HRU: Chapter 95/97

Chapter 95: Changes

"Shoko! You said Satoshi-kun is also going to help you forge a Zanpakutō?"

Inamichi suppressed his excitement and asked in a low voice.

"Yeah, that's right."

"But he might need some time to gather the materials for it."

"It probably won't be that fast, right?"

Shoko replied casually, continuing to eat her snacks without much concern.

Inamichi recalled what Shoko had mentioned earlier, Satoshi needed Cursed Tools as materials to forge a Zanpakutō. Without hesitation, he spoke up:

"What kind of materials does he need? I can help Satoshi-kun find them!"

Upon hearing this news, Inamichi was even more eager than Shoko.

"Huh? I don't know. I didn't ask."

Shoko didn't even look up, her attention still fixated on the snacks in front of her.

A trace of regret appeared on Inamichi's face. Although Satoshi was just a child, he was still a man.

And men—they tend to forget things.

Perhaps Satoshi had only mentioned it casually to Shoko, without any real intention of following through.

If it had been anything else, Inamichi wouldn't have been too concerned.

But this was a Zanpakutō!

There were only four in existence right now. While there might be more in the future, they were still extremely rare artifacts.

Since Satoshi had made the promise, he had to ensure it became a reality.

"Ahem."

Inamichi cleared his throat and said seriously:

"Shoko, since Satoshi-kun said he would help you forge a Zanpakutō, we can't just leave everything to him, right?"

"As for the materials, our family will provide them. When you visit the Gojo estate later, make sure to bring it up with Satoshi-kun. I'll help you gather the necessary Cursed Tools."

A flicker of doubt crossed Shoko's young face, but she nodded anyway.

She was far more mature than her peers, yet she still didn't fully grasp the complexities of adult reasoning—or the ulterior motives of men.

She simply took it as her father looking out for her.

"Alright, sounds good! I'll ask Satoshi about it later. It's true that finding the right materials won't be easy. Even Toji had to provide his own materials to forge Katen Kyōkotsu."

With that, Shoko lost all interest in the conversation, returning her full attention to the snacks in front of her.


---

Okkotsu Family

Ever since meeting Satoshi, Okkotsu Yuto had been keeping a close eye on the affairs of the three major sorcerer families.

Originally, he hadn't cared much about the Gojo clan. He had only visited them by chance, since they happened to be in the same city.

He never expected to meet such an interesting relative.

Gojo Satoshi—the person who changed his mind.

Before, Yuto had wanted nothing more than to live as an ordinary person. He never had much fondness for the life of a jujutsu sorcerer.

However, after witnessing Satoshi's battle with Zenin Toji and seeing the power of the Zanpakutō, he realized something.

His bloodline should not be allowed to fade away.

Yuto was well aware of his own strength.

Within the sorcery world, he was far from weak.

The only reason he hadn't made a name for himself was that he had always kept a low profile, exorcising Cursed Spirits only when necessary, never officially joining the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association.

But now that things had changed, he had to start integrating into the world of jujutsu.

The Gojo clan, the Kamo clan, and the Zenin clan—these were names he couldn't avoid.

"Zenin Toji did something like that, and yet the Zenin family hasn't expelled him?"

"It seems Toji's strength is truly extraordinary. When he fought Satoshi before, he wasn't even using his full power."

"But now Toji already has a Zanpakutō… and from what I've heard, it's linked to the Zenin family's Shadow Technique."

"This is getting interesting. What decision will the Zenin clan make now?"

"To be honest, traveling has been a little dull lately… How about stopping by Tokyo to have some fun with Satoshi and Satoru?"

"After all, we're distant relatives—it wouldn't be too strange for us to interact, right?"

Yuto chuckled to himself, already convincing himself that this detour to Tokyo was completely justified.

Of course… he would never admit that his true goal was to learn more about Gojo Satoshi's Zanpakutō.


---

Zenin Clan Estate

The moment the Zenin family's scandal was exposed, Zenin Ogi's expression darkened.

Meanwhile, Naobito could only sigh helplessly.

There were only a handful of people who had witnessed what happened with Toji, and neither Ogi nor Naobito would have leaked such a thing.

That left only two possible suspects.

After his defeat, Zenin Ogi had been in seclusion, struggling to recover from the overwhelming loss against Toji. He was still adjusting to the reality of his defeat.

That meant there was only one real suspect left.

Zenin Jinichi.

Naobito was displeased with Jinichi's actions, but he also understood his motives.

Jinichi had hoped to pressure the family by leaking this information to the outside world.

He wanted people to acknowledge that Zenin Toji had defeated two high-ranking Zenin elders—emphasizing Toji's strength to boost his own standing within the clan.

However, Jinichi had made a critical miscalculation.

The sorcery world wasn't focusing on Toji's battle against the elders.

Instead, they were obsessed with the power of his Zanpakutō, Katen Kyōkotsu, and its strange connection to shadow techniques.

Very few people even noticed that Satoshi had defeated Zenin Shinsuke again.

And for those who did pay attention, their focus was more on the mysterious third ability of Satoshi's Sode no Shirayuki.

Jinichi had miscalculated.

If he had revealed information strategically, leaking only the news about Gojo Satoshi vs. Zenin Shinsuke, it would have been a much greater blow to Shinsuke's reputation.

Now?

Shinsuke had faded into irrelevance.

The entire sorcery world had already forgotten about him.

And in truth, Jinichi himself was in the same situation.

When people mentioned Zenin Shinsuke, at the very least, they still acknowledged him as a former genius of the Zenin clan, someone who had lost to Gojo Satoshi twice.

But Jinichi?

To outsiders, he was just another nameless Zenin clan member.

Even his connection to Toji was barely known.

Jinichi's ambitions had backfired.

At a time when the Zenin clan desperately needed to restore their prestige, he had squandered it for his own selfish goals.

His path to becoming clan leader was now completely blocked.

Even Ogi had given up on competing.

As Naobito observed Jinichi's smug expression, he silently shook his head.

However, to be fair, Jinichi's actions had proven one thing, Toji's power was undeniable.

Now, the Zenin family's most urgent goal was to bring Toji back into the clan.

Whether it was to study his Zanpakutō or analyze his inhuman physique, the first step was getting Toji to return.

Jinichi's next—and final—task was clear.

He had to bring Toji home.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 96: It’s Time to Forge for Yourself, Right?

"Toji, I'll leave all the preparations for the construction to you! The funds will be considered your shares. If it turns a profit in the future, you'll get a cut."

Satoshi couldn't help but salivate at the amount of money Toji had access to.

Of course, money alone couldn't buy a Zanpakutō, he would never actually sell one for cash.

Toji nodded. Yorozuya had become the most important thing on his mind.

Now, his focus was on how to build its foundation as quickly as possible.


---

After finalizing plans with Toji for the Yorozuya, Satoshi began thinking about his next steps.

Recently, he had successfully forged Zanpakutō for both Satoru and Toji.

Everything was progressing as planned. With the power of Zanpakutō, both Satoru and Toji had grown significantly stronger.

Given the current state of the Jujutsu world, Toji was now among the strongest combatants in all of Japan.

And in the future, once Satoru fully matured, his brother would also become an unstoppable force.

With Senbonzakura, Gojo Satoru would one day rightfully stand at the peak of the world.

But with Katen Kyōkotsu, Toji might actually be even stronger.

Before Satoru mastered Reverse Cursed Technique, he probably wouldn't be able to beat him.

With two of the most powerful warriors at his side, Gojo Satoshi should have been able to relax.

But something felt off.

This state of being protected… wasn't what he wanted.

His talent wasn't weak.

After all, he was a reincarnator.

He had a system, the same Six Eyes as Satoru, the same Heavenly Restriction as Toji, and access to all four fundamental combat skills of a Shinigami:

Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō.

No matter how he looked at it, he wasn't meant to just rely on Satoru and Toji.

He needed to start focusing on his own growth.

Training his Zanjutsu and Hakuda would require gradual progress, but forging a Zanpakutō would be the fastest way to increase his power.

Senbonzakura and Katen Kyōkotsu had made Satoru and Toji stronger.

So… what kind of Zanpakutō should he forge for himself?

Holding Sode no Shirayuki, the cold aura of the blade cleared his thoughts.

If we're talking about Zanpakutō… there's one that no one can ignore, right?

I already have an ice-type Zanpakutō… it wouldn't be unreasonable to get a fire-type one, would it?

A charred blade appeared in Gojo Satoshi's mind.

If he could truly forge that sword, he would basically be invincible.

Mastery over both ice and fire, combined with Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō—that would make him a true Shinigami.

His heart surged with anticipation.

Sode no Shirayuki was the first Zanpakutō he had ever forged.

Senbonzakura, Katen Kyōkotsu, and Suzumushi… were all forged for others.

But now, it was his turn.

The Zanpakutō he desired most was none other than the strongest fire-type blade in all of Soul Society.

The Zanpakutō wielded by the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.

Ryūjin Jakka!

If he could forge Ryūjin Jakka, it would mean that he had mastered the ability to create any Zanpakutō in Soul Society.

However…

Finding a Cursed Tool compatible with Ryūjin Jakka wouldn't be easy.

So far, after searching through the Gojo and Zenin families' treasuries, he hadn't come across a single fire-type Cursed Tool.

In this regard, the Jujutsu world and Soul Society were oddly similar—fire-based abilities were extremely rare.

Which meant that this time, he couldn't rely on just waiting for materials to appear.

I should be qualified to make demands from the clan head now, right?

I basically made a Grade 1 sorcerer for the family.

I forged Zanpakutō for Satoru and Shunichi.

And most importantly, Toji's victory over Zenin Naobito and Zenin Ogi had undoubtedly forced the Gojo family to acknowledge his strength.

Right now, not a single Jujutsu sorcerer within the Gojo family could stand against Toji.

Not even Satoru, despite having Six Eyes and Limitless.

Everything Satoshi had accomplished so far had earned him leverage.

If the Gojo and Zenin families didn't have the materials, then he would ask the clan leader to find them for him.


---

At the Same Time

Inside the Gojo family head's residence, Gojo Tsubaki was reporting his findings from his investigation at Jujutsu High's Warehouse.

Sitting in the room, Gojo Shunichi and Gojo Takuya silently listened.

"...So it's true?"

The old man sighed, glancing toward the sealed container beside him.

"The Ninth Cursed Womb has been stolen. That means the object inside must be Shoso, the Scorched Phase of the Nine Cursed Wombs."

"I originally believed that only the top three Special Grade Cursed Objects were unique among the Nine Cursed Wombs. I never expected this ninth one to be so special as well."

Gojo Shunichi nodded immediately.

"Before Kotetsu attacked Young Master Satoshi, I actually met him once. But at the time, I didn't notice anything unusual."

"Based on his movements during that period, he behaved normally for at least three days. There was no opportunity for him to absorb Shoso's flesh."

"Which means that Shoso must have taken over his body at least three days prior… and nobody noticed."

Shunichi's deduction was met with agreement.

Gojo Tsubaki added seriously:

"Since they weren't Special Grade Cursed Objects, the other six Cursed Wombs didn't receive much attention from the sealing teams."

"This gave the mastermind an opening to swap them out."

"But… there were six Cursed Wombs available, from the Fourth to the Ninth. And yet, they only replaced Shoso."

"The only explanation is that Shoso has an incredibly powerful stealth ability."

The old man nodded slightly and then turned to Shunichi.

"Summon Kumaen. I have something to discuss with him."

Shunichi hesitated for a moment.

"Elder Kumaen? Is it really wise to involve him in this?"

"After all… this situation isn't in Satoshi's favor. Elder Kumaen's position—"

He stopped mid-sentence.

The old man shook his head, his expression calm and unwavering.

"Kumaen is the acting clan head now. He has a right to know."

"And since Satoshi allowed Kumaen to take that position, he must be prepared to take responsibility as well."

"Don't worry, Shunichi."

"Kumaen holds the highest seat in the clan, which means he will act in the Gojo family's best interests."

"Besides…"

"The moment Satoru obtained Senbonzakura, Satoshi's position within the Gojo family became untouchable."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 97: Preliminary Preparations for the Blade Ryūjin Jakka

"Satoru, let's go find the clan head."

Catching Satoru as he was lounging around, Satoshi immediately dragged his brother along.

"Pass, Satoshi! I'm exhausted, let me rest!"

Satoru's Six Eyes reflected his fatigue.

Satoshi could avoid Toji's brutal training by focusing on forging and studying Zanpakutō.

But Satoru couldn't.

With Shunichi away on business, Satoru had become Toji's sole target.

And without Shoko's healing, he had been suffering from constant bruises and sore muscles every day.

Today was rare—Toji had left the Gojo estate after a discussion with Satoshi.

So naturally… Satoru just wanted to rest.

"You're only six years old, and you're already acting like an old man. What are you gonna do when you're actually old? Get up, I need the clan head's help to find some materials."

Satoshi refused to let his brother laze around.

"Materials?"

Hearing this, Satoru's eyes lit up, though he still looked skeptical.

"Satoshi, are you forging again? No way, it hasn't even been that long, has it?"

Thinking back, the last Zanpakutō Satoshi had forged was Katen Kyōkotsu, and that had only been a short while ago.

"Satoshi, don't tell me… it's the Zanpakutō you promised Shoko?"

A smug grin appeared on Satoru's face.

"I knew it! So you do have bad intentions! Shoko is—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Satoshi punched him in the stomach, silencing him completely.

"Get up."

"This time, I'm forging a Zanpakutō for myself—not for anyone else. I'm going to create the most stunning Zanpakutō you've ever seen."

Hearing this, Satoru suddenly became interested.

"The most stunning? Don't be ridiculous. You've seen Senbonzakura with your own eyes, Katen Kyōkotsu isn't even as stylish as it. I doubt there's a Zanpakutō flashier than Senbonzakura."

Satoshi fell into silence.

If he was being honest, Ryūjin Jakka wasn't exactly a "beautiful" blade.

But who cared about aesthetics when a single swing could turn the world into a sea of fire?

Besides, in Satoshi's mind, Ryūjin Jakka's Bankai—Zanka no Tachi—was the most magnificent Zanpakutō of all.

"Are you coming or not?"

Coming out of his thoughts, Satoshi glared at his brother.

"Alright, alright! I'm coming!"

Satoru stood up reluctantly, but since this was about Satoshi's personal Zanpakutō, he wanted to see what kind of blade his brother would choose for himself.


---

Gojo Clan Estate – Clan Head's Residence

"Young Master Satoru, Young Master Satoshi, the clan head is speaking with Elder Kumaen inside. Please wait a moment."

As soon as the servant finished speaking, the door swung open.

Kumaen's expression was dark, and his mood was clearly sour.

Seeing Satoru and Satoshi standing outside, he was momentarily surprised.

If it was just Satoru, that would be normal.

But Satoshi seeking out the clan head?

That was unexpected.

After all, in six years, Satoshi had never once actively sought help from the family.

"The clan head is inside. Go in."

Kumaen nodded at Satoru.

His gaze lingered on Satoshi for a few seconds, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

But in the end, he didn't say anything to him.

Instead, he turned around and left.


---

Inside, an old, hoarse voice greeted them.

"Our great Cursed Tool forger graces us with his presence. What a rare visitor."

There was a teasing tone in the old man's voice.

Satoshi froze for a moment—the atmosphere felt… off.

It was clear that the conversation between Kumaen and the clan head had been about him.

However, since he needed the clan's help to find materials for Ryūjin Jakka, he pretended nothing was wrong and followed Satoru inside.

As for the old man's teasing remark, he chose to ignore it.

Unfortunately, even if Satoshi didn't respond, the old man wasn't about to drop the subject.

"The acting clan head just informed me of a rather troublesome rumor floating around the family. Some are saying you're siding with the enemy."

"The fact that Toji defected from the Zenin clan has sparked quite the discussion within our family."

"Originally, I wasn't too concerned… but now, Toji has been spending all his time with you, and there are even rumors that he's planning to join the Gojo clan."

The old man coughed lightly, then smiled faintly.

"So, tell me—is there any truth to this?"

Hearing this, Satoshi felt a chill.

His relationship with Toji was undeniably close.

"That's nonsense!"

Satoshi crossed his arms in an X-shape, signaling absolute rejection.

"Not only does Toji have zero intention of joining the Gojo family, but the Zenin clan isn't even trying to punish him."

"Obviously, they realized his worth and won't let him go."

"They just woke up a little too late."

"But still, even if they hesitated, there's no way Toji would suddenly turn around and join the Gojo clan."

"To be honest, the Gojo family isn't much better than the Zenin clan in terms of internal politics."

"Someone like Toji won't be bound by any clan. He'll find the freedom he wants on his own."

Hearing Satoshi shut down his expectations immediately, the old man shook his head helplessly.

If only a warrior of Toji's caliber could join the Gojo family…

Toji's betrayal of the Zenin clan had caused a major upheaval among Jujutsu sorcerers.

But within the Gojo family, many were still unwilling to accept his strength.

Most of them believed that Toji only won because of Katen Kyōkotsu, that without his Zanpakutō's ability to manipulate shadows, he never would have beaten Zenin Naobito or Zenin Ogi.

Many among the clan resented Satoshi for giving such a powerful weapon to an outsider.

If it weren't for certain individuals stopping them, some would have already confronted him about it.

After briefly explaining the family's current stance, the old man smiled slyly.

"So, tell me… was it Katen Kyōkotsu that made Toji so strong?"

"Or was it his own power?"

(To be continued.)