting his teacup with a smirk.

Gakuganji quickly sat up straight and said righteously, "Old friend, what are you saying? I don't understand. I just came by to catch up. What's all this about dragging someone out of the Gojo estate?"

Seeing Gakuganji continue to play dumb, Kumaen simply chuckled and took another sip of tea.

If you're not here to take Mei Mei and Utahime back, then why are you still here? You can't tell you're being served tea as a polite way to see yourself out?

Moments later, Gakuganji, leaning on his cane, slowly made his way out the front gate of the Gojo residence.

Even now, he still felt deeply shaken.

He hadn't expected Gojo Satoshi to be so generous as to share the mysterious art of Kidō with Mei Mei and Utahime.

Shouldn't this be a treasured family technique?

Gakuganji suddenly felt that the conservative faction he belonged to had completely underestimated Gojo Satoshi.

Zanpakutō creation was already something that defied historical precedent.

Now, Kidō was proving to be another system that shook the very foundations of Jujutsu society.

If they kept excluding Gojo Satoshi like this, it wouldn't just be the Gojo clan—many other jujutsu families wouldn't tolerate it either.

Gakuganji sighed silently.

Even though he couldn't change the mindset of the conservatives in the General Directorate—since he was one of them himself—it didn't stop him from encouraging students to learn Kidō and improve their power.

And most importantly... if Mei Mei and Utahime could learn Kidō, then could others?

Could he learn it himself?

Even at his age, Yoshinobu Gakuganji still had the desire to grow stronger...

(To be continued.)