🎉HRU: Chapter 189/191

Chapter 189: Demon Light

Satoshi and his group returned to the Yorozuya.

Fortunately, the Yorozuya had been built spacious from the start, so even with so many people inside, it didn't feel crowded.

Inside the Yorozuya, Suguru's eyes were fixed on the two Zanpakutō at Yuto's waist.

He had already heard from Toji that Satoshi had forged a Zanpakutō, and he was also aware that the Zanpakutō forged for him should be in Yuto's possession.

Of the two Zanpakutō at Yuto's waist, one belonged to Yuto himself, while the other should be his.

However, since Satoshi hadn't said anything, Suguru didn't know how to bring it up either.

Satoru noticed the anticipation in Suguru's expression, but he didn't speak up on his behalf.

Although Suguru had a great relationship with him, Satoshi was his real brother. Matters like this had to follow Satoshi's intentions.

As a result, all eyes once again turned to Satoshi.

Of course, Jogo and the others who had come with Yuto were completely unaware of what was going on.

When Suguru kept staring at the Zanpakutō on his waist, Yuto instinctively drew out Hōzukimaru.

Satoshi had told him before that this Zanpakutō was made for Suguru. Yuto had the best relationship with Suguru, so he was planning to hand it over directly.

But to his surprise, Suguru simply waved his hand and declined.

What's going on? Doesn't Suguru know how rare Zanpakutō are?

That's not right. Back at the Tombs of the Star, Suguru had been looking forward to it.

Seeing everyone looking at Satoshi, Yuto also realized something must have happened.

Thinking that, he silently sheathed Hōzukimaru again.

Everything would be up to Satoshi's decision.

...

After a brief silence, Satoshi stepped up to Yuto and took Hōzukimaru from him, still sheathed.

"This is the Zanpakutō I made for you, Suguru."

"I named it Hōzukimaru."

"I know you paid a heavy price to subdue the Rainbow Dragon this time, but I want you to understand that before doing anything, you must be ready to bear the consequences."

"I know everything that happened. If not for you, Yagyū Saemon wouldn't have ended up in such a crisis."

"This already happened once before on Mount Fuji. You were there with Yuki, and Rokuro was still in the Cursed Womb."

"If you had really carried out your plan and allowed Jogo to be born inside Mount Fuji, causing it to erupt, have you thought about the kind of damage that would have caused?"

"I made this agreement with you not for anything else, but to make you understand that before acting, you need to consider whether the price is one you're willing and able to pay."

Satoshi's tone was stern, and only now did the others realize the full context behind the situation.

Suguru lowered his head slightly, feeling dejected.

Still, he couldn't deny that Satoshi was right. He had done many things without considering the consequences.

After that incident, he lost his sense of taste. Just thinking about the state of his damaged body was enough to remind him of it constantly.

"...Alright."

When Suguru looked up again, he saw Satoshi tossing Hōzukimaru toward him.

He caught it instinctively, a trace of surprise flashing across his eyes. He hadn't expected Satoshi to hand it over so directly after scolding him...

"You'll have to explore the power of the Ghost Lantern on your own. But before that, let me make something clear. Hōzukimaru has no effect on your Cursed Spirit Manipulation."

"Hōzukimaru is meant to enhance your own combat power. It's a battle-type Zanpakutō."

"Suguru, I hope you can bring out its full potential. The Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique is extremely strong, but your body still needs improvement."

Satoshi's words etched deeply into Suguru's mind.

Suguru nodded, acknowledging what he said.

Without a strong body, he wouldn't be able to endure the power of all the cursed spirits he was gathering. Without a strong body, more powerful special-grade cursed spirits would never submit to him...

"Hōzukimaru..."

Suguru murmured the name of his Zanpakutō, a firm resolve flickering in his eyes. He wanted to become stronger.

Both Hōzukimaru and the Rainbow Dragon were opportunities. Suguru believed he was now on the right path.

"Thank you, Satoshi. I'll keep training and won't act so recklessly again."

These were Suguru's heartfelt words.

Although he still felt some fear toward Satoshi, there was no denying that Satoshi truly cared about him.

Satoshi gave a small nod.

Suguru had great potential. As a future Special Grade, he would definitely bring him more experience points.

This kind of high-quality experience pack was probably second only to Satoru.

With this, he now had control over all the future top-tier sorcerers' experience and potential.

Even the father of the fourth great Special Grade was now on his side. Once Okkotsu Yuta was born in the future, he would make sure to bind him to his side as well.

At that thought, Satoshi looked at Toji again. He didn't remember much about Toji's past love life, and the original story hadn't provided many details either.

He was a bit worried. Could Fushiguro Megumi possibly not be born in this timeline because of his interference?

If Megumi didn't exist, wouldn't the original storyline lose one of its core characters?

But then again, Kaori Itadori's family wasn't living in Sendai anymore either. So in the future, the scene where Itadori swallows Sukuna's finger probably wouldn't take place in Sendai, right?

I wonder if my appearance will trigger a butterfly effect. Without Megumi and Itadori, the future might lose some of its most iconic developments.

At this point, Satoshi had no idea what the future would hold.

But he was ready to influence the world according to his own design.

If Megumi and Itadori really couldn't exist in this world because of him, all he could do was offer a helpless apology.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to mikestarling101 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 190: Is There Something Wrong With the System Repair?

As long as I'm here, I won't let Satoru fall into a situation where he gets cut in half ever again.

With Ryūjin Jakka and Sode no Shirayuki at his waist, Satoshi felt confident enough to influence and reshape the world.

He not only possessed the power of multiple Zanpakutō, but also the power of the system. How could someone like him, with so many advantages, be defeated?

After everyone had returned to their rooms to rest, Satoshi activated his system.

Originally, he only intended to check the status of his Zanpakutō. However, to his surprise, the system panel suddenly froze.

What's going on?

This was the first time Satoshi had encountered such an issue.

Since the moment he acquired the system, it had always functioned smoothly—aside from collapsing right after its creation, when only the Zanjutsu cultivation and Zanpakutō forging features remained active.

So what did this mean now?

Was this incomplete system about to break down completely?

No way.

He had already mastered numerous skills and forged many Zanpakutō, and yet he still wasn't satisfied.

Wasn't having more Zanpakutō always a good thing?

The most important thing was that he hadn't unlocked Kidō yet!

Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō were the four foundational disciplines of the Shinigami. Without even unlocking Kidō, what kind of Shinigami was he supposed to be?

Lying on his bed, Satoshi sat up straight. Under the pale moonlight outside his window, he began inspecting the system panel again.

After freezing for half an hour, the system panel finally reloaded.

Seeing the interface come back online, Satoshi let out a breath of relief.

But the very next moment, his eyes widened.

[Host: Gojo Satoshi]
[Age: 6]
[Zanpakutō: Ryūjin Jakka (Shikai), Sode no Shirayuki (Bankai); Other Zanpakutō display available in the Storage Room]
[Zanjutsu: Proficiency 100%]
[Hakuda: Proficiency 100%]
[Hohō: Proficiency 88%]
[Kidō: Proficiency 0%]

Is this my attribute panel?

Since awakening the system, Satoshi had never actually seen a full status interface before.

He didn't expect the freeze to cause his attribute panel to finally become visible. This was an unexpected bonus.

However, when he looked at the message on the right-hand side of the interface, he was stunned again.

[After analysis, the Host has met the conditions for system repair (Zanpakutō distributed to 10 users, Bankai achieved, and over 50% mastery of basic skills). System repair has been initiated. Estimated repair time: unknown. Please locate a secure area rich in energy to enter hibernation.]

Satoshi was caught completely off guard.

Back when the system first collapsed, he had suspected that it might be repairable. But without any leads, he left it as a distant possibility.

Now, it seemed that his guess had been right all along.

So, handing Hōzukimaru over to Suguru was the final condition needed. Now that it was fulfilled, the system had begun its repair process.

But why did he have to hibernate in a place rich in energy?

Why was hibernation necessary for a system upgrade?

What did it mean that the estimated repair time was unknown?

Was it going to take a long time?

A month? Two months?

Satoshi frowned. Even one or two months was manageable. What he feared most was if it took a year or more. That kind of time was too valuable to waste.

Is it possible to interrupt the repair process?

He attempted to ask the system, but received only a cold reply.

[Once the repair process begins, it cannot be terminated. The system repair has already started. Please find a secure location with sufficient energy for system maintenance.]

[22 hours and 53 minutes remaining until the energy absorption phase. Please locate a hibernation zone before then. If no location is found, the system will forcibly absorb energy from the Host. The Host will be responsible for all consequences.]

The red text flashing across the interface exerted tremendous pressure on Satoshi.

What happens if I don't find a suitable place?

Satoshi asked seriously. Twenty-two hours was not a lot of time.

[Possible outcomes include brain death, limb deterioration, loss of consciousness, memory degradation, and more. Severity will depend on the energy extraction process.]

The system's answer made the urgency crystal clear.

Right now, the most important thing was to find a safe place with ample energy for the system to repair itself within the time limit.

With that thought, Satoshi stopped wasting time questioning the system's logic.

Accidents could happen at any time, and this one had completely disrupted his plans.

In the middle of the night, the lights in the Yorozuya lit up. Everyone had been awakened by Satoshi.

In the living room, everyone stood in their pajamas, staring at Satoshi, who was now standing on top of the kotatsu, confusion written all over their faces.

They had just gone to sleep, and now they were up again. The fact that no one lost their temper spoke to how well they tolerated him.

"Satoshi, what happened? It's the middle of the night. Why did you wake everyone up?"

Satoru rubbed his eyes tiredly.

Too many things had happened during the day. Six Eyes had analyzed far more than usual, and all he wanted was some rest. The last thing he expected was for his own little brother to drag him out of bed like this.

However, seeing that everyone else had arrived and he was the last one there, Satoru kept quiet and gave Satoshi the floor.

Looking around at the gathered group, Satoshi let out a soft sigh.

"In the next little while, I might fall into a deep sleep."

Satoru raised an eyebrow. Wasn't it normal to be asleep at this hour?

"Right now, I need to find a place rich in energy to sleep. I don't know when I'll wake up."

Satoru's expression changed. Something was off.

What did he mean by an unknown wake-up time?

Everyone present had the same thought: What does it mean that you won't know when you'll wake up?

"It might take at least half a year or more…"

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to mikestarling101 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 191: The Sleeping Place

Realizing that Satoshi wasn't joking, the entire room fell silent.

Everyone's sleepiness vanished. None of them had expected Satoshi to drop such shocking news in the middle of the night.

Sleep? And no idea how long he'll be asleep?

This kind of thing sounded completely absurd. But when it was Satoshi saying it, it somehow didn't feel out of place at all.

No one asked why. Instead, they quietly began to consider where Satoshi could find a place rich in energy, one that would meet his strange yet urgent requirements.

A location filled with spiritual energy...

According to what they knew, the ancestral lands of the three great sorcerer clans had all been constructed in places abundant in energy from the very beginning.

This was part of why those families had continued to thrive in the world of jujutsu.

Each clan had their own sacred ground. If Satoshi needed such a location, the Gojo clan certainly wouldn't refuse him.

If necessary, even the Zenin or Kamo family sites could be considered.

With the Gojo clan's current strength, they had enough power to overpower either of the other two families.

Seeing that Satoshi seemed hesitant, Toji lightly touched the scar on his lip. A cold gleam flickered in his eyes.

Satoshi might be too reluctant to reach out to the Zenin family, but Toji had no such hesitation.

Lately, Zenin Jinichi had been constantly trying to bring him back to the family.

But every time Toji was approached with such talk, he flatly rejected it.

There was nothing worth missing about that garbage heap of a family.

Even if they wanted him to return to act as the Zenin clan's heir, he had no interest.

After all, who would want to turn a landfill into a glamorous, open-air landfill?

The more luxurious and open it looked, the more trash would be attracted to it, and the more people would be affected.

However, if Satoshi truly needed the Zenin clan's ancestral land to complete his hibernation, then Toji wouldn't mind becoming its temporary master and clearing the way for him.

"If you need my help, I can handle it. The Zenin family's ancestral land should be overflowing with energy."

Toji's voice was icy, as if he were speaking about something completely unrelated to himself. He sounded nothing like a man referring to the family he was born into.

Everyone nodded at Toji's suggestion. After all, they had all come here because of Satoshi. None of them had any emotional ties to the Zenin clan.

No one cared whether the Zenin family prospered or collapsed.

Satoshi was tempted by the offer, but only as a backup plan.

He wasn't certain whether the Zenin family's ancestral land would meet the system's requirements. More importantly, safety was his top concern.

If he fell asleep in the Zenin territory and couldn't wake up, that would be disastrous.

Moreover, if the Zenin grounds had strong energy, the Gojo family's ancestral land should be just as powerful, if not more.

Given the choice, Satoshi would always prioritize his own clan's territory.

After discussing various sacred locations and landmarks like Mount Fuji, Satoshi already had a plan.

He would select a site suitable for system hibernation, then make arrangements based on how much time he had left.

Satoshi was still uneasy. If he slept for too long, everything might spiral out of control, and that sense of helplessness gnawed at him.

After Satoshi confirmed the location in his mind, Yuki seemed like she wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, when she saw that he had already made his choice, she remained silent.

...

The moon was high in the sky.

Everyone from the Yorozuya went out and followed Satoshi to begin inspecting the locations they had previously scouted.

Satoshi's first stop was the Gojo family estate.

Thanks to Minazuki, they traveled quickly. In no time, the large, emerald green manta ray floated silently over the Gojo compound.

It wasn't entirely invisible in the night sky, but it blended well under the moonlight. Even so, after hovering for a short while, the family's guards spotted it.

"What is that? An enemy?"

A guard's expression changed drastically when he noticed the massive creature above them, cursed energy already beginning to surge from his body.

He hadn't been present earlier that day, so he hadn't seen Minazuki before.

Seeing a giant ray-like creature floating silently above the estate, he nearly froze from shock.

Just as he was about to sound the alarm, the guard beside him stopped him.

"Don't move. That's Satoshi-sama's shikigami."

"What?"

"You weren't here earlier, so you didn't see it. This shikigami was born from Satoshi-sama's Zanpakutō. I don't know why he's back this late, but it's best not to interfere."

"Ah, I see. Got it."

The patrol team quickly returned to their rounds, though they were still shaken.

Young Master Satoshi really was too all-powerful. The Zanpakutō he forged could not only alter the skies, but even summon such a powerful shikigami.

They were certain that as long as Satoshi remained in the clan, the Gojo family's honor would not wane. Under his leadership, the Gojo family would sit firmly at the peak of the jujutsu world.

Of course, Gojo Satoru was indispensable as well.

Realizing that Satoshi was above the family estate lifted the morale of the guards. Unfortunately, they had no idea that the very same young master they revered was about to enter an unknown sleep due to a system malfunction.

In the near future, the Gojo clan might have to face the fallout of losing Satoshi, along with the end of Zanpakutō creation.

If Satoru couldn't advance quickly enough, the clan's future might be far darker than it seemed now.

But at this moment, Satoshi could no longer think that far ahead.

He didn't care much about what the Gojo clan would become. After all, even if he fell into deep sleep, the friends around him would not let the Gojo family fall into decline.

Not to mention, his brother would become the strongest sorcerer of this era. With Senbonzakura at his side, even Kenjaku wouldn't be able to gain anything from a fully awakened Satoru...

(To be continued.)