Ryūjin Jakka was still the strongest Zanpakutō.
Satoru lifted the corner of his mouth slightly, controlling the billions of blades of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi to hover around him.
Satoshi held Ryūjin Jakka in his hand, spiral-like flames constantly swirling along the blade.
The Reiatsu released by the two Zanpakutō continued to intensify. Even those watching through the live broadcast, without being physically present, could feel the immense clash of power between the two forces.
"Gojo Satoshi is strong, but this time Satoru should win, right? After all, Satoshi's Zanpakutō is only in Shikai, not the legendary Bankai."
Some viewers who knew a little about Zanpakutō, but not much, whispered to the side.
After all, the name Bankai was already well-known throughout the world of Jujutsu. On the surface, Ryūjin Jakka in its Shikai form shouldn't be able to match a completed Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
These people understood the difference between Shikai and Bankai, and knew a bit about Zanpakutō, but not much.
What they didn't realize was that the strength of a Zanpakutō also depended on the blade itself.
While Senbonzakura ranked among the top Zanpakutō, when facing Ryūjin Jakka, even Bankai versus Shikai, Ryūjin Jakka's overwhelming power was not inferior in the slightest.
In the next moment during the live broadcast, Satoshi launched a counterattack with Ryūjin Jakka. To everyone's surprise, however, his target wasn't Satoru.
Satoshi swung Ryūjin Jakka, and flames poured from the blade like crashing waves, erupting into a raging firestorm that surged toward Kamo Kenshin, Mei Mei, Utahime, Shoko, and Suguru.
In an instant, flames engulfed them. A towering wall of fire formed, trapping all five within its perimeter.
This was... Jōkaku Enjō.
Within the blazing encirclement, Suguru, having once experienced this technique inside the Tombs of the Star, instantly recognized it.
Nine years ago, when Satoshi first resonated with Ryūjin Jakka, he used Jōkaku Enjō as a trial by fire. Now, nine years later, Suguru never thought he'd be facing it again.
Will I be able to break out of it this time?
Suguru narrowed his eyes slightly, a glint of anticipation hidden within.
He hadn't waited in vain for the past nine years. He had grown. While he wasn't yet a recognized Special Grade like Satoru, he was already one of the strongest among Grade 1 sorcerers.
Now, standing once again inside these flames, he wanted to test himself against the inferno that had once caged him.
But before he made his move, Suguru turned to look at Kamo Kenshin beside him.
Kenshin, who was experiencing Jōkaku Enjō for the first time, frowned deeply. Gazing at the towering flames surrounding them, he felt like Satoshi was simply wasting time.
Everyone knew that Satoshi had no intention of killing them. This move was meant to trap them, to prevent interference in the duel between the two brothers.
But in Kenshin's eyes, Satoshi was overthinking. He had no intention of interfering. In fact, he wanted to see the battle unfold.
The best-case scenario was that both of them died together, removing the oppressive weight they cast over the entire generation.
As for Suguru, Satoru's so-called "best partner"? A commoner with no clan and no bloodline. He didn't even factor into Kenshin's concerns.
Still, even if he thought that way, he couldn't let the audience see it.
In other words, he could choose not to interfere, but he couldn't appear helpless just because he was trapped. If he simply stood there doing nothing, it would look humiliating.
Especially since the flames only encircled them from the sides. The top remained open.
Though he didn't think the flames were particularly threatening, Kenshin still avoided touching the fire walls. After all, this wasn't ordinary fire. It came from a Zanpakutō.
So, he took another approach. Digging in with his right foot, he launched himself into the air with his powerful body, soaring like a great bird spreading its wings.
He aimed to leap straight over Satoshi's Jōkaku Enjō.
...
"Was that really necessary? They wouldn't have interfered in our fight."
Satoru tilted his head and looked at Satoshi. When Ryūjin Jakka was activated, Satoru had been preparing himself to defend against it.
But he never expected that he wouldn't be the target.
"It might not matter, but they'll just be watching quietly. Isn't that what you wanted, Satoru?"
Satoshi smiled faintly, shrugging at the fighting spirit in Satoru's gaze.
He was also looking forward to this battle. As the first one to complete Bankai through the Borrowed Sword system, Satoshi was eager to test Satoru's strength.
"But it looks like they're not planning to just sit and watch."
Satoru hovered in midair, observing the five people surrounded by Jōkaku Enjō, then looked at Kenshin's leaping figure.
He was also curious to see what kind of surprises Jōkaku Enjō would bring.
Satoru had once experienced it himself, so he knew its terror.
Under that pressure, no one had ever dared to escape from above. Everyone believed that trying to break through from the top would only lead to a worse fate.
Now, this was the perfect opportunity to verify his theory from nine years ago—through Kamo Kenshin.
He and Suguru were truly partners. They had the exact same thought when facing Jōkaku Enjō.
He and Suguru were truly partners. They had the exact same thought when facing Jōkaku Enjō.
Under their watchful gazes, Kenshin, having leapt into the air, began adjusting his angle in midair, preparing to slip past the burning circle from above.
At this moment, many believed that Satoshi's technique was just a flashy move. Nothing more. Something a strong physical sorcerer like Kenshin could bypass.
But then, the low-burning flames that had encircled them suddenly surged upward.
The blazing wall roared into the sky, instantly engulfing Kenshin mid-flight.
"Aaaaah!"
With a scream, Kenshin crashed back to the ground.
(To be continued.)
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