HRU: Chapter 179/182

Chapter 179: The Unaware Rainbow Dragon
"What? That was the power of his Zanpakutō?"

After hearing what Yōshu said, Sekiguchi Seiji stood there, stunned.

He had always known that the power of a Zanpakutō was extraordinary, shaking the entire jujutsu world since its appearance. But this was his first time witnessing such power with his own eyes.

Those dozens of fire pillars that had just shot into the sky looked like a natural disaster. To think that such terrifying power had come from a Zanpakutō.

This completely overturned Sekiguchi's understanding of what a Cursed Tool could be.

The difference between an ordinary Cursed Tool and a Zanpakutō was like the difference between a pistol and an atomic bomb. The gap was simply overwhelming.

"No wonder people always say that the Zanpakutō forged by Gojo Satoshi holds the power of jujutsu itself."

"This is the legendary Zanpakutō."

Sekiguchi could not hide the shock in his eyes. If possible, he wished he could see whether there was any chance for him to obtain a Zanpakutō from Satoshi as well.

If he had a Zanpakutō, could he advance from Grade 1 to Special Grade?

Standing beside him, Yaga Masamichi frowned deeply.

He had always been cautious about the Zanpakutō, but his understanding had been limited to the abilities of Shunichi's Suzumushi and Saemon's Nejibana.

After all, these two Zanpakutō were seen most often in the field, with Shunichi and Saemon frequently taking on missions. Yaga had worked alongside them many times.

The power of Suzumushi and Nejibana was indeed impressive, but not so overwhelming as to inspire despair.

Yaga had not witnessed the spectacle that unfolded at the Gojo family residence when Senbonzakura and Ryūjin Jakka were revealed. He knew little of the true strength of these Zanpakutō.

But now, standing here and witnessing the real power of Ryūjin Jakka for the first time, Yaga was genuinely shaken.

Right after the initial shock, concern filled his mind.

Yaga knew that Satoshi was born with the Six Eyes of the Gojo family. Even so, in Yaga's eyes, that did not mean he should be left without proper guidance.

Both Satoshi and Satoru held the potential to change the world.

They needed the correct teachings, and Jujutsu High was the right place to provide that guidance.

If possible, Yaga sincerely hoped these young ones would one day become students of the school and learn to properly shape their perception of the world.

…

Yōshu silently continued jotting down his notes.

Until now, the association had only heard about how powerful Ryūjin Jakka was. Very few had experienced it firsthand.

But this time, witnessing its power so closely was an entirely different matter.

Watching those towering fire pillars rise into the sky, Yōshu felt as though he were looking at a true natural disaster.

Even if Mount Fuji erupted, would it be any stronger than this?

But more importantly, was this really the full strength of Ryūjin Jakka?

Yōshu did not think so.

Previously, when it came to Sode no Shirayuki, many had assumed it possessed only a few techniques.

But each time, Satoshi proved otherwise, showing moves they had never seen before.

The First Dance: White Moon, the Second Dance: White Ripple, both used by Satoshi himself.

The information on the Third Dance: White Sword had been passed to the association through the Zenin family.

And there was still the mysterious Bankai technique, said to be powerful enough to defeat even a Domain Expansion user.

At this point, at least four techniques had been confirmed, and Yōshu believed there were likely more that the association was unaware of.

If Sode no Shirayuki alone possessed such variety and power, then Ryūjin Jakka, even more formidable, had to hold terrifying potential.

He could not begin to imagine what Ryūjin Jakka would be capable of after Bankai.

Would it have the power to destroy heaven and earth?

Yōshu found himself silently mourning the Rainbow Dragon.

In his eyes, this Special Grade cursed spirit was not worth Ryūjin Jakka's attention.

If those fire pillars had been directed at the Rainbow Dragon, the spirit would likely have been incinerated on the spot.

…

At the center of the battlefield.

Geto Suguru stood frozen, his face filled with shock as he looked at the aftermath of Ryūjin Jakka's power.

If the flames along the castle walls before had merely felt scorching, then the Ennetsu Jigoku (Hell of Scorching Flames) he witnessed now brought with it the scent of death.

A creature like the Rainbow Dragon stood no chance against Ennetsu Jigoku. If that was the case, even taming the Rainbow Dragon would not bring him closer to Satoshi's level.

It felt impossible.

"Do you want to become stronger?" Satoshi looked at Geto with a serious expression.

Geto nodded firmly, determination burning in his eyes.

He wanted to grow stronger. He didn't want to be left behind like this. He felt he shouldn't lose to anyone—not to Satoshi, not to Satoru.

"I forged a Zanpakutō for you before," Satoshi continued, his voice calm, "but right now, you're a disappointment."

"You are not qualified to wield a Zanpakutō."

Satoshi smiled faintly, lifting Geto's hopes for a moment, only to crush them immediately.

Geto's eyes brightened with hope, then quickly dimmed again.

He knew he had let Satoshi down.

There was a trace of pity in Satoru's gaze. If Satoshi really did not intend to give Geto a Zanpakutō, there was no need to mention it.

Wasn't this just tormenting him?

He was just about to speak up when Yuki stepped forward, blocking his view and shaking her head.

They all understood that Satoshi's words, actions, and even the raised blade earlier were not just to suppress Geto's hopes.

It was meant to force something out of him.

The atmosphere grew heavy as Geto fell silent in frustration.

At that moment, the Rainbow Dragon, still unaware of its own situation, soared back into the air, ready to fight again.

Because Satoshi had not unleashed the full might of Ennetsu Jigoku earlier, the Rainbow Dragon had only suffered surface burns.

Now, it still clung to the hope of victory.

Satoshi sighed at its reckless behavior.

So the Rainbow Dragon isn't as intelligent as Jogo or Hanami. It had no sense of the danger it was facing.

If it had been Jogo or Hanami, they would have already fled after witnessing Ennetsu Jigoku.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 180: Minazuki
However, this was not a bad thing for Satoshi.

After all, the Rainbow Dragon was originally in Geto Suguru's pocket. Today, he wanted to see for himself which was stronger—a Special Grade cursed spirit or a biological-type Zanpakutō.

In the world of the Shinigami, Minazuki's main role had always been as a mount and healer. She rarely had opportunities to display her combat abilities.

Now, it was time for Minazuki to take the stage.

The Rainbow Dragon was a Special Grade cursed spirit with a clear air-to-ground advantage, and Minazuki could fly as well. There was no question of one side bullying the other.

"Shoko, let Minazuki attack. This will also help improve your control over her," Satoshi instructed calmly.

At his words, Ieiri Shoko nodded slightly.

She was unsure of Minazuki's full combat capabilities, but since Satoshi had said so, she naturally wanted to see what her Zanpakutō could do.

Responding to Shoko's command, Minazuki, who had been floating quietly nearby, rose into the air. Opening her mouth wide, she released shockwave-like energy spheres.

The motion of Minazuki in the air resembled a manta ray gliding effortlessly through the sea.

The action looked almost comical, yet those white spherical blasts were anything but harmless.

Though they appeared to be simple shockwaves, the Special Grade cursed spirit Rainbow Dragon was actually being forced back, step by step, by these attacks.

Most importantly, the Rainbow Dragon's cursed energy blasts were not enough to repel Minazuki's assault.

This scene shocked Geto Suguru and the support team even more.

They could accept the fact that Satoshi, wielding Ryūjin Jakka, could overpower a Special Grade cursed spirit. That was understandable.

But the idea that a manta ray-shaped creature, which looked more like a passive mount, could so easily suppress a Special Grade cursed spirit… that was hard to believe.

In other words, this creature floating in the sky, which they had assumed was just a flying mount with some durability, actually possessed the power of a Special Grade cursed spirit?

Sekiguchi Seiji had originally thought that Minazuki was simply a flight-type mount with a bit of defensive capability.

He never imagined that this summoned creature would have such offensive power.

…

As everyone focused on the battle between the two creatures, Geto Suguru suddenly recalled what Satoshi had said to Shoko earlier, and a guess began forming in his mind.

This manta ray must have appeared during the time he was away.

During that period, it was impossible for Satoshi to have subdued a Special Grade cursed spirit. After all, Satoshi did not possess an innate technique like Geto's Cursed Spirit Manipulation.

In that case, there was only one possibility—the giant flying manta ray named Minazuki was a manifestation of a Zanpakutō.

Satoshi had mentioned that he had forged a Zanpakutō for Geto.

If that was the case, then it was likely that others had also received Zanpakutō from Satoshi.

Yuki wore a katana at her waist, which was clearly a Zanpakutō.

Shoko did not carry a sword, but she did have a sheath.

This meant that the enormous ray floating in the sky was most likely the ability of Shoko's Zanpakutō.

Otherwise, Satoshi would not have specifically told her to focus on improving her control over Minazuki.

Geto had already pieced together most of the puzzle in his mind, but he still wanted confirmation.

The only person he could reliably ask was Satoru, with whom he had a good rapport.

"Satoru, let me ask you something… that creature in the sky…" Geto began.

Before he could finish, Satoru answered casually.

"Oh, that's Shoko's Zanpakutō, Minazuki. Her Zanpakutō's ability is to transform into that manta ray, and most of its power is concentrated in that form."

Geto Suguru understood immediately.

To be honest, when he had first met Ieiri Shoko at the Yorozuya, he hadn't paid much attention to her.

Though she was beautiful, Geto had not been focused on that at the time.

He had known that Shoko's Reverse Cursed Technique was rare, but in his eyes, it was nothing more than a supporting ability. No matter how powerful healing was, it could only play a backup role.

What he sought was strength—the power to stand at the top.

But now, with the addition of a Zanpakutō, Ieiri Shoko had undergone a complete transformation.

From a nurse to a summoner.

She had directly taken the position that Geto had believed was his.

Geto had always thought that, with his Cursed Spirit Manipulation, he was the most suitable person to be a summoner.

After all, the technique was innate.

But who would have imagined that Jogo, a powerful Special Grade cursed spirit, would submit directly to Satoshi? That alone had given Satoshi his first summoned creature.

Now, Satoshi had forged the Zanpakutō Minazuki for Shoko, granting him a second summoning ally.

With such powerful summoned beings on Satoshi's side, no matter how many cursed spirits Geto controlled, they would likely all be reduced to ashes before Ryūjin Jakka in a single strike.

Geto stood frozen, lost in thought.

He had once been offered the opportunity to receive a Zanpakutō, but he had squandered it.

Geto had always been proud.

As Yagyu Saemon had said before, the strong should protect the weak.

But in Geto's mind, humans without cursed techniques were weak, and those who possessed cursed techniques stood apart as superior beings.

The so-called protection of the weak was, in his view, nothing more than the pity of the strong toward the powerless.

Yet now, in the face of Satoshi's overwhelming strength, Geto realized how insignificant his own pride was.

Was the way he looked down on ordinary humans the same way Satoshi viewed him now?

In the world of jujutsu, Heavenly Restriction had always been considered a curse.

However, in Satoshi and Toji, this Heavenly Restriction had manifested as another kind of power.

Perhaps, this so-called curse was simply another form of selection by the heavens.

Geto Suguru reflected silently.

But he was not the kind of person who could easily accept such thoughts. Suppressing these emotions would only cause them to explode even more violently in the future.

If only I could get a Zanpakutō like Ieiri Shoko.

If I possessed a Zanpakutō, would I be able to redefine myself? Would I be able to grow stronger without relying solely on cursed spirits?

Geto stared at Minazuki in the sky, his eyes filled with longing.

He needed a Zanpakutō. Since Satoshi had once been willing to forge one for him, that meant Satoshi acknowledged his potential.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 181: Yaga Masamichi Is Special?
Sensing Geto's strong emotional fluctuations, Satoshi nodded quietly to himself.

What he feared the most was that if Geto continued to suppress these emotions without release, this stubborn man would eventually walk down the same path as before.

However, Satoshi was not a god. His understanding of Geto Suguru's mindset was limited to the fragments he had seen from the original timeline. He could not completely control the changes in Geto's mentality.

Right now, he could only watch Geto closely, hoping that his presence might allow him to rein in Geto's distorted thoughts in time. But if there ever came a day when he was not there to watch over Geto, outside influences might still steer Geto's heart toward darkness.

But this was no longer something Satoshi needed to worry about at this moment.

At that time, the three-man support team from the association finally arrived at the battlefield, moving toward Yagyū Saemon and Geto Suguru.

The moment Sekiguchi Seiji laid eyes on the group standing beside Geto, he could not help but feel overwhelmed by the luxury of this lineup.

The Six Eyes of the Gojo family.

Zenin Toji.

The Star Plasma Vessel, Yuki.

The genius of Reverse Cursed Technique, Ieiri Shoko…

Just the strength of this group alone was enough to erase the three of them from existence without so much as a sound.

In fact, they would not even need this entire group. Zenin Toji alone, with his Zanpakutō Katen Kyōkotsu, could easily crush them.

But no matter how extravagant the lineup appeared, the core of this gathering was still the calm, white-haired, blue-eyed boy standing beside Geto Suguru.

His misty eyes, pure white hair, and the identical twin beside him were enough to confirm their identity.

Two Zanpakutō hung at the boy's waist, confirming his status even further.

This boy was none other than Gojo Satoshi. The creator of Zanpakutō. The Six Eyes of the Gojo family. The bearer of the Heavenly Restriction. The one who, at such a young age, had already repelled a Domain-level Curse User.

The towering pillar of fire that had shot into the sky earlier had come from one of the Zanpakutō at his waist.

If Sekiguchi and the others had held any doubts before meeting him, now those doubts were completely erased. All that remained was shock.

Because the child standing before them was only six years old.

What could a six-year-old possibly achieve under normal circumstances?

Most children at this age would not have even entered elementary school yet.

But the Gojo twins were already capable of exorcising cursed spirits, building their own network, and establishing their place within the jujutsu society.

Yaga Masamichi looked at the two children before him, and deep in his heart, the idea took root that he needed to help shape their worldview properly.

At that moment, he felt that one of his responsibilities might be to nurture these young talents into the future pillars of the jujutsu world.

"Yaga-san, what are you thinking about?" Yōshu's voice broke the silence.

Yaga Masamichi snapped out of his thoughts. He adjusted his sunglasses and looked up, only to see Satoshi watching him with a playful expression, as though he had already figured him out.

As the center of the group's attention, Satoshi's gaze naturally drew everyone else's curiosity. Even Shoko, who was still treating Yagyū Saemon, glanced over without surprise.

"Is there something on my face?"

Yaga Masamichi, still a student at Jujutsu High, looked a little awkward under everyone's gaze. Fortunately, his sunglasses helped hide his expression.

Satoshi was quietly surprised.

This young Yaga Masamichi, despite looking like a delinquent with his sunglasses, was unexpectedly handsome.

His build was sturdy and powerful, with a physique that could even rival Toji.

If Satoshi hadn't known that Yaga specialized in Cursed Corpse manipulation, he might have assumed at first glance that Yaga was a close-combat Hakuda master.

Zenin Toji and the others also began to scrutinize Yaga carefully. Even Sekiguchi Seiji, the strongest among the three support members, seemed overshadowed by Yaga's presence.

What is with this man in sunglasses? Why is Satoshi paying so much attention to him? Does he have some hidden strength? He doesn't look particularly powerful…

Satoru frowned slightly. His Six Eyes analyzed Yaga Masamichi like a laser, scanning every inch of him in an attempt to uncover anything special.

His body is quite strong… How does that compare to the Heavenly Restriction?

Toji silently calculated how many blows it would take to bring Yaga down if they fought.

This guy doesn't look like a good person at all. Wearing sunglasses in this kind of weather? Is he trying to act tough? His cursed energy is pretty strong though.

Yuki raised an eyebrow but didn't think too much of it. No matter how strong Yaga might be, he was still no match for her.

Even Geto, despite his own emotional turmoil, couldn't help but glance up in curiosity. After all, there weren't many people who could draw this much attention from Satoshi.

…

I wonder how far along the principal's Cursed Corpse development is. Panda shouldn't be born yet, right?

The technique of independent Cursed Corpses had incredible potential. If it were to receive the support of a major family or the upper echelons of the association, Yaga's Cursed Corpse technique could make him a true one-man army.

In the entire jujutsu world, there were probably only two people who could genuinely be considered one-man armies.

Geto Suguru, with his Cursed Spirit Manipulation.

And Yaga Masamichi, with his Cursed Corpse Technique.

Satoshi realized that he had been underestimating these key figures from the original timeline.

Since he was a reincarnator, there was no reason for him to limit his focus to just a few names.

Yaga Masamichi, Nanami Kento—who should still be younger than Satoru right now—Mei Mei, and the others. These were all the future elites of the jujutsu world.

It might be wise to start building connections with them early.

Especially those like Yaga Masamichi, whose "lost" techniques held unique potential. Such people should never be ignored.

Should I forge a Zanpakutō for Principal Yaga? If I do, what kind of Zanpakutō would suit him?

There aren't many Zanpakutō that would work well alongside Cursed Corpses… Should I create a Kidō-type Zanpakutō to support his technique?

Just as Satoshi was lost in thought, a roar echoed from the sky.

The painful cry of the Rainbow Dragon interrupted everyone's focus, pulling their attention back to the ongoing battle overhead.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 182: Healing Technique

In the sky, the Rainbow Dragon, which had previously been attacked by Ryūjin Jakka, stood no chance against Minazuki.

Under Shoko's command, Minazuki moved as gracefully as a manta ray, continuously releasing waves of energy. One, two, three waves—each one striking directly at the Rainbow Dragon.

The pale dragon staggered awkwardly in the air. After struggling for more than ten seconds, it finally crashed down, slamming into the ground and kicking up a cloud of heavy dust.

It's over.

This exorcism mission seemed to have reached its conclusion.

The culprit behind all of this, the special-grade cursed spirit Rainbow Dragon, had been taken down by Minazuki. Geto Suguru and Yagyū Saemon had also been successfully rescued.

Yōshu let out a sigh of relief.

His gaze fell on the unconscious Yagyū Saemon lying nearby. Fortunately, he was still alive. Otherwise, Yōshu truly did not know how he would have explained this to the Yagyū family.

Just as the three-man support team thought the crisis had passed, Yagyū Saemon suddenly began to cough violently. His pale complexion turned abnormally red.

Yagyū Saemon's injuries were too severe. Shoko's Reverse Cursed Technique could only provide temporary stabilization, not a complete cure.

The expressions of Sekiguchi Seiji and Yaga Masamichi immediately darkened.

Eliminating the special-grade cursed spirit was not the real objective here.

Their mission was to rescue Yagyū Saemon alive. If the Rainbow Dragon was defeated but Yagyū Saemon died, their mission would be considered a failure.

Yaga Masamichi stepped forward to check on Yagyū Saemon's condition.

But Satoshi immediately stopped him.

"Gojo Satoshi, right? Let me take a look. Yagyū Saemon's situation is serious," Yaga Masamichi urged.

From his perspective, if even Shōko's Reverse Cursed Technique couldn't heal these injuries, the damage must be beyond ordinary.

But to his surprise, Satoshi simply shook his head and replied calmly:

"Trust Shoko. She is the most skilled among all of us."

Satoshi's tone sounded arrogant, but Yaga Masamichi did not question it. After all, when it came to the Reverse Cursed Technique, they had no room to argue.

Still, the Reverse Cursed Technique was not a miracle cure.

From the current situation, it was obvious that Shoko's healing alone had not worked on Yagyū Saemon.

Although Yaga Masamichi couldn't think of a better solution himself, standing by and doing nothing wasn't an option.

Otherwise, what was the point of them being here?

Yaga Masamichi remained unwilling to give up, and Satoshi admired that persistence. This was indeed the same man who would one day mentor the trio of Gojo Satoru, Geto Suguru, and Ieiri Shoko.

However, even with that respect, Satoshi couldn't allow Yaga Masamichi to interfere. He knew that Shoko still had other methods. Even if the Reverse Cursed Technique had reached its limits, she had another trump card.

Satoshi's eyes glanced up at Minazuki circling in the sky. This manta ray's healing abilities were no weaker than the Reverse Cursed Technique. All Shoko needed to do was utilize Minazuki's unique technique to treat Yagyū Saemon.

As expected, everything proceeded just as Satoshi had imagined. Shoko recalled Minazuki from the sky, choosing not to finish off the Rainbow Dragon.

The massive creature twisted its flexible body and dove down toward the ground. Its sudden descent startled Sekiguchi Seiji, Yaga Masamichi, and Yōshu, who instinctively took a step back.

To them, it looked as though the giant manta ray was preparing to attack.

Minazuki swooped down gracefully, skimming low across the earth, before landing silently on the open ground.

The trio had no idea what Shoko was doing. But when they looked back, they realized that Yagyū Saemon, who had been lying beside Shoko, was gone.

Meanwhile, the enormous green ray was rhythmically moving its mouth, as if chewing on something.

Yaga Masamichi's heart dropped.

Had Yagyū Saemon been swallowed by this giant ray?

Why would Satoshi allow such a thing?

Wasn't Yagyū Saemon the one who had received the Zanpakutō Nejibana from Satoshi? Weren't the Yagyū and Gojo families on good terms?

Why would Satoshi permit this creature to devour Yagyū Saemon?

Confused, but driven by the urgency of the situation, Yaga Masamichi's first instinct was to rush toward Minazuki to stop it.

Regardless of the reason, he couldn't just stand there and watch Yagyū Saemon get eaten.

However, just as he was about to move, Satoshi once again blocked his path with a single step using Shunpo.

"Move aside, Satoshi!" Yaga Masamichi shouted, gathering cursed energy into his right fist, preparing to unleash Black Flash.

Though he was known for his Cursed Corpse Technique, Yaga Masamichi's hand-to-hand combat ability was not to be underestimated.

Satoshi was strong, but Yaga believed that if he could close the distance and prevent him from drawing his Zanpakutō, his chances of winning would increase significantly.

Yaga was confident—but Satoshi had no intention of testing his strength.

Satoshi's tone remained steady as he explained:

"This is Minazuki's ability. Minazuki heals by swallowing the wounded. Once Yagyū Saemon is released, his injuries will be fully healed."

Yaga Masamichi's body stiffened, his face filled with disbelief. How could such an ability exist?

Wasn't this massive green ray a cursed spirit?

Noticing the suspicion in Yaga's eyes, Satoshi gestured toward Shōko, who sat quietly with her eyes closed.

"Right now, Minazuki is channeling Shoko's Reverse Cursed Technique. The more severe the injuries, the more cursed energy Shoko provides for healing."

"If you attack Minazuki now, it will directly interfere with Shoko's treatment."

"So, Principal Yaga, what will you do? Will you still attack, or will you step back?"

Satoshi's playful tone left Yaga Masamichi at a loss.

After a few moments of silence, Yaga withdrew the cursed energy from his fist and shook his head awkwardly.

"I was too rash. I didn't understand the situation. And also, I'm just a student at Jujutsu High… I'm not the principal."

He then pointed at Sekiguchi Seiji standing beside him.

"The principal is him…"

Sekiguchi Seiji, caught off guard by Yaga's words, also looked embarrassed.

Satoshi gave a silent laugh, unsure of how to respond.

I really let that slip.

(To be continued.)