HRU: Chapter 93/94

Chapter 93: Where Is Shoso

Kamo Family

Upon hearing the rumors about the Zenin clan, Kamo Shin was utterly shocked.

Since they had never personally witnessed the power of Katen Kyōkotsu, they were skeptical that someone like Toji, who lacked Cursed Energy could actually defeat a sorcerer.

However, this information came directly from within the Zenin clan. There was no way they would use the reputation of their top executives just to fabricate such a story about Toji, right?

In Kamo Shin's view, Toji's sudden strength was likely not due to his own abilities but rather because of the newly forged Katen Kyōkotsu, a Zanpakutō created by Gojo Satoshi.

"Was this name given by Gojo Satoshi?"

Upon hearing the name of the Zanpakutō, Kamo Shin couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

Katen Kyōkotsu—the name alone carried an imposing presence.

Originally, he had assumed that Satoshi would only forge Zanpakutō for members of the Gojo clan. But unexpectedly, Satoshi had actually crafted one for a younger generation member of the Zenin family.

More importantly, someone without Cursed Energy had managed to use this Zanpakutō to defeat Zenin Naobito and Zenin Ogi.

"We really can't let Gojo Satoshi continue unchecked."

"Even the weakest one, Suzumushi—in Gojo Shunichi's hands was capable of temporarily repelling a Special Grade Cursed Spirit!"

"Not to mention, Satoshi's own Sode no Shirayuki still had a hidden third ability! He really kept it well concealed."

As Kamo Shin analyzed the information he had gathered, his shock deepened, and so did his resolve. The need to eliminate Gojo Satoshi was becoming increasingly urgent.

It has been a week since Shoso infiltrated the Gojo estate. As of now, Gojo Satoshi remains completely unharmed. It seems Shoso has found no opportunity to act.

We need to investigate the status of Shoso within the Gojo estate. If necessary, we must retrieve it before it's too late.

This Cursed Object had been passed down by the Kamo clan leader, assisting them in handling numerous difficult adversaries. Losing it would be unacceptable.

Kamo Shin made up his mind. He immediately began drafting a formal request to visit the Gojo family.

---

Yagyū Family

"Master Yusuke, did you see that? This is the power of Gojo Satoshi's Zanpakutō. A mere ordinary person, wielding a Zanpakutō, defeated a Grade 1 sorcerer."

Yagyū Hidetsugu could barely contain his astonishment after receiving the news.

As a Grade 1 sorcerer himself, he was considered one of the strongest in the entire Jujutsu world.

Zenin Naobito, with his Projection Sorcery, was even stronger than him, yet he had fallen at the hands of someone with no Cursed Energy.

If someone had told him this a month ago, he would have never believed it.

But now, there was no room for doubt. The key factor in this incident was the Zanpakutō.

Ever since Hidetsugu had been rescued by Shunichi, he had constantly praised the Cursed Tool known as Zanpakutō—to the point that his clan members had grown tired of hearing about it.

But now, Yagyū Yusuke had personally witnessed proof.

Before, it had only been speculation, difficult to verify.

But this time, there was clear evidence.

The two strongest members of the Zenin family had been defeated by an "ordinary person" wielding a Zanpakutō. That alone was enough to elevate the reputation of this weapon to new heights.

"If Saemon can obtain a Zanpakutō… would he be able to stand on equal footing with sorcerers?"

For generations, the Yagyū family had produced master swordsmen. However, none of them had ever been able to wield Cursed Energy, something that had always been a source of regret.

Because of this, Yagyū Saemon had dedicated himself entirely to swordsmanship, honing his skills to the absolute limit.

But in a world ruled by sorcery, pure swordsmanship had long since fallen out of favor.

Now, however, the appearance of Zanpakutō had changed everything.

If Saemon couldn't use Cursed Energy, then his Zanpakutō could. A swordsman with a Zanpakutō, wasn't that equivalent to a sorcerer?

Yagyū Yusuke considered this possibility carefully.

But Yagyū Hidetsugu remained skeptical. "That may be true, but the Gojo family isn't going to let something like a Zanpakutō fall into the hands of just anyone, are they?"

"After all, there are only four known Zanpakutō in the entire world."

However, Yagyū Yusuke disagreed.

"If a member of the Zenin family, who lacks Cursed Energy was able to obtain one, it means Gojo Satoshi isn't keeping the Zanpakutō exclusively within his own clan."

"This will be difficult, yes. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try."

With that, Yagyū Yusuke suddenly stood up and turned toward Hidetsugu.

"Hidetsugu, as the strongest person in the Yagyū family, the only Grade 1 sorcerer, we rely on you to revitalize the clan."

"Master Shunichi from the Gojo family saved your life. We should at least show our gratitude, right? Besides, as fellow Grade 1 sorcerers, you should try to establish a connection."

Hidetsugu immediately understood his patriarch's intentions.

However, he didn't object. The reasoning was sound. It was indeed a difficult task, but if they didn't try, nothing would happen.

"I understand, Master. I will make an effort to establish ties with Master Shunichi. I also heard that Gojo Satoshi has dabbled in kendo—perhaps we can use that as common ground."

He proposed his plan.

After all, the Yagyū family was a small jujutsu clan. They had little to offer that would be valuable to the Gojo family.

In fact, in the entire Yagyū family, there was likely only one thing that could catch Gojo Satoshi's interest—Tsuki no Sho.

To outsiders, Tsuki no Sho was merely a military strategy book. But in reality, it contained the ultimate sword techniques of Yagyū Jūbei, passed down within the clan.

If Gojo Satoshi truly had an interest in kendo, then Tsuki no Sho might be of value.

However, if the rumors were false, and Satoshi had no interest in kendo, then the book would be nothing more than worthless paper to him.

Seeing Yusuke's hesitation, Hidetsugu shook his head slightly.

To him, kendo was merely a secondary concern. If not for his exceptional talent in jujutsu, he never would have risen to prominence in a swordsman family.

To him, leaking kendo techniques wasn't a major issue.

"If this can be exchanged for another Grade 1 sorcerer in our family, then it's well worth it."

"Alright! Let's do it."

Yusuke narrowed his eyes, deep in thought, before finally making his decision.

"Even if we have to use Tsuki no Sho, we must obtain a Zanpakutō for Yagyū Saemon!"

"Master, leave it to me!"

Hidetsugu nodded firmly. His patriarch had foresight, he saw both the crisis and opportunity for the Yagyū family.

And so, he had the courage to take this risk.

Now, Hidetsugu had to do his part, to ensure the revival of the Yagyū family.

(To be continued.)

***
Junkdog's Note: "Tsuki no Shō" (月之抄), meaning "The Art of Looking at the Moon" or "Manual of the Moon", is a philosophical and strategic manual on kenjutsu written by Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi, a renowned Japanese swordsman, focusing on the mindset and techniques of a swordsman.


Chapter 94: Inamichi’s Ambition

Ieiri Family

"Shoko, did you personally witness the forging of the Zanpakutō this time?"

Upon hearing the news from his daughter, Inamichi was visibly shocked.

He hadn't expected Shoko to already be involved with Satoshi and the others, let alone be present for the actual forging of a Zanpakutō.

"Was there anything special about Satoshi-kun's forging process?"

Though he knew it was likely Satoshi's secret, Inamichi couldn't help but probe for details.

Hearing her father's question, Shoko gave him a puzzled look. After a few seconds of thought, she realized that Satoshi had never explicitly told her to keep it confidential. In the end, she chose not to hide it from her father.

"The forging of a Zanpakutō requires existing, completed Cursed Tools as base materials. However, it seems that these materials only serve as the foundation, the most crucial part is that Satoshi appears to infuse a soul into the Zanpakutō."

Shoko explained based on her own observations.

"A soul?"

Inamichi was taken aback. Could Cursed Tools possess souls?

That shouldn't be possible… right?

"I'm not sure about Sode no Shirayuki and Senbonzakura, but when it came to Katen Kyōkotsu, I truly felt that a Zanpakutō must have a consciousness."

"The moment Toji touched Katen Kyōkotsu, he instinctively knew its name and seemed to have gained insight into its techniques."

"According to Satoshi's explanation, Toji and the former wielder of Katen Kyōkotsu were highly compatible. As a result, the lingering will within the Zanpakutō assisted Toji in mastering it."

Shoko's explanation carried a significant revelation.

"So… the Zanpakutō had a previous owner?"

Inamichi felt like he had a hundred questions, each leading to even more curiosity.

"I'm not certain about the specifics, but according to Satoshi, these Zanpakutō originally existed in some form, he merely unveiled them."

"That's why I said that Satoshi himself is the key to the Zanpakutō. Even if someone else understands the technique, they won't be able to replicate the process."

Shoko had already guessed her father's ambitions.

She knew he harbored hopes of revitalizing the Ieiri family through the power of Zanpakutō.

However, she also knew that was impossible.

That was why she told him all this—to dispel his unrealistic expectations.

"So that's how it is… The key to a Zanpakutō isn't the forging technique, but Gojo Satoshi himself."

Ieiri Inamichi sighed.

He had considered this possibility before, but now that it was confirmed, he couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Then again, if such a unique Cursed Tool could be replicated through simple forging methods, the Jujutsu Blacksmith Association wouldn't be struggling for relevance.

Still, the information he obtained from Shoko made the visit to the Gojo estate worthwhile.

At the very least, he now had first-hand knowledge, something far more valuable than secondhand rumors.

"Shoko, is it true that Toji defeated Zenin Naobito using the abilities of Katen Kyōkotsu?"

Inamichi asked about the rumors circulating in the Jujutsu world.

He had also heard that Shoko had assisted the Gojo brothers with medical treatment and had some direct contact with Toji.

Recalling what her father had just said about Toji's feats, Shoko fell into brief silence before whispering:

"Father, Toji is extremely strong."

"The Zanpakutō, Katen Kyōkotsu, likely played a role in his victory… but even without it, I believe Toji still could have achieved the same result."

Inamichi's eyes widened in disbelief.

What did she mean?

How could an ordinary person without Cursed Energy possibly be that strong?

Or was it that the Zanpakutō had been the true deciding factor?

"During my time there, Gojo Satoru, Gojo Satoshi, and Gojo Shunichi were all training in Hakuda under Toji."

"Toji possesses physical abilities far beyond human limits."

"Even high-level jujutsu sorcerers can do nothing against his sheer physical prowess. Uncle Shunichi, for example, fully acknowledges Toji's strength."

"But the most telling thing is that Gojo Satoshi himself recognizes Toji's power—so much so that he forced Gojo Satoru to accept Toji's training."

"Zenin Naobito was undoubtedly strong, but against someone with Toji's monstrous physicality and a Zanpakutō like Katen Kyōkotsu, his defeat wasn't surprising at all."

As she said this, Shoko seemed to recall something.

"Father, Satoshi's physical strength already surpasses Satoru's. I believe the so-called Heavenly Restriction might not actually be a curse."

"Instead, it feels as if the heavens took away the Cursed Energy of Satoshi and Toji, but in return, granted them unparalleled physical bodies."

"So, in Toji's case, the Zanpakutō only enhances what is already an overwhelming advantage. If anyone underestimates him just because he has no Cursed Energy, they will suffer immensely in the future."

Inamichi slowly nodded, his perception of Toji completely shifting.

At the same time, he realized something else.

Toji—an overwhelmingly powerful warrior had willingly remained by Satoshi's side.

That fact alone was proof of Satoshi's influence.

It was hard to imagine how many more people would gather around him as he grew older.

Inamichi thought of the Cursed Object he had examined earlier.

It was likely that the mastermind behind Satoshi's assassination attempt had foreseen his future potential.

But even I underestimated the Gojo family… Gojo Satoshi is no longer just the unknown, pseudo-Six Eyes prodigy people once dismissed. He now has solid backing within the clan.

This time, his visit to the Gojo estate had revealed something crucial.

At first, he believed that Satoshi's situation would become more precarious after Gojo Kumaen rose as the new representative of the Gojo clan.

However, what surprised him was that after taking charge, Gojo Kumaen hadn't made a single move against Satoshi.

Instead, supporting Satoshi seemed to have become a political consensus within the entire Gojo family—on par with their support for Gojo Satoru.

Realizing this, Inamichi felt a hint of regret.

Had he accepted the previous marriage proposal from the Gojo clan head, could the Ieiri family have also benefited from Satoshi's favor?

"The power of Katen Kyōkotsu must be formidable. A dual-bladed Zanpakutō is a perfect match for Toji. I'm curious to see what kind of Zanpakutō Satoshi will create for me…"

Shoko sighed while nibbling on a snack.

Her casual remark made Inamichi freeze for a moment, then his face lit up with ecstatic realization.

(To be continued.)