HRU: Chapter 158/159

Chapter 158: Non-Staff Members

After realizing Jogo had expressed his loyalty, Satoshi was a bit surprised.

The others around him visibly tensed.

Even Lord Tengen, who had always remained composed, showed a shift in her expression. She had anticipated that Ryūjin Jakka would leave a lasting impact on Jogo, but she hadn't expected things to reach this point.

"Oh? Why is that, Jogo? I'm human, you know."

Satoshi smiled with a hint of mischief.

This one-eyed Special Grade cursed spirit had wanted to overthrow humanity and become the new form of life. Yet now, he was choosing to submit?

It wasn't him Jogo was submitting to, was it?

Under the watchful gaze of Satoshi's Six Eyes, Jogo lowered his head and spoke in a deep voice.

"Only by following you can I witness the ultimate power of flame. I believe the weapon in your hand holds far more power than what I've seen."

"I want to see that greater power. Only then can I break through my current limits."

Jogo didn't hide his true intentions.

Even though he had survived, having endured Ryūjin Jakka's flames, that meant he was fated to grow stronger through Ryūjin Jakka.

Satoru frowned. He didn't approve of the idea.

Even though Satoshi had awakened Ryūjin Jakka and his strength had increased dramatically, that didn't justify keeping a powerful Special Grade cursed spirit around.

As a cursed spirit capable of deploying a Domain, if Jogo ever lost control, the damage could be catastrophic.

Even if they stopped him in the end, the consequences would be devastating.

"Satoshi, don't take the risk."

Satoru's warning darkened Jogo's expression.

He understood the divide between humans and cursed spirits, but it was still disheartening to hear such words.

Jogo knew that Satoru and Satoshi shared a connection, and it was clear from Satoru's tone that his chances of being accepted were slim.

At that moment, the muscular man beside Satoru suddenly spoke up.

"But it's just a Special Grade cursed spirit. No big deal. If it's not useful, we can have it guard the house at Yorozuya. Might as well bring it back."

As someone born under a Heavenly Restriction, Toji viewed cursed spirits as tools by nature.

Jogo's strength was impressive, but in Toji's eyes, he was still something that could be handled with little effort.

If Jogo joined Yorozuya, there were countless ways he could be put to use.

Although Toji was the nominal manager of the Yorozuya, the place didn't have any true "staff" members.

Now that a powerful cursed spirit was practically offering itself, there was no reason to turn it down.

Jogo might be powerful, but not stronger than him.

Toji's words gave Jogo a glimmer of hope. He didn't know what "Yorozuya" meant exactly, but he felt he had a chance.

Jogo never thought there'd come a day where he would have to humble himself like this—waiting on someone else's mood just to be allowed to follow them.

Satoshi was a little tempted by Toji's suggestion.

Yorozuya wasn't the kind of place that could hire just anyone. But if they ever needed someone to handle cursed spirit-related tasks, it wasn't like he could ask Satoru or Toji to deal with them personally.

Jogo might actually be a solid fit.

After a moment of thought, Satoshi nodded and turned to Jogo.

"Then you can join Yorozuya. But this is just an opportunity. Whether or not you become an official member depends on your performance."

In truth, Satoshi had another thought.

He wanted to know whether a cursed spirit like Jogo could wield a Zanpakutō.

Itadori Kaori, under Kenjaku's control, could still be considered human. So it makes sense that Kenjaku wanted to steal Ryūjin Jakka, even if it would always be a futile attempt.

But what about true cursed spirits?

If they could also wield Zanpakutō, then perhaps some exceptionally talented cursed spirits could become sword borrowers as well.

And unlike humans, cursed spirits wouldn't pose the same risk.

If a cursed spirit ever turned against him, he could instantly revoke their access to the Zanpakutō.

I just want some experience packs.

After all, cursed spirits often had more intense combat instincts and practical experience than most humans. The feedback they provided could be far more valuable than ordinary borrowers.

Jogo was stunned at first. But the moment he realized Satoshi had accepted him, excitement lit up in his eyes.

This was someone who could wield the Ultimate Flame Sword. He might not look that old, but anyone who could use that sowrd clearly wasn't ordinary.

He was certain that staying by Satoshi's side would greatly strengthen him in the future.

And as for devouring humans—what did that have to do with him anymore?

He was now a staffed cursed spirit. He'd be on an entirely different level from those wild beasts out there.

Jogo's large eye shone with anticipation for what lay ahead.

If Satoshi knew what Jogo was thinking right now, he'd probably feel the need to reevaluate this cursed spirit entirely.

Jogo's current mindset was a far cry from what it had been at his creation.

Jogo, once the pioneer of a new human race in the original timeline, had been recruited into the Yorozuya and completely abandoned his ambitions.

Maybe this was a kind of luck?

At least now he didn't have to keep playing elite boss roles like in the original story...

...

With the battle over, Satoshi turned his gaze to Tengen.

After all, the main reason they had come to the Tombs of the Star was because of her. Since Tengen had no hostile intent, Satoshi didn't mind showing some goodwill.

Feeling Satoshi's gaze, Tengen gestured invitingly toward the group and turned to lead them deeper inside.

The warm-up was over.

Now it was time to get to the real purpose of their visit.

She was deeply curious about Satoshi.

A person who did not belong to this world, wielding a Zanpakutō that also did not belong to this world, had already begun to distort the very fabric of this timeline.

What kind of future would Gojo Satoshi bring her?

Tengen couldn't help but wonder.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 159: The End of the Omniscient and Omnipotent

"Where's Satoshi?"

As they continued walking, Satoru suddenly realized that Satoshi was missing again. At some point, the person leading the group had changed to Yuki.

The moment Satoru's voice echoed, everyone noticed something was wrong.

Toji frowned. This place, the Tombs of the Star, really was strange. He had been watching Tengen the entire time, yet still fell into some sort of illusion without realizing it.

Was this Tengen's technique, or was it the fault of the Tombs of the Star itself?

Toji was completely puzzled. This place felt like it was made up of countless interlocking spaces, separating and shifting at will.

If not for Satoru's Six Eyes, they might not have noticed the change until much later.

"Satoshi is currently speaking privately with Lord Tengen. Please be patient and follow me to the tea room to rest."

Yuki's voice calmly reassured them.

"I believe after everything just now, everyone should understand that Tengen holds no hostility toward Satoshi. Whatever they need to discuss likely isn't something we should interfere with..."

Her reasoning sounded a bit weak, but when it came to enigmatic individuals like Tengen and Satoshi, it somehow felt appropriate.

After all, even if they did try to follow along, they probably wouldn't understand what was being discussed anyway.

And with Ryūjin Jakka now awakened, it was unlikely that Tengen could pose any threat to Satoshi.

So, Satoru and Toji didn't press further. They followed Yuki toward the tea room without issue.

As for Geto and Yuto, their job had ended with Jogo's birth. All that remained for them now was to wait.

After all, the true goal of this visit had always been for Tengen to meet Satoshi...

...

Inside a private tea room deep in the Tombs of the Star, Satoshi remained calm.

Though no one else was present, he held both Sode no Shirayuki and Ryūjin Jakka. He showed no concern at all.

While he had already demonstrated the Jōkaku Enjō (Fortress Blaze) technique earlier, Ryūjin Jakka still possessed other Shikai-level abilities.

With Ryūjin Jakka and Sode no Shirayuki in hand, Satoshi was confident he could raze this entire domain if needed.

And if Tengen intended to harm him, she wouldn't have waited this long to act.

Since the opportunity was here, he may as well take advantage of it. He was curious to see what Tengen wanted from this one-on-one meeting.

...

"Sit."

Tengen lounged comfortably on a rocking chair, making no effort to arrange a seat for Satoshi. She simply gestured for him to find his own.

Satoshi didn't mind in the slightest. He casually sat down at the tea table.

He had none of the reverence most sorcerers held toward Tengen. After all, he had seen her form in higher dimensions and long lost any awe for worldly appearances.

Even though she currently looked no less alluring than Yuki, he wasn't remotely interested.

"Lord Tengen, you seem very interested in me."

Satoshi rested his chin on both hands, eyes slightly narrowed as he glanced at the girl's soft features with a hint of amusement.

His true goal in coming here was to use Tengen as an experience pack. But if he could get some information or secrets out of her, all the better.

Tengen closed her eyes, gently rocking her chair, and replied softly.

"The Six Eyes of the Gojo clan, born with a Heavenly Restriction, able to forge Zanpakutō... Who wouldn't be curious?"

Satoshi shook his head.

"Then what about you, Lord Tengen? Aren't you the so-called omniscient and omnipotent?"

"Your lifespan far exceeds ours. If we're talking about who's more interesting, I'd say far more people are curious about you than about me..."

It was the truth.

While Six Eyes and the Limitless Technique were widely known in the jujutsu world, neither could compare to the legendary nature of Tengen's 'Immortality' technique.

After all, immortality remained one of the most coveted ideas among sorcerers.

The corners of Tengen's mouth curved into a playful smile from where she lay.

"Gojo Satoshi, am I really omniscient and omnipotent?"

"If I were, then why don't I know who you are? Why am I still curious about you?"

Satoshi didn't reply. He understood the hidden meaning behind her words but chose to stay silent.

Omniscient and omnipotent—those weren't necessarily good things in the world of Soul Reapers.

The Soul King, once considered all-knowing and all-powerful, was reduced to a wedge stabilizing the three realms.

Yhwach, another supposed omnipotent, was also broken down into a wedge—again, a stabilizer of the three realms.

So in the world of Bleach, being 'omniscient and omnipotent' was basically code for 'fated to be turned into furniture.'

And even though Jujutsu Kaisen and Bleach were different worlds, there was no need to set that kind of flag.

From her words, Satoshi already understood that Tengen had her suspicions.

She likely suspected he wasn't from this world.

But what did that matter?

Even if she knew, what could she do?

As long as he didn't admit it, her guesses would remain just that—guesses.

...

"What is my destiny?"

Tengen suddenly sat upright, her gaze sharp as it locked onto Satoshi.

In her eyes, Satoshi seemed truly omniscient.

He knew Yuki's technique. He knew Geto's identity and ability. He displayed knowledge beyond the current timeline.

Rumors had long existed in the Gojo clan—Satoshi was said to be "born with knowledge."

Though this claim was later suppressed, many elders in the clan still remembered it. And there was no way she, of all people, would miss that detail.

So, what exactly did this "child born with knowledge" know?

Did that knowledge include her?

Would her immortality end? Would her existence vanish in some future she couldn't foresee?

Tengen could no longer suppress her curiosity. She asked the question directly, giving Satoshi no time to prepare.

What kind of end awaits an immortal?

The idea was inherently contradictory... yet the question still haunted her.

...

"What is your destiny?"

Satoshi narrowed his eyes, meeting her gaze with a look of quiet complexity.

He felt that if Tengen truly knew what lay ahead for her... she probably wouldn't be so eager to find out.

(To be continued.)