HRU: Chapter 199: Tengen's Resentment

Satoshi teased, “If you won’t admit defeat, I’m leaving.”

He turned, pretending to walk away.

Seeing this, Satoru panicked.

“Satoshi, you bastard, don’t go!”

“I give up! I give up!”

His Cursed Energy had been burning rapidly. If Satoshi actually left, once his energy ran out, he would be in real danger.

Hearing Satoru’s surrender, Satoshi smiled proudly and released the ice around him.

“Satoru, I didn’t expect you to have grown this much,” he said sincerely.

Satoru turned his head away, still looking unconvinced.

“It’s nothing.”

“I’ve been studying the Reverse Cursed Technique with Shoko lately.”

“Unfortunately, I still don’t get it. But if I did, there’s no way you’d be able to beat me!”

He scowled as he spoke.

Satoshi just smiled silently.

The Reverse Cursed Technique truly was powerful.

If Satoru learned it, Infinity could be maintained automatically, and the toll it and Six Eyes took on his brain could be easily healed.

That would make him a terrifying opponent.

Still, even with all that, facing a complete Bankai: Hakka no Togame, while not as exaggerated as Hyōrinmaru's ability to freeze hope itself, it still came close to absolute frost.

There was no doubt it could freeze the entire area around Satoru.

Seeing that Satoshi wasn’t replying, Satoru shifted topics. He summarized what had happened over the past nine years and sighed.

“Satoshi, you’re old enough to enroll in Jujutsu High.”

“Why don’t you come too?”

“With me protecting you, even if you don’t have Cursed Energy, you could still easily pass the entrance.”

Satoshi rolled his eyes.

Anyone strong enough to pass the entrance exam wouldn’t need his idiot brother to protect them.

Besides, his Zanpakutō had its own path.

Still, he nodded. “Alright.”

He had already been considering it.

Jujutsu High was close to the core of the Jujutsu world. If he joined, he could extend his own influence from within.

Once the school became a stronghold, it would offer him great leverage.

After all, a cunning rabbit always has three burrows.

Not to mention, the school would provide a constant stream of talent for the Yorozuya.

No matter how he looked at it, it was a good strategic move.

…

Just as that thought settled.

Suddenly, a voice came from the doorway.

“Satoshi, you’re finally awake.”

The Gojo brothers turned to see Tengen standing there.

“Lord Tengen!” Satoru called out.

She nodded, then turned to Satoshi with a helpless look.

“You completed Shikai with Sode no Shirayuki, didn’t you?”

She had waited nine long years, carrying countless questions.

Satoshi smiled. “What’s wrong, Lord Tengen?”

He already had an idea—this was about Urozakuro.

Sure enough, in the next moment, she raised the sealed Urozakuro in her hand and frowned as she spoke.

“These past nine years…”

“Urozakuro has never responded to my calls.”

Her voice carried visible frustration.

Satoshi had warned her before. Achieving Shikai and Bankai with Urozakuro wouldn’t be easy.

But nine years of silence was pushing it.

She let out a long breath, trying to appear calm.

If Satoru weren’t standing here, she might’ve already shouted at Satoshi, demanding to know if this broken sword even worked.

It wasn’t that she was truly angry.

But she had a deep unease.

The time she had left to remain as a human was slipping away.

She feared the day her body would begin the process of evolution.

The only solution Satoshi had offered was Urozakuro.

But nine years had passed without any progress.

If she couldn’t achieve Shikai before the end, evolution would begin and her separation from human consciousness would be irreversible.

That kind of loss could endanger the world itself.

No one wanted to see that.

That thought made the worry on her beautiful face deepen.

Satoshi noticed the look in her eyes and felt helpless.

He really couldn’t do anything more for her.

Whether Urozakuro responded or not depended entirely on Tengen herself.

Still, based on timing, it shouldn’t be long now.

Satoshi smiled gently and said, “Lord Tengen, just be patient a bit longer.”

“Shikai and Bankai for Urozakuro are difficult, that’s true. But if it’s you, I believe you can do it.”

Tengen: ...

Hearing his meaningless reassurance only made her feel worse.

It wasn’t that she doubted Satoshi.

But what if something went wrong? What if she lost control of her consciousness?

The consequences would be catastrophic.

Still, she knew he couldn’t help her further.

Forging Urozakuro for her had already been more than enough.

She let out a breath and nodded.

“Alright, I understand.”

“Urozakuro is here. I’ll try again.”

Since she had nothing more to say, Satoshi patted Satoru’s shoulder.

“If there’s nothing else, we’ll head out first.”

“I want to check out Jujutsu High.”

Tengen rolled her eyes.

They caused chaos, and now they just left.

But she couldn’t stop Satoshi, so she waved them off in exasperation.

“Fine. Go.”

“Then we’ll be going,” Satoshi said as he waved.

“Ahem, goodbye, Lord Tengen!” Satoru added with a grin.

After the brothers left

…

Behind the inner hall of the Tombs of the Star.

Tengen stared at Urozakuro for a long time, silent.

“I don’t know if I can trust you.”

“If this fails, we’ll have to use that backup plan.”

“If I can’t reach Shikai with Urozakuro…”

“The world might not survive.”

…

The two brothers exited the Tombs of the Star.

Satoshi squinted at the sunlight. It felt dazzling after so long.

His mind had only been dormant, but his body had slept for nine years.

Naturally, it still felt a little off.

“Here. For you.”

Suddenly, Satoru handed him something.

Satoshi glanced over and saw a pair of sunglasses.

He looked up and noticed Satoru wearing the same pair.

Grinning like a clown.

Satoshi said disdainfully, “Even grade-schoolers would find this kind of showing off childish.”

(To be continued.)