🎊HRU: Chapter 248/254

Chapter 248: Big Star

"Is this Gojo Satoshi really Yuki's boyfriend?"

There was a gleam in Nanami Kento's eyes.

He wasn't jealous. On the contrary, he felt that Satoshi and Yuki were a perfect match.

Unlike others who doubted the power of Zanpakutō, Nanami Kento had already confirmed with certainty that it was Satoshi who saved him.

Such a person seemed like the perfect match for someone like Yuki, whose personality was blunt and fierce.

Even though he had been asleep for nine years, who else but a Special-Grade sorcerer like Yuki could possibly be the girlfriend of someone like Gojo Satoshi?

Nanami Kento was confident in that reasoning, but at the same time, another candidate surfaced in his mind—Ieiri Shoko.

Ieiri Shoko, who could use the Reverse Cursed Technique to injure even Sukuna's fingers, seemed like a suitable match for Satoshi as well.

Most importantly, the two of them appeared to be childhood friends, and their ages were quite close.

Nanami Kento hesitated. Was Satoshi's girlfriend Yuki or Shoko? Then he suddenly realized something and felt a bit overwhelmed.

What did it matter to him who Gojo Satoshi's girlfriend was?

He was still single. Meanwhile, Gojo Satoshi had been asleep for nine years and still had women waiting for him.

Thinking about this, the always serious Nanami Kento felt slightly shaken.

...

Far away in Kyoto, at Kyoto Jujutsu High.

The old Yoshinobu Gakuganji smiled bitterly and shook his head as he strummed the electric guitar beside him, the image completely out of sync with his appearance.

"Yuki, it seems you've truly made up your mind. You're still so persistent about Gojo Satoshi."

"Is it because of Satoshi that Lord Tengen chose not to assimilate you? You're not trying to repay Satoshi just because of that, are you?"

"This kind of emotion is not a good thing."

Gakuganji recalled the moment Tengen handed Yuki over to Kyoto High.

He remembered the Zanpakutō Tengen wore at her waist and couldn't help but guess the hidden connection between Gojo Satoshi and Lord Tengen.

Most importantly, he had also heard that the first time Gojo Satoru and Satoshi appeared together this year was near the Tombs of the Star.

What did that mean?

There was no doubt that the place where Gojo Satoshi had been sleeping for the past nine years was within Tengen's domain—the Tombs of the Star.

That Tengen would allow Satoshi to sleep within her territory for nine years said one thing clearly—she acknowledged Gojo Satoshi.

Tengen used the Zanpakutō forged by Satoshi, which meant she recognized not just the man, but his craft as well.

Gakuganji had always harbored suspicions about the relationship between Tengen and Satoshi.

The reason why Tengen failed to assimilate with Yuki might very well have been because of Satoshi. More specifically, because of the Zanpakutō he forged for her.

Gakuganji even harbored an audacious thought in his heart.

As someone who had been in the sorcery world for decades, he understood Tengen more than most.

As a woman, Tengen disliked men. Unless they were the descendants of her old friends, she rarely spent any meaningful time with them.

It was hard for him to imagine that Tengen had lived with a man for nine years.

That was the Tombs of the Star, Tengen's private sanctuary. If Gojo Satoshi had truly been asleep for nine years, then that counted as them living together.

Gakuganji's expression turned complicated.

Before Satoshi awakened, all attention was focused on Satoru.

There was no question about Gojo Satoru's potential. With the Six Eyes and Limitless Technique, it was inevitable that he would become the strongest sorcerer of his generation.

Even though Yuki was currently the only Special Grade, Satoru would eventually surpass her.

But now, with Satoshi awake, paying attention to Satoru had become secondary.

It was as if Gojo Satoshi had been born to be the protagonist of this era. Everyone else, including Satoru and Yuki, became mere footnotes in his story.

Even though Satoshi couldn't use his Zanpakutō at the moment, the other Zanpakutō around him continued to shine brightly.

As long as Zanpakutō existed, as long as their power continued to amaze, no one would forget the man who created them—Gojo Satoshi. Even if Satoshi himself could no longer wield one...

It was a tragedy to be born in the same era as Gojo Satoshi.

Satoshi was like the sun. People like Yuki and Satoru, even with their immense talent, could only become the planets that orbited silently around him.

"Mei Mei, Utahime... I hope that after this exchange event, you'll understand what true top-tier power in your generation looks like."

Gakuganji lowered his eyes, his brows sagging slightly as a complex expression surfaced on his face.

Perhaps he had made the wrong decision.

Maybe it was too early for Mei Mei and Utahime to meet Gojo Satoru and Gojo Satoshi.

If their confidence were shattered, it would be difficult to recover.

Hopefully Yuki can maintain balance and not become love-blinded. This Gojo Satoshi really is a strange one.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 249: The Twins of the Zenin Family

After stopping Yuki, Satoshi walked straight toward Ryoumen Sukuna's finger.

"Zenin clan, Kamo clan... seems you've been quite active these past nine years."

Satoshi glanced toward the direction of the two families, a playful smile on his face, clearly not taking them seriously.

In the world of jujutsu, strength is everything. And the Zenin and Kamo clans? They weren't even worth a second look to Gojo Satoshi.

Even though the two clans had produced successors of their respective ancestral techniques—Ten Shadows and Blood Manipulation—it was unfortunate that neither clan had anyone capable of bringing out their full potential.

His existence hadn't disrupted the birth of Megumi. Right now, Megumi was living peacefully within the Yorozuya. Under his advice, Megumi's mother paid greater attention to her health and likely wouldn't die early like in the original timeline.

Given this, there was no way the Zenin clan would send their precious heir to a garbage heap like they did before, right?

That meant they had already missed their chance to reclaim the legacy of Ten Shadows. For the younger generation, the best they had were Zenin Shinsuke and Zenin Naoya.

That kind of Zenin clan wasn't worth fearing.

The Kamo clan was in even worse shape.

They desperately tried to give birth to a child with Blood Manipulation, but the mother wasn't aligned with the family and eventually left.

The child, Kamo Noritoshi, had limited talent and couldn't bring out the full power of Blood Manipulation.

To Satoshi, both clans were nothing but clowns.

Even if he had been asleep for years, the peak combat power of his team remained untouched.

Toji alone could wipe out both clans without effort.

Jogo, Yuto, Satoru, and Suguru—any one of these four could crush either family with ease.

He genuinely didn't understand where the two clans found the courage to stand up to the Gojo clan.

But he no longer cared.

The Zenin and Kamo clans were minor annoyances. What he needed now was to remove the fuel from the fire.

It was better to remove the wood under the pot than to try and stop a boiling cauldron by pouring water.

Sukuna was one of the top forces in this world. If his power could be weakened—or better yet, eliminated—then all the other strategies and schemes would become meaningless.

Whether it was Itadori Kaori or the chains used to bind her, none of it mattered in the face of absolute strength.

Satoshi knew that his foundation lay in his Zanpakutō and Shinigami abilities.

If he could complete Ryūjin Jakka's Bankai, if he could master enough Kidō, then even Ryoumen Sukuna at full power would stand no chance against him.

That was why he chose force over cleverness.

...

In response to Satoshi's dismissive words, Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname merely smirked, saying nothing.

This was their chance. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Gojo Satoshi had delivered to them himself. They had to seize it.

If they didn't, the Zenin and Kamo clans might truly fall under the heel of the Gojo clan and become nothing more than small, irrelevant houses.

"Gojo Satoshi, you don't have a Zanpakutō anymore. All you can do is rely on the others in your clan who still have theirs."

"No matter how powerful your Zanpakutō is, what can you do without Cursed Energy? Do you really think you can get by using the same cheap tricks you pulled at the entrance exam?"

Zenin Ogi wasn't about to be fooled by Satoshi again.

Over the last nine years, he had constantly stewed in the humiliation Satoshi had brought upon him.

Gojo Satoshi and Toji—those two were the people Zenin Ogi hated most in this world.

Of course, his two talentless daughters were also a disgrace to him. Zenin Naoya inherited Naobito's Projection Sorcery, which was considered part of the direct bloodline's legacy. But what about his own daughters?

They were twins, just like Gojo Satoru and Gojo Satoshi.

And the eldest was born with a Heavenly Restriction.

Twins plus Heavenly Restriction. The moment those two labels were attached to his daughters, Ogi couldn't help but be reminded of Satoshi—the source of his greatest shame.

If his eldest daughter, Zenin Maki, had Satoshi's level of talent or Toji's monstrous physical strength, then perhaps he could tolerate her existence, even begrudgingly.

After all, she might have become a valuable piece for him to use against the Gojo clan.

But in reality, she was a waste. Her body was broken due to her Heavenly Restriction, and she possessed a trace amount of Cursed Energy.

The younger daughter was physically normal but lacked ability, her cursed power mediocre at best. She was completely unremarkable.

If he hadn't confirmed they were truly his children by blood, he would've suspected his wife of betrayal.

He, Zenin Ogi, a man whose status wasn't beneath Zenin Naobito's, had ambitions of his own. Yet he was saddled with such disgraceful heirs. He would've been better off not having children at all.

Twins. Again, twins.

Twins were truly a curse.

But Gojo Satoru and Gojo Satoshi had elevated the meaning of twins to its peak in the world of jujutsu. So, when the Zenin family gave birth to twin daughters, everyone had hoped they'd be just like the Gojo twins.

Maybe they'd awaken Ten Shadows.

But the curse of mediocrity had struck hard. The reality was that most twins were born ordinary.

Now, he wanted to personally drag the heretic Gojo Satoshi down from his altar.

Surrounded by onlookers and unaware that the scene was being broadcast live on a secondary channel, Zenin Ogi's expression twisted with malevolence.

"Gojo Satoshi, without your Zanpakutō, you're nothing more than a regular person with no Cursed Energy!"

"Whether you're just an ordinary person or you've mastered some sleight of hand, none of it matters to me. What matters is that the Jujutsu Association's Directorate will never allow you to take possession of Sukuna's finger!"

"We already know you're trying to restore your Zanpakutō using Ryoumen Sukuna's finger! Don't think for a second we'll let you use that vile thing to bring your Zanpakutō back! The entire jujutsu world will reject you!"

At this moment, Zenin Ogi spoke with self-righteous conviction, as if Satoshi's actions had placed him in opposition to the world itself.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 250: Whetstone

"Zenin Ogi, not that it matters, but I never planned to use Sukuna's fingers."

"Even if I did, as you say, use Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers to awaken my Zanpakutō—what exactly is wrong with that?"

"If my Zanpakutō can consume Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers, wouldn't that be a blessing for the entire jujutsu world?"

Satoshi raised an eyebrow as he looked at Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname, amusement written across his face.

Perhaps Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname thought that this live-broadcast stunt would let them fish in troubled waters.

But in truth, Satoshi's aim was to use this very public moment to help sorcerers shed their fear of Ryoumen Sukuna.

The stance that Zenin Ogi took was already flawed. That was why his current actions failed to align with mainstream values.

When Satoshi said that, both the spectators at the scene and those watching the broadcast were stunned.

Up until now, the focus had always been on Gojo Satoshi possibly using Sukuna's finger for selfish gain. No one had considered the fact that if he truly could use Sukuna's finger, it would actually demonstrate his strength, wouldn't it?

Just as Satoshi said, if his Zanpakutō could devour the fingers of Ryoumen Sukuna, wouldn't that be considered purging a great evil from the cursed world?

At that moment, both on and off the battlefield, the atmosphere grew strangely awkward.

Those who despised the Gojo clan and were annoyed by Satoru's eccentric nature naturally extended that dislike to Satoshi.

On the other hand, those aligned with the Yorozuya and the Gojo household naturally supported him and felt that letting Satoshi make use of Sukuna's fingers was a good thing.

...

Zenin Ogi was speechless. Faced with the point raised by Satoshi, he had no idea how to respond.

He couldn't even convince himself, because what Satoshi said made too much sense.

As he watched Ogi stumble over his words, a faint sneer appeared on Satoshi's face.

He knew Zenin Ogi had reached a miserable point.

The General Directorate of the Jujutsu Association was filled with people like this. No wonder Satoru had once referred to it as a basket of rotten oranges.

Fortunately, this time, he had persuaded the Gojo and Yagyū families to support the Ieiri-led Directorate.

At least, among the rot, there were still some unspoiled pieces.

But if you mix fresh and rotten oranges together for too long, even the good ones will spoil.

Once this matter with Sukuna's finger was settled, he'd need to clean house at the Jujutsu Association.

If they didn't eliminate the hidden threats now, they would only end up dragging down the future or stabbing them in the back at critical moments.

No one else could carry out this purge. Only he, as a reincarnator, could do it properly and efficiently.

Still, for now, his top priority was to destroy Sukuna's fingers and weaken his power.

...

Zenin Ogi's silence was met with Satoshi's indifference.

He stood calmly at the center of the library, where he had the best vantage point. All around him were various Cursed Objects collected by Tokyo Jujutsu High.

The venue was large and durable enough for him to unleash his power.

Satoshi retrieved five more fingers and placed them alongside the one that had previously been struck by Satoru and the others.

This move puzzled everyone. Satoshi clearly intended to destroy all six of Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers at once.

But where did he get the confidence?

Had he forgotten that even Satoru and Suguru had only managed to leave marks on Sukuna's fingers using their Zanpakutō?

Not only did Zenin Ogi and the others look uneasy, even those in the Yorozuya faction—who trusted Satoshi deeply—showed signs of hesitation and inner conflict.

They still believed in him, but this act seemed a bit too dismissive of Sukuna's might.

Is this really necessary? That's Ryoumen Sukuna.

Nanami Kento muttered under his breath.

Ever since he guessed that Satoshi had been the one who saved him, he had been rooting for him to destroy Sukuna's fingers.

But Satoshi's behavior made him unsure whether to laugh or worry.

He believed Satoshi was stronger than Satoru, but surely the gap wasn't that wide?

Satoru could only leave minor damage. Was Satoshi really about to obliterate six of Sukuna's fingers at once?

Nanami's thoughts reflected what most people in the audience were thinking. But what they didn't know was that Satoshi's action was, in fact, a form of respect toward Sukuna.

After all, Sukuna was the King of Curses. Even in this dried-up, mummified state, Satoshi would have to go all out to destroy the remnants.

Given that, it made sense to handle them all at once.

If he destroyed them one by one, it would be exhausting.

After all, these were the remains of Sukuna. They deserved that much acknowledgment.

...

Feeling the waves of doubt from the crowd, Satoshi's expression didn't change in the slightest. He simply smiled and turned his full focus onto the six fingers resting atop the stone platform.

Aside from the one damaged by Satoru and the others, the remaining five were dry and a dark, blood-like red.

These were Sukuna's fingers. Each contained one-twentieth of his full power.

If he succeeded in destroying them, it would reduce Sukuna's strength by roughly thirty percent.

Even though the six fingers were incredibly tough, Satoshi was confident. He had made multiple preparations and was certain he could crush them.

Whether or not that was something the rest of the world wanted to see, he didn't care.

What he knew was that Zenin Ogi, Kamo Kaname, and Itadori Kaori—who had all opposed him—absolutely did not want to see him succeed.

Nine years. He had slept for nine years.

Now, it was time to use Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers as the whetstone to sharpen his strength.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 251: The Feast Prepared by Gojo Satoshi

Facing the fingers before him, Satoshi raised his right hand and pointed, calmly humming,

"Bakudō #4: Hainawa."

As the five-syllable incantation fell, spiritual energy surged within his body and flowed out from his fingertip, forming a luminous rope of Reiryoku that bound the six fingers of Ryoumen Sukuna together.

His casual demeanor left the onlookers momentarily stunned.

Was this a technique? Hadn't Zenin Ogi insisted that the abilities Satoshi used in battle were just one-time tools? Then why could he still use them again?

Anyone paying attention could recognize it immediately. The technique, Hainawa, was the same one Satoshi had used to bind the Finger Cursed Spirit in an earlier battle.

That cursed spirit had been annihilated by two other mysterious techniques Satoshi released afterward.

Was he now going to use the same combo on Ryoumen Sukuna's six fingers?

That couldn't be, right?

While the cursed spirit that devoured Sukuna's finger had been killed by that mysterious attack, the finger itself had remained completely unharmed. What gave Satoshi such confidence now?

What was the point of binding these fingers?

Sukuna's fingers weren't going to flee. What was needed wasn't restraint, but overwhelming destructive force to obliterate them.

Every technique a sorcerer casts requires Cursed Energy. Was Gojo Satoshi just wasting energy?

That was the thought among many watching the livestream, while those present furrowed their brows and focused intently on Satoshi's next move.

Because something felt off.

Satoshi had just used that technique, yet there hadn't been any fluctuation of Cursed Energy.

Had they simply missed it?

Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname shared a glance, both noticing this oddity. But Satoshi gave them no time to ponder it.

Following Hainawa, he began chanting another incantation.

"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!!

Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat!"

This was the incantation for Bakudō #9: Geki. A reward Satoshi had received after defeating the Finger Cursed Spirit.

A higher-level binding technique compared to Hainawa.

A golden wheel appeared between his palms, spinning rapidly. Several luminous golden ropes shot out, further reinforcing the restraint already applied by Hainawa.

The six fingers of Ryoumen Sukuna were now tightly sealed by both Hainawa and Geki. If not for the faint outline of dark red flesh and black nails visible beneath the layers of spiritual light, it would've looked like a purely luminous bundle.

Confirmed. That really isn't Cursed Energy.

Kamo Kaname glanced at Zenin Ogi, silently signaling the realization.

Zenin Ogi gave a subtle nod. He had been tracking Satoshi's every move and hadn't detected the slightest ripple of Cursed Energy.

Besides, Satoshi wasn't supposed to have any to begin with.

Both Satoshi and Toji were born under the most extreme form of Heavenly Restriction, devoid of Cursed Energy entirely.

Could it be that his body had changed after sleeping for nine years? Had the restriction somehow lifted?

No, that couldn't be.

More importantly, in the world of jujutsu, innate techniques didn't require chant-like incantations to activate. This wasn't some fantasy magic from novels or movies.

What Satoshi had done just now was undeniably a form of chant-based spellcasting.

It was not jujutsu. It wasn't ritual-based sorcery either.

It wasn't Cursed Technique. What he used simply wasn't sorcery at all.

Zenin Ogi reached this conclusion, and so did many of the sharp-eyed spectators at the scene.

Under the scrutiny of the public eye, no one had sensed any Cursed Energy coming from Satoshi. His actions were undeniably different.

Which meant these techniques—like Hainawa and the binding wheel—were not jujutsu. At least not in the conventional sense.

What was more disturbing was that these strange techniques didn't stop at one or two. Everyone still remembered clearly that Satoshi had unleashed two techniques called Hadō in the earlier battle to directly destroy the Finger Cursed Spirit.

Was he about to repeat that performance?

Was this to prove Zenin Ogi wrong?

But what would be the point of that?

...

Satoshi didn't care what the audience thought.

He had his own purpose.

Earlier, when he came into contact with Sukuna's finger, he had sensed the interaction between Reiryoku and Cursed Energy.

The effect was faint, but Reiryoku disrupted the balance of Cursed Energy ever so slightly.

So, the first course in the feast he had prepared for Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers was to bind them using Bakudō, allowing the fingers to soak in spiritual energy and destabilize their internal structure.

There was no denying Sukuna's power in this world.

Just because he had a system didn't mean Satoshi could take Sukuna lightly, or that dealing with him would be as easy as slicing vegetables.

That was impossible.

So, he had meticulously prepared a plan to eliminate Sukuna's fingers in a single move.

Course one—double Bakudō.

Hainawa and Geki had completed their task, binding the six fingers and subtly eroding the structure of their Cursed Energy.

Next came course two in Gojo Satoshi's feast.

The Hadō.

If Bakudō was meant to create internal imbalance, then the Hadō was the strike that would fully unravel the cursed structure of Sukuna's preserved remains.

These fingers were dead tissue. What allowed them to exist so long was the cursed energy structure embedded in them.

Once that structure was fully destabilized by external interference, Sukuna's fingers would lose their resilience.

That outcome would be ideal for Satoshi's plan.

If he could end this with Hadō, there was no need to use his Zanpakutō.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 252: The Meaning Behind the Numbers of the Mysterious Spells

In his Domain.

Ryoumen Sukuna sensed a subtle reaction from his six fingers at the same time. Yet, he didn't give it much thought.

Compared to the damage dealt when Ieiri Shoko had used Minazuki and Kaidō, this current effect was practically negligible. With the regenerative nature of his fingers, they only needed to sit undisturbed for a while to passively absorb ambient Cursed Energy and begin recovery.

However, he did feel a slight curiosity.

For so many years, no one had truly tried to destroy his fingers. Now, someone was actually attempting it?

Could it be that Gojo Satoshi held some personal grudge against him?

He was clearly a figure of the ancient world. There shouldn't be any reason for him to be involved with someone like Gojo Satoshi, who was born in this new era.

Sukuna leaned back on his skeletal throne, resting his chin on his palm, lazily contemplating what this meant.

Ieiri Shoko's failure had left him completely at ease. He had thought that her attempt was the final one. What he didn't know was that Gojo Satoshi's true performance was only just beginning.

...

Shikoku.

Itadori Kaori watched the livestream, recalling the earlier battle where Gojo Satoru and Sukuna's Finger Cursed Spirit had clashed. Her expression tensed. The arms holding the infant Itadori Yuji trembled slightly before she stilled herself again.

Yuji began to cry in her arms, snapping Kaori back to reality.

She didn't know whether the Hainawa and Geki spells Satoshi used were curses or not, but unlike Zenin Ogi's crowd, she wasn't naïve.

She had been carefully recording the numbers Satoshi spoke.

What did these numbers mean?

If the technique Satoshi had used to kill the Cursed Spirit that devoured Sukuna's finger was Hadō #31: Shakkahō and Hadō #33: Sōkatsui, the numbers being so close made it hard to judge their individual power just by watching the stream.

But the difference between Bakudō #4: Hainawa and Bakudō #9: Geki was exponentially larger.

One was a basic binding rope, the other a higher-level restraint spell with considerably greater complexity.

What did that imply?

The larger the number Satoshi announced, the more powerful the technique—whether a Bakudō or Hadō—would be.

Some might think, is it even possible for one person to wield so many techniques?

The spells Satoshi had shown already exceeded standard classifications. They didn't require a Zanpakutō and weren't limited to one category of technique. It didn't make sense scientifically.

Yet, Kaori, observing all this from the Cursed world, had a different take.

She wondered if these mysterious spells were in fact evolutions of Satoshi's own innate technique.

Could it be that his innate technique had become the foundation for all these manifestations?

Her insight wasn't far from the truth.

Even without knowledge of Reiryoku, of Satoshi being a reincarnator, or of his system, she had deduced this much. Her perception was extremely sharp.

And indeed, her theory was close to reality.

The Reiryoku that Satoshi wielded, foreign to this world, could theoretically be interpreted by others as a rare mutation or evolution of Cursed Techniques.

But very few people could truly understand it.

...

Tombs of the Star.

Tengen quietly put down her Urozakuro tea, eyes narrowing as she watched Satoshi's application of Bakudō and Hadō techniques.

This was the third time Tengen had witnessed Satoshi using Kidō. The first had been during his battle with the Finger Cursed Spirit. The second, when he saved Nanami Kento and vanished. And now, this was the third.

Three times. That shattered the theory that Satoshi's mysterious techniques were one-time-use spells.

Now, anyone could see with their own eyes—on-site or via the Curse Corpse broadcast—that Satoshi's Kidō was a real, repeatable power.

He had just used Bakudō #4 and Bakudō #9. And soon, he would likely replicate the two Hadō techniques he had used before.

Such a mysterious power clearly didn't belong to this world.

"Gojo Satoshi," Tengen murmured. "What kind of change will a twisted existence like you bring to this era?"

"Ryoumen Sukuna is the ultimate fear of this world. If you can truly destroy his fingers... will you replace him as the next terror?"

Her slender fingers brushed a lock of long hair behind her ear. A faint smile curved her lips.

"Urozakuro, hmm? Let's see if you can give me a reason good enough to believe in you."

As her whisper faded, her gaze remained locked on the unfolding livestream.

At this very moment, the three oldest beings in existence—Tengen, Kenjaku, and Sukuna—all turned their attention to Gojo Satoshi.

Each waiting for the outcome he would bring.

...

Elsewhere, within the Tokyo Jujutsu High Treasury.

Gojo Satoru whispered beside Geto Suguru, "Back in that previous fight, Satoshi used this spell to bind the cursed spirit's body. The next one should be that high-output spell."

He was speaking quietly to Suguru, but his eyes never left Satoshi for a second.

He too was eager to analyze Satoshi's strange techniques.

That Finger Cursed Spirit had also consumed one of Sukuna's fingers. Yet, even with both Satoru and Suguru working together, it had been difficult to subdue.

But Satoshi, without even using his Zanpakutō, had killed it using only those bizarre techniques.

Everyone assumed his Zanpakutō was broken, but Satoru knew that wasn't true.

Satoshi's Zanpakutō was completely intact.

Even his Limitless Technique held no advantage against it.

If Satoshi had used these same spells during their sparring match after waking up, Satoru might have lost even faster.

That was why he was determined to analyze these techniques.

Over the past nine years, his Six Eyes had become increasingly refined. Most techniques, once cast, only took a few seconds for him to decipher.

So now, he was confident that he could uncover the secrets behind Satoshi's mysterious spells.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 253: The Power of Hadō

Next to Satoru, Suguru held his breath.

Watching Satoshi move so casually now made him realize—this was still the same Satoshi from nine years ago. Still the heart of their small circle. Still the one with overwhelming power.

It was laughable that others actually believed Satoshi had lost his grip on this era just because he had slept for nine years.

Even without his Zanpakutō, just Bakudō and Hadō alone were likely enough for Satoshi to crush 99% of modern sorcerers.

Behind Satoru and Suguru, Shoko was also holding her breath as she watched Satoshi's movements.

She had no knowledge of the Bakudō or Hadō Satoshi was using. After all, when she had fought against the Finger Cursed Spirit, she'd lost consciousness and had been sealed away by Sukuna. She never saw the battle between Satoshi and the cursed spirit firsthand.

This was her first time seeing him use these binding techniques.

And just like everyone else, she was eager to see what came next after the restraint phase.

...

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Satoshi felt no pressure at all.

Now, the real feast he had prepared for Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers was about to be served.

Among all Kidō, Hadō is the most revered. After all, only Hadō has true destructive power.

It was time for Ryoumen Sukuna to savor the destructive strength he currently wielded.

"Hadō #4, Byakurai!"

Almost the instant the words left his mouth, before anyone could react, a beam of white lightning shot from Satoshi's fingertips.

A low rumble of thunder echoed in everyone's ears.

The white bolt streaked straight toward the six fingers, still bound by Hainawa and Geki.

The sound was loud, but the visual effect seemed... underwhelming.

The lightning didn't look particularly powerful or imposing.

That was the impression most viewers had. Byakurai appeared far too plain, too simple.

But Nanami Kento felt something different.

The moment he saw that white flash, he immediately recalled the scene when Satoshi had saved his life.

Yes, it had been this exact technique.

Back then, Satoshi had been in midair, casually firing a single bolt of white lightning that instantly destroyed a Grade 1 cursed spirit—one that had nearly killed Nanami.

He would never forget how calm and unbothered Satoshi had been.

"Byakurai..." Nanami murmured softly.

Sukuna really lived up to his reputation. A cursed energy that could vaporize a Grade 1 spirit did little more than graze one of his fingers.

Still, Nanami wasn't disappointed. He believed Satoshi had far more powerful techniques in his arsenal.

That thought had barely formed when Satoshi opened his mouth again.

No hesitation, no pause.

"Hadō #11, Tsuzuri Raiden."

Arcs of electricity ran along the length of Satoshi's Zanpakutō, coursing into the bound fingers.

Sparks exploded across the surface. Thin traces of smoke rose from the fingertips.

Even Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers, hardened through centuries of cursed energy, couldn't completely withstand the effects of Hadō.

Seeing this, Zenin Ogi looked like he was about to say something, but Satoshi gave him no opening.

He only knew four Hadō at present, and had already used the newly unlocked Byakurai and Tsuzuri Raiden.

Now it was time to revisit the two he'd used in the battle against the Finger Cursed Spirit.

To be honest, Satoshi felt a little sorry for Sukuna.

Since his return, Sukuna had suffered more under Satoshi's hands than anyone else. Now he would experience the twin flames once more.

"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!"

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws!"

Satoshi softly recited the two chants, nearly identical in cadence, as flames ignited in his palm.

Shakkahō.

Immediately after, a swirling burst of fire followed.

Sōkatsui.

The double firestorm engulfed the platform, the heat so intense that everyone on campus could feel the pressure through the barrier.

The sheer force of these flames stunned the entire Jujutsu High.

So this was the true power of Satoshi's Hadō?

Only now did many realize—maybe that cursed spirit wasn't so terrifying after all.

Facing these two devastating attacks, being destroyed instantly was to be expected.

The fireball and the wave of flames struck Sukuna's six fingers head-on.

Explosions thundered. Blazing heat swept the platform. The entire stone altar seemed on the verge of collapse. Fire licked at the sealed fingers, determined to reduce them to ash.

Could Sukuna's fingers endure this?

That question lingered in the minds of every viewer.

Surely even Sukuna's fingers couldn't resist such scorching fire, right?

But Satoshi only shook his head calmly.

As expected, Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers weren't that easy to destroy. If I had access to a Kidō above level 90, maybe then...

Satoshi felt a trace of regret.

Shakkahō and Sōkatsui were strong, but they were only mid-tier Hadō. They couldn't fully showcase the devastating potential of high-level Kidō.

If he could unleash Aizen Sōsuke's Hadō #99: Goryūtenmetsu or Yamamoto Genryūsai's Hadō #96: Ittō Kasō, or even Urahara Kisuke's Hadō #91: Senju Kōten Taihō, that would be a different story.

Any of those three should be able to reduce Sukuna's fingers to dust in an instant.

But mastering such high-level Kidō wasn't easy.

If he cast a Kidō above #90 right here, Satoshi had no doubt that the aftermath would affect more than just the fingers.

Aizen's Goryūtenmetsu and Yamamoto's Ittō Kasō would obliterate the entire Tokyo Jujutsu High campus.

Those spells would turn the academy into scorched earth.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 254: Jogo’s Deep Resentment

Unfortunately, Satoshi had not yet mastered any high-level Hadō beyond the fifties.

So, this time, he would once again have to rely on the power of his Zanpakutō...

...

As the flames of Shakkahō and Sōkatsui slowly faded, Sukuna's charred fingers reappeared before everyone's eyes.

This was by far the most battered state Sukuna's fingers had ever shown.

But even so, aside from the outer epidermis being slightly more scorched than after Ieiri Shoko's Reverse Cursed Technique, there was no real structural change.

Zenin Ogi silently exhaled a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Sukuna's fingers were strong enough. Otherwise, if they had really been destroyed by Satoshi, he would have been utterly humiliated.

Just now, when Shakkahō and Sōkatsui erupted, Ogi had truly believed that the six fingers might be obliterated by these strange and overwhelming attacks.

Fortunately, Ryoumen Sukuna lived up to his title as the King of Curses.

But even as he praised Sukuna's resilience, Ogi couldn't help but ask himself inwardly: If he were the one facing Satoshi's explosive Hadō barrage… would he survive?

His expression grew conflicted. He didn't want to admit it, but he couldn't lie to himself.

Even without a Zanpakutō, just relying on those Hadō, Satoshi could very well kill him.

He had never imagined that someone like Satoshi, who had been dormant for nine years, would still possess such terrifying strength upon awakening.

Fortunately, Satoshi's Zanpakutō was supposedly unusable.

And now, in front of the entire world watching via livestream, he had failed to destroy Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers.

It was over. It had all ended in failure.

That was what most people believed. They thought Satoshi had already used his final trump card.

But just then, Satoru crossed his arms and said teasingly, "Alright, Satoshi, time to stop playing around. My Senbonzakura is waiting to see what you'll really do."

His words left the entire audience and livestream viewers stunned.

What did that mean?

Was Satoru trying to save face for his younger brother? What did he mean by "stop playing around"?

Hadn't Satoshi just released an intense barrage of Hadō techniques, each more dazzling than the last?

If that wasn't being serious, what was?

Had Satoru forgotten that even he, with both the Limitless Technique and Senbonzakura, had failed to make any dent in Sukuna's fingers?

Viewers aligned against the Gojo clan immediately began mocking Satoru. They were disgusted by his blatant favoritism and the smug way he spoke.

Inside the Yorozuya, Zenin Toji and Yuto each held a child while watching the livestream with faint grins at the corners of their lips.

Neither of them doubted that Satoshi could destroy the six fingers of Ryoumen Sukuna.

Nine years ago, Satoshi had proven many times that he would never take on a battle without complete confidence.

If Satoshi had chosen to act now, then the only outcome for those six fingers was annihilation.

"Toji, the boss's Bakudō and Hadō don't use Cursed Energy at all," Yuto said as he gently rocked the baby Yuto in his arms, his expression filled with affection. "He has Heavenly Restriction, just like you. When he comes back to the shop, you should learn those spells too. Wouldn't that be convenient?"

Toji, playing with Fushiguro Megumi, responded with a smirk.

"You're the one who wants to learn them, aren't you?"

"I mean, yeah. Why wouldn't I want to be stronger?" Yuto didn't even try to deny it. "We've been working for him for nine years, and I haven't picked up a single spell. Don't I deserve some new knowledge?"

He was totally shameless.

But that carefree comment immediately triggered Jogo, who was quietly watching the livestream with them.

"Yuto, can you not be so noisy? You're ruining the mood."

"At least the boss gave you a Zanpakutō, Nosho, before he fell asleep. But what about me? I worked my ass off for nine years at the Yorozuya and got nothing!"

"And whenever we go on missions together, you always slack off. You call that contributing? Feels more like you're using me."

The more Jogo complained, the wider the eye on his forehead became, brimming with frustration and grievance. He didn't even know who to vent to anymore.

The core reason he had joined the Yorozuya was to witness the ultimate firepower of the Zanpakutō Ryūjin Jakka.

But not long after he joined, Satoshi had fallen into that deep sleep that lasted nine whole years.

Nine years!

Did Satoshi even realize how Jogo had survived those years?

If it weren't for his obsession with witnessing Ryūjin Jakka's power firsthand, he would've left long ago.

Now, finally, the time had come. He would get to see it again.

But at this moment, these two guys were going back and forth about learning some ghost spell?

They were ruining the experience!

Satoshi was definitely about to use his Zanpakutō next. Whether it was Sode no Shirayuki or Ryūjin Jakka, either way, it would prove his Zanpakutō wasn't broken.

Then, everything Jogo endured over the past nine years wouldn't have been in vain.

Ryūjin Jakka...

He murmured the name like one might whisper a lover's name, and the image of those roaring city flames from the Tombs of the Star burned vividly in his mind.

Jōkaku Enjō.

Ennetsu Jigoku.

Now, he hoped Satoshi would use Ennetsu Jigoku to obliterate Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers. Let that so-called King of Curses experience what true fire really meant.

And anyone who dared block that goal would be his enemy. Even Toji, the acting shop manager, and Yuto, his longtime partner.

Hearing Jogo's indignant rant, Toji and Yuto looked at each other, smiled, and gave small nods.

After working together in the Yorozuya for so long, they no longer saw the cursed spirit in front of them as a monster.

Over these past nine years, Toji, Jogo, and Yuto had become a family of sorts at the Yorozuya.

They all knew what Jogo had been chasing.

Just let him have this moment.

(To be continued.)