HRU: Chapter 122/123

Chapter 122: Kaori and Yuki

Judging from its strength, this curse should be Grade 1.

Satoshi looked at the cursed spirit blocking his path, the corners of his mouth curving upward slightly.

The fact that a Grade 1 curse had appeared here, and with such clear intent, was quite interesting to him.

Shoso had attacked him under Kamo Shin's orders. So then, why was this Grade 1 cursed spirit attacking him now?

At the Grade 1 level, curses already possessed a certain degree of intelligence. Perhaps he could capture it and extract some answers.

When Toji raised his fist, preparing to eliminate the obstruction, Satoshi reached out and stopped him.

This Grade 1 curse was the perfect opportunity to test something. He wanted to try fighting it himself, to see if Ryūjin Jakka would react to combat and activate its compatibility with him.

After all, it was said to be the most powerful Zanpakutō in terms of raw offense. Surely it would be interested in a fight.

"Toji, leave this curse to me. I want to try out Ryūjin Jakka."

Hearing Satoshi's request, Toji nodded and stepped aside.

He knew Satoshi's strength well. A Grade 1 cursed spirit was nothing to be concerned about. Even if this particular one had a hidden trump card, he was confident he could crush it before it had a chance to act.

"Ryūjin Jakka, please fight alongside me this time."

Satoshi gripped Ryūjin Jakka and stepped forward to face the cursed spirit.

From a distance, unnoticed by the others, Itadori Kaori observed silently. Her gaze was locked on Satoshi as he engaged the curse, carefully analyzing the abilities of the Zanpakutō in his hand.

This Grade 1 cursed spirit posed no real threat to Satoshi.

However, Kaori also noticed something, an undeniable helplessness in the way Satoshi wielded his sword during the battle.

The curse was defeated by Satoshi and his Zanpakutō, but at no point did the fire-type Zanpakutō display any of its techniques.

A faint smile appeared on Kaori's lips.

As expected, such a powerful Zanpakutō hasn't been fully mastered. With Satoshi's current strength, he still can't draw out the true power of that sword.

If that's the case, then things might be easier than I thought.

She murmured to herself and turned away. The curse had served its purpose, it had already provided all the information she needed.

...

"This is too much! Way too much!"

"You're a Zanpakutō, after all! How is this performance any different from an ordinary katana?"

"The opponent was a cursed spirit! Couldn't you at least act like a proper Zanpakutō? Even just a flicker of flame to burn it to death would've been something!"

Gojo Satoshi held the now-warm Ryūjin Jakka and stared at the cursed spirit he had just slashed into pieces, looking utterly dejected.

Even though Ryūjin Jakka was said to be the strongest offensive Zanpakutō, in his hands right now, it was no better than a glorified stick.

"So, the Shikai I activated... was just superficial?"

After saying the incantation, the sword transformed into Ryūjin Jakka, but functionally it's no different from an Asauchi?

Toji caught Satoshi's muttered complaints, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.

Compared to Ryūjin Jakka's lack of cooperation, his own Katen Kyōkotsu could almost be described as overly cooperative.

As for Bankai's temporary refusal to awaken... so be it. He wouldn't force the matter.

After all, Katen Kyōkotsu was a cool and aloof one. If Bankai came too easily, it would ruin her character.

"Let's go, Satoshi. Or do you want another half hour to talk things over with Ryūjin Jakka?"

Toji's teasing made Satoshi's face drop instantly.

"Let's go. Hurry up and get to the Yorozuya."

...

Kaori turned to leave, but the next moment, her body froze.

A blonde girl had appeared beside her without warning.

"Huh, the view from here's really good."

"You came to observe Gojo Satoshi too?"

Yuki looked at the beautiful woman beside her, her large eyes filled with curiosity.

The woman had short hair just like her, but carried herself with a much more unrestrained air.

Yuki couldn't help but admire her presence.

Very cool, but also a little tragic. There are surgical sutures along her forehead... Did she just have a craniotomy?

Which sorcerer family is she from? Even in this condition, she's out here gathering intel?

Facing Yuki, Kaori was silent for a few seconds. Then a bright, pleasant smile spread across her face.

"Yeah. Gojo Satoshi is the hottest name in the Jujutsu world right now. Of course, we've got to keep an eye on him."

This girl looks like she's still in her teens, but her Cursed Energy is overflowing. How have I never heard of her? Blonde, young, and completely unpredictable.

And it looks like she's also interested in Gojo Satoshi. I wonder what she's after? Better to just wait and see.

Kaori gave a slight nod toward Yuki.

"Are you keeping an eye on Gojo Satoshi too? But you shouldn't get too close, or Zenin Toji will definitely notice."

"Even without any Cursed Energy, he's still the undisputed strongest member of the Zenin Clan now."

Kaori's warning made Yuki's eyes shine.

She'd heard the rumors, Zenin Toji had once defeated two Grade 1 sorcerers from the Zenin Clan at the same time, using only his physical prowess and his Zanpakutō.

More importantly, both Zenin Toji and Gojo Satoshi were carriers of Heavenly Restriction, completely without Cursed Energy.

Wasn't this perfect?

The two people she was most interested in had somehow come together. It was as if fate itself had brought her here.

Everything lined up, her arrival from the Tombs of the Star, this exact moment, it all felt orchestrated by some divine hand.

Maybe, through Gojo Satoshi and Zenin Toji, she could finally uncover the true reason behind the phenomenon of zero Cursed Energy and Binding Vows.

Hopefully, they'd be willing to cooperate with her.

Of course, if they refused, she didn't mind using her own methods to make them comply.

"Well, thank you for the reminder."

Yuki turned her gaze from Satoshi and Toji, ready to thank the woman beside her... only to realize that she had already vanished.

"Do I want to know her name?"

"With such strong cursed energy and such distinct features, I should be able to find out if I ask around."

"I just don't get why she's so focused on Satoshi. Eh... forget it, it's too much trouble. The Jujutsu world is always chaotic and annoying."

Yuki shook her short blonde hair and sighed.

"If Gojo Satoshi were ranked like a normal sorcerer, and could exorcise a Grade 1 curse with just a katana, what level would he be?"

"Well, exorcising a Grade 1 curse without using Cursed Energy... then adding the abilities from Sode no Shirayuki, he'd definitely qualify as Grade 1."

Yuki said softly and followed them from a distance to the Yorozuya entrance.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 123: Miss, the Yorozuya Shop Is Not Open Yet

"Yorozuya?"

Staring at the plaque hanging on the entrance of the quaint building, Yuki tilted her head in curiosity.

She had no idea why Satoshi and Toji had come here. Could it be that these two scions of the Big Three Sorcerer Clans actually needed help from someone else?

Yuki hesitated at the doorway for a moment, then finally decided to step into the Yorozuya and take a look around.

…

"Yeah, yeah, not bad at all."

After touring the building with Toji, Gojo Satoshi nodded in satisfaction.

Even though this traditional-style house didn't quite match its modern surroundings, who cared?

As long as he liked it, that was enough.

Jujutsu Kaisen and Bleach had already fused, so throwing a bit of Gintama flavor into the mix shouldn't hurt, right?

Besides, both Gintoki and I have white hair. I'm clearly cut out to be the boss here.

As for what exactly the Yorozuya would do?

Satoshi hadn't decided yet. But since both he and Toji came from the Big Three Sorcerer Clans, their focus would naturally be on resolving issues within the Jujutsu world.

The affairs of the secular world simply didn't interest them.

"Toji, let's get someone to create a concealment barrier for the Yorozuya. If non-sorcerers wander in here, it could get troublesome."

Satoshi made his request, and Toji nodded, mentally taking note.

For him, this Yorozuya would be his new home. If he was going to be constantly interrupted by ordinary people, it would become a real hassle.

"This room is mine."

"You can sort out the rest however you want. Oh, and make sure to leave one for Satoru. He's a shareholder, after all."

Satoshi picked the sunniest room on the second floor for himself, and even remembered to reserve one for Satoru.

When Toji heard that Satoru might be living here in the future, his expression soured.

The tension between the two wouldn't be erased just because time had passed.

Still, given that Satoru had invested a considerable sum of money, Toji could only grit his teeth and accept it.

There were enough rooms upstairs. Even if no one officially assigned one to Satoru, he could just crash in a guest room.

…

"Anyway, we still need to do some decorating. Add a few plants or something."

"Don't be so stiff. If you bring a girl home and the place feels too cold, you'll scare her away."

"Especially with your stone-cold face and the frosty Zenin family atmosphere you're not doing yourself any favors."

Satoshi gave Toji a meaningful look. After all, Toji had been hanging around the Yorozuya every day recently.

He'd originally thought about introducing a girl from the Gojo family to Toji, but then remembered the canon timeline, where Toji and Megumi's mother were supposed to have a good relationship.

What if Megumi vanished because he meddled too much?

Satoshi shook his head and decided to leave it be for now.

Toji hadn't expected that a six-year-old kid like Satoshi would be concerned about his love life.

Frowning slightly, he placed his hand on Satoshi's head and said seriously:

"If you've got that much time to worry about me, maybe focus on your relationship with Shoko instead?"

"Ever since you offered to forge a Zanpakutō for her, her attitude toward you has definitely changed."

Toji had been paying close attention. During this period, he'd carefully observed everyone around Satoshi and had noticed Shoko's subtle shifts in behavior.

Satoshi's expression turned awkward the moment Shoko's name came up.

"Uh… isn't that unnecessary? She's only six."

Toji shrugged.

"You're six. She's six. Sounds like a perfect match for childhood sweethearts. Besides, Shoko's talent with the Reverse Cursed Technique means her standards will be sky-high. After spending so much time with you and Satoru, she's probably lost interest in anyone else."

"I'd say the guest rooms might not be enough. Give it a few days and someone might claim one for herself."

Satoshi gave an embarrassed laugh in response to Toji's pointed sarcasm.

Yeah… that really did sound like something he would allow.

If Shoko really wanted to live here, as the owner of the Yorozuya, he definitely wouldn't have the heart to drive her out...

Just as he was about to say something, Toji's gaze suddenly dropped to the floor.

"Looks like someone's here."

Satoshi also lowered his gaze. He was a bit surprised, he hadn't expected a visitor so soon after the Yorozuya's doors opened.

Just a curious passerby?

No—definitely a sorcerer.

With his Six Eyes, Satoshi saw through the identity of the intruder and sensed the technique she possessed.

Even without Six Eyes, Toji's senses, sharpened to an extreme by Heavenly Restriction could clearly detect something unusual about the visitor.

"Let's go down and take a look."

Satoshi and Toji exchanged a glance, nodded, and turned toward the stairs.

They were curious too, could it be that the Yorozuya was already attracting business on its very first day?

…

Yuki stepped inside the Yorozuya and looked around in surprise.

The room was spacious, but aside from a traditional-looking counter that resembled something from the Edo period, it was empty. Next to the counter was a wooden staircase that led to the second floor.

Satoshi and Toji were nowhere in sight.

Yuki looked up at the stairs, then quietly decided to wait.

The first floor was clearly a public area, while the second floor was more private.

She didn't harbor any hostility toward them, but barging into someone's personal space without permission would definitely leave a bad impression.

However, it was now clear that her earlier assumptions had been wrong.

Satoshi and Toji hadn't come to the Yorozuya to seek help, they were the owners.

That alone piqued her interest.

Why would the strongest member of the Zenin Clan and the Six Eyes heir of the Gojo Clan open a strange shop like the Yorozuya?

Was family life too dull for them?

That seemed unlikely. Gojo Satoshi was currently one of the most in-demand figures in the Jujutsu world. Smaller sorcerer clans were lining up just for the chance to have him forge a Zanpakutō for them.

How would someone like that have the time to run a small business?

Something wasn't adding up.

Yuki felt like she'd stumbled upon a fascinating mystery and wanted to dig deeper into the thought process of Satoshi and Toji.

Just as she was about to approach the counter for a closer look, footsteps sounded from the second floor, followed by the voice of a young boy.

"Miss, the Yorozuya isn't open today. If you need anything, please come back another time."

(To be continued.)