HRU: Chapter 197/198

Chapter 197: Brothers Fight
But Satoru was sure of it—that was definitely his brother, Satoshi.

No one could imitate Satoshi under the scrutiny of his Six Eyes.

“Satoshi, you’re finally awake,” Satoru said with a grin. “While you were asleep these nine years, I’ve been working hard. You’ve been left in the dust.”

Satoru stood tall, his Six Eyes glowing a deep blue as he gazed at Satoshi. His voice was calm, but a trace of excitement bled through.

Outside the room, Tengen leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a faint smirk on her face. Though she had claimed she wasn’t interested in their touching brotherly reunion, she still chose to observe.

But to her surprise, something about this meeting felt... off.

…

I didn’t even know I was asleep for nine years.

Satoshi instantly understood the meaning behind his brother’s words.

He could see it—Satoru’s burning fighting spirit flickering in those eyes.

“Come,” Satoshi said. “It’s a good time to stretch my limbs.”

This idiot of a brother, if he wasn’t taught a lesson soon, he might tear the roof off next.

In truth, Satoshi hadn’t regressed in the slightest during his nine years of slumber.

On the contrary, with the system's assistance, three of his four core disciplines—Zanjutsu, Hakuda, and Hohō—had already been maxed out, and his Kidō proficiency had also reached perfection.

Now was a perfect opportunity to put it all to the test against Satoru.

Satoru wasn’t careless either.

Brilliant Cursed Energy slowly began to flow in his eyes—a sign that his Six Eyes were fully activated.

He stepped forward suddenly, and cracks spread across the marble floor beneath his feet.

“Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue,” Satoru said coldly.

A surge of Cursed Energy erupted from the room.

Satoshi raised an eyebrow slightly.

It seemed Satoru had devoted himself to mastering Cursed Techniques over the past nine years.

Compared to back then, his growth was undeniable. He could now be called the strongest in the world of Jujutsu Sorcery.

However, as a member of the Gojo clan, Satoshi was very familiar with Blue. He didn’t believe it would land.

Satoshi smirked. “Is that all? Just Blue?”

But just as the words left his mouth, Satoru’s figure suddenly vanished from sight.

Satoshi’s eyes narrowed slightly in surprise.

A wave of chilling Cursed Energy surged from behind him.

A high-level application of Blue—using it to achieve near-instant movement.

That was a lot of progress.

Unfortunately, even without Cursed Energy and unable to use Blue, he had his own ways.

Just as the Blue singularity was about to consume him.

Satoshi vanished.

Faster than Satoru’s movement, without any trace of Cursed Energy.

In that instant, even Satoru’s Six Eyes couldn’t track Satoshi’s movements.

Blue exploded where he had just stood, blasting a crater into the marble floor.

By the time Satoshi reappeared, their positions had already reversed.

“So fast,” Satoru muttered in awe.

Had he gone too far? Satoshi had just woken up—if he got injured, he might sleep another ten years.

But judging by the current situation, he was clearly overthinking it.

Even after nine years, Satoshi was still… Satoshi.

Not someone to take lightly.

At the moment they crossed.

Satoshi launched, fists flowing like water towards Satoru.

Blessed by his Heavenly Restriction, his top-tier physical body moved with frightening power. Even though his muscles hadn’t fully recovered, each punch could devastate.

A single clean hit might be enough to settle the match. But this was a spar, not a death match.

Satoru wasn’t fazed.

A smirk tugged at his lips as his body twisted and weaved, dodging every powerful strike with perfect timing.

Not a single punch landed.

His current evasive skill was the result of years of relentless training.

It hadn’t been for nothing. He had even undergone Hakuda training from Toji alongside Satoshi.

He had been pushing his physical body to the limit over the years, and it showed.

It was far more conditioned than Satoshi’s sleep-deprived frame.

…

Watching from outside, Tengen’s eyes widened slightly.
“These two Gojo brothers are monsters.”

One stood at the peak of technique—Six Eyes and the Limitless.
The other, blessed by Heavenly Restriction, ruled with unmatched physical prowess and zero Cursed Energy.

The clash was breathtaking.

“Still…. It doesn’t seem to be automatic at the moment.”

“It’s smart not to use it too soon. If he exposes the weakness, and Satoshi drags the fight out, the constant strain on Satoru’s Cursed Energy and stamina could finish him.”

If Satoru wanted to overcome the limits of using Six Eyes without collapse, he had to master the Reverse Cursed Technique.

Tengen sighed quietly.

But that technique was no easy feat.

To her knowledge, no one in the Gojo Clan had mastered Reverse Cursed Technique at Satoru’s age.

In her eyes, Satoshi had the upper hand.

She shook her head slightly.

…

Back in the room.

Satoshi narrowed his eyes as he tracked Satoru’s shifting posture.

He, too, possessed Six Eyes, and his perception was no weaker than Satoru’s. Every time he struck, he anticipated his opponent’s reaction.

His punches sliced through the air like a storm. And despite being in better shape, Satoru began to look faintly strained under the pressure.

“Satoru, why don’t you just admit defeat? Then I can go easy on you,” Satoshi said with a teasing smile.

They were both experienced fighters.

He could tell that Satoru had already fallen into a passive rhythm.

But Satoru simply grinned.

“Satoshi, don’t underestimate your brother.”

“Your brother is a genius!”

Of course, he loved his little brother dearly. But he had his own pride too.

Just as Satoshi’s punch came whistling down.

Satoru’s expression shifted. Then he looked up with a smile.

“Satoshi, let me show you my new ability… Limitless: Infinity.”

While the Infinity was active, any approaching object would gradually slow down the closer it came to him—and might even come to a complete halt at the final moment.

“Satoru… you’ve come far.”

“And you’re no slouch either, Satoshi.”

Satoru stopped dodging. He allowed Satoshi’s Heavenly Restriction-empowered fist to descend.

His expression grew calm.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 198: The Reappearance

Satoshi's fist stopped mere inches from Satoru. Though the distance was slight, it felt like an infinite gap had formed between them.

Satoru glanced at his brother and shook his head with a light smile.

"Satoshi, you're going to lose."

"You can't break through my Infinity."

Seeing Satoru flawlessly use the Limitless: Infinity, a flicker of surprise flashed in Satoshi's eyes.

Tengen, outside the room, remained calm. After all, she had anticipated this outcome.

But seeing Satoshi momentarily startled by the effect of Infinity, she found it mildly amusing.

Looks like Satoshi hasn't found the weakness of Infinity. He really might lose this one.

Kids these days really are terrifying. To think Satoru can wield Infinity this skillfully at his age. At this rate, he might already be the strongest sorcerer alive.

If he can comprehend the Reverse Cursed Technique and reduce the drain from Infinity, he could become the strongest sorcerer in history...

She sighed slightly.

In truth, Satoshi was already incredibly powerful, forcing Satoru to rely on Infinity.

But when facing that technique...

Unless Satoshi pulled out the Inverted Spear of Heaven, a Cursed Tool that can nullify all techniques, no one could do anything to Satoru.

She knew Satoshi owned it, but it was currently sealed in the Gojo Clan's Treasury, not on his person.

Which meant he had no way to defeat Satoru here.

The two Gojo brothers really aren't easy to handle.

His fist couldn't even touch Satoru.

Even from just inches away, it was as if something invisible blocked the strike entirely.

Satoshi looked at the strange phenomenon in silence. Though he had known from the original timeline that Satoru would one day master this technique, experiencing it in real life felt surreal.

"Satoru, so this is your true strength?"

"Seems like you've really made progress."

He hadn't expected that, upon waking, Satoru would already have mastered Limitless: Infinity.

As expected of the Gojo Clan's genius.

Seeing his brother frozen in place, Satoru grinned. "So, Satoshi, want to admit defeat?"

"That way, I might be gentler with you."

The exact same words Satoshi had thrown at him earlier. Now Satoru returned them with a smirk.

Satoshi: "....."

Satoru was undoubtedly arrogant, but Satoshi wasn't exactly humble either.

The next moment, Satoshi's eyes flashed with a pale blue glow. He chuckled.

"Satoru, it's true. Your Infinity is powerful."

"But it's not invincible."

As his voice fell, Satoru noticed Satoshi's white robes and short hair suddenly flutter upward without wind.

Then it happened.

A snow-white ripple of spiritual pressure spread from his body.

In an instant.

A completely white Zanpakutō materialized in Satoshi's hand, its form like crystallized frost—Sode no Shirayuki.

He quietly felt the icy blade in his grip.

So long since I've seen you. It feels unfamiliar, yet familiar.

Let's fight together again.

The blade rang out. Mist and frost followed. The temperature plummeted.

Amidst the snowfall, Satoshi slowly raised his Zanpakutō and pointed it at Satoru.

His fighting spirit was ignited by the opponent's pressure. He whispered, "Satoru, let's decide this."

Being aimed at by the blade, a chill ran down Satoru's spine.

He looked solemnly at the pure-white Zanpakutō in Satoshi's hand.

It's cold in here.

"Zanpakutō, Sode no Shirayuki… So, you're finally going to use your trump card."

Zanpakutō.

A word that had once cast a shadow over all Jujutsu sorcerers nine years ago.

Satoru took a deep breath.

But he had his own pride now—his perfected Limitless technique.

And he wanted to fight.

"Satoshi, go ahead and try."

"Even if your Zanpakutō is powerful, it won't break through my Infinity."

With that, Satoru's Six Eyes worked at full capacity, overanalyzing Satoshi's movements frame by frame.

At the same time, he focused all his efforts on controlling his Cursed Energy.

This extreme strain made his head pound.

Even in this state, Satoru didn't believe he would lose.

…

Meanwhile, outside the house.

"This is…"

The moment Sode no Shirayuki appeared, Tengen's lips curled upward slightly.

"Even after nine years of sleep, that boy's instincts are still terrifying."

"But what's his move now?"

Interest flickered in her eyes.

Inside the house.

When the frost atop Sode no Shirayuki reached its peak, Satoshi slowly rotated the blade and chanted:

"Bankai: Hakka no Togame."

As Satoshi's calm voice fell, terrifying waves of Reiryoku erupted, and a sharp sword intent crashed down from above.

It surged toward Satoru like a blizzard breaking through heaven.

Everything in the room.

Under the pressure of the blade's will, turned into icy dust.

Witnessing the overwhelming power, Lord Tengen's scalp tingled. She quickly acted, throwing up a barrier to shield the Tombs of the Star.

"Those two are going to destroy my house at this rate!"

She looked inside again.

Her expression turned complicated.

"I didn't expect Satoshi to unleash such terrifying power right after waking up. I've only heard stories about the strength of Bankai… This is my first time seeing it in person."

"Satoru, you were destined to lose."

"But still, using Bankai immediately after waking... Even if it only lasted a moment, it's a testament to his will."

Their little brotherly duel should be wrapping up about now.

She gave Satoshi a glance, then stepped forward to enter the room.

But before she could step in.

Satoru's disgruntled voice rang out.

"Hey! Damn it!"

"Satoshi, that doesn't count as winning!"

Satoshi didn't even bother responding. He looked at the now-frozen Satoru and chuckled.

"Satoru, you're an ice sculpture now. Just admit defeat already."

Satoru growled, frustrated.

"I won't admit it. You didn't break my Infinity!"

Satoshi had only frozen him in place, not shattered his Infinity.

But Satoru had to remain fully focused to maintain the barrier against the frost creeping just inches from his body.

Under the relentless chill of Sode no Shirayuki, his Cursed Energy was draining at an insane rate.

(To be continued.)