HRU: Chapter 148/149

Chapter 148: Young Geto Suguru

Ieiri Residence.

Although Ieiri Inamichi wasn't optimistic about Satoshi's trip to the Tombs of the Star, he still hoped Satoshi could safely complete his audience with Lord Tengen.

Even so, he couldn't help but feel frustrated.

What's wrong with my daughter Shoko? Why did he have to get involved with a Star Plasma Vessel?

That situation is already messy enough. Most people wouldn't want to get anywhere near it, yet Satoshi walked right in.

Now you've done it, huh?

Inamichi firmly believed Tengen would be angry about this. The importance of the Star Plasma Vessel to Tengen was beyond question.

He glanced at Shoko, who looked carefree and indifferent nearby, and sighed internally.

At the very least, just hurry and finish forging Shoko's Zanpakutō.

…

At the foot of Mount Fuji.

Okkotsu Yuto, who was once again heading from his hometown to Tokyo, suddenly sensed a surge of cursed energy.

Turning slightly, he saw a beast-shaped cursed spirit staring fiercely at him. He frowned. This one felt different from the usual weak cursed spirits.

It looked strong. If it made it into the city, it would probably cause a lot of damage.

"I'll purify you here."

Ever since meeting Satoshi and Satoru at the Gojo estate, Yuto had fully stepped into the world of sorcery. Even cursed spirits he would've ignored before, he now took seriously, treating them as a sorcerer should.

Cursed energy surged around his hands. Just from his aura alone, the beast-like cursed spirit began retreating.

But Yuto had already taken action. He wasn't going to let the cursed spirit off. As he swung his blade, a wave of cursed energy shot forth, enough to completely obliterate the creature.

However, just as his cursed energy was about to strike, a second, larger cursed spirit suddenly appeared and blocked the attack, shielding the beast-shaped spirit.

"What the...?"

Yuto froze in surprise.

Then a young boy's voice rang out.

"Hey, uncle, why are you attacking my cursed spirit?"

A boy in a school uniform appeared behind the larger cursed spirit. He placed a hand on each spirit, and they both vanished at his command.

Is this kid a sorcerer too?

Yuto was stunned. Those weren't ordinary shikigami, but more like summoned cursed spirits. And the boy... he looked no older than six.

He had a bun tied up with a fringe falling over the left side of his forehead.

"Little guy, are you a sorcerer? Sorry about that. I thought those cursed spirits were wild, so I tried to exorcise them. I didn't realize they were yours."

"Your technique, is it summoning cursed spirits?"

Hearing the apology, the boy's sour expression softened.

"My technique isn't summoning. It's manipulation."

He offered only that much before clamming up again.

Yuto smiled.

"I see. So what's your name? I'm Okkotsu Yuto. I'm heading to Tokyo and passing by Mount Fuji. You're pretty young. What are you doing around here?"

He wasn't underestimating him. After meeting Satoshi and Satoru, Okkotsu had long since stopped judging sorcerers by age.

A sorcerer's power came mostly from innate talent, and one's cursed technique was their most fundamental weapon. In most cases, the strength of the technique defined the strength of the sorcerer.

The boy hesitated, then responded politely since Yuto had introduced himself.

"My name is Geto Suguru. I'm here at Mount Fuji for personal reasons."

Geto didn't plan to explain his true purpose. He didn't know yet whether Yuto was friend or foe.

After speaking, Geto began walking toward the mountain.

"It's pretty dangerous up there! Even if you're a sorcerer, you shouldn't go up alone. Where are your parents?"

Yuto called after him, concerned.

But Geto ignored him, summoned the beast-like cursed spirit again, climbed onto its back, and shot toward the summit.

Yuto sighed helplessly.

Still, he admired Geto's vigilance. Even so, he was worried. No matter how you looked at it, that child was only five or six years old. Climbing Mount Fuji alone wasn't safe.

And he was curious. What exactly was Geto Suguru after?

The beast cursed spirit was fast, but with Yuto's cursed energy, catching up wasn't difficult.

"Hey, Geto. You heading to the top? What's up there?"

Geto glanced back as Yuto caught up, surprised that he kept pace on foot.

This guy's strong. Way stronger than the cursed spirit from before.

Realizing he couldn't beat Yuto, Geto let his guard down. After all, if Yuto meant him harm, he wouldn't be able to resist anyway.

"Yes. There's something I need at the summit."

Geto replied calmly and urged the cursed spirit to speed up.

The summit?

Mount Fuji was an active volcano. Yuto wasn't concerned for Geto's safety anymore, but for the mountain itself. A child with the ability to control cursed spirits wandering around on a volcano could be a serious problem.

Besides, although it was faint, he sensed another cursed presence near the top.

Could that cursed energy be Geto Suguru's target?

Yuto decided to follow him, both out of concern and curiosity.

Geto glanced behind again and sighed inwardly. Originally, his goal had been to prepare a technique to capture a cursed spirit on the verge of being born.

Now, with Yuto tailing him, the situation was exposed.

Unfortunately, Geto lacked Yuto's perception and didn't realize... another sorcerer was already waiting atop Mount Fuji.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 149: Cursed Womb in Mount Fuji

At the summit of Mount Fuji, Yuki stood at the edge of the crater, her expression solemn as she stared down into its depths.

She didn't fully understand why Tengen had instructed her to retrieve the unborn Cursed Womb or why it was said to benefit Satoshi's Zanpakutō. Still, if it was something that could help Satoshi, she had no reason not to bring it back to the Tombs of the Star.

As for the cursed energy emerging from the foot of the mountain, Yuki didn't pay it much mind.

Right now, she was confident she could handle any intruder.

...

Geto Suguru and Yuto reached the summit shortly after.

When they spotted Yuki, both of them froze.

Geto hadn't expected to see such a beautiful woman standing atop Mount Fuji. Yuto, on the other hand, was startled by the immense pressure she exuded. Her power alone was enough to make even him feel a faint sense of threat.

"This area is off limits. What are you doing here?"

Yuki frowned at the two before her. She was on a mission from Tengen and had no interest in dealing with random interference.

Within the crater of Mount Fuji, a Cursed Womb was in the final stages of formation. In just a few days, it would be born as a cursed spirit.

And according to Tengen, this cursed spirit had a direct connection to Satoshi's Zanpakutō.

If necessary, she would eliminate all obstacles.

"Pretty lady, we're just passing by. Honest!"

Geto noticed Yuki's attention remained fixed on the crater and began forming his own guesses.

He quickly pulled Yuto aside and whispered to him about the cursed energy...

"What are you really here for?"

Yuto narrowed his eyes at Geto, knowing there had to be more to it than just sightseeing.

"Could you help me stall that woman?"

Geto nudged Yuto and whispered his plan.

"Why?" Yuto asked, frowning.

Geto went silent for a moment, then explained the principles of his technique in a low voice.

Upon learning that Geto's cursed technique was cursed spirit manipulation and that he had come to Mount Fuji for the unborn cursed spirit, Yuto's expression changed.

"The cursed spirit in Mount Fuji?"

Yuto grew serious. Cursed spirits born from Mount Fuji or other natural disasters were generally Special Grade.

Even if it hadn't yet been born, the Cursed Womb was still the seed of a Special Grade and not something a five or six-year-old child like Geto could control.

Geto nodded.

"That's right. Just help me distract that lady and I can extract the Womb from the magma. I'll be able to control the cursed spirit inside right away."

Even though he seemed mature, Geto was still a child and didn't yet understand the danger of such ambitions.

The moment he finished speaking, Yuto grabbed him by the back of his collar.

"Hey, miss! This kid here's trying to steal the Cursed Womb from Mount Fuji. Are you after it too?"

"Uncle, how could you sell me out?!"

Geto flailed and shouted in protest.

Yuki's gaze snapped toward him.

She had originally thought she was the only one aware of the Cursed Womb in the volcano, but these two strangers not only knew about it—they had the means to try and take it?

And this strange boy was even confident in his ability to steal it?

Yuki stepped toward Geto, her presence pressing down on him.

"This is a mission directly from the Tombs of the Star. I will be taking the Cursed Womb back. Whatever your intentions are, I suggest you leave now."

She made her affiliation with the Tombs of the Star clear without hesitation.

Yuto immediately understood. His earlier assessment hadn't been wrong—this woman was stronger than him.

Which meant this kid beside him, trying to steal a Cursed Womb from someone like her, was really asking for death.

But when he heard the name Tombs of the Star, the first person that came to mind was Satoshi.

Before passing Mount Fuji, Yuto had already heard the rumors that Satoshi was going to meet Tengen. Now, with someone from the Tombs of the Star standing here, he couldn't help but grow curious.

The entire jujutsu world was buzzing with speculation about Satoshi's meeting with Tengen.

Some believed Tengen was interested in Satoshi's forged Zanpakutō. Others claimed the issue was Satoshi's relationship with the Star Plasma Vessel, that Lord Tengen opposed it.

Yuto had originally planned to visit the Gojo family and speak with Satoshi. But now that someone from the Tombs of the Star was here, it was the perfect opportunity to ask.

"Excuse me, miss, I'd like to ask about—"

Before Yuto could finish, Mount Fuji trembled.

It was subtle enough that ordinary people might not notice, but the three of them, all sorcerers, immediately picked up on it.

The source was unmistakable.

The Cursed Womb inside Mount Fuji had begun to stir.

Yuki's eyes sharpened. This had to be the moment Tengen had foreseen.

Without hesitation, she drew Garuda, cracked it like a whip, and cast the Star Rage spell into it.

The massive force generated sent Garuda crashing straight into Mount Fuji.

She wasn't just planning to retrieve the Cursed Womb. She also intended to eliminate the threat of an eruption altogether.

Geto stared, stunned by the drastic change in the cursed energy beneath the mountain. Then, as the implications sank in, he actually felt relieved.

He had originally thought the cursed spirit would only be Grade 1. With his technique, he could control it once it was born.

But now, it was clearly Special Grade.

There was no way he could control something like that.

Thinking about it made Geto break into a cold sweat. If Yuto had gone along with his plan and they tried to seize the Cursed Womb, they might've been the ones destroyed instead.

"You little brat, you've got some nerve. That woman's strength is on another level. Even I can't match her. And you wanted to steal a Cursed Womb from her?"

Geto grimaced.

"I didn't expect the cursed spirits in Mount Fuji to be so powerful. They're already top-grade by the time they're born. No wonder someone from the Tombs of the Star is here."

"Still, by my calculations, it shouldn't be time for the cursed spirit to be born yet."

"Why would someone from the Tombs of the Star arrive so early?"

He had thought arriving ahead of time would give him an edge. Clearly, they had been prepared far in advance.

After a short while, Garuda shot out of Mount Fuji, completely intact. Wrapped in a red sphere, it now carried within it a mysterious, shadowy figure...

(To be continued.)