🎉🎉HRU: Chapter 164/167

Chapter 164: Satisfy Your Curiosity
When news spread that the Zenin family had obediently handed over the Cursed Tool, many minor families were surprised.

But thinking about the extravagant envoy Lord Tengen had dispatched this time, they felt it was only natural. In this situation, what kind of family would dare resist?

Gojo Satoru, Zenin Toji, and Tsukumo Yuki.

After the previous incident involving the attack on Satoshi, the strength of these three individuals had become widely known.

One was Satoshi's brother, one was his friend, and the other his girlfriend...

The presence of these three alone seemed to declare to the Zenin family: I, Satoshi, have come to take something from you.

Putting themselves in the Zenin family's shoes, many of the other curse-wielding families couldn't help but feel they'd also be filled with resentment if they were in their place.

But considering Satoshi's connections, especially with Lord Tengen, and the fact that even the Gojo Clan could leverage such ties, it was clear that the Zenin family had no choice but to accept the loss.

This time, Lord Tengen's involvement had thoroughly tied the concept of the Cursed Tool and Zanpakutō together.

The source of forging Zanpakutō stemmed from Cursed Tools, which is why many jujutsu families still valued them. Whether or not they could ask Satoshi to help their family forge one, they at least needed to gather a few Cursed Tools to use in the meantime.

As a result, the price of Cursed Tools soared, and the blacksmiths of the Jujutsu Blacksmith Association, seeing the flood of incoming orders, were left confused.

At first, they had deep resentment toward Satoshi. After all, the bizarre existence of Zanpakutō had completely upended the world of Cursed Tools.

But now, thanks to the influence of Zanpakutō, their profits had skyrocketed.

They couldn't even find a reason to be mad anymore...

…

Tombs of the Star.

Watching the trio return after only half a day with the Cursed Tool in hand, Satoshi couldn't help but be impressed with their efficiency.

"Is this the Zanpakutō you're forging for Lord Tengen?"

With no outsiders around, Satoru gave voice to his curiosity.

After all, he too was eager to know what kind of Zanpakutō Satoshi would forge for Lord Tengen.

He really wanted to know—would Tengen's Zanpakutō be cooler than his own Senbonzakura?

Satoshi took the Cursed Tool, felt its properties, and nodded slightly.

It aligned perfectly with Lord Tengen's needs and was highly compatible with Urozakuro.

"Yes. Lord Tengen is a treasure of the jujutsu world. I should help shoulder some of her burdens."

He casually tossed the Cursed Tool in his hand, then smiled at Yuki.

"Lord Tengen's Zanpakutō is already decided. What about you, Yuki? What kind of Zanpakutō do you want?"

Yuki, who was suddenly addressed by Satoshi, looked startled. A Zanpakutō? Was Satoshi planning to forge one for her?

"For me?"

She asked, a little in disbelief.

"Yeah. Didn't you also help out with Ryūjin Jakka this time?"

Satoshi smiled.

"Lord Tengen even told me that the awakening of Ryūjin Jakka was thanks to your contributions, Yuki."

"Besides, I've been meaning to forge one for you anyway. I just hadn't figured it out yet, so now's a good time to ask for your opinion."

"What kind of Zanpakutō do you want? If it's within my capabilities..."

Satoshi's sincerity left Yuki momentarily lost in thought. At the same time, she could feel his consideration for her.

Even though she wasn't involved in the conversation between Satoshi and Tengen, she already knew that by forging Tengen's Zanpakutō, he was also paving the way for her.

Now, he was even preparing to forge one for her personally. Was this his way of acknowledging her?

Seeing Yuki fall into a daze, Satoshi didn't say anything else. He turned and headed toward the blacksmith furnace that Lord Tengen had prepared, Zanpakutō in hand.

He would give Yuki time to think. There was no rush.

After all, he had transmigrated earlier than most, and had long since grown into someone capable of truly changing the world.

…

"Uncle Okkotsu, can we go take a look?"

Geto Suguru was practically itching to see it. After learning about Satoshi's true identity, he had gone out of his way to find out more about his Zanpakutō.

Now that he knew how powerful they were, he desperately wanted one of his own.

They weren't just powerful—they were rare, luxurious, and a symbol of status.

And now, the chance to witness the forging of one firsthand—this opportunity might never come again...

"Uh, I don't know if that's allowed."

Okkotsu Yuto smiled awkwardly. He wasn't sure whether there were any taboos involved in the Zanpakutō forging process.

"Huh? Aren't you related to Satoshi?"

Geto was surprised. He didn't expect Yuto to be so useless that he didn't even have access.

Yuto: "Distant relative. Very distant. I don't have the authority to make decisions for Satoshi."

Geto: "Tch, when I saw you using that much Cursed Energy, I thought you were some big shot. Turns out, you're just related to a big shot..."

Yuto: "..."

Geto: "Don't you want to see it? It's a Zanpakutō! Have you forgotten how majestic Ryūjin Jakka was? When I faced that sword, I thought this place would be reduced to ashes."

Yuto: "Then you've never seen the power of Sode no Shirayuki. That's the most beautiful Cursed Tool I've ever seen. If you get the chance, you have to see it."

Geto: "So, Uncle Okkotsu, don't you want to see what Tengen's Zanpakutō will look like?"

Yuto: "I really do..."

Geto: "Then why not just go and ask?"

After listening to the back-and-forth between Geto Suguru and Okkotsu Yuto for a while, Satoshi shook his head helplessly.

"If you want to watch, just come in. There aren't any secrets. It's just an ordinary Zanpakutō. As long as it hasn't reached Bankai, it won't be of much use to Lord Tengen anyway."

With that, Satoshi began forging with practiced ease.

Even though it was an unfamiliar place and the tools were different, he handled everything without issue.

After all, he had already forged the incredibly difficult Ryūjin Jakka. A Zanpakutō based on Urozakuro was no challenge for him.

Besides, no one could learn the art of forging Zanpakutō just by watching. He might as well satisfy Geto and Yuto's curiosity.

(To be continued.)

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Chapter 165: Cannot Be Dissolved?

The forging of Urozakuro went very smoothly, and Satoshi appeared completely relaxed throughout the entire process.

When they saw the Asauchi materialize, Yuto and Suguru looked a little surprised. The Zanpakutō looked extremely plain and unremarkable.

They were also curious about what Satoshi would do next.

What kind of power could he imbue into this simple Zanpakutō to make it so formidable?

However, Satoshi's next action completely stunned the two of them.

"???"

That's it? This is the process of forging a Zanpakutō?

Isn't it a bit too casual?

As Satoshi completely extinguished the flames of the furnace, Yuto and Geto finally realized that everything was already over.

Satoshi felt the system notification in his mind, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

[Congratulations to the Host for successfully forging the Zanpakutō Urozakuro.]

A new entry was added to the Zanpakutō display room.

[Zanpakutō: Sode no Shirayuki (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: None)]

[Zanpakutō: Suzumushi (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Gojo Shunichi)]

[Zanpakutō: Senbonzakura (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Gojo Satoru)]

[Zanpakutō: Katen Kyōkotsu (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Zenin Toji)]

[Zanpakutō: Nejibana (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Yagyū Saemon)]

[Zanpakutō: Ryūjin Jakka (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: None)]

[Zanpakutō: Urozakuro (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Tengen)]

…

Tengen examined the Zanpakutō in her hand with a solemn expression.

So this is the Zanpakutō Satoshi mentioned, the one that could help her achieve assimilation?

Then, what kind of power does this Zanpakutō hold? Could it possibly match the strength of Ryūjin Jakka?

The thought made her shake her head.

That was unlikely. If it were truly on the level of Ryūjin Jakka, even she wouldn't be generous enough to give it away.

"What do its Shikai and Bankai look like?"

Tengen held the blade, trying to sense its resonance.

While Satoshi was forging the Zanpakutō, she had also exchanged insights and techniques regarding Zanpakutō with Satoru and Toji.

So far, only Satoshi had achieved Sode no Shirayuki's Bankai, so Tengen didn't expect too much. She just hoped to first understand the Shikai of Urozakuro.

In her view, she was talented.

Since both Satoru and Toji were able to reach Shikai the moment they received their Zanpakutō, she believed she would be no different.

But the outcome greatly shocked her.

She couldn't sense any consciousness from the Zanpakutō, nor could she grasp the release phrase for its Shikai.

If she didn't know for certain that Satoshi would never lie to her about something like this, she would have doubted whether he was just trying to please her.

Under Tengen's questioning gaze, Satoshi smiled faintly.

Urozakuro was not an ordinary Zanpakutō.

Not to mention Tengen, even Satoshi himself had no idea what Urozakuro's Shikai abilities were.

In the original world, the Soul Reaper who wielded this Zanpakutō achieved Bankai directly, without ever going through Shikai.

So even if Tengen looked at him with such suspicion, he really didn't have any answers to offer.

"As long as you can achieve Bankai, the problem that has plagued you for so long will definitely be resolved."

"Lord Tengen, for your own sake, please try to connect with Urozakuro."

Although a bit frustrated by Satoshi's response, Tengen could sense that he wasn't lying or trying to make things difficult for her.

From the earlier experience, she knew that everything he said was true.

"You're really keeping things mysterious, Urozakuro."

Tengen shook her head with a sigh and sheathed her Zanpakutō.

No matter what, this still gave her another option. As for when she would achieve Bankai and how she would do it, she couldn't rush it.

…

And just like that, with Tengen becoming the official borrower of Satoshi's sword, his trip to the Tombs of the Star came to a perfect conclusion.

…

On his last night at the Tombs of the Star, Satoshi lay quietly on the terrace.

Admiring the starry night sky here had a unique charm. This visit had been incredibly fruitful.

His Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka, had successfully awakened one of its techniques. He had learned to control its Shikai power, and his strength had risen rapidly.

At the same time, he had subdued Jogo, marking a breakthrough in his handling of cursed spirits.

Most importantly, Tengen's Zanpakutō was now complete.

Urozakuro was undoubtedly extremely significant for Tengen. Satoshi firmly believed that she would be motivated to reach Bankai as soon as possible.

This was primarily because the nature of the Zanpakutō was highly compatible with Tengen. He was also confident that with her talent, achieving Bankai wouldn't be difficult.

He even suspected that Urozakuro might be the second Zanpakutō to reach Bankai.

That thought left Satoshi feeling excited.

Ever since the system's Borrowed Sword Function had been activated, he had never received a single reward.

Now, if Tengen achieved Bankai, could he extract an ability from her?

Satoshi felt that while it might be a bit of wishful thinking, the possibility still lingered. If he could extract Tengen's "immortality" technique, wouldn't that make him invincible?

But would he really be that lucky?

Satoshi could only hope that for his first reward draw, he wouldn't receive some useless skill.

After all, the chance of someone achieving Bankai was too rare, and if the ability he gained turned out to be trash, he'd completely lose interest in urging others to pursue Bankai.

As for the next candidates to borrow swords, he had already made up his mind.

Yuki, Shoko, Yuto, and Geto—these four were currently in line for future sword borrowing. As for anyone else, that would be left to fate.

How should he choose the Zanpakutō for each of them?

For Shoko, Satoshi planned to give her Unohana Retsu's Zanpakutō, Minazuki.

As for Okkotsu Yuto, Satoshi originally planned to equip him with Kenpachi Zaraki's Zanpakutō, Nozarashi. That should be a good match when Yuto came into his own.

And for Geto Suguru? What kind of Zanpakutō suited a summoner like him?

Maybe... Ashisogi Jizō? They were both stick-like, after all.

(To be continued.)

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Chapter 166: Zanpakutō Announcement?

As for Yuki's Zanpakutō, although Satoshi felt it didn't really suit her, he still respected her request and selected the corresponding Zanpakutō based on the form of Garuda.

Zabimaru...

To be honest, even Satoshi hadn't expected he would craft this particular Zanpakutō for Yuki.

It wasn't that Zabimaru was weak. Rather, its temperament and Yuki's just didn't seem to mesh well.

…

Three days later, inside the Yorozuya.

Okkotsu Yuto looked around curiously at the brand new base.

He had only been gone for a short while, yet Satoshi had already begun establishing a new headquarters.

After Yuto revealed his current condition, Satoshi was quite satisfied and officially accepted him into the Yorozuya.

The father of a future Special Grade sorcerer, and one with exceptional innate talent—such a person would be wasted if left out.

Just like that, the Yorozuya had gathered the strongest forces in the world of jujutsu.

Boss: Gojo Satoshi, the one and only Shinigami in the jujutsu world.

Major Shareholder: Zenin Toji, wielder of Katen Kyōkotsu, possessing the strongest body.

Minor Shareholder: Gojo Satoru, Six Eyes Wielder, master of Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue, wielder of Senbonzakura, the strongest sorcerer of the future.

Staff: Okkotsu Yuto, a man with powerful Cursed Energy, descendant of Sugawara no Michizane, and future father of Okkotsu Yuta.

Employee: Jogo, a Special Grade Cursed Spirit with vast power.

Non-Staff: Ieiri Shoko, Reverse Cursed Technique genius and medical officer.

This lineup could practically be considered invincible in the world of jujutsu. Even if the Big Three Sorcerer Families united, Satoshi was confident he could take them on.

As for Kenjaku's lingering threat, Satoshi no longer cared.

Although Kenjaku's strategies were long-reaching, he lacked the raw power to suppress others outright.

In the original timeline, the reason Kenjaku gained so much leverage was due to operating in the shadows, while others remained in the light.

Now that Satoshi knew his plan and had introduced the disruptive power of Zanpakutō, the future would no longer unfold according to Kenjaku's script.

…

"Yuto, where did Geto go?"

Satoshi noticed someone missing and furrowed his brow.

He had hoped to win Geto Suguru over early and correct the boy's values before he walked down a doomed path.

"Geto? He told me earlier he sensed a powerful cursed spirit and went out to subdue it."

Yuto replied casually. He wasn't Geto's keeper and couldn't monitor him all the time.

"A cursed spirit?"

Satoshi nodded thoughtfully.

At least for now, it seemed that Geto wasn't as repulsed by Curse Spirit Manipulation as he would be in the future. He was even actively seeking out spirits to subjugate.

"Alright, no need to worry then. Even if he's still young, with his strength, he won't be in any danger."

Satoshi stopped worrying about Geto Suguru. His current focus was on improving his Hohō proficiency.

With the help of multiple experience packs, his mastery over Shunpo was growing rapidly.

Especially since Satoru had already mastered Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue, he had been stealing the lion's share of Hohō experience from Satoshi.

It wouldn't be long before Satoshi broke through the limit.

Once he did, he would unlock the most versatile and powerful ability among Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō—Kidō itself.

Though traditional jujutsu techniques in this world couldn't replicate it, the introduction of Kidō—techniques never seen in the world of sorcery—would stir up a storm.

Hadō, Bakudō, Kaidō.

Once the three branches of Kidō appeared here, the shock would be enormous.

Satoshi was eagerly looking forward to the reactions of those who constantly mocked him for having no innate technique, when he'd finally unleash Kidō.

Even without a Cursed Technique, he could wield techniques through his Zanpakutō.

If he had no technique, he could simply use Kidō.

If he lacked a spell, he could just extract one through a Bankai reward.

In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, a technique is often seen as a sorcerer's defining power. But in Satoshi's eyes, it wasn't that important.

Once you mastered Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō, everything else was just smoke in the wind.

Were natural techniques truly stronger than a Zanpakutō's ability?

That was debatable. But could they stand against Zanpakutō + Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō?

Satoshi seriously doubted it…

…

Ding-ding-ding!

The bell of the Yorozuya rang out. Everyone was still chatting when Jogo, now dressed in a Yorozuya uniform, trotted over to welcome the guests.

"Wow, Jogo-chan, that uniform looks adorable."

The guest was Shoko. She wasn't the least bit intimidated by a powerful Special Grade cursed spirit like Jogo and even spoke to him like an old friend.

Satoshi could only smile helplessly at the sight. But it was true—Jogo had undergone massive change since joining him. The fact that Shoko could get along with Jogo was also a form of protection for her future.

Of course, the most helpless person was Ieiri Inamichi.

After learning that Shoko had become so friendly with a cursed spirit at the Yorozuya, he felt like all his efforts in sending her to Satoshi were in vain.

What he wanted was for her relationship with Satoshi to grow, not for her to raise a cursed spirit as a pet.

Still, the one thing that gave him relief was that after returning from the Tombs of the Star, Satoshi had finally informed the Ieiri clan of the need for Shoko's Zanpakutō Cursed Tool.

Today, Shoko's main reason for visiting was to deliver the Cursed Tool for Minazuki.

"Satoshi, my dad asked me to give this to you. Here."

Taking the Cursed Tool from Shoko's hand, Satoshi nodded slightly.

The quality of the tool was high, more than enough to serve as the base for Minazuki.

However, forging Minazuki alone wouldn't be efficient, so he planned to wait until the materials for the other Zanpakutō were ready and forge them all at once.

Forging one blade was forging. Forging several was still forging.

It would be more efficient to do them together…

For now, though, he still wanted to break through his Shunpo barrier.

But just as Satoshi was about to focus, another visitor arrived at the Yorozuya.

Yuki entered, arms full of Cursed Tools.

As expected from the Tombs of the Star and the Star Plasma Vessel. With Tengen's assistance, all the necessary materials for multiple Zanpakutō had been gathered.

Seeing this, Satoshi knew…

Before he finished forging these blades, there would be no time to break through Hohō.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Sirzechs-II for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉
Chapter 167: Eleven Zanpakutō

The Gojo family forge.

Satoshi stood before the row of completed Zanpakutō, deeply satisfied.

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for successfully forging the Zanpakutō Minazuki.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for successfully forging the Zanpakutō Zabimaru.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for successfully forging the Zanpakutō Nozarashi.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for successfully forging the Zanpakutō Hōzukimaru.]

After forging four Zanpakutō in a row, Satoshi didn't feel the slightest fatigue.

The skill of forging Zanpakutō was already second nature to him. He had reached a level of mastery where the process was effortless.

Noticing Yuto watching him with anticipation, Satoshi smiled and handed Nozarashi to him first.

Then he gave Minazuki to Shoko, and Zabimaru to Yuki.

At the same time, the system's Zanpakutō display panel updated once again.

[Zanpakutō: Sode no Shirayuki (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: None)]

[Zanpakutō: Suzumushi (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Gojo Shunichi)]

[Zanpakutō: Senbonzakura (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Gojo Satoru)]

[Zanpakutō: Katen Kyōkotsu (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Zenin Toji)]

[Zanpakutō: Nejibana (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Yagyū Saemon)]

[Zanpakutō: Ryūjin Jakka (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: None)]

[Zanpakutō: Urozakuro (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Tengen)]

[Zanpakutō: Minazuki (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Ieiri Shoko)]

[Zanpakutō: Zabimaru (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Tsukumo Yuki)]

[Zanpakutō: Nozarashi (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Okkotsu Yuto)]

[Zanpakutō: Hōzukimaru (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: None)]

At present, Satoshi had successfully forged eleven Zanpakutō. Aside from Sode no Shirayuki and Ryūjin Jakka, which he kept for himself, only Hōzukimaru remained unassigned.

Once Geto Suguru returned to the Yorozuya, Satoshi would distribute the final remaining Zanpakutō.

Following this plan, Satoshi had essentially gathered all the most valuable potential "experience packs." If he continued developing at this pace, not even a genius like Satoru could keep up with his growth.

…

Elsewhere, the newly equipped Yuki, Yuto, and Shoko were each filled with excitement.

Yuto couldn't help but feel that coming to Tokyo had been a wise decision. If he had stayed back home, he might have long been forgotten by Satoshi.

It was only by chance that he met Geto Suguru, and because Geto joined the plan with the Tombs of the Star, they ended up helping Satoshi. All of it had been coincidence.

The reward for this series of coincidences was a Zanpakutō, something that left Okkotsu Yuto stunned.

"Nozarashi, huh…"

Just hearing the name, Yuto could feel the wild aura contained within the blade.

The moment he held it, he sensed a feral soul sleeping inside.

With only a couple of swings, he realized how powerful this Zanpakutō was. He never imagined Satoshi would give him something so strong.

What Yuto didn't know was that it was precisely because of the Okkotsu family's undetectable reserves of immense Cursed Energy that Satoshi chose Nozarashi for him.

After all, Nozarashi's Shikai activation demanded an enormous amount of energy.

To unleash its ferocity, a large amount of Reiryoku was necessary.

While powerful, among all the people Satoshi knew, only Okkotsu Yuto was truly compatible with it.

Of course, that power came at a cost. Nozarashi's Shikai was far more difficult to activate than most other Zanpakutō. Gains and losses always went hand in hand.

…

Yuki, meanwhile, felt the soul of her Zanpakutō as soon as she held it.

Unlike Yuto, who felt his Zanpakutō was dormant, Yuki instantly sensed two spiritual presences within Zabimaru—the baboon woman and the snake man.

And in that very moment, her Shikai activated.

"Roar, Zabimaru."

With her quiet incantation, a powerful surge of force erupted from the blade.

In a flash, the plain sword in her hand morphed into a black, viper-like segmented weapon.

Under Yuki's control, Zabimaru extended and contracted freely like a serpent, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Garuda in form and flexibility.

In terms of adaptability, Zabimaru was not inferior to Garuda at all.

This form aligned perfectly with Yuki's expectations. She could already feel how seamlessly the blade harmonized with her innate technique, Star Rage.

If I overlay Star Rage onto Zabimaru in the instant of striking, my opponent won't even have time to react.

Under her control, Zabimaru adapted swiftly. In a short span, she was able to dual-wield Zabimaru and Garuda, unleashing simultaneous attacks.

In terms of raw combat ability, Yuki absolutely deserved her title as a future Special Grade.

Watching Yuki master her Shikai so quickly, Yuto couldn't help but feel envious.

He hadn't even connected with Nozarashi yet, and Yuki had already gone full Shikai.

How could the gap between people be this big?

Yuto sighed and turned, only to see Shoko standing there awkwardly with her Zanpakutō still in sealed form. That gave him a bit of peace of mind.

Yuki is Tengen's Star Plasma Vessel. Of course she's gifted. But Shoko hasn't completed her Shikai either, so I'm not too far behind.

Just as Yuto was reassuring himself, a faint sparkle appeared in Shoko's eyes. Then she suddenly leapt in delight.

In the next second, a soft green light radiated from the Zanpakutō in her hands.

Satoshi's expression shifted. He immediately opened the window.

"Shoko, let it outside."

Shoko obeyed, extending her Zanpakutō out the window.

Right in front of everyone, the blade in her hands transformed into a massive, flat, pale-green manta ray with large eyes.

"...What is that?"

Yuki and Yuto's eyes widened in disbelief.

(To be continued.)