HRU: Chapter 91/92

Chapter 91: Shadow Demon

"Toji! You can't leave the family!"

The moment Toji released his pressure and revealed his strength, Naobito immediately realized his intentions.

Toji wanted to leave. Now that he had made his decision, he no longer bothered to suppress his power.

Zenin Naobito and Ogi activated their techniques simultaneously, trying to stop Toji from escaping.

However, the next moment, something even more shocking occurred.

The Zenin estate vanished into the shadows right before their eyes.

Just as the two launched their techniques, Toji had already begun chanting the words of Katen Kyōkotsu's shikai.

"Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer. "

Toji unleashed the shadow demon ability of Katen Kyōkotsu.

This time, he had no intention of relying on brute force to subdue Naobito and Ogi.

He wanted them to witness firsthand that the shadow techniques the Zenin family had long coveted could be mastered by a so-called "useless" man without cursed energy, through his Zanpakutō, Katen Kyōkotsu!

And just like that, Toji disappeared into the shadows.

This scene completely shattered Naobito and Ogi's understanding of the world. They couldn't comprehend how someone without cursed energy or jujutsu could vanish into thin air.

But the next moment, realization dawned upon them.

Toji didn't have cursed techniques.

But he had a Zanpakutō.

And he could use its abilities.

So… was this Zanpakutō's ability to erase its wielder's presence?

Such thoughts flashed through Naobito and Ogi's minds—until pain abruptly shot through their bodies.

"Watch your shadows!"

Toji's voice rang out, and both men's faces twisted in alarm as the stabbing sensation in their abdomens became real.

Two black, curved blades emerged from their stomachs.

These two elite sorcerers of the Zenin family had never imagined they would be defeated by a man without cursed energy.

They instinctively turned their heads and the sight before them left them in utter disbelief.

Toji stepped out from within their very shadows, gripping two black scimitars, one long, one short, each blade buried deep into their silhouettes cast upon the ground.

The wounds in their shadows mirrored the wounds on their actual bodies.

—What kind of shadow technique is this?!

Shadow techniques held a place of supreme importance within the Zenin clan. Any sorcery related to shadows was considered a legacy skill of immense value.

Zenin Shinsuke was a prime example.

Yet neither Naobito nor Ogi had ever expected Toji to wield shadow abilities.

Even if the source of his power came from his Zanpakutō, it was still undeniably a true shadow technique.

And they had just been defeated by it.

By someone with zero cursed energy.

By someone they had once deemed worthless.

"How does it feel to be attacked by your own shadow?"

"What did you expect from your so-called sacred shadow techniques? To be passed down through generations? To be the pride of the Zenin clan?"

"The stench of decay."

Toji yanked Katen Kyōkotsu free from the ground, and both Naobito and Ogi felt their strength rapidly draining.

Yet physical pain was not the worst of their suffering.

The real agony came from the humiliation.

They had been defeated by the very thing the Zenin family took the most pride in.

They were both First-Grade Sorcerers, yet they had lost to a man without cursed energy.

And worse still, they had lost to a Zanpakutō's technique.

What was the name of this sword again?

Katen Kyōkotsu?

A terrifying thought crept into Ogi's mind.

This Zanpakutō seemed as though it was meant for the Zenin clan.

This kind of ghostly shadow technique should have belonged to them.

Yet, unfortunately, Toji had already proven that he was the true strongest of the Zenin family.

Even without cursed energy.

Even without jujutsu.

With his Zanpakutō, he had crushed them all.

On the sidelines, Zenin Shinsuke and Jinichi stood frozen, their mouths agape, unable to process what they had just witnessed.

They had already sensed Toji's overwhelming presence earlier and knew he was strong.

But they had never expected that even Naobito and Ogi would be powerless against him.

The sight of Toji standing there, gripping two black scimitars, had been seared into their memories.

Was this the true power of a Zanpakutō?

Was this the Zanpakutō that Gojo Satoru had forged for Toji?

Was this a Zanpakutō that embodied the very essence of the Zenin clan's shadow techniques?

Toji had only used one ability—yet he had effortlessly crushed Naobito and Ogi.

As a bystander, Shinsuke could tell that Toji's raw physical strength had played a crucial role in this battle.

But the combination of an inhumanly strong body and a shadow-based Zanpakutō technique had elevated Toji to a level that ordinary people could never hope to reach.

And most importantly.

If Gojo Satoru had forged this Zanpakutō, then it must have other abilities.

A single technique had already rendered the Zenin clan's elites powerless.

What other abilities did Katen Kyōkotsu possess?

A surge of desire flared within Zenin Shinsuke's heart.

He wanted a Zanpakutō.

If a sorcerer could obtain one, it would be an unparalleled trump card.

A weapon that doubled their strength.

But forging a Zanpakutō of this caliber was beyond comprehension. Unless one was a close ally of Gojo Satoru, there was no chance of obtaining one.

Why had Toji been chosen?

Was it because of his Heavenly Restriction?

Shinsuke felt a surge of jealousy.

But right now, he was powerless to do anything.

The sight of Naobito and Ogi lying defeated had left him utterly shaken.

For the first time, Shinsuke truly understood.

He was not Toji's equal.

He thought back to the moment when Satoshi had left him behind and had instead gone to personally greet Toji.

A bitter sense of frustration welled up within him.

Had Gojo Satoshi already known how extraordinary Toji was back then?

Was that why he had been so indifferent toward everyone else?

…What terrifying foresight.

Shinsuke could only watch as Toji quietly packed his belongings.

Watched as Toji walked out of the Zenin estate.

And left.

Shinsuke and Jinichi finally snapped out of their daze.

Shinsuke fell silent.

Jinichi forced himself to suppress his excitement as he hurriedly ordered people to tend to Naobito and Ogi's injuries.

My opportunity has arrived. For that, I must thank you, Brother.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 92: The Regret of the Zenin Family?

Although Naobito and Ogi had been pierced through the abdomen by Kageoni, their injuries were not fatal.

Naobito's heart was filled with regret. As the head of the Zenin family, he had failed to recognize and nurture the rare gem that was Toji.

Had the Zenin clan, which had always revered jujutsu and Cursed Techniques, truly been on the right path? Were sorcerers really the future of humanity?

If Cursed Energy was the supreme power, then what did that make an anomaly like Toji?

Unlike Ogi, who was still ranting about how Toji's strength came solely from his Zanpakutō, Naobito was far more aware of the truth.

During their battle, he had already realized something terrifying.

Even if Toji hadn't used Katen Kyōkotsu, he still could have defeated them with sheer physical ability alone.

This genius of the Zenin family loathed them to his very core.

Naobito felt conflicted.

But if he put himself in Toji's shoes… if he had been treated the same way, perhaps he would have been even more ruthless.

Naobito glanced at Shinsuke, who was still frozen in shock, and sighed.

Today's battle must have been an even greater blow to him.

No one had ever imagined that a man with no cursed energy could possess such overwhelming strength.

For Shinsuke, who had always been held as the pride of the Zenin family, his entire past might now feel like a joke.

Beside him, Ogi's expression twisted with frustration.

"We must take back the Zanpakutō that belongs to the Zenin family! That pair of Katen Kyōkotsu was meant for us—it cannot be allowed to remain in Toji's hands!"

"The existence of Zanpakutō will overturn the entire foundation of jujutsu. If we can't win over Gojo Satoshi, then we must eliminate him, no matter what it takes, even if it means making enemies of the Gojo clan."

"If we allow Gojo Satoshi to continue developing his techniques, then in the future, he could become an even greater threat than Gojo Satoru! If we don't act now, the Zenin family may end up spending the next fifty years crushed beneath the weight of the Twin Six Eyes—Gojo Satoru and Gojo Satoshi!"

"If that happens, the Zenin clan will decline to the level of the Kamo family, and you, Naobito, will be remembered as the sinner who let it happen."

Ogi, his face contorted with fury, was now spewing blame onto Naobito.

Unlike Naobito, who could recognize Toji's true power, Ogi refused to accept his own defeat at the hands of a younger family member.

He refused to acknowledge Toji's strength.

To him, everything was because of the Zanpakutō.

But he failed to realize, he was the root cause of this entire situation.

Naobito narrowed his eyes and let out a bitter laugh.

It's a little late to be saying all this now.

You had the chance to work with Gojo Satoshi before, yet you were the one who ruined that opportunity. And now, suddenly, you're concerned about the threat of Zanpakutō? Funny. I seem to recall you saying something very different before.

Anyone with a brain could see the potential of the Twin Six Eyes. The moment two bearers of Six Eyes were born in the same era, their dominance was already inevitable.

Instead of standing here pointing fingers, you should focus on fixing the Zenin family. If we don't change the old ways, then even if another genius like Toji appears, the family will only end up driving them away.

For the first time, Naobito began to deeply reflect.

If he had been firmer in his stance when discussing matters with the clan leader…

Would he have been able to change Toji's status within the family?

Would Toji have chosen not to leave?

Toji's strength had not appeared overnight.

It was clear he had been this powerful for years.

So why had he hidden it?

Why had he chosen to leave now?

There was no doubt that Katen Kyōkotsu played a role in his power.

But the real reason behind his departure…

Was likely a person.

Perhaps the turning point was the arrival of his new friend—Gojo Satoshi.

Naobito sighed. The Zenin family was a complete mess.

Was there anyone in the younger generation capable of standing against the Gojo clan?

Zenin Shinsuke?

After today, his spirit had been completely broken.

What kind of Zenin family was this?

His gaze shifted to Jinichi, who was giving orders to the servants with high spirits.

Naobito shook his head.

He could see what Jinichi was plotting. But did someone like him truly have what it took to lead the Zenin family?

Jinichi, unaware of Naobito's disdain, was currently carrying out his duties with newfound energy.

With Naobito and Ogi injured, and Shinsuke unwilling to take control, he was now the highest-ranking member of the Zenin family.

And all of this…

Was thanks to his younger brother, Toji.

For the first time, he felt like he had the advantage over Shinsuke.

What did talent matter?

So what if he wasn't gifted in jujutsu?

As long as Toji was around, he would always have a hidden trump card within the Zenin family.

In fact, with Toji as an external ally, he could actually try to claim the position of the Zenin family's next head.

After all, wasn't the strongest person in the Zenin family no longer Naobito…

But his own younger brother, Toji?

At this moment, Jinichi was already thinking about how to position himself for the future.

For him, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


---

That very night, after Toji left the Zenin family.

Rumors of Toji's true strength and the terrifying ability of his Zanpakutō, Katen Kyōkotsu, shook the entire jujutsu community.

And under Jinichi's deliberate manipulation, the Zenin family's disgrace was fully exposed to the world.

Meanwhile, the two people at the center of all the chaos.

Satoshi and Toji.

Were simply staring at each other inside a forge.

"...Is the Zenin family always this unrefined? They really went and aired all their dirty laundry in public?"

After hearing the latest rumors, Gojo Satoshi could easily guess what had happened when Toji returned to the Zenin estate.

But something felt off.

Because of his interference…

Had Toji ended up leaving the Zenin family earlier than he originally would have?

"I just went back to grab something," Toji replied indifferently.

He didn't care what the Zenin family was planning, nor did he want any further involvement with them.

"Alright, alright…"

Satoshi sighed.

His eyes drifted toward the heavy bag of money in front of him.

And all his complaints instantly vanished.

He hadn't expected that Toji, the so-called outcast of the Zenin family, would have this much saved up.

Wait…

Had this future gambling addict already gotten himself hooked on betting?

Well, whatever.

At least now, the Yorozuya had its start-up capital.

(To be continued.)