HRU: Chapter 101/102

Chapter 101: Swordsmanship Classic

Early in the morning, Satoshi was not allowed to wake up naturally but was instead shaken awake by Gojo Shunichi.

"Uncle Shunichi, you're a Grade 1 Sorcerer now. Why are you still on wake-up duty?"

Satoshi rubbed his eyes, his voice laced with irritation. Being woken up mid-sleep was never a pleasant experience.

"Young Master Satoshi, hurry up and wash up. Someone from the Yagyū family is here."

There was an unusual excitement in Gojo Shunichi's tone, something Satoshi couldn't quite understand.

What did the Yagyū family have to do with him wanting to sleep in?

Why was Shunichi so worked up?

Did he and Satoru really need to personally greet visitors from the Yagyū family? That didn't seem necessary.

Seeing that Satoshi remained motionless, Shunichi decided to get straight to the point.

"Tsuki no Sho. The Yagyū family wants to exchange it for a Zanpakutō."

Satoshi blinked, unimpressed.

"Tsuki no Sho? What's that? And why would I trade a Zanpakutō for it?"

His lack of enthusiasm instantly dampened Shunichi's excitement.

"But this is Tsuki no Sho, the original swordsmanship manuscript of Yagyū Jūbei! Every master of the Yagyū family has drawn their own unique insights from it."

"Young Master, with your talent in swordsmanship, aren't you even a little curious?"

Shunichi did his best to convey just how rare the Tsuki no Sho was, but Satoshi remained utterly disinterested.

At this hour, the only thing that could truly excite him was news of a fire-element Cursed Tool that could serve as a base for Ryūjin Jakka.

"Young Master Satoshi, the Yagyū family takes this matter very seriously! Yagyū Yusuke, their clan head, Yagyū Saemon, their greatest kendo master, and Yagyū Hidetsugu, their top Grade 1 Sorcerer, all came in person."

"You can't just ignore them. You'll have to at least hear them out, right?"

Realizing that there was no way Satoshi would go willingly, Shunichi dragged him out of bed.

With no other choice, Satoshi got up, washed his face, got dressed, and yawned his way toward Gojo Kyokushin-ryu Dojo.

Since this was an informal visit rather than a formal challenge, only the highest-ranking members from both clans were present.

Three representatives from the Yagyū family sat across from Gojo Kumaen, who hosted the meeting as the acting patriarch.

Gojo Satoru wasn't originally required to attend, but upon learning that the Yagyū family had come specifically for Gojo Satoshi, he volunteered to be there.

Thus, the Gojo clan had a four-on-three advantage in numbers, Gojo Kumaen, Gojo Shunichi, Gojo Satoru, and Satoshi against the three Yagyū representatives.

"Master Yagyū, since Satoshi is here, our part in this matter is done."

"The next step is between you and him. We will remain as spectators and will not interfere."

Gojo Kumaen had no intention of overshadowing the discussion and immediately handed the floor over to Satoshi and the Yagyū family.

Gojo Satoru wanted to say something, but before he could, Shunichi gave him a quick tap on the shoulder, signaling him to stay quiet.

By the time Satoru caught on, Satoshi had already begun speaking with Yagyū Yusuke.

"To be honest, I'm not really interested in Tsuki no Sho. And a Zanpakutō isn't something you can just forge on a whim."

Satoshi was about to refuse, but before he could, Yagyū Hidetsugu suddenly knelt on the ground, raising Tsuki no Sho high above his head, offering it to him.

Next to him, Yagyū Yusuke and Yagyū Saemon bowed their heads in silence, waiting for Satoshi's response.

"...I really don't care about kendo manuals."

It was hard to reject someone this sincere.

Satoshi sighed. It seemed that unless he accepted Tsuki no Sho, Hidetsugu wouldn't lower his hands.

So, out of courtesy, he took the ancient scroll.

Just to glance at it.

It was just an old antique, after all—what use could it possibly have for him?

However, the moment his eyes swept over the text, a familiar notification rang in his mind.

[Swordsmanship classic detected. Host has begun reading and learning. Zanjutsu experience +200.]

Satoshi's brows rose slightly in surprise.

He had accepted the book reluctantly, but he never expected it to bring an unexpected bonus.

On the other side, the Yagyū family representatives remained tense.

They had worried that Satoshi had no real interest in kendo.

But now, seeing him seriously reading Tsuki no Sho, they finally felt relieved.

As Satoshi continued reading, the entire room held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

Time passed in silence.

Finally, the system notifications stopped.

Satoshi exhaled slowly.

An unexpected windfall.

After reading Tsuki no Sho, he had accumulated 3,000 points of Zanjutsu experience.

There was no visible experience bar for Zanjutsu, but he could feel the difference.

This wasn't just theory—it was an understanding.

His grasp of Zanjutsu had improved.

Closing his eyes, he let the techniques from the Tsuki no Sho replay in his mind.

"Who is this Zanpakutō meant for?"

Satoshi's voice was deep and steady.

A few seconds of stunned silence followed before realization dawned on Yagyū Yusuke's face.

Satoshi's question meant he had agreed to forge a Zanpakutō for them.

"Young Master Satoshi, it's for Yagyū Saemon."

Yusuke did his best to contain his excitement as he spoke.

Satoshi opened his eyes and glanced at Saemon, then gave a slight nod.

Although he had initially been reluctant to let the Yagyū family get involved with Zanpakutō, he had taken something from them.

And since he had gained something valuable, it was only fair that he repaid the favor.

Besides, as a master swordsman, Yagyū Saemon was worthy of wielding a Zanpakutō.

As he thought about the Shinkage-ryu's fluid, water-like swordsmanship, an image of the perfect Zanpakutō began to form in his mind.

"I understand."

"Leave the Tsuki no Sho here. Come back tomorrow for your Zanpakutō."

With that, Satoshi turned around and left, taking the Tsuki no Sho with him.

The room was left in stunned silence.

"...Satoru, help me retrieve a Cursed Tool from the Treasury—that one..."

As the two Six Eyes users departed, Gojo Kumaen turned back to the Yagyū family with an apologetic look.

"Forgive us. While your clan has a request, Young Master Satoshi's manner can be a bit... direct."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 102: Hidden Functions

Before Kumaen could say anything further, Yagyū Yusuke interrupted him.

"There's no need for apologies, Kumaen-dono. With Satoshi-kun and Satoru-kun in the Gojo family, your clan's future will only shine brighter."

"Saemon, from this day forward, Yagyū Shinkage-ryū and Gojo Kyokushin-ryū shall be brother schools. Once you receive your Zanpakutō, never forget the debt of gratitude you owe to Satoshi-kun and the Gojo family."

Yagyū Saemon immediately lowered his head in acknowledgment, his heart filled with anticipation for the Zanpakutō that Satoshi would forge for him.

While others viewed Satoshi's failed forging attempts as a setback, the Yagyū family had chosen to trust him completely.

Rather than offering help when it was convenient, they had extended their hand when it truly mattered.

Seeing how much this meant to the Yagyū clan, Gojo Kumaen fully grasped just how valuable the Zanpakutō was to them.

For those without Jujutsu talent, a Zanpakutō was equivalent to an external organ, granting them the power of a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

Even a kendo master, once disregarded by the Jujutsu world, could suddenly become a force to be reckoned with.

If Zaemon were to awaken a suitable Zanpakutō ability, he might very well stand at the pinnacle of the Jujutsu Sorcerer ranks.

Gojo Kumaen shook his head. No matter the outcome, this would ultimately benefit the Gojo family.


---

"Satoshi, you just started forging yesterday. You're really planning to forge another Zanpakutō today without taking a break?"

Satoru's concern was evident in his eyes.

He believed that two consecutive forging failures must have dealt a significant blow to Satoshi.

He didn't want him to push himself too hard, he wanted him to rest and approach the next forging attempt at full strength.

Feeling Satoru's concern, Satoshi smiled warmly.

But he wasn't as fragile as Satoru thought.

Forging a Zanpakutō for Yagyū Saemon wasn't just a matter of obligation—it was also a way to refine his own forging techniques.

If his body truly couldn't handle it, he wouldn't force himself for the sake of the Yagyū family.

More importantly, Tsuki no Sho had given him an entirely new method of accumulating experience.

Completing this Zanpakutō was not just about repaying a debt, it was a chance to test this discovery.

"It's fine, Satoru. Just go and get me the Cursed Tool first."

"As for forging failures—haven't we already experienced plenty?"

"It doesn't affect anything. We've already identified the issue. As long as I have the right materials, I can definitely complete the Zanpakutō."

Seeing Satoshi's confidence, Satoru finally felt at ease.

That didn't change the fact that finding the right materials remained a huge problem.

Satoru silently resolved to speak with the clan leader and secure the Cursed Tool Satoshi needed—no matter the cost.

He could tell that this Zanpakutō meant even more to Satoshi than Sode no Shirayuki.

A part of him couldn't help but wonder.

What kind of Zanpakutō could make Gojo Satoshi, the forger himself, place such high expectations on it?

"Alright, Satoshi, I'll go get you the Cursed Tool."

With that, Gojo Satoru vanished from sight, leaving Satoshi to walk leisurely toward the forge, holding Tsuki no Sho in his hands.

Tsuki no Sho was truly a treasure.

The first reading alone had given him 3,000 points of Zanjutsu experience—and subsequent readings might yield even more.

If there were other swordsmanship classics on the same level as Tsuki no Sho, wouldn't that mean he had a faster and more efficient way to gain experience?

Though he wasn't obsessed with swordsmanship, any method of improving his strength was worth exploring.

If reading could increase Zanjutsu, then wouldn't the same principle apply to Hakuda and Hohō?

But what about Kidō?

He still wasn't sure how Kidō and Jujutsu techniques functioned in this world.

That was something he'd have to figure out later.

Discovering this hidden system function had completely lifted his spirits.

At this rate, if he continued on this path.

One day, he might truly become the strongest Shinigami, mastering every Zanpakutō and Shinigami art.


---

Meanwhile, the three Yagyū members were on their way home.

Their eyes shone with excitement, they hadn't expected things to go so smoothly.

Even though they had given up Yagyū Jūbei's legendary swordsmanship manual, they felt no regrets.

Trading Tsuki no Sho for a Zanpakutō was an undeniable victory.

"Saemon, with this, you can finally become a Jujutsu Sorcerer! The future of our clan will truly be in your hands now."

Yagyū Hidetsugu let out a sigh of relief.

As the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer in the Yagyū family, he had always carried the burden alone.

Now that Saemon would share that weight, their clan's future seemed brighter than ever.

Yagyū Yusuke added,

"This Zanpakutō will become a sacred treasure of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū."

"Saemon, you must study it carefully and record everything about how to wield and master it."

"Perhaps, in the future, you will become our generation's Yagyū Jūbei, and leave behind a swordsmanship classic that rivals Tsuki no Sho!"

Both Yagyū Hidetsugu and Yagyū Yusuke had absolute faith in Satoshi's Zanpakutō.

Even if it didn't come with a technique perfectly suited for Saemon, the sheer quality of the weapon alone would be enough to take his swordsmanship to new heights.

After all, the memory of Suzumushi slicing through samurai swords like paper was still fresh in their minds.

Saemon suppressed his excitement and silently vowed to cherish this opportunity.

Becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer had always been his dream.

But because he lacked Jujutsu talent, he had dedicated himself entirely to kendo instead.

He had become the youngest kendo master in the Yagyū family.

Yet for a declining clan, a kendo master alone wasn't enough.

To restore the Yagyū family's status in the Jujutsu world, they needed stronger Sorcerers.

He had resigned himself to a lifetime of swordsmanship, never imagining that he would one day meet Gojo Satoshi.

A child with Six Eyes, no Cursed Energy, yet the ability to forge Zanpakutō.

Saemon was convinced.

This was a gift from fate.

If he let this opportunity slip, he would forever be shut out from the Jujutsu world.

He knew.

The Zanpakutō that Gojo Satoshi forged for him would be perfect.

And once he wielded it, the name Yagyū Saemon would be carved into the annals of Jujutsu history.

(To be continued.)