HRU: Chapter 169/170

Chapter 169: I Regret It So Much
"Shoko, where are we going?"

Satoshi glanced at Shoko. He had a good impression of her, but it wasn't quite the romantic kind between a man and a woman.

After all, the two of them were only six years old and had known each other for just half a year. It was still far too early to talk about feelings.

"Ah? Oh… let's go to my house."

Shoko blushed, not knowing where else to direct Minazuki. So, she simply chose her home—the Ieiri family estate—as the destination.

"Sure. I've never been to your place before."

Satoshi nodded, accepting her suggestion. The Ieiri family was now firmly aligned with the Gojo clan, so visiting in person also served as a show of the Gojo family's goodwill.

Besides, since Shoko clearly wanted some alone time, he didn't mind indulging her.

And so, Minazuki soared through the air, carrying Satoshi and Shoko, before hovering above the Ieiri residence.

…

"That was definitely Young Master Satoshi. I just saw him and Miss Ieiri Shoko riding on the back of that thing!"

"Thing? What do you mean, 'thing'? That's clearly a new form of Zanpakutō technique. Idiot."

"Exactly! Who would've thought the new Zanpakutō forged by Young Master Satoshi could transform into something that looks like a cursed spirit?"

"What I'm more shocked by is that it can be ridden! It flew Miss Shoko and Young Master Satoshi through the sky. That's way more agile than any airplane!"

Members of the Gojo clan were shocked by how versatile the Zanpakutō was.

At the same time, Minazuki's appearance began to circulate throughout Tokyo's jujutsu world. After all, the massive, flying, one-eyed manta ray had just flown from the Gojo estate to the Ieiri family, and every sorcerer in the area had seen it.

By the time Satoshi and Shoko dismounted from Minazuki, the other sorcerer clans had already guessed the creature's origin.

…

Zenin estate.

"That kind of technique really came from a Zanpakutō? Satoshi's power is getting more terrifying by the day."

Zenin Naobito turned to look at Jinichi standing nearby, sighing.

This time, the Zanpakutō had been forged in the Gojo clan's forge. Which meant that Tengen, over at the Tombs of the Star, had successfully received the Zanpakutō she sought.

This latest creation, a Zanpakutō capable of manifesting a living creature, marked yet another breakthrough in the Cursed Tool world.

"No wonder Ieiri Inamichi was willing to spend so much to acquire one, even when the price of Cursed Tools was skyrocketing. Turns out, he secured a promise from Satoshi himself."

"It's a shame. I wonder who'll get a Zanpakutō next?"

Jinichi muttered under his breath, clearly a little bitter. "Not necessarily. I heard that Satoshi forged four Zanpakutō all at once this time."

Jinichi's words made Naobito's expression freeze. His neck turned stiffly as he looked back at Toji, face filled with disbelief.

"How many?"

By their previous count, Satoshi had forged six, maybe seven or eight Zanpakutō so far. And now he had made four more in a single sitting?

Jinichi flinched slightly.

Even though he coveted the position of clan head, Naobito's authority in the Zenin family still carried weight. Jinichi wasn't yet strong enough to challenge him outright.

"Four. I heard it straight from Jinichi earlier."

Jinichi lifted his chest, trying to seem more confident. He was doing this for the clan's future. The Zenin family couldn't afford to lose someone like Toji.

Naobito didn't comment on Jinichi's private conversations with Toji.

Even if he knew Jinichi was hoping to use him as leverage to replace Naobito, it would still be worth it if Toji returned.

Four Zanpakutō. Four.

If more kept being distributed, the Zenin family's advantage would only keep diminishing.

When would the Zenin clan be able to obtain a Zanpakutō of their own?

The unmatched strength of Toji and his shadow-based Zanpakutō Katen Kyōkotsu remained a festering wound in the Zenin family's legacy.

…

Kamo estate.

Watching the one-eyed manta ray drift across the sky, Kamo looked on helplessly.

At this point, the shock Satoshi brought had almost numbed him.

If Satoshi were like Satoru—someone who relied solely on the Gojo clan's inherited Limitless technique—then he might have been able to stomach it.

But no. Satoshi had no cursed energy. He couldn't even use the Gojo clan's signature techniques.

This meant that the most powerful figure among the Big Three Sorcerer Clans… didn't rely on any of the traditional tools.

No matter how famed he became, both he and Toji—two sorcerers without cursed energy—had completely rewritten the rules of the Cursed Tool world.

Toji had used his unparalleled physical body to crush the pride of the Zenin clan.

And Satoshi… Satoshi might one day surpass even Toji, armed not only with a similarly invincible physique but also with the unparalleled power of Zanpakutō.

There was no doubt in Kamo's mind, Satoshi's future accomplishments would eclipse Toji's.

Kamo felt completely powerless.

Even if the Kamo family were to birth another user of the Blood Manipulation Technique, they would, at best, rival Gojo Satoru. But Gojo Satoshi? He was already in a different league.

That realization hit him like a hammer.

If only the Kamo family had twins…

Would one of them, perhaps, mutate like Satoshi had?

Were twins truly a curse to a sorcerer family?

He had always believed in the old superstition. But the Six Eyes twins, Satoru and Satoshi, shattered everything he thought he knew.

Now even he had begun to wonder—was it precisely because they were twins that Satoshi had manifested such overwhelming talent?

Twins. Mutation. Cursed Energy. Techniques. Heavenly Restriction…

His expression darkened.

The Kamo family didn't just need a child with Blood Manipulation.

They needed a pair of twins—twins that could bring forth a miracle like Gojo Satoshi.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 170: Speculations About Minazuki
The Yagyū family.

With Yagyū Saemon currently out on a mission assigned by the association's upper echelon, only Yagyū Hidetsugu and Yagyū Yusuke remained at home, discussing the scene they had just witnessed.

"As expected of Young Master Satoshi. To receive the favor of Lord Tengen... truly extraordinary."

Yagyū Yusuke was stirred by emotion, his heart churning.

Hidetsugu nodded. When he had convinced Yusuke to offer up Tsuki no Sho, he hadn't been entirely confident.

In truth, it had been a gamble. But the one shouldering the greater pressure had been Yusuke, who made that choice.

It was difficult for Hidetsugu to imagine—if the Yagyū clan hadn't committed to offering Tsuki no Sho, would they have gained this current momentum?

Thinking about it now, probably not.

"This creature that resembles a cursed spirit… it must be one of Young Master Satoshi's creations."

Hidetsugu exhaled slowly.

"This time, he even brought a cursed spirit out from the Tombs of the Star. From what I hear, it's extremely powerful, likely Special Grade."

What shocked Hidetsugu wasn't that Satoshi had subdued a cursed spirit—but rather the overwhelming strength gathered around him.

Right now, Satoshi's small group had already become the strongest collective force in the entire world of jujutsu.

They could sweep away the Big Three Sorcerer Families with ease.

Once upon a time, Hidetsugu had simply hoped to establish a good relationship with the Gojo clan through Satoshi. But now, he understood.

It wasn't Satoshi who needed the Gojo clan.

It was the Gojo clan that desperately needed Satoshi.

Even if he left the Gojo clan, Satoshi would still have his own circle of allies.

Without him, the Gojo clan would be hollow, and may end up declining like the Kamo family.

Hidetsugu even suspected that one day, Satoshi might create an army of Zanpakutō.

Though Zanpakutō were technically weapons, through Saemon, he had come to understand that each one possessed its own consciousness.

If a Zanpakutō could transform into a giant ray like Minazuki, could it also take on other forms?

Could a Zanpakutō, like a cursed spirit, manifest its own body?

Hidetsugu's speculation was bold, and he soon laughed at himself for the absurdity of the idea...

What he didn't know was that Satoshi truly did have a method for transforming Zanpakutō. He simply hadn't found the right materials yet.

…

Tombs of the Star.

Tengen furrowed her brows as she held Urozakuro in her hands. She could feel its soul clearly now.

Yet Urozakuro still refused to speak its first words of enlightenment, making it impossible for her to initiate Shikai.

Through the outer barrier, Tengen observed the large, light-green manta ray floating in the sky. Her expression grew slightly envious.

Her own Zanpakutō remained silent, while another's had already soared so freely.

A Zanpakutō transforming into a living creature had far exceeded her expectations. Tengen realized that this weapon had already transcended the boundaries of a typical Cursed Tool.

In truth, perhaps a Zanpakutō was something closer to a living being than a weapon.

"I'm still not sure if placing my bet on him was the right decision. But so far, neither Satoshi nor his Zanpakutō has posed any threat to the world."

"If this power can bring greater stability, maybe it's the better path."

"The gears of fate have warped, but they've begun to turn again."

Tengen looked at Minazuki as it descended above the Ieiri estate, the corners of her lips curling upward.

Yuki, it looks like you've met your match.

Tengen suppressed a smile, sat back down cross-legged, and immersed herself once more in Urozakuro, resuming her attempt to achieve Shikai.

…

Ieiri Inamichi stared at the massive manta ray in the sky. He was stunned, even a little panicked.

But the moment he saw Satoshi and Shoko dismount, his heart calmed.

No matter how bizarre something was, if it was related to Satoshi, it somehow made sense.

"Shoko, what is that?"

Inamichi didn't know how to approach Satoshi directly, so he chose to ask his daughter instead.

The fact that Shoko had traveled alone with Satoshi surprised him—but also filled him with hope.

Finally, his daughter was showing some initiative!

If this kept up, someone else might steal Satoshi away before Shoko even had a chance.

"Father, this is Minazuki."

Shoko said the name of her Zanpakutō, then paused before continuing.

"This is… my Zanpakutō."

As she spoke, Minazuki dissolved into green light and returned to the scabbard at Shoko's waist.

The entire Ieiri clan was shaken by the transformation.

They had initially assumed the manta ray was a cursed spirit under the Gojo family's control. They never imagined it was actually a Zanpakutō—a living weapon.

Zanpakutō…

So this is the power of a Zanpakutō. How incredible.

While the rest of the clan was simply astonished, Inamichi's heart was filled with exhilaration.

Having seen several Zanpakutō up close before, he could tell at a glance how special Minazuki was.

The ability to transform into a manta ray and fly alone gave it immense strategic value.

Even if that were its only function, it was already more valuable than most Cursed Tools.

Still, Inamichi hoped for more. He believed Shoko's Zanpakutō had to have other abilities.

"Besides transforming, does your Zanpakutō have any other techniques?"

Like Sode no Shirayuki, he thought. There had to be more.

Shoko nodded.

That manta ray was Minazuki's Shikai. Other abilities were activated through it.

Minazuki's secondary technique was simple—swallowing people whole.

As long as the person wasn't completely dead, once they were regurgitated, they would be in a healed state.

Of course, there was a condition for this as well.

Shoko's own cursed energy had to be sufficient to support Minazuki's healing process…

(To be continued.)