HRU: Chapter 218/219

Chapter 218: Satoru's Shock

On the other side of the mission site.

After a smooth and silent tag-team between Satoru and Suguru, the Cursed Spirit, even with the power granted by Sukuna's fingers, gradually lost its edge.

"Suguru, land the final blow," Satoru said.

Suguru nodded at his words.

Soon, with their well-coordinated teamwork, the Cursed Spirit was completely purified.

In the next moment, it morphed into a floating Sukuna Finger.

Suguru sheathed his Zanpakutō, Hōzukimaru, and exhaled in relief.

He thought, I didn't expect the opponent could actually block the cursed energy flowing through our bodies.

If it weren't for the Zanpakutō that Satoshi forged specifically for us, we might've been in serious trouble.

Seeing this, Satoru happily stored away his Zanpakutō, Senbonzakura.

He bumped fists with Suguru and grinned.

"Suguru, we did it. That was faster than expected. Let's hurry back. I'm sure we'll complete the mission before Satoshi's team!"

Suguru nodded. "Alright, let's return."

Inwardly, Suguru was feeling a surge of satisfaction at surpassing Satoshi.

Satoru stretched and smiled. "I have a good feeling about this! Once Satoshi returns, I'm definitely teasing him."

They didn't waste any more time.

They hurried back to Jujutsu High as fast as they could.

…

At that moment, in Jujutsu High.

Everyone was watching as Satoshi and Shoko handed over the Sukuna Finger.

For a moment, silence filled the air.

The figure of Satoshi, who had gradually faded into obscurity over the years, suddenly loomed large in their minds again, sending a chill down their spines.

The same Satoshi from nine years ago. The Zanpakutō that had cast a shadow over everyone was back once more.

The five glowing flames of Sukuna's cursed energy in his hand drew envy from all present. They had thought nine years was enough to dull even the sharpest blade.

And not to forget...

Another rising star, Satoru, wasn't far behind either.

But as their attention shifted to Satoru, they turned to the screen on the left, which still hadn't dimmed.

A mix of pity crept into everyone's gaze...

Satoshi had already completed the mission long ago, but Satoru and Suguru still thought they were winning…

Still, it wasn't really their fault.

Their performance in this entrance exam was truly excellent. Their synergy was remarkable, a clear testament to their training.

But their opponent was Satoshi.

Satoshi played by no one's rules but his own.

Seeing the unrestrained joy on Satoru and Suguru's faces, Kumaen couldn't help but facepalm, and even Shunichi standing beside him chuckled.

…

Driven by excitement, Satoru and Suguru moved at top speed.

It didn't take long before they reached the gates of the academy. Only then did they slow down, stepping proudly inside.

"Finally back," Satoru said with a smile, pulling out the Sukuna Finger.

Suguru nodded. "I bet that guy Satoshi is still not done. He's carrying Shoko, after all."

Satoru laughed. "Get ready for the crowd to cheer!"

Suguru let out a helpless smile.

Though he had expected this moment...

Just as they were preparing for applause, something about the crowd's reaction felt off.

Everyone was looking at them strangely.

It wasn't admiration.

It looked more like… pity?

Suguru blinked in confusion. "Satoru, why do I feel like everyone's looking at us weirdly…?"

Like they were showing sympathy.

Satoru scratched his head, puzzled. "That's strange. Shouldn't they be clapping for us? We completed the mission and brought back the Sukuna Finger!"

Just then, a familiar voice called out from the side.

"You're finally back."

The two turned to see Shoko standing nearby, smiling.

"Shoko?" they both asked, surprised. "Why are you here?"

"Because we're back," she replied sweetly.

Back? That's impossible!

The two of them froze.

Satoru was the first to react, frowning. "You recovered the finger already? No way! That's impossible!"

He had fought with Satoshi before. While neither had gone all out, he couldn't believe that someone like Satoshi, with no Cursed Energy, could maintain distance with only a Zanpakutō.

Suguru frowned too. "We arrived at the site faster than you, and though we faced some obstacles, we finished the purification faster than expected. How could you be faster than us?"

If the mission had been in a hospital where Shoko's healing was vital, it would make sense. But in a combat-oriented mission, she was more of a burden.

So, naturally, they assumed she was lying.

"You didn't actually go with Satoshi, did you?" Satoru asked, skeptical. "Was he worried you'd slow him down or something…?"

That hit a nerve.

"You jerk! You're the one who's a burden!" Shoko shot back. "With Minazuki, we reached the target way faster than you two!"

As she said this, her mood visibly lifted. She finally felt she had contributed to the mission.

Just then, Satoshi approached.

"Hey, you're back," he said. "Looks like you two have improved a lot these past nine years."

Satoru's eyes widened. He looked from Shoko to Satoshi in disbelief.

"Satoshi, what are you doing here!"

"Don't tell me you really completed the mission?"

Suguru also frowned.

"That's impossible..."

Satoru glared at him and said in disbelief, "You're not just pretending, are you? You didn't even go, did you!"

Of course, it was just a bitter accusation. He knew Satoshi couldn't have cheated.

But still, it was hard to believe.

Satoru added, "Or did you fail?"

Satoshi shook his head and smiled. "You'll see when you submit your mission."

Satoshi's calm expression only made Satoru more uneasy.

"Come on, Suguru. Let's go submit the mission!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 219: Special Grade Sorcerer

Satoshi returned so soon!

There were only two possible explanations. Either he completed the mission at an unbelievable speed, or his entrance mission… failed.

But no matter which it was, it was still hard to believe.

After all, this entrance exam had a live exorcism broadcast. They could view the replay footage from Teacher Yaga.

They just needed to watch the recording to know the truth.

"Alright," Suguru understood what Satoru was thinking.

He followed immediately.

Even if Satoshi had given up on the mission, they didn't want to lose without understanding exactly how they lost.

After submitting the Sukuna Finger, Satoru immediately requested to view the replay of Satoshi's purification process.

This was well within the rules.

Seeing how serious he looked, Yaga Masamichi said nothing. He simply smiled and tossed the cursed corpse linked to Satoshi's live broadcast over to Satoru.

"Here, take it and see for yourself."

"Thanks, Teacher Yaga," Satoru replied.

He quickly activated the playback, and Suguru leaned in curiously.

The curse footage lit up as Satoru infused it with Cursed Energy.

Sure enough, it showed Satoshi and Shoko.

After leaving Jujutsu High, Shoko released Minazuki. They then leisurely boarded it and flew toward the mission location.

The corners of Satoru and Suguru's eyes twitched.

Are Satoshi and Shoko going on a mission or on vacation?

They were both speechless. Watching them chatting and laughing gave them goosebumps.

Satoru quickly fast-forwarded through the early part and skipped to when Satoshi and Shoko arrived at the mission site.

Their expressions turned serious.

But in the next moment, their faces changed drastically.

Suguru's expression shifted. "Is that... Sukuna's consciousness?"

Satoru fell silent.

If Satoshi had actually encountered Sukuna, the mission should've failed. He would've called for backup immediately.

No wonder he came back so quickly.

Thinking back, he realized Satoshi might've felt a little embarrassed and didn't want to say anything. Seriously!

He's my brother. How could he hide something like this from me?

Satoru felt a twinge of anger at Satoshi's apparent concealment of his failure.

Suguru had similar thoughts, though he wasn't too critical.

After all, this was the King of Curses. Even if it was just a fragment of his consciousness, he wasn't someone most people could face head-on.

But Satoshi had a Zanpakutō.

It wasn't like he had no chance.

His Zanpakutō's power was at least equivalent to one Sukuna Finger. Sukuna wouldn't necessarily win in a direct clash.

They watched with this in mind.

Soon, they saw Sukuna activate his Domain and seal both Satoshi's and Shoko's souls, even capturing her.

Satoru and Suguru were stunned.

Then silence.

No wonder Satoshi failed...

Still, they had seen Shoko return earlier, so they weren't truly worried. She was clearly safe now.

Everyone watching just felt disappointed. With Satoshi's strength, had he not encountered Sukuna, he could've cleared the mission with ease.

There wouldn't have been any issue completing the entrance exam.

If their guess was right, Satoshi would be calling for backup soon. Once that happened, it would officially count as a mission failure.

Their expressions all turned a little awkward.

They had wanted to defeat Satoshi, but seeing him in this situation... it didn't feel good at all.

Suddenly, they saw Satoshi start muttering in the recording.

Suguru sighed. "Satoshi's muttering to himself. He must be asking for help, right? Why doesn't he shout louder?"

"At this rate, the rescue team won't hear him..."

Without his Zanpakutō, Satoshi had no way to match Sukuna's power.

He could only rely on a rescue team.

That's what they were all thinking.

But in the next moment!

They saw Sukuna's Domain instantly shatter at Satoshi's hand.

They froze, stunned at the sight.

Before they could react, Satoshi used a completely different technique to instantly eliminate Sukuna.

Satoru and Suguru were both dumbfounded.

What kind of technique was that?

Where did Satoshi learn such a spell?

And why was it so terrifying?

A flood of questions filled their minds.

Satoru was the first to recover.

His eyes trembled. Watching Satoshi silently put away the Sukuna Finger, he swallowed hard.

"Why have I never seen that technique before...?"

Suguru said in a shaken voice, "Besides, Satoshi has no Cursed Energy. How could he cast a technique...?"

Satoru was quiet for a long time. His scalp tingled as he muttered,

"My current technique probably isn't even on the same level as Satoshi's anymore. That technique was just... insane."

And it wasn't just its effect. Even the aura it emitted was overwhelming.

He wasn't confident he could kill a Sukuna-finger-grade Cursed Spirit in a single strike, even one possessing just one finger.

They continued watching as Satoshi rescued Shoko, boarded Minazuki, and flew back to Jujutsu High.

A long silence followed.

The playback ended. Satoru quietly returned the cursed corpse to Yaga Masamichi.

"Finished watching?" Yaga asked with a smile. "Do you still have any questions about the exam process?"

"No more," Satoru and Suguru replied in unison, looking defeated.

They had underestimated Satoshi again.

After nine years of training and growth, how could someone like Satoshi have stayed the same?

Satoru muttered helplessly, "Damn, Satoshi is really insanely strong..."

Suguru let out a deep sigh. "Yeah. We're not even close."

"A Special Grade cursed spirit... defeated in a single strike."

Thinking back to how long they had struggled, how proud they were of their accomplishment, only to realize it paled in comparison… their faces flushed with embarrassment.

Now they understood why everyone had looked at them that way.

They wanted to disappear from the face of the earth.

Absolute social death.

Yaga placed the Sukuna Finger Satoru had returned into a container and handed it to Principal Sekiguchi Seiji.

Not long after, Satoshi and Shoko arrived as well.

Sekiguchi stepped forward and solemnly announced in front of everyone, "Hereby, the Jujutsu High Special Examination is complete!"

"All students have passed!"

"First place, the Gojo Satoshi team. Team leader Gojo Satoshi is hereby awarded the title of Special Grade Sorcerer. Team member Ieiri Shoko is awarded the title of Grade 1 Sorcerer. Both are granted the corresponding privileges of a Jujutsu Sorcerer."

"Second place, the Gojo Satoru team. Team leader Gojo Satoru is hereby awarded the title of Special Grade Sorcerer. Team member Geto Suguru is awarded the title of Grade 1 Sorcerer. Both are granted the corresponding privileges of a Jujutsu Sorcerer."

(To be continued.)