HRU: 87/88

Chapter 87: Memories?

There was no time to dwell on others' emotions. Satoshi was stunned by the sheer compatibility between Toji and Katen Kyōkotsu.

He had never once told Toji the names of these Zanpakutō.

And yet, Toji not only knew their true names but also chanted the Shikai release command immediately after obtaining them.

This incantation wasn't short like Suzumushi, Senbonzakura, or Sode no Shirayuki. There was no way he could've just guessed it, right?

"The flower wind rages, the flower god roars! The heavenly wind rages, the heavenly demon sneers!"

The way Toji muttered those words in a low voice had momentarily reminded Satoshi of Kyoraku Shunsui.

So… what exactly happened when Toji was in that trance just now?

Was it simply that Katen Kyōkotsu and Toji were truly that compatible?

…

"Toji, how do you know Katen Kyōkotsu's name?"

Satoru had initially planned to ask about Katen Kyōkotsu's abilities, but he quickly realized something was off.

Satoshi had personally revealed the name of Senbonzakura to him. He had also told Shunichi about Suzumushi.

But Toji… Toji had never been told the name of his Zanpakutō.

Yet, he knew it.

This wasn't normal.

Satoru's question immediately made both Shunichi and Shoko react.

That's right—Satoshi had never said the name aloud, so how did Toji already know it?

Everyone turned to look at him with questioning gazes.

Feeling the weight of their stares, Toji remained silent for a moment before finally speaking up.

"That person told me."

His words left the group in stunned silence.

But Satoshi silently nodded.

Toji had seen a mysterious middle-aged man.

Based on his description, how could Satoshi not recognize Kyoraku Shunsui?

Satoshi was perplexed.

Had Kyoraku Shunsui's memories been imprinted on Katen Kyōkotsu?

Or had Shunsui somehow established a connection with Toji through the Zanpakutō itself?

This was one of the many mysteries surrounding Zanpakutō.

As their creator, Satoshi was beginning to realize that he still hadn't fully grasped their nature.

Could it be that the Zanpakutō I forged aren't mere replicas? Do they still retain fragments of their original owners' memories?

If that were the case, then…

Are Tōsen Kaname's memories hidden within Suzumushi? Does Senbonzakura carry remnants of Kuchiki Byakuya's past? Is there a secret about Kuchiki Rukia sealed within Sode no Shirayuki?

Maybe I need to take some time to study the nature of Zanpakutō more thoroughly.

But if that's true, then why did Toji see Kyoraku Shunsui the moment he touched his Zanpakutō? Why didn't Satoru, Shunichi, or even myself experience the same thing?

If there was one similarity between Kyoraku Shunsui and Toji, it was their attitude toward life.

Could that be why Toji was able to gain Katen Kyōkotsu's recognition so easily?

Satoshi had a rough idea but wasn't entirely sure. He would have to test things out later.

…

After witnessing Toji's seamless connection with Katen Kyōkotsu, Satoru couldn't help but feel a bit resentful.

He never expected that this rough-mannered guy, Zenin Toji, would be more compatible with a Zanpakutō than he was.

Toji had the name and Shikai command directly revealed to him.

It was unfair.

Satoru was curious. Just how powerful was Katen Kyōkotsu's technique? Could it be even cooler than Senbonzakura?

"Toji, what's Katen Kyōkotsu's ability? Tell me!"

Satoru asked without hesitation, completely disregarding the fact that a Zanpakutō's ability was a closely guarded secret.

Toji looked at him in silence, suspicion filling his gaze.

If Satoru weren't Satoshi's actual brother, he would've outright asked, "Are you brain-dead?"

A Zanpakutō's abilities weren't something to be casually shared.

Especially Katen Kyōkotsu.

Now that Toji had unlocked its techniques after Shikai, he had become painfully aware of how terrifying its abilities were.

Its power revolved around deadly games, games that enemies would inevitably fall victim to.

Any opponent unfamiliar with Katen Kyōkotsu's abilities would suffer immensely the first time they encountered it.

That was why he would never reveal its abilities so easily.

…Except to Gojo Satoshi.

If Satoshi asked, he would tell him everything.

However, before he could respond, Satoshi stepped in for him.

"Satoru, respect people's privacy! I didn't ask you about Senbonzakura's abilities, did I? These techniques are a Zanpakutō's trump card—you can't just go around asking people to reveal them."

Secrecy was another form of power when it came to Zanpakutō.

Satoshi's words made Satoru realize his mistake. Scratching the back of his head, he awkwardly backed down.

And with that, Toji had officially obtained his own Zanpakutō—a pair of blades, one tachi and one wakizashi.

…

The Next Day.

The entire Jujutsu world was once again shaken by Satoshi.

This time, however, Toji didn't flaunt his power in front of the entire sorcery world like Satoru had.

Even so, the fact that his Zanpakutō manifested in a dual-sword form sparked heated discussions across the entire jujutsu community.

Whenever Gojo clan members went on missions, they would inevitably be asked about the clan's young forging genius, Gojo Satoshi.

Zanpakutō had turned Satoshi into a well-known figure within the sorcery world.

But Satoshi himself wasn't particularly interested in the attention.

Instead, he used this opportunity to discuss future plans with Toji.

He had already decided to establish a Yorozuya—a new organization that would operate independently of both the Gojo and Zenin clans.

And Toji will be its manager for now.

Right now, Satoshi needed Toji's help with the preparation and construction of the Yorozuya.

After all, Toji was better suited to handling external affairs—he had the demeanor of an adult and could move around freely.

"Yorozuya?"

Toji frowned slightly upon hearing the name.

"Yeah."

Satoshi nodded.

"I don't want to rely on the Gojo or Zenin clans. We need to build our own foundation."

"You don't want to deal with the Zenin family any more than I do, right? That's why the Yorozuya will be our future stronghold. And this kind of important task… can only be entrusted to you."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 88: There Is No Technique for Playing Games!

For now, Satoshi was only entrusting Toji with setting up the Yorozuya. He didn't want to waste the favor Toji had promised him earlier.

Hearing that he would have an independent base, Toji absentmindedly touched the scar on his lip and nodded slightly.

He understood the logic behind having multiple backup plans, a cunning rabbit always has three burrows.

It didn't surprise him that Satoshi was already thinking about securing his own future.

Choosing a location and setting up a small shop wasn't a difficult task for him.

"It's no problem. Just a small matter," Toji replied casually.

Then, after confirming that no one else was around, a glint flashed in his eyes as he asked curiously, "You already know Katen Kyōkotsu's ability, right?"

Satoshi looked up at Toji and nodded.

As the forger of Katen Kyōkotsu and a time traveler, how could he not know what his own Zanpakutō was capable of?

"That Kageoni (Shadow Demon) technique.. it was you, wasn't it?"

Toji hesitated, unsure of how to phrase his question.

Had Satoshi specifically designed that ability for him?

"Yeah, I did it on purpose," Satoshi admitted. "I chose this technique because I thought it suited you well. Doesn't the Zenin clan place a lot of value on shadow-based techniques? I wonder how they'll react when they see a non-sorcerer like you using the kind of ability they take so much pride in."

He smirked, clearly amused by the thought.

"Also, you should get familiar with Katen Kyōkotsu's other game techniques. That way, when you have kids in the future, you'll be able to play with them properly."

A hint of mischief appeared on Satoshi's face. He had his own twisted sense of humor.

Would Megumi be moved to tears when he found out how much effort Uncle Satoshi had put into training his father to be a responsible parent?

Toji fell silent for a moment before eventually nodding.

Katen Kyōkotsu's ability transformed children's games into reality. Once someone stepped into its range, they were forced to play by its rules—rules dictated entirely by Katen Kyōkotsu itself.

After Shikai, Katen Kyōkotsu granted four unique techniques, each based on a different game:

[Takaoni (Mountain Demon)]

Rule: Whoever reaches the highest point wins.

Attacks from a higher position deal significantly more damage to opponents below.

[Irooni (Colorful Demon)]

Rule: The person who cuts the declared color wins.

Either side can call out a color, and both sides are only allowed to cut areas covered by that color.

If someone cuts an area of a different color, the attack is nullified.

The larger the area of the called-out color on the opponent, the stronger the attack.

The smaller the area of the color on the opponent, the weaker the attack.

[Kageoni (Shadow Demon)]

Rule: If your shadow is stepped on, you lose.

The user can hide inside an opponent's shadow and launch surprise attacks.

Any damage inflicted on a person's shadow is transferred to their actual body.

The user can also hide themselves or others in shadows to evade attacks.

[Daruma-san ga Koronda (Bodhidarma Falls Down)]

Rule: Whoever's "it" shields their eyes and looks back as they say the verse "Bodhidarma Falls Down". Whoever's caught moving is captured.

The game has three requirements:

1. One, the captor (it) must be in a location where it can be seen by all participants.

2. Two participants lose if seen moving by the captor.

3. Third, the participants win if they can touch the captor and thereby see through the illusion before the captor sees them. (T/N: Basically "Red-Light Green-Light".)

These four game-based techniques were undeniably powerful.

But to Toji… they were also kind of ridiculous.

He had never played games like this as a kid. And now, as an adult, he was being forced to learn their rules?

And what was with that nonsense about playing with his future children? He didn't even know where his kids were, let alone how to play with them!

Ignoring Satoshi's nonsense, Toji focused on analyzing the true purpose of these techniques.

For years, he had relied solely on his physical abilities in combat. He had never used cursed energy or techniques.

But now, with Katen Kyōkotsu in his hands, he finally had something else in his arsenal.

Among the four techniques, the one that intrigued Toji the most was Kageoni.

That was why he had questioned Satoshi about it in the first place.

The Zenin clan took immense pride in their Ten Shadows Technique.

How would they react when they saw Katen Kyōkotsu—a Zanpakutō—using a shadow-based ability completely outside their domain?

After hearing Satoshi's explanation, Toji realized something.

Satoshi had the same kind of twisted sense of humor that he did.

With that thought in mind, Toji returned home. He needed to gather funds from his personal stash to use as the starting capital for Yorozuya.

…

Meanwhile, at Jujutsu High's Warehouse…

In front of the Cursed Womb: Nine Phases Diagram, the Gojo family messenger, Gojo Tsubaki's expression darkened.

"The ninth cursed womb has been replaced."

"When did this happen? There's no sign that the container has been tampered with."

Standing beside him, the current principal of Jujutsu High, Sekiguchi Seiji, looked visibly displeased.

He had already been annoyed when Gojo Tsubaki arrived with orders from the Gojo clan's head to inspect the Vault.

And now, there was actually a problem with one of the cursed objects?

"The ninth cursed womb's container is identical to the previous eight," Tsubaki noted. "There are no signs of physical interference. That can only mean one thing…"

He paused, then continued, "The switch must have happened at the time of its initial storage. Everyone's attention was likely focused on the Special Grade Cursed Objects—Numbers 1 through 3. No one cared about Numbers 4 through 9."

After all, this incident had occurred over 150 years ago.

No one alive knew exactly what had transpired back then.

Tsubaki hadn't come here to question Sekiguchi Seiji. His only goal was to confirm whether the cursed spirit that had attacked Young Master Satoshi was connected to the Nine Phases Diagram.

Now, the answer was clear.

The clan head's suspicions had been correct.

The cursed spirit that attacked Satoshi had been the ninth cursed womb from the Nine Phases Diagram.

And whoever had orchestrated the attack was someone deeply familiar with the Gojo clan, someone who had been fully confident in their plan.

If it weren't for Toji being by Satoshi's side, the mastermind might have succeeded.

Who was responsible for this?

Tsubaki turned his gaze toward the Nine Phases Diagram.

A name surfaced in his mind, one he suspected the Gojo clan head was also considering.

Because there was only one family that could have altered the Nine Phases Diagram before it was placed in the Vault.

The Kamo clan.

Perhaps this ninth cursed womb possessed abilities still unknown to the jujutsu world.

And if someone from the Kamo family had stolen it…

Then this cursed object must still be circulating within the Kamo clan.

(To be continued.)