HRU: Chapter 136/137

Chapter 136: Bankai, Must Be Achieved!

The sharp cherry blossom blades floating in the air gathered around Satoru and reformed into Senbonzakura in his hand.

In the face of Sode no Shirayuki's Bankai, Senbonzakura seemed to stir unnaturally.

Satoru could feel its yearning—its desire for Bankai.

He stood motionless, staring at Satoshi, whose pale figure lay unconscious in Toji's arms. His heart was filled with conflicting emotions.

He was relieved that Satoshi had successfully awakened Bankai at the critical moment and resolved the crisis.

The power of Hakka no Togame just now could only be described as terrifying. Anyone touched by that cold would have been instantly frozen and shattered.

Even someone like him, who possessed the Six Eyes, was shocked by the sheer might of Bankai.

But at the same time, Satoru felt conflicted.

He had just completed his training and mastered Blue, a technique Satoshi himself had once admired.

He believed that with this technique, he had finally surpassed Satoshi. But in front of Hakka no Togame, he suddenly felt inferior.

At the very least, from Satoru's own perspective, even with Blue, he would have been powerless against the woman with the Domain. And he had no confidence in surviving Hakka no Togame's cold either.

Was this technique of his, Blue, really something Satoshi should envy?

Satoru had already grasped the fundamentals of the Gojo clan's Limitless Technique. With the addition of Blue, his strength now exceeded most sorcerers.

But he wasn't satisfied.

I'm still too weak.

I can't stay like this. I refuse to be left behind.

Because of Satoshi's existence, he had witnessed the pinnacle of the jujutsu world in the form of a six-year-old child.

He could no longer bear the arrogance of being the Six Eyes of the Gojo clan.

If the other families knew what he was thinking right now, if they heard that the one hailed as the Gojo family's genius believed himself mediocre, they would probably think he had lost his mind.

The Limitless Technique alone is not enough to protect Satoshi. None of this is enough.

That thought echoed clearly in Satoru's heart.

The Limitless Technique was powerful, but he had yet to master all of it.

Had Satoshi not been attacked, he might not have felt such urgency.

But after seeing the gap between himself and Kaori, between himself and Toji, Satoru's desire to become stronger burned hotter than ever.

And the only path forward that he could clearly see... was mastering Bankai with Senbonzakura.

Satoru was certain that Senbonzakura's Bankai would not be inferior to Sode no Shirayuki's Hakka no Togame.

If he could master Senbonzakura's Bankai, he should be able to go toe-to-toe with the woman who ambushed Satoshi.

I have to master Bankai.

At this moment, Satoru made his decision. Only by awakening Bankai could he keep up with Satoshi.

...

Toji looked down at the unconscious Satoshi lying in his arms. His thoughts were calm and steady.

He had memorized the face of the woman who had attacked. If she ever appeared again, he would eliminate her without hesitation.

His body, strengthened by Heavenly Restriction, was incredibly powerful. But against certain types of techniques, pure physical strength still wasn't enough.

Just like moments ago—if he had been stronger, if he had been able to break the barrier sooner, maybe Satoshi wouldn't have come so close to being cut down by Ryūjin Jakka.

Before this battle, Toji had full confidence in his body. Even high-level sorcerers were like fragile paper in front of him, not worth a second glance.

But now, after failing to break through a barrier in time, he had been forced to confront the reality that brute strength alone couldn't overcome carefully prepared techniques.

Katen Kyōkotsu's abilities after Shikai were more suited for one-on-one combat.

Now that he had Katen Kyōkotsu, he needed to diversify his fighting methods.

Toji began to reflect.

He had been relying too much on brute force. He hadn't even considered incorporating Katen Kyōkotsu's true nature into his combat style.

That technique was far too unique. To use it so plainly was a waste.

This time, Satoshi had relied on Sode no Shirayuki's Bankai, Hakka no Togame, to claw back a sliver of hope.

The power of Hakka no Togame was so overwhelming that it posed a threat to everyone present.

It was far from ordinary.

Toji believed that the Katen Kyōkotsu in his hand was no weaker than Sode no Shirayuki.

I need to master Bankai as soon as possible.

And I need to broaden my methods of attack.

...

As the Zanpakutō in the hands of Toji, Satoru, and the others reverted to their dormant forms, Yuki observed everything with fresh eyes.

It was her first time truly witnessing the wonder of Zanpakutō.

She finally understood why the jujutsu world said the emergence of Zanpakutō would change everything.

These weapons had transcended physical form and carried the power to completely rewrite the rules.

Transforming from a plain katana into a sea of cherry blossoms.

Transforming from a sealed blade into twin black broadswords.

Transforming from a regular sword into a sleek halberd.

Transforming into a transparent ice blade that even altered the user's appearance and attire.

Yuki struggled to understand what sort of rules governed the Zanpakutō Satoshi forged.

She finally understood why Tengen was so interested in him.

Satoshi was a complete anomaly in the world of jujutsu.

Even though she was confident in her own strength, Yuki knew that if she had faced Satoshi in the state of Hakka no Togame, she would have died.

The power of ice and frost had broken past natural limits, transcending even the concept of cold, seemingly grasping the very essence of the world's laws.

Using Bankai, Satoshi had defeated someone at the pinnacle of jujutsu, an opponent who had even mastered a Domain.

This was the power of Zanpakutō. And the power of Gojo Satoshi.

Yuki looked at Sode no Shirayuki, which had now returned to a simple katana in Satoshi's hand, then shifted her gaze to Ryūjin Jakka lying nearby. A thought stirred in her heart.

If Ryūjin Jakka also reached Bankai, just how terrifying would that power be?

A Zanpakutō that even someone like Kaori had gone to such lengths to obtain must possess unimaginable potential.

Maybe... it wouldn't be a bad idea to have Gojo Satoshi forge a Zanpakutō for me.

Yuki's curiosity toward the boy in front of her only deepened.

This young man who had attracted Tengen's attention. This boy who had stirred her heart.

He was someone worth investing her time and energy into.

At that moment, Yuki made a firm decision, she would get closer to Satoshi.

She wanted to understand him.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 137: Home
Toji picked up the unconscious Satoshi and turned to leave.

"Toji, where are you going?"

Kumaen called out, but Toji didn't stop or turn toward the Gojo clan.

"I'm taking him home."

Toji's voice was cold.

"You're heading the wrong way. Satoshi needs to return to the Gojo estate to recover."

Kumaen's tone was serious.

"I'm taking him to his real home. The Gojo clan is no longer strong enough to protect him."

Toji spoke a truth that Kumaen didn't want to admit, one that was devastating in its clarity.

With the current strength of the Gojo clan, if they were attacked again by that woman, they still wouldn't be able to stop her.

At present, no one in the Gojo clan could even activate a Domain.

Their only true top combat forces were Satoshi and Satoru and Satoshi was only six years old.

Kumaen had originally intended to stop Toji from taking Satoshi away, but after hearing those words, even he had to acknowledge the painful reality.

The Gojo clan appeared mighty on the surface, backed by the influence brought by Satoshi's Zanpakutō, with enough momentum to suppress even the Zenin and Kamo clans.

But without true top-tier strength, there was nothing he could say to refute Toji.

In the face of someone like Toji, who wielded a Zanpakutō, or a Domain user like the attacker just now, the Gojo family's proud corps of sorcerers would be little more than cannon fodder.

"Grandfather, are you really going to let Toji just take Young Master Satoshi away?"

Genichi leaned in and whispered.

"Right now, Toji is the only one truly qualified to protect Satoshi."

Kumaen shook his head. It was the only logical choice.

"Genichi, go inform the head of the Ieiri clan. Tell Inamichi to meet us at the Yorozuya and ask him to treat Satoshi. After activating Hakka no Togame, his body is under immense strain. Make sure Inamichi understands how critical this is."

Since Satoshi couldn't return to the Gojo estate, they could only make arrangements elsewhere.

"Understood, Grandfather."

Genichi nodded. The Gojo clan had known of the Yorozuya since its founding. Now, even Toji considered it the safest place, so there was no objection.

After all, Toji's residence was undeniably the safest location for now.

"I'm going with you to the Yorozuya."

Satoru's face was solemn. As Satoshi's older brother, he had to stay at his side now that he was unconscious.

Shunichi also stepped forward without a word, his resolve clear.

Toji glanced at the group, then silently gave his approval.

...

Ieiri Estate

When Genichi relayed the news of the attack on Satoshi, Inamichi was utterly shocked.

"What? The attacker was a Domain user?"

"A sorcerer who manipulates gravity?"

Inamichi had never heard of such a person. But the fact that they had attacked the Gojo clan made it clear, they were not affiliated with the Jujutsu Association.

The enemy was a curse user.

But what stunned Inamichi even more was Satoshi's response.

In this era, a Domain user was practically untouchable. Yet Satoshi had managed to survive an assault from such a person.

That alone was unimaginable.

When Genichi explained that Satoshi had resisted the Domain using the Bankai of Sode no Shirayuki, Inamichi's understanding of Zanpakutō was once again overturned.

"Bankai?"

So that's what Bankai is—a power capable of standing against a Domain.

He had always believed he valued his Zanpakutō enough. But now, he realized he'd been far too arrogant.

The Yagyū clan had truly struck gold.

Once this news spread, the smaller families that had yet to secure a sword-forging promise from the Gojo clan would be gnashing their teeth in envy.

A Zanpakutō capable of resisting a Domain. Even if Bankai was extremely difficult to achieve, it represented hope.

Some had criticized the Yagyū clan for handing over the Tsuki no Sho, the very foundation of their family, in exchange for a single Zanpakutō. Many thought it was a massive loss.

But now, with the true power of Zanpakutō revealed, no one would dare say that again.

At least we in the Ieiri clan already secured a promise, thanks to Shoko.

Inamichi breathed a sigh of relief.

Because of Shoko, the Ieiri clan didn't have to panic like the others.

Zanpakutō weren't mass-produced. The Gojo clan would never allow such powerful weapons to spread indiscriminately.

The other two great families didn't have Zanpakutō at all. Compared to them, the Ieiri clan was fortunate, Satoshi had even taken the initiative to promise one to Shoko.

Though they weren't as visionary as the Yagyū, the Ieiri clan wasn't completely left behind.

Besides, the Ieiri family had their Reverse Cursed Technique, which was highly valuable to the Gojo clan.

Thinking this over, Inamichi immediately fetched Shoko, who had just finished resting.

Since the goal was to heal Satoshi, Shoko had to come along.

Spending more time around Satoshi would increase the chances he would remember to forge a Zanpakutō for her.

"Come on, let's go..."

Where was it again?

Inamichi had already forgotten the place Genichi had mentioned. Apparently, they didn't need to head to the Gojo estate this time.

"Lord Inamichi, to the Yorozuya."

Genichi reminded him.

"Right, the Yorozuya."

Inamichi nodded. He didn't know exactly where that was, but it didn't matter. He'd follow Genichi.

...

Zenin Estate

When Naobito learned that Satoshi had been attacked, his expression turned grim.

Though he had his grievances with the boy, and even though the Zenin clan had clashed with him in the past, Satoshi's fate wasn't something he deeply cared about.

If he had died during the attack, Naobito wouldn't have felt much sorrow.

After all, the Zenin and Gojo families were rivals. Satoshi's birth had completely shattered the power balance. From a family perspective, Naobito naturally hoped to see the Gojo clan decline.

But what truly shocked him was that even a Domain user hadn't been able to kill Gojo Satoshi.

And the reason... was Sode no Shirayuki.

"Zanpakutō's Bankai?"

"So Gojo Satoshi wasn't lying. Sode no Shirayuki really has that many techniques. That kind of trump card..."

(To be continued.)