HRU: Chapter 89/90

Chapter 89: Who Gave You The Right To Decide That?

Gojo Tsubaki frowned slightly and turned to look at Principal Sekiguchi Seiji standing beside him.

"Principal Seiji, please keep this matter confidential. The issue with the Nine Phases Diagram was never your fault. It's clear that the ninth cursed womb was switched out when the diagram was first discovered 150 years ago."

"However, the Gojo clan does not want this information leaking out. We hope for your cooperation."

Gojo Tsubaki first absolved Sekiguchi Seiji of responsibility before making his request.

Though it was phrased as a request, it carried the weight of the Gojo clan—denial was not an option.

Seiji was no fool. While only a Grade 1 sorcerer, he held a certain level of authority within Jujutsu society.

But he also understood the immense gap between himself and the Gojo clan.

Tsubaki carried a direct order from the clan head, proof that this matter was of great importance to them.

This wasn't something he wanted to be involved in. The less he knew, the longer he would live.

Seiji nodded in understanding.

Without another word, the two men silently left the Treasury, parting ways completely.

…

Zenin Clan Residence

When Zenin Ogi saw Zenin Toji return home carrying two swords, he immediately recognized them as Zanpakutō.

He had no idea why Toji had obtained two, but there was no time to question it now.

Instead, he immediately spoke.

"Toji, you've done a great service to the family this time!"

After witnessing Sode no Shirayuki's third ability, Ogi had developed a new perspective on Zanpakutō.

Now that Toji had brought back a brand-new one for the Zenin clan, he would thoroughly research it, perhaps even uncover a way to replicate Zanpakutō.

"Toji, hand over your Zanpakutō."

A trace of impatience flashed across Ogi's face.

Although Gojo Satoshi had humiliated him terribly, the Zanpakutō forged by Satoshi held no fault.

In his mind, he was already envisioning himself wielding a Zanpakutō, unlocking its forging secrets, and ultimately forcing Gojo Satoshi to kneel in regret.

As Ogi spoke, he reached out toward Toji's waist.

He didn't know which sword belonged to him, so he planned to take them both.

But—

"Huh?"

A flicker of surprise appeared in Ogi's eyes.

His attempt… failed!

Toji had dodged his grab with an effortless sidestep.

"Toji, what do you think you're doing?"

Ogi straightened, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Only now did he realize, the plan he and Naobito had devised… was going completely off course.

Toji sneered. The corners of his mouth curled upward, pulling at the scar on his lip, forming a look of utter disdain.

"What do I think I'm doing?"

Toji's hand rested on the katana's hilt, while the wakizashi remained sheathed at his waist.

Like a predator, his gaze locked onto Ogi.

"Zenin Toji… are you planning to betray the clan? Don't you understand that this Zanpakutō belongs to the Zenin family?"

Ogi's voice trembled with rage.

He had spoken kindly to this useless failure, yet Toji dared to defy him?

"You're just a worthless non-sorcerer with no Cursed Energy or Cursed Technique! How dare you disobey me!?"

"I am your uncle! Do you think you have the right to speak back to me!?"

Ogi's fury erupted, his expression twisted with malice.

At this moment, nothing else mattered.

All he wanted was to take the Zanpakutō from Toji's hands.

Toji was a nobody in the Zenin family, he had no status, no value.

And yet, this failure was looking down on him!?

"As expected… the stench of rot never fades."

"If I let you lay a hand on Katen Kyōkotsu, that would be a defilement of the blade itself."

Toji narrowed his eyes. A cold glint flickered within them.

"No Cursed Energy—useless."

"No Cursed Technique—worthless."

"Who gave you the right to decide that?"

In the blink of an eye, Toji rushed forward.

And drove his fist directly into Ogi's abdomen.

"GH—!"

Ogi's eyes bulged in shock.

A split second later.

BOOM!

His body was sent flying backward like a ragdoll, slamming into the wall with a thunderous impact.

"Not bad."

Toji clenched his right fist, shaking it slightly as a wicked grin spread across his face.

He had always wanted to do that.

And today—he finally did.

"Uncle? What's that supposed to mean?"

"This entire family is rotting. How could a weakling like you ever be worthy of calling yourself my uncle?"

Toji wasn't sure what had changed.

But the moment he set foot back in the Zenin household, something within him had snapped free.

The years of restraint he had held back… had vanished.

The moment he threw that punch, he had felt nothing. No hesitation. No remorse.

So… I never had any attachment to this family, huh?

Yorozuya…

It's not Satoshi who needs it.

I need it.

A place to belong.

Even though Yorozuya hadn't been built yet…

Toji had already made his decision.

If he stayed here any longer, Katen Kyōkotsu itself might not be able to withstand the Zenin clan's decay.

"Toji, what the hell happened!? Why is Uncle Ogi like this!?"

The loud crash had drawn the attention of Zenin Jinichi, who arrived with a face full of questions.

He had thought the clan was under attack.

But there were no signs of intruders.

Only two people stood in the corridor—Toji and Ogi.

Jinichi turned his gaze to his younger brother.

Yet, Toji didn't even acknowledge him.

Even though they were brothers, they had always walked different paths.

Toji never cared for the Zenin family's power struggles.

But Jinichi… had always coveted the position of acting clan head.

"Jinichi! Restrain Toji!"

"He's a traitor, he attacked me just now!"

Ogi groaned, forcing himself up despite the crippling pain in his abdomen. His expression was twisted with anger and humiliation.

He had always known that Toji was physically strong.

But he had never taken it seriously.

In his mind, raw strength meant nothing without Cursed Energy.

But now—

Now, Ogi felt fear.

"Uncle Ogi… are you sure?"

Jinichi hesitated, a trace of doubt flickering across his face.

"How could Toji attack you? He doesn't even have Cursed Energy, how could a non-sorcerer possibly hurt a sorcerer?"

Jinichi hadn't expected Ogi to say something so absurd.

But since the victim himself was making the accusation, he couldn't simply ignore it.

He turned to Toji, his gaze filled with suspicion.

Toji could feel the shift in his brother's demeanor.

He sighed internally.

I have a brother too…

But our relationship will never be like Gojo Satoshi and Gojo Satoru.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 90: Sorcerers Are Nothing but Chickens

If Satoshi were to strike against the higher-ups of the Gojo clan, how would Gojo Satoru react?

Would he be like Jinichi, sizing me up, preparing to subdue me?

Toji shook his head.

"Jinichi, yeah, I did it," he admitted plainly. "I suggest you don't activate your Cursed Technique—otherwise, you're only going to embarrass yourself."

Before he even finished speaking, he took a step forward.

And in the next instant, he was already beside Jinichi, placing a casual hand on his shoulder.

"Toji, you—"

How is he this fast?

The thought had barely formed in Jinichi's mind when.

His technique was shattered instantly by Toji's attack.

Jinichi turned, staring at Toji in pure shock.

He had never imagined his younger brother could be this strong.

He had heard rumors—stories about Toji going toe-to-toe with Sode no Shirayuki's techniques at the Gojo estate.

At the time, he had dismissed them as a joke.

But now, after witnessing Toji's strength firsthand…

He was shaken.

Wasn't Toji supposed to be a Heavenly Restriction carrier?

Wasn't he supposed to have no Cursed Energy at all?

Then why is he this strong?

As Toji subdued him, more figures arrived at the scene.

Zenin Naobito and Shinsuke, who had still been recovering, rushed forward.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Naobito didn't know the details yet, but he could sense the tension between Ogi and Toji.

Meanwhile, Shinsuke stood behind him, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He couldn't comprehend what he had just seen.

Toji had taken down Jinichi, a sorcerer with a Cursed Technique, with such ease.

But… how?

Jinichi wasn't a prodigy, but he was still a Zenin sorcerer.

How could he be subdued by someone who supposedly had no Cursed Energy at all?

Before Shinsuke could process his thoughts, Ogi's voice rang out.

"Naobito! Toji has betrayed the family, he refuses to hand over his Zanpakutō!"

Ogi's words made both Shinsuke and Naobito instinctively glance at the swords at Toji's waist.

Toji had never liked using weapons.

If he was carrying a sword now, then it could only be the Zanpakutō Gojo Satoshi had forged for him.

"Is that true?"

Naobito looked at Toji intently, his expression darkening.

For some reason, he wasn't entirely surprised by Toji's defiance.

He had always suspected that Toji had been hiding his strength, but he had never expected it to be this overwhelming.

Even Ogi, who was only slightly weaker than himself, had been helpless against him.

But before Naobito could say anything further.

Toji grinned.

"Katen Kyōkotsu told me they don't like being touched by others. So no, you have no right to lay a hand on them."

His left hand remained resting on the katana's hilt, completely unmoved despite the two attacks he had just launched.

"Toji, are you really refusing to hand over the Zanpakutō?" Naobito asked again.

Toji smirked.

"This is my Zanpakutō. Why should I hand it over?"

Naobito's eyes narrowed slightly, and he spoke in a low voice.

"Toji, you are a member of the Zenin clan. Your surname is Zenin. Everything you have should be for the sake of the family."

He knew that Toji had changed, but he still wanted to salvage the situation before it spiraled out of control.

Unfortunately—

Toji had run out of patience.

"Uncle Naobito, wasn't I the Zenin family's failure?"

He let out a cold chuckle.

"Since when did the Zenin clan start relying on failures?"

Toji scoffed, his tone dripping with mockery.

"If I wanted to, I could kill every last one of you right now."

"You sorcerers? You're nothing but chickens."

His words sent a shockwave through everyone present.

Even Naobito, the most composed among them, couldn't hide his reaction.

No one had ever expected the Zenin family's 'disgrace' to say something like this.

For a moment, Naobito wanted to rebuke him—

But before he could, a crushing pressure emanated from Toji's body.

In an instant—

Naobito, Shinsuke, Jinichi, and Ogi found themselves frozen in place.

They couldn't move.

It was as if their bodies were no longer under their control.

At this moment, the man standing before them wasn't just Toji.

He was a demon.

Is this… Toji's true strength? How is this possible?

The same thought ran through all four of their minds.

How could someone without Cursed Energy exude such a terrifying aura?

Unlike the oppressive weight of Cursed Energy, the threat radiating from Toji was purely physical.

It was as if any movement on their part would result in instant death.

Like a predator who had already decided they were prey.

Like their lives were no longer in their own hands.

At this moment, they understood.

Toji hadn't been boasting.

He truly could slaughter them all if he wanted to.

Eventually, the pressure faded, and the four of them were finally able to breathe again.

Naobito and Ogi exchanged glances, their expressions filled with undisguised shock.

A freak like Toji had no place in the Zenin clan, a family that worshipped Cursed Techniques above all else.

His very existence shattered the foundation of their beliefs.

Meanwhile, Shinsuke's mind was in turmoil.

The man he had always dismissed as worthless had just paralyzed the entire room with sheer presence alone.

For the first time in his life, he began doubting everything he had been taught.

Everything about Cursed Techniques.

Everything about the Zenin family's ideology.

From Gojo Satoshi to Toji.

The two 'failures' were single-handedly tearing apart the world he had always known.

From the existence of Cursed Zanpakutō to Toji's monstrous physical prowess, none of it aligned with the laws of the Jujutsu world.

For the first time…

Shinsuke questioned himself.

And questioned the truth of the world he lived in.

However—

Unlike the others, Jinichi was thrilled.

My little brother… is this powerful?

Right now, Toji is the strongest person in the Zenin family.

If I can gain his support, wouldn't I be able to secure even greater power for myself?

Jinichi was already plotting how to use Toji to advance his own position.

…

As Toji turned to leave, Naobito and Ogi exchanged a silent agreement.

They couldn't let him walk away.

Before, they had only wanted his Zanpakutō.

But now, Toji himself was far more valuable than any weapon.

The Zenin clan's ideology wasn't wrong.

Jujutsu wasn't wrong.

But with the Gojo clan's Six Eyes prodigy growing stronger each day…

A monster like Toji was exactly what they needed to compete.

(To be continued.)