HRU: Chapter 255/260

Chapter 255: Is Zanpakutō the Trump Card?

The two of them exchanged a knowing glance, silently holding their sons as they sat on either side of Jogo, quietly watching the livestream.

In truth, they were just like Jogo. They too were looking forward to what changes Satoshi's Zanpakutō would reveal after nine years of slumber.

...

Old buddy, let's see how you perform this time.

Satoshi muttered to himself.

The earlier Bakudō and Hadō had already disrupted the cursed energy structure within Sukuna's fingers.

If those fingers were now attacked by Satoru, Suguru, or Shoko again, the resulting damage and effectiveness would be twice what it was before.

In other words, under the bombardment of Bakudō and Hadō-based Reiryoku, Sukuna's fingers were already under heavy DEBUFF.

Now, it was finally time for the main act to begin.

"Satoru, looks like you weren't convinced last time. Then allow me to show you the true power of a Zanpakutō."

Satoshi narrowed his eyes slightly. Even behind his special sunglasses, the sharp glint in his gaze seemed to pierce through them. The surrounding audience could clearly feel the pressure radiating from his eyes.

At that moment, they finally understood why Satoru had said what he did.

At that moment, they realized Satoshi was finally getting serious.

...

Satoshi slowly drew Sode no Shirayuki.

The blade was still as plain and understated as ever, no different from the Zanpakutōs held by Satoru, Suguru, Shoko, or Yuki.

But no one dared to underestimate this seemingly ordinary weapon.

Satoshi was the creator of the Zanpakutō. His own Zanpakutōs were on a completely different level.

Especially those veterans who had known him nine years ago. They were well aware that Satoshi had mastered the ultimate secret of the Zanpakutō—Bankai.

Still, their emotions were complicated.

The audience had many different reactions, but their sentiments generally split into two camps.

Supporters and skeptics.

Those watching the Cursed Corpse livestream, however, were mostly united in their hopes.

They sincerely wished for Satoshi to destroy Ryoumen Sukuna's finger.

They were mostly ordinary jujutsu sorcerers who had endured countless cursed attacks in this world of jujutsu. Too many of their comrades had died at the hands of curses.

If Satoshi could truly destroy Sukuna's fingers, it would mean a blow to the very root of cursed power.

Especially for Nanami Kento. He had never really felt a sense of belonging to the world of jujutsu. All he ever wanted was to live an ordinary life.

Who would willingly risk death fighting cursed spirits every single day?

As for the Yagyū and Ieiri clans, who had long pledged loyalty to the Gojo clan, their family heads hoped even more fervently to witness Satoshi's past brilliance return.

They all hoped that Satoshi's display would silence the endless criticism swirling in the jujutsu world and raise the Gojo clan's standing once more.

If the Gojo clan got to eat the meat, their allied clans would at least get the soup. That was how the game was played.

In the main broadcast.

The senior officials of the General Directorate, direct affiliates of the Zenin clan, and members of the Kamo family all had complicated expressions.

Their thoughts were far from simple.

Now that Satoshi had drawn his Zanpakutō, it was clear that he intended to use it next.

If that happened, the narrative they had worked so hard to spread—that Satoshi had been collecting Sukuna's fingers to repair his broken Zanpakutō—would be shattered on the spot.

The Gojo clan's suppressed reputation would immediately begin to recover.

And now, the most pressing question in their minds was whether Satoshi's Zanpakutō could really destroy Sukuna's fingers.

If this had been before the battle began, they would have scoffed at the idea. Even if Satoshi could still wield a Zanpakutō, they didn't believe it could break through Sukuna's hardened fingers.

But after watching the opening "appetizer" attacks from Satoru's trio, and the two Hadō feasts Satoshi had prepared…

Looking now at the charred remains of Sukuna's fingers...

The entire Directorate was left speechless.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 256: Ignorant

In the General Directorate's conference room.

Yagyū Hidetsugu wore a faint smirk. As the Gojo clan's elected representative, his stance was clear from the beginning.

Previously, due to Satoshi's prolonged absence, his influence in the Directorate had been quietly diminished.

But now, things were different.

The others in the room wore much more serious expressions.

As a Grade 1 sorcerer, Yagyū Hidetsugu's strength far surpassed most of the other high-ranking members.

He had always held deep contempt for this bloated and ineffective Directorate.

This kind of corrupt bureaucracy would only drag the world of jujutsu further into chaos.

Now, with the chance to leverage Satoshi's destruction of Sukuna's six fingers, he could seize the opportunity to purge the Directorate once and for all.

Whoever was responsible for leaking and distorting information about Satoshi and Sukuna's fingers before would be held accountable after this incident.

This would solidify their camp's voice and power within the Jujutsu Society even further.

...

Far away in Shikoku, Itadori Kaori's gaze remained fixed on Satoshi.

She too wanted to know whether, after nine years, Satoshi could still control his Zanpakutō as freely as before.

Could he still use that Bankai capable of resisting even Domain Expansion?

Sukuna's finger… I'm sorry, but you might be nothing more than a sacrifice this time.

A mysterious gleam shone in Kaori's eyes as she quietly began formulating her plans on how to deal with Satoshi going forward.

Now that he had fully awakened, mastered that strange and unknown Kidō, and recovered his body and Zanpakutō, Gojo Satoshi had become an unpredictable threat.

If nine years ago she was confident in defeating Satoshi one-on-one, now, she couldn't say the same.

After all, her own power hadn't significantly progressed in these nine years. She could only hope that Satoshi's long sleep had left lingering side effects.

Otherwise, in her future plans, Satoshi might become the greatest obstacle in her path.

...

Ryomen Sukuna's expression had lost its usual arrogance. His brows were furrowed, his composure no longer as firm.

Originally, he believed that Ieiri Shoko's attempt was already the limit of what today's sorcerers could achieve.

That time had marked the first in history when one of his fingers was slightly damaged.

But now, the damage to his finger was even more severe than before?

So, there exists a method even more effective than that? Or is it because of Gojo Satoshi? Are sorcerers of this era truly this creative?

Sukuna rested his chin on his palm, contemplating the situation.

His fingers, untouched for thousands of years, had been repeatedly eroded within just a short span. It wasn't lethal damage, but it was irritating nonetheless.

Though the erosion had now paused, the unease in Sukuna's expression remained.

For some reason, a new thought surfaced in his mind.

It feels like this isn't over yet. Is there something else coming?

Sukuna didn't know why this idea occurred to him, but every time he thought about Satoshi, especially their previous battle, he couldn't shake the feeling that this man was no ordinary sorcerer.

If Satoshi hadn't been fully prepared, would he really have launched such an attempt?

Besides, the damage to his fingers was increasing each time.

The most crucial thing was this: previously, only one finger had been affected. Now, six of them were simultaneously transmitting signs of erosion, including the one that had only been lightly damaged before.

What did that mean?

It clearly indicated that these six fingers were being eroded by the same force at the same time.

Which meant someone had gathered them together intentionally, launching a coordinated attack against them.

There was no question about it—this had Satoshi's fingerprints all over it.

What was Satoshi trying to accomplish?

Sukuna had speculated before that Satoshi might be trying to extract the power from his fingers. It made sense. Many sorcerers had thought the same after obtaining a finger.

No one wanted to become a puppet, even to him.

But now, Sukuna's previous assumptions were crumbling. He realized that this might not be about harnessing power at all.

This was likely a plan to destroy his dead wax all at once.

As soon as this idea took root in his mind, Sukuna couldn't shake it.

If this had been before his encounter with Satoshi, he would have sneered at the thought. Destroy his dead wax? Laughable.

But now, after witnessing the way Satoshi operated, he wasn't so sure anymore.

Trying to destroy my fingers to weaken me? Hah. Go ahead, Satoshi. I'd love to see what other tricks you've got up your sleeve.

My fingers isn't so easy to destroy. Now that six of them are damaged, you must've already used a lot of energy. Stop wasting your strength.

A trace of anticipation crept into Sukuna's heart. He was looking forward to seeing Satoshi fail in front of his indestructible fingers.

Sukuna had complete faith in his own power and in the durability of his cursed remains.

They were not something Satoshi could ever hope to destroy.

Unfortunately for him, trapped in his realm of consciousness, Sukuna couldn't see the second livestream. He had no idea what was actually happening in the real world.

If he could see Satoshi now, or witness the methods he had already employed…

Would this former King of Curses still be able to maintain his arrogant calm?

Perhaps it was precisely because he was blind to the current situation that Sukuna felt this inexplicable confidence.

After all, ignorance is bliss.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 257: Rebirth—The Most Beautiful Zanpakutō

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki."

The moment Satoshi spoke those words, Zenin Ogi's entire body trembled as memories from nine years ago flooded back like a tide.

At the same time, Zenin Shinsuke, watching the cursed corpse livestream feed, wore a dark expression.

He once lost to Gojo Satoshi—defeated by Sode no Shirayuki not once, but twice. That loss had shattered his confidence in ever becoming stronger. If it weren't for Satoshi falling into a nine-year slumber, giving him time to gradually recover from that psychological wound, he might have truly been broken beyond repair.

But even now, he still carried a deep-rooted fear of Sode no Shirayuki.

After all, anyone who had experienced being pierced by Sode no Shirayuki's First Dance: Tsukishiro and Third Dance could never forget the terrifying chill that accompanied it.

"Shinsuke, calm yourself. You are now a Grade 1 sorcerer. You will not fall to Gojo Satoshi as you once did. You carry the Zenin family's future now. You cannot be shaken."

Zenin Naobito's voice was firm and commanding, helping to somewhat dispel the panic rising in Zenin Shinsuke's heart.

However, Naobito himself felt a deep helplessness. The words he spoke to Shinsuke were little more than hollow reassurance.

In truth, he knew clearly that even now, Shinsuke could not stand against the power Satoshi had just displayed using those Hadō spells.

Even though Shinsuke had refined his inherited Shadow Technique into a powerful variant, it was no match for Satoshi's endless arsenal of mysterious and unfathomable abilities.

Naobito could only sigh inwardly.

If only Gojo Satoshi had remained asleep forever.

This thought was not unique to him. Zenin Ogi, present at the Treasury, shared the exact same sentiment.

Because as someone at the scene, Ogi could feel the pressure emanating from Sode no Shirayuki more directly than anyone else.

The moment Satoshi uttered Sode no Shirayuki's release phrase, the temperature in the entire Treasury dropped drastically.

Everyone present, whether it was someone as powerful as a Special Grade sorcerer like Tsukumo Yuki, or lower-ranking officials like Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname sent by the General Directorate, instinctively trembled.

All eyes were drawn to the pure white katana in Satoshi's hand, its elegant blade adorned with a flowing white ribbon.

This was Sode no Shirayuki. This was her true form.

Zenin Ogi's face was filled with dismay. He hadn't expected that after nine years, Satoshi would still be able to activate his Zanpakutō's Shikai so effortlessly.

Even more terrifying, Sode no Shirayuki's chill seemed even stronger than it had been back then—an icy aura that seemed to pierce bone.

How had Satoshi managed this?

Ogi didn't want to believe it. Even after witnessing that Satoshi could still draw out the power of his Zanpakutō, he continued to hypnotize himself.

Even if Gojo Satoshi can release his Zanpakutō, so what? Sukuna is the King of Curses. How could his fingers be severed by a Zanpakutō forged by Satoshi?

Ogi didn't realize it himself, but he had already repeated this line internally when Satoshi used Kidō earlier.

Now, he was numb, opposing Satoshi simply out of habit and stubbornness.

On the other side, the eyes of Satoru, Suguru, Yuki, and the faculty of Tokyo Jujutsu High gleamed brightly.

The four hadn't seen Sode no Shirayuki in nine years. Now, upon witnessing her again—reputed as the most beautiful Zanpakutō—they were filled with joy.

After all, beauty was irresistible to both men and women.

Mei Mei and Iori Utahime, who had never seen Sode no Shirayuki before, were momentarily stunned by her elegance.

Even Mei Mei, usually obsessed with profit and value, wasn't thinking about the sword's monetary worth at all. She was only wondering if such a beautiful blade could someday be hers.

Utahime, meanwhile, thought Sode no Shirayuki should be enshrined in a shrine, not used in battle.

A sword this beautiful belonged in the hands of a woman, not Satoshi—though, admittedly, Satoshi's refined looks and aura did complement her well…

Sekiguchi Seiji and Yaga Masamichi were more focused on something else.

They were concerned with Sode no Shirayuki's environmental impact. She wasn't even in Bankai, yet she had already lowered the temperature across the entire Treasury.

What would happen when she activated her techniques?

They didn't even want to imagine it.

From what they understood, Satoshi's Sode no Shirayuki had already achieved Bankai. Yet her Shikai form alone was causing such drastic changes. They couldn't fathom how overwhelming her true power might be.

...

Everyone was waiting with bated breath.

Would Satoshi use First Dance: Tsukishiro, or Second Dance: Hakuren, or the mysterious Third Dance: Shirafune, known only to the Zenin clan?

Unlike Zenin Shinsuke, who had been pierced by Shirafune and survived, Zenin Naobito knew that Sode no Shirayuki still had several other techniques even in her Shikai state.

Many of those in the current generation had never even heard of them.

The only one who had truly experienced Sode no Shirayuki's full arsenal was the one who had once possessed Itadori Kaori's body in an attempt to steal Ryūjin Jakka from Satoshi.

The Bankai: Hakka no Togame that Satoshi had unleashed back then—the absolute cold that froze everything—remained fresh in her memory even after nine years.

Sometimes, she would wonder—what if she had held out just a bit longer? Would she have succeeded in killing Satoshi and seizing Ryūjin Jakka?

But in the countless reviews that followed, she realized one thing.

Fleeing that day had been the wisest choice.

Under the onslaught of Hakka no Togame, if she had delayed for even a second, she would have been frozen solid by the sheer cold of that attack.

Even if she hadn't died, the people waiting outside the barrier could have easily shattered it and ended her.

Now, Satoshi would likely use Sode no Shirayuki's Bankai—Hakka no Togame—against Ryomen Sukuna's fingers.

A faint smile curved on Kaori's lips.

Sukuna's fingers was not the same as his true body. It wasn't limited by fragile human vessels.

Her current vessel—Itadori Kaori's body—might fear Hakka no Togame's extreme cold. But Sukuna's fingers wouldn't.

Satoshi's plan is destined to fail.

She admitted Hakka no Togame was powerful. But in the end, all of Satoshi's efforts would be in vain.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 258: Structure

Holding the pure white Sode no Shirayuki, Satoshi gently waved it. The tip of the Zanpakutō traced a clean arc around the stone platform where Sukuna's six fingers were arranged, drawing a perfect circle.

As the arc was completed, everyone instinctively stepped back.

No one dared remain within the circle Satoshi had marked. The aura of frost gathering inside it was enough for any sorcerer to sense that Sode no Shirayuki's technique had been activated.

"First Dance: Tsukishiro."

A surge of freezing air burst forth from within the circle, forming a vertical column of glacial energy that completely enveloped the six fingers of Ryomen Sukuna.

Then, raising Sode no Shirayuki to eye level and holding it horizontally, Satoshi softly continued:

"Second Dance: Hakuren."

A torrent of snow and frost exploded from the blade in Satoshi's hand, cascading like a waterfall upon Sukuna's fingers. Within the illuminated boundary drawn by Tsukishiro, the power of frost continued to intensify, causing everyone nearby to instinctively pull their collars tighter.

If they hadn't stepped outside that circle earlier, they would already have been frozen into ice sculptures by the combined effect of Tsukishiro and Hakuren.

Next… will he use Shirafune?

Zenin Shinsuke watched the livestream with a grim expression. He had once been caught off guard and wounded by Shirafune's sudden extension. The intense cold, combined with its unpredictable length, made it near impossible to defend against.

Zenin Naobito, meanwhile, was lost in thought. What will Satoshi do next?

From the current display, it seemed that even with these techniques, Satoshi still didn't have the strength to completely destroy Sukuna's fingers.

He admitted Sode no Shirayuki was powerful. But before the Curse King, wasn't it still lacking?

However, glancing at the trembling Zenin Ogi beside him, Naobito realized something was off.

Clearly, Satoshi hadn't just used Tsukishiro and Hakuren.

Those two alone wouldn't cause someone like Zenin Ogi, a veteran Grade 1 sorcerer, or even Satoru, to visibly shiver from cold.

It was obvious that between the visible techniques, Satoshi had embedded other abilities. Abilities Naobito remembered Satoshi mentioning once:

Minus eighteen degrees.

Minus fifty degrees.

Absolute zero.

Naobito murmured under his breath, "Inside that moonlit circle, Satoshi has probably already released… Absolute Zero."

"Absolute Zero?"

Zenin Shinsuke frowned. His face showed complete confusion. He had no idea what those three words even meant.

What's minus eighteen? What's minus fifty? And what is Absolute Zero?

Faced with Shinsuke's question, Naobito sighed and replied solemnly:

"Shinsuke, in your opinion, how many techniques does Sode no Shirayuki have?"

"How many?" Shinsuke was puzzled by the question.

"Aren't there just three?"

"No—wait, four. There's also that mysterious Bankai."

Shinsuke stated his understanding with confidence. As someone who had fought Satoshi twice, he felt qualified to speak on the matter.

But he didn't expect Naobito to respond with a sigh.

"Shinsuke, a Zanpakutō isn't as simple as you think. Sode no Shirayuki has far more than just the techniques you've seen."

Naobito's words made Shinsuke feel a bit indignant. He believed he was the most familiar with this Zanpakutō.

But suddenly, his eyes widened, and he stared at Naobito in disbelief.

"You don't mean…?"

Naobito nodded. "The terms I just said aren't just temperatures. They're also names of other techniques in Sode no Shirayuki's arsenal."

"Right now, Gojo Satoshi should have already used Absolute Zero. Look closer at Sukuna's fingers."

Shinsuke was stunned. But before he could digest the meaning, his eyes were already drawn back to the livestream.

What's happening?!

Before everyone's eyes, a thick layer of frost formed on the surface of Sukuna's fingers. The dark red color faded, replaced by a cold bluish-purple hue.

What the hell?

This is Sukuna's dead wax, a residual cursed remnant. It's supposed to be dead, so how can it look like it's being frozen to death?

Besides Naobito, many other onlookers noticed the change and were visibly shocked.

Satoru's Six Eyes were operating at full capacity, his mind running calculations at high speed.

He wasn't one to accept defeat easily, especially not to his younger brother—not without understanding how he lost.

"The structure of Sukuna's cursed energy… is destabilizing."

Satoru's words were cryptic, but no one at the scene was ordinary. Even people like Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname were Grade 1 sorcerers at minimum. They instantly understood the implications.

The cursed energy structure is breaking down?

That shouldn't be possible—not with Sukuna's fingers!

It sounded unbelievable.

A cursed spirit's strength came from two things: the amount of cursed energy it possessed, and the structure of that energy.

A stable cursed energy structure could allow a spirit with less energy to overpower one with more. In other words, structural stability equated to cursed energy purity.

That was the reason Sukuna's fingers had never been destroyed.

Its cursed energy structure was too stable, completely unshakable by modern sorcerers.

But now… Satoshi had shaken it.

No one doubted Satoru's words. They all felt the same—Sukuna's fingers had indeed changed.

Satoshi had done something no one else had ever managed.

"But if this is all… it's still not enough."

Satoru removed his sunglasses, staring intently at Sukuna's six fingers.

The cursed energy in the air surged as his senses heightened to the extreme.

Any fluctuation in the cursed energy structure of those fingers wouldn't escape his notice.

But even now, he could feel it—Sukuna's cursed energy structure was still stable. Shaken, but not shattered.

If things continued like this, the fingers would adapt to even Absolute Zero…

(To be continued.)

Chapter 259: Bankai, Hakka no Togame

After hearing Satoru's words, the expressions of Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname brightened. The biting chill from Sode no Shirayuki that had been creeping through their bodies suddenly felt more bearable.

Earlier, when they heard that the cursed energy structure of Sukuna's finger had been disrupted, Ogi still doubted whether Satoshi could truly destroy the cursed object.

Now, after Satoru's declaration, his unease vanished.

Sukuna was the King of Curses. How could Satoshi possibly destabilize the cursed structure of Sukuna's fingers?

This must be Satoshi's limit.

Ogi had completely stopped thinking rationally. He hadn't even realized that Satoshi hadn't used Sode no Shirayuki's Bankai yet.

At that moment, Yuki, Satoru, and the others were quietly waiting for it.

They understood that only Hakka no Togame, the final punishment after Bankai, could inflict fatal damage to Sukuna's fingers.

"Don't rush things."

Satoshi smiled calmly. Now that the structure of Sukuna's cursed energy had been shaken, it was no longer indestructible.

Since Satoru had spoken up, there was no reason to delay any longer.

He had already achieved his goal. He understood Sukuna's strength well. Dragging this out served no purpose.

"Bankai."

"Hakka no Togame."

The moment those words left Satoshi's lips, a chill swept across the Treasury, making everyone flinch.

The air's temperature dropped instantly.

And in the blink of an eye, Satoshi's form transformed completely.

His clothing turned pure white, as though coated in frost. The pristine blade of Sode no Shirayuki had become fully transparent, like an ice-forged katana.

Hakka no Togame, this is Hakka no Togame.

Yuki's eyes widened. She had seen it before, but due to the barrier that day, her view was limited.

So this is its true form. This is the Bankai—Hakka no Togame. Now my Six Eyes can finally analyze the difference between Shikai and Bankai.

Satoru's eyes were gleaming. This was the only known Bankai in the world. He wouldn't miss a single second of it.

Others who possessed Zanpakutō felt the same.

Yuki, Suguru, Shoko, and Saemon, standing at the scene.

Watching the livestream were Toji, Yuto, and Shunichi.

No one dared to blink.

Even though they all knew that watching Satoshi complete his Bankai wouldn't suddenly grant them the ability to do the same, they still clung to that faint hope.

Especially because the power of Hakka no Togame in Satoshi's hands was simply overwhelming.

Throughout the entire forbidden Treasury of Tokyo Jujutsu High, crystalline ice began to form from thin air.

Then, in front of everyone, Satoshi changed stances and raised Sode no Shirayuki, now in its Bankai form, toward the sky.

Massive icicles surged upward. The pale blue pillars supported a colossal frozen disc. From beneath it, blizzards of snow and ice surged down toward Sukuna's fingers.

Under the bombardment of this glacial force, panic spread across the faces of all present.

The weight of Sode no Shirayuki's Bankai made it feel like the next second would bury them all in crystalline snow and freeze them where they stood.

Is this the power of Bankai? Is this the kind of cold that severs life itself? Just looking at it makes my soul feel like it's freezing.

Ogi trembled uncontrollably. He wanted to run, but the chill locking up his body made it impossible to move.

Kamo Kaname, who was weaker than him, was even worse off. He had gone numb, unable to respond at all.

The person most shocked by what she saw, however, wasn't at the scene.

It was Itadori Kaori, watching from the Shikoku livestream.

As expected. He used Bankai again.

She was the only one alive who had personally experienced the full force of Bankai.

She knew exactly how terrifying Sode no Shirayuki became in that form.

And this was the moment she had been waiting for.

She had stayed glued to the livestream just to see whether Ryomen Sukuna's fingers could withstand the power of Bankai.

Was the dead wax of Ryomen Sukuna truly stronger?

Or was Satoshi's mysterious Zanpakutō more powerful?

Kaori stared at the screen, eyes filled with anticipation. The result would directly affect the course of her plans.

...

At the Tombs of the Star,

Tengen watched Satoshi unleash Hakka no Togame with a mix of shock and quiet relief.

If Satoshi's Zanpakutō was truly this powerful, then the nine years she had spent collaborating with Urozakuro had not been wasted.

If Urozakuro's Bankai reached even close to this level, then it could indeed help her fulfill her goal of fusion.

Yes, Tengen had already formed a plan in her mind.

Dripping water wears through stone.

In these past nine years, she and Urozakuro had formed a faint resonance, though she had yet to take that final step.

But she understood Urozakuro's ability well. It could help her.

Fusion. That was its true power.

"Gojo Satoshi… if Urozakuro's Bankai still requires more time, I may not be able to hold on much longer."

Tengen's expression returned to calm. Her gaze remained fixed on the screen, quietly hoping that Satoshi's Bankai could completely annihilate Sukuna's fingers.

...

The entire Treasury was now engulfed in crystalline ice.

Tokyo Jujutsu High resembled a palace of frost and silence. Everyone stood frozen in place, stunned.

The snow and ice turned everything into a frozen grave.

Even though Sukuna's fingers were merely dead wax, they looked like they had been buried alive, locked in a coffin of glacial punishment.

Surely Sukuna's fingers can't last much longer.

That same thought echoed through every mind present, even Zenin Ogi's.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 260: Ryūjin Jakka Hasn't Appeared

No one expected that Ryomen Sukuna's fingers could remain intact under the power of a Bankai.

After all, this Bankai was overwhelmingly powerful. Perhaps, if Sukuna were still alive, he might have stood a chance. But against this? Everyone thought it was impossible.

As the blue crystalline snow gradually dissipated, both the on-site audience and viewers online focused their attention on the place where Sukuna's fingers had been sealed.

The two restraints that had originally bound Sukuna's fingers—the rope and the breaking wheel—had been completely destroyed under the might of Hakka no Togame.

Yet without those bindings, Sukuna's six fingers did not scatter. Instead, they remained stuck together, as if fused.

However, no one present paid attention to the reason for this adhesion.

They were far more shocked by something else—despite enduring the full force of Hakka no Togame, Sukuna's fingers hadn't changed much at all, other than their hue shifting to a deeper icy blue.

This result was... underwhelming.

Could it be that even Shōko's earlier attack had inflicted more damage?

Everyone felt a deep sense of unease.

Especially those who had felt the power of Hakka no Togame firsthand. That kind of soul-freezing chill should not have left the target so untouched.

Could Sukuna's fingers possess some kind of innate resistance to frost-based techniques?

Itadori Kaori furrowed her brows, uncertain about what was happening.

In her opinion, Hakka no Togame should be Gojo Satoshi's strongest technique. If even this couldn't destroy Sukuna's fingers, then what else could?

Could it be that Satoshi hadn't spent the last nine years resting, but instead was researching a new ability?

Still, that seemed unlikely.

Kaori couldn't shake the feeling that something else was going to happen.

...

At the Tombs of the Star, Tengen stared calmly at Sukuna's fingers.

She said nothing. Instead, she once again picked up Urozakuro.

...

"Did Gojo Satoshi... fail?"

Sekiguchi Seiji, the principal of Jujutsu High, looked toward Yaga Masamichi with visible frustration. In his eyes, this was Satoshi's trump card.

If even this couldn't destroy Sukuna's fingers, then things were looking grim.

Yaga narrowed his eyes, furrowed his brow, and shook his head slightly. He didn't believe Satoshi would act without absolute confidence.

But reality, as Sekiguchi had pointed out, seemed to tell a different story. It looked as though Satoshi had failed.

Seeing this, Kamo Kaname and Zenin Ogi—seated across from them—breathed sighs of relief.

Although they had been repeatedly embarrassed by Satoshi throughout this incident, they now believed this might finally be their moment.

After all, the result was right in front of them. Despite such a powerful Bankai, Sukuna's fingers were still intact.

Yet this time, Ogi didn't rush to speak.

He turned his gaze toward Satoru.

Compared to everyone's assumptions, the opinion of Satoru—Satoshi's twin and the bearer of the Six Eyes—carried far more weight.

The Six Eyes could see deeper than any of them.

Ogi had learned his lesson. Before jumping to conclusions, he decided to remain silent.

After witnessing the overwhelming power of Hakka no Togame, he understood how terrifying a Zanpakutō Bankai could be.

Mocking it too soon would only bring disgrace to the Zenin Clan—and to himself.

He stared at Satoru intently and noticed a look of shock on his face.

"The cursed energy structure within Sukuna's fingers... it's stabilizing. The prior signs of collapse have stopped... what's going on?"

The pupils of Satoru's Six Eyes contracted rapidly.

Why had Hakka no Togame not only failed to destroy Sukuna's fingers, but even allowed the cursed energy structure within them to stabilize?

Why?

He frowned deeply, clearly confused and disturbed. If Bankai couldn't destroy Sukuna's fingers, wouldn't Satoshi be humiliated in front of everyone?

He looked at Satoshi, who was slowly returning to normal after using Hakka no Togame, his heart filled with unease.

...

However, neither Shoko nor Yuki showed the slightest doubt.

Both women wore calm, unwavering expressions of trust.

They believed in Gojo Satoshi completely.

This wasn't blind faith. What Satoshi had achieved nine years ago had proven that he was not someone who gave up halfway.

...

Inside the Yorozuya.

Toji, Yuto, and Jogo also stared intently at the projected screen.

"Satoshi seems to be in a tough spot, huh?" Yuto drooped his brows and sighed, though his tone lacked any real concern.

Hearing this, Toji curled his lips and replied casually, "Trust Satoshi. He must have a plan. We're not there, so we don't know the whole picture."

"Even that brat Satoru with his Six Eyes doesn't see everything. If Satoshi gave up this easily, he wouldn't be Gojo Satoshi."

Toji's trust in Satoshi ran deeper than even Tsukumo or Shoko's.

"Oh, no doubt about that. He's not the kind to fall short so easily."

"But still... we're talking about the fingers of the Cursed King here."

Yuto tried to give a little credit to Sukuna's legacy. Even if Satoshi failed to destroy it, wasn't that still understandable?

After all, that cursed object had survived for a thousand years.

If Satoshi's Hakka no Togame couldn't destroy it, it wouldn't be unreasonable.

Satoshi was only sixteen years old. Wasn't it too much to expect a sixteen-year-old to carry the fate of the Jujutsu world on his back?

"So what if it's the Curse King's fingers?" Toji scoffed. "Hehehe. That was just Sode no Shirayuki's Bankai. Satoshi hasn't even used Ryūjin Jakka yet!"

(To be continued.)

We are almost there 🫩