HRU: Chapter 183/185

Chapter 183: Subduing

After learning about Minazuki's treatment method, everyone at the scene fell silent.

Whether it was the support team trio or Gojo Satoru's group, all were shocked by Minazuki's healing process.

The only thing to be grateful for was that it seemed Yagyū Saemon would no longer be in any life-threatening danger.

Once Geto Suguru realized this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In this mission, Yagyū Saemon had played a huge role in protecting him. Without Yagyū Saemon's efforts, perhaps Geto Suguru would not have been standing here safely now.

The whole scene became awkwardly still. Sekiguchi Seiji, Yaga Masamichi, and Yōshu did not know what to do. Should they return and report back?

It felt inappropriate, as they had no confirmed information on Yagyū Saemon's condition yet.

However, just standing there seemed even more awkward.

At that moment, Satoshi glanced at Geto Suguru and said,

"Suguru, your technique is powerful, but most of the time, you cannot control it properly."

"Isn't it disgusting to swallow a rag soaked with vomit and filth?"

Geto's body stiffened. He looked up at Satoshi, eyes wide in shock.

He was certain that he had never spoken to anyone about the feeling of swallowing a Cursed Spirit Ball. How could Satoshi know the exact sensation he felt when absorbing cursed spirits?

Even if Satoshi somehow knew the taste was bad, how could he describe it so precisely?

Most importantly, Satoshi's words matched the sensation in Geto Suguru's heart perfectly.

It was terrifying. Could it be that Satoshi could read his thoughts?

Geto subconsciously took two steps back, at a complete loss for how to respond.

Seeing Geto's reaction, Satoshi only smiled lightly and shifted his gaze toward the Rainbow Dragon lying beside him.

Although the Rainbow Dragon had been battered under Minazuki's attacks and was barely hanging on, its massive, majestic body remained impressive.

Satoshi silently approached the Rainbow Dragon, patted its huge form, and said to Geto,

"If you want to maximize the potential of your Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique, you must overcome this barrier. I know the Cursed Spirit Ball tastes vile. After all, cursed spirits are born from human negative emotions. How could they possibly taste good?"

"But are you prepared to abandon your innate technique?"

"If not,"

Satoshi slightly curled the corners of his mouth and tilted his chin at the Rainbow Dragon.

"Then I am giving you an opportunity. This is a special grade cursed spirit, the very one you sought out. What do you think? Do you want to absorb it?"

Geto's expression twisted.

He had already failed to subdue the Rainbow Dragon once, back when it had not yet evolved into a special grade. Now that it had, how could he possibly succeed?

It felt like Satoshi was mocking him.

However, Satoshi's next words completely caught him off guard.

"Suguru, if you can subdue the Rainbow Dragon, I will give you the Zanpakutō I forged for you."

"Since the Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique is your innate ability, then show me your strength."

Satoshi's words were full of temptation.

Even Satoru did not understand why Satoshi was doing this.

To ask a six-year-old Geto Suguru to subdue a special grade cursed spirit?

Satoru did not believe Geto could succeed.

His previous failure to subdue Jogo had already proven that he was not yet capable. His inability to tame the Rainbow Dragon only reinforced that fact.

However, Satoru did not know Satoshi's real intentions.

The reason Geto Suguru had walked down that dark path in the original timeline was because of the accumulated pressure of constantly absorbing cursed spirits, coupled with overwhelming negative emotions.

Now, what Satoshi was trying to do was to help Geto Suguru accept his birth technique fully, to overcome the psychological resistance to it.

If Geto could tame the Rainbow Dragon, he would have to overcome his disgust.

And once he overcame it, his strength would advance at an astonishing rate.

Because true strength always comes at a price.

You cannot become strong without sacrifice.

...

Faced with Satoshi's proposal, Sekiguchi Seiji, Yaga Masamichi, and Nishinaga Ki all turned to look at Geto Suguru.

Although they did not fully understand the details of the Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique, they knew this was a rare opportunity.

After all, Satoshi's Zanpakutō were now considered priceless treasures in the world of jujutsu. Even special grade Cursed Tools could not compare to a Zanpakutō forged by him.

No matter what, Geto should at least attempt it.

However, Yuki, Toji, and Satoru knew the situation was not that simple.

If Geto could easily subdue special grade cursed spirits, he would not have failed to tame Jogo back at the Tombs of the Star.

Compared to the Rainbow Dragon, Jogo was clearly stronger.

They all understood that subduing the Rainbow Dragon would be an enormous challenge for Geto Suguru.

At this moment, both groups were waiting for his answer.

What decision would Geto Suguru make?

"Come. What will you choose?"

Satoshi stood beside the Rainbow Dragon, smiling calmly as he gracefully extended his right hand toward Geto.

Come.

Show me your determination.

Satoshi had already anticipated Geto's answer, but he still looked forward to seeing him take that first step with his own eyes.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 184: Fierceness

Everyone watched as Geto walked over to Satoshi's side, their expressions varied.

Yaga Masamichi and the others believed Geto Suguru was simply eager for his Zanpakutō.

Satoru and his group, however, knew that this was a personal challenge for him.

"I will complete the subjugation of the Rainbow Dragon."

Geto's eyes were filled with unwavering determination.

"Anyone can talk big."

Satoshi raised an eyebrow and stepped aside to give Geto Suguru the space.

"You need to fully embrace your technique. If you still have this kind of rejection in your heart, you'll never be able to control a special grade cursed spirit with your current strength."

Satoshi gave this final reminder, then returned to Satoru and the others.

...

Geto focused his breathing, and a tense atmosphere quickly enveloped the scene.

Yuki walked up behind Satoshi, wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, and leaned her soft chest against his shoulders. With a teasing smile, she said,

"You claim you won't give Geto Suguru the Zanpakutō, but in the end, you'll still hand it over, won't you?"

"Even if he fails to tame the Rainbow Dragon, you'll still give him."

Yuki's tone was full of certainty, her face glowing with a confident smile.

The faint fragrance she carried lingered around Satoshi as he gave her a side glance that clearly said, You really are sharp.

Just as Yuki guessed, Hõzukimaru was originally forged for Geto Suguru.

Satoshi's earlier words about withholding it were nothing more than a mental tactic to pressure him.

Still, being seen through so easily... Wasn't that a bit much?

It felt like Yuki was becoming more and more uninhibited around him.

Before Tengen had achieved Bankai with Urozakuro, she had still needed the Star Plasma Vessel to maintain her consciousness. And now, Yuki was just letting go of everything?

...

Not far away, the Rainbow Dragon suddenly began to thrash violently.

Even though Minazuki had worn it down, its massive frame still posed a serious threat to a young boy like Geto Suguru.

As soon as his right hand made contact, the Rainbow Dragon felt its control slipping away.

It realized that if it let Geto Suguru activate his technique, it might never regain freedom.

This was not the ending it wanted.

Geto Suguru felt the cursed energy surging into his hand and sighed in relief.

As long as the absorption began, that was a good start.

But the moment didn't last. The Rainbow Dragon's struggling began interfering with the cursed energy gathering process.

The Cursed Spirit Ball hadn't fully formed, and the Rainbow Dragon's will was still resisting him.

A trace of pain flashed through Geto Suguru's eyes.

It really was difficult to subdue a special grade cursed spirit.

This was just like the scene when he tried to tame the Rainbow Dragon in front of Yagyū Saemon.

Are we going to fail again?

Geto recalled the hope he had seen in Satoshi's eyes, and the bitter feeling of having Kizunamaru slip away stung his chest.

If he couldn't tame the Rainbow Dragon and earn his Zanpakutō, the gap between him and Satoshi, and between him and Satoru, would only widen.

This Rainbow Dragon was the foundation of his strength.

If he succeeded here, and with a Zanpakutō in hand, then even if he encountered a cursed spirit like Jogo again, he would be confident enough to fight and subjugate it using the Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique.

But that all depended on whether he could conquer the Rainbow Dragon now.

Geto subconsciously turned to glance at Satoshi.

That white-haired boy's eyes were as clear as the sky, his white lashes fluttering softly.

He could feel Satoshi's complete trust and expectation.

Unlike Satoru,Toji, and the others who still held doubts, only Satoshi truly believed he could do it.

A sharp glint flashed through Geto's eyes. He pressed both hands on the Rainbow Dragon's body.

He was going to do it. He had to.

So what if it tasted disgusting?

Could that revolting taste compare to the humiliation of falling behind?

He, Geto Suguru, refused to lose to anyone. Not even to the Gojo Clan's Six Eyes, and certainly not to the most renowned Zanpakutō smith in the world.

Come on. I accept it. I'll just pretend I have no sense of taste.

A ruthless determination surged in Geto's eyes.

At that moment, he forcibly cut off his sense of taste.

If he couldn't resolve the resistance psychologically, he would suppress it physiologically.

By sealing his sense of taste using cursed energy, Geto's face twisted with discomfort. But at the same time, he finally embraced his innate technique without reservation.

The stench was gone from his mind.

In that moment, the Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique came completely under Geto's control.

...

The Rainbow Dragon thrashed more violently.

Just when everyone thought Geto Suguru was about to fail, a wave of powerful cursed energy was suddenly drawn from the Rainbow Dragon's body.

In front of everyone, the massive creature dissolved into a multicolored orb of cursed light that landed in Geto Suguru's palm.

"This is the Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique?"

Satoru's face was filled with amazement. This was the first time he had witnessed such a technique in action.

The Six Eyes instantly began analyzing the technique, curious about how it allowed Geto to control multiple cursed spirits simultaneously.

Even Toji had a trace of surprise in his eyes.

Though he didn't know the exact mechanics of the technique, he could feel that Geto had sacrificed something important.

He had given something up in order to gain complete control over his technique.

Toji wasn't sure what it was, but he was certain that it had been precious.

He now saw Geto in a new light.

Though he didn't yet believe Geto could compare to Satoshi, he thought that one day, Geto might become a rival to Satoru.

The two of them might become twin pillars in the world of jujutsu.

Of course, the strongest ones should still be myself and Satoshi...

Yuki's eyes glowed with increasing intensity.

What she cared about wasn't Geto. Whether he succeeded or failed was irrelevant to her.

What mattered were the implications behind Satoshi's words.

Geto's success meant that the warning Satoshi gave earlier was no lie.

Something that should not have happened, had happened.

Geto Suguru should not have been able to tame a special grade cursed spirit at his age. He should have needed several more years.

But under Satoshi's guidance, Geto Suguru made it happen.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 185: Summoning the Rainbow Dragon

Yuki's curiosity about Satoshi only grew deeper, along with her obsession.

The mysterious Satoshi was like a fatal poison to her.

If before, Yuki had viewed Tengen as a god or a prophet within the world of jujutsu, then after meeting Satoshi, that divine role had quietly shifted.

The enigmatic Satoshi. The unreadable Satoshi. The Satoshi who seemed to know everything. All of it only made Yuki more obsessed.

She longed to uncover more of the secrets surrounding Gojo Satoshi.

As for the others, whether it was Satoru, Geto Suguru, or even Toji with his Heavenly Restriction, she no longer had any strong interest in them.

Once, she had hoped to use Toji, a being without cursed energy, as a test subject to rid the world of curses.

But now, Satoshi had met every requirement she desired.

So long as Satoshi was willing to cooperate with her, nothing else really mattered.

While Yuki was lost in thought, Geto Suguru raised the shimmering blue Curse Ball to his lips.

This Curse Ball was large—befitting the remains of a special grade cursed spirit. Its power was leagues beyond anything he had absorbed before.

All eyes were fixed on his hand. Everyone wanted to witness what Geto Suguru's next step with the Cursed Spirit Manipulation Technique would be.

Under everyone's gaze, Geto Suguru opened his mouth wide, and the entire blue sphere seemed to distort before being swallowed in one motion.

In that moment, everyone finally understood what Satoshi meant earlier.

Even without tasting it personally, the idea of swallowing something forged from the concentrated essence of humanity's negative emotions was revolting.

The sensation of swallowing a rag used to clean up vomit and filth...

Recalling Satoshi's earlier comparison, Satoru, Sekiguchi Seiji, Yaga Masamichi, and Yōshu all felt a wave of nausea.

Who could possibly stomach that?

They now realized just how mentally taxing it must have been for Geto Suguru to continue refining this technique.

To swallow that regularly? Just once would be horrifying, let alone making it a part of daily life.

Only Satoshi wore a calm expression, Shoko remained focused, and Yuki was indifferent.

Satoshi had long predicted this scene. He understood that this was the only path for Geto Suguru to completely subjugate the cursed spirit. There was no surprise on his face.

Shoko continued channeling cursed energy into Minazuki to treat Yagyū Saemon.

As for Yuki, she truly didn't care whether Geto Suguru succeeded or failed. It was all meaningless to her now.

...

As the blue Curse Ball twisted and dissolved, the Rainbow Dragon's remains completely vanished.

Geto Suguru's power surged, and in the eyes of both Six Eyes users—Satoru and Satoshi—the negative emotions swirling around him thickened exponentially.

As expected. How could Geto Suguru not become twisted if he keeps devouring cursed spirits like this?

This is after he gave up his sense of taste. If he had still retained that rejection toward the taste of cursed energy, the negative feedback might have been even worse.

Satoshi observed in silence. From now on, he would need to pay close attention to how Geto Suguru developed his innate technique.

Satoru, meanwhile, had much simpler feelings.

He was simply worried.

He had objected to Satoshi pushing Suguru to forcibly subdue the Rainbow Dragon.

This kind of thing seemed far too dangerous.

Even though Suguru had succeeded, the pressure placed on him was far more than a six-year-old should bear.

Satoru didn't want his new friend to change because of something like this.

...

As Geto Suguru's breathing gradually returned to normal, the tension in the air began to fade.

Suddenly, his body trembled, and he let out a long burp.

The dense negativity that had wrapped around him scattered instantly. His expression returned to its usual calm.

"Satoshi. I've done it."

Geto Suguru looked toward Satoshi.

For this cursed spirit, he had sacrificed his sense of taste.

From this day on, food would never taste like anything again.

Even if he had earned a rare Zanpakutō, he still felt a small tinge of regret.

After all, no one likes to give up something precious, even if it seems trivial.

Though, maybe taste wasn't that important after all…

Satoshi narrowed his eyes slightly and nodded.

He acknowledged Geto Suguru's resolve.

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Geto Suguru raised his right hand, and in the torn air, a white-scaled dragon emerged from a rift in space.

The Rainbow Dragon.

This new form looked nearly identical to the Rainbow Dragon that had fallen earlier, save for one thing—its size.

It was slightly smaller than the original.

But that didn't change a thing.

The aura of a special grade cursed spirit still radiated from its body.

At this moment, no one could view Geto Suguru as just a six-year-old child.

At the very least, he now held the strength of a special grade cursed spirit.

Such a level was enough to completely overwhelm any Grade 2 sorcerer or below.

While it might still seem like Suguru trailed behind Satoru and Satoshi, the truth was that no one else among their generation could match him.

These three were already the undisputed apex of the new generation of jujutsu sorcerers.

Support-type sorcerers like Shoko had their place too, but in pure combat, they couldn't compare to Satoshi, Satoru, or Suguru.

Fortunately, Satoshi had forged Minazuki for Shoko. With it, Shoko could at least summon Minazuki in battle.

Minazuki's power was no less than that of a special grade cursed spirit, and its healing rituals made it uniquely valuable.

While she still wasn't a front-line powerhouse, Shoko could now protect herself in this dangerous world of curses.

In this world, a healer's presence is absolutely necessary.

(To be continued.)