🎉🎉HRU: Chapter 232/235

Chapter 232: The Helplessness of the Gojo Family

Of course, Yuki understood what was going on. She stared at Satoru, furrowed her brows, and asked, "Satoru, are you and Satoshi really planning to destroy Sukuna's fingers?"

Satoru nodded. "Since Satoshi said so, he's not joking. He's already rushed back to the Gojo family to retrieve the remaining four fingers. Why, are you worried about him?"

Yuki shook her head and smiled. "Worried? About someone who broke Jujutsu High's admission record the moment he woke up?"

"But to think you're actually aiming to destroy Sukuna's fingers... You really are worthy of being the one I chose. Impressive."

Satoru glanced at her with curiosity. "You trust Satoshi that much?"

Yuki looked at him and smiled. "Has Satoshi ever failed?"

Satoru suddenly fell silent.

...

Soon, news was relayed back to the Jujutsu General Administration. Inside the conference room, everyone was shocked by the senior officer's report.

No one had expected Satoshi to be bold enough to publicly declare the destruction of Sukuna's fingers.

But they couldn't outright reject his reasoning either.

After all, destroying Sukuna's fingers would be a tremendous victory for the world of Jujutsu.

A man glanced at Yagyū Hidetsugu, frowned, and asked, "Are the new students at the technical college all this arrogant now?"

"Still, we should give them a chance. Otherwise, people will say the administration is being unreasonable."

"But if they fail, I hope the Gojo family will stick to the agreement and surrender all Sukuna fingers to the General Administration for strict oversight."

Yagyū Hidetsugu looked at the man's self-righteous expression and sneered inwardly. It was clear his goal wasn't just the two fingers from Jujutsu High, but also the four in the Gojo family's possession.

Saying "give them a chance," huh?

However, upon seeing that Satoshi was about to act, Hidetsugu remained calm. He took a sip of tea and said, "Since we've agreed to this, I have no objections. Let's wait and see what happens."

Satoshi was making a move.

But he wasn't too concerned. After all, Satoshi would never do anything without absolute confidence.

Still, the other party seemed wary of Satoshi and gave a stern warning: "Monitor the scene closely. If the High Officer fails, retrieve all the Sukuna fingers immediately. Don't give him a chance to backtrack."

...

Deep within the Tombs of the Star.

Tengen slowly opened her eyes, sensing the presence of another Zanpakutō.

"It's Minazuki."

"Ieiri Shoko and Satoshi… are they heading back to the Gojo estate?"

She frowned.

Putting down the Zanpakutō in her hand—which still hadn't resonated with her—she began connecting to the Tengen Network.

Instantly, information from within the barrier streamed toward her.

After a while, the corners of Tengen's lips curled into a faint smile. "So Satoshi's goal is to destroy Sukuna's fingers. Interesting."

She had known about Satoshi's efforts to collect Sukuna's fingers for the past nine years. While she had always been curious, she had never pried into his motives.

Now, the truth had come to light.

"What a surprising answer, Satoshi." Tengen suddenly smiled brightly.

"But I wonder… which is more powerful, Sukuna's fingers or a Zanpakutō?"

Her gaze dropped to the blade in her hand.

"This is getting interesting. I might as well pay attention."

Tengen stood and stretched, her elegant figure unconsciously drawing the light around her.

These past few days, she had been attempting to resonate with her Zanpakutō and had caught faint glimpses of connection—but it still wasn't enough.

"Come on, Satoshi," Tengen said softly, amused.

...

Meanwhile, the Gojo family—one of the Big Three Sorcerer Clans—had just received a message from Jujutsu High.

Inside the family's study.

Gojo Kumaen frowned deeply after hearing Gojo Shunichi's report.

Though public opinion claimed Satoshi was making excuses to avoid handing over Sukuna's fingers, it was believed that he intended to use their power to restore his Zanpakutō.

Even Kumaen had thought that was Satoshi's aim. He had even considered sending Shunichi to assist him.

But now, seeing that Satoshi was planning to livestream the destruction of the fingers… Kumaen felt unsure.

He rubbed his forehead, confused. "We spent years collecting those fingers, exhausting our resources… and now we're just going to destroy them?"

Gojo Kumaen felt a growing headache.

Regardless of whether or not it could be done, this explanation was less believable than the idea of using the fingers to repair a Zanpakutō.

Yet Satoshi still dared to speak publicly about it. He even chose to broadcast it.

Kumaen couldn't help but rub his eyes, filled with doubt.

Seeing the confusion in his expression, Shunichi said seriously, "He's acting, but it's said that Satoshi will destroy the ones collected by our family as well. He's on his way back. Perhaps we should ask him directly."

It seemed only Satoshi himself could clarify his true intentions.

Kumaen thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. Shunichi, inform me immediately when Satoshi returns."

Shunichi nodded and exited the study.

...

At the same time, Satoshi's bold declaration stirred waves in both the Kamo and Zenin clans.

Inside the Kamo clan's meeting room.

Kamo Shinji narrowed his eyes in contemplation. "Interesting. Satoshi wants to destroy Sukuna's fingers, and even made a public promise?"

Being in a high-ranking position, he couldn't help but think deeper.

Satoshi obviously wouldn't do something so foolish.

Could he really be confident enough?

Below him, a member of the clan laughed.

"Clan Head, how could Sukuna's fingers possibly be destroyed? Wasn't Satoshi planning to hand them over to us?"

Kamo Shinji glanced at the clansman and shook his head slightly. "Satoshi isn't an idiot. After going through so much to gather those four fingers, he'd never give them up willingly. I suspect he truly believes he can destroy them."

This wasn't his first time dealing with Satoshi.

The clansman's expression changed. "If he really destroys Sukuna's fingers… then our entire plan—"

"Regardless of whether he succeeds or not," Shinji interrupted, eyes narrowing, "we must retrieve those fingers!"

"Please give the order, Clan Head." The man in black was already breaking into a cold sweat.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 233: Nanami Kento

Kamo Shinji smiled and said, "Things have developed to this point. It's no longer something we can easily stop. We'll just have to wait and observe."

"If Gojo Satoshi and the others fail to destroy the fingers, we'll retrieve them."

"But if they actually demonstrate the power to destroy Sukuna's fingers, we'll intervene under the guise of verification."

"By that point, once Satoshi proves capable of such destruction, the entire cursed world will likely find it intolerable. I'm sure we'll have plenty of allies then."

Kamo Shinji let out a soft sigh and shook his head slightly. "Inform the Zenin clan of the situation. From here on, we wait patiently."

It would take more than a short time to destroy all six Sukuna fingers.

Kaname smiled inwardly at the thought.

...

Meanwhile, at the Zenin estate.

After receiving notice from the Kamo family, the Zenin clan also adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

However, they had already begun dispatching combat personnel to the site, preparing for the possibility of conflict with the High Officer once the outcome was decided.

After all, this involved the Special Grade Cursed Object—Sukuna's fingers.

It was no trivial matter.

But with Ogi on the scene, they were fairly confident in their ability to control the situation.

...

While the various factions were discussing strategy, Satoshi and Ieiri Shoko were already en route to the Gojo estate on Minazuki.

Their pace, however, was as leisurely as if they were out on an autumn stroll.

"Satoshi, the students back at school must be under a lot of pressure. Is it really okay for us to be this relaxed?" Ieiri Shoko looked at him with a hint of concern.

Satoshi glanced at her, took her hand gently, and reassured her, "Even if we act anxious, it won't change anything right now. So instead, let's relax a little and trust them. They won't let us down at the critical moment."

"…That's true."

Seeing her tension ease, Satoshi didn't say anything else.

In truth, his decision to broadcast publicly was to protect Jujutsu High.

Even if the other party bore the title of the General Administration Department, they still needed legitimate grounds to act.

Since Toji and the others had signed a contract with him, they couldn't violate it and attack the High Officer before he made a move.

So he had nothing to worry about.

And if a real fight broke out, with Satoru and Yuki—two top-tier sorcerers—present, they wouldn't necessarily be at a disadvantage.

...

Minazuki was exceptionally fast, and there was a unique tranquility to traveling upon it.

Soon, they passed by the Tombs of the Star.

Although Satoshi also wanted to visit Tengen to see if her Zanpakutō had achieved Shikai, there simply wasn't time.

Judging by the Star Plasma Vessel cycle, Tengen could likely hold out for a while longer.

Let's take care of everything else first, then visit her.

Satoshi thought quietly to himself.

But just as that thought ended, something below immediately caught his attention.

Ieiri Shoko noticed it as well.

She frowned and said, "Satoshi, someone below is fighting a cursed spirit. Its cursed energy is around Grade 1."

Minazuki's flight didn't rely on cursed energy.

So unless they deliberately revealed their presence, most sorcerers wouldn't notice them in high-speed travel.

Satoshi raised his brows slightly and glanced downward, his thoughts stirring.

This cursed spirit would make a decent test subject. It was a good opportunity to try out his new technique.

However, the figure below looked familiar.

Satoshi narrowed his eyes at the wounded youth but couldn't place him.

Wasn't he from the original storyline?

No matter. He still needed to save him.

...

At that moment.

In the ruins below, a boy in a black buttoned school uniform lay on the ground, covered in wounds. His gaze remained locked on the cursed spirit before him, sharp and grim.

He hadn't expected to be ambushed by a cursed spirit here.

I was too careless.

He wanted to call for help, but there were no sorcerers around. Ordinary people couldn't even see cursed spirits.

His physical strength had been nearly depleted, and his cursed energy was fading fast.

"Damn it… get up."

But his overdrawn body refused to obey.

"…Am I going to die here?" Nanami Kento muttered, clutching his injured right arm, despair flickering in his eyes.

"Well, whatever…"

"That's why I hate dealing with cursed spirits."

Nanami finally stopped resisting.

A Grade 1 cursed spirit was far beyond what he could handle right now.

Everyone dies eventually, right?

A deep sense of disappointment washed over him.

But then—

A blinding bolt of white lightning suddenly tore through the sky, piercing the cursed spirit instantly.

A deep crater formed just meters from where Nanami lay.

He froze in shock, then quickly realized what had happened.

That was a spell. A sorcerer had saved him in passing.

He turned toward the direction the technique had come from.

There, high in the sky, was a massive, green manta ray-shaped creature gliding away.

Upon it, he could just make out two figures in Jujutsu High uniforms.

A man and a woman.

The tall man's white hair immediately caught his eye.

"Was that Gojo Satoru from Jujutsu High?" Nanami asked aloud, surprised.

He recognized that massive creature.

Over the past nine years, Gojo Satoru—Six Eyes wielder of the Gojo clan—often rode it when on missions.

In fact, it had become something of a symbol, especially paired with his distinct white hair.

Nanami Kento was suddenly moved.

"I didn't expect… I'd be saved by Gojo this time."

He looked around at the ruined landscape, then down at his own sorry state, and sighed.

"Nanami Kento, you really are pathetic."

Still, he forced himself to his feet.

Brushing the dust from his uniform, he said calmly, "Speaking of which… Gojo recently enrolled in Jujutsu High."

"Maybe I'll apply next year too."

"If I can help others like he helped me… then his saving me won't have been in vain."

At that moment, Nanami Kento finally made his decision.

Between attending a regular high school or Jujutsu High…

He made his choice.

"Then it's Jujutsu High. Come on, Nanami Kento!"

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Julian for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉

Chapter 234: The Fourth Way of Destruction

After rescuing the boy, Satoshi ordered Minazuki to continue toward the Gojo estate.

To him, what had just happened was nothing more than a minor detour.

He had simply saved a boy he didn't recognize. It hadn't cost him much effort.

"Satoshi, your technique was really powerful. You took down that Grade 1 cursed spirit in a single strike from such a distance."

Shoko's eyes were wide with surprise.

Although she had already learned that Satoshi had regained the ability to use Kidō after awakening, witnessing it in person gave her a completely different feeling.

Satoshi smiled faintly. "It's alright."

In truth, he was a little surprised himself.

Just now, he had used [Hadō #4 "Byakurai"].

Originally, he had only meant to test it out.

After all, he had only recently unlocked his Kidō proficiency.

And from such a long range, he hadn't expected the technique to kill the Grade 1 cursed spirit in a single shot.

He had been prepared to follow up with all the Kidō spells he had acquired last time if the first failed.

But that turned out to be unnecessary.

It seemed the Reiatsu provided to him by the system was indeed powerful. Judging by the output, it was equivalent to the level of a Special Grade sorcerer.

This surprised Satoshi quite a bit.

Minazuki flew at top speed, and before long, Satoshi and Ieiri Shoko had returned to the Gojo estate.

With his distinctive outfit and the iconic presence of Minazuki, no one stopped him as he entered the compound.

The first to receive the news was Shunichi, who quickly notified Kumaen and arranged for Shoko to be welcomed.

...

Inside a simple guest teahouse.

A servant poured tea for both Shoko and Satoshi.

Satoshi picked up his cup and waited calmly, but before long, hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor.

Suddenly, the sliding door was flung open.

It was Gojo Kumaen.

Kumaen stepped in, his expression full of excitement as he saw Satoshi.

Shunichi followed right behind him.

"Satoshi, you're finally back!" Kumaen said excitedly.

"I didn't expect the first thing you'd do after waking up was to go straight to Jujutsu High without even telling us."

Despite his excitement, Kumaen's words clearly carried a hint of complaint.

Who sleeps for nine years?

And after waking up, goes to school instead of coming home?

Shunichi also added, "That's right, Young Master Satoshi. We've been very worried about you these past nine years."

Satoshi gave a helpless smile. "I really didn't expect to sleep that long. But you didn't need to worry so much. I was safe inside the Tombs of the Star."

Kumaen rolled his eyes. "Sure, with Lord Tengen around we weren't worried about outside danger. We were just afraid you'd never wake up. If you slept for another ten or twenty years, my old bones wouldn't be able to keep acting as head of the family."

Satoshi gave an awkward chuckle.

For him, it had only felt like a long nap. He hadn't expected that nine years had passed in the outside world.

Kumaen patted his shoulder and proposed, "Now that you're back, how about you officially take over as acting head? It's time for me to retire. Shunichi and I discussed this before, and no one had any objections."

Satoshi was caught off guard.

Shoko, who stood beside him, nearly choked on her tea.

She looked between Kumaen and Satoshi with a stunned expression.

Satoshi? Acting head?

As someone from a sorcerer family, Shoko understood well what it meant to become acting head of the Gojo clan.

How old is Satoshi? Isn't this a bit too soon?

Satoshi's reaction wasn't any better. He looked at Kumaen and Shunichi in disbelief.

"You want me… to be acting head now?"

Kumaen nodded firmly. "Of course. Now that you're of age, it's natural for you to take over as the next acting head of the Gojo family. We've all been waiting for this. I'll just consider it an early retirement."

Seeing this, Shunichi also chimed in enthusiastically, "Young Master Satoshi, under your leadership, we're ready to reclaim everything the Zenin and Kamo families took from us."

Shoko's emotions became more complicated. She hadn't expected Satoshi to hold such status within the Gojo clan.

He just woke up, and they're already asking him to take over?

And in a situation like this, no one seems opposed.

After all, this role is second only to the head in the world of jujutsu—a position most would never refuse.

Her eyes were suddenly filled with a mix of awe and reflection.

But under the expectant gazes of Kumaen and Shunichi, Satoshi fell silent for a moment.

Then he said, helplessly, "Sorry, Kumaen, Shunichi. I'm afraid I can't take on the acting head position right now."

Everyone froze.

No one had expected Satoshi to refuse.

Kumaen stared, shocked. "Satoshi… why? Can you give me a reason?"

Shunichi was just as confused. "That's right, Young Master Satoshi. You know we've been preparing for this since nine years ago."

Satoshi let out a soft sigh. "Even so, this is too sudden. I haven't even gotten a full grasp on the current situation. You can't just throw the acting head position at me like this. It's irresponsible."

Kumaen finally realized that they really hadn't taken the time to talk things through with him.

And Satoshi had clearly returned with a mission. It was unlikely he could stay at the Gojo estate for long.

If they handed the title over like this, it would indeed seem careless.

Kumaen coughed awkwardly. "Ahem… alright, Satoshi. I'll continue acting as head for now. Once you finish what you need to do, come back and we'll discuss it again."

Satoshi replied, "I'll find time to mentally prepare myself first."

Kumaen laughed. "Well, I suppose you came back this time to retrieve the Sukuna fingers."

Satoshi nodded. "Correct."

He had explained this before going into stasis.

And with news from Jujutsu High already circulating, Kumaen was likely informed.

So Satoshi didn't feel the need to elaborate.

Kumaen was silent for a moment, then said, "Over the past nine years, we've done everything we could to collect four of Sukuna's fingers. I'll have Shunichi bring them to you now."

"Understood. I'll retrieve them right away." Shunichi received the order and promptly left.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Julian for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉

Chapter 235: Gojo Satoshi Is Really Serious

Gojo Kumaen looked at Satoshi's calm expression and asked curiously, "Satoshi, can you tell me what you're really thinking?"

Satoshi tilted his head. "Hmm? Didn't you all hear the news about destroying Sukuna's fingers?"

Kumaen was momentarily stunned.

He hadn't expected that the reason Satoshi had asked him to collect Sukuna's fingers was actually to destroy them.

"Satoshi, are you really planning to destroy them? And even signed an agreement for it? Isn't this a thankless task?" Kumaen glanced at him, speaking helplessly.

After all, no one had ever destroyed a Sukuna finger in history.

He had initially assumed that Satoshi needed them to restore his Zanpakutō.

Satoshi looked directly at Kumaen and replied seriously, "It's fine. Leave it to me. I'll destroy them. I've been preparing for this since nine years ago. Just trust me."

Seeing Satoshi speak with such conviction, Kumaen said nothing more.

Just like they believed he could one day become the acting head of the Gojo family, now that Satoshi was confident, they would naturally choose to believe in him—and in their decision.

Satoshi and Kumaen left the tea room, continuing their conversation as they walked. Ieiri Shoko tactfully stayed behind.

The two strolled down the long corridor of the Gojo estate.

Satoshi glanced around at the garden scenery and sighed softly, "Seems like a lot has changed around here."

Kumaen looked at him and joked, "Of course, it's been nine years. Look at me—I've got a head full of white hair now. That's why you should hurry up and take the position of acting head, so I can finally lie in a chair and enjoy the sun."

Satoshi smiled. "The Gojo family looks like it's doing fine. But I noticed the Kamo and Zenin clans sent quite the entourage through the General Administration?"

Kumaen nodded. "The situation really isn't as stable as it was nine years ago. The Kamo and Zenin families have been far more aggressive recently."

Satoshi frowned. "Why?"

Kumaen was silent for a moment, then answered solemnly, "Rumor has it that a child was born into the Kamo family with mastery over the Blood Manipulation Technique."

Satoshi's frown deepened.

No wonder they were making bold moves.

Satoshi stroked his chin thoughtfully. "What about Satoru? With him active over these nine years, surely the Kamo and Zenin clans wouldn't have dared to go too far."

Even while Satoshi had been in stasis, Satoru—the strongest Six Eyes user in history—was still around.

Logically, even with the Red Bloodline awakening, they shouldn't have had the audacity to overstep.

At the mention of Satoru, Kumaen rubbed his temples. "Satoru has made a lot of progress over the years. He's mostly been focused on exorcising cursed spirits and tracking down Sukuna's fingers… but when it comes to family affairs, he doesn't care in the slightest."

Satoshi nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like him."

Kumaen gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "That's why you have to pay more attention. Come back and take over when you can."

Satoshi laughed. "Let me finish what I came here to do first. After that, I'll think about it."

"Alright." Kumaen chuckled.

Soon after, Shunichi returned with a sealed container in his hands.

Inside were the Sukuna fingers that the Gojo family had collected over the past nine years.

Satoshi took the container and examined its contents.

There were no issues.

"Looks good. I'd better get back now. I'm worried something unexpected might happen at the college while I'm away."

Kumaen understood the urgency of the situation and didn't try to keep him any longer.

After saying their farewells, Satoshi and Ieiri Shoko left the estate.

Shunichi and Kumaen walked them all the way to the gate.

Watching Minazuki disappear into the sky, Kumaen smiled faintly and turned away.

Shunichi asked with concern, "Deputy, should I go along to protect Young Master Satoshi?"

Kumaen glanced at him. "Don't worry, Shunichi. You've known Satoshi for years. Now that I know his Zanpakutō is intact, I'm not worried about him."

"I just hope he wraps things up soon and comes back to take over. Then I can finally lie on that rattan chair and enjoy the sunlight."

"Maybe even hold a grandchild or two. That girl from the Ieiri family isn't bad. She's a good match for Satoshi."

Shunichi looked helpless. "Deputy, you're getting ahead of yourself. That still depends on Young Master Satoshi's feelings…"

"Ahem, yes, that's true. Satoshi's only just started technical high school. He's still a while away from marrying. Let's at least wait for him to graduate first…"

...

On the return to Jujutsu High.

Satoshi didn't speak. He simply looked down, watching the Gojo estate grow smaller in the distance until it finally vanished from view.

Shoko suddenly asked, "Satoshi, why did you refuse to become the acting head of the Gojo family?"

In the world of jujutsu, that position was one of the most coveted.

Satoshi turned to her and replied calmly, "The Gojo family's legacy is too important to be decided so lightly. If I were to accept it now, it would make the whole situation far more complicated."

Ieiri Shoko thought aloud, "You mean the Kamo and Zenin families might try something behind the scenes?"

The power struggle among the Big Three Sorcerer Families had only grown more intense. Sorcerer clans were being forced to choose sides.

Her own Ieiri family, for instance, had long been close with the Gojo family.

Satoshi nodded. "The Zenin clan isn't a major threat right now. Their younger generation has been on the decline."

"But the Kamo clan has regained control of the Blood Manipulation Technique. That makes them unstable."

Shoko fell silent, then said, "Satoshi, I can help you."

Satoshi looked at her in surprise, then smiled. "There's no need. We don't go looking for trouble—but we're not afraid of it either."

"Back then, I could suppress them from the shadows. And nine years later, I still can."

Shoko smiled at him.

(To be continued.)