🎉🎉HRU: Chapter 236/239

Chapter 236: Prelude to Destruction

After a long flight, Jujutsu High gradually came into view.

Minazuki's wingbeats slowed as they approached.

Ieiri Shoko smiled. "Satoshi, we're almost back."

Satoshi gave a small nod.

As they neared the academy, the crowd below began to stir. Gathered at the entrance were numerous sorcerers, their eyes fixed on the sky above.

It was clear why they were here.

They had all come to witness whether Gojo Satoshi could truly destroy Sukuna's fingers.

Satoshi frowned slightly but still guided Minazuki down without hesitation.

After all, he had made a public declaration that the fingers would be destroyed here.

There was no turning back.

The crowd recognized him immediately and instinctively made way.

No one dared stand in his path.

This wasn't just respect. It was fear. Offending this young man would bring consequences none of them wanted to face.

Their gazes fell upon the container in Satoshi's hands, eyes filled with suppressed greed and awe.

"That's them. Four of Sukuna's fingers…"

"If you want to die, go ahead and keep staring. That's Gojo Satoshi you're looking at."

"Heh, I'm just saying. I'm not stupid enough to act on it."

"Do you think the school really has a way to destroy them?"

"If Gojo Satoshi can use his Zanpakutō, maybe. If not, well, tough luck."

"I disagree. I think his older brother, Gojo Satoru, is still the biggest ace. He took down a Special Grade cursed spirit solo before even entering the school."

"Don't count out Geto Suguru either. He may rely more on cursed spirits, but his cursed energy reserves are just as massive. If anyone could help pull it off, it's him."

"Tch. Either way, it's going to be broadcast live. We'll know soon enough. Personally, I don't think they stand a chance. Genius or not, no one's destroyed a Sukuna finger in a thousand years."

Satoshi ignored the chatter around him.

He and Shoko entered the school directly, where Yaga Masamichi was already waiting.

The moment he saw the container in Satoshi's hand, Yaga stepped forward. "How is it? Confident?"

To be honest, even now, Yaga didn't feel too optimistic.

Satoshi smiled. "Of course."

He didn't believe Sukuna's fingers were truly indestructible. No one had succeeded before simply because their output wasn't high enough.

He didn't lack that.

Yaga seemed to catch his meaning and sighed. "Don't underestimate Sukuna. He was the King of Curses a thousand years ago. He crushed the entire world of jujutsu alone."

Satoshi nodded. "I understand. I'll go all out."

Yaga gestured. "Come on then. We'll conduct this in the Treasury. Satoru and Principal Sekiguchi are already waiting."

Satoshi was very familiar with the Treasury. After all, he had raided both the Gojo and Zenin Treasuries in order to forge his Zanpakutō.

To him, the location didn't matter.

…

Inside the deepest part of Jujutsu High's restricted archives—the Treasury.

Gojo Satoru and Suguru stood alongside Principal Sekiguchi. Yuki was also present, remaining vigilant.

Numerous observers had already gathered.

Only those with considerable status were permitted to enter.

In addition to Ogi and the early-arriving Zenin members, many prominent sorcerer clans had sent representatives.

But for now, everyone remained silent.

Soon, more figures arrived. Among them stood a young man none could mistake—Kamo Kaname, a direct descendant of the Kamo clan.

The moment Ogi saw him, his expression relaxed slightly. Now both the Zenin and Kamo clans had representatives present.

If the school failed to destroy the fingers, those families would be held accountable too.

Kamo Kaname gave a slight nod to Ogi but didn't speak.

Satoru's gaze turned cold the moment he saw the two. Most of the current situation had been orchestrated by them.

He had no intention of being polite.

Just then, Yaga entered the Treasury with Satoshi and Shoko.

All eyes immediately locked onto the container in Satoshi's hands.

The atmosphere reached a tense crescendo.

…

As Satoshi and Shoko walked in, the entire room shifted its attention toward them.

Everyone had been waiting for this.

There was no doubt—today, Satoshi was the undisputed center of attention.

Satoru and Suguru both visibly relaxed when they saw him.

They had been gone for quite a while, and carrying multiple Sukuna fingers only made them more of a target.

Even though Satoshi was strong, the risk couldn't be ignored.

From across the room, Ogi and Kamo Kaname also glanced at Satoshi, sneers tugging at their lips.

But Satoshi remained unfazed, his expression calm.

He quickly took note of the formation—Satoru and Suguru were positioned facing the officials from the Jujutsu General Administration, clearly on alert.

Yuki stood next to Principal Sekiguchi, arms folded, acting as a clear deterrent.

Then Satoshi noticed someone unexpected—Yagyū Saemon.

The man gave him a nod, expressionless.

Satoshi instantly understood. Saemon had likely been sent by Yagyū Hidetsugu to counterbalance the Zenin faction and Kamo faction.

Sekiguchi stood up, smiling at their arrival.

"Principal Sekiguchi," Satoshi and Shoko greeted in unison.

Sekiguchi nodded. "No need for formality. How did the mission go?"

Satoshi smiled. "I've brought back the four Sukuna fingers stored by the Gojo family."

Sekiguchi's expression turned serious. "Satoshi, if you want to withdraw now, it's not too late."

"You could take those fingers back to the Gojo clan. If you're uncertain, I'm afraid our school won't be able to protect them."

He clearly believed Satoshi was being too impulsive. There was no need to sacrifice their own fingers.

Satoshi understood what the principal meant, and was about to politely decline.

When Ogi interrupted.

He stared at the container in Satoshi's hands, eyes gleaming, licking his lips as he mocked, "Principal Sekiguchi, wasn't this agreement made by one of your own students? Are we going to break that promise now, in front of everyone?"

"Or maybe… someone's getting cold feet after seeing Sukuna's fingers up close?"

Sekiguchi's face darkened.

He immediately realized Ogi was attempting to provoke Satoshi into action, hoping to take advantage of his pride to snatch the Gojo clan's fingers.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 237: Everyone's Concerns

Satoshi glanced at Ogi but didn't pay him much attention. He said calmly, "It's fine, Principal Sekiguchi. Let's begin."

Sekiguchi seemed as if he wanted to say something more.

But seeing the youth's unwavering expression, he could only sigh.

Still, considering this was Gojo Satoshi, perhaps he really could create a miracle.

Ogi, standing to the side, burst into laughter the moment he heard Satoshi's words.

He had genuinely worried that Satoshi would back down. If that had happened, even if they managed to reclaim two of Sukuna's fingers, they'd be helpless when it came to the four from the Gojo clan.

Since all three of the Big Sorcerer Families were present, they couldn't afford to openly tear into one another to seize the fingers. But if Satoshi handed them over willingly...

He turned and walked away, his voice echoing with a tone of mockery.

"Alright then, Gojo Satoshi. I can't wait to see how Jujutsu High plans to destroy Sukuna's fingers."

This was the best outcome he could've hoped for.

The corners of Ogi's mouth lifted slightly.

Gojo Satoshi is still as arrogant as he was nine years ago.

Seeing that Satoshi had made up his mind, Sekiguchi said nothing more.

He turned to Yaga. "In that case, Yaga, begin preparations."

"Yes, Principal Sekiguchi!"

While Satoshi had been retrieving the fingers, Yaga had already finished preparing the live broadcast through a Cursed Corpse. The transmission was ready to begin.

As Yaga's Cursed Energy began to flow, it was quickly infused into the live-feed Cursed Tool.

All around the venue, projection screens slowly flickered to life, displaying a live view of the Treasury.

Outside the school, many of the spectating sorcerers watching the broadcast were shocked.

"What? Jujutsu High is seriously trying to destroy Sukuna's fingers?!"

"No, not the school. It was Gojo Satoshi's proposal. That guy's insane. Doesn't he know Sukuna's fingers can't be destroyed?"

"Hard to say. Sure, no one's succeeded in the last thousand years, but the one attempting it this time is Gojo Satoshi—and he has a Zanpakutō."

"Not to mention his brother, Gojo Satoru, is a top-tier sorcerer. If they work together, maybe they really have a shot."

"…"

As the broadcast began, disbelief erupted among the crowd.

At first, everyone thought it was just a publicity stunt by Jujutsu High.

No one had expected them to actually go through with it.

…

Elsewhere, in an apartment building in Tokyo.

"Jogo, finish it now. Don't give that cursed spirit a chance to escape!" Yuto shouted.

Jogo frowned slightly.

But when he saw the fleeing cursed spirit, he sighed and raised his hand.

The cursed spirit was instantly engulfed in flames, its screech echoing through the room as it was burned to ash.

Jogo had no intention of sparing it. His Cursed Energy surged until the cursed spirit was reduced to nothing but charred remains.

Only then did Jogo breathe out. He turned and looked at Yuto, frowning. "Okkotsu, can you take the mission more seriously?"

Yuto shrugged with a relaxed smile. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just not as strong as you, and you've got it covered."

Jogo was furious and shouted, "What do you mean by that?! You're part of the mission too. You're not weak, so use your Zanpakutō next time! Stop slacking off just because I'm around!"

After yelling, Jogo let out a frustrated sigh. Missions with Okkotsu always wore him out.

Suddenly, a phone rang. They both instinctively reached for their pockets.

"…It's mine." Yuto answered with a grin. "Hey?"

As the voice spoke on the other end, Yuto's expression grew serious. "What did you say?"

"…Got it. Jogo and I will head back immediately."

Seeing Yuto's change in demeanor, Jogo quickly asked, "What happened?"

Yuto looked up and said gravely, "Satoshi is planning to destroy the Sukuna fingers collected at Jujutsu High."

"Destroy Sukuna's fingers?!"

As a Special Grade cursed spirit, Jogo understood better than most just how terrifying Sukuna's fingers were.

He stared at Yuto in disbelief. "You're joking, right? That's impossible."

Those fingers had been around for over a thousand years. Who would even dare think about destroying them?

Thousands of years had proven just how indestructible they were. Even Gojo Satoshi, no matter how strong, seemed overly ambitious this time.

Yuto nodded. "It's real. And Satoshi isn't just trying to destroy them—he's doing it live, in front of everyone, using a Cursed Corpse broadcast."

Jogo's heart skipped a beat, and his whole body trembled.

"Is he trying to announce his full return to the jujutsu world?"

Though many already knew that Satoshi had returned, few truly believed in his strength.

But this would silence the doubts. This was his statement to the world.

"Let's go. We need to get back right away."

…

At that moment, inside the Gojo Estate.

Ever since Satoshi and Shoko had left, a sense of unease had lingered.

Everyone knew Satoshi was likely using this opportunity to send a warning to the Zenin and Kamo clans.

If he succeeded, they would undoubtedly restrain themselves for a while.

As a result, managing the Gojo clan as acting head would become far easier.

But if he failed, the attempt would not only lose its deterrent effect, it might even embolden their enemies.

Worse still, the Kamo and Zenin clans might reclaim the very fingers that the Gojo clan had painstakingly secured.

Giving them up was one thing—but giving them to those two clans, especially after all their scheming around Sukuna's fingers, was a different story.

Right now, Kumaen couldn't quite figure out what the Kamo and Zenin clans were plotting, but one thing was certain—they were not friendly to the Gojo family.

"I wonder if Satoshi has made it back to Jujutsu High," Shunichi said, clearly worried. "Maybe I should go and lend a hand."

Though his power was far below Satoshi's, one more person meant one more ally on the field.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Ay Si Niño for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 238: Unexpected Second Live

Seeing the unease on Gojo Shunichi's face, Gojo Kumaen comforted him. "Shunichi, since Satoshi didn't bring you along, just stay calm here. If there were any issues, he would've considered them. We just have to wait for his news."

Gojo Shunichi nodded.

The atmosphere gradually fell into silence.

Their anxiety grew stronger with each passing moment.

If it were just about retrieving Minazuki, Satoshi should've returned to the school already.

"Why haven't we heard anything from Jujutsu High yet?" Kumaen frowned.

As one of the Big Three Sorcerer Families, the Gojo clan also possessed equipment to connect to Cursed Corpse live broadcasts.

But there had been no signal so far.

Gojo Kumaen couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry for Satoshi's safety.

Although with Satoshi's strength, his worry seemed unwarranted…

But the thought that Satoshi was carrying four of Sukuna's fingers…

If anyone knew this, it wasn't impossible for them to specifically target him.

Gojo Shunichi shook his head helplessly. "Still no news from the school."

Kumaen exhaled. "Wait a little longer."

He understood that launching a large-scale broadcast through a Cursed Corpse did take some time to prepare.

"Shunichi, report to me the moment anything comes through."

As soon as he said that, Kumaen stood up.

But at that moment.

The Cursed Corpse transmitter in Shunichi's hand lit up. A screen slowly activated and began projecting footage from within the school library.

The angle was odd, as if it were secretly filmed. The lighting in the library was already dim, and combined with the low resolution, it gave off the feel of a pirated movie.

Gojo Kumaen paused. He looked up at the screen showing the upper levels of the Treasury. Satoshi and Satoru appeared on screen.

His breathing quickened slightly. "It's finally on!"

Seeing that Satoshi wasn't alone and that the school's other top members were with him, both Kumaen and Shunichi felt a wave of relief.

As the strongest Six Eyes sorcerer in the Gojo family's history, Satoru's Cursed Energy reserves were undoubtedly immense.

And although Suguru's fighting style relied heavily on cursed spirit manipulation, his Cursed Energy was easily on par with a top-tier sorcerer.

Maybe they really have a chance after all.

Gojo Kumaen exhaled deeply at the thought.

…

At the same time, the Zenin and Kamo families also received the Cursed Corpse live broadcast signal.

Zenin Estate, Main Hall.

As soon as the broadcast began, the scene of Jujutsu High's Treasury appeared on the screen.

Soon, they caught sight of Satoshi.

Zenin Shinsuke smirked. "Didn't expect Gojo Satoshi to actually try and destroy Sukuna's fingers. He's really overestimating himself…"

Beside him, Zenin Naobito sighed.

He glanced at Shinsuke and chuckled. "If you get those fingers back, maybe your stagnated technique might finally evolve."

Shinsuke's expression instantly darkened.

If it weren't for Satoshi, he might've already reached Grade 1 or even Special Grade.

Now that Naobito had brought it up again, he naturally felt irritated.

Shinsuke scowled. "Thanks to the Gojo family, we've had to cozy up with the Kamo clan."

"Now that Satoshi can't use Sukuna's fingers to repair his Zanpakutō, his strength is probably only one-tenth or twelfth of what it was."

"When I recover my power, I'll make him pay the price!"

Every time the name Gojo Satoshi came up, Zenin Shinsuke felt like losing it.

Naobito waved a hand. "Forget it. Let's just watch."

Though Shinsuke looked annoyed, his gaze was still fixed on the screen.

…

Meanwhile, in the Kamo family estate.

Kamo Shinji leaned back in his wooden chair, propping his head on one hand as he watched the live feed with interest.

Looking at Satoshi's figure on the screen, he muttered, "I thought he was just buying time, but I didn't expect him to actually attempt destroying Sukuna's fingers."

Shinji narrowed his eyes.

"What is he thinking?"

He couldn't help but grow more curious about Satoshi's intentions.

…

Compared to the Big Three Sorcerer Families, the many smaller clans didn't know much about Satoshi's actions.

Many didn't even know that he had been collecting Sukuna's fingers, let alone that he planned to destroy them.

But to their surprise, the Jujutsu High broadcast they had subscribed to suddenly lit up with a signal.

Families like the Yagyū and Ieiri clans had supported the Live Curse Corpse project back when Yaga Masamichi developed it, but due to limited progress, they had shelved it.

It was only brought back out during Satoshi and Satoru's entrance test.

They had assumed that once the Gojo twins completed that mission, the device would be shelved again. Yet now, the signal had unexpectedly returned.

Yagyū Yusuke and Ieiri Inamichi stared at the screen from the Cursed Corpse with strange expressions. The video quality was so poor it made them frown.

"What the hell is this? Did that guy Yaga Masamichi not even finish developing this properly? He scammed us out of our money and won't even offer support?" Yusuke grumbled.

Although he was the head of the Yagyū family, Yagyū Saemon and Hidetsugu hadn't told him much about the Gojo clan or Satoshi.

They had done so to protect the clan.

After all, the two of them were deeply involved with the Gojo family. But at the very least, they wanted to keep a spark alive in the Yagyū bloodline.

Even though Yusuke's talent wasn't as great as theirs, he could still steer the clan's future.

If the Gojo family was ever suppressed by the Zenin and Kamo clans, Yagyū Yusuke could still lead the family in a new direction.

Because of that, Yusuke paid close attention to the suddenly revived Cursed Corpse broadcast.

"Wait, Saemon's in the picture too? Where is this? Is this the Treasury at Jujutsu High?"

"There are the two Six Eyes heirs from the Gojo family. Looks like something big is about to happen…"

Yagyū Yusuke's eyes gleamed with interest.

He hadn't been present during Satoshi's entrance purification mission. But now, this unexpected live stream was giving him a clear look at the boy he had invested in after nine long years.

After all, in order to provide him with the Zanpakutō Nejibana, he had given up the Yagyū clan's treasured Tsuki no Sho without hesitation.

So now, what was Gojo Satoshi planning to do in this broadcast?

Yagyū Yusuke locked eyes on the screen, following Satoshi's every move.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Ay Si Niño for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 239: Undercurrent

Ieiri Residence.

Ieiri Inamichi looked at the grainy live feed with a slight frown.

Even if Satoshi truly couldn't use his Zanpakutō anymore, hadn't he already demonstrated a corresponding Jujutsu ability during this exorcism mission?

The technique he released with incantation alone seemed no weaker than a Zanpakutō's ability.

Moreover, like Toji, Satoshi was also someone born with a Heavenly Restriction. After some time to recover, Satoshi's physical body would surely become just as formidable as Toji's, right?

But what was the point of this live broadcast? Why was the quality so poor?

Ieiri Inamichi sighed and looked toward his daughter and Satoshi. With Satoshi around, his daughter wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

...

Inside the Jujutsu High Library, Yaga Masamichi himself was unaware that the internal surveillance footage was being transmitted from a different angle.

The live signal received by people like Ieiri Inamichi, Yagyū Yusuke, and other lesser clan heads wasn't the same stream prepared by Yaga. The footage they were watching was entirely different from what Gojo Kumaen, Kamo Shinji, Zenin Naobito, and others were seeing.

In a corner of the library, the first-generation live broadcast Cursed Corpse created by Yaga had unexpectedly activated its broadcast function due to the surge in cursed energy caused by the presence of so many sorcerers.

In this way, the events occurring within the Treasury were not only visible to the top brass of the Jujutsu General Administration and the Three Great Clans, but also to all minor families throughout the Jujutsu world who had previously subscribed to Yaga's original Cursed Corpse live broadcast system...

...

"Mom, I'm back."

Nanami Kento returned home from a mission to exorcise a cursed spirit, only to find the live broadcast doll he'd brought back from Jujutsu High had somehow activated.

This odd doll had been a gift from Jujutsu High during enrollment, but he'd never used it and always considered it an eyesore. He hadn't expected it to actually function as a live broadcaster.

"What? It can turn on by itself? Is it spying on me? That's too much."

Nanami sighed and reached out to turn it off, but the moment his hand touched the doll, his expression froze.

He saw the silhouette of Gojo Satoru in the blurry broadcast.

Huh? It's actually showing something about Gojo Satoru? Did something happen at Jujutsu High again? I need to see this.

Gojo Satoru once saved his life, even though they didn't get a chance to speak face to face.

Nanami Kento still remembered the flash of white light that had appeared out of nowhere in the sky.

That light, like white lightning, pierced straight through a Grade 1 cursed spirit before him, instantly pulling him back from the brink of death.

It may have been nothing more than a casual strike from Gojo Satoru, but for Nanami, it was a life-saving moment.

But… was that really Gojo Satoru's technique? Isn't Gojo Satoru's cursed technique supposed to be Infinity?

Could that white lightning be a new application of the Limitless Technique?

Nanami Kento sat cross-legged on the bed, deep in thought, staring intently at the broadcast from the Cursed Corpse, eager to see what other surprises the live feed might bring.

What Nanami Kento, still a student at Ieiri's Jujutsu High, didn't know… was that the one who saved him wasn't Gojo Satoru, but Gojo Satoshi—the man who had slumbered for nine years and was now once again stepping into the world's spotlight...

...

"Gojo Satoshi-dono, are you coming?"

In the library of the Treasury, Zenin Ogi gestured mockingly at Satoshi.

He was looking forward to watching Gojo Satoshi make a fool of himself in front of the entire Jujutsu world.

At this point, he was even more confident in Ryomen Sukuna's power than Sukuna himself.

This was the King of Curses from a thousand years ago.

How could this ancient entity, whose body had resisted destruction even from generations of sorcerers, be defeated by a mere brat like Gojo Satoshi—especially one who had just awakened from a nine-year sleep?

Ogi admitted that nine years ago, Satoshi's Zanpakutō had stunned him and made him lower his head before Naobito.

But now, nine years had passed. The times had changed.

Cursed Tools had already become relics.

Under the guidance of the General Bureau, modern sorcerers focused entirely on refining their innate techniques.

And most importantly, wasn't it said that Gojo Satoshi could no longer wield his Zanpakutō?

As long as no new Zanpakutō appeared, and Satoshi himself—the creator of Zanpakutō—was unable to use them, then their influence would continue to decline. Eventually, Zanpakutō would fade into obscurity.

Ogi didn't care why Satoshi was destroying Sukuna's fingers.

All that mattered to him was striking a blow to Satoshi's reputation and the prestige of the Gojo Clan. That would be worth more than anything.

After all, he had gone through considerable trouble to get the Zenin Clan and the Kamo Clan to cooperate...

And today, he would get what he wanted.

He had thought he'd have to plan meticulously to bring Satoshi down, but Satoshi himself had walked right into this, insisting on destroying Sukuna's fingers.

If he failed now, wouldn't it be nothing but self-inflicted humiliation?

Kamo Kaname, representing the Kamo Clan, was also staring intently at Satoshi. He knew exactly why he had been sent.

Gojo Satoshi had ties to the death of his grandfather, Kamo Shin.

As the grandson of the former president of the Blacksmiths Association, Kamo Kaname had long been suspicious about the cause of his grandfather's death.

He had asked Shinji about it many times, but the Clan Head always evaded the question.

It wasn't until Satoshi fell into his long sleep, and the influence of the Gojo Clan declined, that Shinji finally offered a guess.

There was no conclusive evidence, but Kamo Kaname didn't feel any was needed.

It was all too logical.

His grandfather had witnessed the birth of Ryūjin Jakka at the Gojo estate. Upon returning home, he immediately arranged his own funeral and then committed suicide.

After his death, the Blacksmiths Association—built with his blood and sweat—was taken over by a blacksmith from the Gojo Clan. It made no sense.

The Gojo Clan had been the clear beneficiaries of his grandfather's death. Therefore, Gojo Satoshi and the Gojo Clan had to be responsible...

(To be continued.)